Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

COVID-19 IMPACTS ON
GOVERNMENT SERVICES

T. Shypitka: Speaking to the statement today of COVID-19 and the impacts on government services, the past two years have been challenging, to say the least. They have taken a toll on people, on businesses and on our systems and institutions. The disruptions of the pandemic have certainly extended to government and impacted its regular service to British Columbians.

[10:05 a.m.]

As leaders, it is important for us to be aware of these impacts. As MLAs, it is our job to relay the concerns of our constituents and the way that their lives are being affected by some of these less obvious and less talked about consequences of the pandemic.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

We know that some of the biggest impacts of COVID-19 have been to our health care system. Throughout B.C., many of our hospitals are at maximum capacity, and our health care workers are exhausted and stressed to the limit. Recently we’ve seen that even our medical testing companies, like LifeLabs, are dealing with staffing shortages that have led to closures and cancelled appointments.

One woman on Vancouver Island was supposed to get a heart monitor removed at her local LifeLabs a few weeks ago, but when she arrived for her appointment, it was found that the lab was closed, likely because they lacked the staff to keep it open. This woman was concerned because she was only supposed to have her heart monitor on for 24 hours, and now she found herself with no appointment and no idea what to do what.

This is just one example of someone who is impacted by these closures. Many others reached out to her after she told her story saying that the same thing happened to them. However, the impacts of COVID-19 extended far beyond our health systems and have repercussions for so many other government services.

A service that has been particularly affected by the pandemic is road tests at ICBC. Cancelled appointments in the spring of 2020 led to a significant backlog of more than 50,000 people. Much of that backlog still exists to this day, meaning extremely long wait times for anyone trying to take a test.

This summer we heard stories of people travelling from Prince Rupert to as far as Salmon Arm in the hopes of getting a test and earning their driver’s licence in a shorter amount of time. These long waits aren’t just a problem because they are extremely frustrating and inconvenient, but because they can also significantly impact people’s lives and their livelihoods.

Take one story from this summer for example. A 19-year-old in the Shuswap was forced to quit his job because of lack of available road tests that made it impossible for him to get his licence before he moved, meaning that he would be unable to commute to work.

He had a good job as a carpenter and used to get a ride to work with a neighbour, but after his family sold their home and moved to another town, he found himself without any transportation options. Without the ability to book a road test before November…. “It made it difficult to get my life in order,” he said when asked about how the delays have impacted him. It’s beyond frustrating that a backlog of tests can have such a profound impact on someone’s life.

We’ve seen the same thing with commercial driver’s licensing. We know that the introduction of the mandatory entry level training or MELT had a profound impact on tests this year, yet no effort was made to increase capacity to accommodate for this. As a result, the wait times for class 1 road tests have skyrocketed, and it’s having real impacts on drivers’ ability to do their job, as well as on their financial well-being.

Rosemary Stonehouse lost her job during the pandemic. She had previously been in office work. She got help through our local WorkBC office in Cranbrook to get into a driving school as WorkBC had mentioned that there was an increasing demand for class 1 drivers.

She worked hard and went through our local driving school and passed the test to get her learner’s. She then did everything she could to get an appointment, and after calling regularly, she was eventually able to get a full class 1 test booked for October 14, 2021 — months, and I mean months, after she passed her learner’s test.

However, when she woke up on October 14, she realized that she felt quite unwell. She was caught in an impossible situation, as she knew that if she didn’t take her test that day, she would miss the deadline for MELT and have to redo her training, costing her thousands of dollars she didn’t have.

She made the decision to see if she was well enough to take the test. She had no other options. But she couldn’t make it through the front door. She had to miss her test because she was sick and followed strict COVID protocols. ICBC was unable to make her a makeup appointment in a timely manner as no other appointments were available.

[10:10 a.m.]

Now, after being unemployed for much of the pandemic, Rosemary has to somehow find $16,000 and the time to retake her training under MELT, all because she got sick and followed health orders, something she had no control over.

These are the less obvious consequences of the pandemic, things that we don’t immediately think of when examining the impact that COVID-19 has had on our lives but that would not have happened otherwise.

Government has a responsibility to do its best to mitigate these impacts to ensure that the services it provides to British Columbians continue as smoothly as possible, and to do the work necessary to look out for the needs of the people of B.C. I look forward to the member opposite for his response.

K. Paddon: There is no doubt that COVID-19 has impacted government services. The pandemic has impacted everything, every kind of service. Some of those impacts have been delays, cancellations, limitations on the things we used to enjoy without much thought or planning. Some of those impacts have been innovation and creativity and new, accessible modes of delivery.

As we have all moved together through this pandemic, we are following the advice of public health officials closely to keep British Columbians as safe as possible and to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. We know that the health and safety of British Columbians is top priority as a province, and all public agencies address this pandemic.

Although some things look different, it has been inspiring to watch some dedicated agencies and employees and how they’ve responded, pivoted, adapted and how they’ve been innovative in order to continue offering services while also prioritizing the safety of those we all serve.

We’ve seen government service delivery need to change and pivot in new and sometimes iterative ways. I want to thank every single person who works in service delivery, planning, policy and support for the commitment, creativity and pure resolve it took to find solutions and adapt. For example, I recently visited Service B.C. in Chilliwack and was blown away by the thoughtful and dedicated commitment demonstrated by every single employee we spoke with.

There are 65 Service B.C. centres, and the provincial contact centre and COVID-19 information line remain open for business, connecting people in B.C. to hundreds of government programs and services. They’re also helping people access their B.C. vaccine card, available by accessing health gateway through B.C. Service’s app, online or by calling the vaccination line or by visiting one of the many Service B.C. centres located throughout the province.

To quickly respond to the scale and urgency of the pandemic, government is working to expand the programs and services that people can access by using their B.C. Services Card and the mobile app. There are currently about 4.85 million B.C. Service Card holders in B.C., and between April 2020 and September 2021, more than 1.1 million people verified their Service B.C. mobile app, giving them faster access to services, programs and other supports that they count on.

Service B.C. staff are helping to keep B.C. communities safe through compliance and wellness checks that ensure travellers and temporary foreign workers can maintain their 14-day self-isolation. Service B.C. teams have made more than 710,000 compliance and wellness calls between April 2020 and September 2021.

Service B.C. also offers help through the COVID-19 information line. The information line was established in March 2020 to relieve the pressure on 811 by answering non-medical questions about COVID-19, with high-quality support in more than 140 languages. Service B.C. staff have helped people on over 565,000 calls since launching the line.

I also note that the member across shared remarks over ICBC delays. It has already been shared but bears repeating. ICBC recognizes that there is a demand for road testing in all areas of British Columbia.

There are multiple reasons for this pressure, some of which were discussed, and the demand for class 5 and 7 road tests has increased significantly compared to previous years. ICBC also continues to manage the demand from the temporary suspension of road testing last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ICBC has taken many steps to address the demand for testing in B.C., including hiring over 80 additional driver examiners. Many driver examiners have also been working overtime in impacted areas as needed.

ICBC proactively monitors road test demands and adjusts their resources where needed. Another factor is that driver examiners are not able to complete as many road tests due to COVID-19-related safety protocols. At the end of the day, this is about safety on so many levels.

[10:15 a.m.]

I would be remiss if I did not highlight that the best way for us to move through this together is to get vaccinated. Get vaccinated against COVID-19, and join the over 89 percent of people who have received their first dose and the almost 84 percent of people who are fully vaccinated, and do it as soon as possible.

Getting through the pandemic has always been a team effort. All of those working so hard to continue delivering services in the face of unprecedented demand, and doing it well, have demonstrated their commitment to British Columbians and are doing, I think, a remarkable job in supporting people at this difficult moment.

Thank you to all those who deliver government services, non-profit services, education and health services, community services and to anyone who gets up, shows up and works to provide access, service and support to British Columbians in the safest way possible.

T. Shypitka: Thanks to the member opposite for her perspective on this topic and on the way that COVID has dramatically impacted every part of our province, even the services that government provides. There have been numerous examples within my constituency alone.

I’ve already talked about the IC testing backlogs, but I cannot stress enough the impact this has had on many individuals, especially those looking to get their class 1 drivers’ licences. We currently have a shortage of drivers with this certification in B.C. With an ongoing labour shortage, we need to ensure that we are doing our best to support individuals who want to enter this industry, rather than making it more difficult for them to do their jobs.

Now, the member mentioned apps and things that we can do to speed up the process and to reduce the backlogs. However, we need the resources. It’s good to have applications and things that get people to where they want to be, but we need the resources to follow through and get those people through the queue.

Beyond just the issues of road tests, I’ve also seen the impacts on other government services, like health care, firsthand. I mentioned LifeLabs earlier, but they are far from the only part of our health care system that has been impacted by staffing issues. In fact, we know that it’s a primary reason for many of the hospital emergency room closures around B.C.

We’ve seen it at the Elkford hospital in my own constituency of Kootenay East. Because of limited staffing availability, this emergency department, a source of vital medical care in the region, is closed until further notice. This means that anyone in Elkford in need of emergency medical care has to leave their community in order to get the help they need. This results in travel times of up to an hour to the nearest service they can depend on.

This is critical for my constituents. Fort St. John Hospital, Saanich Peninsula here on Vancouver Island and many others throughout B.C. have also had to deal with repeated closures because of staffing shortages.

These are complicated at times, and they’re heartbreaking situations that all need the intervention of government to be solved. The pandemic has undoubtedly been hard on this province and has made it more difficult than ever to ensure that the services government delivers can be provided to British Columbians in the same way and with the same efficiency they always have. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be working hard to solve problems when they appear, doing everything possible to serve the people of this province.

I also want to thank all the government service workers across the province, as they have worked tirelessly in the most unprecedented situations. That is my opinion why government needs to step up.

POLITICAL INTIMIDATION

D. Routley: I’d like to ask the members how many of us have, at the dinner table, brought up politics — maybe when we ought not to have. You go away swearing — I mean swearing — to not do it again. “Never again” is what you said the time before, but it happens.

We know that Uncle Jake doesn’t get along with Cousin Jerry. As long as you stay away from certain subjects, they’ll be fine, but sometimes passion makes us turn to subjects that do generate heat.

We need to understand that we need to de-escalate and avoid antagonism. We need to get along, in order to have the decent, civil dinner that we hope to. It is true in our communities. This doesn’t mean that we agree. We simply, sometimes, avoid conflict if it doesn’t serve us or the interests of our friends and our families.

[10:20 a.m.]

More than that, we respect our right to take a different view of things. We even expect and accept that these different perspectives represent a different experience, a different world view.

We know that this is the tapestry that is our communities, and we appreciate the critical role that an exchange of ideas plays in our development, both personally and as communities. British Columbians have diverse views across our province, and this plays an integral role. It’s an essential ingredient in making our society work.

We put our ideas to work in the realm of politics and policy that affects all of us but not all of us equally. We compete to persuade our neighbours that our ideas offer the solutions people need to answer the challenges of the day. We send our representatives to government at all levels in a reflection of who we are at the moment.

Our job here is to represent those ideas and values we find in our communities. We have an obligation to voice the concerns and the passion of our constituents. We are expected to care — and to show that — in order to represent. It is the necessity of this place that passion be an indispensable part of what we do, and we must reflect that.

However, more and more we see people around the world but also right here in Canada and B.C. resorting to intimidation and even violence to express their opinions. That is not acceptable. We can assert our view, compete for support and even the opportunity to apply our view and values to policy. That is powerful, and it is, essentially, power that we agree to grant to the majority view.

While we consent to be governed in the consensus view, we also expect that the minority view will survive, contribute and be accommodated. In fact, continued support demands it in a pluralistic society.

Positive ways people can be involved are to write their representative, call them, attend a rally or even a peaceful protest in an appropriate place, get involved, volunteer or join advocacy groups. These are the ways that we affect the world around us in a civil society.

This place may be an odd place to call for peaceful civil discourse, and I may seem an odd messenger. This place is designed to sort out that consensus. The job of representing issues that people care so deeply about can create heat. Things frequently become heated here, and I have played a part in that. I have, particularly in opposition, injected heat into the provincial dialogue.

That is only part of our jobs here. After the opposition, quite rightly, assertively challenge the government’s plans, policy and performance in question period, after the theatrics are over, we are colleagues in the hallways. An opposition critic will attack the government’s minister, and then they’ll walk together in the hallway, productively and positively working for solutions for the constituents.

It is essential to the peace that we make room for each other, for our ideas, to understand the challenges we and our neighbours face. Everyone must feel the security of being able to voice what we care about free from intimidation.

Governance always demands cooperation and compromise to get anything done. For policies to be sustainable, the views must be accommodated, heard and considered. It is a competition to be the prevailing view, not to annihilate other points of view. All too often we see people resorting to intimidation or even violence to silence others or impose a view by force if necessary.

We need to stand together to reject that intolerance and to ensure that each of us is free to express our views. Protests outside hospitals and schools that seek to intimidate or interfere with people seeking out essential services for them and their families are unacceptable. Threatening language and actions directed at the very people whom we all depend upon to thrive as a community is unacceptable and must remain so in order for us to succeed together.

P. Milobar: Thank you to the member for Nanaimo–​North Cowichan for those words. I think everyone in this place agrees that political intimidation of the public towards politicians is completely unacceptable. I think he canvassed that well.

[10:25 a.m.]

What I’d spend my time on is talking about the other political intimidation that go the other way. I think we’ve seen, in governments around this world, actions by governments that can be made to try to suppress and intimidate the public, industry and organizations from properly engaging respectfully in civil society.

I would hope that every member in this place would agree that one of the fundamental tenets to make sure that there’s not political intimidation is to make sure that there’s free-flowing access to information, from government back to the public, on issues that they are dealing with. I think every open democracy in this world is known for having free and easy access.

In fact, those leading democracies are the ones that are trying to find ways to make sure access to information is even easier to canvass, not putting in added restrictions, added layers, added things that would actually restrict the public’s access to that information. I would hope all members of this House would agree with that sentiment and view that as a form of political intimidation, of the public and of organizations, of trying to know exactly what is going on within their government.

We’ve seen this, across the world, play out, where ministers or heads of government agencies will write letters back to industry — letters that get perceived and interpreted as very threatening and intimidating, coming from a government minister, letters that would threaten to pull permits and not reissue permits, and be dismissed by governments that those are not actually threatening and that those aren’t meant to be intimidating. Then we see, a month or two later, those exact permits disappear and, in fact, whole industries disappear.

What message does that send across this world to other industries about that government that they’re dealing with? “Play ball or else.” I think we can all agree, as legislators in this chamber, that’s not an acceptable way to govern.

It’s incumbent on all of us to make sure, when we talk about political intimidation, that any government’s actions match those words, to make sure that we are not playing a part in advancing political intimidation but, in fact, doing exactly as the previous speaker said — opening up conversation.

The only way to have those free-flowing conversations in a democracy is to have free-flowing information coming back from government — not hidden, not making people jump through hoops to try to access information, but actually freeing up that access to information and making sure that residents or opposition politicians, of any political stripe, have access.

When you look at governments that start to control and suppress information, those are the governments that start to falter, around the world. Those are the governments that you start to see massive protests around. Those are the governments that, ultimately, are not about democracy. They use democracy as a tool to get in, but they use political intimidation to try to hang on to power. It inevitably fails, to the detriment of the society that they purport to be trying to govern for.

That’s why it’s incumbent on all of us to make sure that, as legislators in this place, we do everything we can to make sure that the fear of political intimidation by the public, by political opposition and by industry is not felt.

When opposition requests information of any government, opposition is requesting that information on behalf of the public. It’s not asking for information strictly for itself. It’s asking for information because the public tasks opposition, around the world, with going to seek out answers of the government on their behalf.

That is what citizens around this world pay opposition parties to do in democracies. They pay them to go to work, to hold the government to account, to ask for information, to ask for documents that they don’t easily have access to. They expect that their opposition, at a minimum, would have fair access to those types of information as well.

Media certainly plays a large part. Again, we have to make sure that ministerial actions, ministerial letter-writing, ministerial discussion towards industries, threatening around permits, does not see it play out in action. We all have to safeguard against that, regardless of political stripe, regardless of whether you’re in opposition or you’re in government.

That is the role of this place, and that is the role of these legislatures around the world that purport to have free democracies. It’s opening up the doors to government information and shining a bright light on it — not finding ways to prohibit, not finding ways to suppress, not finding ways to invoke political intimidation on a wide range of people trying to simply know what their government is doing.

[10:30 a.m.]

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

I’m encouraged by this place. I am always encouraged by this place, in the end. I remember hearing once that there’s anger and passion in this place so that there isn’t blood on the streets. It’s important that we are able to contest these ideas.

I appreciate the member actually giving an example of how the opposition is using this arena to express a view in criticism of the government but within the rules and within the bounds of the civil discourse of parliament, and I appreciate his contribution. That is an example of a member representing part of our province and seeking to persuade people to his point of view. That is acceptable, and that, I think, is commendable, but we do have to stay within the rules.

I think things do become heated, and people see that in this place. That attracts a lot of attention, but cooperation doesn’t attract so much attention. In fact, somewhere around 70 percent of votes in this place are unanimously positive, and no one would know that by the way the discourse of politics is presented generally. But I think it’s very important, and protest is important. I’ve participated many times in protest but within the bounds of what we accept in our communities.

We must send a message from this place that we stand together in opposition to political intimidation and violence of all kinds, including, as the previous speaker, the responder, has suggested, towards the public. We must acknowledge and respect the fact that some people are disproportionately affected by intolerance and intimidation. As we see elsewhere, Indigenous people, people of colour and women are disproportionately impacted.

Just as this place must protect the expression of views from all corners of our province, we must endeavour, in community, to ensure that all of us feel secure in our right to express our values. We must persuade our neighbours. That’s the hard work of democracy. It’s done with hand tools, it’s done by writing, it’s done by volunteering, and it’s done by showing up. That’s how we make change. It’s about convincing people, not coercing them, and it’s about balance.

I do appreciate the contribution from the member opposite. Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

INDEPENDENT DISTRIBUTED LEARNING

D. Davies: It’s a pleasure to stand in the House today to speak to one of the many important facets of our education system.

British Columbia is blessed with one of the highest-quality education systems in not only Canada and North America but, indeed, around the world. The success that we British Columbians enjoy would not be possible without the tens of thousands of educators, support staff, administrators, trustees and, of course, ministry staff who help to ensure that our educational institutions and the staff have the capacity and resources that they need to care for and continue to educate the hundreds of thousands of children across the province every day.

Of course, like all education systems, ours is not without challenges, some of which have been increased in scope by the pandemic. In an education system that is striving to accommodate more than 600,000 students, it is impossible to create a system that can meet special learning needs and accommodate for every religious and cultural requirement for every child in British Columbia. This, as many of us know, is where the independent distributed learning, better known as IDL, plays a crucial role in British Columbia education.

IDL supports a significant portion of students with special learning needs, and the independent system has two of the largest special needs high schools in the province. Many IDL programs offer a wide range of faith-based and pedagogical perspectives, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islamic, Indigenous, Montessori and Waldorf systems, just to name a few. Many students who experience bullying in public institutions often find a program to meet their educational needs as well as a sense of community in our IDL programs and institutions.

[10:35 a.m.]

One of the greatest benefits of IDL is that the enrolment is not confined by the traditional boundaries of schools and school districts. And in rural ridings like mine, where students can find themselves hundreds, possibly even thousands, of kilometres away from a school that best meets their learning needs, this flexibility has been invaluable for countless children and families across the province.

Among many things, COVID has emphasized the need for online learning resources for our students and children, especially those who may reside in households with immunocompromised families or children who are immunocompromised themselves. We cannot understate the value of in-person learning, but we must also recognize that there are many students within this province where in-person learning presents more challenges than benefits to their education and their social well-being.

We are at a time when our province needs to recognize and expand online learning resources to increase the number of students and families who depend on them. With this in mind, you can understand the shock and concern, as many families have recently learned that there are some proposed reforms coming to the boundaries for IDL institutions.

It’s my understanding that starting in the 2022-23 school year, public and independent school online authorities can only operate within their districts unless granted special permission by the ministry to cross-enrol from another district or authority. This will mean that students not currently residing within school district boundaries will no longer be able to attend their chosen schools via online learning. This goes against the wishes of many parents and students who rely on the programs and resources offered by IDL schools which cater to their very specific learning needs.

If a special agreement isn’t granted to the IDL schools, the impact on students will be significant. The proposed changes could significantly limit the scope of IDL institutions available to them, the students and families who rely on them. Furthermore, B.C. families feel that there has not been appropriate level of notification nor the opportunity for public engagement, and the consultation has not been engaged.

Many of these changes have blindsided students and families, as has been made apparent by the overwhelming number of letters that I’ve received in my constituency office. I know others on this side have received many letters, and I’m sure all members of this House have as well.

As a former school teacher myself, I’m a firm believer that a good education is the greatest gift that we can bestow upon a child. It’s the greatest investment that we, as a province, can make in our collective future. The changes made to our education system should always be in the spirit of adding options and flexibility to encompass more students and families and to show them that they will always have access to learning that meets their very specific needs.

When hundreds and even thousands of families are raising their voices in public outcry because they believe that the proposed changes will do the exact opposite and, in fact, run the risk of pushing their children through the cracks, it is a signal that the government must take a step back and rethink its approach. I implore government to heed the calls of B.C. families and educators. There is still time for appropriate public consultation before these new measures come into place, and there is time for us to change direction to allow the students to look forward to a brighter future through both the current challenges and beyond.

G. Lore: I’m glad to rise today to speak to the statement by the member for Peace River North.

Like many areas of our life, from employment and how we do our jobs to social connections and the way we engage in the economy, how kids go to school and learn was deeply affected, particularly by the first year of the pandemic. In 2020, this meant shifting the majority of learning to remote learning, while keeping schools open for children of front-line workers and students needing the additional supports in the classroom.

[10:40 a.m.]

In 2021, while B.C. was one of a few provinces to keep schools open all year, youth in secondary schools saw changes to their schedules, hours of education and more. And like many aspects of our lives, some of the changes and pivots revealed as many opportunities for positive change as challenges. There are kids and youth who, thrown into a new way of learning, found that the shift actually worked for them and was a fit for their learning needs.

As my colleague notes, this form of learning is not necessary just in a pandemic, nor for students seeking alternative ways of rising to their full potential. Rural and remote students and families also benefit from and, in some cases, need access to virtual learning opportunities. That is why it has never been more important to make sure that equity and quality are the cornerstones of online learning in B.C. Indeed, next year, students and families will see modernization and improvements to the distributed learning model, now more clearly and appropriately called online learning.

While these changes to online delivery have their origins in a 2018-2019 review and online learning working group, the benefit of modernization and the possibilities it opens up for students were made clear over the last year and a half. Modernization aims at flexibility for students to help meet their personal learning needs, from generalized to specialized programs, from full online enrolment to blended learning opportunities, whether that’s logging on to specialized courses like languages or connecting to classes that meet their unique learning needs. Flexibility and equal access, including access to and connections with educators…. It’s about equity and excellence.

Of course, these changes must work for families, parents and students. I know that our government and Minister Whiteside are committed to this, consulting with advocate groups such as AutismBC and BCEdAccess in order to hear directly from the people who know students’ diverse learning needs best. The Ministry of Education staff are working with the B.C. Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils, Federation of Independent Schools, Métis Nation B.C. and the First Nations Education Steering Committee to share updates and listen to feedback.

A focus on quality and equity, ensuring that all students in both public and independent online schools are well-supported in their programs, that teachers have the tools and resources they need and that fragmentation is reduced…. This means sharing best practices and supporting educators. It means quality assurances, teachers able to access and share high-quality online learning resources and courses through online platforms, supporting teachers and supporting students. This is our government’s commitment for both online learning and traditional bricks-and-mortar schools.

Public education is a public good. We’ve made record investments in our public education system: more funding for students with learning needs, more funding for Indigenous learners and more funding for mental health supports in schools. And who benefits from public education? We all do — neighbourhoods, communities, employers, businesses and the public sector, from one end of the province to the other.

Public education and access to the excellence it provides is a question of equity and ensuring that everyone in our province is equipped to learn, make connections, build skills and create the life they want in our province.

I’m proud to speak in response to this statement, and I thank the member for Peace River North for raising it and allowing us to discuss it. I know it matters to students, teachers, parents and families.

D. Davies: Thank you to the member for Victoria–​Beacon Hill for her comments.

I want to use my closing comments to reflect on the current situation in our province’s education system and the context in which we need to consider the changes that we push for, which will have a lasting impact on our children’s immediate future as well as the long-term future.

It goes without saying that, undoubtedly, things have changed — as we view and carry out many aspects of our life — due to COVID-19, now and as we move forward. The member for Victoria–Beacon Hill also commented about many of these changes that we’ve seen over the past year. Many have been good and will last, probably, for many years to come as we move forward.

COVID has made us re-evaluate how we live, how we work and how we learn. Our online and virtual resources are now invaluable tools in our daily lives — and, I would argue, even more so for our children. When I even try and help my own kids, it’s very obvious how frustrated they get with me when I’m trying to utilize Google this or chat that or all these other tools that are now part of kids’ regular education regimes.

[10:45 a.m.]

We cannot underestimate the importance, though, of the value of in-class learning for our children’s own growth and development, but we do also need to recognize that our education system needs a space for online learning resources. I often think that we have taken a step in the wrong direction, as this province, in recent years, has moved us to a point of where we’re going.

I remember when I was serving as the opposition Education critic, I was receiving similar emails and correspondence from parents and families that were in IDL, who were concerned about some cuts to programs that were received in the midst of the first wave of the pandemic, at a time when online learning resources and online learning was so important.

My friend and colleague, the member for Fraser-Nicola, who has taken on the critic since then, has done a great job advocating for students, parents and educators across the province. But we’re back here again, it seems, doing this again.

As you can see, this is why it doesn’t feel like we are taking steps forward. It seems a bit stagnant. Our online tools and resources are invaluable to our children’s education. They keep our children safe, our families informed and ensure transparency in our school systems, and they help forward and advance our children’s learning, which is really what this is all about.

I hope we can move forward by enacting policies and changes that will give our children and families the many tools that they will need to be successful, now and tomorrow. I really appreciate the Minister of Education sitting here today, listening to this statement.

IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATIONS

S. Chant: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to address the members of this House on a topic that is important to many of us, not the least of whom is myself.

I do want to acknowledge at this time that I’m working and staying as a guest on the unceded lands of the Songhees, Esquimalt and Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ-speaking people and that the riding I represent, live and work in is in the territory of the Coast Salish, specifically the Squamish and the Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

The information I will start by reviewing is extracted from the Canadian Public Health Association website. If anyone wants a more comprehensive overview, I can refer them there.

This is a brief history of immunization in Canada, which has a great deal to offer our current state. Prior to 1910, smallpox, rubella, tetanus and pertussis were all identified. However, the only vaccine that was available at that time was for smallpox. Between 1910 and 1939, a vaccine for pertussis became available.

There was a Spanish flu pandemic. Diphtheria was a common cause of death for children, ages one to five, and a diphtheria vaccine was developed. Deaths from tetanus continued, and a mumps virus was isolated. Between 1940 and 1959, anti-tetanus shots were introduced. Routine pertussis immunization was started. The Salk polio vaccine in 1955 reduced the incidents of polio cases from 9,000 a year in 1953 to three cases a year in 1965. At that time, the measles virus was isolated.

In the 1960s, an oral polio vaccine was licensed for use in Canada. The rubella virus was isolated, and there were 300,000 to 400,000 cases of measles annually prior to a measles vaccine being approved.

NACI, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, was formed, and no wild polio cases were reported by 1968. The rubella vaccine reduced the incidents of rubella by 60,000 cases a year.

The 1970s were a relatively uneventful decade related to vaccinations. The routine smallpox vaccinations were stopped, with the last indigenous case of smallpox being reported in Somalia. In the 1980s, smallpox was certified to be eradicated, which was endorsed by the World Health Organization.

The hepatitis B vaccine became available in Canada, with school-based programs beginning in 1987. Before widespread immunization, there were about 3,000 cases of hep B per year. By 2004, there were 829.

[10:50 a.m.]

The MMR — measles, mumps and rubella — immunization program was introduced for all infants. Rubella cases went from approximately 5,300 per year to fewer than 30 cases per year. Also, the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is approved for use in Vancouver. You can look that one up yourselves.

In the 1990s, the introduction of the Hib, or haemophilus influenzae, vaccine in Canada…. Over 400 children with Hib infections were admitted to hospital annually. Four years after the introduction of the vaccine, eight cases per year. Canada is certified as polio-free during this time, and the two-dose MMR immunization is introduced. Pertussis, which is whooping cough, outbreaks continue to occur in some communities with low vaccination rates. The varicella, or chicken pox, vaccine becomes available in Canada.

In the 2000s, a meningococcal vaccine is approved for use in Canada and made available to all provinces as part of the routine infant immunizations as of 2005 to prevent the onset of meningitis in children and youth. The inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended for all children six to 23 months of age. In 2006, the first HPV, which is human papillomavirus, vaccine is approved for use in Canada to reduce the risk that young and adult women will develop cervical cancer. This is promoted throughout the world by, among others, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

A live oral gastroenteritis vaccine is approved for the use by infants six to 32 weeks of age in Canada. The herpes zoster, or shingles, vaccine is approved for use in Canada. Remember, a lot of this work was done prior to the availability of communications and communication tools and computers that allowed collaboration.

Smallpox, rubella, tetanus and pertussis, diphtheria, polio, hepatitis and haemophilus influenza, pertussis, shingles, meningitis, influenza, human papillomavirus — all of these were recognized as significant threats to the health of various populations, researched extensively. Vaccines were developed, vetted intensely and introduced through the public health system to reduce and, in some instances, eradicate diseases that could cripple or kill children and adults.

However, the scientists in public health systems could not do this alone. The people that were at risk of being affected are the ones that made all of these steps work. Initially, the only thing that people knew was if you got sick, you rarely survived. You would have to have no income, you would not be able to run your farm or business, and any dependents that you had were also in severe jeopardy of catching the disease or dying of starvation.

Today I wish history would repeat itself. We have had a pandemic. The disease is here. We have a vaccination. The solution is here. All we need now is for the at-risk population to do the rest for themselves, for their families, for their communities, province, country and in fact the world. And guess what. We are all the at-risk population.

Additionally, this is the first time that the world has seen a high level of international scientific collaboration. This is a different type of war, one that has many casualties throughout the world, and we have the option of stopping it. It is not up to the generals or the admirals. It is up to us to decide, on an individual and collective basis, that we can reduce and, perhaps in time, eradicate COVID, and certainly, get to a point where it is as innocuous as the flu, if contracted.

S. Cadieux: Thank you to the member for North Vancouver–Seymour for the history.

With over 100 million people infected and over two million deaths, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of almost everyone on earth. It’s scary stuff, and after more than a year-and-a-half of lockdowns and restrictions and daily updates, we all want to get back to normal. Unfortunately though, at the same time, there’s also public skepticism and hostility to the most promising solution to control the pandemic, the vaccine.

It’s tempting to dismiss those who refuse the vaccine as conspiracy theorists, but we cannot. Conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers are not the only groups who are hesitant. It isn’t confined by ethnicity or religion or profession. We know that we have health care workers who aren’t vaccinated, and I doubt that most of us would call them names. They’re the same people we’ve been saluting for their tireless efforts to help others.

[10:55 a.m.]

The reality is more likely that hesitancy is a lack of trust in authorities, in the federal government, in the provincial government, in politicians like us. Probably, more needs to be done to understand and address why those people are hesitant. But right now we don’t have the luxury of time.

Vaccines are supported by decades of medical research. They work by preparing the body’s own immune system to recognize and defend against a specific disease. Now, it’s normal to have questions about vaccines, just like it is any drug or medical procedure. So if someone you know expresses concern about vaccines, listen to them with empathy. Don’t dismiss them. Ask questions to better understand their concerns and offer to share information from trusted sources. Share your own reasons for wanting to get vaccinated.

In the early 1900s, polio was a worldwide disease, paralyzing hundreds of thousands of people every year. By 1950, two effective vaccines against the disease had been developed. Through the ‘80s, a united worldwide effort to eradicate polio from the planet began. In August 2020, the African continent was certified wild poliovirus–free, leaving only a few countries, like Pakistan and Afghanistan, where polio has yet to be eradicated.

My friend Gaile wasn’t vaccinated against polio. She contracted the disease as a child, and it left her with significant disabilities that she has had to manage throughout her life. She was quick to get the COVID vaccine, and she wants others to know how important it is.

Vaccines have saved more lives in Canada than any other medical intervention in the past 50 years. Before we had vaccines, many Canadians died from diseases we can now prevent. Vaccines prevent against diseases that are not necessarily deadly but can cause pain and long-term health problems as well. These diseases are only a plane ride away. Without protection from vaccines, these diseases spread quickly, and outbreaks can occur.

In 2014, you might remember, in the Fraser Valley, we experienced the largest measles outbreak in B.C. in 30 years. It was thought to be caused by a traveller from another country where another outbreak was occurring. Low immunization rates in one community allowed measles to spread quickly, resulting in over 400 cases. That’s 400 people who didn’t have to get sick.

Today we’re talking about COVID. It is the most pressing issue, but the same reasoning applies to other vaccines that we have had for years and ones that will be developed in the future.

When we have the ability, when we have a vaccine, we need to use it. We need to use it to protect ourselves and other members of our community who might not be able to, like babies, who are too young to be vaccinated; like people who can’t receive a certain vaccine for medical reasons; like people who may not adequately respond to immunization, such as elders with poor immune systems or, frankly, people like me. So if you are able, please get vaccinated. This is our chance.

S. Chant: Thank you so much for the supportive remarks from the member for Surrey South.

The challenge is that if various communities do not achieve a target vaccination rate, it puts those people and others at risk. People who are vaccinated can still contract COVID with milder symptoms or transmit it, while manifesting no symptoms at all. People who are not vaccinated have a substantially greater possibility of having severe enough symptoms that they have to be managed in hospital, perhaps in ICU. If they survive, they may have lingering effects that impact their cardiac and respiratory functions for a prolonged period, if not permanently. Is this a risk we are willing to take for ourselves and our families?

I believe everyone is looking forward to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that we must follow to contain it. My gratitude is boundless to all the many types of workers, front line health emergency personnel, others who have kept our economy going, food on our tables and some semblance of safe social interaction happening. To all those who have gotten the vaccine, you have strengthened the safety net that we all depend on to get beyond this pandemic.

I’ve had the opportunity to speak with clients who are permanently dependent on mechanical ventilation, also a result of childhood polio. I’ve also met one of my constituent’s moms, who is dealing with post-polio syndrome that has had a profound effect on the latter parts of her life.

[11:00 a.m.]

She has always been energetic and active, and now she is not able to be either of those things. When she was ten, she developed polio. The vaccine came afterwards. The conversations around the vaccine were very similar to what we are doing now. She really wishes she had had access to the vaccine.

As a health care provider, I have gotten the flu vaccine annually to ensure that not only I have a reduced risk of getting the flu but also that I have a much reduced risk of transmitting it to the very vulnerable people I serve. I have also vaccinated 501 people since February in a variety of settings.

I believe that we all want to get to a place where we can see each other without masks, to hug, to dance, or sing in close proximity. We all want to stop drenching our hands in sanitizer. In short, we all want the COVID pandemic to go away. We want to once again feel that our elders and our children are safe and get beyond the restrictions currently needed.

The key to getting to this place of safety with each other has been offered to and accepted by over 85 percent of B.C.’s population through immunization. Once again, our public health system has risen to the challenge and is providing an effective proactive measure to manage the transmission, spread, and severity of a virulent and often deadly disease that has impacted all of us.

Immunization is available to everybody at no cost. I encourage us all to get vaxxed.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much for the statements today.

I believe we’re going to go to the Government House Leader before we come to the member who is eagerly awaiting his place.

Hon. J. Whiteside: I ask that the House consider proceeding with Motion 17 standing in the name of the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 17 without disturbing the priorities of the motions proceeding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 17 — WILDFIRE RESPONSE
AND RECOVERY

L. Doerkson: Today I move the following motion:

[Be it resolved that this House recognize the lessons learned from this year’s historic wildfire season and implement them to better prepare our response to future wildfires and needed post-wildfire recovery.]

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

It has certainly not been an easy year for so many of us here in British Columbia, particularly those in the Interior. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll, and many people are still dealing with the impacts of this summer’s devastating wildfire season.

This year was the third-worst wildfires in our province, with thousands of hectares of forest and rangeland destroyed and nearly 33,000 people displaced. Very few communities in the region emerged unscathed, whether they had to evacuate, face the loss of structures, destruction of land, or had to put up with smoky skies for far too many days.

Like much of British Columbia, my constituency is dependent on the government to address the aftermath of the fires, but we have yet to see much in terms of meaningful action. Many suppliers of hay and temporary grazing areas, along with truckers, have not been paid for their services due to slow payable systems that have seen these individuals and small businesses having to finance the recovery effort on their own.

Our agriculture and resource sectors were particularly hard hit, putting many people’s livelihoods at risk. For some ranchers, the fires meant the loss of livestock and destruction of important productive land, leading to feed shortages. Farmers are short hundreds of bales of hay needed to feed their animals this winter and left with the land that may likely not be able to produce anything for a year or more.

Other ranchers like the Cunningham family in the South Cariboo are eager to get their cattle back to the range, but they can’t do that until the Crown fencing is replaced, which requires disaster financial assistance. This funding from the federal government must be secured by the province, but the NDP have still not made progress on this.

In the hopes of prompting efficient action, I asked the Minister of Agriculture about this funding directly in question period a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, she did not have much to offer my constituents in way of reassurance. She told me that the discussions about securing this funding are “conversations that will continue.”

[11:05 a.m.]

That’s simply not good enough. It’s not good enough for the Cunninghams, and it’s certainly not good enough for the dozens of other ranchers who are impacted by this problem. British Columbians whose livelihoods hang in the balance need to know that this government is doing far more than just having conversations. They need real action, support and relief.

Last week I wrote to the Minister of Public Safety, asking again about securing this desperately needed funding, and I still don’t have a clear answer on when this situation will be resolved. People are waiting. They’re dependent on the government for recovery but are once again left without the help they need. And it’s not just my constituents that need support. It’s thousands of people throughout this province. I’m sure we’ll hear, from their MLAs, this morning about specific issues that are impacting them and their communities.

Beyond recovery support, we also need action from the government developing new strategies to prevent and fight wildfires. I have spoken on this to some extent before, but it’s absolutely essential that we learn from the past lessons and implement tactics based on those lessons. It’s not enough anymore to just write reports about what knowledge we’ve gained and then leave them on the shelf. We absolutely must implement them on the ground.

Additionally, we need to improve transparency around wildfires. Not knowing what government is doing only adds stress to those of us on the ground. Freedom of Information Act requests from the opposition for information on how wildfire resources were allocated this year were returned with a single line stating that no records were found on this topic. This is alarming, to say the least.

I think it’s clear that it’s time to modernize the way we approach fighting and recovering from wildfires. We need to better utilize local and Indigenous knowledge, use all of the resources at our disposal, and take further steps to tackle climate change so that the destruction we have seen this year does not become the norm.

M. Starchuk: Thank you to the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin. I think we both agree that this is a subject that’s near and dear to our hearts. No one denies that the wildfires were devastating this year. Fire converging at categories ranked 5 is extreme, and ranked 6 is something that has not been seen before.

I acknowledge that it’s devastating to lose your belongings, home and other items to wildfire. It was a tragedy that there were two lives lost in Lytton. But what we saw in this one were the people that disobeyed evacuation orders. That compounded fighting these fires. We, as the House, must stand together to uphold the laws that keep people safe, but to embolden the actions of those who may have defied evacuation orders is wrong.

Last week the member for Kamloops–South Thompson stated: “It’s easy to judge these folks, but it takes more of an effort to stop and listen to what might prompt someone to stay behind and risk their lives during an emergency.” Mr. Speaker, when it’s somebody who is untrained and who decides to risk their life during an emergency, it only delays the crews getting engaged with these wildfires.

We saw the news footage of the person who decided to get a portable pump, a firehose and a nozzle to protect their property, and then a few days later we saw the news footage of a melted plastic hose and the firehose that was burnt. We also saw footage of a fireboat that was going to deliver water along areas of the beach with a fire pump, only to stop and have to rescue people that did not leave when the evacuation orders were given.

The motion is a good motion. Debriefs of possible lessons learned happen every year, by all agencies, at the end of wildfire seasons.

When I was in Barriere in 2003…. I can tell you that I have the utmost respect for the women and men who are doing their best to protect the various communities that were there. When I was there, I said I’d never do their job on a full-time basis. I said I’d rather be in a three-storey apartment fire with half a tank of air on my back. The feelings were mutual, as none of the wildland firefighters ever wanted to do my job. Having structural firefighters working next to wildland fighters was a necessity at that time, and it remains that way this year.

[11:10 a.m.]

What happened with the changes and reviews of previous seasons? FireSmart programs are proof that reviews and lessons learned work. Our government is investing $60 million to support local governments and First Nations in becoming fire-smart, and 365 grants have been issued to date, supporting communities like Logan Lake, Canada’s first FireSmart community. We all know how well FireSmart worked in Logan Lake. Fuel management is a big part of what came out of the reviews in the previous seasons.

Now I’d like to pause and thank those who took care of those people that were evacuated. Many of those who worked in the ESSs were volunteers and worked tirelessly for days. Those who worked in the EOCs said “so long” to their families for weeks at a time. Let’s not forget those people working in the EOCs, who coordinated the efforts of B.C. Wildfire Service, and the subject-matter experts, who are using their knowledge, skills and abilities to best fight these fires.

When the province was experiencing significant fire activity, the B.C. Wildfire Service called upon other agencies for additional resources, such as equipment, personnel and aircraft. The B.C. Wildfire Service has arrangements with dozens of companies from many areas of the province to provide contract firefighters and support personnel, and many times, these contractors are locally sourced.

If its own personnel are stretched to capacity, B.C. Wildfire Service can call upon other resources from other contract crews, fire suppressant specialists or from its national and international partners. However, this summer, the subject-matter experts were put into scenarios never seen before. We had the driest summer on record. A heat dome and heat waves made the working conditions for those firefighters difficult at best.

My time in Barriere reminded me of how lucky I was to work the night shift, from six o’clock at night to six o’clock in the morning.

To add to the dry forests and the high temperatures was the unpredictability of high winds. Even Mark Madryga couldn’t get that one right.

You can backburn, and you can create fire guards. When unpredictable weather changes, you don’t have a chance.

In closing, with regards to evacuation orders and leaving your possessions behind, I think it was best said by Chief Byron Louis of the Okanagan Indian Band. He said it best when he said: “You come to the realization that the most valuable possession you have in your house is your family.”

Speaker’s Statement

RULES FOR DEBATE

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

Members, before we go on to the next speaker, during the last speech, I was a little concerned. I just want to go back to unparliamentary language.

Standing Order 40(2) prohibits offensive words against another member. The main transgressions of unparliamentary language are: “Imputation of false motives. Members cannot quote another Member’s words to avoid offending Standing Order 40; a Member cannot do indirectly what the Member is unable to do directly…. The conduct of a Member cannot be canvassed in debate, nor can charges of a personal character be made, except by a substantive motion, for which notice is required.”

I’m not saying that somebody crossed the line. I’m just very sensitive to the words calling into question the motives of another member of this House. I want to advise members to be very careful. Thank you.

Debate Continued

J. Rustad: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I want to thank the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin for bringing forth this motion.

Lessons learned in terms of fires…. If you grow up in a rural area and live out in a rural area, you put your heart and soul into the land, into the area around you, into your family, into your community. When it’s threatened by fire, you hope that government will be able to be there to help fight and help protect your land. It’s tragic that, in the past, we’ve seen examples where that didn’t happen.

Now, I want to start by saying to the firefighters and the people on the front line: I have nothing but admiration and thanks for the people who fight fires. It’s remarkable how dedicated and how hard-working they are. I know. I’ve fought fires with them. I know what it’s like to be out on the lines and doing that work. It is tough. It is difficult work. But when the member from Surrey-Cloverdale came up and made an accusation about the people that stayed behind in communities to fight and to save their homes, I take great offence to that. I’ll explain why.

In 2018, across Francois Lake, there was an entire community there — the south bank, that entire area. About 15 percent of the population that lives in my riding live in that area. They were put under siege.

[11:15 a.m.]

They decided…. Some people left. Lots of people decided to stay behind and fight. Why? Because they’re remote. They support one another. They get in there and do the work on the ground, and they fought side by side with firefighters and others that came in.

They were under siege. They were not allowed to cross the lake to get supplies. They were not allowed to have fuel come in. It wasn’t allowed for them to be able to have pumps and hoses to come in to help fight these fires. We had to sneak that stuff in against the government blockade.

It makes me furious when I hear the member for Surrey-Cloverdale stand up and make accusations. Again, people that want to stay behind and fight for their family and fight for their homes and fight for their livelihoods…. Multiple generations put efforts and work into that, and all they’re asking for is a little help. That’s all they ask for. They want to be in there to help fight. They want to be in there to protect what they have.

Unless you live in that circumstance, unless you see that, you don’t understand that passion. To make an accusation and to not learn the lessons of what happened on the ground is just shameful. It is shameful.

I spoke, after the 2018 fires, with the head of B.C. Wildfire Service, who is now the deputy for the Ministry of Forests. I spoke with him about what some other jurisdictions do, how they can sign waivers so that there isn’t liability issues, so that when they can bring in support, if something goes wrong, government will be held accountable.

People need to be able to make choices on the ground. I encourage people to leave those kind of dangerous situations. But when people make the decision to stay, they shouldn’t be kept under siege. They shouldn’t be tried to be starved out to force them out.

They made a decision to protect their lands. Work with them. Figure out how you can support them. Yes, you get rid of the liability issues. Sign a waiver or whatever the case may be. There were RCMP officers that went door to door to try to encourage people to leave, and when people decided not leave, they asked for their dental records so that they could be identified in case there was a tragedy. How do they think that makes people feel?

There’s a lot more that needs to be learned from fires. There are so many examples of private sector crews that went in to fight fires, that went in to start when a fire was just at the small stages and were told to stand down by the B.C. Wildfire Service folks that came out, because they hadn’t done an assessment yet. Those people could have had the fires out.

I’ll give you one quick example of back in 2018. Interfor had crews that were trained, that were ready to go to a fire up in the area. They were told they couldn’t go in. The next day they said: “When are you going to come and do the assessment?” “Well, we’re busy, but you can’t go in yet.”

The next day after that, they called and said: “Look, we’re going to get in there and get this fire out.” They were told: “If you go in there, we’ll sue you. We’ll go after you legally. You can’t go in there until we do the assessment.” After day five, the winds picked up, and the fire took off, and a thousand-hectare fire started from that. Things have to change. Government needs to learn lessons.

J. Rice: This past summer saw one of the worst wildfire seasons in this province’s history, burning over 860,000 hectares and displacing more than 32,000 people. Over 500 structures, including many people’s homes, were lost, and tragically, two lives were lost.

At the height of the summer, over 3,000 personnel were helping to fight fires, including personnel from Mexico, Australia and across Canada. This past season put firefighting crews, emergency responders and communities to the test, particularly as we also deal with a global pandemic.

In recent years, the B.C. government has invested heavily in wildfire prevention and preparedness initiatives to help keep British Columbians safe and to protect the province’s natural resources and infrastructure. It’s difficult to forecast wildfire suppression costs for any given year since each wildfire season varies significantly, depending on weather conditions and the number and severity of wildfires.

The B.C. government has allocated $136 million for direct fire costs in Budget 2021 for the ’21-22 wildfire season. These significant increases recognize historical firefighting costs and allow for more response capacity, community engagement and communication resources to help communities be better prepared for wildfires.

[11:20 a.m.]

We will always spend what is necessary to protect people and property. We know that climate change is expected to make these types of extreme events more frequent and that we need strong, coordinated action around the world to reduce emissions and build a cleaner economy for everyone.

In B.C., we’re taking a range of actions through our CleanBC plan to build a more sustainable future powered by more renewable energy. B.C.’s draft climate preparedness and adaptation strategy helps to ensure we stay safe and respond effectively in a changing climate. It builds on the 2019 Preliminary Strategic Climate Risk Assessment, which examines some of the greatest risks to B.C. as a result of climate change. B.C.’s climate preparedness and adaptation strategy builds on over a decade of work by leaders within government and across communities.

Here are some of the programs and initiatives B.C. already has in place to help prepare for the impacts of wildfires due to climate change. The community resiliency investment program provides $60 million to assist Indigenous communities and local governments to reduce local wildfire threats through FireSmart and Crown land wildfire risk reduction. Over 365 grants have been issued to date, supporting communities like Logan Lake, Canada’s first FireSmart community.

Whether it’s increasing emergency planning capacity, managing vegetation or taking critical steps to protect community, infrastructure and homes, we need to actively mitigate wildfire risks. We’ll also be undertaking more prescribed burns, carrying out fuel mitigation work and supporting more communities in becoming FireSmart.

We’re committed to ensuring we’re better prepared for future fire seasons, and that critical work is happening right now. We have B.C.’s cultural and prescribed fire initiative, which promotes healthy forests and reduces wildfire risk. The province is investing in wildfire risk reduction, reforestation, forest rehabilitation and other efforts through the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C.

Through StrongerBC, the province is investing in projects that will reduce the risk of wildfires on Crown land, while creating more than 500 jobs in rural communities. B.C. is improving predictive services models to improve wildfire preparedness and response activities. The B.C. FireSmart Begins At Home manual provides practical advice for individual British Columbians to reduce wildfire risk around their homes and properties. A farm and ranch wildfire guide, workbook and instructional videos have been developed to help farmers and ranchers to prepare for future wildfires.

These are some of the actions we’re taking to adapt to wildfires due to a changing climate. There’s always more work to do and more lessons to be learned. We’re committed to helping British Columbians build resiliency and to be better prepared. We know that investing now in the future not only makes wise financial sense but it improves the outcomes for everyone.

G. Kyllo: I’m honoured to stand and speak to this motion.

The wildfire season is among the most devastating in our recent history. So 1,610 wildfires displaced more than 33,000 people, according to emergency management B.C. That’s nearly 5½ times the number of people that were forced from their homes in 2018 and twice as many compared to 2017.

My own riding of Shuswap endured many of the hardships and anxieties that many communities faced as some of B.C.’s most destructive fires threatened our region, including the Two Mile Road fire the Bunting Road fire, the Hunakwa fire and the Crazy Creek Gorge fire and the Whiterock Lake fire.

In my own residency in Sicamous, my family was actually on evacuation alert for a two-week period. Fortunately — largely due to the amazing, hard work and dedication of the B.C. Wildfire Service — that fire did not actually come into the community, and there were no structures lost.

Unfortunately and sadly, the Whiterock Lake fire had a significant and devastating impact on the Westside Road along Okanagan Lake. The Okanagan Lake Indian Band had some devastating losses. Their grocery store and hardware store were actually decimated by the fire. There were over 500 band members that were actually out of their homes for over a 30-day period.

Along Westside Road, there were 2,500 residents that were actually evacuated from their homes for an entire 30-day period. Many of the businesses in that area had devastating losses because Westside Road was actually shut down for over a month-long period.

[11:25 a.m.]

The impact of the structural losses is one component, but the business losses are also extremely significant. If anybody has driven on Highway 1 heading east towards Calgary, the Three Valley Chateau…. It’s an amazing resort development right on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway. There was a fire that erupted there back in July, and their business was shut down for a full 30 days. For 30 days, they lost their receipts.

Now, this is a seasonal business. It only operates basically from May until October, but losing that one month of the season, as well as all the negative publicity around the Three Valley fire, just absolutely devastated their ability. It wasn’t just the business itself but obviously all of those local residents that actually worked in that facility.

The significant impacts of these fires have far-reaching implications, not just on the fires and the actual structural losses themselves but also the impact on the negative business activity.

The Crazy Creek fire — and this is one area that I hope B.C. Wildfire Service will pay more attention to in the future. At Crazy Creek hot springs, there’s a small resort development — two different businesses there. Because the name of the fire was attached as the Crazy Creek fire, even though the fire was nowhere in proximity to these facilities….

All of the media attention indicated that it was the Crazy Creek fire, and they had cancellation after cancellation after cancellation. They were put in a place where they were having to try and defend the fact that the fire was actually on another ridge, many, many miles away, not actually even impacting their facilities. They also had financial hardships and losses associated with that.

The other piece that I think is worthy of conversation is the impact on people’s mental health. We all know the impacts of COVID, having to self-isolate or even quarantine in your housing. And we finally got to the point where, I think, British Columbians were feeling safe to go out, with the vaccinations.

If I can speak from a personal nature. My stepfather has COPD. He got to the point where, finally — he was double-vaccinated — he felt safe to get out in the community, and then we had the wildfires. We were actually choking on the smoke. The air quality was 17 times worse than the recommended level by World Health Organization. So my stepfather, because of all of the smoke, was again self-isolating inside his home for about a 45-day period. There are many, many impacts of these fires.

In closing, I think it’s also worth talking about what’s happened with B.C. Wildfire Service. They seem to be moving away from putting fires out and more to trying to manage them. I certainly appreciate it’s a very daunting endeavour.

When we have a look at the impacts on climate change…. I saw some stats here this morning that indi­cated that in the 2018 wildfire season, 237.4 megatonnes of emissions emitted from forest management in B.C, and the total emissions from all man-made causes only 68 megatonnes. So 78 percent of the emissions of British Columbia are not reported under our current climate action.

R. Russell: It may be a clichéd term, but the line “build back better” still resonates very well with me. I rise to speak in favour of this motion because I believe that the heart of the motion is about just that — taking the experiences of yesterday and learning how to rebuild our policy, rebuild our communities to be better than they were before.

One tangible legislative outcome of that same perspective is the wholesale modernization of the Emergency Program Act that we have on the horizon. While the 2021 wildfires didn’t burn as many hectares as the 2017 and 2018 fires, the 1,590 fires that burned this summer did impact more structures and created more evacuation orders and more alerts than either of those other recent fire seasons. And at over $600 million invested to help keep people and forests safe, the costs of this year’s fire season are significant.

Firefighting is tough work at the best of times, and given the context of this year’s fires within the COVID pandemic, the challenge it had was even more significant. So I want to start by expressing some gratitude to the thousands of people that leaned in to help with this challenge and to help to keep us safe. This includes the ground crews and air support, the logistics teams and the finance folks, the industry crews and volunteers. The list could go on and on.

[11:30 a.m.]

At its peak, we had over 3½ thousand people on the ground to keep our forests safe and to keep our communities safe, including crews from Mexico, Australia and across Canada. The question is: what have we learned from past emergencies, and what can we do with that learning? How have we changed?

As the member for North Coast mentioned earlier, I think that first and foremost in that list is to recognize the massive costs of inaction on greenhouse gas emissions. Taking bold action to reduce emissions will be cheaper than the reactive costs of the increased extreme weather events, which have been predicted by the science again and again, if we do not take action. The future costs of inaction are far greater than the costs of smart choices today.

Another lesson that we’ve learned in the past, as mentioned by the member for Shuswap, is the role of psycho-social supports — the impact on our mental health in disaster recovery, in particular. Like so many others, I have been there, and I know how vital these supports are. I’m happy to see what the Provincial Health Services Authority has done in their dedication to making sure that this is attended to in disaster recovery.

As was mentioned by a wise and empathetic recovery manager that I had the privilege to work with, Chris Marsh, emergencies don’t really respect jurisdictions. That’s certainly true, as we all know.

One of the lessons that I think we’ve learned — at a local government scale, at a regional district scale or at the provincial scale — is that we need policy to do a good job of breaking down those artificial jurisdictional boundaries when we want to help communities recover in a genuine way. This really speaks to the importance of collaboration and coming together when we work through these emergencies.

In the same vein, I’d add that partisanship in politics absolutely needs to be set aside when we’re dealing with crises like these. If we want communities at the core of our recovery model — that is another thing that we’ve learned recently: the importance of disaster management in B.C. — we need to avoid using communities as political fodder for political posturing. I would say also that we’ve learned that our forests mean a whole lot more to us than just their value as timber.

For the last two decades, and probably longer, we’ve been managing our forests with fibre volume as the primary, trump-all-else value, a value that has put us in a position where we don’t have the capacity to respond to fires as effectively as in the past and where we have to have the potential, now, going forward.

We’ve seen how important FireSmart in communities can be. I’m proud that the changes that are tied in with the forest modernization plan include those changes to put values for communities at the core of our decision-making around our forests.

Finally, because I love it, I have to also mention the Sendai framework. B.C. was the first Canadian province to adopt this framework back in 2018. This framework essentially advocates for substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries. At its core, this means a shift for our own disaster management from a reactive focus to a broader disaster risk reduction lens.

To sum it all up, I think that we’ve learned a lot, and I hope that we don’t stop. Let’s continue to review, learn and make our system of legislation, regulation and operations better for our people and our forests.

B. Stewart: I rise today to speak about this very important topic, not only for my riding but for many around the province. I want to speak about this critically important motion before us today, one which I sincerely hope every member of this House can passionately endorse and one that affects many of my constituents in my riding of Kelowna West.

Anyone who has followed the progression of wildfires in this province knows that last year’s devastating wildfire season was one of the worst ever seen: Kelowna West with numerous infrastructure, homes and businesses that were destroyed or impacted due to the Brenda Creek fire; Mount Law; and White Rock Lake fire, which was obviously the most devastating for many communities.

People had to scramble for safety, and it was an incredibly stressful time for our community. Left displaced and separated from friends or loved ones, these very individuals looked to the government for their support. Often, however, that support was delayed and, quite frankly, inadequate to serve the needs of these people that were evacuated and displaced.

[11:35 a.m.]

Throughout these challenging circumstances, individuals were frustrated by the lack of information they were receiving from their government. The same government that delayed declaring a state of emergency was inconsistent in its communications efforts, which caused more confusion than relief and, most importantly, left many of the affected individuals to fend for themselves.

After an incredibly destructive wildfire season in 2017, two well-established individuals released their provincially mandated review of one of the most devastating wildfire seasons that we’ve seen to date. The 148-page report highlighted major communication gaps, poor cooperation with First Nations and inadequate prevention measures.

However, this government largely ignored these recommendations, so perhaps it’s no surprise that during this year’s wildfire seasons, individuals spoke out about the lack of leadership, coordination and communication from our provincial authorities, time and time again.

It is not enough for this government to acknowledge that there is a problem. We need to see them actually make meaningful steps to bring about change. Since the wildfire report was published, this government has had every opportunity to learn from the events that took place in 2017 and implement the recommendations suggested. Instead, we not only saw major deficiencies in the response to this year’s wildfire season, but we continue to see a lack of support during the recovery phase.

In the past, the Public Safety Minister spoke of an imminent overhaul of B.C. emergency laws, yet months later, nothing has translated to the front lines, and we continue to wait. As we approach the winter months and more information is brought to light, it is clear that the situation could have been dealt with more efficiently. This government should have called a state of emergency earlier, instead of waiting until public pressure eventually forced it to do that.

Countless fires were burning for weeks after the heat dome in June, and it took till July 20 for this government to realize that the state of emergency was needed. This was only after the town of Lytton experienced the terrible tragedy that claimed two lives and destroyed nearly everything in the community and after the start of the White Rock Lake fire that eventually affected thousands of people in my community.

If this government is unwilling to make the needed changes, how can we ensure, moving forward, that situations like these will be handled sufficiently? How can we guarantee the residents throughout the regions in British Columbia that their government is willing and able to deal with situations that affect their physical, mental and emotional levels of health?

The key question that has been brought forward by my constituents since that time has been: what is the government doing to engage in the recovery and rebuilding process?

I stand here today and ask: why did it take the government so long, and the Public Safety Minister more than two months, to send caseworkers into the regional district to help support these people impacted by the White Rock Lake fire, to ensure that the specific needs of those affected were heard and dealt with? Today, I know, many are participating in Zoom calls every Tuesday to get information about the emergency.

I have been to people’s homes where their businesses were lost, and they need action. They need disaster financial assistance. Over and above the fact that some of them had insurance, the bottom line is that they need certainty in being able to move ahead. The people of Kelowna West deserve answers and adequate support to get through these tough times. The support that they have received to date is simply not good enough.

H. Sandhu: I would like to thank my colleague the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin for his motion asking that this House “recognize the lessons learned from this year’s historic wildfire season and implement them to better prepare our response to future wildfires and needed post-wildfire recovery.” I appreciate member’s advocacy in presenting this motion, as my own riding of Vernon-Monashee and surrounding communities were also impacted by the White Rock Lake fire.

My sincere condolences and thoughts are with the people who lost their properties and houses, on the tragic loss of two precious lives to these devastating fires and on the hardship that people had to go through. Imagine the stress, anxiety and pain of losing everything instantly, and the time it takes to rebuild everything back.

[11:40 a.m.]

I want to reflect and show appreciation for the efforts of everyone in our communities coming together once again. As I have highlighted previously, our communities came together to help one another by opening their doors, their homes, to people who were evacuated. Restaurants were offering free meals, and community members would gather to cheer on and to show support to our incredible firefighters, equipment operators, Canadian Armed Forces, volunteers and emergency crews every evening.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance and responsibility, as elected leaders, to share correct and factual information with the people during these devastating times. Unfortunately, there was so much misinformation about the wildfire. Emergency management B.C.’s response to the Monte Lake and White Rock Lake fire was being shared with people.

Many people and firefighters have shared their frustration about this, as these actions caused confusion and anxiety. These actions can also cause loss of lives and properties. I am sharing this because my staff and I have heard directly from people and firefighters and front-line responders. Also, such conversations can still be seen online.

The total cost of wildfire suppression from April 1 to September 30 was about $565 million. This does not include future recovery costs.

I want to thank the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, for their regular check-ins, calls and support during these difficult times. I want to thank our brave firefighters on the front lines and those who worked behind the scenes. They have tried their very best to keep us all safe, despite facing many challenges caused by hot and dry weather, winds and little to no rain.

Our B.C. NDP government allocated $136 million for direct fire costs in Budget 2021 for the 2021-2022 wildfire season, the same as last year’s firefighting budget but $73 million more than was allocated in Budget 2018.

I am reassured and hopeful by the work that is being done by the cabinet working group on wildfire recovery and our Premier’s commitment to work to mitigate these risks all year round. Fire officials are also welcoming this commitment and saying that the province is “trending in the right direction.”

The district of Logan Lake, as mentioned by previous speakers, was a pioneer of the B.C. FireSmart program, which helps communities and individuals prepare ahead of time to reduce fire risks. We can learn from the community of Logan Lake.

I hope all members of this House will support this motion and will work together to address the emergency and urgency of climate change, the plan to prepare for future natural disasters — whether it’s fires, floods, earthquakes or other disasters — as well as support this recovery and initiatives, whether it includes people’s mental health and all of these other areas.

I appreciate the time to speak.

T. Stone: I appreciate the opportunity to get up today and speak to the motion that my colleague from Cariboo-Chilcotin has brought forward. I think this is a very, very important discussion and debate for us to have.

Frankly, this conversation should take place within the confines of a more formal process, like an all-party committee or a review or some independent analysis and review of what actually transpired in this most recent fire season, with the goal of actually implementing the kinds of changes that are needed.

Now, I’m going to say thank you to all of the firefighters and everybody that was involved in emergency operations centres — all first responders, everyone that is involved in recovery efforts, and so forth. I think everyone in this House thanks everyone for the incredible work they have done. There’s no dispute there.

I think everyone in this House acknowledges the significance, the severity and the frequency of the fires that are taking place with greater regularity. There’s no dispute there.

[11:45 a.m.]

I do, however, believe that there is a disconnect that exists within the government with respect to the impacts of these fires on the communities where they hit, the impacts on the people in these communities.

We can talk about mitigation, and that’s an entirely different but very important conversation to have. I don’t have enough time to get into that today. There are all kinds of things that we could talk about in terms of how to better manage our forest lands with wildfires in mind. The FireSmart programs like in Logan Lake — an excellent example of the kinds of investments we need to see on a massive scale to better fireproof communities around the province.

I want to talk about response and recovery. We have got to change how we do what we do in this province when it comes to preparing for, fighting and recovering from wildfires. We have seen in 2017, the wildfires of 2018 and now the wildfires of 2021 just how devastating wildfires are on our communities and our people.

We need to take a look at everything. We need to look at how we declare states of emergency in this province and the impact that that has not just on operational realities when it’s declared but the morale boost that that provides for communities that are under siege by wildfires.

We need to take a long, hard look at the resources that are made available. There is a lack of resources that are available to fight fires in this province. That was evident, crystal clear in this particular season — these particular wildfire months that we just went through. The government has to take a long, hard look at that. We have to listen to the people in these local areas. We have to leverage that local knowledge in a way that has never been done before.

When I stand up and say I’m going to fight for the people in Monte Lake and Paxton Valley, it’s not to say that I encourage people to stay behind fire lines, that I encourage people to risk their lives, that I encourage people not to follow evacuation orders. But it is to say that there is a total lack of understanding on the other side as to what would motivate someone to actually stay behind. They’re motivated to stay behind because the government resources that were promised to them — in Monte Lake, as an example, or Paxton Valley — didn’t arrive. They weren’t there. These are the locals that are telling us this.

I believe the locals. It’s not one person or five people or ten people. It is the entire communities. When you have everything invested in your land, you have everything invested in your equipment and your infrastructure and your animals and your house, you’re darned right people are going to want to do everything they can to fight it.

First and foremost, they’re going to welcome the government resources when they arrive, and they’re going to get out of the way. Or, they’re going to stay behind, and they’re going to fight to protect what is theirs if those government resources don’t arrive.

There is inherent in that lesson a very important thing we need to learn about how we manage these fires moving forward. The allocation of resources. The engagement, or lack thereof, with the private sector. Story after story after story of contractors that were not engaged. The B.C. Wildfire Service, in leaked memos, actually confirming that that is the case. There weren’t enough resources.

It’s time for the government to listen. It is time for the government to engage. It is time for the government to make serious changes to better protect people and communities in the years ahead with respect to wildfires.

A. Mercier: I want to thank the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin for bringing this motion for debate and for encouraging to us to learn lessons.

Before I speak to the motion, I just want to say a few words about what we’ve heard in this debate and what we heard at the beginning of this debate.

I just want to reiterate that the lesson the government needs to learn here — that all governments need to learn in a situation of emergency and danger like this — is to get out of the way and support the experts that are working to coordinate and deliver the response.

The wrong thing to do here — the absolute wrong thing to do here — is to politicize the wildfire response, in the same way that it would be the wrong thing to do, in terms of our pandemic response, in politicizing or criticizing Dr. Bonnie Henry or the team. We need to make sure that we are acting on their advice and that we are supporting them.

[11:50 a.m.]

I understand how hard that can be on the ground, and how hard when everything is tied up in your property — how hard that can be. But any government, any democratic modern government, has to prize life over property. That can be incredibly difficult, and there’s room to be critical. But the criticism needs to happen after folks are out of harm’s way and after the danger has ended.

I just want to commend my friend the member for Surrey-Cloverdale, who spent an entire career as a professional firefighter and knows about fire management probably better than anyone in this House. I want to thank him for his wise words earlier.

I think it’s easy in this House, and I’m probably as guilty of it as anyone, to throw spears. The adversarial nature of this House and of these proceedings lend themselves to that. But politicizing emergency management responses and encouraging being anything other than absolutely clear about a response to imminent danger is not somewhere that we ought to go in this House.

Now, it’s been said by many members here from both sides, more eloquently than me, how tragic and historic this fire season has been. Not the least of which is occurring in a pandemic, when folks’ minds and energy and mental health have all been focused somewhere else for the past two years. This fire season has been a wake-up call.

It has been a wake-up call in terms of the management of our forest inventory, which we heard about from the member for Boundary-Similkameen, but also in terms of how we address climate change and the root systemic causes of these fires.

We need to get real. I’m glad to see the government acting on CleanBC and acting towards addressing carbon emissions to reduce that. But we also need to get serious about the fact that 60 percent of wildfires are human caused. They’re human caused — 60 percent.

I say this to some of my buddies, my friends that smoke: “The world is not your ashtray.” Members of the public ought not to be throwing cigarette butts out of the window. If you’re ATVing on a long weekend, you ought not to be doing that by dry grass. We need to make sure that we’re taking precautions and that we’re also addressing the situation. We need to adapt to the reality.

We need to focus on prevention, which was outlined by my friend the member for North Coast, and we also need to focus on mitigating climate change risk and ensuring that supports to fight and mitigate the impact of wildfires are there, which is what we’re doing, in addition to preventing them.

This summer…. My brother Jamie Mercier is a natural resource officer in the enforcement and compliance branch of the Forests, Lands and Natural Resources ministry. I had a great conversation with him, several great conversations throughout the fire, when he was on a teams deployment managing logistics and procurement at Castlegar, at the Kootenay central fire centre.

It really, in those conversations, struck me how complex the coordination of those contracts is and how complex delivering services is. We need to be mindful of the complexity of that and the need for central management of it.

In closing, I’ll just say that it’s easy to throw spears, but we need to be mindful of the situation on the ground. We need to make sure that human life and protecting human life are put at the forefront, above and beyond all else, even if that means property. That is just a basic principle.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

J. Tegart: I rise in the House today to speak on the private member’s motion on wildfires.

As MLAs, we all have a duty, a duty to serve as voices for those we’ve been entrusted to represent and to bring their questions, their concerns and their frustrations before this House. How dare you suggest that we are politicizing because we’re doing our duty?

[11:55 a.m.]

Here in Victoria, on an autumn morning, the unimaginable devastation from this summer’s record wildfire season seems like a distant memory and a disconnected memory to many people across the aisle, it seems to me. But there are tens of thousands of British Columbians who are still dealing with the anger and the loss that these wildfires brought to our communities.

As the MLA for Fraser-Nicola, I stand in this House today as the voice of hundreds of residents in my riding that called Lytton home — the displaced, the lost, the hurt, those who feel completely abandoned and ignored by this government.

One hundred and seventeen days after hundreds of my constituents faced an unrelenting heatwave and were forced to face it alone, with little support or warning of the dangers from your government, because, after all, fatalities were just a part of life.

Then came the culmination of the heatwave in the most horrific and destructive form — a fire that swept through the valley, giving our people only minutes to flee for their lives with nothing more on their backs than their clothes, abandoning their homes, their livelihoods, the foundations and memories of their lives they had built in their small community. To the horror of the world, two people perished.

This devastating day was only the beginning for the people of Lytton, as they joined more than 30,000 British Columbians displaced by the wildfires that raged across our province. These residents are still displaced to this day, left with little more than promises from this government that help is on the way and that work is being done on the ground. But there has been little evidence to prove that, and so many questions remain unanswered.

Where is the promised interim housing? For nearly four months, the people of Lytton have been living in spare bedrooms of friends and family, on couches and in motels, some of them with little more than a suitcase and donated clothes. They have no clue when they’ll be able to return to their homes or have a permanent roof over their heads. Shame on us if we can’t deal with this.

What actions is government taking to rebuild and restore the village of Lytton? Lytton was more than just homes. It was an infrastructure and commerce hub for more than 2,500 constituents in the region, who relied on the resources and services offered in Lytton. Residents lost more than their homes. They lost their land. They lost their places of employment, their hospital and critical emergency services.

Numerous letters, countless emails and multiple questions have been raised in this House for weeks on end, and still this government leaves the people of Lytton in the dark.

Government must change its approach. It must work closer with the people most affected, particularly those in the community of Lytton. They expect a clear plan and a timeline for interim housing. They expect that their government will show British Columbians that their government will be there in their darkest hour.

What they don’t expect is members of this House to suggest that the people of Lytton deserve anything less.

J. Tegart moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. Whiteside moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.