Independent West Kelowna candidate was 'fully expecting tap on the shoulders' from John Rustad

Independent candidate Stephen Johnston has said he was “fully expecting to get a tap on the shoulders” from John Rustad after the collapse of BC United in August.

Johnston, who has been a West Kelowna councillor for more than six years, was selected by BC United to run in the West Kelowna–Peachland riding in February.

But after being “blindsided” by Kevin Falcon’s decision to suspend the party’s campaign, Johnston made it clear he would happily join the BC Conservatives.

Johnston previously told KelownaNow that Rustad asked him to make the move to the Conservatives in August, while he was still with BC United, and replace Alexandra Wright in the Kelowna–Mission riding.

He declined that offer, however, and Rustad has not been in touch again.

Now, after joining other spurned candidates to announce an independent run in the Okanagan, Johnston is not too impressed with the Conservatives’ leader.

“The sentiment out there when I'm at doors or just, you know, even looking at polls from this week, [is that] the Conservatives haven't pulled ahead of the NDP as a result of this capitulation by Kevin Falcon,” he told NowMedia video host Jim Csek on Tuesday.

“Which is actually surprising. Well, it's not surprising to me, because John didn't do what he said he was going to do, which is build the strongest team.”

Rustad, he said, was “handed the golden goose on the silver platter” in the form of “high calibre” candidates such as Dr. Michael Humer and Ashley Ramsay, but didn’t take advantage of the windfall.

Speaking to NowMedia last week, Research Co.’s president, Mario Canseco, said some of the independent candidates running in the election “could enable the NDP to win” in ridings they wouldn’t usually expect to take.

But Johnston said there is a “unique opportunity for independents” since the province could be set for a minority government.

In that scenario, he added, “high quality independents, if we get enough of them elected, may actually hold the balance of power.”

“It could be, actually, the weight an independent could hold could be significant, which is wonderful news for the riding,” he said.

In his 30-minute interview, Johnston also discussed:

• The riding’s biggest problems, including housing and health

• The need to reduce forest density and to diversify fire management

• How the NDP has “run the province into ground,” but still has some good ideas, including $10-a-day childcare and removing the need for doctor’s sick notes for short-term absences

• That BC should “just get rid of” the carbon tax and “have Justin come collect it” instead

• That people in BC are “surviving” when they should be “thriving”

• The importance of replacing “aging” infrastructure on the Westside

• The need to give municipalities greater control over housing

To watch the full interview, head here.