Rustad says Conservatives’ database breached, leading to emails and texts attacking him

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad is dealing with turmoil in his party as a leadership review vote gets underway.

The B.C. Conservative leadership review started back in June with a photo op featuring the party’s caucus standing in solidarity behind Leader John Rustad. Four months later, there appears to be less unity, despite some ongoing support.

“It’s kind of normal in every family to have squabbles; there’s a few people who say they can do a better job,” said Bruce Banman, the party’s whip and MLA for Abbotsford South.

The party’s leadership review has travelled the province. On Thursday, the vote is in Kelowna, where the venue was changed to accommodate a large influx of party members, many apparently encouraged to vote against Rustad. Loyal colleagues reject the notion that the leader is in trouble.

“I think John is just fine. He is the leader we need right now,” said Banman on Thursday.

Rustad’s seemingly precarious hold on leadership has been fueled by a controversy over improper memberships in Kelowna. The party has acknowledged 2,100 bogus memberships were discovered, saying in a statement:

“During an internal audit, we identified what we believe to be manufactured memberships. All of them were identified and promptly cancelled. This is, unfortunately, all too common in leadership races and reviews for most parties. We are implementing new security systems to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

Premier David Eby weighed in on the membership controversy on Tuesday, telling reporters the “unbelievable allegations coming out” show the Conservatives are “not fit to govern.”

The situation seems to be growing even more complicated, with Rustad telling CTV News on Thursday that there appears to have been a breach of the Conservative database, leading to texts and emails being sent to members in Kelowna attacking him and telling them not to vote for him.

The review concludes Saturday in Osoyoos. The results will be known Monday, with Rustad’s caucus meeting that night.