In one week, three of Premier David Eby's cabinet ministers announced they wouldn't be seeking re-election, just a little more than three months out from the election.
On Tuesday (July 2), Forests Minister Bruce Ralston told Black Press Media he wouldn't be seeking another term in his Surrey-Whalley riding. On Thursday, Labour Minister Harry Bains announced he wouldn't be running again in Surrey-Newton, and within the hour, Transportation Minister Rob Fleming also announced he wouldn't be seeking re-election for Victoria-Swan Lake.
All three were first elected in 2005.
While the three announced in the same week they wouldn't be seeking re-election, they're not the only NDP MLAs or cabinet ministers to make that decision.
Indigenous Minister Murray Rankin announced at the beginning of June that he wouldn't been seeking another term in Oak Bay-Gordon Head. He was first elected in 2020 as an MLA, but was previously the federal Member of Parliament for Victoria.
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay-West, announced in May that this would be her last term. She was first elected in 2005, as well.
Environment and Climate Change Strategy Minister George Heyman announced in March that he wouldn't seek re-election. He's currently the MLA for Vancouver-Fairview, and was first elected in 2013.
In June, North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice, who is also the parliamentary secretary for rural health, announced she wouldn't be seeking another term after 11 years.
Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration Fin Donnelly, who is also the Coquitlam-Burke Mountain MLA, announced in May he wouldn't be seeking another term. He was elected in 2020.
Katrina Chen, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed, announced in November 2023 that she wouldn't be running again after being first elected in 2017. She left her cabinet role, minister of state for child care, in 2022 on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women as a survivor.
Last fall, Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley said he wouldn't be seeking another term after 19 years in the role.
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons announced in September 2023 that he wouldn't be running in the next year's election. He was first elected in 2005.
Independent Selina Robinson was the NDP's post-secondary education minister until she resigned from the cabinet in February 2024 and then quit the NDP caucus in March. She announced in 2022 she wouldn't be seeking re-election.
