Media

Last Monday I noted that the Crown was now the new owner of Lot 21, c/o the surveyor of taxes. Lot 21, of course, is the property located immediately beside the site of the contaminated soil facility operating in the Shawnigan Lake watershed.

In a media release that I issued on that day (February 15), I argued that the government no longer had any excuses to prevent it from thoroughly investigating the property. The government had previously told to me that drilling was not possible as the site was private property. But since Lot 21 returned to the Crown, I called upon government to undertake drilling to ensure residents, local and provincial governments and First Nations knew what, if anything, was buried on the site.

Doing so would have put an end to speculation circulating in a prevalence of anecdotal stories. It would also have allowed the following question I had previously been left with to be answered directly:

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

To my disappointment, the government failed to show the initiative to seek an answer to this question. As such, in order to address the concerns of my constituents who have property on Shawnigan Lake, I was forced to collect samples myself. And so, at 09:00 on February 19, my legislative assistant Aldous Sperl and I set off to the area to collect five soil samples.

Upon our arrival at Stebbings Road we were greeted by a small group of local volunteers who were keen to help us out. Armed only with shovels, we set off on a several hundred metre hike to Lot 21.

This must have been the fourth or fifth time that I have now hiked along the boundary of Lot 23 (containing the contaminated soil facility). On this particular journey, while fondly remembering my first and rather more difficult hike, I remarked how there was now a well worn path that had been created on the CVRD parkland. It seems that the route has now become oft travelled path.

Prior to setting out on our journey my legislature office checked with the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations (FLNRO) to ensure that there were no regulations prohibiting us from collecting soil samples. The Ministry directed us to FLNRO policy on Crown Land Use Policy that specifically stated, under section 6.2.3.3 Investigative Activities on Crown Land that:

Given the green light that we were given by FLNRO, Aldous, CVRD Director Sonia Furstenau and I set out to collect a total of fives samples from five separate locations on Lot 21 (see image above left for precise locations). Since automated drilling instruments were not allowed under FLNRO policy, we used shovels to dig the five samples at depths of 28″, 14″, 15″, 22″ and 0″, respectively,

Early on in our sampling we discovered a rather odd metallic cylinder with a plastic tube emerging from it (above left). As we felt that it was important to clean any debris off crown land, one of the local volunteers picked the cylinder up to examine and dispose of it at a later date. All holes that I dug were carefully refilled to ensure no disruption to “natural habitat” in the area.

Today I dropped off my soil samples at Maxxam Analytics for Volatile Organic, Total Hydrocarbon and Elemental Metal analyses. I expect results on Wednesday next week and I will report back immediately upon their receipt.

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

Victoria, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, Leader of the B.C. Green Party and MLA for Oak Bay–Gordon Head, has issued the following statement on behalf of the B.C. Green Party in regard to the events today in La Loche, Saskatchewan:

“As with everyone in British Columbia and across our country, we have been following the tragic news of the shootings in La Loche, Saskatchewan today. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims, and the entire community who are coping with this appalling event.”

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Media contact
Mat Wright, Press Secretary
Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
1 250 216 3382
mat.wright@greenparty.bc.ca

Media Statement January 9, 2016
Attack on Syrian Refugees Appalling
For Immediate Release

Victoria B.C. – “The pepper spray attack on Syrian refugees in Vancouver is appalling” says Andrew Weaver MLA for Oak Bay – Gordon Head and Leader of the B.C. Green Party.

More than two dozen men, women and children were treated by paramedics outside the Muslim Association of Canada Centre in Vancouver the evening of January 8 as they were peppered sprayed while attending an event welcoming them to Canada.

“British Columbian’s from all communities and all walks of life have opened their hearts, homes and wallets to support refugees from Syria. It is a testament to our collective compassion and the basic values we embrace as Canadians.” says Andrew Weaver. “This attack is shocking and I want to reassure all newcomers to our communities our welcome remains as strong as ever.”

Media contact

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

Media Statement December 1, 2015
Operations should immediately cease at Shawnigan soil treatment site – Andrew Weaver MLA
For Immediate Release

Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay Gordon Head and Deputy Leader of the BC Green Party is calling on Island Health and the Ministry of Environment to immediately shut down operations at the contaminated soil processing facility near Shawnigan Lake, in response to a CVRD report released today.

“The release of the engineering report raises very serious concerns regarding the safety of the ongoing operations.” said Andrew Weaver. “There has been a profound and pervasive dereliction of duty within the Ministries of Environment and Energy and Mines. The citizens of the region have collectively lost confidence in the ability of the BC Liberals to look out for their safety.”

The report, commissioned by the Cowichan Valley Regional District, identifies serious concerns about surface runoff and throughflow potentially becoming contaminated but not adequately being contained or treated. In particular, it concluded that “runoff storm water sourced from the SIA site is bypassing the sediment pond (i.e. by flowing under it) and is being discharged directly onto the land owned by the CVRD.” This occurred despite the fact the BC Government mandates that all surface water is required to be “contained on the property and treated in accordance with the permit”.

The report cites a lack of clarity regarding provisions related to the infiltration of surface water and suggests that “stormwater from a facility that handles contaminated soil should be managed in a way that allows for contaminant sampling and controlled discharge.”

“How the BC Liberals issued an operating permit in light of the very serious findings of the CVRD report is beyond me.” said Andrew Weaver. “The permit should be immediately rescinded, operations ceased, and a full independent investigation initiated.”

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Engineering report commissioned by CVRD (Linked here)

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