BC Political Discussion: Election 2020 and Beyond

[whatnext]

Wait, wut?! I really doubt either Falcon or Rustad would swallow their egos and go along with this.

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West considering leading merged BC United-Conservative party
By Richard Zussman Global News
Posted May 15, 2024

Political winds of change are starting to blow and they are coming from the West.

Sources tell Global News that business leaders and political organizers have approached Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West about leading a potentially merged free-enterprise coalition party.

According to those sources, West is considering the option but it would require both current BC United Leader Kevin Falcon and Conservative Party of BC leader John Rustad to step down from their respective parties.

“(West) has hitched his brand on being a little bit populist, a little bit common sense. He has cast himself as an alternative to the NDP,” UBC political scientist Gerald Baier said.

“He’s young, he’s photogenic, all the things that make a leader successful in provincial politics. He does not have a reputation of being strident one direction or another.”...

... When asked broadly about merger talks on Tuesday, Falcon said his party is running 93 candidates in the next election. But he did acknowledge he would consider making some sort of deal if it meant defeating the BC NDP.

“What I care about is putting the interests of the province well ahead of my own interests and I will always do the right thing for free enterprise,” Falcon said.

“We have more in common than divides us, but we call all agree there must be a better government than the NDP for B.C.”...

https://globalnews.ca/news/10498519/...vative-merger/