Veteran MLA John Rustad has announced that he will not be running for re-election.
During his 22-year tenure in the legislature, he served in numerous ministerial roles while in government with the BC Liberals before being ousted and leading the BC Conservatives from obscurity to the brink of victory.
In a statement, the party said it "extends its deepest thanks" to Rustad.
"Under his leadership, our party grew from less than two percent of the vote to Official Opposition," the party added. "The Conservative Party of BC would never have reached where it is today without his conviction, hard work and willingness to stand up when few others would. We wish him and his family all the very best in the years ahead."
Leda Omid
The past week has been a tumultuous time for Rustad. On Friday, he and Claire Rattée were kicked out of caucus by now-former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. He was given the boot, reinstated, and shown the door yet again via text all in the space of 12 hours.
On Monday, he rejoined caucus after being invited back by newly-minted leader Lorne Doerkson.
"I am returning to do the work, not to run the next chapter from the outside," Rustad said at the time. "If the new leadership wants my help, they will have it. I will not force my old vision onto them."
He urged the "older generation of politicians" such as Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell to "step aside," arguing that "their time at the centre is over."
.@JohnRustad4BC tells me "mixed feelings" about retiring but after telling Gordon Campbell and @christyclarkbc to butt out, he realized he should too.
— Rob Shaw (@RobShaw_BC) September 24, 2026
"I gave all I could give," he says. "Now somebody else can take it over the line."
Says @LDoerkson will be a great premier. https://t.co/3YNljoefBg
On Wednesday, he told CHEK News' Rob Shaw that after telling the aforementioned duo to "step aside," perhaps he should, too.
