Thursday, November 20, 2008

BC Legislature Resumes Today

The BC Legislature resumed sitting today for an abbreviated fall session. The agenda is fairly straightforward. The world has changed significantly since the Legislature last met. In May, gas was 1.39/litre, the market was soaring and while the US economy was undergoing stresses, BC was still doing well. What a difference 5 months can make. The market has dropped over 6500 points since May. The crisis in the US is much more severe than anyone would have expected and the wheels are falling off the market forces that have driven our economy.

The reason for coming together is to approve legislation that the government hopes will help BC manage the current economic crisis. I spent about 90 minutes this morning listening to speeches. It's one of the few times that everyone agrees that there is a problem. One member spoke of the impact in his community and he drew the very important connection between job loss and community impact. Lost jobs mean lost coaches and volunteers. They mean lost families and neighbors and lost community leaders. He spoke with passion and emotion. I think every member cares about their constituents, but this man cares for those he serves and I think there's a big difference between the two.

The Legislature starts every day with prayer. The prayer this morning was particularly impressive as the member asked for wisdom in this difficult time. There are no easy answers to what we are facing and it is only through the wisdom of God that we will find a way out.

Today I'd like to direct you to our monthly prayer calender. Every day, we pray for a different MLA and over the next week, they will need our prayers more than ever before. You can download the monthly calendar or you can use the online option. Either way, take some time to remember those who serve as MLA's over the next week.

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