New Westminster MLA declines BC NDP leadership

New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside says she still has plenty of work to do, but that does not include vying for leadership of the BC NDP.

Whiteside’s decision comes a few weeks after Premier John Horgan announced he’d be stepping away from his position once a new leader is chosen. Horgan has spent five years in the role.

“I have felt really honoured and grateful for the many friends and neighbours who have approached me and indicated their support,” she tells New West Anchor. “That’s been really, really gratifying. But I have to say that this is not in my future. I don’t have any plans with respect to entering into this leadership race.”

Whiteside said she wanted to take the time to really think about whether it was viable for her to run. “I have to say, when Premier Horgan told our cabinet and caucus he would be stepping down, I felt a lot of grief at that. I felt like I needed time to process that news.”

Whiteside is serving her first term as an MLA, taking over the seat held by the NDP’s Judy Darcy. Whiteside is also BC’s minister of education. Before this, Whiteside was the chief spokesperson and lead negotiator for the Hospital Employees’ Union.

“We’re in a period of unprecedented growth. People are moving to British Columbia and in numbers we’ve perhaps never seen,” explains Whiteside, adding that she’d like to keep focusing on a variety of themes in education, from child care and early learning to Indigenous education and gaps in reconciliation.

Whiteside adds she has more constituency work she’d like to do as MLA. “Supporting the work our city is doing on housing, to continue to advocate for the kinds of services we need, to make sure, particularly, those who are really vulnerable have supports and services,” she says.

As for whether she’d endorse anyone specifically? “I know that we will have an excellent field of candidates to choose from when we get to that point, and I’ll wait to see what that field looks like.”