John Rustad

Rustad was born and raised in Prince George, British Columbia. His father worked in forestry, and his mother was a homemaker. He has two older brothers.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTSdcx85Sk0 |title=Stopping the Socialist Trainwreck in British Columbia {{!}} John Rustad {{!}} EP 477 |date=2024-09-02 |last=Jordan B Peterson |access-date=2024-09-02 |via=YouTube}} Prior to provincial politics, he had worked in the forest sector for two decades, founding a consulting firm named Western Geographic Information Systems Inc. in 1995.{{Cite web |title=MLA: John Rustad |url=https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members/42nd-Parliament/Rustad-John |access-date=2023-10-23 |publisher=Legislative Assembly of British Columbia |language=en-CA}} Between 2002 and 2005, he served as a trustee with School District 57 Prince George.{{Cite news |title=Northern B.C. MLA John Rustad joins Conservative Party of B.C. |url=https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/highlights/northern-bc-mla-john-rustad-joins-conservative-party-of-bc-6570341 |access-date=2023-10-23 |date=2023-02-16 |newspaper=Alaska Highway News |first=Ted |last=Clarke |language=en-CA}}

Rustad was first elected to the legislature in 2005 as a BC Liberal candidate, representing the riding of Prince George-Omineca. Following the riding's dissolution, he was re-elected in 2009 in the current Nechako Lakes riding. In his first two terms, he served as Parliamentary Secretary for Forestry to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and as a member of the Environment and Land Use Committee, Legislative Review Committee, Treasury Board, Select Standing Committee on Education, Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Select Standing Committee on Health.{{Cite web |date=2013-06-13 |title=John Rustad sworn in as new Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/john-rustad-sworn-in-as-new-minister-of-aboriginal-relations-and-reconciliation |access-date=2023-10-23 |publisher=Government of British Columbia |language=en-CA}}

He retained his seat in the 2013 election and was appointed Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation by Premier Christy Clark. He kept his cabinet post following his re-election in 2017,{{cite news |title=B.C. Premier Christy Clark and cabinet sworn in |publisher=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/liberal-cabinet-picks-1.4157148 |date=2017-06-12 |accessdate=2023-10-23 }} and added the role of Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations to his duties after Steve Thomson's election as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.{{Cite web |title=Christy Clark Cabinet: 2011-2017 |url=https://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/reference/christyclarkcabinet.pdf |access-date=2023-10-23 |date=2018-01-24 |publisher=Legislative Library of British Columbia |language=en-CA}} Rustad continued in both ministerial roles until that July, when the Liberal minority government was defeated in a non-confidence motion.

He was re-elected in 2020, and served as the Liberals' critic for Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. After suggesting online that carbon dioxide emissions were not contributing to climate change, Rustad was removed from the Liberal caucus by leader Kevin Falcon on August 18, 2022;{{Cite news |title=B.C. Liberal leader boots John Rustad from caucus over climate change denial |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/falcon-rustad-climate-change-denial |access-date=2022-08-18 |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |language=en-CA}} he then sat in the legislature as an independent politician.{{Cite news |title=John Rustad jumps to Conservative Party of B.C. |url=https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/john-rustad-jumps-to-conservative-party-of-bc-6569704 |access-date=2023-02-16 |date=2023-02-16 |newspaper=Prince George Citizen |first=Ted |last=Clarke |language=en-CA}}

On February 16, 2023, Rustad joined the BC Conservative Party, giving the party representation in the legislature. Rustad cited "irreconcilable differences" with Falcon in explaining his party change.{{Cite news |title=Ousted B.C. Liberal MLA John Rustad joins B.C. Conservatives |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/ousted-bc-liberal-mla-john-rustad-joins-conservatives |access-date=2023-02-16 |newspaper=Vancouver Sun |language=en-CA}}

On March 23, 2023, Rustad announced that he was running to be the leader of the BC Conservatives.{{Cite news |last=Petersen |first=Hanna |date=March 23, 2023 |title=MLA John Rustad running for BC Conservative Party leadership |url=https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/mla-john-rustad-running-for-bc-conservative-party-leadership-6747584 |work=Prince George Citizen |access-date=March 23, 2023 |language=en-CA}} He was acclaimed as the leader of the Conservatives on March 31, 2023, succeeding Trevor Bolin.{{cite web |last1=Depner |first1=Wolf |title=New BC Conservative leader John Rustad says nobody will 'outwork' him - Prince Rupert Northern View |url=https://www.thenorthernview.com/news/new-bc-conservative-leader-john-rustad-says-nobody-will-outwork-him/ |website=The Northern View |access-date=31 March 2023 |date=31 March 2023}}

On September 13, 2023, BC United MLA Bruce Banman crossed the floor to join the Conservatives.{{Cite web |date=September 13, 2023 |title=BC United MLA Bruce Banman defects to provincial Conservatives |url=https://bc.ctvnews.ca/bc-united-mla-bruce-banman-defects-to-provincial-conservatives-1.6559712 |access-date=September 13, 2023 |website=CTV News |language=en-CA |agency=The Canadian Press}} This gave the Conservatives the two MLAs necessary for official party status.{{cite web |last1=DeRosa |first1=Katie |title=B.C. Conservatives gain official party status with defection of B.C. United MLA Bruce Banman |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/politics/bc-united-bruce-banman-joins-conservatives#:~:text=Article%20content,giving%20them%20official%20party%20status. |website=Vancouver Sun |publisher=Postmedia Network |date=September 13, 2023 |access-date=September 13, 2023}}

Rustad led his party into the 2024 British Columbia general election as the principal opposition party following BC United's decision to suspend its campaign and endorse Rustad's party. The Conservatives won 44 seats, the party's best showing in over 70 years; the party hadn't won more than two seats in an election since 1953. On November 20, Rustad established his Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet, in which every Conservative MLA received a portfolio.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcconservativecaucus.ca/john-rustad-announces-conservative-party-of-british-columbia-shadow-cabinet/|title=John Rustad Announces Conservative Party of British Columbia Shadow Cabinet|website=Conservative Caucus of British Columbia|date=November 20, 2024|access-date=March 9, 2025}}

File:43rd British Columbia General Election polling.png

Since Rustad became leader, the BC Conservatives have overtaken BC United (formerly the BC Liberals until 2023) as the second most popular party in the province and are competing with the BC NDP for most popular. An Abacus Data poll in December 2023 put the Conservatives' popular vote share at 26 percent, ahead of BC United at 17 percent but behind the BC NDP at 44 percent.{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=BC Conservatives pull past BC United in latest poll; premier cautions voters |url=https://www.google.com/search?q=bc+conservatives+overtake |website=CityNews Vancouver |access-date=19 December 2023 |date=4 December 2023}} Later in August 2024, two months before the provincial election, a Mainstreet Research poll placed the Conservatives' popular vote share at 39 percent, ahead of both BC United at 12 percent and the BC NDP at 36 percent.{{cite web |title=New poll puts B.C. Conservatives ahead of NDP as election looms |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/new-poll-puts-bc-conservatives-ahead-of-ndp-united-as-provincial-election-looms |website=Vancouver Sun |access-date=21 August 2024 |date=20 August 2024}}

In 2024, Rustad pledged to his supporters that he would scrap a housing reform implemented by BC NDP in 2023 that legalized up to four housing units on lots that previously only allowed single-family housing and six housing units on lots near rapid transit stations.{{Cite news |date=2024 |title=Rustad Would Scrap Zoning Reforms, Keep Rent Control |url=https://thetyee.ca/News/2024/09/20/Rustad-Zoning-Reforms-Rent-Control/ |work=The Tyee}} He described the reform as "a very authoritarian approach."

Rustad has expressed concerns about rent control; however, in 2024, he said that his party did not intend to touch rent control.

Rustad proposes removing from schools a set of teaching materials known as SOGI 123 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) which according to CBC is a collection of "guides and resources that aim to help teachers address discrimination and bullying, create supportive and inclusive environments for 2SLGBTQ+ students and acknowledge varying genders and sexual orientations".{{Cite web |last=Pawson |first=Chad |date=September 26, 2024 |title=How turfing SOGI and banning books became part of B.C.'s election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sogi-123-sexual-education-b-c-election-2024-1.7333988}}

On September 30, 2023, Rustad shared a post on social media that appeared to compare the teaching of sexuality and gender to the residential school system.{{Cite web |last=Wyton |first=Moira |date=October 2, 2023 |title=B.C. Tory leader defends post that appeared to liken teaching of sexuality and gender to residential schools |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/john-rustad-sept-30-tweet-1.6984159}}

Rustad's comments about Indigenous peoples in Canada include that the efforts of the provincial government of British Columbia to recognize Indigenous land claims in Canada are "a direct assault on private property".{{cite web | last=Feinberg | first=Jennifer | title=B.C. Indigenous chiefs slam Conservative leader's take on reconciliation | website=Langley Advance Times | date=2024-09-06 | url=https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/news/bc-indigenous-chiefs-slam-conservative-leaders-take-on-reconciliation-7522622 | access-date=2024-09-27}}

In July 2024, Rustad has claimed that he regretted getting the COVID-19 vaccine due to a heart problem shortly afterward, and that COVID-19 vaccine mandates were about "shaping opinion and control on the population". He has said that flu and COVID-19 vaccines need to be available for "vulnerable people".{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10772329/bc-eletion-vaccine-politics/|title=Party leaders need to 'quickly depoliticize' vaccines, B.C. doctor says|author=Simon Little|website=Global News|date=September 24, 2024|access-date=September 27, 2024}}{{Cite news |last=LeBrun |first=Luke |date=October 6, 2024 |title=BC Conservative Leader John Rustad Suggests Province Would Participate in 'Nuremberg'-Style COVID-19 Trials |url=https://pressprogress.ca/bc-conservative-leader-john-rustad-suggests-province-would-participate-in-nuremberg-style-covid-19-trials/ |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=PressProgress}}

At the same online meeting hosted by anti-vaccine groups, Rustad said that he would be open to working with other jurisdictions for a "Nuremburg 2.0" event to look into prosecuting people responsible for the province's public health measures and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, referring to an idea popular in anti-vaccine groups inspired by both the Nuremberg trials and the Nuremberg Code. After reporting on the comments surfaced in October 2024, Rustad apologized and said that it was wrong to compare public health measures and Nazi German crimes.{{Cite news |last=Larsen |first=Karin |date=October 7, 2024 |title=John Rustad recants, apologizes for 'Nuremberg 2.0' comments |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rustand-recants-nuremberg-comments-1.7345163 |access-date=October 7, 2024 |work=CBC News}}

Rustad married his wife Kim in 1995.{{Cite web |title=John Rustad |url=https://www.conservativebc.ca/john_rustad |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Conservative Party of BC |language=en}} Kim is a cervical cancer survivor; as a result, they did not have children. They have lived in Cluculz Lake since 2009.{{Cite web |last=Reconciliation |first=Indigenous Relations and |date=2013-06-13 |title=John Rustad sworn in as new Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation {{!}} BC Gov News |url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/john-rustad-sworn-in-as-new-minister-of-aboriginal-relations-and-reconciliation |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=news.gov.bc.ca |language=en}}

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{{2005 British Columbia general election/Prince George–Omineca}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1963 births

Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Category:BC United MLAs

Category:Members of the Executive Council of British Columbia

Category:Independent MLAs in British Columbia

Category:British Columbia Conservative Party MLAs

Category:British Columbia Conservative Party leaders

Category:Leaders of the opposition (British Columbia)

Category:British Columbia school board members

Category:People from Prince George, British Columbia

Category:Politicians affected by a party expulsion process