John Rustad says the BC Conservatives are open to newcomers from other parties as long as they are committed to his party platform’s priorities.
In an interview on The Andrew Lawton Show, Rustad addressed concerns that his party’s welcoming of MLAs and candidates who have voiced opposition to the BC Conservatives in the past will dilute the party’s values.
“It’s okay for candidates to have a varying opinion,” said Rustad.
“Obviously we have an agenda in terms of our platform…but I’ve said for many years now the first part of MLAs is to fight for their riding. To be able to speak on behalf of the riding and to be able to vote on behalf of the riding. And that means you’re going to have differences.”
The BC Conservatives have recently lured two MLAs from the BC United caucus to cross the floor and join their party. Rustad and MLA Bruce Banman were also former members of BC United. However, some have raised concerns that Surrey South MLA Elenore Sturko stands against some of the party’s priorities on parental rights and LGBTQ issues.
As a BC United MLA, Sturko had applauded NDP Premier David Eby for his approach to LGBTQ instruction in the education system and had condemned comments Banman had made about homosexuality.
The BC Conservatives are also running a former NDP MLA Gwen O’Mahony in Nanaimo—Lanzville, as she says the political left has abandoned her, and that the Conservatives are the real champions for the working class.
When pressed by Lawton on the issue, Rustad said his party was open about what it stands for and opens the door to anyone who decides to join, and asserted that Sturko supports the BC Conservatives’ parental rights plan.
“For example, both Elenore as well as some of our other candidates said ‘okay, I support parental rights and I support getting rid of the sexualization of children in our schools, but we need to make sure also that we have a good anti-bullying program in place and that we have good supports for students in place,’ and I say, ‘yeah I can accept that.’”
The BC Conservatives have been funnelling massive levels of support away from BC United, as the official opposition’s traditional coalition between federal Liberals and Conservatives has broken down in recent years.
According to an Angus Reid poll published in late May, the NDP is projected to win the election with 41% of the vote, compared to the BC Conservatives’ 30%, BC United’s 16%, and the Green Party’s 11%.
British Columbia’s general election is scheduled for Oct. 19.