When One B.C. executive director Paul Ratchford hired a new 22-year-old male staffer in the middle of last summer to do some tech-related work, then-party leader Dallas Brodie says she knew something was wrong.
“There would be things that he would say when we were travelling in the van together, and I would hear conversations, and I didn’t like it,” she said. “I didn’t like the type of discussion that was going on, and it was way off side of any of the philosophies that I hold. And I started to find that concerning.”
The staffer soon began attending policy meetings and participating in party events. But in public, he would wear a mask and mirrored sunglasses. He told Brodie this was because he didn’t want people to identify that he was working with her.
“And I said, ‘But I don’t understand, why would that be?’” she said. “I wouldn’t really get any satisfactory answers to these questions.”
Over the course of the months since the staffer was hired, Brodie brought these concerns to Ratchford and to her chief of staff, Tim Thielmann. They both urged her to keep him and promised to mentor him. They said he was a good photographer and did “essential” work for the party.
Then, about a week ago, Brodie discovered some of the views the staffer was allegedly expressing online. This included using the term “JQ,” referring to the “Jewish Question” — terminology employed by the Nazis justifying genocide. Other rhetoric allegedly posted by him is anti-immigrant and white nationalist.
Many of the posts cited by Brodie are taken from a private X account, but appeared as screenshots in a blog post about the staffer. Brodie believes them to be authentic and says they cross a line. She calls it “crazy stuff.”
Last week, she finally ordered that he be fired. Instead, Thielmann removed the staffer from the caucus, and Ratchford rehired him on the party side. They also dismissed another staffer who raised questions about him. So on Friday, Brodie turned around and sacked Thielmann and Ratchford.
That’s when “all hell broke loose,” she said.
Tara Armstrong, the other One B.C. MLA, fought back against Brodie’s narrative , posting on social media that Thielmann and Ratchford helped build the party from the ground up, and that the disagreement over a “junior staffer” was not a “core issue.”
“What truly mattered was how those challenges were handled: whether there was openness, communication, empathy, and a willingness to listen, adapt, and lead by example,” Armstrong wrote.
Black Press Media reached out to Thielmann, Ratchford, and Armstrong for comment, but none responded. The former staffer’s phone appears to be disconnected or busy.
A looming loss of party status for both MLAs
On Sunday (Dec. 14), One B.C. sent out a news release with Thielmann’s name on it, saying that Brodie is being removed as party leader. In it, Armstrong says she has lost confidence in Brodie. It also accuses Brodie of having “agents” copy party databases, passwords and communications software.
Brodie called these allegations “ridiculous.” She also says that Thielmann, Armstrong and Ratchford sent her a written offer with a deadline of 5 p.m. Monday, giving her two options: either she leaves the party, and they take it over, or they leave, and Brodie takes over. She plans to choose option two – she takes over, and they leave the party.
To be recognized as a caucus in the legislature — a status that means public financing and daily participation in Question Period — a party must have at least two elected members. One B.C. only has Armstrong and Brodie, so a split would mean neither could gain caucus status.
“I won’t be an officially recognized party in the House anymore, but you never know, maybe someone from the Conservatives will come over and join me,” Brodie said.
Technically, Armstrong, Brodie, Ratchford and Thielmann make up the entirety of the party board. It is unclear if Armstrong and the others will actually hand Brodie the keys for the party as part of this reported offer. As of Monday afternoon, Armstrong was the only MLA listed on the One B.C. website, and Thielmann was still sending out One B.C.-branded emails.
Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy left the B.C. Conservatives with Armstrong and Brodie back in March, and could theoretically still form a caucus by joining with either of them. But he poured cold water on that idea.
Kealy said he plans to remain an Independent because he feels that is the best way to represent his constituents.
“I had my reasons for not joining them, and I’ll leave it at that,” he said. “I’ll remain neutral, on the side. I think it’s too bad that this is all out in the public eye.”
Brodie said she could not believe this was happening to One B.C. so soon after the B.C. Conservative leadership drama that led to John Rustad stepping aside as party leader.
Similar to that situation, there is uncertainty about which faction will end up in control of One B.C.
Brodie called the situation “fluid.”
“A lot of blood on the floor, but here we are, and welcome to politics,” she said.