R-2

DIRECTORS’ NOTICE OF NEW BUSINESS

To: Chair and Directors Date: January 16, 2019

From: Director Goodings, Electoral Area ‘B’

Subject: Composite Political Newsletter

PURPOSE / ISSUE: In the January 11, 2019 edition of the Directors’ Information package there was a complimentary issue of a political newsletter entitled “The Composite Advisor.” The monthly newsletter provides comprehensive news and strategic analysis regarding BC Politics and Policy.

RECOMMENDATION / ACTION: [All Directors – Corporate Weighted] That the Regional District purchase an annual subscription (10 issues) of the Composite Public Affairs newsletter for an amount of $87 including GST.

BACKGROUND/RATIONALE: I feel the newsletter is worthwhile for the Board’s reference.

ATTACHMENTS: January 4, 2019 issue

Dept. Head: CAO: Page 1 of 1 January 31, 2019 R-2

Composite Public Affairs Inc. January 4, 2019

Karen Goodings Peace River Regional District Box 810 Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8

Dear Karen,

It is my pleasure to provide you with a complimentary issue of our new political newsletter, The Composite Advisor.

British Columbia today is in the midst of an exciting political drama — one that may last for the next many months, or (as I believe) the next several years.

At present, a government led by Premier and supported by 's Green Party, holds a narrow advantage in the Legislative Assembly. And after 16 years in power, the long-governing BC Liberals now sit on the opposition benches with a relatively-new leader in .

B.C.'s next general-election is scheduled for October 2021, almost three years from now, but as the old saying goes: 'The only thing certain, is uncertainty."

(The best political quote in this regard may have been by British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan who, asked by a reporter what might transpire to change his government's course of action, replied: "Events, dear boy, events." New research suggests that MacMillan never said it — but it's still a great quote!)

Composite Public Affairs Inc. provides clients with a full-suite of political and policy services, including issues management, research, public relations, event and conference management, government relations and more, and we are pleased now to publish The Composite Advisor. Further information on our firm — and how to subscribe to our new monthly newsletter — is available on-line at www.11compositepublicaffairs.ca.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Jason Craik Vice-President, Government Relations

422 Richards Street, Suite 170 , B.C. V6B 2Z4 January 31, 2019 R-2 A monthly newsletter providing comprehensive news and strategic analysis regarding Politics & Policy.

THE • COMPOSITE

dVi sor JANUARY ISSUE 2019 01

+ An embarrassment of riches? Booming economy hands a massive fiscal surplus Carole James wrestles with a massive fiscal Finance minister Carole James The bottom-line for James' more than $200 million to well surplus rose in the legislature a bare ten February 2018 Budget was a above two-billion dollars. Pg. 1 months ago to introduce the relatively modest surplus of first full-year Budget and Fiscal $219 million. And far from worrying about The INSIDER Plan for Premier John Horgan how to keep a narrowly- and his New Democratic Party Some observers were unim- balanced fiscal plan from slip- government. pressed. ping into a puddle of red ink, Looming the NDP Finance minister today by-election in The province's revenues, James "A razor-thin margin in terms is pondering ways to reduce her declared on February 20, 2018, of a surplus:' declared Shirley embarrassment of riches. were forecast to come in at Bond, the MLA for Prince Pg. 5 $54.193 billion. George-Valemount and BC For, if one thing troubles poli- Liberal finance critic — and ticians nearly as much having Personnel changes Anticipated expenses were long-serving cabinet minister too little money, a dose second in Premier's office slightly lower at $53.624 billion, in a succession of BC Liberal is the challenge of having too and then a modest 'forecast governments — adding, "we are much. allowance' of $350 million very concerned about the sus- was set aside, thereby pushing *** Job tainability of the fiscal plan." creation budgetary outlays to almost surges in late 2018 fifty-four billion dollars. Similarly disdainful was Global How did James' "razor-slim:' Pg. 9 TV's Keith Baldrey, who in May "tiny" budgetary surplus become (The forecast allowance rep- observed that "James potentially a massive provincial windfall? BC Ferries gets resents monies in each Budget has little elbow room to protect needed review set aside for a potential rainy- her tiny projected surplus of Very simply, cash for the past Pg. 10 day — unforeseen expenses, $219 million7 several months has been pour- that is — and does not represent ing into the Provincial Treasury an actual cash outlay. Forecast Now, however, with less than at an astounding rate. OPINION: Time for allowance monies may, or may three months to go before the a new electoral not, be spent during a fiscal end of the 2018/19 fiscal year, Consider again that James' first boundaries period, but the item is listed as James' surplus has morphed full-year Budget projected total commission an expense to provide a 'cushion from minuscule into gargantuan provincial revenues at $54.193 Pg. 12 against a possible deficit.) - skyrocketing from slightly billion. January 31, 2019 R-2 Oiisider

Premier John Horgan's cabinet Agriculture minister's office. have to quit the seat to obtain a / The •Composite was exceptionally busy at the new one in his home province end of 2018 - between, that is, A Victoria resident, Wieczorek of in the federal-general Aavisor the conclusion of the fall legis- recently graduated with a election scheduled for October?) lative sitting and the beginning bachelor's degree in politi- of the New Year - signing cal science from Dalhousie Now 24, Maria Louise Szabo Published 10 times dozens of orders-in-council for University in Halifax. His first was named as a minor func- annually by Composite new political appointees. appointment as Popham's as- tionary in the Premier's office Public Affairs Inc. sistant was from July through back in November 2017, and One beneficiary was Ravi November. then this past summer she was Singh Parmar, chair of Sooke shifted over to the Government School District No. 62, who Krystal Smith, a veteran New Communications and Public To subscribe, please visit: was confirmed as a ministerial Democratic Party activist and Engagement shop (located in the assistant to , the organizer, got a December Ministry of Finance), where she wri,v.compositepublicaffairs.ca Minister of Citizens' Services. appointment as ministerial worked in Event Services. assistant to , Now 23 years old, Parmar first the Minister of Public Safety In late November, Szabo - who Mailing address: won election to the Sooke and Solicitor General. worked on the NDP campaign Composite Public Affairs school board in November in Surrey-Whalley in the 2017 422 Richards Street 2014, and then was elevated to Smith had been working as general election - got an ap- Suite 170 chair in 2017 when the former a constituency aide to NDP pointment as executive assistant Vancouver, B.C. occupant announced he was Member of Parliament Kenne- to , the Minister V6B 2Z4 stepping down. Parmar was dy Stewart, who, on October of Jobs, Trade and Technology. re-elected to the school board 20, won election as Mayor of Ralston, coincidentally, also is Phone: (604) 385-0946 in October 2018, topping a Vancouver. Stewart announced MLA for Surrey-Whalley. field of 13 candidates. his intention to seek the may- or's office last May, and finally Another legislative staffer Prior to receiving his or- vacated his federal office - he with a connection to Surrey- der-in-council appointment, was MP for South Whalley is Amanda van Parmar worked as a con- - in preparation for the civic Baarsen, who worked for a Composite Public Affairs stituency assistant to Lana election on September 14. time as Ralston's constituency Inc. offers a suite of Popham, the Minister of assistant. Before that she was services and products Agriculture and NDP MLA Between those latter dates, active with Simon Fraser intended to promote a for . And before in early August, federal NDP University's Student Society. better understanding of that he had done the same job leader Jagmeet Singh - who public affairs and the for Horgan, then the legislative captured his party's leadership In September 2017, not quite issues which affect all representative for the riding in October 2017 but is without two months after Horgan and British Columbians, of Juan de Fuca. (The Pre- a seat in the House of Com- the New Democrats were sworn their families and mier now holds the renamed mons - declared his intention into government, Van Baars- businesses. riding of Langford-Juan de to succeed Stewart. en was named as ministerial Fuca - which still includes the assistant to the Health minister, Services we offer: municipality of Sooke.) A veteran campaign organizer . for the New Democrats feder- * Public affairs and Parmar's relationship with ally, provincially and munic- Ten months later, in the sum- government relations B.C.'s Premier dates back to ipally, Smith was expected to mer of 2018, she moved over to when the former was a Grade play a key role in overseeing Citizens' Services to work with * Public policy research 5 student, undertaking a Singh's by-election campaign Sims, and in November she was * Public relations school project that focused on - but Liberal Prime Minister promoted to senior ministerial B.C.'s 2005 general election. has delayed assistant for , the * Conference planning The young student invited his setting a date for the contest. Minister of Advanced Educa- * Event management newly-elected local MLA - tion, Skills and Training. Horgan had just won his first With Smith leaving her post in election to the legislature - to Burnaby for a gig in Victoria, Photo Credits: be interviewed in front of the will Singh think of abandoning P. 3: Province of British Columbia. class and a passion in politics his bid to win a seat in British At the B.C. Treaty Commission, P 5: CTV News. quickly was ignited. Columbia? Tom Happynook, a BC Liberal P. 7: Linkedln (Christensen; Miller) appointee, has been replaced P. 8: Silicon Valley Forum Elsewhere, another youthful (Put another way, why would by Angela Wesley. Both P 11: SFU (Redlin); aide, Christopher Wieczorek, Singh attempt to win a tough Happynook and Wesley are BC Legislature (Trevena) has been re-appointed as Pop- by-election in B.C. in early from Huu-ay-aht First • P14: Linkedln (Humphrey; Papik) ham's executive assistant Januaryin the 2019, 31, 2019when months later he'll Nations. p. 2 R-2

*lames - Continuedfront page 1

Yet, as reported in the province's 2nd quarterly fiscal report in late November, Booming economy produces sky-rocketing revenues Year-over-year cumulative percentage growth in revenues and expenditures receipts were exploding upward to a forecast $57.198 billion. Year-end reve- 35.0% nues now look to be a stunning $3.005 30.0% • •• • • billion higher than James had foreseen •• • • just last February. 25.0% ••• 20.0% Expenditures in recent months also have grown larger than anticipated, 15.0% but to a lesser extent. Again, last 10.0% February, James believed that current- 5.0% year spending would reach $53.264 billion, but the most-recent forecast 0.0% shows expenses to hit $54.898 billion. -5.0% 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2018/19 That's a $1.634 billion increase in out- Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Budget Nov. lays over the forecast in James' Budget Update and Fiscal Plan - disconcerting in nor- mal circumstances, but hardly worri- Revenues Expenditures some when revenue growth is about twice as large. (Sources: BC Budget and Fiscal 2018/19 and Province of B.C., 'Second Quarterly Report.') So, with the end of the 2018/19 fiscal year approaching quickly, the predicted surplus has soared from $219 million in And the addition was on top of the government's 2018/19 year-end fiscal February, to a laughably-large surplus - $350 million previously allocated to surplus actually is in the neighbour- almost 10-times higher than originally the forecast allowance back in Feb- hood of $2.3 billion. budgeted - of more than two-billion ruary, so the new total of un-spent dollars. fiscal-prudence is nearly one-billion That said, it's almost certain that Brit- dollars. ish Columbians will not see a surplus Except, the 2nd quarterly report only that large when the books are closed acknowledged that the surplus may be Again, last spring's forecast surplus on the current fiscal year, no matter about $1.350 billion. Why the difference? was $219 million. In November, how- how hot is our provincial economy. ever, Finance minister James allowed It's because James decided - in Nov- that the updated total - after setting And hot it is. ember, with most of the fiscal year in aside $950 million in forecast allow- the rearview mirror, the B.C. economy ance - would be $1.350 billion. *** booming and monies pouring into the Provincial Treasury - to boost the But recall that monies set aside in the British Columbia's population hit the `forecast allowance' by an extra $600 forecast allowance are not intended three-million mark three decades million. to be spent. So, in reality, the Horgan ago, in the year of Expo '86, and then reached four million in 1999. The an- nual rate of growth has slowed some- what since the turn of the century, but each and every year B.C. continues to add new residents.

And, according to Statistics , in late 2018 the province's population surpassed five million.

As our population grows, so too does our labour force, and the latter-half of 2018 saw a phenomenal jump in the number of British Columbians with a job.

In September, for the first time in B.C.'s history, the total number (on Finance minister Carole James presents 2" quarterly report. a seasonally-adjusted basis) of Continue on page 4 January 31, 2019 P. 3 R-2

James - Continuedfrom page 3 employed residents soared past 2.5 Total receipts from taxation, which in For example, the full-year impact of million. the last fiscal-year, 2017/18, came in at the tax-increase on personal incomes $28.321 billion, were forecast by James in excess of $150,000 was initially Indeed, over the last-half of 2018, to rise by about 8.0 per cent in the expected to total just $273 million. from July through November, the current year to $30.592 billion. province created an eye-popping But the latest forecast shows that total 73,600 new jobs. (See accompanying Instead, the updated increase in personal-income tax receipts will story on p. 9.) total tax revenues shows a whopping come in at a stunning $11.270 billion increase of 15.9 per cent, with the - which is $1.434 billion higher than Other recent statistics high-lighted expected total now pegged at $32.829 James's February Budget forecast. in the 2nd quarterly report show a billion. booming B.C. economy: That kind of revenue growth occurs Critics, no doubt, will attempt to only when the provincial economy is * Non-residential building permits claim that B.C.'s new-found windfall is firing on all cylinders. in January-September 2018 rose 17.8 due to a suite of NDP tax changes, but per cent as compared to one year a close examination shows this to be As for corporate-income tax receipts, earlier; plainly incorrect. the expected result from the combi- nation of a corporate-income tax hike * Manufacturing shipments over In September 2017, James boosted the along with a small-business tax cut - the January to September period this tax-rate (from 14.7 per cent to 16.8 $306 million minus $81 million - was year grew by 9.7 per cent when mea- per cent) on yearly personal incomes a net gain of $225 million. sured against the previous year; above $150,000, as well as the rate (from 11.0 per cent to 12.0 per cent) However, the new provincial forecast * Household income growth, which on corporate incomes - the latter shows total corporate-income tax was forecast in February to rise this being slightly offset by a cut in the revenues climbing to $5.401 billion year by 4.1 per cent, now is pegged to small-business rate from 2.5 per cent - a phenomenal $1.305 billion above reach 4.6 per cent; and to 2.0 per cent. James's February Budget.

* Compensation of employees has Plus, in February 2018 she introduced While the NDP tax changes unques- climbed from a growth-rate expected the new Employers' Health Tax to tionably have contributed some small in the Budget of 4.3 per cent to an partially replace revenues lost through share of B.C.'s new revenue windfall, impressive 5.2 per cent. the abolition of MSP premiums. the inescapable fact is that the over- whelming proportion comes from a As a consequence of such stellar But the cumulative impact of these scorching economy. economic growth, the provincial new levies is infinitesimal in com- government's revenues are soaring parison to the windfall revenues now *** upward. cascading into provincial coffers. Yet, Finance minister James now is faced with a challenge - a huge B.C.'s surplus stands out amongst provinces awash in red ink surplus - that differs greatly from the Forecast surpluses and deficits for Canada's provinces, 2018/19 ($millions) sizeable fiscal shortfalls the majority

4,000 of her counterparts across Canada have to address. 2,000

0 NMI According to recent calculations by

-2,000 RBC Economics Research, Ontario and are bedeviled with groan- -4,000 ing deficits of $14.5 billion and $8.8 -6,000 billion respectively in fiscal 2018/19.

-8,000 Similarly, Newfoundland and Labra- -10,000 dor this year expects to have a deficit -12,000 of $683 million, while close behind are Manitoba and with -14,000 shortfalls of $521 million and $348 -16,000 million. New Brunswick's deficit is on B.C. Alberta Sask Manitoba Ontario Quebec N.B. P.E Nfld. & Lab. track to hit $131 million. The situation is even worse in Otta- wa, with the Government of Canada (Sources: RBC Economics Research, 'Canadian Federal and Provincial Fiscal Tables,' and Province preparing for expenditures to exceed of B.C., 'Second Quarterly Report.) revenues by a whopping $18.1 billion. January 31, 2019 Continue on page 9 p. 4 R-2 Nanaimo by-election will see local voters cast third ballot in three months

Residents of Nanaimo — like British on standings in the legislature — and Nanaimo-born, Krog earned a bachelor's Columbians everywhere else in the provincial politics. degree in History at the University of province — had two opportunities in Victoria, and then a Law degree at the the fall of 2018 to cast a ballot. So, the question is, do the results in University of British Columbia in Van- the City of Nanaimo from the recent couver. He subsequently opened a legal The first occasion was in the local- municipal elections, or the provincial practice in his hometown, where today government elections held on October riding of Nanaimo from the more- his wife, Sharon, and son, Parker, also 20. That was when voters in commu- recent mail-in ballot referendum, por- work as lawyers with the firm. nities across the province returned tend anything for the looming by- mayors, councillors, regional-district election? Five years after his initial victory, Krog directors and school trustees. lost Parksville-Qualicum by 483 votes to Some, notably BC Liberals and their a BC Liberal, Paul Reitsma, whose scan- The second was in the province-wide supporters, suggest that the electoral dalous conduct soon resulted in both a referendum on electoral reform district's rejection of proportion repre- resignation and a by-election. The for- held between late October and early sentation — a proposal endorsed by mer MLA contested the 1998 by-election December. On that occasion voters both the New Democrats and Greens but again was unsuccessful in a district in all 87 B.C. electoral districts — augurs well for their candidate. fast becoming increasingly supportive of returned their ballots by mail to centre-right parties and candidates. the Chief Electoral Officer. Or, put a better way, B.C.'s official opposition hopes the referendum In 2001, Krog again ran for the NDP, On January 30, voters in the electoral setback has damaged NDP and Green this time in the riding of Nanaimo, but district of Nanaimo will get a third aspirations, and Nanaimo voters might the New Democrats were routed in that opportunity to go to the polls in spurn both in the vital by-election. year's general-election, reduced to just about three-and-a-half months. two seats — Vancouver-Hastings and Seemingly forgotten in that scenario Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. The BC The event will be a by-election to fill is the city's mayoral election, where Liberals took a whopping 77 electoral a vacancy created in B.C.'s Legislative Krog — who enjoyed an 18-year legisla- districts and captured a massive legisla- Assembly when veteran MLA Leonard tive career as a New Democratic Party tive majority. Krog resigned his seat after winning MLA — recorded a massive victory with election as Mayor of Nanaimo in more than 73 per cent of all valid votes. After losing three provincial tilts in five October. years, Krog then went on a tear and won *** the next four consecutive general elec- The by-election results will be highly tions in Nanaimo. significant. All three of B.C.'s major first won a seat in B.C.'s political parties have nominated Legislative Assembly in 1991, in Parks- He topped the polls in 2005, defeating credible, high-profile candidates, and a ville-Qualicum, a riding due north of the incumbent BC Liberal, Mike Hunter. victory by the governing New Demo- and adjacent to the Nanaimo electoral After taking about 6,600 votes in his crats, opposition BC Liberals or nascent district. Then as now, he was a New 2001 loss, Krog nearly doubled his vote- Greens would have an outsized impact Democrat. total to more than 12,400 four years later.

The New Democrat then scored re- election victories in 2009 with 11,900 ballots, in 2013 with 10,800, and in 2017 with over 12,700.

In June 2018, Krog announced his intention to seek election as Mayor of Nanaimo, and on October 20 he romped to victory with more than 20,000 votes.

***

The results from that mayoral election perhaps suggest that Krog in his home- town may be more popular than is his Former NDP MLA Leonard Krog wins election as Mayor of Nanaimo. life-long party, the New Democrats. Continue on page 6 January 31, 2019 P. 5 R-2

Nanaimo - Continuedfrom page 5 Voter-turnout in the mayoral tilt - 27,207 valid votes cast - was comparable to, but Votes for Leonard Krog as MLA and Mayor slightly higher than, the average number of valid ballots cast in the provincial rid- in Nanaimo, 2005 to 2018 ing in the four previous general-election contests - which was 24,634. 30,000 (It should be noted that in terms of population the Nanaimo electoral district 25,000 is about half the size of the City - an 20,000 estimated 57,000 in 2014, versus an estimated 107,000 in 2017.) 15,000 • And whereas Krog's share of valid votes 10,000 counted from 2005 through 2017 when he ran under the NDP banner averaged 5,000 50.6 per cent, his share of valid mayoral 0 votes was a whopping 73.6 per cent. 2005 - provincial 2009 - provincial 2013 - provincial 2017 - provincial 2018 - municipal

On the basis of Krog's personal pop- Total valid votes Krog ularity, and the NDP's long-enduring electoral success in Nanaimo - the New Democrats have won 13 of the last 15 (Sources: Elections BC, City of Nanaimo.) general elections in the district, losing only in 1969 and 2001 - it is clear that It's difficult to see anything especially against electoral reform were nearly the early by-election odds should favour noteworthy about the referendum results identical: 157,822 residents voted to the New Democratic Party. in Nanaimo. As might be expected in retain FPTP, and 157,185 backed pro- a riding long supportive of the New portional representation. But what about that pesky electoral- Democratic Party, a slightly greater pro- reform referendum? portion of local voters backed electoral In Nanaimo, then, a larger share of reform over the status quo. votes went to FPTP as compared to the *** Vancouver Island-Coast average - 54.1 And the Nanaimo results were not much per cent to 50.1 per cent -- but the share The results announced on December 20 different than was the case across the was much lower than the provincial by B.C.'s Chief Electoral Officer, Anton entire Vancouver Island-Coast region, number of 61.3 per cent. Boegman, found that British Columbians where the NDP holds 11 of 15 seats. for the third time had rejected adopting (The Greens have three, and the BC The two recent Nanaimo tilts suggest proportional representation (ProRep) in Liberals, one.) that while the NDP remains popular, the place of the province's historic first-past- new Mayor appears exceptionally so. The the-post (FPTP) electoral system. Remarkably, the total number of ballots Horgan government likely hopes that a counted in the region both for and Krog endorsement is on its way. • Across the province, 845,235 voters - 61.3 per cent - preferred the existing FPTP, while just 533,518 - 38.7 per Electoral Reform referendum results cent -opted for ProRep. 70.00% Voter turnout was 42.6 per cent. 60.00% In the electoral district of Nanaimo a total of 10,975 voters endorsed the 50.00% current FPTP system - or 54.1 per cent of all valid ballots. That was 7.2 per- 40.00% centage points below the province-wide 30.00% proportion. 20.00% The ProRep side got 9,153 votes in Nanai- mo - 45.9 per cent, which, naturally, was 10.00% an identical 7.2 percentage points above the level of province-wide support. 0.00% Nanaimo Vancouver Island-Coast British Columbia Voter turnout in Nanaimo was 40.8 per cent, about two points lower than the • Keep 'First Past the Post' Change to 'ProRep' provincial average. January 31, 2019 (Sources: Elections BC.) p. 6 R-2 Premier's office sees important personnel changes during fall sitting

The fall legislative sitting served to over- Government Communications and Priddy; the latter a top aide to Education shadow a raft of personnel changes in Public Engagement (GCPE) shop, Eric minister . the Office of the Premier, John Horgan. Kristianson was one of first cabinet October was especially busy, and staffers appointments after Horgan's New Both continued toiling in recent years continued to come and go in November. Democrats were sworn into government. on behalf of the New Democrats; indeed, Della Mattia, who worked with Horgan Two important changes in mid-October On October 12, 2018, he was transferred in the opposition caucus as a 'special featured long-time Horgan confidantes, out of GCPE and re-assigned to the advisor: is widely credited with playing Eric Kristianson and Suzanne Chris- Premier's office. a vital role in the NDP's electoral success tensen. At the same time, Christine - growing from 35 to 41 seats - in May Kennedy, formerly an Assistant Deputy Nearly three decades ago, back in the 2017. Minister, was elevated to Associate spring of 1991, Kristianson was a legis- Deputy to the Premier. lative intern with the NDP caucus, then Two months after the election and the sitting on the opposition side of the leg- New Democrats' elevation to govern- A few days later a policy specialist, islature. Later that year, ment, Della Mattia was named by the Jon Robinson, was shifted from the guided the New Democrats to their cabinet as a political advisor in the non-partisan, bureaucratic side of the second-ever election victory in B.C., and Premier's office. West Annex, over to the political side Kristianson soon found himself working of the Premier's office, and later a new with the government. She left in January 2018 to pursue a policy specialist, Selena Basi joined number of other activities, including as executive director of policy and It's remarkable today to look back at the working with Ontario NDP leader coordination. political staff who worked in the Har- Andrea Horwath during that province's court administration in its early weeks June 2018 general election, and currently In November, a new policy aide, Amy and years. serving as national co-campaign chair Miller, was added to the Premier's for the federal NDP and leader Jagmeet office where she will oversee economic Among the initial round of ministeri- Singh in the period leading up to Cana- projects, and then a long-time New al-assistant appointees were people such da's October 2019 general election. Democratic Party communications as Adrian Dix - then a top political aide strategist, Brent Humphrey, was to Finance minister , and Canitz, after the July 19 swearing-in named as a ministerial advisor. now the Minister of Health - and Ran- of the Horgan government, received a dall Garrison - then working with Tom cabinet appointment as Executive Direc- Along the way, at least a pair of staffers, Perry, the Minister of Advanced Educa- tor, Corporate Initiatives, Office of the Leila Farmer and Stephanie Papik, tion, and now the Member of Parliament Premier. She continues to serve in that moved on to different assignments. for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke. position.

*** Other notables from late 1991 include Premier Horgan also worked as a polit- Maria Della Mattia and Shelley Canitz: ical appointee in the Harcourt govern- Named in July 2017 as Assistant Deputy the long-ago ministerial assistant to ment, named in 1992 as a ministerial Minister for Strategic Issues in the Women's Equality minister: Penny assistant to , the Minister of Economic Development, Small Busi- ness and Trade. So, too, did Kristianson, appointed a ministerial assistant in 1993 to Dan Miller, then the Minister of Skills, Training and Labour.

Miller held a number of portfolios through the 1990s, including Forests, Employment and Investment; Municipal Affairs and Housing; and Energy and Mines. For six months between August 1999 and February 2000, he even served as Premier following Clark's resignation.

Horgan worked in the Office of the Pre- mier as Miller's chief of staff, and later served as a special advisor to Finance Suzanne Christensen Amy Miller minister . January 31, 2019 Continue on page 8 p. 7 R-2

Premier's Office - Continuedfront page 7 Kristianson held a number of positions through the 1990s as the New Demo- crats went through several changes of leadership, and in 2001 he was oversee- ing communications for the Ministry of Forests as a decade of NDP administra- tion gave way to the BC Liberals.

He then on to work with the Sport Fish- ing Institute of B.C., and later became a lobbyist with an array of clients that included Microsoft Canada, Hewlett Packard, Talisman Energy, the Auto- mobile Retailers Association, and the British Columbia Medical Association.

After Horgan won the NDP leadership in May 2014, succeeding Dix, Kristian- Selena Basi speaks at the Silicon Valley Forum in April 2017. son returned to the legislative precincts as a top aide to the new leader of the her partners was John Horgan, who left Government Communications and opposition. the firm after winning election as a MLA Public Engagement shop, where she now in 2005. works as an issues manager in the Strate- Kristianson now moves into the West gic Issues Division. Annex, where he'll be working closely Christensen continued to consult on alongside Premier Horgan as an Assis- behalf of a number of clients, including Stephanie Papik was the other ap- tant Deputy Minister. the City of Victoria and the B.C. Forest pointee named as a director with the Safety Council, and in 2014 - following Premier's Priorities and Accountability *** Horgan's election as party leader - she Office in the fall of 2017. returned to the legislature as his deputy Suzanne Christensen also received an chief of staff. Before joining Horgan's staff she served order-in-council appointment in late for a decade in the ministries of Energy, 1991 from the new Harcourt govern- On July 18, 2017, the same day that the Mines and Petroleum Services; Ad- ment. Horgan government was sworn into vanced Education; and the B.C. Public office, Christensen was appointed as Service Agency, overseeing initiatives She started as a policy and legislation Assistant Deputy Minister, Priorities such as the Aboriginal Training for Em- analyst in the Ministry of Government and Accountability Office, Office of the ployment Program, and the Aboriginal Services, overseen by cabinet minister, Premier. Youth Internship Program. . Two years later, Christensen was promoted to Director of Policy and She remained at the post until mid-Oc- In October, Papik was transferred to the Legislation in the same ministry, but tober, when she was named as an ADM Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor reporting to a new minister, Robin Blen- in the Ministry of Indigenous Relations General, where she currently works coe. and Reconciliation. as director of Indigenous Community Relations. She continued overseeing the govern- ment's central policy shop for the next *** *** four years, working with a number of ministers including Art Charbonneau, In early 2012, Leila Farmer was a po- Selena Basi is another graduate of the and , litical-science student at the University University of Victoria - she joined the but took a brief respite in 1997. of Victoria, and one of ten lucky B.C. province's public service in 2008 after students awarded an internship in the earning a bachelor's degree in political Two years later, after Miller succeeded Legislative Assembly. She worked with science with a focus on public policy and Clark and Horgan became his chief the NDP caucus and evidently made a public administration. of staff, Christensen returned to work positive impression for she later joined alongside them both in the Premier's the caucus as a research assistant. Over the past decade she's worked in office. Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation; By September 2017, two months after the Major Investments Office in Jobs, Christensen remained with the public the Horgan government was sworn Tourism and Skills Training; Agricul- service in a number of capacities until into office, Farmer received a cabinet ture; and Labour. 2003, continuing through the elevation appointment as one of two directors in to government of the BC Liberals. the Priorities and Accountability Office One of her more interesting tasks in re- in the Office of the Premier. cent years was overseeing the 'Strength- She later helped to found a consulting ening Farming' initiative in the Ministry company called IdeaWorks, where one of This past Januaryfall she was 31, reassigned 2019 to the Continue on page 1-I 11 8 R-2 B.C.'s job creation surges in second-half of 2018

Over the last six months - from the end of June through to the end of Number of British Columbians with a job hits 2.5 million December - calculations by Statistics Canada show that British Columbia 2,560,000 added a stunning 73,600 new jobs. 2,540,000 Back on July 1 - Canada, Day 2018 2,520,000 - the number of B.C. residents with 2,500,000 a job was counted at a seasonally-ad- justed 2,462,000. 2,480,000 2,460,000 At the end of December, total employ- 2,440,000 ment in the province hit 2,531,200. 2,420,000 Solid monthly job-creation numbers 2,400,000 in the second-half of 2018 were re- 2,380,000 corded in July (11,200 new jobs), Au- gust (9,900), September (an eye-pop- 2,360,000 A A A A (1, cb ping 33,300), November (15,900) and NA ;N • N N N. :N,. tic AtiNc tic N >ao lac 5,0 ,0-1 9 (54' December (4,400). Only in October ‘..1<,C; \`) \-\ (minus 1,100) did Statistics Canada record a slight decrease in B.C:s total employment over the period. (Sources: BC Stats, Labour Force Statistics Data.)

The average number of jobs created lames - Continuedfrom page 4 each month from July through De- RBC forecasts that just four of the coun- now can be counted on to blast the cember was a remarkable 12,266. try's provinces will have positive bot- Horgan New Democrats no matter how tom-lines when the fiscal year concludes successfully the province's finances and To put that number into context con- on March 31. Prince Edward Island economy are managed. sider that from the start of 2011 to the could see a surplus of $4 million, Nova end of June 2017 - basically, through Scotia expects one of $29 million, and At the same time, the centre-left and or- the tenure of former BC Liberal Pre- Quebec may be celebrating a surplus of ganized labour would view a gargantuan mier , who released her $1.6 billion. surplus as evidence that social programs much-touted 'Jobs Plan' in September were being starved and public-sector 2011 - B.C.'s average-monthly in- B.C. could have the largest fiscal surplus workers under-paid. crease in new jobs was about 3,300. in the country - $2.3 billion - if Car- ole James wanted to record it. But it's Politically it would be best if James deliv- Viewed from this perspective, British near-certain that she won't. ered a 2018/19 surplus somewhere in the Columbia's record of job creation in hundreds of millions -- say, $500 to $900 the latter half of 2018 was almost four- The fact is that a multi-billion dollar million as opposed to one of several times the average from 2011 to the surplus from a NDP government would billion dollars. change in government in 2017. invite all kinds of criticism, from both the 'right' and the left: Between today and the end of the fiscal * * * year on March 31, then, it would not be The centre-right business community surprising to see B.C.'s Finance minister Not only did B.C. create more jobs would complain - as partisans such as announce a spate of new initiatives over the last half-year than the recent the B.C. Chamber of Commerce already whereby monies are socked away for the average, but the province ran well are doing - of being 'over-taxed: and future, certain funds are topped up, and ahead of the rest of the country. point to a signigicant surplus as proof new items of expenditure introduced, all of the NDP's desire to expand the size to bring down to size an enormous fiscal From the end of June through the end of government. surplus. of December 2018, Canada as a whole saw the creation of 180,400 new jobs. Whereas business interests formerly And the good times may just be begin- praised BC Liberal governments when ning. The 2nd Quarterly Report also With 73,600 new employment posi- sizeable surpluses appeared (and even featured a new forecast from private- tions, B.C. - home to 13.5 per cent of when they did not), and spoke glowingly sector economists which said B.C. all Canadians - created 40.8 per cent of sound-fiscal management and eco- now is expected to lead Canada in of the country's new jobs. nomic stewardship, those same voices January 31, 2019 real GDP growth in 2019. P. 9 R-2

BC Ferries: "accountable to no one"? Public awaits review by ex-NDP deputy

In 2003 a new legislative structure was Its holdings would consist of one share A year-and-a-half ago, shortly after the put in place to "privatize" BC Ferries. of stock - the only common share - of Horgan government was sworn into office, Referred to as the Authority Model, it the operating company. Convertible the Premier handed a 'mandate letter' to was a complex, untested, but promis- preferred shares would be held by the every member of his Executive Council ing contrivance. province. The letter given to Claire Trevana, the With its implementation, visionaries The Authority Model did not envisage new Transportation minister, outlined of the government of the day saw, the authority having very much to eight priority areas on which she should just over the horizon, a revitalized, do. The government chose to directly focus her efforts. free-enterprise-style organization that contract with the operating company, would serve British Columbians well BCFS, which ran the boats. That left the Two of the eight concerned BC Ferries, for the next 60 years. Authority with little to do. the provincially-owned coastal-ferry service that was 'privatized' by the BC Fifteen years later, this column The government decided to keep the Liberal government in 2003. discusses the impact of BC Ferries' terminals, but the ferry company would privatization. have the use of them rent-free. It would One priority for Trevana was to ensure be responsible for improvements. that BC Ferries' procurement practices Introducing the new Coastal Ferry for new ferry vessels be done through Act on March 12, 2003, the then That meant the ferry company's pri- "a fair and competitive bidding process Transportation minister, , mary assets were its vessels, its Deas that is open to B.C. shipyards." told the legislature privatization Island repair/refit facility and, of course, would "encourage strategic private goodwill. The second actually was a package of sector partnerships and entrepreneur- several initiatives, including working ial ingenuity:' There would be a Commissioner to with BC Ferries "to freeze and reduce keep an eye on the operating compa- fares, and reinstate the senior's weekday During debate, the Minister said: "The ny in respect of routes, frequency and 100 per cent discount" vessels we rely on for this service are fares. These were the "core services:' aging. Terminals need upgrading, and The minister also was directed to launch service overall needs to be improved:' Routes were divided into two catego- "a comprehensive operating review" of ries, regulated and unregulated. The the privatized ferry company. Today, as described by the British commissioner would be concerned Columbia Ferry Services Inc. 2017/18 with the former. Trevana subsequently announced she annual report, the vessels are aging, had retained the services of Blair Redlin - terminals need upgrading, and reli- With one glaring exception, the latter a former deputy minister in NDP govern- able ferry service is in jeopardy. were a collection of insignificant, mon- ments in the 1990s - to undertake the ey-losing routes that showed little hope review. *** of ever contributing net revenue to the new for-profit company. BC Ferries' costs to taxpayers ought to be The Coastal Ferry Act itself was of special interest to Trevana and Redlin. wrapping paper for the meat of the The contract stipulated that after the reorganization, a 60-year funding first five years, and every four years Whereas the BC Liberals promised that arrangement between the government thereafter, the government would check the new ferries' structure would make the and the new BC Ferries. in to see how things were going. This company "self-financing for generations is supposed to continue until 2063, to come," the fact is that subsidies have It was called the Coastal Ferries and perhaps 20 years after that if the exploded from $105.6 million in the first Services Contract. The BC Liberal BCFS is seen to be doing its job for the year of operation, to $149.5 million in government of Premier Gordon people. 2009/10, and in recent years to between Campbell wished to continue provid- $174.9 million and $182.1 million ing its citizenry with ferry services but With the demise of BC Ferries as a annually. didn't want to do it itself. Crown corporation, said the govern- ment, political interference in its oper- We asked Robert Exell, a former assistant With a stroke of the legislative pen ations, a hallmark of its past 40 years, deputy minister in the B.C. public service, it created something called the BC would disappear. and a frequent ferry user, to offer his Ferries Authority. This was a holding thoughts on BC Ferries' current company with no share capital. Everyone bought this line, although it condition.

January 31, 2019 Continue on page 1 p. 10 R-2

BC Ferries - Continuedfrom page 10 was never made clear why the actions funds, basically would be accountable engineering, Mark Collins, was ele- of politicians elected to exercise to no one. vated to the top job. Collins' academic the people's control over public util- credentials and experience suggest he'd ities could be construed as political Transparency and regulation were miss- be quite at home in the ship's boil- interference. ing in the bill. And the new company er-room, helping the stokermen feed would be exempted from the provisions the furnaces. With a couple of journal entries, the of the Freedom of Information and Pro- government and the new company tection of Privacy Act. With him in the executive suite is an transferred the accumulated public assortment of managers, mariners and debt of the old BC Ferries from Her concerns bore fruit. The three accountants. A vice-president with the the precincts of the legislature to different ferry commissioners who forward-looking title of "business de- BC Ferries' offices in downtown have served since 2003 all seem to have velopment and innovation" still wears Victoria. recognized that the office, as originally the captain's cap, having paid his dues envisaged, bore all of the authority of a on the bridges of vessels throughout But exorcising the government debt rubber stamp. the system. was not, of course, the main issue. Privatization meant the new company Commissioners lobbied to be awarded When Minister Reid spoke in the could do its own borrowing and at- some of the powers the politicians had legislature of innovation and entre- tract private investment as well. How? relinquished. To a degree they succeed- preneurial spirit, could she have been That was left unsaid. ed, and the 2003 Act has several times thinking of the experiences ferry been amended to give teeth to the com- travellers enjoy in Europe, where pri- *** missioner. As we shall see, reviews of vate ferry operators present customers the company and the service has been with a level of amenities and service Legacy of the extraordinary sweep ongoing as well. unknown to British Columbians: bars, of the 2001 provincial election, the dining rooms and first-class lounges; legislature of the day was composed *** casinos, and theatres and boutiques? of 77 BC Liberal MLAs and two NDP members. Ministers' words and ministers' bills Not likely. Successive B.0 governments don't change the culture of an organi- all seem to rue the end of prohibition. One-half of the opposition members, zation. The multi-cultural province remains a in the person of Joy MacPhail, MLA prude. for Vancouver-Hastings, participated Structural reorganization at BC Ferries in debate on the bill. did not translate into regime change. Good times aboard BC Ferries? No, All the old hands hung in there. it's in the business of moving vehicles. Debate didn't take long, for the Foot passengers are an addendum. Liberal government withheld from The Lower Mainland, the transporta- Having given up on trying to get the the legislature the nuts-and-bolts of tion hub of the province, is of course WiFi to work, passengers who aren't the 60-year contract with BC Ferries. the ferry company's largest market. But lined up for the fast-food in the cafete- Just as well, for the lonely MacPhail the head office remains in Victoria, ria lounge, loiter, or kill time examin- would most assuredly have exhausted whose socio-economic face is repre- ing souvenirs in the gift shop. herself striving to digest its minutiae. sented by government and bureaucrats. Perhaps one day they'll be able to go To her credit, MacPhail immediately Post 2003, two successive BC Ferries' to an on-board service desk and take identified the bill's singular deficiency: presidents went into retirement. In advantage of BC Ferries' new car- the new BC Ferries, recipient of public 2017, the company's vice-president of share, car rental and limo services. With privatization would come inno- vation, said the government.

OK, I made that up. Tourists or locals, BC Ferries sees all travellers' final destination as Swartz Bay, Departure Bay, Langdale, etc. The ferries get you to a port, then they want to be done with you.

***

With its 36 vessels, BC Ferries claims to have one of the world's largest ferry fleets. Its pride is somewhat tempered, however, by its acknowledgment that its vessels are too old. Blair Redlin Continue on page 15 January 31, 2019 p. R-2 1

OPINION: B.C. needs new electoral-boundaries commission to fix unfair map

With proportional representation now which thereby exacerbates inequities member ridings. As one example, dead in British Columbia - vanquished between ridings - and between British Vancouver City - a single riding - finally after failing province-wide refer- Colombians. returned six MLAs in each election enda in 2005, 2009 and 2018 - Premier from 1916 to 1924. John Horgan's New Democratic Party It's not supposed to be that way in government should now move quickly Canada, where every voter has a By 1966, no riding had more than two to correct the glaring inequities in our constitutional right to a ballot equal- MLAs, and for the next two decades existing first-past-the-post system. ly-weighted - or nearly so - to that there were just seven such districts. of every other voter. According to But on the eve of the 1986 general B.C.'s electoral map as it now stands section 15(1) of Canada's Constitution election the number of two-member features huge disparities in population Act, 1982: "Every individual is equal ridings soared to 17 - and all but one between various regions and electoral before and under the law ...." of the new constituencies favoured the districts, largely put in place by BC Social Credit government. Liberal governments led by Gordon Court decisions across the country Campbell and Christy Clark to advance - and a notable one in B.C. in 1988 Under mounting public criticism of their own political prospects. - have found that the Constitution's B.C.'s electoral system Premier Bill `equality' provision requires all votes Vander Zalm's Socred administration According to the last Electoral Bound- to be as close as possible to 'equal: in 1989 passed the Electoral Boundar- aries Commission report - published in ies Commission Act. 2015, and using population calculations That's clearly not the case today in for 2014 - 17 ridings have a population B.C., and the Horgan New Democrats Two important events took place be- of more than 60,000 residents. should promptly amend the Electoral fore that statute was enacted, however. Boundaries Commission Act and then At the other extreme, however, six dis- have the legislature appoint a new First, Vander Zalm in 1987 had ap- tricts have 30,000 residents or fewer. commission to redraw the existing pointed Judge Thomas Fisher to head boundaries. a Royal Commission charged with And those small ridings - Skeena, Cari- examining the two-member ridings. boo North, , Nechako A new - and fair and equitable - map Four months later, Fisher's mandate Lakes, North Coast and Stikine - have then can be in place before the next was expanded to include all electoral a combined population of less than provincial-general election, even if it districts, plus he was directed to keep 159,000, while the three largest - Van- comes before the scheduled date of in mind ' the principle of the electoral couver-Fraserview, Vancouver-King- October 2021. quota" sway and Vernon-Monashee - boast a total population of more than 187,000. *** Fisher recommended the creation of 75 electoral districts (up from 69), Simply, the 159,000 British Colombians From 1871, when British Columbia each represented by a single MLA. Ev- in the smallest districts have six MLAs joined Confederation, through to ery riding, moreover, was required to to represent their interests in the Legis- 1991, the province had many multi- have a population within 25 per cent lative Assembly, while the 187,000 have Continue on page 13 but three.

It is evident that residents in the small- B.C.'s 10 smallest electoral districts est districts have twice the legislative representation afforded those British Riding Population Colombians who live in the largest Nelson-Creston 36,907 ridings. Fraser-Nicola 34,034 Cariboo-Chilcotin 33,520 And today the situation is even more Columbia River-Revelstoke 31,907 egregious than it was when the last Skeena 30,240 commission did its work. At the time, Cariboo North 29,542 B.C.'s population was estimated at 4.6 Peace River South 28,104 million, but recent calculations by Sta- 27,692 tistics Canada now put that number at Nechako Lakes more than five million. North Coast 22,382 Stikine 20,616 Nearly all of our new residents have been added to already-large population (Source: B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report, 2015.) centres, mostly in the Lower Mainland, January 31, 2019 P. 12 R-2 I Lleetoral Boundaries - Continuedfront page 12 — plus or minus — of the province's "elec- * only under "very special circum- To this point the statute had worked toral quote which was B.C.'s population stances" could a new map be pro- well. But then the BC Liberals began divided by the number of ridings. posed if deviations in population to manipulate the process for their were greater than plus-or-minus own partisan purposes. (The province at the time was home to 25 per cent. Those "very special about 2.9 million people. Divided by 75 circumstances" were not defined. ***

electoral districts, the electoral quota for *** each riding was 38,523.) In August 2007, the Cohen commis- sion's preliminary report proposed Second, Beverly McLachlin, then the In 1997, a new electoral boundaries to increase the number of legislative Chief Justice of the B.C.'s Supreme commission was set up following seats by two for a new total of 81. Court — later the Chief Justice on the B.C.'s 35th and 36th general elections Supreme Court of Canada — ruled in (in 1991 and 1996). That would be done by carving out 1988 on a case brought by the B.C. Civil four new ridings in the Lower Main- Liberties Association, which had argued Headed by Judge Josiah Wood, the land and one more in the Okanagan, that the province's electoral boundaries three-member commission recom- and then abolishing three districts were unconstitutional. mended creating four new ridings, in rural B.C. — one each in the bringing the total to 79. B.C.'s popula- Kootenays, the North and Cariboo- McLachlin agreed, but she rejected the tion had climbed to 3.7 million, and Thompson region. suggestion that each electoral district the new electoral quota was 47,146. had to have an identical number of Campbell rejected the report. The voters. Rather, she noted that Fisher's None of the districts in the proposed elimination of three districts might proposal for a "maximum deviation map had a population greater than the jeopardize seats held by BC Liberal from the electoral quota" of plus-or- electoral quota, but five — all located MLAs, thereby weakening his party's minus 25 per cent "appears reasonable." in the province's North — were more strength in the legislature. than 25 per cent below. In the end, Vander Zalm's Electoral And so the Premier wrote to the com- Boundaries Commission Act set out a In the words of the Wood report, mission, advising that he would not number of principles for future "we consider these electoral dis- permit existing ridings to be eliminat- electoral changes, notably that: tricts" — , North ed. (Although each Electoral Bound- Coast, Peace River South, Skeena and aries Commission independently * a new electoral boundaries commission Bulkley Valley-Stikine, — "to represent recommends a redrawn electoral map, "must be appointed no later than one `very special circumstances' such that it is up to the government to draft year after the general voting day for their deviations from the electoral legislation that puts the new bound- every second general election:' quota are justified:' aries into effect, and ensure that the Legislative Assembly enacts the bill.) • the "principle of representation by pop- Two general elections, the 37th and ulation be achieved;' so that the vote of 38th — in 2001 and 2005 — were fought each citizen should have equal weight, Cohen returned in February 2008 on the basis of the new boundaries. with an amended preliminary report. * an electoral map could have district It proposed 83 electoral districts — an boundaries which deviated from the In December 2005, a third electoral increase of two over its initial recom- electoral quota but only by plus-or- commission was appointed, this time mendation, and four in total. minus 25 per cent, and led by Judge Bruce Cohen. That wasn't good enough for Camp- bell, and so in March 2008 the BC Liberals introduced in the House a B.C.'s 10 largest electoral districts motion declaring 85 as the ideal num- ber of ridings. Shortly afterward, Bill Riding Population 19, which drew a new map with that Vancouver-Fraserview 62,885 number of districts, was enacted. Vancouver-Kingsway 62,459 Vernon-Monashee 62,106 The re-jigged map — which preserved districts held by BC Liberal MLAs and 61,997 created more new districts was twice 61,576 recommended by the Cohen commis- New Westminster 61,422 sion — was put into effect for the 2009 Vancouver-Kensington 61,250 and 2013 provincial-general elections. Kelowna-Lake Country 61,113 Abbotsford-Mission 60,962 *** Port Coquitlam 60,813 As required by law — the original (Source: B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report, 2015.) Electoral Boundaries Commission Act Continue on page 15 January 31, 2019 p. 13 R-2

Premier's Office - Continuedfrom page 8 of Agriculture. In that capacity she Jon Robinson received a cabinet ap Brent Humphrey long has been active represented the provincial government pointment as a director of Priorities in both the news media and politics, at the Silicon Valley Forum on a panel and Accountability in the Office of and his most-recent assignment is as which discussed 'The Seeds of our the Premier about two weeks after the a ministerial advisor in the Premier's Future: AgTech in Canada in San Jose, Horgan New Democrats were sworn office. California in April 2017. into government. Back in the 1980s, after earning a bach- At the end of October 2018, Basi Robinson joined the NDP caucus staff elor's degree in political science at the received a cabinet appointment as in 2011, not long after graduating from University of Victoria and studying executive director of Policy and with a master's journalism at Vancouver Community Coordination in the Office of the degree in public policy. He started out as College (Langara), Humphrey worked Premier. a caucus research and communications as a reporter with the Kamloops Daily officer, and in 2016, in preparation of the News. She'll be working alongside another looming provincial-general election, was relative newcomer to the Premier's assigned to work with the party's policy He later returned to Victoria, joining office, Amy Miller, whose cabinet and platform development team. the NDP caucus as a communications appointment as director of Economic officer. In 1991, following the New Projects in July 2018 was confirmed Robinson largely focused on costing Democrats election victory and Mike by a second order-in-council in early NDP election promises, collaborating Harcourt's elevation to Premier, Hum- November. notably with campaign manager Bob phrey was named as a senior counsel Dewar on the elimination of tolls on in the government's communications In 2006, Miller earned a bachelor's the Port Mann and Golden Ears office. degree in political science and gov- bridges. ernment at the University of North- In 1995, he was appointed as Press ern B.C. in Prince George. She then With the election was over, Robinson Secretary to the Premier, and after obtained a master's degree in 2008 led the New Democrats' policy transition Glen Clark succeeded Harcourt - and from Memorial University in St. John's, team, working with Premier Horgan to asked Trish Webb to be his new Press Newfoundland and Labrador. prepare the 'mandate letters' for each new Secretary - Humphrey returned to cabinet minister. He also participated in Kamloops and opened a communica- Miller stayed in the Atlantic province putting together a 100-day action plan tions consultancy, Inland Strategies, for almost a year, working as a re- for the new government. with his wife, Laurie Best. search analyst, before she returned to B.C. and joined the Ministry of Robinson initially was named as a The firm continued to work with the Aboriginal Relations and Reconcil- director of priorities and accountability provincial government after the BC iation, where she served from 2009 in the Office of the Premier, reporting Liberals took office in 2001, and Hum- to 2016 as senior policy analyst and to Horgan's deputy minister, Don phrey also began teaching journalism at coordinator. Wright. His main projects were child- the local Thompson Rivers University. care and housing. She then transferred to Treasury In 2008, he won a high-profile position Board, working as a staff analyst, A minor shakeup was made in the fall, as director of operations and public and last summer joined the Office with Robinson named as director of affairs in the office of Gregor Robert- of the Premier to focus on economic policy, now serving under the Premier's son, the Mayor of Vancouver. There development. chief of staff, . he worked alongside then-council- lor Meggs, who had been director of communications for Clark in the mid-1990s, and now serves in the West Annex with Premier Horgan.

In 2012, Humphrey launched a new firm in Vancouver, Public Sphere Partners Inc., and later, in 2016, after Horgan had won the NDP leadership, he started working as communications director with the New Democrats in Victoria.

Finally, in October Christine Kennedy, who received an early appointment from the new Horgan government as an assistant deputy minister in the Office Brent Humphrey Stephanie Papik of the Premier, has been promoted to Associate Deputy Minister. 0 January 31, 2019 p. 14 R-2

Electoral Boundaries - Continuedfrom page 13 BC Ferries - Continuedfrom page 11

— a new commission had to be set up As the government stressed at the *** within a year of the May 2013 contest. time of the 2003 reorganization, the fleet was aging. Subsequently three The wringing, of the hands — what to Six months after winning re-election, Coastal class vessels entered service, do, what to do? — is the one constant Christy Clark's BC Liberal government but no long-term plan for fleet renew- in the history of marine transportation published a White Paper that proposed al was developed until 2015. That left service in British Columbia. amendments to the electoral law. the company with a crisis waiting to Seventeen small-population ridings in happen. Surely there is nothing that cannot be the Interior-North had to be protected, resolved by a comprehensive review of said the paper, so future commissions "At any point in time all vessels are operations, finances, and users' needs, could "not reduce the number of elec- either in service or undergoing refit!' the story goes. toral districts in those regions:' the company said in its 2017/18 annual report. But who to embark on it: The nine The following spring, the BC Liberals members of BC Ferries' board of introduced Bill 2, the Electoral Bound- A single exception was a smaller ves- directors? The nine directors of the aries Commission Amendment Act, sel in the north. The lack of resiliency BC Ferry Authority? The nine senior 2014. The bill subsequently was amen- in our fleet may impact our ability to members of BC Ferries executive? Or ded so the total number of seats could provide reliable service," it said, "par- the mini-czar himself, the BC Ferry be increased by two, to 87, but the pro- ticularly on the major routes where we Commissioner? tected ridings were to remain — in the do not have a spare vessel!' words of a NDP critic — "frozen:' Well, no. The Commissioner, aid- Eleven of the fleet's 36 vessels are ed and abetted by Pricewaterhouse Judge Thomas Melnick soon was more than 45 rears old — the age at Coopers, did his review in 2012. The named to head a new commission, and which a vessels serviceable life is said province's auditor-general did a review B.C.'s 41st general election was fought to have drawn to a close. But that is in 2006; the Minister of Finance, in the in 87 electoral districts — 17 of which not the whole story. person of the Comptroller General, were frozen. Of those small ridings, did another in 2009; the Ministry of 10 were dramatically below the 25 per The average age of the reminder of the Transportation, which encapsulates its cent threshold, and six were more than vessels is 31 years, meaning many oth- own ferries' bureaucracy, undertook a 40 per cent under the quota. ers also are approaching retirement. review in 2013.

The May 2017 general election proved Between now and 2026 the company And it is not over yet. In December to be one of the closest in history. The anticipates replacing 14 of its vessels 2017, John Horgan's NDP government BC Liberals won 43 seats — one shy of and forecasts a virtual doubling of its announced yet another review, this a legislative majority — while the NDP capital expenditures. one with the broadly-stated objective captured 41 and the Greens, three. of ensuring that the authority model But in the meantime it needs to find was operating in the public interest. And the results proved that Clark's ways to play with the hand it's dealt it- redrawing of the electoral map had self. Maybe some of the old boats can A sole reviewer, Blair Redlin, former significantly favoured her party. In the be saved, it figures. It's assessing them CEO of the BC Transportation Financ- 70 ridings that were not frozen — the "to determine potential candidates for ing Authority, the provincial agency districts where populations were close life extension:' which owns the terminals, was in- to the electoral quota — the NDP pre- structed to report within six months. vailed in a majority, 37, the BC Liber- Then there's the terminal problem. als took 30, and the Greens, three. Swartz Bay doesn't work well, but the The reviewer's terms of reference bigger issue is Horseshoe Bay. In West empowered him to "identify oppor- It was in the small, frozen ridings Vancouver, rerouting part of the Sea- tunities and recommend actions to where the BC Liberals enjoyed their to-Sky highway for the 2010 Olympics enhance ferry service delivery and/or greatest success, winning 14 out of 17, resolved the vehicle parking problem reduce costs without impacting exist- while the NDP took just three. at Horseshoe Bay, but getting the ing service:' Presumably the reference vehicles aboard the ferries is another was to a reduction of the subsidy the Used in 2017, and expected to be used matter. Too many vessels compete for province pays to the ferry company-- in the scheduled 2021 tilt, B.C.'s cur- too few slips. almost $180 million last year. rent electoral map is profoundly unfair to thousands of British Columbians. While on-time performance is said to Whether or not Redlin has sub- It also gives — and this alone ought to be 89 per cent system-wide, at Horse- mitted a report to the Minister of motivate John Horgan's NDP gov- shoe Bay only recently has it burst Transportation is unknown. ernment to take action — a significant through the high 70s and into the 80s. political advantage to the BC Liberals. It seems likely to remain that way, for A damning report? A promising re- BC Ferries has no immediate plans to port? Since the initial announcement, It's time for a new electoral-bound- deal with it other than to "consult with there has been silence. The hope, aries commission, and time for a stakeholders" over terminal reconfigu- however, is that he has not recom- new map. • ration some time down the road. mended a further review. • January 31, 2019 p. 15