Well-being

A step forward — legal penalties for non-consensual sharing of intimate images, videos & deepfakes

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...

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Bill 13 does not go far enough in ensuring pay equity for women and other marginalized groups.

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...

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PODCAST: Jonathan Morris, CEO B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association

PODCAST: Jonathan Morris, CEO B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association

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...

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Erosion of universal health concerning trend under BC NDP

Erosion of universal health concerning trend under BC NDP

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...

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Mental health services and supports

Mental health services and supports

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...

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PODCAST: Week 7 with Nick Gilchrist

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...

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Patient-centred healthcare

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...

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Access to free contraception

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...

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Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

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...

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It’s getting darker outside

It’s getting darker outside

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...

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The depression

The depression

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...

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Cooking with music!

Cooking with music!

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...

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Love, warmth, freedom from suffering and full of success

Love, warmth, freedom from suffering and full of success

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...

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Column: Invest wisely in primary health care

Column: Invest wisely in primary health care

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...

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