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Another MLA has left the B.C. Conservative caucus, criticizing Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s leadership.
Rosalyn Bird, the MLA for Prince George-Valemount, is the latest MLA to announce she’ll sit as an Independent.
Bird told CBC News she’d rather sit as an Independent MLA than compromise her values by staying with the B.C. Conservatives.
“I’ve known for a little while that I wasn’t particularly aligned with the direction that it appears Ms. Findlay is taking the party. I chose to go with my integrity, my personal principles and values.”
Bird said she saw a move by both Findlay and caucus leadership to shift the party “in a further to the right direction.”
She says that doesn’t align with the priorities of most British Columbians.
“People want politicians to be collaborative and working across party lines,” she said. “I believe British Columbians are tired of political infighting, name-calling and division.”
Bird’s departure comes after Ian Paton and Peter Milobar announced Monday that they intend to form a new political party. Bird says it’s too early to decide if she’ll join their new venture.
During a press conference Tuesday morning in Vancouver, Findlay acknowledged the possibility that more MLAs would leave.
“There may even be others who leave our caucus, I don’t know,” Findlay told reporters before news broke of Bird’s departure. “But if they’re leaving that means they do not have a vision for prosperity and hope that we’re presenting for all British Columbians.”
Bird went public last month with her refusal of Findlay’s request to resign her seat so that Findlay, who won the B.C. Conservative leadership race in May and does not hold a seat in the B.C. Legislature, could run in a byelection.
Paton also refused such an offer.
Bird said her decision to leave was also influenced by the allegations raised by Paton about a job offer in exchange for resigning his seat. Asked if a similar offer was made to her, Bird said she can’t comment.
Paton alleged on Tuesday that Findlay’s chief of staff offered him a job as political adviser on agriculture, with a salary similar to what he makes as an MLA, in return for stepping down as an MLA. Findlay denied that in an interview with CBC News and again at the press conference on Tuesday, saying no MLA was offered a job in exchange for stepping down.
Reann Gasper, elected as an MLA for Abbotsford-Mission in 2024, announced on Saturday that she will step down from her seat so Findlay can run in a byelection. On Monday, Gasper was announced as the caucus deputy chief of staff.
Findlay said Gasper’s salary has not yet been finalized.
“There were some people approached, would you be willing to step aside? I’m not denying that,” Findlay said. “But nobody was offered that in exchange for anything. We did have some discussions … that should you decide to do this, should you no longer be an [MLA] or in caucus, we are open to discussing with you some role within the Conservative Party of B.C. where you’re still pursuing things on behalf of us and British Columbia.”
Findlay said that’s “not an unusual conversation to have,” and allegations of “anything untoward are totally unfounded.”
Premier David Eby said he’s not surprised to hear another MLA is leaving the B.C. Conservatives, which he called an “extremist right-wing party.”
“It’s chaos central over there.”
Eby dismissed Findlay’s call to recall the legislature early to debate B.C.’s response to the trade war with the U.S.
He said he has no plans to call an early election, saying his focus is on the “unprecedented trade war from our closest friend and ally.”
Eby did not say when he plans to call a byelection so that Findlay can run for a seat in Abbotsford-Mission.