We have now had three time changes since the provincial government promised to eliminate the biannual practice.
Let’s face it, changing our clocks twice a year was always a bad idea, but now we have actual scientific evidence of that.
We also have evidence that British Columbians are fed up with it.
In the government’s survey prior to passing legislation in 2019 that would allow us to permanently stay on daylight time, more people responded that to any other survey in history, more than 220,000 of us. The result was incontrovertible with 93 per cent voting in favour.
So why are we dragging our feet?
The argument that we can’t pull the trigger unless Washington, Oregon and California do is just silly. Sure, they are big trading partners, but so are the rest of the states and China and Alberta.
How is being out of sync with Washington different that being out of sync with Ontario?
Saskatchewan doesn’t change its clocks and it works just fine.
And we’re now out of sync with Yukon. The territorial government made good on its promise last fall when it switched permanently to Yukon Standard time.
Why can’t B.C. show that kind of leadership?
Washington and Oregon have already passed legislation making way for the switch.
And California received a clear indication that its residents are in favour following the passing of Proposition 7 that would allow the state to pass such legislation as well.
In sticking with its promise, the Yukon government argued them going ahead with it would make it easier for others to follow suit.
Somebody has to go first.
So, how about it Premier Horgan? Following last Sunday, we are now on daylight time. It is time to pull the trigger and cancel falling back again in November.
Let the western states follow us.