This is the tenth in our series of stories celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of youth in our community. These inspirational young adults are enriching our lives with their passion and commitment to the betterment of society.

Olivia Cavanagh

On February 3, 2014 Olivia was part of a group of youth who visited my constituency office on Shelbourne Street. They came with a simple message — one that was being delivered to MLAs across our province. In 2007 British Columbia promised to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 33% relative to 2007 levels by 2020. MLAs were being asked by youth to “Defend our Future” and commit to the 2020 reduction targets. I did.

But the irony was not lost on me when we met Olivia at Discovery Coffee on Oak Bay Avenue on October 10. Just the day before I had delivered my response to the Speech from the Throne . In it I challenged all MLAs to find the courage and leadership to recognize the challenge of global warming for what it is. I challenged all MLAs to recognize the folly of solely basing our economy on hypothetical exports of a commodity that may or may not find a market elsewhere.  I argued that we could, and should show leadership in the development of a diversified, sustainable, 21^st century economy and subsequently introduced an amendment to the Throne Speech to add:

And that the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia accepts the responsibility of demonstrating the leadership to choose growth, to move forward and create a legacy for our children, but also recognizes that this leadership means not gambling our future prosperity on a hypothetical windfall from LNG, and instead supports the development of a diversified, sustainable, 21^st century economy.

My amendment was defeated 65-1 and so I wondered just whose future was actually being defended.

But having the opportunity to interview Olivia the next day was both uplifting and inspirational. Being in the presence of Olivia’s infectious joy and passion made it impossible for me to remain saddened by what had transpired in the Legislature the previous day.

Olivia is incredibly passionate about the environment and she has immersed herself in numerous environmental initiatives both inside and outside of Oak Bay High School. For example, having been a member of the Oak Bay High Environmental Club since Grade 9, Olivia and a friend decided to head up the club this year.  Olivia describes herself as more of an activist than a leader and believes we all need to step up to protect our environment for future generations. Particularly motivating for Olivia was the impassioned speech given by Emma Watson, British actor and Goodwill Ambassador to the UN, at the recent United Nations Climate Summit. Olivia was quick to quote from Emma Watson “If not me, who? If not now, when?”

Olivia was born and raised in Victoria, attending Monterey Elementary, Margaret Jenkins Elementary (for one year while Monterey was being seismically upgraded and turned into a middle school), back to Monterey Middle School (for Grade 8) and she is currently in her graduating year. She’s been on the honour roll at Oak Bay ever since she first arrived there in Grade 9.  In addition to taking on a heavy load in the sciences this year, Olivia is also studying ceramics — her favourite course. Now in her third year of school ceramics, and a regular on her potter’s wheel at home, Olivia describes it as a “calming and relaxing” creative outlet for which “you can always improve”. In addition to her studies, Olivia has enjoyed playing soccer with Bays United since she was 6 and rugby with the Oak Bay Girls’ Team since Grade 10.

Olivia is very interested in food security issues and in spring 2013 she travelled to Hornby Island where she stayed on an organic farm to learn about their food production. This opportunity arose through World Wide Opportunities for Organic Farmers (WWOOF), an organization that, in return for volunteer help, offers food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. During her time on Hornby, Olivia developed a sincere “appreciation for the amount of work [required] to produce the majority of your own food”. In addition, she was fascinated to learn how to grow and harvest willow shoots for making baskets. Olivia has had opportunities to share her knowledge with others, including giving workshops on veganism and conscious eating. Twice she has presented workshops on food security and water security at the annual student-driven Youth Climate Action Summit, run by YesBC (Youth for Environmental Stewardship), a locally based non profit organization dedicated to empowering young environmental leaders.

For the past 3 years, Olivia has been attending regular meetings with the Sierra Club of BC’s Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP). This has provided her with opportunities to give presentations to elementary and middle school students on a variety of environmental issues. Of course, Olivia is active locally in attending as many environmental rallies as she can; particularly those related to proposed heavy oil pipeline and coastal tanker projects.

During Olivia’s grade 11 year, she was in charge of coordinating the school’s recycling program. She lends support to the students running the program this year and “views sustainability of the program as important as the program itself. Olivia credits Derek Shrubsole, a teacher at Oak Bay High School, as someone who has been particularly inspirational to her. He “helped us with the whole recycling program and is the teacher-sponsor of the Environment Club at Oak Bay High”. Mr. Shrubsole describes Olivia as a very positive, genuine person who has a mature outlook and understands how to make connections relating environmental sustainability and the protection our environment for future generations.

Recently, the Environment Club was approached by a local resident concerning a potential development on Yale Street in Oak Bay where 20 out of 22 mature Garry Oak trees on the lot would be cut down to make way for townhouses. Olivia and her friends were affronted by this apparent disregard for nature and immediately took up the cause, including enlisting me in a video they produced to raise public awareness.

Somehow Olivia also finds time to volunteer in the community. She has been a dedicated volunteer with Operation Trackshoes for 7 years and has volunteered with the Oak Bay High Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock campaign. Last year she shaved her head for the cause.

Olivia also ran a bake sale to raise funds for Tour de Rock. Olivia works part time at 2 local sustainable-food restaurants, typically clocking 8-10 hours per week. And from a very young age, she has always enjoyed being outdoors, loved camping, biking, hiking and, more recently, surfing and kayaking.

Olivia’s future goals include a commitment to convince others about the importance of environmental awareness and stewardship. She has realized how much we have to lose unless we take action to protect what we have. She made a point of telling us that she “takes care of her body to live healthy, so why wouldn’t we want to take care of the environment for the future?”

Olivia may take a gap year following graduation, possibly traveling with World Wide Opportunities for Organic Farmers to Indonesia or New Zealand, but plans to further her education and study Marine Biology at university. At the same time, she notes, “I plan to be an environmental activist and I want to surf”.

Olivia is a wonderful, joyful, and engaged young woman who was an absolute delight to interview. We are convinced that Olivia will continue to make a positive difference to the world around her through her proven dedication to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Thank you Olivia for all that you do to make our community a better place to live in and thank you for empowering me with motivation and enthusiasm on a day that that I woke up feeling somewhat defeated.

Today at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we remember. Ninety-six years ago armistice was signed between the Allies and the Germans in Compiègne, France thereby bringing an end to World War I.

Today we remember those who have sacrificed so much so that we can live in peace and freedom.

And today we also offer our profound gratitude to the men and women of our armed forces. We remember so that we might never forget.

I had the honour of laying a wreath at the Oak Bay Cenotaph in commemoration of Remembrance Day. Many hundreds of residents were present at Oak Bay’s memorial for the ninety-seven men and women who lost their lives during World War II.  We quietly pondered the sacrifices made by these men and women. Together we prayed for them. And we said thank you.

Many people believe that the Cleantech sector is synonymous with the production of renewable energy. But it’s much broader than that. Cleantech includes the generation, transportation, storage and efficient end use of clean, renewable energy.

On Saturday, November 8, I had the pleasure of attending the official launch of Led Bright’s Choice liquid cooled bulbs. Unlike traditional LED bulbs that have complex heat transfer / sink systems (which can make some of them appear odd) these new bulbs are liquid cooled and look exactly like traditional incandescents. They are incredibly efficient, mercury free and you can even bounce them off the ground and catch them (as I am doing below) as they are shatter proof.

I’m convinced that liquid cooled LED bulbs are ready to break into the North American market. What’s most satisfying to know is that a BC-based company HighNet Energy Inc. is leading the way. Below, David-Clark Wilson from HighNet Energy, drops, and I subsequently catch a 6 Watt LED bulb once it bounces off the ground. The owner of Ross Bay Home Hardware, l0cated at 1584 Fairfield Road, appears in the background.

If you’re in Vancouver visit HighNet Energy Inc. at their showroom at 2141 Burrard Street.

B.C. finds itself at a crossroads.

It has a clear choice to make: do we support our government’s generational sellout to fulfill its hyperbolic election campaign promises — an all-in approach on LNG — or do we instead continue down the path we started to take in 2008 where we established our continent leading climate policies?

Today marked the 8th day of debate in the legislature on a bill that is a cornerstone of the government’s LNG agenda.

This bill connects two major parts of my life – my career as a climate scientist, and ultimately my decision to run in the last provincial election.

For 20 years I worked as a climate scientist and an educator.

I studied the impacts global warming would have on our communities and I shared that knowledge with young people in my classes and in our schools.

As a scientist, I worked with the B.C. government back in 2008 to develop bold new climate policies for our province. Those policies made us a leader in North America.

In the last 6 years, we have successfully reduced our GHG emissions, while forging a path for our economy that was both economically and environmentally sustainable.

All of that work–all of the progress that we as a province have made in addressing global warming–came to a head this week as we debated a bill that threatens to put it all at risk.

Titled the “Greenhouse Gas Industrial Reporting and Control Act”, this bill would lock us into a path of increasing greenhouse gas emissions, while foregoing the development of a truly diversified and sustainable 21st century economy.

To be clear, I am not opposed to the idea that LNG and the natural gas industry may have a role to play in our economy going forward. But a revitalized gas industry should arise if the market determines it is time for it to do so, not because the government hopes it is time for it to do so.

What I am opposed to, is the government laying out a means to give away our province’s resources in order to land an irresponsible political promise, one that is filled with hyperbole, lacking of substance and void of information and detail. Their approach amounts to a generational sellout.

Most troubling of all is that attempting to realize the government’s LNG pipe-dream necessitates British Columbia walking away from its climate leadership and turning its back on the blossoming economic opportunities that have accompanied this leadership.

As I oppose this bill, and the governments irresponsible and short sighted LNG agenda, I also think it is important to remember that we have another option.

Earlier in the session, I laid out a different vision for a diversified, sustainable, 21st century economy. With new investments in education, a return to properly funded government services and a focus on developing diversified and sustainable economic opportunities, we have an opportunity to build a true 21st century economy here in British Columbia.

As we debate this bill, I would like to invite you to read more about this opportunity. I would also like to invite you to send me your thoughts so that together, we can move our vision forward.

To read more about a diversified and sustainable 21st century economy please  click here.

A Special Committee on Local Elections Expense Limits has been established by the Legislative Assembly to examine, inquire into and make recommendations regarding local elections expense limits. Specifically, the Committee is examining principles for the relationship between elector organizations and their candidates with respect to expense limits and principles for establishing expense limits for third party advertisers.

To support its mandate, the Committee is currently seeking input from British Columbians and organizations through written submissions, video and audio file submissions and participation in an online questionnaire – all available on the Committee’s website. The deadline to receive written and online input is Friday, November 21, 2014.

In addition, local residents are invited to participate in a presentation opportunity being held at a public meeting in Victoria on Wednesday, November 19^th.  The meeting will take place from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the Douglas Fir Committee Room (Rm 226) of the Parliament Buildings. Additional presentation opportunities are also being held in Vancouver on November 7^th and 8^th.

For more information or to participate in the public consultation process, please visit the Committee website, here. Or contact the Parliamentary Committees Office by phone: 250.356.2933 (or toll-free at: 1.877.428.8337) or by email: LocalElectionsCommittee@leg.bc.ca