After her first crack at provincial politics in Kootenay West, Samantha Troy from the B.C. Greens is ready to continue down her party’s road, although the path feels a little surreal right now.
Troy garnered 2,976 votes, or almost 16 per cent of the popular vote her first time out representing the British Columbia party - now it’s the aftermath and countdown to official return of the writ on Wednesday that has really piqued her interest.
“It’s like pick one or pick the other,” Troy told the Trail Times. “It’s surreal like a Dr. Seuss story … but it’s so exciting and what I am thinking is going to happen, is holding forth to good policy.”
Troy was referring to the party’s unique position whereby it has held the balance of power since the May 9 election, even though only three Greens were actually elected.
A majority government requires 44 seats- the Liberals took 43 seats and the NDP, 41.
On Monday came the announcement that a deal has been reached that paves the way for the NDP to form a minority government in British Columbia with support from the Green party.
NDP Leader John Horgan and Andrew Weaver of the Greens announced the agreement stating it would allow for a stable minority government for the next four years.
Weaver said the Green caucus has voted in favour of the agreement and the NDP is scheduled to hold a vote on Tuesday.
Details of the agreement won’t be released until the deal is approved by the New Democrat caucus.
As the incumbent premier with the most seats, Premier Christy Clark would normally be given the first chance to form a government by the lieutenant-governor and it isn’t known whether the Liberals might still try to get the support of the legislature on its own agenda.
Troy says the party leader has remained tight lipped about any deal but she did offer insight to what she’s been hearing from her circle of supporters.
“I think people have confidence in a lot of the social and environmental policies shared by the Green platform and the NDP platform,” Troy shared.
“So what I hear is ongoing confidence that those party leaders are going to endeavour to implement that good policy, specifically electoral reform, Kinder Morgan, and Site C, as far as really wanting more thorough environmental assessments,” she continued.
“It would seem there are a lot of studies out there substantiating that work hasn’t been done, let alone the economics, which don’t seem viable in the long term,” Troy added. “So those crossover issues are really important and I think that’s what I am still hearing from my direct community.”
After making such an inroad for Greens in Kootenay West, Troy plans to stay part of the Green Party movement.
“I was humbled and honoured by the amount of support throughout the district and the direct community appeared to offer,” she said. “So that was really motivating, considering I was running on really no budget, three tanks of gas and my time.”
At this point, Troy says representing the B.C. Greens has been an eye-opening experience combined with an engaging form of volunteerism.
“The federal campaign in 2015 taught me a lot,” she said, referring to her last minute decision to represent the Greens in South Okanagan-West Kootenay. “Then this provincial election was it’s own completely different thing. Again, I learned so much and I do feel it’s a worthy act of public service,” she said. “I feel an obligation to myself and to our community to maintain and be that person who is representative of the BC Greens - I just can’t run away from it.”