Northern Beat Weekly 3
Tariffs, sweeping powers, involuntary care and moo-ing in the NE
Why, hello there!
Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs — the news continues to be dominated by the back and forth, up and down, roller coaster ride of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs on Canadian goods. Premier David Eby responded in several ways this week, from banning American liquor (telling Trump his can keep his country’s “watery beer”) to introducing extraordinary new legislation that will let him bypass the legislature for two years under the auspicious of responding to Trump’s threats to the economy.
As if that wasn’t enough, we had developments on involuntary care, the carbon tax, and more. Busy times make for a busy Northern Beat newsletter this week — hope you enjoy!
- Rob Shaw
Northern Beat Roundup
Q & A: Involuntary care with Dr. Daniel Vigo
During last fall’s provincial election, Premier David Eby promised voters his government would implement mandatory care for British Columbians unable to care for themselves due to severe brain injury, mental illness and addictions. This week the man tasked by Eby to figure out how to implement that care released guidance for clinicians. The results may not be quite what voters imagined as ‘involuntary care.’
Dr. Daniel Vigo, BC’s chief scientific advisor on psychiatry graciously sat down with Northern Beat for 30 minutes (before racing for his flight) to explain how involuntary care will be applied and who it will help.
Cattle ranchers urge BC govt to reconsider wind farm exemption
The winds of change are not always positive, say B.C. cattle ranchers and guide outfitters, who are unhappy with the province’s decision to let wind and solar farms skip environmental assessments. The groups are worried the projects will upset grazing land, spook their cows and alter local water tables. They’d like a meeting with Energy Minister Adrian Dix, but he’s full steam ahead on the issue, with no signs of slowing down.
UnCorked: Back when the NDP ‘actually gave a sh–’
Longtime New Democrat Corky Evans says the BC NDP has forgotten how rural British Columbia makes a living and is paying the price at the polls. Evans, a former NDP cabinet minister, says the party now prioritizes urban voices over those in small communities, and consequently has lost the plot it used to hold in the 1990s and 2000s to support workers outside of Metro Vancouver. “The NDP in those days actually gave a shit about how people live,” he told the Northern Beat’s Jeff Davies, in a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation.
The Legislature
Wartime Tariff Powers
It was supposed to be “enabling legislation” to permit Premier Eby’s plan to tax supply trucks en route to Alaska, as well as lower interprovincial trade barriers, but the moment his latest tariff bill hit the floor of the legislature Thursday it was clear the province had arrived at an extraordinary moment. The legislation would actually give Eby and his cabinet sweeping, unprecedented powers to change laws, impose financial measures and gather people’s sensitive personal data, all without approval of the legislature over the next two years.
New Democrats say it's necessary to give cabinet the nimble authority to respond quickly to Donald Trump and protect the economy. Critics say it’s a massive power grab, just five months after voters almost rejected another NDP majority government. “In 41 years of covering B.C. governments, I’ve not seen a legislation as arbitrary and far-reaching this side of the federal War Measures Act,” wrote veteran Vancouver Sun columnist Vaughn Palmer.
Involuntary Care
After an election in which involuntary care of people with severe addictions became a dominant issue, all eyes were on Premier Eby’s top advisor, Dr. Daniel Vigo, to figure out the path forward. Vigo this week released an 11-page guidance document for physicians on how to use the existing Mental Health Act, clarifying that while a person cannot be involuntarily treated for drug addiction, they can be involuntarily admitted to stabilize a person with brain damage, psychosis or mental health issues that severely interfere with their neuro-cognitive abilities or make them a danger to themselves or others.
Also this week, BC Conservative Elenore Sturko introduced a private members bill to ensure family members are involved in the care of their loved ones in crisis. The Mental Health Amendment Act 2025 aims to improve communications between close relatives and health care providers when person is brought to hospital in a mental health crises and upon their release if they’ve been certified under the Mental Health Act, said Sturko, reducing the risk of suicide, self-harm and assist public safety.
Crumbling Carbon Tax
Newly installed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first act in office Friday was to repeal the federal consumer carbon tax, following through on a leadership campaign promise. Immediately, Premier Eby issued a statement saying the province will follow suit, tabling legislation this spring to scrap the provincial version of the tax and block any increase set for April 1.
“The carbon tax has been an important tool in British Columbia,” he said. “For over a decade and a half, a price on pollution has been an effective part of our efforts to tackle climate change. However, with cost-of-living pressures facing households and the imminent removal of federal carbon pricing, there is no longer support for the measures.
The industrial portion of the carbon tax, which in BC is emissions-based, will remain, said Eby. It’s unclear how the province will make up the lost $3 billion in carbon tax revenue, during a year with a record $11 billion deficit projection.
Chinese Tariffs
The three dissident MLAs who broke from the BC Conservative party spent most of the week in quiet isolation, outside of a Monday morning press conference in which they defended their decision and called Conservative leader John Rustad a bully and a coward. For most of the rest of the week they were silent, and at times completely absent from votes in the legislature. However, Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream MLA Tara Armstrong did make her question period debut, highlighting the Chinese government’s imposition of 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian farm and seafood imports.
“The Premier took U.S. liquor off the shelf but for some reason has not touched all the tea in China,” said Armstrong. “Will the Premier stop capitulating to the communists and remove CCP from the shelves as well?”
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, who chairs the cabinet committee on tariff responses, rejected the idea. “Of course, China is going to see an advantage in this,” he said. “Now China is weighing into this, as well, and we are in the middle.” Kahlon said BC supports a coordinated federal response to China.
NDP-Green Deal
Despite not needing the votes, now that three MLAs have splintered off from the BC Conservatives, the BC NDP followed through in signing a final confidence and supply agreement with the BC Green caucus. The deal is virtually identical to a preliminary one signed earlier this year, except for the addition of promised consultation with the Greens on government tariff measures, as well as the inclusion of Elections BC’s performance as part of an all-party legislative committee struck to examine democratic reform.
Elections BC came under fire in the October provincial election for missing ballot boxes, miscounted votes and other procedures problems.
Rural Reads from Around the Web
Fort St. John attack was ransomware
The City of Fort St. John says a recent cyberattack was actually a ransomware attack, but that the local government did not pay the attackers for the return of any information. [CJDC TV]
BC Conservatives demand allegiance from independents
BC Conservative officials are apparently demanding party members and volunteers choose a side in the fallout with Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy. The party sent notice to Conservatives saying that if they choose to stay with Kealy, who left to become an independent, then they are no longer members of the Conservative party, with a deadline to choose where their allegiances lie. [EnergeticCity]
Northern Health ERs have 42 per cent nursing vacancy rate
Northern Health officials say they are working to address high vacancy rates for nurses in hospitals, that can lead to ER closures. [EnergeticCity]
Meanwhile, in Interior Health, the Lillooet ER closed for the third time so far this year. [CFJC]
Conservatives propose to scrub time change
Opposition leader John Rustad tables a bill to end the twice-annual time change.. [CKPG]
Bonus
Quotes of the Week:
“Cattle will not stand under windmills, what do cattle know that this premier doesn’t? - Opposition BC Conservative agriculture critic Ian Paton, March 12, 2025.
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“If the president is so interested in Canadian water, then we're gonna help him out by letting him keep his watery beer." - Premier David Eby, March 10, banning American liquor from BC government store shelves.
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“Mr. Kealy is now sitting as an independent after three short weeks in the legislature, which is amazing. He probably doesn't even know where the washrooms are in the building.” - Former Peace River North MLA Dan Davies, CBC Radio West, March 11.
Political Calendar:
● March 14-30: BC Legislature spring break.
Closing
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