With leadership nominations for the B.C. Greens closing soon, the party’s two sitting MLAs say they haven't changed their minds — neither wants the job.
“We've been pretty clear that we want to focus on the work here and our constituencies and welcome a new leader who will grow the party outside of this place and across the province,” interim leader Jeremy Valeriote said on Thursday (May 29).
The leadership race remains wide open with applications closing on June 14. Rules for the contest were released earlier this month, and applicants need nominations from at least 100 party members within 28 days of applying.
Valeriote said that “people are stepping forward,” but would not give any names.
Voting is scheduled from Sept. 13 to 23. and only party members in good standing as of Aug. 10 will be permitted to vote. Results will be announced on Sept. 24.
Former party leader Sonia Furstenau stepped down in January after failing to win a seat in the legislature in the fall election. Furstenau had led the party since 2020 while representing Cowichan Valley, but moved to Victoria-Beacon Hill in 2024 and challenged the NDP’s Grace Lore.
Valeriote had just won the seat representing West Vancouver-Sea to Sky and stepped up to lead the party on an interim basis when Furstenau quit.
Valeriote and his colleague, Rob Botterell, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, said at the time they wanted to focus on learning the ropes as legislators and wouldn’t pursue leadership, a stance each has maintained after their first legislative session.
It is not unprecedented for a non-MLA to be elected to lead a party, though a new leader usually tries to win a seat through a byelection in a safe riding.
This was what happened when Kevin Falcon, former B.C. United (then the B.C. Liberals) leader, was chosen to head that party. Andrew Wilkinson, who had resigned as the previous party leader, stepped down in Vancouver-Quilchena. Falcon ran and won the seat.
But Valeriote challenged the view that the leader needs to be an MLA.
“That's a really conventional view,” he said.
With a small caucus and lots of work for two MLAs, Valeriote said he felt it better to have a third person take on some of the load.
“I think that model will work very well,” he said.
According to party rules, the leader must still be eligible for election to the B.C. legislature.
