Jennifer Rice given parliamentary secretary duties in John Horgan government

Premier John Horgan and his cabinet took the helm in BC on Tuesday
(photo Government of BC Live Feed)

For the first time in over sixteen years, British Columbia has a new NDP government, as Premier John Horgan took his oath of office and then introduced his new cabinet.

A gender balanced collective composed of twenty ministers and two minister of state, 11 men, 11 women, with Mr. Horgan's newly installed cabinet noted as the first in BC history to achieve such parity.

The new Premier had 40 names to consider, as he pondered what his cabinet would look like, the line up of those that made the final cut can be found below:

Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier - Carole James
Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training - Melanie Mark
Minister of Agriculture -- Lana Popham
Attorney General - David Eby
Minister of Children and Family Development - Katrine Conroy
Minister of Citizen's Services -- Jimmy Sims
Minister of Education -- Rob Fleming
Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources -- Michell Mungall
Minister of Environment and Climate Change -- George Heyman
Minister Health -- Adrian Dix
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation -- Scott Fraser
Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology -- Bruce Ralston
Minister of Labour -- Harry Bains
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions -- Judy Darcy
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing -- Selina Robinson
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General -- Mike Farnworth
Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction -- Shane Simpson
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture -- Lisa Beare
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure -- Claire Trevena

With Cabinet status, the Minister who will be Representing Northern interests around the cabinet table will be Doug Donaldson, the MLA for Stikine, who was named as the Minister for Forests, Lands, Natural Resources Operations and Rural development.

Minister of State for Child Care -- Katrina Chen
Minister of State for Trade -- George Chow

Jennifer Rice, who represents the North Coast, did not make it into the top tier of representatives in the cabinet room, Ms. Rice will serve the government as the Parliamentary Secretary for  Emergency Preparedness.

Joining Ms. Rice in what appears to be the consolation prize round of John Horgan makes a cabinet, are five other NDP MLA's who were appointed to parliamentary secretary duties, they include:

Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction -- Mable Elmore
Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors -- Anne Kang
Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism -- Ravi Kahlon
Parliamentary Secretary for Technology -- Rick Glumac
Parliamentary Secretary for Trans-Link -- Bowinn Ma


Shortly after the cabinet announcement, Ms. Rice took to her Facebook page to share some thoughts on her new appointment.

Still to come to round out the key requirements of keeping the Legislature moving along will be the need for a Speaker, Deputy Speaker, whip, Deputy whip, caucus chair and deputy caucus chair. So for those not named to a position today, another shot at increased duties could yet beckon.

You can watch a replay of the Swearing in Ceremony from the Government of British Columbia Facebook page here.

A look at how the province's media reviewed the roll out of the Horgan collection can be found below:

NDP Premier John  Horgan's cabinet
With Horgan sworn in, BC NDP faces immediate test in wildfire crisis
In BC, Liberal's crises suddenly become NDP's problems
B.C.'s new NDP government sworn into office
Wildfires, opioid crisis, softwood: John Horgan outlines priorities before swearing-in
Transition of B.C. government won't interfere with wildfire-fighting efforts
Vancouver is well represented in John Horgan's new B.C. NDP cabinet
BC's new Premier John Horgan unveils Gender-Balanced cabinet
B.C. NDP cabinet: 2017: Metro Vancouver MLAs handed key cabinet roles
Darcy leads difficult job list in Horgan's tough cabinet
Is equity policy linked to NDP's shaky grip on power?
Seven new B.C. NDP cabinet ministers you should know about
New housing minister Selina Robinson to tackle B.C.'s runaway housing
Prepare for turbulence as the NDP takes flight
Emotion filled start for new NDP government
Horgan takes charge as B.C. premier names his cabinet
Ice cream with the premier? Thousands say yes
Answers to all the ministers questions
Premier John Horgan, NDP cabinet get down to work
John Horgan sworn-in as B.C. premier, unveils new cabinet
New Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions aims to tackle B.C.'s opioid crisis
B.C. cabinet: Key ministries and who's in charge of them


More notes on how the North Coast is represented at the Legislature can be found here.

Further background on the province's political scene can be found on our D'Arcy McGee portal

Premier Designate John Horgan set to announce his cabinet selections

It's one more sleep before John Horgan
claims the official title of Premier of BC

For many NDP MLA's today will be a day of waiting to see if the phone will ring, and with it, an invitation from John Horgan to move into the ranks of those that attain the highest of positions in the provincial government.

Today is the final day for checking lists twice, as the Transition Team for Premier Designate John Horgan works out their final decisions as to which of the successful MLA's  from the May election campaign will be moved into the first NDP cabinet in over sixteen years.

Tuesday is the official swearing in for the new NDP Government and prior to the Legislature ceremony, Mr, Horgan will have reviewed his options and revealed those that will be entrusted with moving the NDP's political agenda ahead for whatever length of time the minority government will allow for.

For Horgan, each position will require thought on a range of options, from skills for the cabinet post that is being offered, to political experience in the heat of battle. The latter especially key with the upcoming session this fall for the Legislature one that should make for some heated debate, one where a mis-step by a cabinet minister could lead to any number of consequences and with it the fate of a government with but a one seat majority.

Added to the mix for the NDP leader and soon to be Premier is the need to address the wishes of the Green Party, to which the balance of power currently rests and already Mr. Horgan has seemingly made relations with Mr. Weaver and his MLA's a top concern.

Towards keeping the lines of communication open and squashing any problems before they arrive, the NDP have put in place a new political mechanism to be known as the confidence and supply agreement secretariat.

It will make for a department of Kumbaya if you will, one that will be looking to ensure that both the NDP and Greens can continue to sing from the same hymn book.

BC NDP appoints director to oversight body for alliance with Greens
NDP creates new department to work with Greens
Small Green party may wield big power in B.C.
Donna Sanford to play crucial role in ensuring Horgan's survival
Friction points ahead for B.C.'s NDP-Green alliance
B.C. will have its first NDP government in 16 years . But is it inherently unstable?

B.C. Liberals complain about new publicly-funded NDP-Green office

North Coast voters will be
watching with interest today
to see if they are now
represented by a Cabinet minister
in Jennifer Rice

Residents of Northwest British Columbia will also be watching with interest today as the cabinet roll out takes place, eager to see how the new Premier plans to address the concerns of rural and coastal British Columbia.

For the Northwest there are two potential cabinet ministers waiting to hear word if they move to the high profile that cabinet status brings, with both the North Coast's Jennifer Rice and Stikine's Doug Donaldson possible options for the cabinet room.

As can be imagined, there has been no shortage of suggestions towards who Mr. Horgan should put in the front bench and seek counsel from around the cabinet table.

Some of the media suggestions can be reviewed below.

In building a new cabinet, NDP must avoid hurt feelings
Horgan has ways to reward MLAs in or out of new cabinet
Most cabinet ministers are just for show
Does Horgan have the Whole Hiring a government thing figured out yet?
NDP mutiny memories may flicker to life
NDP MLA's hope for seat at cabinet table
Political cabinet building 101 compatibility key expert says
Who is going to be in John Horgan's B.C. NDP cabinet
Horgan cabinet to be sworn in July 18, no quotas set
John Horgan to unveil NDP cabinet July 18
Former B.C. Premier Ujjal Dosanjh on how Horgan will pick his cabinet
Should John Horgan aim for a gender-balanced cabinet?
Five B.C. New Democrats with cabinet potential

For more items related to the North Coast representation in the Legislature see our archive page here.

Further background on developments out of Victoria can be found on our political portal D'Arcy McGee.

From the Legislature 2016

Items of note from our elected officials at the Provincial Legislature and developments in the northwest ridings .


North Coast
MLA Jennifer Rice (NDP MLA)
Member of the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth
Expense Listings for 2016

MLA's Week Legislature Archive 
(our review of MLA Rice's contributions at the Legislature)

Jennifer Rice MLA Constituency Page
Jennifer Rice Twitter feed
Jennifer Rice Facebook page

General Overview Notes on the British Columbia Political Scene

2016

December

December 21 -- Four officially in race for Skeena NDP nomination
December 20 -- Province 'disappointed' Prince Rupert won't be part of transit plan
December 20 -- North Coast Liberals to select candidate in late January  NCR
December 16 -- A Christmas Gathering with Mr. Cullen and Ms. Rice  NCR
December 12 -- Former Premier, North Coast MLA Dan Miller weighs in again on resource development  NCR

November

November 25 -- NDP bearish when it comes to grizzly protection  NCR
November 24 -- Province to extend implemenation period for new curriculum; shift timetable for FSA tests  NCR
November 16 -- The following is a free time political podcast ...   NCR
November 10 -- B. C. government's hopes for Prince Rupert elements in Ocean Protection Plan, seemingly left on the shelf after roll out  NCR
November 9 -- Herb Pond to launch second quest for the Legislature for B. C. Liberals  NCR
November 7 -- Premier makes note of Pacific NorthWest LNG decision and theme of cooperation in letter to City council  NCR

October

October 24 -- MLA Rice outlines concerns over Bella Bella fuel spill NCR
October 18 -- Dismissal of Vancouver School Board could set the tone on larger education issues for Spring election  NCR
October 17 -- MLA Rice on Bella Bella fuel spill (video)
October 12 -- Empty promises are disappointing, dangerous ( Guest Editorial)
October 7 -- Demographics key to northwestern B.C. Liberal candidate's hopes
October 7 -- John Horgan in the Northwest (video)
October 7 -- SQCRD receives Provincial approval on proposed name change  NCR
October 6 -- British Columbia government approves transportation funding for Prince Rupert  NCR
October 6 -- Teachers union outlines challenges for education on North Coast for Finance Commitee NCR
October 6 -- BC NDP leader John Horgan visiting Northwest BC
October 6 -- BC Minister Fassbender is ready to look over Municipal spending  NCR
October 6 -- Continued growth and opportunity seen for Port facilities in Prince Rupert  NCR
October 5 -- Stark statistical count provided for BC Finance Committee when it comes to housing concerns in the NorthWest  NCR
October 5 -- Hays 2.0 and Airport access the focus for City in Finance Committee presentation NCR
October 5 -- UFAWU delivers call for Provincial support on adjacency concepts for North Coast Fishery NCR
October 4 -- UFAWU message for Budget consultations in Prince Rupert (video)
October 4 -- Fourteen delegations make presentations to Provincial Finance Committee in Prince Rupert  NCR
October 3 --  No word on Terrace hospital funds just yet
October 3 -- Prince Rupert sessions for BC Budget consultation (video)
October 3 -- UFAWU members to press their employment concerns for Government panel today  NCR
October 3 -- Provincial Budget consultation session in Prince Rupert today  NCR
October 1 -- North Coast MLA Rice joins chorus of comments on Pacific NorthWest LNG approval NCR


September

September 30 -- Province releases Prince Rupert Air Shed Study; states region can accomodate industrial growth  NCR
September 30 -- NDP's John Horgan offers up a shift in provincial/municipal relations for UBC M members NCR
September 29 -- Premier Clark test drives a few electoral themes for UBCM gathering NCR
September 28 -- For Pacific NorthWest LNG project, all roads now lead to Kuala Lumpur  NCR
September 27 -- BC Government invests 1.6 million dollars in Trades Funding for NWCC  NCR
September 20 -- Dear Mr. Minister ... MLA Rice takes Prince Rupert housing concerns to Rich Coleman  NCR
September 20 -- Province announces $500M Housing program, but with few details on which communities will benefit  NCR
September 18 -- Brooks again BC Conservative leader
September 16 -- Fourth person enters northwestern B.C. NDP nomination race
September 12 -- Premier Clark introduces Haisla Chief Councillor Ellis Ross as Liberal candidate for Skeena  NCR
September 7 -- Central Coast to see return of summer ferry services in 2018  NCR
September 7 -- NWCC to share in 2.3 million dollars for First Nations Education Plan NCR
September 1 -- North Coast MLA steps in to seek answers for Prince Rupert patients  NCR 

August

August 28 -- Government ducking its duties for a new Terrace hospital
August 26 -- Third person makes bid for northwestern B.C. NDP nomination
August 25 -- Second Potential Skeena NDP Candidate Steps Forward
August 25 -- NDP leader backs call for a new Mills Memorial Hospital
August 24 -- Royal Tour of Haida Gwaii announced (video)
August 24 -- A second potential NDP candidate for Skeena steps forward
August 23 -- Sarah Zimmerman declares for NDP candidacy in Skeena (video)
August 23 -- Bearer of Bad News
August 23 -- Time isn't right for LNG: Horgan
August 23 -- Zimmerman Hoping to represent in Skeena in 2017 BC election
August 22 -- First declaration for NDP nomination in Skeena
August 22 -- Horgan hears the issues during tour by motorhome
August 20 -- Election year carrots
August 19 -- John Horgan tour of the Northwest (video)
August 18 -- John Horgan Northwest tour (video)
August 18 -- John Horgan answers questions about LNG, Highway 16 and Liberals (audio)
August 18 -- BC NDP leader John Horgan at Terrace City council
August 18 -- New Democrat Leader John Horgan comes to Prince Rupert
August 17 -- Horgan on the road this week touring Highway 16 corridor
August 17 -- NDP Leader cruising Highway 16
August 17 -- B.C. NDP leader John Horgan on "Camping" Tour Through Highway 16 corridor
August 16 -- Horgan to embark on Week-Long Highway 16 Camping Tour
August 10 -- MLA to host final Brown Bag Lunch in the Park session with constituents this Friday NCR
August 4 -- MP and MLA hosting community BBQ today  NCR
August 3 -- Status of the Prince Rupert Airshed Study report  (video)



July

July 28 -- Bruised MLA wins lawsuit for nasty campaign defamation
July 27 -- MLA celebrates local brewery with comments to Legislature  NCR
July 27 -- Jennifer Rice takes to Legislature floor to speak on Bill 27 changes to Human Rights Act  NCR
July 26 -- NDP outline Power BC energy plan for British Columbia  NCR
July 22 -- Austin awarded $75,000 in defamation suit
July 21 -- MLA Rice on Voice of BC (video)
July 21 -- Skeena MLA awarded $75,000 in civil supreme court defamation case
July12 -- LNG Canada announcement latest setback for Northwest LNG plans  NCR
July 12 -- Vancouver housing issues on the agenda for recall of Legislature  NCR
July 6 -- BC Liberals begin to ramp up their election machine  NCR

June

June 16 -- MLA Rice awaits details on Province's transportation plans for Highway 16  NCR
June 15 -- Community to Community transportation listed among the items in funding for Highway 16 plan  NCR
June 6 -- Housing issues dominate inquiries at MLA Rice's office  NCR

May

May 26 -- Premier Clark takes trade discussions to Asia once again, with LNG one of the main topics on the agenda  NCR
May 20 -- School District 52 to receive $225,000 in provincial money from "fix-it" fund  NCR
May 20 -- Spring session at BC Legislature comes to an end  NCR
May 12 -- Rural health themes mark lengthy exchange in Legislature between MLA Rice and Health Minister Lake  NCR
May 11 -- Adoption issues subject of Legislature Statements Monday  NCR
May 11 -- Alaska raises its concerns over BC mining oversight  NCR
May 6 -- North Coast NDP to host AGM on May 14th  NCR
May 4 -- MLA Rice raises Banks Island Gold Mine issues in Legislature  NCR
May 3 --  Rice speaks out on Banks Island gold Operation (video)
May 3 -- NDP MLA Robin Austin will not run in the next provincial election (video)
May 3 -- Northwestern B. C. MLA won't run again

April

April 28 -- MLA's civil case wraps up after two weeks
April 20 -- MLA Rice leads provincial health tour
April 18 -- Rice channels Horgan and Cullen in recent newspaper interview  NCR
April 13 -- LNG is possible on North Coast: Rice (pg 3 N View e edition)
April 12 -- MLA Rice speaks to the need for better staffing at Seniors facilities  NCR
Aprl 8 -- BCTF provides strong support for Jennifer Rice's Safe Water for School's Act   NCR
April 7 -- MLA Rice introduces private members bill on water testing for Schools  NCR
April 6 -- Rice speaks to need for better forest fire fighting resources and funding  NCR
April 5 -- MLA seeks provincial support for Prudhomme Lake Recreation area  NCR
April 1 -- BC Conservative announce leadership convention this fall
April 1 -- Province preparing to launch 75 million dollar BC Rural Dividend  NCR

March 

March 23 -- NDP would cast wide net should Skeena MLA Robin Austin retire
March 23 -- Friday, March 18 ... a good day for all of us
March 17 -- MLA Rice speaks in support of Bill Two on Great Bear Rainforest, but urges caution on future use  NCR
March 11 -- Cabinet Minister John Rustad speaks to Tsimshian agreement, Lelu Island project and other First Nations issues  NCR
March 11 -- At the Legislature, Jennifer Rice salutes Chamber of Commerce Award winners  NCR
March 10 -- MLA Rice on water testing in Prince Rupert (video)
March 10 -- MLA Rice tests the water at local social housing units, finds levels of lead as too high  NCR
March 8 -- Premier says Petronas not threatening to walk away from LNG project
March 8 -- Province of British Columbia commits 9 million towards Tsimshian Roundtable initiative  NCR
March 8 -- Rice tackles Disability issues and Red Tape reduction themes in late Monday Legislature Session NCR
March 8 -- North Coast MLA returns to theme of testing of water for Northwest  NCR
March 4 -- Haida Gwaii's Mount Moresby Adventure Camp raised in Legislature Committee Session NCR
March 2 -- In Committee Session, North Coast MLA raises three questions on environmental concerns NCR
March 1 -- Provincial rainforest regulation (video)
March 1 -- Donaldson sending local teen to Canucks game for problem solving

February 

February 25 -- BC School Water Tests (video)
February 25 -- Lead worries prompt more tests of water in schools
February 23 -- MLA calls for expanded testing of water in Northwest schools  NCR
February 23 -- MLA Rice speaks out in support of Representative for Children and Youth  NCR
February 19 -- Rice celebrates Cow Bay Marina completion and opening  NCR
February 19 -- NDP continues to make SD52 water concerns part of Legislature debate  NCR
February 18 -- Prince Rupert Water update (video)
February 18 -- Parents fear impacts of lead on children in northern B. C. schools: NDP
February 18 -- MLA Rice raises School District lead levels issue in Legislature  NCR
February 17 -- North Coast MLA on Prince Rupert water issues (video)
February 17 -- "How long have they known?" North Coast MLA wants answers after high levels of lead found in Prince Rupert schools' water (audio)
February 17 -- School District 52 sends out advisory to parents over elevated lead levels ine water at four local schools  NCR
February 13 -- MLA expands on themes from Legislature speech; calls for apology from Premier Clark NCR
February 12 -- MLA Rice dissects Liberals Speech From the Throne talking points  NCR
February 11 -- Skeena NDP MLA hints at retirement
February 10 -- British Columbia Government holds to LNG ambitions, sets positioning points for year ahead  NCR
February 9 -- Throne speech fails to impress NDP
February 4 -- NDP Leader John Horgan becoming a man of letters, opinion and LNG Observations  NCR
February 3 -- Melanie Mark's Nisga'a and Gitxsan roots provide Northwest connection to by-election success Tuesday Night  NCR
February 2 -- B. C. LNG not the 'greenest'
February 2 -- Province, First Nations and Industry sign Great Bear Rainforest Agreement NCR

January

January 29 -- Provincial population estimates for Prince Rupert at odds with those of the City NCR
January 28 -- Northwest B.C. NDP MLA at odds with First Nations over LNG site
January 27 -- Clark needs Trudeau to approve Pacific NorthWest LNG project
January 27 -- Expect LNG to remain a B. C. political football
January 26 -- B. C. Premier Christy Clark strikes back at LNG opponents
January 25 -- Premier Clark battles B. C.'s forces of No,' on LNG, trade deal; says she's no quitter
January 25 -- Clark battles 'forces of No' on B. C.  LNG project
January 25 -- NDP MLAs sign anti-LNG declaration
January 25 -- Tsimshian Nations take issue with lack of consultation on Lelu Island Declaration  NCR
January 25 -- BC Premier says "Forces of No" behind Lelu Island Declaration (audio)
January 25 -- Coalition says No to LNG project at Lelu Island
January 25 -- Salmon Nation Summit ends with signing of Lelu Island Declaration  NCR
January 19 -- Elections BC on the search for local officials for 2017 Provincial election  NCR
January 16 -- North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice hails court judgement on Northern Gateway  NCR
January 11 -- Skeena MLA urges affordable transit

Archive of items from 2015
Archive of items from 2014
Archive of items from 2013 and before

With a bounty of options, Premier Horgan gets to work on creating his next cabinet ... with North Coast residents awaiting his decisions and the fate of MLA Jennifer Rice

With some strong results from the 2020 provincial election and a number of new MLA's from some previously untapped areas of the province, Premier John Horgan has a challenge ahead of him when it comes to building a new cabinet to chart the government's course for the next four years for the NDP.

Now that the final results are in, the Premier has his choice of 57 MLA's including representation from some key urban areas of Vancouver and into the Fraser Valley, takeaways from the BC Liberals that will no doubt factor into how the Premier shapes his new inner circle of ministers.

Along with the need to ensure that those new territories are recognized for their shift in political dynamic, the Premier will also have to remain faithful to the NDP's regional requirements and commitment to equity that had been the focus of the first term for the Horgan government.

The Premier also has benefitted from some strong new bench support in the way of a trio of former NDP MP's who now will be double dipping dippers, as they take their place in procincial politics in Victoria.

In the Northwest Nathan Cullen won his seat with a significant majority in Stikine and is considered a strong candidate for the cabinet, as are Murray Rankin in Oak Bay-Gordon Head and Fin Donnelly in Coquitlam-Burke Mountain.

With seven former cabinet ministers now retired from the political tumult of Victoria, the Premier will be weighing of the returning MLA's who to shift, who to promote and who perhaps to drop from the cabinet spotlight.

Key to his early decisions will be whether to keep some of the high profile Ministers such as Adrian Dix in Health and Rob Fleming in Education where they are with the province still in the grip of the COVID pandemic.

Also at the top of his cabinet making list is to find the right candidate to take on the Finance Minister portfolio, as important a decision as he may ever make, that as he looks to find someone to fill the shoes of the stellar work that former Finance Minister Carole James provided during her time in office.

Richard Zussman of Global News, provided a bit of a tip sheet over the weekend to offer some guidance as to where some of the NDP's top talent may be heading and how the Premier may view filling the spots on the NDP roster.

One person who surely took note of Mr. Zussman's reviews of Friday night, was North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice.

Ms. Rice was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness in July of 2017, with Mr. Zussman observing how she could once again be in consideration for some form of a political post when the cabinet and Parliamentary Secretary announcements are made.

From Global BC's weekend review of the options for
Cabinet for Premier John Horgan

What North Coast constituents will be watching for is to see if the long serving MLA is finally elevated to an inner cabinet position, or if she remains along the outer ring, just outside of the cabinet door. 

Or in a worst case scenario for the region, if with Mr. Horgan's while considering a range of options in the end banishes the North Coast to the back benches.

In the end it may all come down to how the various drawers to Mr. Horgan's cabinet fit together, as to whether the Northwest will continue to have the same level of participation in defining government policy, that is expected to be known sometime later this month.

Some other past themes on the Premier's options can be explored  below:

BC  NDP majority gives John Horgan advantages in choosing new cabinet, political watchers say
Diversity key to new BC NDP cabinet: UBC prof
What will John Horgan's next cabinet look like?
With many new MLA's and 7 departed ministers, John Horgan faces tough choices in forming next cabinet
Horgan's cabinet has many openings for newcomers and veterans after election victory

For more notes related to the British Columbia Legislature see our archive page here.

You can explore more of the cabinet speculation out of Victoria from our political blog D'Arcy McGee and our Victoria Viewpoints archive.

 

Northwest politicians weigh in on NDP's Site C decision

They're not happy about it, but the BC NDP government of John Horgan
has decided to go ahead with the development of the Site C Hydro project
(Photo from the BC Hydro website)

Yesterday's announcement by Premier John Horgan that the NDP government will continue on with development of the Site C Hydro electric project in the Peace region of the province has received a mixed reaction so far, particularly from those who have concerns on environmental issues in the province.

Mr. Horgan made his announcement on the project yesterday morning, providing a number of themes and contributing factors that led to what he called a very difficult decision and one which for the most part the NDP is noting was caused by the past work on the file by the BC Liberals.



In the Northwest, North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice is providing for the NDP's message for constituents, with Ms. Rice taking to her Facebook page to share her thoughts and to deliver the Premier's thinking on the massive, but controversial hydro project.

Among her comments were a relay of the NDP's talking points related to the Liberal's "legacy of megaproject mismanagement" and how it left the NDP in a terrible situation and seemingly with little option but to proceed.

On the Federal side of the issue, Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen, a fellow member of the NDP also shared his disappointment at the decision to move ahead with the project.

And much like his provincial partners he too put the finger of blame directly at the feet of the former Premier Christy Clark, throwing Prime Minister Trudeau into the mix as well.

He repeated what has become a frequent call for the need to address the concept of Social Licence for such large scale projects and took aim at what he describes as a lack of proper consultation along the way by both the Provincial and Federal Liberal parties.

The decision to move forward with the proposed development did not sit well with the NDP's partners of the Green Party in the Legislature.

However, as disappointed as leader Andrew Weaver seems to be, the Greens don't seem to be inclined to make it an issue of confidence in the NDP government, nor to bring them down over the controversial project.

The project which has been put into development by BC Hydro can be reviewed here

Some notes on the Site C announcement can be reviewed below:

The Site C Decision

B.C. to proceed with Site C hydroelectric dam
BC Greens won't topple NDP government over Site C decision, Weaver says
John Horgan says completing Site C dam is 'best solution' for B.C.
With Site C approval, BC NDP flows toward political pragmatism
John Horgan's Site C choice a political loss, but a win may not have been possible
John Horgan disappoints both Site C opponents and supporters in northeast B.C.
B.C. government to ahead with Site C hydroelectric dam project
Horgan's Site C promise bridges no divides between applauding supporters and opponents left feeling ignored
Getting to Site C yes Driven by debt for noting status
NDP government decides to continue construction on Site C dam
Horgan couldn't unscramble Christy Clark's omelette
B.C. government lets $10-billion Site C hydro project go ahead, with regrets
No Magic Solution: Horgan on Approving Site C
Site C: What happens next?
Recall on Site C, Andrew Weaver? Seriously? Careful what you wish for
Andrew Weaver says it would be crass for Greens to raise funds on a "very sad day" for B.C.
First Nations leader slams NDP's decision on Site C project
B.C. government lets $10-billion Site C hydro project go ahead, with regrets
Columbia River Treaty to be renegotiated with U.S. in early 2018
Public interest behind Crown appeal of stay granted to accused killer Jamie Bacon
B.C. government lets $10.7 billion Site C hydro project go ahead, with regrets
Site C not deal-breaker for Greens
Site C was political decision
Dam go-ahead was a foregone conclusion
Site C dam goes ahead, cost estimate now up to $10.7 billion
Environmental groups slam NDO decision to continue with Site C
BC NDP to proceed with Site C dam, total cost raised to $10.7B
Site C opponents slam project ahead of anticipated green light
'A reconciliation fail': B.C. First Nations promise court action over NDP's approval of Site C

Some background on the project which has been put into development by BC Hydro can be reviewed here

More items of note on the work of North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice can be found here.

While our archive of items related to MP Cullen is available here.

A wider overview of the provincial political scene is available on our Political portal D'Arcy McGee.

Referendum Rumble resolves little

Places, Places - Positions, Positions ... 
John Horgan and Andrew Wilkinson debated
Electoral reform on Thursday evening
(photo screenshot of debate opening from Global BC)

Thursday night was debate night in British Columbia, but for the most part it wasn't so much a debate as a thirty minute argument, that as Premier John Horgan and Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson recited their talking points on Electoral reform, but for the most part probably did little to move the needle for those that stuck with the event for the full half hour.

The format offered up some hope, some introductory remarks, the two proponents of the Yes and the No side able to address their concerns to each other for what was supposed to be a short back and forth on the referendum issues.

But for the most part the half hour was just an extended version of the daily Question Period at the Legislature, a rambunctious place where scoring political points is seemingly the goal over the delivery of extensive overview of the topics.

And that for the most part was how Thursday's debate was viewed, there was little in the way of expansion on the referendum debate from either participant.

The Premier calling for British Columbians to give the proportional system plans a chance, the Liberal leader observing that voters really still don't know much about what the Premier has crafted for electoral reform.

Much of the thirty minutes was spent talking over each other, a challenge that moderators Linda Steele and Stephen Quinn tried to address, though with limited success a times.

There were however a few moments that caught the attention of viewers and helped to define some of the message making on the night.

Among them, Premier Horgan's attempts to appeal the youth of today in their own vernacular of woke and lit; the Opposition Leaders attempts to paint the Premier as used car salesman who may not be sharing all the details of the history of the car you want to buy.

The night's scorecard in the post debate reviews looked as follows:

The Best and Worst from B.C.'s televised debate on electoral reform
Horgan, Wilkinson spar in debate as fate of B.C.'s electoral system hangs in the balance
'A dog's breakfast': Horgan and Wilkinson likely change few minds in angry debate
Wilkinson says existing system is 'very clear,' Horgan calls proportional representation 'lit'
Are you 'woke' enough to make sense of John Horgan's 'lit' quip?
Horgan and Wilkinson clash during TV electoral reform debate
Horgan, Wilkinson clash on voting system, accuse each other of being evasive
John Horgan, Andrew Wilkinson square off on B.C. voting referendum
'PR is lit' or a 'a dog's breakfast' : Feisty debate on electoral reform offers no clear winner

Among those that were viewing the night's political theatre were the two Northwest MLA's with North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice and Skeena MLA Ellis Ross providing for their reviews at the end of the referendum debate.

And while the two it would seem will not be taking their commentary on tour for the residents of the Northwest through their own debate, we do have this one exchange through twitter to serve as what could have been our own Referendum rumble.

The two MLA's had more to say through their social media streams, for a review as to how each viewed Thursday's leaders showdown see the links below:

MLA Jennifer Rice

MLA Ellis Ross

With the debate now behind us, the push towards the mail in deadline of November 30th will continue as both sides seek to get their supporters engaged enough to mail in their ballots, something that so far is not what could be called a resounding success.

As Premier Horgan and Opposition Leader Wilkinson took to their sparring on Thursday, it was noted that the return rate for ballots was at the moment still a meagre 2 per cent ... perhaps an indication that this latest round of electoral reform is not resonating all that well with the public.

Post debate indications seem to be that Thursday's verbal jousting may not have done all that much to spur British Columbians to fill out and mail their ballots by the time deadline arrives.

That poor response so far to the prospect of changing the electoral system is something that the governing NDP will have to consider should those numbers not move much by the end of the month, at some point they will have to decide whether changing the political system based on a stunningly low turnout is a political risk that they are willing to take.

For those who missed Thursday's recitation of the talking points of electoral reform, Global hosts a replay of the Debate on their website here.

You can review more of the views from all sides of the electoral reform debate from our political blog D'Arcy McGee where we host an archive of notes that chart the path of this years reform process.

To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.

Recent tour with John Horgan highlights expanded role for Nathan Cullen with Federal NDP

Nathan Cullen and John Horgan at Prince Rupert City Hall on Monday
(Photo -MLA Rices' social media stream)

Premier John Horgan and Nathan Cullen wandered along the byways of the Northwest this week, making like Hope and Crosby on one of those old road movies  (which would make Jennifer Rice Dorothy Lamar we guess?), with stops in at municipal buildings, industrial sites and college campuses, along with local watering holes all part of the trek through the region.

The Federal NDP MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley noted this week that his rendezvous with Mr. Horgan was part of his expanded role with the NDP in Ottawa, with Mr. Cullen serving as the party's British Columbia liaison.

The trip to Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat put a focus on resource and rural issues, with the Skeena Bulkley-Valley MP,  Premier Horgan and MLA Jennifer Rice meeting with Prince Rupert Council members at one of their stops in the city.

The three levels of government under on roof
(From Mayor Lee Brain's Social media stream)

Mayor Brain would also travel to Kitimat on Tuesday, to take in the Premier's meetings with the Northwest British Columbia Resource Benefits Alliance.

And while the Mayor, took advantage of his Facebook page to provide for another review of what the RBA is all about, other than a note that talks will continue, no indication as to whether that group is any closer to reaching an agreement with the province on their question was provided from their session with Mr. Horgan.

Regional leaders with Premier John Horgan for discussions on the
Northwest Resource  Benefits Alliance
(From Mayor Lee Brain's Social media stream)

Prior to their Northwest travels, Mr. Cullen issued a statement that noted some of themes that he and Premier share when it comes to the region.

“I’ve met with John and his cabinet several times since being appointed the federal NDP’s BC Liaison in January. This is my first opportunity to personally accompany John out of Victoria and I’m happy to visit towns in Skeena-Bulkley Valley,” 

 “John really understands the need to balance jobs and resource development with protecting BC’s increasingly fragile natural environment ... Prior to becoming Premier, John spent years working on natural resource and rural issues that put him in touch with development and environment issues happening today here in the Northwest and across BC.”

A look at how Mr. Cullen sees his role as the bridge between the Province and the Federal NDP can be found here.

Beyond the stop in at City Hall, the travelling party hosted a number of meetings with members of the community and mixed the workload with some social activities as well.

Social events in Prince Rupert and Terrace also were part of the trip
through the Northwest this week -- Above from a stop at the Wheelhouse Brewing Co.
(Photo from MLA Rice's Social Media Stream)

Every good road trip needs some snapshots and North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice has chronicled some of the events from the Prince Rupert segment  by way of her Facebook portal.

For more notes related to the Northwest on the Federal scene see our House of Commons Archive page here.

Items of interest on Provincial developments from Victoria can be found from two options for the Northwest.

MLA Jennifer Rice Legislature archive
MLA Ellis Ross Legislature archive


To return to the most recent blog posting of the day, click here.