BC Conservative Leader John Rustad on Friday said in a post on X that it was a victory for democracy as Premier David Eby signaled a retreat from “the most egregious overreaches” in the NDP’s Bill 7.
However, he said he remains vigilant and his party continues to oppose Bill 7, “emphasizing that the fight for British Columbians’ rights is far from over.”
Rustad said: “David Eby’s attempt to grant himself sweeping, unchecked powers was an affront to our democratic principles. While his concession today is a victory for the rights and freedoms of British Columbians — we still cannot allow Bill 7 to become law, as it contains overreaches on new forms of taxation and unchecked collection of personal information.”
He added: “It is telling that no other provincial government has attempted to use the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the U.S. to undermine democratic norms, override the provincial legislature, and seize emergency war-time powers.”
Rustad said: “Days prior to the introduction of the NDP’s Bill 7 — I introduced Bill M203, the Free Trade and Mobility Within Canada Act, in order to allow for free trade within Canada. Bill M203 is based closely on successful legislation already introduced in Nova Scotia and Ontario, in order to improve interprovincial trade and build BC’s economy. Clearly, Conservatives have [to] lead the charge to take down trade barriers.”
He underscored that the continued push by BC’s NDP for Bill 7 “still represents a dangerous centralization of power, threatening democracy and privacy rights.”
Rustad said: “Bill 7 cannot stand. No Provincial government should be able to introduce sweeping new forms of taxation without consulting the provincial legislature. Moreover, no government should be forcibly collecting the private and personal information of individuals for indiscriminate use by government.”
He voiced strong opposition specifically to proposed new taxes in Bill 7, citing significant concerns over the collection and potential misuse of personal data.
Rustad said: “Implementing legislation that allows for indiscriminate gathering of personal information from British Columbians is a dangerous precedent. Our citizens’ privacy should never be the collateral damage of policy-making. This is a potentially open-ended tax grab and an infringement on privacy rights disguised as regulation.”
Rustad said that in light of ongoing trade disputes and the need for a robust economic strategy, he was calling upon the NDP government to support the Free Trade and Mobility Within Canada Act (Bill M203) he introduced that aimed at eliminating interprovincial trade barriers.
Rustad said: “Instead of power grabs and invasive policies, let’s focus on uniting our province and our nation. Bill M203 breaks down trade barriers between provinces, strengthening our position both domestically and internationally — it’s the right thing to do.”
He asserted: “The Conservative Party will continue to champion policies that respect individual liberties, promote economic prosperity, and safeguard our democratic institutions. We invite all British Columbians to join us in this fight for the future of our province and country.”
