Kerry-Lynne Findlay has officially launched her campaign to become the next leader of the BC Conservatives.That brings the total number of contestants to eight..As many of her competitors have done, Findlay's first move was to declare herself to be the true conservative candidate. "Vote Findlay. Vote Conservative, for real," her slogan reads.She argued that the race for leader was between "a reliable Conservative, or a Liberal takeover.""I'm running to keep this party Conservative — and defeat the NDP," Findlay wrote in a statement. "The NDP raised taxes and let crime and chaos spread. They pushed radical ideology in our schools, and took away your freedoms, and now maybe even your home."She went on to argue that the BC Liberals — which later became BC United and folded into the BC Conservatives — are no different.."As Premier and Leader of the Conservative Party of BC, I will put freedom first, cut taxes, lock up criminals, stop the extortion, defend property rights, and get woke ideology out of our schools," Findlay declared. "I will bring down prices and get pay-checks up. I will open the mines, save the saw mills, and build Canadian pipelines. I will protect our children, keep men out of girls' locker rooms, and put parents back in charge."Findlay, who served as a member of parliament for Surrey-White Rock until 2025, federal Cabinet Minister under Stephen Harper, and Whip for the Conservative Party of Canada under Pierre Poilievre, already has ties to the BC Conservatives via her husband, Surrey South MLA Brent Chapman.She will be facing off against former Save-On-Foods president Darrell Jones, businessmen Yuri Fulmer and Iain Black, political commentator Caroline Elliott, contractor Warren Hamm, and MLAs Sheldon Clare and Peter Milobar..BC Conservatives release rules of leadership race, will announce new leader on May 30.Candidates have until February 15 to fulfill the entry requirements.
