Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

J. Yap: Joining us today in the gallery and spending time to observe the proceedings of budget day is a contingent of members of the board of directors and senior officers of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, probably the leading advocate for business and free enterprise in the city of Richmond and well known to many members on both sides of the House.

With us today are chair Barbara Tinson, along with vice-chair Fan Chun, as well as Cameron Fleming, Brian Corcoran, Carolyn Robertson, Grant Bryan, Clint Undseth, Dale Jackman and Chuck Keeling. President and CEO Matt Pitcairn is here, as well as Shaena Furlong and Dan Sakaki. Would the House please give a warm welcome to members of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

Hon. H. Bains: It is my pleasure to advise the House that some of the people closest to me are in the gallery today: my son, Kal Bains; and my nephews, Gobinder Hothi, Jyoti Bangu and Manraj Bains.

Manraj Bains, by the way, wants to be here very quickly. I told him that I’m not so sure if the opposition is ready to have two Bainses on the government side at this time, at the same time, so I told him to wait.

These are the people that work tirelessly on my campaigns with fundraising and are key members of my team. Please help me give them a warm welcome.

D. Clovechok: It gives me a great deal of pleasure today to introduce some folks from Invermere here in the gallery. Bruce and Marlene McLaughlin are here. They’re up there.

Welcome.

They’re great community members and super volunteers, especially with Rotary. If the House would make them feel welcome, that would be appreciated.

S. Sullivan: I’m very pleased to introduce a guest from Vancouver: Marie Rogers, a very engaged citizen and business person. I’m very honoured to have her. Please welcome her to the chamber.

Hon. G. Heyman: We all know, in this House — every member — the important work that our assistants in our constituency offices perform for the people we represent, as well as helping us do our jobs.

I am pleased to have us be joined today in the gallery by my two constituency assistants, Nadja Komnenic and Lisa Dekleer. They are incredibly hard-working. They understand issues. They do great research. They are very empathetic with the issues and problems faced by my constituents. I ask the House to make them very, very welcome.

Also joining us in the legislative precinct today will be one of my constituents, Megumi “Amy” Anderson, who is a tireless volunteer on any number of issues. She’s enthusiastic. I’ve had the pleasure of standing with her, talking to people about issues ranging from housing to proportional representation, both during election campaigns and outside election campaigns. She is a great addition to the community of Vancouver-Fairview. I’m sure members who have a chance to meet her later today will be impressed by her energy.

[10:10 a.m.]

A. Weaver: It gives me great pleasure to rise and hurry to welcome two interns who have joined our caucus team for this session. We have Iliana Turner and Benjamin Foster. Iliana is from the University of Victoria; Benjamin, from the University of B.C.

We’re looking forward to working with them and learning a lot from them as they share the days with us. This will be their first question period up there shortly with their colleagues. Would the House please make Iliana and Ben feel very welcome.

B. Stewart: It gives me great honour and pleasure to welcome a good friend of mine for almost 60 years here to the precinct. It’s interesting. He was telling me a story yesterday that he was last here when Cliff Serwa was the MLA from Okanagan West and was a guest.

Anyways, his wife, DeeDee Crickmay, who I went to school with, and his four kids have helped build West Kelowna, formerly Westbank, through Kinsmen, where Peter was awarded a life membership and has been a tireless community worker, working on the district 5 executive, back in the days when Rich Coleman was back as governor of Kinsmen.

He also built a business in West Kelowna, and he was showing me a picture yesterday of when gas at his gas station was only 28 cents a litre, and how he built that business into a phenomenal success, where the company that he worked with recognized his efforts. He’s built a solid business in real estate, but more importantly, he’s a talented fisherman, cook and respected musician who headlined with Terry Jacks at Quails’ Gate and has entertained many people in Prideaux Haven.

I’d like the precinct to welcome Peter Wannop.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Joining us today are our government caucus interns. There are five bright, intelligent young people who are going to assist us in our work here in the Legislature.

I’d like the House to make most welcome, from the University of Victoria, Kenya Rogers; also from the University of Victoria, Jessica Neilson; from Simon Fraser University, Gagan Lidhran; from the University of British Columbia, Ella Champion; and from Simon Fraser University, Kim Chhina. Would the House please make these young people most welcome.

Statements

ANNIVERSARY OF MLA FOR
ABBOTSFORD WEST

A. Wilkinson: Most of us in here, whether we like it or not, remember the lyrics from “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The key song goes:

It was 20 years ago today,

Sergeant Pepper asked the band to play.

They’ve been going in and out of style,

But they’re guaranteed to raise a smile.

Well, 25 years ago today, no less than the bandmaster of Abbotsford West was elected for the first time. I think we can all say that he’s been going in and out of style, but he’s guaranteed to raise a smile.

May we please recognize the long service of the member for Abbotsford West, Mr. Mike de Jong.

Hon. M. Farnworth: To add some words to the Leader of the Opposition, I remember the day, 25 years ago, when the member from Abbotsford joined this House. During that time, I got to know him, to work with him as House Leader, both as Opposition House Leader and from this side of the benches. Twenty-five years is a long time. Not many members of this House have that privilege, and I think it’s a testament to the work that he’s done in his riding.

I’d like to also note that, like many things, life comes full circle. He started his career on the opposition benches, and it’s nice to see him still on the opposition benches.

Introductions by Members

A. Olsen: I rise today to introduce two people to the legislative chamber. Ryan Clayton is my constituency assistant in Saanich North and the Islands and does an amazing job helping me and working with me in order to serve the great constituents of Saanich North and the Islands. With him today is Jessica Parker, who’s a practicum student in the school of social work at the University of Victoria. She’s been working in our office for the past month or so. Could the members of this House please make them both feel very welcome.

[10:15 a.m.]

J. Rustad: It’s a pleasure today to have a constituent of mine down visiting the Legislature. I think he’s down, actually, for a number of meetings over the course of the week. That is Brian Frenkel, a long-serving councillor for the community of Vanderhoof. He’s down with UBCM for those meetings. Would the House please make him welcome.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

C. Oakes: This week is Chamber of Commerce Week in British Columbia. I’m proud to rise in the House today to recognize the extraordinary commitments that chambers of commerce provide to communities across the province. From Abbotsford to Atlin, chambers and boards of trade from across British Columbia will be sharing stories of the great things their members are doing and how their organizations have shown grit for their members this past year.

It is with a deep sense of pride that I remind everyone here in the Legislature that British Columbia is home to one of Canada’s biggest and broadest chamber networks, a tight-knit business community of over 36,000 owner-operators supported by a network of 125 regional chambers and boards of trade. If you can name a small town in this great province, you can be assured that same town or city also has a chamber or board of trade made up of small business owners volunteering.

We should also remember that though chambers are certainly business associations, always advocating for reduced red tape and an environment that supports risk-taking and investment, your chamber equally represents a healthy slice of the not-for-profit charity community too. Recent data shows, on average, non-profit organizations make up 20 to 30 percent of local chamber memberships.

Chambers and boards of trade aren’t just business organizations. They are community organizations too. Just look at the Greater Westside Board of Trade in the Okanagan, which each year grows fresh produce on their site to support the local food bank.

From policy advocacy on issues affecting the province to projects affecting local communities, chambers do it all, and we thank you.

GORDON STEWART AND SHEILA PATERSON

B. Ma: Though 2019 is still young, North Vancouver’s New Democrats have already said goodbye to two lifelong party stalwarts, both purveyors of love and social justice until the very end.

Gordon Wilkie Stewart passed away on January 15, 2019, at the age of 90, leaving behind his love of 63 years, Donna Stewart, and their offspring. As a pastor and the director of a Christian summer camp for many years, Gord was a mentor, a role model, a spiritual leader to many, many people, who he led with love and kindness. His sense of humour and good nature shone through his very being every moment of his life.

Gord and Donna fought all their lives for the less fortunate. From housing to climate change and electoral reform, they always believed that better was possible. Gord left very well-loved, but most of all, loved by his God and his soulmate, Donna.

Sheila Joan Paterson passed away on February 2, 2019, at the age of 92. A fiercely passionate social justice activist until the very end, I will remember her most of all for her sharp wit and fondness for my cats. I first met Sheila in the 2015 federal election campaign in North Vancouver, where she could always be heard loudly and firmly laying down what was what with voters over the phone.

Those who did not know her for her limitless devotion to the New Democratic Party, the Council of Canadians, the Metro Vancouver Alliance and several other social and eco-justice organizations will know her as a musician, as a wife, as a mother, as a Christian and as a talented local actor known for her roles in The Crush, Prozac Nation, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The X Files.

These are the people who make up the lifeblood of the New Democrats. I am honoured to have known them. May they continue to watch over us as we continue on with our work.

[10:20 a.m.]

ACCESSIBILITY AND ASSISTIVE DEVICES
FOR PERSONS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT

L. Reid: Obstacles are often in the path of those who rely on chairs for mobility. The door openers and ramps can help. But what about those who are hearing impaired? What constitutes a deaf-accessible building? How cognizant are we of the challenges facing our neighbours who are hearing impaired?

There are resources which speak to deaf space and deaf-friendly buildings. The following excerpts are from the research underway at Gallaudet University.

“Deaf individuals experience many different kinds and degrees of hearing levels. Many use assistive devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants to enhance sound. No matter the level of hearing, many deaf people do sense sound in a way that can be a major distraction, especially for individuals with assistive hearing devices. Reverberation caused by sound waves reflected by hard building surfaces can be especially distracting, even painful, for individuals using assistive devices.

“Spaces should be designed to reduce reverberation and other sources of background noise. Our built environment, largely constructed by and for hearing individuals, presents a variety of surprising challenges to which deaf people have responded with a particular way of altering their surroundings to fit their unique ways of being. This approach is often referred to as DeafSpace.”

We have much to learn about the thoughtful application of deaf space design concepts and sustainable design principles. My thanks to Gallaudet University for their work in this regard.

CRANBERRY COMMONS
CO-HOUSING COMMUNITY

J. Routledge: How do we create enough affordable housing for all of us to live together in harmony in what is arguably one of the most desirable places in the world to call home?

That’s a question we are all grappling with, and there’s no one answer. But I’d like to tell you about one of the answers that is thriving right now in my community and has been for about 20 years.

Cranberry Commons is an example of co-housing. Co-housing is defined as an intentional community of privately owned homes, clustered around shared space. From the street, Cranberry Commons looks like any other multiplex, but once you go through the front door, you’re entering an urban village.

Twenty-two privately owned homes are built around a shared courtyard. Some units have one bedroom; others have two or three bedrooms. Some multigenerational families live separately but together in Cranberry Commons. There’s a common room, where neighbours can gather for potlucks, book clubs or movie nights. Adjacent to it is a huge, well-appointed kitchen, which comes in handy if you’re canning, baking or preparing a dinner party.

There’s a children’s playroom, which is magical in its design, a hangout where teenagers can be teenagers, a vegetable garden, a workshop where you can make things or fix things and a guest room.

As one long-time Cranberry Commons resident explained to me: “We live in smaller homes, but we have built a community by sharing. In our courtyard, you can have meaningful conversations with your neighbours and know that there are people around you who care.”

Co-housing nurtures children, teens, young adults, parents, single people and seniors. It connects people in ways that are real and very meaningful. Co-housing not only builds affordable housing; it builds safe, inclusive communities.

RESPONSE TO WORKER DEATHS
IN TRAIN DERAILMENT

D. Clovechok: I rise today to speak of a tragedy that occurred in my constituency, near Field, British Columbia.

On February 4, very early in the morning, a westbound grain train derailed between the upper and lower spiral tunnels. When the train derailed, three crew members from Calgary perished.

I know that I speak for all members in this House in offering my thoughts, my prayers and my condolences to the families, the friends and the colleagues of Andrew Dockrell, Dylan Paradis and Daniel Waldenberger-Bulmer — three dedicated and respected railroaders, one near retirement, one raising a young family and one who was only a few months into a new and exciting career.

Despite the loss and grief, the proud railroaders in my community have carried on. Their dedication to duty and their actions exemplify their professionalism. When we think of those lost, I ask that you not only think of their dedication and bravery but also the dedication and bravery of so many others.

Think of all the first responders, including the Field volunteer fire department, B. C. Ambulance Service, Parks Canada, the RCMP, CP police, and so many others.

[10:25 a.m.]

Think of the crews who worked so hard and tirelessly to recover the three men that we lost. Think about the locomotive engineers and the conductors in Golden or Revelstoke — or anywhere, for that matter — who boarded their trains without hesitation to work their shifts, even after hearing of the tragic loss of their friends. That is what courage is made of.

Think of the investigators for the Transportation Board of Canada and Transport Canada, along with other agencies whose job it is to reconstruct the accident and identify the factors leading to it. Think of the crews who reconstructed the lines and had them back in service days later, and think of the crews who continue to clean up today. Think of the CP leadership on all levels and the caring and support they are giving to their CP family, acknowledging that the grief is nationwide.

Railroads have been the arteries of our economy for 150 years. Our railroaders, all the women and men, are not only driving trains; they are driving our economy. In doing so, they have formed a strong brotherhood, a strong sisterhood, and they are the heart of my community.

My riding of Columbia River–Revelstoke is home to hundreds of railroaders, from Kimberley to Golden to Field to Revelstoke, and they continue to grieve the loss of three of their own.

I ask the members of this House: when you have the privilege of meeting a railroader, shake their hands and thank them for their service and let them know that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them in this very difficult time. We need to say thank you more often to our railroaders.

Thank you for what you do for this country. Thank you for what you do for this province. And thank you for what you do for all of our communities. May Creator continue to bless you all.

LITERARY COMMUNITY
IN ESQUIMALT-METCHOSIN AREA

M. Dean: I live in a very literary community. Esquimalt-Metchosin is bursting with wonderful and highly decorated authors.

Esi Edugyan, for example, is only the third writer ever to win the Giller Prize twice, for her novels Half-Blood Blues and Washington Black, among her collection of acclaimed books, including The Second Life of Samuel Tyne, written at age 24.

Living with Edugyan in Colwood is local poet and novelist Steven Price. Steven has earned numerous honours for his poetry, including the Gerald Lampert Award in 2006 for Anatomy of Keys. In 2011, he completed Into That Darkness and recently released By Gaslight.

Also resident in our community is columnist Jack Knox, whose writing always makes me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. He’s been nominated twice for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and has won Jack Webster journalism awards, including the 2015 award for Commentator of the Year.

Additionally, in the neighbourhood is Trudy Spiller, who is part of the Gitxsan Nation. Her children’s book, Trudy’s Rock Story, has been translated into her traditional Indigenous language, as well as into French.

Further west, we have international and multi-awarded novelist, Polly Horvath — also Tom Henry, Ken Merkley, Jackqueline Chadwick and Monique Anstee.

Living in a community of rich storytelling is an honour and an inspiration, as we learn about ourselves and others. As Edugyan’s book is described, it “asks the question: what is true freedom?” And as Knox’s latest compilation explains: “It also tells the tales of those you walk past on the sidewalk every day, people you don’t know but whose hidden stories make you wish you did.”

Oral Questions

CARIBOU PROTECTION
AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS

D. Davies: Over the past year, British Columbians have been kept completely in the dark over the mountain caribou issue. Every time a public meeting has been held, it’s been cancelled at the last minute. My colleague from Peace River South, who has done a lot of work on this file, along with myself, are wondering if the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource can tell our constituents why he refuses to meet with us.

Hon. D. Donaldson: As the member knows, caribou populations didn’t disappear overnight. The old government did little to protect them and instead allowed them to reach near-extinction levels.

[10:30 a.m.]

We’ve taken upon ourselves to create a made-in-B.C. solution, rather than allowing the federal government to institute a section 80 order in order to protect the species at risk. In fact, just in January, at the resource forum in Prince George, I met with members of the Peace River regional district and the Concerned Citizens for Caribou Recovery along with the Minister of Environment. We committed to engage in a public process starting this month, once the partnership agreement with the Saulteau, the federal government and the West Moberly First Nations is finalized in a draft form only.

Mr. Speaker: Peace River North on a supplemental.

D. Davies: Well, we’re still waiting for these public meetings that have been promised. In fact, yesterday the minister told CBC that meetings were cancelled because of “concerns around safety.” I know the minister is very comfortable talking to his activist friends but apparently not the public. And I tell you, this has really bothered myself and the people in my riding.

Is the minister really saying…? Are you concerned that people in the north, in my riding, are dangerous?

Hon. D. Donaldson: Once again, I want to emphasize that we met with the Peace River regional district and Concerned Citizens for Caribou Recovery, January 23 in Prince George. I’ll read from a media release — the joint media release with them at that point. “The meeting concluded with a commitment from the province to initiate public and stakeholder engagement in early February on the draft partnership agreement to recover caribou in the Peace region.”

That is our commitment. Once the draft agreement is finalized with the federal government and the Saulteau and West Moberly First Nations, we will then present the draft for public input. It is a draft statement that has yet to be agreed on by all sides. Once that’s done, then we’ll engage in a public engagement process in the northeast.

Mr. Speaker: Peace River North on a second supplemen­tal.

D. Davies: Again, those meetings that the minister did meet with were closed meetings and go against the three or four public meetings that the ministry was going to be having up in the northeast. Again, this minister, who has no problem visiting an illegal camp to support protestors that disrespect our RCMP officers and the rule of law…. The minister’s vague allegation yesterday on CBC insulted countless members, countless constituents, of my riding that just want answers to some questions.

Why would the minister meet with these activists and not with our constituents?

Hon. D. Donaldson: We’re getting two different scenarios from the member. He wants to talk about the caribou issue in his constituency, and we’ll talk about that. But first, I want to say that at the invitation of constituents and hereditary chiefs, I visited a site, the Unist’ot’en Camp, to determine safety conditions and determine if conditions will be done safely under their watch. And that’s what I did. Visiting constituents is part of an MLA’s job.

As far as the southern mountain caribou, it was listed as a threatened species, federally, in 2003. I wonder who was in government then. The federal government posted a recovery strategy in 2014. I wonder who was in government then. Their inaction, the inaction of the members on the other side when they were in government, put B.C. at risk of the federal government posing unilateral measures.

We are determined for that not to happen. We will engage with the public in the Peace River regional district and the communities there when we have the draft agreement released.

T. Shypitka: I hear the minister over there bragging about a made-in-British-Columbia solution without the assistance of British Columbians. The people in the Kootenays have been completely shut out of the process of the mountain caribou.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, Kootenay East has the floor.

[10:35 a.m.]

T. Shypitka: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

People who recreate, work and raise their families in rural British Columbia deserve to be part of that process. By refusing to meet them, the minister shows that he really doesn’t care about the opinions of hard-working and fun-loving British Columbians in rural B.C. Why isn’t the minister meeting with communities in the Kootenays?

Hon. D. Donaldson: We have a process that’s in place right now. We’re engaging in a trilateral process with the West Moberly and the Saulteau First Nations and the federal government to attempt to not have a section 80 order, under the Species at Risk Act, imposed by the federal government to try to correct actions that the former government didn’t take, in order to avoid that section 80 order. We also have a process underway — and public engagement has happened on this process — across B.C. and with the federal government on caribou recovery.

So I don’t understand the member’s questions when it comes to public engagement. I will go back to the media release that we jointly did with the Peace River regional district: “As part of the engagement, the province committed to sharing data and analyses on potential impacts of the…agreement and made a commitment to work with the Peace River regional district on evaluating impacts of the agreement on Peace communities. The…agreement will not be finalized until engagement is complete and potential impacts on communities and workers are understood.”

This is the same type of engagement that we’ll do with communities across B.C. when it comes to the recovery of caribou.

Mr. Speaker: Kootenay East on a supplemental.

T. Shypitka: Well, section 80 says nothing about not consulting with British Columbians. I’d like to make that fairly clear. The government has failed to do even the bare minimum of consultation with local communities. The secrecy of who is at the table is almost as bad as who isn’t at the table. It’s creating suspicion and fear, especially in my riding. The back country is rural British Columbia’s backyards. People in the Kootenays are tired of this minister and the NDP government making decisions for them down here in Victoria.

The question is to the minister. Why is the minister keeping rural British Columbians in the dark on decisions that will directly affect their lifestyle?

Hon. D. Donaldson: I’ll repeat myself again to the member and for the previous member as well. We are taking actions to ensure that we don’t get a unilateral action by the federal government that could be to the detriment of communities in B.C. We’re doing a made-in-B.C. solution. If we don’t, we risk the federal government unilaterally making changes that could harm B.C.’s economy.

Once we have a draft that’s ready for public release, we’ll be taking that to communities not only in the Kootenays and the Cariboo but, as well, in the Peace River regional district.

MONEY LAUNDERING IN CASINOS

S. Furstenau: Last week my colleague asked the Attorney General for answers on what his government is doing to clean up the culture of corruption in B.C. casinos. While the German report recommendations are important, they do not go nearly far enough.

Last week we learned some disturbing new details related to this story. We learned the RCMP, in fact, were quite concerned that B.C. government officials may have leaked information that compromised RCMP raids in 2015 on underground casinos. Those raids targeted specific underground illegal gambling operations that were found hastily abandoned. This raises serious questions. But when the media asked questions on whether there’d been any investigations into the integrity of information-sharing between the RCMP and the B.C. government, the response was met with silence.

My question is to the Attorney General. Given this troubling situation, have there been any investigations into the integrity of information-sharing between the RCMP and the B.C. government?

Hon. D. Eby: I know the member is well aware that almost immediately on taking on this role we asked Peter German to go in and do a review of what has been happening — and how we can stop the money laundering taking place in B.C. casinos — on an urgent basis, and he certainly did that.

There are some big structural changes that are underway. First of all, we’re removing oversight in relation to money laundering, as best as we can, from the B.C. Lottery Corp. I say “as best as we can” because they are a designated entity by FINTRAC. We’re working with FINTRAC to figure out how we can get that all in the regulators’ hands.

[10:40 a.m.]

In terms of information coming out of the B.C. Lottery Corp., I’ve actually written a couple of times to B.C. Lottery Corp. to express concern about information leaving BCLC. I believe that they’ve taken the steps necessary to address that issue. In terms of the larger issue, potentially, of information leaving the previous government that was raised by the news release, certainly I read the same report with concern. Certainly, we’ve taken it under advisement in terms of larger deliberations about next steps.

Mr. Speaker: House Leader, Third Party, on a supplemental.

S. Furstenau: I appreciate the response from the Attorney General. I think I want to go a little bit deeper.

The story about alleged criminal information sharing as a way to thwart the actions of the RCMP may go beyond just minor officials. According to notes taken by the B.C. Lottery Corp.’s former head of anti-money-laundering, high levels of B.C.’s government had also been briefed. It appears that a lot of people, right to the highest levels, had inside knowledge of this specific operation in 2015, which unfortunately casts doubt on the whole branch of government.

We know that at this time, it wasn’t only the RCMP that was losing trust in the officials of the B.C. Lottery Corp. B.C. gaming policy and enforcement branch investigators were also losing trust. The RCMP had noticed that the B.C. Lottery Corp. leadership had been unwilling to address what was a clear acceptance of large amounts of cash very likely linked to crime.

My question, again, is to the Attorney General. Clearly, more is needed to get to the root of these troubling revelations. If police don’t have confidence in branches of the provincial government, how can British Columbians? What actions are the government going to be proposing that will get to the root of this issue?

Hon. D. Eby: You know, you don’t really have to go to last week’s reports. You can even go to reports in the Vancouver Sun from 2017 about activities that took place as early as 2009. In 2009, there was a report that said that known gangsters were gambling in B.C. casinos. There is an issue with “a significant increase in the use of illegal gaming houses in the province and the legitimization of proceeds of crime through B.C.’s gaming facilities.” That was a second report, a memo in 2016.

People knew what was happening in B.C. casinos. I have no question about that. I also have no question that inadequate steps were taken. I think that is a matter of public record. I think it’s very clear.

When our government took over, we said, “Tell the casinos to stop accepting the money,” even though we knew it would cost 30 million bucks. In addition, we’re in the process of examining one of Dr. German’s key recommendations, which is to set up an independent policing unit to deal with crime in casinos. This is in contrast to the previous government, which, of course, defunded the integrated casino gaming policing team.

So you can see there’s a significant difference in government approaches to get to the bottom of this and provide resources. I am, every day, as best as possible, asking the federal government to be involved too, because we don’t believe that this is limited to casinos. Nor do we believe that this is strictly a provincial issue.

FOREST INDUSTRY AND WILDFIRE
RESPONSE IN NECHAKO LAKES AREA

J. Rustad: It’s been two years, and the Minister of Forests has done nothing to help the forest-dependent communities in Nechako Lakes. Lumber price is around $400 U.S., but mills are taking downtime while the government drives up costs, and no plan to help workers in these impacted communities. In addition, the minister continues to refuse to set the allocation in the Prince George supply area.

When will the minister resolve the uncertainty and uncompetitiveness that is hurting the communities in Nechako Lakes?

Hon. D. Donaldson: I’m very happy to answer a question on forestry. It’s been a long time coming in this Legislature.

The forest sector is a foundational industry for communities in rural areas and, in fact, supports jobs in urban areas as well. Because of world prices and trade disputes, there is some uncertainty, especially in the Interior, and our thoughts go out to people who are facing layoffs due to those forces that are at work. Unfortunately, in the past government, they oversaw the loss of 30,000 forestry jobs, and 100 mills in rural communities were shut down that depended on those jobs.

We’re taking this seriously. We’ve been working on the coast forest sector revitalization plan. We’re now going to move into the Interior to work on that, to ensure that more logs are processed domestically. We’re working on the forest annual allowable cut, the question the member had. That’s a determination by the chief forester, and the allocation is a decision that I will be making in the near future on that.

[10:45 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: On a supplemental.

J. Rustad: The minister likes his lines, but the facts, according to Stats Canada, are that B.C.’s forest industry gained about 10,000 jobs under the last government. The minister uses….

Interjections.

J. Rustad: Check Stats Canada, for the members that like to chuckle.

The minister uses distractions because he’s also failing these same communities through his lack of response to last year’s unprecedented fire season. People stayed behind in an evacuation zone to protect their homes and the properties because they did not trust this government to do the job. Contractors weren’t allowed to go in early, local people weren’t resourced, mass water delivery systems were shut out, and there was no funding for recovery.

When will the minister take steps to modernize B.C.’s approach to firefighting and change how people are supported?

Hon. D. Donaldson: First of all, again, it’s one of my first opportunities in a long while to thank members of the B.C. Wildfire Service, the contractors and community members who ensured that not one life was lost during the wildfire season of 2018, the largest in B.C. history. When you look south of the border and at the lives that were lost in the fires just in California, for instance, that is a real testimony to the hard work and dedication of the people I just mentioned.

It is a bit disconcerting for me to hear from the member, who should be following this more closely, about his lack of knowledge about our support for rural B.C. We announced in September a $50 million fund, the community resilience initiative fund for communities to fireproof their communities within municipal boundaries. It’s 100 percent funded, unlike what happened under the previous program, under this government.

Finally…. The list is endless, but I’ll just highlight this one as well. On Saturday, a $100 million capital investment fund was announced by the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing for communities in the northwest — right across to Vanderhoof, in the member’s own riding — to help support them on capital infrastructure deficits that were left by this previous government.

WEST FRASER ROAD STATUS
IN QUESNEL AREA

C. Oakes: Nearly a year has passed since a washout destroyed several stretches of West Fraser Road, a vital road that connects the communities of Buckridge and ?Esdilagh First Nations to the city of Quesnel, in my riding. The more than 200 residents from these communities are now forced to travel on a dangerous, windy forest service road. Constituents like Chief Roy Stump and small business owners like Teresa and Dale Smith, to name a few, are fed up.

To the Minister of Transportation, when will West Fraser Road be reopened?

Hon. C. Trevena: The member opposite has written to me about this, and I’ve heard from many of her constituents. It is a very serious concern. The damage to West Fraser Road in last spring’s floods was significant. It remains closed for people’s safety. I do understand the impact that the closure is having on people, and we are continuing to work on getting a solution in the earliest time we can. But there is significant geotechnical and hydrological assessments that are ongoing.

We are investigating options to re-establish service on that road. Really, I think the member opposite knows the nature of the road, knows the nature of the problem and knows that the Ministry of Transportation staff in the field are working as hard as possible to ensure that that road opens as soon as it can.

Mr. Speaker: Cariboo North on a supplemental.

[10:50 a.m.]

C. Oakes: The Quesnel school board is also feeling in the dark and left in questions about West Fraser Road. Delay after delay after delay. They’re concerned about students’ safety, and they’re concerned about students’ well-being. Children as young as five who travel to Quesnel by school bus are now forced to travel on this dangerous forest service road that requires two hours of travel each way. There are also financial concerns for the school district, with the extra travel time, the need for a different bus and, of course, increased maintenance costs.

Again, to the minister, when will West Fraser Road be reopened, and when will there be financial contributions to support the school district with these increased costs?

Hon. C. Trevena: I know that ministry staff in the region have been meeting regularly with local authorities, with local governments, with the school board to work with them on the problems that are being faced. I think the member is also aware that, as I mentioned in my previous answer, it is a very complicated site from a geotechnical perspective. There are approximately 11,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of debris in that area that need to be cleared. The area has got to be stabilized. It is a significant damage to a piece of infrastructure.

We are making the detour safe. We know that this is something that school buses are using, communities are using, Indigenous peoples are using. We know that this is an area that we’ve got to make as safe as possible. We are working as hard as we can, as fast as we can. I hope that the member opposite will work with us to talk with her community about the magnitude of the problem, because it is a huge problem.

BUS SERVICE IN RURAL B.C.

D. Barnett: Residents in the Cariboo-Chilcotin have been stranded without bus transportation systems since last fall. For reasons no one can understand, a company was given a licence even though they have no vehicles to provide the service. Imagine a bus company with no bus.

To the Minister of Transportation: can you tell me when residents will actually get service?

Hon. C. Trevena: I know that many British Columbians around the province rely on ground transportation. That’s why we worked assiduously when Greyhound initially announced it was pulling out from northern B.C. and put in B.C. Bus North in northern B.C., a B.C. Transit operation. When it then announced that it was going to be pulling out from the rest of the province, we followed the usual procedure but expedited it.

I think the member opposite is well aware that we have an independent tribunal that allocates bus routes, the Passenger Transportation Board. The Passenger Transportation Board took applications from providers, people who wanted to operate the bus services. They went through them and made sure that people were able to provide the service, as by the application. The Passenger Transportation Board is continuing to work with the provider that the member mentioned, has given a number of times to allow that operator to get ready to provide the service and continues to work with the operator to ensure that everybody across B.C. has access to safe and affordable ground transportation.

Mr. Speaker: Cariboo-Chilcotin on a supplemental.

D. Barnett: The sham of a licence is blocking anyone else from actually providing service, and the ministry keeps giving the company extensions. The Transportation Minister made a lot of claims last fall about communities keeping bus service. Her promises are proving to be absolutely false, and it is people in rural British Columbia who are paying the price.

Once again, a question to the Minister of Transportation: when will people get the service they were promised?

Hon. C. Trevena: I’d like to remind the member opposite…. She talked about the ministry. The Passenger Transportation Board is independent of the ministry. They’re the ones who ensure that we have the buses on the roads. They’re independent of the ministry.

[10:55 a.m.]

As minister, my responsibility is to make sure that people do have access to safe, affordable transportation. That’s why we instituted a B.C. Transit service in the north. That’s why we’ve been supporting the Highway 16 project to ensure that people travelling on that dangerous section of highway can continue to have safe and affordable transportation. That’s why we expedited the applications.

Anybody can continue to apply for any of those routes at any stage through the Passenger Transportation Board if they feel that there’s a service, and in those areas where there wasn’t anybody who came forward, we have had requests for expressions of interest. We’ve had a number of providers come forward for that.

We are working with them and with the Passenger Transportation Board to make sure that everyone across B.C. has access to safe, affordable ground transportation, which I think that the members opposite know that, when they were in government, they ignored.

D. Clovechok: Under this Transportation Minister’s watch, communities across this province are suffering from the loss of transportation services. Fact. This has had a devastating impact on the quality of life of students, of families and, most importantly, where I live, of seniors, because they desperately need these services.

To the Minister of Transportation: when will these communities that you have abandoned finally get the service they deserve?

Hon. C. Trevena: To clarify with the member opposite, Greyhound, which is a private commercial operator, decided to pull out from the whole of western Canada. They said that was it.

We have been working with the federal government on ensuring that we can fill the gaps and that we can look at a national solution. We have been working within British Columbia to fill the gaps, to make sure we have service in as many places as possible, and we continue to work to ensure there is service wherever it is possible.

Unlike the previous government, we know that there is a real need for people to have affordable transportation, to have safe transportation across this province, and we continue to work with both communities, with commercial providers, and through the independent Passenger Transportation Board to ensure that there is that service available.

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

D. Clovechok: Knowing and doing are two different things. British Columbians have been left stranded by this minister. There is no ride-sharing anywhere in this province. In Delta, they’re stuck in a tunnel. In rural B.C., there is absolutely no bus service.

Again, the question to the minister: why is this minister leaving so many rural communities, especially my seniors, stranded without any transportation?

Hon. C. Trevena: I’ve got to say that under our watch, there has been a record amount of investment in public transportation….

Interjections.

Hon. C. Trevena: We are funding transportation for First Nations. We are funding public transportation. We are funding transportation within communities and between communities.

The opposition, when they were in government for 16 years — 16 years…. Let’s remember this. They failed to work….

Interjections.

Hon. C. Trevena: Sixteen years — it just riles them. They were in government for 16 years. We are dealing with their legacy, whether it is ICBC, B.C. Hydro or transportation. We continue to deal with the failings of 16 years of B.C. Liberal government.

In Transportation, I continue to work with communities, unlike the opposition when they were in government. We continue to work to ensure that partners are brought to the table. And while they play politics, we make sure things get done and things get fixed, after 16 years of Liberal government.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

D. Barnett: I have a lot of letters here from seniors to the Minister of Transportation, requesting a bus service.

[11:00 a.m.]

Petitions

M. Bernier: I rise to present a petition as well, from over 350 residents of my riding for Ministers Heyman and Donaldson, urging for science-based management and proper predator management to help deal with the caribou recovery program.