As the BC NDP government attempts to move into the post-pandemic world, the scars from our global fight against this vicious virus have been revealed. The pandemic has exposed divisions in our society and as I prepare for the Spring 2022 session of the BC Legislative Assembly, a major focus will be the coming budget. At the beginning of the...
Housing projects are moving ahead on Salt Spring Island! It feels good to be able to publish those words. Minister David Eby, BC Housing and the Capital Regional District announced a partnership to develop a project that includes permanent individual supported housing and shelter spaces on a CRD owned site located on Drake Road. The project will...
I am concerned about the growing inequality in primary health care. In Saanich North and the Islands there is a doctor’s clinic that has a membership fee. This is a concerning situation and frankly I am surprised that this is happening under the BC NDP. In 2017, the provincial government began a reorganization of primary care services. The focus...
NDP have a great opportunity to work collaboratively on shared goals, Green MLA Adam Olsen says The multiple intersecting crises we have continued to face this past year requires a different approach to leadership than the divisive and partisan approach of current and past British Columbia governments. We need proactive, responsible governance...
In August, the province approved a ministerial order to ban new applications for private moorage in the southern gulf islands and southeastern shoreline of Vancouver Island. The order is effective from August 24, 2021 – August 23, 2023. In September, I met with Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Hon. Nathan Cullen, to...
Would you use rapid tests for COVID-19 if the BC government made them available? I did this quick poll on Twitter the other day and as you can see 90% of the 1300+ people who responded would use a rapid test. The BC Green Caucus has been advocating for access to rapid tests for more than a year. While governments around the world roll them out as...
We have seen a troubling erosion of democracy under the BC NDP. My colleague Sonia Furstenau and I have raised our concerns several times. It feels like the government has a disregard for the democratic process. In the Spring sittings, we have seen less time provided for debate on Budget Estimates, the line-by-line...
Despite promises to embrace a new journey of reconciliation with Indigenous Nations in British Columbia, the provincial BC NDP government continue to act like a 19th century resource colony. In order to preserve Crown and corporate interests, the BC NDP government maintain a policy that utilizes Court injunctions to...
It appears that Hon. Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation believes the long-standing conflict over the Coastal GasLink pipeline currently being built in the Wet'suwet'en territory, is the result of "tension and division" among the Wet'suwet'en people. Let's be clear, the fully-armed RCMP...
This Fall sitting of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly Minister of Forests, Hon. Katrine Conroy, has tabled more than 150 pages of amendments to forestry policy. We have long awaited changes to forestry policy, however, tabling these Bills with only a few days to debate them is disrespectful to our democratic...
For weeks now Minister of Children and Family Development (MCFD), Hon. Mitzi Dean, has been defending her decision to change the funding model for children with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. I have asked her a few questions on this issue (here and here) and raised it again in the context of Indigenous...
The Official Opposition requested a Standing Order 35 emergency debate on the response to the severe weather events that have hit British Columbia in 2021. Both Sonia Furstenau and I stood to speak at this opportunity to address the significant impacts of climate change related extreme weather events. [Transcript] I...
During introductions I took the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate 15 years of marriage with Emily Olsen. [Transcript] Mr. Speaker, today I want to just pause and acknowledge that it's our 15th anniversary. Emily and I were married 15 years ago today, for the second time. That was because in August of the same...
As we paused last week to remember those Canadian service people I took the opportunity during Members Statements to recognize the heroism of Lt. Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray. Hammy was a Canadian Naval pilot who flew in the Royal Navy, his valour was recognized with the Victoria Cross and recently with a memorial at...
I had the honour of standing and providing the BC Green Caucus response to the Ministerial Statement for Louis Riel Day. November 16th is Louis Riel Day. It was on this day in 1885 that Riel was hanged for treason for his role in leading the Red River Rebellion. [Transcript] I would like to first start by...
Three weeks ago, the Minister of Children and Family Development, Hon. Mitzi Dean, announced an overhaul of funding and supports for children with autism and other complex neurodiverse needs. Other than suggesting the BC NDP would adopt a hub model for service delivery, Minister Dean offered few other details. Parents...
I have heard from hundreds of British Columbians over the past few months deep concern about a perception that the RCMP, our provincial police service, is not accountable to the provincial government. We have witnessed an increase in police violence, the videos have been shared widely on social media. British...
In the 2017 election, access to affordable housing was a ballot box question. Going back a decade, when I was a councillor in the District of Central Saanich, the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce was sounding the alarm bells that there was a lack of affordable workforce housing in our communities. Since then, the housing market has become...
The housing crisis continues to impact millions of British Columbians. In recent weeks, I have asked the BC NDP government how they are going to address the crisis in the housing market. Today, I inquired about the out-of-control rental market. The problem is growing quarter-over-quarter and now we see rental listings...
A lot has been said about Bill 22 - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) Amendment Act, 2021. It is rare that a Government Bill garners so much attention. Even controversial Bills move through the process smoothly. Bill 22 is unique because it sets back decades worth of progress on founding democratic principles like the...
Condoms are free and accessible and vasectomies are covered by MSP. However, prescription contraception is not covered. As Access BC writes, "free prescription contraception increases equality, improves health outcomes, and saves people and the government money!" The BC NDP made a commitment for free contraception in...
I welcome many of the much needed changes in the Forest Statutes Amendment Act. It was a mistake to turn forest planning over to the industry twenty years ago, so it is important that they no longer are responsible for the forestry operations and landscape plans. In this speech at second reading I recognize these much...
The BC Liberals moved a motion to Bill 22, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2021, to stop the current process of amending the Act, and to send it to the Special Committee that has been established by the whole House to review the Act as per the statutory requirement of the legislation....
Sonia Furstenau and I have been asking the BC NDP government about their approach to solving the housing crisis in British Columbia. Each Minister who has responded to our questions have pointed to programs they have implemented in the past four years. Despite all the billion dollar programs I continue to hear how...
I raised a Question of Privilege regarding the introduction of Bill 22 - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2021 and the Special Committee to Review the same Act that was appointed last summer and that I am a member of. The summary of my argument is that the Special Committee's work is...
For the past two decades I have been fearful that my past struggles with substance use, abuse and addiction would come back to haunt me. As the numbers of British Columbians who have died to an illicit drug poisoning continues to climb, and the stigmatization of our friends and family members who struggle with...