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John Rustad

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John Rustad
MLA
Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 12, 2024
Preceded byKevin Falcon
Leader of Conservative Party of British Columbia
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 31, 2023
Preceded byTrevor Bolin
Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations of British Columbia
In office
June 22, 2017 – July 18, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded bySteve Thomson
Succeeded byDoug Donaldson (Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development)
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation of British Columbia
In office
June 10, 2013 – July 18, 2017
PremierChristy Clark
Preceded byIda Chong
Succeeded byScott Fraser
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly
for Nechako Lakes
(Prince George-Omineca; 2005–2009)
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 17, 2005
Preceded byPaul Nettleton
Personal details
Born (1963-08-18) August 18, 1963 (age 61)[1]
Prince George, British Columbia, Canada[2]
Political partyBC Conservative (2023–present)
Other political
affiliations
Residence(s)Cluculz Lake, British Columbia

John Rustad MLA (born August 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician who has served as the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia since 2023 and as the Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Nechako Lakes since 2009.[3] A former BC Liberal before his expulsion from caucus in 2022, he was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2005, representing Prince George–Omineca.[4] He served in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

Early life

Rustad was born and raised in Prince George, British Columbia. His father worked in forestry, and his mother was a homemaker. He has two older brothers.[5] Prior to provincial politics, he had worked in the forest sector for two decades, founding a consulting firm named Western Geographic Information Systems Inc. in 1995.[6] Between 2002 and 2005, he served as a trustee with School District 57 Prince George.[6][7]

Political career

BC Liberals

Rustad was first elected to the legislature in 2005 as a BC Liberal candidate, representing the riding of Prince George-Omineca. Following the riding's dissolution, he was re-elected in 2009 in the current Nechako Lakes riding.[3] In his first two terms, he served as Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and as a member of the Environment and Land Use Committee, Legislative Review Committee, Treasury Board, Select Standing Committee on Education, Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Select Standing Committee on Health.[8]

He retained his seat in the 2013 election and was appointed Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation by Premier Christy Clark.[8] He kept his cabinet post following his re-election in 2017,[9] and added the role of Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to his duties after Steve Thomson's election as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[10] Rustad continued in both ministerial roles until that July, when the Liberal minority government was defeated in a non-confidence motion.

He was re-elected in 2020, and served as the Liberals' critic for Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.[6] After suggesting online that carbon dioxide emissions were not contributing to climate change, Rustad was removed from the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Falcon on August 18, 2022;[11] he then sat in the legislature as an independent politician.[7][12]

Leader of the BC Conservatives (2023–present)

On February 16, 2023, Rustad joined the BC Conservative Party, giving the party representation in the legislature.[12] Rustad cited "irreconcilable differences" with Falcon in explaining his party change.[13]

On March 23, 2023, Rustad announced that he was running to be the leader of the BC Conservatives.[14] He was acclaimed as the leader of the Conservatives on March 31, 2023, succeeding Trevor Bolin.[15]

On September 13, 2023, BC United MLA Bruce Banman crossed the floor to join the Conservatives.[16] This gave the Conservatives the two MLAs necessary for official party status.[17]

Rustad led his party into the 2024 British Columbia general election as the principal opposition party following BC United's decision to suspend its campaign and endorse Rustad's party. The Conservatives won 44 seats, the party's best showing in over 70 years; the party hadn't won more than two seats in an election since 1953.

Opinion polling

Rise in support for the BC Conservatives in the polls

Since Rustad became leader, the BC Conservatives have overtaken BC United (formerly the BC Liberals until 2023) as the second most popular party in the province and are competing with the BC NDP for most popular. An Abacus Data poll in December 2023 put the Conservatives' popular vote share at 26 percent, ahead of BC United at 17 percent but behind the BC NDP at 44 percent.[18] Later in August 2024, two months before the provincial election, a Mainstreet Research poll placed the Conservatives' popular vote share at 39 percent, ahead of both BC United at 12 percent and the BC NDP at 36 percent.[19]

Political positions

Housing

In 2024, Rustad pledged to his supporters that he would scrap a housing reform implemented by BC NDP in 2023 that legalized up to four housing units on lots that previously only allowed single-family housing and six housing units on lots near rapid transit stations.[20] He described the reform as "a very authoritarian approach."[20]

Rustad has expressed concerns about rent control; however, in 2024, he said that his party did not intend to touch rent control.[20]

SOGI 123

Rustad proposes removing from schools a set of teaching materials known as SOGI 123 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) which according to CBC is a collection of "guides and resources that aim to help teachers address discrimination and bullying, create supportive and inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ students and acknowledge varying genders and sexual orientations".[21]

On September 30, 2023, Rustad shared a post on social media that appeared to compare the teaching of sexuality and gender to the residential school system.[22]

Land claims

Rustad's comments about Indigenous peoples in Canada include that the efforts of the provincial government of British Columbia to recognize Indigenous land claims in Canada are "a direct assault on private property".[23]

Public health

In July 2024, Rustad has claimed that he regretted getting the COVID-19 vaccine due to a heart problem shortly afterward, and that COVID-19 vaccine mandates were about "shaping opinion and control on the population". He has said that flu and COVID-19 vaccines need to be available for "vulnerable people".[24][25]

At the same online meeting hosted by anti-vaccine groups, Rustad said that he would be open to working with other jurisdictions for a "Nuremburg 2.0" event to look into prosecuting people responsible for the province's public health measures and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, referring to an idea popular in anti-vaccine groups inspired by both the Nuremberg trials and the Nuremberg Code.[25] After reporting on the comments surfaced in October 2024, Rustad apologized and said that it was wrong to compare public health measures and Nazi German crimes.[26]

Personal life

Rustad married his wife Kim in 1995.[27] Kim is a cervical cancer survivor; as a result, they did not have children.[5] They have lived in Cluculz Lake since 2009.[28]

Electoral record

2020 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal John Rustad 4,611 52.24 −2.15 $17,423.82
New Democratic Anne Marie Sam 3,031 34.34 4.53 $9,236.20
Christian Heritage Dan Stuart 413 4.68 – $991.53
Libertarian Jon Rempel 403 4.57 0.32 $0.00
Independent Margo Maley 368 4.17 – $1,280.76
Total valid votes/expense limit 8,826 99.38 – $66,123.96
Total rejected ballots 55 0.62 –0.06
Turnout 8,881 49.91 –9.15
Registered voters 17,794
Liberal hold Swing –3.34
Source: Elections BC[29][30]
2017 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal John Rustad 5,307 54.39 0.6 $43,487
New Democratic Anne Marie Sam 2,909 29.81 2.16 $14,578
Green Douglas Norman Gook 878 9.00 3.85 $163
Libertarian Jon Rempel 438 4.49 – $3,100
Independent Al Trampuh 226 2.31 –
Total valid votes 9,758 100.00
Total rejected ballots 67 0.68
Turnout 9,825 59.06
Registered voters 16,636
Source: Elections BC[31]
2013 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal John Rustad 5,324 53.79 –1.97 $75,052
New Democratic Sussanne Skidmore-Hewlett 2,737 27.65 –7.64 $56,108
Conservative Dan Brooks 1,253 12.66 – $52,518
Green Colin Hamm 510 5.15 –1.15 $1,599
Advocational Beverly Bird 74 0.75 – $3,009
Total valid votes 9,898 100.0  
Total rejected ballots 42 0.42
Turnout 9,940 58.46
Liberal hold Swing 2.84
Source: Elections BC[32]
2009 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal John Rustad 4,949 55.76 $60,522
New Democratic Byron Goerz 3,133 35.29 $7,480
Green Gerard Riley 559 6.30 $350
Refederation Mike Summers 235 2.65 $1,110
Total valid votes 8,876 99.25
Total rejected ballots 67 0.75
Turnout 8,943 54.80
Source: Elections BC[33]
2005 British Columbia general election: Prince George–Omineca
Party Candidate Votes % Expenditures
Liberal John Rustad 8,622 51.71 $87,794
New Democratic Chuck Fraser 6,180 37.06 $64,805
Green Andrej J. DeWolf 1,393 8.35 $2,139
Democratic Reform Erle Martz 479 2.87 $983
Total valid votes 16,674 100
Total rejected ballots 91 0.55
Turnout 16,765 64.22

References

  1. ^ Rustad, John. "Caption: Today is my birthday & one year ago today, I was kicked out of the BC Liberal Party for standing up for farmers & ranchers in my riding. #bcpoli". Twitter. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  2. ^ John Rustad to run in Nechako Lakes riding Anonymous. The Caledonia Courier [Fort St. James, B.C] 09 Apr 2008: 3.
  3. ^ a b John Rustad Official Website
  4. ^ Rustad making another effort to sit as school board trustee: [Final Edition] Prince George Citizen [Prince George, B.C] 27 Sep 2002: 3.
  5. ^ a b Jordan B Peterson (September 2, 2024). Stopping the Socialist Trainwreck in British Columbia | John Rustad | EP 477. Retrieved September 2, 2024 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ a b c "MLA: John Rustad". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Clarke, Ted (February 16, 2023). "Northern B.C. MLA John Rustad joins Conservative Party of B.C." Alaska Highway News. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "John Rustad sworn in as new Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation". Government of British Columbia. June 13, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in". CBC News. June 12, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  10. ^ "Christy Clark Cabinet: 2011-2017" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. January 24, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  11. ^ "B.C. Liberal leader boots John Rustad from caucus over climate change denial". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Clarke, Ted (February 16, 2023). "John Rustad jumps to Conservative Party of B.C." Prince George Citizen. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Ousted B.C. Liberal MLA John Rustad joins B.C. Conservatives". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  14. ^ Petersen, Hanna (March 23, 2023). "MLA John Rustad running for BC Conservative Party leadership". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  15. ^ Depner, Wolf (March 31, 2023). "New BC Conservative leader John Rustad says nobody will 'outwork' him - Prince Rupert Northern View". The Northern View. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "BC United MLA Bruce Banman defects to provincial Conservatives". CTV News. The Canadian Press. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  17. ^ DeRosa, Katie (September 13, 2023). "B.C. Conservatives gain official party status with defection of B.C. United MLA Bruce Banman". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  18. ^ "BC Conservatives pull past BC United in latest poll; premier cautions voters". CityNews Vancouver. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  19. ^ "New poll puts B.C. Conservatives ahead of NDP as election looms". Vancouver Sun. August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c "Rustad Would Scrap Zoning Reforms, Keep Rent Control". The Tyee. 2024.
  21. ^ Pawson, Chad (September 26, 2024). "How turfing SOGI and banning books became part of B.C.'s election".
  22. ^ Wyton, Moira (October 2, 2023). "B.C. Tory leader defends post that appeared to liken teaching of sexuality and gender to residential schools".
  23. ^ Feinberg, Jennifer (September 6, 2024). "B.C. Indigenous chiefs slam Conservative leader's take on reconciliation". Langley Advance Times. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  24. ^ Simon Little (September 24, 2024). "Party leaders need to 'quickly depoliticize' vaccines, B.C. doctor says". Global News. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  25. ^ a b LeBrun, Luke (October 6, 2024). "BC Conservative Leader John Rustad Suggests Province Would Participate in 'Nuremberg'-Style COVID-19 Trials". PressProgress. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  26. ^ Larsen, Karin (October 7, 2024). "John Rustad recants, apologizes for 'Nuremberg 2.0' comments". CBC News. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "John Rustad". Conservative Party of BC. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  28. ^ Reconciliation, Indigenous Relations and (June 13, 2013). "John Rustad sworn in as new Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation | BC Gov News". news.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  29. ^ Boegman, Anton (July 27, 2021). "42nd Election Report and Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. pp. 6, 216–218. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  30. ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  31. ^ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  32. ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  33. ^ "Nechako Lakes - 2009 Voting results by voting area" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.

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