update: kerry-lynne findlay voted new leader of the b.c. conservative party
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kerry-lynne findlay has been voted the new leader of the b.c. conservative party.
it was a tight race on saturday, where findlay was able to eke out 51 per cent of the vote. her closest challenger, caroline elliott, came in second with 49 per cent.
“b.c. liberal insiders are trying to take over the conservative party of b.c. the liberals want to steal the conservative name … and push the same hidden liberal agenda,” findlay’s website states.
her campaign promises include cutting taxes, repealing the declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples act (dripa), getting rid of sogi in schools and harsher consequences for criminals, including extortionists.
on dripa, findlay addressed her plan during a live debate in late april hosted by vancouver sun columnist vaughn palmer and stuart mcnish of conversations live.
“this is the no. 1 topic on people’s minds,” findlay said.
she went on to reference the supreme court decision that the cowichan nation holds aboriginal title over historic village lands in richmond.
“this applies to the whole province, and everyone is concerned. the lack of precision of language — which as a lawyer, i hate — makes everybody feel very uncertain about what does aboriginal governance mean? what do future aboriginal partnerships look like?”
a former lawyer, findlay said she has litigated in indigenous land title disputes before. the case in which findlay was involved was in 2000 and concluded with the supreme court of canada narrowly ruling in favour of homeowners in vancouver who were fighting against a large rent increase on land they leased from the musqueam first nation.
kerry-lynne findlay first served in federal politics as the conservative mp for delta-richmond east from 2011 to 2015, and was mp for the south surrey-white rock riding from 2019 until april 2025.
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“i’ve lived it, i’ve litigated it, i understand it, and i’ve understood it for a long time,” findlay said.
“this is not a new issue — it’s just an issue that’s been churning and boiling, and now has come to a head because both the provincial and federal governments have abandoned the field. they are not speaking up for the 95 per cent of us who are non-indigenous.”
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there were five candidates for the leadership race — findlay, elliott, iain black, yuri fulmer and peter milobar.
during the course of her campaign, findlay was criticized for her beliefs by opposing parties, and her conservative opponents.
in particular, for findlay’s statement that milobar was in conflict of interest on dripa because of his wife and children being indigenous. the new democrat party called findlay’s campaign racist and said she is the “most extreme and divisive leader” of any b.c. political party in history.
“kerry-lynne findlay and her supporters in caucus have more in common with donald trump’s republicans than they do with canadian conservatives,” jennifer whiteside, ndp mla for new westminster-coquitlam, said in a news release after findlay’s win.
“even b.c. conservative mlas say british columbians should think twice before voting for her.”
as the winner, findlay will replace interim leader trevor halford, who took over after former leader john rustad resigned.
other political opponents slammed the leadership of findlay, with centrebc leader karin kirkpatrick saying voters have chosen a “hard right” leader.
“with the leadership race over, it is unclear how findlay can lead a united caucus that includes milobar, a sitting mla and the finance critic, or house leader á’a:líya warbus, a member of the sto:lo nation,” centrebc states.
in a post on x, mla elenore sturko, who was elected as a b.c. conservative but now sits as an independent, said the results of the race “have left a void in the political landscape.”
findlay served in cabinet in stephen harper’s government and was the chief opposition whip under the leadership of pierre poilievre. she says as leader, she will unite the b.c. party and keep with conservative views.
findlay first served in federal politics as the conservative mp for delta-richmond east from 2011 to 2015, and was mp for the south surrey-white rock riding from 2019 until april 2025, when she lost to liberal ernie klassen in the election that brought prime minister mark carney to power.
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findlay is now making her first foray into provincial politics. her husband, brent chapman, was elected as a b.c. conservative mla for surrey south in 2024.
she is 71 years old, and she and chapman have four adult children.
with files from stuart mcnish and joe ruttle
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