Ever heard the saying "can't see the forest for the trees?"It's when you are standing too close to something and lack the broader perspective and are not able to see the big picture. Or, if you are looking at things one at a time, you might not see their connection with all the others.You can use this saying as an analogy for literally any...
Today I want to pause and raise my hands in gratitude. I want to acknowledge the provincial and federal governments' announcement on July 5th of the successful applicants to the Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (SRIF). The SRIF is one result of our persistent work in raising the profile of the desperate plight of the wild Pacific salmon...
A former boss of mine would always remind us as we were heading out the door to go on vacation that we should actually vacate. It’s encouragement to leave the work behind, not just the office. Step away physically and mentally. Break the routine and clear the cache.The internet turns up a couple of definitions for “vacation.” The first is “a...
I am no biologist or astronomer but I did read the “Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food” with Ella the other night. Sister Bear and Brother Bear were eating too many sweets and were starting to pack on extra weight. As it turns out, Papa Bear was also very attached to his sugary snacks and it became evident that there is a range of standards...
In the 17th episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with the Deputy-Leader of the Green Party of Canada, Jo-Ann Roberts. Jo-Ann was the former host of All Points West on CBC Radio which is broadcast across Vancouver Island and at one time across all of British Columbia except the Vancouver area. After retiring from her career in...
As the summer BBQ tour continues and the federal election candidates make the best of the long, hot days on the hustings, the campaign will heat up as September draws closer.“Crazy season” starts when the partisan faithful try every angle to get the edge on their competition. It’s when democratic debate turns into a bare-knuckle prize fight....
Following up on yesterday's post about the chronology of the growth of Greens across Canada, there is a point at the end that deserves a little more attention. It's the notion I raise about voters feeling like they need to settle for "good enough."It goes hand-in-glove with the reality that up until 2011 the Greens were on the outside looking in....
Following my public endorsement of Elizabeth May in the run up to her election as Member of Parliament in Saanich-Gulf Islands in 2011, one of my local government colleagues said to me "Adam. You are a good politician. It's a shame to see you throw away so much of your political capital on somebody that cannot win!"I was an elected Councillor in...
My Championing Local Business tour has opened my eyes to a wide range of enterprise in Saanich North and the Islands. I have visited facilities manufacturing heavy industrial equipment for logging and marine ports, boat building and repairs, food processing and research and development in a variety of fields. Clearly, my riding is home to a vast...
Elections are never really over. They are perpetually the target of politicians and political parties. This is one of the fundamental flaws of our democratic governments. We should spend more time focussing on the process of governing rather than the result of past or future elections. As I said in a recent post, the top priority of some of the...
A reader's suggestion for a future blog topic was to highlight how climate change is impacting the Saanich Peninsula and the Gulf Islands. The name of this geography, including the ocean in between, is W̱SÁNEĆ. This is the setting of many of my stories.As the request settled into the back of my mind, mixing and churning over, I began paying...
In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I connect with newly elected District of North Saanich Councillor Patricia Pearson. We share many of the same interests and so while this is a rather short conversation compared to the past few episodes, I view this as just a starting point.As the title of the podcast notes, Patricia is far more than...
I recently added stretching and yoga to my morning routine.For a bunch of months I’ve been paying for a smartphone application loaded with body weight and yoga routines. Until last week they did not move me. I'd become incredibly stiff and so I thought it’s time to put it to good use.It all began 13 days ago with lightly stretching my extremely...
Other than a few departures, this blog has been a flow of my thoughts captured, collected, categorized, and tagged. The subject matter is whatever inspires me to write a few hundred words. No rhyme or reason, just random. The only commitment I made way back on December 5, 2018 was to produce something each day. The only blank so far is December...
It’s been a few months since I paused to take stock of the important people in my life. Thank you for creating the space for me to be able to do this work.As is a regular consideration in this digital space I’ve created, time is precious and it passes very quickly. Unless I stop and breathe, before I know it’s July and I’m standing on the stage...
Ben Parfitt's Narwhal article "Muddied Waters: how clearcut logging is driving a water crisis in B.C.’s interior", has been open in my web browser for a few weeks. I finally read it on my way home from my recent trip to the Comox Valley. The story is about unsustainable logging practices in watersheds — specifically, watersheds that are providing...
On May 28, 2019, the provincial government announced a review of the Private Managed Forest Land Program. They have invited British Columbians to add your voice to the program review. The province is accepting public comments until July 22, 2019.Over the past few months there has been a flood of correspondence to my office. My constituents on the...
Canada Day is always a busy day in Saanich North and the Islands.The festivities start with a pancake breakfast at the Mary Winspear Centre followed by a parade through Sidney-by-the-Sea where thousands of residents of the Saanich Peninsula line the streets.From there, Member of Parliament Elizabeth May and I take to the water for a multi-island...
In episode 15 of The Public Circle Podcast I'm joined by Skaana podcast host Mark Leiren-Young to talk about what? You guessed it, the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW). This was a deeply enjoyable conversation about the history of our relationship with orcas from cetaceans in captivity to the recent change in federal legislation freeing...
One of the primary realizations I've made in my brief time in provincial politics is how easy it is to slip into an unhealthy lifestyle. Without careful attention to my overall fitness, personal wellbeing quickly gets lost in the background noise. There is a lot of background noise.Winning is the focus of partisan politics. Not winning together...
Local and regional governance has long been a topic of contention in British Columbia's capital. In the next 2-3 years Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney will all undertake official community planning (OCP) processes. Developing and maintaining community and neighbourhood identities is important. Fortunately, the timing presents an...
I was at an event recently where a local W̱SÁNEĆ elder was providing a blessing to open the proceedings. He spoke about a peg that is outside of the door of a Coast Salish longhouse.As he told the story, and it's not the first time I had heard this teaching, the peg was where you hung your troubles before entering the house. It was an invitation...
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, I has honoured to be part of the opening of a new exhibit at the Sidney Museum featuring the life of the legendary Tsleil-Waututh leader Chief Dan George. The exhibition runs until September 30th. Chief George is one of those iconic figures in Canadian history perhaps best known for his work in...
My relationship with social media continues to evolve. I reached a breaking point as their business model shifted to rewarding people for engaging more, attempting to capture undivided attention and growing time on the screen. As a result, I am not spending much time on social media platforms. I understand they are powerful tools to organize...
It’s mind-numbing to try to keep up with all the decisions politicians in Ottawa made about the British Columbia coastline last week.https://twitter.com/AdamPOlsen/status/1142096979742220289First, on Monday the Members in the House of Commons voted 186 to 63 to support a motion from Hon. Catherine McKenna (Minister of Environment and Climate...
In the 14th episode of The Public Circle Podcast I connect with Briony Penn. It was wonderful to sit on her front porch in the middle of a South Salt Spring forest. It's been the home of five generations of Briony's family. The warm early summer sun, birds chirping and even the odd handsaw working in the background provide an excellent setting...