ELECTION ’24 – Falcon to suspend campaign, back BC Conservatives

BC United Leader Kevin Falcon is suspending his party’s campaign and encouraging BC United supporters to unite behind John Rustad and the Conservative Party of BC.

“I got back into politics because I wanted to build a bright future for my two daughters and for the next generation of British Columbians,” said Kevin Falcon.

“Today, I’m stepping back for the same reason. I know that the best thing for the future of our province is to defeat the NDP, but we cannot do that when the centre-right vote is split.”

Interestingly, the announcement, and Falcon’s statement, was released at 1:50 p.m. today (Aug. 28, 2024) in a BC Conservative news release rather than in one from BC United. News reports earlier in the day had hinted at the surprise move, and BC Conservative leader John Rustad had scheduled a news conference for 2:40 p.m., promising a major announcement.

UPDATE: The news conference got underway at 3 p.m. with both Rustad and Falcon present. Falcon said he’s “at peace” with his decision because it’s important to field the best slate of candidates possible. He acknowledge BC United was struggling financially. Falcon and Rustad said they met one-on-one on the decision last night for the first time, and again this morning. They offered a lot of non-answers to reporters’ questions, saying there are many “details” to work out. It appears that Peter Milobar will be offered a chance to run for the BC Conservatives in Kamloops Centre in place of the nominated candidate Dennis Giebrecht, but that Todd Stone won’t be offered a similar opportunity in Kamloops-North Thompson, where Barriere Mayor Ward Stamer has been nominated.

According to the BC Conservative news release, nominations of BC United candidates will be withdrawn to enable the Conservative Party of BC to draw from BC United’s pool of incumbent MLAs and candidates.

As part of the agreement, the Conservative Party of BC has committed to review candidates based on an improved vetting process to ensure the strongest team possible going into election 2024, the news release says.

The future of Kamloops MLAs Peter Milobar and Todd Stone is uncertain at the moment.

“I’ve known Kevin Falcon for 20 years, and while we haven’t always seen eye to eye, we both know there is too much at stake to let past disagreements get in the way of defeating David Eby and the radical NDP,” Rustad stated.

“I’ve never doubted Kevin Falcon’s commitment to our province, and today, I applaud his decision to put B.C. first, as he’s done throughout his career.”

“John Rustad and I haven’t always agreed on everything, but one thing is clear: our province cannot take another four years of the NDP,” Falcon said in the same news release.

“When common sense, free-enterprise British Columbians are united, we get great things done. I’m encouraging all free-enterprise voters to come together and join me in helping elect John Rustad and the Conservative Party of BC in October.”

“For the better part of two decades, Kevin Falcon has worked tirelessly to make our province a better place,” Rustad continued.

“I encourage all Conservative MLAs, candidates and supporters to join me in sincerely thanking Kevin Falcon for doing the right thing, for his exemplary public service and for making the hard but right decision today.”