NDP SUPERFAN — Liberal MLA Mary Polak poured heaping amounts of praise on an NDP politician this past week, going all gushy on the individual to the point where it sounded as if she were ready to change sides.
“Day after day in this house we find ourselves longing for a government minister, any government minister, who would defend resource-sector jobs in this province. Finally, a hero has arisen, a champion, someone who is going to fight for British Columbia jobs in the resource sector.”
People waited breathlessly for the identity of the saviour.
“It’s Rachel Notley, the NDP premier from Alberta.”
Rapping the B.C. NDP for fighting the Trans Mountain pipeline, Polak contrasted that with Notley’s stance in the Alberta legislature, where she proudly said she was a mouthpiece for tens of thousands of British Columbians who lost jobs when the price of oil dropped.
LANGUAGE UPDATE — Speaker Darryl Plecas’s decision to unilaterally ban sarcastic references to ministerial portfolios got due coverage, but there were developments on other fronts in the watch-your-words battle.
Premier John Horgan referred to the “crap” coming from the Opposition side of the house, then quickly withdrew the remark.
He did, however, get away with calling the Liberals “boo birds.”
And Energy Minister Michelle Mungall accused Liberal MLA Mike Bernier of “mansplaining.”
When Notley accused a critic of the same thing in Edmonton, he objected and demanded a withdrawal, but the Speaker decided to allow the phrase.
Bernier also objected, saying gender shouldn’t be raised in derogatory fashion. “I hope the minister is not implying that a minister should be treated different by their gender.”
He asked for an apology, but Mungall refused, saying she was offended by his tone and approach during questioning and found it condescending “That being said, if that particular comment offended the member, I’ll withdraw that.”
MORE NAME CALLING — Remind us never to cross the NDP’s Ravi Kahlon. The Delta North MLA and two-time Olympian in field hockey introduced a couple of people from the University of B.C. he appeared to know a little too well.
Robin D’Abreo got off relatively easy. Kahlon introduced his teammate from the 2000 Olympics as the head coach of the women’s field hockey team and a tireless advocate for women in sport.
Kavie Toor was less fortunate. Kahlon noted that Toor is the senior director of facilities, recreation and sport partnership, and pointed out that he “is known by his mom as ‘Lovey-Dovey.’ ”
We, at Press Pass, waited for the Speaker to demand that Kahlon withdraw the remark, but it was allowed to stand.
SCRAP THAT — Liberal critic Michelle Stilwell, the MLA for Parksville-Qualicum, expressed serious doubts about the energy minister’s objectivity on Site C.
“You can understand why,” she said. “When you do a simple, quick social media search, you can find plenty of the minister’s activist opposition to the project.
“I have here pictures of the minister at protest events, others with her three colleagues who are at the event protesting the project. Great photos, really. I think I’m going to start a scrapbook.
“One photo has the minister standing in front of a number of big signs that actually say ‘Stop Site C.’ I think it might be the cover photo for my scrapbook.”
Horgan came to Mungall’s defence, saying the Site C decision will be made in the best interests of British Columbians. “As a longtime supporter of the arts, I’m pleased that the former minister has time on her hands to do scrapbooking and, if there’s anything I can do to help out, I’m happy to send her some negatives,” he said.
A CALL TO ACTION — Todd Stone, MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson, paid tribute to a close friend who died of an accidental overdose at Victoria hotel in September.
Christopher Séguin, 39, was one of more than 1,100 people felled by drugs in B.C. this year — an average of four a day.
“This is a crisis indiscriminate in its impact, affecting people of all backgrounds in communities large and small,” Stone said. “Nine out of 10 deaths occur indoors, including more than half in private residences, and 80 per cent who die are males between the ages of 25 and 55 — regrettably, many using alone.
“In fact, many have suggested that we have an epidemic among young, high-performing males. They may be athletes, students or professionals, and they are certainly our sons, brothers, dads and friends.”
Séguin fit that profile. He was a husband, father and vice-president of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. “Christopher was a man of compassion, a massive heart and an even larger smile,” Stone said. “He was dedicated to giving of himself to make life better for others.”
In that spirit, the MLA expressed a desire that some good will come from Séguin’s death to benefit others.
“I hope it’s this,” he said. “Let’s end the stigma associated with drug use; let’s shine a light on the dangers of using alone; let’s wrap every support possible around our loved ones in supporting them to make the best choices possible. In Christopher’s death, let’s save lives.”
