Division, defections, depletion: How the B.C. Conservatives lost 12 legislators

The B.C. Conservatives came within three ridings of victory in the 2024 provincial election, winning 44 seats.

But since then, the party’s caucus has been thinned by more than a quarter, amid differences over its ideology, and questions about its direction under both former leader John Rustad and new leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

Here are the 12 legislators who have exited the party, and why.

DALLAS BRODIE, JORDAN KEALY AND TARA ARMSTRONG

Brodie (Vancouver-Quilchena) is thrown out of the caucus by Rustad on March 7, 2025, over remarks that Rustad says mocked residential school survivors. Armstrong (Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream) and Kealy (Peace River North) follow later that day, in sympathy with Brodie. Armstrong briefly joins Brodie as a member of the new OneBC party before they split. Because OneBC lacks official party status, both now sit as Independents, as does Kealy, who was charged with sexual assault this year. He denies the accusation.

ELENORE STURKO

Sturko (Surrey-Cloverdale), a former RCMP officer, was a star recruit for Rustad’s Conservatives when she left BC United in June 2024, ahead of the election. But he fires her from caucus on Sept. 23, 2025. She says Rustad accuses her of plotting against his leadership, a charge she denies. Sturko now sits as an Independent.

AMELIA BOULTBEE

Boultbee (Penticton-Summerland) resigns from the Conservative caucus on Oct. 20, 2025, accusing Rustad of telling her to “get the F out.” Rustad questions her health and state of mind. She sits as an Independent before joining the NDP caucus on July 3, 2026, saying that the Conservatives have swung toward “Trump-style populism” under new leader Findlay, who succeeded Rustad in May.

HON CHAN

Chan (Richmond Centre) is removed from the Conservative caucus on March 26, 2026, by interim leader Trevor Halford, after Chan is charged with assault, assault by choking and uttering threats in a case of alleged intimate partner violence. Chan, now sitting as an Independent, says he disagrees with the allegations dating back to 2024, and plans to defend himself in court.

PETER MILOBAR

Milobar (Kamloops Centre) quits the caucus on Aug. 14, citing a lack of “ideological alignment” with Findlay. Milobar, a former leadership contender and finance critic for the Opposition, had clashed with Findlay in a debate when she accused him of having a conflict of interest because Milobar’s Indigenous wife once held paid positions with the local Indigenous band.

REANN GASPER

Gasper (Abbotsford-Mission) resigns her seat on Aug. 22 so Findlay can run in a byelection. Gasper is appointed Findlay’s deputy chief of staff.

IAN PATON

Paton (Delta South) quits the party on Monday, saying the Conservatives’ direction under Findlay no longer aligns with his beliefs and he intends to form a new party with Milobar. Milobar says at the announcement that he and Paton could be a party of two, but suggests there could be more defections.

ROSALYN BIRD

Bird (Prince George-Valemount) quits the Conservatives on Tuesday. She says she will sit as an Independent, issuing a statement warning about divisive leadership. She says legislators “should be able to firmly reject racism, antisemitism, homophobia and hatred while still having difficult and necessary conversations about immigration, Indigenous reconciliation, addiction, crime, gender, religion and the many other issues on which reasonable people sometimes disagree.”

TERESA WAT

Wat (Richmond-Bridgeport) resigns from the party on Wednesday to sit as an Independent. She accuses Findlay of reneging on a promise to apologize over “serious and unfounded accusations” reportedly made by Findlay about Wat, calling her “CCP,” a reference to the Chinese Communist Party. Wat says she cannot remain in a party whose leader has questioned her loyalty to Canada, while Findlay says Wat’s departure is a “betrayal of the hardworking volunteers, campaign workers and voters who helped get her elected.”

BRENNAN DAY

Day (Courtenay-Comox) exits later Wednesday, saying he no longer supports the direction of the party under Findlay. Day says he has lost confidence in the judgment, conduct and ethical standards of Findlay’s leadership and the people she surrounds herself with. He says he will sit as an “Independent Conservative.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2026.

The Canadian Press