B.C. Conservative Amelia Boultbee quits caucus, leader Rustad questions her ‘health’

VICTORIA — Legislator Amelia Boultbee has quit the British Columbia Conservative caucus and is calling on leader John Rustad to resign, saying he told her to “get the F out.”

Boultbee is the fifth MLA to exit the caucus over differences with Rustad, who responded by saying he had concerns “with regards to Amelia’s health” and state of mind.

But the legislator for Penticton-Summerland said at a news conference on the steps of the legislature in Victoria on Monday that she was leaving because Rustad’s “failed leadership needs to end.”

“I believe he has massive credibility problems, and he is resorting to intimidation in order to prevent us from organizing against him,” she said, citing alleged wrongdoing in the recent leadership election process.

The results of a leadership review last month gave Rustad 70.6 per cent support among members who voted, but some party members have expressed concerns over the integrity of the process.

“If John was serious about caring more about the Conservative movement than his own ego, he should have gracefully resigned when the membership scandal emerged,” she said.

“That would have been appropriate. Instead, he has told us that he will cling to power by all means necessary.”

She said the NDP would remain in government as long as Rustad remained Opposition leader.

“I believe that a good leader could come from within the B.C. Conservative ranks, and that among the millions of people in the province, there has to be someone better than him.”

She described an encounter in which Rustad allegedly used an obscenity in an ultimatum to her and other critics of his leadership.

“He has invited me to ‘get the F out’ if I don’t like it, and I’ve taken him up on that offer. … He told this caucus to their face that he doesn’t respect them, and in my mind, that’s reason enough to leave.”

Rustad said soon after that it was “very unfortunate” that Boultbee had left the caucus, but he also questioned her health and state of mind.

“I see concerns, when she’s in tears,” he said. “Staff are telling me that she is very confused and … I had some concerns. I mean, she’s had some issues in the past and I tried to do everything I could to support her in whatever those issues may be,” he told reporters.

Rustad declined to offer specifics, saying only that Boultbee’s “very stressful” file as critic for children and family development created “some real challenges” in recent weeks.

“She was very uncomfortable with our position on parental rights and SOGI,” Rustad said, referring to sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum in schools.

Former Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko, who was kicked out of caucus last month, said on social media that Rustad was trying to “shame an elected official by making allegations about her mental health.”

“Rustad is unfit to lead,” said Sturko.

Shortly after Rustad’s comments, Conservative MLA Brennan Day posted on social media about the importance of mental health.

“To weaponize or trivialize someone’s health condition, mental or otherwise, is harmful to those who already face stigma in silence,” Day said, without mentioning Rustad or Boultbee.

He added leadership means “showing compassion and restraint, even when the spotlight is on.”

Boultbee said her exit was not connected to political positions.

But she and Conservative House Leader A’aliya Warbus were not present when caucus colleagues including Rustad voted for a bill that would have given parents the right to sue doctors up to 25 years after they provided care for transgender children. The bill — proposed by the OneBC party that is made up of two former Conservative MLAs — did not make it past first reading.

In May, Boultbee joined Sturko in condemning a reception by their party colleagues for the Association for Reformed Political Action, which says it wants a “biblical perspective” on policy that critics say is anti-gay.

Boultbee said Monday she would collaborate as an Independent with Sturko.

Sturko was kicked out of the Conservatives last month. She had previously crossed the floor from the BC Liberals to join the Conservatives last year, in a key pre-election defection that helped put momentum behind the party.

The Conservatives came close to power in last year’s vote, becoming the Official Opposition with 44 members in the legislature. Boultbee’s exit reduces their number to 39.

MLA Dallas Brodie was ejected in March after comments she made about residential school survivors. Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy defected not long after and Brodie and Armstrong later formed OneBC together.

Boultbee said Rustad had a “track record” when it came to women in the caucus, saying he had “kicked out, driven out, or fired” a series of them.

Last month, Rustad apologized to his caucus after discussing a female party member’s alleged romantic relationship at a meeting with legislators.

Four of the five MLAs that left or were kicked out of the caucus are women.

Rustad said he did not know “what to read into that, other than the fact that they have differences of opinion in terms of where they believe the direction this party should go.”

Rustad said he was very clear that Conservatives were “trying to build a large tent” based on conservative values. “Some people obviously don’t agree with some of those positions.”

He predicted that Boultbee would be the last MLA to leave the caucus, and that there would be fewer leaks to the media.

“So, I don’t believe there’s anybody else who is considering leaving our caucus, and with regards to the leaks, I am very hopeful and very optimistic that you guys will not be getting as much information as you have been.”

UBC political science lecturer Stewart Prest said Boultbee’s exit showed the party continued to struggle to hold itself together almost a year after the provincial election.

“We continue to see dissatisfaction with Mr. Rustad’s leadership of the party from both the more moderate and the more populist wings or factions of conservatism in this province,” Prest said.

“The fact that he is still looking to solidify his leadership suggests that his days as leader are numbered,” Prest said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2025.