It is after a great deal of thought and reflection that I am announcing today that I will not be seeking another term as the MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. I am making this announcement now so that the party has enough time to start the process of electing a new leader in preparation for the next provincial election.

When I first decided to leave my post as a Canada Research Chair in climate modelling and analysis at the University of Victoria to run for public office in 2013, I did so out of a sense of civic duty.  I had watched with dismay as our province slipped from being a climate leader to climate laggard. The B.C. Green Party is where I felt I could make the most difference, but I could not imagine the many ways we would transform the B.C. political landscape.”

Below I reproduce the text and video of my speech along with the accompanying media release.

Video of Speech

Text of Speech

On April 23, 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris, Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech on the responsibilities of being a good citizen. In it he urged people to have the courage to strive to make a difference.

In that address he said:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood…”

I would echo that sentiment in my Climate and Society course at the University of Victoria when my students came to me distraught about global warming.

Vote for representatives who are willing to do the hard work to address climate change and support their policies, I’d tell them.

Or, if there are none on the ballot, consider running yourself.

Watching with dismay as our province slipped from being a climate leader to a climate laggard I eventually – and reluctantly – realized I needed to follow my own advice.

It’s long been my belief that those who seek public office should do so out of a sense of civic duty rather than choose it as a lifelong career.

In stepping aside from science and academia to enter the political arena, in 2013, I hoped to correct our emissions trajectory and prove that doing so would also benefit our economy.

The foundation of this minority government is climate action, best represented by our work on CleanBC – our economic plan to build a thriving, climate-responsible and climate-resilient society.

I have long said it is time we re-imagined the climate crisis not solely as an environmental problem, but as an incredible opportunity for innovation, creativity, and the advancement of our society.

While there is still a long way to go, CleanBC offers us the best starting place we’ve ever had, and I want to thank Minister Heyman and Premier Horgan for their earnest cooperation and collaboration on helping put that road map back in place.

I have taken significant time this summer to reflect with my family on the reasons why I sought elected office, as well as why I sought the leadership of the BC Greens in the first place.

It is with all of this in mind that I announce that I will not be seeking another term as MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, and have asked the Chair of the Provincial Council to start the process of electing a new leader for the BC Greens.

This is not an easy decision for me – there is a long way to go.

At the same time I feel a deep responsibility and pride for the role the BC Greens have played in getting the province back on track to meet its climate commitments, and to reframe climate change as an economic opportunity – instead of a purely environmental issue.

Millions of people, including many thousands on the lawn of the legislature and a hundred thousand in Vancouver two Fridays ago, are demanding politicians stop talking and start acting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This incredible movement is being led by youth, the ones who must live with the consequences of the decisions we make, and their momentum is growing.

This is also one of the main reasons why I believe it is time for the BC Greens to elect a new leader. It is time to let another generation take the lead.

I have given everything I have to this work. Soon it will be time for me to step aside and allow a new leader to take what I have accomplished and make it better.

Take it further.

And adapt it to the opportunities and challenges that the future will bring.

I intend to remain as leader of the BC Greens until a new leader is elected, which I expect will occur in the early Summer of next year, sometime after the next Spring legislative session.

In the months ahead I will continue to work on a number of key climate policies, including an ambitious climate accountability act, and doing everything I can to ensure that Clean BC is fully implemented.

I will continue to push the government to prioritize the policies that will allow us to reach our 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target.

I will continue to work with my colleagues in the BC NDP to accomplish what was set out in our Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Nothing that I am announcing today changes my commitment to work within this agreement and to see the delivery of our shared agenda.

Stability of this government moving forward is my primary objective.

For the party – and for anyone that may seek leadership of this party – this is an incredible opportunity. The BC Greens have never been as organized, nor seen such widespread support, as they do today.

Looking more broadly, we can all witness the rise of Green parties across the world and certainly here in Canada.

No point in history has ever had so many elected Greens in our country, and all signs point to even more being elected after the next Federal election.

The BC Greens have demonstrated that they are not only a positive influence on the legislature – but also an essential component of seeing real change in the policies that govern our province.

It was only after Greens were elected that MSP reform was committed to by all parties;

that BC banned corporate and union donations at all levels of government;

that our attention returned to what is in the best interest of all British Columbians, rather than the vested interests of just a few;

that an overhaul in the integrity and governance of this legislature commenced.

We have seen this minority government advance significant change on professional reliance, minimum wage, lobbying reform, the emerging economy and innovation.

We have seen this minority government advance significant change on protecting wild salmon, ridesharing, the environmental assessment process, adult basic education, child welfare, childcare, mental health and the opioid crisis to name just a few.

With environmental challenges mounting, the presence of Green representatives in the legislature has become all the more important.

For example, this past spring every BC Liberal and NDP MLA voted to introduce massive corporate subsidies for a new fossil fuel project in BC — not once — but fourteen times.

That I was unable to convince any of my colleagues in these two parties of the irrefutable contradiction to support this expansion while claiming to stand with the millions who are demanding greater climate action is, in my view, my greatest failing.

But it points once again to the essential role that the BC Greens play in this legislature: challenging the status quo parties to reconcile their words with appropriate actions.

Many of the details concerning the upcoming leadership race will have to wait until our party puts in place the rules for the contest.

I will work with whoever is elected as leader to ensure they have the voice they need to lead our party, including a conversation about representation in the legislature.

I look forward to continuing the work that we have in front of us for the time being and look forward to welcoming a new Leader at some point next year.

Media Release

Weaver announces he will not seek re-election in 2021; asks party to prepare for a leadership contest
For immediate release
Oct. 7, 2019

VICTORIA B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, today announced his decision not to run for re-election as MLA in the next scheduled provincial election in 2021.  In preparation, Weaver has requested the party’s Provincial Council begin preparations for a leadership contest to select a new leader. Weaver will continue in his role as leader until a successor has been chosen by the party’s membership.

“It is after a great deal of thought and reflection that I am announcing today that I will not be seeking another term as MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head,” Weaver said. “I am making this announcement now so that the party has enough time to start the process of electing a new leader in preparation for the next provincial election.

“When I first decided to leave my post as Canada Research Chair in climate modelling and analysis at the University of Victoria to run for public office in 2013, I did so out of a sense of civic duty.  I had watched with dismay as our province slipped from being a climate leader to climate laggard. The B.C. Green Party is where I felt I could make the most difference, but I could not imagine the many ways we would transform the B.C. political landscape.”

History was made when the B.C. Green Caucus agreed to support the province’s first minority government in 60 years through a confidence and supply agreement (CASA).

“We have shown that minority governments can work well. They unite parties on issues of common ground. The foundation of this minority government is climate action, best represented by our collaboration on CleanBC – our economic plan to build a thriving, climate-responsible and climate-resilient society,” Weaver continued. “I have long said it is time we reimagined the climate crisis not solely as an environmental problem, but as an incredible opportunity for innovation, creativity, and the advancement of our society.

“The decision not to run for re-election has not been easy for me.  I feel a deep responsibility and pride for the role the B.C. Greens have played in getting the province back on track to meet its climate commitments and to reframe climate change as an economic opportunity – instead of a purely environmental catastrophe.”

B.C. Green Party Provincial Council will meet later this month to put a leadership contest committee in place. This committee will be responsible for recommending contest rules and timeline, eligibility and vetting for Provincial Council.

“Andrew propelled the B.C. Green Party into provincial relevance, and his decades of work as a climate scientist and then as an MLA greatly contributed to what we are seeing now with climate change being at the forefront of the national political conversation,” said Sat Harwood, chair of Provincial Council. “We will miss him as our leader, but his legacy is part of every British Columbian who values clean water and clean air. Andrew is excited for the future because he sees all this energy around tackling climate change; he is leaving the B.C. Green Party well positioned to offer British Columbians a unifying and fair, sustainable and equitable option when they go to the polling station in 2021.

“I expect the leadership contest will culminate at the party’s 2020 convention to be held in Nanaimo from June 26-28, but details regarding the leadership contest, including a launch date, will be released in the coming weeks and months as they are approved by Provincial Council.”

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Media contact
+1 778-650-0597
newsroom@bcgreens.ca

Significant moments – Andrew Weaver

Andrew Weaver was elected as the first provincial Green politician in North American in May 2013 for the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

Weaver was acclaimed as the B.C. Green Party’s leader in December 2015.

During the Spring legislative session in 2016, Weaver introduced legislation that would require post-secondary institutions implement policies regarding sexualized violence. The B.C. Liberal government of the time agreed to support this initiative and introduced an updated version of the legislation that passed into law.

In September 2016, Weaver announced the party would no longer accept corporate and union donations, a major issue in the provincial election that followed.

The 2017 election resulted in the first provincial Green caucus in North America, which also holds the balance of power in the legislature.

Weaver led negotiations with the other parties, eventually reaching a confidence and supply agreement (CASA) with the B.C. NDP.

Notable CASA outcomes include: campaign finance reform, lobbying reform, Innovation Commission, Emerging Economy Task Force, CleanBC, Basic Income Study, Fair Wage Commission, new investments in childcare and early education.

CleanBC is the culmination of Weaver’s efforts to put B.C. back on track as a climate leader. It was announced by Weaver, Environment Minister George Heyman and Premier John Horgan in December 2018. Weaver and Heyman were awarded Canada’s 2020 Clean16 award in recognition of their collaboration in developing CleanBC.

In May 2019, Weaver and B.C. Greens introduced and unanimously passed the first opposition party private member’s bill in the history of the province. This legislation is also the first in Canada to provide a legal framework for businesses committed to pursuing social and environmental goals to incorporate as benefit companies.

The caucus’ second private member’s bill also passed in Spring 2019 also passed unanimously, the Residential Tenancy Amendment Act. Because making everyone feel safe in their home is a nonpartisan issue.