There’s an old joke about Canadian politics that goes something like this: In Atlantic Canada, politics is a way of life, in Quebec it’s like a religion, in Ontario it’s all business, on the Prairies it’s very grassroots and in B.C., it’s entertainment. That certainly seems to be the case at present, following a ridiculous snap election call by B.C. Premier David Eby for Oct. 24, 2026. Having been in power for just under two years in the current term, this was a very early election call in which Eby was obviously attempting to take advantage of the disarray in the B.C. Conservative Party when Kerry-Lynne Findlay was Conservative leader. At that time, Eby’s NDP had a lead in the polls and Eby clearly believed he should strike while the iron was hot.
Findlay resigned two days before the election call, which came one day after Lorne Doerkson took over, initially as interim leader. Eby thought he could seize on the commotion and win another four-year term, even though he still had more than two years in his current mandate and a majority government. Although things could certainly change before the election date, it’s looking more and more like the opportunistic move on Eby’s part was a big mistake.
Eby’s popularity among B.C. voters has been sinking for some time. One of the key reasons is the disastrous worsening in the province’s fiscal position since the Eby government came into power in 2022. Recent financial updates show that the province is in for an all-time record high deficit of $13.8 billion in this fiscal year. Very high deficits are predicted for several years to come. Growth in spending is the main culprit behind the deterioration in B.C.’s finances, driven in part by a massive increase in the size of the provincial government. Total debt for the province has more than doubled over the past six years because of financial mismanagement. The B.C. government has received five credit rating downgrades in recent years, leading to increased borrowing costs which just make matters worse.
As with so many other Canadian governments, and notably our federal Liberal government, Eby blames the Trump administration and the tariffs it has imposed for the majority of B.C.’s woes. Trump has featured prominently in speeches Eby has made since his election call. As is true for other Canadian governments who love to blame Trump for everything, the facts clearly show the B.C. economy was in decline long before Trump and his tariffs came into effect. Based on public opinion surveys and other data, it appears that B.C. voters are not as gullible as some others in Canada as they realize most of B.C.’s woes were self-inflicted by the NDP government.
Eby is also very unpopular because of his secretive and dishonest negotiations behind closed doors with various First Nations groups, signing agreements without the knowledge of the public that threaten property rights in the province. This issue currently sits for the courts to decide whether homeowners in various parts of B.C. could discover that the homes they believed they owned for years don’t belong to them after all. This property rights issue could also have implications for property rights across Canada as well. Eby’s actions on this issue have been highly irresponsible and undemocratic.
B.C. voters are also angry at Eby for calling an election at all so soon after the last one – so-called “ballot backlash.” An Angus Reid poll showed 62 per cent of respondents believed it was too soon to call an election, and that 65 per cent thought Eby only called the election for self-serving purposes rather than in the interests of the province. The survey found even among NDP voters, about half thought the election was being called too early. In addition, a municipal election in B.C. was already underway, and governments usually do not announce elections that conflict with other elections as a matter of courtesy.
The same survey showed that after the election call, Eby’s approval rating dropped to 33 per cent. In terms of voting intentions, the Conservatives have surged ahead to 45 per cent versus 37 per cent for the NDP. Conservative leader Lorne Doerkson, initially chosen as an interim leader, was previously a relatively low-key Conservative MLA. Since the election call, he has proven to be surprisingly appealing to B.C. voters and could well end up as the next premier of B.C. There is still much time before the election, but it’s hard to believe Eby isn’t already regretting his opportunistic election call.
Another factor worth noting is that typically in politics, a government will not call an election when the opposition party is effectively leaderless and will give them the time to elect a new leader. Eby ignored this gracious tradition, which is another black mark against him. If he does end up losing, it will serve him right and prove that karma does exist after all. In the meantime, get out the popcorn.
Catherine Swift was President of the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers & Businesses Canada from 2022 to 2026. She was previously President of Working Canadians from 2015-2021 & President & CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) from 1995-2014. She was Chief Economist of the CFIB from 1987-1995, Senior Economist with TD Bank from 1983-1987 & held several positions with the federal government from 1976-1983.
She has published numerous articles in journals, magazines & other media on issues such as free trade, finance, entrepreneurship & women business owners. Ms. Swift is a past President of the Empire Club of Canada, a former Director of the CD Howe Institute, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, SOS Children’s Villages, past President of the International Small Business Congress and current Director of the Fraser Institute. She was cited in 2003 & 2012 as one of the most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network & is a recipient of the Queen’s Silver & Gold Jubilee medals.
