Premier David Eby gave an unequivocal “no” when asked whether he plans to call a snap election next year.
“It’s certainly not what we want,” he said during a one-on-one interview with Black Press Media on Friday, Dec. 12.
This does not mean he is ruling out the possibility that his government could still fall on a confidence motion. The NDP currently has a one-vote majority, and Vancouver-Strathcona MLA Joan Phillip has stepped away from her duties for health reasons.
Eby has also threatened an election by turning major legislation into confidence motions. He drew a line in the sand at one point during the fall legislative session, saying he would “stake his government” on a bill advancing development of the North Coast Transmission Line, a planned electrical line across northern B.C.
The bill passed on Nov. 19 in a narrow 47-46 vote, with Speaker Raj Chouhan forced to break a tie.
Eby said this was “probably the closest we came” to an election this past year.
But he also said that this is not his goal, tamping down speculation that he may attempt to take advantage of leadership uncertainty within the Official Opposition B.C. Conservatives.
Over the past year, the Speaker has been forced to break a tie three times, but the government has otherwise been able to push its agenda through relatively easily, relying on a deal with the B.C. Greens for support on confidence matters such as the budget and throne speech.
“I think government is quite stable right now,” Eby said. “On our side, we’ve won all the significant votes that we needed to win, usually by a large margin.”
Still, speculation of an election call gained steam in October after polls from Léger and Abacus showed the NDP ahead by 10 and seven percentage points, respectively. A third poll from the Angus Reid Institute had the Conservatives up by a point.
Since then, John Rustad stepped down as B.C. Conservative leader and Trevor Halford took over on an interim basis. A leadership race is being organized.
Eby expressed confidence regardless of what happens.
“We don’t want an election, but we’ll be ready if it’s necessary, and we’ll just be focused on delivering for British Columbians until that point,” he said.