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

害羞草研究所淐hristmas Eve, we sold a lot of Jann Arden CDs,害羞草研究所� he said, adding the last-minute shoppers were 害羞草研究所渁ll dudes.害羞草研究所�

The leader of British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 move to suspend his party害羞草研究所檚 election campaign to support John Rustad害羞草研究所檚 B.C. Conservative Party in an effort to unite the right, which Eby said was expected by the NDP but still surprised him.

害羞草研究所淲e were always anticipating it because it害羞草研究所檚 happened so many times in this province害羞草研究所檚 history that the right would unite under a single banner,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭he thing that was astonishing to me is they didn害羞草研究所檛 unite under the centre-right banner as they have for generations.害羞草研究所�

The move 害羞草研究所渇ar right害羞草研究所� 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, 害羞草研究所渙ne of the most sexist commentators on the internet,害羞草研究所� said Eby.

害羞草研究所淭o unite under this banner sends a message to British Columbians that this is the direction they think we should go,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e had many disagreements with the B.C. Liberals over the years, but they weren害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�

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

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

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

害羞草研究所淪o, I害羞草研究所檓 pushing government hard,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 pushing people hard to do as much as we can on these things.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淒avid Eby is not afraid to break the paradigm in how we害羞草研究所檝e been dealing with very significant issues, whether it害羞草研究所檚 housing, whether it is the opioid overdoses,害羞草研究所� Heyman said. 害羞草研究所淗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.害羞草研究所�

Eby害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淗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,害羞草研究所� he said.

Eby害羞草研究所檚 style is 害羞草研究所済o big or go home,害羞草研究所� said Prof. David Black, a political communications expert at Greater Victoria害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渓et害羞草研究所檚-break-the-china-and-get-some-big-things-done style.害羞草研究所�

He noted that in Eby害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 won an election as premier, took over the job in 2022 after former premier John Horgan害羞草研究所檚 retirement due to health concerns.

He and his wife, Cailey Lynch, who害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 enjoy it,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 think it害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚 find jokes are a good way to connect with people and connect with an audience,害羞草研究所� he said.

While stand-up comedy is Eby害羞草研究所檚 first choice for entertainment, B-movies are a close second.

He said his most recent favourite is the 2010 sci-fi film 害羞草研究所淪tonehenge Apocalypse.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 magic,害羞草研究所� said Eby. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 got all the great elements you want.害羞草研究所�

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

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