BC NDP leadership race could pit finance minister against attorney general

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Finance Minister Selina Robinson has emerged as a potential rival to Attorney General David Eby in the race for NDP leadership.

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Following announcements this week and the last that high-profile NDP cabinet ministers had withdrawn from the bid to succeed Prime Minister John Horgan, political pundits had predicted a coronation for Eby, who has tackled difficult files, including the ICBC review and order of the money laundering investigation.

But Robinson’s remarks on Wednesday cast that in doubt.

“Since the prime minister has resigned, I was asked if I would consider putting my name forward and I said I would consider it,” Robinson said during an unrelated news conference in Vancouver on Wednesday. “I have always believed that whenever an opportunity presents itself, particularly for women, we must take all of these considerations very seriously. So I’m doing that right now.”

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Robinson has been under pressure to provide financial relief to British Columbians struggling with skyrocketing costs due to record levels of inflation. Horgan said in April that he tasked Robinson with coming up with ideas, but nothing has been announced.

Asked about the issue Wednesday, Robinson had no clear timeline for any relief, but cited $500 ICBC gas rebates, most of which have yet to reach Columbians’ mailboxes. British.

Horgan, 62, announced in late June that he will not seek a third term as prime minister, citing his health problems following his battle with throat cancer. He said he would remain prime minister until his replacement is selected in the fall.

The BC NDP is set to announce this weekend the date of the race for leadership and details on rules and entry fees. In order to vote in the leadership race, people must be members of the party for 90 days before the vote, putting pressure on candidates to sign up new members once the date of the leadership convention is announced.

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Municipal Affairs Minister Nathan Cullen has announced he will not run, saying he wants to focus his attention on his young family, particularly his twin sons who are approaching their 12th birthday.

“I wanted to kick the tires properly. I talked to a lot of people and got a lot of good advice,” Cullen said Wednesday during an unrelated news conference at Haida Gwaii. “But, in the end, I felt that it was not the time for me or my family to take the next step and be able to do both jobs. Being a father, a husband and a complete party leader, I didn’t see how I could do it.”

Cullen, who was chosen to represent Stikine in the 2020 election, ran unsuccessfully in 2012 to be the federal leader of the NDP following the death of Jack Layton. Cullen was a Member of Parliament for Skeena-Bulkley Valley Federal Riding from 2004 to 2009.

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Employment Minister Ravi Kahlon, who would have been tough competition for Eby after his work on the province’s economic recovery from the pandemic, also cited his young son when he said last week that he would not run. Kahlon supported the attorney general, giving Eby the weight of Kahlon’s political organizing experience.

The name of Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West has emerged in some circles as an outsider with deep roots in the party and populist appeal. West, who was camping with his family when he was contacted Wednesday, said in a message that he is “humbled by the amount of messages of support” but did not have an update on his candidacy.

Bowinn Ma, Minister of State for Infrastructure, has not said whether she is running, but last week she posted a Twitter thread calling for the new leader to be a “climate champion”.

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“I want a leader who believes that addressing the climate emergency is a moral imperative; that it will take an unequivocal stance against the expansion of fossil fuel extraction, including LNG, and end measures designed to incentivize the industry,” he wrote.

Ma’s tweet is a clear sign of Horgan’s support for the expansion of liquefied natural gas in BC, which included tax breaks for LNG Canada, which is building a $40 billion export terminal at Kitimat.

Tourism Minister Melanie Mark, Child Care Minister Katrina Chen and Health Minister Adrian Dix have ruled out a race. MLA Josie Osborne and Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside have not yet declared whether they are running.

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