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British Columbia Conservative leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay faces a byelection campaign shadowed by a damaging audio recording and a wave of MLA departures that has left her party in open turmoil. The byelection, scheduled for September 26, follows the resignation of MLA Reann Gasper, which cleared a path for Findlay to win a seat in the legislature. Findlay currently holds no seat in the B.C. legislature, making the vote essential to her leadership.
Audio Recording Sparks Allegations of Improper Conduct
An audio recording surfaced on social media Thursday, posted by an anonymous account called “The Findlay Files.” The recording features a voice that sounds like Findlay suggesting she could offer someone “a role as senior adviser in their same portfolio” if they stepped aside as a legislator.
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Findlay pushed back firmly against the implications. She described the recording as “unverified” and said it appeared to have been made during a July caucus meeting. She called the allegations a “political smear job” and dismissed suggestions that the conversation amounted to an illegal job offer as “preposterous.”
Despite her denials, the legal stakes are significant. Under the Criminal Code, negotiating a reward or benefit in exchange for resigning from political office carries a prison sentence of up to five years. B.C. legislature standing orders also prohibit offering money or other advantages to members in connection with matters before the house.
The B.C. RCMP confirmed it was aware of the social media post but stopped short of confirming any investigation. “Generally speaking, the RCMP does not confirm or deny any investigation, or the identity of any person who may be subject to an investigation, until such time as charges have been laid,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Friday.
Adding to the optics, Gasper — the MLA who resigned to create the vacancy — has since taken a position as Findlay’s deputy chief of staff.
Six MLAs Abandon the B.C. Conservative Caucus
The audio controversy arrives at a moment of serious internal fracture within the B.C. Conservative Party. Six MLAs have left the caucus over the past month, four of them departing within the past week alone.
The exodus began on August 14, when veteran MLA Peter Milobar announced he would leave to sit as an independent. Around ten days later, Ian Paton followed, signalling that he and Milobar intended to form a new party before the fall legislative session.
Since August 24, four more MLAs have walked out: Rosalyn Bird, Teresa Wat, Brennan Day and Bruce Banman. The departures have raised urgent questions about Findlay’s grip on her caucus and her broader leadership of the party.
Trevor Bolin, the party’s former leader, told Global News the timing of the recording’s release “couldn’t be worse” given the mounting pressures. He said he is hearing that six to eight additional Conservative MLAs may leave before the fall sitting begins.
“There’s obviously an issue in the party, there’s an issue in caucus, there’s an issue with the executive,” Bolin said. “Don’t hide from it, don’t deny it, take it head on and fix this issue — because the last thing we need is more centre-to-right parties popping up just to split that vote.”
Bolin Urges Reform, Warns of Long-Term Damage
Despite his sharp criticism, Bolin expressed confidence that the party could recover before the next general election, which must be held no later than October 2028. He urged Findlay to open up closed-door meetings, improve transparency and rebuild relationships with both MLAs and communities across the province.
“Parties last forever, leaders come and go, MLAs come and go, politicians have expiry dates,” Bolin said. “But at the end of the day, the platforms and the policies that the members put in place are what lasts a lifetime.”
He also called on Findlay to take direct action on her leadership approach. “I think Kerri-Lynne needs to get a handle on not only her leadership with the caucus, but as well as the MLAs and the members in British Columbia,” he said.
Findlay Set to Face Former NDP Minister in September Vote
If Findlay enters the September 26 byelection, she will face former NDP MLA Pam Alexis, who previously served as agriculture and food minister. Alexis won the riding in the 2020 provincial election but lost the seat to Gasper in 2024 by approximately 2,600 votes.
The Kerry-Lynne Findlay byelection campaign now carries far more weight than a simple seat-winning exercise. It has become a critical test of whether she can stabilize a party visibly struggling with defections, legal scrutiny and questions about internal governance at one of the most difficult moments in its recent history.
