John Rustad (image credit - Global)

By Michael Reeve

BC CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP

Conservative leadership review facing critism as Rustad pledges to keep working for British Columbians

Sep 17, 2025 | 4:32 PM

KAMLOOPS — John Rustad’s tenure as leader of the BC Conservative Party could be winding down, as the man who was exiled from BC United before reviving the long-dormant Tories is facing a leadership review, with results expected ahead of the fall legislative session. The leadership review itself is now facing criticism.

With the review of Rustad nearing it’s conclusion, the BC Conservatives are set to hold a caucus meeting Thursday (Sept. 18) in Kelowna. That has now been cancelled amid concern over irregularities within the leadership review, with Kamloops MLA Peter Milobar calling the reports “troubling.”

“I have some concerns in terms of making sure that we are, as a BC Conservative caucus, always functioning at the highest level of integrity,” Milobar told reporters in Victoria on Monday.

The concern stems from an unconfirmed report that recently alleged 2,200 Conservative Party memberships were bought over the summer using just three credit cards. The report also alleges two of the signups came from people who are deceased.

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“Just unbelievable allegations coming out. They are not fit to govern,” said Premier David Eby when asked about the report earlier this week.

“We are a young party, obviously lots of issues going on, but at the same time we are a party that is bringing hope to people in BC and we are going to continue to fight for that,” said Rustad.

While Rustad’s future may be uncertain, he isn’t relenting on his vision for British Columbia, relaying his concerns with the current government during a stop in Kamloops.

“In the election and coming up to the election, I used to say it’s not about being Conservative or Liberal or NDP or Green, it’s just standing for what’s right and fighting for the average everyday person,” Rustad told CFJC News. “And that is what I want to continue to see in us as a party. It’s not so much driven by a political ideology but standing for what’s right and making sure the people in British Columbia can see a future.”

As the party looks ahead to early October and the return to the provincial capital, Rustad expects his party to focus on health care and the economy.

“We’ve lost two-thirds of our forest sector in this province,” said Rustad. “That is just one small thing. You can’t get permits — there is so much process, so much red tape. We are going to be going after that hard and demanding answers from this NDP government about why they are preventing our economy from being able to thrive in British Columbia.”