VANCOUVER – At her first real press conference since becoming B.C. Conservative Leader 87 days ago, Kerry-Lynne Findlay took aim at B.C.’s response to Trump’s tariffs and then took a pass on criticizing Trump himself:

Reporter: Do you have a message for Trump?

Kerry-Lynne Findlay: I don’t know the man. I don’t think he’d be listening to me.

Findlay saved her criticism for B.C.’s ban on U.S. liquor and falsely claimed that Premier David Eby refused to lift it under any circumstances. In fact, Eby has connected lifting the ban with concessions from the U.S. on softwood.

The B.C. Conservatives support lifting the liquor ban unconditionally as a gesture of good faith with Trump, a position they reiterated even after his escalation of tariffs earlier this summer. Findlay’s MLAs met directly with the U.S. ambassador about lifting the booze ban, which Eby characterized as “sell[ing] out forest families for nothing.”

Core members of Findlay’s team previously voted against condemning the Trump tariffs, including Brent Chapman and Interim Opposition Leader Heather Maahs, both of whom appeared with Findlay today. Maahs has said “Eby needs to comply” with Trump.

Sunita Dhir, B.C. NDP MLA for Vancouver-Langara:

“It’s deeply concerning that Kerry-Lynne Findlay still can’t bring herself to say anything about Donald Trump, but is criticizing B.C.’s action to defend ourselves. Her plan to lift the liquor ban unconditionally would sell us out to the Trump administration, undermine Canada’s efforts to win this trade war, and kill good jobs in our province. British Columbians simply can’t afford her pro-Trump approach.”