Tag Archives: BC Green Party

Forests, Politics

A Cortes Island Resident’s Contributions to the 2023 NDP Convention

Cortes Island resident Bruce Ellingsen was both a delegate to the recent NDP Convention in Victoria, and the original author of resolution #42 written for the segment called ‘Building a Sustainable Economy for All and Fighting the Climate Crisis.’ Unfortunately, he didn’t get to read it that afternoon.   

“We ended up only getting through 10 of the 69 resolutions, with the presentation to the floor and the debate for pros and cons to any of them,” he told Cortes Currents.

Bruce has a suggestion that would increase the number of resolutions that can be heard, and the delegate’s enthusiasm for citizen democracy, which appears later. 

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Energy, Politics

BC Greens call out Alberta fossil fuel war room’s attack on Nanaimo

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

B.C.’s Green Party Leader is dismayed Alberta’s fossil fuel “war room” is targeting Nanaimo, B.C., for its leadership in phasing out natural gas hookups to reduce the community’s emissions.

After a summer of record-breaking wildfires and sustained heat and drought, every level of government needs to be seeking solutions to the climate crisis, not sabotaging those that do, said Sonia Furstenau, the Greens’ leader and MLA for Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.

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Politics

The BC Greens Are Coming for Adrian Dix’s MLA Seat

Editor’s note: A very disturbing report about BC’s health care system; one man’s attempt to address it politically.

By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A former top B.C. pediatric heart surgeon who joined the BC Greens is running for MLA in Vancouver-Renfrew (formerly known as Vancouver-Kingsway), a seat currently held by NDP Health Minister Adrian Dix.

Dr. Sanjiv Gandhi left his career as a pediatric cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon at B.C. Children’s Hospital early this year after publishing critiques of hospitals and the Health Ministry’s response to COVID-19.

He joined the BC Greens as second deputy leader and announced his candidacy Thursday.

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Housing, Poverty

A remote Canadian island makes history in fight for affordable housing

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A remote Canadian island is breaking ground on a new way to buffer the negative effects short-term vacation rentals have on the housing crisis facing small, rural tourism-based communities. 

B.C.’s Cortes Island is making housing history as the first community in the province to tax short-term holiday rentals and have all the funds directed to affordable housing projects, said Mark Vonesch, the area’s Strathcona Regional District director. 

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Justice, Politics

BC Government and Its Lawyers Head Toward Unionization Showdown

By  Zak Vescera, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Lawyers working for the B.C. government are threatening to sue it over a new law that would remove their right to choose their own union.

Bill 5 became law on  Thursday after months of fighting between the government and the BC  Government Lawyers Association, which applied last year to be recognized  as an independent union representing about 300 members. 

The legislation lifts a ban on unionization for the lawyers, who advise government on new laws and represent it in civil court.

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