Ex-Harper minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay signals run for BC Conservative leadership

Former Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, has signalled her intent to enter the as-yet-unlaunched Conservative Party of British Columbia leadership race.

Source: Facebook

Former Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, who was party whip under Pierre Poilievre and a former minister, has signalled her intent to enter the as-yet-unlaunched Conservative Party of British Columbia leadership race.

Findlay, a veteran federal politician, represented South Surrey—White Rock from 2019 to 2025 and Delta—Richmond East from 2011 to 2015. She is the latest figure from the national Conservative ranks to eye the provincial helm.

She joins North Island—Powell River MP Aaron Gunn, Skeena—Bulkley Valley MP Ellis Ross, current MLA Harman Banghu, former BC Liberal MLA Iain Black, and political commentator Caroline Elliott as rumoured names under consideration for the position.

Findlay, and the other rumoured candidates, have not officially declared their intention to run.

The mechanics of a party leadership race remain undetermined.

Nonetheless, with the details still to be determined, a website has appeared to support a potential leadership bid for Findlay.

“As the only conservative candidate who has served as a federal Cabinet Minister under Stephen Harper, served as the Whip for the Conservative Party of Canada under Pierre Poilievre, and chaired Pierre Poilievre’s leadership team in British Columbia, I am uniquely equipped to lead,” she said on a website that appears to have been launched in anticipation of a party leadership run.

Findlay’s entry could intensify an intriguing, yet unstarted, race.

If the website created for her apparent run is any indication, a core focus of Findlay’s bid will be sharp criticism of NDP Premier David Eby’s soft-on-crime attitude and hard-drug supportive housing policies.

“Hard-drug supportive housing projects are being forced into our family neighbourhoods across British Columbia, bringing more crime, needles, and drugs right to our doorsteps,” reads a petition viewers are redirected to from her apparent campaign homepage.

“This isn’t compassion. This is failure – deliberate, ideological failure,” the website reads, vowing to “Stop the Drugs from Day One” and fight for safer streets.

Findlay’s previous ministerial experience and the website’s messaging suggest her priorities will closely mirror those of federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, focusing on fiscal restraint and public safety.

Opposition to “safe supply” and drug decriminalization policies in B.C. — ostensibly supported by Ottawa — was a key talking point and cause célèbre for Findlay during her time as a Conservative MP under Poilievre’s leadership.

The Conservative Party of BC, rebranded from earlier iterations, surged in popularity under Rustad, capturing 44 seats in the October 2024 provincial election and forming the Official Opposition.

However, Rustad resigned on December 5, 2025, amid internal caucus divisions and collapsing support, MLA Trevor Halford taking over as interim leader.

Findlay’s federal ties could be a double-edged sword. She is a seasoned operator who navigated Harper’s revenue portfolio and Poilievre’s whip duties.