British Columbia Premier David Eby used his appearance at the convention of British Columbia’s New Democrats to highlight several resource projects, while saying that the federal ban on tankers off B.C.’s northern coast is here to stay.
Eby promised Saturday that B.C. will turn its natural resources into the wealth needed to “sustain strong public services for generations to come,” citing several projects his government is pursuing.
They include the North Coast Transmission Line set to power mining and LNG projects in northwestern B.C., with Eby calling the line “one of the biggest, most transformational opportunities” in a century.
He said the nation-building project, which Prime Minister Mark Carney this week listed for consideration for fast-tracking by Ottawa, will support new industries while “creating 10,000 good jobs with less pollution.”
Almost 83 per cent of delegates attending the convention later signaled their support for Eby by not asking for a leadership review.
Of the 740 delegates who cast ballots, 609 opted against calling for a review of Eby’s leadership. Two years ago, the corresponding result was just over 93 per cent.
Eby said earlier this year he would call an early election if the provincial legislation behind the transmission line was stopped or delayed, and he repeated the commitment when he spoke with reporters after his convention speech.
Delegates at the event passed a resolution that calls on the federal government to maintain the federal ban on oil tankers off B.C.’s northern coast, and to speed up the North Coast Transmission Line.
Eby noted that lifting the tanker ban would threaten the “coalition of support” among First Nations and northern communities for various resources projects in the area.
“It’s the basis of a massive amount of economic opportunity in this country, and this province right now,” Eby said.
Conservative MLA Trevor Halford, who is attending the convention as an observer, noted that Eby’s speech did not address the Cowichan Tribes case, public safety and extortion, long waiting times at hospitals and cuts to senior care.
“I think it is great that this is an NDP government that is claiming to have found religion on resource development in our province,” he said. While Halford said he fully supports this direction, he said the current government is “late to the game.”
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Eby, who entered the main convention hall to the song “Golden” from the South Korean hit movie “KPop Demon Hunters,” spoke for about 30 minutes and received several standing ovations, peppering his speech with references to the importance of unions and measures his government has taken to strengthen them.
“I don’t need to tell our friends in the labour movement that we won’t always see eye to eye on everything,” Eby said. “But I can promise you this: Even when things get tough, we will always stay true to our values. We will never, ever deny you your basic charter rights to organize and strike by using the notwithstanding clause.”
Eby said during his speech that B.C. finds itself in a “perilous moment in history” with authoritarianism on rise and Canada’s sovereignty and economy under direct attack from U.S. President Donald Trump.
But if B.C. finds itself at a “pivot point” between an “old order that is fading and a new one that has yet to be defined,” he said it also has everything it needs to build a stronger, more secure future for everyone.
Delegates also called on the province to build ferries in Canada and prioritize shipyards in B.C. Backed by the BC Federation of Labour and BC Building Trade among others, the resolution follows BC Ferries‘ decision to contract a shipyard owned by China’s communist government to build four new major vessels, with BC Ferries citing costs and a lack of local capacity for the decision.
Brynn Bourke, executive director of BC Building Trade, said the provincial shipping industry has reached what she called an “inflection point” and pointed to the political support that the shipping industries in Germany and Poland receive from their respective governments.
Rob Ashton, president of the International Longshore Workers Union Canada, and a candidate for the leadership of the federal NDP, said if Germany can build its own ferries, “why the hell can’t” Canada do the same, drawing loud applause from the delegates, with most of them in favour of the resolution.
Eby told reporters his government has been working hard to restore the shipbuilding industry and is “pushing hard” on Ottawa to attract new defence spending announced during the last federal budget.
“That additional capacity will allow us to do civilian ships like ferries, and our goal is that the next round of ferries will be built right here at home in British Columbia,” he said.
Conservative Leader John Rustad said in a statement that the ferry contract has become the “defining symbol” of government arrogance and detachment, and said keeping the contract in B.C. could have created thousands of well-paying jobs.
Delegates supported a resolution presented by Eby himself to “maximize benefits for the people of British Columbia by negotiating return on investment for the public in the form of public equity stakes.”
Eby said additional details will be forthcoming, but said the concept of public equity stakes would give government an additional tool to generate benefits for the public.
Saturday also included a tribute to Eby’s predecessor, John Horgan, who passed away at the age of 60 on Nov. 12, 2024.
Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, who currently represents most of Horgan’s old riding, opened the tribute by recounting his meeting with Horgan, while Parmar was attending elementary school.
“Some time ago, John came to my Grade 5 class, and let’s just say he left an impression,” Parmar said. “I didn’t know much about politics back then, but I knew John was someone who showed up.”
The tribute concluded with an image of Horgan, who was a fan of the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, holding up the Vulcan salute.
