The BC NDP sent out an email Thursday morning claiming that Caroline Elliott and Aaron Gunn have been out campaigning in full force for the BC Conservatives because they're vying for leader Lorne Doerkson's position.
Both explicitly denied those accusations, calling the BC NDP's move "desperate."
The NDP are sad and flailing.
— Caroline Elliott (@NVanCaroline) October 22, 2026
I stand behind Lorne Doerkson 1000% and I’m proud to have spent time in close ridings during this election, raising needed funds and encouraging voters to elect a strong Conservative government with Lorne at the helm.
He has done an incredible job… https://t.co/PvcQj4FG0P pic.twitter.com/Pwdurn5kbY
"The NDP are sad and flailing," Elliott wrote in a post on X. "I stand behind Lorne Doerkson 1000% and I’m proud to have spent time in close ridings during this election, raising needed funds and encouraging voters to elect a strong Conservative government with Lorne at the helm."
She added that Doerkson "has done an incredible job as [BC Conservative] Leader and will do an even more incredible job as Premier of British Columbia."
Lol wow the NDP are getting desperate 😂
— Aaron Gunn (@AaronGunn) October 22, 2026
Apparently my strong support for Lorne and common sense conservative candidates is actually four dimensional chess and subterfuge. Who would have thought!
Just another reason to get out and vote Conservative! https://t.co/7nyzEGruCW
"Lol wow the NDP are getting desperate," Gunn wrote in a post of his own a short time later. "Apparently my strong support for Lorne and common sense conservative candidates is actually four dimensional chess and subterfuge. Who would have thought!"
Others within the BC Conservative party shared their sentiments, including Campaign Co-Chair Iain Black.
That post by the @bcndp is actually quite sad, and reeks of channel-changing desperation.
— Iain Black (@iainblackbc) October 22, 2026
"In a shocking display of participating in democracy, & utterly aligned with his history", @AaronGunn has responded to the call to not only serve, but also to assist. 🫡 @NVanCaroline is… https://t.co/fqMyauXjwB
[Elliott] is seeking office for the first time as an elected official — utterly consistent with her convictions — and appropriately contributing to Leader [Doerkson] and his team the profile she developed in the first half of this year," he wrote. "It's called (wait for it...) 'teamwork'."
In the email, the BC NDP claimed that "[Doerkson's] leadership rivals are wasting no time shoring up support for the inevitable leadership campaign to replace Doerkson."
The party cited the myriad locations where Elliott and Gunn have campaigned across the province as evidence.
There has been some concern regarding Doerkson's ability to remain in his position after the election as the party's constitution prohibits interim leaders from running in leadership elections.
In September, the BC Conservative board said it would "pursue the appropriate means" to amend the constitution and ensure Doerkson can remain leader — if his party wins the election.
That would require a two-thirds majority vote from membership at the next annual general meeting or special general meeting.
