The 2024 B.C. election results are mostly settled after a few tight races left the outcome unclear following general voting day on Oct. 19.
The BC NDP have captured 47 seats for a bare majority, while the Conservative Party of B.C. have taken 44, and the B.C. Green Party have two seats.
In Kootenay Rockies, Conservative Party of B.C. candidate Pete Davis successfully took the most votes with 8,216 — good for 42 per cent of the total vote.
At his victory party on election night, Davis said he was going to work for the people of Kootenay-Rockies "every single day."
And while elections only have one winner, democracy isn't possible without other candidates willing to step up with their own policy visions to give voters and option on the ballot.
Incumbent Tom Shypitka was put in an unenviable position when he was essentially abandoned by B.C. United after the party suspended it's provincial campaign at the end of August. However, he decided to run as an independent a week later after receiving feedback and encouragement from constituents and supporters.
Despite losing access to the B.C. United war chest, Shypitka said he was able to raise over $40,000 for his independent bid.
"It was a miracle that we did as good as we did," Shypitka said. "I thought we would win."
Amid a record number of independent candidates who ran for office across B.C., Shypitka garnered the most votes at 5,844.
However, federal politics bled into the provincial campaign, as Shypitka noted he had encounters with voters who were supporting the provincial conservatives because they wanted to "get rid of [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau" — which would require a federal election.
"It was a pretty rudimentary campaign but it worked because I think it preyed on the ignorance of the general voter in a broad sense," Shypitka said.
Provinically, the BC NDP will maintain a very narrow majority as the party looks to find a Speaker and swear in a cabinet over coming weeks, as the Conservative Party of B.C. readies for its role as the Official Opposition.
"Sometimes the desire to have change is overshadowed by what change actually means," said Shypitka. "My question at the end of the day is what did we actually change? We've got a Conservative government in opposition whose main body is made up of former BC Liberals, including the leader, so I don't know what we've changed on the dial other than the fact that we've confused people more."
He credits his family, including his wife Carrie, as well as Allie, Adam and Dustin for supporting him throughout the campaign, as well as staff that includes Kris Dickerson, along with volunteers and donors.
After serving in public office for over a decade, including seven years as the region's MLA and in local government as a Cranbrook city councillor, Shypitka says he is taking a brief hiatus.
While long-term plans remain up in the air, immediate plans include a potential family holiday and spending time at the rink to watch his son, Adam, play hockey.
However, Shypitka also said he wants to remain active in the community and didn't necessarily rule out a run for public office in different capacities in the future.
Wall reflects on the campaign
Reflecting on the 2024 campaign, Kerri Wall said she had a lot more resources this election cycle, as opposed to her first run for provincial office in 2020.
She said she had more time, financial support and volunteers, with more opportunities to get in front of voters through six all-candidate forums, three school appearances and much more consistent door-knocking in Kootenay-Rockies neighbourhoods.
Despite those efforts, voters cast only 996 ballots for Wall and the B.C. Green Party.
However, she said she received a “ton of positive feedback” from people across the riding.
“I was and I continue to be inspired by the B.C. Greens platform and the party’s integrity and the commitment to doing politics differently with respect and honesty,” Wall said, “and I think that’s part of what people saw when I spoke — I spoke to the platform, to my vision, to a vision for a better future. It’s not the kind of politics where you’re putting the other candidates down very often, or at all.”
Wall also said she felt pressured by the local NDP campaign to drop out of the race.
In terms of the provincial context, Wall said she was happy to see two B.C. Green MLAs elected, even though party leader Sonia Furstenau wasn’t successful in Victoria-Beacon campaign.
However, Jeremy Valeriote was elected in Vancouver Sea-to-Sky, as well as Rob Botterell in Saanich North and the Islands.
That will give the party some influence in the legislature as the BC NDP will be operating on a very slim majority, said Wall.
Internally, the party believes that the current makeup of the government won’t last for it’s four-year fixed election date.
“The way it’s unstable, the way [B.C. Conservative Party leader] John Rustad has been talking so seriously about not wanting to get much done other than getting the NDP out,” Wall said. “I fear that we might not be able to pass a lot of legislation; I’m curious how these sessions are going to go in the next little bit, but we’re thinking that maybe sooner rather than later, we’ll be heading to another election.”
The Townsman has reached out to Kootenay-Rockies BC NDP Sam Atwal for comment.
