‘Huge win’: Why some Findlay supporters are happy B.C. Conservative caucus is smaller

VICTORIA — The Conservative Party of B.C. may have lost nine legislators since Kerry-Lynne Findlay became leader, but some of her supporters are applauding the defections they say will help discipline the party and sharpen differences with the governing NDP.

Former B.C. Conservative candidate Tim Thielmann says the departures free Findlay from “disloyal and untrustworthy” individuals, who have been trying to sabotage her from the moment she got elected in May.

Thielmann, the Conservatives’ former caucus research director, says Findlay will now able to challenge Premier David Eby “without one arm tied behind her back” on reconciliation, gender and other issues.

He says those who quit the party did not want to touch these “so-called culture war issues.”

Thielmann says Findlay will now be a much stronger leader, without having to worry about offending the defectors’ sensibilities.

The Conservative caucus, which stood at 44 members after the 2024 election, has been reduced to 28 members after the recent defections and others under former leader John Rustad.

Five of the legislators who have quit the caucus in recent weeks plan to sit as a new party when the legislature resumes next month, with Peter Milobar serving as interim leader until a vote can be held.

“So, that’s a huge win for her to have relieved herself of those individuals,” Thielmann said of the departures in an interview.

“Obviously, they were disloyal. They were plotting from the earliest weeks to sabotage her by recording meetings and so on.”

Other supporters of Findlay have been suggesting it wouldn’t hurt if the caucus got even smaller.

Paul Ratchford, another former Conservative candidate who previously served as a party director, has been questioning the ideological credentials of legislator Misty Van Popta.

“Don’t cling to faux conservatives. Let them go and beat them,” he said on social media platform X of the prospect of the party losing Van Popta, who he criticized as a “climate zealot” who once welcomed a transgender Conservative activist to the legislature.

Van Popta responded to Ratchford on X by calling herself “a girl wrapped in mystery and intrigue,” while describing his “hot takes” as “lame-o gotcha moments.”

Ratchford said in a written statement that the recent departures created an opportunity for Findlay to restock the party and offer an alternative.

“That is something which is much harder to do with Liberals still in caucus,” he said of the defectors.

He didn’t respond when asked if he wanted Van Popta out of the caucus, and Thielmann said he would not comment on Ratchford’s apparent campaign against her.

Findlay faces a Sept. 26 byelection to claim a seat in the legislature, and Thielmann said a victory would send a clear message to the rest of the caucus about her electability and the need for ideological consistency.

He called the Abbotsford-Mission byelection a referendum about the direction of the party, and whether the public cared about the defections, and has also argued on social media that Findlay would then be “free to replenish the ranks with solid conservatives.”

Thielmann is now chief of staff for Independent MLA Tara Armstrong, who left the caucus in 2025 under former leader John Rustad, along with Jordan Kealy and Dallas Brodie.

He said Findlay needed all three back in her caucus, but whether she could get agreement on this was uncertain.

Findlay meanwhile has been adapting to her downsized caucus.

A reshuffled shadow cabinet released Wednesday included portfolios for all of party’s remaining 28 legislators, while Findlay took on land and property.

Gavin Dew remained in the finance portfolio vacated by Milobar last month, while former interim leader Trevor Halford took on transit.

Van Popta will serve as critic for infrastructure and construction.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press