For the past decade the Capital Regional District (CRD) Electoral Area Directors for Juan de Fuca, Salt Spring Island and the Southern Gulf Islands have been advocating for a change in their designation from urban to rural. You might remember back in December I asked Hon. Ravi Kahlon, new Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, about...
Special Online Event "My years on the Wild Side" A special online evening with Briony Penn Hosted by Kate O'Connor Tuesday February 23, 2021 7:00pm RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/Voices-BrionyPenn Download event poster. Please share widely! Event hosted by the Saanich North and the Islands BC Green Party Riding Association (SAN-RA) The Voices of...
I am excited that Premier John Horgan is leaning into the shipbuilding sector. Why shouldn’t British Columbia be a world leader in the maritime industries? The federal government must decide who is going to build Canada’s next ultramodern polar Icebreaker. Seaspan had won the contract through a competitive process to build the vessel in British...
There was a time not too long ago when Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP government were more collaborative, more inclusive, more accountable, and more transparent. Through the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic all three political parties were involved in informing decisions. The BC NDP worked closely with the BC Green Caucus, maintaining the...
2020 was as difficult a year as any in recent memory, but as we move into 2021, several vaccines offer hope for relief from the COVID-19 global pandemic. The provincial government is aiming to have all British Columbians vaccinated by the end of the year starting with residents and staff in long-term care and assisted living facilities, health...
Each Monday morning at 7:40am I am on the Political Panel hosted by Stephen Quinn on CBC Vancouver. We discuss (and debate) the current events. This week the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan was the topic of discussion. According to government the plan is data-informed, the main point of contention debated on the panel was the data the government...
When I delivered the news last summer that the BC Green Caucus could not support the proposed amendments to Bill 22: The Mental Health Amendment Act, Premier John Horgan was angry. He expected us to fall into line and later he made it clear our lack of support for the bill was a prominent factor in his decision to pull down his minority...
Reflecting on the inexplicable year that was 2020, it is impossible to succinctly sum up how the dramatic events of this year have impacted each one of us individually, and as a local, regional, national, and global society. The year began with demonstrations for Indigenous rights across the country and surrounding the British Columbia...
In the rotunda of the British Columbia Legislature there are four murals representing British Columbia's "founding" industries - agriculture, fishing, forestry and mining. While there remains good opportunity in agriculture and mining, the fishing and forestry sectors have been in a state of decline for decades as a result of horrendous resource...
Firstly, the answer is NO to the question being asked of every politician in Canada right now. I have barely left my house in Tsartlip during the holiday season never mind the city, province or country. Former Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips said no one was more disappointed than he is about his shocking decision to fly to the Caribbean for...
Season's Greetings from the my BC Green Caucus colleague Sonia Furstenau and I, the team in the Saanich North and the Islands Constituency Office and the whole Olsen family! 2020 was a challenging year! I sincerely hope that 2021 brings stability, peace and joy to you and yours. Our team will be taking a few days to celebrate the holiday season...
For the past several months a drama's been unfolding in the Olsen household! Where did Kitty go? As the weeks passed there was an inclination to turn the open case into a cold case, but there was also a feeling that one day Kitty would show up. For context, when Kitty went missing she was at the top of the heap in the complex network of...
Following the election I have been working with the incredible people at Geeks on the Beach to optimize my website. They are a great group and I'm so thankful for they great work! While I enjoy developing my own web presence I definitely needed help with some of the technical stuff in the back end, search-ability and a new fresh look. I'll be...
In September the BC NDP announced a $300 million program to support small businesses in British Columbia survive the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been eight months since the public health and economic crisis began. Small business owners continue to contact me to tell me that the provincial government has been slow to...
British Columbians need clarity from the BC NDP government whether the Throne Speech that opened the 42nd Parliament is the plan for 2021, or if there is another Throne Speech planned for the Spring. As it stands right now it's unclear what the plan is, and it's not really certain that there is a plan. We know we are...
Site C is a mess! From investigative reporting we know that the government has had information for at least a year about significant geotechnical problems with the project. In this round of questions, Minister of Energy, Hon. Bruce Ralston, continues his desperate attempt to blame this project on the former BC...
When Premier John Horgan pulled the legislature down around him causing the snap pandemic election, he claimed it was because British Columbia needed a strong majority government that was ready to govern through COVID-19. He said the BC NDP were ready to lead. He claimed that his election would not delay economic...
In the first Members Statement of the 42nd Parliament I turn my attention to the responsibility we have as MLA's to govern for all British Columbians, the impact of COVID-19, and the fragility of our services. I turn my attention to the important work of food banks and then state my commitment to work toward poverty...
During my brief time in the British Columbia legislature there is no issue that has inspired the level of advocacy from the public as has the protection of old-growth forests. My office has received thousands of emails. Actually, it's not an exaggeration to say I have tens of thousands of emails from British Columbians demanding the protection of...
The Millstream Fishway Project is a collaboration led by the Peninsula Streams Society to restore and reconnect critical salmon and cutthroat trout habitat disrupted by a poorly designed culvert under Atkins Road in Langford, BC. There were many project and funding partners including the local, provincial and federal governments, business...
I grew up fishing with my dad in our boat on the Saanich Inlet. Those experiences inspired my work in the legislature on wild salmon policy and over the next four years that work will definitely continue! The BC Green Caucus got wild salmon on the agenda during the last Parliament and what followed was a $142 million investment from both the...
There are many issues in the Southern Gulf Islands that deeply trouble me. There are two that I will focus on in this post. Each took me time to investigate and understand the multi-jurisdiction complexity frustrating action. ISSUE #1: Anchorages in the Salish Sea For decades the waters surrounding the Southern Gulf Islands have provided...
I am endorsing Adam Olsen of the Green Party because of his dedication to local environmental interests. The creation of Saanich Peninsula Environment Coalition is a testament to that. His support of peninsula businesses is also very helpful. In addition, is his support of the E&N railway is of great importance to Vancouver Island businesses and...
The consequences of the climate crisis are a physical and mental health emergency. This crisis is affecting everyone - our friends, family, global citizens.The BC Greens are the only party that understands this issue to the core and takes continuous action to protect our present and future. There is no Plan or Planet B. If we remain silent about...
Our species has become so numerous, technologically empowered and driven by consumption that we undermine the life support systems of the planet- the air, water, soil, sunlight and biodiversity. The cause of our destructiveness is the way we see the world which in turn determines the way we act.Today we place ourselves at the centre with...
