There's An Approved Petition To Recall The BC Premier & Here's What Could Happen Next

A Vancouver actor-turned-politician, Salvatore Vetro, has launched an effort to recall B.C. Premier David Eby and Elections B.C. has approved the application for a petition.

David Eby was sworn in as the 37th B.C. Premier in November 2022 after John Horgan stepped down for health reasons and Eby's only rival was disqualified from the race.

As the leader of the ruling New Democratic Party, Eby entered the office with a 100-day plan that focused on health care, housing, climate change and public safety.

Why the petition was filed

CBC News reported that Salvatore Vetro is a Freedom Convoy supporter and vaccine-mandate opposer, who submitted the application in December 2022. In the document, Vetro calls the B.C. Premier a "dictator," expressing his belief that Bill 36 — the Health Professions and Occupations Act — must be repealed.

Vetro claims that this act, which allows the provincial government to mandate vaccinations, breaks "many existing laws."

While no Members of the Legislative Assembly have been successfully recalled in the province's history, Vetro has until March 20 to collect signatures from at least 40% of the voters in Eby's Vancouver-Point Grey electoral district — that's 16,449 votes.

What happens next?

If Vetro is unsuccessful in collecting the signatures, the petition will be dropped. If he is successful (and Elections BC is able to verify that all signees are eligible voters), the current B.C. Premier's seat will be recalled and there will be a by-election.

According to the statement by Elections B.C., Eby would be able to run as a candidate in the by-election, so there would be no guarantee of Eby staying off the seat.