Emotional roller coaster for Greens at election celebration

When B.C. Green Andrew Weaver finally strode onto the stage at his party'scelebration shortly after midnight Wednesdaymorning, it meanta tumultuous end to an emotional roller coaster of an evening for supporters and campaign workers.

"The reason you are so excited," he told the ecstatic, sign-wavingcrowd,"[is] we knowbeing a Green is not the easiest path to becoming an MLA."

That much was clear from the emotions in the roomas the party's prospects dipped and surged through a long,long night of vote-counting.

Deputy party leader Matt Toner was amongthe early arrivals for the Greens post election bash before polls closed at 8 p.m.

Tonercarrieda small packet of Cuban cigars, purchased to celebrate what candidates and supporters hoped would be a win of at least four seats, which would mean official party status in the legislature.

Toner, who ran for the B.C. NDP in Vancouver-False Creek before becoming the Greens' deputy leader, was with a contingent who traveled from the Lower Mainlandfor the Victoria post-election party.

Early results quickly extinguished the hopes of most Green candidates including Vanessa Greer (Surrey-Panorama), Simon Rear (Vancouver-Kensington) and Elisa Calder(Vancouver-Kingsway) who were still hopeful for the party.

"I'm hoping for a Green majority," Calder said.

As the wait for resultscontinued with just one riding Saanich North and the Islands showing a Green candidate in the lead, Andrew Weaver's parents, John and Ludmilla,made a visit to the party headquarters and scrambled up the risers to accommodate TV interviewers.

Nearly two hours into vote counting, early poll results from the riding of Oak Bay-Gordon Head showed Andrew Weaver in the lead, which was widely expected.

"It's ok," PaulElworthy,a campaign canvasser for Weaver said quietly as he watched the screen . "We need a couple more seats."

Gary Belleville, a Green supporter fromtheEsquimalt-Metchosinriding, admitted some disappointment.

"Consideringhowmuchpopularsupport wehave, two seats is not a genuine reflection of the support we have in the province," Belleville said.

The mood in the room shifted asthe CBC Election Special showed the Greens' Adam Olsen'swin in North Saanich and the Islands, and cheers and chants started as Sonia Furstenautook the lead in Cowichan Valley.

Meanwhile, the Liberals' early lead in the seatcount fell below the minimum of 44 for a majority, raising the prospectof the Greens holding the balance of power in a minority government.

"This is the dream scenario," Green Party legislative press secretaryMat Wright said.

Mark Neufeld, who came third as the Green candidate in Saanich South,stood quietly with his son Jakobresting an arm on his shoulder.

"My son seems to always come to me at the right time. he said.

Neufeld, a high-school teacher, acknowledged the high number of young people in the crowd. More than half his campaign team areformer students, he said.

"They can say legitimately that they've changed history," he said.

Nearby, campaignvolunteers JordanCramen,Christina Winter and SabineMllergroup-hugged,high-fivedand danced.

"We're really excited because this means a lot for the future of B.C.," Mller said.