Eby says NDP ‘happy’ to work with other parties in tight B.C. legislature

By Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press on October 29, 2024.

VICTORIA – British Columbia Premier David Eby has scheduled a meeting with the B.C. Greens as he prepares to form government, a day after securing the barest of majorities in a legislature where every vote will count.

Eby also suggests he’s open to working with opposition-in-waiting B.C. Conservatives – so long as they respect the “bright line” of rejecting hate, division and conspiracy.

Eby’s NDP finally won B.C.’s Oct. 19 election on Monday after a count of absentee votes ended with the party winning 47 seats, the Conservatives 44 and the Greens two.

He says he plans to have a sitting this fall so a speaker can be elected and cabinet ministers named, but he doesn’t plan to pass any legislation.

That will only happen after two judicial recounts are completed in a pair tight ridings, one of which went to the NDP and one to the Conservatives.

Eby says there’s a meeting scheduled today with the B.C. Greens, and he’s not ruling out having a speaker from one of the other two political parties.

“Our goal is to work with any MLA that wants to make sure that this place works for British Columbians on those priorities that I laid out – cost of living, housing, health care, what matters to British Columbians,” he said.

“We’re going to continue to have those conversations with (the Greens) 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.”

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said on election night his party would do what it could to take down the NDP government and return to the polls as soon as possible.

Elections BC delivered a final vote count on Monday.

The seats of Kelowna Centre, which the Conservatives won by 38 votes, and Surrey-Guildford, won by the NDP by 27 votes, are subject to automatic judicial recounts because of their close results.

Rustad scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon in Victoria.

Green Leader Sonia Furstenau said Monday all parties will have to work together for the legislature to function effectively.