The BC NDP has been John Horgan’s party since 2014.
It’s not just because he has been leader since then, but because he has left his mark on everything the party has done to gain and maintain power.
Now that the 62-year-old has announced his intention to step down, the province’s New Democratic Party will hold what is expected to be a hotly contested leadership battle this fall.
Here is a list of people who have already begun organizing a possible leadership bid, as well as other possible candidates.
David Eby
Attorney General David Eby has been a political heavyweight for more than a decade, first as the face of the BC Civil Liberties Association, then as an opposition MLA, and now as the province’s top lawyer since 2017.
The 44-year-old MP for Vancouver-Point Grey has led B.C.’s efforts to curb widespread and systemic money laundering in casinos, overhaul ICBC and address the ongoing housing crisis.
He has strong connections to Vancouver political organizers, and is growing a base of support further afield.
His young family was the reason he turned down leadership opportunities in the past, and it may be the only thing keeping him from pursuing the top spot this time around.
Ravi Kahlon
A rising star in Horgan’s cabinet, Labor Minister Ravi Kahlon’s name recognition has grown throughout the pandemic.
The 43-year-old has led the province’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery since being appointed to the cabinet in 2020.
The former Olympic field field hockey player and political contributor has deep roots within the NDP that go far beyond his Delta North constituency.
Like Eby, Kahlon has a son in school. His family may be the only factor keeping him out of the race.
Adrian Dix
Could health minister Adrian Dix be back to “100 percent”?
The former party leader has written another political act for himself, helping to guide the province through the pandemic alongside Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer.
Dix, 58, famously lost the election to B.C. Liberal Christy Clark in 2013 after many public opinion polls had him well ahead during the campaign.
His resurgence in popularity would be unparalleled in a party leadership race, with a name known far beyond his Vancouver-Kingsway constituency.
However, he may be constrained by his record and by the general health crisis, which includes a shortage of family physicians.
Josie Osborne
Josie Osborne, a favorite of many in Horgan’s inner circle, continues to build a provincial profile as the newly-minted Minister of Land, Water and Resource Management.
The former Tofino mayor was initially chosen to lead the municipal affairs portfolio, then moved into her current role, which includes responsibility for working with First Nations and other communities on environmental development.
The 51-year-old enjoys the sympathy of many municipal leaders across B.C. and could use her contacts to reach out to NDP members across the province.
However, Osborne’s lack of provincial experience may influence his decision to run for leader.
Jennifer Whiteside
Jennifer Whiteside, an experienced union leader, has been a prominent member of Horgan’s cabinet since winning her New Westminster seat in 2020.
The newcomer to electoral politics was thrust into the role of education minister during the pandemic of how to get children safely back into the classroom after months of distance learning.
She could lean on her connections in the labor movement in a leadership bid, as in her stint at the Hospital Employees Union from 2015 to 2020.
However, Whiteside’s lack of political experience could deter her from joining the race.
Nathan Cullen
Nathan Cullen has long been rumoured to have leadership ambitions, having come third in the 2012 federal NDP contest, which was eventually won by Thomas Mulcair.
His transition was tough when he made the leap to provincial politics.
The party announced it had won the nomination by acclamation to run in the Stikine North constituency in the 2020 B.C. election, a week after Annita McPhee, a three-term chair of the Tahltan Central Government, was told she could not run.
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But Cullen has since become a key member of Horgan’s cabinet, as Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Representing rural Stikine would be both an advantage and a disadvantage if he were to run for party leader.
He could reach a more remote area of the province that the NDP has difficulty communicating with, but he would also have to convince urban voters that he understands their problems.
Bowinn Ma
Another young rising star in the NDP cabinet, Bowinn Ma has been building a fan base among New Democrats since his election in 2017.
The Minister of State for Infrastructure initially turned down an invitation to Horgan’s cabinet in 2019, before joining in 2020.
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This UBC-trained engineer has focused on Metro Vancouver’s transportation network and the climate crisis.
Ma, 36, won the North Vancouver-Lonsdale constituency in 2017 in what was seen as a landmark victory for the party on the North Shore.
His independent spirit may be what keeps him from running.
Selina Robinson
As British Columbia’s Minister of Finance, Selina Robinson has the recognition and experience to immediately become a leading candidate for leadership, but she has told people she is not interested.
The 58-year-old has been one of the architects of B.C.’s plan to address housing affordability and has had to manage the province’s accounts during the economic impact of the pandemic.
The Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA is also currently in the difficult position of leading the political end of negotiations with B.C.’s public sector unions.
Katrina Chen
Katrina Chen, a relative newcomer to provincial politics, has quickly built a solid reputation among NDP members.
Still largely unknown to the general public, Chen has been managing the province’s childcare portfolio since 2017.
Getting to $10-a-day child care and regulating the sector have been big priorities for the Horgan government, and Chen has largely handled the issues well.
The 38-year-old was a Burnaby school administrator and constituency assistant before winning the Burnaby-Lougheed constituency.
She was only 34 when she was sworn into cabinet, making her one of the youngest female ministers in B.C. history.
Chen enjoys great admiration from her colleagues as she manages a difficult portfolio and raises her school-age son as a single mother.
Rob Fleming
This is not the first time Rob Fleming’s name has been bandied about as a leadership candidate.
Like Robinson, he has indicated to his entourage that the time may not be right.
But the 50-year-old transport minister would also be a favorite if he decided to test his degree of support for the party.
Fleming has represented the Victoria-Swan Lake constituency since 2009.
He was a leading critic when the party was in opposition, and jumped as education minister when the party formed government in 2017.
Fleming was part of the government’s main response team following last November’s catastrophic floods and landslides.
Brad West
Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West would bring an outside perspective to the leadership contest.
Considered as a possible successor to Mike Farnworth, the former Port Coquitlam MLA who is now a cabinet minister, West’s experience at city hall would be an asset.
Highly critical of the federal government’s relationship with China, West was a leading advocate for investigating the roots of money laundering in B.C.
The 37-year-old father of two may have a hard time deciding to enter provincial politics having such a young family.
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