In this difficult time, it is easy to be consumed and feel overwhelmed by the rapidly evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are looking for ways to help ourselves, our family, our friends and our local community.

In addition to information we are receiving from trusted government sources, we are hearing of many instances where local actions are being taken to assist vulnerable people during this health crisis. My office is tracking these local efforts and we will communicate with you regularly in the coming weeks and months to keep you updated.

We need ways to take action, to support each other and stay connected. Personal connection and emotional support are important for everyone, especially those who may need extra help due to challenging personal circumstances.

Recent events have an impact on our mental health and it is critical to reach out if you need help. If you are concerned about your mental health or the mental health of others, use these resources to seek help:

310 Mental Health Support at 310-6789 (no area coded needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health.

Kid’s Help Phone Line at 1-800-668-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor, 24 hours a day.

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) if you are considering suicide or concerned about someone who may be.

A short video called “Taking Care of Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic” created by Dr. Adriana Wilson, Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University gives some helpful suggestions:

It has been heartening to see the local resources appearing on social media, where people are finding ways to connect and support each other. Some of the local groups that have been created on Facebook are listed below, with descriptions.

1) Victoria COVID-19 Childcare for Health Care/Essential Services Workers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/583817188881220/?multi_permalinks=585144812081791&notif_id=1584568945671792&notif_t=group_activity&ref=notif

About: Let’s bring our community together to help health care workers and other essential services stay at work. This site is to connect people who can help with childcare needs for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and any other essential service worker during COVID-19. In this way we can continue social distancing to help flatten the curve, while keeping our essential workers at work to help the community. If you are able to offer childcare in an essential workers home, or in a way that is in line with social distancing principles, please let us all know by posting an #Offer or #ISO ask! Social distancing is an act of togetherness and solidarity. Thank you!

2) Vancouver Island – Pandemic Find Help/Offer Help:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2274974392810494

About: This group is for the Greater Victoria communities including Sidney, Saanich Peninsula, Sooke, Saanich, Victoria, Westshore, etc.

The idea behind this group is to please post if you need help such as finding items, a service, perhaps asking someone to pick you up something if you’re unable to leave your home. It also allows those a place to post where they can offer something such an excess of something or perhaps could offer a service.

We do understand that some may want compensation for items, but we ask that you be reasonable in the amounts you’re asking for. This group is not intended for making profits or promoting your business. Anyone attempting to do such will be immediately removed from this group.

The intent is purely to ask for help and offer help within our community. We are all in this together and there’s a lovely thing called karma. Please only use this group for offering or seeking kindness.

3) COVID-19 Coming Together (VICTORIA/LEKWUNGEN AND W̱SÁNEĆ LANDS):

About: This is a centralized platform for localized connections for the following:

1. To Provide or Access Direct Aid: You can offer or access direct assistance such as: picking up groceries or prescription medications, walking dogs, childcare, and more.
2. To Provide or Access Social Support: This is a time of great uncertainty, anxiety, and heaviness for many folks, especially those among us who have chronic illnesses, are elderly, or are physically-isolating. Yo0u can post if you would like to offer to make or receive phone calls checking in on others.
3. Create or Access a Neighbourhood Pod: As things get harder, we show up for our neighbors. As a neighbourhood point person, you take on the responsibility of reaching out to your neighbors, checking in on what needs are arising on your block, coordinating a neighborhood group chat or phone tree, and staying in touch with the point people from other neighborhoods for resource pooling. You can post to connect with people in your area.
4. Advocate for Action from our Institutions: Resources are coming soon to connect you with groups pressuring different levels of government to implement better labour standards, implement paid sick leave, increase workplace flexibility, place a moratorium on evictions, compensate rent and mortgage payments, increase funding for public health, provide housing solutions for people who are housing insecure, offer support for migrant workers and care workers, and beyond!

4) Oak Bay Local:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/131024000626243/?post_id=947637718964863

About: Oak Bay Local started as a Facebook group with a goal of connecting locals and building community. Another original goal of the group was to ensure local businesses had the exposure and support they needed to thrive! The group continues to grow, and we have a local team of people working behind the scenes. We now have a weekly newsletter, opportunities for advertisement and partnership, and other exciting projects in the works.

Community Connect website:

Community Connect is a crowd-sourced list of help for people and businesses impacted by COVID-19. It is compiled by local people and organizations in the spirit of helping people connect with the resources and support they need to get through this challenging time. https://www.covid19communityconnect.ca/

Websites for local information and resources:

District of Oak Bay:
https://www.oakbay.ca/our-community/public-notice/news/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-information

District of Saanich:
https://www.saanich.ca/EN/main/news-events/news-archives/2020-news/saanich-covid-19-update-all-municipal-facilities-closed-to-the-public.html

Capital Regional District:
https://www.crd.bc.ca/about/news/covid-19-information

What else can we do to help others?

1. Donate blood:

Canadian Blood Services needs our help! COVID-19 has impacted donor attendance and they need people to donate. O- and platelets are in the most urgent need, but all blood groups are needed. Donating blood helps patients in need, so if you are wondering what you can do to help others, this is one thing you can do. The clinics practice social distancing, are limiting the number of people in the building, are sanitizing all surfaces and are practicing all necessary health protocols. Let’s not forget the clinics are a place of wellness, where people don’t visit if they are ill. The need for blood is real, especially now.

https://www.blood.ca/en?fbclid=IwAR3vOmxasUJefKtw4sAjqBJX4-aBynfnlbwvVJgQf2v4EV4ucv9qF-ZkEk4

2. Stay in touch (by phone or email) with elderly and vulnerable neighbours. See if they need help or just offer kind words of support.

Check-in by phone or email with the people in our community who are in isolation and who are unable to receive visitors.

Get outside in your neighbourhood and say hello to your neighbours (practising social distancing of at least 2 metres, of course!)

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office for assistance regarding BC government programs and services. Although we are not open to the public until further notice, you can reach us by email at andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca or by phone at (250) 472-8528.

Now is the time for us to come together as a community, as a province and as part of our global community in response to this pandemic.

I continue to closely monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. I follow and I urge you to follow the advice of British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix and the Public Health Agency of Canada. It is critical that we follow credible advice from trusted sources and not fall victim to rumours and inaccurate information. Our BC Health Minister and Provincial Health Officer are doing an exemplary job of keeping the public informed during this public health crisis and I am very grateful for their steady leadership.

While COVID-19 is particularly serious to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, millennials are also at risk. In a recent study of 2143 pediatric COVID-19 patients in China, it was also noted that:

“Children at all ages were sensitive to COVID-19, and there was no significant gender difference. Clinical manifestations of children’s COVID-19 cases were less severe than those of adults’ patients.”

and that

“of the 2143 pediatric patients included in this study, only one child died and most cases were mild, with much fewer severe and critical cases (5.9%) than adult patients (18.5%).“

So COVID-19 represents a broad, population wide, health risk.

If you are interested in tracking the global advance of the pandemic, Johns Hopkins University has put together an interactive map of the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of particular note in their analysis is the extent to which the Chinese efforts have controlled the spread of the disease outbreak locally. This shows that the actions imposed by our public health officers work and so it is imperative we listen to and follow their advice.

Constituency office

As a result of the coronavirus, the Oak Bay-Gordon Head constituency office at 219-3930 Shelbourne St. will not be open to the public, but we will continue to provide service to constituents and encourage you to contact us if needed. Please contact us by email at andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca or by phone at (250) 472-8528. We have taken the step of closing the constituency office for face-to-face meetings to minimize risk to everyone. This is part of social distancing which is so important to reduce the risk of infection.

With the situation changing daily and the constant flood of information about coronavirus, it can be difficult to keep track of the latest public health guidelines and recommendations. While this information may quickly become outdated, this blog post highlights the individual steps that we can all take right now to do our part to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in British Columbia.

Social distancing & personal hygiene

The corona virus spreads very quickly. Without the necessary public health interventions, a relatively small number of cases could quickly turn into an unmanageably large number them. The Washington Post has provides further insight to illustrate how this transmission occurs and can be avoided. We can all take important steps right now to slow the spread of the disease. We slow it down through social distancing and meticulous personal hygiene.

Social Distancing

Social distancing involves taking measures to avoid close personal contact with others where the virus can be spread. As a result, many facilities we are accustomed to regularly using, such as restaurants, bars, recreation centers, and retail outlets, are now closing. Although those actively experiencing symptoms are more likely to be spreading the virus, it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to emerge and the virus can be spread to others during this time.

The public health authorities highly recommend taking the following steps:

• Work remotely where possible
• Wash your hands frequently
• Keep at least one meter between yourself and others
• If you are you are experiencing what could be COVID-19 symptoms – including a fever, cough, sneezing, sore throat, or difficulty breathing – you must self-isolate for 14 days.

Self-Isolation means:

• Not leaving home unless completely necessary
• Not using public transport or go to school, work, or other public areas
• Making arrangements to ensure that you’re able to get the groceries and supplies you need
• Staying in a separate room and use a separate bathroom from others in your home, if possible
• Keeping two meters between yourself and others if you need to be in contact with them
• Avoiding contact with pets who could spread the virus to others in your household

Personal Hygiene

Beyond just social distancing, the other thing we can all do to prevent the spread of the virus is to practice excellent personal hygiene both at work and at home. This means:

• Washing your hands far more frequently than you are accustomed. Wash them for at least 20 seconds, and dry them with disposable paper towels or reusable paper towels.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Coughing into your elbow rather than your hands
• Cleaning and disinfecting common surfaces at least once a day

The ultimate goal of these measures is twofold. The first is to protect vulnerable populations (i.e. the elderly and those who are immunocompromised) from contracting the virus. These demographic groups are far more likely to become seriously ill or die from COVD-19. The second is to prevent our healthcare system from becoming so overwhelmed by the virus that it loses its ability to effectively respond. We need to ensure that our healthcare system has the resources, personnel, and capacity to treat those who require hospitalization or become critically ill.

This graphic from the Washington Post illustrates helps to illustrate how social distancing or the lack of social distancing impacts public health outcomes. We’re social creatures by nature and it can be difficult to let go of old habits and practices. Following the advice of experts and public health officials now, to socially distance ourselves and maintain excellent personal hygiene, the situation will be made more manageable for those on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Maintain social connections & offering help to those who need it

With the rise of social distancing, the normal activities that enrich people’s lives may be increasingly suspended. From playing soccer at a local park to meeting friends at a local pub to going out to a movie, the kinds of activities that have become integral to our social routines will be temporarily disrupted. With the coronavirus bringing a certain degree of social disruption to our lives, it is vital that we work to maintain our social connections.

Social distancing does not have to mean complete social isolation. Make sure that you keep phoning and virtually communicating with friends and family. Reach out to those people who will be spending more time indoors such as the elderly or those with underlying health conditions. Arrange to go for a walk with a friend (keeping one metre apart). Instead of passively consuming content on social media platforms or streaming services, use the digital tools we have at our disposal (computers and telephone) to connect with others. While virtual community does not completely replace close in-person communities, we need to be ready to conduct our more usual activates using the internet or phone lines. People are already conducting activities in virtual space which they would normally have undertaken in person. People are creating yoga classes, church services, and dinner parties online. Taking steps to maintain our social connections will help to keep some semblance of normalcy in abnormal times. It prevents us from feeling apart even if we are physically part.

Community Effort Required

Getting through the coronavirus pandemic will require a community wide effort to step up and help those who require assistance. Those in self-isolation will need others to help them obtain food, medication, and basic household supplies. Healthcare workers and their families will be going through a stressful time in which we ask a great deal from them. If you know any of these people, consider asking how you can help them. One phone call or conversation can make a huge difference in people’s lives.

For nearly all of us, this will be the first large scale public health crisis that we have experienced. Accounts of the Spanish flu are found in history books. More recently, the world managed to avoid the worst with SARs and H1N1. Modern society is now in uncharted territory, it can be easy to give in to panic, hysteria, and misinformation. Now, more than ever, we need to heed the advice of experts, make individual sacrifices for collective benefit, and extend solidarity to those in need. I am incredibly grateful to all the public health workers on the front lines who are working around the clock to keep us all safe. They should be lauded for their efforts and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. Stay informed, stay safe, and reach out to those require help.

Self-assessment tool for Covid-19

For many of us, it may be difficult to determine whether we have contracted COVID-19. To help determine whether you need further assessment or testing the province has created a self-assessment tool which you can complete for yourself or on behalf of someone else.

For more information on COVID-19 please visit:

1. Island Health updates: https://www.islandhealth.ca/news/news-releases
2. BC Centre for Disease Control: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19
3. BC Government News website: https://news.gov.bc.ca/
4.  Government of Canada Public Health Agency: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
5. BC Hydro COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program: https://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2020/covid-19-updates.html

If you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, or may have been exposed, please call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line for further instruction. For the deaf and hard of hearing, call 7-1-1 to arrange for safe testing.

In an effort to ease the burden on HealthLink 811, B.C. has set up a dedicated COVID-19 line at 1-888-COVID19 or text at 1-888-268-4319.

Today Carole James announced that she won’t be seeking reelection in the next provincial election. Carole has had an exemplary career as a politician both at the provincial and school board level. We have been very fortunate in British Columbia to have her steady hand guiding the province’s budget as Finance Minister for the last two years. While Carole’s voice in the legislature will surely be missed, I’m sure she’ll selflessly contribute to our community in so many other ways in the years ahead.

Thank you Carole for all that you have done for our province. You are an incredible role model to so many, including me, and I very much value your ongoing friendship.

Below I reproduce the text of the statement my office released in response to Minister James’ announcement.

Media Statement

MLA Andrew Weaver responds to Finance Minister James’ statement
For Immediate Release
March 5, 2020

Victoria, BC – Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, released the following statement in response to the announcement by Minister Carole James today that she will not be running again due to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease:

“I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Minister James’ diagnosis and my thoughts are with her and her family during this difficult time. Minister James has had a distinguished career dedicated to the service of British Columbians and she has been a steady hand in this NDP government. “

“It has been a privilege to have known Minister James for over 20 years. I gained tremendous respect for her when she was Chair of the Greater Victoria Board of School Trustees and it has been an honour to work with her in the legislative assembly.”

“I am confident that she will face the challenges associated with this disease head-on and continue to be a positive influence on the direction of this province throughout the remainder of her term.”

-30-

Media Contact:
Judy Fainstein
Executive Director
Legislative Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA

+1 250-744-7615  |  Judy.Fainstein@leg.bc.ca

Today during question period I rose to ask the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources about what appears to be regulatory inconsistencies facing the advancement of Pacific Booker’s Morrison Mine project. As you will see from the exchange below, I was not particularly impressed with the Minister’s response to my questions.

I intend to explore this issue further in the coming weeks.

Below I reproduce the video and text of the Question Period Exchange.

Video of Exchange

Question

A. Weaver: I’m sure every member of this House will agree that a stable regulatory environment is key to maintaining B.C.’s reputation as a welcoming place to do business. This means that the approval of natural resource projects must be based on scientific evidence and not politics. Yet in 2012, upon recommendation from the executive director of the environmental assessment office, the B.C. Liberals rejected the Morrison mine project proposed by Pacific Booker Minerals, despite it having received a positive environmental assessment. In justifying their decision, they cited environmental concerns about the effects of the mine on water quality in Morrison Lake and local salmon populations, despite already having a positive environmental assessment.

Despite their rejection of the Pacific Booker project, in 2013 the B.C. Liberals went to Ottawa to lobby the federal government to approve the Prosperity mine, a project that had received two negative assessments by federal review panels. There’s some suspicion that the decision around the Morrison mine had less to do with environmental concerns and more to do with political calculation.

My question is to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Has this government been able to determine why this company was treated so differently from others at the time? And how will it prevent situations like this from happening in the future?

Answer

Hon. B. Ralston: I’d like to thank the member for Oak Bay–Gordon Head for his question. I’m sure the member will appreciate that I’m not in a position to advise what led the former government to make its decision about the proposed Morrison mine. What I can say, though, is that their approach was shortsighted and certainly didn’t bring certainty to the sector.

Our government has taken a different approach. My predecessor, as minister, initiated the Mining Jobs Task Force, which worked hard with First Nations, industry and communities to find ways to strengthen this fundamental, foundational industry.

There were 25 recommendations emanating from the task force. They’ve all been accepted by government, and almost all of them have now been implemented. We have made two mining tax credits permanent, bringing immediate benefits to the B.C. mineral exploration sector by adding more certainty. We’ve invested $1 million for the mining innovation roadmap, $1 million for the Regional Mining Alliance.

As further evidence of the strengthening of the sector, the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan just signed a $300 million investment deal to provide an investment in the New Afton mine, just outside the civic boundaries of Kamloops.

Supplementary Question

A. Weaver: I must admit that was a lot of information about a lot of mines that weren’t the mine I’m actually talking about. Maybe I can try again.

A key element of the previous government’s unrealistic strategy for natural resource development revolved around, as we all know, LNG. We know that certain natural gas projects were located in areas close to the Morrison mine. Comments from groups engaged in the Pacific Booker project have indicated that the province was facing significant pressure to avoid reopening discussions around the Morrison mine in order to obtain the support necessary for the Prince Rupert gas transmission line.

The decision to reject the project had serious repercussions for Pacific Booker. Their share price plummeted, from $14.95 to $4.95 in one day, and many investors lost their life savings. What’s more is that the ministry failed to inform Pacific Booker of its intention to issue an adverse recommendation and did not provide the company with an opportunity to respond to it.

After a legal battle in which the Supreme Court found that this conduct violated standards of procedural fairness and that the environmental assessment office recommendation be presented to cabinet for reconsideration, the government once again rejected the project in order to undergo further assessment. However, in its order, the government appeared to issue unclear directions that substantially delay the process. As of 2019, in September….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

A. Weaver: As of Sep 2019, Pacific Booker had yet to be fully provided with this opportunity. My question, again, is to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. When is this firm going to have the chance to have their project undergo further assessment, as put forward by the Supreme Court?

Answer

Hon. B. Ralston: The short answer is that the company is currently working through the required regulatory processes for further assessment. The further assessment for the proposed project includes the requirement for a supplemental application information requirement. There are a number of requirements. The EAO continues to work with the company on this, and I’m advised that the latest submission was received by the EAO in December 2019.

Today in the legislature I rose to pay tribute to a constituent Lorne Frame who has recently been selected to be a member of the Order of the Legion of Honor. Originally established in 1802 by Napolean Bonaparte, the Legion of Honour remains France’s highest decoration. Below I reproduce the text and video of my two minute tribute.

Video of Statement

Text of tribute

It is a profound honour for me to rise in the house today to pay tribute to Mr. Lorne Frame, a Canadian hero who resides in the riding of Oak Bay- Gordon Head.

In 1942 at the age of 18, Mr. Frame joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. After further training in Britain he became a pilot in the 419 Canadian Bomber Squadron where he flew Lancaster bombers.

At the age of 20 and on his 13^th mission his plane was attacked by German Night Fighters. His plane was shot down on the edge of the Fontainebleau Forest, south of Paris.

As he fought to control the descending plane, he ordered his crew to evacuate. He was the last person out of the plane.

After walking all night Mr. Frame found himself in the village of Barbizon. There he came into contact with an American woman by the name of Drue Tartière.

Mrs. Tartière spent the war years assisting the French Underground. As she spoke English, Mr. Frame was able to convince her that he was a member of the allied forces and not a German soldier.

Mrs. Tartière hid Mr. Frame in the back of her house where he was eventually joined by members of his crew. They stayed hidden for 7 weeks until Barbizon was liberated in August, 1944.

As befits a true hero, Mr. Frame minimizes his contributions and sacrifices. To this day he praises the women and men of the French Underground and in particular Drue Tartière.

He marvelled at their bravery. In assisting Mr. Frame and his compatriots, they risked their lives and the lives of their families and friends.

Drue Tartière documents Mr. Frame’s story, among others, in her book The House Near Paris that she published in 1947. I’ve ordered the book from AbeBooks and am eagerly awaiting its arrival so I can learn more about this remarkable story.

In recognition of his sacrifice and his service in helping liberate France from the Nazis, Mr. Frame has recently been selected to be a member of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Originally established in 1802 by Napolean Bonaparte, the Legion of Honour remains France’s highest decoration.

We are privileged to have Mr. Frame with us today in the gallery. I would like this house to join me in congratulating him.