John Rustad has introduced a bill to put an end to biannual time changes in British Columbia.
The Interpretation (Uniform Pacific Time Zone) Amendment Act, which would have done away with springing forward and falling back, was first passed by the BC NDP in 2019, but no timeline was provided for its implementation.
"The vast majority of people in this province, if almost unanimous, are tired of changing the clocks twice a year. This leads to sleep deprivation, it has led to health issues, car accidents; there are many issues associated with this."
He went on to slam the BC NDP for passing the bill six years ago and then failing to act on it, adding that the new changes would allow it to be enacted immediately upon royal assent instead of "leaving it at the will of the executive council."
"It's worth noting that when asked why this bill was never enacted, it was a statement that they're waiting for the Americans to take the lead," Rustad added. "It is high time that we take the lead in British Columbia for British Columbians."
Fellow BC Conservative MLA Ward Stamer echoed his sentiments, questioning why the government wants to wait on the United States to make the change, especially given the tensions between the two nations.
"How can the premier claim to be 'elbows up' against becoming the 51st state," he asked, "while allowing the US to dictate how we set our clocks?"
When asked about the bill, Eby said that there were more pressing issues.
"Trust me, I am as sympathetic as the next guy to kids that have trouble adjusting to time changes, or pets, or just waking up feeling like you're an hour behind," he said, "but in this moment, that is not government's number one priority."
Rustad's bill passed first reading, and will now move on to second reading.