John Rustad’s Big Plans for 2024

Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad thinks the next provincial election could come much sooner than the government has promised.

“I do not trust David Eby at his word when he says the next election will be in October,” Rustad said, acknowledging the premier’s consistent pledge to stick to the Oct. 19, 2024, fixed election date. “They’re creating a window for an election in March.”

As evidence he points to the parliamentary calendar, which has MLAs returning to the legislature a week later than normal in February for a throne speech closely followed by a budget two days later.

“Why is it set up so all of that can be done by the end of February in terms of the confidence vote on the budget?” Rustad asked. It only makes sense, he said, if the government wants the opportunity to force a March election.

Pundits have also pointed to the advantages the government would have by going early so it can benefit from its continued relative popularity and the opposition’s division, but since becoming premier, Eby has committed dozens of times to waiting until the fixed election date.

Repeating the commitment in early December, Eby cited the fact he and his wife are expecting their third child in the spring. “My family is expecting a significant event in six months, in June, and it is not an election,” he said. “We have too much to work on to be playing politics right now.”

Unconvinced, Rustad said the Conservatives are doing what they can to prepare for a March election. The party had 21 candidates nominated when he spoke with The Tyee, with more to come through the month. It’s also raising funds and staking out platform positions, he said. “People will have an opportunity to see what we stand for, but we’ll also of course save some nice nuggets for the actual election itself.”

In the week after the legislature stopped sitting, the Conservatives released a position on ICBC. Rustad said the new no-fault system is the right policy when people have minor injuries, but he would return to a system where people facing bigger problems can go to court.

“When it comes to serious injuries, life-altering injuries, I don’t think we should just be taking the word of a Crown corporation in terms of what those services may be that they provide,” Rustad said. “I think people should be able to fight for what they need to be able to address that issue.”

It’s a position that aligns with the party’s values and commitment to fight for people to make sure they are treated fairly, he said.

The party also released a 23-page document detailing its opposition to the carbon tax that has risen to $65 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. With planned increases, by 2030 it will take a cumulative $39 billion out of people’s pockets. That works out to $6,773 per person or $27,000 for a family of four, Rustad said.

“That will have been the equivalent of putting a chicken dinner on your table every night for nine years,” he said. “That’s what the carbon tax will take from a family of four, and I just think people need to understand what this tax really is and what it’s doing and why we say that taxing people into poverty is not going to change the weather.”

Much of the carbon tax is in fact returned to people, particularly those with low or moderate incomes, through quarterly tax credit payments. It has also been used to fund past individual and corporate income tax cuts, as well more recently for the CleanBC program for industry.

“I suppose from a socialist perspective all money going into government goes back into the economy,” Rustad said when asked about how revenue from the carbon tax is used. “Well, I disagree.... It is the equivalent of giving yourself a transfusion from your right arm to your left arm, only when government does it they manage to spill half of it.”

Asked how he would explain to someone who lost their home to a fire or flood that he thinks climate change isn’t a crisis, Rustad said, “We need to look at how we respond when these things do happen. But taxing people into poverty doesn’t change that that event is going to happen, and that’s the big issue.”

The party may release one more significant policy position before Christmas, then has plans for several more in the new year, Rustad said.

In the legislature earlier this fall, Eby blasted Rustad and his party for their stance against how sexual orientation and gender identity are addressed in schools.

“It is outrageous that he would stand here and do this,” Eby said at the time. “He sees political advantage in picking on kids and families and teachers and schools who are just trying to do their best for kids who are at risk of suicide. Shame on him.”

Rustad now says Eby’s response was over the top. “Clearly he’s worried about that issue. I think he’s vulnerable on that issue,” Rustad said, noting that BC United members showed the premier their support with a standing ovation.

“I believe very strongly that parents have rights with their children,” Rustad said. “Parents should have a say in terms of how their children should be raised. I don’t think our education system should be replacing parents. I don’t think our education system should be about teaching kids what to think. I think it should be about teaching kids how to think.”

Schools need a good, strong anti-bullying program, but SOGI 123 has become divisive and needs to be removed, he said. “SOGI is not the answer and it’s created way too many problems.”

Rustad, who represents Nechako Lakes in northern B.C., has been an MLA since 2005. He was elected as a BC Liberal, the party now rebranded as BC United, and served in cabinets under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark.

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon booted Rustad from that party’s caucus in August 2022 after Rustad posted tweets questioning climate science and declined to commit to sticking to the party’s platform on the issue.

“They kicked me out on my birthday, and in hindsight it was probably the best birthday present that I could have ever asked for,” Rustad said. “At the time I was surprised. You go through the range of emotions. At the time I certainly wasn’t thinking about doing what I’m doing today.”

He sat briefly as an independent before joining the B.C. Conservative party and becoming leader by acclamation earlier this year.

The party gained official party status in September when Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman crossed the floor from BC United to join him, giving the caucus access to more resources and time in the legislature.

“It’s been a very interesting year, obviously,” said Rustad. “We’ve taken this party collectively from three or four per cent in the polls to the latest poll being 26 per cent in the polls. We’ve seen some incredible growth.”

The support has been enough to put it even with or ahead of BC United, which has struggled since changing its name.

Rustad said he would never rule out reconciling with his former party, echoing comments Falcon recently made as well, but that he and other B.C. Conservatives wouldn’t compromise on being straight up with voters and clear about their values.

So what is it he can say as a Conservative that he couldn’t inside BC United?

“I would have said a whole wide range of issues, but given the United party is flip-flopping on so many things, you never know where that may be,” Rustad said. “After all, they kicked me out of the party because they wanted to be leaders on climate change... and now they’ve switched over and started following our lead on that, so you never know where they may go now.”

Whenever the election is held, the Conservative party will be offering a real alternative to the two parties that have governed the province since 1991, he said.

“I think voters are smart, they’re capable, they will look at these issues and they’ll make a decision whether they want more of the last 32 years or whether they want to go off in a different direction.”

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This is the first of four year-end interviews with B.C.’s four party leaders. Next, Green Leader Sonia Furstenau.