Centrists, former B.C. Conservatives join forces under Milobar as snap election speculation swirls

Why Bernier and Milobar might join forces

I’m a political reporter at the news conference in Vancouver. Speculation has grown that Bernier and Milobar will join forces, for a simple reason: Milobar’s group of likeminded MLAs who have left the B.C. Conservatives are not officially registered as a political party with Elections B.C. — and the elections agency doesn’t register new parties during a byelection campaign, which is currently underway in Abbotsford-Mission. 

That means a snap provincial election before that byelection on Sept. 26 would prevent them from being on ballots as an official party, and they would instead be considered independents. So, they need to find a registered party to join forces with. 

Meanwhile, the CentreBC party — led by Bernier, a former B.C. Liberal and B.C. United MLA — wants to compete in the next election, but have fewer organizers surrounding them than Milobar, and no sitting MLAs. So it’s understandable why some sort of agreement has been discussed.