NEW WESTMINSTER — A controversial “Unite the Right” agreement unveiled just days before a BC Conservative leadership debate in New Westminster is prompting some to ask: is this even allowed under party rules?.In an interview with the Western Standard, leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer dismissed concerns about the pact with OneBC, describing it as a strategic effort to prevent vote-splitting on the political right, calling it "purely a math thing."Under the “Unite the Right Accord” announced March 30, OneBC has agreed to stand down candidates in 88 of British Columbia’s 93 ridings if Fulmer wins the leadership race. In exchange, the Conservatives would not field candidates in five — as of now, unnamed — ridings, theoretically allowing OneBC to become the sole right-leaning option in those contests. OneBC has also committed to a formal confidence-and-supply agreement to support a Fulmer-led Conservative government.The Western Standard spoke with Fulmer on the morning of the party’s first, and so far only, leadership debate in New Westminster, asking what conditions would govern such an agreement.“There are none,” Fulmer said.Asked whether either party had established ideological or policy “lines in the sand,” Fulmer said there were none.“What differentiates the two parties then? Doesn’t this just become a distinction without a difference?” he was asked.“It’s a good question,” Fulmer replied. “This is purely a math thing,” adding that vote-splitting on the political right had been a decisive factor in past BC NDP victories.The proposed accord emerges amid a BC Conservative leadership race that has featured many unique twists and turns.More recently, OneBC party leader and the accord’s co-pilot Dallas Brodie suggested that OneBC supporters could purchase memberships with the Conservatives and, after 120 days, return to her party — a comment that has drawn scrutiny in light of party rules governing membership and participation..OneBC was formed in June 2025 by former BC Conservative MLAs Brodie and Tara Armstrong following a split from the party..The group briefly held official party status in the legislature with two members, but lost that designation in December after an internal dispute led Armstrong to leave the caucus. Brodie later regained control of the party, which now operates without official recognition in the legislature..The Conservative Party of BC’s constitution states that members must not belong to another provincial political party and provides that those who publicly support another party or campaign against a Conservative candidate may have their membership revoked.At the same time, the constitution also references collaboration with “like-minded organizations,” a provision that does not explicitly address relationships with other provincial political parties.The document does not specifically contemplate electoral agreements between parties, leaving it ambiguous and unclear how such arrangements would be interpreted or enforced.The party's constitution is silent on the words “pact,” “alliance,” “coalition,” “non-competition,” or “confidence-and-supply.” It also grants the party Board broad powers over riding associations, including the ability to dissolve them, remove officers, or transfer assets.That centralized authority has raised additional questions about whether any agreement involving candidate coordination across ridings would require formal approval from the party’s governing body.It is not clear whether the proposed arrangement with OneBC, which would see candidates withheld in certain ridings, has been reviewed or authorized through those mechanisms..In response to written questions from the Western Standard, the BC Conservative Party stated that the party’s constitution does not require it to field a candidate in every riding. The party confirmed the Board has not been approached regarding the proposed agreement with OneBC.Additionally, the party said its Leadership Election Organizing Committee is advising all campaigns that members of other provincial political parties are not permitted to join the Conservatives, regardless of whether their memberships are suspended.Fulmer told the Western Standard if he is unsuccessful in his bid to become party leader, he still intends to run for MLA as a BC Conservative and not under the OneBC banner — a commitment he reiterated at the New Westminster debate.Brodie’s former OneBC colleague Tara Armstrong now sits as an independent and, along with ex-Conservative MLA Jordan Kealy, has endorsed leadership candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay.Independent MLA, Amelia Boultbee, has quietly signalled support for her former Conservative colleague Peter Milobar while the last independent MLA, Elenore Sturko, has not yet endorsed any candidate.Fulmer, meanwhile, has received the endorsements of fellow leadership candidate Warren Hamm, BC Conservative MLA Bruce Banman, and Brodie amongst others.
