Shane Simpson

For the jazz guitarist, see Shane Simpson (musician).

Libby Davies and Shane Simpson at the 2006 Canada Day celebrations in Hastings Park.

Shane Simpson is the current MLA for Vancouver-Hastings in the Canadian province of British Columbia. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly in the 2005 election.

He is a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party and serves as the official opposition critic for the environment.

Early life and career

Born and raised in East Vancouver, Shane has been active in his community for over 30 years. He led the fight to stop Lafarge from building a concrete batch plant beside New Brighton Park, a popular and historically significant park facing Burrard Inlet.

In his professional career, Shane has worked as the Director of Policy and Communications for Smart Growth BC, Chair of the Vancouver City Planning Commission, Instructor in the Community Economic Development program at Simon Fraser University, Executive Director of the Worker Ownership Resource Center, Legislative Coordinator for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, coordinator and fundraiser for the Ray Cam Cooperative Center, executive assistant to former Vancouver East MP Margaret Mitchell, and as a self-employed consultant on business and economic development for labour, co-operative and non-profit groups.

Shane was the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for his contribution to community in 2002. In 1992, he was awarded the Governor General's 125th Anniversary Commemorative Medal for Community Service.

He lives in East Vancouver with his wife and daughter.

Hansard Quotes

Child Poverty

"We know that for all the talk that we have in this province from this government about how well we're doing, we have the highest levels of child poverty of any jurisdiction in this country. We know that 25 percent of the children in this province live in poverty, and what we know about that is that children don't get poor by themselves.

Poor children are about poor families. That's the situation we face in British Columbia: an enormous number of families that are living in poverty and being ignored by the government. In my constituency that number is more like one in two rather than one in four, so it becomes an even more serious situation in my constituency." Hansard 2/15/07 Vol.14 No.3

Climate Change

"This is the government that didn't choose to adopt our position on a legislative committee on climate change. We have been told the science is done and now what's needed is the political will.

Well, if we're going to deal with these challenges and if political will is what we need, then we should be putting this issue in the hands of legislators — legislators who would hold public meetings on this issue and who would speak publicly with the experts, where the discussion would be on the record; legislators who would report back to this House, in an open and transparent way, on how to make an effective climate change plan work and who would be accountable to British Columbians.

Instead of this, we have the climate action team, I understand, which will be headed up by the Premier. It has no commitments to public process. It will all go on in the back room. I guess that's where Mr. Finlayson, who has raised serious concerns today about the plan and the 2016 levels on the oil and gas industry…. That's where those discussions will go on — in a back room with Mr. Finlayson or others, instead of in a public forum that a legislative committee would afford us." Hansard 2/15/07 Vol.14 No.3

Coal

"The Flathead Valley in the East Kootenays is a critical environmental area in our province and has been designated for its world heritage value. There are great concerns surrounding the future of the valley and the Flathead River regarding water quality, habitat and species at risk, including the fishery. These concerns are raised by many in the Kootenays…The concerns are raised by many in the Kootenays as well as Alberta officials and Montana's Governor, whose state shares the valley and the river and has protected it on their side of the border. This concern is driven by the government's support for the Cline Mining Corp.'s application for an open-pit coalmine.

My question is to the Minister of Environment. Why has the minister ignored the wishes of the people of the Kootenays, as well as the Montana Governor, and refused to declare the Flathead Valley a protected area?” Hansard 3/29/07 Vol.17 No.7

“If we have an open door on the burning of coal in industry, then we will be adding millions and millions of new CO2 emissions in this province.” Hansard 5/28/07 Vol. 21 No.7

Drinking water

"In British Columbia we have a relative abundance of clean, quality drinking water when compared to many places in the world. However, it would be a grave error for us to become complacent about our situation or smug about the future of water in our province.

Scientists are telling us today that one of the negative impacts of climate change we can expect is the availability and quality of our water. These warnings come from scientists in our own province and from around the world. The international Panel on Climate Change states in their report: "Warming in western mountains is projected to cause decreased snowpack, more winter flooding and reduced summer flows, exacerbating competition for overallocated water resources.

One of the concerns that we need to pay particular attention to is the state of our glacier system. We are seeing our glaciers across the province at their lowest points in thousands of years. The potential for droughts is growing, and the risk of toxicity is greater than ever before.” Hansard 5/10/07 Vol.20 No.7

Urban Aboriginal Communities

“When I speak to the people in my community — the first nations people and leaders in my community — they talk about the desperate needs of people in that community that are not being met and that this government is not responding to the needs of those urban aboriginal communities." Hansard 2/15/07 Vol.14 No.3

External links

http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/38thParl/simpsons.htm

http://www.bcndpcaucus.ca/en/mla/shane_simpson