DEW: BC NDP's Bill 7 'audacious overreach' that opens the door to authoritarianism

Gavin Dew is the MLA for Kelowna-Mission and the BC Conservative Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation.The David Eby who once led the BC Civil Liberties Association would never recognize the current Premier David Eby, who is attempting to wield unprecedented power. Bill 7, his latest legislative maneuver, is a calculated power grab that tramples democratic norms under the guise of administrative efficiency.Eby's government, which already holds a commanding 47-seat majority, wants British Columbians to believe that this bill is about good governance in the face of the tariff threat — a crisis they have used to excuse their own past failures and economic mismanagement.But don't be fooled.Bill 7 is not about making BC's government work more efficiently; it's about getting legal approval to govern with unchecked power. It's an audacious overreach that echoes the most authoritarian legislative maneuvers in Canadian history — some are even comparing its scope to the War Measures Act.Why now?Simple: he thinks we're all too distracted to stop him.British Columbians are struggling under the weight of skyrocketing costs, a housing crisis that remains unsolved, and an NDP budget so bloated with reckless spending that it barely fits inside the legislature. This government has now grown public sector employment by more than 40% while the private sector remains stalled.Meanwhile, international trade disputes and tariffs are threatening our economy. What does David Eby do? He introduces a bill that consolidates power in his hands, hoping voters will be too tied up in the rest of his mess to notice.This bill isn't just another piece of bad policy — it's a fundamental shift in how power is exercised in this province. It hands the government sweeping authority with vague sunset clauses and meaningless biannual "reporting" requirements meant to placate critics. The reality? Once governments seize this kind of power, they never willingly give it back.If the NDP's track record is any indication, Bill 7 will be rammed through the legislature at breakneck speed. We just saw this with Bill 4 — stakeholders were still drafting responses to a week-old bill when the government forced it through third reading. Democracy? Consultation? Not in David Eby's BC.Expect the same with Bill 7. It will move through the legislature like a freight train, leaving the democratic process in its wake. There will be little room for dissent, little opportunity for the public to grasp its full impact, and certainly no willingness from the NDP to slow down and listen.And why would they? This is a government that has grown increasingly comfortable governing by decree rather than dialogue. A strong Conservative opposition has weakened their iron grip, but rather than practicing humility and compromise, they're doubling down on divide and conquer.As our Conservative Leader John Rustad said, "in essence, this is a piece of legislation that will transform David Eby into a tyrant who can crush anything or anyone he deems as a threat."The government wants you to think that Bill 7 is necessary because of external threats — Trump, tariffs, the chaotic state of the world — but this is classic fearmongering for the sole purpose of pursuing an agenda designed and crafted in secret by David Eby, for David Eby.Despite what they tell you, Bill 7 is not just about getting through one difficult moment in time. The notion that a sunset clause somehow neutralizes its danger is laughable. Once a government sets a precedent for unchecked authority, it doesn't simply expire with the next election. Future governments — of any party — will find it just as tempting to use.British Columbians should be deeply alarmed by the speed, secrecy, and scope of this bill, and it should raise serious questions about the mindset of its architect, David Eby.Tommy Douglas, founder of the NDP and staunch opponent of the invocation of the War Measures Act, would be rolling in his grave at the thought.This bill deserves the loudest possible opposition, not just from the opposition benches in the legislature but from every British Columbian who values accountability, transparency, and democratic integrity. BC's Premier is not supposed to have this level of unchecked power. We need to stand united against the tariff threat, but we must also stand united in defence of our democracy.Gavin Dew is the MLA for Kelowna-Mission and the BC Conservative Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation.

DEW: BC NDP's Bill 7 'audacious overreach' that opens the door to authoritarianism

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