B.C. Conservatives to keep Lorne Doerkson as leader if elected on Oct. 24 Lorne Doerkson is the B.C. Conservatives' interim leader, and if the party wins the snap election on Oct. 24, they plan to keep him as their permanent leader. B.C. Conservatives are planning to keep their interim leader, Lorne Doerkson, as their permanent leader if they win the snap election on Oct. 24. According to sources, the party's board would move to keep Doerkson in power, citing that a premier chosen by B.C. voters deserves the certainty of leading their party. In a surprise announcement, the party's former leader, John Rustad, has decided not to stand for re-election in his northern B.C. riding. This has further solidified Doerkson's position as the party's leader. Former British Columbia Conservative candidate Tim Thielmann has urged members of the party to accept Lorne Doerkson as their permanent leader, saying that he is very unlikely to be refused by members present at an annual or special general meeting.Tim Thielmann Urges Party Members To Accept Doerkson As LeaderThielmann suggests that anyone who is not happy with the process should focus on building a stronger party or creating a new one. The B.C. NDP has cast the party's plan to keep Doerkson as a gamble, but Thielmann remains confident that the constitutional amendments would be passed.He believes that the party should be given a chance to at least incrementally improve from the NDP, and that a new vehicle, OneBC, would be ready as a right-of-centre alternative if the Conservatives do not live up to expectations. According to Thielmann, his advice to members is to 'plug their noses', let the party have this term, and if they so choose, build a better party in the meantime.OneBC Could Serve As Right Of Centre Alternative To ConservativesHe notes that a new vehicle would be ready as a right-of-centre alternative if the party does not live up to expectations. Thielmann co-founded OneBC but has since parted ways with its interim leader, Dallas Brodie, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus last year. Despite this, Thielmann remains confident that OneBC will be ready as a serious party within the next four years.The Conservative effort to fend off suggestions that Doerkson would not remain premier following an election victory came as the party's board announced its plans to pursue the appropriate means under the party's constitution to ensure that Doerkson stays as leader.