After narrowly winning a renewed mandate, B.C. Premier David Eby said he’s heard the call from British Columbians for parties to work together on problems like public safety.
Speaking at an Oct. 29 news conference in Victoria, Eby said he and his New Democrat government are willing to work with any MLA who shares his party’s values on making the province a welcoming place that opposes “hate and racism.”
The NDP won 47 of the 93 seats in the legislature, while the Conservative Party of B.C. won 44 seats. Several ridings were so tightly contested that recounts were required.
Eby said he will be meeting with the Green Party, but he did not indicate if meetings with the Conservatives were planned.
“We’re going to continue to have those conversations with them and the invitation is open to all MLAs. If you’re committed to these things as well as committed to ensuring that this province remains a place welcoming to everybody, where we fight racism and hatred, then I’m happy to work with you.”
Eby said he has worked with former Liberal and BC United MLAs now elected under the Conservative banner. “I haven’t had the opportunity to work with all the people who were elected as Conservatives in the recent election, but my commitment to every MLA that was elected is, if you share our values around making sure this is a welcoming province for everyone, that we’re going to fight hate and racism, these are nonnegotiable for us, and we’re happy to work with you.”
Eby also said he is open to the possibility of a legislative speaker from another party.
“I’m sure the Greens would be able to put forward a good speaker. Maybe the Conservatives. We’re not ruling anything out.”
Eby also said the election results revealed an “urban-rural divide” that is “very concerning” and that he will try to overcome by reaching out to engage with rural communities.
Fall Sitting
The next step is to decide on a cabinet and for the legislature to pick a speaker, said Eby, who hopes to have a fall sitting start soon.“It’s not my intention to introduce legislation in the fall, but it is my intent, if we can, to have a sitting, get the speaker elected, and get the legislature working for people,” he said.
Eby said he plans to address issues such as public safety, drug consumption, and affordability.
“I know that addressing issues of public drug use, of people struggling with mental health issues and severe addiction in our streets, are a priority for British Columbians,” Eby said. He added that he would look for ways to deal with the issues that were not at the “expense of people’s human rights and dignity.”
He said he would keep his promise to do away with the carbon tax, if the federal government removes the requirement.
In response to a reporter’s question about Conservative Party Leader John Rustad saying he will work to topple the NDP government as soon as possible, Eby said, “The last thing I think British Columbians want is for us to turn this place into a chance to go back to another election. This isn’t a place for electioneering. It’s a place for delivering for British Columbians.”
SOGI Stays
As for the Conservatives’ campaign promise to do away with SOGI, the sexual orientation and gender identity education resource in schools, that’s a “non-starter” for the NDP.“Every kid needs to be safe in school, and that’s just a core value that we have,” he said. “What I saw with the election was a number of people using an anti-bullying program to try to get political advantage, using misinformation.”
Rustad made a campaign promise to replace SOGI 123 with a zero-tolerance, anti-bullying program, saying classroom materials need to be ideologically neutral. In 2023 he said SOGI 123 “needs to be replaced with a strong anti-bullying [approach] and full acceptance of everyone in our schools, and remove this lightning rod.”
One of the first questions the Conservatives put to the government in 2023 was about a school book that was deemed too raunchy to be read in the legislature.
