British Columbia has elected a Conservative government for the first time in 98 years in a landslide victory that could be a warning for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) was ousted in the key federal battleground on Saturday, after nine years in power, following the snap election called two years early by Premier David Eby. Lorne Doerkson’s Conservatives were leading in 64 of the province’s 93 electoral districts early Sunday, well above the 47 needed for a majority, the official government count showed.
It's a result that cannot be ignored by Carney’s government, whose center-left Liberal Party must face a national election in 2029. President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada, and Trump shared news of the victory on Truth Social Sunday. When Newsweek contacted Carney’s office for comment, it was directed to his post on X congratulating Doerkson.
Doerkson, who campaigned mostly on affordability, lower taxes and expanding energy production, touted the victory as British Columbians choosing a "new direction." Newsweek has contacted offices for Eby and Doerkson, via email outside normal working hours, for comment Eby called the snap election on September 22, arguing that the NDP needed more seats in the provincial legislature to respond properly to Trump’s tariffs on Canada. The NDP’s last victory, in the 2024 election, was a narrow one, taking 47 of the legislature's 93 seats, compared with 44 for the Conservatives and two for the Greens. Eby made his gamble against the backdrop of the Conservatives facing internal controversy, with the resignation of their leader at the time, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, and a wave of defections and expulsions from the party.
But Doerkson, who was appointed interim leader, seemingly managed to reunite the conservative movement, persuading multiple former Conservative legislators to return. After the results became clear, Eby announced his resignation as NDP leader, saying: “It breaks my heart, and I accept full responsibility for that outcome.” He later congratulated Doerkson in a post on X, saying his time as premier had been “the honour of a lifetime.” Doerkson said in a post on X: "Tonight, British Columbians chose a new direction. We’re doing this for our sons and daughters.
For the future they deserve and the province we owe them. Thank you, British Columbia, I won’t let you down." Carney’s party holds 20 of British Columbia’s 43 seats in Canada’s House of Commons, compared with the federal Conservatives’ 19. If the victory in British Columbia is a signal of broader shifts in the country, it could threaten the seats Carney’s party needs to retain power.
The result could also provide information on the effectiveness and limits of campaigning on the threat posed by Trump. This was a major focus of Eby’s campaign, as it is of Carney’s current messaging to the country at large. However, it is important to note that provincial and federal voting patterns are not interchangeable.
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