Attorney General David Eby running to become next B.C. premier

He’s in.

After weeks of speculation, B.C. Attorney General David Eby is set to formally announce this evening he is running to become the next leader of the BC NDP.

Eby, the front-runner in the race, would become premier if he wins the leadership race or is the only candidate to enter the race before the October deadline.

The 44-year-old will be holding an event with supporters at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening in Kitsilano, part of his Vancouver-Point Grey riding.

“I will obviously be having conversations with my family, friends and my colleagues, the party and with British Columbians about how we move forward together,” Eby said a few weeks ago when asked about his leadership ambition.

While Eby hasn’t said much, other prominent NDP MLAs have been speaking a lot about him.

Over the past few weeks, nearly a dozen potential candidates have turned down the opportunity to take on Eby.

Jobs minister Ravi Kahlon and Minister of State for Infrastructure Bowinn Ma both told supporters not only were they not running for leadership but were encouraging Eby to run.

Ministers Selina Robinson, Josie Osborne, Nathan Cullen, George Heyman, Melanie Mark, Katrina Chen and Adrian Dix have all publicly ruled out a bid for the leadership position.

Eby is one of the province’s best-known politicians and recently helped overhaul ICBC, launched a public inquiry into money laundering in the province and is leading the province’s response to the ongoing housing crisis.

Over the weekend the BC NDP announced the leadership rules to replace Premier John Horgan.

Horgan announced in June he would not be seeking re-election and would step down as premier as soon as the NDP membership voted for a leader to replace him.

On Monday, Horgan and his government celebrated five years in power. A cancer diagnosis and the recovery, in part, led Horgan to decide to walk away from the premier’s chair.

The deadline to join the party and be eligible to vote in the leadership is Sunday, Sept. 4.

Voting will begin on Sunday, Nov. 13, with the new leader being announced on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The new NDP leader is expected to be sworn in as premier in mid-December, after a brief transition following the leadership race.

by Global News