![\"Tara](\"https:\/\/www.castanet.net\/content\/2026\/2\/screenshot_2026-02-26_at_10.52.49am_p4265964.jpg\")
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Photo: BC Legislative Assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tara Armstrong in the BC Legislature on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another bill from Kelowna-area MLA Tara Armstrong has been voted down at the earliest possible opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Armstrong, independent MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, tabled the Human Rights Code Repeal Act<\/em> Thursday in the legislature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe purpose of this bill is to end the assault on freedom of speech by our human rights tribunal,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armstrong\u2019s bill was motivated by a recent $750,000 fine<\/a> issued by the BC Human Rights Tribunal against former Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld over his comments about LGBTQ people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ruling came after the BC Teachers’ Federation and Chilliwack Teachers’ Association filed the human rights complaint against Neufeld in 2017 on behalf of their members, specifically those who identified as LGBTQ from October 2017 through 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They sought $750,000 to be distributed equally among those members, and the decision says the tribunal was satisfied the award was appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armstrong, on Thursday, said the repeal of the BC Human Rights Code \u201cis the only solution to this assault on our rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis bill will protect the freedom of speech of Canadians. It will abolish the Human Rights Tribunal, a kangaroo court, and repeal the Human Rights Code that the left is using to punish and profit from anyone who doesn\u2019t adopt their views.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like several bills proposed by Armstrong so far, it was dead-on-arrival in the legislature and was voted down at first reading with 50 votes opposed and 37 in favour. The BC Conservative caucus voted in support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legislation has traditionally been granted first reading in the house as a courtesy to encourage debate. Conservative MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson Ward Stamer, after his party voted in support of Armstrong\u2019s bill last week to ban youth gender transitions,<\/a> told Castanet News his party has decided to continue that practice in an effort to avoid the \u201cpoliticization\u201d of first reading and allow the public to see bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a news release Thursday after the vote, the BC NDP acknowledged \u201cit is rare to vote against bills at first reading,\u201d but pointed to other issues\u2014like a ban on land acknowledgements<\/a> or to cancel the stat holiday for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation<\/a>\u2014that the Conservatives voted against at first reading.(Castanet, February 26, 2026)<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kelowna MLA’s bill to repeal BC Human Rights Code quickly voted down Another Armstrong bill fails Colin Dacre – Feb 26, 2026 \/ 1:22 pm | Story: 600905 Photo: BC Legislative Assembly Tara Armstrong in the BC Legislature on Thursday. … Continue reading First reading politicized<\/h3>\n\n\n\n