Four NDP cabinet ministers will not seek re-election in B.C. snap campaign

Four NDP cabinet ministers announced they will not seek re-election as Premier David Eby's government heads into a snap campaign, dealing a significant blow to the ruling party just hours after the election was called.

Health Minister Ravi Kahlon, Eby's most trusted lieutenant and widely regarded as his top-performing minister, announced Thursday he will not run. Kahlon had been viewed as a potential future leader of the NDP. Eby said Thursday he has known for some time that Kahlon would not be running.

"Remarkable contributions as health minister, even in a short period of time," Eby said. "He's making a decision, an understandable decision to be with his family, support his family in this time."

Jobs Minister Brenda Bailey will also not seek re-election. Bailey underwent surgery for early-stage, treatable cancer on August 26 after her diagnosis over the summer. She had stepped down from the Finance portfolio due to her cancer diagnosis. Some observers believed she had been frustrated by the lack of autonomy in that role from Eby's office.

Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene and Agriculture Minister Lana Popham will also not run. Popham has been publicly known for several months to not be seeking re-election; she served as an MLA since 2009. Greene, notably, came out publicly against the Tilbury LNG expansion, which Eby and Energy Minister Adrian Dix signed off on—a visible fracture in the cabinet.

Eby acknowledged that not everyone in caucus agreed on the province's path on economic development. "We think really carefully about this stuff, and we are a big tent," he said. "We all know the direction that we need to be going, which is to build up our province, create those opportunities, and to turn away from the idea that we should be fighting culture wars."

The departures could be viewed as either a sign of renewal within the NDP or an indictment of Eby's record after he took over from John Horgan four years ago.