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But now something weird is happening: With the May 9 election approaching, the Liberals are suddenly attacking Weaver, slamming the Green leader in a pair of news releases last week.

“Andrew Weaver and the B.C. Green Party showed how out of touch they are with farmers when they released their so-called agriculture platform,” one release said.

The next day, the Liberals ripped Weaver as “just another tax-and-spend politician” after he promised to jack up the province’s carbon tax.

“Remember when Andrew Weaver looked like a fresh face with innovative new ideas?” asked Liberal campaign director Laura Miller.

“He sounds more and more like a New Democrat — convinced there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a tax hike and a bigger government.”

So what happened to the Liberals’ love-in with the Greens? Maybe they’re getting a little too popular for the Liberals’ liking.

The latest poll from Mainstreet Research puts the Green party in third place with 19 per cent support — up six points and climbing.

“We’re leading on Vancouver Island,” Weaver told CKNW’s Jon McComb. “In Metro Vancouver, we’re trending up. That actually scares some people.”

I suspect the Liberals and New Democrats are both concerned about a potential Green surge. Maybe the Liberals are worried about the Greens stealing some of their own support instead of just pinching votes from the NDP.

But here’s another scenario: What if Weaver upstages Clark and NDP leader John Horgan in the TV debate during the campaign? What if the Greens break through and win a handful of seats?

That sets up the shocking possibility of a minority government, with Weaver holding the balance of power.

There hasn’t been a minority government in B.C. since the early 1950s — and another one now is certainly a long shot — but in the era of Donald Trump, Brexit and NDP rule in Alberta, we have entered a political age where anything can happen.

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