B.C. government promises to tackle affordability, changing fixed election date
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s minority New Democrat government released an ambitious list of affordability-focused pledges in its throne speech Friday, and the possibility of delivering those promises grew stronger when a Liberal member “betrayed” his party to become the Speaker.
The surprise acclamation of Darryl Plecas as Speaker added more breathing room to the razor-thin NDP minority government led by Premier John Horgan, who has an agreement with the Green party to combine votes for a one-seat majority in the 87-seat legislature.
“Certainly, it does give us more flexibility. I’m not going to deny that,” Horgan said, referring to the Liberal Speaker.
“I’m excited about the next number of years,” he said.