Hansard -- Thursday, February 10, 2005 p.m. -- Vol. 27, 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		11785

Statements (Standing Order 25B)		11785
	Lee Mong Kow
	S. Orr
	Community cooperation
	V. Anderson
	Cape Scott Provincial Park trail development
	R. Visser

Speaker's Statement		11786
	Rules for questions in question period

Oral Questions		11787
	Long-term care beds
	J. Brar
	Hon. S. Bond
	J. Kwan
	Hon. C. Hansen
	J. MacPhail
	Social housing fund proposal
	E. Brenzinger
	Hon. S. Bond
	Legal services tax and legal aid services
	P. Nettleton
	Hon. G. Plant
	Labour dispute at post-secondary institutions
	J. Nuraney
	Hon. G. Bruce

Reports from Committees		11790
	Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, second report
	Report on the 2005 Budget Consultation Process
	B. Belsey
	Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, third report
	Annual Review of the Budgets of the Independent Officers of the Legislative Assembly
	B. Belsey

Motions on Notice		11790
	Sessional order on public written questions (Motion 70)
	Hon. G. Bruce

Throne Speech Debate (continued)		11791
	H. Bloy
	R. Hawes
	K. Johnston
	B. Kerr
	L. Mayencourt
	Hon. S. Brice
	V. Roddick
	B. Suffredine

Hon. J. Murray: Today we have some very special visitors from Poland. They're in British Columbia to participate in my ministry's sixth annual privacy and security conference. That's being held today and tomorrow in the Victoria Conference Centre.

On the floor of the Legislature is Ewa Kulesza, inspector general for personal data protection from Poland, who is a keynote speaker at the conference. With her is Mr. David Loukidelis, the B.C. information and privacy commissioner.

In the gallery are Prof. Witold Kulesza, head of prosecutions for crimes against the Polish nation, notably war crimes during the Second World War; and Mrs. Dorota Skolimowska, legal department director of the bureau of the inspector general for personal data protection.

E. Brenzinger: Today as the House leader of Democratic Reform B.C. and that party's first sitting member of the Legislature, I am pleased to introduce to the House Matt Wadsworth and Chris Simms. Matt Wadsworth is our candidate in North Vancouver–Lonsdale and is an advocate of extending the vote to 16-year-olds. Chris Simms is our candidate in Port Moody–Westwood and a budgeting guru who points out that this year we have a fudge-it surplus.

Would the House please welcome the future of British Columbia, Dr. B.C. candidates Matt Wadsworth and Chris Simms. They represent the deep vein of anger that people in B.C. feel towards the current government and the deep mistrust British Columbians have of the NDP.

S. Orr: I have several announcements and special introductions today. I want to introduce Ms. Kileasa Wong, visiting us today in the gallery, who is a very well known person in our community. With her is Mr. Kit Wong. They are visiting here today.

I also would like to introduce Jacqueline Halliburn, who is a hard-working volunteer in my office. She's the president of the B.C. Young Liberals at Camosun College. With her is Lindsey Parker, who is the vice-president at Camosun College, and Tatianna Danylyshyn, a B.C. Young Liberal.

I also have a very important announcement. We all know Joel Palmer, who is our research head. He and I were visiting yesterday in the hospital while he waited for his wee baby to be born, and Maxwell Jackson Palmer weighed in at a very large weight of over ten pounds at the hospital yesterday. So to Joel and his wife Jacqueline, whom I saw as I was sitting there with him…. They are thrilled and happy that this baby has come, and so are we. But I have to tell you that I have a way more thrilling, thrilling thing to tell you.

I had the great pleasure of spending nearly 36 hours at the hospital while my darling son and wonderful daughter-in-law gave birth to my first grandchild, Kate Orr. I just have to say that dear Kate Orr takes after her Mimi, which is me. She wouldn't be told when to come. She was two and a half weeks late. She gave her mom 24 hours of supreme hell. Then she turned around and wanted a C-section, not the regular road. So she is definitely my granddaughter. I want to say to these two new British Columbians who just arrived that they will be starting their new lives in the new golden decade. Would everyone make them very welcome.

L. Mayencourt: It's going to be a little tough to top that one. Today we have three visitors from the B.C. association of newspaper owners in British Columbia — independent newspapers. We have three guests: Mr. Frank Buckholz from the Langley Times, Mr. Bruce Mason from the Gabriola Sound and a special guest, Mr. Edgar Dunning with the Delta Optimist. I'm told that Mr. Dunning first made his trek to the Legislature 75 years ago, and we had lunch in exactly the same dining room where that started. So welcome back, Mr. Dunning and all of the other guests. Please make them feel welcome.

Hon. P. Bell: I am very pleased on behalf of myself and the Minister of Health, the MLA for Prince George–Mount Robson, to welcome to the House today a constituent of ours from Prince George. I can tell you that this fine young lady…. I had a chat with her today, and she told me at one point in time…. She typically spends some time down in Victoria every winter, and she thought that this was her Hawaii. She was thinking perhaps she should just move to Victoria. She went home to Prince George — all her good friends and the great environment that we live in up there — and she decided that she's staying there permanently now.

S. Orr: This two-minute statement is very much in honour of our guests sitting in the balcony. This Sunday on February 13 there will be a very special dedication ceremony in Chinatown, a wonderful area of Victoria that I'm very lucky to represent. This event is to unveil a memorial plaque officially naming the walkway between Fisgard Street and Centennial Square the Lee Mong Kow Way.

Imagine this, Mr. Speaker. At this ceremony over 70 direct descendents of Mr. Lee Mong Kow will be present. They are travelling all the way from Ottawa, Chi-

Mr. Lee Mong Kow emigrated to Canada from China in 1882 at age 19. He became a naturalized Canadian in 1886 and married a Canadian-born Chinese girl from another pioneering family. They raised 13 children — six boys and seven girls. Five generations and 112 years later, this wonderful family is now 200 — all highly educated and very well respected citizens.

Mr. Lee Mong Kow was a leader in the Chinese community and, in fact, the entire region. He was a well-known problem-solver for his community. He was a respected government interpreter and was very involved in the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. He was a founder of the Chinese public school and a very successful businessman.

This lone Chinese emigrant came to Canada not as a sojourner but as a settler, and we are all very proud that he is being honoured not only by his community but by all of us. Mr. Lee Mong Kow is the history and the future of what this province, and this entire country, is built on.

V. Anderson: Twenty-three years ago I became involved in the B.C. political process formally to speak out for those for whom life was difficult for personal, economic and social reasons beyond their control. In doing so, I chose the middle way politically, because I believe in a balance of ideas. I believe in individual opportunity and responsibility and in collective community interaction.

Involved in multiphase action, I was eager to share in the community building, to support persons from a cross-cultural diversity in interactive participation. Having worked with voluntary non-profit associations, my focus was to support these community-based service movements, which provided the majority of social programs in our communities through volunteer leadership and cooperative endeavours. What was needed was increased shared partnerships between the volunteer sector, the private business sector and the public government sector.

As an MLA of 13 years, the development of these partnerships has been a continuous goal. Much has been achieved, but still there is much to be done. In the political process I discerned two different approaches to community participation. One approach is to create confrontation and conflict, leading to community polarization. The other approach is to create opportunities for cooperation and collaboration for personal and community development.

For me, this latter way of cooperation and collaboration for all segments of society is the only way. This involves mutual respect, which builds unity into diversity and supports each person's and each organization's contribution. My commitment is to support the process of cooperation and collaboration between government and community, both now and after my demise as an MLA.

R. Visser: At the very tip of northern Vancouver Island there is a hundred-year-old story being reborn along its rugged and spectacular coastline. Later this summer, if the weather holds and construction stays on track, an additional 46 kilometres of trail will be opened up through one of British Columbia's parkland jewels, Cape Scott Provincial Park. In total there will be 70 kilometres of raised trails and campsites through the dense coastal rain forest, all interspersed with hundred-year-old, long-abandoned farmland; sensitive wetland and intertidal zones; spectacular long, sandy beaches with crashing Pacific surf; beautiful sweeping bays and jagged rocky points. There are whales and eagles and otters and every kind of seabird imaginable. You will be travelling through the traditional territory of the Tlatlasikwala and Quatsino first nations, and you'll be miles away from the nearest towns of Holberg and Port Hardy.

It's a wonderful project spearheaded by the Northern Vancouver Island Trail Society and their chair, Bob Zanon, along with mayors and councils and the first nations of the area. Slowly but surely they have cajoled, weaseled, strong-armed and thoroughly sold the idea of this project to government, corporate sponsors and their communities. Their latest pitch was to the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection as he travelled the area last week by air.

They've had this vision for a very long time. They have driven the project from the bottom up, and they have vested themselves in it passionately. What benefits this will bring to our region. We know what happened with the West Coast Trail. We have seen the rise of the Nootka Trail, and now we will have this spectacular addition to attract those adventurous outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy our coastline so much.

Even now they come by the thousands to Cape Scott Park. There is no reason not to expect that number to double very quickly. We know that if you build it, they will come. I'm very proud of these folks. They're doing great things for a great community.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. members, just before we start the clock on question period today, I would like to make a few remarks.

As you know, we have a very short question period in British Columbia. Therefore, time limits on both questions and answers must be observed. We simply must get more than three people involved in question period on a daily basis. Yesterday was not a good example of how question period should work.

We are also aware that there is an election in the near future, and emotions and adrenaline are running high. Therefore, I have set out some guidelines for question period.

The opposition will get the first questions, and the questions, including the preamble, will be no longer than one minute. While supplementary questions are discretionary, the first supplementary, when allowed, will be 30 seconds. The second supplementary — again, if allowed — will be 20 seconds long. I must point out that a supplementary question is not a new question; it's a supplement to the question already asked.

Answerers will observe the same guidelines. Independent members and private members will observe the same time limit on questions, and in most instances there will be no supplementary question.

In addition, I urge all members to listen without interruption to both questions and answers. Let me emphasize that all members are entitled to hear the question being asked and the answer given. If interruptions persist, the Speaker has several options available. Thank you.

J. Brar: As a new member, I will try my best to be in the limits, and I hope the experienced members will do the same.

The truth about the broken long-term care bed promise is very simple. It's very simple. Will the Minister of Health stand up and admit that she had no plan in place to keep her promise of an additional 5,000 — which is one, two, three, four, five — new long-term care beds by 2006?

Hon. S. Bond: As we made clear in the throne speech, we are committed to delivering 5,000 beds — new intermediate and long-term care beds. We said that it's going to take us longer than we anticipated. We have a plan in place that will be done by the year 2008.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Surrey–Panorama Ridge has a supplementary question.

J. Brar: It's all very, very interesting, but it is not accurate. The people of British Columbia want an accurate and real answer. Let me quote from a capital regional district health report released late last year. "The shortfall is a result of closing too many residential care beds too quickly and not having the alternatives in place. This was predicted in 2002 and is in large part a function of the provincial government's fiscal restraint."

Will the Minister of Health finally admit to the people of British Columbia that the government started closing thousands of long-term care beds with no real workable plan in place to keep its promises?

Hon. S. Bond: We made it clear yesterday that we have more work to do, and we are continuing to do that. Health authorities across the province actually have plans in place to deliver the number of beds by 2008. In fact, we will meet that commitment by 2008. We are working to rebuild a system that was almost 30 years old in many cases, where buildings had to be replaced and indeed renovated.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Surrey–Panorama Ridge has a further supplementary.

J. Brar: Look, it's very simple — very simple and easy to understand. I think a five-year-old can understand that very easily. The Premier of this province made a promise for 5,000 additional beds. That's 5,000 additional beds, not replacement beds — additional beds….

J. Brar: Can the Minister of Health explain why the former Minister of Health told this House last March: "We are well on the way to achieving that goal of 5,000 beds"?

Hon. S. Bond: We need to clarify this information for the member opposite. We have said that we have already added over 4,000 new and renovated units to the stock. Let me tell you….

Hon. S. Bond: Let me give you an example of one of the facilities that the seniors of British Columbia had to face when we got to Victoria. There was a facility in Vernon with, in fact, 80 residents in the facility, and they were all in either two- or four-bed units. It was institutional. It did not have….

Hon. S. Bond: It did not have ceiling lifts. The washrooms, in fact, which residents were forced to share, could not fit wheelchairs in them. It meant that the staff had difficulty actually using those washroom facilities. We had a job to do. The system was decrepit and needed repair.

J. Kwan: The New Era document promise was "an additional 5,000 new intermediate and long-term care beds by 2006." Some members in this House may be growing weary of that reminder, so let me add something new.

The Liberal candidate briefing book from 2001 said that construction and operation for each long-term care bed would cost $136,500 — the 2001 briefing book. I'll do the arithmetic for those who are in the House that might be challenged with this math. To build 5,000 additional beds using Liberal-estimated costs means an investment of $682 million.

To the Minister of Finance: how much new money has this government put into long-term care beds?

Hon. C. Hansen: We have a lot to be proud of in this House for the work that's been done by this government to put an additional $3 billion into the health care budget since the year 2000.

That budget has been allocated to the Ministry of Health Services which, in turn, allocates it to the various health authorities around the province who choose their priority. In addition to that — and something that I think these members ignore — is that there are thousands of beds for seniors that have been built in this province, funded through the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services. So across government we have seen thousands of new beds added to the stock in British Columbia by government and also by the private sector.

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

J. Kwan: The Minister of Finance better learn how to do math. As recent as yesterday the Premier's spin doctor said that to date, it has spent $100 million to keep its promise. According to B.C. Liberal math, that means they are short $582 million of their campaign spending commitment.

Can the former Minister of Health, the now Minister of Finance, tell us if he'll use his new-found fiscal powers to back up his words? Will he commit to spending that money and on what time line? Can we expect to see that in the budget coming up next Tuesday?

Hon. C. Hansen: This is the kind of thinking that we had in the 1990s in British Columbia. That is the kind of thinking that actually says…

Hon. C. Hansen: …that if we're going to provide services to British Columbians in every corner of this province, we should do it by taking taxpayers' money, channelling it through the consolidated revenue fund and paying out all of that money. We are working with not-for-profit organizations throughout the province…

Hon. C. Hansen: …as is promised in the election platform, and we are working with the private sector. We are working with the private sector, which is putting up dollars for capital construction around British Columbia.

We as a government are working in that partnership with the health authorities, with seniors organizations…

Hon. C. Hansen: …with not-for-profit organizations and with the private sector to make sure that the needs of our seniors are met.

J. MacPhail: It bodes very ill for British Columbians next week when this Minister of Finance can't even tell the truth on the math — can't even tell the truth.

Here is another quote from the former Minister of Health, our current Minister of Finance. I quote from March of last year: "The total tally in the province will show a net increase by the end of 2006 of 5,000. At the end of the day, we will hit that target."

Again, to the new Minister of Health: if it was impossible for her government to keep its promise, to do the math that they put in their own briefing book, can she tell us why the current Finance minister claimed as recently as last March that the government would meet its target? Putting aside the deep concern of how we can trust or can't trust the rhetoric from this Minister of Finance next week, can she stand up and tell us now: who was telling the truth — the former Minister of Health or her?

Hon. S. Bond: We just have to look to the past to figure out who actually had a plan in this province. We have a plan to add 5,000 long-term care beds. We will meet that commitment by 2008. In fact, let's look at the record of the members opposite in terms of adding long-term care beds.

Hon. S. Bond: We will honour the commitment to add 5,000 long-term…. Let's look at the record of the members opposite in terms of their plan for dealing with seniors in this province.

Mr. Speaker: Would the Leader of the Opposition please come to order. The minister has the floor.

Hon. S. Bond: It's interesting that the members opposite might be making those comments. They managed to add 1,400 long-term care beds in a decade. In fact, by the year 2006 we will have done twice as many, twice as fast as you did.

E. Brenzinger: Yesterday and today we hear the NDP and the government playing number games….

E. Brenzinger: Yesterday and today we hear the NDP and the government playing number games over seniors care. We hear the debate, but nothing gets done. The government, by its own admission, has not achieved its targets. Now it says it plans 5,000 new beds in a combination of assisted living, residential care and independent living.

My question is to the Minister of Health. Will this government consider the proposal of Democratic Reform B.C. that a portion of the property transfer tax, up to 50 percent, be applied to a dedicated fund for social housing given to the regional districts?

Hon. S. Bond: I've never heard of that particular proposal, but I'm sure if the member were willing to send it, we would certainly read it.

P. Nettleton: The B.C. Supreme Court has found the provincial 7 percent tax on legal services unconstitutional as it applies to low-income clients. My question is to the Attorney General. Will the Attorney General commit today to fully restore legal aid services or press for rescinding of the legal services tax?

Hon. G. Plant: I'm very proud of the creative and innovative work that we've done as a government in partnership with the Legal Services Society to get people to think about what access to justice means — not just hiring a lawyer to go fight a fight in court but thinking about helping people solve their problems, giving them the information they need to solve their own problems.

Sometimes that's enough. Sometimes it's giving them help and access to alternate dispute resolution and, in the most important critically urgent cases, giving them access to legal representation — all constructive steps forward, a way of helping to make a difference in people's lives, the lives of those people who can least afford it. I will continue to work hard to ensure that access to justice — not just legal representation in the same traditional way but access to justice — is a reality for people around British Columbia.

J. Nuraney: My question is to the Minister of Skills Development and Labour. BCGEU employees have been conducting rotating strikes at post-secondary institutions across the province and will be disrupting classes at BCIT tomorrow. Students and parents in my riding are very concerned about the impact that this job action is having on the education of our young people. My question to the minister is: what is being done to ensure that post-secondary education in British Columbia is not adversely affected by the BCGEU rotating strikes?

Hon. G. Bruce: As is the case with any labour disputes occurring in the province, we monitor them and keep an eye on them. In this instance, both the Minister of Advanced Education and myself are trying to be cognizant of whether or not students are losing classes. We certainly would be concerned…

Hon. G. Bruce: …if it got to a situation where their year was in jeopardy. At this point, the situation is

such that the union and the parties have come to a dispute, and the situation would be that if the two parties would like help, our offices would be available to assist.

B. Belsey: I have the honour to present the second report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fifth session of the thirty-seventh parliament, entitled Report on the 2005 Budget Consultation Process.

B. Belsey: I ask leave of the House to permit the moving of the motion to adopt the report.

In moving the adoption of the report, I wish to make the following comments. The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services listened to almost 1,800 British Columbians during the annual consultation process regarding the upcoming provincial budget. This level of participation set an all-time record for public input to any legislative committee in the province. The report contains 19 recommendations addressing the fiscal and budgetary priorities of British Columbia.

Overall, the committee found that British Columbians were pleased with what the government has done to balance the 2004 budget and in generating a larger-than-expected surplus for the 2004-05 fiscal year. We support the continuation of government's sound fiscal management to promote further economic growth and opportunities across the province. The committee also recommended targeting a portion of the available funds for people in need.

The committee's report also contains two key messages to government: (1) that the province implement an effective debt management plan, and (2) that the new program spending and further tax cuts be contingent upon the availability of financial resources generated by a forecast surplus.

I appreciate the opportunity to move the adoption of the committee report, and I would like to thank all British Columbians who took the time to provide us with their thoughts. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to all the members of the committee and staff for their input and dedication throughout the important process.

B. Belsey: I have the honour of presenting the third report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fifth session of the thirty-seventh parliament, entitled Annual Review of the Budgets of the Independent Officers of the Legislative Assembly.

B. Belsey: I ask leave of the House to permit the moving of the motion and adoption of the report.

In moving the adoption of the report, I wish to make the following comments. This has become an annual review by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services of the three-year rolling service plans and the budgets of each of the statutory officers. The committee arrived at its recommendations on December 7, 2004, and this is the first opportunity the committee has had to table the report in the House.

I would again like to thank the statutory officers for their participation in the process and the members and the staff that worked so hard to put the report together.

Hon. G. Bruce: Mr. Speaker, I call continuation of the reply to the throne speech.

H. Bloy: It's my honour and privilege to rise today in the House to respond to Tuesday's Speech from the Throne.

I'd first like to say that I thought that was the most embarrassing display I've seen from the opposition in question period in my three and a half years — not to sit and listen, to always leave the House and not to participate in debate and listen to what we have to say about the throne speech. Anyway, I want to move on.

My constituents are very excited about the direction this government continues upon. This government continues to improve health care, education and the economy. We're working towards a golden decade for all British Columbians.

I know I speak for my constituents when I say that they look forward to what lies ahead. Again, I want to say that they're looking forward to that golden decade ahead of us. I know from my constituents their excitement about the future for British Columbia. We've gone from last place in all economic factors to number one or two in all of Canada. This only happened because of the leadership of our Premier of this great province.

Something I want to talk about is literacy. Literacy is very important to me personally and to my government. Many of you know that for the last two years I've given a book to every kindergarten child in my riding. I do this to encourage the child and the parent to read together.

Reading and literacy open up so many opportunities for our children and the world. I visit over 13 schools with nearly 700 students. I go into every class, and I talk to the students. I tell them about my children at home, and I tell them how I read to my children when they were young. Then when they got to be about their age in kindergarten, they started to read to me. What a thrill it was for them to read to me.

With these children, I talked about literacy. They didn't all know what literacy meant. A lot of them thought it was litter, but it's a pretty big word for a kindergarten child. It's having the ability to read and to understand what you're reading. I must say how pleased I was that every teacher in those schools I went to was so supportive of this program. They encouraged their children to go home and read the book with their parent and to come back and tell them about it.

The children are the best. They ask a number of neat questions. I usually got asked: "Can I keep the book — and forever?" "Can I write my name in the book?" It was a real thrill to me.

But talking about education, our provincial government has committed $150 million of new funding for school districts. This funding will help ensure that school districts continue to provide quality library services and textbooks for all our students. The reason we can put more money into education is because of the hard work and the decisions we have made over the past three and a half years to make British Columbia financially stable.

From day one we said that once we got our house in fiscal order, it was then we could begin investing in a financially sustainable way. That's what we're doing today. Public education is funded to the tune of $4.025 billion. Public education is at the highest level ever in funding. Per-student is $7,079 — the highest ever. This is all in a time when student enrolment is declining considerably.

But this is not the only funding we've done. In my riding of Burquitlam in the city of Burnaby, the Minister of Education announced $10 million more for school textbooks. I believe education is so important that I just want to quote from the throne speech.

As I stated earlier, that represents a total increase in school operating funding of $305 million since 2001, as we continue a decline in enrolment of 29,000 students.

Continuing with education, we have Simon Fraser University in the riding of Burquitlam. As you can imagine, I'm often approached by many university students on our policies for advanced education. The students and parents in my riding are very excited about the $132 million funding increase to universities and colleges that will occur over the next three years. This will allow the post-secondary education system to provide more and better opportunities to our students to access the quality education they will need to succeed in the future.

There will also be legislation this session to limit tuition increases to the cost of inflation. Students in my riding understood the need to increase tuition funding. It was taking them five, mainly six, and sometimes longer to complete a four-year degree. That was just unacceptable, to go to school and have to wait seven years to get out because of the underfunding — the inadequate underfunding — by the past government.

Students were tired of the politically motivated tuition freeze that did nothing but erode the quality of education they could be provided. The universities were unable to offer spaces in their courses to accommodate students who needed certain courses to complete their degrees.

The inadequate funding hurt our students. The lack of funding by the NDP hurt the province in the nineties. We needed skilled workers. Skilled, trained workers were needed to guarantee the success of our province. They weren't being graduated under the NDP. We have put more money than ever into advanced education and are graduating a skilled workforce to continue the growth of British Columbia — and for all of Canada.

I have to repeat it again: the NDP eroded the education system of British Columbia. They took us from number one to number ten, and number ten isn't good in this case. Number ten equals last place in all of Canada. This was at a time when the whole North American economy was growing with rapid increases, but with the pathetic leadership, and I can't…. There were four or five of them in the nineties. We've had a couple now in the 2000s. It's still a pathetic leadership. They don't know who the boss is. The union boss, the one in the House, the one out on the street who's afraid to run…. No one knows who the boss of the NDP is. They're all making different, contrasting statements, so we don't know what they stand for other than going backwards.

It came as no surprise that most students were happy with the educational opportunities that would come about with the lifting of a tuition freeze. I must say that from comments I've had from students — from Simon Fraser University in my riding, from the University of Victoria where my daughter goes and from the University of Northern British Columbia where I have met a number of students — they're pleased with the resources they have, and that they complete their degrees in a timely fashion.

The students at SFU were also very happy that the government grant to SFU was increased by 21 percent between 2001 and this year. The new steps to improve financial assistance to students will also be welcomed by my constituents. These steps will help more of my constituents to access the education that they need.

Of course, our government remains committed to the 25,000 new post-secondary spaces by 2010. This was an unbelievable accomplishment by the Ministry of Advanced Education to make this step. What it guaranteed was that every student who had a 75 percent or higher level on graduating from high school could get into university. In the nineties, as the limited enrolment space went down, the criteria to get into university continued to go up. I can say that Simon Fraser University has initiated a program that anyone with 80 percent or more is guaranteed a spot in their university for early enrolment.

Talking about Simon Fraser University, it's such a generator of growth in the city of Burnaby. There are going to be 10,000 new units up on top of the hill that were developed by Michael Geller and the housing authority. They have a new commercial building for the first time, so students can have coffee, laundry services, a grocery store, a deli. There is a new science building being built at SFU right now — $21 million. There is a brand-new residence that was built up at Simon Fraser University. The growth up there is amazing.

All these new spots are necessary for British Columbia, particularly in health care. We have new funding for universities that my constituents will be excited about. This new funding — the goal and design — is to make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction in all of North America.

I am very interested in health care. Personally, I've raised funds in the past year for the B.C. Cancer Foundation simply by cutting my hair. Most of my colleagues like it. Some of my colleagues are just amazed at how fast it'll grow back. I was able to raise $6,000. I was supported by some great people in my community: Lougheed town centre, Magicuts, Burnaby News Leader, Doug Stead from Tri-M, Andy Nord and hundreds of supporters including many of my colleagues in the House. They contributed many dollars to fight cancer. Many of us have personally contributed to help raise money for cancer research.

Our government announced in the throne speech $100 million in 2007 for the Michael Smith Foundation to maintain the foundation as a leader in health research. Both mapping and cancer research will greatly benefit from these contributions.

Research holds the key to the elimination of cancer so that we don't lose any more loved ones or family members to this terrible disease. I believe that every member of society has been affected by cancer in some

way. You know, we've been touched by it in our House. We have the member for Kelowna-Mission, the member for Comox Valley and the wife of the member for Richmond-Steveston.

My story is about our child at home, Candice. Candice came to live with us when she was 16. We met Candice and her mom…. Well, we met her mom and dad in a prenatal class with our daughter Katie. We became friends over the years. Candice lost her father to cancer at age 12, and she lost her mother to cancer at age 17. You know, there's a pleasure that we get because we have a third child at home, but I don't believe this should ever happen to any person in the world — to be affected by cancer. I will do everything to work with this government to eliminate the disease and the spread of cancer.

Also, in education, our new medical student spots at the University of Northern British Columbia and at the University of Victoria. These new seats and medical programs will go a long way in ensuring that B.C. meets its requirements for new doctors in the future.

B.C. is a leader in health care. The Speech from the Throne announced a $1.5 billion increase to health care over the next three years. These increases will preserve health care and ensure that health care is there when we need it and where we need it.

In actual performances, we have a long way to go. In per-capita dollar spending in Canada, we are in the top two or three, but in performance we are 16, 18, 21 in getting results done. It goes to prove that it's not only money; it's the management of the health care system that has to take over. We need better management.

We reduced our health boards from 56 to six. We have professionals running them. We want the professionals to run the health care system, not the union leadership. The union leadership should not be there in the health care. Let the professionals run it. Let them work with their employees. We have to allow the health authorities to be strong leaders in our community.

To help seniors in Burnaby, my colleagues and I, including the Minister of State for Resort Development, held a seniors forum. We had more than 100 seniors there, who raised many concerns and questions. I can tell you what a positive crowd we had. They liked what we were doing. They didn't like everything, but they liked the direction that we were going. They liked that many of them in that room were now getting their MSP payments for free. They liked that we've done 18 percent more operations last year than the year before. They like that we're setting a taxation system in place that for their grandchildren…. Hopefully, their grandchildren will pay taxes for services they use, not for past generations. They want to see their grandchildren succeed in the future.

My constituents are pleased with the government's recent decision to return 100 percent of the traffic fine revenue we collect to municipalities. This will mean $2 million to the city of Burnaby and nearly $1 million for the city of Coquitlam.

I've written a letter on this, and the title is "Bloy Excited about Cops." I'm excited to hear that the city of Burnaby is hiring new RCMP officers. With many of our veteran officers set to retire, the arrival of young, eager new members will be an extremely important milestone for our community. The new recruits have been made possible as a result of our government fulfilling its promise to hand over provincial traffic revenue to the municipalities. This commitment means Burnaby will receive an estimated $2 million in traffic fine revenues each year for crime prevention and community safety projects. The handover of these revenues has been met with great praise across the province, as many communities are using these new funds to hire new officers to fight crime and assist those in need.

I am looking forward to the day when the Burnaby RCMP's new flying squad is fully operational. I strongly believe that our communities will greatly benefit from a squad that addresses neighbourhood concerns as they develop and before they get out of hand.

The important part about the Speech from the Throne last Tuesday was the economy. Economic policy is the biggest difference between the Liberals and the NDP. The Liberals know how to grow the B.C. economy so that people have jobs and we can afford health care and education.

I'm reminded of a sign I saw on a truck outside the Legislature on Tuesday. While we were getting ready to hear the throne speech, there was a convoy of working trucks that travelled past the Legislature, and they wanted to send a message. They were in support of our government and its policies that put people to work. The sign that struck my interest the most was on one large truck, and it said: "NDP at work — B.C. doesn't." This really tells the story of the incompetence of the last government and how it drove jobs out of British Columbia into other parts of Canada and the United States. It was that disastrous leadership.

Who is it — the union management or one or two leaders? Who is it that's running the province? Who wants to run the province? I believe it should be our government that runs the province, because we have the economic platform and we've proved that we can do it.

Again, I want to leave this with you: when the NDP is at work, B.C. doesn't. That's the sign that highlights the ten years of NDP destruction of this province.

Recently, I travelled to Korea as part of a trade mission. I was with a delegation of the biotech industry. I was with the Canada Korea Business Association and KOTRA, the Korean trade association. I was accompanied by Mr. Charles Kim, Amir Virani, Lindsey Hall, Robert Fairweather, Robert O'Keefe and many more individuals from British Columbia that are going out around the world, working every day to make British Columbia a better place to live.

One of the stories I heard when I was in Korea was that the economy was down and that they were having tough times. But their tough times — they were only growing at 5 or 6 percent. I never saw more construction cranes in my whole life as I saw in Korea, as they were building to a better future.

Our goals for our government are to continue the growth of British Columbia. This has to be our goal and even higher for the next golden decade in British Columbia.

British Columbia has done an amazing job in the last three and a half years — 191,000 new jobs. Just about half of those jobs are union. They're good-paying jobs, and they affect every part of British Columbia, especially in my riding. These jobs we create are the best safety net that we can provide to any individual who lives in British Columbia. To take over 40,000 people off social assistance and to see them get jobs — this is the social safety net. This is what's best for British Columbia — a working British Columbian who feels good about himself and proud about being part of society and is contributing to the betterment of our community.

China recently gave Canada approved destination status. This will allow Canada and British Columbia to attract many more Chinese tourists than we have in the past. The number is expected to be 100,000, a million a year. The numbers are going to be staggering. My constituents and the people of my riding and all of British Columbia have so many potential tourist opportunities to develop with China over the next number of years as this has opened up — especially with the exchange in cultures with Beijing, which is holding the Summer Olympics in 2008, and in Canada, when we host the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Thanks to the B.C. Liberal government, led by our Premier, who I believe will be the best Premier ever recorded in the history of British Columbia…. I'm also reminded that he'll be the only Premier re-elected in over 20-odd years coming up this May 17. Being led by the Premier and our government, B.C. is poised again to continue its road to success. Burquitlam looks forward to the golden decade ahead.

R. Hawes: It's a privilege to stand again in the House and speak to the Speech from the Throne. This would be my fourth opportunity to do this. Before I start, I want to just hark back to the first Speech from the Throne that I had an opportunity to respond to. That was in 2002. It was after we had held office for a few months and had had an opportunity to take stock of the financial condition of our province and to get a handle on a lot of what had been happening under the previous government.

What we found was that we had inherited an extremely large deficit, a deficit that had basically been hidden by some one-time, non-recurring revenue happenings such as money from California from energy sales, a pension transfer, a number of other things and a Finance minister with the NDP who, in his final budget speech before an election, acknowledged that repeating a balanced budget was not possible for them without significant tradeoffs. In other words, there was going to be significant pain, although they didn't wish to say that. In fact, I'm sure they would have just run a deficit.

We laid out a plan in that first throne speech that addressed a road towards a balanced budget and a rebuilt economy. In retrospect, probably we were wrong in concentrating strictly on talking about the economy — rebuilding our economy and moving towards balanced budgets — because all of us in this House recognized that the whole operation and the whole goal and objective wasn't simply a balanced budget.

It all comes back to building communities, building families. All of what we've done in this House has been aimed at that. We all recognized that the first step towards being able to do that was to rebuild an economy that had been destroyed by the kinds of decisions that didn't respect investment dollars; didn't respect free enterprise; in fact looked at the taxpayer as the major source of revenue out of personal income taxes; and taxed successful companies, often rewarding those that weren't successful and, frankly, driving successful companies out of this province and into Alberta.

We began the task of rebuilding this economy in 2002. We've talked for a long time about the economy, and we haven't spent enough time talking about the real reason behind it. Because of that we hear the opposition rhetoric that we're mean-spirited, that we're hardhearted. Every one of us comes from communities. All of us are elected to these positions because we've been community activists.

We've worked hard in our communities as volunteers and serving the people in our communities. We are here because we care not about balancing a budget, not about how many new hospital beds we can put

together or long-term care beds; we care about building communities and strengthening families. That's why we're here. That's why we're doing the job we're doing. That's why we take the abuse that some of us take on a daily basis — which frankly, in my opinion, isn't fair. That's why our families often are subjected to, I think, really unfair situations where they've got to read untrue statements over and over in our newspapers. Our province has become a place where many people don't wish to serve, because they don't wish to put up with the kinds of things that are now foisted upon them because they simply want to serve.

I was asked by our local newspaper: "What's your opinion of the throne speech, and what's in it for individual members of our community?" I had some difficulty saying specifically that this is what's in it — a specific measure. What's in it for our community, I said to the newspaper, is that we're strengthening families.

This whole budget is about a vision. It's a vision about strengthening families, and every part of it speaks to that. It refers to the five goals for a golden decade. Those five goals, just in summation, are education and literacy; health care, and when I say health, I'm talking about being healthy versus needing health care; supports for those with disabilities, children and seniors; the environment; and jobs, creating jobs. All of those build strong families.

In education and literacy we've put $150 million more into education to strengthen our education system for our youth. We are building post-secondary institutions and training opportunities for our kids, and we're doing this at a time when we've got a massive decline in student enrolment in schools. We have increased funding to record levels on a per-student basis, yet our opposition likes to say constantly that we have cut education. The numbers say completely the opposite, and what's more important is that the results say something different.

We're moving in health care. For the first time, we are talking about preventative care, and we're going to walk the talk. I've been involved as an activist within the health system in my community for many, many years. For many years we've talked about preventative care. We've talked about how we have to find ways to stay healthy and stay out of the kinds of behaviours that lead us to disease.

Every time I can think of in the history of this province that money is set aside for preventative care, the first place money gets cut is preventative care. There is no immediate payoff, so the money goes into what I call the black, bottomless pit of acute care. In Andrew Larder's words, our medical officer for the Fraser Valley, we keep pulling people out of the river rather than trying to stop them from falling in, in the first place. We have set a goal of being the healthiest population in this country by 2010. I know we can achieve that, and I know that we're serious now about preventative care and funding what needs to be funded to get there.

When you take a look at the demographics of this province, that is our only salvation. We're in the Titanic, and the iceberg is in sight. I'm going to come back to that analogy in a few minutes when I talk about some of the things that have been said in this House in the last few days.

We're talking about building supports and a social safety net for those who are disabled or increasing child care or providing more services for seniors. We are doing that. We now have the funding to do it. We have increased disability assistance for those who are disabled by a record amount in the last six months. We are increasing child care support. In fact, in today's paper there's an article about that and a new cooperative agreement being struck with the federal government. Incidentally, this government, rather than continuing down the confrontational mode of the last government, has acted on a cooperative basis with the federal government, and that cooperation has borne very, very strong result. We have seen considerable funding that was absent for decades from the federal government now flow into this province.

We are talking about having the best environment in the country, with clean air and clean water. We've passed a safe water act. We believe that everyone must have access to safe water. We can't have a Walkerton here. We have committed $80 million to a new infrastructure program for communities to rebuild water systems that perhaps aren't safe, which need to be strengthened and upgraded so that people can have safe water.

For us in the Fraser Valley, for my constituents, we have pledged to continue the fight against SE2. The last government never gave one penny, never lifted a finger to help the communities in the Fraser Valley fight that United States initiative that was going to pump toxins into the air in the Fraser Valley. This government has committed, has come through with funding, has provided lawyers at all of the hearings and will continue to do so until we win that fight, and we will win that fight.

We're going to build an economy and jobs. We will create more jobs than anywhere in the country, and our record for the last several years has been exactly that. We are the job leader in this country, and it is reflected in what small business is saying, because we lead the country in confidence among our business people. That is highly significant, because they are the people who make investments, and they don't invest when they don't have confidence.

We are hearing repeatedly that if the previous government…. If we step backwards, they will remove their investment. Mr. Speaker, mark my words. Make no mistake. With a return to the previous government small business is going to lose that level of confidence, which means that we're going to see investment diminish greatly.

I want to talk to my own constituents about what I hear in my own home all the time, and that is: what's going on in our hospital? I hear about it throughout the Fraser Valley. Why are our emergency rooms plugged with people? Why are acute care beds so hard to get

I know, in talking to our health authorities and looking long and hard at this problem, that a huge part of it does go back to long-term care beds. We have people who rightly should be in long-term care, seniors who have nowhere to go but into our hospitals. The system has plugged backwards until we have acute care beds that should be receiving people…. People who should be in long-term care are occupying those beds. What are we doing about it? How did we get there, and what is the solution?

I want to read into the record some comments from that well-known left-wing think tank, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. I don't support what they say, but I do want to tell you what they did say on November 1, 2000. They were speaking here about the previous government. Over the past two days in question period and in a response to the throne, the Leader of the Opposition has filled this room with the stench of hypocrisy, permeating every corner of this room with every word she speaks. When I look at what really did happen in her decade, when she was the Health minister of this province….

Here's what the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says about what was happening in 2000 under the NDP:

That's under the NDP. That's what they're talking about. Now, is this what we were hearing from her today? Between 1994 and 1999 the number of public long-term care beds fell by 18 percent, from 129 beds to 106 beds per 1,000 people over 75 years of age.

I think the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has got a whole bunch of things mixed up here. What they're really talking about is ratios. The ratio of beds to people over 75 fell dramatically under the NDP because they failed to recognize the emerging problem of our aging population moving through. The number of people over 75 grew dramatically, but the number of beds did not. It's not that the number of beds, in actual numbers, fell; it's that the ratio of beds to people over 75 fell because of the huge, huge number of people passing that barrier of 75 years of age.

It's getting worse. We should have started recognizing the problem 20 years ago. It was imminent ten years ago. We knew ten years ago what kind of a problem we were going to have, and my generation, approaching senior status, really has a huge problem. We truly are on the Titanic. The iceberg is definitely in sight. This government, contrary to that government, is the first government that not only recognizes what an iceberg looks like but is pulling on the wheel as hard as we can to turn this boat away from it. We are trying to fix the problem. When we took over government, among the things that we assessed was the state of the long-term care beds in this province.

I want to talk about Pleasant View Home in my city, in Mission. It's a great place. They really provide excellent care. It's under absolutely stupendous management — great management — with Judith Ray, the manager. Judith Ray approached me a couple of years ago talking about one of the things that was crippling her and her budget-making process, and that was the WCB rates they had to pay, because the injury rate in that industry was higher than in almost any other industry. Care workers were being injured and off work on a regular basis because we didn't have proper lifting equipment in these care homes. People were throwing their backs out. They were becoming injured from muscle tears, from having improper equipment.

Our inventory analysis of the NDP's legacy showed that you couldn't outfit many of these outmoded homes with lifting equipment. We could have left people in those homes that didn't meet code and certainly were causing injury rates to skyrocket, but that wouldn't have been the right thing either. We made a promise to build 5,000 new care beds by 2006. First, it's not 2006 yet. We did deliver 4,800 of those, but we had to close nearly the same number. We had to close nearly the same number because of what the NDP left for us. Yet for the last two days, that leader of the NDP has got up here and tried to denigrate the progress we are making and tried to suggest that somehow we are the ones who have caused a problem, when really it was the legacy of mismanagement and decrepit decay that was left to us by her government. The hypocrisy hangs heavy, and I think she should be ashamed to bring that kind of an issue into this House. I think she should stand up and apologize to all of the seniors in this province.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the left-wing think tank funded by the NDP, also went on to say in 2000 about the NDP's management:

I didn't hear the Leader of the Opposition talking about that. I didn't hear her saying: "I'm sorry, British Columbia, for the mess that we left."

But I'm proud that this government has recognized that. We know that there's an aging population. We definitely know that 20 years ago the planning for this should have started. The building of long-term care beds and methods of looking after our seniors should have commenced years ago. It didn't. We can't wind down the clock. We can't take it backwards, but what we can do is recognize the problem and begin a process to fix it.

Now, we've had, by election time this year, four years to fix a problem that should have started 20 years ago. I think the Premier was really candid about it: it wasn't enough time. We were ambitious when we set a target of 5,000 beds by 2006. We're sorry; it just isn't enough time. It's going to take us two more years to get there.

R. Hawes: No, no. The leader…. Well, I'm not sure. I think the last speaker talked about who the leader is. Carole James has said they're going to build 1,200 new long-term care beds over the next five years. That isn't a patch on what we need. That's not going to do the job.

We've said we're going to deliver the 5,000 beds by 2008. We have delivered 5,000 beds. Unfortunately, they had to replace what they left. Really, our promise should have been that we're going to deliver 10,000 new beds, because that's really what we're going to do — 5,000 to replace the junk they left us and 5,000 new beds. That's what's coming. That's what's needed — and maybe more, but that's an awful good start. It's a much, much better start than they ever not only contemplated…. Their record decries everything that they say.

We have not only looked at how we deliver care to seniors, we've also stopped to consider what seniors think. I don't know a senior anywhere that sits in their home and says: "Gee, you know, I can hardly wait to get out of my house here and get into one of those long-term care homes so that I can sit with a shawl around my shoulders in one of those lovely units the NDP…." It's just not there. People don't want to live that way.

We've introduced choices. People who can't live in their homes without significant supports can move into supportive housing, get some support, live independently and keep their dignity. As they age through that and they need more supports, they move to assisted living. Assisted living is a wonderful innovation that still allows independent living. It allows dignity. It allows folks that live in assisted living to live their own lives. They're not in the old folks' home. They're also subsidized in their expenses by the government.

Personally, I would look at assisted living as housing with a medical component. There is nursing staff on site, and there is assistance with bathing or medication or whatever is needed. When they move through there into complex care, which is where our real problem is today, in the long-term complex care area…. We've got to get those people out of the acute care hospital beds. When we do, we will have beds open for those that are going into surgery and require a hospital bed. We will have beds where people can move from the emergency ward up into the hospital, and we have enough acute care beds.

These folks in the opposition like to say we don't have enough acute care beds. The fact is that the most expensive space in the hospital is the acute care bed. Putting a patient in an acute care bed that should be in a lower-cost, long-term care facility makes no sense at all. We understand that, and we're moving to fix it as fast as we can and get people into the appropriate place where they can live with dignity, where they can have their families around them. The last government didn't allow that.

What I also hear from the member there, from the Leader of the Opposition…. She likes to talk about how we're separating seniors and all kinds of other things. I know that the health authorities are handcuffed in what they can say and how they can respond to these kinds of news stories. I know of one instance, for sure — and I'm sure there are others — where a senior couple was separated because the wife actually is into an advanced state of dementia. She doesn't recognize her husband anymore, and she doesn't want that stranger in her room. He, of course, being a husband for many years, wants to be with her. The health authority is cast into a dilemma: "What do we do?" In the end, they decided that they had to separate a couple. That's one story of what happened in one event.

The health authority can't come out and announce that. They can't come out and talk about that. There are two sides to every story. The Leader of the Opposition knows that, or ought to know that, because she used to be a Health minister in this province. She goes out and perpetuates the untruths and continues to point fingers at us on this side of the House, saying we don't keep our promises. She doesn't know truth from fiction, has shown through her record in this House forever that she doesn't know the difference.

I find, again, the stench of hypocrisy unbearable when I hear that kind of…. I understand that speaking in a parliamentary tone is necessary in this House, but one is just astounded by the depth of hypocrisy, by the sheer brass of that person who would make those kinds of statements after leaving the record that was left by that government.

I also want to speak for a moment about public safety. We've passed the Safe Streets Act. I want to talk about that briefly for a second. I know that there are people out there, particularly in that member's party, who say that the Safe Streets Act makes no sense — that we're picking on those who are in poverty. I've said it in this House before, and I really want to repeat: the kinds of statements that I hear her make, her party make, really are an insult to those who live in poverty. People who live in poverty and are forced on our

streets to ask for assistance, generally speaking, find those who are aggressive as abhorrent as everyone else does. They themselves don't like that behaviour.

In saying that we are picking on those in poverty, it's really insulting those law-abiding folks who, through misfortune that in many cases isn't really their fault, are in the same boat as those who would act in an aggressive and unacceptable manner. The Safe Streets Act says you can panhandle. You can do a lot of things, but you can't act in unacceptable ways. There isn't an excuse for that. Poverty is never going to be an excuse for that behaviour. Our Attorney General said it very clearly. I know that the act is not the end-all and the be-all, but it is another tool in the kit that can be used by the police. I think most of the police forces around the province recognize that. They will use that act judiciously. They welcome the act as another tool, but it's one of many tools this government has given the police.

We have given the police a communication system — PRIME — that is real-time communication between police forces for the first time in this province. It's a massive step forward in policing in this province. We've committed huge dollars, recently $122 million more, to provide numbers of policemen in specialized areas that are going to fight crime in this province.

I think the one I like the most is going to come in this session of the House. The Solicitor General has talked about it many times. It's a reverse-onus bill. It's a bill that says that if you are convicted of crime in this province, we can take your assets and force you to prove where you got the money to acquire them. Up until now, what happens is that we can chase people, and if we can prove that they bought their assets through the proceeds of crime, then we can take those assets. But proving where they got the money is so difficult; it's very rarely successful. This legislation will allow us to attack the assets of the criminal element and force them to prove where they got the money. That's a massive advance forward. I know it is welcome by the people in this province.

To my constituents, I would like to say that this throne speech is a vision, and it is about building family. It's from a government that has kept 97 percent of the 201 promises we made in 2001. We have fulfilled them, and that's a record unsurpassed by any government anywhere in this country at any time. No government has kept promises as judiciously and as vigorously as this government. The fact that there are those out there in the other party who would say that's not so, I think, speaks volumes about their integrity and their ability to tell the truth.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity of responding. I know my other colleagues are going to be speaking, and I look forward to hearing what they have to say. This throne speech is indeed good news.

K. Johnston: I'm delighted to have this opportunity to rise and respond to the throne speech. First, though, I'd like to also give my personal acknowledgment to the member for Vancouver-Langara. Our ridings abut each other, and I have the opportunity to cross over on some issues with him and talk to various groups with him.

I can tell you that one could only aspire to have the reputation he has gained over the years and the respect of the community that he's gained. All of us should, indeed, aspire to that. It has certainly been an honour to learn from him and an honour to have him serve as the Vancouver caucus chair and bring us together with many of the social agency groups that are so important to delivery of services in Vancouver.

It's been close to four years now that I've had the opportunity and, certainly, the privilege — been lent the privilege — by the people of Vancouver-Fraserview to represent them in this House. It's four years in which we've seen unbelievable, tremendous joy and tremendous tragedy in the world around us. Through those four years, many, many people have had a profound effect on me — and a lot of help.

I haven't had the opportunity since I've come here to actually acknowledge and recognize the people in my constituency office who have done such a wonderful job for me. I'd just like to take a moment to do that.

Barinder Sall is my constituency assistant, and he has actually never been introduced in the House during anything in here. He has worked with me as my right arm and community outreach person, and he has done an absolutely wonderful job of communicating with the groups that matter in the riding. I want to thank him for that, for being such a wizard at that.

Regina Tsui is a wonderful person and a friendly voice who assists me in my constituency. Her talents in so many of the Asian languages have certainly been a warm and welcome thing to many of my Asian Canadian constituents in Vancouver-Fraserview.

Together as a group we've certainly tried our best to bring the face of government closer to the people of the riding. We brought many of the issues and concerns of the people of the riding to Victoria. On some, you win, and on some, you lose. That's the nature of the job.

Tremendously, over the last four years there have been so many opportunities to be in contact with so many people in Vancouver-Fraserview. Frankly, for me, the best part of being an MLA is that constituency work — those battles you win and those opportunities to see some positive social change put forward. You really, truly savour those instances where government has made a positive difference in people's lives.

We're going through some change in the riding. I represent Vancouver-Fraserview, as I said. We're going to have, somewhere in the next ten years, another 10,000 people come in as residents in the riding due to a fairly major development called East Fraserlands. Civic issues, so many times, tend to intertwine with provincial issues in the riding, so it has been interesting being part of that, as well, hosting community input and helping the community move along in that regard.

Of course, the provincial government will at some point have a say in a development of that size, putting

in schools and other facilities, so we also want to participate in that and make sure we have a positive influence and make a positive difference in that area.

I just want to go through and talk a little bit and acknowledge a few of the organizations that over the last few years have really contributed to the quality of life in the riding, in South Vancouver as a whole. I think that with most volunteers and most people who are involved in organizations of good community social change, they don't often get the acknowledgment that we should give them.

I just want to go through a few of the people and organizations that do the good people work — organizations, frankly, that government has assisted and contributed to over the last years; organizations that I've had the real privilege of meeting directly and being part of their growth patterns and their moving ahead; organizations such as South Vancouver Neighbourhood House and the Champlain Heights Community Centre, which is an association led by a person named Pat Fenner and another named Rick Evans. I want to acknowledge the contribution and the fight they put on for the community. Southeast Vancouver is an area, civically, that — I won't use the word "neglected" — certainly has its challenges in getting the kinds of services it has deserved historically over the years.

We've also done some work with Khalsa Diwan Society and, of course, Developmental Disabilities Association, which is a tremendous organization; Grace International Baptist Church; Pré-maternelle Pomme d'Api, which is a French preschool; Killarney Community Centre, a very, very proactive, active organization that is championed by a gentleman by the name of Keith Jacobson, and I want to take my hat off to Keith for all the work and assistance that he has put forward; and of course, the South Vancouver community policing centre, which is a tremendous volunteer organization trying to battle the crime, the breaking and entering, and all the issues that a large urban centre such as Vancouver always faces.

It has also been a pleasure to see seniors care being addressed in the riding. I've had the opportunity to attend a couple of openings, at a project called Shannon Oaks and the Salvation Army Southview Lodge. I find it interesting…. I guess over the last two days we've had question period directed completely at 5,000 long-term, intermediate care beds. I think if the members of the opposition haven't had the opportunity, they should maybe tour a few of the facilities, such as the one in our riding called Icelandic Home. Frankly, they're 40, 45, 50 years old. You can't get a wheelchair in the bathroom; you can't turn around. They're about 200 square feet, and they're old and beat-up.

I think it's a good thing that those things are being torn down and redeveloped, so seniors and people in need of that level of care actually have a decent quality of life and are not forced to live in something that is old and, as I said, in need of repair. To me, it's not a numbers game. I just speak personally here. Adding the wrong kind of units is just tantamount to being silly.

If government hasn't met those objectives as of yet, maybe there's a reason for it. The reason is we want to do it right. There's nothing wrong with stepping back and saying: "Okay, that didn't get accomplished. We will move ahead. We will get it done in the near future." I really, personally, don't have a problem, because having seen some of the facilities, I would hope we could do better for the folks that require that long-term care.

Also, there's another great organization, Royal Arch Masonic Home, that does some tremendous work in long-term care and assisted living as well. I just wanted to acknowledge them.

It is clear, and all of us believe, that with the growing seniors population, government initiatives are imperative to improve the quality of life for seniors. I think we're heading in that direction. I've seen tremendous positive movement.

The last close-to-four years have been tough years in making decisions to get our financial house in order. I think all of us in the House, both sides of the House, understand why we are here, what the purpose of being here is. That is to deliver the best public services we can to the people of British Columbia — health services, education and social services — to make this a better society. I don't think one person came to Victoria representing constituents thinking that monetary issues would be the be-all and end-all of our purpose. I don't think one person thinks that. I don't think anybody, frankly, enjoys being the banker.

Building a future for British Columbia and putting our fiscal house in order, unfortunately or fortunately, were intertwined objectives. All those are intertwined objectives. Providing great health care, a challenging education system and looking after seniors and the disadvantaged is dependent on having your fiscal house in order.

The sacrifices and hard work put forward by the people of British Columbia over the past four years have paid off. There are many articles supporting positions of government and against positions of government in the media. I'd just like to cite from one that I think — well, in my opinion — sums up what's gone on in the last years in British Columbia here. It's from the National Post of October 18, 2004. It says this.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with that quotation wholeheartedly, but I believe that it is the collective of the people of British Columbia that has brought the province so far in such a relatively short time. We cannot return to the days of the lost decade. It's not fair to our children, and it's not fair to all of our futures.

In 2001 we had a doctrine that we ran on as B.C. Liberals called the New Era document. To date, over 97 percent of those election promises from that document have been kept. I think that's a pretty darn good record. I know that people expect perfection from politicians and from governments, and they certainly have a field day on open-line shows when perfection is not achieved. Yet 97 percent of deliverables, in my mind, is living up to your commitments.

I think it is important to go back and look at some of the promises we delivered on as government. On the economic front, balanced budgets were made mandatory. The funny fiscal games stopped. Fudge-it budget games are stopped. We increased the threshold for small business income tax to $300,000 from $200,000 to acknowledge and recognize the hard work of the people that are in small business, which is about 90 percent of our activity. We eliminated over 140,000 regulations over the last years. We restored the workers' right to secret ballot certification.

On the energy front, we protected public ownership of B.C. Hydro on all of its dams, reservoirs and lines — probably the most lobbied or asked question I have received in the last years. We gave independent power producers access to B.C.'s grid to sell their power, encouraging $800 million in proposed clean power projects. And we improved the oil and gas royalty rate, which has boosted exploration to record heights.

On the environmental front, we preserved Burns Bog, which I think was really important. I'm in Vancouver and it's in Delta, but it's a sink for the whole GVRD and lower mainland. The interesting thing was that my predecessor, Ian Waddell of the NDP, wanted to turn the place into an amusement park. We did the right thing.

We set a target to produce 50 percent of all new electricity through clean and renewable energy sources. We introduced an action plan to enhance drinking water safety.

In health care, we increased the budget by $3 billion over this term. We doubled medical training spaces and added over 2,100 nursing training spaces. We eliminated MSP premiums for 230,000 low-income seniors and families, and we lowered or maintained prescription costs for 280,000 low-income seniors and families.

Much has been done in education. We increased funding for K-to-12 by $313 million despite having 26,000 fewer students now than in 2001. We committed to investing $722 million over the next few years in new, expanded schools, and we designated education as an essential service to protect the child's right to education. We also promoted parental involvement in schools.

The preceding actions are a small sample of the significant new-era promises kept — 97 percent of commitments delivered upon. I believe this government has followed the course set out before the public of British Columbia. It's always important to visit the past, because you learn from your experiences, good and bad, but the real focus is on the future.

The throne speech 2005 is an exciting, invigorating road map that has come before the House. This throne speech is all about doing the right thing for British Columbia families, especially our children. The speech sets a vision for the future, and isn't that what real leadership is all about? Leadership, in my mind, is not about holding endless discussions and formulating plans, never coming to conclusions and, quite frankly, hiding from responsibilities. That is a political copout.

Leadership is consulting and then making decisions and setting a course. The Premier of this province has demonstrated that he has the courage of his convictions to lead the province to the future, unlike Carole James, who wants to hide and study and develop her plan in secret scrums with Jim Sinclair. I don't know where she stands on anything, except I do know that she supports taxing people after they are dead.

I will offer Ms. James some advice in an old expression. She can take it or leave it. I'm sure she'll leave it. Many years ago, a great-uncle of mine gave me an expression which has stuck with me through the years. He said: "You have to lead, follow, or get out of the way." Ms. James, I suggest you take that into consideration. Do something.

The Speech from the Throne is guided by five great goals. To make British Columbia the most educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent — I cannot think of a more important goal. I have had the opportunity to participate in the Vancouver Sun's raise-a-reader campaign every year, where you get to go out on the street early in the morning and sell newspapers. It's a lot of fun, for one thing, but it also drives home the importance of literacy, the importance of people, kids and adults who have literacy problems, being able to read that paper you're selling.

I'm delighted there's a new $5 million literacy innovation program mentioned in the budget to promote literacy in our schools. That is great news. The world is one large integrated economy, and investment and capital will always be attracted to a well-educated workforce.

In 1963 — I was doing a little research — this House debated a throne speech that referred to a report by a then Dr. Macdonald. This is 1963. Dr. Macdonald said this: "Though we are blessed with a host of physical attributes for a healthy economy, the key to competition and growth is the condition of the human resource. Do we have the wisdom, imagination, determi-

nation and courage to plot an educational course which will ensure our position in the front ranks?"

Well, here we are four decades later, and this government is showing the determination to improve our human resource by investing $150 million in new funding to ensure school districts provide library services, textbooks, art, music programs and services to students with special needs. In the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview, we have Killarney Secondary School, one of the largest schools, if not the largest, in British Columbia. Of over 2,000 enrolled kids, 1,000 are already enrolled in music programs. I understand and they understand the importance of the arts, culture and music to their overall well-being.

The government is ensuring that our children have the opportunity to get a full education. I am personally excited about the possibilities of exploring new ways to use underutilized schools to the benefit of our community. Actually, I've never understood why we have so many of these assets sitting across the province. In some cases they're hardly used at all. I look forward to seeing where that leads for utilization. Limiting tuition fees at our post-secondary institutions to the rate of inflation will allow access and let students plan and budget their course stream and future while not penalizing post-secondary institutions.

The second goal outlined in the throne speech is to lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness. I believe this is an unbelievable, fantastic initiative that will benefit all British Columbians — again, especially kids. In the ancient days of my youth, we didn't seem to have the same problems with obesity and inactivity. That's because, quite frankly, we didn't have the access to the junk food, and we were probably kicked out of the house all day long and told to come back at night. We were really kind of forced to have physical activity. I think, over the years, kids now have so many temptations, with so many inside activities, the Internet, and access to junk food, the Slurpees and the hamburger joints.

Recently, being part of the Public Accounts Committee, we went through a report that the auditor general released called Preventing and Managing Diabetes in British Columbia. The statistics in that report are extremely frightening. Diabetes is a growing problem. Aside from the human toll — the human pain, the human suffering — it's costing the health care system $750 million a year. The focus needs to be on primary prevention. Primary prevention, according to the report that was put forward, talks about, of course, physical activity, reducing calorie intake and eating more fruits and vegetables. There's even a simple grid chart that they showed us in the presentation in Public Accounts that compares an age, height and weight chart and gives you a risk assessment of your chance of getting diabetes. It's a simple thing that many people in British Columbia might be able to use. I'm hopeful to see that come out too.

The throne speech outlines a plan to implement primary prevention through launching Act Now, a health and fitness program for all British Columbians; focusing new resources towards disease prevention; extending the Action Schools program to every school in British Columbia in grades K-to-9; and eliminating junk food in all the schools within the next four years. A lot of jokes and fun were made about eating vegetables and broccoli in the throne speech by the media and the press. Even the leader of the New Democratic Party got into the jollies of it and made a crack about how we're going to put vegetables in the fridges. We had a few jokes around here about it too, but the fact of the matter is this is extremely serious. This is not about parsnips and broccoli.

K. Johnston: I don't like parsnips. I'm laughing now, but it's not a funny issue. It's an extremely serious issue. At the end of the day, after all the jokes have faded away, we still have the really serious problem of juvenile diabetes, which is rising like crazy. I think it's something we do need to get serious about, and we do need to get serious about preventative health.

Goal 3 in the throne speech is to build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors. Certainly, one of the issues and concerns that has been communicated to me over and over again is the issue of respite support for families caring for children and adults with developmental disabilities. You know, people are wonderful at providing loving support to their families, and on occasion they themselves need support. I've heard that message over and over, as I've said. I am extremely happy that the government will be offering these families that support in the future.

Child care, of course, is another important issue that needs to be addressed. The government will work with the federal government to make $650 million available for child care over the next five years — a great initiative.

Community safety is on everyone's mind. Certainly, in the urban riding I represent, breaking and entering has been identified in a report from the Vancouver Board of Trade. This government has been proactive in addressing many community safety issues. I have been delighted with the work done by the Solicitor General in integrating police initiatives. The AMBER alert system, of course, for me, was a very positive thing. I was very delighted to see that implemented and very proud of the committee of police officers across British Columbia that put this together. SkyTrain policing, street racing laws and the PRIME system — all actions taken by the Solicitor General which I think show the government's commitment to trying to improve community safety. Turning back traffic fine revenue will add $7.8 million to Vancouver for policing and crime prevention. Hopefully, community policing will be one of the goals there.

The fourth goal outlined in the throne speech is to lead the world in sustainable environmental manage-

ment. The importance of environmental stewardship is growing in awareness on a daily basis. It is now on the radar screens of almost all major corporations in the world, and all governments. On a personal basis, over the past few years I've gone from a person who could not bother recycling to a person who, through courses and information sessions and business exposure, now realizes that we are all impacting the future of the planet. Corporate social responsibility and environmental management practices are now incorporated in everyday business practices.

The government is on the right track in raising the bar in environmental management. Increased conservation officers, water improvements, the Pacific Salmon Forum, the drinking water action plan and an alternative energy action plan are all initiatives to raise the bar.

A spinoff of sustainability is ecotourism. There is a shift in vacation patterns. People want to experience the environment in an active way more and more. Less and less do they want to sit on the lido deck and enjoy the buffet of a large cruise ship. They want to do something that's active. They want to experience our outdoors.

Mr. Speaker, 2010 will open our province to billions of visitors. British Columbia is already feeling the energy and the attention of the world.

The last pillar in the throne speech is to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada. British Columbia has the ability to do that. A greater partnership with Asia, opening up our transportation links to the Pacific, certainly through the expansion of Prince Rupert….

K. Johnston: I have to say that every time. The member for North Coast forces me to say that every time.

Anyway, we'll establish international B.C. trade and cultural centres, and we'll set our economic future.

How exciting to have a World Trade University in Chilliwack. I often regret that it has taken us so long to understand the importance of language in developing trade relationships. Instead of learning our second official language in high school, where would we be today if British Columbian students had had the ability to learn Mandarin or Punjabi? By committing to increased support for ESL and increased learning opportunities in Punjabi, Mandarin and other Asian languages, we will ensure a greater economic and cultural partnership with the greatest and largest growing economies in the world.

In conclusion, in my opinion the future in British Columbia is bright. Optimism, opportunity and possibility are the key words. The choice is simple: do we return to the dark days of the lost decade, or do we look forward to the hope and prosperity of a new golden decade? Mr. Speaker, I will vote for the future, and I will vote for moving ahead with proven leadership.

B. Kerr: Now for something completely different. We have all said that we don't want to go back. Everybody in this House…. Well, not everybody in this House, but the majority of us in this House don't want us to go back.

For this one time, Mr. Speaker, I will ask us to move back, but not back a few years to the decade of decline. I want us to go back a long way. I want us to go back to the times of knights and masons and the medieval time. I have a little allegorical story which I would like to tell right now, and I'll build that up as to why I'm telling it.

Again, this is during the times of the knights and medieval times and masons. This knight was going down the road on his horse. Up ahead he looked and saw some masons there working in the quarry. The masons were there breaking bricks. They had their picks, hammering and doing what they do. They were mason's apprentices, so they were working pretty darn hard.

The knight wanted to know why they were doing this, what was going on. Why were they out there doing this work? He went up to the first mason and said: "Sir mason, what are you doing?" The mason wasn't working too hard. He was hitting the bricks, but he wasn't really working that hard. He looked up and said: "What do you think I'm doing? I'm breaking bricks."

That answer wasn't really satisfactory to the knight, so he went down further and saw another fellow. He was working a little bit harder. He was hammering the bricks a little bit harder, and he was working up a bit of a sweat. He said: "Young mason, what are you doing?" The mason looked up and stopped his work and wiped his brow a little bit and said: "Well, can't you see? I'm breaking bricks so I can feed my family." That was a good answer.

The knight goes down a little bit farther and sees this other fellow, this other mason, this other apprentice working like crazy, hammering, moving bricks, cutting things out, getting them on the cart, doing everything he could possibly do. He said: "Young mason, what are you doing?" This mason was essentially doing the same work. He was breaking bricks, but he stopped and took time out from his work. He wiped his brow and looked into the distance and said: "Can't you see? I'm building a cathedral."

This mason, the apprentice, had a vision for the future. He dared to dream about what he wanted for the future for himself and for his children. He was doing the same job, breaking bricks, but he knew there was a higher purpose for his work.

Mr. Speaker, I told the story because this is what I liked about the Speech from the Throne. It goes beyond

what we're going to do and discusses the vision of why we're going to do it. It is a speech about vision, and make no mistake: it's vision that gives us purpose to all our work. We could do all the right things. We can balance the budget. We can reduce taxes. We can increase funding to health care, education and seniors. But if we don't tie those tasks to a greater vision for the people, we will be just like the masons who are breaking bricks. He is doing the right thing, the outcome will be what is needed, but it won't provide the passion we need to move this province into a golden decade.

That's a golden decade for our children and our grandchildren, a golden decade where they can fulfil their dreams and build their cathedrals — a golden decade of prosperity, hope, vision and a future where we will truly be the best place in the world to live and bring up our families.

This is what I really like about the throne speech. It is the fact that it lays out where we want the province to be in ten years — the province where we want to live, along with our children and grandchildren. Does anybody disagree with this vision or these goals? I don't know. I know we all agree with it. Before debating specifically the things that we're going to do, I would like to see the debate get on a bit higher level and talk about this vision of a golden decade. I would like to see a debate from the opposition on the vision of where they'd like to see the province be.

Over the last four years this government has spent close to $100 billion on government programs. What I've heard from the opposition is picking out minute areas and hammering on those minute areas, but they haven't talked about the vision. They haven't come forth and said: "This is where we want the province to be." Sure, in $100 billion you're going to find some problems, but it is the vision that is important. It's the fact that we have this vision and we are trying to take this province into the future with that vision.

I would like to see the opposition get up and debate that. Do they agree or disagree with the vision? Do they not agree that we should be the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent? Do they not agree that B.C. should lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness? Do they not agree that B.C. should build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors? Do they not agree that B.C. should lead the world in sustainable management with the best air and water quality and the best fisheries management, bar none? Do they not agree that B.C. should create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada?

If they disagree with these goals, I would certainly like to know it. Maybe their vision for a golden decade is different than our vision. We've articulated our vision for the future. I would like to see the opposition raise the debate and talk about their vision, and this is something they haven't done. Not only have they not done that, they haven't even talked about the details of anything they want. They haven't even gone into the small areas. I would like to see them talk about their vision — or as in the past, does the NDP stand for need-dependent people, where everyone either is a government employee or relies on government largesse? Or do they believe, like us, that we should be forward-looking to a time where we push open the gateway of opportunity that awaits our next generation? I would like to know where they stand.

Each generation has a responsibility to pass on a better future to the next generation. Do we pass on a legacy of hope and prosperity, or do we pass on a legacy of more debt, higher taxes, fewer opportunities and more dependence on government? I know what my choice is. What is their choice?

Mr. Speaker, the throne speech said it much better than I could, so I would just like to quote it: "Let us seize this moment to dare, to dream and to venture forth for our children, our grandchildren and our province." This is the choice that I have, and that's the vision that I want to take forward into the next decade — what we call the golden decade.

I haven't spoken about any of the specifics. I haven't gone into any of the details in the budget, because I'd like to get up to this higher level and find out whether we're on the right track, whether people believe that our goals are the same. Without goal-setting, you can't accomplish anything properly.

But now I would like your indulgence in this. This will probably be my penultimate speech in the Legislature. Next week I will have my last one — people are prepared to clap — because I've said that I'm not going to seek a second term. So I would just like to go over my time that I've had in the past four years and what we've accomplished as a government, what we've accomplished in my community as community leaders and to talk about my experience here. If you will indulge me over the next few minutes, I'd like to do that.

I started my political journey in 1999. At that time two of my grandchildren were just born, and the province was in a political mess. There was no fiscal management, and the economy was running dead last. I was very concerned about the future of the province and the increasing debt load that would be passed on to my children and grandchildren. I threw my hat into the ring, not to create a new political career for myself but so that I could help in restoring sound fiscal management and help in revitalizing the economy. I believe we are now on track — we are a long way on track — to doing this on both these counts.

During my political journey I realized, however, that an MLA's job is not just working on the province's goals, but working to help people and communities within his or her own riding. I'd like to take some time to list a few of the accomplishments of my communities.

I set out with five main goals for my riding. The first was for safety improvements on the Malahat highway. During my term, several million dollars have been spent on safety improvements, and more will be spent in the coming months. Serious accidents are

But you know, there's still more work that has to be done on that highway. I would suggest that it is time now to start looking to the future and to do some studies to determine when we reach capacity and when we should actually spend the money to build a new highway to Victoria. I think that's going to be coming up in the next few years, and we should start as soon as possible.

I would like to thank the Minister of Transportation and my colleagues, who understood my pleas and listened to me and actually got to bat and worked on the Malahat so that we could put the improvements through. The fire chief from Langford has come up to me on a number of occasions and has thanked me and said: "Brian, those improvements, no matter what you hear from people that do get stuck in traffic, have really made a difference and have really saved lives." I would like to thank the two Ministers of Transportation who have worked in that area.

Secondly, I wanted to ensure that Sooke was able to get sewers. Sooke is a community of 12,000 people. It didn't have any sewers. People were using their septic tanks, and the septic tanks were, quite frankly, starting to wear out. I wanted to ensure that Sooke…. Without sewers, Sooke would not grow and would stay a transient community with low housing and fewer amenities.

Ed MacGregor, whom I'd met in a previous capacity, worked tirelessly — as did his successor on this particular project, Janet Evans — and kept me focused on this priority. The infrastructure grant that I was able to assist in obtaining was one of the larger ones issued, and I'm grateful to my colleagues in cabinet who also listened to my exhortations. Sooke now will be building its sewers, and there is nothing but prosperity in the future for Sooke because of that. Already building permits are way up, and commercial enterprise is going into Sooke so that people can have jobs in their own community.

Since receiving the sewer grant, I was also able to help obtain grants to improve a parallel road and grants to improve the main road through Sooke.

Thirdly, I wanted to ensure that Cowichan Bay would be able to build a new breakwater. Without a new breakwater to ensure the safety of marine and foreshore property, no new investment would occur. The first of the new breakwaters is now in place, and already investment in Cowichan Bay is at unprecedented levels.

Although it was not on my original priority list, I was happy to be part of the opening of new sewers for Cowichan Bay, as I was able to assist and help them obtain infrastructure funding to upgrade their sewers. Black water will no longer be going directly into the bay. That's part of the clean-up of Cowichan Bay and part of the marine resort strategy that will be developing and that's going from Nanaimo all the way down to Cowichan Bay over the next few years. That's great news for everybody on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

Fourthly, I wanted to increase the funding for the Sooke Transition House. The lack of funding was brought to my attention by one of my constituents, and I worked very hard in my capacity to see the doubling of funding to this worthwhile cause. Again, I would like to thank my colleague the Minister for Women's and Seniors' Services for listening to my pleas. Now, under the new throne speech, we can see that funding for the transition house is going to be increased even further and that there will be money set aside for 24-7 counselling. This is great news for women's services.

Finally, my fifth goal — one that up until two weeks ago…. I have been working for four years, from the very beginning that I recognized this — that we needed to do this. That it was going to open up our whole area for tourism. It's what I call the circle route. The circle route would take people, let's say, from Victoria up the west coast of Vancouver Island, which we could call the wilderness tour. We could take them up the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, through Sooke, up to Port Renfrew. They could see the Sooke Potholes. They could see Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew, but they wouldn't have to turn around and come back. I wanted that route to continue right through to Cowichan Lake. By carrying on through to Cowichan Lake, they could then go down through the Cowichan Valley into the warm country and through all the wineries and visit the wineries.

I call that route the wilderness wine tour. We've been working on this for four years. I was hoping it would happen before my term was finished. Last week the announcement was made that all the pieces of the puzzle were put together and that the wilderness wine tour or the Pacific marine circle route is now a reality. This summer people are going to be able to make the tour — a complete circle route from Victoria, back to Victoria — without having to backtrack.

So essentially, the five goals that I set out at the beginning of my term, which I thought would really benefit my community on a large scale, have all been accomplished. In addition to these priorities, there were ongoing issues that were brought to my attention and were handled by me personally or my capable staff, Linda Morton and Barb Mathews. Anybody who has dealt with my staff knows the dedicated professional attitude they have taken to their jobs. I would like to thank them for the hard work and commitment they've shown to me, the community and our constituents over the last four years.

In essence, I feel that I have accomplished what I set out to do and am now looking forward to spending more time with my wife, children and grandchildren. I have learned a tremendous amount in the past four years, and the hard work — the same hard work and dedication that all MLAs do — has been well worth it.

Now, although our government has received much criticism, I think it is important to realize that in any large organization there will always be mistakes made or things that could have been done differently. Just look at your own business or household. But when you listen to the complaints — as I always do; I listen to all the complaints — you realize that in the scheme of $100 billion, most of the complaints are insignificant and, I will say, not a symptom of a government without direction. Indeed, we have direction. And as the throne speech has mentioned, we do have a vision for the future, and we're going to live up to that vision.

I would like to take a few moments to outline some of the real successes of our government, because these are the areas that'll make B.C. a better place to live, work and invest. More than any other government in North America or even the world, this government is giving democracy back to the people. The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform has made recommendations on how the next group of representatives should be elected. What other government has had the courage or conviction to do that? None that I can think of. Our government has had the courage, because that's part of our vision for democracy. This fulfils a promise we made before the election of 2001 — another promise kept.

The core review that was undertaken at the beginning of the term set the direction to look at all government organizations, ministries, Crown corporations, agencies and commissions and to determine whether they were still serving good public purpose, whether the service was being delivered in an efficient manner and whether the service could be delivered better by the private sector. This was an important function and one that all governments should undertake. That's not unlike taking an inventory of physical and resource assets.

Now, I was fortunate. I was asked to sit on the core review committee. I thank the Premier for giving me that opportunity.

Some of the other core areas which set this government apart were a change to fixed election dates — the government has done that before, but we've changed it to fixed election dates — a set legislative calendar, giving private members or backbench MLAs such as myself a free vote in the House — we can vote any way we want; that means all your MLAs are accountable for the way they vote — setting up caucus committees so backbench MLAs, private members, can have a direct say in the process of determining legislation. These are tremendous objectives that our government put forth, and they were promises that were made to us MLAs before we ran.

One of the more important changes, as far as I'm concerned, and one that is absolutely necessary if we are to restore sound fiscal management, was the requirement for every ministry to prepare three-year service plans. My colleague from Victoria–Beacon Hill has mentioned this on a number of occasions, and I think it is important to mention this again, because this shows that planning has taken place and that people have to be accountable into the future. It also shows more accountability, and it gives other people the opportunity to see what we are doing.

In addition to the three-year service plans, performance measurement criteria audited by the auditor general were established. Now it is possible to determine whether or not a ministry is living up to its expectations and obtaining the outcomes it promised. What a unique method of doing business. Setting out a business plan, setting out your…. We changed the word. We don't call it a business plan, because we're not a business. We're a government, so we call it a service plan. A government's job is to provide service to its communities. We set up a three-year plan, and we set up measurements that are audited so we can measure whether we're obtaining our objectives. Boy, what a unique concept. But it had never been done before, certainly never been done by the former government, who in nine years didn't really have any plan, and everything was done ad hoc for at-the-moment expediency. What a field day the opposition could have with that public information. I'm sure this is one of the reasons that no other government has had the courage to do this before.

You know, we've done even more. An independent progressive review board has been established to measure B.C.'s progress in becoming the best place in Canada to live, to work and to invest. They report out on a regular basis, and we've had to take a few hits while the economy was turning the corner. The Budget Transparency and Accountability Act now requires the government not only to balance the budget but to balance it according to generally accepted accounting principles. This means there can be no more chicanery and no more off-the-book financing. Everything, including universities and school boards, is now included in the books. The information is provided on a quarterly basis. This may create more work, but it's an integral function if we are serious about restoring sound fiscal management and openness in our government. What organization can function properly without knowing how they're doing financially? You can't. You need to see how you're doing, because you have to measure your performance.

As part of the budget process, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services travelled the province. We have done this for four years now. We've travelled the province to listen to the public's concerns and input on what they think the priorities of the next budget should be. This year we travelled the province. We had over 1,800 submissions. Today was the day that we presented our report to the House — 1,800 submissions that we listened to, more than any other government standing committee.

We set up a list of nine recommendations to the Legislature. I would like to say this: these recommendations were unanimous. They were even agreed to by the opposition. The opposition is involved with us in that committee in forming the recommendations, so if those recommendations are taken into account in the

budget, I'm going to be curious to hear what the opposition has to say about them and how they're going to criticize them, considering they agreed to those recommendations and were part of the process.

We do one other thing in the Finance Committee. We also review the independent offices of the Legislature, such as the privacy commission and the police complaint commissioner. In the past, the government determined their budgets, so they were beholden to them or the budget could be cut. Now deliberations are done in public, open and public scrutiny. They're done in a public manner. They're in Hansard. This is another step in public accountability.

It's not unlike what the government did with B.C. Hydro. Again, in the past, rate increases were determined by cabinet. Now rate increases must be scrutinized by the B.C. Utilities Commission, a very public process that allows public input. We have seen what's happened with the rate increases, how public input has gone and how the public utilities commission has worked independently in an open and transparent manner, helping B.C. Hydro determine what the increases or changes to the rates should be. This is certainly a far cry from what the opposition would have you believe when they bleat about the privatization at B.C. Hydro.

Has all this worked? You bet it has. I believe that now we have one of the most open and accountable governments in all of Canada. With sound fiscal management and proper and open government, investment has more confidence and has been coming back to British Columbia in droves. All the economic indicators are up.

As I said in the beginning, I had no intention of making politics a career. On February 27 we will select a candidate for Malahat–Juan de Fuca, and I'm sure the new candidate will be as dedicated and hardworking as I hope the people in my community feel I have been. I have made many new friends in politics, friends I hope I will keep for years to come. I have seen how dedicated some members of the community are in working to improve the area where they live. I am convinced we live in the most beautiful place in all of B.C. I'm encouraged by the hard work and dedication that our most spirited community members express.

I would like to thank all those who have touched me, and I hope I have touched them in a positive way. I'm committed and will remain committed to making B.C. a better place to live. I will be working hard for the next candidate to ensure that we do not lose our focus and do not go back to the dismal decade of decline that saw B.C. go to last place in almost every economic measure.

We have so much to be thankful for in B.C., and with sound fiscal management restored, a booming economy and young families staying in the province, we can be assured that the future is brighter than ever.

L. Mayencourt: It is indeed a pleasure to stand here today and provide a response to the throne speech. I am so grateful to the member that just spoke. I think this is our fourth year. In addition to looking forward, it is important that we reflect back on where we came from and how we got to the position that we're in today, where we stand perched ahead of a golden decade for British Columbia.

I am so grateful for the honour and the privilege of being able to come into this House to serve the people of Vancouver-Burrard, to serve the various communities that I somehow have some connection to and to be able to speak forcefully. To speak with ministers and with my colleagues here in this House about the things that matter to my constituents, the things that matter to the groups I have met along the road I have travelled for the past four years.

As I listened to the words of the member for Malahat–Juan de Fuca, I started to realize just exactly what we have accomplished in these four years. Each of us at the beginning of our journey here into this House sat down and wrote down on a piece of paper the kinds of things that mattered to us, the things we'd like to accomplish. What were the issues that were important in our riding? What were the things that mattered the most to us? What were the things that ignited passion in us? What did we want to do?

Well, we wanted to come into this House and make British Columbia a wonderful place to live. We wanted to offer hope and prosperity to British Columbians. We wanted to give people a reason for staying in British Columbia and a reason to come home to British Columbia. We wanted to be the best place on earth. We wanted to bring the Olympics to British Columbia. We wanted to balance the budget. We wanted to deliver the best services of any province for people with disabilities. We wanted to deliver the very best in health care and education.

I can remember sitting down and writing down five things I wanted to accomplish in government. As the member for Malahat–Juan de Fuca went through his list of the things he had done and the things he had accomplished, I started to go over that checklist myself and realized: oh my goodness, we've actually done something important here. We haven't just filled the chairs in this House, we haven't just spoken into microphones, and we haven't just…. We have done some remarkable things — things that I am proud to associate my name with, that make me proud to stand up in this House and say that I am a B.C. Liberal. I believe in the things we've accomplished.

I know that our province is better and stronger and fairer and more just. I know that we have not just helped groups of people but that we have touched the hearts of and supported people as individuals when they didn't quite fit into a certain policy or a certain rule — that we have remembered to be human. We have remembered that when there are times that people in our community fall through the cracks…. The B.C. Liberal caucus went out and gathered up those individuals, brought them and their problems to this House and had them addressed. I'm very, very proud of that.

I have had the privilege of serving with some ladies and gentlemen in this House who have profoundly impacted my life, who have made such great contributions to their province and to me. I'm grateful to them. I think of the member for Langley, one of the first MLAs I met. She is one that is not seeking re-election but that served as the Minister of Women's Services with dignity, who defended women's issues, who came to the table each and every time we asked her to speak on behalf of Women's Services and to ensure that what we were delivering for people in need, for women fleeing violence in the home, for women that needed legal assistance and for women that needed a place to be safe. She stood up for those women.

I think of the member for Delta North, a man who has been in this Legislature for many years and a man who has dedicated his life to the service of educating young people in our province, including my older brother and my older sister. I think of him and his family as he heads back to leave public life. I know he has much more to offer and much more to give, and I hope and I pray that he will do that in his community of Delta North.

I think of the member for Richmond Centre, who came to this House as the former mayor of Richmond and who is a man who represents the riding that my sister and her daughter and her family live in and someone who has served us as the Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, who has become a friend to every consul general in British Columbia, who has respected the cultures and the attitudes of these different communities, who has become a hero to them and who stood up for them when they needed him.

Yesterday we had the member for Esquimalt-Metchosin come into the House for his last throne speech. We were all filled with emotion to see our friend who has suffered a great tragedy but who is a man that has contributed much while he served on the Finance and Government Services Committee, the Communities and Safety Committee. He came into this House every day and always had a slap on the back and kind word for each and every member, regardless of our political stripe — a gentleman and someone I'm proud to know, someone who has a long journey ahead of him. But I know that with the help of his wife, Carol, and his son and his daughter, that he will make it. He's someone that I'm very proud to know, Madam Speaker.

As I said, the member for Malahat–Juan de Fuca has done so much in his own riding, whether it's an item on the highway leading to his riding or standing up for a youth program or making sure that the Finance Committee understood what the rules were when we were dealing with witnesses before us.

I think of the member for Port Coquitlam–Burke Mountain, the very youngest member of this Legislature, ever, and a young man that took a few years out of his life to represent the people of Port Coquitlam in a most honourable way, that took his opportunity — the bully pulpit that an MLA has — and turned it into an opportunity for youth in his community. He started a program called Youth Matters!, a way for our government to help youth in communities talk to us about the things that matter most to them and about the programs and services that will make an impact on their lives.

I think of the member for Nanaimo-Parksville, who served as the Minister of Transportation, who is a woman that I have known for many, many years, who has always been so generous and so professional and who did a wonderful job of mapping out a future for B.C.'s transportation infrastructure — another individual that will not seek re-election.

And there's our Deputy Speaker, the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast and a man that has sat beside me for four years, has told me jokes, has given me little tidbits of wisdom, has straightened me out when I've been bad and someone who has been a friend, a companion and a great leader in our caucus.

And there's our member for Yale-Lillooet, who has done so much for the people of Merritt and someone who decided that something had to be fixed on the Coquihalla. He went to bat for his constituents. He made sure that the commitment from the government to make sure that the Coquihalla was completed — not leaving that 14 kilometres of two-lane highway there but that we would actually move forward and finish the Coquihalla connector…. He's someone that has been a great Canadian, someone who has stood up for the ranchers in British Columbia, for the agricultural community and for the forest sector.

I think, too, of the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Vancouver-Hastings. She spoke here yesterday. I know that in her closing comments to the Speech from the Throne she talked about how we come in here in a very partisan mood every day at question period and how we leave as colleagues, because we all serve the same people. We all came here to do the best that we could for them. We all contribute as much as we can, and at the end of the day, we hold each other in very high esteem, because we know of the sacrifices that each and every one of us makes to our families, to our privacy. I salute her as well.

The member that sits here from West Vancouver–Garibaldi is the man who almost single-handedly built Whistler. He's a man who came to Whistler with his partner 30-some years ago and said: "This is a place worth working towards. This is a community that I can build." He did. Every time I walk across the Ted Nebbeling bridge in Whistler, I think of that member. I think of the contribution that he has made to the people of Whistler. You know, without his vision we wouldn't have Whistler today. Without his vision and commitment there would be no 2010 Olympics happening in Whistler. He is due a great deal of credit, Madam Chair.

He has done so much more, as well, as a gay man speaking on behalf of gay men and women in this province so forcefully, so stridently and with such dedication. I'm proud to know him. I'm proud of the contributions that he has made and the contributions I

know he will continue to make. I salute him as being one of the first British Columbians to be able to marry his partner of 35 years, Jan.

I think that was a great moment for all British Columbians — to see him on the front page, to live in a province that lets people be themselves and lets people pick who they want to be married to. I'm proud of him. I'm proud of our government, which was the second government in Canada — a B.C. Liberal government — that allows men and men to marry, women and women to marry, that allows men and women to marry. We've levelled the playing field because of the work of people like the member for West Vancouver–Garibaldi. I'm proud of him and his contribution.

Our Deputy Speaker from Kelowna–Lake Country, who has done so much to bring the high-tech sector to the Okanagan, is someone who is also not seeking re-election but who has contributed much to the high-tech sector, to this House, to the decorum and traditions of the Speaker's office.

I think of the member for Port Moody–Westwood. Ah yes, she's the apple of our eye, the lady we will all miss, mother to Hamish, a most dedicated Minister of Education and Minister of Children and Family Development and a woman who cannot stop, who just this past week said: "We must do something more about fitness in our schools. We must do something about healthy food. We must support families that invest in the education of their children, in the arts and in physical education and sports." Boy, what an impact she's had.

Look at the Speech from the Throne, where we speak so highly of the need for developing sports and athletics so that we create healthy communities by making healthy kids and healthy mums and dads.

A good colleague of mine, the member for Vancouver-Langara…. I know the member for Vancouver-Kensington and other members from Vancouver have spoken of this gentleman, but I must tell you that he has been the conscience of this caucus. He has always been there to say: "What about this person? What about this group of individuals?" He's always been there to remind us that we're not there just to serve the wealthy, the poor, the middle-income, the left or the right, but rather all British Columbians. He's always stood in this House and spoken passionately about the need for social justice, and he's always defended it. He's always said so in caucus. He is a great member of this Legislature.

Finally, one of our least talkative members, the member for Cariboo North. I have travelled with this man on many occasions. He is a character. He was the chair of our caucus for a time — a wonderful guy, a defender of ranching and a great veterinarian. On occasion I've gotten more than a hello out of him, and I consider that a triumph. He is a great guy who's served his community well, and he continues to do so.

Those members that I've mentioned will not return for the next Speech from the Throne. I'm sad, because they have taught me a lot, and they have given so much to our province. I'll miss them. But I know that as former members of the Legislature of British Columbia they will always be welcome on this floor. They will always be able to walk into this chamber. No one will ever turn them away. They can come here and they can sit with us. They can whisper in our ears, and they can offer us their wisdom and their guidance, as so many others before them have done.

We will have other members here. I'm extremely excited about the announcement today of the person that's going to run in Surrey-Newton. It is unbelievable — Daniel Igali. A gold medal winner from the Olympics will sit in this House as the representative for Surrey-Newton. What a coup. What an addition to a team. What a symbol of the type of excellence that we head towards. Daniel Igali wears a medal with five rings — a medal with five rings that says he is the finest, the best in the world at what he did.

I think about the Speech from the Throne, and I want to go back just for a moment to that speech, because there is another mention of five rings. Our government has set five goals in front of us as of today. They match the Olympic rings. They are the rings that we will grasp and that we will use to bring us into the golden decade that the Premier has spoken so passionately about — to make British Columbia the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.

I can remember one caucus meeting three years ago. We were up in Kelowna, and we were talking about what moved us, what really gave us a real good feeling. I asked the Premier what it was for him. He said to me: "Literacy." I said, "Why literacy?" and he said: "Because that unlocks the door to learning for everyone. It unlocks the door to prosperity, to hope, to being able to excel, to being able to be the best that you can." And that's our first goal, our first golden ring.

The second is to lead the way in North America to healthy living and to physical fitness. We can all learn from that goal. We can all benefit from it.

I know that I used to run a lot. I used to run around my riding, actually, which was about 22 kilometres. Boy, I haven't done that in a while. But you know what? This Speech from the Throne challenges me to take up that run again. This Speech from the Throne says to me: "Get off your duff, Mayencourt. Get out there and be fit and be at it." Boy, oh boy, it's going to make a difference to me, it's going to make a difference to my family, and it's going to make a difference to my neighbours.

You know what? I know some 80-year-old seniors in my gym that are as fit as, well, some of us. You know what? When I'm 85 years old, I want to be as fit as a fiddle. This Speech from the Throne calls out not just to me but to each member of this Legislature, to every child in this province and to every mom, dad, grandmother, aunt and uncle and says: "Eat healthier, get some exercise, and work towards developing the kind of healthy lifestyle that will make our health care system affordable. Think about wellness instead of sickness."

Some of the members here will know that I have been a big fan of wellness. I created an agency that was dedicated to wellness for people with AIDS and cancer, and I continue to work on those sorts of things. I know that we can do much better by taking a wellness model rather than a sickness model, so I support this. I know that people in my community and people in this province know that they can also affect their health care by exercising.

To build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors. Wow. One of the reasons I came to this Legislature was because of the record of the previous government on disability benefits. I helped people with HIV and AIDS fill out form after form, followed them through appeals so that they could get the kind of supports that they were guaranteed in legislation by the previous government but that they were denied routinely as a matter of policy — not written in regulation but certainly drilled down into every person in the bureaucracy at the Ministry of Human Resources to deny each and every claim.

We have changed that. We have changed it dramatically. We have come out with a persons-with-disabilities benefit package that protects those persons with disabilities for their lifetime. If for some reason or because of some wonderful opportunity a person with a disability today were to go to work and for five or six months be able to earn a living and then have their health falter, they can walk right back into their disability benefits. That's fair. That's right, because not everybody can work all the time. But for that little time that you can, what a wonderful joy to be able to take home a paycheque that you put in your pocket, that you created something.

We have built, I think, the best package for persons with disabilities, one that has resulted in an extra $225 a month for people living with wasting syndrome — most notably, people with AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis. Also, in these past few months I was so pleased that after looking at this and trying to make it happen for so long, we were able to give persons with disabilities the largest single increase in decades to support them. Why? Well, because those people do need extra support. We are well on the way to building the best system of support for people with disabilities, but we have a way to go, and we're committed to it. It is one of those rings, one of those rings of excellence, those rings of gold that we will hang onto. We will meet the needs of those individuals.

Think about special needs, children at risk and seniors and the work that we've had to do around inner-city schools, around nutrition programs for kids, around support services for kids with learning disabilities and to provide the right level of supports for seniors.

I have a dream, one that I'm pushing, and I'm hoping that the Minister of Finance is listening. I want him to follow through on recommendation No. 10 from the Finance and Government Services Committee and, for the first time in decades, raise the shelter aid for elderly renters in British Columbia. Do something that no NDP government even contemplated. Provide additional supports for our low-income seniors that rent. Provide them with some extra money that they can buy anything they want with.

Madam Speaker, I want to live in a province that is a leader in sustainable environmental management. That is the part of the fourth ring that we aim for — one that looks after the air quality, our water quality. We saw the Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services announce last week the most aggressive groundwater stabilization program that anybody has ever brought into British Columbia — something that we need to do, something that every government should have done, something that no government before us had even contemplated. Here we are, once again making a commitment not just to do that but to do even better — to make sure that we have the best air and water quality and the best fisheries management, bar none.

Finally, to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada. I think that's a great thing. I have met so many people in the last four years that I've been on this road who have talked to me about not having an opportunity to get ahead, not having the money to put their kids into band practice, not having the ability to buy a truck that they need because they're working in the forest, not having bus fare. You know what, Madam Speaker? The best thing we can do to help people in poverty is provide them with the opportunity to work, to make their own money, to follow their own dreams, to make their own choices about what they want out of this life here in British Columbia. The fifth ring, the fifth goal of this government — to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada — is a noble goal. And you know what? We're already doing it, and I'm really proud of it.

I am very proud of the opportunity that I've had to be in this House. I think I've told some of my constituents this, and I've told many members of this caucus. I came to this Legislature as a neophyte. I'd never been in politics before. I'd never even run for student council, and I got into this because of some things that I believed in, things that I wanted to do. One of them was addressing the issue of people living with disabilities. I feel passionate about that. Another was to deal with the issue of crime and safety in our cities and our communities. The other was to deal with the issue of bullying, harassment, intimidation and discrimination in our school system.

I love this job now. I remember that first year I came in here. I sat in this room, and I would go back to my office. I'd have a stack of mail this high, and I just hated it. I couldn't catch up. I couldn't understand what was going on. I didn't know how to bond with my caucus colleagues. I didn't know how to make sure that a minister did exactly what I needed them to do. Boy, I've learned a lot in four years. Yes, we have bonded. I can remember thinking to myself: what is it that brings us all together besides the New Era docu-

ment? The logo? A new era for British Columbia? What is it that brought us together?

Well, it's a dream — a dream of a better tomorrow for every British Columbian, a dream that we could actually come here and do better than the other guys. We could do better. We could provide more jobs. We could provide better health care. We could provide more services to people with disabilities. We could do a better job of protecting women fleeing violence, providing the kinds of services that people actually need.

We also came here burdened with a decade of debt, a decade of despair. A province that had so many opportunities was down on its knees — dead last in economics, dead last in the level of care for seniors, dead last in services for people that have no jobs, dead last in everything you could possibly think of. Today we're first. We're first in all of these factors. I'm proud of that. I'm glad that we did it. [Applause.] I thank you for your thumping of the desks, because you know what? That's something that you did. That's something that I did. It's something we did for our country, for our province, for the people in our constituencies, and it's great.

Community safety. As is known in this House, I have been banging the desk for years about community safety. I have found a way to travel this province and talk to people in British Columbia about the issues of community safety, and I did something that a lot of people said couldn't be done. I got a couple of bills passed: the Safe Streets Act and the Trespass Amendment Act. Last week I saw on CTV some homeless people saying: "You know what? This is good for us. You know why? All those aggressive panhandlers are gone now. Now people will look at us, and if we need help, they'll help us."

I have heard from police officers that there has been a change on the streets, that people understand that it's okay to be civil to one another. Yes, there are people that are down on their luck. Yes, we should help them. But we should do it in a way that respects the dignity of both people in that transaction: the person that gives and the person that takes. Whatever it is, we have to do it with some decent manners. That's all we did with safe streets. It's a brilliant addition to the law in British Columbia.

I have also talked about the issues around bullying, harassment and intimidation. I have been travelling the province for the last three or four weeks with my beloved safe schools act, one act that will do something so important for all students in British Columbia. It will make our schools safe. How it will do that is that it will require school districts to teach kids about our Human Rights Code, to teach kids that….

L. Mayencourt: Yes, I see the clock is ticking. Yes, but I have to finish this. Just one more moment, if I may, Madam Chair.

We need to have a safe schools act to make sure that each school in every district in every part of British Columbia protects kids against discrimination, harassment and bullying from every angle. We have to do this. This is following on the great work that we did with safe, caring and orderly schools and the safe schools task force initiative. I am committed. We will pass a safe schools act. We will do it in this House, and it will make a difference for British Columbians, for kids, just as the Safe Streets Act made a difference for communities around B.C.

Hon. S. Brice: I'm proud to stand here as the member for Saanich South to address the Speech from the Throne.

Before I get into the specifics of that I, too, want to recognize our retiring members, as noted by the member for Vancouver-Burrard. On both sides of the House we have people who have served with passion, who have served with dignity, who have for various reasons chosen not to run again. I think that their contribution should be recognized at this time.

My riding stretches from the developed urban areas close to Victoria's city centre to the rural farmlands of Central Saanich and inland from the Blenkinsop Valley to the scenic Gorge waterway. Saanich South and its residents are indeed fortunate to be living in one of the best places on Earth.

When I consider our government's accomplishments over the past year — over the past four years — I think about the difference we have made to improve the lives of my constituents and, indeed, of all British Columbians.

Four years ago we had many of the same challenges in Saanich South that all British Columbians were facing as a result of a decade of mismanagement by the previous government. Under the leadership of the Premier, we responded with drive and commitment to once again make our province a great place to live, to work and to go to school.

Each and every day I see the benefits of our hard work and our success and, most significantly, the hard work of our residents. There are more and more houses being built and more and more families moving into our neighbourhoods. More students at Camosun College are accessing new programs, including the college's first bachelor degree program.

Today new businesses are investing here, and established businesses are thriving. The proof is all around us. The people of Saanich South — families, students, workers and employers — are truly benefiting from British Columbia's strong economy. Like all government MLAs, I take great satisfaction in working both for the wonderful people I have the honour of representing and for all British Columbians.

When I rose to give my response to the throne speech one year ago, I spoke of the government's commitment to health care and the real difference we're making for the health and well-being of British

Columbians. At that time, I had the honour of being the Minister of State for Mental Health and Addiction Services. The important issues of that ministry gave me a solid grounding in the work I now do as the Minister of Human Resources.

Today, as the Minister of Human Resources, I am proud to say that our government is making a real difference for British Columbians most in need, providing them with the best system of supports to live happier and healthier lives. The Premier always said that British Columbians most in need, like people with disabilities, would be among the first to benefit from a balanced budget and a strong economy, and they are. Starting this year, we raised disability assistance by $70, to $856 a month, the largest increase in the history of the province and the second-highest rate in Canada.

In addition to providing B.C.'s highest rate for assistance, we're also ensuring that persons with disabilities have a wide range of supports, including low-cost bus passes and enhanced medical coverage that includes MSP, Pharmacare, dental and optical coverage, medical supplies and transportation.

British Columbia is also leading the country in our commitment to employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. During the course of our mandate, we have invested $60 million in employment programs for persons with disabilities. We have already doubled the earnings exemption to $400 a month to encourage persons with disabilities to work as they are able. We have established a $20 million Disability Supports for Employment Fund.

This fund generates approximately $1 million in interest each year in perpetuity. That's $1 million that will go year after year directly to non-profit groups around the province so that they can make a difference in their communities — differences like the Neil Squire Foundation; the assistive technology for employment centre; Burnaby's dogs with jobs program run by the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, which provides trained dogs to help people with physical disabilities; and the Cowichan Valley's casual labour pool run by the Canadian Mental Health Association, which reconnects workers with employers.

Providing an assessment and labour pool service, this great service helps to ease people recovering from mental illness into employment, even into full-time jobs when they are ready. In partnership with agencies such as these in community after community, we're making a real difference in people's lives.

Two months ago I had the pleasure of hosting an important event with over 200 business executives called WorkAble Solutions: Taking Action on Employment for People with Disabilities. Our partnership with business means that we can continue to open more employment doors, providing more opportunities for people with disabilities who want to work. Indeed, getting all income assistance clients who are capable of working back into the workforce has been one of our biggest successes.

Today I'm proud to say that the number of people dependent on income assistance is the lowest it has been in more than 20 years. Since we came to office, there are over 100,000 British Columbians who no longer rely on income assistance, including 5,000 right here in Victoria alone. More importantly, there are 44,000 fewer children in families dependent on income assistance, including 2,400 fewer children right here in Victoria.

That means 2,400 brighter futures, 2,400 kids who don't face a future of welfare dependency and despair, children who will see their parents moving in the mainstream and feeling a part of the working community. This is the difference we've been making in people's lives since 2001. We've made this difference by investing in employment programs and putting an end to the era of welfare entitlement that flourished in the 1990s.

Right now, as I'm speaking, there are thousands of income assistance clients in communities across the province who I know are working very, very hard, with the help of our programs, to find good jobs and achieve their independence. I'd like to take a moment to share my experience while attending a recent ceremony at Camosun College for graduates of HardHats, one of our training-for-jobs programs.

HardHats is a skills training program run by GT Hiring Solutions that prepares people for work in the construction industry. I was heartened by the camaraderie among the graduates. Their instructors and fellow students had developed a close and caring relationship that ranged from serious life skills supports to even affectionate nicknames.

These students were really proud of themselves and of each other for completing the program and taking another step toward accomplishing their goals. I spoke with many of the graduates. They were each so thankful that HardHats was there to help them gain the skills they need, skills to help them build a better life and provide for their families. As one graduate stated: "Thank you. You have given me my life back."

I'm excited that our programs like HardHats are providing income assistance clients with the skills and the supports to land new jobs and break out of welfare dependency. You know, we're not content to just offer these programs. They need to show results. So far, our service providers have placed 38,000 people directly into jobs in communities across the province. [Applause.] Good for those 38,000 British Columbians. In Victoria alone we've helped 3,700 people find and keep good jobs in the past three years — good jobs as painters, landscapers and retail clerks.

What makes this happen is commitment. It happens because of a commitment by ministry staff, a commitment by our service providers and a greater commitment by our clients to succeed. There are jobs out there. Do you know that there are now close to 10,000 available jobs across British Columbia for in-

come assistance clients? Almost 1,000 of these jobs are on Vancouver Island, and over 500 of them are right here in Victoria, waiting to be matched with people whose lives will be much enriched if they can get to be a part of the workforce.

It's always nice to talk about numbers, but let me give you another example of what these numbers mean in terms of people's lives. A few weeks ago I attended a special event here in Victoria with the Premier celebrating Job Wave's milestone of placing 30,000 income assistance clients into jobs. Job Wave is another of the ministry's employment service providers, and Steven, a young man living on Vancouver Island, was No. 30,000. It was a real milestone.

Not long ago Steven was on income assistance, unemployed and depressed. The doors of opportunity were opened when his employment and assistance worker referred him to Job Wave. They were able to place him in a job at a local recycling plant. Steven told me that before he got a job, he was in a rut. But as he took to the podium next to the Premier, face full of smiles, he said: "I'm out of it now, and I'm proud of myself."

Success stories like Steven's are common, and they show us that our work is paying off. We will continue this great work of helping people find employment, because we strongly believe that a job is better than welfare.

At the same time, we've been sensitive to the needs of our most vulnerable citizens, including British Columbia's homeless, the vast majority of which suffer from mental illness and addictions. As a result of the Premier's Task Force on Homelessness, we're already taking action that is making a real difference in people's lives.

Living on the street is tough, and the cold winter weather compounds an already extremely challenging circumstance for the men and women who are homeless. This winter we were able to increase the annual budget for safe, warm emergency shelters across the province by over $5 million. Overall we've increased the capacity and budget for emergency shelter beds by 40 percent, which means we're now funding more than 860 year-round beds and nearly 400 additional beds during winter's cold, wet weather. In addition, this funding means we can keep the winter beds open a full month longer and provide money to shelters for extra clothing and blankets. There were several times over the past few months where these extra resources made a real difference.

Here in Victoria this means we now have more than 140 beds to keep people safe and warm in our neighbourhoods. That's over 100 year-round shelter beds and 40 additional beds for the cold wet-weather season. I have visited some of our emergency shelters, and I've spoken with some of our service providers like the Salvation Army. I've seen firsthand how financial support is making a real difference to B.C.'s most vulnerable citizens.

Emergency shelter is not a final solution, and I will continue to work with my colleague the Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services to provide more permanent housing with appropriate services, particularly for those suffering from mental illness and addiction. That is the goal of the Premier's task force.

My vision is a time when emergency shelters are no longer needed. In times of unexpected emergency, any British Columbian can become vulnerable. That's why B.C.'s emergency social services is one of the most valuable programs in my ministry. I know that communities across our province are proud of their local ESS volunteers, as they're referred to, because in times of disaster, ESS is there for them. That's why one of the very first things I did after becoming minister was to meet with members of the ESS team on a visit to Kelowna. These are the dedicated folks who rose to the occasion in the summer of 2003 when wildfires swept through that part of the province.

Since then, I've heard so many inspiring stories that illustrate the commitment of our emergency social service volunteers. I'm sure all of us remember the fire that destroyed Happy Valley Elementary School right here in the capital region last fall. Thankfully, all of the students and the teachers made it out of the school safely, but that didn't mean assistance wasn't required. Within 20 minutes, members of the Langford ESS team were on the scene comforting frightened young students, giving the children a pizza lunch and, more importantly, a safe place to wait for their parents.

Just last month emergency social services volunteers assisted residents evacuated from their homes due to the tragic landslide in North Vancouver and the ice jams that threatened to flood rivers near communities such as Clearwater and Barriere. One man, whose family was evacuated from their home in North Vancouver, said that the ESS volunteers were amazing. His quote: "They were always there, and they spent extra hours ensuring we had everything we needed. They were just warm and caring." It's hearing stories like these that make me so proud of the staff who run the ESS program and the 5,000 dedicated volunteers who are ready to serve their communities every day.

The success of our volunteer ESS program should be no surprise to people who know British Columbians. Volunteering is our way of life, and one of our biggest opportunities to get involved is quickly approaching. The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games won't just be a chance for our athletes and our province to shine. The games will provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 25,000 British Columbians to volunteer and showcase our province's volunteer spirit on the international stage. When I drive through my riding, I frequently pass Elk Lake. That's where, on many a day, you can see the Canadian national rowing team out on the water getting ready for gold. It's exciting.

PacificSport National Training Centre is located in my riding and, as past chair, I acknowledge their goal of supporting all athletes from playground to podium. Their mission dovetails with the commitments made in

the throne speech to have British Columbia as the fittest jurisdiction in North America.

I'm reminded that the Olympics don't just touch the province as a whole but each and every one of our communities, communities like New Westminster. That's home for champion Paralympian Daniel Wesley. I listened to Daniel speaking to the province's business executives during the WorkAble Solutions event hosted by my Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities. What I saw was a role model and a beacon of inspiration for our athletes, persons with disabilities and all British Columbians.

Much as our future Olympians are already preparing for their march to the podium, the past four years has been an important time of preparation for all of us. During this time, our government has been building a solid foundation upon which our province can really grow and ensure brighter futures for all British Columbians. Indeed, our government has led us to the threshold of British Columbia's golden decade.

For us at the Ministry of Human Resources, this means promoting the health and well-being of British Columbians most in need. As a caring and responsible government, we recognize that providing the best social safety network, with the best opportunities for jobs and the best system of support in Canada for society's most vulnerable, is a priority.

Because our government has been successful in balancing the budget, we can afford to take action that makes a real difference in people's lives — actions which ensure that shelter and support are available to all British Columbians, actions that meet the needs of people with disabilities, actions that protect the health and well-being of expectant mothers and young British Columbians and actions that ensure the best employment opportunities throughout the province.

This is the difference that four years of responsible government has made to British Columbians. This throne speech sets the tone and direction for the future, the golden decade for British Columbia.

V. Roddick: Rising in response to the throne speech as the MLA for Delta South becomes more of an honour each and every year. As the Premier said, when we do things as a province, working together in the spirit of generosity and kindness, there is nothing we can't accomplish. As I look back over the years since I was elected in 1999, I notice that I have pounded the podium on several basic issues facing my constituency for the last five years. In the words of one of my constituents: "Delta is a gateway to the province, not a doormat."

B.C. Ferries. The necessary terminal reconfiguration is really now in progress. However, we have had a large glitch to do with the parking, which should be done like our airport with an area for drop-off and pickup and ticket meters that permit you to pay when you leave instead of requiring passengers to second-guess when they might return. There should also be a responsible contract with park-and-go, such as YVR has worked out with park-and-fly.

On a positive note, there has now been a direct link opened up at the Tsawwassen ferry terminal staffed by a local woman, which hopefully will lead to better communication all around. I have been strongly encouraging constituents to apply for a position on the new board of directors, soon to be announced. It is absolutely imperative that we have local representation, as Tsawwassen terminal is the largest and most strategic in our system.

The Vancouver Port Corporation and Roberts Bank expansion. Plans for the expansion are now being drawn up, and several open houses have already been held. Environmental and agricultural impact studies are underway. However — and this is a big however — an infrastructure second to none simply must be in place to enable any of this development to progress. Delta South realizes the value of shipping to our province and to our country, but our community must not be the sacrificial lamb.

The gateway transportation program is proceeding with small community meetings that will be holding open houses later on this month. Starting from humble beginnings at the riding association level, our transportation committee joined with the Delta Chamber of Commerce. This union produced not only a first-class chamber transportation presentation but also what is known as the Hoover-Naas alternative. There are now several locally suggested initiatives in the mix. This speaks volumes for our community.

Delta's Boundary Bay Airport has negotiated an exciting new tenant — Fred Kaiser and Alpha Aviation. This partnership ties in beautifully to the sustained community economic strategy for Delta — privately financed through our chamber of commerce and to be published this month, a locally produced plan for the future of Delta.

These four issues, despite their challenges, offer us more jobs, more investment, new hope, new prosperity. This is the power of a strong economy. That is the point of responsible fiscal management. People are moving back to B.C. Families are coming home.

Delta's agricultural bylaws have been a long and arduous process, trying to harmonize our rural-urban interface. Surrey and Richmond have succeeded, and so will Delta. Where there's the will, there is a way. Litigation is not the answer.

The agricultural bylaws, which have been worked on by all and sundry for ten years, include the Saddlemyer report and recommendations of the Delta Mediation Team in 2001, and several recent presentations and meetings by the Delta Farmers Institute, assisted by Delta and ministry staff.

Hopefully, the bylaws will see the light of day this year. To quote from my throne speech response, July 26, 2001: "I ask that the ministry work together with the corporation of Delta, the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust, the Delta Farmers Institute and the greenhouse growers to understand the Right to Farm Act. Farmers have rights but must be considerate and neighbourly as they exercise these rights."

One of our goals for the golden decade ahead is to lead the world in sustainable environmental management with the best air and water quality and the best fisheries management, bar none. We have developed a provincial transportation plan and a mining plan for British Columbia. It is now time to develop an overall plan and a vision for the future of agriculture in this province. The citizens of Delta, of British Columbia, deserve no less. We still have to eat to live.

The Tsawwassen first nations. We have signed an urban agreement-in-principle and are in treaty mode. This is a laudable achievement. However, it is crucial that we develop strong lines of communications. This is an opportunity for Delta to have input and investment and to work with the first nations to ensure we all benefit. The spotlight is on all of us to find a full, fair and final settlement with the Tsawwassen first nations that will secure a prosperous future for band members within the larger community. There is no place on Earth with the diversity and wealth of first nations culture that we have in British Columbia.

Fishing is also an original pillar of Delta, along with agriculture. The provincial and federal governments need to support every aspect of it. The fishing industry must not be abandoned. Let's take politics out of the fishery problem and work at putting the fish back in the ocean and the fishermen back in their boats. That is what I said in 2000. To achieve that goal, the province has worked with Canada to commission a joint task force by appointing Dr. Pearse and Mr. McRae to hold discussions on how to establish a fishery that will support treaty agreements while respecting other fishing sector interests.

The auditor general's office has produced the Salmon Forever report. The Premier and the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries have launched an independent Pacific Salmon Forum under the chairmanship of John Fraser, the former federal Minister of Fisheries. More new major steps will be taken to improve water and fisheries management. Our water resources are the wellsprings that sustain our province and its people. They are the lifeblood of our fisheries.

Environmental issues play a hugely important role in this country. Our province, along with the wonderful backing of Canada, has saved Burns Bog. This is a commitment we made in 1999. After unbelievably difficult and intricate negotiations, we did it. This success is a first-class example of what every level of government, both those elected and those in the civil service, can achieve by working together. They took Eliza Olson's dream and made it reality.

Delta is part of the Pacific joint flyway which resulted in the formation of the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust which enables farmers and environmentalists to work together on behalf of our waterfowl. Delta South is the home of the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island and to OWL, a raptor hospital where Bev Day and her volunteers nurse eagles, hawks, owls, etc., back to health and release them into the wild.

Recently, the federal government and the province, with Delta's support, celebrated the designation of the Fraser River estuary as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network site.

Our government has established 37 new class A parks and one ecological reserve and expanded 34 existing parks and ecological reserves. It has modernized environmental protection legislation and acted to clean up contaminated sites. The habitat conservation fund is being strengthened, and while the challenge of land use planning remains, final agreements are on the horizon and drawing near.

Health care is the single biggest issue for Canadians today. For those of us in Delta, the heart of the issue is our Delta Hospital. We, as one of the multitude of B.C. communities, have worked tirelessly over the past years to maintain and enhance our health care system. Delta Hospital and its outreach infrastructure is a jewel of an example of what can be attained by all sectors working together — doctors, nurses, health professionals, community groups and the provincial Ministry of Health.

Difficult and trying negotiations have taken place over the last three years, but thanks and congratulations are in order for each and every one who took the time to commit their thoughts and, more importantly, their solutions to the mix. As a result we have a busier than ever hospital, a new emergency room is being built, and a signed agreement for a community liaison group, the Delta health care association, is in place to enable Deltans to continue to have their voice heard on the health front. We simply must listen to our communities. They are our pulse.

This renewal process has not been easy, but it has been necessary. This year health spending will consume 44 percent of all government operating expenditures, excluding interest on debt. Although there is clearly more that must be done to improve health care in British Columbia, we are a work in process. For example, the first increase in medical training seats since 1980 has occurred at UBC, UNBC in Prince George and UVic. Do you realize that 1980 is a quarter of a century ago? What does this mean? It means more doctors and more nurses. B.C.'s first-ever class of nurse practitioners will graduate this year. MRI machines in the province have increased by 75 percent, and 82 percent of all citizens overall pay the same or less than they did in 2001 for Pharmacare.

Thanks to thousands of health professionals across the province, we do have a health care system in British Columbia that is getting better and better every day. The best way to improve health outcomes is to help our citizens stay healthy. The Select Standing Committee on Health, which I chair, has produced an excellent trilogy on health in this province. Its third report, released in December '04, is entitled The Path to Health and Wellness: Making British Columbians Healthier by 2010. All of these measures will improve preventive health care and treatment for our citizens.

Education has also been a challenge because of declining enrolment provincewide. Our Delta school

board is another shining example of how it pays to look for creative solutions — "Hockey High" being only one of the many ideas that encourages families to settle in Delta.

Our government recognizes the importance of education and has invested millions and millions of new, sustainable dollars in our youth. They are our future. This is the best time to be a student in B.C. The future of any province and any family is its children.

We have expanded day care spaces eligible for funding and more children are eligible for subsidies. Early childhood development programs are being strengthened. Greater autonomy, flexibility and certainty have been given to school boards. Parents and students now have more choices, more input, more money and, more importantly, the ability to earn more money. Protecting this future, our future, are our police, firefighters and paramedics. The Solicitor General's office has been working in concert with each of these sectors to enable them to communicate and work side by side for the betterment of all.

Today 100 percent of all traffic fine revenues are being returned to B.C.'s municipalities for crime prevention and policing. New funding is available to combat violence against women and to ensure 24-7 access to safe housing. The Premier's Task Force on Homelessness will continue to tackle the challenges of addictions and mental illness in our communities. Every level of government, all citizens — including Delta — must continue to work together to break new ground and lead by example.

Our stronger economy has generated new revenues to help B.C. families. We are continuing our social and monetary investment in every aspect of the meaning of family, from newborns to seniors. We are looking ahead and planning our future so that we can offer the best in education, literacy, healthy living, physical fitness and support services for those in need.

Marijke Merrick and Jakob Skovgaard, both of Ladner, were Delta's representatives on the Citizens' Assembly chosen November 19, 2003. The final report is out. Making Every Vote Count: The Case for Electoral Reform in British Columbia is a must-read. Go for it. Every voter on May 17 will have a chance to make history in Canada.

These are just some of the many issues that make Delta South unique. That is why Delta South has had more visits by cabinet members than any other riding, the latest two being the minister of state for seniors and long-term care and the Minister of Energy and Mines. The minister of state for long-term care met with our seniors to discuss issues important to them. The Minister of Energy and Mines met with residents in Tsawwassen concerning a hydro right-of-way. Our government is concerned and connected to the communities that are the foundation of this province and this country.

I would like to thank the Delta Chamber of Commerce, which has enabled the citizens of our municipality to participate in round tables with the members of cabinet on virtually all of the subjects impacting our community today.

We are an open and accountable government. We make every effort to recognize and applaud our citizens, such as Ike Barber, a marvellous philanthropist who just recently donated another $10 million, this time to the new UBC Okanagan school of arts and sciences; Kimberley Arthur-Leung, one of the first winners of the B.C. Community Achievement Awards; Kiran Aujlay, a 2005 recipient from North Delta; students Elizabeth Kruithof, who won the 2004 Premier's excellence award, and Lauren Inrig, who won it in 2003; Bruno Marti of La Belle Auberge, the first to be inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame; the Delta Spirit of 2010 Olympic committee; and the many, many Olympians of Delta, to name just a few.

We have had our losses as well as our gains. We lost our longtime mayor and councillor Ernie Burnett; and we lost Miles Selby, a young Canadian air force pilot with the Snowbirds. They exemplify what our province and our country stand for: dedication and hard work to ensure a strong and vibrant democracy.

Opportunities abound in B.C. Speaking of opportunities, I would like to remind the House that I ran on the New Era document in 1999 and 2001. In 2001, I encouraged the core review task force to keep the best strategy in mind as we proceed through our work. I directed them: "If you discover you are riding a dead horse, dismount."

I have had the honour and the good fortune to serve our province and Delta South in a number of ways: core review task force; Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Health; the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts; the Cabinet Committee on Environment and Resource Development; Government Caucus Committee on Health; Government Caucus Committee on Economy and Government Operations; estimates leader for Agriculture; women's caucus; mining task force, which was the basis for the newly launched mining plan of B.C.

In 2002 Elizabeth Nickon of the National Post stated that if Mr. Campbell and his admirable team kept their nerve, in three to four years the B.C. miracle would astound us all. Well, it may not have been an easy mount or dismount over the past four years, and we are the first to admit it, but I am proud that we are successfully achieving our goals. I can definitely say it has been an honour to serve the constituents of Delta South for British Columbia, and I look forward to achieving successful conclusions to the many challenging issues in Delta South.

B. Suffredine: It's a pleasure to rise and speak in support of the throne speech.

I must say that I want to begin by thinking back to not that long ago. I would say that about last May, if I had asked people in the province whether they thought the economy was in good shape, most people would not have responded positively to that. They wouldn't have realized it, even though it was beginning.

In the past three and a half years British Columbians have weathered many trials and many unimagined obstacles that they never foresaw coming. Sure, there have been labour disputes. Those we see, but things like 9/11, SARS, BSE, softwood lumber carrying on for years at a time — those were things that we never thought we would face at the beginning.

After years of perseverance we've emerged stronger, and the economy has finally turned in a dramatic way. With the change in the economy, we are entering a golden decade for British Columbia. The future that we've worked so hard for is now within our grasp. B.C. is actually leading the nation in job creation. Unemployment is at its lowest level since 1981.

In December the jobless rate where I live in the Kootenays was 6.6 percent. That's the lowest rate in decades. It's almost half of what it was in 2001, when I got elected. That rate was not only the lowest in decades; it was the lowest in the province. For the benefit of the House leader for the opposition, where I live is in the interior. That's the place she described as being forgotten. It's not at all forgotten. We have the best job performance in the province. In the Kootenays our economy is growing, just as it is in every region, and business is booming. We're doing the best.

When I got elected, people were leaving the Kootenays for Alberta and for other provinces. When the census was done in the early 2000s, the population of Creston had fallen below 5,000. Today people are moving back to British Columbia, and families are coming home. In Creston the Columbia Brewing Co. has done two major expansions since I got elected. They have invested over $25 million in the town of Creston. As well, I know that local sawmills are investing in value-added equipment. That's because of a government that's living within its means and making the economy tick.

Now, we also see high-speed Internet connections spreading through the Kootenays, giving our schools and communities greater access to information and opportunities. Creston, Kaslo, Nakusp, New Denver and Salmo have already received high-speed Internet connection. Many more are on the list, and we're working on them. We've been actively encouraging Telus to continue to expand cell phone services around the riding, something that has resulted in cell phone services in many small communities that never expected it.

The stronger economy generates revenues to create sustainable new social services. It means we can begin paying down debt in a sustainable way. It lets us sustain expanded services for those that are vulnerable in our society, the people that need it the most.

We all know — we that live here — that British Columbia is the best place on Earth, but we also know we can make it better. We can make it better if we open up our minds and our hearts and we open up the province to the world. We can open new gateways of knowledge for trade and culture. We can give our children and our grandchildren a better chance to pursue their dreams and leave a brighter future, not debt, to them. To do that we have to set our sights pretty high, though.

We want British Columbia to be a leader economically, environmentally and socially. To do that we must be looking outside B.C. as well as inside. We must look to the world of global commerce, which is likely to hold our future. As Canada's gateway to Asia-Pacific, we can open that wide, and we can make our location and our gateway capacity the competitive edge that British Columbia will enjoy in North America. If we open up the ports, the airports, the roads and the rail links to new trade, investment, visitors and culture, we'll open up the province as well. We're uniquely positioned as a crossroads in the Pacific. We're ready to take the products of this province to the world. It's time to tell the world what we have to offer economically, culturally, environmentally and socially. It's time to welcome the world to British Columbia. This will move us from the recovery from the decade of decline under the NDP to a new stage of discovery, growth and opportunity.

As we move forward, though, we must set goals that guide the progress. The central goal must be to make British Columbia the best place on Earth to raise a family, live and play, work, invest and get ahead. To that end the throne speech outlines five great goals for the decade ahead. The NDP like to count them, so I'm going to count them for them.

First is to make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent. Second is to lead the way in North America to healthy living and physical fitness. Third is to build the best system of support in Canada and British Columbia for people with disabilities, special needs, children at risk and seniors. Fourth is to lead the world in sustainable environmental management with the best air quality, the best water quality and fisheries management bar none. Fifth is to create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada. That's the way we can afford to achieve the first four.

This will challenge all of us, but it's only by taking a great challenge like this and pushing ourselves that we'll ever realize this sort of potential. Experience suggests that when we've tried in the past, we can actually exceed our expectations. We won the right to host the 2010 Olympic Games as a result of setting our goals high. We focused on it, and we won it. We're going to work harder before 2010.

I say that if we work together with determination and focus, we'll not just reach these goals, we'll surpass them. That's how it's been in the past, and that's how it will be in the future. In less than four years we have re-established British Columbia as the leading economy in Canada, as a job leader, as a leader in health reform and as a leader in educational advancement. We're leading the nation in investor confidence and in small business optimism.

To demonstrate how much we can achieve when we develop a plan and set goals, let me give you some examples of some of the achievements in the last four years where I live.

There are 700 new advanced education spaces for the College of the Rockies and Selkirk College. The amalgamation of the Kootenay School of the Arts with Selkirk College ensures the Kootenay School of the Arts will remain a sustainable school now and in the future.

High-speed Internet connection continues to spread through the Kootenays, giving our schools and communities greater access to information and opportunities, and it will, this summer, give us a picture-archiving access that will make some of our health care system the safest and the quickest to respond to emergencies that exists anywhere.

We've had a number of major announcements that significantly boost the lives of my constituents in Nelson-Creston. After some hard work, I was pleased to have the B.C.–Canada infrastructure grant awarded to build a new library in Creston, a very welcome addition to that community.

It was with great pleasure that we were able to announce that a fixed link across the Arrow Lakes at Needles will finally become a reality. That's a 50-year-old broken promise from a former government who backed away from it and said: "It's too expensive. It can't be done." With the feasibility study completed, we're finally in the process of making this longstanding promise a reality.

Along with the new funding to improve safety and access along Highway 3, we're making significant investment in transportation infrastructure. It's great to see a government that's actually putting its money where its mouth is and who understands the importance of transportation to the province and to the Kootenays.

We're making major steps forward in medical services to make them more accessible to people in areas like the Kootenays. I was very pleased to be on hand at the end of last year when we opened the primary health care centres in Kaslo and New Denver. We spent about $2.5 million for those two locations, but those primary health care centres are the kinds of things that actually meet the needs of people instead of building empty hospital buildings that can't attract the doctors that communities think they want.

The Kootenay Lake Hospital has been the beneficiary of changes to health care that have resulted in savings, and one of the things that's been a reinvestment in Kootenay Lake Hospital is an $800,000 investment in the maternity ward that I have likened to a Delta hotel. It is one of the nicest places anyone could ever hope to go to that's about to have a baby.

There are 92 new residential beds and 40 assisted-living apartments being built at Nelson in a community called Mountain Lake Seniors Community. That will replace the 50-year-old Mount St. Francis Hospital with accommodation that is up to today's standards and provides the seniors of Nelson with the kind of care they truly deserve. In Creston there are a number of new independent living units being constructed, and there are also renovations carrying on to Swan Valley Lodge, which is the extended care hospital for seniors in Creston.

When we began, we set out ambitious goals to provide for our seniors. It's taking longer than we had hoped to meet those goals, and there have been changes in the way we're trying to deal with that. We have realized that seniors don't just need to go from their home to extended care; they actually need a continuum of care in between. The campus-of-care model, which actually lets seniors live in independent housing and then as their needs get greater, move to greater assistance, is the right solution. It's taken some time to come to that solution, and that's delayed the achievement of our goals, but we will indeed get to the 5,000-unit goal.

In Creston in particular, one of the interesting things that's happened is that as a result of the new facilities, one unit that's become surplus was a residential care unit called Pioneer Villa. It was never built to be residential care for seniors in British Columbia. It isn't designed for it. The bathrooms are too small; it's difficult for people with wheelchairs. It will end up as a bonus to the community. We're now working on a way that it can be made available to community members so that they can take it over and make it available, perhaps for seniors residential accommodation not with medical support, or for seniors who are mobile. There will essentially be accommodation for approximately 50 people that will be a bonus to the community, and extra capacity for independent living.

I've got much more to say, Mr. Speaker, but noting the time and wishing to preserve my place in the debate, I move adjournment of debate.

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