A majority of the British Columbia Conservative caucus have signed a letter signalling they have lost confidence in their party leader, but John Rustad says he’s not ready to resign.
Rustad told reporters Wednesday afternoon that despite the “loud voices,” he wants to focus on major issues.
“I’m not planning to step down,” he said.
The letter and news of the majority decision calling for Rustad’s removal were leaked to the media early Wednesday ahead of the party’s regular weekly caucus meeting — and only hours after a reported team-building event on Tuesday evening that included rib-eating and gingerbread-house building.
“I am in receipt of twenty statements, individually executed, which all advise that the member has lost confidence in the leadership of John Rustad, and calls for his removal as leader and the appointment of an interim leader,” reads the letter.
A lawyer representing the caucus notified the party, but most caucus members are refusing to release their names publicly, saying they want to remain confidential, according to B.C. politics reporter Rob Shaw.
Rustad, who has remained quiet on grumblings over his role and media reports of a fracturing party under his leadership, told reporters on Wednesday that despite the majority call for his resignation, he does not intend to stand down.
Repeated requests from True North for comments on concerns about the party’s leadership have been met with only a “no comment.”
Under the Conservative Party of British Columbia’s constitution and bylaws, caucus cannot unilaterally remove a leader.
The document states that a leader “can only be removed from office by resignation, death, incapacitation, or the leadership review vote resulting in less than fifty per cent support of the party members in good standing who vote in a universal secret paper ballot.”
That means any attempt by MLAs to oust Rustad would rely either on his voluntary resignation or on a party-wide leadership review that produces less than 50 per cent support among voting members — not a caucus-only vote.