Five Former BC Conservative MLAs Form New Party

Five B.C. MLAs who recently left the provincial Conservatives say they have formed a new party that plans to sit as an official third party when the legislature resumes next month.

Former B.C. Conservatives Peter Milobar and Ian Paton said in a Sept. 4 release that fellow former Conservative MLAs Bruce Banman, Rosalyn Bird and A’a:liya Warbus have joined the yet-to-be-named party they are forming.

“We’re building on the momentum Peter and Ian have created over the last week and a half toward giving voters a stable, thoughtful alternative to the NDP,” Bird said in a Sept. 4 release.

“This party will be focused on the issues the NDP has neglected for far too long: the economy, healthcare, affordability, taxation and land rights,” she added.

Warbus said in the release that the new party is focused on defeating B.C. Premier David Eby in a future provincial election and “making sure voters have a strong alternative when that election comes.” Banman said the party will give British Columbians “options” and push for “common-sense policy.”

The party says it will hold an internal leadership vote before the legislature returns on Oct. 5, with Milobar serving as interim leader until a permanent leader is chosen.

BC Conservative Exodus

The formation of the new party follows a wave of MLA departures from the B.C. Conservatives since Kerry-Lynne Findlay became leader on May 30, after winning the leadership contest with 51 percent of the vote.

Milobar also ran unsuccessfully in the leadership race and was eliminated in the opening round of ballots with 10.5 percent of the vote.

Milobar left the Tories on Aug. 14, saying his “values don’t align” with the party’s direction, while Paton left Aug. 24, saying the party no longer aligned with his beliefs and was not pursuing the “responsible, common-sense government” and “broad coalition” he had hoped for.

Bird, who left the same day as Paton, criticized political infighting and division. MLAs Brennan Day and Teresa Wat departed Aug. 26, with Day citing a loss of confidence in Findlay’s leadership and Wat disputing what she called “serious and unfounded accusations” about her alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Bruce Banman left Aug. 28, saying the party’s direction was increasing the likelihood of an NDP victory, while Warbus departed Aug. 31, citing a “critical breakdown in communication” and a lack of confidence in Findlay. Scott McInnis and Donegal Wilson both announced they were leaving the party Sept. 2.

Findlay has said her party still has a “clear and unwavering” path forward and is focused on beating the B.C. NDP.

“Recent resignations from our caucus are a matter of public record. Our Party’s path is clear and unwavering: we will deliver hope, opportunity, and lasting prosperity to all British Columbians,” she said in an Aug. 25 statement.

In a Sept. 2 statement, Findlay also rejected recent unspecified allegations against her and her team as “baseless,” calling them a coordinated political attack intended to derail her Abbotsford-Mission byelection campaign.

The statement is an apparent reference to allegations that Findlay’s team had offered MLAs jobs or other benefits in exchange for resigning their seats so Findlay could enter the legislature, as well as allegations arising from leaked recordings involving Findlay and members of her staff.

“I categorically reject any suggestion that I engaged in illegal or unethical conduct,” Findlay said.

B.C. Legislature

Milobar, Paton, Bird, Banman and Warbus will sit together as a new party, while McInnis, Wilson, Day, and Wat will continue to sit as Independents.

The nine departures have left the Official Opposition B.C. Conservatives with 28 seats in the legislature, compared with 48 for the governing NDP. The Conservatives won 44 seats in the 2024 provincial election.

The legislature’s remaining seats include eight independents, two B.C. Greens, one OneBC MLA, and one vacant seat in Abbotsford-Mission following Reann Gasper’s resignation Aug. 22.

Gasper resigned to allow Findlay to seek the B.C. Conservative nomination in Abbotsford-Mission, with a byelection scheduled for Sept. 26. Findlay appointed Gasper as her chief of staff Sept. 2 after Chris Delaney resigned from the position.