Sonia Furstenau elected B.C. Green Party leader

Sonia Furstenau is the new leader of the British Columbia Green Party.

The MLA for Cowichan Valley defeated challengerCam Brewer, garnering 2,428 votes to Brewer's 2,127 in the second round of the ranked ballot election.

Kim Darwin, the third candidate in the race,was eliminated after the first round of voting.

In her victory speech Furstenautook aim at Premier John Horgan and rumours that the NDP leader is planning to call a snap election for the fall.

"To John HorganIsay you have a responsibility to govern, not play politics," she said. "This is not the time to dissolve the government ... to grab more power for yourself."

Furstenaureplaces Andrew Weaver, who stepped aside inJanuary to sit as an independent in the legislature.

The Greenswon three seats in the 2017 B.C. election and signed apower-sharing agreement giving the NDP a chance to form a minoritygovernment.

Thedeal meansthe Greens have been a factor in legislation andpolicy to ban large political donations while having a say onenvironmental and economic initiatives.

Furstenau said the B.C. Greens have proven that politics can be done differently and don'tnecessarily have to be divisive or hyper-partisan.

She also talked about the challenges she has faced as a woman in politics.

"Being a female leader in the country seem nearly unachievable," she said, noting there is only one female premier in Canada's 13provinces and territories.

"It's disheartening but it strengthensmy belief that to achieve lasting outcomes in good ways we must increase diversity in who we elect,and we must work across party linesand across jurisdictions. "

More than 85 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballotin the leadership election,according to Green Party officials.