Rustad’s motion for non-confidence vote against BC NDP fails

BC Conservative Leader John Rustad motioned unsuccessfully for a vote of non-confidence Wednesday.

The Opposition leader reportedly filed a motion in the provincial Legislature, aiming to end Premier David Eby and the governing party’s leadership and trigger a general election.

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says that’s something British Columbians don’t want.

“In a week when British Columbians expected their elected leaders to be united and focused on that threat, B.C. Conservative MLAs have voted to bring down the government and to defend Donald Trump,” said Kahlon in a statement.

In a vote that split along party lines, the motion was narrowly defeated, with every Conservative member voting ‘for’ while both BC Green Party representatives voted ‘against’ alongside BC NDP members.

Rustad’s motion was to amend the throne speech to declare that the legislature does not have confidence in the government.

The Opposition leader told reporters earlier in the day that he promised on election night that he would try to bring down the government at the earliest possible opportunity.

He says it was technically the earliest opportunity for the Conservative party to bring a confidence vote on the government.

Eby told reporters that it’s “bizarre” the Conservatives would introduce a non-confidence motion onto the throne speech, which in itself is a confidence motion, “in an attempt to drive to an election.”

The NDP holds 47 seats to the Opposition B.C. Conservatives’ 44 members, while the Green Party holds two seats and has agreed to support the New Democrats on motions of confidence.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to the BC NDP and BC Conservative parties for more information.