Adam Olsen

Adam Olsen MLA
Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Saanich North and the Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office May 9, 2017
Preceded by	Gary Holman
Personal details
Born	(1976-01-10) January 10, 1976 Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Political party	Green

Adam Olsen is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2017 provincial election.^[1] He represents the electoral district of Saanich North and the Islands as a member of the Green Party of British Columbia caucus.^[1]

Political career

Olsen was elected to the Legislative Assemby of British Columbia in the general 2017 provincial election^[1] in the riding of Saanich North and the Islands. 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.

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.^[8] 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.^[9

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.^[3]

Ministry Responsibility

The BC Public Service is divided into ministries. Each ministry is responsible for a specific area of public policy, government function or service deliver: Olsen’s areas of interest within the caucus are:

• Agriculture
• Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development
• Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
• Jobs, Trade & Technology
• Municipal Affairs and Housing
• Tourism, Arts and Culture
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Salmon and Aquaculture

Electoral record

2017 British Columbia general election: Saanich North and the Islands
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Green	Adam Olsen	14,775	41.95
	New Democratic	Gary Holman	10,764	30.56
	Liberal	Stephen P. Roberts	9,324	26.46
	Independent	Jordan Templeman	364	1.03
Total valid votes			35,224	100.00
Source: Elections BC

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

References

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries