BC Liberals remove Nechako Lakes MLA from caucus over climate change opinions; John Rustad to now sit as an Independent in the Legislature

Get the MLA the rewrite department, for now, MLA John Rustad
won't be recognized as a BC Liberal following controversial
climate change comments this week

Some off season drama from the BC Liberals today as Opposition leader Kevin Falcon took the unusual step of booting out a long serving MLA from the Liberal caucus. 

The move coming after Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad  made a number of controversial social media messages that were not on message with the BC Liberals view of climate change.

Mr. Rustad's commentary was something that caught the eye of two Northwest NDP MLA's who weighed in over the last twenty four hours on the topic. With both Stikine MLA Nathan Cullen and North Coast MLA Jennifer Speaking to the Nechako Lakes MLA's perspective on climate change.

As for the BC Liberal leader, Mr. Falcon announced the dismissal of Mr. Rustad with a statement on Thursday afternoon.

The tone one that focused heavily on themes of being a team player, which it appears was not a trait that the Nechako Lakes MLA had offered up to his leader in recent days.

For now and perhaps until a rapprochement prior to the next election call, Mr. Rustad will sit as an Independent in the Legislature.

So far, the now Independent MLA has remained silent on the controversy, with no dispatches through his social media streams in the last day.

John Rustad Facebook

John Rustad Twitter

Todd Stone was tapped by Falcon to take on the duties of forestry critic for now.

More notes on the Legislature can be reviewed from our archive page.

Further items of interest on the provincial political scene can be explored through our political blog D'Arcy McGee and our Victoria Viewpoints archive.

Update:  Thursday evening Mr. Rustad issued the following statement through his social media feed.