New BC Conservative Leader Says Eby Will ‘Regret’ Early Election Call

The BC Conservatives’ newly appointed leader Lorne Doerkson criticized NDP Leader David Eby’s snap election call on Sept. 22, but said his party will win the election.

“It’s a cheap, opportunistic political move, and it could cost tens of millions of dollars, which I’m shocked at. But you know what? I think David Eby is going to regret this,” Doerkson said at his first press conference after Eby called the election for Oct. 24. “This election actually offers an opportunity for hope and for real change.”

Doerkson said that repealing the province’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which has been at the centre of controversial indigenous property rights disputes, will be a key focus of his campaign.

His other areas of focus at the press conference were taxes, the cost of living, budget deficits, and diversifying trade.

“It is absolutely appalling what is happening with billions and billions of dollars that British Columbians have contributed to run this province,” he said.

Eby has said the reason he is calling an election is to seek a “mandate” amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, saying he wants to diversify the economy.

“This isn’t just a trade dispute. This is about the life that you and your family are building in British Columbia. When one of our businesses loses a market like the United States, workers feel it,” Eby said after calling the election in Victoria on Sept. 22.

“Trump has had an impact. In the last quarter, our exports to the United States are down by 4 percent. That’s a big deal for businesses in our province, but in that same quarter, our exports to markets other than the United States are up 16 percent. That is how you build a firebreak.”

He rejected suggestions that his election call is opportunistic, saying it’s “never a bad time to go to British Columbians to ask the right direction.” He also rejected suggestions that he’s taking advantage of a weakened opposition that has been in the midst of internal turmoil and leadership change.

“They’ve had four leaders in two years. They’ve been in chaos since the last election, and that actually is the offering of the Conservative Party to British Columbians: chaos, division, culture war, acquiescence, giving up, cuts,” he said.

Asked about the infighting among the Conservatives and whether the party will remain united, Doerkson said his party is “back together” and will be taking on the NDP. He charged that the NDP is also facing internal challenges.

“I can appreciate that there’s a couple of ministers that have chosen not to run. I’m not sure why that is, but the reality is we are here today and we are unified in one simple task, and that is to change government in this province,” he said.

Doerkson added that while Trump’s tariffs are posing a challenge to the province, the NDP government, which has been in power for close to 10 years, has been “dismantling industry.”

“The challenge in this province right now is 10 years of disastrous mismanagement by the NDP government, and it has affected British Colombians in ways that I’ve never seen,” he said.

Three NDP cabinet ministers have announced they will not be seeking re-election, including Health Minister Ravi Kahlon, Emergency Management Minister Kelly Green, and Tourism Minister Lana Popham.

Doerkson was joined at the press conference by a number of members of the BC Conservative caucus, including Peter Milobar, who had left the party over disagreements with former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay and became the leader of CentreBC. Milobar and six other MLAs who had left the Conservatives rejoined the party on Sept. 22. As well, former Conservative leader John Rustad and interim leader Trevor Halford, along with several other MLAs who had left the party, were invited back to the party this week.

Milobar thanked Doerkson for bringing “our movement back together,” saying the party is coming back together “as part of a progressive ideas and conservative values party.”

Also on Sept. 22, Brent Chapman, who is Findlay’s husband, left the BC Conservative caucus and joined OneBC, which was co-founded by Dallas Brodie in 2025 after she was kicked out of the BC Conservative caucus.

Doerkson rejected rumours that the party is also parting ways with MLA Sheldon Clare who has been with the BC Conservatives since 2024, saying “those rumors today were created by media, not us.”

When asked whether his appointment as interim leader meant he would become premier if his party won the election, Doerkson confirmed that he would.

“This was a bit of a surprise to myself as well, and so my feeling at this point is that I’m running for premier right now,” he said.