On April 11, the day before the legislature rose for a two week break, I stood during Question Period to ask the Minister of Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology whether he was aware of the critical services and programs provided by BC Tech at the Cube and the Hub in Vancouver and the positive impact they have on our innovation community. In response, the Minister spoke passionately about the good work and leadership of the B.C. Tech Association. Yet just five days later, the BC Tech Association announced the impending closure of the Cube due to their inability to secure provincial (and federal) funding to enable it to remain open.

Today I rose during question period to ask the Minister how he reconciles his stated support for the tech sector with the fact that the BC Tech Association is being forced to close the doors of this facility. In addition, I asked the Minister why the Ontario tech sector was getting a $90 million investment the same week that the BC Tech sector was making its announcement. Below I reproduce the video and text of our exchange.

Video of Exchange

Question

A. Weaver: Hon. Speaker, if you or other members in the gallery thought that they were participating in an episode of The Twilight Zone, I share their concerns. Here we have the official opposition and their leader arguing for Marxist policy to bring in a price cap, and we have the leader of the socialist party arguing for free market economics. What has B.C. politics come to?

We now have a new level of standard for research by the official opposition. Oil apologist, gasbuddy.com, providing the official opposition official research on their efforts. I cannot wait till the next episode comes forward.

Two weeks ago I asked the minister if he was committed to ensuring that programs and services provided by the B.C. Tech Association at The Cube and The Hub were able to continue. In his response, the minister spoke about how The Cube had provided many opportunities and shown leadership in the sector.

However, since that time, The Cube has now announced it is closing its doors in May because it was unable to secure either provincial or federal funding. This closure sends a wrong signal — the exact wrong signal as to where we should be headed.

My question is to the Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. How can the minister reconcile his stated support for the tech sector with the fact that the B.C. Tech Association is being forced to close the doors of The Cube facility?

Answer

Hon. B. Ralston: I would like to thank the Leader of the Third Party for his question and for his continuing support for the tech sector. It’s a growing, vibrant sector here in our province.

We spoke last time about The Cube, and The Cube’s source of funding came from the federal government, from the western diversification fund. They decided to discontinue that funding. As part of the transition, our government gave them $500,000 to point themselves in a new direction. That did not result in their ability to continue it.

But at the same time, in the same sector — the virtual reality, augmented reality sector — just on Tuesday, April 16, I was there…. Actually, Ms. Tipping, the head of the Technology Improvement Association, was there at the launch of a new incubator, the Launch Academy, in the very same sector, the VR-AR sector — very successful, couple of hundred companies there.

This is the biggest AR-VR sector in the world. Perhaps maybe second, although one would be permitted, as an advocate, a little bit of boasting, I think. That sector is world-leading. We are doing well.

The vibe at that place was really good. I spoke with Alex Cheong, cofounder of Shape Immersive. They are very enthusiastic about the possibilities.

This is a sector where there is change. Things change. The Cube didn’t work out. This sector is taking over. I’m very confident about that sector and its future here in British Columbia — indeed, its future globally.

Supplementary Question

Well, I, too, am excited about the prospects for tech in British Columbia. I’m profoundly concerned that B.C. is not stepping up to draw the federal dollars that are available that jurisdictions like Ontario have done. In fact, the same week that the Cube was being closed, the federal government announced in partnership with Ontario a $90 million investment in innovation in Ontario.

Both B.C. and Ontario have burgeoning innovation sectors that drive economic growth and create high-paying, good-quality jobs. The sectors in both provinces have huge potential for growth, and our sector has some of the best potential of all. It will help us transform our economy and drive prosperity for British Columbians from north to south and east to west.

The only difference is that in Ontario, they’re at the table and willing to invest substantially in this new, up-and-coming sector, whereas B.C. appears to be the absent. We’ll be left in the dust behind other jurisdictions if it doesn’t back up its words with actions to ensure that we’re there able to leverage those federal moneys to ensure that we get the innovation centres in B.C. that are so instrumental to the development of the new economy.

My question is again to the minister. Why is the Ontario tech sector getting $90 million as an investment the same week as the B.C. tech sector is being forced to close a facility for innovation in B.C.?

Answer

Hon. B. Ralston: I appreciate that the member is particularly enamored of the initiatives taken by the Ford government in Ontario. But the reality here in British Columbia is that we are investing a huge amount in the tech sector here.

Let’s begin with 2,900 new tech spaces in institutions across the province. We are investing $110 million in innovative research in B.C.’s leading post-secondary institutions through the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund. We are investing $12 million in graduate scholarships for students, including science- and tech-related disciplines, as well as $500,000 for women in tech scholarships.

We are making the commitments. Those commitments are going to be renewed through a new Innovate B.C., which has a fresh mandate, a new CEO who comes from Accelerate Okanagan. I’m very optimistic about the future of the tech sector and the investments that come not only from the start-up environment here, which is booming from global companies which are choosing to locate here. Jiu-jitsu was mentioned in the two-minute statements, and there are many others.

People want to be and tech companies want to be in British Columbia. They are coming here, and they will continue to come here because of what we have to offer.

In the BC Legislature today I rose to pay tribute to former Oak Bay Mayor and Councillor Nils Jensen who passed away on Sunday morning after a brief battle with cancer. Below I reproduce the text and video of this tribute.

Photo credit: Oak Bay News/Black Press.

Video of Tribute

Text of Tribute

A. Weaver: I rise today profoundly saddened by the news of the passing of Nils Jensen on Sunday, April 7, after a short battle with cancer. Nils left us far too young at the age of 69 years.

Nils made significant contributions to our community in so many ways. He served four terms on Oak Bay council, two of them as mayor. He was always driven by the best interests of his community and served us with dignity and commitment.

I was honoured to have the opportunity to get to know Nils well over these past few years. I’ve always held him in high esteem. I enjoyed his sense of humour and positive outlook on the world. I’ll sorely miss our annual lawn bowling challenge that he beat me at, year after year, as we opened Carnarvon Park’s Oak Bay Lawn Bowling Club. I’ll also miss handing out candy with him at the Oak Bay Tea Party, when every year we would run out, and we would have to borrow from him.

Nils loved Oak Bay and brought great energy to his political and community life. He also worked on critical infrastructure projects for the region during his tenure as the chair of the capital regional district and head of the regional water supply commission. Under his visionary leadership, the Sooke reservoir was raised. Nils understood that Victoria actually had a water availability crisis emerging and showed the leadership required to ensure fresh drinking water for the region was available for generations to come.

Nils was highly educated, with degrees in mechanical engineering and law degrees from Osgoode Hall in the London School of Economics. Nils had a long and distinguished career as a defence lawyer and Crown prosecutor for the province of British Columbia.

Nils leaves his wife, Jean, and two sons, Nicholas and Stewart. Our hearts go out to his family for the loss of their beloved husband and father. Our community has lost a great leader, one who has left us far too soon, and I have lost a close personal friend.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the Oak Bay High School community theatre for Nils Jensen

Today as I was walking into the Chamber to get ready for Question Period, I heard the Leader of the Official Opposition saying a few words in remembrance of Paul Fraser. I was shocked as I had no idea Paul Fraser had died.

After the Leader of the Opposition finished his brief tribute, I rose to offer a few words. These are reproduced in video and text below.

Paul Fraser was highly regarded by all members in the BC Legislature. He first became B.C.’s Conflict of Interest Commissioner on Jan. 1, 2008 and was unanimously reappointed twice further, the most recent reappointment was in May 2018.

Video of Statement

Text of Statement

A. Weaver: Well, that was an enormous shock. I found out literally as the Leader of the Official Opposition was speaking about the passing of Paul Fraser. I can only say that I’m at a loss for words.

Paul was, as has been articulated, a gentleman. He cared deeply about the ongoing workings in this place. He cared deeply about each and every MLA, and he worked with each and every MLA to try to help them through what are often difficult and challenging issues that come to us as we try to serve our job here.

I’m devastated. I spoke to him two weeks ago. He had pneumonia. He still wasn’t feeling well. He spoke to me about an issue that I was asking about. He provided me some advice.

I think I join everyone in this House in saying: Thank you, Paul, for all the good work you did. We will miss you.

On December 13th, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture launched the 2018-2019 British Columbia Multiculturalism Grant Program. The grants are open to registered non-profit and charitable organizations and offer up to $5,000 in funding for activities, programs and events in communities across the province to engage public participation in building cross-cultural and intercultural interaction, trust and understanding, or challenge racism, hate and systemic barriers.

The grants will be available for community projects in two streams:

• International Interaction Stream: Projects that build cross-cultural and intercultural interaction, trust and understanding between people of different ethno-cultural, racial, religious and other backgrounds through a range of activities, programs, events and approaches.
• Anti-Racism and Systems Change Stream: Projects that challenge racism, hate and/or reduce systemic or institutional barriers for under-represented, radicalized and/or other minority groups, especially those that use a collaborative community approach.

The deadline to apply is January 10th, 2019. Please feel free to share the poster promoting the awards.

Today was the final day of the fall legislative session. The house will resume sitting on February 12, 2019. At this time the government will introduce a new Speech from the Throne.

Below is the media statement my office released in association with the rising of the house.

Media Release

B.C. Greens mark action on key priorities, improvements to legislation
For immediate release
November 27, 2018

VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party caucus, closed the end of the Fall legislative session noting action on key B.C. Green priorities and key improvements to government legislation.

“This was a very productive session for our caucus,” said Weaver.

“We saw action on a number of important issues we have long championed, such as demand-side housing action, lobbying reform, changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve, reform of the professional reliance model and a revitalization of the environmental assessment process. These policy changes will strengthen our democracy and help ensure B.C.’s long-term prosperity and quality of life. I thank the Ministers for their hard work and collaborative approach to these policies.”

Lobbying and the professional reliance model reform were signature B.C. Green Party platform policies, which both the B.C. NDP and B.C. Greens committed to actioning in their Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA). Commitments to revitalize the ALR and the environmental assessments were also a key CASA commitments.

“Our Caucus was also able to improve important pieces of legislation, securing the passage of amendments to the Speculation and Vacancy Tax and the government’s ride-hailing legislation,” Weaver continued.

“I am greatly encouraged by these instances as examples of how opposition parties working in a minority government can help produce more balanced in legislation. In both cases, we drew our concerns from listening to the public and stakeholders, ensuring their voices were heard in the Legislature.

“Towards the end of the session we also participated in the initial announcements from the upcoming climate plan, the ZEV standard and social housing retrofits. Actioning an innovative climate plan that puts an economic vision at its centre is the single best thing we can do to set our province up for success. Collaborating with government on this file has been a highlight of our working relationship and I look forward to the release of the full plan very soon.”

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Media contact
Jillian Oliver, Press Secretary
+1 250-882-6187 | jillian.oliver@leg.bc.ca