Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

THE NEW NORMAL

B. Ma: It’s been just four months since the state of emergency was declared in British Columbia due to COVID-19. For many of us, it already feels like a lifetime ago.

The pandemic has been incredibly difficult for all of us in B.C. and North Vancouver. It has changed all of our lives. It has amplified a lot of problems we were already facing, like poverty, precarious work, addictions and the overdose crisis, as well as systemic racism and inequality.

For people who were already struggling with these things, navigating the pandemic has been even more difficult, but the pandemic has also magnified the importance of community values like equity, sustainability, reconciliation and caring for our neighbours and everyone around us. It is these values that have helped us flatten the curve, and these are the same values that we need to carry with us into our economic recovery and into the future.

In the early weeks of the pandemic, people wondered when things would be returning to normal, but over time, people started to realize normal wasn’t actually what they really wanted. They wanted better than normal. The phrase “the new normal” is becoming, well, normal in our day-to-day discussions.

We usually interpret it to mean that the changes to the way we live our lives on a daily basis are likely here to stay for a long time — you know, washing your hands a lot, not touching your face, staying two metres away from each other, keeping our social groups small, having fewer faces and larger spaces and wearing a mask when we’re on transit or are walking around in a store. We wonder if we’ll ever go back to using those handshakes we all grew up practising to perfect or if huggers can go back to hugging everyone in sight, if speed dating will ever be a thing again and if the plastic barriers that have been installed everywhere are here to stay.

When I compare where we are today to where we were before the pandemic, I also see how much our society has grown as a result of the experience. Now, don’t misunderstand me. COVID-19 has absolutely been devastating, and the loss of life around the world is staggering. While we in British Columbia have been fortunate to avoid the worst kinds of impacts that we see elsewhere as a result of this virus, we, too, have families mourning losses related to COVID-19, both of loved ones who have succumbed to the virus or those who have lost lives struggling with matters that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as those who have died of overdose.

The impact to households as a result of the economic downturn is very real, and families are wondering if they’ll ever be able to hold their loved ones in long-term care again.

There are many aspects of this pandemic that I hope will soon be over for good, yet we have grown as a society and in ways that I don’t think we want to lose. For example, we’ve learned who the truly essential workers of our society are. They weren’t the wealthy stock traders, high-priced corporate lawyers or Lamborghini-driving executives in expensive suits.

They were regular people doing regular, underappreciated front-line jobs, many of whom are paid some of the lowest wages in our province. They were the medical professionals for sure, but they were also the grocery store clerks, the delivery drivers, the janitorial staff and care aides. They were the early childhood educators and the teachers, the folks who maintain our utilities so that we can get electricity. They were emergency responders, the plumbers and tradesfolk who keep our buildings running. They were the cooks in your grandmother’s long-term care home. They were the factory workers at meat-processing plants and migrant workers at our farms.

We’ve learned as a society how important it is that we value them and care for them with things like higher wages, protective equipment, safe working spaces, paid leave for those impacted by domestic violence and paid sick leave, because we’ve seen what happens when we don’t. Together we’ve learned to appreciate the value of a strong social safety net and public services. There is more appetite than ever for us to invest collectively into what it will take to make sure that our most vulnerable people are cared for — our seniors; our people with disabilities; people experiencing homelessness or who are struggling with substance use; Black, Indigenous, people of colour.

[10:10 a.m.]

We’ve also learned about our capacity to change our lives and our economy to save the world, something we’ll need to continue because of the urgent need to also tackle climate change. People have demonstrated how quickly they can adapt when it’s needed. Commuters and families are discovering the joys of embracing active transportation like walking and cycling. Local governments are transforming their cities to prioritize people in their streets. People are learning to say hello, thank you and goodbye in new ways.

With how much we’ve grown and learned, how much we’ve come together as a community and adapted and how much we’ve opened our eyes to a new normal, it will be an opportunity for us not only to simply recover and go back to the way things were before but to build British Columbia — and, indeed, all of Canada — back even better than before.

P. Milobar: It gives me pleasure to rise to speak to the new normal. Certainly, as the member before me put out there, it is definitely different now than it was four months ago. That is to the good on some aspects, but certainly the circumstances that have brought us here is not. We don’t want to ever lose sight of the fact of how diligent everyone has been for these first four months to get us to the place where we are somewhat the envy of the world.

That new normal in British Columbia, unfortunately, is not the new normal in other jurisdictions, and we’ve seen that very clearly. Dr. Bonnie Henry should be commended, not for saying what she has said, because the advice she has given us in British Columbia is very similar to what public health officials across the world have actually said. However, her tone, her delivery and her logic behind it has created the buy-in by the public to actually accept those recommendations wholeheartedly in British Columbia.

I think that one of the true strengths that Bonnie Henry has shown is her ability to get buy-in by the public, because anything we do that requires such fast change within our general civilization always creates pushback. We’re seeing that around the world; we’re not seeing that to the same levels in British Columbia.

The innovation, the entrepreneurial spirit we have seen from our business community is second to none. They have truly tried to do what they can do to make sure that they can survive — they can survive to keep their businesses operational; they can survive to keep employment there for their employees.

In small businesses, employers have a very close relationship with many of their employees, and they really do become one big family. Although they can sometimes be painted as these rich and elite, and because the phrase “business owner” somehow is seen as if you must be a millionaire, the reality is most of these small business owners have their houses leveraged to try to keep their business and their dream going. They view their employees very much as that family, and they want to ensure that those extended family members are looked after and well taken care of as well.

As we move forward under — as the member before me said — the new normal, it’s important that we recognize that things will not go back 100 percent to the way they were. Some of that will be because of innovation. Some of that will be because efficiencies will be found. We will have to find ways, as a government and as a society, to make sure that we are moving forward in a way that actually encourages growth and innovation to happen, because if we see a contraction in the job market because of other factors, that will still have a very real impact.

That is why I think the new normal…. We need to understand what direction we will be headed as a society moving forward over the next three, four, five months, recognizing that after those three, four, five months are up, we’ll probably have to recalibrate yet again. It’s going to be an evolving target, a moving target, but there needs to be those road maps so people understand what the new normal and the here and the now actually is, moving forward.

[10:15 a.m.]

Programs and assistance to people as well as businesses are critical so that people understand in advance so they can plan. They can make sure that they are ready to adapt and adopt what the rules will be, what the game plan moving forward is, and to continue to have that buy-in with Dr. Henry’s advice. Because as I say, governments and agencies can come up with all sorts of rules for people. If people don’t buy into those rules, they do not change their habits. They do not change their behaviours.

That is what we need to continue making our new normal in British Columbia — that buy-in by the broader public, the buy-in by the business community, a business community that is struggling and on its knees right now and desperately needs that direction and that understanding of what their operational new normal will be over the next six months so that they can have some certainty and they can provide those critical jobs.

We cannot have a society where it is strictly the government providing for people. We need to have a strong, healthy economy that is also providing for people as well, those that want to go out and work and those that are able to without putting their families’ health at risk to be able to go out.

I thank you for this time to talk about the new normal, and I look forward to hearing what the closing comments are.

B. Ma: I really want to express my gratitude to the member opposite for reminding us of where we are, what it took to get here and what it will take for us to continue to move forward in a good way, because of how easily it could have been for British Columbia to be in a very different place today, where we aren’t in the privileged position to actually look forward to recovery. It’s because of the efforts of British Columbians that we have opportunities ahead of us that we need to seize.

You may have heard the term “a green and just recovery.” It’s a recovery that does not settle for merely going back to the way things were but that strives to build a more sustainable, just and equitable community for everyone. That includes making sure that people have good jobs, a living wage, affordable housing, quality and affordable child care, accessible post-secondary education and skills training, and, of course, high-quality health care and care for our seniors.

A future of greater economic equality. That is within our grasp, where people are paid fairly for their labour, where quality of life is about more than personal profit and where the economy works for everyone, not just the very wealthy few; where workers can be protected and guaranteed safe working environments and small businesses aren’t left to the whims of their powerful commercial landlords. We can have a future where housing security is more of a right than it is a privilege, where renting doesn’t mean perpetual instability and precariousness and where homelessness is a thing of the past.

People are ready. They are ready to invest in and have strong public institutions that are responsive to the needs of the people. They’re ready to work together, to contribute what they can and compassionately care for one another according to each individual’s needs.

We must create a diverse and sustainable economy that isn’t overly reliant on the extraction of non-renewable resources. I envision a province that sees its sustainably renewable forests bring high-quality jobs and economic value far exceeding a simple measure of board feet. People want to invest in industries that don’t contribute to climate change, that prioritize by diversity and produce an earth that we are proud to leave for our children and grandchildren. We need to think long term and to make sure that we are prepared for the challenges of the future.

We can do this. We can all do this together. We can do this all and more. There is no better time for us to do this than now and no better circumstances within which we can accomplish this as we move forward together to a new normal that builds British Columbia back better than ever before.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN

J. Sturdy: I am pleased, if somewhat concerned, to speak today about our province’s economic challenges and potential for recovery. The coronavirus has clearly taken an enormous human and economic toll globally, here in Canada and, of course, in British Columbia. B.C. is very fortunate, directed by coordinated efforts of our health officials and the cooperation of British Columbians, to have been, to date, successful in slowing the spread of the virus. However, while the human toll has been moderate in comparison with other jurisdictions, the economic consequences for the British Columbia economy have been devastating.

[10:20 a.m.]

Last week’s budget update began to unveil the severity of the breakdown. British Columbia is facing the biggest economic collapse in decades, perhaps ever, with a projected $12.5 billion deficit for this fiscal and hundreds of thousands of jobless people. British Columbia’s unemployment rate skyrocketed from 5 percent in February to 13.4 percent in June. That’s almost a quarter of a million fewer jobs. We went from having Canada’s lowest unemployment rate to now being in the top four unemployment rates of the provinces in Canada.

While B.C. has done better than other provinces in combating COVID-19, our economic situation and recovery are more dire, and recovery is slower than other jurisdictions. As we dig into these numbers, we see that B.C. has fared far worse than the rest of Canada over the last four months, with unemployment in British Columbia increasing 50 percent more than the rest of Canada.

What’s very troubling is that women and youth have been particularly hard hit. Youth unemployment in British Columbia is twice as bad as the rest of Canada. While youth unemployment was up 114 percent across the country, in B.C. the rate is up a staggering 266 percent since January — 266 percent, and no relief in sight. The recovery is also slower for women. Female unemployment is up 115 percent across Canada, while in B.C., unemployment for women is up 152 percent. During this difficult time, it’s imperative the provincial government recognize the importance of investing in women and youth to give them the supports that they need.

Many in these two demographics work in the hospitality and service sector, which is heavily affected due to the pandemic. In order to get people back to work, we first have to make sure there are jobs for them to go back to. It means that we have to help businesses break down the barriers to opening, to give employers the incentives to safely bring back their employees.

Hospitality is on its heels. Nearly one in ten restaurants have closed their doors permanently, and it’s expected another 18 percent will likely close for good. Polling suggests that 75 percent of restaurant operators are extremely worried about their current level of debt, with half of independent restaurants not expecting to survive.

Beyond a significant contribution to the restaurant and hospitality sector, women also make up a large proportion of the tourism sector, a traditionally major job creator in British Columbia but a sector that’s expected to lose as many as 130,000 jobs as businesses are starved into closure. The federal government has announced a $45 million investment for tourism, but only in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. What about British Columbia, where tourism has been a major economic driver? Where is the provincial government’s voice in advocating for and investing in British Columbia?

The opposition has held town halls across the province with the tourism sector. We’ve written to the Premier, calling for support for a reopening of the industry. That’s on top of our call for economic actions, including tax breaks such as temporary PST relief, MRDT backstopping and funding for businesses to secure personal protective equipment.

These people need our help, and they need it now. This coming September thousands of businesses are facing huge COVID-19-related, tax-deferred bills. People need to prepare for the fall. We can’t wait, as many businesses are already on the verge of closing.

After four months of dithering on the economy, all we’ve got so far is a survey and the appearance of analysis paralysis. The opposition has sent the NDP government 12 policy letters with more than 60 suggestions to get B.C.’s economy back on track, but because they are opposition ideas, they’ve been fundamentally ignored. This is a government that appears driven by ideology, a government that rejects ideas on principle.

It’s no wonder our economy is in limbo. Even before the pandemic, in February’s budget, this government slashed $4 million from the budget of the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness. Is this a direction…?

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Member, excuse me. This section…. Your remarks should be non-partisan, please.

J. Sturdy: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We’ve written, over the last four years…. We need to see an articulated jobs plan.

[10:25 a.m.]

We’ve been supported by solid foundations of previous governments, and we’ve been relying on sectors that are existing, but we need to have a plan going forward. Government should be taking the lead to align efforts to give businesses the confidence they need. Sadly, however, the latest survey of businesses in British Columbia shows that few have the confidence that they will succeed, let alone thrive.

More than 1,400 members, businesses from groups including the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and Business Council of British Columbia are calling for a bold and long-term recovery plan, yet almost half of these businesses are not confident in any restart plan. Among them, one in ten expect temporary or permanent closure, 27 percent anticipate layoffs, and 32 percent expect to cut workers’ hours.

Val Litwin of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce is urging policy-makers to stay sensitive to the vulnerability of the business sector. She said: “A bold economic recovery plan that helps businesses compete is non-negotiable for a prosperous British Columbia, and when small businesses thrive, so do communities and people.”

S. Malcolmson: I agree with some of what my colleague across the way has said. Absolutely, British Columbians are worried about their health and about their livelihoods. The pandemic has hit them very hard. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy…. In my own region, Nanaimo, with a particular focus on service and tourism, we are hurting. There is no question.

We have a huge number of health care workers. We have a huge number of elders and residents in long-term care, a significant retirement community. We’ve been, everybody, feeling anxious about the threat of COVID — its effect and its threat to health, protecting our front-line and essential workers — but then also seeing the economic fallout of adopting the measures that Dr. Bonnie Henry has urged us to take.

While we are breathing a sigh of relief that so far, touch wood, the pandemic has not hit us from a health point of view the way that we had feared, the economic fallout is deep and extreme. But on the part of our government, the combined action is vital. We will not have a strong economy if we do not take strong action on health.

This was a premise of our Premier and our government’s work before the pandemic. If you invest in people, you have a strong economy. It’s the foundation. This is revealed even more to be so now.

For the member, who has just expressed a great deal of alarm about B.C.’s economic position…. I mean, we all agree, all parties…. Thanks to the two opposition parties for the very strong partnership. Partly why we are so far ahead of the rest of the country is because all three parties have worked together on the health side of things. But absolutely, we’re leaning fully into economic recovery, investing in people and in business in an unprecedented way.

The member may have missed some of the credit that’s being given to British Columbia on the economic side from some heavy hitters. The chief economist for Deloitte Canada said: “The B.C. economy will be the outperformer, posting the mildest downturn and returning to pre-COVID levels the quickest.” That’s Craig Alexander.

TD Canada, one of the largest banks in Canada, said: “B.C.’s progress in tackling the pandemic positions it well to perform better than the others this year. Its fiscal position remains the envy of the other provinces.”

Then the regional president of RBC, Royal Bank of Canada, said: “The B.C. economy is opening step by step. I think it’s prudent, it’s responsible, and it’s working. The four phases of the province’s plan are quite clear. They’re working.”

Our commitment as a government, our Premier’s commitment, continues to be on a dual approach: investing in people, investing in workers so that they can look after elders and keep us safe; but absolutely, investing over $6 billion to date in COVID-19 supports, $5 billion in supplementary spending for our action plan for COVID supports, $1.25 billion in tax and relief measures.

[10:30 a.m.]

Almost every day a new announcement about support that’s come directly from the chambers of commerce, their ideas, whether it’s relaxing the ability for restaurants to be able to serve on patios, liquor sales, waiving taxes, full reductions in taxes as well as tax deferrals.

I’m feeling empathetic, also, to the member. We both represent coastal communities. We both came from local government. It must have been very hard for him to have 7,000 sailings cut by B.C. Ferries under his leadership. He’d been specifically assigned by the previous government to look into, with local governments, reforms and actions and the impact of fare hikes on ferry fares for coastal communities. We all met together. I was in regional government at the time. He brought to this House petitions from his own people asking not to cut service levels and not to hike fares so high on Bowen Island.

What we’ve been able to invest in just the last three years to build back up coastal communities, to build back up investment in people, to build back up investment in health care and economy has put us exactly in the position where British Columbia has the best chance to weather the health storm with the strongest economy and our communities fully intact and working better together than ever before.

J. Sturdy: Thank you to the member opposite for her comments. However, relying on previous investments, relying on liquified natural gas and large public sector spending projects, including Site C — all of which had the foundations built under the previous government — is something of a plan, I suppose. But the future of B.C.’s economy cannot be left exclusively with the public purse, serendipity and the work of those that have come before.

British Columbians deserve to be informed. They deserve to have a plan for our future, for the short and the long term, laid out for the citizens to see, not left to speculation and conjecture. It’s time to look at the big picture of employment. This is a time for innovation, for rebuilding to a new economy that, while embracing our traditional resources, also looks beyond to expand our strengths of clean energy combined with knowledge and our incredible human capital.

The pandemic has forced everyone in every industry, from independent restaurants to multinational corporations, to evolve. People are teleconferencing from home, businesses have gone online and a delivery economy is transforming the retail status quo in a reality that is speeding up the adoption of technologies.

B.C. has a highly skilled workforce, an abundance of natural resources and an economy that is, fortunately, diverse. Over time, we have developed a vibrant technology community. Why don’t we take this time to fully cultivate this opportunity, to work with tech companies and post-secondary leaders and supporting organizations to further our advantage.

We’ve heard stories of companies repurposing their factories to make hand sanitizers and face shields, and ambitious projects of designers and engineers looking to make ventilators work for more than one patient. The biotech sector is growing. Companies like AbCellera are innovating and even thriving here in B.C., with a potential for global impact.

Innovation is key to job creation, especially now. It plays an important role in providing opportunity for future generations. Yet these companies are growing in spite of the challenges placed on them by an increasing regulatory and taxation burden. Employer health tax, increased WorkSafe premiums and obligations, income tax increases, corporate tax increases, school tax, property tax, transfer tax, etc., don’t encourage investment and a desire to build businesses and employment, which sees us through a declining level of confidence in our economy and a reduced willingness to invest in this province.

[10:35 a.m.]

We need to pull together under a vision for the future, and we need to think about how our companies can navigate the current ecosystem in a different way. We need to engage and assess how we can support the new needs of British Columbians in a very different world.

YOUTH, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND JOBS

D. Routley: It’s a real pleasure to participate in this unique session of parliament and to have an opportunity to talk about what’s next for British Columbia. I’m speaking to what’s next for British Columbia in the context of youth, skills development and jobs. Most of what has been said here today, as far as I can tell, calls on us to imagine next steps and look forward. Definitely, our current situation is something that preoccupies us, but I’m impressed by all of the members’ commitment to looking forward.

I think, as we examine what we’re facing, we can see that COVID, this pandemic, has shown us all the costs of inequality — the costs not only to those who are vulnerable but the costs to all of us if our society doesn’t function well or we aren’t able to be resilient enough to adapt to the challenges we face. I would suggest that equity is the key to resiliency for a community and for an economy. In order to build resiliency, people need to thrive. Communities must thrive, and people need to succeed. A key to communities thriving and people succeeding is the education, the skills development, of youth and the jobs they are going to acquire in the future.

Much of the question might be: are you thriving, and are you succeeding? People’s minds are in the immediate when you ask that question. But the real question is: will we thrive? Will our communities thrive, will the people of B.C. be successful, and what do we mean by that?

Young people often express the frustration that they don’t hear their concerns addressed. Or when they do hear them addressed at election time, they’re not materialized by policy that actually improves and impacts their lives. The history can bear them correct. They saw their wages cut in the past by 25 percent. They had a training wage that was discriminatory. There were education cuts that deeply affected their education careers and are still obstacles to their success. We saw chaos in the apprenticeship system for a number of years. We even saw 12-year-olds legally put to work. Those are criticisms I would have of the past.

One compliment I would give to the previous government when it comes to youth training and employment is that they established a credit system for high school–aged children to acquire apprenticeships. I think that was a move that really greatly increased the link between high schools and the skills training sector. So I will give credit there.

Predominantly, young people have seen their concerns spoken to at election time, but the policies work against them. Tax cuts that have been beneficial to people at the top have been given with the remote hope that they would somehow affect the employment of young people. But they have not seen the kind of investments they need to feel that they are a key and number one consideration for our approach to a resilient future.

Skip ahead, and we see a minimum wage increased from $8 to $14.60 an hour over a three-year period and a corresponding 20 percent reduction in small business tax to support businesses in that change. There are no 12-year-olds working legally in British Columbia, except with extreme exceptions. There have been massive investments in education. There is no training wage. There is no discriminatory server wage that exposed, predominantly, women to discriminatory and potentially abusive workplace circumstances.

We want to see communities thrive. We want to see people succeed. We want to see B.C. become resilient. We are answering that with real policy and real investments in people, particularly young people.

I have a list here, with two minutes and 40 seconds left, that is 62 items long. It is the significant investments made by this government in young people. I’ll just read a few of the highlights.

[10:40 a.m.]

Tuition-free basic adult education. We launched a provincial tuition waiver program for children who have been in care of the province. This has invested over $2 million a year, with 806 former youth in care now benefiting.

We created 2,900 additional tech spaces. We announced $450 million in new, affordable on-campus student housing, answering one of the basic needs and basic obstacles to access to post-secondary education for people with any kind of income challenge.

We’ve invested in more open textbooks with a total of $3.5 million going towards textbooks that level the playing field for students who don’t have resources. We have created early childhood education training spaces, 182 of them, in a number of different institutions around the province: Vanderhoof, Vancouver, Castlegar, Victoria, Burns Lake and Prince George.

We’ve also addressed Indigenous youth with putting Indigenous governance on every public post-secondary institution board, answering one of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations. We created Canada’s first Indigenous law program, also answering Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations.

We eliminated interest on B.C. government student loans. We funded over 27,000 apprenticeship and foundation skills spaces. We’ve opened seven new trades training facilities.

These investments continue on, and we are all proud of these investments. We know that the dividends won’t be paid immediately, but they are on a short horizon, as we face an economy and communities that are adapting, changing and showing the resiliency that is necessary to provide equity. Because the key to a successful future will be equity, equity for people in economic justice. Building equity in the people of British Columbia is the key to a resilient future.

E. Ross: My band is a successful band, mainly because we got away from the politics of class division. We stopped talking about big, bad government and big, bad Caucasians and the big, bad elitists and the big, bad rich people, and we got down to facts.

Building a future for the next generation was part of my previous life, not just for youth, but all residents in Skeena as a whole. In fact, my band purchased a private post-secondary facility to prepare Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals alike for the proposed projects in Kitimat.

Youth training is a great cause. But we had learned some expensive and tough lessons, like how difficult it is to get youth into training programs if they can’t see the goal. This was told to me personally by some of our members that completed our training programs, at our insistence, but became angry when they discovered that there was not a potential job waiting for them.

This was after my band, even though we had no money, supplied transportation, meals and clothes for our members to get into training. We even tried to bring training to our reserves. That was how hard it was for us to fill those seats, because they could not see a job. They couldn’t see anything waiting at the end of the training, and it was discouraging.

This is what helped shift my thinking towards developing an economy. Because we have no economies on our northern reserves. We have no shopping malls, no car dealerships or grocery stores. So our alternative was to look at proposed projects, like the RT modernization project or the LNG opportunity, which at one time was 19 projects in B.C.

It’s the reason why my band and other First Nations reached out to LNG and asked that our young people, local people, Aboriginals, non-Aboriginals and women be included in the LNG initiative. As a result, more than $2 billion in contracts were awarded to Indigenous and local contractors by LNG Canada since 2014. Twenty-five percent of the workforce consists of local workers, with 10 percent being Indigenous. A $6 million community investment in a workforce development program was established to make sure job opportunities were available once people were out of the classroom.

The LNG Canada Connect program and Gear Up fund ensured that 64 percent of graduates were Indigenous, and 20 percent were women from Terrace and Kitimat. The outland youth employment program, sponsored by LNG Canada, gave local youth hands-on experience to develop lifelong work skills.

[10:45 a.m.]

Today is a completely different story because of the opportunities projects provide. For a band like mine with no resources, these are opportunities that would never have come without active engagement by elected band councils like my own.

Youth in Skeena can now see that training not only provides an opportunity for a great future but also one that gives them the choice to work and raise their families where they themselves were raised.

This is why I still can’t understand when I heard and saw all of the negative statements about LNG from political parties and advocacy groups that worked hard to stall or to kill projects in B.C. Not once did these groups consider what First Nations leaders were trying to achieve for their members — youth and non-youth alike, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike — nor did they care.

In that same vein, for all their rhetoric and anti-LNG statements, I also haven’t heard an apology, either on the lack of conversation of what industrial development could do for all youth in our region or B.C. We still hear the rhetoric today. We still hear the politics of class division, trying to pit one society against another one all in the name of political ideology.

I agree with the member on what he said. This only comes out at election times. I agree. But even in non-election times, I even hear it in this House, talking about the rhetoric of class division. There’s got to be an enemy, so therefore, let’s tax the rich. They’re the enemy.

If we’re going to build B.C. into a stronger province and a stronger society, we’ve got to understand the difference between building a strong province versus politics, because we’re not doing anybody favours, especially our youth, if we stick to our political rhetoric. There is a way to make amends, especially when we’re talking about the youth. Basically what we’re trying to do here is build a future.

The groups that opposed LNG and all these other projects without even considering the youth or Aboriginals: you can make amends. You can support the proposed projects that are on the table today. Like Woodfibre LNG — support it publicly. Olefins out at McLeod Lake, BitCrude out of Prince Rupert, Cedar LNG and KM LNG under Chevron — these are all proposed projects. They’re doing a great job. They, more than anyone, can provide a future for all the citizens of B.C. — youth and non-youth alike.

D. Routley: Thank you to the member for his response.

I’d like to help the member. When he says that people identify the rich as bad, I think he’s misinterpreting what people are in fact saying. What they are in fact saying is that there’s always attention as to who pays for what services in our society. What we are hoping is that an equitable approach to this will yield the fruit of a revitalized and resilient economy and society. We recognize, now more than ever, as we experience this pandemic, that investing in youth and supporting their successful adaptation to a changing future is really job number one for a government.

In order for communities to thrive and people to succeed, we need each other, and government is the biggest expression of each other. We are making the investments that are benefiting the people who need them most. I think that is a distinguishing characteristic between this government and the previous — that we are, in fact, putting as job number one, investing in the human equity of this province by creating equitable circumstances for people to give them the best chance.

Exactly what the member seems to be calling for, we are doing. We know that our approach of investing in people works. Our supports and investments position B.C. well to deal with the current crisis and recover from it. That’s proof in the immediate term of the resiliency acquired through social investments in housing, in education, in health. These are the key investments in an economy that a government can make, a government being one of the largest players in any economy. These are not separate things.

We have to recognize our role in the economy, leverage it for the people of B.C. and make the investments that…. In the long term, one can only imagine the dividends that will be paid. We know that these investments have positioned us well.

[10:50 a.m.]

We know that the diversity of our economy and the diversity of our people and the resiliency of those people is the key to the thriving of our communities. Our communities deserve to thrive, and our people deserve to succeed. That builds resiliency in British Columbia. That is supported by the investments we’ve been making. The proof is in the pudding right now, and we will see a multiplication of the benefits of those investments for years and years to come.

MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS

J. Thornthwaite: For most of us, the past few months have been the most challenging and unsettling in living memory. Our world has changed in so many ways since the beginning of the COVID global pandemic. Physical distancing can have a significant impact on our mental health. Not only are we facing isolation from friends and families; we are anxious about our kids’ schooling, impacts on elderly relatives, losing our jobs and, for those who own businesses, the possibility of closures and losing our livelihoods in the months ahead.

I have heard from so many small business owners who are worried about rent relief for their businesses because their landlord refuses to even apply for the federal programs that are available. They have been required to pay rent even when they were forced to close. They could potentially lose their homes because of it.

However, those who already live with mental health or addiction issues have struggled more than most as support systems or services disappeared in the month of isolation. Calls to B.C.’s 1-800 suicide line were up 76 percent this past April compared to last year. April also saw a record number of calls to 310-Mental Health for support, up nearly 40 percent compared to 2019.

A new survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association and UBC found that COVID-19 has significantly increased the suicide risk among Canadians with pre-existing mental health challenges. Of those surveyed, 6 percent said they experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings during the outbreak, but that number rises to 18 percent for people with pre-existing mental health challenges, along with 16 percent of Indigenous people and 15 percent of those with a disability.

Tragically, since March, we have seen a steady rise in illicit drug overdose deaths. The latest illicit drug overdose reports from the coroner demonstrate that no region in B.C. is unaffected, as deaths in each of the six B.C. health authorities are either at or near the highest monthly total ever recorded. In March, there were 113 deaths; April, 118; 170 in May; 175 in June. There was a 97 percent increase in deaths from May 2019 to May 2020, the highest recorded in this province ever.

However, it is notable that the total number of non-fatal overdoses has continued to rise for years. Paramedics reported on June 26 that 131 people were revived from overdoses provincewide that day alone. These overdoses, of course, do not show up in the coroner’s report, because they survived. But we still must count them. We still must care about them.

Clearly, this addiction crisis is not getting better, and it’s not all because of COVID. Harm reduction measures like increased availability of naloxone kits and overdose prevention sites do save lives, but those people who were saved are not included in any stats, and we should never forget those near misses.

This all means, of course, that we have done very little on curbing the overdose crisis, and I believe it is disingenuous to brag about a decrease in deaths when, in fact, more people are overdosing more than ever. The fact is that we are experiencing an unprecedented rise in non-fatal overdoses consistently over the years. This is because we have failed as a province to implement a comprehensive addiction strategy to curb addictions, to get to the root of the addiction — pain, both physical and mental, and mental illness and trauma. Until a system is in place so that people can easily access services, the overdoses will continue, and the deaths will continue to rise.

Shockingly, the Premier remarked last week, in answer to a reporter’s question as to why the province wasn’t devoting the same enthusiasm to curb the overdose public health emergency that was declared in 2016 as they are with the COVID public health emergency…. The overdose deaths in June, that month alone, are approximately the same as the total COVID deaths over four months, except the overdose deaths in June amounted to almost six deaths per day.

[10:55 a.m.]

The Premier answered: “These are two separate things. We have an insidious virus that affects anyone at any time, and we have an opioid crisis that involves people using drugs. Those are choices initially, and then they become dependencies.”

Although the Premier has since admitted he mischaracterized addiction and regretted he said it, it is one of the more upsetting comments I’ve heard since beginning my role as critic for Mental Health and Addictions. When I asked the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, she did not acknowledge his remarks. At least the Premier reflected and was circumspect in his remarks. Why didn’t the minister do the same?

Did the construction worker who was injured on the job, who was prescribed opioids for pain, then had his prescription cut off, had to access the illicit market to ease his pain and then overdosed, have a choice? No. People do not wake up day after day and say: “Hey, I want to be addicted. I want to be a slave to my addiction. I want to think and breathe and seek out my addiction every minute of my day.” Is that a choice? I don’t think so.

Since the crisis was first declared, there have been over 5,000 deaths. Not enough is being done, and we need to do more to treat those with mental illness and provide help to those suffering from addictions, just like we would for any other chronic illness. As the critic for Mental Health and Addictions, I’ve long advocated for the need for a full spectrum of care, a mental health system that would serve youth and adults equally, that would focus on early intervention and would help those dealing with addiction into treatment and then into recovery.

Every person who wants to access treatment and recovery should have the opportunity, but so many are limited because of the cost. Currently you have to be either very rich or very poor before you can access a publicly funded bed. The sad part is that there are recovery beds available right now. Last week my office did random calls to nine residential addiction facilities, and there were 125 beds sitting empty that day. This is unacceptable.

The announcement on July 10 of funding for an additional 50 to 70 beds is therefore inadequate. How many people died of an overdose in June? One hundred and seventy-five.

Not only are families struggling with the lack of resources, but so too are municipalities. I sympathize with the mayors, the residents and the businesses who have raised concerns over compassion fatigue in their communities throughout British Columbia.

The overdose crisis has not just impacted people in major cities but all around the province, saddling municipalities with rising costs to clean up discarded needles in school parks, human waste, break-ins, home invasion, business vandalism, thefts, assault and sexual violence. We’ve heard from people in Maple Ridge, Nanaimo and, most recently, Yaletown, downtown Victoria and Parksville that what is currently happening in their communities is not working. Warehousing people with addictions without the proper clinical wraparound supports isn’t a solution, and it’s not safe or fair to anyone impacted by these decisions.

R. Singh: It’s my pleasure to speak on this issue, which is very, very close to my heart. Having worked in the addictions field for a number of years, I’ve had firsthand experience of how this system works, especially in British Columbia. I can say that one thing I agree on with the member for North Vancouver–Seymour is that COVID-19 has affected our lives, impacted our lives, in different ways. Mental health is one area where we see the impact — a really huge impact.

What I can say from my experience is that in the last few years since we formed the government, we are seeing a continuum of care for addictions. It’s prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. While I was working as an alcohol and drug counsellor, a number of times I would hear from the clients and from the family members that there were not enough resources. So it is really good to see, in the last few years, those important investments that have been made for treatment, for prevention and also for recovery.

[11:00 a.m.]

As the member has already mentioned, there has been an increase in beds. There’s funding for 50 to 70 new treatment and recovery beds. There’s also going to be a launch of seven new and expanded substance use teams that will help people stay connected to treatment. There are more beds coming this summer, a new youth treatment centre in Chilliwack and a new mental health and substance use centre at Royal Columbian. Investment is also happening in two new urban and six new rural healing and wellness centres.

There’s an expansion in access to low- or no-cost mental health and addictions counselling at 29 organizations. It is very important that it is in all the different parts of B.C. Also, keeping COVID in mind, where a lot of things are happening virtually, there are virtual supports. A total of 20 organizations are providing those supports. Recently the ministry announced eight new locations for Foundry centres, which brings the total up to 90. Also, the introduction of safe prescription medication alternatives to the poisoned drug supply.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

Here I would really like to talk about the overdose crisis that our province is dealing with. We know that for a number of years, we have dealt with it. I can say that it’s very unfortunate what’s happened with the overdose crisis. One thing I really want to bring up is that deaths were down 36 percent before COVID-19 caused a massive spike in drug toxicity across Canada. That was the first time that deaths were down since 2012 and since the opioid crisis started.

All these efforts that the government is putting in…. I can say that the old government failed to protect the most vulnerable people in recovery rooms and to get them good care.

More tough new regulations to improve care and protect people on their recovery journey. For the first time ever, a per-diem boost in ten years. This was what we were hearing in my community from the recovery homes — that there was no increase in per diems.

Also, I’m really glad, talking about Surrey…. I’m very proud that we opened B.C.’s first mental health and substance use urgent response centre in Surrey, and also, we expanded the hours and services at Surrey’s Roshni Clinic to cut wait times and get up to 100 more people culturally safe.

We are providing housing and mental health and addictions care for over 2,000 more people who had been experiencing homelessness, and we are working to address poverty and supporting youth in care.

Now we have rapid access to addictions care clinics in all health regions. We are integrating mental health supports in schools. We are piloting integrated child and youth mental health clinics in five school districts across B.C., the launch of a new mental health help line for post-secondary students throughout….

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

R. Singh: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

J. Thornthwaite: The Alberta government was elected just over a year ago, in April of 2019. They have made the following funding commitments: $100 million increase for mental health and addictions, $40 million to combat the opioid crisis, $25 million to funding mental health and addictions infrastructure, an additional $53 million for COVID-related mental health and addictions recovery.

They committed to fully fund or create 4,000 addiction recovery treatment spaces and expect to reach that goal very soon. They are also piloting recovery coaches in emergency rooms and just last week announced $25 million for the infrastructure to build five therapeutic communities, along with operating funding. This is all in a province with half the deaths of British Columbia.

In contrast, this government announced, on July 10, $13.5 million over three years for between 50 to 70 publicly funded treatment beds. I note that is about a third of the people who died from an overdose last month. We know that the current 30 PHSA specialized addiction treatment beds, which cost about $350 a day, would be close to about $128,000 a year. At 70 beds a year over three years, that would equal $27 million, which is double what the minister has announced. So the money the ministry and the government has committed is actually half of what is needed today.

[11:05 a.m.]

We need a full spectrum of care. Until British Columbians get to the point of having programs available that are easily accessible and affordable provincewide and that offer a complete continuum of care from detox to treatment to recovery…. Until we actually address the root of the addiction, we are never going to be able to turn the tide on this public health emergency.

I want to leave this House, Mr. Speaker, with an image in your mind. Last September I attended the Recovery Day festival in the minister’s own riding of New Westminster. Scattered around the crowd were volunteers and organizers, all wearing T-shirts with the word “evidence” on them. What was the evidence? Them. They are living, breathing proof that recovery is possible.

We just need the political will in this province to make it happen.

Hon. H. Bains: I ask that the House now consider proceeding with Motion 9, standing in the name of the member for Burnaby North.

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 9 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 9 — HEALTH AND
ECONOMIC RECOVERY

J. Routledge: I rise to speak to my motion.

[Be it resolved that this House agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery and resiliency.]

One would be forgiven for thinking that such a motion states the obvious, but it was in this very chamber that the Leader of the Opposition rose to state: “We hear the Premier talking consistently about public health measures, which actually don’t have anything to do with economic recovery.” Hard to believe, but that’s what he said.

This morning we on this side of the House will endeavour to explain to him and his colleagues how public health and economic recovery are inextricably linked.

Let me start by recalling the exchange that took place Monday, June 22, during question period. The Premier stated:

“In order to build confidence for consumers to go back into retail, into hospitality and other sectors that require that type of activity, we’re going to have to do a couple of things. We’re going to have to make sure that the workplace is safe. WorkSafeBC has been working with the public health officers to make sure that we put in place guidelines so that customers can be comfortable when they go into an establishment that they’re going to be safe and so that the workers in there are safe as well.”

The Leader of the Opposition dismissed that as having nothing to do with economic recovery.

Now, that’s a curious thing to hear from the leader of the self-styled free enterprise party. Isn’t his the party that believes supply and demand should drive the economy? Yet he doesn’t seem to be making the connection that without consumer confidence, there is no demand, and right now consumer confidence is all about feeling safe.

Every day British Columbians see the evidence on their screens of what can happen when consuming is ranked to be more important than health. In May, American states were already getting ready to reopen their economies. Their president was pressuring them to move quickly. He told the American people: “You have to get back to work.” By early June, he was praising Florida specifically. He said: “They are doing tremendous business, and this is what the numbers are all about.”

By July, the numbers were about something else. Last Thursday the U.S. reported a record number of new cases in one day, and so did Florida. The number of hospitalizations are up steeply, and the COVID-19 death rate is starting to climb again.

British Columbians can’t help but be worried by the news south of the border. Many of us continue to think twice about going out for a meal, booking a holiday, meeting friends in a bar, getting a pedicure or all the other purchases we would be making this summer. Not a day goes by when that agony of indecision doesn’t come up in idle conversation.

[11:10 a.m.]

Here’s another topic that comes up every day: how thank­ful we are to be living in British Columbia. Here we flattened the curve. How? Because we are fortunate enough to have an independent public health officer who has extensive experience and expertise in pandemics — Dr. Henry has taken a thoughtful, evidence-based approach, and British Columbians trust her and are willing to follow her guidelines and orders — and because our government has chosen not to compete with her for attention, has chosen not to politicize a global health crisis.

We know that it’s not our job to make medical decisions but to make decisions about the services and supports people need in order to keep each other safe.

We have reason to expect that the members on the other side are going to try to make this debate about taxes. Cutting taxes seems to be their knee-jerk answer to every­thing. Let’s not forget it was their tax cuts that concentrated our shared wealth in the hands of the few, that drained the public coffers, which led to regulatory bodies like employment standards branch being defunded and public services like long-term-care facilities being privatized.

There is a direct line between the decisions made by the previous government and some of the COVID-19 outbreaks that ended up shutting down our economy. Right now, more than ever, British Columbians need to trust that both their health and their livelihoods are in good hands, and that starts by understanding the connection between the two.

With that, I will take my seat and turn the floor over to others to elaborate further.

N. Letnick: I rise in the House today to speak on the motion: “Be it resolved that this House agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery and resiliency.”

First and foremost, I think it is important to extend our deepest thanks to our regional health authorities as well as all medical staff and front-line workers whose tireless work and sacrifice keep our communities as safe as possible in the face of the greatest challenge ever to our health care system. Of course, we cannot go without recognizing the ongoing efforts of our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and her team, for being at the helm to provide the most current advice and information to all British Columbians.

At the end of the day, the success of our province will always be attributed to the actions of each and every one of us. For the most part, British Columbians have excelled in their duty to adhere to provincial guidelines, which has not come without great sacrifice by many. We have been separated from friends, families and loved ones. For many, this pandemic has cost us our jobs, closed the doors of businesses, and sadly, it has taken many lives.

Unfortunately, my home of Kelowna has made recent headlines and highlighted the tragic outcome when a few selected individuals ignore these guidelines and sacrifices of others. The spike in cases due to the lapse in judgment over a handful of social gatherings has also shown that our fight against COVID-19 is far from over.

As we speak, several countries are set to tighten measures aimed at controlling the virus, including Hong Kong, the U.K. and South Africa. Worldwide a weekend ago saw the most cases in a single day, at almost a quarter million. Indeed, given what we’re seeing, especially south of the border, and in light of our experience during the last pandemic, the great pandemic, now is not the time to let our guard down.

In 1918, the Spanish flu spread across the globe in three waves: first in the spring, next in the fall and third in the winter. The first phase was responsible for a few deaths, but the virus mutated during the summer and killed 100 million people in the fall during phase 2, when it tended to kill young, otherwise healthy adults.

As a virus sweeps around the world, it often attacks in waves, sometimes circling the globe several times for years before it outcompetes other strains to become the dominant virus. Pandemics end when the human population gains immunity to the new strain.

This is why, over the past weekend, I posted to social media the following message:

“Are you thinking about partying this summer? I’m asking you to act responsibly. Your actions may not directly impact you, but it may stop the dad who wants to visit his baby in hospital, born prematurely; family who wants to visit their mother after major surgery; a small business that is struggling to stay afloat, hoping the authorities won’t shut them down again, because if they do, they’ll lose their home; and the employees who will lose their work if the businesses shut down.

“So let’s enjoy our summer, but let’s do it responsibly by following the proper safety protocols and not spread COVID-19. You already know what they are. There’s no ticket, no cop, no parent looking over your shoulder. Your character will be determined by your actions when no one is watching. So be of good character and do what’s right to protect yourself and especially those you will never know.

“Think clearly and act accordingly.”

[11:15 a.m.]

We are now facing both a health crisis and an economic crisis in this province which we have never seen before. British Columbians are turning to this government for the appropriate guidelines and supports to assist them in both their health and economic recovery. Government has a duty to provide both of these, just as much as British Columbians have a duty to abide by our COVID measures.

Other provinces have announced economic recovery plans, started enacting those plans and have begun seeing results. In B.C., mostly what we’ve seen are public opinion surveys and vague announcements that “help is on the way.” Teachers and parents are looking to this government for a safe and flexible back-to-school plan like we’ve seen in other provinces months ago. Our tourism industry, a staple of our economy and one of the hardest hit sectors, has seen hundreds of thousands of jobs lost and is still waiting on a viable recovery plan from this government.

British Columbians are still anxious to see how this government intends to spend the $1.5 billion economic recovery fund announced months ago. The longer this government refuses to act, the more uncertainty and risk British Columbians are left with. Just as the actions of every British Columbian are responsible for the health of our province, they will be responsible for its economic recovery.

It is now a duty of this Legislature to provide them with these guidelines and supports so that we can give our province every opportunity to keep businesses open and return people to the workforce without infringing on the health and safety of British Columbians.

J. Brar: I’m really pleased to support the motion introduced by the hon. member for Burnaby North, asking the members of this House to agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us. We know many British Columbians are worried about their health and about their livelihoods. People continue to struggle and are uncertain about their future. The good news in B.C. is that we have made good progress flattening the curve because of our commitment to supporting each other and coming together as a community to respond. We understand that there would be no discussion today in this House about economic recovery without flattening the curve, and that’s very important to understand.

Therefore, flattening the curve and public health are the main pillars of our economic recovery plan, and the B.C. Liberals have to understand that. But it’s really, really shocking to hear the B.C. Liberals incorrectly claiming that public health measures taken by this government don’t have anything to do with economic recovery. “We hear the Premier talking consistently about public health measures, which actually don’t have anything to do with economic recovery,” said by the Leader of the Official Opposition on June 22 during question period.

This is shocking, unbelievable and full of dirty politics. This is not the time to play politics with the people of British Columbia.

People remember when the B.C. Liberals were there in power. They created an economy on the backs of regular people, and that economy only worked for their donors and wealthy families. Clearly the economy, during those 16 years, was not working for everyone, and that was a big problem. Now is the time to invest in people, not cut services like the B.C. Liberals did for 16 years, and build an economy that works for everyone — all British Columbians.

We have the best economic recovery plan moving forward. Our safe restart plan is working to keep British Columbians healthy and, at the same time, build an economic recovery that puts people first.

I would like to underline that flattening the curve and public health remain the main pillars of our economic recovery plan because we understand that there would be no discussion today in this House about economic recovery without flattening the curve. Our government acted very quickly to protect seniors and people at risk to ensure our health care system would respond to COVID-19.

[11:20 a.m.]

Secondly, we successfully managed to keep many sectors of our economy open during COVID-19, saving hundreds of thousands of jobs for the people of British Columbia. For example, unlike in some other provinces, B.C. was able to keep the construction industry open.

Thirdly, B.C. has made extraordinary investments in people and business during this difficult time, and that approach, the $5 billion in supplemental spending, will provide immediate relief to people and businesses such as the workers benefit, rental supplement, income and disability assistance programs, and the economic recovery funding.

Our safe restart plan is working to keep British Columbians healthy and build an economy that puts people first. We are supporting Innovate B.C. and developing industry and jobs in all parts of the province that anticipate growing global demand for new clean products and services.

I would like to conclude by saying that it is completely unwise and wrong for B.C. Liberals to claim that flattening the curve has nothing to do with our economic recovery. The people of British Columbia believe that flattening the curve and public health are the main pillars of our economic recovery, and that’s the foundation. That’s the springboard from where we can launch the economic recovery as fast as we can.

Therefore, I support this motion and thank the member for Burnaby North for introducing this motion in this House.

J. Yap: Let me be clear from the outset that I would like to recognize the collaborative work under the leadership of provincial health officer Dr. Henry and her team, which to date, has kept our COVID infection curve flat and under control here in B.C. compared to other jurisdictions. Her leadership has been exceptional, balancing the challenges of conveying necessary and, at times, difficult information to the general public.

From the start, our caucus has also rallied behind her direction 100 percent, with members like my colleague from Kelowna–Lake Country actively taking part in discussions about the province’s public health response. We have seen numbers remain relatively low even as we have begun to reopen parts of the province, which is great, but it is also imperative that those numbers stay low if we are going to effectively restart the economy. That does not take away from the reality, however, that the pandemic has had unprecedented impacts beyond the public health response and the lives we have unfortunately lost as a result.

Given that, and to answer the point put forward by the motion, yes, the health of British Columbians is critical to our success. Nobody is arguing that fact. But that does not diminish the rampant job losses, businesses thrust into bankruptcy and the spectre of an unknown future hanging over every sector. Now, as things are opening up in phase 3, there need to be supports in place for business to recover, regain their footing and be able to thrive, and it starts with a plan.

What was clearly displayed last week during the prov­ince’s budget update is that the NDP has no apparent plan to support businesses. Our caucus has put forward bold ideas for the economic recovery that have been supported by private sector industries. Ideas such as tax holidays on EHT and PST, a short-term rental relief program for small business and a concerted effort to provide our struggling tourism industry with the means to stay afloat are needed, as suggested by the 13 policy letters with over 60 suggestions and ideas that were sent to the Premier and cabinet by our members and our leader.

We have also continuously asked for action on these issues in this House over the past few weeks and have been met with a concerted level of resistance from the government, which seems to be so set in their ways that they simply brush aside ideas that will truly help the people of this province, simply out of ideology and spite. I find that shameful. My worry now is that this government will continue forward with its pre-pandemic mandate, not taking into account, given the reality of the current provincial economy, that that is simply unsustainable.

[11:25 a.m.]

A plan is needed to support all industries and make sure that our province doesn’t fall into a domino effect of further job losses and business closures. We need to ensure that the support is there for British Columbians as they need it. This should have already been sorted out and ready to implement, yet here we are, halfway through the summer, with a government that does not care to provide the province with an idea of where we will all be in the fall.

I hope everyone understands what I mean when I say that the health of a recovery plan is just as paramount to this province as the health of its residents.

R. Leonard: I speak in support of the motion that this House recognizes that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and that our health is part of our economic recovery and resiliency.

Our government invests in people. Without people, there is no economy. This COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated this clearly. Investing in people’s health and safety is investing in economic recovery.

The novel coronavirus landed in our midst earlier this year, and the people of B.C. were, naturally, frightened of this infectious, deadly and unknown enemy. They were also worried about the economic impact — what would happen to their jobs, their businesses.

People in some other jurisdictions are living with distinctly partisan leadership and an equally distinct lack of clear, evidence-based leadership, and they are experiencing daily record-breaking surges of COVID-19. Instead of reopening, they are retreating to shutdown, and they’re terrified.

In comparison, we in B.C. have been more than fortunate to have the soothing expertise of our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. She has inspired trust and confidence in her health and safety measures as she continues to guide us through a pandemic the likes of which no one alive has ever experienced.

Our Premier and all his cabinet have been quick to respond to the guidance of Dr. Henry and her incredible team to keep people safe, to safeguard our health care system and to support people, organizations and businesses through the challenges and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They have parked partisanship, and they opened the door to work across party lines to instil the words for us to live by — that we are all in this together. Their leadership modelled the behaviour we all needed to embrace right from the start, and it is the behaviour we need to continue to embrace as this pandemic perseveres with no treatment or resting.

I’ve witnessed how the people of Courtenay-Comox cooperated, and it’s been true across the province. Life as we knew it came to a grinding halt. Heroically, people closed the doors to their shops, and families stayed close to the hearth, often juggling child care, their kids’ education and working from home, if they kept their jobs at all. People started to practise the safety measures of safe distancing, washing their hands. They accepted that we couldn’t gather together. Today we all still need to practise being heroes.

As of Friday, sadly, 189 souls exposed to COVID-19 are no longer with us. But people’s sacrifices haven’t all been in vain. We’ve been successful in flattening the curve, keeping the number of confirmed cases per million below the rest of Canada and most other countries, and we have been slowly and cautiously opening the province to more activity. Our public health measures have kept people safe and inspired confidence to innovate, to open the doors of business, to work beyond the confines of our homes, to explore our province and support our B.C. businesses and services.

The Leader of the Opposition made the statement a month ago, in this House, that the public health measures “actually don’t have anything to do with economic recovery.” Well, those words reveal a lack of regard for the people who fuel this economy, and it confirms that it continues with the previous government’s priority to build an economy that benefits the few at the top, leaving the rest of the people in the dust.

[11:30 a.m.]

I am impressed by the vast array of groundbreaking responses our government has been taking to support people through this difficult health emergency. The monumental transformation of our long-term-care system to protect the health of workers and seniors is a first in Canada, and it’s only one of many firsts. British Columbians have been reassured that their government is there for them, and they have felt supported to do their best in following the health and safety directions of our provincial health officer.

It may be the emergency worker benefit or rent relief, or it may be the cut to commercial property taxes or initiatives to provide desperately-needed cash flow to the [audio interrupted]. We are working with the people of B.C. to weather the storm and restart the economy in this time of COVID. Success starts with confidence, and we’ve built a solid foundation.

We can work to build B.C. back stronger because we’ve put the health and safety of British Columbians first.

T. Redies: The health of British Columbians should be paramount, a sentiment that is shared by all members of the House without question. I’m thankful to Dr. Bonnie Henry and all the front-line essential workers who kept British Columbians safe over the last five months.

The health of British Columbians is also inextricably linked to economic recovery, because we know in poor economic times, people suffer from stress and other illnesses. Just relying on making sure people are safe is not going to be enough to generate economic recovery, although I agree it is a vital first step. Billions of dollars of private sector capital has been wiped out by this virus. It’s not going to be there to rehire people or rebuild inventories or rebuild businesses. I worry that the ongoing, severe challenges being faced in most industries will continue to negatively affect both the economic and medical health of our people.

That’s why government needs the dynamic, bold, and aggressive plan to get the economy back on its feet, but more importantly, to instill confidence in the business sector so they can invest and create jobs. But there is no plan in sight with this government. B.C.’s competitiveness was already tanking before COVID-19 by the decisions and lack of economic vision of this government. Businesses have had to bear the brunt of the NDP’s 23 new and increased taxes, made worse now because of the serious reduction in available private capital for reinvestment.

This is not just an issue of attracting investment from other jurisdictions, but simply keeping businesses afloat. What’s going to happen when the federal CERB and other supports run out? How and where is this government going to step up to avert further economic hardship? Currently, there is no answer. Economic stimulus spending should help individuals and businesses get back on their feet, but we know that it’s not sustainable over the longer term, given the already staggering deficits we are seeing at the federal and provincial levels.

A vibrant private sector is ultimately the sustainable engine that creates good-paying, sustainable jobs for British Columbians. Getting to work on job creation needs to be an immediate priority. We currently have the fourth-highest unemployment rate in the country, and women and youth have been particularly hard hit. Youth unemployment in B.C. is up 266 percent since January, but only up 114 percent in the rest of Canada. That means B.C. has done more than twice as badly as the rest of Canada in retaining jobs for young people. We know adult female unemployment has worsened by 37 percent more in B.C. since January than the rest of Canada.

If combatting COVID-19 for the NDP is only about growing the public sector permanently, then we have a serious problem on our hands. If that’s the NDP government’s plans, in the absence of any plan to address business competitiveness and taxation in this province, well then, I’m deeply worried for both the economy and the health of British Columbians going forward in the coming months.

N. Simons: It gives me pleasure to add my voice to the motion put forward this morning: “Be it resolved that this House agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery and resiliency.”

I find it interesting, and perhaps predictable, that the opposition will find its usual tropes and bring them out and repeat them. Kind of shocking in a way, at times, when a government that’s being praised for its handling of a crisis is suddenly spiteful and suddenly basing their decisions purely on ideology. The member for Richmond-Steveston was over the top.

[11:35 a.m.]

We have a government and a public health system that are working together. Public servants, the ministry workers, are all actively working on making sure that our economy recovers as we as a society protect ourselves.

I don’t think there’s any doubt that we’ve done well in terms of flattening the curve. I’m sure that we’re going to have to continue and redouble our efforts. We don’t know what next month will bring in terms of public health. I think that government has shown itself to be adaptable on its feet to the dynamically changing needs of our communities.

To suggest that, as the opposition does…. Suddenly, they’re all interested in what they’re calling a plan. Well, we were asking for a plan to reduce poverty for — I don’t know — 12 years that I sat in opposition. “We don’t need a plan. We don’t need a plan.” Well, we’re dealing with a dynamic situation now that is changing every day. We need to be able to adapt. We’re already doing things to ensure that people, who are at the core of every small business, who are at the core of every industry, who are at the core of our tourism sector and our transportation sector…. If it were not for government ensuring that people are looked after, we wouldn’t be talking about recovery yet.

We’ve done amazing things, I think, in the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that our fruit-growing industry is sustained with careful public health measures to ensure that the workers required are adequately cared for and their health is being monitored. That’s part of our government’s perspective on ensuring that people are looked after, and consequently that the businesses that they’re associated with are being looked after as well.

I think maybe the Leader of the Opposition misspoke or said something he didn’t quite mean. Everybody so far, that I’ve heard, agrees that public health, ensuring that the public is protected, is the best way to ensure that we recover strongly, that we recover with the ability to maintain that recovery. Without the decisions and the choices that we’ve made as a government — and I think, in most cases, with agreement from members of the opposition — to support small businesses and to support individuals and families as we all deal with this situation….

Just to talk about, for example…. The member for Kelowna–Lake Country, I think it was, said people are anxious to have a plan. Well, we’re all anxious, and part of addressing that anxiety is being a participant in making that plan. The government was clear that $1.5 billion would be allocated to address certain specific needs of communities, and that’s why our government continues to accept input from all the public in order to make sure that we have a good plan as we continue to deal with the changing realities of the pandemic.

T. Shypitka: On behalf of my constituents of the Kootenay East, I would like to add the perspective of my region to the following motion, that be it resolved that this House agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery and resiliency.

To date, the pandemic has unfortunately claimed the lives of 189 British Columbians and thousands more have been affected. To the friends and family of those we have lost, I offer my sincerest condolences. Contrary to what the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast just said on government being praised for the recovery effort, I would like to respond by saying: if not for the work of Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, many more would have lost their lives or been exposed to the virus.

[11:40 a.m.]

There’s also one other unsung hero in this success of our personal health during this pandemic, and that is our business community, and in particular, our small businesses that have had to shut down from the start of the outbreak. In short, the economical sacrifices that small business owners have had to endure from the onset of this pandemic ensured that all of us in B.C. could enjoy the flattening of the curve to the point where B.C. is one of the most successful jurisdictions on the planet.

The tourism sector is the hardest hit, and even though British Columbians are doing their part, with many now exploring this beautiful province exclusively, we can’t replace the number of visitors we are normally used to. That’s what I would like to focus on — economic recovery for small business.

Most of our provincial economy is comprised of small and medium-sized businesses. Last week the Minister of Finance made a little history in our province and probably not for something she would like to be remembered for. The current government delivered the largest budget deficit in provincial history, estimated to be $12.5 billion at present. It is likely to balloon even more.

This is not unlike what many governments are experiencing around the world, but it should be recognized that we are not talking about $12.5 billion in additional spending. We are talking about a $6.3 billion drop in government revenues. That is a substantial amount of money.

The Finance Minister also projects that British Columbians will lose a quarter-million jobs. That’s about 13.4 percent of the B.C. workforce. The provincial economy will shrink by 7 percent. Retail sales will drop 16 percent. Housing starts will drop as much as 40 percent, and salary and wages will be reduced by a collective $1 billion.

Whatever was contained in Budget 2020 last February is now officially null and void. That’s why MLAs on this side of the House are asking questions and providing the government with constructive policy initiatives that will contribute to economic recovery. Yet, after four months, we still don’t have an economic recovery plan.

In my region, the great Elk Valley, we are known as a holiday destination. Four seasons of skiing, golfing, camping, hiking, fishing and boating, and the list is endless. However, there is no more important season than what is happening right now — the high summer season. Business owners right now will know in the next month or two whether they have a business or they don’t.

Instead of taking direct and bold action on a business plan, the government has launched a questionnaire for the public to fill out. That’s not good enough. This is happening right now. This is not a dress rehearsal. It is do or die for many small business owners.

As the Leader of the Opposition has repeatedly suggested, small business cannot afford to take a major hit in COVID tax arrears come this September. Most small businesses are running on fumes and have few resources to meet obligations to pay back taxes such as the employer health tax, provincial sales tax, carbon tax and a host of other taxes yet somehow hire back employees at the same time.

Our small business and medium-sized business sectors need help, and they need help now. We are calling for temporary tax relief — not tax deferral — to give small business the time it needs to get back on its feet.

Winston Churchill once said: “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset a country can have.” However, Henry Ford once stated: “Economy has frequently nothing whatever to do with the amount of money being spent, but with the wisdom used in spending it.”

British Columbians need a bold economic recovery plan now or those employees living of government.

B. D’Eith: Today, I rise in support of the member for Burnaby North’s resolution. It’s critically important that we understand how our health underpins our economy. Of course, we are living in uncertain times, and there are two things at the top of the mind of the public and for this government: the health and livelihoods of British Columbians.

Now, the Leader of the Opposition claimed in question period that public health measures “actually don’t have anything to do with economic recovery.” That’s patently absurd. COVID has actually taught us that the health of the economy depends on the health of our people. The leader opposite that day also described the reopening as a “public health declaration unrelated to economic response.”

[11:45 a.m.]

What the opposition’s leader’s logic fails to consider is that public anxiety over the pandemic would’ve left businesses without customers even longer if we hadn’t acted. We only have to look south of the border to see what happens to businesses when public health is ignored.

We can’t thank Dr. Henry, the Minister of Health and our public health teams enough. They managed this pandemic incredibly well. Together with the British Columbia public, we flattened the curve, and British Columbians are now — because of that — confident that a safe reopening is possible.

Where it mattered, this government, like the public, took drastic action at great personal and financial cost, for the public good. Entire sectors closed overnight. It was devastating, but people knew it was the right thing to do.

Likewise, our government did not flinch to provide drastic economic supports to British Columbians, throughout the pandemic, through the B.C. COVID-19 action plan. Through this plan, we’ve provided over $5 billion in supports, and we’ve earmarked another $1.5 billion for announcements this fall.

That’s 600,000 British Columbians who’ve received a one-time, tax-free, $1,000 B.C. emergency benefit for workers. That’s over 200,000 people who have benefited from the income and disability and assistance crisis supplements, and more than 81,000 applications have been approved for the temporary rental relief supplement to date.

We moved to enhance the federal commercial rent relief program, which provides 75 percent reduction in rent for hard hit businesses by preventing evictions of commercial tenants that would qualify — an important thing for the province to do. More than 80 percent of B.C. families received an enhanced climate action tax credit in July, helping families with an additional $450, doubling the annual amount.

I could go on and on. Well, I will go on. We brought a job-protected leave for people unable to work, for COVID-19, and we got the federal government to commit to a two-week paid sick leave, because we do not need to have people coming to work sick. We need them to stay at home if they’re sick.

What exactly would the opposition have us do? Perhaps they are suggesting that it’s a time for austerity, which they were so famous for while they were in government.

Well, I think not. In fact, today the CBC reported a poll that found that a majority of British Columbians approve of the province’s COVID-19 response but also support a transition towards a more equitable and sustainable post-pandemic economy. That’s why taking a moment to consult with British Columbians is so important in how to spend this recovery money.

Now, what about leadership? At the beginning of the pandemic in April, the leader went on a podcast, This Is Vancolour, and repeatedly criticized the Premier for not putting his face in front of the media — presumably something that the Leader of the Opposition would have done.

Well, in fact, the Premier put science up front. Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Minister of Health led the media announcements. In B.C., we put politics and egos aside, and we turned the floor over to our medical experts. That freed up time for the Premier to focus on important national and international issues with the federal government, such as closing the borders to non-essential traffic and ensuring that the federal programs worked for everyone in British Columbia.

Senior economic analysts from Deloitte and TD conclude that B.C. continues to be the economic envy of the country, mainly due to our relatively strong position in terms of the pandemic, our public health. Again, the hon. Leader of the Opposition maintained that reopening measures were exclusively the domain of public health and “had absolutely nothing to do with economic performance.”

Now, top economists get what the Leader of the Opposition clearly doesn’t. The health of our economy completely depends on the confidence of our consumers and our public and on the health and safety of our workers. That’s why I wholeheartedly support this motion, and I encourage the opposition to do the same.

S. Cadieux: I was happy to have the opportunity to speak to this motion today, because I believe it’s one that no member of the House would have reservations about supporting. The health of British Columbians is of course a major concern to all of us, and one which we take very seriously.

While I respect the member for Burnaby North, I am troubled that she chose to insinuate that the previous government was somehow to blame for some of the COVID challenges that we’ve had in British Columbia. It’s distasteful, and it’s desperate.

I’ll inform the member that I lost a family member, an extended family member, to COVID-19 in another country, in long-term care.

[11:50 a.m.]

The deaths here have been tragic. Families are hurting. Families are still hurting because they cannot visit their family in long-term care and provide them with the comfort and support that they normally do.

Member, we are all in this together. For the government members to be placing blame on a previous government that hasn’t been in power for more than three years and putting so much emphasis on a leader of an opposition party, during a crisis that they and their government need to manage, is pathetic and offensive. Let’s remember, Members, that all of us fully supported the efforts of Dr. Henry and the health team throughout this pandemic and continue to. It wasn’t the time for disagreement. It was a time for elected officials to come together and demonstrate the importance of following Dr. Henry’s advice.

In-person meetings were replaced by Zoom calls, dinners with friends replaced by FaceTime and commutes to work by strolls around neighbourhoods. By following guidelines, staying home and socially distancing, the people of B.C. helped flatten the curve and bring us to the place where we’re able to cautiously reopen the economy together.

However, as the very wording of this motion suggests, health is a part of our economic recovery. It is not and will not be the entirety of it. Health is the foundation of a recovery, but we can’t sit back over the coming months and say, “Well, health protection measures are the only concern, and we can just keep operating the same way, and the economy will recover on its own,” because frankly, that’s false. It’s not a reasonable course of action.

Health measures must — and I stress must — underpin everything we do going forward, but we need a real plan for economic recovery.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

The Finance Minister announced last week that we’re looking at a $12½ billion deficit, the largest in the province’s history. The unemployment rate sits above 13 percent, and it’s higher amongst women and youth. The business council estimates our economy will shrink by 7.8 percent. CERB is ending soon, and deferred taxes will come due at the end of September.

The province is looking at a fall that will be full of unknowns. The Premier has promised to match federal recovery dollars for the province and to go deeper into deficit to do so. That’s misleading, then, for government to imply that these things won’t have an impact on people. These things will have a devastating impact on many people if the government doesn’t have a real plan for economic recovery, one that looks at every facet of our economy, one to prompt growth and create jobs — a plan that will truly lead to recovery.

Sending out a survey four months into a pandemic does not suggest that government has any semblance of a plan to address the economic needs of British Columbians. The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our priorities, I think, for many people personally, for households, and it must as a province. We’ve had to focus our entirety on the health response — and of course we want to do that — but now, we can’t pretend that from a full-scale health response, we can simply turn the dial down and get back to normal. We have to turn the dial up on economic recovery.

We have to be purposeful about it. It doesn’t mean, nor have any of us ever suggested, that health measures don’t remain essential. They just aren’t an economic plan. We need a government with a plan, a government committed to seeing the people of B.C. through the entirety of this crisis, not just the very-needed health response but the critical economic response that needs to follow.

We can’t look at it as a choice between one or the other. Rebuilding the economy does not need to happen at the expense of our province’s health, but it instead should be informed by it, taking needed steps forward as a part of a real and comprehensive plan for recovery.

M. Elmore: I’m very pleased to speak in favour of the motion moved by the member for Burnaby North: “Be it resolved that this House agree that the health of British Columbians is paramount during this pandemic and part of our economic recovery and resiliency.”

British Columbians are worried about their health, understandably, and their livelihoods, and this pandemic has impacted all of us. We have made progress flattening the curve because of our commitment to supporting each other and coming together as a community to respond. We have listened to and followed the expertise of our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, and we know what happens when jurisdictions don’t do that. We don’t have to look far.

[11:55 a.m.]

South of the border highlights how U.S. leaders have taken a different approach, and their federal government and some states have not followed public health advice of Dr. Fauci. Last week the U.S. reported a record high of new cases. Here in British Columbia, John Horgan and our safe Restart Plan are working to keep British Columbians safe and build our economic recovery plan that puts people first.

The motion today is to emphasize the importance of the connection between the health of British Columbians and our economic recovery, because we know that that is not the case held by the opposition. We know that the opposition leader, the member for Vancouver-Quilchena, incorrectly claimed that public health measures don’t have anything to do with economic recovery.

There is a quote, from June 22, where the Leader of the Official Opposition was quoted saying that: “We hear the Premier talking consistently about public health measures, which actually don’t have anything to do with economic recovery.” That’s the quote, Mr. Speaker, so that’s why we want to make the case that the two are connected: the health of British Columbians and our economic recovery — and that economic recovery must benefit all British Columbians.

We should remember, however, that even before COVID-19, our economy was not working for everyone. When the B.C. Liberals were in government, they created an economy that was balanced on the backs of regular people and worked for their donors and the wealthy few. Now is the time to invest in people and not cut services like the B.C. Liberals did for 16 years.

Our government has invested over $6 billion in people and in businesses to provide support through this pandemic. We’ve put in place a safe restart plan so we could build confidence for people to go out, to have confidence to go businesses, go to restaurants and make sure that it was all being done safely.

We have taken a number of measures. I want to remind members opposite of some of them. Significantly, 600,000 British Columbians have received a one-time tax free B.C. emergency benefit for workers.

We also have over 200,000 people who have benefited from disability and income assistance supports. We have over 80,000 applications approved for the temporary rent relief supplement, as well as temporary pandemic pay for over a quarter of a million workers, Mr. Speaker.

In addition, we’ve taken measures to address homelessness. Over 3,000 spaces have been created.

Recognizing that there’s been an increase in domestic violence against women, we have taken the initiative to provide safe hotel rooms for women and children leaving violent relationships.

We’ve put in place, as well, recognizing the tremendous pressure that businesses have been under…. Cutting property tax bills by 25 percent, providing $700 million in immediate relief…. We are also looking to protect small businesses, to ensure that if they have been forced to close, they have their hydro bills forgiven for three months, and also provided a rent relief program and prevented evictions. Additional supports towards tourism. We’ll have a more comprehensive plan coming forward.

Together, we can work to build B.C. back stronger and create a safe and secure future for all British Columbians, not just the wealthy few, recognizing the connection and the importance of the health of British Columbians and our economic recovery.

M. Elmore moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. H. Bains moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

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

The House adjourned at 12 noon.