Over the weekend, BC NDP members from across the province gathered in Victoria for their biennial convention.
In the face of myriad external crises, the party sought to create internal unity, and according to a number of attendees, that goal was achieved.
"The first few days admittedly were a bit tense because we had some slates come in and some more outsider candidates putting their name for for various committee and executive positions," BC NDP party president candidate Jäger Rosenberg told the Western Standard, "but by the end of the convention ... people were feeling pretty united, pretty energized, and I think we came out stronger than we went in."
Most of the "infighting" took place during the BC Young New Democrats portion of the event, and involved candidates associated with federal leadership hopeful Avi Lewis. Rosenberg added that when all the votes were counted and the results were finalized, however, members largely put disagreements aside and acknowledged that at the end of the day, they're "still on the same team."
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators and proportional representation activists did show up, but nothing escalated beyond peaceful protest.
Rosenberg noted that while members were more willing to get things out in the open and debate, there was still an unspoken acknowledgement that the party cannot afford to "go full civil war mode."
"Our polling numbers are not great right now," Rosenberg said. "The Conservatives are in active civil war, but people still have us behind them, so ... if we're united and still behind, that doesn't make a difference. We have to be both united and ahead in the polls."
He explained that aside from Premier David Eby's jab at John Rustad during his speech, the BC Conservatives didn't come up all that much. In fact, Eby spoke more about the threat posed by the BC Greens under Emily Lowan, who has managed to court the young vote.
Rosenberg's sentiments were shared by another attendee, who spoke to the Western Standard under the condition of anonymity.
"The convention was less raucous than I expected," they said. "There was the usual scattered discontent over environmentalism and some shenanigans at the YND by people associated with (but not endorsed by) Avi Lewis."
They noted that while a number of members offered rebukes to particular policies, "nobody took a shot at the premier himself."
Eby's government, however, did take some heat on the BC Ferries deal with China and its handling of the BCGEU strike.
Members voted overwhelmingly, 82%, to not hold a leadership review, meaning Eby will be safely at the helm until at least the next convention.
"There just wasn't the appetite for a messy internal fight," they concluded.
Among the resolutions approved was one that called for the repealing a piece of legislation the party itself introduced and passed in 2023.
Under the Name Amendment Act, which prevents convicted criminals from changing their names, anyone seeking to change their name for any reason must complete a criminal background check. That lengthens the process for everyone, which opponents argued negatively impacts transgender people.
According to Rosenberg, the resolution passed "unanimously."
"It was put in, we tried, it didn't work, and the consensus is now that we want to remove it," he said.
