John Horgan’s party captured 53 seats when polls closed on Saturday
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
The NDP is set to form British Columbia’s government for the next four years after Saturday’s provincial election.
Members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) from Premier-elect John Horgan’s party were elected or leading in 53 ridings when polls closed on Saturday. That number has since increased to 55 as of Wednesday.
A party needs 44 seats to form a majority government.
“I commit to all British Columbians, for the next four years, I will do my level best to make sure your lives are better, more affordable, and the challenge that you face can be overcome, if we do it together,” Horgan said in his victory speech.
The 55-seat victory represents an increase of 14 seats for the NDP from when the provincial legislature dissolved on Sept. 21.
Despite the victory, the NDP didn’t fare well in parts of rural B.C., where the Liberals, the official opposition, picked up multiple victories.
Engaging with those rural residents is a priority for Horgan.
“I would have liked to have seen better results in rural B.C.,” Horgan said on Sunday, CTV News reported. “I’m going to have to do some more work, clearly, to get to those communities. Clearly, having a majority government will allow me to get out of Victoria.”
All of Horgan’s cabinet ministers won re-election.
Lana Popham, who served as minister of agriculture, was re-elected in her Saanich South riding, receiving almost 52 per cent of the local vote.
It’s unknown whether Popham will return to the agriculture portfolio in Horgan’s next cabinet.
But members of the ag industry look forward to working with whomever is responsible for communicating their interests on a provincial and national level.
“We are looking forward to learning who Premier-elect John Horgan will assign the agriculture portfolio to and we’re eager to work with him or her to keep local eggs on the table through the pandemic,” Katie Lowe, the executive director of the B.C Egg Marketing Board, told Farms.com in an emailed statement.
Farms.com has contacted Popham’s office and hopes to speak with her about how the government plans to work with farmers going forward.