The B.C. election got off to an ugly start Tuesday when an NDP candidate was forced to quit over inflammatory statements about aboriginals.
New Democratic leader Adrian Dix accepted the resignation of Kelowna-Mission candidate Dayleen Van Ryswyk, saying she made unacceptable comments in Internet postings involving the compensation for First Nations.
On the 2009 forum, a user named Dayleen wrote in a thread entitled “Strip Them of the Status Card.”
“It’s not the status cards, it’s the fact that we have been paying out of the nose for generations for something that isn’t our doing. If their ancestors sold out too cheaply, it’s not my fault and I shouldn’t have to be paying for any mistake or whatever you want to call it from MY hard earned money.”
Another one of the posts compares the benefits afforded to aboriginal people with claims other abused groups could be making.
“I don’t think anyone is saying that wrongs didn’t happen (incredible wrongs). You could have almost any race, group or ethnic people tell you horrible haunting stories of what happened to them. If someone did me wrong, it’s my right to sue … as it is everyone else’s.
“Again, how many Jewish, Polish, Russian, Dutch, etc. walked into a gas chamber, were gunned down, raped, tortured and starved to death. . . tell me how many Germans do you know that are handing over a (portion) of their paycheck EVERY month for what happened NOT very long ago. . . “
After accepting Van Ryswyk’s resignation, Dix said a new NDP candidate for Kelowna-Mission will be announced soon.
The riding is held by Forests Minister Steve Thomson, who won handily in 2009.
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