Thoughts on BC Politics and More

BC NDP Premier John Horgan The government of British Columbia has stated it is committed to accessibility legislation that meets the unique needs of British Columbians and will also seek to learn from the experiences of provinces that have legislation in place already . I for one however do not believe that new legislation, when enacted, will meet the needs of one segment of our provinces citizens.  This despite the apparent goal(s) of BC Premier John Horgan who said: ... our government is putting British Columbians first. We are focused on creating opportunities for people now, while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow. Accessibility for all British Columbians, including persons with disabilities, means full and equal participation in our communities , with the physical, information, attitudinal and systemic barriers removed so people can participate in day-to-day activities , or take part in opportunities that are available to all citizens. ...

It has been stated to me the importance of the new Human Rights Commission(er) because … educating the public and preventing discrimination not only avoids harmful acts, it also has potential of reducing adversarial and costly legal disputes .   BUT … do we now have a Trifecta of confusion?   Under the heading of Human Rights, we will have the following, it seems: Human Rights CODE : … which is there essentially to protect people’s rights to be involved in the economic, social, political and cultural life, and to ensure all are equal in dignity and rights .  The Code is also there to prevent discrimination, to help in removing on-going discriminatory inequality, and to provide a means of redress for individuals that are discriminated against.   Human Rights TRIBUNAL : The nuts and bolts of the Human Rights Tribunal is the timely and fair resolution of human rights complaints.  The Tribunal is an independent, quasi-judicial body, and for thos...

Mike Bernier stating references to sexual orientation and gender identity are being added to the policies that school districts and independent schools are required to have in place “ All of B.C.’s schools need to be welcoming and safe places free of bullying. We owe it to our children to make sure they know that there are no reasons they should be bullied – and including sexual orientation and gender identity in anti-bullying policies makes that crystal clear .”  ~~ statement by Mike Bernier, former Minister of Education, on September 8 th , 2016.   All of BC’s provincial education partners for K-12 schools are committed to ensuring every school — both public and independent — is a place where students feel safe, accepted, respected and welcome … stay tuned; more on that in a moment. I don’t know about you … however I will admit I am confused.  WHAT IS the difference between SOGI, and SOGI 123?  Oh, you didn’t know there was a difference?  We...