Saturday October 5, 2019 ~ VICTORIA [Updated 9:45 pm October 5]
~ West Shore Voice News
BC Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver will be making what his party is calling “a significant announcement”, on Monday morning October 7.
The press conference with Weaver will be held at 9:15 am in the Hall of Honour at the BC Legislature. The Legislature resumes with a short Fall Session at 10 am on Monday October 7; the Fall Session runs only to November 28.
Last month it was revealed that Weaver had been treated in hospital for labyrinthitis. That was after symptoms developed on September 10 just ahead of the Canadian Propane Association BC seminar in Langley.
Labyrinthitis is an inflammation of a part of the inner ear that helps control balance; the main symptom is vertigo that begins without warning and can cause vomiting. It can also cause hearing loss and a ringing sound in the ears.
Weaver said last month that he was told by medical professionals to expect a full recovery within a few weeks, but in the meantime he reduced his workload and limited his appearance at public events.
Weaver leads a three-member Green caucus in the BC Legislature. He and his fellow MLAs Adam Olsen (Saanich North and the Islands) and Sonja Furstenau (Cowichan Valley) have made significant contributions to the progressive agenda of the NDP government since their agreement to work together made it possible for Premier John Horgan to form government in July 2017.
Presently in the BC Legislative Assembly there are 42 BC Liberal MLAs, 41 NDP MLAs, 3 Green MLAs and 1 independent comprising the BC Legislative Assembly. The 41 NDP and three Greens together produce 44 votes for Horgan’s minority government to pass legislation.
It was announced on October 3 that Dr Weaver and BC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy George Heyman have received Canada’s 2020 Clean50 and Clean16 honours for demonstrated leadership in sustainability through the development of CleanBC. “Over the last two years, my team and I have been working with Minister Heyman to design CleanBC, our economic plan to build a thriving, climate-resilient society. It has been the hallmark of our minority government and will continue to be my top priority as we ensure it is fully implemented to reach our 2030 targets,” said MLA Weaver.
“CleanBC is an important starting point and our ambitions must continue to rise. It is time we reimagined the climate crisis not solely as an environmental problem, but an incredible opportunity for innovation and the advancement of our society,” said Weaver.
Weaver addressed delegates at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver on September 25. At that same convention on September 27, Premier John Horgan in his wrap-up speech ‘slipped’ and referred to the Green Party leader as ‘Minister Weaver’, perhaps implying how much the Greens have become entwined with the stability of the propped-up NDP minority government.
Meanwhile, this past week, BC NDP Cabinet Minister Jinny Sims has resigned from Cabinet over allegations of undue influence, pending an RCMP investigation. Even though Sims continues as the MLA for Surrey-Panorama (where she has served since 2017; she previously served as a NDP member of Parliament for Newton-North Delta from 2011 to 2015) this could further jeopardize the voting block of NDP in the BC Legislature in their Fall session. Horgan said Minister of Housing Selina Robinson (who already handles the significant dual-portfolio of Municipal Affairs and Housing) will temporarily take over Sims’ role as Minister of Citizens’ Services.
As summarized by Times Colonist columnist Les Leyne this morning: “As the legislature resumes sitting next week, BC is down one clerk, one sergeant-at-arms, one deputy sergeant-at-arms (he too, retired rather suddenly) and one auditor general.”
This is what looms as Weaver comes to the podium Monday morning.