The B.C. Legislature (Image Credit: Government of B.C. / Flickr)

By Liam Verster

Human Rights Code Repeal Act

Local MLA says attempt to repeal human rights is “despicable”

Feb 27, 2026 | 10:48 AM

The neighbouring independent MLA has attempted to take away BC’s human rights, much to the ire of the local representative.

Tara Armstrong, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, introduced a private members bill entitled Human Rights Code Repeal Act.

Armstrong posted a video of her introduction of the bill to her social media where she said in part the bill would abolish the Human Rights Tribunal, repeal the Human Rights Code, abolish the position of the Human Rights Commissioner, and invalidate any outstanding orders made by the tribunal.

She tied her bill to a former Chilliwack school trustee who the Human Rights Tribunal ordered pay $750,000 to LGBTQ teachers for violating their human rights by repeatedly publishing hate speech and discriminatory content over a period of five years.

The bill was introduced and read for the first time Thursday, Feb. 26, but was defeated in a vote of 50 to 37.

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Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, was among those who voted against the bill, and in a social media post she stated it was “absolutely despicable and unacceptable” for taxpayers money and time to be used discussing “such hateful proposals.

“Human rights should NEVER be part of political debate. They exist to protect the most vulnerable among us and to suppress hate. We cannot allow human rights to be weakened or politicized,” Sandhu said in her post. 

“Basic human dignity is a non-negotiable.”

The local MLA also said it was “concerning” that so many Conservative MLAs voted in support of this bill and removing people’s rights.

Among those who voted for Armstrong’s motion were Kristina Loewen, Kelowna Centre; Macklin McCall, West Kelowna-Peachland; David Williams, Salmon Arm-Shuswap; Peter Milobar, Kamloops Centre; and Scott McInnis, Columbia River-Revelstoke.