On the heels of the resignation of another BC Conservative MLA, Kerry-Lynne Findlay says she’s resigning as leader of the party.
Findlay made the announcement on X at about 1:30 p.m. local time, saying it was “not an easy decision” but called it the “right one” for the province.
“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 wrote.
Her resignation comes just hours after Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner said she was resigning from caucus.
Hepner told Global News in an interview that it was the removal of John Rustad, Trevor Halford and Claire Rattee from caucus on Friday that prompted her to leave.
“I was just confounded on why making all of those three leave was ever a good strategic decision,” she said. “At that point, I decided enough is enough.”
Hepner is the 13th MLA to leave the party either voluntarily or after being ousted by the party leadership.
Hepner’s departure reduces the party caucus to 25 and comes as talk ramps up that Premier David Eby may call a snap election as soon as this week.
In own resignation letter, Findlay said she had wanted to travel the province and meet with residents to make the case for what a “strong, united” Conservative movement could do.
“Instead, from the outset, too much of our time and attention has been consumed by internal conflict,” she said.
Findlay also addressed decisions made in recent months, saying leadership requires accountability.
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“I have made decisions I would make differently with the benefit of hindsight,” she said. “I have listened. I have reflected. And I take responsibility for the decisions that were mine to make.”
Though nothing has been announced, there are expectations a snap election could be called as early as this coming week.
But with the BC Conservatives without a leader, Findlay stressed the party “needs a reset.”
She also added that she would remain the candidate for the party in the upcoming Abbotsford-Mission by-election and would work to earn the confidence of its residents.
The party has faced ongoing difficulties in recent months, including the departure of multiple MLAs, with each citing Findlay’s leadership as a key reason for leaving.
Peter Milobar was one of the first, and has since become the new leader of the CentreBC party, joined by several of the MLAs who left the Conservatives.
Milobar and several of the MLAs who had also left the party in recent weeks had spoken about creating a new party, but decided instead to join CentreBC along with Elenore Sturko, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus last year.
The party is now the third largest in the legislature, with eight MLAs. Milobar says its focus is around crime and safety in B.C. streets, health care, and the economy.
Following Findlay’s resignation, CentreBC said in a post on X its message remained the same and was working to be election-ready should a snap election be called.
“We will put forward a serious, stable option in the next election to defeat the disastrous NDP government,” the party’s X account said.
Claire Rattee said Sunday in a statement that she plans to run for re-election under the BC Conservatives banner when the next election is called.
As she was removed from caucus, however, it is likely she would need to be formally invited back into caucus to run for the party.
She went on to say Premier David Eby considering a snap election was being done to “capitalize on internal turmoil” in the party.
“That opportunity has passed,” Rattee wrote. “Today’s leadership change gives our MLAs the opportunity to come together, chart a clear path forward and build a unified, credible government-in-waiting capable of defeating David Eby.”
A date for a snap election has not been announced, but a recent flurry of funding announcements by the provincial government have signalled the possibility an election on the horizon even as municipal election campaigns have begun to kick off.
Elections BC also recently put out a document outlining dates of advance voting and election day if a vote were to be called in the coming weeks. It says that if an election is called by this Tuesday, British Columbians would head to the polls Oct. 24, while an election called between Sept. 23 to 29 would result in election day to take place on Halloween.
The current scheduled date for the next provincial election is Oct. 21, 2028.
—with files from Global News’ Amy Judd
JV JV JV JV JV wahhhhh. Did I mention JV?
Findlay running away like the coward that she is… but hey at least she had the balls to show her face. I just hide behind a computer screen like a coward and talk trash on the internet allday. I have a Facebook page but of course I’m too afraid to post a picture of myself on there. I just have some stupid fake painting of the settlers as my profile picture and nothing else
“Doug Brekfaust
September 20, 2026 at 7:32 pm
She was st€p!d . She barely got elected in with less than 50% of the vote and goes on off on some tangents that easily 60% of the don party don’t agree with.
That is just dum6 .”
😂 Actually I meant to post as Bob B but I posted as Doug Brekfaust again 😂 Oops
Now I’m spreading misinformation about myself 😂 It’s so funny how JV (Whoever that is) can figure me out so easily and mock how delusional I am. All JV does is state basic facts about me and all I can do is turn it around on him because he’s right every single time 😂 It’s so funny
I see good old JV is sober again and using everyone else’s aliases. Too much of coward to even post under a fake name. 😂
I guess the position of MAGA Regional Manager is open and accepting applications again LOL. Eby completely owned this racist cow from the beginning
“BC Conservative”
Cracks me up every time.
Natural separation of the wheat from the chaff. All the privileged, out of touch empty husks are leaving, and I perceive this as a positive thing.
@anonymous: there you go again….bla, Eby, blah….FIX YOUR OWN PHUCKING PARTY FIRST maybe?
You should be ashamed of your “he said, she said, I said” story. Absolutely terrible journalism right here. Get behind this and it is people who would rather throw each other to the wolves than work together for the common good of the people they are supposed to be serving and to have a backbone in order to stand up for the issues they claim to care about.
Good now maybe we can get another political party together that will work for the people of BC. Eby and the NDP have destroyed this province and it’s time for them to go.
Back to the trailer park you nasty bltch!!
WHO vets these clowns?
Time to vet the Con vetters?
The corrupt BC Libbies threw out Rustad but the Cons ignored that? That was anyone else’s first clue.
THen they clue in and toss him and bring in FIndlay? Who vetted her BEFOREHAND?
That’s why Premier Eby should call an election.
Give these nuts what they want.
Cons are done.
It’ll be some new party vs. the premier.
I loved the fact that she hated First Nations people and spreaded misinformation about treaty rights but I’d prefer to vote for someone who pretends not to be a racist MAGAtard and then pulls out all of the stops once they’re elected. Spreading racist misinformation in BC is my #1 priority!!
Yet more clear evidence that we elect a party not MP, or MPP/MLA.
Back to the hayfields from which you came!!!
And there you have it folks. The last hope of defeating the NDP is gone. The Conservatives just can’t get their act together. That’s because they were infiltrated by Liberals who are now calling themselves CentreBC but are just left over Socreds.
I don’t live in BC so I don’t have an opinion on the BC leader. You see, its not my business unlike the elbowz up crowd who think Alberta politics is their business.
Good riddance! Hopefully the BC Conservatives get a real conservative leader to replace her instead of another populist simpleton.
Out with the dinosaurus.
LMAO
As Canada crumbles, the Conservative Parties in Canada will finally get focused.
That’s the problem with conservatives at the moment. Some people want a Conservative party to be fiscally responsible others want the party to be ‘Liberal Lite’ to attract frustrated liberal voters. You cannot be both.
The rightnuts are in the a free fall thanks the Trump loonie ideology. Go build your sniper monuments minions.
Conservatism in Canada has been conflated with Trump’s politics. Unfortunately that means that they have become unpalatable to the average swing voter. Our conservatives need to move closer to centre, maybe adopt the “progressive” moniker while they are at it. Trump has poisoned right wing politics, and their base has never been large enough to win elections.
Hope its not too late for Caroline Elliot to come back – she was the strong conservative voice that BC seems to need
Uh oh… snap election could mean the NDP may stay in power to keep giving your land away to FNs as per the agreement Eby signed with UNDRIP! BC is toast!
Good riddance to her, but I didn’t like the previous leader either.
caroline elliott would be the best for the party
Elvis has left the building….never to return. Carry on NDP…no one in your review mirror now!
Under the liberals our national debt DOUBLED to 1.4 TRILLION dollars.
2.3 million Canadians visit a foodbank each MONTH (record high)
Record high homelessness and drug addiction.
Housing costs doubled.
Uncontrolled mass immigration.
Weakest Military in the G7 and only G20 nation in a recession last quarter.
Liberals have absolutely DESTROYED canada but continue to blame trump and Pierre….
Just keep those elbows up 🤡
And so the Conservatives have committed political sui*ide by pandering to the media and the vocal moderates.
Instead of an actual conservative it’s now going to be some milk-toast candidate who flip-flops on everything trying to appease everyone. As a mirror to the previous election, the conservatives will fold into the Center BC party now, and once again lose.
While Caroline Elliot has said some conservative things, her track record remains in question given her ties to the BC United/Liberal party so I do not believe she would make a good candidate.
She was st€p!d . She barely got elected in with less than 50% of the vote and goes on off on some tangents that easily 60% of the don party don’t agree with.
That is just dum6 .
Better late than never.
Anyone got some gum?
Good she was the wrong leader.
Said it many times before Findlay was to far right and faith and Caroline Elliot was by far my preferred candidate and much more electable.
Hopefully this brings CenterBC back into the fold..
Anonymous the village idiot….there yiu are….I was wondering where you had gone…like a long walk off a pier? Im glad your back to interact with ! Loser
all the one that leaving where still liberal !! quess all cancel my menbership !!
Of course the conservatives in the comments are blaming the media. They never take responsibility.
The Conservatives need to take a hard look at itself. They voted her in as the leader and have now turned on her. Accept your next defeat, idiots.
@Bill Roach
So, you’re blaming everyone else for the activities within the “party of personal responsibility” other than the actual party responsible?
Good one.
About time! When your part members quit and walk away, it’s you that’s the problem!
Good! We cant trust women, they are subservient to us, that’s literally fundamental to being a conservative here! Don’t like it get out liberals!
I wonder which inmate will be running the asylum next?
Damn! You can’t unsee that face! I’ll be having nightmares! Whoops, that’s my reflection
…inevitable and way too late…the divide between the far right maga zealots and the more traditional center right factions has been clearly defined. Will the Cons try to shed the unelectable maga/zealots or will they try to hide them? Or will the m/z regain control of the party? Stay tuned as it ain’t over, not…even…close…
Who
So due to coercion by the media we now have a Conservative party without a leader just in time for that snap election the media know is coming.. Expect another four years of the NDP I hope Milobar and the other deserter’s are happy for causing such mayhem for their own political ego’s
thank god, but the damage has already been done unfortunately
Seemed to be a total dictator like Carney.
wonder what she did that so pissed off her caucus to the point that everyone was jumping ship