Green Party has official party status in Legislature

Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker has been officially recognized with third party status in Prince Edward Island's Legislature.

It was one of the first orders of business in the legislature Thursday.

Bevan-Baker was elected as MLA to represent Kelly's Cross-Cumberland in May's provincial election.

As a result, he applied to the Speaker of the House to have leader of the third party status.

Speaker Buck Watts said the rules were reviewed and the request was granted.

"I wish to advise this house that the honourable member from Kelly's Cross Cumberland will be officially recognized as leader of the third party in this legislative assembly," said Watts.

Receiving third party status means Bevan-Baker has time in Question Period every day, a salary bump and extra office resources.

This is the second time in P.E.I.'s political history that there has been a leader of the third party in the house.

The first was when former NDP leader Herb Dickieson had a seat in the legislature in the late 1990s.