New BC Political Discussion - POST BC Election 2017

[misher]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Surprised nobody mentioned this yet, Andrew Weaver is leaving the Green Party altogether to sit as an Independent. He cites "family health reasons" but that seems odd:

Les Leyne: In search of clues to why Andrew Weaver is leaving the Green Party
Les Leyne / Times Colonist
JANUARY 16, 2020 06:00 AM

...Apart from the dominant family issue, he also cited concerns about the Green Party’s “need to develop a new vision and voice independent from mine.”

“My presence in the B.C. Green caucus could hinder that independence,” Weaver said.

He seems to have been grappling with that for months, since this is the second big adjustment to his retirement plans. He originally planned to step aside after a new leader was picked later this year. Then he moved it up to January. Now he’s vacating entirely.

He must have considered quitting politics entirely. But the party standings are so close that a byelection could upend the entire government. He must have considered just taking a personal time-out, and letting his two colleagues cover for him in Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

But he opted to sever all ties.

There was one overlooked clue to his move.

In a year-end interview with Maclean Kay, of the online Orca political journal, Weaver laid his cards on the table.

“The day I am no longer leader, I will go non-partisan. I didn’t join a party until I was a member of the Green Party, and I will resign my membership.”

In the same interview, he vented a degree of frustration with the party that he propelled into the legislature. “It’s really been really tough with the Green Party,” Weaver said. “Probably, the most difficult part is the level of political naivety. I see it all the time as I see these incredibly well-meaning Green supporters on Twitter who are … I mean, it’s a lovely level of naivety. It’s lovely. I mean, it’s lovely in that I wish there was more of this, but it’s a bit like the Christians being fed to the lions.”...

https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/co...er-is-leaving-the-green-party-1.24053835

Interesting. Sounds like several Greens are unhappy with how much Weaver has compromised with the NDP. I know Weaver has raised several objections over LNG among other projects. It makes me wonder if the next leader will refuse to support the NDP unless the NDP toes the Green line. Probably a lot of the wealthier Green supporters (aka those donating all the party's funding) are unhappy with the speculation tax among others because they are the ones most likely to have a second home/cabin/oceanfront home near nature.