Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigns as BC Conservative leader amid party turmoil | Daily Hive

Kerry-Lynne Findlay. (Kerry-Lynne Findlay)

Kerry-Lynne Findlay has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, saying the battle over her leadership has prevented the party from focusing on the problems facing the province.

In a statement released Sunday, Sept. 20, Findlay announced her departure was effective immediately. She will remain the party’s candidate in the byelection on Sept. 26 for the riding of Abbotsford-Mission, which was a seat vacated by MLA Reann Gasper about a month ago to provide a path for Findlay to enter the B.C. legislature.

Findlay was the leader of the party for just under four months, following a highly contested leadership race that saw her narrowly defeat Caroline Elliott.

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“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,” she wrote today.

Her resignation comes amid mounting caucus departures, declining support in opinion polls, and the prospect of Premier David Eby calling an early provincial election while the BC Conservatives struggle with internal divisions. Eby has also faced significant criticism from municipal leaders over concerns that a snap election would overlap with municipal campaigns ahead of the Oct. 17 civic vote, potentially overshadowing municipal issues and disrupting those races across B.C.

Just days before resigning, Findlay had told the Union of BC Municipalities convention in her speech that she intended to remain as party leader.

The party’s turmoil escalated on Friday, when Findlay announced the removal of Trevor Halford, Claire Rattee, and John Rustad from the Conservative caucus. In that announcement, she said the party needed to concentrate on preparing for a possible election and defeating the NDP.

Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner also reportedly quit caucus earlier today, hours before Findlay’s resignation announcement, citing the latest expulsions.

In her resignation statement, Findlay said she had wanted to use her first months as leader to meet voters and build support across B.C. Instead, disputes within the party had taken attention away from challenging Eby’s BC NDP-led government and developing an alternative.

“Instead, from the outset, too much of our time and attention has been consumed by internal conflict,” she wrote.

The party has also lost the polling advantage it held before Findlay became leader. An Angus Reid Institute survey released in early May gave the BC Conservatives a 10 per cent lead over the BC NDP. Its most recent survey this month put the BC NDP at 41 per cent support, ahead of the BC Conservatives at 37 per cent.

That shift has occurred despite considerable dissatisfaction with Eby’s BC NDP. The latest survey found 47 per cent of respondents thought the BC NDP was doing a poor job governing, compared with 39 per cent who gave it a positive assessment. Eby’s approval stood at 41 per cent, although that was an improvement from 31 per cent a quarter earlier.

The BC Conservatives have accused Eby of trying to catch them unprepared with a potential snap election.

Findlay acknowledged in her resignation statement that she had made decisions she now regrets, but did not identify particular examples.

“I have made decisions I would make differently with the benefit of hindsight. I have listened. I have reflected. And I take responsibility for the decisions that were mine to make,” wrote Findlay.

Findlay described the personal consequences of the conflict, saying her children and grandchildren see what is written and said, and that her family bears the effects of her political decisions.

She said she had reached the point where continuing the leadership fight would no longer serve the people she entered politics to represent.

“But attacks on someone’s character and family, and threats directed toward them, cross a line that should concern all of us, regardless of our politics,” she wrote.

She urged the BC Conservatives to work together and give her successor a chance to rebuild the party. It remains unclear who will serve as interim leader or how a permanent successor will be chosen.

“And whoever leads this Party next deserves the opportunity, the time, and the support to succeed,” she added.

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