On June 3, the legislative session came to a close. Over the course of four months, the BC Liberals shut down debate not once, but twice, to ram through two items that fundamentally change the way we do business in the province.

First, it was Bill 9, the legislation that paves the way for the HST. According to long-standing parliamentary conventions, the public’s representatives had the right to debate this bill in its entirety. That would have meant over 1,000 hours of debate to make sure there was public scrutiny over every aspect of the BC Liberals’ proposal to change our sales tax system. Too long, said the BC Liberals and they used an old rule to ram through Bill 9.

The second time the BC Liberal government decided to shut down debate was over Bill 17, eco-flirtatiously dubbed the “Clean Energy Act.” While the title sounds promising, the content isn’t. As an environmentalist, I am committed to sustainability, which includes a triple bottom line of ecological integrity, economic stability and social responsibility. Yet this bill just doesn’t deliver. Instead it sells our resources to the highest bidder — like the multinational corporations GE or Dupont, whose subsidiaries want to make profits by damming B.C. creeks. This act further takes away any protections for us, the public. This isn’t good for the environment or our communities. For details, head to my website, www.michellemungall.com.

Although shutting down debate is pretty awful, there are some good things coming from the legislature. My colleague Bill Routely from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island successfully made an amendment to Bill 21, the Forestry Service Providers Protection Act. This will protect forestry workers should a company go bankrupt. I, too, was able to ask several questions of the government on behalf of people in our community and from around the province. While I often don’t get answers, I am happy to say that I had some success for students in the form of a universal bus pass for all metro Vancouver students. This will pay dividends in terms of reducing our provincial impact on climate change.

Now that MLAs are out of the legislature, BC NDP MLAs will be on the road with Our Province Our Future. Go to www.ourprovinceourfuture.bc.ca to join the NDP’s provincewide conversation about a green economy in B.C. We kicked off the exchange of ideas last April at the leader’s summit in Vancouver. Keep your eyes peeled for when we’re in the Kootenays, but don’t hesitate to get involved now with the online discussions.

Closer to home, I will be in Yahk on July 5, where local seniors will put my bocce ball skills to the test. Join us for the fun from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Yahk-Kingsgate Community Hall.

Finally, I want to salute the 2010 Prince Charles Secondary School grad class. It was my honour to shake your hands as you received your diplomas. As you step out into your future, always remember that the Creston Valley is your home, and that this Valley supports you as you endeavour to achieve your very best.

Michelle Mungall is the member of the legislative assembly for the Nelson-Creston provincial riding.