Adam Olsen is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election. He represents the electoral district of Saanich North and the Islands as a member of the Green Party of British Columbia caucus.
Adam Olsen | |
|---|---|
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| Interim-Leader of Green Party of British Columbia | |
Former | |
| In office January 6, 2020 – September 14, 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Weaver |
| Succeeded by | Sonia Furstenau |
| In office August 25, 2013 – December 9, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jane Sterk |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Weaver |
| Assembly Member for Saanich North and the Islands | |
| Assumed office May 9, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Gary Holman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 10, 1976 Brentwood Bay, British Columbia |
| Political party | Green |
Political career edit
Olsen was elected to the Legislative Assemby of British Columbia in the general 2017 provincial election in the riding of Saanich North and the Islands.[1] Olsen previously ran in the same district in the 2013 provincial election, losing narrowly to Gary Holman.[2] Following the election, he served as the party's interim leader between the resignation of Jane Sterk and the election of Andrew Weaver.[3]
Olsen joins the first minority government in British Columbia since the 1952 elections. In the 2017 British Columbia general election the Liberal Party won 43 seats, the New Democratic Party won 41 seats, and the Green Party won three seats. As no single party won a majority of seats, the Green Party was approached by both the BC Liberal Party and BC NDP to determine whether they would support a minority government or a coalition government headed by either party.[4] No grand coalition or agreement between the two large parties, excluding the Greens, was seriously considered. On May 29, NDP leader John Horgan and Green leader Andrew Weaver announced that the Greens would provide confidence and supply to an NDP minority government, a position which was endorsed the following day by the members of both caucuses.[5]
On October 7, 2019, Andrew Weaver announced he will step down as party leader once a new leader has been chosen.[6] On December 20, 2019, Olsen was appointed interim leader, following the resignation of Andrew Weaver. He took office effective January 6, 2020.[7]
Olsen is a member of the Tsartlip First Nation in Brentwood Bay and served as a two-term Central Saanich Councillor prior to his election.[8]
Electoral record edit
| 2020 British Columbia general election: Saanich North and the Islands | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Green | Adam Olsen | 17,897 | 51.97 | +10.02 | $51,642.52 | |||
| New Democratic | Zeb King | 9,990 | 29.01 | −1.55 | $39,975.02 | |||
| Liberal | Stephen P. Roberts | 6,547 | 19.01 | −7.45 | $38,138.02 | |||
| Total valid votes | 34,434 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 159 | 0.46 | +0.24 | |||||
| Turnout | 34,593 | 67.66 | −6.48 | |||||
| Registered voters | 51,126 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[9][10] | ||||||||
| 2017 British Columbia general election: Saanich North and the Islands | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |||
| Green | Adam Olsen | 14,775 | 41.95 | +9.88 | $68,851 | |||
| New Democratic | Gary Holman | 10,764 | 30.56 | −2.71 | $70,266 | |||
| Liberal | Stephen P. Roberts | 9,321 | 26.46 | −6.30 | $71,305 | |||
| Independent | Jordan Templeman | 364 | 1.03 | – | $1,127 | |||
| Total valid votes | 35,224 | 100.00 | – | |||||
| Total rejected ballots | 79 | 0.22 | −0.08 | |||||
| Turnout | 35,303 | 74.14 | +4.93 | |||||
| Registered voters | 47,615 | |||||||
| Source: Elections BC[11][12] | ||||||||
| 2013 British Columbia general election: Saanich North and the Islands | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||||
| New Democratic | Gary Holman | 10,515 | 33.27 | |||||
| Liberal | Stephen P. Roberts | 10,352 | 32.76 | |||||
| Green | Adam Olsen | 10,136 | 32.07 | |||||
| Independent | Scott McEachern | 599 | 1.90 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 31,602 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 94 | 0.30 | ||||||
| Turnout | 31,696 | 69.21 | ||||||
| Source: Elections BC[13] | ||||||||
References edit
- ^ Johnson, Lisa (10 May 2017). "Greens celebrate 'historic' B.C. wins amid minority uncertainty". CBC News.
- ^ Shaw, Rob (29 May 2013). "NDP's Gary Holman wins Saanich North and the Islands riding by 163 votes". Times Colonist. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ Stueck, Wendy (25 August 2013). "B.C. Greens name Adam Olsen interim leader". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ Hunter, Justine (24 May 2017). "BC Liberals denied majority as final election count leaves government in danger". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ Zussman, Richard; Larsen, Karen (30 May 2017). "NDP-Green alliance to focus on electoral reform, stopping Kinder Morgan and banning big money". CBC News. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ "Head of British Columbia Green Party, which supports government, to step down as leader". Reuters. 2019-10-07. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
- ^ "B.C. Green MLA Adam Olsen named new interim party leader". CBC News. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "Adam Olsen". Archived from the original on 2017-02-09. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
- ^ "Statement of Votes — 42nd Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "2017 Provincial General Election - Statement of Votes" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- ^ "Election Financing Reports". Elections BC. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ^ "Statement of Votes - 40th Provincial General Election" (PDF). Elections BC. Retrieved 17 May 2017.