41st Parliament of British Columbia

41st Parliament of British Columbia
Minority parliament
22 June 2017 – 21 September 2020
Parliament leaders
PremierChristy Clark
March 14, 2011 – July 18, 2017
John Horgan
July 18, 2017 – November 18, 2022
CabinetsC. Clark III
Horgan I
Leader of the
Opposition
John Horgan
May 4, 2014 – July 18, 2017
Christy Clark
July 18 – August 4, 2017
Rich Coleman
August 4, 2017 – February 3, 2018
Andrew Wilkinson
February 3, 2018 – November 21, 2020
Party caucuses
GovernmentLiberal Party (until July 2017)[a]
New Democratic Party (after July 2017)
OppositionNew Democratic Party (until July 2017)
Liberal Party (after July 2017)
RecognizedGreen Party[b]
Legislative Assembly

Seating arrangements of the Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the
Assembly
Steve Thomson
June 22–29, 2017
Darryl Plecas
September 8, 2017 – December 7, 2020
Government
House Leader
Mike de Jong
May 4, 2014 – July 18, 2017
Mike Farnworth
July 18, 2017 – present
Opposition
House Leader
Mike Farnworth
May 4, 2014 – July 18, 2017
Mike de Jong
July 18, 2017 – present
Members87 MLA seats
Sovereign
MonarchElizabeth II
February 6, 1952 – present
Lieutenant
Governor
Judith Guichon
November 2, 2012 – April 24, 2018
Janet Austin
April 24, 2018 – present
Sessions
1st session
June 22, 2017 – September 8, 2017
2nd session
September 8, 2017 – February 13, 2018
3rd session
February 13, 2018 – February 12, 2019
4th session
February 12, 2019 – February 11, 2020
5th session
February 11, 2020 – September 21, 2020
← 40th → 42nd

The 41st Parliament of British Columbia was in session from June 22, 2017, to September 21, 2020. It consisted of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, as elected by the general election of May 9, 2017, and subsequent by-elections, and the Queen in right of British Columbia, represented by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia. It was the first parliament following the increase in size of the legislature from 85 to 87 seats. Immediately following the election, Christy Clark, the incumbent premier, asked the lieutenant governor to remain governing until the final votes were counted and it would be known if there would be a majority or minority government.[1] Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon agreed and Clark appointed a cabinet of 21 ministers and 13 parliamentary secretaries, which were sworn in on June 12, 2017.[2]

Although the final vote confirmed that the British Columbia Liberal Party under Clark remained the largest party in the legislative assembly after the election, the British Columbia New Democratic Party under leader John Horgan and Green Party of British Columbia under Andrew Weaver combined had 44 seats (41 NDP and 3 Green) to the Liberals' 43.[3] On May 29, 2017, the Greens announced they had agreed to a confidence and supply accord with the NDP which would allow the NDP to form a minority government.[4]

Clark convened the Legislative Assembly on June 22, 2017, before losing a vote of confidence on June 29.[5] As leader of the second-largest party, Horgan was then asked to serve as premier by the lieutenant governor and was sworn in along with his 22-member cabinet on July 18, 2017.[6][7]

The minority parliament lasted for three and a half years despite the small combined NDP and Green working majority. The longevity of this one-seat working majority was made possible, in part, due to the expulsion of Abbotsford South MLA Darryl Plecas from the Liberal caucus after Plecas accepted his election as speaker of the legislature.[original research?] The 41st Parliament ended on September 21, 2020, after Horgan requested the lieutenant governor dissolve the legislature and call a snap election for October 24, 2020, almost exactly one year ahead of the planned fixed date of October 16, 2021.


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  1. ^ Shaw, Rob (May 10, 2017). "B.C. Election 2017: Three leaders have backroom chats to find common ground". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. ^ Brown, Scott (June 12, 2017). "B.C. Premier Christy Clark introduces new cabinet". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  3. ^ Hunter, Justine (May 24, 2017). "BC Liberals denied majority as final election count leaves government in danger". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  4. ^ McElroy, Justin (May 29, 2017). "B.C. Green Party agrees to support NDP in the legislature". CBC News. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  5. ^ "B.C. Liberal government loses confidence vote 44–42, sparking either NDP government or election". CBC News. June 29, 2017. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  6. ^ Kines, Lindsay (June 29, 2017). "Lieutenant-governor invites Horgan to take over, rejects another election". Times Colonist. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  7. ^ Shaw, Rob (July 19, 2017). "B.C. NDP Cabinet 2017: Metro Vancouver MLAs handed key cabinet roles". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved October 27, 2017.