Adam Olsen introduces his first private members bill called the First Nations Heritage Protection and Conservation Act 2017. This bill is a first step towards recognizing that Indigenous burial sites and sacred heritage sites should have the same respect and protection as non-Indigenous sites. [Transcript]I move that...
B.C. GREEN CAUCUS For immediate release October 26, 2017 Adam Olsen introduces bill to protect Indigenous sacred sites and heritage objects VICTORIA, B.C. - Adam Olsen, B.C. Green Party spokesperson for the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, today introduced the First Nations Heritage Protection and Conservation Act. Earlier...
Adam Olsen's response Bill 6. This legislation provides the ability for the British Columbia government to hold a referendum to ask citizens if they would like to reform our electoral system to get rid of first-past-the-post and adopt a proportional representation. [Transcript]I am very pleased to be able to speak in...
B.C. GREEN CAUCUS For immediate release October 23, 2017 Adam Olsen responds to Auditor General’s report on grizzly bear management, calls for moratorium by bringing hunting tags to zero VICTORIA, B.C. - Adam Olsen, the B.C. Green caucus spokesperson for Forestry, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO), responded to the Auditor General’s...
Adam Olsen's question to Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, Claire Trevena regarding the exclusion of ride sharing companies in the latest round of consultations with the taxi industry. [Transcript]Olsen:Last week, my colleague asked the Minister of Transportation why we're updating legislation for the taxi...
I rose in the Legislature to speak to Bill 8, the Lobbyists Registration Amendment Act, 2017. This Bill is an excellent start to updating how lobbyists interact with elected officials and senior office holders. We still have a way to go! [Transcript]Okay, alright. Thank you, hon. Speaker, for this opportunity to rise...
Today I rose in the Legislature and responded to Bill 5 (Constitution Amendment Act, 2017). The proposed Legislation moves the fixed election date from May to October and changes the number of MLA's required for official party status from four to two. [Transcript]It is very interesting to be in this place, hearing the...
I have been concerned about the farming of Atlantic salmon on the British Columbia coast for many years. The central question for me is why do we even need to farm salmon? Have we forgotten the old fish stories of the wild Pacific salmon filling the creeks, streams, bays and inlets so thick “you could walk across their backs to the other side?”...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RNi0sWIyiY[/embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RNi0sWIyiYThis morning Silas and I took the Todd Creek Watershed tour organized by the Peninsula Streams Society. I was transported back to this video from 2010!I was elected in Central Saanich in November 2008, and the first person to call me was...
Today I had the opportunity to stand in the Legislature and ask Finance Minister Carole James about collecting housing data to better inform the ongoing development of a evidence-based housing strategy. [Transcript]Developing well-informed evidence-based public policy starts with a strong foundation of good data.To...
This morning I had the honour of standing and speaking in support of Bill 3, the Election Amendment Act, 2017. Finally, the Bill to "Ban Big Money!" [Transcript]I'm very proud to rise and take my place in this debate on one of the most overdue pieces of legislation that has ever been tabled in this House.Over the past...
I stood in the Chamber today to speak to the horrific events in Edmonton, Las Vegas and Lawrence, Kansas. [Transcript]I was going to talk about the Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention today. I woke up this morning and turned on the news. Senseless acts of violence in Edmonton, Las Vegas and Lawrence, Kansas.Humans in shocking displays of...
[Transcript]A. Olsen: This evening the Bayside Middle School in Brentwood Bay, my home community, is unveiling its outdoor classroom and peace and friendship garden. The year-long project is entitled "NEPENKÁUTW." It's a place of teaching. It's a land-based learning and environmental stewardship and intercultural...
I have been appointed to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services which began operations last week. The committee's first order of business is consultations for the 2018 budget which will take place throughout British Columbia in early October. We have to submit our final report by no later that November 15, 2017, and...
Today I rose in the House to respond to the Budget Update 2017. While I do not support all the aspects of this budget, I am happy to be able to support it as I believe it takes important steps to addressing many of the critical issues identified to me by my constituents in Saanich North and the Islands and British...
It is an incredible day in British Columbia! Today the B.C. Government introduced Bill 3, the Election Amendment Act. It has been a year since the BC Green Party eliminated corporate and union donations from our Parties contributions, and I am proud we championed this important issue of removing the influence of special interests from our...
Today I stood in Question Period and asked the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Hon. Claire Travena a question about a potential inquiry into the serious allegations made by CBC reporter Natalie Clancy in this story. BC Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver and I have asked government for an inquiry and we...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atmn3vUAkzQ[/embedyt] Today I rose in the House to respond to the Ministerial Statement on the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). Normally, I would not have been allowed this opportunity as this honour is reserved for recognized official...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJdTpLvb5dQ[/embedyt] Here is a quick update from Sonia Furstenau and I about the 2017 Budget update.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_0xNAHnLi8[/embedyt] Adam Olsen talks about his role as the BC Green Party Caucus Whip.
SIDNEY, B.C. - Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, issued the following statement in regards to the outcome of Salt Spring’s Incorporation Vote. Salt Spring Island voted against incorporating as an island municipality this past weekend. "Over the past couple of years Salt Spring Islanders have been discussing how their community is...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wR0l9aW5ok[/embedyt] [Transcript]It has been an incredibly full week since the last time I had the opportunity to provide an update. We started the week in Vancouver, where the BC NDP invited the whole BC Green Caucus, Andrew, Sonia and I, to the BC Cabinet and First Nations Leadership Gathering at the...
I am a member and have lived my whole life in the Tsartlip Village, a proud member of the Bartleman/Olsen family who have been in the W̱SÁNEĆ territory for countless generations. My Coast Salish name is SȾHENEP. There has been a monumental change in the relationship between the federal/provincial/municipal and Indigenous governments in the time...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU6hGtuXiRI[/embedyt] September 1, 2017 video update from Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands. [Transcript]Well the Olsen family just got back from family vacation, it was really nice to get away with the family for about a week. We headed up into the Fraser Canyon for a week to visit...
I was having coffee with a friend few weeks back when he noted that busy-ness has become a sort of currency in our modern world. Since then, I can not help but notice every time it comes up casually in conversation, or when I was about to tell someone how busy I am. Perhaps, I am hearing it a lot more now because conversations usually start out...
I was excited to head out on vacation with my family this week. This year has been non-stop action and we have earned a brief respite before school and the fall legislative session starts up in a couple weeks. Other than keeping my email inboxes pruned, I was not going to spend much time thinking about work. But, as we were heading out of town I...