BC United to run some candidates to keep party name alive, despite halting campaign

BC United Leader, Kevin Falcon speaks during a news conference in Surrey, B.C. on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

British Columbia's Official Opposition BC United party says it will run some candidates in the Oct. 19 election despite recently suspending its "full provincewide" campaign to throw its support behind the surging B.C. Conservative Party.

A letter to party members Friday said the move is intended to leave open a door to the party being resurrected for future elections.

It said despite last week's campaign suspension by Leader Kevin Falcon "we intend on running a select number of candidates in the upcoming election."

The letter said the move ensures BC United, formerly the B.C. Liberal Party, remains a registered political party with Elections BC.

"I want to reiterate that we have simply suspended the full provincewide BC United campaign for this upcoming provincial election," BC United executive director Lindsay Cote said in the letter.

"This does not fold our party or erase our organization," she said. "Our intent is to ensure that following the October 2024 election, we will be able to have a thorough discussion with our membership about the future of BC United. If there is a desire within our membership to rebuild the party, and a plausible path to do so, we want to be in a position to act on this."

Cote said the party has yet to decide how many of its candidates will stand in which ridings.

Falcon announced last week he was suspending the campaign and withdrawing the party's candidate nominations and instead urging support for the Conservatives to prevent a vote-split that would help the New Democrats win re-election.

"Kevin Falcon, as leader of BC United, had the power under our party constitution to revoke nominations of all candidates for the upcoming election," said Cote. "While he did not need support of the provincial executive for this decision, he sought it and it was granted. We are now in the process of revoking these nominations with Elections BC."

Cote said the decision to suspend the campaign was difficult for party members, candidates, MLAs and staff employees.

"While we know this decision was gut wrenching, we strongly believe it gives British Columbians the best opportunity to defeat the NDP and secure a free-enterprise victory in the provincial election this October."

Adam Wilson, BC United communications director, said in a statement that running some candidates ensures the party name is available in future elections.

The past week has seen a series of political moves triggered by the consolidation of candidate lists for United and the Conservatives, into a single Conservative slate.

Three BC United MLAs — Peter Milobar, Trevor Halford and Ian Paton — said they would seek re-election as B.C. Conservatives, while their former party colleagues Mike Bernier, Dan Davies and Tom Shypitka will look to be re-elected as Independents.

Ousted BC United candidates Wendy Yuan in Richmond Centre, Kevin Acton in Vernon-Lumby and Ashley Ramsay in Kelowna-Mission will also run as Independents.

Dupinder Kaur Saran, who lost her nomination as the B.C. Conservative candidate in Surrey-Panorama, will now run there as an Independent.

The B.C. Conservatives have pledged to run a candidate in all 93 ridings up for grabs in October.

The party's website currently lists 88 candidates, with the party yet to nominate candidates in Esquimalt-Colwood, Kootenay Central, Vancouver-Hastings, Vancouver-South Granville and Vancouver-Strathcona.

The NDP has nominated 85 candidates, with Salmon Arm Coun. Sylvia Lindgren in Salmon Arm-Shuswap being the most recent nominee.

As of last month, the B.C. Green Party had nominated 23 candidates. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.