Whoa Premier! Proposed power grab needs a rethink

The Chamber takes pride in working well with any government, regardless of their political stripes. However, there are times when decisions are announced that leave us shaking our heads. The latest, or at least most egregious, was the surprise introduction of Bill 7 last Friday.

BC Premier David Eby claimed the legislation is needed in order for the province to respond to the tradewar with the US. The proposed law has been derided as the Henry VIII clause because it would give the Premier’s Office a vast overreach in its powers.

“Businesses are anxious enough without our own province introducing something that many see as autocratic,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We’ve reached out to partner organizations around the Province to figure out a response. Hopefully, cooler heads will prevail and the province will step back from this legislation.”

Bill 7, if passed, would give Eby broad powers without the need to be accountable to the elected legislature.