I am honoured to be named to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act. Our society is grappling with deeply entrenched systemic racism throughout our institutions. The critical work of this committee has been needed for a long time. I'm thankful that the terms of reference of the committee extends beyond just the Police Act and provides...
Today in Question Period I asked the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness if her ministry is developing a concrete proposal for how stimulus spending can enact this recommendation to use CleanBC as an economic driver in recovery that can also help us build greater resilience in local supply...
The training and experience I gained from working for a decade in the hospitality industry is an important part of my journey in community service. Today I acknowledged those years and raised my hands to the people who helped shape those experiences for me. In addition, in this time when the tourism and hospitality...
Today I asked the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture if the provincial government has a strategic, sector specific plan to support BC's tourism sector. Tourism operators across the province have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and a large increase in local tourism will not make up lost revenue....
After nearly four-months away the British Columbia Legislative Assembly will finally resume. MLA’s will sit for eight weeks through July and August.British Columbia has been widely recognized for our collective handling of the pandemic. Our public health professionals, civil service and politicians have all been focussed on addressing the...
In this post I am republishing a commentary originally published on the brand new BC Green Caucus website. Going forward you will be able to find all the legislative work of the BC Green Caucus, including videos of our work in Question Period and on Bills to media releases, statements and commentaries.In the future, commentaries such as the one...
Today I asked the Minister of Health why privately operated care homes are not obliged to make their audited financial statements available to the public, and when British Columbians can expect the government to implement a more transparent system. [Transcript] ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FOR-PROFIT LONG-TERM CARE...
My name is SȾHENEP (Adam Olsen). I am the son of Carl & Sylvia Olsen and the grandson of Ernie & Laura Olsen and Don & Phyllis Snobelen. I am W̱SÁNEĆ, from the WJOȽEȽP village. Growing up on Tsartlip, an Indian reserve, dealing with systemic racism is just part of life. Addressing the impacts of colonialism in British Columbia has...
Many people in our communities experience stress, anxiety, depression and isolation. The public health and safety response to COVID-19 has required us to maintain physical distancing measures that have dramatically increased instances of isolation.A commenter on my Facebook page asked me to share the domestic violence and mental health support...
In times of hardship and challenge humans show incredible adaptability, resilience and innovation.While we are largely able to deal with the disruption and calamity caused by localized natural disasters or collapse of man-made systems, we have rarely had the dramatic challenge at a global level like we are experiencing with the COVID-19...
COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, is spreading quickly. We are in a state of shock as we see the impact of this virus globally and as businesses and institutions continue to announce suspension of operations and indefinite closures.Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix have been exemplary in the handling...
My office has been inundated with emails from constituents on the Southern Gulf Islands who are concerned about the potential impact of a COVID-19 outbreak in one of their communities. They have been advocating for the provincial government to limit the access of non-residents similar to what the elected leaders of Tofino, Ucluelet and Ahousaht...
I delivered the BC Green Caucus response to Premier John Horgan's Ministerial Response to the serious public health and economic disruptions caused by COVID-19. The impact of this virus is unlike anything we have experienced before, the global response is unprecedented. It was a surreal day in the British Columbia...
Are you wondering what to do about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)? There is so much information (and misinformation) online these days that it is creating confusion. The situation with this virus is evolving so quickly I am simply going to provide a few links where you can find the most up to date information for British Columbia. Dr. Bonnie...
Last week the B.C. government took control of a fourth retirement home from Retirement Concepts, British Columbia’s largest chain of for-profit care homes, citing neglect of seniors. The home in Summerland joins homes in Comox, Nanaimo and Victoria that are already under the control of B.C’s health authorities. In...
Is the provincial government committed to public transit? British Columbians are concerned that Budget 2020 appears to be a step backward on public transportation funding. We know that access, reliability and convenience are critical factors to increasing ridership. Once people believe the government is committed to...
This has been an incredibly difficult chapter for British Columbia – and for me personally as an Indigenous Member of the Legislative Assembly.From the exhilaration of being the first jurisdiction in Canada to pass the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples into legislation, to the escalating situation in Wet’suwet’en territory, our path...
With a pipeline blockaded in northern British Columbia, trains stopped in their tracks across the country, the proceedings of the legislature in Victoria disrupted, and demonstrations in my riding and communities across the country, the past few weeks have been confusing and frustrating for many Canadians. Despite all...
Yesterday I was hoping to get an answer to a straightforward question about the BC NDP's commitment to innovation, technology and the knowledge-based economy. I asked the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness about whether three longstanding tax credits for the film industry (worth approximately...
The BC NDP government released their economic framework a few weeks back. There was no fanfare and in the end it was almost as if there was no 90-page document outlining their economic agenda. There is a lot in the framework that I take issue with and I will be exploring that in the coming weeks. I'm...
Over the past couple of years, I have been touring businesses on the Saanich Peninsula and Southern Gulf Islands and sharing my experiences on my blog in a series called “Championing Local Business.” The idea came from the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and their annual Tour of Industry. For about a decade they have been organizing...
I am deeply concerned with the state of relations with Indigenous people in British Columbia and Canada. The dysfunction is a result of decades of government policy. To de-escalate the tensions that are simmering dangerously close to a rolling boil, leadership must come from the halls of Parliaments across the...
In Budget 2020 the BC NDP government continues to make incremental investments in our shared priorities like CleanBC, housing, child care, support for post secondary students and a money laundering inquiry. However, the budget falls short of delivering the coherent, ambitious and modern economic agenda that British...
The 2020 Speech from the Throne was overwhelmed by the well-publicized protests that nearly shut down the British Columbia legislature. For the most part the Speech was a recap of work that has been accomplished by our minority government through the Confidence and Supply Agreement...
With the dramatic protests that unfolded around the legislative precinct on opening day of the Spring session there is much confusion about all aspects of Indigenous reconciliation going forward. I have been clear that I am deeply frustrated with the B.C. NDP's decision last Spring to deliver an taxpayer funded...
This episode of The Public Circle Podcast features a conversation I had with John Juricic and Kelly Darwin for their podcast Northern Conversations. I am re-publishing it here. There is a great deal of confusion with respect to the current state of Indigenous relations in British Columbia. There is even less understanding of how we got here. This...