B.C. Conservatives win majority, Doerkson set to be premier

British Columbia’s Conservative Party won a majority in the Oct. 24 provincial election, ending nine years of New Democratic Party government and setting interim leader Lorne Doerkson on course to become premier. Provisional results showed the Conservatives winning 64 of the legislature’s 93 seats. The NDP won 27 and the Green Party two. The totals were reported as provisional or projected, rather than finalized. The result marks the Conservatives’ first provincial election victory since 1928. Doerkson took over as interim leader on Sept. 20 after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned. He had represented the Cariboo-Chilcotin riding since 2020 and was little known beyond his region before becoming leader. The party had been losing legislators, but Doerkson persuaded former members to return, including seven who had said they were joining CentreBC. Premier David Eby called the early election on Sept. 22, two days after Doerkson’s appointment. Eby conceded defeat and said voters had chosen the NDP as the official Opposition. He also announced he would resign as party leader. Doerkson thanked Eby for his years of public service and congratulated Green Leader Emily Lowan, who won a seat in...