This past year was the first full year in Parliament for Jordan Sturdy, Liberal member of the legislative assembly (MLA) for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky. He was elected in May 2013. The Squamish Chief caught up with Sturdy to talk about his thoughts on Squamish’s hot-button issues and what he is looking forward to in 2015. This is an edited version of that conversation.
Q. Of course, a very hot-button issue for Squamish is and has been, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant. What if, for example, the value of natural gas continues to drop? What will that mean for the project?
A. My sense is that the industry does not look at this in a one or two or even five-year cycle. They are really looking 10 to 40 years out because these are big investments that are being contemplated.
What I see the province’s role, is to put together the framework to allow regulation of processes like this. The idea is we need to have a framework in regard to greenhouse gas emissions, with regard to taxation, and then ultimately it is up to the industry to make the decision where they are or they are not going to invest within that framework.
Q. On a personal level, as someone who has lived and worked and played in this area for many years, are you at all concerned about the potential Woodfibre LNG plant project, in terms of the environment?
A. I have not [yet] looked at the environmental assessment that has been submitted, … but I am concerned about the impact to a variety of different things from any type of activity that takes place. I think we have to judge all of the activities that happen in a similar way. I grew up in Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast, so Howe Sound has been part of my life, forever. I don’t want to be the guy on watch who is responsible for us going backwards. So, I will look at what the submission is and I will listen to the Environmental Assessment Office comments and I will look at what the public submissions are and I will come to my own conclusions, but I am not a never-ever guy. We are a mixed economy… a variety of different things will contribute to our overall social, economic and environmental well-being.
Q. As you know, many in Squamish have been pushing for a return of the local courthouse; can you comment on that issue?
A. In talking to Justice Minister Suzanne Anton, wait times and court times are actually less and shorter than they have been in years, so we are essentially going in the right direction. I think Surrey is going to get a new courthouse, but the population units we are talking about out there are 10 or 20 or 30 times what we are talking about in the Sea to Sky, so it is not likely we are going to see a change in that policy at this particular point in time, but we are looking at what the problem, or perception of the problem, is and what are some strategies we could look at to deal with those.
The minister has brought forward a number of different strategies, especially with family court, to try and avoid going to court in the first place.
Q. Finally, what are you looking forward to in 2015 in your constituency?
A. One of my personal objectives that I have been working on for over a year now is working with the minister of justice and looking at how we do festivals and events. I have attended events internationally and was intimately involved with bringing in the Pemberton Music Festival in 2008 and worked very hard to bring it back [in 2014]. I attended both the Pemberton festival and the Squamish Valley Music Festival and thought both were excellent. [But] if we, with festivals and events, can’t be competitive then we are not going to be successful. Liquor and security are two of the aspects that we need to do more work on and do a better job and be more flexible and competitive, but at the same time making sure we have a safe event that everybody enjoys.
Also, we still don’t have the Friendship trail to connect Pemberton to Mount Currie, but we are getting there. We have to carry on and make sure we get the rest of this trail constructed. And also the Sea to Sky Trail to connect essentially Vancouver with, at some point, Lillooet.
