2014 Legislative Session: Second Session, 40th Parliament
HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

official report of

Debates of the Legislative Assembly

(hansard)

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Morning Sitting

Volume 13, Number 4

ISSN 0709-1281 (Print)
ISSN 1499-2175 (Online)

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014

The House met at 10:06 a.m.

[Madame Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

Madame Speaker: Hon. Members, it is indeed my pleasure on behalf of each individual in the chamber today to offer greetings to our guests on this very historic day in British Columbia. Welcome to the people's House in British Columbia. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly in the province of British Columbia.

Please join me in welcoming our guests. [Applause.]

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

CENTENNIAL OF ROYAL THEATRE
AND MCPHERSON PLAYHOUSE

C. James: For 100 years in Victoria the Royal Theatre and the McPherson Playhouse have been making sweet music, filling citizens with wonder and bringing the house down. Contemporary and classical music, dance, theatre and much more have filled the stages and hearts and minds of audiences since 1914.

To honour this pair of landmark buildings and the tremendous impact they've had on Victoria's cultural life, the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society is presenting a week-long centennial festival. The stage is set for quite a party from May 18 to 25, with music, dance and theatre productions. Celebrations begin this Sunday from 11 to four at Centennial Square.

Over the last 100 years the Royal has been home to the Victoria Symphony. It's been a vaudeville hall, a film house, a performing arts theatre and a concert venue. It's a national historic site as well, and its restoration has won numerous awards. The McPherson's original Italian renaissance exterior and baroque revival interior made it one of the most sophisticated buildings of its day, and it began its life as the Pantages Theatre. It became the McPherson Playhouse in 1964, named for one of the original owners.

The Royal and the McPherson have touched thousands of citizens over these 100 years, and I am one of them. The McPherson is where I first took to the stage, performing through my teens in children's theatre with the Bastion Theatre Co. My family thought theatre might help me come out of my shell. Apparently, it worked — and too well, some might say.

I hope all members will join me in congratulating the Royal Theatre and the McPherson Playhouse on their centennial. I encourage everyone to try and take in some of the celebrations this week and to visit the centennial website at rm100.ca.

We have two guests who have been involved in this event — Judy Scott, who is the vice-president of the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society, and Don Lindsay, who is a past president of the Royal and McPherson Theatres Society. I'd like to thank them and all the volunteers for making this such a wonderful event.

[1010]

FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES FOR
KETTLE VALLEY AND AREA COMMUNITIES

L. Larson: The people of Rock Creek and the Kettle Valley up until now had no fire protection services. With the help of a lotteries grant and countless volunteer hours, that is about to change.

Midway mayor Randy Kappes, regional director Bill Baird and fire chief Walt Osellame, with the support of the Kettle River Lions Club and volunteer Vlodko Barchuk, put together a plan to offer fire protection services to the people of Rock Creek and the Kettle Valley.

The benefits for all three communities were many. There was a need for more volunteer firefighters in Midway, and with the expansion of services to the other communities, new volunteers came forward. Volunteer firefighters from Rock Creek and Midway have been practising weekly for over a year.

The committee has also acquired, by donation or at a reduced cost, a fire tender truck, a water tanker and other equipment through the generosity of a number of other fire departments. The next round of fundraising will be for a fire hall in Midway to keep their current equipment in, and for more training and other necessary equipment.

Having this service finally available to these communities will give comfort to residents, as well as existing and potential businesses, knowing they now have fire protection. This was a true collaboration of volunteers and many levels of government working towards making their communities safer for everyone. This is a model for other rural areas in B.C. I ask the House to join me in thanking these hard-working volunteers of the Boundary.

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST
HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA

M. Elmore: May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. It's celebrated in more than 120 countries around the world to take action to end violence and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people internationally.

Transphobia is the fear of or discrimination against people who do not conform to stereotypes of gender identity or expression. Gender variance is not a mental illness but a natural variation with folks all around the
[ Page 4012 ]
world, throughout all of history. Gender identity and expression are on a continuum and are fluid. The trans community, folks who don't conform to gender norms, experiences an aggravated form of gender-based violence and is a community marginalized by society.

Yesterday I attended a Vancouver school board public meeting. They were having a discussion to adopt a sexual orientation and gender identities policy to support gender-variant students and ensure they feel safe in schools. We heard how gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer youth experience bullying at higher rates than other students and face targeted gender-based bullying in schools. Two-thirds report feeling unsafe at school. One in five report having been physically assaulted or harassed. They are four times more likely to commit suicide.

Trans youth who are victims of bullying have a higher risk of depression and anxiety; increased feelings of loneliness, isolation and sadness; and the loss of interest in activities. They often skip classes to avoid school and resort to drugs or alcohol to cope with feelings of isolation. They lose years of their lives.

We need to support and protect gender-variant youth from violence. As a society, we must fight against prejudice and oppression and promote awareness of this type of discrimination.

The cost of not taking action is too high. We need to show leadership and adopt a provincially coordinated strategy to specifically address transphobia and homophobia in schools, to ensure that our province takes a leading role in our anti-bullying policy to include homophobia and transphobia, to include gender identity and gender expression as prohibited grounds under the B.C. human rights code and to join the world in celebrating this day.

FRASER VALLEY SPECIALTY POULTRY

J. Martin: As we've heard in recent days in this House, knowing where one's food comes from and how it was treated is a great concern for many. In the Yarrow community of my Chilliwack riding is a top-notch, quality farm known as Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry. There four generations of the Falk family are involved in every step of raising poultry from farm to market.

Founded in the early 1970s, Chilliwack resident Peter Zilian started with just a small flock. Through masterful marketing, Fraser Valley ducks could soon be found in restaurants throughout the Lower Mainland.

As the demand for the product grew, so did the operation. In 1998, when the Falk family took ownership of the business, new product lines were added, including geese, turkey and squab. The Falks are very proud of their standard of care for the birds, embracing the innovative European-style open-sided barns.

Soon a new retail location will be located alongside their farm. For barbecue enthusiasts such as moi, this means that high-quality duck and goose products will be available straight off the farm, onto the grill.

[1015]

With close to 100 employees, including ten members of the Falk family, what started as a small business has grown into one of B.C.'s premier suppliers of specialty poultry to stores, supermarkets and restaurants for fine dining.

Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry is just one more example of how British Columbia's thriving and innovative agricultural community is providing some of the finest food products to be found anywhere.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AWARENESS MONTH

M. Mungall: May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. As the flowers bloom this month, most of us take for granted that we can bend down to enjoy their fragrance, maybe pick them for our moms on Mother's Day, but many with MS struggle to do this and other simple tasks. My mother-in-law is one of them.

MS is a complex disease. It is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. Its effects are physical, emotional and financial, and they last a lifetime. Everyone in a family is affected, and everyone in a community is affected, so we need to ensure that those left disabled from MS can still access their community and have the supports that they need to live well, because there is no cure.

Most of those diagnosed are women, and it is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada. Every day three more Canadians are diagnosed, leaving us with one of the highest rates in the world. Unfortunately, we don't know what causes multiple sclerosis.

This year World MS Day is May 30, and people all around the world are tweeting up their One Day wishes. These are the wishes people living with MS have for one day when MS won't stop them from doing what they love.

On May 25 people living with MS, their friends, their family and the community will be gathering at Lakeside Park in Nelson for the annual MS Walk. With each stride, they are not only raising funds for a cure but raising awareness that the wishes to cure MS can come true.

ABBOTSFORD COMMUNITY SERVICES

D. Plecas: I rise in the House today to acknowledge the great work being done by Abbotsford Community Services.

Abbotsford Community Services has been around for 45 years, and today they provide services to over 37,000 residents every year. They do this through 80 different programs. They do it through 350 staff and 1,500 volunteers. These volunteers come from a variety of different professions. They're registered nurses. They're teach-
[ Page 4013 ]
ers. They're social workers. They're counsellors. The list goes on.

The kinds of programs provided by Abbotsford Community Services are in a broad, eclectic range. They are programs to seniors, programs to youth, youth at risk, people on social assistance, people in need in a number of different ways, people from different countries. Again, the list goes on.

These volunteers are truly amazing, and we're so lucky to have them give their time. I know, when I say that, it means that beyond their workday they're providing their time on weekends and they're providing their time in the evenings, doing the kinds of things that they do during the day for pay.

I would like to sincerely thank the volunteers from Abbotsford Community Services and the staff. I want them to know that the work they do enriches the lives of many people in the city of Abbotsford, and it doesn't go unnoticed.

I say that, knowing that all members of the House have like organizations in their communities. Perhaps we could all wish them well and express our thanks to them.

Oral Questions

ACCESS TO FAMILY PHYSICIANS
IN NORTHEAST B.C.

J. Horgan: In Fort St. John right now 18,000 people are without family doctors. On July 1 another seven doctors will be closing their family practices, putting another 6,000 people without access to a general practitioner.

In a community that's about to experience high economic development as a result of the oil and gas policies of the NDP government in the 1990s….

Interjections.

[1020]

J. Horgan: It's true. It's true. As a result of that foundation, it's incumbent….

Interjections.

Madame Speaker: The members will come to order.

J. Horgan: Thank you, hon. Speaker.

As a result of that foundation, it's incumbent upon the current government, 12 years in office now, to ensure that there is a social infrastructure in place to address the concerns and needs of residents.

My question is to the Premier. What steps is she taking to ensure that the 18,000 people without a family doctor today, and the additional 6,000 that will come July 1, have access to a family doctor?

Hon. C. Clark: Only because the member has made a reference to the 1990s will I offer this observation, which is that in the 1990s there wasn't a single new doctor trained, an additional doctor trained, in British Columbia — an additional doctor trained in British Columbia. There were no added physicians to the system when they were in government.

In the last ten years we have doubled the number of doctors trained in British Columbia. At the same time, in the 1990s, when we saw our province last in the country in job growth, when we saw this province highest in taxes in North America, when we saw our economy shrink and when we saw people leave this jurisdiction to go find greener pastures somewhere else….

We are charting a new future for British Columbia — one that not only includes more doctors but one that includes more jobs, one that includes a bigger economy, one that includes a better future for all of our children.

Madame Speaker: Recognizing the Leader of the Opposition on a supplemental.

J. Horgan: It's hard to know where to start. I'm sure the graduates from the UBC medical school would be surprised to know that according to the Premier, their diplomas mean nothing. It's also passing strange that the bright new future for people in British Columbia doesn't include families in Fort St. John, because they won't have access to basic medical care.

The other challenge that I think the Premier has when she's extracting facts out of thin air is that she's not taking into consideration what's happening today. The government has been in power for 12 years. There has been economic activity in the Peace country as a result of the Oil and Gas Commission for some considerable period of time, yet there's no plan in place to lay a social infrastructure like adequate health care for the people in that region.

Again, what is the Premier going to do today for the 6,000 people on July 1 who won't have a family doctor?

Hon. C. Clark: Not only have we in the last ten or 12 years worked hard to successfully recover from all of the damage that those members did in the 1990s to our health care system, but we are continuing to build it. Not only have we doubled the number of doctors we're training in British Columbia; we have increased the number of doctors that we're training in rural British Columbia as well.

We are extremely proud of the fact that the medical school at the University of Northern British Columbia is continuing to graduate doctors who get trained in the north and stay in the north. We are extremely proud of the programs we've brought in to retain and recruit doctors to rural British Columbia.

We are continuing to do more because we know that despite all of the obstacles that the NDP would put in
[ Page 4014 ]
the way of growing a natural gas industry in British Columbia, we will succeed in our plan.

[1025]

We will succeed in our plan to create 100,000 new jobs, to begin to pay down the debt for our children and make sure that we give them every opportunity — the social infrastructure, the economic infrastructure — in all regions of this province so that everyone, no matter where they live in British Columbia, has the chance to succeed.

Madame Speaker: Recognizing the Leader of the Opposition on a further supplemental.

J. Horgan: Prior to the last election, after rural doctors began withdrawing services and shutting down practices, the Liberals made a commitment during the election campaign to $100,000 for doctors to stay in communities for over three years. The only problem with that, of course, is that it was before the election, and we know that everything that was said then doesn't have any basis in fact today. Also, when they made that commitment, they didn't include Fort St. John.

Again, my question is to the Premier. We know that Fort St. John and the Peace country are going to be the hub of activity, as it has been since the 1990s. So what is it that you're going to do to ensure that there are GPs, general practitioners, on the ground providing services to the 30,000 people who will be without a doctor as a result of the past 12 years of inaction?

Hon. C. Clark: I should start with a thank-you to the member opposite for reminding us a little bit of the 1990s. I so rarely get the opportunity in this House to reflect on that decade, where we had a government — in all seriousness — that decided not only to embrace decline but to create it, a government that sent our province to the last in economic growth in this country. Not only did they destroy jobs and futures for families all across the province, but they ran out of money to be able to fund the important social programs that all British Columbians depend on.

I will give one example that directly relates to the point the member has raised, and that is this. In the 1990s, particularly toward the end of the 1990s when we were in the worst of the economic decline and our ability to pay for social programs was lowest, the amount spent on capital in health care was rock bottom.

Now, today, we have built a $350 million hospital to serve the people of Fort St. John and the people of that region. We are building dementia care. We are looking after people in that region in a way that would not have been possible in the 1990s under a plan that would have destroyed our economy.

We are on the right track. We have more to do, but we will get there because we are determined to persevere in our plan to build British Columbia's future.

INTEGRATED CASE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM ISSUES AND COSTS

M. Mungall: The integrated case management computer system that has been responsible for critical work like child protection and social assistance has not only just crashed, but it's been riddled with glitches and costing taxpayers money for almost two years. On Tuesday the Minister of Citizens' Services told the media: "We've reached a point where we've paid $182 million for the system. We have no intention of spending any more money on it."

We found out that's just not true. In addition to the $182 million, we now know that this government has spent $1.5 million so far on ongoing testing, because the system has had serious problems from the beginning.

My question to the minister is: why can't this government tell the truth and tell B.C. families why they continue having to foot the bill for this mess?

[1030]

Hon. A. Wilkinson: Of course, as information systems roll out to replace the creaky, rusty legacy systems we inherited from the NDP, as we replace those tape drives, as we discard the punch cards — crates and crates of them — we are proud to say that our information systems evolve and are upgraded just like any other IT, because they are tools in the toolkit. We seek to serve the people of British Columbia.

This morning we have 2,300 users operating a stable environment, providing full services to the clientele — those British Columbia citizens who are in need of these services. Our staff are involved in the input, design, implementation, training and troubleshooting. That's what the members opposite said we should have done. That's what we did.

It is a bit ironic, to put it mildly, to have members on the other side telling us that we shouldn't be training, that we shouldn't be engaged in implementation and that we shouldn't be involved in troubleshooting with the front-line workers. They can't have it both ways, unless they want to park their AMC Gremlin out front and reboot the old COBOL-based system.

M. Mungall: Madame Speaker, not only is the minister's commentary an absolute insult to the workers who have been struggling with this system for two years; he completely misses the point of the question, which is that he has said one thing, and the facts are something entirely different. The people of British Columbia deserve better than that kind of answer.

We know that the Ministry of Social Development alone has spent $1.5 million over the last three years flying people down to Victoria, putting them in hotels, paying for their meals, all because of a failing computer system. We know that money didn't come from the $182
[ Page 4015 ]
million budget for the ICM. That minister said that is all they were spending on this program.

The public deserves to know how much has been spent fixing this program. How much is going to be spent into the future? Particularly, B.C. families need to know when they are no longer going to be footing the bill for this boondoggle, this mess of a computer system.

Hon. A. Wilkinson: Of course, our focus is on those most vulnerable citizens of British Columbia to make sure that the tools are available to the front-line workers so that they can deliver the services and care that are necessary. That is happening. That has been happening all week. We have been carefully monitoring the situation, with daily reports on the number of users, and the system has been stable.

I'm surprised and disappointed that the members opposite don't put that as their highest priority, the services to those who need the benefits available to them. Instead, we hear that we should cease and desist from training our staff and employees. That's what we hear from the opposite side. Perhaps when they've found a parking spot for that AMC Pacer, they can give us some advice on employee training.

C. James: If the government had done its due diligence before purchasing this disastrous IT system, it would have known that a nearly identical system had already failed in Australia. This $182 million computer system had already been identified as not suitable for this kind of work before the Liberals purchased it.

Now we know they've been spending even more money on it. First the Minister of Citizens' Services hid the fact that the integrated system had crashed, pretended that everything was fine. Then he said his government hadn't spent additional money on it; no more taxpayer money would be spent.

Well, I'd like to know: what else is this B.C. government hiding about this defective system?

[1035]

Hon. A. Wilkinson: Throughout this episode, this government has been entirely transparent about the cost of the system, about when the system is available. Most importantly, we have been very clear that the highest priority is serving our most vulnerable citizens. That is our goal. That is what we are working on. If it takes staff training to make sure the system works perfectly, that's what we're going to do, because we do not want to shortchange our front-line workers.

Ironically, the members opposite seem to think it's just fine to plunk the system on their desks and say: "It's over to you. Take care of our most vulnerable citizens. Don't worry about training. Don't worry about testing. Just go for it, and see what happens." That's a formula for failure. That's a formula for the NDP. The members opposite are living in the past when it comes to information systems.

Madame Speaker: Victoria–Beacon Hill on a supplemental.

C. James: I can't believe the minister used the word "transparent." This minister stood up, said everything was fine and then had to go outside of the House and say: "Oh gee, I'm sorry. I guess the system did crash. I wasn't aware of it."

The minister described implementing a system without any training, without talking to staff. That's exactly what the B.C. Liberals did, and that's the problem. This minister claimed: "Our data are protected and safe and the services available…100 percent of the time. We intend to continue this enviable record" of deployment of IT.

Let's look at the facts. We have a computer system that doesn't work. We have a government that tried to hide the fact that the system crashed and still doesn't seem to know what caused the crash in the first place. We also know now that the Ministry of Social Development has spent at least $1.5 million on a clean-up team for the last three years, and they plan to spend scarce resources for at least another year.

When will the minister get on top of this file? When will he find out what's going on? And when will he come clean with the public, who are having to fund this mess?

Hon. A. Wilkinson: This side of the House prides itself on getting the facts on the table.

Interjections.

Madame Speaker: The members will come to order.

Hon. A. Wilkinson: We can see what happens when the members opposite are offered the facts. They attempt to shout them down, which is exactly what's happened in the last week.

So 2,300 users on line today, full services available. Same story yesterday, same story the day before. The members opposite don't want to hear it because they are attempting to manufacture a crisis out of a minor issue. The truth is that this system has been fully operational 99.72 percent of the time until April 30.

This party, this government, this side of the House embraced change. We look forward to the future. We don't want to find ourselves back in 2001 with rooms full of keypunch clerks operating a 1973 legacy system left to us by the NDP.

FERRY FARES

C. Trevena: This weekend families across the province, hopefully, will be enjoying the May long weekend. What they won't be enjoying, however, is the cost of using their
[ Page 4016 ]
marine highway, B.C. Ferries. Between 2001 and 2013 fares have risen about $75.50 for a family to go from the mainland to the Island — $75.50. How much higher does the Minister of Transportation want to raise this tax on living on the coast?

[1040]

Hon. T. Stone: Again, it's a terrific opportunity, I think, to stand in this House and once again reinforce for the people of British Columbia, and the people of coastal communities in particular, that this government is going to continue to do everything that we can to ensure that the ferry service is there for the long term, that it's sustainable and that fares are affordable.

Now, what we have heard for month after month after month is an opposition, folks on the other side of the House, saying no to every single idea, every single initiative, every single project that this government and B.C. Ferries have put forward, which is all geared towards applying downward pressure to fares.

We've got a new Leader of the Opposition on the other side. I challenge the Leader of the Opposition, the new leader, to step forward and let British Columbians know what their plan is for a sustainable, affordable ferry service, because we sure haven't heard anything substantive from the other side of the House to date.

Madame Speaker: The member for North Island on a supplemental.

C. Trevena: Unfortunately, this government has been the one who has been in charge of B.C. Ferries for the last dozen years, and we've seen it tank, basically. The minister talks about affordability of fares. We'd like to see some affordable fares. They're absolutely skyrocketing, and communities up and down the coast are suffering because of these increases in fares.

Fares go up, and ridership goes down. That's economics 101. The minister should get it. Ridership has dropped by more than 8 percent in the last year alone. There were almost 4,700 fewer vehicles on the Horseshoe Bay–Nanaimo run this year and a drop of passengers by 10,000. That means fewer customers to Island businesses, fewer jobs and less revenue for the government.

I'd like to ask the minister: how many businesses have to close, how many jobs must be lost before the Minister of Transportation understands that what hurts the coast hurts the whole province?

Hon. T. Stone: Well, let's refresh the memories on the other side of the House in terms of the actions that this government has actually taken towards a sustainable, affordable ferry service — last fiscal year a record investment of $180 million in B.C. Ferries.

B.C. Ferries is well on their way to achieving a $54 million efficiency target — again, all targeted at driving down pressure on fares. B.C. Ferries is moving forward with alternative technologies, such as the new cable ferry that will serve Denman Island. That will save B.C. Ferries $2 million per year, all of which will be plowed back into Ferries to drive down costs.

B.C. Ferries is aggressively moving forward on a plan to convert to LNG fuel propulsion, which again will drive down operational costs at B.C. Ferries and thus relieve pressure on fares.

But I think that the height of hypocrisy that we hear on the other side of the House relates to vessels that have single-digit utilizations. Again, I challenge the Leader of the Opposition to stand up and tell British Columbians…. Does he believe that a $2,500-per-vehicle subsidy is good value for the taxpayers of British Columbia? Does he support running ferries in British Columbia with more staff on board than passengers? I think British Columbians would be very interested to know what the answers to those questions are.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS
OF PROPOSED U.S. COAL TRANSPORTS
THROUGH B.C. COMMUNITIES

V. Huntington: Two weeks ago I asked the government to respond to demands from the public and from its own chief medical health officers and undertake an independent health impact study of the movement of thermal coal through Lower Mainland communities.

[1045]

In addition to the usual "Not our jurisdiction," the Minister of Environment told us her ministry was participating on the interagency review committee that was convened by the corporation of Delta. But her ministry isn't participating on the review committee. It's observing — and by conference call, at that.

It didn't join the committee, and it didn't sign the letter sent to Port Metro Vancouver under the signatures of four cities, Delta municipality, the chief medical health officer for Fraser Health, the chief medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, the office of the Member of Parliament for Delta–Richmond East and Metro Vancouver's director of air quality and environment. The joint letter asked the port to postpone its decision to export thermal coal and use the expertise on the committee to facilitate an independent health review of the proposal.

To the Minister of Environment, why did she decline membership on the review committee, and why did her ministry refuse to sign the committee's report and letter to the port?

Hon. M. Polak: The member may choose to take lightly the jurisdictional divisions between the federal government and the provincial government, but the fact is that the federal government has full and complete jurisdiction over what takes place within Port Metro Vancouver. Port
[ Page 4017 ]
Metro Vancouver is their agent.

We are certainly participating with the committee that the member referenced. We are not doing so in an inappropriate way, given the fact that this is a federal decision for Port Metro Vancouver. It would not be appropriate for us to participate in the same manner as other interested stakeholders.

I should point out for the member, though, that as part of the application process to Port Metro Vancouver, Fraser Surrey Docks has to address human and ecological health effects and consult the public on their environmental impact assessment. That is required by Port Metro Vancouver.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF
BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILWAY
EXTENSION IN DELTA

Madame Speaker: The Member for Delta South on a supplemental.

V. Huntington: The minister should know by now that this expert committee has reviewed the human risk assessment prepared by the port and has found it seriously wanting. That's why they wanted the committee to ask the port to postpone the export decision and engage in a human health impact study. That's why the question is being asked.

I also asked the minister if she would approach her federal counterpart and request an environmental assessment of the proposed double-tracking of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. I want to remind the minister, again, that those tracks sit below North Delta neighbourhoods; go through a park; are beside a walking trail, follow Metro Vancouver's linear park and sewer line; go through the Delta Nature Reserve, which is part of the Burns Bog conservancy and which certainly is a provincial responsibility; and run beside a fish-bearing stream.

The response, yet again: "Not my jurisdiction." But the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act does allow the minister to raise public concerns with her federal counterpart, and it does allow her to request an environmental assessment. Delta chose to intervene, and if B.C. had thrown its influence behind the municipality, my answer might have been more respectful.

Madame Speaker: What was the question?

V. Huntington: Will the Minister of Environment take action now in the public interest and use the full weight of her office to request that her federal colleague, pursuant to section 14 of CEAA, initiate an environmental assessment of the Burlington Northern rail expansion in Delta?

Hon. M. Polak: It's important to remember that people operate within their own spheres of jurisdiction. When it comes to the potential health impacts — if they are to be adverse impacts that have been identified — if the project were approved and if the medical health officers were of the view that it would cause a health hazard, they do have the authority to require actions, including investigations similar to a health impact assessment to prevent the health hazard.

The activities are already in place to ensure that this project, if it were to proceed, would be done so in a way that respects the health of not only the human population, the animal and wildlife population…. There are appropriate jurisdictions in place that are overseeing that, and there is no need for us to duplicate that process as a provincial government.

[1050]

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Hon. T. Wat: It gives me great honour to table the Chinese Historical Wrongs Consultation Final Report and Recommendations. This report is the culmination of the tremendous amount of public input from the consultation process and feedback from community leaders, many of whom are in the gallery today, and discussion with the opposition.

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. de Jong: I call Motion 19.

Government Motions on Notice

MOTION 19 — APOLOGY FOR
PAST DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES
AGAINST CHINESE CANADIANS

Hon. C. Clark: It's my privilege today to speak on Motion 19, which stands in my name on the order paper. It is a bipartisan motion, and it reads as follows:

[Be it resolved that this Legislature apologizes for more than a hundred laws, regulations, and policies that were imposed by past provincial governments that discriminated against people of Chinese descent since 1871, when British Columbia joined Confederation, to 1947. These laws and policies denied British Columbia's Chinese communities' basic human rights, including but not limited to, the right to vote, hold public office, or own property; imposed labour, educational and employment restrictions; subjected them to health and housing segregation, and prevented them from fully participating in society. The House deeply regrets that these Canadians were discriminated against simply because they were of Chinese descent. All members of this House acknowledge that we all aspire to be a fair and just society where people of all nations and cultures are welcomed, accepted and respected.

Be it further resolved that the House acknowledge that the Chinese Canadian community endured untold hardships and persevered with grace and dignity. We acknowledge that despite being sub-
[ Page 4018 ]
jected to discriminatory laws, policies and practices, the Chinese community has made, and continues to make, substantial contributions to the culture, history and economic prosperity in our province.]

That is the end of the formal motion, Madame Speaker, and now I would like to read the formal apology.

Today we express our sorrow and regret for historical provincial government practices that were once considered appropriate. While the governments which passed these laws and policies acted in a manner that was lawful at the time, today this racist discrimination is seen by British Columbians, represented by all members in this Legislative Assembly, as unacceptable and intolerable. We believe this formal apology is required to ensure that closure can be reached on this dark hour in our province's history.

The Legislative Assembly's apology today signifies our deepest regret for the hardship and suffering our past provincial governments imposed on Chinese Canadians. The entire Legislative Assembly acknowledges the perseverance of Chinese Canadians that was demonstrated with grace and with dignity throughout our history while being oppressed by unfair and discriminatory historical laws. Moreover, we acknowledge the overwhelming contribution by Chinese Canadians to British Columbia's culture, history and economy.

On behalf of the province of British Columbia and on behalf of this entire Legislative Assembly, we sincerely apologize for the province's historical wrongs. We are sorry for the discriminatory legislation and racist policies enacted by past provincial governments. We will ensure that this never happens again.

[1055]

Madame Speaker, as one of the longest-serving members of this House, you will know that this is an historic day in British Columbia for this Legislature, for the people of our province and for those of Chinese descent who make up our province and contribute so much. While we as Canadians and British Columbians have so much in our shared history to be proud of, there are events that we very deeply regret.

The pervasive discrimination against Chinese immigration and Chinese immigrants is a stain on our history. From the First Nations to the first European settlers, Canada is a nation of people who came here to build a better life for themselves and for their children. Chinese immigrants continue to make enormous contributions to our province and our country, and those first immigrants, who were made to pay to come here, made some of the biggest contributions of all.

They helped build the railway that connected our vast country from coast to coast. On that great task of nation-building, the Chinese labourers were given the most dangerous jobs. For every mile of track between Vancouver and Calgary, one Chinese worker died. Then, after that incredible sacrifice, the government of the day tried to limit Chinese immigration, first with a tax and then with a ban.

In 2006 the Prime Minister rose in the House of Commons to offer a parliamentary apology. Here in B.C. last year we began an extensive public consultation leading to today's formal apology. We were determined that a formal apology be done properly, and that meant working with all parties. It meant creating a meaningful dialogue, hearing people's stories, allowing the people of British Columbia, especially those who were directly affected, to help direct government and the opposition in addressing this historical wrong today.

I'd like to thank the members of the opposition, the third parties and the independents. I'd like to thank all of the individuals, all of the citizens, that attended the dialogue and the consultations and that were part of the discussion over the Internet. They contributed to this process in a very meaningful way, and some of them, I'm very proud to see, are here today. We thank you for that.

Thank you for setting your differences aside, recognizing that today, this historic day and this formal apology, is not about politics. It is about doing the right thing, over 100 years later, addressing an historical wrong that is nothing less than a stain in our history.

Thank you for coming together to make this happen. We cannot undo the past, but by acknowledging it, by apologizing for it, together we can ensure that we and our children learn from these mistakes and never, ever make them again. [Applause.]

[1100]

J. Horgan: I rise to speak in support of Motion 19 on the order paper today.

Before I begin my remarks, I want to thank all of those who are in the galleries today. I think what we've just witnessed in question period and the juxtaposition of the acrimony that happens in this Legislature so often has now been replaced by a genuine and sincere belief that when we work together to correct historic injustices, good things can come from the Legislature of B.C.

I am grateful to those who are in attendance today that they can see how important this issue is for all of us in this Legislature today — government members, opposition members, independent members — to stand as one in unison to recognize the absolute disgrace that has been the position that the government of British Columbia has had historically with respect to Chinese Canadians.

I was born here on Vancouver Island not far from where the first Chinese Canadians landed in 1788 with Capt. John Meares. I was born in Victoria, where the first Chinese woman landed here in 1858 and also where many thousands of Chinese Canadians settled after the completion of the CP Rail in 1885.

I was born in 1959, not 50 years after some of the most hateful and despicable legislation that had ever been brought forward in this Legislature. There was work here that took away the dignity and the rights of individual citizens — absolutely unheard of in today's contempor-
[ Page 4019 ]
ary Canada with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that we're so proud of, absolutely despicable legislation and activities that happened right here in this chamber.

When I arrived as a legislator here, I had an even more profound understanding of what it must have felt like to be a Chinese Canadian, with the seat of power oppressing your very rights, denying your ability to vote, taking away your property, denigrating the work that you do, putting you at risk every day and then denying your right to citizenship.

I studied history at university. I'm grateful for that, because I have a better understanding than most Canadians of this tragedy. I'm grateful to many scholars who have persisted in bringing these issues forward so that British Columbians, Canadians and the people of the world will have a better understanding of the stain the Premier so eloquently talked about. The intents of the legislation, motions and reports that were brought forward over 100 years ago were bloody-minded. They were cruel. Their determination and intent was to suppress a people.

Today's generation doesn't understand that. I have children. The Premier has children. Many of us in this place have children. And when I look at them, they don't see colour. They don't see ethnicity. They just see people. I'm grateful for that generation.

The apology that we are going to endorse today unanimously is just a first step. What we need to do is ensure that the history of these tragic events, the events that we're here to shine a light upon, continues on after today. We need to take the next step and ensure that our education curriculum says clearly and categorically that it's not all roses and sunshine when we look at the history of British Columbia and the history of Canada.

There are dark moments, as the Premier articulated. Those dark moments need to be shown. If we are to grow and be better as a people, if we're going to embrace the multicultural nature of this Legislature and our communities, we have to talk about the past. We have to talk about it in sorrow, and today I believe we can talk with pride.

This generation is turning its backs on the past, turning its backs on people who sat in this place and took away the rights of a group of citizens because of their race. My kids, the Premier's son, the children of other members in this place would not contemplate that. It's abhorrent to this generation.

But to the generations that are represented here today in the gallery, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer you my sincere apology for the drastic actions that were taken by legislators in this place. I give you my hope that in the future we will be able to stand together proudly and talk about the province that we can build together — a multicultural province that allows everyone the same hope and opportunity regardless of where they came from, regardless of their political views.

This is a proud day for me. It's a proud day for all of us. But it is a day long overdue for the people sitting in this chamber observing our proceedings today. To them, I first offer my apology that we didn't do this sooner. But to the Premier, to the government and to the members of the opposition — independents and New Democrats — we should be proud of what we're doing today. It's not every day that we can come to work and try, in a modest way, to redress the crimes of the past.

We do that, and with that I'll conclude my remarks. Again, I thank the Premier for bringing this forward. I also want to spend a moment to thank the member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant, who for our side has been absolutely diligent on this issue since she came to this place in 1996. To her, I offer my sincere appreciation for her work.

[1105]

To all members of this House and to the minister for immigration for stewarding the consultation process that many here participated in, thank you as well. [Applause.]

Hon. T. Wat: My family chose to immigrate to Canada 25 years ago because Canada is known in Asia, particularly in Hong Kong and China, as a multicultural country that respects people of different cultures and ethnicities. I want my daughter to grow up in a country that embraces all cultures and is truly a multicultural country. I want her to have a better future.

Dr. Bethune is a household name among all the Chinese. That's why there is such a good impression of Canadians in Asia. That is why I was shocked, after I arrived in Vancouver, to learn about the historical wrongs imposed on the Chinese-Canadian community in British Columbia. Unlike our two legislative colleagues — such as the member for Burnaby North and the member for Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows, whose ancestors were victims of the discriminatory legislation — my family did not experience those dark days in British Columbia's history.

As a person of Chinese descent, I felt great empathy for those who shared their stories with me. That is why I am moved and honoured to be part of the process for the government of B.C. to provide a formal apology and legacy initiatives to address those historical wrongs. Those wrongs, as the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition pointed out, included racist laws, regulations and policies that discriminated against people of Chinese heritage.

Between November 2013 and January 2014, as Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism, I travelled to communities across B.C. as part of the consultation process to receive input from individuals and organizations for a formal apology to Chinese Canadians. At the consultation forums over 1,300 people attended, and we heard from over 150 participants. We also received numerous e-mails and more than 100 written submissions from organizations and individuals.

As I travelled across the province, I heard stories of how those wrongful policies affected individuals and
[ Page 4020 ]
families and caused lasting sorrow for many. I was so disturbed, upset and sick to my stomach by what I heard.

I want to share one story that was told by participants at the Kelowna forum. It was a lonely life for the men who lived away from their wives and families for 24 years, from 1923 to 1947, when the Exclusion Act was enforced to ban Chinese from immigrating to British Columbia.

Some letters from those early immigrants were found in the Kelowna museums' basements decades later — letters that were never sent back to China. They begged the writers' families for forgiveness for their failure as husbands and fathers because they were not able to bring their families to Canada. The legally sanctioned racial discrimination engendered by the Exclusion Act was systemic and sustained. Its toll in human suffering deserves pause for reflection.

[1110]

Reaching out and confronting a painful time in our collective history is an opportunity to contribute to the healing process and educate ourselves about a time we cannot and should not forget. It's also a chance for forgiveness, with Chinese Canadians displaying a remarkable resilience and spirit that has made the Chinese community a pillar of our province. I'm so proud that I'm a member of the Chinese-Canadian community.

All of the stories I heard during the consultation process brought into focus the need for a formal apology and legacy initiatives to give British Columbians a better understanding of the contributions made by Chinese Canadians to the development of our province. The report that is being released today summarizes the many hours of discussion and input we received from many different people.

At this time I would like once again to thank the individuals and organizations who are here today that contributed to hosting the forums and providing input to the report. I'd like to thank the opposition members as well as the Green Party member and the independent for attending the forums and for you who shared your advice and the result of your own consultation sessions with us. Your input during this consultation has been much appreciated.

During the consultation process we asked participants to consider what the apology should say and how it should be delivered. People were also invited to suggest legacy initiatives to help British Columbians understand the impact of the historical wrongs and to celebrate achievements that Chinese Canadians have made to the history, culture and economic prosperity of our province despite being subjected to discrimination.

Another thing that was made clear at the forums and from the written submissions is that many Chinese Canadians see the apology as essential for reconciliation, and we agree. Government firmly believes that a formal apology is required to help bring closure to this dark period in the province's history and to help bring our communities closer together.

While we cannot undo history, we can prevent these things from happening again. That is why the government of British Columbia has important policies and goals to promote multiculturalism and eliminate racism. Over the coming months the province will begin implementing the legacy and educational recommendations made in the report.

Our role in government is to create an environment in British Columbia where an inclusive and diverse population supports our shared communities. Look at the House today. We are comprised of diversity. So many of our colleagues here, including myself, have different cultural backgrounds. It is a reflection of our beautiful society and province, a society of cultural diversity, increased participation and engagement by all.

Our diverse, vibrant and inclusive communities have become great assets for British Columbians and are the envy of the world. Our diversity has enriched our community and has given us a significant advantage in the global economy. Through this effort, British Columbians can move forward together with a shared history and a vibrant future. We can all leave a legacy for our children and grandkids.

[1115]

In the words of one forum participant: "Our efforts will not only heal the past but generate new thinking about how to ensure that we have a vibrant, inclusive community and continue to make a real difference in the lives of many thousands of Chinese British Columbians."

I'm honoured and proud to have been a part of this important process, and I look forward to voting in favour of the motion regarding the apology for past historical wrongs imposed on Chinese Canadians. [Applause.]

J. Kwan: I have to say this is an extremely moving day for me. The last time, I think, I was this emotional, I should say, that I can recollect in this very chamber was in fact when the government of the day had the former and late Chief Joe Gosnell stand at the bar and address this very assembly on a very similar issue, and that was to address — and for us, as legislators, to acknowledge — historical wrongs against the aboriginal community and to make changes going forward.

It is my honour to collectively bring forward and support the motion to reconcile a long and ugly chapter of British Columbia's history today.

I'm particularly moved that so many people are gathered here around this chamber to witness this very historic moment, some of whom have firsthand experience of this discrimination that was brought about in British Columbia so many years ago. Some of them survived it and, with their children, thrived in those difficult conditions — to have economic success, cultural contributions to the multicultural fabric of our society and made a path for those of us in the younger generation to fol-
[ Page 4021 ]
low so that we as a society as a whole can build a better British Columbia.

The motion before you, Madame Speaker — as the Premier has stated, as the minister has stated and as the Leader of the Official Opposition has stated — reflects a collaborative effort for which I thank the minister for inviting the opposition, the independent members, the member from the Green Party, to work with her on the wording of the motion.

Chinese and indigenous people are the two oldest non-European people in British Columbia. The earliest record showing that the Chinese were in British Columbia dates back to 1788, when approximately 30 to 50 Chinese shipwrights built the first European-type vessel in Nootka Sound. The Chinese presence in B.C. was significant and began to grow, and according to the 1881 census, the Chinese population in B.C. was 20 percent of the non-aboriginal population, a percentage higher than even now.

Imagine for a moment what it was like for 20 percent of the population to be repeatedly told that they were second-class citizens and to have their human rights and right to fully participate in society denied.

B.C. passed legislation that said: "Every Chinaman, Japanese, Hindu or Indian is disqualified from voting in provincial elections." Where the Chinese were tolerated, it was in the context of accessing cheap labour.

In the words of our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald: "It is better to have Chinese labour than no labour at all…. At any moment when the Legislature of Canada chooses, it can shut down the gate and say, No more immigrants shall come here from China…and those in the country at the time will rapidly disappear...and therefore there is no fear of a permanent degradation…by a mongrel race."

[1120]

The history of British Columbia is replete with examples of discrimination based on race. Many discriminatory practices were codified in law, and the sheer volume and the extent of these laws is breathtaking.

From 1872 to 1928, in almost every session of the House sitting, racist laws were passed against the Chinese community and other non-white communities. This amounted to some 89 bills, along with 49 resolutions and seven reports. Two resolutions from the Committee of Supply authorized expenditure related to these discriminatory laws, and there were numerous motions, questions and efforts made by private members to propose further laws to entrench the discrimination against the Chinese, the First Nations and, frankly, anyone else who was not white.

There is no question that the intent behind these discriminatory laws was to fulfil the declaration of the former Premier of British Columbia Sir Richard McBride: "British Columbia shall be a white man's province".

B.C.'s racist laws reinforced and created social, cultural and economic inequality. These laws perpetrated hatred and mistrust of the Chinese community and other ethnic communities alike that caused untold suffering and humiliation.

Some of those stories were told in the forums. Some of those stories were told privately amongst family members and between friends. Some of them have shared their stories with me in this very chamber. As I heard their stories, my heart ached. Some of the people in this very chamber worked with those communities to build a better life, and some of those sitting in this chamber continue to work with newcomers so that they can achieve the hopes and goals and dreams that they aspired to when they immigrated to this land.

Our history tells us that the first people of this land, the aboriginal peoples, along with the Chinese, the Japanese and the Indo-Canadian communities, did not have the fundamental right to participate in a democratic society. For the Chinese, it wasn't until 1947 that they were afforded the right to vote. For the aboriginal community, the very first people of this land, they were not allowed to vote until 1949.

But the racism did not stop there, Madame Speaker. Did you know that in 1893, B.C. passed An Act to provide for the Establishment and Maintenance of a Provincial Home for the Aged and Infirm and, in practice, barred the Chinese from admission to such provincially established homes? These are what we now call hospitals.

It was because of this history that the beloved Mount St. Joseph Hospital was established. Many of us in the Chinese community call the Mount St. Joseph Hospital the "Chinese hospital," because it was built at a time when the Chinese were prevented from accessing health care services in hospitals, and a group of nuns came and established the Mount St. Joseph Hospital to serve the Chinese community.

From 1894 to 1924 a leper colony called D'Arcy Island, a remote patch off Vancouver Island, became the prison for the Chinese across Canada that suffered from leprosy. Their only outside contact was that every three months a supply ship would come and dump food and clothing, including coffins, on the island. The dying were to bury the dead.

The non-Chinese people with leprosy were cared for by nuns and a resident physician, along with a cook, in a hospital. That is our history.

There's a period in which Chinese students were segregated from the general population, all simply because they were Chinese. During the Depression 100 Chinese men died from starvation. In 1934 and '35 the B.C. government sent several hundred Chinese back to China with the agreement that they stay there for at least two years. "Why?" you might ask. This was to cleanse B.C. of "lunatics and Orientals."

[1125]

The Chinese were prohibited from buying Crown land.
[ Page 4022 ]
The provincial government forbade them to enter into the province. They were excluded from working in certain industries, not allowed to enter into certain professions. Even after death they were segregated, and burial records listed them as "Chinaman No. 1, Chinaman No. 2," and so on.

This is just a sampling of the laws and practices that discriminated against the members of the Chinese community and other members of the non-white community. The discriminatory laws and practices prevented members of the Chinese-Canadian community from participating fully and reaching their full potential. The effect of such legislation fuelled episodes such as the 1907 anti-Asian riots that caused injury and destroyed property in Vancouver's Chinatown.

It is tragic that governments of the day tapped into racist sentiment and even campaigned on it. In 1935 the Vancouver Sun newspaper revealed comments such as: "A vote for any CCF candidate is a vote to give the Chinaman and Japanese the same voting right that you have. A vote for a Liberal candidate is a vote against Oriental enfranchisement." This came from a source from our Archives.

There is no question that legislators of the day played the worst kind of politics. Fellow human beings were devalued, based on the colour of their skin. They rallied hateful sentiments towards a group of individuals, based on their race, for political gain. In looking back, we see such actions as repugnant and disgraceful.

But today, in 2014, we are moving forward, with the motion that was introduced by the Premier and with a vote that I know will come from this House, where every single member of this House will stand in support of the motion.

Many of the members in the community, those who sit here today and those who are not here today, have called for steps to be taken to reconcile our sordid past. In the past decade different levels of government and administrations of different political stripes have finally come forward to acknowledge such historical wrongs.

In 1992 the B.C. Legislature unanimously passed a motion calling on the government of Canada to consult with the Chinese-Canadian community to provide a reasonable redress for families impacted by the Chinese head tax. In 2006 the Conservative Canadian government made a formal apology for the Chinese head tax and offered symbolic compensation to head tax payers. Closer to home, New Westminster council issued a formal apology in 2010 to Chinese Canadians for the discriminatory practices of its government and elected officials.

There is no question that for apologies to have meaning, they must be done with respect and sincerity. Genuine apologies are crucial to building trust and providing hope for the future. That is a reflection of all of our values as a society and our aspirations as a province. Today, in this chamber, I am so honoured and so pleased to say that we have achieved that goal.

The motion being brought forward is supported by everyone. I know that. I'm equally pleased that the Minister of International Trade and for Multiculturalism added legacy initiatives as part of the reconciliation process.

Reconciliation does not start or end with an apology. It is an ongoing process, where we must continue to learn from these past mistakes. We must continue to educate the public about the history of our past. We must own this history and then from there go forward. The reconciliation process also means the hope — and represents the hope — of the future of what our society could become.

I have to take a moment to recognize the founder of Canadians for Reconciliation, Bill Chu, for his long advocacy for a meaningful reconciliation process for Chinese historical wrongs. Since 2009 he has called for educational curriculum changes, gotten the BCSTA to endorse a motion that he brought there, on the floor, on educational curriculum changes with respect to Chinese historical wrongs.

[1130]

He's also pursued the preservation of historical artifacts and sites, and study tours across the province with students and visitors alike, to say to all of us that we must do more to preserve this history. He has consistently and continuously worked tirelessly to educate the public about this important history and the need for proper reconciliation.

There are scholars in this chamber who have documented this history, who have studied this history. A friend of mine, Dr. Henry Yu, has contributed so much and will continue to contribute. I know in speaking with him, he says: "I'm not quite ready to retire." I'm so glad he said that, because there's much work to be done, and the reconciliation process and the legacy initiative is going to need his help and many others.

I see others sitting around the chamber. I'm just somewhat reluctant to name them all by name because I know that I will run into trouble with all of that. But I do want to pay a special tribute to our veterans, who went to war without being recognized as Canadians and survived it to come back to tell the story, to give us hope for the future of what our society ought to be. [Applause.]

To all of our veterans, we thank you, because you have given us the opportunity to do better today.

In going forward I will continue to work with the government, with the Minister of International Trade and Multiculturalism, with the independent members and with my colleagues to pursue this dream that we all share from so many years ago, to say that reconciliation does not end with an apology, to say that legacy projects will continue.

To recognize the clan associations, who so many years ago…. I don't even know how they managed to do this.
[ Page 4023 ]
They managed to build clan associations to service the Chinese community who were being discriminated against because they were segregated from accessing service, from housing, from meals, from anything that you would call a normal life. They existed to support the Chinese community then.

Many of those societies are now aging. Some of it is in physical structure. Some of it is in the board members that are a part of it.

I want to work with the minister and every member of this House towards the preservation of these clan associations and the legacy and the history that they presented, to bridge that history intergenerationally, to make it relevant today and to provide a service that's relevant in our communities today — including the option of building housing on top of these society buildings, providing meal programs to the seniors — not just for the Chinese but for every community in a multicultural society that we have today, as an example.

I look forward to engaging in that process as the government commits to embarking on a needs assessment in that regard and, hopefully, to actually realize the legacy initiative that was submitted to the government through the government's consultation process.

If we do that, if we do all the things that are said in the report that the minister has tabled and are in the hearts of all of us in this chamber today, we'll have something that is so, so tremendous and historical that we should be so very proud of. We can say to the rest of the world what British Columbia has become and what Canadians have now achieved. We will be an example to the rest of the world of things that they could aspire to become.

[1135]

I am so very honoured and so very humbled to have this moment in time to speak to this motion, to do what little that I can to contribute to this process and to continue this important work so that the next generation and the people who come and will sit in these chairs after us will no longer have to agonize over this history but simply look forward into the future.

As my colleague the Leader of the Official Opposition says, the children of today's generation…. When they see people, they don't see colour. They only simply see people, a human race united as one.

I thank you for your time, for listening to me. I look forward to seeing the motion pass in this House and to celebrating and thanking each and every one of you for all of your efforts and your hearts and your contributions in building British Columbia, a proud province that we should now and we all now call home. [Applause.]

R. Lee: I'm pleased today to rise in the House to support the motion moved by the Premier. This motion will be witnessed by a lot of prominent community members in this Legislature. Welcome to the Legislature.

As we engage in debating this motion, it's important to recognize the contributions of so many Canadians who, over the years, moved our society from a place disrespectful of basic human rights and political rights to one where people of all nations and cultures are welcome, accepted and respected.

We have representatives of many Chinese-Canadian community organizations here today. I would like specifically to recognize the support from the Chinese-Canadian veterans, whose service to the Canadian military led to getting the franchise for Chinese in 1947.

Chinese have a long history in the lands of British Columbia. In May 1788, 226 years ago, a group of carpenters and smiths were recruited from Macau and Guangzhou by Capt. John Meares, helping him to build his 40-ton schooner at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island.

During the Fraser River gold rushes, which started in 1858, Chinese labourers moved from San Francisco and Hong Kong to help build trails and wagon roads.

The Chinese were allowed to vote for a brief period in 1861. An Aliens Act was passed to allow residents in B.C. to vote by taking the oath of residence if they had been residents for three years.

By 1865, however, the gold rushes were over, and the Chinese began to suffer discrimination as unemployment increased among other workers.

In 1872, one year after British Columbia joined Confederation, the B.C. Legislature passed the Qualifications and Registration of Voters Act to exclude Chinese from the provincial franchise. This exclusion in the voters list effectively disqualified Chinese from the rights to hold public office and restricted education and employment opportunities.

The consequence of being taken off of the provincial voters list had a domino effect. It also meant that that person would not be on the federal voters list. Subsequent changes in municipal, election and public school acts led to more disenfranchisement.

[1140]

Not only did the B.C. Legislature in that period take away their voting rights, they also pressured the federal government to restrict Chinese immigration, which resulted in Chinese immigrants subjected to the Chinese head tax from 1885 to 1923 by the government of Canada, effectively banning Chinese from immigrating from 1923 to 1947 by the federal Chinese Immigration Act.

From 1872 to 1947, for 75 years, over 100 discriminatory laws, regulations and policies were imposed by past British Columbian governments. People of Chinese descent in British Columbia were prevented from fully participating in society. As a result, many of these disenfranchised Chinese and their families suffered from hardship and the loss of many potential opportunities. They were restricted from working in mines, from acquiring farmlands, from practising law and pharmacy, etc.

My grandfather came to this province during this per-
[ Page 4024 ]
iod. In May 1913 he paid $500 for a head tax to enter this country. He went back a few times to China. But he could not bring my grandmother and my father to Canada because of the Chinese Exclusion Act.

Even after 1947 Canadian immigration laws did not let independent children immigrate any easier. I was born in China. Not until 1971, after the federal government introduced the family reunion program, could I come to this country — the first time for me to see my grandfather.

I'm sure my family's history is not unique. A 24-year-old young man in 1913, my grandfather could have taken a different path in his life, but he chose to come to Canada. Despite being subjected to discrimination and inequality, he found a place where he was more welcome. He leased a piece of land with his partner in the Musqueam Indian reserve, opened a market garden and grew vegetables to sell to grocery stores in Vancouver.

Although it's hard to deduct what could have happened had he lived in a more inclusive, fair and just society, I think it's reasonable to assume that my grandfather would be happier and would have more opportunities for personal development. The family members may not have been separated.

I'm pleased this motion not only recognizes that it was wrong to pass these discriminatory laws and policies in this assembly; it also acknowledges the perseverance and the contributions of Chinese Canadians during that time. The contributions of railroad workers who helped bring our province into confederation, the farmers, the laundry workers, the cooks, the loggers, the miners and the war veterans are all contributors to this cultural, social and economic prosperity in our province.

The history of Chinese Canadians in British Columbia is as old as British Columbia's. It is, in fact, part of our common history, and our education curriculum should reflect that. It's also very important to be sure of the artifacts and historical sites so we all can learn more about the rich history of our province. So I'm very pleased to know that the report tabled in the House today recommends that an inventory be created to identify historical sites and culturally important locations and artifacts.

Today is about multiculturalism, about diversity, about making sure those historical wrongs never happen again. Today I feel I'm a better British Columbian. I'm proud of my province. [Applause.]

[1145]

A. Dix: In the discussion, the process, that we all engaged in about this question of an apology, this question of historical reconciliation, we on the opposition side joined with young people. In my constituency of Vancouver-Kingsway — I think you can speak of virtually any constituency in British Columbia where this is true, particularly communities in Metro Vancouver — we have schools such as Gladstone and Windermere, where people participated in the meeting that we held, that are diverse and extraordinary because everyday people work together.

Those of us who go to those schools and work in those circumstances regularly kind of take it for granted. Even today, even at this time in history, 59 years after the founding of the United Nations, in most parts of the world what we have here is actually quite unusual. It is, I think, an extraordinary thing that the Premier of British Columbia, Richard McBride, could declare as a fact of provincial policy, as it was for decades, that British Columbia must be a white man's province, but the students who go to Richard McBride Elementary behave differently, are as diverse as the province itself.

I want to say just a couple of things specifically. I think the member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant laid this out very clearly. What we're talking about is a period which represents pretty much half of the history of our province, from its founding, to 1871, to, really, the first breath of true equality in 1947 and the elimination of racism from our immigration policies in 1967.

In the first half of the history of our province the question and the policy of a white man's province was a banal reality of life. Eighty-nine pieces of legislation from 1871 to 1928, 49 resolutions in the Legislature, so determined as a Legislature to follow this policy that they passed 24 bills disallowed by the federal Parliament — a legislative riot.

In 1928 a motion was presented in this Legislature, also passed unanimously, that proposed that the majority of Chinese Canadians and the majority of Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia at that time be deported back to China and Japan — passed unanimously in the Legislature. This was the consensus view.

How do we deal with that now? Why do we think an apology is important? Some people argue this point. Let's face it. Some people argue this point. They say: "Why apologize? These things happened in previous generations. Governments are quick to apologize for past wrongs and not present wrongs."

The reality is, I think, threefold. One, an apology is due. People lost. The member for Burnaby North's family lost. An apology is due to them.

Secondly, this is part of who we are. Bertolt Brecht once said: "In the dark times, will there also be singing?" Yes, there will be singing about the dark times. I think we have to acknowledge that this is also part of who we are and what brought us to the point that we're at today. Acknowledge it, work with it, build with it and celebrate our history in all its facets.

Thirdly, these are moments, surely, of education, moments where we learn about what can happen in societies and what we must do to prevent that from happening.

Finally, these issues are always with us. There are always lessons to learn. The fact of the matter is that Chinese Canadians, First Nations, Japanese Canadians and South Asians were brought to Canada. Remember
[ Page 4025 ]
37 men for every woman in the Chinese-Canadian community in 1922, brought to Canada and denied a path to citizenship. What has made this province great, what has made it prosper, is an open approach where people come to our country, and they follow a path to citizenship.

[1150]

We must remember that that is a source of prosperity and dynamism in our society, and we must always ensure, I think, that that is a foundation of how we act as a society.

I think this is a great day. It's wonderful to be here with so many people from the Chinese-Canadian community to recognize the participation not just of Chinese Canadians but of all Canadians in this process, all people in our province who engaged in this process.

I think it's also important to see this: apology is often seen with the idea of closure, but in fact, I think we have to continue to engage. It's why it was so important that there be a legacy aspect to this process, that this not be seen as somehow the end of the discussion but part of a broader discussion that we must constantly have as a society.

It's a source of pride, I think, for all of us to be here today to recognize that we have changed as a society but that we have work to do, and to acknowledge these terrible wrongs of the past with the hope of building a better future. [Applause.]

A. Dix moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. de Jong moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Madame Speaker: This House, at its rising, stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:51 a.m.

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