This pamphlet gives
but a small taste of the Green Party of BC’s “Green Book”, described in the
Times Colonist as the most comprehensive platform of all the parties during the
2001 election campaign.
UVic Greens members
had never felt excited reading the platform of a party before. We’re sure you’ll find this sampling as
refreshing as we did!
Democracy
· Mixed proportional representation:
o one person, one vote—a vote that counts!
o no more picking a party you don’t like to avoid one you hate.
· Strictly limit secret “Orders in Council”.
· Eliminate corporate, union and special interest “influence peddling”.
First Nations
· Reconciliation with and self-government for First Nations.
· Stop demanding extinguishment of First Nations titles; establish distinct process agreeable to each First Nation.
Accountable Government
· Independent agency to determine salaries of elected officials.
· Strengthen/streamline Freedom of Information—gov’t transparency.
Sensible Budgeting
· Triple bottom line accounting (economic, social and environmental costs), for long-term fiscal health.
· See Green Book for more!
Forestry
· Put small players on level playing field with big corporations.
· Prohibit export of raw logs.
· Reduce annual allowable cut to government’s own calculation of sustainable rate.
· Incentives to small, labour-intensive ecoforestry companies.
· Help fund economic transition & worker retraining strategies by ending corporate subsidies.
Fisheries
· First priority to small-scale local fishers.
· Phase out open ocean fish farms.
Agriculture/Food Security
· Incentive for domestic purchase of BC grown produce.
· Ban import of GMO’s; incentives to move towards organic agriculture.
· Expand animal cruelty laws to cover all farming practices and farm animals.
· Enact Food Information Act requiring information on all ingredients and processing methods.
Energy and Mining
· Stop deregulation: citizens have paid a high price for public energy, and should reap the benefits.
· 100% of new energy demand in BC met through green sources.
· Tax rebates for residential energy conservation measures.
· Phase out coal mining and use of coal as an energy source.
· Moratorium on offshore drilling and petroleum exploration.
· Recognize that international Kyoto commitments supersede international trade agreements.
Advanced Technology
· Reduce taxes on environmentally sound advanced technology businesses to attract advanced technology firms to BC.
· Make BC a world leader in eco-technologies.
Tourism
· Expand land and marine protected areas.
· Identify areas of BC appropriate for further tourism activities, and protect sensitive wildlife areas from over-use.
Health
· Holistic health care (including alternative and preventative care).
· More teamwork between broad range of certified health care professionals.
· Increase number of addiction rehabilitation and treatment beds.
Education
· Free tuition contingent on performance & 5 year BC residency after graduation.
· Increase post-secondary student spaces in high opportunity occupations.
· Increase funding to public schools 10%.
· Ban corporate funding, advertising and privatization of services in schools.
Workers
· Require phase-in of pay equity.
· Index minimum wage to inflation.
· Promote worker-owned businesses and democratic rights for workers in other businesses.
· Extend protections of BC Labour Code and Employment Standards Act to all workers.
Housing
· Support development of new, affordable non-profit housing; provide tax incentives for creation of rental housing.
· Assist tenants in owning their buildings.
· Stronger new building warranty program for multiple family dwellings.
Transportation
· Promote “Smart Growth” (shops, services, homes developed within walking distance).
· Tax-shift to promote use of green transportation; revenues to provide flexible, smaller-scale forms of transit.
· Ferries: See Green Book!
Environment
· Protect watersheds from logging, road building, chemicals, etc.
· Ban dumping of untreated sewage waste.
· Phase out chlorination systems, and ban chlorine in pulp bleaching production.
· Ban use of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pesticides and herbicides in BC.
· Ban use of leg-hold traps.
· Etc., etc., etc. See Green Book!
Quality of Life
· Work to create Guaranteed Annual Income program (far cheaper than the current welfare system, no undignified scrutiny of individuals’ needs).
· Incentives to work, allowing GLI recipients to keep 100% of wages, up to poverty line.
· Universally accessible, affordable childcare and after school care.
Disabilities and Mental Health
· Right to ongoing extended medical benefits for disabled persons.
· Services to people with disabilities based on “social model”, not “medical model”.
· Adequate housing, income and support for non-institutionalized mental health patients.
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
· Enshrine right of British Columbians to clean air and water, safe food, safe and affordable housing, universal health care and due legal process.
· Establish independent investigatory agency for the purpose of reviewing complaints against the police and private security companies.
· Establish regulatory framework for small independent marijuana growers, and for sale to adults for medical or personal use through licensed distribution outlets.
Protecting the Public Interest
· Enact Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) legislation.
· End court injunctions by companies against peaceful civil disobedience (which applies criminal sanction without the protections of the criminal code!)
We hope you have
enjoyed this summary of the Green Paryt of BC’s platform. Once again, to read more about it, be sure to
visit the “Green Book”
online. If you have any questions, feel
free to e-mail us as well.
Hopefully, we’ll see you out sometime at one of our events
or meetings!
From all of us at UVic
Greens.