After an early exit from the race by Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar, the BC Conservative Party has its new leader.

Kerry-Lynne Findlay, former Member of Parliament for the federal Conservatives from South Surrey, is taking over the reigns of the provincial Conservative movement.

Findlay would emerge the winner of the preferential balloting process for the BC Conservative Party on fourth ballot, earning just over 51% support, with Conservative Party backroom stalwart Caroline Elliott coming in a close second, finishing with 49%.

“In our national anthem, we cry out to God to make our land glorious and free,” proclaimed Findlay as part of her speech delivered to BC Conservative supporters at the Rocky Mountaineer station in Vancouver on Saturday evening following her victory.

Findlay would also lay out her vision of the BC Conservative Party moving forward.

“I will unify, and take the fight to grass-roots British Columbians who have had enough of being pushed around,” said Findlay.  “I am leading to take this province back.  Speaking up for all.  Finding solutions that last.  Where hard work is rewarded.”

Findlay would also tip her hand somewhat when it comes the political direction of the Party, suggesting her path forward will be one where the Party will try to align with other right-wing voices in Western Canada, while also borrowing from the mantra which has guided fundamentalist Conservative movements in recent years.

“Less government.  More freedom.  Powerful western alliances.  Dealing with the tough issues we face daily,” powered Findlay toward the end of her speech.  “Violent crime, drugs, chaos and disorder in our neighborhoods.”

Findlay’s victory came at the end of a somewhat tumultuous campaign, which saw her launch attacks on the more moderate candidates in the race, including Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar.

This included questioning Milobar’s commitment to repealing the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People’s Act, or DRIPA, related to his wife and family being Indigenous.

While Findlay supporters argued the legitimacy of the question, others – including Milobar himself – would push back against its inference, with Milobar saying afterward that he felt the suggestion was off-side, arguing that candidates should focus on policy, and not have their families dragged into the political fray.

Findlay’s husband is BC Conservative MLA Brett Chapman, who represents Surrey South.

Milobar bounced early as BC Conservative core base appears to win day 

The night for Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar would end early on Saturday, as he was bounced after the first ballot.

Despite expectations within his circle that he might be able to come up the middle and make a run toward the top of the preferential balloting system as the majority’s “2nd choice,” it seems his distinction as being the only candidate in the race who currently holds provincial office had little sway on the BC Conservative voters — over 25,000 of them casting ballots as part of the process.

Heading into the race, one member of “Team Milobar” said they felt they had done well among their sign-ups when it came to “getting out the vote.”

However, after the first round of voting was completed, Milobar would end up in 5th among the five candidates in the running, garnering just over 10% support, behind entrepreneur Yuri Fulmer at 13% who finished fourth.

Milobar would hit the ground running somewhat early in the campaign, becoming the first out of the gate among the elected members of the BC Conservative caucus to declare his intention to run for the Party leadership.

While he would collect a solid amount of endorsements among those he works with in Victoria, the inner-caucus support would not translate into support among the party’s grass roots base, which — in choosing Findlay as leader — has seemingly pressed back against a perceived ‘take over’ by the more moderate factions who would support the ‘small c’ political line of the former BC Liberal Party.

The next big step for the 72-year old Findlay will be to decide if she wants to lead the BC Conservative Caucus without a seat in the Legislature, or whether a sitting member of the Party will step aside to allow for a by-election to be called so she can run for a seat.

Addressing that question earlier in the week at a news conference to discuss the now-concluded legislative sitting, Interim leader Trevor Halford claimed there was no discussion among the caucus members about stepping aside in the lead up to Saturday.

The legislature isn’t due to resume sitting until late September, which would give the NDP government and Elections BC the time to call and prepare for a by-election, though the Eby government would not be obligated to call a by-election immediately should someone from the BC Conservative caucus ‘fall on their sword.’

The next scheduled provincial election is not set until October of 2028.