Hansard -- Thursday, February 13, 2003 p.m. -- Vol. 11, No. 4 (HTML)

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY



CONTENTS

	Routine Proceedings
		Page

Introductions by Members		4759

Tributes		4759
	McBride peewee hockey team Hon. S. Bond

Statements (Standing Order 25B)		4759
	Arnold Patrick Recalma G. Trumper Chinese New Year P. Wong War against Iraq J. MacPhail

Oral Questions		4760
	Impact of Olympic Games on Vancouver rental market J. Kwan Hon. R. Coleman Gasoline tax J. MacPhail Hon. G. Collins Monty Little R. Visser Hon. R. Thorpe James Bay Community Project health clinic J. Bray Hon. C. Hansen Collection of unpaid sales taxes J. Kwan Hon. B. Barisoff

Reports from Committees		4763
	Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts J. Kwan

Throne Speech Debate (continued)		4764
	T. Christensen B. Kerr Hon. R. Coleman Hon. R. Neufeld H. Bloy Hon. S. Bond D. Chutter I. Chong J. van Dongen

J. Nuraney: I have great pleasure in recognizing some of the very distinguished guests with us today in the gallery, starting from our new police complaint commissioner who got sworn in this morning. I'm happy to welcome Dirk Ryneveld and his wife, Fiona; his son, Michael; and his daughter, Susan.

We also have in the gallery Barbara Murphy, the deputy commissioner; Mr. Ben Casson, who very ably fulfilled the duty and deputized the role of the deputy commissioner; the chief officer, Dave Douglas, of the Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia; Kevin Begg, the director of police services, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General; Derek Egan, president of the B.C. Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police. Will the House please make them all welcome.

B. Lekstrom: It is my pleasure to welcome to British Columbia and to our House a delegation of visitors from the Western Cape Provincial Parliament in South Africa. Joining us in the gallery this afternoon are Mr. Nicholas Isaacs and Mr. Archie Lewis, both members of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, South Africa; and Mr. Mario Sassman, senior committee coordinator, Western Cape Parliament.
As well, they are accompanied by staff from the Parliamentary Centre in Ottawa, Ms. Tania Wallace and Ms. Kim Caldwell. Would the House please help make me make them feel welcome.

Hon. J. Murray: It's my great pleasure to introduce Daniel Fontaine, who is joining us today in the gallery. Daniel is a tireless volunteer, a key executive member of my B.C. Liberal Riding Association in New Westminster, and I'm very pleased to have him here today. Please make him welcome.

J. MacPhail: I, too, join with my colleagues in the Legislature to welcome guests from the Western Cape of South Africa. My colleague met earlier with them, and I will be meeting with them later today. It is in a true spirit of international friendship and collegiality that we welcome them today. I join with everybody else in doing so.

Hon. S. Bond: I am pleased to make an introduction in the gallery on behalf of my colleague from Prince George North. We're pleased to welcome today a constituent of his and also a resident of my community, Iris McIntyre. We want to welcome her to the precinct. I would ask you to help me make her welcome.

           Hon. S. Bond: You'll be thrilled to know I have somebody else. I was just following my colleague over there from Peace River. It gives me great pleasure today to acknowledge an outstanding group of young athletes from one of my communities, who are going to enjoy an exciting slice of Canadiana. The McBride peewee hockey team is going on the road with the Vancouver Canucks.
           This coming Saturday is Hockey Day in Canada, and teams across B.C. were invited to participate in the Canucks' peewee road trip contest. All they had to do was explain why they loved hockey. Explaining something that seems genetically programmed into Canadians is not an easy task. However, the McBride peewee boys won it with their poster entitled "We Fit Together as a Team."
           As a hockey mom who has spent countless hours in a hockey rink, I know it is the dream of Canadian children everywhere to grow up and play in the big leagues. This team will have many sleepless nights until Friday, when the bus arrives and picks them up. They will travel to Calgary. They will eat with the Canucks. They will skate with them and then watch a hockey game. I can tell you, I want to congratulate them. It is a dream come true for a wonderful group of young people in my constituency. Congratulations to the McBride peewee hockey team.

V. Roddick: In the gallery today from Delta South are three dedicated teachers — Connie Matisz, Nancy Gamlin and Mary Hodgson — with 59 very enthusiastic students from grades 6 and 7 accompanied by ten wonderful, long-suffering parents from Hawthorne Elementary in beautiful, historic Ladner. Please give them all a desk-thumping welcome.

B. Suffredine: In the gallery today we have one student from Camosun College who has an interest in criminology and political science. He came to the throne speech debate, and that wasn't enough for him, so he came back today to watch question period. He's also my son, James. Would the House please make him welcome.

Hon. G. Abbott: Among the many people in the gallery today who are here to witness the drama and splendour of question period are two constituents of mine from Shuswap. William and Sybil Pringle are here from Salmon Arm. I'd like the House to join with me in making them welcome.

G. Trumper: I rise today to pay tribute to Arnold Patrick Recalma, who is known as Buddy to his friends

and family. He died just before Christmas. Buddy was the head of a family that made up some of the last survivors of the Penlatch people and was a well-respected leader in the aboriginal community. He was born in Victoria in 1930, at a time when even the right to assemble for reasons other than Christian purposes was denied to status Indians in Canada.
As a teenager he joined the Native Brotherhood of B.C., North America's oldest aboriginal organization. This was an underground organization that organized for treaty rights, fishing rights, old age pension and the right to vote. Because the federal government outlawed the ability to organize politically, they opened their meetings with a hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers, which served as a decoy for the brotherhood's activities.
Many of the people who knew Buddy experienced the generosity of his open-door policy, whether he found them a job, gave them a place to sleep or offered them a meal. He was a hereditary chieftain, a fisherman and a strong advocate for the rights of his people. He was a friend not just to me but also to nearly every person who met him. Perhaps more than anything, Bud Recalma was a man of his people and lived to the best of his ability with his large family, both past and present. His presence will be greatly missed. To his family, it was a privilege to have known him.

           P. Wong: As today is Chinese New Year, I would like to wish my constituents, my colleagues and guests in this House and all British Columbians gung hay fat choy. From February 1, I have attended many Chinese New Year's celebrations and on February 2 had the pleasure of accompanying the Premier and Mrs. Campbell at the Vancouver Chinatown New Year parade.
           For over one million Canadians of Chinese heritage, Chinese New Year marks the beginning of another year filled with prosperity and happiness. Much emphasis is placed on the importance of family, hard work, social tolerance and awareness. The Chinese lunar calendar is represented by 12 animals each year as the symbol for Chinese New Year. The qualities that the symbol represents are what guides us through the year. This Year of the Ram represents accommodation of others, peace, compassion, tolerance and humility. Given the uncertainty facing our world, the Year of the Ram is very appropriate to reflect upon these values and to make them a part of our everyday lives.
           I am very pleased that the city of Vancouver has proclaimed February 1 as Chinese New Year day in the city. This is welcome news to all the Canadian Chinese living in Vancouver, and it marks a significant step in recognizing the importance of this celebration to the Chinese population. Through you to all British Columbians, may the Year of the Ram bring peace and happiness to everyone's lives, and may we all find the balance and humility we are striving for.

J. MacPhail: As we meet this session to debate the future of our province and the security and well-being of our citizens, the possibility of a new war in the Middle East hangs over our deliberations. A comprehensive weapons inspection regime is in place, which needs more time to determine compliance with the UN resolution 1441. There is widespread public opposition to a war in Canada and amongst our European allies.

           Nevertheless, Washington looks to be intent on a predetermined and unilateral course of action. It seems that war is coming, whether we like it or not.
           Although British Columbians and, through them, this Legislature can do little to quiet the drumbeat in Washington, the war will affect our lives in ways that we cannot predict. There is the possibility that young Canadians will be asked to participate and be put in harm's way. There is the possibility that it will trigger the use of weapons whose destructive force is impossible to contemplate. There is the possibility that it will dramatically disrupt the global economy, destroying the chance a small, open economy like ours has of recovery. Already we're seeing the impact on gas prices. Of course, if an invasion begins, there is the potential that thousands will die and more will be hurt.
           British Columbia may be a small province, but we can and must be a strong voice for peace. With people from every corner of the globe living side by side within our borders, British Columbia stands as a testament to the values of tolerance, civility, dialogue and understanding, values that now more than ever need to find expression in our own politics and in international relations.
           The Iraqi regime is a pariah. It brutalizes and oppresses citizens, but it is also a weak and broken regime. In Canada we need to propose alternatives, because pre-emptive unilateral war will only reinforce divisions, uncertainty and hatreds. For the sake of peace, for the sake of future generations and for the security of the world, let us speak and work for peace, not war.

J. Kwan: New provincial rent legislation announced last fall appears to violate a key guarantee in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic bid and could threaten the city's bid as it heads into a plebiscite next week. Legislation which would allow landlords to retroactively apply rent increases for up to three years would compromise a promise made at the International Olympic Committee. In a tight housing market like Vancouver, this will have devastating consequences for renters, seniors and people living on social assistance. Will the Solicitor General agree to shelve the legislation

           Hon. R. Coleman: First of all, through to the member opposite, we do have controls built into this legislation and into the regulations that will be coming forward. She knows that. She debated the legislation with me last fall.
           In reviewing the bid book from Salzburg, there is no mention whatsoever about anything to do with rents with regards to them. They only refer to bed-and-breakfasts and hotels relative to what they have in that category of their bid book.
           In addition to that, stability in the rental housing market will bring more rental accommodation investment into British Columbia so we don't face a rental crisis by the time we get to the 2010 Olympics. In addition to that, the government of the day will be able to moderate whatever increases could be done by regulation, because that's the way we structured it.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant has a supplementary question.

           J. Kwan: During Expo 86 over 1,000 people were evicted by greedy landlords putting in unreasonable rent increases. Several people died as a result of those evictions.
           We have an opportunity to do things differently. The mayor of Vancouver, staff at the Olympic bid corporation, the Tenants Rights Action Coalition, the West End Residents Association — as the member for Vancouver-Burrard will certainly know — have all requested that these changes to the Residential Tenancy Act be shelved.
           The minister says: "Don't worry. Everything will be fine." The minister won't listen to the people who experienced the deaths in the community. Again, to the Solicitor General: will he announce today the delay of the changes to the Residential Tenancy Act which will gouge renters and undermine the Olympic bid?

Hon. R. Coleman: It would be well for the member opposite to, first of all, quit fearmongering with regards to how rent controls…. The member opposite might also want to look at the bid book…

Hon. R. Coleman: …and look at the legacy that's being built with regard to several hundred rental housing units that would be available for social housing as a result of the Olympics coming to British Columbia and the fact that — for the first time ever, I am told by the industry — when they see there's actually going to be stability…. We are actually building today new rental housing for the first time in many years in British Columbia.

J. MacPhail: Yesterday the Premier announced an annual $200 million, 3.5-cent-per-litre gas tax hike. That's on top of over $800 million in new tax increases and countless new fees. This tax comes at the worst possible time for low- and middle-income British Columbians, just when gas prices are going through the roof.
To the Minister of Finance: can he please table the economic impact study that he must have undertaken to determine the effect of this new tax on the economy of the interior?

Hon. G. Collins: I can tell the member opposite that every single penny of the gas tax revenue is going to go back into the infrastructure that British Columbians from one end of the province to the other have been asking for and demanding for over ten years. We're going to deliver it. The economic benefits of that improved infrastructure will be monumental to every single community in British Columbia.

J. MacPhail: For the last 12 years the full gas tax has gone into transportation infrastructure — the only province in all of Canada that has done that. I might remind the minister that it was his government that outlawed the business lens that the former government put in.
Now, on the lower mainland this government put…

J. MacPhail: …in a 2-cent-per-litre increase in the gas tax last April. This March they're putting a 3.5-cent-per-litre increase on the lower mainland citizens, and now we hear that the citizens of the lower mainland are also going to have to pay tolls. It couldn't come at a worse time than now — a 5.5-cent-per-litre increase and tolls in the lower mainland.
Will the Minister of Finance commit to doing an economic impact study on the economy of the lower mainland before he imposes tolls on the lower mainland?

Hon. G. Collins: Perhaps she should ask the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to do that. They gave them $200,000 to do just that sort of thing.

All you have to do is look at the infrastructure benefits to the people of the lower mainland, to the

transportation network of the lower mainland. If we can twin the Port Mann Bridge, if we can improve border crossing infrastructure, if you can do a South Surrey perimeter road, the benefit to the shipping industry and the trucking industry in British Columbia…

Hon. G. Collins: …when they can get their goods to market faster…. They're not paying people to stay in traffic, to stop in traffic and to idle in traffic — something I know was never a issue to the NDP. But think of the improvement in the air quality when we relieve the gridlock in the lower mainland and we can start to see improvements in the air quality for the people of British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker: Member, order, please. The member for North Island has the floor.

R. Visser: I stood in this House yesterday and spoke about 270 North Island folks, their families and their community and the devastating fire that they had last weekend. I asked that we as legislators and all British Columbians rise above the ill-informed rhetoric of the critics of aquaculture and remember the real people that depend on us to bring balance and substance to the debate.

No sooner had I sat down than the member for Vancouver-Hastings was on her feet levelling accusations at the industry that sustains those very people I was talking about. How disappointing.

J. MacPhail: Really. And how did you get that from my question — that you're on the take…?

R. Visser: My question is for the Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise and minister responsible for the B.C. Science Council. Could he please tell this House… .

R. Visser: Could the minister please tell this House and this province the real facts about Monty Little and his appointment to the Science Council?

Hon. R. Thorpe: You know, one of the great things about the member for Vancouver-Hastings is that when she was in government, she didn't get the facts right. She's in opposition, and she doesn't get the facts right. So let me share the facts with the House.
On March 21, 1996, Mr. Monty Little was appointed to the Science Council and signed by Mr. Dan Miller, former Premier of British Columbia. On October 5, 1999, an order-in-council appointed….

Hon. R. Thorpe: On October 5, 1999, Mr. Little was once again appointed to the Science Council, signed by the former minister, Andrew Petter, of the NDP government. And on January 12, 2000, former minister Petter of the NDP government appointed Mr. Little once again. Then, in the dying days of their government, on May 25, 2001, that member for Vancouver-Hastings, the Deputy Premier of the province, formalized the appointment of Mr. Little to the B.C. Aquaculture Research and Development Committee.
These are the facts. The member for Vancouver-Hastings should stand in this House and apologize to Mr. Little, a very credible scientist, volunteer and businessman in British Columbia.

J. Bray: My question is to the Minister of Health Services. Recently I attended a public meeting organized by citizens concerned about the status of the James Bay Community Project health clinic. At the meeting a motion was passed asking for my assistance. Of particular concern to the citizens is the current funding model that funds medical practices like the James Bay

Community Project based on the number of patients cared for and not the number of services provided.
These citizens have raised concerns about the ability of this funding model to meet the needs of seniors locally. Can the Minister of Health Services tell us what steps his ministry has taken to address this issue?

Hon. C. Hansen: I guess, first of all, I want to acknowledge the hundreds of hours that this member has put into this particular issue and the time he's taken to develop an understanding of the challenges that the James Bay clinic is facing.
As a direct result of the various meetings I have had with this member, we have gone back and reviewed the formula. What is obvious from the material he has provided me is that the James Bay clinic has an inordinate number of seniors on their patient list, and we have now made a decision that we will adjust the funding formula to reflect the increased number of seniors. That will be retroactive to last April 1. In addition to that, increased money will also flow to the clinic as a direct result of the increase in physician compensation in the province. So as a result of those two sources, they will see additional funding flow retroactive to April 1 of last year.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Victoria–Beacon Hill has a supplementary question.

J. Bray: I would hope that the Leader of the Opposition would actually watch MLAs do their job and see how it's actually done in this House.

I am pleased that the ministry has recognized a need to increase the funding formula, to better recognize the specific needs of seniors in this type of health clinic. However, many of my constituents are concerned that staffing levels, especially among physicians, are not adequate to deal with existing patients or new patients as they get registered in the clinic.
To the Minister of Health Services: this is an issue of significant concern. Can he answer my constituents' concerns about the staffing levels at the clinic?

Hon. C. Hansen: I think what's important to understand here is that this particular clinic is funded based on the number of residents that register with the clinic. It is a pilot project that was put in place a number of years ago. It's a demonstration project around the primary care demonstration project that was in place a while ago. Their funding mostly flows as a direct result of how many residents of the community sign up for care from that clinic.
I know there is a significant recruitment drive that is being developed now to get more residents of the James Bay community to sign up at the clinic. The concern that has been expressed to me via the MLA for Victoria–Beacon Hill is that they need assurance that the additional dollars will flow as patients are registered, because we can't have this new influx of patients to the clinic and not have the dollars to match. I can give the member assurance that as new residents of James Bay sign up for the clinic, we are able to ensure that those dollars will flow from the day that they are registered, and we can also assist them in moving new physicians into that clinic as those new patients come to seek that care.

J. Kwan: To the Minister of Provincial Revenue: the Minister of Forests says he was wrongly named in the judgment in writ of seizure for unpaid PST filed in the Supreme Court in July of last year. We know that the judgment was very efficiently cancelled on his behalf.
Yesterday I asked the question: has the $12,500 owed to the Crown by the minister's former partner been paid in full? The question remains unanswered. If not, I'd like to ask the minister this question: why hasn't the government re-filed the judgment using the correct names?

Mr. Speaker: I believe the question was taken on notice, but the minister may answer if he wishes.

Hon. B. Barisoff: Due to taxpayer confidentiality, the member knows full well that I can't comment on that. But I will assure the members that we treat all taxpayers equally and fairly.

J. Kwan: I have the honour to present the report of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts for the third session of the thirty-seventh parliament.
Hon. Speaker, I move that the report be taken as read and received.

J. Kwan: I ask leave of the House to suspend the rules to permit the moving of a motion to adopt the report.

J. Kwan: I move that the report be adopted. In so moving the report, I would simply like to advise that members of the committee have completed the review of the reports of the auditor general of B.C. deposited with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly during the last 12 months, with the exception of the following new reports: Managing Contaminated Sites on Provincial Lands, which was delivered on December 2002; Review of Estimates Related to Vancouver's Bid to Stage the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games, January 2003; Building Better Reports: Our Review of the

2001-02 Reports of Government, which was deposited on January 2003; Follow-up of Performance Reports, deposited January 2003.
The committee looks forward to being reconstituted at the earliest opportunity in the fourth session of the thirty-seventh parliament in order to complete the review of the outstanding reports published during the current Legislative Assembly.

Hon. G. Collins: I call continued debate on Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

           T. Christensen: Thank you for the opportunity to continue debate on the throne speech. On Tuesday the Lieutenant-Governor spoke of opening up new ways of meeting our common interests, and I just want to touch on a couple of the issues that the Lieutenant-Governor mentioned. First was the issue of a consolidation of the delivery of child care services in the province, and I think this is a long overdue move on the part of government to try and bring some cohesion to the delivery of the various supports that government provides to parents around the province who need child care, as well to child care service providers.
           I know that in my own constituency, I'm contacted by parents on really two basic issues around child care. One is certainly the cost of child care in today's economy while parents are struggling to make ends meet, and the second is simply on the lack of available child care spaces. Obviously, both of those are difficult issues to address, but government must take steps to encourage an expansion of the child care spaces. I think the minister has made great strides, in fact, in doing that by expanding the scope of support in child care to licensed family day cares as well as the licensed group day cares. I look forward in my own constituency to seeing how that policy unfolds and seeing the results on the ground as parents are better able to get the child care that they need and that their children need.
           The second issue in new ways of meeting our common interests is that of the move towards a provincial authority for community living B.C. I think that we will look back a decade from now and really see what an exciting opportunity this has been for the people who rely on the community living sector and those working in that sector in terms of their ability to provide for the people who they care so much about.
           In my own constituency of Okanagan-Vernon we're very fortunate to have a number of very good service providers, both non-profit societies and private caregivers, who are dealing with folks in community living. I know, certainly, in speaking with them that there are a number of challenges ahead as we move to this new authority, but in general, there's a great deal of excitement in terms of their ability to have input on how to best meet the needs of this client group. All of the folks involved are very committed to focusing on the needs of clients, and as long as that is the focus that is retained, I guarantee you that at the end of the day we're going to have a much more effective delivery system in British Columbia, and certainly those in my constituency are looking forward to that.

           One of the most important elements of the throne speech on Tuesday was the statement of recognition and reconciliation with first nations. I don't think the importance of that statement by the Lieutenant-Governor and by the government can be overestimated. Nobody who reviews the history in this province and the policies of the past in terms of dealing with our first nations people can look back with any sense of pride on those dealings. For the first time government has acknowledged that poor history and has attempted to make amends so that we can move forward in cooperation with our first nations to achieve the goals that first nations communities are setting for themselves and do that hand in hand with non–first nations communities. I know that in my own constituency — I believe it was last week, or it may have been two weeks ago now — the city of Vernon and the Okanagan first nation came to a memorandum of understanding in terms of how those two neighbouring communities can work better together to further their common interests and the common interests of everybody who lives in the North Okanagan. As long as we have our communities working together, we are all going to be better off at the end of the day.
           There were a number of initiatives in the throne speech that dealt with opening up B.C.'s heartlands to economic growth. Again, those initiatives and the importance of those initiatives can't be overestimated. I just want to touch very briefly on a few of them.
           Firstly, and of great interest to my own constituency, there is the indication that we are going to have a B.C. resort task force. As I suspect most of you know, Silver Star Mountain Resort, one of the finest ski areas in the province, is in my own constituency and is again enjoying a good year of snow when many others are not. While I haven't had an opportunity this year to get up there nearly as much as I would like to, it's always a good break when I can at least get up for a couple of hours and enjoy a few runs on the slopes. Silver Star, on its own, is in the process of developing an aggressive growth strategy that will benefit all of the North Okanagan.
           I've commented in this House before about the type of customers we're seeing come from around the world to visit our ski resorts. I think the establishment of a B.C. resort task force to focus on what the needs of those communities are, so that they can take the greatest advantage of this natural opportunity we've been provided in British Columbia, is a very major step forward. I very much look forward to seeing what the

task force is doing and hearing the results, and I'm sure many in my community are looking forward to that, as well, and hoping for some involvement.
           Secondly, in respect of economic growth, many members in this House have spoken of the reliance we have on the forest industry in the province and the fundamental importance that this industry is working on all cylinders. The fact that in this session we can look forward to the long overdue steps necessary to revitalize the forest industry in this province is something we can all be excited about.
           In my own constituency we have a wide, wide diversity of forestry interests. Perhaps it's a good example in the province of a community that is a relatively small geographical area but has a great diversity of types of forest as well as a great diversity in the industry. We certainly have the large companies that literally employ thousands in the Okanagan Valley and that must continuously work on efficiency to remain competitive in what is becoming an extremely competitive and tough world market.
           We have smaller but growing mills that face the continuing struggle to ensure that they can get access to fibre so they can actually make the products they already know they have markets for. We have the value-added remanufacturers and log home builders and others in the value-added sector that, again, struggle on a continual basis to ensure that they can get the fibre to make the products they've already developed markets for. We have, among others, a thriving salvage logging community that really, in certain parts of my constituency, is the foundation of the economy.
           All of those aspects of the forest industry need the opportunity to thrive in this province. I am confident that the steps taken and the legislative changes made during this session and led by the Minister of Forests will, in fact, accomplish a revitalization of the forest industry as a whole so that we can all look forward to a dynamic and successful forest industry throughout the province in every part of that industry.

           Finally, there was a good deal of discussion — and I'm sure this discussion is going to be ongoing — in terms of transportation infrastructure, and I simply want to comment that what is of fundamental importance is that we are now moving forward with a provincial strategy that deals with the transportation needs in all parts of the province. I know in my own constituency there's been a good deal of anxiety over the years about the need to upgrade Highway 97 going both south and north from Vernon. I'm looking forward to the further unveiling of the transportation infrastructure strategy and how that impacts the Okanagan in particular. But I think we all need to recognize that it doesn't matter where you go in this province, there is a transportation infrastructure project that is critical to both the social and the economic needs of every single community.
           It's long overdue that we develop a strategy that can actually see the province move forward. It was refreshing to see we have a government that's prepared to take, in some cases, unpopular steps necessary to ensure that the strategy moves forward and that is thinking about the long-term interests of the province.
           Another development, just briefly, in terms of transportation. Certainly, I was pleased to hear that there will not be tolls on inland ferries. That is something my colleagues in the interior and I have been concerned about. While I don't have an inland ferry in my own riding, I have one that neighbours on my riding. Certainly, it's of critical importance in terms of the link between my riding in the Okanagan and the neighbouring riding in the Kootenays. There will be a good number of my constituents who are happy to see that development.
           In closing, it's simplistic to say — and it really is underwhelming to say — that we've set out an ambitious set of initiatives, but that is in fact the simplest way to put it. Success is critical to the well-being of my constituents in Okanagan-Vernon as well as all other parts of the province. I certainly look forward over the next number of months to working with the Premier, the cabinet and all of my caucus colleagues here in this House to ensure that we reach the goals that were set out in the throne speech by our Lieutenant-Governor.

           B. Kerr: It's my pleasure to rise in support of the Speech from the Throne today. I receive hundreds of e-mails, it seems, every week. Last week I received an e-mail from a constituent, and he told me, after going on through a number of issues, that all he wanted was decent wages, public health care, affordable education and public parks we can afford. I think that's what we all want. I don't think we're any different in that regard, but the serious question is: if we're not there now, how do we get there? I think the Speech from the Throne lays out that plan, so I'd like to address some of the specifics outlined in the speech.
           It recognized the importance of an economic strategy for the heartlands, and it recognized that no place on Earth is more blessed with more potential than British Columbia. It mentioned that in the heartlands, the optimism of the people burns bright. I'd like to say that although my riding is not considered to be in the heartlands — at least I don't think it's considered to be — that same optimism is felt throughout my entire riding.
           From Cowichan Bay in the north of my riding to Port Renfrew in the extreme west, we are on the verge of great economic development. It is through economic development that we will arrive at the vision of my constituent. It cannot be done by saddling our province with more debt. It cannot be done by mortgaging our children's and our grandchildren's future. It must be done by developing a sound economic plan that takes into account all segments of our community.
           The economic strategy will include plans for infrastructure, human capital and marketing. It will open up new partnerships with first nations; new investments and transportation infrastructure; new opportunities for tourism, sports and recreation; and a revitalized forest industry. All these plans are vital to my

constituency and are already recognized by concerned citizens throughout my entire riding.
In Cowichan Bay they formed an improvement society. They have worked hard to develop a breakwater to protect the foreshore and the pleasure craft that will come to that area. Cowichan Bay is a unique site, and I invite everybody to come for a visit. It's a beautiful little area. Getting the breakwater has not been easy. It has taken time. Now that approval's been reached, Cowichan Bay will be able to develop and reach its true potential as a tourist resort. I'm really looking forward to that breakwater. I'm looking forward to maybe taking my boat there this summer.

           Even closer to my home is a 65-acre site called the Skeleem centre. The Skeleem centre is a facility that works with acquired-brain-injury patients, with the intention of their rehabilitation and their return to the community. The work this centre does is unique in British Columbia, and patients from all over the province have been helped by this centre. Skeleem is having its problems right now and may soon have to shut down, but it's my hope that it can continue and that the good work performed by the staff at the centre can continue. I have been working closely with all parties to solve this problem, but I'm afraid that only time will tell the future outcome of this worthwhile facility.
           In the Glenora region of my riding a number of vintners have gathered together to form VIVA, the Vancouver Island Vintners Association. It's their hope to develop the region as a wine region which will attract tourists from around the world to a culinary and wine-tasting experience in a setting that is second to none. They are setting a strategic plan entitled the wilderness wine route. This route will be an alliance of tourism, vineyards, restaurants, transportation providers and food growers. All the people have come together with a willingness to cooperate in an effort of mutual benefit.
           Roughly, this route would leave from Victoria, head northwest through Sooke and along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail to Port Renfrew. From there it would move across a logging road over to Cowichan Lake and into the wine region and then back to Victoria. We can sometimes call that the circle route. I've had that on my agenda since I've been elected. I hope that in the very near future that will happen. My colleague across the way here is hoping we can extend it to beyond Cowichan Lake to Port Alberni, and maybe that will happen too.
           Along the way, tourists will be able to taste some of the local flavour, with the potential to dine in two of the most notable restaurants in North America, the Sooke Harbour House or the Aerie. What a great vision for Malahat–Juan de Fuca — a vision that coincides directly with the vision outlined in the throne speech.
           The throne speech also recognizes the need to reconcile with first nations to bring them into the vision and to work with them as equal partners. This is exactly what's happening at Port Renfrew. There the Pacheedaht are working with a developer to put together a multimillion-dollar tourist attraction. They're an integral part of the development and are working with the developer to benefit both parties and the entire community. So as you can see, Mr. Speaker, from Cowichan Bay to Port Renfrew the economy will soon be booming.
           Next week we're going to hear about a comprehensive transportation plan that will open up our area for even greater economic opportunities. Although we have the Island Highway, we need upgrades on a number of other highways if we want to open up the entire Island for commerce and tourism.
           The regional transportation advisory committees will determine what the priorities should be. This will avoid political interference that can sometimes occur and allow the citizens who have direct interest in the highways to determine where the improvements should be. I think that's a great step to getting rid of political interference so we don't end up with the hodgepodge of whoever has the most influence getting the most money spent in their area. This means that Vancouver Island and coastal B.C. will be opened up with greater choice, more competition and better service through the new B.C. Ferry Services. We at Malahat–Juan de Fuca welcome this vision.
           Vancouver Island has relied heavily on the forest industry in the past, but times are changing. We need to create more value for each dollar spent in the forests. In Sooke there is a number of companies that increase value considerably by manufacturing and exporting products made from wood. They've had problems getting fibre in the past. That's been one of their biggest hurdles in business: just getting the fibre. The throne speech outlines the visions of how more timber will be available for innovative, smaller local operators. This is great news and will allow the smaller companies to really develop their business potential.
           Nothing will correct social problems more than job creation, and this economic incentive will indeed create more jobs. Mr. Speaker, you can see that everything I've taken from the throne speech so far relates to the economy, but there's yet more good news in this area.

B. Kerr: More good news.
Changes to the Small Business Venture Capital Act will increase access to seed capital, eliminate red tape and provide funding opportunities not only for my riding of Malahat–Juan de Fuca but for all the regions of British Columbia. I can tell you from my experience as a business consultant that one of the most difficult problems facing any business is the shortage of capital to start up a business or to expand a business. Our vision for the economic development of British Columbia — whether it is to increase tourism opportunities, increase business opportunities through greater access to capital, increase opportunities in the forest or increase transportation infrastructure — augurs very well for the future of British Columbia, and I am truly optimistic about our future.

A strong economy allows us to determine what kind of a society we want, because a strong economy gives us choices for health, for education and for other social services. I'd like to address some of these issues now.

           As a parent and grandparent, I am really concerned about the educational opportunities for our children. At the grade school and high school level, the Teaching Profession Act will be amended to enhance accountability and administrative efficiency while clarifying the role of the B.C. College of Teachers.
           During the past year, I met with both the Sooke Teachers Association and the school district board. I hope to work closely with both bodies to ensure that students' needs come first. It is important that educators and boards recognize that there are fiscal constraints and that choices must be made so the system runs efficiently in a manner that will provide our students with an outstanding education and a safe environment. I know a number of educators are working extremely hard to provide just such an environment, and to those educators I would like to offer my thanks.
           In my role on the Finance and Government Services Committee I travelled, along with other members of the committee, across the entire province. We listened to the concerns of citizens. While advising us to stay the course on our fiscal plan, most said they wanted more funds for education. They, like me, are concerned about education, and I am pleased that the minister has been able to provide additional funding for education. This, along with the flexibility provided to school boards, will provide a framework for excellent education now and into the future.
           Another issue that's extremely important, and one that touches all of us, is health care. Health care costs have risen tremendously over the past few years. Health care costs now amount to over 41 percent of the province's entire budget. If we are to make health care sustainable, we must make reforms to make health care more accountable, and we must make every dollar spent on health care patient-centred.
           I'd like to offer you a quote from the auditor general regarding health care resource allocation by the previous government. This is directly from the auditor general's report. "We concluded that the ministry is allocating resources across the health care system without the benefit of essential cost and performance information. As a result, most resource allocation decisions are not based on the kind of information necessary to fully implement and evaluate the strategic directions the ministry has set." In other words, the health care system was adrift. The largest cost to the budget had no controls. Over $9 billion was being spent without any controls.
           So what have we done? We've recognized the importance of health care to our community, and we've added $1.1 billion in funding. But in doing that, we've added some controls. We have determined performance measures, and we have set benchmarks so we can measure our progress towards these goals. These are steps we must take if we're going to provide patient-centred health care on a sustainable basis into the future.
           Pharmacare is another serious challenge within our health care system. Pharmacare costs have risen dramatically over the last few years — I believe around 14 percent a year — and it's predicted to rise considerably at an even greater amount in the future. As more and more people ? the baby-boomers ? get into that stage, we can see that the costs are going to be horrendous unless something is done.
           Affordability is a significant challenge and one we have addressed through our Fair Pharmacare program. Under this program over 280,000 families will see their Pharmacare costs drop. That's a great thing, and it's fair for everybody. Under the Fair Pharmacare program, low-income families, regardless of age, will benefit. I think all of us agree it's not fair that a wealthy individual does not pay for Pharmacare solely because of his or her age when a younger, low-income family must bear the full cost. The Fair Pharmacare will address this inequity.
           I listened to the member for Vancouver-Hastings lamenting the fact that we're dividing people by pitting workers against management, that we're not bringing people together and building a better, more democratic and more prosperous province. What's happened after increasing funding for health care, making Pharmacare more equitable and setting more measurable performance goals? We still hear about cuts to health care. I suggest that those who continue to chant the mantra of cuts to health care are the ones who are attempting to divide the province through a misinformation campaign designed to create fear and uncertainty. Mr. Speaker, we are doing the right thing for health care.

I'd now like to revisit my constituents' concerns that I mentioned at the beginning of my comments: decent wages, affordable education and parks we can afford. I believe that the throne speech addressed all of the concerns of my constituents. Wages will increase and, indeed, have increased. They've increased faster than any other province in Canada. They will continue to increase through increased economic activity. Education will improve, and access to higher education and trade skills will improve with the changes that the throne speech addresses. B.C. parks will become a magnet for tourism. The new recreational stewardship plan will make that happen.
We are doing the right things. We are taking the right direction for the province, and to counter some of the words of the member for Vancouver-Hastings, we will be bringing people together in a common project to build a better, more democratic and more prosperous province. We will encourage the potential of every British Columbian to realize their hopes and dreams, and we'll be helping them bridge the gap between who they are and who they want to be. I'm proud to support our vision in the throne speech, and I look forward to this session as the vision unfolds into reality.

Hon. R. Coleman: The throne speech this year is good news for British Columbians. It is the sign of the

turning of the corner, the sign that we as a government, who have made tough decisions and had to bring the fiscal and management of government into order, are starting to see the successes.
On Monday the Minister of Education announced an additional $50 million that will go into education in British Columbia this year. That's a remarkable amount of money on top of an already protected budget of $4.8 billion. Why were we able to accomplish that? Well, quite simply put, because we've actually managed our money better. We've done very well in the management of our debt and our interest and the management of that ministry and, under the tutelage of the Minister of Education, have been able to find the additional funds that we've always said would go back into education whenever we found those savings.
The effect of that is different in every area of the province. In my particular area today, my school board announced it is not closing three schools that it was intending on having to look at closing with regard to some of the rural areas of my riding. In other ridings it will be additional books, computers. It will be additional opportunities for students and teachers. It will be additional opportunities to see education grow within those communities. But whatever it is about, it's about this. It's about a government that is doing the job it was elected to do in May of 2001.

           It is about a government and a group of people in a government caucus that have put in literally thousands of hours on behalf of their constituents and on behalf of the province to get this place under control. It's about a government that has taken the time and listened to British Columbians to set the priorities for the future so that we will have a sustainable education system, a sustainable health care system and, frankly, a sustainable government in British Columbia, because we are not going to waste money where it's been wasted in the past. We are going to manage it. We are going to do it right, and we have proven in the last 20 months that that is exactly what we are doing.
           The throne speech that was given in this House two days ago is a document that was full of interesting and very positive initiatives on behalf of government. A number of those affect my ministry and affect other ministries of government, but I think the message is this: the heartlands of British Columbia are recognized as the breadbasket and the people that fund money into this province for critical health care and education services in this province. It's time a government recognized that contribution given to all of us in British Columbia by the heartlands of B.C.
           It is about the fact that we've identified we want to have a dialogue on crime, which I am going to speak about in a minute. It's about modernizing policing. It's about protecting education and health care. It is about finding ways to reconcile with first nations and other initiatives that need to be done and Canada's relationship with ourselves and also about the 2010 Olympic bid.

           We are going to have a dialogue on crime in British Columbia. Somebody had said: "Well, why do you want to have a dialogue on crime? You've had one on transportation, education and health care."
           Well, there's a number of reasons, and I want to outline them today. First of all, I think it's time that our communities — the communities, the policing agencies, the community service groups, the judiciary, the Crown, the legal profession on both sides of the fence — all came to an understanding of the stresses and pressures this province presently faces with regards to crime and also how it faces and how it can stand up to and plan for the future, so that we will not move down a road where it will become an unmanageable situation for our citizens.
           I want to use a couple of examples in regards to this. First of all, let's talk about the drug trade for a second. In British Columbia we have 40 percent of all the marijuana grow operations in this country. Some people would say: "So what?" Well, I say it's not acceptable. It's not acceptable for a number of reasons. First of all, the marijuana grow business fuels organized crime in British Columbia and other areas of Canada. The money that comes out of the illegal drugs funnels money into terrorism activity internationally. It funnels money into the illegal gun trade. It funnels money into methamphetamine labs, which is speed, which is also sold to our youth. It trades kilo for kilo for cocaine across the border, which comes back into this province and further debilitates our society.
           This industry is run by the outlaw motorcycle gangs in British Columbia. They are organized crime in B.C. and in this country. Tied into them are various groups, both ethnic and non-ethnic groups, that are involved in this business. Today in this province we are investigating in excess of 60 murders that are related to that trade. That is not something that is acceptable in our society. For anyone to think we should sit back and be soft and not have a conversation on crime in that context alone, they are making a dramatic mistake about the importance of us getting all our resources together and pushing in the right direction to deal with this issue.
           These are serious issues for British Columbians. The illegal gun trade in British Columbia, which fuels both north and south of the border and into Asia, is paid for through marijuana grow operations. It is paid for through the drug trade. It is what is insidiously destroying our communities.
           We have to come to grips with a number of things. First of all, are we prepared to welcome the criminal element of this country and other countries into our jurisdiction because they think this is the place to do business? Or are we going to start to stand up to this trade so this place is not the place to do business in the illegal drug trade in North America or anywhere else in the world? I think we have to do the latter. We have to stand up to it, and we have to protect our communi-

ties. We'll do that by educating our communities on the whole issue in and around this issue.
The dialogue on crime will therefore give us the opportunity to raise the bar of awareness, which will lead us down the road to what changes we may require the federal government to make with us, what information we want to give to our federal and provincial prosecutors, how to educate our system on how its system of justice has to react to the ever-changing scope of crime. I think it's a critical start to that dialogue taking us forward to the education that is going to be required in order for us to fight crime. As we do that, we are going to move on some other initiatives in the province.

           We know by the Oppal report that integration and amalgamation of police services are essential. We also know that common communication and a lack of borders — either technological or communication-wise or between law enforcement communities over law enforcement communities — cannot exist if we are to be able to deal with the serious crimes that we deal with in our province. We can all find examples in Canada where, if proper integration and sharing of information had taken place, a serious crime would not have been continued or a second one would not have been committed. We will not accept anything less than proper integration or amalgamation of police services in B.C. That's a message to anyone, whether it be from the heartland, whether it be from the lower mainland or whether it be from the lower Island. We want integration in our policing in British Columbia because it's the best thing we can do for our citizens.
           I want to give you an example of integration. At the moment we are looking at putting together an integrated homicide team on the lower mainland of British Columbia, one that will go across the borders and have common information about policing with regards to homicides, which isn't blocked by borders between communities that the criminals, frankly, don't believe they are stopped from operating within. We are going to have that integrated homicide team so that we have the seamless ability to do investigations and share information. But that is just step one. We need to look at all the aspects of crime, and we as public figures have to understand, as integration comes forward, that we cannot go back to a little island within a community and believe that there is no crime here; it's only over there.
           One of the challenges we will have as we move forward is that we will actually want to put specialized teams together to deal with sex offenders and sex crimes. When you do that, you have to be able to watch somebody move from Burnaby to Vancouver to North Vancouver over to Delta and into the Fraser Valley. You have to be able to have the movement of intelligence and observation when you're dealing with that, so that we can protect our children from people who want to commit these offences.
           As we move forward there are actually going to be mayors and councillors who are going to tell us that they don't think their communities should participate in integration because they're different, that they don't think they should protect their citizens at the level that the Oppal report and we in government see as a vital connection to the stopping of crime and protecting citizens in B.C. The message is that we're going to do that.
           Last year through, basically, the group of people on the lower Island getting together with the concern between two police departments, we amalgamated the Esquimalt and Victoria police departments. The members of this House should be aware that that has actually been a very successful and healthy project. The people in both Esquimalt and Victoria have seen the difference. They've seen the better coverage. They've seen the better integration. They've seen the better services that come with that relationship.
           One of the critical aspects of dealing with crime and dealing with integration comes from the sharing of technology. There were some choices that had to be made, particularly in the last 12 months, in British Columbia with regard to how we will police this province in the future. The critical one was to be able to get to the table all the chiefs of police from the 12 — and now 11 — municipal departments in B.C. and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, both at the municipal level and at the provincial level, to come to an agreement on an integrated, real-time information management environment for policing. We got that decision. The next challenge was: what do we do with that? What if we wanted to put a computer system in so that we had real-time information-sharing so that a B and E that's taking place in Coquitlam this evening is, in real time, entering into the computer of the law enforcement officer in Burnaby as that individual officer at the scene is putting the data in? What could we do if they could talk to each other, and we could actually know and flag incidences from a crime management system to be able to know that we have relationships in two communities between similar crimes?

The first thing you do is get to the point where you say: "We need to have that system." Then you have to identify and select the system. Then comes the biggest challenge of all. No integration of information management in the criminal side for policing would ever be successful in this province if we allowed somebody to opt out. We can only have one system. We can only have one platform, and that platform in British Columbia is PRIME-BC. In order to accomplish that in British Columbia in the times of the toughest restraint, as we moved forward to make the tough decisions in government, Treasury Board and the committees of this House gave to my ministry the money to put PRIME in every community in British Columbia within the next 24 months. That is going to allow us to change the face of policing in British Columbia on a standardized basis in real time. As we move forward, the Attorney General's JUSTIN system, which is in the court system, will integrate down into PRIME and will actually download

information that is critical for law enforcement to do their job on the ground in B.C.
           For instance, if there's an order that says somebody cannot be in a community because the court has ordered them because of a relationship in a spousal dispute within that community, we want to be able to have that information in the car. When somebody is checked, we will know they're not supposed to be there, and maybe we'll save a life. Maybe we'll stop an assault. Maybe, but maybe, we'll stop more crime.
           PRIME is going to go into British Columbia, and it will be a success. It is the first time anybody in any jurisdiction can look and see and say that somebody's actually moving in the right direction. I had a meeting with the commissioner and the deputy commissioner of the RCMP a week or two ago. We were having a discussion about different systems. I have always been pretty clear that this was our system in B.C. Of course, they will integrate with anything that we do now. I said to the commissioner: "Absent of any discussion on technology, can you tell me another jurisdiction in Canada or in North America, or anywhere for that matter, where there's going to be a standardized data management system in real time for policing across an entire jurisdiction the size of ours?" The answer to that is no.
           In the United States we actually have county police who have data systems that don't talk to city police. We have international information that doesn't talk back and forth. That's not acceptable in this province. We are going to lead the way forward in both integration and the integration of management for policing in British Columbia on the data side, so we can tell the world that this is how it should be done, this is how it will be done, and this is what will work for you as citizens of the province of British Columbia.
           It is such a critical aspect of our communities that as we move forward with the dialogue on crime and PRIME and the education of our communities, we collectively come to the decisions of how we're going to manage the issues that face us in our system today. It's also important to realize that we have a group of thousands of people out there. In B.C. we have almost 30 percent of the entire Royal Canadian Mounted Police complement in Canada. We have our 12 municipal police forces. Those people are out in the street every night on shift — shift work, which is hard on families — with a commitment to communities, a dedication to our communities. They are asked to make snap decisions — decisions that we all think we can second-guess, whether it be in the media or in the privacy of our own homes or on talk-show radio. Understand that these are professionals. They do their job because they believe in your communities and in protecting society, or they would have never entered into the career.
           We're going to give them the tools to do that job. We're going to build a five-year plan for policing which will include integration and specialized sections, everything from forensic idents to dog masters to specialized teams to deal with sex offences to homicide. We will do this because it is the right thing to do. The police officers in this province agree; their senior management agree. We from the public-life side have to recognize it is absolutely critical that we be successful in integration for the protection of our citizens.

This throne speech also dealt with a number of other issues. It was announced that we're going to have a seniors and youth conference. That sounds, some people would say…. Some people might have some questions like: "Why would you do that? What are you saying? Are you just trying to make it sound good?"

           You know what we need to do? As part of a plan to deal with the issues around crime, the issues around human behaviour and the respect for each other in our communities, we also have to reintroduce our communities to each other. Our young people have to learn the respect for seniors, and seniors have to understand the changes that youth have relative to how they dress or what they do today versus what they did when they were young. You'll accomplish that by actually having an open dialogue and conversation between those groups, with everybody participating, so that we can actually have a conversation and understand the impact one person's decision over another is going to have on somebody and how we can get beyond that to where we regain the respect between our youth and our seniors and our communities. It is critical that we do that.
           We can't sit back and let some of the things happen in our communities without actually trying to go help these people to understand how a change of behaviour would be better for them and the communities that they live in. Our seniors shouldn't live in their homes in fear of home invasion, and our youth should not think they should have the right to take what doesn't belong to them. I think we have to bring together these parties and all the others to understand that, understand that on the outside edges of any one of these discussions, we can always pick the bad. I've always believed that most of it is good, and that good will be brought out by us having that dialogue and actually re-identifying some goals for our communities.
           In the 1996 election there was a vote that took place in this province where a government formed government with actually less than the percentage vote of the party that formed opposition. This province has had some people for some time asking us to look at a citizens' assembly, to look at how we actually govern, to look at how we actually form our government and how we elect the people that serve us. It's a dialogue that's needed to take place, and as the throne speech says, we're going to move to a citizens' assembly. That citizens' assembly, made up of people from around British Columbia, will look at all the options with regards to electoral reform in this province and may come back and tell us we already have the best of all worlds. They may also come back and give us some direction that we may want to look at for electoral reform in the future of B.C.
           Ironically, the very government doing this has already made some of the biggest changes in Canadian

political history with regards to electoral reform. This is the government of free votes. This is the government that has set an election day, has set election days for the future of the province of British Columbia. This is the government in B.C. that finally put in place a parliamentary calendar, that actually put in place a way to manage people's business so debate can actually be focused based on the timing and thoughtful introduction of legislation in a Legislative Assembly.
This is the government that took members of the caucus and put them on government caucus committees so they can work on issues and give full advice to cabinet ministers, so that they can move forward with an agenda that meets the needs of all British Columbians. This is the government that's gone further than anybody else in developing some forms of electoral performance. I don't think we should be ashamed or afraid of the discussion and the debate that will come from a citizens' assembly as we move forward, because at the end of the day it's not our choice. It's a choice of the people that vote in this province as to how they want this province to be governed.
I spent time in an elementary school where 50 percent of it was aboriginal and 50 percent of it was Caucasian. I grew up with friends, who I still have today, I met in that school from both aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities. I served in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for almost eight years, and during that time I actually served where there were Indian reserves that had to be policed. I think the step towards reconciliation that this throne speech brought forward to the first nations, outlining our deep regrets to them, is an important step. If you've ever seen firsthand how we failed in so many circumstances with first nations, it is time that we actually admitted our failures, expressed our regrets and built a legacy for the future, not one for the past.

           We will work for workable, equitable and fair treaties, the throne speech says. New economic opportunities for first nations and $30 million in an economic fund, which is $10 million per year, and we doubled the First Citizens Fund for British Columbia's first nations. I was at a meeting the other day with some people from the First Nations Summit. You take a step back and have to understand the difficulty in both the elementary and high school education and then the university education opportunities for people in these circumstances. They need advice and help. They need advocacy; they need tutoring. They need work with them so that they can be successful. The First Citizens Fund can form a big part of that relationship and help us get there.
           In this province, if you've travelled it, Mr. Speaker, we have some pretty ugly roads for people to travel on. The member for Peace River North is fond of telling us about the state of northern roads, and frankly, he is correct, with the exception of the one that actually runs by his own home in his community.
           The reality is, though, we have this vast province that we want to be successful. We want it to succeed economically because economic success will allow us to put money into education and social programs and health care. We need to move effectively to market the goods and services that we as British Columbians produce, and you can't do that down roads that won't take the weight or the capacity or move the machinery or the equipment. Whether it's in the oil patch or the mining industry or forestry, we do need an improvement on the infrastructure in British Columbia so that we can move our goods and services.
           By making that commitment to do so, it tells a number of things to a number of people. First of all, the fact that we're comfortable enough to do it tells us we're being pretty successful as a government, because we have confidence in our ability to deliver and our ability to deliver it for everyone in B.C. on infrastructure. We have confidence that we can reinvigorate the economy of British Columbia, because we as government have started to make the changes to make those things successful. And we are confident that the people in the heartlands of British Columbia will grab on to the opportunities they have for them and deliver on behalf of all British Columbians — because we need them to.
           We are going to take that infrastructure and improve the roads in rural British Columbia. We're going to upgrade highways. We are going to fix highways that, when you travel through and talk to people, are nothing but scary in communities. The scariest one of all is the Kicking Horse Pass outside Golden. If you've ever travelled the Trans-Canada Highway, it is probably the most unsafe and scariest piece of highway on that entire ribbon of asphalt from coast to coast. It is also a huge stress on the communities in that area because of the fatalities and the serious-injury accidents that take place on it.
           We need to fix that highway. We've made a commitment, with the cooperation of the federal government, to fix that portion of highway in B.C., because it does a number of things. It sends a message to our trading partners across Canada, especially in the Prairies and Alberta, that we're open for business, and come on — we're improving our roads. It sends a message to the people in the Golden area, the Invermere area and the Revelstoke area that we've actually listened to you about the concerns about this highway and the problems it is giving to your community. And it sends a message to the rest of British Columbians, whether they be on the lower mainland or the lower Island or the North Coast or Prince George or the Okanagan, that we're serious about transportation links for all British Columbians in all areas of B.C. so that we can build a strong future for our province.

Mr. Speaker, if you could imagine having the opportunity to run an advertisement for your company, if you were in business, to two billion people for two hours, you would jump at the opportunity. But if you could do that and create a couple hundred thousand jobs and a few million dollars into government coffers and open up a whole bunch of facilities and open up a

province to the world, you would do it. The 2010 Olympic bid will do just that. Over two billion people watched the opening ceremonies at Salt Lake City. They have a problem in Utah, which the members of the opposition wouldn't like us to have, and that is they have all the facilities built, they have a legacy fund, and they have $100 million (U.S.) in additional profit they're trying to figure out how to spend in their state.
I want that problem in B.C. I want us to open up this province to the world. I'm proud that we're going to open up the infrastructure, I'm proud that we're protecting health care and education, and I'm proud that we're doing the right thing to deal with the issues that face B.C., because we've made the tough decisions and will continue to do so as we move forward.
We have turned the corner in British Columbia. This government has made the tough choices. We are taking this province in a bold new direction, and we'll build its future beyond what anybody's imagination could be. Members of this House, be proud of that, because you know what? We're going, we're going way up, we're going to win as a province, and the future is bright for all British Columbians.

Deputy Speaker: Responding to the Speech from the Throne, the Minister of Energy and Mines.

It's certainly a pleasure for me to be able to rise in the House in support of the Speech from the Throne. This is a Speech from the Throne that has all kinds of good news for everyone in this beautiful province, regardless of where you live, what you do, where you work or how you work — or the work that's going to come so you can actually have a job.
This province is moving forward. The Premier said he was going to move this province forward, and the Premier meant what he said. It is moving forward in the economic sense, in the social sense, in the treaty sense. Anything you can think of that we talked about during the election in the New Era document, we're moving forward on it.
C There's a short paragraph in the Speech from the Throne that really caught my attention. I'm just going to read it into the record:

Far too often all of us forget how fortunate we actually are to live where we do in this beautiful country called Canada. I am always proud of the fact that I come from the north. I will always live in the north, and I have lived in the north for most of my life. I've raised my family in the north. It is something that I hold very near and dear to my heart.
I'm proud of the constituency of Peace River North, and I'm proud of the people that live in the constituency of Peace River North: an entrepreneurial young generation of people that want to move forward in this province, that love B.C. as much as I do and that want to actually have jobs in the province so that their kids can have jobs in this great province of ours.

           My constituency is the second largest in the province. To put this in perspective — I always have to remind myself of how large it is, and in fact I get reminded when I try to drive across it every so often — it stretches over 500 miles by highway from one side to the other. It goes through flatlands, it goes over major rivers, and it goes through the Rocky Mountains. It's a huge part of the province. It's the size of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Vancouver Island in land mass. There are some members here from Vancouver Island and particularly one from North Island and one from Port Alberni, as we speak, and they can feel some isolation, I'm sure, at some time in the province, as we all can. Some of the constituents I represent feel isolated also, and that should be understandable. They understand how people on Vancouver Island can feel isolated, and I'm sure the people on Vancouver Island can understand how we feel isolated sometimes from our major centre, that being the Vancouver-Victoria region.
           We have a vibrant economy where I come from. We have almost always had a vibrant economy. The only time we didn't have a vibrant economy that I can remember is when government got involved — and that's the federal government — in setting the price of oil and natural gas in a national energy program that actually almost destroyed our economy. Government moved out of that, and that should be a good lesson to all of us. It's a lesson we all know in this House, except maybe a few. When government gets involved too heavily in our daily lives, something's going to go wrong. We need to give more responsibility to people, to individuals, to our children, to people that want to work and invest and do whatever they want to do in this great province of ours.
           I'm also representative of a part of the province that has a treaty, for well over a hundred years, that was signed. Treaty 8 it's called. In fact, just recently the Premier, myself and the Attorney General had an opportunity to meet with the seven Treaty 8 chiefs and talk about their treaty and how we have to start looking at it maybe in a different way — that we start respecting some of the thoughts that were in Treaty 8, although it was written a hundred years ago, and start looking at it as a modern document so we can start moving forward so those aboriginal communities, some of them in my constituency and some in the member from the South Peace's constituency, can actually prosper, can have the same hope, the same feelings the rest of us do about the fact of having a job, of hav-

ing a home and a vehicle and actually having a reserve where I live where there's sewer and water — the basic things that so many of us take for granted — or a road so you can actually get there without a four-wheel drive.
Those are things this government is addressing and has committed to address across this whole province. We know it's going to take a while. We understand it's going to take some time, but if you don't start somewhere, it's never going to happen. We've committed to doing that.
Aboriginal people have been proven to live in the northeast for a long time. It's the only part of the province that's actually east of the Rockies. All the rest of the province of British Columbia is west; we live east of the Rockies. The Charlie Lake Caves show that humans, aboriginal people, lived as long ago as 10,000 years right close to Fort St. John in the Charlie Lake community caves. Those same kinds of artifacts are found along the Alaska Highway going north up towards Alaska. That's 10,000 years ago. It's a long time. They have been there for quite a while.

           We have an amazing amount of stuff in Peace River North or in the northeastern part of British Columbia that a lot of people don't know about. Fort Nelson is a small community along the Alaska Highway of about 5,000 to 6,000 people. We have barging facilities out of Fort Nelson that actually go to the Beaufort. You can arrive in the Beaufort earlier in the spring than you can from any other place. Most of the barging is done out of Hay River. They have to wait for the ice to go out on that river longer than the Fort Nelson River, so you can actually get out to the Beaufort Sea out of Fort Nelson. In fact, a very good friend of mine in Fort Nelson who died a number of years ago and has a large barging company — well, the company is still owned by the company — actually bought two of his tugs in Vancouver. He had them built in Vancouver and took them around the long way. They're still plying the waters north of Fort Nelson.
           We have tourism along the Alaska Highway, all kinds of tourism. Almost everyone in the lower 48 wants to go to Alaska to see the last frontier. Every year we see everything from small cars to huge motor homes by the thousands going up the Alaska Highway. It's a huge draw and not just for our area of the province. To get from the lower 48 up to where I live, they actually come through the rest of British Columbia to see what wonders we have through this whole province. Whether they go through the Okanagan or through Highway 97 through the Cariboo, they will see areas they will never forget because they're so different and so beautiful.
           We also have in my constituency pretty well all the oil and gas that's produced in British Columbia. It comes from northeastern British Columbia and from Peace River North. We hope to change that. In fact, we're not hoping; we're moving forward to change that. We want to see oil and gas delivered across this whole province in other areas. There are basins where that can happen, basins that have been unexplored — literally unexplored — where there are billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas and coalbed methane. It is such a huge opportunity for this province.
           Now there are those that would say that we shouldn't be exploring for oil and gas because it's a thing of the past. They're wrong. When you talk to people like Dr. Ballard, he will tell you that they're wrong. We need natural gas, and we will continue to need crude oil well into the future as a feedstock for hydrogen cells. We know we're going to need it. We should be out there finding it. We should be getting self-sufficient in oil. We're far from being self-sufficient in oil.
           We import almost all of the oil that we need in this province just simply because we haven't gone out there and explored for it in the other basins where there's an opportunity to find it. It creates great jobs, good economic activity. It's something that each one of us needs.
           How many times a year do you pull up to the pumps and get gasoline or diesel fuel in your vehicle? That's made from crude oil. How about driving down those roads, which the member just talked about, that are paved? That asphalt is made from crude oil, and the gravel is mined. We need that. You look at our buildings. The concrete is mined. It comes from all parts of the province. We need to continue to do that, to continue to grow because this province will continue to grow. The population will continue to increase.
           We committed to open up the democratic process with free votes in the Legislature. We're one of the first Legislatures to have free votes. That's a positive for British Columbians because their members can actually come here and vote the wishes that their constituents would like them to vote.
           We have a fixed election day. People in my constituency at election time constantly talk to me or used to talk to me about the fact that they never knew when the next election was. They didn't know how to prepare for it. They didn't know when to listen because the government of the day, whatever stripe it happened to be, would just call it whenever they felt it was most appropriate for them, not appropriate for the people that they represent. We fixed that. The Premier said during the election that we're going to have a fixed election date, and we do have a fixed election date in British Columbia.

           We have a provincial congress where we get MPs, MLAs, mayors, councillors, chiefs and people from all over the province to sit down and talk about how we can actually deliver services to people. Obviously, we all represent the same people, just in different areas of the province. That's a move, a step forward. In fact, we've heard all kinds of good reports about that.
           Open cabinet meetings where we actually have a cabinet that's televised provincewide.
           That's great stuff for the province. We said during the election that there were going to be two things that were our priority. One was education and one was

health care. In education, we now have the top-paid teachers on average of any jurisdiction across Canada. It's very important that people have a good education. As the Premier says many times, a good education is probably the best thing for health care. I believe that, and so do most people.
           The funding that we got just recently, the $42 million that was divided up amongst all the school districts across the province, will certainly help in my school district. In fact, they're very happy with it. In fact, last night the Premier announced for this next fiscal year another $50 million in education. When I talked to my school boards — I have two of them — they both told me that the difficulty they were having with the levelling of the budget was actually paying for the increase in teachers' salaries. This will go a long way to taking care of that problem in continuing to provide excellent education in the province and specifically in Peace River North.
           In advanced education the minister should be commended for what she's done in Peace River North. The colleges have worked with industry to try and encourage development of training for people to work in the oil and gas industry and in the forest industry in the region that I come from. That's the biggest problem. The jobs are there, but you can't find the people to fill them. You can find people, but they're not trained. You need to train them.
           Nabors Drilling donated a $1.5 million service rig to the college in Fort St. John for training for workers in the oil patch. Now, I think that's great the ministry worked that hard to make that happen, but I think it's equally great that Nabors Drilling decided, because they see what opportunities there are in the northern part of the province, to actually donate a piece of equipment that's worth that kind of money to the college, and it sits right in the college yard right now. In fact, we had a dedication of that just a short time ago.
           We also have Duke Energy, which is going to make an exciting announcement in the next week or two in Fort St. John. It will benefit Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson and all the communities in the northeastern part of the province. They're going to start working with the education system, with the high schools, with the colleges in donating millions of dollars over the next number of years for the benefit of people wanting to get into the trades to be able to work in this industry. It takes some real good training to work in a lot of this industry. It's not just a simple industry to work in. That's the foresight these people see with the changes that have come in the last number of years under this administration. They feel the long-term investment they're going to make by putting those kinds of dollars into education is actually going to pay off for them, and that bodes well for the province.
           Health care — $1.1 billion more last year, and this year we'll have some more dollars from the federal government. Health care is the number one concern in the constituency, and we're going to address that as best we can.

           We have a problem with getting enough doctors and nurses, and the government has seen fit to actually expand the training for health care professionals into the University of Northern British Columbia. That bodes well for northern British Columbians, and I think that's just great and shows that the Premier means what he says. We want to get health care and education on track so that people can receive it where they live and when they need it.
           The heartlands strategy is great. We heard earlier that the problems of infrastructure are huge across this whole province. It doesn't matter just where I live. We need a lot more infrastructure, but to have infrastructure costs dollars. The Finance minister and the Transportation minister have worked very closely together to figure out, along with everyone else, how we can do this. Last night the Premier announced a program where we will see…. Although we will see a 3.5-cent-a-litre gas tax increase, all of that money, which will raise approximately $200 million a year — and as the economy grows, that will also grow — will be reinjected into roads and bridges through this whole province, and specifically for rural and northern roads. That's in excess of $600 million over three years. That is good news.
           That is absolutely wonderful news for where I come from, where not too many years ago you could hear the stories of farmers having to pull school buses with their four-wheel-drive tractors. That, in fact, is true. Unbelievable, but it's true in this era we're in today. That was under the last administration, the last administration that forgot about the north. This administration has remembered where the north is and that they're just as important and integral to British Columbia as any other part of the province.
           That is going to be a boon to the people from where I live. All this money that's raised by the 3.5 cents will go back into infrastructure — every bit of it. There will be no debt for our children to pick up for that later on. We're actually going to pay our way and maybe even a little bit more than pay our way. I want to thank the Minister of Transportation. For a long time, when the last administration tried to rebuild some roads, they did it in the old-fashioned way — just kind of graded a little bit more dirt on the surface and spread a few rocks on it and left it. But this administration has taken a serious look at how roads are constructed so that we can actually move loads at 100 percent axle weight year-round. We're actually going to have shoulders on our highways in northeastern B.C. Now, that may seem pretty simple for a lot of people. You look at me a little puzzled, but I can understand that, because I've been to the Okanagan. I do see shoulders on the road, and we're actually adopting that process that's been used in the Okanagan for all those years. We're actually going to move that north, and I think that's just wonderful and great. We're finally going to have shoulders on the road.
           As Minister of Energy and Mines I have a great portfolio to represent, and I am so happy that the Pre-

mier gave me the opportunity to do it. The people in my constituency actually re-elected me in the last election so I had that opportunity. It's a great ministry to represent. We have mining across this province, and in fact the miners just had their annual convention in Vancouver, their Cordilleran Roundup. It was the most positive one they've had for over a decade. Over 3,000 registrants came to Vancouver to the Cordilleran Roundup to talk about mining in British Columbia, something that this government says we're going to bring back. We're going to make it possible, and we're going to make sure that mining becomes what it used to be in British Columbia, and that's a key economic driver for all of us in the province.

           The oil and gas industry is booming along pretty good. We have a record number of drilling rigs drilling in northeastern British Columbia today. I think the count changes from day to day, but it's around 145 active drilling rigs working in the province. It's a record, and we should be proud of that. It's a record because of some of the things we have done as government to make sure that industry feels comfortable coming to British Columbia and creating that investment of over $3 billion to $4 billion a year, every year — the cost of drilling in British Columbia. It creates all kinds of jobs, and well-paying jobs, for British Columbians so we can raise our families and actually have a good province that we can call home and our kids can call home for a long time.
           We've got the best seismic program we've ever had going on in northeastern British Columbia this year. That bodes well. That means in the future something else is going to happen. That's the exploration side of it. It's just like in mining we've almost doubled the amount of dollars in exploration in the province this last couple of years. It's got a long ways to go, mining, but it's at least on the way up. The curve is this way, not that way, as it was under the NDP.
           We need to have that exploration if we're going to have mining and oil and gas happen in the province. We just had a conference in Fort St. John in relationship to the energy policy that we released at the end of November, where we had oil and gas producers, coal producers, people from alternative energy sources and hydro sources all coming together in a one-day conference to talk about how we move forward now that we have the energy plan in place. It was great to see the enthusiasm the people came with and talked about and the issues we have to deal with.
           One of the issues we have to deal with resides right in the northeastern part of British Columbia and that is how we actually level the playing field for our service contractors. We've levelled the playing field so the industry feels fairly comfortable coming into B.C. to do the work they do. Now what we have to do is level that playing field so that service industry we have, those jobs that are created out of that service industry, actually come from Peace River North, Peace River South or, specifically, British Columbia.
           We can't provide all that labour and all that expertise and all that equipment, but we sure should be able to supply a whole bunch more than what we do now. I've committed and my ministry has committed to working with that industry to make sure we now look at that to make sure that happens.
           One other thing. The last speaker talked about the 2010 Olympics. That's just great for British Columbia. You know what? I do hear some people — and you hear it even from people in Vancouver, heaven forbid, but you do — saying we shouldn't do that. What they're doing is saying no to jobs, they're saying no to opportunity, and they're saying no to striving for excellence in the province. Regardless of where you live in British Columbia, it's good for the province. If you live where I do, if the economy is better in the lower mainland than it was before the Olympics — and it certainly will be — that's good for all of us. That helps everyone, so we can have good health care and good education in the province.
           Along with that, a real bright, shining light we had in the Speech from the Throne was that the Premier wants us to be actively working offshore in the province. The opportunities for British Columbia and for British Columbians are huge in offshore. It can be done environmentally sound and safe. In fact, we've had an expert panel of scientists go out there and tell us in the last number of years about the things we should be doing to make sure we can do it environmentally sound and safe. It's done around the world environmentally sound and safe.
           We set up in my ministry a special division headed by Jack Ebbels, the deputy minister for offshore oil and gas, to make sure those things happen. The Premier, through the throne speech, has given us a date to make sure things are happening out there. I can tell you, from our ministry, we're going to be working very, very hard to make sure those things happen.

           Now, there are a few out there that say we shouldn't. Mr. David Anderson — I think most people know him — is one that's not helping a lot. Mr. Dhaliwal, on the other hand, is helping us a whole bunch. Both are members from British Columbia. One who wants to see growth, one who wants to see jobs, one who wants to see wealth for the province of British Columbia — I think we should support him and work with him all we can to make sure that happens.
           Mr. Speaker, I know my time has slipped by so quickly, and I didn't even get a chance to talk about the energy policy. We have an energy policy in the province of British Columbia second to no jurisdiction across Canada. This government and all its members have worked hard to make sure we have an energy policy that looks forward and that has low-cost electricity, a secure supply and opportunities for independent power producers to actually go out there and build projects in the private sector and create jobs and wealth in the province of British Columbia.
           We have an environmental side to it, where we instruct B.C. Hydro to get 50 percent of its new re-

quired energy from clean sources, whether it's biomass, fuel cells or whatever. That bodes well for the province of British Columbia. We also maintained our promise; B.C. Hydro remains in public hands.
Mr. Speaker, I see my time is gone. I appreciate that you gave me the time to stand and talk in this House about this great province of British Columbia and specifically the part that I represent. Thank you very much.

J. van Dongen: I'm pleased to introduce Mr. Ward Griffeon and his wife, who are visiting us today. Mr. Griffeon and his very extended family operate a large aquaculture operation on the Sunshine Coast, and we visited that operation recently. I want to commend them for their great work ethic and their commitment to the industry. I ask the House to please make them welcome.

           H. Bloy: It's a privilege to follow the member for Peace River North, the Minister of Energy and Mines. More good news. I can hardly wait for the next two weeks to have more good news come out.
           I'm a proud British Columbian standing here today. I'm a proud British Columbian to be able to look into the future. I am proud of this team that's here and led by the hon. Premier. I want to thank the Premier for his strength. I want to thank the Premier for his vision for looking into the future. I want to thank the Premier for wanting to stay the course.
           I was a member of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services that travelled the province this past fall. At every stop we made, for the majority of presentations — I would have to say over 70 percent of the presentations — people said to us: "Stay the course. Don't stop what you're doing." They want to see this government continue on the course that we laid out in the New Era document. In the New Era document we outlined our future and our vision.
           Today I want to rise to reply to the Speech from the Throne. I rise to support the Speech from the Throne. The speech details the government's vision to open up British Columbia to the world and to open up every region and community of this great province to a wealth of new opportunities.

           The new B.C. heartlands economic strategy that we've been talking about will open up new opportunities for regions and communities by developing and implementing plans for infrastructure, human capital and marketing programs across this great province. When the heartlands of British Columbia do well and when they are prospering, then we all prosper. The urban areas prosper because of the hard work of the heartlands of British Columbia.
           This government will continue to support the heartlands of B.C. by developing a new resort task force to work with the successful four-season resort communities that we have now. This government will work with the resort community and the first nations to ensure that the province resort potential is fully realized and fully recognized around the world.
           We are recognized around the world now. Whistler Blackcomb is the number one ski destination in the world. Not only that, it has more visitors in the summer for skiing. We want to recognize all corners of this province. We have so many ski resorts and four-season recreational opportunities for people from around the world to come and visit, play and enjoy British Columbia.
           We have new investments in transportation infrastructure. We have new opportunities for tourism, and we will have new opportunities for sport and recreation when we successfully win the bid. We have a revitalized forest industry.
           Ten years of neglect have meant the mining communities, logging communities and fishing communities across British Columbia were starting to wonder whether they would ever have their time to shine. We want to return hope and vitality to small-town British Columbia. We want to make sure that these small towns are there in the long run to make sure that they can. They contribute so much to support our urban economics.
           We expect our tourism industry to more than double in size by the year 2010. We expect to have an environmentally sound offshore oil and gas industry up and running and booming with new job creations by 2010. We are opening up new partnerships with the first nations, including a statement of respect and reconciliation and a commitment to revenue-sharing with first nations who wish to help revitalize our forest industry.
           We're honouring our New Era document and our commitment to improve child care access and choice. Through sound fiscal management we're focusing resources on those most in need. Last year we launched the new child care funding operating program, which increased the number of child care spaces eligible to receive operating funding from 45,000 spaces to 70,000 spaces. That is just a huge improvement in child care. We have announced that we will increase the access to child care subsidies for low-income British Columbians.
           We as a government have spoken of the need to help those most in need. Today we announced an increase in the income threshold for the child care subsidy program and expect that 9,000 children from low-income families will benefit from these changes we've announced.
           Again, as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, when we travelled the province this past fall, a number of concerns were brought to us. We brought these concerns

back to government, and government listened. We brought the concerns back, and government was open. As a government that listens to people, we made a commitment to help those most in need, and we are fulfilling that promise. We are not here for special interest groups. We are here for all British Columbians, especially the ones most in need.
I do not believe in the NDP, Glen Clark–style of government where they would yell and scream and they would be rude and obnoxious with absolutely no understanding of the work of government. My colleagues and I work to accomplish a better life for all British Columbians every day by working effectively and quietly behind the scenes.

           Every day government speaks; there are announcements. But they have been listening to my colleagues and myself and to the people of British Columbia. My fellow members from Burnaby and I work quietly behind the scenes to maintain Burnaby Hospital.
           My colleagues and I brought forward the concerns of funding for community schools. In my area, I have two community schools. I was able to bring the administrators from these schools — Stony Creek Community School and Miller Park Community School — and parents from these schools to meet with the Hon. Gordon Hogg. The parents had a true opportunity to tell from the heart what they thought of community schools. They wanted to say that you can't measure the food in a cupboard. You can't measure a child who is in an after-school program, who may not end up in the criminal justice system five years down the road. These are stories that had been told to me, but I couldn't relate them the same way they did, so I wanted to bring them to the minister. The minister was more than receptive to listen to them, and there was great dialogue in that room. When we left the room, we were happy that we'd had the meeting. They had a better understanding of how government has worked. Hopefully, through their presentations we've maintained the funding for community schools.
           My colleagues and I spoke about early childhood care. We listened, we acted, and we delivered. You heard it in the throne speech, and you heard it in the Premier's state-of-the-province address. Health concerns, education — our government has responded. The Premier announced last night an additional $100 million into education over the next three years. This is on top of $42 million that was put in last year. This is on top of $50 million that we announced a few days ago. We said that we would maintain funding in education. Well, we have increased the funding in education. We have maintained the funding in health care, and there will be more money in health care that will be coming from the federal government, and that will go towards patient care.
           We've increased the amount of money to education, and we made that commitment at a time when student enrolment is declining across this province. We have increased the per-pupil funding by $662. This is the equivalent of from 1998, where it was $5,844 per student in British Columbia, to 2003-04, where it will be $6,506. This money is to help local school boards meet the needs of students first.
           We passed Bill 29. Is it working? Does it work? You can bet it's working. We have continued to save dollars every day since passing Bill 29, and every dollar that was saved went directly towards health care. We committed to maintain the funding in health care, and every time we can make savings, that money goes directly towards patient care. The more efficiently each health authority runs, the more direct dollars go to patient care. A new Fair Pharmacare plan will be introduced later this month, and there are some 280,000 low-income families that will pay less than they do now for Pharmacare. For the first time ever, young families with lower incomes will be supported with drug costs.

           The vast majority of B.C. families will pay the same or less than they do today for prescription drugs. That's working for the people most in need by putting the money where it should go, not to special interest groups.
           In my riding of Burquitlam, I've been working with the business community. The middle of my riding is North Road, and it's the dividing line or the joining line, as I like to say, between the city of Burquitlam and the community. I've been working with the businesses in that area to help them create a business association to promote the area. We now have the Millennium Line that comes down there on its way to New Westminster and the loop. This is an unique area. As an ethnic area, it's become known as Koreatown. The Korean population is very large in the Burnaby and Coquitlam sides. There are nearly 200 businesses on North Road in this small section.
           I wanted to form a business association so that they could take advantage of the Millennium Line that is now coming through there and for the two cities to work together. I contacted three individuals. I worked with Mr. Ron Little, Mr. Michael Hwang and Mr. James Lee. They were the driving force behind this committee.
           We had a meeting a little while ago with representatives from the city of Burnaby, from their planning department, city councillors and business leaders. The committee had a very good discussion. They went off, and they've decided that they would like to create a business improvement area. This business improvement area will really be unique, because it will be the first time ever, to my knowledge, that two cities have done a business improvement area together. They're excited about bringing more people to this area. In the lower mainland there are a number of great examples of business improvement areas, and I expect this will be one that in the near future everyone will be talking about.
           Open for business. Well, the riding of Burquitlam is open for business. Up on top of Burnaby Mountain, at Simon Fraser University, there's a new development called UniverCity. Up there they've started construc-

tion on 10,000 new homes. These homes will be built over the next 15 years. There is going to be commercial and retail construction as well.
           The excitement on Burnaby Mountain at Simon Fraser University will come to its height on July 2, 2003, when the International Olympic Committee announces that Canada has been awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. What an exciting day that'll be. Wow. I can hardly wait for the world to come to British Columbia to celebrate the Olympics. Can you imagine over two billion people from around the world watching the opening ceremonies? Can you imagine as the athletes are filing in side by side, in this huge line of team members from countries around the world walking into the stadium? We're going to have Korea there, China, Austria, our neighbours the United States of America. Amongst the world that will come to our great province will be the Canadian Olympic team. What a thrill. I can just visualize. I've seen it. I can visualize our team walking into the stadium side by side, holding that Canadian flag high and proud. That will take place right here in British Columbia and in Burquitlam.
           Right here in my riding of Burquitlam, on top of Burnaby Mountain at Simon Fraser University, in relationship to the Olympics, which will be the catalyst, will be located a speed-skating oval. The oval will house a long track and a short track and will have three ice-playing surfaces in the middle. After the Olympics one of the ice-playing surfaces will be removed, and it'll be an indoor field for cross-training. The athletic competitions that will take place in that oval by competitors from around the world and the dreams they will foster amongst young people are not measurable.
           What is measurable is the over 100,000 square feet of research and classroom space that will be built next to the oval. This is measurable. This is the real legacy that will be left to British Columbians — over 100,000 square feet of classroom and research space. This building will be supported by an endowment fund that will guarantee the maintenance operation of this building. This is the real legacy to British Columbia.

           This is an academic dream. This is where research will happen, and research creates jobs all over British Columbia and the world. The research that is done is leading out of Simon Fraser University; they are the leading health care researcher. I would like to dream a bit and say: is this the first step towards a medical school at Simon Fraser University? It has to start somewhere, and this is possibly it. This is the dream from the Olympics.
           The Olympics will benefit many businesses within the riding of Burquitlam, but really the whole province of British Columbia. My colleagues and I have initiated a Time to Shine committee for the Tri-Cities, and we will be hosting the business community so that they can see how they can truly participate in the Olympics. We will be hosting that in the Tri-Cities on March 24 of this year. My colleagues and I have already hosted a Time to Shine meeting for the business community in Burnaby.
           The Olympics and the people from around the world — the athletes, the academics, the trainers and the people that will come — will not only go to Simon Fraser University; they'll come down into Burnaby and Coquitlam. Over the years when athletic teams come, they'll use the first-rate facilities for their additional training that Burnaby and Coquitlam have to offer. The Olympics are a dream to many, but to Canada and British Columbia it is an opportunity to show off to the world what a great country we live in. It's our time to shine.

           Hon. S. Bond: I'm very pleased to stand today as the MLA for Prince George–Mount Robson. My constituency, my riding, is a testament to the strength of diversity in this province. The place where we choose to make our home encompasses the majesty of the mountains, including Mount Robson, the urban energy of Prince George and the peaceful rural lifestyle of the Robson Valley. The pioneer spirit that brought many families to the north and to the interior has held communities, businesses and families together through some very difficult times. In this same spirit of confidence, of community and of family, it is that spirit that will guide the heartlands as we work together to open the door to opportunity and to sustainable economic growth.
           The people of my riding value hard work. They value friendship and family, and they want to be part of a prosperous British Columbia. They want just one thing. It's opportunity — the opportunity to put in an honest day's work and to be fairly compensated; the opportunity to raise their families in the community that they choose; the opportunity for their children to have a quality education system; the opportunity for top-notch medical services delivered in a sustainable way; the opportunity for our children to be able to work and raise their families in the part of the province that we call home.
           An important theme emerged on Tuesday, and that was the renewal of our pledge to support and sustain families, to strengthen them and their capacity to respond to the challenges that we will all face in the future. This government and the MLAs who have been elected care about families — so much so, in fact, that they are prepared to make very difficult decisions that are necessary in order to ensure that your children and mine are guaranteed the future they deserve in British Columbia.
           The announcement of Fair Pharmacare, with its focus on providing real benefit to some 280,000 lower-income families, is a measure of this pledge. Accessible, affordable child care, particularly for single working parents, is a fundamental element of supporting families. By providing expanded access and more choice to families across the province, we have responded to parents' concerns to provide the daily care and support that are essential to families.

Our government has also been working with families of children and adults who face significant challenge living with a developmental disability. As some-

one who has volunteered in my own community to support families facing these challenges, I am very proud to be part of an initiative that is leading the world — yes, the world — in redefining government's role in providing services that will help these families stay together and that will allow communities to provide support to families in the most appropriate ways possible.
           This government's commitment extends to aboriginal communities as well. The Speech from the Throne sets down clear direction and a determination to provide new levels of economic opportunity for aboriginal peoples and support to their families and their children. It is time as a province that we join with aboriginal leaders and their communities in mutual respect to work together to improve the quality of life for first nations people. I would very much like to recognize the work and the progress that has been made by the Lheidli-T'enneh chief, Barry Seymour. Their positive efforts mean good news for aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities alike. By working in partnership with provincial and municipal governments, the Lheidli-T'enneh have made great strides. They have reached an agreement with the city of Prince George and are close to an agreement-in-principle with the provincial and federal governments.
           Opportunity is what my constituents want, a fair chance to be a major partner in the economic renewal of British Columbia. The throne speech delivered Tuesday makes clear that the provincial government, my government, shares their desire. To me and to all of the people who live in my constituency, the commitment to the heartlands woven throughout our government's work plan for the coming year is truly welcome news. The B.C. heartlands economic strategy is a bold statement that fully recognizes the contributions my part of the province makes to British Columbia. It is a call for us to resume our place at the table. It is saying that British Columbia is strongest, most vibrant, when the heartlands are healthy. It is saying that the north's voice is being heard.
           The heartlands of this province are major contributors to the B.C. economy. The Urban Futures Institute, the Vancouver Board of Trade and the B.C. Progress Board have all made clear resource communities like Prince George, McBride and Valemount…. They have said that they pay a significant portion of the bills in British Columbia. The B.C. Progress Board offers some very clear indication about that. Let me quote from their report:

Those are stirring words.
Let me share one more telling statistic that comes from the Vancouver Board of Trade's study. One quarter of all economic activity in British Columbia depends ultimately on the forest sector. It was nice to see a study that was conducted in Vancouver reaffirm the importance of the heartlands to the entire economy.
It seems that for ten years we were forgotten and ignored. Economic policies were designed to discourage investment. Red tape was put into place that would strangle the life out of industry. For a decade we were simply the cash cow that fed NDP fiascos like the fast ferries. We lost 20,000 forestry jobs. Mining jobs were cut in half, and no new investment was coming to the region. Young families — and I knew far too many of them — had to leave the region and the province for work. We faced declining enrolments in our schools and have fewer people to help pay the bills because of those ill-conceived plans. However, that was the past. We can't forget it; we need to remember the pain that comes from expecting the government to be able to kick-start the economy. But we must look forward, and the future is looking much brighter.

           I want to talk about some of the exciting and innovative proposals that are fuelling the confidence of northerners. Forestry is the backbone of the Prince George–Mount Robson economy. It is an industry that has withstood many assaults of late, from a costly Forest Practices Code to unwarranted duties on softwood lumber, but the sector, just like northerners, continues to fight back. It doesn't matter whether it's one of our largest companies, Canfor, or one of the other operators. There is a common thread: we are going to win this battle.
           The mill managers have worked side by side with employees to create efficiencies, to produce a top-quality product and to show the Americans that duties are no way to treat a friend. The introduction of a results-based Forest Practices Code will allow the companies to be flexible and innovative and, at the same time, maintain the highest environmental standards. Finally, there appears to be an end coming to the softwood saga, which will bring so much needed relief to the industry.
           In the interim I'm very proud that our government has made the commitment to establish a $275 million forest transition fund that will assist B.C.'s forest workers, communities and companies as they move to creating competitive, sustainable forests. Again, this will address some of the challenges that communities like mine and the heartlands of British Columbia have been facing.

There is more good news — yes, more good news for the industry. Hearing the Lieutenant-Governor detail the planned reforms of the forest sector simply reinforced that this will be the year of the forest. Waterbedding, which has been a cost borne largely by companies in the north and central interior, will be

eliminated. That was a commitment we made, and we will keep it.
           In McBride more timber will be available for the innovative, smaller local operators through the B.C. timber sales program, and that is good news. The community forest in McBride is also an opportunity for that community to build on their strengths. That community has weathered the storms, and it continues, and it will prosper. During the past 18 months McBride has shown its ability to find creative solutions, and I am excited about continuing to work with the community to harness that potential and build new opportunities in the forest sector.
           Currently, in McBride we are looking at alternative service delivery models for the provision of services by the provincial government. It brought a group of people together who recognized that while there had been challenges and significant cuts in the public service, they knew it was time for us to look at a new way of providing those services. I am extremely proud of the work they have done. Facing significant challenges — the community was significantly affected by the cutbacks; it's a small community, so the impact is severely felt — they stood up, faced that and said: "How can we move forward?"
           As B.C. pursues the bid to host the 2010 Olympics, the opportunities for my constituency are even more enhanced. You see, we have wood, and we have lots of it. The Olympics is the perfect venue to showcase the beauty of the products that we produce and also to remind the world that we have the best forest practices in the world.
           In Prince George within the last year we have seen the arrival of Wal-Mart, the construction of a larger Canadian Tire store and the opening of a new call centre that will employ up to 800 people. These are positive signs that buoyancy is returning in our economy.
           When larger companies give your community a vote of confidence, that belief spreads, but it is important to remember that small business is a major contributor. As much as we all want large projects, we need to encourage the growth of small business. We need to continue to aggressively remove red tape and regulation. We must ensure that British Columbia is competitive, and that is even more important as we try to attract investment to northern British Columbia.

           In the past two weeks there have been two more examples of businesses succeeding in Prince George. Rob Whelan has moved from Kinistino, Saskatchewan, to Prince George. He is going to be the new owner of Taco Time, and that will create 11 very important jobs.
           As well, Prince George has another first. We have an incredible love of coffee, and that means a first for Starbucks. Starbucks will have its very first drive-through window at a store in my constituency, in my riding. I'm very excited about that — a first for, actually, I think, Canada. Starbucks is providing its very first drive-through window.
           These are tough times in my riding, and we are working together to improve the economic climate. The recognition of the importance of the heartlands to B.C. is a significant step, but this is not just about talk. This throne speech gives specific details on how we are going to work together to rebuild resource communities throughout British Columbia.
           We have a wealth of resources, and we must have the ability to efficiently move these goods to market. It was very exciting to hear the Premier speak last night about investing $210 million in rural and resource roads. Almost 35 percent of that, $75 million, will be invested in northern and heartlands roads. It is so exciting to know that we are going to rehabilitate rural and remote road infrastructure. I can tell you, as someone who has driven on northern roads for all of her life, I am thankful for a provincial government that recognizes the amount of time we spend driving and the need we have in this province for quality roads.
           Remaining with transportation for just a moment, the future of B.C. Rail is vital to northern achievement. The system has been allowed to languish and was about to crash under its weight of debt. The revitalization of B.C. Rail has been a focus in my riding, as an MLA and as a member of the northern caucus. We participated in several meetings recently, and a visit by the Premier to Prince George saw discussion about the issue. We are now seeing the start of a process that will enable B.C. Rail to flourish and contribute to our economic growth.
           Let's be perfectly clear. B.C. Rail is not for sale, but the way that the rail is operated will change, a position supported by the mayors along the rail line. We are going to look for an investor who can deliver what our communities require. We are going to create this opportunity by working with a mayors' council. They will provide input and advice on the B.C. Rail proposals.
           Rail service is essential. It is a vital service to the north, and we are going to find ways to make it work and to enhance service and opportunity for those of us who live in the heartlands of British Columbia.
           Another exciting component of our workplan for the year is the establishment of a B.C. resort task force. It will be established to work with B.C.'s all-season resort communities and with the first nations to ensure that the province's resort potential is realized and recognized around the world.
           With the announcement of the Canoe Mountain project in Valemount, the creation of a resort task force is timely and exciting for those of us who live in Prince George–Mount Robson. The Canoe Mountain project is a $75 million investment in my riding by an Alberta company. It will be a world-class resort that will attract tourists to Valemount year-round. By hard work and cooperation, it has been my pleasure to work with village officials to repatriate money from Alberta.
           I want to take a moment to make special mention of the opportunity that the throne speech provides for bringing about a new relationship with first nations. Increasing the economic measures fund to help first nations is a positive step, and a decision to earmark funds for revenue-sharing will help revitalize the forest industry in their traditional territories.

           It is time that we recognize that a robust economy within aboriginal communities is good news for all British Columbians. The second annual Nisga'a final agreement implementation report, released this week, proves that point. The highlights from the report show stability and growth in fisheries, forestry, mushroom harvesting, tourism, highways and government. First nations have wanted to become more involved in the economy, and this throne speech outlines a way to create a newer, fuller partnership. We need to rebuild our economy. We need to convince young families that this is a great place to live, to work and to play. We need to focus on growth, because that is the best support for education and health that we can provide.
           My school district, school district 57, faces many, many challenges as it deals with providing quality education to its more than 16,000 students. As a former trustee and board chair, I know the dedication of teachers and support staff, who deal every day with students in the classroom. They do great work, and they are committed to students' success. The largest fiscal challenge facing us is declining enrolment. Our school district had the largest drop in enrolment in the province last year, with almost 800 students leaving our school district. If we look at the trends over the last number of years, as we look into the future, in several years we will have lost almost a quarter of the school students who attended in our school district. We'll drop from approximately 20,000 students down to 15,000.
           There is no disputing the impact the loss of young families is having on our school district. Trustees are faced with empty classrooms, high heating bills and very tough choices. We have protected education funding even as enrolment has declined across the province. Through efficiencies in the Ministry of Education, we were able to add an additional $50 million, and yesterday we were excited to be able to announce a further $100 million over a three-year period.
           The government will also continue to fund inner-city and community school-based programs to the end of this school year and beyond. That's important to my community. It's important to families. It's important that we've made that decision, and I know we will benefit as a result of that.
           Part of a successful economy is having an educated workforce, one that can rise to new challenges and is flexible enough to meet changing demands. The money we have added shows our commitment to children and to student achievement. We want to put money into full classrooms. We want to ensure that students have the resources they need and that they find the inspiration to succeed.
           But education doesn't end with grade 12. As the Minister of Advanced Education, it is my great honour to provide the opportunity in this province for increased opportunities for lifelong learning and educational opportunities. In my riding we have two institutions that are opening up new worlds of possibilities for students. They are meeting the demands of employers and of students. Particularly, though, it is important to recognize the role they are playing in helping Prince George and our region deal with the challenges facing the delivery of health care.
           The centrepiece will undoubtedly be the northern medical program at the University of Northern British Columbia, which will start accepting students in September 2004. This is part of an initiative, a legacy this government will leave for the province as we look at medical training that is absolutely leading edge in North America. When the university itself was first proposed, there are some who question and doubt whether the program will succeed. I want to assure them that the northern spirit is alive, and it is well. This program will train doctors in the north, and we intend to be an example to northern communities across Canada as to what can be achieved by working together and believing in a dream.

I began by saying to you that my constituents want an opportunity. Well, opportunity is knocking in Prince George–Mount Robson, and we, with our northern spirit, will answer the challenge. We want to prosper, we want our province to succeed, and we are determined to build a future for children. I believe that the workplan laid out by our government will allow us to do just that.

           D. Chutter: I certainly appreciate the opportunity to respond to the throne speech as the representative for the people living in the riding of Yale-Lillooet.
           I first want to talk a little bit about Yale-Lillooet. It's a large riding, approximately 30,000 square kilometres, in the south-central interior. Another way of illustrating the size is the fact that it takes about seven hours to drive between the communities that are located farthest apart. It involves about two dozen small communities with seven health care centres, five school districts with 18 public schools and three post-secondary institutions, 25 native bands involving 17 percent of the aboriginal population in B.C., five highway districts, four regional districts and two health authorities. I think it illustrates that Yale-Lillooet is truly representative of small-town rural B.C., dependent on local natural resources for jobs and wealth creation. Forestry, mining, agriculture and tourism certainly lead the way in natural resource industries for Yale-Lillooet.
           With the attention given to rural B.C., the throne speech provides great news and optimism for Yale-Lillooet in terms of economic and employment opportunities. The throne speech tells the people of Yale-Lillooet that this government clearly recognizes the importance of rural B.C. to the overall economy of British Columbia. I am really enthusiastic about the activities this government is going to undertake this year, including action to reinvigorate the heartland of B.C., bringing that optimism and prosperity to the people in those communities. I'd like to believe that my efforts, along with many of my colleagues, in voicing rural B.C. issues have paid off.

           The Speech from the Throne contained a great deal of encouraging objectives and plans put forth by this government for the coming year. The people in Yale-Lillooet and all of rural B.C. should be very encouraged, optimistic and enthusiastic about the future for their families and communities regarding the potential economic development and job opportunities. I certainly welcome this government's emphasis in the throne speech on rural B.C. with the intention to provide opportunity in every region and community with the B.C. heartlands economic strategy.
           I'm glad to say this government understands the reality that in order to have funds to manage and care for the environment, we need a vibrant economy, and in order to have effective and sustainable social programs, we also need a vibrant and strong economy. This government also understands there is tremendous opportunity for wealth creation and economic prosperity in the heartlands of this province. With good stewardship supported by scientifically based environmental regulations, the people in rural communities can use our natural resources in a sustainable manner, creating jobs and wealth for generations to come.
           The excitement in the throne speech is about the opportunities that await British Columbians. B.C. has the natural resources, the capable people and a government with a vision and enthusiasm to make the necessary changes needed to realize these opportunities and the opportunity to pass on to our children a province that is fiscally responsible, that has a healthy economy providing jobs and prosperity for them and affordable and effective health care, education and other social programs that put patients, students and those most in need first.
           The B.C. heartlands economic strategy, as mentioned in the throne speech, will encourage a revitalized mining and energy sector, forest industry, new partnerships with first nations, investment in transportation infrastructure and opportunities in tourism. I would like to speak to each of these.
           Mining and energy offer tremendous potential for job and wealth creation. Amendments to the Coal Act, the Mineral Tenure Act, the Mines Act and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act will streamline administration and stimulate investment. We are already seeing the results from the work of this government on coalbed methane with the recent announcement of drilling development to take place at a site near Princeton, initially creating 30 jobs. There is also interest in coalbed methane in the Merritt area.

           The throne speech has clearly expressed the sincere interest of the provincial government to work in partnership with first nations through reconciliation and mutual respect building new approaches to improve first nations quality of life. The throne speech conveyed that this government is serious about negotiating workable, affordable treaties and providing new levels of economic opportunity for first nation communities and people.
           This is exactly what is needed to rejuvenate the people and communities of Yale-Lillooet. The three-year, $30 million economic measures fund will be extended indefinitely with $10 million per year. Funding is to be provided to support aboriginal involvement in oil and gas, tourism, forestry, fish aquaculture and the Olympic bid.
           Reforms will also be introduced to ensure that first nations have greater access to logging and forest opportunities. Revenue-sharing arrangements with first nations will be possible for those who want to help work in the forest industry in their traditional territories.
           Tourism is another area. Dramatic growth in tourism is planned with the help of a successful Olympic bid, a new recreation stewardship plan helping B.C. parks become a major magnet for tourism, and a B.C. resort task force to assist in coordinating the resources and assets of government with first nations and resort communities in B.C.
           People in and around the community of Lillooet are hopeful that with the opportunities offered to first nations and the interest of government to build healthy relationships involving mutual respect, the Cayoose Resort proposal would be considered. The people of Merritt believe that the $50 million Active Mountain destination resort proposal is worthy of consideration and vital to their future prosperity and job creation.
           Key to building a prosperous economy is an effective transportation system. In particular, our resource industry and tourists require good road, rail, ferry and airport systems. Yale-Lillooet has been reported to have more kilometers of pavement than any other riding in B.C. This government, I'm glad to say, has a plan to address transportation needs financed through dedicated funding from fuel tax revenue.
           The community of Lillooet, — the northern gateway to the Olympics, as they say — has several mountainous highways to and from Lillooet leading to Whistler, which they are concerned about. The people of Princeton have a sincere interest in sections of Highway 3 to aid in their rejuvenation and economic development and tourism growth.
           It is certainly the year of the forest, with forest reforms dominating this legislative agenda. Forestry is the province's economic engine — there's no question — providing over $1 billion in direct royalties to government revenues and employing over 100,000 workers. With the industry floundering, the throne speech outlines aggressive reforms to return the industry to a sustainable, prosperous and competitive business.
           New legislation will include the creation of a working forest land base to provide certainty for investment without compromising the environment. Forest reforms will diversify tenure, provide for market-based stumpage, elimination of waterbedding, cut controls and appurtenance requirements ? all improving the industry's ability to compete.
           It is great news for rural communities and small businesses in my riding that more timber will be available for innovative, smaller local operators through the B.C. timber sales program as well as for first nations.

These changes will renew optimism in our forest industry, rejuvenate rural communities in my riding, and provide jobs and stability for families.
           The B.C. heartlands strategy is about focusing on the tremendous opportunities in the economies of rural communities, providing jobs and a positive future for the families in these communities. This is certainly the year of the forest, but let me say that it is also the year for rural B.C., the economic heartland of this province. I am excited about the renewed optimism and opportunities to rebuild our province, our whole province, including the heartland.
           There are a few other areas that I would like to touch on with respect to the throne speech, and they involve education, health care and the federal government.
           Education remains of the utmost importance to this government, as I'm glad to see in the throne speech. To illustrate this ongoing priority of improving education opportunities, the throne speech outlined additional steps to be taken. These included allowing student involvement in education planning in schools, new web-based tools to help with student achievement, literacy and numeracy skills, and new B.C. regional innovation chairs for our colleges.
           The new BCcampus on-line learning model will increase access to post-secondary education and is very timely with the interest of this government to connect rural communities with high-speed Internet access. Rural students will have a better opportunity than ever to learn, and that is what it's all about. That's what's so important for the students and families in my riding and throughout B.C.

           Health care is also of significant interest to the people in my riding. As the public surely knows, health care costs have been rising at a rate beyond what we can afford. Also, health care has not been providing adequate service to patients. Therefore, change and reform in the system are absolutely necessary. Change has begun over the last two years and will continue, I'm glad to say. This need for change is particularly true when we consider the growing demands by an aging population and, of course, the expectations by all of us to get the very best and up-to-date care.
           The Picture of Health document outlines the reforms taking place. The new 24-7 B.C. NurseLine, the B.C. HealthGuide and the aboriginal companion handbook all contribute to improved health care.
           An effective B.C. Ambulance Service is critical for small rural communities dependent upon regional hospitals, so it is very good news that this government will continue to improve the B.C. Ambulance Service.
           I was certainly concerned to learn of young single parents with children, on low incomes, having to pay more for drugs than higher-income earners. The new Fair Pharmacare plan will allow 280,000 low-income families to pay less for drugs than they do now, and that is good news.
           Another very encouraging issue discussed in the throne speech is about the relationship between this province and the federal government. Our Premier and this government, immediately upon being elected, took steps to establish a constructive relationship with the federal government, and this effort continues. This effort is getting results: partnerships with the federal government on the 2010 Olympics bid, the new Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, the softwood lumber dispute, pine beetle infestation and cross-border initiatives.
           Other areas of cooperation vital to my communities in the heartland are in transportation, including the Trans-Canada Highway, and connecting communities to the world with high-speed Internet access, a vital action needed to encourage business activity and education for aboriginal and non-aboriginal students, families and entrepreneurs.
           The source of a society's wealth is obtained by the use of our natural resources. These resources are found in the heartlands, on the land and waters of B.C. The purpose of harvesting our resources is to have the means to live healthy and prosperous lives. Our challenge as a society is to harvest these natural resources in a sustainable manner so that our children can also benefit from future uses of our resources. Under the directions contained in the throne speech, this is the year to make great leaps forward in building a province that we can be very proud to pass on to the next generation, a province that is fiscally responsible and sustainable with an economy that provides for our social needs while ensuring a healthy environment.
           In closing, the plan for the future as laid out in the Speech from the Throne is a responsible, principled plan to bring prosperity and opportunity to all British Columbians and to pass on with pride a British Columbia that offers our children the opportunity to reach their full potential.

           I. Chong: I rise today, representing the riding of Oak Bay–Gordon Head, to offer my remarks in response to the Speech from the Throne that was delivered just two days ago.
           It is always a privilege and an honour to have the opportunity to listen and then to respond to the throne speech. Each year it is different. This year, as I heard Her Honour speak, I was excited, and I was encouraged by all the opportunities mentioned throughout the throne speech that bring opportunity and prosperity to all regions of our magnificent province.
           The throne speech lays out the vision, the goals and the objectives of government for the upcoming year, and it is clear that it is about revitalizing our economy. It is about hope and prosperity. It is about protecting our health care so that it will be sustainable in the future. It is about public education that serves students, ensuring that they get the very best possible education. But most importantly, it is about the future.

I recall — all too often, unfortunately — that when I was in opposition I listened to the NDP throne speeches and very quickly how frustrated I became. They were filled with short-term promises that were

politically driven. Little, if any, thought was given to doing the right thing. Rather, it was rife with band-aid quick fixes.
           Well, no more. That era is gone, because on May 16, 2001, a new government was elected with an era of openness and accountability. It brought in a new era where all regions of the province are represented and will be heard and acknowledged, because our 75 members represent every single region of this province.
           Let us look more closely at the throne speech. The throne speech talks about opening up our democratic institutions. What does that mean, and more importantly, what does that mean for my constituents? Quite simply, it means a more open and accessible government, one that allows for more public input — more than ever before and at several opportunities. For example, our select standing committees have now been opened up. These select standing committees become opportunities where the public can regularly provide input.
           In addition, if the public is not able to attend a select standing committee when it travels around the province, they also have the opportunity to submit written submissions — something that in the past has not always been available to the public. Furthermore, our ministries have websites and often have discussion papers or policy papers put on their websites — again, asking for input from the public before they finalize the details for that. This is certainly opening up our democratic institutions, allowing for more of the public to provide input.
           As well, as has been mentioned by many people, open cabinet meetings. I know at the beginning they sounded somewhat vague, and whether they would in fact be a benefit…. But I can assure you that I have heard from my constituents, and they have said that open cabinet meetings are in fact a very beneficial tool. They can either attend in person if they live here in Victoria, or they can check out the website shortly thereafter and find out the discussion and debate that goes on at a cabinet meeting. It means the people of the province, especially those that do not live in Victoria and do not live in the lower mainland, can feel connected to their government and to what their government is announcing and what decisions they are making.
           In addition, we have three-year rolling service plans — again, a first for this province and something I'm particularly proud of. It means that British Columbians can monitor and evaluate the future direction of this government. It means that British Columbians can watch and hold us accountable to meeting our performance measures — another first for this province.
           Continuing with our commitment to opening up democratic institutions, our government convened the first-ever provincial congress last year. This forum brought together British Columbia MPs, MLAs, Senators, local government representatives and first nations representatives so that we could share our ideas to better serve our mutual constituents. In addition, we have had the provincial dialogues on health, on education and on transportation, and these have been tremendous opportunities to meet our commitment to continually find ways to improve health care and education.
           The dialogue on transportation was particularly telling, as it acknowledged for the first time ever the very serious need to develop a comprehensive transportation strategy, one that looks well into the future and not just to the next election. The throne speech builds on these successes.

           We heard the announcement of a new dialogue, a dialogue on crime. I am, in particular, looking forward to participating in that forum to hear from law enforcement experts, community leaders and others who will share old and new ways of preventing and combatting crime in our schools and in our neighbourhoods. As the Solicitor General correctly stated, crime knows no boundaries. My urban riding of Oak Bay–Gordon Head is not immune to commercial or organized crime. Our children and our seniors — indeed, everyone — can fall victim to the elements of crime, and I will ensure that my community receives the benefits of any solutions that we develop in this very important dialogue.
           Also mentioned in the throne speech was a seniors and youth congress. What an excellent idea, a seniors and youth congress. This congress will examine the challenges facing our province from the perspectives of both the younger generation and the seniors. I will be looking to my community once again for their ideas and their input to ensure their voices are heard.
           As with health care, education continues to be a priority with our government. I support our commitment to protecting the education budget despite declining student enrolment. We made a commitment, as well, to increase the education budget as the economy grows and as revenues to government increase. However, while that is occurring, we have still, through sound fiscal management, been able to provide an additional $42 million to school districts and recently provided yet another $50 million to school districts. Yesterday the Premier's state-of-the-province address indicated that another $100 million over three years would be made available to school districts as well. This is good news.
           I have to ask: at a time when there is declining enrolment, how is this possible? It is possible because we have a government and we have ministers who are being fiscally responsible. For the first time ever, all ministries will be coming in either on budget or under budget — not running back to Treasury Board as they have in the past, year after year, asking for more money because they simply would not manage their budgets. Not us, Mr. Speaker. Our government has committed to being fiscally responsible. We were elected to be fiscally responsible, and we are being fiscally responsible.
           The savings we have found as a result of being fiscally responsible have been put back into student needs. We have found these savings in the Education

ministry, in particular, and most notably in debt-servicing costs. Doesn't that just tell you that once you get your debt under control, there will be less debt servicing? The less we have to pay out in interest costs, the more we can put back into programs that are needed in our communities, in our schools and in our health care. I'm very pleased that we have found savings in those areas, and they will be channelled back into meeting student needs.
When the NDP were in government, they used to boast about their increases of per-capita student spending. I assure you, they were very minimal. Some years they said they increased the per-student spending by $50 or $35 — very minimal, yet they made a very big deal out of it. Well, to be truthful, our government has really increased the per-capita student spending perhaps ten times more than the NDP ever did. If we used the same formula that they used and because of the declining enrolment, we in fact have increased the per-capita student spending that much more. So if we were to adhere to the NDP's formula of establishing an education budget, it would in fact be necessary for us to decrease the education budget just to meet what they were doing. But let me assure you that is not happening. We will not be decreasing the education budget. We will in fact be protecting the education budget, and that means school districts actually have more dollars per capita to spend how and where they feel it's most effective. It is time to relieve the school districts from the stranglehold of the old ways of managing their budgets, which is why they now have the flexibility to be creative for the benefit of the students they serve.

           It is important that we also acknowledge that student achievement is important and that we encourage the many possibilities that exist. Like many others here in this House, I believe, I am a product of the public education system. I am committed to seeing that yet more improvements are made and that they are certainly more accountable to parents and to students.
           Still in the area of education, I want to spend a little time on our post-secondary institutions. In Oak Bay–Gordon Head, I have the privilege of representing both a college, which is Camosun College, and a university, which is the University of Victoria. I hear regularly from representatives of both these exceptional institutions, and I know, too, that they are excited about their future. Camosun College has benefited from our new-era commitment to increase the number of technology spaces and nursing spaces, and with the announcement of a new $7.5 million regional innovation chairs program, this is good news. It will provide B.C.'s colleges with new resources for applied economic and social research.
           The University of Victoria is in the process of building a new medical school on its campus. If anyone has driven in the area, they would have seen this facility currently being built. It is being built to accommodate the life sciences initiative that addresses the doctor shortage, something that we heard plenty of during the last few years in opposition and that we continually hear about now. Again, more good news — more doctors being trained in our province.
           More important, in my riding with its aging population, this is indeed very welcomed. One of the areas that UVic's medical school will specialize in is geriatrics and aging, so that is a perfect fit with my riding. Seniors make up over 20 percent of the population of the capital region area, and the community-based focus of this particular program will be a benefit to both the students and the patients they will ultimately serve. Beginning in September 2004, some 24 students will enter the Island medical program at UVic. Again, Camosun College plays an integral role in meeting the shortage of health care professionals. Their goal was to have an increase of 75 spaces in practical and registered nursing programs, and from all accounts, I see they are on target.
           Health care continues to demand our attention, and it is clear that right across Canada, reform is necessary. When I was in opposition, I saw Health ministers, one after another, put more dollars into health care without asking so much as a few very basic questions. Is it reaching the patient? Are we achieving the outcomes that were intended? Are we being fiscally responsible and accountable? Are we ensuring that these new dollars will move us forward to ensuring a sustainable health care system?
           The answers to these questions are vital, yet the NDP either didn't care or ignored them. When we took office, we were required to immediately inject an additional $200 million into the health care budget, since the NDP had once again miscalculated their expenditures. Let me be clear. They had prepared a budget that began on April 1, 2001. We were elected in May 2001. By June and July of 2001, barely one-quarter into the fiscal year, we already saw the problems of the budget they had brought in, one that already was going to fall short some $200 million to health care. So what does that tell you about the NDP and their budgets?
           When we introduced our current year's budget, the 2002-03 budget, we saw our health care budget climb to $10.4 billion, which is $1.1 billion more than the previous budget. Mr. Speaker, $1.1 billion is an increase. It is not a health care cut, and for the NDP to continually say so and continually say there are health care cuts is simply wrong. It is misleading. I know that our health ministers are working hard to find savings, particularly in non-patient areas such as administration. I know that any savings they have found to date have gone right back to patient care. That is exactly what should happen, and that is exactly what is happening

I can attest to that, because recently our Vancouver Island caucus had a meeting with the health authority that represents this area, the Vancouver Island health authority. We met with the board chair and the CEO and other representatives. Quite clearly, they have been very fiscally responsible. I am very impressed with them — as are all my colleagues, I know — that they have been able to do so well in finding administrative savings and that they have been able to put that

back into health care programs. I am encouraged by how competent they are, how well they manage the budgets given the financial challenges that they are facing, as all regions of this province are facing. It shows that when you give the tools to the people who are best able to deliver the product, they'll be able to do that. In this area, in greater Victoria on Vancouver Island, that has happened. They have indeed been a true success story.
           One area of health care that I'm also particularly concerned about is Pharmacare, and I will also be most anxious to see what reforms are introduced. The medical costs in Pharmacare expenditures continue to rise at an alarming rate. In 1968 there were 689 approved drugs that Pharmacare dealt with. Now there are over 21,000 approved drugs. Pharmacare's costs have doubled since 1998 due to a variety of factors, such as that the drugs are simply more expensive, that more pharmaceuticals are being covered and that there are changing demographics. Clearly, we need to grapple with the rising costs of Pharmacare.
           The throne speech spoke of a Fair Pharmacare plan. I will be very anxious to see that as it is introduced later this month. Even though I've not seen any details of it just yet, the fact is that there is the intention that some 280,000 low-income families will pay less than they do now. That in itself is more good news. It is unfair that vulnerable and low-income British Columbians are required to pay more than those with higher incomes. I think we all acknowledge that, but somehow, somewhere along the line, we lost sight of that. It's time to recognize that now. I will welcome a new Fair Pharmacare plan, one that will ensure that the vast majority of B.C. families will pay the same as or less than they do now for their prescription drugs.
           Another area that the throne speech addressed was the area of child care services. I look forward to the new steps that will improve choice and access. It was mentioned in the throne speech that the new funding model announced last December will increase the number of government-funded child care spaces by over 50 percent. That is, we are moving from 45,000 spaces to 70,000 spaces — more good news.
           I want to touch on the community-living sector for a moment as well. During my time in opposition I worked very closely with those in the community-living sector and those families who are dealing with people with developmental disabilities. I'm pleased to hear that a new provincial authority called community living B.C. will be established, and I am excited about what can be accomplished.
           I know that the Minister of Children and Family Development has been working closely with all the community-living association groups and organizations throughout the province. I have heard from them, and I know that they are excited about this as well. More importantly, rather than rushing into something like this, which has been long overdue, we wanted to make sure that we got it right. I think that when community living B.C. is finally announced, we are going to see that it is going to be the right thing, at the right time, with the right outcomes and for all the right reasons.

           The throne speech also spoke of recognition and reconciliation with our first nations. To me, this is very significant. To acknowledge the past errors and the hurt that has been inflicted on first nations people was a first step. To apologize to them was the right thing to do. Let us now move forward and work together on negotiating workable and affordable treaties because I know that ultimately negotiation, and not litigation, will yield better results for all the people of this province.
           Another area I wish to address is B.C.'s transportation infrastructure. A comprehensive transportation plan that will create new economic opportunities is also long overdue. While my riding may not see the addition of new roads or new highways, we are a ferry-dependent community, so I am pleased that my citizens will be better served through the new B.C. Ferries Services. I am looking forward to the day where greater choice, more competition and better service is offered, knowing that our ferry fares are now going to be known for the next five years. What a concept.
           Small businesses here in Victoria that rely on the movement of their goods and the movement of people for their tourist-dependent businesses and that rely on a ferry service can now finally do long-term planning. They can now market, knowing that they have a profit margin they need to reach and that the ferry fares are not going to be made at the whim of political interference.
           Last year a comprehensive energy policy was laid out. I know this was very much anticipated because I received many letters, as I'm sure all my colleagues did throughout the year. Again, I say this was so important that we had to make sure. In fact, it was essential that we had to get it right when it was introduced. I am pleased to say that we did. It was done right.
           Some key points of our energy plan, I think, are worth repeating. That's what I'm going to do just very quickly now. One, and the most important, is that B.C. Hydro is not for sale. There continues to be fearmongering out in the public. There continues to be talk about it, but I would implore those who are doing that to check our website and check the energy plan. They will see that the core assets of B.C. Hydro remain in public ownership — something we said during the elections, something we have committed to and something that is in fact the case.
           In addition, electricity rates are something that everyone is affected by. We were very concerned about that. Again, this has now been freed up from political interference. Rate-setting will no longer be in the purview of an Energy minister or at the whim of a Premier — no, not again. From now on, electricity rates will be set by an independent commission, the B.C. Utilities Commission. They are the right body to make those decisions. They are the right body to hear all the pros and cons of why electricity rates may need to go up

because of costs of production or, more importantly, if electricity rates need to go down.
Believe me, I think that during those years when the NDP said they gave us an electricity rate freeze, in fact, those were some years where the costs may have been lower. We may in fact have been able to benefit from lower rates, but we were denied that. We were denied that because we did not know what was happening due to the political interference. No more. It will now be much more transparent. Everyone will know, because the B.C. Utilities Commission will offer that.

           Another part of our energy plan, our energy policy, includes more private sector opportunities. That also is a good thing because as we see our province becoming more diverse in economic opportunities, as industries leave one area of our province, another industry may want to start up. This may well be that opportunity. Government has opened up that opportunity for more private sector involvement.
           As well, with our energy plan you will see more environmental responsibility. We will also see there will be no nuclear power sources, something I think people were concerned about. Clearly, enhanced conservation and new investment in clean energy sources are what will help ensure our environment is protected for future generations.
           I want to spend a little bit of time, as well, speaking about the Olympic bid, and I know others have already talked about that. I want to make it clear to some of my constituents who are listening, who I've spoken to over the course of the last year, that while I have received much support for the Olympic bid in my constituency, I have also received others who are leery of it, who I would have to say would rather we didn't support the bid. Part of the reason why is simply misinformation and confusion about the Olympic bid. I will, in a very short time, outline a few very important key points that I think are necessary.
           Our government is committed to spending about $600 million, should we win the Olympic bid. That $600 million is likely to generate some $10 billion of economic activity — exactly or just slightly under what our health care budget is. That is a lot of economic activity. In addition, what the provincial government is anticipated to receive as a result of all this activity is approximately $2.5 billion to be returned to the provincial treasury. For $600 million we can anticipate $2.5 billion being returned to the provincial coffers. This is four times the investment. If you were told, Mr. Speaker, that if you were to put $10 on the table and you would have $40 returned, would you not take up that offer? I dare say I think you would.
           I'm hopeful that people will see the benefits of that but, more importantly, that people will see the benefit it is going to provide to our young people. A young person now who may be five or six years old could very likely be, in the year 2010, standing on the podium. As we grapple with our young people, who are more inactive now than ever before, and with childhood obesity rising, is the development of sports and the encouragement of our young people to be more active not also an important legacy to leave them with? I'm truly optimistic about the Olympics and the Paralympics that will come.
           In the very last few minutes coming up — I see the green light on, which I didn't expect to get to so quickly — I want to mention that I heard the Leader of the Opposition speak yesterday. She wished us well, and I thank her for that. She wished us well because, she said, governing is not easy. She is absolutely right. Having been in opposition and now being in government, I can absolutely attest that governing is not easy, because there are difficult challenges you're faced with and difficult, tough choices. Had they made those difficult and tough choices, we wouldn't be having to make them now. But I assure you that this government is committed to moving forward, to staying the course, and we will see a brighter future for tomorrow.

           J. van Dongen: I'm pleased to make this response to the Speech from the Throne delivered by the Lieutenant-Governor on February 11, 2003.
           I want to start by recognizing the context in which the throne speech was given and which we as a government have been addressing since May 2001. A significant element of this context was a health care system that was no longer affordable and sustainable in its current form. Health care costs are escalating a lot faster every year than our ability to pay for them. The population is aging, and the bubble that is the baby boom on the demographic charts is starting to enter the higher-cost health care years. The cost of specialized services and modern health care technology continues to increase rapidly. Pharmacare costs are escalating at 15 to 17 percent per year.
           In education we are seeing five or six years of decline in student numbers, a situation where very few school districts are seeing increases in the numbers of students in kindergarten to grade 12. Demographics are a factor, as well as economic reasons that have caused young working families to migrate to other provinces in the past decade.
           Looking at the B.C. economy, we continue to see the disparity between the stability and energy of the lower mainland economy and that of the rest of British Columbia. Despite consistent efforts by the Premier and the government to encourage, boost and support the rural economy of British Columbia, the perception and the reality is that, clearly, more needs to be done. As part of the context, we continue to consider the effects of international and global uncertainty — hence the ongoing concern in the forest industry, still the major employer and economic driver in British Columbia.
           We see the ongoing impacts of September 11, 2001, which by my reckoning have had long-term impacts on air travel, tourism and all of the related economic activities. As part of the context, we clearly need to recognize the ongoing needs in society for social supports — opportunities for low-income people to better them-

selves; appropriate assistance for disabled people, the mentally ill and children with various impediments, such as autism, to overcome; help for women in violent relationships; and the need for a justice system that is fair, effective and affordable.
           We see new social trends such as the recent phenomenon of street racing, which is clearly a serious public safety issue.
           Finally, another key point of the context for this throne speech is people's desire for leadership, effective representation, and fair and trustworthy government decision-making and government institutions.
           I want to first talk about health care, the single largest cost in our provincial budget. When I was first elected in 1995, health care was 33 percent of the provincial budget and was less than $6 billion. Today health care is over 41 percent of the budget and has almost doubled to $10.4 billion this year. Our government made the critical decision to ensure that B.C. doctors and nurses receive competitive compensation for their services. At the same time, we started a process of managing health services to budget targets just like every other ministry of government.
           This is the first time that the government made the effort to establish service standards, budget targets and service delivery objectives. It is the first time that value for money in our health care system is being measured. Historically, health care simply asked for more money, and Treasury Board approved it — no questions asked. This could no longer continue. It simply was not affordable.
           Health care restructuring in British Columbia has been accomplished in the past year. During this time the service has gone from over 50 health care delivery entities to five regional authorities, as well as to the one provincial health authority. While the transition has not been without its challenges, I believe that we have put in place a good governance foundation on which to build. There remains lots of work to be done to further improve service, to enhance capacity, to improve efficiency and to reduce costs.
           I support the minister in his efforts to continually improve the measurement of service delivery and accountability within the health care system. I believe that further gains can be made that will be of benefit to all our citizens.

           Reference is made in the throne speech to opening up our government institutions through a number of reforms including free votes, active legislative committees, new government caucus committees, televised open cabinet meetings, a set date for provincial general elections, three-year rolling service plans, performance targets for ministers and an independent Progress Board. All of these innovations have been progressive for the institution of government.
           I want to highlight two of these: the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and the Cabinet Committee on Economy and Environment. These committees bring together MLAs, ministers and deputy ministers to provide guidance and leadership on all of the natural resource industries that provide employment and economic activity in the B.C. heartlands as well as downtown Vancouver. I am always impressed by the energy, knowledge and commitment brought to the table by our government caucus committees. Contrary to the opinion of some critics, the GCCs provide broad opportunity for meaningful input and advice by all MLAs.
           I also want to highlight the merits of the provincial dialogues that are held on a regular basis at the Wosk dialogue centre on important issues such as health care, education, transportation, the rural economy and first nations, to name a few. The non-partisan, constructive dialogue in these forums is conducive to greater cooperation and collaboration in the achievement of common goals.
           The Canada–British Columbia partnership. The throne speech states: "The province is striving to create a new Canada–British Columbia partnership that meets the needs of all our citizens and includes everyone in the promise of Canada." For most of our history British Columbia has not had a very successful partnership with Canada. B.C. taxpayers want to see a fairer share of their federal taxes being reinvested in our province. Our government has worked hard to develop active, respectful and productive relationships with our federal counterparts. All of our natural resource sectors are good examples, where joint decision-making and cooperative approaches are both necessary and beneficial. Agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, oil and gas, mining, offshore oil and gas — the number of federal-provincial initiatives now underway in these sectors is both significant and strategically important to the province. I would like to highlight just a few with which I am familiar.
           First, the agriculture policy framework, a Canada-B.C. partnership. The agriculture policy framework five-year agreement is a comprehensive national agreement between the federal government, ten provinces and the territories. This agreement will come into effect on April 1, 2003, and will bring together the best of our current knowledge to design a production insurance and farm income stabilization program that is effective in assisting competitive farmers as well as consistent with all current and potential trade agreements. This new five-year agreement will be of critical importance to major B.C. agricultural commodities such as tree fruits, grain, vegetables and cattle. I believe our Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries staff have been active and respected players at the national table in these negotiations.
           Second, the Pacific salmon fishery management review, another Canada-B.C. partnership. Currently, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is conducting an important review of all aspects of its salmon fisheries management regime, with specific reference to the experience of the past fishing season. This review is in part the result of a conversation I had with the Hon. Robert Thibault on August 9, 2002, at the height of a very frustrating fishing season.

It is a fact that B.C. fishermen and processing plants and workers have unnecessarily lost significant economic activity due to the current management regime at DFO. Our provincial Fisheries staff have worked closely with DFO and others on the review steering committee to consult with stakeholders, identify concerns and develop better answers. The outcome of this process is absolutely critical to the survival of what is left of our salmon fishing sector. I know that B.C. is looking to the results of this review with anxious anticipation.

           Third, the B.C. fisheries and treaty initiative, a Canada-B.C. partnership in the making. Recently, two provincial ministries embarked on a new and crucial initiative involving the fishing sector and treaties with first nations. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the Ministry of Attorney General and the treaty negotiations office received cabinet approval to develop a strategy to engage the federal government in the development of a new, high-level vision for the fishery in British Columbia — a vision that meets the needs of first nations, the commercial fishery and the recreational fishery; a vision for the fishery that strikes the right balance between economics and conservation; a vision that treats all commercial fishermen equally, native or non-native; a vision for the fishery that can be effectively managed.
           This new initiative is an exciting opportunity to do something that has eluded governments for a long time — that is, to develop a new vision and a new foundation for a manageable and productive fishery that constructively embraces both native and non-native participation. The success of this effort will be directly dependent on our collective ability to engage the federal government effectively, particularly the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
           I wish our government well on this initiative, which has the possibility of building a very important bridge in our province between our native and non-native fishing sectors.
           Fourth, the hake fishery, a Canada-B.C. partnership. I want to mention the hake fishery as an example of a very successful decision-making partnership between the federal and provincial ministries. In this case, the hake fishery on the west coast of Vancouver Island was the subject of some serious discussion. About a year ago we saw the expiry of the previous three-year arrangement that saw a certain percentage of our hake fishery being directed to foreign offshore vessels rather than onshore to Canadian plants in Ucluelet, Port Alberni and Nanaimo.
           The decision for government was very difficult because the hake fishermen themselves felt it was in their best interests to maintain the option of selling fish to the offshore foreign-owned vessels, usually at a higher price. On the other hand, the long-term commitment of the federal government was to move toward 100 percent of the hake being directed to our onshore plants and workers once the capacity was there to handle all of the fish.
           Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries staff were asked to analyze the facts in a dispassionate and factual manner. Our mission was to provide a fact-based recommendation to the federal minister. It was important to understand that the decision was, in fact, exclusively a federal decision. We expressed our respect for the federal authority on this issue but argued that by collaborating on the decision, we would best serve our common constituents.
           With due recognition to the lobbying activities of the communities themselves and their MLAs and to the receptivity of the federal minister, we were able to achieve a very positive outcome for our heartland coastal communities and the people that work in the various hake processing plants. The federal minister announced a new three-year commitment that ensured all the B.C. hake fishery would be directed to B.C. plants and B.C. workers.
           Fifth, aquaculture, a Canada-B.C. partnership. Despite the recent criticism of our government's aquaculture policy, I continue to believe the basic policy is sound and properly directed. I want to specifically mention both the shellfish farming industry and the finfish farming industry. I am confident about our commitment and determination to protect the wild salmon and the environment generally.

           I am confident about our commitment to the jobs and economic activity so critical to B.C.'s coastal heartlands, as was highlighted yesterday by the member for North Island. I have had the privilege of working with and for the MLAs and the people of Vancouver Island, the central coast and the north coast on aquaculture issues. We have consistently emphasized that any economic activity to be derived from aquaculture must be based on sound environmental management, effective environmental regulation, an adaptive management philosophy and an ongoing commitment to solid research on environment issues.
           Aquaculture is a joint responsibility of both the provincial and federal governments. The decision-making processes around siting, monitoring, management and regulation of aquaculture involves both levels of government. Effective and professional working relationships are important at all levels — staff, senior management and elected officials — and I am pleased that our government, in this throne speech, has emphasized the critical importance of a Canada–British Columbia partnership. I am especially supportive of this government's initiative with the federal government to harmonize environmental assessment policies. This is a critical aspect of effective management and regulation of aquaculture, and I look forward to further progress on this initiative.
           Finally, transportation, a Canada-B.C. partnership. The throne speech highlights the importance of the transportation infrastructure for the efficient movement of goods and services in our economy.

The Abbotsford-Clayburn constituency includes the Sumas-Huntington border crossing. Like many other crossings, this border point is often a serious bottleneck to the flow of goods and traffic. I want to commend the provincial Minister of Transportation and her federal counterpart on a recent announcement that included funding of about $2 million for Sumas-Huntington to address a longstanding truck congestion problem at this crossing.
           In summary, on the issue of the Canada-B.C. partnership, it is critically important that we not underestimate the very great need for a professional, businesslike relationship with the federal government. A major portion of B.C.'s infrastructure, economic activity and social programs is highly dependent on a healthy and effective working relationship with the federal government, and I was pleased to see this highlighted in the throne speech.
           For the past 25 years I've had a personal interest in the rural parts of British Columbia, and I want to make some comments about the B.C. heartlands economic strategy. I recognized already the tendency, even in agriculture and agrifood processing, for economic activity to concentrate in the lower mainland. At one of my farm meetings in the 1970s, I met a fellow named Harke Vander Meulen, the unofficial mayor of Smithers at the time. I resolved then to visit the Bulkley Valley, which I first did in 1978. I was impressed by the beauty, simplicity and agricultural productivity of the grasslands in the Bulkley Valley. In my later capacity as a director of Dairyland, I made subsequent visits to the Creston Valley, Comox Valley, North Okanagan, Prince George and the Peace River to meet with dairy farmers and visit their operations.
           I recently had the privilege of renewing old acquaintances in Prince George and the Robson Valley at the time of the natural resources forum sponsored by the MLA for Prince George North. In touring the province last summer, I was struck by one significant overall impression, which is the great potential for increased forage production and, hence, expansion in the cattle industry. Whether forage is harvested as pasture, hay or silage, we have room for growth in our cow-calf industry. The beef industry is our second-largest agricultural commodity in B.C. — $267 million in farm-gate sales in 2001, very close to a 60 percent increase in five years from 1996 to 2001. It behooves us to pay attention to the further potential that can be fostered in beef production.
           A lot of issues that need to be addressed involve decisions that need to be made in our natural resource
ministries: Forests; Water, Land and Air Protection; and Sustainable Resource Management. Some of the issues we need to address include forest ingrowth in the Kootenays and other ranching areas throughout British Columbia and stumpage rates on timber that is under the agricultural lease program. For example, in Prince George we have numerous examples of agricultural leases where timber removal is simply not economic due to unrealistic stumpage rates or a lack of appropriate credits to facilitate new agricultural production. We need to make unused rangelands available in the Robson Valley–Valemount area. Finally, we also need to facilitate the cost-effective and efficient transfer of agricultural development areas in Vanderhoof from forestry into agricultural production.

           These are just a few of the specific examples of issues we need to work on in agriculture as part of our B.C. heartlands economic strategy. I commend the Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise for embarking on this new strategy. I want to encourage him to bring into the strategy all of the ministries of government that have a key role to play in creating a powerful new surge of economic activity in the B.C. heartlands. I look forward to working with him on that very important endeavour.
           In closing, the throne speech lays out our government's blueprint for the future of British Columbia. It is a blueprint based on a foundation of sound financial management, a strong economy that provides opportunities for all citizens, a health care service that is sustainable and fair social supports for everyone who needs them. It is a privilege to represent the people of Abbotsford-Clayburn and to be part of our government's agenda to develop a brighter future for British Columbia. I know that all the members of our caucus are dedicated to making this brighter future a reality, and I look forward to working with them in the coming session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to respond to the throne speech.
           Noting the hour, I move adjournment of debate.

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