Silence from BC NDP premier’s office on lavish taxpayer-funded party amid ballooning deficit

VANCOUVER — British Columbia's NDP government under Premier David Eby is facing fresh scrutiny over its handling of taxpayer dollars after failing to respond to media inquiries about a lavish $35,000 reception with an open bar, despite a representative from the premier's office initially acknowledging the questions and promising a forthcoming reply.The silence comes amid mounting public discontent with the government's fiscal stewardship, as highlighted in recent polls and surveys showing the Eby administration's popularity plummeting over budget concerns and record deficits.An earlier Western Standard report detailed how the NDP is polling poorly on custodianship of public funds, with voters expressing deep dissatisfaction over perceived wasteful spending and unsustainable borrowing.Freedom-of-information records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayer Federation (CTF) reveal the BC Public Service Agency budgeted $35,000 for the March 11, 2025, event at Victoria's upscale Inn at Laurel Point hotel.The reception was held to distribute 46 coronation medals to staff, attracting up to 150 attendees, including medal recipients, their guests, deputy ministers and Eby himself. Invoices indicate a dedicated "hold space" in the hotel's Hunt Room for the premier.Catering and bar expenses exceeded $11,680, with the bar tab alone reaching $1,752.44. Itemized charges included 42 glasses of Bottega Prosecco, an additional full bottle of the same sparkling wine, six shots of El Jimador Tequila, 10 shots of Jack Daniel's, 19 glasses of 5 Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, 10 glasses of Frind Rose, 13 glasses of Frind Big Red, and dozens of other cocktails, beers, wines and spirits..Food costs featured $1,080 for warm breads and assorted dips, alongside $1,800 for an antipasto platter with local cured and smoked meats, cheeses, pickled vegetables and olives. A further $14,500 was allocated for miscellaneous items, including audio-visual equipment, decor, photography, printing and honorariums.Notably, the government collected no attendee information and is "unable to provide a guest list," according to the FOI documents.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has seized on the revelations, accusing the government of fiscal recklessness at a time when the province is projecting a record $13.3-billion deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year."Bureaucrats billed taxpayers for an open-bar party at a glitzy hotel, while the finance minister pinky promises she’s looking for savings," said Carson Binda, the CTF's B.C. director. "Open-bar parties for bureaucrats while the province borrows billions is like the band playing as the ship sinks."Binda added: "When politicians are spending thousands of taxpayer dollars on liquor and fancy cheeses, they should at least know who they’re buying it for. Government is borrowing billions of dollars and hiking taxes on families while politicians and bureaucrats slap those same families with big bills for a boozy night out."The Western Standard sent detailed questions to the premier's office, the Ministry of Finance and government communications contacts on March 9, seeking justification for the open bar, budget approval details, reasons for lacking a guest list, alignment with cost-saving efforts, policies on alcohol at public events and any cost-recovery measures. A representative from the premier's office confirmed receipt and stated a response was being prepared, but none was provided by deadline.This lack of transparency exacerbates broader criticisms of the Eby government's financial management. A recent Innovative Research Group poll found the February 2026 budget — which forecasts escalating deficits and higher taxes — to be the most unpopular since 2010, with 67 per cent of informed respondents viewing the NDP less favourably as a result. Net satisfaction with the government has dropped 45 points since March 2025, amid expectations of worsening taxes, unemployment and health care under the current administration.The poll also shows the opposition BC Conservatives opening an eight-point lead over the NDP, with voters signalling it may be time for a change amid economic uncertainties and perceived fiscal irresponsibility. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey has dismissed the polling, but analysts warn the budget backlash could spell trouble for Eby's leadership.As gns province grapples with weak private investment, declining productivity and regulatory hurdles in key sectors like forestry and mining, the reception spending highlights what detractors call a disconnect between government extravagance and household struggles. With debt interest now the province's third-largest expenditure, calls for restraint are growing louder.Based on the latest available fiscal projections as of early 2026, British Columbia's projected deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year stands at $13.3 billion CAD (approximately $9.6 billion USD at current exchange rates). In comparison, California's Governor's proposed budget for the same period estimates a $2.9 billion USD deficit, meaning BC's absolute deficit does exceed California's under those official projections.Eby's office did not respond to follow-up requests for comment.

Silence from BC NDP premier’s office on lavish taxpayer-funded party amid ballooning deficit

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