Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The old growth trees in this province are some of the oldest living things on our planet. Their value is immeasurable. Old growth forests serve as carbon sinks, habitats, and incredible systems of biodiversity, and we have a responsibility to protect them. This week we have seen more arrests at Fairy Creek as protesters fight to protect some of Vancouver’s last old growth forest.   I am concerned that there has been a lack of transparency and accountability in some of these situations, and I am disappointed at the silence of the government. They have said that they want to work collaboratively, but in order to do that they cannot continue to talk and log. This government has had the old growth review panel recommendations for over a year, and now time is running out. We owe it to the future to protect the last ancient forests in our province. BC's Restart Plan As we enter a new phase of this (COVID-19) pandemic with the new restart plan this week, I am hopeful tha...

Premier John Horgan has issued the following statement about the burial site at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School:   “I am horrified and heartbroken to learn that the burial site of 215 children has been confirmed on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. I honour Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc as they grapple with this burden from a dark chapter of Canadian history and uphold their commitment to complete this investigation over the coming weeks – bringing to light the full truth of this loss.   “Each child has been forever taken from a family and a community that loved them. This is a tragedy of unimaginable proportions. And it is a stark example of the violence the Canadian residential school system inflicted upon Indigenous peoples and how the consequences of these atrocities continue to this day.   “The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc people have said they are the caretakers of these children, as some would have been b...

BC’s Conservatives are concerned that another summer means more sleepless nights for tourism companies, those who rely on employment from the industry, and communities that have thrived on the annual visits of tourists in the past. The leader of the Conservatives in BC, Trevor Bolin, observed, “Last summer and into fall, I decided to be a tourist in my own province exploring the far northern part of the province and the Yukon with my family.     We travelled the world-famous Alaska Highway and visited communities that at one time were bustling with tourists, and which instead, for the most part, had empty campgrounds and restaurants. Sadly, in each town we also found vacant tourism attractions.”   Bolin continued, “On National Tourism Week, we have a message for Premier John Horgan, and his government. Our province not only deserves, but desperately needs, a well laid-out plan moving forward to get this province back in the black.  I am gravely concer...

  This week in the BC Legislature the NDP government passed its legislation to implement a 3-day sick leave program for employees who are ill due to COVID-19, and who work for companies that don't have the capacity to offer sick leave. The legislation also gives the government the ability to implement, through regulation, a permanent sick leave program for the province. Providing sick pay is long overdue for workers in BC, and while this bill is inadequate to meet the needs of people, it is a start.   I introduced two amendments to the bill. The first proposed that government bring the permanent program back to the Legislature for review. The second amendment proposed to increase sick leave due to COVID-19 from the proposed 3 days to 5 days.  This would have gone further to bridge the gap between the provincial and federal programs.   What I had hoped to achieve with the first amendment was to provide the gove...