BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau says she’ll stay on as leader of her party, which retained two seats in the BC election, although she lost her bid for a seat in Victoria-Beacon Hill.
Furstenau, who had represented Cowichan Valley since 2017 before moving to Victoria this year, said she will provide guidance and counsel as the party and the province enter a “new chapter.”
That new chapter remains uncertain after no party won enough seats for a majority — on election night, the B.C. NDP had 46 seats, the Conservatives 45 and the Greens two seats.
Two ridings — Juan de Fuca-Malahat and Surrey Centre — are facing a recount becausethe NDP won by fewer than 100 votes. In Juan de Fuca-Malahat, the NDP’s Dana Lajeunesse was just 20 votes ahead of the Conservatives’ Marina Sapozhnikov.
About 49,000 votes, including mail-in and out-of-district votes that came in after advance polls closed, also need to be counted. That final vote count is set for Oct. 26-28.
Depending on how the final vote shakes out, the Greens could be needed for a functional minority government.
“British Columbians demonstrated that they don’t trust any one party with 100 per cent of the power,” Furstenau said in a statement. “They need our next government to leave the negativity and toxicity of the campaign behind, get down to work and start delivering for them.”
NDP Leader David Eby, giving an update Tuesday on the impact of recent flooding in the province, said he reached out to Furstenau immediately after the election to congratulate her for the election of two Green MLAs and to indicate a desire to talk.
“The Greens have advised us that they are not ready yet to engage those conversations,” said Eby, noting he is hopeful the NDP will maintain its one-seat lead following the recount by Elections BC.
“Without taking anything for granted, we’re making sure that we’re ready to go,” said Eby. “We have a team in place to engage in conversations with MLAs about how we’re going to move forward on this, including with the Green Party, and nothing’s off the table.”
As for his party’s loss of 16 incumbents, including five ministers, Eby said British Columbians have sent him a strong message “to do better,” particularly on health care, affordability and public safety.
He said British Columbians want government to get back to work on the issues they are concerned about.
“It is very likely that we will need the support of other MLAs to pass legislation to do the work that we need to do,” said Eby. “We’ll be entering into discussions as we go forward about how we find that co-operation.”
BC Greens provincial council co-chair Alex Pope said Furstenau was instrumental in ensuring effective policy during the NDP minority government from 2017 through 202o, when the Greens propped up the government, as well as providing a positive voice during the recent negative election campaign.
”Her vision and experience are critical as our new caucus begins their work as MLAs and B.C. once again faces the possibility of a minority government,” said Pope.
Newly elected BC Green MLAs Rob Botterell of Saanich North and the Islands and Jeremy Valeriote of West Vancouver-Sea to Sky said they support Furstenau’s continued leadership “as we take on our new jobs as MLAs and navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the Legislature.”
The B.C. Greens were established in February 1983, rooted in environmental advocacy, social justice, and sustainable economics.
