‘Professionally incapacitated’: Rustad ousted as leader of B.C. Conservatives, party says

B.C.’s Official Opposition party says John Rustad has been removed as leader, but Rustad is defiant—saying he’s not going anywhere.

A defiant John Rustad has asserted he remains leader of the B.C. Conservatives, even after the party announced his ouster Wednesday afternoon.

In a social media statement, the embattled representative for Nechako Lakes said: “I have not resigned, I have not been removed, and I am not going anywhere.”

Earlier in the day, the Conservatives’ board of directors passed a motion deeming Rustad “professionally incapacitated” and unable to continue as leader, the party said in a statement.

“The Conservative Party of British Columbia would like to extend its deepest gratitude to John Rustad, who led our party into ascendance and made history,” the party added.

“We wish him and his family all the best in their next chapter.”

The vote came after a majority of caucus told the Conservatives’ legal counsel they had lost confidence in Rustad’s leadership.

Members have since chosen Trevor Halford, who was first elected under the B.C. Liberals in 2020, to serve as interim leader, according to the party.

Rustad has refused multiple calls to resign since his party came within three seats of a majority in last year’s provincial election, and said Wednesday that the Conservative constitution does not allow caucus members to force him out, regardless of how many may want a leadership change.

Responding to being deemed “professionally incapacitated” by the board of directors, he wrote on social media: “Give me a break.”

“Let me be clear: That’s not a constitutional mechanism,” Rustad added.

According to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Conservative Party of B.C., leaders can “only be removed from office by resignation, death, incapacitation or the leadership review vote.” The document does not explain how it defines incapacitation.

In September, Rustad earned 70.6 per cent support among voting members in a Conservative leadership review, even amid the turmoil within the party.

Since the last election, MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong have left to form the OneBC party, and three others elected under the Conservatives are now sitting as Independents.

As word of the latest challenge to Rustad’s leadership emerged Wednesday morning, Stewart Prest, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University, predicted his days as party head were numbered.

“The writing is not just on the wall,” Prest said. “It’s on the floor, it’s on the ceiling, and it really is a question of when not if Mr. Rustad leaves the stage at this point.”

With files from The Canadian Press