Overview
- On Friday five former Conservative MLAs — Peter Milobar, Ian Paton, Rosalyn Bird, Bruce Banman and Áʼa:líya Warbus — announced they have joined to form a yet‑to‑be‑named provincial party with Milobar as interim leader.
- The group says it will hold an internal leadership vote before the legislature resumes on Oct. 5 and plans to register with Elections BC to sit as the official third party with its five seats.
- Ian Paton has said he was asked to speak to the RCMP about allegations that Conservative staff offered jobs to induce resignations, and police contact on that matter is an ongoing development.
- Kerry‑Lynne Findlay remains leader of the B.C. Conservative Party and will contest the Sept. 26 Abbotsford‑Mission by‑election, a race that could test whether centre‑right voters coalesce or split their support.
- The defections follow nine recent departures from the Conservative caucus and deepen a split in the province’s centre‑right that could advantage the governing NDP and reshape candidate choices for voters.