Conservative Party Wins Supermajority in British Columbia Election
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The British Columbia Conservative Party has secured a sweeping supermajority, bringing nine years of NDP government to an end after a snap election called by the NDP, with interim leader Lorne Doerkson poised to take over as premier.
The British Columbia Conservative Party captured a supermajority in the provincial election, winning 64 seats as ballots were counted late Saturday. The result marks the end of nine years of New Democratic Party rule, after the NDP called a snap election earlier this month in a risky political move that backfired.
Interim Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, who took on the role on October 20, will head the first government formed by his party in nearly a century. Doerkson assumed control after internal turmoil pushed several MLAs out of the caucus and exposed deep fractures inside the party.
"I have watched a lot of people get thrown at a rodeo, and I’ll say I’ve been thrown a few times myself. But what I have learned from that is that you pick up yourself, dust yourself off and you get back on, and the crowd gets to its feet for you because you’re trying," Doerkson said at a rally in Vancouver.
He promised to lure investment into the province and emphasize economic opportunities for residents, presenting a pro-business agenda that now has a commanding legislative mandate.
The election results also returned many incumbent Conservative MLAs and brought in high-profile candidates such as Caroline Elliott in West Vancouver-Capilano and Jaime Stein in Vancouver-Langara. Forming a cabinet may prove complicated, and the party will need to amend its constitution to allow Doerkson to become permanent leader, which requires a two-thirds vote of members.
NDP Leader David Eby, who called the snap election, has stepped down after the defeat.