Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

RUSTAD: When courts overstep and undermine those democratic decisions, the notwithstanding clause is a legitimate tool to restore balance and accountability


John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, is speaking out in support of the right of provinces to use the notwithstanding clause when necessary to ensure that elected legislatures, not unelected judges, make key public policy decisions.

“British Columbians expect the laws passed by their elected representatives to reflect their values and priorities,” said Rustad. 

“When courts overstep and undermine those democratic decisions, the notwithstanding clause is a legitimate tool to restore balance and accountability. Policy choices should be made by those accountable to voters, not by unelected, unaccountable judges.”

Rustad emphasized that the clause is an essential safeguard in Canada’s Constitution, designed to protect provincial legislatures and the democratic process.

“The Liberals want to paint the notwithstanding clause as extreme, but the reality is simple: it was built into our system for a reason,” Rustad continued. 

“We will always defend the right of provincial governments to use it responsibly when the will of the people is at stake.”

Rustad pointed to growing concern across Canada that judicial activism is undermining the authority of legislatures. He underscored that Conservatives believe the people of British Columbia, through their elected representatives,  must have the final say on laws that impact their lives.

“Democracy means accountability,” Rustad concluded. “The notwithstanding clause is one of the tools that ensures it.”

Rustad also noted that Premier David Eby has remained silent on this constitutional crisis. 

“British Columbians deserve leadership from their Premier when the balance of power between legislatures and the courts is at stake,” said Rustad. 

“By refusing to weigh in, Mr. Eby is failing to stand up for the democratic rights of this province.”  

Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM

    The clause is a functional part of our Constitution so it should not be disparaged. Funny why it needs to be defended. Ahhh .. lefties don’t like accountability.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FORSETH -- Given the noted infractions of this agreement with OneBC leader Dallas Brodie, I request the Party immediate suspend the leadership campaign of Yuri Fulmer

I have personally emailed the following to the Board and Administration of the Conservative Party of BC:   TODAY (03/30) Yuri Fulmer, a candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of BC, made a pact with ONEBC leader Dallas Broldie, that if he is elected will commit the Conservative Party to the following. Specifically, the pact states : This Memorandum of Understanding outlines the definitive electoral and governing alliance that will be executed upon Yuri Fulmer’s election as Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia OneBC Party commits to not nominating or authorizing candidates in 88 of British Columbia’s 93 electoral districts. In exchange, the Conservative Party of BC, under the leadership of Yuri Fulmer, commits to not nominating or authorizing candidates in five (5) specific electoral districts . OneBC will be the sole standard-bearer for the right in those five districts. The specific ridings will be determined through mutual negotiation and fin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Delays to the replacement of the Red Bridge? Kamloops North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer says they are, “Totally Unacceptable.”

I think it’s totally unacceptable that on one hand the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) is saying they’re going to be responsible for putting together multiple replacement options with public engagement, and then in the same breath they're saying, ‘Oh, and by the way, we're going to start our geotechnical environmental and archaeological site assessments on both sides of the river, possibly beginning this summer.’ According to Stamer, that should already have been done. “Obviously, we're pretty sure it will be in the same location because there's really no other place to put it. So, if you're going to put in a bridge, you think that at least you'd be doing the archaeological assessments first off”, stated Stamer.   “If it's determined it has to be a free-span bridge, and it can't have anything or very minimal impact in the riverbed, they should already be determining that. It would help in the design, wouldn't it?” Stamer indicated...
Post a Comment
Read more

Your government has a gambling problem (Troy Media)

Provinces call it “revenue,” but it looks a lot like exploitation of the marginalized The odds of winning Lotto Max are about 1 in 33 million. You’re statistically more likely to be struck by lightning than to win it. But your government is betting that statistics won’t hold you back; they’re counting on it. Across Canada, provincial governments not only regulate gambling, they also maintain a monopoly on lottery and gaming by owning and operating the entire legal market. That means every scratch card is government-issued, gambling odds are government-set, casino ads are government-funded and lottery billboards are government-paid. And these are not incidental government activities. They generate significant revenues that governments have powerful incentives to expand, not constrain. It would be one thing for our governments to encourage us to engage in healthy activities. We can quibble about whether the government should be trying to convince us to be more active or eat more vegetabl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more