Rustad wonders if he should have made ‘blackmail’ claim after Opposition caucus meets

John Rustad, who is facing a leadership review, made his first public appearance in weeks after a caucus meeting.

British Columbia Opposition Leader John Rustad says he wonders whether he should have used the word “blackmail” to describe the behaviour of former B.C. Conservatives he’s accused of trying to take over the party.

But he says he didn’t exaggerate the claims and doesn’t regret writing a letter to his caucus that contained the allegations that are now being examined by police.

Rustad was speaking after a Conservative caucus meeting in Surrey where most of his party’s legislators stood behind him as he addressed reporters.

Also attending the meeting was former BC Liberal premier Gordon Campbell, who Rustad says was brought in to talk to legislators about how he handled differences in his own caucus, and how the party’s situation differs today.

Rustad has faced questions over his handling of his allegations that a group of three former Conservatives tried to blackmail legislators and staff.

He said this week that a person who relayed the claims to him did not want to provide a statement to police who are investigating.

“I do, you know, think about whether I should have used the word ‘blackmail,’” Rustad said on Thursday after the caucus meeting.

The three former Conservatives, Dallas Brodie, Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy, have all denied the accusations which they said were intended to distract from questions about Rustad’s leadership.

Rustad’s leadership is currently under a review that is expected to last until December, with individual riding associations voting on whether he should stay on.

The constitution approved at the party’s most recent annual general meeting in Nanaimo says a leader can only be removed from office after voluntary resignation, death, incapacity or in a leadership review by the membership.

University of B.C. political science lecturer Stewart Prest said he expects MLAs to let that process play out for now.

But Prest said the riding-by-riding vote also created the “possibility of an additional drip, drip effect” where Rustad had to continually defend his record.

“There’s not one particular way this rule may play out, but I would think, if I were Mr. Rustad, I would not be looking forward to the summer,” Prest said.

He added it is not clear whether any future leadership challenger to Rustad would come from the “populist” or moderate wings of the party.

“We are already hearing rumblings of challenges from both camps, so I don’t know if it is an either-or situation,” Prest said.

He said that the recent emergence of the One BC party, launched by former Conservative MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong, speaks to a growing unwillingness among populists to compromise.

“So I think that is likely to continue,” Prest said.

As for the moderate camp, its members would focus on the question of whether Rustad can win government, Prest said.

“If there isn’t a sense that Mr. Rustad can pull everyone together, they too will join the calls for him to step aside and let someone else try,” Prest said.

Premier David Eby said during his weekly news conference that the Opposition faces “significant challenges” regardless of who leads them, saying it has “far-right politics” that are extreme.

“The Conservatives will continue to focus on what appears to be important to them, which is mostly the Conservatives,” Eby said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025.

This report by Brenna Owen and Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published June 25, 2025.