As of tonight the recounts are finished, the final results are in, and BC officially holds a Liberal minority government along with an enormous technical win for the Green Party.
The chance of an election turning out exactly as this one has is infinitesimally small, and yet it’s happened. We’ve made history.
The Comox-Courtenay riding, which denied a majority for the Liberals, went to the NDP by an initial margin of 9 votes, later confirmed as 13 votes during final recount, and finalized as a 189-vote NDP lead once the absentee ballots were tallied.
With the Liberals holding 43 seats in the Legislature, the NDP holding 41, and the Green Party holding the remaining 3, this puts the Greens in the unprecedented position of being the fulcrum on which any governing matters will stand.
The privilege of being in such a position essentially lends the Greens a huge megaphone. Being the deciding vote on legislative work brings a stronger bargaining position when it comes to doing good for this province, our residents, and our shared environmental legacy. It also brings enhanced opportunities to build a stronger political track record and candidate portfolio, shape the party into more of a household name, and hopefully secure additional seats in future elections if all goes well.
It’s not easy being green, but it’s an amazing time to be Green … so congratulations, fellow Green voters and party members, wear it well!
This post also wouldn’t be complete without heartfelt thanks to every single person who went out and voted, regardless of affiliation. Being part of the political process is absolutely vital to the health of our democracy and the progress of our future, and if ever there was a time to be reminded of the power of the individual, 2017 has truly showcased this in the most amazing of ways.