What’s next for premier-elect Doerkson and the BC Conservatives

After BC voters gave premier-elect Lorne Doerkson and the Conservative Party of BC a decisive majority during the weekend’s election, there are still some hurdles to navigate. 

By law, Doerkson can become the premier of British Columbia while officially serving as the interim leader of the BC Conservatives, rather than official leader.  

However, this process will involve a constitutional obstruction.

Currently, the BC Conservatives’ constitution states that an interim leader cannot run to become the permanent leader on a subsequent ballot.

The party’s constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote from party members to allow Doerkson to go from interim to permanent leader. 

Prior to Saturday’s elections, the BC Conservatives’ board of directors stated that if Doerkson led the party to form government, the constitution would be amended to bypass the vote and officially recognize him as the new permanent leader of the party. 

Doerkson and the party’s board have said that this process would be initiated “imminently” following the election. 

Though he is not the party’s official leader, this will not legally stop him from being sworn in as premier of BC now that their party has won the election. 

In the province’s parliamentary system, the Lieutenant Governor asks the leader of the party to form a government and become premier, which his interim status will not impact. 

Throughout the past few weeks of campaigning, Doerkson has dismissed concerns over the title, asserting that he is the leader and that any issues over his status are merely administrative details that will be amended. 

Related:

• ‘BC is definitely blue’: Lorne Doerkson promises tax cuts and economic growth in victory speech

Doerkson became interim leader of the party just days before outgoing Premier David Eby called the snap election on September 22nd.  

On election night, Eby took responsibility for the results of his snap election and resigned as leader of the BC NDP. 

The BC Conservatives’ victory now ends nearly a decade of the BC NDP leading government, and marks the first time since 1933 that the province has had a Conservative government. 

Doerkson and his BC Conservative government cannot be sworn in until the election results are officially certified, which is expected to be on November 18th.