Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, a longtime B.C. NDP ally whose late wife was a legislator for the party, has given endorsements to both David Eby and the leader of the B.C. Green Party. In a statement shared by the NDP on Friday, Phillip described the incumbent premier as “the best choice as leader of this province.” Eby said he was “deeply honoured” to receive the endorsement, calling Phillip “one of our strongest champions for justice.” “I look forward to continuing our shared work toward a future rooted in respect, true partnership, and meaningful reconciliation,” Eby said in an NDP news release. Phillip also endorsed Green Leader Emily Lowan in her Vancouver Island riding of Saanich North and the Islands, which her party has held for three elections in a row. In a separate statement posted online by Lowan, Phillip said the Green leader’s understanding of the climate crisis as well as her “proactive, principled, evidence-based approach” to finding solutions were key reasons for his endorsement. “She is a strong and courageous ally for Indigenous Peoples in B.C. and approaches environmental stewardship with full respect for Indigenous rights,” he said. Phillip has been a strong supporter of the NDP, with his wife Joan elected as an NDP MLA in 2024 before she died this past summer, but had criticized Eby over the government’s handling of B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Eby backed down earlier this year on changing or suspending parts of the legislation in the face of opposition from the Phillips and others. Lowan became the first major party leader to vote in the race Friday, casting her ballot in the Vancouver Island community of Saanichton. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.
