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NDP leader John Horgan becomes B.C. premier-designate

NDP minority government ends B.C. Liberals’ 16-year reign in government
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NDP leader John Horgan became premier Thursday night and will work closely with NDP leader Andrew Weaver in a new government. Photo Dan Toulgoet

NDP leader John Horgan is on his way to becoming premier of British Columbia.

Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon asked Horgan to govern just hours after the NDP and Greens defeated Premier Christy Clark’s Liberal government, 44 to 42, in a confidence vote in the B.C. legislature.

Horgan, who is considered premier-designate until he's sworn in, emerged Thursday night from Government House after meeting with Guichon, who had earlier met with Clark, whose six-year reign as premier came to a dramatic and historic end in the legislature. Guichon said in a statement that she accepted Clark’s resignation.

“It’s my honour to stand before you, I’ve just spoken with the lieutenant-governor and she asked me if I have the confidence of the legislature to form a government, and I told her that I do,” Horgan told reporters gathered outside Government House. “I look forward to working harder than I’ve ever worked before to make sure that this great province continues to grow and the prosperity we all want to see for ourselves, we can make sure that we share that prosperity with others.”

Green leader Andrew Weaver, whose party agreed to a power-sharing agreement with the NDP after the May 9 election, did not join Horgan in his announcement. But Weaver released a statement saying he was “delighted that British Columbians will finally have a new government.”

“When we launched our election campaign, we promised to do politics differently,” Weaver said. “Our confidence and supply agreement [with the NDP] lays the groundwork for a new kind of collaborative, productive parliament.”

Horgan and his team will now spend the next week or so reviewing government documents to prepare for the transition. He will also have to write a throne speech and name a cabinet, with some of those posts expected to go to some of the eight NDP MLAs in Vancouver, including David Eby, Adrian Dix and Melanie Mark.

The NDP minority government ends a 16-year reign by the B.C. Liberals, with Clark serving as premier for six years. The Liberals won 43 seats in the May 9 election to the NDP’s 41, while the Greens were elected in three ridings.

mhowell@vancourier.com

@Howellings