B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver says his party plans to throw all its resources into the 91大黄鸭 West byelection, a race he sees as very important in building on the momentum the Greens created in last May鈥檚 provincial election.
Speaking after a town hall meeting in Westbank Thursday night with his 91大黄鸭 West candidate Robert Stupka, Weaver said given the influence his party now wields with the NDP government in Victoria, it鈥檚 critical the Greens add a fourth MLA to its caucus in the B.C. Legislature.
鈥淩obert would have incredible influence in a minority government situation,鈥� said Weaver.
Weaver and his two other Green MLAs are supporting the minority NDP government, keeping it in power after helping oust the Liberals last summer following the Liberals one-seat victory in the provincial election.
During the town hall meeting, which attracted about 160 people, Weaver described Stupka as 鈥渆verything that鈥檚 new, everything that鈥檚 innovative and everything that 91大黄鸭 is going to become.鈥�
He said the history of the riding supporting right-of-centre candidates鈥攆irst Social Credit candidates and then B.C. Liberals鈥攊s meaningless this time around given the Liberals are now in opposition.
During the meeting, most of the questions from the audience surrounded provincial issues such as the Site C dam, twinning the Kinder Morgan pipeline and climate change.
Stupka, who has said he plans to make the campaign in 91大黄鸭 West more of a regional campaign, said many provincial issues, such as Site C and affordable housing will directly affect 91大黄鸭 West.
He agreed with Weaver that the huge cost of the hydro electric damn project in northern B.C. will impact B.C Hydro customers in West 91大黄鸭 as they will be faced with rate hikes to pay off the now estimated $15 billion final cost.
The B.C Greens oppose completing Site C and Weaver said he could not understand Premier John Horgan鈥檚 decision to continue with the project.
He said he believed the B.C Utilities Commission report, which he took credit for, provided enough information to scuttle the project.
鈥淚鈥檓 completely dumbfounded,鈥� he said of Horgan鈥檚 decision.
In addition to taking credit for sending Site C to the utilities commission for evaluation, Weaver also took credit for the government鈥檚 move to cut MSP premiums by 50 per cent.
For his part, Stupka said he believes the province should be providing this area with more money for issues like regional planning given it is the third largest region in B.C. and said he is opposed to a second crossing of Okanagan Lake if its access roads run through parkland and green space on the Westside.
In last May鈥檚 provincial election the Green candidate, Robert Mellalieu, ran a distant third to then-Premier and B.C. Liberal leader Christy Clark in the riding, garnering just 13 per cent of the vote.
Both Weaver and Stupka are confident this time the level of support will be higher. Weaver predicted a much better showing this time, saying he plans to come back to the riding many times during the campaign to help Stupka campaign.
Stupka will run against former Liberal MLA Ben Stewart, the NDP鈥檚 Shelley Cook, who ran second to Clark last May and Libertarian Kyle Geronazzo.
The byelection, which is expected to be called next week, was prompted by Clark鈥檚 resignation following the ouster of her government by the NDP and Greens last summer in a vote of non-confidence.
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