Hansard — Thursday, November 24, 2005 p.m.

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		2209

Statements (Standing Order 25B)		2210
	The Grey Cup
	H. Bloy
	Kla-How-Eyah Aboriginal Centre
	S. Hammell
	Plan for Surrey Memorial Hospital
	D. Hayer
	Sunshine Coast watershed management agreement
	N. Simons
	Violence against women
	V. Roddick
	Friendship centres
	D. Routley

Oral Questions		2212
	Child death reviews and report of child and youth officer
	A. Dix
	Hon. W. Oppal
	Hon. S. Hagen
	Child poverty rate in B.C.
	M. Sather
	Hon. C. Richmond
	Effectiveness of Coroners Service
	L. Krog
	Hon. J. Les
	Public release of child death reviews
	L. Krog
	Hon. J. Les
	Handling of child death reviews
	R. Austin
	Hon. J. Les
	Acute care services at Surrey Memorial Hospital
	J. Brar
	Hon. G. Abbott
	B. Ralston
	Government contracts with Maximus
	D. Cubberley
	Hon. G. Abbott
	G. Gentner

Petitions		2216
	S. Simpson
	G. Coons
	J. Yap
	R. Cantelon
	R. Sultan
	J. McIntyre

Tabling Documents		2217
	Statement of 2004–2005 Borrowings
	Guarantees and indemnities authorized and issued report, fiscal year ended March 31, 2005
	Environmental Appeal Board, annual report, 2004-2005
	Report of the Crown Proceeding Act, fiscal year ended March 31, 2005

Motions without Notice		2217
	Powers and role of Health Committee
	Hon. M. de Jong
	Powers and role of Education Committee
	Hon. M. de Jong

Reports from Committees		2218
	Special Committee to Appoint an Information and Privacy Commissioner
	J. Rustad

Throne Speech Debate (continued)		2218
	Hon. M. de Jong
	M. Farnworth

Introduction and First Reading of Bills		2219
	Supply Act, 2005-2006 (Bill 18)
	Hon. C. Taylor

Second Reading of Bills		2220
	Supply Act, 2005-2006 (Bill 18)
	Hon. C. Taylor

Committee of the Whole House		2220
	Supply Act, 2005-2006 (Bill 18)

Report and Third Reading of Bills		2220
	Supply Act, 2005-2006 (Bill 18)

Royal Assent to Bills		2221
	Revenue Statutes Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 2)
	Budget Measures Implementation Act (No. 2), 2005 (Bill 3)
	Northern Development Initiative Trust Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 6)
	North Island–Coast Development Initiative Trust Act (Bill 7)
	Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust Act (Bill 8)
	Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 9)
	Forests and Range Statutes Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 10)
	Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 11)
	Civil Forfeiture Act (Bill 13)
	Electoral Boundaries Commission Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 14)
	Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2005 (Bill 15)
	Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2005 (Bill 16)
	Legislative Assembly Statutes Amendment Act, 2005 Repeal Act (Bill 19)
	World Trade University Canada Establishment Act (Bill Pr401)
	Supply Act, 2005-2006 (Bill 18)

Hon. S. Hagen: It's indeed a pleasure for me to introduce to the House two friends who have travelled all the way from Sooke to join me for lunch today and participate in the House and watch the business of the House at work. The gentleman who I am going to introduce is here because there have been some questions about my ability as a fisherman. He is here to back up all of my claims that I've ever made through most of my life as being a very, very good fisherman. It's a pleasure to introduce Mike and Kathy Hicks from Sooke. Please welcome them.

N. Simons: I'm very pleased to introduce today three guests who've come from Powell River to watch the proceedings in the House. They are my friends Jim Fidler, Ted Rodonets and his wife Jan. I just want to point out that Ted is newly elected to the council of Powell River. I'd like the House to please make them welcome.

Hon. J. van Dongen: Today in the gallery I would like to acknowledge the Consul General for the Philippines, Minerva Falcon, who has begun her term representing the Philippines in Vancouver. She brings a wealth of experience to this posting, having worked on many different postings and projects on behalf of the Philippine government. She is in Victoria today visiting with a number of government officials. I ask the House to join me and please make her feel very welcome.

D. Routley: Joining us in the House today are the youth council of the House of Friendship native centre from Duncan. The Hiiye'yu Lelum Youth Council is made up of Albie Charlie, a person who I respect very much; Alana Lukenbill-Williams; Netty Antoine, the treasurer; Veronica Smith, secretary; Randiana Jack, councillor; Eyvette Peter, Jr., secretary; Nathan Parnell, youth member; and Sabrina Williams, youth counsel; as well as my CA Debra Toporowski; and one of their coordinators, Debbie Williams. I would please like the House to make them very welcome.

Hon. C. Hansen: Actually, Mr. Speaker, that was a nice segue to the introduction that I'm going to make. When I became the Minister of Economic Development last June, I was approached by the Minister of Small Business and Revenue and, also, the current Solicitor General to point out that in this newly named Ministry of Economic Development there were some fabulous employees that had served those other two ministers very well in their previous responsibilities.

One of those employees who serves this province so well is here today. Her name is Iris Gilchrist. She has been awarded a Queen's medal for public service, she has been nominated for the Premier's excellence award for innovation, and she serves currently as the director of the infrastructure development branch in the Ministry of Economic Development — that is, until tomorrow afternoon, when she is going to be retiring after 31 years.

She has spent a career of serving cabinet ministers in the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s and now in the 21st century. Mr. Speaker, after this career of feeding cabinet ministers with critical information that they need to do their job, she is going on to a new career, and that is to run a small business — a gourmet dog-cookie business called Dog Cookies by Iris. I hope the House will join me in acknowledging her tremendous service to this province and wishing her the very best in this new career in care and feeding. Thank you very much, Iris.

Before I sit down, I want to acknowledge her partner here, Jim Sproul. It is Jim's birthday today, and I think that this new transition in Iris's life is probably a great birthday present for Jim. So happy birthday to Jim.

G. Coons: I have the honour and privilege of introducing three dear people in the House today. The first is Pat Wilson, who is formerly from Prince Rupert, an ex-teacher. As I mentioned yesterday, she was involved with the initial formation of the Prince Rupert transition house society.

Also in the House is my daughter Breton Coons, a graduate from the University of Victoria this past year. She's working at WCG International. Also in the House is the mother of my daughter, an ESL teacher. We've been happily married for close to 25 years. I'm pleased to introduce Lois Elliot. Please make them welcome.

Hon. B. Penner: It's my pleasure to welcome to the House Tony Toth, the executive director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation. I ask the House to please make him welcome.

B. Ralston: I would like to introduce in the gallery today a number of veterinarians and prospective veterinarians who are here to raise awareness of their concerns with the British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association, in particular its admissions policy and its language proficiency test. They are Dr. Hakam Bhullar, Dr. Tejpal Bhatia, Dr. Pavittar Bajwa, Dr. Baljit Mrar and Dr. Jogpreet Jagpal. Would the House please make them welcome.

V. Roddick: In the gallery today is Dylan Littlewood, a new LA who was dropped in at the deep end,

B. Simpson: I would like to recognize two very important people who are joining us in the gallery today — two of our caucus staff members: Norah White, a research officer; and Mike Hanson, one of our communications officers. The folks in here will appreciate the fact that they have the very difficult task of trying to make me look smart both in here and in the press, so you can give them your thanks.

J. McIntyre: I just want to add my note of welcome to the gentleman that the Minister of Environment introduced, Tony Toth. I worked with him for many, many years in the business world, and he's a constituent of mine, so I just wanted to add my welcome as well.

Hon. G. Abbott: It's my pleasure to welcome to the Legislature today Mr. Dieter Saxer. He's the president of the Dispensing Opticians Association of B.C. I'd like to ask the House to please make him welcome.

L. Mayencourt: We are joined in the gallery today by Grace Rempel. Grace has come to the Legislature to talk about anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction to many common items in our lives. Life-threatening allergies affect about 2 percent of our population, particularly small children. An anaphylactic shock can be quite fatal within minutes, so it's very important, as Grace has told me, for all of us to become educated about the triggers that might cause anaphylactic shock and some of the precautions that we can take to make sure our children are well looked after. Would the House please make Grace Rempel welcome.

Mr. Speaker: Donna Massé, who's just strolling there, is retiring today after 14 years here in the Legislature.

With that round of applause, I wonder whether there was more than water in those glasses.

H. Bloy: This weekend all of Canada will focus on Vancouver for the 93rd Grey Cup. While this game crowns the Canadian Football League champion, it is, more importantly, an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate our proud culture through this unique event. Donated by our country's fourth Governor General, Lord Albert Grey, and surviving the test of time, it has been held every year since 1909, except for a hiatus during both world wars.

Year in and year out, Canadians gather at homes of friends and in bars to root on their favourite team. It is the country's most-watched annual televised event. The CFL is calling this year's Grey Cup "the party on the Pacific." This event will pump an estimated $40 million into the economy of British Columbia. While our B.C. Lions just came up a little short last week — and I'll have to listen to my neighbour, Glen Ringdal, who was the last president of the B.C. Lions to win the Grey Cup — I am sure the match between the Edmonton Eskimos and their rivals from the east, the Montreal Alouettes, promises to be a true classic.

I want to congratulate all those involved in organizing this year's festivities and to thank all the volunteers who will host over 25,000 visitors from across our great land. It is often said that universal health care is what differentiates us from our neighbours to the south. I say it's three-down football.

S. Hammell: I want to describe a magical place in the north of Surrey where a lot of little people visit. The name of this place means "how are you" in Chinook. Those of us who are old enough or wise enough in the ways of the first nations people know that Chinook was a common trading language of the first nations of the west coast. After contact the language expanded to include some English words, and "Kla-how-eyah" is a Chinook word for "welcome" or "how are ya?" Kla-How-Eyah Aboriginal Centre is a place where I was welcomed and stayed during my recent absence from this House.

In Surrey we have the third-largest urban population of aboriginal people in the province. Vancouver, Prince George and Surrey are the top three, but Surrey has the largest number of urban aboriginal children in the province, and Kla-How-Eyah Aboriginal Centre is their community centre.

It is magical when you watch the moms with their preschool kids learning songs that combine their culture, drums, words and dancing with the rhythms and rhymes of the world they live in. Kla-How-Eyah is a sanctuary where moms can tune up their parenting skills in a supportive environment, with supports from the community.

There is a homework club for the elementary school kids and a high school program trying to pull kids back from the streets and assist them in gaining skills they must have to make their way safely in the world around them. There's an employment centre, a culinary arts program and a warehouse training program.

Forty percent of the aboriginal children in our province live below the poverty line, which means their parents are poor. Kla-How-Eyah Aboriginal Centre is a place for them.

D. Hayer: In a matter of hours we will wrap up another session in this House, but our work as MLAs

doesn't end there. Our members, as in the past, will continue to work hard to improve our Surrey Memorial Hospital.

The Ministry of Health is now reviewing the special report from the Fraser Health Authority. I would like to see issues such as expansion of emergency, an increase in the number of beds, more staff and a walk-in medical clinic for our Surrey Memorial Hospital addressed.

After the detailed report review, a decision will be made, and the work will start. This government is going to act quickly. In fact, in the Minister of Health's own words: "We will act on the recommendations in the report by the end of the year." That is quick.

What we will do at Surrey Memorial Hospital is not an arbitrary decision. We have consulted with doctors, staff, volunteers and our community, and I have personally met with almost all stakeholders for the improvements of care at our Surrey Memorial Hospital. We will act on their input. We will improve the hospital based on what the community needs. I am confident that our government will commit the necessary resources to do this. We will act on the plan within a few weeks.

I'm proud to say this work will follow on the heels of the already allocated $28 million that is now being used to expand the ER, to open new beds and to hire additional staff. I am confident that all of our constituents will be happy with our final plan for Surrey Memorial Hospital.

N. Simons: I rise today to inform the House of an historic agreement that was recently signed between the Sunshine Coast regional district and the Sechelt nation. This agreement is called the joint watershed management agreement and calls for exactly that: local control over the management of one of the Sunshine Coast's main sources of drinking water, the Chapman and Gray Creek watersheds, which for many years have been threatened by a succession of industrial activities.

The initiatives embodied in this agreement include the sharing of responsibility over decision-making with regard to activities that take place within the watershed. It calls for the sharing of responsibility over the precious resource that sustains our communities — our water. Chief Stan Dixon and councillors, along with regional district chair Ed Steeves and his directors, welcomed elders, community members and local politicians who were gathered in the Sechelt longhouse to witness the signing of the agreement that reflects the community's expressed will to protect the watershed from industrial activity.

On the Sunshine Coast the opportunity exists for competing interests to gather together and to find solutions to resource management issues. The values that promote sustainability are the same values that promote community partnerships and are those that led to this historic agreement. I look forward to working cooperatively with all the stakeholders and to ensure that the will of the community is expressed in policy, regulation and legislation.

V. Roddick: In December 1999 the General Assembly of the United Nations designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Statistics tell us that women are much more likely than men to be victims of severe spousal assault, spousal homicide and sexual assault. The stats are grim, but we must not hide from the facts, and that's why I call your attention to them today.

Violence knows no social or economic boundaries and doesn't distinguish between ethnicities or cultures. Everyone — governments, organizations, individuals — has an obligation to work towards changing attitudes and behaviours about violence so we can eliminate its causes. Locally, this will take ongoing commitment and determination by NGOs such as the Minerva Foundation as well as government help supplied through transition houses, employment training and other targeted support such as the bridging employment program.

Today let us pause to reaffirm our commitment to protect our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our spouses, our friends.

D. Routley: I'd like to speak to the chamber today about our friendship centres in British Columbia. All of us are aware of the plight of our first nations neighbours. We witness with encouragement their efforts to reclaim their cultural heritage. The plight of our urban aboriginal population is particularly acute, separated from the services and the connection to culture that their own communities offer. Their representation in our homeless counts is much greater than the representation in our population: 34 percent in the Vancouver count compared to less than 3 percent for our British Columbia population.

The role of our friendship centres in building confidence and self-worth in aboriginal peoples is very important and crucial to their success, especially when disconnected from their communities. The capacity-building and practical services offered by friendship centres are crucial to that success. The outreach that they make is important to all of us to allow us to appreciate the difficulties that they face. But our friendship centres face a funding dilemma each year as they try to renew themselves, and currently they face that crisis. I'd ask all our members to support them.

I want to praise the members and the staff of our friendship centres. I want to thank them in their own language by saying hi sa' ap ca.

A. Dix: Yesterday in this House the Attorney General tabled the annual report of the child and youth officer. Today, in responding to reporters' questions, asked why she has been silent the whole time while hundreds of child death reviews were forgotten by the government, the child and youth officer said: "Well, I think there are more important things for me to talk about, frankly." Does the Attorney General share his child and youth officer's view that 713 families whose children's death reports were dumped in a warehouse are a low priority?

Hon. W. Oppal: Obviously, the deaths are not of a low priority, but I would remind the hon. member that the child and youth officer filed her report under the provisions of the Office for Children and Youth Act. That report is the report of an independent officer, and she sets out the goals and objectives for the year 2004-2005 in that report. She has complied with the requirements of the act. The annual report does that, and it sets out the concise goals and the objectives of the office. The report does exactly that.

A. Dix: Well, I'm pleased that the Attorney General's standard in the area of child protection is the minimum required under the law. The child and youth officer has admitted in correspondence to the opposition that during her tenure she has never requested permission to do a child death review, nor has the Attorney General or his predecessor ever requested one of her. How can the Attorney General have any faith that children's deaths are taken seriously when 713 files were warehoused, 546 more have yet to be investigated, and the child and youth officer never once raised any concerns?

Hon. W. Oppal: I don't know why this is such a…. I don't understand how the member can criticize the child and youth officer for not alluding in her annual report to the investigations that are ongoing. This is a report for the year 2004-2005. Obviously, she can't report anything that's ongoing. The investigations are still ongoing. It makes a lot of sense that there would be nothing in that report when the investigations are ongoing.

As the member well knows, there are other ongoing investigations at this time. The committee that the member is on as well as the Hughes investigation. All of those are ongoing reports. It's hardly surprising that none of that would be contained in her report at this time.

A. Dix: I concede that since the Attorney General has done nothing, the Solicitor General has done nothing, and the Minister of Children and Families has done nothing, it would be impossible for any of them to report on any activities they've done. The child and youth officer, as well, has done nothing about this issue year after year.

The one thing the child and youth officer did acknowledge in her press conference today, though, was that budget cuts are to blame for the mess that has willfully been created in the Ministry of Children and Family Development. All of the experts in children's policy, all of them, told this government this when the cuts were implemented and announced.

Does the Minister of Children and Family Development, considering the news today that child poverty rates in British Columbia are the highest of any province, also now acknowledge that it was his own government's deep cuts to the ministry that have resulted in this crisis in child protection and this crisis in child poverty?

Hon. S. Hagen: I think it's very, very unfortunate that the member is attacking the child and youth officer and the integrity of her office. What's disturbing about this, Mr. Speaker, is that the child and youth officer has actually asked that member to work with her on one of the reviews. I don't understand how that member can even participate in that process with the way he's attacking the child and youth officer.

With regard to the budget, we have a budget lift in the next three years that we are confident will allow the social workers in the ministry to do their job, to do it properly, to do it professionally, and I will depend on them to do that.

M. Sather: Over the last several months, this government's terrible neglect of the child protection system has been exposed. Now today we learn that British Columbia has the worst child poverty rate in Canada — 24 percent. One in every four of our children is living in poverty. While the child poverty rate has gone down in the rest of Canada, it has gone up in each of the last three years in our province.

My question is to the Minister of Children and Family Development. Given these shameful numbers, what is the minister responsible for the well-being of children in this province doing to address this horrible record with regard to child poverty?

Hon. C. Richmond: I wish to assure every British Columbian that we take any and every report on child poverty very seriously. However, I hasten to add that this report is out of date. It is two years old. The study was done in 2003, and since 2003 British Columbia has come a long way. We've done some marvellous things over the last two or three years.

For example, we have 250,000 more people in jobs than were in jobs when we took over this province —

over a quarter of a million jobs since the end of the dismal decade, to quote the member for Cariboo North. We also have the lowest unemployment rate in decades. In my hometown of Kamloops, in fact, the unemployment rate is 4.8 percent. A trivia question: does anyone here know what it was in April of 2001? It was 14.1 percent.

M. Sather: Yes, I do, hon. Speaker. Children in this province have been the primary victims of this government's budget-cutting agenda. The Premier said that his government would make children number one. Unfortunately, the only way that children are being number one under this government is under budget-cutting.

Given these child poverty numbers that have gone up every year under this government, I'd like to ask the minister: which of this government's policies is most responsible for these shameful numbers?

Hon. C. Richmond: We don't feel there's any better way of helping children than to make sure that their parents have a chance to be employed without leaving this province. Further, we have eliminated the provincial income taxes for about 730,000 British Columbians. Anyone earning $16,000 a year or less will now pay zero income tax. A family of four making $30,000 a year will have a tax reduction of nearly $1,300 a year. I don't think there's a better way of helping children than allowing their parents to leave more money in their pockets.

L. Krog: The Committee for Competent Death Review in B.C., a group of current and past community coroners and medical investigators, is raising concerns about the effectiveness of the Coroners Service under this government. In a letter to the Solicitor General, the committee states: "Community coroners are no longer able to speak openly and clearly for the dead and do not report accurately and in a timely manner to the citizens of British Columbia."

Will the Solicitor General admit that this government's short-sighted budget cuts have rendered the Coroners Service dysfunctional, to the detriment of all British Columbians and particularly to children at risk?

Hon. J. Les: We are fortunate in British Columbia in that we have a very professional Coroners Service that investigates all of the deaths that are required to be investigated by it. As well, it contains a child death review unit that has been hard at work since January of 2003. It has already completed 546 files and will be reporting out on them early in the new year. I find it tragic, frankly, that the member opposite continues to smear the reputations of those who serve British Columbians so well.

L. Krog: On Wednesday in question period the Solicitor General said that the 546 reviews in the hands of the coroner's service "will be reported on publicly." This morning the chief coroner's office released a statement saying that these 546 reviews will not — I repeat, will not — be made public. These statements are entirely contradictory. Which is accurate?

Hon. J. Les: First of all, let me say that the former Children's Commission did not report on individual cases in a public way either. But I will comment from an information bulletin from the coroner's office, the child death review office:

R. Austin: On Tuesday the Solicitor General promised Brandon Seymour's family that their child's death would be reviewed and the results made public. Now the coroner is saying that won't happen. Can the minister tell us what steps he's taking to ensure that the promise he made to Brandon's family is kept?

Hon. J. Les: I have just outlined the reporting process that the coroner will be embarking on early in the new year.

R. Austin: Day after day, families are coming forward to share the stories of how their children were forgotten under this government's watch. The Solicitor General stood in this House yesterday and said: "Nothing is falling through the cracks."

Will the Solicitor General stand in this House today and address the families of Brandon Seymour, Cody Fontaine and the families of the 713 forgotten children and tell them that their children have not fallen through the cracks under this government's watch?

Hon. J. Les: Day after day in this House we have the unfortunate spectacle of members opposite raising

cases that in some cases were not at all factual or, in fact, were simply drive-by allegations. We had the member for Nanaimo yesterday, for example, bringing forward a case that is under active police investigation. Either that member didn't know that and hadn't done his homework, or he was just shamefully fearmongering. I find that absolutely atrocious.

J. Brar: Many members of this House will remember Baljit Bains, a Surrey man who died at Surrey Memorial Hospital last February. The coroner's report on the death of Mr. Bains has now been released, and it contains an important lesson. The report says: "As there was no intensive care bed, Mr. Bains was cared for in the emergency department. The staff made ongoing inquiry via Bedline to find Mr. Bains an ICU bed for the next two days without any success."

My question to the Minister of Health: will this government now admit that it made a mistake when it cut acute care beds, leaving Surrey Memorial Hospital with growing demands and fewer resources?

Hon. G. Abbott: I thank the member for raising the case of Mr. Bains. Obviously, our sympathies go out to the Bains family. We know that this has been a very difficult period for them.

There were a number of issues that were involved around the demise of Mr. Bains. I would suggest that for anyone who wishes to be informed of that and wishes to form an informed judgment around all of those factors, the coroner's report has been completed and, I believe, released. That provides a full picture of the elements that entered into the death of Mr. Bains.

In terms of learning from the inquest report, I understand that Fraser Health has reviewed it and that they have made some changes in response to the recommendations. I think we can move forward from there.

J. Brar: I have read the report by the coroner. I understand the issues that the minister is indicating, but I want to point out one thing very clearly. In the conclusion of the report, the report indicates that if Mr. Bains would have stayed in the emergency room longer, the chances of his survival were much more in that situation. The report clearly indicates that.

I have spoken to Mr. Bains's family — his wife, his kids — yesterday. They are suffering, and they want assurance from this government that the lack of acute care beds will not result in the loss of any other family members. The cuts to acute care beds in the region have reached unacceptable levels: Surrey, 11 percent; Langley, 17 percent; White Rock, 20 percent; Delta, an outrageous 47-percent cut by 2004.

Again to the Minister of Health: can the minister commit today that these cuts to acute care beds will be fully restored in Surrey, as well as in the province, as quickly as possible?

Hon. G. Abbott: It's unfortunate that the member didn't attend more of what I think was a very useful and informative Health estimates process that we went through. We discussed a lot of these issues. In fact, that when you look at the resources that are invested in our health care system in British Columbia, we have gone from $8.3 billion invested annually in this province in 2001 to, today, $11.75 billion invested annually in health care in British Columbia.

Acute care beds are one way of measuring the success of the system, but we have made tremendous investments and innovations elsewhere in the system that are very important. In terms of Surrey Memorial Hospital, we are well aware, after a decade of neglect in the 1990s where literally no investments were made on the capital side in hospitals, we are now making….

Hon. G. Abbott: We are making a very, very substantial investment in the years ahead in capital improvements, and I'm sure the member will be delighted to know that Surrey Memorial is at the top of our list.

B. Ralston: The minister may not think that a measure of success in providing health care is the number of acute care beds per capita, but Surrey has the lowest number of acute care beds per capita of any major city in the country. I think that's shameful.

Baljit Bains is just one more victim of this government's policy short-sightedness. In a much balleyhooed news conference in the third week of the campaign, the Premier committed to fast-track a report into the problems at Surrey Memorial. The public officials concerned have done their work. The report has been on the minister's desk now for a number of weeks.

Will the minister commit to releasing the report so that the public can participate in considering the options as well as simply his ministry officials?

Hon. G. Abbott: I think Fraser Health Authority, actually, has done an excellent job in terms of the planning and consultation that has preceded the draft report, which is, as the member notes, under consideration currently — a technical review by the ministry. I expect the final report will be released very soon. Again, if the member had been engaged at all in debates during this section, he would know….

Mr. Speaker: Minister, you don't refer to other people who are in or out of the House, please, in your statements.

Hon. G. Abbott: We discussed in Health estimates debate the timing around the release of that report. I

suggested that by the end of November, that report would be publicly available, and I fully expect that to be the case. Further, I think Fraser Health has done a great job and that when people see this report, they will be very, very pleased.

This will take a hospital that was built for a city with a population at that time of, I think, about 50,000 — and now many, many times bigger than that and growing annually at a very rapid rate…. Surrey Memorial cries out for remediation, and our government is going to step up to the plate and deliver it.

B. Ralston: Usually, the minister refers to the '90s and disparages it, but he can't do that in this case. In the 1990s at Surrey Memorial, a cancer clinic was opened and a $62 million tower was completed. Seismic upgrading was completed, a special care nursery was completed, and a renal dialysis unit was completed — to name but a few of the additions to Surrey Memorial completed during that decade.

Since 2001 very little has been done. Will the minister commit today to release to give a specific date when the report will be released so that the public, as well as his officials, can participate in this important public issue?

Hon. G. Abbott: The member is incorrect. Actually, our government has allocated $28 million for expansion of the emergency room, something that's going to be opening in a week or two. Expansion of staff, expansion of resources — all of those are a very important part of making Surrey Memorial Hospital a more viable institution. But clearly, a major capital project needs to be undertaken there, and the Fraser Health Authority has done a great job in the planning of it.

I'm certainly looking forward to the release of that report by the end of November, but one of the things we will not do is the traditional NDP approach to planning, which is fire, aim, ready. That's the typical way they like to do things. It is not our way, and we will do it right.

D. Cubberley: The Minister of Health said it was just teething pains, and he asked British Columbians to be patient. But it has been seven months now of Circus Maximus, service minimus. Maximus has failed to meet its service targets in every month it has operated the MSP and Pharmacare contracts — every month.

Just a few months back, Maximus was so desperate it hired more staff to try to meet those targets and avoid the fines. Well, the fines continued. The profits for Maximus have faltered, and now we have learned that those same staff will be fired in order to protect the bottom line.

Can the minister tell the House what he plans to do now that it's clear to everyone that Maximus has no commitment to providing service to British Columbians?

Hon. G. Abbott: It's deeply interesting, if ironic, to hear the health critic expressing remorse over the bottom line of Maximus. It's a good thing, I guess, for us to expand our understanding of where they're going on this. In fact….

Hon. G. Abbott: When the NDP had that decade to improve the Health Insurance B.C. line — the best that people could ever expect during that period — their response really was to either shut down the line for a day or just allow the busy signal to be carried on.

Because I know the NDP recall this era as a kind of nirvana that never really existed, I want to quote briefly here from a letter to the Province. This is from Lorraine Swail, October 26, 1998. "For about two weeks I have been trying to call the government office of the B.C. Medical Services Plan…. Two or three times each day I would try the number — no success. Busy, busy, busy. Then, one morning, I called right at 9 a.m., thinking my odds would be better" of getting through.

D. Cubberley: The minister's nostalgia for his time in opposition in the '90s is renowned. Please be assured we're going to do everything we can on this side to help him get back to opposition. But for the time being he is the Minister of Health, and quality of service for British Columbians is his responsibility today. This government has had five years now to fix a problem it believes it has. It still has that same problem today.

It's incredible to me that the minister continues to defend a discredited contract. It has been nothing but an exercise in public frustration for everyone from the outset. It's hard to believe that he continues to shield the company from public scrutiny and make excuses for its failings.

Maximus still can't meet its service targets with the staffing they have in place. Incredibly, they're going to cut it. So how can they cut? How can they fire staff and cut resources further? Will the minister finally stop

Hon. G. Abbott: I know probably many listeners at home were waiting anxiously for the conclusion of the letter from Ms. Swail. It goes: "Ring, ring, ring — then another automated response. 'We are not responding to personal inquiries today. We are using this time to catch up on a backlog of paperwork. Please call again.'" Classic NDP management of a function.

What we are seeing from Maximus is month-over-month improvement. The telephone turnaround times are now well below what is required in the contract. We believe that by the end of this month, they're going to be below the turnaround time for paper. For the first time in 20 years, we've got success. What are they complaining about?

Interestingly, when Maximus took on extra staff to reduce the backlog, the BCG actually okayed that particular provision. There was no complaint when they took on the extra staff. Now when, as they said from the start, they're being released…

Hon. G. Abbott: …somehow they have a concern. Apparently, this is the kind of doubletalk we have to live with.

G. Gentner: The minister gives the impression that this is all sort of funny. Maybe he's spending too much time watching old Dr. Kildare reruns. I don't know where he's coming from, frankly.

Even the Minister of Energy and Mines has been upfront about the quarter-million dollars in fines levied against Hydro's private partner, Accenture. The minister there came forward — a quarter-million dollars in fines — but the Minister of Health is not doing the same. It looks like the minister is protecting the interests of Maximus first and his government second, and British Columbians are left on their own.

When we embarked on this journey with Circus Maximus, it was the minister's assurances that service would improve and be better than before. Now we know that that's not the case. So will the minister put an end now to his failing experiment and terminate the contract with Maximus?

Hon. G. Abbott: Actually, when I experience this kind of questioning from the opposition, I tend to think rather of Perry Mason rather than Dr. Kildare. But it's good.

Now, let me note again, because obviously the member missed it on the last go-round. The performance in terms of meeting the service level requirements set out in the contract have been improving month over month, continuously over the past four months. On turnaround times for telephone, they have actually met that for the past two months, and we expect that they are going to meet the turnaround time for paper-based transactions as well by the end of November.

We are at last experiencing success, yet somehow…. Why is it that the NDP don't like that? Well, I'll tell you why. It's because it runs against their ideology. It runs against the fact that they have this structural affiliation with organized labour in this province. I do hope they'll move from overt to covert ownership in the months ahead.

S. Simpson: On behalf of the 17,000 signatories to this petition, I'm happy to present it on their behalf asking the Legislature to save B.C. Parks from ongoing privatization activities and industrial development initiatives.

G. Coons: I have a petition to present concerning the B.C. commercial fishing industry and their campaign to restore fairness to the EI system. The key issue is a report by a federal subcommittee of employment insurance containing 28 recommendations to restore confidence and integrity to the EI program. This report needs to be acted upon immediately, and the petitioners, over 1,500 of them from my community, are urging the B.C. government to work with the federal government to allow immediate access to employment insurance for all those in the B.C. commercial fishing industry who failed to qualify this last season due to reasons beyond their control.

J. Yap: I have here a petition from Richmond residents to include certain medications for Alzheimer disease on the provincial drug formulary.

R. Cantelon: I have a petition from the Southern Vancouver Island Family Child Care Association. They present a petition of 300 names regarding the space equipment policy for licensed family group child care. Their concerns are the requirements that playground equipment is held to and their petition addresses VIHA's policy.

R. Sultan: I'm honoured to present a petition signed by 1,451 women, primarily on the North Shore but throughout British Columbia, requesting that the government give sympathetic consideration to increasing the grants to women's centres, particularly in the area of violence against women and children.

J. McIntyre: I'm going to have to dress differently, I think, to get recognized.

I'm presenting two petitions today, both actually from the Squamish area of my riding. One, there are about 25 signatures on gas prices, and the other is about 150 signatures on environmental protection of the lower Cheakamus watershed.

B. Simpson: With leave of the House, I'd like to read a statement since this is our final session.

Hon. C. Taylor: Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, I'm pleased to present reports for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, on all amounts borrowed by government and all amounts loaned to government bodies. These reports provide an overview of the province's borrowing activity in fiscal 2004-2005.

I respectfully present the guarantees and indemnities authorized and issued report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, section 72(8).

Hon. B. Penner: I have the honour to present the Environmental Appeal Board annual report for the 2004-2005 fiscal year.

Hon. W. Oppal: I have the honour to present the report of the Crown Proceeding Act for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2005. The report is filed in accordance with section 15(2) of that act.

Hon. M. de Jong: By leave, I'm going to make a couple of motions respecting select standing committees.

Hon. M. de Jong: The first one is the Select Standing Committee on Health. By leave, I move that that committee be empowered to examine, inquire and make recommendations with respect to finding effective strategies to change behaviour and encourage children and youth to adopt lifelong health habits that will improve their health and curb the growing rate of obesity to achieve the great goal of leading the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness.

The committee is provided with the usual set of powers to undertake consultations and conduct its work and is being asked, by virtue of this motion, to report to the House no later than November 30, 2007.

Hon. M. de Jong: The second motion that I have, Mr. Speaker, is: let's stand the motion down. I want to check the date. There's no point in us doing this if there's a statutory requirement around the date. So I want to check with the Clerk on the date — the year in particular — if I might just have a moment.

So with leave, let me amend the motion I made earlier with respect to the Health Committee and have it read as November 30, 2006.

Hon. M. de Jong: And then I move, with respect to the Select Standing Committee on Education, that it be

empowered to examine, inquire and make recommendations with respect to finding effective strategies to address the specific challenge of adult literacy and, in particular, to conduct consultations to consider successful strategies from other jurisdictions on the promotion of adult literacy and to consider specific strategies to improve literacy rates among aboriginal people, English-as-a-second-language adults, and seniors.

Again, the committee is provided with the usual range of powers to conduct its inquiries and do its work. Again, it is asked to report back to the House not later than November 30, 2006.

J. Rustad: I have the honour to present the report from the Special Committee to Appoint an Information and Privacy Commissioner. I move the report be taken as read and received.

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

Our committee was given a mandate to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an Information and Privacy Commissioner pursuant to section 37(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

As members know, the House recently provided us with the authority, through an amendment to the act, to consider the reappointment of the incumbent commissioner, David Loukidelis. In our deliberations, members of the committee considered it appropriate to interview Mr. Loukidelis before deciding whether or not to undertake an open competition.

As a result of that interview and our review of his first term as commissioner, it was obvious to us that a further search was unlikely to result in finding a more qualified applicant. We are impressed with his commitment, his expertise and his professionalism. I would like to commend Mr. Loukidelis on his excellent performance to date as the Information and Privacy Commissioner. We are pleased to recommend that the province continue to benefit from his guardianship of our access to information and privacy rights.

J. Rustad: I ask leave of the House to permit the moving of a motion requesting the Lieutenant-Governor to appoint Mr. David Loukidelis as the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the province of British Columbia.

J. Rustad: By leave, I move that the House recommend to Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor the appointment of Mr. David Loukidelis as a statutory officer of the Legislature, to exercise the powers and duties assigned to the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the province of British Columbia pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 165.

Hon. M. de Jong: For members, the first order of business today is a bit unusual in terms of what usually happens here, but I call throne speech debate. It is parliamentary practice that the chamber bring that debate to a close, and in so doing, I would make these very brief comments.

Hon. M. de Jong: It seems much longer, at times, than the two and a half months ago that we heard the Speech from the Throne. Among the myriad of other issues and debates that have taken place, it might be appropriate to ponder now not just the content of those debates but the manner in which those debates took place and the changes that have taken place in this in-

stitution and this chamber about the manner and procedures that have governed those debates.

While some of the details will undoubtedly fade from our minds — and in some cases have already faded from the minds of people that review or witness these debates — one thing that will, I hope, have a lasting impact are those changes and the temperance and civility that have by and large guided what has taken place and the work that members on both sides of the chamber have undertaken both as caucuses and — sometimes more challengingly, but perhaps more importantly — with one another, all for the common cause of serving the citizens that elect us to be here.

There will be a perception, of course, as we leave this place that we go to relax. Members will all know that the work is different, but the work continues.

In thanking Her Majesty and the Lieutenant-Governor for the Speech from the Throne and bringing that debate to a close, I would also like to thank members for their dedicated efforts to the change that has been brought here. I hope, and I believe this is so, to seek their commitment to continuing that work to find ways that we can make this institution work better and reconfirm its relevance to the lives of British Columbians.

I believe that my friend the Opposition House Leader has some comments, in closing, on the throne speech debate.

M. Farnworth: I, too, would just like to make some closing remarks on this opportunity to speak on the throne speech.

I think, of all the throne speeches I've spoken on, this is probably the latest. I think it is important from this side of the House that we also comment on what has been a very productive and unique session, because we have tried to do some innovative and different things in this House. I think it's a credit to both sides that we have been able to come and deal with issues such as an extended question period — going from the shortest in the Commonwealth to 30 minutes. That has been a tremendous innovation. It's something that has been talked about for a long time in this House, and I think that is a tremendous accomplishment. The creation of an opposition member as a Deputy Speaker has also been a very sound innovation and one that has also served this House.

I think that members on both sides have tried to recognize a tone and an era of civility. I think it has, by and large, worked. It is something that we expect and hope to continue in the new session in the spring. I hope that at that time we will also be able to look at further innovations. I know on the throne speech, it's important we continue to do that.

Finally, on this side of the House, hon. Speaker, we would like to congratulate you because you have been a Speaker who has done credit to this House. We appreciate the role, the wisdom and the guidance that you have brought here.

Final comments. I think what is one of the most important things — and my colleague keeps passing me notes reminding me of points to make, but the best one is to be brief — is that it is great for British Columbia and it's great for all of us here that we have government and opposition, because that's what makes our system work best.

Hon. Speaker, I want to make one more comment, and that is to congratulate Donna, who is also retiring. With that, I take my seat and wait for the rest of the proceedings.

Hon. M. de Jong: I call consideration of a report of resolutions from the Committee of Supply.

Hon. C. Taylor: I move the reports of resolutions from the Committee of Supply on October 4, 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, and November 1, 2, 3, 14, 16, 21, 22, 23 and 24 be now received, taken as read and agreed to.

Hon. C. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, I move that there be granted from and out of the consolidated revenue fund the sum of $26,498,642,000. This sum includes that authorized to be paid under section 1 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2005, and section 1 of the Supply Act (No. 2), 2005, and is granted to Her Majesty towards defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006.

Hon. C. Taylor: I also move that there be granted from and out of the consolidated revenue fund the sum of $1,483,626,000. This sum includes that authorized to be paid under section 2 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2005, and section 2 of the Supply Act (No. 2), 2005, and is granted to Her Majesty towards defraying the capital, loans, investments and other financing requirements of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006.

Hon. C. Taylor presented a message from His Honour the Administrator: a bill intituled Supply Act, 2005-2006.

Hon. C. Taylor: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

Hon. C. Taylor: Mr. Speaker, this supply bill is introduced to provide supply for the operation of government programs for the 2005-2006 fiscal year. The amount requested is that resolved by the Committee of Supply after consideration of the main estimates. The House has already received, taken as read and agreed to the report of resolutions from the Committee of Supply and, in addition, has resolved that there be granted from and out of the consolidated revenue fund the necessary funds towards defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006.

Mr. Speaker, it is the intention of the government to proceed with all stages of the supply bill this day.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. members, I'd ask you to remain in your seats while the bill is being distributed.

In keeping with the practice of this House, the final supply bill will be permitted to advance through all three stages in one sitting.

Bill 18, Supply Act, 2005-2006, introduced, read a first time and ordered to proceed to second reading forthwith.

Hon. C. Taylor: I move that the bill be now referred to a Committee of the Whole House for consideration forthwith.

Bill 18, Supply Act, 2005-2006, read a second time and referred to a Committee of the Whole House for consideration forthwith.

The House in Committee of the Whole (Section B) on Bill 18; S. Hawkins in the chair.

The Chair: Members, I call Committee of Supply to order on Bill 18, Supply Act, 2004-2005.

Hon. M. de Jong: I am alerted to the possibility that the years referred to may have been incorrect. I think you said '04-05. Put it again.

Hon. C. Taylor: I move that the committee rise and report the bill complete without amendment.

Bill 18, Supply Act, 2005-2006, reported complete without amendment, read a third time and passed.

Hon. M. de Jong: This chamber functions to serve British Columbians. We get the privilege of participating in its debates, but many others in the precincts make it possible for us to ply our political trade. I know that the member for Cariboo North has some comments that he would like to make, and I will anticipate him by echoing the thanks that I believe he is going to express on all our behalf for the wonderful people that serve us so well here in these buildings and throughout the capital.

B. Simpson: It seems like a lifetime ago that I sat in this House for the first time to be sworn in as a new MLA. However, I remember feeling a little overwhelmed at the prospect that the next time I sat here, I'd have to be prepared to play my role in the legislative process.

Fortunately, there are many people who work hard every day to make sure the MLAs who sit in this House can do their jobs on behalf of British Columbians — people to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. On behalf of the MLAs, I wish to thank the people who truly make this Legislature work.

The Pages who refresh our water and who pass us notes when we can't use our BlackBerrys. They serve as a constant reminder to us of British Columbia's youth, for whom we must govern well. The Sergeant-at-Arms and his staff who ensure our safety and help us find our way around this building.

The Clerk and his staff who make sure we know and abide by the rules. Politicians may come and go, but the Clerk's office ensures the continuity of our parliamentary democracy. The Speaker and his staff who maintain decorum and help us navigate our way through the legislative process. The Hansard staff who work so hard to accurately capture what we say so that British Columbians can hold us to our words.

The legislative dining room staff who cheerfully serve us and put up with our culinary idiosyncrasies. The computer service folks who graciously keep pace with the demands of too many Luddites in our caucuses. The janitorial staff who keep this place so spotless despite the odd hours we all work.

A thank-you to all our communications, research and legislative staff who try very hard to keep us on time, well informed and in the public eye. They have a tough job, but sometimes, when we actually pay attention to them, their hard work makes us look as though we know what we're doing.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, a heartfelt thank-you to our constituency assistants back in our ridings. These dedicated people work very hard every day on behalf of our constituents so that we as MLAs can represent their concerns here in Victoria in a meaningful and productive manner.

All of these people contribute in so many ways to make our democracy work, and we owe them our heartfelt thanks.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. members, we are awaiting the arrival of the Lieutenant-Governor. Before she comes and before adjournment, I do want to thank you as the Speaker of the House. I think that both sides of the House have shown that civility can take place in a legislative assembly. I know that other legislative assemblies across Canada have called and indicated to me that they're quite impressed.

Mr. Speaker: As the Government House Leader says, "with a little bit of disbelief." But the fact is, I think, that it takes an effort on both sides to make those kinds of things work.

Before we adjourn later, after the Lieutenant-Governor comes, I want to wish you all well in the holiday season. Make sure you take time with your family, because the spring session will come soon enough. It will be a lot of work, as we've noted what the fall session can be like.

Again, I want to wish you all well for the holiday season that's coming. I'm sure that when spring comes, we'll all be as jubilant and ready to go. I hope we can maintain the decorum that we have in the past and we can represent Canada as a whole to show that British Columbia can do things differently. Thank you.

Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor entered the chamber and took her place in the chair.

In Her Majesty's name, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor doth assent to these acts.

In Her Majesty's name, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor doth thank Her Majesty's loyal subjects, accept their benevolence and assent to this act.

Hon. I. Campagnolo (Lieutenant-Governor): I just wanted to relate to you the congratulations of so many British Columbians for the extraordinarily and unprecedented courteous manner in which this first session has been handled. I think that you have all done a remarkable job in bringing a new sense of civility to public life. On behalf of those you serve, I would like to thank you.

Hon. M. de Jong: I move that the House at its rising do stand adjourned until it appears to the satisfaction of the Speaker, after consultation with the government, that the public interest requires that the House shall meet or until the Speaker may be advised by the government that it is desired to prorogue the first session of the 38th parliament of the province of British Columbia. The Speaker may give notice that he is so satisfied or has been so advised, and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and, as the

case may be, may transact its business as if it has been duly adjourned to that time and date. And in the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Speaker shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order.

Mr. Speaker, wishing all members well, safe travels, a safe return home, happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah. We shall all meet again.

Members, I appreciate everything that everybody has done. Merry Christmas, and we'll see you in the new year.

Hansard Services publishes transcripts both in print and on the Internet. Chamber debates are broadcast on television and webcast on the Internet.