Interim B.C. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson says he and the party are united and ready for an Oct. 24 snap election after taking over from Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
The Story
Interim leader Lorne Doerkson, who replaced Kerry-Lynne Findlay on Sunday, says the British Columbia Conservatives are “united” and prepared to campaign following what he characterized as the disruptive final weeks of Findlay’s leadership.
Doerkson’s comments came after NDP Leader David Eby called a snap election for Tuesday, with Eby saying the vote is necessary due to what he described as an existential threat from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda and because it is appropriate to ask British Columbians for their direction partway through the government’s mandate.
The interim Conservative leader framed the decision as a political gamble, arguing Eby’s call is a “cynical snap election” that will cost tens of millions of dollars while offering an opportunity for voters to consider change.
On the Conservatives’ position toward Trump, Doerkson said the party has been weak and argued that would-be opposition is not simply reacting to threats but rather helping to “fan the flames” of Trump’s warnings.
Doerkson also said he has been working to reunite the party’s caucus, welcoming back roughly a dozen legislators who either quit the Conservative caucus or were removed during Findlay’s tenure.
Among the returning lawmakers, the developments include legislators who had briefly joined CentreBC under Peter Milobar’s leadership, with Milobar saying they are now coming back together as a party he described as holding progressive ideas alongside conservative values.
At the same time, the Conservatives will enter the campaign without former Surrey mayor Linda Hepner, who announced Tuesday she will not seek re-election in the Surrey–Serpentine River riding.
The snap election also follows statements from three NDP cabinet ministers that they will not run again, including Health Minister Ravi Kahlon, Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene, and Agriculture Minister Lana Popham.
With the election date set for Oct. 24, Doerkson’s effort to present a consolidated Conservative organization—paired with the party’s attempt to rebuild support after internal departures—will be central to how the B.C. Conservatives aim to define themselves in contrast to the NDP’s rationale for calling an early vote.
← More stories