While falling short of a victory in the 2024 B.C. election, the B.C. Conservative party achieved historical milestones, becoming the largest opposition caucus in the province's history and reflecting a diverse representation with women and visible minorities holding significant positions. Leader John Rustad acknowledges both the disappointment of the narrow loss and the excitement of their achievements, emphasizing the party's ability to resonate with voters seeking change.
When John Rustad looks back on 2024, he may well see himself as the runner who caught the field from behind, only to lose the race at the ribbon.
The Conservatives held 44 seats on 43.28 per cent of the popular vote as the party elected the highest number of candidates in its history. Their third-straight governing mandate also chipped away at the theory that right-of-centre parties are the default choice in B.C. and revived the questions facing all runner-ups: did the B.C. Conservatives 'win' silver or 'lose' gold?"Both at the same time," Rustad said.
The fear of losing those voting blocks helps to explain why New Democrats revised several key policy positions just before the election. When Eby announced B.C. would stop charging the consumer portion of the carbon tax if Ottawa were to drop the requirement, he specifically cited waning support for the tax among construction workers. Growing concerns about public safety across different groups also help to explain policy reversals on decriminalization and involuntary care.
"In hindsight, when I think about our campaign, probably could have been more effective if we had stayed more focused, as opposed to coming out with so many different things in our platform and trying to highlight them all," he said. Recent criticism of Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko by 13 colleagues had some suggesting that energy may turn the party against itself, but Rustad dismissed the suggestions.
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