B.C. Opposition Leader John Rustad accuses former Conservative MLAs of blackmail
Posted June 16, 2025 1:32 pm.
Last Updated June 16, 2025 7:47 pm.
British Columbia Conservative Leader John Rustad is accusing a group of legislators who split from the party of blackmailing its members and staff in a bid to take over and divide the Opposition.
Rustad has confirmed the authenticity of a letter obtained by The Canadian Press in which he tells the Conservative caucus that their former colleagues and staff are threatening to release “blackmail materials,” including secret phone recordings and text messages.
Rustad’s letter says the targets are being blackmailed to get them to take jobs or contracts with the former Conservatives, or to “do or say certain things” if they want to prevent the materials being leaked.
The letter says one unnamed staffer with the former Conservatives called “multiple individuals in order to explicitly blackmail them,” and Rustad says in an interview that they’re still deciding whether to contact the RCMP.
Rustad doesn’t name the former Conservatives, but Dallas Brodie, who was ejected from the caucus in January, says the letter consists of “wild lies” and “baseless, false, and defamatory” accusations about her new One BC party.
One BC member Tara Armstrong says she won’t comment beyond the statement that Brodie issued, while former Conservative Jordan Kealy, who didn’t join One BC, says he has no involvement in the alleged blackmail.
Brodie and Armstrong launched One BC last week.
Brodie’s departure from the B.C. Conservative caucus came over her controversial remarks about residential schools, prompting Kealy and Armstrong to quit the party in sympathy.
Hamish Telford, political science associate professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, says infighting — if the dispute can be called that — is nothing new.
“This is quite common in political parties. During leadership campaigns, nomination campaigns, dirt often flies. And the one thing about family fights is, everybody knows where the dirty laundry is,” Telford told 1130 NewsRadio.
He speculates whomever is behind the so-called blackmail campaign may be trying several other “dirty tricks” to sow discord and win Conservative members over.
“It may be negative comments about the leader, or it may be, over time, the dissidents who left the Conservative Party had conversations with their former colleagues, where, presumably, their former colleagues appear to agree with them on certain issues,” Telford said.
Telford speculates the alleged blackmailers are targeting Conservative members who have criticized Rustad’s public stance on some issues.
“[They seem] to be saying, ‘I know where you really stand on these things. That’s not where John Rustad stands. So why don’t you come over and join me? Else I will release this material and expose you,” Telford guessed.
He says he would be surprised to see many more Conservative MLAs cross the floor, but “clearly, John Rustad has a caucus management problem.”
Telford says most MLAs should wait to hear from the people they represent before defecting.
“What will be really determinative for these MLAs is where their constituents are at. Are their constituents happy with how the BC Conservatives are performing? Or is there a restlessness amongst constituents? And at this time, I don’t see One BC getting a lot of traction.”
—With files from Srushti Gangdev
