Muslim groups join calls for B.C. Conservative campaign manager to resign

A coalition of Muslim organizations has joined calls for the resignation of B.C. Conservative campaign manager Katy Merrifield over past social media posts slamming Islam.

In June, Merrifield reposted a message on social media that said “Islam is a literal rape culture.” Merrifield quickly removed it and said the comment was a momentary lapse caused by her own past trauma.

But critics note she has not apologized for it, and has continued to amplify anti-Islamic statements on social media, including ones referring to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani as a “jihad-loving mayor” and blaming Islam as a whole for the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

On Tuesday, Musa Ismail, on behalf of Unified Muslim Associations in B.C. (UMABC), said party leader Lorne Doerkson should force Merrifield out.

Ismail said that, in the absence of action by Doerkson, no Conservative candidate is welcome at any Muslim centre or mosque during the B.C. election campaign.

UMABC joins the B.C. Muslim Association, NDP Leader David Eby, NDP Surrey City Centre candidate Amna Shah and Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan, among others, in calling for Merrifield to step down.

Shah said Doerkson is guilty of a “double standard,” having quickly ousted Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate Joachim Agou over racist posts about Pakistan — a “s—hole country” — and encouraging violence against pro-Palestinian protesters.

In Agou’s case, Doerkson “acted quickly,” said Shah on Sunday. “He said ‘There is no excuse for this. I will not tolerate it.’ But he has now been silent for more than 48 hours since Katy Merrifield’s anti-Islam social media posts came to light.

“This is a clear double standard from Lorne Doerkson. It was easy to remove his candidate in a seat where the Conservatives never win, but now he is unwilling or unable to remove his top adviser.

“Leadership means doing the right thing all the time — not just when it’s the easy thing to do.”

Kwan called Merrifield’s comments “deeply disturbing and unacceptable” and said the posts stigmatize all Muslims and send “a chilling message” to B.C.’s Muslim communities.

“At no point has Merrifield apologized or taken responsibility for the hurt she has caused,” Kwan said in a statement. “Muslims are not collectively responsible for the actions of extremists, and no one should have to fear discrimination or hostility because of their faith.”

Doerkson did not address calls for Merrifield’s resignation in his public appearances in recent days.

But the Conservative candidate for Surrey City Centre, Zeeshan Wahla, has defended Merrifield. He said there is a major difference between her comments and Agou’s — in that one was inciting violence while Merrifield was reacting to it.

“I want to be clear that the language used in Ms. Merrifield’s original post from several months ago was unacceptable,” Wahla told The Canadian Press. “She also swiftly acknowledged that and made it clear that her reaction was informed by her past sexual trauma.”