Thoughts on BC Politics and More

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...

IMAGE CREDIT:   BC Craft Distillers Guild Gavin Dew, Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission and Opposition Critic for Jobs and Growth, and Ian Paton, Conservative MLA for Delta South and Opposition Critic for Agriculture, today slammed the NDP government for months of inaction on supporting BC's craft distillery sector, leaving shelves empty and economic potential untapped. "The NDP government performed a hollow political stunt months ago by pulling red-state liquor off BC shelves, which started on February 1st this year," said Dew. "But they've failed miserably at getting our own BC craft spirits onto those same shelves. Instead of meaningful action, we've seen nothing but delays, excuses, and lost economic opportunity." This continued foot dragging has resulted in empty shelves in BC Liquor Stores and has cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars per day in missed sales revenue. "This is a no-brainer opportunity staring us right in the face,"...

Newly elected MLA Ian Paton has resumed his campaign against dumping on farmland and added one more, the issue of large houses being built on farmland. “An issue here, all over BC, is the illegal dumping of fill on our precious farmland, in BC" ... Paton said it has to stop because once construction excavation fill is dumped on top of the natural top soil, the land can no longer be farmed ... CLICK HERE for the full story

If an election was held this week, BC United MLA Ian Paton would have an easy ride to a third term to a comfortable seat in the legislature ... so far, no other candidates have been named to challenge him in Delta South when the provincial election takes place October 19. According to BC NDP headquarters, the party currently is focusing on the nomination process for its 56 incumbent candidates who already have seats in the legislature ... could mean the Conservative Party of BC will have a candidate in Delta South before the NDP because the Conservative nomination process is underway and should conclude next month . . . . CLICK HERE for the full story

The plan to build a new eight-lane George Massey tunnel crossing is still almost three years from beginning construction, but already there are concerns about disruptions and damage from the project. Delta South MLA Ian Paton, whose riding encompasses one side of the Delta-to-Richmond tunnel, said members of the public will be shocked once they realize some of the projected impacts to popular trails, parks and water access. “People aren’t going to be happy about it,” said Paton, who recently published a social media video with BC United leader Kevin Falcon to highlight concerns ,..,. CLICK HERE for the full story  

BC Liberal MLAs John Rustad and Ian Paton introduced legislation today that would repeal the NDPs two destructive agriculture bills. Since their introduction in 2018 and 2019, the bills have received widespread backlash from farmers and others in the agriculture sector. “ Our bill would reverse the government’s damaging legislation that infringes on the rights of farmers ,” said Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes. “ Bills 15 and 52 diminish a farmer’s ability to make decisions about their own land, transferring the of the control of agricultural land out of the hands of farmers and into the hands of the government. It increases financial hardship for farmers and threatens the existence of multi-generational family farms .” The BC Liberals have been working to get the NDP to reverse their legislation since 2018 when Agriculture Minister Lana Popham first tabled it, talking directly to farmers about their concerns and even standing with dozens of farmers at the legislature to call for...

REPRINTED with permission of the author Delta South BC Liberal MLA Ian Paton: It is an absolute honour to serve as Agriculture Critic for the Official Opposition in British Columbia’s Legislature. It’s also certainly been a learning curve. As a former dairy farmer and livestock auctioneer who still lives on my family farm that I was born and raised on, I thought I understood farming in British Columbia. However, touring all corners of this amazing province over the last three years has taught me that there is so much more to agriculture than what I have experienced living in the Fraser Valley. As schools and community halls continue to close due to population decline in our rural areas, having multiple families living together on the family farm provides opportunities for farm help, child care, and other social supports Farming in BC encompasses tree fruit growers and the wine industry in the Okanagan, canola, grain and grass seed in the Pea...

Nechako Lake MLA, and Forestry Critic, John Rustad The following was posted on social media yesterday, by Nechako MLA John Rustad – he granted his permission to share it here: Ian Paton and I attended a rally in Campbell River on Monday in support of forest dependent families and communities. About 150 people attended, braving the blustery, wet evening. Speakers talked about the challenges they are facing, the strike that is in its 6th month and the need for HELP! Why is Horgan’s NDP government so hell bent on destroying BC’s forest industry? And now that negotiations have broken down, this will be a very bleak Christmas for thousands of forestry dependent families. Forestry feeds my family. One hundred and twenty thousand (120,000) workers in the province depend on a healthy forest sector. The north Island is getting the worst of it. Horgan’s NDP should immediately bring help to those struggling families. They need to bring in bac...