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| Skeena MLA Ellis Ross has been one of the lead participants in debate at the Legislature this week |
The focus on the ongoing issues in the Wet'suwet'en and the larger protests being found across British Columbia have put Skeena MLA Ellis Ross to the front of the stage of the political debate in the province.
With the Northwest MLA now finding expanded media exposure and making for a frequent guest on political interview programs not only in this province, but on the national stage as well.
Much of the media attention came as the Coastal GasLink issues reached dominated the newsflow of the last few weeks, with the experiences of Mr. Ross from both his provincial time and that as Chief Councillor for the Haisla Nation making for much of the narrative of the discussions.
Railroad blockades 'setting back reconciliation 20 years,' warns BC MLA Ellis Ross
Former Haisla Chief, now a Liberal MLA is key voice in pipeline fight
Debating the LNG pipeline through Wet'suwet'en land
First Movers: How Indigenous people in BC exercise their economic and political power will have massive implications
Indigenous Opposition MLA hopes hereditary chiefs and government find "middle ground"
West Block news magazine February 23, 2020
Wednesday, the Skeena MLA was once again in the spotlight in the Legislature as he took to the Question Period of that day to again make note of his concerns over foreign money being used towards interfering in the the affairs of the province, through increased actions against the British Columbia resource sector.
The back and forth between Mr. Ross and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth providing for a snapshot of the larger debate that has dominated the Legislature for much of the week.
Mr. Ross led off his Wednesday contribution to the theme with his question for the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
The Haisla Nation Chief and Council have been working hard for 15 years to bring an end to the social issues that plague not only our own band but bands all across B.C. and Canada. And we've been successful over the last 15 years.
Through hard work, we now have jobs. We have training programs. And we have taken the real first steps 15 years ago to break the cycle of poverty.
But now you see these groups, funded by American money, coming in and trying to tell my people that they're ignorant and don't know what's best for them.
So my question is to the Solicitor General. Will he join me and categorically reject this foreign money that is being used to keep our people from a secure future?
The Minister's reply indicates some of the exasperation that the Government side is finding from the current line of questions from the Opposition of late.
We completely reject foreign interference in the affairs of British Columbia, whether it be through money or otherwise.
I only wish that that side of the House had rejected the interference of foreign money in our economy for the 16 years when they sat on this side.
Whether it came through bank drafts, donations to sit next to leaders at fundraising dinners or in duffel bags into casinos.
Mr. Ross followed up with one additional question for the Minister.
So ... I'm sick and tired of these groups that have hijacked Aboriginal issues for their own self-interests and are creating tensions and adversity for First Nations in B.C. and Canada.
We know that the main organizer of the blockade at the Port of Vancouver is not even Canadian. She's an American. She moved here from the United States eight years ago.
So again, my question is to the Solicitor General. Will he join me and denounce this foreign funding of blockades and the people from these other countries that want to tell us how to live?
Minister Farnworth -- I thought that was the answer that I just gave the hon. member — that there is no place in this province or anywhere else in this country for outside interference.
I'll also remind the member that it was this side of the House that put limits on third-party donations — again, something that they did not do.
And I'll also remind him once again ... that I'm glad that after 16 years of doing nothing about big money in politics or how much you paid for a ticket to sit next to the leader or dirty money coming into the country in duffel bags, that they're concerned about that now, finally, too.
The exchange between the Minister and MLA can be reviewed from the video archive of Wednesday starting at the 2:10 PM mark.
The focus on out of country money, influence and activism on environmental issues was a theme picked up by the provincial medias this week, much of their narrative is a theme which Mr. Ross has been speaking towards for a number of years now.
A closer look at some of the key players in the Lower Mainland's Wet'suwet'en protests
Are foreign interests fomenting Indigenous dissent about Canada's resource development?
Stand.earth says BC Liberals undermine Indigenous Leadership with insinuations about foreign funding
The Skeena MLA himself addressed the theme with this editorial page contribution to the Times Colonist on Wednesday.
For more notes on the work of the Member for Skeena at the Legislature see our archive page here.
A wider overview of the provincial political scene can be explored through our political blog D'Arcy McGee and our Victoria Viewpoints archive.
Cross posted from the North Coast Review.
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