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 含羞草研究社渃ommon ground含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淭here (are) some opportunities, there is some potential between the two parties to be able to do some things, but it含羞草研究社檚 limited,含羞草研究社� Rustad said. With little more than five months until the next provincial election, time is also becoming an issue, he added.
含羞草研究社淵es, we have engaged in some discussions,含羞草研究社� Falcon said, when asked about Rustad含羞草研究社檚 comments. 含羞草研究社淲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含羞草研究社檚 why we have to put aside our own egos, our own party issues, everything else and just figure out whether there is common ground.含羞草研究社�
But if Falcon and Rustad confirmed the existence of talks, both declined to comment on what any future cooperation might look like.
含羞草研究社淚 couldn含羞草研究社檛 speculate,含羞草研究社� Rustad said. 含羞草研究社淎ll I do know is that the Conservative Party of British Columbia will run 93 candidates in the next election.含羞草研究社�
Falcon was equally tight-lipped, saying that he won含羞草研究社檛 negotiate in public.
含羞草研究社淲e are going to run 93 candidates 含羞草研究社� don含羞草研究社檛 get me wrong,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淏ut I think the issue is, is there enough common ground without getting into the details between us, to say, 含羞草研究社榠s there a way we can work together?含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
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.
含羞草研究社淪o when you have discussions like that, you含羞草研究社檝e got to recognize they have a good name, even though they (the provincial and federal Conservatives) are very distinct parties,含羞草研究社� Falcon said. 含羞草研究社淏ut we also have strengths too. We have organization含羞草研究社und-raising, exceptional candidates and policies that are well thought-through.含羞草研究社�
RELATED:
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 含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淥bviously, I含羞草研究社檓 not thrilled by those numbers,含羞草研究社� Falcon said. 含羞草研究社淏ut on the other hand, it含羞草研究社檚 a strange dichotomy含羞草研究社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含羞草研究社檚 British Columbia.含羞草研究社�
Both Rustad and his caucus colleague Bruce Banman once sat with B.C. United含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 departure from B.C. United gave the provincial Conservatives party-status in the legislature with Rustad 含羞草研究社� who previously sat as an independent 含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社� the 2013 victory of B.C. Liberals after being down in the polls.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e still five months from the election and I do think it含羞草研究社檚 important to know that things can change,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淓lection campaigns matter.含羞草研究社�
