Centrists, former B.C. Conservatives join forces under Milobar as snap election speculation swirls
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- Former B.C. Conservative Party member Peter Milobar and Mike Bernier, leader of the new CentreBC party, are holding a news conference after three more MLAs left the party earlier Friday.
- The B.C. Conservatives have now lost a total of 12 members since Kerry-Lynne Findlay became leader in May.
- Earlier Friday, B.C. Premier David Eby said he hadn't yet decided on whether to call a snap provincial election, two years ahead of schedule.
September 18
Fellow independents greet one another before news conference
Sturko, left, and Wat. (Justin McElroy/CBC) At the news conference outside the Vancouver Convention Centre, Teresa Wat has greeted fellow MLA independent Elenore Sturko. "Welcome home," Wat said as the pair shared a hug.
Sturko was removed from the Conservative caucus under former leader John Rustad, at the beginning of a year of turmoil, leadership elections and defections from the party.
Why Bernier and Milobar might join forces
Milobar at the B.C. Legislature in February. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press) I’m a political reporter at the news conference in Vancouver. Speculation has grown that Bernier and Milobar will join forces, for a simple reason: Milobar’s group of likeminded MLAs who have left the B.C. Conservatives are not officially registered as a political party with Elections B.C. — and the elections agency doesn’t register new parties during a byelection campaign, which is currently underway in Abbotsford-Mission.
That means a snap provincial election before that byelection on Sept. 26 would prevent them from being on ballots as an official party, and they would instead be considered independents. So, they need to find a registered party to join forces with.
Meanwhile, the CentreBC party — led by Bernier, a former B.C. Liberal and B.C. United MLA — wants to compete in the next election, but have fewer organizers surrounding them than Milobar, and no sitting MLAs. So it's understandable why some sort of agreement has been discussed.
B.C. Conservatives' turmoil continues
MLAs Trevor Halford, left, Claire Rattée, center, and John Rustad, right, are the latest departures from the B.C. Conservative caucus. (B.C. Legislature) It’s already been a tumultuous day in B.C. politics with three more MLAs — Trevor Halford, Claire Rattée and former leader John Rustad — departing the B.C. Conservative Party caucus, bringing the number of MLAs who have left since Kerry-Lynne Findlay became leader in May to an even dozen.
Mike Bernier and Peter Milobar holding news conference
Milobar in Vancouver in April. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press) Is a snap B.C. general election imminent? It's hard to say for sure, but at 1:15 p.m. PT, former Conservative caucus member Peter Milobar and Mike Bernier, leader of the new CentreBC party, are holding a joint news conference in Vancouver.
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