Saturday December 24, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC
Editorial insights by Island Social Trends | Mary P Brooke, editor
BC Premier David Eby has issued a statement marking Christmas Day, in this first year that he holds the top job in leading the province.
Eby was officially sworn in on November 18 of this year in Vancouver, and on December 7 announced his new Cabinet in Victoria.
Christmas comes tomorrow, Sunday December 25, on the tail end of a challenging winter weather experience in the past few days (including campus closures, BC Ferries service delays and cancellations, and a safety advisory for people not to travel on snowy icy roads or travel at all).
A year of transition:
This year has seen a significant transition for British Columbia, from dealing primarily with the pandemic (and its economic impacts) to now shifting gears to chart a way forward with new themes and rhythms.
There is now child care increasingly in place to support the economy, the inclusion of climate change recognition in all things (including a new ministry devoted to Emergency Preparedness), and an increased urgency to deal with housing supply across a range of needs and scale of affordability (particularly by directly engaging with municipalities to produce more types and quantity of housing).
Eby was previously the minister with housing on his watch, but now he has created a full Housing ministry. In recent weeks he noted that BC’s population received an influx of 100,000 new residents last fiscal year, and in the first two quarters of 2022-2023 has already welcomed 80,000 new residents. This not only increases demand for housing but all the social and economic supports that go with having a larger and increasingly diverse population.
The Premier’s seasonal message:
Eby’s 2022 Christmas message is more secular in nature compared to those of Premier John Horgan in the past five years. A few days ago he recognized the winter solstice (on December 21) as being celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean communities across the world.
As issued by the Premier’s Office, here is the full Christmas Message from Premier David Eby:
Premier David Eby’s Christmas Message 2022:
“Tomorrow, many people in British Columbia, including a few at our home, and around the world will celebrate Christmas. Many will attend church services and rejoice in a message of peace and love.
“Christmas is a time when people gather with friends and family to share food, exchange gifts and enjoy the many traditions of the season.
“We have so much in British Columbia to be grateful for. I encourage British Columbians to reflect on the blessings in our lives, while also celebrating the season’s values of charity, compassion and generosity.
“I wish everyone a very merry Christmas and happy holidays!”
===== RELATED:
- Premier Eby issues a statement on the Christmas eve bus crash in BC Interior (December 24, 2022)
- Drivers asked to avoid travel during snow-rain episode (December 23, 2022)
- The 2022 winter solstice on Dec 21 (December 16, 2022)
- Premier John Horgan’s statement on Christmas 2021 (December 24, 2021)
- Canada Health Transfer top of mind for Premier Horgan into 2022 (December 12, 2021)
- Premiers pushing for Canada Health Transfer increase, says Horgan (September 23, 2021)
- ARCHIVE: Premier John Horgan’s statement on Christmas 2020 (December 24, 2020)
===== ABOUT THE EDITOR:
Mary P Brooke is the Editor and Publisher of Island Social Trends (formerly West Shore Voice News, which evolved from Sooke Voice News and before that MapleLine Magazine).
Since 2008, Ms Brooke has been covering the news and politics of the west shore and south Vancouver Island. Provincial and national news are covered with a socioeconomic lens.