Another minority government would be ideal, Furstenau says

The ideal outcome of British Columbia’s looming provincial election would involve another minority government, the leader of the province’s Green Party said Saturday.

Sonia Furstenau said no single party should have absolute power in the legislature, arguing such a setup wouldn’t provide proper accountability over the next four years.

“We know that majorities deliver scandals, crises,” Furstenau said during a campaign stop in Victoria.

“What we’ve had with a minority government for 3 1/2 years has been stable governance that has moved forward on a number of issues.”

An agreement reached with B.C.’s Green Party in 2017 allowed John Horgan’s NDP minority government to function.

B.C. has a fixed election date for October 2021, but Horgan argued the province needed stability during the COVID-19 pandemic when he called an early election and set the date for Oct. 24.

While campaigning in Revelstoke on Saturday, Horgan agreed his government accomplished a great deal as a minority, but said he believes the “best way forward is to have a secure and stable government.”

Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson said in a statement he is proud of his party’s election team.

“Rather than looking out for the needs of the people he is supposed to serve, John Horgan decided to look out for himself, calling a snap election in the middle of a global pandemic,” Wilkinson said.

“The B.C. Liberals are committed to putting the needs of all British Columbians first, with a diverse and experienced group of candidates from every corner of this province, who are ready to work for all of B.C.”

Horgan said Saturday that a re-elected NDP government would create more jobs and value in the forestry sector through mass timber, engineered wood that can be used in large-scale construction projects, and aim to expand the B.C. timber market beyond the United States.