Today I had the distinct privilege and honour of speaking at the Memorial Avenue Rededication Ceremony. The ceremony commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the 1918 WW1 Armistice and the planting of London Plane-trees along Shelbourne Street in 1921 in remembrance of the sacrifices made by Greater Victoria residents during the Great War.

Below I reproduce the text of my speech.

Text of Speech

It’s a great honour for me to participate in this ceremony commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1918 WW1 Armistice and the Re-dedication of Memorial Avenue.

I would like to give special acknowledgement and express my sincere gratitude to the Veterans who are in attendance today.

Thank you for being here and for your service. Without you, we would not enjoy the freedoms we sometimes take for granted today.

For more than 50 years I’ve walked, biked, bused and driven under the canopy of these magnificent trees on Shelbourne Street marveling at their beauty and historic significance.

The resilient London Plane-trees we see before us were given their name because this species, formed by natural hybridization in 17^th century Europe, was able to survive and thrive in the adverse conditions of London during a time when the combustion of coal left the city black with soot and smoke.

For almost 400 years, these London Plane-trees have been planted in cities around the world. Where their hardy characteristics have allowed them to flourish.

This living memorial is a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives during the First World War. It is critical that future generations understand the history and the heroic sacrifices made for which these trees serve as a commemoration.

When the idea for Memorial Avenue was presented by H.B. Thomson in February 1921, he said in a letter to the Victoria Chamber of Commerce:

“What finer memorial could one have when we are all dead than an avenue of this kind to record to future generations British Columbia’s part in the war and the heroes who died for the empire?”

The Union of BC Municipalities endorsed the plan for this provincial Memorial to be created in Victoria to honour the estimated 600 soldiers and nurses who did not return home to Greater Victoria after the war.

On Sunday, October 2, 1921, the Province of British Columbia held the Dedication Ceremony. It was opened by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, Walter C. Nichol, with a dedicatory address, followed by an address by the Premier, the Honourable John Oliver.

The first tree was planted by His Honour the Lieutenant Governor. In the months that followed, about 75 volunteers worked tirelessly in an attempt to realize the dream of having a tree planted for every person from Victoria who gave their life in the war.

This “Road of Remembrance” was the first of its kind in Canada. Memorial Avenue on Shelbourne Street reached from Mount Douglas Park in Saanich south to Bay Street in the City of Victoria.

Saanich, Victoria and Oak Bay worked cooperatively during the planting of the Road of Remembrance. Victoria and Saanich prepared the ground for planting, Victoria donated the trees and Oak Bay undertook to do the watering. The section of Shelbourne Street from Cedar Hill Cross to North Dairy was never planted. This inspired its nickname “the Street of Unfinished Dreams”.

After centuries, these trees will stand as a lasting memorial of our collective history – a history that must never be forgotten. They will thrive here long after we are gone to honour the legacy of our ancestors and remind us of the great human cost of war.

We are in a special place when we are shaded by the canopy of these historic trees. We owe it to future generations to keep the history and memory alive as we safeguard these trees.

I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of the Memorial Avenue Committee, together with its Chair, Ray Travers. They’ve worked hard for many years to steward this project forward and to ensure that there’s a long-term plan to care for both existing trees, as well as planting new ones in the future, as our community develops.

Volunteers play a vital role in our community. And I offer my sincere thanks to Ray Travers and the Memorial Avenue Committee for all that you have done.

The Saanich Remembers World War One project has served to help us learn more about the individuals from our community who’ve served our country and to keep their memory alive.
Thank you again for extending me the honour of being here with you today. It is a privilege for me to be able to serve the constituents of Oak Bay-Gordon Head.

The BC Government today released Dan Perrin’s Real Estate Regulatory Structure Review, which was commissioned in April of this year to:

The BC Government today announced that it was accepting the recommendations of the BC Rental Housing Task Force.

Below is the media release my colleague Adam Olsen and I issued in response to the government’s announcement.

Media Release

Weaver welcomes rental formula change
For immediate release
September 26, 2018

VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, and Adam Olsen, Rental Housing Task Force (RHTF) member, welcomed the government’s announcement that it has accepted the RHTF’s recommendation to change the allowable rental increase formula from the inflation plus a guaranteed 2% to inflation only (2.5% for 2019). The RHTF made the recommendation on Monday, and Weaver urged government to accept their recommendation.

“I am delighted that B.C. renters will have some relief in 2019,” said Weaver.

“When we work together to advance evidence-based solutions there is much we can accomplish. This is a sensible change that will make life more affordable without putting a dent in the provincial budget. We were also pleased to support increased funding in the budget for targeted programs like SAFER and RAP and to build affordable housing, as well as changes to the Residential Tenancy Act. We are in continuous, active discussions with government to explore further policies that we both agree will increase affordability.”

Olsen also welcomed the government’s announcement.

“It is truly rewarding to see the efforts of our collaboration become government policy,” said Olsen.

“The lack of affordable rentals has wide-ranging impact in every corner of society, from seniors on fixed income, to young people and students, to small businesses struggling to find employees. I believe this policy strikes the right balance of encouraging affordable rents while giving landlords the ability to apply for justified higher increases. I look forward to releasing the rest of our recommendations soon so that we can continue to deliver on our shared promise to address the affordability crisis.”

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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca

New Brunswick went to the polls today and elected a minority government with the New Brunswick Greens and the People’s Alliance holding the balance of responsibility. The final result was 21 seats for the Liberals, 22 seats for the progressive conservatives, 3 seats for the NB Greens and 3 seats for the People’s Alliance. 25 seats are needed for a majority government.

This is an exciting time for New Brunswick as their electorate sent a clear message that they wanted their representative to work together.

Below is the media release I issued congratulating David Coon, Kevin Arseneau and Megan Mitton on their success.

Media Release

Weaver congratulates New Brunswick Greens on electing first caucus
For immediate release
September 24, 2018

VICTORIA B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, is extending his congratulations to David Coon, leader of the New Brunswick Green Party, on the election of his first caucus. The New Brunswick Greens join the B.C. Greens and the P.EI. Greens as the first provincial Green Party caucuses in Canada.

“I extend my sincere congratulations to David and his team on the incredible growth they achieved tonight,” said Weaver.

“I also commend David and his Party for running on a positive campaign based on hope, not fear.

“Last year, there were three provincial Green representatives in office across the country. Now there are nine elected in B.C., Ontario, New Brunswick and P.E.I. This is a testament to the hard work of provincial Green Parties and the increasing resonance of our message as voters look for sensible, evidence-based policies that consider the impact of our decisions on future generations.

“The Greens and the People’s Alliance are now faced with the same balance of responsibility that our Caucus was in when the results came in in May 2017. While this burden will weigh heavily on them, minority governments are good news for voters. When political parties are forced to work together, they make better decisions. I wish them both well as they move towards establishing the agreement that will form the next government of New Brunswick.”

Weaver was the first Green politician elected at the provincial level in Canada in 2013. He was joined by B.C. Green MLAs Sonia Furstenau and Adam Olsen in 2017 when the Party doubled its popular vote share to 17%.

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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@bcgreens.ca

Today the BC government announced that it was injecting another $10 million into the Clean Energy Vehicle Program (CEVP). The program has been so successful, that it was in danger of running out of funds later this month. As noted in our media release (reproduced below) I am very pleased that the program received the additional funding.

This file is one on which I have spent a good deal of time. Ensuring the stability of this flagship program was essential in advance of the upcoming announcement of British Columbia’s clean growth strategy later this fall.

Media Release

Weaver welcomes additional funding for electric vehicles
For immediate release
September 24, 2018

VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, praised the BC government’s efforts to find more funding to support vehicle adoption. Weaver says the higher-than-forecasted demand shows that British Columbians are on board with the transition to the low-carbon economy.

“British Columbians clearly want electric vehicles and I am pleased the government has found more funding to support their choices,” said Weaver.

“Over the past several months, we heard concerns from British Columbians that this funding was running out. We communicated these concerns to government and I am delighted that they acted quickly and decisively on this essential priority.

Due to higher-than-expected demand for EVs, the government added an additional $10 million to support the adoption of EVs, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles while it looks for more stable funding.

“As with any new technology, the cost of research and development is baked into the price of electric vehicles, driving up prices,” Weaver continued. “Transportation makes up 40% of B.C.’s emissions. We should ensure that stable, long-term funding is available to help support British Columbians to make the shift towards zero-emission vehicles.

“Our office has been working closely with the government to develop the Clean Growth Strategy that will position B.C. to be a leader in the low-carbon economy while enabling us to meet our targets. It will be essential that this plan be backed up with adequate funding and implementation. As the New Zealand Productivity Commission found last month, early action is almost always a winning economic strategy, even if other jurisdictions are slow to act. B.C. has all the strategic advantages we need to seize the economic opportunities arising as the world transitions to low-carbon economy, and the demand for EVs shows that British Columbians are on board. I look forward to making this vision a reality.”

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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 778-650-0597 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca