VICTORIA, B.C. – Over the recent eight-week Summer session the two-member B.C. Green Caucus advocated strongly for a Green Recovery to COVID-19 and brought forward solutions to issues facing the Province. Over 400 questions were asked or directly submitted to the Ministers for budget estimates resulting in 13 hours of discussion across 19 Ministries. MLAs asked 38 questions in the House and proposed several programs and initiatives to benefit British Columbians.
With 25 MLAs participating in the Chamber and 62 remotely, the B.C. Legislature took an innovative hybrid approach that proved successful in ensuring that the democratic process could proceed during the global pandemic.
“This time last year, we could never have imagined a session like this happening. Through Zoom and in person, my colleague MLA Sonia Furstenau and I used every tool at our disposal in the House to propose and bring into the public discourse various ideas, programs and projects that could benefit British Columbians,” said B.C. Green Party interim leader Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich-North and the Islands.
The B.C. Green Caucus released a Green Recovery framework for recovery spending, requested government commit to investing $500 million into CleanBC for clean jobs creation, pushed for greater transparency and accountability into senior care homes, and proposed a 12 month pilot project to offer mental health support under MSP to help British Columbians with the looming health crisis.
“COVID-19 has further exposed the inequities in our systems. Our Caucus has brought forward systemic solutions for the province to better address gendered and racial injustices and provide effective ways to support British Columbians during and after this pandemic,” said Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley.
The B.C. Green Caucus has pushed for additional support for before and after school programs and care centres so parents can go back to work without worrying about the safety of their child, asked government to recognize the International Decade for People of African Descent and the contributions of B.C.’s Black communities, supported an investigation into the racism that exists in our healthcare system, and recommended further consultation with Indigenous peoples on energy projects.
“Through these challenging times we celebrate the examples of all-party collaboration even as the B.C. Green Caucus has worked hard to advocate for the concerns and solutions British Columbians communicated to our team,” said MLA Furstenau. “As we anticipate a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall, the Caucus remains committed to asking tough questions and bringing forward solutions that will help ensure the government makes the best choices that allows British Columbia to build forward.”
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Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]