Monday, November 16, 2015

Legislature set to start final four days of sessions for 2015

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice will only have four more days to raise any pressing issues of concern about the region in the British Columbia Legislature, as our elected representatives settle in this morning for the last of their Legislative duties until 2016.

For Ms. Rice, the last seven or so sessions will leave her little time to deliver some of the concerns from the North Coast and Haida Gwaii.

A list of items that grew by one last week, as the city came to terms with the shocking announcement that the Canfisco Cannery was set to close its canning operations, a move that will deliver significant job losses to the community.

On Friday, the MLA was in attendance at the UFAWU membership meeting held at Fishermen's Hall, taking notes on what Northern Representative Joy Thorkelson had to share from her meetings with Canfisco officials.

At that meeting Ms. Rice, also heard from a number of other union executives, as well as shore workers within the membership, all providing a number points of concern for the MLA to be aware of.

Towards the end of the Friday session, the MLA  offered up some words of support and noted that she would take the issue to Victoria with her this week.

With the Legislature set to rise on Thursday until the new year, the MLA will have but four potential Question Periods to take her concerns to the provincial government.

The window of opportunity for North Coast issues could also include some engagement on affordable housing on behalf of the City of Prince Rupert, which has been focusing a fair amount of its attention on the need to provide for housing for those that are in the greatest need.

Barring any Emergency recalls of the Legislature, the Chamber will be quiet through the rest of 2015 and will not resume proceedings until February.

You can review some of Ms. Rice's efforts from Victoria through the year from our Legislative Archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review


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