Close X
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C.'s new cabinet to be sworn in Nov. 18 after this week's judicial recounts

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 06 Nov, 2024 04:46 PM
  • B.C.'s new cabinet to be sworn in Nov. 18 after this week's judicial recounts

British Columbia's new cabinet is expected to be sworn in on Nov. 18, almost a month after the provincial election that gave Premier David Eby's New Democrats the slimmest of majorities, pending recounts.

A statement from Eby's office Wednesday said the swearing-in dates of cabinet and members of the legislature have been set based on the judicial recounts in three ridings and reporting information from Elections BC.

Eby is conducting interviews this week with every member of the NDP caucus ahead of the cabinet swearing in.

The 47 New Democrats, including Eby, give the party a one-seat majority in the legislature, pending recounts.

Of the NDP's new caucus, 29 are returning members of the legislature and 18 are newly elected.

Among those new to the provincial government are: Tamara Davidson, of North Coast-Haida Gwaii, a Council of the Haida Nation elected representative; Steve Morissette, of Kootenay-Monashee, a former mayor of Fruitvale; and Randene Neill, of Powell River-Sunshine Coast, a former Global BC broadcaster.

Some of the re-elected New Democrats who hold cabinet posts are: Health Minister Adrian Dix, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon and Attorney General Niki Sharma.

Among the re-elected New Democrats who were not in the government's cabinet or held parliamentary secretary positions are: Brittny Anderson, Kootenay Central; Harwinder Sandhu, Vernon-Lumby; and Ravi Parmar, Langford-Highlands.

Eby said in the statement that the judicial recounts taking place Thursday and Friday will ensure every vote is counted. 

After those recounts, he said B.C. residents want to see "urgent action" on priorities including affordability and housing, health care, and building a strong economy.

The first step will be swearing in the new cabinet at a ceremony in Victoria, where he will present his recommendations to Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin, he said.

The statement said a transition team co-chaired by Eby's special counsel on Indigenous reconciliation, Doug White, and Shannon Salter, the premier's deputy minister and head of the public service, will make recommendations about selection of ministers and the formation of ministries in the new government.

Newly elected members of the legislature are set to be sworn in and formally invited to take their seats before cabinet's swearing in, it said.

The Opposition caucus and B.C. Green Party MLAs are scheduled to be sworn in on Nov. 12, while government caucus MLAs will be sworn in the next day.

MORE National ARTICLES

Lights back on for almost all BC Hydro customers who lost power in strong winds

Lights back on for almost all BC Hydro customers who lost power in strong winds
British Columbia's Crown utility says crews have restored power to 95 per cent of some 290,000 businesses and homes that were in the dark at some point Monday as strong winds battered coastal areas and parts of the central Interior. BC Hydro says crews have been working around the clock to replace dozens of spans of power lines as well as power poles knocked down by toppled trees.

Lights back on for almost all BC Hydro customers who lost power in strong winds

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted
British Columbia's election agency says it has discovered that a ballot box containing 861 votes wasn't counted in the recent provincial election, as well as other mistakes, including 14 votes going unreported in a crucial riding narrowly won by the NDP. The errors prompted B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad to call for an independent review on Monday.

Rustad seeks review as Elections BC says box of 861 votes went uncounted

Series of robberies in Richmond

Series of robberies in Richmond
Police in the Metro Vancouver community of Richmond have issued a public warning after a series of robberies that took place near a school. RCMP say four of the six robberies happened between October 14th and November 1st, and all but one occurred at night.

Series of robberies in Richmond

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73
A teepee and a sacred fire were set up in front of the Manitoba legislature on Monday to honour Murray Sinclair, as tributes poured in from across the country for the former judge, senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools. People lined up under grey skies, facing a cold wind, to enter the teepee and pay respects. Flags nearby flew at half-mast.

Key architect of reconciliation: Judge, senator, TRC chair Murray Sinclair dies at 73

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest
The arrests outside the Sri Lakshmi Narayana Hindu Temple came as protesters calling for a separate Sikh nation called Khalistan had demonstrated outside the temple on Sunday during a visit by Indian consular officials.

Hindu temple in Surrey wants police suspended after protest unrest

Jump in home sales in Vancouver

Jump in home sales in Vancouver
Home sales in Greater Vancouver jumped nearly 32 per cent last month compared with October 2023 as interest rate reductions boosted demand. A statement from Greater Vancouver Realtors says more than 26-hundred homes changed hands, although that's still about 5.5 per cent below the 10-year average.

Jump in home sales in Vancouver