July 4

Eighteen joined us for this ASK Salt Spring gathering welcoming MLA Rob Botterell and his Constituency Advocate Deborah Bowman. During his Land Acknowledgement, Rob spoke of the honour he felt in collaborating on the good work of restoring, preserving, and protecting the land we so love. Although we may never restore it to the richness of past years, he is glad to be one of many working with First Nations to repair and regenerate our lands. 

Rob is “excited and delighted” with his summer so far, one of travel, meeting constituents, sailing, and attending local summer fairs throughout the riding and province including the Pride parade in Victoria.  

Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform:

Rob spent quite a bit of this ASK Sat Spring time focusing on his work this summer as a committee member of the Special Committee on Democratic and Electoral Reform (SCDER) (https://www.leg.bc.ca/parliamentary-business/committees/43rdparliament-1stsession-dem). He started off by prefacing that these were wonderful and exciting times to be discussing electoral reform – made even more interesting by the clear and present example from the recent US election results of a “first past the post” system. 

The SCDER is a non-partisan initiative comprised of seven MLAs: four NDP, two Conservatives, and one Green (Rob). Rob commented that all committee members are working effectively to gather information and assess public input with an open mind and non-partisan view. 

The SCDER is currently preparing to hear in-person and video presentations as well as receive written submissions on what Rob expects to be a wide variety of topics concerning electoral reform. Themes he mentioned include voting age, increasing voter turnout, and Proportional Representation or PR, (https://www.fairvote.ca/what-is-proportional-representation/). Rob expects the presentations to be completed in July with a summary report to the SCDER expected in August. He explained that, while the  summary report will be helpful, he intends to personally review all the information presented and submitted in writing – including what he expects to be voluminous appendices in the written reports. 

During August and September, the SCDER will deliberate on the submissions. Their recommendations are expected to be released in November. Timing is critical so that any recommendations that have budgetary implications could still be considered as part of the 2026/27 provincial budget planning process. 

A long-time supporter and advocate for PR, Rob explained that he’s keeping an open mind concerning the recommendations of the SCDER and understands that presentations and submissions could change his perspective . When asked for a prediction about achieving PR in BC, he reminded the group that the test would be if both the SCDEF and government supported the recommendations and implementation. His prediction at this stage of the process is a possible 50/50 split that the Committee will recommend it. 

Rob was asked if it could be possible for BC to model New Zealand by testing PR for a limited period before asking voters to approve it. He noted that major changes in legislation have been made recently in BC without voter approval, so a trial period could be an option. 

As many know, British Columbia has held three failed PR referendums, most recently in 2018. While the reasons for rejection of PR are complex, one easy answer is that voters find it confusing and complicated. The last attempt, by Premier David Eby, who led the development of the referendum question as the Attorney General, put forward language in a series of questions that has been criticized as overly convoluted. Possibly allowing voters to experience PR in a few elections may be the best way to give the electorate the “test drive” needed before adopting or rejecting it. 

Clean BC Review

A representative of our local Salt Spring Community Energy (https://saltspringcommunityenergy.com/) group came to express his frustration and ask for Rob’s help with another of the committees on which he serves – the Clean BC review (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECS0019-000423). Seeking to submit local-based policy recommendations, so far, this group’s engagement has not been successful. While Rob has already presented their request to government, as a committee member, he reminded us that he is required to distance himself from processes, focusing, instead, on analysis and recommendations. 

Then Rob surprised the meeting attendees by pulling out his phone and calling staff who had been contacted earlier by Salt Spring Community Energy but had yet to respond. Handing over his phone to the constituent, the Community Energy volunteer left the room to have a conversation with the person responsible. Participants were impressed by Rob’s immediate, proactive effort to find an answer. As one said: “This is how government should work!” 

BC Ferries and Translink Scheduling:

An ASK Salt Spring participant spoke with passion about an unfortunate event when the bus to Tsawwassen got her to the terminal in time for the Long Harbour ferry but unfortunately just minutes after the 10-minute cutoff for ticket sales. She, as well as a few others, were refused a ticket to board even though this participant strongly maintained that loading has not even begun and there was plenty of time to walk to the boarding area. Rob understood, having experienced the disappointment of the 10-minute ticket sale cutoff. As he meets with BC Ferries CEO/President Nicholas Jimenez quarterly, he promised to speak to him, advocating improved scheduling, staff flexibility and kindness rather than strict adherence to rules. 

Additional School Tax on Properties Assessed over $3 Million.

A constituent spoke to Rob about his frustration over being charged the Additional School Tax (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/property-taxes/annual-property-tax/school-tax/additional-school-tax-rate). He explained that over many years his property, as is the case with many in BC, had skyrocketed in value but his discretionary income had remained the same. This year, he explained the Additional School Tax equaled the rest of this property tax, effectively doubling his tax bill. And, unlike a one-time luxury tax, this property tax is charged annually.  

The resident  said he has given up the fight over what he sees as an unfair tax but has refocused his fight to change what the province does with this tax. While it is called a school tax, this money ends up in general revenue. He is adamant that this money should be given to the communities in which it was collected.. 

Rob was intrigued, noting that the time may be right for a revision of our tax policy, especially considering our predicted multi-billion-dollar deficit. The constituent voiced his preference to focus on this single budget line – Additional School Tax – rather than undertaking a lengthy revision of our complicated tax policy. He maintained that communities would support directing these funds to the communities in which they were raised. Rob agreed to  seek more information about the possibility of redirecting  the additional funds generated from this tax and asked for more specific information from the participant. He also commented that the tax system in BC is extremely complex. 

Transportation and Road Maintenance

Our conversation shifted our roads. A participant suggested the Local Community Commission (LCC) obtain a License of Occupation for his rural road and turn it into a bike/pedestrian-only pathway. And, he questioned why there wasn’t a curb preventing drivers from making an illegal left hand turn off Lower Ganges Road onto Norton Road. 

It was suggested that closing a road to vehicles might be less likely to be considered but preventing drivers from making a dangerous left hand turn may be far easier to accomplish. This is likely to raised at the ASK Salt Spring gathering in the SIMS classroom on Friday, August 8, 11-1, when Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT) Area manager, Owen Page, and Emcon Operations Manager Andrew Gaetz will be special guests. 

There was a short debate about progress getting MoTT to make the road improvements on the island. While some ASK Salt Spring attendees felt that absolutely nothing was happening; others could point to considerable progress getting our requests implemented. All agreed, however, that changes do take time, sometimes too much time. Rob asked us to keep advocating, involving him when we have been stymied and need help at the ministerial level. 

Affordable Housing:

A participant spoke of our clearly documented need for affordable housing. He wondered why two lots, one owned by Country Grocer on Jackson Road and the other by Community Services on Brinkworthy Road next to the new firehall, were not getting the support needed from local government to move ahead building much needed housing. 

Focused on the Community Services property, the participant expressed frustration about what he described as barriers impeding progress, especially the absence of help by local government. He was reminded that the Community Services property in question carried additional complexities as part of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/agricultural-land-and-environment/agricultural-land-reserve/the-agricultural-land-reserve), and that  ALR land decisions were not in the hands of local government. The participant was given website information about how to proceed with an application to request removal of land from the ALR. 

Still maintaining that nothing was being done to address Salt Spring’s affordable housing shortage, the constituent was clear in his disappointment. Rob countered the criticism, saying that there was more effort on Salt Spring to move affordable housing projects forward than any other community in his riding and that he’s committed to bring our housing needs forward to the Minister of Housing. 

On that optimistic note, we bid Rob and Deborah farewell, appreciative of their hard work, willingness to take on even those huge and complex issues, cheerfulness in the face of challenges, unwillingness to take “NO” for an answer. . . and even making a phone call in the middle of our gathering to resolve an issue! (Thank-you Rob and Deborah!) 

Just in case you are interested. . . .This report has been written by Gayle Baker, founder of ASK Salt Spring, currently also a Salt Spring Local Community Commissioner. It has been reviewed and edited by Rob and his Team.