Time to Separate

The time has come for Vancouver Island to separate from BC and create ourselves as our own province.

We have a large enough population to make sense as a province, our 725 000 people is only slightly less than New Brunswick's 750 000. Our population is also growing at a reasonable rate and should reach parity with Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia in the early 20s.

Our economy is well balanced among a number of different sectors.

We have one very strong university and a number of decent post secondary institutions. This bodes well to having a growing knowledge sector.

With the growth in the Comox Valley and the good air links eastwards, the centre of the island will help to balance the dominance Victoria has on the island.

I would envisage the new Vancouver Island province including all the Gulf Islands, the Powell river area and the mainland coast as far north as northern tip of Vancouver Island.

BC Ferries would become Vancouver Island Ferries.

I would see us having a legislature of about 50 of 60 MLAs - an improvement over the current 13 and a half out of 79. The lower mainland would not dominate the interests of the island.

Federally we would have 6 senators and 10 MPs. Currently we share 6 Senators will all of BC and have 6 MPs. Our political weight would improve in Ottawa.

We would have a reduction in the number of civil servants because the headquarters branches of most of the ministries would no longer be needed in Victoria.