Kerry-Lynne Findlay Resigns as BC Conservative Leader

Kerry-Lynne Findlay has resigned as leader of the BC Conservative Party amid internal infighting and more MLAs resigning from or being ousted from caucus.

“I will not allow an internal battle over my leadership to become a continuing distraction from the work British Columbians need a strong opposition to do,” Findlay said in a statement on Sept. 20.

Findlay said having been chosen as leader of the party was “one of the great honours” of her public life, and that she had hoped to spend her time travelling the province to listen to the concerns of British Columbians. But instead, she said, from the outset of winning the leadership race on May 30 her time has been “consumed by internal conflict.”

“Energy that should have been directed toward challenging the NDP, advancing our principles, and preparing to form government has instead been spent fighting among ourselves,” she said. “The battle for Conservatives should not be with Conservatives.”

She said that with the “benefit of hindsight,” she would have made some decisions differently, adding that she has “listened” and “reflected,” and takes responsibility for the decisions she has made. She added that while public life requires “thick skin,” attacks on “someone’s character and family” cross a line.

“I am a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. … My family lives with the consequences of decisions I made in public life,” she said. “Ant there comes a moment when leadership requires you to consider not simply whether you can continue a fight, but whether continuing that fights serves the people and the cause you entered public life to serve.”

Her resignation came on the same day that another MLA, Linda Hepner, left the B.C. Conservatives, becoming the 13th caucus member to leave since mid-August.

Findlay’s predecessor John Rustad also resigned as leader in December 2025 amid a caucus revolt.

Findlay, a former federal Conservative MP and cabinet minister in the Harper government, is still running in the Sept. 26 Abbotsford-Mission byelection in hopes of winning a seat in the provincial legislature.

Caucus Departures

Two days before Hepner’s departure from caucus, Rustad, former interim Leader Trevor Halford, and MLA Claire Rattée were ousted from the party. While the party didn’t publicly state the reason for their ouster, Rattée said that she had been one of the at least 10 MLAs signing a letter asking for Findlay to resign as leader.

The MLAs who quit the party had criticized Findlay’s leadership, saying they disagreed with the direction she was taking the party in and her leadership style. Several of the MLAs joined forces with MLA Peter Milobar, who also ran in the B.C. Conservative leadership race that Findlay won. Milobar resigned from caucus in August over conflicts with Findlay.

Milobar’s group merged with CentreBC on Sept. 18. The party was formerly led by former B.C. Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier, but Milobar has now taken over as leader. CentreBC currently has eight MLAs in the legislature.

B.C. Premier David Eby hasn’t yet said if he’ll be calling a general election soon, but said on Sept. 16 that he has told his caucus and Elections BC to be “election ready.”