B.C. New Democrats poised to take power, inherit state of wildfire emergency
VANCOUVER — British Columbia is on the cusp of changing its government for the first time since 2001, as the province scrambles to contain scores of wildfires that have forced tens of thousands of residents from their homes.
The B.C. New Democrats will inherit not only the keys to power from the current Liberal government at Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony in Victoria, but also responsibility for a provincewide state of emergency — the first to be declared in 14 years.
New Democrat MLA Carole James, spokeswoman for the party’s transition team, said a major priority for Leader John Horgan is to ensure a smooth transfer of power in dealing with the wildfire crisis.
“That was a commitment that John made when the fires first began, to make sure that it was a seamless transition,” she said.