When BC United staged a news conference in Victoria last week, party officials turned up with a prop 香蕉视频直播� a literal tinfoil hat, emblazoned with a B.C. Conservative Party logo and the words 香蕉视频直播�5G Resistant Endorsed by John Rustad.香蕉视频直播�

On Tuesday, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon followed up by saying the B.C. Conservatives 香蕉视频直播渁re at risk of becoming a conspiracy party, not a Conservative party.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 not just the official Opposition taking aim at the political upstarts led by Rustad 香蕉视频直播� who was dumped from BC United when it was known as the BC Liberals 香蕉视频直播� ahead of the Oct. 19 provincial election.

Last week, Premier David Eby called on Rustad to explain 香蕉视频直播渉ow it is that consistently he is putting forward candidates that embrace and promote conspiracy theories.香蕉视频直播�

The B.C. Conservatives received less than two per cent of the popular vote in the 2020 provincial election, but now are challenging Eby香蕉视频直播檚 New Democrats to possibly form government, far eclipsing BC United in every recent poll.

But the party香蕉视频直播檚 expansion hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been smooth, with critics highlighting views shared by some of the party香蕉视频直播檚 slate of candidates. They have included likening 5G technology to 香蕉视频直播済enocide香蕉视频直播� and a 香蕉视频直播渨eapon,香蕉视频直播� and calling Pride participants 香蕉视频直播渄egenerates.香蕉视频直播�

Political observers anticipate more bumps as the party tries to catch up to its rapid surge in popularity.

Campaign strategist Allie Blades at Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 Mash Strategy, said she expects voters to look more at Rustad as a potential premier and political power broker than at the activity of individual candidates this fall.

香蕉视频直播淧eople are voting for the brand of the party and the leader,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淒o you think the leader can make a good premier? Do their (party) values align with mine?香蕉视频直播�

Blades, who worked with BC United on the party香蕉视频直播檚 rebranding from the BC Liberals, said the Conservatives may experience more 香蕉视频直播渉iccups香蕉视频直播� in the run-up to the election and during the campaign.

香蕉视频直播淏ut for the most part John Rustad香蕉视频直播檚 the one who has to stay on course with his key messages,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Prof. David Black, a political communications expert at Greater Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 Royal Roads University, said the speed at which the Conservatives bolted onto the political scene, coupled with the equally rapid decline of BC United, has become the political story of the past year in B.C.

香蕉视频直播淭he Conservatives have gone from being a hobby for a few disgruntled organizers who found the BC Liberals insufficiently conservative to a party that at the very least will form the official opposition and could at best form power, all in the space of a year and a half,香蕉视频直播� he said.

The B.C. Conservatives were not immediately available for comment, but Rustad has said previously he wants the party to be a 香蕉视频直播渂ig blue tent香蕉视频直播� and intends to field a full slate of 93 candidates.

香蕉视频直播淲e want to bring everybody together we can to defeat this NDP government in October,香蕉视频直播� he said.

One of the candidates helping fill that tent is Rachael Weber in the Prince George-Mackenzie constituency. Weber has previous shared social media content about the 香蕉视频直播�5G Genocide.香蕉视频直播�

In a 2021 Facebook post she voiced concerns about 香蕉视频直播渕icrochips,香蕉视频直播� cashless payments and the threat of 香蕉视频直播渢otal government dependency / control香蕉视频直播� by saying 香蕉视频直播渢he anti christ comes before the rapture.香蕉视频直播�

Eby香蕉视频直播檚 New Democrats last week called her 香蕉视频直播渓oopy香蕉视频直播� while BC United issued a series of news releases about her 香蕉视频直播渨hacky香蕉视频直播� remarks.

香蕉视频直播淚 think it would be helpful for Rustad to come out and explain why his candidates believe that cellphone towers cause COVID-19 and are genocidal weapons,香蕉视频直播� Eby said.

Eby also raised concerns about Bulkley Valley-Stikine candidate Sharon Hartwell who used social media to praise leaders of the 香蕉视频直播淔reedom Convoy香蕉视频直播� movement, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who are on trial in Ottawa, accused of mischief, intimidation and counselling others to break the law. Hartwell called them 香蕉视频直播渁n inspiration.香蕉视频直播�

Among other current and former Conservative candidates raising BC United concerns 香蕉视频直播� Paul Ratchford in Vancouver-Point Grey who previously called legislator Elenore Sturko (now a star recruit for the Conservatives) a 香蕉视频直播渨oke lesbian香蕉视频直播�; Stephen Malthouse, a suspended doctor who was removed as a candidate in Ladysmith-Oceanside after repeatedly saying COVID-19 vaccines were more dangerous than the illness; and Damon Scrase who dropped out as Courtenay-Comox candidate after the emergence of deleted posts in which he called some Pride parade participants 香蕉视频直播渄egenerates.香蕉视频直播�

Veteran B.C. United MLA Mike Bernier, who represents the deeply Conservative Peace River South riding in the Dawson Creek area, said Rustad香蕉视频直播檚 concept of a big tent appears to be an open door to people with extremist views.

香蕉视频直播淩ustad香蕉视频直播檚 idea of a big tent party is, 香蕉视频直播業 don香蕉视频直播檛 care if you have crazy conspiracy theories where you think the earth is flat or 5G is part of the antichrist and some of those weird things we香蕉视频直播檝e been hearing,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� Bernier said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淛ohn香蕉视频直播檚 idea is I香蕉视频直播檒l let people have crazy ideas. That香蕉视频直播檚 his idea of a big tent.香蕉视频直播�