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NDP gets Green support to form minority government in British Columbia

May 29, 2017 | 2:26 PM

VICTORIA — A deal has been reached that paves the way for the NDP to form a minority government in British Columbia with support from the Green party.

NDP Leader John Horgan and Andrew Weaver of the Greens announced the agreement Monday that they say would allow for a stable minority government for the next four years.

“This is the certainty that I’m hoping to give British Columbia. Greens give the NDP their support for four years to show minority governments can work,” Weaver told a news conference held with Horgan outside the doors of the legislative chamber.

Weaver said the Green caucus has voted in favour of the agreement and the NDP is scheduled to hold a vote on Tuesday, but Horgan doesn’t think the deal will find any opposition among New Democrats.

“I have every confidence there will be unanimous support from our team,” said Horgan.

Details of the agreement won’t be released until it is approved by the New Democrat caucus.

The Liberals have been in power for 16 years and won the most seats in the May 9 election, but fell one short of a majority in the 87-seat legislature. They took 43 seats, compared with 41 for the NDP and three for the Greens.

For the first time in Canadian history, the results of the election left the Green party holding the balance of power.

On Monday, Premier Christy Clark wasn’t ready to concede defeat.

“It’s vitally important that British Columbians see the specific details of the agreement announced today by the B.C. NDP and Green party leaders, which could have far-reaching consequences for our province’s future,” Clark said in a statement.

“As the incumbent government, and the party with the most seats in the legislature, we have a responsibility to carefully consider our next steps.”

Clark said she would have more to say on Tuesday after consulting her caucus, adding the Liberal party had “made every effort to reach a governing agreement, while standing firm on our core beliefs.”

As the incumbent premier with the most seats, Clark would normally be given the first chance to form a government by the lieutenant-governor and it’s unclear if the Liberals would still try to get the support of the legislature for its own agenda.

The Greens went into negotiations with the other two parties making three key demands: getting official party status in the legislature, an electoral system based on proportional representation and political fundraising reform.

The Greens and NDP have supported a system of proportional representation that accounts for the number of seats each party gets in the legislature based on their percentage of the popular vote.

Horgan has said he wouldn’t want to change the electoral system without a referendum. Weaver has said his preference is to implement proportional representation and then after two elections hold a referendum on whether people want to keep it.

Two previous referendums on proportional representation have failed in B.C.

The NDP and the Green party have shared some common ground in their opposition to the expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., and construction of the Site C hydroelectric dam in the province.

Weaver indicated the pipeline will be part of the agreement that comes out on Tuesday.

“This issue of Kinder Morgan was one that was critical to us and I think you’ll see that reflected in tomorrow’s announcement,” he added.

In Edmonton, Alberta’s deputy premier said they will work with whichever party is in power in B.C., but they believe the Trans Mountain pipeline is a done deal.

“The federal government has the authority to approve pipelines,” said Sarah Hoffman. “They’ve made that decision and our pipeline is moving forward.” 

Asked if it is strange for Alberta’s NDP caucus to have mixed feelings about the NDP possibly forming a government in neighbouring B.C., she replied: “Interesting politics, as is often the case.”

In B.C., Weaver said negotiations with the Liberals were continuing as late as Sunday night. Weaver was pictured at a rugby game with Horgan on Sunday afternoon.

Weaver said showing how a minority government can work effectively is a way for the Green party to make its argument that proportional representation is a viable option for the province.

Under terms of the agreement, the Greens will support the NDP’s legislative agenda on supply and budget issues, but there are no plans for anyone in Weaver’s caucus to serve in cabinet.

“We specifically did not ask for there to be a coalition,” said Weaver. “We wanted to maintain a minority situation to show British Columbians that it could work.”

Horgan said the idea of forming a coalition government wasn’t ever part of the negotiations.

“The absorbing of the Green caucus was not an agenda item. In fact, it was explicitly not an agenda item,” he said.

Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press