Community

Balancing the needs of businesses and workers

Balancing the needs of businesses and workers

I keep a pulse on the local business community through regular meetings with business leaders. At the end of British Columbia Chamber of Commerce Week in February, I invited the chambers in Saanich North and the Islands to a video call to hear how I can better advocate for them with the provincial government. Our riding is diverse, as are the...

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Weekly Wrap-Up: Week 1 of the 4th Session – 42nd Parliament

Weekly Wrap-Up: Week 1 of the 4th Session – 42nd Parliament

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Welcome to my weekly update for week one of the 2023 Spring legislative sitting for February 6-10, 2023. In this edition of the newsletter, I will cover the work I did in the legislative chamber including tabling three private members’ bills (BILL M202 — Wildlife Amendment Act, 2023, BILL M203 — Correction Statutes Amendment...

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Looking back at 2022: Housing, healthcare, governance, transportation, forestry, biodiversity and more

Looking back at 2022: Housing, healthcare, governance, transportation, forestry, biodiversity and more

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Season’s Greetings and best wishes in 2023! In this final edition of the year, I take an extensive look back at my blog posts and highlight a handful of emerging themes. I am sure there are items missing from this year in review, however, I think you will get a sense of the volume of work ahead in Saanich North and the...

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Update: Week 16 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

Update: Week 16 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Welcome to my weekly update for November 6, 2022! Another busy week in the BC Legislative Assembly is complete and now we begin two weeks in the constituency before returning for one final week of the Fall sitting. As the Assembly does not sit on weeks with statutory holidays, we were scheduled to be closed for next week so...

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PODCAST: Jonathan Morris, CEO B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association

PODCAST: Jonathan Morris, CEO B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association

In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Jonathan Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. Chapter. He has worked in the sector for the past two decades and we start our conversation discussing how he got started and what he and the CMHA is doing today. We cover a variety of relevant topics including, • The...

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More Support, Not More Punishment Is Needed To Address Increased Crime

More Support, Not More Punishment Is Needed To Address Increased Crime

Joint commentary: BC Green leader Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley and Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands Last week, the provincial government released a report on “prolific offenders” – a small group of people who are responsible for a disproportionate amount of neighbourhood crime. The increase in prolific offenses speaks...

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Update: July 2022 Saanich North and the Islands Newsletter

Update: July 2022 Saanich North and the Islands Newsletter

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Welcome to my update for July 2022! With the Spring session now adjourned my focus returns to the constituency. It’s not that the community work stops while I am in a legislative session but my attention is certainly divided. While I am in session I rely heavily on my incredible team of constituent advocates in my community...

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Commentary: Temporary ban on new dock applications

Commentary: Temporary ban on new dock applications

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...

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Balancing the needs of businesses and workers

MLA Column: Keep Minds Open To Truth

By Adam Olsen and Sonia Furstenau In the four years that we have been Members of the Legislative Assembly, hundreds of British Columbians have reached out to talk about crown/settler-Indigenous relationships. What we have heard consistently in these conversations is that people are frustrated that they have not been taught about the true history...

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Supportive, compassionate communities

All governments have a responsibility to support each other in the collective effort to build welcoming, diverse and inclusive communities. Communications is critically important. Bad communications that lacks information can often turn a difficult situation into an impossible one. I address this in this statement....

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Voices of Saanich: Inside and Out with Ian Bruce and Bob Peart

Voices of Saanich: Inside and Out with Ian Bruce and Bob Peart

Special Online Event "Inside and Out" Two perspectives for protecting the natural environment of the Saanich Peninsula A special online evening with Ian Bruce and Bob Peart Hosted by Adam Olsen, MLA Tuesday April 20, 2021 7:00pm RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/rsvp-saanichenvironment Event hosted by the Saanich North and the Islands BC Green Party...

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