Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1992

Volume 1, Number 18

[ Page 467 ]

The House met at 10:03 a.m.

Prayers.

G. Brewin: I would like to introduce to the members of this House participants in a study tour to North America from the Executive Development College of the Civil Service Commission of the Royal Thai government. They're in the gallery now. The group, which is made up of senior officials from a number of government ministries in Thailand, is visiting British Columbia as part of the tenth executive development program, run by the civil service of Thailand. During their time in British Columbia the study tour participants will look at issues related to public sector-private sector cooperation, economic planning and development, and municipal governance. I would like to ask the members to give our visitors a very warm welcome to British Columbia and to this assembly. Welcome.

G. Wilson: Hon. Speaker, I would like this House to make welcome the Hon. Jack Pickersgill, former federal cabinet minister under Prime Minister Lester Pearson in the 1960s. He also served as a senior public servant in the Mackenzie King and St. Laurent governments in the 1940s and 1950s. He became president of the Canadian Transport Commission when he left politics in 1967, and is recognized for his important historical writings covering the King, St. Laurent and Pearson years. Would this House please make the Hon. Mr. Pickersgill welcome.

I would like the House also to make welcome Mr. Doug Turnbull, former member of the B.C. Legislature in the Byron Johnson administration. He was Minister of Health and Welfare from 1950 to 1952, Minister of Trade and Industry in 1952, and Minister of Municipal Affairs in 1952. Would the House please make welcome Mr. Turnbull.

B. Simpson: Hon. Speaker, I'm delighted this morning to introduce to this House Paul Wagler. Paul is the vice-president of the ABN AMRO Bank and vice-president of the Business Council of B.C. He has been working tirelessly to develop a meaningful partnership with the government, for the good of all British Columbians, as is evident by the outstanding seminar and reception that he put on last night for the Business Council and the members of the cabinet. I'd like the House now to welcome Paul Wagler.

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate

(continued)

S. O'Neill: Hon. Speaker, It's an honour to represent the riding of Shuswap and to speak in this House for the first time. I would like to take this opportunity to add my congratulations to you on your election as Speaker. I would also like to congratulate the Deputy Speaker, a man known for his warmth, wit and compassion, and a man whom I would personally like to thank for making a rookie MLA feel at home.

At this time I would also like to thank and recognize those who worked on my campaign and the many candidates who went before me and made my job easier. Last but not least, my appreciation to my family for their unfailing support.

At this time I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Cliff Michael, my immediate predecessor. Cliff worked hard on behalf of his constituents, and I wish him well in his retirement.

Following the 1975 election the riding boundaries were changed, and a portion of the Revelstoke-Slocan riding was added to Shuswap, which then became Shuswap-Revelstoke. Bill King, MLA for Revelstoke-Slocan, became the MLA for the new riding in the 1979 election. Bill is widely recognized as having been a fair and farsighted Minister of Labour. He was an able representative, and it was a pleasure to work for him as a constituency assistant.

I would like to pay a special tribute to the late Don Lewis, who represented Shuswap from 1972 to 1975. Don died just over a year ago after a short illness. He was a friend, a fine man and a strong advocate for the people of Shuswap. He was also the beloved grandfather of Megan, Kate, Patrick and Braden, who are also my grandchildren.

The riding boundaries have been changed once again and are now much the same as they were before 1975. The Shuswap riding sprawls from Three Valley Gap in the east to the headwaters of the South Thompson in the west; north to the head of the Adams River and south to the historic O'Keefe Ranch and the small communities of Falkland and Westwold.

Shuswap is a diverse riding encompassing five separate towns, small unorganized communities and rich farmland. It also has a diverse economy. The forest industry plays a large and important role in the economic life of the area, as does agriculture, tourism and a growing manufacturing sector.

The Shuswap region provides recreational opportunities year-round. Shuswap Lake's 500 miles of shoreline offer many summer activities for tourists, and Sicamous is proud to be called the houseboat capital of the world. A 15-mile drive east of Sicamous is Craigellachie, where the Canadian Pacific drove its last spike.

The Larch Hills boast 150 kilometres of cross-country ski trails and are home to the annual Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet, a race that attracts competitors from around the world. The race was named for Reino Keski-Salmi, a Salmon Arm resident who was a member of Canada's cross-country ski team when he died in a tragic accident. This year our community watched with pride as Tom Hansen represented Canada in the biathlon event at the Albertville Olympics.

The Adams River salmon run has become internationally famous, and every four years hundreds of students and visitors come to view this amazing natural event.

Another event that is just as well known has been bringing tourists to the area for almost three-quarters of a century. The Falkland Stampede is the longest continually running stampede in Canada and will be celebrat-

[ Page 468 ]

ing its seventy-fifth anniversary next year. This event is organized entirely by volunteers -- quite an accomplishment for a community of 600 people.

Yesterday the Little Shuswap band proudly opened Quaaout Lodge, a first-class resort hotel on the shores of Little Shuswap Lake. This is only the second resort in British Columbia entirely owned and operated by people of British Columbia's first nations. At its peak of operation, 50 people will be employed. The name, chosen by Chief Felix Arnouse and the Little Shuswap band, means "where the sun's rays have touched the land." Those of you who know the area will know how appropriate that name is. I congratulate the Little Shuswap people for the initiative they have shown in undertaking this project, and I am looking forward to visiting the lodge when my constituency association holds its annual general meeting there later this month.

Shuswap constituency possesses a vibrant arts community, which not only adds richness to our lives but attracts many visitors. What other town the size of Salmon Arm is fortunate enough to have access to a full-sized professional symphony orchestra? Each year the Okanagan Symphony performs six concerts in Salmon Arm. With the Bluegrass Festival and the Squilax Pow Wow, Shuswap has something for everyone.

Many of the small communities in the region have local theatre groups: Asparagus Theatre in Armstrong; Shuswap Theatre in Salmon Arm; the Chase Players; and the unique Caravan Farm Theatre, which performs under a tent at their farm near Armstrong and started life touring with Clydesdale-drawn wagons.

Shuswap is known not only for its recreation, music and drama, but for poetry as well. In 1984 an advertisement appeared in several national magazines, which read: "More Canadians drink Martini Extra Dry than compose sonnets in Salmon Arm -- just." Not to let such an opportunity slip away, members of the Salmon Arm Council, with the assistance of Okanagan College English professor Les Ellenor decided to promote the idea, and the annual Salmon Arm sonnet competition was born. Over the years, submissions to the sonnet contest have come from diverse sources, including one from a former Premier of British Columbia and another from John Rives, an inmate at Kingston penitentiary. Mr. Rives was apparently concerned about resolving Canada's constitutional impasse, so along with his submission came a suggestion for a theme for this year's competition: "Western Canada Promotes Sonnet Reform." Mr. Rives further suggested a triple-E sonnet: exact, elegant and entertaining. Rumour has it that Mr. Rives has recently received an early parole and puts his rehabilitation down to the therapeutic value of writing poetry. Sadly, neither the former Premier's nor Mr. Rives's sonnet won first prize.

[10:15]

On a less lofty plane, Salmon Arm also became famous for the Salmon Arm salute. Several years ago, the then Prime Minister of Canada, while passing through on the Governor General's train, saluted some protestors on the station platform. A local group seized the opportunity to produce and market a T-shirt commemorating the Trudeau visit, turning the event into a fund-raiser for the Salmon Arm Community Centre.

Although tourism is important, the forest industry is the largest employer in the Shuswap region. Federated Co-operatives Ltd. at Canoe, Fletcher Challenge in Armstrong, the Adams Lake mill -- these are the largest, with many smaller mills throughout the area, augmented by shake wood and remanufacturing industries. These enterprises are not immune to the problems facing the forest industry in B.C: the scarcity of wood supply, falling prices, competing land use requirements from population growth, and, of course, the countervail duty. This duty will have a devastating effect on the industry, but will be especially hard on the remanufacturing sector, and I am pleased to see that this government is strenuously opposing this indefensible measure.

Agriculture, as well, has made a valuable contribution to Shuswap communities and over the years has helped to stabilize the region's economy. This diverse agricultural industry includes everything from ranching and haying in Westwold to soft fruit, vegetable and wheat production in the beautiful Armstrong-Spallumcheen valley. This agricultural production has led to a substantial manufacturing industry, such as the renowned Armstrong cheese, Buckerfield's and Rogers flour. It is no surprise that Armstrong is the home of the second largest exhibition in B.C., the annual Interior Provincial Exhibition. We also have a large and prosperous dairy and poultry industry, which will be severely impacted by the loss of marketing boards. The farmers in my area appreciate the efforts of the Minister of Agriculture to garner support for their position at the recent GATT talks in Geneva and again in Ottawa.

Hon. Speaker, it's a pleasure to have this opportunity to respond to the budget. During the election when I was talking to a young man, he corrected me whenever I used the word "problem." He would substitute "challenge," saying that challenges could be met. Well, Treasury Board certainly faced a challenge in preparing this budget -- a challenge to safeguard essential services while bringing the province's finances under control and to foster economic growth without increasing the growth of government spending. The inherited debt and continuing recession made this a formidable challenge indeed, but they met these challenges with balance and fairness.

During the election, the New Democrats promised that their first priority would be people, and this budget reinforces that commitment. I am pleased to see that education is a priority in this government's first budget. My late husband, Leonard O'Neill, was director of the Salmon Arm centre of Okanagan College for just over 17 years. I am a trustee of the local college scholarship fund and have the honour and pleasure of presenting the Len O'Neill Memorial Scholarship each year. So I have a special feeling for our local college.

Okanagan College has always played a major role in the life of our community, so it was with pleasure and pride that last year we saw the end of the old portables and the opening of the beautiful new building. Because Okanagan College is a multi-campus, community-oriented college, people have been able to complete their 

[ Page 469 ]

education without having to leave their homes and families.

This accessibility has been especially important for women. We're living in a time of rapid change, when more and more jobs require post-secondary education, and when it is imperative that education be accessible to all. So, hon. Speaker, I commend this government for its support of education, for increasing operating grants to universities and colleges, for increasing support to employment opportunities and job action and for making education a priority.

Shuswap is a wonderful place to live and, as more and more Canadians are discovering, a wonderful place to retire. This growth necessitates many changes in our communities -- different housing styles and different transportation needs. Perhaps the greatest change is the change in health care requirements. There's a greater need for home care and residential care. Therefore the provisions for increased funding for continuing care are most welcomed by the seniors in my riding and, indeed, throughout B.C. This not only means reduced health care costs, but, more importantly, it creates a better way of life for seniors by enabling them to stay in their homes.

Increased funding for community mental health programs has been welcomed by the mental health practitioners in my riding. As Riverview Hospital is downsized, local agencies must be adequately funded if they are to provide community mental health services.

I would now like to speak of a few items which aren't in the budget, such as the rumoured increase in the sales tax. For that, I and the consumers of B.C. thank you. I appreciate that in these tough economic times highways and intersections can be postponed, whereas health care and education cannot. But I want to warn the Minister of Transportation and Highways that I will be joining my colleague from Yale-Lillooet in knocking on his door looking for funds for highway projects in my riding.

The last five and a half months have indeed been challenging, exciting and busy. In February I was privileged to become a member of a review panel charged with getting public response to a proposed transfer of tree-farm licence No. 23 and reporting back to the Minister of Forests. We met with approximately 1,600 people in four communities and also received written briefs. This was the first time that the people affected have had the opportunity to have input into a decision of this sort, and it was certainly a rewarding experience for the panel members. The report has recently been made public and was well received by all parties.

I have also had the privilege to be a member of the Special Committee on Constitutional Matters. During the public hearings we heard many diverse views on constitutional reform -- about the Senate, about the distinct society and about aboriginal self-government. But over and over we heard unanimous expressions of love for Canada and the desire for a united country. Just over a year ago, the small community of Falkland decided to take action. Spearheaded by Fran Nikon, they kicked off the "I Care for Canada" campaign. Her idea was simply to fly the Canadian flag and challenge other communities to do the same. The idea caught on, as communities across Canada and the U.S. took up the challenge. Falkland's sister city Garland, Utah, and 20 other cities throughout the state flew over 2,000 Canadian flags last July 1. We could do with more public affirmations of caring for Canada.

In closing, I would like to quote Tommy Douglas: "We are a people holding widely divergent views and representing conflicting economic interests. So was the nation the Fathers of Confederation brought into being in 1867, a nation brought into being because they believed that the things that unite us are infinitely more important than those that divide us." Now 125 years later, we can only pray that this generation has the same urge for national survival.

F. Randall: I would like to begin my first speech by congratulating the Speaker on her election. I've had the privilege of serving on Burnaby Council with her, and I think she will set an appropriate and positive tone for this House. At the same time, I would like to recognize the new Deputy Speaker on his successful re-election and on the fact that he has represented the constituents of Vancouver Centre and now Vancouver-Burrard for over 20 years. I could only wish to be able to serve the constituents of Burnaby-Edmonds for that length of time.

Before I reach the main body of my speech, it is appropriate to name some of my predecessors. Some of these people I must aspire to: Gordon Dowding, a previous Speaker of the Legislature, and Cedric Cox both served here while it was a dual riding. Ernie Winch also contributed enormously to the area by being a founder of the New Vista Society, a large seniors' care home. Also on the distinguished list is Rosemary Brown, now a broadcaster, columnist and noted feminist. Also, Dave Mercier recently served here and has decided to move on to becoming the president of the third party. We wish him luck in his new endeavours.

I cannot overemphasize the honour and privilege to be here representing the women and men of Burnaby-Edmonds. It is an honest working-class area comprised primarily of light-industry and service-sector employers. I am happy to be part of a community where there is a strong tradition of union solidarity among its workers. There is an excellent system of parks and cultural facilities due primarily to the progressive nature of the city council and mayor. The workings of the municipal government have long been considered socially and, at the same time, fiscally responsible. It should be noted, as well, that the school board trustees are a dedicated and progressive group.

Burnaby-Edmonds has a growing ethnic population of new Canadians composed primarily of Italians, Chinese and Indo-Canadians. There is more than seven times the provincial average of Italian-Canadians in our community. There is more than twice the provincial average of Chinese in our riding. This ethnic diversity provides a certain vitality to the neighbourhoods.

Another dimension of the district is the extremely vibrant community of retired individuals. These people are often very active in the community. Our community has a higher percentage of over-65-year-olds than the 

[ Page 470 ]

rest of the province. We are fortunate to be able to count these individuals as members of our constituency. A close look at the riding reveals that there are slightly more women -- 52 percent -- than men.

With the many strengths of the community, there are some problems. Due to our location in the lower mainland, a chief problem for my constituents is an extremely heavy flow of traffic heading through the community. A very high percentage of these commuters do not live in Burnaby-Edmonds. They are simply in transit from their homes in other communities to their places of work. I see this situation as unfair and unacceptable. I plan to work to alleviate it.

SkyTrain is a related transit issue that continues to dog our community. The Edmonds corridor is one of the proposed routes linking the Coquitlam area to downtown Vancouver. It is simply not right for our citizens to disproportionately shoulder the burden of providing rights-of-way for rapid transit systems and major arterial routes for traffic that does not have its origins in the community. The residents of Burnaby-Edmonds do not want another intrusion into their lives. They do not want their property values negatively affected. They do not want their community split by another right-of-way, and neither do I. Our civic representatives do not want another SkyTrain route through Burnaby-Edmonds, nor does the Burnaby Chamber of Commerce. I will be working closely with the Burnaby East Ratepayers' Association to fight the proposed Edmonds route. I will not rest until this unacceptable proposal is permanently put to rest. I support Burnaby Council and the local chamber of commerce in taking a look at the Lougheed corridor.

Fortunately, I do see hope that our new government is reconsidering recommendations from a B.C Transit report. The recommendations were highly suspect in terms of its non-partisanship. I trust Minister Clark will steer a fair and just path toward a solution of this SkyTrain problem.

[10:30]

Burnaby-Edmonds has a very high percentage of renters. The renters in the community make up approximately 50 percent of the population. The provincewide average is 37 percent. These figures clearly spell out the difficulties that half of my constituents face when unreasonable rent increases are imposed.

The previous government only contributed to the affordable housing plight of my constituents. Many landlords were encouraged by Socred policies to jack up rents to sinful levels. Some increases were as high as 20 to 30 percent. The market simply will not bear these types of increases now, but recent history will undoubtedly repeat itself. If landlords were true followers of market forces, one would assume that rents would fall during recessionary times. Unfortunately, this is a phenomenon we are not experiencing. The high number of seniors along with the large number of renters in Burnaby-Edmonds amounts to a very difficult situation, once rents inevitably begin to rise again.

I do find encouragement in statements from the throne speech. It is clear that this government intends to improve the availability of affordable housing by requiring local governments to provide for affordable rental and special-needs housing in official community plans.

It should not be construed that Burnaby Council has been remiss in this regard, as they have made it a condition of all major rezonings that 20 percent of development be for non-market housing. The federal Tory government has made the affordable housing problem only worse by cancelling the highly successful co-op housing program and cutting social housing programs by over half from current levels. Burnaby has a very high number of co-op units. It could be said the Burnaby leads in this regard. This type of housing is affordable and also allows renters to have more control of their housing. They collectively make decisions that have a direct bearing on their lives. The federal Tories have removed this empowerment. Housing is as much a right as health care is.

At this point in my speech I would like to bring attention to the George Derby facility. This facility houses about 300 war veterans in Burnaby-Edmonds. A very serious problem exists with the food delivery system, which results in a very substandard product being fed to our veterans. I made a point of eating some of the food, and I can attest to its blandness and general unpalatability. This situation must change. I have spent a great deal of time and energy trying to bring an acceptable solution to the problem, and I will continue to do so until better food is provided.

I want to shed some light on an issue that is fast becoming intolerable, and that is the problem of increasing crime in our community. The crime rate in Burnaby increased by 9 percent between '89 and '90. There is every indication that the rate has escalated by at least that amount in the past year. There is a new reality in Burnaby, and an unpleasant one at that. The crime problem is fast becoming the number one problem in our neighbourhoods. Some people simply haven't recognized it yet. Factors that are contributing to this issue are the lack of adequate support for single-parent families, land speculation that allows absentee landlords to place tenants who have no moral or civic responsibility to the neighbourhood, and the incursion of SkyTrain, which provides easy transportation for marauding gangs and delinquents. Community leaders must be diligent to check this rising problem. A first step is to accept that we have the problem in the first place.

I mentioned some concerns that my constituents have, and I thank the members of the assembly for their indulgence. I feel confident that many of these problems will be more easily dealt with, given the positive approach of the Speech from the Throne. Several points in the speech point to a fair and more balanced approach to government, including new freedom-of-information legislation, expanded powers for B.C.'s ombudsman, public discussion on provincial strategies for economic development that include the coal industry and labour relations, and an overriding promise to sensibly and responsibly manage the affairs of government. This is a matter that has been lacking for a very long time -- just plain good management.

The throne speech deals with the delicate area of labour relations. Having spent a good part of my career 

[ Page 471 ]

in the union movement, I believe very positive statements have been made that will affect working people in this province. The Minister of Labour deserves full marks for tackling some very difficult issues. The review of the Industrial Relations Act that is being carried out is long overdue. I am happy to see that the Compensation Fairness Act will be repealed and that there will be a review of the Employment Standards Act.

The adoption of a fair wage policy for all public capital construction projects is of great importance. This provision in particular will restore a fair working wage for those working on construction projects. During the tenure of the last government, non-union construction contractors only marginally underbid union contractors, but paid substandard wages. What results is the non-union contractor pocketing as much as 20 to 30 percent of the total value of the bid but only bidding as little as perhaps 2 to 3 percent less than union contractors. Fair wage legislation will rectify this very unjust situation.

At this juncture I feel it is appropriate to thank the legions of dedicated workers and supporters. A person I must name is my wife, who has certainly stuck with me through some long periods of time. Also, I must thank those individuals who were with me during the nomination process, as well as members of the election planning committee, who toiled for well over a year running up to the election and during the election, for the many long hours donated, from stuffing envelopes and providing food for workers to posting signs throughout the constituency. Fortunately the thousands of hours that people provided resulted in a very sweet election victory.

In concluding, the throne speech is certainly a breath of fresh air. It is a positive document that will take time to implement. But any statement that makes its goal a commitment to give government back to the people who elected it is worth waiting for. Finally, I sincerely hope that those in this House will all work together for the benefit of all British Columbians and approve the upcoming budget.

Hon. B. Barlee: May I have leave to make an introduction?

Leave granted.

Hon. B. Barlee: With us this morning are, I believe, 50 grade 11 students from Tupper Secondary School in Vancouver. Welcome. Some of you may be down here in about six, seven or ten years. I hope you enjoy the experience.

L. Stephens: I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the budget. This is the first NDP budget from the first NDP administration in this province since 1975. Frankly, after listening to the budget one week ago and after spending some time studying it and reading the news reports about the budget and its effects on consumers and business people, I started thinking that it would be wonderful if it would be another 16 years before this House sees another NDP budget.

I welcome the opportunity to rise today to give some feedback to the government on its budget. I am happy to be representing the views of my constituents in Langley and to represent the interests of the vast majority of British Columbians who do not want to see tax increases, British Columbians who are not buying this government's claims of being fiscally responsible, and British Columbians who are not heartened by the news that this government has brought down a budget with the largest deficit in the history of British Columbia.

It is my proposed motion on the order paper -- which I genuinely hope will pass -- in which it is moved that this budget constitutes a major assault on all British Columbia taxpayers at a time when they are already suffering under the burden of taxation in a time of recession. It is my motion which moves that the budget fails to address the crucial need to enhance the competitiveness of British Columbia's economy or to develop a plan to reduce the provincial debt.

I thought the government would be here in full force today, but unfortunately, this government is not interested in criticism. This government was not interested in being held accountable for five and a half months of spending by special warrants. That is why they only provided two days of debate on an incredible five months of spending billions of dollars.

It is somewhat incredible to think that the government opposite even tried to cut down that limited time by trying to ramrod through the House a motion on the introduction of a so-called fair wage policy. They knew that this opposition had been calling for full and open and, if need be, extended debate on fair wages, because the taxpayers of this province demand it. They demand to see that their hard-earned dollars are being spent responsibly and not just on some payoff to friends who helped to get the government opposite elected. Yet we saw just that; there was an attempt not only to limit debate on fair wages but, in so doing, the intent to limit debate and investigation of billions of dollars of government spending. If the government thought it could silence the opposition, they were wrong. This government is sadly mistaken if it believes that this opposition and this critic for Economic Development, Small Business and Trade will be silent on the assault of this budget on the taxpayers of this province.

This budget achieved three things: it raised taxes; it increased spending; it increased the deficit and accumulated debt of this province. This budget failed in two ways that I can immediately identify: it failed to provide any long-term vision for this province, and it failed to provide confidence to the business community and the consumers of this province that the government is sincerely interested in economic growth and development and in seeing a strong and prosperous future for British Columbia. Instead, the government chose to tax and spend.

Personal taxes, for instance, have been raised by the NDP. The basic personal income tax rate is going up by 1 percent, which may not seem like much to some. I believe that the citizens of this province and this 

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country are just so used to being highly taxed, they are so inured to tax increases because they come so frequently from all levels of government, that this increase may just be considered the status quo. The people in this province who have been fortunate enough to keep their jobs during this current economic downturn are already pushed to the wall. Their pockets have so little left in them that there is not much more for government to take away -- but I'm sure they will try in the years to come.

The tax increases in this budget will not prove to be enough to satisfy the voracious appetite of government, and next year and the year after you can be sure they will come cap in hand to the taxpayers and this opposition and say: "Oh, please, just a little more. It's only fair that you give the government just a little more." But the NDP will not have a team of accountants or the record of the previous administration to hide behind.

This budget raises the personal income tax rate by one percentage point effective July 1. The 1992-93 budget estimates that the extra income from personal income taxes will bring into the government's coffers in the next year an additional $425 million over last year when compared with the revised estimates. When I was sitting in this House one week ago today, I really had to sit up and listen hard when the Minister of Finance tried to justify this tax increase for all British Columbians. Later, when I received the budget documents, I read, and then reread, the government's justification for raising the basic personal income tax rate by one percentage point, which is on page 14 of the package accompanying the budget. It is with this twisted rationalization that the government attempted to soothe any fears that overburdened taxpayers may have about the NDP being a high-taxing, high-spending government: "The impact of this increase will be offset by the federal government's reduction of its income surtax."

[10:45]

That phrase really made me stop and think for a moment about what it meant, and I came up with a way of describing it. It is like being given a gift by someone, a brother or a sister, and then having someone else come along and takes it away from you and says: "Don't be angry with me. It really wasn't yours to begin with." You can see how ridiculous that is, yet it is just what this government said to justify this across-the-board increase in the basic personal income tax rate: "Don't blame me. It wasn't yours to begin with." Of course it was the taxpayers' to begin with. How did we get into the situation where governments justify taxes by saying that the money the working people in this province and this country earn doesn't really belong to them? This budget takes more money out of the pockets of working men and women, increasing the legacy of debt for our children, and doesn't give back much in return.

Another category of taxes going up and one which the government opposite, when it was opposition, continually criticized the Socreds for is fees and licences. Revenues from fees and licences are estimated to go up over the revised forecast from '91-92 by $39.2 million. This is up by 9.6 percent over last year, well above the expected growth of 3 percent.

Yet another category of tax increases is corporate income taxes. This government claims that it supports small business, but tax rates on small business are going up. As I said in a private member's statement last Friday, small business has created 290,000 new jobs in British Columbia in the past decade. Small business makes up over 80 percent of all business in British Columbia. One in four people in British Columbia is employed in a small business. This government does not realize that small business people are already hurting from the sustained recession, cross-border shopping, slumping consumer confidence and high taxes. This budget only makes it more difficult to stay in business. Bob Stewart, the president of the board of trade, said yesterday that there will be businesses for which this will be the straw that breaks their backs, and that for others this will be the trigger that moves them across the border.

As I said on Friday and as I say today, this NDP government and this budget are driving business in two directions: into the ground or south of the border. Of course, the tax on assets is particularly harmful. Among those hardest hit by the corporation capital tax are capital-intensive forestry and mining companies, which have experienced a terrible last two years. This tax reduces our competitive position in these industries so central to the economy of British Columbia.

What do all the tax increases and the increases in spending in this budget mean? It means that it is more difficult to do business in British Columbia. As taxes and spending increase at the same time, it means that in the end there are less jobs for working men and women in this province.

Here are what some business associations are saying. The president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C. said: "Now, especially, is a terrible time to introduce a corporate capital tax. It hurts our resource industries when they're suffering." And Kathy Sanderson, the B.C. director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said: "This isn't a growth budget, that's for sure. The government talks about this being the road map to recovery, but we think it's taking us in the wrong direction."

Mark Startup of the Retail Merchants' Association of B.C. said of this budget that the government found "hidden and insidious ways to take money out of the economy. Those taxes will result in job losses in retailing rather than lead to more consumer spending." The tax increases have been justified to some extent by claiming there is tax room. We have pointed out to the government that comparisons of taxation rates with other provinces that find tax room are not valid, because of the structure of the B.C. economy and the geography of the province.

Comparisons with Washington, Oregon, California and the Pacific Rim are the most relevant. These places are where our customers' markets and competition are.

Government should also not forget there is cross-border shopping not only south to the United States, but also east to Alberta. People in Dawson Creek and border areas in the Peace River do much more shopping across the border in Alberta. This budget does not 

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encourage those residents of British Columbia to stay home.

The budget also does not make any real effort to cut back on spending. Government spending is going up next year by 6.8 percent. This spending increase is well above the inflation rate and certainly well above the growth rate. On page 5 of the provincial budget, the Finance minister says that provincial government expenditures have grown by an average of 12 percent in the last three years -- far in excess of revenue, inflation or economic growth. Hon. Speaker, let's do a little comparison. Inflation rates in the last three years also average 6 percent, so growth in government expenditure was double the growth in inflation. This budget continues that fiscal irresponsibility. Government spending growth will still be twice as high as the inflation rate. Government spending is increasing faster than the ability of the province to pay.

We must ask ourselves in this chamber who was in opposition in the last three years, when there was this incredible growth in expenditure. Where was the opposition telling the government to hold on, to not spend as much, to not spend more than the taxpayers of the province could afford? Let me tell this House: the opposition at the time was only interested in getting elected. They were not interested in being effective custodians of the public purse. What was the opposition saying instead? Spend more -- more money to this program or that program. There was no attempt to look out for the long-term interests of this province, its economy or, most of all, its people. This budget continues to burden our society and our children with mounting deficits and debts. This budget introduces the largest deficit in the history of the province -- $1.8 billion.

It is for all the reasons I have described above that I move the amendment on the budget motion:

"Be it resolved that the motion 'that the Speaker do now leave the chair' for the House to go into Committee of Supply be amended by adding the following: ', but this House regrets that the budget presented by the hon. Minister of Finance constitutes a major assault on all British Columbia taxpayers at a time when they are already suffering under the burden of taxation in a time of recession, and furthermore, that the budget fails to address the crucial need to enhance the competitiveness of British Columbia's economy or to develop a plan to reduce the provincial debt'."

Deputy Speaker: I have received the amendment. It's been seconded by the member for Vancouver-Langara. I understand he will be speaking later.

On the amendment.

N. Lortie: I am pleased to continue the debate on the budget and, if necessary, on the amendment, in this my first speech to the Legislature. But first, may I offer my congratulations to the Speaker on her election and also to the Deputy Speaker on his election and his 20-year re-election by the people of Vancouver Centre, now Vancouver-Burrard. It's a remarkable achievement, what this remarkable man has done. I was thinking that if I am lucky enough to achieve 20 years, I'll be too old for the Senate. Then I thought perhaps there won't even be a Senate, hopefully. It wasn't one of the big items on my wish list, anyway.

I'd also like to congratulate the deputy Deputy on his election to that chair. I see he's in the chair today, so this is appropriate. I would say to the member that we all have to start somewhere: deputy Deputy is a great position.

I'd like to acknowledge the contribution of the former MLA for my constituency, the Hon. John Savage, and thank him for his service to the community of Delta. I wish him well in his retirement from political life. He has returned to working the family farm, and I hope he has time to relax and perhaps have a game of golf.

I'd like to pay tribute to Mr. Carl Liden, a former member of this House. Carl represented Delta in the Dave Barrett government from 1972 to 1975, ending his political career as the Minister of Transport. Carl is still active in Delta and played a key role in my election campaign. Carl's advice is greatly appreciated.

I now have the honour of representing the great constituency of Delta North -- the first member ever elected to this new riding. The riding was created by splitting the riding of Delta into Delta North and Delta South. Delta South is well represented by the hon. member across the floor, Mr. Gingell. I hope our friendship continues, and together we can work for all the people of our municipality.

My vibrant riding is predominantly a single-family residential area, with multi-family apartment, condominium and townhouse residences scattered throughout it. The key word is "family," for first and foremost we are a family community. Being a family community, we have citizens of all ages in our constituency, from the very young to an active and involved senior citizen component and all ages in between.

Excellent facilities are available for all these groups. We have Kennedy House and lawn bowling for the senior citizens, Delta Boys' and Girls' Clubs for youngsters and teens, and excellent parks and recreation facilities for all ages. We have many active service clubs and community clubs that allow people to participate and contribute to their community. The social service organizations in Delta ensure that basic social needs of the people of beautiful North Delta are met. One of the best and best-known of these organizations is Deltassist, which is run by president Jim Poole and executive director Irene McRae. They do a commendable job for the citizens and deliver valuable service to our community.

Another organization in Delta doing an excellent job is the Delta Recycling Society under the direction of Anita Boyd, executive director. This society was the first in British Columbia to institute a recycling depot, and then it was the first in British Columbia to institute the curbside pickup of recyclables that we know as the blue-box program.

The first families who moved to North Delta and called it their home were our original residents, the Coast Salish Indian band or Indian nation. Every 

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summer they travelled up the river from what once was the island of Tsawwassen and settled at the site of the shore where the Alex Fraser Bridge goes across the river. They stayed there all summer and fished, hunted and picked berries because North Delta was their summer home. Their winter home was in the hon. member for Delta South's constituency.

Hundreds of years later, Europeans settled along the same river to fish and develop fish canneries. Some farming followed, and then in the late 1940s -- I think it was 1946 or '47 -- came a population explosion. Much of North Delta was subdivided into five-and ten-acre lots, and these parcels were sold to returning veterans under the Veterans' Land Act. Over the years, these acreages were further subdivided into residential lots, and North Delta became the family community that we have today. We also have a vibrant commercial area to service the needs of our citizens and many people in our neighbouring community to the east.

[11:00]

North Delta, like British Columbia itself, is a multicultural community with a large ethnic component: Japanese, Scandinavian and Indo-Canadian -- primarily Sikhs. Asians and Europeans alike all live and work together in harmony, and each contributes to our community and makes it the great place to live in that it is today.

North Delta is the area that's just west of the border with Surrey. That border is 120th Street, known as Scott Road. It's a very small constituency. It is approximately four miles long and two and a half miles wide, and there's very little undeveloped land within the community. So it's a fairly dense residential area. North Delta is a collection of neighbourhoods within this community with strong organizations and strong neighbourhood loyalties. All these factors together make North Delta the best community in B.C. to live in and the best community in B.C. to raise a family in.

This is not to say that we are without problems. The Alex Fraser Bridge, although a blessing to commuters in our community, has brought many traffic problems to my constituents. We were without a traffic bylaw for the past ten years due to the previous government's refusal to sign a bylaw submitted by Delta Council, or to even negotiate one more acceptable to the Ministry of Highways. But through the cooperation of the new hon. Minister of Highways, we have been able, with my negotiations, to put a bylaw together that was acceptable to Delta Municipal Council, the ministry and the vast majority of people living in our community. It was another election promise delivered.

The extension of Nordel Way is also a priority of mine and of many people in our community. I have a commitment from the hon. Minister of Highways to build that four-block extension which will take truck and commuter traffic off our streets and protect our neighbourhoods. I thank the hon. Minister of Transportation and Highways for his good work and also for visiting our community and participating and hearing firsthand about our problems at a Citizens' Association of Delta-sponsored forum on transportation in February.

We are in much need of a new health care facility to service the North Delta-Newton area. This fits in well with the recommendations of the Seaton report on health care -- bringing services closer to our community. I have already met with the Minister of Health on this issue, and I am pleased that the throne speech outlines a commitment to more resources for community care. Delta North has a great need for community-based health care, and I'll work tirelessly for that facility to service my constituents.

The whole region south of the Fraser River is in great need of a degree-granting, freestanding university located in this area to give better access to post-secondary education for our students. Delta graduates the highest percentage of students of any school district in the province, and many go on to university and college. Better access is imperative. Education is the key to our success as a province, and education is the key to the future of Delta's young people, and this budget confirms this government's commitment to those principles.

The environment and its protection is of great interest to me and the great people of Delta. That unique environmental jewel known as Burns Bog, although not within the physical boundaries of my constituency, has great impact on us. Many homes in the Delta North area overlook the bog, and the overwhelming majority of citizens of Delta North want to see that environmental jewel protected. I've talked to the Minister of Environment about this, and the hon. minister has this on the top of his agenda of things he would like to accomplish with this government. Hopefully, Burns Bog will not be the dumping ground for garbage for much of the lower mainland, and the other constituency -- on the other side of the river -- will think about solving their own refuse problem in their own constituency. Hopefully, with the minister's help, we can address that problem and the environmental development pressures that may destroy the largest known bog on the west coast of North America.

The protection of the Fraser River -- our western boundary -- is of great concern to many people in my community especially to those in the fishing industry. Further sewage treatment at the Annacis Island treatment plant is necessary to protect this great salmon-producing river. I am confident I will be able to address these issues and many others in my time as the member for Delta North with the help of my colleagues in this House and with the support of Delta Council and School Board.

I had the honour of serving on Delta Council for nine years, and I know personally Mayor Beth Johnson -- she visited us in this chamber during the budget speech, and all six members of her council -- and we've worked well together since my election. With their continuing cooperation, we can accomplish much for the people of Delta North.

I have also met with Chairman Sheelah Grasswick and the trustees of the Delta School District -- a large and well-run district motivated to give the best educational possibilities to the students and to our youth. They have expressed their concern to me regarding the fairness of the block funding system. Historically, we've 

[ Page 475 ]

had one of the lowest per capita costs in British Columbia, and this is now changing due to the aging infrastructure and the experience of the teaching force. We are still inequitably funded by these outdated statistics. Delta schools don't want special treatment; they want fair treatment. The Delta School Board and I are opposed to the referendum system to further fund the school system and urge a return of the taxing authority to the local boards. While this action alone will not allow Delta to achieve metro-average funding levels, it will return a degree of accountability for education finance to locally elected school boards, where it should be.

A few years ago I had the honour, together with the hon. Minister of Finance, the hon. Minister of Labour and the hon. member for North Vancouver-Lonsdale, of announcing the construction of a second superferry for our fleet, the superstructure to be built in Delta, creating 700 person-years of work for British Columbia workers and economic spinoff benefits to my constituents.

Interjection.

N. Lortie: The hon. member for Delta South would like to acknowledge that he was involved in the audience in this announcement. I would also like to remind that hon. member that it's not considered good form to heckle a member during his first speech in the Legislature.

Hon. Speaker, I am extremely pleased to be part of the thirty-fifth parliament of British Columbia. I wish to thank my electors, the good people of Delta North, for the faith and for the responsibility that they have placed in me -- and a special thanks to those people that worked in my campaign. My goal is to contribute to good, sound, honest and open government on their behalf. I also would like to thank my family for their work and their sacrifice, especially Janet, my wife and life partner of the last 34 years. Without her support, I would not be here today.

I would like those members from the northern ridings, be they government members, opposition or third-party members, to know that I also understand the north, not because I'm from North Delta but because I was raised in the Yukon and spent some years along the Arctic coast. And to be helpful to the member for Peace River North, it's not the Bufort Sea but rather the Beaufort Sea. And for the member from Saanich North.... That isn't really north either, but I understand he sat in the Yukon Legislature. I spent many years up there but never made the Legislature in that great area. I want to tell him that the Klondike gold rush was in 1898, not 1894, and we'll have to get together and recite some Robert Service some evening. So I just want to tell them: if they need some assistance, don't hesitate to ask. You see, I'm not just another city slicker.

My belief systems were formed in the north. I believe in justice and equality for all people, regardless of their race, colour, sex, sexual orientation or creed. Every person has a right to be judged on their own merits. I believe in equality for women, really believe in it -- true equality, including economic equality. I also feel strongly that children and the disadvantaged in our society must be protected and encouraged.

During my term I intend to work for these goals and for my constituents. We must be a caring government, an open and honest government. I believe we have made a great start with the Speech from the Throne and with this budget.

There is a new beginning in British Columbia, a fresh new beginning. But first and foremost, we must ensure that we have a healthy economy, jobs for all the people in our workforce and a strong tax base. We cannot spend what we do not have. A vibrant economy is a key factor in our ability to deliver on our promises and our social agenda. A real problem for the people if we go into debt is that we won't be able to deliver that. So I think this budget is a great budget.

Another thing that I consider to be critical to our economy and to this country is that we must find a just solution for our unity crisis. People of good will everywhere in this country must unite to save this great country. It is imperative that we solve our constitutional problems and get on with the task of creating a better Canada for all: French-speaking people, English-speaking people, men, women, aboriginal people and newcomers to Canada -- all people.

Now I'd like to address this budget. The former government, represented today by the third party, misled the people of British Columbia, including the former opposition, about the true state of provincial finances and the true extent of our deficit position. It has become our task to control that deficit so as not to use up scarce tax dollars to service debt instead of people. We are managing better and spending smarter. The hon. Minister of Finance had a difficult job to do in preparing this budget, and he has done his job fairly and in the best interests of all of the people of British Columbia. I am proud to support this budget, and I hope the opposition will join me in that support, as they did for the throne speech.

Thank you for your kindness to me in this, my initial speech in this awesome chamber.

[11:15]

W. Hartley: It is an honour and a great pleasure for me today to stand in this historic hall and join with this assembly in governing our province. It's a privilege to address this House as a first-time member of our new government.

I want to add my congratulations to our Speaker on her elevated position in this Legislature, an indication of the esteem in which she is held by all members.

I also want to congratulate our Deputy Speaker on his position and for the fact that the people of Vancouver-Burrard -- formerly Vancouver Centre -- have elected and re-elected him for over 20 years. I thank him for his great height and shoe size. We are not alone.

I want to congratulate our Premier, not only for the office he holds but for the leadership he provides. We are all proud of the style of government and the change of government that our Premier represents.

[ Page 476 ]

Looking across the House at our members and the executive council of this new government, we new members on this side of the House are extremely proud of the number of women in cabinet, the degree of education of all members and, more important, the degree of openness and fairness that they display.

I wish to express sincere best wishes to every member of this assembly. Each and every member is here to serve the people of B.C. and to contribute in a meaningful way to the quality of life in our province. I look forward to working with all members in a positive and productive process -- wherever possible -- as we participate together in governing the province and advancing the good of all of the people of British Columbia.

Now I want to talk about the constituency I represent, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. It's a new riding -- the western half of the old riding of Dewdney. Pitt River is the western boundary. The eastern boundary runs north from the Albion Hall to the middle of Kanaka Creek, follows the ten kilometres up Kanaka Creek to Dewdney Trunk Road and then goes east to the Mission boundary. The northern boundary crosses the wilderness of the Golden Ears mountains. The southern boundary is the Fraser River.

I am the third New Democrat member to represent the area of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. Thirty years ago the previous New Democratic Party Premier, Dave Barrett, began his political career there. All members of the House recognize Dave Barrett's great contribution to British Columbia and to Canada.

During the 1972-75 government led by Dave Barrett, the MLA for the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows area was Peter Rolston. Peter Rolston was greatly liked, and he worked extremely hard for his constituents. Today, Peter Rolston continues to lead as a United Church minister in Delta.

Social Credit MLA George Mussallem represented the area for several years. Mr. Mussallem's ability to serve with dignity and courtesy earned him the respect of a great many people. George Mussallem is still active in Maple Ridge, as is his wife Grace, in building a better community.

More recently, Social Credit MLA Austin Pelton represented the area. Austin Pelton was known affectionately here as "the Senator." Mr. Pelton served this province and this House as Deputy Speaker. I wish both Austin and his wife Louise a long and happy retirement.

Hon. Speaker, I wish to express my deepest appreciation to all residents of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows for allowing me to represent them. It is a tremendous responsibility. I accept that responsibility and the obligation that that responsibility entails: the obligation to fairly represent all of the constituents in my riding.

I also wish to thank the many supporters and campaign workers who helped elect me to this House. I especially wish to thank my campaign manager, Larry Widen, the election planning committee and chairperson Carolyn Chalifoux, and the constituency executive and chairperson Mrs. Bernice Gehring. I thank all of the very dedicated party members for their years of support.

There is one more individual I must pay special tribute to. The member for Yale-Lillooet also paid tribute to him as his predecessor. That individual's name is Bill Hartley. I have enjoyed sharing that name with the former Minister of Public Works in the previous New Democrat government. He must have done a great job. Since my election, I have received many letters congratulating me on my return to the Legislature at long last.

In the 20 years that I have lived and worked in the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows riding, I have met many wonderful people: creative, caring people; people who place a high value on the environment; people who care deeply about their quality of life. The history of the area has, I'm sure, influenced the way people feel towards their community. The native aboriginal heritage dates back at least 9,000 years, to the Katzie band of today. The historic Finnish community at Websters Corners was developed as British Columbia's first utopian community. The Japanese settled and farmed much of the area and built the first sawmills. The Dutch settled at Pitt Polder and built the dikes that remain today.

Of course, many other people have since chosen to make Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows their home. Today the riding is a mix of rural and urban lifestyles. There is a large and productive agricultural community: blueberry and cranberry farms; dairy farms; greenhouse produce; organic farming. There's a large and active 4-H Club, young farmers of the future. I would like to invite all members of the House to attend the Ridge Meadows Agricultural Fair, the association's annual fair, on the July 26 weekend. It's a first-class agricultural fair, a fair that has room to grow into a major lower mainland showpiece for agriculture. That week also has the provincial games for the physically disabled in Maple Ridge from July 22 to 26. This year athletes from communities all across British Columbia will be giving their personal best in Maple Ridge.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows is known by many as the horse capital of B.C. Members of the equestrian community proudly ride on miles of community-protected trails, which traverse much of the riding. The traffic congestion problems of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, of which I spoke at length in my member's statement on transportation, gives the gibe, "Get a horse," new meaning for our residents, and for many it is already a viable option.

The urban areas of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows are well-defined. The town cores have been maintained, with the family-oriented leisure centre complex at the centre of an active small business community. The chambers of commerce are working with the municipalities to encourage business development. Having been the mayor of Maple Ridge and a small business person for several years, I have seen firsthand the lack of support from previous governments for small business, and I am pleased with the support shown in this government's first budget.

I was pleased to hear in the throne speech that our government is bringing forward a new tourism act. Tourism is a major factor for small business on the north side of the Fraser River. The Lougheed Highway, or Sasquatch Drive as it is known to many of the locals, is 

[ Page 477 ]

a great alternative scenic route to Harrison Hot Springs, or closer tourist destination points such as Alouette Lake, Golden Ears Provincial Park, the Pitt Meadows dikes, the greater Vancouver regional park at Kanaka Creek -- or to visit historic Port Hammond or Port Haney and the riverfront walk. When you consider its many positive and desirable attributes, it is easy to understand why people are moving to Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows in record numbers.

Now we must seek the economic and employment growth to match this residential upswing. I believe we have the tools to drive this increase in the local economy. We have a creative and energetic local workforce, and we have the availability of low-priced, fully-serviced industrial land east of the Pitt River Bridge. Improved transportation to markets will inevitably lure new business to our area, and that means expanded job opportunities as well as more dollars generated locally. Local employment will also mean an end to frustration for some of the estimated 50-plus percent of our community's workforce who currently spend tedious hours each day commuting to and from Vancouver.

Our rapid population growth over the past several years has had a significant impact on more than transportation. In past years, under the previous government, health and education services did not receive the attention required for such a quickly growing area. There is a need for more hospital beds and school desks. The influx of so many families has put a strain on facilities and services. We are always in need of more classroom space. Now that one expansion of our hospital is finally complete, we need to start the next one. I am pleased to see in the budget that we are giving priority to health and education. I welcome an audit of health care waiting lists, operational review teams for better management of our health care dollars, and a move toward home care to ease the overcrowding of hospitals. I welcome a shift to a wellness system of health care, and I note that the budget provides increased resources for adult and elderly mental health programs to put the mental health initiative back on track in 1992.

I am very pleased that finally adequate transitional funding to permit the planned transfer of Riverview Hospital patients to the community will be made available, and that adequate housing for the mentally ill is our government's highest priority.

Increased block funding of education for rapidly growing school districts is also welcome, as is the support for capital school construction in order to get children out of portables and into proper schools.

Hon. Speaker, I want to take a few moments to mention the generation of people that came before us -- our seniors population. The majority of seniors are well organized. They have their own recreational centres, and they take an active part in their communities. The seniors don't ask for much. Many merely want a form of affordable housing that will allow them some security for their future and for the future of the next generation of seniors. They'd like to live out the rest of their lives knowing that the cooperative housing they now occupy -- or perhaps will occupy -- will be preserved for the use of seniors in perpetuity.

Hon. Speaker, we need to develop a form of land trust for seniors' cooperatives. Seniors also want alternatives to hospitalization and extended-and intermediate care facilities. It's time to develop programs around home care and congregate care facilities, where seniors can be treated with the respect they deserve. I am pleased to see this direction included in the budget. Secure housing and closer-to-home health care will help to safeguard the dignity and comfort of our senior citizens.

Hon. Speaker, forestry is a major economic activity in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. Lumber mills along the Fraser River provide the majority of forestry employment, along with shake and shingle mills and wood product manufacturing. A stable wood supply is crucial to the local economy, where today 40 percent of IWA members are out of work, and all but one mill has cut production by half. Every woodworker understands who got them into this mess. They know that the way to turn the industry around is to reduce interest rates, lower the Canadian dollar and get rid of the unfair duty on Canadian softwood lumber. It is time the federal government acted on behalf of these woodworkers.

[11:30]

The northern wilderness area of Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows is heavily forested. And if you go into those woods today, you'll find Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, a wilderness research facility for the University of British Columbia providing research into sustainable forestry practices and silviculture. Further east, the municipal council of Maple Ridge is pursuing approval of a community tree-farm on Crown land north of Dewdney Trunk Road.

In those woods you'll also find the Alouette River Correctional Centre and its famous trout farm and hatchery. The corrections staff, with the help of the inmates, have built a trout-farming operation that restocks Alouette Lake with 20,000 coastal cutthroat trout each year. The fish-rearing station on Alouette Lake is a joint project among the Ministry of Environment, B.C. Hydro environmental resources division, the Save the Salmon Society and B.C. Corrections. The Alouette River Correctional Centre Hatchery was a dream of retired senior corrections officer Jim Jose. The director of programs at the centre, Mr. Tom Cadieux tells me that ten million fish have been released since the hatchery opened -- an annual average of 1.8 million fish. Tom Cadieux is currently working to have the provincial government set up a research facility using his rainbow trout farm, and I support him in that endeavour.

In another part of the forest is the Pacific Marine Training Institute, where safety training on the handling of hazardous materials is conducted, along with emergency firefighting training. This facility is an excellent site for a provincial hazardous material training academy.

Hon. Speaker, the people of my riding are community-minded, caring individuals. The volunteer spirit is very strong -- volunteer fire departments, Maple Ridge Search and Rescue, Block Watch and Veto Vandalism 

[ Page 478 ]

volunteers. The Maple Ridge Foundation, currently developing the Fraser River walk, is responsible for many worthy projects in our communities. Adopt-a-block volunteers are 700 individuals who stroll with a goal as they clean up litter on the streets on a daily basis. The Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, which has operated for the past 20 years and is growing every year, has set the pace for recycling in British Columbia.

We have many hard-working, generous members of service clubs who dedicate hours of time to ensure a better community for all. Living in my riding we have individuals like Gordon Dowding, former Speaker of this House; and municipal freemen Jim Hadgkiss, George Mussallem, Elmer Walske and Reg Franklin. These people are a great resource of knowledge.

Hon. Speaker, a high voter turnout at elections is evidence that Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows is an active political community. I have personally enjoyed that aspect of my riding over the past 20 years. I have made many good friends through politics and, to my knowledge, not a single enemy.

I would like to mention a few of the active political people I will continue to work with in my riding: Chief Ed Pierre of the Katzie band, who has been working to improve access to the community for his band members and their children, to develop economic opportunities and to increase employment and training opportunities; Member of Parliament Joy Langan, a good friend and an extremely hard-working MP; mayors Belle Morse of Maple Ridge and Bud Tiedeman of Pitt Meadows, the chief executive officers of two of the finest municipalities in British Columbia; school board chair Bridget Trerise, who has an extremely difficult responsibility in our growing school district; and last but not least, all the board members of the institutions and societies in my riding.

To conclude, a few words about my family. Without their years of support, I would certainly not be here today. My mother -- bless her heart -- was involved in the CCF and the New Democratic Party right from the beginning. Betty Hartley, née MacPherson, was born in Vancouver and has witnessed many changes in B.C. politics over the years. I know that my mother and my sister Diane are watching the proceedings today, and I want to say a heartfelt thanks to both of them for being the high-spirited fighters that they are. I know that right now they are thinking of my father and how proud he would be today. My father, Orlando Frederick Hartley, was an orphan with next to no beginning in his life, but he lived to be a good man and he will never be forgotten.

My first member's speech in the Legislature is an emotional moment in my life, and it feels good to be here.

V. Anderson: I rise to respond to the budget presented by the government last week and to second the amendment presented by the hon. member for Langley.

Following the Speech from the Throne, which presents the goals of the government, the budget acknowledges the will to implement these goals. Our task as opposition in our democratic process is to critique these goals and to evaluate the will and the reasons for implementing them. In doing this, I have tried to seriously consider the pros and cons of the promises thus suggested. In doing so, let me concentrate especially on my critic areas and on those areas which directly impinge upon the possibility of the wholeness of life for the individuals and communities that we represent. Let me also concentrate on the realities that most directly affect those for whom society has not been kind in an economic, social or physical sense.

Since the budget has been presented, I have been talking with representatives of the low-income community. They have told me that they find only one positive hint in this budget. This is the move to allow those on GAIN who work for income to keep $100 as a single person, as a supplemental of what they earn per month, and $200 per month as a parent with either one or ten children to care for. This recent change, though moving in the right direction, failed to take into account the family size, as they had been requested so to do before the budget was presented. Therefore they have placed a heavy burden on families of more than one child. Families of one, three, six children are treated the same, though their expenses are far different.

They also said that this change missed the real point in at least two other very important areas, which they had also raised with the government prior to the presentation of this budget. One is that those on GAIN, when they take on part-time employment beyond these limits, in effect become the financial supporters of government funding. Their earnings, which they earn by their own labour, go into the government's bank account rather than their own. Also, if they receive maintenance payments from a previous spouse for their children, this in most part also ends up in the government's bank account rather than their own. The fact is that these persons on low income become the greatest percentage supporters of the government from the money they receive. So the government's fund-raising efforts, which have continued for many years, fail to respond to the movement to free these people from being part of the fund-raising activities of the government. This is a situation which is drastically unfair.

Also, this budget promised to boost the income equity of a group which has a great need of it: women. I approve of that. Yet those due maintenance payments, most of whom are women, are not presently receiving these payments, because the system of the government does not support them. It also requires of them very degrading and frustrating processes, and requires them to sign over their legal rights to the Ministry of Social Services for the maintenance payments which are rightly theirs. In handling these maintenance payments on their behalf, presumably, the largest proportion does not go back where it should -- to the family bank account or to the children whose right it is. The largest proportion of these goes into the government's bank account. This is a system that must be changed.

The quality of community development and the need for this to be improved is given recognition in this budget, but the implication of this is not given specific direction. Let me use a very current illustration of an event of just this past week, which affects not only the 

[ Page 479 ]

community in which I live but probably all of the other communities in B.C.

This event was a meeting of the Vancouver schools -- of parents, teachers, school board and representatives greatly concerned about the inadequacies in the educational system, about school portables and about the closing of four of six community schools, which are community meeting places for many of the people of our community. They were concerned about the lack of multicultural workers in our schools, where some 80 percent of the children have English as a second language and where the community average of children who have English as a second language is over 50 percent -- and where those multicultural workers are desperately needed for proper education.

They're concerned about the urgent need for teachers, teachers' aides and support of children with special needs, particularly since the integration of these children into the regular school system is very much upon us -- and properly so. But not without the resources that are needed.

[11:45]

They are concerned about the firing and replacement of qualified, experienced and needed teachers. Representatives from these groups met just a week ago with government representatives and, as I understood it from them, they found no new response to their needs. The situation which already is very drastic in Victoria, Vancouver and probably at least 15 other school districts in B.C. promises to become much more drastic in this coming year. Thus these people do not see any resolution in this budget, at the same time that the number of students is increasing and the qualified teachers trained in our province are being forced to go elsewhere, outside British Columbia, for the jobs that they need.

At another level of education, the students of university age, from 17 to 87 are not able to register for the education they need to serve the desire for new learning which is a part of their lifestyle. As has been said before, we are one of the best-educated -- at least, in the formal sense of education -- nations in the world. Formal education, though, and education and learning do not always go hand in hand. We need to make room in our budget for the promise that these discrepancies will be overcome.

Yet these are only a small part of the malaise which affects our people. Let us say that they do have the opportunity for an education. What do they do with it? For countless numbers there are no jobs, no matter how qualified they may be -- no jobs that will enable them to receive a decent and livable income in our province. The present minimum wage, increased recently by this government to $5.50 per hour, is way below the poverty level, the basic level recognized for healthy living. The present budget gives no real promise to address this concern.

The concern is expressed very clearly by the report of the B.C. Nutrition Council, which, in their March 4 release, headlined their concern: "The Poor Still Can't Afford to Eat in B.C." Let me quote a bit from this article because it summarizes why many feel this budget does not respond to their needs:

"In British Columbia, people are living on income assistance and low-income wage-earners cannot afford to eat nutritious food. This is the conclusion of a survey released today by the B.C. Nutrition Council.... The survey was done in all regions of British Columbia as a follow-up to the 1990 survey. The 1992 survey confirms that the support allowance of the Guaranteed Available Income for Need -- GAIN -- Act is still inadequate to buy nutritious food."

As well, within British Columbia at the present time, the opportunities for fully trained people are minimal. To feel the personal force of the social much less the economic impact on families, I have met with unemployed people. I think particularly of the unemployed engineers I have had the opportunity to meet. They have reported again and again that in their inability to find jobs they lost their peer support. They faced family struggles and were losing hope about the future. This budget has not demonstrated an adequate program to meet their needs and the needs of many others like them.

Let me look at this budget through the eyes and words of the people with whom I have sat on tribunals. For those who might not have experienced a tribunal, this is a system whereby a person who seeks financial assistance and is turned down by the GAIN system can, for good cause, appeal to a three-person tribunal. This tribunal is made of up three people: one chosen by the person making the appeal; one chosen by the Ministry of Social Services; and these two choosing the third person as a chairperson, which has often been my privilege. The interesting part of these appeal processes on which I have sat is that in the majority of cases the person applying wins the appeal, because the tribunal does not have to interpret the rules as the Social Services workers are required to do, on direction from the ministry. The tribunal is free to interpret them even as they are written. It is not the Social Services worker who is at fault; it is the system. This budget does not indicate that there will be a total reworking of the Social Services system and a total rewriting of the social services act usually known as GAIN.

Two other groups of people have made representation for their desire for a full place in our society, and they do not find in this budget an adequate and satisfactory response. These are people who have mental disabilities or mental illnesses. They find a recognition of these needs, but as I indicate, not a satisfactory response. They have many economic and social needs, but perhaps one of their greatest and most urgent needs at the moment is for affordable and acceptable housing, which may be for them a real home with warmth and security. This budget does not set forth an immediate plan for their most urgent short-term and long-term needs.

Let me relate to those with whom I have visited in their struggle to live with AIDS, which leads many of them to be treated in our society like those with leprosy were treated not many generations ago. Our response to them, as a society, is not one of which we may be proud. They have medical needs beyond our understanding. They have economic needs beyond our com-

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prehending. They have social needs beyond our appreciation. This budget, though in part recognizing this, does not present a comprehensive, inclusive plan to respond to their urgent and pressing needs.

Let me refer to another segment of our community, that of our youth. Again, this very vital group in our community is being overlooked. Special education facilities for high-school youth who do not fit the mainstream are not readily available in our communities, and even the resources that are available are being closed down by this government.

Let me cite an example. This was the only drug and alcohol residential program for youth and family treatment in British Columbia, which had a proven and recorded record, and this government pulled the plug without replacing it in any adequate way. A similar non-residential program in Abbotsford is facing the same uncertain future, because this government has withdrawn its support. The most telling part is that these programs have been developed by community boards and concerned local parents and citizens, and with the involvement of the youth themselves. This budget does not present a plan of encouraging and supporting such groups, even though the largest budget in the world could never afford to replace their volunteer efforts and expertise.

Let me predict another community that we may expect to hear protesting against this budget with great vigour. That is the concerned and powerful seniors, who have already demonstrated their power of organizing. This budget does not respond to their need for acceptable, affordable and available housing, more effective home support and a legal care program that supports them in their crucial years.

Further, this budget does not present a comprehensive plan for supporting families or substitute basic units. The present commission travelling the province to receive reports on child protection legislation is, I agree, a start -- but only a start. The submissions they are receiving point this out very clearly.

I refer to a report in the Times-Colonist of April 1, 1992, which comes after this government has been in power for five months. Let me read a portion of this, because it highlights the inadequacy of what has been presented to us. I acknowledge that the government has acknowledged these needs, but the budget has not presented a way of responding to them. I quote:

"The social services system is so overloaded it has difficulty meeting its mandate, a community panel has heard repeatedly during its travels around the province.

"Several themes have recurred during meetings with groups and individuals ranging from street kids to teachers, panel member Mike Eso said in an interview Tuesday. There is a sense the system is really overloaded right now,' said Eso, a social worker who chairs the B.C. Government Employees' Union social education and health services component. If the resources are not there to implement the law, it's all for nought,' he said.

"'People are saying it's hard to get at the system because of the volume of people waiting in line. Some people just give up.'

"'The resources need to be used differently and we need to change the focus of the work. The resources need to be put in earlier rather than pay later,' she said.

"'There's a real feeling that we have to support families in a very different way. It's not all or nothing. We need to treat families, not just children, and we need to help families to carry out responsibilities to the best of their abilities rather than say if they can't do it all, they can't do anything.'"

[12:00]

Hon. Speaker, this budget, I repeat, does not present a total view of a plan to respond. Let me follow up on the family theme, for this is helpful in setting priorities. In the review of the estimates, one of the government ministers suggested that priorities are the environment and the economy. I agree, but I also know he did not mean to imply that these were the only priorities. For the basic needs of people are also a priority -- food, clothing, shelter, freedom, social opportunities and the possibility of creative employment, among others. In a family there are also many priorities -- those of mother, father, grandmother, grandfather and, most importantly, each of the children, whether there's one or ten or more. In setting out and implementing family priorities, all of these members must be treated equally for their basic needs. One is not allowed to go hungry or unclothed because another one is older or bigger or more productive or whatever. What there is, all share. So in our community discussions, in our government planning, all must share equally for basic needs. This government has many times suggested that they also believe in this principle, but this budget does not reflect this in a meaningful way. I wonder if they were afraid to really stand out and act on their principles. I know from personal experience this is not easy nor necessarily popular with all.

V. Anderson moved adjournment of the debate.

Motion approved.

J. MacPhail: Hon. Speaker, before we leave the chamber I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce the many dozens of Templeton Secondary School students sitting in the gallery who are from my riding. It's with pleasure that they are here. I have spent much time in that school addressing the various classes, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of them. I ask the House to welcome them.

Hon. G. Clark moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 12:03 p.m.

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