BC United is set to make a big announcement about its future.
Confirmation could come as early as Wednesday afternoon, with 1130 NewsRadio learning the party is preparing to suspend its provincial election campaign, ahead of the B.C. vote set for October.
BCU Leader Kevin Falcon has not publicly addressed any of the reports thus far. However, sources say the party is in talks with current candidates about potentially moving over to the Conservatives or forging other paths forward.
In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Elections BC says a party can voluntarily deregister under the Election Act.
“Once deregistered, the party cannot run any candidates in an election. If a party applies for deregistration after the writs of an election have been issued, the party is not deregistered until after the election. The writs for the upcoming election are scheduled to be issued on September 21.
A party could also choose not to run any candidates in an election and remain registered. If a party does not run any candidates in an election it must run at least two candidates in the next election. Otherwise it is automatically deregistered,” the email reads.
When asked about rumours that have been spreading around B.C. political spheres Wednesday, Premier David Eby said the New Democrats are still committed to their promises — regardless of who they come up against in the election.
“For us, for me, you look at John Rustad and Kevin Falcon who worked as colleagues and partners in the BC Liberal Party for a generation. John Rustad was a BC Liberal MLA for longer than Kevin Falcon was. I really don’t see a huge distinction between them except that neither of them are running as BC Liberals this time because of their record. They are so embarrassed with how they ran the province they both have changed their party names and want to avoid any association with the 16 years they were in government. And I understand why that is,” Eby said.
“It’s a very tumultuous time, I would say, in B.C. politics on the right-hand side of the political spectrum. It’s still not totally clear to me who we’ll be running against in the next election, what they’ll be called. But, regardless, it doesn’t change our focus.”
More to come.