Just hours after announcing that BC United-Liberals would be suspending its campaign, Kevin Falcon and John Rustad held a joint press conference explaining that they had buried the hatchet, and were committed to working together to defeat David Eby and the BC NDP.The now-former BC United-Liberals leader and his Conservative counterpart praised one another for being able to rise above their personal disagreements to put the interests of British Columbians first..Falcon began by highlighting his long track record of fighting for the centre-right against left-wing radicalism, noting that it recently became clear to him that if he did not join forces with Rustad, Eby would likely get another four years in power..He explained that the meeting with Rustad lasted "many many hours," but that through it all, "there was a graciousness on both sides and a willingness to say, 'let's park a lot of our own disagreements, etcetera and think about what's in the best interest of the broader population of British Columbia'.".Rustad praised Falcon for "stepping up to the plate," saying he had "shown some real leadership" by stepping down to ensure the best chance of defeating Eby and the NDP..The Conservative leader invited everybody, regardless of party affiliation, to join the Conservative movement, suggesting, "It's not about being Conservative, or Liberal, or NDP, or Green ... It's just standing for what's right, fighting for the average everyday person, and bringing common sense change back to British Columbia.".When asked about comments he'd made in the past about Rustad and some of the Conservative candidates, Falcon said that putting the best people forward was one of the things they had discussed. "John acknowledged that their vetting process isn't quite as rigorous as ours is," he noted, "but there's a commitment to work together to make sure that the BC Conservative Party fields the best possible candidates, and I think that's the right way to move forward."Both Falcon and Rustad noted that the process to confirm candidates, including those crossing over from BC United-Liberals, was underway, and would be completed "as soon as possible."
Just hours after announcing that BC United-Liberals would be suspending its campaign, Kevin Falcon and John Rustad held a joint press conference explaining that they had buried the hatchet, and were committed to working together to defeat David Eby and the BC NDP.The now-former BC United-Liberals leader and his Conservative counterpart praised one another for being able to rise above their personal disagreements to put the interests of British Columbians first..Falcon began by highlighting his long track record of fighting for the centre-right against left-wing radicalism, noting that it recently became clear to him that if he did not join forces with Rustad, Eby would likely get another four years in power..He explained that the meeting with Rustad lasted "many many hours," but that through it all, "there was a graciousness on both sides and a willingness to say, 'let's park a lot of our own disagreements, etcetera and think about what's in the best interest of the broader population of British Columbia'.".Rustad praised Falcon for "stepping up to the plate," saying he had "shown some real leadership" by stepping down to ensure the best chance of defeating Eby and the NDP..The Conservative leader invited everybody, regardless of party affiliation, to join the Conservative movement, suggesting, "It's not about being Conservative, or Liberal, or NDP, or Green ... It's just standing for what's right, fighting for the average everyday person, and bringing common sense change back to British Columbia.".When asked about comments he'd made in the past about Rustad and some of the Conservative candidates, Falcon said that putting the best people forward was one of the things they had discussed. "John acknowledged that their vetting process isn't quite as rigorous as ours is," he noted, "but there's a commitment to work together to make sure that the BC Conservative Party fields the best possible candidates, and I think that's the right way to move forward."Both Falcon and Rustad noted that the process to confirm candidates, including those crossing over from BC United-Liberals, was underway, and would be completed "as soon as possible."
