Some of B.C. Conservative leader's critic picks questioned

The sparring during question period in the legislature is largely driven by Opposition MLAsgrilling government ministers, and with the B.C. Conservative party's rapid rise toOfficial Opposition, its MLAswill now get to setthetone.

But even before his first legislative session begins, some of the heat is instead on LeaderJohn Rustadfor some ofhis choicesappointing critics to their Oppositionportfolios.

Rustad is also on the defensive as the governing party reacts to the news that two of Rustad'sMLAs will keep their seats on local councils, essentially doing two jobs.

Anna Kindy, a Campbell River-based physician and addictions specialist, has been tapped to be the party's health critic.

WATCH |CBC reporter Katie de Rosa on what the critics are saying:

Members of newly appointed B.C. Conservative Party shadow cabinet drawing criticism

22 hours ago

Duration 2:31

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has released his shadow cabinet -- the critics that will grill ministers during question period. As Katie DeRosa reports, some of the appointments are drawing criticism.

The NDP pounced on theappointment, pointing out Kindy has opposed COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

"She's somebody who is a vaccine-skeptic who has previously spread misinformation about vaccines. She's donated to the Freedom convoy," saidAmna Shah, the NDP MLA for Surrey City Centre.

Kindy argues she's not anti-vaxxbut believes people should not lose their jobs if they choose not to get a medical procedure.

"I believe in bodily autonomy," she said. "I think the Freedom Convoy came as a pushback to mandates that were actually in some sense unreasonable. Do I regret doing this? No, I don't."

Kindy objects to the NDP characterizing her as far right, saying the governing party is using the term to divide people.

"In terms of my association with the far right, it's ridiculous," she said. "I'm not right-wing.I'm not left-wing. I'm just who I am. I look at every issue for itself. I think labels are dangerous."

"Voters are tired of the rhetoric," Kindy says, addingit distracts from the real issues like persistent emergency room closures and unacceptable cancer wait times.

"When you look at someone who is on the wait list for cancer surgery for months, they don't want to hear rhetoric; they want solutions," she said.

Rustad sending a message, poli-sci prof says

UBC political scientist Stewart Prest says Rustad is sending a statement with his critics' picks.

"So essentially, Mr. Rustad, with these appointments,is saying that the party is going to welcome a broad array of people on the right side of the political spectrum," Prest said.

"It's one of the issues why the [former] education minister [Rachna Singh]was defeated by Mandeep Dhaliwal in Surrey [North]," Rustad says.

In April, Rustad proposed a private members bill that would force publicly funded sports teams to use "biological sex" to classify participants, effectively banning transgender athletes.

The bill was quickly voted down.

MLAs as councillors

Meanwhile, Rustad is also facing criticism this week for allowing two B.C. Conservative MLAs to keep their local government positions

The new MLA for Langley Walnut Grove, Misty Van Popta, will stay on as a councillor in Langley Township.

Korky Neufeld was elected for the BC Conservatives in Abbotsford West and will stay on as a school board trustee in Abbotsford.

The NDP and the Canadian Taxpayers Association's B.C. branch say taxpayers should not be paying the same politicians twice.

Darlene Ratchford is an NDP MLA who resigned from her council position in Esquimalt.

"Being an MLA is a full-time job. It's double dipping. It's not right," Ratchford says.

Rustad says he would have preferred that the MLAs resign from their local roles.

"If they do want to stay on local government, ultimately it's their decision to do that."

Rustad says he's recommended that the two MLAs donate the salaries from their local government positions.

CBCNewsaskedNeufeld and Van Poptkaif they intend to do that but has not yet heard back.