John Rustad

John Rustad (born August 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician who served as the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia from 2023 to 2025 and as leader of the Opposition from 2024 to 2025. He has served as the member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the electoral district of Nechako Lakes since 2009. 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. He served in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Rustad led the Conservative Party into the 2024 British Columbia general election. 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. His position as party leader was disputed in 2025 due to a vote by the Conservative caucus to replace him as leader with Trevor Halford and a statement by the party executive declaring Rustad to be "professionally incapacitated". Rustad rejected the description and insisted he was still leader of the party, but he resigned as party leader on December 4, 2025.…

John Rustad (born August 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician who served as the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia from 2023 to 2025 and as leader of the Opposition from 2024 to 2025. He has served as the member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the electoral district of Nechako Lakes since 2009. 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. He served in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Rustad led the Conservative Party into the 2024 British Columbia general election. 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. His position as party leader was disputed in 2025 due to a vote by the Conservative caucus to replace him as leader with Trevor Halford and a statement by the party executive declaring Rustad to be "professionally incapacitated". Rustad rejected the description and insisted he was still leader of the party, but he resigned as party leader on December 4, 2025. On September 18, 2026, Rustad, along with former interim leader Trevor Halford and Skeena MLA Claire Rattée were removed from the Conservative caucus by party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. The Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly confirmed that the three were no longer members of the caucus and said it had been notified by Opposition Leader Heather Maahs. Rustad was one of 13 Conservative MLAs who had either left or been removed from the caucus under Findlay's leadership. Three days later, following Findlay's resignation as party leader, Rustad, Halford and Rattée were invited to rejoin the Conservative caucus.

Resignation

On December 3, 2025, 20 caucus members signed a letter calling for Rustad to resign his position as leader. The party's board of directors passed a resolution ousting him as leader, and appointed Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford as interim leader. In a statement, the party said that Rustad was too "professionally incapacitated" to continue as leader. However, in the immediate aftermath, five Conservative MLAs refused to acknowledge the board's decision and said that Rustad remained party leader, and Rustad himself rejected the board's decision and declared that he was still the leader of the party. The next day, the Western Standard reported that Rustad would step down as leader, and shortly thereafter announced that he had resigned, seeking to avoid what he described as a "civil war" within the party. During his resignation speech, he announced that he would not stand for re-election at the next election. On September 18, 2026, Rustad, Trevor Halford, and Claire Rattée were removed from the Conservative caucus by Rustad's successor as leader, Kerry-Lynne Findlay. They were readmitted to the party on September 21, following the resignation of Findlay a day prior. https://www.todayinbc.com/news/stop-fear-mongering-around-indigenous-rights-first-nations-executive-7522437?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todayinbc-september6%2c2024&emailmd5=28e991186c9ba74acb733d56b3892569&emailsha1=47186154240421191377132108122154196199198118256223108&emailsha256=2115f81504352475f7ede266667b69c456a81ec5a744826bb6e2b2d3ee47b299

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