B.C. Conservative riding executives urge MLAs to show ‘courage’ and oust Rustad

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad speaks to reporters at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Feb. 18, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

A group of riding executives and former candidates with the Conservative Party of B.C. have become the latest voices to call for an end to John Rustad’s leadership, writing to the party’s legislators to urge them to oust him.

Corey Brooks, president of the riding association for Burnaby-North, said in an interview that Rustad has “shockingly poor personal favourability,” memberships and donations have been declining, and there’s “plunging morale” among party supporters.

“We think if there is no renewal in leadership, that the party will continue bleeding support and bleeding donations, and we will not be competitive in the next election,” Brooks said.

Brooks is among 15 signatories of a letter dated Nov. 7 that asks Conservative MLAs to act with “courage and conviction” to “initiate a leadership renewal” to put the party back on track.

“If an election was held today, we would almost certainly lose by an embarrassing and unacceptable margin to David Eby’s NDP despite their track record as the most destructive government this province has ever seen,” it reads.

“In order to prevent this, we believe that caucus must take action to restore effective leadership to our movement.”

Rustad did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Brooks, who also said Rustad had not responded to the letter, said he had been speaking with members of other riding associations across the province.

“They have heard about this letter, and a lot of them are going to be discussing it with their boards,” Brooks said. “What we hope is that more people will either sign onto our letter or issue their own letters in their region.”

Party president Aisha Estey and six members of the party’s management committee called on Rustad to resign last month, but he has refused, citing about 70 per cent support among the 1,268 party members who voted in a leadership review that concluded in September.

Last month, legislator Amelia Boultbee quit the B.C. Conservative caucus and called on Rustad to resign, becoming the fifth MLA to exit the caucus over differences with their leader since the party came to the brink of victory in last year’s provincial election.

Rustad told reporters in October that the letter from the management committee, six of whom were elected under the “Team Rustad” banner at the party’s annual general meeting in March, was “an internal matter within the party” and that he would discuss the letter with the committee members.

“Seventy-one per cent of the members voted in favour of my leadership,” Rustad said. “I believe strongly in democracy,” he added. “They (members) have given me a mandate to carry forward and there are some people clearly, that don’t believe in that democracy and that’s fine.”

The party’s constitution says the leader can only be removed from office by resignation, death, incapacitation or a leadership review resulting in less than 50 per cent support.

Brooks said while the party’s board is “very important” to the party, local riding associations have “more of a connection to the grassroots,” which he describes as the “lifeblood” of the party.

“We hope that this letter from us is going to hit home what the grassroots are feeling,” Brooks said.

Brooks declined to identify his preferred leader for the party. “I think we should have a competitive and thorough leadership race,” Brooks said. “This letter is just to get to that point, and then we will let the membership choose.”

This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published Nov. 10, 2025.