Rustad’s message gains traction with B.C. business leaders

As BC Conservative Party Leader John Rustad continues to address business leaders across the province, he got a boost from two local business leaders in the Greater Victoria following her recent speech there.

Al Hasham, former president of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and longtime owner of major logistics and furniture companies, said Wednesday he liked what he heard from Rustad.

“I think it was a lot of positivity,” Hasham said. “It would be refreshing to have a change, a change towards a positive government that works with the population and with businesses.”

Hasham’s comments come nearly two weeks after he was in the audience hearing from BC United leader Kevin Falcon.

“I feel like when I look around and in the crowd, it’s a very different crowd and a very supportive crowd,” Hasham said.

John Wilson, director of Wilson’s Group of Companies, also praised Rustad’s performance.

“I thought he was very good,” Wilson said. “His common sense solutions…could prove beneficial to BC in the future. I certainly like his answer about getting together with (Falcon) and BC United if there is some sort of share of votes and that they could take the government I think that’s good to hear.”

Wilson acknowledged that Falcon also said BC United would work with the Conservatives, but also admitted a difference in reception between the two speakers.

“In general, John has a little less of a political spin on things,” Wilson said. “I like Kevin, he’s a great speaker and all that. But I think John gets to the point (with) common sense solutions. You may not agree with… all of them his ideas, but most of them are certainly common sense.”

Rustad’s remarks covered a range of issues and included promises of “aggressive” tax cuts and expediting project permitting where only one permit would be needed for any project. Rustad also promised to improve public safety, a major concern for many business owners, by rolling back decriminalization and safe supply, while investing in drug treatment.

Rustad’s appearance before the house was also accompanied by a note of skepticism about his party’s stance on social issues. Rustad was asked what he meant when he recently called The Globe and Mail to request a review of textbooks and literature to ensure they were “neutral” and whether this requirement amounted to censorship.

He responded by saying that some textbooks go beyond teaching the fundamentals. For example, the language used to teach mathematics is about environmentalism.

“Should we teach our children mathematics or should we teach our children the social and environmental issues associated with it,” he said. “That’s what I mean by… information used for a different purpose. It’s not just about educating our children.”

Rustad also deplored the presence of what he considers to be pornographic images in school textbooks.

“From my perspective, what we make available to our children should be aimed at teaching them how to think, not what to think,” Rustad said.

He later acknowledged that people who disagree with him are free to do so.

Hasham also acknowledged some concerns about the lack of detail on Conservative party policy in some areas, but also expressed confidence that this would fill those gaps.

“What we know now is that the status quo is not working, we need to make a change,” Wilson added.

Rustad was scheduled to speak before the Vancouver Board of Trade on Thursday (June 20) at 4 p.m., about 24 hours after speaking at the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.