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

Possible B.C. port strike will spare cruise ships, employers say

A possible strike by British Columbia port workers will not disrupt cruise ships docked in Vancouver, Prince Rupert or Vancouver Island, employers say. The BC Maritime Employers Association says it and the union representing cargo loaders have "confirmed" that cruise ships will continue to be serviced if a strike starts Saturday morning.

Possible B.C. port strike will spare cruise ships, employers say

Union for SkyTrain workers reaches tentative five-year deal with BC Rapid Transit

The union for more than 1,000 employees of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain service says it has reached a tentative five-year deal with the BC Rapid Transit Co. CUPE 7000 says the new deal was reached after 10 days of negotiations, and includes future wage increases and improved benefits over the last contract.

Union for SkyTrain workers reaches tentative five-year deal with BC Rapid Transit

Alcohol gets green light on transit in Victoria

B-C Transit had banned alcohol on buses on Canada Day, saying the policy was to ensure customer and driver safety. Signs posted about the zero-alcohol policy told passengers that they might be searched to make sure they are following the rules.

Alcohol gets green light on transit in Victoria

Small plane crash south of Downtown Vancouver

Details are sparse, but investigators with the Transportation Safety Board have been sent to an accident scene involving a small plane south of downtown Vancouver. The accident at the Boundary Bay Airport involved a privately registered Mooney M-20-R single-engine plane .

Small plane crash south of Downtown Vancouver

RCMP says Lytton wildfire probe still active, two years after village's destruction

The Village of Lytton and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District are suing Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways and Transport Canada, alleging they were negligent to let trains pass through the town during the heat dome. The district says the claim was brought on its behalf by its insurer, the Municipal Insurance Association of B.C.

RCMP says Lytton wildfire probe still active, two years after village's destruction

Series of trailer and skid-steer thefts result in over $150K

Between May and June 2023, a suspect male has attended various Home Depot locations in Langley, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam to steal Bobcat510 wheeled skid-steers and trailers. In all five incidents, the suspect rented the skid-steers using a false name, removed the GPS trackers and never returned them.