Media Statement: December 10, 2015
Andrew Weaver: Lack of Poverty Reduction Plan in British Columbia Unacceptable
For Immediate Release

Today, Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay Gordon Head and Leader of the BC Green Party, reiterated his call for the Provincial Government to develop a comprehensive strategy to end poverty in our province. British Columbia is now the only Province without a poverty reduction plan, yet is projected to have the fastest growing economy in the country.

“It is unacceptable that in a province with an economy as strong as ours that we are the only ones neglecting our responsibility to our citizens who are struggling to afford the cost of living,” said Andrew Weaver.

An October 2015 report by Citizens for Public Justice showed British Columbia had a 16.3% overall poverty rate and was the only province left that had not advanced a poverty reduction strategy. CIBC World Markets released a report in November predicting British Columbia would lead the country in terms of economic growth in 2016.

In response to the tent community on the lawn beside the Victoria Law Courts, the government has pledged more money for a new shelter in the region, and that campers would be asked to leave if they didn’t accept the province’s offer of housing. The Premier also suggested that the best way to fight poverty was to let the economy grow.

“This is what is wrong with our poverty reduction policy in British Columbia,” said Andrew Weaver. “We have a government that advances short term solutions like shelters, while suggesting for years that we need to wait for our economy to grow before we can take real action. Now we have the fastest growing economy in the country and we still haven’t advanced a plan.”

Other jurisdictions are finding ways to address poverty issues while saving the government money. Housing-first poverty strategies have been one of the foundational aspects of poverty reduction plans in Utah, Denver, Medicine Hat and a growing number of other jurisdictions. This approach recognizes housing insecurity as a key systemic issue contributing to poverty and shifts from emergency management of homelessness, to providing homes for those who need them.  By addressing this issue head-on, rather than through a patchwork of services, government costs are ultimately reduced.

“A good place for a poverty reduction plan to start would be addressing the difficulties British Columbians are having finding affordable and supportive housing,” said Andrew Weaver. “This isn’t an either or – we need to continue to develop a strong economy, while ensuring that British Columbians aren’t being left out in the cold.”

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Media Enquiries:

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Parliament Buildings
Room 027C
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Constituency Report is a public service that Shaw TV graciously offers MLAs. This month’s video is provided below.

Judy Fainstein and I once more tried something different. The first segment follows the usual discussion of legislative issues relevant to Oak Bay-Gordon Head and British Columbia in general. In the second segment, I introduce Teresa Hartrick, the constituency assistant in my MLA office. We discuss the type of issues a constituency office deals with as well as the type of work a constituency assistant does.

As always, I’d be interested in your feedback on this constituency report.

Constituency Report

Media Statement December 1, 2015
Operations should immediately cease at Shawnigan soil treatment site – Andrew Weaver MLA
For Immediate Release

Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party is calling on Island Health and the Ministry of Environment to immediately shut down operations at the contaminated soil processing facility near Shawnigan Lake, in response to a CVRD report released today.

“The release of the engineering report raises very serious concerns regarding the safety of the ongoing operations.” said Andrew Weaver. “There has been a profound and pervasive dereliction of duty within the Ministries of Environment and Energy and Mines. The citizens of the region have collectively lost confidence in the ability of the BC Liberals to look out for their safety.”

The report, commissioned by the Cowichan Valley Regional District, identifies serious concerns about surface runoff and throughflow potentially becoming contaminated but not adequately being contained or treated. In particular, it concluded that “runoff storm water sourced from the SIA site is bypassing the sediment pond (i.e. by flowing under it) and is being discharged directly onto the land owned by the CVRD.” This occurred despite the fact the BC Government mandates that all surface water is required to be “contained on the property and treated in accordance with the permit”.

The report cites a lack of clarity regarding provisions related to the infiltration of surface water and suggests that “stormwater from a facility that handles contaminated soil should be managed in a way that allows for contaminant sampling and controlled discharge.”

“How the BC Liberals issued an operating permit in light of the very serious findings of the CVRD report is beyond me.” said Andrew Weaver. “The permit should be immediately rescinded, operations ceased, and a full independent investigation initiated.”

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Engineering report commissioned by CVRD (Linked here)

Media Contact

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Parliament Buildings
Room 027C
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Each spring the Legislative assembly of British Columbia invites post-secondary students from across Canada to participate in the Summer Tour Program. As Tour Guides and Parliamentary Players, these students bring parliamentary procedure and British Columbian history to life for countless students and visitors.

The Summer Guide Program is a four-month opportunity for students to gain work experience providing educational tours to the general public about the Legislative Assembly. Summer Tour Guides must be enrolled at an accredited post-secondary institution with public speaking experience and the ability to communicate fluently in English and a second language.

Likewise, the Parliamentary Players Program is a four-month opportunity for students to gain work experience in the field of applied theatre. Actors will perform roles as significant historical and political figures from B.C.’s past. Parliamentary Players must also be enrolled at an accredited post-secondary institution with theatrical experience and be able to convincingly portray historical characters and creatively ad-lib with visitors.

Applications for the Summer Tour Guides Program and the Parliamentary Players Program are due by December 31st, 2015. For more information on these programs and how to apply, please visit the Legislative Assembly of B.C.’s Job Postings webpage.

Strategically scheduling the meeting around lunch time, I was delighted to be back at Maria’s Deli – a staple during our campaign in 2013. Leading up to the last provincial election my campaign office was located across the street from this amazing deli on Shelbourne and Feltham and I credit them with keeping my team well fed and happy throughout every long, busy day. A family focused business, Maria’s Deli was started in 1977 by Maria Pereria and her husband Floyd. Though they both immigrated to Canada from Sao Miguel Portugal, Maria and Floyd didn’t meet until they signed up for the same English class at Vic High.

Their shop has been in the same location for 38 years and though it is now largely run by their daughter Susan Coombs, it hasn’t changed much. When I arrived Susan was behind the counter cheerfully helping an older customer. Switching between speaking English and Portuguese she says, “She has been coming here as long as I can remember!” Her parents opened the deli the year after she was born and she spent much of her childhood here helping out and visiting with customers, officially starting to work for them when she was 14.

Now Susan works there with her own daughter, who just finished high school. “The people are the most enjoyable part of working here,” they both agree. It shows too, the place is bustling with people greeting one another and chatting as they shop. Two construction workers come in to get lunch, “I’ve been coming here for 20 years!” one of them tells me even though he looks like he’s hardly 30. He helps another customer read the label on a tin of cookies as Susan makes their sandwiches, slicing their choice of meat and cheese from the huge selection in front of them. Amazingly, their lunch costs less than $5.00. There are fridges stacked with 10 kilo rounds of cheese and an incredible variety of olive oil, vinegar, pasta, and meat. A baker from Esquimalt walks in carrying a tray of Portuguese buns on her shoulder, she delivers buns to Maria’s Deli nearly every day, she says. Today she is dropping off 20 dozen.

Susan and her daughter joke and laugh as they work and another customer proudly tells me they’ve been coming here for years. “Oh and her mother in law too!” Susan says, “We go way back.”

Maria’s Deli is a wonderful mainstay in this community, feeding generations of families – and campaign teams lucky enough to work nearby.