Another MLA has left B.C. United for the Conservative Party of B.C.

Lorne Doerkson, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin, Friday (May 31) announced he would be joining the party under the leadership of John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes.

DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 departure comes after talks between the two parties sounding out B次元官网网址渃ommon groundB次元官网网址� had fallen apart following the ConservativesB次元官网网址� rejection of a non-competition agreement between the two parties. That agreement would have protected DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 seat from a Conservative challenger.

B次元官网网址淩ecent events I think have really shown that my residents (in Williams Lake) and certainly people in Cariboo-Chilcotin have made it very clear that they want a Conservative to represent because they think they really feel that this is the only alternative to the NDP right now,B次元官网网址� Doerkson said.

Doerkson said he would B次元官网网址渉ave loved to have seen some sort of coalition, but when that died two weeks ago, I had to move on.B次元官网网址�

Doerkson declined to discuss his conversation with Falcon prior to making the switch, but rejected suggestions that his departure following the failed talks amounts to a critique of Falcon. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not sure how you will interpret that, but I certainly wasnB次元官网网址檛 critiquing Kevin Falcon and I have a lot of respect for Kevin.B次元官网网址�

Doerkson said his decision to join the provincial Conservatives was the B次元官网网址渢oughest decisionB次元官网网址� of his life, adding that it came after what he called a B次元官网网址渇ulsomeB次元官网网址� discussions with other members of his former caucus as well others. Doerkson denied that he switched parties because his riding association were threatening to quit. Doerkson said the riding association met yesterday for three hours to discuss the issue. B次元官网网址淚t was the third meeting (of its kind), but this was a decision we were going to make together.B次元官网网址�

He said during his opening remarks that he looks forward to joining B次元官网网址渙ne of the largest grassroots movementsB次元官网网址� in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 political history. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited for what the future brings,B次元官网网址� he said.

Doerkson is not yet the ConservativesB次元官网网址� nominated candidate for Cariboo-Chilcotin, but has taken out a party membership, Rustad said.

DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 departure from B.C. United to join the Conservatives is the second such defection in less than a year and comes after the end of the spring session. Bruce Banman, MLA for Abbotsford South, left B.C. United in the fall of 2023 before the start of that yearB次元官网网址檚 fall session to join Rustad.

DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 departure may sting more than BanmanB次元官网网址檚 because Doerkson served closer to B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon as caucus chair and it raises further questions about FalconB次元官网网址檚 leadership. He had spearheaded the name change of the B.C. Liberals to B.C. United, only to see his party drop in the polls, falling behind the upstart Conservatives.

Events leading to the current situation started in August 2022, when Falcon kicked out Rustad over comments concerning climate change. Rustad then joined the Conservative Party of B.C. in early 2023, later becoming its leader.

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Since then, the party has been surging. DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 departure gives it three MLAs heading into this yearB次元官网网址檚 provincial election. However, all three B次元官网网址� Rustad, Banman and Doerkson B次元官网网址� won their seats as B.C. Liberals.

DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 move reduces the number of incumbent MLAs running under the B.C. United banner to 14 B次元官网网址� half of the amount elected in 2020.

A former publisher with Black Press Media, Doerkson has held numerous board positions in Williams Lake, where the local Chamber of Commerce had awarded him not one, but two Community Booster awards for his various community involvements.

Doerkson might not be the only current B.C. United MLA switching to the Conservatives. Rustad said his party has talked to Surrey-South MLA Elenore Sturko. B次元官网网址淪o we are in conversations, but I am also having conversations with other people as well.B次元官网网址� Rustad added he wonB次元官网网址檛 comment at this stage about those discussion.

Premier David Eby said Friday B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 hard to keep track against whom we are running these daysB次元官网网址� when asked about DoerksonB次元官网网址檚 defection. Eby added that he sees a group of politicians, who are willing to B次元官网网址渟ell out their core valuesB次元官网网址� to B次元官网网址渟ave their own skin.B次元官网网址�