David Eby plans to lay out his 100-day plan after he’s named NDP leader and premier-designate Friday, but he acknowledges his win — through the disqualification of his only challenger in a race that has splintered the party — comes with mixed feelings.
Eby’s comments came just hours after Premier John Horgan stormed out of a media conference where he defended the B.C. NDP party executive, which had disqualified climate activist Anjali Appadurai on Wednesday. The executive is made up of 41 members from across the province,
B.C. NDP leadership chief electoral officer Elizabeth Cull is expected to declare Eby the leader of the NDP and premier-designate Friday morning. Eby is MLA for Vancouver-Point Grey and was attorney general before he sought the top job.
Details of the transition of power are being worked out, said the incoming leader.
At a news conference in Vancouver on Thursday, Eby said he’s excited to work on issues such as housing, health care, climate sustainability, mental health and street disorder, which he called “huge priorities.”
“On the other hand, you know, my competitor in this race, a young woman committed to one of the most significant issues of our time, got a lot of people involved in the party — and this is not how any of us expected this leadership contest to end, so it’s mixed feelings for me for sure.”
Eby thanked Appadurai for getting people energized.
Cull recommended Appadurai be disqualified from the leadership race after her investigation determined the 32-year-old candidate operated with third-party groups and benefited from campaign contributions deemed improper, breaching the party’s leadership rules.
At a closed-door meeting Wednesday night, the NDP executive supported Cull’s recommendation to disqualify Appadurai as a candidate.
Appadurai said she would not rip up her NDP membership and advised her supporters not to rip up theirs either.
She congratulated Eby on becoming premier and said she heard him say some “encouraging things” on climate change.
B.C. Liberal MLA Elenore Sturko accused the NDP of subverting the democratic process with its leadership contest by terminating the candidacy of the “only real challenger to the heir-apparent, David Eby.”
Former NDP cabinet minister Harry Lali called the ouster “shocking” and said if former NDP premier Dave Barrett were around he’d hang his head in shame.
But at a news conference Thursday, Horgan strongly defended the NDP party executive, saying he’s confident its work has been thorough.
“The rules were clear at the outset of the race that if there were reasons for disqualification they would be identified, they would be reviewed, there would be opportunity for appeal, and then the provincial executive would make a final determination,” said Horgan. He noted the executive is led by an Indigenous man, lawyer and former Lower Nicola Indian Band chief Aaron Sumexheltza.
Eighty percent of the elected executive are women, and almost 50 per cent are people of colour, he said.
“So this is not about backrooms from the 1960s,” said Horgan. “This is about contemporary B.C.ers making decisions in the best interests of the province.”
Horgan is a member of the executive but did not participate in Wednesday night’s discussions.
Asked why the names of the provincial executive were not made public, he said he did not want to expose volunteers to ridicule and abuse. “Because they’re being inundated by … Green party members saying we want to take over your party,” he said. “Leave them alone. They’re doing their job, volunteers, and they’re going to be abused by a bunch of people who cheated and want to get away with it?
“I can’t be more frustrated by that type of thuggery,” Horgan said before leaving, saying: “I think I’m done here.”
Prior to his departure, Horgan praised Eby, saying he has the support of the entire caucus, and the “overwhelming majority” of New Democrat members.
Horgan called Eby one of the hardest-working members of his cabinet and hardest-working critic when the party was in opposition.
“Every file that I’ve given him, large files, sometimes multiple files, have been handled delicately and handled with success,” he said.
Horgan said the leadership race was difficult for everyone. “This isn’t how anybody wanted this to roll.”
Eby, a 46-year-old married father of two, was an adjunct law professor at University of B.C., president of HIV/AIDS Legal Network and executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association. His work for the Pivot Legal Society helping those living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside was cited by the United Nations Association in Canada and the B.C. Human Rights Coalition.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
