‘No sugar-coating it’: NDP ex-ministers admit frustration at snap election blunder

Two prominent figures in British Columbia’s outgoing NDP government have spoken out about the scale of the mistake made in calling last weekend’s election that resulted in the party’s crushing defeat.

Niki Sharma and Ravi Parmar are both leaving open the possibility they may seek party leadership in the wake of the resignation of outgoing Premier David Eby, as the decimated NDP caucus meets at the legislature.

Sharma, who was previously attorney general, says Eby apologized for calling the snap election at a meeting of the outgoing caucus on Wednesday, and he “took full responsibility.”

She says she’s not seeking the interim leadership of the party, a position that is being discussed at today’s meeting of the incoming caucus, but was non-committal on the permanent leadership.

Parmar, the outgoing forests minister, says the party and Eby clearly made the wrong decision to call the election that resulted in a two-thirds majority of 63 seats for the B.C. Conservatives, while the NDP ranks have been reduced from 47 to 28, according to the preliminary count.

Parmar says the party “got it wrong” and owes British Columbians an apology for calling the election, while adding that it’s too early to say if he’ll seek leadership.

“The premier made a decision, we all stood by him … clearly we made the wrong decision calling the election, and that’s something that we’re all going to live by,” he said before the start of the caucus meeting.

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Asked to rate the level of frustration at the election call, Parmar said it was “about 10, absolutely.”

“I’m disappointed, I’m frustrated, but that disappointment and frustration can’t last four years, it can only last a few days,” he said.

Sharma said that Wednesday’s outgoing caucus meeting was an emotional affair, as colleagues bid farewell to each other.

“There’s no sugar-coating it. It was a tough day. We had to say goodbye to MLAs that were excellent, that really served their community well,” she said.

“So we were reflective, and I think there’s a resolve within that reflectiveness to figure out how we do the job that British Columbia has elected us to do now, which is as official Opposition.”