Timeline: Nine B.C. Conservative MLAs leave caucus in three weeks

The B.C. Conservatives have been in turmoil since former finance critic Peter Milobar quit the official Opposition caucus three weeks ago. Nine legislators have since left, citing differences with Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay over strategy, ideology and leadership.

Aug. 14: Milobar, the Kamloops Centre MLA, quits the caucus, citing a lack of “ideological alignment” with Findlay. The former leadership contender and Opposition finance critic had clashed with Findlay after she accused him of a conflict of interest because his Indigenous wife had held paid positions with the local Indigenous band.

Aug. 22: Abbotsford-Mission MLA Reann Gasper resigns her seat to allow Findlay to run in a byelection and is appointed Findlay’s deputy chief of staff. Aug. 24: Delta South MLA Ian Paton leaves the party, saying its direction under Findlay no longer matches his beliefs and that he intends to form a new party with Milobar. Milobar says they could be a party of two, while suggesting more defections could follow.

Aug. 25: Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird quits to sit as an Independent, warning of divisive leadership. She says legislators should be able to reject racism, antisemitism, homophobia and hatred while having difficult discussions about immigration, Indigenous reconciliation, addiction, crime, gender, religion and other matters on which reasonable people sometimes disagree.

Aug. 26: Richmond-Bridgeport MLA Teresa Wat leaves to sit as an Independent. She says Findlay reneged on a promise to apologize for reportedly making serious and unfounded accusations about Wat, including calling her “CCP,” a reference to the Chinese Communist Party. Findlay calls Wat’s departure a betrayal of the volunteers, campaign workers and voters who helped elect her. That day, Courtenay-Comox MLA Brennan Day also quits, saying he has lost confidence in the judgment, conduct and ethical standards of Findlay’s leadership and those around her.

Aug. 27: Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman quits and urges other Conservatives to join him regardless of political affiliation. He says many people have told him Findlay is unelectable and that an NDP victory is becoming more likely under her leadership.

Aug. 28: Findlay calls “preposterous” suggestions that a recording shows she illegally offered jobs to legislators in exchange for resigning their seats to let her seek a byelection. Police say they are aware of the purported recording, released on social media, of Findlay speaking to Conservative legislators. Findlay later announces a caucus meeting and news conference for Aug. 31.

Aug. 29: Premier David Eby calls an Abbotsford-Mission byelection for Sept. 26. Aug. 30: Findlay cancels the caucus meeting and news conference. Aug. 31: Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA A’a: Liya Warbus quits the caucus, citing lost faith in Findlay’s leadership, the cancellation and the circumstances around Gasper’s resignation.

Sept. 1: Paton says he has been asked to speak with the RCMP and expects questions about his allegation that Findlay’s chief of staff, Chris Delaney, said he could receive an adviser position at the same salary if he stepped down for Findlay to run in a byelection.

Sept. 2: Donegal Wilson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, and Scott McInnis, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, leave caucus. Both cite Findlay’s reported connections to Alberta separatists among their concerns. Their departures reduce the Conservative caucus to 28 members, from 44 after the 2024 election. Findlay announces Delaney has resigned as chief of staff and that Gasper will replace him, while saying she is the target of a “co-ordinated political attack.”

Sept. 4: Bird, Banman and A’a:liya Warbus say in a joint statement that they will join the as-yet-unnamed party being formed by Milobar and Paton.