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Despite Site C, Andrew Weaver says Greens have no plan to end agreement with NDP

Click to play video: 'Andrew Weaver says BC NDP should have stopped Site C'
Andrew Weaver says BC NDP should have stopped Site C
WATCH: In an interview with Global BC's legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey, Green party leader Andrew Weaver says the BC NDP should have stopped the Site C dam project – Dec 24, 2017

Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver is still coming to terms with a provincial election result that landed him and his party in uncharted waters that came in a historic year for B.C. politics.

Weaver and two other Green MLAs held enough seats to tip the scales in favour of the New Democrats following the May 9 election and a seemingly interminable recount.

Coverage of Andrew Weaver on Globalnews.ca:

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“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the result that we got here, which is the three MLAs having to hold the balance of power,” Weaver told Global BC’s Victoria bureau chief Keith Baldrey.

Following the election, Weaver and the Greens struck an agreement that would put the New Democrats back in government for the first time since 2001.

Since then, Weaver has made progress on a few files — such as plans to end big-money donations and tighten regulations on lobbyists — but he has had more than his fair share of frustrations.

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Chief among them is the NDP’s recent decision to move forward with the Site C dam project.

WATCH: NDP decision on Site C

“They should have stopped Site C,” he said. “The BCUC [B.C. Utilities Commission] report gave them all the information they needed but I think they lack the courage to stop Site C.”
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In a year-end interview with Global News, Premier John Horgan spoke about his party’s shift from employing an opposition mentality to a viewpoint that reflects its position in power.

In Weaver’s view, the NDP should focus on doing what’s right rather than what’s politically expedient.

“We’re policy wonks,” he said. “We want to put in place good public policy and we get frustrated. We believe there are political decisions being made as opposed to good policy decisions [being] made.”

WATCH: Andrew Weaver and John Horgan sign agreement

Click to play video: 'Presser: Andrew Weaver and John Horgan sign agreement'
Presser: Andrew Weaver and John Horgan sign agreement

However, Weaver said the Greens have no plans to rip up their agreement with the NDP and force another election.

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“We haven’t actually thought that through,” he said. “We have no intentions upfront of doing that.

“We want to make this work. We believe the BC NDP want to make it work. Our first big test has been the Site C Dam decision. There’s no question this is a big test, we’re very upset.”

Weaver said his party is taking a wait-and-see approach in the new year, keeping a close eye on how the NDP tackles issues — such as proportional representation, housing affordability and climate policy — that speak to the Greens’ core values.

“Let’s see what they have,” he said.

“If they do what is right, I think we’ll be very happy. If they continue to lack the courage to actually make the bold decisions that need to be done… then I think we’ll be disappointed, but again we very much want to be pleasantly surprised.”

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