B.C. Conservative leader walks back election night warning, strikes conciliatory tone

John Rustad walks back election night warning The B.C. Conservative leader struck a conciliatory tone, speaking after the final count in the election signaled an NDP majority.

Hours after the premier addressed reporters, the incoming leader of the Opposition held his own news conference dialling back the rhetoric that fired up B.C. Conservative supporters on election night.

In his first remarks since the Lieutenant Governor invited the NDP to form a majority government, Conservative Leader John Rustad told journalists that his rivals are already approaching MLA-elects to see if any of them are interested in the position of Speaker of the house, which he hasn’t ruled out.

“Should the NDP decide they want to push forward any part of their agenda that relates to what we're trying to achieve, they'll find us as a partner,” said Rustad. “If they're going to continue on with their pace, with the destruction that they have wreaked upon this province with their previous seven years, they'll find us vehemently opposed.”

The co-operative ethos is a stark contrast to his comments the evening of general voting day, when he said that an NDP minority government would mean B.C. Conservatives would “look at every single opportunity from day one to bring them down at the first opportunity and get to the polls.”

Of course, it’s difficult to bring down the government when they have a majority – even if it's just one seat.

Rustad went on to lay out his priorities for a potential fall legislative session, which include support for the resource sector and forestry in particular, public safety and street disorder, and elimination of the consumer carbon tax. When asked whether he would support the NDP’s promised $1,000 grocery rebate, he said he would discuss whether to support such a bill with his caucus.

Nov. 12 is the day Rustad has scheduled to swear in his caucus, whom he already met with last week.

“We will always put the people of British Columbia first, as we did throughout the entire campaign,” Rustad said. “I look forward to the opportunity in the legislature to hold (the NDP) to account for all of these promises and make sure that he's living up to the things that he has said he would do.”

As for online misinformation and allegations questioning Elections BC and the results of the election, Rustad was clear that he accepts the results, but isn’t discouraging anyone from speculating or promoting conspiracy theories.

“People have the right to say what they're going to say, from a Conservative Party perspective,” he said. “From my perspective, we accept the results that have been presented to us from Elections BC."