It’s good to be Green … and better yet, to be amongst fellow Greens on what is turning out to be an historic night.
The Green Party took a record high share of Abbotsford votes on Tuesday. As of 11 p.m., Jennifer Holmes had nearly 17 per cent of the vote share in Abbotsford-Mission, where her party took only 9 per cent in the last election.
In Abbotsford South, Aird Flavelle has 15 per cent of the vote in a riding where the Greens ran no candidates in 2013.
Kevin Eastwood currently has 10 per cent of in Abbotsford West. The Greens got less than five per cent in that riding last time.
“We may hold the balance of power,” said Abbotsford-Mission candidate Jennifer Holmes. “We did really well, such a good showing, more than I expected.”
For Abbotsford South candidate Aird Flavelle, the results were beyond anything he had dared to dream.
“I wasn’t even dreaming of it going like this,” he said. “I’m just thrilled with the results.”
Flavelle was especially pleased that he did so well in the “fifth most conservative riding” in B.C.
“It’s working,” he said of the Green message. “People understand we have a positive message. People are buying in to it.”
For political newcomer Kevin Eastwood, candidate for Abbotsford West, the whole experience has been both eye opening and positive.
“I set out as a newcomer to do my best and I improved upon the last Green numbers,” he said. “I didn’t expect to win the seat.”
The historic nature of the Green Party’s provincial success was especially heartening.
“Tonight the Greens are breaking through,” he said. “The future is very bright for the Greens.”