B.C. Conservatives Drop Vancouver-Strathcona Candidate Over Posts Minimizing Holocaust
Liam O'Connell
10/16/20262 min read
The B.C. Conservative Party has dropped its candidate in Vancouver-Strathcona after social media posts linked to him surfaced containing offensive remarks and false claims minimizing aspects of the Holocaust.
The party confirmed Jordan McIntosh is no longer its candidate and said that, if elected, he would not be permitted to sit with the Conservative caucus.
The decision came less than an hour after B.C. NDP candidate Callista Ryan posted screenshots on X that she said came from an anonymous account operated by McIntosh.
“Looks like Lorne Doerkson's candidate in Strathcona Jordan McIntosh thought he could use a nameless twitter account to say many awful, offensive things,” Ryan wrote.
One of the posts linked to McIntosh repeated false claims that minimized elements of the Holocaust.
Jewish Advocacy Group Welcomes Removal
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs welcomed the Conservative Party’s decision to remove McIntosh.
Nico Slobinsky, the organization’s vice-president for the Pacific region, described the posts as “reprehensible” and said they distorted the history of the Holocaust.
“Accountability matters for all seeking elected office,” he said.
Ryan said the incident also raised questions about how the Conservative Party screens candidates before approving them to run.
“I see these comments as hateful, and that's something we absolutely have to call out and address,” she said.
Party Says Posts Appear to Date Back Several Years
McIntosh is 18 years old, and a Conservative Party spokesperson said the posts appeared to have been made when he was approximately 15.
Before being removed, McIntosh’s party biography described him as a geological engineering student who had worked in mineral exploration in British Columbia. An archived version of the Conservative website also listed him as its Vancouver-Strathcona candidate.
His LinkedIn profile says he attends the University of Waterloo in Ontario.
The party said McIntosh was informed shortly after the posts became public that he would no longer represent the Conservatives.
Attempts to contact him through a campaign phone number were unsuccessful, and it was not immediately clear whether he would remain on the ballot as an Independent.
Second Conservative Candidate Removed in a Week
McIntosh is the second B.C. Conservative candidate removed over social media posts in roughly a week.
The party previously dropped Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate Joachim Agou after posts targeting Palestinians and Pakistanis came to light. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson said at the time there was “no excuse” for the remarks and that Agou would not serve in caucus if elected.
The controversies have put additional attention on the party’s candidate-vetting process during the provincial campaign.
Campaign Director Also Facing Criticism
Doerkson has separately faced calls from the Unified Muslim Associations of B.C. to remove campaign director Katy Merrifield over an anti-Islam social media post she made in June.
During Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, Doerkson defended Merrifield, saying she is a survivor of sexual assault who made the comments in anger, later apologized and would remain in her role.
He also responded by accusing NDP Leader David Eby of failing to adequately confront antisemitism within his own party, pointing to the earlier departure of former cabinet minister Selina Robinson.
Vancouver-Strathcona Seat Previously Held by Joan Phillip
Vancouver-Strathcona was previously represented by NDP MLA Joan Phillip, who died on Aug. 28.
The NDP’s candidate in the riding is Amanda Burrows, who has served as executive director of First United in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.
With McIntosh removed from the Conservative slate, questions remain over whether he will continue to contest the riding independently and whether the party will take any further action over its candidate-screening process before election day.
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