Saturday October 19, 2024 | Victoria, BC [Posted at 7:05 pm]
Further updates on October 21, 2024
By Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Tonight the BC Greens are celebrating their 2024 campaign at a gathering headlined by BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau.
Gathering at the Delta Ocean Pointe, the room was packed with numerous Green supporters and a full contingent of media before the candidates arrived.
Two wins tonight by BC Green candidates were welcome news for a party that has slogged for seven years with two MLAs in the legislature who did not run again: Furstenau (formerly MLA of Cowichan Valley 2017-2024) and Adam Olsen (MLA for Saanich North and the Islands 2017-2024). This at least replaces the footprint that they had in the legislature without losing any ground.
The two new BC Green MLAs are Rob Botterell (Saanich North and the Islands) and Jeremy Valeriote (West Vancouver-Sea to Sky). They may have an enormous amount of influence in the upcoming government if they are approached by BC NDP Premier Eby to form a Supply and Confidence Agreement or other form of collaboration.
Olsen told media that he’s pleased to see his former riding of Saanich North and the Islands held again by a BC Green candidate. This makes Saanich North and the Islands a stronghold for further party momentum.
Losing Victoria-Beacon Hill:
Furstenau’s run this time in Victoria-Beacon Hill was up against one-term BC NDP MLA Grace Lore and a fairly high profile BC Conservative candidate Tim Thielmann. All three had their own good reasons for expecting to win but Lore handily won with the support of a strong BC NDP ground game.
Vote totals in Victoria-Beacon Hill (Elections BC stats as of October 21, 2024):
- Grace Lore – BC NDP – 12,715
- Sonia Furstenau – BC Green – 9,027
- Tim Thielmann – BC Conservative – 5,171
Greater Victoria-area Greens:
Three BC Green candidates who were there in person tonight are hopeful for the future of the BC Green party: Camille Currie (Esquimalt-Colwood), Christina Winter (Victoria-Swan Lake) and Erin Cassels (Langford-Highlands).
- Camille Currie (Esquimalt-Colwood) came in third behind Darlene Rotchford BC DNP (who generated a resounding win) and John Wilson BC Conservative (who came in second in his first political run). [Results at Oct 21/24: Rotchford – 14,458; Wilson – 8,333; Currie – 5,486]
- Christina Winter (Victoria-Swan Lake) came in second behind winning BC NDP candidate Nina Krieger; in third place was BC Conservative candidate Tim Taylor. [Results at Oct 21/24: Krieger – 12,715, Winter – 9.027, Taylor – 5,171]
- Erin Cassels (Langford-Highlands) is brand new to politics. She wasn’t expected to win in a riding where Ravi Parmar (BC NDP) and Mike Harris (BC Conservative) were in a fight for the top. [Results at Oct 21/24: Parmar – 10,940, Harris – 8,040, Cassells – 2,286]
===== RELATED:
- BC 2024 Election results on a rainy Saturday night (October 19, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: POLITICS | VANCOUVER ISLAND | BC ELECTION 2024