Going it alone: 3 former BC United MLAs on why they're running as independents

Former BC United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick speaks at a campaign event. (CTV News)

Karin Kirkpatrick won her riding of West Vancouver-Capilano in 2020 as a BC Liberal. But after the Liberals became BC United — and BC United imploded — she decided to run for re-election as an independent.

“It is different,” Kirkpatrick said of the solo campaign.

“The first thing, on the morning of the day that the writ dropped, we had no money. So that's one of the big differences. And we didn't have that party machine behind us either. So raising the money was a big part of what we had to do in the initial part of the campaign, pulling together volunteers.”

Kirkpatrick is one of five former BC United MLAs who’ve chosen to run again as independents. Mike Bernier has held the Peace River South seat in the legislature since 2013.

“We've had to start from ground zero in a lot of ways, which has made it, to be truthful, it’s made it exciting. It's back to the grass roots of politics, out door-knocking, meeting with community groups, not relying on historical data and assumptions of what will happen,” said Bernier.

Dan Davies was elected MLA for Peace River North in 2017 and again in 2020 as a BC Liberal. He’s also running as an independent.

“We were pretty much reset back to zero, actually, six feet under. You know, having to restart again, forming a database, pulling in data from all of our different sources over the years that I've been able to collect on different campaigns that I've done. And then starting over on money. So that was certainly something that was a challenge,” said Davies.

But he also said it’s been freeing to campaign without a party behind him.

“So it's been quite liberating to be able to really directly represent this riding. I've been calling it direct democracy for Peace River North,” said Davies.

The BC-United-turned-independent candidates believe voters unhappy with the NDP but turned off by the BC Conservatives are looking for another option.

“I think we have a chance. And every day, I think that chance is better,” said Kirkpatrick. “Because the more that people realize that the alternative in the BC Conservative Party are a number of extremists and people with very strange and dangerous views, that potentially those people could get into power, people are realizing how important it is to be moderate.”

“A lot of people in my region have been very thankful, whether they vote for me or not," added Bernier. "They've been thankful for the fact that it's giving people a choice, and especially in such divided times right now in provincial politics. I think that's what's needed, and that’s why you see so many independents running."

If the election is close, an independent MLA could tip the balance of power.

“I believe it's a minority government one way or the other. And the independent candidates are going to be holding the keys to power it in and being able to negotiate for the ridings also,” said Davies. “What does that look like for me to be able to directly negotiate what is best for Peace, for the North for the first time ever? Having that, you know, putting us on the map finally in the provincial legislature.”

In the past 75 years, only one independent has been elected to the B.C. legislature: Vicki Huntington in Delta South in 2009.

“She was a trailblazer for us,” said Kirkpatrick. “We can point back and we can say, 'Look, somebody did it.' And not only did they do it, they were an excellent MLA. They were re-elected, and they served their community well. So, she demonstrates to British Columbians that it's not a wasted vote.”

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