History Green Party of British Columbia

1 history

1.1 founding , years (1983-1992)
1.2 parker years (1993-1999)
1.3 carr years (2000-2006)
1.4 sterk , weaver (2007-present)

history
founding , years (1983-1992)

the first green party in north america formed in british columbia, canada on february 6, 1983 registered provincial society , political party shortly before 1983 provincial election. fielded 4 candidates , received 0.19% of vote under leadership of adriane carr. in federal by-election in riding of mission—port moody same year, betty nickerson green party of canada s first federal candidate, party s status not yet recognized elections canada. appears in electoral records independent candidate.

adriane carr stepped active involvement in party in 1985, , party abolished position of leader. thereafter, represented in media 3 spokespersons. in 1986 provincial election, party won 0.23% of vote , fielded 9 candidates. in 1988, in response proposal field female candidates in following election, carr , husband paul george returned briefly active involvement defeat proposal. 1988 1992, party divided between supporters of carr , greenpeace founder jim bohlen , ecofeminist caucus. during period, internal politics dominated compromise faction led electoral reform activist steve kisby.

however, period of relative stability ended party s failure make breakthrough in 1991 provincial election, despite increasing province-wide vote share 0.86% , fielding slate of 42 candidates.

the parker years (1993-1999)

in 1993, party elected new leader, then-21-year-old stuart parker revitalized party youthful new members. managed take party running close full slate in 1996 election, able garner 2% support province-wide, despite receiving endorsement of prominent environmentalist david suzuki. green hopes breakthrough in kootenay riding of nelson-creston candidate andy shadrack yielded result of 11%. parker s first term (1993–96) characterized near-continuous touring of rural bc had, point, negligible or highly intermittent organization outside of okanagan , comox valleys. touring paid off in yielding on-going organization throughout province, enabling party come 4 candidates short of full slate.

the direction of party under parker set many disgruntled ex-british columbia new democratic party members, , policies of party under parker notably leftist. during parker s second term leader, party rose peak of 11% in public opinion polls between 1996 , 1999, exclusively @ ndp s expense. although arrested in logging road blockades in 1993 , 1997, parker s greens invested more resources in opposing bc benefits package of welfare reforms , working on other social issues did on significant environmental issue.

while remaining sharply critical of glen clark s ndp government, parker spearheaded highly controversial negotiations form municipal electoral alliances ndp-affiliated parties in 1998 after vote-splitting wiped out leftist representation @ local level in vancouver , victoria in 1996. these negotiations, approved clark, yielded tripartite agreements between local labour councils, greens , new democrats in vancouver , victoria, leading red-green coalitions contesting 1999 municipal elections in both cities support of organized labour. neither coalition formed government both made substantial gains, resulting in election in victoria, bc, of art vanden berg, first person in canadian history run green , elected city council. in vancouver, coalition effort elected parks commissioner roslyn cassells.

the carr years (2000-2006)

adriane carr, party founder, leader (1983-1985, 2000-2006)

the party s increased poll standing, new position on collaboration longtime rivals , impending electoral success attracted attention of number of prominent environmentalists, led adriane carr, began campaign in 1999 remove party s leadership. group conducted bitter year-long public campaign included unsuccessful lawsuit against party , later-disproven allegations against party s leader , board of directors including fraud, vote-rigging , theft. although group defeated @ party s 1999 convention, triumphed in 2000. shortly thereafter, party elected carr new leader; since 2001, party leader has ceased subject annual review votes, process parker removed. following 2000 convention, of party s elected municipal representatives , other members resigned.

with high-profile changes @ top, party able improve on 9% poll standing @ beginning of 2000 , reached 12% of popular vote in may 2001 provincial election. in spite of significant support, won no seats in provincial legislature - fact has been cited argument against first-past-the-post voting system used in bc elections.

although had sponsored series of resolutions @ party s 2000 convention condemning many saw party s distraction social , governance policy @ expense of work on environmental issues, electoral reform moved top of carr s agenda leader. disagreeing fair voting bc s decision devote movement s energies backing new bc liberal government s plan move forward citizens assembly process had developed in 1997, carr founded rival electoral reform organization called free vote utilize province s citizen initiative legislation (which technically allows citizens force referendums on legislation if gather sufficient number of signatures).

despite facing public condemnation fvbc s loenen, free vote recruited hundreds of volunteers province-wide effort, building far larger citizen organization either ecco or fvbc. gained support of many leftists, including official endorsement of bc nurses , other unions. campaign faced share of difficulties, such leaked internal memos party s organizing chair explaining organizers knew petition drive fail, using build party s organizational base. although campaign submitted enough signatures in 4 of province s 79 ridings, free vote successful in mobilizing new support reform. appears have hardened party s support single model of proportional representation (mixed-member, closed-list) , public condemnation of others.

following failure of preferred free vote, carr focused energy on lively province-wide campaign opposing 2010 winter olympic games bid. once games awarded bc, party unable find province-wide issues resonated voters. between 2003 , 2005, party s presence notably low key carr returned constant touring mode had characterized parker s first term.

in 2005 provincial election, gpbc s vote declined 9% province-wide 12% 4 years previously. despite being rated highly debate performance media commentators, carr s performance poorly rated public , own vote share declined 25% in home constituency of powell river-sunshine coast, 17% behind victorious ndp candidate. in constituencies of vancouver-burrard, west vancouver-garibaldi , kelowna-mission did party s popularity increase.

these measures, seems, insufficient quiet increasing internal dissatisfaction leadership. prior first annual convention following reinstitution of practice requiring leaders step down , run succeed each electoral cycle (this, along annual confidence votes had been repealed in 2001), carr announced resignation on september 24, 2006. predicted familiar carr s long-standing relationship newly elected green party of canada leader elizabeth may, carr accepted paid position of deputy leader of green party of canada , ran lost anfederal candidate in riding of vancouver centre.

sterk , weaver (2007-present)


andrew weaver in conversation silver donald cameron

the green party of british columbia held leadership election on october 21, 2007, after resignation of adriane carr in september 2006. christopher bennett appointed interim leader until leadership election held. former vancouver-hastings candidate ian gregson first announce candidacy.

jane sterk, municipal councillor, university professor , small business owner, elected leader of bc greens @ 2007 convention @ royal roads university in victoria. assumed role interim leader christopher ian bennett.

the greens maintain receive support on political spectrum. in federal election of 2004, former social credit member of legislative assembly (mla) , media personality rafe mair confounded many openly supporting green party. greens have been labelled right-wing @ same time being labelled left-wing opponents.

the greens strength concentrated on southern vancouver island , gulf islands, okanagan, sea-to-sky region , in high density areas of vancouver. in 1991, party s strongest showing 4.4% in rossland-trail; in 1996, 11% in nelson-creston, in 2001 , 2005, in adriane carr s riding of powell river-sunshine coast received 27% , 25% respectively, , in 2009 in west vancouver-sea-to-sky 22%.

the greens won first ever seat andrew weaver winning in oak bay-gordon head in may 2013 general election. despite slight drop in overall popular vote, party climbed 11.15% in 61 ridings ran candidates. weaver won 40% of vote in riding, , party surpassed 20% of vote in esquimalt-royal roads, nelson-creston, saanich north , islands, victoria-beacon hill, , victoria-swan lake.

on august 13, 2013, sterk announced retire politics after 2013 annual general meeting, held on august 24, 2013. adam olsen, former candidate in saanich north , islands served interim leader until december 9, 2015, when weaver acclaimed full-time position.

on may 9, 2017 in may 2017 general election weaver, adam olsen , sonia furstenau elected provincial legislature, party winning 16.84% of popular vote. green party signed confidence , supply agreement ndp in exchange policy concessions on environmental , social issues. ndp , greens defeated incumbent liberal government 1 vote in no confidence vote, ndp being invited form government.