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VICTORIA — The caucus chair for British Columbia's official opposition has defected to the BC Conservatives, adding to BC United's woes ahead of the provincial election next fall. BC Conservative Leader John Rustad and Lorne Doerkson, who represents the central Interior riding of Cariboo-Chilcotin, announced the move on Friday. The floor-crossing increases the party's numbers in the legislature to three.

Doerkson's departure from BC United comes after talks broke down between the two right-of-centre parties as they tried to settle on a deal to avoid vote splitting that would benefit the incumbent NDP government. In an interview on Friday, Doerkson said he believes the Conservatives have the momentum to win and beat David Eby's New Democrats at the polls in October. "Frankly, I think (the decision has) been coming for a while.



It just seems to fit the Cariboo. I mean, this is an incredible grassroots movement happening across British Columbia," he said. Doerkson said he believes that many of the voters who chose him under the banner of BC United, still the BC Liberals at the time, now support the Conservatives.

He said their concerns include carbon pricing and struggles in the forestry industry. Earlier this month, the Conservatives rejected a proposal by BC United to create a "non-competition" agreement, with each leader blaming the other for the collapse. Doerkson said he doesn't know if he agrees with the decision not to strike a deal.

"I think the fact is they didn't," h.

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