The BC Green Party blossomed this election, tripling the number of seats held and doubling the popular vote across the province to roughly 16 per cent.

The party was led by Andrew Weaver, a climate scientist who, with the balance of power falling into his hands, pointed out that it was 香蕉视频直播渢he first ever Green-elected caucus in North America.香蕉视频直播�

Local Green candidates weren香蕉视频直播檛 among those making history , but when vote tallies were announced at the election night gathering at BNA pub, nobody was worse for wear. They hadn香蕉视频直播檛 campaigned with the expectation they香蕉视频直播檇 become MLAs. They香蕉视频直播檇 put themselves in the community to build support for a Greener future.

Alison Shaw, Green candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country, took 4,416 of an estimated 23,003 votes cast, which was a handful fewer votes than her NDP competitor.

Rainer Wilkins, Green candidate for Kelowna Mission, had 3,422 of an estimated 24,264 votes. Robert Mellalieu, the Green candidate for Kelowna West had 3,290 of 24,429 votes cast for him.

香蕉视频直播淲e boosted the voter shift for Greens by three times from our vote in the last election so I am pretty thrilled about that,香蕉视频直播� said Shaw, a Lake Country resident.

Shaw said she was heartened further by how her party ran a 香蕉视频直播渓ean mean香蕉视频直播� campaign in keeping with Green policy not to accept corporate or union donations.

A political scientist who taught at UBC Okanagan and now writes about politics in the Saanich News said that it香蕉视频直播檚 unlikely that either the NDP or Greens will make much of an impact in the near future in the Central Okanagan.

香蕉视频直播淚f there香蕉视频直播檚 one part of the province where BC Liberals can count on steady, unwavering support it香蕉视频直播檚 the Okanagan 香蕉视频直播攊t香蕉视频直播檚 the conservative heartland,香蕉视频直播� said Wolf Depner.

香蕉视频直播淒emography is destiny. Once the demographics of the Okanagan change you can see changes in electoral behaviour as well.香蕉视频直播�

For all the Okanagan香蕉视频直播檚 many changes in industry, it香蕉视频直播檚 still a very Anglo Saxon part of western Canada, with strong British, German and Dutch roots.

香蕉视频直播淭hese people are conservative in terms of their values,香蕉视频直播� he said.

As was made clear with the 2015 census results, it香蕉视频直播檚 also an area with a high proportion of seniors香蕉视频直播攊t香蕉视频直播檚 the oldest census metropolitan area in B.C. and the third oldest in Canada.

And seniors, said Depner, also tend to vote conservative.

Most telling about its right leaning tendencies, however, may be the region香蕉视频直播檚 economic roots.

The Central Okanagan, has never been a stronghold for unions. The driving force of its economy has historically been small to medium size businesses, and their allegiance is to parties that value less taxation and social spending.

香蕉视频直播淭hink of Wacky Bennett and Bill Bennett,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淭hese are prototypical small business westerners and they香蕉视频直播檙e from the Okanagan.香蕉视频直播�

W.A.C. Bennett, a hardware merchant from Kelowna, was B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 premier for 20 years, earning votes by paving roads and building bridges. His son, Bill, followed his lead and became premier in 1979. He passed a series of laws, known as the 香蕉视频直播渞estraint香蕉视频直播� program, aimed at unburdening businesses from government spending on social services.

Not that much has changed since then.

香蕉视频直播淭he people who voted for the SoCreds in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s 香蕉视频直播� their mindset and economic background is the same as those voting for BC Liberals today,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淭hese are non union, small business people, who tend to care more about low taxes and limited government interference.香蕉视频直播�

The Okanagan is also home to a lot of people who make a living in the oil and gas industry, and any party that offers a green perspective won香蕉视频直播檛 win them over.

Although the left leaning political parties have a small footprint in the Okanagan, other parties in B.C. show that may not always be the case.

香蕉视频直播淚f you look at Victoria 香蕉视频直播� at one point of time it was as Conservative and WASPy as parts of the Okanagan, but that香蕉视频直播檚 not the case today,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淧eople香蕉视频直播檚 politics are vastly different than that of their parents and grandparents.香蕉视频直播�