Prove me wrong, Andrew Weaver!
24 May 2017After two weeks of waiting, the final results from the BC Provincial Election should be released today. The election was a nail-biter, with the BC Liberals nine votes away from a majority government and the BC Greens in a kingmaker role, that is, with enough votes to prop up a Liberal or NDP government, provided that the early results held, after absentee ballots and a final recount in the closest ridings.
So far, it looks like the early results will hold, which is good news—at the very least, we won't have a BC Liberal majority. At the federal level, as a Green, this would have been my dream scenario, but I have previously expressed reservations about Weaver's progressive values and willingness to work with the BC NDP. I felt that, if the BC Greens landed in this scenario, Weaver would rather collaborate with the centre-right party, perhaps extracting a couple of small concessions (spun like magnificent deals) for his support. I would love to be wrong. There is broad support for a left-wing coalition, and rejecting calls for cooperation would also damage the BC Greens' reputation as a progressive party, and the damage would be long-lasting and extend to the Federal Greens as well (one of my main fears and misgivings about Andrew Weaver).
So: Andrew Weaver, please prove me wrong! Agree to a solid, stable collaboration with the BC NDP, one that will bring forth electoral reform, enact environmentally strong policies, and reverse the damage done by the current government. Many of us would be happy to give you our support in future elections if you do so.