The B.C. Conservative Party and the province’s official opposition has a new leader, 71-year-old former federal MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
And she comes with a fair bit of controversial baggage, including opposing gender-affirming care for young people, federal election campaign finance controversy and her husband’s long track record of outright racism on social media.
Findlay is stepping into leading the official opposition of 38 MPs—though that number could swell if independents who’ve left the party return—to the governing NDP’s 47. It’s not too long ago that the Conservatives were just a few seats away from forming government in the last B.C. election.
Then again, the B.C. Conservatives are also a bit of a mess right now.
Findlay’s victory has been applauded by several controversial figures in B.C. politics, including independent MLA Tara Armstrong, who left the Conservative caucus in 2025 and has since introduced a string of radical private members’ bills in the legislature on such topics as aiming to call supporting trans kids “child abuse,” repealing the B.C. Human Rights Code and banning the use of public funds for gender-affirming care.
In a series of social media posts, Findlay pledged to “immediately ban the administration of medical and social gender transitions for children” if she became premier. And she’s posed for photo ops with and reposted the anti-trans opinions of noted anti-trans campaigner “Billboard” Chris Elston.
But Armstrong’s support is actually a good example of why Findlay actually becoming the premier of B.C. could be an uphill battle. We break down what you need to know.
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