SCOTT McInnis, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, on Wednesday became the ninth person to leave the BC Conservative Party since August 14.
Earlier on Wednesday, Donegal Wilson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, had announced that she was quitting the BC Conservative Party.
McInnes said in a statement: “It is with some sadness that I announce I am leaving the BC Conservative Party caucus to sit as an Independent Member of the Legislative Assembly, effective immediately.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for my colleagues who remain in the Conservative caucus, and my decision in no way reflects how I feel about those individuals.
“When I left the teaching profession and entered public life, I did so because I wanted to materially improve the lives of my constituents and help build a better British Columbia, especially for rural communities. I did not come here simply to oppose government. I came here because I wanted to help form one.
“My goal has always been to serve the people of Columbia River-Revelstoke and help improve British Columbia. However, I no longer believe that goal can be attained under the current leadership.
“I am a conservative person. My values, shaped by a rural upbringing and grounded in conservative principles, remain unchanged: small government, lower taxes, a strong economy, individual freedoms, justice, merit, and a duty to help your neighbours and community. Those values remain unchanged. What I can no longer support are the direction, judgement and decisions of Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s leadership.
“Since becoming Leader, decisions about staffing, senior appointments, caucus relations, and the direction of the organization have caused me growing concern. Competent and experienced staff have been fired, serious ethical questions have accumulated around members of the Leader’s senior team, and reported connections to Alberta separatism – an issue which is extremely contentious in Columbia River-Revelstoke which shares a 200km border with Alberta – and matters involving the RCMP have only added to those concerns.
“At the same time, the party has increasingly become an exclusive private club more concerned with ideological bona fides than building the broad coalition required to serve British Colombians and form government.
“Since 1956, no party has defeated the NDP unless they welcomed voters from the centre out to the right of the political spectrum. This is a historical fact, one that the current BCC leadership refuses to accept.
“This is a recipe for failure.
“I remain a conservative. I will continue working toward a government grounded in free enterprise, responsible fiscal management and a positive vision for BC, one capable of bringing people together rather than driving them apart.
“History in BC teaches us what works and what does not. We have work to do and I am up for the job.”
