The provincial Greens have renewed win in their sails following a breakthrough election for the Green Party on Prince Edward Island. (file photo/CJME News Staff)

By Tyler Marr

blossoming party

Wind in sails of provincial Greens after breakthrough P.E.I. election

Apr 24, 2019 | 2:09 PM

History was made on Prince Edward Island as a blue and green wave washed over the governing Liberals.

Voters handed the Progressive Conservatives the first minority government in the province since 1890 while hoisting the Green party to official Opposition status for the first time.

The Tories took 12 seats, the Greens eighth, and the incumbent Liberals held six after the vote Tuesday night.

The Greens led in opinion polls since August, leaving the nation and party speculating they could be on track to form the first Green government in Canada.

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Despite the second place finish, the breakthrough on the Island is significant as the party did not hold a seat in the legislature until 2015 when Leader Peter Bevan-Baker won in a general election after nine unsuccessful attempts in P.E.I and Ontario.

Saskatchewan Green Party Leader Shawn Setyo called the victory a huge win for Greens across the country. Setyo knew Bevan-Baker before he was an elected official.

“To see him finally be triumphant and form the official opposition is quite tremendous,” he said. “Given that [Bevan-Baker] could have been the next premier for P.E.I. was a huge confidence boost not only to myself but other Greens across the country.”

Setyo hopes the win will change how people perceive Greens across the nation, viewing them now as actual contenders in elections and not as a wasted vote.

“I feel the Greens are picking up momentum from coast-to-coast-to-coast,” he said, believing the wave will find its way to Saskatchewan.

The 2020 election will be Setyo’s first as leader of the provincial Greens. While he is focusing on his constituency of Saskatoon-Centre, he wants to have a slate of dedicated candidates who know the issues on their respective ridings and run platforms to address those concerns.

With climate change and carbon pricing at the forefront of conversation in the country, Setyo said the Greens can play an important role.

He said the party has long been a proponent of having Saskatchewan build its own carbon reduction scheme separate from the federal government.

“We did not want the federal government coming in and imposing their tax. We want to have a homegrown Saskatchewan policy,” he said, preferring something similar to the carbon fee and dividend model created by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

He said the model is something the party will work toward presenting in the next election.

“[It] is unique to Saskatchewan and will benefit the residents of this province,” he added.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr