On Tuesday, I had the chance to speak to Bill 12, the Intimate Images Protection Act. This critical piece of legislation makes it unlawful to distribute, or threaten to distribute, intimate images without consent. The Bill includes provisions allowing survivors to seek monetary damages and have their images removed...
This week, I spoke to Bill 15, the Vital Statistics Amendment Act. Bill 15 will remove the requirement for sex to be on a birth certificate and allow people over 12 to receive care without needing confirmation from a psychologist or a doctor. While there is more work to be done, these are important steps forward that...
Last Tuesday, I spoke to Bill 13, the Pay Transparency Act. While this Bill makes moderate steps forward, pay transparency alone does little to change the discrimination women and other marginalized people face at work. What we need in BC is pay equity. The cost of not addressing pay inequity is borne by women. They...
In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Jonathan Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. Chapter. He has worked in the sector for the past two decades and we start our conversation discussing how he got started and what he and the CMHA is doing today. We cover a variety of relevant topics including, • The...
Housing projects are moving ahead on Salt Spring Island! It feels good to be able to publish those words. Minister David Eby, BC Housing and the Capital Regional District announced a partnership to develop a project that includes permanent individual supported housing and shelter spaces on a CRD owned site located on Drake Road. The project will...
I am concerned about the growing inequality in primary health care. In Saanich North and the Islands there is a doctor’s clinic that has a membership fee. This is a concerning situation and frankly I am surprised that this is happening under the BC NDP. In 2017, the provincial government began a reorganization of primary care services. The focus...
Would you use rapid tests for COVID-19 if the BC government made them available? I did this quick poll on Twitter the other day and as you can see 90% of the 1300+ people who responded would use a rapid test. The BC Green Caucus has been advocating for access to rapid tests for more than a year. While governments around the world roll them out as...
Over the past year, we have heard many stories on the nightly news about the tragic COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care homes. Throughout the first wave of the global pandemic our elders, specifically those living in care facilities, were the most threatened by the virus. As a result of changes to staffing protocols, limited access and a...
In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I am interviewed by Jason Goertzen. We discuss family life in politics. Jason is the Chaplain at the British Columbia Legislature with Leading Influence Ministries. Since my election in 2017 I have enjoyed many conversations with Jason, he has provided a kind and compassionate ear, and calm advice...
There was a time not too long ago when Premier John Horgan and the BC NDP government were more collaborative, more inclusive, more accountable, and more transparent. Through the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic all three political parties were involved in informing decisions. The BC NDP worked closely with the BC Green Caucus, maintaining the...
When I delivered the news last summer that the BC Green Caucus could not support the proposed amendments to Bill 22: The Mental Health Amendment Act, Premier John Horgan was angry. He expected us to fall into line and later he made it clear our lack of support for the bill was a prominent factor in his decision to pull down his minority...
As the fall approaches, there is growing tension in our province as we anticipate a second wave of COVID-19. Today I asked the Premier what this government will do differently if we face a second wave in the fall, and how we can ensure our systems and structures can protect the mental health and...
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...
After a brief unintended hiatus from the podcast Adam Olsen and Nick Gilchrist resume their conversation about life in British Columbia politics. It has been a busy year and with the original week 7 episode languishing in the dustbin of unpublished podcasts, this second attempt will be much more successful - it will be published. Part of the...
As we head into the Fall, I’ve been hearing from constituents again about the healthcare challenges on the Saanich Peninsula. The challenges with the current system didn’t magically disappear over the summer and in fact there have been some tragic cases presented to me that are a result of the ongoing struggle people are having with primary care...
I met hundreds of people who stopped by the BC Greens tent at the Saanich Fair on Labour Day weekend. We talked about a lot of different topics and covered a lot of ground. One group I met were from an advocacy organization called Access BC - a youth-run initiative to get free prescription contraceptives for all British Columbians, similar to...
Pffft. It’s all good. No hurry, do it later.... There was a time not too long ago that I was in no hurry to do much. My life was ruled by vicious cycles of a time of procrastination followed by a time of mad scrambles. Generally, I was able to accomplish my to do list but it was not without challenges. I can clearly remember some Sunday evenings...
The days are getting shorter. Each morning is darker for my walk. The daylight is giving way to dusk earlier each evening and the cool air quickly chills the summer heat as soon as the sun drops below the horizon. These are the signs that Autumn is just around the corner. My kids don’t think it’s as fun as I do to talk about the start of yet...
Coming out of the Spring session this past June, I was wholly dissatisfied with my overall health and well-being.There is no comparison to much of the state of my affairs throughout my thirties, however I could see three years' effort beginning to slip away.2016 was a turning point for me. It started with one of those brutally honest...
It’s really not an exceptional idea. I imagine that many of you reading this post might have cooked a healthy meal to a "Chill Mix" playlist last night. Like me, you may have sat deeply satisfied in your living room with smirked mirth on your face and in your heart. The garlic, ginger and onion juice still on my fingertips are the aromatic...
One of the primary realizations I've made in my brief time in provincial politics is how easy it is to slip into an unhealthy lifestyle. Without careful attention to my overall fitness, personal wellbeing quickly gets lost in the background noise. There is a lot of background noise.Winning is the focus of partisan politics. Not winning together...
It’s no secret our family doctors are stressed and stretched thin. On the Saanich Peninsula, nearly a third of us do not have a family doctor. Unfortunately, the problem goes much deeper. In the next few years many of the doctors practicing in our communities will retire. There is a crisis in primary health care.I see the people lining the...