B.C. Conservative hopeful Findlay still in race after 'unproven and anonymous' claims

B.C. Conservative leadership candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay looks on during a debate at the Canada Strong and Free Network conference in Vancouver on Friday, April 24, 2026. (Chad Hipolito / The Canadian Press)

VICTORIA — The committee organizing the leadership race for the B.C. Conservatives says it doesn’t have enough credible evidence to take action against a candidate after a media report said she was accused of wrongdoing in the last federal election.

The leadership campaign for Kerry-Lynne Findlay said earlier this week that the allegations are false and the “unproven and anonymous” claims were leaked to the media at the most politically damaging moment possible.

Findlay has a news conference scheduled for Monday and is one of five candidates on the ballot to replace John Rustad as voting starts on Saturday.

A statement from the Commissioner of Canada Elections’ office says it is aware of the report about Findlay but it doesn’t confirm receiving a complaint or initiating an investigation because of confidentiality provisions in the federal Elections Act.

The statement from the leadership race’s organizing committee says Findlay has “not provided any substantive response or co-operated” and it has reached out to investigators from the commissioner’s office, but has received no response.

The organizing committee says its “goal is to provide the membership with as much information as possible and to act in the party’s best interests.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2024