Brent Chapman, the BC Conservative candidate for Surrey South, issued an apology on Wednesday night for a Facebook comment he made in 2015 that has recently resurfaced. The post described Palestinians in offensive and derogatory terms, calling them “little inbred walking talking breathing time bombs.”
In a statement, Chapman acknowledged that his past language was “completely unacceptable” and apologized to those affected, saying, “The sentiments I expressed at that time do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities.”
BC Conservative leader John Rustad responded to the situation by stating that while the comments were inappropriate, he would not ask Chapman to step down. Rustad emphasized that he expected Chapman to apologize, noting that members of his campaign team, including his chief of staff, are Muslim, and they would have found such remarks offensive.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims is reportedly reaching out to Chapman regarding the incident and plans to issue further comments.
This incident has raised questions about the candidate’s past behavior, but Chapman has expressed his desire to move forward and address the harm caused by his words.