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 While this information may quickly become outdated, this blog post highlights the individual steps that we can all take right now to do our part to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in British Columbia.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.”

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

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

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.

On Thursday last week the 13^th annual Oak Bay Young Exceptional Star (Y.E.S) awards ceremony was held at the Oak  Bay Beach Hotel.  Ten exceptionally talented youth in grades 6 to 10 were honoured for their achievements.

As noted by the YES Awards Committee, Chaired by Hazel Braithwaite, 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: Owen Barlow, Anna Friesen, Olivia Friesen, Jennifer Lambert, Amelia Leibel, Mason Levin, Beatrice Sharpe, Panos Tzanetakis, Alice Wu and Kyla Younger.

I had the pleasure of presenting the award to Owen Barlow from Monterey Middle School who was nominated by his teacher Mr. Mallet. Unfortunately I was unable to be at the event in person so Noah Conrad, a former Oay Bay High School graduate and legislative research assistant in my office, kindly volunteered to present the award on my behalf.

Below is the text of his presentation speech.

Text of Presentation Speech

Teacher Mr. Mallet says that It is with the greatest of enthusiasm that he nominates Owen Barlow for an Oak Bay Young Exceptional Star Award. He is nominating Owen is in the area of Athletics.

Owen is a grade eight student at Monterey Middle School and an active member of the local rugby community. Owen plays rugby for James Bay Athletic Association–often times at a higher division than other players his age–as well as Team BC U16 Elite 7s, and VIRU Tide Rugby–a rep team that competes annually in the Pacific Rugby Championships.

Owen is thought to be one of the top players at his position for his age in the province, and has been invited to play with the Waikiki Beach Boys in a 15’s tournament that takes place in Oahu, Hawaii later this year.

In school, Owen is an active member of the Sr. Boys Basketball and Rugby teams. Last year, Owen played rugby for both the Jr. and Sr. Boys teams, winning a city championship with the Jr. Team, and a 3rd place finish with the Sr. Boys. Owen is looking forward to his final season of Monterey Rugby, and the ability to compete for a City Championship at the Sr. Boys level.

Academically, Owen does his best to maintain a B average while trying to manage his extensive, but valuable rugby commitments. Further, Owen is a leader among his peers and is willing to work alongside anybody in his class.

Owen has garnered the respect of his teachers and coaches, as he demonstrates a highly developed work ethic as well as an ability to put forth 100% effort in all of his athletic pursuits.

Mr. Mallet feels Owen is a talented athlete with natural leadership ability, who is destined to achieve great things. We agree and are so very pleased to be able to present him with a Young Exceptional Star award this year – please help me congratulate him!

Today the BC NDP delivered the budget for the next fiscal year. Below I reproduce the media release my office issued in response to it. As you will see from the release (reproduced below), I was pleased with Budget 2020 and I look forward to expanding on these initial remarks when I respond in the legislature hopefully tomorrow.

Media Release

MLA Weaver responds to 2020 Budget
For Immediate Release
February 18, 2020

Victoria, BC — The BC NDP’s 2020 Budget is one that invests in the people of British Columbia and charts a path forward for a sustainable economy that works for everyone.

“I’m delighted to see this government continuing to work towards lowering the cost of living for middle class British Columbians,” said Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. “Actions such as the elimination of MSP premiums which I have long advocated for, the construction of new affordable housing units, the raising of earnings exemptions for those on income and disability assistance, and increased funding for childcare and public education should ensure that the benefits of economic growth in BC are widely shared”.

While the 2020 budget introduces several changes that positively impact the lives of British Columbians now, it is also forward looking, making significant investments into the future of the province and in particular today’s youth. Funding dedicated to increasing the supply of teachers, counsellors, and psychologists contribute to the positive social and cognitive development of our children as they move through school.

The creation of the needs-based, up-front BC Access Grant should equalize post-secondary educational opportunities in the province by allowing students to focus on their studies without worrying about how they are going to pay for their tuition. New 24/7 mental health resources for students at post-secondary institutions should no longer place young adults in a position where they feel like they have to choose between their personal well-being and academic success.

“BC’s 2020 budget also makes necessary infrastructure investments, at a time when access to capital is cheap, to manage a growing population while, at the same time, transitioning the province to a low-carbon economy by linking capital expenditures to Clean BC,” adds Weaver.

The construction of new hospitals, bridges, roads, houses, and schools promise to create numerous good, well-paying jobs in all regions of our province in addition to alleviating strains on public services.

“Innovative design and the integration of BC engineered wood products and energy/energy conservation systems into these capital projects demonstrates British Columbia’s ongoing leadership in recognizing that the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can be paired with job creation throughout the province,” notes Weaver.

Although the budget does continue to devote resources to projects which I continue to oppose, such as the Site C dam and LNG developments, I am pleased that the government is now demonstrating its commitment to the economy of tomorrow by supporting the emerging bioeconomy, the quantum computing sector, the agri-tech and life sciences. The continued backing of renewable energy projects, ZEVs, and electric aircrafts will make our economic growth largely sustainable.

At its heart, the 2020 budget is one that places people first while embracing the opportunities created by technological and climatic change, ensuring that BC is well positioned to thrive moving forward.

MLA Weaver will monitor the progress and implementation of these budget measures to ensure they benefit the people of British Columbia.

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Media contact
Judy Fainstein
Executive Director
Legislative Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
+1 250-744-7615 | Judy.Fainstein@leg.bc.ca