Friday November 24, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated November 28, 2023 with comment from Minister Singh]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
NDP MLA Rachna Singh (Surrey-Green Timbers) — who is presently the Minister for Education and Child Care — is in the political crisis viewfinder.
A recall petition will be issued in the Surrey-Green Timbers electoral district, after Elections BC received a petition application that met the requirements of the Recall and Initiative Act.
The proponent of the recall petition is Gurdeep Jassal.
With this petition, perhaps the BC Liberals or BC Conservatives are aiming at what they think is a chink in the NDP armor, using the anti-SOGI agenda to break into the NDP stronghold. SOGI education in schools is the wedge issue.
Strong at the polls but weak link in cabinet:
Singh has a prominent portfolio but she is not the strongest of cabinet ministers on a broad range of issues. She will need strong cabinet backing on this, which she’ll very likely have.
The Anti-SOGI group called Freedom Party of B.C says Surrey MLA Rachna Singh ‘must be accountable to parents’.
Singh won the seat for the NDP in 2017 with 58.29% of the vote, and in 2020 with 59.59%. In both elections the BC Liberal candidate came in second (Brenda Locke with 32.95% in 2017 and Dilraj Atwal with 40.41% in 2020).
This year the BC Liberals changed their party name to BC United.
The Surrey-Green Timbers riding has been held by the NDP since 2005 (Sue Hammell carried the riding with 60.82% in 2005, 72.73% in 2009, and 58.06% in 2013).
The political right could well see a vote split in election 2024 (those votes going to BC United and BC Conservatives) which would result in the NDP holding the seat. BC Conservatives have been vocal about SOGI in BC schools; that was party leader John Rustad’s first question in the Legislative Assembly as leader of the 4th party this fall, which inflamed Premier David Eby during question period.
The BC NDP government has a healthy majority in the Legislative Assembly. Losing one MLA at this time would not put a dent into legislative momentum.
SOGI file:
A group called Freedom Party of B.C has posted several videos on social media talking about the recall petition.
Amrit Birring is the leader of the Freedom Party of B.C., which has organized marches in Surrey as part of an ongoing campaign to “boot SOGI123 from BC Schools.” The group has also called on Singh multiple times to resign.
In a video posted on several social media websites under the username @recallrachna, Birring said he wants Singh recalled because he believes children are being sexualized in B.C. schools “under her watch.”
Birring is said to have attempted to contact Singh numerous times to express his concerns but says there has been no response.
“This isn’t acceptable, the education minister must be accountable to parents,” reads a post on the Recall Rachna website, where the theme is “Say No to SOGI-1-2-3”.
“This isn’t acceptable. Education minister must be accountable to parents as is the intent of the education in British Columbia. As such, I firmly believe that Rachna Singh is not fit for the MLA office.”
Singh will have the backing of cabinet, as the BC government supports SOGI in schools.
Recall Rachna website:
A website called Recall Rachna includes this explanation for the recall:
Children are being sexualized in BC Public Schools by:
– showing children drag queen show documentaries in elementary schools which involves sex acts and different sexual positions
– keeping naked and semi naked pictures books in school libraries
– encouraging young children to masturbate and experiment sexually with the same sex
– indoctrinating children into believing that their gender is fluid and non-binary
– puberty blockers are encouraged instead of letting female body fully develop
– encouraging children to perform surgeries that permanently mutilate their bodies and sterilize them
– some teachers telling children to keep the secret between them as teachers are their friends, parents are not their friends
Comment from Minister Singh:
UPDATE: Rachna Singh said on November 27 (at a new-school construction announcement in Victoria) that she is “sad to hear the misinformation and disinformation out there” about SOGI.
She says she is “committed to provide safe and inclusive schools”, adding: “When students get that safe environment it means their learning outcomes are much better. Safe modern spaces is what I’m committed to and focussed on.”
Then shifting to local points: “My focus is on the things that matter …to provide safe inclusive spaces and things that matter to the communities such as more health care facilities, a second Surrey hospital, and creating more school spaces”.
Protesting for parental involvement:
Protest rallies were held across the country on September 20 by a group called March 4 Millions, to protest the SOGI curriculum.
The BC NDP government and school districts said that was an anti-hate protest, but most of the parents were simply asking for parental involvement and to be fully informed about curriculum and anything that might be happening to or by their children at school — including the use of a different name or gender pronoun.
In Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, there have been recent legislative changes so that parents would be informed of any gender-related issues for children up to age 16.
As the 2024 provincial election looms, the BC Conservatives are gaining political steam by appealing to the ‘common sense’ base on this issue.
Petition will roll out November 30:
The petition will be issued on November 30, 2023, at which time registered canvassers may begin collecting signatures. The petition must be returned to Elections BC no later than January 29, 2024.
For the petition to be successful, registered canvassers must collect signatures from 40% or more of the voters eligible to sign the petition, or 11,811 voters. To be eligible to sign the petition, an individual must be a registered voter, and must have been a registered voter in the Surrey-Green Timbers electoral district on October 24, 2020 (Final Voting Day for the last provincial election).
The expenses limit for both the proponent and the Member is $31,633.94. The expenses limit for recall advertising sponsors is $5,839.16.
Process:
If the petition is submitted and it is clear that the signature threshold has not been met, Elections BC will take no further action. If the petition is submitted and it is possible that the signature threshold has been met, Elections BC will have 42 days to verify that those who signed the petition were eligible to do so. In the event of a successful recall petition, the recalled Member’s seat becomes vacant and a by-election must be called within 90 days. The recalled Member can run as a candidate in the by-election.
Under the Recall and Initiative Act, any registered voter in British Columbia can apply to have a recall petition issued for their electoral district. They must submit an application form, a $50 processing fee, and a statement of 200 words or less on why they feel the Member should be recalled. Applications are evaluated based on legal requirements. Elections BC has no discretion to evaluate applications on other criteria, such as the petition’s likelihood of success.
===== RELATED:
- SOGI dispute in BC Legislature on first day of fall session (October 3, 2023)
- Gender identity in schools needs room for parental involvement (September 20, 2023)
- Seeking SOGI right-balance between schools and parents (June 24, 2023)
- New Brunswick premier going to bat for including parents (June 18, 2023)
- Food security program toured by Education & Agriculture Ministers (April 25, 2023)
- Seismic upgrades or more for SD62 school in Port Renfrew (March 21, 2023)
- Education & Child Care Minister toured Royal Bay Secondary (January 27, 2023)