How John Rustad helped bring the B.C. Conservatives back from the political margins

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 25, 2026

Photo Courtesy: The Canadian Press

CANADA – For a provincial party that once struggled to attract even 2 per cent of the vote, the B.C. Conservatives’ transformation into a major political force was a dramatic change.

At the centre of that comeback was John Rustad, a northern B.C. legislator whose political career took an unexpected turn after he was expelled from the B.C. Liberals in 2022.

Former B.C. Conservative executive director Angelo Isidorou, who worked closely with Rustad during the party’s resurgence, describes him as a “founding father” of the modern B.C. Conservatives. Rustad joined the party in February 2023 and later convinced MLA Bruce Banman to follow, giving the Conservatives official party status in the legislature.

The change was especially visible in the 2024 provincial election. The Conservatives went from receiving less than 2 per cent of the vote in 2020 to winning 44 seats, finishing just three seats short of the NDP’s total and becoming the official Opposition.

But the breakthrough was followed by internal turmoil. Rustad was removed as party leader in December 2025 amid caucus infighting, while a series of departures and expulsions reshaped the Conservative ranks. More recently, he was expelled from the caucus again under former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, before returning after her resignation and the appointment of interim leader Lorne Doerkson.

Now, Rustad is leaving elected politics. He announced that he will not seek re-election in Nechako Lakes in the Oct. 24 provincial election, ending a legislative career that began in 2005. He said serving the province and his riding had been among the most rewarding experiences of his life.

For Isidorou, Rustad’s legacy is tied less to whether he ultimately became premier and more to the political movement he helped build. As the Conservatives enter another election campaign under a new interim leader, Rustad’s story remains closely connected to the party’s transformation from the margins of B.C. politics into a major provincial force.