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Clark tried to intervene personally at the last minute, calling Weaver directly an hour before his planned 2 p.m. news conference. However, the university climate scientist was busy arriving at his legislature office, where he had to change from his regular Hawaiian shirt into a suit and prep for his joint press conference with Horgan. The premier’s call went to his voicemail.

“In the end we had to make a difficult decision,” Weaver told reporters at a news conference in front of the golden gates to the legislative chamber. “A decision we felt was in the best interest of British Columbia today and that decision was for the B.C. Greens to work with the B.C. NDP for a stable minority government over the four-year term of this next session.”

A smiling Horgan admitted he “got up with a bit of a spring in my step this morning” with news he would lead the New Democrats from 16 years in Opposition back in to power as government.

“There’s lots of work to do and we’re not done yet, but I’m confident with the 44 members, a majority of members prepared to support confidence motions for a New Democrat government, that we’re going to get there,” said Horgan.

“I would suggest the sooner the better for this institution.”

Clark’s Liberal government has 43 seats in the legislature, compared to a combined 44 Green-NDP (41 NDP and three Green).

After six years as premier, Clark now has two options: Resign immediately, or recall the legislature and lose the confidence of the house when the Green-NDP MLAs vote down her throne speech and budget. Then she’d have to resign anyway.