Advertisement oopStory continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Subscribe $0.50/week Advertisement 2AdvertisementThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article contentBut her opponents characterized her as a fake conservative and a puppet of out-of-province handlers — a message which, judging from online discourse, gained serious traction and was compounded by some of Elliott’s strategic missteps and political inexperience. Article contentHer decision to skip a leadership debate hosted by Juno News led some to question her commitment
to engaging with the party base. She then underperformed at the Canada Strong and Free Network’s leadership debate, where she tensely presented her ideas with a demagogic air that seemed incongruous with her usual sophistication. Article contentMeanwhile, Findlay projected a stabler, if less exciting, image — one of calm strength. Her main misstep occurred at a Vancouver Sun-organized leadership debate where she controversially suggested that Milobar’s Indigenous family members constituted a conflict of interest on Indigenous policymaking, but this error was minor, even if some
tried to blow it out of proportion. Article contentDeeply divided, the party membership ultimately opted for the more conventional choice, selecting Findlay, an experienced establishment candidate, over Elliott, the young disruptive academic populist. Article contentArticle contentBased on how the votes were redistributed between rounds, the party’s moderates clearly felt that Elliott was the better option, which suggests that she could have performed strongly in a general election. Yet, their voices were overruled by those within the party who place a greater premium on ideological reliability.
Article contentFindlay now faces the unenviable challenge of leading a deeply divided party, and of defining an unabashedly conservative vision for the future that does not alienate moderate voters. The B.C. NDP seems intent on exploiting any possible vulnerabilities here, and is already trying to smear her as a far-right extremist akin to U.S. President Donald Trump, which has little bearing in reality.Article contentTo maintain party unity, Findlay should invite her former competitors into her movement, and shepherd Elliott, Black and Milobar to powerful positions.
All of them are talented in their own ways (such is the benefit of a strong leadership race), and it is incumbent that their supporters focus their energies against the current government, not each other. Article contentArticle contentWhile Findlay’s principled conservatism is commendable, she and her team should remember that general elections cannot be won without big tents. The B.C. NDP’s profound dysfunction under Premier David Eby has pushed many centrists into the arms of the B.C. Conservatives, who now have a 10-point lead in
the polls, but this dynamic could easily change. Article contentShould the BC NDP rapidly pivot to the centre under a new charismatic leader, they could conceivably win reelection if Findlay is perceived as dogmatic or too hardline, mirroring Prime Minister Mark Carney’s surprise victory last year. Such is the risk of taking an opponent’s weakness for granted. Article contentNational PostArticle content Get the latest from Adam Zivo straight to your inbox Latest from Shopping Essentials I found heart-pounding wildlife moments at this new safari lodge
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Kerry-Lynne Findlay, B.C. Conservatives, Elliott, Juno News, Canada Strong and Free Network, Vancouver Sun, Milobar, Black, David Eby, Mark Carney, Donald Trump
Conservatives can’t even agree on the basics lol.
So they picked Findlay because she seemed “calm”? That feels like the bar is on the floor. Also the whole Indigenous conflict of interest thing sounds like a nightmare.
Wait I thought Elliott won? I saw a clip somewhere where they were talking about her being a puppet or whatever and I got lost. Skipping a debate doesn’t automatically mean she’s a fake conservative though.
All these “debates” and handlers and online discourse… it’s like everyone’s arguing about vibes instead of policy. If moderates wanted Elliott, that’s kinda wild that the party still went with the establishment person. And now NDP is gonna pounce, like they don’t already have their own issues.