VANCOUVER B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, has released the following statement on the B.C. NDP climate action plan and the B.C. Liberal response. Weaver is in Vancouver today and available for interviews from 2:45 to 6:00pm.

For years British Columbians and Canadians have demanded that our governments do something about marine waste. The fish cannery in Namu, BC is the latest of many slow-moving environmental disasters. The Chilcotin Princess, a large ship moored to the decaying former BC Packers facility is dangerously close to sinking and adding to the mess.

The Fall 2014 session of the Legislature has concluded with the passage of the LNG emission and taxation bills. Watch Andrew Weaver report on the debates and votes, along with events and issues that affect the riding of Oak Bay – Gordon Head and everyone around the province.

This week was a clear reminder of why I decided to run for office.

Back in 2008, I had the honour of working with then Premier Gordon Campbell, his Minister of Environment, the Honourable Barry Penner and the Climate Action Team to outline clear, bold and practical steps that we as a province could take to address global warming.

Today I rose in the legislature to give the required two day’s notice that I will bring forward an amendment to the Throne Speech. Delta South Independent MLA Vicki Huntington seconded my notice of motion.

When I speak to the Throne Speech, and subsequently the amendment on Thursday, I will outline an alternative vision for diversified, sustainable, 21st century economy.

For immediate release
Aug. 7, 2014

VICTORIA, B.C. – In light of the tragic industrial disaster at Mount Polley Mine south of Quesnel, the B.C. Green Party is calling on the provincial government to require every mine in the province to undertake an independent engineering report of their tailings storage facilities.

For immediate release
August 6, 2014

“The pictures and video of the breach are appalling. I was overwhelmed by a deep sadness seeing those images,” said Adam Olsen, Leader of the B.C. Green Party. “I am extremely concerned for the residents of the area whose health and safety are of utmost importance. I am grateful that no lives have been lost to this disaster.

Food is a basic need and it is the responsibility of our leaders to protect and enhance the security of our food supplies. While it once seemed natural that we would protect the land that feeds us, this is no longer the case. Bill 24 leaves British Columbians dangerously exposed.

The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states that crop yields are already being negatively affected by climate change and as a result we can expect food prices will continue to rise.

Food security is not a future concern -- it is an immediate concern. Severe droughts in California and extreme weather events in Calgary, Toronto, New York serve notice that our world is changing and we must take steps today to preserve our ability to feed our families.

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For more information:

• "On sending the ALC Amendment Act to Committee" by Andrew Weaver, MLA, Oak Bay-Gordon Head, May 27, 2014
• "Bill 24 – The Agriculture Land Commission Amendment Act, 2014" by Andrew Weaver, MLA, Oak Bay-Gordon Head, May 13, 2014
• "Time to rethink deregulation of the ALC" by Adam Olsen, Interim-Leader of the BC Greens, April 28, 2014
• "Response to Les Leyne – Changes to ALR, parks long overdue" by Adam Olsen, Interim-Leader of the BC Greens, April 16, 2014
• "Letter re: ALC to Hon. Norm Letnick" by Adam Olsen, Interim-Leader of the BC Greens, April 12, 2014
• "ALC: Government shrugs off lack of consultation on changes to food security" by Adam Olsen, Interim-Leader of the BC Greens, April 6, 2014
• "Food security threatened by Bill 24" by Adam Olsen, Interim-Leader of the BC Greens, April 1, 2014
• Even more on Interim-Leader Adam Olsen's blog

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“If we want to do what the big polluters and their indentured servants in Ottawa or Washington DC want us to do, which is treat the planet as if it was a business in liquidation, convert our natural resources to cash as quickly as possible, have a few years of pollution based prosperity and make a few people billionaires by impoverishing the rest of us, we generate an instantaneous cash flow and the illusion of a prosperous economy but our children are going to pay for our joy ride and they are going to pay for it with denuded landscapes and poor health and huge clean up costs that are going to amplify over time and they will never be able to pay.”

- Robert Kennedy Jr, GLOBE 2014 Conference, March 26, 2014

Hon. Bill Bennett continued his public assault on the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) Friday. This time he targeted his own colleague Hon. Norm Letnick, the Minister of Agriculture, and reaffirmed his personal commitment to Bill 24, the ALC (Agricultural Land Commission) Amendment Act.