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Salmon stories and Howard English Hatchery

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...

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Lobbying reform continues in British Columbia

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...

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Celebrating Character Abbotsford

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...

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Regulating mega-mansions on agricultural land

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...

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Honouring Dieppe veteran Ken Curry

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...

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Paying respects to Mike Fleming

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...

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Controlling sea lice and fish farms

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...

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Innovating forestry in British Columbia

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...

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Parking, congestion and transit

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...

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Goodbye MSP, hello payroll tax

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...

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Assessing the BC Assessment Amendment Act

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....

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What about the family doctor crisis?

Since my election as the MLA in May 2017, I have had many meetings in my office and hundreds more emails, from constituents who do not have a family doctor. The lack of access to primary care is not just in Saanich North and the Islands but in ridings all across British Columbia. This long-standing issue was even the...

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Addressing housing tax measures

After many months of speculation about what was going to be contained in the bill enabling the speculation and vacancy tax that was proposed by the BC NDP government it was finally tabled and I stood and spoke at second reading. [Transcript] I rise to take my place in the debate on the speculation and vacancy tax...

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Debating the climate emergency

BC Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver called for an emergency debate in the BC Legislature to respond to the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations (http://www.ipcc.ch/) "on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global...

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Pro-Rep is about fairness and your power

Pro-Rep is about fairness and your power

It's about fairness The referendum on proportional representation is about fairness. It is about ensuring that the will of British Columbians on election day is reflected in legislature. Under the current first-past-the-post system our power, the power of the people, is consolidated into one party, usually through a false majority. Meaning, that...

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Funding Translink with DCC’s through Bill 33

The government has committed to funding 40% of the Metro Vancouver Mayors' 10-year transportation plan. Investments in transit and alternative transportation options to the single-occupant vehicle are greatly needed in the lower mainland, capital region and other areas in the province. We could be doing much better...

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