Two days after announcing Asad Gondal, President of the B.C. Muslim Association, as its candidate from Surrey North, the party’s leader Kevin Falcon dropped Gondal as the candidate.
The cancelation of Gondal’s candidacy came after online backlash to some of Gondal’s previous statements on the war in Gaza and on 2SLGBTQ+ issues, CBC reported.
“Prior to Mr. Gondal’s nomination, he shared opinions that are inconsistent with our party’s view on the situation in Gaza and inconsistent with our support for B.C.’s LGBTQ+ community,” Falcon’s statement said.
Falcon said in his statement about Gondal’s dismissal that the former candidate shared his opinions “in correspondence he signed on behalf of the BCMA, while representing his community.”
“In light of those statements, I spoke with Mr. Gondal today to confirm his willingness to adhere to our party’s long-standing position on these issues,” Falcon’s statement said. “However, he informed me that he cannot change his values and principles, including disavowing earlier statements made while president of the BCMA.”
“Given Mr Gondal’s decision to not adhere by our Party’s position on these policies, I have terminated his candidacy effective immediately. I accept full responsibility and apologize to anyone who may have been offended,” Falcon added.
BC United has not yet named a new candidate for Surrey-North.
BC United candidate Caroline Elliott issued her own statement on the termination, saying she was “appalled” to read Gondal’s statements.
“While I have long defended free speech — and even as I continue to vigorously defend it — there is a role for political parties to select candidates based on the degree to which they align with the party’s principles,” said Elliott. “A candidate rejected by one party is welcome to join another or even start their own.”
According to a report in CityNEws, Elliott claimed that Gondal had referred to the war in Gaza as a “genocide” and advised “those who struggle with same-sex attractions” not to act on their “involuntary urges” and “repent.”
