The BC Conservatives snapped up three former BC United MLAs and four more of the now-defunct party’s candidates.
The moves came Tuesday, amid further fallout from BC United Leader Kevin Falcon’s decision last week to suspend his party’s campaign and throw his support behind his former rivals.
The new BC Conservative MLAs are Trevor Halford of Surrey-White Rock, Peter Milobar of Kamloops North and Ian Paton of Delta South.
The BC United candidates who also made the switch are Dale Parker in Nanaimo-Gabriola, Michael Wu in Burnaby North, Scott McInnes in Columbia River-Revelstoke and Keenand Adams in Port Coquitlam.
“These MLAs have shown unwavering dedication to their communities and share our vision for restoring responsible, accountable governance in British Columbia,” BC Conservative Leader John Rustad said in a media release.
“As we navigate a changing political landscape, it’s more important than ever to unite our efforts to provide a real alternative to the NDP’s mismanagement.”
The BC Conservatives’ absorption of multiple BC United candidates marks a consolidation of the political right in the province, with just over six weeks to go before the provincial election.
However, the move has not gone over smoothly with everyone in either party.
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Former BC United MLA Mike Bernier in Peace River South confirmed he would run as an independent.
“Everybody I’ve been talking to actually breathed a sigh of relief,” Bernier said.
“When I was out on the doorsteps and in the community, everybody knows who I am, and I was getting the vote for who I was, in fact, the party name and Kevin (Falcon) were, unfortunately, hurting me not helping me up in my region.”
Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka has yet to announce his plans but has publicly mulled the possibility of an independent run, and Peace River North MLA Dan Davies’ plans also remain unclear.
Fraser Nicola BC United MLA Jackie Tegart and BC United star candidate for Surrey Cloverdale, Dr. Claudine Storness-Bliss, both said Tuesday they would not run.
On the other side of the equation, two BC Conservative candidates who were removed to make room for their BC United counterparts have also spoken out.
Prince George School Board Trustee Rachael Weber, who was removed as the Conservative candidate for Prince George-Mackenzie, also took to Facebook to decry the situation.
“I believe this Conservative Party of BC is no longer Conservative but running under the guise of the name Conservative,” she wrote.
“They have allowed many BC United (Liberal) candidates to infiltrate the party and have lost sight of the real Conservative values we as Conservatives hold dear. Your new Conservative candidate for this riding will more than likely be BC United Liberal opposition.”
Dupinder Kaur Saran, who was removed as the Conservative candidate in Surrey-Panorama said she would run as an independent, claiming she “witnessed a Conservative candidate in Whiterock being bullied into leaving their riding.”
“The Provincial Conservative Party is now a Liberal Party running under the Conservative Banner,” Saran wrote on social media platform X, known previously as Twitter.
Those candidates planning an independent run will face a steep uphill battle.
Independent candidates have historically fared poorly in British Columbia, with the exception of popular Delta city councillor Vicki Huntington who represented Delta South for two terms.
British Columbians will go to the polls on Oct. 19.
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