British Columbia’s MLAs got back to work in Victoria yesterday (Feb. 11), and on Feb. 8, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett said she was ready for the spring session to get underway.
Our local MLA noted she has several issues to discuss in the province’s capital.
“I’ve got a lot of things in my back pocket for discussion.”
However, Barnett said these discussions will be held with various cabinet ministers, and that means they will be held behind closed doors.
This isn’t too surprising because she works hard for the people she represents and discussions about her constituents’ issues should not be served up for public consumption.
Besides our MLA has a bit of a reputation of a terrier in Victoria, as she latches onto a cause or problem and doesn’t let go until it’s resolved one way or the other.
Before leaving 100 Mile House, Barnett noted it is going to be a long session because the legislature is scheduled to be working until the end of May.
We don’t doubt for a minute that is going to be a long, hard session for the B.C. Liberal government.
The Opposition has been chomping at the bit to ask some important questions and get some answers from Premier Christy Clark on the public record.
The BC NDP has been waiting for months to interrogate the B.C. Liberal leader following her party’s incredible provincial election victory.
Clark wasn’t allowed to debate during the 17-day whirlwind legislative session in July 2013 that saw the B.C. Liberals pass their budget.
Her Kelowna byelection victory wasn’t confirmed until July 25 – the last day of the session, and Clark was away at a premiers’ conference.
At that time, the NDP MLAs were complaining there wasn’t enough time to debate the proposed budget.
They were also itching to question the premier on her election campaign promises, particularly her jobs plan and families first slogans.
With the B.C. Jobs Plan hobbling along without any solid increases, the NDP will undoubtedly hammer away at the premier to explain where her vision fell down and demand a timeline for when the plan will bear fruit.
The Opposition will definitely be firing salvos at the government side of the legislature over the B.C. Supreme Court ruling about Bill 28’s unconstitutionality and the government’s decision to appeal it.
It should be a very interesting session and, hopefully, there will be some meaningful answers coming from the government side, as well as some detailed, costed alternatives coming from the opposition side.
