As NDP leader John Horgan will soon to take the reins as B.C.’s next premier, his fellow colleagues are looking forward to the new changes.
One of them is our very own Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Andrew Weaver, who said he has developed a “really outstanding relationship” with Horgan over the last seven weeks since the election.
“He’s a person I can work with. It’ll be rewarding,” Weaver said, adding he’s excited about what’s going to be happening in the collaboration between the B.C. New Democrats and the minority government.
There is still much work to be done too, as the last play pieces are about to fall into place.
“We’ve got some time between now and the next couple of weeks where the MLA can focus on the constituency issues, but the hard work begins once cabinet is sworn in and we start to implement policy changes,” he said.
Another exciting thing about all this, Weaver noted, is that for the first time in 60 year or so, B.C. will have a minority government situation.
“That’s good for democracy, because it forces collaboration and consensus, as opposed to people having to run through policy measures,” he said.
Gears are certainly in motion.
Lt. Gov. Judith Guichon asked Horgan to form the province’s government, ending 16 years of B.C. Liberal rule.
The combined forces of the B.C. NDP and Greens defeated the Liberal government and leader Christy Clark in a vote of non-confidence in the B.C. legislature Thursday afternoon.
Outside Government House in Victoria, Horgan said he’s ready to get to work.
“I’m excited,” he said. “Now, seven weeks after the election we can get going on a government that works for the people,” he said.
After a long day of guiding the confidence vote through and waiting for a decision, Horgan said his first priority was to get a bite to eat and get some rest.
With files from Tom Fletcher