Media Release: February 18, 2016
Andrew Weaver calls for a halt to Site C activities
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. – Citing significant risk to taxpayers and the provincial economy, Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, is calling for an absolute halt to Site C activities until the Auditor General’s report is completed.

“What do I think of Site C?,” says Weaver “It is risky and foolish. British Columbians are going to be paying for this project for decades, for a project that, in the absence of a vastly expanded LNG industry, we simply don’t need.”

On Monday B.C. Hydro will be in Vancouver seeking an injunction to remove a protest camp that has been set up by First Nations and landowners on the bank of the Peace River.

“Site C is a project that has been pushed forward from day one with 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 latest move by B.C. Hydro is just another example of this approach.”

“Site C should have been subject to the B.C. Utilities Commision, but the government felt it would slow down their political agenda too much,” says Weaver.“I couldn’t agree more with former B.C. Hydro CEO Marc Eliesen in that due diligence is absolutely needed with a project of this magnitude. It’s simply reckless to proceed in this manner.”

Weaver warns that proceeding with Site C is also actively driving clean energy investment out of the province.

“Just two weeks ago the Canadian Wind Energy Association announced it was closing its office and leaving the province because the government and B.C. Hydro are just not interested,” says Weaver. “This mirrors a trend we saw last year with EDP Renewables – no interest from government for a roughly one billion dollar wind-power investment off Southern Vancouver Island, so the company walked.”

“Rather than let the market take the risk for energy infrastructure projects, this government is using billions of taxpayer dollars to get Site C ‘past the point of no return’. It’s a project that was dreamt up to support the pipedream of LNG. Now it’s a project without a home, and all we’ve seen is the cost go up and up while other opportunities vanish.”

Today in his response to the budget, Weaver elaborated on his fiscal concerns about Site C.

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Media Contact

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

Media Release: February 16, 2016
Andrew Weaver Budget Statement – MSP, Housing, Prosperity Fund
For Immediate Release

Victoria, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, responds to MSP, housing, and prosperity fund features in the 2016 budget.

On MSP:

“While it is encouraging to see the government addressing an issue that so many British Columbians have been speaking out about, the action taken represents a halfway step; it does not create a system where MSP premiums are charged fairly,” said Weaver. “We see individuals and families earning modest incomes continuing to pay the same rates as those who are earning 6 digit salaries, and assistance remains contingent on an opt-in system.”

“Despite the Minister’s comments, a system that charges MSP premiums in a fair and progressive manner through the income tax system can also be a system that transparently ensures that British Columbians understand the rising costs of healthcare we face.”

On Housing:

“While I will start by commending the Minister on working to improve this government’s ability to track what is happening in our housing markets, the policies outlined in this document represent more of a hedge, than a true step forward,” said Weaver. “There is no clear indication in this budget that the government appreciates the scope of this issue.”

“Contrary to the Minister’s perspective that this is only an  issue in one neighbourhood – families throughout the province are finding housing markets to be increasingly inaccessible. We need our government to be fully engaged on this issue – putting out a clear timeline for the steps they will take and how they will act on the information they gather.”

On the Prosperity Fund:

“I have serious concerns that the announced Prosperity Fund, and initial investment of $100 million, is nothing more than political cover for an LNG pipedream that will never show up,” said Weaver. “While I am fully supportive of the idea that British Columbia should be saving some of the wealth it earns to support future generations, the fact that this fund has no other investments projected over the three years this budget covers calls into question whether this is intended to be a principled policy, or intended to distract from the lack of delivery on LNG.”

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Media Contact

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA

Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

On the day the judicial review of the process that led to the permitting of a contaminated soil facility in the Shawnigan Lake watershed begins, a new twist has occurred. In what has become the next chapter of the never ending saga, new information now reveals that as of February 5^th, the Crown is now the new owner of Lot 21, c/o the surveyor of taxes.

Recall that back in April of last year, when I first wrote about this issue, I highlighted some concerns regarding what could have been buried upstream of the orange runoff that I took water samples of. My concern was amplified when I tested the metal content in the sediments underlying the orange water in July, 2015.

After examining the elemental sediment analysis, I was left with a number of serious concerns. The enriched metal values in the sediments under the runoff suggested that their source came from somewhere upstream and likely within Lot 21 itself. The question I was left with was this:

What, if anything, has been buried on Lot 21 that could produce the Thorium, Lead and other heavy metal enrichment in the sediments?

In subsequent discussions with the Ministry, I asked if they would consider drilling Lot 21 to determine what is buried beneath the surface. Doing so would put an end to speculation circulating in  a prevalence of anecdotal stories. It would also allow the above question to be answered directly.

One of the reasons I was given that the government could not do this was that it was private land. Well now that is no longer the case. So the question is this:.

Will the BC Government drill Lot 21 to determine what, if anything, has been buried there?

The government has now simply run out of excuses for not doing so.

Media Release

Media Statement February 15, 2016
No excuses left: Lot 21 title change means Government must investigate Shawnigan site
For immediate release

Victoria B.C. – The recent news that the title for Lot 21 near Shawnigan Lake, next to the disputed contaminated soil dump site, has reverted from 0782484 BC Ltd. to the Crown means that the government no longer has any excuses to prevent it from thoroughly investigating the property.

Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay Gordon Head and Leader of the B.C. Green Party, is calling on the Ministry of Environment to drill to bedrock to determine what, if anything, has been buried on Lot 21 that could produce previously observed heavy metal enrichment in the sediments below runoff from this site?

The government has previously argued that drilling was not possible as the site was private property. Now that Lot 21 has returned to the Crown, Andrew Weaver is calling for drilling to ensure residents, local and provincial governments and First Nations know what is buried in the site. Doing so would put an end to speculation circulating in a prevalence of anecdotal stories. It would also allow the above question to be answered directly.

“The fact that Lot 21 has reverted to Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia c/o Surveyor of Taxes means that the government now has no legal or legislative obstacle to thoroughly investigate what may be buried on that property. They own it. There is no excuse, the government should begin inspection drilling immediately.” says Andrew Weaver.

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Media Contact

Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Parliament Buildings
Room 027C
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Today in the legislature I introduced a private member’s bill entitled Bill M202 University Amendment Act, 2016. The purpose of this bill is to halt the creeping government interference in university governance, an issue I have previously raised in the past.

In a recent article in the Georgia Strait entitled Arvind Gupta, Andrew Weaver, and the future of B.C.’s Universities, author Charlie Smith threw out a challenge. It was a challenge that I accepted.

The independence of a University Board is critical. The purpose of a university is to educate people who can critically assess information to allow them to participate in an informed manner in a democracy. It’s a place that allows for innovation and creativity to flourish. It’s not a place for government to impose a top down imposition of its ideology. Unfortunately, under existing legislation the government has the potential to interfere in ways that could undermine that autonomy.

The potential of political interference is unacceptable for our institutions of higher learning. My hope is that the government takes my suggestions for solving this issue seriously and takes action on this issue immediately to preserve the independence of our academic institutions.

Below I reproduce the text and video of the speech I gave as I introduced the bill. I also include the accompanying media release.

Text of my Speech

A. Weaver: It’s also with great pleasure that I move introduction of a bill intituled University Amendment Act, 2016.

Motion approved.

A. Weaver: I’m sure members are aware of the two significant controversies that have plagued two of our universities recently: the controversy between the UBC board and the past president of UBC, Dr. Arvind Gupta, and the recent controversy concerning the decision to appoint James Moore as chancellor of UNBC.

In both these instances, the conflict arose because of the decisions the board made or in how the board acted. While the role of a board of governors is essential to the functioning of a university, the governance of a university must also be independent of any potential real or apparent political interference. It’s with this in mind that I bring this bill forward today.

This bill amends the University Act to ensure that appointees from the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council cannot unilaterally set the tone and direction of a university board through having a majority of votes and that university boards cannot unilaterally appoint a chancellor for their university.

This bill will bring British Columbia to the same university governance standards employed by much of the rest of Canada.

I move that this bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

———

Bill M202, University Amendment Act, 2016, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Video of my Speech

Media Release

Media Release: February 11, 2016
Andrew Weaver – University Boards Need More Independence
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the BC Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, is offering concrete steps for how the BC Government can remove the potential of political interference in University Boards.

“The independence of a University Board is critical. The purpose of a university is to educate people who can critically assess information to allow them to participate in an informed manner in a democracy. It’s a place that allows for innovation and creativity to flourish. It’s not a place for government to impose a top down imposition of its ideology” says Weaver. “Unfortunately, under current legislation the government has the potential to interfere in ways that could undermine that autonomy.”

Today Andrew Weaver introduced a bill in the BC Legislature that, if passed, would remove the ability of a Board of Governors to appoint a Chancellor, and that would reduce the number of provincial appointees on University Boards.

“It is highly troubling to me that the majority of University Board members at universities in our province are appointed by the provincial government. Equally troubling is that the University Board of Governors appoints a university’s Chancellor.”

In 2008 the BC Liberals amended the University Act to allow the University Board of Governors to appoint a university’s Chancellor. The BC NDP started this trend in 1997 by allowing the Board of Governors at the Technical University of BC to appoint its Chancellor.

“At UBC we’ve seen the Board of Governors interfering in a behind-the-scenes way to push out the University’s President,” says Weaver. “At UNBC we’ve witnessed the highly controversial appointment of a Chancellor. Even the Board itself was highly divided on the appointment – it only passed by one vote.”

The main concern with what has occurred at UBC and UNBC is that politically appointed members on both University Boards may have taken intrusive actions into the direction that these universities are taking. This in turn has huge implications for the governance of universities across the province.

“The potential of political interference is unacceptable for our institutions of higher learning. My hope is that the government takes my suggestions for solving this issue seriously and takes action on this issue immediately to preserve the independence of our academic institutions.”

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

Media Statement – February 9th, 2016
Andrew Weaver statement on 2016 Speech from the Throne
For Immediate Release

Andrew Weaver, Leader of the BC Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head made the following comments in response to the government’s 2016 Speech from the Throne:

“The Speech from the Throne demonstrates that with the monumental failure of the government’s LNG pipedream, they are officially out of ideas. It will do little to assure British Columbians that this government is in fact paying attention to the economic challenges facing our province,” said Andrew Weaver. “Their suggestion that there was no way of knowing that LNG was a bad gamble to make, despite the fact that experts have been telling them this for almost 4 years, is a troubling rewrite of history.”

“The claim that ‘Success is not for quitters. Success demands steadfast attention, and resiliency in the face of global challenges’ underscores the reckless disregard this government has for the global economic LNG reality. The global market is oversaturated in natural gas, vast new resources are coming on-line, Iran – with the world’s largest natural gas reserves – just had trade sanctions lifted, and the world is decarbonizing its energy systems. British Columbians would be better off with a government that knows that success means to stop throwing good money after bad. Success means investing in a 21st century economy, not doubling down on an economy of the past century as Alberta and the Harper government did.”

“At the end of the day, and after three years of political rhetoric and broken promises British Columbians should ask themselves this: Has this government done anything to make the lives of British Columbians substantially better? I would suggest not.”

“After I listened to the Throne Speech today it has become perfectly clear that Today’s BC Liberals are nothing more than Yesterday’s Harper Tories”.

Andrew will be responding fully to the Throne Speech later this week in the Legislature.

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Media Contact
Mat Wright
Press Secretary – Andrew Weaver MLA
Cell: 250 216 3382
Mat.wright@leg.bc.ca
Twitter: @MatVic

Parliament Buildings
Room 027C
Victoria BC V8V 1X4