Following the resignation of former premier David Eby, the BC NDP caucus have announced Jennifer Whiteside as the party’s new interim leader.
She was recommended by the BC NDP caucus after Eby conceded the election, took responsibility for the loss and ultimately resigned as leader.
Because of Eby’s snap election, the party went from having a majority government of 47 seats in the legislature to 28. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party won a supermajority at the polls with 63 seats in Lorne Doerkson’s soon-to-be formed government.
Whiteside was unanimously chosen to lead the BC NDP at a caucus meeting held on Thursday, October 28th.
“I’m pleased and humbled to have the support of our party and of my colleagues to serve as interim leader,” said Whiteside.
“Our incredible team of MLAs is ready to get to work every day on behalf of British Columbians.”
Whiteside said that looking forward, her party is committed to reconnecting with British Columbians and focusing on putting people first.
“British Columbians sent us an important message, and we need to take the time to listen and learn from that,” she said.
“People have asked that we sit as the Official Opposition and we will take on that work with determination and thoughtfulness.”
At the same meeting, Mike Farnworth was named house leader and Niki Sharma was named caucus chair.
Eby was reportedly absent from the caucus meeting.
Whiteside is the elected MLA of New Westminster-Coquitlam and has served as the electoral district’s representative in the legislature since 2020.
She was born and raised in New Westminster, having graduated from New Westminster Secondary School before finishing secondary studies at Burnaby South.
Whiteside continued post-secondary by attending Douglas College and Simon Fraser University, graduating with a degree in history.
Before becoming a politician, Whiteside held several labour-sector positions, including working with the Hospital Employees’ Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Conseil provincial des affaires sociales in Quebec.
Under Eby, she also served as Minister of Labour, Minister of Education and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
With Whiteside now named interim leader, the BC NDP will look to the future and have to begin planning an election within the party to determine a permanent leader.
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That Eby did not attend the caucus was either an act of cowardice or recognition that his time, his values are historical rather than forward-looking.
I’m old enough to believe that the switch from CCF to NDP was bad; that organized labour was not a bedfellow for a party seeking economic and/or social justice.
To lose an election to a hastily assembled group of antisocialists led by an interim leader suggests a certain sort of bankruptcy. I hope that the NDP will rethink provincial party platform which will honour the party’s past while showing it has a valid message for the future.
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