A Tri-Cities LGBTQ+ group has rebuffed a Coquitlam MLA from this year’s online Pride celebrations after what it calls her “continued silence” on several of her BC Liberal Party colleagues who still support a “virulently homophobic and transphobic magazine” following revelations of a party-wide ad buy.
In a statement released on its Facebook page over the weekend, Tri-Cities Pride said it had rescinded its invitation to BC Liberal MLA Joan Issacs (Coquitlam-Burke Mountain) to participate in a virtual Tri-Cities Pride celebration. The event includes “politicians of all political stripes” being invited to share a video message of support.
“We didn’t put out that statement until 25 days later. We wanted to kind of see what action would be taken and we didn’t see that,” said the vice-president of Tri-Cities Pride, who goes by the name West.
“She presented herself as an ally. Typically, allies need to act.”
The controversy stems from a BC Liberal ad buy in the conservative Christian lifestyle publication Light Magazine, which publishes controversial views about the province’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI-123) curriculum, LGBTQ issues and assisted death.
According to expense receipts from August, 2019, Isaacs’ constituency office contributed $102 towards an ad buy totalling nearly $1,000 made by the BC Liberal caucus.
Other articles in Light Magazine include those written by Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson, a former televangelist and failed People’s Party of Canada candidate who is an outspoken critic of SOGI-123.
After the details of the ad spending were brought to light in June, both Issacs and BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson were among those who distanced themselves from the views of the magazine.
On June 30, Issacs rebuffed Light Magazine on Twitter, saying it was “not aligned with her personal principles and values” and that she “embraces diversity and inclusion.”
MLA's advertise in many publications. It has come to my attention that the Light Magazine has content which is not aligned with my personal principles & values. I embrace diversity & inclusion & will not be supporting the magazine in the future. #Coquitlam https://t.co/RJ3xo90RrP
— Joan Isaacs (@joan_isaacs) June 30, 2020
But in the weeks that followed, several members of the BC Liberal caucus did not follow suit, according to the Tri-Cities Pride statement, and pledged to continue buying ads in the magazine.
“Your colleague, Laurie Throness, said he would advertise in the magazine again because it aligns with his values as a ‘Biblical Christian,’” writes the organization, citing a report from CTV.
“Your colleague, Marvin Hunt, placed an ad after Wilkinson [said he would not support the magazine in the future],” it continues, pointing to a story by the publication Press Progress, which first reported the ad buy.
And while the BC Liberal party has since said no advertisements from any party members will be placed in Light Magazine, Tri-Cities Pride said it's still frustrated that no action has been taken against Throness to remove him from his role as the opposition's Child Care Critic. Vancouver Pride has now followed suit, demanding that the party oust Throness from that role if not from caucus altogether.
As a result, Tri-Cities Pride denied Issacs participation in the video project extended to all the mayors, MPs and MLAs of the Tri-Cities. Every one has either offered or provided a video of support, with the exception of Port Moody Mayor Rob Vagramov, who asked for more information and forwarded the request to council, and Conservative MP Nelly Shin (Port Moody-Coquitlam), who has not acknowledged the group’s invitation.
Shin, like some of the members of the BC Liberal caucus, has been caught in the orbit of several controversial figures who hail themselves as advocates in a culture war that has promoted such practices as conversion therapy and the scrubbing of abortion rights as well as sections of the B.C. curriculum which teach about sexual orientation and gender identity.
The controversy over Light Magazine is only the latest episode in that fight, said West of Tri-Cities Pride.
“It’s a magazine that says it’s sinful to be gay or sinful to experience gender dysphoria,” he said. “We try to be non-partisan. We don’t exclude organizations. But we try to protect our community and make sure we are a safe space.”
West said Tri-Cities Pride would like to see Issacs hold her colleagues in the legislature accountable, and that no less than their democratic freedoms to express themselves are at stake.
“There are many who, when they see politicians advertising in this way, they feel misrepresented, underrepresented or invisible,” said West.
“It’s making people in all sorts of jurisdictions suffer as a result.”
— With files from Diane Strandberg
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article failed to mention that the BC Liberal party had since stated all of its MLAs — including Throness and Hunt — would not be advertising in Light Magazine. Clarity around this timeline and the fact Tri-Cities Pride continues to call for sanctions against several BC Liberal MLAs for their role in the magazine has been added for context.
