Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

SERVING SURREY

M. Hunt: It gives me great pleasure to speak today at the Legislature as we resume this sitting. I welcome everyone back here and welcome some of you virtually as we continue to serve our constituents and realize that our province as well as we, as elected officials, have certainly persevered through a whole set of unique situations in the past few months.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

While British Columbians have had our share of challenges to overcome, we still have a long way to go. We also have an immense amount of good being done by citizens and our communities as we rally together to lend a helping hand to each other.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of our community members in their fight to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and support for the most vulnerable. I am particularly proud to be here representing the people of Surrey who have stepped up during the pandemic in the most profound of ways. Seeing neighbours going out of their way to help each other, organizations going beyond their scopes of duty to fill in the gaps left in the community in the midst of this crisis is incredibly heartening.

There are thousands of volunteers and many organizations that have come together to increase support for those in need all across Surrey, but there are a few that I would like to highlight here today.

The City Dream Centre is a Surrey-based organization that works to support the underprivileged and the vulnerable who live in Greater Vancouver. Thanks to the City Dream Centre, 3,000 food hampers containing one week’s worth of food each have been delivered to struggling families throughout Surrey. The residents of Surrey are getting the extra support they need to get through these difficult times because of the generous donations, committed employees and volunteers of organizations such as the City Dream Centre.

[10:15 a.m.]

The Cloverdale Kitchen, which prepares and serves meals for the homeless and the seniors in Cloverdale, also runs the Fraser Valley Food Bank, along with other community initiatives. They have stepped up during this period of time and added additional support to those in need.

The food bank saw a huge surge over a short period of time when the pandemic initially hit, and it was quickly able to adapt their operations to run in a safe, physically distanced way to ensure that people were still able to get the food that they needed. In a recent food drive, they raised more than $4,500 and collected more than $5,000 worth of non-perishable food for the community. Now, talking about food banks, we have to give a shout-out to all of the food banks throughout the province of British Columbia which have done a great job in dealing with this crisis.

Another organization I’d like to acknowledge is NightShift, a not-for-profit organization that provides outreach services such as meals, clothing, basic nursing and counselling, and a safe space for conversations for people stuck in the cycle of poverty, addiction and homelessness in the Whalley neighbourhood of Surrey. As a province, we have seen the effects of the COVID-19 health crisis exacerbate the ongoing opioid overdose health crisis that we have. The wraparound care that this organization delivers is critical in supporting those who have been impacted most by our two public health crises.

There’s also the Surrey Urban Mission, which is another fabulous not-for-profit that selflessly serves our city. Now, organizations like these truly make a difference in people’s lives. They provide support, consistency and hope during times of uncertainty and give people the comfort of knowing that they’re not alone.

In Punjabi, there’s a word, seva. The Sikh community has certainly demonstrated the spirit of service. Their gurdwaras, which normally serve food, had to go into the takeout mode and delivered thousands upon thousands of meals.

Also, community groups like Our Global Village. This is a group of ladies that got together on the weekend to sew face masks. They have made over 10,000 face masks that they have distributed throughout Surrey.

We’ve also seen the innovation and efforts from small businesses and individuals contributing to the fight. Breweries in Surrey shifted their production to meet the need for hand sanitizers. A teen in Surrey also was sewing homemade masks to raise money for the hospital foundation. Neighbours were shopping for neighbours to keep each other safe. These seemingly small acts have made a huge difference, and most importantly, they sent a message from one to another that we care.

During one of the worst crises our province has faced, the people of Surrey and the people of British Columbia have risen to the challenge. In a time of adversity, the goodwill in people has prevailed above all else. People have stepped up, and continue to step up, to help the elderly and the most vulnerable in our communities. It has been incredible to witness how we rally together with compassion, innovation and perseverance to get through a challenging time together.

The success that this province has seen in responding to the COVID-19 crisis is because of the joint effort of each and every one of us working together. We know we’ve not done everything that needs to be done, but as each one of us continues to play our part, we will continue to be proud of the collective efforts of all of us working together.

We have weathered this storm so far, and we recognize that each one of us has a responsibility to each other — a responsibility to keep each one safe. The selflessness exhibited by British Columbians to follow health care orders and put others over ourselves speaks to the identity of us as a province. We have witnessed kindness over hate, compassion over chaos.

I am proud to be here today to bring light to the exceptional work that has been done in my community. I believe our community is stronger and more resilient, as we have proved to each other our ability to rise up together in the face of this emergency. Our community has shown outstanding compassion for one another throughout this epidemic, and I am proud to be a part of the wonderful community of Surrey. I hope we continue as we embark together in working on the next stages.

[10:20 a.m.]

R. Singh: I would really like to thank the member for Surrey-Cloverdale for what he talked about. For the first time, I can say that I completely agree with the member opposite.

We know the crisis that we have all gone through, and along with him, I would like to thank the people of Surrey and the way they came together to fight this pandemic. How the community, beyond the…. It did not matter what party, what religion, what culture they belonged to. They all came together to fight this.

The number of sacrifices that our community has made…. As we know, Surrey is one of the most culturally diverse communities that we have. We have a lot of cultural celebrations. We saw the community recognizing the need of the time and putting a halt on those celebrations. We have one of the largest Vaisakhi celebrations that happens in Surrey. People from all over the world — I would say, mostly from all over North America — come to Surrey to celebrate Vaisakhi. For the first time in a number of years, keeping in mind the safety of people, that celebration was cancelled.

Also, they came up with different ways to celebrate. They came up with a virtual Vaisakhi concert. That is to help and feed the vulnerable section of our society who were struggling during this pandemic.

Then we had a huge event. We saw that Ramadan came and then how the Muslim community came together. They brought the spirit of Ramadan and were donating and collecting food hampers and serving the most vulnerable in our communities.

As the number of organizations that my esteemed colleagued has already mentioned, I would like to talk about a few organizations in my community, like the Progressive Intercultural Society. They came together. That is a society, a non-profit organization in the community, that was helping any senior who needed the help, whether it was doing the grocery shopping or it was any kind of support that the seniors needed. This organization stepped up, and their volunteers, their staff, were helping the seniors and the vulnerable sections during this time.

Also, we knew that although a lot of things were closed, our essential care workers…. How they came up. The grocery stores…. When I was going to my local grocery stores like Fruiticana, those people, not caring about their own well-being, were serving the community. They were making sure that nobody is left behind, that everybody has food on their shelves, food in their kitchens. So I would really…. My hat is off to all of the essential care workers. Definitely our health care workers, who were keeping us safe, but also the grocery workers who were stepping up and providing all of the services that we needed.

The member has already mentioned about different organizations coming up. We know, during this pandemic, the need to wear masks. It was something that a lot of people wanted to keep safe. They were wearing masks. So many organizations…. I had the opportunity to visit one organization just this last weekend, Our Global Village Charitable Foundation. The women members of that organization have been getting together for the last nine weeks, making masks and distributing freely in the community. The teenagers, like Tavisha’s Helping Hands…. She was making masks, taking nominal donations for the masks, and the money that she collected she gave to the Surrey Hospital Foundation.

So many examples. I’m so proud of my community, the way they have come together, whether it was with religious organizations, non-profit organizations or normal citizens in the community who were working together to keep us all safe and to help to flatten the curve.

[10:25 a.m.]

So very proud. Without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to deal with this pandemic. My hat is off to them. Thank you so much.

M. Hunt: Thank you to the member for Surrey–Green Timbers for her gracious comments.

As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I’m extremely proud to be a part of the community of Surrey. I know that Surrey is simply one example amongst many throughout this province that have shown what it means to be a community. I’m sure that all the members of this House are proud of the areas that they serve as well. Together we’re committed to putting people’s health and safety above all else.

As we navigate these uncertain waters, we know that the time has come for all of us to continue keeping each other safe while we address the work that must be done in rebuilding our economy. As the province moves forward through the recovery from this pandemic, and as we begin the whole process of rebuilding our economy, I have no doubt that the community of Surrey, as well as those throughout British Columbia, will continue to overcome the challenges that we have met along the way — and we will be.

The city of Surrey is finding this balance between ensuring public safety and getting people back to their livelihoods. This transition must be made in a thoughtful and deliberate, responsible way. As Surrey continues to reopen parts of the community, we are doing it in a cautious manner that involves listening to the people who live here. We must recognize that everyone has a different comfort level and varying ideas on how the transition to the new normal should look, but we must keep being patient, understanding and empathetic to each other.

Because we do all have different comfort levels, we may not all agree on everything going forward, but we can all agree that moving forward is necessary, and we need to acknowledge and recognize the differences that we all have. We can agree that we need to recognize the efforts of individuals, organizations and businesses that continue to positively contribute to the success of our communities’ reopening. We may not get it perfect, and we may need to be willing to admit mistakes and take corrective actions as we move forward, but now more than ever the province is relying on us, as elected officials, to find solutions that work for everyone.

I look forward to continuing the work that we’ve started to help get this province back on track. Again, I want to thank everyone for the exceptional work that we have done over these past weeks working together to keep each other safe. We’ve been calm, we’ve been collected, and we’ve been caring. That’s what community is all about.

HOMELESS COUNT

R. Leonard: Hon. Speaker, I’d like to add my voice of appreciation to everyone in British Columbia for responding so well to Dr. Henry’s advice, everyone continuing to practise all the necessary precautions. It’s the successful formula that has made it possible for the Legislature to resume today.

Our return is also a reflection of a new normal, and it is a privilege for me to be able to be virtually present in the House today. I’m also thankful for the incredible work of everyone at the Legislature who has made possible this innovative opportunity for our democracy to function and to thrive, to see public debate return to the Legislature and to witness the passage of laws.

As we left the building in early March, we had declared our topics for today’s statements. Communities were preparing to complete their point-in-time homeless counts. It would be only the second time that such a comprehensive count would be conducted throughout B.C. Unfortunately, many of the counts were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, though I’m happy to report that the Comox Valley was one that managed to complete the count early.

The federal government had previously developed a point-in-time model for counts for some of our more major urban centres. Some communities, like the Comox Valley, saw our dire housing need and human tragedy unfolding year after year and took the initiative to find ways to do their own local counts. With no national housing strategy, with severe cuts for those living in poverty and with skyrocketing poverty rates, the numbers of people without a home were growing. The injury to individuals, to communities and, indeed, to the whole of society needed to be quantified and held under a microscope to trigger the right measure and fit of solutions.

[10:30 a.m.]

At an annual community resource fair in my community, hundreds of people in need come to learn about the services available, many of them families. One year, a new organization participated, with people staffing it who hadn’t traditionally attended. After hours of witnessing so many people come through the door, one gentleman turned to me and, in a disturbed and a haunted voice, said: “I didn’t know.”

The belief that the face of homelessness is only in the Downtown Eastside is a myth. It’s a myth that’s been busted in community after community that’s undertaken point-in-time homeless counts. The previous government’s Minister of Housing did not support point-in-time counts. As late as 2016, he criticized the counts as inadequate. But saying that point-in-time counts are less than perfect is simply an excuse to do nothing.

I recall the frustrations of people who were desperate for action. They recognized the value of consistent and standardized counting to give a sense of scale and scope of our homelessness crisis. They recognized the value of being able to compare year over year, community by community, to inform action. But again, the previous government would not and did not support action for a poverty reduction strategy or a homelessness action plan.

The previous government consistently refused to support point-in-time counts throughout their time in office, and by 2014 even stopped collecting data on how many people were turned away from full shelters.

Deputy Speaker: Member, let’s keep these statements non-partisan.

Thank you. Continue.

R. Leonard: Birders who love birds count birds that are constantly on the fly. Stream stewards who care about the state of salmon count fish swimming in the streams. Who doesn’t count? The answer is: those who want to pretend that a problem doesn’t exist — those who wish to turn a blind eye.

In 2016, Victoria’s point-in-time count revealed a sharp increase in the number of homeless. Undaunted, the then minister set out to carve a smaller number to represent only those living on the street. He left behind nearly 1,200 people who had been identified as having no fixed address, without a permanent roof over their head, living in constant limbo. Why didn’t these people count?

It’s not enough to do a patchwork of guesses and opinion to guide what the government thinks is necessary. Government needs to be informed by reliable information. That’s why, at our first opportunity, our government supported the first provincewide coordinated and standardized point-in-time count in 2018. So 24 communities, working on the ground in a 24-hour period, revealed that nearly 8,000 people across B.C. were experiencing life without a home. The count informed the development of B.C.’s first poverty reduction strategy, which does include a homelessness action plan.

As Jill Atkey of the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association confirmed, the cross-province count provided the basis to track the impacts of our provincial government’s historic investments and to guide our collective efforts in solving the crises in housing and social supports that exist in every corner of the province.

The homeless crisis did not arrive at our door overnight. Every year of delay in the past has compounded the crisis, increasing human, economic, environmental and cultural costs. A regular provincewide homeless count is an important step to giving everyone who wants a permanent address a proper place to call home.

T. Stone: Thank you to the member for Courtenay-Comox for her statement. I certainly appreciate her perspective on this incredibly important issue. It goes without saying that all members of this House want better for all British Columbians.

Everyone in B.C. deserves a place to call home, a place to feel safe, and one that provides them with a firm foundation to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, there are thousands of people across our province for whom this is not the case today, and we all, collectively, need to do everything possible to change this reality.

[10:35 a.m.]

However, we must remember that support for those experiencing homelessness doesn’t end with housing alone. You cannot just give someone a roof over their heads and expect that every other challenge they’re facing will suddenly be solved or will disappear. This is why we support increased access to mental health and addictions recovery for those who need those supports. It’s why our previous government built and preserved a mixture of thousands of supportive housing units for those experiencing homelessness as well as those with mental health and addictions issues.

The past few years have seen slow progress in the creation of new supportive housing units. In addition to only 2,963 out of 114,000 units of promised affordable and supportive housing being built over the past three years, there have been zero units of Indigenous housing open to date, and 65 percent of those units are unfunded. Also, 70 percent of women’s transition housing fund units remain unfunded, and only 80 units have been opened to this point.

At this rate, it will take 100 years before the government’s housing goals are fulfilled. It is clear that this pace is far too slow to address the housing needs that are prevalent across communities in every corner of British Columbia.

When it comes to truly addressing homelessness in our province, we cannot narrow our focus simply to building homes. As I mentioned earlier, a roof over a head will certainly make someone’s life easier. It’s a very important action. But in and of itself, it will not solve the underlying causes of homelessness. Every supportive housing development must include full wraparound supports to address the mental health and addictions needs that are widespread among many of those experiencing homelessness.

We have seen that the government relies heavily on a patchwork of off-site supports related to some of their supportive housing projects, but this is not enough to meet the needs of all the residents. People need and deserve better.

Right now we are seeing proof of the problems with this approach play out in the city of Vancouver. B.C. Housing recently made the decision to decamp the Oppenheimer Park tent city — last month — and move residents into hotels in the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver.

I will add that this action, this decision, of B.C. Housing was done with absolutely zero consultation or warning for the residents of this neighbourhood. Suddenly, hundreds of people were moved into this high-density residential neighbourhood that has the second-highest number of children per square kilometre in the city of Vancouver.

Point of Order

Deputy Speaker: There’s a point of order by Maple Ridge–​Mission.

Would the member for Maple Ridge–Mission like to state a point of order?

B. D’Eith: Yes. This is partisan, Hon. Speaker.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

Members, as we have instructed everybody earlier, these statements must be non-partisan. Thank you.

Member, please continue.

Debate Continued

T. Stone: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And all of this without having a plan in place to provide the new residents with the supports for their own well-being and to keep the entire community safe. Not only is this unfair to the broader community, which was not given time to prepare for this sudden change, but it’s unfair to those who have been moved into these hotels and left to fend for themselves in an unfamiliar environment without the supports they need to live a safe and healthy life.

This situation underscores the need for careful planning in supportive housing projects, inclusive of 24-7 on-site wraparound supports along with careful planning and advanced engagement with communities to be impacted.

I wholeheartedly agree that we need to do more to address homelessness in our province. Everyone deserves a place to call home. But we simply cannot move people around from community to community and hope that this solves the underlying challenges people face. Rather than relying on patchworks and band-aid solutions, we need to be diligent in our approach and make sure that we are addressing the whole picture.

R. Leonard: First of all, I’d like to thank the member for Kamloops–South Thompson for his comments on homeless counts, I think.

[10:40 a.m.]

Earlier I mentioned that the Comox Valley was quick out of the gate to do this year’s homeless count, as many of the challenges of homelessness continue to persist. Our homeless seniors population is growing. Women are overrepresented in the numbers of homeless.

Our government worked with the city to bring 48 homes to people without a home in its supportive modular housing. There are other projects that have been supported to house women, children and youth fleeing violence, as well as to bring more affordable rental units on stream.

Increasing assistance and disability rates, increasing the subsidies of SAFER and RAP, bringing more services to those in need and making life more affordable put us on the right path, but everyone recognizes that there is still so much more to do, and they’re eager to get on with it.

I remember the early days of figuring out how to count those without a home. Efforts have been made for point-in-time counts to become more standardized and to add more details. By covering more communities, 88 percent of B.C.’s population this year will be covered with this second count. The counts continue to better reflect the extent of homelessness and the scope of needed support.

We can always do better. There are some limitations to the point-in-time approach. That’s why this year alternative approaches will be piloted in two communities, Cranbrook and Port Alberni. They’ll delve deeper to explore hidden homelessness or those who might be missed by the point-in-time counts. Enhancing the information from the 24-hour count, it’s expected, will enrich the understanding of the differences between population categories.

More work will also be undertaken to better understand Indigenous perspectives and definitions. A video project will delve into individual stories behind the count, and a quantitative analysis will be taken of data from the self-identified Indigenous respondents from the point-in-time count.

The new office of homelessness coordination’s goal is to move beyond reactive emergency responses toward preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place. The goal of homeless counts is not to simply gather figures. It informs government about services needed, where to build homes, how many and for whom.

Our government stepped up quickly to begin to provide housing for those struggling to find a roof over their heads and to provide the necessary supports. There’s no question that there’s much more to do. This global pandemic may be challenging us, but our commitment continues.

SENIORS AND AFFORDABILITY

D. Barnett: First, I would like to recognize the great work of Bonnie Henry and to thank the constituents of the Cariboo-Chilcotin for adhering and making us all safe. On behalf of my constituents, though, I am pleased to bring forward an important statement this morning regarding seniors and affordability.

I gave notice of this statement prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. However, seniors in B.C. and, indeed, across the country and around the world have been the hardest hit by COVID-19. People over the age of 65 are the most vulnerable segment of the population, and we think government needs to be doing more for them.

I will provide you with some examples in my riding later in my comments. But it doesn’t matter if you are a senior in rural British Columbia or the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island: these people are scared, they are isolated, and they fear a second wave could be just around the corner.

I first want to draw your attention to the fact that as official opposition, we have been trying to provide the government with much support throughout the pandemic. This includes pointing out which people are falling through the cracks and why seniors need more help than ever.

Our seniors have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and, tragically, represent the majority of deaths our province has experienced. B.C. families have had to endure the heartbreak of losing loved ones. For these reasons, the Leader of the Official Opposition wrote to the Premier on June 10. The letter expresses our deep concern for seniors in long-term care facilities and the hard-working staff responsible for protecting and caring for them.

[10:45 a.m.]

Our seniors and staff in our long-term care homes have been at the forefront of our fight against COVID-19. These people have experienced some of the hardest realities of this ongoing pandemic, and they continue to. The heartbreak felt by families is only amplified by the current circumstances that keep family members apart from our loved ones. We have heard from many families eager to see their senior parents residing in care as soon as it is safe to do so. We strongly feel that this government is duty-bound to keep British Columbians up to date and provide guidance to care home operators, staff and family members. They need plans for resumption of in-person visits with appropriate physical distancing measures in place.

We therefore suggest launching a thorough independent review of long-term care facilities in British Columbia to clearly define where our long-term care system has performed well and where we have failed, creating a comprehensive resource strategy to meet the growing demand for staffing in seniors’ care, providing support for residents and staff incurring the costs of implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures in senior care facilities and, as I’ve already mentioned, establishing a timeline and resources strategy that will allow families to visit their loved ones in senior care while adhering to the appropriate physical distancing measures.

MLAs on both sides of this House have heard from families and advocacy groups across B.C. who believe that more must be done. Regardless of party politics, every member serving in our Legislature shares a collective goal with all British Columbians. We want the best for those who gave us so much.

We hope your government will listen to the ideas of the official opposition and advocacy groups as well as the concerns of British Columbians whose parents, grandparents, siblings or loved ones occupy or staff these homes. We hope that together we can provide our elders with the care and support they need. I look forward to hearing from the hon. member on this deeply important issue.

S. Chandra Herbert: Thank you to the member for Cariboo–Chilcotin for sharing her words and care for seniors at this time.

I want to start, I think, by thanking the seniors in my community of Vancouver–West End and all those that look out for seniors across this province. As the member rightly noted, COVID-19 has harmed seniors and those who take care of seniors and watch out for seniors more than everyone else. We all know of the fear and the concern but also the care and the incredible love and attention that seniors have given to each other and have felt in their communities.

I want to thank the member first. I prepared my remarks based on the title, which was affordability and seniors, which didn’t get addressed in the opening remarks. But I can understand, given the change of COVID-19, that the member wanted to focus on that urgent demand and that urgent need.

I want to thank the unofficial elders council in my community, whether it’s the West End Seniors Network, the West End Seniors Planning Table, the blind seniors group that meets in my office once a month — or has, prior to COVID-19 — and the many seniors who have given me advice in the coffee shops, street corners, elevators and laundry rooms of the West End and Cole Harbour.

One thing that I know that they have told me strongly around COVID-19 is their concern about our long-term care facilities, which the member noted. Haro Park Centre was one of the worst hit so far in my community of the West End, and I want to honour and thank the staff who worked so hard to look after our elders and to remember them — those that we lost due to this crisis — and remember their families and their friends who could not see them in these final moments.

[10:50 a.m.]

I also want to thank those that continue to try to make the system better, because unfortunately, as we know, the system was not a good system, not a full system, at the beginning. That’s in part why we had this challenge. Workers who were trying their best but having to work multiple jobs and having to go through multiple sites in order to make a living.

Thankfully, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Minister of Health, they’ve moved to a single-site model, which should have always been the way. I understand that seeking the lowest cost, trying to save money and cut budgets led to a system of greater risk. Our seniors never should have been put in that place, but they were. That’s not a partisan remark. It’s just the reality.

Thankfully, that leadership is changing things. That leadership is making the seniors the priority once again, which is what they should have been to begin with — and, of course, those that look out for them in those care homes. I know we’ve increased staffing in the care facilities and, to the end of affordability, cut a lot of those extra costs, the bells and whistles that were putting those who had more money ahead in the line of those who did not, making a mockery of a universal health care system that I think we all, hopefully, value and continue to work for, because our seniors deserve that kind of care and treatment.

In terms of the questions of affordability and some of those other underlying issues, I just wanted to say thank you for the advocacy to the seniors in my community, for doing things like the last ten years of listening to me talk about wanting to eliminate the MSP but, unfortunately, seeing it double in that ten years. They told me: “We want it gone.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t, and nor could the official opposition at the time, get that message through.

Thankfully, we’ve now completely eliminated the MSP so that seniors in our communities can put more money towards their housing, their food, their grandkids, should they have them — just the necessities of life — and changing things like eliminating PharmaCare fees for low- and middle-income seniors, in many regards.

One issue that I just have to mention, because the seniors would not have it any other way, is standing up for seniors who rent, making sure that we don’t go back to the days of 100 percent rent increases, fixed-term tenancies, geographic increases, that we continue to focus on affordability for senior renters, including looking at things like SAFER and other ways to find that they can have more money in their pockets as well.

Thank you to the member for raising these issues. I look forward to continuing to advocate for seniors’ affordability, as I have since I first began over 12 years ago.

Deputy Speaker: Members, again, I just want to remind everybody. Make sure that everybody remains non-parti­san during their statements.

D. Barnett: I thank the hon. member for those comments. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I have had a growing number of seniors and their loved ones expressing concern about their future. Seniors, and I am one, are the most vulnerable.

Here is a prime example of one senior in my riding. My constituent first contacted our office because her 87-year-old father-in-law was being transported to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops for surgery. This was his first time in a hospital, ever. Can you imagine, at 87 years old? No one was allowed to go with him in the ambulance because of COVID-19, but the family went in their own vehicle and followed anyway. They were not allowed to be with him, in any way, before or after his surgery. Like most people, they could only use Skype — the family has since learned he has now had to have further surgery — and Skype didn’t work for them.

The daughter-in-law was told once again they could not have visitors. As a result, this poor man had given up, and the family feels he was failing quickly. Fortunately, we were called. We were able to intervene and arrange a meeting with Interior Health. As a result, two family members are now able to provide the support that will make a huge difference in the world of this 87-year-old man. It makes me wonder how many people out there are currently suffering from a similar situation, or worse, with loved ones. I have had many contact my office.

[10:55 a.m.]

In conclusion, government has an obligation to act on behalf of all the families and loved ones who are suffering from similar situations. We owe so much to our parents, grandparents and our seniors who laid the foundation for this province. Their hard work and sacrifice are what gave us the quality of life we currently enjoy. Now is the time to act on behalf of all our seniors to make their lives more comfortable, more affordable and more accessible to their needs.

TEAM-BASED MEDICINE

S. Malcolmson: I’m honoured to stand here to represent the people of Nanaimo in the Legislature at this historic time.

We know that many people in Nanaimo, like other places around the province, find it difficult to receive the adequate health care that they need when they need it. For too long, British Columbians struggled to be seen by a family doctor quickly. They faced growing surgical waiting lists and had to turn to overcrowded hospitals and emergency rooms. Our government knew that the way health care was delivered had to change.

Instead of relying on the old model of health care, we knew we needed to be forward-looking and harness the power of teams to better meet the needs of British Columbians. So I jumped at the chance to visit the Snuneymuxw First Nation’s new health care clinic this winter. They had successfully developed a health centre that provides team-based primary care alongside traditional cultural practice. They refer to it as the One Canoe model of care.

Physician services came in 2017, in partnership with the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, to this health care centre that had been offering preventative services and advocacy since 1998. For some community members, it was the first time they’d seen a doctor. This new place where they moved just this winter will have more space to house physicians and, eventually, a pharmacist and a dentist.

Their One Canoe principles provide clear guidance that every member of the team is essential to achieve the goal of health, but the patients are the skippers, and it’s they who decide the direction of the canoe according to their own health care goals. Now, that team-based health care is….

I want to especially acknowledge Snuneymuxw nurses Connie Paul and Cheryl Mooney. Their leadership is just beautiful to witness.

Here’s what the One Canoe model means, and this is what’s so important, I think, for the rest of us in the province to hear. This is based on the rule of tribal journeys. They say that the gift of each enriches all. Every story is important. The bow, the stern, the skipper, the power puller in the middle — everyone is part of the movement. Secondly, we all pull and support each other. Nothing occurs in isolation. When we aren’t in the family of a canoe, we are not ready for whatever comes.

Never could we have imagined how vital it would be to pull together, to paddle together, to work as a team to hold back COVID-19. So I raise my hands to every health care worker, every one of them, and every job from cleaner to lab tech to front-line emergency room worker. You have saved lives, and your work has been extraordinary.

Now, before COVID-19, I heard the Premier, in almost every government caucus meeting, talking about how he was making progress on the things that people cared about. He would say to us: “I get out of bed every morning thinking, ‘What can I do today to make people’s lives better?’” In a minority parliament, every day is a gift. We were so focused on change that would affect people at a day-to-day level. But I can’t imagine how we would have weathered the pandemic without some of the team supports that we were able to put in place before the pandemic.

Our primary care network strategy was a major part to harness the power of nurse practitioners, doctors, everybody working together. In Nanaimo, our urgent primary care centre was one of those pieces. It opened a year ago at the Medical Arts Centre in Port Place Mall. At that time, more than 15½ thousand people in our region didn’t have a family doctor, and for those who did, same-day access was really difficult to give. The idea is that you go in, and you’ve got access to addictions counsellors, pharmacists, social workers, nurse practitioners, physio, mental health supports. People work together.

[11:00 a.m.]

Our focus so far has been on high-risk and complex medical patients; 805 of them between September and the beginning of March have been attached to primary care providers at the urgent primary care centre. Another 150 patients monthly get referred through this structure to be able to be attached to someone that will act kind of like a family doctor used to in Nanaimo.

When we opened this, or announced it a year ago, we thought there would be 25,000 people a year that would come to the urgent primary care centre. There have been 22,000 just since September — well, between September and the beginning of March. We know that once COVID hit, the place was just…. I wouldn’t say overwhelmed, but the community response and how many people got expert care and navigation from them is extraordinary.

Meanwhile up the hill, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital was one of the COVID-designated hospitals for Vancouver Island. From a team perspective, everyone at NRGH had to change the way they did their work completely to learn new procedures and new protocols in a very short amount of time. They had to, obviously, work safely together and care for patients. Everything shifted. When surgeries were cancelled, then some of the staff became ambassadors, doing screening as people entered the hospital.

In every place, people have worked together in our region. It has saved lives. The way that the Medical Staff Association at Nanaimo Hospital describes it, it then opened doors.

Another area of teamwork is between Island Health, Nanaimo MSA, our community leaders and the Ministry of Health working together to identify needs. They’ve already achieved the basis of a neurology program, the beginning of a gastroenterology program and implemented a complex medical care unit for internal medicine. Particularly because of the pressure that was brought by COVID-19, everybody has agreed that we need a high-acuity unit.

It’s something that I’ve been advocating for as an MLA. It is kind of an in-between — people that don’t need to be in ICU but need more care than a hospital bed. That temporary space is going to open in October. It’ll be done in association with our intensive care unit, also a new addition for Nanaimo, also badly overdue. The need was identified for it back in 2013. The previous government did not act on it.

Deputy Speaker: Member, no partisan comments.

S. Malcolmson: I will just say, just to pause, how deeply reliant we are on working together and how important it’s been to have the cooperation of the B.C. Liberal and Green parties working together, again as a team, to save lives and look after people in our community during an extremely challenging time.

J. Thornthwaite: Thank you to my colleague for her comments on team-based medicine. I would like to first begin my comments by acknowledging the work that has been done by the teams of health care workers, first responders, grocery store workers, recovery home workers, home care nurses and, of course, our long-term-care workers, all during this pandemic.

[S. Gibson in the chair.]

Some health care workers, in particular, could not even see their families for fear they would put them at risk. Significant sacrifices from health care professionals and all those who work in the field deserve our credit.

It is also necessary to recognize that we are in the middle of two public health emergencies right now, and that while the COVID-19 situation improves in the province, the opioid crisis has worsened significantly. This pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated many of the gaps that exist in our current system of care, which is evident in the most recent increase in overdose deaths.

May was B.C.’s worst month for overdose deaths in our province’s history, and 170 people died that month. These were our brothers, our sisters, our moms, our dads and our daughters. But mostly, it was our sons dying alone at home.

Individuals with mental health and substance use issues should not have the additional burden of navigating a complicated, broken system if they wish to seek help. There is possibly no better place to implement team-based care than in mental health treatment. We need a single-point-of-entry system where individuals can access all of the care that they need immediately, rather than being referred to other professionals and waiting even longer. Sadly, this is still not the case.

[11:05 a.m.]

We need to commit to creating a more integrated wraparound approach to mental health and substance use issues in this province. To achieve this, we need to increase funding for the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions so we can effectively respond to the crisis in areas that are currently lacking.

We need a mental health and addictions strategy that will allow a single point of entry for those who are ready. We need a drug monitoring program to prevent addictions in the first place and funding for scientific research to determine best practices, and that includes safe supply.

Finally, we need to invest in a pathway to recovery for people with addictions. Getting to the root of the addictions requires a significant commitment, but we could start out by funding more addiction recovery beds — the ones that are already sitting empty.

Far more people have died in B.C. of overdoses than COVID-19. Yet we do not seem to have the same sense of urgency in addressing this severe and ongoing public health crisis, 170 deaths in May. This is versus 168 deaths, sadly, with COVID, totally. This has highlighted that we only have 30 specialized addiction treatment beds today. That’s it, 30, and we had 170 deaths in May.

The pandemic has opened our eyes to the fragility of the system and the need to create a strong foundation which can stand the effects of any emergency that may come at us. For example, simply moving people into hotels, out of Oppenheimer Park, carries over the crime, the vandalism, theft, assaults, needles, sexual assaults, public urination and defecation from the park to the steps of the condos and businesses in Yaletown, Coal Harbour and all of downtown Vancouver.

Unless there are true wraparound supports for mental health and addictions, these problems are not going to get better. Sadly, it is clear that the current system is not working. The band-aid approaches that continue to be addressed are not working for mental health and those with addictions. It is costing lives and family grief.

Going forward, we must recognize the flaws in our system and work to repair them. As elected officials and representatives of the communities that are affected, we have the responsibility to lead this change. We cannot allow others to fall through the cracks when there are solutions that could be implemented.

I look forward to continuing our work to bring about action on this issue, which deserves government’s urgent and immediate attention.

Deputy Speaker: The Chair recognizes the member for Nanaimo to close discussion on this.

S. Malcolmson: Speaking to the power of teams as a way to deliver health care in our region, I have to point out the number of lives that have been saved on Vancouver Island by workers in long-term care. It’s been a huge success that — looking at the rest of the country and how many lives have been lost — on Vancouver Island, we haven’t had a single case of infection. We haven’t had a single death. Thank goodness. We don’t take that for granted. We’re not complacent about it. But it’s a testament to the dedication of both families and the care home workers, under extremely difficult circumstances, that our seniors have been well cared for and able to not fall to the fate that seniors in other parts of the country have.

Huge credit to HEU, HSA, B.C. Nurses Union. Almost 9,000 workers across British Columbia formerly worked at multiple sites for care homes, potentially tracking the disease between homes. When Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered that they all work at a single site…. Nine thousand of them now are all working at a single site. I’m grateful to the Health Minister for topping up wages and making sure that we’re able to look after both workers and the elders that are under their care.

[11:10 a.m.]

We’re fixing the problems that were left behind not just for people in Nanaimo but for everyone around the province through our primary care network strategy and team-based care. By improving how we connect people to care, we can make sure that British Columbians get the health care they need faster and closer to home. In this case, we are absolutely saving lives doing it.

Thank you to the workers. Thank you to the families who have made great sacrifices at this time to keep our province safe.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I ask the House now to consider proceeding with Motion 4, standing in the name of the member for Columbia River–Revelstoke.

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 4 without disturbing the priorities of the motions provided on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Deputy Speaker: Further, unanimous consent of the House is required to permit the member for Cariboo North to move Motion 4 on behalf of the member for Columbia River–Revelstoke.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 4 — ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

C. Oakes: I move, on behalf of the member for Columbia River–Revelstoke:

[Be it resolved that this House encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians.]

It is well known that small business is the sector of the provincial economy to be hardest hit by this pandemic. A recent survey by Insights West indicated that 65 percent of small business owners are very worried about the negative financial impact overall.

Earlier the member for Courtenay-Comox talked about the importance of data and counting. To the member, I am looking at current data as it surrounds the discussion around small businesses and, specifically, the impact it will have disproportionately on women, whether they’re small business owners or employees.

When you look at the data and you look at the statistics, small businesses are incredibly concerned. Sixty-six percent are worried about financing, 41 percent are afraid they will not have the ability to pay their salaries, 43 percent feel that they will have difficulty paying their rent or lease, and only 55 percent think that emergency federal aid will be effective.

Most of all, it is uncertainty. That is the worst thing facing small businesses in British Columbia. This will have impacts on everything.

Starting June 25, each of us has the opportunity as an MLA to demonstrate our support by joining the Canadian Federation of Independent Business campaign #SmallBusinessEveryDay. Now is the time for every single member to stand up and show our support for our small businesses. Action is needed now.

In 2021, the Business Council forecasts the economy may have the potential to grow by 4.8 percent. That means we will only be regaining just over half of the economic output lost in 2020. The council also indicates that the magnitude of job losses is especially concerning. That affects every single area of the province.

[11:15 a.m.]

Since February, the number of people working in the province has plummeted by roughly 350,000 people. B.C.’s greater exposure to hard hit sectors, especially accommodation and food services, wholesale and retail trade, resulted in the unemployment rate nearly tripling in three months. It now sits around 13 percent. Unfortunately, many businesses will not reopen, and several tens of thousands of jobs will be permanently lost. The council concludes that for both Canada and British Columbia, the 2020 downturn is shaping up to be the deepest in 100 years.

It is therefore very puzzling why the provincial government has launched a questionnaire that will ask British Columbians to “share their feedback as the province continues to build a strong, economic recovery that works for people.” This six-week consultation process, launched over three months after the pandemic began, will only serve to delay British Columbia’s economic recovery. The people deserve more than a questionnaire. They deserve economic leadership. That is why the people of British Columbia — the small business sector — are crying out for action on the part of their government.

The B.C. Business Council is also saying that the province is likely to experience a net loss of 20,000 to 30,000 businesses with paid employees over the next 18 months. Our neighbourhoods and our communities will be changed forever. Until then, the Finance Minister is sitting on $1.5 billion set aside for economic recovery.

Government has been quick to highlight the fact that they’ve been meeting with the Small Business Roundtable and stakeholders. The government claims to have held over 1,500 outreach sessions with businesses, labour, not-for-profits and community leaders across British Columbia. The Premier said: “Over 20,000 individuals have been talked to about the challenges of COVID-19 and how we come through this.”

So my question is…. Now is the time for government to act. We need action. What has the government been doing? Do not dismiss what small businesses have been saying. Don’t dismiss the Chamber of Commerce MindReader and all of the information that they’ve gathered and the CFIB surveys. Small businesses need action now.

J. Brar: I’m really pleased to respond to the motion introduced by the member for Cariboo North asking this House to encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians. I see the shift on this topic, right now, moving to small businesses. It’s not a bad one, by the way.

As we return to the Legislature today, British Columbians are worried about their health care and their livelihoods, whether it’s small business people or a working person. COVID-19 has impacted all of us in ways we never could have imagined. People feel isolated and anxious about the future. Our friends and neighbours are out of work. So it’s important for us to talk about what is next and talk about the economic opportunity for all British Columbians moving forward.

During the B.C. Liberals’ time in government, economic opportunity really only meant opportunities for those at the top. The door to economic opportunity was designed by the B.C. Liberals to be so narrow that only the top 2 percent were able to enter the universe of economic opportunity and prosperity. That includes a lot of small business people, as well, who were not able to enter that door.

For years, the B.C. Liberals sent huge giveaways to multi-millionaires and made everyone else pay for it with fee hikes and service cuts, including cuts to health care and senior care that forced staff to work at multiple facilities, contributing to COVID-19 outbreaks that made this pandemic worse for our health care and our economy. They refused to make an investment that would benefit everyone in British Columbia. The minimum wage in B.C. was kept low, disproportionately affecting women and immigrant workers.

[11:20 a.m.]

Health care wages were rolled back due to privatization, and health care workers will never forget the painful era at that time under the Liberals. Education opportunities and skills training were all but eliminated. Not enough investments were made in affordable housing and child care.

Now the surprising thing is that the Leader of the Opposition is planning for big tax breaks for those at the top at a time when people can least afford it. His plan helps multi-millionaires and makes everyone else pay the price.

We know what these giveaways will mean. People will pay more taxes and fees, just like before. They are planning to bring back MSP, which they doubled while they were in power. That’s going to hurt a lot of small businesses. As well, their cuts to health care and seniors care would weaken our health care system when we need it the most. The Leader of the Opposition’s tax breaks for the rich and powerful will mean that everyone else pays for it. That is a risk that people can’t afford now.

Our government is committed to sharing prosperity for everyone in B.C., including small business people. We truly believe in it, and we act on it. Before COVID-19, we were making progress on things that people care about. People are the economy. We will build B.C. back stronger so that everyone has a good job and a secure future and so that small business can prosper in B.C.’s economy. We will build an economic recovery around everyday people, including small business people — not just the rich 2 percent, as it happened under the B.C. Liberals.

Helping people get the training and education they need to get good jobs is very important. Building infrastructure like roads, mass transit and bridges will boost the economy and create good jobs and opportunities for small business people in B.C. We have the largest project in the history of the province, LNG, creating over 100,000 jobs and opportunities for thousands of people.

I think my time is up. We have a vision for a strong, sustainable economy that provides good jobs for people and quality public services for people.

Thanks a lot for the opportunity.

D. Davies: I rise in this House today to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that this House encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians.” I think it is very fitting that on the first day of what will surely be the most unique and historic parliamentary session that this province has ever witnessed, I’m here today to speak on this motion.

British Columbia is currently facing one of the greatest economic crises in its history. Over 300,000 jobs have been lost. Businesses have closed their doors, many of them for good. We have witnessed unprecedented strains on our health care system and our essential services. These next weeks are going to be crucial to put our province back on the right path toward economic recovery. Promoting and investing in economic opportunity has never been more important, and it is our job, as representatives of the people of British Columbia, to lead this task.

Fortunately for us, we live in a province that is blessed with countless opportunities. British Columbia has an abundance of natural resources: forestry, mining, fishing, oil and gas, agriculture and hydroelectricity — the very things that we need to restart our economy and get British Columbians back to work. We need to seize these opportunities. Coming from one of the more rural parts of British Columbia, in Peace River North, I know that natural resources are the lifeblood of our communities.

Even before COVID-19, we have seen the impact of what a lack of investment in our rural economies can do to these communities. After a lack of supports and heavy-handed tax increases by this government, many of our resource industries have lost their competitive edge on the national and the global markets. Capital dollars are like water; they will take the path of least resistance. And this government has created a lot of resistance in British Columbia right now.

[11:25 a.m.]

This government’s ongoing mismanagement of our forestry sector has led to a crisis for the industry and has done catastrophic damage to our rural communities. Mills have closed, jobs are becoming more difficult to find, people are forced to seek work elsewhere, and our communities are suffering.

Now more than ever, we need to be actively promoting our natural resource sector, including LNG. A thriving LNG sector will bring direct economic benefits to our local Indigenous communities, rural communities and, indeed, our province. We want to bring more benefits to the people of B.C. while producing the cleanest LNG in the world, and it’s up to this government to take action and promote these projects.

We need a government that is willing to defer stumpage fees for our struggling forestry industry, promote and champion our LNG industries, support mining and stand by the agriculture industry. But make it easier to farm, not harder. COVID-19 is an ever-changing challenge, and accountability and transparency to British Columbians are as vital as support is.

British Columbians are seeking better input and information from the government so they can continue to adjust their daily lives to the ever-changing norm. Since March, British Columbians have been seeking forums to hear a viable plan from this government. So how is it that after three months into this pandemic, government has now only decided they should release a survey on what it should do? How is this adequate? How does this support the people who are suffering right now and need the supports right now?

This government has asked people to make extraordinary sacrifices to help flatten the curve and help support our health care system. Now it’s government’s responsibility to help these same people and businesses recover from the economic fallout and to help position our businesses to reopen safely and to flourish.

This government needs to produce a viable economic recovery plan so that British Columbians know exactly where the $1½ billion of their tax money is being spent. And they’re really wondering when they can expect this support. Time is of the essence. British Columbians are waiting for this government to help. We need that help now.

M. Dean: I do believe that we need to encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians. But let’s remember that even before the pandemic, our economy was not creating opportunities equally for all British Columbians. Here in the context of the current pandemic, I want to recognize that it’s our people who are the economy of B.C. and to say thank you to all of our front-line workers who have come to work every day across so many sectors.

Thank you to all British Columbians for doing your bit, staying home and helping to flatten the curve. While I’ve heard heartbreaking stories during these times, I’ve also heard truly heartwarming ones too. Pulling together, we have been taking care of people across our communities. However, I want to recognize the loss for 168 families and offer condolences to them and everyone who cared for them.

The economic impact of this pandemic is as bad as any we have ever seen in the history of our province. Hundreds of thousands of British Columbians have lost their jobs. We have seen staggering job losses in food service, retail and accommodation sectors hitting young people, women and low-wage earners such as racialized, marginalized and immigrant people particularly hard. Youth unemployment rate is an overwhelming 29 percent, and women make up more than 60 percent of the job losses in the hardest-hit sectors.

Women are also more likely to be shouldering the greatest caregiving responsibilities for their children and other family members. In addition, economic insecurity associated with the pandemic is more likely to be compounded by other factors and amplified for Indigenous women, LGBTQ2S+ people and people with disabilities.

I also want to take a moment to absolutely condemn the racism that we have seen to the south and also in parts of our province in relation to policing as well as COVID-19. We are investing in Resilience B.C. to build a strong antiracism network and tackle racism head on. We will modernize the 45-year-old Police Act with a specific focus on systemic racism. And there is more to be done.

[11:30 a.m.]

Since the effects of COVID-19 have not been the same for all people, or all sectors of the economy, our rebuilding plan can’t be one-size-fits-all either. As the Premier has said, we can build a stronger, more resilient B.C. by putting people at the centre of every decision we make. Our Minister of Finance says that by building on our strengths and drawing on new ideas, we will restore economic growth and achieve a vibrant, inclusive, competitive economy.

We also know we have a chance to address systemic inequities that have been so clearly magnified during the pandemic and build an economy that leaves no one behind. When we talk about the economy, we’re talking about people. The economy isn’t an abstract thing separated from people’s real lives. Although we often use numbers to measure economic trends, behind those numbers are real people. As B.C. works to build its COVID-19 economic recovery plan, it’s vital that everyone, especially those who already face disadvantages, is supported and given the best possible opportunity to be part of B.C.’s restart.

It’s critical that marginalized groups are not further impacted by systemic inequalities. Economically, the immediate challenge is to get people back to work as quickly and as safely as possible, starting with those who have been hurt the most by the pandemic. Those are Indigenous people, new Canadians, women, young adults, people earning less than $30 an hour and service sector workers. Significant investments in K-to-12 education, skills training and the new B.C. access grant will help people respond to the current challenges in our job market while moving towards a future in our province where opportunities are not defined by your gender or gender expression, age, income bracket or home address. Continuing our investments in child care and infrastructure also gives us a strong foundation for economic recovery.

As we move from restart to recovery, we have the chance to address existing gaps and to do much more. We can build back better than before.

S. Cadieux: I’m pleased to speak today on the motion before this House. A thriving economy, one full of opportunity for all, is an important sign of a healthy province. It’s never been more important than now to encourage activity that grows and strengthens that economy.

The very fact that I’m not giving my statement from the Legislature is a sign of just how much COVID-19 has changed our daily life in the province. It’s altered the way we interact with one another, the way we do our jobs, the way we operate and frequent businesses. As a result, thousands of businesses across this province are struggling. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has reported that because of COVID-19, 32 percent of small businesses are behind on their major bill payments.

As many as 36 percent have seen a 70 percent or greater drop in revenue. This kind of revenue loss could be catastrophic for any business at any time, let alone our favourite small, local businesses. I’ve watched many over these past few months, in my own neighbourhood, close their doors for good.

It’s heartbreaking to see the loss of such foundational pieces in our communities. Instead of standing by and just watching as our neighbourhoods are hollowed out, we need to be taking every step possible to provide these businesses with the opportunity to recover and become successful once more.

For the last four months, I and my colleagues in the opposition have been listening to the concerns of thousands of British Columbians affected by this pandemic. We’ve heard people talk about their struggles. We’ve listened to what they’ve been asking for in terms of support. In turn, we’ve taken their feedback and turned it into policy recommendations that we’ve shared with this government.

Last month we wrote a letter to the Premier that suggested a number of different actions government could take to support B.C. businesses during this recovery. We suggested temporary tax breaks, not simply tax deferrals, on the PST, the EHT and the hotel tax to give businesses a break from mounting bills. We suggested a small business hardship grant be implemented in B.C., as other provinces in Canada have already done. We suggested a moratorium on new regulations and policies that would add costs for business during this time and asked for funding to help businesses secure personal protective equipment. In addition to all of this, we recommended a short-term commercial rent relief plan that flows directly to the tenants if the landlords don’t apply.

[11:35 a.m.]

These are straightforward, commonsense solutions that, if implemented, would make a real difference to the many businesses, and ultimately workers, that are currently struggling to make ends meet or to get back into employment. They are solutions that would provide business owners the opportunity to continue to employ those staff that they feel are family and to provide those much-needed jobs that the member prior spoke about for those groups most impacted, women and young workers.

There are nearly 40 recommendations we’ve made to government since March. Unfortunately, the government has no interest in putting them into action, it would appear. When I learned that the Premier would be making an announcement last Wednesday, I hoped that government had spent the last few months developing a solid economic recovery plan for the province. But instead of announcing a comprehensive plan to get the economy back on track, we have another six-week survey.

Now, I’m not against public consultation — not at all. But this is only going to delay a process of recovery during an absolutely critical period. It fails to understand the needs of British Columbians today. The people of the province have been telling their government what they need for these last number of months, and only now, when action is needed most, does government decide to listen.

At the beginning of the pandemic, government asked the people of B.C. to trust them, to trust that they had our best interests at heart and that if we followed their instructions, we would make it through. Businesses responded. They followed the directions they were given. They made sacrifices, with many businesses closing their doors voluntarily, for the public good.

Now, as a feeling of abandonment by government grows amongst the business community, they’re starting to wonder if that trust was misplaced. For the good of B.C., I hope that this is not the case. I hope that we will soon see swift action from government to support the businesses of this province so that they, in turn, can ensure that their employees are back earning money, supporting their families, and that the growth of this economy is on the right track sooner rather than later.

J. Routledge: I’m pleased to rise in support of this motion: “Be it resolved that this House encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians.” In fact, taken at face value, this motion expresses a sentiment one would expect to hear from this side of the aisle. After all, economic opportunity for all has been our rallying cry since the 1930s. It’s one of the fundamental values that unite us. It’s our vision, our manifesto, our pride.

Now, I have a lot that I want to say about economic opportunity for all, the kinds of decisions that create the conditions that foster it and the kinds of decisions that put it out of reach for so many. I may run out of time before I get to my conclusion, so let me say up front that economic opportunity without economic equality is nothing more than economic exploitation. Economic opportunity without economic justice is simply empty words.

I want to give the members opposite the benefit of the doubt. We’ve been through a lot as a province in the past few months. The pandemic has changed us, how we relate to each other as a community of human beings. For many of us, it’s strengthened our concept of what the common good is, what we owe to each other as members of the same society. The pandemic has taught us that we survive and thrive as individuals only when the whole community survives and thrives.

We didn’t compete with each other to be the healthiest during the pandemic. We cooperated. So many British Columbians, front-line workers and volunteers put themselves at risk to protect the health of the most vulnerable amongst us.

Now, I would hope that what we’ve experienced together and the fact this motion has been made today means that the members opposite have come to see the danger of letting the market do our thinking for us. I would hope that they’ve had a change of heart, that the so-called, self-described free enterprise coalition has had a change of heart.

[11:40 a.m.]

If they have, then I would like to hear them admit that their trickle-down theory didn’t work. I would like to hear them admit that by cutting taxes to the rich while raising them for everyone else, that by gutting the labour code to make it near impossible for working people to band together, support each other and secure their share of economic opportunity was, in fact, being captured by what’s come to be called “zombie economics,” beliefs that are dead and continue to walk amongst us.

I would hope that they would concede that by doubling tuition fees, cutting funding for adult basic education and English language training, and dismantling skills training and apprenticeship systems, they robbed working people of their best chance of economic opportunity and education. I’d like to hear them admit that for the 16 years they ran this province, if their goal was to create economic opportunity for all British Columbians, then they failed.

Because by the time they left office, more wealth was concentrated in the hands of those at the top than in any point in our history since the 1930s. Because by the time they left office, 20 percent of children were living in poverty. Because the number of people relying on food banks to feed their families had doubled. Because 10 percent of the people living in Metro Vancouver could be classified as the working poor. They had jobs all right, but many of them had more than one job and still didn’t earn enough to make ends meet.

That’s what happens when the market is free to determine social outcomes. It’s humans who should determine social outcomes, with deliberate, purposeful and proactive policies, programs and incentives.

I see I’m quickly running out of time, so I will say again that economic opportunity without economic equality is nothing more than economic exploitation.

J. Isaacs: I rise in the House today to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that the House recognizes economic opportunity for all British Columbians.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult for British Columbians. For many, a once bright and exciting future is now uncertain. There are over 300,000 British Columbians who have lost their jobs and many more self-employed and independent contractors who are also uncertain as to what the future holds for them. Young people who were once anxious to build their resumes are now facing the highest youth unemployment rates in recent history.

There have been terrible financial impacts to small businesses. Small businesses create jobs and contribute enormously to our local and global economies. Businesses such as restaurants, sports and entertainment industry, and personal service providers all contribute to a healthy economy and have a positive impact on our social well-being. Tourism and the hospitality industries have been particularly hard hit, and it’s going to take time for consumer confidence to return and for businesses to rebuild to pre-COVID-19 conditions.

Everyone in British Columbia has felt the strain of COVID-19 in one way or another. While Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team have done a great job leading us through the public health response, we must now shift our efforts and shift our focus to providing economic opportunity for all British Columbians. Now more than ever, it is urgent that government deliver a comprehensive economic response plan.

Delays may be the difference between whether business owners fight to keep their doors open, or whether they will be forced to close their doors for good. Delays will determine if families need to seek work elsewhere, move out of their homes, put their kids back to school or seek daycare. It is critical that families and businesses have hope for the future and can push uncertainty aside.

[11:45 a.m.]

Businesses want to open their doors and welcome back their customers and their staff. It is government’s responsibility to assure that everyone in British Columbia has the opportunity to get ahead once again.

In March, billions of dollars of taxpayer money was given to government to lead the response to the emergency and to produce a unified plan for our province’s economic recovery. In the last four months, ideas and input have come forward from countless business round tables, member organizations, industry and regional groups, as well as suggestions from British Columbians and small business owners all across the province.

There have also been substantive solutions provided by the official opposition, suggestions such as the 90-day tax break on the provincial sales tax, hotel tax and employer health tax. They’re just some of the meaningful suggestions that would go a long way to help support businesses during these volatile times.

A short-term commercial rent relief plan would also help small businesses, especially those which are experiencing a significant loss in their cash flow. A reduction of red tape and excessive administration costs would allow small businesses to focus their efforts on successfully reopening their businesses.

Every day without a defined plan for economic opportunity is another day of worry and stress for our small businesses. After four months, rather than government launching a consultation survey seeking public input, it’s time that British Columbians have a clear path forward and the opportunity to succeed and get back to work. As a business owner and business consultant for many years, I encourage this House to swiftly move to provide economic opportunity for all British Columbians.

D. Routley: Assuming that everyone can hear me, I have a suggestion. Perhaps we could engage in heckling on the chat box, because it’s a little unusual not to be able to contribute in the ways we have in the past. But we’ll work with what we have.

I thank the Speaker and all the members for this opportunity. It has been an amazing three months where we have seen British Columbians face the greatest challenge that I’ve ever witnessed in this province, certainly. It has been absolutely inspiring to see people come together, cooperate, work together for a solution and make the sacrifices that were necessary to flatten the curve for the betterment of all of us. That involved so many sacrifices from people who might not have been so directly impacted, like young people who have embraced the message of Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Dix. I think we have to give great thanks to British Columbians for that.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

We’re also a province that was very well positioned to respond to this pandemic in that our economy was the leading economy in Canada. We have a very diversified economy. Obviously, very deeply impacted on many levels, the food industry being one. My own daughter, a chef in a high-end restaurant that’s small and isn’t open, is directly affected. I and all the people on the screen are fortunate in that we aren’t so directly impacted in terms of our income, but in every other way, we are.

In this province, if you ask yourself what you need in order to have people thrive economically, well, you need the institutional supports of education, housing, agriculture, food security — all of those things to be intact. You need economic justice, which was referred to so eloquently by the previous speaker from the government side.

Those foundational elements of our society are the ones that required investment over the past 16 years, before our government. And those are, in fact, exactly the areas in which cuts were made. Cuts that disproportionately affected women, immigrants and people of lower income levels. So it was our job, coming to government, to immediately begin to turn that around with massive investments in housing and child care and the kinds of supports that make an equal opportunity for British Columbians to participate in their own economy, in their own province, in their own communities.

[11:50 a.m.]

All of those steps were taken, and it actually further better positioned us to respond to this. It is in exactly those same areas that we need to make investments to support the recovery — that is, in child care, in housing, in supporting small businesses — so that the words of a friend of mine in the bicycle industry can be made ever more relevant. He said, during the time of school closures in the previous government’s term, that if he were considering opening a new bicycle shop, he wouldn’t seek out a community that was closing its elementary schools, that was cutting back on child care.

Those are important considerations for small business people. They know, when we reduce the costs to British Columbians, eliminating MSP premiums, giving actually quite huge supports for child care to struggling families, that those are the elements that create the kind of income in the community that gets spent in small businesses — not massive tax breaks to the most wealthy among us, not advantages to those who already enjoy such privilege but supports for people who actually struggle. They will be spent in our communities. They will make better and more healthy communities, and from that, everyone will prosper. I have faith that our government will continue that.

I’d like to point out, just in Agriculture alone, relaunching the Buy B.C. program, the program called Feed B.C., and Grow B.C., to help support food security in this province — those were very timely investments. They show that investments in the foundational services to families are exactly the kinds of investments that pay direct dividends to small business. That is why the Premier says to us, practically every time we meet, that we have a vision in which all British Columbians find a way to thrive in a thriving British Columbia. That’s, I think, the most important goal for all of us.

Noting the hour, I would move adjournment of the debate.

Mr. Speaker: Members, before we put the question formally, if we might hear from the member for Parksville-Qualicum for a minute.

M. Stilwell: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the motion before the House, before we adjourn the debate.

I start, this morning, by stating the obvious. We all want British Columbians to have the opportunity for economic growth and success. We collectively want what is best for British Columbia. I absolutely acknowledge that the opinions may differ between members in this House, but at the end, the ultimate goal remains the same.

We all recognize that COVID-19, of course, affected our collective opportunity. It has shuttered businesses, it has resulted in rampant job losses and has shaken the confidence of many British Columbians. People’s dreams have reduced in scope; future plans have been put on hold, on the back burner. Unfortunately, in many, many cases, that has disproportionately impacted those who can least afford it.

That being said this morning, I would like to focus on an area that a few months ago was the pinnacle of opportunity in this province but that since then has been the hardest-hit sector. In my role as co-critic for Tourism, Arts and Culture, I have become acutely aware of the monumental challenge facing people in the tourism industry. With a harrowing 130,000 job losses, countless operators are facing bankruptcy and, for many, complete loss of business.

Over the past few weeks, I have hosted a number of virtual town halls, along with my colleagues, speaking with people from the tourism industry to get a better sense of what it is that they are facing and of where government needs to step up its supports. What do they need most? The response has been pretty clear. There’s a lack of clarity around reopening rules, a lack of support financially, and a general lack of understanding from this government as to what the industry is facing day to day.

[11:55 a.m.]

The tourism operators, in many ways, feel lost, left out to sea without the proper economic recovery supports that they have asked for — and which they are still waiting for — from government. This all starts with action and intent. Since April, we have been calling on this government to include a tourism industry representative on its economic recovery task force — someone to help them outline their specific needs — but this has yet to happen.

We brought forth feedback from the town halls to the government requesting urgent action to solve the liquidity and cash flow problems; to clear up the areas of confusion, including the status of future bookings; insurance disputes and the absence of PPE support; and the lack of an industry-tailored recovery plan.

The tourism industry is still waiting on government to respond to these needs, to these areas of support. I’ll tell you, time is running out. Simply put, the tourism sector is feeling deeply, deeply hurt in every corner of this province. One of the greatest sources of economic opportunity in this province, one that generates billions in revenue and employs hundreds of thousands of people, is on life support right now.

To that end, I hope that over the coming weeks — while we are here actively participating, both physically and virtually, in the Legislature — we can get a clear picture of what government’s plan is to support this industry to ensure that there is a clear path for opportunity, for the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives have been impacted. The people of our province are counting on it.

M. Stilwell moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I want to thank everyone. Clearly they learned the lessons of the test runs, so a good job, everyone.

With that, I move the House now adjourn.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:58 a.m.