The past year was full of upheavals in British Columbia’s political landscape, with a new party facing internal challenges reminiscent of its forerunner.
At the start of the year, the BC Conservatives seemed poised for success, having made significant strides in the previous election and nearing a chance to govern. This progress was largely attributed to John Rustad’s leadership, who had revitalized the party after leaving BC United (formerly the BC Liberals).
However, the party’s harmony was short-lived as a series of events unfolded. Within a few months, five MLAs were either ousted or left. Rustad dismissed Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie for insensitive remarks about residential school survivors, leading to the resignation of Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong and Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy. Brodie and Armstrong then launched their own party, OneBC, which eventually disbanded.
Additionally, Rustad removed Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko amid allegations of undermining his leadership, a claim she denied. Simultaneously, allegations surfaced about potential membership list manipulation within the party.
Calls for Rustad’s resignation grew louder, culminating in a pivotal moment in early December when over half of the Conservative caucus expressed no confidence in his leadership.
This event triggered a standoff between Rustad and the party’s board over his removal. Despite the board’s decision to oust him due to being “professionally incapacitated,” Rustad contested this and vowed to remain in his position. However, his defiant stance eventually softened, leading to his voluntary resignation as leader.