Mischa Popoff insists he has nothing to apologize for and will continue his election campaign as an independent after being dropped from the ballot by the B.C. Conservative Party late last week.
“I will continue to run as an independent candidate … I look forward to it,” said Popoff, following last week’s announcement by B.C. Conservative Party leader John Cummins.
The B.C. Conservatives issued a press release Thursday with the following statement:
“Mr. Popoff’s various comments were insensitive and disrespectful, particularly to women and single mothers who are, in fact, heroes to their children and their communities in many cases. We are a party that believes in a respectful airing of views. Mr. Popoff’s statements were unacceptable and he has been removed as a candidate.”
Popoff’s statements included criticism of single mothers for having children “without a man by their side,” and for calling the Missing Women Inquiry a “waste of money,” reported the Vancouver Sun.
Popoff defended himself on all accounts.
“I do believe that children are better off with two parents and I won’t back down from that,” he said. “My own mother was a single mom.
“My point was that we don’t need more guidance counsellors and professionals working with our kids, but we do need more dads. I’m not anti-single moms in any way, but I am pro family.”
The full context of what he wrote about the Missing Women inquiry was that he finds it “incomprehensible” that no law enforcement official from the Vancouver Police Department was ever charged following a three-year inquiry that clearly detailed how police failed to respond properly after more than 40 First Nation women were reported missing, said Popoff.
Notorious serial killer Robert Pickton was convicted of numerous murders after police found the remains of many First Nation women on his pig farm near Vancouver.
“If this was the United States, there would have been a Congressional hearing and heads would have rolled,” he said. “What made me so upset was that after a three-year inquiry that costs millions of dollars, that not one police officer was charged or reprimanded or suspended in any way.
“At least in the case where the Polish immigrant was zapped with a Tazer and died at Vancouver Airport, a couple of officers lost their jobs as they should have. My comments were highly critical of the inquiry process and that was all.”
Popoff said he agreed to run as a Conservative because he had great respect for Cummins.
“I really liked what he had to say coming out of the Stephen Harper caucus … I thought he was the real deal,” said Popoff. “Like myself, I really thought he was a small C Conservative in the vein of Tommy Douglas.”
While he doesn’t agree with Cummins’ decision to take him off the ballot, Popoff said he has enjoyed his time on the campaign trail and he will continue to promote his conservative values heading down the stretch towards the May 14 election.
Following the announcement by Cummins late last week, Popoff took the time to post a four-minute clip on YouTube under the title  “I won’t be bullied.”
In the clip, Popoff defends the articles which led to him being removed by the Conservative Party.
The clip is rather humourous as a pesky bull butts his head against Popoff while he’s delivering his speech.
Popoff participated in an all-candidates seniors forum Tuesday afternoon at the Osoyoos Seniors Centre and another all-candidates forum later that day at the Sonora Community Centre. He was also scheduled for an all-candidates forum set for Wednesday at the Elks Lodge in Oliver.
Popoff is a former farmer from Saskatchewan who is a policy advisor for the Heartland Institute.
He is the father of three young children and is the self-published author of a book on the organic farming industry titled Is it Organic?