Friday October 21, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated 5:20 pm]
Editorial insights by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today former Attorney General David Eby was sworn in as the leader of the BC NDP, becoming premier-designate.
He will become premier when John Horgan steps down from the position in the coming weeks.
Eby’s remarks were livestreamed on Facebook at 10:30 am.
First 100 days:
In his first 100 days as premier (to approximately early February 2023) his priorities will be housing and health care, as outlined by Eby well into his nearly 25-minute speech. He talked about urban community safety, initiatives to transfer subsidies around climate change, and acceleration of old growth plan. He noted a ‘more prosperous future that we all deserve’.
Eby referred to the BC Liberals as ‘the other guys’, who he said want to send us back and rip up our climate plan and want to invite speculators into the housing market.
Eby said that he and the NDP will offer “a clear choice in 2024” and “deliver on initiatives”. He committed firmly to maintaining the fixed election date presently set for October 19, 2024.
“The NDP is the party that listens and delivers in a real way for you. The other guys are in it for themselves,” said Eby.
“All of us together is the only way we can deal with the huge challenges that we face. Let’s get started!”
Addressing media:
Answering media questions, he talked about bolstering the health care system (including by speeding up the licensing of professionals who have trained outside of BC) and rejigging the housing market, including mention of BC Builds through BC Housing (government will partner in delivering middle class attainable housing).
Eby said he looks forward to working with Anjali Appadurai (his leadership opponent) and her supporters within the NDP, on the climate change issue that she brought forward during the leadership campaign this fall.
He said he wants to deliver in a way that is “visible and real for families”.
On the matter of crime on streets, he said that prolific offenders belong in jail.
Opposition comments:
After his speech, the BC Liberals called today’s swearing-in as a ‘coronation’.
The BC Greens said in a release that “they have seen a grassroots desire for the BC NDP to adopt new approaches, including on affordability, housing, health care, climate action and forestry policy” — echoing back the list that Eby outlined in his speech today.
Horgan’s confidence in Eby:
Horgan said yesterday that he has full confidence in Eby — whom he referred to as “a colleague and friends” to carry the party and the province forward, calling Eby a competent and compassionate leader.
“David has been one of the hardest working members of my cabinet,” said Horgan today. And was the hardest working critic on behalf of the official opposition, Horgan noted, regarding the years before the NDP took the reins of government in 2017.
“Every file that I have given him — large files, sometimes multiple files — have been handled delicately, and handled with success,” said John Horgan about David Eby.
Eby undertook the restructuring of ICBC and dug deep into the money-laundering issue that faced BC (two things that effectively robbed British Columbians of full financial well-being under the previous BC Liberal government).
Trudeau’s remarks about Eby:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement on the selection of the next premier of BC, saying he looks forward to with with David Eby and the government of BC “to make life more affordable and build a better future for everyone in the province”.
“We will remain focused on delivering results for British Columbians — including making child care more affordable and accessible for families, driving economic growth that benefits everyone, creating good middle class jobs, building more housing, and taking climate action,” said Trudeau in a news release issued this morning.
Trudeau added that he thanks John Horgan for his service as premier “particularly for his leadership on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and helping people during the COVID-19 pandemic”. Trudeau and Horgan had a working lunch yesterday in Vancouver.
Working with municipalities:
Today Eby said there is room for alignment with municipalities around safety, housing and health care. He notes that issues can present differently in the various municipalities around BC.
===== RELATED:
Horgan addresses media after Eby declared new Premier (October 20, 2022)
NDP leadership candidate David Eby rolls out housing ideas (September 28, 2022)
David Eby launches campaign for leadership of the B.C. NDP (July 19, 2022)
Politicians & BCLC had turned a blind eye to money-laundering (June 15, 2022)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends has been covering news of the west shore and south Vancouver Island since 2008.
Presenting the islandsocialtrends.ca news portal since mid-2020, the publication began as MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), then emerged as a weekly news publication Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), expanding to cover the fuller west shore with West Shore Voice News (2014-2020).
Publisher and editor: Mary P Brooke