After BC United leader Kevin Falcon declared the party would be suspending its 2024 provincial election campaign, the party is now saying it will run candidates in a select number of ridings.
In an email from BC United’s executive director Lindsay Cote to their party members, the party stated that while it is in the process of revoking the nominations of their candidates with Elections BC, the party will continue to slate a few candidates for election.
BC United says their decision to run a handful of candidates in a select number of ridings was made in order to retain their status as a registered political party with Elections BC.
“While our full province-wide campaign for the election has been suspended, we intend on running a select number of candidates in the upcoming election,” said Cote in the email.
“The intention is to ensure that BC United (formerly the BC Liberal Party) remains a registered political party with Elections BC.”
However, in a comment to True North, Elections BC said that parties are not required to field candidates in every election, and that deregistration only occurs when a party fails to field at least two candidates in two general elections in a row.
“If a party does not field candidates in a general election, it must field at least two candidates in the next general election. Otherwise, it will be automatically deregistered,” said Elections BC.
While BC United intends to run some candidates in the fall election, no decision has been made as to which ridings the party will run candidates in.
The decision to run some candidates in select ridings was mostly likely made in collaboration with BC United leader Kevin Falcon and the party’s executive, as the email reiterates that the party leader has the sole power to revoke and approve candidate nominations.
True North has reached out to BC United and their leader Kevin Falcon for comment, though no response was given.
Late last month, Falcon announced that BC United would be suspending its election campaign, withdrawing its candidates from the race, and endorsing the rival centre-right BC Conservatives.
However, shortly after announcing the campaign’s suspension, BC United’s financial woes became apparent. The party is currently struggling to pay off their campaign expenses and is still fielding donations from loyal supporters to pay said debts.
In a second email, BC United says that it is still accepting donations to help keep the lights on and pay all outstanding expenses.
“It is our goal to ensure all legitimate expenses are paid. We are currently reviewing all submitted invoices and reimbursement requests,” states the email.
“We’d like donations to continue so we can ensure we have the funds to keep the lights on. However, donors are able to contact finance@votebcunited.ca to make changes to their contributions.”
By running candidates and garnering votes, BC United will retain eligibility for the $1.81 per vote subsidy given to registered political parties.
As BC United gears up to run a few candidates, the party is seeing several of their former candidates continue their run for a Legislative Assembly seat as independents.
Peace River South MLA and former BC Liberal cabinet minister Mike Bernier is the candidate with the highest profile running as an independent after Bernier was reportedly blindsided by Falcon’s suspension of BC United’s campaign.
Kootenay-Rockies MLA Tom Shypitka, and Peace River North MLA Dan Davies are also running as independents, with two other BC United candidates also opting to do the same.