Wednesday September 20, 2023 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau had her 15 minutes at the podium today, addressing delegates of the 2023 convention of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) in Vancouver.
Her overall message was one of all levels of government working together, particularly that the provincial government should be accepting input from local municipal leaders and be working collaboratively with communities with an ear to new and helpful ideas that reflect what is needed on the ground.
Ensuring that the voices of all communities are heard “is the main mission I’m on today”, said Furstenau at the podium. “Your community knows what is needed and what is not,” she said.
“Communities bringing solutions to the table should be able to count on the provincial government as a supportive partner,” said Furstenau, appealing for more details, honesty and trust when dealing with the provincial government.
“We need government to give us direct answers, honesty, and transparency. It shouldn’t feel like a struggle,” she said, as she believes all elected officials should be “working in the public and the community’s interest”… being direct and telling the truth. “Accept input and guidance directly from communities.” She hopes for future where “government and institutions are trusted”.
Climate change:
“We are being changed by climate change,” said the BC Greens leader today. “We live in serious times.”
“Our governments need to adapt to this challenge” of arriving at a place of greater security for a range of things that she outlined: water, housing,energy, government services, health care, education, social safety net.
She illustrated the concept of “collective empowerment” as where “everybody’s needs are met, everyone can reach their full potential, communities are vibrant, safe connected resilient”.
Natural systems require protection for many reasons, including human health and well-being.
Meeting at UBCM:
“You have come in good faith to work with the provincial government on behalf of your communities,” Furstenau said to the delegates, but added that “the current approach is not meeting that bar”.
She says that meeting with ministers or ministry officials once a year for 15 minutes at UBCM is not enough, that the dialogue needs to be ongoing throughout the year.
“You know well the challenges that your community is facing,” she said, listing off wildfire, drought, water shortage, crumbling health care, a shortage of housing, and schools without enough teachers.
After the pandemic:
After the pandemic she believed that most people thought society and governance would be ‘built back better’. But things seem to have sagged back to what they were before. Very likely because the challenges are enormous and people and institutions are exhausted. But also perhaps lacking in fresh ideas.
Furstenau talked about how during COVID “we supported our communities and supported each other… not for individual gain for all.. we showed that in an emergency we rise to our best selves.”
“In the end, I don’t think we have built back better.”
Big scope:
“Politics is seen as a measurement of power, but governance is a responsibility and burden of delivering the public services that everybody should be able to count on,” said Furstenau.
“We need to embrace community-driven solutions.”
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Editor: Mary P Brooke has been reporting about the west shore and south Vancouver Island region since 2008. She now also reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.
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