B.C. MLA Laurie Throness made headlines across the province earlier this month, suggesting the provincial government carve up a northern mountain to create a money-making tourist attraction.
His idea? Create a sculpture of upraised hands, large enough for multiple tour buses to drive through. He even outlined a business model that would support the cost of such a project.
READ: Chilliwack MLA wants next Liberal leader to create mountain monument
The mountain was among a long, varied list of 65 “ideals” for the next Liberal leader to consider that Throness released on social media Sept. 5.
The NDP has now published a reaction, outlining what they say are his six most contentious ideas.
“Some of them seem to ring alarm bells, not the least the one with the mountain,” said Anne Kang, NDP MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake.
She also referring to the Chilliwack-Kent MLA’s suggestion that society “teach children to accept and cherish their body shape and biological characteristics just as they are, no matter their gender expression.”
Throness has in the past has spoken against the transgender community in the House of Commons.
READ: Throness respectively agrees to disagree over gender changes
“I think he’s a bit out of touch with who people are,” Kang said. “We want our kids to be safe, we want them to be loved and cared for. Kids grow up to be adults with dignity and care and compassion, when we show them that when they’re young.”
Throness also suggested giving “stable two-parent families the assistance they need to have the number of children they would like.”
This is wording that eliminates single-parent families, Kang said, in a time when all families should be receiving support.
“What we need to really focus on is that legislation is made for the people, and we should be making legislation around those needs,” Kang said. “This suggest someone is deserving more than others because of circumstances, and I think that’s really unfair.”
Throness has appeared on CBC Radio to defend his ideals list, and has taken to Twitter to underline his commitment
Proud to be officially demonized by the NDP! https://t.co/KA6IpRkWFU
— Laurie Throness (@LaurieThroness) September 14, 2017
@CHWKcommunity
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