Five B.C. legislators who recently left the provincial Conservatives are joining forces to form a new political party, with plans to have it up and running when the legislature returns next month.
Rosalyn Bird, Bruce Banman and Áʼa꞉líya Warbus announced Friday they are joining Peter Milobar and Ian Paton in the yet-to-be-named party.
The five are among nine MLAs who have left the B.C. Conservative caucus in recent weeks under Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Milobar, who is serving as interim leader, told Global News that the group wants to create an option for voters who are dissatisfied with the governing NDP but don’t see themselves supporting the B.C. Conservatives.
“We need to form a serious, credible option for voters that are fed up with the NDP and can’t see themselves voting for the Conservative Party of B.C. moving forward,” he said Friday.
The party has not yet announced a name, but Milobar said the group is working through the process with Elections BC and hopes to have key details in place before the legislature returns Oct. 5.
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“We are not doing this on a whim. We are doing this methodically and properly,” he said.
The party also plans to hold an internal leadership vote before the legislature resumes and sit with official third-party status. Milobar said he would consider seeking the permanent leadership, but said his current priority is building the party.
“I will give it some consideration, but that is not my main focus right now,” he added.
The group said in a release that its priorities will include affordability, the economy, health care, taxation, resource development and land and property rights.
Milobar said he believes there is an appetite among British Columbians for another political option, pointing to the response he and other former Conservative MLAs have received since leaving the caucus.
“My inbox has been overflowing,” he said. “All nine have said that it’s been an extremely positive response and experience in their communities for them taking that step to leave.”
Milobar said the group will continue speaking with other MLAs, but would not say whether more members are expected to join in the coming days.
Findlay narrowly won the B.C. Conservative leadership in May.
Scott McInnis and Donegal Wilson became the latest MLAs to leave the caucus on Wednesday.
– With files from The Canadian Press
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