Leaders of both B.C. United and B.C. Conservative Party of B.C. Tuesday (May 14) confirmed the existence of talks sounding out what Kevin Falcon called 害羞草研究所渃ommon ground害羞草研究所� between the two parties.
But both he and Conservative Leader John Rustad also re-affirmed plans to run candidates in all 93 ridings.
Rustad said Tuesday (May 14) that nobody has directly approached him about merger talks, but confirmed the existence of ongoing conversations through third parties in the business community.
害羞草研究所淭here (are) some opportunities, there is some potential between the two parties to be able to do some things, but it害羞草研究所檚 limited,害羞草研究所� Rustad said. With little more than five months until the next provincial election, time is also becoming an issue, he added.
害羞草研究所淵es, we have engaged in some discussions,害羞草研究所� Falcon said, when asked about Rustad害羞草研究所檚 comments. 害羞草研究所淲e got emissaries from both parties that are having discussions to see if we can find common ground, recognizing that the real enemy is the (B.C.) NDP government. Four more years of that government will be frankly economically devastating for (B.C.) and that害羞草研究所檚 why we have to put aside our own egos, our own party issues, everything else and just figure out whether there is common ground.害羞草研究所�
But if Falcon and Rustad confirmed the existence of talks, both declined to comment on what any future cooperation might look like.
害羞草研究所淚 couldn害羞草研究所檛 speculate,害羞草研究所� Rustad said. 害羞草研究所淎ll I do know is that the Conservative Party of British Columbia will run 93 candidates in the next election.害羞草研究所�
Falcon was equally tight-lipped, saying that he won害羞草研究所檛 negotiate in public.
害羞草研究所淲e are going to run 93 candidates 害羞草研究所� don害羞草研究所檛 get me wrong,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淏ut I think the issue is, is there enough common ground without getting into the details between us, to say, 害羞草研究所榠s there a way we can work together?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
According to Rustad, the provincial Conservatives have 62 nominated candidates, while B.C. United has 53 nominated candidates.
Falcon said both parties bring strength and weaknesses to the table.
害羞草研究所淪o when you have discussions like that, you害羞草研究所檝e got to recognize they have a good name, even though they (the provincial and federal Conservatives) are very distinct parties,害羞草研究所� Falcon said. 害羞草研究所淏ut we also have strengths too. We have organization害羞草研究所und-raising, exceptional candidates and policies that are well thought-through.害羞草研究所�
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These talks are unfolding against the backdrop of a new poll from Abacus showing B.C. United at 13 per cent, while the Conservative Party of B.C. sits at 34 per cent 害羞草研究所� six points behind the B.C. NDP. That poll is the latest in a series of polls, which have shown the Conservatives rising, while B.C. United has been slipping.
害羞草研究所淥bviously, I害羞草研究所檓 not thrilled by those numbers,害羞草研究所� Falcon said. 害羞草研究所淏ut on the other hand, it害羞草研究所檚 a strange dichotomy害羞草研究所e have got great organization happening on the ground and holding town halls across the province that are packed with people. So it is just strange, but maybe that害羞草研究所檚 British Columbia.害羞草研究所�
Both Rustad and his caucus colleague Bruce Banman once sat with B.C. United害羞草研究所檚 predecessor, the B.C. Liberals. Falcon had kicked out Rustad in August 2022 over comments regarding climate change before the B.C. Liberals changed their names, while Banman left in the fall of 2023 after the name change had taken place.
Banman害羞草研究所檚 departure from B.C. United gave the provincial Conservatives party-status in the legislature with Rustad 害羞草研究所� who previously sat as an independent 害羞草研究所� having joined and won the leadership of the provincial Conservatives in the spring of 2023.
Rustad has in the past compared the rise of his Conservatives to the rise of the B.C. Liberals as challengers to the once-dynastic Social Credit Party of British Columbia, with the B.C. Liberals eventually replacing the Socreds as the preferred political vessel so-called free-enterprise-coalition. But the temporary existence of two parties on the right side of the political spectrum in the mid-1990s led to vote-splitting.
It is against this broader backgrounder that current discussions are unfolding. But Falcon also cited a more recent episode in B.C. political history 害羞草研究所� the 2013 victory of B.C. Liberals after being down in the polls.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e still five months from the election and I do think it害羞草研究所檚 important to know that things can change,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淓lection campaigns matter.害羞草研究所�
