Embattled B.C. Conservative leader says she's 'not going anywhere' amid election speculation

Embattled B.C. Conservative leader says she's 'not going anywhere' amid election speculation

Kerry-Lynne Findlay made the comment in a speech at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference

Embattled B.C. Conservative Party Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay says she is "not going anywhere" despite nine caucus members leaving the party since she took over in May.

Findlay made the comment in a speech at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Vancouver Thursday, the morning after a late night caucus meeting where Findlay was asked to step down, according to two sources with direct knowledge who spoke to CBC News.

Findlay said her party is "always ready" for a snap election, addressing speculation that B.C. Premier David Eby may call one soon after a significant surge in the polls showed a high likelihood of an NDP majority victory if an election was held today.

“These halls have been full of talk about an election call as early as tomorrow," she said. "So the premier will impose on British Columbians a costly election, two years early, trample on the byelection he just called and he knows I was about to win. That’s okay, we’re ready.”

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Findlay is running to win a seat in the legislature in the Abbotsford-Mission Sept. 26 byelection, which could be cancelled if a provincial election is called before that.

B.C. Conservative MLA Claire Rattée published a blog post Wednesday critiquing Findlay’s leadership. Rattée wrote that the caucus is “deeply divided” and criticized Findlay for skipping caucus meetings and not making an effort to "mend fences" after the nine MLAs left.

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"After multiple private attempts to reach the leader on this issue at caucus meetings she herself called but chose not to attend, and after my requests for a call went unanswered, I am posting this public appeal in the hope that she will address these matters immediately so the team can come together quickly and win," wrote Rattée.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Findlay said departed MLAs are welcome to engage in conversations aimed at rejoining the party.

On Wednesday, Eby said the NDP had tapped Cheryl Oates as a campaign manager, fuelling speculation that a snap election call may be imminent. Oates previously served as Eby’s interim chief of staff.

Can Kerry-Lynne Findlay keep B.C. Conservatives together amid caucus turmoil?

2 more B.C. Conservative MLAs quit caucus to sit as Independents

CBC News has spoken to multiple potential candidates and campaign managers who say they have been asked by the NDP to keep the next two months open in case an election is called.

The election rumblings come as a new poll from Ipsos found that support for the B.C. Conservatives is at 35 per cent, 10 points behind the B.C. NDP.

That’s eight points down from where the Conservatives stood during the 2024 provincial election when it came within a few seats of forming government under former leader John Rustad.

The NDP would "certainly win" an election if it was held today, according to Kyle Braid, Ipsos senior vice-president.

"They'd win a clear majority government, not really because they've built support, but because ... the Conservatives have literally fallen apart."

But Findlay challenged characterizations that her party is mired in turmoil, and said the B.C. Conservatives are the "most viable alternative to the NDP."

"We have the most numbers, we have the most funding, we have a 42,000-member strong party. Who else can say that? No one."