VICTORIA — An ecstatic British Columbia New Democrat Leader John Horgan donned orange socks and an orange tie to celebrate the historic NDP election win in Alberta.
Horgan calls Rachel Notley's victory a triumph of hope over fear and says the win will help federal NDP Tom Mulcair in the fall federal election and B.C.'s New Democrats two years from now.
He says Notley's campaign focused on the needs and dreams of Albertans while the Conservative campaign blamed people for the province's economic woes during an oil industry downturn.
Horgan dismisses concerns that Notley's government will drive business from Alberta with her campaign promises to raise corporate taxes, which he notes will match B.C.'s tax level.
Premier Christy Clark says she looks forward to working productively with Alberta's new government for a prosperous West.
Horgan, who is colour blind, says his wife helped him choose his orange NDP colours today.