WATCH: BC Conservative MLA Harman Bhangu vows province-wide push to repeal DRIPA

BC Conservative MLA Harman Bhangu says he is prepared to take his push to repeal BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act across all 93 ridings, while staying focused on his party amid a string of caucus departures.

Bhangu’s initiative petition to repeal DRIPA was approved by Elections BC this week.

Supporters will have from Oct. 26 to Jan. 25 to collect signatures from at least 10 per cent of registered voters in each of BC’s 93 ridings.

In an interview with Sitka Media, Bhangu said he launched the petition after the NDP government considered changes to DRIPA earlier this year, but did not move ahead with them.

“What prompted me to do this is last legislation session, the NDP and David Eby had said they were going to amend or repeal DRIPA to bring back some certainty for resource sectors and just building nation, province-building projects,” Bhangu explained. “And I didn't see that bill come in.”

Bhangu made it clear that the NDP still has an opportunity to introduce legislation when the fall session begins.

“If not, I am committed to going to all 93 ridings, creating a team, getting a team of volunteers, and getting a 10 per cent threshold of the electorate in each of the 93 ridings,” he added.

Bhangu estimated that will mean collecting roughly 360,000 signatures.

“I know it's a very hard target, 360,000 signatures, but it has been done before,” he said. “As politicians, we can't just do what's easiest. We got to do the difficult things.”

Bhangu said he has heard concerns about DRIPA from people in forestry, mining and other resource sectors, particularly around uncertainty for future projects.

He also pointed to BC’s successful campaign against the HST as an example of what an initiative petition can accomplish.

“It's been done in my lifetime,” Bhangu said. “That's why I refuse to say something cannot be done.”

The petition comes as the BC Conservatives deal with significant turmoil of their own.

Seven MLAs have left the caucus in 17 days: Peter Milobar, Ian Paton, Rosalyn Bird, Teresa Wat, Brennan Day, Bruce Banman, and Áʼa:líya Warbus.

Milobar was the first to leave, followed by Paton, who has since joined him in exploring the creation of a new provincial party. Bird, Wat, Day, Banman, and Warbus followed, leaving the Conservatives with seven fewer MLAs heading into the fall legislative session.

Asked about the mood inside caucus, Bhangu said members are focused on getting back to the legislature.

“My mood within caucus and what I've seen is people are itching to get back into this legislature to hold the NDP to account,” he said.

“I respect all my colleagues. I know several have left and, you know, I had a great working relationship.”

Bhangu also pointed to his own experience in the recent leadership race. He initially ran for leader before dropping out and backing Caroline Elliott, who ultimately lost to Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

“My person didn't win, but that doesn't mean that I go against everything that we've built so far,” Bhangu said. “I want to see us as the Conservative Party of BC form government and have Kerry-Lynne Findlay be your premier.”

Despite the recent departures, Bhangu suggested the door may not be completely closed on his former caucus colleagues.

“I want to see this team stick together,” he said. “And I want the other MLAs that have realized, hey, we thought a different way. Maybe there's a way we can get the band back together and take out this NDP government.”

For Bhangu, the focus remains on keeping the Conservatives together and defeating the NDP in the next provincial election.

“This is the vehicle. The Conservative Party of BC is the vehicle to defeat the NDP,” he said.