Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. A. Dix: I’d like to introduce to the House the delegation from the B.C. chapter of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, including Dr. Susan Forwell, Giovanna Boniface, Tricia Earl, Elisha Williams, Diane Graham, Marie Bullock, Devon Cochrane, Skye Barbic, Kelly Bethune, Jeanette Boiley, Laura Bulk, Kay Chan, Sarah Charles and Tanya Fawkes-Kirby. These occupational therapists represent practices from across the province. They provide an enormous service to people across the province. Members of the House know this well.

Please join the delegation today between 1:30 and 3:30 in the Hemlock Room to continue learning about how this profession provides affordable solutions to the health and well-being of British Columbians. I’d ask everyone to make them welcome and join them this afternoon.

Hon. S. Robinson: I would invite the House to welcome Kelly Greene, who is here joining us from Richmond. Kelly is a really good friend. We realized, after we met, that we actually went to the same high school together. I want to express gratitude to Kelly for reintroducing me to one of my favourite teachers from when I was in high school. We had a wonderful visit, and we got to catch up. Albeit I graduated some years before she did, but it was really a treat to be able to share that information, that history.

Kelly is now a city councillor at the city of Richmond. I want the House to give her a warm welcome.

E. Foster: I’m really pleased today to introduce a school group from a great school in my riding, the St. James Catholic School. They’re here to learn about the Legislature, with their teachers and chaperones. Would the House please make them most welcome.

Hon. B. Ralston: I’d like to introduce to the Legislature Milla Watt, who lives in Duncan and is a grade 10 student at Queen Margaret’s secondary. She’s here to learn about politics and the history of British Columbia. She is the niece of the administrative coordinator in my office, Amanda Robb. Would the House please make both of them welcome.

Tributes

KEN HARRIS

L. Reid: I rise today to pay my respects to Pastor Ken Harris. He has just passed away. In addition to his capacity as pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, he was such an elegant advocate for bringing palliative hospice care to Richmond. He instituted bereavement support groups that continue to this day out of Our Saviour Lutheran Church.

I would ask the House to join me in expressing our condolences to his family and friends.

Introductions by Members

Hon. L. Popham: It would be challenging for members to find a group of folks who work harder than the guests I have the pleasure of introducing today. With us in the gallery are regional staff members of the corporate governance, policy and legislation branch of the Ministry of Agriculture. The work that this team does is instrumental to many of the discussions that we have in this House. I’d ask all members to welcome these folks and join me in thanking them for all the work they do for British Columbians.

[10:10 a.m.]

R. Singh: In the House today, I have a very special guest who is visiting us from India. Deepika Singh Rajawat is a human rights lawyer, and she’s taken up the case of eight-year-old Asifa, who was raped and murdered in January 2018. Now Deepika is fighting for justice for the family, in the midst of threats and intimidation. Would the House please make her feel very welcome.

Accompanying Deepika is co-founder of Indians Abroad for Pluralist India — my husband, Gurpreet. Would the House please make him welcome as well.

Hon. K. Chen: Today I’m so happy to be able to introduce a constituent of mine, Ms. Maninder Arora, who is here with her two outstanding daughters Reah and Jasleen, joining us here during question period.

During the past year, Jasleen…. Sorry, I’m getting emotional. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a very dedicated, smart and amazing staff. Jasleen, from our child care office, is passionate about the work she does every single day. For those of you who know her in the buildings, she always has a smile on her face. She says hi to everybody, and in the hallway she knows everybody’s name. She has not only been a great staff colleague, but she’s also kind of becoming my sister who supports the work I do every single day.

I’m so sad to share that she is leaving her work here in the building, but she’s pursuing another amazing career ahead of her. I’m going to miss her a lot, and I wish her all the best. I know she’s also here with her boyfriend, Justin Palmer. She has been hoping to propose to him in the Legislature but forgot to bring her ring today. I’m sure I’m going to get a wedding invitation from them, hopefully, in the near future.

Ms. Arora, I’m sure you must be so proud of your two outstanding daughters and your future son-in-law. I wish her family all the best.

Please make them feel very welcome.

S. Furstenau: I have some guests to introduce, but before I do that I want to confirm what the Minister of State for Child Care said about Jocelyn. She is a wonderful person to work with. Our constituency office as well as our legislative office have always found Jocelyn to be extraordinarily helpful and dedicated to the work she’s doing. I’m sad to see her going, and I want to just say my greetings to her as well.

I have four guests in the gallery today. Sierra Acton, CVRD director for Shawnigan Lake, is back. She really likes it down here. She’s joined by her husband, Alex Acton. Marnie Hare is here, and the former president of the Shawnigan Residents Association, Calvin Cook, is here. These are stalwart champions for Shawnigan and for our watershed, and I’m delighted to have them here today. Would the House please make them most welcome.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

ASK WELLNESS SOCIETY
AND FUNDRAISING PAGEANT

T. Stone: I’m pleased to speak today about the life-changing services provided by the ASK Wellness Society, which serves thousands of clients in Kamloops, Merritt and the surrounding region. The vision of ASK Wellness is to work towards a society that recognizes the value and dignity of each and every individual. This requires acceptance of the choices that individuals make and an acknowledgement of the disproportionate impact of harm to certain groups due to individual and cultural realities.

ASK Wellness has evolved into a large non-profit social development agency serving marginalized members and persons at risk within our community. Their services range from 424 units of supportive housing, crisis funding and harm reduction to overdose prevention, street outreach and employment services. The evolution of ASK Wellness has been led by Bob Hughes, who is supported by a talented team, all of whom who go above and beyond to meet the often complex needs of their clients. Their individual dedication and their collective work save lives every single day. When Bob Hughes and his team speak out on topics like mental health, addiction recovery and inclusion, their credibility demands that we all listen.

[10:15 a.m.]

Last Saturday I was pleased to attend the third annual ASK Wellness Mx Judged fundraiser, a gender-blending pageant that welcomes contestants who challenge gender stereotypes by showcasing their talents and unique style while raising awareness about stigma, beauty and inclusion. Presented in collaboration with Kamloops Pride, this pageant is all about advocating for people who experience discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity expression, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning and two-spirit individuals living in the Kamloops region.

This year’s Mx Judged Pageant winner Peter Cameron-Inglis said: “When I put on those heels, it’s uncomfortable and hard to get around, demonstrating what it’s like to walk in another person’s shoes. We’ve all gone through challenges. We’re all human beings, and I think it’s important that we don’t define people by one single thing or set of circumstances.” I couldn’t agree more.

Hope is not a dream, but a way of making dreams become reality. We are so fortunate to have ASK Wellness in our community, where hope is at the centre of every­thing they do.

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST
HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA AND BIPHOBIA

G. Begg: Tomorrow, Friday, May 17, is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in the province of British Columbia. The date was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. Many countries still have laws in place that forbid homosexuality and prohibit diversity in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Even in Canada, many people who identify as LGBTQ still face discrimination and victimization. The universal declaration of human rights recognizes the right to sexuality, which includes the right to be free from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. Social and cultural stereotypes about sexual orientation and gender, and prejudice and fear towards the LGBTQ+ community are often at the core of discrimination and harassment.

This day, tomorrow, aims to celebrate sexual and gender diversity and to campaign against the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTQ people all around the world. I know that my colleague the Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity will be proclaiming this day. She has done an incredible job in leading our government’s commitment to advancing gender equity in all four corners of this province.

Through strength, resilience and activism, LGBTQ+ people have made important gains toward equality over the past decades, but we must continue to work until everyone in B.C. lives with safety, respect and dignity. LGBTQ kids face higher rates of depression and suicide because of the bullying they face in schools from both children and adults. To help all kids feel safe and accepted, our government is supporting sexual orientation and gender identity, SOGI, education in schools.

Our government is dedicated to improving the services that people rely on, and we will work to ensure that these services — like education, health care and our justice system — are inclusive and respectful of people of all genders and sexual orientations. We will continue working towards a brighter future, where everyone is free to be who they are and to love whom they love.

J. Thornthwaite: Tomorrow is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia — a day aimed to bring awareness to the countless and needless LGBTQ rights violations perpetrated daily across the globe and to stimulate discussion, dialogue, understanding and advocacy in the fight for the rights of millions of people.

The rights of LGBTQ people have come a long way since May 17, 1990, the day the World Health Organization officially removed homosexuality from the international classification of diseases. We have made progressive steps in tolerance and acceptance in our society and in our communities, yet in spite of these positives, prejudice, hate, misunderstanding and misinterpretation have flourished in the era of the Internet and social media, as evident in last year’s municipal election on school boards.

This is why days of action like tomorrow are so important. During my time as Parliamentary Secretary for Child Mental Health and Anti-Bullying, our government introduced legislation that included gender identity and expression in the human rights code and to explicitly protect trans individuals.

[10:20 a.m.]

We mandated SOGI policies in all public and private schools. Programs like Out in Schools empower students and educators to create inclusive school environments. It has reached more than 100,000 youth across B.C. and is a proven tool against bullying and teen suicide. Increasing popularity and inclusion in events like Pride and the International Day of Pink continue to grow and help further the progress of acceptance and reduce the rise of bigotry.

I was very proud to hear that Mayor Linda Buchanan has declared a proclamation that tomorrow is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in the city of North Vancouver. So tomorrow reach out and take part, because the rights of the LGBTQ community are human rights.

CHILD CARE PROVIDERS

S. Chandra Herbert: Well, do you want a really hard, challenging, non-stop, tiring occupation? Do you want to do that each and every day, sometimes into the night? No, I’m not talking about being an MLA. Being an MLA — that’s easy. I’m talking about being a child care provider. Happy child care provider day.

I say that because too often those that look after children are undervalued in society, and it’s been long a challenge, largely due to sexism. But that’s changing. I’m so glad it’s changing. It’s about time, because those that look after children — child care providers — are looking after the future.

Those that look after children are looking out for a better day, a day where youth have the education, the emotional maturity, the love, the nurturing, the challenge and the opportunity to grow, to thrive, to be bigger than we currently are, to be better than we currently are, to lead a better world than we currently have given them.

It’s an incredible obligation and an incredible responsibility. I want to say thank you. And I’m sure that I say thank you on behalf of all British Columbians to child care providers across this province, whether they do it as an occupation or whether they do it at home with their own children. It’s an incredible responsibility you take on, on behalf of all of us.

We need more of you. Indeed, I know in my constituency and in constituencies across this of province that people are actively looking for more child care. They need it, and the children need it. I think the government’s efforts to increase wages and provide better training and more support to grow the number of child care spaces in this province is certainly urgently needed.

Really, we all can do something to increase child care opportunities across the province, and that starts by saying thank you and looking to find more ways that we can support the efforts of child care providers — more ways to support, whether they be parents, in a non-profit or in other forms of child care across B.C.

Happy Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND EQUALITY

S. Furstenau: Every time I vote, I think of all of the women who came before me. I think of those who fought and protested and died standing up for my right to stand in the ballot box.

In Canada, women were first given the status of persons in 1928. We did not achieve universal suffrage — the right to vote for all women — until 1960. In 1983, sexual assault and rape within the context of marriage became a crime. In 1985, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms formally established protection from discrimination on the basis of sex.

But gender equality has not been a linear path, and we’ve moved backwards on many fronts. In 1993, Kim Campbell served as Canada’s first woman Prime Minister, but for less than five months. Canada has never elected a second female Prime Minister. In Canadian political history, there have only been 11 female Premiers, and only one was ever re-elected.

There are more jarring numbers. One in three women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and that estimate is low. Women of colour and Indigenous women, those who are differently abled, those who are LGBTQ2+ are far more likely to live in poverty. They’re more likely to be assaulted, more likely to be murdered, and they are not paid equitably.

While we’ve made strides, we have to remain committed to these efforts. We have finally become persons with the right to vote, but now our legally protected right over our own bodies is being questioned. This week Alabama legislators passed a bill that effectively criminalizes all abortion, including in the case of rape and incest.

Women’s rights are not a partisan issue. Women’s rights are human rights.

[10:25 a.m.]

Let’s focus on creating a world where no child lives in poverty, no child wants for clean water or a safe home. Let’s focus on eradicating poverty, discrimination and divisiveness. This is the work that truly matters.

FAMILY PHYSICIANS

M. Elmore: May 19, 2019, is the second B.C. Family Doctor Day. This special day of celebration and recognition for the more than 6,000 family doctors who practise across our province was initiated in 2018, thanks to a proclamation from the province of B.C., at the request of the B.C. College of Family Physicians.

This year the College of Family Physicians of Canada has taken the B.C. chapter’s lead, making this a national day of recognition. The day is timed to coincide with World Family Doctor Day, which takes place on May 19 each year.

This year’s theme is the lifelong care provided by family doctors. We know that family doctors play a unique and critical role in our health care system. Family doctors specialize in providing lifelong care, and having your own family doctor is good for your health.

That’s why I’m so proud that our government has successfully signed a new master agreement with doctors across B.C., ratified at an incredible rate of 98 percent; a new agreement with resident doctors, ratified at 87 percent. In partnership with family doctors, our province is successful in terms of already establishing 15 primary care networks, eight urgent primary care centres and really ensuring that all British Columbians have access to adequate primary care and the care they deserve in our province.

I especially want to recognize and appreciate and thank family doctors for being on the front lines of the opioid crisis in our province and for their role in supporting people in this difficult and challenging time. I ask everybody to please join me to celebrate B.C. Family Doctor Day in B.C. and to thank doctors for all they do every day for all of us here in British Columbia.

Oral Questions

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS
REGARDING CITIZENS’ SERVICES MINISTER

S. Bond: Yesterday the Minister of Citizens’ Services said that when the March letter was received by the chief of staff to the Premier, “the allegations were reviewed, and there was no evidence to support them.”

Can the minister today explain what steps Geoff Meggs took to conduct the review, and will she table the findings today?

Hon. J. Sims: It is disappointing to see that the opposition continues to spread unfounded accusations. The information is so torqued and taken out of context that it does not match the reality. And because it appears records have been taken out of my constituency office, there are some major concerns around that.

Let me make it very, very clear. My CA is not an employee of government. She is an employee of the caucus — of mine. When a letter was received, there was a meeting that was held. At that meeting, there was the caucus director and the chief of staff from the Premier’s office. The information was reviewed and passed over to the director of caucus services, and it was found to be without basis.

That’s where it belongs. It’s an employment matter of an employee who worked for me for six weeks, and that is where it rests. It does not rest with government. It rests with the director of caucus.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Prince George–​Valemount on a supplemental.

S. Bond: Well, one thing that does rest with the government and with the Premier is the behaviour of his cabinet ministers, including this one. Every day a different story from this minister. So let’s check this again.

[10:30 a.m.]

The minister stood here in the House yesterday, and she confirmed again this morning that the chief of staff to the Premier, Geoff Meggs, conducted a review of what are very serious and extensive allegations of a whistleblower — who, by the way, had the courage to stand up and complain about this minister’s behaviour.

The minister should be embarrassed about constantly throwing that person under the bus. She had the courage to stand up and bring forward her complaints to the point where the chief of staff, Geoff Meggs, reviewed the allegations.

Let’s be clear. What we want today are the details and documentation.

If a review was conducted, can the minister explain how it was done, where the records are, where the documentation is, and will she table them today?

Hon. J. Sims: As I said previously, the opposition continues to torque the material they have been handed by an ex-employee who worked for me for six weeks, and continues to mislead and confuse.

Let me make it very clear.

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. J. Sims: This individual was a CA and did not work for government. The matters raised in the March 4 letter relate to her six-week employment as a constituency assistant. When the March letter was received, after the individual’s employment had ended, the chief of staff to the Premier met with the executive director of caucus.

The allegations were reviewed, and there was no evidence to support them. The matter was dealt with by caucus, as she was not a government employee. That is appropriate, because it is a human resources matter, as the members opposite well know.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Prince George–​Valemount on a second supplemental.

S. Bond: The minister can stand here and try to dismiss what are serious and well-documented allegations. The minister knows that. There have been letters from a lawyer. There has been ongoing conversation in the Premier’s office about this matter. What makes the charges even more serious are this minister’s ongoing dubious actions.

The fact of the matter is, yesterday was the first time that this minister admitted that the chief of staff to the Premier, Geoff Meggs, conducted a review — not my words, the minister’s words. They were serious enough that they were brought to the chief of staff to the Premier. There are some pretty basic questions that this minister or someone over there needs to answer.

Was the whistle-blower or anyone else interviewed, and were the minister’s texts, WhatsApp messages or any other records examined during the review?

Hon. J. Sims: As I said earlier, once the letter was received — and it was received after the employee had finished working in my office — the chief of staff to the Premier met with the executive director of caucus. The allegations were reviewed, and there was no evidence to support them — period.

P. Milobar: Imagine, if you will, if the employee, the whistle-blower who was fired one week after starting to bring forward these allegations, had actually been able to be employed for eight weeks instead of six weeks so that we’d actually know what happened in the minister’s office.

You do have to wonder who’s actually in charge of this government, because on Monday, the Premier said: “I’m not aware of any investigation.” However, yesterday and all day today, so far, the minister has claimed: “When the March letter was received by the chief of staff to the Premier…the allegations were reviewed.” That means that Geoff Meggs, the Premier’s chief of staff, was investigating, and the Premier knew nothing about it. I find that very hard to believe.

To the minister, which is it — was the Premier completely out of the loop on what’s going on in his own office on serious allegations about a minister of the Crown, or was there no investigation whatsoever, as the Premier said on Monday?

Hon. J. Sims: I am absolutely disappointed that the opposition continues to ask the same question over and over again, and I will keep answering it.

[10:35 a.m.]

As I have said before….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, the minister has the floor.

Hon. J. Sims: The information is torqued and taken out of context, and it does not match reality. You have to know that those records were taken out of my constituency, and the members across the way have helped to spread documents — taken from my constituency office, containing people’s personal information — all over the Internet. People in my community deserve better.

And let me tell you, Mr. Speaker…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. J. Sims: …I’m very proud of the work I do in my constituency in serving my constituents. I’m going to continue to do that, and you can do all the gotcha moments you like.

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

P. Milobar: I’m very disappointed. I’m very disappointed in the minister and her lack of answers this week, because every single day this week we’ve heard a different answer to the very simple question about what steps the government took to investigate these serious allegations.

On Monday, the Premier, who’s supposed to be in charge of everything, said there was no investigation. On Tuesday, the Attorney General said it was up to the Privacy Commissioner. Yesterday the minister revealed that the Premier’s chief of staff, Geoff Meggs, had already conducted an investigation on his own, back in March.

Again, where is the documentation to back up the minister’s claim, and will she table it today, verifying that there actually was an investigation?

Hon. J. Sims: Once again my colleagues across the way are taking a human resources issue that rightfully belongs with the director of caucus and are trying to mislead, to say that there is something that happened here. Let me…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. J. Sims: …take on some of the issues that have been raised by my colleagues as they’ve been shopping around to get a pickup on this story. Yesterday they raised an event….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, you requested an answer. Let’s hear it.

Hon. J. Sims: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday they raised an event with the Chinese community, claiming it was a political fundraiser. The event the members opposite raised was, in fact, All for Love, a megacommunity charity dinner event on February 22. It was a community charity event with proceeds to go to the Vancouver Children’s Hospital. The members yesterday said that.

My job is to represent all of the constituents. I take that seriously. I do my job, and human resources issues are dealt with by the director of caucus services.

SOIL DISPOSAL SITE IN
SHAWNIGAN LAKE WATERSHED

S. Furstenau: I rise again today to speak on behalf of my community and to state our opposition once again to the ludicrous notion that massive amounts of contaminated soil ever should have been placed directly into our drinking watershed, potentially impacting the drinking water of 12,000 residents.

It isn’t just me who thinks this. It isn’t just my community and numerous experts that believe this risk is unacceptable. The Premier himself has also stated his opposition. In January of 2017, the Premier stated: “When the plan to dump contaminated soil in the Shawnigan Lake watershed was put forward, New Democrats stood with the Shawnigan Lake community against it.”

They are now in government, and my question is to the Premier and his government. Do they still stand with the people of Shawnigan Lake on this issue?

Hon. G. Heyman: Thank you again to the member for both her question and for her advocacy for her community, as well as for protection of drinking water and the environment generally.

[10:40 a.m.]

I want to also recognize the many residents of the area who have spoken to this, advocated on this issue, brought it to public attention and continue to stand up for the protection of their drinking water.

When we were in opposition, our position was clear. Our position was clear that the people’s drinking water should not have been compromised. The dumping stopped. We are now in government, and we are working hard and diligently through a number of measures. Ministry staff, independent professionals are reviewing plans, collecting data to ensure that at the end of the day, the drinking water for the residents of Shawnigan Lake will be protected and that the plan — the completion of dealing with the contaminated soil on the site — is scientifically based and protects people’s environment and drinking water.

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

S. Furstenau: These sound like words that we’ve heard for many years in Shawnigan. My community is still struggling with the fact that the contaminated soil deposited at this site could remain there and that more soil could be coming and that this government has been unable or unwilling to resolve this issue.

I want to restate some of the Premier’s words from 2016. In an interview with Focus magazine, he stated the following: “It’s not rocket science; it’s not even science. It’s a tone-deaf government that didn’t look at the circumstances they were creating. Shut this thing down, and let’s start working on a solution that’s in the interest of the people that live here.” I and my constituents have serious concerns that the closure plan in front of the Minister of Environment is not in the interest of the people who live in Shawnigan Lake.

In the spring of 2016, the Premier stated: “The government is not listening to the people here. They are listening to the permit holders. It’s time that the government represented the people and not the permit holders.”

My question is to the Premier. Will his government listen to the people now, many of whom he used to represent as an MLA, and not allow for the permit holders to dictate a solution that is not in the best interests of the people of Shawnigan Lake?

Hon. G. Heyman: Again to the member, the Premier spoke in the House about the situation in Shawnigan Lake when he was the Leader of the Official Opposition. The member’s predecessor as MLA, Bill Routley, raised, over 30 times in question period and statements, the issues. The member asks what this government is doing to protect the water and the environment for the residents of Shawnigan Lake. We are being as transparent as we can be.

The surface- and groundwater in the area are monitored monthly. Status reports are submitted twice every month to the ministry. All of these reports are posted. The member, as well as people from the community, have met with ministry staff on more than one occasion. They have had a comprehensive discussion about the draft closure plans that were posted so that they could, in fact, review it and give us their comments. Their input and their commentary are taken very, very seriously.

At the end of the day, the information that will come before me, upon which I will make a decision, will be whether or not a closure plan as proposed is adequate or whether it is inadequate. We take that issue very seriously in the ministry. It is being reviewed carefully as we speak, and I intend to give it the kind of rigorous review to protect water and the environment for the residents of Shawnigan Lake that they deserve. They deserve no less.

VISA REFERENCE LETTERS BY
CITIZENS’ SERVICES MINISTER

J. Johal: The Minister of Citizens’ Services spent five months attempting to help NDP friends and insiders jump the queue through expedited visa applications. On Tuesday, she admitted to the media: “I wrote the letters.” In her letters, she misrepresented her relationship with these applicants, vouched for individuals she didn’t know and did so on behalf of her political backers.

A question to the minister: what specific steps did Geoff Meggs, chief of staff to the Premier, take to review this misconduct?

Hon. J. Sims: As I’ve said previously, my colleagues across the way are taking information that is torqued, taking it out of context and using it to criticize what is a human resources matter of an employee who was in my service for six weeks. And let me….

[10:45 a.m.]

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please.

Hon. J. Sims: And let me say that there is a lot of information that my colleagues are perpetuating out there. I’ll just refer to a fundraiser that they were talking about yesterday.

Then they talked about some contract for a website the other day. And you know what? I’ve got the invoice for that, and I’ll gladly share that with my colleagues. They were claiming that an invoice was done for work on a website but that the contractor didn’t know the password to the website. I have the invoice right here. It clearly shows the work — you providing it to the media — was for providing outreach…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. J. Sims: …social media marketing and development, not a website. The contractor was never supposed to work on a website. There was no reason to have the password.

Plus, you keep talking about all of these donations, visas for donations. I have repeated many, many times — and these are false statements from my colleagues across the way — that I have not taken any money for the casework I do because I get paid a salary. And I’m proud of the work I do for my constituents.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Richmond-Queensborough on a supplemental.

J. Johal: You know, this minister keeps talking about representing her constituents. These are Pakistani nationals on a watch list. She continues to forget that. She ignores that. A reminder: she is the MLA for Surrey-Panorama, not Islamabad North.

This is about her actions.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

J. Johal: This is about her actions.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order please.

[Mr. Speaker rose.]

Mr. Speaker: Members, order. Thank you.

[Mr. Speaker resumed his seat.]

Mr. Speaker: Member.

J. Johal: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Let’s look at the letters this minister wrote. Each person is “sponsored by myself.” They are “my friends I’ll be hosting.” “I take full responsibility.” She describes their deep roots in Pakistan, what insurance they will have, their financial situations and details of past travel. And finally, she lists her ministerial title.

When asked about this last item on Tuesday, the minister said: “Immediately I read the letter, and I thought: ‘Where did this paragraph come from?’ That’s what happened.”

The problem is more than one paragraph. Will the minister drop her evasions and actually take full responsibility?

Hon. J. Sims: I’m an MLA in a very diverse community, and I live in a very diverse province, and I’m very, very proud of that — to be a representative for Surrey-Panorama. And I am offended by the language used by my colleague across the way to try to divide my constituents and to practise politics of fear, instead of bringing people together.

When constituents….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we are using up valuable question period time.

Minister.

[10:50 a.m.]

Hon. J. Sims: When constituents walk into my riding office, I do not ask them about their religion. I do not ask them about their ethnicity. I do not ask them about their political affiliation. I do not ask them who they voted for. My job, once I’m an elected MLA, is to serve each and every constituent that walks into my office. And that’s what I do.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

VISA REFERENCE LETTERS BY
CITIZENS’ SERVICES MINISTER AND
POLITICAL FUNDRAISING ISSUES

J. Thornthwaite: While the whistle-blower has been consistent, this minister has been all over the map. She said, “I don’t sponsor visa applications,” but the letter said: “These applicants are sponsored by myself.” Then she said, “They asked me for a letter, and I wrote it,” but later she said: “The letter was written by the legislative office.”

These conflicting statements can’t all be true. What is the minister’s explanation today?

Hon. J. Sims: As I said previously, I take my job as an elected official very, very seriously, and I make sure that when my constituents come in, I provide them with the assistance I can. And if they need to go to other quarters to get other assistance, we reroute them that way.

As the MLAs across the way know…. After all, they also have CA staff who work for them. They know that this is a human resources issue. It’s a human resources matter, and the human resources matter was dealt with through the channels that it should be dealt with.

And let me say that I do know two of the individuals looking to visit, and they both have received visas.

However, a number of letters — and I have said this before — were sent out with my electronic signature. I take full responsibility for that. When I became aware of the issue, I immediately put processes in place to ensure that it would not happen again.

Now, while the opposition wants to keep focusing on gotcha politics, let me share with them the amazing stuff…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. J. Sims: …that people are excited about in British Columbia. Over 450 communities linked with high-speed Internet, either in process or already done. And you know something? To me….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Minister.

Hon. J. Sims: I’m trying to do a job, for my colleagues across the way. But I can tell you that for rural communities, it means better health care, better access to education and economic development.

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

J. Thornthwaite: The minister can deflect all she wants, but these are serious implications here for a minister of the Crown. The October 29 email chain between the minister and her fundraising chair, Rabina Sattar, shows the minister had direct involvement in this dubious scheme. Ms. Sattar is also the individual who involved both the minister’s legislative and ministerial staff in trying to play a partisan political fundraiser to “get the Chinese money.”

How can the minister explain these activities of her fundraising chair, which crossed the line to involve both her non-partisan constituency office and her government staff?

[10:55 a.m.]

Hon. J. Sims: I really see a sense of desperation when my colleague asks that question.

Let me answer that question. Let me answer.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, if we might, I’m hoping we can get another question in. We’ll only be able to do that if we can get the answer quickly. Thank you.

Hon. J. Sims: The event that my colleagues across the way have raised was, in fact, an event called All for Love megacommunity charity dinner event. It was a community charity event with proceeds to go to the Vancouver Children’s Hospital. The member said yesterday that they had the event program. Then they would have known from the event program that this event was sponsored by four different Chinese community organizations.

I just want to say that when a community organization has an event, and they’re raising funds to help the Children’s Hospital, I’m always delighted to attend. I go to all kinds of events. And you know what? I will continue to do that.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS
REGARDING CITIZENS’ SERVICES MINISTER

M. Polak: Well, I want to go back to the review or investigation — if there, in fact, was one. The minister has omitted something from the timeline, and that is that the March 4 letter wasn’t the first time that this CA raised concerns. The first time the CA raised concerns was to go directly to the executive director of caucus.

This minister has said in here that that was the right place to go. It wasn’t for this constituency assistant, because of course she was promptly fired after that. Then the March 4 letter goes in, and at that point, we’ve heard now — although it was different a couple of days ago — that Geoff Meggs sat down with the executive director of caucus, and they reviewed the matter.

There’s a really easy way for this minister to remove any cloud over her, when it seems to be descending ever lower every day, and that is to table what information they came up with that cleared her from any wrongdoing with respect to these allegations. She could table that here today.

If an investigation was indeed conducted, if Geoff Meggs actually reviewed the material and looked into it, where is the documentation, where is the report, and will the minister table that in the House today?

Hon. J. Sims: The allegations in that letter were reviewed, and there was no evidence to support them. And as I said previously, it’s a matter for the director of caucus.

[End of question period.]

L. Throness: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

L. Throness: My cousin is in the House today. Joy Dirks is here from Calgary along with her husband, Gordon. Joy was a citizenship judge for many years. Also, Gordon was Minister of Social Services in Saskatchewan and, more recently, Minister of Education in Alberta. Would the House please welcome them.

Point of Privilege
(Reservation of Right)

J. Brar: I reserve my right to rise on a point of privilege on comments made by the member for Richmond-Queensborough.

Tabling Documents

Hon. M. Farnworth: Pursuant to the order by motion adopted by this House on March 7, 2019, I rise on behalf of the official opposition House Leader, the Third Party House Leader and myself to report on the conclusions of the fair, impartial and independent special investigation conducted by the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin to determine whether either or both the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Craig James, and the Sergeant-at-Arms, Gary Lenz, engaged in misconduct in the course of their employment.

[11:00 a.m.]

The work of the special investigator was limited to administrative misconduct within the scope of the employment relationship between each of the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms within the Legislative Assembly, taking into account the rules, practices and policies of the Legislative Assembly. The special investigation is one of several processes through which the Legislative Assembly is addressing the significant concerns that you identified, Mr. Speaker, in your report of January 21, 2019.

I note, also, that a comprehensive audit, led by the Auditor General, is currently underway and that a workplace review and an organizational reconciliation are forthcoming.

As an institution that expends public funds and serves in the public interest, the Legislative Assembly must uphold and safeguard the respect and trust of British Columbians.

The terms of reference of the special investigation required that the House Leaders receive the report of the special investigator on or before May 3, 2019. The House Leaders received Ms. McLachlin’s report on May 2.

On behalf of all members, I wish to thank the Rt. Hon. Beverley McLachlin for accepting to undertake this very important work and completing her mandate within what was a relatively short time frame. Her assistance to this institution is greatly appreciated.

The special investigation was a confidential process. The copy of the report that I hereby table has been redacted in a manner that respects that witnesses who testified before the special investigator understood that their identity would be protected to the extent possible without hindering the ability of the House to understand the special investigator’s conclusions regarding the allegations against the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms.

I would also like to express appreciation to all witnesses who participated in this process, many of whom are current staff of the assembly.

Pursuant to the motion adopted by this House on March 7, 2019, I am tabling the report of the special investigator. The House Leaders accept all the recommendations of Ms. McLachlin in her report. In addition to her findings, Ms. McLachlin included in her report observations, and noted several policy areas the Legislative Assembly ought to consider.

The House Leaders are pleased to inform Mr. Speaker and all members, by way of a status report I hereby table, of the considerable efforts already undertaken by the staff of the Legislative Assembly, under the direction of the acting Clerk, to strengthen existing policies through a review for any necessary amendments and compliance enforcement in the areas noted by Ms. McLachlin, as well as others that have been identified.

By leave, I am tabling the status report on the Legislative Assembly administrative reforms.

Leave granted.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I return now to the mandate of the special investigator, which was to make findings of fact on whether either or both the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms (1) improperly, and knowingly, received improper payouts of vacation pay by reason of their failure to record vacation leave; (2) improperly made purchases of a personal nature and expensed them to the Legislative Assembly; (3) improperly claimed and received retirement allowances; (4) improperly removed Legislative Assembly assets and property; or (5) improperly used Legislative Assembly property beyond an incidental or reasonable work-related purpose.

[11:05 a.m.]

The findings of Ms. McLachlin are as follows. The Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Lenz, did not engage in misconduct with respect to any of the five allegations. Having considered the findings of the special investigator, with the benefit of legal counsel and in a manner that respects procedural fairness, Mr. Lenz continues on administrative leave with pay and benefits, pursuant to the motion adopted by this House on November 20, 2018, and in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in that order.

With respect to the Clerk, the special investigator found that Mr. James did engage in misconduct with respect to four of the five allegations — specifically, in relation to making expense claims for improper purchases of a personal nature, by directing the creation of three benefits to his personal advantage outside of established protocols, improperly removing Legislative Assembly property from the legislative precinct without accounting for it and by improperly using legislative property for personal purposes.

I wish to inform this House that Craig James has retired, effective today, and that a non-financial settlement has been reached between Mr. James and the Legislative Assembly.

Motions Without Notice

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION IN
SPECIAL INVESTIGATION REPORT
CONCERNING CLERK AND
SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

Hon. M. Farnworth: Finally, with respect to documents relating to the special investigation, as recommended by the House Leaders, by leave, I move….

Leave granted.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that:

[(1) The Special Investigation into allegations against the Clerk and the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia now having been concluded and reported to this House, transcripts created in connection with the Special Investigation and the contents of those transcripts, including the identity of witnesses who participated in the confidential Special Investigation are covered by parliamentary privilege, and:

(a) shall be kept confidential by all persons who hold a copy of the transcripts or have knowledge of the contents of the transcripts, and

(b) shall not be disclosed for any purpose, unless authorized by order of the Legislative Assembly, or by written agreement of all recognized party House Leaders on its behalf, if required to be produced pursuant to an order from a court of competent jurisdiction; and

(2) This order does not relate to information that is already known to the public by virtue of being included in the Report of the Speaker dated January 21, 2019 or unredacted from the report of the Special Investigator.]

Motion approved.