Bob Mackin
Was NDP Premier David Eby in a rush to call a snap election on Sept. 22 because he feared the victims of his most-controversial creation — ICBC’s no-fault auto insurance — would attract media attention to their horror stories and highlight his tragic policy failure?
The all-party, Special Committee to Review Provisions of the Insurance (Vehicle) Act was convened to hear testimony about what is known in NDP lingo as “Enhanced Care.” Hearings began Sept. 21, but were abruptly halted midday on Sept. 22 when Eby visited Government House to call an unnecessary election two years early for Oct. 24.
One of the few heard was the brave Linda Chisholm, who tearfully recounted June 1, 2023. That was the day the lives of her daughter and eight-year-old twin granddaughters were taken too soon.
They were on their way to school when a fully loaded logging truck hit them head-on.
“The truck had put on a patched tire on the front steering tire, which you just don’t do,” Chisholm recalled. “There’s no law against it. It’s totally negligent action on their part. They crossed the centre lane, and all three girls were killed instantly. No criminal charges were filed, and so there were no convictions. And there has to be a conviction in order to get recourse or a final answer to this terrible accident.
“That devastation cannot be described, and the trauma that followed was made worse by a system designed to process files rather than help grieving families. That is how my family became victims of this flawed system.”
Oct. 24 is the second of three elections during the John Horgan-David Eby NDP era held contrary to the fixed election dates law. But the first to overlap with local government elections. The Union of B.C. Municipalities unsuccessfully pleaded with Eby to respect democracy and delay his ambitions for more power.
Eby became NDP leader four years ago, by default when his only challenger was disqualified for breaking leadership contest rules over NDP membership sales.
Conservative Lorne Doerkson became leader in September with the support of more members of his party (the caucus that remained after Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s tumultuous tenure) than Eby did in 2022.
Eby was attorney general when the NDP amended the freedom of information law to impose a $10 application fee and he was premier when his party passed more amendments to water down the once-leading public records law.
He conveniently forgot how FOI was key in uncovering B.C.’s multi-billion-dollar money laundering and real estate scandals that he wanted to solve.
His caucus made a habit of blocking private member’s bills from first reading. Censorship by another name. Opposition bills — the good, the bad and the ugly — used to be routinely tabled and placed on the order sheet. Even though they were rarely called for further debate.
Under Eby, municipal councils lost the power to hold public hearings and vote on certain housing development proposals. He huffed and he puffed when reporters asked him about Metro Vancouver, but he never dared to blow the scandal-plagued, unelected regional government down.
Democracy Watch’s analysis of the NDP platform gave F grades in four of the five categories and a C-minus for general accountability. Compared to a D for the Conservatives and C for the Greens.
Once upon a time, Eby was a civil libertarian who represented the homeless of the Downtown Eastside against the European sports barons from the International Olympic Committee and the local tycoons who ran the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Fast forward to the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Eby enthusiastically welcomed FIFA and its sponsors, including Saudi Arabian and Qatari oil and gas sheikhs. Nevermind the mistreatment of women, children, lesbians and gays. The younger version of Eby would have organized a protest against the Qatari police on Vancouver streets. The 2026 version was too busy enjoying the VIP seats at B.C. Place Stadium.
Eby arrogantly acts as if Donald Trump holds the global monopoly on democratic backsliding. Quick, someone hand him a mirror.
The middle name of his party is Democratic, but that no longer fits.
Will British Columbians remember and vote accordingly on Oct. 24?
