B.C. political independents and former Conservatives unite amid election speculation

Centrists and former B.C. Conservatives have joined forces under Milobar as speculation grows that Premier David Eby may soon call a provincial election. Eby avoided confirming any election plans during a UBCM speech and later news conference, saying he had no announcement to make on the issue. He also joked about the strain local politicians are facing as they prepare for the possibility of overlapping campaigns. The timing remains uncertain, but observers say there is strong evidence the NDP is preparing for a vote on or before Sept. 22. One reason is that the party may want to avoid the AbbotsfordMission byelection scheduled for Sept. 26, which is being contested by Findlay. If an election were called on Sept. 23, 24 or 25, election day would be pushed to Halloween under Elections B.C. rules, a date that many politicians are likely trying to avoid.