Behind Kerry-Lynne Findlay's exit as B.C. Conservative leader. What comes next?

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal NewsPolitics Behind Kerry-Lynne Findlay's exit as B.C. Conservative leader. What comes next? A look at how the B.C. Conservative party finally ousted its leader after four turbulent months Author of the article: By Alec Lazenby Published Sep 21, 2026 6 minute read Join the conversation Former B.C. Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. PHOTO BY SCOTT MCALPINE /Scott McAlpine Article content By Saturday afternoon, Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s time as the leader of the B.C. Conservatives was all but over, as she faced pressure from caucus, her party’s board and deep-pocketed business leaders to resign. Article content The board was unhappy about a fall in party memberships and the drying up of party fundraising, while business leaders were withholding donations over concerns about the direction Findlay was taking the party and whether she could defeat the NDP in a snap election, Postmedia has learned. Article content Article content Article content Unlike past resignations, it appears there were no sit-down meetings, but rather a flurry of phone calls that led to Findlay’s announcement Sunday that she would quit as leader. Article content Sunrise Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content That paved the way for former leaders John Rustad and Trevor Halford, as well as Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis, Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner, and Skeena MLA Claire Rattée to announce on Monday their return to the B.C. Conservative party after being invited back by the interim leader, Lorne Doerkson. Article content “Last week was a hard week. Caucus spoke frankly, as a caucus should. Kerry-Lynne Findlay then made a difficult decision. That decision was hers. I respect it. I am not going back over the rest,” said Rustad. Article content “Lorne Doerkson is now interim leader of the official Opposition. He is a quality individual. A lot of people in this province do not know him yet. They will. Article content “He asked me to come back to caucus. This afternoon I accepted. I am returning to do the work, not to run the next chapter from the outside.” Article content He also said that “there have been talks about bringing Conservatives…