Our democratic institutions are only as good as we make them

 At the beginning of each Legislative session, the Lieutenant-Governor reads the Speech from the Throne.  Filled with pomp and circumstance, the occasion always reminds me of the history and the importance of the Legislature, and what an honour it is be your representative here.  I also realize that much of what goes on here can seem arcane and distant, and I worry that people will forget that we all have a responsibility to ensure that our democratic institutions remain strong.

The way that voters can protect their democratic institutions is to make sure that sitting governments cannot get away with doing anything that makes our democratic system less effective.  Whether it is the proroguing of Parliament, the underfunding of the Ombudsperson’s office, the removal of local governments from the decision-making process on independent power projects or the forcing of bills through the House without debate, each of these moves make democracy weaker, and moves you farther and farther away from having a say.

Democracy means ‘government by the people’. There is no democracy without you. 

I am committed to fighting against every attempt that is made to remove people from the democratic process.  And I am committed to doing everything I can to make our Legislature work better for the people.

For example, the people of British Columbia have been clear that they do not support the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).  So my role as a legislator is to do whatever I can within the parliamentary system to fight the passage of the HST legislation.

But you have a role in fighting the HST as well.  Under the Recall and Initiative Act, voters have the opportunity between elections to send a very strong message to government.  This spring, a campaign has been launched through the Initiative Act to stop the HST.

Beginning April 6, canvassers will be circulating official Elections BC petitions to stop the HST.  But you must be a registered voter to both sign the petition and volunteer to be a petition canvasser.

Take a moment to visit the campaign website at www.fightHST.com to learn more.  And make sure you are registered to vote at www.elections.bc.ca.

The Initiative Act allows you be to be active participant in your democracy right now.  Don’t miss this opportunity to have your say.

Your effort does make a difference

An important part of having a democracy that works is knowing that you have an elected official that will listen to your concerns. As many of you will know, I began my political life as a town councillor and Mayor.

As a municipal politician, the connection to voters was very immediate. A comment you made at council one evening would have to be defended at your workplace or at the post office the next morning. It keeps you on your toes. But it also keeps you knowing exactly what the people you represent think.

As the MLA for such a large area, it is more difficult to get that direct feedback, but with technology, we can often come pretty close.

Most of my communities have the Legislative channel, and all high-speed internet users can watch the Legislative webcast. People can also visit my website at www.NormMacdonald.ca.

My office is also easily reachable by either email at norm.macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca or toll-free at 1 866 870 4188.

I welcome your thoughts and encourage you to make use of these tools to keep in touch.

Over the last number of weeks, three particular issues have been raised by the constituents in this area and I want to share them with you as an example of how my work is directed by the things you tell me.

The first issue is the environment and land use. People in this area feel strongly that we need to make wise decisions that protect the environment for our children and that we have to allow local citizens to decide how we manage the use of the Crown lands that surround our communities.

The second issue is support for the arts. Every one of my communities has a strong attachment to the arts, and we understand the value of investments made in the local arts organizations. Protecting arts funding is something that you clearly believe in, and it is a fight that I will continue in Victoria.

The third issue is the HST. Despite every government effort to convince you otherwise, the people in this area still reject the imposition of the HST. And as I stated in my last MLA report, I will use every legislative tool available to me to stop the HST.

I want to thank each one of you who has taken the time to call, write or meet with me. Your effort does make a difference.