B.C. Conservative president urges Rustad to step down

Yet another letter from B.C. Conservative members is calling for Leader John Rustad to resign amid a “state of chaos” within the party.

A source provided 1130 NewsRadio the letter, signed by seven members of the party’s management committee, including President Aisha Estey. It says “constant and prolonged discord shows no sign of abating.”

It adds that Rustad’s decisions and actions have destabilized the party’s cohesion and diminished its credibility.

“As the leader, it is your responsibility to unite the party around a common vision and to lead us forward with purpose and clarity. As evidenced by sagging poll numbers, memberships, fundraising, a shrinking caucus and staff, philosophically inconsistent policy, low morale and perhaps most importantly, a lack of enthusiasm and tepid endorsement from our membership, your leadership has ceased to serve that purpose,” the letter says.

The committee asks Rustad to step down and allow the party to contest a new leader.

“John, your efforts have been instrumental to putting the party on its feet and into the position of being the largest official opposition in provincial history. We acknowledge and thank you for your service. It’s now time for a next chapter to take our shared vision of a Conservative government in British Columbia across the finish line,” the letter closes.

Earlier letter elaborates on turmoil

The content of the letter was directly requested by the anonymous author of an earlier letter, provided to 1130 NewsRadio Tuesday.

Tuesday’s letter also urges the board to start the process of electing a new leader “without delay” and to reconcile with MLAs who have left the party.

It criticizes Rustad’s weak leadership, which is undermining the party’s credibility.

“Rustad has allowed and in some cases encouraged internal divisions to escalate,” the letter read.

“Every week brings a new scandal, a new internal spat, a new distraction. The public is watching and they’re concluding that we are not capable of governing.”

The anonymous letter also calls Rustad’s move to search the cellphones of Conservative members in order to find a leak from inside his caucus “immature and reckless.”

The letter was leaked just a day after Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee announced she would leave the Conservative caucus and sit in the legislature as an independent, citing disillusionment with Rustad.

The leaked letter states that there are others in the Conservative caucus who are considering leaving the party if nothing changes.

“I’m sure I am not alone in that sentiment,” the letter read.

In an interview, Boultbee tells 1130 NewsRadio that Rustad seemed to be “unravelling.”

“I think in the past year, John has made mistake after mistake. Silly things,” Boultbee said.

Boultbee says some of her colleagues still support Rustad, but she doesn’t believe he can lead the party to victory in the next provincial election.

“Despite everything that has gone on, I want the BC Conservatives to be successful. I’m not their enemy. I’m not here to disrupt the apple cart. Part of the reason I left was out of respect for my fellow MLAs.”

MLA Elenore Sturko agrees with content of letter

It’s unclear how much support the letter received from remaining members of the party, but it’s just the latest sign of resistance from within.

Boultbee explains that a fake membership scandal during Rustad’s leadership re-election in September, overall rumours of infighting in the caucus, and the firing of Elenore Sturko amount to too much drama around Rustad’s leadership.

“It’s a sad day to admit that you know the guy that you followed into battle — that you thought could be the next premier — has let you down, and isn’t that guy,” she said.

Rustad dismissed the MLA from Surrey-Cloverdale due to accusations that Sturko was secretly organizing a leadership vote behind Rustad’s back — a claim which Sturko originally denied.

In an interview with 1130 NewsRadio, Sturko says she read the letter and agrees with its demands.

“I do agree with the things that they said in the letter; these are things that I spoke openly about when I was removed from caucus for challenging John’s leadership.”

She says even if she doesn’t feel vindicated watching her former captain’s predicament, she is convinced that the party is in dire need of change.

“With compounding errors and lack of leadership from John, a change has to occur in order for success to be there for the party. And I think it’s probably very difficult for John,” Sturko said.

“I can honestly say that it doesn’t make me feel joyful. I think that it’s the right thing to do, of course. But I also think that this is probably really difficult.”

Both Sturko and Boutlbee called on Rustad to resign.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article implied Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko was organizing a leadership campaign before her removal. In fact, she was accused of organizing a leadership vote against Rustad.