The committee met at 8:37 a.m.

[M. Starchuk in the chair.]

Deliberations

M. Starchuk (Chair): All right. A motion to move in camera.

T. Shypitka (Deputy Chair): So moved.

Motion approved.

The committee continued in camera from 8:37 a.m. to 9:03 a.m.

[M. Starchuk in the chair.]

Committee Report to the House

BUDGET CONSULTATION REPORT

M. Starchuk (Chair): Welcome back, and good morning, everyone. We have two motions that we need to move.

The mover of the first motion is Ronna-Rae Leonard.

R. Leonard: I move:

[That the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services approve and adopt the report titled Report on the Budget 2024 Consultation as amended today and further, that the Committee authorize the Chair and Deputy Chair to work with Committee staff to finalize any further editorial changes to complete the supporting text.]

Motion approved.

M. Starchuk (Chair): The second motion on the table is from Tom Shypitka.

T. Shypitka (Deputy Chair): I move:

[That the Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services deposit a copy of the report titled Report on the Budget 2024 Consultation with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly; and further, that upon resumption of the sittings of the House or at the next following session, the Chair present the report to the Legislative Assembly at the earliest available opportunity.

Motion approved.

M. Starchuk (Chair): All right. Well, that concludes the work of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services in preparation for Budget 2024.

[9:05 a.m.]

Before I say goodbye and sign this off and adjourn the committee, there are a number of people that I want to make sure we thank. It starts with the people that work behind us. The Hansard staff: Dwight Schmidt, Danielle Suter, David Smith, Simon DeLaat, Kaitlyn DeWeerd and, more importantly, Amanda Heffelfinger, whose name I’ve struggled with so much. I wish her all the luck in her travels following the U.S. Open tennis.

To the committee staff — Emma Curtis, Jianding Bai, Mary Newell, Danielle Migeon, Mary Heeg, Jonathon Hamilton, Jesse Gordon and Natalie Beaton: I thank you immensely for the work that you’ve done to make this committee process go well.

I leave the best for last, as Karan Riarh, who has kicked me, nudged me, whispered, yelled, all of those things that are above, to make sure that this committee stays on track.

I thank you for your work sitting next to me for all of these 23 dates.

Tom, as the Deputy Chair.

T. Shypitka (Deputy Chair): I’ll be a little bit more blunt. This was a bit of a grind, I’ll have to admit. But it was a labour of love, and the love was, as the Chair indicated, the staff that supported us, and my colleagues across the floor.

To the Hansard staff, to all the Legislative Assembly staff that helped us get through this process: thank you very much.

To my colleagues on this side of the table and that side of the table, this was truly a bipartisan committee. You know, we had some opposition to one another from time to time, but I think we found that perfect middle ground. I’m very confident saying that the people of the province were rightfully served during this process, and I’m very proud of the work we did.

Last but not least, thank you to Mike Starchuk, our Chair, for keeping us all in order. I know it was tough at times. We had some tears, and we had some laughter during this committee.

Thanks for keeping it all together. On behalf of myself and my colleagues, thank you very much for the process.

M. Starchuk (Chair): Thank you for those kind words and for not trying to slip Geoscience B.C. in the comments one more time.

On that note, a motion to adjourn, which was the journey of all journeys.

Motion approved.

The committee adjourned at 9:07 a.m.