By Chris Beach

Northern View

The Northern View: BC Conservatives Surge

Sep 28, 2023 | 2:15 PM

It’s been a crazy few weeks for Canadian and BC politics, with shocking stories seemingly coming from everywhere, including the news that the once again upstart BC Conservative Party, now led by Nechako-Lakes MLA John Rustad, has overtaken the Official Opposition BC United for second place in the province.A recent poll put the NDP at 35% voter support, BC Conservatives at 27%, BC United at 22%, and the BC Greens at 13%.

This was surprising, if not shocking, as the century-old BC Conservatives haven’t elected an MLA since the 1970s and haven’t led the provincial government since the early 1950s. While political observers were just wrapping their heads around this latest poll and trying to make sense of it all, Bruce Banman, former Mayor and current MLA from Abbotsford, crossed the floor in the legislature, leaving the BC United to join Rustad’s BC Conservatives. This, in itself, could be a game changer:

The BC Tories now gain official party status with two sitting MLAs, bringing with it more speaking time in question period and subsequent media exposure; significantly more funding allowing the party to hire crucial staff going into next year’s provincial election; and presumably giving John Rustad a place at the podium in the prime-time election debates with all the other party leaders.

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Yes, a lot could happen in the next 11 months before Premier Eby pulls the trigger and drops the writ. But this does feel like there’s at least a possibility of a minor or major realignment taking place. BC United changed their name, which has left many voters confused, and the party’s perennial goal of bridging the gap between Vancouver, the Interior and the North has arguably become more challenging now with an increasingly polarized and populist electorate.

Couple this with the surging support for federal Conservatives that appears to be translating into newfound support for the BC Conservatives, a brand which has been around a lot longer and may be more easily recognizable and understood by voters then the new BC United brand.

Whatever the case, it looks likely this is all adding up to be a nerve-racking, if not incredibly exciting, three-way election race across much of British Columbia less than a year from now. I’m Chris Beach and this is the Northern View.

Editors note: The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of Pattison Media.