Peter Milobar becomes leader of CentreBC party as former Conservatives join

Former BC Conservative caucus member Peter Milobar has now become the new leader of the CentreBC party.

A group of eight former BC Conservatives said on Friday that they are also joining CentreBC, which will become the third-largest in the B.C. legislature.

Milobar and six other recent Opposition Conservative defectors had said previously they would form their own party, but they will instead be joining CentreBC along with Eleanor Sturko, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus last year.

Mike Bernier says he’s stepping aside as leader of CentreBC to make way for Milobar, whose resignation from the Conservative caucus in August triggered an exodus.

“We are going to be hyper-focused on the economy of delivering affordability for British Columbians,” Milobar said.

“We’re going to be hyper-focused on health care and bringing that innovation and creative solutions into that sector so people can actually have a health care system they can rely on and cancer access they can really rely on.

“We’ll be hyper-focused around crime and safety in our streets to make sure people actually feel safe again. And that is what you’re seeing come together today.”

There is rampant speculation that B.C. Premier David Eby is going to call a snap election soon.

Two weeks ago, Eby said he was busy preparing for the fall session, but on Wednesday he raised speculation about a fall election.

“We have a one-vote majority, so we’re election-ready as the NDP,” Eby said.

BC Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay says she has removed three party members from caucus.

This comes after a summer series of scandals that saw nine BC Conservative MLAs quit the party, many citing issues with Findlay’s leadership.

Milobar said on Friday that now is the time for British Columbians to realize there is a new party on the ballot, especially if Eby is thinking of calling a snap election.

“It is simply ridiculous what is going on, let alone that it’s at the same time as a municipal election with critical elections happening for mayor and councils in Vancouver, in Surrey, in Richmond, in Kamloops, across this province,” he said.