B.C. Conservative leader ‘ready to rock’

VANCOUVER – British Columbia Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson admits to some frustration in the starting days of the provincial election but now says his party is “ready to rock.”

Doerkson, who had the job just hours before the NDP called an election, concedes he’s been “a little bit busy” but said he couldn’t pass up an invitation to the B.C. Lions match against the Roughriders on Friday to see former B.C. premier Christy Clark and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.

While he said it was difficult to hear any words of wisdom from them with the roar of the crowd, he’s estimated he has said 100 times in the last few days that he’s open to advice.

“I’m certainly listening to anybody who has advice on how I might be able to change government in this province, right,” Doerkson said in an interview on Saturday.

“But the reality is that when you have an opportunity to sit with a past premier and a current premier and just have conversation and build relationships. … I think that’s a huge advantage,” he said.

New Democrat Leader David Eby called the snap provincial election on Tuesday, just days after B.C. Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay quit amid a caucus revolt.

Doerkson, 58, was named interim leader.

He agreed his party has gone through some “pretty visual” challenges.

“But I will say this: I really feel like I am best known for being someone that can build a team, bring a team together.

“And frankly, I don’t mean to gloat or anything like that, (but) I just feel that what we’ve accomplished in a very short time as far as bringing everybody back into the fold has been a really exciting time for our party.”

Caucus members started leaving the party in August, complaining about Findlay’s leadership style before she resigned. Findlay had planned to continue running in a byelection called for Saturday, but that was cancelled by the general election.

Doerkson held a media available backed by members of the caucus and supporters on Tuesday after the vote was called, and he’s done several media interviews since then, but there has been no campaign-style announcements that often come with an election.

“It was obviously a snap election, which I’m very frustrated about,” he said. “I think British Columbians are too. I think the polls are showing that and, you know, obviously it takes a little while to get everything sort of in place.”

The Conservative’s election tour will start soon, with announcements and a platform to come, he said.

The leader said the party will put Conservatives in all 93 ridings with many “top-notch” people asking to be candidates, but the vetting process is complex and the party is working as quickly as possible to get it done.

One spot quickly filled by the party was in West Vancouver-Capilano where former Conservative leadership candidate Caroline Elliott will run.

Elliott lost to Findlay in May in the final run-off to the leadership race, with official results putting her just two per cent behind the winner.

She becomes the second of the five final Conservative leadership contestants to announce they’ll run in the election, joining former legislator Peter Milobar, who will be running again in Kamloops-Centre.

Findlay has said she won’t run in the election.

The NDP has announced several more incumbents will be seeking re-election, including cabinet ministers Sheila Malcolmson in Nanaimo—Gabriola Island, Lisa Beare in Maple Ridge—Pitt Meadows and Anne Kang in Burnaby Centre.

Four Eby cabinet ministers, including Ravi Kahlon and Kelly Greene, have announced they are not seeking re-election.

CentreBC Leader Elenore Sturko, who was elected in the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale said she’ll be running in Surrey South, where Brent Chapman won in 2024.

Chapman is the husband of Findlay and left the party for the right wing OneBC on the same day as the election call.

It means Sturko will face Chapman and current White Rock Mayor Megan Knight, who will be running for the Conservatives.

“I’m embarrassed by the fact that he has been my MLA, and I plan to remedy that,” Sturko said in a statement.

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