After a few days off from a political campaign that essentially spanned the last four years, Adam Olsen will soon rejoin his tiny BC Green Party caucus to discuss their future — and whether they will still hold sway over the outcome of the May 9 election and the future of the province.
Olsen, the new MLA in Saanich North and the Islands, was elected by a clear majority of voters after what many thought (the PNR included) would be as tight a race as it was in 2013 when Olsen came third by a mere 379 votes. The provincial election, overall, saw the BC Liberal Party returned to head the government. Albeit that’s with a slim lead in seats in the legislature — with some very close races that will face the outcome of recounts and final vote tallies expected by May 24.
No matter the outcome of those vote challenges, the voter support of the Green Party shown in this election, the three elected MLAs and minority government situation, places Olsen, Andrew Weaver and Sofia Furstenau in a unique position to have influence on policy in British Columbia.
Even so, Olsen is being cautious about just how much influence they will have after May 24.
In various media interviews, including one with the News Review the day after the election, Olsen said to state the party’s strategy now would be speculative, considering the ongoing recounts and counts of absentee ballots by Elections BC.
Asked what the Greens’ strategy is, following a series of meetings with his MLA counterparts, Olsen said it’s important to “clearly articulate the importance of waiting until the election race is run. Close races are out there that could still impact the outcome.”
Will the Greens take a ‘wait and see’ attitude then? Olsen said, not so much.
“Every ballot cast is yet to be counted and they will determine what the role will be for the Green Party,” he said. “We need to respect the votes that haven’t been counted. It could make a serious difference.”
Even while Olsen and the Greens appear to be taking a cautious tack, the party did see a significant increase in its overall support across B.C. Olsen said their eight per cent popular support in 2013 was more than doubled to a little over 16 per cent this time.
“We are progressing,” he said, “and we have arrived in B.C. politics.”
Olsen added they exist as a party because they offer people something different — and he may have hinted at some of the priorities the three of them may use in the event they can sway who eventually takes power in Victoria. Those include abolishing corporate and union campaign donations to political parties — something the Greens have already done.
“No matter the results, this election was still really close and we are going to have to work together in ways government hasn’t done since the 1950s,” Olsen said, referring to the only other time B.C. had a minority government. “Democracy is always better negotiated, than dictated.”
Rookie MLA
Olsen is now one of 87 MLAs in the legislature, and he’s one the rookies. That’s a bit of misnomer, as Olsen was the party’s interim leader at one point, traveling the province to help determine the best course for the Greens in B.C. In many respects, the former Central Saanich municipal councillor has a great deal of experience. Yet, he knows he’s still green - in a different way.
“I have to earn their trust,” he said, referring to his MLA colleagues, “just as I have earned the trust of my colleagues in the Green Party.”
Taking a page from the book of federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May - who is essentially Olsen’s neighbour in the Saanich-Gulf Islands federal riding - he added he will approach his job from a certain basis of respect and work to raise the level of discourse in Victoria, not lower it.
There are also the challenges of setting up the small Green caucus in the legislature. While each MLA receives resources to open constituency offices, there is some question about what will be made available for them in Victoria.
“We are just beginning that conversation,” Olsen said. “There are issues of resourcing for the three of us.”
For the next few days, however, those concerns will take on a lesser role - behind that of his family, with whom Olsen said he will spend time with, before his new job begins in earnest.