B.C. Conservatives set to choose between pro-Trump faction and old, failed B.C. Liberal approach
VANCOUVER – Either the B.C. Liberals or the pro-Republican faction will be in decisive control of the B.C. Conservatives after the party’s bitter leadership race ends on Saturday, says B.C. NDP MLA Jennifer Whiteside.
“The B.C. Conservative race has been a choice between more of the same old, failed B.C. Liberal ideas, or an extreme turn that puts Trump copycats firmly in control,” said Whiteside. “Either way, it’s working British Columbians who will pay the price.”
Caroline Elliott, Peter Milobar, and Iain Black have collectively spent over 50 years as senior B.C. Liberals.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay has characterized all three as a “Liberal takeover” and embraced the most extreme elements of the caucus. She has accepted endorsements from four of the five MLAs who voted against condemning Donald Trump’s tariffs, including Tara Armstrong, who recently used a Nazi slogan in the legislature.
Findlay also launched an ugly personal attack on Milobar, accusing him of a conflict of interest on DRIPA because his wife and children are Indigenous. Black denounced it: “We watched Kerry-Lynne go after the family of an honourable man on the basis of race and suggest he’s not suitable for public office because of his choice of life partner.”
When Milobar was asked if he would remain in the party if Findlay won, he said “Yeah, that will give me pause for thought. I’m not going to lie about that. And I think it will give a lot of British Columbians pause for thought of whether they would actually vote for a party like this. And so, that is the problem. It’s exposing the worst side of politics possible.”
Black called on Findlay to denounce MLA Brent Chapman’s racist comments that surfaced in the 2024 election. She was given time to respond but didn’t even acknowledge Chapman’s comments.
“Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s refusal to denounce Brent Chapman’s racist comments and her race-based attack on Peter Milobar’s family show that she’s fully embracing the Trump-style politics within the B.C. Conservatives,” said Whiteside. “British Columbians deserve leadership that stands up to Trump’s trade attack and divisive style of politics, not that opens the door and lets it in.”
Caroline Elliott has spent the campaign attempting to reverse herself on previously held values as she panders to the party’s far-right. Her past support for Dr. Bonnie Henry, evidence-based public health decisions, DRIPA, safer supply, and SOGI has evaporated as she focused almost exclusively on a culture war targeting First Nations. She has posted dozens of times about Indigenous issues but just twice about healthcare and once about housing.
“Caroline Elliott has shown in this campaign that she’s all pandering and no principles,” said Whiteside. “She’s completely flipped her core values to try to win. But she can’t hide that she’s a career party insider who will do what’s best for herself and her wealthy friends and make everyone else pay the price, just like she and the B.C. Liberals did before.”
Black has promised a reckless tax cut that would benefit the wealthiest the most. Milobar, who is the B.C. Conservative Finance Critic, has said it would create a “$25 billion deficit.”
“Iain Black is a Gordon Campbell clone, so it’s no surprise that his only big idea is a massive tax cut that helps the wealthiest and would mean devastating healthcare cuts for everyone else,” said Whiteside. “When Black and Campbell did this before, it came with deep cuts to services and higher costs for working people, like doubled MSP Premiums and ICBC rates.”
Like Elliott, Yuri Fulmer has attempted a disingenuous pivot towards anti-Indigenous fearmongering, despite having told a Capilano University commencement audience in 2024 that “we stand today on lands that were stolen from Indigenous people.”
“Yuri Fulmer’s backroom deal with Dallas Brodie is guaranteeing a voice to the most hateful, divisive political agenda we’ve ever seen in B.C.,” said Whiteside. “His willingness to make cynical deals with racists and divide British Columbians for political gain is exactly the Trump-style politics that British Columbians want to keep out of Canada.”
Milobar’s campaign has been characterized by a lacklustre repeat of failed B.C. Liberal policies, like $4 billion in spending cuts and gutting David Eby’s housing plan, despite the fact B.C. is leading Canada in declining rent and home prices.
“Just like Elliott and Black, Peter Milobar means a return to old B.C. Liberal ideas that didn’t work for people,” said Whiteside. “All three are running on recycled B.C. platforms that mean tax breaks for the wealthiest, with healthcare cuts and higher costs for everyone else. British Columbians can’t afford that again.”