The Camosun Innovates program receives “Technology Access Centre” grant (or TAC grant) funding from the federal government as part of the of the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s “College and Community Innovation” program. In 2017, it was one of the only BC institutions to win a CCI grant award....
With the framework for legalizing the recreational use of cannabis moving through the legislature, the provincial government must legislate how it will be distributed. Bill 31 creates the distribution rules for recreational cannabis. Leveraging the well-established liquor distribution system, the province, will at...
The Government of Canada is legalizing cannabis. The provincial government must now develop a framework for the legal recreational consumption of cannabis. Bill 30 is the legislation to control and license the newly legalized industry in British Columbia. Critics on both sides have pushed on this legislation. It has...
Bill 23 creates residential rental tenure zoning. The initiative is perhaps the first of its kind provides local governments a tool to ensure important rental housing assets remain rental housing and that town councils can identify areas to zone future rental housing. The Bill amends the Local Government Act and the...
Indigenous place names have marked and identified important locations throughout British Columbia for countless generations. Following contact and settlement of European people new names were added and signs were erected. Bill 19 expands parkland and begins to reattach Indigenous place names to those important places....
With the legalization of cannabis coming later this summer, the federal government has but the provincial government's under considerable strain to ensure that our laws are consistent. Unfortunately, much of the federal framework is still unknown greater an even bigger problem for the province's. Ending drugged...
The BC Greens campaigned on evidence-based decision-making. We have often criticized government for making a political decision, or decisions that benefit a donor. Bill 18 is mandating local governments to complete and publish a housing needs assessment every five years. The goal of this legislation is to collect data...
The quota system implemented by the federal government has essentially privatized a public natural resource. The result has been that large corporations have purchased the quotas consolidating them and making it harder for owner operators and smaller operations to compete. Since moving in this direction there are far...
For the past several months I have stood several times in the legislature in defence of wild Pacific salmon. Folks might be wondering why? As a person of W̱SÁNEĆ heritage, I come from an ancient line of reefnet (SW̱OLE) fishermen. We have strong teachings about our relationship with all living things around us, even...
I have made it abundantly clear, I care a lot about wild salmon. It is the most important renewable natural resource on the coast of British Columbia. The provincial government is waffling on whether they are going to extend or cancel the permits for the open net pen fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago. They could...
Canada and British Columbia continue to act like resource colonies, supplying the world with raw resources. It has not always been like that we once had bustling coastal and rural communities that refined natural resources, adding value and manufacturing made in British Columbia products. So, while we chase Kinder...
Historically, as women enter professions, they have seen a reduction in both pay and prestige. This has been the case across the spectrum and is now being repeated in the attention to their mental health has received. While the gender pay gap is well known, the gender PTSD and workplace stress gap is less so. Work...
Government has introduced a Bill to address the growing problem with renovictions and compensating tenants who are evicted due to renovations, demolitions and manufactured home park closures. Balancing the need to upgrade rental units and keep housing affordable in an environment where the market is out of control is...
Protecting our coastline I responded to a Private Members' Motion that was originally put forward by MLA Dan Davies (Peace River North). As Mr. Davies is away, MLA Peter Milobar (Kamloops-North Thompson) put the motion on the floor. The motion is as follows... Be it resolved that this House urge the Government of B.C....
This week in question period I and my BC Green Caucus colleagues, Andrew Weaver and Sonia Furstenau, focussed our line of questioning on the natural gas industry. In late March, the provincial government announced an aggressive package of incentives to LNG Canada to attract a final investment decision on their project in Kitimat, BC. In fact, the...
You might remember the controversial firings of health researchers in 2012. It ended very poorly! Bill 13 amends the Public Service Act implementing recommendations empower the Merit Commissioner to review just-cause firings. In summary, four health workers were publicly dismissed and the government announced that...
Corporate welfare expanding... This week in Question Period my colleagues, Andrew Weaver and Sonia Furstenau, and I have been asking the government about their energy policy which is nothing more than an extension of the BC Liberals policy. Instead of establishing a visionary transformation to a low-carbon 21st...
There is a shocking and growing disconnect between human beings and all the other species that we share planet earth with. It is time to sharpen the edge, sharpen the focus and apologize to our ancestors and frankly do better for our children and grandchildren. Thank you to Emily Olsen for sharing these beautiful...
Following a six-month pilot project for a youth health clinic started by Dr. Kate Evans, it appears it is here to stay! There was need not just for physical but also for mental health support and Dr. Evans' program not only got the support of the South Island Division of Family Practice, Peninsula Medical Clinic, the...
What is up with the advertising spending? During the last four years of the BC Liberals the BC NDP harshly criticized the former government for spending millions of dollars of taxpayers money on what amounted to partisan campaign ads. Well, recent reports have come out that even though we have an NDP government, the...
In Budget 2018, the provincial government proposed several measures in an attempt to deal with a massive housing affordability crisis in British Columbia. One of the measures was a "speculation tax" which was part of the BC Green Caucus housing policy announced in earlier this year. There have been many concerns...
I had the opportunity to celebrate the provincial government's commitment to Indigenous language revitalization. I thank BCNDP MLA Bowinn Ma for her powerful response. This is a transformative step in our long journey of reconciliation. [Transcript] Adam Olsen My name is SȾHENEP. I grew up in the WJOȽEȽP village of...
For four straight days in Question Period me and my BC Green colleagues have been asking government about their wild fish policy. We have noted that up to six different provincial ministries and one federal department all have responsibility for this file. Essentially, the policy is fractured, leaving wild salmon and...
In our ongoing series, about how government plays an essential role in working to support the dedication and passion of people and organizations in our communities, I turn my attention to the Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust. Their project called "The Root" received a $100,000 grant from the Rural Dividend Fund last...
Budget 2018 has some good news on transportation. There are a handful of policy changes that will help decrease the costs for people who live in ferry dependent communities. Commitments were made to invest transit which I welcome in Saanich North and the Islands and the Capital Regional District. [Transcript] This...
In Budget 2018, the British Columbia government makes a transformative investment in the restoration of Indigenous languages. Our province is the most linguistically diverse in Canada and many Indigenous languages have been lost or are near extinction. Reconnecting to language is a critical step forward in...