Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

ADAM OLSEN – I will be most interested in how the BC NDP government approaches the confluence of urgent crises facing our province

I listened to Elizabeth Weil’s article This isn’t the California I married on The Daily podcast recently. It is well-researched and exhaustive, and I recommend all British Columbians give it a listen. I hope you will invest 40 minutes in this excellent piece.



Writing about elected officials Weil notes, “you’re governing for the world you and your constituents wish you still lived in, a place you may even believe you still inhabit. But it’s gone.”

This was written in the context of forest, specifically landscape and wildfire, management. However, as I look forward to the upcoming Speech from the Throne and Budget 2022, I will be most interested in how the BC NDP government approaches the confluence of urgent crises facing our province.

Are they governing for the world they wished still existed? Or will they finally clearly articulate a vision for how they intend on addressing the present, and how we can build resilience for the future?

This will become much clearer in early February when the BC NDP rolls out their 2022 objectives, plan, and fiscal framework.

Will we continue to see an insular majority government motivated by the pursuit of gaining and maintaining power? Or will the BC NDP acknowledge that with all the challenges we face, there is little usefulness for politicians and political parties to cling to a 20th century style of government that is clearly part of the world we used to live in that is now gone.

We will find out soon whether the leadership they are prepared to provide is the collaborative leadership we need to address the social, environmental, and economic emergencies confronting us.

From the whole team in our Community Office, I wish you the absolute best in 2022 and look forward to connecting with you as the year progresses.

As usual if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca or 250-655-5600.


Adam Olsen,
Green Party MLA
Saanich North and the Islands

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

NDP Government Blames Everyone but Themselves

The federal government has announced new measures to support British Columbia's forestry sector, including $65 million in funding for projects across the province. While any support is welcome, it falls far short of the level of assistance other provinces have secured for key industries. Conservative Forests Critic Ward Stamer says the NDP government needs to take responsibility for its mismanagement of B.C.’s forest industry instead of trying to pass on the blame. Despite promising to create more jobs in the forest sector, the NDP government has overseen the loss of thousands of forestry jobs and 21 mill closures which have devastated communities. “If Premier Eby spent more time addressing the regulatory issues impacting the forestry sector than he did complaining about the federal government, we would not be in the position we are now,” said Stamer. “And instead of trying to place the blame for mill closures on Donald Trump, Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar should t...

Tourists Rack Up $200M in Unpaid Health Bills While BC Patients Wait Years for Care

While British Columbians wait years for basic medical care, the NDP government has allowed non-residents to rack up $200.6 million in unpaid health bills since 2020-2021. New research from SecondStreet.org, obtained through a freedom of information request, revealed that people from outside Canada are coming to BC, receiving health services, and leaving without paying their bills.  The losses span every health region in the province. "British Columbians are not guaranteed timely access to healthcare, be it treatment or diagnostics, and this situation continues to deteriorate under the NDP," said Anna Kindy, MLA for North Island and Critic for Health. "Taxpayers are footing the bill for tourists' health treatments to the tune of over $200 million, enough to cover over 21,000 hip replacements in this province while British Columbians wait months to years for that surgery.” The research found BC has the worst record of any province in Canada examined so far. Under a dec...

NDP Finance Minister Given "F" on Report Card by Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centres and Official Opposition Finance Critic, released the following statement in response to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's 2026 Finance Minister Report Card, which ranked BC Finance Minister Brenda Bailey dead last among provincial finance ministers in Canada with an overall grade of "F":  "British Columbians didn't need a report card to know things are headed in the wrong direction. They see it every time they pay their bills, try to buy a home, or watch another government deficit pile up. But now an independent national organization has confirmed that NDP Brenda Bailey is the worst-rated finance minister in Canada. "After nearly a decade of decline under this NDP government, British Columbia has become a province where people pay more, government borrows more, and families get less in return. We have some of the highest debt in the country, repeated credit downgrades, and no credible plan to get our finances back on...

Labels

Show more