Here’s what to know about Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson, the newest leader of the B.C. Conservatives
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The revolving door of B.C. politics continues to spin.
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Lorne Doerkson is the latest to take up the reins of the B.C. Conservative Party, after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned on Sunday.
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Findlay’s resignation as leader comes following an exodus of MLAs and the firings of key party staff members.
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Doerkson was named interim party leader.
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Here’s what to know about MLA Lorne Doerkson:
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First elected in 2020 in Cariboo-Chilcotin
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Sunrise
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Doerkson was first elected as MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin in 2020, winning 51.25 per cent of the vote. At the time, Doerkson ran under the B.C. Liberal banner, taking the riding with a healthy margin over the NDP’s Scott Andrews (32.46 per cent).
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The B.C. NDP would go on to form government following the 2020 election, leaving the B.C. Liberals — which would later be renamed B.C. United — to sit as Opposition.
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Under B.C. United, Doerkson served as Opposition critic for rural development, and as the party’s deputy whip.
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Crossing the floor to join the B.C. Conservatives
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In the spring of 2024, Doerkson made the decision to join the B.C. Conservatives.
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His defection from the B.C. United party came as talks for a possible non-compete deal broke down between the two parties, leading up to the 2024 election.
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“This is the toughest decision I have made in my life,” he told media at the time.
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“I have spent countless hours listening to my constituents in recent months. The response has been overwhelming. They want to see David Eby defeated and they want to see a common sense Conservative government in Victoria,” he said.
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Later, United would stop campaigning, leaving the Conservatives to represent the centre-right.
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Re-elected in 2024 under the B.C. Conservatives
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In 2024, Doerkson was re-elected under the B.C. Conservative banner, winning 69.59 per cent of the vote over NDP candidate Michael Moses’ 30.41 per cent.
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After the election, he was named assistant deputy speaker for the party.
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Named party leader following upheaval
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Following Findlay’s resignation, Doerkson was named leader of the B.C. Conservatives, with a snap election widely anticipated.
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In an email to supporters sent Sept. 21, Doerkson said he was “honoured to be appointed by our caucus and board of directors as interim leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia.”
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“My priority is clear: maintain unwavering focus, steady our momentum, and prepare our party to win the upcoming provincial election,” he wrote.
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Prior to politics, Doerkson worked as a publisher with Black Press newspapers and later in financial consulting. He is a longtime resident of the Cariboo-Chilcotin region, having raised two kids there.
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