BC Conservatives expected to run familiar slate in Kamloops-Thompson ridings

What a difference 72 hours can make in the world of B.C. politics, as after ascending to leader of CentreBC Friday, Milobar rejoined the Conservatives on Tuesday (Sept. 22).

“Kerry-Lynne Findlay stepped down as leader,” said Milobar of what changed since his prior comment. “I said that when I left – that I had huge concerns about her leadership and her style of leadership, and what she was doing with decision-making. Every other MLA who left after me said the thing. On Sunday, Kerry-Lynne Findlay left, and so from Friday to Tuesday the landscape in B.C. politics changes dramatically.”

Now behind interim leader Doerkson, the Tories have found a semblance of unity, focusing on issues in B.C. – not the U.S. – for their campaign.

“It almost felt like the premier felt he was running in the mid-term elections down in the States, quite frankly,” said Milobar. “We are in British Columbia. We are proud British Columbians. Obviously, the premier isn’t able to pivot because he can’t actually campaign on any success over the past nine years of NDP rule.”

The challenge for the Tories may be regaining voters’ trust after months of public dysfunction.

“Kerry-Lynne was elected leader of our party. We obviously gave her the opportunity to run with it. Unfortunately, there were a bunch of mistakes made all the way through this process,” said Ward Stamer, the Kamloops-North Thompson Conservative candidate. “But it doesn’t change our policies. It doesn’t change the quality people we have on our team.”

“Let’s be clear – that division, that was created under the leadership of Kerry-Lynne Findlay,” added Milobar. “If you look at our time when Trevor Halford was our interim leader, for that six-month period we were very stable. We were very serious. All the same people and we were 11 points ahead in the polls.”

Both Stamer and Milobar will seek re-election in seats that are considered safe for the Conservatives, even with the possibility of CentreBC or OneBC posing a vote split.

“I believe it’s going to be a two-horse race, it really will be. Because when people look at it, they certainly don’t want to be… wasting their vote. But let’s make sure that that vote counts, so we have a very stark choice,” said Stamer.

“You can ask a really simple question, ‘Do you feel better now than you did ten years ago?'”

Doerkson stays?

The BC Conservative Party constitution explicitly states once a leader steps down, the party must hold a leadership election within 12 months. With the snap provincial election call on Tuesday, there are hints from the Tory caucus those rules could be altered.

The first polls of the 2026 election have the Tories trailing the governing NDP, but should Lorne Doerkson pull off the upset victory, at least one MLA believes he should get to stay on.

“I’m fully confident that Lorne Doerkson is going to win the election and I’m fully confident we will find a way to work within those confines to keep Lorne Doerkson as the premier, and I fully support that,” said Milobar. “You know Lorne is putting in the work right now.”

The party’s own constitution, as currently written, also prohibits the interim leader from seeking the top job.

“I’ll let the inside politics of a party after an election,” added Milobar. “I don’t think anyone would think that a gentleman, in Lorne’s case, who could win a general election after 100 years of Conservatives not being in government would suddenly say, ‘Maybe we should consider a different leader.'”

After seeking the Tory leadership himself, then holding the interim title with his un-named party and then leader of CentreBC, Milobar clarified he won’t be seeking the job again.

The BC Conservatives have confirmed in a statement posted to social media Wednesday afternoon, that should Doerkson be successful, they would look into changing their constitution.

by Michael Reeve

BC Conservatives expected to run familiar slate in Kamloops-Thompson ridings

Doerkson stays?

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