Doerkson leads Conservatives to majority as Eby concedes and will step down as NDP leader

Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson delivered an election-night victory speech as premier-elect on Saturday, Oct. 24, while outgoing Premier David Eby conceded and announced he would resign as leader of the BC NDP.

Daily Hive, which reported on both speeches, said Doerkson led the Conservative Party of British Columbia to a majority government. It described the majority as "very strong." Seat counts were not included in the material reviewed by Northline.

Doerkson promises to get B.C. "back on track"

Doerkson said it would be the honour of his lifetime to serve as premier. He told supporters he would get the province "back on track."

He outlined several priorities. He pledged to host a business summit in Vancouver next year. He also promised to double natural gas production in B.C. by 2032 and triple it by 2035.

Doerkson claimed the expansion would mean tens of thousands of jobs and at least $6 billion a year for hospitals and schools. Those figures were his claims in the speech. The material reviewed includes no independent analysis of them.

He also promised a $1,000 tax cut, which he called "just the start," and said there would be no new taxes. No details of how the tax cut would work were in the material reviewed.

On health care, Doerkson said he believes in fully and publicly funded healthcare. He said he wants to see criminals stay behind bars and people who need treatment get healthy.

He also spoke about his background. He said he was born in New Westminster, grew up in Surrey and later lived in Williams Lake, and that he ran newspapers for 20 years.

Eby accepts responsibility

Eby said he had spoken with Doerkson and acknowledged his success in winning a majority government.

He said he accepts full responsibility for the NDP's defeat, noting that a number of his colleagues were not elected. He said it was time for new leadership in the party and that he made the decision to step down with a heavy heart.

Eby said British Columbians had asked the NDP to serve as the official opposition. He thanked voters in Vancouver-Point Grey for re-electing him.

According to Daily Hive, Doerkson's victory speech ran 16 minutes and Eby's concession speech six minutes.

What to know

• Doerkson is premier-elect. The timing of a swearing-in and the naming of a cabinet were not part of the material reviewed.
• Eby said he will resign as BC NDP leader. How and when the party will choose a successor was not specified in the material reviewed.
• Eby said voters had asked the NDP to be the official opposition.
• The natural gas targets, the job and revenue estimates, and the tax cut were all pledges or claims made in Doerkson's speech. No detailed plans for them were in the material reviewed.