Even though the Government has added an extra week to the fixed calendar that we are working on in Victoria these days, the days are filled and debate seems to be cut short.

As I mentioned last week, the Government is trying to push through its legislation and even if we have not finished debate by the end of the session it will invoke closure – effectively passing bills without debate.

The legislation we face is important, complex and deserves full debate. It also deserves the close scrutiny that the committee process can provide for it. I raised these issues when discussing Bill 31, the Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Emissions Standards) Statutes Amendment Act . The Act is once again a piece of enabling legislation – so the details aren’t there, and we have to trust that the government will set targets and standards that are rigorous.

It is also a very detailed piece of legislation which puts some of the pillars of the government’s energy plan into place. It includes changes to the forest tenure system (to allow wood to be harvested for large scale energy production) but does not mention eliminating flaring at oil and gas–producing wells – promised in the plan.

Time was also limited when we got the opportunity to discuss the government’s decision to create five new universities, at a time when there was a cut to funding post secondary institutions. I was able to raise my concerns that these cuts are going to impact access to education for many people in the North Island.

It was a sad day last week when the Timberwest mill shut down; no-one who has passed the gate with the hard hats outside can forget that these are people with families who have been laid off, as a result of government policy. And its inaction over the forest crisis was central to question period with both Opposition leader, Carole James, and our forestry critic Bob Simpson, calling on the forest minister to resign.

I was able to raise an issue of serious concern to many in the north island – the impact of doctor shortages on remote communities – during question period. The minister of health had no answer which is going to help resolve the situation in the short term and asks us all to put our trust in the Vancouver Island Health Authority finding answers. I will continue to question the minister to try to get a commitment to health care for everyone in the constituency.

I had the chance to delve into my critic area in a bit more depth this week, with the estimates debate with the ministry of children and family development. I was able to ask the Minister of State for Child Care about pay for early childhood educators, and question the reality of the spaces she says she is creating.

Questions of child care, child safety and child poverty were also raised in the session on Monday morning when we have the opportunity to debate private members motions.

I was also able to lead discussion on a motion, calling on the coroner to report annually on all deaths where domestic violence was suspected. This would allow for “lessons learned” to be assessed.

And I took the message of domestic violence into the Legislature again with a description of Campbell River’s Necklace Project.

Finally, I am now a member of the Public Accounts committee, at which we are able to examine reports produced by the Auditor General. We met this week to look at the report on Literacy in the province. Among the jurisdictions examined was School District 72 and North Island College. The debate was wide ranging – from outreach to immigrants to access to workers. I asked for some clarification on the definitions being used, and the approaches being taken for early learning.

Like all MLAs I had expected to be in the constituency the week after Victoria Day, but now will be back in Victoria. You can always contact my office on 250 287 5100 or 1 877 387 5100, or reach me by email at claire.trevena.mlaleg.bc.ca. I am always happy to hear people’s concerns and issues.