FOR TAKING THE BALL AND RUNNING WITH IT

1. DAVID EBY

PREMIER OF B.C. PREVIOUSLY #2, 2023

ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES of becoming premier mid-mandate—without having to craft your own platform and face the verdict of voters—is that you can test drive a few policies first. David Eby took the reins from John Horgan in November 2022, halfway between elections, and he’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since.

While it often seems like housing is Eby’s single focus—with a tax on speculation, legislation to reduce short-term rentals, province-wide zoning changes, plus a new multibillion-dollar provincial housing construction program set to launch in early 2024—he’s also taken on the challenge of credentialing with gusto, introducing legislation last fall aimed at reducing barriers for internationally trained professionals. And under his leadership, the NDP started providing funds for free prescription contraception in April—a first for Canada.

Some of his moves feel like political gimmickry—such as the $100 BC Hydro credit or his PR campaign against the independent Bank of Canada, demanding lower interest rates—but there’s little doubt that Eby is a compelling communicator. He ranks as one of Canada’s most popular premiers and is far outpacing the opposition (though he and the NDP benefit from a splintered centre-right vote). Eby is also credited, by our panel, for making a concerted effort to elevate younger, more diverse voices within cabinet (see Niki Sharma, #7, and Bowinn Ma, #11)—a contrast to Horgan, who relied on many 1990s stalwarts for key posts. Still, two years is a lifetime in politics—and Eby has to hope that the sour mood of voters, which has felled long-serving incumbents from Manitoba to Argentina, dissipates by the time B.C. voters step into the polling booth this October.