The current standings are: Liberals 43 seats, NDP 41 seats, Greens 3 seats. The Liberals are leading the NDP in Coquitlam –Burke Mountain, and the NDP is leading the Liberals in Courtenay-Comox and Maple Ridge-Mission by less than one per cent. The absentee ballots have yet to be counted. If the Liberals pick up one more seat they will form a majority government and Christy Clark will be free to pursue her agenda as she chooses. Otherwise, she should resign.
If, however, a minority situation prevails the Green Party’s three members will hold the balance of power, or, they may have been given enough rope to hang themselves. Andrew Weaver, the Leader of the Green Party, has a closer personal affinity to Christy Clark than John Horgan, the NDP Leader. Most of the surge in votes leaked from the Liberal Party. But if he supports the Liberals he will be denying the “real change” he was advocating and abandoning his own principles.
In a minority situation John Horgan is in the driver’s seat. Even as a Private Member he can introduce an election financing bill and cut off the flow of money to the Liberal Party, cancel the Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline, introduce a moratorium on “fracking”, or a bill to refer the Site “C” Dam to the Public Utilities Commission and the Greens will be obliged to support him. When the Liberals introduce their Budget he can propose amendments demanding $10 a day daycare, more money for housing or education and the Greens will be forced to step in line or lose face, and the Liberals will lose a Vote of Confidence. He can manipulate either the Liberals or the Greens to enact his agenda and improve his position after the next election. The Green risk all their support draining away.
Clifford Roulston