B.C. Conservative candidate questions mass shootings in 2017 post

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B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is facing renewed calls to drop out of the race after more controversial statements surfaced this weekend — this time over high-profile mass shootings in the U.S. and Canada.

In Facebook posts made in 2017 and shared on X Sunday by CKNW host Jas Johal, the Surrey South candidate appeared to question whether mass casualty events like the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, and the mosque shooting in Quebec City happened.

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“Something is off,” Chapman wrote in a comment.

He referred to mass shootings in quotation marks, and said they have “sketchy stories that change drastically from initial events” and follow “the same narrative” and all “mysteriously connect to a current political debate,” such as gun control or immigration.

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He appeared to question eyewitness accounts, saying: “Look, I really hope no one was actually killed at any of these events but in the Orlando nightclub shooting, the people that talked to the press were not actually shot.”

In a statement posted on X early Monday, Chapman said the shootings “were all very real mass shootings.”

He explained his comments, saying: “What I was trying to say is the whirlwind of U.S. media and commentary makes everything chaotic and confusing to people watching the TV.

“People’s understanding of what’s going on changes from moment to moment and it’s all just so difficult to understand.”

He said based on advice from lawyers, he will no longer be commenting on the issue or “any other matter related to social media posts from years ago.”

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He said he will not step down.

In a statement Monday, B.C. NDP Leader David Eby reiterated calls to fire Chapman.

“Six worshippers were murdered in Quebec City, 20 children and six teachers were slaughtered at Sandy Hook, and 49 people were killed in Orlando,” he said.

“These tragedies shattered lives. John Rustad’s candidate says they were faked to further political agendas including gun control.”

At an unrelated news conference on Monday, Rustad said Chapman’s comments were “offensive” and do not reflect Rustad’s values or the values of the Conservative Party.

He said it would be “inappropriate” to comment further as Chapman has retained legal counsel.

Last week, Chapman apologized for a decade-old Facebook post describing Palestinians as “little inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs.”

He was also called out for comments he made in a podcast where a host described what happened at residential schools as a “massive fraud.”

chchan@postmedia.com

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