Posted: February 15th, 2012
MLA Michelle Mungall honoured the life of Will Schooler and the growing “I Will” campaign in the Legislature Tuesday. The ‘I WILL’ campaign, started by friends and family of recently deceased, Will Schooler, encourages snowboarders and skiers to make the commitment to wearing their helmets. Schooler died late 2011 after sustaining a head injury while skiing. Uncharacteristically, he was not wearing his helmet at the time.
“Before I WILL, I didn’t know that skiing and snowboarding lead to twice as many hospitalizations as hockey. One study found that traumatic brain injuries account for more than half the fatalities at ski hills,” Mungall noted in her speech.
Mungall’s statement noted her own turning point in learning the importance of wearing a helmet while on the slopes. In 2002, she sustained a head injury, which could have been prevented had she worn a helmet. It has been obvious to her since then that the benefits of helmets are life-saving. However, her age group remains the most reluctant to wear helmets.
“I admit that I used to think helmets were an unnecessary part of my snowboarding equipment,” says Mungall. “It had to take a head injury to prove me wrong. I Will is about commemorating Will Schooler and sharing these lessons so that no one learns the hard way anymore.”
She hopes that the growing trend to donning helmets on the ski hill will continue, and with the help of campaigns and foundations like I WILL, more people will educate themselves and their loved ones about the benefits helmets have for their safety and continued enjoyment of the sports.
“Every skier and snowboarder has the ability to pay tribute to Will, while also having a tremendous positive impact on their own life. Say “I WILL” wear a helmet when you hit the slopes, the backcountry or urban rails. I know I will.”
Watch the Video Transcript here.
DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
(HANSARD)
HOUSE BLUES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012
Afternoon Sitting
CAMPAIGN FOR HELMET USE
BY SNOWBOARDERS AND SKIERS
M. Mungall: In January 2002 you could find me on my snowboard, ripping it up at my local hill, Whitewater winter resort. At 24 years old, I was invincible — no need for a helmet. Plus I figured I looked kind of goofy in one. In March 2002 I was still ripping it up on the slopes, but this time I had a helmet. So what happened in February? I left the hill in an ambulance because of a head injury, an injury that would have easily been prevented had I been wearing a helmet. I was lucky — only seven stitches.
This past November a young Selkirk College student in Nelson was not so lucky. Will Schooler passed away on November 28, 2011, from head injuries sustained while skiing. Uncharacteristically, he was not wearing a helmet.
Will hailed from my hometown, Edmonton. He was a fun-loving, kind-hearted young man, so it didn’t take him long to make many friends in Nelson. When those friends and his family had to say goodbye to Will, they decided to honour his life with “I Will.” Reminding people that helmets save lives, the “I Will” campaign is reaching out to skiers and snowboarders to put their lids on before heading down the hill.
Since it started just a few months ago, “I Will” has grown into a foundation that’s motivating people to learn more about why helmets should be just as important as boots, boards and bindings. For example, before “I Will” I didn’t know that skiing and snowboarding lead to twice as many hospitalizations as hockey. One study found that traumatic brain injuries account for more than half the fatalities at ski hills, and while helmet use is on the rise, with the majority of skiers and boarders wearing them, it is still my age group who are the most reluctant.
So every skier and snowboarder has the ability to pay tribute to Will while also having a tremendous, positive impact on their own life. Say, “I will wear a helmet,” when you hit the slopes, the back country or urban rails. I know I will.
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Posted: February 1st, 2012
http://bcndpcaucus.ca
KELOWNA – As students across Canada stand together to call for a well-funded, high-quality, public post secondary education system, New Democrats are calling on the B.C. Liberal government to reinstate needs-based student grants.
“Ten years of tuition increases and the elimination of grants by the Liberals have made pursuing higher education increasingly difficult,” said Adrian Dix, New Democrat leader, as he joined advanced education critic Michelle Mungall, other New Democrat MLAs and students at the University of British Columbia Okanagan today.
“Restoring grants is key to improving accessibility, supporting young people and building a more prosperous economic future,” said Dix.
Feb. 1 is the National Day of Action for post secondary students across the country. Thousands of students are participating in campus rallies to the share stories of the financial challenges they face and to urge governments to adequately fund post secondary education. Students in B.C. have the highest student loan interest rate in the country, on top of rising tuition and an average student debt load of $27,000.
“A primary way government can improve the level of prosperity in B.C. is by providing young people from middle- and lower-income backgrounds the opportunity to build their knowledge and skills so they can accomplish their goals,” said Dix. “B.C. Stats reported this week that British Columbia is dead last when it comes to income inequality, and pointed to education and training as a key to narrowing the gap. University and college program graduates on average earn more.”
New Democrats have been urging the B.C. Liberal government to proceed now with a needs-based grant program for postsecondary students. The non-repayable grant program – eliminated by the Liberals in the 2004-05 fiscal year – could be financed through reinstating a minimum tax on financial institutions.
“Ensuring access to advanced education must be a cornerstone of any economic growth and jobs plan for the province,” said Mungall. “It’s time for the Liberal government to step up and provide support for students to get the credentials they need to enter the economy of tomorrow.”
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook to 2020 suggests that 80 per cent of expected employment openings will require post secondary education.
“I have met with young British Columbians from across the province who are worried that they cannot meet their aspirations because of the rising cost of post-secondary education,” said Mungall. “Grants would help ensure that many young people can overcome barriers in getting the education they need to fulfill their dreams, and the B.C. economy will have the skilled labour force it needs.”
Mungall speaks at University of BC Okanagan 'Day of Action' Feb 1, 2012
Posted: December 7th, 2011
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NEW DEMOCRAT OFFICIAL OPPOSITION
Advanced Education Update
FALL 2011
 AFFORDABLE EDUCATION FOR B.C.
Ensuring access to advanced education must be a cornerstone of any economic growth and jobs plan for the province. This fall, New Democrats have been working to address rising student debt load and education affordability in a number of ways.
New Democrat Leader Adrian Dix and opposition critic for advanced education, youth and labour market development, Michelle Mungall, have been touring the province, urging the government to re-establish a $100 million needs-based student grant program. They have met with students, faculty, administrators and other sector professionals, on more than 20 campuses and at several conferences. Working together is critical for affordable and accessible post secondary education in B.C. Read more about it here.
 STRENGTHENING B.C.’S REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE
As B.C. prepares to attract a greater number of international students, we need to ensure that we have a reputation of excellence in post secondary education. In November, MLA Michelle Mungall introduced the Private Career Training Institutions Amendment Act, a bill which strengthens student protections and ensures transparency in the government’s relationship to private post secondary institutions. Read more about the bill here.
IN THE LEGISLATURE
 Student Aid Review
Students in British Columbia are saddled with the highest student loan interest rate in the country. They have been joined by faculty, staff and institutional presidents in calling on the Liberal government to improve financial assistance for post secondary students across Canada. When the government failed to produce a review of Student Aid that was promised for this fall, Michelle Mungall demanded answers in the legislature. You can view the exchanges here: Oct. 27, 2011 and Nov. 23, 2011.
Access to Skills Training
There is an increasing demand for skilled workers in B.C. Because current student loans aren’t set up to fund capital-intensive skills training programs, such as professional truck driver training, students can’t access the training they need to fill these jobs. Katrine Conroy, MLA for Kootenay West, and Michelle Mungall questioned the minister on why students who want to enrol in skills training programs not being given the supports they need to train for jobs that exist today. You can view this exchange here.
Adult Basic Education
Adult Basic Education is a first step for many people to access the post secondary education and literacy necessary for most jobs. Sadly, the ongoing funding freeze and recent cuts by the Liberal government have made it difficult for institutions to maintain these free courses to keep up with demand. Michelle Mungall questioned why the Liberals have been neglecting ABE. You can view the questions here.
Legislation – Bills 17 & 18
This fall, the Liberal government introduced two bills important to post secondary education. Bill 17 integrates federal and provincial student loan programs, simplifying student loan processes. While this does not address the top-of-mind issue for students when it comes to their loans, it is a step in the right direction that has been a long time coming. Bill 18, while making some positive changes, also contains sections that infringe on both the long-standing traditions of governance at universities and colleges as well as the democratic rights of students, staff and faculty. Michelle Mungall has written to the minister expressing these concerns and is working with stakeholders to ensure these unfair amendments are removed. The legislation is expected to be debated next spring.
STAY CONNECTED
To keep informed on issues and events in B.C. post-secondary education follow the #BCPSE hashtag on twitter and follow Michelle online:
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Posted: December 7th, 2011
MLA Michelle Mungall is hosting a public meeting on the next steps for economic development in the Lardeau Valley Thursday December 15 at the Lardeau Valley Community Hall. All are welcome to join the conversation and share positive ideas for the future.
“The Lardeau Valley has been negatively affected by the decline of the forest industry and poor operations at a local mill. I’ve met with the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations about these issues, and I’d like to share that conversation with the community. Also, with potential changes in the future, it is important that the community is aware of their options and informed about the possibilities,” says Mungall. “At the root of this is the area’s economic development, where job creation and prosperity are key.”
Mungall is looking forward to a positive conversation and hearing some great ideas. There will be a panel of local experts to speak and answer questions, as well as information on how to move the local economy through the next stages of development.
What: MLA Michelle Mungall is Hosting a
When: Thursday December 14
6:30- 8:00 pm
Where: Lardeau Valley Community Hall
All Welcome. Light refreshments will be served
More info 1-877-388-4498
Meadow Creek Meeting, Lardeau Valley Community Centre- December 15th, 2011
Finding a market:
- Questions about quality meadow creek cedar is at
- Very interested in direct employment
- After community forest hopes for a saw mill
- Processing their own wood
- Community forest, co-op, incorporation, community (options)
Other concerns were communication and transportation:
- Transportation highway maintenance – Last time highways were updated 1966?
- Communication lack of internet – These both slow down business
- Concerns about being forgotten
- Suggestions on updating road to Revelstoke
Agricultural concerns:
- Farming about 1000 acres
- Lots of opportunity five jobs one full time farmer
- Returns per year exceeds the prairies
- Thistle problems
- Denied alfalfa land from ALR land is permanently out of production
Mention of the Forest Health Community Forum run through Selkirk
Stumpage % returned back to community
Looking into a clearer vision with community forests
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Posted: December 7th, 2011
On Wednesday December 14th, MLA Michelle Mungall is hosting her Annual Community Holiday Lunch at Our Daily Bread in Nelson. This annual event brings people from all walks of life together to share in the Holiday spirit.
“The open house starts at 11:00am and I invite everyone in the community to come join me in spreading some joy this season. Lunch is on me!” says Mungall.
This year’s Holiday Lunch will also feature a draw to win a fantastic basket full of local Kootenay treats. Drop by Our Daily Bread at 812 Stanley Street from 11:00am to 1:00pm to enjoy a beautiful meal, connect with friends, and celebrate the holidays.
Our Daily Bread offers a barrier-free lunch program five days a week. It is currently funded by donations from the community, active fundraising campaigns, and through a partnership with S.H.A.R.E. Nelson. For this event, Mungall contributes the cost of lunch for the community. Visit www.michellemungall.ca for more information.
What: Annual Community Holiday Lunch
When: Wednesday December 14
11:00am- 1:00pm
Where: Our Daily Bread, 812 Stanley Street Nelson
All Welcome to Join the Festive Spirit
More Info 1-877-388-4498
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Posted: November 30th, 2011
On the last day of the Fall Legislative session, MLA Michelle Mungall again asked the Minister of Energy and Mines to reconsider cuts to BC Hydro that will see the Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) office shut down. This follows a month of waiting for a response to a letter Mungall sent the Minister on this issue.
Lay-off notices given to local staff last month will affect at least six jobs in Nelson, and will be tremendous loss of expertise in the conservation and enhancement of fish and wildlife populations in the region.
Mungall’s October 18th letter to Minister Coleman asked that the decision be immediately rescinded, noting that FWCP biologists provide substantial benefit, not only to the restoration and conservation of species habitat, but also to research, education and communication in the region. No response to that letter has been received.
“Selkirk College has been one benefactor of the vast scientific background and technical knowledge of these biologists. FWCP staff have long served on advisory committees to Selkirk College Fish and Wildlife diploma programs,” says Mungall, “It will be a shame to lose those connections within in the region.”
Mungall brought up the layoffs in November 24’s Question Period asking the Minister, again, to rescind the decision. She pointed out that over 40 scientists and land management professionals have also written the Ministry to ask that these jobs not be lost. Although local FWCP offices in the province are being shut down, BC Hydro must continue to spend the allotted funding for conservation to mediate the effects damning has and continues to have on wildlife populations.
“The scientists and professionals could potentially benefit from the layoffs. They could very well be awarded contracts to fulfill the BC Hydro’s obligations in the province,” noted Mungall, “Yet these people would still see these jobs maintained by long-term ministry staff because they understand the importance of the program’s role in coordination and continuity. We gain nothing by losing these positions in the region.”
To view the video transcript click here.
Coleman re BC Hydro Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program Oct 18 2011
Hon. Rich Coleman
Minister of Energy and Mines
Dear Minister Coleman,
I write to ask that the direction to BC Hydro to close the Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) be immediately rescinded. The lay-off notices given to the FWCP staff at the Nelson office will impact our region immensely. The impacts include not just the loss of six jobs in Nelson and one in Cranbrook, but the loss of expertise in fish and wildlife compensation.
The projects undertaken by FWCP help conserve and enhance local fish and wildlife populations impacted by the construction of BC Hydro dams. These are funds Hydro must spend as part of their water licenses for the hydro dams in the region. Hydroelectric development has had significant environmental impacts on our region, thus making the FWCP an important service that mitigates the negative impacts via qualified people on the ground where the work is needed.
The FWCP projects are making a difference, from conservation and enhancement programs, to restoration of habitat, to species conservation, and invasive plant control. Biologists from FWCP also play a major role in fish and wildlife research, education, and communication in the region. As an example, FWCP staff have long served on advisory committees to Selkirk College programs, in particular the Recreation Fish and Wildlife diploma program.
That BC Hydro would spend close to $1 billion on the Government’s Smart Meter Initiative, and over $45 billion in 30 years on private power contracts, and then slash an effective program that costs so little fails to make good sense for the Kootenay region. This is an incredible step backwards both environmentally and socially and it must be reversed.
Sincerely,
Michelle Mungall, MLA
(Nelson-Creston)
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Posted: November 23rd, 2011
Click here to view the video transcript of my Two Minute Statement on Buying Local in the Creston Valley.
Creston- Cresto the Garden Gnome has been enlisted into service by MLA Michelle Mungall to demonstrate the bounty that the Creston Valley has to offer. Cresto began touring the Creston Valley earlier this fall and has been taking in all that the area has to offer. Through social media tools, Twitter and Facebook, he is showing off his adventures at local tourist attractions, farms and shops.
“During some welcomed free time in Creston this fall, I happened into Canyon Street’s Cresteramics store. There on the shelf stood one handsome and worldly looking gnome. I immediately enlisted him to help me show everyone the richness of this area,” says Mungall.
Working with the Twitter handle @crestognome, the gnome has begun Tweeting about setting up an account with the local credit union, attending the Creston Fall Fair, and getting fired up for some upcoming holiday events like the Santa Clause Parade and craft fairs.
“I think this is a really fun way to get people thinking about how they, too, can support their local economy. We have a major retail season coming up and I hope this Cresto campaign will help keep our dollars local,” says Mungall, “If a little garden gnome can make it around to support the local community, then so can we.”
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Posted: November 22nd, 2011
VICTORIA – New Democrat Advanced Education critic Michelle Mungall introduced the Private Career Training Institutions Amendment Act Tuesday to help strengthen student protections and regulatory oversight for the private post secondary sector.
“If B.C. is going to successfully attract more international students, we need to ensure that we have a reputation of excellence in post secondary education,” said Mungall, the MLA for Nelson-Creston. “The purpose of this bill is to ensure student protections are in place by strengthening provincial regulations.
“B.C. has received considerable criticism over its regulation of private post secondary education,” said Mungall. “Both the Chinese and Korean Consulates have warned their students to avoid enrolling at private colleges in B.C. until more is done to protect them. And former BCIT president John Watson raised concern that the Liberals de-regulation of ESL institutions put the industry at risk in his damning review of the Private Career Training Institutes Act in 2008. Despite this, the Liberals have taken little action.”
Mungall’s bill would restore student protections by establishing a minister-appointed board that would require schools to provide students with a statement of their rights and responsibilities, streamline the student complaints procedure, properly regulate ESL schools and establish ongoing quality control of private colleges.
The bill would also require English as a second or foreign language schools to administer pre-testing and post-testing of English through standardized tests approved by the board, to all students at the beginning and end of their programs.
“I had the opportunity to attend the B.C. Career Colleges Association Conference and I heard a lot of concern that B.C.’s reputation for post secondary education may be tarnished by a few poor schools that, unlike the majority of operators, do not have students’ interests as their top priority,” said Mungall. “I share these concerns and I’m committed to ensuring that regulation is clear and that it protects students while upholding the excellent work done by exceptional private post secondary schools.
“If the Liberals are serious about restoring international confidence in private post secondary institutions and ensuring proper protections are in place for students, they will work quickly and support this Bill,” said Mungall.
Adrian Dix and the New Democrats believe that in order to protect B.C.’s education brand, we must show leadership by strengthening student protections and regulatory oversight for the private post secondary sector.
View the video transcript of Mungall introducing the Bill.
To view the Bill click the link: 2011-11-17 PCTIA Amendment Act
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Posted: November 18th, 2011
On Thursday November 3, the Liberal government introduced Bills 17 and 18 in the legislature. Both Bills make amendments to a number of areas in post-secondary education that will impact students, staff, faculty and institutions alike.
First, Bill 17, the Finance Statues Amendment Act, integrates the federal and provincial application, disbursement and repayment processes for student loans retro-active to August 2000. The Provincial Government retains oversight over the provincial portion of student loans and therefore continues to set the interest rates.
Bill 18, the Advanced Education Statues Amendment Act, makes changes to several provincial statutes – including the Architects Act which attempts to modernize internal dispute resolution mechanisms. While this amendment is a step in the right direction, I am concerned that other professional bodies, including the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians and the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC, which have been asking for similar changes, are not included in this legislation.
There are also changes to the School Act, PCTI Act, and theology school Acts to allow the phased expansion of Personal Education Numbers to private institutions; a change which will allow the government to have a more complete understanding of all of B.C.’s post-secondary students and their education choices.
Most significant, however, are Sections 18-20, 49 and 50 that amend the College and Institutes Act, Royal Roads University Act, and Universities Act. These amendments could keep institutions’ employees from serving on Boards of Governors, prohibit elected board members from serving as chair, and allow the Board to remove the elected board members by 2/3 majority vote.
The Liberals’ proposed changes are unprecedented and are antithetical to democratic representation and accountability of duly elected board members. In turn, the governance of institutions will be impacted.
While the Bill did not make second reading in the House this term, should this Bill come back onto the Order paper, Mungall will endeavor to have the anti-democratic sections removed.
Related News:
Bill 18 would allow university and college boards to eject elected members with a two-thirds majority
Arshy Mann — Canadian University Press, Western Bureau Chief
VANCOUVER (CUP) — Bill 18, which had brought the provincial into conflict with faculty and staff associations, will not become law — at least for now.
The bill, which sought to amend numerous acts related to post-secondary education in B.C., was pulled before second reading by the Liberal government, and won’t be back until the spring legislative session.
However, it was only a handful of the 57 proposed amendments that stirred controversy. Five of the these, which would affect the province’s University Act and the College and Institutes Act, would allow the boards of governors of post-secondary institutions to expel elected faculty, student or staff representatives if they had a two-thirds majority.
They would also bar elected members from serving as chair on these boards and prohibit faculty or staff representatives from sitting on the executives of organizations engaged in collective bargaining or dispute resolution with the institution.
“Nobody seems to quite know where this has come from,” said Michelle Mungall, the B.C. NDP’s critic for advanced education. “I think it’s just unreal that they have included these sections that are inherently anti-democratic [and] completely inappropriate, and destabilize a century of tradition.”
Organizations representing faculty and staff at post-secondary institutions, such as the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators (FPSE), the B.C. Government and Service Employee Union (BCGSE) and the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), have strongly opposed the amendments. They’ve encouraged their membership to send letters to the ministry, which has received over 1,000 of these in the past two weeks.
FPSE president Cindy Oliver stated in a press release that they would be willing to fight the bill all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
“If this legislation passes, [B.C. Premier] Christy Clark will effectively be dictating to our members who they can and can’t elect as their representative on the Board of Governors,” she wrote. “It is more than just an affront to our democratic rights; it’s a full-on attack of our freedom of association rights that are spelled out in the Charter.”
Naomi Yamamoto, the minister for advanced education, believes that the opposition to the bill is a result of miscommunication and that the bill itself would in no way dilute the rights of elected board members.
“Bill 18 absolutely values, and [the] government values, the participation of students and staff and faculty on the boards,” she said. “We are only preventing or making it ineligible for an elected member to serve on the board if that person is involved in negotiating terms of their contract or the terms of their service on behalf of their association.
“Right now, there’s no way of removing an elected member if the person is in a conflict of interest or their conduct is not considered professional.”
Yamamoto said that the amendments weren’t a result of any specific incidents, but did note that “there have been some circumstances that have caused us concerns, especially when that board member has shown really poor judgement in a criminal matter and there was no way for the board to remove that member.”
She also stressed that nothing in this bill gives the provincial government the right to remove elected members, unless two-thirds of a board recommended it.
However, provincial appointees make up the majority of many university boards. And when their votes are combined with those of a university’s president and chancellor, they often have the two-thirds majority required to eject an elected member — with UBC being a notable exception.
Mungall believes that this would give the province an unprecedented say in who can represent students, faculty and staff at post-secondary institutions.
“The only people who should be able to remove somebody who is elected are those who elected them,” said she said. “And students should be very concerned about that. Do they think government appointees ought to have the right to remove their representative?”
Yamamoto said delaying the bill will “give me an opportunity to further discuss [the bill] with some of these organizations that are concerned,” and added that she already met with CAUT last week.
“I just want to say that I have been on a college board and served as board chair, and that was Capilano College at the time. And I can tell you that the participation of the education council or the faculty and the staff or students is absolutely valued [and] I am in no way trying to diminish that.”
Mungall believes that the Liberal government should drop the controversial amendments and move forward with the rest of the bill.
“This is just another frustrating point about this bill … there are sections in this bill that are desperately needed right now. And to put in something controversial with something that the rest of the house agrees with is just bad governance.”
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Posted: November 17th, 2011
On Nov 15th in the Legislature, it was my honour to join members of the Ktunaxa Nation, fellow NDP MLAs, our Leader Adrian Dix as well as hockey legend Scott Niedermayer for a press conference to keep Jumbo Glacier wild.
During Question Period the same afternoon, I asked the Minister for Forests, Lands and Natural Resources and Range, to finally make a decision on the proposed resort and keep Jumbo Wild. To view the exchange click here.
JUMBO GLACIER RESORT PROPOSAL
M. Mungall: Whether it is people who have lived in the area since time immemorial or people who moved to the Kootenays just a few years ago, people in the region are clear: they do not want a resort on Jumbo Glacier. An economic analysis of the proposed development found that the proponent is relying on flawed market assumptions and overestimating the economic activity.
The Ktunaxa and the Kootenay communities know that a resort on Jumbo Glacier is a bad deal for the region and will destroy wildlife habitat that has been sacred for millennia. Will the minister responsible finally make the right decision and keep Jumbo wild?
Hon. S. Thomson: I appreciate the opportunity to comment on this question. As you know, I’m the decision-maker with respect to the master development agreement for this project. I have been undertaking a process of full diligence in order to make that decision. That has included meeting with the proponents. It has included meeting with First Nations. It has included meeting with all interested parties on this project. I’m continuing to do that due diligence.
As you know, it’s been a project that has had a significant amount of time period involved with it, so there is a very great deal of information on this project that needs to be assessed in a careful, thoughtful manner.
I had the opportunity to meet with the delegation that is here in Victoria today to hear their concerns. I had the opportunity to meet with them directly this summer to hear those concerns in depth. Those will all be part of the due diligence and the consideration that it will take to make sure that this decision is made in a fair and open manner.
N. Macdonald: We just need to give context to this issue. In the time that Jumbo has been proposed, there has been a tremendous amount of development. The Ktunaxa themselves have developed a golf resort and hotel complex on the St. Mary River. They are currently working with industrial projects, developing forestry opportunities. Kicking Horse Resort was proposed, built, opened. Revelstoke Mountain Resort was proposed, built, opened — as have numerous golf resorts.
All of those made sense to the people in the area. These do not make sense. You have to be environmentally and economically responsible. The best able to judge that? Some new to the Columbia Valley and some like the Ktunaxa with roots back countless generations are saying clearly this development is wrong.
When will the government do the right thing and say no to the Jumbo Valley land giveaway?
Hon. S. Thomson: As I’ve indicated clearly, the process of due diligence…. I take that responsibility very, very seriously, in terms of making this decision, with respect to being the statutory decision-maker. I am undertaking that process. The environmental, the economic, the First Nation considerations will all be part of that process.
I had the opportunity to have very in-depth discussion on those issues as part of the due process, and as I said very clearly, it’s my undertaking to make sure that this process is done in an open, fair and transparent manner, and that’s the process that I will continue.
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