Weaver statement on government’s announcement of Site C review
August 02, 2017
VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green caucus, responded to the news that the NDP minority government has referred the Site C dam for review by the B.C. Utilities Commission.
“I’m glad that the BC NDP have laid out a process that will ensure that Site C finally receives an independent review,” said Weaver. “The BC Liberals should have sent this project for review from the get-go to determine whether it was in the interests of British Columbians. It is simply reckless to spend $9 billion of public money without proper due diligence. According to estimates the cost could be as high as $12 billion.
“As an opposition caucus, our role is to hold the government to account as this process goes ahead. As per our Confidence and Supply Agreement, we were consulted early on the terms of reference but the final draft is the responsibility of Cabinet.
“Our goal all along has been to ensure that a decision such as this, where the impacts are felt by so many, is made with the best information available. This is a step in that direction.”
Andrew Weaver statement on Christy Clark’s resignation as Leader of the BC Liberal Party and MLA for Kelowna-West
July 28, 2017
For immediate release
“I want to thank Christy Clark for her years of service to British Columbians, both as an MLA and as Leader of the BC Liberals,” said Weaver. “She has been a fierce advocate for British Columbia, here at home and around the world.
“A highlight of my time in the Legislature was working directly with Christy Clark to implement sexualized violence policy legislation for BC’s post-secondary institutions. Her leadership and willingness to work across party lines on this vital issue has made universities and colleges across this province safer for our students – and for this I am grateful.
“This experience illustrated what we can achieve when members of this house work together. I wish Christy Clark well in her future pursuits and look forward to developing a productive relationship with the next Leader of the BC Liberal Party.”
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Media contact Sarah Miller, Acting Press Secretary
+1 250-858-9891 | sarah.miller@bcgreens.ca
Yesterday I issued a statement in response to Petronas’s announcement that it will not be proceeding with its Pacific Northwest LNG project. As I mentioned more than four years ago, global market conditions were never going to support an LNG industry in British Columbia on the scale the BC Liberals promised. This decision by Petronas was not unexpected. I reproduce my statement below.
In addition, a number of media outlets asked me to comment on the Attorney General’s remarks regarding the Trans Mountain permitting process as well as subtle changes in the language used in the Minister of Environment’s mandate letter. That letter stated that the Premier expects the Minister of Environment to make “substantive progress” on a number of priorities. These include:
Employ every tool available to defend B.C.’s interests in the face of the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, and the threat of a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic on our coast.
Recall that the Confidence and Supply Agreement, ratified by both the BC NDP and BC Green Caucuses, specifically states that an NDP government will:
Immediately employ every tool available to the new government to stop the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the seven-fold increase in tanker traffic on our coast, and the transportation of raw bitumen through our province.
This language was based on similar language in the BC NDP 2017 election platform as well as long-standing BC Green opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline. The BC NDP election platform specifically said:
The Kinder Morgan pipeline is not in BC’s interest. It means a seven-fold increase in tanker traffic. It doesn’t, and won’t, meet the necessary conditions of providing benefits to British Columbia without putting our environment and our economy at unreasonable risk. We will use every tool in our toolbox to stop the project from going ahead.
As an opposition party, we will remain steadfast in calling on the NDP government to use every legally available tool to stop the pipeline from going ahead
Statement on Petronas Announcement
For immediate release
July 25, 2017 Andrew Weaver statement on Pacific Northwest LNG
VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green caucus, issued the following statement in response to Petronas’s announcement that it will not be proceeding with its Pacific Northwest LNG project. “Since the beginning it has been clear that the global marketplace does not support the LNG industry that the BC Liberals promised in their 2013 election campaign,” said Weaver. “Rather than doing the hard work required to strengthen and secure the economic opportunities already available in other sectors, the BC Liberals recklessly went all in on a single industry. They let opportunities for innovation and economic development in clean technology, the resource sector, and other major BC industries fall by the wayside. “BC’s future does not lie in chasing yesterday’s fossil fuel economy; it lies in taking advantage of opportunities in the emerging economy in order to create economic prosperity in BC. These opportunities must be available to people in all regions of our province. “The BC Green caucus is committed to developing these opportunities in the emerging economy that all British Columbians can access. This is the vision we ran on.”
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Media contact
Sarah Miller, Acting Press Secretary
+1 250-858-9891 | sarah.miller@leg.bc.ca
Today in the Legislature I was up in Question Period. I took the opportunity to ask the Premier why she made these statement when the majority of members in this House stand ready and willing to work together.
Below I reproduce the video and text of the exchange. You’ll see in the exchange that the BC Liberals were much more feisty than usual. The Premier was also made to withdraw a comment she made.
Video of Exchange
Question
A. Weaver: Yesterday the Premier held a press conference in the rose garden, where she stated: “This isn’t a working Legislature, and I haven’t seen any evidence that it could work.” She further stated: “There’s no effort on the part of either opposition party to work together.”
Hon. Speaker, she implied that because her government, the government under her leadership, has been unable to advance its agenda — frankly, our agenda — the only option is to subject British Columbia to another election. For weeks, the Premier has delayed a confidence vote that she knows she will lose. Instead, her government has chosen to play political games that are designed to undermine cooperation and stability.
Let me be clear. Stability does not depend on this Premier holding on to power. The Greens stand ready to work with all parties…
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members, Members.
A. Weaver: …once the government has demonstrated that it has the confidence of the House.
Mr. Speaker: Member, one minute.
Members, the Chair will hear the question.
A. Weaver: My question to the Premier is this: can the Premier clarify why she made this statement when the majority of members in this House stand ready and willing to work together?
Mr. Speaker: Premier — through the Chair.
Answer
Hon. C. Clark: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
You know, that member campaigned hard in the election on saying that he was going to be different. Instead, what he’s done is decide to just be more of the same. That member campaigned in the election saying that he was going to be an independent voice in this Legislature, and instead what he’s done is decide to sit there and take orders from one of the major parties rather than making up his own mind.
That member said that he supported campaign finance reform and then refused to even look at it when it was proposed in this Legislature. And now that member stands up and says he’s willing to work with anybody. Nobody believes you anymore.
Mr. Speaker: The member has a supplemental.
Supplemental Question
A. Weaver: Thank you, hon. Speaker. It’s good to see the Premier acting like the Leader of the Official Opposition in response to my question here.
We’ve been very clear. This government needs to test the confidence of this House before this government can actually claim that it is not working. You know, again, yesterday the Premier told the press in the rose garden this: “I don’t see a path forward. I don’t see any evidence that it can work.” I think, more aptly, the Premier has found that there is no evidence that the B.C. Liberal government can work, as it lacks the confidence of this House.
The Greens again have made it clear. We are ready to work with all parties once government has demonstrated….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members. The Chair will hear the question.
A. Weaver: It’s remarkable. They’re getting ready to be in opposition yet again.
Once again….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. The Chair will hear the question.
A. Weaver: Thank you. We’ve got a feisty bunch on the other side.
Mr. Speaker: The question, Member.
A. Weaver: Again — once the government has demonstrated that it has the confidence of the House.
You know, it’s very clear to us. It’s very clear to the legislative press gallery. It’s very clear to the people in British Columbia that this Premier is trying to actually have an election because she knows she doesn’t have the confidence of the House.
Again, my question….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members, Members. Members, the Chair will hear the question.
A. Weaver: Again….
Mr. Speaker: And the question, Member?
A. Weaver: Again, I encourage the members opposite to read the columns in the paper today by the….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.
Member, take….
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: The Chair will hear the question.
Members.
A. Weaver: As I’ve said earlier…
Mr. Speaker: And could you move to the question?
A. Weaver: …it’s time for this lot to be put in a time-out. They’re acting like belligerent children who are kicking and screaming as they’re going into that time-out.
Again….
Mr. Speaker: Member, the Chair will hear a question.
A. Weaver: Thank you. My question, through you to the Premier: can the Premier please clarify why she made this statement again when the majority of members are here in the House ready and willing to work together?
Answer
Hon. C. Clark: That member, for the last seven days, or the days that we’ve sat, has rejected two pieces of legislation that during the election, he campaigned very hard and said that he supported, including campaign finance reform. He has stood in this House. We’ve seen the spectacle of the Opposition House Leader whispering orders to him and coming down and telling him how to vote.
We have watched as this member has steadfastly refused to work with members in this House on issues with which he said he profoundly agrees. And now he is saying: “Trust me. I do want to work with everybody — just not now.” And now he is saying….
Interjection.
Mr. Speaker: Member. Member.
Hon. C. Clark: After saying to his constituents: “I do want to work with everybody. I do want the Legislature to be different. I don’t want to be part of this arena where good ideas are rejected just for political reasons….” He wasn’t telling the truth about that then, and he isn’t telling the truth about what he is saying today.
Mr. Speaker: Premier.
A. Weaver: Can I ask that you…?
Some Voices: Withdraw.
Mr. Speaker: Premier, can you withdraw?
Interjection.
Mr. Speaker: Thank you. The Chair heard the withdrawal.
Today in the legislature I was up in question period and I wanted to take the opportunity to question the Premier as to whether or not she was going to fulfill her constitutional obligations as First Minister.
Last week, the Premier stated that she doesn’t intend to give the Lieutenant-Governor any advice when she loses the confidence vote scheduled for Thursday. But as I note in the framing of my supposed question today, she has a constitutional obligation to do so should she lose such a motion. The Premier can do one of two things: 1) resign; 2) provide advice to the Lieutenant Governor. The advice to the Lieutenant Governor would be viewed as her seeking another election. Of course, the Lieutenant Governor does not have to listen to such advice.
The Premier reiterated today in a press conference at the BC Legislature that she was not going to be providing advice but would be willing to answer the Lieutenant Governor’s questions. In my view the Premier’s behaviour is disrespectful of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
It’s pretty clear that the Premier is trying to trigger a summer election and to set the stage to blame the Lieutenant Governor, rather than accepting responsibility, if such an election is called. As I have reiterated many times before, the games the BC Liberals continue to play are never ending.
What was particularly disturbing about Question Period today was that I was hoping to question the Premier as to whether or not she was going to fulfill her constitutional obligation. Shortly after I rose, the Minister of Finance started calling on the Speaker to rule my question as being out of order.
As you’ll see below, my question was ruled out of order before I even asked it! You literally can’t make this stuff up.
The BC Liberals need to be put in a time out. They are clearly more interested in political calculation and the quest for power than they are in putting the interests of people front and centre. The BC NDP and the BC Greens have an accord that will ensure stability of the house and confidence in an NDP minority government.
Video of Exchange
Text of Exchange
A. Weaver: Last week, the Premier stated that she doesn’t intend to give the Lieutenant-Governor any advice when she loses the confidence vote scheduled for Thursday. Yet scholars have been very clear. The Premier has a constitutional duty to provide advice on how to proceed to the Lieutenant-Governor. It’s a long-standing tradition that the Lieutenant-Governor acts on the basis of advice from the first minister. For the Premier to refuse this advice is an abdication of her constitutional responsibility.
My question to the Premier is this.
Mr. Speaker: Member, the question is out of order. It has nothing to do with her ministerial responsibilities.
Next question.
A. Weaver: The question is as follows, then. The Premier has refused to have a vote in the House on confidence. We’ve delayed after delayed after delayed. Will the Premier make public her recommendation to the Lieutenant-Governor that will be put forward shortly?
Mr. Speaker: Again, that question is out of order. It has nothing do to do with her ministerial responsibility.
