VANCOUVER — “I want our sons and daughters to grow up in a B.C. that is the envy of the world,” newly-elected B.C. Premier Lorne Doerkson emphatically told an ecstatic, screaming crowd at the Rocky Mountaineer Station in Vancouver Saturday night.
The crowd howled repeatedly throughout his victory speech, perhaps at maximum decibels when Doerkson promised to protect private property rights in the province. “I believe in the protection of private property rights and a British Columbia where parks are open to all British Columbians,” he said, pausing to let the cheering die down. (Ever since a court ruling last year recognized Aboriginal title over Richmond, there was been unease in the province over whether people actually own their property or not.)
The Conservative Party of B.C. won a majority government with a projected 64 seats. The NDP, by contrast, was reduced to 27 seats, causing outgoing P+remier David Eby, who called a snap election despite holding a majority government, to resign as party leader.
The Conservative crowd, which began to elatedly “boo” during Eby’s broadcasted concession speech — with a small group singing “nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, goodbye” — switched to cheers over the news that he would step down. Moments later, Eby was no longer on anyone’s mind: Doerkson had arrived in the building.
The room’s video feed cut to a montage of Doerkson on the campaign trail, plus the widely-shared 2021 Global News clip of the Conservative leader, then an MLA, fighting a wildfire in his riding. Again, the crowd screamed, while Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” played overhead. (“Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow, yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone…”)
Doerkson weaved through the heavy crowd on the way to the podium, hugging or shaking hands with everyone he encountered along the way. People jockeyed to get close to the man, outstretching their hands just to touch him. Many shouted “Lorne!” as they reached for him, as though he was a rockstar inside of his own mosh pit. Pyrotechnics erupted behind him as he took the stage.
Many strangers exhibited a sense of familiarity with everyone in the crowd. “What a night,” a man, double fisting glasses of wine, told me happily. All around, spectators were smiling, hugging, and high fiving one another.
Doerkson’s speech covered his plan to grow B.C.’s economy, prioritize the whole province — “tonight, the whole map counts for British Columbia” — fix our health-care system, improve public safety, work with First Nations as partners, and keep youth in the province.
“And to the young people of our beautiful province, I am telling you to stay. This is your home. And I want you to have your best days happen here, close to your parents and your friends, in the town that you grew up in, in a place that you can afford. I promise to work for this and for you every single day,” he said.
He thanked Eby for his public service, and Green Party leader Emily Lowan for “all that she’s done to inspire thousands of young British Columbians to get involved.”
Despite facing four weeks of NDP and Green smear campaigns that accused Doerkson of being all about the “culture wars,” or of hiding extremists in his party’s wings, nothing the premier-in-waiting said was divisive or extreme. To the contrary, he promised that his government will serve everyone. Early in his speech, he thanked all voters, including those who did not vote blue.
“I want to say a word to the people who aren’t in this room. There is a place for you here. Bring your ideas. Bring your family. Bring your ambitions. And somebody will pick up the phone in British Columbia,” said Doerkson.
He ended with a promise to shake the hand of everyone in the room.
After his speech, Doerkson’s family joined him on stage. He gingerly assisted his elderly mother beside the podium first. Moments later, more pyrotechnics erupted, along with more hollers.
The night ended with a drastically different tone than it began with. Before the polls closed, there was a tense optimism in the room. But that turned to glee as the Conservatives took a clear and immediate lead. More than one person in the crowd excitedly told me they felt stunned to finally experience a Conservative victory. It was the polar opposite of the 2024 election night, when the Conservatives, then under leader John Rustad, ended the night unsure who their next premier would be.
Clearly, the collective apprehension that could be felt at the beginning of the night was a matter of “once bitten, twice shy.” There was no need for it. B.C. is ready for a major change.
National Post
