The BC Conservatives have spent so much time removing one another that voters could be forgiven for wondering whether anyone will be left to remove the NDP.In October 2024, the Conservative Party of BC came within one seat of potentially forming government. That was a serious opening for conservatives. They have since turned that opportunity into a public argument and public spectacle over who belongs in the party.Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as leader on September 20 after a few months. Lorne Doerkson is now interim leader. His first task should be to bring the party’s scattered forces together and give them a reason to stay.Another round of blame will achieve precisely nothing.Consider the party’s own announcements. On September 9, Findlay unveiled her “winning team,” complete with critic assignments for John Rustad, Trevor Halford, and Claire Rattée. On September 18, all three were expelled from caucus.Apparently, the winning team came with a nine-day warranty.This would be amusing if voters had nothing more pressing to worry about than Conservative office politics. Anyone waiting for medical care, trying to buy a home, or keeping a small business afloat deserves a capable opposition party..The split has already moved beyond hurt feelings. Eight former Conservative MLAs joined CentreBC, with Peter Milobar becoming its leader. Rebuilding the coalition now means dealing with people who have acquired another political home.That makes reconciliation harder. It also makes it more urgent.In a close riding, rival parties chasing many of the same voters can help elect an NDP candidate. Neither conservative faction gets a consolation prize for having the more satisfying account of why the other faction was impossible.Both get to watch Eby govern.Still, demanding loyalty will not repair this mess. Some departing members raised concerns about management and trust. Rattée, for example, publicly criticized staffing decisions and said Findlay had left caucus meetings after speaking or failed to attend.Those complaints deserve answers. A leader who expects colleagues to defend the party must be willing to sit through their objections.Conservatives understand this principle in business. A manager who keeps losing experienced staff should expect questions from the owners. Party members and donors are entitled to ask much the same questions.Doerkson should begin with direct talks involving current caucus members, those recently expelled, and those who left. Put the grievances on the table. Establish what went wrong. Agree on fair rules for caucus discipline, staffing, and settling disputes..Reconsider expulsions where disagreement with the leader was the real offence. Offer a route back for people willing to work within an agreed platform. Serious misconduct still requires a fair review and consequences where warranted.Everyone should be welcome to return, although it is not expected that everyone will choose to do so. For those who are welcomed back but decide not to return, it will be evident that they do not view the NDP as the primary adversary.Unity has to be credible enough that people can trust it.Milobar and the other former Conservatives have responsibilities, too. They should enter those discussions prepared to compromise. A fresh party name cannot, by itself, resolve the disagreements that broke the old arrangement.The policy work should be straightforward enough to begin: control spending, defend lawful resource development, improve access to healthcare, restore public safety, and remove obstacles to building homes. Set out practical measures, publish the costs, and let voters judge them.There is room in that effort for social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, former BC United supporters, and people whose chief political ambition is to pay their bills.They will disagree. Any party large enough to govern will contain people who would rather not share a dinner table. They can still share a commitment to a budget, a platform, and decent conduct.Members need meaningful policy debates and a fair voice in choosing candidates. MLAs need regular access to their leader. Donors deserve to know their contributions are helping build a party that can survive its next difficult meeting.Rustad’s breakthrough showed what was possible. The collapse since then shows how quickly that work can be squandered.The BC Conservatives owe their voters a serious attempt at reconciliation. Put aside the personal feuds, repair the organization, and assemble a team capable of governing.
