Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. D. Eby: There are a number of guests in the gallery here for an historic day in our B.C. Legislature, related to the re-establishment of the human rights commission. There are a number of them, so I’ll run through and just ask members to hold their applause right till the very end.

I’m very pleased to welcome Kasari Govender, executive director of West Coast LEAF; Gurpreet Singh; Kamaljit Thind; Morgane Oger; Catherine Jenkins; Joanna Gislason; Sarah Robinson, who is a member of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women. Nico Slobinsky and Jason Murray are here. They’re the director and the chair of the B.C. Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Aleem Bharmal is the executive director of the Community Legal Assistance Society.

There are several staff from the Ministry of Attorney General who have been working on this human rights legislation: Renee Mulligan, Carmen Zabarauckas, Catherine Hunt, Kelly Farish, Kathleen Reilly, Tarynn McKenzie, Jen Helmy, Courtenay Jacklin, Mackenzie Curran, Nima Dorji and Leanna Gruendel.

Also, I’d like to acknowledge the assistance of a couple of experts that assisted as well: human rights experts Gwen Brodsky and Shelagh Day, and Katherine Hardie, who’s senior legal counsel at the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal.

Would the House please make them all feel very welcome.

R. Chouhan: It gives me great pleasure to introduce Harinder Mahil. He has been an anti-racist and human rights activist since the 1970s. He served the people of British Columbia as chair of the British Columbia Council of Human Rights from 1992 to 1997, and as the deputy chief commissioner of the British Columbia Human Rights Commission from 1997 to 2002.

He was acting chief commissioner of the British Columbia Human Rights Commission when the previous commission was dismantled in 2002, and he was also a member of the Canadian delegation to the 1993 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.

Along with him also is my friend Chris Finding, who was a manager of investigations for the Human Rights Commission when the commission was dismantled. He recently retired after occupying a senior management position for the last 16 years with the HEU.

Thérèse Boullard was a human rights officer at the B.C. Human Rights Commission for some ten years and then served as the executive director of the Northwest Territories for five years.

Please join me to give them a very warm welcome.

D. Davies: It gives me great pleasure to introduce a good friend of mine, Dallas Isert, who’s travelled all the way down from the snowy white north — as we now have snow up there — from Fort St. John. Please make Dallas feel welcome.

Hon. S. Simpson: As members will know, November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month. It’s my pleasure today to welcome members of the B.C. Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, better known to some as BCANDS, who are joining us today to kick the month off: Melissa Aird, Evelyn Huntjens, Debi LaHaise, Cindy Rebain, Alexandra Pierik, Marina King and Margo Bok. They’re joined by BCANDS executive director Neil Belanger, who’s also a member of the Poverty Reduction Advisory Forum.

BCANDS is an award-winning Indigenous charitable society who serve the unique and diverse disability, health resource and support service needs of Indigenous people across our province, and 2018 marks the 27th year of successfully delivering Indigenous disability and health programs to people who need them.

[10:10 a.m.]

I’m proud to be wearing their pin today, along with many of my colleagues, recognizing the invaluable contributions that BCANDS makes to removing barriers and promoting inclusivity across our province.

Will the House please make them welcome.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 50 — HUMAN RIGHTS CODE
AMENDMENT ACT, 2018

Hon. D. Eby presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2018.

Hon. D. Eby: I move the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

It’s a personal honour, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present this bill on behalf of the government. This bill amends the human rights code to re-establish a human rights commission for British Columbia. For years, British Columbia has been the only province in Canada with­out a human right commission.

This bill is part of the government’s agenda to build a better B.C. for all. Creating a human rights commission is part of a new era for human rights in B.C., one which will foster a society in which every person is treated with respect and dignity and ensure that rights and opportunities are provided without discrimination.

This bill creates a human rights commissioner who will be an independent officer of the Legislature. This model is meant to ensure the longevity of the commissioner so that the turbulent history of human rights commissions in British Columbia is not repeated.

The commissioner will have the key function of educating British Columbians on human rights and examining and addressing discrimination, particularly issues of systemic discrimination. A lack of understanding and knowledge can often be the cause of discrimination, especially in the workplace. Healthy, respectful relationships based on an understanding of circumstance and history, together with inclusive, solution-based approaches to issues, will create a stronger and more cohesive community. It is envisioned that by giving the commissioner the powers to promote as well as protect human rights, the discriminatory practices, policies and programs will be reduced and eventually eliminated.

The commissioner will have the power to initiate inquiries into human rights issues and issues of systemic discrimination in order to hold governments, institutions and the private sector to account. At the conclusion of an inquiry, the commissioner may make recommendations and speak publicly in order to reduce, prevent and eliminate issues of discrimination.

The commissioner’s inquiry powers will come into force at a future date, once the commissioner’s mandate is underway. The amendments will also extend the time limit for filing complaints to the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal from six months to one year, while maintaining the tribunal’s discretion to accept late-filed complaints in certain circumstances.

I’m sure all of the members of the House understand the importance of this bill at these times that we face, and I’m incredibly honoured to put it forward for first reading.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

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

Bill 50, Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2018, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

RESPONSE TO WILDFIRES IN
COLUMBIA RIVER–REVELSTOKE AREA

D. Clovechok: As we all know, 2018 was the worst fire season on record in British Columbia, with close to 13,000 square kilometres being burnt, a fire season that precipitated a provincewide state of emergency. British Columbians suffered not only from the smoke that was prov­ince­wide, but many families were uprooted from their lives and their homes due to evacuation orders, with others being put on alerts.

My riding was not immune to this provincial firestorm. Two fires of note were the Meachen Creek fire and the Cross River fire that resulted in evacuation orders and evacuation alerts. Yet out of that darkness and smoke emerged great light, and that light was the people.

I want to recognize and commend the St. Mary Lake and Ta Ta Creek residents for the courage they showed in the face of disaster during their evacuations.

I am so proud of the residents of Kimberley, who took the alert in stride. They prepared their emergency kits and took care of each other.

I want to thank and commend Lyle Wilson and his staff from Nipika Resort, who evacuated an entire wedding that was underway during the evacuation order, which is no easy task.

[10:15 a.m.]

I want to thank and commend the mayor of Kimberley, Don McCormick, who demonstrated incredible leadership and compassion during a very difficult and very stressful time. I worked closely with him, and in spite of the pressure, he did not flinch.

I want to thank and commend Kimberley Fire Chief Rick Prasad and his members, who did not sleep until they were certain their community was safe.

I want to thank and commend the Kimberley RCMP detachment commander, Sgt. Chris Newel, and all of his and visiting deployed members, who protected and served beyond duty and expectations during the evacuation alert. The force is proud of you, and your community thanks you.

I want to thank and recognize Brent Martin, with FLNRORD and the B.C. Wildfire Service. He is a credit to this province. He’s a consummate professional and a credit to his profession.

I want to thank Teck Coal for the donation of the Kimberley minesite buildings for the fire command centre.

Last but not least, I want to thank and recognize the staff of the regional district of East Kootenay, RDEK director Jane Walter, who is one of the St. Mary Lake evacuees, and the southeast fire centre and all of the firefighters, women and men from across Canada, who daily put themselves in harm’s way protecting my communities.

We survived the firestorm, and I’m grateful that winter is on its way.

RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

R. Chouhan: Today is an exciting day for British Columbians. It is a day I have been waiting for since 2002. I am proud to be part of a government that has introduced legislation to bring back the British Columbia human rights commission, which was dismantled in 2002.

I represent the Burnaby-Edmonds constituency, which is the most diverse in the province. It has First Nations people, those who came from China, Korea, India and from many African countries. They represent different cultures, religions and races, and they speak over 70 different languages. Those who live in Burnaby, like many other regions of the province, are of different genders and ages and have different abilities.

One thing that unites us all is our belief in equality, tolerance and concepts of treating each other with respect and dignity. Our history shows us that we cannot take these values for granted.

We know that there has been discrimination and intolerance in our province. During World War II, thousands of British Columbians of Japanese origin were sent to internment camps. First Nations people and other minorities were denied the right to vote.

Equality is something we have to constantly strive for. For that, we need institutions such as the human rights commission. Since 2005, I have introduced a private member’s bill three times to re-establish the human rights commission. Human rights laws protect all of us.

I believe it was wrong to dismantle the commission in 2002. British Columbians have been denied the services of a commission for the last 16 years. This legislation will correct that wrong. It will give a vehicle for British Columbians to build a society which is free of all types of discrimination.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND
FOOD SYSTEMS PROGRAMS AT
KWANTLEN UNIVERSITY

L. Reid: I recently had the enormous privilege of taking a fall harvest tour with Dr. Rebecca Harbut, chair of the department of sustainable agriculture and food systems at Kwantlen University. It was a perfect autumn day. Dr. Harbut is a gift to Kwantlen University and to our community. Her wisdom, enthusiasm and commitment to sustainable agriculture are unparalleled.

I come from a long line of Saskatchewan farmers. There is nothing better than a flax field in bloom. I was delighted to see a greenhouse dome on the Richmond site, which will now allow for earlier plantings.

This 20-acre site is located on the Garden City lands, with other programs found on the Richmond campus terraces and indoors at the university.

I speak of the seed research underway. It was impressive to learn of the many partners in this important work, including Dr. Kent Mullinix, director of the institute for sustainable food systems.

Please consider a degree — a bachelor of applied science in sustainable agriculture. It uniquely integrates the science and art of agro-ecosystem management. The students engage in learning through classes, practical training on certified organic teachings and on research farms, community engagement and student research projects. Whether it’s a new seed or a winter groundcover, Kwantlen University is each day inspiring leaders in sustainable food systems.

Please respect the students’ projects, and don’t eat their homework until the marks are recorded.

[10:20 a.m.]

INDIGENOUS DISABILITY
AWARENESS MONTH

M. Dean: November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month in British Columbia, a month which recognizes and acknowledges the important contributions Indigenous people with disabilities make to our province. This month has its roots right here in B.C. The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, BCANDS, serving B.C. from Esquimalt-Metchosin, created the first Indigenous Disability Awareness Month in 2015. It is part of a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people with disabilities in Canada and around the world.

The month is recognized nationally by the Assembly of First Nations and by Métis Nation B.C., the First Nations Summit and several other disability-related organizations. During the month, we acknowledge the unique challenges that Indigenous people with disabilities face, like accessibility barriers and limited employment opportunities, that magnify the social and economic inclusion they experience.

Since 1991, BCANDS has been an important resource for Indigenous people with disabilities in providing disability health and resource support. They’ve helped break down barriers and increase inclusion for some of the province’s most vulnerable people. In March 2019, BCANDS will hold their Indigenous Disability and Wellness Gathering, “From the outside looking in….”

I hope that you will join me in promoting awareness for Indigenous people with disabilities this November. One way to show your support is by wearing this pin. It’s a symbol of our recognition of the invaluable contributions and unique challenges Indigenous people with disabilities often face in B.C. Together we can help break down barriers and ensure everyone can participate in inclusive and striving communities.

ROLE OF JOURNALISTS AND FREE PRESS

S. Furstenau: On Monday, the annual Jack Webster Awards were given to B.C. journalists for their outstanding work over the course of the last year. I extend my sincere congratulations to this year’s winners as well as all members of the journalistic community for their vital work as part of our province’s free press.

The press plays a vital role in society. Journalists speak truth to power, tell the stories that need to be told and bring hidden issues to light, enabling us to make changes needed for a more just world.

It was journalists that exposed such massive injustices as the child abuse in the Boston Catholic Church and egregious abuses of political power like Watergate. It was journalists who revealed the horrific human cost of the Vietnam War and who more recently helped tell the stories of survivors in the pivotal Me Too movement.

Tragically, journalists often face violence. In 2017, 71 journalists worldwide were murdered or killed while reporting, covering an incident or simply because they were a journalist. We must stand united in condemning these attacks in the strongest possible terms.

The free press is also facing unprecedented challenges. Studies estimate that one-third of Canadian journalism jobs have been lost in the last six years. The rise of digital media has disrupted the industry and has led to a proliferation of alternative facts, disinformation and Internet conspiracy theories that have had a corrosive and divisive effect on our public discourse.

In today’s climate, the role of the free press is more vital than ever. It’s important that we recognize and support the crucial work journalists do in pursuing fact-based reporting and upholding the truth. To quote the Washington Post, a paper that is doing an outstanding job in the face of even bigger challenges south of the border: “Democracy dies in darkness.” Journalists shed light on the issues that matter so that we might build a stronger democracy.

BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGN
BY SIKH NATION

R. Singh: There isn’t a more noble act than saving a human life. Today I wish to draw the attention of the House to a wonderful initiative that many of my constituents help organize and donate at. The event is the annual blood donation drive by Sikh Nation. Since its inception almost 20 years ago, approximately 130,000 lives have been saved.

These drives are organized in commemoration of the victims of the anti-Sikh massacre that rocked the Indian nation in the first week of November 1984, following the assassination of then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards. Innocent Sikhs were killed across the country by the mobs to punish the entire community for the murder of the Prime Minister.

[10:25 a.m.]

I was in India back then, and I still remember the atmosphere of hatred and dread created by the violence directed at a single community. When the bloodshed started, we lived in constant fear for the lives and security of my aunts and uncles living in New Delhi, the national capital, which was hit worst by the pogrom.

Though I was fortunate enough to be far from the epicentre of the mayhem, that wasn’t the case with many others, who got killed and molested only because of their identity. Even a quarter of a century having passed, the families and those affected are still dealing with trauma and waiting for justice.

Despite all that, the Sikh Nation volunteers come together each year to organize a campaign to save lives through blood donation and continue to set an example of fighting hatred and injustice with love and giving. As this campaign continues to grow across North America every year, I want to applaud the blood donation volunteers for restoring our confidence in humanity in the face of bigotry and barbarity.

Oral Questions

BUS SERVICE IN RURAL B.C.

D. Clovechok: The Minister of Transportation has known about the elimination of Greyhound services in British Columbia for well over a year now. Talk about being asleep at the wheel. Under her watch, there are dozens of communities that are suffering from the loss of these services — communities like mine in Kimberley, Invermere, Radium, not to mention about the rest of the province, like Armstrong, Dawson Creek and Penticton.

The question for the minister: why has this minister failed so many rural communities throughout British Columbia?

Hon. C. Trevena: I’m very pleased to see the member for Columbia River–Revelstoke back in full health here, and I’m very happy to take his question.

Greyhound’s announcement, I think, caught the whole of Canada by surprise. It was pulling out, not just in B.C. but pulling out from the whole of western Canada. Since Greyhound made its announcement, we’ve been working diligently with communities, with the private sector, to make sure that we are doing as much coverage as we can.

I’m very pleased to say that 83 percent of routes that Greyhound was covering in the southern half of the province are going to be covered by private operators. And in the northern half of the province, as the member well knows, we moved very quickly to have an interim service with B.C. Transit, with B.C. Bus North, which is covering the northern half of the province.

I continue to work with my federal counterparts, with communities, with Indigenous organizations to ensure that those remaining gaps are filled.

Mr. Speaker: Columbia River–Revelstoke on a supplemental.

D. Clovechok: I thank you for that answer — although the minister seems to want to pat herself on the back, with all of the work that she’s done. Just a reminder, of course, that self-praise is no praise.

Not to say…. At the very least, it’s not about counting kilometres. It’s about communities that are no longer connected in rural British Columbia. It’s about seniors, about students, about families who rely on bus services between these communities — services that have been abandoned under this minister’s watch.

My question to the minister: will she tell the communities that have been abandoned when they’ll be getting a return to the real service and regular service?

Hon. C. Trevena: I understand that people are absolutely concerned about the access to ground transportation. It’s something that we have known about — and the opposition, when they were government, knew about — for a long while — the precarious nature of Greyhound and the likelihood that they were going to be pulling out from the province. This was not new. The suddenness was new.

We have been working diligently, through the Passenger Transportation Board, the independent board, to make sure that as many communities are covered. The Passenger Transportation Board looks at each application, looks at each route it’s doing, assesses the communities and makes the decision. They’ve been expediting it, and I’m very pleased they have.

For those remaining segments — the eight remaining segments that Greyhound used to cover — the Passenger Transportation Board will be working with them to have expressions of interest so we can see whether commercial operators can come and fill the gap. I’m fully aware that people need safe, affordable ground transportation, and we are working diligently to make sure that we can have those gaps covered.

[10:30 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Columbia River–Revelstoke on a second supplemental.

D. Clovechok: It’s interesting that one minute she’s really surprised, and now she’s known about it forever. So it’s kind of contradictory.

Yesterday she said to my constituents, and I’m going to quote: “Use the different sorts of ride-share, and I cite Poparide as one of the ones that is sort of a true ride-share.” Seriously, Poparide? I went to the Premier’s favourite information source, Google, to find out what this Poparide thing was all about. I’ll tell you what. In my riding, there was only one reference to a Poparide — one reference — and it was a guy that wanted to go to Golden for nine bucks.

I thought: “Does someone want to put their children on that bus, their wife on that bus or in that vehicle?” Does this minister actually believe that Poparide is a viable transportation solution for seniors, folks with disabilities, students and families, my grandchildren in my remote rural riding? Seriously, do you think that this is a viable solution?

Hon. C. Trevena: We have been working with the Passenger Transportation Board to make sure that we can cover as much of the province as possible. I’ve got to say that I’m very proud of the work that has been done by the Passenger Transportation Board as well as by B.C. Transit, who came in to move, in the north, when Greyhound pulled out from the north. We now have coverage for the north and interim service.

I’ve been working with MLAs from the north on that and with communities in the north. I continue to work with communities around the province to ensure that we can fill those gaps. It is a priority. We know that there are people who feel that they’re not being served and are not being served, and we’re making sure that we are trying to fill those gaps.

RIDE-SHARING SERVICES

J. Thornthwaite: Well, if the Transportation Minister had kept her promise, we’d actually have real ride-sharing in this province of British Columbia right now. Just listen to the frustration….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, we shall hear the question. The member for North Vancouver–Seymour has the floor.

J. Thornthwaite: Just listen to the frustration of Nikki, from North Van, who tweets: “I tried for an hour to get through to North Shore Taxi tonight. My phone redialed nearly 100 times and never completed a call. Please explain to me why we don’t have ride-sharing in Vancouver.”

My question is like Nikki’s. When are we getting ride-sharing in British Columbia?

Hon. C. Trevena: I thank the member for her question. It’s something that she could have asked her own government when they were in government, because they had five years to work on it.

We have been working on it. We have made sure that we worked on a two-phased approach, as we announced in July, getting more cabs on the road, 500 more vehicles — we’re expecting to see them roll out shortly — as well as collecting more data so that we know where the needs are. We said there will be legislation this fall. There will be legislation this fall.

Mr. Speaker: North Vancouver–Seymour on a supplemental.

J. Thornthwaite: All three parties in this House promised ride-sharing in their campaigns in 2017. We were going to bring it forward. We already had the work done. The fact is that you promised it in 2017, promised it in 2018, and nobody believes you’re going to bring it in this year. We’ve got one more…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we shall hear the question.

J. Thornthwaite: …Christmas season. People on the North Shore are begging to bring in ride-sharing. Everybody on the North Shore either knows somebody or has experience, personal experiences, from shoddy cab service. Either they’re trying to get a cab from downtown to go home, or they can’t get a cab from North Shore to downtown.

The issue is for you, Minister. Can you explain to my constituents when we’re going to get ride-sharing?

[10:35 a.m.]

Hon. C. Trevena: The member asks why we haven’t done in one year what they didn’t get done in five years. Maybe she should listen to her own leader. He said, back in July when we were announcing the fact that we are going to be bringing in legislation this fall, the fact that we are working with the Passenger Transportation Board, an independent tribunal, to get more cabs on the road….

At that time, the Leader of the Opposition said: “The issue is about the quality of vehicles involved, the safety of passengers, the safe drivers involved and the insurance product.” He continues: “So let’s get on this and fix this serious situation so we can get on with more widespread driver recruitment systems.”

That is what we’re going to be doing through our legislation. It will be introduced this fall, and then the member will know that this side of the House actually keeps its promises, unlike the other side of the House, which had five years to do something and ignored the problem.

FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
AND SUSTAINABILITY

A. Olsen: British Columbia is a leader in low-value raw log exports and mill closures. We’re not producing enough value-added wood products. This summer I posted photos of massive piles of slash on the way to Sooke. This morning I posted photos of that valuable fibre burning.

B.C. mills are a huge opportunity for innovation. Bio­plastics, for instance, can be made from wood and pulp waste. We can retrofit mills to turn wood debris into every­thing from bioplastic food waste packaging to 3D printer stock. If our forestry industry is going to continue to offer long-term, good-paying jobs and if we are going to sustainably manage our forests, it will not be with the status quo. Our mindset needs to change, and mills need to evolve.

To the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, can the minister provide tangible examples of how his ministry is supporting the innovation in mills to embrace these changing times?

Hon. D. Donaldson: I want to say thanks for the question. Forest management is an important topic in this province, as many of the MLAs in this chamber know, and moving ahead in a new way is important in light of a changing landscape, in light of climate change and in light of decreasing timber supply.

We have been working with the industry on Vancouver Island and on the coast, with First Nations, with commun­ities on a coast forest revitalization strategy. We began that in June. We had meetings throughout the three months over the summer. We met again in September.

What it is all about is encouraging new forestry practices to maximize utilization and get more value out of the fibre currently being logged. The example that the member brought up around wood waste and wood left in the woods is something that’s been addressed through our new coast forest revitalization strategy.

It’s an important topic. We must get more jobs out of every piece of wood that’s being logged and that’s in the forest. It’s something that we’re keeping our eye on, and we’re going to make changes in 2019.

Mr. Speaker: Saanich North and the Islands on a supplemental.

A. Olsen: We’ve heard from mayors and councillors, Indigenous leaders, environmental groups, academics and domestic and international sciences. They are united in the criticism of our province’s forest management.

A Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report this year highlighted the massive job losses and mill closures under the former B.C. Liberal government, despite being the self-appointed masters of job creation and defenders of rural British Columbia. It called our forest management “a program of liquidation, not sustainable forestry.” Decades-old forestry policy is not the way of the future. If it was, should I expect my Myspace account to blow up?

To the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development, what substantive steps is the minister taking to move away from wholesale liquidation to sustainable forest management?

[10:40 a.m.]

Hon. D. Donaldson: While I appreciate the interest in the question, the premise of wholesale liquidation is not happening in B.C.’s forests under this government. There are nearly 500,000 hectares of parks and protected areas on Vancouver Island, and as recently as this year, we added an extra 70,000 hectares of old-growth forest along the coast for the marbled murrelet.

There is work to be done, and we recognize that. We want to work together with people who are interested in moving biodiversity forward as well as a continued vibrant forest sector that people depend on in rural communities up and down the Island, up and down the coast and across B.C. in the Interior and north and rural areas.

We are working with industry. We’re working with environmental organizations on an old-growth strategy and modernizing our land use planning process. That’s an important part of how we’re going to change into the future with new forest management practices.

I also want to point out that we’ve had an incredible amount of investment in the forest sector in the last 15 months under this government. There have been recent investments by the San Group and Mercer. The San Group’s investment of almost $70 million in a lumber facility in Port Alberni is going to be focusing on a specialized mill in small-dimension wood — wood that’s available now and into the future, the kind of wood that will be available in the future. We’ve also had an incredible investment by Mercer in the Catalyst mills on the coast.

It shows a confidence in this government. It shows a confidence in our management of the forest resource industry.

FUNDING FOR RAPID TRANSIT
PROJECT IN SURREY

T. Redies: Surrey is growing fast, and local transit infrastructure needs to keep up.

My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Can the minister tell us the amount of provincial funding that has been committed to the Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT project?

Hon. J. Horgan: I’m sure the member will know that the Prime Minister was here earlier in the fall, and he and I joined with municipal leaders around the region to announce an extraordinary investment in public transportation right across the Lower Mainland. It was called the mayors’ plan. The province invested, the communities invested and the federal government invested to build a comprehensive plan for the entire region.

Now, I appreciate that the member on the other side would rather divide people than unite them, but what we’re trying to do is follow the lead of the Mayors Council. We put in the dollars to build the Broadway line because that will be owned by the province. The LRT line will be owned by TransLink. So it was an accounting issue. The money is there. The province is committed to Surrey — the first investment in Surrey in over two decades, as the result of this government.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Surrey–White Rock on a supplemental.

T. Redies: Actually, I’m concerned about connecting the people of Surrey to the downtown corridor via transit, not political posturing like you’re doing right now.

Despite what the Premier is saying, based on the province’s press release, not one red cent has been committed by the province to this project. It’s zero. It’s the province’s press release.

My question to the Minister of Transportation or the Premier: how can they explain this complete lack of provincial funding for Surrey’s needs?

Hon. J. Horgan: The mayors’ plan is comprehensive for the entire region, and we brought partners together — the communities, TransLink, the federal government and the province of British Columbia.

The member on the other side wants to be obstreperous. That’s what she wants to do. We want to build transit in British Columbia — billions of dollars invested by all levels of government to deliver right across the region.

You know what? Not only did we eliminate the usurious tolls on the Port Mann Bridge to make life easier for Surrey, and not only are we building schools in Surrey at a rate unprecedented, but we’re building transit throughout the region.

I’m proud of that. My Surrey members are proud of that. The entire government is proud of that. Why won’t the opposition get on the train?

Interjections.

[10:45 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: If there’s one theme that sums up the performance of the Transportation Minister, it’s that she has left British Columbians….

Interjections.

T. Stone: It’s this. The Minister of Transportation has left the people of British Columbia stranded. In Delta, they’re stuck in a tunnel. In communities like Osoyoos, they don’t have passenger transportation services — no bus services. Despite much fanfare and despite the Premier’s hyperbole, not one single cent has been allocated by this government to rapid transit projects in the city of Surrey.

Our question to the minister is this. When will the residents of Surrey actually get the rapid transit investments that they deserve and that they were promised by this government?

Hon. J. Horgan: Again, the Prime Minister was here. I was here, the then mayor of Surrey, the mayor of Vancouver. We all gathered together with regional representatives and MLAs on this side. I think there might have even been some members on the other side. A $4 billion investment by all of the partners.

Now, my buddy from Kamloops keeps holding up a zero, but that’s the zero that they invested in Surrey over the 16 years that they had investing in transit.

We have embraced the mayors’ plan, which included investments in Surrey. It included investments in Vancouver, bus transportation throughout the region, reducing the time of travelling across the region. We embraced it. We were enthusiastic. You delayed it. You put in place a referendum saying: “Well, maybe we’ll invest; maybe we won’t.”

No tolls on the bridge, LRT coming, SkyTrain coming. We’re going to build out the region so that everybody benefits, even Liberals.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Kamloops–South Thompson on a supplemental.

T. Stone: Wow, where to begin. The Premier stands in this House and suggests that the Port Mann Bridge was not a significant investment that’s made a huge difference for the people of Surrey.

He stands in this House, and he doesn’t acknowledge investments like the South Fraser Perimeter Road, investments like Nordel, Tilbury, Sunbury.

He stands in this House, and he doesn’t acknowledge the billions of dollars that were represented in the George Massey Tunnel, which is now missing in action under this government.

These were all investments that were announced and that were funded by the former B.C. Liberal government, and we’re very proud of that.

Let’s get back to the matter at hand. Let’s talk about rapid transit in Surrey, shall we? In the government news release of September 4, 2018 — it’s extensive, and we’ve read it word for word — the Broadway subway project, it says here, will be funded $888.4 million by the government of Canada, $1.82 billion from the government of British Columbia, and the city of Vancouver will even kick in $99.8 million through in-kind land contributions.

Then we turn to the matter of rapid transit in Surrey. You can imagine our surprise when we read the Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT project will be funded as follows: government of Canada, $483.8 million; TransLink, $1.12 billion.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: How much is allocated by the province of British Columbia? Zero, absolutely nothing.

When will this Premier come clean with the people south of the Fraser, and in Surrey in particular, and tell them when they’re going to actually get the investment that was announced, that has been promised and that people south of the Fraser deserve?

[10:50 a.m.]

Hon. J. Horgan: I’ll just remind the former Transpor­tation Minister, who oversaw the implementation of unfair tolls on the people of Surrey, which were eliminated not by them but by this government. I’ll remind the former Transportation Minister, who clearly was missing in action. Some­one else had to take TransLink away because he couldn’t understand it.

It’s a greatest hits list. I haven’t even mentioned the billion-plus-dollar deficit at ICBC on his watch.

I want to go to one key point in the question from the member. He said that the Massey Tunnel was fully funded. What happened with the Massey Tunnel? It was kind of like all of the hospitals that they promised and didn’t deliver.

After the 2013 election, the Premier got out an envelope and said: “Let’s build a bridge there.” There was no planning. There was no coordination. The Mayors Council rejected it. Now he has the audacity to stand up and say we’re not funding transit in Surrey. Forty percent of the cost of the implementation of the plan is coming from B.C. taxpayers — 40 percent, my friend.

You know better. That’s why you weren’t responsible for TransLink.

MASSEY TUNNEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT

I. Paton: Well, on the topic of trying to get transit improvements for the people of Surrey, how about the George Massey Tunnel? Let’s talk a bit about that this morning — all the thousands of people that live in South Surrey that make use of the George Massey Tunnel every morning, the worst gridlock in B.C.

There was a robust election in Delta, as well as the rest of the province, just a few weeks ago. There’s a great deal of change. We have a new mayor-elect, George Harvie, and his number one commitment to the people of Delta in his campaign platform was: “I will get something done about this terrible, seismically unsafe George Massey Tunnel.”

Delta mayor-elect George Harvie won the election on the issue of the Massey Tunnel replacement, something the member for Delta North said was a non-issue in the municipal election in Delta and a project that the Transportation Minister abruptly cancelled about a year and a bit ago.

Last Friday the mayor-elect said: “I door-knocked on thousands of homes in south Delta and North Delta, and in both areas of the city, the top comment was that we need to get it fixed.” After ten years of being on city council and then running for MLA, I have knocked on thousands of doors in North Delta and south Delta, and for ten years, I’ve heard the same thing from the people of Delta: we need to fix the George Massey Tunnel.

My question to the minister: when will the minister restart a project that was well on its way one year ago? When will the minister get on with the building of this bridge?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for his passion and the length of his question. But it comes back to the same key point. The Mayors Council did not include the Massey Tunnel in their ten-year plan. We’re funding the ten-year plan.

I’m glad to see that now the members on that side of the House are supporting LRT in Surrey. A little late, but at least you’re there now. With respect to the Massey Tunnel — which was on the back of a napkin by the former Premier and not funded until the last gasp from that government — we have a report that the minister is working with diligently. We will have solutions for the people in your community as early as we can get there.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Delta South on a supplemental.

I. Paton: Well, here’s the kicker. I find it utterly ridiculous that this minister continues to sit on a report that was handed to her nearly five months ago, a report about what’s going to happen with the George Massey Tunnel.

To quote Mayor-elect Harvie: “There are already over 14,000 pages of engineering reports available on the Internet. We want a solution, and we want a solution very quickly.”

My question to the Transportation Minister: when will the minister release the Cowdell report and give 80,000 daily drivers a glimmer of hope that this bridge will get built?

Hon. J. Horgan: Well, the member will know that the previous plan was a tolled bridge. That seems to be operating practice for people on that side of the House — pile more costs onto individuals, pile more costs onto people. We reject that. And you know what? So does the federal government. That’s why there was not one penny of federal money in the George Massey replacement project.

[10:55 a.m.]

What we are doing on this side of the House is listening to everyone in the region, including the mayor, who I have met with as recently as at UBCM. I look forward to working with him into the future, as well as with the member. But they can’t have it both ways. They can’t delay, delay, delay and then say, “Look, we put a pile of sand over here so the guy from Richmond-Queensborough can go golfing,” and then say somehow we’re the problem.

The problem is they didn’t have a proper exit plan, because at the centre of their plan was not people but tolls and political advantage. We want to build out transit for the people of the region fairly and equitably, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

J. Johal: I want to remind you that’s a $100 million NDP sand trap.

Last Friday the mayor-elect of Delta said: “All the engineering reports, thousands and thousands of pages, say the bridge is the best option and that congestion is intolerable.”

This is the worst traffic bottleneck in the province, but the minister has spent the last five months trying to absorb yet another report. I also want to remind the minister there are 24 ambulance trips through that tunnel every single day. Six of them are code 3, which is lights and sirens.

On behalf of parents, on behalf of commuters and on behalf of Richmond businesses, 14,000 businesses, I ask once again: where is the Cowdell report, and when will construction begin?

Hon. J. Horgan: I will just refer the member from Richmond to the views of the Richmond council, which I assume he hears from periodically.

They have serious concerns about the plan that was done on the back of an envelope by the members on the other side of the House. What we want to do is have a genuine cooperative approach, not just with the Delta council but with Richmond and the other members of the Mayors Council.

Who are we to say, from the Kootenays, from the Peace country, from Nicola Valley, what’s in the best interest of the Lower Mainland region? I would suggest it would be the MLAs and the mayors and councillors from that region.

We are going to listen to them, and I welcome any reasonable input from the golfer on the other side. I call this one a bogey, Member.

[End of question period.]