An online petition, garnered more than 80 signatures in just 24 hours of being launched, calling for a by-election after Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong resigned from the B.C. Conservative Party and become an Independent.
Armstrong stepped away from the Conservative Party after fellow MLA Dallas Brodie, the MLA of Vancouver-Quilchena, was removed from the caucus for 鈥渕ocking and belittling鈥� residential school survivors.
In an email to Black Press, Armstrong wrote, "Integrity and truth are at the forefront of who I am. It鈥檚 how I built my career, it鈥檚 how I live my life. My values are not for sale. British Columbians voted for me and other B.C. Conservative MLAs because we promised to stand up for them and for what is right, no matter the cost."
Kelowna resident Nikki Sinclair started the noting that Armstrong's shift to becoming an Independent doesn't feel very democratic.
"I do believe, for the most part, people vote for a political party. They don't by-and-large vote for an individual person," Sinclair said in an interview.
"For someone to be, for example in this case Ms. Armstrong, voted in as a Conservative I don't believe she would have received the majority of the vote had she not been running under the Conservative banner."
Sinclair said to make the move to become an Independent and not have a discussion on what the constituents want "it just seems undemocratic."
Armstrong was joined in leaving the Conservative Party by Peace River North's Jordan Kealy. The pair, along with Brodie, are in discussions of launching a new political party in B.C.
"If these MLAs have strongly held beliefs, if they believe that they are doing this for principal reasons, they have the right to hold those opinions," Sinclair told Black Press. "But they should also be made to go and face the electorates again and then run as an Independent and then explain your rationale and your reasons to the electorate. If the electorate agrees with you they'll vote you back in as an Independent."
Although Armstrong has a right to hold her own opinions, Sinclair said the people also have a right to be consulted. "We elected her. She works for us. We pay her salary through our taxes."
Elections BC has a process for the removal of MLAs from office through a recall. Despite a petition having been launched, Elections BC states one cannot apply for a recall petition until 18 months have passed following the election and more than six months ahead of the next scheduled election. In order to have an MLA recalled and a by-election, the person who applied for the recall is required to gain signatures from more than 40 per cent of eligible voters in the electoral area.
A representative with Elections BC told Black Press the earliest a recall petition could be started is Apr. 20, 2026. The representative also noted that there has never been a successful recall petition in the province.
Armstrong continues to hold her seat in office as an Independent and defends her decision to step away from the B.C. Conservatives.
"I鈥檓 not just standing up for Dallas. I鈥檓 standing up for every person who gets unfairly attacked," Armstrong said.
"British Columbia needs defending too. Our economy is soaked in debt. Our businesses are being strangled by taxes and red tape. The world鈥檚 two largest economies are attacking us with punishing tariffs. We have never needed courage and truth more than we do today. That鈥檚 the kind of leadership my constituents deserve, and it鈥檚 the kind of leadership I will strive to exemplify every day in this Legislature."
