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Langley-Willowbrook MLA Jody Toor dismissed the recent provincial throne speech as "empty promises" while outlining her legislative priorities. She also opposed Premier David Eby’s tariff strategy, instead backing a carbon tax on U.S. coal to counter American trade threats.
The newly elected Conservative MLA, who continues to face scrutiny following January reports by The Tyee questioning her claimed medical qualifications, told The Langley Union that British Columbians "needed action" rather than rhetoric on issues like affordability and healthcare.
"We keep hearing the same rhetoric on affordability, healthcare, and economic growth, yet people are still struggling," Toor said in an interview. "B.C. needs leadership that delivers results, not just words."
Her comments came as the BC legislature opened with Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia delivering a throne speech focused heavily on economic security in the face of threatened tariffs from the United States.
Tariff Troubles: Carbon Tax as Leverage
In what many political observers might consider a stroke of profound ideological irony, Toor has thrown her support behind Conservative Leader John Rustad's proposal to impose a carbon tax on U.S. thermal coal shipped through Vancouver ports as leverage against American tariff threats.
"We need leverage, not just political posturing," Toor stated, echoing Rustad's position. "One option he proposed was imposing a carbon tax on U.S. thermal coal shipped through Vancouver, using it as a bargaining tool to pressure the U.S. into a fair softwood lumber deal."
The MLA expressed significant concerns about how American tariffs would affect her riding, noting that "Langley-Willowbrook businesses and farmers rely on U.S. trade" and warning that "tariffs mean job losses, rising costs, and uncertainty for families."
She criticized Premier Eby for allegedly ignoring the softwood lumber dispute, claiming his approach "does little to protect B.C." while portraying the Conservative carbon tax proposal as a more pragmatic solution to bring "the U.S. to the table."
Conservative Caucus Fractures Over Residential School Comments
Toor's remarks come as her party grapples with internal division centered on the treatment of residential school history. The BC Conservatives recently experienced a significant rupture when three MLAs left to sit as independents after Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie was expelled from caucus.
The breaking point came after Brodie posted on social media that "the number of confirmed child burials at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School site is zero," and later participated in a Zoom discussion where she was described as mocking residential school survivors' testimonies with a high, derisive voice saying, "Not his truth, her truth, oh, my grandmother's truth."
While Conservative leader John Rustad acknowledged Brodie's initial posts were "factually correct," he drew the line at "publicly mock[ing] and belittle[ing] testimony from former residential school students." Premier Eby supported the expulsion, saying Rustad "did the right thing" but noted it "took him too long."
The departing MLAs characterized the expulsion differently, with Tara Armstrong, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream, calling it a "cowardly decision" that revealed how "corrupt" Rustad had become by caving to "woke liberals." Jordan Kealy, MLA for Peace River North, claimed the party had "strayed from conservative principles" and become "nothing more than another liberal party."
The split has reduced Conservative numbers from 44 to 41 seats in the legislature.
Medical Credential Questions Linger
In late January, The Tyee published investigative reports alleging that Toor had misrepresented herself as having medical credentials, including claims of a double PhD and medical doctor designation.
According to these reports, Toor's academic credentials came from Quantum University, described by experts as an unaccredited online institution. The reports also detailed her brief tenure as chief medical officer at Conscious Mind Labs, a company offering psychedelic therapy, from which she was reportedly terminated in early 2022.
Despite these lingering questions, Toor has maintained her position as Conservative caucus chair since her appointment in December 2024.
Looking Forward
Toor's stated priorities for representing Langley-Willowbrook include healthcare, affordability, seniors' issues, public safety, infrastructure, and education. On healthcare specifically, she emphasized the need to "fix staffing shortages, reduce wait times, and keep ERs open."
As the legislature moves forward with its spring session, Toor will face the dual challenges of representing her constituency while navigating both her party's internal divisions and ongoing questions about her professional background.
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