A former B.C. Conservative says he was questioned by Mounties Wednesday over his allegation that he was offered an inducement to give up his seat so leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay could run, an accusation Ms. Findlay rejected as being part of a baseless and escalating political attack.
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Findlay → say → attack
Ian Paton, who left caucus Aug. 24 and now represents Delta South as an independent, said he was interviewed by two Mounties for one hour at their Surrey headquarters on Wednesday morning.
asserted
he → leave → morning
“I told them that I got the phone call on June 30th, asking if I would step down for Kerry-Lynne, that there would be a job for me at the party level as an agriculture advisor and I would get paid the same remuneration I’m getting as an MLA,” Mr. Paton told The Globe and Mail in an interview.
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Paton → tell → interview
The police investigation and Ms. Findlay’s denial come as two more sitting members of B.C.’s Official Opposition – Donegal Wilson and Scott McInnis – quit the caucus, bringing the total number of departures to nine since Aug. 14.
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members → come → Aug.
Chris Delaney, Ms. Findlay’s chief of staff, also resigned Wednesday.
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Delaney → resign → staff
Since Ms. Findlay took over in May, the Conservatives have been rocked by a succession of controversies involving her inner circle, the departures of senior staff and a mass exodus of MLAs, all citing issues with her leadership.
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all → take → leadership
The turmoil unfolds as the embattled leader campaigns for her own seat in a Sept. 26 by-election.
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leader → unfold → election
“What we are seeing is a co-ordinated political attack designed to sidetrack our campaign at the very moment we are taking our message directly to the people of Abbotsford-Mission,” Ms. Findlay said in a media statement.
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Findlay → see → statement
She has not responded to interview requests from The Globe and Mail.
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She → respond → Globe
Mr. Paton said he was approached to give up his seat by Mr. Delaney and that remuneration for the new job would be about $122,000.
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remuneration → say → job
Mr. Paton said that he somewhat expected that Ms. Findlay would want his seat, given that she had previously served as an MP for Delta-Richmond East, which included the area now represented by Mr. Paton provincially, and that people might remember her.
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people → say → her
He was unaware that the offer could amount to a criminal offence until police called him in for questioning, he said.
“I had no idea that, you know, maybe I should have written things down or recorded the conversation,” Mr. Paton said.
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Paton → amount → conversation
It is illegal under the Criminal Code to offer a legislator any kind of reward, advantage or benefit to resign from office, punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
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It → offer → imprisonment
Mr. Paton said he is aware of two other defectors who have been questioned by police for the same reason.
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who → say → reason
Ms. Findlay rejected the allegations and said they were part of a co-ordinated political attack designed to derail her campaign.
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they → reject → campaign
“I categorically reject any suggestion that I engaged in illegal or unethical conduct,” she said in a statement.
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she → reject → statement
An audio recording that circulated online last week captured Ms. Findlay telling caucus members that if an MLA were to give up their seat, “I could give them a role as a senior advisor in their same portfolio.”
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I → circulate → portfolio
Mr. Paton, who was in attendance, confirmed the authenticity of the recording to The Globe.
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who → confirm → Globe
Ms. Findlay said in a social media post that while she was “unable to determine authenticity” of the recording, it contained “normal political discussions that respect the boundaries of the law and ethics.”
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that → say → law
Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird, who left the Conservative caucus on Aug. 25, confirmed to The Globe that Ms. Findlay had asked her to give up her seat.
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Findlay → leave → seat
She declined to comment on whether she had been questioned by police.
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she → decline → police
Ms. Bird said she quit the party for several reasons, including staffing changes, a lack of communication and the recent allegations.
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she → say → communication
(Operations director Apollo Chung was fired Aug. 26 after audio recordings circulated on X purportedly capturing a staffer plotting to monetize the office and fundraise “so we can steal everything.”
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we → fire → everything
Ms. Findlay gave no reason for his termination and has not confirmed the authenticity of the recordings.)
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Findlay → give → recordings
Ms. Bird said she has serious concerns regarding the leadership and is saddened by what is happening to the party.
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what → say → party
“This was a movement a lot of people worked very hard to build [and] came very close to making government,” she said.
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she → work → government
“To see it eroding at this point, with the challenges we have here in the province, is disappointing and a little scary, to be honest.”
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we → see → province
No reason was given for Mr. Delaney’s resignation.
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reason → give → resignation
Ms. Findlay on Wednesday named Reann Gasper – who had been serving as deputy chief of staff since vacating her seat as Abbotsford-Mission MLA to allow Ms. Findlay to run – as Mr. Delaney’s replacement.
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Findlay → name → replacement
Ms. Wilson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen and Mr. McInnis, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke became the latest members to leave the caucus, both cited issues with Ms. Findlay’s leadership.
Ms. Wilson said that, when Ms. Findlay became leader in late May, she promised herself she would give her three months to show caucus how she would lead.
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she → become → caucus
“Three months later, I have my answer,” Ms. Wilson said in a statement.
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Wilson → have → statement
“I never imagined things could go this wrong, this quickly.”
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things → imagine → ?
Mr. McInnis, meanwhile, cited a litany of issues that have caused him growing concern, including the firing of competent and experienced staff, ethical questions involving Ms. Findlay’s senior team, reported connections to Alberta separatism and matters that now involve the RCMP.
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that → cite → RCMP
“At the same time, the party has increasingly become an exclusive private club more concerned with ideological bona fides than building the broad coalition required to serve British Columbians and form government,” Mr. McInnis said.
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McInnis → become → government
