The new BC Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Centre is receiving some backlash following one of her first public statements since the Oct. 19 provincial election.
“It concerns me that she would be making these kinds of statements,” said Wilbur Turner, president of Advocacy Canada.
Last week, the nativity scene in downtown Kelowna came with a sign reading “Keep Christ in Christmas.”
The sign garnered some criticism from people who aren’t Christian, and calls for it to be removed.
Because the sign was not permitted, the city asked the Knights of Columbus to remove it. The subsequent removal prompted Conservative MLA Kristina Loewen to create a video and speak out on social media.
“I’m just in front of this beautiful nativity scene that has been displayed here for many years and has come into some controversy in the last few days,” Loewen said in the video posted on social media platform X. “We believe that it is an important detail that Christmas is a Christian holiday and that it is important to acknowledge and remember and defend. When one religion is under attack, all other religions can be attacked.”
Wilbur said he considers the comments divisive.
“A lot of people that celebrate Christmas are not even Christian,” Wilbur said. “It’s become a tradition so saying it is an attack on Christmas is far-fetched.”
Advocacy Canada supports the 2SLGBTQIA-plus community and promotes inclusivity.
Turner said as an elected official, Loewen should be working to unite people and not divide them.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinions,” Wilbur said. “The problem here is when you have a politician that represents everybody or is supposed to represent everybody is just creating more division.”
Global News reached out to other local Conservative MLAs but messages were not answered.
However, some of the MLAs showed their support on social media.
“A great message from my colleague and friend,” said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Tara Armstrong. “I’m proud to be part of a team that stands up for what’s right.”
West Kelowna MLA Macklin McCall also took to social media.
He stated, “My Conservative colleagues and I strongly support the right for all British Columbians to celebrate this important tradition.”
Wilbur hopes the new MLA for Kelowna Centre considers she’s not just representing one demographic.
“It’s really puzzling to me that this would be a significant, she would make this into a significant issue, that it would be her kind of debut in the Kelowna scene … with this kind of a message when there’s so many other things that seem to be pressing problems,” Wilbur said.
He also added that he believes her comments are a “pushback on progressiveness.”
