Wednesday January 15, 2020 ~ BC
~ West Shore Voice News
Andrew Weaver, MLA has decided to sit as an independent effective Monday January 20, 2020. The former Green Party Leader stepped down in November 2019, with MLA Adam Olsen being appointed interim leader this month.
“We support MLA Weaver in his decision to sit as an independent so he can attend to the various health challenges affecting his family,” said Olsen (Saanich-North).
“The BC Green Party’s work these past years to begin to reduce partisan polarization from our political discourse and restore the public’s trust has been demanding, and because of this we recognize that a person’s commitment to their family needs to come before those to their caucus,” said Olsen in a morning news release on January 15.
Weaver will continue to serve as MLA for the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.
“Sitting as an independent will allow me to better balance work with the competing health demands affecting my family,” MLA Weaver said. “I remain committed to the stability of this minority government and to CASA.”
However, this development puts a bit more inherent stress into the NDP Government’s reliance on the (formerly three) now two Green MLAs helping to prop up their minority government.
Meanwhile, the Greens say “these next few months are an exciting time for the BC Greens and for British Columbia”.
“Our caucus is focused on preparing for this session so that we can do the work before us that the people of British Columbia sent us here to do: reducing the cost of childcare, helping make housing more accessible, ensuring access to clean water, restoring climate leadership and advancing our economy to become more innovative, equitable and sustainable,” MLA Olsen said.
“BC Greens have never been more relevant to the political discourse in our province, and the swell of enthusiasm we have seen around this leadership race is testimony to that. Now that our foundation is firmly set, it is time for the BC Greens to take the next steps as an organization.”
Their leadership race is on until June 27, 2020. Anyone age 16+ may vote in the party leadership exercise, even if they are not a Green Party member.
The next BC election is scheduled for October 16, 2021. BC Premier John Horgan has been heard to say to his team that they should work each day as if it’s their last.