Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: M. Morris.

Introductions by Members

Hon. J. Horgan: Joining us in the gallery today is the basketball coach at my old alma mater, Reynolds High School. Go, Roadrunners. Joining us in the gallery is Jeff Loukes.

Jeff and his siblings were raised here in Victoria. I remember his older sister. She went to Mount Doug and was pursued by one of my basketball buddies at that time — to no effect, I would say. I think it was an inter-city rivalry more than anything else.

I want to say that Jeff’s been at Reynolds for a quarter of a century, coaching the basketball team for 20 years, taking them to the provincial championships a couple of times. I want to thank him for his service to the community, as well as his family, who are well known by many, including myself, from many, many years ago.

Reynolds is known for its participation in Cops for Cancer — year after year, the highest fundraiser in the region. The member for Oak Bay–Gordon Head disputes that, but the facts are undeniable.

Joining Jeff Loukes today is Jason Goertzen. Would the House please make him very, very welcome.

D. Clovechok: Virtually in the House today are over 1,300 residents from Revelstoke who are watching live to witness the petition I will be delivering later this morning. In particular, I want to welcome and recognize six individuals for pulling this petition together in less than a week. They are Daniel Doughty, Jane McNab, Tony Jeglum, Ben Wilke, Val Beard and Sarah Newton.

I also want to recognize Revelstoke city councillor Cody Younker, who helped quarterback the effort. They not only gathered almost 1,400 signatures but did an amazing job ensuring that people’s COVID-19 safety was taken care of by following all the protocols, which included even making sure the pens were constantly sanitized.

Watching the community unite and come together to protect a mountain that is so incredibly important to the people of Revelstoke, and all during the pandemic, has been truly been amazing. I am so proud to be working for and with them and being the voice of the community here at our provincial Legislature.

I would ask this House to make them feel welcome.

Tributes

ROBERT SAVAGE

I. Paton: This morning, I just want to take a moment to pay tribute to another iconic Delta farmer who passed away last week, Mr. Robert Savage. Robert’s brother — a lot of us would know, John Savage, a former Agriculture Minister here in B.C. — passed away about two years ago.

Robert Savage and John were a great team farming in Delta. Robert was an original member of the Delta Farmers Institute, the Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust, and he was also a longtime treasurer of the Delta Agricultural Society.

Robert was a good friend of mine. He was a great farmer and a great contributor to our community. Whether it was the Delta Hospital Foundation or REACH or any of the functions, Robert and his wife, Daphne, were always there to support things that went on in Delta.

My condolences to his wife, Daphne, and his son, Kevin, and his daughters, Barb and Catherine.

[10:10 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

A. Weaver: As I wear very proudly, at home here, a scarf, I wish to also introduce and welcome the members from Reynolds High School.

It is with great sadness that I acknowledge that year after year they do indeed beat Oak Bay in the Cops for Cancer. It is an annual challenge, but the word on the street is that they must have some secret donor who is looking at the amounts that are being raised by Oak Bay and at the last minute, each and every year, ensures that Reynolds wins.

I do congratulate Reynolds. I welcome them, and this rivalry with the Premier will continue for many years to come.

Please, again, welcome the Reynolds contingent.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

CHRISTOPHER SEGUIN AND ACTION ON
OPIOID CRISIS AND ADDICTION ISSUES

T. Stone: One thousand and fifty-four — the number of days ago that Kamloops lost a community builder and I lost a great friend. One thousand and fifty-four days ago, on September 22, 2017, Christopher Seguin passed away due to an accidental overdose. He was a man of compassion, with a heart full of community spirit and a smile that would light up every room that he walked into. He was dedicated to giving of himself to make life better for others.

Now, while we remember Christopher for who he was — a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a selfless volunteer, and an accomplished vice-president at Thompson Rivers University — we also said at the time of his death that we would try to extract from our loss of Christopher some good that may be of benefit to others, such as shining a light on the dangers of using alone, such as ensuring 24-7 on-site supports are there for every vulnerable person to access a path to recovery that is going to work for them, so that they can actually get better.

That’s ending the stigma associated with drug use and doing this by not using words or labels that are stigmatizing but, rather, by using language that is compassionate and respectful and by thinking of the person as a person, not defining them by their illness — all of this focused on hopefully reducing overdoses and deaths.

Sadly, however, we find ourselves in a situation that is getting worse, not better. One hundred and seventy-five overdose deaths were registered in June, the highest monthly tally ever in British Columbia, bringing the yearly total of illicit drug deaths to 728. Through the first six months of 2020, the city that I represent in this Legislature, Kamloops, has recorded 25 such deaths, just one fewer than all of 2019. Paramedics responded to more than 2,700 overdoses in July alone.

We are failing many vulnerable people in our province. We are failing many sons and daughters, moms and dads, just like we failed my friend Christopher Seguin three years ago. We can do better. We must do better, and we must do it together.

I will say, once again, what I said 1,054 days ago. In Christopher’s death, let’s save lives.

FAITH EVENTS AND COMMUNITY
RESPONSE TO COVID-19

R. Singh: The past few months have transformed a lot around us. We’ve had to change our way of living to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to try and contain the pandemic here in B.C. We’ve had to change the way we work, the way we interact with our family and friends and our surroundings, the way we engage with the economy and the way that we have to change to come together for prayers and for our communal holidays. Many of us have given up a lot for the good of all.

Today I speak in front of you of all of my appreciation for people who have had to withdraw from important celebrations or commemorations of their faiths. Where normally these often-public celebrations are the hallmark of our province’s multiculturalism, this year families have had to celebrate auspicious faith events like Passover, Easter, Vaisakhi, Budh Purnima, Eid-ul-Adha and Krishna Janmashtami, among others, without participating in congregations.

[10:15 a.m.]

For many, these celebrations mean deeply significant ceremonies of their faiths and a life’s worth of family traditions. Most families look forward to sharing these holidays with communities, which they have not been able to do this year, for the greater good, and that is a sacrifice worth noting.

I hope everyone will join me in appreciation of all who have understood that urgency and have withheld celebrating occasions of faith that they hold dear and who will have to give up these community events till we return to the way of life we knew before March.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Maple Ridge–Mission, on a point of order.

B. D’Eith: I withdraw.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Member.

CELEBRATION OF EID-UL-ADHA

T. Wat: On July 31, I had the incredible honour of celebrating one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar, Eid-ul-Adha, by giving love and donations to children and youth in my beautiful riding of Richmond North Centre, alongside the amazing staff and volunteers at the MTO Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism. Last Wednesday we delivered these donated care packages to the pediatric unit of Richmond Hospital, a project that was started in 2015, allowing children to receive care in our community.

Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated by carrying forward the spirit of community, charity and support that is so prominent in our Muslim communities. I would like to personally thank everyone at MTO Shahmaghsoudi for going above and beyond to ensure that we could continue this tradition despite the challenges this year has presented to them.

It is even more admirable that in a time when we need a sense of community more than ever, MTO Shahmaghsoudi has brought positivity and support to communities across the world throughout the year. The incredible work they have done to support our communities in our pandemic recovery cannot go without recognition.

The greatest takeaway from my experience is that these amazing actions show that we should pursue the spirit of Eid-ul-Adha. We must all do our part to continue the spirit of community, charity and support through the challenges we face, and beyond.

Thank you again, and a blessed Eid to you and your families.

Eid Mubarak lakum wa-li-’a’ilatakum.

BURNABY FAMILY LIFE
AND ANTI-RACISM NETWORK

J. Routledge: I’d like to congratulate Burnaby Family Life for being selected as the Burnaby spoke in the wheel of Resilience B.C.’s Anti-Racism Network.

Burnaby Family Life has been working to make Burnaby more inclusive, welcoming and safe since 1971. In keeping with its values, Burnaby Family Life wants you to know that they work with community partners. While Burnaby Family Life may be coordinating the work of Resilience B.C. in Burnaby, they want the community at large to get the credit and the accolades.

Burnaby Family Life is part of Burnaby Together, a coalition against racism and hate that was formed in 2016 by 24 organizations. Since its inception, Burnaby Together has been raising awareness within the community, looking for community solutions, supporting those facing discrimination, and providing tools to respond to incidents. For example, they’ve held forums on Islamophobia and forums on overcoming the stigma of addiction. They’ve offered workshops about how to prevent violent radicalization among Muslim youth.

Following the deaths of George Floyd, Regis Korchinski-Paquet and Chantel Moore, Burnaby Together issued a powerful statement linking those deaths to the systemic racism that permeates our society, challenging us all to question our own assumptions and biases; talk to our children about race, racism and privilege; consider donating to or volunteering with organizations that combat racism and discrimination; have conversations with our family and friends about how to be anti-racist; learn about the true and full history of Canada; and exercise our civic rights and responsibilities through peaceful assembly, voting and pushing all levels of government for progressive change.

I, for one, welcome being pushed to make progressive change.

[10:20 a.m.]

QUILTERS GUILDS IN CHILLIWACK

L. Throness: Today I want to pay tribute to some really outstanding artists in Chilliwack: our quilters. We have two non-profit quilting guilds in our city that meet every month. The PieceMakers Guild meets in Cooke’s Presbyterian Church, and Chilliwack Quilters Guild gathers in the Mount Cheam Lions Hall.

Together, over 160 active members have been creating masterpieces for as long as 35 years. At their meetings, quilters have a lot of fun sharing ideas, learning new skills and showing off their handiwork. Every year they host a big art show that fills an entire gymnasium with 200 beautiful quilts.

Now, the purpose of the show is not just to showcase talent but to raise money for a charity they call We Care Quilts. Members make nearly 300 colourful quilts every year to give away. Their quilts comfort and encourage people in hospice and palliative care, children who come into contact with community police, women in Ann Davis Transition House and several Indigenous centres.

They also make placemats for Meals on Wheels, heart pillows for breast cancer survivors and cloth bags filled with toiletries, gloves, socks and hats for disadvantaged youth. And they have been active during COVID. Agnes Loewen, a member of the PieceMakers Guild, told me that over the past few months, she alone has made six We Care quilts and over 100 masks.

I was amazed at the sheer size of their organizations. Their large boards manage everything from the We Care effort to their newsletter, website, library, workshops, bus trips, quilt show and more. It would be hard to find a more active and involved group of volunteers, passionate about their work.

I want to thank the PieceMakers president, Beatrice Rieske, and the Chilliwack president, Lynn Gobi, and all of their board members and members-at-large, of both quilters guilds, for using their time and skills to give beauty, charity and comfort to the people of Chilliwack.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
AND CYCLING SAFETY

B. D’Eith: For individuals, active transportation like cycling can really improve physical and mental health and cut down on transportation costs. Of course, for society, active transportation can reduce congestion and be a key tool in our fight against climate change.

I’m very proud that in British Columbia we have the highest percentage of active transportation trips for commuting to and from work out of all the provinces. We’ve done some great work to make sure that discussions about transportation infrastructure include cycling. However, we can only enjoy active transportation as long as it’s safe, and that’s what I wanted to address today.

This month in my community, there were two tragic reminders of the vital need for improved cycling safety and active transportation infrastructure. Last week, sadly, Gareth Reardon was struck by a truck on a popular bike trail in Pitt Meadows. Gareth is survived by his wife, Natalia, and their three children. A GoFundMe fund has been set up in their support, and $40,000 of the $75,000 goal has already been reached.

In early July, Daphné Toumbanakis was struck by a vehicle on Lougheed Highway. Daphné was beginning a cross-country cycling tour of Canada. She had been spending some time in Colombia and really wanted to work with immigrants and refugees.

I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to both Daphné’s and Gareth’s families, friends and communities. I know these losses are devastating.

That’s why we must redouble our efforts to make roads safer for cyclists and other participants in active transportation. We must build on the work that has already been done to achieve the goals set out in the “Move. Commute. Connect.” strategy. We must continue to make changes like the recent quadrupling of fines for dooring and the introduction of more education and awareness for drivers.

We owe it to the memories of Daphné and Gareth and all the other B.C.’ers who have lost their lives or been injured to not only embrace active transportation but to make it safe for everyone.

Oral Questions

HANDLING OF
PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION

J. Johal: Yesterday we asked the Minister of Citizens’ Services about a serious breach of security involving the private medical records of British Columbians. Even though it’s her file, she clearly did not have the answers. The Minister of Health then joined his colleague with even more spin.

Documents provided to the opposition now show that a minimum of 5,000 files were accessible to individuals located outside of Canada, including contractors in India.

To the Minister of Citizens’ Services, when did she become aware that files were being transferred to overseas contractors, and has she notified British Columbians whose personal health records have been breached?

[10:25 a.m.]

Hon. A. Dix: It’s very unfortunate that the member pursues this today. Yesterday he asserted that people had engaged in illegal activities. This is false. Yesterday he said that they engaged in unethical activity. This is false. Yesterday he claimed that the personal health records of British Columbians had been shared outside of British Columbia. This is false. Yesterday he asserted he had documents to support this. When he produced those documents, they showed no such thing.

Now, I know that many people would say that the statements of the hon. member were so wildly inaccurate that no one would take them seriously and that one shouldn’t pursue these matters. But really, when you make these statements when you don’t understand the issues, when you make very serious allegations based on those misunderstandings, really, all that’s owed here is an apology from the hon. member.

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

J. Johal: The Minister of Citizens’ Services had 24 hours to educate herself on this file, and still to this day, she has not gotten up to answer. There will be no apologies.

We have copies of emails that prove NTT workers operating out of New Delhi have had direct access to private medical information of British Columbians. This breach could have serious implications for British Columbians, and it needs to be investigated.

Once again, question to the Minister of Citizens’ Services, will she commence investigation into this serious data breach?

Hon. A. Dix: What the member is saying is simply untrue. He has no understanding of the contract. I offered yesterday a briefing, which, of course, he didn’t take me up on.

These statements are false, and they’re serious allegations. He’s accused the Provincial Health Services Authority, NTT Canada, the Ministry of Health and presumably myself and others of illegal and unethical activity. That’s what he did on the record. If he was asking questions about the contract, which is a completely legitimate thing to do, that would be another thing. But that’s what he did, and he has no evidence.

That he persists in this is a demonstration, I think, and an embarrassment that every member on the opposition side…. We are dealing with serious matters in this prov­ince right now. There is no evidence here, and he knows it. The evidence he produced yesterday showed the opposite of what he suggested.

It is false what he’s saying with respect to illegal activity. It is false what he’s saying about the personal health information of people. If he doesn’t have or the Leader of the Opposition doesn’t have the responsibility to call this behaviour into line, then it’s a serious moment for this Legislature.

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

J. Johal: Here is the quote from Rahul from India: “My shift time is over here in India. Could you please reassign this to some resource in a Canadian time zone to take care of this?” Now, when you look at LinkedIn, there is a Rahul Arora, whose title is ServiceNow Architect for NTT Data India Enterprises in New Delhi, India.

Now, yesterday the minister continued to maintain that foreign workers were used for technical issues, not clinical work. What he doesn’t mention is that once a technical service desk takes control of a health care worker’s computer, they can see all the information.

The system is called active directory access. Active directory access helps organize a company’s users and computers. IT admin uses active directory access to organize a company’s complete hierarchy from which computers belong on which network. In layman’s terms, it’s a system where all the health authorities share their data and applications, meaning Mr. Arora from NTT India and other workers at NTT U.S.A. now have access into our health information system.

Question to the Minister of Citizens’ Services once again: what immediate actions will she be taking to stop foreign workers from accessing B.C. health records?

Hon. A. Dix: Naturally, when a question such as this is asked in the Legislature, we ask detailed information to people at PHSA and people at NTT Canada. And they state categorically and without equivocation that the private health information of British Columbians has not been shared. They actually have specific procedures to ensure that that does not happen.

Yesterday I offered to the member a briefing on said matters so that he could inform himself — a briefing, of course, which he is not interested in. He’s not interested in that. These allegations without substantiation are really shameful. I think they’re shameful.

[10:30 a.m.]

I take these issues very seriously. I think most members of the House do. The suggestion that the personal health information of British Columbians would be left exposed in this way is a serious allegation to make, but it is not a true allegation. All of the people involved, PHSA and NTT Canada and the Ministry of Health, have given specific and comprehensive assurances of this.

Now, if the member is interested in the contract, in spite of his, frankly, irresponsible behaviour here…. He speaks of ineptitude. I mean, this is a very low standard, indeed, that’s being set here in this House at a very serious moment for British Columbians.

We’ll continue to offer such a briefing, but I think what’s owed to the people involved, who take these issues very seriously, is an apology from the hon. member. He didn’t have the goods yesterday, and he doesn’t have the goods today.

M. de Jong: That the Minister of Health, on whose watch this breach occurred, would try to minimize or dismiss the issue is not particularly surprising to me or members of the opposition. What is surprising, though, is that the minister, whose statutory responsibility is for attending to protecting privacy and investigating allegations of breaches of privacy, would be sidelined and precluded from addressing the issue — profoundly disappointing and surprising.

A few months ago the Premier sent a letter to the then member for Burnaby–Deer Lake, appointing her to the cabinet. He said, amongst other things, that her job was to ensure that British Columbians’ personal information be safeguarded. That was the mandate in the letter. It’s also a statutory responsibility of the Minister of Citizens’ Services. Now, the previous Minister of Citizens’ Services had difficulty living by the rules she was charged with enforcing, but we have a new Minister of Citizens’ Services.

I guess my question is to the Premier. Why is it, when the opposition brings a serious allegation — and it is a serious allegation — of a breach of privacy, a fundamental breach of privacy protection laws, that the Premier is sidelining the very minister he appointed, who is statutorily charged with protecting privacy rights, and instead hiding behind the excuses of the minister on whose watch the breach occurred in the first place?

Hon. A. Dix: I guess the opposition wants to double down on personal attacks. They made a specific allegation yesterday about illegal activity. They made a specific allegation about unethical activity. That allegation is false.

Yes, I’m the minister responsible. The people who they are accusing — the people of the Provincial Health Services Authority, the people in the Ministry of Health, the people at NTT Canada — take this seriously, and I take it seriously.

Now we have this game about who answers what in question period. That’s all they have, as they continue to engage in these practices, and it’s profoundly disappointing.

I offered them a briefing yesterday so that they could learn the facts, and they weren’t interested in that. They’re not interested in the facts. They’re doubling down on this sort of terrible personal attack, which seems to be the stock-in-trade these days in politics. I find it very, very disappointing and not acceptable conduct on the part of any member of this Legislature.

They’ve made these allegations. I’ve noted that they’re false. Now their only concern appears to be who answers what question in question period.

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

M. de Jong: What is profoundly disappointing is the lack of regard this minister and, apparently, this Premier have for the legal requirements that exist around privacy protection in the province of British Columbia.

Forgive me and forgive us if we don’t accept at face value the assurance of the minister who lies at the centre of the alleged breach. It happened on his watch. That’s why we have a separate minister who has responsibilities, a specific statutory responsibility, for privacy protection.

[10:35 a.m.]

The questions remain the same. Confronted by the evidence that has been presented, the statements and emails from foreign jurisdictions like India, the confirmation of 5,000 files, that access to personal health files was provided outside of Canada….

There are laws in British Columbia that preclude that and that forbid that from happening. There are also requirements that the minister responsible for those laws, the Minister of Citizens’ Services, take specific action, like notifying the privacy commission and notifying British Columbians whose information might have been accessible.

Has any of that occurred; if it hasn’t occurred, why not; and when will it occur?

Hon. A. Dix: Again, they have no evidence, because there is no evidence.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. A. Dix: The people of the PHSA operated normally and honourably in this instance. The evidence they claim to have doesn’t show what they say it is. Yet they continue to smear people for no good reason.

I suppose that’s an approach to being in opposition. You keep repeating it in the hopes that somebody will pick it up and give it some legs or something like this. This is the state of things in this day and age, but I don’t think that’s true. I think that people have shown that that’s not the state of things and that we have to do better than that. We have to follow the facts and the evidence. That’s what we try and do.

It is extremely disappointing that instead of an apology today, the member for Abbotsford West and the member for Richmond-Queensborough continue to attack public servants in this way with charges for which they have no evidence and which aren’t true. All I can say is that that’s disappointing. Really, this display, which is unfortunate, says more about the people making the allegations than anything else.

SITE C POWER PROJECT

A. Olsen: To nobody’s surprise, we’ve recently found out that the Site C dam is in serious trouble. The overall health of the project has been classified as “red,” meaning it is facing serious cost overruns and schedule delays.

Site C is proving to be an endless money pit, and British Columbians are footing the bill. It started with a $6 billion price tag, rising to $8.8 billion in 2014. When this government forged ahead in 2017, it was at $10.7 billion. Now the price tag is unknown, but we know it’s going to be much higher than $10 billion. Site C is proving to be a colossal waste of money, and we can’t afford to just keep digging when we don’t know how deep the hole will go.

My question is to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. How much is too much? Where is the government going to draw the line on the cost overruns at Site C and reconsider the cost burden they’re asking British Columbians to shoulder?

Hon. B. Ralston: I thank the interim Leader of the Third Party for the question.

In considering an answer to the question that has been posed, I think it’s important to recall that the previous government, the old government, recklessly pushed the Site C project past the point of no return. Then-Premier Christy Clark said: “I will get it past the point of no return.”

The government refused to let our independent energy watchdog…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. B. Ralston: …the B.C. Utilities Commission, review the project.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the minister has the floor. Thank you.

Hon. B. Ralston: They signed off on a design that included geological risks, and they spent billions of dollars without proper oversight in their efforts to push this project past the point of no return.

In the summer of 2017, we inherited a project facing significant cost pressures, but we were managing them. We are now facing geological risks in the design that the old government approved. In addition, the global COVID-19 pandemic has created unforeseen challenges to the Site C project.

In March, B.C. Hydro significantly scaled down the project and focused only on essential work and meeting critical milestones. This was done in line with advice from the provincial health officer to ensure the safety of workers and communities. B.C. Hydro is now in the process of safely scaling up construction activities in line with, again, the advice from public health officials.

[10:40 a.m.]

As detailed in the quarterly progress reports and the annual progress reports, there have been additional financial impacts on the project, such as an amendment to the main civil works contract. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause the most uncertainty when it comes to this project.

I’ll end there. I’m sure that the member will have a supplemental.

Mr. Speaker: Leader, Third Party, on a supplemental.

A. Olsen: The BCUC disagreed with the assertion that the minister just made — that this project was past the point of no return. There was a commitment to send this to the BCUC to review the project, which suggested that it was not past the point of no return — or else, why would we send it to the BCUC to review the project? To now state that it was past the point of no return and to put this burden on the shoulders of the previous government to try to absolve the responsibility of this House that currently exists in this place is not acceptable. This project was not past the point of no return, because it continues to this day.

We have to recognize the fact that we are just throwing good money after bad on this project. In December 2019, the overall health of the Site C project was red. That was due to the serious geotechnical instability concerns and contract disputes. However, when releasing the overdue progress reports on the dam, the minister did then what he did today, which was lean in on COVID-19 to explain the cost overruns and the delays — further unacceptable.

Experts have been raising the alarm about the geotechnical instability on this dam for years. According to B.C. Hydro, the cost of fixing these problems has now become “much higher than initially expected.” So the massive cost escalations cannot be blamed on COVID-19 — at least, not honestly. The geotechnical issues are still not resolved, and it’s possible that the site may never be stable enough to support a dam of this size.

My question is, again, to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Can he clarify on the record that the cost uncertainties of Site C do not come down to COVID-19 and that the geotechnical instability is a significant factor in cost overruns and project delays that have yet to be resolved?

Hon. B. Ralston: The member raises legitimate questions about the cost and schedule of the Site C project. Obviously, as the minister responsible, this is a topic I am deeply concerned about. That’s why I asked Peter Milburn, in his role as a special adviser, to work with B.C. Hydro to help provide fresh eyes and answers to the challenges faced by the Site C project.

I think it’s important to remember, though, that the Site C project was facing significant cost pressures and risks when we first formed government in 2017. These have worsened, in large part due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, the scaling down of the work on the project and the scaling back up, B.C. Hydro is undertaking a rebaselining analysis of the project. This involves reviewing the cost and the time required to complete the remaining work for the project. This will help our government understand the true impact COVID has had on the budget. I anticipate being able to provide an update on cost projections later this fall.

GOVERNMENT PLAN FOR
EDUCATION SYSTEM REOPENING

D. Davies: When we first asked the Minister of Education if parents could expect clarity on his government’s back-to-school plan before August 20, he said yes. Since then, he’s broken that promise to parents, students and teachers. There are now more questions and concerns than ever before. The Premier has added to this confusion now by saying he’s not sure when classes will start.

The minister said August 26 is when parents can expect confirmation if students will return to class the following week. Anxiety levels are sky-high for families. Will the minister stop the doubletalk and feeding the confusion fire for families? Will students be back in class, yes or no, on September 8?

[10:45 a.m.]

Hon. R. Fleming: Thank you to the member for the question. What we’ve outlined — and this is in working with the entire school system and working with the provincial health office — is a way to restart schools safely on September 8 in the province of British Columbia. We’ve been working on this since March, and our June restart committee has been working for weeks on this. You saw an announcement done by myself and Dr. Bonnie Henry on July 29, giving a comprehensive set of health and safety guidelines from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control about how to do just that.

I have to say I am so pleased and proud to see school administrators, learning teams, sacrificing their summer back on the job to use those guidelines to develop local plans on how to restart school safely. They deserve our thanks, not only for the hard work that they’re doing but for the communications and the information that is coming to parents about what things will look like specifically.

That’s what parents want. They want local, specific information, and I understand that. They should rest assured that we have the innovative minds of school leadership in every part of the province working on just that now.

The member’s question, I think, is specifically around what day students will actually return to class. I have to say that we’re looking at a very different September than in previous years. Previously, students would come back into class, usually with their previous year’s teachers, and wait a few days for school to be organized for the coming school year. We can’t do that in a pandemic. That would not be in compliance with the BCCDC guidelines.

So what we’re doing is working on exactly that issue with the steering committee that we have that is representative of every important partner in the K-to-12 sector. You will hear an announcement in the coming days clearly about what September 8 will look like for staff teams, including support staff, principals and vice-principals and the teaching staff coming back into the school and making sure that kids are organized into the classes where they will be with their peers in a unit that is designed to limit student interactions.

If that takes some extra time and builds additional confidence and fulfils the guidelines that have been developed by Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team, that’s what we’re going to do in the province of British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Peace River North on a supplemental.

D. Davies: Unfortunately, the only thing that we did see on July 29 was the minister kicking the can down the road and laying all of the responsibility onto school districts. There was no plan given on July 29, and that is part of the problem. The minister is not accepting any responsibility for this. It’s always that the committee has to do something to sort it out, it’s up to school districts, or it’s up to parents to make a plan.

Parents are under a tremendous amount of anxiety. This morning, just now, the minister said maybe only teachers will be back in the class on September 8. Again, parents have enough stress, a tremendous amount, that they’re dealing with. They are looking for leadership from this minister. They’re looking for leadership from this government on what September 8 looks like. Plans have to be made by parents, by families.

Would the minister give a clear answer on what schools will look like on September 8? If they’re not going to be open, say so. We need that clarity.

Hon. R. Fleming: Thank you to the member for the question. What we have provided at the highest level in this province is strong, effective, science-based leadership every step of the way for every sector of B.C. society, including schools. The way we’ve done it has been a collaborative approach, working with every professional and parent organization and stakeholder in the K-to-12 education system to do this safely.

We’re doing it in a very similar manner to what you’re seeing in other jurisdictions, including other Canadian provinces and European jurisdictions that the ministry is in close coordination with, and we’re doing it safely. We’re doing it in a way that will allow a phased re-entry of students into school. If we have to use that first week of school to get it right and districts are saying, “Look, we need some time with our local administrative teams on the ground,” that’s a conversation that’s happening at the steering committee.

I think that’s a far more productive forum, quite frankly — and I say this respectfully — than in the Legislature during question period. Those meetings are happening on an almost daily basis. That’s an active area under discussion. We will communicate what that looks like, because we do want to have consistency across the 60 school districts in our province.

[10:50 a.m.]

Look, we’ve got a lot of experts looking at how we can do this best. We’re hearing and respecting from the teaching profession, from support staff, that they want the schools to be organized and done in a way that is in full compliance with the new BCCDC guidelines. That’s the safe and responsible way to do things. If we’re taking the time to listen to our partners and making adjustments as we go and showing some flexibility, I think that’s the responsible way to proceed.

EDUCATION SYSTEM REOPENING
AND ACCESS TO SCHOOL BUS SERVICES

M. Stilwell: The Minister of Education promised clarity to parents by the end of July, and so far all he has delivered, in August, is chaos. To add to that chaos, I have a constituent whose child has always been able to ride the bus to school and to before- and after-school care.

This year the school district has informed her that it won’t happen, as they try to adapt to the guidance from the Ministry of Education in terms of capacity for buses. She relies on this service so that she can go to work while her child gets to school.

To the Minister of Education, her child used to be able to access the bus, but now he can’t. Where is the plan for busing? What are parents supposed to do?

Hon. R. Fleming: Well, I’ll have to take part of that question on notice, because I don’t have the specific details that the member raises. But let me be clear. Transportation is fully funded, as it is in any year, for school. Buses will look different under a pandemic. School will look different under a pandemic. We have very clear guidelines and changes, physically, that will happen in buildings. We have health and safety measures that have to be adhered to — that students have to learn, not just professional staff and those who work in our school system — to keep schools as controlled sites in our community.

These are valuable institutions for everyone in British Columbia. We want to restore in-class instruction after an almost-six-month absence for most families and students in British Columbia. That’s why we flattened the curve in British Columbia. That’s why we’re doing everything we’re doing in terms of our robust public health response across this province.

I will await some more details from the member about specifically what the communication has been from her district to this family. But it is certainly the case that school districts are working with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control guidelines on how to adjust school transportation systems to and from schools to get kids to school safely.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Parksville-Qualicum on a supplemental.

M. Stilwell: Parents are already struggling around the challenges around the pandemic, and this minister continues to make the situation worse for parents and families around this province. The school district is simply following the guidelines that were laid out by this ministry. Now he’s throwing the school district under the bus, but it falls squarely on his lap. “The district adapted the bus capacity to meet the restrictions that were put in place.”

A simple question to the minister. He knows that there needs to be a plan. Parents are waiting for a plan. We’re at the middle of August almost. We’re weeks away from the restart. There were expectations from parents that children would be going back to school.

Did he not have a thought or a plan in place for busing and how those children would get to school? When is he going to fix the problem so parents don’t have to worry about how the children are going to get to school?

Hon. R. Fleming: Well, as I said in my earlier answer to this member, if she provides some details about the communication between the school district and this family, I’m happy to look into it. But having been in touch with superintendents and those working in the administrative teams around the province, if this is the case, it’s an anomaly.

Districts are preparing and have already prepared, back in June, retrofits to their school buses, adding barriers. We announced, in the additional funding that we’re providing to the school system this year, more money to hire additional custodians, deep-cleaning procedures, personal protective equipment for students and staff — for every student and staff member in the province — additional handwashing stations where required in schools. There are supplies that are being funded directly by the Ministry of Education in acknowledgment that there are some additional cost pressures related to the safe reopening of schools during this pandemic.

[10:55 a.m.]

The funding for transportation in British Columbia has gone up steadily since we formed government. Districts are planning, for the most part — again, I’m happy to look into this particular question — a resumption of safe transportation practices when we get back to school in September. That is what we’re hearing in terms of reports from around the province.

Transportation obviously is critical for many families and students. It’s going to be done differently. That is correct. It’s going to be done according to the new health and safety protocols that we’ve developed, and that’s essential to maintain that service to get students to and from school.

Mr. Speaker: Members, I’m going to allow one more question — Fraser-Nicola. We are so lopsided here on the questions and answers. It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just a function, as we all know, of our new COVID situation and participating virtually. I will allow one question, no supplemental.

CHILD CARE PLAN

J. Tegart: More questions than answers. No certainty for families to plan. You’ve made it worse, not better. For parents who are trying to plan child care, who are looking for daycare and after-school care, the Minister for Child Care has no plan. She’s studying it.

To the Minister for Child Care, why is there no plan to help parents?

Hon. K. Chen: Thank you to the member for the question. We have been providing actions, responding to this crisis during this pandemic since day one. We have provided temporary emergency funding, and we have already invested over $250 million to make sure providers can continue to operate and providers who are closed can continue to come back with services.

We’ve seen that happening during the past few months and especially the past few weeks. We are seeing more child care providers coming back to open up their spaces, and more parents are also returning to work because they are able to get the child care services they need.

As we’re looking towards September, we’ll continue to work with public health to make sure there are health and safety standards to ensure that child care can continue to operate, at the same time working with the sector, working with providers and working with early childhood educators and also our local child care resource referral centres, who have been providing matching services for parents to be able to get the child care services they need.

[End of question period.]

Petitions

Mr. Speaker: Columbia River–Revelstoke.

D. Clovechok: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity.

I am pleased to rise virtually in this House today to present a petition to the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development on behalf of my constituents in Revelstoke, regarding their objection to the potential development of the iconic Mount Begbie, a petition, I might add, I fully support. I’m proud to stand shoulder to shoulder in agreement with the community of Revelstoke.

I’ll be forwarding an electronic copy of the petition to the Clerk’s office once I’m done. There were 1,342 signatures collected in just one week, representing 20 percent of the census population of Revelstoke. The community is requesting a moratorium…

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Member.

D. Clovechok: …on any future recreational development.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you.

D. Clovechok: I’ll read into the record, Mr. Speaker, the actual petition. They request that the government of British Columbia…

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Member.

D. Clovechok: …place an interim moratorium on all commercial recreational development within a 20-kilometre radius from the centre of the Revelstoke boundary until a back-country recreation access management plan of the area within the Revelstoke timber supply area and the Columbia block of the Cascadia timber supply area is completed.

P. Milobar: I, too, rise with a petition, but not for Mount Begbie. This is on behalf of the citizens of Riverdale mobile home park in my riding. It is in regards to danger trees along the riverbank on provincial Crown land. They need them topped or removed. They are a danger to their homes.

Unfortunately, no arm of government wants to take responsibility for the Crown land that they sit upon to remove these trees. They lie awake at night, worried that in a wind storm, trees will come into their mobile homes. It is signed by the 66 homes — and 86 signatures in total.

D. Davies: I present a petition here signed by over 15,000 concerned parents and folks around restoring the independent distributed learning funds that were recently cut by the Ministry of Education back in May. I’d like to present this petition on behalf Daleen Bybee, who organized this petition.

[11:00 a.m.]

A. Olsen: I don’t have a petition with 15,000 signatures, but I’ve got one with 115 signatures from Saltspring, so that might add some emphasis to it — concerned citizens requesting that the speed limit through Ganges be lowered to 30 kilometres an hour for pedestrian and cycling safety.