The caucus chair for the BC United party is defecting to the BC Conservatives, adding to the woes of the province’s official opposition.

Lorne Doerkson, who represents Cariboo-Chilcotin, becomes the third BC Conservative MLA in the legislature, joining leader John Rustad and Abbotsford-area MLA Bruce Banman, who defected in September.

Doerkson – who was already confirmed as the BC United candidate in Cariboo-Chilcotin – says in a statement that he made the move because the election set for October is “simply too consequential.”

“I look forward to working with John Rustad and the Conservative team,” Doerkson said, in a statement.

“Whether it is axing the carbon tax, revitalizing our resource sector or reforming our broken health-care system, it’s never been more clear that BC needs a common sense government.”

Doerkson also says he believes many of the voters who chose him under the banner of BC United – still the BC Liberals at the time – now support the Conservatives.

MLA Lorne Dorkeson’s personal things have just been moved out of his BC United caucus office before the announcement at 1pm. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/58u5w2EmjO

— Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) May 31, 2024

First elected in 2020, Doerkson was most recently BC United’s Shadow Minister for Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship. He previously served as Deputy Whip as well as Shadow Minister for Rural Development.

“Lorne has been a tireless advocate for his region and the vital resources within it. Whether it’s natural resources or small business, Lorne is an individual who puts his constituents first and that is exactly the kind of advocate we need in the legislature,” Rustad added.

Doerkson’s defection comes after talks between the two right-of-centre parties broke down amid failure to settle on a deal to avoid vote splitting in the fall provincial election.

In a statement, BC United Director of Communications Adam Wilson said the party is disappointed in Doerkson’s decision.

“Lorne’s decision was driven by concern over polls and the desire to protect his government-funded pension, and he will need to defend that decision at the only poll that actually counts – on election day,” Wilson said.

The standings in the current 87-seat B.C. legislature are: 55 NDP, 25 BC United, three B.C. Conservatives,  two B.C. Greens, and two Independents.

Recent polling suggested BC United is currently at 12 per cent of the popular vote, tied with the Greens, with less than five months before the election.

Rustad has said he plans to field a full slate of candidates in all 93 B.C. ridings in October, raising the prospect of vote-splitting with BC United that could favour the NDP.

He also said his party is “prepared to have conversations” with any other MLAs who might be interested in crossing the floor, but he wouldn’t say if those talks were happening.

“It’s not something that I would talk about in the media,” Rustad said.

– With files from Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press