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FIRST READING: David Eby's snap election could blow up in his face

Canadian voters have a long track record of punishing opportunistic elections

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FIRST READING: David Eby's snap election could blow up in his face Back to video

When Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa called a snap election in 1976, the official reason was that he needed a new mandate to address “a number of very important events (that) will affect the future of Quebec.”

Bourassa already had a majority government. He also had two years left in his mandate; Quebecers weren’t scheduled to go to the polls until the fall of 1978.

But optimism was riding high in the wake of the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and Bourassa pegged it as a good time to cash in that goodwill for a mandate that could at least last into the 1980s.

The result was one of the most catastrophic backfires imaginable. Instead of renewing his majority, Bourassa was steamrolled by the first election win by the newly founded Parti Quebecois – a party that Bourassa had spent the campaign mocking. The Quebec Liberal even lost his own seat to a separatist poet.

On Tuesday, B.C. Premier David Eby called a snap election, also with a majority, and also with two years left in his mandate. The stated reason was that U.S. President Donald Trump is an “existential” threat to B.C., and the NDP premier needs his mandate renewed immediately to deal with it.

Trump is attacking our jobs, driving up our costs and threatening our ability to make decisions for ourselves, in our own country, for our own people. He wants to make Canada and B.C. an extension of America.For B.C. and for Canada, this is an existential moment. We have to…— David Eby (@Dave_Eby) September 22, 2026

Trump is attacking our jobs, driving up our costs and threatening our ability to make decisions for ourselves, in our own country, for our own people. He wants to make Canada and B.C. an extension of America.For B.C. and for Canada, this is an existential moment. We have to…

The more likely reason is that, after an entire summer of polling behind the B.C. Conservatives, the opposition’s sudden collapse under leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay suddenly turned the tide, yielding two weeks’ worth of polls with an NDP lead.

Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.

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