My Official Provincial Platform
Better Solutions for British Columbia's Housing Market
The cost of real estate has risen to the point that the average BC resident can't afford to purchase real estate without making substantial sacrifices. One reason is a dependence on building materials that cost substantially more due to inflation and supply chain interruptions. BC would lead the way in building construction using cutting edge construction methods such as 3D printing, and using revolutionary materials such as concrete containing recycled plastics.
The BCNDP has rammed through one-size-fits-all legislation which offers more flexibility and less red tape in its residential zoning practices, but creates a whole new set of problems. Whenever a property is subdivided for 2 or more complexes, a Strata Corporation is legally created. With it comes a different set of challenges, including working proactively with your new neighbour and certain tax and legal ramifications. This, coupled with a major shortage of regulated Strata Managers, will bring forward a bunch of headaches and a ton of unneeded road blocks when we need to move forward quickly with increased density properties.
More Efficient Delivery of BC's Health Services
The BC NDP government has failed when it comes to providing health care to British Columbia residents, and has created a bloated and inefficient system that is ready to implode on itself.
I will support efforts to reduce over-the-top bureaucratic salaries, amalgamate BC's five separate health regions into one and offer incentives for qualified doctors and medical professionals to settle in smaller communities with major issues to healthcare accessibility.
The provincial government must invest in expanding our mental health care system immediately and providing programs that get people the help they need sooner.
All British Columbia health facilities should have a mandatory masking procedure and state of the art HVAC systems to protect medical professionals and patients from airborne illnesses such as influenza and COVID.
I will lead the way in mandating better air quality in work environments and schools across the province that will result in a healthier population that will take a great deal of pressure off our overburdened health care system.
Make British Columbia the Most Accountable Province in Canada
The BCNDP and BC Liberal governments of the past three decades have done a great disservice to British Columbians when it comes to government accountability at the provincial and municipal levels, as well as access to documents through the Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act.
I would support legislation that would give British Columbia's voters the power to censure and expel badly behaving politicians at the provincial level and in their respective municipalities.
As well, the $10 filing fee for Freedom Of Information inquiries should be eliminated. Institutions such as the BC Legislature that are currently exempt should be fair game when it comes to FOI inquiries by BC tax payers. I will also introduce legislation that would make it mandatory for all municipalities to create a lobbying registry.
BC voters deserve the opportunity to implement Proportional Representation based voting systems if they choose to do so. The only party that benefits from the First Past The Post electoral system is usually the current ruling political party. Compromise and cooperation for the benefit of British Columbians should be the primary goal of our democratic process, not the heavy handed attempts to pander to Lower Mainland voters in order to garner a majority of the Legislative seats while having less than 50 percent of the popular vote.
Transition Towards Greener and Better Solutions
British Columbia needs to lead the way in creating legislation and programs that eliminates plastic based packaging in favour of paper, hemp and mycelium based alternatives. BC should lead the way in creating products and industries using recycled plastics, including cutting edge materials that could be used to build housing quickly and more economically.
The province of BC needs to invest in a robust, efficient and safe network of mobility (bike) lanes in communities throughout this province.
Fossil fuels that use fracking for extraction such as natural gas and LNG must be phased out in favour of greener energy alternatives. Tax payer funded subsidies should be eliminated and redirected into funding education and healthcare initiatives.
We must protect our old growth forests and bring jobs back to BC by investing in value added companies in our forestry industry. The provincial government must abolish all wood pellet production using fallen trees instead of waste products as originally intended.
A Safer British Columbia
British Columbia needs to start taking steps to create a Provincial Police Force that will be ready to go when the current RCMP contract expires in 2032. Lower Mainland municipalities should be encouraged to use this Provincial Police Force to maximize cost savings and law enforcement efficiency.
BC must take immediate action in ending homelessness while offering programs and incentives to get people's lives back on track free from the scourge of fentanyl, opioids and other hard drugs.