Close X
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
ADVT 
National

Video shows B.C. Conservative Rustad saying he regrets getting 'so-called vaccine'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Sep, 2024 01:23 PM
  • Video shows B.C. Conservative Rustad saying he regrets getting 'so-called vaccine'

The NDP has shared a video of B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad saying he regrets getting the "so-called vaccine" against COVID-19.

The video shows Rustad directly addressing a camera and saying vaccine mandates were "not so much" about achieving herd immunity or stopping the spread of the disease as they were about "shaping opinion and control of the population."

The video, shared by the NDP on Day 3 of British Columbia's provincial election, is an edited version of longer footage posted online by the BC Public Service Employees for Freedom, a group of former workers who believe they were discriminated against for not getting vaccinated.

The group says the conversation with Rustad took place on June 14 in an online meeting with its members.

Rustad wouldn't comment directly on the video at a campaign event in Surrey, but said the previous inability of unvaccinated doctors and nurses to get their jobs back in B.C. was a "horrendous problem."

The governing NDP lifted the vaccine mandate for health workers in July. 

NDP Leader David Eby said of the video that Rustad was "promoting the idea that vaccines don’t work when in fact, the COVID vaccines saved so many lives in this province."

Eby said on the campaign trail in Burnaby on Monday that voters should be considering if they can support and trust a leader who bases his thoughts and decision-making on "internet conspiracies."

"These are not minor considerations," said Eby. "These are really important for British Columbians to know. He says one thing that he thinks is secret that won't get out and he says another thing in public. You can't trust John Rustad on health policy on what he says because he's always saying something different to different groups."

Rustad, who was in Surrey on Monday making an announcement about affordability, said he had not seen the video.

"I understand why the NDP have decided to talk about things like vaccines, because they cannot defend their policies," he said.

"For me, the most important thing that we have going on in B.C. today is the fact that people are leaving this province because they can't afford to live here, and we need to be taking every step that we can to reduce those costs."

He announced his party would introduce a tax deduction of up to $3,000 per month in housing costs — either rent or a mortgage — dubbing it the "Rustad rebate."

Voters in B.C. go to the polls on Oct. 19.

MORE National ARTICLES

Homicide investigators called in after two women die in balcony fall

Homicide investigators called in after two women die in balcony fall
Police in North Vancouver say homicide investigators have been called in after two women died from falling off the balcony of an apartment building. RCMP say officers responded to reports that two people who had fallen from the building on Esplanade Avenue in the city's Shipyards area at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Homicide investigators called in after two women die in balcony fall

Eby pledges $300M towards 1,508-bed student housing project at UBC

Eby pledges $300M towards 1,508-bed student housing project at UBC
Premier David Eby says the province and University of British Columbia will partner to create housing for more than 1,500 students at the institution's Vancouver campus. He says funding will involve $300 million from the province and $260 million from the university.

Eby pledges $300M towards 1,508-bed student housing project at UBC

Vehicle weekend shooting in Surrey

Vehicle weekend shooting in Surrey
Police in Surrey say they are investigating after shots were fired into a vehicle by an unknown assailant over the weekend. Surrey R-C-M-P say the shooting happened on the evening of August 17th, when a white S-U-V travelling south on 124 Street was allegedly followed by a suspect vehicle described as a silver Toyota Corolla.

Vehicle weekend shooting in Surrey

Man charged in Surrey murder

Man charged in Surrey murder
A 24-year-old man has been charged in the stabbing death of another man that happened in Surrey in July. BC's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says police were called to the scene of a fight on King George Boulevard on July 23rd and found a man identified as Jason Richard Gill suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Man charged in Surrey murder

White Rock scammers using technology to impersonate known companies to dupe people out of money

White Rock scammers using technology to impersonate known companies to dupe people out of money
Police in White Rock say scammers are using technology to impersonate well-known companies to dupe people out of money.  R-C-M-P say impostors use text messages, phone calls, emails and social media messages to scam people into thinking their from banks, or big companies like Amazon, FedEx and Microsoft. 

White Rock scammers using technology to impersonate known companies to dupe people out of money

4 in hospital in rollover crash

4 in hospital in rollover crash
Surrey R-C-M-P say a rollover crash sent two drivers, a passenger and an infant to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries yesterday afternoon.  Mounties say the crash happened in Whalley at King George Boulevard and 96th Avenue. 

4 in hospital in rollover crash