Sorry, BC Conservatives. The Tyee Isn’t the Story

It’s been an uncomfortable week at The Tyee. At least for me.

People who follow B.C. politics on X will know the BC Conservatives have set out to make us the story. When we have asked for comment from the party or candidates, they have posted the emailed questions with insults aimed at the reporters and The Tyee.

I’ve been a newspaper publisher, editor and political reporter and am co-ordinating The Tyee election coverage with a great team. I have never wanted my media outlet to become the story.

But that’s happened, because of the Conservatives’ tactics.

Reporters ask questions on behalf of voters, seeking to help people understand the candidates and party policies. That’s especially important this election, when Kevin Falcon’s decision to shut down the BC United campaign left the untested Conservatives and unknown candidates in a position to form government.

Candidates like Chris Sankey, running for the party in North Coast-Haida Gwaii.

On Monday, Tyee reporter Jen St. Denis emailed Sankey and the party to ask about his decision to share a 2022 video on social media in which Christine Anderson, a member of a far-right German political party known for its anti-immigration and other far-right views, attacked Justin Trudeau.

“Can I get some more information on what Mr. Sankey intended with this tweet, and what views of Ms. Anderson's he admires?” St. Denis asked. “How would you respond to critics who might be concerned about this post?”

Fair questions, one a candidate should be expected to answer in whatever way they like.

Anderson, who has a seat in the European Parliament, is far outside the norm. After three Conservative MPs met with Anderson, Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre’s office denounced her.

“Frankly, it would be better if Anderson never visited Canada in the first place,” Poilievre’s spokesperson said. “She and her racist, hateful views are not welcome here.”

So it’s fair to ask Sankey about his decision to post the tweet. And, I note, there were lots of answers he could offer.

Instead he posted the question and his response. “There is no admiration in that tweet whatsoever. The tweet is exactly what it states. Nothing more, nothing less. Nice of you to try to make something out of nothing, but I have zero interest in the tyee and anything the tyee is remotely associated with.”

In his accompanying post, he lamented that candidates had “to deal with this kind of dirty tricks garbage” and added, “Jen, my best to you in your attempt at failed journalism.” (He also posted her email with her personal phone number, something The Tyee would never do.)

It would have been easy to offer a real answer. Or just say, “No comment.”

But Sankey, a former councillor with the Lax Kw’alaams Band Council, chose insult and derision.

And Tuesday, he went further with more posts.

“Good morning, folks.

“To my family, friends, community, and all those who support me, in particular, who support team conservatives. We cannot allow individuals like Jen to do this to our society.

“This is the kind of reckless behaviour that has destroyed and divided our country.

“We all need to call these people out and call out their nonsense.”

In my very long time in journalism, I’ve had politicians unhappy with questions or stories. But we have always been civil and respectful, and no one has ever launched a public attack on my motives or character. We were professionals with jobs to do in the public interest.

Sankey went on.

“The ndp uses the likes of Jen to act as their truth tellers, when in reality, that is further from the truth....

“They cause problems and have the audacity to play the victim when they are the problem. These organizations and individuals are heavily funded by non government organization money, which is mostly foreign funded.”

(The Tyee receives a small fraction of its budget from foundations and none for political coverage. Our largest source of funding is contributions from readers.)

“The ndp is fully aware and gives these individuals and organizations a free pass to destroy Western civilization because they firmly believe the white man is the enemy or anyone race who disagrees with their narrative and agenda,” Sankey went on. “Their sole job is to fire up Black Indigenous and people of colour. They want to anger women and pin us against the LGBTQ + and paint us as people who don't support Trans rights.

“We support ALL rights. Everyone deserves a voice, but we cannot allow the likes of Jen to use that as a weapon.

“They are in our education systems, communities and organizations. Forcing feeding British Columbians and Canadians alike BS.

“I need you to understand. You cannot be nice nor a gentleman to them. Nor a woman can't sit back and allow these people to steal your voice.”

And an hour later Sankey posted again.

“And when I say destroy Western civilization, I mean they disagree with the concept of the Western family unit and want to dismantle it.”

I’ll leave it to readers to unpack those bizarre comments and judge whether The Tyee’s “sole job is to fire up Black Indigenous and people of colour.”

Or whether St. Denis, a parent, is working to destroy “the concept of the Western family unit” and deserves online abuse from a stranger.

Sankey is not an outlier. The party’s spokesperson Anthony Koch responded to a simple question with an attack on The Tyee. So did executive director Angelo Isidorou.

The Tyee has values that inform our journalism. But our reporting is non-partisan and we hold all parties to account — especially the party in power.

We ask questions with the goal of helping readers understand complex policies and, at this time, make informed choices when it’s time to vote.

I wish politicians and party operatives — from all sides — would recognize that those questions come from a position of good faith, and respond in the same way. Perhaps Sankey would not have gone so wildly off the rails if he had just talked to St. Denis.

But if they don’t, we won’t be bullied or insulted into silence. Our commitment is to readers.