Premier David Eby’s authoritarian Bill 7 was publicly denounced by two former B.C. premiers – Ujjal Dosanjh of the NDP and Gordon Campbell of the BC Liberals – as well as two legal advocacy foundations, dozens of pundits, and, of course, myself and all of my BC Conservative colleagues.
The pressure made the premier back down, somewhat.
As it was originally written, Bill 7, the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act, granted the premier and his cabinet the ability to flout our parliamentary traditions in the name of an economic “emergency.” Debate and votes in the legislature would have been bypassed until May 2027 or longer, as Eby claimed he needed extraordinary powers to respond to tariff threats.
But the citizens of B.C. mobilized. So many of you signed the petition to stop Bill 7. You wrote letters to my office and shared posts on social media. You spoke out, and Eby was forced to retreat on the section of the bill giving him extraordinary powers.
I thank you and applaud you for your engagement.
However, this may only be a temporary, minor retreat.
Eby stated he wants to “retool” Bill 7 and re-introduce the section where he grants himself and his cabinet more power, even though British Columbians made it very clear there is no public appetite for such measures.
I still have many fears regarding this government's desire for these excessive powers. Bills, regulations, and directives must be duly debated.
Worryingly, Bill 7 still includes a provision for tolls. And it’s not just about tolls levied against American trucks driving through BC to enter Alaska. There is nothing in Bill 7 that precludes British Columbians from being charged tolls.
If a B.C. resident wants to visit a friend in Seattle, Washington, or a family member in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – will they be punished financially for taking roads near the border, because the government wants to discourage U.S. travel?
Under Bill 7, the government would be empowered to track vehicular movement, collect the mobility information of citizens, and share that information. Who would the data be shared with, and why? These are the kinds of questions my constituents and I have, but the premier isn’t exactly being forthcoming or transparent about this bill and its provision for tolls.
We in the official opposition support interprovincial free trade. In fact, a bill allowing for free trade across provinces was first introduced by Conservative Party of BC leader John Rustad – and it’s true that this is an element of Bill 7.
But Canada-wide free trade and labour mobility shouldn't have to come along with the potential for tolls, personal privacy violations, and authoritarian measures.
That’s why I believe Bill 7 must be stopped in its entirety.
