Conservative commentator and former BC Liberal Party leadership candidate Aaron Gunn has announced that he is cancelling his membership with the BC Liberals immediately to start his own alternative Party.
Today, I officially cancelled my membership and left the BC Liberal Party as I begin the process of building a true common sense alternative that can inspire British Columbians and defeat the NDP. pic.twitter.com/y0A79MHx2R
— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) November 6, 2021
Gunn, who was expected to perform well in the upcoming BC Liberal’s leadership race, was abruptly removed on October 22 over bogus claims that Gunn’s views are inconsistent with the Party’s platform and its constituents.
“Mr. Gunn’s candidacy would be inconsistent with the BC Liberal Party’s commitment to reconciliation, diversity and acceptance of all British Columbians,” a BC Liberal news release reads.
Officially, party news release says: "Mr. Gunn's candidacy would be inconsistent with the BC Liberal Party's commitment to reconciliation, diversity and acceptance of all British Columbians."
— Rob Shaw (@RobShaw_BC) October 22, 2021
The Party’s decision stems from four tweets — yes, just four — in which Gunn expressed that he did not believe that what happened at residential schools constituted a literal genocide.
Imagine being so entitled and arrogant that you believe a small group of unelected insiders should decide the future direction of a political party and not its democratic membership.
— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) October 22, 2021
hmm 7 unelected, non-Indigenous insiders decided my candidacy would be inconsistent with "reconciliation"…
Meanwhile, it was ACTUALLY supported by the only Indigenous person in the race (@ellisbross).
Nice try though. https://t.co/eZ36xYMgSQ
— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) October 22, 2021
His political opponents within the Party — who masked their views on Gunn until just before his removal like slowly coiling snakes — of course, celebrated the termination of the only genuinely Conservative candidate in the Party.
Last week, I urged the BC Liberal Party & fellow candidates to disavow intolerance in our leadership election process. Today, the BCLP upheld inclusive values by rejecting the candidacy of Aaron Gunn & I welcome this news.
My statement: https://t.co/c2ZcuUEc4P#bcpoli #bclib22 pic.twitter.com/PqCKXO0NWu
— Michael Lee (@MichaelLeeBC) October 22, 2021
In a letter released today, Gunn reiterated the fact that the BC Liberals initially approached him with the hopes of reinvigorating a dying Party, only to be ultimately stabbed in the back.
“As you know, during the last election, the Party attempted to recruit me as a candidate, which I respectfully declined. At the same time, the MLA for Peace River North, Dan Davis, sought out my assistance and endorsement during the campaign,” Gunn wrote.
“It would appear, at that time, they did not view my assistance as “inconsistent with the BC Liberal Party’s commitment to reconciliation, diversity and acceptance of all British Columbians” — which they so shamelessly decreed as the reason for denying my candidacy in a Press Release on October 22.”
And indeed, even renowned two-faces like Michael Lee initially appeared tolerant of Gunn’s views and outright friendly towards him when Gunn originally joined the Party, despite undoubtedly knowing his views on Indigenous history and revisionism.
Funny, that's not what you said last week, Michael to my face, when you said you were excited for my entry into the Leadership race and the energy I would bring to the debates.
I guess you're just another politician who says one thing and does another. https://t.co/Hg6DFQBPDZ
— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) October 14, 2021
“Following the historic election defeat suffered by the Party last October, in which they received their lowest share of the popular vote in almost 30 years, the Party promised renewal and change,” Gunn continued.
“Instead, they have remained the same, small group of self-serving elites determined to cling to power at all costs — up to and including the interests of the very province they claim to represent (not to mention the democratic rights of their own members.”
Gunn also claims that it’s clear that free-speech-loving British Colombians and Conservatives more generally have no place in the BC Liberal Party anymore, pointing out that the Party frowns and votes against nearly every Right-Wing position, even going so far as to silence dissent actively.
“On issue after issue, whether it be on carbon taxes, vaccine mandates or a myriad of other things, conservative voices have been silenced and their input ignored. In contrast, the Party’s identity has disintegrated into an incoherent mosaic of nothingness and meaningless platitudes,” Gunn wrote.
“British Columbians deserve better.”
Gunn now says that he will forge ahead and build a “common sense alternative” to succeed where the BC Liberals have failed by finally defeating the BC NDPs.
