Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. B. Ralston: Joining us in the members’ gallery this morning is His Excellency Vesa Lehtonin, who’s the ambassador of Finland to Canada. He’s making his first official visit to British Columbia. He’ll be meeting with myself and several officials today and tomorrow. Will the House please make the Ambassador of Finland feel very welcome here.

M. Hunt: Today we have five waves of students coming from Surrey. First of all, we have groups from Frost Road — 27 grade 5 students. Then the Cloverdale Learning Centre will have 22 grade 12 students. I’d ask the House to help join me in making them welcome.

Hon. K. Conroy: We all have great staff working for us, and I have one of them in the gallery today. Emily White is my administrative coordinator. With Emily is a good friend of hers, José Estrada, who just finished going to Camosun and is taking political science. He’s looking forward to going on to continuing those studies at UVic this fall. Would you all please join me in making him feel very welcome.

[10:10 a.m.]

B. D’Eith: I want to introduce some members from the BCEdAccess Society: Tracy Humphreys, who’s the founder and chair; Nicole Kaler, who’s the treasurer; and my very good friend and constituent Chantelle Morvay-Adams, who’s the secretary.

BCEdAccess is a society. It’s a non-profit. It’s run by parent volunteers, and it basically provides peer-to-peer support for parents with students with disabilities and complex learning issues. Today they’re here to meet with MLAs and the Minister of Education to advocate for equitable access to education. We’d really, really like to make them feel welcome.

Hon. A. Dix: I’d like to introduce guests we have from the Ministry of Health today — in particular, Debra Hartlen, who works in the deputy minister’s office and does a great job for us there, sometimes even liaising with the minister’s office, which I’m sure is the best part of her work. I wanted to wish Debra and all our guests from the Ministry of Health welcome. They do extraordinary work for us every day.

Hon. L. Beare: I have the great pleasure of introducing some members from Sport Hosting Vancouver who are in the gallery here with us today — the Michelles, as they are known. I’d like to introduce Michelle Collens specifically, as being the chair of the minister’s tourism engagement council as well. Would the House please make them feel very welcome.

Tributes

RETIREMENT OF
RON HUCK AND RANDY ENNIS

Hon. J. Horgan: I rise today to give thanks and bid a warm farewell to two people who have been working — and he’s already shaking his head — in this institution for a long time: Randy Ennis, Acting Sergeant-at-Arms, and Ron Huck, our security operations commander. Both of these individuals, outstanding people, will be leaving the Legislature this week. I wanted to bid them farewell.

I wanted to talk a little bit about Ron Huck first. Ron, of course, comes from the Saanich police department. I grew up in Saanich. I don’t recall Ron ever chasing me down the trestle by Swan Lake. That might have happened, but I don’t recall.

His wife, Heather, and his two daughters, Erin and Hailey, are going to be happy to see more of him. He started working here at the Legislature on October 2, 2006. So 13 years of service is time well spent.

Ron’s passion, interestingly, is ultralights. That’s not me. That’s, actually, a fixed-wing aircraft that flies without an engine. I’m told that although, when you look at Ron, he appears to be unflappable, when he did his pilot’s licence and the instructor turned off the engine, it was the one and only time that he was petrified. So if anyone comes up to you that looks like Ron and says, “Do you want to get into my ultralight?” I strongly recommend you say no.

Randy Ennis has been here longer than I have, which is not unusual. There are other members that have been here longer than me. Randy and I first met at the hockey rink over a cup of Tim Hortons. Both of our boys played hockey together, so we spent a lot of time complaining about the Canucks. We spent a lot of time talking about how we could make the world a better place.

When I arrived here in 2005, Randy had left his work with the Canadian Armed Forces to take up his position here. I couldn’t have been happier to see a friendly face, a competent face and a capable friend here at the Legislature.

Randy is an outstanding individual. His wife, Sue, is going to be happy to see a bit more of him as well. I’m going to miss him terribly, but there’s always a hockey rink and a Tim Hortons somewhere in the capital regional district. I’m sure we’ll meet again.

My hands go up to Ron and Randy as they bid farewell to this fine institution that they have served so very, very well for the past number of years. [Applause.]

Introductions by Members

A. Weaver: Today I rise to acknowledge two very special people in the gallery today. They are Ben Foster and Iliana Turner. These two exemplary individuals have worked in the B.C. Green caucus as part of the parliamentary intern program for the past several months.

They’ve assisted our team with everything from preparation for question period, through to statements, speeches and media scans. They’ve assisted the rest of our team as well, immensely. They have integrated extraordinarily well into the busy and exciting work environment we have downstairs.

[10:15 a.m.]

My colleagues and I…. On behalf of the three of us, I wish them the very best of luck in their future endeavours. Would the House please make them feel very welcome in their last question period before they move on.

Tributes

RETIREMENT OF
RON HUCK AND RANDY ENNIS

L. Reid: I rise to echo the Premier’s comments, when he bids the fondest of farewells to both Randy and Ron.

There is a love of this place found in both of these gentlemen, and I emphasize the word “gentlemen.” They have been outstanding in their roles. They are, frankly, the reason — absolutely the reason — that we are safer today in this place and that we have some of the best security provisions in the country. Members and staff can come to work each day, knowing that this is a safe workplace. That is an outstanding tribute for Randy Ennis and for Ron Huck — truly outstanding.

We’re grateful. We thank you. We bid you the fondest of farewells, and we trust you’ll visit this place often.

Introductions by Members

R. Chouhan: It gives me pleasure to introduce two wonderful people here today in the gallery.

One person has kept me in line since 2007 and made sure that all of my schedules are intact — you know, that I do everything on time. That is Teresa Scambler. She’s my legislative assistant. She’s been with me since 2007.

I want to say thank you for taking care of me. It’s wonderful to work with you.

I also want to introduce our new addition to the Deputy Speaker and Whip’s office, Rajmeet Virk. She’s also doing an excellent job since she has joined our team.

I would like to ask the House to please join me to welcome both of them.

J. Rice: I have a dear friend here, a former Rupertite, Amber Sheasgreen, who now lives down here in the Victoria-Sooke area. Amber is the fairly new operations manager for the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. I just wanted the House to make Amber feel welcome. I think this is her first time here in the B.C. Legislature.

R. Kahlon: I also want to add to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s announcement of Michelle Collens. Taunya Geelhoed is joining her today, and she also works at Sport Hosting Vancouver. Both of these individuals have been doing amazing work to bring top-level sports to B.C. and to Vancouver, in particular. So I want to thank both of them on behalf of everyone here.

S. Furstenau: There are three people in the gallery that I want to recognize today.

I’m going to start with my constituency assistant, Maeve Maguire. Maeve is an extraordinary woman, and she brings a kind of commitment and ability to her work in Cowichan and to the work that I do that connects the work down here to the riding. I often say that Cowichan is very lucky. It has two MLAs for the price of one because Maeve is that extraordinary. I wouldn’t be able to do this job without her. I’m so delighted to have her as my assistant but, more importantly, as my friend.

Aldous Sperl is also in the gallery. Aldous is one of these people that you rarely see because he stays in the background making sure that everything works exactly as it should. Without Aldous…. It seems like we have a small caucus, so it should be easy enough to manage. In fact, it’s incredibly challenging to keep the three of us in line. Aldous has done it with a skill and capacity that, again, I have rarely seen in an individual. I want to commend Aldous for his incredible work.

Finally, Stephanie Siddon. Once in a while, you meet somebody who is so extraordinary and also incredibly young. Stephanie just celebrated her 23rd birthday. She has been a volunteer for several years, and she has been working on our team in the legislative office for two years. Stephanie does it all: communications support; research; staff lead on several important files, including old growth, professional reliance; drafting speeches and statements.

[10:20 a.m.]

Through it all, she never stops smiling. She’s always friendly and happy. This is her first time in a live question period. Stephanie is going to go to Carleton in the fall to study public policy, to do her master’s degree. I know that we will all one day know Stephanie Siddon’s name. She is truly an amazing young woman.

We love you dearly. We love Stephanie dearly in our office. We are going to miss her enormously. She has been the most amazing addition, and we wish her all the best in her next journey, where she will bring just an amazing capacity.

Would the House please make all of these people welcome. Thank you to all three of them.

B. Ma: Despite political differences, I think the House knows that the member for West Vancouver–Capilano and I share a lot in common. We both represent ridings on the North Shore. We both wear engineer’s iron rings. We both occupy the extremes of the age spectrum here in the chambers.

I’d like to bring the House into the twilight zone for a moment here and share yet another eerie commonality that we have. It’s numerical. You see, the member for West Vancouver–Capilano was born in 1933, and I am currently 33 years old. But it doesn’t end there. I was born in 1985, and the member is currently 85 years old — but only for another week.

Would the House please join me in wishing the member for West Vancouver–Capilano an early 86th birthday. He turns 86 this time next week. [Applause.]

A. Olsen: This gentlemen has been introduced by members from the other parties in the past, but I had the opportunity to have some time with him this week. So I also wanted to stand and acknowledge a person that walks the halls of this place, a very gentle and kind person — the chaplain for our Legislature, Jason Goertzen.

As I look up into the gallery and see him, I just wanted to note the service that he offers us to have a calm conversation. He’s a steadying influence. It’s an opportunity to share the ups and downs and, indeed, sometimes the lefts and rights of this place.

As we go and step away from this House for the next number of months, I wanted to make sure that, as we go, we together raise our hands and thank our chaplain, Jason Goertzen.

Tributes

PIETER WALSH

J. Rice: He fixed my car. He fixed my boat. He fixed my trailer. He fixed my weed whacker. He fixed my lawnmower three times. More importantly, he taught my wife and I how to fix these things ourselves.

Pieter Walsh was the glue of my neighbourhood, always available to help a neighbour out or to distract us from yardwork with his friendly visits and offers of assistance. Pieter was a diehard car fan and mechanic. In fact, he recently took my 1997 hunk-of-junk Toyota named Shirle off the road. Now, Shirle belonged in the dump, in my opinion, but is now fixed up and on the road.

Pieter recently, just yesterday, lost a battle to stomach cancer. He was the glue of our neighbourhood, and he will be sorely, sorely missed. Would the House please offer condolences to the friends and family and to his lovely wife, Leona, in the passing of Pieter Walsh.

[10:25 a.m.]

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

BUSINESS OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

A. Wilkinson: This House has been through some degree of turmoil in the last year, culminating in the McLachlin report, which cleared the air substantially and has allowed us to move forward to some degree.

We are now aware that in the last 24 hours, the Speaker has embarked upon new intrusions involving employees in this House. Some employees seek to insulate or protect themselves from this effort by the Speaker, while others are leaving or planning to leave.

Procedures leading to this instability are arbitrary. Immediate action is required to re-establish the orderly conduct of this institution, which represents five million people in British Columbia — many more than the people in this room, who are simply elected representatives. That action, those changes, those remedies may involve decisions by this assembly. It may involve committee decisions. It may involve legislative changes. The integrity of the institution must be preserved, because that is our duty to the public, to the electorate of British Columbia.

Employees must be treated fairly, both in terms of procedure and their rights within those procedures, which are manifested in their rights in the workplace. Arbitrary, non-accountable actions must stop, and we will work with all of the other parties, all of the other elected members of this House to make sure that that is the case.

We must work to make this a better place to conduct the business of the people of British Columbia as the elected representatives of the people of British Columbia. Part of that involves the continuity of the democratic process. So question period must proceed. That is part of the democratic process. This House must sit, but this House must also sit until the air is cleared about the events of the last 24 hours.

LEGISLATURE STAFF

R. Chouhan: When the House is sitting, the House is in session, some of us arrive here on Sunday. Some of us arrive here on Monday. We take everything for granted — that all of these services are taken care of, be it the lawn or the flowers or the library or whatnot.

We also have to take a moment to think about who the people are behind that. Who are these people working so hard to make sure that we are able to do our jobs? It’s not only in this chamber, when we are here. They take care of us. They make sure that we are hydrated. Sometimes when we speak long, long, longer, longer speeches and some of our throats get irritated, they bring two candies to us. So I want to say thank you for everything that you do here.

I want to take this moment to thank all the staff in Hansard, facilities, the dining room, the kitchen staff, Sergeant-at-Arms, parliamentary education and tours, the library, IT, finance, administrative staff, the Clerk’s office and the Speaker’s office. Thank you, each and every one of you, for making sure that we are able to do our jobs.

Now we are ending our session today, and we will be back in October. You will continue to work here to make sure our democracy is in action and stays in action. I want to say, on behalf of all of us, thank you each and every one of you.

[10:30 a.m.]

ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
AND INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY

A. Weaver: It gives me great pleasure to rise on this last day of the session to deliver a two-minute statement.

Prior to coming up to the Legislature today, I did what I often do. I took a look at the seasonal climate forecast for this part of the world. The seasonal climate forecast for the summer of 2019 in British Columbia is this: extraordinarily high probabilities of higher than normal temperatures and drier than normal conditions. What does that lead to? That leads to yet another suite of conditions that will lead to forest fires in British Columbia.

I remind members that back in 2004, Nathan Gillett, Mike Flannigan, Francis Zwiers and I published a paper in Geophysical Research Letters where we identified the fact that we could detect and attribute the increased area burnt in Canada by forest fires directly to human activity. Since that time, similar papers have come out for Siberia, for the eastern U.S., for Europe and elsewhere. We know that the increasing forest fires in our country are a direct consequence of global warming.

In fact, the science of global warming goes back to 1824, when Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier was the first to recognize that the atmosphere was transparent to incoming solar radiation but was effective at blocking outgoing longwave radiation and kept the surface area of the planet warmer to allow life to flourish.

In 1861, John Tyndall, best known for his incredible sideburns, actually developed an amazing instrument that allowed us to detect the different radiative absorption properties of a diverse array of greenhouse gases. In 1896, Svante Arrhenius, a famous Swedish Nobel laureate, was the first to actually directly calculate the increasing warming associated with increasing carbon dioxide levels. And in 1936, Guy Callendar was the first to make multi-century predictions as to what would happen as a direct consequence of increasing carbon dioxide.

In fact, the very first national assessment was done in 1979 — the year I graduated from high school — where Jule Charney from MIT was tasked with assessing what the human contribution to climate change was. At that time, the best scientific estimate of the warming associated with increasing greenhouse gases was between 1½ and 4½ degrees for a doubling of carbon dioxide. That number has not changed for 35 years of scientific research.

As we leave to the summer, I ask members to consider this. The question of global warming boils down to a single question. Do we, the present generation, owe it to future generations, in terms of leaving behind to them the quality environment that we were blessed with inheriting?

Intergenerational equity is the question. For those who make the decisions today don’t have to live the consequences of the decisions they made. Yet the next generation will. I suspect those in the gallery, those children in the gallery looking down upon us today, would suggest that, indeed, it behooves us to put intergenerational equity front and centre in our decision-making.

CANDLELIGHT CEREMONY AT
GOD’S ACRE VETERANS CEMETERY

M. Dean: I’m honoured to be invited to a candlelight tribute at God’s Acre, the only veterans cemetery still in operation in Canada, this evening. This is a sacred place that has, for 150 years, provided a quiet dignity and honour to the memory of its almost 3,000 veterans. The chapel was constructed by ships carpenters and left unconsecrated so it could be used by all religions.

The ceremony has been happening for over 20 years and is very well attended by dignitaries, veterans, military members and family, and the local community. After the music and ceremony, each distinguished guest is handed a candle and accompanied by a youth to walk to a marker. The adult passes the candle to the youth, who places it on the marker. This symbolizes the passing of the torch of remembrance. Each takes a moment of reflection. After the playing of God Save the Queen, spectators are invited to place candles on the gravesite markers until each one is marked by the light of freedom.

This year the candlelight tribute will honour the 75th anniversary of D-Day, when 14,000 young Canadians from 12 Canadian regiments stormed Juno Beach. They were preceded before dawn by 400 members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, who jumped inland.

The Canadian Scottish Regiment from Victoria was amongst the first ashore, landing just after 8 a.m. under heavy machine gun and mortar fire. The price that the Canadians paid was terrible, with 340 killed in action, 87 of whom were from the Canadian Scottish, and 574 Canadians wounded.

We thank them for their sacrifice.

[10:35 a.m.]

OPENING OF RIDLEY ISLAND
PROPANE EXPORT TERMINAL

J. Rice: This week we celebrated the grand opening of the Ridley Island propane export terminal in Prince Rupert, which is the first marine export facility for propane in Canada. The facility began introducing propane feedstock in mid-April, and the first shipment departed the terminal last week bound for Asia.

The Ridley Island propane export terminal will play a critical role in opening overseas markets to a cleaner burning fuel. Propane, in its liquid form, can easily be transported and provides a low-carbon fuel source for homes, businesses and industry. Prince Rupert’s strategic placement on the map means Canadian propane gets to Asia in about ten days, compared to 25 days from the U.S. Gulf Coast. Japan is the world’s largest importer of North American propane and is the first customer of the Ridley Island export terminal.

The project cost roughly just under half a billion dollars, with over 200 construction jobs and up to 40 permanent jobs. I might add that 60 percent of the construction work was carried out by local contractors, community members and First Nations.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the graduation of 11 students who completed the six-month AltaGas operator training program, and all of them have been hired to work at the terminal. Christopher Vogt, a graduate, had this to say, “It’s going to give me the prospect of giving me a job in the same town where I live and the ability to work close to home rather than leaving the province for work in the relevant field,” adding he’s pleased he can work in the community he wants to be in and help.

AltaGas has been a good partner to work with, contributing about $400,000 in taxes to the city of Prince Rupert last year. They respect our values and local Indigenous communities by treating First Nations as true partners.

Congratulations to the construction crew, staff and management on the grand opening of the AltaGas Ridley Island propane terminal. The completion of this project reflects the economic progress being made in our region and, ultimately, brings good-paying, family-supporting jobs to Prince Rupert and area.

Hon. M. Mark: I glanced up to see that my niece Ava was up there. She’s a student from Ladysmith Secondary. She’s visiting with her class.

Pardon me. May I seek leave to make an introduction?

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. M. Mark: I apologize. I was so excited to see my niece Ava, who’s visiting with her class from Ladysmith. Will the House please join me in welcoming her and her classmates, who are here at the precinct to learn all about democracy and the fine work that all the MLAs do in these chambers.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

SUPPORTS FOR TENANTS AND LANDLORDS

S. Chandra Herbert: It gives me great pleasure to be able to rise today to speak about renters and the challenges renters have faced and the improvements they’ve seen. It will be no surprise to many that the central challenge renters have faced with housing has been one of my central causes in running to be an MLA and being an MLA here for the last ten years. Indeed, prior to politics, I worked with people in my community facing renovictions, facing loss of housing.

Now, for around eight years in this place, I must admit, I didn’t see much success in fighting for my constituents as renters. We had challenges getting improvements through.

I’ve got to say that being able to say we’ve banned fixed-term tenancies, which allowed people to be told, “You’re going to be evicted or face a 50 percent rent increase,” has been a huge improvement. Being able to ban geographic area increases, where people were told: “Well, the guy across from you is paying 75 percent more for a beautiful unit. You’re in this basement. I’m going to charge you 50 percent more. Unless you sign today, I’ll charge you 75 percent more….” We banned that too.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Member. Is this an introduction?

S. Chandra Herbert: This is a two-minute statement. I believe we were still on two-minute statements.

Mr. Speaker: Proceed, Member.

S. Chandra Herbert: The other challenge that, of course, we’ve seen is landlords and tenants seeking information, seeking help. They would be told: “Well, sorry, the wait time to get a response is hours and hours.” If you do get into the process, it can be months and months and months before you get an answer.

[10:40 a.m.]

Because of the wise investments that this government has made in the residential tenancy branch, we’ve seen those wait times drop, in some cases to five minutes from what would have been over an hour and a half. That’s a service that people need. It gets them the information they need so that they can get the help they need in their housing.

Of course, just recently we announced the enforcement team. I want to thank the Minister of Housing for her wise investments in enforcement, because if the rules aren’t enforced, no one respects them. Certainly, we saw that in B.C. both on the renters’ and the landlords’ sides.

We’ve got a lot more to do and a lot more coming, but I just want to say that it’s been such a pleasure to see the changes we’ve made for renters in the last 18 months. I know we’re going to keep pushing, because renters and landlords, frankly, deserve that respect.

Ministerial Statements

75th ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY LANDINGS
AND ROLE OF CANADIAN VETERANS

Hon. J. Horgan: I rise today to recognize the upcoming 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and the Battle of Normandy. I rise to pay tribute to the Canadians who put their life and their liberty at risk to land on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944. I know all of us will want to remember the sacrifices that were made by the veterans that put their lives on the line and those that we will never forget.

We need to remind ourselves of the horrors of war. Too many times the passage of time allows us to forget. Too much social media, too much television, too many horrific movies, too many dragons on our television sets make us oblivious and immune to the horrors of war, the battles that were fought by Canadians and Allied forces from 1939 to 1945.

I visited Juno Beach and Dieppe with my young children many years ago. My kids couldn’t understand why I was so emotional about being in a place where Canadians and British forces and Americans and other Allies landed to liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazism. And 359 Canadians died on D-Day, 5,000 more in the months that followed. Over the course of the Second World War, 45,000 Canadians gave up their lives, and many returned home with scars visible and invisible.

It’s fundamental to our future that we remember our past, and we need to do so with deep gratitude and respect for the veterans that served in the past and those in the Armed Forces that serve us today. They served us ably in the European theatre and in the Pacific.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to be with the Lieutenant-Governor at Government House to pay tribute to 15 veterans and to talk to one, George Chow — not that one — who landed on Juno Beach and will be with me next week to revisit the place he was at 75 years ago.

Before that, a week earlier, I was at Fort Rodd Hill with the Lieutenant-Governor and Rear-Adm. Bob Auchterlonie to pay tribute to our hometown heroes: Alice Adams, who was a communication specialist here on Vancouver Island, and Trevor Shuckburgh, who was in the English Channel on a supply vessel during that week in June when the world changed. When Trevor came back to Canada, came back to Victoria, he served as the aide-de-camp to Lt.-Gov. George Pearkes — again, a recognition that service did not just happen during the war. It happens every single day.

I’m reminded of all of us in this place who come with the best of intentions to do good deeds, to do the things that our citizens want us to do. I’m reminded that we would not be able to do that were it not for the sacrifices of those who landed on Juno Beach 75 years ago.

My mom and dad served in the armed forces here in Victoria. When I met Alice Adams, a communication specialist like my mom Alice, at Pat Bay here in Victoria, it reminded me of what she instilled in me as a young boy and as a young man: that we should never forget the absolute blessing of being Canadians and those who lost their lives so that we could proudly say that we are the best people on the planet. [Applause.]

M. de Jong: Well said by the Premier.

We remember those code names from our study of history — Overlord and Neptune — the marine aspect of the landings at Normandy.

[10:45 a.m.]

But it’s true. As the years pass, our appreciation for the magnitude of the effort and the magnificence of the achievement dissipates. It’s easy to lose sight of what was at stake and what was achieved.

On this day 75 years ago, men began the process of mobilization: 150,000 British, Americans, Free French, Canadians beginning to load aboard boats that would take them across the channel on what Eisenhower, their commander, called a crusade. Some of them would be out in that water for several days, and landing, despite all of the turmoil of being shot at and mines, was a bit of a relief because they were horribly seasick. The human dimension to what took place 75 years ago defies any description that I or anyone today could offer, but the crusade began.

There are, fortunately, still those, as the Premier has mentioned…. The history is still alive. The participants are fragile, but the memories of what they encountered, what they sought to achieve, are still very real.

For all of us, that history lives if we are fortunate enough to visit the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer. You can stand on the beach at Courseulles and, at the right time of day, imagine the turmoil of that early morning on June 6 as Canadians disembarked and fought their way up the beaches. Just down the beach, at Arromanches, you can still see the remnants of the mulberry harbours that were dragged across and became the deep-sea ports that the Allies would need to rely upon.

Then, as you move inland, you can trace, day by day, the progress those 14,000 Canadians made. On that first day, almost 400 Canadians fell dead — imagine if that happened today — and 5,000 would die over the course of the Battle of Normandy. Even today you can trace, day by day, and come across the monuments of where the small battles took place, where the temporary airfields were constructed and, of course, the graves, most of which are in those magnificent, large Commonwealth war graves cemeteries, but some of them are not — smaller churchyards in some of the small French villages in the countryside.

What began 75 years ago next year we will commemorate, because those Canadians fought their way through Normandy. They were assigned the horrible task of clearing the Falaise gap, and then up north into the Netherlands, into Germany. It is an incredible chapter in the history of our country and a chapter that brought the country together. Today we think about the number of casualties. Imagine what that meant in a country with half of the population that we now have, where every community was impacted in some way, shape or form.

So it is appropriate, I think, for the Premier, as he has done, to draw attention to this 75th anniversary and begin a year-long remembrance that culminates with the liberation of Europe, the end of Nazi tyranny.

I know and I am pleased that the government and the Premier are prepared to work with celebrants who next year will bring that celebration home and give British Columbians and those remaining veterans not able to return to the site of their heroic deeds an opportunity to once again celebrate and participate and honour that most magnificent achievement.

We will remember forever. I thank the Premier for his comments today. [Applause.]

[10:50 a.m.]

A. Weaver: I rise to echo the compelling words of the Premier. His passion and heartfelt words were very inspiring.

As we know, on June 6, it will be the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. D-Day was one of the most well-known and important events of the Second World War, and Canadians played a critical role in this pivotal campaign. It changed the direction of the war, but it came at a terrible cost.

On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched a massive attack, with 7,000 vessels being used, 4,000 bombers and 3,700 fighter planes. More than 450 members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were amongst the very first to engage the enemy forces. A few hours later, 14,000 Canadian troops from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade would land on Juno Beach, braving heavy fire for the Canadian soldiers who were successful in capturing their shoreline positions and who endured some of the worst fighting over the next several days of the Normandy invasion.

Canadians suffered the highest casualties of any divisions in the British Army Group during the campaign, and 359 Canadians died on D-Day itself. More than 5,000 would die in the ten weeks of fighting that followed. More than 13,000 Canadian soldiers were severely wounded during this time. Mental and physical injuries that many would carry for the rest of their lives also occurred. More than one million Canadians would serve in the Second World War, and over 45,000 would lose their lives.

I stand today in humble recognition of their sacrifice, and I ask all members of this House to never forget the freedoms we have and the society we have come to enjoy. This has come at a high cost. [Applause.]

Oral Questions

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT
AND COSTS FOR HIGHWAY FOUR-LANING
PROJECT IN ILLECILLEWAET AREA

T. Stone: Last summer the Premier said: “The opponents of labour agreements have put out significant numbers…. But I think before we have too many people piling on about the consequences, we should get the tenders back….” Well, we now have the contract back from the very first project at Illecillewaet, a four-laning project in the Revelstoke area, and it is exactly what we warned the Premier of: a 35 percent cost overrun, with B.C. taxpayers left on the hook to the tune of $22 million extra for this project.

Now, this union-only policy discriminates against 85 percent of B.C.’s construction workers, and we’re now learning how bad it is for taxpayers. We have a May 21 Illecillewaet four-laning project debrief completed by one of the companies that pursued this project. It confirms: “Ultimately, the community benefit agreement required the contractor to work in an unfavourable working condition with too many labour uncertainties, so we elected to withdraw our bid. The CBA killed the project’s completion.”

My question to the Premier is this. Will the Premier finally admit what is well known in the industry, what we’ve been telling him for months — that the 35 percent cost overrun is due to his union-only benefit agreement requirement?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for Kamloops–​South Thompson for the question. Of course I reject the premise.

We have received bids on the Illecillewaet project, which, he will know very well, coming from the region and formerly holding the position of Minister of Transportation, is a very difficult piece of construction. This isn’t building a road from Winnipeg to Brandon. It’s in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, and it’s a challenging project. We have had other project bids opening up, non-CBA projects, which have been 100 percent over budget because there’s a labour shortage. There’s a skilled worker shortage. Costs are going up for other inputs like gravel, asphalt, steel, and so on.

[10:55 a.m.]

I understand that the members on that side of the House want to demonize community benefit agreements. But the principles in the community benefits agreements, I’m sure, are supported by members on that side of the House: making sure that we’re hiring local people to do this work, ensuring that their children are getting the training that they need — red seal training, not just being on the job and not getting the opportunity to get school training to get that red seal at the end of the day.

I’ll also say that it seems to me, when I hear this line of questioning…. The Leader of the Opposition was asking me these questions yesterday in estimates as well. It’s as if they forgot their time in government, when there were no CBAs and projects were over budget all the time.

I’ll just give a couple of examples. It makes me feel better, and it reminds them of their time on this side of the House. The northwest transmission line: 80 percent over budget. No CBA there. So what happened with that? The Vancouver Convention Centre: 60 percent over budget. No CBA there. And, of course, putting a roof on B.C. Place: 40 percent over budget. Again, no community benefits agreements in place.

There are times in a hot economy…. I do need to remind members that this is the hottest economy in the country, the fastest growth rate. We are competing for publicly funded capital projects with the private sector. Of course, we have the largest private sector investment in Canadian history coming here as well. So it’s little wonder that the labour market is a little bit hot.

I’m not going to apologize for the good news in British Columbia. I will not apologize for training the next generation of workers.

Mr. Speaker: Kamloops–South Thompson on a supplemental.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT
AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT COSTS

T. Stone: Well, the Premier needs to get his facts right. The B.C. Place project was on budget. The other fact….

Interjections.

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

T. Stone: The other fact is the Premier and his party have stood in this House year after year after year, and they opposed that project, which provides about $350 million of net economic benefit to the province of British Columbia.

The fact of the matter is that the former government built this province through projects all across British Columbia, and these projects were done with a combination of union and non-union contractors. Everybody was busy. The fact of the matter is that 81.5 percent of B.C.’s construction apprentices are sponsored by open-shop companies, not unions. That’s fully four times more apprenticeship sponsorship by the open-shop companies than by the unions.

To be clear, this is all about a political promise that the Premier made to his NDP-friendly union bosses to give them a monopoly over contracts on major infrastructure projects in British Columbia. Now we’re seeing the results of this policy: the first project, the 35 percent cost overrun at Illecillewaet. That’s just the beginning. We know that there are six more projects coming on the Trans-Canada. We know that there’s the Pattullo replacement project. We know that there are other transit projects. The Broadway line in and of itself will result in a 35 percent cost overrun, about $1.6 billion more, leaving the taxpayers on the hook.

My question to the Premier is this. Taxpayers….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: Taxpayers are on the hook for more costs as a result of CBAs. Taxpayers are suffering from delayed projects. Taxpayers are going to have to deal with less scope, and this promise of more apprentices is a sham.

With projects going over budget by billions, which other projects are now jeopardized? Does this mean that the Terrace hospital isn’t going to go ahead? Does this mean that the Richmond Hospital is not going to go ahead? Does this mean that…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: …we’re going to have to wait another two years for any portables to be replaced in Surrey? What is it, Mr. Speaker?

Hon. J. Horgan: I note that the member talked about sponsorships for apprentices, not completion rates for apprentices — a little bit of a difference there. The notion that the roof on B.C. Place was on budget might explain how we didn’t have a huge deficit at ICBC. We just pretend it didn’t exist.

[11:00 a.m.]

Opening up one bid, and all of a sudden, the Broadway line, which has not yet even completed the RFP process, is billions over budget. If that’s the way the Liberals are going to look at building British Columbia, thank goodness they’re sitting over there and not over here.

M. Polak: Clearly, this isn’t about training. That’s a myth. That’s not what this is about. The Premier actually made clear what it’s about in a speech that he delivered on March 19, 2016. In speaking about future plans for roadbuilding, he said to that crowd: “You don’t do it by going with the turkeys at CLAC. That’s how I roll. That’s how I roll.”

We know now that the first project has come in $22 million over budget. We know that it’s because of these discriminatory policies. But how does the Premier justify that big gift to his NDP friends and insiders that is costing the taxpayers an additional $22 million?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for the question. Look, she’s kind of answered her question. I’ve been saying for years that the best way forward is to use community benefits agreements. I wasn’t hiding that fact. I was talking about it publicly. That might be why we’re on this side and the members are on that side.

The public understands that if their kids aren’t getting jobs, and they’re not getting the training that they need, something is terribly, terribly wrong. The opposite side, we saw: “Everything’s fine. Everything’s fine.”

Interjections.

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

Hon. J. Horgan: A $1 billion hole in ICBC that just keeps getting worse because of the lack of attention that the Liberals paid at that time. Budget overruns on project after project after project, with no benefit coming back to the community.

Community benefits agreements are supported by the people of British Columbia because they know their kids need to get a break. They need to get the training they need so they can participate in the hottest economy in Canada.

Mr. Speaker: The House Leader for the official opposition on a supplemental.

M. Polak: Yeah, well, to clear the deck, to start the question…. Yeah, you didn’t win a majority. You cut a deal. That’s why you’re here. The fact is….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, order, please.

M. Polak: I guess the truth hurts. But let’s go back to the subject at hand.

Interjections.

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

M. Polak: The term, though, community benefits agreements, is just a convenient dodge for what it really is. Those agreements are not about the community, and they’re not about community benefits. Those agreements are about benefits to NDP friends and insiders, in the guise of something for communities.

Instead, what it is, is dinging the taxpayer for increased costs as a result. It is a dodge. It’s a dodge to cover up an agreement that determines and expresses for this government that they believe that non-union workers aren’t as good as union workers and their determination to make the taxpayers pay for it.

What I want to know is: with the increased costs, can the Premier tell us, in the 35 percent increase on the one project…? What is this going to cost overall, what modelling did they do, and what is the estimated total cost that the taxpayers are going to be bearing for this political promise?

Hon. J. Horgan: Again, it’s hard for me to take any lessons about cost overruns from a party that took it from a fine art to a science. Project after project over budget. Temporary foreign workers being brought in for some of them, rather than training people here in British Columbia. It’s as simple as that. I appreciate that there are still hard feelings on the other side, because they’re on the other side. But I would have thought that they would want to celebrate an economy that is booming.

[11:05 a.m.]

Lowest unemployment in the country for 18 consecutive months. Fastest growth rate with a projection to be growing faster than any other province this year, next year and the year after that. So there’s a lot of good news in British Columbia. Of course, sadly, for half an hour every day, we come in here and hear about bad news or the creation of bad news by the people on the other side.

That is your right. That is your responsibility. I’m happy to be here to answer those questions. Keep them coming.

MANAGEMENT OF LOGGING PRACTICES
ON PRIVATE FOREST LANDS

A. Olsen: Over the past few weeks, our caucus has been focused on old growth. The response to our work has been overwhelming. It comes from across the political, economic, social and cultural spectrum. People are frustrated. They’re unhappy with the responses from the Minister of Forests.

Our office has also been inundated by British Columbians who are affected by logging on private land. Clearcut logging on private lands on the southern Gulf Islands is challenging. Every day the last remaining stands of coastal Douglas fir are hacked from the rocks and shipped off-island.

The ministry knows about this not only because of the ongoing public outcry but because this outcry dates back to the very beginning of when the Private Managed Forest Land Act was brought in, back in 2004. It’s not just the Gulf Islands; it’s the Kootenays as well.

My question is to the Minister of Forests. When is he going to stop the unsustainable logging practices on private lands?

Hon. D. Donaldson: Our government is committed to making sure the management of private forest lands is being done in a way to encourage sustainable practices. There are a couple of ways that harvesting occurs on private lands. Private land owners who have forests that they want to harvest is one way, and then private land owners who are part of the private managed forest program is another way.

Regardless of which category the private land owners fall into, they’re subject to provincial statutes, such as the Water Sustainability Act, the Drinking Water Protection Act, the Environmental Management Act, the Wildlife Act, the Assessment Act and the Wildfire Act. And federal acts, as well, they’re subject to, such as the Fisheries Act, the Migra­tory Birds Convention Act and the Species at Risk Act. If there are violations under those acts, they’re investigated, and charges are laid.

We also strongly encourage property owners to participate in the private managed forest program. That has another set of rules and commitments for those who want to harvest on their private lands.

The private managed forest lands program was first established in 2003, and it hasn’t been updated or reviewed in over a decade. That’s why our government launched a review of this program earlier this week. It started May 28, and public engagement goes till July 9. We’re looking forward to getting comments back from communities that are concerned and to incorporate that into a new approach to managing private forest lands.

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

A. Olsen: The list of regulatory frameworks that the minister mentions is in stark contrast to the bare mountainsides and hillsides that we’re seeing — complete clearcuts of properties on the southern Gulf Islands and throughout southern Vancouver Island and in the Kootenays.

Private owners may have the right to cut down a tree, but clearcut logging without proper oversight and enforcement can result in massive changes to water tables and slope stability. It becomes an issue for the rights of neighbours, who suddenly cannot trust their water source, as we’ve seen in a few neighbourhoods on Saltspring Island that they’re deeply concerned about — and risks of landslides, as the people of Youbou have just learned. In severe rainstorms, they’ve been asked to move to the front of their homes to protect themselves. It seems to be absurd.

In British Columbia, it appears that the right to clearcut private forest land is pre-eminent over the well-being of our communities. I certainly appreciate that the Minister of Forests is undertaking a public consultation to hear from British Columbians.

To the Minister of Forests, will he put a moratorium on these unsustainable logging practices until after his public consultation and decision on how to proceed?

[11:10 a.m.]

Hon. D. Donaldson: Well, these are private lands. As I pointed out, these private land owners are subject to provincial statutes, a number of acts, as well as a number of federal acts.

We are concerned about what we’re hearing from communities and what we’re hearing from individuals, as reflected in the member’s question. That’s why we are launching a review of the provincial program, the managed forest land program, which hasn’t been reviewed in over ten years.

Staff from my ministry will be directly meeting with landowners, local governments, First Nations and organizations and community groups that are directly impacted by activities on private managed forest land. That review will allow us to see how the program is doing, whether we need to make any changes. We’re going to do that over the summer. We’ll have a summary report ready for the fall of 2019.

That’s simply part of our commitment to address the problems around forest management and unresolved issues that were left to us by the former government. We’re undertaking the private land review. We’re undertaking the coast forest sector revitalization initiative. We’ve launched the Interior renewal process. We’ve launched legislative changes to make it more transparent and restore public confidence in forest management.

That’s what we’re doing. We’re committed to a vibrant forestry sector, and we’re committed to a forestry sector that supports First Nations, communities and workers.

MASSEY TUNNEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT

J. Johal: The Massey Tunnel is the largest traffic bottleneck in British Columbia. If the Premier and the NDP weren’t interested in punishing voters who didn’t support them, a replacement would be half-built by now. Instead, we have the spectacle of the Premier promising quick action, only to be contradicted by the Transportation Minister.

Commuters want to know: when is this new crossing going to be built?

Hon. J. Horgan: I’ve just been passed a note. It’s an article. We had a reading circle yesterday in estimates. We were reading the Vancouver Sun by question, and this was one that apparently didn’t get picked up. It was from 2016. The headline, of course, is: “B.C. Liberals Redefine ‘On Time, On Budget.’” But the lead is the best part. “Another day, another bogus claim by the B.C. Liberals that a major capital project is on time and on budget.” Again, no lessons from those on that side of the House.

The member asks what we are doing in ridings that didn’t vote for us. Well, that’s an ideal opportunity to talk about the $100 million grant that we gave to communities in the north of British Columbia, represented by the member for Skeena, represented by the member for Nechako Lakes, represented by the member from Valemount, the member from Mackenzie, the member from Quesnel.

We haven’t even gone into hospitals. We’re building a hospital in Richmond. We’re building a hospital in Kamloops, Langley, Terrace, Quesnel, the Cowichan Valley, Fort St. James and Dawson Creek.

The notion that the chief muckraker over there wants to stir up is that we are not working for British Columbians. We’re working for everyone in every corner of this province, putting people first.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

The member for Richmond-Queensborough on a supplemental.

J. Johal: I remind the Premier that commuters in Richmond and Delta are not laughing at all on this issue. They’ve seen five years of consultation down the drain, 13,000 pages of consultation, over 100 meetings with local governments. This project was shovel-ready, and it got cancelled.

Yesterday, when the Premier was challenged about his contradiction, the Premier said: “The Vancouver Sun wants to blow it out of proportion.” Instead of presenting a plan for actually taking quick action, he is blaming the media for reporting what they did.

Once again I ask, on behalf of residents of Richmond and Delta and south of the Fraser: where is the plan for quick action? And they want a timeline for construction.

Hon. J. Horgan: I thought that the member from Richmond would have been celebrating the idea of the regional mayors coming together with a common view and a common purpose to address the congestion in his communities.

I believe the member represents Richmond, I think. The Richmond mayor at the time, when the so-called consultation was going on…. I don’t believe the member was working…. He might have been in the media. I can’t recall.

[11:15 a.m.]

The mayor at the time said: “We have been trying to constructively comment on this proposal from the first day it was announced. We have been disregarded and ignored in the questions that we have asked. I think that it’s absolutely critical to the future of our city that there be a re-examination of this project.”

It’s the important thing to do, and we have to do this in a different way. That’s exactly what we’re doing.

I. Paton: Two years ago hydro lines were being relocated for the new crossing, and 600,000 tonnes of preloaded sand was in place for the Highway 99 widening. Piles were being driven for the bridge supports. All this after five years of consultation and two engineering firms concluding a bridge would be the best option.

Then, in December 2018, the NDP announced the results of the Cowdell study, which would be to study it further. The bridge project could have been half-built by this time now. The people of Delta simply don’t trust this Premier when he promises quick action, because they know his track record. He makes it up as he goes along.

To the Premier, when will the construction start on the tunnel replacement?

Hon. J. Horgan: I had the opportunity to play a little bit of cricket with the new mayor of Delta just last week, in Delta North. We were celebrating a significant grant to the community that would allow more people to participate in the beautiful community of Delta North and Delta, broadly speaking.

The mayor and the new council members were pretty excited about getting to work. I expressed that excitement as well, when the mayors in the region came together and said, with common purpose: “We have a plan. We can work together in the best interests of the people of the region.”

A responsive government, one that the member from Kamloops South said he wished he was in at the time, will listen to the people and make choices that are in the best interest of everybody. That’s what we intend to do. The Minister of Transportation is working diligently. We’re going to get going as quickly as we possibly can.

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

I. Paton: Well, this is very interesting, to bring up how proud he is that the mayors got together — except they’re on different tracks. The mayors got together over coffee and said: “Well, why don’t we put a deep-bored tunnel under the river?” Then the Premier said: “No, I’d rather have a twin tunnel in the river. That would be environmentally sound, I’m thinking, with the salmon and the sturgeon, etc.”

Commuters have been on the side from the beginning with the need to get on with the building of a replacement.

Interjections.

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

I. Paton: But despite years of reviews and consultation, the Premier has done nothing but dither and delay. One day we hear about a deep-bored tunnel under the river. The next day we hear about a twin tunnel in the river. He makes it up as he goes along, and 90,000 vehicles a day sit in gridlock.

Again, it’s a simple question. When will construction begin?

Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate that hyperbole is a fine art. It’s practised on opposition benches around the Commonwealth, so I’m not surprised at this. But I didn’t say anything of the kind. Nothing of the kind.

When the hatchet team in Liberal research starts putting together their memes about how diabolical we are here, listening to people, I hope that they’ll remind them that I was asked a question about the coming together of mayors, and I expressed enthusiasm for that. I didn’t say I wanted to bore deep, lay it on top, build a bridge. I said it’s good news that the people in the region understand that working together will get a better outcome.

WAGES FOR COMMUNITY
SOCIAL SERVICES WORKERS

S. Bond: I can certainly remind the Premier about some people who are not enthusiastic and who this government is not listening to. Since April 1, 17,000 workers in British Columbia have been denied equal pay for equal work. I’ve met with families impacted by the Premier’s discriminatory policies who are deeply concerned about the impact on their children.

They told me: “This creates a significant wage gap for those of us, small family groups, who are working so hard to provide the best for our sons and our daughters. We cannot begin to articulate to you our disappointment and our frustration.”

[11:20 a.m.]

The Premier stands here and brags about listening. It’s time he listened to these families, who are devastated by this discriminatory policy.

Will the Premier stand up today and make a commitment that he will ensure there is equal pay for equal work for these workers and these families?

Hon. S. Simpson: I’m pleased that we’ve been sitting down with the umbrella organizations that represent 2,000 organizations across this province, who work with the government as contracted service providers. We’ve been talking about an array of issues that they have not been able to get satisfaction on for many, many years — maybe 16.

We’re talking here about those issues, about contracts, about procurement, about recruitment and retention, about governance — that array of issues. We’re coming together. We’re moving forward. I’m excited about that, as we have those discussions over the coming months.

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

S. Bond: Well, the minister can be as excited as he wants, but this is about families who are devastated by what is a discriminatory hiring policy that will impact their children. He can be dismissive, and he can give us lists of things. There is one issue that he needs to address. He has failed to do that. Every time he comes into this House, he talks about how he’s talking and he’s talking. It’s time for him to actually act and do something to fix this problem.

Here’s what those families had to say: “This funding discrepancy shows there is no level playing field for people with disabilities when it comes to how our provincial government views us. Their funding model is hardly inclusive.” That is a pretty strong message to this minister and this Premier.

Today will the Premier stand up in this House and apologize for this discriminatory salary issue and stand up for families in this province who are speaking to him today, to say it’s time to end the discrimination?

Hon. S. Simpson: What we know, when we talk about families and workers, is what we’re not doing. We’re not tearing up the contracts for thousands of workers in this province. We’re not hurting the lowest-paid workers in this province, which that government and that member, as a minister, hurt every day when they were government. They were shameful. What we’re not doing is turning our back on people who are vulnerable, people who got no rate increases on social assistance for a decade.

Time and time again — this member as a minister, as part of executive council, all of them — you hurt people. Shameful. That’s what you did. That’s what you did. That’s why.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. S. Simpson: That’s what you did. Thankfully…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. S. Simpson: …for the people of this province, they have a government that cares, that doesn’t turn their back on them like what happened for 16 years. Shameful. Shameful.

[End of question period.]

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order, please.

[11:25 a.m.]

Motions Without Notice

APPOINTMENT OF
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO APPOINT A
CLERK OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move:

[That a Special Committee be appointed to unanimously select and recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an individual to exercise the powers and duties assigned to the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia pursuant to statutory provisions and the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly.

The said Special Committee shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition is empowered to:

(a) appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

(b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;

(c) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

(d) retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee;

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

The said Special Committee is to be composed of Garry Begg (Convener), Mitzi Dean, Michael de Jong, Mary Polak, and Dr. Andrew Weaver.]

Leave granted.

Motion approved.

REFERRAL OF WORKERS
COMPENSATION ACT REVISION TO
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM COMMITTEE

Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move:

[That the revision of the Workers Compensation Act [RSBC 1996] Chapter 492, be presented to the Select Standing Committee on Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills for examination and recommendation pursuant to the Statute Revision Act [RSBC 1996] Chapter 440.

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Committee is empowered to:

(a) appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

(b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;

(c) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

(d) retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee;

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Acting Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.]

Leave granted.

Motion approved.

Reports from Committees

CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE

N. Simons: I have the honour to present the second report by the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth for this session. The report summarizes the committee’s activities. I move the report be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

N. Simons: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

N. Simons: I move that the report be adopted, and in so doing, I’ll make a few brief comments. As reflected in this annual report, the committee has been very active in the past year. Since 2006, the committee’s purpose has been to serve as a public forum for reviewing the reports of the Representative for Children and Youth.

This year we had the pleasure of welcoming the new Representative for Children and Youth, Jennifer Charlesworth, and saying a fond farewell to the outgoing representative, Monsieur Bernard Richard, who has returned to New Brunswick. We also had the opportunity to review a number of reports, including Promoting Access to Breastfeeding in Child Welfare Matters, Time to Listen: Youth Voices on Substance Use and Alone and Afraid: Lessons Learned from the Ordeal of a Child with Special Needs and His Family.

I’d really like to thank all members of the committee, especially my colleague the member for Parksville-Qualicum, the Deputy Chair, for doing the work that needs to be done in this committee. It’s fundamentally important to this House and to the province of B.C.

I’d like to thank the Clerk of Committees and the Clerk’s office. I’d like to thank all of those who support the work that we do.

We’ve undertaken a new project on neurodiverse special needs children in this province, seeking to find ways of improving the system. Our public consultation period is underway, and I thank the members for sacrificing much of their free time to travel with the committee.

With that, I think that’s it.

M. Stilwell: I, too, would like to acknowledge all the committee members who have come together, including the Chair, the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast, for their collaborative spirit and their contributions and for coming together with the committee, particularly with respect to our special project on neurodiverse special needs and youth that is currently underway.

[11:30 a.m.]

I know I also speak for all committee members in extending our appreciation to the new representative, Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, in coming into that position with her passion and her new perspectives on how we can continue to improve the system. We’ve had several occasions to meet with her over the last year. I think we all agree that we look forward to continuing those discussions with her office, as well as the Ministry of Children and Family Development, to find those opportunities, to find solutions so that we ensure that children and youth in our province are well supported.

Mr. Speaker: The question is the adoption of the report.

Motion approved.