NDP hits the brakes on fall sitting of the B.C. legislature, bringing criticism

Premier David Eby looks into the legislative assembly before start of the oath ceremony at the legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

The tree at the B.C. legislature is already up and decorated, but you would be hard pressed to spot an MLA in the hallways, and they won't gather in the chamber for more than two months, until February's Throne Speech.

Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley, calls the delay unacceptable.

“They need to authorize some of their key promises through legislation,” he said Monday.

“I think it’s terribly problematic, as soon as possible the legislature should resume following an election.”

On Oct. 22., three days after the election, B.C. Premier David Eby said his team was going to hit the ground running.

“British Columbians want us to get to work right away on the issues that they're concerned about, that's certainly the message that I took,” he said at the time.

Eby told reporters last month he planned to hold a fall sitting. “My intent if we can is to have a sitting, get the speaker elected, and get the legislature working for people,” he said at the end of October.

This past Friday he changed his mind, pointing to Raj Chouhan as already confirmed for the role of House Speaker, and advising there wouldn’t be a fall sitting. The earliest MLAs will gather here is for February's throne speech, he said.

“I think, quite frankly, he’s afraid of going into the legislature and being shown up. We’ve got a very solid Conservative caucus that’s just itching to get at it,” said B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad on Monday.

NDP House Leader Mike Farnworth disagreed.

“Just because the house isn’t sitting doesn’t mean that government isn’t working,” he said.

“Cabinet is meeting this week, new ministers are getting briefed on their new roles and new portfolios.”

What is still unclear is when British Columbians will get the rebate of up to $1000 that was promised by Eby during the campaign.

His office confirms it is coming “as soon as possible” in the new year, but whether it requires legislation isn’t determined yet.

“The Ministry of Finance is working on the most effective way to get that delivered to British Columbians,” said Farnworth.

Rustad think there should have been a fall session to deal with it.

“I think he should have called the legislature back and asked for the spending authority this fall, so we could have got it done, and helped people,” he said.