Áʼa꞉líya Warbus becomes 7th MLA to exit B.C. Conservatives citing leadership concerns

Áʼa꞉líya Warbus becomes 7th MLA to exit B.C. Conservatives citing leadership concerns

Conservative caucus meeting for Monday cancelled at 11th hour

Áʼa꞉líya Warbus has left the B.C. Conservative caucus, becoming the seventh MLA to exit while citing leadership concerns this month.

The Chilliwack-Cultus Lake MLA said she had lost confidence in leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, and will sit as an Independent.

Warbus said she had expected updates and clear direction from Findlay about the party's direction after multiple MLAs left.

Instead, the leader cancelled a caucus meeting that had been scheduled for Monday.

"We're not getting those direct updates around staffing, around high level changes, around operations, the transparency and accountability that I would expect from this level of government," Warbus said.

"You can call it a last straw, but I just want to say it was more of a build over the course of time, and there were a lot of things that I was looking for and stability was one of them."

Warbus would not speculate on the possibility of returning to the B.C. Conservative caucus under a new leader, nor would she rule out joining a centrist party.

"I'm open to any and all conversations," she said, adding any decisions would be based on feedback from her constituents.

Findlay has made Indigenous issues, including repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and concerns around court cases related to Indigenous title, central to her party's platform.

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Asked if that focus affected her decision, Warbus, who is a member of the Stó:lō Nation, said she had considered multiple conversations among caucus.

"I thought about everything as a whole," she said.

"I don't think that it's helpful to focus on things that are dividing British Columbians. I think that we need to unite people."

Warbus said the main concerns she's hearing from constituents relate to the economy and health care.

"And I have to say, I have not seen that focus," she said.

Findlay has faced weeks of turmoil as a parade of MLAs have exited the party, citing concerns about her leadership style and turnover among top party staff.

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Most have signalled intentions to sit as Independents, while Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar and Delta South MLA Ian Paton have said they will form a new party.

Findlay has also faced allegations that she attempted to induce MLAs to step down to open a seat for her in the B.C. Legislature, claims she has denied as a political smear.

On Saturday, B.C. Premier David Eby called a byelection in Abbotsford-Mission for Sept. 26, a riding Findlay was expected to run in.

The NDP has nominated former Mission mayor and agriculture minister Pam Alexis, who held the riding between 2020 and 2024, while upstart party CentreBC has nominated Lakhwinder Jhaj.