NDP candidate Dayleen Van Ryswyk steps aside over remarks on First Nations

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      It was barely two hours into the official campaign period for the B.C. provincial election when the NDP threw one of its candidates overboard.

      Dayleen Van Ryswyk, who was running for Kelowna-Mission, has been asked to step aside.

      “Earlier today, I was made aware of unacceptable comments made by Kelowna-Mission NDP candidate Dayleen Van Ryswyk,” reads a statement attributed to B.C. NDP leader Adrian Dix. “I have accepted Ms. Van Ryswyk’s resignation. A new BC NDP candidate will be announced shortly.”

      The decision relates to comments about First Nations and French Canadians that Van Ryswyk made in an online forum in 2009. Those remarks appears below.

      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 cheap 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.

      It’s time our generation stopped paying for the mistakes of the past…let us all be one people…THE SAME.. race, creed colour or gender shouldn’t matter anymore in this day and age…enough is enough already.

      The government is nothing more than a big black hole that feeds off the working man, sucking his last penny from his hand so they can give it away freely or lose it stupidly on things like fast ferries and about a zillion other stupid things.

      In my opinion, we have paid our debt…a thousand fold..it’s time to move on, heal and grow. If the native people are to be the proud nation they keep talking about, then stand on your two feet and hold your heads high. There are a lot of things to be proud of, stop dwelling on the past. Because like the economy…the gravy train bubble will eventually burst too.

      Seems the only group of people universally hated around the world other than the Americans are the french and FRENCH CANADIANS…the bigots are the french and not us….

      I’m getting so sick of having french stuffed down my throat…this isn’t Quebec…it’s western Canada…we speak english here….why are we forced to have it at our western Canadian hosted Olympics?

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      Comments

      27 Comments

      Sue Stroud

      Apr 16, 2013 at 12:42pm

      So is the Straight now going to address those issues so more ignorant people are disabused of the idea that THEY pay for First Nations? How about a story about where the money comes from etc. so this kind of ignorance can't happen again?

      Dave

      Apr 16, 2013 at 12:48pm

      Congratulations to the Liberals for bringing this out.
      Thumbs down to Adrian Dix upon throwing her under the public transport.
      People are entitled to their own opinion and not all people in a party are going to have every view the same.
      In the Cariboo North riding we have someone who dared to criticize the party leader and he became an independent. Does that make him wrong because he saw the writing on the wall before the majority.
      Now the NDP is not even giving the candidate any backing. Some people may agree with her sentiment and others may not. The party whipping post has claimed its first victim.
      Now for those of us that find this attitude repugnant we will start digging into ALL candidates.

      LeCanardQuoi

      Apr 16, 2013 at 1:21pm

      over remarks on First Nations ... AND French Canadians: "Seems the only group of people universally hated around the world other than the Americans are the french and FRENCH CANADIANS…the bigots are the french and not us…." Hmm. Any other red necks within the NDPs???

      Really?

      Apr 16, 2013 at 1:25pm

      I agree with her comment, and so do other educated Canadians .

      ljuta kandzija

      Apr 16, 2013 at 2:44pm

      what an uncanadian rant! unacceptable! As for "Dave" - what a douchebag! And you know what I mean "Dave" (and so do the others). Love the comment about NDP "rednecks". Out with the Liberals already! Enough is enough!

      80's wants its hairdo back

      Apr 16, 2013 at 3:08pm

      In all seriousness, how can we ignore the impressively majestic mane of hair in the photo.

      Not Dave

      Apr 16, 2013 at 3:30pm

      Of course people are entitled to their opinions. Candidates allied with particular political parties, however, are viewed as speaking with the party's approval. The party has every right to require their expressed opinions to be acceptable. Or would you be equally happy if a provincial Liberal candidate spoke in favour of, perhaps, abolishing free enterprise and putting workers in charge of the means of production.

      Pete

      Apr 16, 2013 at 3:39pm

      Throw her hairdresser under the bus..

      big hair

      Apr 16, 2013 at 4:24pm

      big mouth

      T. Ruth

      Apr 16, 2013 at 4:26pm

      It is morbidly pathetic that political correctness trumps truth in the mind of the average idiot.