Today I had the distinct honour of speaking at the launch of the six-week countdown to the 25th annual Bike to Work Week. Below I attach a copy of my brief remarks.

Opening Remarks

It is a pleasure for to join you today for the 25th annual Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week launch event.

I’d like to start by congratulating the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society for 25 years of tremendous success. This event has become an institution in our region and this is a milestone worth celebrating!

Through your outstanding efforts, more than 14,000 new riders have been introduced to commuter cycling and more than 100,000 cyclists have been engaged through events and education over the past 25 years.

Thank you for the work you have done with young cyclists to foster their love of cycling from an early age. We know people are most likely to develop life long habits if they start young. Bike to School events and your educational programs help to get youth comfortable and equipped with the knowledge and skills required to be confident, safe and happy cyclists.

Bike to Work Week is an important gateway event to draw new people into commuter cycling. Once they give it a try and have a positive experience, it can lead to a change in behaviour; some participants become regular bike commuters. It’s all about creating an environment of fun, positive encouragement and community building that works to promote behaviour change.

Active transportation, including commuter cycling, can have a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as more and more people reduce their dependence on cars.

In fact, this is a critical part of the CleanBC plan – to which the BC Green Caucus is firmly committed.

The Province has committed to offer incentives to local governments and public sector organizations to support active transportation, including cycling. The CleanBC plan includes providing grants to communities throughout BC to support cycling infrastructure and cycling tourism.

The government is seeking public input on active transportation and I hope you will participate – go online to CleanBC Active Transportation. The current consultation online is open until April 15^th.

At the BC Legislature, the bike parking room is always overflowing and people have started campaigning for more bike parking. Most of the staff in my office commute to work by bike, on foot or by bus. In fact, we’ll be registering a team in Bike to Work Week in May.

The personal benefits of commuting by bike are many, including the enjoyment of starting the day with a ride in our beautiful city and the opportunity to unwind from a hectic day on the way home.

Thank you again for inviting me today and I wish you much success on this year’s Bike to Work Week and continued success in the years to come.

In the BC Legislature today I rose to pay tribute to former Oak Bay Mayor and Councillor Nils Jensen who passed away on Sunday morning after a brief battle with cancer. Below I reproduce the text and video of this tribute.

Photo credit: Oak Bay News/Black Press.

Video of Tribute

Text of Tribute

A. Weaver: I rise today profoundly saddened by the news of the passing of Nils Jensen on Sunday, April 7, after a short battle with cancer. Nils left us far too young at the age of 69 years.

Nils made significant contributions to our community in so many ways. He served four terms on Oak Bay council, two of them as mayor. He was always driven by the best interests of his community and served us with dignity and commitment.

I was honoured to have the opportunity to get to know Nils well over these past few years. I’ve always held him in high esteem. I enjoyed his sense of humour and positive outlook on the world. I’ll sorely miss our annual lawn bowling challenge that he beat me at, year after year, as we opened Carnarvon Park’s Oak Bay Lawn Bowling Club. I’ll also miss handing out candy with him at the Oak Bay Tea Party, when every year we would run out, and we would have to borrow from him.

Nils loved Oak Bay and brought great energy to his political and community life. He also worked on critical infrastructure projects for the region during his tenure as the chair of the capital regional district and head of the regional water supply commission. Under his visionary leadership, the Sooke reservoir was raised. Nils understood that Victoria actually had a water availability crisis emerging and showed the leadership required to ensure fresh drinking water for the region was available for generations to come.

Nils was highly educated, with degrees in mechanical engineering and law degrees from Osgoode Hall in the London School of Economics. Nils had a long and distinguished career as a defence lawyer and Crown prosecutor for the province of British Columbia.

Nils leaves his wife, Jean, and two sons, Nicholas and Stewart. Our hearts go out to his family for the loss of their beloved husband and father. Our community has lost a great leader, one who has left us far too soon, and I have lost a close personal friend.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the Oak Bay High School community theatre for Nils Jensen

Today in the legislature I had the distinct honour of introducing the University of Victoria Vikes women’s varsity rowing team. I took the opportunity to recognize their success in the 2019 Brown Cup boat race between UVic and UBC which took place in the Gorge Waterway on March 30, 2019. Congratulations UVic Vikes.

Below I reproduce the video and text of my introduction.

Video of Introduction

Text of Introduction

A. Weaver: Today I rise to introduce the University of Victoria Vikes women’s varsity rowing team, who are in the gallery today. For anyone who might not have seen the front page of the Times Colonist Sunday morning, the Vikes women out-rowed UBC Thunderbirds this weekend at the annual Brown Cup race, much to the embarrassment and shame of the member for Vancouver–Point Grey.

The race itself begins under the Tillicum bridge before finishing in the Inner Harbour. The UVic women reached the Inner Harbour nearly ten seconds — that’s almost a lifetime in the sport of rowing — before the member for Vancouver–Point Grey’s Thunderbirds did. Again, more shame and more embarrassment for the member.

The Brown Cup is a UBC-UVic thing. The win for the UVic women extends their all-time Brown Cup record to a dominant — listen to this, Member — 24-3. That’s 24 times UVic has beat UBC on this, and only three times have they lost.

The rivalry between the two programs is intense, and I look forward to following this again next year. I look forward to rising again in the House next year and saying the record is now 25-and-3 and once more pointing out the shame that the member for Vancouver–Point Grey should be feeling.

The names of the winning crew are as follows, and they’re upstairs: Barney William, Sam Heron, Lily Copeland, Piper Battersbee, Jillian Katy, McKenna Simpson, Layla Baluch, team captain Larissa McKinley, Adrianna Rooker, Kirsten Edwards and Danai McCullough. Would the House please make this incredibly talented group of rowers feel very, very welcome.

Today as I was walking into the Chamber to get ready for Question Period, I heard the Leader of the Official Opposition saying a few words in remembrance of Paul Fraser. I was shocked as I had no idea Paul Fraser had died.

After the Leader of the Opposition finished his brief tribute, I rose to offer a few words. These are reproduced in video and text below.

Paul Fraser was highly regarded by all members in the BC Legislature. He first became B.C.’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner on Jan. 1, 2008 and was unanimously reappointed twice further, the most recent reappointment was in May 2018.

Video of Statement

Text of Statement

A. Weaver: Well, that was an enormous shock. I found out literally as the Leader of the Official Opposition was speaking about the passing of Paul Fraser. I can only say that I’m at a loss for words.

Paul was, as has been articulated, a gentleman. He cared deeply about the ongoing workings in this place. He cared deeply about each and every MLA, and he worked with each and every MLA to try to help them through what are often difficult and challenging issues that come to us as we try to serve our job here.

I’m devastated. I spoke to him two weeks ago. He had pneumonia. He still wasn’t feeling well. He spoke to me about an issue that I was asking about. He provided me some advice.

I think I join everyone in this House in saying: Thank you, Paul, for all the good work you did. We will miss you.

Today at the BC Legislature I had the distinct honour to witness more than a thousand youth support Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Greta Thunberg and the school climate strike. Below I reproduce the press release that the BC Green Party released in support of this event that I attended. As you might imagine, the incredible youth participating in this student strike are a wonderful inspiration for me and they certainly serve as hope for the future.

Media Release

B.C. Green Caucus statement on the School Strike for Climate
For immediate release
March 15, 2019

VICTORIA, B.C. – Inspired by the school strikes of Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Greta Thunberg, hundreds of thousands of children and youth around the world are striking today for climate action.

“Our children are telling us that it is time to treat this crisis as a crisis, and they are right,” said Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Greens. “I am humbled and honoured to stand with the world’s children and youth as they demand political action on climate change.

“All of the science is pointing to the fact that we are fast running out of time to avoid global catastrophe, and yet around the world political leaders are failing to consider the existential threat that we face. To quote Greta Thunberg, we need to focus on what needs to be done rather than what is politically possible.”

“The decisions we make today have lasting impacts,” said Sonia Furstenau, B.C. Green MLA for Cowichan Valley. “Our young people may not be able to vote, but their voices are strong and we have a moral, ethical, and political responsibility to listen to them.

“We are incredibly proud of the CleanBC plan and how it will shape our province in the years to come. But as our children are pointing out today, we need to do much, much more. I was grateful to join today’s climate strike, these kids and young people inspire me to keep fighting for a just future.”

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Media contact
Macon McGinley, Press Secretary
+1 250-882-6187 |macon.mcginley@leg.bc.ca