Several BC Conservative candidates limiting media access on eve of election
BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson went three days without a press conference, and several Conservative candidates declined debates or barred reporters from election-night events.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on abbynews.com.
Several BC Conservative candidates and leader Lorne Doerkson restricted reporter access in the final days of the provincial campaign, Abbotsford News reported on October 23.
Doerkson held no press conference between Monday and Thursday of election week. On Thursday he took questions for under 20 minutes, then held a large rally in Surrey without taking questions. No press conference was planned for Friday, the last full campaign day before voting day on October 24.
Doerkson said at his Thursday appearance: "The reality is we've been in front of media often, and my focus is of course being in front of British Columbians."
NDP leader David Eby took questions from reporters at least once per day for almost every day of the campaign. Eby said: "The Conservative leader has been missing in action for the last few days. I understand he's appearing today. I'm glad he's okay."
Candidates who limited access
Abbotsford News reported that Chilliwack North candidate Heather Maahs did not attend an all-candidates debate on October 13. Organizers had expected her. An empty seat with her name was left at the table. She did not reply when asked by the reporter why she skipped.
West Kelowna-Peachland candidate Macklin McCall asked that no reporters attend his election-night event. His team said he wanted "a quiet and special moment" for his campaign volunteers.
Kelowna Centre incumbent Kristina Loewen's staff told the Kelowna Capital News that reporters at her event would not be able to ask questions. North Delta candidate Monica Mohan did not reply to the North Delta Reporter's candidate questionnaire.
The Conservative Party told Abbotsford News that candidates limiting media contact did so on their own, not by party directive.
What voters can do
Voting day is October 24, 2026. Find your voting place through Elections BC at elections.bc.ca. Candidate pages for this election are at /bc/provincial-2026.
Questions this story answers
Did BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson avoid the media before election day?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that Doerkson held no press conference between Monday, October 20, and Thursday, October 23. On Thursday he took questions from reporters for under 20 minutes, then held a large rally in Surrey without taking questions. No press conference was scheduled for Friday, the last full day of the campaign before voting day on Saturday, October 24. You can read more about Doerkson at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson.
Did NDP leader David Eby make himself available to reporters?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that NDP leader David Eby took questions from reporters at least once per day for almost every day of the campaign. Eby said: 'Taking questions from the media, showing up for debates, being present in the community. That's the BC NDP approach.' NDP communications confirmed that candidates would be available for interviews at election-night gatherings.
Which BC Conservative candidates skipped debates or limited access?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that Chilliwack North Conservative candidate Heather Maahs did not attend an all-candidates debate on October 13 and did not reply when asked why. West Kelowna-Peachland Conservative candidate Macklin McCall asked that reporters not be present at his election-night event. Kelowna Centre Conservative incumbent Kristina Loewen told reporters attending her event that no interviews, sit-downs, or questions would be allowed. North Delta candidate Monica Mohan did not respond to the North Delta Reporter's candidate questionnaire.
What did the BC Conservative Party say about candidates limiting media access?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that a Conservative spokesperson said candidates who chose not to speak with media did so of their own accord and not because of a party directive. A separate Conservative spokesperson said candidates would be made available at an election-night watch party in Vancouver. The party did not respond to questions about Doerkson's absence from press conferences.
Did all BC Conservative candidates limit media access?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that Kelowna-Mission Conservative candidate Gavin Dew was named as an example of a Conservative who regularly made himself available to the media and planned to do so on election night. The article focused on cases where access was restricted and did not survey all 93 Conservative candidates.
What is the BC election voting day?
Voting day for the 2026 BC provincial election is Saturday, October 24, 2026. Voting places are open from 8 am to 8 pm Pacific time. You can find your nearest voting place through Elections BC at elections.bc.ca. If you did not vote in advance, you can register and vote in person on election day at a voting place in your district.
Where can I read about BC Conservative candidates and their positions?
This site has pages for every BC Conservative Party candidate in the 2026 provincial election. You can browse them at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/conservative-party-of-bc, which links to each district and candidate page. The Conservative Party's platform is linked from the party page. Candidates named in this article have pages at /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/lorne-doerkson, /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/heather-maahs, and /bc/provincial-2026/candidates/macklin-mccall.
What did David Eby say about Doerkson avoiding the media?
Abbotsford News reported on October 23, 2026, that NDP leader David Eby said: 'The Conservative leader has been missing in action for the last few days. I understand he's appearing today. I'm glad he's okay.' Eby also said Doerkson was prioritizing time with wealthy donors over the media, a claim the Conservative campaign did not address directly in the article. Doerkson said at his Thursday press conference: 'The reality is we've been in front of media often, and my focus is of course being in front of British Columbians.'
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