It’s not easy being Green, says Andrew Weaver, but it’s exciting when you have a Green caucus. As of early this morning, the BC Green Party does.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Weaver, who won his seat in Oak Bay-Gordon Head handily addressed the crowd gathered in Victoria at the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel.
The BC Liberal Party earned 43 seats, including leader Christy Clark. The NDP earned 41 seats including leader John Horgan
“Everything is give and take, BC Greens have said we would work with anyone, we’ll continue to have discussions, and we know how to compromise,” Weaver said.
Liberal candidate Alex Dutton conceded the riding from her campaign office on Oak Bay Avenue.
“I’m really proud of the work that we did, 6,500 houses, 8,000 people, changed some minds, not enough, proud of the effort and enjoying this night with my team,” Dutton said.
“I’m still pulling for the Liberals, that the absentee and advanced votes can come in and we see a majority,” Dutton said. “I’m 35 and I ran for this party for the future and the children, and my yet to be conceived children, so I’m still hoping that we pull through.”
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The murmer of media preparing for election fury is the only sound at Green Party headquarters at 7:30 p.m. on election night. The ballroom at the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel is full of expecting media and only a handful of Green Party staffers.
Green Leader Andrew Weaver, the incumbent MLA in his Victoria-area riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head, hopes to get four B.C. Green MLAs to reach official party status.
As of 9 p.m. the ballrom is nearly full now and cheers go up as the television incdicates a lead for Saanich North and the Islands Green Party candidate Adam Olsen draws cheers from the crowd. He sits at 38 per cent of the vote with NDP candidate Gary Holman close behind at 34 per cent of the vote with 10 of 113 polls reporting.
No polls are in yet of the 89 in Weaver’s home riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.
New Democrat Leader John Horgan won his seat in Langford-Juan de Fuca, while Liberal Leader Christy Clark won in Kelowna West.
