Photo: Canadian Press

Kamloops’ B.C. Conservative Opposition MLAs say new legislation introduced by the governing NDP to grant the premier sweeping powers to respond to the threat of tariffs from the U.S. amounts to an unnecessary power grab.

Bill 7 gives cabinet the power to implement charges on vehicles using B.C. infrastructure, such as highways and ferries, while allowing politicians to exclude the U.S. in public-sector procurements. It would eliminate provincial trade barriers in the province, allowing goods produced, manufactured or grown elsewhere in Canada to be sold or used in B.C.

Along with those specific changes, it also gives cabinet the power to make regulations "addressing challenges, or anticipated challenges" from the actions of a foreign jurisdiction or for a purpose "supporting the economy of British Columbia and Canada."

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer said Bill 7 seems like wartime legislation to him.

“I would love the premier to explain why he thinks it's necessary for them to have basically unlimited powers on just about everything that we do,” Stamer said, adding he feels there may not be as much support for the bill as the government believes.

'All-powerful legislation'

Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar told Castanet Kamloops he has “massive issues and concerns" about the legislation.

"The reality is the premier can call the legislature back anytime. If there was some piece of legislation or rules that they needed legislative authority to enact, he could call us back — middle of summer, early fall — for three days only, whatever he needs, and pass something very quickly if needed,” Milobar said.

“He does not need to have essentially all-powerful legislation that cuts out 92 other elected MLAs in that building from having any oversight whatsoever of the actions of the government.”

The NDP currently hold a one-seat majority in the legislature and a formal agreement with BC Green MLAs to work together.

Milobar said Eby does not need Bill 7 to address interprovincial trade, noting he could have adopted the plan the Conservatives proposed or amended it to deal with interprovincial trade as a separate issue.

B.C. Premier David Eby has said the new law would allow the government to be "nimble" in its response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. He’s also noted that similar powers get enacted during times of natural disasters and the trade war is akin to a human-caused disaster.

Forestry Minister weighs in

Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar, who was touring the Interior this week, told Castanet Bill 7 gives his government the tools to be able to combat Trump, who’s decision making can be “very frantic” and “often random.”

Parmar said his counterparts’ characterization of the bill as government overreach is “absolutely nonsense.”

“We are meeting the times that we're in,” Parmar told Castanet, adding he feels the act provides the government “more arrows in our quiver in an economic emergency.”

He said Trump's threats are unpredictable and can change by the hour.

“And we have to act very quickly to deal with this erratic president,” he said.

Parmar said he wants Kamloopsians to known the emergency powers are meant to protect B.C. residents, will be enacted in a transparent way and used only in the case of emergencies.

Guardrails seen as useless

Attorney General Niki Sharma has said there are "guardrails" in place, including a sunset clause that would repeal every action by May 2027, and that details on government actions would come to the legislature through reports.

Milobar cast doubt on the effectiveness of such check-ins from the government as there’s no guarantee criticism from the legislature will be listened to.

He also questioned the earnestness of the bill, given that it wasn’t introduced until the last day of the first sitting before the two-week break the legislature is currently on.

“If it's so urgent, why the heck aren’t we back in the legislature dealing with this,” Milobar said.

Milobar said he feels the government’s response to U.S. tariffs has been “underwhelming” so far.

“And then when you see Bill 7 come in and the premier said, 'Just trust us, I won't overuse this massive power that I want to be given,' it makes me very concerned,” Milobar said.

“We have a president in the White House right now that is pushing to the extreme the limits of executive powers, and we have a premier whose response to that is to bring in even more extreme executive powers, through Bill 7, into the premier's office — it defies logic.”

The B.C. Conservative Party has launched a public petition aimed at stopping Bill 7.

“Democracy means accountability, transparency and respect for our rights — not secretive cabinet decisions behind closed doors,” the petition reads.

— with files from the Canadian Press