B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay is set to contest a seat in the upcoming byelection scheduled for September. Premier David Eby has announced that the byelection for the Abbotsford-Mission riding will take place on September 26. The incumbent MLA, B.C. Conservative Reann Gasper, recently declared her resignation to make room for the party’s leader.
The NDP has revealed their candidate for the byelection, former agriculture minister Pam Alexis. In the previous provincial election, Gasper defeated Alexis with a lead of approximately 10 percent, securing over 2,600 more votes. However, Alexis had won the seat in 2020, although there have been changes in the riding’s boundaries since then.
Peter Milobar, who is among the MLAs exiting the party, mentioned plans to establish a new party with former B.C. Conservative Ian Paton but stated it was premature to field a candidate. OneBC MLA Dallas Brodie, previously expelled from the B.C. Conservatives, indicated that her party would not nominate a candidate to prevent vote division.
CentreBC Leader Mike Bernier shared that several individuals have expressed interest in running under his party, and an official candidate announcement is forthcoming. The B.C. Green Party declined to provide details on their intentions for the byelection.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who was elected as the B.C. Conservative leader in May, currently does not hold a legislative seat. Gasper’s decision to step down followed disagreements with several MLAs who refused to vacate their positions to accommodate Findlay’s leadership.
Allegations against Findlay suggesting the offer of advisory roles to MLAs have been dismissed as a political tactic. The byelection was prompted by provincial legislation mandating a vote within six months of a seat becoming vacant in the Legislative Assembly.
The decision to call for a byelection caught political observers by surprise, with some speculating that Premier Eby may be leveraging the current challenges facing Findlay. The potential emergence of a center-right alternative could complicate the byelection, possibly aiding Pam Alexis in securing the riding.
