National Volunteer Week (April 7-13, 2019) is coming to a close. I want to pause and celebrate the invaluable contributions of volunteers across the province that give life to our communities and lift them up.Here's to the volunteers that dedicate their time to make Saanich North and the Islands the wonderful place that it is. This year’s theme...
I am moving away from social media. I'm not quitting, but I am thoughtfully evolving how I use it. Social media platforms are powerful tools for politicians because they create spaces for communities of people to gather with each other. Initially, we played Farmville together and reconnected with old friends. It was just like a high school...
I was on a panel at the College of Applied Biology conference last week. Our task was to Define the Public Interest.The panel included Andrew Gage (Staff Lawyer, West Coast Environmental Law), Kevin Kriese (Chair, Forest Practices Board) and Jody Shimkus (VP of Environment and Regulatory Affairs, Kirk Environmental.)It was an interesting group...
Standing in my driveway this past weekend I had a flashback to my youth. When I was a kid I used to work for our family business. It was a garden and property maintenance company and every spring we would manufacture hundreds of moss hanging baskets. We inherited the business from my maternal grandfather Don Snobelen. He was a man of the soil. He...
During Question Period last week, MLAs grilled the government on the low-wage redress package offered to some workers in the social care industry. As of April 1, unionized social care workers will receive a bump in their wages beyond the standard 2% increase. This wage increase is welcome because social care workers make low wages for the work...
The pace of government is both fast and slow.April 11th marks the two year anniversary of the start of the 2017 British Columbia general election.It's incredible that we are already two years into the 41st Parliament. The last 24 months has been an extraordinary time for our province. A lot has happened and a lot has been accomplished.In this...
In the seventh episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Paul Smith, General Manager of Titan Boats. Following a visit to their manufacturing facility in the North Saanich Business Park, Paul joined me in our constituency office to chat about the homegrown company. He came out of retirement to join Titan in 1998. What started as part...
It is not very often that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) will stand and continue the debate on a Bill at 3rd reading. It's as unusual for MLA's to vote 14 times on a Bill. By 3rd reading most of the substantive work is done. There is a considerable amount of opportunity to debate legislation at 2nd reading....
This past weekend we were walking around Elk/Beaver Lake and ran into a Cabinet Minister along the way. “Good afternoon!” I said. “Hello,” she replied. “Hey you are going the wrong way!” I smirked. “That’s what you always say about us!” She shot back with a smile. We continued on our way. A little while down the road Emily quietly encouraged me,...
Wage inequality is an important issue for British Columbians. We often think of this issue as being a 1%/99% issue. But what about in the same workplace? This week the official opposition has been asking questions about contracts and a decision to offer low-wage redress to unionized social-care workers and not offer...
One of the most important aspects of being an elected official is to know what you are voting on. There have been times throughout my decade-long political career when it was clear that one or more of my colleagues clearly did not do their homework. No doubt our work is complex. It requires an inquisitive mind and you have to be a quick learner....
Politics will never be easy. There are seemingly countless layers of personal, public and private interests to understand and respect in even the simplest issue.Politics is people work. It's emotional and so it comes with peaks and valleys. Everything we do will impact someone, or everyone, and so each and every decision is important.How we...
Sundays. Remember when everything was closed on Sundays? It wasn’t that long ago. My parents never worked on Sunday. We would go to Sunday School and church in the morning, and in the afternoon we spent time as a family. Times have changed in the past few decades. More and more, Sunday is just like any other day of the week on the calendar. There...
Budget Estimates is an oft-overlooked aspect of our work in the legislature.Once legislators have passed the budget the debate moves to Estimates. This is an opportunity for members of the opposition to ask direct questions to the Minister about their budget.In reality, the questions are wide ranging and rarely stick to just the current budget...
I heard a quote the other day, "They act out of fear of consequence, not out of conscience - Why? because you reward them for it!" CNN anchor and Sirius XM host Chris Cuomo was talking about politicians. Cuomo is brash. This quote comes from the middle of a rant about the political divide in the United States. It was actually very good, perhaps...
I change things up a little for the sixth episode of The Public Circle Podcast. The BC NDP put Bill 10, Income Tax Amendment Act (2019) up for debate this week. If you have been following my blog then you will already have some indication of my response to the Bill. In this podcast, I am publishing my second reading debate speech, and responses...
We quit cable television. Our quitting started this time last year. Actually, the downsizing of our relationship with our communications service provider began 4 years ago. The home phone was the first to go. It sat quietly for a year or two before finally being taken off the counter for good. Our new home that we built in 2015 has never seen a...
After working on the all-Party Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations for the past several months our recommendations were finally made public this week. After having the report for less than an hour Transportation Minister Claire Travena announced that the BC NDP is going to require ride-hailing drivers to...
It was a big week in the legislature.The BC NDP put an income tax amendment act on the table which legislates the tax regime for LNG Canada. It is just one part of a $6 billion expansion of the corporate welfare program first offered by the BC Liberals.They are also giving them breaks on PST, cost of electricity and the carbon tax. It's a pretty...
Head north down Mcdonald Park Rd. then turn right down an unmarked fire-lane just before the Sidney Feed Barn and you will find Titan Boats.After accidentally walking into the engineering team’s office, I discovered Titan operates in several buildings...specifically 5,400 sq. feet of fabrication space and another 1,600 sq. ft shop for outfitting...
Over the past 48 hours, I and my B.C. Green colleagues, each spoke to second reading of Bill 10, Income Tax Amendment Act (2019). We are clear. We do not support any further subsidies of the natural gas industry and we will not be complicit in supporting the further subsidization of climate change as the BC NDP have...
The delete button is getting a good work out this morning. It is so difficult to wind my way through the complex web of misdirection, miscalculation and misinformation about LNG in British Columbia. At a time when children — 8 and 9 year olds — are gathering in front of buildings like the ones where I work and asking people like me to make better...
There are massive gaps in the Heritage Conservation Act in British Columbia. These gaps were exposed in 2014 on Grace Islet near Salt Spring Island. The land owner proposed to build a family vacation home on top of known archeological and grave sites. Despite the disapproval of Tsartlip First Nation, the former BC...
I'm a passionate advocate for protecting agricultural land. And I'm pleased to be able to work with Minister Lana Popham to strengthen the Agricultural Land Commission Act. But, within the ALC Act is a critical gap with respect to wetlands, water quality (and volume) and protecting our watersheds. Currently the ALC...
Are you familiar with forest therapy? Or, maybe you know it as forest bathing? Perhaps as Shinrin-Yoku?Last week was a mixed-bag when it came to forests and big old trees. On one hand, another ancient forest was shaved off the hillside on Saturna Island. And on the other hand, rather coincidentally, my constituency office team was scheduled to...
Congestion.It’s a problem.Drive into downtown Victoria or Vancouver.Frustrating!There are too many cars!The traffic lights are timed incorrectly.Or, maybe my trip is timed incorrectly.What happened to all the parking spots?There are lots and lots of cars.But, there are more empty seats.Single occupant vehicles.Overwhelm the road. Transit.It’s not...