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A letter signed by 20 B.C. Conservative MLAs is calling for John Rustad to be removed as party leader, but he says he has no plans to resign.
Sent to party president Aisha Estey Wednesday morning, the letter says the MLAs have “lost confidence” in Rustad’s leadership and want an interim leader to take his place.
The letter, issued by Crease Harman lawyer Bruce Hallsor, did not name the 20 MLAs, who make up a slim majority of the 39-member caucus.
Rustad told reporters Wednesday morning that he will not resign as leader.
“I’m not planning to step down.”
WATCH | Rustad says he will not step down:
John Rustad refuses call from 20 B.C. Conservative MLAs to step down as leader
A letter signed by 20 B.C. Conservative MLAs is calling for John Rustad to be removed as party leader, but he says he has no plans to resign. Sent to party president Aisha Estey Wednesday morning, the letter says the MLAs have “lost confidence” in Rustad’s leadership and want an interim leader to take his place.
The party leader said he has not seen the letter and noted that the disgruntled MLAs were not willing to put their names to it.
“There’s obviously some loud voices that are part of that group and I have been for some time listening to what those voices are,” he said.
Rustad would not say if he plans to ask the MLAs who signed the letter to leave the Official Opposition, saying that’s an internal caucus matter.
He has faced multiple resignation calls in recent months.
In October, seven members of the party’s management committee, including Estey, signed a letter calling on Rustad to resign, citing a “state of chaos” within the party.
And earlier this month, 30 party members connected to the riding association signed a letter asking Rustad to step down, saying the party is unable to fundraise enough money because of problems with his leadership.
Rustad has repeatedly defied the resignation calls, citing the 70 per cent support he received from party members in September in the mandated leadership review.
There is nothing in the party constitution that requires Rustad to step down if some MLAs express non-confidence. There are currently 39 B.C. Conservative MLAs.
