Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: N. Letnick.

Introductions by Members

Hon. R. Kahlon: Today, very shortly, joining us in the gallery will be the excellent interns that we have on the government side.

[10:05 a.m.]

We’ve got five interns who’ll be working with the government caucus. They are Jenna Hrechka, who graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in political science; Kevin Wong, who studied political science, law and society, at the University of British Columbia; Isabella Devereaux, who holds a degree in political science at UBC; Zaina Khan, who studied history, Indigenous studies and sociology at Simon Fraser University; and Ben Rutkowski, who is a graduate of political science and economics at UVic.

All members of the government side look forward to working with them throughout this session, and I urge members to go and visit them and say hello in their offices.

Can the House please join me in welcoming them to this place.

Hon. M. Dean: Later on today we have two classes coming to visit and learn about our work, and to watch a bit of question period as well, from Dunsmuir Middle School, which is in Colwood, in Esquimalt-Metchosin. They’re coming with their teacher, Alyson Weber.

Would the House please make them very welcome.

A. Olsen: In the viewing gallery today is a friend, Dave Cowen, the CEO of Butchart Gardens.

I look back very fondly to my time working in the Butchart Gardens as a high school student. A lot of the things that I do today, in business and in preparation to be in this place, came because I had the fortune of being trained very well by an excellent community business.

As we’re getting ready for yet another tourist season here in the capital regional district and the province of British Columbia, we hope the best for our friends at Butchart and at all of the tourist venues here in the city and across the province.

Would the House please make my friend Dave feel very welcome.

S. Chandra Herbert: Six years ago, about this time, I was lying in a hospital bed holding a new baby bundle of joy, and I want to just wish a very, very happy birthday to Romi’s and my son Dev. He has turned six today and is the best thing that ever happened to us. So happy birthday to Dev.

J. Rice: I realize that all of us here are away from our…. Well, I assume we’re all away from our loved ones and our partners and wives and husbands and whatnot.

I’m hoping you’ll humour me with just making this acknowledgment, because it was nine years ago — this is terrible — either yesterday or tomorrow; I can’t remember. I can’t remember, but I feel safe saying that out loud, because that was the day that I met my current partner, my wife, Andrea. It was during the All Native Basketball Tournament, which is going on right now in Prince Rupert. It’s a big deal. It’s a big hubbub.

We had this date that I almost didn’t go on, because her train was late. She was coming from Burns Lake. It was basketball; it was a tournament. It was busy, and we had a snowstorm, which is rare in Prince Rupert, rare. Like, we get the rain. If it snows, it melts in a couple of hours.

Nonetheless, we went on this date. She fed me tea, almonds and dark chocolate, and there was not a cab. My truck was in the shop. There was not a cab to be found in Prince Rupert, because they were driving all the players and coaches and families around. So she walked me halfway home. That was the deal.

However, we were so engaged in conversation that I let her walk me all the way home. It was not a ploy; it was just that I didn’t want to interrupt her. So then we stayed up and drank wine. We moved from tea to the wine, and had the phenomenal first date ever.

While we did get married eight years ago in September, I just wanted to acknowledge that today is the happy-meeting-you anniversary with my wife, and I so look forward to the day where I actually can be present and cele­brate Valentine’s day with her.

Please, I just wanted to acknowledge a special moment for me and my wife.

[10:10 a.m.]

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

STARBRIGHT CHILDREN’S
DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

R. Merrifield: Children with support needs rely on the established and trusted relationships their families have spent years building with their current service providers.

This is the case with Kelowna’s Starbright Children’s Development Centre, which has served the Okanagan for 57 years. When the Starbright CDC was threatened with closure, the entire community came together in a rally of support. The horns were honking, the signs were out, balloons flying and, really, hundreds of people — parents, grandparents, service providers and community members — came out to cheer on the cause.

One of the initiatives led by the organizers was a feelings banner — a banner that the participants could write on to describe how they were feeling that day. The organizers of the event, Amy and Tia, allowed me to share their letter about this banner:

“Each little thing written represents so much. Sometimes an entire family for generations. Sometimes an entire organization of professionals who have devoted decades. And especially the voices of children: the girl who kept returning to the table to underline ‘Starbright helped me survive,’ the little boy who wrote only ‘Irene.’ This is for Irene, the visual language facilitator at Starbright. He was so excited to show her. He sought her out, so she came to see. She was so proud of him, so he was proud of himself. This is what Starbright does for children.

“As families, we never forget those moments, no matter how long it’s been. We can’t describe the magnitude of the difference they’ve made in our lives. We can’t bear to imagine where life would have gone without them. We have deep evidence of the time Starbright saved us from utter destruction. We are permanently indebted to Starbright. That is why we rallied today. Please listen.”

Today I have the privilege of reading their words and also carrying the banner into this House and hand-delivering it to the Premier. They wanted the Premier to know their hearts are for Starbright and the desire is to see it continue.

NORTH ISLAND HEALTH SUMMIT
AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES

M. Babchuk: I care about public health care, and we know it is essential to keep our rural communities strong and thriving. This is especially true in the North Island.

In November, I participated in a meaningful and productive roundtable discussion, the North Island health summit, with community members and health care partners to help identify the challenges and find solutions that will work to meet our needs. The outcome was a large list of investments that were needed to support health care staff, improve facilities and increase everyone’s ability to access care. Advocating for these needs, I could not be more thrilled to see these changes coming.

Recently, I joined the Minister of Health and the Island Health CEO to announce a $30 million health care package to transform and stabilize health care in the North Island. We know that staffing shortages are one part of the challenge, and that’s why our government is making big changes to support staff and recruit more. These changes include staff retention incentives, bonuses for employee referrals and enhanced safety in our hospitals.

We’re also improving staff accommodations and covering wages, mileage and meal expenses for staff that travel between communities. We’re investing in a new shuttle to get patients and staff to and from health care facilities, and we’re working to upgrade those facilities by purchasing a new mobile CT machine and renovating and modernizing spaces in the Port McNeill and Port Hardy hospitals.

To relieve some of the pressures on emergency departments, we are adding more sobering assessment beds and providing 24-7 access to appropriate supportive care. There will be four more long-term-care beds at Port Hardy and increased services for home health, home support, mental health and substance use services in Port Hardy and the surrounding area. These changes will help rotating or last-minute closures and give us reliable emergency hours so people can count on help when they need it.

I want to say thank you to all the participants in the health summit and raise my hands to health care workers for their dedication and service to their patients and our communities.

OVARIAN CANCER AND
FUNDRAISING FOR RESEARCH

K. Kirkpatrick: I only recently learned that 3,100 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year in Canada, and almost 2,000 of those will die. More than 75 percent of affected women are diagnosed at an advanced stage because early-stage disease is usually asymptomatic, and symptoms of late-stage disease are non-specific.

Recently, my friend and fellow North Shore resident, Pamela Martin, told me about an initiative to help support the research required to find a cure for ovarian cancer. This idea came from Jim Shepard, a well-known community and business leader.

[10:15 a.m.]

Events like this are often born out of a personal connection. Jim’s daughter-in-law was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in 2018. Jim followed her journey as she went through life-saving treatment at the ovarian cancer centre and B.C. Cancer Agency. And because of her excellent care, combined with a new drug that destroys the protein that this cancer needs to survive, his daughter-in-law’s outcome is positive.

Through her cancer journey, Jim witnessed firsthand the work of the talented researchers here in B.C. While they are leading the world in pioneering treatments and breakthrough discoveries, they are doing so on a razor-thin budget. So Jim decided to raise funds for research and founded the Plunge for the Cure Foundation. With a group of well-known change-makers like my friend Pamela, he’s raising money to fund the gap in life-saving research.

This year the inaugural 2023 Plunge for the Cure will take place on May 28 at Kits Beach. As we know, Mr. Speaker, summer comes early to Vancouver. In fact, the average temperature in May is a balmy 17 degrees.

Sign up online for the Plunge for the Cure at plungeforthecure.org. Together we really can crush ovarian cancer. I hope you’ll consider joining Jim Shepard, Pamela Martin, many others and me in plunging for a great cause.

UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL
AIRLINES FLIGHT 752

S. Chant: Today I’m glad to be speaking again from the territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ-speaking people, the Esquimalt and the Songhees.

I continue to work, live and learn in my beautiful riding of North Vancouver–Seymour.

January 8, 2023, marked the third anniversary of the downing of the Ukraine International Airlines flight 752, shot down by the Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shortly after taking off from Tehran international airport.

This heinous act claimed the lives of all 176 passengers and crew on board. Fifty-five Canadian citizens were on the flight, along with 30 permanent residents and others with ties to Canada and British Columbia. This tragedy is the largest loss of Canadian lives in an air disaster since 280 Canadians died in 1985 after a bomb exploded on Air India flight 182.

Three years later, after flight 752 was shot down, the victims’ families have yet to see the Iranian government be held accountable for this crime. On Sunday, January 8, I joined over 10,000 Iranian Canadians who gathered despite the cold and rainy weather to walk in unity down a lengthy route to commemorate the victims at the event organized at the North Vancouver Shipyards by the Association of Families of Flight PS752. The Premier, several ministers, colleagues and other government officials from federal and municipal levels were there, providing strength and support to those who had lost loved ones and fortifying the calls for justice.

To honour the victims and the role of the Iranian diaspora in the fight for women, life and freedom, our B.C. NDP government is working with the city of North Vancouver and contributing as much as $100,000 for a permanent monument.

Our outrage at the attack of 752 is undiminished by the passing years. Members of this Legislature condemn this horrific act and stand with the victims’ families in demanding justice.

JULIA’S JUNCTION
INCLUSIVE PLAY SPACE

B. Stewart: I want to talk today about Julia’s Junction. It’s an inclusive play space for all abilities planned for the Westbank Town Centre Park. It is the vision of Melissa Grassmick, whose daughter Julia was paralyzed by a blood clot at 17 months old and requires a wheelchair to get around.

People with disabilities represent 5,500 residents in our community. That’s one in six people in West Kelowna, including the families and friends of people with disabilities. There are close to 17,000 affected by the lack of fully inclusive playgrounds.

Julia’s Junction will be a destination play space for people of all ages to enjoy, regardless of their physical or cognitive ability or mental diagnosis. It will include features such as wheelchair-accessible play structures, multisensory play elements, as well as a sheltered area with picnic tables and a water feature. This safe, inclusive space will provide children with an opportunity to engage in diverse play experiences, build relationships and develop their skills in a fun and meaningful way without barriers.

[10:20 a.m.]

A total of $750,000 needs to be raised to build this playground. So far $667,628 has been raised, with an expected construction date to begin this April. This meaningful and important project is getting closer to becoming a reality by the day.

I look forward to the construction of Julia’s Junction and the opening of a place where nobody is excluded from play because of their disability and for our community to come together to make connections through play.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS B.C. AND
MISSION BLAZERS FLOOR HOCKEY TEAM

B. D’Eith: Before I start, I’d just like to wish my amazing wife, Kim, a very happy Valentine’s Day, and I’d also like to express my sincere hope that all of my colleagues in this House have a chance to share a moment with the people that they love today. Love truly does conquer all.

Earlier this month, the 2023 Special Olympics B.C. was held in Kamloops and hosted by over 500 athletes from all over the province. The Special Olympics B.C. began in 1980, and since then they have supported and encouraged athletes with intellectual disabilities. It’s a space for athletes experiencing disabilities to play competitive sports, make connections, get involved with the community and showcase their talents. The five pillars of the Special Olympics — inclusion, diversity, empowerment, respect and excellence — are all values shared by our government and everyone in this House.

In the 2023 games, our Mission floor hockey team, the Mission Blazers, had the opportunity to compete. They were undefeated and claimed a gold medal. The team is led by Coach Brendan Turner, and they played four outstanding games against Kelowna, Delta, Kamloops and Richmond, ultimately winning the gold.

While the entire team did a fantastic job, some MVPs are goaltenders Mitchell Howell and Justin King and my constituent Bryce Schafelberger, who scored two incredible goals against Richmond, giving them the lead and eventually winning the game.

Interjection.

B. D’Eith: Oh, I know. Sorry, my friend.

I want to congratulate Amanda, Bryce, Dan, Doug, Josh, Justin, Liam, Matthew, Mitchell, Paul, Russel, Thien, Thuc, Tony and Coach Turner, also known as the Mission Blazers, on your win.

I’d like to leave you all with the athlete oath for the Special Olympics B.C. It’s a very simple but powerful statement: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” This statement demonstrates the importance of trying despite any barriers one may have, and it represents the true nature of the Special Olympics that provide hope, motivation and opportunity to everyone in our community.

Oral Questions

ATTACKS BY REPEAT OFFENDERS AND
HANDLING OF CASES BY JUSTICE SYSTEM

Mr. Speaker: Happy Valentine’s Day. I’m sure there will be lots of love exchanged in the next 30 minutes.

E. Sturko: There is a massive disconnect between the Premier’s rhetoric and actual results when it comes to crime and social disorder. The explosion of violence that began during his time as a soft-on-crime Attorney General continues to wreak havoc in communities.

Last month we saw example after example. In Burnaby, a woman was savagely attacked and left seriously injured on the sidewalk in an unprovoked attack. In New Westminster, a vicious random attack with a stun gun sent a victim to hospital, and in Vancouver, an armed criminal who was on bail tried to enter a bar on Granville with a firearm.

Prolific offenders continue to be put back into the community to hurt innocent victims. Is this what people will see and have to experience in their lives every day? Will the Premier end his catch-and-release system so people can feel safe again?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for her question. What I can tell the hon. member is that ever since taking over as Attorney General and then as Premier, our Premier has done an amazing job in terms of bringing forward initiatives that are going to deal with some of the challenges that we’re facing in communities.

[10:25 a.m.]

We have seen funding increases now in terms of putting in programs and supports for police and communities to deal with some of the challenges that they’re facing with those who are addicted to substances and have mental health issues, for example: an expansion of the Car program; the creation of peer-assisted care teams so they can diffuse situations and not necessarily have a police officer attend a situation, whereby a mental health worker may be the more appropriate response, freeing up police to be able to do additional duties on additional work in key critical areas around public safety.

At the same time, we’ve made it clear that we want to see changes done at the federal level in terms of the bail situation. The Attorney General and the Premier have spoken with the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister on that. The federal Justice Minister has indicated a willingness to look at and to make changes to the bail conditions, the unintended consequences from Bill C-75.

There’s a significant amount of work being done by the Premier, by this government on this side of the House, to keep our streets safe.

Mr. Speaker: Surrey South, supplemental.

E. Sturko: What’s amazing is how this government could have stood by for almost six years now and watched people get randomly attacked on the streets of this province. It’s absolutely ridiculous for me to actually hear the word “amazing” come out of someone in this room’s mouth when I know that people have received a pipe to the side of the head, been stabbed in the throat trying to deliver food in Vancouver.

You know what? It’s results that matter. It’s been an­nouncement after announcement and initiative announce­ments. And you know what? It’s results and what people see that actually matter.

Last week another senior was the victim of a vicious random attack in Chinatown. The offender, Alan Kipson, has a history of assault and failing to appear in court. But despite being found guilty of assault just two months prior, Kipson was allowed back into the community, where he went on to viciously attack a 74-year-old woman waiting for a bus. The elderly victim was rushed to the hospital, while Kipson walked free.

When will the Premier end his catch-and-release system and put the right of victims to feel safe ahead of an offender’s right to reoffend?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Again, I thank the member for the question. I will take this opportunity, because she is new in the House, to remind her of the initiatives that this government has undertaken under the six years that we have been in power.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, it’s Valentine’s Day.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Thank you, hon. Speaker. You know, I always find it interesting that whenever I’m about to let them know the facts, they don’t want to hear it. They start to get all agitated. I can understand that. I can understand that because when you look…. The largest single investment in policing in the history of this province….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. M. Farnworth: The largest single investment in policing in the history of this province, which nobody on that side of the House did when they sat on this side of the House.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. M. Farnworth: The first 277 positions to be filled — this government is funding them.

Interjection.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Oh, the member from Kamloops. I’d like the member from Kamloops maybe to talk to his colleague from Prince George–Mackenzie, who tried to do it but wasn’t able to, because their budget-focused cuts wouldn’t allow it.

We put in place the first witness protection program, made in British Columbia, that’s resulted in a significant increase in charges and convictions of people convicted of murders and crimes.

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Member.

Hon. M. Farnworth: We brought in place the first forensic firearms to crack down on gang activity. All of those initiatives done by this government. Sixteen years they had to do that, and they failed every single time.

COMMUNITY SAFETY
IN VANCOUVER’S CHINATOWN

M. Lee: Well, the minister stands in this House talking about the Premier, the Attorney General as he was in his role for 5½ years. He’s had six years to fix this, and under his watch, things have only gotten worse in Chinatown and in communities across our province.

[10:30 a.m.]

People do not feel safe on our streets. What people see and feel in Chinatown is how a once-thriving community is now plagued by violence and hate. Under this Premier’s catch-and-release system, random attacks continue to escalate, and anti-Asian hate crimes are 400 percent higher than in 2018, according to a recent report to Vancouver city council.

Vancouver has become the anti-Asian hate crime capital of North America. Seniors who call Chinatown their home live in constant fear, and it’s time for the Premier to start taking some responsibility. After six years of worsening results, when will people see an end to the random attacks, the constant social disorder and escalating anti-Asian hate crimes in Chinatown?

Hon. N. Sharma: Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities. When we hear about those traumatic acts, we can all stand together here and condemn them.

As a government, we’re taking action. Two weeks ago I met with Minister Lametti to talk about what’s at the core of this issue, which is a bail reform policy that needs to be addressed. We had a very productive meeting, and I’m looking forward to changes there.

This government is taking action to keep our communities safe. We issued a new bail directive for repeat violent offenders to all Crown prosecutors. We’re standing up 20 new dedicated Crown prosecutors as part of our repeat offenders action team that will focus specifically on repeat violent offenders. We have seen a 32 percent increase in Crown counsel budgets, and that’s after the opposition starved it for years.

This is a government that is committed to taking action to make sure that our communities are safe.

Mr. Speaker: Vancouver-Langara, supplemental.

M. Lee: That response from the Attorney General is simply just not good enough for the seniors and other people living and working in Chinatown who are scared and continue to live and work in fear. This government, this Premier, has had six years to address this, and this Premier’s soft-on-crime approach simply is not working.

What people see and feel in Chinatown is how a once-thriving community is now plagued by violence and hate under this Premier’s catch-and-release system. Every day people are seeing and feeling the evidence that the Premier’s catch-and-release system is a dangerous failure.

On the weekend, we saw the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Chinatown maliciously vandalized and, again, with fake blood sprayed on its walls. The garden’s executive director, Lorraine Lowe, says: “These unchecked crimes send an unmistakable message of anti-Asian hate.”

Vandalism in Chinatown has skyrocketed by a staggering 455 percent since 2019. It’s time for this catch-and-release Premier to take responsibility. How much longer must the residents of Chinatown endure these random attacks, rampant social disorder and escalating hate crimes?

Hon. N. Sharma: Thanks for the question. When we hear about these acts of racism and violent attacks, we all can stand together to condemn them, and our heart goes out to the victims.

My role as Attorney General is to make sure that the justice system has the tools that it needs to respond. I spoke about our new bail policy and the directions that were going forward. I spoke about our investment in Crown counsel and the 21 new dedicated Crown prose­cutors that will be focused on repeat violent offence response teams.

Everyone agrees this is a national issue. The Premier has written, along with other Premiers, to the federal government to ask for changes to the bail policy that will help us put more tools in place for our Crown prosecutors to respond to repeat violent offenders.

We’re going to keep doing the work necessary to help make sure that our communities are safe and to address the challenges that we feel and we see in our communities.

[10:35 a.m.]

GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON
FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY
AND ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

A. Olsen: During the B.C. NDP leadership event last fall, Premier Eby said: “We cannot continue to subsidize fossil fuels and expect clean energy to manifest somehow. We cannot continue to expand fossil fuel infrastructure and hit our climate goals.”

My question is to the Premier. Will he commit to no new expanded fossil fuel projects in British Columbia?

Mr. Speaker: When we ask questions, Members, no names are to be mentioned.

Hon. J. Osborne: Thank you to the member for the question. I appreciate his interest and his passion for this topic, one that our government shares.

We have been very clear all along that all future LNG projects need to fit within our climate commitments. We have said this over and over again. The Premier has backed this up. It has been a strong part of the message from our government. We are going to continue to work with the oil and gas sector to reduce emissions to fit within our sec­toral targets and to hit those targets.

I am so honoured to have this position, to be working with my colleague the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy together to address this. I appreciate the question.

Mr. Speaker: Member, supplemental.

A. Olsen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and apologies.

It’s essentially the same response the Premier gave us last fall — that we are going to be meeting our 2030 and 2050 targets, and that’s the goal of CleanBC. Unfortunately, we’re not on track to meet those targets as we currently stand.

The fact of the matter is that we’ve got multiple LNG proposals in this province being speculated upon, many of which are very bullish in there for the future of LNG in this province, a response this government has yet to tamper down. We’ve got Woodfibre, Tilbury, LNG Canada phase 2, Cedar LNG and Ksi Lisims LNG all ready to go in this province. If they are going to move forward, then it’s going to take CleanBC and the rhetoric around it and completely make it meaningless.

My question to the Minister of Energy: with all of the speculation about these other LNG projects, does she still believe that we can expand the fossil fuel industry and meet our climate goals?

Hon. G. Heyman: Thank you to the member for the question. I appreciate the member’s passion for meeting climate goals, but I simply do not accept a characterization of one of the leading climate plans in North America, in a context when other people are doing absolutely nothing, as empty rhetoric. It’s simply not true.

We have a broad series of actions across all sectors that are designed to reduce emissions between now and 2030, now and 2040 and now and 2050. We’re making progress on them. This is hard work, but we’re doing it. It involves meeting with industry, whether it’s the oil and gas sector, the pulp and paper sector or the mining sector and working with them to drive down their emissions.

This is not some something that can be simply done by an empty statement in this Legislature, an empty statement in front of cameras or a stroke of a pen. This is hard work, and we’re taking it on.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. G. Heyman: That’s why we’ll continue to work hard with our partners and with our communities to meet our climate targets, because that’s what British Columbians expect.

CRIME IN COMMUNITIES AND
ACTION ON COMMUNITY SAFETY

T. Halford: What people see and feel in downtowns across this province is a daily reality of crime and social chaos. This past week in Victoria alone, multiple storefronts had their windows smashed and random acts of vandalism.

It’s actually gotten to the point where small business owners like Tara from Baggins Shoes are at a tipping point and are looking at leaving downtown for good. She says: “Broken glass. Used needles. Human excrement. We seem to be left to our own devices.”

[10:40 a.m.]

My question is a simple one to the Premier. How many small business owners will have to flee before the Premier ends the crime and disorder that we are seeing in all our downtowns across this province?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for the question, but I want to make it clear: this government takes these issues very seriously. That’s why we work very closely with local governments on ways in which we can deal with some of the situations that they find themselves in.

There are a number of reasons that the member well knows for the problems that we’re seeing. We’re seeing it through the toxic drug supply, we’re seeing it through the mental health and addiction issues and we’re seeing it through the unintended consequences that have come about because of some of the changes made at the federal level.

What we have made clear is that all levels of government have to be involved. That’s why we’ve been working with local government to identify areas where the province can assist them, whether it’s through things such as downtown revitalizations or whether it’s ensuring that they’ve got the housing resources that they need, where we’ve seen some progress being made in a number of areas, in communities such as Vancouver and Victoria.

At the same time, it’s working with communities that recognize that they need additional support in terms of policing. That’s why we’ve put in place the surge teams in places like Prince George, in Terrace and in Kamloops to assist police in doing their job. That’s why we’ve made the largest single investment in terms of policing of the 277 vacancies on the provincial police line, to ensure that they’re able to serve smaller rural communities which are going to assist as well.

We also need… There are changes that need to be made at the federal level, from the issues that have come around from the changes that they made around bail, and the court cases that have come from that.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Please continue.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I’m trying to give an answer to a question, and what do you do. You get heckled.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Anyway, working with the federal government to make those changes, where the Justice Minister himself has said British Columbia has been a leader on this issue. We take it very seriously. We’re going to continue taking the actions, working with local government, police and the federal government to deal with the problems of public safety that communities are facing.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON REPEAT
OFFENDERS AND CRIME IN COMMUNITIES

R. Merrifield: You know, I’m sitting here listening to the minister’s response, and I’m just flummoxed by the fact that it’s just, in his words, always someone else’s fault for this government. It’s either the local governments or the business associations or the federal government’s fault.

But the lip service, the announcements and the long list of rhetoric are not results that are actually experienced by our citizens, who are traumatized and fearful by what they see in our streets daily.

Kelowna has the highest urban crime rate in Canada. This is what people have experienced in my community, just in the last month. A man attacked, left lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding from his head. Threats and smashed windows from a man with an axe in an unprovoked attack. And last week a prolific offender who personifies the Premier’s catch-and-release system was back in the news. Tyler Newton, the bus killer with over 50 criminal charges, committed yet another crime after being let out again into our community.

When will the catch-and-release Premier prioritize the rights of victims to feel safe over the rights of prolific offenders like Tyler Newton to continue to reoffend?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Thanks to the member for the question. I’d like to remind that member that hiring 270 new RCMP officers that will assist in rural small communities across this province on the provincial line is not rhetoric. It’s action.

Expanding car programs that local governments have been asking for is not rhetoric. It is action.

Peer Assisted Crisis Teams, which have shown huge success on the North Shore and in New Westminster, being expanded across this province to some 20 communities — that’s not rhetoric. That’s action.

[10:45 a.m.]

Unlike the opposition when they sat on this side of the House and cut victim services programs, we’ve expanded those programs. That’s not rhetoric. That’s action.

E. Ross: For years, we’ve been bringing accounts of victims of violence to this Legislature and trying to get government to act. Now, we’ve heard the responses from government, and it is rhetoric. We’ve heard this government blame the federal government, for example. We know that this government downloads responsibility on municipalities and small businesses. We’ve heard all that.

But this is the first time that I’ve heard government get up and say: “The work that we’ve done to protect B.C. citizens from violence is amazing.” That’s the first time I’ve heard that, when the amount of attacks are going up in British Columbia. Just take one account of a victim that gets hit on the side of the head and tell them that this government is doing amazing work.

People across the province are growing tired of the Premier’s excuses amid ongoing crime and social disorder in our communities. A recent rally in Nanaimo saw hundreds of people calling for the Premier to be accountable for his lack of results. This rally happened in January 2023. There was no mention of amazing results.

One resident, Karen Kuwica, spoke out about the devastating impact of crime in her community. This is what she’s got to say. “We’ve already had a loss of life from a robbery that became violent. We’ve had fires in vacant buildings. We’ve had a suspected hit and run that took a life. The list goes on and on, and it’s only been a week.” A British Columbian citizen is saying this. It’s not us. It’s not the opposition.

My question is to the Premier. When will the Premier put the rights of victims and communities ahead of offenders who repeatedly wreak havoc and terrorize people?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for his question. It’s unfortunate that the member seems to characterize the initiatives that we have undertaken — whether it’s wanting to get changes made to bail reform, which the Attorney General and the Premier have spoken to the Prime Minister about — as blaming someone. It’s not blaming.

What it’s recognizing is that the feds made some changes. There were consequences, unintended consequences, that are impacting them. We are working to get those things changed.

In the same way, we work with local governments in his community of Terrace, where the RCMP were facing challenges in terms of the resources that they were facing. We put additional resources into his community, into Kamloops, into Prince George. I can tell you, on my recent trip to Prince George, the police there indicated how pleased they were that we have put those surge teams in, because they were proving invaluable.

Those are real initiatives, in the same way as the initiatives that we’ve undertaken in terms of victims. This side of the House has put victims first. That’s why we’ve increased the funding for victim services, unlike them, who cut the funding.

Finally, we have not blamed local government; we’ve worked with local government. The Premier, when he was Attorney General, was asked by local governments saying: “We’re facing some challenges.” He asked for additional information, “Come with us and tell us,” specifically to each community, and mayors did that.

The results out of that were the LePard report, which has initiated other initiatives in terms of mental health and addictions, additional police resources, all of those things designed to assist communities and help keep our communities safe.

P. Milobar: Well, the Solicitor General routinely gets up and blusters in this House, but he seems to have missed the plot line here.

[10:50 a.m.]

The sad reality is we’re asking questions of, actually, the third Attorney General that this government has had, and instead of hearing from the Attorney General, we keep hearing from the Solicitor General about policing.

The police are just as frustrated at all the people that are getting randomly attacked in this province. We’re not questioning the work of the police forces in this province. We’re not questioning their attempts at public safety. They’re just as frustrated with this Premier’s catch-and-release system that has been initiated over the last six years, as he has been the Attorney General and now the Premier.

But we don’t hear…. Apparently, this Attorney General is not allowed to answer. The House Leader won’t let her get up and actually answer questions. Two questions have been answered today out of how many? People deserve to hear answers.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. That’s okay.

Continue.

P. Milobar: The former Attorneys General were allowed to answer it well, Mr. Speaker. They seem to be very sensitive today.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, shhh. Both sides calm down.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members will come to order now, both sides.

The member will continue.

P. Milobar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government House Leader seemed to have something to work out there.

People are being attacked repeatedly in unprovoked events in this province. This government continues to brush it off as if we’re making things up and that people are actually safer and crime is under control under this Premier’s catch-and-release system. It’s simply not factually correct. It’s just more and more empty NDP rhetoric and promises.

In Nanaimo, small business owners like Jeff Ross say that, just in the last 60 days alone, he’s had two break-ins, three vehicle break-ins, two shoplifting events, two store windows being broken and garbage strewn all over the place. If you listen to the Solicitor General, somehow things are okay.

Well, here’s what the Nanaimo mayor, Leonard Krog, said. Imagine if Mr. Krog had actually been made the Attorney General. Perhaps this province would have been actually safer, and he wouldn’t have left to go to the mayor’s chair in Nanaimo in the first place.

But let’s look at what he says at the rally. He has called upon the provincial government over and over again to “provide the secure involuntary care” people need. That’s one of this government’s former MLAs who is now the mayor of Nanaimo saying that.

Mr. Speaker: Question, Member.

P. Milobar: How much more violence, theft and business closures will people have to endure before this soft-on-crime Premier actually starts taking meaningful action and ends his catch-and-release system to make communities safe again?

Mr. Speaker: Members, it’s the government’s prerogative whoever they want to stand up and answer the question. Please. We all know that.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Deputy Premier.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I will point out to my colleague across the way that he said that I said it’s okay, that the crime is okay. He said that I said it’s okay that all these things are taking place. That is simply not true. Everybody condemns the violence that’s taken place.

What I’ve said in terms of amazing: we’ve got an amazing Premier. We absolutely do have an amazing Premier. But let’s….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members, enough.

Please continue.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I listened to the member’s question, and nearly all of it related to my ministry. I mean, he specifically accused me of saying something is okay. So you’re darn right I’m going to take this opportunity to answer the question to point out that they cut victim services; that they failed to add additional police resources to communities such as Prince George, Terrace and Kamloops that were asking for them; that they had 16 years to try and fill the provincial police line. They failed to do that.

Those are actions that this side of the House is doing. This side of the House is taking action in terms of working with the federal government to get those changes needed around bail reform.

[10:55 a.m.]

That’s why the federal Justice Minister said that British Columbia is taking a leadership role, hon. Speaker. We have been working with local government, the city of Vancouver, on putting additional resources into communities — whether it’s successful programs we have piloted on the North Shore, expanding them provincewide, such as peer-assisted care teams; or whether it’s expanding the car program; all of those things are taking place — and making sure that victim services get more funding than ever happened on that side of the House.

[End of question period.]