Apathy in the political process has reached an all-time high in recent years, with the perception that elected representatives are not really listening to public concerns.
But there is evidence this week that the provincial government is heeding public feedback, on two currently contentious issues at least.
An all-party committee of MLAs has unanimously supported a proposal from Finance Minister Mike de Jong that henceforth all B.C. politicians will publish their expense receipts – including food, travel and accommodation – online.
The proposal, clearly a response to the flap over legislature Speaker Linda Reid’s expenses – including nearly $5,500 in business-class air travel for her spouse, since repaid – elicited a few grumbles from NDP MLAs over the work involved in backing all expenses with receipts. But it seems MLAs overall agreed with de Jong’s assessment that steps need to be taken to restore public trust, after recent “unreasonable” expense abuses in B.C. and beyond.
Meanwhile Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick has apparently taken note of written feedback from B.C. residents in amending the proposed Bill 24, which would make changes to the province’s Agricultural Land Reserve. The contentious two-zone provision remains, dividing ALR land into one area (Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan) where farmland would be protected from non-agricultural development and another (essentially the rest of B.C.) where farmers might have options to invite in ‘value-added’ industries that could include oil and gas development.
But there are indications that the impassioned words of many regarding both the need for food security in the province and a long-term commitment to preserving agricultural land have been noted and reflected in amendments.
– Black Press