Political parties compete for center-right voters in British Columbia

A new political party formed by several former B.C. Conservative MLAs is adding to a growing contest for centreright voters in British Columbia. Teresa Wat has joined the group led by Peter Milobar, which says it wants to focus on fiscal responsibility, economic opportunity, and unity. The new party now has six MLAs, which would give it thirdparty status in the B.C. legislature if it is officially registered. The group is positioning itself against CentreBC, led by former B.C. Liberal minister Mike Bernier, who has warned that multiple similar parties could split the vote. At the same time, some former B.C. Liberal figures are urging Kevin Falcon to revive the B.C. Liberal brand after the party’s rebranding to B.C. United. The growing fragmentation comes as the B.C. Conservatives continue to deal with defections and leadership questions under KerryLynne Findlay.