B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay will be holding her first news conference with members of her shadow cabinet, a day after another defection hit the party. Findlay will be talking to reporters in Vancouver with Jody Toor, who is Conservative caucus chair and government services critic, as well as infrastructure critic Misty Van Popta, and culture critic Brent Chapman, who is also Findlay’s husband. Opposition whip Macklin McCall is also scheduled to attend, as well as Reann Gasper, who has stepped aside as legislator for Abbotsford-Mission so Findlay can run for that riding. The news conference comes after long-serving Delta South legislator Ian Paton announced he was quitting the caucus to represent a new party he’s forming with another Conservative defector, Peter Milobar, who left the party earlier this month. Both have cited misalignment with the party’s direction under Findlay, who says it will focus on “faith, freedom and family,” with senior members of the party’s staff being replaced. Findlay has been pushing the party further right since narrowly winning the leadership in May. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2026.
