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.
Doerkson’s departure comes after talks between the two parties sounding out “common ground” had fallen apart following the Conservatives’ rejection of a non-competition agreement between the two parties. That agreement would have protected Doerkson’s seat from a Conservative challenger.
“Recent 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,” Doerkson said.
Doerkson said he would “have loved to have seen some sort of coalition, but when that died two weeks ago, I had to move on.”
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. “I’m not sure how you will interpret that, but I certainly wasn’t critiquing Kevin Falcon and I have a lot of respect for Kevin.”
Doerkson said his decision to join the provincial Conservatives was the “toughest decision” of his life, adding that it came after what he called a “fulsome” 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. “It was the third meeting (of its kind), but this was a decision we were going to make together.”
He said during his opening remarks that he looks forward to joining “one of the largest grassroots movements” in B.C.’s political history. “I’m excited for what the future brings,” he said.
Doerkson is not yet the Conservatives’ nominated candidate for Cariboo-Chilcotin, but has taken out a party membership, Rustad said.
Doerkson’s 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 year’s fall session to join Rustad.
Doerkson’s departure may sting more than Banman’s because Doerkson served closer to B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon as caucus chair and it raises further questions about Falcon’s 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. Doerkson’s departure gives it three MLAs heading into this year’s provincial election. However, all three — Rustad, Banman and Doerkson — won their seats as B.C. Liberals.
Doerkson’s move reduces the number of incumbent MLAs running under the B.C. United banner to 14 — 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. “So we are in conversations, but I am also having conversations with other people as well.” Rustad added he won’t comment at this stage about those discussion.
Premier David Eby said Friday “it’s hard to keep track against whom we are running these days” when asked about Doerkson’s defection. Eby added that he sees a group of politicians, who are willing to “sell out their core values” to “save their own skin.”
