This being the first day of the second session of the 42nd Legislative Assembly of the province of British Columbia for the dispatch of business, pursuant to a proclamation of the Hon. Janet Austin, Lieutenant-Governor of the province, hon. members took their seats.

Mr. Speaker: I invite Elder Butch Dick of the Songhees Nation to offer blessings.

B. Dick: [Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ was spoken.]

Good day, my friends and family. My name is Butch Dick. My First Nation name is Yux’wey’lupton, and I’m from the Songhees Nation.

I’m here today to offer you a prayer song, and after that, I will do a paddle welcome song. So thank you very much for the invitation to be here, and I wish you well.

[2:05 p.m.]

[Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ was sung.]

That’s a prayer song, and both the songs I’m singing today were taught to me by my Uncle Ray, from Cowichan. He told me to learn the songs and to sing them in a good way, for good people.

So the next is a paddle welcome song.

[Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ was sung.]

Hay’sxw’qa si’em. Thank you very much. Hay’sxw’qa.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you very much, Elder Dick, for your kind and generous words to open our proceedings. We are very honoured that you were able to join us.

Hon. Members, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor is in the precinct. Please remain seated while we await her arrival.

Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor requested to attend the House, was admitted to the chamber and was pleased to deliver the following gracious Speech from the Throne.

[2:10 p.m.]

Speech from the Throne

Hon. J. Austin (Lieutenant-Governor): ÍY SȻÁĆEL NE SĆÁLEĆE. ÍY, C̸NES QENOṈE ṮÁ.

Good day, friends. As always, it’s important that we start by acknowledging the Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ people, the Songhees and Esquimalt, upon whose traditional territory we gather today, and to thank them for sharing these lands in peace and friendship.

I would also like to acknowledge Elder Butch Dick for the gift of a traditional blessing.

HÍSW̱ḴE.

It is with great sadness that I also acknowledge the passing of His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the age of 99, on April 9, 2021. As the devoted husband and consort to Her Majesty the Queen, the marriage of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness formed a foundation of leadership of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for nearly eight decades.

On the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Her Majesty referred to His Royal Highness as her constant strength and guide. His Royal Highness will be remembered fondly by British Columbians for his devotion to Queen and country, his duties as royal patron and his ever-keen interest in the lives and work of Canadians. On behalf of all British Columbians, I wish once more to extend my heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty the Queen, the entire royal family and all the citizens of the Commonwealth on the loss of this steadfast companion and most loyal prince.

For the last four years, your government has worked to go beyond these important land acknowledgments that I acknowledged first off and actively forge partnerships with Indigenous peoples. Working together, we have progressed in advancing meaningful reconciliation. Indigenous languages are being revitalized. Child welfare legislation has been improved, so more children rightfully remain with their families and communities. The fundamental human rights of Indigenous peoples have been enshrined in law with the unanimous passage of the declaration act in this Legislature. This hard work has only just begun, and to be successful, it must be done together.

The pandemic has exposed pre-existing systemic gaps in health care, housing and other basic services. Your government recognizes that our future must be one where we share decision-making and prosperity with the Indigenous peoples who have exercised their inherent rights on their respective territories since time immemorial.

As is our tradition, we open the second session of the 42nd parliament by pausing to remember some of the British Columbians we have lost in the past year.

Indigenous leaders and Elders: Nisg̱a’a Nation leader Chief Joe Gosnell, Gitxsan leader Neil Sterritt, fishing rights trailblazer Ronald Sparrow, health care rights advocate Carole Dawson, Indigenous rights defender David Dennis, Xenaksiala land protector Elder Cecil Paul, Cree Elder and educator Dr. Rosalyn Ing.

Elected officials who served British Columbians: MLAs Ed Conroy, Helmut Giesbrecht, Lyle Kahl, Bill King, Renaldo Angelo Masi, Jim Gorst, Lorne Nicolson, Gordon Hanson and Ian Waddell.

Leaders in sport: Curler Paul Devlin, World Cup skier Brayden Kuroda, hockey player and coach Phil Maloney, hockey player and broadcaster Howie Meeker, rower Kathleen Heddle, cyclist Jim Davies, soccer coach Tony Waiters and B.C. Lions owner David Braley.

Prominent contributors to the arts: artist Wayne Ngan, jazz musician and educator Hugh Fraser, actor Brent Car­ver, composer and pianist Linda Niamath, actor and playwright Taran Kootenhayoo and arts executive Raj Sen.

Journalists and media figures: radio host Salman Nasir, photojournalist Ted Grant and journalist and playwright Bob Sarti.

Trailblazing members of the legal community: Constance Dora Isherwood and human rights lawyer Joe Arvay.

[2:15 p.m.]

Leaders in the labour movement: Canadian Farmworkers Union founder and anti-racism activist Charanpal Gill, BCGEU leader John Fryer.

Philanthropists: former UBC chancellor Bob Lee, veteran Rudi Hoenson and patrons of the arts Eric and Shirley Charman.

Other community leaders include political watchdog Dermod Travis, war heroes George Chow and Norman Kirby, youth homelessness advocate Katherine McParland and veteran and founder of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Col. Howe Yet Lee.

We honour their contributions to our province as we mourn their loss.

Of course, this has been a year like no other. Tragically, we have also lost over 1,400 British Columbians to COVID-19 and over 1,800 to the overdose crisis since the pandemic began. These are not just numbers. They are our grandparents and Elders, our parents and siblings, our colleagues, neighbours and friends. We acknowledge and share in the grief of British Columbians who have lost someone they love in the past year.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the toughest challenge we have faced in more than a generation. Many have had to say goodbye to a loved one too soon. Others have felt the financial stress of job loss or the strains of loneliness and isolation. Every one of us has been called on to do our part and to stay apart to protect the people around us.

British Columbians have risen to the task. Health care workers leapt into action immediately. Grocery store employees, truck drivers and farmers kept food on our tables. Teachers, school support staff and child care workers carried on their important work under difficult circumstances. Small business owners changed the way they operated to keep workers and customers safe.

This year British Columbia’s Medal of Good Citizenship will recognize those who have gone above and beyond in their efforts during this extraordinary time. We’ve come a long way by looking out for each other. The lessons we have learned over the last year will serve us well as we turn toward recovery.

We open this sitting of the Legislature at a turning point in our fight to end the pandemic. The threat of new variants means we cannot relax, even as your government accelerates the largest mass immunization program in B.C.’s history. Thanks to the hard work of public health officials, community leaders and volunteers, our age-based vaccine rollout is ahead of schedule. More than a million British Columbians have already received their first dose. Thousands more are being added to that list every day.

A new partnership is helping 1,400 people previously working in the tourism and hospitality sectors to get jobs supporting B.C.’s immunization rollout. If vaccine supplies are delivered as scheduled, everyone in B.C. will be able to receive one by the end of June.

With each person who gets vaccinated, all of us become safer, bringing us one step closer to the end of the pandemic. But in a marathon, the final push is the most difficult. This pandemic is no different, as the last few weeks have proven. High case counts mean we must all continue working together to keep each other safe. As we get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible, we must not let down our guard or give up on our layers of protection, not when we are this close to the end.

Keeping people healthy and safe until we’ve crossed the finish line is our collective responsibility. It is an essential precondition for economic recovery and a return to normal life, and it will remain your government’s top priority.

When the pandemic struck, B.C. was a fiscal and economic leader in Canada. We were one of Canada’s fastest-growing economies, with low unemployment rates and steadily rising wages. Despite the challenges of the last year, our strengths remain. We have abundant natural resources and clean technology. We are a gateway to Asia and major ports to North America, and our biggest strength is our people — hard-working, highly skilled and with a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Take life sciences as just one example. B.C. is home to 300 biopharmaceutical, medical device and bioproduct companies. COVID-19 has highlighted the enormous benefits offered by this sector.

[2:20 p.m.]

Think of Precision Nanosystems’ work on a vaccine, AbCellera Biologics’ work on a treatment or StarFish Medical’s development of an ICU ventilator for use in Canadian hospitals. Not only will their work help to bring us out of the pandemic, it will position our province for success in the years ahead.

We are already seeing positive indications that the recovery is well underway here in B.C. Our province has seen months of sustained growth and currently has the highest job recovery rate in Canada. Under new safety guidelines, B.C. film and television production has bounced back stronger than ever. The mining sector, which worked closely with government to remain open safely during the pandemic, saw stronger exploration over the past year, more than any since 1913. CN Rail is investing almost half a billion dollars in British Columbia to support growing demand, and Microsoft Canada recently announced it is adding 500 new jobs in Vancouver next year.

While these are encouraging signs, there is a lot more we need to do to help the businesses and workers in our hard-hit tourism and hospitality sectors rebound and recover. To ensure charitable organizations and the non-profit sector are supported so that they can support people and communities. To create good jobs while tackling the climate crisis and protecting the environment. And ultimately, to position British Columbia to come back even stronger once we have put the pandemic behind us.

Later this month, your government will introduce a new budget. All budgets are about choices. This budget will choose to help people now and create the conditions for a strong economic recovery that reaches every British Columbian. It will make health care better while creating new opportunities for people. It will target help to small businesses, so they can grow and hire. It will invest in the infrastructure we need to strengthen local communities.

Your government will base its long-term budget plan on several principles of fiscal responsibility that have guided it since day one. First and foremost, your government will protect the public services that British Columbians rely on and have proven critical in our fight against COVID-19. Then, after the pandemic ends, it will carefully return to balanced budgets as the economy recovers.

The focus of your government from day one has been to put people first. Even when the pandemic struck, that focus did not waiver. Your government moved quickly to provide relief for renters, middle-class families and the most vulnerable.

B.C. has delivered more direct help for people through­out the pandemic than any other province in Canada. Our province also took a leadership role in protecting workers. We successfully advocated for paid sick leave benefits for workers across Canada during the pandemic, and we amended B.C.’s laws to make sure workers cannot be fired for staying home when they are sick.

Your government understood that while COVID-19 has affected everyone, it has not done so evenly. Put another way, we are all in the same storm, but we are not in the same boat. Women have been more likely to lose a job or feel forced out of the workforce. Young people have missed out on work opportunities and vital social connections. Indigenous peoples, Black people, people of colour, as well as those working in front-line jobs in the gig economy have all been affected disproportionately.

As we move forward toward better days, your government will make targeted investments to ensure the recovery does not leave people behind.

The work of investing in people starts with improving health care. The pandemic has shown that keeping people healthy and safe is the foundation for a strong and resilient British Columbia. Four years ago your government set out to deliver faster, more personalized health care, closer to home. While much has been accomplished, there’s a lot more to do.

In the year ahead, your government will continue to improve care for seniors by hiring thousands of new workers for long-term care and by fixing the cracks COVID-19 has exposed. It will reduce wait times by permanently changing the way we deliver surgeries in B.C. to get more patients their surgeries faster. It will build more hospitals and urgent primary care centres to ensure quality health care is there when you need it, where you need it. This includes building a new hospital in Surrey and an expanded Richmond tower to deliver more services in fast-growing communities.

[2:25 p.m.]

COVID-19 has not just affected our physical health. It has also taken a toll on our mental health. People everywhere are experiencing increased anxiety, stress and depression. Prior to the pandemic, Canada’s first stand-alone Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions was making good progress. Now we will redouble our efforts. Through the upcoming budget, your government will make new investments in the Pathway to Hope plan to improve mental health and addictions care for people, and B.C. will take action to end the criminalization of simple drug possession that directly leads to stigma and prevents people from seeking services.

Our emerging recovery will not be felt fully by everyone if too many people continue to feel weighed down by the cost of everyday life. For the last four years, your government has worked hard to make things a little easier. It eliminated MSP health care premiums and road tolls. It cut hydro rates and put money back into the pockets of families with the child opportunity benefit. It eliminated interest on B.C. student loans and launched a grant program to make post-secondary education more accessible. It took steps to rein in skyrocketing housing prices by introducing a speculation tax that has helped turn 18,000 empty condos into long-term rentals.

The pressures created by COVID-19 have made it harder for many who were already struggling to balance a household budget. In the year ahead, additional steps will be taken to make life more affordable for people. Changes at ICBC will deliver a 20 percent cut to car insurance rates. The reduction is on top of the COVID-19 rebate issued earlier this year and in addition to last year’s freeze on rates. This means hundreds of dollars in savings to every driver in B.C. and an end to the threat of extreme annual increases. Your government will continue to seek opportunities to generate further savings for drivers that are consistent with protecting ICBC’s long-term fiscal integrity.

Whether you are renting or paying a mortgage, there is no bigger monthly expense for most British Columbians than housing. That’s why your government will pursue its goal of a province where everyone has access to a safe and affordable place to call home. This will include new investments through Budget 2021 to help build thousands of missing middle rental homes throughout the province.

Your government will help even more families get access to affordable, high-quality child care and increase the number of $10-a-day spaces. This will make life easier and support a strong economic recovery by helping more parents to re-enter the workforce. Your government will also take steps to recognize and retain early childhood educators, who have been essential during the pandemic and will be essential to our recovery.

Life becomes more affordable not just when costs go down but also when incomes go up. In June, B.C.’s minimum wage will increase to over $15 an hour for the first time. This will give the lowest-income workers a well-deserved raise, many of whom have worked in essential services throughout the pandemic. Your government has also made permanent the largest-ever increase to income and disability assistance rates and the first-ever increase to the seniors supplement.

Perhaps most challenged over the last year have been those most vulnerable in our province. This includes people facing housing insecurity. COVID-19 has also made the challenge of homelessness more visible in our communities. Those without a real home or decent shelter, many of whom suffer from mental illness and addiction, have found themselves living in dense encampments, often in city parks.

While your government has made unprecedented investments in thousands of new units over the last four years, homelessness remains a critical issue that government is determined to confront. That’s why it is building new partnerships with municipalities and making new investments to tackle these issues. Combined with new approaches, those with complex health and social needs…. These initiatives will help more people from unsafe encampments to more secure housing.

[2:30 p.m.]

Local communities have been on the front lines of COVID-19, and your government has been there to support them from the start. Cash flow relief early on and the B.C.-Canada safe restart agreement ensured local governments could continue providing services and keep the people who provide those services working.

As we turn towards recovery, investing in stronger communities will be a key priority. Budget 2021 will make record investments in infrastructure to keep people and our economy moving. Combined with expanded training programs and community benefits agreements, these investments will support good job creation where it is needed.

Projects like the Broadway subway, the Pattullo Bridge replacement, the Highway 1 expansion in the Interior and the final phase of the Kicking Horse Canyon will keep moving forward. The George Massey crossing replacement will continue to be a priority, and steps will be taken towards building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain, ensuring the line extends fully to Langley.

To support coastal communities, your government will also launch a made-in-B.C. shipbuilding strategy and fight to bring construction of Canada’s next polar icebreaker back to B.C. shipyards.

When schools closed for in-class learning last spring, the lives of many families were suddenly turned upside down. Kids were separated from their social networks and cut off from services that they rely on. Parents struggled to balance supervising their children’s online learning with their own work responsibilities.

This is why your government prioritized quickly and safely reopening schools and ensuring they could stay open. The success and stability of B.C.’s safe school reopening is a testament to the extraordinary collaboration and commitment from all of our education partners. Everyone pulled together in the best interests of kids — teachers and educational assistants, principals and vice-principals, clerical workers, custodial staff and school bus drivers, superintendents, trustees and parent advisory councils.

Your government has worked closely with all stakeholders and with the federal government to provide nearly $290 million in new funding for school boards. This investment has put millions of pieces of PPE, thousands of hand sanitizing stations and hundreds of new front-line staff in our schools. As we prepare for the next school year, your government will continue making investments that will keep our schools safe and classrooms well supported.

Just as people and sectors of the economy have not been equally affected by COVID-19, neither have our communities. The pandemic has changed how we work and connect with others, and that can look very different if you’re working remotely from one of B.C.’s large urban centres or suburbs versus a rural or remote community.

When the pandemic hit, your government acted fast to meet the growing demands and connect more people and businesses in more communities. Now over 10,000 more households across the province have better Internet. Funding provided through the Stronger B.C. recovery plan will add hundreds of kilometres of cell coverage on B.C. highways, making life safer for people. Your government’s upcoming budget will continue this work with new investments to boost digital connectivity in even the most rural communities.

Many small and medium-sized businesses also had to adjust, changing the way they operate as more and more people shifted to make their purchases online. Every step of the way, your government has been there to help them adapt to the new reality. The new launch online program is helping over 4,000 eligible small businesses to increase their digital presence and build or expand online stores.

Throughout the pandemic, your government worked to keep essential offices open safely. There is an old saying that necessity is the mother of invention. Some core services were maintained by moving online or finding appropriate new locations. For example, B.C.’s courts never closed, with the Court of Appeal meeting remotely, and some jury trials moved to safer locations in theatres.

In the year ahead, your government will look carefully at public service innovations that came about during the pandemic, with an eye to maintaining those elements that offer greater efficiency and make life more convenient for people.

The pandemic has dealt a significant blow to artists who rely on live performances to make a living. Not being able to see a play in a theatre or go to the opera or symphony or catch a concert with friends has hurt us all. The arts are the soul of our communities.

[2:35 p.m.]

Your government is working with leaders in the arts community and Dr. Bonnie Henry’s team to plan a safe return. Until that return is possible, your government is stepping up and providing additional support to people, arts organizations and venues.

While the pandemic has brought out the best in most people, unfortunately, we have also seen it bring out the worst in some. Hatred and racist actions have been on the rise since COVID-19 began. Anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by over 700 percent in Vancouver in 2020 alone. Racism has no place in our communities. Everyone has a right to feel safe and respected.

Your government is committed to the work that must be done to dismantle the systemic discrimination that is still a lived reality for too many in our province. It launched Resilience B.C., a new anti-racism network. It has committed to introducing race-based data collection to help identify gaps in services and how to address them.

In the months ahead, your government will continue working with communities to develop B.C.’s first anti-racism law and to reform our outdated Police Act. It will also introduce landmark legislation to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion experienced by British Columbians with disabilities.

To honour their contributions and celebrate the di­versity of British Columbia, your government will continue building on the recently established Chinese Canadian Museum and legacy investments that recognize South Asian–Canadian heritage.

Diversity and inclusion are what make B.C.’s communities so special. Your government will work with you to protect and celebrate this.

Small businesses are vital to our local economies and our communities. They help give neighbourhoods their distinctive character. Many of us got our first job at a small business.

Even in normal times, it takes skills and tenacity to run a successful small business, faced with thin margins and an ever-changing marketplace. The pandemic has only compounded these challenges with new ones that none of us could have expected.

From the outset, your government made it clear that it would help small businesses and their employees get through it. Early on, it cut property taxes, prohibited commercial evictions and forgave hydro bills. Later, through the recovery plan, it provided tax incentives for businesses to hire workers and a PST rebate to help companies make capital investments in equipment and machinery.

It has not always been easy. Things have changed quick­ly through the pandemic. Your government’s response to the uncertainty has been to listen to those on the front lines, ready to respond and adjust, as required.

For example, your government recently expanded the timelines and adjusted eligibility criteria for the small and medium-sized business support program. The grant is now easier for businesses to qualify for and has increased support for those in the hard-hit tourism sector.

In the year ahead, your government will continue to help businesses recover from the short-term effects of the pandemic, and it will keep building an innovative, sustainable and inclusive economy with an eye to the post-pandemic world.

Global markets are changing in ways that offer significant opportunities for B.C.’s goods and services. Prices are expected to continue to reflect environmental, social and governance aspects of production.

British Columbia firms will be able to take advantage of a premium paid for inclusive and sustainable products. For example, agritech is already allowing agricultural food processing and seafood sectors to benefit from the use of innovation and technology. By embracing innovation, these producers are enhancing productivity while addressing expectations around the sustainability and traceability of food products.

In the year ahead, your government will take additional steps to support innovation and technology. During this session, your government will introduce legislation to support the operations of InBC Investment Corp. This new strategic fund will help promising B.C. companies scale up and anchor talent, keeping jobs and investment at home in British Columbia.

[2:40 p.m.]

Building on recommendations from the Premier’s Food Security Task Force, your government has created a new agritech concierge that will support food producers and innovators.

The pandemic has driven home how lucky we are to live in a place of such natural abundance. From Okanagan cherries to wild Pacific salmon, there has never a better time to eat the food we love from here at home. Your government will continue to support our growers and producers by investing in our Buy B.C. program that promotes a wide range of local food products at grocery stores and farmers markets.

Too often, economic growth in our province has come at the expense of the environment. That must change. We can no longer rely on simple resource extraction to generate wealth with no regard to long-term consequences. Your government is determined to continue tackling the environmental challenges that were neglected for too long. This year, it will continue the work of reforming the Forest Act and the Forest and Range Practices Act, to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Your government will continue to take action on the independent report on old growth, which recommended important new protection for remaining old-growth stands not already protected. New measures will be proposed to increase access to fibre for communities, First Nations and small businesses. Land management practices will be updated to improve forest stewardship and em­phasize environmental protection. The forest sector will be supported to move from volume to value, using innovation to improve management, support communities and generate economic opportunity.

At the same time, your government will move forward with other measures to protect B.C.’s environment, including improving waste management, particularly of plastics. These actions will build on the progress we have made already, like removing over 120 tonnes of marine debris from B.C. coasts and shorelines, protecting wildlife and habitat, and planting a record 300 million trees last year. Our economic recovery must become an opportunity to accelerate environmental protection, not an excuse to relax our commitment to sustainability.

Central to achieving our goal of a more sustainable economic future on the other side of COVID-19 is British Columbia’s CleanBC plan. It is North America’s most progressive plan to reduce carbon pollution while creating good, new, family-supporting jobs. In the year ahead, your government will build on the progress already made. It will continue to foster clean tech innovation. Through electrification, it will move more industrial activities from fossil fuels to clean hydroelectric power.

To make life more affordable for people and reduce emissions, your government is making it easier to buy electric vehicles and working to support emission reductions in transit fleets and heavy-duty trucking. And newly announced sectoral emission targets will keep government accountable as it works with each sector of the economy to reduce emissions while remaining globally competitive.

The last year has challenged our province and our people in ways we could never have imagined. From the daily sacrifices made by front-line essential workers to the small businesses that have endured countless obstacles, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who have helped us come through it. The difficult times are not yet over. As we begin this legislative session, your government urges you not to lose sight of what has made our province so resilient.

A year ago British Columbians would stand on their front lawns and balconies at seven o’clock in the evening to bang pots and pans. This nightly, noisy tribute was a way to show our thanks and support to the nurses, doctors and other health care workers on the front lines. This was an extraordinary show of solidarity with those putting themselves at risk to protect the rest of us, in the same spirit of common purpose that we must summon again to get us safely through to the end of the pandemic, so that we can start building towards that brighter future we know is possible.

Together, we can build a B.C. where strong public services like health care are there when people need them, where we can create good jobs that help us meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, and where we always work in partnership with Indigenous peoples so everyone shares in the prosperity of this land. The future for our province is bright. It is one of hope and opportunity. Now let’s get to work ensuring B.C. comes back stronger than ever for everyone.

[2:45 p.m.]

Finally, I will add my personal thanks to all British Columbians, for the generosity, compassion and resolve you have demonstrated over the past year. Like you, I’ve been humbled by the selfless work of our health care and essential services workers, inspired by the unwavering commitment of our public health leaders, and deeply moved by the humanity of those who house and care for the most vulnerable.

I’m filled with gratitude for the cultural and faith organizations that connect us to our common humanity and inspire us to be of service to others, for our professional public servants, who have executed some absolute feats of public administration in this past year, and for the B.C. businesses that have moved heaven and earth to keep our supply lines open, our shelves stocked and our economy functioning. We know better now how to value the unheralded work of all these people upon whom we rely. Let us not forget them when this reality has passed from view, as it surely will.

This time has been difficult for all of us, but especially so for those who have lost family members and friends. We hold them in our hearts. To all of you who serve together in B.C.’s Legislative Assembly — indeed, to all who hold elected office: I’m deeply grateful for your leadership, your collaboration and your tireless work during these extraordinary times.

Finally, as a representative of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, I want to thank British Columbians for all that you do to care for each other — not only those who share your lives but also those whom you will never meet. We look forward to better days. Meanwhile, take good care and stay safe.

Thank you. HÍSW̱ḴE.

Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, in order to prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy of Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor’s speech.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 1 — AN ACT TO ENSURE
THE SUPREMACY OF PARLIAMENT

Hon. D. Eby presented a bill intituled An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament.

Hon. D. Eby: Hon. Speaker, I move that Bill 1, intituled An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament, be introduced and read a first time now.

The introduction of this bill, prior to consideration of the throne speech, expresses the established right of parliament, through its elected members, to deliberate independently of the Sovereign. As such, it is an important part of our parliamentary democratic process. It is a right that was first asserted by the Parliament at Westminster in the year 1603, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Motion approved

Hon. D. Eby: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 1, An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Motions Without Notice

SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR PROCEEDINGS
OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move the adoption of the sessional order establishing special procedures respecting the regulation of the conduct of proceedings of the Legislative Assembly in exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, a copy of which has been distributed to the House Leaders of the recognized caucuses.

Leave granted.

[2:50 p.m.]

[GENERAL

1. That, as an exercise of the Legislative Assembly’s exclusive right to regulate its own internal affairs as they relate to its legislative and deliberative functions, including control over the conduct of its proceedings, the use of videoconferencing technology be authorized to enable all Members to be present in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly through remote participation, counting toward quorum, while other Members continue to be present physically in the Legislative Chamber, thereby enabling hybrid proceedings of the House.

2. That Zoom be approved as the videoconferencing technology platform for the purposes of supporting hybrid proceedings of the House.

QUORUM AND ATTENDANCE

3. That Members who are participating in the House’s proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology be counted as present for the purposes of the quorum of ten Members, as set out in section 42 of the Constitution Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66) and Standing Order 6, and for the purposes of determining a majority of votes as set out in section 43 of the Constitution Act.

4. That Members who are participating in the House’s proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology must have the audio and video functions enabled with their face clearly visible in order to be counted towards quorum, to participate in debate, and to vote.

VOTING AND DIVISIONS

5. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 16:

(1) When the Speaker puts the question, no further debate on the question shall be permitted.

(2) When a division is requested, it shall be deferred until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting during which the division is requested. If there are less than 30 minutes remaining prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting during which the division is requested, then it shall stand deferred until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the afternoon sitting of the following sitting day.

(3) Notwithstanding Standing Order 25 and subsection (2) of this order, if a division is requested during a morning sitting, it shall stand deferred until the afternoon sitting of the same day.

(4) If a division is requested in a Committee of the Whole, the clause of the bill under consideration shall be postponed, and the division shall be deferred in accordance with subsection (2) of this order.

(5) If a division is requested in the Committee of Supply, the division shall be deferred in accordance with subsection (2) of this order.

(6) If a deferred division is scheduled to take place during a sitting,

a. at 30 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting, the Speaker or Chair shall ring the bells and recess the proceedings;

b. 10 minutes thereafter, at 20 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting, the Speaker or Chair shall call the House back to order;

c. 5 minutes thereafter, at 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting, the Speaker or Chair shall again state the question; and

d. the division shall proceed forthwith.

(7) If a division is deferred in a Committee of the Whole or the Committee of Supply, the House shall resolve itself into the appropriate Committee prior to the ringing of the bells and recess set out in subsection (6) of this order.

(8) No Member shall enter or leave the Legislative Chamber or connect to or disconnect from the approved videoconferencing technology after the final statement of the question until the division has been fully taken, and every Member present shall vote.

(9) When two or more deferred divisions are to be taken during a sitting, the divisions shall be taken in succession in the order they were deferred.

(10) During a sitting at which a deferred division is to take place, no motion to adjourn the House shall be in order until after that vote and the conclusion of any consequential business that must be disposed of. If successive divisions are scheduled, the House shall sit beyond the ordinary time of adjournment until the conclusion of all divisions and until other business consequential to the division has been disposed of. For greater certainty, consequential business includes reporting from the Committee of Supply.

(11) Divisions are not permitted on a motion that a committee rise and report, and on a routine motion moved by the Government House Leader or their designate that the House adjourn, so as not to prevent the House from undertaking business in a manner consistent with the intention of the arrangements of formal divisions in hybrid proceedings. Members may use Practice Recommendation No. 1.

6. That, notwithstanding sections 5(2), 5(3), 5(4) and 5(5) of this order, if a division is requested on a closure motion set out in Standing Order 46 or a time allocation motion set out in Standing Order 81.1, the Speaker or Chair shall announce that a division has been called. No longer than 20 minutes thereafter, unless the House or Committee, as the case may be, unanimously agrees otherwise, the Speaker or Chair shall again state the question and the division shall proceed forthwith.

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND NOTICE REQUIREMENTS

7. That any Standing Order requiring that a document be “handed in” or “laid upon the Table” or transmitted by other similar physical means be interpreted to include the transmission of a document by approved electronic means.

8. That the transmission of a document by the Office of the Clerk to all Members by electronic means constitute for all purposes the distribution and delivery of that document, regardless of whether a Member has received the document.

9. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 25B(2) and the usual practices of the House, at least two hours prior to the scheduled start of a sitting of the House, the Whips shall provide to the Office of the Speaker a list and, if applicable, the sequence, of Members wishing to make an introduction or to participate in an item under Routine Business.

10. That, notwithstanding the usual practices of the House, petitions presented to the House may include signatures collected through electronic means, and that the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly or her designate be authorized to exercise reasonable discretion in the interpretation of admissibility of an electronic petition and its compliance with Standing Order 73 and Appendix A of the Standing Orders.

11. That, notwithstanding the usual practices of the House, any Member who intends to move a motion in amendment to a bill at committee stage, of which notice is not typically required, should provide at least one hour of notice to the Office of the Clerk prior to introducing that motion in the House to ensure the electronic distribution of that motion to all Members forthwith after it is moved.

SPEAKER’S DISCRETION

12. That, for greater certainty, the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion on the applicability of Standing Order 17A as it may relate to the facilitation of participation of Members in proceedings of the House.

13. That, for greater certainty and further to Standing Order 19 and Standing Order 20, the Speaker be empowered to intervene on any matter of decorum on the Speaker’s own initiative or on a point of order raised by a Member, including by muting a Member’s microphone and excluding Members from the sitting in cases of serious misconduct.

14. That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion in the interpretation of the provisions of any Standing Order requiring Members to stand or speak in their assigned place as this requirement may relate to Members participating via the approved videoconferencing technology and to Members participating in person in the Legislative Chamber.

15. That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion, in consultation with the House Leaders or the Whips, in the interpretation of any provision of the Standing Orders or this order that may require leniency or alteration in order to allow all Members to be able to fully exercise their duties and rights in the proceedings of this House conducted in a hybrid manner.

OTHER

16. That, should any provision contained in this order be inconsistent with the Standing Orders, the provision in this order prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.

17. That this order expire on June 30, 2021.]

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, as the sessional order authorizing hybrid sittings has now been adopted by the House, those members joining us remotely are now able to participate in these proceedings.

Motions

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY SPEAKER

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Kamloops–North Thompson electoral district:

[That Spencer Chandra Herbert, Member for Vancouver–West End Electoral District, be appointed Deputy Speaker for this Session of the Legislative Assembly.]

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF
ASSISTANT DEPUTY SPEAKER

P. Milobar: I move, seconded by the member for Port Coquitlam electoral district:

[That Norm Letnick, Member for Kelowna–Lake Country Electoral District, be appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker for this Session of the Legislative Assembly.]

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHAIR,
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Kamloops–North Thompson electoral district:

[That Ronna-Rae Leonard, Member for Courtenay-Comox Electoral District, be appointed Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole for this Session of the Legislative Assembly.]

Motion approved.

PRINTING OF Votes and Proceedings

Hon. D. Eby: I move:

[That the Votes and Proceedings of this House be printed, being first perused by the Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing thereof, and that no person but such as he shall appoint do presume to print the same.]

Motion approved.

APPOINTMENT OF
SELECT STANDING COMMITTEES

Hon. J. Horgan: I move:

[That the Select Standing Committees of this House for the present Session, be appointed for the following purposes:

1. Aboriginal Affairs;

2. Education;

3. Finance and Government Services;

4. Health;

5. Public Accounts;

6. Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills;

7. Crown Corporations;

8. Children and Youth;

9. Agriculture, Fish and Food;

which said Committees shall severally be empowered to examine and inquire into all such matters and things as shall be referred to them by this House, and to report from time to time their observations and opinions thereon, with power to send for persons, papers, and records, and that a Special Committee be appointed to prepare and report with all convenient speed lists of members to compose the above Select Standing Committees of this House under Standing Order 68 (1), the Committee to be composed of the Hon. Mike Farnworth (Convener), Hon. Lisa Beare, Bob D’Eith, Garry Begg, Michele Babchuk, Niki Sharma, Peter Milobar, Stephanie Cadieux, Doug Clovechok, and Sonia Furstenau.]

Motion approved.

Ministerial Statements

PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH

Hon. J. Horgan: I rise to commemorate the life of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, beloved husband of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada.

Prince Philip died peacefully at Windsor Castle Friday morning, April 9. He was 99 years old. It was a long life. It was a good life. It was a life devoted to public service.

He married Princess Elizabeth in November of 1947 and was at her side every moment thereafter. As the longest-serving royal consort, people across the Commonwealth will remember Prince Philip for his remarkable work ethic and his dedication and devotion to the Queen.

Of course, Prince Philip was no stranger to British Columbia. He and then-Princess Elizabeth first came to British Columbia in 1951. He made six more visits with the Queen and several more on his own.

[2:55 p.m.]

Prince Philip was present for many of the moments that all British Columbians hold in their history. He witnessed the Miracle Mile in 1954 at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Vancouver’s Hastings Park. That same year he poured the first aluminum ingot mould at the smelter in Kitimat. He attended the celebrations to mark the centenary of B.C.’s entry into Confederation 50 years ago, in 1971.

Of course, Prince Philip was also devoted to protecting the environment and encouraging conservation. In B.C., he will be remembered for championing a grizzly bear sanctuary in Khutzeymateen, the valley just outside of Prince Rupert, in 1994.

In the same year, he joined Queen Elizabeth here in Victoria to open the Commonwealth Games. A tremendous supporter of sport and a cricket enthusiast, he also excelled in sailing, polo and carriage driving — which, of course, is something I think he practised here at the Legislature on occasion.

During his final visit to B.C. in 2002 to celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, he also had the opportunity to take in a Canucks game, to watch her drop the puck for a Vancouver Canucks–San Jose Sharks game — which is, of course, commemorated here in this Legislature with photographs in the Hall of Honour.

Prince Philip will be remembered for his deep connection to the Armed Forces. The former naval officer, who served in the Second World War, is the Colonel-in-Chief of the Seaforth Highlanders in Canada, an infantry regiment based in Vancouver. He visited Royal Roads Military College just outside of my constituency twice, in 1951 and again in 1983, and of course was a regular participant at events at CFB Esquimalt over his many visits to the capital. In Kamloops, he presented the Rocky Mountain Rangers with the unit’s regimental colours in 1983.

Prince Philip was a patron of more than 40 Canadian organizations and charities throughout his lifetime, many of those based here in British Columbia. Each will remember — and, in fact, never forget — the contributions he made to their work.

Prince Philip’s legacy will live on, especially in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. He created the program in 1956, and it took root here in Canada in 1963. Since then, thousands of young people in B.C. have participated in the program, building skills and competence to make the difference in the world that he had envisioned when he established the awards.

For 73 years, nearly three-quarters of a century, Prince Philip was at Queen Elizabeth’s side. He was her partner, her devoted servant and, as she has said, a constant strength and guide. In 2017, when he announced his retirement from public life, he said: “I have done my bit. “ Indeed he had.

On behalf of the Legislature and all the people of British Columbia, I want to express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, members of the royal family and citizens around the world who will grieve the loss of a decent man who devoted his entire life to the service of this great planet. May he rest now in peace.

S. Bond: The pain of losing a spouse, a partner who has supported you through thick and thin throughout the decades, is never easy for any one of us — or whether you are a queen and a prince. In order to face the demands of public life, you rely on those you love the most, including your life partner, for support, for encouragement and maybe even for a much-needed laugh at the end of a long, difficult day. For over 70 years, Prince Philip proudly stood and walked by Queen Elizabeth’s side. Those images will be etched in our minds forever.

Few of us will ever be able to say that we spent more than seven decades of our lives with the love of our life. The Queen referred to her prince as her strength and stay. Today, this House and all of its members join people across the Commonwealth in mourning the loss of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away at the age of 99 last week.

[3:00 p.m.]

He lived a full life, focused on supporting his wife, his family, his country and the Commonwealth as a whole. He leaves behind a legacy of important work around the world, and the Premier has referenced some of that work. His lifetime of service was nothing short of remarkable, and his contributions to our country were significant.

In a fitting start to his long-lasting relationship with Canada, he provided vital naval cover to the Canadian beachhead on Sicily in 1943. While on the decks of HMS Wallace, he played a role in keeping our troops safe.

Following the war, Prince Philip travelled to Canada over 60 times. He supported charities, organized important international conferences and played important parts in every Commonwealth Games that our country had the privilege of hosting during his time as royal consort.

He also founded, as mentioned, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which countless young Canadians participate in each and every year. But perhaps most notable here in British Columbia, Prince Philip played an instrumental role in helping create the Khutzeymateen Provincial Park, which was established on August 15, 1994, by B.C. Parks to protect critical habitat for our province’s grizzly bear population.

Today the world will mourn his loss, but I think we will all agree that the deepest loss will be felt by his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren.

In the words of the Queen on their 50th anniversary, she said about Prince Philip: “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years. I and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know.”

Today we pay tribute and express our gratitude to Prince Philip for his life of service and for his demonstration of love for his wife, his family and his country.

On behalf of the official opposition and in this House, where we come together to represent all British Columbians, I want to offer our sincere condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and all members of the royal family at this very difficult time.

S. Furstenau: I also appreciate the opportunity to rise and add my voice to recognize the life of Prince Philip and extend our sympathies to Her Majesty the Queen and the royal family.

This past year has made all of us reflect on the importance of family and of those we love, above all else. As a partner to the Queen for over 70 years, I cannot imagine the loss and sorrow that his passing has caused for the Queen, his children and grandchildren and his entire family.

Prince Philip’s life was defined by service to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Through the many roles that he played, he was a steadfast companion and supporter to Her Majesty the Queen for decades, always by her side as she carried out duties. He also, as others have noted, was devoted to numerous causes and left a mark everywhere he went, from service in the navy to founding the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award that has helped prepare so many young people to be leaders, to his devotion to conservation and environmental causes, including here in B.C.

As Princess Anne said of her father, he’s left an “example of a life well lived and service freely given.” Let us, in this House, strive to do the same.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

[The House observed a moment of silence.]

Mr. Speaker: Thank you.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.

The House adjourned at 3:05 p.m.