Two former Conservative MLAs plan new party in B.C.

Two British Columbia MLAs who recently left the provincial Conservative Party say they are forming a new political party, aiming to provide an option for voters who feel left without a political home.

Ian Paton, the MLA for Delta South, announced Monday that he was leaving the Conservative caucus to sit as an Independent, saying the party's direction under new leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay no longer aligns with his beliefs. He is the second MLA to exit this month, following Peter Milobar, the MLA for Kamloops Centre, who left earlier in August citing a lack of "ideological alignment" with Findlay.

Milobar joined Paton outside the legislature in Victoria, where they said they plan to register as an official party with Elections BC before the fall legislative session. "We are in the process of getting things organized," Milobar said. "There will be much more to come."

The former Opposition finance critic acknowledged that the two could form a party of two, but suggested other Conservative caucus members might follow. "I'm hearing and listening from caucus members, and some may still come, some may not," he said. "That is their choice and I respect that."

Paton said their intention was to "give a home to those who feel politically homeless" in B.C. He did not provide many details about the new party's platform, but said the Conservatives under Findlay, who has pushed the party to the right and said it will focus on "faith, freedom and family," no longer reflect his values.

A crowded centre?

Milobar said many voters are dissatisfied with the governing New Democrats but "do not see a path forward" with the Conservatives under Findlay. He acknowledged real fears about vote splitting, but said he and Paton wanted to provide a centrist alternative. "It'll be an uphill climb, absolutely, but it's one that many, many people over the last week have been reaching out saying that they want to get on board," he said.

The new party would enter a field that already includes CentreBC, a centrist party formed in 2025 under Karin Kirkpatrick and now led by Mike Bernier. Asked why voters might choose the new party over CentreBC, Milobar said, "People, for whatever reasons, are not choosing to go to that vehicle."

Hamish Telford, an associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley, said the new party could have an edge over CentreBC because its two sitting MLAs would allow it to obtain official status in the legislature. Telford described the formation as a "mystery" but said it could damage the Conservatives' goal of defeating Premier David Eby's NDP.

Paton noted the Conservatives came within 22 votes of forming government in the last election, and that in 2017, 797,000 people voted for a centrist party in B.C. He said constituents in his Delta South riding are dissatisfied, with eight or nine out of ten people approaching him expressing concerns.

Turmoil under Findlay

Paton's departure is the latest in a string of high-profile changes in the Conservative Party since Findlay, a former federal cabinet minister, was elected leader at the end of May. The party's executive director Angelo Isidorou, president Aisha Estey, and vice-president Sharon White have all left their posts in recent weeks.

Abbotsford-Mission MLA Reann Gasper has also resigned to allow Findlay to run for her seat in a byelection. The party has been plagued by the resignation or ejection of eight MLAs and the resignation of its previous leader, John Rustad, over the past two years. Two of those exits have occurred under Findlay's leadership.

Paton said there was a "purging" of staff and the leadership team. He also said he felt there were "eyes" on him under Findlay's leadership because of his past membership in the B.C. Liberals and B.C. United. Paton stepped down as Findlay's Lower Mainland lieutenant at the end of July, citing workload and a lack of understanding.

Elsewhere, Amelia Boultbee, an MLA, quit the Conservatives and joined the NDP in July. Findlay herself faced controversy after a private group chat in which she insinuated Richmond-Bridgeport MLA Teresa Wat was a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

Paton has served as MLA for Delta South since 2017, first under the B.C. Liberals and then B.C. United before joining the Conservatives in 2024. He is a third-generation farmer and spent seven years on Delta city council.

The two MLAs said they are in the process of organizing the new party, with more details expected in the coming weeks.