4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… Today » Wed Thurs Fri EVENTS GUIDES GO11L°DCEN P1L1A°TCES 1N3°ECWS 10M°CUSI C ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C News TOPICS COMMENTARY » MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative by Charlie Smith on April 17th, 2018 at 7:43 AM 1 STEPHEN HUI When the B.C. legislature is in session, the press gallery has a tendency to focus on question period. https://www.straight.com/news/1059131/mlas-statements-legislature-rarely-attract-much-attention-question-period-they-can-be 1/10 4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… EVENTS GUIDES GOLDEN PLATES NEWS MUSIC ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C And for good reason. There's often plenty of fireworks, quite a bit of humour, and it's the public venue for holding the government to account. Almost invariably, the theatrics of question period overshadow the more pedestrian statements delivered by MLAs. Those who shine in question period, like former finance minister Mike de Jong or Solicitor General Mike Farworth, often show up on the television screen at night. But whenever I read Hansard, which is the official record of legislature debates, I'm often attracted to transcripts of the MLA statements in advance of question period. They usually come from members who are either on the government backbenches or the opposition side of the house. These are not legislators who collect a big cabinet salary. And they often focus on activities taking place in their constituencies that I didn't know about—or an issue they're passionate about. One such speech last year revealed that Burnaby–Deer Lake NDP MLA Anne Kang has struggled with stuttering. Yet she was able to overcome this to get elected to the legislature, and she wants to end the stigma for other stutterers. Many years ago, then Vancouver-Kensington NDP MLA David Chudnovsky gave a short yet memorable speech on the impact of the Holocaust on the families of him and his wife, Ruth Herman. This morning, rather than report on what took place in question period, I've decided to reproduce six of those MLA statements from yesterday's afternoon sitting. Think of it as an alternative to the sturm and drang of B.C. politics. https://www.straight.com/news/1059131/mlas-statements-legislature-rarely-attract-much-attention-question-period-they-can-be 2/10 4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… EVENTS GUIDES GOLDEN PLATES NEWS MUSIC ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C Ravi Kahlon (NDP, Delta North) "I'm pleased to speak about B.C. Construction and Skilled Trades Month. Welcome to the representatives of B.C. Construction Association and extension, the more than 24,000 businesses that work in B.C.'s industrial, commercial and institutional construction sectors. We value the work that you do and the significant role that businesses play in the economic health of our province. "There is a need to raise awareness of the important work done by B.C.'s construction workforce, as stated in the Construction and Skilled Trades Month proclamation and supported by the appearance in the House today. Our builders are the stewards of our built environment and crucial contributors to our economy. "B.C.'s construction sector is larger than forestry, mining and fishing industries combined. Currently there are projects underway valued at more than $75 billion. Ninety percent of B.C.'s construction employers are small companies with less than 20 employees. Collectively, these companies contribute 8.6 percent of our provincial GDP. The average hourly wage in construction is $32, significantly above minimum wage and $2 above the Canadian average. "The construction sector is booming in our province. There will be over 59,000 job openings in construction by 2027. Where will those workers come from? Women comprise only 7.8 percent of the construction workforce. It will take commitment and effort to bring today's youth and equity-seeking groups into trades, and as the construction month proclamation states, that effort must begin with showing that respect is due and given to the tradespeople of our province and that trades careers are rewarding and valued. "Success relies on building communities, not just building structures. I am pleased to see BCCA leading the way to join government, academia, science and technology to work together to build strong communities for B.C.'s future and expand the industry's profile in B.C. This approach is crucial to our success, to today's success and tomorrow's." https://www.straight.com/news/1059131/mlas-statements-legislature-rarely-attract-much-attention-question-period-they-can-be 3/10 4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… EVENTS GUIDES GOLDEN PLATES NEWS MUSIC ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C Laurie Throness (B.C. Liberal, Chilliwack-Kent) "Years ago I visited Jeremy Bentham. He sits in a glass case at royal university, London, where he has been for 186 years. He was an odd man, as you might imagine of one who wills that his body be preserved in this way. One of his more curious proposals was the panopticon, or all-seeing place, a circular prison with tiered cells around the outer walls. A high tower in the centre would shine a bright light in the cells and, behind it, a prison inspector able to look into every corner of every cell. Because they would never know when they were being watched, prisoners would always be sure to behave. "Fast forward to the present day, where China has installed 20 million public cameras and facial recognition software so accurate that the government boasted last weekend that it detected a criminal suspect in a football stadium among 60,000 fans. "In these days of rapidly advancing technology, the possibilities of electronic surveillance are endless. That's why we're not allowed to smile when we get our pictures taken for our drivers' licences, so facial recognition can catch the bad guys. "That's great for criminal justice, and one might say, 'If you're innocent, you have nothing to fear,' but such powerful electronic tools can also be used for social control. Think Facebook data affecting elections, Russian bots manipulating Twitter or this: China plans to assign each of its citizens a social score based on their friendliness to the government. They will be able to track friends and enemies alike at all times in a total surveillance society." https://www.straight.com/news/1059131/mlas-statements-legislature-rarely-attract-much-attention-question-period-they-can-be 4/10 4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… EVENTS GUIDES GOLDEN PLATES NEWS MUSIC ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C Mitzi Dean (NDP, Esquimalt-Metchosin) "There is an epidemic in our province, a public health issue that is not new. It affects all ages, and its impact extends beyond the individual to especially hurt children, to cause loss of productivity in businesses and affect our economy. It significantly increases our health care costs at all stages—emergency services, chronic illness and counselling, for example. And it can be more pernicious among more disadvantaged populations, such as Indigenous and transgender women. "Every year, there are fatalities—preventable and unnecessary deaths, in our modern society, causing lifelong grief. Those who suffer are not alone. Each year it affects 20,000 women in B.C. "What am I talking about? Violence against women. Fifty percent of women in Canada have experienced sexual or physical violence. "I'm proud that April 15-21 marks Prevention of Violence Against Women Week in B.C. It's a time to recognize the devastating effects of violence, including sexual violence, on women, families and our communities, as well as the incredible efforts of local and provincial organizations in supporting victims. "It is time to raise awareness of this issue and mobilize our resources to build prevention, protection and recovery from such an enduring and harmful issue. As the Ending Violence Association of B.C. report of 2012 said: 'We know what needs to be done. The challenge is to do it.' "This week, I ask of everyone to consider how you can help—whether it's someone in your life or a local organization in your community—to prevent violence and to ensure safe spaces for those escaping violence and healing opportunities for survivors." https://www.straight.com/news/1059131/mlas-statements-legislature-rarely-attract-much-attention-question-period-they-can-be 5/10 4/17/2018 MLAs' statements in legislature rarely attract as much attention as question period, but they can be informative | Georgia Straight Vancouver's New… EVENTS GUIDES GOLDEN PLATES NEWS MUSIC ARTS LIFE MOVIES FOOD CANNABIS CONFESSIONS I SAW YOU BEST OF VANCOUVER CONTESTS C Ben Stewart (B.C. Liberal, Kelowna West) "Construction began last week on the second phase of the Westside Wine Trail Boucherie Road upgrade.