Burnaby Lougheed MLA Harry Bloy was forced to withdraw comments in the Legislature today, after accusing Adrian Dix of stealing.
Bloy's remarks came after NDP energy critic John Horgan introduced a motion related to smart meters.
"Is (Horgan) excited because the leader of the Opposition can't fraudulently do something against the consumers of British Columbia, can't lie and cheat and steal money from the citizens of British Columbia? Is that why he speaks out of both sides of his mouth? It really makes me wonder how a leader of the Opposition can steal from the public," Bloy said, according to the Hansard draft of the debate.
The Deputy Speaker of the House interjected, cautioning Bloy, who continued with the accusation.
"You know, sometimes it really makes me wonder about the leader of the Opposition stealing from the public, fraud. I wonder how he proposed to his wife. Is he like his good friend, Svend Robinson? I wonder how he did that," Bloy said.
The NDP asked for an apology, as did the Deputy Speaker, and Bloy withdrew his comments.
Bloy did not return calls from the NOW, but Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan said the statements made no sense.
"There's no substance to it. There's no evidence to it. He just makes those statements and makes a fool of himself," Chouhan said. "I'm pretty sure people from his own side were quite embarrassed to see somebody making those unfounded statements. ... It's just unbelievable, it just shows the level of desperation."
Chouhan said one would expect that a person like Bloy, who has served for three terms, would be "more respectful."
"It's disappointing. When you say those kinds of statement without thinking them through it gives a bad name to all politicians," he said.
Chouhan said Bloy had a moral obligation to apologize, which he did once the House resumed in the afternoon.
"It's a really outrageous defamatory statement he made," Chouhan said. "Nobody knew what he was talking about. People were just sitting there with their mouths open."
