The Government is only sitting until the end of the day Thursday before the summer break, so you can expect them to speed through the bills including Bill 46 which brings back IRPs for Fail and Bill 52 which takes away your right to a trial and all of your Charter rights with respect to traffic tickets.
Sneaky ones that they are, the Government introduced these bills with less than 3 weeks left in the legislative session along with about 10 other stinky bills. This is the Stephen Harper Federal Conservative method of introducing legislation — dump a truckload of legislative changes at the same time so none can be properly considered (or even read) and none are properly publicly debated. Then force them through in a very short period of time.
Bearing in mind the BCLiberals desperate attempt to adopt Harper’s strategy by way of hiring his advisers and copying his tactics letter for letter, this should be expected.
Also to be expected is that the NDP will put up very little opposition. They know that all they need to do is sit quietly and avoid controversy. In a year they expect to be the new Government, despite all of the good news announcements by our Premier such as a new holiday.
Does this sound like a Government with good ideas that it wants to debate and promote, or a Government that wants to fool and deceive? What would you expect?
Eric Magraken is one of the few who pointed out that all of these major changes designed to undermine and get around the courts and the justice system are being rammed though months before the report is tendered by Geoffrey Cowper, K.C. who was hired by the Government to look into the justice system and make suggestions.
Here are some news reports on the process:
Justice reform reviewer has a credibility problem
The BC Government Upended, Undercut & Undermined its Own Review Process
Small-claims changes cumbersome, unfair
As far as we’re concerned, when Vilardell v. Dunham was rendered, the Justice Minister should have been forced out, resigned or been fired and all of the legislation introduced in her name should have been pulled. However, part of the Stephen Harper Federal Conservative method of governing is to deny that there is a problem particularly when it is a serious problem, such as lying to voters about where to vote. Or buying the wrong fighter jets.
So this week we can expect the expected. And if you want to see how the BC Government will behave over the next year, you can expect them to copy as closely as possible Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, i.e. employing deception, dirty tricks and denial.
You can follow the progress of the bills here: Progress of BC Bills
Bill 46 bringing back the Fail IRP scheme is here.
Bill 52 eliminating traffic court, the Charter etc. is here.
Bill 44 creating a tribunal to deny your right to trial in small claims is here.