Rustad says B.C. Conservatives having ‘family’ issues, amid defiance and disunity

B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad says the party is having “family” issues ahead of its annual general meeting, with his attorney general critic defying his wishes and a lack of unity on display in the legislature.

But Rustad says the Opposition party supports free speech and free voting among its caucus, dismissing suggestions he could face a leadership contest at the weekend meeting.

Five Conservatives voted against a motion on Monday condemning American tariffs that was supported by both the NDP government and the bulk in the Opposition ranks, including Rustad.

Opposition attorney general critic Dallas Brodie meanwhile continues to refuse Rustad’s request to delete a weekend social media post about residential schools.

Rustad says of Monday’s vote that “as a family you have these issues” and that there “isn’t a mechanism” for a leadership contest at the party’s weekend meeting.

Chilliwack North MLA Heather Maahs was among those who voted against Monday’s motion that condemned U.S. tariffs and backed “proportionate retaliatory action,” but she says it’s “insane” to suggest Rustad is facing a revolt.

She says she’s proud to have Rustad as a leader who “actually gives us a voice.”

Brodie was also among the five B.C. Conservatives who voted against the motion.

On Saturday, she posted on social media platform X that there are “zero” confirmed child burial sites at the former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., raising concerns from Rustad that the comment could be “misinterpreted.”

He said Monday that he had asked Brodie to delete the post but as of Tuesday it remained online, having been viewed almost 500,000 times.

Brent Chapman, Conservative MLA for Surrey South, said he voted against the NDP’s tariffs motion out of concern that going after Republican states could bring retaliatory pressure against B.C.

PolitiCoast podcast co-host Ian Bushfield says Rustad’s in a tough spot with a wide range of personalities in his party, from hardliners on social issues to relatively more moderate veterans from the BC Liberals (BC United) era.

“It’s a difficult alliance, as the free-market coalition has always been in British Columbia, and there had been a couple stories in the spring — even last year — about members of the Conservative Party being uneasy with the broadening of the tent that they had been in. But it seemed like they all held it together to try to fight the election, and now we’re seeing those tensions between the various factions start to erupt,” said Bushfield.

Party dynamics, he says, are a “blood sport,” figuring that Rustad is likely feeling strained after the near miss of October’s election.

“I think he’s really just trying to keep everything together and to keep his job,” said Bushfield.