Keith Baldrey

Legislative Bureau Chief

Author Archives

• With elections looming, Eby turns his guns on Ottawa

  A western-based premier attacking the central federal government is something of a time-honoured tradition. But a B.C. premier has not been this critical of Ottawa for years.

  Commentary

  Jun 20
• ‘Mainstream, not extreme’: BC United’s new pitch in battle with BC Conservatives

  As BC United seeks to fend off a challenge from the right, it's turning its sights on what it considers to be extreme right-wing candidates running for the BC Conservatives.

  Commentary

  Jun 10
• Advertisement
• Splits happen: A look at the upcoming B.C. election this October

  The mother of all vote-split elections occurred in 1996 when the NDP government was re-elected despite getting almost 40,000 fewer votes than the BC Liberals province-wide.

  Commentary

  Jun 4
• Advertisement
• Hoo boy: Examining the B.C. political breakup of Kevin Falcon and John Rustad

  A close examination of what BC United was proposing shows John Rustad made the right call if he is truly interested in growing his party and taking on the NDP government.

  Commentary

  May 27
• B.C.’s final legislative session before election ends with acrimony, tears, fantasies

  The final legislative session before the coming provincial election ended last week in acrimony, tears and some wild political fantasies being circulated.

  Commentary

  May 21
• ‘He will be missed’: No one enjoyed being B.C. premier more than John Horgan

  This week ends one of the most successful and rather astonishing turns at the helm of a B.C. government, as John Horgan turns the keys to the premier’s office over to David Eby.

  Commentary

  Nov 17, 2022
• Activist’s challenge turns BC NDP leadership race from coronation into competition

  The race to be the next leader of the BC NDP was meant to be a coronation of sorts for former Attorney-General David Eby, but it now has the potential to become an actual contest.

  Commentary

  Sep 28, 2022
• Fifty years after first winning power, the BC NDP has changed in many ways

  As the BC NDP marks a milestone anniversary, legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey reflects on how the party has changed, and perhaps tamed its near-revolutionary past.

  Commentary

  Sep 1, 2022
• Advertisement
• The Surrey South byelection is a race to watch for all political parties

  Losing that riding would be devastating for the B.C. Liberals, as they struggle to regain a toehold in Metro Vancouver, where about half the electoral ridings are located.

  Commentary

  Aug 18, 2022
• Advertisement
• Change in BC NDP leadership could herald an early provincial election call

  Premier John Horgan’s successor may find it tempting to call an early vote rather than trying to govern for two more years without facing the electorate.

  Commentary

  Jul 13, 2022
• ‘Popular, historic and lasting’: Looking back at John Horgan’s legacy

  Few of his predecessors can point to as long a list of accomplishments as well as an enduring ability to remain popular with the general public.

  Commentary

  Jul 8, 2022
• Rise of conspiracy theories shows Canada not immune from U.S. problems

  Recent polling has found a large number of Canadians buy into conspiracies like the racist "white replacement" theory to the disproven claim Donald Trump won the U.S. election.

  Commentary

  Jun 29, 2022
• Political discourse has weakened during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Canada and the U.S.

  The recent takedown of Alberta Premier Jason Kenney from his party leadership is the latest example of some political parties finding it difficult to maintain unity in their ranks.

  Commentary

  May 26, 2022
• Bruising CPC leadership race could leave eventual winner with unity problem

  While party leadership races can often feature some bruising, bitter internal battles, the leadership contest the Conservatives are mired in seems particularly nasty.

  Commentary

  Apr 21, 2022
• Advertisement
• As two byelections loom in B.C., one will prove more exciting than the other

  Premier John Horgan will have six months to call a byelection once Stephanie Cadieux formally resigns and you can be sure the NDP is searching for a top-notch candidate.

  Commentary

  Apr 14, 2022
• Advertisement
• ‘Drop everything’: Looking back at the week COVID-19 changed everything in B.C.

  Global News chief political correspondent Keith Baldrey looks back at the moment COVID-19 would change everything in B.C.

  Commentary

  Mar 16, 2022
• While B.C.’s new fiscal plan looks bleak, it’s not as bad as it may first appear

  In the fiscal year just ending (it ends March 31), the provincial economy exceeded all expectations and allowed Selina Robinson to push the deficit down to $483 million.

  Commentary

  Mar 3, 2022
• B.C. court ruling is likely bad news for environmental protesters

  The three higher judges extended the injunction until at least September, after concluding the lower court judge had made numerous errors.

  Commentary

  Feb 3, 2022
• BC Liberal leadership race nears the finish line, but is the public watching?

  The BC Liberal Party is slated to announce its next leader on Feb. 5.

  Commentary

  Jan 26, 2022
• More must be done to convince B.C.’s unvaccinated to roll up their sleeves

  We are heading towards a situation in which less than 10 per cent of the population will take up more and more resources in a health care system that is near capacity.

  Commentary

  Jan 11, 2022
• Advertisement
• As we start 2022, B.C.’s politicians remain front and centre to navigate COVID and more

  Unlike any other previous health minister in B.C. history, Adrian Dix has had to ensure the health system actually continues to function under a global pandemic.

  Commentary

  Jan 4, 2022
• Advertisement
• The next few weeks in B.C. are critical as Omicron cases surge

  Some scientists theorize that perhaps Omicron will become a “nuisance virus” that infects a lot of people but does not inflict a lot of damage. Let’s hope so.

  Commentary

  Dec 23, 2021
• B.C.’s kids have been rolling up their sleeves for the COVID vaccine but uptick is slow

  An Angus Reid poll back in October showed B.C. would likely get to the situation in which it now finds itself when it comes to vaccinating five to 11-year-olds.

  Commentary

  Dec 14, 2021
• John Horgan navigates cancer diagnosis while becoming B.C.’s longest-serving NDP premier

  As for breaking the record for service as an NDP premier, who saw that coming back before the 2017 election that would end up with him moving into the premier’s office?

  Commentary

  Nov 9, 2021
• Old-growth logging protests highlight a change in this BC NDP government

  The so-called “war of the woods” in Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island saw mass arrests and thousands of people protesting regularly at the legislature.

  Commentary

  Oct 14, 2021