With letter to the editor; Skeena's Ross points towards concerns on Green Party/NDP alliance

Skeena MLA Ellis Ross took to print this week, providing some
talking points on the Green/NDP alliance at the Legislature
(photo from BC Legislature video service)

With MLA's still biding their time as they await the next session of the Legislature to open next week in Victoria, some Members have spent their time through the winter break keeping busy on a number of files.

Some have travelled through their home constituency hosting coffee gatherings and other community sessions, while others, like Skeena MLA Ellis Ross have been honing their debating points through letters to the editor, with Mr. Ross recently penning a contribution for the Terrace Standard and Kitimat's Northern Sentinel.

In the case of Mr. Ross, he offers up a number of themes by way of his notes for the Opinion pages, featuring a look at Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver and the impact that Mr. Ross believes the Greens are having on the province's economic prospects.

The title of the Skeena MLA's editorial page work was "Weaver fiddles while B.C.'s economic prospects burn" and highlights how Mr. Ross sees the current relationship between the Greens and governing NDP and casts some doubt that Wilkinson as Green leader would ever bring down the NDP until the fall referendum on proportional representation.

The bulk of his talking points for the Standard/Sentinel piece, returned to the topic of energy issues in the province a frequent theme for the Skeena MLA.

In his Editorial page notes, Ross renews his concerns over the side effects that the Greens may be delivering when it comes to the potential development of LNG resources and how the current agreement between NDP and Greens limits any ability for the government to move the industry forward.

You can review the full letter here.

The focus on both LNG and the Greens will most likely continue to be a theme that the BC Liberal MLA will bring to the Legislature when MLA's return to their desks next week.

When it comes to the notes on the Green Party, Mr. Ross seems to be on the same page as new leader Andrew Wilkinson, whom he supported in the recent Liberal leadership race.

During the campaign and following his election as leader, Mr. Wilkinson made frequent mention of the alliance between the NDP and the Greens and how one of his first tasks as leader would be to try and expand on some of the cracks in that alliance.

'Tension is going to build up': Andrew Wilkinson says he'll highlight NDP-Green fissures

Another theme that Mr. Ross  and Mr. Wilkinson share, has been criticism of the electoral reform plans of the NDP,  at topic which the Skeena MLA he most recently addressed in the Legislature in December.

His ongoing commentary on the topic seems to  be along the same lines as those of the new leader of the party, who also has some strong thoughts when it comes to the fall referendum plans for electoral reform in British Columbia.

With the Legislature's return on Tuesday the 13th, Mr. Ross will soon be able to put down the pen for a bit and take to the main stage of the Chamber, with a growing profile in the Liberal party, the Skeena MLA will no doubt have many opportunities to expand on his themes as the Spring session moves forward.

For more items related to the MLA's work in Skeena see our archive page here.

A review of notes on the North Coast constituency can also be reviewed here.

For a wider overview of the Provincial political scene see our political blog D'Arcy McGee.



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