One party’s epic fail is the other’s redemptive victory
Join Global BC’s legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey and Vancouver Sun political columnist Vaughn Palmer on Northern Beat this week for a cracking debrief on BC’s Snap Election 2026.
Vaughn and Keith have been roaming B.C.’s legislative block longer than any politician, past or present. As of last Saturday’s election, they have each covered the extreme highs and deep canyon lows of 12 premiers.
But even they were astounded by the magnitude of the BC Conservative Party rebound and the confounding missteps of the BC NDP on David Eby’s snap election campaign trail.
“[David Eby] was never straight with the public, which got it from the outside—this was an act of opportunism,” Palmer said. “You really have to be honest with people about what’s going on. They’re not as dumb as some of the people in the backrooms think.”
Excerpt: A new low
Excerpt: History won’t be kind
Voters looked at BC Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson and saw a viable alternative to a baggage-laden NDP government, Baldrey said.
“This is the guy who was moderate, careful, not overly aggressive, not overly partisan, and I think the public liked that.”
All this and more from two of B.C.’s most sage, savvy political analysts.
Listen to the audio podcast or watch the video: