British Columbia

BC NDP Must Stop Undermining Democracy and Trust in Government

BC NDP Must Stop Undermining Democracy and Trust in Government

Throughout the year, I have repeatedly expressed concerns about how our provincial government has shown contempt for democratic debate and our democratic institutions. This is evident in how they manage legislative agenda. In the legislative assembly, this issue is often seen as "insider baseball," meaning it is important to those who work there,...

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Looking back at 2022: Housing, healthcare, governance, transportation, forestry, biodiversity and more

Looking back at 2022: Housing, healthcare, governance, transportation, forestry, biodiversity and more

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Season’s Greetings and best wishes in 2023! In this final edition of the year, I take an extensive look back at my blog posts and highlight a handful of emerging themes. I am sure there are items missing from this year in review, however, I think you will get a sense of the volume of work ahead in Saanich North and the...

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Protecting Biodiversity in British Columbia: A Priority for 2023

MLA Column: Green MLAs voice concerns over Bamberton project

If you have been in the Saanich Inlet recently, or live on its shores, you may have seen a growing quarry on the industrial site at the former Bamberton cement plant. Adam grew up on his father’s fishing boat in the Saanich Inlet and remembers trawling past the Bamberton industrial site thousands of times. The site had been a contentious property...

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BC NDP fails to protect biodiversity while promoting economic values of natural resources above all else

BC NDP fails to protect biodiversity while promoting economic values of natural resources above all else

As I write this, world leaders gather in Montreal for the next two weeks for COP15, the United Nations summit on biodiversity. They are discussing our fractured relationship with the natural environment. For my colleague, Sonia Furstenau (MLA, Cowichan Valley) and I in the BC Green Caucus, biodiversity has been a key issue since we signed the...

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Changing the law is the first step in improving Indigenous child welfare in British Columbia

The good news is that the Ministry of Children and Family Development has taken the first step in improving Indigenous child welfare in British Columbia. As the Minister said in her introductory speech of Bill 38: Indigenous Self-Government in Child and Family Services Amendment Act, "this proposed legislation would...

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Changes coming to WorkSafeBC

Bill 41 makes seven key changes to the Workers Compensation Act to better support workers (detailed below). Five of these changes fulfil recommendations from the Patterson report; all of the recommendations work to bring BC in line with other Canadian jurisdictions. - This legislation establishes a more independent...

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Update: Week 16 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

Update: Week 16 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Welcome to my weekly update for November 6, 2022! Another busy week in the BC Legislative Assembly is complete and now we begin two weeks in the constituency before returning for one final week of the Fall sitting. As the Assembly does not sit on weeks with statutory holidays, we were scheduled to be closed for next week so...

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Protecting Biodiversity in British Columbia: A Priority for 2023

MLA Column: Municipal candidates show dedication to community

With the 2022 local government and school district elections in the books, I want to raise my hands in gratitude to all our friends, family and neighbours who courageously put their names on the ballot for our consideration. Congratulations to all the newly elected and re-elected mayors and councillors in Saanich North and the Islands. I look...

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Update: Week 15 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

Update: Week 15 – 3rd Session, 42nd Parliament

ÍY SȻÁĆEL (Good Day), Welcome to my weekly update for October 30, 2022! MLAs returned to Victoria for the third week of the Fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly. The BC NDP leadership event is now completed and former Attorney General, David Eby, has been confirmed to be the next Premier of British Columbia. We await his swearing in ceremony...

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