B.C. Legislature set to return with NDP facing big questions and Conservatives facing themselves

As MLAs prepare to return to the legislature, it appears B.C.’s rival parties will both be arriving in Victoria with plenty of political baggage.

The governing NDP is grappling with an escalating strike involving the province’s biggest public-sector union, a projected $11.6 billion budget deficit, and caucus tension over temporary foreign workers.

But it’s not just Premier David Eby’s party bracing for heat.

All eyes will also be on the Conservatives, after a summer that nearly tore the party apart.

Leader John Rustad and his caucus limped through weeks of bad headlines: rumours of infighting, a fake membership scandal, a rocky leadership review, and, most recently, the ousting of Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Elenore Sturko and the firing of staffer Lindsay Shepherd over controversial comments about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Rustad, however, insists it’s all part of building a stronger team.

“It’s unfortunate that we have lost some MLAs… but at the same time, I’m confident we have a team that we are building that will be able to challenge David Eby whenever that next election may come,” Rustad told OMNI in a one-on-one interview Friday.

The Prince George native also pushed back on criticism that he’s caving to “cancel culture” by ejecting staff and MLAs tied to residential school denialism.

Rustad says Orange Shirt Day should be about honouring survivors, not politics.

“Unfortunately, it’s been hijacked. It’s been hijacked by the NDP and David Eby. It was hijacked by the federal government in relation to the anomalies that were found at the Kamloops school.”

At the same time, Rustad wants to send a clear message to voters.

“We need to present to British Columbians that we are government-in-waiting, that we have good policies and approaches that are going to make a difference in people’s lives.”

“And if there are individuals that have a different perspective, that believe their individual issues, whatever it may be, take priority, then they’re not going to be part of our organization.”

The fall legislative session begins Monday.