PENTICTON — Interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson said Monday that five MLAs have been readmitted to caucus, a day after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned the leadership.An official statement names Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, Surrey-Serpentine River MLA Linda Hepner, Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis, Skeena MLA Claire Rattée and Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad. "Back up to 29," the note said..Only two of the five have actually put their own names on the return. McInnis posted a Kimberley release at 12:17 p.m. PDT. ."When I left caucus, it was because I believed the majority of my constituents and other British Columbians did not agree with the direction which the former leader had shifted toward," he wrote. "I never lost my respect for my colleagues, many of whom I consider close friends.".Rustad posted a Victoria statement at 1:27 p.m. PDT after he spoke with reporters at the legislature.."He (Doerksen) asked me to come back to caucus. This afternoon I accepted," Rustad wrote. "I am returning to do the work, not to run the next chapter from the outside." "Kerry-Lynne Findlay has stepped down as leader. That was the right thing for British Columbia. I thank her for it." He added that talks aimed at bringing Conservatives and CentreBC back together "should succeed" because the province "cannot afford two opposition parties while David Eby measures the timing of an election.".CentreBC named Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar its leader Friday after Mike Bernier stepped aside. Eight sitting MLAs sit with that party: Milobar, Ian Paton, Rosalyn Bird, Teresa Wat, Bruce Banman, Á'a:líya Warbus, Donegal Wilson and Elenore Sturko. Milobar had not posted a reply to Rustad's afternoon statement when this draft closed. The party account welcomed Halford at 2:07 p.m. PDT with the same line it used for McInnis and Rustad. "The Conservative Party of BC is welcoming back MLA Trevor Halford. All conservatives across BC must stand together against more NDP economic devastation.".Halford has not posted his own acceptance. Friday evening he wrote that he was "not going anywhere" and would run again in Surrey-White Rock. Sunday evening he thanked Findlay "for her service to our party, province and country" and said Conservatives needed to come together. He did not say he had been invited back. .The Western Standard first reported Thursday that Halford was working the phones for a letter asking Findlay to resign. Rattée later put the public figure at "at least ten" and said she had signed it. The letter has not been released. Rattée drew the party's welcome template Monday evening. She has not posted a Monday acceptance of her own. Sunday, after Findlay quit, she released a Skeena statement that she would "run in the next election as a BC Conservative" and that "no part of the conservative movement can be excluded from that work." .Hepner is the shortest bounce. She told CBC's Katie DeRosa Sunday morning she had resigned from caucus "effective immediately" and texted Findlay that she had lost confidence in the "leadership's willingness to listen, to seek experienced advice and to consider perspectives beyond its immediate circle." .Courtenay-Comox MLA Brennan Day still sits Independent. He left August 26 and did not join CentreBC. He was not on Doerkson's list for reasons that remain unknown.Four other former Conservatives remain outside both rooms.Richmond Centre MLA Hon Chan sits Independent after he was removed March 26 on unproven assault, choking and uttering-threats charges. Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy and Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong sit Independent from the March 2025 split. Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie sits as OneBC's only MLA. Findlay still has no seat. Advance polls in Abbotsford-Mission run through Wednesday. Final voting day is Saturday unless a general writ drops and cancels the contest under Election Act s. 24(2). Premier David Eby has not issued one.
