Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee has joined MLA Elenore Sturko in condemning the BC Conservative organized reception at the BC Legislature for the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA).

ARPA is an organization which believes homosexuality is “immoral”, abortion should be criminalized, and conversion therapy bans should be reversed.

In a statement posted on Twitter/X, Boultbee called out Heather Maahs and rejected her statement that ARPA’s values were aligned with the BC Conservative Party, saying:

“Heather Maahs doesn’t speak for me. I myself, a Christian, believe all British Columbians should have the same civil rights whether you’re gay or straight.

ARPA espouses positions myself and the majority of my constituents reject.

I wouldn’t willingly be caught dead with them in public and I believe it’s an error they were allowed in the Hall of Honour at the legislature.

I will continue to represent all my constituents regardless of what some members of my caucus associate themselves with.”

Half of the BC Conservative Caucus, including John Rustad, attended the ARPA event.

Elenore Sturko has already condemned her colleagues for hosting a group which “actively works against the rights of other British Columbians…”

BC NDP MLA Jennifer Blatherwick: “We support Amelia Boultbee and Elenore Sturko in calling out views their party has long stood by. Now it is time for John Rustad and Heather Maahs to apologize for hosting Trump-style extremist social views in the BC Legislature.”