The biggest B.C. Conservative meeting ever was bristling with combative energy Saturday in Nanaimo as members celebrated their surge in last fall’s election.
Delegates spent the day rallying against the NDP government, but also got feisty among themselves.
A fair part of the morning was taken up with numerous points of orders, objections and complaints about the agenda and organization of the convention.
Victoria lawyer Bruce Hallsor, who chaired the gathering, said early on: “It’s clear to me I have to remark on the rules, and on decorum.”
He warned almost 800 delegates about demonstrations, disruption and disrespect, saying those who misbehave could get tossed if things got out of hand.
Even the endorsement of the party’s guiding principles had to go to a hand count before it was passed on a split vote, after several objections to process.
“I am thoroughly ashamed,” one delegate remarked, opposing a procedural issue.
Eventually they turned their sights on policy, approving about 19 broad statements that give a view of the official opposition’s general outlook.
They acceded to Leader John Rustad’s recommendation to approve a new grassroots-oriented constitution, and re-elected his pick for party president. The new constitution includes a new leadership review process, which will take effect next fall.
Rustad got numerous standing ovations during a speech where he said B.C. Conservatives are part of a “sea shift” happening all over the world.
He vowed to get rid of sexual orientation and gender identity programs in schools, and fire provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry over her safe supply drugs policy.
The party’s stance on the U.S. tariff threat was scrutinized this week after five MLAs opposed an NDP motion supporting the Team Canada fight against them.
Rustad said Saturday: “What they do south of the border, that’s up to them. … If they’re going to start trying to destroy our economy, it’s high time we start looking after ourselves.”
He said Conservative MLAs will push for forest policy reforms to protect the industry and argue against NDP spending hikes expected in Tuesday’s budget.
“We need to get this under control. … There is a ton of waste within government.”
Rustad promised a full independent review of elections in B.C., citing numerous problems with last fall’s vote.
On the policy front, they are resolved to eliminate the NDP’s freedom of information fees and parking charges at hospitals.
The party wants to devolve powers from the province to municipalities, do a performance review of health administration and eliminate funding for medical assistance in dying applied to anyone with mental illness.
Delegates endorsed focusing the education curriculum on literacy, numeracy and science. They stand for returning to letter and percentage grades in schools.
The party has zero tolerance for tent cities on provincial property and supports compassionate involuntary detention for addicts who can’t make decisions on their own.
Members want to allow nuclear power in B.C.’s energy mix and end ICBC’s monopoly on basic auto insurance.
Earlier in the week, there was a sharp difference in the Conservative caucus on child deaths at residential schools for Indigenous students, after MLA Dallas Brodie posted that there were “zero confirmed” child burials at the schools. Rustad asked her to delete the post and she refused. MLA A’aliya Warbus also objected.
Brodie and Warbus were absent Saturday.
That breach, the split vote on the tariffs and major internal blowup after the election about MLA Elenore Sturko prompted a few questions about unity and leadership in a party where MLAs are allowed to vote as they please.
But Rustad looked secure in his job Saturday.
He said there will always be differences, but the policy will stand.
“If everybody was singing Kumbaya and all the same, then you’re not a true party. … You need to be able to see differences. You need to be able to look at that as a strength of who we are as a party.”
