B.C. Today – Daily Report August 7, 2019

Quotation of the day

“We are tired of having to react to environmental disasters that ​ are the result of mismanagement by government and industry.” ​

Nits’ilʔin (Chief) of the Tl’esqox First Nations Government Francis Laceese says the federal ​ ​ ​ government is not doing enough to protect Fraser River salmon runs affected by the Big Bar ​ ​ landslide. The Tŝilhqot’in National Government declared a local state of emergency in response to the slide yesterday and called on Ottawa to close fisheries for all Fraser River salmon.

Today in B.C.

‘Mother Nature is a very powerful force’: Work continues on Big Bar landslide as salmon runs ready to enter Fraser River

Federal and provincial officials are still working alongside First Nations and technical experts in an effort to clear enough of the Big Bar landslide — on the Fraser River near Lillooet — to allow

what will soon be millions of salmon to make their way upriver to spawning grounds in the coming weeks.

After several weeks of scaling work on the canyon cliffs above the slide, a team of 16 engineers is now working to manipulate rocks in the river to create a passage for the salmon, federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson told reporters yesterday. It’s gruelling work — ​ ​ temperatures at the site have reached 37 degrees celsius.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Wilkinson said. “A number of the Chinook runs are already circling and waiting to get up [river]. The sockeye runs … will start to arrive within a couple of weeks, probably by mid-August. We expect somewhere between three and six thousand fish per day arriving below the rock slide.”

Two helicopters are operating daily, transporting fish — caught by 40 workers with dip nets — to the waters above the slide. Around 5,000 salmon have been transported this way so far, but it’s not a long term solution: this year’s sockeye run alone is forecast to be upwards of two million fish. A total of 22 salmon runs have spawning grounds along the Fraser and its tributaries beyond the slide.

While work to shift a section of the slide continues, Minister Wilkinson said there is a backup plan ready to go.

“The [fish] ladder is ready to be put into place if required following the rock manipulation work that is presently underway,” he said. “This is obviously a very challenging situation — one that could have long-term consequences for the communities on the river and far beyond.”

B.C. Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Minister Doug ​ Donaldson commended the “strong partnership and collaboration” involved in the ​ multi-jurisdictional response.

First Nations Summit Grand Chief Ed John emphasized the severity of the situation. ​ ​

“It is a complete natural disaster we have in front of us,” he said. “Time is a critical factor now.”

The Tŝilhqot’in National Government declared a local state of emergency Tuesday and called ​ on Ottawa to close “all marine and recreational fisheries” of Fraser River salmon.

“Currently, [Department of Fisheries and Oceans] is not doing enough,” said Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Joe Alphonse, tribal chair of the Tŝilhqot’in National Government. “They need to protect every ​ fish that is returning to the Fraser River so that every chance is given for these fish to make it to their spawning grounds. Moving a few hundred fish by helicopter isn’t good enough.”

“It’s time [the Department of Fisheries and Oceans] adhere to its own commitments to First Nations and close the marine recreational Chinook fisheries to help conserve this at risk species,” Nits’ilʔin Francis Laceese of the Tl’esqox First Nations Government added. “We are ​ ​ tired of having to react to environmental disasters that are the result of mismanagement by government and industry.”

NDP and Liberals continue to point fingers over forestry Barely two weeks into his new gig as parliamentary secretary for Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, released a statement touting the ​ ​ work the NDP government is doing to stabilize B.C.’s forest industry and “clean up the mess left ​ behind by the previous government.”

“Frankly, it infuriates me that the previous government asked industry experts to write a detailed ​ report on the scope of the problems facing the Interior forest industry in 2015 and then stuck it ​ on a shelf and took no action to prepare for the inevitable impacts,” said Kahlon, who was sent to live with extended family in India at the age of two when his father lost his job at a mill.

He accused the Liberal government of ignoring technological opportunities and product diversification possibilities that could have helped insulate the forestry industry from the effects of a dwindling fibre supply.

“We are working hard to ensure that workers and communities are not left to fend for themselves as this long-predicted rationalization occurs. We are all hands on deck across all involved ministries on this file,” he said, adding that “it takes time to get the proper supports in place.”

Meanwhile, Liberal Forests critic accused the NDP government of taking “no ​ ​ action” to help affected communities. Rustad and other Liberal MLAs held a roundtable in last week to talk with small businesses and workers affected by Tolko’s decision to axe one of the shifts at its Kelowna mill and curtail the other.

According to Rustad, the mayors of 21 B.C. municipalities and regional districts have reached out directly to the federal government for assistance.

“The fact mayors have decided to go it alone without the support of the provincial government speaks volumes,” he said. “Seven mills have shut down in just the past few months, and NDP Forest Minister Doug Donaldson appears content to just sit back and watch it all happen.” ​ ​

Kahlon said the province is pushing for support from the feds.

“Make no mistake, we will be pressing the federal government to step up to the plate with funding for impacted workers and communities in ,” he said in the statement.

“Again, this all should have been started years ago, but our government is taking action now to clean up the mess left behind by the previous government.”

Today’s events

August 7 at 9:30 a.m. – Vancouver ​ Federal Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will be joined ​ ​ by National Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, who represents Vancouver South; NDP MLA ​ ​ (Vancouver—Fraserview); and Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart for an ​ ​ ​ affordable housing announcement on Pierview Crescent.

August 7 at 5 p.m. – Penticton ​ Liberal MLA (Penticton) will host the party’s Penticton riding association’s summer ​ ​ ​ social at “a stunning lakeside” private residence.

Topics of conversation

● Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and federal Green ​ ​ ​ ​ Party Leader Elizabeth May were all spotted at Vancouver’s Pride Parade over the ​ ​ weekend, but Conservative Party of Canada Leader Andrew Scheer did not make an ​ ​ appearance. “It shows that he's written off a huge chunk of the population — and actively ​ doesn't want engagement with lesbian, gay, bi, or trans people, or anybody who cares about them,” NDP MLA (Vancouver—West End) told The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Straight. “It's a strategic mistake — dumb, stupid, whatever phrase you want to have — ​ or it's just revealing about who he is.” ○ NDP candidate Svend Robinson — the first openly gay MP to serve in ​ ​ Parliament — said Scheer’s no-show “speaks volumes” about his party’s stance toward the LGBTQ community. ○ “It's just unfortunate that there are still some party leaders who want to be prime minister who choose to stand with people who are intolerant instead of standing with the LGBT community,” was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s response. ​ ​

● Premier also missed this year’s Vancouver Pride Parade; the premier is ​ ​ on his annual summer holiday. Before taking his time off, Horgan “hijacked” a family ​ ​ reunion taking place at the B.C. legislature to give members of the Paulin family a personal tour of the House. “It was wonderful. He is a very nice man,” Gillian Leitch, the ​ ​ ​ family genealogist who organized the reunion, told Black Press. ○ The family visited the legislature where ancestor Frederick Arthur represented ​ ​ the riding of Saanich from 1916-1924. Arthur served as Speaker during his last two years as an MLA.

● The B.C. Liberal Party has been hit with a $200 administrative penalty from Elections ​ ​ B.C. for “accepting a prohibited donation” last year. In March 2018, Sullivan Mechanical Ltd. of Prince Rupert donated $500 to the Liberals despite the province’s ban on corporate and union donations to political parties. In August, the party’s financial agent signed off on an interim financial report that included the donation. The party was made aware of the penalty in June; Elections B.C. observes a 38-day waiting period before publishing penalties. ○ The penalty is unrelated to Liberal MLA Ben Stewart’s recent departure from the ​ ​ caucus, according to Liberal Party staff, and was refunded when the party realized it was not from an individual donor.

● Alberta has officially joined the list of provinces filing a court challenge against Ottawa’s carbon pricing backstop. On August 2, government lawyers filed a factum with the Alberta Court of Appeal challenging the constitutionality of the federal carbon tax. “Our constitution is not based on ‘Ottawa knows best’,” Justice Minister Doug Schweitzer ​ said in a statement. “It is based on the principle that the provinces are best situated to make policy decisions for their own citizens.” ○ The UCP government will argue its planned levy on large industrial emitters, which will replace the NDP’s repealed carbon tax, meets Ottawa’s carbon pricing standard.

● An off-duty RCMP officer reported a Revelstoke couple for violating the Cannabis ​ Control and Licensing Act (CCLA) after he spotted cannabis plants in the couple’s ​ ​ ​ backyard while taking part in a charity garden tour. The couple, who were away from home at the time, returned to find their house had been searched by officers looking for cannabis plants “visible from [a] public place.” The couple has not yet been charged. ○ "I was incredibly heartbroken. I felt invaded. I felt betrayed by my local RCMP," Anna Minten told CBC. "I'd like to ask them why they felt their intrusive ​ ​ measures were necessary. I'd like to ask them if they really felt they were serving the community by their actions." ○ The Revelstoke RCMP are describing the incident as “blatant violations” of the law. “Unfortunately, the violations of CCLA by some of our residents has brought some negative light to Revelstoke and the Garden and Art tour," Corporal Mike ​ Esson said in a statement. “By not properly growing cannabis plants, the ​ residents have opened themselves up to the possibility of theft of the cannabis and drugs falling into the hands of youth in our community.”

● Four-term PC MLA Alana Delong, who ran for the B.C. Liberals in 2017, is running for ​ ​ ​ ​ the federal Conservative party in the riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford. ○ Delong was a Calgary—Bow MLA from 2001 until 2015, when she decided not to seek re-election.

News briefs - Governmental

Ministry of Finance New employment agreements between five school districts, the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals representing K-12 support staff have been ratified, according to the finance ministry. ​ ​

The agreements, which cover about 5,700 employees, are for three-year terms, retroactive to July 1, and include general wage increases of two per cent per year.

News briefs - Non-governmental

Office of the Omubdsperson In May 2018, Bill 28, Public Interest Disclosure Act was passed and received royal assent. The ​ ​ legislation aims to increase protections for public service whistleblowers who take their concerns to superior officers or the B.C. ombudsperson. Ombudsperson Jay Chalke ​ recommended the legislation in his 2017 report Misfire: The 2012 Ministry of Health ​ Employment Terminations and Related Matters. ​

“We’re the last province in Canada to pass this legislation,” Chalke told BC Today in an ​ ​ ​ interview. Prince Edward Island has yet to proclaim its own law.

“The idea ... is to provide a safe conduit for public servants who see something wrong in their workplace — to be able to bring it to the attention of their employer or someone to make sure that appropriate action is taken and also to ensure that that employee is protected from reprisal for doing so,” he added.

But Chalke doesn’t think the NDP government is dragging its feet on the issue.

“The period since [the bill passed] has been readying the public service — roughly 30,000 employees,” he said. “We’re working with government on the implementation. The plan is that the act will be proclaimed later this calendar year, but it’s a cabinet decision.”

To ready for the implementation of the act, deputy ministers in each ministry need to choose and nominate a designated officer who will be responsible for receiving internal disclosures from whistleblowers within the ministry.

Those officers will be responsible for establishing procedures to investigate complaints they receive. There are also education efforts underway to ensure ministry staff know their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation.

“The idea is that the act will roll out in phases over the next five years to cover the broader public sector … in a way that’s roughly analogous to the coverage of public bodies by the Ombudsperson Act,” Chalke told BC Today. ​ ​

Public sector whistleblowers who disclose directly to the ombudsperson will also be protected by the new law.

Funding announcements

● Ottawa and Victoria signed a memorandum of intent (MOI) last week that will see federal ​ ​ funding of $75 million support construction of 1,000 new units planned under the ​ province's Supportive Housing Fund, and 500 new units planned under the Women's ​ ​ ​ Transition Housing Fund. ​

● The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the City of Vancouver are ​ ​ ​ ​ partnering on a 145-unit mixed-use building in east Vancouver that will include 120 ​ ​ ​ affordable rental units. CMHC is investing $48.5 million through the Rental ​ Construction Financing Initiative, and the city is providing a 60-year lease for the ​ project site — valued at $16.8 million — through its Vancouver Affordable Housing ​ Agency. ​ ○ The nine-storey building’s affordable units will rent for less than 30 per cent of Vancouver’s median household income and will remain in that affordability bracket for 60 years, according to a government news release.

● Three projects will share $150,000 as winners of the Agritech Innovation Challenge — ​ ​ ​ ​ a provincial-federal partnership aimed at increasing efficiency, sustainability and ​ ​ competitiveness of B.C. agriculture. ○ Researchers at Simon Fraser University will continue to explore how a ​ ​ non-toxic chemical compound can target the varroa mite, a pest that can significantly damage bee colonies. ○ Vancouver’s BarrelWise Technologies Ltd. has developed a barrel plug and ​ ​ dispensing system that allows wine barrels to remain sealed during the entire aging process, reducing the risk of contamination and the amount of sulphur needed to control the process. The new system will track data, allowing the winemaker to monitor each barrel in production. ○ In Salmon Arm, Technology Brewing Corporation is developing a ​ ​ vision-guided robot capable of accurately picking, trimming and placing mushrooms in store-ready boxes. This project could help get B.C. mushrooms to market quicker and help address the mushroom sector's labour shortage.

● Twenty-two outdoor clubs in B.C. will share almost $200,000 from the Off-Road Vehicle ​ ​ ​ Trail Fund to improve recreational trails for off-road vehicle use. ​

Can’t get enough of B.C. politics? Listen to this week’s episode of PolitiCoast on ​ ​ Vancouver’s new speed cameras and the province passing the buck to the federal government on conversion therapy.