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CBC
an hour ago
- Politics
- CBC
So you want to start a political party in B.C. Here are the logistics — and potential challenges
Social Sharing A new political party has emerged in British Columbia after two Independent MLAs, formerly of the B.C. Conservative Party, criticized the party's leader, John Rustad, for moving away from conservative values. So, what does it take to set up a political party in B.C.? And what does it mean for provincial politics? One B.C. officially registered as a political party on June 9. The party was set up by former B.C. Conservative MLAs Dallas Brodie and Tara Armstrong, born out of internal clashes within the Official Opposition as it struggled to unite a big tent party of MLAs with diverse views. Elections B.C. says to register as a political party, an organization must: have a primary purpose of fielding of candidates in provincial elections, have a proposed name that is not prohibited and have at least two principal officers — a financial agent and an auditor. There is no fee to submit a registration application to Elections B.C. As for the name, proposed political party names cannot include the words "independent" or "non-affiliated" and cannot be similar to the name of a political party that is currently registered, have an earlier application for registration pending or be likely to be confused with another political party's name that has been registered during the previous four years. A party cannot use a name that has appeared on a ballot in B.C. at any time during the last 10 years and cannot include information like a candidate's occupation, title, honours, degrees or any indication that candidates have held elected office. Because the party has two elected MLAs, they will get official party status in the legislature. That gives Brodie and Armstrong raises as party leader and house leader, respectively. All MLAs in British Columbia have a base salary of $119,532. As leader, Brodie will receive an additional $29,883 a year as party leader and Armstrong an additional $11,953. WATCH | Why these B.C. Conservatives became Independents: 3 former Conservative MLAS will sit as Independents in B.C. Legislature 3 months ago Duration 2:37 Three breakaway MLAs from the B.C. Conservative Party held a news conference on Monday. They are pondering starting a new party and hope to bring more MLAs to their side. It's left Leader John Rustad scrambling to keep his party united just three weeks into the legislative session. Brodie insists the party has a "path to victory" by courting the conservative base which is "disillusioned" with Rustad's leadership. However, there's already been a split among the three MLAs who left the B.C. Conservative fold; MLA Jordan Kealy, also a former Conservative, did not join One B.C., citing a "disagreement" over party values and leadership. It's an indication of how difficult it is to start a party from scratch, according to University of British Columbia political scientist Stewart Prest. Prest said any new political party faces the challenge of landing their message with a broad swath of British Columbians. Even established parties like the B.C. Liberals struggled to make inroads after they changed their name to B.C. United, Prest said. "At the same time, it does offer the the opportunity to start from a clean slate," Prest said. WATCH | Former B.C. United MLA starts centrist political party: Former B.C. United MLA launches new centrist party 2 months ago Duration 2:04 A former B.C. United MLA is launching a new political party aimed at attracting centrist voters after her original party collapsed. As Katie DeRosa reports, Karin Kirkpatrick says she wants to offer a balanced option in a polarized political landscape. The emergence of One B.C. means Rustad will be facing challenges to his big tent party on two fronts, said Andrew Reeve, former communications director for the B.C. Liberals-turned-B.C. United. Former B.C United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick has also launched a new political party called Centre B.C., courting former B.C. Liberals who feel Rustad has taken the Official Opposition too far to the right. "On certain issues, One B.C. will try to pull [the B.C. Conservatives] apart, probably on the cultural issues," Reeve said. "I don't know if that's a winning strategy in the province. I don't think there's enough voters in the ridings to win, and it's certainly not enough to form government. But it could be enough to split the vote and cause a lot of damage for Rustad."
CBC
a day ago
- Politics
- CBC
2 MLAs form new B.C. political party that courts social conservatives
Social Sharing Two of B.C.'s three Independent MLAs have formed a political party that wants to lower taxes, take away teachers' right to strike, and crack down on so-called mass immigration. The party, called One B.C., also wants an end to what it calls B.C.'s "reconciliation industry," and to see the province allow for private healthcare. Dallas Brodie, MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, is the interim leader, while Tara Armstrong, who represents Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream, is the party's house leader. "There is a hunger out there for the policies that the B.C. Conservative party initially put forward and we all ran on," said Brodie. "We've got the base now disillusioned with what's happening with that party." Both politcians were elected as members of the B.C. Conservatives, but parted ways in the winter. One B.C. registered as a political party on June 9. Absent from the ticket is the third Independent MLA, Jordan Kealy, who is also a former B.C. Conservative. Kealy, the MLA for Peace River North, said there was a clash over the new party's values and leadership. "There was a disagreement in what our perspectives were and that's one of the reasons I asked to have more time to think about things," Kealy told CBC News. Watch | Why these B.C. Conservatives became Independents: 3 former Conservative MLAS will sit as Independents in B.C. Legislature 3 months ago Duration 2:37 It an attempt to grow the party and poach MLAs, One B.C. sent an email to those sitting as B.C. Conservatives. Armstrong and Kealy left in solidarity, accusing Rustad of diluting Conservative values. Since then, the trio has pushed issues in the legislature such as repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ending sexual orientation and gender identity policies in schools. CBC News asked Brodie how she can repair relations with Indigenous communities, including the Musequem First Nation in her riding, which said she has advanced views that amount to a denial of the experience of residential school survivors. Brodie denied that she was mocking residential school survivors in the podcast interview posted to YouTube. "I was mocking post-modern, woke culture that does not seem to accept that there are certain truths that are objective truths," she said. Brodie said Rustad advanced a "lie" to "dirty me up after while I was being thrown out of the party." WATCH | Comments made on a podcast changed the course of this MLA's career: MLA's podcast comments get her removed from B.C. Conservative caucus 3 months ago Duration 0:21 As for what she means by "defunding the reconciliation industry", Brodie said large sums of money are going to "law firms, accountants, consultants, developers and chiefs and councils and the money is not getting down to where it needs to be." "I don't know anybody in this province who doesn't want a better way forward for the Native kids and the kids who are living on reserves," Brodie said. Wade Grant, a Liberal MP and former Musqueam councillor, said it's shameful that Brodie is trying to "play into the fear of what reconciliation means." "Reconciliation is about bringing together Indigenous peoples, the First Nations, Inuit back into the fold of the mosaic of Canada," he said. Grant said Brodie's position is really "setting reconciliation back generations when we've moved so far forward." WATCH | Indigenous leader calls out residential school denialism: UBCIC president says politicians need to stop advancing residential school denialism 2 months ago Duration 9:57 The party also advocates for making teachers essential workers and stripping their right to strike, and to slash income taxes by 50 per cent for those making $100,000 or less. It also wants to end what it calls the "government's deadly healthcare monopoly" by allowing British Columbians to purchase private health care or insurance. NDP MLA Sheila Malcolmson says the party is founded on division. "These MLAs have attacked one group after the next — Indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people. They just want to make people hate each other. It's the most divisive and harmful politics we've seen in B.C. in our lifetimes," she said. Forming an official political party gives the two MLAs a pay raise, funding for caucus staff and more opportunities to ask questions in the legislature. Former B.C. Liberal and B.C. United communications director Andrew Reeve says the new party could siphon off votes from the B.C. Conservatives, which is also facing a challenge from another new party, Karin Kirkpatrick's Centre B.C.
CTV News
a day ago
- Politics
- CTV News
B.C. Independent MLAs start new party to ‘combat the globalist assault'
The B.C. legislature is pictured as people walk in downtown Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Two former members of the B.C. Conservatives who have been sitting as Independents for months say they are launching a new provincial political party. Dallas Brodie, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, says in a post on social media that she is the interim leader of the party called One BC, along with House leader Tara Armstrong, who represents Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream. In a post on Instagram, Brodie says she built the new party to 'combat the globalist assault on our history, culture and families' and promises a 10-year vision for a 'prosperous tax-free B.C.' Brodie says the party will 'defund the reconciliation industry,' 'eradicate gender ideology,' 'end mass immigration,' and 'unapologetically advance pro-family policies.' She says the party will end 'the government monopoly on health care' and bring in new funding models for infrastructure. B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad kicked Brodie out of his caucus earlier this year over her comments about residential schools, and Armstrong and Jordan Kealy followed days later, although Kealy is not part of the new party. A statement from the B.C.'s Speaker's office on Thursday afternoon says it has not been advised of any MLAs changing party affiliation but that if two or more members become affiliated with a registered political party, they would form a recognized caucus in the legislature. One BC has been registered as a party with Elections BC, with Brodie listed as interim leader and former B.C. Conservative candidate Tim Thielman listed as the contact. This report by Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press, was first published June 12, 2025.
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
B.C. Independent MLAs start new party to ‘combat the globalist assault'
Two former members of the B.C. Conservatives who have been sitting as Independents for months say they are launching a new provincial political party. Dallas Brodie, the MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, says in a post on social media that she is the interim leader of the party called One BC, along with House leader Tara Armstrong, who represents Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream.
