B.C.’s new cabinet to be sworn in Nov. 18 after this week’s judicial recounts

VICTORIA — Premier David Eby’s new cabinet is set to be sworn in Nov. 18, almost one month after British Columbia’s election that saw the New Democrats win a bare, one-seat majority, pending recounts.

The cabinet-building job for Eby involves leaning on a reduced list of steady, veteran hands and taking chances on a fresh batch of exuberant but untested New Democrats, largely from urban ridings, said David Black, an associate professor in communications and culture at Greater Victoria’s Royal Roads University.

“You want people, especially in the more senior ministries who you can trust to have the managerial competence, and have presumably had a time in office previously, cabinet if at all possible,” Black said Wednesday.

He said he estimated Eby could have up to a dozen cabinet positions to fill, including new ministers in finance, transportation, labour, Indigenous relations, education, environment and agriculture.

But Black said the bedrock ministers of housing, health and public safety were all re-elected, giving Eby a strong cabinet foundation.

He said he expected Ravi Kahlon to retain his post at housing, Mike Farnworth to stay on as solicitor general and public safety minister, but Adrian Dix could move from health.

Black also expected the environment, despite pressure from two Green members, could take a lower profile within cabinet now that Eby promised to drop the carbon tax if federal regulations are relaxed.

But a major cabinet issue, and one Eby has spoken about since Oct. 19, is the NDP’s lack of an elected presence in B.C.’s rural and northern communities, he said.

The New Democrats elected five members from outside of Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, but the defeat of former cabinet minister Nathan Cullen in Smithers was a huge blow, said Black.

“Vernon is not the North in the way that Nathan Cullen was the North,” he said. “He’s going to have to find, and it’s hard, somebody who’s going to be his minister for the North.”

A statement from Eby’s office on Wednesday said the swearing-in dates of cabinet and members of the legislature have been set based on the judicial recounts in three ridings and reporting information from Elections BC.

Eby is conducting interviews this week with every member of the NDP caucus ahead of the cabinet swearing in.

The 47 New Democrats, including Eby, give the party a one-seat majority in the legislature, pending the recounts.

Of the NDP’s new caucus, 29 are returning members of the legislature and 18 are newly elected.

Among those new to the provincial government are: Tamara Davidson, of North Coast-Haida Gwaii, a Council of the Haida Nation elected representative; Steve Morissette, of Kootenay-Monashee, a former mayor of Fruitvale; and Randene Neill, of Powell River-Sunshine Coast, a former Global BC broadcaster.

Among the re-elected New Democrats who were not in the government’s cabinet or held parliamentary secretary positions are: Brittny Anderson, Kootenay Central; Harwinder Sandhu, Vernon-Lumby; and Ravi Parmar, Langford-Highlands.

Eby said in the statement that the judicial recounts taking place Thursday and Friday will ensure every vote is counted.

After those recounts, he said B.C. residents want to see “urgent action” on priorities including affordability and housing, health care, and building a strong economy.

The first step will be swearing in the new cabinet at a ceremony in Victoria, where he will present his recommendations to Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin, he said.

The statement said a transition team co-chaired by Eby’s special counsel on Indigenous reconciliation, Doug White, and Shannon Salter, the premier’s deputy minister and head of the public service, will make recommendations about selection of ministers and the formation of ministries in the new government.

Newly elected members of the legislature are set to be sworn in and formally invited to take their seats before cabinet’s swearing in, it said.

The Opposition B.C. Conservative caucus and the two B.C. Green Party MLAs are scheduled to be sworn in on Nov. 12, while government caucus MLAs will be sworn in the next day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press