As your MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, I am grateful for the trust given to me since I was first elected in 2013. It is truly an honour to represent this beautiful place that has always been home to me. I was born and raised here, attended public school here (graduated from Oak Bay High in 1979) and completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria. I have raised my family and built a career here. I feel blessed to call this place home. Having a second term as your MLA allows me to continue to build upon the work we have started. I am proud that the voter turn out in May 2017 was even higher than in 2013, when Oak Bay-Gordon Head had the highest percentage of voter turnout in the province.
You may have wondered about the job of an MLA and what your MLA does in the constituency where you live. My priority as your MLA is to represent the constituents of Oak Bay-Gordon Head. Our community office, located at 209-3930 Shelbourne St., provides a range of services, from information and referral to advocacy on behalf of constituents. We help people navigate the system when they are trying to access provincial government programs and services.
At the constituency office, we use a variety of ways to communicate with the public. In addition to receiving a very high volume of emails, I am frequently engaged online with social media and I post extensively on my MLA website: www.andrewweavermla.ca - the website is interactive with frequent comments on my blogs and my responses. I use the website to keep constituents informed on my work in the Legislature. When I support or oppose a bill in the legislature, I feel it is critical that people understand how I have arrived at my position. Evidence based decision making always underlies my support or opposition on any issue. The many topics I have written about are easily searched on the website. I hope you will find this informative.
We have a number town halls during my first term and will continue to hold these forums regularly. I very much enjoy interacting with constituents and hearing concerns about issues that matter. It is my job to give voice to your concerns. After attending a meeting with seniors at Monterey Centre in 2014, I lead the charge on eliminating MSP premiums and I have continued to consistently raise this issue in the Legislature on behalf of my constituents.
One of the great pleasures for me as an MLA is my involvement with youth. I often meet with youth on many issues they face in a changing world. I believe in intergenerational equity and am committed to doing my part to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. During my first elected term, I ran a blog series on my website called “Celebrating Youth” to profile youth who have accomplished great things in our community. It was a pleasure to meet with so many local youth who give me hope for the future with their passion and commitment. Take a look at this series and you will likely recognize some of these remarkable young people in our community.
We receive a tremendous amount of input from members of our community and I am fortunate to experience this level of citizen engagement. I wish I could respond personally to all the communication I receive, but sometimes I have to rely on my staff to assist. I review all emails regularly and appreciate all the effort that goes into reaching out to me. The input is sincerely appreciated.
We often meet with constituents, resident groups and the community organizations that serve the region. This helps me to understand the types of programs and services in the community and how my office can support their work.
I welcome your comments, ideas and feedback. Please continue to be engaged in our political system and hold all your elected officials accountable. As your representative in the BC Legislature, I am accountable first and foremost to the constituents I serve.
www.andrewweavermla.ca
andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca
Andrew Weaver was elected as Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA in 2013 and re-elected in 2017. He is Leader of the BC Green Party and one of 3 MLA’s who form the first elected Green Caucus in North America.
