McIntyre taking lead on corridor issues, asks for patience on financial tools, boundary expansion
Its been four months since Joan McIntyre took over the reigns from Ted Nebbeling as MLA for the West Vancouver-Garibaldi riding, and shes been loving every minute of it.
While other MLAs took time off after a long and difficult campaign, McIntyre has been busy meeting local governments, attending events in her riding, and taking on whatever roles she could in the Liberal caucus and government subcommittees.
A rookie in the Legislature, McIntyre was not tapped for a cabinet position, as many had thought, but she has been given an unusual amount of responsibility for a first-year MLA. Shes currently on two out of three new cabinet committees Agenda Development (along with Premier Gordon Campbell, Bill Bennett, Shirley Bond, Rich Coleman, Michael de Jong, Colin Hansen and Carole Taylor), and Legislative Review (with Tom Christensen, Michael de Jong, Randy Hawes, Sindy Hawkins, Gordon Hogg, Blair Lekstrom, Barry Penner and Wally Oppal).
With positions on both committees McIntyre will help to set the agenda for cabinet and government, as well as review any new legislation or amendments before they are introduced into the House. In addition, McIntyre is on the select standing committee for public accounts, which is a huge commitment, as well as the committee for aboriginal affairs.
Although these new posts come with a lot of responsibility, McIntyre is adamant that her first responsibility is to her constituents, and believes there is no riding in the province as exciting right now as the Sea to Sky corridor in terms of development and opportunity.
Pique talked to Joan McIntyre last week about financial tools and the boundary expansion for Whistler, regional transit, and other Sea to Sky issues.
Pique: Its only been a few months now since you were elected, and a lot of MLAs went on holidays for most of the summer, but it seems like you were busy the whole time. How are things going?
Joan McIntyre: Overall, its a very satisfying job. There are so many issues in the corridor, as you can imagine, so Ive been very busy catching up. Its been very demanding on my level because there are a number of communities interests Im still trying to still learn about to represent those interests to my colleagues so we can try to resolve some of those problems.
But that said, its also so stimulating and challenging, and with the variety of issues its been just overwhelming and well, I cant think of a better adjective right now.
Pique: Would you say youre up to speed with a lot of the issues in the corridor?
JM: I actually would, but in the same breath Ive put a lot of work and effort into it, and Im really developing some very good relationships with some of the elected officials in the corridor and I think a lot of that was consolidated at the UBCM this week.
I was privileged to sit in on the meetings the municipalities have an opportunity to have sidebar meetings with (cabinet) ministers during the course of the convention, and I was asked to sit in. I had several meetings with Bowen Island representatives, with Lions Bay, with Squamish, with SLRD, with Whistler in fact I sat in on quite a few meetings with Whistler, about five, with the Whistler delegation and with Pemberton. I probably had about 25 meetings through the three days.
Its a lot, but it was great because I was able to help local delegations to make their case, and help to round out the points they were making to the ministers.
Pique: Are there a lot of areas where local governments are allied in looking for assistance from the provincial government, or do we all have our own issues?
JM: Well some (municipal issues) are particular, because the communities are at different stages of development and some of it has to do with infrastructure, but I can say to you this morning I was at the Prime Ministers speech and he indicated that there was a commitment from John Godfrey, his Infrastructure Minister, to extend the federal-B.C. infrastructure program. The UBCM has really been lobbying for that, and it seems to have worked because they are talking about launching the next phase of that program. So there was a big cheer from the audience there.
The other nice thing is that Godfrey was out here just a couple of days ago to give us $38-plus million on the first installment of the federal gas tax.
Pique: Obviously that gas tax money was targeted for transportation initiatives. Were you aware that Pemberton, Squamish and Whistler are proposing the creation of a regional transit authority to oversee public transportation throughout the corridor?
JM: I know all about it and Ive been very supportive of it. I think some of the dollars are going to go for that very cause. It seems that would be a reasonable place to put those monies.
Pique: We also have to get approval from B.C. Transit, and theyll have to give funding or change laws to make it possible, but theres also the issue of local governments looking to impose another three cent tax on gasoline sold in the corridor to pay for transit, like they do it Vancouver. Is that something that would be possible in the corridor?
JM: Im not sure about that, a new gas tax, Im not sure I would be willing to make any kind of commitment to that at all in my position, thats more of an issue for the Ministry of Transportation but Ive certainly been supportive of the program, the trial was very successful, and I have at least met with the minister to speak about it, to get it on Minister Falcons radar screen. I told him it was very important for the corridor, especially for those who have to commute. All I can say is that were working towards that, and Im certainly going to be an advocate for it, but Im not in a position to make any commitments regarding a new tax. Im just happy weve finally got that (gas tax) cheque in the bank.
Pique: Are there other examples of issues that cross over different municipalities?
JM: I think Crown land is a big issue, on Bowen Island, for one, theyre looking for protection for their watershed, so certainly Crown land and water use and land use are issues that are important up and down the corridor although Independent Power Projects didnt come up at the UBCM, which is strange.
With Whistler, the issue of financial tools was raised at several of the meetings, including a meeting between the Whistler representatives and the Finance Minister and Revenue Ministers, Carole Taylor and Rick Thorpe, and that was definitely high on the agenda.
Pique: Is the whole concept (of financial tools) moving along in any shape or form?
JM: I think it is. What Id like to say on that subject, and I heard this from the Finance Minister, is that it is on the agenda, they recognize the importance of the issue to Whistler and other resort municipalities as theyre growing, but the best thing to say right now is that its complicated, its more complicated than it might appear. The solutions are not immediately evident, theres some obstacles, but theyre definitely looking at some alternatives. And I think what (the ministries) are probably asking right now is for municipalities to be fairly open as to how this unfolds, and to know theyre offering a dialogue on this subject they want some back and forth on it, and I believe Whistler definitely has an opportunity to be a leader here. I know Whistler, under (former administrator) Jim Godfrey has been a member of a resort collaborative, looking at all this and working to develop a strategy for the province.
But to be honest I think that will go to a different level now that we have a new finance minister, a different set of books, Rick Thorpe is the minister responsible for revenue
Pique: And the province is pulling out of its economic doldrums a bit?
JM: Exactly, and we now have a minister for tourism and for resort development. I know theres some impatience to get on with this, weve talked about (financial tools) for years now, but I dont want people to feel were evading our responsibility on it. I want to assure you that the government recognizes the importance of it and that it is high on the agenda.
One of the things thats quite interesting to come out of this is that Whistler has been invited to help with some steps leading to a resolution of some of this. Were even now looking at the definition of a resort, and what is a resort community. As you can imagine resort communities all over the province all have tourism components to them or are focusing on tourism. In a way we have to go back to some initial steps what does it all look like because any decision made for Whistler will be applied or needs to be looked at for other resorts around the province.
Its working its way through the system. Im not aware of any formal working group, but I think Whistler raising it at the UBCM and these meetings helps to reinforce the importance of the issue and thats helping to kickstart the dialogue.
Pique: Another thing that Whistler is looking for is the boundary expansion, and more control of what goes on outside current boundaries theres already a few applications to build developments just outside town and its becoming a larger issue here.
JM: I dont think it came up at any of the meetings I attended, but I know its an ongoing issue. I know, also, its been an initiative of Whistler for a while, I guess leading up to the Olympic bid, and will continue to be leading up to 2010.
Thats a decision to be made by Minister Ida Chong, Minister for Community Services. It falls under her jurisdiction and it is being looked at. Im not sure what stage its at but they will look at the SLRDs decisions on (the proposed developments) which I believe was an 8 to 1 decision against Whistler, for the northern boundary.
So the Minister, she looks at different inputs, and that is definitely something she has to take into account.
Pique: But Whistler will definitely see a boundary expansion, its just the details that are up for discussion at this point?
JM: These are ongoing discussions, but I can say it is Minister Chongs decision, shell be getting recommendations and looking at all the various factors.
Pique: Did the issue of the Paralympic arena come up at all in the UBCM discussions?
JM: Strangely enough it didnt. It wasnt a major issue there, and I know those discussions are ongoing but its Whistlers decision, it was designed to be at Whistler and there was an extension for Whistler to make that decision. Until we have that decision, theres nothing we can do.
Pique: Does cabinet have a position on the arena, or is it their position that its Whistlers decision?
JM: I cant speak for the other ministers on that, but it is my understanding that its up to Whistler to let its feelings be known. It was designed for Whistler, and everyone is on pins and needles waiting to see what Whistler finally recommends. I know Squamish is anxiously waiting to see what Whistlers decision is, theyve done a lot of work on this behind the scenes to see if they can do it, and they are looking to host a junior hockey team which is important, because we want a legacy and want something thats operationally functional and can be supported by the community afterwards.
My bottom line on this is that it stays in the corridor, in Squamish or even Pemberton if Whistler decides its not in their best interest to build the arena.
Pique: How big are the Olympics on the government agenda? Is it a major issue, or is it something thats going on on the sidelines?
JM: Its a major focus because its on a timeline; there is no extension. Were on a very fixed timeline and budget, were trying to deal with issues like construction costs and other logistics.
I think, and certainly in my riding, a lot of the decisions that were making today are related (to the Olympics), like details of the highway expansion. So much going on in the corridor is being dictated by the Games, we have to have venues ready, accommodations ready. Even West Vancouver is involved, because we have to look at how were going to get all those buses up the highway to Sea to Sky. For the communities Im dealing with, (the Olympics) loom large, it touches on almost every single issue and plan.
And in the rest of the province as well, because the Premier has made a commitment that all communities and regions will benefit.
The LegaciesNow project is huge theyve been entrusted with a lot of funding, and other communities are benefiting from that. Theres sports funding, funding for culture, theyre working on a program for literacy, and theres ActNow, which is an activity and fitness legacy.
We are the first games to put so much emphasis on legacies, and the fact that weve already started now, more than five years leading up to the Games is a huge initiative for this government.
I think for the whole orientation of our government, our Five Goals for a Decade, (the Olympics) are definitely guiding our agenda. And our agenda is a social agenda, were definitely talking about education, health, the environment, sustainability.
Pique: I know Premier Campbell called on the Tourism Industry to double revenues by 2015
JM: I think it was 2017.
Pique: Has there been any movement there? I know government has doubled Tourism B.C.s operating budget, theyre supporting resort development are there any other initiatives being considered? Is there more to come?
JM: I think there probably will be but the fact that that a whole ministry has been created for tourism, sport and culture I think speaks for itself. And the ministers mandate is exactly what you said, to double revenues for 2017.
(The Ministry for Tourism, Sports and the Arts) is just getting funded now, so I think youll see (Minister Olga Ilich) working on some new programs in the future.
Pique: You seem to have taken on a lot of responsibilities on various committees, how is that going?
JM: With my corridor hopping right now, and all of my committee responsibilities, I feel Im being given a real opportunity to make a significant contribution, so of course Im very thrilled.
I think really, overall, Im loving the job. Its more exciting and stimulating that I ever imagined, I love the relationships Ive been building in the corridor. Ive been working hard getting to events, and meeting with groups like non-profit groups, officials, and business leaders, and I know my constituency assistants are working hard, but were actually resolving issues and helping individuals and communities.
Its a wonderful opportunity to serve and be able to make a difference to people. Im also very energized now that were getting beyond the issues and starting to move an agenda forward.