The House met at 2:02 p.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

This being the first day of the second session of the 41st Legislative Assembly of the province of British Columbia for the dispatch of business, pursuant to a proclamation of the Hon. Judith Guichon, Lieutenant-Governor of the province, hon. members took their seats.

Mr. Speaker: Members, I call on elder Shirley Alphonse, T’Sou-ke Nation, to say prayers.

S. Alphonse: [SENĆOŦEN was spoken.] Creator, Great Spirit, as we gather here this afternoon, we say thank you. Thank you for our breath of life, the air we breathe, the water we drink. Thank you for the blessings of Mother Earth, the beauty of our mountains, rivers, streams, the life-giving oceans.

Thank you for family, for friends. Thank you for all those who protect our communities across these lands. Thank you for each one of you here. May we all walk together as one — one mind, one spirit — in harmony and peace with Mother Earth and with one another, for the sake of our children, our future keepers of the land, and for the sake of those to come behind us.

[SENĆOŦEN was spoken.]

Mr. Speaker: On behalf of all Members of the Legislative Assembly, I would like to welcome the many distinguished guests, friends and family joining us today. Thank you for being with us this afternoon.

Hon. Members, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor is in the precinct. Please remain seated while we await her arrival.

[2:05 p.m.]

Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor requested to attend the House, was admitted to the chamber and took her seat on the throne.

Speech from the Throne

Hon. J. Guichon (Lieutenant-Governor): I wish to acknowledge the wisdom, culture and traditions of our province’s First Peoples and to thank T’Sou-ke elder Shirley Alphonse for providing opening prayers for us this afternoon.

We gather in the people’s House on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.

As we open a new session of the Legislative Assembly, our thoughts and our hearts are with the people in the Interior, where communities are fighting the worst wildfire season our province has ever seen. More than 1,200 fires have burned 1.1 million hectares of land, an area four times the size of Metro Vancouver or one-third of the size of Vancouver Island. Thousands of people were forced from their homes, and thousands more have yet to return, not knowing what awaits them. Buildings, homes and livelihoods have been lost.

[2:10 p.m.]

In times of trouble, communities come together. We are grateful to our firefighters, RCMP and Canadian Armed Forces as well as the public employees and emergency responders who are working hard to keep communities safe. We thank the Canadian Red Cross and other service agencies, the federal government and every British Columbian who volunteered, donated money and opened their home and heart to people in need. Fighting these persistent and difficult fires remains a top priority. Together we will get through this. Together we will rebuild.

First responders throughout British Columbia are also on the front lines of another crisis, which is more deadly and equally devastating. Powerful opioids like fentanyl have taken too many of our loved ones. In 2016, we lost 978 people to overdoses and 876 more in the first seven months of this year — people who had long lives ahead of them full of promise and potential, people who needed help but died alone because they weren’t aware of the risks, couldn’t find treatment or believed it wouldn’t happen to them. The scourge of fentanyl afflicts communities across North America. It demands an immediate and direct response, which your government is determined to provide.

While those driven from their homes by wildfires are beginning to return, other British Columbians find themselves without homes of any sort. The circumstances that bring a person to homelessness can be as arbitrary and unexpected as a wildfire, but it is no less devastating. Those without homes need and deserve our help. Your government is determined to work with all levels of government — federal, municipal and First Nations — to address homelessness, which touches every region of our province. These are challenging times. British Columbians have the talent, the strength and the spirit to meet these challenges and many more.

As we mark the passing of British Columbians we have lost, let us not forget that their spirit lives on in the acts and deeds that helped make our province a better place: community volunteer Tom Oshiro, environmentalist Gwen Barlee, sports trail-blazer Barbara Howard, political scientist Norman Ruff, MP and women’s rights advocate Margaret Mitchell, yoga innovator Michael Stone, writer and commentator Merv Adey. And we remember Ian Moore Wilson, who was killed in a senseless attack of terrorism in Barcelona, Spain. We honour them and their contributions to our province.

British Columbians deserve a government that is working for people. Families in B.C. work hard to give their children a better life than they had. They spend more and more income on a safe and secure place to live and sacrifice more time away from home on longer commutes.

Young people dream of a post-secondary education, but high tuition and housing costs have put many of those dreams out of reach. Students graduate with a burden of debt that holds them back just as they are starting out.

Parents need safe, affordable child care. Yet many must leave the workforce because wait-lists are too long, spaces aren’t available or care is just too expensive.

Seniors who need stable care and a helping hand are struggling to find timely medical care and an affordable home so they can live their final years in dignity.

Families want to raise their children in the communities they grew up in, yet housing prices are so unaffordable they are being pushed out, a situation as astonishing as it is unacceptable.

And the people in B.C.’s rural and remote regions, who deserve the same opportunity as all other British Columbians, face higher unemployment and have fewer services in their communities.

The problems facing people today are the result of past choices — choices that resulted in a generation of students learning in overcrowded classrooms, out-of-control housing prices, growing waits for services like health care and the rise of part-time, low-paying jobs. These are choices that have divided people and created disparities between rural and urban B.C. Our province cannot continue down this road. We cannot afford to shut people out of opportunity, and we cannot afford to leave families behind.

[2:15 p.m.]

Starting today, your government will make different choices, choices that put people first. We will listen, deal honestly with the problems facing us today and bring people together to find solutions. We will defend B.C.’s interests, economy, environment and our coast. We will share B.C.’s prosperity with all of the people who built this province.

Your government will work hard, today and every day, to make life better and help families get ahead — guided by the values of help and hope, respect and dignity, justice, equality and fairness. Your government will build a better B.C. where no one is left behind.

The work begins by setting a strong foundation, starting with a government-to-government partnership with Indigenous peoples. Working with First Nations and all Indigenous communities, your government will embrace the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples and address all of the calls to action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools. These are important commitments, which your government takes very seriously.

We cannot continue to push these actions further down the road to a day that never comes. Together with First Nations and all Indigenous peoples, your government will seek to bring these principles to life. We must build a true partnership based on rights, respect and reconciliation. We can only move forward together.

A government that is working for people must start out on a new path, with new ways of working that transform our politics and put people first.

Your government is based on a new and innovative agreement between two parties which provides the basis to move forward on important initiatives to reform our democratic processes, protect our environment and build our economy — an agreement rooted in the belief that the Legislature works best when we recognize that no single party has all the answers. All sides must come together to deliver a government that works for people — a government they can count on.

This fall your government will put people at the heart of our politics. Government will reform B.C.’s campaign finance laws to eliminate corporate and union donations, put strict limits on individual contributions and make sure that only people living in B.C. can donate to our political parties.

Your government will bring forward legislation to move B.C.’s fixed election date to the fall of 2021, and every four years thereafter, to make sure government’s annual budget and financial priorities are focused on people, not politics.

Government will set the terms for a referendum on proportional representation to take place no later than November 2018 and will actively campaign in favour of reform so that citizens can be assured that every vote counts. New lobbying restrictions will make sure that former public office holders do not improperly benefit from their experience serving the public.

Your government is encouraged by the broad support for these reforms that exists across all parties in this Legislature. It is a welcome sign to British Columbians, who expect their interests to be at the heart of government decision-making. The people of B.C. must always come first.

Governments must listen. They cannot ignore the problems families face, and they cannot deliver lasting solutions before they understand the heart of the matter. Many of the problems facing people today have deep roots in the past, problems that have developed over years. It will take time to find the right solutions.

Your government will be listening to British Columbians and asking their views in preparation for a full budget in February. Government will be consulting families on the issues that matter to them, from the housing crisis to child care to environmental management. By listening and building a common understanding of the problems people are facing, the solutions that make life better will be found.

Government’s success cannot be counted in the number of regulations it creates, bills it passes or pronouncements it makes. Success must instead be measured by how its actions and decisions benefit people.

[2:20 p.m.]

Government is working for people when it acts on the things that matter most. Relief from high costs and fees, better access to services and an economy that works for everyone — these are your government’s priorities, and they are the markers of progress that matter.

Too many families were left behind for too long. It’s time that we made life more affordable. Your government has already started making better choices to help families get ahead. A $100 increase to monthly income assistance and disability rates will help to lift families out of poverty, and removing unfair tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges will give daily commuters well-deserved relief. These are the first steps of a government that’s making life more affordable. There is much more to do.

This fall your government will take steps to help renters. Fixed-term-lease loopholes will be closed so people are no longer vulnerable to significant rent increases, and we will increase support to the residential tenancy branch to make sure tenants and landlords are treated fairly.

Your government will establish a fair wage commission to put our province on the path to a $15-an-hour minimum wage. The commission will set the course for stable and predictable increases over time, helping those who have earned so little for so long.

Decisive action is being taken to fix the problems at ICBC and B.C. Hydro to make sure our Crown corporations can deliver the best possible service to the people of British Columbia at the lowest possible cost.

For the first time in the history of this province, your government will work with citizens to create a legislated poverty reduction plan. B.C. is the only province in Canada without such a plan. This important work will get underway in the coming weeks.

Government will deliver a provincewide universal child care program that is safe, accessible and affordable. It will start by creating more spaces to help families waiting months and years for quality care, and training more early childhood educators. Government will consult with families and child care providers this fall on the best way forward.

The crisis in housing affordability affects people of all incomes in all parts of our province. Government will deliver a comprehensive housing strategy to create homes for people. Working with municipalities, cooperatives and the private sector, government will increase the supply of rental, social, co-op and owner-purchase homes. Government is examining options to curb speculation in B.C.’s housing market. Your government is determined to make housing more affordable for everyone.

It’s time B.C.’s economic growth was put to work for the people who built this province. Your government will make better choices that connect people to the services they count on.

Education is one of your government’s highest priorities. There is no greater or more important investment we can make in our economy and our future. Education is the key to opportunity for young people to realize their full potential. Your government will fix the problems in our education system and invest in student success. The September budget update will take our first steps towards restoring proper funding for B.C. classrooms and give students the supports they need to succeed.

This government’s priority is making sure children are ready to learn and have classrooms to learn in, as B.C. moves towards full implementation of class-size and composition requirements.

Government is already making education more affordable and accessible by eliminating tuition fees for adult basic education and English language learning, adding trades-training spaces at B.C. colleges and universities and making college and university tuition-free for former children in care. Government will consider additional measures to reduce the burden of debt on post-secondary students.

There is so much more government can do to deliver the services that people count on.

Increased support for people with disabilities is long overdue. Starting January 1, 2018, government will provide people with disabilities access to the transportation supports they need, including an annual bus pass for those who want one. It’s the right thing to do.

[2:25 p.m.]

Your government will promote and protect public health care, helping the thousands of British Columbians who can’t find a doctor and are waiting longer on surgical wait-lists. Your government will build new hospitals and urgent care centres so that patients and families get quality health care where and when they need it. Your government will first reduce and then eliminate unfair MSP premiums.

We must do everything we can to address the overdose crisis. When people are in trouble, they need help right away. Creating the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions is the first step. Your government will make sure people living with addictions have better access to treatment options, and we must increase enforcement to help get deadly drugs off our streets.

Investments in public transit help reduce gridlock and get people and goods moving. B.C. will work collaboratively with local mayors and with our partners in the federal government to deliver better transit options for people, including more buses and expanded rapid transit.

Your government will promote diversity and fight inequality with a renewed human rights commission, because every person should feel welcome to share in the future of our province.

It’s time that British Columbians shared in the benefits of our strong economy. Your government will make better choices to invite people into B.C.’s continued economic growth.

This government will support B.C.’s traditional industries, including forestry, mining, agriculture and natural gas development. We will make B.C. a world leader in engineered wood products and grow our value-added sector. Your government will continue to fight for a fair deal on softwood lumber that is good for B.C. forest workers, our softwood industry and the communities that depend on it.

This government will invest in natural resource projects that create jobs and opportunity for people, where British Columbians receive a fair rate of return for our resources and First Nations are meaningful partners and where B.C.’s land, air and water are protected.

Government will continue to support communities hit hard by this year’s wildfires and floods. Natural disasters bear high economic and environmental costs. Our people are strong, our communities resilient.

When the fires are extinguished and the crisis has passed, British Columbians will come back even stronger than before. Government will work with them to rebuild local economies, including forestry, tourism, small business and agriculture.

There is much more to do. Starting with initiatives to spark innovation and growth of a sustainable economy, this fall your government will establish an innovation commission, an initiative of the Green Party caucus, to encourage new investments in B.C.’s technology sector. Government will promote innovation in every region of our province, because everyone deserves to benefit from and share in the wealth created by the 21st-century economy.

Your government will take decisive action on global climate change, the greatest challenge of our generation. We must do everything we can to reduce emissions and keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees. Together we will fight climate pollution and create opportunities for people, including thousands of jobs through energy retrofits and public infrastructure.

This government will make important investments in the future of our province. New schools, hospitals, roads and homes for people will give communities the services they need and attract new jobs and investment.

Your government will work with local and federal governments on public infrastructure that builds up our province and our people. This is your government’s vision for a better B.C., where our economy remains strong, families get ahead, and communities get the services they need and deserve.

No matter where in this great province we call home, we are united in our belief in the potential of each and every one of us. The wealth we create together can lift people up, sustain us and create a better future for everyone.

[2:30 p.m.]

The road ahead won’t be easy. It will take time for the better choices this government is making to take hold, transforming people’s lives, revitalizing our communities and bringing all of us together. It will happen starting with the work that takes place here in this Legislature. That work must start and end with the people we are here to serve.

We set out on this journey with a renewed energy, hope and optimism. Help is on the way for the people of B.C., who have waited many years for relief, who are ready for a government that is working for them. Your government will not let them down.

Thank you to all for your service. You and your families sacrifice much so that you may work for the betterment of all British Columbians. I wish you all success with your second session of the 41st parliament.

Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, in order to prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy of Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor’s speech.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 1 — AN ACT TO ENSURE
THE SUPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT

Hon. D. Eby presented a bill intituled An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament.

Hon. D. Eby: I move that Bill 1, An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament, be introduced and now read a first time.

Motion approved.

Hon. D. Eby: The introduction of this bill prior to consideration of the throne speech expresses the established right of parliament, through its elected members, to deliberate independently of the Sovereign. As such, it is an important part of our parliamentary democratic process. It is a right that was first asserted by Parliament at Westminster in the year 1603, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

[2:35 p.m.]

I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 1, An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Motions

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY SPEAKER

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Abbotsford West, QC, that Raj Chouhan, member for Burnaby-Edmonds electoral district, be appointed Deputy Speaker for this session of the Legislative Assembly.

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF
ASSISTANT DEPUTY SPEAKER

M. de Jong: I move, seconded by the member for Port Coquitlam electoral district, that Linda Reid, member for Richmond South Centre electoral district, be appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker for this session of the legislative Assembly.

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHAIR,
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Abbotsford West, still QC, that Spencer Chandra Herbert, member for Vancouver–West End electoral district, be appointed Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole for this session of the Legislative Assembly.

Motion approved.

PRINTING OF Votes and Proceedings

Hon. D. Eby: I move that the Votes and Proceedings of this House be printed, being first perused by the hon. Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing thereof and that no person but such as he shall appoint do presume to print the same.

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF
SELECT STANDING COMMITTEES

Hon. J. Horgan: I move the appointment of the select standing committees of this House for the present session and said committees to have the powers conferred by section 53 of the Constitution Act, those being:

1. Aboriginal Affairs;

2. Education;

3. Finance and Government Services;

4. Health;

5. Public Accounts;

6. Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills;

7. Crown Corporations;

8. Children and Youth;

which said committees shall severally be empowered to examine and inquire into all such matters and things as shall be referred to them by this House and to report from time to time their observations and opinions thereon, with power to send for persons, papers and records; and that a special committee be appointed to prepare and report, with all convenient speed, lists of members to compose the above select standing committees of this House under Standing Order 68(1), the committee to be composed of the Hon. Mike Farnworth, convener; Garry Begg; Janet Routledge; Leonard Krog; Ronna-Rae Leonard; Michael de Jong, QC; Eric Foster; Jackie Tegart; and Linda Larson.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the House, at its rising, stand adjourned until 1:30 p.m. on Monday, September 11.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

The House adjourned at 2:40 p.m.