BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad wants to project a straightforward approach that he hopes will appeal to voters.

害羞草研究所淥n so many major issues, the NDP, United and Green parties all come down on the same side,害羞草研究所� Rustad explained in an interview with Black Press Media.

害羞草研究所淢y goal for the Conservative Party is to be a new option for people.

害羞草研究所淚 want to stand up for what is right and give people in this province another option, to be a party that will fight for British Columbians.害羞草研究所�

Rustad will bring that message to a meet and greet session at the Best Western Plus hotel in Kelowna on Sunday, July 9, from 7 to 9 p.m.

害羞草研究所淚 was in Kelowna a couple of months ago and we had about 70 people come out and I害羞草研究所檝e been asked by people there to come back,害羞草研究所� said Rustad, the MLA for Nechako Lakes since 2005.

Rustad sees an opportunity for a resurgence of the Conservative Party in B.C. because he feels the current coalition under the NDP banner running Victoria is imploding on its own arrogance.

害羞草研究所淲e have seen this with past periods of coalition governments in B.C. Over time they become arrogant and begin to fall apart,害羞草研究所� Rustad said.

害羞草研究所淚t happened to the Liberals back in the 1940s, which led to the Socreds, and they ran into problems in the 1980s, the NDP in the 害羞草研究所�90s fell apart and that led to the Liberals.害羞草研究所�

Rustad says coalition governments begin to fall apart because it attracts people as candidates interested in power for the sake of power, combined with the baggage of past decisions that begins to accumulate leading to splits in different political factions that make up a coalition.

害羞草研究所淔rom time to time, you need to have a political renewal. You see the same pattern in other many other jurisdictions across the country.害羞草研究所�

Faith in the Conservative camp as a new place for B.C. voters to embrace was given an uplift in the recent byelection results for the Langford-Juan de Fuca seat vacated by former B.C. premier John Horgan.

The NDP害羞草研究所檚 Ravi Parmar won the byelection as predicted, but finishing second ahead of the Green and Liberal hopefuls was Conservative candidate Mike Harris.

He said the party害羞草研究所檚 strong showing reinforced Rustad害羞草研究所檚 thinking that voters are looking for something new.

The Conservative Party platform is dedicated to lowering taxes, balancing the budget, expanding natural resource development, scrapping the carbon tax, reducing health care wait times and cracking down on violent crime.

害羞草研究所淚n my mind, yes there is some truth in that division. But I think what matters the most to people are the same thought values no matter where people live. 害羞草研究所�

But Rustad acknowledges he also hears about other issues:

害羞草研究所� an education system focused on cultural rather than academic issues, that is not preparing students for becoming adults in a changing world

害羞草研究所� the need to help other countries reduce climate change impacts rather than impose an expanding carbon tax in B.C. with limited global impact on the environment;

害羞草研究所� that safe supply is overtaking promoting a pathway to drug addiction recovery; and

害羞草研究所� making B.C. more competitive in the international marketplace.

As for affordable housing, Rustad says while civic, federal and provincial governments talk about solving affordable housing, the biggest costs generated to build a residential unit come from government taxes and fees.

害羞草研究所淕overnments need to step up to the plate and reduce their impact on the cost of housing.害羞草研究所�

Climate change has also been an issue that has figured prominently in Rustad害羞草研究所檚 political career.

He was removed from the Liberal party caucus in 2022 after he boosted a social media post casting doubt on climate change science and urging people to 害羞草研究所渃elebrate CO2.害羞草研究所�

In posts on both Facebook and Twitter, Rustad shared a graphic and post arguing that people had been 害羞草研究所渉oodwinked害羞草研究所� by climate change science and they should be glad CO2 is being emitted into the atmosphere.

Liberal leader Kevin Falcon responded by removing him from the Liberal caucus, saying Rustad had to be a 害羞草研究所渢eam player害羞草研究所� on important issues facing B.C.

害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 get the satisfaction he害羞草研究所檚 prepared to be a team player, so I fired him from caucus,害羞草研究所� Falcon told CBC News at the time.

READ MORE: BC Tree Fruits breaks ground on Oliver facility expansion

Like us on and follow us on .