Upon deadline for this week’s column, a new Premier and cabinet for B.C. is about to be sworn in. And now, on publishing day for The Interior News, we are one day into a new BC NDP government led by Premier John Horgan.
I find these are very exciting times.
There is the opportunity to do the business of the legislature differently than in the past 16 years.
There will be many more opportunities for collaboration and cooperation between MLAs from all parties. In fact the nature of the make-up of the legislature, with 44 BC NDP and Green MLAs and 43 BC Liberals, sets the stage for cooperation.
The focus from the BC NDP MLAs was consistent during the election and since May 9: making life more affordable especially when considering skyrocketing BC Hydro and ICBC rates and ever-increasing Medical Service Premiums; ensuring the services people depend on are there when we need them particularly with the K-12 public school system and with health care services; and ensuring sustainable, good paying jobs which in the North will be impacted by paying more attention to specifics like the softwood lumber dispute and to larger issues like Aboriginal title.
I am optimistic on this day, the start of a new government in this great province.
We have a solid agreement with the Green caucus that includes many of the commitments that were part of our platform that will make a big difference in Stikine, like restoring funding to Adult Basic Education, supporting apprenticeships, and improving worker safety.
We also have the commitments the BC Liberals made to our platform in their Throne speech in the legislature in late June.
Then Premier, and now Official Opposition Leader Christy Clark, and all BC Liberal MLAs, now support our initiatives such as a ban on corporate and union political donations and capping individual donations, creating a province-wide poverty reduction plan, and providing accessible and affordable childcare.
We are also going to see some much needed change in how government works. We will ensure more public input into decision making by making more effective use of committees of the legislature for instance.
And we will be holding a referendum on electoral reform, campaigning on the yes side, to move to a voting system that is fairer based on proportional representation.
Exciting times ahead indeed.