Thoughts on BC Politics and More

New data from the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) finds that the NDP government’s mineral permitting system is falling behind and putting investment, jobs, and economic growth at risk. According to AME, the Mineral Claims Consultation Framework (MCCF), introduced in March 2025 to streamline permitting, is now doing the opposite. The median wait time for mineral claims has climbed to 143 days, well beyond the government’s own 90–120 day service standard, with only 14.8% of applications processed on time. “Today’s data proves this government isn’t speeding up permitting, it’s slowing it down,” said Gavin Dew, Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, Innovation and AI.  “Projects are being delayed during crucial week stages, investment is being driven away, and British Columbia is missing a generational opportunity in critical minerals.” AME also warns that a growing backlog is overwhelming the system, with some claims sitting for up to a year and others delayed mo...

The BC Conservative Caucus is calling on the NDP government to come clean with British Columbians about their proposed amendments to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) and to immediately end the secretive process that is sowing doubt, creating confusion, and undermining public confidence in reconciliation. For weeks, the NDP government has insisted it is committed to transparency and partnership. But its actions tell a different story. According to public reporting, the government has circulated proposed DRIPA changes behind closed doors, shielded key documents from public scrutiny, and required non-disclosure agreements before some First Nations leaders could even review the details. At the same time, the broader public has been kept in the dark about what exactly the government wants to change, why it wants those changes, and what the legal and economic consequences could be. That is not how a serious government builds trust. And it is not how a governmen...

This week in Ottawa, yet another private member’s bill became the focus of considerable attention. This time, it was Bill C‑242, known as the Jail Not Bail Act, introduced by Conservative MP Arpan Khanna, who represents Oxford, Ontario. For those who attended my recent crime forum in Kelowna, MP Khanna participated as a guest, taking the time to listen directly to the serious concerns residents raised about crime in our community. The issue of repeat violent offenders being released only to re‑offend is not abstract—it is a reality that many families and businesses here in Kelowna are confronting. I have met with the City of Kelowna on this matter, which has clearly documented the significant and growing impact this problem is having locally. Similar concerns are being raised by residents and local leaders in communities across my riding. It is also important to recognize how we arrived at this point. In 2018, the Trudeau Liberal government passed Bill C‑75, amending the Criminal Code ...

IMAGE CREDIT : Govt of BC   While it’s a “ No ” to SOGI for me, the issue has returned to the forefront of political conversation, as the Conservative Party of BC continue the process of electing a new party leader. The pro-SOGI argument sounds compelling on the surface, but it leaves out a key reality that people aren’t reacting to SOGI because they “ don’t understand it ,” they’re reacting because they see how it’s actually being applied in classrooms and feel they’ve been left out of the conversation. Saying SOGI is “ just about belonging ” oversimplifies it. In practice, it’s not just posters and storybooks. There have been real examples in BC where parents raised concerns about age appropriateness and transparency. School districts have used SOGI resources that go beyond basic anti bullying and move into identity-based discussions that some parents feel should be introduced at home first, not assumed by the system.  For example, the issue of parental notification around g...

Where was this Pierre Poilievre during the 2025 campaign? I have listened to Pierre Poilievre for years, going back to his early days in Stephen Harper's government. I've written many times that he is a great orator. Tom Mulcair has said the same thing. But during the 2025 campaign we had a guy that lacked passion most of the time, sure he had a few moments, but at times he seemed completely out of place. His Leaders' Debate performance was weak and considering it was against Jagmeet Singh, an average orator, and a novice in Mark Carney he should have won outright. He came up short in that debate with a lackluster non-Poilievre caliber performance. Hearing that he did the Joe Rogan podcast I was apprehensive. I didn't expect much. Let me just say, the opening lines on MAiD and depression were terrible and showed two men speaking on a topic they clearly did not understand. So that was a bad start for me. Full disclosure: I have a relative that suffe...

Image Credit:   Provincial Agricultural Land Commission     The Conservative Official Opposition says job cuts announced yesterday (03/23) at British Columbia’s Agricultural Land Commission are going to hurt working farmers and farm families who need timely decisions from government to stay in business.   “Farmers tell me it can sometimes take forever to get an answer from the Agricultural Land Commission,” said Ian Paton, MLA for Delta South and Conservative Critic for Agriculture and Food. “I’m worried that these cuts will take away front-line staff and make the whole process even slower than it already is.” “If farmers need to make an application - whether it’s for a new barn, or a second dwelling to keep a second generation working on the farm – they rely on the Commission to make a decision in a reasonable time frame. At a time when farming is already in dire straits, why would you be making it tougher to carry on?” “Agriculture needs all the help it can ge...

This morning, I shared information regarding a new Mainstreet Research poll of BC Conservative members that shows two candidates are basically neck-and-neck in support to become the next leader of the party. The poll shows Caroline Elliott with 21.2 percent support, closely followed by Peter Milobar at 20.8 percent. Iain Black, in this poll, is a distant third with just 8.4 percent support. After seeing and reading the story, Chelsea Meadus had this to say: The weighted vote means it really might not matter who is popular. The 3rd place winner could win as leader; that’s how Andrew Wilkinson won. If this vote goes three rounds. People need to understand how the vote works.  For me the most important factor is someone who currently is NOT an MLA. The infighting and lack of unity requires an outsider. The lack of training is really impacting some riding’s. Some of these new MLAs have no idea what they are doing, and nobody is noticing except their voters. Someone who is already in t...