BC Conservatives announce committee to oversee leadership election

VANCOUVER — The BC Conservatives have announced the formation of a committee to oversee the party's leadership election.The impartial seven-member Leadership Election Organizing Committee will be in charge of making sure the rules and procedures are followed by all involved.Chairing the committee is lawyer and former federal Conservative Party president Scott Lamb. Serving alongside him are Skeena MLA Claire Rattee, 2021 federal Conservative leadership race returning officer Don Nightengale, BC Conservative caucus interim chief of staff Alie Blades, lawyer and volunteer Sharon White, employment and labour lawyer Gavin Marshall, and BC Conservative President Aisha Estey.Board Director Sacha Peter will serve as chief returning officer, legal counsel Bruce Hallsor and BC Conservative Executive Director Angelo Isidorou will join him as non-voting participants."Our province is at a crossroads and is desperately in need of new leadership to guide British Columbia out of the economic and political crises that the NDP government has created," Lamb said. "The next leader of the Conservatives will be the Leader of the Official Opposition and the government in waiting, setting the course for the future government of our great Province.".He noted that his team "will commence its important work right away to set the rules, processes, and administration for the leadership contest early in the new year with the aim of commencing the election for a new Leader of the Conservative Party of BC as soon as possible thereafter."More information is set to be released "in the coming weeks."While nobody has officially launched their candidacy, a number have hinted that they intend to do so. Among them are ex-MLA Iain Black, businessman Chris Gardner, MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, MLA Harman Bhangu, Capilano University Chancellor Yuri Fulmer, and political analyst Caroline Elliot.The perceived frontrunner, MP Aaron Gunn, dropped out in order to dedicate all his attention to issues in Ottawa.