BC United Leader, Kevin Falcon speaks during a news conference in Surrey, B.C. on June 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

By The Canadian Press

major change

Opposition Leader Falcon ends BC United election campaign, backs BC Conservatives

Aug 28, 2024 | 3:26 PM

British Columbia Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon announced Wednesday that he is suspending BC United’s election campaign and encouraging supporters to instead back the rival B.C. Conservative Party.

Falcon said in a statement that nominations of BC United candidates including current legislators would be withdrawn to allow the Conservatives to draw from them for its slate, less than two months before the provincial election on Oct. 19.

The statement issued by the Conservatives said that as part of the arrangement, the party had committed to review its candidates based on “an improved vetting process.”

The seismic shift in B.C. politics comes amid the Conservatives’ rise in popularity under Leader John Rustad that has seen the party far surpass BC United in recent polls, putting the future of the Opposition BC United as the right-of-centre flag-bearer in doubt.

“I got back into politics because I wanted to build a bright future for my two daughters and for the next generation of British Columbians,” Falcon said in the statement.

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“Today, I’m stepping back for the same reason. I know that the best thing for the future of our province is to defeat the NDP, but we cannot do that when the centre-right vote is split.”

Rustad said he thanked Falcon for making the “hard but right decision”.

“I’ve never doubted Kevin Falcon’s commitment to our province, and today, I applaud his decision to put B.C. first, as he’s done throughout his career,” Rustad said in the statement.

Attempts by the parties since late last year to forge an alliance to defeat the governing New Democrats and Premier David Eby have previously failed.

BC United had been hit by a series of defections from its caucus including Abbotsford South’s Bruce Banman, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson, Elenore Sturko in Surrey South and Richmond North Centre MLA Teresa Wat.

Falcon had booted Rustad from the then-BC Liberal caucus in 2022 over comments casting doubt on the role of carbon dioxide emissions in climate change.

The New Democrat Party caucus earlier issued a statement highlighting previous comments Falcon and other BC United members had made about Rustad and the Conservatives.

The statement included Falcon saying previously: “Frankly, I don’t think there’s any scenario in which John Rustad would be remotely ready to step into the position of premier.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2024.