Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Hon. C. Trevena.

Introductions by Members

J. Yap: It’s my pleasure this morning to welcome a number of constituents who are following proceedings this morning. With us virtually are Clara Chow, Jackie Lee, Pius Chan, Cindy Chan and other members of the Vancouver Diamond Lions Club, which I’ll be speaking about this morning. Please offer them all a virtual warm welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

B. D’Eith: I just wanted to introduce students from around Maple Ridge and Mission who would normally be coming to visit us all in the gallery.

I’d like to say that obviously, especially to the grads of school districts 42 and 75 that I know it’s been very difficult for you. But I’ve also seen some amazing efforts to try to make your grad special.

One of those is in the city of Maple Ridge. Maple Ridge–​Pitt Meadows school boards have lit up our Memorial Peace Park, which is absolutely beautiful, as a tribute to our grads. They also did a virtual grad.

Some businesses have been helping too. We have one business, Once Upon a Tea Leaf, who have actually put all of the grad names in their front window. That’s really great.

In Mission, they just pulled off an amazing grad for École Mission senior secondary at the Mission Raceway Park with cars and pods, all socially distanced.

Congratulations to them.

If the Legislature could please make all of our grads, not only in Maple Ridge and Mission but around the province, welcome. Thank you so much.

S. Furstenau: Mr. Speaker, I know I wasn’t scheduled, but I did want to make a quick introduction today. It is my daughter Eleanor’s 13th birthday. Normally we wouldn’t be sitting at any times that my children have their birthdays. But it’s fortuitous that today we are sitting and also ironic that I have been with her every day for the last 3½ months, but I’m away from her today. I’m delighted that she’ll be coming down and having dinner.

I just want to wish Eleanor a very happy birthday today.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 17 — CLEAN ENERGY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2020

Hon. B. Ralston presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Clean Energy Amendment Act, 2020.

Hon. B. Ralston: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

[10:10 a.m.]

I am pleased to introduce Bill 17, the Clean Energy Amendment Act. This bill amends the Clean Energy Act and the Utilities Commission Act. By this bill, we are acting now to implement three changes so that B.C. Hydro can consider a variety of energy resource and asset options as it develops its next 20-year integrated resource plan.

The proposed amendments will support phase 2 of the comprehensive review of B.C. Hydro and also the government’s CleanBC plan. First, the bill will enable implementation of 100 percent clean energy standard for B.C., with the goal of being the first jurisdiction in the west to achieve this objective. A 100 percent clean energy electricity standard requires utilities to generate or acquire enough electricity from clean sources to meet the needs of their customers over a multi-year period after subtracting any clean electricity exports.

Electricity from non-clean sources can still be used when needed for reliability purposes under a 100 percent clean electricity standard; however, an equivalent volume of energy must then be exported into the wholesale market as non-clean energy. Both California and Washington have passed legislation based on this approach. Aligning our standards with those jurisdictions is important to facilitate clean electricity trade. Implementing a 100 percent clean electricity standard also supports CleanBC by making more clean electricity available to grid-connected utility customers within the province.

The Clean Energy Act requires B.C. Hydro to achieve self-sufficiency, which means that B.C. Hydro must hold the rights to an amount of electricity that meets forecast domestic demand solely from electricity-generating facilities within the province. This bill would eliminate that requirement and allow B.C. Hydro to consider out-of-province options when it plans how it will meet future demand. This should give B.C. Hydro the ability to serve load at a lower cost and keep rates affordable.

Finally, the bill gives B.C. Hydro the ability to maximize the value of its Burrard thermal site in Port Moody. Of the 180 acres owned by B.C. Hydro at the Burrard thermal site, approximately 120 acres are currently either underutilized or vacant following the decommissioning of portions of the Burrard facility not used for transmission support services.

The Clean Energy Act currently prohibits B.C. Hydro from selling, leasing or otherwise disposing of its interest in the site because it is considered a heritage asset. Allowing alternate uses of the Burrard thermal site could provide a variety of benefits, and this bill would allow B.C. Hydro to explore those opportunities further.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. B. Ralston: 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 17, Clean Energy 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.

BILL 14 — MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS AND
HOUSING STATUTES
AMENDMENT ACT (No. 2), 2020

Hon. S. Robinson presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2020.

Hon. S. Robinson: Mr. Speaker, I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 14, Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2020. This act proposes amendments to the Strata Property Act and the Financial Institutions Act.

[10:15 a.m.]

The proposed amendments represent a first step to address concerns that have arisen with respect to the availability and cost of strata corporation insurance. They are a response to concerns from people who are seeing triple-digit increases in strata insurance deductibles and little or no notice on large premium increases.

We know the high cost of strata insurance is placing many in difficult circumstances and risking their ability to keep or maintain their homes. These amendments tabled today, combined with the regulatory changes to come, will together help strata corporations better mitigate the rising costs of insurance by bringing more transparency to the strata insurance industry, by closing loopholes related to depreciation reports, by taking action to end referral fees paid to property managers and giving strata owners and corporations the tools that they need.

These changes also include clear guidelines to require strata corporations to inform owners about any changes to their insurance coverage and provide notice of any policy changes, including any increases in deductibles. They include changes to protect strata unit owners against large lawsuits from strata corporations in cases where the unit owner was legally responsible for a loss or damage through no fault of their own.

Taken together, these legislative and regulatory changes are a first step to help strata corporations and owners now while we continue to work on this complex issue.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. S. Robinson: 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 14, Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amend­ment Act (No.2), 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.

BILL 22 — MENTAL HEALTH
AMENDMENT ACT, 2020

Hon. J. Darcy presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Mental Health Amendment Act, 2020.

Hon. J. Darcy: I move that the Mental Health Amendment Act, 2020, be introduced and read for a first time now.

I am pleased to introduce the Mental Health Amendment Act to establish short-term stabilization care as a means of improving the care and safety of youth immediately following a substance use medical emergency. This legislation will close an existing care gap by enabling the admission of youth for short-term, involuntary stabilization care with the objective of reducing the risk of immediate injury, disability and death. This will be for a short period of time and under strict conditions.

Stabilization care under the Mental Health Act is intended to protect youth who present in the hospital emergency department in the midst of an overdose and to keep them safe in a designated stabilization care facility. It will allow provision of medically necessary health care and observation for the youths to recover from their overdose, and it will allow them to regain their decision-making capacity, which is diminished in the immediate aftermath of an overdose.

Very importantly, it will allow the opportunity for the youth to begin to engage with voluntary, culturally safe supports and services to treat their severe substance use and to leave hospital with a clear care plan after discharge from stabilization care. The legislation will allow for a pause in the young person’s journey for 48 hours while they regain their decision-making capacity, and it can be extended for up to seven days.

[10:20 a.m.]

Our government has been working flat out to increase voluntary supports for children and youth in the community across the province, and we are proud to be moving forward to address this critical need for vulnerable youth. The overarching goal is to transition these young people from stabilization care to voluntary, culturally safe treatment and provide a bridge to that side.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. Darcy: I move that Bill 22, Mental Health Amend­ment Act, 2020, be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 22, Mental Health 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.

Ministerial Statements

BOMBING OF AIR INDIA FLIGHT

Hon. A. Dix: I’m honoured to give a ministerial statement today on behalf of the government on this day, which is the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Terrorism in Canada. Today, as you know, is June 23, which is the 35th anniversary of the bombing of Air India 182. It exploded off the coast of Ireland, and 329 people perished that day on that flight. Two more workers at Narita Airport in Japan also died in a second bombing, indicating the desire of the perpetrators to kill hundreds more.

Every year we typically get together at the Air India memorial in Stanley Park. Families and friends get together to remember those who lost their lives, You remember and see, for example, on those days Mandeep Grewal, who lost his dad, Daljit; Perviz Madon, who lost her husband, Sam. Major Singh Sidhu, who usually organizes the event with his wife, Gurdial, and son Amir, is usually there remembering his sister Sukhwinder and her two children who perished on Air India flight 182.

Also there often is Eric Beauchesne, who lost his father, Gaston. Of course, Renée Sarojini Saklikar, my wife, was there, and sometimes her mom, Bhanu, comes, and they recognize the loss of Zebunnisa and Umar, family members lost and never found.

What I would say today, and it’s an important thing to recognize, are the many thoughts and fragments that come to mind, the things that we all remember in this period, the period of the day, June 23, 1985, and the decades that have followed: the pictures of the pieces of the plane in the Atlantic Ocean, the courage of the Irish rescue teams, the failures of the justice system and the fact that only one person has been prosecuted for this terrible crime and, of course, the public inquiry that followed decades later.

There is one fact, one fact alone that rises above all of the other facts: 82 children under the age of 12 lost their lives that day. It was June, school was ending, and there were more children on the flight, something that those who committed these crimes would have known and something that is a terrible loss for our whole society.

This is and, of course, was terrorism. We know this. It’s a word that’s often used and sometimes misused. But this was also plain murder and cowardly murder at that, and in 82 cases, it was child murder. That’s how those who perpetrated this crime should be remembered.

But this is a day to remember those who lost their lives — the many memories and the extraordinary lives they lived in their times and the memories they were not able to create — and their families who have worked courageously to both seek justice and to live on in their lives.

[10:25 a.m.]

Irfan Jethwa, who lost his mom and dad in the flight, now has his own family and shows the everyday courage in his life that, I think, makes all of us proud. It sure makes me proud and Renée proud.

There won’t, of course, be any gathering this year in Stanley Park. This is our summer of COVID-19, and gatherings of that sort aren’t going ahead. But we think today about Perviz and about Mandeep and about Major and Gurdial and Renée and Bhanu and all the other families across Canada and across the world who have lived through the grief of Air India 182.

It’s been said by many people, I think, in recent times how well we’ve all worked together in this time of the pandemic, and it should make us proud as British Columbians that here in the Legislature and across B.C. we have worked so well together. We’ve cared together. We fought together to do good things for everybody in our society.

On this day, let’s remember the families together, the lives lost together, and commit ourselves again to fight for justice in good times and in bad.

M. Hunt: As noted by the Minister of Health this morning, today we acknowledge and reflect on one of the most horrible events in Canadian history and, before 9/11, the worst case of aviation terrorism the world had seen.

On June 23, 1985, 329 people passed away. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children and families all had their lives senselessly cut short, and 280 of these were Canadian citizens, many of whom have family members that still mourn. Today they remember those that they lost. The term “tragedy” doesn’t even seem to begin to describe this event.

Now, 35 years later, we remember those who were lost and acknowledge that there still has not been true justice for these victims. Today families of the victims are taking part in memorials honouring those family members that are missed. Though the size of these gatherings may be limited by COVID-19 restrictions, the love and the memory of those who are sadly missed is limitless.

Some are taking to social media, including an Air India memorial channel on YouTube. I would suggest that you visit this site to hear some of these families share their stories and reflect.

Today we honour those lost, and we speak of their memory.

S. Furstenau: I just want to, on behalf of the B.C. Green caucus, also acknowledge the loss on this day, June 23, 1985, for so many families in the Air India bombing that happened and to echo the words of both the minister and the opposition member in expressing our deep condolences to the families who suffered such a terrible loss on that day.

I was 15 at the time and vividly recall the news and the shock of this story as something that seemed so completely un-Canadian. I deeply mourned the loss of life of children who were my age at that time.

On behalf of the B.C. Green caucus, we want to extend our deepest condolences to the families on this day.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

VANCOUVER DIAMOND LIONS CLUB

J. Yap: I rise to highlight the extraordinary work of the Vancouver Diamond Lions Club. I’m pleased to acknowledge this volunteer organization now, as the club’s previously scheduled visit to our Legislature in late March had to be cancelled. Founded in 2007, Vancouver Diamond is the largest Lions club in western Canada and has raised close to $2 million for various charities.

[10:30 a.m.]

Over the years, Diamond Lions has assisted with relief projects for major disasters such as the Australian bushfires, the Haiti earthquake and the Japan tsunami. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the club has contributed surgical masks and nitrile gloves to St. Paul’s Hospital and delivered 250 bags of jasmine rice to assist isolated seniors needing support in Richmond.

Striving to uphold the Lions’ motto “We serve,” members of this club have conducted many fundraising activities for various local charitable causes, including the B.C. Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Diabetes Association, Covenant House and both the Vancouver and Richmond Food Banks. Notably, in 2018, the club raised over $500,000 in donations for the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation to acquire a state-of-the-art surgical navigation system to save and improve lives. In 2017, $300,000 was raised for a much-needed laboratory cell analyzer for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and Richmond Hospital.

I’d like to extend thanks to the Lions’ current president, Clara Chow, incoming president Jackie Lee and charter president Pius Chan — all of them constituents of mine — for the club’s remarkable contributions. Their commitment to charity and good works is admirable.

I ask all members of this House to join me in recognizing and thanking the Vancouver Diamond Lions Club.

LISA MARIE YOUNG

S. Malcolmson: Lisa Marie Young was last seen in Nanaimo 18 years ago. As my girlfriend said this morning, I could have been Lisa. I was Lisa. A lot of us in our late teens or early 20s took a late-night ride after a party with maybe someone that wasn’t the best idea. It’s relatable.

Her family never stopped looking for her. Her family from Tofino, a Tla-o-qui-aht family, came out and searched week after week, year after year in Nanaimo, Parks­ville, Qualicum. Lisa’s mom, Joanne, organized a march in Lisa’s memory for 16 years straight, until Joanne’s death in 2018. Joanne’s father, Lisa’s grandfather Moses, thinks his daughter died of heartache.

If you’re in Nanaimo, you can still see the posters: “Lisa Marie Young, last seen June 30, 2002.” We know more now as a country, as a province, about the tragic epidemic of murdered and missing Indigenous women. We hear so often in these disappearances that somebody knows something. There’s never been an arrest in the case of Lisa’s disappearance. Her body has never been found.

You can act in support of her family. You can join this year’s march on June 28, 11 o’clock, at the RCMP station in Nanaimo. Her grandfather Moses, her aunt Carol invite you all — physically distanced, wearing masks, in groups of less than 49.

There’s a porch light campaign on June 30, eight o’clock: leave your lights on for Lisa. It’s a sign of hope.

You can contact Cpl. Markus Müntener at the RCMP, 250-755-3223, if you know something. You can listen to the podcast that’s had huge takeup. It’s called Where is Lisa? Laura Palmer is the journalist.

All of these actions are a way to keep Lisa Marie’s memory alive, to support her brave family and to jar our community’s memory.

WORLD RUGBY SEVENS IN VANCOUVER

S. Thomson: What combines a great sporting event, non-stop action, athletic prowess, Mardi Gras and Halloween all rolled into one great weekend in Vancouver? Well, it may seem like a decade ago, but I must congratulate Rugby Canada, BC Rugby and the Vancouver organizing committee for another huge success in hosting the World Sevens in Vancouver in March. This was Canada’s and B.C.’s fifth time in hosting the series, bringing 16 teams from around the world and over 75,000 fans over two days in B.C. Place.

This year the Canadian team, led by captain Nathan Hirayama, thrilled the hometown and Canadian fans with a tremendous performance. With wins over perennial crowd favourites Fiji and then France and Wales in the pool stages, our team moved to the quarter-finals, beating Spain, and then on to the semifinals against Australia.

[10:35 a.m.]

Bringing agony and heartbreak to the hometown and Canadian fans, they came a centimetre short in a television match official-reviewed decision that would have seen them beat Australia and move on to the final. But the team recovered from that heartbreak and, in a closing strong performance, beat out an experienced, world-class South Africa side to claim third place.

I am proud of the decision of our government in 2015 to fully support Rugby Canada’s bid to host this event and to provide the necessary upgrades to B.C. Place turf to meet international rugby standards. This has paid off in huge economic benefits for the province, raised awareness of the game and introduced new fans to the game, including the member for Prince George–Valemount.

It put Vancouver and B.C. on the map as a great host and a premiere destination for major sporting events. The Vancouver Sevens has been voted as the best stop on the circuit, and that’s up against some pretty tough competition of other major cities around the world. B.C. is also recognized for hosting the world’s women’s series in Langford, and our Canadian women’s team is amongst the best in the world.

Congratulations to Rugby Canada, the men’s and women’s teams and all involved in hosting this great event. I hope it will continue for many years to come.

PRIDE MONTH AND LGBTQ2S+ ACTIVISM

M. Dean: June is Pride Month, an event steeped in history that carries with it joy, pain, anger and profound importance for so many people in B.C. each year. Recent protests are a critical reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and how Pride Month came about from a history rooted in protests led by Black and Hispanic LGBTQ2S+ activists.

Pride is a celebration of love. For many, Pride is also a protest for equality and a time to honour trans activists of colour such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who led the Stonewall protests, fighting to modernize LGBTQ2S+ rights and pushing justice, equality and love for all to the forefront.

Even as we acknowledge the progress LGBTQ2S+ people have fought for, I appreciate how far we still have to go to make sure that all of us have the right to be who we are without fear and stigma, regardless of the colour of our skin, gender identity or sexual orientation. To start, we need to recognize that LGBTQ2S+ people continue to face discrimination, violence and harassment disproportionately, which also generates much higher rates of poverty, mental health issues and other complex challenges. For people of colour and Indigenous peoples, there are even more systemic prejudice and barriers to overcome.

Joining together, we must condemn acts of intimidation and violence fuelled by prejudice. Together we can show our commitment to inclusion and diversity. Today I ask you to reimagine what you can do to honour and celebrate Pride and diversity in your community.

VIRTUAL MEETINGS BY LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVES IN
WEST VANCOUVER–SEA TO SKY AREA

J. Sturdy: Amongst the many adaptations necessary in the last few months, I’d like to share one with a positive outcome from West Vancouver–Sea to Sky. One of the key issues relative to working from home in this time of incredible fluidity is the need to stay informed, connected and of assistance to local government, which, in a region as large and diverse as West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, includes six municipalities and two regional districts.

With the federal and provincial announcements taking place almost daily, particularly in the early weeks of the stay-home directive, my team established a weekly Zoom meeting with mayors, RD chairs, the federal MP and myself. Because of the significant diversity of our urban and rural communities in West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, we have northern and southern virtual meetings so that issues can be focused on the most relevant item. At times, it was necessary to schedule multiple meetings a week.

These virtual meetings have been essential for all of us to stay connected. Over the last months, we’ve appreciated the value of quickly being able to seek clarity and, together, strategize and provide feedback about funding and support programs; the state of emergency; travel restrictions; and of course, the plans, considerations and concerns of restarting our regional and provincial economy, especially in our tourism-dependent region.

[10:40 a.m.]

My colleague from West Vancouver–Capilano and our MP, Patrick Weiler, both joined many of these calls with mayors from West Vancouver, Bowen Island, Lions Bay, Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton and the chair of the Squamish-Lillooet regional district. It’s become clear to all of us that there has been tremendous value in these regular meetings, and we intend to continue them beyond this crisis.

While the opportunity to collectively face challenges as three orders of government — to exchange ideas, to share collegial concerns and to be in this together — has been good for all of us, it has ultimately been best for our constituents.

RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND
TRAVEL AND TOURISM ON NORTH COAST

J. Rice: COVID-19 has tested the resiliency of our communities in an unprecedented manner. While our community stood up to face the crisis and succeeded in flattening the curve together, the public health emergency has brought additional challenges, including a major hit to our economy and new questions on how to keep our communities safe going forward.

Many people, especially those working in the tourism sector, worry that checkpoints, reduced ferry and airplane traffic and declarations of community closure are putting their businesses and livelihoods at risk. I want the communities I represent to know that I hear you. This is not an easy issue to resolve, and it will take all of us working together and understanding each other to come to a solution that meets the needs of all community members.

The checkpoints and restrictions put in place by First Nations were made with the best interest of entire communities in mind. We need to remember that First Nations people have already suffered the effects of multiple pandemics since colonization began, many of which decimated entire communities. This experience, combined with the fact that people living in First Nations and remote communities suffer from many of the risk factors associated with COVID-19 complications, has made many communities hesitant to allow visitors into their community.

At the same time, we need to recognize that these restrictions are putting the livelihoods of many people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, at risk. As the province gets ready to enter phase 3 of B.C.’s Restart Plan and reopen the province to internal travel, many tourism operators are hoping to welcome visitors for the summer to save their businesses and their livelihoods.

I know the situation has sparked tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in the north coast. During this time, however, it’s important that we heed the words of public health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry — to be kind, to be calm and to be safe. We can’t let this crisis divide us.

Working together, we will find resolution.

Oral Questions

SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS
AND SEVERANCE PAY ISSUES

M. de Jong: Well, governing is not easy, and least of all in times of emergency. But yesterday the Premier was confronted by an issue that I believe his Labour Minister and his government have — so far, at least — badly mishandled. And in attempting to sidestep the issue or buy some time to deal with it more properly, the Premier made some comments that I think were terribly unfair and even insulting.

No one — and I’ll say that again, no one — least of all the hard-working women and men that operate small businesses in British Columbia, is attempting to avoid legal responsibility to employees. Quite the opposite. The operators of those small businesses want to stick around so that they can continue to employ those people. To suggest or impugn their motives was, I think, terribly unfair of the Premier.

The organizations representing small business wrote to the Premier on June 5. They laid out the challenge, and they proposed a solution. They also acknowledged that the government had granted a three-week extension previously, but they said that with the continuation of the state of emergency, a further extension is going to be required. If they don’t get it, they are going to have what they called regulated insolvency. That’s a polite term for government-imposed bankruptcy.

The mechanism for providing relief exists. Other governments have used it. The federal government, apparently, used a similar mechanism today. The Labour Minister has said no. Yesterday the Premier seemed to say: “Well, maybe this is not a great time to be imposing additional uncertainty on small businesses that are struggling to survive.”

[10:45 a.m.]

Will the Premier end that uncertainty today and direct his Labour Minister to grant the extension that’s been requested, and while he’s doing so, will he apologize to the hard-working men, women and families that feel very badly for having heard the Premier impugn their motives yesterday?

Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate the question from the member opposite, and I certainly do understand the challenges British Columbians are facing, perhaps more than most others in this place. I feel it every day — every day — when challenges come my way; when, over the past 100 days, we had been working cooperatively. Every day, another challenge. So forgive me if I don’t take the sincerity of the member as genuine at this point in time.

What I will say is that we felt that there was a mechanism within the act that was appropriate — we, the minister and I — and we sent that message to the community. The community responded. You helped me read the letter I’d already read, by reading bits of it that were salacious and in your interest as opposition members. I thanked you for that and said I would deal with it this week. I don’t know what more, hon. Member, you want me to do, other than to agree that more discussion is required.

But I want to take us back to the beginning here, because this is uncharted territory for all of us — government, opposition, businesses, workers, people. Yesterday — if we want to talk about people who made statements that were unreasonable — the Leader of the Opposition said this wasn’t about public health measures.

Well, for goodness’ sake, of course it is. If we’re going to build confidence in the community, not just for going out for a walk or expanding our bubble but engaging in economic activity again, they need to be confident that the public health measures are genuine and we’re all adhering to them. That’s the approach that we’ve been taking. That’s the approach we’ll continue to take.

When we come up to an obstacle where people disagree, we will sit down and try and work it out. That’s what we’re going to do this week. I thank the member for bringing it up, but I really think that there are other issues that we could talk about. We talked about it yesterday. I agreed with you — that we will talk to the business community about this. I don’t know what more we can do beyond that.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Abbotsford West on a supplemental.

M. de Jong: At a time when unemployment in the province is rapidly escalating, I can hardly think of a more critical issue. I can hardly think of another issue that wouldn’t be a priority, or the priority, for the government.

The government has been aware of this for several months. To describe what was in the letter as “salacious” is puzzling. I’ll use that word. Where an agency has written to the Premier, outlined an issue — a challenge — proposed a solution, received a reply from the minister that shuts the door completely on what seems to be for other jurisdictions a reasonable response…. Four of the signatories to that letter — four, by my count — are members of the Premier’s own economic recovery task force. So today to stand and describe the letter and its contents as salacious is an interesting characterization.

The assistance they are seeking from the government doesn’t cost the provincial government a dime. It is a mechanism that has been used elsewhere. The minister’s lame reply is one the Premier has now repeated on two occasions: “Well, apply for a variance.” Well, that could take months. This is not a time to impose additional uncertainty on small businesses. These are family-owned businesses that are struggling to survive.

Will the Premier…? I’ll ask him again, and I suspect he’ll say again, “Well, I’ll get to it when I talk to some of these people later in the week,” despite the fact that the issue has been before us for several months now.

Take the entirely reasonable step and grant the extension that other governments have granted, that the federal government has granted, and throw a lifeline to small businesses who don’t want to permanently terminate employees. They want to survive so that they can continue to employ those employees.

Hon. J. Horgan: I’ll remind the member how we responded to the challenges of COVID-19. We took advice in counsel from public health officials. We worked with the business community. We worked with organized labour. We worked with not-for-profits. We worked with Indigenous communities to find a way we could all work together to address issues as they emerged.

[10:50 a.m.]

Previous to today we extended the period for businesses to apply. Giving an opportunity to have a discussion, we said: “You could seek a variance.”

We’re going to be moving to phase 3 of a four-phase restart. We’re seeing more and more economic activity every day. That’s all good news. Fundamental to that is public confidence in our system of regulation. In fact, the very businesses that the member speaks to have been saying repeatedly that they want to ensure that public health officials, WorkSafe officials, are certifying their businesses as safe for consumers. That’s the essence of a public health response to a public health crisis.

How do we grow the economy back to where we want it to be? By working together. When issues come up, we discuss them. We put forward solutions. We thought we had a viable solution. You disagree. Members of the business community disagree. The appropriate response to that, hon. Member, is to have a discussion. That’s exactly what I propose to do come Thursday, when we have a scheduled meeting to discuss these issues.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Abbotsford West on a second supplemental.

M. de Jong: Well, that does not appear to be the approach taken by the government, by the Labour Minister, who simply said no. He simply said no.

Small businesses, those family-owned businesses, aren’t in any way, shape or form quarrelling with the adoption of the public health protective measures that have been advocated by Dr. Henry, by the government. Far from it. What they are saying to the government is: “With the stroke of a regulatory pen, you can prevent us from doing something we don’t want to do and employees don’t want us to do. That is to permanently terminate our employees.”

Many of these businesses have not been able to operate. They are at their fiscal wits’ end, and the triggering of a legally binding severance obligation will put those businesses under. There won’t be any work for the employees to go back to. It is an amazingly straightforward request and a logical one in these uncertain times. I’m disappointed, quite frankly, that the Premier’s response seems to be: “Let the uncertainty continue. We’ll talk, and we’ll see what we can come up with.”

Right now all those businesses know is what the Labour Minister has said on behalf of the government, which is: “No, make a variance application, and we’ll get back to you when we get back to you.”

Hon. J. Horgan: What those businesses know, or at least the umbrella organizations know, is that we reached out to them yesterday and said: “We’ll put this on the agenda for Thursday, and we’ll talk it through and come up with a solution that meets the needs of everyone.” That’s what they know now.

What they also know now is that the official opposition, rather than identifying a problem, bringing it forward and getting an appropriate response to that, has brought it back for a second day. I can only imagine that they’re doing that for purposes beyond getting a resolution, because I committed yesterday to that very course of action.

I appreciate that the member is no longer in government, but he seems to have forgotten the complexities of the challenges that we face not just in normal times but in a time of a global pandemic. We have been working tirelessly, all of us in this place, to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the people in our communities.

The economy is all about people. Without people, we have no economy. Without businesses, people don’t have a place to go to work. Without workers, businesses don’t have a business to operate. Working together is what we’ve been doing. Working together is what we’ll continue to do to get resolution to this issue.

J. Johal: The Premier just said that they reached out to the business community yesterday. His minister has known about this issue for weeks, and they just reached out yesterday.

The Premier then says, referring to the letters, calling them salacious…. As my colleague has said, of the 15 that signed the letter, four of them are on the Premier’s economic recovery task force, including the Business Council of B.C., Vancouver Board of Trade, the Surrey Board of Trade and the B.C. Chamber of Commerce. So the groups that he’s tapped to guide this province towards economic recovery are complaining about his leadership and the Minister of Labour.

The Labour Minister was clear last Thursday when he said he has no intention of extending the temporary layoff time limits. Yesterday, while the minister sat in silence, as he is doing today, the Premier gave a very different answer, which sounded like a maybe. Saying “maybe” provides no certainty to small businesses or workers.

The request is simple. Extend layoff time limits to the end of August, plus an additional six weeks once emergency orders are lifted. As our leader has said, many other governments across the country have done so.

The Labour Minister has had another day to think about it. He’s sitting right there. Does he now intend to extend the temporary layoff limits or not?

[10:55 a.m.]

Hon. J. Horgan: I speak for the government. It is a cross-government approach that we’ve brought to this issue and a host of other issues that have emerged over the past 100 days — in fact, over the past three years.

It has always been my approach to make sure that we’re cooperating on this side of the House. We reach out to those who want to work with us on the other side of the House. Most importantly, we connect with people in communities and in sectors to make sure we’re on the right track.

That’s what….

Interjection.

Hon. J. Horgan: No, it is this time, Member. It is this time.

They raised the issue. We responded to it initially by extending the period. They raised the issue again. We said there’s an opportunity for variance. They don’t like that. So we’re going to have more discussion later in the week.

I reached out to them yesterday as I’ve reached out to them the day before that and the day before that and the day before that.

Interjection.

Hon. J. Horgan: For weeks, for months, we’ve been having conversations, hon. Member. I appreciate that may offend you, but that’s how we roll on this side of the House. We need input. We got input. You’ve aided us by elevating it to a point of crisis when, in fact, it is not.

We are going to protect those businesses. We’re going to protect those workers’ rights to severance if they deserve it. That’s how we’re going to get through this process, by working together — employers, employees, community and legislators — to help everybody get out of this mess that we did not create.

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

J. Johal: The fact that 15 different organizations got together and sent a letter to this government clearly tells you the process isn’t working. They weren’t being listened to by that minister. He has said and you are saying that the process within government at the moment can deal with some of these issues. The minister’s suggestion was that variance applications are the solution. That comment is absurd. The business community has said it’s insulting.

There is currently a 3,000-application backlog, and the current situation creates the potential for up to 30,000 businesses filing at once in early July. This is a bureaucratic nightmare, in regard to paperwork, for stressed-out small business owners who are on the brink of bankruptcy. Yet the minister continues to pretend it’s a viable option.

To the minister, how long will it take a small business to get a variance application approved?

Hon. H. Bains: I’m really happy to stand and answer these questions here today.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the Minister of Labour has the floor. Thank you.

Hon. H. Bains: As we have canvassed over a number of days, we do understand the challenges that the workers and employers are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We listened. Actually, we demonstrated through our actions….

When we were approached for help, we acted. We extended the temporary layoff provisions to 16 weeks. In the meantime, we put together a support package for the businesses, $1.8 billion; tax cuts and tax deferrals; property tax cut by 25 percent. That represents about $700 million to support the businesses that are going through these tough times.

I just want to make it clear. Our employment standards are distinctly different than the other jurisdictions that they have mentioned. Other jurisdictions don’t have the provision where an employer and an employee, working together, can go to employment standards and ask for an extension. We have those provisions in there.

Having said that, we’ve been clear….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. H. Bains: We’ve been very clear that right now…. When we extended from 13 to 16 weeks over a month ago, we also made it clear to the businesses and to the workers that that provision is available to them if they choose to go to employment standards for an extension beyond 16 weeks.

So far very few have applied. The member talked about a 3,000 backlog. That is a backlog for other complaints by members…. That is by the workers against their employers.

You know what? You want to talk about a backlog. You know where we got the backlog, Mr. Speaker? It’s because that side, when they were in government, cut employment standards in half. They laid off half the workers in employment standards. That’s how we are trying to clean up the mess they have created in employment standards.

We said the other day…. The Premier was very clear. We are willing to talk to the businesses. We will work with them. If an extension is needed, we’ll talk to them. In the meantime, section 72 is available to workers and to the….

[11:00 a.m.]

One thing is clear. We will not compromise workers’ hard-earned benefits and rights that they’ve earned over the years. We will support the businesses at the same time so that they can restart their businesses.

ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR
FOR-PROFIT LONG-TERM-CARE FACILITIES

A. Olsen: As we noted yesterday, the government spends $1.3 billion contracting long-term care to for-profit companies and not-for-profit societies; 93 percent of the sector’s revenues are funded through B.C. taxpayers.

Given the magnitude of the public expenditure and the vulnerability of the population served, it’s reasonable to ask whether sufficient financial oversight is in place to ensure that B.C. seniors are receiving the best possible care for the money that we’ve invested. Unfortunately, the answer seems to be no.

Contracted care homes are required to provide their health authority with annual audited financial statements. These statements are available to the public if the care home is operated by a not-for-profit society. But for-profit operators are not obliged to make their audited financial statements available to the public.

Considering that for-profit companies are already not delivering hundreds of thousands of hours of care that they are publicly funded to provide, my question is to the Minister of Health. Why are we not requiring significantly more disclosure from for-profit care home operators, especially considering significant public resources are going into these facilities?

Hon. A. Dix: The member will know that historically, in the past, the health care system, the long-term care system, was a more direct system. There were independent long-term-care contractors, but everyone operated under the same collective agreement, and there weren’t any subcontractors.

Over the past couple of decades, that changed. We mostly have a contracted system that includes a very significant for-profit private sector, non-profit private sector and, importantly, subcontractors. This was the situation in 2017-18, reflected in the report that he refers to from Isobel Mackenzie, the seniors advocate in B.C.

So what have we done? We’ve increased the standard of care for everybody in the system by increasing the care hours for all residents — this is important — and put behind that auditing measures that support it. Those are very significant changes because they improved the quality of care.

Currently the accountability the member talks to comes in through data spreadsheets. That old-fashioned methodology makes the accountability he wishes more difficult. I agree. That’s why we’re moving to a web-based tool that allows broader information, so we can find the very information required to ensure that the money taxpayers spend goes to the care that residents deserve. That’s what we’re doing. In addition, in the coming year, we’ll be reviewing contracting and the contracting system with our partners in the sector, with the goal of making things better for residents.

There needs to be more accountability, I agree, and there will be. The seniors advocate report reflects the situation in 2017-18, and we are working together with all of the partners in long-term care to improve accountability for residents, to improve the accountability of care but also increase care standards. That’s what we’ve done, and that has served us well in British Columbia, as compared to other jurisdictions in North America in the last few weeks.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Third Party on a supplemental.

A. Olsen: I’d like to thank the Minister of Health for the detailed and straightforward answer.

We’ve seen, as he noted, that B.C. seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie has a detailed report. In that report, it highlights how the accountability mechanisms and transparency mechanisms are different by contract, by operator, by health authority.

[11:05 a.m.]

It seems like there is, as I think the minister acknowledged, a wide variety of different mechanisms in place, making it very, very difficult to be able to get a really good understanding of how $1.3 billion of taxpayers money is being spent. I appreciate the minister acknowledging that there will be greater accountability measures being put in place.

Can the minister please let British Columbians know and let us know here when British Columbians can expect those accountability measures to be in place?

Hon. A. Dix: I think you see it now. You see it in the application of the 3.36 moneys which have been supported by all parties in the Legislature. You see it in the restoration of the rights of workers in Bill 47. You see it in the change in accountability models. You see it in the money that’s being provided to ensure that workers’ wages are levelled up during this period when people are under provincial health orders — it’s called the single-site order — to ensure that workers get the money that’s being provided to ensure that their wages are levelled up.

All of these other changes are important, and you see it in the daily hard work of medical health officers who do the work at long-term care homes everywhere in B.C., working for health authorities and working with care providers to ensure that the quality of care is high. And when it’s not — as was the case at Comox Seniors Village, as in the case of Nanaimo Seniors Village, as is the case at Selkirk here in Victoria, as in the case in Summerland — with the support of members of all sides of the House, medical health officers and health authority boards and myself intervened to ensure the quality of care was protected.

It is important to all of us. It is what we owe to people, to residents in long-term care, and it’s what we’re continuing to work to improve, working with all of the partners in long-term care in the coming weeks and months.

SMALL BUSINESS EMPLOYEE LAYOFFS
AND SEVERANCE PAY ISSUES

S. Bond: The Premier continues to attempt to make this sound like a complicated decision, that he needs to keep waiting for some phone call on Thursday. Let’s be clear. It’s as simple as saying yes today.

You know, it’s interesting, because obviously it wasn’t just the Labour Minister, who is the only one on the government side who would be aware of the devastating impacts of the lack of action on the temporary layoff period. As a matter of fact, on April 28, the Jobs Minister told the Vancouver Board of Trade: “One of our big concerns is mass displacement of employer and employees. Employees don’t want to be suddenly severed. And the same thing goes for employers. They want to keep their employees.”

Perhaps the Minister of Jobs can stand up for the very people who employ British Columbians. Does she agree with the Minister of Labour’s lack of action and his decision to say no to an extension of the temporary layoff time limit?

Hon. H. Bains: I thank the member for the question. Obviously, as the government, we want to support workers and businesses to ensure that their businesses survive when they restart the economy. Everyone wants to be a part of a strong recovery as we continue through our restart plan. We will continue to defend the rights of the workers, as many are struggling from the impact of COVID-19. We will also continue to work with employers and businesses through the restart into our recovery. That’s why, as I mentioned, $1.8 billion that was immediate relief was provided to our businesses.

We worked with the federal government in order to help businesses and workers during this tough time. The support for businesses include, as I mentioned, cutting property taxes by 25 percent; deferral of many business taxes, including the carbon tax, employer health tax, PST; a 75 percent wage subsidy; deferral of WCB premiums and the waiver of premiums for certain employers; the commercial rent assistance program, with a provincial ban on commercial eviction.

We will continue to work with businesses towards a strong recovery.

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

S. Bond: Well, that’s an interesting answer from the Minister of Labour. What businesses in British Columbia want to hear from this minister is him change his decision to say no to an absolutely critical request they have made.

[11:10 a.m.]

This is not business as usual. Here’s what the B.C. Chamber of Commerce had to say: “By not extending the temporary layoff period,” this government is “knowingly hampering the business community’s earnest attempts at restart.” Apparently the Minister of Jobs understood how devastating it would be if there were mass displacement of employees. I’m not sure why the Minister of Labour and, in fact, the Premier of British Columbia don’t understand that.

Let’s ask the Minister of Jobs. How many businesses does she estimate will inevitably have to declare bankruptcy as a result of the lack of action by her very own government?

Hon. H. Bains: We fully understand the difficulty that the businesses and the workers are going through in this pandemic. Many workers and employers alike feel that this temporary layoff could become permanent. They’re worried about their loved ones. They’re worried about their jobs. We want to support them. That’s why we extended the temporary layoff provision to 16 weeks. That’s why we put together a relief program.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. H. Bains: At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we said that we will continue to listen. We are even…. The Premier had mentioned very clearly that we will talk to the business community. We believe that the provision in the employment standards exists right now to help those employers who need to extend past 16 weeks. In the meantime, they could go to the employment standards branch and ask for an extension.

Like I said, very few have gone to the employment standards to ask for an extension — very few, maybe less than a dozen. That avenue is available today. We are going to continue to work with those businesses to ensure that if an extension is needed and that system doesn’t work for them, we are open to discussions. If that extension is awarded, I want to make sure that the workers’ rights and workers’ benefits are not compromised at the same time that we are supporting businesses to restart.

J. Thornthwaite: Last week the federal government extended the Canada emergency response benefit to August 29, for a total of 24 weeks. Today they extended the time period for temporary layoffs for up to six months, giving employers more time to recall employees who were laid off due to COVID-19.

This is what the federal minister said today: “We know that many employers who have had to temporarily lay off employees intend to bring them back to work. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty regarding exactly when that will be possible. That’s why we are taking action” — the federal government is taking action — “to protect the jobs of those employees and to support those employers by giving them more time to recall their employees.”

The federal government is protecting and supporting. Why is this minister not taking every step to make sure that temporary layoffs don’t become permanent?

Hon. H. Bains: I have said before that our employment standards is distinctly different than the federal government’s, the federal act and the other jurisdictions. Our act allows employers to work with their employees, the impacted employees, to go to the employment standards and ask for an extension. Very few have taken the opportunity to ask for that extension.

Having said that, no, we have actually communicated with the businesses and workers over a month ago, when we extended temporary layoffs to 16 weeks. They knew over a month…. Very few have taken the opportunity to go to the employment standards.

Mr. Speaker, having said that….

Interjections.

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

Minister.

Hon. H. Bains: Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to belong to the government. For the last year, we had the lowest unemployment in the country as a result of our policies and the highest economic growth in the country.

[11:15 a.m.]

We improved services that the people depend on and, at the same time, balanced budgets. We know what it takes to put people in the centre, to develop policies around. People in the province appreciate that, Mr. Speaker. They’re happy that they’re sitting on that side and that they’re not governing at this time during the pandemic.

[End of question period.]

Reports from Committees

CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE

N. Simons: I have the honour to present the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth’s annual report 2019-20, a copy of which has been deposited with the Office of the Clerk. The report summarizes the committee’s activities over the past year.

I move that the report be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

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

Leave granted.

N. Simons: I move that the report be adopted, and in doing so, I’d like to make a few comments.

This report covers the committee’s activities over the last year, during which we reviewed four reports of the Representative for Children and Youth. These include an update on adoption and permanency options; an investigative report about a child who was repeatedly moved between care placements in Alberta and British Columbia; a special report on youth homelessness, written by Katherine McParland, the executive director of A Way Home Kamloops Society, with the assistance of staff from the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth; and the representative’s annual report and service plan.

The report also describes the committee’s work on a special project on children and youth with neurodiverse special needs. The committee held public consultations between April 15 and June 7, 2019, hearing from over 200 parents, caregivers and service providers. The committee’s report, with 16 recommendations to improve services and supports for children and youth with neurodiverse special needs and their families, was released on October 30, 2019.

I’d like to thank all committee members, especially the Deputy Chair, the member for Parksville-Qualicum, for their continued dedication and contribution to this important committee. I also appreciate members’ adaptability and willingness to work remotely and meet virtually in recent months.

When we met to adopt this report, committee members also decided to release a statement on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, youth, families and caregivers. We recognize that these exceptional circumstances have put increased pressure on families and that everyday challenges of finding appropriate supports and services for children and youth are even more difficult.

We encouraged those who required support to reach out to the Ministry of Children and Families. The services of the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth also remain available. Our committee continues to monitor this evolving situation and discuss ongoing and emerging issues affecting children, youth and families in B.C.

On behalf of all committee members, I’d like to express our appreciation to the Office of the Representative for Children and Youth and to the Ministry of Children and Family Development for their ongoing work supporting children and youth in B.C. during this difficult time.

In closing, I’d like to acknowledge the excellent organizing, researching and writing skills and capabilities of everyone at the Office of the Clerk of Committees — in particular, Jennifer Arril, Karan Riarh and Katey Stickle. I’d also like to thank the dedicated work of the folks at Hansard, whose assistance has been always forthcoming.

[11:20 a.m.]

M. Stilwell: I, too, would like to thank the committee members, including the Chair, the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast, for their collaboration and for their commitment to the committee. In reflecting on our work over the past year, I can say I’m particularly proud of the committee and the members for coming together on our special project for children and youth with neurodiverse special needs.

I would also like to echo the comments of the Chair in acknowledging the impact that COVID-19 has had on the child- and youth-serving system in British Columbia. The impacts are not only on the children and the families that care for them and provide supports. Children and youth and families are experiencing such significant adjustments to their daily lives and experiencing and facing such difficulties with accessing education or child care, respite, therapy services and all the other multitude of supports that they rely on every single day.

I just want to extend my appreciation to all those front-line staff and those in the representative’s office and her colleagues for their dedication in supporting children and youth through these very challenging times. I know that with their support, they’re making it the best possible situation we can for those families and those children and youth in our province.

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

Motion approved.

Schedule of Estimates

Hon. M. Farnworth: Pursuant to the sessional order regulating proceedings of the Committee of Supply, I hereby table the schedule of estimates to be considered by the Committee of Supply, Section A and Section C, this Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday in Section A, it will be the estimates of the Ministry of Education.

In Section C on Thursday, it will be the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, to be followed by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

On Friday in Section A, it will be the Ministry of Education estimates, to be followed by the Ministry of Labour estimates.

Then in Section C, it will be continuing on the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.