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South Okanagan Photos

MLA Larson drops in on Oliver council

 

By ROY WOOD

MLA Linda Larson dropped by town council on Tuesday to provide an “update.” The invitation came from Mayor Ron Hovanes, apparently on short notice, since her appearance wasn’t added to the committee of the whole agenda until Friday.

Larson, a former Oliver councillor and mayor, was greeted warmly by members of council. She conceded she wasn’t really sure what council was expecting, so she fell back on some of the talking points that will likely make their way into next spring’s provincial election campaign.

The Boundary-Similkameen Liberal member mentioned:

  • The BC Skills for Jobs Blueprint, designed to streamline the process of getting students from high school into non-academic job training and apprenticeships. She said some 58,000 people have gone through the Find Your Fit program, which aims to get students started in a suitable trade with less trial and error;
  • The Single Parent Employment Initiative, which funds training and work experience for single mothers and fathers who are receiving income or disability assistance. Some 2,500 people have managed to get off assistance programs as a result, she said;
  • Aboriginal youth has been the recipient of about $11 million as part of a program aimed at getting them into trades training and apprenticeships; and
  • Locally, she said, the province has provided more than $400,000 over the past two years in grants to community organizations over the past two years, she said.

Larson said the process of assessing the public input on the proposed national park for the South Okanagan continues apace.

Referring to the process begun last fall by Environment Minister Mary Polak, Larson said it was intended for “individuals who live here” to comment on the province’s proposal for a park. But, she said, people “from all over the world” made submissions.

Larson said the input from outside the area have been “put aside and acknowledged.” The next step is or the ministry to go back and talk to the locals. “First and foremost (is) to listen to the people who live here,” she said.

Larson has said she will seek re-election in the provincial scheduled for May 9, 2017.