BC Today

BC Today is a political news publication tracking everything #BCpoli.

Reporter: @LazenbyAlec
Editor: @micksweetman
Publisher: @QueensParkToday

[BC Today @BCTodayOfficial]

Ministry of Health data shows Urgent and Primary Care Centres in British Columbia are facing widespread staffing shortages. https://t.co/RD58KIqRni

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister @robfleming has just joined Bains and Ralston in announcing he will not seek re-election. Fleming has also served as an MLA since 2005 and has been in politics since he was elected to Victoria City Council in 1999. #bcpoli

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

@SoniaFurstenau Says there are currently no other Green candidates in his riding of Saanich North and the Islands and hopes somebody will step up.

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

Says three deaths of people close to him was also a big driver in his decision as he says it forced him to re-evaluate his relationship with his family.

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

BREAKING: Green MLA @AdamPOlsen has announced he will not seek re-election in October. Says he made the decision after the last legislative session. He said all but two of his married years have been spent in elected life and he wants to spend more time with his family. #bcpoli

[BC Today @BCTodayOfficial]

The fight to replace @BCGreens Leader @SoniaFurstenau as Cowichan Valley’s MLA is heating up. This is the first story by @LazenbyAlec in a series that will look at key ridings in the run up to the provincial election in October. https://t.co/hoSeZGc0AA #bcpoli

[Allison Smith @QueensParkToday]

Politics Today is hiring a second full-time editor! Feel free to DM or email me if you’re interested and have questions about the role. 😎

[Parliament Today @ParlToday]

The House is back in session tomorrow and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with BC Premier David Eby
#cdnpoli #bcpoli

[Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet]

Bit of a cabinet shake up in BC this morning!

Mitzi Dean is out as Children and Families minister, replaced by Grace Lore, who has been the minister of state for child care

Dean will be taking on the child care portfolio, per a news release from the premier's office #bcpoli

[Prime Minister of Canada @CanadianPM]

Canada and Germany are close friends on the world stage. Today, PM Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of John Horgan as Canada’s next Ambassador to @CanEmbGermany, where he will work to continue strengthening ties and advancing our common interests. https://t.co/XgWAxIaXK1

[emily vance @Emily__Vance]

"If you see someone in a burning house, it is somewhat justified to smash a window."

BC's Chief Coroner Lisa LaPointe on the urgent need to address the toxic drug crisis through the need to ramp up safer supply, including the need to provide safer supply without a prescription

[Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet]

BC's bill restricting short-term rentals will:

- only allow principal residences (plus suite or laneway house) to be listed
- give regional districts business licensing and regulation power, including over STRs
- triple fines for violations to $3k per issue per day
#bcpoli

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

Housing Minister @KahlonRav has introduced the short-term rental bill in the house. It will raise fines for those in noncompliance, establish a provincial registry for platforms and hosts and limit hosts to renting out their primary residence and one other unit on their property.

[Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet]

BC bill banning drug use in public, gives police power to seize, destroy drugs

Hard to see how this is not stigmatizing - something decrim was supposed to reduce - or basically a rollback of the decrim pilot

It makes public drug use an "offense," just not a criminal one
#bcpoli

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

Premier @Dave_Eby and Public Safety Minister @mikefarnworthbc are holding a press conference at 11 a.m. following QP on "legislation to regulate public consumption of illegal substances." I take it this means the legislation on exceptions to decrim is being tabled today. #bcpoli

[Alec Lazenby @LazenbyAlec]

BC United unveils new candidate for Prince George-Mackenzie to replace @MikeMorrisforBC, who has announced he will not be running again in 2024. #bcpoli

[Parliament Today @ParlToday]

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with BC Premier David Eby tomorrow at 1:30 PM

Eby and several BC cabinet ministers are in Ottawa "to press the federal government for greater action" on a range of issues "including the need to build more homes, faster” #canpoli #bcpoli

[Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet]

Looks like the Ottawa trip Premier @Dave_Eby teased last week - to press the federal government “to be at the table in a more aggressive way” on housing - is this week

Tomorrow night, Eby is set to attend an event with the federal NDP leader #bcpoli

[Shannon Waters @sobittersosweet]

Iiiiinteresting 👀

Eby said a complaint was made in July but Walker claimed constituency expenses for services to review "multiple discipline and grievance and medical documents relating to status of [redacted]" in January #bcpoli

https://t.co/iBaYx7MYj3