By Canadian Press

Liberal candidate apologizes for comments made about NDP politician in viral video

Oct 11, 2020 | 1:50 PM

VANCOUVER — A British Columbia Liberal candidate is apologizing for comments she made about a New Democrat politician in a video that was posted online.

Jane Thornthwaite says she’s sorry for commenting on the physical appearance of Bowinn Ma during a recent online roast for retiring politician Ralph Sultan.

The event was hosted by the Liberals in September and attended by the party’s leader, Andrew Wilkinson.

In a statement on Twitter, Ma says Thornthwaite “sexualized” her interactions with Sultan at a public event the two attended.

Thornthwaite acknowledges her comments “fell flat and were inappropriate,” and says she apologizes “unreservedly.”

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In her own post on Twitter, Thornthwaite adds that she has reached out to Ma to apologize to her directly.

“I have huge respect for all women who push through glass ceilings. I’m one of them. So is Bowinn Ma,” Thornthwaite said.

“I commit to doing better moving forward.”

Both women were members of the last legislature.

Thornthwaite was first elected in 2009 and represented North Vancouver-Seymour, while Ma was elected in 2017 in the riding of North Vancouver-Lonsdale.

In her statement, Ma said if society wants more women to enter politics, there must be a commitment to “creating environments that respect them.”

“As a woman who has worked in male-dominated industries my whole life so far, I am sadly no stranger to casual sexism,” she said. 

“Like many women in these situations, I found myself making choices about the way that I act, dress, or carry myself to avoid sexist interpretations read into my interactions.”

Other prominent NDP candidates including David Eby and Melanie Mark called for the Liberal party to issue an apology.

The Liberals did not immediately release a response when asked for comment, and neither Thornthwaite nor Ma could be reached directly.

Green party Leader Sonia Furstenau also condemned the comments.

“This is appalling,” she said on Twitter. “If women are not warm in the workplace, we are castigated as rude. If we are friendly, we get this.”

A video highlighting Thornthwaite’s comments was first published on Twitter on Saturday by Mo Amir, who hosts a B.C. political and pop culture podcast.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2020.

Nick Wells, The Canadian Press