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...
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...
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...
The National Energy Board (NEB) just wrapped up the reconsideration hearing on the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project. Frankly, the latest hearing is just as bad as the first one, and with the same result. They recommend that the federal government approve the project. The reconsideration was necessary after a...
Over the past few weeks the BC Green Caucus has been asking the Attorney General about money-laundering. There are substantial allegations of corruption that need investigating. Indeed, the Attorney General is going good work on this issue and gone way further than the previous government. But, it is time to take this...
Over the past week the BC Green Caucus has been raising substantial concerns about money-laundering. There is a crisis in our government institution and as an MLA we have a responsibility to address it head-on. [Transcript] There's a crisis of confidence in this institution. Thinking back to the thousands of stories I...
Since the beginning of the Spring 2019 session, the BC Green Caucus, has been asking government about money laundering in British Columbia.The focus has been largely on the bags of cash dragged into the casinos to be laundered by so-called "whale" gamblers.But, as we found out with Peter German's...
Response to Budget 2019 I was elected to represent Saanich North and the Islands in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly because people in my riding lost confidence in government. I promised them that I would be passionate, bold and courageous in my work to rebuild that trust. Budget 2019 is not a perfect budget....
Money-laundering issues continue to grow. Over the past twenty years only 50 cases were heard and only 10 convictions. It is embarrassing and ridiculous. What is disturbing is that the Attorney General now alleges criminal organizations moved to Vancouver from the United States and received tax credits from Advantage...
We finally get to debate anti-SLAPP legislation in British Columbia. Many constituents of Saanich North and the Islands have written my office encouraging us to bring this legislation in to force and I am happy it is now in front of us. While we need to balance the rights of all sides of the public discourse, it...
I have stood and spoke on behalf of wild salmon in the Legislature dozens of times in 2018. This was possibly the last time I would be able to advocate for them this year. In my final statement of this year I highlight the stories about our relatives the wild salmon, the work at the Howard English Hatchery and my hope...
British Columbians have waited for ride hailing for a long time. The pace of change in our province is ridiculously slow on this issue. There are certainly issues about security that need to be addressed but these services have been hijacked by political wrangling rather than good public policy. This is not the first...
For the past half decade British Columbians have patiently awaited their provincial government to regulate ride-hailing. After three unsuccessful attempts at private members' legislation from BC Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver, two by the former BC Liberals and one by the BC NDP, we finally have a Bill to debate that...
This week the BC Green Caucus has been asking Ministers in Question Period about the level of preparedness of their specific Ministry for climate change. In order for the provincial government to address climate change it must happen across the whole of government. Ministry by ministry, sector by sector. I had the...
In the 2017 election, the BC Green Party campaigned on increasing accountability and transparency in our democracy. Last fall we worked with the BC NDP government to take the initial steps to ban big money from provincial and municipal elections. We also played a key role in keeping electoral reform on the agenda with...
I had the opportunity to stand and acknowledge the work of Character Canada and Character Abbotsford. The focus of this powerful organization is to "inspire character, enable leaders and influence community." As they state it is not about being the character police or demanding perfection but rather "living through...
Bill 52, The Agricultural Land Commission Amendment Act is an important piece of legislation that moves to protect food security and restrict speculation on agricultural land by not allowing the construction of homes in the ALR over 5200 sq/ft. In addition, this Bill reverts the ALR back to a single zone, thus...
Ken Curry is the last living veteran of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and the ill-fated Canadian contingent that raided the beaches of Dieppe. He is 96 years old and lives in Sidney, BC. In a few days we will be honouring our veterans on Remembrance Day. I stood in the house and spoke to the sacrifice they make on...
For the past 38 years, Saanichton farmer Mike Fleming has donated the Christmas tree to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. At the end of October Mr. Fleming died suddenly of a heart attack while harvesting Christmas trees in the Kootenays. I had the honour of remembering Mike Fleming on behalf of the whole...
The BC Green Caucus continues to raise questions in Question Period about the impact of open net pen fish farms in British Columbia waters. We have covered growing concerns over viruses, blood water discharge and the overall impact of aquaculture on wild Pacific salmon. This past Spring we heard about an unprecedented...
I have been invited to many meetings from forestry experts and advocates since my election to the British Columbia legislature. Each and every group has strongly criticized the approach of the Ministry and past decisions. When I have asked Ministry officials about these issues they have assured me that everything is...
I, and my BC Green caucus colleagues, have been canvassing initiatives on innovation from various government ministries in question period this week. There are so many opportunities for the provincial government to grow our economy through unleashing the creative power of British Columbians if we take tangible steps...
In Bill 46, government is amending the South Coast Transportation Act to increase the ability of TransLink to increase the allowable parking rights tax rate as per the request of the Metro Vancouver Mayors' Council. The change increases the percentage rate to 24% from 21% and providing up to $10 million more revenue...
British Columbians are the last people in Canada paying a highly regressive medical services plan premium. They are regressive because no matter your income you pay the same amount. Andrew Weaver has been working to try to get government to change their approach and create a more progressive system. Shortly before the...
The provincial government is moving to amend the BC Assessment Act to allow them to continue qualifying properties based on their current use rather than their highest and best use. There is no question that assessment, mill rates and tax rolls has the ability to make eyes roll, glaze over and to put you to sleep....