When BC United staged a news conference in Victoria last week, party officials turned up with a prop 害羞草研究所� a literal tinfoil hat, emblazoned with a B.C. Conservative Party logo and the words 害羞草研究所�5G Resistant Endorsed by John Rustad.害羞草研究所�

On Tuesday, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon followed up by saying the B.C. Conservatives 害羞草研究所渁re at risk of becoming a conspiracy party, not a Conservative party.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 not just the official Opposition taking aim at the political upstarts led by Rustad 害羞草研究所� who was dumped from BC United when it was known as the BC Liberals 害羞草研究所� ahead of the Oct. 19 provincial election.

Last week, Premier David Eby called on Rustad to explain 害羞草研究所渉ow it is that consistently he is putting forward candidates that embrace and promote conspiracy theories.害羞草研究所�

The B.C. Conservatives received less than two per cent of the popular vote in the 2020 provincial election, but now are challenging Eby害羞草研究所檚 New Democrats to possibly form government, far eclipsing BC United in every recent poll.

But the party害羞草研究所檚 expansion hasn害羞草研究所檛 been smooth, with critics highlighting views shared by some of the party害羞草研究所檚 slate of candidates. They have included likening 5G technology to 害羞草研究所済enocide害羞草研究所� and a 害羞草研究所渨eapon,害羞草研究所� and calling Pride participants 害羞草研究所渄egenerates.害羞草研究所�

Political observers anticipate more bumps as the party tries to catch up to its rapid surge in popularity.

Campaign strategist Allie Blades at Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Mash Strategy, said she expects voters to look more at Rustad as a potential premier and political power broker than at the activity of individual candidates this fall.

害羞草研究所淧eople are voting for the brand of the party and the leader,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淒o you think the leader can make a good premier? Do their (party) values align with mine?害羞草研究所�

Blades, who worked with BC United on the party害羞草研究所檚 rebranding from the BC Liberals, said the Conservatives may experience more 害羞草研究所渉iccups害羞草研究所� in the run-up to the election and during the campaign.

害羞草研究所淏ut for the most part John Rustad害羞草研究所檚 the one who has to stay on course with his key messages,害羞草研究所� she said.

Prof. David Black, a political communications expert at Greater Victoria害羞草研究所檚 Royal Roads University, said the speed at which the Conservatives bolted onto the political scene, coupled with the equally rapid decline of BC United, has become the political story of the past year in B.C.

害羞草研究所淭he Conservatives have gone from being a hobby for a few disgruntled organizers who found the BC Liberals insufficiently conservative to a party that at the very least will form the official opposition and could at best form power, all in the space of a year and a half,害羞草研究所� he said.

The B.C. Conservatives were not immediately available for comment, but Rustad has said previously he wants the party to be a 害羞草研究所渂ig blue tent害羞草研究所� and intends to field a full slate of 93 candidates.

害羞草研究所淲e want to bring everybody together we can to defeat this NDP government in October,害羞草研究所� he said.

One of the candidates helping fill that tent is Rachael Weber in the Prince George-Mackenzie constituency. Weber has previous shared social media content about the 害羞草研究所�5G Genocide.害羞草研究所�

In a 2021 Facebook post she voiced concerns about 害羞草研究所渕icrochips,害羞草研究所� cashless payments and the threat of 害羞草研究所渢otal government dependency / control害羞草研究所� by saying 害羞草研究所渢he anti christ comes before the rapture.害羞草研究所�

Eby害羞草研究所檚 New Democrats last week called her 害羞草研究所渓oopy害羞草研究所� while BC United issued a series of news releases about her 害羞草研究所渨hacky害羞草研究所� remarks.

害羞草研究所淚 think it would be helpful for Rustad to come out and explain why his candidates believe that cellphone towers cause COVID-19 and are genocidal weapons,害羞草研究所� Eby said.

Eby also raised concerns about Bulkley Valley-Stikine candidate Sharon Hartwell who used social media to praise leaders of the 害羞草研究所淔reedom Convoy害羞草研究所� movement, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who are on trial in Ottawa, accused of mischief, intimidation and counselling others to break the law. Hartwell called them 害羞草研究所渁n inspiration.害羞草研究所�

Among other current and former Conservative candidates raising BC United concerns 害羞草研究所� Paul Ratchford in Vancouver-Point Grey who previously called legislator Elenore Sturko (now a star recruit for the Conservatives) a 害羞草研究所渨oke lesbian害羞草研究所�; Stephen Malthouse, a suspended doctor who was removed as a candidate in Ladysmith-Oceanside after repeatedly saying COVID-19 vaccines were more dangerous than the illness; and Damon Scrase who dropped out as Courtenay-Comox candidate after the emergence of deleted posts in which he called some Pride parade participants 害羞草研究所渄egenerates.害羞草研究所�

Veteran B.C. United MLA Mike Bernier, who represents the deeply Conservative Peace River South riding in the Dawson Creek area, said Rustad害羞草研究所檚 concept of a big tent appears to be an open door to people with extremist views.

害羞草研究所淩ustad害羞草研究所檚 idea of a big tent party is, 害羞草研究所業 don害羞草研究所檛 care if you have crazy conspiracy theories where you think the earth is flat or 5G is part of the antichrist and some of those weird things we害羞草研究所檝e been hearing,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� Bernier said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淛ohn害羞草研究所檚 idea is I害羞草研究所檒l let people have crazy ideas. That害羞草研究所檚 his idea of a big tent.害羞草研究所�