Former BC Conservative Strategist Urges John Rustad to Step Aside for Party Renewal
In a candid reflection on the British Columbia Conservative Party's dramatic rise, former senior adviser Azim Jiwani has publicly called for outgoing leader John Rustad to refrain from seeking re-election. Jiwani, who played a pivotal role in the party's transformation, argues that fresh leadership is essential for the Conservatives to build upon their recent successes and avoid stagnation.
The Pivotal Meeting That Changed BC Politics
Jiwani recounts a fateful August 2022 meeting in a Vancouver Irish pub where he introduced then-independent MLA John Rustad to Conservative Party of BC executive director Angelo Isidorou. With lukewarm Guinness in hand, this informal gathering would ultimately reshape the province's political landscape. At that time, BC's political right was deeply fractured, with an aging BC Liberal establishment clinging to relevance as a timid Official Opposition while a small but energized Conservative Party struggled for legitimacy.
"None of us knew it then, but that meeting sparked an enduring flame which would go on to reshape the right in BC," Jiwani reflects. The encounter created a powerful synergy: it provided the insurgent Conservative Party with a credible standard-bearer in the legislature, while giving Rustad a movement willing to carry him forward.
From Marginal Movement to Political Force
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. Within months, the Conservative Party of BC transformed from a marginal protest vehicle into a serious political force. Membership surged dramatically, donations flowed in unprecedented amounts, and Bruce Banman's floor crossing delivered official party status. For the first time in decades, British Columbia had a genuine, populist conservative alternative that was unapologetic, fast-moving, and culturally attuned to the concerns voters were discussing at kitchen tables and online.
Jiwani served as Rustad's chief of staff in 2022 and later as a senior strategic adviser during the historic 2024 BC election campaign. After the party formed the Official Opposition, he continued as chief of staff before leaving Rustad's office in summer 2025 as Principal Secretary. During this period, he helped architect the strategy, messaging, and political posture that reinvigorated the BC Conservatives in the legislature.
The Winning Formula That Powered Success
The party's formula was straightforward yet effective: listen to grassroots conservatives, move quickly, and lead—not follow—with both tact and courage on the pressing cultural and economic issues that everyday people actually cared about. Jiwani personally wrote nearly every question asked by the party in the legislature and almost every communication issued by Rustad during this transformative period.
This approach manifested in tangible political positions. When families in Surrey and the Fraser Valley protested the NDP's sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum, the Conservatives stood with them while clearly condemning bullying and genuine anti-gay hatred. When communities in Richmond objected to government-funded drug-use sites, the party backed them immediately and called for treatment and recovery instead of what they characterized as state-sponsored decay.
A Call for Leadership Transition
Despite this remarkable success story, Jiwani now believes the party needs to evolve beyond its founding leadership. His public appeal to Rustad represents a significant moment in BC Conservative politics, suggesting that the very architect of the party's resurgence should now make way for new leadership to carry the movement forward.
The argument centers on maintaining momentum and avoiding the complacency that often follows political breakthroughs. Jiwani's perspective carries particular weight given his intimate involvement in building the party from the ground up, having witnessed firsthand both its struggles and triumphs during this unprecedented period of growth and influence in British Columbia politics.
