The Conservative candidate for Saanich含羞草研究社揋ulf Islands has apologized for past comments he made about the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that followed the murder of George Floyd.

Video clips of David Busch show him speculating that racial-justice protesters wanted the officers involved in Floyd含羞草研究社檚 killing to be 含羞草研究社渓ynched.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲hat type of justice exactly are these people looking for? Do they want the accused to be handed over to the mob and lynched?含羞草研究社� the Tory candidate said.

Taleeb Noormohamed, the Liberal candidate for Vancouver-Granville, posted the compilation of clips of Busch on Twitter. It含羞草研究社檚 not clear where the selfie-style videos were originally posted.

Busch含羞草研究社檚 campaign didn含羞草研究社檛 accept an interview request and said they have nothing more to add after he posted an apology on Aug. 20. The campaign then declined a second request for comment.

In the videos, the candidate also said: 含羞草研究社淗ow many people (were) assaulted or killed during those riots during this past summer?含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭he criminals who are using as an excuse, this tragic event, to loot and to burn, they need to be brought to justice every bit as much as the four thugs who ended Mr. Floyd含羞草研究社檚 life need be brought to justice,含羞草研究社� he said in another.

Busch apologized for his 含羞草研究社渋nsensitive remarks含羞草研究社� in an Aug. 20 tweet.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 not who I am as a person,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淐onservative Party candidates strive to be respectful and inclusive of others. To those who I offended, please accept my sincere apology.含羞草研究社�

Pamphinette Buisa 含羞草研究社� organizer of a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally in Victoria attended by thousands last summer 含羞草研究社� said it was frightening to see Busch use language like 含羞草研究社渢hese people,含羞草研究社� as she said that promotes an us-and-them mentality.

含羞草研究社淪eeing that this person wants to be in office and wants to advocate and be a representative is quite concerning,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲e just want to be a part of the conversation, we just want to be seen as human, and to deter the conversation in any other direction apart from that is missing the movement as a whole.含羞草研究社�

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Movements pushing for more equality 含羞草研究社� especially racial equality 含羞草研究社� often face people trying to hyper-focus on violence, Buisa said. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project called the

It含羞草研究社檚 important, Busia said, for those wanting to hold positions of power to engage with different perspectives - especially with those who have historically been left out of the conversation. She said leaders should ask themselves who they含羞草研究社檙e accountable to, speaking for and where they含羞草研究社檙e coming from.

As for Busch含羞草研究社檚 comment about lynching, she said, 含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 even comment on that because it含羞草研究社檚 just very disturbing.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭his is an opportunity for him to learn and I think that含羞草研究社檚 a positive thing,含羞草研究社� Buisa said. 含羞草研究社淲ith a lot of people含羞草研究社檚 engagement with various movements, you含羞草研究社檙e not going to get it right the first time, you含羞草研究社檙e going to make mistakes.含羞草研究社�

Given the opportunity to talk with Busch, Buisa said she would first check-in on his well-being, before trying to see where he含羞草研究社檚 coming from and why he feels the way he does.

含羞草研究社淚nstead of that us-and-them conversation, it含羞草研究社檚 us, and how can we all engage moving forward.含羞草研究社�

When asked if he stands by Busch and if the views expressed in the video reflect those of his party, Conservative leader Erin O含羞草研究社橳oole didn含羞草研究社檛 mention his candidate while answering, but said 含羞草研究社渨e all have a role in stamping out racism, intolerance, anti-Semitism.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e must and will have conversations in a responsible and informed way to tackle inequalities in our society,含羞草研究社� he said during a Winnipeg campaign stop.

Erin O含羞草研究社橳oole didn't mention racism even once in his platform, yet he supports candidates like David Busch in BC.

There is no place for this in Canada. We must all speak out against the Conservative's efforts to drive us apart.

含羞草研究社� Taleeb Noormohamed (@Taleeb)

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