There is a growing movement of acknowledging the territory of Indigenous people. It has become a familiar opening to meetings and events run by government.It is an important evolution in Canadian society. But, we must continue to challenge the status quo and demand better. It is critical that we know why we do these...
[UPDATE] I have received a response from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. BC Housing has entered into a lease agreement with a local farmer to harvest hay. The lease has a strong covenant to comply with environmental laws and a related indemnity not to use or permit to be used any harmful or hazardous...
Do you need a family doctor? Approximately one third of my constituents living on the Saanich Peninsula do not have a family doctor. The crisis could become a lot worse as many doctors are close to retirement. This issue is by no means restricted to Saanich North and the Islands. It is an issue felt in communities...
It is not very often that Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) will stand and continue the debate on a Bill at 3rd reading. It's as unusual for MLA's to vote 14 times on a Bill. By 3rd reading most of the substantive work is done. There is a considerable amount of opportunity to debate legislation at 2nd reading....
Wage inequality is an important issue for British Columbians. We often think of this issue as being a 1%/99% issue. But what about in the same workplace? This week the official opposition has been asking questions about contracts and a decision to offer low-wage redress to unionized social-care workers and not offer...
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...