[ Page 6581 ]

The Speaker: I call the House to come to order. I will call on the Right Reverend Barry Jenks, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia, who will lead us in prayer today.

Rev. B. Jenks: Almighty God, whose wisdom and love are over all, accept the prayers we offer with grateful hearts for these 100 years of blessings in this place. We remember with thanksgiving the vision and faithful dedication of those in the past who have made provision for these buildings and have maintained them to house the instruments of government in this province through the years.

We give thanks for all who have served in this assembly and for those who have worked in the offices, galleries and corridors of this place. We give thanks for all that has been accomplished through their commitment and service.

We pray now for continued blessing and guidance as we move towards the future, through the challenges and complexities of our global and local context. Guide all to whom is committed the government of this province, and grant to them special gifts of wisdom and understanding, of compassion and fairness, so that they, considering all issues wisely, acting courageously, upholding what is right and performing that which is just, may serve the common good and secure harmony and justice for all.

Give your blessing to all citizens of this province. Make us, whose roots are in many different places, a united people who act with integrity in promoting the well-being of all and in creating peace and goodwill among all people.

In the midst of this celebration of thanksgiving and in the beauty and grandeur of these surroundings, we pray that You will, in all things, give us light to guide us, courage to support us and love to unite us, now and always.

Amen.

The Speaker: Thank you, Bishop.

Hon. members, as you know, this is a special sitting of the Legislature. We are gathered here, and are joined by British Columbians watching these proceedings live on television, to mark the 100th anniversary of British Columbia's parliament buildings. Those who are not familiar with our parliamentary system and our traditions will be interested to know that the Speaker is the one member of this House who does not speak -- or who, at least, does not participate in debate. Today, however, on this very special occasion I am pleased to have voice.

I am also pleased to join with the Clerks of this House in wearing a wig -- wigs like those that were worn some 100 years ago -- and also to draw to your attention the two Pages who are wearing period costumes today, as are other volunteers around these buildings.

In addition to marking the 100th anniversary of these buildings, we are here to share with British Columbians, especially our young people, an insight into how our system of parliamentary democracy works and to look to the future as these buildings move into their second century of service.

Throughout the proceedings this morning, some of the members who rise to speak on particular matters will also, therefore, take a moment to explain the process we are following. Hopefully, by explaining these practices during today's sitting, we will help the people watching to better understand and respect the process and, indeed, our system of government.

Before we proceed any further, though, I want to welcome the new member for Surrey-White Rock. The member was elected last fall in what is called a by-election. That's a special election that is called when there is a vacancy in the House. Because the Legislature has not been called into session since that by-election, this is the member's first opportunity to take his seat. We welcome him. [Applause.]

Hon. members, I would now like to draw to your attention the many distinguished guests in the chamber today, as well as in the galleries and elsewhere in the buildings. I am especially pleased to see so many former Members of the Legislative Assembly. Sadly, we do not have time to introduce these and our other special guests, but I would like to introduce four people who have a special relationship with these buildings.

John Rattenbury has joined us from Arizona. Mr. Rattenbury's father, Francis Rattenbury, was the architect who designed these beautiful buildings 100 years ago.

Alan Hodgson had the honour and the challenge of directing the restoration of these buildings in the early 1970s, and he did a magnificent job.

Alec Brady supervised the actual work to make that restoration a reality, and he must share credit for renewing these buildings while preserving their original character.

I also note that the Minister of Public Works at the time, the Hon. Bill Hartley, is joining us today. Welcome, gentlemen -- all of you. [Applause.]

In addition, members, we are joined by the members of the advisory council, that undertook the planning of celebrations to mark these buildings' 100th anniversary -- a celebration that will continue through the coming spring and summer.

I am now advised, members, that His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor is in the precincts. I would therefore ask all members and guests to remain seated until we are advised of his arrival.

As you may know, the Lieutenant-Governor is the representative in British Columbia of Her Majesty the Queen of Canada. Among the responsibilities of the Lieutenant-Governor is that of giving royal assent -- approval on behalf of the Queen -- to new laws and the spending plans of government.

Another role of the Lieutenant-Governor is that of reading the Speech from the Throne, usually once each year, which sets out the priorities of government. Today the Lieutenant-Governor will be delivering a special commemorative Speech from the Throne.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, having entered the House and being seated upon the throne, was pleased to deliver the following gracious speech.

Speech from the Throne

[ Page 6582 ]

It was here on this very day 100 years ago, February 10, 1898, that the Hon. Thomas R. McInnes, sixth Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, said this:

"It is a source of much pleasure to me to meet you in this the first year of my office as Lieutenant-Governor, and to congratulate you on the completion of these stately government buildings, so worthy of the province, so admirably adapted for the purposes for which they were designed, and in which you are now assembled for the first time."

In honouring our buildings' 100th, it's fitting, too, that we reflect upon and celebrate the past 100 years of British Columbia's success. And has B.C. ever come a long way, with the burgeoning of our communities, the enormous expansion of our communication links, the growth and development of our industries and our increase in wherewithal. Also, we've become a much more diverse, more open and more accepting society, one that not only values our people's differences but cherishes all we share in common. British Columbia has indeed come a long way.

As we celebrate the opening and the history of these stately buildings and their spacious and very cheerful grounds, we also honour our Canadian system of responsible democratic governance within a Canada -- from sea to great sea to great sea -- united. How fortunate we all are -- indeed blessed, I say -- to live in the most marvellous province in the most marvellous country there is.

Hence it's occasions such as these that call upon us to reflect upon, be grateful for and take pride in all of that which we enjoy and have been endowed with, and especially for all of the vision, hard work and sacrifice of all of those before us.

In a sense, this Speech from the Throne is somewhat unique. It isn't signalling a new session of the assembly or outlining a compendious legislative agenda, but it is honouring the values that I've referred to.

For today's agenda, hon. members, you will deal with one bill to recognize former members of the Legislature, and you will consider a proclamation to better ensure the preservation and maintenance of these buildings. As icing on the cake, you will hear very shortly from some of our spirited young people as they, and indeed we, focus on our future.

I began, hon. members, by quoting the Lieutenant-Governor of 100 years ago. I would like to close by quoting the remarkable sentiments of Capt. George Vancouver some 200 years ago, who, when first sighting our coast in 1792, wrote this: "The serenity of the climate, the innumerable pleasing landscapes, the abundant fertility that unassisted nature puts forth requires only to be enriched by man. . .to render it the most lovely country that can be imagined."

How true, how prescient, and what a visionary he was! Indeed, how very, very fortunate and lucky we are to be who we are and to live where we do.

Hon. members, I wish you well in your deliberations. Keep health, and in our Sovereign's name, I thank you.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

The Speaker: Members, our parliamentary tradition stipulates that I, as Speaker, now say the following words.

Hon. members, in order to prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor's speech.

Introduction of Bills

ASSOCIATION OF FORMER M.L.A.s
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ACT

Leave granted.

Hon. U. Dosanjh: Hon. Speaker, it's a privilege for me to introduce this bill and to briefly explain the process of making laws here in the B.C. Legislature. Every provincial law, before it actually becomes a law, must first be dealt with in this chamber as a bill and must be voted on by the members of this assembly.

Right now I am introducing this bill for first reading, a step that's generally automatic. There is no debate at first reading. The bill is simply entered into proceedings and scheduled for the next stage, second reading. At first reading the member introducing the bill simply gives a brief statement of the bill's intent and then moves for a vote on first reading. Approval at first reading only means that members have allowed the bill to be discussed at the next stage.

This bill, the Association of Formers M.L.A.s of British Columbia Act, is intended to give statutory legitimacy to the Association of Former MLAs of British Columbia, a non-partisan association of women and men who have served British Columbians by representing them in this chamber. This bill has the support of all members and is intended to acknowledge the part former MLAs have played in making this place work and in helping to build our province.

Hon. Speaker, the bill has been distributed to members. Therefore, by leave, I move first reading at this time.

[11:15]

Hon. U. Dosanjh: Hon. Speaker, by leave I move that Bill 55 proceed through all stages this day.

Leave granted.

Motion approved.

ASSOCIATION OF FORMER M.L.A.s
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ACT
(second reading)

At this time I will keep my comments very brief and just say that this bill is worthy of the support of all members. I say this because the bill acknowledges the contributions of members of this Legislature over the past century and, in fact, over the 126 years since British Columbia entered the Canadian federation.

[ Page 6583 ]

G. Campbell: Hon. Speaker, the official opposition is pleased to participate in this debate and in the proceedings of this special sitting of the Legislature.

Those who are watching these proceedings for the first time should be aware that debate in this Legislature will seldom be this agreeable. The usual role of the opposition is to carefully scrutinize proposals that are brought forward by government and, where we find fault, to offer amendment, to suggest change and, failing that, to strenuously oppose the legislation that we disagree with -- and win, on occasion. [Laughter.] Sorry, hon. Speaker, I moved off the script for a second.

While the role of the opposition might at first appear to be negative, it is actually one of the most positive aspects of our parliamentary democracy. Ours is a system where the opposition has full rights to openly disagree with the government, to offer its alternatives and to attempt to defeat government legislation that it opposes. These attributes make our system an open and healthy one, a system that, like these buildings, has stood the test of time. Of course, the opposition isn't here just to oppose; it's also here to work toward its own election to government through the most civilized and peaceful method in the world: legislative elections.

People who are watching today will see members of the opposition speaking on this bill and on motions that we'll be dealing with later on. Today's program does not include question period or the usual detailed examination of the government. I should tell the viewers that the government points out that it's the opposition question period; it's not called answer period on behalf of the government. This, however, is a key opportunity for the opposition to hold the government to account. So are spending estimates. Today we will not be covering either of those particular activities. However, I am pleased to speak in support of the bill that is now before us.

In celebrating the centenary of these buildings, it is most appropriate to also acknowledge the contribution of the many people who have devoted part of their lives to making our system of government work and our province a better place for all of us to live. I am pleased to express my support for this bill and to add my congratulations to the visitors here today and to those who have served the province of British Columbia over the proud 100-year history of these buildings.

M. Sihota: Hon. Speaker, I too am happy to rise and speak in support of this bill. During his ceremonial Speech from the Throne, His Honour spoke of how our province has changed and matured over the years. We can see this in the membership of this Legislature, which has gradually become a closer reflection of the composition of our province's population.

I have some personal experience with this, as I had the honour in 1986 of becoming the first Indo-Canadian to be elected to the Legislative Assembly -- a matter of pride both for my community and of course for my family: my wife Jessie and my children Karina and Rajan. Today there are four members of this Legislature of Indian ancestry: the member for Okanagan West; the member for Yale-Lillooet; the member for Vancouver-Kensington, who, of course, is the Attorney General of our province; and myself. None of us would have been able to sit in this chamber 100 years ago.

So in passing this legislation that honours MLAs of the past, I also want to look to the future -- a future when all British Columbians of all backgrounds will have an equal opportunity to represent their constituents in this assembly.

G. Wilson: Hon. Speaker, I too rise to speak in support of this bill and to draw the attention of members to some of the other firsts this chamber has seen over the years. The first person of aboriginal origin to be elected to this Legislature was Frank Calder, of Atlin. He was elected in 1949, the year that aboriginals and Japanese Canadians were first allowed to vote in British Columbia.

The first British Columbia-born Premier was Richard McBride, of New Westminster, who was elected in 1903. But it wasn't until 1972, 69 years later, that we had our second B.C.-born Premier, Mr. Dave Barrett. The first black persons elected to this Legislature were Rosemary Brown and former Speaker Emery Barnes, in 1972.

I am pleased to support another first today: the formal acknowledgment of former Members of the Legislative Assembly.

G. Abbott: Hon. Speaker, I too rise in support of this bill and point out another first for this Legislature. Today just might be the first time in 100 years that all hon. members are keeping their speeches to three minutes or less. This is a far cry from the day in 1866 when Leonard McLure stood in the Legislature and spoke for 16 hours straight -- the longest non-stop speech in Canadian legislative history. McLure's marathon speech was in opposition to a property tax bill. When he finally sat down, one of his colleagues rose and spoke for another seven hours. At that point -- not surprisingly, perhaps -- the government of the day withdrew the bill.

I mention this not just as interesting trivia but to illustrate how members of the Legislature have, over the decades, found their own unique ways of representing their constituents and of making a difference.

The bill we're debating today is evidence of how this Legislature has matured, and it is most appropriate for us to acknowledge the contributions of former MLAs by passing this bill.

The Speaker: Members, normally the Attorney General would close debate on second reading. Happily, he has waived that right. The question is second reading.

Motion approved.

Bill 55, Association of Former M.L.A.s of British Columbia Act, read a second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole House for consideration forthwith.

ASSOCIATION OF FORMER M.L.A.s
OF BRITISH COLUMBIA ACT

The Chair: It is my privilege as the Deputy Speaker to serve as the Chair of Committee of the Whole. Committee of the Whole is a slightly different version of the Legislature, one with rules that allow more leeway for debate. It is used to examine every clause of a bill once it has passed second reading.

During Committee of the Whole, members have the opportunity to propose amendments to the bill. It is also used for a detailed review of the spending plans of each government ministry. Each year the Committee of the Whole or another committee of members that sits outside this chamber reviews these spending plans, known as estimates. The deliberations of committees are reported back to the full House, and that's where votes on their passage then take place.

[ Page 6584 ]

I now call the committee to order on Bill 55.

On section 1.

G. Farrell-Collins: I too am pleased to speak today on, in this case, committee stage of this bill. As have other members who have risen today, I too will break somewhat from tradition. Instead of focusing solely on the bill, I would like to say a few more words about the process.

The role of the opposition during committee stage of legislation is to carefully review all aspects of the bill and to ask all the pertinent questions that lead to a further explanation of the bill or to improvements to it through amendments, or that make clear that sections of the bill are undesirable or unworkable.

In this case, we are dealing with a bill that all members of the Legislature support. Therefore, instead of asking a question, I too want to express my support for this bill and acknowledge the past contributions of the many members of the Legislature who have gone before us.

E. Gillespie: I'm pleased to rise and add my support for section 1 and for this entire bill.

Today we've spoken of firsts. The first woman to sit in this Legislature was Mary Ellen Smith, in 1918, who three years later became the first female cabinet minister in Canada. In 1950, Nancy Hodges became the first woman Speaker of this Legislature and the first in the history of the entire Commonwealth. In 1991, British Columbia had its first woman as Premier, Rita Johnston.

This history of this place and the people who have served here link us with the practices of today. As we celebrate this 100th anniversary, we have the opportunity to educate our young people about the values that make our form of government special -- values that they will be charged with protecting in the future.

I support this section, and I support this bill.

Sections 1 to 12 inclusive approved.

Title approved.

Hon. U. Dosanjh: Before I move the motion, I also want to say that we're proud today that we have two members of Chinese Canadian ancestry with us. They were the first two to be elected as members in the history of this province: the member for Oak Bay-Gordon Head, Ida Chong; and the member for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, Jenny Kwan. I know I'm not supposed to mention names, but I just did. [Laughter.]

Hon. Chair, having engaged in that indiscretion, I now move that the committee rise and report the bill complete without amendment.

Motion approved.

The House resumed; the Speaker in the chair.

Bill 55, Association of Former M.L.A.s of British Columbia Act, read a third time and passed.

The Speaker: As hon. members know, third reading is usually a formality and does not involve any debate, because the bill has already been approved in principle and because the specific sections have been scrutinized and adopted. What remains to be done now is what is called royal assent. I would ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please make it possible for His Honour to enter the chamber.

You will notice, by the way, that by our tradition the Lieutenant-Governor does not speak during royal assent. Instead, the Clerk of the House reads the name of the act, and the Lieutenant-Governor simply nods to express the approval of the Crown. This process symbolizes the balance in our system between the role of the Crown and that of the elected Legislature.

I'll ask members to simply wait a moment until His Honour arrives.

[11:30]

Clerk of the House:

Association of Former M.L.A.s of British Columbia Act.

In Her Majesty's name, His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor doth assent to this bill.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

G. Janssen: By leave, I move, seconded by the member for Peace River South, that Mark Rose, president of the Association of Former MLAs of British Columbia, be permitted to address this assembly from the bar of the House.

Leave granted.

G. Janssen: It is rare for someone other than a member of this Legislature or the hon. Lieutenant-Governor to speak in this chamber. When this does take place, it is tradition that they deliver their address from the bar located at the opposite end of the chamber from the throne. Today I am most pleased that a representative of the Association of Former MLAs of British Columbia is here and is prepared to deliver some brief comments on behalf of that association's membership.

The Speaker: I thank the member for Alberni for the pot calling the kettle black.

The member for Peace River South.

J. Weisgerber: Hon. Speaker, I'm happy to second this motion and to inform the House that a special ceremony will be held in the lower rotunda of these buildings today at 12:30 p.m. This ceremony will involve the unveiling of three plaques honouring past members of the Legislature. They are the first in what will be a long-term program to honour former MLAs.

These first three plaques will honour members who served in the parliaments that were elected in 1871, 1898 and 1986. I have a particular interest in the last of these three, as I am the only sitting member who served in the government that was elected in 1986.

Motion approved.

[ Page 6585 ]

Address from the Bar of the House

Governor General Lord Tweedsmuir once said: "Public life is regarded as the crown of a career, and to young men it is the worthiest ambition." During the 20 years or so that I served as an elected representative, I worked with hundreds of talented, distinguished and dedicated women and men who entered public life with the highest ideals and a genuine desire to serve their electors. Democracy cannot exist without elections. Yet today, unfortunately, many if not most of our citizens do not regard those elected to public office as either particularly distinguished or dedicated.

Why is this contemporary cynicism about public figures so pervasive, I wonder. The BBC News's Martyn Lewis, who has thought about these things, asks this question: is it because, through our news sources, people are unwittingly conditioned to grow up in a world where successes and achievements appear to be much less important than mistakes and failures? Certainly we need people to probe motives. We need them to ferret out injustices and highlight controversies, but not exclusively so. By concentrating only on exceptions, the public receives a distorted view of the world. Since the public is intoxicated by any caption that humbles the prominent among us, positive comments are seldom reported. Denounce and demean: is that the maxim of the media?

But we politicians contribute to our own degradation when we indulge in petty partisanship and resort to name-calling as a substitute for reasoned debate. Despite all this, some of us thrive on politics and get used to being targets. As Winston Churchill said: "Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times."

Mr. Speaker, as president of the former MLAs, I invite you and all sitting members to join our association once you become eligible. And may your eligibility be of your own choosing and not be determined by an unanticipated vengeance on the part of the voters.

Hon. A. Petter: I ask leave to table a proclamation.

Leave granted.

Proclamation

British Columbians -- whether fishers on the north coast, tourism operators in the Kootenays, farmers in the Peace or homemakers in the lower mainland -- share a close connection to these buildings, because this is the home of democracy in British Columbia. These buildings are where the people of all regions send their representatives to make decisions on their behalf. Many of those representatives have been colourful characters, like Amor De Cosmos in the last century, or "Flying Phil" Gaglardi and Dave Barrett in this century. Others have been somewhat less colourful -- thankfully -- but equally committed to our parliamentary democracy. All of these people have contributed to a proud 100-year record in this building.

Today we are beginning a celebration of 100 years of progress and of the bright future that lies ahead for these buildings, this Legislature and our province. It is in this spirit that I table this proclamation.

I. Chong: Hon. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this proclamation, which is certainly worthy of our support. These buildings are truly a magnificent asset and a heritage legacy for British Columbians. Their construction in the 1890s was somewhat controversial. The project came in at almost double the original estimate, yet the actual cost of $924,000 has proved to be a sound investment when compared with the value of the buildings today.

Francis Rattenbury, the architect who designed these buildings, left his mark all across British Columbia, including Chilliwack, Nanaimo, Nelson, Vancouver and especially here in Victoria. This is the physical and cultural legacy of Francis Rattenbury that remains with us today.

I'm happy to be here to praise the history of these buildings and also to acknowledge that these celebrations are about much more than just a physical structure. The firsts are important, as has been mentioned by many others. I am personally proud that in 1996, I, along with the member for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, became the first Canadians of Chinese descent to be elected to this Legislature. It has been slightly more than 50 years that Chinese and Indo-Canadians have been eligible to vote in British Columbia elections, and it has been less than 50 years that aboriginal and Japanese Canadians have been eligible to vote.

So, hon. Speaker, we have come a long way in 100 years, and I do look forward to being part of continued progress as these buildings move into the next 100 years.

T. Stevenson: A number of members have spoken about firsts in this province's parliamentary history, and I would like to draw attention to two others. It is my privilege and honour to be one of the first two openly gay men elected to this assembly. The other is my opposition colleague from West Vancouver-Garibaldi. This is a matter of great pride for both of us.

I would also like to point out that British Columbia also led the way in another area. Mr. Doug Mowat, whose seat was a wheelchair, was elected to this chamber in 1983 and served two terms in this House.

Hon. J. Pullinger: I too rise to speak in support of this proclamation. I point out that today there are 20 women sitting as members of this Legislature -- far from half of its 75 members. But 100 years ago there were no women here. Women didn't even have the right to vote. That happened in 1917, after another 19 years of struggle. Since then, as the member for Comox Valley said, we have had women elected; we have made some progress.

Over the years these buildings have become both a precious symbol of our heritage and a focus for tourism in British Columbia. Across the country and around the world, people recognize these buildings. They are a justified source of pride for all British Columbians. I strongly support this proclamation, and I thank the many people who have contributed to the rich history of these buildings and of our province.

[ Page 6586 ]

The Speaker: The proclamation is then tabled.

Hon. G. Clark: By leave, I move, seconded by the member for Chilliwack, that a representative of the B.C. Youth Parliament be permitted to address this assembly from the bar of the House.

Leave granted.

Hon. G. Clark: As others have already said, today's celebration is not so much about the past as it is about the future. As Minister Responsible for Youth, I'm very much aware of how the decisions we make here in this chamber affect the future of young people. I'm very happy to be part of these celebrations. I acknowledge the history of these buildings and the tremendous contributions of the people who have been here before us, many of whom are in the galleries today.

One of our main goals in these celebrations is to let young people know about the important work that happens here and to make them more a part of it. That's why I'm so pleased today that we have created a web site for young people to help them learn more about our history and how our parliamentary system works. I'm also pleased that a number of talented young actors are going to be hired this summer to be part of the parliament buildings tour program.

I want to challenge the young people who are here today or are watching this special sitting on television. I want to ask you to come up with new ideas on how we can involve you more closely in what happens in these buildings. Whether it's the creation of universities, the setting of education budgets, the creation of youth jobs or lowering the voting age, every year a lot happens right here in this chamber that affects your life. We've spent much of the past two years asking young people how they can become more directly involved in these decisions. We've heard some good suggestions, and we're working on many of them. But today I challenge you to take this a step further: look at what we can do here and let me know how we can make it more relevant to you.

I ask all members to support this motion and permit a young person to enter this chamber right now to address us.

[11:45]

Seriously, though, we do need to recognize the accomplishments of the past century, and by doing so, I hope we'll better understand how we got to where we are today. The official opposition is committed to using these buildings and our system of parliamentary democracy to help address these challenges, including finding good jobs for young people in our beautiful province.

Francis Rattenbury was only 25 years old when he went to work designing these buildings, so in a very real sense this place was built by youth, as was the history of our province. Today I ask all members to celebrate the accomplishments of the past 100 years while dedicating ourselves to making even more progress during the next 100 years. I support this motion, because the best way to set the stage for the future is to listen to the people who will be there: our young people.

Motion approved.

Address from the Bar of the House

Each year 92 young British Columbians come from across the province to debate and pass legislation governing our upcoming year's service projects. B.C. Youth Parliament is a non-partisan, non-denominational youth service organization, which has enjoyed the privilege of using these chambers for almost 70 years. While you might have seen our display box in the rotunda of these buildings, there is far more to our organization than the symbols shown there. Rather, our motto of "Youth Serving Youth" is reflected in each member's year-long commitment to plan, organize and carry out activities that serve the youth of our province.

Much more than just a model parliament, we have an annual budget of roughly $30,000 raised entirely by our members -- and an equivalently large hassle trying to pass it through our House. This budget allows us to take on a variety of youth service projects, from providing meals for street youth to organizing educational forums. But by far our most challenging -- yet, without question, most rewarding -- project is Camp Phoenix, a week-long summer camp for disadvantaged children, which is organized and staffed entirely by volunteer Youth Parliament members. In fact, the most important lessons learned by members of the Youth Parliament do not come from our days spent in these chambers, but rather from our experiences within our communities as we implement our legislation.

Perhaps one of the most important issues facing youth today is our desire for others to look beyond the visible symbols, whether it's a suit or a pierced eyebrow -- or both -- to discover the potential of our province's youth. Far too often we are judged by how we look and not by our knowledge or our abilities. Key to the success of British Columbia's youth is the recognition of our potential. Regardless of age, youth must have the opportunity and must take the opportunity to make an impact. For this, BCYP thanks members of this Legislature, because for decades we have been recognized and supported in our efforts to improve the well-being of the youth of British Columbia.

In closing, I would once again like to say thank you, and may we all be successful in our efforts to serve our communities.

Hon. G. Clark: I just want to say how pleasant it's been to have such an agreeable but brief sitting of the Legislature. We should do this more often. I know we've put aside some controversial issues to celebrate this very special day, and I hope the positive and constructive spirit in which we've carried this out will carry on into the Legislature -- which is not too far away, actually, members.

I want to stand here and thank all of those who have helped make this day possible, particularly you and your staff, Mr. Speaker. The advisory committee, including some members of all parties, put this together. I want to thank the

[ Page 6587 ]

distinguished visitors. I believe there are over 80 former parliamentarians in this House who have come here today. I want to thank them for helping to make this day very special for all of us.

I want to thank the young people who have watched, listened and hopefully learned a little bit about the way in which we conduct business here -- although this was, of course, an atypical sitting in terms of the way the rules work -- and particularly the volunteers throughout the House today, many of whom are young people.

On behalf of all members of the Legislature, if I could be so presumptuous, and on behalf of the government, I want to thank those who have taken the time out of their very busy lives to celebrate a truly historic occasion with us: the 100th birthday of this magnificent building and all it represents for democracy in British Columbia.

G. Campbell: I appreciate the Premier's comments and the spirit he made them in. I'd like to assure the government that as long as they bring in legislation that's as positive as the legislation they brought in today, they can expect our support.

I also want to thank all the guests who have come here today. Often, as Mr. Rose pointed out, when we talk about politicians, we forget about the time, the effort and the energy that they put in. There are many people here today who have contributed a significant part of their lives to furthering the province of British Columbia's interests, and I want to say thank you to them.

I should just say that I always enjoy it when I listen to the young people of this province speak. You get a sense of pride in their accomplishments and in their willingness to contribute. I join with the Premier in saying that we have to open up our system and our processes to make sure that they are included. I can guarantee them this: their ideas are going to do a much better job of solving some of the problems that we face than our ideas have in the past. So we want to hear from them, for sure.

I know that a lot of the practices that people have seen today in the House will seem strange; they don't seem familiar. But one thing we all have to remember and that I think we can all cherish, particularly on a day like this, which is the 100th anniversary of these buildings and this facility, is that we have the best government in the world -- not perfect, but it's the best by far.

Hon. Speaker, I'd like to thank you and all of your volunteers for bringing together this program today, so together we can celebrate the parliamentary democracy that has been such a positive contribution to the province of British Columbia.

Hon. J. MacPhail: I now have the honour of introducing the final motions of this special sitting. The first motion outlines the procedures that will be followed for this Legislature to meet again in the future.

I move that this House at its rising do stand adjourned until it appears to the satisfaction of the Speaker, after consultation with the government, that the public interest requires that the House shall meet or until the Speaker may be advised by the government that it is desired to prorogue the second session of the thirty-sixth parliament of the province of British Columbia. The Speaker may give notice that he is so satisfied or has been so advised, and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and, as the case may be, may transact business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time and date. And in the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Speaker shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. MacPhail moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 11:54 a.m.

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