Fifth Session, 41st Parliament (2020)
OFFICIAL REPORT
OF DEBATES
(HANSARD)
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Morning Sitting
Issue No. 305
ISSN 1499-2175
The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.
The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.
CONTENTS
| Routine Business | |
| Orders of the Day | |
Throne Speech Debate (continued) | |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020
The House met at 10:05 a.m.
[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]
Routine Business
Prayers and reflections: S. Malcolmson.
Introductions by Members
Hon. A. Dix: It’s a great honour today to introduce representatives of the Resident Doctors of B.C. Members on all sides of the House participated in a meeting this morning with the resident doctors. Their role continues to grow in public health care. They do an extraordinary job every day, and we are so appreciative of their contribution. All of these people that I’m introducing have “Dr.” in front of their name. I’m not going to keep repeating “doctor” though. There are quite a few here.
Dr. Alanna Fleet is the president of the Resident Doctors of B.C. this year. It’s great to have her here. And Sean Addison; Casey Chan; Hua Deng; Maryam Eslami; Geoffrey Frost; Kira Gossack-Keenan; Harry Gray — it’s Mr. Harry Gray, the executive director; Dr. Mary Jeffers; Patricia Jiang; Naima Kotadia; Barbara Lelj Garolla Di Bard; Joseph Leung; Daphne Lu; Brandi MacLean; William Mak; Patrick McDonald; Nicholas Monfries; and Gurmeet Sohi. I wish that the House will give them welcome. Hopefully, many MLAs will have an opportunity to meet with them today.
I want to introduce the folks from Genome B.C., who do so much to make B.C. a worldwide leader in research and innovation. I know they met with members of the opposition this morning. They’re meeting with members on the government side and the Green caucus, I think, this afternoon. I wanted to introduce Pascal Spothelfer, Sally Greenwood and Quinn Newcomb from Genome B.C. and wish them welcome and congratulate them for all their success and work.
N. Letnick: I would like to join with the Minister of Health in welcoming all the resident doctors of B.C. who are represented here, as well as the members from Genome B.C. I have, actually, a longer list on the Genome side. So I’ll just acquiesce to the minister for reading the list of the residents and say thank you to all the residents. It was a great opportunity to meet with you this morning.
We had great conversations. We understand that you should be consulted before we build new hospitals. We got the message. We understand that you need to be paid more. We got that message too. We also understand that…. You know, there’s a lot of support for students and a lot of support for doctors after they finish their residency, but resident doctors need to have safe environments in which to work — and a whole bunch of other priorities that you have. Congratulations on your three-year contract.
Of course, the Minister of Health hopes that he’s there for the next contract negotiations, and I hope that my side of the House is there for the next contract negotiations. Having said that, welcome and thank you.
Regarding Genome B.C., I’d also like to introduce — again, we have a lot of doctors, but I’ll use the term — president and CEO Dr. Pascal Spothelfer, Dr. Tony Brooks, Ms. Sally Greenwood, Mr. Quinn Newcomb, Dr. Ellie Griffith, Dr. Lisey Mascarenhas, Ms. Jenny Boon. We also have researchers that presented this morning to us: Dr. Patricia Birch, Dr. Lenore Newman, Ms. Jenny Morgan. We had a great conversation on First Nations and how we can improve our communications with them to get them more involved in the work of Genome. Dr. Paul Keown, Dr. Linda Hogg, Mr. John Munro, Ms. Gabriella Groeneweg and, last but not least, Dr. Roger Beckie.
One more thing, if I may. The work of Genome B.C., the work of pure research, is so important in our province. We saw this morning how that pure research got applied and what we’re dealing with in the coronavirus outbreak — we have four right now — and the work that they are doing to map the genome of those people so that we can trace where they come from and, hopefully, try to be on top of this outbreak before it gets to spread throughout other places in British Columbia and Canada and the world.
We are doing a good job, I believe, supporting pure research. I’d like to continue to encourage the government to do that. Please make both these groups very welcome.
Hon. H. Bains: In the House today are members of my team, very, very important members: Julianne McCaffrey, Melody Wey, Colin Hynes, Rishma Thomas and Nicole Beneteau. These are incredible people that help me do my job, provide me with issue notes and always keep me updated on the emerging issues. I want to thank them for their dedication, their hard work and their commitment. Then I will ask the House to please give them a warm, warm welcome. I say thank you very much.
Hon. C. Trevena: It’s with some regret, actually, that I stand up today to let the House know that my executive assistant, who was formerly my constituency assistant, Lynne Stone, who has been working with me for 15 years now, has taken the big jump and retires tomorrow.
She has been an amazing colleague to work with. Her strength of purpose, her commitment to the people of the constituency and now, as my executive assistant, to the people of the province has been unflinching. Through good times and bad, she’s worked immensely hard to deliver a service for constituents and now for constituents around the province as my executive assistant.
She thought long and hard about it but finally said that she’s got to do it sometime, and now is the time to do it. Lynne also watches question period nearly every time. I’m assuming she’s watching question period this time.
I would like to thank her for her absolute dedication, both professionally and personally. She acted as my campaign manager twice, took on challenges she thought she couldn’t deal with and came through soaring. I’m sure she’s going to take on the challenge of retirement very well.
I’d like the House to thank her for her dedication.
It’s been a bad week for staff for me. Somebody who has worked with me for 2½ years, since we formed government, Aileen Machell, has left the government side. She has gone to a great challenge in the public service. I wanted also to recognize the work that she has done working with issues for myself and other colleagues, and then as my senior ministerial assistant for the last number of months. She’s been an amazing, hard-working, bright, smart, quick-thinking person who has just been such an integral part of our team.
We will miss her. I think the government side will miss her for her really excellent ability for quick thinking. I know she is taking on an immense new challenge, and she will shine at that. I would like the House all to acknowledge the work that Aileen has put in for the last 2½ years.
Hon. K. Chen: I’m really happy to welcome my husband, Sky, and my six-year-old son, Yoann, who are joining us for question period today, especially Yoann. Not that my husband is not that important, but Yoann is here for the first time for question period. I’m sure he’ll try his best to behave, just like we all do here in this chamber. Thanks to my husband, Sky.
They travelled with me quite a bit during the first two years after I started this job. But because Yoann started kindergarten, they haven’t been able to come here as often. They’re here this week for a few days because Yoann just celebrated his six-year-old birthday last night. I really want to thank my colleague from Burnaby North and her family for joining us for dinner last night.
I also want to recognize the Minister of State for Trade, who gave Yoann a red envelope — it’s a tradition in Chinese culture — with a $10 bill and a note that says “$10-a-day child care.” I thank the members for supporting my child care needs and my efforts.
I would like the House to make them feel very welcome.
R. Kahlon: I just looked up, and I noticed a good friend of mine, Ryan Painter, who’s a Saanich school trustee. He is here visiting today. So please, the House, make him feel welcome.
Hon. K. Conroy: I think it’s “take your kids to work day,” although my son is almost 20 years older than the Minister of State for Child Care’s son. It’s really great to have my son here. He has finally moved back to B.C., been here for almost a year now. It’s great that he’s here. I’m hoping that soon he’ll produce No. 10 grandchild for me. That would be great. A little selfish on my part, but I’m hoping that he’s working on that. He hasn’t had any yet. It wouldn’t be his No.10.
I wanted to let the minister of state know that Ben was six when he started roaming these hallways when his dad was the MLA, and now he’s back here at 35. It’s great to have him here. Please join me in welcoming him.
Hon. M. Mark: I’m very pleased to introduce guests from my ministry, the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. I’d like to warmly welcome new staff. It’s part of the initiation to come and experience question period when you join the team. I’m kidding. They voluntarily asked to sign up.
They’re working with the workforce innovation and skills training division. They do amazingly detailed work with the labour market outlook and recently launched the Good Jobs Guide. British Columbians throughout the province are benefiting from their dedication and expertise.
Would the House please join me in welcoming Luke Butler, Laura Mason, Samantha Gysbers, Ling Li, Aaron Hennecker, Seth Champion, Rae Linklater and Bianca Gautreau.
A. Weaver: Today in the Legislature, a visitor will arrive very shortly. It’s a very well-known visitor if you’ve been following academic circles in British Columbia. His name is Rory Hills. Rory is the 2020 Rhodes Scholar from British Columbia, a former student of the University of Victoria, a biochemistry degree, did remarkable work with a pilot project to test for fentanyl content in street drugs. He’s off to Oxford to do PhD studies.
If you see him in the hall, give him congratulations. He’s a wonderful person and a fantastic constituent. Would the House please make him feel very welcome when he arrives shortly.
G. Kyllo: Today is a very important day for my wife, Georgina. It’s her 50th birthday. She also shares a birthday with the member for Kamloops–North Thompson, who also turns 50 today. Would the House please make my wife, Georgina, and Mr. Milobar feel very happy — a happy birthday.
Hon. R. Fleming: I just wanted to join my colleague from Delta North to also welcome to the precinct — to the gallery, indeed — Ryan Painter, who’s a school district 61 greater Victoria trustee and a very effective, outspoken advocate for adolescent mental health supports and services. It’s great to see him here today. Would the House please make him very welcome.
Introduction and
First Reading of Bills
BILL 2 — MOTOR VEHICLE
AMENDMENT ACT,
2020
Hon. C. Trevena presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2020.
Hon. C. Trevena: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.
I’m pleased to introduce Bill 2, the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act. This bill proposes amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act to support road safety and better-trained drivers. It enables government to require standardized training as a prelicensing requirement for various classes of driver licences.
The bill also includes minor and housekeeping amendments to update authorities and clarify rules to create alignment with RoadSafetyBC and ICBC operations and ICBC licensing processes.
Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.
Motion approved.
Hon. C. Trevena: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Bill 2, Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2020, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Statements
(Standing Order 25B)
PHOTOGRAPHY OF PAUL NICKLEN
M. Stilwell: A photograph is powerful. It not only preserves a moment, but it creates a connection, elicits emotion, educates, informs and gives us new perspective. It can inspire change and motivate people into action.
Paul Nicklen, an award-winning nature photographer from Nanoose Bay, is a master at telling stories with photographs. It’s through his lens that people get the chance to see beautiful, inhospitable environments and the wildlife, like polar bears and penguins, that depend on these places.
He is using his passion to show people a side of the world they wouldn’t otherwise see while also bringing awareness to the importance of ecosystems and the impact of global issues like climate change. It’s this combination of photography and environmental awareness that has earned him one of the country’s highest honours, the Order of Canada.
Paul grew up on Baffin Island in Nunavut, where there was no television, radio or phone, and the community was no larger than 200 people. Paul and his brother Aaron read Ranger Rick magazines and played outside with the Inuit children, learning their culture and respect for the animals and the environment of the north. Paul got his bachelor of science in marine biology from the University of Victoria and worked for the government of Yellowknife before pursuing his interest in photography.
He is a contributor to National Geographic Magazine and has been recognized with more than 30 awards, including a lifetime achievement award from UVic. He was also recently inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame. Adding to his accomplishments, Paul is an author, a TED Talks speaker and the co-founder of SeaLegacy, an organization bringing attention to issues impacting oceans.
Please join me in giving Paul Nicklen a round of applause for his work and his recent appointment to the Order of Canada. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this extraordinary person and difference-maker.
TONY SINGH AND FRUITICANA
J. Sims: Every one of us knows that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. Many of these are the result of the entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants who chose to make Canada their home. Today let me share with you one of these stories.
At the age of ten, Tony Singh and his family moved from Fiji and came to make Canada their home. In 1992, a trip from Montreal to Surrey to visit family would alter his path and change his life forever. At that time, he was training to be a commercial pilot, but his visit to Surrey changed his life direction. He became an entrepreneur extraordinaire and a respected philanthropist.
In ’94, Tony moved his family, his children and his two employees to Surrey and opened his first Fruiticana, an iconic South Asian grocery store — one that I visited many times when I lived in Nanaimo. It was the go-to place to pick up the exotic spices and vegetables and fruits you could not find in your mainstream grocery stores. Folks from all ethnic backgrounds today go to Fruiticana for their tastes and produce that connect them with the Indian subcontinent, from fresh jamuns to spices. Twenty-five years later there are 18 locations throughout B.C. and Alberta that employ hundreds of local residents.
Throughout the years, Tony has been recognized locally and internationally as a successful business person and has received many awards recognizing his contributions, both to business and his community. Tony takes very seriously his responsibility to give back to the city, to the province and to the country that has given him so much.
He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable efforts. He helps food banks, schools and other programs that support children and youth. He is an ardent supporter of the Surrey Memorial and B.C. Children’s hospitals and runs fundraisers throughout his stores every year. There are many stories of such entrepreneurs in all our communities.
Before I end, I want to share a special story with you. When Tony came to Canada with his family at the age of ten, a stranger, a neighbour, invited them to their house on the very next day. This showed him what it meant to be Canadian, he says. Because of that gesture, Tony has ensured that over 500 Syrian refugees received free grocery baskets to welcome them and help them adjust to their new life in Canada.
Tony and his team play an integral role in building inclusive communities. Thanks to a chance visit to Surrey many years ago, Tony Singh’s path changed forever. Our community has benefited greatly thanks to his vision, his commitment and his generous nature. What was the flight industry’s loss is our gain.
Please join me in congratulating my friend Tony Singh and the Fruiticana team on their 25th anniversary. I can tell you that I cannot wait for the jamun season or those special mangoes that he imports from India.
AVALON RECOVERY SOCIETY
SERVICES FOR
WOMEN
J. Thornthwaite: I’m proud to rise today to draw awareness to an important organization on the North Shore and across the Lower Mainland called the Avalon Recovery Society. The society provides free, life-changing services to women and is dedicated to supporting women recovering from addictions and their families.
Addiction does not play favourites, no matter your socioeconomic background or family dynamic. You can come from an intact family, a supportive family or even a disadvantaged one and still fall prey to addiction. No one is exempt.
Women face unique barriers to recover from addiction, including facing increased shame and social stigma. Studies have demonstrated that gender-specific treatment and recovery support can be key for women overcoming addiction.
Addiction takes a terrible toll on people’s lives. It affects not only their health, their relationships, their jobs; sometimes, tragically, it can lead to death. Organizations that offer wraparound support to clients and their families are critical to success. The Avalon Recovery Society offers 12-step support groups, free childminding, drop-in hours, a clothing closet, a resource library, empowering workshops and endless tea, coffee and support.
Both the member for West Vancouver–Capilano and myself have toured the facility and found it very welcoming. It made us feel like we were walking into a comfy house. One woman told her story: “Avalon has connected me to amazing women who share my struggle and have taught me how to live a better life. By coming to Avalon, I gained strength, hope and connection.”
I am grateful to the Avalon Recovery Society for helping women to end the cycle of addiction.
VISION LOSS AWARENESS
AND WHITE CANE
WEEK
S. Malcolmson: One-quarter of a million B.C. people live with vision loss. In White Cane Week, the Canadian Council of the Blind raises awareness of the talent and innovation of people who are blind and partially sighted. Since 1946, White Cane Week has used as its emblem the tool that blind and visually impaired people use to feel for obstacles.
Check out how this tool is changing. Nanaimo’s Richard Harlow says it’s like the shift from manual wheelchairs to motorized. “My WeWALK smart white cane has AI and navigation tools built into it.” The handle has sensors that let you know if you’re coming up to objects up to three metres away through vibrations in the handle. This includes things at shoulder and head height. It has a gyroscope and integration with Google so the user can have their hands free, as Google AI will let you know through a speaker where they are and where they need to go.
How does this help? Richard told me: “White canes only protect you from objects at ground level. This means things sticking out at head or shoulder level are missed, so we walk into them. I got a neck injury from walking into branches on the sidewalk. I couldn’t tell they were there till I hit them. We can also only react to objects that we tap with our cane. I suffered injuries again because my cane went through the holes of a chain-link fence, causing me to slip and fall down two flights of stairs on cement in the snow.” You can see Harlow demo this on my Facebook page.
I’m grateful to learn how we can improve accessibility and inclusion for all people of all abilities, and I’m encouraged by the strong support our government has heard for legislating to remove and prevent barriers that impede the full participation of people with disabilities.
Thank you, Richard, and thank you to the Canadian Council of the Blind for teaching us about the effects of vision loss, how we can work together to create supportive, inclusive communities and the inspiring people pushing the envelope on new tools.
HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN RURAL B.C.
AND CONDITIONS AT
CHETWYND HOSPITAL
M. Bernier: Our doctors and nurses, especially in rural British Columbia, need to go above and beyond the call of duty when fulfilling those duties to help us receive the services we need. I know that the Leader of the Official Opposition understands all too well, as a former doctor practising in rural B.C., the situations and the challenges that we face. Whether it is a catastrophic event, a sick child, an unknown illness that needs to be diagnosed or possibly an injury that unfortunately happened at a workplace, we all rely on those services and expect and hope that they’re there when we need them.
Unfortunately, in my riding right now, in Chetwynd, Chetwynd hospital is continually having to be put on what’s called diversion mode. For those that don’t understand, it’s a situation that maybe a lot can’t appreciate. It’s when somebody needs the services I just mentioned and tries to go to the hospital and can’t get in because of staff shortages, and they are told to drive an hour or an hour and a half away to the next nearest doctor or hospital in sometimes life-saving emergency situations. At this time of year, it can be a time when it’s unsafe to travel on the roads.
We need to understand the hardship and the stress that this puts on people in our region. I want to thank the doctors and the nurses in the Chetwynd hospital who are working extraordinarily long hours right now to try to offer the services that the people in Chetwynd need.
The people in Chetwynd asked me to stand in the House and remind everybody how great the north is, how great rural B.C. is, what the opportunities are for families. For the Minister of Children and Family Development, the north is great for raising and starting grandchildren. That can be an opportunity there. And for the people who are guests in the House today — obviously, the opportunities for jobs as doctors and nurses.
I think it’s important that we all remember the stresses and thank the people in Chetwynd who right now are experiencing great hardship and stress not being able to get the basic medical services that they require. It is our hope that those vacancies and jobs will be filled very, very soon.
VALENTINE’S DAY
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
LOVE
S. Chandra Herbert: I was out visiting constituents at a coffee shop on Denman Street the other day, and I said to them: “I’m coming back to the Legislature. What do you want me to talk about? What do you want me to raise on your behalf?” They said: “Well, we know you’ll talk about renters’ rights. We know you’ll talk about homelessness, mental health, climate change, child care, education.”
They went through the long list, and they said: “No, no, no. We know you’ll talk about that stuff. Let’s….” They kind of laughed together, and I wondered what they would challenge me to talk about. They said: “We want you to talk about love.” I said: “Love?” Some of them laughed, and I said: “I don’t know.” They said: “Because you always focus on challenges, we sometimes forget to celebrate the great things.” So I will.
On Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I will celebrate my husband, Romi. He proposed to me on Valentine’s Day over 12 years ago. I’ll celebrate my son, Dev. It’s his birthday tomorrow. He turns three years old. I’ll celebrate my mother today. It’s her birthday.
Happy birthday, Mom.
I’ll celebrate my father, an incredible person I look up to all the time. I’ll celebrate my father- and mother-in-law, my extended family. I’ll celebrate my community that I love so much, the West End. I’ll celebrate the love that I have of waking up every morning, knowing I can stand up for them to try to build a better community and a better province.
I turned it on them, and I said: “Well, let’s go around the coffee shop. Let’s ask them what they love about our community.” They loved the trees. They loved the beach, Stanley Park. They loved the ecology society, the seniors network. They loved St. Paul’s advocacy for helping people. They loved Gordon Neighbourhood House for bringing families and seniors and people together.
They loved the residents association. There was a guy from Coal Harbour who said: “I found my community through my residents association.” They loved their neighbours. They said: “Well, we could tell you the things we don’t love, but we want you to talk about the things you do love. You can fix those things that we don’t love later.”
Anyways, Happy Valentine’s Day to all the members here. Happy Valentine’s Day to my constituency in Vancouver–West End, Coal Harbour. I love you. Thanks for giving the love back.
Oral Questions
RESPONSE TO PROTESTS SUPPORTING
WET’SUWET’EN HEREDITARY
CHIEFS
A. Wilkinson: Yesterday we saw the Granville Street bridge blocked for a few hours. Thousands of people were marooned downtown, including my own family members, stuck in buildings that they couldn’t exit even through the fire exits.
Today we hear that the Attorney General’s office has been occupied on Broadway in Vancouver. We also understand that there’s a complete blockage at UBC, where the occupying group has issued a statement that says: “Universities have long served as engines of genocide…producing Eurocentric knowledge and a colonial elite intent on eliminating Indigenous people altogether.” These are the people we’re dealing with who are obstructing our society.
The question obviously arises. The Premier has announced that he is sending the Minister of Indigenous Relations up to Smithers or Houston to deal with this. He’s still sitting here in the room, so we wonder what’s actually happening today. It appears to be nothing whatsoever is being done.
In the meantime, our infrastructure is being slowly gridlocked and shut down. We’ve also heard that the Premier of Manitoba has taken the initiative to apply for an injunction to clear the rail tracks to let commerce continue in Manitoba.
In the face of all this and the stated need to maintain the rule of law, we have an entirely passive approach from the Premier in the face of implacable protesters who are intent on shutting down constituency services, shutting down the university, shutting down our transportation arteries.
Will the Premier rise in this House and tell us what he’s going to do that is anything more than passive?
Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate the Leader of the Opposition wants to highlight the conflict in constituencies. He wants to highlight the conflict across the country. I think that’s what separates me from him. As much as I want to try to address these issues in a thoughtful and compassionate way — not to just be hyperbolic, not to just say that it’s all someone’s fault…. These issues have been emerging over 150 years, and I’m confident the member understands that they won’t be resolved with more force.
I believe the vast majority of British Columbians and Canadians agree with me and with him that this is inappropriate behaviour, but we can’t just say that that inappropriate behaviour should be dealt with by force. It needs to be dealt with by cooperation, by consultation, by discussion so that we can all move forward together. I thought we’d agreed on that with respect to Indigenous rights just last fall.
Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a supplemental.
A. Wilkinson: Well, with that evasive and conciliatory answer, the Premier neglects the fact that it was him who said a scant two weeks ago that we must maintain the rule of law in this society. That’s what the courts are for, Premier. That’s why Premier Pallister in Manitoba has gone through the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench to get the appropriate injunction.
It is incumbent on this government to use the courts where appropriate — like infrastructure being blocked, like universities being shut down, like constituency offices being blockaded and occupied. That is the role of the courts. It’s not a matter of some police state where the dictator calls in the police to crack heads. This is a matter of using the vehicles of the courts to maintain the rule of law.
Why won’t this Premier obtain injunctions to clear these protests like the Premier of Manitoba?
Hon. J. Horgan: As a learned lawyer, he would know that you don’t need injunctions when unlawful activity is taking place.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: Law enforcement has appropriate skills and abilities to address these issues. I am dumbfounded that the back bench of the B.C. Liberal Party assumes that law enforcement is not doing their job. Of course they are. What they need is the support of this place, not criticism.
S. Bond: What British Columbians need is a Premier who is going to stand up on behalf of all British Columbians, take some action and actually do something.
As the Premier sits here in the Legislature today, British Columbians are watching as ports, bridges and other critical infrastructure are blocked. As we speak, a rail blockade in northern B.C. is stopping companies from shipping their goods, whether it’s lumber, whether it’s grain and other commodities. To quote the president of CN Rail: “The Port of Prince Rupert is effectively already shut down.” What do we hear from this Premier? Nothing. There are 6,000 jobs at risk.
When will this Premier get up, do his job and seek an injunction to remove the rail blockade?
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for her passion. This is an issue that’s being addressed by CN. It’s also being addressed by the Prime Minister and myself. Both of us have written to the hereditary leadership in the Gitxsan territory and agreed that we would be happy to meet with them, send government representatives, at the earliest opportunity. That’s action. It’s CN’s responsibility to clear unlawful behaviour on their right-of-way, and they’re undertaking that.
Again, another former Attorney General — two in a row, back to back, Liberal Attorneys General — getting up and saying, “Do something,” when they know darn well that we are doing everything that we can to support law enforcement and the right way forward.
When the people of British Columbia look at the behaviour on that side of the House, they shake their heads and say: “Thank goodness the erratic people on that side are not trying to move forward in a situation that was not created yesterday, was not created two years ago, was created 150 years ago.”
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: I thought we had agreed unanimously that we were going to work on these issues together. Apparently, that doesn’t matter to the people on that side of the House.
Mr. Speaker: The member for Prince George–Valemount on a supplemental.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Interjection.
Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, you’re out of order.
S. Bond: The Premier can stand in this House and try passing the buck all he wants, but let’s be clear. The responsibility for upholding the rule of law rests on his shoulders as the Premier of British Columbia, and to suggest he has done everything he can is simply false. Apparently, the Premier of Manitoba has figured out that there’s a tool he can use. Why isn’t our Premier standing up and following that example?
Job creators have grave concerns. The Premier knows that. Recently they said they cannot continue to afford this government’s lack of involvement. In fact, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce appealed on Thursday to all levels of government, including this one, that law enforcement needs to restore rail service by removing the blockades.
Industry leaders are concerned. The Premier knows that. British Columbians expect action. The Premier knows that.
Will the Premier stand up today and follow the example of the Premier of Manitoba and seek an injunction to end the rail blockade?
Hon. J. Horgan: Again, perhaps the news service isn’t making its way to the basement of the B.C. Liberal caucus. CN has sought an injunction that will be enforced by law. It will be enforced by law enforcement as they are able to do so. Those operational decisions — as, again, she should well know as a former Solicitor General and Attorney General — will be done on their terms, not on terms in this Legislature.
I will add that to cast aspersions at the Minister of Reconciliation for sitting here in this House and doing his job is absolutely outrageous. You know full well he was in Wet’suwet’en territory. He has criss-crossed this province building relations with Indigenous people so we can move together in prosperity for all British Columbians, not just the rich friends that back your party.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
COASTAL GASLINK PIPELINE PROJECT
AND GOVERNMENT
RELATIONSHIP
WITH WET’SUWET’EN NATION
S. Furstenau: Over the last several weeks, this government has spoken at great length about the work that it has done with the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs. Our concern is that this engagement has been secondary to ensuring that LNG Canada and its associated projects can proceed.
Late last month it was reported that a key environmental assessment report that is necessary for construction to proceed in the Morice River Technical Boundary Area, the same area that includes the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre, still needed to be submitted and approved. The ministry was quoted in the media as stating: “This process is part of our work to ensure that industry — in this case, Coastal GasLink — is meeting the requirements of their environmental approval. Environmental assessment office requirements will need to be met for CGL to proceed with construction.”
My question is for the Minister of Environment. What steps did this government take to work with the federal government and with CGL to hold off seeking an extension of their injunction in order to allow more engagement with Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, particularly since the missing report meant that no construction could take part in the Morice River area anyway?
Hon. G. Heyman: Thank you to the member for the question. As the member knows, the environmental assessment certificate for Coastal GasLink contains 33 legally binding conditions. It was issued in 2014. The first condition — the member is correct — addresses the Morice River Technical Boundary Area, which includes the wilderness lodge and the healing centre.
In November 2019, CGL submitted the required report to the environmental assessment office, and the environmental assessment office is currently reviewing the report submitted by the company. As part of that review, it is consulting and seeking feedback extensively from all parties, including both the hereditary and the elected leadership of the Wet’suwet’en. Since the environmental assessment certificate was granted, the EAO has met directly with the Office of the Wet’suwet’en a number of times to hear the specific concerns that they raised.
To the details of the member’s question, under the terms of the environmental assessment certificate and British Columbia law, the company, CGL, cannot undertake construction activity in the Morice River Technical Boundary Area until the report has been accepted and that condition is deemed to have been met. They can, however, undertake construction in other areas covered by other terms and conditions, and they can, as has been affirmed by the courts, have access to those areas through that area. That is where the matter currently stands.
Mr. Speaker: The House Leader, Third Party, on a supplemental.
S. Furstenau: As my colleague from Saanich North and the Islands made clear yesterday, the issue that the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs have raised is not new. The immediate issues concerning the Coastal GasLink pipeline have been known for years. The broader territorial rights and title issue has been known for decades.
Even with the injunction, we have had a long lead-up to what is before us. An interim injunction was first granted on December 14, 2018, and it was on December 31, 2019, that the B.C. Supreme Court granted an extension of the injunction to completion. Yet it was only at the beginning of this month that the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation sat down at the respect table to seek peaceful resolution.
My question for the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Given that almost everyone involved in the respect table discussions has described it as a positive step and constructive in the reconciliation process, why did it take the threat of a pending injunction enforcement for a respect table discussion to be struck, especially given how long government has been aware of the outstanding issues related to this pipeline?
Hon. S. Fraser: I thank the House Leader for the Third Party for her question. As the member notes, the situation is very complex, and it’s very long-standing. As a matter of fact, it long predates our government. We’ve been engaging in meaningful government-to-government negotiations with the Office of the Wet’suwet’en since last spring.
I was grateful to have been invited to a smoke feast in the territory by the Chiefs as a first formal step in that process.
As the member also knows, there had been access agreements in place between the company, the RCMP and the Hereditary Chiefs since last January. But with the B.C. Supreme Court ruling on the injunction, the agreement ended.
Since then, our government made a committed effort to work with the OW, the Office of the Wet’suwet’en, the Hereditary Chiefs, to find a peaceful resolution, including the talks at the respect table. Wiggus is the term that was explained by the Hereditary Chiefs when we were there. It was clear from the discussions that all of us came together in good faith. That good faith continues, and we remain committed to continuing to build that relationship together.
RESPONSE TO PROTESTS SUPPORTING
WET’SUWET’EN HEREDITARY
CHIEFS
J. Johal: What we have witnessed over the last few days is not some spontaneous uprising but a well-funded and coordinated national strategy to shut down vital infrastructure and inconvenience the public.
Presently protesters are blockading a road at UBC, and initial reports also show that protesters have entered the Attorney General’s constituency office. My understanding is that his constituency assistant needed a police escort to remove sensitive documents from his office. The Attorney General has lost control of his community office to radical activists.
These same activists also disrupted goods and services and people at the Swartz Bay terminal on January 20; Deltaport and Port of Vancouver, February 8 and 9; Vancouver city hall, February 9; Johnson Street Bridge and Bay Street Bridge, February 10; Helijet Victoria terminal, February 11; Vancouver at Cambie intersection, February 11; and Granville Street bridge, yesterday. Tomorrow we have a planned shutdown of government offices. It doesn’t end there.
I have a letter here from Ken Veldman. He’s the vice-president at the Prince Rupert port. That port has been severely impacted by these very actions as well. I want to read a quote from his letter. He says:
“Operations are being wound down at the Port of Prince Rupert, with terminals receiving no rail and working with current cargo on hand and capacities available. Terminal operations are being severely curtailed. Labour is not being called in, and the situation is expected to deteriorate even more in the next couple of days and will likely cascade into B.C. and Canadian exporters, curtailing operations in multiple industries, including mills and mines. Moreover, full recovery of the terminals, gateway and railway network from this disruption will take months even after service is resumed.”
Mr. Speaker, to this Premier I would say that his job is not a passive role. It’s not passive at all. Preserving the rule of law is his responsibility.
Will the Premier stand up for the hard-working men and women of B.C. and bring back the rule of law?
Hon. J. Horgan: I guess the word of the day for the Liberals on their word-of-the-day calendar was “passive,” because I’ve heard it a few times.
I just want to say to all members of this House, and all British Columbians, that I don’t believe there’s a person in this room who doesn’t believe that unlawful behaviour requires consequences. I think everyone also understands that law enforcement in the face of illegal behaviour has every tool at their disposal to take action.
With respect to the Port of Prince Rupert, a federal port, I have been in contact with the Deputy Prime Minister last evening. I’ll be speaking with the Prime Minister at the end of question period today. Together, we have reached out to the Gitxsan leadership and urged them to leave the tracks. The CN Rail Co. has sought an injunction, as they rightly should.
Again, I believe every step is being taken to preserve lawful behaviour in British Columbia. It does not in any way assist the people of British Columbia to have an opposition that prefers to give an inventory of illegal behaviour and say: “What’s the deal with that?” If they just woke up yesterday….
Sometimes when I think of things like ICBC, when I think of how they drove that corporation into the ground…. And then they go: “Hey, it wasn’t us. We just showed up two years ago. We just arrived two years ago. These issues have been percolating for generations.”
I think it’s appropriate for reasonable leaders…
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: …to band together to say with one voice: “Illegal behaviour is unacceptable.” Let law enforcement do its job. Let the courts do what they’re supposed to do, and we’ll move on from there. But it does not help when a pathetic opposition tries to find a way to sow discontent rather than to find the harmony that, again, I thought we had not that many months ago.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, if we could get back to question period.
J. Johal: I’m going to read a quote from a politician not making excuses. Here’s Brian Pallister, and this is what he had to say: “As much as we will always respect the right of protestors to have a voice, they don’t have a veto and…they don’t have the right to put their rights ahead of everyone else and to disregard the laws of our province.”
Blocking critical infrastructure cannot be tolerated. Can the Premier please get off his duff and do something?
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: Again, I want to thank the member, the future Leader of the Official Opposition, for his question. I’m confident that that latest intervention will get him up to the top of the news on Global, where he never seemed to be when he worked there. But that’s okay. I appreciate….
Interjections.
Hon. J. Horgan: I had a lot to say.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. J. Horgan: I am doing my job, Member.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Order, please.
[Mr. Speaker rose.]
Mr. Speaker: Member, order.
[Mr. Speaker resumed his seat.]
Mr. Speaker: Premier.
Hon. J. Horgan: Again, I’ve answered the question. We’re working with law enforcement. We’re working with the federal government on these issues. More importantly, we’re working with people across British Columbia to try and find a way forward. No one accepts unlawful behaviour. I was pretty clear on that yesterday. I’ll be clear on that every single day that I’m in this position. It’s not acceptable to intrude on the liberty and rights of other people when you’re expressing your discontent with a policy question.
That is a pretty fundamental part about being Canadian citizens. I know the members on that side agree with me. They should put the politics aside.
Why don’t we band together for a better outcome for all British Columbians?
STRATA INSURANCE COST INCREASES
T. Stone: Under the Housing Minister’s watch, British Columbia’s strata market is in crisis. There have been massive spikes in insurance premiums and deductibles. This is hurting British Columbians in Metro Vancouver and elsewhere. Premiums are going up between 50 and 400 percent. Deductibles are going up.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Thank you.
T. Stone: Deductibles are going up from $25,000 to $750,000.
A simple question to the Minister of Housing would be this. What is she planning to do to help those thousands of British Columbians who are hurting from skyrocketing strata costs?
Hon. C. James: Thank you to the member for the question. Certainly, we’re very concerned about the impact of the insurance increases for strata owners but also for tenants. Many tenants rent through stratas, and we’re worried that those costs will be passed on to them.
We’re taking a look at the challenges that are being faced right now. We are working with the B.C. Financial Services Authority, which regulates insurance companies. As the member knows well, this is private industry. They are facing, as they’ve raised, challenges around climate, challenges around increasing real estate prices.
We are working with the strata associations. We are working with individuals. We’re working with the insurance corporation as well as insurance companies to be able to take a look at options that are available to be able to ease the pressure. This is not unique to British Columbia. I think that’s important to note. This is a common problem that is happening across the country right now. But it’s important that we look at how we can address the affordability issues for the individuals concerned.
Mr. Speaker: The member for Kamloops–South Thompson on a supplemental.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members, the member for Kamloops–South Thompson has the floor.
T. Stone: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister of Housing is the individual in this chamber who is responsible for the Strata Act. That’s the person I have asked the question to.
She is the minister who…. Under her watch, over the last 2½ years, rents have shot up. You’re darned right renters are concerned. In fact, in Metro Vancouver — the average rent — renters are paying $2,064 more per year under the NDP than they did before the NDP came to town. Now we’re talking about layering on a whole other level of unaffordability for renters and for anyone in the strata market.
Anyone who lives in a condo, anyone who lives in a townhome, anyone who lives in an apartment, a duplex, is at risk. We’re talking about half of the citizens of Metro Vancouver that this potentially impacts. People are worried about this, and they deserve and expect action from this Housing Minister.
Again to the Minister of Housing, what is her specific plan to address these massive and unaffordable strata costs?
Hon. C. James: It’s a bit rich that it’s this member who is standing up asking an insurance question.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. C. James: Mr. Speaker, $2 billion. I would think everyone on that side should hang their heads in shame at $2 billion that could’ve been spent on services and supports if it wasn’t for ICBC — a mess left to us by that member and by the previous side.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. C. James: We are talking to the insurance companies. We are talking to the Financial Services Authority, which is part of my mandate as Finance Minister. We are taking a look at insurance companies. We are talking with the strata owners as well, to look at what solutions are possible, given the fact that…. Again, remember, this is an individual, private industry decision that they make around prices.
It’s common across the country. We also are having conversations with our colleagues across the country, because this is not unique to British Columbia. So we are talking to them as well. We will continue, as a government, standing up for affordability for families, unlike the other side over there.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we don’t want to change Thursdays to “testy Thursday.”
J. Thornthwaite: I think it’s a bit rich that the Minister of Finance is deflecting the importance of this issue to virtually half of the people that live in Metro Vancouver. Some people in my constituency are facing insurance rates that have gone double in one year. You talk all you want about affordability. Having insurance rates doubling in one year is actually the opposite of affordability. For a senior on a fixed income who suddenly must pay hundreds of dollars more every month, this is a crisis that demands immediate action.
Bruce Campbell is a strata president who has this to say: “I’d describe it as a crisis. There’s no other way around it.” For this government to say that it’s going to monitor and hold consultations during a crisis simply is not good enough.
Does the Housing Minister think this is a serious enough issue to intervene on behalf of strata owners?
Hon. C. James: I’ve answered the question, but I’m happy to answer it again.
We are concerned for strata owners. We are concerned for decisions that are being made right now by insurance companies when it comes to strata costs. This is not a unique issue to British Columbia. This is an issue across the country. That’s why we’ve had a call with our federal colleagues, and provincial colleagues as well, to talk about the pressures that are being faced. This relates to everything from rising real estate prices to climate action. Those are issues that, certainly, the insurance companies have been raising themselves.
We will continue those discussions to look for solutions to be able to address this issue on behalf of those who are strata owners.
[End of question period.]
Reports from Committees
FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT
SERVICES
COMMITTEE
B. D’Eith: I have the honour to present the third report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fourth session of the 41st parliament entitled Annual Review of the Budgets of Statutory Offices.
I move that the report be taken as read and received.
Motion approved.
B. D’Eith: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.
Leave granted.
B. D’Eith: I move that the report be adopted, and in so doing, I would like to make some brief comments.
The unanimous report summarizes the committee’s recommendations for the budgets for the province’s nine statutory officers. Committee members met with all statutory offices in the fall and took a thoughtful and comprehensive approach in reviewing budget submissions.
The committee continued to emphasize fiscal responsibility and prudence while also acknowledging efforts by the offices to find savings and efficiencies. We extend our appreciation to all statutory officers and their staff for their work and service to the province and for their engagement in this important process.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to take this opportunity to thank former Auditor General Carol Bellringer and former Merit Commissioner Fiona Spencer for their service to the province and wish them well in their future endeavours. I’d also like to thank Lynn Smith for taking on the role of acting Conflict of Interest Commissioner following the passing of the late Paul Fraser.
The committee congratulates Victoria Gray, QC, on her appointment as Conflict of Interest Commissioner; Maureen Baird, QC, on her appointment as Merit Commissioner; and Russ Jones on his appointment as acting Auditor General. The committee looks forward to meeting with them this spring.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to all of the committee members. I normally don’t mention them all, but I’d like to mention them. The member for Columbia River–Revelstoke, the member for Langley East, the member for Esquimalt-Metchosin, the member for Courtenay-Comox and, previously in the year, the member for Kamloops–North Thompson. In particular, I’d like to acknowledge the member for Surrey–White Rock. We are missing her. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Of course, I’d like to thank the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast for gracing us with his presence.
I would really like to thank the member for Penticton for being the Deputy Chair and for all the work he did. He made this work really possible, especially getting to unanimity with both sides of this House. We really appreciate it.
It’s always interesting. When these notes are written, the Clerk’s office never thanks themselves. I think everyone in this House would like to show our appreciation for Kate Ryan-Lloyd and Karan Riarh for the amazing effort that you do every day — we even saw that this week, the incredible work that you do in the Clerk’s office — and, of course, Hansard, for always being there for us all the time. We really appreciate that. It’s really important to recognize that. So thank you very much.
If I could turn it over to the Deputy Chair.
D. Ashton: I would also like to say many thanks to the members of the Finance Committee for their work in streamlining and standardizing the budget requests of the statutory officers. I would also like to extend those thanks to the statutory officers for stepping forward and making a difference in how the requests come to the committee.
Also, I would like to say thank you very, very much to the staff of the committees office for their ongoing support and dedication to all the committees in this Legislature, especially their support to the citizens of British Columbia when they come forward.
I would be remiss, also, in not thanking all of the committee members and the Chair, and last but not least, the folks that are above us in Hansard that travel with us on the committee around the province of British Columbia and make it so accessible to all British Columbians to hear what their government is working towards and what the Legislature is working towards to the benefit of each and every one of those citizens and the people that they represent coming to the Finance Committee.
Mr. Speaker: The question is the adoption of the report.
Motion approved.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Hon. M. Farnworth: I have the honour to present the first report of the Special Committee of Selection for the fifth session of the 41st parliament.
Mr. Speaker: The question is that the report be read and received.
Motion approved.
Hon. M. Farnworth: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.
Leave granted.
Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the report be adopted.
Mr. Speaker: The question is that the report be adopted.
Motion approved.
Orders of the Day
Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.
[R. Chouhan in the chair.]
Throne Speech Debate
(continued)
Deputy Speaker: Members, we are resuming the debate on the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. The Member for Nechako Lakes will continue.
J. Rustad: Yesterday I had an opportunity to start my comments and my remarks with regards to the throne speech. In particular, I was talking about…. It was somewhat disappointing, from the perspective of Nechako Lakes, what was in the throne speech.
I had a chance yesterday to talk a little bit about agriculture and the ranching sector and what’s going on. I want to finish with one little component of that, which leads into some discussion on forestry. I have here a letter that I received that was sent to the Minister of Forests not long ago, only a couple of weeks ago, from the Nechako Valley Regional Cattlemen’s Association. It talks about a crisis that the cattle industry in my area is facing because they can’t access shavings.
The challenge is that, with the production drop-off primarily…. Some of that was due to mountain pine beetle and supply, but a lot of that was due to the cost structure that was in place. There’s a tremendous demand for that material now, for those shavings and the dust that comes from sawmill operations to go into pellet operations, and for hog fuel, for power plants and other sites.
The cattlemen, quite frankly, have a challenge being able to afford, now being able to compete and to be able to buy these shavings. These shavings are critical for the cattle industry, in particular for the cow-calf industry. For the industry, they use the shavings for bedding. They then take the shavings. The shavings soak up material from the animals. They then put it in the field. It helps to enhance the field as a fertilizer as well as adding organics into the field to be able to have more productive fields. They can’t get access to this material now.
It’s a shame, with the crisis that has happened now in our forest industry, that issues like this are happening because there haven’t been steps taken by this government to be able to support our forest industry, right across the forest industry. I’ll talk a little bit about the Interior, and then I’ll go to the coast.
There is this challenge that we have become the highest-cost producers. Now, industry is…. For the most part, the mills are back to work. They’re not at full shifts, not all of them. Some of them are. Lumber prices are up around $450, so you would think things are better. But the reality is simple. We’re still a high-cost producer. When you’re the highest-cost producer, companies don’t look to reinvest, which means we are laying the foundations for further problems and further challenges in our forest sector unless those cost structures come into place or come under control.
When I listened to the throne speech and listened to the fact that…. It was about 35 minutes before forestry was even mentioned or resource sector was even mentioned in the throne speech. And then, when it was mentioned, there was nothing. There was no recognition of the crisis. There was no recognition of the challenges. There was no recognition of components that need to be fixed. It was just full steam ahead with continually adding costs and adding in administrative layers of structure that delay our forest sector and cause problems for our forest sector.
For example, there are folks on Haida Gwaii today that could be working, but they can’t get a permit because the ministry is not pushing through the permits. There are many other issues across the sector, and those delays are costly. They are creating a real problem. On the coast, with the cost structure that has been put in place on the coast, it makes it extremely difficult for these companies to be able to operate.
In addition, with the new regs that are going to be coming in, in July, which are going to change some of the components for finished products, particularly for red cedar and cypress…. That will have a huge impact. There has been no analysis done by these guys, by the current government. There certainly was not even a recognition of that in the throne speech. So for the people on Vancouver Island, the people on the coast and the people in the Interior, it’s hard for them to see this throne speech as anything but empty words, not actions, not direction and not guidance as to the future that this government’s going to take to try to support and get the feet back under the industry.
Now, the Minister of Labour finally took some action after almost eight months in a strike — an action, quite frankly, that should have been taken four months earlier and could very easily have been taken four months earlier. There was no reason for the delay, absolutely none. All they did…. The mediators themselves were begging government to ask them to make recommendations so that it could change the tone at the table and get a deal done.
Government refused, and suffering happened in communities right across the Island with families and individuals. Christmas was wiped out. Savings were wiped out. Companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. It’s a sad situation to think that government could just be so passive — there’s that nice word that was used so often in question period today — and so completely uncaring about the strife of folks on the Island that went through this.
Our forest sector is the foundation of so much economic activity in this province, with about 120,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs around the province and 140-plus communities that depend on our forest sector. Unfortunately, very little recognition, very little steps taken by this government to be able to help with the true challenge. That is the cost structure and the delays, the amount of administrative burden and components that have been added onto by this government.
Forestry — I’ll get a chance to go into many of those details when we get into estimates, but I want to come back to Nechako Lakes. Nechako Lakes is a region, an area, a riding that I have the honour to represent. About 35 to 40 percent of the economic activity is forestry. Then there’s agriculture, which is predominantly cow-calf operations. Then there’s mining activity and a little bit of tourism and other components — technology and other components that make up the rest of the activity in the riding.
Forestry is that foundation, even for the agricultural sector. Many people in the agricultural sector work in forestry, and it helps them to be able to get through periods of time and create some revenue stream. Family members work in the forest sector. Without that healthy sector, it puts the livelihoods of most of the people, large components of Nechako Lakes, at risk.
There has been virtually no capital investment other than what is necessary to keep mills going in our forest sector, particularly throughout the north. There needs to be reinvestment. The mills need to retool for the changes that have happened. But there’s no confidence. No board is going to look at investing in British Columbia with the uncertainty that has been created, whether that’s uncertainty on the land base in terms of reconciliation with First Nations, whether it’s uncertainty in terms of government policies and approaches, whether it’s uncertainty in terms of costs and cost structure.
Why would a company invest here? There are many other places in the world where they can invest. You don’t invest where you have the highest cost. You invest in that lower third. That creates a real challenge, like I say, for today but a growing challenge as we go forward, because the longer this carries on, the more expensive it gets for companies to start looking at redoing that retooling and the more focus those companies now have on other jurisdictions.
You look at the fibre and what we have in our area. I’ll just give you an example of the Prince George supplier which supplies a significant component of the operations in my riding. How long has it been now — four years, three years? And the ministry still has not done the allocation. We’re still harvesting at a level that was set by the previous timber supply review. We’re going to be into another timber supply review in that area before the allocation is even done. That’s unacceptable. That is not good management. That is not good forestry practices by this government.
Also, when I look at forestry, I think about families and, in particular, small operators that are trying to make a go of it. They finally get a little bit of work and move, and you know what? They’re in a position where they can take on a new driver. I’m like: “That’s great.” They’re going to start this new driver off just doing a little bit of gravel truck driving. You know, get him some experience. Then along comes this government’s approach on ICBC. That approach on ICBC for that new driver…. That is what this government apparently wants to do — get these new drivers, get these new people into the industry.
Because of the approach of ICBC, that new driver for that truck is now going to cost an extra $5,000 to $10,000 a year for each of the trucks he has. He’s got four trucks. Suddenly now he’s got to come up with another $20,000 to $50,000 in insurance premiums just so he can have that new driver on, because that new driver may work on any of his trucks. With a small company like that, you can’t absorb that kind of cost. And you certainly can’t pass it down in a sector that is struggling and that is in crisis. How is that making life more affordable for the people in Nechako Lakes?
This government should be ashamed of those kinds of steps. They should be ashamed of what they’re doing. They should be ashamed of it. Those kinds of steps that have been taken, quite frankly, are the pieces that are undermining the economy, the very foundational economy, that has helped to support the quality of life and the quality of living that this province has, without any recognition of the damage that’s being done.
Interjection.
J. Rustad: The members opposite heckle about bringing this through. This is a valid issue that needs to be raised. It’s not one to be laughed off, Member. This is a serious issue that’s hurting the economy in my riding, and this throne speech has done nothing to alleviate that kind of damage that is being done or even recognizing that that damage is being done in my riding.
I’ll have much more to say about forestry when we get into the estimates side. But I want to touch on another component that’s critical for my riding, which is mining. Mining is about 25 percent, thereabouts, of the economic activity in my riding. Lots of people work in other areas but live in my riding and work in the mining sector. It’s an important piece of our economy.
There’s lots of talk from the other side about wanting electric cars and the new economy and all these kinds of approaches. You know what? That’s great. But a new electric vehicle takes ten times as much copper as an old standard vehicle. What have we seen in this province? Not a single new mine under construction. Not one under this government.
There’s no confidence to have that money come into this province to invest and build and create those new mines. That means that as our mining sector plays on and there are mines that are in place, when those mines start playing out, where is the replacement? Where is the material that we’re going to need for this new economy, for these things?
We should be figuring out how we drive investment and how we create this opportunity to be able to meet this new demand that is going to be coming, not adding on costs and adding on delays and taking over eight months to get a notice of work. As a company, how do you survive through that if it takes you eight months to be able to get a permit to be able to go and actually work? That’s craziness.
It was a short…. We had a 120-day period in the Peace. We put $30 million in to move the permitting and that sort of process in place. What have they done? They’ve said they’ve put money into it too. I thought: “Great. They’ve put some money in. It’s going to improve the situation.” Only to find out that about 10 percent to 15 percent of that money is actually going for that. The rest is going into guess what. More administrative and costs for the process.
Interjection.
J. Rustad: No. Take a look. Don’t read your rhetoric. Take a look at what’s actually happening over there. He says it’s all going to permitting. It’s not. It is not.
The minister herself has admitted that when she was…. The former minister. Now she’s on to a different portfolio. But the mining sector needs to have the certainty. It needs to have the cost structure also brought down. It cannot survive, and you won’t see the investment until you have that certainty and the cost structure put in place. That uncompetitiveness that is happening across this government in all of its approaches, of big government, big taxes, big regulations, is creating problems. It’s not going to help in terms of the people of my riding of Nechako Lakes to be able to see jobs and see a future.
There’s a fully permitted mine that’s ready to go. It’s a Blackwater project south of Vanderhoof, and it’s a challenge. Why? Because there isn’t the confidence to see the investment in that new gold mine. There’s another mine just north of the Fort St. James area, the Kemess Underground, or Kemess North, as it used to be called. Once again, fully permitted for an underground cave mine operation.
The company doesn’t have confidence to put the money into the ground, because it’s not sure where that will be down the road, because it takes years to be able to develop and build that mine, so it’s not being built. It’s a challenge. It has First Nations supporters. Everybody on side. It’s crazy.
It comes back to one issue, which is how you actually get things done. I want to just touch one more time on the forestry side in terms of that — how you get things done. The other day I was looking at a news article about the mill closure in Clearwater, which was a devastating situation for the community. I understand in terms of the supply situation and issues that it’s facing, but that deal, which was announced, that the deal was going to go ahead last spring — June, I think it was, or May — when it was announced…. It’s still pending. Why is it still pending? Because government can’t get the job done.
The First Nations are in agreement. The two companies are in agreement. The community is in agreement. Why is this deal not getting done? Because government is in the way. So there are loggers that are sitting there waiting to try to work and have been out of work now because that wood is not moving. It’s not being harvested. Why? Ask the Minister of Forests. Ask this government why. Because they will not get the deal done. It’s simple. Everybody’s in agreement, except for government.
Government is going to need to explain that, and I look forward to asking that question when we get into the estimates process. It is that situation where, once again: how does anybody get anything done in this province when there isn’t the confidence; there are the delays; there’s the administrative; there’s the overhead that has been put in place without recognition, quite frankly, by this government that they’re part of the problem, not part of the solution?
When I look through the issue…. And like I say, I wanted to talk just a little bit more about forestry. This Interior revitalization that’s going on — everybody knows that there needs to be some work done there. I was at two meetings where the minister himself was there in those public meetings and who publicly stated that there will be a “what we heard” document delivered before Christmas. Well, here we are in mid-February, and it still isn’t out there. And now, apparently, there are more conversations and components going on.
What’s happening over there? How do you develop any confidence? How do you move forward, and how do you try to attract investment in a sector when you can’t even deliver on your promises? It’s a simple document. It’s just simply what you heard. It’s not even your decision components yet, and that hasn’t even been put out, even though the minister promised it publicly. It’s shameful. It really is, when you look at how that goes forward.
In my riding of Nechako Lakes, I’m honoured to have 13 First Nations that have reserves that are within my riding, and they’re a critical component of what happens within my riding. Whether that’s the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council and the group that’s part of that or whether those are the bands that are part of the Wet’suwet’en people, unanimously, across those communities, they want to see economic opportunity. They’re tired of not having the potential for their people to go to work, to create jobs, to lift people out of poverty.
You know what? We entered into some very innovative agreements with them and started some processes with them while we were in government. To their credit, government has moved forward, particularly with the Cheslatta Carrier Nation. That agreement, which we almost had finalized…. The government took another two years. They got that over the line, and that’s good. That’s a great thing. That will help that nation to be able to advance forward.
They just announced the pathways agreement of $200 million going to the Carrier-Sekani for a five-year process going forward. But I think back to what we were negotiating at the time, and the key issue was land. We were talking about the revenue-sharing and the components and these sorts of things going forward.
There was a very important piece of that negotiation that was going to be a foundation, and that was trying to deal with title. I didn’t see that in the agreement that was struck by this government, and I wonder why. I wonder why they refused to sit down and address title as part of that work with the Carrier-Sekani, because that’s a big piece of being able to help nations and work with nations to be able to have them develop prosperity and opportunity for their people and to create the kind of certainty on the land base. It’s curious. I look forward to the estimates process with the Minister of Indigenous Relations to find out why land wasn’t included as part of that process.
There’s another piece as well that has gone forward and is advancing, which is a process we started with the Lake Babine Nation. That was, once again, a pathways-type agreement to try to resolve long-term reconciliation. The land, of course, was the key component of that. Those discussions apparently have progressed in my riding, and that’s good to see, except for one component. Why has this government refused to engage with the public?
There are people that are asking questions of me, you know, weekly, if not daily, about things that they’re hearing, rumours of negotiations. What’s this going to mean? How is this going to impact their lands? So far, I’ve gotten no answers from this government. That’s not right. You would think this government would have learned its lesson from the caribou issue if not from other issues.
You have to engage people and let them know what’s happening. You have to be able to bring everybody along. Reconciliation isn’t just government to government. It’s about bringing people together and solving long-standing issues and having people move together forward to a successful future, not creating frictions and keeping people in the dark.
When I look at the plan here, going forward, and the throne plan when it talked about developing the action plan for UNDRIP, it kind of scares me a little bit, because there obviously is not that engagement with the broader public about what it is.
Now, an action plan is great. You know, they’re going to move forward and develop that. I think that’s good. But where does everybody else fit into? Whether it’s industry, whether it’s individuals, landowners, etc., what does their world look like? How is that going to change? There was no talk about how you think about that broader reconciliation. To me, once again, it misses the mark.
Government bragged about getting rid of MSP premiums. You know, it’s interesting that they’ve taken the approach on this. They didn’t get rid of it. That’s misleading. All they did was hide it in a new tax called the employer health tax. They called it something different. It’s a shuffle. It’s a card game that they’ve played and shuffled around. Look over here while they take money out of your pocket over here. It’s unfortunate that that was the approach the government has taken when it could have been such good news instead.
When I look at my riding, when I look at the challenges that are facing my riding, the economic challenges facing my riding, some of the social issues…. We’ve seen more crime on the streets in my riding and in neighbouring ridings than we’ve ever seen, and no response. We need ten more RCMP in Vanderhoof. I want to thank the minister for funding for three more positions, but that still falls well short of the mark.
For our regional health district, we’ve got the highest health taxes of anywhere around the province by a long shot, and we’re adding more costs onto that without recognition by this government. That’s disappointing. It’s nice to see the investment in the facilities, but there has to be that recognition.
I will continue to fight for my riding, to fight for restored funding for highways that have been cut by two-thirds to three-quarters on an annual basis. I’ll fight to make sure that my riding gets what it deserves and has its rightful place in this province.
Hon. H. Bains: I want to thank you for the opportunity to once again rise and speak in this chamber as the representative of Surrey-Newton and as the Minister of Labour now.
I want to thank my family: my wife, Rajvinder; my children — Kul and his wife, Parveen; my granddaughter Rhianna; Brayden. The newest one I haven’t announced here yet. We were blessed, Raj and I, with a granddaughter from our daughter Jasmeen in Regina. Anna Kaur Hudema was born on December 28. We were able to spend a few days with my daughter, Jasmeen, and her husband, Darren, and his family were very, very happy to see us there.
That experience, when you hold that new baby in your hands, puts the whole thing in perspective — what this life is all about, what we are all about. You look at them and…. The job that we are blessed with in this House, the legacy you are leaving behind for our children, their children — Anna and those who will come after her — is the responsibility that we carry that their lives, their Canada, their British Columbia will be much better — more just, more equal, more inclusive than we have today, what we inherited from our parents or people that came before us.
That’s what I think is the challenge that we go through every day here. I think that when you look at the throne speech here on Tuesday, a number of initiatives that it identified that the government has taken over the last 2½ years — what we have accomplished and where we are going — are listed very clearly. It makes me very proud to be part of a government that has set its goals to three things that we talked about during the election: to make life more affordable for British Columbians; to improve services that people can depend on; and to have a strong, sustainable economy that benefits all British Columbians — not the top 2 percent, as was the case in the previous 16 years.
I also want to talk about how it is a privilege to speak in favour of the throne speech and this government’s continued commitment and unwavering focus on making life better for British Columbians. I think the prominent message that we heard in the throne speech is that day by day, around this province, British Columbians are, in fact, getting help to move ahead. There are more with money left in their pockets at the end of the month, more confidence and hope in their family’s future and more assurances that tangible help, support and safety nets are available when needed and for the province’s most vulnerable.
I want to come back to those three things that we made commitments about. Making life more affordable for British Columbians. How and what have we done to achieve that goal? When you take a look in my area, one of the first things we did was remove tolls on those two bridges. That put $1,600 to $1,800 per person who drives, every year, in their pocket.
In fact, I was at one social gathering, and one of the entrepreneurs — young, maybe in his 30s or 40s — came and gave me a big hug. He said: “Mr. Bains, thank you very much.” Then I asked him to explore what is happening, and this person said that he owns a small business with a fleet of ten delivery trucks. He said it cost him $40,000 to $50,000 per year in tolls. “Thank you for saving me that $40,000 to $50,000 per year. That is money,” he said, “I can spend to expand my business and also pay to help my workers.”
Then what we did was eliminate MSP premiums — another $1,800 per family that families are saving today. We have brought in universal child care, a $1 billion investment in universal child care — the largest in the history of this province — so that young people who want to go and work are confident that their children are left in a child care place where they will get qualified and professional help and support.
We’re investing $6 billion in housing and affordability — again, the largest in the history of this province — to tackle the issue of housing and affordability. We have raised the minimum wage. On June 1, it’ll be going to $14.60, and in June of next year, it’ll be going to $15.20 — one of the highest in this country.
In contrast, let me just remind of where we were and where we are today, just on that one area. For ten years, the previous government froze the wages of the lowest-paid workers in this province — ten years. At the same time, the top 1 percent of wage earners received tax breaks. Something’s wrong with that picture. We fixed it, and we are going to continue to fix it.
We have the Fair Wages Commission that came back with reasonable and predictable raises in the minimum wage. That’s what businesses want. That’s what businesses like — that they have, at least, certainty of what their costs are going to be moving forward in the next four years.
We are going to fix ICBC, the mess that was left behind by the previous government. It was left on the brink of insolvency. That’s how mismanaged these major government institutions were left behind.
B.C. Hydro is another area that needs a big fix. We’re going to fix it, because the people of British Columbia are counting on us. They know that we put people first, and we are going to fix those institutions that they rely on.
When we fix ICBC, instead of going into insolvency and the rates going through the roof, the people of this province, by next year, should be realizing about 20 percent savings in their insurance rates, or $400 per year. That is what we have done in order to make life better for British Columbians.
Then we said we would improve services that people can depend on. So let’s take a look at what we have done. We have funded over 80 school projects in the province, and thanks to the Minister of Education, because he takes his job so seriously. We want to make sure that our future, our children get the best education, which they need and deserve — unlike the previous government, who fought with the teachers for 14 years, all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. You know what happened? A whole generation of students….
Interjections.
Hon. H. Bains: Mr. Speaker, they don’t like to talk about their bad record, but we are going to remind people because that is the reality. That is the reality. For fourteen years, they fought with teachers.
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: Order. Order, please. Members.
Hon. H. Bains: It must hurt, Mr. Speaker. But that is reality. It’s not going to go away — 14 years, all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: The Minister of Labour has the floor. Let’s have some order, please.
The minister will continue.
Hon. H. Bains: A whole generation of students came in at kindergarten and left at grade 12 without the proper support that they needed and deserved. That’s exactly what happened under their watch. I know they don’t like to talk about it.
So what have we done in those 2½ years?
Interjection.
Hon. H. Bains: The member is chirping away over there. I know he doesn’t want to hear it. We have….
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: Members, one speech at a time.
Hon. H. Bains: In the last 2½ years, we have hired 4,200 teachers across this province, 2,000 support staff and 200 teacher-psychologists and counsellors. That’s our record compared to what they did. Look at the health care side. We're building brand-new hospitals….
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: Members, wait for your turn. I’m sure you all would like to speak on the throne speech. You will have the opportunity. Any member who wants to make a comment must make it from their own seat, please. Thank you.
Minister, continue.
Hon. H. Bains: Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. I love that comment that they all will have an opportunity to talk about their record of 16 years of neglect that we are trying to fix here, and we are going to fix it.
Let’s move on to health care. There are hospitals being built all across this province. One brand-new hospital will be built in Surrey. That has been neglected. Demand was there. For the last 14 years, we needed additional services in Surrey. We have made a decision that a brand-new hospital will be built in Surrey.
There are 13 urgent care centres all across the province, because it takes time to build hospitals. But in the meantime, urgent care centres are set up for extended hours and the weekends so that people can go and have treatment for non-emergency issues and go home, rather than waiting, as happened under their watch, seven, eight, nine hours in the emergency wards. We’re fixing it. We said we would fix it; we’re fixing it. Let’s take a look. Urgent care centres.
Interjection.
Deputy Speaker: Member.
Hon. H. Bains: One of the first ones was in Surrey. In fact, it was the first one in Surrey. The second one is another one that I’m hoping for, and I’m urging the Minister of Health to come to Surrey again. I think this time I’m hoping that another area of Surrey, Surrey-Newton…. I hope that there will be another urgent care centre coming to Surrey-Newton. It’s going to happen, I’m told.
Let’s take a look. Surrey is the fastest-growing community in this province. I think….
Interjection.
Hon. H. Bains: The member from Nechako is chirping away. Had he listened the last 16 years, there wouldn’t be the mess that we are left behind to fix. But they never listened. They’re still not listening.
You know, Member….
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: Members.
Minister.
Hon. H. Bains: If you keep on doing it, you’re going to stay on that side for a long, long time. Keep it up.
Interjections.
Deputy Speaker: Members. Members, please, come to order.
The member for Nechako Lakes had his chance to make a speech, and he did it. Now it’s the Minister of Labour.
Carry on.
Hon. H. Bains: Thank you, hon. Chair.
Let’s move on to public transportation. I want to thank the Minister of Transportation. You know what the record of the previous government was? Rather than an extension into Surrey for public transportation — to extend SkyTrain or light rail — what was their answer? “Oh, we will have a referendum.”
As a result of that, six or seven years have gone by. We have seen no improvement there. Finally, this government, this minister, is going to fix it, and we are going to have more public transportation, more buses, more SkyTrain cars to serve the public of Surrey and the south of Fraser.
Let me show how the leadership, compared to the previous government, is working under our Premier. The division of contributions was one-third, one-third, one-third for all the TransLink projects. What our government did, what our Premier said was, “We will move our portion to 40 percent,” rather than saying: “Let’s go to referendum and abdicate your responsibility.” We are contributing 40 percent as the provincial contribution to those projects. Guess what. The extension to Surrey is now going to happen as a result of that. I want to say: that is leadership. What happened before was an abdication of their responsibility.
Let’s take a look at seniors. We have so many people that are getting to the age that they need additional help. Under PharmaCare, our Minister of Health and this government raised where the deductibles start to apply, to a $45,000 income. So for up to $45,000, you don’t pay any deductibles. It moved from $30,000. That’s called putting people first.
Fourteen new hospitals are being built in this province. Last year 44,000 more MRIs than 2017 and ’18. That’s leadership. That’s putting people first.
The government is also acting to fight crime all across this province. This legislation will come. New legislation is anticipated, giving police more tools to block illegal guns and ban them from schools. That’s leadership. That’s putting people first.
Then we talked about having a sustainable economy that every British Columbian would benefit from. How do we do that? The largest in history…. On infrastructure, over $20 billion is set aside to build schools, hospitals, roads and bridges. You know what? All of that is going to…. Most of those projects will be under a CBA.
[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]
I know that the other side over there always talks about how a CBA is going to increase costs, but all they have to do is to look back to what they did under their watch. That was not under a CBA.
Every major project — whether the South Fraser Perimeter Road, the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Port Mann Bridge or the B.C. Place roof — each and every one of them was 43 percent over what they budgeted. That’s what happened under their watch. The Vancouver Convention Centre was over by 70 percent.
They can talk all they want. All they care about are their friends in high places, while we care about real people, people that go to work every morning, obey the law and pay their taxes. Those are the people that we are standing beside, and those are the people we put front and centre when we develop our policies. That’s why our economy is booming — the lowest unemployment in the country, the best job growth in the country, a triple-A credit rating.
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. H. Bains: The truth never was part of their vocabulary or their practice. And you know what?
Interjections.
Mr. Speaker: Members.
Hon. H. Bains: They just don’t like to hear the truth.
I think what the CBA does…. When we are investing taxpayers’ dollars, as the Premier has said time and again, the taxpayers should be benefiting.
A good fair-sized construction company during my opposition times, when the Port Mann was being built…. This company told me that from Whistler all the way to Hope, there’s about a $5 billion project, for one company, and this particular local company was saying that what they were left with was crumbs. Whatever this international company wants…. They brought their own people in, and the local workers, the local companies were shoved aside. They did not benefit from it, according to this company.
My way of saying this, our approach…. Through a CBA, you have local workers getting the opportunity, women getting the opportunity, and business people getting the opportunity for those jobs that they have been largely shut out of. These are good-paying jobs, and the local companies will be given opportunities. That’s the kind of stuff that we are doing.
As a result of all of this, a family of four that is earning $80,000 today is paying 43 percent less in B.C. taxes — 43 percent less. A family of four earning $100,000 is paying 27 percent less in B.C. taxes. That is the right approach.
Noting the hour, I reserve my place to come back, and I adjourn the debate.
Hon. H. Bains moved adjournment of debate.
Motion approved.
Hon. R. Fleming moved adjournment of the House.
Motion approved.
Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.
The House adjourned at 11:57 a.m.
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