Political Shift in British Columbia

Some people doubted it was possible.

For a significant portion of the last twenty years, British Columbia’s political scene has been largely controlled by the increasingly progressive New Democratic Party and, well, the Liberal governments that didn’t quite have the guts to actually challenge state power.

It’s a bit like how, even during the 1970s, with Jerry Brown—often mocked as ‘Governor Moonbeam’—the Republican Party still managed to hold on to some influence.

But everything flipped on Saturday night.

The Conservative Party of BC, led by Lorne Doerkson, dealt a serious blow to NDP Premier David Eby. According to preliminary results from Elections BC, the Conservatives are ahead in 63 out of 93 legislative seats, securing nearly half (48.06%) of the popular vote.

This defeat was especially poignant for Eby, as he called for a snap election two years ahead of the planned schedule. Rather than affirming his position, he ended up providing the Conservatives a clear majority and subsequently announced his decision to step down as NDP leader.

British Columbia has often been likened to California, not just because they’re both on the West Coast of North America, but also due to their shared history of quirky political leaders and outlandish political movements.

Today, British Columbia is marked by soaring government expenditures, significant debt, and urban landscapes grappling with issues like homelessness and public disorder, reflective of lenient drug policies.

Sound familiar? It closely resembles some aspects of San Francisco.

However, it hasn’t always been this way for British Columbia. There was a time when the province wasn’t overshadowed by a left-leaning agenda or economic mismanagement, much like California. Think back to Governor Ronald Reagan.

A Conservative Renewal

Doerkson is promising a fresh approach for the province—one that prioritizes economic growth and a government that listens to everyday British Columbians.

Yet, he’s stepping into a complex battleground regarding Indigenous land claims and the ambiguous nature of private property rights.

Doerkson has committed to repealing the province’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). This law was passed in 2019 with support from all political parties and aimed to align provincial legislation with the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights. Critics, however, argue that it has added layers of uncertainty regarding the province’s obligations to Indigenous groups and the rights of other residents.

His stance is pretty clear. Post-election, he pointed out that DRIPA had not resolved disputes over land and resource development, instead leading to more lawsuits.

This tension has become particularly pronounced after a pivotal court ruling about land in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver.

In August 2025, the BC Supreme Court recognized the Aboriginal title of the Cowichan Nation over approximately 732 acres in Richmond, which even included privately owned properties.

This verdict raised some serious concerns about how Aboriginal title interacts with traditional property ownership. Richmond’s Mayor, Malcolm Brodie, voiced apprehension that this ruling undermines the reliability of the province’s land-title system.

“The Court’s untenable decision cannot remain unchallenged,” Brodie stated during the city’s announcement regarding their appeal.

The city, alongside the provincial and federal governments, have filed appeals. The Canadian government has recognized that this ruling could have significant implications for private property rights, highlighting the need for clearer legal guidelines.

Even though the decision didn’t require homeowners to leave their properties, it has still raised alarms among property owners who believed their titles guaranteed secure ownership.

For Doerkson, navigating this landscape will be a tough task. Indigenous land rights are constitutionally protected in Canada, and overlapping claims add another layer of complexity regarding ownership, development, and governmental authority in British Columbia.

His government will have to balance these obligations while also recognizing the anxiety of property owners who feel like the rules are shifting under them.

British Columbia’s Political History

It’s a common misperception that British Columbia has been on a socialist path for the last hundred years, mostly because the last time a Conservative Party was in charge was back in 1928.

In reality, a lot of the province’s history has been shaped by the BC Social Credit Party, which is more on the conservative and populist side.

Social Credit was in power for all but three years between 1952 and 1991.

W.A.C. Bennett served as premier from 1952 to 1972, followed by his son, Bill Bennett, who took the helm in 1975 after a brief three-year stint of NDP governance under Dave Barrett. The Social Credit held power until they were defeated by the NDP in 1991.

Following that, the BC Liberal Party emerged as the province’s main center-right option, governing from 2001 until 2017.

This notion that British Columbia is inherently left-leaning is frankly misplaced. Conservative governments have had a significant presence in the province’s history, even when operating under different party labels.

So while Doerkson’s win is noteworthy, it’s really not without historical context.

Will California Follow Suit?

So, could we see a similar political turnaround in California, which has been struggling with fiscal challenges and various contentious progressive policies?

There’s a limit to how much you can push people before they start pushing back.

California was once the stronghold of Ronald Reagan, who was the governor from 1967 to 1975. The state’s voters supported Republican presidential candidates in nine of the ten elections from 1952 to 1988, including the likes of Nixon, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush.

Even Jerry Brown’s tenure didn’t permanently dash Republican hopes in the ’70s.

Subsequently, Republicans George Deukmejian and Pete Wilson governed California for a total of 16 years. And Arnold Schwarzenegger, another Republican, swept into the governorship during the 2003 recall and was re-elected in 2006.

Today, the dominance of the Democratic Party is a relatively new chapter in California’s political narrative.

Admittedly, British Columbia and California operate under different political frameworks. The BC Conservatives have successfully leveraged a parliamentary system that allows them to control the government by winning legislative seats, while California Republicans face entrenched Democratic advantages in statewide elections.

Still, the recent election in British Columbia serves as a reminder that political majorities can vanish when voters grow disillusioned with their leaders.

While Eby thought an early election might solidify his grip, voters instead shifted the balance to the Conservatives, sending him packing. Perhaps California Democrats should take note.

If British Columbia can manage such a political turnaround, why couldn’t California do the same?