BC Greens begin talks with other parties

And they have been supported, at least in part, by the NDP and opposed by the BC Liberals.

At 11:30 P.M., the Liberals held 43 seats and the NDP 41.

“They could enter into a coalition with the Liberals or the NDP, or they could prop up an NDP minority government or prop up a Liberal minority government”, Moscrop explained.

The NDP claimed the Courtney-Comox riding by just nine votes, which will mean a recount.

New Democrat Leader John Horgan won his seat in Langford-Juan de Fuca, while Liberal Leader Christy Clark won in Kelowna West. But Bennett had the last laugh, winning a majority and ruling for 20 years.

Leonard Krog of the NDP, who was re-elected as Nanaimo MLA, called Tuesday’s provincial vote “a unique, historical result” and said it will be several weeks before it’s known what the B.C. government is going to look like.

“We need to see where the absentee votes go”, Weaver said.

Andrew Wilkinson, advanced education minister in Clark’s government, said definitive results might not be available until the end of the month when absentee ballots and judicial recounts must be completed.

Christy Clark has been premier since February 2011 when she won the Liberal leadership race to replace former premier Gordon Campbell.

“Tonight we won the popular vote”, she said. Most of the thermal coal exports come from United States mines.

Horgan often took swipes at Clark during the campaign, accusing her of putting the interests of wealthy donors ahead of most British Columbians.

The Liberal leader also injected a note of humility on the drop in Liberal seats.

“We have been presented with an opportunity by British Columbians to open a whole new dialogue in our legislature”. “And they want us to find a way to get along so that we can all work for the province that all of us love so very, very much”.

“I want to work with him, I really do, and I’ve tried and I’ve continued to try but he’s got to control his temper”.

NDP leader John Horgan spoke later in the afternoon.

Cameron says in some cases where the NDP lost and the Green vote could filled the gap, like Columbia River-Revelstoke, the story isn’t really the Greens.

“It could be a disaster”, said Johnston about the vast difficulties in changing the way a province votes, “but if they can pull it off it would transform B.C. politics”.

Weaver heralded the breakthrough of his candidates on Vancouver Island. “Now is not the time for those discussions, now is the time for Greens across North America to celebrate”, he told a cheering crowd.

Weaver said he and Horgan agree on some key issues, such as electoral reform and a ban on corporate and union donations.

There were plenty of smiles and laughter early on at Liberal headquarters as the party took an early lead, but the mood became tenser as the evening progressed and the NDP began to catch up.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver was re-elected in his riding and will be joined in the legislature by two other members from Vancouver Island.

Canadian province British Columbia hasn’t seen a party govern with a minority of the seats in parliament in more than 60 years, Kallanish Energy learns.

The loss of its majority is a big blow for the Liberals, which had campaigned on a track record and promises of strong economic growth and job creation.

Our interactive results tracker above will update in real time as votes are counted.

Explore our interactive results tracker above to navigate to results for individual ridings.

“Let’s hang tight… and get back to the party”, he concluded.