[ Page 6597 ]

Prayers.

Hon. J. Kwan: I am delighted to introduce today four visitors from the district of Lake Country: His Worship Mayor Bob McCoubrey and Councillor Tom Witty, along with two of their staff members -- Randall Rose, the administrator, and Stephen Banmen, the treasurer.

C. Clark: In the precincts today is a group of school kids from my riding in Burnaby, from Forest Grove Elementary School. They are accompanied by their teacher, Ms. Falconer. I hope the House will make them welcome.

R. Neufeld: I'm lucky to start out this session having someone from the far north down here. Many of you know that it does not happen very often. I'd like to introduce my constituency assistant, who works with me in my office in Fort St. John, Dorene Callison.

G. Hogg: I'm delighted to introduce to the House a resident of Surrey-White Rock, Todd Hanna, who worked in the by-election. Unlike my colleague from the north, he will be here very often, I'm sure. Please welcome Todd Hanna.

E. Gillespie: I'm delighted to introduce to members two friends who are visiting the precincts today: Mr. Gerry Schultz, who is a constituent, a friend and a supporter visiting from the Comox Valley; and a longtime, dear friend, Pamma Fitzgerald, visiting from Calgary. Would the House please make them welcome.

P. Reitsma: I just noticed in the gallery two very good friends of mine: Paula Peterson and Gerry Peterson, her husband. Paula, of course, is a former president of the B.C. Reform Party. In fact, she used to be my campaign manager when I was mayor of Port Alberni. Would the House please make them welcome.

R. Thorpe: It gives me great pleasure to introduce a constituent of mine, Mr. Mike Reed, from Naramata. Please welcome him to the House.

Point of Privilege

The Speaker: I wonder, hon. member, if you would take your seat for a minute. You have provided me with the words, and I appreciate that. They are a little lengthy, and I would at this time recommend to you that you do a summary of those remarks. You may proceed.

M. de Jong: I am happy to oblige, and thank you for those instructions, Madam Speaker.

On February 16, 1998, I spoke by telephone with the member for Surrey-Whalley in her capacity as chair of the government caucus. That conversation began with the member emphasizing to me the position of her caucus that the existing funding formula for the government caucus budget, which had been in place for 20 years, is patently unfair. Those were her submissions.

The member for Surrey-Whalley presented several arguments in support of that submission and asked what the position of the official opposition was on the issue. I replied that the official opposition caucus was not prepared to consent to changing the existing funding formula for caucus budgets. In response, the government caucus chair, the member for Surrey-Whalley, became angry and stated that unless the official opposition agreed to alter the funding formula in a way that would increase the NDP caucus global budget, she and her colleagues would move unilaterally to reduce the official opposition budget.

She further stated. . . .

The Speaker: Hon. member, I would appreciate it if you would please state the nub of your privilege motion.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Hon. members, order.

I am encouraging the hon. member to be succinct and to describe the privilege that has been abused. I expect to hear that, hon. member.

Interjection.

The Speaker: There's no argument.

M. de Jong: I'm in your hands. I'm relating a telephone conversation that is the nub of the issue.

The Speaker: Describe in succinct words the nub of the issue, please.

M. de Jong: Secondly, hon. Speaker, the threat by the member to reduce the budget available to the opposition members, I was told, would be carried out without notice to us. The member for Surrey-Whalley indicated her belief that the action could be taken without reconvening LAMC, which was considering the matter at the time.

I expressed my concerns relating to those topics -- the threat that was made -- in a letter the following day to the Government House Leader, and I believe they form the basis for the privilege motion I am making today. I rely, in making the submission to you, on the authority Erskine May -- "That it is a gross breach of the privilege of this House for any person. . .to endeavour to compel members by force to declare themselves in favour of or against any proposition. . . ."

I also refer to the authorities that an attempt to intimidate. . . .

The Speaker: Hon. member, would you take your seat, please. I recognize the hon. Minister of Energy and Mines.

Hon. D. Miller: The member a moment ago made a remark with respect to myself, and I think his words were. . . .

Interjections.

Hon. D. Miller: Hon. Speaker, could I simply make the point and allow you to. . . ?

[ Page 6598 ]

Hon. D. Miller: I'm asking for a retraction, hon. Speaker. The member clearly said and indicated that I had. . . .

The Speaker: Hon. member, would you take your seat. Another member has risen. I have to ask you to take your seat, please. I recognize the hon. Opposition House Leader.

[10:15]

The Speaker: Thank you, hon. member. Matsqui, continue.

M. de Jong: The authorities, May amongst them, also cite numerous authorities that the attempt to intimidate a member in his or her parliamentary conduct by threats is a contempt. In fact, it is suggested that any conduct having a tendency to impair the independence of a member in the future performance of their duty should be treated as a contempt.

I also refer to our own standing order 89, which states: "The offer of any money or other advantage to any member of this House, for the promoting of any matter whatsoever depending or to be transacted in the House, is a. . .crime and misdemeanour, and tends to the subversion of the constitution."

Finally, hon. Speaker, I know full well that the member on that occasion was upset and agitated by the fact that the government caucus has overspent its budget by upwards of half a million dollars. I understand that. In my view, however, it is no excuse for making the type of threat that she made clearly and unequivocally to me in that telephone conversation that day. By issuing that threat, she violated a fundamental principle of this House, in my view, and in the process violated the privileges of each and every member of this official opposition.

I believe that the facts I've related to you, both orally today and in the material including the background documents that I've tendered, establish a prima facie case. If you agree with me to that extent, I have provided you a copy of the motion that I am prepared to move in this House, referring the matter to the appropriate committee.

The Speaker: I recognize now the hon. Minister of Energy and Mines.

Hon. D. Miller: Some moments ago, the member made an aside. The exact wording, aimed at myself, was something to this effect: "Are you going to phone this judge too?" Hon. Speaker, I have never phoned a judge, and I would ask the member to withdraw that statement.

The Speaker: It's a point well taken. Member for Matsqui. . . . You withdraw, thank you.

I recognize the Government House Leader.

Hon. J. MacPhail: I rise today a little bit dismayed. Only this official opposition could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I understand -- I have had notice that the Leader of the Opposition is actually going to address the Speech from the Throne. I guess maybe we can predict that his remarks will be less than exciting, and therefore they have to set up this decoy.

It is kind of strange, actually, that an hon. member would reduce himself to this level just prior to what I am very much looking forward to: hearing the Leader of the Opposition's remarks.

The Speaker: Hon. minister, I beg your pardon. Would you take your seat, please.

M. de Jong: On a point of order, hon. Speaker. I was asked, 20 seconds into my submission on what I think is a fundamentally important issue, to keep my remarks brief and relevant. I am going to ask the Speaker to direct the Government House Leader to do the same.

The Speaker: Thank you for the point. I recognize, on the. . . .

Hon. J. MacPhail: I actually do want to hear what the Leader of the Opposition has to say. Unlike his own caucus, I do want to hear what he has to say.

The Speaker: On the motion of privilege.

Hon. J. MacPhail: Let's start with the motion of privilege that the member for Matsqui -- a strong, vibrant, assertive, very independent member -- is making against a government caucus backbencher. Let me see what the accusation is that they are making there.

First of all, I would suggest to you, hon. Speaker, that the matter is very highly subjective, about the nature of a threat, if any -- the context of it, a telephone call. . . . I don't know; I haven't seen the submission to you. Perhaps there is direct evidence in the form of a tape or whatever of a conversation by telephone. But if there isn't, then I would suggest that you have to refer to what actually happens in the committee.

The Legislative Assembly Management Committee is a committee of this House. It is governed by the rules of this House, and the dialogue and the action that takes place there. . . . That is a matter for consideration by all members -- what happens in that committee, not what happens in the form of a telephone call, where the interpretation can be highly subjective. I expect that if indeed we were to get into conversations that happen by telephone, that happen in the hallway, that happen in the dining room, each and every one of us would have to answer to those kinds of questions. What the rules of the House deal with is exactly what happens in our formal transactions at the committee stage.

Hon. Speaker, if I could, I would just like to refer you to the. . . .

The Speaker: Thank you, hon. Government House Leader. Would you wrap up your remarks shortly, please.

Hon. J. MacPhail: Yes. Well, actually, hon. Speaker, this is my first cut at this, so if you would like to have debate later on, I'd be more than happy to do that.

But let me just refer you to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee, if I could:

"Powers and duties of the committee. The committee has jurisdiction to deal with all matters affecting" -- this is 3, and I'll go down into subsection (d) -- "review of estimates of 

[ Page 6599 ]

expenditure for the Legislative Assembly for vote 1, including the preparation of forecasts and analyses of expenditures and commitments of the Legislative Assembly."

You know what? If in some way, in her carrying out her duties, there were a rule, a kind of protocol, that this hon. member, who I actually haven't seen at the Legislative Assembly Management Committee. . . . If he is a new member, perhaps he would like to bring forward a protocol of behaviour. I expect that each and every government member would welcome a protocol of behaviour, especially from the member for Matsqui.

The Speaker: Thank you, hon. member. I am sure you will submit your materials to substantiate your argument.

G. Farrell-Collins: I'd just like to remind the Government House Leader that we have a rule of procedure and decorum in this House. It's written by the Clerk and the members of this House, and it should be honoured by all members of this House.

I know that this perhaps doesn't rank as a threat in the long line of threats that have been uttered by this government to the citizens of British Columbia over the last number of years. But the reality is that the same threat or a very similar threat was uttered by that member in a full LAMC committee in the Speaker's chamber on the day of the 100th anniversary celebration of this House to commemorate democracy. The fact of the matter is that that caucus overspent its budget by a quarter of a million dollars two years in a row, and the Speaker of. . . .

The Speaker: Hon. member, the point has been made.

G. Farrell-Collins: Hang on, hon. Speaker. It is relevant.

The Speaker: The point has been made by the previous speaker on your side, if I may. So if you would move on to another point.

G. Farrell-Collins: Thank you, hon. Speaker. I was about to.

The fact of the matter is that despite the comments by the Government House Leader as to the appropriate functioning of LAMC, which I agree with and concur with, the former Speaker continued to write cheques without any approval from LAMC, without any notice being given to LAMC -- like he owned this building. Despite the very law that that member read into the record in this House, he continued to operate in that capacity.

I also bring to your attention the comments of the Government House Leader when she confirmed, in fact, that the call was made and what the member said, and that in her opinion it was not a threat. Well, hon. Speaker, it'll be up to you to decide whether or not that kind of thing is a threat. I know it perhaps doesn't rank with the way ministers operate on a daily basis in this province; but in this House it's a threat, and it'll be treated like a threat.

The Speaker: Hon. members, I have heard the debate and the points that have been made, and I will take the issue under advisement and get back as soon as it is practicable.

Orders of the Day

Throne Speech Debate

Hon. Speaker and hon. members, I am proud to move the Speech from the Throne. As we begin this session of the British Columbia Legislature, I think it is appropriate to look back to the first throne speech heard in this chamber just over 100 years ago. As gold had just been discovered in the Yukon region, the throne speech forecast a great stimulus to commercial enterprise throughout the province. An all-Canadian transportation route to the north was considered an urgent necessity. In February 1898, railway construction was a high priority, with the Crowsnest railway expected to reach Nelson later that year. Plans were under development for the Victoria, Vancouver and Eastern railway to open up the rich mining camps and agricultural lands along the route.

In 1898, fisheries offered a wide range for further expansion, and the timber industry had shown marked improvement during the previous year. One hundred years ago, the members of this Legislature were just beginning to come to grips with the potential wealth of the minerals and other natural products of this great province. In this, we find ourselves on common ground with our ancestors but with a very different focus. Where they were intent on building the infrastructure to move these raw materials to market, we will be directing our attention to developing and supporting value-added manufacturing here in British Columbia.

Having spent most of the last 100 years simply harvesting the wealth of our natural resources, we are now moving our focus to protecting and enhancing these resources for the benefit of all British Columbians. Furthermore, we are moving to diversify our economy into areas unheard of by our predecessors, such as hydroelectric power, tourism and the film and television industries.

As outstanding as the similarities are between the throne speech of 100 years ago and that of today, so are the differences. There was no mention in 1898 of health care, no mention of education, no mention of other public services. In fact, there was no mention at all of the hard-working pioneers who were toiling to harvest the resources and to build the railroads. There was no mention of the families of these people and the services that government might provide to assist them.

As we move toward the year 2000 and as we work toward our vision of the future for the people of our great province, it is important to remember how far we've come in the past 100 years. It's also important to remind ourselves that we can no more predict the changes to come than could our predecessors. Who among them could have imagined that the debates of this House could be viewed by all British Columbians through the live coverage of television cameras or that members of this House could travel by air from one end of our province to another in a matter of a few hours?

Our goal in the coming weeks and months is to build for the future by focusing on renewing British Columbia's economy -- to encourage investment, to create new jobs and to 

[ Page 6600 ]

ensure opportunities for all British Columbians. We need to make sure that training and education opportunities are available for all our young people, to give them the skills they need to prosper in our changing economy. We need to build on the work we've begun to strengthen our universal health care system, our quality public services and our high environmental standards.

A key component of our vision for a safe and liveable future, as presented in the throne speech, is the building of a strong, diversified economy offering jobs and opportunities for all British Columbians and, most importantly, for our young people.

Our government is working with communities in the Comox Valley through programs such as infrastructure development, FRBC and Fisheries Renewal to foster new long-term and sustainable development to support our rapidly growing population. Forestry has long been the cornerstone of economic development on Vancouver Island, and steps to support the growth of secondary wood manufacturing are key to the continuing economic health of our province.

Earlier this year, Forest Renewal B.C. announced support for a plan to create a value-added village for the Comox Valley, a plan which envisions an industrial site dedicated to value-added manufacturers and artisans who work with wood. The potential for increasing productive capacity and marketing opportunities is very exciting. The value-added village builds on work already underway to strengthen the value-added sector of our forestry enterprises.

The community tenure pilot program has been really well received by communities in the Comox Valley and the North Island. Applications have been made, and people are looking forward to the approval of those pilot community forest licences.

[10:30]

Strathcona Park, in the heart of Vancouver Island, is a world-renowned destination for tourists, especially for those interested in the environment. Our government is currently in negotiations for the addition of Divers and Rossiter lakes to that wonderful park. These lakes and the surrounding areas have long been held for their recreational value, and we are now bringing those into Strathcona Park. This is something that has been sought after by local residents and by the Friends of Strathcona Park for over ten years.

The creation of the new Ministry of Fisheries is welcomed by the residents of Comox Valley, as both commercial and sport fishing are important economic contributors to the mid-Island economy.

I want to recognize the work of the Tsolum River task force in the Comox Valley. They have been working to reclaim a river from the ravages of industry. For three and a half years, 35 years ago, a mine operated at the top of Mount Washington, at the source of the Tsolum River. For 35 years acid rock drainage has polluted this river to the point where it is no longer a fisheries-productive river. But recently, salmonids have been found in this river, to our great encouragement. The work of the task force is comprehensive, working toward the rehabilitation of this river.

They'll be looking forward to opportunities for funding to continue their work through Fisheries Renewal B.C. The work of the new Ministry of Fisheries and of Fisheries Renewal B.C. to ensure a future for the Pacific salmon through the protection of fish habitat and enhanced fish stocks will result in new jobs in the value-added and diversified fisheries, which will benefit people in the Comox Valley.

As in the past, building and maintaining transportation routes is key to the economic health of our province. The Vancouver Island Highway project is fast becoming a complete reality. It's already improving the safe movement of people and commercial goods for our communities. Construction will be completed from Mud Bay to Courtenay by September of 1999, with completion to Campbell River following two years later. This much-needed and long-awaited infrastructure project is an investment in the region and brings jobs, training opportunities and economic development, to the benefit of the people of the Comox Valley.

Another transportation link that's important to the people of the Comox Valley is the B.C. Ferries system -- something else our predecessors of a hundred years ago would hardly have imagined. In addition to the important service provided to the residents of Hornby and Denman islands, this ferry system is a vital link for the many tourists who are attracted to these islands. We're also served by the Comox-Powell River ferry, which links us to the Sunshine Coast on the mainland and is important to business and to travellers alike.

Key to our vision of a strong, competitive and modern economy is a healthy, highly skilled and educated workforce, and to this end we're committed to working with our partners in the education system to ensure that our schools continue to be among the best anywhere.

Comox Valley is a rapidly growing area, with many young families. For many years, growth has outstripped the construction of new school facilities in our school district. It has been an honour and a pleasure for me to work with local school boards and parent groups during the past year, a year which saw construction started on a new and much-needed elementary school and on an addition to Highland Secondary School.

This year also saw the completion of construction at Timberline Secondary School and the North Island College campus. I was very proud to participate in the opening of this new facility, a shared facility between a high school and North Island College in Campbell River, which opened its doors to students just this past fall. Shared facilities are a cost-effective way to improve access and affordability for post-secondary education. This is a unique way of encouraging students to pursue a college or university education after high school graduation without the expense of moving to a larger urban centre.

I heartily support the commitment in the throne speech to provide increased educational resources directed at improving conditions where they count the most: in the classroom. Additional resources in the early grades are needed to make sure that our students have the resources and support that they need to grasp the essential skills of reading and writing. This will be welcome news indeed for Comox Valley families.

[ Page 6601 ]

I'm proud that our government has seen fit to extend the tuition freeze for a third year and to increase the level of student financial aid and funding for post-secondary education, creating more spaces and helping more young British Columbians to gain important skills and training. In addition to its campus in Courtenay, North Island College opened its new campus in Campbell River this year, providing accessible, quality post-secondary education and training programs, benefiting the people of the Comox Valley.

I'm also proud that our government is working with community partners and local police to deal with the issue of violence in our schools. Today a Can't Stop the Violence With Silence campaign starts in the Comox Valley with the distribution of purple ribbons to school children and community members in the valley, and innovative events are planned for the coming months. The Can't Stop the Violence With Silence campaign is a campaign that has come out of the concern about violence and bullying in our schools. Ninety-five percent of young people in this province believe that violence is wrong, but they don't know that it's cool to say so. The purple ribbon campaign is the beginning of a campaign to encourage our young people to report violence, to report bullying and to know that that's what's cool.

This program has been developed by a committee comprised of school board representatives, parent groups, RCMP and youth, with the support of local businesses and service clubs, to encourage children to speak out against violence. Wearing a purple ribbon gives all of us the opportunity to demonstrate our commitment against violence.

It's been a privilege for me to work with community representatives to secure two important health resources benefiting the people of the Comox Valley. The first one I'd like to speak about is the Comox Valley Nursing Centre. About three years ago, the nursing centre was started as a pilot project of the B.C. Nurses Association. This pilot project could be the seed -- it contains the elements necessary to develop community health centres throughout this province. I look forward to that starting soon in the Comox Valley. We also saw an addition to our hospital, in the ambulatory care unit, which was opened just this past summer.

When our successors look back a hundred years from now, we hope that they'll see, from this throne speech and from our deliberations during the coming session, that we have a vision for the future -- a vision that includes the safety and well-being of British Columbians, a vision that includes a vibrant and diverse economy, a healthy and well-trained work force and a sound environmental heritage.

I am delighted, hon. Speaker, to move the throne speech. This speech sets out a plan that will guide the members of this House in their goal of working for the honour and advantage of the province of British Columbia and all of its citizens, now and in the future.

E. Walsh: Hon. Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating you on your election as Speaker of the House and also by extending congratulations to our colleague the member for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows on his election as Deputy Speaker.

It is indeed a privilege and an honour for me to rise today to second the Speech from the Throne. As the member for the southeasternmost riding in this province -- and the only riding, actually, that borders one province, Alberta, and two states, Idaho and Montana -- I am proud that the throne speech demonstrates that the government is committed to strengthening our British Columbia communities. Notwithstanding the remoteness of some rural communities in B.C., I am proud that our provincial government provides quality service -- investments for our future -- to all British Columbians; it doesn't matter where they live.

As part of my opening comments, let me say that I too was inspired by our Canadian athletes at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan, and the way that they displayed courage, humility and team spirit throughout the entire competition. It is this spirit that will also shape my region in 1999 when we host the B.C. senior winter games. I invite you all to join us when the time comes and to share with us. . . . Actually, it's the B.C. Seniors Games in the Elk Valley.

My riding is situated in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and is surrounded by over 100 beautiful clear lakes. It's breathtaking, and I guess that's about the only way that you can really describe my region. Winding its way through my region is the railway. As we celebrate centennial year this year in the provincial Parliament Buildings, I'd like to say that the Kootenay is also celebrating a milestone, that being that for 100 years now the railway has been a very important part of my region.

I am pleased that my hon. colleague from Comox Valley made mention of the railway service and the Crowsnest railway in my region also. The economic benefits and the social fabric that the railway in fact does bring to the community are much more apparent in my region. The historic Crowsnest railway helped to build the mining, timber and tourism industries in the Kootenays. It provided a valued mode of transport for people that were coming to the Kootenays or going out of the Kootenays to the various ridings in the province and out of the province. Today the railway line still links a very important part of that transportation network and also moves goods throughout the communities. I thank the government for the support it has provided to help us to commemorate this historical event.

While the Kootenay riding and our capital city may be distanced by geography -- which many of you are quite aware of by looking at maps -- we are connected by history and our commitment to the community. To travel from or to the Kootenays from the coast, one has to travel over no less than five mountain ranges and just about that many passes also. Yet notwithstanding that great distance between the Kootenay and the coast, other areas and other regions in the province like ours across B.C. were strengthened by the support we received from our provincial government.

The specific elements of the throne speech that are most important to the people of my region, Kootenay, include the initiatives to build a strong economy for the province, the commitment to protect and enhance vital public services, and the vision to create opportunities for young people in all areas of the province so that they can build a meaningful future close to their homes.

Today I want to congratulate the government for the vision and the direction that it has taken to tackle the challenges that are facing our province and to build a sustainable economic future for British Columbia. I believe this is very important, especially in light of today's global economy and global markets.

In regions like mine we welcome support from the provincial government in infrastructure spending and in spending that helps attract new businesses. Again this year I was happy to hear in the Speech from the Throne that the government will continue to provide funding for important infrastructure projects that will help build our economy.

[ Page 6602 ]

Interjections.

E. Walsh: Hon. Speaker, it never ceases to amaze me how the opposition feels that these very important projects are not important to the people of Kootenay. I suggest that they speak to people in Kootenay and understand the things that are important to people in Kootenay.

[10:45]

I was also pleased to hear that the Speech from the Throne talked about support for the mining industry to create new jobs in British Columbia. Fording Coal is one of five mines in my region. It has some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world. This equipment allows them to compete on an international stage. Not only are they competing with the best but, in my opinion, the mines that I represent in my riding are the best. As this year marks the 100th anniversary of mining in the Elk Valley, we should remember the tremendous contribution of this industry to our region. I believe that we in this House and in the province should pay tribute to the many men and women that work in that industry and also to the many that lost their lives in tragic accidents in that industry. As we remember the past, so should we think about the future. That is why I congratulate the government for creating a new Ministry of Energy and Mines, and look forward to new initiatives that will help the mining industry build a stable workforce and a sustainable future.

The small business sector is another important element of our local economy. Many people are employed in retail trade, accommodation, and food and beverage services. As well, we have back-country recreation, and it is a large part of a thriving industry. That is why I fully support the government's continued commitment to provide tax cuts to small businesses. Last year, cuts across our province reduced costs to small business by $29 million -- more good news.

I would also like to mention the Power for Jobs initiative and the Columbia Basin Trust. These projects contribute directly to our local economy and show us that the government has a strategy to support the local economies of all regions of our province. Overall, the throne speech reflects a commitment on the part of our B.C. government to encourage investment and create new jobs by supporting industry and small businesses through tax cuts and investments in economic infrastructure.

Building for our future must also consider important investments in social infrastructure. Recently my region benefited from increased capital health care funding that provided new maternity facilities in the Cranbrook regional hospital. These facilities include a new birthing wing, a much-needed intensive care nursery and a day care surgery so that now in-patients will in fact have privacy when they come in for their day surgery. Also last year, my region was pleased to see the construction on the beginning of the new Fernie Secondary School. And planning is also underway for Parkland Junior Secondary School. As well, the province provided $1 million for a new aquatic centre in Fernie and the Chrysalis House for battered women. All these projects are extremely important to the residents of the Kootenay riding.

We should also congratulate the government for its commitment to creating new low-income housing units. Last year the community benefited from the development of a low-income housing project that will serve over 40 families, not just for the Cranbrook area but also for the Kootenay area. And I will remind the House that it is the only jurisdiction, in fact, that does so.

These projects are extremely important to the future of our region. They help us build the services that support families. They create a sense of community. I am proud of the fact that the Speech from the Throne demonstrates that the government will maintain its commitment to provide communities across B.C. with new schools, new hospitals, new roadway improvements. These projects and other investments in infrastructure will continue to provide us with the tools that we need to build a sustainable future.

Along with capital investments in social infrastructure, I am also pleased to see that the government will significantly increase operating spending in education and health care services. Our government's commitment to increase funding on a per-student basis means that although smaller communities, many of which I represent, have seen a marginal decrease in enrolment, they will still receive the benefit of funding increases. This ensures that no matter where you live in our province, your children and our children will benefit from the quality education of the K-to-12 education system. Hon. members, that is something to be proud of.

In post-secondary education, the continued freeze on tuition -- the extra dollars for our colleges and our universities -- means that young people are going to have better access to advanced education opportunities. Enhancing the operations of local facilities -- like the college that is in my riding, the College of the Rockies -- means that more young people can build their future close to home.

I am also proud that the government is committed to protecting and enhancing our natural areas for our children to enjoy their future. I was extremely pleased to hear in the throne speech that the government will create new job opportunities for young people through the establishment of 1,500 new campsites by the end of the year. Last year Moyie Lake Provincial Park -- in my region, for anybody that hasn't been there -- benefited from Forest Renewal B.C. It was a project that upgraded existing campsites in one of my parks and created new sites that are accessible by persons with disabilities.

Hon. Speaker, the vision that our government has shown in supporting economic development and investing in social infrastructure has made a positive difference and a positive change in my region. Just recently -- and I hear much about Alberta from across the room -- Crestbrook Forest Industries divested itself of a major capital investment in Alberta. They did this to put themselves in a better financial position to build their economic fortunes in British Columbia.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Hon. member, could you take your seat for just a moment.

[ Page 6603 ]

Hon. members, there are some very important points being made, and the Speaker can not hear these. I will acknowledge that respect needs to be here and is here and that it should be afforded to all sides. I will therefore set a precedent that you might not wish to have happen. So I would encourage you all to please pay some attention.

E. Walsh: Hon. Speaker, this industry is now an East Kootenay-based company. Crestbrook Forest Industries, in the Kootenays, cut their ties with Alberta to work towards building a value-added plant in British Columbia. This too was to upgrade their facilities in British Columbia. Their decision resulted in permanent jobs for our forest industry and a brighter future for many British Columbia families.

Another important economic project in the Kootenay riding is being undertaken by the Ktunaxa-Kinbasket first nations people. They are in the process of building a new resort located in one of the most beautiful valleys in my region. This project will include convention facilities, a golf course, a conservatory and a retail facility, where they will be displaying projects and crafts by local artisans. This new resort will help bring stability for the first nations people and will result in tremendous economic spinoffs for my region, for the communities around the area and in fact for the whole southeastern corner of the province. It will enhance regional economic benefits and also tourism benefits.

We must give credit to the government for helping us to create the economic and social framework that will build communities that attract these examples of investment and economic growth. As we face the tough challenges of the future, it is important that we listen to the people in all regions of the province, to hear their particular concerns and also what their vision of the future is going to be. For this reason, I was extremely pleased to welcome all members of the governing caucus to my riding for a series of meetings late last fall. By travelling to regions of our province to meet with local citizens, we can respond to the priorities of people in British Columbia. As we look forward to the twenty-first century, I am pleased to say that this government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening all regions and has taken the necessary steps to ensure a high quality of life for small communities like many of those that we represent in this province.

Again, I want to thank the government for its plan to create economic stability for my region. Now that the government has prepared a framework for the future, I believe it is time that we build and continue to build. It's time to work hard to create the kind of future that we envision for our communities, for our families, for our children -- all across the province. I am proud of the fact that regardless of our distance from the major urban centres in British Columbia, we have support from the provincial government to create opportunities for our young people. We have the same opportunities to build a sustainable economy and provide those very vital public services that every community in British Columbia needs and wants.

G. Campbell: Hon. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise and respond to the Speech from the Throne. Before I get started, I'd like to introduce two very important people -- one very important in my life.

The Speaker: One is required to ask leave to make an introduction.

G. Campbell: May I have leave to introduce someone, hon. Speaker?

The Speaker: I will ask the House. Does the House offer -- I can't remember the words -- permission?

Leave granted.

G. Campbell: You thought it was tough for me, hon. Speaker!

I would like to introduce my son Nicholas Campbell, a University of Victoria student, who is here to hear this debate today. And I'm also pleased to introduce the son of the member for Surrey-White Rock, Gordon Hogg. Blair Hogg is here today.

Hon. Speaker, it will come as no surprise to you, I'm sure, that this side of the House will not be supporting the throne speech for 1998. I can say that the Lieutenant-Governor did an extremely good job of reading a speech that was devoid of substance, lacked vision and in fact showed once again that this government is incapable of dealing with the problems that it has created in the province of British Columbia. One of the things that all of us in this House recognize is that we live in the best province in the best country in the world. Unfortunately, we have the worst government in the history of the province.

It was with sadness that I listened to the speech yesterday, because I've spent a great deal of time over the last few months travelling around the province talking to people and hearing about the damage that this government's policies have done to their lives. This is a situation which calls for bold initiatives and decisive action. What we had from the throne speech yesterday was the equivalent of using a garden hose to fight a forest fire. It is simply not acceptable. The bill of indictment for this government is fairly straightforward: this is a job-killing, law-breaking government; this is a government that intimidates and misleads; this is a government that simply does not care.

[11:00]

Look at the facts. The facts speak for themselves, and the facts have a huge impact on the lives of the people that live here. British Columbia is dead last in job creation in Canada. We're dead last in economic growth, in capital investment, in consumer confidence -- you name it.

I was born in this province. I was brought up here. I remember what this province was like, what the spirit was like in British Columbia -- the hope that young people had and the opportunities that existed for them, the sense of pride people felt in living in British Columbia, and the choices that lay ahead of them. That hope has been decimated. We've hit rock bottom. Debt mounts, taxes mount, overspending continues, people's take-home pay drops -- and when their take-

[ Page 6604 ]

home pay drops, their ability to care for their children drops with it. How much farther do we have to fall? How much more damage has to be done by this government of incompetents before they realize the serious damage they're doing to people's lives?

People are angry in British Columbia. They're tired of the false smiles; they're tired of the press releases; they're angry at a government that does not listen; they're worried. They're worried about their families. They're worried that the things they've worked so hard to put together are going to be taken away. They're worried that they're going to lose their jobs. They're worried that they're going to lose their savings. They're worried that they're going to lose their business, and they're frightened that they may lose their future. Families across this province lack stability, and the insecurity reaches deep into their private lives. It's a distressing indictment of this government's policies that after just six years, there are very few families in British Columbia today that can guarantee their children's future. Uncertainty about their jobs, their retirement and their children's future all have a huge negative impact on the quality of life here.

The economy is in crisis. It is time for dramatic measures, not simply a repeat of last year's broken promises. For six years -- first as Finance minister and now as Premier -- the person who leads this government has pretended that he knows what he's doing. Yesterday he explained to everyone that he saw the crisis in the Asian economy coming and he had a plan to deal with it. You know what his plan was? Raise taxes, increase regulation and hold a press conference to announce that he'd create 41,000 jobs. What happened? Because he didn't have a plan, because he didn't know what he was doing, what happened was that we were the only province in Canada to lose jobs in 1997. We were the only province. We've looked at January of 1998. What did we do? We lost 19,000 jobs in the province of British Columbia, and this government continues down the path that they have for the last six years.

This government pretended that they had the skill and the know-how to remake B.C. in a new image that would wow the world. Well, we wowed the world all right. We wowed the world with the highest marginal income tax rates in North America. We wowed the world with a regulatory regime that is unprecedented in its job-killing potency. We wowed the world with six consecutive deficit budgets. We wowed the world with a massive and unprecedented buildup of public debt on the families of British Columbia. In fact, this government was so exceptional in wowing the world that we managed to have two major bond-rating agencies downgrade our debt.

Hon. Speaker, this is the province of British Columbia. That kind of performance is simply not acceptable from anyone. That kind of incompetence is not acceptable from anyone.

These are the words of the president of Placer Dome, at one time a proud British Columbia company that worked tirelessly on our land base building mines, building a future for the people of British Columbia. These were his words: "In Toronto or New York they find out that money is earmarked for B.C., and they laugh at you. There are so many great places to do business other than British Columbia."

We live in a province with an exceptional resource base. We live in a province with literally millions of people who are willing to put their expertise and their initiative to work. We have a highly trained workforce. I don't want people looking at our province and laughing when we say: "Would you come and invest here?" But that's what Jay Taylor tells us that they're doing. When he needs investment dollars for British Columbia, when he needs dollars that will create work, when he needs dollars that will develop a mine, people laugh. They're laughing at British Columbia. They're laughing at this government. They're incredulous at the incompetence of a government that took an economy from being the number one provincial economy in Canada to last place. It is simply not acceptable.

The problem is that every time this government says that they're going to deal with the problem, they make it worse. Just think of what we've heard over the last few years. We heard the Premier say that he was going to take responsibility for youth. Well, that was encouraging. We're finally going to have some programs that might encourage job creation for young people. No, that's not what happened. What happened is that we now have the highest youth unemployment rate of any province west of Quebec.

I was in Chilliwack the other day. A young man came up to me and said: "I'm part of this program that the government has put on." He said: "You know, it's really not working. You know what they make me do? They make me dress up, put on my tie, put on my jacket and take a résumé. I drop the résumé off. I've dropped off dozens and dozens and dozens of résumés. I didn't think my work was to drop off résumés; I thought I'd actually get asked to come to work. I thought I'd actually get a job." He told me: "This isn't working. This isn't what I expected." He hasn't had one call back. That's not the kind of economy we want in this province. That's not what we want.

What's happened has been that when we have young people travelling around our province handing in résumés, hoping against hope that they might get hired by someone, there's a whole other group of young people leaving British Columbia.

I was in the Kootenays the other day. A man came up to me in the street and said hi. I said: "Hi, how are you doing?" "Fine," he said, "but I'm going away tomorrow. I'm taking my son to Edmonton, because that's where we think he can find work." He had to take his daughter to Saskatchewan the year before so she could find work. Now, everyone in this House knows that God did not mean for people to go from British Columbia to Saskatchewan. That's what happened when this government decided and when this Premier said that he would take responsibility for young people.

What happened when the government said they were going to take responsibility for jobs? Remember that last year? Anybody here remember the throne speech last year? You know, 20,000 jobs in the throne speech, 40,000 jobs in the budget speech, 41,000 job in the jobs accord. Remember that? Where are they? They're not in British Columbia. They might be in Saskatchewan. They might be in Alberta. They might be in Washington. They might be in Oregon. They might be in Idaho. They might be in Montana. They're not in British Columbia. We have the highest unemployment rate of any jurisdiction in the northwestern part of North America -- the highest by far. It's not even close.

In 1997, right after the Premier promised job growth, what happened? We lost jobs. There's something to proud of. There's something everyone on the government side can stand up about and say: "Isn't that great? We managed to come last." Prince Edward Island created more jobs in 1997 than British Columbia did. When the Premier said that he was going to worry about jobs, what we have to remember is that once again he didn't perform.

Education. What's happened with education? Programs are shrinking in advanced education. People can't get into 

[ Page 6605 ]

courses that are fundamental to getting their degree. Equally importantly, maybe more importantly, in K-through-12 we've watched as the funding has been reduced by almost $400 per student. That's the priority of this government: let's cut the funding for students. Over six years it's been reduced by $400 per student. You can't maintain quality of education. You can't maintain support for teachers in classrooms. You can't give students the teaching they need when you cut the funding for education by up to $400 per student.

Health care. Well, that was one of the most interesting things about what's happened recently. Health care seems to have fallen off this government's agenda. We used to hear about jobs, which we've lost, education, which has diminished, and health care, which is in disarray. The government doesn't even mention that anymore.

An Hon. Member: That's not true.

G. Campbell: Oh, we hear from a member that it's not true.

C. Clark: The member from Prince George, of all places.

G. Campbell: It's incredible to me that someone who is living in the northern part of this province, who has had to deal with the communities of Vanderhoof and Fort St. James and Mackenzie and Fraser Lake, doesn't understand the damage that's been done in health care.

This is the government that was supposed to make sure that we never had a two-tier health care system. Try living in Sparwood and see if you have a two-tier health care system. Try living in Vanderhoof and see if you have a two-tier health care system.

Literally everything this government has touched has been harmed. Read the auditor general's report on health care. Read the auditor general's report on the way you keep your books. He's independent. He's simply looking at the facts and laying them out.

Yesterday we heard another throne speech which refuses to listen to the facts, which refuses to pay attention, which refuses to learn. What we know is that youth unemployment is going to continue to climb, our economy is going to continue to stagnate, education is going to continue to decline, and our health care is going to continue on the road downhill. We have to start with the basics. We have to look at how we can build a stronger British Columbia. We have to ensure that when people look at their government, they see part of the solution, not part of the problem.

The economy is the start, because the economy belongs to everybody. It doesn't belong to big business and big labour. It doesn't belong to any one group; it belongs to every single person in the province. The average family of four in British Columbia, which earns $50,000 a year, pays $1,400 a year more in taxes than they do in Alberta. Let me put that another way. It means they have $1,400 less to support their families, $1,400 less to decide what to do with, $1,400 less of what they've earned in their pockets.

[11:15]

Imagine a province that in 1991 and '92 was the number one economy in this country. And what have we seen since then? We have seen, six out of the last seven years, that real take-home pay for B.C. residents has gone down -- down, hon. Speaker. So again, when you talk with people, they're very clear. They are working an awful lot harder, and they're not getting any further ahead -- six out of the last seven years.

And now the government is saying: "Well, you should pat us on the back, because we might do some planning for tax reductions. We might see some little tax reductions." We don't need "little" anymore; we need dramatic. We need to make sure that people understand that at the end of April their paycheques are going to be bigger. We have to make sure that there is a dramatic cut in personal income taxes, so people in this province know that if they work hard, they will get ahead and be able to support their family. That's the kind of. . .that we need, hon. Speaker. We will support the government and help the government increase the reduction of income tax for individuals in this province, so they do know that when they work hard they can get ahead.

We'll help them do other things. We will help them understand how small business works. Now there's a new Minister of Small Business, I understand. That's probably fortunate, since it took 18 months for the last minister to understand that high taxes and incredible regulation were killing jobs and killing small business in this province. So let's start afresh.

But let's remember what the problem is again. Our small businesses pay 50 percent higher tax rates than the small businesses in Alberta do -- 50 percent higher. The first thing we have to do is commit ourselves to having a small business tax rate that is lower than Alberta's -- not the same, not just right, but better than what they have in Alberta. Let's cut small business tax so it is less than the tax that they have in Alberta. That will send a message that we want jobs in British Columbia.

When we finally get to dealing with the reform of the WCB, let's make sure that small businesses aren't carrying those huge cost burdens anymore which are driving people out of work. They're stopping small businesses from hiring people. Let's get that under control; let's reduce those costs. Again, look at the comparisons all around. Our costs are significantly higher than they are in any jurisdiction around us.

Hon. Speaker, an Employment Standards Act that is flexible is essential if we are going to encourage small business activity in the province. If we are going to encourage them to hire people, we have to have an Employment Standards Act that is flexible and responsive to the needs of the 1990s and the years beyond, an Employment Standards Act that recognizes that in different sectors of the economy there are different needs and that recognizes that employers and employees want to work together so they can succeed. If we have successful businesses, we have more jobs, and everyone benefits from that.

[ Page 6606 ]

Hon. D. Lovick: What's the impediment. . . ?

G. Campbell: The member opposite asked: "What's the impediment?" It shows why he shouldn't be in cabinet; he should be on the back bench.

It was six years ago that this Premier, as the Minister of Finance, introduced one of the deadliest taxes that we have in British Columbia, the corporate capital tax. Everyone told him at that time that he would drive investment out of B.C. I heard in the throne speech yesterday that this province is going to count on investment from the Pacific Rim -- the same rhetoric we had in 1992. But what did they do? I can tell you, hon. Speaker. The people that I've talked to, who are looking to invest, all point to the corporate capital tax as a tax that has driven investment away. And that's a fact. Private sector investment has gone down in the province of British Columbia every year since that tax was introduced. And you know what? Members opposite should understand this: it is private sector investment that creates jobs; it is not government.

But listen to what this Premier says: "It would be the worst case of foolishness I can imagine if we were to cut taxes on business and undermine the very quality of life that's attracting people to B.C. in the first place." Just imagine that! Words escape me to describe that. I mean, it is incredible that we have someone who is responsible for the province of British Columbia's economy who says: "It would be the worst case of foolishness I can imagine to cut taxes on business." Who on earth do you think creates jobs in this province? Who do you think will hire the young people of B.C.?

G. Farrell-Collins: The campground work crews.

G. Campbell: How many campsites can we put up in the province? Look, what we have to do in this province is encourage investment. We have to encourage people to take risks. We have to encourage people to hire young people and people across the province. We have to celebrate the experience of our workers. We have to make sure that they have a future. And we can do that with some dramatic changes in the direction that this government has taken over the last five years.

There's one last point that I have to make with regard to the economy, and that is, again, that this government doesn't seem to understand how damaging the buildup of public debt has been. It has been enormous in just five years. We've watched as taxpayer-supported debt has gone up by 132 percent.

Just remember this, because this. . . . Again, this is about people; it's about their lives. It's about what the government is doing to people. This government stopped doing things for people a long time ago. They do things to people.

As paycheques are going down, their debt is going up. Every single British Columbian has watched their public debt increase by almost $8,000 in the last six years. Only the NDP would argue that our quality of life will somehow suffer by cutting taxes, cutting spending and shrinking the cost of government. Only the NDP still don't see the relation between runaway debt and runaway investment. Only the NDP would think that 1,500 new campsites will solve the youth unemployment problem that they created. And only the NDP doesn't understand that interest on government debt is the silent killer of all the services that we depend on.

We are now paying banks and lenders $800 million more each year in interest on debt than we were just six years ago -- $800 million more. And that's when interest rates have been dropping. That's four times in extra interest costs on the NDP debt. . . . It's four times more than the total budget of 12 of the 16 ministries of this government. That's debt. That's interest. That does not supply one extended-care bed for a senior who needs it. It does not supply one school room. It doesn't provide anything in terms of child protection. It is interest on debt. It's money that's gone.

When you add together this lethal mixture of overwhelming red tape, increasing rigidity, massive taxes, a mountain of debt and a hostile labour climate, what do you have? You have the NDP economic plan. It's a toxic economic sludge that kills jobs, strangles investment and saps opportunity. Unfortunately, yesterday's throne speech left no impression whatsoever that the government understood the problems that they've created. There is a crisis of confidence in B.C., and that's been created by the crisis of incompetence in the NDP.

After the throne speech, everyone knows that this government has learned nothing. Think of it, hon. Speaker. We have fallen from the top job creator in the country to last place. At 9.7 percent, we have the highest unemployment rate west of Quebec, nearly twice what Alberta's unemployment rate is. Youth unemployment and rural jobless rates are through the roof, and there is no relief in sight. Family bonds are being strained as parents lose their jobs, their homes and then their hope. People are suffering in this province and this government doesn't care. People are suffering and this government does nothing.

But you know, there is something great in the province of British Columbia, and that's the people who live here. When I visited Port Alberni -- a community that's been devastated by this government's policies -- and chatted with some people there, a man came up to me and he said: "You know, we may have lost our jobs, but we have not lost our spirit. We are going to make Port Alberni thrive again." As long as that spirit and those people prevail, there is cause for hope, because this entire province was built by people who wouldn't accept second best, let alone worst. Today everyone in this House has a shared responsibility to make sure that that man in Port Alberni can realize his dreams. Today we owe the woman in Cranbrook who came and spoke with me with tears in her eyes and said that her family was undergoing incredible stress because her husband couldn't find work in British Columbia and had to find work in the Yukon Territory.

[11:30]

We owe everyone our individual efforts to turn this economy around. It's not good enough to say it's difficult. It is simply not acceptable that a 17 percent youth jobless rate exists in British Columbia. It is simply not acceptable that we have a 0.5 percent economic growth rate. That's one-seventh the economic growth rate of our sister province of Alberta. It's a fraction of the growth rate of provinces across this country. It is not acceptable that B.C. will have one-sixth of the national 

[ Page 6607 ]

rate of capital investment. Nor is it acceptable that with 13.7 percent of this country's population, only 5.7 percent of all foreign investment in Canada comes to British Columbia.

The government has been very fond of saying that this is the result of what they call the Asian flu. We are not suffering from the Asian flu; we are suffering from NDP pneumonia. It's been brought on by high taxes, high debt and high cost of government, and it's resulted in low-level economic vitality. But there is good news today. There is actually a cure for NDP pneumonia; it's called an election. We should have one right away.

There are some other alternatives. Five or six members opposite could resign; that would work. If we look at the province and look at what can take place, we can get back to being the number one economy in the country. We can move our forest industry back to being the most cost-effective producer of fibre in the world. We can do that, but it will take a little bit of work. It will take a lot of work, and it will take big changes from that government. For one thing, we will have to change the Forests minister, because the Forests minister doesn't understand what on earth is happening out there. The Forests minister says this: "Well, if you define business climate in terms of huge profit, those days are over." Oh, that inspires confidence, hon. Speaker. That's really good.

The last thing we want to do is have any profits in this province. Just think: if you had profits, you'd have investment; you'd have jobs. Keep those profits down. Great idea! Let's keep the profits down. Let's not have those jobs. Imagine, here's a Forests minister not understanding the damage that his government's policies have done. Obviously, if you don't understand the damage, you're not going to do very much to fix the problem. This government has bullied our forest industry companies; it's threatened them with lost cutting rights. It has gone from community to community to say: "No, you can't stand up for yourself." It has created a monster in Forest Renewal B.C. that simply doesn't work. Again, if the government would listen to workers and people in communities, they would know that. Do they suggest they'll change it? No. But there are changes that could be made. We could get all the hacks, all the government appointments and all of the bureaucrats off that board, and we could say to them: "Let's start doing what's right. Let's have intensive forestry in this province that will put more money into the ground, not into the bureaucracy."

This government has spent six years pummelling the forest industry, and now they're wondering why it's on its knees. They wonder why thousands and thousands of forest workers are out of work. Again, I am incredulous at that. I am amazed that this government doesn't understand how important the forestry industry is. It doesn't understand how important it is that we invest in that industry; it doesn't understand how important it is that we encourage high productivity from our land base. They think it's more important to play political games with it. They think it's more important to make sure their friend is on the board. That's not what's important. What's important is to make sure that people are at work in the forest industry and that they have a sense of hope in the forest industry and know that there is a future in the forest industry in this province. I want people that are working in the forest industry to know that they can be proud of that and that their kids will be able to work in the forest industry, because we will be the best forest industry in the world again, when we change this government's policies.

It was so gratifying to hear the member opposite stand up and congratulate the government on creating a new ministry that had some responsibilities for mining in British Columbia. It seems to me it was this government that removed the ministry that had some responsibilities for mining in this province. It seems to me that this is the government that removed mining from the province of British Columbia. We're told that they're just about there, so that we can actually encourage investment again. Well, we've got an awfully long way to go. We have to secure tenures; we have to have a tax regime that encourages investment. We have to understand that mining is a positive economic engine in this province. Until we see that in real action, with people back exploring and developing mines in this province, we are not going to be able to protect those thousands of workers who depend on mining for their livelihoods and for their families -- and we have to do that.

Just think of that, hon. Speaker. We're talking about the mining business. People that work in the mining industry take home about $70,000 a year on average. Those jobs are disappearing because mines aren't being created in this province. Mines are closing. I want the government to understand that mines actually reach the end of their economic lives, and when they close down, the people that were working in them don't have work anymore. So what we have to do is create new mines in British Columbia -- new mines with new exploration, thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars of investment. That's what we need in British Columbia, and we can do that.

And the agriculture industry in this province is suffering under this government as well. I mean, talk to the Peace River farmers and come up with a solution that works for them, that understands how their industry works, that understands how their economy works, that understands the contribution those farmers make to our lives, that understands the contribution they make across this province in terms of jobs and that understands the contribution they make across this province in terms of sustainable economic activity. Let's start finding the solutions, because we can't keep driving people out of this province and driving industry to its knees.

Let me just speak about one last major segment: the construction industry. The construction industry is often forgotten about. I know the government is going to come forward with some new legislation with regard to it, but let's remember this: the construction industry generates between $16 billion and $20 billion a year of economic activity. Housing starts are down, regulatory overload is up, and affordable housing is disappearing from the province of British Columbia unless you are unfortunately going through some kind of bankruptcy sale. The fact of the matter is that we have to start encouraging construction to take place in a responsible way in this province. It's been under attack, with fixed-wage legislation, with the threat of sectoral bargaining, with the real estate slump. All of those things hurt. There are thousands of families that count on their jobs in construction to make sure that they can provide for themselves.

So let us remember that the economy does not belong to any sector, any large group or any large special interest group; it belongs to everyone. The economy is what happens at home. It's what happens with your family. The economy is about: are you comfortable having your job, and do you know it's going to be there so you can provide for your kids? It's about: do you know what's going to be there so you can provide the food you need and create the kind of support every family needs? That's why we need to strengthen the economy.

That's why we will introduce in this House a number of bills which will help this government down the road to revive 

[ Page 6608 ]

our economy, so we can have investment, have jobs and have secure family incomes once again in British Columbia.

With a strong economy we don't have to put up with the two-tier health care system in the province of British Columbia that's been created under the NDP. We don't have to put up with emergency doors that are closed, with beds that are closed down. We can in fact provide the kind of health care infrastructure that people deserve across the province. That's what's important to understand. With the right priorities we can make sure that patient care is delivered to people where they live. But you'd need the right priorities. You wouldn't be able to invest $329 million in a dying pulp mill; you'd have to put it into health care and patients and caregivers.

We could have education enhanced as well. We can make sure it's an essential service. We can make sure that we are in fact working with our teachers across this province, in community after community, with our trustees and with our parents to make sure that children are getting the kind of diversified educational support they deserve. We can do that with a strong economy. And instead of support for students continuing to fall, we could increase support for students without increasing the deficit.

Equally importantly, we would have dollars for the children in need in this province. Instead of having a government that continues to try and protect politicians first and bureaucrats second and maybe kids third, if they get to the list, we could actually have resources to provide the front-line workers that are essential to make sure that children are cared for and that families get the support they need.

With a strong economy, I am sure this government wouldn't have to be waging the attack that they've been waging on volunteers across this province. Day in and day out, year in and year out, this government has attacked the volunteer sector and the non-profit sector relentlessly. They've attacked them so much that the only protection those organizations had was to take the government to court, to use their non-profit resources to take this government to court to protect their rights, to protect their resources and to protect their communities. Think of that, hon. Speaker.

Glacier View Lodge. The government tries to confiscate that lodge, which has been built up by the sweat, toil and volunteer efforts of that community. They're going to take it. Only by going to the courts did Glacier View Lodge manage to stop them. Dare I raise the word Nanaimo?

Some Hon. Members: Oh, oh!

G. Campbell: The political party whose fundraising arm took millions from the charitable organization was taken to court, was convicted and is still under inquiry and investigation. They're still attacking them. So what happens? Mr. Carpentier has to take this government to court. And what happens? The court. . . .

I see the Attorney General sitting opposite. I didn't hear him standing up for the people of British Columbia. I didn't hear him standing up for the courts.

I see him sitting there mute in his cabinet, saying: "Oh, it's fine; break the Criminal Code of Canada. That's okay." That's wrong, hon. Speaker. We don't want a government that breaks the Criminal Code of Canada. We don't want a government. . . .

Hon. U. Dosanjh: Hon. Speaker, I would ask that the hon. member withdraw those remarks about me allowing the breach of the Criminal Code and sitting there silently.

G. Campbell: Hon. Speaker, all the evidence before us is that the Attorney General said nothing.

The Speaker: Hon. member, that's not appropriate.

G. Campbell: If the Attorney General is saying that he said something, I would gladly withdraw those remarks.

The Speaker: Hon. member, this House requires an unconditional withdrawal.

G. Campbell:. . . conditionally withdrawn, hon. Speaker.

The Speaker: No conditions.

G. Campbell: I said I unconditionally withdraw. But let me tell you this.

The Speaker: Hon. member, this is not a debating point. I requested and have received an unconditional apology, and I accept that. It requires no further comment. I suggest that you continue with your address.

[11:45]

The Speaker: Hon. member. . . .

Interjections.

The Speaker: Be careful. Just be careful, hon. members. I recognize the Opposition House Leader.

G. Farrell-Collins: Hon. Speaker, there was no interjection. The member is continuing with his speech. The allegations were withdrawn, and he's continuing with his speech. I would encourage you to allow the member, as all members are allowed, to continue with his presentation.

The Speaker: I encourage the hon. member to continue with his presentation in the appropriate manner regarding the topic that he dealt with earlier.

G. Campbell: Hon. Speaker, I was shocked, as I'm sure you were, to hear that the government had broken the Criminal Code of Canada. I was shocked that it had to be a non-profit agency that had to take the government to court to point out that they were breaking the Criminal Code of Canada. I was shocked that there did not seem to be someone advising the government that they were breaking the Criminal Code of Canada.

Subsequent to that, the thing that I think is most important is that our courts have to be a place that the Attorney General stands up for. I'm looking forward to hearing that kind of support for our courts in the future.

Fortunately, we can restore the province of British Columbia. We can restore our health care system. We can restore our public education system. We can restore our economy. We can 

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restore our non-profit sector. We can make sure that volunteers understand that they are respected, that they are rewarded and that they are cherished in British Columbia.

But we have to take some important steps. It is important for us to restore the trust between the people of this province and the government that is supposed to serve them. Government is there to serve people, not to rule them. We live in a democracy, and it is important for people to feel that they can stand and speak their minds without threat, without intimidation, without fear.

It is important for the government to start delivering on their promises. When the Premier says in response to the question of whether an NDP government would raise taxes, "No, absolutely not; in fact, I think the contrary," and then raises taxes 29 separate times, that does not establish trust. When the auditor general cannot give this government's financial record a clean bill of health, that does not establish trust.

I hope that in this session of the House, this government will have an opportunity to pass balanced budget and debt reduction legislation. That will be a step in establishing some trust. In this session of the House, this government will have an opportunity to pass truth-in-budgeting legislation, and that will restore trust. I still remember just a year and a bit ago, when the Premier spoke to all of the province on television and undertook to reduce the size and cost of government. He was going to reduce the size and cost of government. It has gone up since; it will continue to go up. Let's establish some trust and reduce the size and cost of government, as the Premier promised.

The Premier also said that measures to reduce and eliminate government subsidies, whether they go to business or other levels of government, would be taking place. He identified $126 million in savings. Unfortunately, he blew that $126 million in savings with a $329 million contribution to one business in the province.

This government will have an opportunity to dramatically reduce income tax in British Columbia. This government will have the opportunity to actually cut debt in British Columbia. This government will have the opportunity to eliminate red tape in British Columbia, and this opposition will help them do every single one of those things.

I would like to deal with two last points. The first one has to do with the issue that we face in terms of aboriginal treaty negotiation. There is probably no more important issue that we face in the province of British Columbia. There is probably no more important issue that the people of this province should be included in -- none that is more important. It will be critical to the future of this province and to all of the people who live here -- all of them, aboriginal people and non-aboriginal people alike.

Again I'd like to go to the words of the Premier, because I think it's important, if we are going to establish trust, if we are going to establish a base that we can build on, that the Premier deliver on his commitments. The question that was put to the Premier is: if British Columbians overwhelmingly reject the Nisga'a deal, would you be prepared to take it off the table? The Premier said yes. And the Premier said this, which is what's critical: "We can't have a situation where the government is going to sign a deal that doesn't have the support of British Columbians." We agree with that, and we think it's time, with this crucial and critical issue, that we went out and talked to the people of British Columbia, that we asked British Columbians for authority to act and that we asked them to support the principles that this government is taking to the negotiating table. It is critical. It is not to be feared; it is to be embraced. It is to say to the people of this province: "Join with us as we build a stronger future." It is to say to them: "We recognize that we are your servants. We ask no more from all of the people of British Columbia than aboriginal leaders ask from their people." The expectations of British Columbians are no different: they expect to be included.

So I would hope that this government will present to the people of British Columbia a referendum building on the principles that will inform every treaty that we undertake. The critical principle that every British Columbian has supported, across the board, is that we must have certainty, we must have finality, and we must have equality, for treaties to work in B.C.

We don't ask anything for British Columbia that has not been asked by every other jurisdiction in the country. In the last treaty negotiations, there was certainty; there was finality. That is critical. And it is very important that we understand that people in this House have got to take the initiative to inform the federal government about what our requirements are for treaties to be settled: certainty, finality, equality.

British Columbians have been asked in the past about establishing a constitutionalized third order of government through treaty negotiation, and they rejected it. By a 2-to-1 vote, they rejected it, in 1992.

We have to establish a municipal type of government where, yes, there are opportunities for self-direction, but where every government in the country -- aboriginal and non-aboriginal alike -- that is of that nature will be subject to federal and provincial laws. It is critical that we do that if we are going to build a community and a province that have harmony and a future that we can count on.

It is critical, as we look to the future, that we include people in a democratic way in the decision, that we include this Legislature in a democratic way in the debate and the discussion, that we be very clear that there will not be a constitutionalized third order of government, and that, most importantly, there will be certainty, finality and equality. So far, there's only one way that we've been able to discover to do that, and that is to cede, release and surrender aboriginal title as part of the treaty negotiation.

These negotiations are important to everyone. It is important that we compensate our aboriginal communities. It's important that we give them the opportunities they need to develop themselves in the future, and we can do that. I am convinced that British Columbians are ready to do that. But it is critical for the government to include them, or we will fail again.

Every backroom deal that has ever been done in modern times has failed. We cannot have a failure. The failure of the back rooms is something we have to learn from. So let's open the room up. Let's open the issue up to the public. Let's include them in a referendum, and we will succeed in resolving these issues in the long term.

Finally, I'd like to talk briefly about the country. I believe that we do live in a great country. We have a great opportunity in British Columbia to strengthen it, to provide voices that say, yes, we have many things in common, that say, yes, this province is ready to take a leadership role.

I would encourage the Premier to work with myself and the member for Powell River-Sunshine Coast and the mem-

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ber for Peace River South to make sure that we have an all-party, all-member resolution that comes before this House, so that we can unanimously send our voices across the country to say that we are for a strong, united, prosperous Canada.

Times are tough in this province; there is no doubt about that. Talk to people; see what's happening in their lives. They're tough. But I still have a great deal of hope for this province. I have a great deal of confidence in the people of this province to work their way through this. But you know, when we're working our way through these things, it's important to bring people together. It's important to remember that it will be a tough slog; it's going to be a tough, tough hike up to the top of that mountain again. But if we come together and we work together in this Legislature, if we set an example in this Legislature of working together, of understanding that there are many things we have in common, there's much that we can share. There are many positive steps that we can take, if we come together and unite in our common goal to move British Columbia back to the top -- back to number one economically, back to number one in public education, back to number one in terms of public sector health care. The journey will be long; the journey will be difficult. But we will be able to climb that mountain again. We will get to the top of that mountain again.

In British Columbia, one thing people know is that when you get to the top of the mountain, the view is incredible. The view of the future of this province will be incredible. It will be a place where business is encouraged, where jobs are encouraged, where young people can pursue their goals, their objectives and their dreams. It will be a place that other places look to as an example. That's what we want British Columbia to be; that's what the throne speech failed to deliver. But over the weeks ahead we will help this government move, move, move towards the top of that mountain, where the vision of the future will be nothing but greatness.

G. Campbell moved adjournment of the debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. D. Miller: It's been a while, hon. Speaker, but I think the appropriate motion is that I move the House do now adjourn.

Hon. D. Miller moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.

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