Key Takeaways:
- The BC Conservative Party is in turmoil after a group of 20 MLAs declared they had lost confidence in leader John Rustad
- The party’s board has declared Rustad "professionally incapacitated" and appointed Trevor Halford as interim leader
- Rustad refuses to step down, claiming the dissidents are acting outside party rules
- The Speaker of the House has been dragged into the conflict, with both sides making their case to determine who should be recognized as leader of the Official Opposition
- The party’s internal conflict has been ongoing, with moderates and social conservatives locking horns over issues such as free speech and caucus discipline
Introduction to the Conflict
The BC legislature was thrown into chaos on Wednesday as the Conservative Party attempted to oust its leader, John Rustad, by declaring him unfit for the job. A lawyer’s letter released by the Conservative Party stated that 20 members of the Official Opposition caucus, a bare majority, had lost confidence in Rustad’s leadership. The party’s board declared a new interim leader, MLA Trevor Halford, to serve while the party begins preparations for a leadership contest. However, the remaining 19 Conservative MLAs did not sign the letter, and Rustad declared that the dissidents were acting outside party rules. He stated that he was still the leader and would not be stepping down.
The Speaker’s Involvement
The Speaker of the House, Raj Chouhan, has been dragged into the conflict, with both sides making their case to determine who should be recognized as leader of the Official Opposition. Throughout the afternoon, Chouhan and the clerks of the House shuttled back and forth, entertaining arguments from Halford, Rustad, and Government House Leader Mike Farnworth. Farnworth told reporters that he believed the Conservatives should "sort their mess out" and not drag the Speaker into the debate. In the end, Chouhan said he would need at least a day to render a ruling. As the fall sitting of the legislature wrapped up on Wednesday afternoon, Rustad maintained that he was still in charge of a caucus that is now extraordinarily divided.
The Division within the Caucus
The ability of the caucus or the party executive to remove Rustad is limited, as he won a leadership review among party members in the summer with about 70% of the vote. The decision to oust him was announced by the party’s board of directors, who passed a motion "certifying that Rustad is… professionally incapacitated and unable to continue as party leader." The party’s website now lists Halford as the interim leader, with links inviting donations. In a social-media post, Rustad lashed out at his party’s board, which he had hand-picked as loyalists at the previous party convention. He stated that he was not going anywhere and that the board’s actions were a "creative terminology" to try to remove him.
The History of the Conflict
The conflict within the Conservative Party has been ongoing, with moderates and social conservatives locking horns over issues such as free speech and caucus discipline. Rustad’s style has rankled some in his caucus, and he has been forced to apologize for discussing a party member’s alleged romantic relationship at a meeting with legislators. In October, Rustad confirmed that the cellphones of Conservative members were searched during a meeting to find a leak from inside his caucus. The lack of caucus discipline has been a source of internal tension, and the party’s internal conflict has reduced Rustad’s team to 39 seats. Two MLAs have moved to a fledgling party, and three sit as Independents.
The Future of the Party
The future of the Conservative Party is uncertain, with the internal conflict threatening to tear the party apart. Rustad’s refusal to step down has created a power struggle, with Halford and the party’s board on one side and Rustad and his