Despite criticism from the labor movement and the environmental wing of the British Columbia NDP, Premier David Eby received strong support from the New Democrats during the party's convention this weekend in Victoria.
JJust over 82 per cent of the 743 NDP delegates voted against holding a leadership race, effectively accepting the status quo of Eby in charge.
“To everyone in this room—the members who are the beating heart of our movement—thank you,” Eby said in a speech to delegates before the results of the vote were announced.
“We are also a broad church. I see that in this room. Labor organizers, Indigenous leaders, farmers, community activists and business people.”
However, the congress revealed tensions inng NDP is correct.
Delegates raised concerns about the NDP government's willingness to fast-track resource projects, its support for public sector unions and its ability to reach young people.
“Young people are lost to the NDP,” said Yeager Rosenberg, running for party president.
Rosenberg, who joined the party at age 13, is concerned that young people who feel disillusioned in the face of an affordability crisis are turning to the BC Greens, who are reenergized under new leadership, and the BC Conservatives.
To win them back, he said, the party must offer “an alternative to the maple MAGA fascists who are trying to take over this province. We must offer vision and give hope.”
This is the first time the party has met since last year's election, in which the NDP narrowly lost to the upstart BC Conservatives.
Labor tension
Suzanne Skidmore, president of the British Columbia Federation of Labor, acknowledged that the eight-week strike by the BC Labor Union was a difficult time for public sector workers.
“The government has some work to do to restore this relationship,” she said.
In his speech, Eby acknowledged tensions between the party and the labor movement following the strike.
“I don't need to tell our friends in the labor movement that we don't always see eye to eye on everything,” he said.
“We will always defend your right to get a fair deal where it’s best achieved: at the negotiating table.”
The NDP government is in talks with the British Columbia Nurses Union and other public sector unions.
Climate change problem
There has also been disagreement among party members over the NDP's commitment to the environment and climate change.
This came to the surface during discussions about the future of the timber industry and a resolution to speed up construction of the North Shore Transmission Line.
Several delegates expressed concern about taxpayer dollars subsidizing the fossil fuel industry.
The North Coast Transmission Line will double the amount of electricity that can be transmitted between Prince George and Terrace and is needed to power LNG projects and critical mineral mines.
Jordan Crawford, a delegate who lives in Courtenay, says he has “historical concerns” when it comes to Eby's pledge to speed up resource projects.
“LNG is not a transition fuel. It's just as bad as coal,” Crawford said. “I can't support that. And I can't support a leader who puts his entire position on it.”
Crawford says the NDP under Eby's leadership has “abandoned” climate change goals and is at risk of losing support from the BC Greens under Emily Lowen, a climate activist who was recently elected party leader.
The North Coast Transmission Line is one of two projects that Prime Minister Mark Carney has declared a nation-building project.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said he would not rule out calling a snap election if a government bill to speed up construction of a power line in northern British Columbia fails. But as Katie DeRosa reports, BC Conservatives have tried to delay Bill 31, and the BC Greens aren't entirely on board with the bill.
Carney was in Terrace this week to announce the transmission line and LNG plant at Xi Lysims are the latest projects in British Columbia that will be fast-tracked through the Major Projects Office.
Last month, Eby said he would not rule out calling a special election if legislation to support the North Shore Transmission Line failed to pass the Legislature.
During the debate, Eby stood at the microphone among the delegates and advocated for speeding up the project.
Eby told the crowd there is an opportunity for the government to take an equity stake in some of these large resource projects “so that everyone wins when we support these companies, not just private companies.”
He later clarified to the media that the government does not intend to seek public shares of Ksi Lisims LNG or LNG Canada, and the North Coast transmission line will be publicly owned by BC Hydro jointly with First Nation.along the receiving routetion of participation shares.
The resolution supporting the transmission line passed overwhelmingly.
The party has also focused on election preparedness, ensuring the party has a healthy military budget.
Eby says this is to ensure the party is “prepared” for a snap election if the BC Conservatives want to try to bring down the government over the North Shore transmission line.
“(That’s) the last thing we want to do,” he said. “But we need to be prepared.”
