A pair of B.C. United legislators have announced they are running as Independents in next month’s provincial election after the collapse of the Official Opposition’s campaign last week.
Both Mike Bernier and Tom Shypitka suggested in separate announcements Wednesday that Independent MLAs could influence the balance of power in the province after a tight election.
They were among B.C. United MLAs who entered uncertain waters last week when Leader Kevin Falcon shut down his party’s campaign and threw support behind the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad.
The parties have pooled candidates, and some former B.C. United contenders have joined the Conservatives while others have opted to withdraw from the fall election.
But Shypitka, the B.C. United MLA for Kootenay East, which forms part of the new Kootenay-Rockies riding, said in a Facebook live announcement Wednesday that the situation had created a “perfect storm” for Independent candidates.
“There’s never been a time in B.C. history when an Opposition [has] ever collapsed like it has here. So of course there’s going to be a lot of Independents that will be running,” he said.
“And the story right now is that in this election it will be so close that the Independents will have the balance of power.”
Daybreak South10:30B.C. United MLA Tom Shypitka running as Independent after political shakeup
B.C. United MLA for Kootenay-East, Tom Shypitka explains the challenges he’s facing as the fallout continues after his party’s decision to drop out of this year’s election, and says he plans to run as an Independent.
Bernier, who represents the Peace River South riding, said Wednesday he did not want to “bend” his morals and values by running with the provincial Conservatives, describing some of the party’s candidates as holding views that are “anti-women’s rights, anti-climate change” and “anti-First Nations.”
Shypitka said Rustad had limited experience as a party leader and “we don’t really know who the B.C. Conservatives are.”
“An Independent can sit back and examine the situation. I don’t want to get involved with a bunch of folks … to find out I might be in the wrong spot,” he said.
Bernier was first elected in 2013 and won his seat in the 2020 provincial election with 51 per cent of the vote.
Shypitka was first elected in 2017 and won in 2020 with 57 per cent of the vote.
He said he told the Conservatives he was willing to run for them in his current riding, but that would have meant moving a candidate already in place and “that didn’t happen.”
Bernier predicted the election would be close, potentially giving Independent MLAs the balance of power in the legislature, citing the 2017 race when neither the B.C. Liberals nor the NDP secured a majority. The New Democrats secured power through a deal with the Greens.
“There’ll be a lot of different scenarios that could play out. But again, for myself, at the end of the day, it’s just really getting up and fighting for the people,” he said.
Making the cut
A joint list of 140 previously endorsed candidates from both parties is being whittled down to fit the 93 ridings up for grabs, and three United MLAs — Ian Paton, Peter Milobar and Trevor Halford — on Tuesday announced they were running as Conservatives.
The shakeup has also meant the shuffling and, in some cases, the dropping of former B.C. Conservative candidates in favour of those from B.C. United.
They include Dupinder Kaur Saran who has said she is also planning to run as an Independent in Surrey-Panorama after losing party endorsement.
Kevin Acton, the mayor of Lumby and the former B.C. United candidate in the Vernon-Lumby riding, also announced he would be running as an Independent after losing his endorsement in the shuffle.
Candidate nominations close in B.C. at 1 p.m. on Sept. 28.