Thoughts on BC Politics and More

The BC government and the proponent of a controversial gas pipeline are facing two challenges in the province’s Supreme Court seeking to revoke the project’s environmental certificate.   Last week, Gitxsan Nation hereditary chief Charles Wright (also known as Luutkudziiwus) filed a request for a judicial review alleging the government failed to consult the hereditary chief and incorrectly declared the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) project as “substantially started” ... ... “We want to be clear that this isn’t about stopping the PRGT project,” Wright said in a statement Monday. “We hold rights and title to our territory, and we have a duty to fulfil our stewardship responsibilities under our own laws. That means no pipelines in Madii Lii territory”  ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Involuntary care. It's a legal process that has existed for a long time, but has gotten more attention in British Columbia as the province has looked to expand treatment for those suffering from mental illness and addiction. Involuntary care was put in the spotlight last fall, during the provincial election campaign, when Premier David Eby announced plans to expand that type of care for people with addiction. The BC Conservative Party also included involuntary care legislation in its platform.  In March, the province's recently-appointed chief scientific adviser for psychiatry shared guidance for clinicians who may be making decisions about involuntary care for adults in B.C. with substance-use disorder  ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

Negotiations between the province and its largest public sector union broke down immediately after they got started Monday, with the union calling the province’s latest offer “insulting.”  The BC General Employees’ Union said the first bargaining session since talks broke down in July were a bust after it claimed the province’s proposal fell well short of the mark.  Union president Paul Finch vowed job action will escalate.  “Until they come back with something better, we’re out”  ... CLICK HERE for the full story

... From 1828 to 1997, 140 federal residential schools operated across Canada. When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its Calls to Action in 2015, recommendation 79 addressed incorporating reconciliation in heritage work — including developing a national plan and strategy for commemorating school sites. Since then, the federal government has designated a handful of former schools as national historic sites; Shubenacadie was one of the first, in 2020. This fall, a commemorative park will open a short distance from the school, culminating the work of memorialization.  For survivors and their descendants, many of whom have worked for years to have sites officially recognized, the designations are a complex phenomenon: former schools remain profoundly painful places and some communities have fought to have schools demolished. But while the history of residential schools is indelible for many survivors, collective memory is slippery, and among survivor groups, a patient eff...

“For eight years, David Eby and the BC NDP have pushed their reckless decriminalization experiment while overdose deaths continue to climb. After the controversial firing of their last 'czar,’ they’ve appointed another one, but British Columbians are still left without answers.” “We have multiple FOI requests for Dr. Vigo’s reports to the Ministry of Health, yet months later, nothing has been released. Instead of transparency, all we’ve seen are vague promises and no clear plan to address this crisis.” “Addiction doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is fueled by a lack of mental health supports, a lack of education, and a lack of opportunities for people to build stable lives. On top of that, law enforcement has had its hands tied, leaving communities without the tools to deal with open drug use, trafficking, and crime. Mismanaged and underfunded SROs have become warehouses for addiction instead of pathways to recovery.” “British Columbians don’t need more czars or consultants. They need...

Ottawa’s story never added up. When the Canada Infrastructure Bank pushed through a $1-billion loan to BC Ferries for vessels built at a Chinese state-owned shipyard, federal ministers claimed they were “dismayed” and blindsided. Chrystia Freeland even wrote a letter to the BC government citing national security concerns. In hindsight, she and her staff were engaged in political theatre, performing shock to deflect responsibility onto Premier David Eby. Documents later showed Freeland’s own ministry of transport had been briefed six weeks before the public rollout. In one internal exchange, her staff admitted officials had received “a confidential heads-up” well in advance. Then came testimony from Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson — also responsible for the Infrastructure Bank — acknowledging the loan was already “inked” in March, before he supposedly raised concerns, a claim as hollow as Freeland’s staged outrage. The $1-billion CIB loan to BC Ferries flows directl...

“This campaign was electrifying,” Emily Lowan told supporters after bounding to the stage at a Victoria hotel. “It was a lightning rod of hope. We brought in thousands of new members to this party, many of whom were completely disillusioned with politics.” The climate activist and organizer scored a decisive win last week just days after turning 25, making her the first zoomer to lead an official party in Canada. Her victory is a sign that the climate movement still has the energy to capture voters ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In a major escalation of Canada’s response to transnational organized crime and geopolitically motivated diaspora violence, the federal government today designated the India-based Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, as a terrorist entity under Canada’s Criminal Code. The listing bars Canadians from financing or aiding the group and allows authorities to seize property and freeze accounts. Last year Canadian officials accused India of using the Bishnoi gang to carry out murders and acts of extortion targeting Canadians, particularly those who advocate for the creation of a separate Sikh country to be called Khalistan. New Delhi has rejected those claims, insisting it has been working with Ottawa to curb the gang’s financing flows into Canada. But the designation comes amid heightened tension between the two countries, following Canada’s accusations that Indian officials were involved in the 2023 assassination of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia....

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is the latest politician to wade into the precedent-setting Cowichan Nation court ruling, appealing to the federal government to try and overturn the case. “This decision creates the risk of profound harm not just to the BC economy, but to the entire Canadian economy,” Poilievre wrote in a letter to Attorney General Sean Fraser released over the weekend. “The federal government must argue in court against the Cowichan ruling, which threatens the property rights of Canadians and is already scaring away jobs and investment" ... CLICK HERE for the full story

Taxpayers deserve proof of how politicians spend their money ~~ by Gage Haubrich Taxpayers pay the bills for politicians’ expenses and they deserve to see the receipts. Right now, in Manitoba, cabinet ministers and the premier post quarterly expense statements online. These statements show the purpose of the trip and the total spent in several broad categories like “airfare” and “accommodation, meals and phone calls.” What the statements don’t show are the itemized receipts. That’s a problem for taxpayers trying to keep the government accountable. Taxpayers foot the bill for these trips, so transparency helps ensure public money is being spent responsibly, not frivolously. Taxpayers aren’t asking for much: just the truth, with a receipt attached. For example, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who leads the province’s NDP government, took a trip to Washington, D.C., in February. That trip cost taxpayers $4,051. The costs were broken down as $1,481 in airfare, $2,450 in accommodation, meal...

Federal Conservatives closing the gap, despite Poilievre still trailing Carney as preferred PM? Are Republicans taking a bite out of the UCP in Alberta? Municipally, is Gondek in trouble in Calgary? Soraya Martinez leading in Montreal? Happy Sunday morning, dear 338Canada readers, and welcome to the 338 Sunday Update. Let’s review the past week in Canadian polling and present the latest 338Canada federal projections, which show a notable tightening at the top. We add three new federal polls to the mix this week: the usual Nanos Research tracker, Liaison Strategies, and the Angus Reid Institute (ARI) ... CLICK HERE for the full story