The BC NDP government released their economic framework a few weeks back. There was no fanfare and in the end it was almost as if there was no 90-page document outlining their economic agenda. There is a lot in the framework that I take issue with and I will be exploring that in the coming weeks. I'm...
Over the past couple of years, I have been touring businesses on the Saanich Peninsula and Southern Gulf Islands and sharing my experiences on my blog in a series called “Championing Local Business.” The idea came from the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and their annual Tour of Industry. For about a decade they have been organizing...
I am deeply concerned with the state of relations with Indigenous people in British Columbia and Canada. The dysfunction is a result of decades of government policy. To de-escalate the tensions that are simmering dangerously close to a rolling boil, leadership must come from the halls of Parliaments across the...
In Budget 2020 the BC NDP government continues to make incremental investments in our shared priorities like CleanBC, housing, child care, support for post secondary students and a money laundering inquiry. However, the budget falls short of delivering the coherent, ambitious and modern economic agenda that British...
As a father of two children in elementary and middle school, childcare has been a constant concern for our family over the last decade. Like many of my peers, balancing the demands of work and family is difficult and requires many sacrifices. In addition to increasing cost of living – housing, food, transportation, clothing, hydro etc. – the cost...
The 2020 Speech from the Throne was overwhelmed by the well-publicized protests that nearly shut down the British Columbia legislature. For the most part the Speech was a recap of work that has been accomplished by our minority government through the Confidence and Supply Agreement...
With the dramatic protests that unfolded around the legislative precinct on opening day of the Spring session there is much confusion about all aspects of Indigenous reconciliation going forward. I have been clear that I am deeply frustrated with the B.C. NDP's decision last Spring to deliver an taxpayer funded...
This episode of The Public Circle Podcast features a conversation I had with John Juricic and Kelly Darwin for their podcast Northern Conversations. I am re-publishing it here. There is a great deal of confusion with respect to the current state of Indigenous relations in British Columbia. There is even less understanding of how we got here. This...
In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I connect with South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP) Interim CEO Bruce Williams. This is the not the first time that Bruce and I have sat across from each other with microphones. It was the first time that I was interviewing Bruce though. Williams joined the SIPP after a successful career as a...
Akimbo is the podcast that changed it all for me. I have written about it a few times now.It’s the reason I began blogging everyday for a year. Seth’s perspective helped re-shape my approach to my personal life and my work.He recently published an episode about sportsmanship. As I listened I could not help but be reminded of the place I work....
The BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George this past week brought together resource industry leaders, provincial government officials and Indigenous leaders to discuss how we can enhance sustainability and competitiveness in British Columbia’s resource sector, and, for the first time the BC Greens attended.Natural resources have been the...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeYZloMtJac[/embedyt] I have definitely appreciated the words of encouragement I’ve received regarding my trip to Wet’suwet’en territory. It's been a challenging week and I thank you for your support. The Wet’suwet’en have a rich and beautiful culture and I was honoured to have the opportunity to learn...
MLA Adam Olsen says Wet’suwet’en supporters have democratic right to protest This week I saw my riding grapple with mixed emotions to the protesters who blocked the Swartz Bay ferry terminal for two hours in what they said was an act of solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs who are opposed to the Coastal Gas Link pipeline currently...
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5g8kJQn3dc[/embedyt] I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak at the IMPACT Sustainability Travel and Tourism Conference at the Victoria Conference Centre.My career in public service started at the front window at the Mt. Newton McDonald's but many of my perspectives today were formed first in the dish...
Media AdvisoryFor immediate releaseJanuary 16, 2020VICTORIA, B.C. - B.C. Green Party interim leader MLA Adam Olsen has been invited by the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs to visit their camps in northern B.C. this weekend.“As the new interim leader of the B.C. Green Party, I believe it is important to be engaged on these issues, and I am honoured...
I just finished Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism.I have a habit of taking on many priorities and need to learn and practice the art of doing less better. It’s a mantra repeated through the book and it’s good advice. McKeown points to the teaching of Lao Tzu - “to attain knowledge add things everyday to attain wisdom subtract things everyday.”I...
I am deeply touched by all the well wishes yesterday on my 44th birthday! HÍSW̱ḴE (Thank you!) The benefit of social media is that we can nurture connections with so many people. It's the reason why I found the platforms so intriguing way back in 2007. Of course there are also many drawbacks to social media, many of which I have explored here in...
With respect to the ongoing situation in the Wet’suwet’en territory the primary imperative and responsibility of all should be to find a just, peaceful, and respectful resolution. I and my BC Green Party colleagues remain committed to doing whatever we can to help make that happen. This situation is a legacy of Canada’s colonial history. Growing...
In this episode of The Public Circle Podcast I connect with youth climate activist Emma-Jane Burian. We recorded this conversation in late Fall 2019 and admittedly I have been slow in publishing it. No matter, here it is. Burian is a grade 12 student who lives in Victoria but grew up in Burnaby with the Trans Mountain pipeline running through her...
I have been taking the time to learn about myself. However, as I near my 44th birthday, I'm still a complex puzzle that requires patience, long-suffering and sticktoitiveness to figure out.We are not born with an operating manual and, adding to the challenge, are the countless influences of all the other humans around us who are also trying to...
Over the past year, I have woven into this blog strands of my personal pursuit for physical, emotional and spiritual well-being together with political philosophy, governance and stories of partisan games-playing. The content here is heavily influenced by my work as a Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, random articles and my...
On many pages of this blog I urge and encourage the provincial government to protect, nurture and enhance ecosystems. I regularly stand in the legislature and address the habitat degradation and wildlife extinctions currently happening in British Columbia. This was brought home for us this holiday season. Silas got a new board game called...
For those of you who have been following my daily blogging for the past year - Thank you! For those of you have just found my blog - Welcome! 2019 was an incredible year. It was a year of learning and growth where some things were done well, and some things were done less well. I'm so thankful to have a loving and supportive family, to work...
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 I near the end of a string of posts highlighting my blogging over the past year I begin to slowly turn my mind to what is next. In just over a week I will be assuming the responsibility of the office of the BC Green Party leader. It's a short lived post as we will elect a new leader at the end of June. Nevertheless, there is a lot to do...
Over the past year I have published a new blog post each day. It started as a way to keep a public journal, a source of personal discipline and an excellent medium to communicate about life in provincial politics in British Columbia. Over the past couple of weeks I have been taking a little break and publishing a list from each month over the...