Legislative session could stretch to six weeks

By CAROLYN GRANT

While it was initial thought that the current fall session of the BC Legislation may last only a few days, it now appears that it will stretch out to six weeks.

At least that’s the plan by Opposition MLA’s, says Columbia River Revelstoke MLA Norm Macdonald.

“We’ve had two tremendous weeks already and we’re going to make it go six,” he said.  “There’s enough legislation here and we as Opposition have an opportunity to speak on all of it and have a full range of discussion.  It will go six weeks.”

Question periods, Macdonald says, have been an opportunity to “hammer” the government on a number of issues – health care and seniors homes, the cost over runs on the convention centre and the recent dust up over Liberal MLA’s distributing free child car seats out of their offices, meaning those in NDP ridings did not have access to the free seats.

The latter, Macdonald calls “one of the stupidest things in the world.”

The government has introduced legislation around the Electoral Boundary changes, Lower Mainland transportation or TransLink and of course the Tsawwassen Treaty.

“With each of these there are problems and opportunities to debate,” Macdonald said.

Macdonald says that he has found the ruling Liberals “over confident” and “listless” in the session thus far.

“The Premier’s speech was flat,” he said.  “On the TransLink bill we were all up speaking and none of them were.  Maybe they somehow thought that if the don’t speak they’ll get out of here faster.

“But we will keep them here six weeks.  The rules say everyone can speak on second reading of a bill, so every day you can push the government on what they are doing poorly.  It’s good for BC.”

One thing Macdonald believes the government is doing poorly is their response to calls for an increase in the minimum wage.

“It’s been six years since there’s been any change in the minimum wage.  We’re saying that there is a lot of public interest in an increase.  If you’re trying to live on low wages, it’s an incredible struggle.

“The government has to address the working poor.”

Macdonald says that his party tried to enter a motion on the minimum wage last week but the government shut it down.

“It’s within the ability of the government to make that decision.  If they were listening to the people they would decide to do something on the minimum wage.  There is strong government support for it and many petitions.  It’s not the whole answer but it’s a big part of it.  But the history for the Premier is very weak on this.  He came in vowing not to reduce the minimum wage and then he introduced the $6 training wage.  If that’s not a reduction, I don’t know what is.

“They do not care about that group of people and that’s the truth of it.”