Who was behind the attempt to disqualify Findlay’s leadership campaign?

VANCOUVER — BC Conservative leadership candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay reiterated she has received no information from Elections Canada regarding allegations of a formal investigation related to her federal campaign in 2025..In a verbal statement issued outside the BC legislature in Victoria Monday, Findlay described the claims as “completely false and untrue,” stressing that neither she nor her financial agent had received any formal or informal notice from the federal elections watchdog or the Commissioner of Canada Elections.Findlay did not take questions from reporters following the announcement on Monday.Many questions remain unanswered. For one, who tried to knock former federal MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay off the ballot with a flurry of unproven and conveniently timed allegations?The Leadership Election Organizing Committee, also known by its acronym, LEOC, held an ‘emergency meeting’ Friday after a mid-week media report from veteran BC reporter Rob Shaw, published by Business in Vancouver, and further platformed by ex-BC Liberal MLA Jas Johal..The claims alleged that Findlay's 2025 federal re-election campaign received undeclared services worth around $75,000 and involved other irregularities, including the allegation that “approximately 50 individuals who appeared to be foreign nations without legal status” helped with Findlay's canvassing.The story got much weirder though.On Thursday afternoon, only hours before a potential disqualification of the Findlay campaign by LEOC the following day, Shaw's story and allegations expanded to include “individuals linked to the Alberta separatist movement.”.The timing in Shaw's story leaves readers with more questions than answers.Who were these so-called “Alberta separatists” and why would they be so concerned with electing Findlay, an avowed federalist and longtime Member of Parliament, to be elected as a federal MP for South Surrey–White Rock in 2025?An anonymous source reported to the Western Standard that the so-called “Alberta separatists” was actually in reference to a single individual, rather than a group — an individual named Apollo Chung, who had previously worked with the Alberta Republican Party.The rumour goes on that Chung is working as Findlay’s de facto campaign manager and as a “fixer” — something of a recycled allegation made by a member of Elliott's campaign earlier in the race..The allegation was quickly dismissed at the time, with Findlay posting a picture alongside her official campaign manager Chris Dyson following the first sanctioned BC Conservative leadership debate in Vancouver.Of course, it is not illegal to be an advocate for Alberta independence. Nor is it illegal for political campaigns to receive assistance from individuals outside their home province.It also remains unclear what connection, if any, Chung had to the complaint sent to Elections Canada or if he has any official connection to Findlay's ongoing leadership campaign.Notably and relevantly, one of Findlay's running mates in the ongoing BC Conservative leadership race, Caroline Elliott, has been roundly criticized on social media for importing key campaign staff from Ontario and Quebec.Whispers in political backchannels, and on social media, have pointed fingers at the campaigns of Elliott and Iain Black.Some insiders allege the two teams may have quietly colluded to persuade the Leadership Election Organizing Committee to disqualify Findlay at the eleventh hour, clearing the path in a tight preferential-ballot race.No public evidence has emerged to substantiate the claim, and both campaigns have denied any coordinated effort to influence LEOC.Elliott herself posted on X shortly before the emergency meeting, stating she had “serious concerns” about rumours of a last-minute disqualification and did not support removing a candidate “the day before voting begins.”.Fellow candidate Iain Black, meanwhile, called the allegations “unverified” and “uninformed.”“We learned of the allegations when the news article broke,” Black said on X shortly after speculation links his campaign to the disqualification attempt..Still, the timing of the allegations, and the speed with which they reached veteran reporter Rob Shaw, has kept the speculation alive.Adding fuel to the rumour mill are a handful of notable connections within the party’s inner circle, but such connections — spousal, collegial or otherwise — are fairly typical in interparty politics, yielding no clear evidence of corruption or conflict of interest.For now, the ballroom remains crowded, the candlestick is still missing, and the anonymous tip — whoever placed it — has left more questions than answers.With ballots already in the hands of roughly 42,000 verified BC Conservative members, the only verdict that ultimately matters will come from the membership itself when results are announced at the end of the month.

Who was behind the attempt to disqualify Findlay’s leadership campaign?

Related Stories

Kerry-Lynne Findlay still in the race to be next BC Conservative leader

Findlay campaign denies media allegations of Elections Canada 'probe'

Freedom Charter, tax cuts and land acknowledgment bans: BC Conservatives stake out turf in final stretch

SHAW: You can’t have a strong nation without hard work