“August 11 was a historic day in BC history. The success of the HST initiative petition is a testament to the hard work of thousands of volunteers in communities right across the province who have had enough of the BC Liberals’ lies and deceit.

It is obvious that Elections BC made the wrong decision, to not follow the legislation outlined in the Recall and Initiative Act  and this government agency has an

obligation to explain its decision with respect to the HST petition. I believe that Elections BC must lay out to the public, to British Columbians,  why they have decided to take this extraordinary action and stall the democratic process.

It is outrageous that the BC Liberals’ allies, who have donated over $380,000, have decided to challenge the initiative in a thinly-veiled attempt to frustrate the public will. The BC Liberals lied about the HST, rammed their bill through the legislature, and have refused to listen to the very people they were elected to serve.

It’s obvious that the public has spoken, and the BC Liberals will be held to account for their actions. The petition passed all the hurdles laid out in the act, and the act says it should go to the Select Standing Committee on Legislative Initiatives.

Every New Democrat MLA is ready to come back, debate the HST bill as soon as possible and restore democracy in Victoria. We are calling on the Premier (in a letter….below…) to recall the Legislature to deal, once and for all, with the public’s overwhelming opposition to the HST.”

“What an awesome day in Victoria for Tulani Ackerman….43 days…3000 km….42 communities…connecting with hundreds of people.  Tulani has completed a courageous journey to bring an awareness to concerns and issues that are plaguing our education system”

I am so proud of Tulani….she is a person who definately “walks the walk”. I was honored to be with her at the beginning of her trip and thrilled to join her at the end of her long and strenuous journey.  Lana Popham(MLA Saanich South), Tulani’s father, my daughter Breton and myself all  met Tulani to ride the final 22 km with her to the legistlature in Victoria. She was graciously met by dozens of friends, family and supporters of her cause.

Education is so critical to society.  If we don’t work together, develop strategies and ensure that funding is properly allocated, our children will essential suffer in the long run. Too many students fall through the cracks from not having their needs met and from not recieving the proper support.

I look forward to hearing the concerns that were brought forth throughout the province regarding our public education system in Tulani’s final report! Good job Tulani and supporters!

“New Democrats have been saying farm gate sales can be done safely ever since the B.C. Liberals took away our right to buy meat directly from farmers,” said healthy living and sport critic Jagrup Brar. “Now, after six years of dithering and misinformation they have admitted that farm-gate sales of meat can be done safely, but the B.C. Liberals are still restricting consumers’ right to buy local meat.”

On Friday, the government announced new classes of meat license which will allow farm gate sales, but these licenses will only be available in Bella Coola, the Powell River Regional District and Haida Gwaii. New class D Retail Sales licenses will permit farmers to make direct sales to local consumers and to retail establishments, while Class E Direct Sales licenses will permit farmers to make direct sales to local consumers. Both licenses restrict the amount of meat farmers are allowed to produce annually.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons, who has been fighting for assistance for over 3 years, sees this as a victory for those in Bella Coola and Haida Gwaii but does not understand the logic behind it. ”The new licenses are a step in the right direction, but restricting farm gate sales to certain areas of the province is arbitrary and illogical. It’s concerning that it  took this long for the Minister to realize the geography of the province and that there were viable solutions for those in rural and remote areas. I am pleased that we can finally move forward and have people buy farm gate from their neighbours, as they have done for decades.”

“If the B.C. Liberals are willing to admit that it’s safe to buy meat from local farmers on Haida Gwaii or in Powell River, then why isn’t it safe in Saanich or Kamloops?” said Opposition agriculture critic Lana Popham. “The B.C. Liberals’ decision to restrict farm gate sales licenses to only three regions of the province doesn’t make any sense.”

Popham said the lack of consultation has been especially appalling. She noted this is just one more instance of a government making one-off decisions instead of coming up with a plan that supports small farmers.

“The B.C. Liberals are creating even more chaos with this decision,” said Popham. “People spent money on a transition plan that was never designed to work.”

Brar noted that countless small farmers went out of business after the B.C. Liberals brought in regulations that restrict consumer choice.

“After six years of failed agricultural policy, the B.C. Liberals are still refusing to give consumers across the province what they want – the right to buy meat directly from a farmer they trust,” said Brar.

Carole James and the New Democrats are advocating for positive environmental solutions, including a Green Fund which would see $150 million a year for climate change solutions and transit improvements in communities across the province.

—30—

Oct. 20, 2007

RURAL FARMERS IGNORED AS NEW MEAT REGULATIONS MOVE FORWARD

PRINCE RUPERT – On Thursday in Question Period the New Democrats pounded the B.C. Liberals on the Meat Industry Regulation they imposed in September.

“The Campbell government remained arrogant in its response to rural farmers across the province today by refusing to fix the new regulation,” said Agriculture Critic Corky Evans.

“The Meat Industry Regulation continues to wipe out thousands of family farms throughout rural B.C. who face unmanageable capital improvement costs, just to sell meat locally and legally,” said Evans.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons is concerned that cutting off the supply of local meat will likely make it more difficult for some families in his constituency to get by, as well as decreasing food security for the entire region.

“Food prices on island communities are already extremely high; eliminating local meat from the market will mean a lot less on the table for some families,” Coons noted. “British Columbia is not a uniform province; differences in geography and culture need to be taken into consideration when the government gets to tinkering with something as fundamental to our lives as food.”

Coons also sees the issue not only in terms of economics, but in terms of the environment. There are no commercial slaughtering facilities that meet the new regulations anywhere in his constituency. This means vast amounts of fossil fuels must be consumed to put meat on his constituent’s plates.

“It doesn’t make sense to enforce these regulations, in economic or environmental terms,” said Coons. “For example, someone who raises cattle on the Queen Charlotte Islands is expected to transport their animals to the nearest licensed facility in Prince George, or even to Alberta, to be slaughtered, burning hundreds of litres of gasoline in the process. If we are trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this is exactly the wrong way to do it. We should be encouraging local agriculture, not running it out of business.”

Coons is particularly puzzled as to why the government has chosen to ignore the recommendations by Don Richardson, a prominent veterinarian and cattle breeder who has been slaughtering and selling beef from his ranch in Tlell for 88 years. His recommendations focused on certifying small producers to slaughter meat for direct sale from the farm to the consumer.

“Producers like Don Richardson are not saying no to regulation, they are simply asking the government to be sensible,” said Coons. “There is no evidence that small meat producers pose a significant threat to the health of British Columbians; they shouldn’t be driven out of business because of ill-conceived legislation.”

“The New Democrat rural caucus has made this issue a top priority in the House this fall,” said Evans. “The Regulation clearly favours factory farms over family farms. It does not work for small rural communities-period.”

The B.C. Meat Inspection Regulation which governs the slaughter of animals for food sales in British Columbia was enforced province wide Sept. 30, 2007. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 11, 2007

B.C. LIBERALS GENERATE CHAOS WITH NEW MEAT REGULATIONS

The Campbell government is continuing to botch the implementation of the new Meat Industry Regulation by throwing misinformation into the mix, says New Democrat MLA Gary Coons.

In a recent media interview, B.C. Liberal MLA Val Roddick gave radio listeners the wrong information when she was quoted as saying, “Right now you can buy [meat] right from the farm. It is just that you can’t resell. You can certainly go and buy right now from a local farm, what these regulations mean is that you cannot resell to a restaurant or a store.”

The radio show was pushed to air a subsequent segment to clear up the mass confusion generated by Roddick’s erroneous statement.

“Under the Campbell government’s current legislation selling meat without government inspection at the farm gate is illegal, and this statement only intensifies the chaos generated by the government’s handling of the issue,” said MLA Coons.

“When the B.C. Liberal Parliamentary Secretary for Agricultural Planning, who herself is involved in agribusiness, shows confusion around her own government’s legislation, it’s clear that something is massively wrong with the way the Meat Industry Regulation has been handled,” said MLA Coons.

Roddick’s statements were compounded by earlier confusion in the industry when the Minister of Agriculture announced last minute changes to the September 30 Meat Industry Regulation deadline. Under the new changes only meat producers and processors actively working towards Meat Industry Regulation licensing are permitted to continue operations, for six additional months, under a Class C transition license issued by the BC Centre for Disease Control.

“The Campbell government has repeatedly delayed implementing the Regulation, made last minute changes to the September 30 deadline, and now they’re playing damage control after Roddick’s interview,”  said MLA —. “I am calling on MLA Roddick to apologize to the farmers and processors throughout B.C. who she has troubled further with her misinformation.”

“The government needs to recognize that it is throwing many small meat producers and processors out of business by rushing ahead with new regulations without adequate consultation with the meat industry,” said MLA Coons.

–30—

October 2, 2007

For Immediate Release

LATE ADJUSTMENTS TO MEAT REGS NOT GOOD ENOUGH-

MLA Coons continues fight for input and changes

Prince Rupert – The Liberal government’s last minute attempt to provide temporary relief to small meat producers and processors is a band-aid solution for a major problem, says New Democrat MLA Gary Coons

“Small meat producers and processors won a small but temporary victory with Friday’s announcement that some operations will get another half year to operate,” said Coons MLA for North Coast. “But this Campbell government’s decision to impose the deeply flawed Meat Industry Regulation continues to put the industry at great risk, and we will continue to fight for changes that will ensure long term viability for all safe meat operations in and around the Central and North Coast.”

Two days prior to the Sept. 30 deadline for imposing the new MIR, the Campbell government responded to opposition pressure for industry assistance. In a Ministry of Health release dated September 28, the province announced it would provide six-month transitional licences to meat processors whose facility upgrades were in progress.

This is the second attempt since 2004 to delay implementation of the Regulation. One of the major problems with the Regulation is it ignores small meat producers and processors who lack the capital associated with MIR upgrades.”

“This is another example of the Campbell government dismal failing to meet the needs of rural B.C.,” said Coons. “We continue to call on the Minister of Agriculture to offer a realistic program, with strategies and incentives, which includes all industry players and increase meat transition funding under the MIR. We must ensure the viability of local food production in rural and remote areas of the Province.”

The MIR is a regulation which governs the slaughter of animals for food sales in British Columbia.

For Immediate Release

September 25, 2007

NDP PUTS PRESSURE ON CAMPBELL GOVERNMENT TO HALT MEAT PROCESSING REGS

VICTORIA – New Democrat MLAs are turning up the heat on the Campbell Liberals to rescind the September 30 deadline for the new Meat Inspection Regulation (MIR) – a move which threatens to devastate the livelihoods of meat processors across rural B.C.

“Independent meat producers across B.C. are approaching their MLAs to say that this looming deadline could spell disaster for the industry,” said Charlie Wyse, MLA for Cariboo South. “We’re delivering the message loud and clear to this government that they must not go through with this.”

“The New Democrat Caucus has unanimously agreed to make this issue a top priority,” said Agriculture Critic Corky Evans. “The regulation does not work for small rural communities, and in the case of isolated communities, defy common sense.”

At a full caucus meeting on Monday, September 24, the New Democrat MLAs agreed that the Campbell government is imposing the MIR without consultation from smaller players in the meat industry, and without adequate resources for implementation. The New Democrats are calling on the Campbell government to deliver a clear, equitable regulation which does not impose unmanageable capital improvement costs on smaller meat processors.

North Coast MLA Gary Coons has had numerous discussions about this issue with many concerned constituents and believes if these regulations come into force the negative impact on family farms in BC will be substantial.

“Many concerns need to be addressed…the expensive undertaking of upgrading local abbatoirs, the possibility of ‘going underground’ with private sales and regulations that must have the support of small processors,” said Coons. “This is a continuing example of the Campbell government not listening to British Columbians and putting corporate interests first. We’ve contacted both Minister bell and Minister Abbott to request rescinding the September 30 deadline and meet with local stakeholders to ensure the vitality of local meat processing facilities in B.C.” (letter below)

“Farmers from around this province have proposed viable solutions for their communities since the MIR was proposed and many were not even provided with the courtesy of a reply. This speaks of a government whose interests have again failed rural B.C.,” said Wyse.

The B.C. Meat Inspection Regulation was enacted as part of the Food Safety Act in 2004 and application of the regulation will be enforced province wide Sept. 30, 2007. The Regulation is set to govern the slaughter of animals for food sales in British Columbia.

“Immediately after a provincial budget that offered nothing for the B.C. economy , and nothing for rural BC, beyond a new, damaging consumer tax in the HST, B.C. Hydro is applying to charge you an extra nine per cent this year on your hydro bill, with huge hits to come over the next two years,” said Coons. “BC Hydro has applied for the increase with the B.C. Utilities Commission with full approval from Gordon Campbell!

“The government is trying to claim the increase is to pay for infrastructure upgrades, but that is only part of the story. The fact is, the B.C. Liberals are sneaking in what amounts to a tax increase by demanding that B.C. Hydro pay the government an extra $254 million this year, and B.C. Hydro has no choice but to pass on that increased cost to British Columbians. If you thought your hydro bills were high now wait till this government wallops you with their 29% increase.”

The provincial government’s three year fiscal plan, laid out in yesterday’s budget, calls for B.C. Hydro to increase electricity rates by 9.11 per cent this year, 12.92 per cent in 2011, and 4.81 per cent in 2012, which, compounded, amounts to a 29 per cent hike.

Coons noted that even though the rate increases have not yet been approved by the BCUC, the revenue assumptions in the B.C. Liberals’ budget include the 29 per cent rate hike.

“In the same breath of hiking your hydro rates , the BC Liberals are also looting the Insurance Corporation of B.C. to pad provincial coffers when it could have been cutting auto insurance rates,” says Coons.

“Gordon Campbell will take $778 million from ICBC reserve funds over the next three years to pad a “shister” budget that is just a shell game,” says Coons. “The only conclusion a reasonable person can draw is that the finance minister is using this to patch some of the holes in his dismal budget that that was just presented.”

The three quarters of a billion dollars could have been returned to British Columbians to reduce auto insurance premiums for drivers but the finance minister choose to tell motorists in British Columbia to take a hike instead of allowing the (ICBC) board the option of giving further rebates. These latest manipulations highlight how out of touch this government really is.

HAZELTON — An historic first meeting between all currently elected provincial and federal representatives in northwest BC took place in Hartley Bay on the traditional territories of the Gitga’at First Nation July 20 to highlight widespread concerns over Enbridge’s proposed oil pipeline, the associated oil supertanker traffic that will result and the growing environmental disaster of the Alberta tar sands.

Provincial MLA’s Gary Coons (North Coast), Robin Austin (Skeena), Doug Donaldson (Stikine) and federal MP Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) travelled the proposed oil supertanker route from Kitimat to Hecate Strait and attended a community meeting in Hartley Bay on a fact-finding mission during a two-day visit.

“It was important to actually travel the route these enormous crude oil tankers plan on taking and meet with the Gitga’at so we can speak from experience on this issue,” said North Coast MLA Coons. “It’s ludicrous to assume that with the amount of supertanker traffic expected if the pipeline project goes ahead in such treacherous waters that a major oil spill won’t happen. It’s not a question of if it will happen, it’s a question of when. An oil spill would mean total devastation on the North Coast.”

Critic for Education, Early Learning and Literacy
Robin Austin (Skeena)

Critic for Transportation and Infrastructure
Harry Bains (Surrey-Newton)

Critic for Advanced Education and Labour Market Development
Dawn Black (New Westminster)

Critic for Healthy Living and Sport
Jagrup Brar (Surrey-Fleetwood)

Critic for Labour
Raj Chouhan (Burnaby-Edmonds)

Deputy Critic for Transportation and Infrastructure
Gary Coons (North Coast)

Critic for Olympics and ActNow BC
Kathy Corrigan (Burnaby-Deer Lake)

Critic for Health Services
Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway)

Deputy Critic for Finance and Public Accounts
Doug Donaldson (Stikine)

Deputy Critic for Children and Family Development and Child Care
Mable Elmore (Vancouver-Kensington)

Critic for Public Safety and Solicitor General
Mike Farnworth (Port Coquitlam)

Critic for Environment
Rob Fleming (Victoria-Swan Lake)

Critic for Community and Rural Development
Scott Fraser (Alberni-Pacific Rim)

Critic for Intergovernmental Relations
Guy Gentner (Delta North)

Deputy Critic for Health Services
Sue Hammell (Surrey-Green Timbers)

Critic for Tourism, Culture and the Arts
Spencer Herbert (Vancouver-West End)

Critic for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
John Horgan (Juan de Fuca)

Leader of the Official Opposition
Carole James (Victoria-Beacon Hill)

Critic for Children and Family Development and Child Care
Maurine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Royal Roads)

Critic for Attorney General
Leonard Krog (Nanaimo)

Critic for Small Business, Technology and Economic Development
Jenny Kwan (Vancouver-Mt. Pleasant)

Critic for Multiculturalism
Harry Lali (Fraser Nicola)

Critic for Forests and Range and Integrated Land Management
Norm Macdonald (Columbia River-Revelstoke)

Deputy Critic for Advanced Education and Labour Market Development
Michelle Mungall (Nelson-Creston)

Critic for Agriculture and Lands
Lana Popham (Saanich South)

Critic for Finance and Public Accounts
Bruce Ralston (Surrey-Whalley)

Deputy Critic for Forests and Range and Integrated Land Management
Bill Routely (Cowichan Valley)

Critic for Citizens’ Services
Doug Routley (Nanaimo-North Cowichan)

Deputy Critic for Environment
Michael Sather (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows)

Deputy Critic for Housing and Social Development
Nicholas Simons (Powell River-Sunshine Coast)

Critic for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Bob Simpson (Cariboo North)

Critic for Housing and Social Development
Shane Simpson (Vancouver-Hastings)

Deputy Critic for Education, Early Learning and Literacy
Diane Thorne (Coquitlam-Maillardville)

Nominee for Assistant Deputy Speaker
Claire Trevena (North Island)

Coons Signing the Parliamentary roll

I believe that it is imperative that the Premier call back the legislature as soon as possible. There is vital work to be done to ensure that the economic depression and our current financial situation is put out to British Columbians in an honest and forthright method.

During the election campaign, the premier insisted that “the deficit for 2009-10 will be $495 million maximum” (Vancouver Sun, April 24, 2009), despite being repeatedly warned by leading economists that his numbers were out of date. The deficient could be 4 times as much as this and hit the $2 billion mark.

 The Premier needs to come clean on the true state of the province’s finances and provide an economic update. 

British Columbians are being hit hard by the economic downturn and deserve immediate answers in a full session of the legislature!

• A June 3rd report showed that B.C. has had the highest rate of child poverty in the country for six years in a row.
• Figures released last week show there has been a sharp jump in the number of people receiving temporary income assistance, which increased by 52.9 per cent over the last year. 
•  Statistics Canada notes that B.C. lost 74,100 full-time jobs between September and April, with the unemployment rate jumping from 4.6 per cent to 7.4 per cent over that period of time.

Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier
Room 156
Parliament Buildings
Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Dear Premier:

I am writing to seek clarification of your latest announcement regarding ferry fare decreases. Specifically, I would like to know if users of the route between the Queen Charlotte Islands and Prince Rupert will entirely miss out on the fare decreases, which you have announced for January, given that ferry services are scheduled to be completely absent during that time.

In the interests of fairness, will your government apply the fare decreases to the route once it resumes in February?

Thank you for clarifying this matter.

Sincerely,
Gc

“The Campbell energy plan forced Hydro to pay premium rates to Campbell’s friends for low value electricity,” said Austin, the MLA for Skeena, “now Hydro has to raise their rates, and they are using this two tier scheme to cover up the big giveaway.”

“This two tier rate scheme penalizes families and people who live up north,” said Coons, “and it wouldn’t be necessary if Campbell’s energy plan wasn’t strangling Hydro.”

Campbell’s energy plan stated all new energy capacity in British Columbia had to come from private sources, even though electricity created by private producers costs more than energy produced by the public system.

“Campbell is more interested in giving away our rivers to his friends than making sure that British Columbians get the best deal on electricity,” said Coons. “If Campbell cared about the cost of electricity he wouldn’t be privatizing Hydro by stealth.”

The two tier scheme charges a lower rate for the first 1,350 kWh used by a household customer, and a higher rate for any electricity above that amount. Increased costs created by private power generation will be applied to the second block rate.

“The two tier rate punishes northerners, families and students who live in shared housing,” said Austin. “The only thing green about this scheme is all the money being made by friends and insiders of the Campbell government.”

“Every increase in the cost of Hydro makes gas and wood heat look more attractive,” said Coons. “If this government cared about the environment, and cared about families, they would keep hydro affordable.”

“We need legislation to prevent the further entrenchment of ethical problems in the Premier’s office,” said Coons. “The Dobell affair made it clear that British Columbia needs to improve conflict of interest legislation to prevent ignorance being used an excuse to engage in influence peddling.”

The new laws James and the NDP opposition will propose when the Legislature reconvenes in April include the following:

• A two year lobbying ban on former ministers, senior political aides, and deputy ministers like Ken Dobell.
• A prohibition for up to two years on all lobbying activities for people convicted of violating the Lobbyists Registration Act.
• Expanded powers for the Information and Privacy Commissioner to conduct investigations.
• The extension of current conflict of interest laws to cover all government appointees.
• The extension of the two year moratorium on former members of the Executive Council from accepting a contract or benefit from government to include deputy ministers.
• A requirement for public officials to disclose their interactions with registered lobbyists.

“It’s unfortunate that government is unable to hold themselves up to the highest ethical standards,” said Coons, “but these laws we are proposing will remove the temptation for the Premier and his cronies to deliberately bend and misinterpret lobbying rules.”

Coons noted that the legislation the Opposition is introducing follows changes made federally and in other provinces. The Attorney General promised to review B.C.’s laws but has since made it clear it is not one of his priorities.

“Gordon Campbell and Wally Oppal refuse to hold anyone accountable or to make the changes required to prevent situations like the Dobell affair from reoccurring. The new legislation we are proposing will ensure that the government is held accountable for future ethical violations,” said Coons.

“If the Liberal government wants to keep the public trust they will support these important changes.”