Lorne Doerkson set to become British Columbia premier after projected Conservative majority

David Eby accepts responsibility and steps down from NDP leadership

Outgoing Premier David Eby said the western Canadian province needed a “fire break” against US President Donald Trump’s economic attacks and “Trump-style politics that threaten to infect” the province. Lorne Doerkson’s platform includes faster forestry and mining permits and a pledge to triple natural-gas production by 2035.

The BC Conservatives were projected to take 64 of the Legislative Assembly’s 93 seats in Saturday’s snap election, putting Lorne Doerkson on course to become British Columbia’s premier. The projected result would give the party its first provincial victory in nearly a century. BBC News described Doerkson as a relative outsider who had been elected party leader after the Conservatives swept to power in the snap election.

Doerkson, 58, is a former rodeo announcer and newspaper publisher who was first elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly in 2020. He took over the party only weeks ago after his caucus colleagues chose him as its new leader. Doerkson was surprised when he found out, while on a flight home from South Africa last month, that his caucus colleagues wanted him as the party’s new figurehead. “Of course, it was a little bit of a short notice,” Doerkson said in an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC earlier this month.

The news of his selection came shortly after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned as leader of the BC Conservatives in September due to internal party conflict that saw a third of her caucus quit the party.

BBC News reported that Eby, who became premier in 2022, called the snap election last month, two years early, in an attempt to shore up his New Democratic Party’s power. The outlet characterized the call as an attempt to take advantage of the division among the BC Conservatives.

Eby defended the early election by arguing that his left-leaning New Democratic Party needed a bigger majority in the assembly to pass its policies more quickly and easily. “A one-seat majority meant every single vote could bring down the government,” Eby said in a campaign video.

Saturday’s results projected 64 seats for the Conservatives and 27 for the NDP, while the BC Green Party won two. BBC News interpreted the result as showing that voters were ready for someone new. The outlet also wrote that Eby’s gamble backfired and described the outcome as “the province’s biggest political shakeup in decades.”

In his victory speech Saturday night, Doerkson said, “British Columbians are hardworking, trailblasing people.” He added: “They want a fair shot at building something in this province.” That “trailblasing spirit”, he said, “just needs government that’s on its side.”

Doerkson has promised to cut red tape “like it’s never been cut before” by fast-tracking forestry and mining permits. He also promised to triple natural gas production by 2035.

The British Columbia result came after another recent shift in Canadian provincial politics. Earlier this month, Quebec’s sovereigntist Parti Quebecois won enough seats in a provincial election to form a minority government. BBC News characterized that outcome as adding “a new test for Canada’s unity.”

Eby resigned as provincial NDP leader in his concession speech and said he accepted “full responsibility” for the outcome. His departure as premier and party leader followed the Conservatives’ projected majority and Doerkson’s victory speech.