A look back at Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s 4 months as BC Conservative leader

Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the leader of the BC Conservatives, resigned after just 113 days in office on September 18, 2026. The decision to step down came after a series of resignations from her own party and mounting pressure from MLAs. Findlay had initially been voted in as leader on May 30, 2026, receiving 51% of the vote. In the months that followed, she appointed several loyalists to key positions and faced criticism over her leadership style and decisions.

By August, several high-profile staff members left the party, citing issues with Findlay's direction. Rosalyn Bird, Peter Milobar, Ian Paton, and others announced they would no longer be part of the BC Conservatives, instead forming a new center-right political party. Findlay faced accusations of reneging on a promise to apologize for serious allegations made against another MLA, Teresa Wat.

The controversy escalated when audio recordings surfaced allegedly showing Findlay offering senior advisor positions to MLAs willing to resign, which she vehemently denied.

Despite these events, Findlay insisted she would not step down and held a caucus meeting on August 30, 2026. However, she later canceled this meeting and a planned news conference. The resignation of key MLAs, the cancellation of the meeting, and the allegations of a political attack prompted Findlay to resign on September 18, citing that "too much of our time and attention has been consumed by internal conflict."