National

BC United member Bruce Banman defects to provincial Conservatives

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 13 Sep, 2023 10:51 AM

A member of the Opposition BC United caucus has defected to join British Columbia's Conservatives.

Bruce Banman, the MLA for Abbotsford South, says he is proud to join his friend B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad in the provincial legislature.

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says in a statement that Banman's move to the Conservatives is not entirely unexpected but it betrays those constituents who elected him to serve as part of the BC United team.

Falcon says BC United is the only party that can defeat the NDP government and act on the significant challenges facing B.C. residents.

Banman, who was the BC United critic for emergency management and climate readiness, was elected in 2020 and is a former Abbotsford mayor.

The party standing in the provincial legislature now is 57 New Democrats, 26 BC United MLAs, two for the BC Green Party and two Conservatives.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Canadian evacuees tell of chaotic scenes in Maui wildfire 'war zone'

Canadians returning from Maui have told of harrowing scenes during their escape from the fire-devastated Hawaiian island. Among the evacuees was British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Matthew Taylor who drove through the ruined town of Lahaina on Thursday and said it resembled a "war zone."

Canadian evacuees tell of chaotic scenes in Maui wildfire 'war zone'

BC midwives and Province agree on 3 year wage increasing agreement

The new deal includes a series of fee increases and measures that the province says will provide more supports for Indigenous midwifery. A vote among members of the Midwives Association of British Columbia on July 31 garnered 99 per cent support for the agreement, with 89 per cent of eligible association members taking part in the ballot.

BC midwives and Province agree on 3 year wage increasing agreement

Harjot Singh Samra wanted Canada wide

Harjot Singh Samra, 27, was to report to his halfway house in Vancouver once he was released from prison yesterday, but failed to do so. Samra is 5’9″, weighs 252 pounds, and has a heavy build. He has brown/black hair with a balding hairline, and brown eyes.

Harjot Singh Samra wanted Canada wide

Collision between fuel truck and train in northern Alberta

Emergency crews are at the scene of a collision between a fuel truck and a train in northern Alberta. RCMP say its officers received a report of the collision on Highway 43, near the junction of Highway 32, in Whitecourt, which is located about 180 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

Collision between fuel truck and train in northern Alberta

Feds to provide wildfire update

Officials have already said Canada is experiencing its worst fire season on record, charring more than 130,000 square kilometres to date, which is more than six times the 10-year average. Natural Resources Canada said last week there were more than 650 fires burning across Canada, about two-thirds of them in B.C.

Feds to provide wildfire update

Concrete actions must accompany diverse cabinet: Canada Research Chair

An academic expert on inclusive politics says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's move last month to introduce more diversity into his cabinet won't have much effect unless it goes beyond surface-level representation. Trudeau added seven new faces to his governing team in July including the first Filipina Canadian woman MP and the first Sri Lankan Tamil to serve in cabinet.