B.C. has its first minority government in 65 years.
After a two-week waiting period that included a recount in two ridings and the factoring in of absentee ballots, the B.C. Liberals have been denied a majority.
The oh-so-close riding of Courtenay-Comox failed to flip in the Liberals’ favour. The NDP candidate won by 189 votes.
That result means the seat numbers announced on May 9 do not change – 43 Liberal, 41 NDP and three Green. A party needs 44 of the 87-seat legislature to form a majority government.
Here in Burnaby, the four ridings remained NDP.
In Burnaby-Deer Lake, New Democrat Anne Kang received 8,747 votes, 2,256 more than Liberal Karen Wang.
NDP incumbent Raj Chouhan won with 10,827 votes in Burnaby-Edmonds, beating Liberal Garrison Duke’s 6,404 votes.
Over in Burnaby-Lougheed, Burnaby school trustee Katrina Chen earned 10,911 votes compared to the 8,391 received by Steve Darling, who was running for the Liberals. And in Burnaby North, new MLA Janet Routledge took it home for the NDP with 11,447 votes, edging out Richard Lee, who got only 9,290 votes.
Provincewide, popular vote went to the Liberals, who earned 796,672 votes – winning by 1,566 votes. The NDP received 795,106 votes, the Green party got 332,387 votes, the B.C. Libertarians earned 7,838 votes, while “other” parties garnered 2.1 per cent of the vote.
With all the ballots in, a voter, candidate or candidate’s representative can still apply to the Supreme Court of British Columbia for a judicial recount on the basis that errors were made in the acceptance or rejection of certification envelopes or ballots, or on the basis that ballot accounts are not correct.
The final count established B.C.’s first minority government in 65 years, with the Greens holding the balance of power.
Green party leader Andrew Weaver will be taking the next week to decide which party to support, he told reporters at a news conference.
Meanwhile, NDP leader John Horgan said he’s optimistic about reaching a deal with the Greens.
Premier Christy Clark also issued a statement, saying “we have a responsibility to move forward and form a government.”
“The final result reinforces that British Columbians want us to work together, across party lines, to get things done for them,” she said. “The work is just beginning. My team and I look forward to delivering positive results for British Columbians.”
