Video shows Rustad saying he regrets getting 'so-called vaccine'

The NDP has shared a video ofB.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad saying he regrets getting the "so-called vaccine" against COVID-19.

The video shows Rustad directly addressing a camera and saying vaccine mandates were "not so much" about achieving herd immunity or stopping the spread of the disease as they were about "shaping opinion and control of the population."

The video, shared by the NDP on Day 3 ofBritishColumbia'sprovincial election campaign, is an edited version of longer footage posted online by theB.C. Public Service Employees for Freedom, a group of former workers, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, who believe vaccination mandates in workplaces violated medical privacy and human rights.

The group says the conversation with Rustad tookplaceon June 14 in an online meeting with its members.

WATCH | Excerpt from Rustad's conversation with B.C. Public Service Employees for Freedom shared by NDP:

John Rustad says he regrets taking 'so-called vaccine' for COVID-19 in clip surfaced by NDP

3 days ago

Duration 2:01

In video from July surfaced by the B.C. NDP, Conservative Party of B.C. Leader John Rustad discusses COVID-19 vaccine mandates with the group B.C. Public Service Employees for Freedom, saying he regretted getting the 'so-called vaccine.'

During an affordability policy announcement in Surrey on Monday, four reporters asked Rustadmultiple times about the video and his stance on the COVID-19 vaccination program.Rustadrepeatedly dodged thequestions, but said the previous inability of unvaccinated doctors and nurses to get their jobs back inB.C. was a "horrendous problem."

The governing NDP lifted the vaccine mandate for health workers in July.

NDP Leader David Eby said of the video that Rustad was "promoting the idea that vaccines don't work when in fact, the COVID vaccines saved so many lives in this province."

Eby said on the campaign trail in Burnaby on Monday that voters should be considering if they can support and trust a leader who bases his thoughts and decision-making on "internet conspiracies."

"These are not minor considerations," said Eby. "These are really important for British Columbians to know. He says one thing that he thinks is secret that won't get out and he says another thing in public. You can't trust John Rustad on health policy on what he says because he's always saying something different to different groups."

WATCH | Rustad responds to questions about video:

John Rustad questioned on COVID-19 vaccine stance

3 days ago

Duration 2:33

B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad was questioned on the campaign trail after the B.C. NDP surfaced video of him saying he regretted taking the 'so-called vaccine' for COVID-19.

Rustad told reporters on Mondayhe had not seen the video.

"I understand why the NDP has decided to talk about things like vaccines because they cannot defend their policies," he said.

"For me, the most important thing that we have going on inB.C. today is the fact that people are leaving this province because they can't afford to live here, and we need to be taking every step that we can to reduce those costs."

He announced his party would introduce a tax deduction of up to $3,000 per month in housing costs either rent or a mortgage dubbing it the "Rustad rebate."

Voters inB.C. go to the polls on Oct. 19.