Latest news with #Rustad
Global News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
Rustad faces ‘hot and uncomfortable summer' amid months-long leadership review
BC Conservative Leader John Rustad is staring down a 'very hot and uncomfortable summer' as he undergoes an unusually long leadership review, according to a UBC political scientist. The review, mandated by the party constitution, kicked off over the weekend — and comes amid messy infighting on British Columbia's political right. The process will see party members in each of B.C.'s 93 ridings vote on whether they want Rustad to stay as leader, a process Rustad said should wrap by December. 1:51 Conservative leader accuses political rivals of blackmail 'To go through every riding in a kind of mini-review seems like, in some ways, a worst-case scenario for a leader who is besieged, because it just means that it gives opponents time, space to organize,' UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest told Global News. Story continues below advertisement 'It gives everyone with a grievance (a chance) to air that and to see whether others are feeling the same sort of thing. So it is going to be a very hot and uncomfortable summer, I would think, for Mr. Rustad.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The review comes as the province's political right, which unified behind Rustad and his upstart BC Conservatives ahead of last year's provincial election, faces fragmentation. Rustad is facing pressure over a leaked letter to the BC Conservative caucus accusing a group of former MLAs of 'blackmail.' Meanwhile, two former MLAs — Dallas Brodie, who was kicked out of the party for comments about residential schools, and Tara Armstrong, who quit in solidarity — have formed their own new OneBC party, with social and economic policies challenging Rustad's party's right flank. OneBC is also accusing Rustad of trying to manipulate the party's recent annual general meeting. 2:02 3 former B.C. Conservative MLAs speaking out Jordan Kealy, a third Conservative MLA who quit in solidarity but remains an independent, has also called for Rustad to step down. Story continues below advertisement And on Wednesday, B.C. business leader Ryan Beedie took aim at Rustad's leadership in a LinkedIn post, arguing the party needs to rebrand itself to appeal to centrist voters. At the same time, former BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick has launched her own party, CentreBC, hoping to attract those centrist voters. 'This isn't just behind-the-scenes backroom politics; it is out in the open, we have a BC Conservative Party that is fragmented,' Prest said. 'As long as the conservative movement is essentially eating its own and dealing with the infighting, the NDP more or less gets to skate through.' Prest said British Columbia's political right tends to only come together and unify around the promise of victory, and to get the party's populist and moderate wings back on the same page Rustad needs to find a way to change the conversation from his own leadership to that of the NDP government. It's a challenge he said will be magnified by the lengthy leadership review process. Rustad is scheduled to speak with the media following a caucus meeting Wednesday evening.
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
John Rustad faces 'messy' summer over B.C. Conservative leadership: political expert
VICTORIA — B.C.'s Conservative caucus members are meeting in Surrey today in what a political scientist says could be the start of a 'messy' summer for party Leader John Rustad. It comes as Rustad's leadership is under review and questions arise about his handling of allegations he made in a letter accusing some former Conservative members of the legislature of blackmail. University of B.C. political science lecturer Stewart Prest says there is no formal mechanism for Conservative legislators to push Rustad out at today's meeting, but it doesn't mean they couldn't do things in a 'messier way' by withdrawing confidence in his leadership. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. He says if they say they no longer have faith in Rustad, the leader's options 'are limited about what he can do,' regardless of what the party constitution says. The constitution approved at the party's most recent annual general meeting in Nanaimo says a leader can only be removed from office after voluntary resignation, death, incapacity or in a leadership review by the membership. Premier David Eby said during his weekly news conference that the Opposition faces 'significant challenges' regardless of who leads them, saying it has 'far-right politics' that are extreme. 'The Conservatives will continue to focus on what appears to be important to them, which is mostly the Conservatives,' Eby said. The Conservative leadership review is already underway and is expected to last through December, with party members voting on whether they support Rustad in the job. Prest said he expects MLAs to let that process play out for now. But Prest said the riding-by-riding vote also created the 'possibility of an additional drip, drip effect' where Rustad had to continually defend his record. 'There's not one particular way this rule may play out, but I would think, if I were Mr. Rustad, I would not be looking forward to the summer,' Prest said. He added it is not clear whether any future leadership challenger to Rustad would come from the 'populist' or moderate wings of the party. 'We are already hearing rumblings of challenges from both camps, so I don't know if it is an either-or situation,' Prest said. He said that the recent emergence of the One BC party, launched by former Conservative MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong, speaks to a growing unwillingness among populists to compromise. 'So I think that is likely to continue,' Prest said. As for the moderate camp, its members would focus on the question of whether Rustad can win government, Prest said. 'If there isn't a sense that Mr. Rustad can pull everyone together, they too will join the calls for him to step aside and let someone else try,' Prest said.
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Rustad faces ‘messy' summer over B.C. Conservative leadership: political expert
VICTORIA - British Columbia's Conservative caucus members are meeting in Surrey today in what a political scientist says could be the start of a 'messy' summer for party Leader John Rustad. It comes as Rustad's leadership is under review and questions arise about his handling of allegations he made in a letter accusing some former Conservative members of the legislature of blackmail.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Rustad faces ‘messy' summer over B.C. Conservative leadership: political expert
VICTORIA – British Columbia's Conservative caucus members are meeting in Surrey today in what a political scientist says could be the start of a 'messy' summer for party Leader John Rustad. It comes as Rustad's leadership is under review and questions arise about his handling of allegations he made in a letter accusing some former Conservative members of the legislature of blackmail. University of B.C. political science lecturer Stewart Prest says there is no formal mechanism for Conservative legislators to push Rustad out at today's meeting, but it doesn't mean they couldn't do things in a 'messier way' by withdrawing confidence in his leadership. He says if they say they no longer have faith in Rustad, the leader's options 'are limited about what he can do,' regardless of what the party constitution says. The constitution approved at the party's most recent annual general meeting in Nanaimo says a leader can only be removed from office after voluntary resignation, death, incapacity or in a leadership review by the membership. The leadership review is already underway and is expected to last through December, with party members voting on whether they support Rustad in the job, and Prest says he expects MLAs to let that process play out for now. But Prest says the riding-by-riding vote also creates the 'possibility of an additional drip, drip effect' where Rustad has to continually defend his record. He says if he were Rustad, he would not be looking forward to the summer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
John Rustad says staff won't give RCMP 'blackmail' statement as leadership vote begins
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad says party staff who alleged they were being blackmailed do not want to provide a written statement to police who are assessing their claim. Rustad, whose leadership of the Opposition is under review in a months-long process that got underway last weekend, has faced questions over his handling of the allegations against a group of former Conservative MLAs he accused in a letter to his caucus. RCMP confirmed the allegations are 'under review and assessment' after they were asked to investigate by the governing NDP's caucus chair last week. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Rustad said in an interview that after consultations with party lawyers, the Conservative staff who made the blackmail claims were asked to provide 'a written statement to present to the RCMP the information.' 'It was felt by the staff involved that they did not want to do that, and so I've got to respect their will, respect their rights to do what they want to do,' he said. 'They would much prefer this whole issue just to go away and they'll carry on with their lives.' The three former Conservative MLAs, Dallas Brodie, Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy, have all denied the accusations and said were meant to distract from questions about Rustad's leadership. Brodie, who now leads the OneBC party that she formed with Armstrong, said on X last week that Rustad had 'painted himself into a corner' with a 'big lie' about blackmail that he could not substantiate. NDP caucus chair Stephanie Higginson wrote to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald last week to ask police to investigate, after Premier David Eby said that Rustad needed to take the claims to police, and if he didn't, then the NDP would. Rustad's letter to his caucus said the former Conservative MLAs were trying to take over the party by threatening to release compromising information unless other MLAs and party staff joined them and did as they wished. His handling of the blackmail allegations comes under scrutiny as the party votes on his leadership in a marathon process that could last about six months. The party's executive director, Angelo Isidorou, said in-person voting took place in three ridings last weekend, and Rustad said he expected the ballot to be completed in December, once members in all 93 B.C. ridings have taken part. Under rules set by the party's constitution, members are being asked if they 'favour the current leadership' and if Rustad's approval is 50 per cent or less, the board of directors will arrange a leadership election. Rustad said he was 'pretty optimistic' about the outcome of the vote, adding that he was not hearing a lot of negativity except from what he called a 'very small group of dissidents.' He said he had 'to laugh' about names of alternative leaders that were being floated on social media. Conservative Gavin Dew said MLAs were confident in Rustad's leadership, but 'are also continuing to have important conversations' about how to strengthen and grow the party. Conservative MLAs are scheduled to meet for their regular caucus meeting on Wednesday in Surrey, B.C. Rustad said he expected the blackmail allegations to come up at the meeting, although he was not anticipating any 'significant issues.' According to the party, voting in the leadership review has already taken place in three Kootenay-area ridings. If Rustad's support fails to surpass 50 per cent, he will have to step down, with the board appointing an interim leader. Under the party's constitution approved at its most recent annual general meeting in Nanaimo, a party leader can only be removed from office after voluntary resignation, death, incapacitation or a leadership review.
