VICTORIA, B.C.: Trevor Halford, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition, is calling on Premier David Eby and the NDP government to immediately reverse course on their decision to eliminate the Independent Office of the Merit Commissioner.
In Budget 2026, the NDP moved to scrap the Merit Commissioner, an oversight office designed to prevent provincial government jobs from being filled based on politics, activism, personal connections, and favouritism. The office’s total budget is $1.7 million.
The finance minister claims the office is not needed because there are “no areas to correct.” The Merit Commissioner says the opposite, warning the latest audit found the highest rate of flawed hiring in nearly a decade. When an independent watchdog is raising concerns, the right response is more oversight, not less.
“The Merit Commissioner exists for one reason: to make sure hiring in the public service is fair, merit-based, and free from interference,” said Halford. “By firing the Merit Commissioner, the NDP have put a price tag on accountability, and they’ve decided British Columbians can’t afford it.”
Since 2018, the Merit Commissioner has also been responsible for reviewing unjust firings and dismissals in the public service. In their most recent budget, the NDP also signalled plans to cut 15,000 public service positions without releasing key details. The only plan they delivered was an attempt to quietly scrap the watchdog who would ensure the rules were followed.
“Announcing 15,000 public service cuts with no transparency, then eliminating the independent office that audits hiring and reviews unjust dismissals, shows just how out of touch this government has become,” said Kiel Giddens, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie and the Critic for Labour.
“This is not an isolated move. It is how this government operates. For the Eby NDP government, accountability is optional, and they avoid it every opportunity.”
Recent reporting highlights how essential the Merit Commissioner’s role is. The B.C. Premier’s office is being sued after dismissing an international relations official in December. The Premier’s office hired the official after he had been previously terminated from his job with the federal government under suspicion of leaking sensitive materials. The Premier’s office only fired him after learning that he had been arrested and was being investigated by the RCMP.
“The situation in the Premier’s Office is exactly why the Merit Commissioner exists.” added Halford. “This government needs to do the right thing and reverse its decision to fire the Merit Commissioner.”
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Media Contact:
Francesca Guetchev, Press Secretary
Francesca.Guetchev@leg.bc.ca
+1 (672) 922-0948
