Richmond-Bridgeport MLA Teresa Wat resigned from the B.C. Conservative caucus to sit as an Independent on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, marking the fourth departure from the opposition party this month amid escalating internal disputes under leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.
Upheaval inside the official opposition escalated sharply when a four-term legislator walked away from the caucus, citing unresolved tensions over alleged remarks concerning her loyalty to Canada. Teresa Wat announced her departure Wednesday, joining a growing line of elected members leaving the party fold since Kerry-Lynne Findlay secured the leadership in May.
Teresa Wat Cites Alleged CCP
Claims and Broken Apology Promises
Wat, who represents the heavily ethnically Chinese riding of Richmond-Bridgeport, stated that she can no longer serve under the current party leadership. The immediate catalyst stemmed from a July 29 post by an anonymous X account called "The Findlay Files," which displayed a screenshot of an alleged group chat in which Findlay purportedly claimed Wat maintained associations with the Chinese Communist Party.
According to Teresa Wat blames Kerry-Lynne Findlay for departure, the legislator asserted that the remarks created serious concern within her community and inflicted real damage on her reputation. While Findlay reached Wat in Taipei on the same day the screenshot surfaced to offer a direct apology, Wat maintained that a promised public clarification and secondary apology failed to materialize.
Kerry-Lynne Findlay Responds to the Resignation as Caucus Ranks Dwindle
Party leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay defended her handling of the dispute, telling reporters that she considered the initial matter resolved following their July conversation. Findlay characterized the sudden announcement as a betrayal of the hardworking volunteers, campaign workers and voters who secured Wat's election in 2024.
In a statement posted to social media, Findlay indicated that she had prepared a second statement addressing Wat's concerns on Monday and believed the MLA supported its contents. Findlay noted that she was fully prepared to address the matter publicly in good faith before being blindsided by Wednesday morning’s resignation post.
The departure reduces the B.C. Conservative caucus to 33 members. The party nearly seized power in the 2024 provincial election by capturing 44 seats under the leadership of John Rustad, but has since fractured from both political flanks.
A Cascading Wave of Departures and Staffing Shakes
Wat is the fourth legislator to exit the caucus in August alone. Prince George-Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird quit on Tuesday, following Delta South MLA Ian Paton on Monday, and former leadership contender Peter Milobar earlier in the month. Paton and Milobar have stated an intention to form a new political party.
Bird and Wat will sit as Independents. In her departure statement, Bird emphasized that political figures should be able to firmly reject racism, antisemitism, homophobia and hatred while still having difficult and necessary conversations about policy matters such as immigration, crime, and gender.
The caucus attrition has mirrored high-profile administrative departures. President Aisha Estey, vice-president Sharon White, and executive director Angelo Isidorou have all exited since May. Hours after Wat's announcement, Findlay directed her chief of staff to terminate director of operations Apollo Cheung effective immediately without public explanation.
What Lies Ahead for the B.C. Opposition
Findlay has maintained that departing members are severing ties because they lack a vision for prosperity and hope.
With the legislature facing continued instability and Premier David Eby's New Democrats watching the opposition splinter, the B.C. Conservatives must navigate further friction. Independent MLA Elenore Sturko, who was removed from the caucus in September 2025 by then-leader John Rustad, stated in an interview that she expects additional figures to exit the party before long.
