In an earlier post I addressed the reason why I was opposing Bill 20: Election Amendment Act 2015. As mentioned earlier, Bill 20 implements a number of the recommendations made by the Chief Electoral Officer in his October 2014 report. However, only one of the Chief Electoral Officer’s three priority recommendations was implemented, and that concerned providing flexibility in opportunities for advance voting. One egregious addition to the bill not recommended by the Chief Electoral Officer and opposed by the Privacy Commissioner is new language that allowed political parties to obtain a list of voters that indicates which voters on the list voted in a previous general election. This list would be available between general elections.

Today in the legislature we debated the bill at committee stage. Government introduced an amendment that, in an attempt to create a level playing field for independent members wishing to run for office, took the privacy concerns to a whole new level. Now government is proposing that any candidate who ran in the previous election or is running in an upcoming election can obtain the list of voters that indicates which voters on the list voted in a previous general election. Obviously I continue to vigourously oppose this bill as I believe that it is nobody’s business apart from the voter and the chief electoral officer to know who or who has not voted. That’s a matter of privacy.

Below is my initial reaction to the government’s amendment. Full deliberations are available on Hansard.

Video of Reaction to Government Amendment

Text of Reaction to Government Amendment

A. Weaver: Thank you to the minister for bringing in this amendment. Unfortunately, I, too, like the member before me, just cannot support this legislation.

This amendment is actually the second amendment we got in 24 hours. We received, late in the day yesterday, a copy of an amendment to reflect some concerns that had been raised by members in this House. Then later on, after members in this House had gone home, we get a subamendment, or an amendment of the amendment, at 7:05 p.m. last night.

I recognize that the government is trying to modify and take into account some of the concerns about the Privacy Commissioner with respect to people signing agreements, but it has taken this to an entirely new level.

What it has done is…. From a situation whereby political parties could acquire voters lists with information as to who has or who has not voted, it’s now extended to candidates who ran in the last election, to candidates who will run in the next election.

We have people who run in some elections as a protest vote. We are now saying that anybody in the province of British Columbia who was a candidate, who will be a candidate, who might be a candidate, who wishes they were a candidate is, essentially, getting access. As a protest vote, they get access to this information.

I don’t have a problem with people having a fair and level playing field. That’s not the issue here. The issue is who needs to know whether you voted or not. It is nobody’s business to know if I voted or if I did not vote, except to me and the Chief Electoral Officer.

We’ve gone from a situation where British Columbians across the province have stood up and said, “We don’t like this; we don’t like it when government is actually giving political parties information on whether I did or I did not vote,” and what’s the government’s response? To bring in an amendment to, first off, give political parties and all candidates that same information. A wonderful way of listening to the voices of British Columbians. They expand it further.

Then, at 7:05 last night, they take it another level. They give it to future candidates as well. This is a government that is so out of touch with British Columbians that not only does it not listen to them, it actually, when it hears them — or doesn’t hear them — takes it to another level.

It’s unbelievable that we have this amendment before us today. It’s unbelievable that this government is trying to actually give private information — information as to whether I vote, information as to whether the member for Saanich South votes, information as to whether my daughter votes — to political parties, to every candidate who will run, to every candidate who has run.

What possible purpose could this information be used for? It is not going to be used to help voter turnout. Absolutely no way this can be helpful for improving voter turnout, and yet this is the justification government is giving British Columbians — that this somehow is going to improve voter turnout.

What this is saying, what we’re seeing through this amendment and what we’ve seen through the selective use of the recommendations coming from the Chief Electoral Officer, is a government that recognizes that it’s losing touch with the people and so is initiating tactics designed for voter suppression of youth, tactics to give them an unfair advantage because they can’t get volunteers anymore. They’re finding it a tough time in the Liberal Party of British Columbia to get volunteers to go to be scrutineers.

The Green Party of British Columbia has no problem with that. The independent member for Delta South has no problem with that. I won’t speak for the opposition, but I suspect they have no problem with that. It’s because this government has turned off voters. They cannot get voters to help them out, so they want the government to help itself out through providing information to the government on which they can target voters based on their voting patterns.

This is so fundamentally wrong that I’m surprised that the government, rather than pulling this section, takes it to another level and tries to create this so-called level playing field.

This amendment must fail. This amendment should fail. If there’s anything that the opposition on this side will do, I’m sure we will all vote unanimously so that this amendment does not pass.

Sadly, it is government who will have to look British Columbians in the face and say: “You know what? We don’t listen to you anymore. You know what, British Columbians? We’re going to get your private information because we want to target you. We want to target you for messaging, target you if you voted or not, because we can’t get volunteers because people are straying from our party, and we’re desperate to stay in power.

“We know that our promises of LNG are not going to materialize. We know we’re saying this and that and the other, but they’re not materializing. Instead, what we’re going to do is use your personal information to try to manipulate” — yes, hon. Chair, manipulate — “future elections, to suppress the youth.”

The only possible way this could be brought in is to turn off voters, for voter suppression tactics. This is absolutely egregious, and this amendment must fail.

This is the eighteenth 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.

Ella Van Cleave

Ella is an articulate young woman with a tremendous passion for marine life and their ocean home. What’s remarkable is that Ella has already accomplished so much yet she only graduates from high school next month. When we met her for coffee to interview her for this series, she impressed us as a very bright, dedicated, yet unassuming, young activist, mature well beyond her years.

Ella was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved to Victoria when she was in Grade 5. She attended Glenlyon Norfolk School from Grade 5 to Grade 10, then went to Oak Bay High School for Grade 11 and is currently at Glenlyon Norfolk in her graduating year. In addition to being an outstanding student, Ella has distinguished herself as a gifted debater. She has been debating since Grade 7 and has received numerous awards at tournaments. This past year, she and her debating partner won both the Oak Bay High School Golden Gnome and Newman-FISA debating tournaments, with Ella placing as top speaker at the latter.  Other debating successes include those obtained at the Vancouver Island Regional Debate Tournament where she won 3^rd place as an individual speaker in 2011 and 2^nd place as an individual speaker in 2012 and 2013. At the UBC High School Debate Tournament, Ella placed 3^rd as an individual speaker in 2013 and she was part of a debating team that took 3^rd place in 2014.

There is no doubt her extensive debating experience has helped Ella become a talented public speaker. She was the keynote speaker at the Glenlyon Norfolk Change Conference at her school in 2011 and has spoken at many conferences since then. Ella was the Co-Chair of the Change conference at her school in 2013. Also in 2013, Ella was Assistant Volunteer Coordinator at the Powershift BC conference, where she gave a workshop on sustainable living.

When Ella heard Fabian Cousteau (grandson of Jacques Cousteau) give a presentation in Victoria, she asked him a question and had a chance to talk to him afterward. This led to Ella being asked to give a TedX talk. At the age of only 14, Ella was a featured speaker at the 2011 TedX event in Victoria. There she identified herself as a “teenage activist” and spoke passionately and knowledgeably about the plight of cetaceans, particularly dolphins and whales who are exploited and kept captive in entertainment facilities. Ella related the extreme stress that these animals are under, from the time of their capture through their life in captivity, which can never replicate their natural habitat. Ella’s impressive TedX presentation can be viewed here.

Ella’s interest in ocean conservation and cetaceans has led her to be involved in some significant projects. Through contact with film makers Richard and Lincoln O’ Barry who created “The Cove”, an Oscar-winning documentary about the dolphin hunt in Japan, Ella was introduced to the Dolphin Project, which is a campaign under the International Marine mammal project at the non-profit Earth Island Institute in Berkeley, California. Ella is a youth ambassador and writer for the Dolphin Project and she plans to create a youth section for the project, with an education curriculum and activism toolbox to get youth engaged in this important issue.

Ella started diving when she was in Grade 8 and received her diving certification in Australia. She plans to obtain her Rescue Diver certification and work on a Master Diver’s certificate once she turns 18. She describes herself as a child of nature and she has loved the ocean as long as she can remember. She is passionate about diving and has had the opportunity to do underwater filming. Ella was invited to work with biologist and deep-sea explorer Sylvia Earle and MacGillvray Freeman Films and said “it was the coolest thing I’ve ever done”. She is involved in another film project in 2016 with MacGillvray Freeman Films Inc and the One World One Ocean Campaign that addresses the urgent need to address ocean conservation. Ella was fortunate to be invited to Key Largo, Florida, where she was able to dive to the underwater research lab and do some filming for the project.

Ella has become part of an activist network that she describes as “the most genuine group of people”. She finds that the support of a strong network is critical when you are taking on difficult issues and fighting for what you believe in.

In the future, Ella sees herself doing scientific research “on the things I care about”, which relate primarily to ocean conservation. Ella has recently been offered an impressive scholarship to attend Quest University near Squamish, BC. She’s thrilled and excited to be joining their liberal arts undergraduate program offered on a 60 acre hilltop campus near Garibaldi Provincial Park. The Quest program includes taking one class at a time, in a very intensive format over a period of 3.5 weeks. Ella’s goal is to enter the field of marine science or oceanography, to further her work in ocean conservation.

Ella’s communication skills are exceptional; her enthusiasm is infectious; her passion for marine conservation is unwavering. It probably comes as little surprise to know that we’re convinced Ella will fulfill her dreams however they may evolve. And one thing is for sure — we’ll be hearing a lot more from her in the years to come.

Media Statement – May 14, 2015
Andrew Weaver calls on government to delay debate on Bill 20
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the B.C. Green Party is calling on the BC Government to delay the debate on Bill 20, scheduled to take place today.

The Minister of Justice circulated amendments to Bill 20 yesterday, one day before the final debate on the Bill is scheduled to take place. However, at the end of the day yesterday, additional changes were brought forward by government that amended the most recent amendments.

“This is not a thoughtful manner for government to propose amendments to legislation especially when it concerns fundamental issues of privacy,” said Weaver. “We are witnessing a clumsy attempt by government to push through legislation that puts their political interests ahead of the interests of British Columbians.”

The Privacy Commissioner’s concerns have been public for over a month. On April 13th 2015, The Privacy Commissioner wrote a letter to government regarding Bill 20, expressing serious concerns with aspects of this Bill, and urged the government to withdraw sections which amended s.51(2) of the Election Act. These provisions would give political parties the ability to receive information on who voted at the end of an election. Her concerns were related to how this information would be used, especially since making the information available after the election runs contrary to the government’s stated purpose that this information was to be used for “get out the vote”.

“I am profoundly concerned the Privacy Commissioner will not have adequate time to review the amendments and offer recommendations before this Bill is passed. This has the appearance of desperation. The government appears to want the Bill to pass quickly without critical information and review,” said Andrew Weaver. “Let’s postpone this debate and gather the necessary information before proceeding on this Bill”.

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

This is the second in a seven week series examining the topic of child and youth mental health in B.C. As this is a complex and multifaceted topic, I will be narrowing my focus to a few popular beliefs and areas of concern that I have witnessed in my role as MLA. The purpose of this series is to debunk these beliefs, increase awareness of these concerns, end the stigma of mental health in our society and provide opportunities for you to impact what is happening in your community.

“Health is not simply the absence of disease; it is something positive…” – Harry Sigerist, Medicine and Human Welfare

Popular Belief Three: Mental Illness is the Issue

Reality: If you pay close attention to many conversations about ‘mental health’ you will probably notice that surprisingly the focus is not actually on health.  Most often when we refer to mental health we are really meaning mental illness.

This type of discourse in which mental health and mental illness are used interchangeably not only pairs negative connotations with the concept of mental health, but also brings people to believe that the issue is simply about treating mental illness. When in fact the larger, more encompassing issue is mental health and well-being.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Moreover, WHO defines Mental Health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” Each of these definitions stress the positive dimensions of health and mental health. Just as health is not merely the absence of disease, mental health is not merely the lack of a mental disorder – it is the presence of mental well-being.

Yet the Mental Health System as currently structured puts primary emphasis on treating and managing medically diagnosed mental disorders. The majority of resources are channelled into reactive approaches to illness, with little attention given to mental health promotion and/or illness prevention.  

What are the implications of this illness-oriented system for youth mental health?

A survey conducted by the McCreary Centre Society found that when asked to define mental health, young people with first-hand experiences of mental health challenges defined it in terms of mental illness rather than in terms of mental wellness.They associated mental health with disorders and negative life experiences or traumatic events.

Interestingly, despite their own negative associations with mental health, some survey participants noted that for people who had not experienced such challenges, mental health would likely refer to one’s well-being. Likewise, when youth who were no longer experiencing acute mental health challenges defined mental health, they did so from this positive framework – describing mental health as a component to a balanced healthy lifestyle.

The fact that so many youth facing mental health challenges pair such negative meaning with the concept of mental health – and have such adverse experiences with mental health supports and services – is a statement of how our mental health system is failing to address the true needs of our young people.

Switching the Focus

Historically, the common approach of our healthcare system has been a focus on the biomedical diagnosis of disease, concerning itself primarily with the illness and not necessarily the individual as a whole. While more holistic models have gained acceptance over the last few decades, the biomedical model continues to be the dominant lens in healthcare today. But this model only addresses part of the problem.

Mental health and mental ill-health are not just biological issues, just as they are not just psychological issues or social issues or environmental issues. Rather, mental health and ill-health are often by-products of interactions between all of these components. Similarly, an individual’s ability to seek support for their mental health challenges is often dependent on the relationships between these same components.

It is precisely this reason that we need to stop approaching mental health and mental ill-health through such a narrow viewpoint. We need to look beyond the labels on the medical chart and stop basing treatment plans merely on medical diagnoses. We need to stop putting sole emphasis on getting rid of an individual’s mental illness and instead focus on how we can provide them with the support and tools they need to live a full and meaningful life. In other words, we need to stop treating the illness and start treating the individual.

By changing the emphasis of our mental health system from one of mental illness to one of mental well-being, and shifting the focus of support services from treating the disease to treating the individual, we can start to shift the way society and those facing these challenges view mental health. While simultaneously fostering feelings of autonomy, meaning and empowerment in the youth facing mental health challenges head-on.  

Weekly Action Item

Armed with a better understanding of mental health and mental health challenges perhaps you might wish to acknowledge your own mental health needs. As the Canadian Mental Health Association points out, “staying mentally healthy is like staying physically fit – it requires a little effort every day.” That’s why this weeks action item is to set aside some time to assess and address your own mental health needs.

This will look different for everybody. Mental health is about striking a balance in all aspects of your life: social, physical, spiritual, economic and mental. Reaching a balance is a learning process and everyone’s personal balance will be unique. Even when a balance has been reached, your challenge will be to stay mentally healthy by keeping that balance.

While some people may be able to reach and maintain this balance on their own, others may require the support of family, friends and/or professionals.  To help you with this process, here is a link to the Canadian Mental Health Association’s website where you will find some suggestions to help you strike and keep your balance.

Today I had the privilege of attending the Oak Bay Young Exceptional Star (Y.E.S) awards ceremony at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre where 15 exceptionally talented youth in grades 6 to 10 were honoured for their achievements.

As noted by the  Oak Bay Child and Youth Committee that administers the awards, “The goal of the awards is to emphasize the positive achievements of Oak Bay’s young people by recognizing those who have distinguished themselves in such areas as volunteerism, arts, citizenship, academics, athletics and/or who have overcome obstacles to achieve their goals.”

Congratulations to this year’s award winners: Georgia Alexander, Andrei Bielay, Jack Carson, Owen Crewe, Sophie de Goede, Christopher Graham, Rachel Hughes, Nicholas Kojima, Alisa Lyesina, Anika McDonald, Zachariah Mears, John Mossie, Carson Rust, Rubee Twohig and Annika Weir.

I had the pleasure of presenting the award to Sophie de Goede. Below is the text of my speech.

Text of Speech

Sophie stands out amongst her peers in all aspects of life around Oak Bay. She is known around Oak Bay High School as an incredibly talented athlete. While this is a well-deserved reputation, it only tells part of her story. She was nominated for this award by two of her teachers – Mr. Kinnear and Mr. Garraway.

When it comes to athletics Sophie is elite in all aspects. Her desire, drive, and passion is unmatched. She spends several hours everyday training with an elite group of young athletes at the extremely prestigious Canadian Sports School at the Pacific Institute of Sports Excellence. She has parlayed this hard work into an already stellar sports career at Oak Bay High School as a Grade 10 student.

Sophie has been a starter for two years on the Sr. Girls Soccer Team. Mr. Garraway says that Sophie was the first grade 9 player in his 13 years as the Sr. Girls Soccer coach, to make and start on the senior team. She helped lead them to a Provincial Bronze medal and this year is an assistant captain — an honour which has never been given to a grade 10 player before. Sophie is also a big point getter for the Sr. Girls Track and Cross Country Teams, starter for the Sr. Girls Volleyball team, starter and multiple MVP for the Sr. Girls Basketball team, as well as team captain in what most would consider her main sport of rugby. She excels in nearly all these sports in the community as well. This includes as an underage member of the Provincial U-17 Basketball Team, and competing internationally on both the 7 & 15 aside rugby teams.

Sophie also is an academic leader at Oak Bay High School. She thrives in the classroom boasting straight A’s in all her academics. What’s even more remarkable is that Sophie also pursues volunteering opportunities around the school. This year she applied, and was accepted, to be a member of the Hero Holiday crew. These students partake in various fundraising opportunities over a two-year period. And I had the pleasure of being jailed then bailed at one of these fundraisers! The students use this money to purchase supplies to build and furnish homes in impoverished communities in Mexico. Over a ten day period they travel to Mexico and build these homes for families in need. The students immerse themselves in the community and get to know the importance of giving back to those in need.

Selfless, hard working, and determined — these attributes allow Sophie to be successful in all aspects of her life. In less than two years around Oak Bay High School, Sophie has excelled amongst her peers in all pillars of excellence. She has already created a legacy that many of our most elite students struggle to conjure up over four years. What truly makes Sophie exceptional is that despite all her success you would be truly hard pressed to find a member of staff or the student body that has even an ounce of ill will towards her. She does all these things with such class and dignity the whole school has become Sophie de Goede fans.

We are fans too Sophie, and are extremely pleased to be presenting you with a well-deserved YES Award!