Riding high in the polls, BC Conservative Leader, John Rustad said he or his party has no interest in uniting the Right and put water on rumours of a potential merger between his party and Kevin Falcon’s dying BC United (BCUP). In a lengthy — since-deleted — post to social media, Rustad says he tried to join forces with the party but was told to, quote, “Fu__ off.” Falcon when he won the leadership and thought he would be the next Premier by default didn’t for see that Rustad, whom he kicked out of the predecessor BC Liberals, would be piggy-banking off the federal Conservatives momentum across Canada and putting up poll numbers in the high 30 percent range and now Falcon is looking at a massive defeat and a one-way ticket out of the leadership of his no-name BC United Party that has no branding traction. 

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

VICTORIA – Riding high in the polls, BC Conservative Leader, John Rustad said he or his party has no interest in uniting the Right and put water on rumours of a potential merger between his party and Kevin Falcon’s dying BC United (BCUP).

In a lengthy — since-deleted — post to social media, Rustad says he tried to join forces with the party but was told to, quote, “Fu__ off.”

Falcon when he won the leadership and thought he would be the next Premier by default didn’t for see that Rustad, whom he kicked out of the predecessor BC Liberals, would be piggy-banking off the federal Conservatives momentum across Canada and putting up poll numbers in the high 30 percent range and now Falcon is looking at a massive defeat and a one-way ticket out of the leadership of his no-name BC United Party that has no branding traction. 

Falcon’s biggest mistake was changing the name to this ridiculous of political outfits when he could have chosen Conservative or Reform that already had proper rightwing branding but now he will pay a price for his lack of vision in name change.

A recent Abacus Data poll put them in second place to the BC NDP with 34 per cent support, while BC United fell behind with only 13 per cent.

Recent reports suggest Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West was considering leading the unified party but Rustad said they have worked hard to beat the NDP on their own, adding he hopes to see Mayor West join his team.

Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley, told City News a formal merger between the Conservatives and BCU seems entirely unlikely before the Oct. 19 provincial election.

“I would be surprised if they were going to be able to pull off anything major. I think the chances of a merger are really very slim — there simply isn’t time to merge the two parties, write a new constitution, select a new leader, I’m not even sure they would want to go through that exercise,” he told Now You Know host Rob Snow Wednesday.

Meanwhile the NDP has begun to ignore Falcon and train their guns on Rustad, whom the party recently said recently that while Premier David Eby spent the spring taking action on what matters to people, Rustad and Falcon spent the session opposing that action and focusing on themselves.

 They said Rustad and Falcon have opposed Eby's action for people, including:

*The ICBC rate freeze and $110 rebate, which are only possible through Enhanced Care, which Rustad is promising to cancel;

*The crackdown on short-term rentals, which Falcon and Rustad would cancel;

*Creating more housing units through a new secondary suite program, which Falcon opposes;

*New homes through the BC Builds program, which Falcon and Rustad both oppose;

*The new home flipping tax, which Falcon's caucus tried to amend to add a loophole;

*A new law to keep students and teachers safe at school, which both Falcon and Rustad oppose;

*Historic legislation recognizing Haida title, which both parties voted against. 

They also accused Rustad of condoning anti-abortion comments by his MLA Bruce Banman and candidate Damon Scrase, who called Canada a "death worshipping society" for supporting women's right to choose.

"All spring, David Eby has been taking action for people on housing, the cost of living and healthcare while John Rustad and Kevin Falcon stand up for the wealthiest and big corporations. Now we've learned that they've been trying to broker power in corporate backrooms. But the next election will be decided at the kitchen table, not the boardroom table," said Ravi Kahlon, BC NDP House Leader.