BC

BC Conservative party Leader John Cummins continues to face friendly fire from his own members even though he received over 70 per cent support during the party's recent annual general meeting.

Allison Patton, the Conservative's Surrey-White Rock constituency association president, said she's scheduled a Wednesday afternoon news conference in Vancouver where she and others will call on Cummins to step down.

Patton said she's urging Cummins' resignation because she feels the party is deconstructing under his leadership.

"The party was already in a self-destructive process and it's bigger than we are," said the Surrey naturopath doctor.

"We are standing as the CA (constituency association) presidents movement on the particular issue of the leadership. There are other issues going on that really are bigger than ourselves. But our feeling is the biggest is the leadership."

Patton said several constituency association presidents started to meet following the Langley AGM last month after realizing they shared concerns about Cummins' leadership and where he was taking the party even though 70.1 per cent of members voted against a leadership review.

She said MLA John van Dongen's decision to leave the Conservatives rather than serve under Cummins confirmed for many that Cummins' leadership was a problem.

Van Dongen, who quit the Liberals last spring to join the Conservatives, was the party's only sitting member in the legislature.

"Knowing what is required to take a group somewhere, I just don't see that happening," said Patton. "I feel that under the current leadership the party isn't going anywhere."

Patton said she sent a letter sent to party members and Cummins asking him to step aside for the sake of the party.

Cummins released his own letter Sunday issuing an ultimatum that demanded dissident members either get on board with his leadership, or leave.

Cummins could not be immediately reached for comment.