B.C. NDP chooses Jennifer Whiteside as interim leader after election defeat

VICTORIA · The B.C. NDP has selected Jennifer Whiteside as its interim leader following the party's resounding defeat in last weekend's snap election. The caucus unanimously recommended Whiteside, a former labour minister and three-term MLA for New Westminster-Coquitlam, during a meeting at the legislature on Thursday. The party's provincial council officially named her to the role later the same day. She will lead the party until a permanent leader is chosen.

Whiteside said she was humbled by the recommendation. "This is deeply, deeply humbling, and not an outcome I was necessarily expecting," she told reporters. She said the party needed to be ready in case premier-designate Lorne Doerkson decides to recall the legislature for a sitting before Christmas. "In the event they call a sitting before Christmas, we need to be ready to go. We need to stand up for people in our communities," Whiteside said.

The NDP was reduced to 28 seats in the legislature from 47, according to the initial count, while the B.C. Conservatives won 63 seats. "We understand that British Columbians have sent us a very important message," said Whiteside. "They have asked that we sit as the official Opposition and we will take on that with determination and thoughtfulness, always putting people at the centre of everything we do." She said the caucus meeting included discussions on what the community needs and that the party is focused on showing British Columbians it has their backs. Outgoing premier David Eby, who resigned as party leader on election night, was not present at the caucus meeting, either in person or virtually. When asked if Eby should have been there for the announcement, Whiteside did not answer. At a separate meeting on Wednesday, Eby apologized to the outgoing caucus for calling the snap election two years early, according to former ministers who spoke to media.

READ MORE: Saskatchewan Party founding member Ken Krawetz dies at 75

READ MORE: Former U.K. leader David Cameron says Alberta separation vote differs from Brexit

Former attorney general Niki Sharma said Eby "took full responsibility" at that meeting. "Clearly it was a mistake, and now our job is to move forward," Sharma said. Former forests minister Ravi Parmar said the party clearly made the wrong decision. "We got it wrong," Parmar said. "I think we owe an apology to British Columbians for doing so, and in particular to those that are vulnerable, who feel that the Conservative governments will not act in their interests." Both Sharma and Parmar left open the possibility they may seek the permanent leadership.

Sharma was named caucus chair and former solicitor general Mike Farnworth was named house leader. Whiteside, who was first elected in 2020, previously served as minister of mental health and addictions and minister of education and child care. Before entering politics, she was the chief spokesperson and lead negotiator for the Hospital Employees' Union. By accepting the role of interim leader, Whiteside is excluded from seeking the post permanently.

The official certification of the election results is due on Nov. 18, though the outcome in a handful of ridings is still pending. The NDP failed to win any of the 10 seats in Surrey but held onto most of their south Vancouver Island seats. Nosy Mag reported last week that the Conservative victory ended the NDP's nine-year rule.

Emotional farewells and a path forward

Sharma described Wednesday's meeting with the outgoing caucus as an emotional affair. "There's no sugar-coating it. It was a tough day. We had to say goodbye to MLAs that were excellent, that really served their community well," she said. "So we were reflective, and I think there's a resolve within that reflectiveness to figure out how we do the job that British Columbia has elected us to do now, which is as official Opposition."

Parmar, when asked to rate the level of frustration at the election call, said it was "about 10, absolutely." "I'm disappointed, I'm frustrated, but that disappointment and frustration can't last four years, it can only last a few days," he said. Neither Sharma nor Parmar would say if Eby's decision to call the Oct. 24 election received pushback from caucus, citing confidentiality.

Whiteside said the party did not wait for the final vote count to be completed on Nov. 10 because it wants to be ready to get back to work. She said she looks forward to using her advocacy skills in the role of interim leader. "This is a caucus that's going to come in, that is going to take on the work of rebuilding, of reconnecting with our members, with people in our communities and across the province," Whiteside said.

With files from Vancouver Sun, CBC News and The Globe and Mail