The B.C. Green Party says it won’t offer one of its MLAs to serve as Speaker of the legislature, reported the National Observer.That likely means frustration for B.C. residents eager for change through new legislation.Post election, does B.C. possess the agility to remedy its cost of living crisis, rampant addiction, homelessness, health care access, a floundering economy and an exodus of workers to Alberta?Maybe not. As it stands, the NDP could place one of its MLAs as Speaker, thereby creating a deadlock in the House. The NDP would have 46 seats. The opposition would have 46 seats — 44 Conservative and two Green, said B.C. political analyst Ryan Painter in a conversation with the Western Standard. “So, it does essentially put them in a technical minority situation,” he said.“But for all intents and purposes, it's not a practical minority. A speaker isn't supposed to be the deciding vote on legislation moving to royal assent. And so, by doing that, it puts B.C. in a bit of a constitutional quandary, because the speaker is supposed to be the referee, essentially a non-partisan official presiding over the proceedings of the House," said Painter."If that presiding officer is actually voting to pass government legislation, it technically makes them no different than as if they were sitting on the opposite side.”Painter said Greens are vulnerable in two specific ridings where they won by a small margin in the recent B.C. election. The NDP could potentially flip one of those seats to gain a majority if there is another election in 18 months.“The Greens must be careful," said Painter. "If the government is defeated on a matter of confidence, we go to an election, and you can be darn sure the NDP is going to be throwing all kinds of resources into those two seats."“So, they're not contested now, but those are seats they did not lose by much, and so all the NDP needs to do technically is to flip one of those seats and they're back in positive territory.”
