October 11, 2002

Redundant MLAs

Bill Bennett (no relation to the former Premier) ought to find something useful to do with his time. The MLA for East Kootenay introduced this one sentence Bill, M204, in May: "A person has the right to hunt and fish in accordance with the law."

If an MLA wants to debate a principle, a motion can be introduced, but Bennett put his motion in the form of a redundant Bill. The BC Liberal caucus then sent a news release to media outlets around the province, and on May 27th Bennett's Bill was called for second reading. For a government that is hell bent on saving money, Bennett's exercise is an extraordinary waste of resources. Legislative time is limited. Under new rules brought in by the Campbell government all legislation on the order paper deemed to be important by the government automatically passes on the last scheduled day of the session whether it has been debated or not. Operating with those draconian rules, government called Bennett's Bill and wasted legislative time. Later in the spring they used their new form of closure to cut off debate on legislation that is now being used to kick 10,000 disabled people off of disability benefits.

Bennett's Bill is receiving attention now because the East Kootenay MLA is in the news opposing the creation of a new national park reserve that would protect grizzly bears. Apparently the MLA, like his government, thinks magnificent creatures should be shot by wealthy foreign hunters. Canada has made a proposal "to protect a rugged landscape in the Flathead Valley in a national park reserve, immediately west of Waterton Lakes National Park. Protection of this area would enhance the ecological integrity of the existing national park, and complete the missing corner of the International Peace Park." Bennett was quoted in the local Fernie paper saying that he was concerned the valley was even on someone's radar screen in Ottawa. A representative of the East Kootenay Environmental Society was quoted in the paper saying that BC's Minister of Sustainable Resource Management "... needs some more information because he's basically been listening to Bill Bennett."

The rookie MLA might have introduced a Bill providing that "The rich and poor have an equal right to sleep under bridges" but that would be more profound than Bennett's effort. Imagine, in the Era of Campbell's regulation slashing buddy, Kevin Falcon, the number of unnecessary statutes that could be put on the books. Simply follow Bennett's formula and fill in the blank: "A person has the right to ______ in accordance with the law." In honour of the redundant MLA for East Kootenay, the following list of 10 possible Bennett type statutes has been put together.

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October 9, 2002

Thugs in the Legislature

The Premier used the word "thug" recently to describe demonstrators in east Vancouver. That word is usually associated with criminal behaviour; however, brute can be found as the mildest synonym in some lists of possible substitutes. Brute in turn can mean a bully.

It is probably going too far to describe some of the aggressive demonstrators as thugs, brutes or bullies. They are more properly described as people who are angry and who do not have means to constructively focus that anger. Screaming at politicians and the police and using extreme rhetoric provides a release for those doing it but the tactics can be counter productive.

Ideally those who are demonstrating in less than productive ways could be shown a better way to apply their energies. They must be discouraged if they look at the BC legislature.

Shortly after the election Claude Richmond, MLA Kamloops, was made Speaker. He promptly returned the Premier's favour by ruling that Joy MacPhail and Jenny Kwan were not the Official Opposition. Of course, that was not the action of thugs. It means less money for travel around the province, fewer staff for research and support and an office above the exhaust pipe for the cafeteria.

The BC Legislature has a 15 minute question period on Monday through Thursday. The Auditor General has referred to question period as one of the important institutions for holding the government accountable. Under the Campbell government, with rulings upheld by the Speaker, half or more of each question period is used by government backbenchers to run out the clock so that the two NDP members get as little time as possible to question the government. Government backbenchers have the unique privilege of challenging the government in their closed caucus meetings. They do not have to exhaust so much of the opposition's opportunities in question period.

On opening day of the 2002 fall session, Kwan put questions to three government ministers asking how cuts to services could stimulate the economy. MacPhail then questioned the Minister of Health on the evening closure of the emergency room for St. Bartholomew's hospital in Lytton. Feeling the heat from six or seven minutes of questions, the government's Speaker then recognized his colleague from Kamloops, Kevin (boom box) Krueger. Krueger and Gary Collins then engaged in an abuse of question period by exhausting the remaining time attacking the opposition. Rather than ruling their line of questioning out of order, Richmond demanded that MacPhail come to order (stop heckling in response to attacks from Krueger and Collins).

When the opposition is denied funds and time for debate it is hard to persuade demonstrators that alternatives exist for constructive debate. Since the real thugs appear to control BC's legislature, the alternative for those who protest should be helping to build the NDP by joining and by fundraising.