Five days after David Eby resigned as leader of the BC NDP during a disastrous election night, the party has chosen his interim replacement.
The BC NDP’s provincial council named Jennifer Whiteside as interim leader on Thursday, a decision that came after a unanimous recommendation from the caucus.
Whiteside said she’s “pleased and humbled” to receive the support of the party and her colleagues, and they are ready to get to work.
“British Columbians sent us an important message, and we need to take the time to listen and learn from that,” she noted. “People have asked that we sit as the Official Opposition and we will take on that work with determination and thoughtfulness.”
First elected as an MLA in 2020, Whiteside represents the New Westminster-Coquitlam riding and has served in multiple ministerial roles. Prior to entering politics, she spent over two decades as a trade unionist.
On Thursday, the BC NDP caucus also chose Mike Farnworth as house leader and Niki Sharma as caucus chair. The party isn’t expected to select its permanent leader until 2027.
While the numbers won’t be officially finalized until Nov. 10, the BC NDP fell from 47 to 28 seats in the legislature during the snap election.
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