Next BC NDP leader faces ‘reputational challenge’ of deficit blowout: Horgan adviser

A former adviser to John Horgan says the next leader of the BC NDP will face a “reputational challenge” of proving the party can be trusted with taxpayers’ money, something he says the late former premier established with a $5.7 billion surplus when he left office in 2022.

But that suffered a near-$20-billion turnaround during the tenure of outgoing Premier David Eby, with this year’s deficit projected to hit a record $14 billion.

Horgan’s former chief of staff Geoff Meggs says in the wake of Saturday’s huge election loss to the B.C. Conservatives that while voters want services protected, they also want to see some balance in spending.

A caucus spokesperson says the outgoing NDP caucus met online on Wednesday, while the incoming caucus will meet in person in Victoria on Thursday.

Meggs says the next leader must also reconnect with British Columbians outside the NDP’s urban strongholds.

He says it’s too early to speculate who that leader might be, but there are strong potential candidates inside and outside the caucus.

The next leader must be able to excite voters and “reassure them that we’re committed to our values and we’re prepared to manage the province effectively.”

“The biggest loss for the NDP in some respects has been the reputation for fiscal responsibility that John Horgan built with great effort over his five-year period, leaving a big surplus behind,” Meggs said in an interview on Wednesday.

“I think that’s going to be a reputational challenge for whoever becomes leader,” he said.

Meggs said potential candidates from inside the caucus with ministerial experience include Niki Sharma, Josie Osbornie, Jennifer Whiteside and Christine Boyle.

“Sometimes the people that are sitting right in front of you that you ignore turn out to be the best outcome,” he said.

“Nobody five weeks ago thought Lorne Doerkson was about to become premier,” he said, referring to the premier-designate who was largely unknown before he took over as interim leader of the Conservatives.

Frequently mentioned contenders from outside the caucus include popular Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West or former minister Ravi Kahlon, who did not run in Saturday’s election.

Former minister Bowinn Ma has already ruled herself out.

“I have seen the toll that leadership has taken on David (Eby) and his family,” she said on Saturday. “I have seen the toll that being an MLA and a minister has taken on my own family. I can honestly say that additional sacrifice is not something I would wish for my family.”

Meggs said that the next leader must able to reach British Columbians across the province, and understand issues facing residents in Surrey, the Fraser Valley and rural communities, he said.

“The main thing the NDP needs to do is reconnect with British Columbians and their problems and offer concrete solutions,” he said.

Meggs’ comments echo those of defeated NDP candidate Rick Glumac, who said in a social media post that the party had lost its way, adding that “most British Columbians don’t know what the NDP stands for right now.”

Putting things back on course required more than “reshuffling of the same people at the top,” he said on Monday, and the party needed a “healthy leadership contest” where ideas were shared and debated.

“This is not the time to seek leadership by acclamation,” said Glumac, who had represented Port Moody-Burquitlam since 2017.

“This is the time to reconnect and to inspire regular British Columbians and show that we deserve to be government again,” he said.

The party’s problems, said Glumac, go “much deeper” than discontent over the early election call.

“We made decisions that were difficult to reconcile with our values or were out of touch with the everyday concerns of most people,” he said.

Meggs agreed with Glumac’s assessment. “Bread-and-butter questions are going to be a front and centre for British Columbians for a long time,” he said.

The Conservatives came out of Saturday’s snap vote elected or leading in 63 ridings, with the NDP elected or leading in 28, although two have a margin of fewer than 100 votes that would trigger recounts.

The New Democrat caucus issued a statement Tuesday saying it would choose an interim leader this week and separately “take a clear and honest look at the campaign” and determine the timing and process for a leadership race.

Meggs said that whoever ran for the leadership needed to think long and hard.

“People first have to go through a pretty profound self-examination about the time and energy they want to commit, and whether they have a circle of friends and close supporters, who will carry them through the struggle to come,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2026.