MLA Todd Stone (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

BC ELECTION 2024

BC United faces fourth defection as October’s election nears

Aug 1, 2024 | 5:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — It has been another shaky week for the bc united party. On Monday (July 29), BCU MLA Teresa Wat crossed the floor and will run for the BC Conservative party in this October’s provincial election. Then on Wednesday (July 31), the party publicly admitted their name change has not gone perfectly to plan, requesting that Election’s BC allow them to put ‘formally the bc Liberal Party’ in brackets beside BC United on ballots this fall.

Despite the noise around the party, those sticking with the parties new colours are presenting optimism in the face of adversity

Wat is the fourth sitting BC United MLA to cross the floor to John Rustad’s Tories in the lead up to the October’s election. That leaves BCU with 13 incumbents remaining, including the Kamloops pair of Peter Milobar and Todd Stone.

“I am not losing any sleep over Teresa wat departing our caucus, she will be accountable for that in her riding. What I’m focused on is the six weeks of door knocking I’ve already done up to this point, the calls that I’m making, the work that our team is doing in Kamloops and the Thompson valleys,” said Stone.

Current polling has BC United trailing the Conservatives and the governing NDP, leaving leader Kevin Falcon to slightly back-track on the highly polarizing name change.

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“One of things we are looking into is whether having our name on the ballot BC United (formally BC Liberals), is an option. and that is something the party is looking into,” said Falcon.

While the BC Liberal name may return on the ballot, it won’t be seen during the election campaign from Falcon’s party.

“I don’t think you want to over analyze this,” added Falcon. “There is going to be no change to our signage or anything like that. That is going to continue the way it is.”

With just under three months remaining before British Columbians head to the polls, the campaign trail has unofficially opened with candidates door knocking and speaking with perspective voters. It’s those conversations that stone says give him optimism for October.

“We raised $200,000 as a party in 48 hours late last week, we are continuing to sign up great candidates from around the province that are running under our banner. Our internal polling is not in alignment at all with some of the provincial polling. And certainly the feeling that I am getting, the response I’m getting,” said Stone.

Election day in B.C. is expected to be Saturday October 19.