This past weekend we were walking around Elk/Beaver Lake and ran into a Cabinet Minister along the way. “Good afternoon!” I said. “Hello,” she replied. “Hey you are going the wrong way!” I smirked. “That’s what you always say about us!” She shot back with a smile. We continued on our way. A little while down the road Emily quietly encouraged me,...
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...
One of the most important aspects of being an elected official is to know what you are voting on. There have been times throughout my decade-long political career when it was clear that one or more of my colleagues clearly did not do their homework. No doubt our work is complex. It requires an inquisitive mind and you have to be a quick learner....
Politics will never be easy. There are seemingly countless layers of personal, public and private interests to understand and respect in even the simplest issue.Politics is people work. It's emotional and so it comes with peaks and valleys. Everything we do will impact someone, or everyone, and so each and every decision is important.How we...
Sundays. Remember when everything was closed on Sundays? It wasn’t that long ago. My parents never worked on Sunday. We would go to Sunday School and church in the morning, and in the afternoon we spent time as a family. Times have changed in the past few decades. More and more, Sunday is just like any other day of the week on the calendar. There...
Budget Estimates is an oft-overlooked aspect of our work in the legislature.Once legislators have passed the budget the debate moves to Estimates. This is an opportunity for members of the opposition to ask direct questions to the Minister about their budget.In reality, the questions are wide ranging and rarely stick to just the current budget...
I heard a quote the other day, "They act out of fear of consequence, not out of conscience - Why? because you reward them for it!" CNN anchor and Sirius XM host Chris Cuomo was talking about politicians. Cuomo is brash. This quote comes from the middle of a rant about the political divide in the United States. It was actually very good, perhaps...
I change things up a little for the sixth episode of The Public Circle Podcast. The BC NDP put Bill 10, Income Tax Amendment Act (2019) up for debate this week. If you have been following my blog then you will already have some indication of my response to the Bill. In this podcast, I am publishing my second reading debate speech, and responses...
We quit cable television. Our quitting started this time last year. Actually, the downsizing of our relationship with our communications service provider began 4 years ago. The home phone was the first to go. It sat quietly for a year or two before finally being taken off the counter for good. Our new home that we built in 2015 has never seen a...
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...
It was a big week in the legislature.The BC NDP put an income tax amendment act on the table which legislates the tax regime for LNG Canada. It is just one part of a $6 billion expansion of the corporate welfare program first offered by the BC Liberals.They are also giving them breaks on PST, cost of electricity and the carbon tax. It's a pretty...
Head north down Mcdonald Park Rd. then turn right down an unmarked fire-lane just before the Sidney Feed Barn and you will find Titan Boats.After accidentally walking into the engineering team’s office, I discovered Titan operates in several buildings...specifically 5,400 sq. feet of fabrication space and another 1,600 sq. ft shop for outfitting...
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...
The delete button is getting a good work out this morning. It is so difficult to wind my way through the complex web of misdirection, miscalculation and misinformation about LNG in British Columbia. At a time when children — 8 and 9 year olds — are gathering in front of buildings like the ones where I work and asking people like me to make better...
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...
Are you familiar with forest therapy? Or, maybe you know it as forest bathing? Perhaps as Shinrin-Yoku?Last week was a mixed-bag when it came to forests and big old trees. On one hand, another ancient forest was shaved off the hillside on Saturna Island. And on the other hand, rather coincidentally, my constituency office team was scheduled to...
Congestion.It’s a problem.Drive into downtown Victoria or Vancouver.Frustrating!There are too many cars!The traffic lights are timed incorrectly.Or, maybe my trip is timed incorrectly.What happened to all the parking spots?There are lots and lots of cars.But, there are more empty seats.Single occupant vehicles.Overwhelm the road. Transit.It’s not...
In the fifth episode of The Public Circle Podcast, I connect with Donna Petrie, Executive Director and Event Liaison with the Sidney Business Improvement Area Society (BIA). Donna has led the BIA for the past 5 years. Established in 2013, the BIA is now in the second year of its renewed 5-year mandate. It began through a concerted effort from...
Have you ever heard of Dick Goin? Dick and his family moved to the Olympic Peninsula during the depression of the 1930's. He lived next to the Elwha River until he passed away in 2015. On Thursday night, I had the honour of being on a panel hosted Laura Brandes of the POLIS Water Sustainability Project at the University of Victoria. It was an...
Silas and Ella are climbers. They are both in lessons at the Boulders Climbing Gym at Stelly's Secondary.They are still a little tentative to climb too high. But, a few weeks back Silas finally made it to the top of the competition wall. They love hanging around on the walls.Last Friday night we were looking for a movie, and chose The Dawn...
In a post a few weeks ago, I began to tackle a big, messy issue. A legacy issue from my time at the Central Saanich Council table - watersheds, drainage ditches, agriculture and fish. This post is about another one of those big, messy issues. Local governance and transportation in the Capital Region - traffic, congestion, bike lanes, and transit....
Property owners have the right to log their property. They have the right to raze entire ecosystems. In spite of decades of evidence showing the devastating effects of clear cut logging, unfortunately it's still legal for people to strip their property to the skin. Most of the Saanich Peninsula is already bare. But, there are still some beautiful...
Editing is the most terrifying thing about publishing a blog post each day. My initial fear was that the difficulty would be in finding enough content. But, if I am open, curious and free to inquiry, and have the courage to share, topics of interest fall in front of me. Once a few hundred words are on the screen, the editing process begins....
Emily is hosting a workshop series called "Magic!". I had the opportunity to attend my first one last week.The focus was creativity. The session was a wonderfully random collection of creativity."Are you creative?""Do you consider yourself to be a creative person?"While paint does not seem to turn into beautiful landscapes for me. And, nor do...
On Feb. 26, I and my BC Green Caucus colleagues, called for a full independent public inquiry into money-laundering in British Columbia.The call came after two weeks of questions in Question Period on the deeply troubling connections in our casinos, real estate market, luxury cars, horse racing, drug cartels and opioid crisis.Our Attorney...