Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF AN LNG INDUSTRY IN B.C.

E. Ross: Earlier this year Karen Ogen-Toews, CEO of the First Nations LNG Alliance, published an editorial about creating an LNG export industry in British Columbia. She said it’s time for activists to allow First Nations to speak for themselves.

The editorial expressed how dismaying it is to find environmental activists trying to control First Nations territories, just as governments and corporations used to do in the past, by using the same old divide-and-conquer tactics. Ms. Ogen-Toews points out that currently 32 First Nations in B.C. have reached natural gas pipeline agreements, 16 are members of the First Nations Pacific Trail Pipelines Limited Partnership group, and another dozen have signed natural gas or LNG deals. So it is clear that in the pipeline debate, individual First Nations have the right to follow their own path.

The fact is we need these pipelines in our country. Right now we all know the Trans Mountain debate is stirring emotions from coast to coast. It’s drawing battle lines between provinces, local governments, the federal government and ordinary citizens. Stuck in the middle of all of this are Canadian Aboriginal communities.

[10:05 a.m.]

Some 33 First Nations in B.C. have signed benefit agreements with Kinder Morgan. Despite this fact, the president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and Grand Chief of the Mohawk Council of the Kanehsatà:ke recently penned an editorial in the Globe and Mail claiming that if the federal government uses its prerogative, “it could mean going back to one of the darkest times in Canadian history: the Oka standoff with the Mohawk Nation.”

This kind of rhetoric is not helpful. Keith Matthew, a former chief of Simpcw First Nations, strongly objected to this rather dire peril. As a former chief councillor for the Haisla Nation, I fully agree with Mr. Matthew.

Leaders are first and foremost accountable to the people who elected them. Most Aboriginal leaders I know are far more concerned with trying to break a deeply entrenched cycle of poverty than fighting third-party activists. Many elected leaders and former leaders, like myself, view inclusion in the broader economy as a viable solution to their band members’ issues, and that means support for the development of our resource industries, like LNG.

Karen Ogen-Toews, CEO of the First Nations LNG, also mentioned in her editorial how Crystal Smith, the current chief councillor of the Haisla First Nation, had to fend off an editorial by the Sierra Club recently. On January 24, Caitlyn Vernon, campaign director for the Sierra Club, wrote an editorial in the Times Colonist. The Sierra Club criticized the Premier’s recent trip to Asia to promote LNG Canada, which wants to build an LNG export facility in Kitimat.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

The editorial claimed that LNG development is somehow not compatible with tourism. In response, Chief Councillor Crystal Smith had this to say: “Your editorial neglects to address any of the issues faced by First Nations in northern British Columbia, where unemployment is rampant, and the tourism industry offers little promise of that changing any time soon.”

Chief Crystal Smith even went so far as to invite the Sierra Club to our territory to spend time with First Nations who support LNG. She concluded by saying: “We know exactly what we need: the ability to govern ourselves, take care of our families and ensure our young people have the kind of opportunities that allow them to remain in our community and become self-supporting.”

I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that First Nations of B.C. are up to the challenge of speaking for themselves. The general public is beginning to see through what Chief Ernie Crey of the Cheam First Nation calls a determined effort by environmental activists to use Aboriginals as pawns to advance their own agenda. I find it reassuring that the people of British Columbia recognize what third-party activists are trying to do to our province.

R. Glumac: The member opposite has introduced this motion today to say that we need to facilitate the development of an LNG industry in B.C. I listened intently to his speech, and what I heard is unconditional support for LNG without really any consideration for anything else.

I didn’t hear anything about guaranteeing a fair return on B.C.’s natural resources. Under the previous government, even though gas production has gone up over the last decade by 60 percent, royalties have plummeted by 80 percent, from $1.2 billion down to $200,000 in the last year of the previous government. Our government is taking a new approach. We will make sure that B.C. gets a fair return on our natural resources.

I didn’t hear the member say anything about guaranteeing that the jobs and training opportunities will be for British Columbians, but this is a condition of approval for our government. Respecting Indigenous rights and partnering with First Nations, of course, is another condition of approval for our government.

I did not hear the member say anything about protecting B.C.’s air, land and water or living up to the province’s climate targets. I don’t know if the members know this, but their own previous government set targets for greenhouse gas emissions to 33 percent below 2007 levels by 2020. They’ve completely failed in moving towards this target.

[10:10 a.m.]

Since this target was set in 2008, all interim targets have been missed. In fact, between 2012 and 2016, the greenhouse gas emissions have gone up. They went up.

The previous government completely ignored greenhouse gas reduction targets. They also ignored legitimate concerns around fracking. Our government is taking a new approach. We’re conducting an independent scientific review of fracking to make sure that it has the highest safety and environmental standards. We’ll make sure that B.C.’s air, land and water are protected, and we will live up to our climate commitments.

The previous government, despite casting aside all climate commitments and virtually all other considerations, was still not able to secure an LNG facility in B.C. They were very good at coming up with slogans but not so good at the follow-through.

We look to a new government, a responsible government that will make sure that B.C. gets its fair share of the economic benefit — that the jobs will go to British Columbians, that First Nations’ rights are respected, that the environment will be protected and that our climate targets will be met. We made a commitment, during the election, to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 2007 levels by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. We take this commitment seriously.

We can’t achieve these reductions without a significant shift across all sectors to a low-carbon economy. But we can do it, because we have to do it for our children and for future generations. They’re counting on us to do the right thing, and the work is just beginning. There is a right way to do resource development in B.C. There is a responsible way to grow the economy for all British Columbians. That is exactly what this government will do.

E. Ross: I would like to thank the hon. member for the reply to this motion. I do acknowledge the current government’s recent announcement regarding a new framework for natural gas development. I am also encouraged to see all members of this House come together on the LNG file and express their support for the resource development and the pipelines that will carry LNG to the markets overseas.

We will await the fine details when supporting legislation is introduced to this House. However, I’m glad to see the government is supportive of LNG Canada specifically, a project that would see construction of a natural gas pipeline from northeast B.C. to Kitimat. The pipeline and new terminal in Kitimat are expected to create up to 10,000 construction jobs and up to 950 full-time jobs in northern B.C.

Unfortunately, there does remain one major piece of the puzzle that remains unresolved. The LNG Canada project in Kitimat, the Woodfibre LNG project in Squamish, the Steelhead LNG project on Vancouver Island, plus many other viable LNG proposals — all face an uphill battle with the federal government. We are still waiting for Ottawa to rule on tariff relief in the form of exemptions to duties on imported steel components.

In 2017, a decision by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal covered certain fabricated industrial steel components exported from China, South Korea and Spain. These duties are creating investment uncertainty and threatening the potential of LNG Canada and other projects. In fact, this decision jeopardizes the competitiveness of all LNG projects in British Columbia.

While it is laudable to protect jobs in Canada’s steel industry, the capability does not exist in Canada to build these modules. There are only a few countries in the world with the expertise to build these modules. We are talking about very large components that could not be shipped overland and would have to be shipped overseas. A tariff would drive up the total capital cost by $40 billion in total and jeopardize the jobs of steelworkers in B.C. and Canada that would otherwise lose the work if LNG Canada does not go through.

We are now at the stage where a prime contractor has been named to design and build LNG Canada. I call on all members and all parties of this House to continue to support the LNG industry.

[10:15 a.m.]

Deputy Speaker: Members, the Chair would like to remind all members — in a very gentle way because it’s Monday morning — that it is supposed to be very non-partisan, the private members’ time. In the previous statement, both sides got pretty close to crossing the line, so I will remind all members to be careful.

SEISMIC UPGRADES

M. Dean: Today I’m going to talk about the important issue of seismic safety in schools in B.C. We’re all at risk of the impact of an earthquake. When children are in school, they are in the care of the B.C. school system, so we must pay attention to the conditions of the schools they are studying in.

We can all expect that, at some point in the next years, we will face an earthquake. The last catastrophic earthquake in B.C. happened on January 27, 1700. Experts say that it’s inevitable that another one will hit B.C., with a 12 percent probability of one occurring in the next 50 years.

When it does, we can expect damaged buildings and infrastructure, flooding, fires and thousands of people forced to leave their homes. We will also face a high number of injuries, casualties, and it’s the most vulnerable that will be at risk. Parents separated from their children will want to know that in the immediacy, they’re protected and looked after and that in the short term, they’ll soon be able to reach them.

We must, of course, applaud school districts and all education providers for having protocols for what to do in an earthquake already. You know the drill: parents pack a bag for their kids with reassuring messages, favourite items, a sleeping bag. Even so, we can do more to protect our children when an earthquake hits.

The reality is that roads and infrastructure will be so damaged it will actually be very difficult for parents to get to their children quickly. The best protection for them will be to be in safe and secure buildings, at least until they’re reached.

The Ministry of Education, therefore, has a seismic mitigation program to tackle the risks of schools collapsing and to ensure that schools are protected as far as possible in the event of an earthquake. The Ministry of Education’s seismic mitigation program is a partnership with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and the University of B.C.

As of December 2017, 168 out of 346 SMP schools have been completed. However, this means that there were still 178 schools in B.C. that are at high risk of collapsing in a major earthquake, just at the end of last year. That’s potentially tens of thousands of students and hundreds of teachers at risk of being trapped or killed if a catastrophic earthquake were to occur during school hours. That’s an unacceptable risk, and it shows why it is so critical that we complete these upgrades quickly.

Since launching the seismic mitigation program, the Ministry of Education has spent over $1.6 billion to complete projects throughout the province. However, as of last summer, 155 schools in earthquake-prone areas that are considered high risk had no scheduled upgrades planned. There’s a lot of catch-up to do, and all the time, the risk of a devastating event is increasing.

That’s why, since day one, after being sworn in as government, we’ve been reaching out and working with school districts to fast-track seismic approvals. We are committed to accelerating the school seismic mitigation program to make sure all of our schools are safe for students and teachers. We’re working with school boards to meet an ambitious timeline so we can get schools upgraded quickly.

Since coming into government, we have announced combined funding of $216 million for seismic upgrades or replacements at 15 high-risk schools. That’s 15 seismic upgrades in schools announced in less than a year. Our government has committed $522 million over three years for seismic upgrades across the province of British Columbia.

We are also working with seismic mitigation program experts, including Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia, to look for ways to more efficiently and cost-effectively meet and exceed the building code for seismic safety. We’re also able to take opportunities of meeting other capital needs and other building initiatives in partnership with school boards and school districts. We use the building code and we use other seismic research to regularly re-evaluate the seismic risk ratings of schools and look at the overall functioning and capability of the schools.

[10:20 a.m.]

Of course, at the end of the day, what’s important is reducing the risk to students and teachers and fast-tracking what we can do to make sure all of our schools across the province are as safe as possible.

You know, everyone puts their trust in us to provide a safe learning environment. In the words of the Minister of Education, we’re making these investments “to make sure families…can send their kids to school knowing they will be safe in the event of an earthquake. As a father with children in the public education system in Victoria, it is extremely important to me that we give our students a safe learning environment. We know there is more work to do, and that is why we have 50 seismic projects that will proceed to approval in the next 18 months.”

I’m very proud to be part of a government that is moving so fast and giving such priority to the safety of children in our schools across the province.

M. Bernier: I want to thank the member for bringing this forward this morning.

Obviously, when we talk about safety in the school systems, when we talk about making our schools seismically safe, there should be no argument in this House about doing that. But, in fact, I appreciate that the member opposite brought forward the seismic mitigation program because that program was actually started under the previous government, when no seismic upgrading was taking place prior to 2001.

We saw that it was important, in working with the geoscientists of B.C., the engineers, to make sure that we had safe schools, safe learning environments and safe workplaces for our students and for our teachers.

You know, we learn from seismic events from around the world, and that’s why it kept on changing all the time as we learned more about how we make our schools safe. This was not just about one-size-fits-all. There are different parts of British Columbia that are going to maybe experience — when this might happen — a different style of seismic event. We have to make sure the schools are seismically safe for that style.

Since 2001, actually, when the seismic mitigation program came in, there have been 48 new schools that have been built. There have actually been 70 schools that were older that have been replaced to new seismic and building code standards and, on top of that, 168, as was mentioned, schools that were seismically upgraded.

One of the things that I was proud of when I was the Minister of Education is the fact that we put this as a top priority. Now, the member opposite talks about how things are going. We had, within our budget, the full plan — $2 million, again — in the three-year plan going forward to address capital and seismic upgrades. So I’m excited to know, by looking at the budget, that the new government is following through with the commitments that we had and that they have the same amount of money in the budget, because that’s important.

There has been about $1.6 billion spent on seismic upgrading. One thing the members opposite — I think, now that they’re in government — and the minister himself now recognize is that this is a partnership with school districts. We have to be able to make sure that we’re working on the priorities of the school districts themselves. This is not a top-down exercise; it is a full partnership.

That is why we had, within our plan, everything outside of Vancouver — not only within our plan, working with the school districts and within our ten-year capital plan…. Every single school that needed to be seismically upgraded outside of Vancouver would be completed by 2025.

Now, that in itself might sound ambitious. I appreciate that the members opposite now want to accelerate that program. We’ve been unable to hear what accelerate means because 2025 is only about six or seven years away, and it does take a couple of years to seismically upgrade a school.

I’m really proud of the work that we’ve done. In fact, the largest seismic upgrade in B.C.’s history was $106 million in New Westminster for the largest school in B.C. It was noticed that instead of seismically upgrading, we needed to do what was right for the school, for the students and the teachers, and that was to replace that with the largest capital investment in history.

[10:25 a.m.]

Just to end, I think we all agree that we want to make sure our schools are safe. Our schools are great educational buildings, but it’s what takes place inside.

I want to thank the teachers for the great work they do every day as well. And I know we all want to make sure that the schools are safe, which is why our government brought in the seismic mitigation program. I’m excited to see that the new government has embraced that and is going to continue on with that.

M. Dean: Thank you to the member for Peace River South as well. I also echo the appreciation for the staff in the school districts, for everybody involved in supporting our education system and students in the education system as well — especially their families.

As I’ve said, we do take seismic risks very seriously, and we do have an ambitious plan for accelerating seismic mitigation. There were 178 schools as of the end of December 2017 that were at risk of collapsing. So we’re looking to move a total of 50 capital projects to approval in an 18-month period.

Schools are not only used for teaching our children; they’re also often used as community hubs and meeting places. The impact of investing in them and in ensuring that they’re safe therefore can’t be underestimated.

In my region, Keating Elementary School will soon be a seismically safer school and have four new classrooms as well. As the Minister of Education said, “the safety of students and staff is a key commitment of our government. All parents need to know their kids are going to school in a safe environment.”

This is also supported by the chair of the Saanich school district 63. “On behalf of the Saanich board of education,” she said, “I would like to express our appreciation for this most welcome decision. This investment will ensure that Keating Elementary is safe and will have the capacity needed to serve the community for years to come.”

This is just another example of how our government is addressing the backlog of seismic projects in the province by accelerating funding approvals and reducing the time it takes to plan and upgrade a school. This includes collaborating with school districts and local government to meet ambitious timelines.

Campus View Elementary School is also being upgraded. As the chair of the greater Victoria board of education says: “When a school is seismically upgraded, it is a win for the community, because everyone can have peace of mind in knowing that our children, our future leaders, will be safe.”

FLOODING

J. Tegart: I rise today as a number of B.C. communities, including some of mine in the riding of Fraser-Nicola, cope with yet another crisis. You’d be forgiven for thinking my speech is about a wildfire season that residents and business owners are already bracing for as warmer weather sets in. Indeed, this is a real concern this year again.

The B.C. Wildfire Service has warned that hot spots from the last wildfire season could be lingering underground and could flare up as temperatures rise in the area. As I think back to the devastation that so many communities faced last year, this is a sobering possibility.

But today I’m here to talk about flooding, brought on by recent warm temperatures, melting snowpacks and increased precipitation. It turns out the two sets of circumstances are linked.

We’ve heard in media reports and from ministry officials that last year’s wildfires are having a tremendous impact several months later in the form of floods. They note that more than 12,000 square kilometres of land burned across B.C. between July and September of last year. That makes it easier for the water and snow melt to run downhill through communities into rivers and streams, causing high stream flow and the potential for floods.

As homeowners, First Nations, farmers, ranchers, business owners and communities continue to rebuild after last year’s devastating flooding and forest fires, they also now have floodwaters damaging their properties and, in some cases, forcing them out of their homes. Those floodwaters are prompting local states of emergency, shutting down roadways, causing drinking water and septic tank issues and forcing people to face additional personal and financial setbacks.

[10:30 a.m.]

During this past constituency week, I spent some time visiting and listening to those affected by the floods. People like Ira Tom, the fire chief at Upper Nicola Indian Band, who was working with a team to fill sandbags in anticipation of high water when we stopped by. I visited the Lower Nicola and Quilchena areas, witnessing firsthand how quickly and drastically rivers and creeks and lakes have all risen.

I visited Cache Creek and happened to be in the community the night that the trickle of Cache Creek became a raging river and overflowed the banks, cutting off Highways 1 and 97. I would like to acknowledge that the member for North Coast also visited Cache Creek, and it was very much appreciated that she came in to actually see where the flooding is happening.

We talk a lot about rural folks being hard-working and resilient. What I witnessed last week was a testament to that. But we also need to note that they’re tired. Who can blame them, after watching them cope with so much disaster and destruction last year? That’s why it’s so important that all of us in this House offer concrete measures to not only support them in their recovery efforts but to prevent similar emergencies from happening again.

We know that flood response is primarily managed by local authorities, who do an amazing job of keeping residents safe and protecting as much property as they can in these so very difficult circumstances. We need to listen to the local needs and understand that they know their communities and their unique geography. We need to support them in their work.

Our former Liberal government undertook a number of flood mitigation measures that I’m proud to highlight today: $173 million was committed with federal and local governments for 168 flood mitigation projects in 65 communities across British Columbia over a period of ten years. What’s more, in February 2016, the B.C. government announced $65 million in initiatives to help keep communities safe.

That included $15 million for public safety preparedness initiatives like Ocean Networks and the B.C. Search and Rescue Association and $50 million for 17 community hazard mitigation projects, such as upgrades to dikes and flood protection. That was on top of a $3 million increase over three years to emergency management B.C. to support outreach related to emergency preparedness, program capacity and systems support. It’s certainly my hope that we will continue to see similar investments made.

It’s important to note that these losses are felt in many areas. We’ve talked about the hardship faced by those who have lost homes or seen their personal belongings and businesses damaged, but we also see industries that are affected. Our tourism industry is particularly affected as we look at road closures and damage done in community.

We know that these sorts of events are happening more and more often, and certainly, in discussion with community, what we’re hearing is that if these are the new norm, then government needs a new norm of planning. We need to look at how we start to control and mitigate some of the flooding issues in our regions.

I certainly hear from people in my region. This is the third year in a row we’re seeing drastic floods. What are we doing to plan ahead? Not only do we see floods in my area, but we see ranchers and farmers who are overwhelmed with fields that look like lakes, and two months later, their irrigation is shut off due to drought. We need to look at planning and how we can store water so that we can ensure that people who grow our food have the ability to actually have water to do that.

We go from feast or famine, it seems, in my riding. We see fire. We see floods. What we’re looking for from all of us in this House is good planning and recognition of where we’re at.

[10:35 a.m.]

J. Rice: Thank you to the member for Fraser-Nicola for her remarks and her perspective. I really appreciate the comments that she’s made, especially after returning from her community.

I’d also just like to acknowledge that it was a year ago about this time that a local hero was lost. Fire Chief Clayton Cassidy of Cache Creek was swept away during the floods. He was a hero to so many, in so many ways, and it’s really unfortunate that we’ve had such tragic events. But here we are again in flooding season, as the member mentioned.

I’ve just returned from flood-impacted communities in the South Okanagan and Similkameen communities. I went because I wanted to see for myself what’s happening on the ground in regards to these high-water and flooding events.

I met with local people, local governments, local MLAs and First Nations to see and hear directly how this year’s spring freshet and subsequent flooding is impacting people. As the member for Fraser-Nicola mentioned, I want to highlight that her people are indeed hard-working, committed and resilient.

It’s a trying time, and we want British Columbians to know that we are here to help. We’re monitoring what’s happening and reducing the risks wherever we can. A higher-than-normal snowpack combined with hot temperatures has led to ongoing river rises and flooding incidents throughout the province in a number of communities.

Temperatures are expected to increase again this week, leading to more snow melt runoff. A state of local emergency has been declared for 17 communities and eight First Nations, and 21 evacuation orders are in effect across this province. Furthermore, 22 communities are under an evacuation alert, and a reception centre has been opened to support those affected by flooding.

We have more than two million sandbags issued to local governments to protect homes and public infrastructure, and we’ve deployed 160 firefighters from the B.C. Wildfire Service to assist with sandbagging in communities.

We’ve also announced several major funding programs. We’ve announced funding for flood prevention and emergency preparedness, including funding for the national disaster mitigation program, the community emergency preparedness fund and several flood projects throughout the province. Communities throughout B.C. are now benefiting from $33½ million in provincial emergency preparedness funding.

Disaster financial assistance is now available for eligible British Columbians in the Thompson-Nicola regional district, including municipalities, unincorporated areas and First Nations who may have been impacted from a flooding event that began on April 26.

DFA, or disaster financial assistance, is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies who are unable to obtain insurance to cover disaster-related losses. During this trying time, we want British Columbians to know that we’re caring, we’re listening, and we’re here to help. We’re hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Disaster financial assistance is one way we can help people and local governments get back on their feet after an uninsurable disaster.

In response to flooding events, we’ve activated the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre on the Saanich Peninsula in order to coordinate flood response throughout the province. We’ve also activated three provincial regional emergency operations centres in Kamloops, Prince George and Nelson to provide support to local governments.

Through the river forecast centre, we’re providing water flow expertise as well as dam safety officers, geotechnical specialists and engineers in affected areas. We’re working closely with local governments and First Nations, monitoring the increased risk closely and mitigating wherever we can.

We know people are still recovering from last year’s extraordinary flood and fire season. Combined with this early flooding, no doubt it is really hard on people right now. I want to thank everyone for pulling together and working together to support each other. I want people to know, throughout B.C. and in the member’s riding, that EMBC and all of government is here to help.

[10:40 a.m.]

J. Tegart: Thank you to the member for North Coast for those comments. I think it’s really important, when we talk about floods and we talk about programs and we talk about millions of dollars, that we actually put a face, sometimes, to who those people are.

We have recently been successful in lobbying and receiving money for a new bridge that was wiped out in the Cache Creek flood last year. Those people, one in particular who has a four-year-old, have been walking across 2-by-10s to get to their house. Can you imagine, with the winter we had, what that would look like? And think about a four-year-old and a family packing groceries and the family not being able to take their vehicle over. Hopefully, those are the kinds of things we think about when we talk about how we help people.

I would also like to thank all the local authorities who were working around the clock for the past several months to keep people safe and property safe: our regional districts and local governments, our first responders and many, many volunteers and neighbours who have come together and done an outstanding job. We appreciate their tireless work.

With that said, we also remind people to take the steps necessary to protect their homes and businesses. Check with the river forecast centre and DriveBC for the most up-to-date information before you leave on a trip. We know that floodwaters move fast. People should develop a household plan and connect with their neighbours to ensure a fast and coordinated response.

Make sure you know where to meet your family. Never drive through floodwater. Those of us who live in the country often think our 4-by-4 can do anything, but I’ve seen water take a vehicle and flip it over. We don’t want people in those situations.

Avoid small creeks and rivers, as their channels can fill up quickly, and keep children and pets away from riverbanks. It may seem obvious, but it’s always worth repeating: people should always follow the orders of the emergency officials, and have a kit ready with important documents, medications, a flashlight and a first aid kit.

For those people out there who question whether there is climate change, I invite you to come to the Interior. People I talk to, old-timers, say: “There is water running where we have never seen water before. It is coming down gullies that have been dry for 50 years.” We need to understand this is the new norm, and we need to work together to help our citizens.

PROTECTING WILD SALMON

A. Olsen: There was a time when the W̱SÁNEĆ were a hungry people, but the Great Spirit changed that. This is the story, and these are the words of my uncle STOLȻEȽ. Those beautiful islands and bays and inlets, our clam beds, oyster beds, our octopus beds — all of those are sacred to us because of our belief. It’s a belief that we have about how they came to be — whether it’s clams, mussels, oysters, fishes, all of the species of fish that travel through our territory. It’s our belief. It’s what our elders said. It’s their words.

They were a people long ago before they became fish. They were a good people, a hard-working people that didn’t have an enemy anywhere. They had no enemies. They worked well with everyone, and XÁLS appeared to them and said: “The way you are living is good. You have no enemies, and you work hard, so I’m going to keep you that way.” He changed them into the SĆÁÁNEW̱ — all the fishes and salmon — and he sent them out to sea. They all worked together. He sent them out to sea as families — the spring salmon, the sockeye salmon, the humpback salmon, all the salmon. They go out to sea as a family, and they return back to their home as a family.

[10:45 a.m.]

Our elders respected the laws that we were given, so each year in the late spring, the ironwood tree blossoms. I think it’s called the ocean spray today. It blossoms a beautiful blossom and a kind of beige-coloured plume, and there’s a beautiful scented aroma throughout Saanich. You have to be in awe of it when you look at it, because it’s so pretty, and the smell of it means Saanich summer.

It’s a marker on the natural calendar for our people. When that took place, it meant that now the salmon are starting to travel within our homeland territory. They’re within our reach. And then it means that it’s time to get ready to go and move and be out there in our homeland and our territory.

When we were living in our natural state of life, ŦIŦE, a spiritual leader, was sent out to paddle to the edge of the territory, to SMOḰEĆ, a place that’s called Point Roberts today. By himself, he paddled as a prayer for the people at that time, paddling on his way, and each stroke of his paddling was like a prayer for the people.

He never had anything to eat. He gave up food and gave up water until he reached a place which is called SḴŦOḴEȽ, Mayne Island, where there’s beautiful spring water. He would stop and have a drink and a rest. That was his first full day. Early in the morning, he’d drink water and travel on, continuing his effort to finish his prayer work for the people, to begin their fishing season.

He paddled until he reached SMOḰEĆ. At the edge of the territory, he stood in his canoe and faced all the islands there, and he spoke to them as people. “Your relatives will be here soon,” he would say. “You should look after them like you were told. You look after them like you were told, and they will look after you the way they were told by the Great Spirit.”

That’s a belief. That’s a way of life for our people, what an island is, where food is gathered, where families are gathered, where history is told, where education takes place, how to live in this country in the way it was meant to be. He would pray to the salmon, SĆÁÁNEW̱, that spirit of all the fishes, and he would say: “Take pity on us and feed us once more, and we will respect you like we always have.” That was a prayer for the people.

When he was done that, he paddled back home, two more days. He stopped at the drinking place, SḴŦOḴEȽ, to get water and then paddled back home, back to the village where he would gather the people around him and say: “I’ve done my best for you. I’ve opened your fishing season. You can go and get ready to go. I’ve opened the way for you.”

Look after our homeland. Look after it. Take care of it. That’s a belief for us. It’s a law.

When it’s taken away from us, it’s no different than throwing away your crucifix or the pages of your Bible and throwing it in the bush or a ditch. It’s the same thing for us. That Bible that you swear on in your courts — it’s like taking that and throwing it away.

Our right, our religious belief, connects us to the land, to the salmon. Our prayer words for all those fish were given to us to look after that resource so that there will always be some for the future.

Those are the powerful words of my uncle STOLȻEȽ. So you might wonder why it is that I stand in this place and often speak of my relatives, the SĆÁÁNEW̱, the hard-working people that my uncle STOLȻEȽ spoke about in his testimony to the National Energy Board hearing for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, the project that W̱JOȽEȽP has outright rejected.

We rejected the cash offerings dangled in front of our noses to support their project. We rejected that project. In Saanich, the heart of which is covered by the riding I now represent, there is a law. It is the law that, even as I stand in this old stone building, is much, much older.

It is a law to always be reminded of our responsibility for our homeland, for our territory, for my riding. Reminded by our ŦIŦE that we have been told by the Great Spirit to look after our relatives the islands and our relatives the SĆÁÁNEW̱.

When we followed that law, when everything we did was in accordance with that belief, with that law, then things looked after themselves. This law has never gone away. It has only been replaced. This law is not just for the W̱ILṈEW̱ in W̱SÁNEĆ; it’s for all of us that live there today. It’s time for us to renew our commitment to this law. It is time once again for our ŦIŦE to paddle his solemn prayer and swear his solemn oath. It’s time that we were reminded of our duty and our responsibility to the SĆÁÁNEW̱, the wild Pacific salmon.

[10:50 a.m.]

J. Routledge: I thank the member for Saanich North and the Islands for his eloquent words. I know I’ve gained new insight into what wild salmon mean to his culture and traditions, to his beliefs and values and to his sense of his place in the world. I’m truly moved. Thank you.

In preparing to speak about wild salmon today, I, too, reflected on history. I reminded myself about the role that salmon fishing has played in my culture, in the well-being of my family.

I grew up in central Canada, far from the ocean, far from any salmon streams, but canned salmon was a staple in my home as a child. I went to school with salmon sandwiches for lunch a couple of times a week and so did all my friends. At least one salmon casserole was brought to union picnics or church potlucks. Salmon was vital to our household income and to the families in my neighbourhood. But it wasn’t until I moved to this coast that I came to understand that the B.C. salmon fishing industry not only fed my family; it fed the world.

I recently learned that during the Second World War millions of cans of salmon, every single can of B.C. salmon, were shipped overseas to feed the troops. The first canneries opened in 1870, and by 1900, there were 60 canneries up and down the coast. It was the second-largest industry in B.C., outpaced only by forestry. As I’ve learned, most of our coastal communities started as fishing villages. Familiar place names like Ladner and Deas bear the names of the earliest cannery owners.

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston is today a national historical site. Just recently I attended an exhibit at the Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby that commemorates the contributions made by Nordic Canadians to the B.C. fishing industry, and those contributions were significant — the building of fishing boats, innovations in gillnets.

I don’t need to remind this House that fishing was one of the foundational industries upon which B.C. was built and prospered. Every day we’re here we can look up and see salmon fishing immortalized in one of the beautiful murals in the rotunda. But, of course, not everyone prospered as much as did others.

I remember years ago a United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union organizer showed me some of the old pay books from the early days. In those days, fishermen and cannery workers were mostly Indigenous, Chinese and Japanese. But they weren’t identified in the pay book by their given names. The owners gave them racialized nicknames, and their pay rates were determined by ethnicity and gender.

Now, I’ve been talking about salmon fishing in the past tense because, of course, as we all know, this once mighty industry is in decline, if not in demise. We usually, and rightly, attribute the misfortunes of the B.C. salmon industry to the dangerous decline in salmon stock, but I would also remind us that it was free trade, NAFTA, that triggered the beginning of the end when it allowed raw salmon to be shipped across the border to be processed in U.S. fish plants. Sound familiar?

Let me point out that what were once two of the most important and renewable industries in B.C. have both been undermined by the practice of shipping raw product to be processed and sold back to us.

Now I’d like to talk more about the relationship between declining fish stocks and international trade agreements, and I’d like to explore other features of globalization, like factory ships, overfishing, fish farms, climate change and the impact they have on wild salmon stock. But I see I’m running out of time, and I will leave it to my colleague to elaborate, if he so wishes.

Let me conclude. Our government is deeply committed to protecting B.C.’s wild salmon and the 10,000 jobs that depend on it. We know it’s essential to the economy, the province and B.C. First Nations, and we’re committed to implementing the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples and forging new relationships with B.C. First Nations.

[10:55 a.m.]

A. Olsen: Thank you to the member for Burnaby North. As she said, it’s not just Indigenous people of British Columbia that have a special relationship with wild salmon. Whether you’re from an ancient line of reef-netters, as I am, or you’re recently moved here, British Columbians have a special connection to our fish.

I received in the mail a copy of Ms. Cicely Lyons’s tome, Salmon: Our Heritage, a 700-page gift from a friend and a dear friend of wild salmon. This book was written by Ms. Lyons as a history of the salmon fishery on the west coast. Ms. Lyons worked her entire career in one of those fish packing plants, the B.C. Packers corporation. Her work is in homage to the salmon.

Admittedly, I’ve yet to read the book in its entirety, but I want to focus on the penultimate paragraph: “While the government of Canada is both official guardian and executor of this priceless food trust, in the final analysis the ultimate responsibility for its survival rests with the individual British Columbian. It is he who must be ever on alert to oppose any course that might lead to its impairment, as well as to lend assistance to any measure aimed at its enrichment, because salmon is B.C.’s heritage.”

I have prepared a report from a very powerful round table I hosted in Vancouver with First Nations, fish and wildlife organizations, conservation, sport and commercial fishing groups. There was unanimous support for the proposal to establish a wild salmon secretariat or a wild salmon commissioner to serve as that unifying force to streamline all fisheries work being done in British Columbia by the B.C. government, to be a strong defender of wild salmon in negotiations with the federal government.

There is no question that the federal government has responsibility for wild salmon and that we must hold them accountable, but as we are currently organized, that’s not happening. There is also no question that our provincial government has a responsibility for wild salmon and that we must also be accountable, but as we are currently organized — or disorganized, as it is seen on the ground — we are losing.

We must honour the powerful words of STOLȻEȽ, Ms. Lyons and those incredible people working on the ground every day in our province to honour the sacred relationship we have with SĆÁÁNEW̱, the wild pacific salmon. I stand in this place and implore our government to take action with great urgency. Neither ŦIŦE nor Ms. Lyons just spoke easy words in defence of our relatives the SĆÁÁNEW̱. They worked. They spent a lifetime building a relationship, nurturing the relationship and honouring the relationship. It is time that we once again do the same. HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM.

Hon. B. Ralston: Mr. Speaker, I call debate on Motion 20.

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 20 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 20 — ROLE OF
TOURISM INDUSTRY IN ECONOMY

M. Stilwell: It gives me great pleasure to rise and move in the House today to recognize the importance that British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in the province’s economy and the challenges proposed by recent decisions.

Deputy Speaker: Would you move the motion first, please?

M. Stilwell: I move the motion:

[Be it resolved that this House recognize the importance British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in our province’s economy and the challenges posed by recent decisions.]

We’ll start again. How about that? It does bring me great pleasure to rise and recognize the importance that British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in the provincial economy and the challenges posed by recent decisions.

[L. Reid in the chair.]

There is no doubt that tourism is an important economic driver in this province. There are nearly 19,000 tourism-related businesses in British Columbia, which provide $4.5 billion in wages and salaries to hard-working British Columbians each and every year. We invest $110 million annually to the sector in regions across the province. The return on that investment, along with over 127,000 jobs, is around $15.7 billion in revenue per year. In 2016, over 5.5 million international visitors came to B.C., an increase of 12.3 percent over the previous year.

[11:00 a.m.]

Tourism builds communities. It promotes culture. It creates year-round jobs in every region of our province.

Unfortunately, recent government decisions are putting those things in serious jeopardy. By implementing this controversial speculation tax…. Honestly, it is an asset tax. It will harm the local economies of regions reliant on seasonal residents and tourism. They are proposing changes to the municipal and regional district tax, which will unnecessarily pit municipalities against the tourism industry. On top of that, they have changed the date of Family Day, against the wishes of many B.C. tourism operators and businesses.

These reckless policies may have been embarked on with what might seem as the best of intentions, but the fact of the matter is simple. Decisions by this NDP government are having serious impacts on a major industry. As the opposition critic for Tourism, Culture and the Arts, it’s my responsibility to highlight those concerns and urge the government to reconsider those decisions that have been made that are harming the tourism industry.

Let me tell you, Madame Speaker, that curbing the sale of a vacation home to people from Ontario and Alberta with the speculation tax is not going to help the local economies of towns across this province that rely on those seasonal residents and the tourism they bring. Not only that; it will do nothing — nothing — to seriously address the housing affordability issue that they claim it will resolve. This is only going to drive people away, and we are not an island.

In 2015, Albertans accounted for nearly $1.4 billion in the $9.9 billion total tourism spending in B.C. They represented one in four Canadian tourism dollars spent in the province and more than 13 percent of all tourism spending in B.C. that year. Instead of appreciating those investments and those contributions to our provincial economy, this NDP government labels Albertans as foreigners and wants to pull the ladder up behind them.

If only this government had been ideologically consistent with their “B.C.’s first” position, we wouldn’t have had all of the problems associated with changing Family Day. According to the Tourism Industry Association, the B.C. Family Day weekend became one of the top performing business periods of the year for many B.C. ski destinations, generating $7 million to $10 million in incremental visitor spending per winter.

Seasonal tourism operators, like ski areas, have a limited time frame to generate that revenue. An additional long weekend to B.C. residents to take those extended trips in that time frame…. Many encouraged this by offering discounts and exclusive deals to B.C. residents. Despite a petition being signed by 23 destination marketing organizations, 24 businesses and 13 sectors associations, this government proceeded to change the date of Family Day to a long weekend where businesses compete.

R. Singh: Thank you to the member for Parksville-Qualicum for her motion.

I would just like to say that for over 30 years, British Columbia’s tourism destination brand — using the tag line “Super, natural British Columbia” — has inspired millions of people to visit our province. For many travellers to B.C., nature is the magnet. They are drawn to the sheer beauty and the vastness of B.C.’s nature.

I would like to say that B.C. welcomed 5.7 million international visitors in 2017, and that was an increase of 3.3 percent compared to the year before. These visitors supported an industry that generated $17 billion in revenues and contributed $7.9 billion towards B.C.’s GDP in 2017.

[11:05 a.m.]

The tourism industry also supports more than 19,000 tourism-related businesses and employs roughly one in 16 people employed in B.C. Tourism accommodation facilities in B.C. coastal communities collect the MRDT. In 2017, revenues totalled $1.48 billion.

As has been mentioned, tourism is essential to British Columbia’s economy, communities and social fabric, and it definitely contributes to our economy. We have over 19,000 tourism businesses employing 133,000 people here in B.C. Tourism generates $17 billion each year.

This year, 895,000 people are expected to pass through Vancouver on cruise ships. That’s up 7 percent and the highest since 2010. The Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority estimates that these visits will directly contribute $814 million to our economy. Our seafood sector accounts for $1.2 billion in sales in B.C. and $1.3 billion in exports. Our government considers these figures very, very seriously, and they are taking steps to improve our tourism industry even more. There are some steps they have taken to support the tourism industry, and I would like to highlight that.

The tourism event grants supported the World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, as well as recent snow sports events in Sun Peaks and Rossland, the World Rugby Sevens Series in Vancouver and the 2018 Winter Games in Kamloops. All of these events attract attention and tourists to British Columbia.

The 23rd Annual World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, held from April 10 to 15, drew more than 100 athletes and an estimated 40,000 visitors from around the world. It was supported with an $80,000 grant through the tourism events program to help to promote the event around the globe. Additionally, the resort municipality of Whistler provided $100,000 from the provincial resort municipality initiative program.

The Sun Peaks Resort held their second annual Snowbombing Canada Festival from April 5 to April 9. The event happened thanks in part to $205,000 in provincial government funding, which supported marketing, advertising and promotion.

The 2018 Sport Chek Canadian national technical ski championship was held in Rossland between March 21 and 24. The province contributed $50,000 to help the championships be broadcast internationally, attracting people to Rossland and B.C.’s other great winter sport destinations.

The Canada Rugby Sevens Series was held in B.C. Place Stadium over the weekend of March 9 to 11 with the help of $150,000 in funding from the province. We are also supporting the bid for the 2020 North American Indigenous Games and….

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

J. Sturdy: Thank you to the members opposite there.

I’m pleased to rise to speak to the importance of tourism in British Columbia, certainly an issue with which the Sea to Sky is obsessed. I’m glad to hear the members opposite speak so passionately about it. I only wish it was reflected in government policy.

Ancient trees and deep-green forests, mountain ranges leaning over the Pacific, glacier-fed streams and lakes and ocean, with perhaps the most dramatic coastline in the world…

Interjection.

J. Sturdy: Thank you, Member.

…wildlife that call these magnificent places home. “Super, natural British Columbia.” It’s no overstatement. B.C. truly is spectacular.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

J. Sturdy: In the words of Destination B.C., it’s a kingdom of abundance. People come from all around the globe to enjoy our mountains, our ocean, the wildlife, the endless array of activities that bring people closer to these special places. You can hike, sail, golf, fish, ski, cycle, photograph, paraglide, watch wildlife and kayak into the sunset. That’s the short list, and you can do it all in a day if you have the time or the energy in West Vancouver–Sea to Sky.

[11:10 a.m.]

Howe Sound is an incredible place in the Sea to Sky. It’s the entrance to Sea to Sky. It takes your breath away. The Squamish Chief, the largest piece of granite in the world, is basically a big granite boulder. It’s an amazing place to climb and a vibrant adventure-focused town.

Of course, the Whistler Resort is number one in the world, hosts guests from around the world. The Pemberton Valley, of course, is where I’m from — farms, food, adventure and splendour. Of course, the whole region was an Olympic venue. So you know, I think — I hope — where you’re going for your next staycation.

I’m going to shift to some numbers here. Hopefully, many of the members are already aware of the significance of these figures that I’m about to talk about, and for those of you who aren’t, please take note. In 2016, 5.5 million visits. I heard from the member opposite 5.7 million last year, which was great. Maybe we’ll hit six million this year. Revenues of $15.7 billion in 2015, up 5½ percent. GDP $7.4 billion, supporting 19,000 businesses and 127,000 employees in the tourism sector.

In Whistler, specifically, despite having global appeal, the key markets truly remain regional — Washington state, British Columbia and, to some degree, Alberta. Other core markets are the United Kingdom and Australia.

Some numbers everyone in the House should remember: Whistler accounts for 25 percent of all of the new tourism money that comes into this province from outside of the province, and it’s grown at almost 4 percent a year over the last six years. In 2015, Whistler generated half a billion dollars in tax revenue — $1.3 million a day — most of which the federal government takes, but the province certainly benefits, as does the municipality.

Consumer spending in Whistler is $1.53 billion towards GDP, 5.6 percent growth year over year. Total consumer spending in Whistler is $1.44 billion annually. That was a 2015 number — again, growing significantly.

The Whistler region supports 15,000 jobs, an increase of 10 percent since 2012. These are family-supporting jobs, not just in Whistler but in Squamish and Pemberton, where a survey a short time ago suggested that 80 percent of the Pemberton households send a member to Whistler to work every day. So it’s truly very regionally important.

It’s a key sector. Tourism is a key sector. It’s renewable and sustainable, albeit with a footprint, because everything we do has an impact. It’s a sector we need to continue to support as global tourism growth continues. We want profitable access to those markets.

Unfortunately, I don’t get the sense that this government understands or supports this industry. Tourism can’t be automated, because it’s about a personal experience. It’s about people.

These companies that have big payrolls don’t necessarily have big profits. The employer’s health tax is a kick to the shins of this tourism industry, and it came out of the blue without the government even listening to the government’s own task force recommendations. It recommended against doing exactly what the government did.

Then the politically motivated and arbitrary move of Family Day, which is a direct assault on the tourism sector’s profitability, sacrificing jobs for politics. Now, putting municipal councils in an untenable situation, forcing them to choose between the tourism sector and housing, with MRDT funds….

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

J. Sturdy: Thank you, Madame Speaker. All to say….

R. Kahlon: I’d like to thank the member for Parksville-Qualicum for bringing forward this motion today: “Be it resolved that this House recognize the importance British Columbia’s tourist industry plays in our province’s economy and the challenges posed by” — as she claims — “recent decisions.”

I think I first want to just address the comments of the previous speaker. He spoke for about four minutes about all the great things happening in tourism — all the great stats that he’s seeing in his riding — and then he follows it up with: “The sky is falling.”

I respect the member’s opinion. He lives in a tourism town. But I appreciated the first four minutes of his response because that was the reality, and whatever followed after is just political jargon.

[11:15 a.m.]

As mentioned earlier by one of my colleagues, B.C. has welcomed 5.7 million international visitors in 2017. That’s an increase of 3.3 percent over the year.

Just recently I had some friends visit. I’d like to let the member know that they came to his riding. They came to Whistler. First time visiting ever, and that’s where they wanted to go.

Tourism is booming. There are people here today that are visiting from other parts of the world, and they’re getting an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful province of ours. But I want to speak, particularly, as I’m the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, about sport tourism.

In this province, we recognize the significant contribution that sport tourism makes to our provincial economy. Traditionally, we know that the benefits of sport are in community building, in giving our young people opportunities to learn teamwork and keeping them out of trouble and all of those things. But sport also has a significant impact on our tourism industry.

In the motion, it said “challenges posed by recent decisions.” I’ve got some recent decisions. I’m not sure if they pose any challenges. We gave $30,000 in October 2017 for the GoodLife Fitness marathon, which happened here in Victoria. Tourists came from all over North America, certainly — and I’m sure some people came from all over the world — to participate in this. It was a beautiful run, and it was a hugely successful event.

In 2018, just this year, we gave $100,000 for the national skating championships, and I was fortunate enough to be able to go. It was my first time to attend that event. There were people from everywhere, and the event was a huge success.

We gave $125,000 for the HSBC Canada men’s rugby sevens series. I’m sure some members of this House attended. I had the honour to attend that event. It was phenomenal. People travelled from everywhere to be here, contributing hugely to our local economy.

We ended up giving another decision. In this motion, it says another decision…. It’s $50,000 in funding for the Sport Chek Canadian national technical alpine ski championships at the Red Mountain Resort in Rossland — again, a decision. I don’t know if anyone wants to dispute that decision. It was good for tourism in this province.

Snowbombing Canada in April 2018. Sun Peaks will get $105,000 in funding, bringing people from all over the world to appreciate some of the beautiful mountains that we have in this province.

Another one. In 2018, we gave $25,000 for the Canada Cup International Wheelchair Rugby Tournament — the first time for me to watch wheelchair rugby. I was supposed to be there half an hour. I ended up spending three hours, meeting families from Seattle, from Portland, taking the opportunity to come up to support their loved ones in the competition but also getting an opportunity to visit our beautiful city. They were talking about how wonderful this place was and how they looked forward to coming back.

Hon. Speaker, the light is going green. I could go on all day long about this.

Interjection.

R. Kahlon: Two minutes, the member across the way says. So I will continue to give him good news.

We gave half a million dollars — $35,000 just recently to RBC national hockey championships in Chilliwack, which is going to be fantastic. I’m looking forward to going. We gave money to para-snowboarding, the world cup, in Kelowna, which is happening, which is going to be phenomenal.

Just the impacts of some of the investments in tourism…. An example. In 2017, we gave $250,000 for the HSBC world sevens series, both men’s and women’s. Last year the series generated $17.7 million in economic benefits.

D. Barnett: As I stand here today to discuss the tourism industry, I am very proud of the past history of this government. I listened to my colleagues over here talk about what a great job they’ve done. They are so fortunate that they had a government before them that took this industry to the highest standard and made tourism what it is today in British Columbia.

As I stand here before you, and we talk about MRTD, it shocks me to think that on one hand, we’re going to take the money, and on the other hand, we’re going to do something that was never supposed to have been done with it.

[11:20 a.m.]

In my riding alone, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association has worked for years and years and years to convince the operators what a benefit this tax would be. Finally, after years, they have accomplished getting the tourism operators to buy in. Cabinet only approved this two months ago, and now these operators have already come back and said: “What did you sell me? That is not what I signed up for.”

Tourism operators in my region — it’s $1 million. When you live in rural British Columbia, where you don’t have big-money events, where you work every day of your life to promote and bring tourism…. We have the most beautiful scenery. We have ecotourism. We have bear watching. We have snowmobiling. We have cross-country skiing. But we work hard to get our people there.

Now we’ve got this situation with the pipeline, so we increase the price of gas. In many of our areas, the only way you can get there is to drive. So now we have another serious issue.

For my colleagues over there to think of the big regions with only big events and to always forget the little rural and remote communities shocks me. It shocks me immensely. This is going to be a big burden on our communities. It’s time that government stopped and looked and listened to those who are not quite as fortunate.

In many regions in this province last year, we had fires. We are still recovering. We had highways that were closed for 78 days, where there was no traffic, with tourism operators that are going broke. Where is the help? Once again, higher gasoline taxes, stop a pipeline — stop this, and take taxation that does not belong in some place and put it somewhere else.

Interjection.

D. Barnett: I’m not making it up, Madame Chair.

Deputy Speaker: Members, through the Chair.

D. Barnett: The one good thing that is happening in my region is the Great Bear Rainforest — the great job that was done by this side of the House to put the Great Bear Rainforest in place, a tourism attraction second to none. And a new ferry that this side of the House implemented, which hopefully will become a reality this year, if plans haven’t changed from the other side.

I worked hard with my First Nations communities, my tourism operators. I am so proud of that accomplishment from this side of the House.

Interjection.

D. Barnett: There is nothing to fix. We are proud. They should be proud of what they were left, instead of being negative on every single thing that was done by this side of the House to encourage investment, to encourage people to come forward to visit this province. I am proud, and we should be proud.

What we are planning to do over here with the MRDT is totally wrong, totally against the philosophy, totally against the legislation, and it must stop.

A. Kang: I rise today to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that this House recognize the importance British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in our province’s economy and the challenges posed by recent decisions.”

Prior to immigrating here, I vividly remember the way my family proudly talked about Canada. We talked about the beauty of Vancouver, how sweet the water tastes, how fresh the air smells and how beautiful the mountains are. The unparalleled natural environment in B.C. has put us on the world map as a top vacation destination.

When we talk about the importance of tourism in the provincial economy, we often focus on attracting visitors from around the world, and this strategy has worked well so far. Every year millions of people from around the world travel thousands of miles to enjoy the natural beauty of this province. But if people come from all over the world, making plans to travel here and see what B.C. has to offer, shouldn’t we, as British Columbians, take the opportunity to make plans of our own to explore this beautiful province?

I recognize the importance B.C.’s tourism industry plays in our province’s economy. Tourism is a tool we can use not only to boost our economy but also to promote cultural exchange. We can also see tourism within the province as a way to build communities and bring communities from across B.C. together.

[11:25 a.m.]

For many travellers, it is B.C.’s pristine natural environment that draws them here. Our “Beautiful British Columbia” brand has contributed to the growth of our economy in all regions in our province. Our super, natural environment provides amazing vacation opportunities for all those visiting and exploring B.C. This is as true for those of us who are lucky enough to call this place our home as it is for out-of-town province visitors.

We as government often encourage British Columbians to buy B.C. and eat B.C., and today I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage all British Columbians to vacation B.C. We can all enjoy activities, big or small, from festivals to events, adventures to outdoor activities, food and beverage experiences, cultural and heritage exploration, urban or rural vacation spots and different accommodation choices. Whether it is kayaking in Deep Cove, enjoying the B.C. Winter Games in Kamloops, exploring the hidden jewels of B.C.’s Gulf Islands, or hopping on the wine tourism wagon as we explore our beautiful vineyards in the Okanagan, the options are endless.

Our cruise ports also have been a major economic contributor to the tourism economy in B.C. We have four principal cruise ports: Vancouver, Victoria, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo. They represent 70 percent of the international cruise industry’s national investments in Canada. Cruise-related spending totalled $982 million in B.C. from three primary sources, which are the cruise lines, passengers and the crews.

We have beautiful resort communities such as Ucluelet, where visitors can enjoy local marine mammals, including whales and sea lions, as well as a wide variety of seabirds. In 2015, tourism revenue, spending, was over $52 million and generated an $18.7 million addition to the provincial GDP.

Another notable resort community is Tofino, where ecotourism and recreational activities such as whale-watching and surfing are popular. They have become an important sector in the region’s economy. In 2015, tourism revenue was over $161 million in Tofino, generating a $62 million impact on the province’s GDP.

Our government has established a tourism strategy that builds on past successes. We’re committed to increasing the number of visitors in B.C., improving access for international travellers and sustaining a profitable tourism sector. The strategy is doing well so far, and the tourism industry in B.C. is still going strong.

Last year, 2017, we welcomed 5.7 million international visitors, which is an increase of 3.3 percent from the year before. In addition to the tourism strategy, the Minister of Tourism is happy to announce that they are developing a new provincial tourism strategy through the appointment of a tourism engagement council. This council will be more representative than ever before in B.C.’s regions, with many different types of tourism operators.

For the next few years, I am making it my vacation mission to travel B.C. — not just as part of my work but as part of my pride for super, natural B.C. I’ve already begun my adventures in exploring the Gulf Islands, hiking in B.C.’s beautiful mountains and exploring the breathtaking coast that we have here. Where will your next B.C. vacation destination be?

D. Clovechok: It’s always a pleasure and an absolute honour to rise here in this House, representing the people of Columbia River–Revelstoke, and I’m also very pleased today to rise in this House to speak to this motion supporting our province’s outstanding and extremely valuable tourism industry.

Most people do not realize that tourism is actually a critical part of our resource industry and generates billions and billions of dollars in revenue. It’s no secret that British Columbia is a wonderful place to visit, especially Columbia River–Revelstoke. But then again I’m a little biased. The millions of people that visit B.C. are proof that British Columbia is a destination of choice for people all over the world and all across Canada itself.

I also want to recognize the First Nations communities — not only in my riding, which are the Shuswap and the Akisqnuk First Nations people, but throughout B.C. — who are working hard to grow the First Nation experience with tourism. Aboriginal tourism in this province is definitely on the upswing, and that’s very exciting.

In my home, the Kootenays, tourism is our bread and butter. It’s what feeds our folks. We’ve got lots of people visiting from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the United States — but mostly Alberta and Saskatchewan. The population of just the Columbia Valley, in my riding, from May to October, increases between 30,000 and 40,000 people during that time frame. So it’s a huge economic driver for my constituents.

[11:30 a.m.]

A combination of recent developments gives me extreme cause for concern about the future of our tourism industry, locally and provincially. For starters, the speculation tax, which so many now refer to as the inheritance tax, has created chaos and confusion for many. It’s having incredible negative impacts on the people where I live. Between the speculation tax and the ongoing trade disputes between our provinces, I’m not only concerned about the damage that has already been done to this important industry in our province but, in fact, that this minority government has brought tourism under their direct attack.

I know my offices have been receiving hundreds of phone calls, not only from Albertans but from British Columbians who are concerned about this — and from Albertans and tourists who are saying: “We’re not coming to British Columbia because of the nonsense that this government has put forward.”

Just as an example, a major golf tournament in St. Eugene’s Resort that has been there for over a decade, literally bringing thousands and thousands of dollars into the local community and to that resort. I got a phone call from the organizers who said: “You know what? Because of the nonsense that’s going on in British Columbia right now, we’re taking our tournament to Montana.” That’s the reality of the behaviour that we’re seeing.

On top of the speculation tax, the employer health tax is having an impact on the livelihoods of tourism operators and workers. Steve Paccagnan is the president and CEO of our amazing Panorama ski resort. That tax is going to hit him $160,000, and he’s not alone. He’s not alone.

So what do you do? You look at your bottom line, and you say: “Well, I can’t increase my prices, so I’m going to have to start laying off people.” That doesn’t sound what they’re promising over there.

Meanwhile, this minority government has proposed changes to the municipal regional district tax, or the MRDT, which collects about $50 million. Its intent was to market it. The government over there wants to use that money for social housing. That’s not their money to commit. It’s not theirs to choose. It’s the people who are collecting the tax who sign the contract. It’s not their right to tell anybody what to do with that money, other than the fact that it was raised to do marketing.

I’ll give you an example from the Revelstoke Accommodation Association: “While we agree that this is an important issue in our province” — meaning social housing — “this was not what the money was intended for, and affordable housing should not fall on the back of tourism.”

I should also note that this industry was surprised by this proposed change. These fine folks over on the other side like to consult. Well, they didn’t do that. They didn’t do that, and there’s incredible anger about this. I can guarantee you that if this continues, it will not end well for the tourism business.

Not only that, Family Day was changed without consultation. Millions and millions of dollars, $7 million to $10 million, are generated by that day. It’s going to hurt the people where I live. But they don’t seem to understand that.

Then there’s gas prices — a buck-69 in Vancouver. Highest in North America. You think that this is not going to have an impact on tourism? You think that this is not going to hurt the people of British Columbia?

I would say to these members: stop playing games with the tourism industry and support them.

N. Simons: Well, I have to start with: “Wow.” I mean, I’ve never heard such a bunch of unmitigated garbage coming from…. Okay. I’ll rephrase. I mean that in a gentle way, of course.

Madame Speaker, I withdraw, and I apologize. But come on — seriously. These are friends. These are colleagues of mine who have opinions.

Deputy Speaker: Through the Chair.

N. Simons: That’s fine. They have opinions. They have opinions, and then they have opinions based on fact, and then they have opinions that they pull out of thin air.

I would like to say that what I’ve heard this morning, since the motion was moved, is essentially just fearmongering. I’ve never heard…. I don’t understand why this opposition, after spending 16 years of doing absolutely nothing, takes this opportunity…

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

N. Simons: …to start making complaints about the fact that we have a government that actually cares about affordability and cares about the people who work in the tourism business. My friends across….

Deputy Speaker: Through the Chair, Member.

N. Simons: Through the Chair, absolutely, Madame Speaker.

My colleagues across the way should know that many of the actions that we’ve taken to address the affordability issues in this province came out of the fact that for 16 years, we had a government that never crossed their mind.

We have affordability issues that have faced people who work in the tourism sector. The tourism sector’s biggest challenge in many parts of this province is hiring people who need to find a place to live.

[11:35 a.m.]

Now, if, in fact, they think that everything’s fine, they would have left the minimum wage low. These are the people who work in the tourism sector, in large proportion. The average sector wage is about $35,000 a year. We’ve done a lot to increase the spending capacity of people who work in the tourism sector. We’ve done a lot to do that.

We know that we rely on the beauty of this province to attract people and the people of this province to be welcoming hosts. But we also have people coming to this province who have never seen so much homelessness, who have never seen so much street homelessness.

We can say that this was a government, this is an opposition, who spent 16 years essentially turning a blind eye to the issues that affect the quality of life in British Columbia. And then ferry fares…. What did they do to increase tourism in our communities by doubling ferry fares in many situations?

I do not think that anybody in this government has to take any of the things that this opposition says with any degree of importance. They have no lessons to teach us about making life better for people in this province. For 16 years, they had an opportunity to try to address the issues around affordability. Did they do that? I don’t think they did. I don’t think that my colleagues and most people in British Columbia think they did.

They’re bringing up stuff about gas prices. They’re not mentioning the fact that we’re dealing with affordability issues that families are concerned about.

Interjections.

N. Simons: They can howl, and they can do all that they want. I know that I bring it out in them. I don’t mean to, but I do say, sometimes, things that they take offence to, and I understand that. But we’re debating a motion that is fundamentally not based on facts. We have a tourism industry that is strong and thriving. For members opposite to take credit for the successes, for them to actually take credit for the success of the tourism industry, is a little bit rich.

I think that the people who should take credit are the tourism operators in this province who highlight the greatness of this province, and I thank them for what they do. I thank them for the sacrifices they made. I thank them for looking after their employees well and for being concerned about their employees having a place to live and having a wage they can live on.

These were not the priorities of the opposition when they were in government, but they’re the priorities of this government now, and I’m proud of that.

S. Bond: We live in a beautiful province, and I represent a spectacular part of it. After all, who can boast about being home to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson? With a riding that’s roughly the size of Belgium, there is a long list of incredible places to visit, whether you are a domestic or international visitor.

In fact, during our constituency week, I travelled throughout the riding and stopped at some of our favourite spots, including the Cranberry Marsh in Valemount and the Ancient Forest between Prince George and McBride, which, by the way, still had parking lot full of snow. Although the peak of Mount Robson was covered by cloud, one can’t help but be impressed by how spectacular it is.

I could spend my entire allocation of time today describing must-visit places in my riding and region, but there is a serious issue with the impacts of current government actions related to the tourism and hospitality sector. You see, in many rural and northern communities, tourism is a critical component of their economic development strategy. When looking for ways to grow and strengthen the economy and add new jobs, tourism is at the top of the list.

In fact, in Valemount, we have worked tirelessly to support a new world-class resort, Valemount Glacier destination resort. It has the potential to be a game-changer for the Robson Valley. That is why there needs to be policy that supports the thousands of tourism businesses and incents investment.

What have we seen to date? Little consultation or discussion with the industry stakeholders and decisions made without any thought about the long-term impact; a surprise employers health tax, where no modelling was done; an increased minimum wage; the elimination of the servers wage; not to mention an increased carbon tax and changing Family Day.

Then the decision to move away from the fundamental principles of the municipal and regional district tax. No matter how vigorously the Finance Minister or any of the members on the other side stand here and defend that revision, it has the potential of causing major damage to tourism marketing in British Columbia.

[11:40 a.m.]

It is simply unbelievable that the government just dismisses the concerns of the tourism sector while insisting it is simply another tool for municipalities to consider when looking to building affordable housing. Yes, you heard that right: “Let’s build affordable housing with money that was approved by hoteliers on the basis it would be spent on tourism marketing.” The last time I checked, they didn’t agree to add MRDT to their hotel bills as part of a government housing strategy. The decision to open this door was made despite the express concerns of the very tourism leaders that the member opposite claims to support.

Tourism marketing dollars are essential if communities and regions and our province want to be successful in motivating travellers to choose British Columbia. In order to collect the tax, there is a rigorous process and a high bar to get over. Some communities struggle to convince hotels that charging the additional tax will not hinder their profitability. In fact, some communities never meet the required threshold. The approval that is gained is based on how the money will be spent — how additional marketing dollars will generate growth in tourism, not build affordable housing, as important and necessary as that is.

If the members opposite don’t want to take our concerns seriously, then how about major stakeholders in the tourism sector? Let’s look at what they have to say.

“Tourism Vancouver aligns with the position of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. that the integrity of the MRDT program needs to be preserved, as per its original intent, to fund tourism, an integral industry for the British Columbia economy. As you are no doubt aware, since its inception, the purpose of the MRDT program has been to assist designated recipients to invest in tourism marketing, tourism programs and tourism projects to help…B.C. tourism revenues, visitation and jobs. Any allocation of MRDT funds to other initiatives will be ‘destructive’ to a vital industry in terms of job losses, revenues and overall visitation.”

Those aren’t our words. They’re the words of Tourism Vancouver and the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia.

And how did they end that letter? They ended it this way. “Tourism Vancouver, and on behalf of our 1,000 member businesses, respectfully requests that the government not proceed with any proposed changes to the MRDT as outlined in February’s budget.”

Not our words. It’s time the government listened to tourism leaders in British Columbia.

B. Ma: I’m pleased to be able to rise and speak to the motion today: “Be it resolved that this House recognize the importance British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in our province’s economy and the challenges posed by recent decisions.”

As many other members have already noted before, B.C.’s tourism industry is absolutely critical to our economy. The industry generated $17 billion in revenues and contributed $7.9 billion towards B.C.’s GDP in 2016 alone. This industry supports more than 19,000 businesses and employs thousands and thousands of people across the province — in fact, one in 16 people across this province.

Why is it that B.C. has such a draw for people around the world? We have the Cloverdale Rodeo and the PNE. Those are pretty popular.

Interjection.

B. Ma: That’s right. The Cloverdale Rodeo is coming out in two weeks. But that might not quite be it on its own.

I’ve heard the high-end shopping here is pretty good too — I mean, if you can drop a paycheque on a T-shirt. We also have a pretty rad Chinatown. That’s for sure. I know that that draws a lot of tourists as well. In fact, there are a lot of really good reasons for travellers to be drawn to B.C. But I dare say that one of the most important draws we have here is our “Super, natural British Columbia.”

It’s been mentioned before. For over 30 years, that well-known brand has drawn millions of people to come experience our pristine natural environment every year, bringing billions of dollars with them into the province. Cruise ship tours, camping, hiking, helicopter tours, whale-watching, kayaking, boating, wildlife viewing, diving, surfing, storm-watching and recreational sport fishing — people come from all over the world to interact with our environment in all sorts of ways.

[11:45 a.m.]

The recent decision I’d like to talk about today is the decision the members opposite have made to not only fail to stand with us but actively oppose our government’s commitment to defending B.C.’s coast. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is a controversial project, to say the least. Unfortunately, it is also a project whose approval or denial does not rest with the B.C. government. It’s in federal hands. I know this. The opposition know this. Our government knows this.

The federal Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made it clear that the pipeline…

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

B. Ma: …will be built. So as a province that respects and abides by the rule of law and Canada’s constitution, we have been processing Kinder Morgan’s permits, as is legally required for us to do. They have applied for just under 600 permits and have received at least 200 of those permits so far, while another 400 or so are under review and moving along.

While we are doing that, we are also looking for ways to fulfil our other duty and obligation, and that is the one that we have to protect the coast and all of the communities and the industries that rely on a clean and healthy coast — industries such as tourism and resort communities like Ucluelet, which welcomes thousands of visitors every year, and Tofino, which welcomes nearly a million visitors every year.

According to the Canada-B.C. oceans committee, the total economic impact of ocean recreation in B.C. in 2005 was $3.8 billion, and no doubt it has been climbing ever since. These activities include saltwater angling, whale-watching, ocean boating and sailing, scuba diving, guided kayak trips, beach activities, marine park visitation and the like.

The impact of a diluted bitumen spill on our tourism economy could be devastating. People don’t come to B.C. to surf off of contaminated beaches. People don’t travel across the world to watch wildlife dying from an oil spill. People don’t travel through oceans on cruise ships to take in the smell of petroleum in the air. A catastrophic oil spill would devastate our tourism industry and would put far too many British Columbians in jeopardy of losing their livelihoods.

It’s no wonder, when faced with the looming threat of a sevenfold increase in diluted bitumen oil tankers travelling through and along B.C.’s coast, that B.C.’s new government is committed to defending B.C.’s coasts by exploring all of the legal tools available to us within our province’s jurisdiction.

This includes ensuring regulations are in place to ensure that we have not only strong environmental protections but also the capacity to clean up a spill if one should happen. Such regulations are fully within a province’s jurisdiction to want to protect their provincial environment and economy from hazards that can and should be managed.

I find it difficult to listen to the members opposite stand up one by one to talk about how important B.C.’s tourism economy is while actively opposing this government’s efforts to protect it.

J. Thornthwaite: I’m privileged to be able to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that this House recognize the importance British Columbia’s tourism industry plays in our province’s economy and the challenges posed by recent decisions.”

Tourism is a major industry in our province. The past two years saw record numbers of visitors to our province, many of them right here in Victoria. From January to October 2017, our province saw over five million international visitors. That is more than our entire province’s population. We saw an even larger number of visitors from the United States. That’s over ten million visitors from outside Canada in our province last year.

From 2001 to 2017, our government support for the province’s arts and culture community exceeded half a billion dollars — $658 million, more than any other government in B.C.’s history. My own riding sees a great deal of tourism. Just this past week the district of North Van enacted more stringent parking regulations and temporary closures of Quarry Rock in Deep Cove to control overcrowding. In a sense, it’s the victim of its own success.

A recent report in the North Shore News said: “Situated between forest and fjord on the eastern end of the district, Deep Cove has been taxed by the ‘record-setting tourism’ of 2017, according to a district staff report.”

This prompted Doug McKay-Dunn, who is a councillor in the district of North Van, to ask, “What support will our park ranger have when he’s standing there like Horatius at the drawbridge, trying to prevent an onslaught of these individuals going up to Quarry Rock?” — the tale of the Roman officer who defended his republic against invading Etruscan forces.

[11:50 a.m.]

We do have a booming — booming — tourism industry on the North Shore. And then there’s Mount Seymour, a family-owned and -operated ski hill since 1984, located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park. The ski and snowboard areas’ proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the eastern aspect and the high base elevation provide an average annual snowfall of over 1,000 centimetres and cover the ski areas’ 80 hectares of terrain.

But there’s trouble coming. Tourism Vancouver, which includes 1,000 member businesses, has recently written to the Minister of Finance expressing deep concerns over recent tax changes. The tourism industry in Metro Vancouver supports over 70,000 full-time jobs, and generated $4.8 billion and hosted more than 10.3 million visitors in 2017.

These visitor expenditures generate nearly $2.4 billion in taxes for the province. But with the changes that this government is making to the municipal and regional district tax, our tourism industry is under direct threat. Our cities will be unable to advertise themselves to the world. Organizations will be unable to support their visitors and employees. At a time when our tourism industry needs to expand and meet demand, we will see a lessening of support and resources.

As Ty Speer, the CEO of Tourism Vancouver, said, any allocation of the municipal and district regional tax funds to other initiatives “will be destructive to a vital industry in terms of job losses, revenues and overall visitation.” That is a discouraging statement to hear about a vital industry in our province at risk because of this new government.

Tourism is very important to our provincial economy, and this government has squeezed and squeezed and implemented new taxes upon new taxes to get more and more revenue, with a particular hit to the tourism industry.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Of course, many tourism businesses are already facing a new employer health tax, an increased corporate tax, a carbon tax that is going up every year without its award-winning carbon neutrality.

This government must think about how all of the extra taxes are piling on each other and are hurting jobs, businesses and people in this province, including the tourism industry.

J. Thornthwaite moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. B. Ralston moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:52 a.m.