Wow what an amazing day we had in Victoria yesterday. Started the day with a nice run at 6am on the sea wall & visited the statue of Terry at Mile 0 along the way. Then Dad, Darrell, Judi & I had breakfast with Victoria Terry Foxer Rob Reid. Then we all headed over to the BC Legislature Building. We met 5 other passionate Terry Fox Run organizers, volunteers & supporters Linda Johnstone, Darren Wark(cousin), Courtney Hill & her Mom, Jodi and Doug Lamb outside before going in through security. Inside we found Coquitlam TF RO, Mark Pettie & Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Linda Reimer. But were also surprised by seeing Terry Fox Secondary staff/friends Don Van Os, Mark Prinster & Doug Kiloh(retired) who were at the BC Legislature with TF students. A sign that today is suppose to be happening. Today was the day that Linda was to introduce a Bill to the members of the BC legislature. Mark as a TF RO went to Linda with the idea. Dad, my siblings & I and Mark were taken into the legislative chamber to sit at floor level behind the governing members. What an honour to do so, this does not happen often. The members arrived and the days proceedings began. We were very nicely introduced to the sitting members of the BC Legislature by Premier Christy Clark. A couple of other items were taken care of and then MLA Reimer poignantly introduced her Bill regarding establishing a permanent day, the 2nd Sunday after Labour Day in September as Terry Fox Day in British Columbia. The Terry Fox Day Bill was received by the members with a resounding YEA! It was a very moving and emotional moment. (I didnt bring any Scotties). What a great feeling, we received lots of congratulations immediately from members that were siting close by. Question period began soon after. What an eye opener to see how things happen in our Government Houses. Its one thing to witness it from the public gallery or watch on TV, but to be right in the middle of the action with the questions from the opposition party and answers from the Premier or her Ministers along with the heckling or laughter from both sides was quite entertaining. 5 minutes earlier every elected Member of the BC Legislature, no matter what side of the house they were on were completely united together on the Bill introduced regarding a permanent September Terry Fox Day in BC. Once question period was finished for the day, we were taken to the Premiers office for a short visit, some photos and a short media scrum. Linda Reimer invited us for lunch in another area of the legislature building with other MLAs, then she gave us a tour of the beautiful building. We left Victoria for the Swartz Bay Ferry terminal knowing that next week the TF Day Bill will be debated next week. We were reminded of being on an Island and missed the 3pm Ferry and caught the 5pm. Good thing was we were reunited with the staff and students from TF Secondary, who were heading back to Port Coquitlam. Today was a wonderful day. It was Terry before he passed that asked that the Terry Fox Run take place in September, the month that he was forced to stop running the Marathon of Hope. Terry Fox Day in British Columbia in September will not only honour Terrys efforts in 1980, but recognize the thousands of Terry Fox volunteers, supporters & donors who are truly the ones that have made a difference in the lives of those with cancer by raising funds cancer research. We look forward to next week and the Terry Fox Day Bill getting passed in the BC legislature. - Fred Fox
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:52:55 +0000