Fourth Session, 42nd Parliament (2023)
OFFICIAL REPORT
OF DEBATES
(HANSARD)
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Afternoon Sitting
Issue No. 269
ISSN 1499-2175
The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.
The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.
CONTENTS
| Routine Business | |
| Orders of the Day | |
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2023
The House met at 1:02 p.m.
[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]
Routine Business
Introduction and
First Reading of Bills
BILL 7 — LAND OWNER TRANSPARENCY
AMENDMENT ACT,
2023
Hon. K. Conroy presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Land Owner Transparency Amendment Act, 2023.
Hon. K. Conroy: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.
I’m pleased to introduce the Land Owner Transparency Amendment Act, 2023. The purpose of this bill is to amend the Land Owner Transparency Act to address minor legislative, interpretive and technical issues that have arisen since the legislation came into force.
This legislation is the first of its kind in Canada and was created to help end hidden ownership of land in B.C. The Land Owner Transparency Act created the land owner transparency registry, a publicly searchable registry of information about beneficial ownership of land in B.C.
The expert panel on real estate identified ending hidden ownership as the single most important measure to battle money laundering. The Cullen commission also highlighted that money launderers may be attracted to jurisdictions where it’s easier to hide beneficial ownership.
Over the past two years, hundreds of thousands of transparency records have been collected in the registry that is administered by the Land Title and Survey Authority. Implementation of the legislation and registry has been a success. It’s important to build on this success.
These amendments to the act respond to feedback received from stakeholders since the legislation came into force and will improve and streamline the administration of the legislation and protect data quality. The amendments are minor technical changes to the legislation and do not change the policy underlying the act.
Mr. Speaker: Members, it’s the first reading of the bill.
Motion approved.
Hon. K. Conroy: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Bill 7, Land Owner Transparency Amendment Act, 2023, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
BILL 8 — REAL ESTATE SERVICES
AMENDMENT ACT,
2023
Hon. K. Conroy presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Real Estate Services Amendment Act, 2023.
Hon. K. Conroy: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.
I’m pleased to introduce the Real Estate Services Amendment Act, 2023. The purpose of this bill is to amend the Real Estate Services Act to remove the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia from the government reporting entity and ensure that it is in a better position to deliver on its mandate.
The Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia was established in 1985 and operated at an arm’s length to government for many years. However, in 2016, changes to the foundation’s governance model resulted in it being brought into the government reporting entity.
After review and consultation, government determined that there is no policy rationale to keep the foundation within the government reporting entity. The best way to ensure that the foundation operates most effectively is to remove it from the government reporting entity. By introducing this bill, we will restore the foundation’s arm’s-length relationship to government.
Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.
Motion approved.
Hon. K. Conroy: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Bill 8, Real Estate Services Amendment Act, 2023, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Orders of the Day
Hon. R. Kahlon: I call Committee of the Whole on Bill 2.
Committee of the Whole House
BILL 2 — NATIONAL DAY FOR
TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION ACT
(continued)
The House in Committee of the Whole on Bill 2; J. Tegart in the chair.
The committee met at 1:08 p.m.
On clause 1 (continued).
The Chair: I’ll call the committee to order. We are in committee on Bill 2, 2023.
E. Ross: I was watching the debate on Bill 2, which is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act. To be honest, I thought we were done. I thought we were finished. I thought we did our legislative duty as MLAs representing 87 ridings.
So to turn on the TV and find out that not only are we filibustering this bill, but it’s actually the backbenchers of the NDP that are filibustering…. It’s not the opposition. This is a waste of time, this is a waste of taxpayer dollars, and it’s an insult to Aboriginals all across Canada.
You’re not debating this on the virtues of this act. You’re using it as filler because you can’t manage a legislative schedule or agenda. You’re using this for your own political purposes in the Legislature of B.C.
We all knew this day was coming. We knew it. It’s been part of the national conversation. Every province was considering the same thing. It was only a matter of time before it came to this House. You’ve already got the majority of support in this House. What’s the problem?
I didn’t see anything in the questions of the backbenchers that were criticizing this bill. The respect that that side of the House talks about when they talk about Aboriginal issues is not here today when you’re doing this type of political filibustering. Not many people outside of this House know what happens, but I think the taxpayers and Aboriginals of B.C. would be terribly disappointed to find out that this is how we’re utilizing our time.
It should be a done deal. Let’s vote on this. I guarantee you that it’s going to pass. There’s no more need for debate. It’s an important issue. Let’s get on with it, and then let’s start talking about other issues that are important to British Columbians. Let’s talk about affordability. Let’s talk about violent crime. Let’s talk about the resource industry. Let’s talk about other things that are important to British Columbians.
I’m not here to argue with you. I have no criticisms on Bill 2 on behalf of my riding. I have no criticisms on behalf of my community, the Haisla First Nation. I have no criticism. I have no questions.
I just want one answer from the minister: why are we holding up the vote to pass this very important bill? Can we stop the filibustering and get to a vote?
Hon. H. Bains: I want to thank the member. I think we’re all passionate about this bill, every one of us in this House. The bill is a result of a lot of consultation with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, their recommendation No. 80 and then the consultation that took place after. How are we going to commemorate the truth and reconciliation day? That’s the discussion that took place.
I heard, at a second stage, the members talk about…. They want to know what kind of consultation took place, who we consulted, how we arrived at: what are we going to do? Is there going to be a statutory holiday, or is there going to be some other way of showing respect and honouring Indigenous people and remembering those children? That’s why we’re here, and I respect everyone who stands up and asks questions about the background. Call it a filibuster. I don’t know. We started at 11 o’clock. There were questions raised, and we answered those questions. Here we are again.
If any member has any questions — how we arrived here, what’s behind each of those clauses — they have every right, and I’m ready to move on if the members are. So that’s my answer, and I respect everyone who is showing their passion about this. But at the end of the day, it is about lasting truth and reconciliation. That’s what we are all committed to. That’s what this bill is all about. I know, and I have hope, that it’s going to pass. Let’s not make this a political thing here. It is being made political, and they are trying to make it as political.
Interjections.
Hon. H. Bains: As important a bill as we’re discussing, and they’re heckling — to talk about and show how we got here.
I’m ready. They’re ready. If the members have no more questions, I’m ready to move.
E. Ross: The only people politicizing this very important bill is the NDP government. To think about the idea that we need questions and answers in terms of how did we reach this day…. I know how we reached this day. It’s been 40 years since the Constitution of Canada, section 35, and all the resulting case law and the truth and reconciliation report. I know how we got here.
If the NDP government doesn’t know how they got here, that’s your caucus business. Weren’t you communicating to your own caucus? Weren’t you communicating to your own party? We’re only on one of two clauses on a bill that everybody agrees with, and you’re going to try and drag it out because you’ve got nothing else on the legislative calendar. You’re using this very important bill to forward your own political objectives.
The minister said we can get to a vote if we have no more questions. Well, we stopped our questions a long time ago. It’s the NDP backbenchers that had questions, along with the Green Party. As I understand it, the Green Party is just as outraged as we are. This is not a good use of legislative time. It’s not a good use of taxpayers’ dollars.
It’s an insult to First Nations. Filibustering — and it’s not even the opposition that’s filibustering. It’s the NDP filibustering their own bill, on a bill that is going to get approved. Everybody’s going to vote in favour of this.
If I heard correctly, the minister said that we can end this, and we can go to a vote, unless…. I assume there are going to be no more NDP backbenchers that are going to get up and ask a 15-minute question just to take up more time. Are we going to get to a vote on this bill?
Clauses 1 to 5 inclusive approved.
Title approved.
Hon. H. Bains: I move that the committee rise and report the bill complete without amendment.
The Chair: Members, you’ve heard the motion.
Division has been called.
The question is that the committee rise and report Bill 2 complete without amendment.
Motion approved unanimously on a division. [See Votes and Proceedings.]
The committee rose at 1:30 p.m.
The House resumed; Mr. Speaker in the chair.
Report and
Third Reading of Bills
BILL 2 — NATIONAL DAY FOR
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
ACT
Bill 2, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act, reported complete without amendment, read a third time and passed.
Hon. R. Kahlon: I move that when the House next adjourns, it stands adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
Interjections.
Hon. R. Kahlon: I move that the House now adjourn.
Interjections.
Motion approved.
Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. Tuesday next week.
The House adjourned at 1:32 p.m.