David Eby thumbs through a stack of vinyl records at Zulu Records located in his Vancouver-Point Grey riding and says he含羞草研究社檚 reminded of his younger days working at a Sam The Record Man store over the Christmas holidays.

含羞草研究社淐hristmas Eve, we sold a lot of Jann Arden CDs,含羞草研究社� he said, adding the last-minute shoppers were 含羞草研究社渁ll dudes.含羞草研究社�

The leader of British Columbia含羞草研究社檚 New Democratic Party, wearing a short-sleeve collared shirt, black jeans and sneakers, sits casually at a table area near the back of the record shop.

Music is playing in the background, customers are browsing.

It含羞草研究社檚 a comfortable spot to talk politics, the provincial election, family, stand-up comedy and B-movies, and not generally in that order, Eby, 48, said.

A good place to start is BC United Leader Kevin Falcon含羞草研究社檚 move to suspend his party含羞草研究社檚 election campaign to support John Rustad含羞草研究社檚 B.C. Conservative Party in an effort to unite the right, which Eby said was expected by the NDP but still surprised him.

含羞草研究社淲e were always anticipating it because it含羞草研究社檚 happened so many times in this province含羞草研究社檚 history that the right would unite under a single banner,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭he thing that was astonishing to me is they didn含羞草研究社檛 unite under the centre-right banner as they have for generations.含羞草研究社�

The move 含羞草研究社渇ar right含羞草研究社� to the B.C. Conservatives is asking voters to support a party whose leader does not believe climate change is real, a party official who has flashed a hand symbol associated with the alt-right movement and lifted the voice of Jordan Peterson, 含羞草研究社渙ne of the most sexist commentators on the internet,含羞草研究社� said Eby.

含羞草研究社淭o unite under this banner sends a message to British Columbians that this is the direction they think we should go,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e had many disagreements with the B.C. Liberals over the years, but they weren含羞草研究社檛 around issues about whether gay people had rights or whether climate change is real or about whether women should be treated with dignity and respect, and reproductive freedom.含羞草研究社�

Eby surprised many this month when he announced his government would dump its long-standing carbon tax on consumers if the federal 含羞草研究社渓egal backstop含羞草研究社� requiring the province to keep the tax in place is dropped.

He said he含羞草研究社檚 been both anxious and committed to tackling B.C.含羞草研究社檚 big ticket items of housing, affordability, health care and the overdose crisis.

含羞草研究社淚 feel a huge urgency around these problems,含羞草研究社� Eby said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 impatient for us to resolve the health-care issues. I含羞草研究社檓 impatient for us to get the things built that people need, whether it含羞草研究社檚 transit or roads or anything else and I含羞草研究社檓 impatient for us to get on the other end of the drug crisis and to get affordable housing built.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淪o, I含羞草研究社檓 pushing government hard,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 pushing people hard to do as much as we can on these things.含羞草研究社�

George Heyman, who has known Eby since 2013 when both Vancouver politicians were first elected to the B.C. legislature, said his colleague is a quick study who absorbs information and is willing to make difficult decisions.

含羞草研究社淒avid Eby is not afraid to break the paradigm in how we含羞草研究社檝e been dealing with very significant issues, whether it含羞草研究社檚 housing, whether it is the opioid overdoses,含羞草研究社� Heyman said. 含羞草研究社淗e is looking for solutions that will make a difference and he is looking for ways to implement them as quickly as possible and as soundly as possible.含羞草研究社�

Eby含羞草研究社檚 process on decision-making involves hearing a diversity of opinions from within the NDP caucus and outside government, letting the ideas germinate for a period of time and then return for more discussion, which leads to a decision, Heyman said.

含羞草研究社淗e listens to people and he is compassionate and focused on finding the right mix of good policy for the future and meeting people where they are today,含羞草研究社� he said.

Eby含羞草研究社檚 style is 含羞草研究社済o big or go home,含羞草研究社� said Prof. David Black, a political communications expert at Greater Victoria含羞草研究社檚 Royal Roads University.

He demonstrated his approach when, as attorney general, he introduced reforms to restructure the Crown-owned and debt-plagued Insurance Corporation of B.C., said Black.

He said Eby has a 含羞草研究社渓et含羞草研究社檚-break-the-china-and-get-some-big-things-done style.含羞草研究社�

He noted that in Eby含羞草研究社檚 100-days speech after taking over as premier he was good at reading the public mood and their top-of-mind concerns: housing, affordability, health, public safety, the drug crisis and the environment.

Eby, who hasn含羞草研究社檛 won an election as premier, took over the job in 2022 after former premier John Horgan含羞草研究社檚 retirement due to health concerns.

He and his wife, Cailey Lynch, who含羞草研究社檚 a family doctor, recently welcomed a third child, a daughter Gwen.

While they spend much of their time at home, Eby said he and his wife are huge stand-up comedy fans and attend shows whenever they can.

含羞草研究社淚 enjoy it,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 maybe the difference between a lot of the heaviness and seriousness of this stuff that comes and shows up on your desk as premier, and the fact that comedians are able to turn some of the most serious and devastating stuff into something that can put a smile on your face.含羞草研究社�

Eby, who invited comedian Charles Demers to speak at this November 2022 swearing-in ceremony, often starts his own news conference with an attempt at a joke.

含羞草研究社淚 find jokes are a good way to connect with people and connect with an audience,含羞草研究社� he said.

While stand-up comedy is Eby含羞草研究社檚 first choice for entertainment, B-movies are a close second.

He said his most recent favourite is the 2010 sci-fi film 含羞草研究社淪tonehenge Apocalypse.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 magic,含羞草研究社� said Eby. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 got all the great elements you want.含羞草研究社�

But the enormity of the challenge of the election, which Eby has called 含羞草研究社渢he starkest choice of a generation,含羞草研究社� is never far from his thoughts, he said.

含羞草研究社淔or me, I feel the extra weight of the significance of the election in terms of can we preserve what含羞草研究社檚 made us successful over the years working together as a province,含羞草研究社� Eby said.