Jobs

Today I rose in the legislature to give the required two day’s notice that I will bring forward an amendment to the Throne Speech. Delta South Independent MLA Vicki Huntington seconded my notice of motion.

When I speak to the Throne Speech, and subsequently the amendment on Thursday, I will outline an alternative vision for diversified, sustainable, 21^st century economy.

Notice to Amend Motion

Be it resolved that the motion “We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, in session assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious speech which your Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present session,” be amended by adding the following:

And that the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia accepts the responsibility of demonstrating the leadership to choose growth, to move forward and create a legacy for our children, but also recognizes that this leadership means not gambling our future prosperity on a hypothetical windfall from LNG, and instead supports the development of a diversified, sustainable, 21^st century economy.

Media Statement: September 25, 2014
Petronas LNG Announcement Highlights Need for Economic Back-Up Plan

For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head and the Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party, says that Petronas’ threat to call off its $10-billion LNG project is another clear demonstration that British Columbia desperately needs an economic back-up plan.

“We have a government that has gone all-in on LNG,” says Weaver. “We have an official opposition that is essentially parroting the government in an attempt to appear job-friendly. The fact is, Petronas’ announcement has made clear what neither the government nor the opposition is willing to admit: That the promise of a ‘generational opportunity’ in LNG is a pipedream and we desperately need a back-up plan for when it fails.”

Petronas’ CEO, Shamsul Abbas, said that the development of an LNG export industry in Canada was over 40 years behind the United States. His statement echoes the conclusions of a recent Peters and Company report that noted that the U.S. Gulf Coast is now likely the most efficient place to construct LNG facilities in North America. In fact, according to regulatory filings, it would cost roughly twice as much to construct a facility in Canada as it would to build one on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Mr. Abbas was clear when quoted in the Financial Times: “Until investors cross the final investment line with an economically viable project, they remain just potential investors on paper”.

“I’ve been saying this since before the last election – the economics simply aren’t there for what the government is promising. It’s a race to the bottom to sell off our natural gas resources, at the expense of other opportunities.”

While, the government continues to double-down on LNG existing industries in B.C. have been neglected. A few years ago, B.C. was investing heavily in reliable, high-paying and up-and-coming sectors like the technology and renewable energy sectors. However with Premier Clark’s new singular focus on LNG, these sectors lack the certainty needed to continue to thrive. Anytime someone questions their approach, the government responds by saying “trust us.”

“We can no longer accept the government’s ‘trust us’ mantra on LNG development. Jobs and our economy are on the line here and British Columbians deserve to know that their government has a back-up plan for when the LNG dream fails.”

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Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
1 250 216 3382

Media Statement: February 25th, 2014
Evidence 100 000 LNG Jobs Vastly Overstated
For Immediate Release

Victoria BC – In an article published by David Broadland in Focus Magazine (www.focusonline.ca) the government’s justification for 100 000 LNG jobs is seriously called into question. Using Freedom of Information access, he analysed the communications noting: “The report contained many warnings to the reader that it was based entirely on assumptions provided by ‘the Province and its advisors’ “

The points raised by Focus Magazine on potential LNG sector employment forecasts coincide with analysis within Andrew Weaver’s office. While the government continues to tout 100 000 jobs, a $100 billion prosperity fund, retirement of provincial debt and end of the PST, the numbers simply do not add up.

“Focus Magazine should be noted for their investigative report on LNG in BC. During and since the election campaign I’ve been consistent in saying LNG is a ‘Hail Mary Pass’ . It is now more evident the jobs numbers and revenue expectations  should be questioned and it is time the government comes clean on what British Columbians can realistically expect. This is especially true for northern communities relying on government projections for economic and infrastructure planning around LNG. If the numbers are wrong, the policy failures are quick to follow.” Andrew Weaver MLA

Accurate employment projections are vital for economic policy. Even a small percentage difference from estimates to reality can have a ripple effect throughout the entire provincial economy. They inform policy and investment decisions as wide reaching as education, health care, social services, transportation and infrastructure.

Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
1 250 216 3382

Media Statement: February 18th, 2014
Budget Falls Short of a Diversified and Affordable Economy for British Columbians
For Immediate Release

Victoria BC While Budget 2014 rightly places an importance on living within our means, it falls short of providing a diversified and affordable economy for British Columbians.

“I applaud the Government for investing in new trades training facilities, for raising the threshold for exemption from the property transfer tax and for including the Capital Regional District in the Distant Location Tax Credit for the Film and Television industry,” says MLA Andrew Weaver. “These are clear steps in the right direction. Yet it is also clear that more can be done.”

The Government has described this as a status-quo budget at a time when BC continues to have the highest child poverty rate in the country and is quickly losing its leadership in addressing climate change.

The Government can address issues such as these by making smart investments in our Province and in our workforce, which provide real opportunities for British Columbians today, while ensuring that our children have the same opportunities we do. There are a number of examples of these solutions that link the decisions we make in our economy to our social and environmental needs, including

• U.S. states such as Washington and Oregon are already seeing the economic benefits of developing their clean energy sectors. With the establishment of a new BMW manufacturing facility for zero emission vehicles in Moses Lake, WA and a Google Data Centre in The Dalles, OR, these states have been placed “at the cutting edge of the technological revolution”, resulting in both job creation and economic diversity across the region. We could be doing this in B.C.
• Utah has succeeded in reducing homelessness by 78% in the last 8 years. They based this investment on studies that show a clear net economic benefit to society from addressing homelessness.
• As the social and economic impacts of storms linked to climate change increase, we could follow our Pacific Coast Action Plan partners and explore all means by which the provincial government may halt the expansion of thermal coal exports in British Columbia. This approach would be consistent with the province’s commitment to addressing climate change.

“We need to be taking steps like these in British Columbia. The fact is, the economic prosperity of BC depends on the transition of our economy to one where we live within our means. The opportunities that will be afforded to future generations will depend on our ability to make these investments today.” Said Andrew Weaver

Media Contact
Mat Wright – Press Secretary, Andrew Weaver MLA
mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
1 250 216 3382

At a press conference held by the Community Social Planning Council in Greater Victoria, a cross partisan group of MPs and MLAs endorsed the Community Action Plan on Poverty and spoke on the need for collaborative policy and action. Building on the vision shared at the Board Voice conference in Vancouver BC, Andrew Weaver spoke of the “opportunity to rethink how we address the social challenges that for years have afflicted British Columbians—our families, friends, neighbours, and ourselves.”

Statement by Andrew Weaver MLA – Community Action Plan on Poverty

“We’re here today in recognition that poverty is systemic within our community. But this is not new. For over a decade British Columbia has had the worst, or second worst, child poverty rate in Canada. The challenge confronting us is: “What can we do collaboratively to help eliminate poverty in our region”.

Each and every person living in Greater Victoria needs to recognize that poverty affects all of us. We need to recognize that working to end poverty is not only the right thing to do from a social perspective. But it is also the right thing to do economically. It simply costs society much more to let our most vulnerable fall through the cracks and end up homeless or on the streets.

How can we not act on the knowledge that thousands of people each year turn to food banks just to get by?

Like you, I believe we have a responsibility as a society to end poverty. Achieving this goal will require an overarching provincial strategy that fosters locally-based solutions. While Carol James and I, local first nations and the rest of you, continue to advocate for the development of that provincial strategy, we must all continue with our work in the community. That’s why we are here today.

The Community Action Plan on Poverty offers a local and grassroots approach to addressing poverty in our community. Its vision and guiding principles are inclusive, supportive and respectful. I am proud to support CAPP and I commit to doing my part as both an individual and as an MLA.

Collaboration and cooperation must be at the root of any successful poverty reduction strategy. I believe that when organizations as diverse as the Community Social Planning Council, the Vancouver Island Health Authority (now rebranded as Island Health), and the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society all work together on initiatives to reduce poverty, it represents a will to accomplish significant results. I truly am proud to support this collaborative action.

I am committed to doing my part to help address the 10 key focus areas identified by CAPP. Let me go further and commit to specifically focusing on three areas: Health, Housing and the development of a Strong Local Economy.

In addressing health within our community, I will continue to speak out on our need to improve access to and the transition from adolescent mental health services. Prevention is a key component of any poverty reduction strategy. Yet at the moment we do not have a coherent and effective system for treating adolescent mental health and as a result, too many of our youth end up falling through the cracks, particularly as they transition to adulthood.

I also plan to continue advocating for further investment into affordable housing, starting with the 2014 budget debate. Investment into affordable housing is sorely needed in the capital regional district where the average rent of a bachelor suite is more than one can obtain from a social assistance cheque.

Finally, I have been and will continue to be a strong proponent of building a dynamic and resilient local economy. As one example, I see the development of the clean-tech sector as an economic, social and environmental strategy that will provide communities with high-paying, stable, and long-term jobs. Developing a resilient, local economy will help provide the foundation for an effective poverty reduction strategy.

These are but three actions that I will commit to taking. But that’s not the end. If you have suggestions of other concrete steps I can take, I encourage you to please let me know. I am excited to be working with you to advance these goals.”

Endorsement of CAPP  letter from Andrew Weaver