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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

House is gonna be sitting into December this year

The November 3 sitting week has been scratched to accommodate the annual meeting of First Nations and cabinet ministers #bcpoli

BC legislature calendar for the months of October, November and December. It shows the house sitting the weeks beginning Oct. 6, 20 and 27; Nov. 17 and 24; and Dec. 1

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

In the first four days of the fall sitting, the government has introduced 13 bills 🤯

Spare a thought for the current BC Today reporter, that is a lot!

Only five more are expected, including the second North Coast transmission line bill (supposedly that one drops Oct. 20!) #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Rustad was asked whether he is paranoid, given the phone search admission

"No," he said

Rustad's chief of staff took umbrage at the question, called it bullshit and vowed the reporter will never get another question (It was CP's Wolf Depner so we'll see about that)

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

"Every MLA's phone was looked and this was voluntary," according to Rustad

Asked whether he's ever been in a caucus room where phones were searched before in his 25 years as an MLA, Rustad said the idea was discussed during a 2012 caucus meeting #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Whew, what a morning!

BC Conservative leader John Rustad confirmed to reporters that MLA phones were searched during a caucus meeting after concern about leaks

"Not every single MLA expressed interest, but the vast majority said, 'Yes, let's do this,'" Rustad said #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Asked what Sim's reaction was when she called to let him know the bill was coming, Boyle says the conversation was short

She then expands to add that Sim had to make time around meetings to take her call, so didn't have time for a lengthy discussion #bcpoli

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

There is a hurdle council will have to clear before passing a bylaw to get rid of the Park Board: the question has to be put to a referendum #bcpoli

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Housing Minister Christine Boyle just introduced a bill that will give Vancouver City Council the power to dissolve the Vancouver Park Board - something Ken Sim has been pushing for over a year #bcpoli

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Reposted by Shannon Waters

The Narwhal @thenarwhal.ca · 3d

Water-hungry data centres are planned for drought-stricken regions across Canada. What will the AI data centre boom mean for communities? By @savannahridley.bsky.social: thenarwhal.ca/ai-data-cent...

What will the AI data centre boom mean for Canada? | The Narwhal

Sprawling AI data centres — hungry for land, water and power — are coming. Plans the world’s largest, called Wonder Valley, are underway in Alberta

thenarwhal.ca

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Government press release on the legislation:

Vancouver residents will have say on park board’s future

The Province has tabled legislation in response to a request by the City of Vancouver to dissolve the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.

news.gov.bc.ca

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

The changes will not affect "the requirements for local governments to make final decisions and pass by laws in open meetings," according to the minister

UBCM requested these changes via resolutions passed in 2017 and 2023 #bcpoli

New meeting rules will strengthen Indigenous, local government relations

The Province is proposing legislative amendments in response to the desire of First Nations and local governments to make it easier to work together and better protect confidential and culturally sensitive information.

news.gov.bc.ca

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

The changes - which also cover negotiations with First Nations and other local governments - "will make it easier for local governments and First Nations to work together," per Transpo Minister Mike Farnworth who introduced the bill #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

The first misc bill of the session is in and it proposes some interesting changes

Amendments to the Vancouver and Community charters will allow or require local governments to hold closed meetings when discussing "culturally sensitive and confidential information shared by First Nations" #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

There is a hurdle council will have to clear before passing a bylaw to get rid of the Park Board: the question has to be put to a referendum #bcpoli

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Housing Minister Christine Boyle just introduced a bill that will give Vancouver City Council the power to dissolve the Vancouver Park Board - something Ken Sim has been pushing for over a year #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

More details from the bill:

Bill 26, Vancouver Charter Amendment Act, required council to hold a referendum on the future of the Park board

If that results in support for dissolving the Park Board, council can pass a bylaw to dissolve it #bcpoli

Bill | Legislative Assembly of BC

www.leg.bc.ca

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Its part of a slew of legislation put forward this morning, including one from the AG billed as a boost to consumer protection from credit fraud #bcpoli

Stronger tools coming to protect people from credit fraud

B.C. consumers will benefit from stronger tools to protect against credit-related fraud and to support confident financial decision-making, with the introduction of the second phase of amendments to modernize consumer protection laws.

news.gov.bc.ca

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 1d

Housing Minister Christine Boyle just introduced a bill that will give Vancouver City Council the power to dissolve the Vancouver Park Board - something Ken Sim has been pushing for over a year #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

Not content with the defeat of her caucus' first bill, Dallas Brodie uses QP to call on BC to block parents from being able to choose gender affirming care for their kids

Attorney General Niki Sharma shut the question down, expressed disappointment that One BC is targeting vulnerable kids #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

Legislation to enable a lawsuit, plus support public education and anti-smoking/vaping resources

#bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

NDP MLA Joan Phillips missed the vote due to technical difficulties

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

All but 3 members of the Conservative caucus vote in favour (Boultbee, Warbus and Block are absent) Independent Jordan Kealy also votes in favour as do both members of the One BC caucus

NDP and Green caucuses vote Nay, as does Independent Elenore Sturko

Defeated at first reading #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

The bill has been introduced and there's a division call at first reading

This is unusual. Most bills get a cursory pass through to second reading

We're going to have a standing vote with each MLA's vote recorded #bcpoli

Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

The One BC caucus also plans to introduce a private members' bill titled, "Protecting Minors from Gender Transition Act"

With the new procedures for PMBs, this bill could see debate. However, there are about a dozen PMBs ahead of it in the queue, so to speak, and only 5 weeks of debate this session

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

BCGEU folks now outside the government caucus room at the BC Legislature making some noise

Chants of "David Eby, can you hear me?" "Hi, Brenda!" and "Shannon Salter, we won't falter!"

MLAs are now in the chamber #bcpoli

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

Not so far. There are only a handful of penalties for last year's provincial election on EBC's website so far

News | Elections BC

Check here for the latest news, blog posts, media advisories, and updates from Elections BC.

elections.bc.ca

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

Also facing fines are failed BC Conservative candidates Gwen O'Mahony ($150, Nanaimo-Lantzville) and Zeeshan Wahla ($250, Surrey City Centre)

O'Mahony's campaign website was missing the required authorization statement, as was print advertising for Wahla's campaign

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

BC Conservative MLA Larry Neufeld (Peace River South) gets a $200 fine for failing to include required authorization statements on a couple of social media videos posted during the campaign as well as a campaign sign

elections.bc.ca

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Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet.bsky.social · 2d

Elections BC is fining Chip Wilson $600 for failing to register as a third party ad sponsor in the 2024 provincial elxn before erecting campaign advertising on his property

Wilson told EBC he spent $1,650.70 on three signs opposing Eby and the NDP government. He eventually registered as a sponsor

elections.bc.ca

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