BC NDP caucus voting on Green Party deal

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – The NDP caucus is the process of deciding whether to rubber stamp an agreement with the Green Party. Details of the agreement will be unveiled at 2 p.m.

If John Horgan‘s party gives the thumbs up, it could pave the way for him to become premier.

Given the talk we’ve heard from Green Leader Andrew Weaver about his deal breakers, SFU Political Scientist David Moscrop expects we could see a promise for a vote on electoral reform, a ban on union and corporate donations and official party status.

Moscrop says there’s still a lot of unknowns. “Everything is up in the air now,” says Moscrop. “Kinder Morgan’s [Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project] is up in the air now. Site C is up in the air now. Some LNG projects are up in the air now.”

Horgan addressed the media at his caucus meeting. “Our agreement with the Green caucus allows us to focus on the things we were talking about,” says Horgan. “Making sure that housing is affordable in British Columbia again. Making sure that health care’s there for people when they need it, and of course making sure we defend our coast and we give our kids the best possible opportunity to succeed. This agreement allows us to focus on the things that matter to British Columbians.”

As for what this means for Premier Christy Clark, UBC Political Scientist Max Cameron expects if this deal is approved, she will resign.

“I think that is the right move for her politically because the alternative of building a cabinet only to have it tossed into the dumpster doesn’t look good, it doesn’t enhance her position. It actually looks, in some sense, reckless and irresponsible. Resigning on the other hand, is consistent with the options that she has. If she wants to ultimately form government again, I don’t think resigning necessarily takes her farther from that goal than trying to go ahead and form a cabinet that is not going to be successful.”

Cameron says if she steps down, he feels it will be in the best interest of the province’s “democratic institutions,” adding Clark shouldn’t put the Lieutenant-Governor in a tough position that may backfire.

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