BC Conservatives Make Last-Minute Addition of BC United MLAs to Roster, Altering Ballot Lineup Ahead of Election by 7 Weeks
The candidate lineup for the British Columbia election is witnessing a significant change as the Conservatives embrace several BC United nominees, displacing some Tory candidates.
Former BC United candidates have confirmed their intention to join forces with the Conservatives for the upcoming election against the governing NDP, following BC United’s decision to suspend its campaign in support of the Tories.
Sept. 3
, mentioned that the migration of BC United candidates to the Tories reflects a growing momentum towards a united approach after Kevin Falcon
announced
the suspension of his party’s campaign on Aug. 28.
New Conservative candidates Trevor Halford, Ian Paton, and Peter Milobar will be on the ballot under the Conservative banner on Oct. 19 as per the party’s statement.
Paton and Halford will continue their candidacy in their respective ridings, while Milobar will seek election in Kamloops Centre.
Other BC United candidates added to the Conservatives’ roster include Keenan Adams, Michael Wu, Dale Parker, and Scott McInnis.
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The addition of new names has led to the exclusion of some former Conservative candidates from the race as the party determines the final candidate lineup.
One such candidate is Dupinder Kaur Saran, who intends to run as an Independent in Surrey-Panorama after making room for Conservative candidate Brian Tepper.
post
citing the need to make space for another candidate.
Rachael Weber, a former candidate for the Prince George-Mackenzie seat, announced her removal from candidacy and is considering running as an Independent.
Jackie Tegart of BC United announced she will not run, while incumbents Shirley Bond and Todd Stone also opted out of the race.
Rustad acknowledged the disruption caused by the merging of parties but emphasized the need to field the best possible team.
The new Conservative candidates align with the vision of responsible and accountable governance, according to Rustad.
Milobar stated that it’s time for conservatives to unite, while Halford highlighted the party as a clear alternative to the NDP.
NDP Leader David Eby focused on housing, cost of living, and health care issues in response to the merger of the parties.
Merging Campaigns
Falcon’s decision to end BC United’s campaign was driven by the growing popularity of the Conservatives and the decline in United support.
BC United MLAs who defected to the Conservatives earlier include Elenore Sturko, Lorne Doerkson, Teresa Wat, and Bruce Banman.
As of Sept. 4, the Conservatives had 86 candidates listed on their website, with 93 ridings at stake in the election.
Rustad, now the leader of the Conservative Party, recognized the need for a review to ensure the best candidate selection.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
