Saturday marks National Aboriginal Day and I would like to honour the many First Nations who are the foundation for our North Island.

While the House is no longer in session I have the opportunity to get around the constituency; a school visit in Port Alice, health care in Port McNeill and a celebration of 150 years of the work of Government Agents have been on the agenda this week.

But politically a couple of major issues have been playing out which have a huge impact on the North Island. Once again our ferry fares face a huge rise. The privatised company wants to put a 20 percent surcharge on the “minor” routes, which link our island communities, and 9 percent on the routes to the mainland.

This rise is going to impact everyone: people living in the small communities who use the ferry daily, and people on Vancouver Island who rely on goods transported by the ferries. It’ll make it much more expensive to take a school sports team to play on the mainland, or for a camping trip.

I’ve joined other coastal MLAs in writing to the Minister of Transportation asking him to step in and stop this latest gouging being done by BC Ferries.

The argument the company uses is the cost of fuel. But people who live on the islands don’t have an option to get to and from work, homes or school. The ferries are our marine highway and should be treated as such.

Meanwhile people are wary as they see the price of gas continue to rise. In July there will be another spike, because of the imposition of the gas tax. I fundamentally believe that we need to have a carbon tax; and I believe individuals have to have responsibility for their carbon footprint. But the tax brought in by the Campbell Liberals is a flat tax which does not address the real issue – and impacts everyone who relies on their vehicles.

That’s why the Official Opposition has launched an Axe the Tax campaign. We are asking people to sign on to it at http://www.bcndpcaucus.ca/en/node/2104

We have also launched our Climate Change Framework, which sets the stage for our approach to what is happening in BC and around the world. It includes a tough regime for cap and trade to keep down emissions, and the development of a sustainable, resilient economy and society.

The coming week sees me continuing to meet people in the constituency – and beyond. It includes a stop in Tahsis and a trip to Courtenay to mark Miners’ Memorial Day at Ginger Goodwin’s grave side.

I can always be reached at my Campbell River office on 287 5100 or Port McNeill at 1 866 387 5100, by email at claire.trevena.mlaleg.bc.ca. And I now have a website: www.clairetrevena.ca