John Rustad
MLA
Leader of Conservative Party of British Columbia
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)
Assumed office
May 17, 2005
Preceded byPaul Nettleton
Personal details
Born1962 or 1963 (age 60–61)
Prince George, British Columbia, Canada[1]
Political partyBC Conservative (2023–present)
Other political
affiliations		BC Liberal (2005–2022)
Independent (2022–2023)
Residence(s)Cluculz Lake, British Columbia

John Rustad MLA (born 1963) is a Canadian politician who is the current leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia. He first became a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of British Columbia in 2005, representing Prince George–Omineca.[2] He currently represents the constituency of Nechako Lakes, which he has held since the 2009 election.[3] Previously a member of the BC Liberal caucus, he served in Premier Christy Clark's cabinet as Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

Background and personal life

Born in Prince George, Rustad is a lifelong resident of northern BC, and has lived with his wife Kim in Cluculz Lake since 2009.[4] 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.[5] Between 2002 and 2005, he served as a trustee with School District 57 Prince George.[5][6]

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.[4]

He retained his seat in the 2013 election, and was appointed Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation by Premier Christy Clark.[4] He kept his cabinet post following his re-election in 2017,[7] 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.[8] 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.[5] 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;[9] he then sat in the legislature as an independent politician.[6][10]

Leader of the BC Conservatives (2023–present)

On February 16, 2023, Rustad joined the BC Conservative Party, giving the party representation in the legislature.[10] Rustad cited "irreconcilable differences" with Falcon in explaining his party change.[11]

On March 23, 2023, Rustad announced that he was running to be the leader of the BC Conservatives.[12] He was acclaimed as the leader of the Conservatives on March 31, 2023, succeeding Trevor Bolin.[13]

On September 13, 2023, BC United MLA Bruce Banman crossed the floor to join the Conservatives.[14] This gave the Conservatives the two MLAs necessary for official party status.[15]

Opinion polling

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. 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.[16]

Electoral record

2020 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalJohn Rustad4,61152.24−2.15$17,423.82
New DemocraticAnne Marie Sam3,03134.34+4.53$9,236.20
Christian HeritageDan Stuart4134.68–$991.53
LibertarianJon Rempel4034.57+0.32$0.00
IndependentMargo Maley3684.17–$1,280.76
Total valid votes 8,826100.00–
Total rejected ballots   
Turnout   
Registered voters
Source: Elections BC[17][18]
2017 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalJohn Rustad5,30754.39+0.6$43,487
New DemocraticAnne Marie Sam2,90929.81+2.16$14,578
GreenDouglas Norman Gook8789.00+3.85$163
LibertarianJon Rempel4384.49–$3,100
IndependentAl Trampuh2262.31–
Total valid votes 9,758100.00
Total rejected ballots 670.68
Turnout 9,82559.06
Registered voters 16,636
Source: Elections BC[19]
2013 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalJohn Rustad5,32453.79–1.97$75,052
New DemocraticSussanne Skidmore-Hewlett2,73727.65–7.64$56,108
ConservativeDan Brooks1,25312.66–$52,518
GreenColin Hamm5105.15–1.15$1,599
AdvocationalBeverly Bird740.75–$3,009
Total valid votes 9,898100.0  
Total rejected ballots 420.42
Turnout 9,94058.46
Liberal hold Swing +2.84
Source: Elections BC[20]
2009 British Columbia general election: Nechako Lakes
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
LiberalJohn Rustad4,94955.76$60,522
New DemocraticByron Goerz3,13335.29$7,480
GreenGerard Riley5596.30$350
RefederationMike Summers2352.65$1,110
Total valid votes 8,87699.25
Total rejected ballots 670.75
Turnout 8,94354.80
Source: Elections BC[21]
2005 British Columbia general election: Prince George–Omineca
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
LiberalJohn Rustad8,62251.71$87,794
New DemocraticChuck Fraser6,18037.06$64,805
GreenAndrej J. DeWolf1,3938.35$2,139
Democratic ReformErle Martz4792.87$983
Total valid votes 16,674 100
Total rejected ballots 91 0.55
Turnout 16,765 64.22

References

  1. ↑ John Rustad to run in Nechako Lakes riding Anonymous. The Caledonia Courier [Fort St. James, B.C] 09 Apr 2008: 3.
  2. ↑ Rustad making another effort to sit as school board trustee: [Final Edition] Prince George Citizen [Prince George, B.C] 27 Sep 2002: 3.
  3. 1 2 John Rustad Official Website
  4. 1 2 3 "John Rustad sworn in as new Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation". Government of British Columbia. June 13, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "MLA: John Rustad". Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Clarke, Ted (February 16, 2023). "Northern B.C. MLA John Rustad joins Conservative Party of B.C." Alaska Highway News. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ "B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in". CBC News. June 12, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Christy Clark Cabinet: 2011-2017" (PDF). Legislative Library of British Columbia. January 24, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ "B.C. Liberal leader boots John Rustad from caucus over climate change denial". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Clarke, Ted (February 16, 2023). "John Rustad jumps to Conservative Party of B.C." Prince George Citizen. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Ousted B.C. Liberal MLA John Rustad joins B.C. Conservatives". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ Petersen, Hanna (March 23, 2023). "MLA John Rustad running for BC Conservative Party leadership". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ "BC United MLA Bruce Banman defects to provincial Conservatives". CTV News. The Canadian Press. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "BC Conservatives pull past BC United in latest poll; premier cautions voters". CityNews Vancouver. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Statement of Votes – 42nd Provincial General Election – October 24, 2020" (PDF). Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Statement of Votes – 41st Provincial General Election – May 9, 2017" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Nechako Lakes - 2009 Voting results by voting area" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
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