VICTORIA — Almost one year ago to the day, John Rustad was on the brink of becoming premier of British Columbia.
Now, even his own handpicked party executives do not want him as their leader.
Party president Aisha Estey and other members of the Conservatives’ management committee have told Rustad to quit over “chaos” in the official Opposition ranks that has seen five legislators exit the party caucus since last year’s provincial election.
Six of the seven signatories were elected as part of “Team Rustad” during the party’s annual general meeting in March.
But Rustad told reporters after the emergence of the letter on Wednesday that he isn’t going anywhere, while declining to comment on the letter’s specifics.
He described it as an “internal matter within the party” and he planned to “have an opportunity to speak with the management committee.”
“I will not be resigning,” he said outside his office in the legislature.
“I actually believe our caucus is in a good place,” he added.
The letter writers would beg to differ. They say turmoil under Rustad’s leadership has undermined the party’s credibility and destabilized its cohesion.
The signatories say it has been Rustad’s responsibility to unite the party behind a common vision and lead “with purpose and clarity.”
“As evidenced by sagging poll numbers, memberships, fundraising, shrinking caucus and staff, philosophically inconsistent policy, low morale and perhaps more importantly, a lack of enthusiasm and tepid endorsement from our membership, your leadership has ceased to serve that purpose,” the letter says.
The letter says Rustad needs to immediately step down, so a new leadership contest can take place.
The letter acknowledges and thanks Rustad for putting the party on its feet and into a position of being the largest official Opposition in provincial history.
“It’s now time for a next chapter to take our shared vision of a Conservative government in British Columbia across the finish line.”
But the party’s constitution does not include a way for the management committee to remove Rustad. It says the leader can only be removed from office by resignation, death, incapacitation or a leadership review resulting in less than 50 per cent of support from the party members in good standing.
The results of a leadership review last month gave Rustad 70.6 per cent support among members who voted, although some party members expressed concerns over the integrity of the process.
“Seventy-one per cent of the members voted in favour of my leadership,” Rustad said Wednesday. “I believe strongly in democracy,” he added. “They (members) have given me a mandate to carry forward and there are some people clearly, that don’t believe in that democracy and that’s fine.”
The letter is the latest blow to Rustad’s leadership of a party that he took from a two-per-cent vote getter in the 2020 election to within three seats of a majority.
Those 44 seats have since been whittled back to 39, with five members quitting or being thrown out of caucus over various differences with Rustad.
The latest was Amelia Boultbee, representing Penticton-Summerland, who quit the caucus on Monday, saying Rustad needed to go.
Boultbee told reporters on Wednesday that she was glad the committee members had come forward to demand Rustad’s resignation.
“I really hope that John takes this to heart,” she said.
Boultbee acknowledged that Rustad would have to step down voluntarily.
“But one would hope that he finally comes to reality, sees what is going on, and step down in respect of the people who are so concerned about it,” she said.
Boultbee said she couldn’t believe that Rustad had not yet stepped down, and if she was in his shoes, she would have quit long ago.
She said she had no idea how long Rustad would stay on as leader, because his behaviour had been so “erratic.”
She said the fact the signatories of the letter were once strong supporters of Rustad should tell him that it was time to step down.
But there were no calls for Rustad’s resignation from current members of the Conservative caucus as they hurried past reporters.
Several declined to comment, while others such as Ward Stamer and Korky Neufeld said they had full confidence in Rustad.
University of B.C. political science lecturer Stewart Prest said British Columbians were “watching the last days” of Rustad’s leadership.
Prest said Rustad may look for ways to hold on, but the letter and its signatories gave the caucus an opportunity to unite and make clear that it is time to turn the page.
“The new leader will be inheriting a deeply divided party, but it’s clear that that party is increasingly united at least in the sense that the current situation is untenable,” Prest said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2025.
Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press
