B.C. Conservative candidate apologizes for 2015 comments about Palestinians

Warning: This story contains offensive comments.

B.C. Conservative candidate Brent Chapman is apologizing for previous comments he made on social media about Palestinians, in which he referred to them as "inbred."

The comments were posted to Facebook in 2015, before Chapman entered politics, and were shared on social media Wednesday by CKNW Radio host Jas Johal.

In the post, Chapman, who is now running in the riding of Surrey South, responds to comments from someone criticizing how Muslims raise their children.

"It is forbidden to marry outside of your family in Palestine. They are all little inbred walking, talking, breathing time bombs … figuratively and quite literally," wrote Chapman.

CBC News has not independently verified the Facebook post.

In a statement Wednesday evening, Chapman said, "The language I used and the sentiments I expressed at that time towards Palestinians and members of the Islamic faith were completely unacceptable. They do not reflect who I am today or the respect and admiration I hold for the Palestinian and Muslim communities.

"I want to offer my sincerest apologies to everyone hurt by my past words," he said.

Chapman said since making those comments, he's travelled to Muslim-majority countries and built "meaningful relationships with members of the Muslim community in Canada."

"These experiences have broadened my understanding of Islam and deepened my appreciation for the incredible contributions Muslims make in our communities, both locally in Surrey and across Canada."

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said he will not be asking Chapman to step down as a candidate.

"Brent has come out and made an apology. We have two Muslim candidates who are running for us, he has spoken to them and they have accepted this apology. I look at the statement, it was wrong and something we do not support," said Rustad. 

The National Council of Canadian Muslims says it is horrified by the almost decade-old posts.

"We consider them to be deeply Islamophobic, disgusting and utterly unacceptable," the council said in a media release. 

"We will judge the commitment to the apology on the basis of the actions that Mr. Chapman takes on an ongoing basis, and the commitment of John Rustad's B.C. Conservatives to challenge Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism."

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby said Chapman's comments from 2015 are profoundly disturbing.

"To actually know that a grown adult in British Columbia who is running for public office would promote these hateful views online, would publish them and try to influence peoples opinions against children, against Muslims?  

"When I look at it as a lawyer I say this has all the elements of criminal hate speech and he's protected from prosecution only by the fact that it's been more than six months since he made those statements," said Eby.