Media Release

Media Release: March 16, 2016
Premier pledges to work with Andrew Weaver to pass Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – In response to a question from Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, the Premier pledged that her government would pass his Private Member’s Bill, or develop comparable legislation to address the prevalence of sexual assaults on post-secondary campuses.

“This is a strong statement from the Premier and her government that they acknowledge the importance of this issue,” says Weaver. “Most importantly, the Premier acknowledged the urgency with which we must act on this issue and has committed to work with me to bring forward legislation in a timely manner.”

“I am thrilled by the Premier’s response and welcome the opportunity to work with her, and with students across the Province, to ensure campuses become safer places,” notes Weaver. “Sexualized violence affects everyone in our communities, regardless of gender identity.”

Andrew Weaver tabled the Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act, 2016 last Tuesday. The Bill, if passed, would create a legal responsibility for every University and College in B.C. to develop and maintain policies that would provide education for students, support for survivors and would work to prevent the occurrences of sexual assault on campuses.

There have been several highly publicized incidents in the news lately. When a student at Thompson Rivers University was sexually assaulted twice in one term she was told ‘Maybe you would be better suited to a different school.’ UBC made headlines last year when it turned out that their reported cases of sexual assault on campus were less than a quarter of those reported by the UBC RCMP detachment. Earlier this week it was reported that a UVic student felt ‘completely invalidated and silenced’ by a UVic investigation into her sexual assault.

“We can’t know the actual scale of the problem unless we have post-secondary institutions honestly reporting about it,” says Weaver. “Based on the little data available, and the widespread culture of under reporting that exists, any post-secondary institution that takes this issue on seriously would likely see their reported assaults far exceed other institutions. No public institution wants to have that negative attention; they want to be seen as safe places for students to study.”

“A legislated approach is required to ensure best practices and consistent standards are met, while establishing a clear legal responsibility for post-secondary institutions to maintain these policies,” said Weaver. “I want to thank the Premier for her willingness to make this important issue a priority”.

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

Media Release: March 15, 2016
Andrew Weaver – Protecting disability and education savings plans needs to happen
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, says the changes he proposes in protecting RESPs and RDSPs from creditors are needed in British Columbia.

“I asked the Minister of Justice about this problem in question period two years ago,” says Weaver. “At the time, the Minister said that it was an important issue and that she’d be glad to work with me to move it forward. Yet two years have now passed and still nothing has changed.”

Today Weaver introduced a private member’s bill intituled “Court Order Enforcement Amendment Act”. The bill would add Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) and Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) to the list of plans protected under the act.

Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) are already protected in BC and most other provinces from creditors in the case of personal bankruptcy. Such protection provides a glimmer of hope that individuals undergoing bankruptcy will not be destitute in their old age.

“If a person files for bankruptcy in B.C., their RRSPs are protected from being seized by creditors,” says Weaver. “However, the same protection does not exist for RESPs or for RDSPs. A child should not have their education investment seized due to misfortune that befalls their parents. Alberta has protected RESPs; we should follow suit.”

“I’ve waited for action on this issue for two years. I haven’t seen any meaningful progress from the government on this simple legislative change, so that’s why I’m proposing it today. My hope is that they finally act on it.”

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

Media Release: March 8th, 2016
Andrew Weaver Tables Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. – Today at the B.C. Legislature, Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head and Leader of the B.C. Green Party, tabled the Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act, a bill that aims to address the pervasive occurrence of sexualized violence plaguing universities and colleges in British Columbia.

“It is estimated that one in four female university students will be sexually assaulted during the relatively short amount of time they spend on campus,” said Andrew Weaver. “It is unacceptable that we are not taking clearer steps as a Province to help create a safe environment for our students.”

Sexualized violence is an issue that impacts all genders and all ages. Being young and female, however, are the biggest risk factors for being sexually assaulted.

“The opportunity to succeed and thrive in university shouldn’t hinge on whether or not you are young, female and statistically likely to experience sexual violence,” said Weaver. “A staggering number of bright young women pursuing their academic ambitions are forced to deal with the threat of sexualized violence. It’s time for our government and universities to stand up and say enough is enough.”

Weaver brought forward the Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policies Act to create a legal responsibility for universities and colleges in British Columbia to develop and maintain policies that would provide education for students, support for victims, and work to prevent the occurrences of sexual violence. The act would allow University specific policies to be developed that would meet the needs of students, including education and protection, while working to create a safe environment for students to come forward to report a sexual assault.

“The reality is that it is women who are most vulnerable at post-secondary institutions to being sexually assaulted or harassed, and that there simply isn’t the capacity for adequate prevention and support,” said Weaver. “While I chose International Women’s Day to table this bill, this is a societal issue and one that affects people of all gender identities. I hope our work will improve the safety of post-secondary experiences for everyone.”

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

Media Statement: March 03, 2016
Andrew Weaver calls for more ambition in Federal approach to climate
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. –  Recognizing the positive step forward that has been taken in bringing together the Premiers of Canada to work on a climate plan, Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, says the agreement today is more about good political optics, than about substantive climate policy.

“We don’t meet our targets without a price on carbon. Pure and simple,” says Weaver. “While I recognize that federal leadership has been lacking for the last decade, and that coming together to try and unite our country around climate action is a significant improvement, in reality this agreement  postpones any nation-wide action for at least six months.”

“At the end of the day we don’t need a plan to create a plan,” says Weaver. “Our Prime Minister promised to work out a national climate strategy within 90 days of Paris and that didn’t happen today. We need action and firm commitments. Investments in green infrastructure is good news, but carbon pricing is what is ultimately needed.”

“Climate action in British Columbia has also been stalled under Premier Clark,” said Andrew Weaver. “No substantive new climate action has been taken, and GHG emissions are once again on the rise. Leader’s lead. They don’t wait for others to catch up.”

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Media Contact

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

Media Statement: February 29, 2016
Andrew Weaver Expresses Sympathy for Protesters in the Wake of Site C Ruling
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, expresses sympathy for the protesters’ position but recognizes the court’s ruling.

“We must respect the rulings of the courts,” says Weaver. “However, I think the reasons behind why the protesters were there in the first place were, and remain, valid. I greatly sympathize with the lengths they have gone in an attempt to be heard during this process.”

“Site C has been a project that has been aggressively pushed through by this government, primarily to fuel an LNG industry that doesn’t exist. They committed to a huge project and are now in the process of trying to save face. It’s expensive gamble borne on the backs of British Columbians.”

“There have been exemptions on oversight every step of the way,” says Weaver. “The government has done everything it can to push aside dissent without reasonable justification. This injunction is, to my mind, another example of bullying out disagreement, rather than listening to the concerns of British Columbians.”

“Despite the court’s ruling, I still believe Site C is risky and foolish and I will continue to voice my opposition to this project. British Columbians are going to be paying for Site C for decades and in the absence of a vastly expanded LNG industry, we simply don’t need it.”

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