VICTORIA – The British Columbia government has survived a non-confidence vote after the Opposition Conservative party wasted no time in trying to overthrow the NDP.
In a vote that split along party lines, a motion brought forward by Opposition leader John Rustad was narrowly defeated, with every Conservative member voting for while both BC Green Party representatives voted against alongside NDP members.
Rustad’s motion was to amend the throne speech to declare that the legislature does not have confidence in the government.
The Opposition leader told reporters earlier in the day that he promised on election night that he would try to bring down the government at the earliest possible opportunity.
He says it was technically the earliest opportunity for the Conservative party to bring a confidence vote on the government.
B.C. Premier David Eby told reporters that it’s “bizarre” the Conservatives would introduce a non-confidence motion onto the throne speech, which in itself is a confidence motion, “in an attempt to drive to an election.”
The NDP holds 47 seats to the Opposition B.C. Conservatives’ 44 members, while the Green Party holds two seats and has agreed to support the New Democrats on motions of confidence.
A successful vote of non-confidence could have forced the government to dissolve, which would have set off a provincial election.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2025.
