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Ten things to know about the British Columbia election

Ten things to know about B.C. election

VANCOUVER — Voters in British Columbia go to the polls on Tuesday. Here are 10 things to know about B.C. politics:

— The Liberals have been in power since 2001, but Christy Clark didn't become premier until 2011.

— John Horgan was acclaimed NDP leader three years ago and first won a legislature seat in 2005.

— Green Leader Andrew Weaver was part of a group of scientists who shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore for their work on climate change.

— This election has 87 seats up for grabs, but at dissolution the Liberals held 47 seats in the legislature, the NDP 35, and there were three Independents including Weaver, the first Green to be elected to the house.

— The Liberals are promising a personal income tax freeze, a cut to the small business tax, and four more balanced budgets on top of the five straight they have already recorded.

— The NDP would increase the corporate tax rate, bring in $10-a-day childcare and give renters a $400 annual rebate.

— The Greens say they would overhaul the tax system to pay for spending on childcare, education, public health and the environment.

— The Liberal Party of British Columbia is not affiliated with the Liberal Party of Canada and describes itself as "a made-in-B.C. free enterprise coalition." 

— The last time B.C. had a minority government was in 1952, one of only three in the province's history.

— The NDP was in power from 1991 to 2001 after defeating Social Credit and had four different party leaders during their time in office.

The Canadian Press