2014 Legislative Session: Third 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)

Monday, November 3, 2014

Morning Sitting

Volume 17, Number 1

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2014

The House met at 10:02 a.m.

[Madame Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

RESPECTING THE TAXPAYER

J. Thornthwaite: It’s a pleasure to rise in the House today to talk about financial responsibility and how exercising fiscal restraint is the highest form of respect for the taxpayer. Small business and families across the province have to live within their means. They have to be careful not to spend more money than they make, and they expect their government to do the same. They expect us to respect their hard-earned dollars and operate judiciously and efficiently.

Thanks to fiscal discipline, our budget is balanced for the second year in a row. This is precisely what British Columbians elected us to do, and we’ve made good on that promise.

This year we were one of only two jurisdictions in the country to balance its books. We were able to achieve this despite the challenging economic times by making tough but necessary decisions to control government spending.

[D. Horne in the chair.]

That meant careful examination, through the core review process, on how every public dollar is spent. This review has already saved taxpayers millions of dollars and has allowed us to keep taxes low while continuing to invest in priorities and programs that matter to British Columbians, such as health care, education and infrastructure.

This could not have been achieved without a commitment to fiscal discipline. Because of our balanced budget, we continue to enjoy a triple-A credit rating and lower debt service obligations. In fact, since 2001 our fiscal responsibility has led to seven consecutive credit upgrades for B.C., securing the highest bond rating for our province and saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars that would otherwise have gone to higher interest payments, leaving us more money to advance our government’s key priorities.

Our focus is on creating an environment that fosters investment and business development, which, in turn, grows the economy and expands opportunities for our skilled workforce. This all starts with a fundamental respect for the taxpayer and a commitment to fiscal restraint.

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In May 2013 we received a renewed mandate to control government spending and ensure the best possible use of government resources. We recognize that the public sector is more accountable to the taxpayer, and in June of this year we announced new taxpayer accountability principles to strengthen cost control within our province’s public sector organizations. These accountability principles apply to all public sector organizations, including Crown corporations, health authorities and post-secondary institutions, and will ensure they operate in the best interests of taxpayers and adopt a more cost-conscience approach to efficient public service delivery.

There is only one taxpayer, and in order to build schools and hospitals and afford all the programs our citizens want, we need cooperation and collaboration between four levels of government. We need to work together to find solutions that allow us to build infrastructure, provide essential services, enrich our culture and grow the economy.

I am very pleased to report that there are a few examples of collaboration between different levels of government in my community. Perhaps one of the most important is the project to rebuild Argyle Secondary School. Our government has earmarked Argyle Secondary for a seismic upgrade. However, the community decided a total rebuild would be best and requested additional amenities such as a turf field and a theatre.

The school district has developed a comprehensive plan to make the rebuild a reality by selling some surplus lands from a parcel of school district–owned land to land on a closed site, to make up the difference in the cost between the seismic upgrade and a total rebuild. The selling of surplus lands allows the school districts to reinvest that money into future public education projects — in this case, Argyle Secondary.

Similar plans have led to brand-new facilities for Queen Mary, Ridgeway, Westview and Sutherland Secondary School, all of which have been built recently in the city of North Vancouver. Argyle Secondary is in the district of North Vancouver, which is a separate municipality. But the school district services both municipalities, city and district. It’s a collaboration between two municipalities and one school district and the province of British Columbia.

Another project that is very important to me and to my constituents is the Highway 1 interchange project around the Fern Street overpass, Exit 22. This megaproject, which is just in its initial phase, is a perfect example of all four levels of government working together to build much-needed infrastructure.

It involved the sale of the Keith Lynn School — in other words, the school district — to the district of
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North Vancouver, one of the municipalities, and incorporates funds from the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Education, with their collaboration, and a grant from the federal government through the Building Canada plan. This type of collaboration not only means that we are sharing between different levels of government the cost of these infrastructure projects; it also ensures we work together to see the much-needed projects go to completion.

Mr. Speaker, I thank you very much, and I look forward to the remarks from the opposite member.

S. Simpson: It’s an interesting topic: respect for the taxpayer. Let’s look at the reality of B.C. Liberals’ definition of respect for the taxpayer. Let’s start with capital projects. The convention centre. How much respect for the taxpayer was there in the cost overruns? B.C. Place roof. How many hundreds of millions of dollars of respect was there, there in cost overruns? The Port Mann Bridge, the litany. There are billions of dollars of capital cost overruns — not the cost of the projects; the cost of the overruns. Is that respect for taxpayers? Maybe it’s a Liberal definition.

If we don’t want to talk about capital projects, then let’s talk about data systems and information systems. How many hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars got wasted on information systems in this province: either ones that have gone over, dramatically over, in costs — and they’re still trying to figure out how to fix them — or ones like in the education system where the government just threw its hands up and scrapped it and decided to go find something else to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on? Maybe that’s it.

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How about all of the P3s of which we now have heard, of course, about how we’re paying interest charges over and above what we should be paying without demonstrable benefit to in fact explain and justify those interest charges? Where are we going with that?

Of course, there are the really stunning issues here, like we saw in the last election, like we’ve heard out of this Premier, like we’ve heard all along: about being debt-free. Remember, that was on the side of the bus. Well, what we have today is record debt in this province, escalating at a rate that we have never seen before.

It’s all Liberal mismanagement, nothing less — Liberal mismanagement. This is a government that has mismanaged taxpayers’ dollars in a way that is extraordinary and beyond anything we have ever seen before — wastes of billions and billions of taxpayer dollars in order to satisfy the fancies of this government. Mismanagement of project after project — that’s what we’ve seen here.

This member wants to talk about the budget. Well, let’s talk about the budget. First of all, we see from the Auditor General a recognition that we have a balanced budget — based on $600 million of assets being sold. Now, we’ve all heard the story, but it rings true. We’ve all heard the story that you don’t sell the silverware to pay the rent. That’s exactly what this government did.

You have a core review process that, it appears, is some secretive little deal being made by the minister responsible, with a handful of colleagues, who pops up every once in a while to pull the pins out of this program or that program — with no coherency, no thought and nothing, it seems, but the whims of a Minister Responsible for Core Review, who has a mean-on, periodically, for different people. That’s reflected in who gets whacked.

That’s taxpayer responsibility, Liberal-style. We all want to respect taxpayers, but you have to have some credibility to do that. There is no credibility in this government when you look at cost overruns, when you look at mismanagement, when you look at how the budget was balanced, when you look at how P3s have become an ideological rather than a pragmatic approach. The list is long, and it is one train wreck after another that we see as we’ve headed down this road.

This is a real problem. It would be good for us all if the government would be clear and coherent about what it actually means to be responsible to taxpayers, because it certainly hasn’t been reflected in the last couple of years — certainly not.

As our debt climbs by billions and billions every year, I suspect, and taxpayers get told what it costs to finance that, when they get told how they’re paying for B.C. Hydro with 28 percent increases to pay for mismanagement of B.C. Hydro through deferral accounts — the list is long; the litany is long — this member should be just a little bit embarrassed to stand up and say “taxpayer accountability” and “B.C. Liberals” in the same breath.

J. Thornthwaite: In just a few weeks we’re going to be heading to the polls for the municipal election. Voting is our fundamental democratic right, and I want to encourage everyone to get involved, educate themselves on the candidates and the issues and find out where they stand on fiscal matters.

Our government is pro–free enterprise, and our mandate is to respect taxpayers, be fiscally responsible and grow the economy. We want to work with candidates who stand for the same things, who want to collaborate to push forward with the projects that we all want in our respective communities.

I personally will be backing the candidates, both on school board and municipal council, who support the school district’s plan to make the Argyle Secondary rebuild a reality. I will not be supporting school district candidates who’ve made it known that they’re against the sale of surplus lands, or council candidates who have voted against zoning changes that have put the new rebuild in jeopardy. Everyone says they want a new Argyle, but only a handful of the school board, council or mayoral candidates is willing to support the school district’s initiative to make it happen.
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Likewise, I’ll be supporting the school district and council candidates who’ve proven to me that they’re willing to work with me and our federal government counterparts to make the entire Highway 1 interchange project a reality over the coming years. This involves collaboration and cooperation amongst all of us for the betterment of the citizens and taxpayers of North Vancouver. Traffic and transit are co-governance initiatives, and we need cooperation between all levels of government.

Another issue that my constituents are very, very interested in is the amalgamation of the city and the district — which candidates in this election support the savings of taxpayers’ dollars with the amalgamation of the city and the district? I encourage all MLAs in this House, as well as constituents we represent, to interview and get to know each prospective candidate they are considering voting for in the upcoming municipal election November 15. Choose your vote wisely, and help to make the projects that we all want and deserve come to fruition.

Deputy Speaker: It being Monday morning, I’ll start with my usual reminder of the standing orders with regard to private members’ statements. I’ll remind members on both sides of the House of the partisan nature — in making certain that they’re not quite as partisan as we’ve seen so far this morning.

ACCESS TO JUSTICE

D. Eby: I rise on a private member’s statement in relation to access to justice. And in the spirit of your remarks, I would just like to recognize the member for Abbotsford South. We had a life before we came to this House, in which we were engaged in many debates on access to justice, and I’m pleased to see that it continues. I have great respect for his research and grasp on this issue, so I look forward to hearing what he has to say about this government’s record on access to justice.

Also in the spirit of your caution, I’m going to start with the things that are working in our justice system, as I think that’s useful. B.C. is one of the few provinces in which Crown counsel approve charges before a case proceeds to a criminal court. It’s a system that works very well and keeps costs down, and I encourage the government to continue it.

In addition, in B.C. we have seen a provincial court system that is doing significantly more with less. This is a system that, since 2001, has seen cuts of 42 percent in administrative staff and security, 29 percent cuts in corrections and 36 percent cuts in legal aid. Despite that, they have been able to deal with more cases, not fewer, which is a very remarkable testament to the abilities of our counsel, judges and administrators of B.C. courts.

Now, that’s what’s acceptable and what’s going well in B.C.’s court systems. Let me move into what is unacceptable and what needs to be addressed by this government promptly. In 2010 the Provincial Court issued a report that said: “Given the reduction in the judicial complement,” which is the number of judges, “the court is unable to ‘keep pace’ with new cases being presented to it. The current inventory of uncompleted cases is growing markedly, as is the delay for all case types other than youth court prosecutions. Increasingly, the court is failing to meet its legal obligation to provide timely access to justice.” That is a direct quote from the Provincial Court.

What has happened since that report was issued to the provincial judge complement — that is, the number of judges available to deal with civil, criminal and family matters in B.C. provincial courts? When the report was issued, there were 126.3 full-time-equivalent judges. That number is down four judges from when they issued that report that said that we are in trouble, that we need to fix our provincial court system and get more judges on so that we are not continually in a state of crisis. That statistic is as of September 30, 2014 — 122 full-time judges.

What are the consequences of that? My colleague on the other side of the House the member for Abbotsford South will probably rise and say something about the reduction in delays in adult criminal caseloads. Well, that’s a reduction in delays from the crisis level that this government created by failing to appoint enough Provincial Court judges and failing to adequately fund legal aid.

We have fully one-third of the adult criminal cases in B.C. which wait six months or longer before they see a trial. That is not just a major impact for the victims of crime who have to wait many, many months before the person that they have accused of a serious crime actually sees a judge and is sentenced; it’s also a problem for people who are accused of a crime if they feel they’re wrongly accused. For their date in court, they wait months, and potentially they wait in what’s called remand, which is the prison for people who are waiting for their trial.

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In fact, the cost of remand in B.C. was estimated in a 2012 report to be in the range of $30 million per year. Why are there so many delays? Well, here’s an interesting statistic. In ’99-2000, 27,479 people received legal aid for criminal charges. By 2010-11 that had dropped 26 percent to 20,224 people. That means that well over 7,000 people were representing themselves in criminal court in this province. Now, when people represent themselves, it takes much longer for them to get to trial, it takes longer for them to get sentencing, and it causes delays that increase the costs in our provincial courts.

That’s the criminal side. But it’s not just the criminal side. In fact, I do want to mention that Surrey faces, on the criminal side, a remarkable backlog. It has consistently, for seven of the last seven reporting periods, had delays of eight months or longer for people to see trials. Of course, we know that the crime problem is very ser-
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ious in Surrey, and the delays there are inexcusable.

It’s not just adult criminal court where people are facing these kinds of delays; it’s also family court. If you are facing a divorce or if your child has been apprehended by the state, you go to Provincial Court to have this resolved. Provincewide delays for child protection hearings are consistently above the standards set by provincial legislation.

Recently the B.C. Supreme Court said that a lack of resources in the Provincial Court is rendering nugatory — which is judicial language for saying “is making meaningless” — the timelines built into the Child, Family and Community Service Act. If your child is taken away from you, you will be waiting more than seven months for a chance to contest that in court, if you can imagine that. We may have seen some improvements on the criminal side, but there are no improvements to be spoken of on the child protection side.

On the family side, if you are involved in a contested divorce, if you’re a woman fleeing violence, you will wait more than seven months in British Columbia for a family trial. That is a significant increase from just a year ago. We’re going the wrong direction on the delays in family trials as well.

Right now there is a legal aid strike in British Columbia, which means that the lawyers who provide legal aid services are on strike to draw attention to the fact that there are far too many self-represented litigants, that there are not enough lawyers providing these services, and the delays on the criminal side are causing serious problems.

Our own Provincial Court has issued a report saying that there are not more — there are fewer — judges than when they were in crisis, when they issued the report four years ago. This government has not listened to our Provincial Court. This government has not listened to lawyers in the province.

I have to say I’ve done my best to lay out the facts so that we avoid partisan rhetoric. I very much appreciate that it is the member for Abbotsford South that’s rising to speak to this, because I know he shares my concern for a strong, robust justice system if B.C.

In fact, it is the only thing that preserves confidence in the justice system, which is that people are able to get a trial date and time, that they’re able to get access to legal advice when they need it and that we don’t have people having their children taken away and having to wait almost a year before their family is reunited when that’s done improperly. I look forward to the remarks from the member for Abbotsford South to address this issue.

D. Plecas: I’d like to thank the member opposite for raising the important issue of access to justice and legal services in British Columbia and also recognize that the member opposite has done a champion job of helping people get access to justice over a very long time in his career.

I can assure the member opposite that the government considers legal aid a very, very important aspect of our criminal justice system, which is why the minister just last September announced an additional $6 million in funding over the next three years to fund five legal aid projects. This additional funding brings the total spending on legal services in British Columbia to $74.5 million annually.

It’s been a little over 35 years since the Legal Services Society started delivering services in British Columbia. Prior to that low-income individuals had to rely on the legal community to provide pro bono services.

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A lot has changed since the ’70s, including a recognition that there are other ways to deliver legal aid and resolve disputes outside the courtroom. The more cases we can divert from courts through mediation, the more resources we can free up for individuals needing assistance in the courtroom. In many cases, and for many people, this leads to improved results and more satisfactory outcomes.

Every year the Legal Services Society helps tens of thousands of British Columbians. Working in partnership with the Legal Services Society, the government has recognized that doing things the same old way is no longer sufficient. Changes in technology have led to significant changes in the way we access information, and we are taking advantage of that in a number of ways.

One prime example of this is the expansion of Family LawLINE services. This service provides access to legal advice and information over the phone to British Columbians anywhere in the province. For example, an individual living in Fort Nelson now has access to services that would have been impossible to deliver 35 years ago.

This pilot project expands available service hours up to six hours with the same lawyer on the same issue. Previously people received only three hours in total, with no continuity of service from the same lawyer. Last year 5,000 individuals accessed Family LawLINE. It’s all about providing access to justice services on an equal basis so British Columbians in need can do so no matter where they live in the province.

Another way of taking advantage of technology is the use of video conferencing. By reducing the number of in-court appearances, we can save precious resources for things that matter to people.

For example, an introduction to the Vancouver Justice Access Centre has provided a model for other communities to follow, in Nanaimo and Victoria. Justice access centres serve as a one-stop shop for people seeking assistance in navigating the system. These service centres provide services to individuals seeking assistance with separation or divorce, housing, income security, employment and debt issues.

As a government, we remain firmly committed to making access to justice a priority for British Columbians.
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D. Eby: I thank the member for Abbotsford South for his remarks.

This government received a report from a very eminent lawyer named Len Doust, who prepared a legal aid report and made a number of recommendations in terms of the need for improvement of legal aid in this province. I think one of the most powerful aspects of his report is where he sets out what happens to people who don’t have access to legal aid in British Columbia.

He talks about the single mother who loses her housing because she’s wrongfully denied government benefits and is unable to appeal the decision. I note that the report says there are probably about ten lawyers in British Columbia that provide these kinds of poverty law services, most of them funded through the Law Foundation of British Columbia, which is through the interest on lawyers’ trust accounts. These are the lawyers providing these services, a number of hard-working advocates across the province.

The parents whose children are in state custody for an extended period because of inadequate early legal assistance, to the detriment of family relationships — an extreme stress to all parties. I note that this issue particularly disproportionately affects First Nations families in this province. If you look at the statistics, they are shocking and disturbing, that this community does not have access to the legal advice that they need in these cases and that they will wait eight months before their families are reunited.

The hundreds of patients who are detained against their will in mental health facilities each year because they cannot access legal assistance in presenting their case with viable options for care at home, resulting in increased care for our overburdened health care budget.

The individuals who plead guilty because they’re overwhelmed by the criminal justice system without understanding the consequences of such a plea, never mind the victims who wait months and months before the people they’ve accused actually face a trial.

The abused woman who stays in a violent home because she cannot readily show that she has no financial resources, which exposes her to further physical harm and/or psychological trauma.

So I’m pleased to hear the member say that this government has put $2 million more into the legal aid budget. I’m pleased to hear that. But this government decimated legal aid in this province. They closed regional legal aid centres across the province, replacing them with agents who do not have the necessary capacity to provide the services, replacing it functionally with a charity system.

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There are a number of lawyers that do wonderful pro bono work — but entirely dependent on the goodwill of lawyers and where they’re located. I note that many rural areas do not have access to these pro bono services the way that they should and the way that they need in order to deal with these issues.

I heard the member mention rural areas as being particularly benefited by the phone system for legal aid. Well, these are also the locations that face the longest delays before matters get to trial: Williams Lake, 11 months before a family matter gets to trial; Abbotsford — the member’s own jurisdiction — 10 months; Smithers, 10 months; Chilliwack, nine months — an unacceptable state of affairs. I thank the House for the time.

Deputy Speaker: I thank the member and recognize the member for Surrey–White Rock. [Applause.]

LEST WE FORGET

G. Hogg: Thank you for that thunderous ovation.

There are few seminal moments in the course of each of our lives and in the life of our country — moments which seem to define us as individuals and collectively as nations. As Canadians, we have proudly forged our character both at home and on the world stage. Our international persona is largely based on Vimy Ridge, on World War I, on World War II, on our leadership in the development of peacekeeping troops and on our consequent role as peacekeepers.

These displays of integrity and valour have served to galvanize the definition of Canada and what it means to be Canadian. We are proud, and we are proud for good reasons. We are compassionate, caring, resolute and principled. We have welcomed people from around the world to share in our bounty and our goodwill. We are good people, and that goodness has a proud military basis in history.

November 11, 2014, Remembrance Day, is especially important. It marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the start of the Second World War.

It was with tragic irony that just two weeks ago we received — in fact, all Canadians received — two powerful and poignant reminders of the ongoing risks faced by our troops, by the men and women who on our behalf and at our behest promote peace and freedom. They defend our Canadian values of tolerance, peace, pluralism and multiculturalism.

These two reminders were the deaths of Corporal Cirillo and Warrant Officer Vincent, who it seems, were killed simply for being symbols of our Canadian values.

World War I was the war that was to make our world safe for democracy. Then came World War II and endless conflicts since then. Those who have known war up close do not forget. They have often reforged their beliefs and their understanding of what is important while facing fire. They have had more occasion than most of us to go to the edge of life and to examine its meaning.

Pierre Berton, in his book Vimy, interviewed veterans from World War I and found that they focused on their comrades, getting through each day and doing it for their
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troops. The immediacy of war focused them on the immediacy of the moment.

Calvin Coolidge said that the nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten. We have a great deal to remember. We are dedicated to the memory of those who have fought for our country. The most expressive symbol of our memories, the most graphic of our tributes, has been the moment of silence held at the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month each year. In that silence, in the feelings felt, in the remembering experienced individually while standing collectively as a nation, we are emboldened.

I have had the honour of laying many wreaths on behalf of my community, and each time I do so I remember that I am named after a great-uncle. I have a postcard that he sent to my grandfather, who was then living in Lorlie, Saskatchewan, where my father was born. It reads: “Dear folks: Just a few lines to let you know I am still living. Hope to be home and help with the harvest. I hope the war will be over before then.” My great-uncle Gordon was killed in Arras, France, on September 2, 1918, just 39 days before the end of World War I.

While our memories and our inner feelings are our own personal trusts and our own best memorials, I believe that what we do best embodies the life and the future of our memories. Veterans fought to protect and to advance our way of life. We must, in these troubled times, continue with the same fortitude and dedication which they showed. We must continue to make this province, this country and this world a better and more peaceful place for all.

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Strength and security are no longer defined by the ability of a single nation to defend or to destroy but by the ability of the world community to cooperate. Let us do all that we can, lest we forget those who have gone before us and what they mean for us today and for future generations.

M. Karagianis: I’m happy to take my place to respond to the statement by the member for Surrey–White Rock. I believe that the member has very rightfully captured the essence of who we are as proud Canadians and has touched on a number of issues here which I’d like to speak to today.

Certainly, as we look currently at the 100th anniversary of World War I, I think we are more vividly reminded than ever before of the history that Canada has played in international wars, the role that we have contributed from communities all across Canada in every major conflict that has existed around the world. I want to touch base a little bit on the fact that we often celebrate the men who have gone off to war; we don’t often celebrate the women who have contributed significantly to the war, beginning with World War I and in every significant conflict since then.

In World War I, 2,800 Canadian women went off to become nurses. They were considered to be the Bluebirds, that were seen often and greatly respected for their compassion and their courage. Canadian women at that point were not allowed to serve in other military roles, and so they did what they could.

The Second World War saw many Canadian women once again serving as nursing sisters. This time 4,500 nurses went off to all three branches of the military, and these young women were, in fact, commissioned officers. There had been a significant shift and change since World War I, and they were respectfully addressed as sister or ma’am. Canadian military nurses were the first in any allied country to have officer status. The women would serve in other military roles as the war progressed, until some 50,000 had enlisted in the forces: army, navy and air force.

The Royal Canadian Air Force took women in 1941, and 17,000 members signed up for that particular role. Of course, though they may have started out in roles such as administrative and service, they eventually became parachute riggers and laboratory assistants and began to take their place in male-dominated roles such as electricians and mechanics.

The Canadian Women’s Army Corps was established in 1941, and by the end of the war had 21,000 women who were directly involved in the conflict. The Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, which nicknamed themselves Wrens after their famous British counterparts, had 7,000 members — women who went off and did their role.

With the unification and modernization of the Canadian military in the 1980s, of course, the doors were finally open to women to take on all non-traditional roles and to join combat in a whole number of roles. The efforts of these pioneering women have opened up the door for women who now serve in the military, in all levels of the military.

Now, recent events that have taken place here in Canada remind us very much of the role that our military plays in keeping us safe but also in the role that we have always played as peacekeepers and peacemakers around the world.

I come from a military community where every single day we are reminded of the work that the military is doing on our behalf — families who have members deployed around the world. So this particular celebration on November 11 is both a celebration of the vets who have gone before but also a celebration of the families who currently have serving members and all of those members who are serving somewhere in the world to try and keep peace, to continue the tradition of Canadians making peace around the world.

I regret, sadly, the current circumstances that have us taking a more aggressive role in a war circumstance right now, because I think that goes against the grain of who we are as proud Canadians. I sincerely hope that there
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will be a reconsideration at the federal level so that we do not lose that particular iconic role that we’ve played across history and across the world as peacemakers and peacekeepers.

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I salute all the men and women who serve every single day in my community and around the world to keep us safe and all those who have served in the past and who will serve us in the future.

G. Hogg: Thank you to the member for Esquimalt–Royal Roads for highlighting those items. My mother was one of those who served in the air force during the Second World War. She came back with a number of memories which have been emblazoned upon me throughout my life.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of unmarked Canadian veterans’ gravesites throughout British Columbia to this day. An RCMP member, Marc Searle, searched the records and found that in the Sunnyside Lawn Cemetery in South Surrey there were 36 unmarked graves. Now, to find out where these unmarked graves are — it’s just looks like it’s a lawn out there — you have to go back and look into their records. You will find that in many…. As I say, up to thousands throughout British Columbia are yet unmarked.

Marc Searle’s work resulted in us creating something called the Operation Remembrance project. Community participants — including the Royal Canadian Legion, the Canadian Forces, a number of local youth organizations, the Semiahmoo First Nation, businesses, the city of Surrey, the city of White Rock, Veterans Affairs and the Last Post Fund — raised funds and held a ceremony to mark the gravesites with headstones to honour the veterans with the dignity and the respect that they so deserve.

Part of the process was a group of grade 4 and 5 students who came to Sunnyside and were cleaning the areas for the headstones to go in. A woman from across the street came over and saw them and thought that they were being irreverent — running around in the areas of the lawn. She came out to say that.

When the teacher explained to her what, in fact, these children were doing, this woman sat down with them. She’d had a father who had been killed in the war, and she told her story to these young children. It was a great learning experience, for both of them, to better understand the impact war has, not just in the history books that they were looking at but in the reality of a woman’s eyes whose father had been killed in the war.

It’s important, especially for young Canadians, that we recognize and remember those veterans who fought for our freedom and for our way of life. Operation Remembrance brought our community together to recognize and pay tribute to the veterans who live in our communities and in our neighbourhoods. The Last Post Fund is available to any community that has unmarked veterans’ gravesites, and anyone from this community or anyone from this Legislature who is interested in doing that should pursue that opportunity within their community.

As November 11 approaches, may we all reflect on the lives that we have because of the sacrifices that they made.

LOCAL AGRICULTURE

L. Popham: Over this past spring we saw a debate in this chamber that was supposed to be based on agriculture. Legislation that made changes to our agricultural land reserve was passed under the premise that the majority of votes in this chamber believed that the steps taken were making agriculture in this province stronger. All government members voted for the changes; all opposition members did not.

The changes will see a different system in place than we have been working under for over 40 years, a different way of using our food-growing lands, a different argument for what the highest and best use is for agricultural land — 90 percent of the agricultural land reserve.

Without a doubt, the changes made will allow non-agricultural land uses to take place where previously agriculture was the priority. We have, as a Legislative Assembly, changed a very effective land use tool, which made agriculture the highest priority, to making it a lesser priority by packaging these changes in a seemingly bad-thought-out marketing campaign that insisted the changes were about agriculture. Most people in the province know this is not the case, but there was no stopping the changes.

Politics trumped the greater good, and now we all must live with the implications. The backlash to these changes was strong, and the arguments against the changes were valid. The argument for keeping and protecting our local agricultural land base is an argument that should have been easier to make than at any other time in our history.

When the agricultural land reserve was first established, it was established to protect our food-growing capacity for generations to come. It was put in place by a government that knew it wasn’t a popular move at the time, but it was so important that they accepted the political implications.

[1045]

The land included in the reserve was 47,000 square kilometres — this in a province that is made up of almost a million square kilometres in total. It was some of the most progressive legislation this province has seen, preserving and protecting food-growing lands for the future.

When did we think that time would arrive? It’s ironic that the very time we’re going to need this land the most, a decision was made to put it in jeopardy. To make highest and best use anything but agriculture in over 90 percent of the reserve at this time would seem implausible.
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How ironic that just as other jurisdictions are losing their growing capacity due to climate change, we have decided as a Legislative Assembly to gamble with our future. At a time when local agriculture has increased potential to be a stronger part of our economy, we put blinders on and walk past the window of opportunity that local agriculture has opened for us.

The idea of supporting local agriculture is an idea that members in this chamber love to ride on these days. At any given time you can hear statements of professed love for agriculture, feel-good examples of agriculture at work in our communities across the province, and of course, we get to hear the statistics government members rattle off regarding percentages, expenditures and fantastical commitments in order to catch that “I love agriculture” train rolling by.

I cringe every time I hear these illusionary commitments spilling from the government mouth, and then I close my eyes and replay that vote that drove a stake into the heart of the ALR this spring, where every government member played a part.

It’s not a secret that we don’t have an agricultural plan in B.C. It’s not lost on any agricultural stakeholder group that, as a province, we haven’t done the work we have needed to do to develop an agricultural self-sufficiency plan. We have a report that’s outdated at this point, one done about seven years ago. Where is the serious work that needs to be done? Where were the work and the studies needed to back up the changes made this past spring? Well, there aren’t any.

It’s quite amazing to think that over 40 years has gone by. The reasons for implementing the agricultural land reserve have come home to roost so quickly. In only this short period of time we have seen the ALR go from a great idea, something for the future, to an idea that we will need now for our survival.

We have seen a lack of support for agriculture in this province as a rule. Why is this? From my perspective, it’s because agriculture is resilient, and it always seems to get by. It doesn’t thrive, but it gets by.

Over the last five years I’ve tried to make an economic argument. It’s a tough one, because the government doesn’t believe in agriculture as an economic driver. If it did, we would have a long-term agriculture plan in place and legislation to support it, like the Local Food Act. Instead, we get piecemeal action that does nothing for long-term stability.

For a government that pats itself on the back non-stop around economic competence, in reality, economic arguments for B.C. agriculture get batted away. The only economic argument that has anything to do with agriculture this government supports is the “all eggs in one basket” economic theory.

So if economic reasons can’t sway government ears, I wonder if the latest and quite alarming argument can sway them to get serious about agriculture in B.C. How about resiliency and mitigation? We are facing the biggest threat to global agriculture we have seen in history. This isn’t a conversation for the future; this is a conversation we need to have right now.

Is it overdue? Yes. Is it something we should have been more prepared for? Absolutely. Is it too late? Not at all. But time is not on our side, and we need to make a plan now.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report over the weekend. The IPCC is a scientific body under the auspices of the United Nations. It reviews and assesses the most recent scientific, technical and socioeconomic information produced worldwide relevant to the understanding of climate change. Thousands of scientists from around the world contribute to the work of the IPCC on a voluntary basis. Review is an essential part of the process to ensure an objective and complete assessment of current information is done.

Because of its scientific and intergovernmental nature, the IPCC embodies a unique opportunity to provide rigorous and balanced scientific information to decision-makers. By endorsing the IPCC reports, governments acknowledge the authority of their scientific content. The work of the organization is therefore policy-relevant yet policy-neutral, never policy-prescriptive.

[1050]

So what is the IPCC saying about our global food situation? They say rising food demand and change in global temperatures pose large risks to our global food production.

We must, therefore, accelerate our efforts to make our food systems both more resilient and more sustainable. We must take immediate, farm-focused action to prepare for and respond to more severe food crisis. We must build the resilience of vulnerable people, livelihoods and ecosystems in the face of increasing climate variability.

L. Throness: It’s a pleasure, as always, to speak to this House about agriculture. Agriculture is a huge facet of my riding, and of course we defend the ALR, as the member does. She’s in passionate defence of the ALR, and of course we share her support for the ALR.

The ALR is, arguably, the jewel in the rusting crown of the NDP, the government of 1972 to 1975 which at the time created the ALR. There’s one person in caucus who is tasked with defending, supporting and upholding the ALR for the opposition, and that is the critic for Agriculture.

It is surprising to me, astonishing, in fact, that in 2012 the member who was at that time the critic for Agriculture for the official opposition appeared before the Saanich council. On December 10 this is what they quoted her as saying: “I think it’s sad that” — this parcel of land in Gordon Head, in her riding — “this can’t continue as a farm. I think it’s probably unexpected that
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I would have this opinion. I want to say that I don’t support the direction of farming. It’s a difficult choice that I’ve made, and I’ve probably disappointed some folks in the audience. As far as Saanich as a community, I think it’s a better direction to have a subdivision.”

That, to me, is quite astonishing — not from any member of the opposition but from the person who is tasked to defend that which was created by her own government when it was a government long ago. Not only that, but to her it was not a matter of good public policy; it was a matter of principle that she take land from the ALR. I think that’s quite astonishing — that as a matter of principle there would be some people who would be….

Deputy Speaker: Member, I’ll caution you, as I’ve cautioned earlier this morning. There seems to have been some confusion when I made my earlier comments, so I will quickly make them again. A quote from Speaker Sawicki from 1992:

“Perusal of the topics selected by members under Standing Order 25A” — which has to do with private members’ statements — “since its inception clearly reveals this spirit and intent. Often members have used private members’ time to discuss topics of personal interest or topics that did not fall within other proceedings in the House. That is not to say that members’ statements have not been controversial or that there have not been clear differences of opinion and healthy debate.”

In that sense, partisan debate takes place during private members’ statements.

“In reviewing the practice of this House, however, highly partisan remarks that negatively reflect on individual members or groups of members in the House have not been regarded as falling within the spirit and intent of Standing Order 25A. Subject always to Standing Order 40, other opportunities for such debate are available to members, as for instance, during debate on estimates or, depending on content, during debates on bills.”

I would remind members — I’ve made the statement earlier — that highly partisan remarks and attacks on groups of members are not within the standing rules for 25A and should not be taking place on Monday morning.

L. Throness: I do apologize, Mr. Speaker, if I have in any way breached the rules of the House.

I just want to speak in favour of Bill 24 that the government introduced and passed this spring. The government created two zones. One was a zone in the area in which I live, in the Fraser Valley. The Fraser Valley is basically status quo with respect to the ALR.

We created another zone where there will be slightly more flexibility. That will allow farmers to supplement their income on their land so that they can continue on the farm, because as we know, farming is in difficulty in B.C.’s north.

[1055]

We know that in B.C.’s north the growing season is shorter, and farmers have a harder time making a living. We know that in some communities farm families are moving off the farm and farm communities are struggling. In an effort to buttress the farm family, the farm community and the family farm in B.C.’s north, we passed Bill 24 to allow more off-farm income on the farm. I think that’s a great idea. It’s a great support for the ALR. It’s a great support for agriculture.

I just want to close by saying that it is our goal as a government to increase agricultural industry, agricultural activity, by several billion dollars. Right now it’s at $11.7 billion a year. We want to increase that to $14 billion per year by 2017. And with this Bill 24, we think that’s one way of increasing farm income for B.C., so we’re wholly in support.

I think that our government has done more than any other government to support agriculture in B.C., and I would leave it at that.

L. Popham: After that incredible personal attack from the member, I can say that the member that just spoke is normally misinformed and uneducated. I’d like that to be on record.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization….

Deputy Speaker: Member, please take your seat. I would like to see the withdrawal.

Please proceed. I’ll ask you to withdraw, please.

L. Popham: I’ll withdraw that comment.

Deputy Speaker: Proceed.

L. Popham: The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the world food program stand together in urging world leaders to take a definitive action to minimize the threat of climate change to food security.

Significant investment must be channelled towards agriculture and rural development, developing more resilient infrastructure and production systems that will help smallholder farmers in developing countries better respond to increased climate risk and adapt to climate change. Climate change must be integrated into all policy-making related to agriculture, rural development, social protection and food security.

The agriculture community in B.C. has been trying to have their voice heard for so many years. This fall the BCAC made a submission to the Finance Committee. Investing only in sectors that export high-value crops will grow revenue but could reduce biodiversity, reduce local choices and food security. B.C. is blessed with a diverse environment that enables us to grow many crops. However, we also generally have higher costs of production. With competing interests and limited resources to invest in the sector, B.C. needs to develop a long-term vision for what the agrifood sector will look like in 50 years.

They ask: in light of changing climactic and growing seasons, world demand for food, how do we ensure the long-term security of our food supply?
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My advice to this government is this: instate the standing committee on agriculture and food, gather the people that want to work on a provincial agricultural plan, and wake up, as time is not on our side.

Deputy Speaker: I thank the members.

In order not to alter the priority of private members’ motions on the order paper, unanimous consent is required in order to proceed with Motion 8.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 8 — SUCCESS OF MEDIA SECTOR

S. Sullivan: I’m pleased to be here to speak to the motion that is standing in my name. It is as follows.

[Be it resolved that this House celebrate the success of the film, audio visual and digital media sector in British Columbia.]

Our government celebrates the benefits of having a vibrant film industry in B.C. British Columbia is a key location for film and television production in North America and a leading hub for digital animation and visual effects. That is why we established Creative B.C., an independent society working with creative industries in B.C. to develop and implement a broad strategy capitalizing on the sector’s strengths and identifying future opportunities.

[1100]

The motion picture industry spends approximately $1.16 billion per year on production activity in British Columbia. It generates an estimated 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.

B.C. saw $1.45 billion in production spending by film and television productions. This was in fiscal 2013 and 2014. This represents the shooting or completion of 129 foreign productions, largely from the U.S., and 119 domestic productions in B.C. In fiscal 2012 and 2013 B.C. saw $1.48 billion in spending by film and television producers. This represents the shooting or completion of 139 foreign productions and 127 domestic productions.

Now, one of the most important reasons for the success of our industry is the creative, educated and hard-working people in the industry, and our government is making investments to support this — for example, Emily Carr, $4.4 million for renovations to create the interdisciplinary digital studio of art, media and design under the British Columbia knowledge development fund. This includes $1.4 million from the Ministry of Advanced Education and the $3 million from the federal government and other sources.

We are investing up to $113 million in a new Emily Carr University of Art and Design facility at the Great Northern Way Campus. The total capital cost for the project is budgeted for $134 million.

Capilano University — $38. 5 million is allocated for the construction of a new digital media and film centre. This includes almost $19 million from the Ministry of Advanced Education and $14 million from the federal government’s knowledge infrastructure program.

I’d also like to mention the important Vancouver Film School. In 1987 in my riding of Vancouver–False Creek it started with six students. It has now blossomed and mushroomed all over the neighbourhood. We’ve got six buildings now that host the Vancouver Film School, and it turns out some of the leaders internationally in the film and creative industries.

Digital Media British Columbia is gaining recognition globally for its digital media sector, hosting innovative wireless and mobile products. Video gaming, animation, visual effects, web and social media — British Columbia’s 900 digital media companies employ approximately 14,000 people and generate $1.2 billion in sales.

For audiovisual we have visual effects companies that continue to set up shop in B.C. thanks to a highly experienced, capable and committed workforce with the reputation for consistently delivering high-quality product on time and on budget. There are now close to 50 digital effects and animation studios in Vancouver.

Over the past five years B.C. has experienced significant growth in visual effects and digital animation production. Many international companies like Sony Imageworks, MPC and Industrial Light and Magic have moved head offices or established Vancouver studios.

Additionally, a number of domestic companies have grown significantly over this period. Nerd Corps, Atomic Cartoons and Image Engine are just some of them.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

Sony Pictures Imageworks, which first opened a Vancouver production office in 2010, expects to move next April into a 6,800-square-metre state-of-the-art production facility at Pacific Centre that can accommodate up to 700 employees.

G. Heyman: It gives me great pleasure to join with the member for Vancouver–False Creek to celebrate the contributions of film and television and digital media to the provincial economy. In fact, I’d like to go a step further and celebrate the fact that it appears the people on the government side of the House are finally talking about some industry other than LNG and listening to some stories from an already successful industry that has great capacity for further growth.

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As Paul Klassen of IATSE and the Motion Picture Production Industry Association has pointed out in a submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, film and TV “is the cornerstone of B.C.’s creative economy, which is worth a com-
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bined $4 billion in GDP and represents 85,000 jobs across the province.” Film is $1.1 billion and over 25,000 jobs, plus spinoffs like tourism suppliers. “The creative economy is internationally recognized as an important sector, and it is growing at a faster rate than the economy as a whole.”

This is good news, and there can be further good news because we know that industries can be cyclical. We know, for instance, that in 2012-13, there were some problems in the industry. They were under capacity.

We have better news now. There are more people working. There are more productions, particularly in television, than there were in 2012-13, and a significant part of that is due to the dropping in value of the Canadian dollar, which makes it more profitable for producers from the United States, in particular, to come here to work. But there is a caution, and it’s a caution raised by people in the industry, that there are some areas in the Lower Mainland with more unused film studio capacity than they’re comfortable with.

Let me talk a little bit about post-production. Suzanne Thompson of MMPIA pointed out again to the Finance Committee: “The future of post-production is a key ingredient to the digital future of our province.” Peter Leitch of MMPIA said: “The visual effects community is one of fastest-growing communities in the industry right now. We’ve got a strong post-production community that we’re looking to build upon.”

They pointed out in the submission and they’ve pointed out in many conversations that encouraging post-production here is important because when foreign producers see that they can do a production from start to finish, they’re encouraged to come here and stay here.

That is why it is so important that the Minister of Finance in the upcoming budget keeps the promise that was made in the last election that the digital animation or visual effects tax credit will be extended to post-production, because that will boost this very important part of the film and digital media industry.

The member from False Creek mentioned Atomic Cartoons as an example of a company that was doing well and growing. I’ve visited Atomic. It’s a great company, and they’re doing well. But it’s also important to note that they will point out, as others will, that they can hire almost eight times as many people as are graduated from the animation schools because there simply isn’t enough capacity in the animation schools. Because they perhaps don’t have the staff necessary to take on as many contracts as they could, they have turned away some contracts or subcontracted others out.

This is an opportunity for B.C. to do better by lifting our game in support for post-secondary education and the turning out of trained workers in successful industries that have a great capacity for growth.

Let me close by talking about Creative B.C., which is doing great work but could do more. Peter Leitch talked about an expanded role for Creative B.C. to the Finance Committee. If we compare the $2.2 million budget of Creative to other provinces like Saskatchewan, they have a budget of $7.4 million. Ontario is between $30 million and $40 million. Nova Scotia is $5.3 million.

For a very small amount of additional funds, we could support Creative B.C. in doing market development research in helping to market products and in providing funds to leverage local production to build our own intellectual capacity and our intellectual property copyrights.

I celebrate this industry, and I look forward to all of us doing more to help it grow even faster.

J. Thornthwaite: Thank you to the member for Vancouver-Fairview for his continued support for the film industry in British Columbia. We certainly recognize the benefits of having a vibrant film industry in B.C., and we all recognize that we are a key location for film and TV production in North America.

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I was just told that Daniel Radcliffe’s — i.e., Harry Potter — new movie Horns, which just opened in the theatres in the last week, was shot in Mission, Squamish and Vancouver. So the film industry is booming.

We saw $1.45 billion in production spending by film and television producers in the fiscal 2013-2014 year. As the member from False Creek reminded us, this represents the shooting of and completion of 129 foreign productions and 119 domestic productions in B.C.

As was also recognized, Budget 2014 did extend the distant-location tax credit to the capital regional district, and the capital regional district here in Victoria is doing well because of that.

I, too, support the post-production sector in the film industry. It’s a significant portion of the local film industry. Encore handles a large part of post duties for locally shot projects for both film and television. They do dailies; editing tape and transfer and logging; colour-timing. Their in-house effects house, Method television studios, handles digital effects work. So I support the work of Suzanne Thompson and Peter Leitch in their advocacy for post-production.

The film industry is critical to the B.C. economy. There are more than 25,000 British Columbians that work either directly or indirectly in this industry, and we want to do everything we can to protect their jobs and grow the sector. Despite a challenging fiscal climate, our government maintains strong support for the film and TV industry and is delivering on our commitments to industry.

Our talented workforce, world-class infrastructure, access to eight major studios and diverse filming locations make B.C. a key location for film and TV production in North America. Not only is B.C. a key location for film and TV; it is a growing hub for digital animation and visual effects.
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Production activity in British Columbia communities continues to play an important role in every municipality in British Columbia, creating opportunities throughout the province. I’ve mentioned before that in North Vancouver from September to now the district has had 13 productions. Of those, five were commercials and the rest TV and movie. Some notable examples include Arrow, Once Upon a Time, Falling Skies and five student films.

The city, over the past four weeks, has had six productions, and North Shore Studios currently has seven productions ongoing.

I also know the film industry’s benefit to the city and the district of North Vancouver as well as to the school district. I was fortunate to attend a filming of Bates Motel at Seycove Secondary in my riding. Both the school district and the school received thousands of dollars from this production and utilized the money for continuing education for their teachers.

I know that my community has the third-largest number of constituents employed by the film industry in the province.

North Vancouver is also home to the Nat and Flora Bosa Centre for Film and Animation at Capilano University. This is a cutting-edge facility. It gives our future film-makers access to the latest technology; 3-D capabilities; a 200-seat, high-definition theatre; sound-mixing and recording studios; an 8,000-square-foot sound stage; picture- and sound-editing labs; as well as visual effects, animation and costuming studios — virtually everything you need to make a feature film.

In summary, I’d just like to reiterate my support for the film industry, not just in my riding but also provincewide, and to rejoice in how they contribute to our economy.

K. Corrigan: I am very pleased to speak on this motion to celebrate the success of the film, audiovisual and digital media sector in British Columbia, because frankly, it recognizes that there are important businesses in British Columbia other than LNG, which seems to have been an incessant obsession for the Liberal government. While LNG may be part of a balanced and integrated plan for the development of this province, the vast majority of the businesses, the jobs and the growth of this province have nothing to do with LNG.

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In fact, perhaps this motion is intended to counter recent criticism that I’ve heard from businesses, including the film, television and digital media business sector — the concern that if you are not in an LNG-related business, you can’t get any attention from this government.

I’m glad to see that we’re talking about it today. We should be paying attention, because jobs in the film and digital media sector are green jobs, and they’re high-paying jobs. The film industry adds particular cachet with the glamour and the appeal of a region that has film, television and digital media. Films and particular television shows have even spawned tourism.

These are not aspirational and uncertain jobs. They are jobs in an industry that is already mature and in an industry that I think we owe some loyalty to for the commitment investments of millions of private sector dollars. These are jobs that can draw on and require a highly skilled and well-educated workforce.

While the government has made social engineering commitments to LNG-related advanced education, it has coupled this with an overall decrease in funding for our universities, colleges and technical institutes and committed to shifting funds from other programs to LNG and other related areas.

Yet I would suggest that investment in the film and digital media sector is exactly the kind of targeted investment we should be making, particularly given that industry spokespeople tell us that with regard to a skilled workforce — for instance, in the areas of animation, visual effects and post-production — there needs to be more training. This is an industry where we can’t entirely control our own destiny, but we can provide educational and other supports that will help grow the industry.

In fact, I would point out, it was because of investments in the 1990s that the formative years of the B.C. film industry occurred, and partially because of the support provided by the then government. The digital media area — gaming, animation, social media — all employs thousands of people and, according to their industry association, generates $2.3 billion in annual sales.

I’m particularly pleased that companies like Electronic Arts make their home in my community of Burnaby and that the film industry provides over 25,000 well-paying knowledge-based jobs. My community of Burnaby has long since recognized how positive the film and television industry is and has helped support it, with great success.

According to a city of Burnaby report, the television and film industry in 2012 provided $408 million of direct and spinoff activity in Burnaby, and 62 percent of purpose-built studio space in the Lower Mainland is in Burnaby. That includes places like Canadian Motion Picture Park, Bridge Studios, Mammoth and others.

There are animation businesses, unions, design, construction, a prop and supply business, equipment businesses like William F. White, post-production businesses. These are good jobs now — for now, not the future — for my community and communities across the Lower Mainland and, increasingly, across the province.

In a recent speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade, the Premier said that LNG and other resource industries are critical to places like Burnaby — she pointed out Burnaby — and that people should vote in the coming elections accordingly. Yet Burnaby, thank you very much, is booming and keeping taxes down with construction and new businesses — businesses very much like the
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film and television industry and the supporting industries there. The biggest problem, I would say, with taxes is constant downloading from the provincial government.

In summary, I’m very pleased to have had the opportunity to speak about the importance of the film and digital media industries to this province and particularly to my community and the Speaker’s community of Burnaby. We have been very well aware of that importance for some time.

M. Dalton: On behalf of my constituents in Maple Ridge–Mission, I’m pleased to respond to the following motion: “Be it resolved that this House celebrate the success of the film, audio visual and digital media sector in British Columbia.”

I’ve lived in the Lower Mainland for some three decades and have seen, like everyone else here, tremendous growth in the industry. I remember that in the late ’70s and early ’80s B.C.’s claim to fame in the movie industry seemed to be The Beachcombers. I’m not knocking the production, but a lot has happened since that time.

[1120]

I was in the Teamsters union in the mid-’80s, and a number of Teamsters started getting hired in the industry as drivers and in other sectors. There was discussion among ourselves whether it was just a blip or if it was here to stay. I’m here to say that the film industry is here to stay.

It’s a mature industry, a $1.5 billion industry generating about 25,000 jobs, both directly and indirectly, throughout the province, including Maple Ridge and Mission. There are, as has been mentioned, hundreds of productions — approximately 250 productions last year, both domestic and foreign — and the Vancouver area has often been referred to as Hollywood North.

What attracts productions here? Well, for one, we have established studios. Last year I had a tour with a number of other MLAs to visit studios in North Vancouver, Vancouver and Burnaby and was very impressed — the investments that have been put into these studios. It’s not just in these regions, in these communities, but also in Maple Ridge and in Mission.

In Maple Ridge we have a couple of studios. One of them is Bordertown, which is a fully functional Old West town. It has a jail, saloon, hotel, general store and barn buildings for a complete Old West experience for any film or television project. It’s brought in about $300 million, just that one studio alone, in revenue into the Fraser Valley in the past number of years. In Mission we have the Virtue Studio Ranch. Danny Virtue is a namesake, and has had many productions here. We’ve seen not only hundreds of millions of dollars invested through these studios but also across the province, probably in the billions.

Another attraction is our skilled production crews and also our educational institutions. A couple of years ago we announced $113 million being invested into the new Emily Carr University of Art and Design for 1,800 students.

Another attraction is the same time zones as L.A. We also have a very competitive tax regime. Canada and, specifically, British Columbia have one of the best tax regimes in the world. With regards to film tax credits, the B.C. Liberal government has ratcheted it up a number of times over the past number of years to, I believe, about 31 percent or more. Then if you are outside of, say, 206th Street, there’s the distance location tax credit, which has been a real benefit for Maple Ridge and for Mission.

In the months leading to the last election, there was a lot of concern in the industry about losing out to Louisiana and other states and also to Ontario. The government has made big investments, big commitments, to seeing the industry established, but we felt that we did need to hold the line. We made some commitments, but we felt that the line needed to be held because we didn’t want to get into a war with Ontario, for example, who said to us that whatever we did, they were going to go lower.

We felt that our province has a lot to offer, and it looks like our approach has proved right. We’ve seen a real significant increase in production in even this past year. We have a lot of different drawing cards.

As was mentioned, the industry is a bit cyclical, and some of that has to do with the Canadian dollar. Right now we’re in a good position with where the dollar is at, about 90 cents or 88 cents.

In British Columbia we have a strong foundation in all the creative industries, including film, television, digital media, book and magazine publishing and music. There are a lot of spinoff effects in the industry, including hotels, food suppliers, accounting services, vehicle rentals, tradespeople, building sets.

In Maple Ridge and Mission there have been over 55 productions to date, including full-length motion pictures, TV series, made-for-television movies, commercials and documentaries. Recent examples include Horns, the motion picture, and TV series, Wayward Pines.

S. Chandra Herbert: It gives me great pleasure to speak in support of our film, television, digital entertainment creative cluster that has developed in British Columbia, a sector which has grown to such an extent in a relatively short period of time but is one that is supported so widely by British Columbians. It’s supported for a couple of reasons. I should draw on my experience, having worked in the industry prior to becoming a member of this Legislature.

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Members might be interested to know that I appeared opposite Brad Pitt. He was in front of me, and I was a little further behind. Yes, I guess they would call me a background performer — or an extra, as they used to refer to them. That was just one of the jobs that I took in the creative sectors to pay my way through university.
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Indeed, I did that when I was in elementary school, so I was already working in the industry. I know the government supports child labour. I guess I was working hard at a young age. Anyway, in my experience of the industry, I also had the pleasure of being the advocate for the industry on the opposition side, the New Democrat side, for the last four years.

I had the invitation from the industry to travel down to meet with a number of the big production companies in Hollywood, to learn from them what they wanted to see here, see what we could do better in B.C. to invite them to invest in our province, and why they loved coming here, to begin with.

One of the top things that I heard about why they loved coming to British Columbia was because of the partnership, the cooperation, they found between the private sector — the film studios, the film companies, the post-production companies, all gamut of companies that work in the film industry — and the labour unions that work with them as well. Of course, we have the Council of Film Unions, IATSE, Teamsters, Directors Guild, ACTRA and other unions which work all together with the large studios to come to a deal that can better working conditions and can make more efficient conditions for filming in British Columbia.

I want to thank the Motion Picture Production Industry Association, the Canadian Media Production Association chapter of B.C., and of course all the unions that I just mentioned. They have come together in a way to provide stability, to provide a sound home for investors, internationally, in the film industry. They do it so well.

Again, what I heard right from the beginning was, “You’ve got great crews. You’ve got great studios” — Vancouver Film Studios, Mammoth and others. They invest in their studios to have the top end of equipment, to be ready should they have a big blockbuster or to be ready to serve a small production.

Then, of course, we also need to recognize Vancouver and British Columbia as being a great home for the film industry because of our domestic film producers, the B.C.-based producers. I can name a few companies. Whether it’s Brightlight; Omni; Nerd Corps, which works more in the video game but also crosses over into TV…. They provide work, both for those that work in the foreign service industry, the Hollywood big productions, but also the domestic work.

They work together to ensure that we can have Canadian culture supported — something that I think we need to do more of and better. It’s why I advocated for the creation of Creative B.C. That’s why the New Democrats called for the creation of Creative B.C.

Thankfully, shortly before the last election it was created so we could have an industry advocate that brought together all sizes, sorts and fields — whether it’s the post-production alliance, DigiBC and others — so that they could speak in one voice and get that content, the stories that we generate out of our incredible province, and get that seen by the world, with the royalties flowing in, turned into a video game or app or whatever you’re able to do with the technology of today or down into the future — and succeed.

Good jobs for British Columbians, creative jobs make you dream bigger, reach a little higher and bring great dollars and cents and pride in our incredible province.

Whether it’s the tourism spinoffs that you see in many communities of this province…. Hope’s still going strong with Rambo, having shot that there back in the early ’80s. They have pride. People go back there for generations now to see the set of Rambo.

Of course, you could do that in my own community — walk down the street and point out any number of films and television shows that have shot in the West End. Most any community in B.C. now can find some way to link to the film, television and creative industry of our great province.

There’s a lot more we can do, but the industry is creative and will support us. We will support them back.

J. Yap: I’m honoured and privileged to take my place in the debate on this motion. I’m grateful to the member for Vancouver–False Creek for bringing this motion forward in support of the vibrant, dynamic film and digital creative industry here in British Columbia.

[1130]

I’m very fascinated to hear the past experience of the member for Vancouver–West End and delighted that in his pre–elected official life he was one of tens of thousands of British Columbians who benefited and continue to benefit from this wonderful sector.

He also mentioned tourism spinoffs, which is so true. British Columbia has become, it has been said, Hollywood North. And yes, there is in our society an element of interest in celebrity and connection to our cultural icons. British Columbia is becoming very much a destination for film tourism. I’ll be speaking more about that in my remarks.

As we’ve heard from colleagues on both sides of the House talking about this wonderful industry, it’s worth reminding ourselves what we are talking about here: 25,000 British Columbians are directly or indirectly employed by this sector. This is not counting those that benefit from the spinoff benefits of this sector. That’s almost $1½ billion in spending by this sector.

It’s important to communities all around the province of British Columbia, whether it’s in rural British Columbia, in the Lower Mainland or in urban British Columbia. It’s certainly centred in urban British Columbia, but the film and creative industry is so important to our economy, to continue to diversify British Columbia’s great economy.

I’ll just spend a few moments talking about some of the highlights, as I see them, of this important sector. There
[ Page 5119 ]
have been many important public investments that have been made by the province, led by our government, as have been mentioned.

The important investments in training are for the current and next generations of those that will participate in the film, digital and creative industries — whether it’s Emily Carr, which is going to be an iconic institution for digital and creative learning here in British Columbia, or the wonderful school of film at Capilano University, which is turning out the next generation of Steven Spielbergs and David Cronenbergs — and who will continue to represent the great opportunity that British Columbia is for this sector.

We’ve heard about the great investments by the private sector in film studios and infrastructure — in the Lower Mainland in places like Burnaby and North Vancouver. Of course, when all is said and done, we are interested in the jobs, with the investment, that are created.

In my community, in Richmond, we have seen tremendous benefit, a tremendous increase in activity in film production, whether it’s in TV, commercial or movie production. And one that I’ve spoken about in the past, I really want to highlight because it happened right in the heart of my community, in Steveston, also known as Storybrooke, which is the fictional location of a wonderful television series — a major network series called Once Upon a Time. Those of you who are on Twitter, it’s #ouat.

An ABC fantasy TV show, Once Upon a Time has been renewed, I believe for its fifth season. Any time that the film crews come to the village of Steveston, it’s estimated that about 350 people come into the village. Mr. Speaker, as you may know, having visited Steveston, when you have 350 people converge on the streets of Steveston for production, that is a lot of spinoff activity that happens.

The people of Steveston, the people of my community, have really taken to heart and really enjoyed the fact that we have this great asset — the production of this TV show in our community, in Steveston.

There are others that I’d like to quickly mention. In the last year filming in Richmond has included such movies as 50 Shades of Grey, Godzilla — that was a big production — Grace, A Fairly Odd Summer, If I Stay, Pale Green, Parked, Robocop, The Interview.

TV series that have been filmed in Richmond include Almost Human, Amazing Grace, Arrow, Bates Motel, Bizarre Foods and last but not least, Once Upon a Time. It’s an important sector — one that all of us in this House support.

[1135]

S. Robinson: I am pleased to take my place in this debate on the motion put forward by the member for Vancouver–False Creek that this House celebrate the success of the film, audiovisual and digital media sector in British Columbia. I’m always one to relish in the idea of celebrating success.

I think that as a province we should celebrate the things that we’re good at. As a family therapist, my philosophy of the work that I would do with clients — and it’s the work that I’ve taken with me as I work in the area of policy now — is that we ought to identify our strengths and successes in any area that we are striving to support and expand. The philosophy really says that success breeds success and identified strengths provide the groundwork for moving forward and achieving new goals.

When I decided to speak to this motion, I thought: “Well, let’s take a look at the film, audiovisual and digital media sector in British Columbia. Let’s take a little bit of a look at the history of the success of this sector in the province.” I thought I would focus a little bit on the film industry, given that it has been so successful here in British Columbia. I think our history often helps to inform our future.

The film industry technically began in British Columbia in 1913. It had its first big burst on the scene in 1930. That’s when we started to see, here in British Columbia, some of the Hollywood celebrities like Bob Hope and Ginger Rogers strolling down Vancouver streets.

But it really was television that brought more filming activity to our province. I don’t know if any members of the House know this, but The Littlest Hobo was the first television series shot in British Columbia. That was from 1963 to 1965. It was subsequently syndicated around the world. And the industry has been growing ever since.

In 1978 the B.C. film and television industry spent over $12 million here in our province. Twenty years later that grew to $807 million. By 1999 the B.C. film and television industry spent over $1 billion in British Columbia. In 2000, 192 film and television productions were shot in B.C. — 56 feature films; 48 movies of the week, pilot or miniseries; 36 television series; ten animation products; and 42 documentaries or broadcast singles. So we’d certainly developed a burgeoning industry through the 1990s.

By 2001 foreign production reached a record high of $856.8 million. This industry, through the ’90s, grew at an annual rate of 21 percent. This growth wasn’t just in the Lower Mainland. Since 1990 full production in the Okanagan has grown through the roof, generating multi-millions of dollars of economic impact. We also know that since 1996, Vancouver Island has benefited with more than $250 million in direct spending.

According to a document put out by the B.C. Film Commission in 2000 — I was just doing some digging as I prepared over the weekend — there were about 35,000 people in B.C. employed by this sector, 10,000 more then than there are today, and 97 percent of the production crews were made up of local people.

To fully appreciate the success of this industry, I think it’s critical that we review the history and that we understand the historical decisions and focus that have played
[ Page 5120 ]
a huge part in developing this industry that had an economic impact, back in 2000, of $3.3 billion.

Where do we stand today with our creative sector? B.C. is one of the leading film and television production centres in North America. Because we have invested in this industry historically and we have invested in our people and our facilities, we have maintained a competitive position in the film, television and digital media sector.

Despite these strengths, there are certainly some challenges ahead of us. The lingering effect of global financial problems that has resulted in an impact on industry revenue and access to capital. The implementation across North America and internationally of tax incentives that meet or exceed those in B.C. The expectation that content be developed for a variety of distribution platforms, despite the absence of a viable revenue model to justify production costs. The centralization of Canadian broadcast in music and publishing industries and decision-making in Ontario. Limited ownership of intellectual property by domestic producers and a reliance on business from U.S. studios.

Finally, the piece over which we have very little control is a fluctuating Canadian dollar. This, too, creates some real challenges for our creative sector here in British Columbia.

It’s for these reasons that we ought not to rest on our laurels. It’s worthwhile for us to pay close attention and to support this industry and to adapt to a changing economic landscape to ensure that British Columbians can continue to benefit from this highly successful, green economic sector that had its big growth through the ’90s, continues to grow today and continues to contribute to the overall economy of British Columbia.

[1140]

I’m very proud to continue to support that.

G. Kyllo: It is my pleasure to support the motion brought forward by the hon. member for Vancouver–False Creek. B.C. is a choice destination for film and television producers from around the world, and it shouldn’t be any surprise. We are surrounded by natural beauty, untouched wilderness and large metropolitan cities — diverse locations for any type of film.

However, film producers do not choose B.C. just for the location. Our province is known around the world as having the infrastructure, talent and experience to make any film project a great success. The motion picture industry spends, on average, $1.2 billion per year on production activity in British Columbia, generating an estimated 25,000 direct and indirect jobs.

In fiscal 2013-2014 B.C. saw $1.45 billion in production spending by film and television producers. This represents the shooting or completion of 129 foreign productions, largely from the U.S., and 119 domestic productions in B.C. They are not restricted just to the Lower Mainland. As of early October there were currently 17 TV series being filmed across British Columbia. Right in my own backyard there are many film and TV productions taking place right now.

According to the statistics from the Okanagan Film Commission, our region recently enjoyed its best year ever, with entertainment companies spending an estimated $14½ million in the Okanagan and Shuswap in 2013 — productions such as Go with Me being filmed in Vernon, in the Okanagan, and the city of Enderby, in my riding of Shuswap. We will play proud host to Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins as he films this thriller starting this Thursday, through December. The movie is based on a best-selling book that, in print, is set in a Vermont logging town.

Rick Dugdale — who hales from the great community of Enderby and is president of his own Hollywood production company, Enderby Entertainment — was given an adapted script which set the movie originally in Oregon. In reading the script, Dugdale realized immediately he could shoot the movie in his hometown of Enderby and surrounding regions. Jon Summerland, of the Okanagan Film Commission, enthusiastically agreed.

Swedish film-maker and director Daniel Alfredson is signed on for the project. The production is expected to have a healthy budget and will be employing hundreds during the production, with more than 50 percent of the crew right from within the Shuswap and the North Okanagan regions.

Spinoff benefits will also be realized, with production crews staying in hotels, visiting restaurants and shopping at local businesses in the communities where filming will take place.

And just one more plug: extras are needed for the production. A casting call is being held this Tuesday in Enderby. So if you have the acting bug or want to share your talents, be sure to get in touch with Enderby Entertainment for an audition.

Another box-office hit, Tomorrowland, was filmed in the Shuswap communities of Enderby, Grindrod and Armstrong, with more than $3.3 million spent by Disney movies on a production last year. The film, due out in 2015, stars George Clooney and Hugh Laurie, who were supported by a 300-member crew that was in the Enderby area for the better part of a month. Local talent was once again used, as a priority, in the production.

However, the Okanagan is known for more than just live-action films. Animation projects generated an estimated $3.7 million in spending on animation projects in studios in Kelowna. Besides animated movies, the work is featured in special effects for live-action films and video games in this rapidly growing segment of the entertainment business.

Club Penguin, a phenomenally popular children’s interactive computer game and website created in Kelowna, was bought by Disney in 2007 for $350 million. Since opening with just three employees, the Club
[ Page 5121 ]
Penguin founders are still associated with the business and have watched it become an international sensation with children around the world, in what company officials call a global playground.

The film industry is critical to B.C.’s economy. With more than 25,000 British Columbians that work either directly or indirectly in the industry, we want to do everything we can to protect their jobs and to grow this sector. Our government recognizes the benefits of having a vibrant film industry in B.C., and we are committed to see the numbers grow in the long term.

I am extremely proud of the great work of the Okanagan Film Commission and our hometown hero, Rick Dugdale, for his efforts to bring Hollywood to the Shuswap.

N. Simons: It’s my pleasure to stand and speak, obviously in favour, on the motion put forward by the member for Vancouver–False Creek: “Be it resolved that this House celebrate the success of the film, audio visual and digital media sector in British Columbia.”

[1145]

I don’t consider talking about it in this House, necessarily, as celebration. I would think we need a cake. I think we need a bunch of other things that will just…. I think the members on the other side agree. It’s kind of interesting. If we said, “Let’s hereby celebrate the importance of hockey,” we would all come up with reasons that hockey is important to our communities. It gets kids out skating and everything. We know that industry like the film and television industry in this province is important.

In fact, to one-up my friend from the West End, I was actually in a movie, one of the worst movies ever made, called Intersection. In fact, I played a cello in a scene that was Richard Gere’s dream. So if anyone else in this House can say that they were in Richard Gere’s dream, I challenge them. [Applause.]

Thank you very much. He wouldn’t remember me now, of course, because that was a long time ago.

Anyway, the industry, obviously, in British Columbia is extremely important. I’ve got relatives working in the visual industry and working in animation and in the sector that we celebrate here today.

I think it’s important, though, as politicians, as people who are supposed to cast an eye on things in a more critical way than, perhaps, if we were simply cheerleaders cheering for one team, that we need to recognize that in every industry there are ways that things could be improved.

I think that in the industry of visual special effects, we have to recognize that we are really thanking the artists who work extremely long hours in order to meet deadlines, in order to meet changing deadlines and meet the needs of their studios in order to accomplish what they’re accomplishing.

We’re talking about, often, young people who are being paid for eight hours a day and who work long hours beyond that and don’t get the overtime because of the circumstances that they face in the industry.

I think it’s important as legislators to go beyond the cheerleading and actually say: “Are there ways that we can ensure that this is an industry that is not just good right now but is sustainable for the long-term future of its presence in British Columbia?” What we need to do is ensure that people working in the industry have the ability, have the task, have the tools at their disposal to ensure that they’re working in conditions that are good for them, good for their family and good for their community.

I think that when you consider some of the work that’s done in this industry…. A lot of it is very solitary. A lot of it is extremely long hours with high stress and pressure on meeting deadlines. A lot of it is an industry where there are a lot of workers being graduated from some of our best post-secondary institutions in British Columbia — private and public. I think we need to recognize that those young people coming into a sector should not first be exploited in their work.

Let’s make sure that those working in the sector have access to employment standards and the right to negotiate their contracts to ensure that they get the benefits that they need. It’s very difficult for young people in this industry to start a family, just because of the number of hours that people put in. There’s a lack of human interaction, and there’s also the physical strain involved with the work.

So my particular cheer today is for those who do the grunt work behind the scenes, who are the drawers, the animators, the people doing the long hours in fairly unrecognized roles in this industry. For them we have an industry that is world-class, and to them we can offer our thanks as legislators in this province. To ensure that their work standards are appropriate, that their rights are protected — that’s our job, to ensure that those things are in place.

Michelle Stilwell: Thank you, hon. Member, for giving me the chance to participate in this motion that was brought forward by my colleague from Vancouver–False Creek.

As we’ve heard from many members, the film production and digital media industry is a force across B.C., employing thousands of people and pumping millions into local economies. Vancouver Island is playing a starring role in this.

First, let’s take a look at the film sector. Here on the Island we’re ably served by the Vancouver Island North Film Commission, located in Campbell River, and Vancouver Island South Film and Media Commission, based here in Victoria. Both of these non-profit organizations provide location scouting and liaison services to the film, television, commercial and new media companies interested in filming here on the Island. They do
[ Page 5122 ]
wonderful work and are the forefront of recruitment efforts for the Island.

[1150]

Earlier this year after listening to these two organizations, it was announced that the capital regional district would include the distant location tax credit. The results of this decision were immediate. The Times Colonist reported that Kathleen Gilbert, the Victoria film commissioner, was flooded with calls by the announcement, from production companies thinking about shooting movies and TV shows in the region.

The Victoria Chamber of Commerce thought that the distant-location tax credit would have an instant economic impact, and it certainly has. Last week it was reported that filming in Victoria for the first half of the year exceeded $8 million in revenues, putting 2014 on track for Victoria’s best year since 2007.

One of these productions was a television miniseries, Gracepoint, starring David Tennant. It was shot on location in Oak Bay, Victoria, Brentwood Bay and Sidney. The capital regional district became the fictional California town. So instead of filming in California, Hollywood came here to Victoria. The impact of production resulted in hundreds of residents being hired and millions spent locally by the cast, the crew and the production team.

If you had spent any time here in the Legislature this summer while we were on recess, you may have seen the Disney Channel using this Legislature and other Victoria locations to film a TV movie called Descendants, which tells the story of the children of classic Disney characters, including the son of Belle and the beast.

Basked in beautiful sunshine, our Legislature was transformed into a castle for what appears to be a wedding scene. When it’s released next year, I hope that people will watch this family-friendly film and count the scenes where you recognize the locations from around Victoria.

Up in Campbell River, scenes for a Canadian-produced film called Into the Forest were shot in Elk Falls Provincial Park, in addition to other locations in British Columbia.

[Madame Speaker in the chair.]

It’s not just Hollywood and domestic film-makers that are being attracted to Vancouver Island. Bollywood and other India film production centres are too. Last week there was a front page story in the Times Colonist about a feature Bollywood romantic comedy called Sardaar Ji being shot right here in Victoria. A photo of star Mandy Takhar clinging dramatically from the outside of Craigdarroch Castle graced the cover of the paper.

It’s reported that this international Punjabi-language market film is the third Bollywood film shot here in the past two years. Last year the Indian film and television industries contributed 50 billion rupees or over $9 billion Canadian to the country’s economy. This is why B.C. needs to reach out to Bollywood.

Last month, during the Premier’s trade mission, the province appointed Arjun Sablok as its special envoy for film to India to promote further production of Indian projects in British Columbia. On top of that, North Shore Studios and Vancouver Film Studios signed MOUs with India-based film and entertainment giant Ramoji Film City to support shooting and production here and in India.

In addition to the film industry, Vancouver Island is producing a growing digital media sector. I know that earlier this year I spoke in the House before of the Qualicum Beach Digital Arts Studio that opened its doors.

This dynamic co-working studio is located in the town’s old train station. It has 16 available drop-in spaces, a meeting room and two private offices. The purpose of the digital arts studio is to provide a space where individuals or groups of professionals can network and work together to start up digital media or gaming projects, help grow and promote them and even develop business plans.

Similarly, in Nanaimo, SquareOne recently was launched. SquareOne develops itself as a tech entrepreneur.

M. Elmore: I’m very pleased to rise and speak on the motion: “Be it resolved that this House celebrate the success of the film, audio visual and digital media sector in B.C.” I’m certainly in favour of that, and it’s a relief to be speaking and recognizing role of this sector and recognizing the diversity of B.C.’s economy and kind of moving off the singular focus on liquefied natural gas.

Certainly, the creative industries are an economic and creative potential. They contribute to our current and future prosperity of the province. The creative sector is one of the most rapidly growing sectors, not only in B.C. but in the world economy, and a significant contributor to income generation — high incomes — job creation and also exports for B.C.

[1155]

In terms of our creative sector, we are very familiar with our TV and film production with any number of big productions being shot here — Hollywood films, popular series. As well, we have our publishing sector, music sound recording, interactive media films, as well as animation. A significant component of the success and the growing strength of this sector is that we have expertise from end to end in terms of shooting, providing cast, the expertise, our locations and also into post-production. That expertise makes British Columbia one of the leading sectors, also characterized as Hollywood North.

Our creative industries in particular contribute billions of dollars to our economy and employ tens of thousands of British Columbians. Our competitive advantages range from our location, being on the west
[ Page 5123 ]
coast; our scenery, the beauty and in terms of having different locations to shoot; as well as our expertise and our trained personnel. These are all advantages for this sector and certainly for British Columbia.

One area that is going to be a growth sector, which we’ve seen in terms of interactive gaming, is on the post-production side. We’ve had the promise to extend the digital animation and visual effects — DAVE — tax credit. This is one promise and commitment that I think can go toward supporting the sector and the continued competitive advantage for British Columbia.

I had the opportunity, as well, to sit in on a studio audience for Some Assembly Required, which is a multicam show that is shot in Burnaby. It’s one of the few in British Columbia, one of the few in Canada, where you have the studio experience. It’s a four-camera shoot. Many local actors and, of course, local personnel…. It is really picking up in terms of popularity. In fact, it’s the highest-rated show on YTV. Really a hands-on experience, a top production — world-class, really. I also recommend folks, if they have a chance, to go down and experience that. It’s quite something to see that on the ground here in British Columbia.

When we talk about the role and importance of these creative sectors, certainly the advantages in terms of the jobs that are created, the spinoff economic impacts — not only directly, in terms of shooting, but indirectly, through the sourcing of catering or provision of other services, also the indirect and the cross-sectoral spinoffs to our economy — it really generates and has that multiplier effect and impact benefiting our economy.

I’m very pleased to be speaking in favour of the motion recognizing the value, the role and the importance of our creative sectors in British Columbia and also looking forward to more success for our sector here in British Columbia.

M. Elmore moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Polak 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 11:59 a.m.

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