Jennifer Whiteside has been named interim leader of the B.C. NDP after a caucus recommendation following David Eby’s resignation after a snap election defeat.
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The B.C. NDP caucus has announced Jennifer Whiteside as its choice to serve as the party’s new interim leader after David Eby stepped down following his snap election call.
Whiteside, an MLA-elect for New Westminster-Coquitlam, was recommended by the caucus at a Thursday meeting, where Mike Farnworth was named house leader and Niki Sharma was named caucus chair.
Whiteside said the recommendation was unanimous and that it was “not an outcome I was necessarily expecting.” She said she was looking forward to using her advocacy skills in the role.
Under the B.C. NDP’s constitution, the provincial council must vote on the interim leader after considering the caucus’s recommendations, and the provincial council officially named Whiteside late Thursday.
Whiteside said Eby was not at the in-person caucus meeting and was not present virtually.
Eby’s majority government fell from 47 seats to 28 seats in the legislature, according to the initial count.
The B.C. NDP will serve as Official Opposition to Lorne Doerkson’s B.C. Conservative Party, which won 63 seats.
Whiteside previously worked as chief spokesperson and lead negotiator for the Hospital Employees’ Union. In discussing the caucus meeting, she said it included conversations about what the community needs, and that the party would continue “to do that work in the opposition caucus.”
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