Despite online speculation that the recent provincial election was rigged, Rustad admits his party lost to the NDP.
John Rustad, leader of the B.C Conservatives, has admitted defeat to the rival NDP party. He released a lengthy statement on X (Twitter) Monday night:
We have made history in BC. Just 18 months ago, the Conservative Party of BC was at 2% in the polls, had no members, no money, no team. But what we did have was grit, determination and a massive grassroots movement that would make the impossible happen. I am immensely proud to lead a party that went from zero seats to 44 and almost government in just a year.
This is unprecedented in our history. However, we still have work ahead of us. I want to express my gratitude to every British Columbian who participated in this election and voted. Your engagement in our democratic process is invaluable.
I accept the results of this election. I thank our Elections BC workers for their hard and dedicated work. While there are still judicial recounts to be completed, it’s now clear that our party will not win enough seats to form government in BC. I am ready to begin the important work of leading BC’s Official Opposition.
BC’s Conservative Caucus is committed to holding government accountable and advocating for policies that reflect the best interests of all British Columbians. Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that your voices are heard and that we build a stronger future for all of BC. Thank you to over 900,000 BC voters for your trust and support. I look forward to serving you, and all British Columbians. Together — we made history in British Columbia.”
This comes as political commentators across Canada speculate that the NDP engaged in voter fraud. At the time of writing, Toronto 99 has not been able to independently verify any of these claims.
While voter fraud does occur in Canada, and has occurred in previous elections in British Columbia, there is insufficient evidence the recent provincial election was rigged.
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