Wednesday June 14, 2023 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated June 15, 2023]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Langford-Juan de Fuca By-Election News Archive (2023)
Folks who are following the Langford-Juan de Fuca provincial by-election woke up today to seeing an endorsement of BC NDP candidate Ravi Parmar by former BC Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver.
This harkens back to the days when Weaver signed a Supply and Confidence Agreement with then-premier John Horgan, which in mid-July 2017 ushered in a new era of NDP government in British Columbia.
The timing of today’s endorsement of Parmar by Weaver is strategic… just two days ahead of by-election advance voting which starts June 16 and runs daily through June 21.
Currie hopes to work with Furstenau:
Today Island Social Trends asked BC Green Langford-Juan de Fuca candidate Camille Currie about seeing the endorsement by Weaver.
“I am running with the BC Green party which now has a thoughtful and strong leader in Sonia Furstenau. She is an amazingly accomplished female politician who I look forward to working with,” said Currie.
Furstenau was first elected in 2017 as the MLA for Cowichan Valley. She became BC Green Party leader in September 2020. The BC Greens presently have only two MLAs in the Legislative Assembly — Furstenau and Adam Olsen (Saanich North and the Islands).
Furstenau has been active on the Currie campaign trail in Langford, including at the campaign office opening on May 15 along with Olsen.
Health-care and climate action crises:
“If he wants to support a party that continues to mismanage the health-care system and expands the fossil fuel industry in the midst of a climate crisis, that is his choice,” said BC Green candidate Currie about Weaver today.
Today the BC Greens issued a news release calling for reform amidst a health-care crisis.
After resigning from the BC Greens in 2020, Weaver went back to teaching at UVic, but seems to be remaining politically active, including that he endorsed the federal Liberal Party’s climate action plan in the Fall 2021 federal election.
Four-way race:
While the BC NDP certainly have the might of being in government behind them, currently it seems there are four strong campaigns running neck and neck in the 36-day by-election in Langford-Juan de Fuca.
Generally speaking, if there is low to moderate voter turnout, the sheer force of the BC NDP ground game could win the seat for Parmar. But with Greens stirring up more voter interest with the Currie campaign, that seems to have sparked more opportunity for all the main players. The other two candidates with mainstream campaigns are Mike Harris with the BC Conservatives and Elena Lawson with BC United. There is also a Communist Party candidate.
Where and when to vote:
Advance voting runs June 16 to 21, and election day is Saturday June 24. Where and when to vote.
People who live in Langford, Highlands, Sooke and Juan de Fuca may vote in this by-election.
===== RELATED:
Langford-Juan de Fuca By-Election News Archive (2023)
- By-election buzz in Langford-Juan de Fuca (June 11, 2023)
- Langford-Juan de Fuca District Electoral Office in Langford (May 31, 2023)
- By-election signage going up around Langford-Juan de Fuca (May 29, 2023)
- Langford-Juan de Fuca by-election candidates at Luxton Spring Fair (May 20, 2023)
- The sign of BC Greens in the west shore (May 16, 2023)
- Strategies for Langford-Juan de Fuca by-election timing (May 16, 2023)
- Passing the torch in Langford-Juan de Fuca (May 14, 2023)