Findlay raises conflict-of-interest concerns over Milobar’s family ties to Kamloops Indian band

VANCOUVER — A weekend debate question about potential conflict of interest raised by leadership candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay and directed towards fellow running mate Peter Milobar has initiated a debate within the party over family ties, indigenous policy and campaign tone..In the Saturday Global News televised debate, Findlay challenged BC Conservative Kamloops-Centre MLA and current finance critic Peter Milobar over his wife's and family connections to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation — also known as the Kamloops Indian band. That same band has filed an Aboriginal title claim over 1.25 million hectares that includes the City of Kamloops and surrounding areas.Findlay’s remark focused on what she described as a potential property-rights and reconciliation-related conflict of interest, owing to Milobar’s wife “doing work for the band.”Milobar responded sharply and emotionally during the debate. “Just say it — my wife’s Indigenous so you think I’m in conflict of interest. I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life,” he said, adding that he has voted against “lots of indigenous issues” and that he has properly disclosed any required conflicts under BC’s Members’ Conflict of Interest Act.Milobar added that his wife's role with the band in Kamloops amounted to a part time gig as a phone receptionist..Supporters of Findlay argue her question was a legitimate probe into whether personal and familial incentives could influence policy decisions on DRIPA repeal, land claims, or reconciliation spending — standard scrutiny in politics where spousal or family ties to funded entities are routinely examined for appearances of bias.Findlay’s campaign offered a statement to the Western Standard defending the question.“British Columbians deserve full transparency from anyone seeking to lead our party and our province,” the statement said. “Peter Milobar’s wife and his son-in-law is connected to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Nation.”“That is the same band that filed a major Aboriginal title claim seeking declaration of title over 1.25 million hectares. This claim includes the entire City of Kamloops and surrounding areas.”“As the Conservative Party commits to repealing DRIPA and restoring certainty for every landowner in British Columbia, it is completely legitimate and responsible to ask whether those family ties create a potential conflict of interest. This is about ensuring our next Premier will put the interests of taxpayers and private property owners first without any appearance of divided loyalties,” the statement continued.Critics of the comment, meanwhile, have called the insinuation Milobar would automatically be in a conflicted position due to the racial background of his family members ”ignorant,” “racist” and “abhorrent.”.The controversy gained additional layers on Sunday when fellow leadership candidate Iain Black posted an X video addressing the debate.Black, a former BC Liberal cabinet minister and Vancouver Board of Trade head, used the clip to argue against what he called race-based division within the party..Incidentally, and ironically, Black was himself accused by Milobar of making a similar claim of “divided loyalties on DRIPA” regarding a potential conflict-of-interest related to his family in the previous leadership debate only days earlier..In his Sunday X post, which has garnered more than 50,000 views, Black further criticized Findlay for what he described as a pattern of engaging with or failing to distance herself from divisive rhetoric—including not rejecting endorsements or comments linked to independent MLA Tara Armstrong.Armstrong, a former Conservative who now sits as an independent, drew widespread condemnation in late April for using the phrase “blood and soil” during a legislature debate on a First Nations treaty and UNDRIP.Premier David Eby and others, including independent MLA Elenore Sturko, labelled the term “Nazi rhetoric,” citing its historical use by German fascists to evoke ethnic purity and territorial claims. Black appeared to tie the Milobar-Findlay exchange to this broader concern, warning that such approaches echo the NDP’s own identity politics and undermine the party’s ability to unite British Columbians on equal terms..Black appeared to tie the Milobar-Findlay exchange to this broader concern, warning that such approaches echo the NDP’s own identity politics and undermine the party’s ability to unite British Columbians on equal terms.“Dividing people based on race is how David Eby won last time,” Black stated in the video.In response to written questions from the Western Standard, Black’s campaign stated that his video was in response to Findlay’s “failure,” during a previous leadership debate, to condemn Tara Armstrong’s remarks, reject her endorsement, or distance herself from controversial comments made by other party candidates. According to the Black campaign, when Findlay then questioned Milobar’s family ties in the final debate, it highlighted those unresolved issues. As for the Milobar and Black exchange over the same topic during the third Conservative Party of BC leadership debate, Black’s campaign claimed that Milobar had incorrectly alleged that Black had made similar “divided loyalty” accusations involving an indigenous spouse.The Black campaign said Milobar later realized he had misread a Black campaign email that actually criticized rival candidate Yuri Fulmer and his “Unite the Right” memorandum of understanding with OneBC.The Conservative Party of BC leadership contest features five candidates: Iain Black, Caroline Elliott, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Yuri Fulmer and Peter Milobar. A winner is expected to be declared on May 30.

Findlay raises conflict-of-interest concerns over Milobar’s family ties to Kamloops Indian band

Related Stories

FACT CHECK: How truthful were candidates in the BC Conservative leadership debate?

EXCLUSIVE: Eight wins, zero losses: Peter Milobar’s formula for leadership

Remaining candidates, minus two, set to face off in Conservative Party of BC debate

Milobar campaign raising alarm over the BC Conservative membership system