Clark provides positive outlook despite cloudy political future

After losing the 2013 provincial election by roughly 300 votes, Olsen came out on top by roughly 3,000 this time.

NDP Leader John Horgan opposes Kinder Morgan’s C$7.4 billion ($5.4 billion) Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion and has also expressed reservations about the $27 billion Pacific Northwest liquefied natural gas terminal that Malaysia’s Petronas wants to build. “Tonight, we won the popular vote, and we have also won the most seats”.

Clark maintained her focus on jobs and the economy on the campaign’s last day by arguing that the other parties risk economic growth with promises that would run up the debt.

The Green Party won enough seats to hold the balance of power after Tuesday’s election, but risks ruin by backing the New Democratic Party, say political scientists from the University of British Columbia.

As of 9 p.m. the ballrom is almost full now and cheers go up as the television incdicates a lead for Saanich North and the Islands Green Party candidate Adam Olsen draws cheers from the crowd.

Poll workers had to intervene when a man approached Clark yelling insults.

Who will be the next Premier of British Columbia?

Negotiations will likely begin straight away, but real movement isn’t likely until the absentee ballots are fully counted.

Clark, 51, told supporters early Wednesday she intends to remain premier. Or he could simply allow the Liberals to govern as a minority government, in which case the Green vote will become crucial to passing key policies.

“It’s overwhelming to see that we are holding the balance of power”.

Still, Weaver does not appear to like the New Democrats’ leader, John Horgan.

What those discussions will involve is still unclear.

BC Liberal Leader Christy Clark handily won her West Kelowna riding over the NDP’s Shelly Cook with 60% of the vote during Tuesday’s BC Election.

What he has been clear on are his dealbreakers.

Campaign finance reform: The Greens do not accept donations from corporations or unions.

“The most important issue for us right now, the No. 1 deal breaker, is banning big money in B.C. politics”, he said. “We know how to compromise, and we are looking forward to that”.

Of course, the wild card in all of this is the riding of Courtenay-Comox.

While the Liberals ended the night in minority position, that doesn’t include absentee ballots, which, when counted later this month, could result in a majority government if the party regains just one seat.

Horgan did an fantastic job despite being discounted by many commentators – bringing the NDP tantalizingly close to a majority government and still on the brink of possibly becoming premier.

“We both believe that the disparity between those who have and those who haven’t clearly has got out of control”, Weaver said.

Horgan often took swipes at Clark during the campaign, accusing her of putting the interests of wealthy donors ahead of most British Columbians. When the election was called, the Liberals had 47 seats, the New Democrats 35, and there were three Independents, including Weaver.

Horgan sought to portray Clark as out of touch with regular British Columbians who feel the economy is not working for them, while Weaver cast the Greens as political outsiders.

“I suspect other parties would be crawling over themselves to actually offer us official party status in light of where we stand today”. The ridings that the NDP picked up in the lower mainland shows to me that issues such as the affordability crisis, health care and education, and the environment, played a big role in much of Metro Vancouver.