Leader profile: John Rustad of the BC Conservative Party [Video]

John Rustad never aspired to be a politician.

In fact, he almost quit politics altogether.

But now he’s running for B.C.’s top job, leading his once-dormant party to a surge in popularity.

“Down time? What’s that?” asked Rustad, the leader of the Conservative Party of B.C.

“I only know one speed, which is just go and get things done,” he said.

Rustad, 61, was born and raised in Prince George.

“I spent most of my winters downhill skiing, both competitively as well as for fun,” he said.

That competitive instinct perhaps prepared him for the race he’s now in to become B.C.’s premier.

“Obviously, elections are competitive. It is the ultimate competition. People will vote and decide one over the other. But, to me, it’s about the ideas you present as opposed to necessarily that head-on-head stuff,” Rustad said in an interview with CTV News.