B.C. Conservatives accused of hiring private eye to spy on MLAs, journalist

B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay said at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention on Thursday that she will not resign. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM

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B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay faced tough questions following her speech at the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in Vancouver on Thursday, after allegations became public that her party had ordered an investigation into current and former caucus members, former staffers and a journalist.

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“I don’t know anything about this. This allegation came forward just yesterday. I have no details,” said Findlay, while stating the party is looking into it.

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There are allegations that an internal memo sent to at least some MLAs listed current Conservative MLAs Claire Rattée and Mandeep Dhaliwal as well as former caucus members Brennan Day, Rosalyn Bird, Áʼa:líya Warbus and Amelia Boultbee as the elected representatives who were investigated.

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Day, Bird and Warbus have left the Conservatives in recent weeks over concerns about Findlay’s leadership. Boultbee left the party in October and joined the NDP in July.

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Former party president Aisha Estey, former managing director Philip Dippenaar, and former executive director Angelo Isidorou were also allegedly targeted as was Fountainhead Communications, Isidorou’s communications firm.

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Others reportedly investigated were CHEK-TV reporter Rob Shaw, NDP staffer Matt Hannah, and political operative Jonathan Ross.

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The memo lists Elaine Allan, who took over from Isidorou as executive director in late July before leaving several weeks later, as the one who hired the private investigator.

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Allan was contacted for comment but did not immediately respond.

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Multiple sources told Postmedia that two Conservative MLAs asked Findlay to step down for the good of the party at the caucus meeting on Wednesday night where the investigation was disclosed.

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Findlay seemed to allude to this when she said during her UBCM speech that “I’m not going anywhere” and that 27,000 members voted for her during this spring’s leadership race.

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In a statement, Day said that the news he had been under investigation further cements his rationale for leaving the Conservatives.

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“Confirmation that a private investigator was assigned and that I was among the MLAs being investigated only reinforces why I chose to part company with the Kerry-Lynne Findlay Conservatives,” he said. “It is impossible to point your guns outward at the government when you’re too busy pointing them inward at your own caucus.”

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Rattée also put out a statement saying that she was informed by the party Wednesday of the investigation and that she is “deeply troubled by these allegations” but will not be commenting further until she seeks advice from a lawyer.

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The MLA for Skeena put a scathing post on Substack Wednesday that called for Findlay to do better when it comes to communicating with caucus, especially after the departure of nine MLAs in recent weeks over concerns about her leadership.