B.C. candidate apologizes for 'unacceptable' comments about Muslims, Palestinians
One of the B.C. Conservative candidates running in the province's second-largest city has apologized for "completely unacceptable" comments he made about Muslims and Palestinians.
Surrey South candidate Brent Chapman's years-old remarks resurfaced on social media this week, in screenshots shared by CKNW radio host Jas Johal.
- Related: Get full campaign coverage on our B.C. election site
One screenshot shows Chapman, while commenting on a Facebook post from November 2015, referring to Palestinians as "inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs."
Another shows Chapman sharing an article on "Muslim inbreeding," along with concerns, which he attributed to an unnamed friend, that "coexistence with Islam" was “absolutely not” possible.
Approximately one in 20 households in Surrey identify as Muslim, according to the latest census data from Statistics Canada.
Contacted for comment, Chapman acknowledged making the remarks in Johal's post, and offered his "sincerest apologies" to anyone hurt by his words.
"The language I used and sentiments I expressed at that time towards Palestinians and members of the Islamic faith were completely unacceptable," Chapman wrote, in a statement. "They do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities."
The Conservative added that since making those social media comments, he has travelled to "Muslim-majority countries and (built) meaningful relationships with members of the Muslim community in Canada."
"These experiences have broadened my understanding of Islam and deepened by appreciation for the incredible contributions Muslims make in our communities, both locally in Surrey and across Canada," Chapman said.
The B.C. Conservative Party also shared a statement with CTV News, on behalf of Vancouver-Kensington candidate Syed Mohsin, describing Chapman as “a friend of the Muslim community.”
“Brent is a friend of mine, and I have known him for many years. At no point have I ever felt that Brent harboured any views or beliefs that are espoused in those comments,” Mohsin said.
Voting day in the B.C. election is Saturday, Oct. 19, but advanced voting opened Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most Americans believe abortion should be legal, at least in most circumstances, but it's still a flashpoint issue in JD Vance's home state
Abortion is a flashpoint in the upcoming American election, even as polls in the U.S. show most people support reproductive freedom. Abortion rights advocates tell CTV News that when candidates take a stance on that, it could influence a decision at the polling station– especially for women on who they want elected.
'2032 is not good enough': Kelly Craft says Canada has to spend faster on defence if Trump wins
A former U.S. ambassador says Canada needs to spend more on defence, and do so faster than the federal government's currently planning to, to meet the expectations of its NATO allies.
Weekend warriors have the same risk of mild dementia as more frequent exercisers, study suggests
People who only exercise on weekends have a similar risk of developing mild dementia to those who work out more frequently, a new study has found.
She got on a plane to find the guy she fell for at Oktoberfest. ‘I’m going to go and find my ginger’
Mandy Suess was so certain the red-haired man she met at Oktoberfest was special that she got on a plane to go and find him
They sent ballots from Canada. Now, Americans prepare to watch the election from afar
More than 600,000 people who are eligible to vote in the U.S. election live in Canada, according to the U.S. Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Harris appears on 'Saturday Night Live' as mirror image of Maya Rudolph with election looming
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on 'Saturday Night Live' in the final days before the election, playing herself as the mirror-image double of Maya Rudolph’s version of her in the show's cold open.
Alberta Premier Smith gets 91 per cent support in leadership review
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith received a dominating 91.5 per cent vote of support from her United Conservative Party members in a scheduled leadership review vote on Saturday.
'It’s a dream come true': Holt, Liberal cabinet sworn-in to office
Susan Holt, the province's first female premier, and 18 cabinet ministers took the oath of office in the chamber of the legislative assembly.
Multiple RTDNA wins for CTV News, including 2 for W5
CTV News won four national news awards and a local news award from RTDNA Canada, the organization announced Saturday night at a gala event in Toronto.