 | This article only references primary sources. (September 2020) |
British Columbia Libertarian Party | |
|---|---|
| Active provincial party | |
 | |
| Leader | Alex Joehl[1] |
| President | Paul Geddes |
| Secretary | Neeraj Murarka |
| Deputy Leader | Sandra Filosof-Schipper[2] |
| Founded | February 1, 1986 |
| Headquarters | Coquitlam, British Columbia |
| Ideology | Libertarianism |
| Colours | Gold and black |
| Seats in the Legislative Assembly | 0 / 87
|
| Website | |
| www | |
The British Columbia Libertarian Party is a libertarian party in British Columbia, Canada, that nominated its first candidates in the 1986 provincial election. There has never been a Libertarian elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The most recent election occurred under the leadership of Don Wilson where, in the 2020 British Columbia general election, the party fielded 25 candidates and received 8,360 votes, or 0.4% of the popular vote. Keith Macintyre had the best performance of any BC Libertarian candidate that year, in his electoral district of Penticton where he received 717 votes, or 2.6% of the popular vote. In 2021 they were viewed as a fringe party.[3]
The response to the COVID-19 crisis opened a unique opportunity for the BC Libertarian party as the only provincial party that opposed the public health measures. The most recent changes to the party occurred in 2021 when Keith MacIntyre was elected as party leader during the Annual General Meeting in May. At this time Sandra Filosof-Schipper was elected as deputy leader and Clayton Welwood remained as party president. Other new positions that were filled were Dylan Davidson as Party Treasurer, Brandi McLauchlan as Party Secretary and Rachel Whitehouse, Maizy Thorvaldson and Josh Hardy as executive directors.
The party has been outspoken against perceived overreach of government during the COVID-19 pandemic and has made their presence at many protests and appearing on podcasts during 2021. When vaccine mandates started to begin in late 2021, the Party began writing political exemption letters for those finding themselves in the position of losing their employment based on their medical status.
- ^ "Registered Political Parties - Information" (PDF). Elections BC. August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ "Meet our Executive Council". BC Libertarian Party. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
- ^ Miller, James. "Keith MacIntyre new leader of B.C. Libertarian party". Penticton Herald. Retrieved December 2, 2021.