B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad has stepped down from his leadership role but says he will continue serving as an MLA. His decision came one day after the party’s board stated he had been removed as leader, which he initially denied.
On Thursday, Rustad said he spoke with his wife and others close to him, many of whom encouraged him to stay on. He chose to resign because remaining in the role would have created what he described as a civil war inside the party. He said he was disappointed but continues to care deeply about the party and the province, encouraging caucus members to set aside disagreements and focus on growth.
Rustad confirmed that although he will help the party transition to new leadership, he does not plan to run again in the next provincial election. He added that his family is looking forward to having him home more.
The Conservative caucus announced Wednesday that they no longer had confidence in his leadership and had removed him as official opposition leader. This followed months of internal strain, with several MLAs resigning or being expelled, and increasing demands for Rustad to step aside.
A letter signed by 20 of the 39 caucus members stated that they had lost confidence in him. The party’s board of directors said Rustad was “professionally incapacitated,” which is one of four possible grounds listed in the party constitution for removing a leader. The other three are resignation, death, or a leadership review that receives less than 50 per cent support. Rustad had recently passed a leadership review with nearly 71 per cent approval.
The party’s board stated that Trevor Halford had been chosen as interim leader in a caucus vote, while Rustad argued that party rules say leadership should be chosen by party management rather than caucus.
Rustad said this situation is not a takeover but something that happens in politics. He credited the belief that the B.C. Conservatives could form government with helping him grow the party from a single MLA to the official opposition with 39 MLAs. He became emotional reflecting on a painted rock bearing the word “believe,” given to him during the 2024 campaign. He described his work as pushing for policy changes and standing firm in what he believed the party could achieve.
Rustad said he is proud of the progress that was made and grateful to have been a part of the journey.
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