Rustad may make B.C. Conservatives ‘ungovernable’ if he doesn’t exit, says analyst

A political analyst says John Rustad’s disputed leadership of the B.C. Conservatives appears “unsustainable” after he refused to step down in the face of a caucus mutiny.

University of British Columbia political science lecturer Stewart Prest says he can’t see a way for Rustad to regain control of the Opposition, but he can make it “ungovernable.”

Rustad refused to quit on Wednesday after 20 MLAs representing a majority of the 39-member caucus gave statements to a lawyer calling for him to step aside.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Party president Aisha Estey confirmed the authenticity of the lawyer’s letter on behalf of the unidentified MLAs, but Rustad said there was no mechanism for MLAs to force him out.

The party then issued a news release saying Rustad had been “professionally incapacitated” and had therefore been removed.

Prest says he wouldn’t be surprised by a schism in the party, as long as Rustad has loyalists, while MLA Gavin Dew called it a “complicated and unprecedent situation.”

He said Rustad had done a lot to be proud of by bringing the party to where it is, and it was “more important than ever that we keep our party intact.”