David Eby slides into recovery mode as B.C. electorate clips his wings

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VICTORIA — Premier David Eby started the day with a summary of what the electorate did to the NDP government, even as it prepares to enter its third term of office.

“Our wings were clipped,” Eby told Simi Sara on CKNW radio Tuesday.

Five cabinet ministers and 10 backbenchers defeated. Majority reduced to one. Much more clipping and the bird couldn’t fly.

Eby said last week that the New Democrats would “hit the ground running” this fall. Now he’s more realistic.

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The New Democrats intend to wait out the judicial recounts, particularly in Surrey-Guildford, where two-term MLA Garry Begg clings to a modest lead.

Once that is sorted out — and judicial recounts rarely reverse results certified by Elections B.C. — Eby will then appoint a cabinet.

It will be a major makeover. In addition to the five ministers who were defeated, another seven retired. Vacancies include Finance, Education, Forests, Transportation, Environment, and Indigenous Relations.

Once a new team is in place, Eby intends to recall the legislature. He misspoke on CKNW, pledging a “session of the legislature to get things moving,” implying a fall session with legislation and throne speech.

By the time the premier met with reporters for a news conference in late morning, he’d corrected his intentions to a mere “sitting” of no more than a few days. No legislation and no cause for prolonging the business of the house.

Rather than hitting the ground running, it looks more like the New Democrats will take stroll through the legislature, then send everyone home before doing much.

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The main order of business for the sitting will be electing a Speaker to preside over the house.

“It’s going to have to be somebody who, in a narrow majority situation, is able to ensure that the legislature works … and making sure that we’re able to get work done,” said Eby.

That would appear to rule out MLAs with no experience in the chamber. The 1990s NDP government elevated a rookie MLA to the chair and it did not go well for the legislature or the Speaker.

Eby left open the door to accepting one of the more experienced Conservatives as Speaker. But I would be surprised if a leader as controlling as he would risk it.

The Speaker has a lot of leeway on procedural matters and a Conservative might not always give the New Democrats what they want.

The premier also indicated that the government would be comfortable reappointing NDP MLA Raj Chouhan, who presided as Speaker over the last house.

With Eby having no bills to introduce this fall, he’s putting off more substantive business to a full-blown session with budget and throne speech in the new year.

He hinted what is in the works.

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• Addressing the rural-urban political divide.

• Tackling the many emergency room closures at hospitals, especially in the Interior and North.

• Finding an alternative to the backlash over this year’s amendments to the Land Act, which would have established joint management of public land with the province’s 200 First Nations.

• Measures to improve affordability, responding to what Eby saw as the “dominant theme through the election” for many British Columbians: “They don’t want to finish the day sliding further into debt.” Right, they have their NDP government to do that for them.

• As for the carbon tax, Eby says it will be gone if and when Ottawa repeals the provision that would substitute the federal levy for any reduction in the provincial one.

He didn’t say if his government would go on increasing the provincial carbon tax if the federal government fails to repeal.

The premier’s hedging left a strong impression that he and his team are still recovering from the near defeat and trying to find the right balance to proceed.

He was on more solid ground in responding to John Rustad’s threat that his Conservative Opposition will “bring down the government” at the first opportunity.

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“The last thing British Columbians want is to go back to another election,” said the premier.

Rustad, for his part, hedged the threat in meeting with reporters in the early afternoon.

If the New Democrats bring in measures to help people, “they’ll find us as a partner,” Rustad told reporters.

But if Eby and his colleagues continue with policies that have done so much damage in recent years, “they’ll find us vehemently opposed.”

Rustad shares the premier’s belief that people “don’t want another election.”

But if the New Democrats stay the “damaging” course they set in the past seven years, “I’ll have no choice.”

He won’t have many opportunities. Modern day legislative practice provides few openings to “bring down the government.”

A determined opposition can make life miserable for a government, but in that regard, Rustad’s inexperienced crew has a lot to learn.

On a more encouraging note, Rustad did take a stronger stand regarding Marina Sapozhnikov, the Conservative candidate who branded Indigenous people “savages” in an election night interview.

“She will not be a candidate for this party going forward,” said the party leader, a move that was overdue, but still welcome.

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vpalmer@postmedia.com 

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