Debate between Kevin Falcon and John Rustad in British Columbia heats up
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Published May 24, 2024 • Last updated 11 minutes ago • 3 minute read
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VICTORIA — A proposed deal to avoid vote splitting between British Columbia’s two right-of-centre parties in the fall election has fallen apart with their leaders blaming each other and trading scathing personal remarks.
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon said in a statement Friday the talks ended with B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad ultimately deciding against a proposed “non-competition” agreement.
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Falcon blamed Rustad for prioritizing “his own ambition” while Rustad said in a statement that Falcon was “irrational and unreasonable and prepared to lie.”
Rustad added in an interview that BC United’s proposal was “completely unacceptable.”
Falcon said there were talks between two representatives of each party this month, most recently on Wednesday, and BC United proposed the non-competition framework.
He said the proposal included that the parties would not run candidates against each other’s members who were seeking re-election, and the BC Conservatives would run in 47 seats and BC United in 46.
“Despite the common ground achieved during these meetings, last night John Rustad decided to reject a reasonable offer aimed at preventing a vote split, risking another four years of (Premier David) Eby’s NDP government that will further jeopardize the well-being of this province,” Falcon’s statement on Friday said.