Bruce Banman has become the latest BC Conservative MLA to abandon the party, warning that leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay is “unelectable” and urging colleagues to follow suit.
The former Abbotsford South representative, who helped secure official party status for the Conservatives in 2023, announced his resignation from caucus on Thursday, citing mounting concerns about Findlay’s leadership capabilities.
A Heavy Heart Departure
“Person after person has informed me they have decided that our new leader is unelectable,” Banman stated in his public announcement. “So, with a heavy heart, I am announcing today I am joining the ever-increasing number of MLAs to sit as an Independent MLA in the BC legislature.”
The MLA, first elected as a BC Liberal in 2020 before crossing the floor to join John Rustad’s Conservative caucus, expressed his determination to see the NDP government defeated, despite his departure from the Conservative fold.
“For the sake of the future of this province we must defeat this NDP government,” he said, calling on MLAs across party lines to join his independent stance.
Collapse of Parliamentary Presence
Banman’s exit marks the sixth Conservative MLA to defect this month under Findlay’s leadership, reducing the party’s legislative caucus from 44 seats won in the 2024 provincial election to just 31 members.
The departures have precipitated what political observers describe as an unprecedented collapse of the official opposition, with former BC United members Teresa Wat, Bennan Day, Rosalyn Bird, and Ian Paton leaving in recent days, alongside former finance critic Peter Milobar.
The exodus began shortly after Findlay’s narrow victory in the May leadership contest, with critics arguing that her unelected status and controversial positions have weakened the party’s electoral prospects.
New Political Forces Emerge
In the wake of the Conservative implosion, departing MLAs Paton and Milobar have announced plans to establish a new political party, aiming to have it operational by the legislature’s return on October 5th.
“If that happens, if it’s a competitive candidate, then absolutely that could affect Findlay’s chance of winning the byelection,” explained Stewart Prest, a political science lecturer at the University of British Columbia, referring to the upcoming Abbotsford-Mission byelection where Conservative candidate Reann Gasper resigned to allow Findlay an opportunity to enter the legislature.
Gasper had secured the seat with 55% of the vote in 2024, defeating incumbent Pam Alexis by fewer than 3,000 votes in a two-candidate race. However, the riding could prove challenging for Findlay if multiple right-of-centre candidates compete.
Another alternative party, CentreBC, has also positioned itself as a refuge for voters disillusioned with the Conservative leadership.
Strategic Timing Questions
Findlay, who lacks a legislative seat, told reporters on Tuesday that she had been acclaimed as the Conservative candidate for Abbotsford-Mission and expressed her hope that Premier David Eby would call the byelection promptly.
“I do hope the premier calls that byelection sooner rather than later. Obviously, I would like, and my team would like, for me to be in the legislature, taking the debate to the premier,” she said.
Political analysts suggest that delaying the byelection might benefit the NDP, allowing time for third-party alternatives to consolidate support and fragment the conservative vote. Elections BC has indicated the latest possible date for the byelection is February 24, 2027, with election day set for March 24.
“It goes with the famous Napoleon dictum to never interrupt your enemy when they are making a mistake,” Prest observed, suggesting that Premier Eby may strategically wait to see how the Conservative situation develops.
Why it Matters
This unprecedented collapse of the BC Conservative Party represents a seismic shift in provincial politics that could fundamentally alter British Columbia’s electoral landscape. With six MLAs having already abandoned Findlay’s leadership in a single month, the official opposition faces potential dissolution at a time when strong parliamentary scrutiny of the NDP government is most needed. The emergence of new right-wing alternatives threatens to fragment the conservative vote, potentially extending the NDP’s mandate while leaving thousands of voters without coherent representation. For Indigenous communities and other stakeholders who rely on effective opposition oversight, the instability within the Conservative caucus raises serious questions about whether their concerns will receive adequate voice in the provincial legislature. The coming months will determine whether Findlay can rehabilitate her party’s standing or whether British Columbia is witnessing the birth of an entirely new political dynamic that could reshape provincial politics for years to come.