By Jinny Sims, B.C.’s Minister of Citizens’ Services and MLA for Surrey-Panorama
I decided to get involved in politics because I believe that government can do more to help people. That government should do more to improve the services citizens depend on and use every tool it commands to create good jobs and opportunities for local business and local communities.
I am so excited to take up the responsibility as Minister of Citizens’ Services and put people back at the forefront of government decision making. There is so much good that can be done.
The provincial government invests billions of dollars every year in buying and selling the tools and services they need. My dream is to use our purchasing power to benefit local people and local communities, and to advance social and environmental benefits through procurement. We want to knock down the barriers to B.C. companies doing business with government.
Our Crown lands and public buildings also offer an exciting opportunity to create good jobs in communities across B.C., reduce carbon and reduce operating costs through retrofits. I’m excited to leverage the public buildings in my ministry to get started.
Service BC provides frontline service to communities in every corner of British Columbia. From Atlin to Kelowna, Cranbrook to Port Hardy, there is an amazing team of staff across 62 Service BC offices. Rural communities depend on Service BC as their primary tool to access government services. I’ve met with the Service BC staff, and I’m excited to work with them to make sure our government and the services citizens depend on are accessible to all British Columbians.
I’m also really excited about expanding B.C.’s high-speed network to every corner of this province. Access to reliable, affordable broadband is critical to linking communities and delivering critical services like Telehealth. As the former president of the BC Teachers’ Federation, I made a commitment to visit every community in B.C. that had a school – even if it was a one-room schoolhouse. Every student, no matter where they live, needs reliable access to the newest technologies to support their education path. We’re going to make this a top priority.
I also believe educational opportunities can’t and should not end at Grade 12. A vibrant high-speed network will provide the infrastructure to expand opportunities for First Nations and youth in rural communities to pursue their educational pathway of choice – be it skilled trades, university or college programs.
Providing the infrastructure for information is only part of the obligation of government. We must also be open and transparent with information about government. I feel privileged to be responsible for overseeing the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act through the Corporate Information & Records Management Office. I have long been a champion for protecting the privacy of the public, and I now get to take that passion into my ministry and work with an incredibly principled and talented team of people who are committed to information security and open and transparent government.
For too long, government has taken a cynical approach to these issues. That cynicism has resulted in missed opportunities for local companies to do business with government, local jobs, access to services, and a culture of secrecy that has tainted our province’s international reputation.
We can do so much better, and I’m enthusiastic about the brighter future we are building for B.C.