Davies, Bernier listen to PRRD concerns
Govt needs to learn there's no urban without rural
“We are here to listen,” Peace River North MLA Dan Davies told the Peace River Regional District board of directors at their regular board meeting on Thursday when he and South Peace MLA Mike Bernier were on hand to discuss issues and concerns affecting the region.
The pair also gave a brief explanation of how the provincial government works and outlined their concerns. The upcoming session of the Legislature is of particular concern because it’s considerably shorter, Davies said.
The Legislature is scheduled to go back into session February 20, two weeks later than normal. Usually, they’re back in session on the first Tuesday of February and that’s the day the Throne Speech is given. Then the opposition parties have two weeks to debate the Throne Speech, before the budget is delivered, and that debate begins.
“This time there’s only one day of debate before the budget is being delivered, and we’re into the budget debate,” said Davies.
The spring session also normally goes until the end of May, but this year is scheduled to end in the second week of May, essentially a month shorter than usual.
The official opposition doesn’t introduce legislation, they explained, and so they often don’t find out about things until the legislation is being introduced. In this way, the government determines what they can speak on, and when. The main tool that the opposition has to try to get media and thus the public’s attention is Question Period.
“If they cancel two weeks at the beginning and two weeks at the end, that’s 20 fewer Question Periods, where we get to ask questions, and 20 fewer times the premier has to stand up and answer,” said Bernier.
“We’re supposed to be in Question Period today, but we’re not.”
As the MLAs prepare to return to the Legislature next week, Davies says that they are relying on the elected officials around the PRRD board table, to keep them apprised of issues that are impacting the regional district, and to let Davies and Bernier know if there’s anything they can bring forward.
Bernier said that the opposition does get a chance to voice its opinion on every bill. Because there’s not time for every MLA to speak, the relationship with the regional district and other local governments in the Peace are very important. When an issue affects the Peace region, Davies and Bernier can use those examples during debate.
Fort St. John director Tony Zabinsky said that people are concerned that the cost of living is going up, and wondered if, with the budget coming out next week, we are going to see more downloading from the government to offset costs.
Affordability is a big talking point, Bernier noted, but affordability is looked at differently, depending on where you are in the province. Down south, he said, the idea of affordability is coming up with a $500,000 downpayment on a condo.
“Up here it’s dealing with the high taxes, the downloading that’s coming from government and the resource revenue loss,” he said. The last budget the NDP put out saw a billion dollar decrease in the revenue coming from resource extraction. “That’s oil, gas, mining, and forestry. They are basically budgeting for the demise of our province.”
This region thrives and survives because of the resource sector, including agriculture, and the fees charged, the costs being downloaded are making it more expensive to do business in BC, particularly the Peace region, Bernier said.
“My fear is, if we continue down this narrative of how do we shut down rural British Columbia, and basically make everything urbanized, that’s going to hurt us even more.”
Board chair and Area C director Brad Sperling said that the board needs the MLAs to push back on the lack of consultation.
“They bring down legislation, regardless of what it is, there’s a lack of consultation and it puts us in between our residents and the province,” Sperling said. “We keep getting new legislation thrown at us with no consultation and no understanding. There needs to be more consultation with us and the public.”
Bernier said that the opposition isn’t hearing about many of the things the PRRD is having issues with. “The changes to the Land Act are case in point. We didn’t hear anything about it until Vaughn Palmer did a story about it,” he said.
“I understand that the current government’s going to do what it’s going to do to benefit and push their issues forward. Is there nothing you guys can do to stand up and say we need to step back and really take a look at what’s happening here?” asked Area D director Leonard Hiebert. “This is something that’s really important. It’s getting rammed down our throats and there’s no option of doing anything.”
Consultation is at the forefront of every debate says Bernier. “Our opening message on just about every piece of legislation is what consultation have you done with the public, what consultation have you done with First Nations?”
“We need more public consultation both before it comes out and after it comes out. Reading Vaughn Palmer is not the way we’re supposed to get this information,” said Sperling.
Davies said that writing to government, government MLAs not just local ones, could help get the message across. “They’re predominantly urban and they need to understand that there is no urban without rural. They need to understand the importance of that.”