The dramatic ousting of John Rustad as leader of the B.C. Conservatives unfolded over a tense 48-hour period, culminating in his resignation on Wednesday, December 5, 2025. The plan was executed by a majority of his own caucus, who had lost faith in his leadership following a tumultuous post-election period.
The Coup Plan is Set in Motion
The effort to remove Rustad began in earnest two days before his resignation. Courtenay-Comox MLA Brennan Day took the lead, moving from office to office within the caucus to gather support. His mission was to secure signatures from fellow MLAs on statements formally declaring a lack of confidence in Rustad's leadership.
Day and his allies coordinated with party president Aisha Estey and other members of the party's board. The board had been advocating for Rustad's departure since mid-October. Together, they sought legal counsel on how to force out a leader who showed no intention of stepping down voluntarily.
A Creative Interpretation of the Party Constitution
The party's constitution presented a significant hurdle. It stipulated that a leader could only be replaced due to death, resignation, incapacitation, or disapproval by a majority of party members. Rustad had recently survived a summer leadership review with 71% support, and there were no signs of health issues or a voluntary exit.
The board devised a creative legal argument: it ruled that a catastrophic loss of support from the elected caucus could be interpreted as a form of "incapacitation." This interpretation paved the way for a potential removal. A motion was prepared for a secret ballot vote among MLAs, but Rustad's loyalists repeatedly blocked attempts to hold it.
The Final Push and a Secret Meeting
Frustrated by the stalemate, Brennan Day finalized the collection of signed statements. On Wednesday morning, after securing one last crucial signature, the documents were formally delivered to the party board via a lawyer's letter. The letter indicated that over half of the 39-member caucus had signed, requesting Rustad's resignation.
Perhaps sensing the impending revolt, Rustad had cancelled the official caucus meetings scheduled for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. He replaced Tuesday's gathering with a team-building event featuring a rib fest and gingerbread making competition.
This move backfired. On Wednesday morning, most MLAs attended an unauthorized caucus meeting that Rustad's office declared unsanctioned. At that clandestine gathering, MLAs passed a vote of non-confidence in Rustad's leadership. They then nominated and elected Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford as the interim leader. Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson was also nominated from the floor.
The Final Act and Aftermath
Just hours after the secret caucus meeting, John Rustad stood before his MLAs and caucus staff at the Union Club in Victoria. He thanked them for their work during what he called a "topsy-turvy" few months. By that evening, his resignation as leader of the B.C. Conservatives was official.
The swift and coordinated coup leaves the party under the interim leadership of Trevor Halford as it regroups and prepares for a future leadership race. The events highlight the deep fractures within the caucus following the party's narrow election defeat, where they came within a handful of votes of seizing office.
