Eby's new B.C. cabinet builds speculation about early election call, says expert
Posted: Dec. 6, 2022 1:17PMB.C. Premier David Eby speaks after being sworn in as the province's 37th premier during a ceremony at the Musqueam Nation in Vancouver, B.C., Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. Eby is set to introduce a new cabinet Wednesday, with some convinced the move marks a major step towards an early election call next fall.
While B.C.’s next election is scheduled for the fall of 2024, the new cabinet could set in motion the countdown for an early vote next fall, said Prof. David Black, a political communications expert at Victoria’s Royal Roads University. The government is projecting a $5.7-billion budget surplus this year with economic growth nearing three per cent but dropping to 0.5 per cent in 2023.
Black said he expects experienced politicians will fill those posts, especially as an election approaches. “I think $5.7 billion is an argument for staying,” he said. “If she stays, it’s more predictive of the fact he may go to the people earlier.” She said she expects Eby to promote some younger NDP members to cabinet positions, replacing some older ministers who may not run in the next election, but not a total remake.
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