Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: R. Russell.

Introductions by Members

Hon. J. Whiteside: Mr. Speaker, joining us in the gallery today are Vicky Waldron, Lee Loftus and Bill Tieleman from the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan, or what we call CIRP. CIRP is a non-profit program providing mental health and substance use treatment to B.C. Building Trades and Construction Labour Relations members and their families. It’s a vitally important service, because we know that the toxic drug crisis has a disproportionate impact on the trades sector and the construction sector.

I’m so grateful to Vicky and CIRP for bringing an industry-led approach to the drug toxicity crisis, focusing on building resiliency and ongoing support for workers. I look forward to building this relationship and our continued work together.

Would the House please join me in making them feel welcome.

[10:05 a.m.]

F. Donnelly: I’d like to welcome Sebastien Anderson, who is a labour lawyer with Labour Rights Law in Coquitlam. They provide legal advice to people, unions, small businesses and non-profits. He’s here with Madeline.

Please, will the House make both of them feel welcome. Sebastien is one of my all-time favourite friends and a great guy. So please welcome him.

Hon. G. Lore: I’m really thrilled to introduce some students from UVic that are part of the UVic NDP: a friend and former intern, Kala Bryson; Nathaniel Hope Tucker; Solomon Yi-Kieran; Calum Galloway; and James Fraser. The Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and I are joining them for lunch today. I’m really looking forward to connecting.

Will the House please help me make them welcome.

Tributes

RAY HAYNES

Hon. H. Bains: I rise today to mark a sad occasion. Our province has lost a giant and influential leader that we had here for a long time, a longtime executive of the B.C. Federation of Labour, an important part of the labour movement in our province. Ray Haynes, former president of the B.C. Federation of Labour, passed away this past weekend.

Those who worked with Ray will remember his passion for tireless advocacy for working people in this province. He started his career at a sawmill on the Fraser River — it’s called Canadian White Pine — where he learned the basics of trade unionism. Not long after that, he started as a tea blender in a wholesale division of the Hudson’s Bay Company, where he didn’t like the way the workers were treated, and he organized a union.

Those were tough days for unions in B.C. It was a time when labour leaders regularly went to jail for defying court injunctions against picketing and exerting workers’ rights. In those days, labour was in almost constant warfare, and Ray and the federation were everywhere — deep into it. He galvanized the federation to treat every dispute as its own, rallying support when they needed it and enforcing policy that even remains today.

In 1971, he called on the union workers to stop working for 30 minutes to protest the United States plan to test an atomic bomb in Alaska. He said this: “For the first time in North America, workers are downing tools not over wages, not over working conditions, but for a danger to all mankind.” Under Ray’s leadership, in 1968, the federation fought against Bill 33, one of the most anti-union laws in Canadian history.

He was considered one of the influential labour advocates in B.C. Through his advocacy and activism, he has made a significant impact on the lives of countless workers and helped to shape labour laws and policies in this province. Ray was highly regarded for his major contributions to the labour community, and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

As we work towards creating a more just and equitable society for all workers, his legacy will guide us and will continue to inspire and motivate labour advocates for generations to come.

I ask this House to join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to his family and his friends and colleagues.

Introductions by Members

S. Chandra Herbert: I don’t wish many happy birthdays, but this one I hope everybody will want to celebrate with me. The West End had a very special person celebrate a very special birthday yesterday: Merle Millicent Romney O’Hara. I want to wish her a happy 111th birthday. She’s the fifth-oldest person in Canada, with an incredibly large heart, huge humour, great joy.

It’s a pleasure to have her in our community and to wish her a very, very happy birthday. I hope you’ll all join me next year, when we wish her a happy 112th. But happy 111th.

[10:10 a.m.]

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

JOEL EWERT
AND ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS

S. Bond: With the Canada Winter Games underway on Prince Edward Island, Prince George athlete Joel Ewert will be part of the Team B.C. wheelchair basketball team. This will be Joel’s third time participating in the Canada Winter Games, and this time B.C. is considered to be a contender for the gold medal.

I’m pleased to report that they won their first game yesterday.

Joel was just 15 when he played in the 2015 Canada Winter Games we hosted in Prince George, and he also competed in the games in Red Deer in 2019. Obviously, during the pandemic, tournaments and competitions were cancelled, but 2022 was a hectic year as Joel resumed play in wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. Joel travelled internationally with the Canadian men’s team and, in fact, was co-captain of the team. The Canadian squad went two and one and earned a spot in the IWBF U23 World Championships in Thailand.

Joel was born with cerebral palsy, and that affects his ability to move and maintain his balance. He was introduced to wheelchair basketball when he was five by Prince George resident Pat Harris and his son, Avril. Pat Harris has been a driving force in wheelchair basketball for decades and, in fact, founded the Prince George Titans wheelchair basketball program and is an inductee in the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame for his career as an athlete and a coach.

Joel has also excelled at wheelchair rugby and has played at the provincial, national and international level. And if that isn’t enough, Joel also has a passion for education. He has already completed his first degree in biomedical studies at UNBC and continues to study with the goal of becoming a cardiologist.

I know that Joel would want to recognize his family for their tireless support. They have been alongside him the entire way, cheering him on and providing the support that has helped him become a highly successful world-class athlete.

Joel, we want to wish you and Team B.C. the very best at the Canada Winter Games and continued success in your athletic and educational goals.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR DISPLACED
UKRAINIANS IN COMOX VALLEY

R. Leonard: On Sunday, I had a great opportunity to meet displaced Ukrainians who’ve settled in the Comox Valley.

Oksana Moisieieva, herself a displaced Ukrainian, translated in a room eager to speak with me. Oksana is the integration coordinator hired by the Comox Valley Ukrainian Cultural Society with funding from the provincial refugee readiness program.

The meet-and-greet I attended is held monthly in the Comox Valley Presbyterian Church, thanks to congregant Mary Bitroff. I first met Mary at a meeting sparked last year by Courtenay’s mayor, Bob Wells, in expectation of an influx of Ukrainians. Those who had something to offer came out, and a network began to grow.

Relentless Eugene Hrushowy, from the Comox Valley Ukrainian Society, was quick to connect. With a proud Ukrainian heritage, the small group of 17, with no Ukrainian language, could not have foreseen the critical role they would play. Their numbers have grown to about 60 members, and their efforts are nothing short of a miracle.

Janette Martin-Lutzer, president, Donna Baydock, secretary-treasurer, and Leah Carlos, along with Eugene, are all hands-on leaders with the society, working to support 145 displaced Ukrainians.

Laura Palahickey has organized English classes. She has also undertaken the organization of a perogy and holubtsi dinner fundraiser through COVID-19, with cars lined around town to pick up their dinners. When the food ran out, people still donated. Ongoing fundraising saw 3,400 perogies made in one day this past weekend.

Before he died, Russ Arnott, as Comox mayor, made sure town facilities were available to support our new Ukrainian neighbours, and there’s so much more that’s been done.

A candlelight vigil is planned for 5 p.m., on Friday, February 24, at Comox Marina Park, the first anniversary of the war — a time to stand in solidarity and join in community efforts to help displaced Ukrainians build their new lives here.

[10:15 a.m.]

HOSPICE CARE IN QUESNEL AND AREA

C. Oakes: On February 11, I had the opportunity to attend the Hearts for Hospice artisan gala, raising important funds for the Quesnel and District Hospice Palliative Care Association. It was the 20th anniversary of the gala, and after three years of not having the event due to COVID, people were excited to come together for this very important cause.

I would like to thank every single volunteer who worked tirelessly to make this massive undertaking a reality. I would also like to thank all of the artists that contributed items for this auction.

High-quality hospice palliative end-of-life care is an integral part of the health care system. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the passionate advocacy of Cariboo North constituent Carol Weremy. Society should see end of life as a time of compassion and caring, but depending on one’s finances, sometimes it’s not. Carol has been advocating for the elimination of the hospice per diem, a requirement of the Ministry of Health.

Whether one’s end of life is at Quesnel’s hospice facility or at G.R. Baker Hospital, past 30 days of being deemed palliative, they are charged a fee. Why, at the end of one’s life, when one gets deemed palliative, does one get added a financial burden on them? Why, on one of the most difficult days, when families have their care meeting to discuss end-of-life care, does the conversation then turn to fees and payment? For married seniors that own their own home, there are even less avenues to access financial support.

With all the money that is being spent on health care programs, why are people being charged $1,337.80 a month to die?

Listen to Carol and so many others and eliminate this financially burdensome fee.

LANGLEY MEALS ON WHEELS
AND ALDERGROVE COMMUNITY HUB

M. Dykeman: I rise in the House today to highlight a fantastic community organization in Langley, British Columbia.

Meals on Wheels Langley is a non-profit organization that prides itself on delivering services to our community, for all to be fed, connected and supported. I had the opportunity to tour their Aldergrove community station hub facility and was just thrilled to see how much work has been done in expanding the facilities and services they offer since I’d last been there.

Langley Meals on Wheels offers important programs, like the “home from the hospital” program; “meals on foot,” where local school-age students deliver meals; Boutique Finds, a social enterprise; and a new outreach kitchen.

When I toured the Aldergrove facility, I had the opportunity to enjoy a lovely lunch at the Firehouse Cafe, which incorporates a Neighbourhood House model and community food centre under one roof. They provide support for children, youth, families and seniors living with food security issues, offering access to food services in a welcoming place run completely by a team of dedicated volunteers.

This type of community hub is only possible because of the hard work and dedication of the fabulous team that makes it happen each and every day. Thank you to executive director Shannon Woykin, board chair Deanna Horn, vice-chair Kathy Reddington, treasurer Kelly Goto, secretary Paul Crump and directors Amanda LaBoucane, Dan Dente and Pauline Buck.

There are also a team of fantastic volunteers, like Karen Long, who has been a long-time volunteer in our community.

I applaud the innovation, community dedication and fortitude of all those involved in building this important community hub.

We are so fortunate in Langley to have such generous people, who are willing to step forward to create community spaces like this one.

CRYSTAL CUP HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
IN CHARLIE LAKE

D. Davies: The Crystal Cup is returning for the eighth time after a three-year hiatus. The Crystal Cup pond hockey challenge and the Sid Davis youth memorial challenge are back February 24 to 26 at Charlie Lake, just north of Fort St. John. This year’s event will once again feature the crystal, sapphire and coal cup divisions and the Sid Davis youth memorial cup.

The weekend will feature true Canadian pond hockey, with over 100 teams participating. There’ll be lots of great family fun, including the hockey tournament, with four divisions on ten ice surfaces, live music, ice bar, public skating, helicopter rides and kids events, such as colouring contests, snow art and prize giveaways.

I can tell you, it is quite the scene, if you ever envision the south end of a lake all set up with ten ice rinks and an entertainment venue. It is quite the sight to see.

[10:20 a.m.]

At the tournament, there will also be contests for passing accuracy, shootout, hardest shot and sharpshooter, and like every year, there are special guests. This year’s special guests are none other than YouTube sensations Jacob Ardown and Olly Postanin, of On the Bench, as well as the authors of The Fundies: The Essential Hockey Guide from On the Bench.

The coordinator of the Crystal Cup, Neil Evans, is excited for the return of this year’s event. As one of the original founders of the pond hockey challenge, Neil believes the Crystal Cup reaches beyond just the hockey community. He says: “It’s something that me and my hockey buddies basically created, and it brought the community together. Not just the hockey community but families and friends alike. It’s this feeling of not only being involved in your own community but creating your community.”

Of course, the biggest challenge facing any outdoor event in Canada is the weather. They’ve had years where the temperature plunged to minus 45. They’ve had years where it was plus 7 and soaking wet, and still they managed to make this the premier hockey pond event, regardless of what Mother Nature threw at them.

Finally, events like this do not happen without volunteers and sponsors. I’d personally like to thank each and every one of them.

We hope to see you come up to the Peace region, even if it’s minus 45, and participate in this great event.

SUCCESS IMMIGRANT AND
SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY

H. Yao: So 2023 marks the 50-year golden anniversary for SUCCESS. SUCCESS started in 1973 as a small group of volunteers. Today it is one of the largest social service agencies in Canada.

SUCCESS serves clients from over 150 countries through 40-plus service centres. The organization serves immigrants, refugees, newcomers, women, children and families, youth and seniors. Basically, SUCCESS serves, on average, 73,000 people each year.

For starters, SUCCESS supports our community by providing a wide range of programs in the area of integrated settlement services for immigrants and transitional support for refugees and newcomers, specifically orientation to Canada, language training, employment and entrepreneurship programs. It also provides affordable housing, senior care, culturally sensitive and appropriate residential and assisted-living facilities, adult day programs, Chinese Meals on Wheels and community programs. Regarding advocacy, SUCCESS focuses their fight against anti-Asian racism and community safety and services in Vancouver Chinatown.

SUCCESS is one of the success stories from the non-profit sector. It’s an organization that started in the area of specialized support, helping and empowering Chinese newcomers to settle in Canada, to now a diverse national organization that utilizes its years of experience and expertise to support people from over 150 countries. From fundraising galas to community engagement, SUCCESS is well-supported by the community, organizations and business leaders.

I also want to take the opportunity to express my gratitude and congratulations to Queenie Choo. Queenie is celebrating her ten years of leadership in SUCCESS. SUCCESS, under Queenie’s leadership, has grown and achieved so much, from being a voice for individuals’ language challenges to advocating for individuals who are not able to advocate for themselves. SUCCESS, under Queenie Choo, championed inclusivity, equity and collaboration.

Thank you, Queenie. Thank you for your leadership, and I wish another 50 years of successes for SUCCESS.

Oral Questions

POLICE SERVICES IN SURREY

T. Halford: For years, this NDP government has tried to avoid taking any responsibility for the future of policing in Surrey. Last month, instead of providing leadership, they simply kicked the can down the road.

Their inaction has resulted in continued uncertainty and now skyrocketing costs for the citizens of Surrey. Surrey residents are now facing the biggest tax increase, nearly 20 percent, the largest tax increase in the history of that city.

My question is a simple one to the Premier. When will he finally make a decision on the future of policing in Surrey?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for his question. As the member is well aware, the city of Surrey made a decision some four years ago that they wanted to move from the RCMP model of policing to having their own police service. That is their right to do that. That transition was underway.

[10:25 a.m.]

In the last election, a new mayor and council were elected. They, in a 5-to-4 vote, said they wanted to return back to the RCMP from the Surrey Police Service. As the member will know, the transition to where we are today has taken the better part of that four-year time. It meant working with the federal government. It meant working with the RCMP and the city of Surrey to ensure that there was an orderly transition in place. That transition was about halfway through.

The city of Surrey now wants to transition back. They have the ability to do that. They have made the decision that that’s what they want to do. But in order to do that, they have to be able to provide a transition plan that ensures that there is safe, effective and adequate policing. That’s the responsibility of the Solicitor General and the director of police services.

Subsequent to that, the city of Surrey worked on a plan on how they saw it going. The RCMP also showed how they would re-staff, in terms of going back to the RCMP model. We received that information just before Christmas. My staff have been working hard and analyzing that. They identified a range of gaps in both plans that needed to be addressed.

We have just received the responses to the questions and the concerns we had from the city of Surrey on Thursday. We have received the RCMP’s plan, in terms of how they plan to re-staff. That work is being analyzed as quickly as possible.

The bottom line is this, Member. Any plan has to ensure safe and effective and adequate policing. If it doesn’t do that, it cannot be approved. That work is underway. I want it done as quickly as possible. I was asked on the weekend whether this is going to take months or weeks. I said that I expect it in weeks.

My staff are doing everything they can, working with the city of Surrey, working with the RCMP and the Surrey Police Service to get the answers to the questions that they need so that we are able to make a decision that puts public safety first in the city of Surrey.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Surrey–White Rock, supplemental.

T. Halford: The minister talks about his responsibility. So let’s talk about the minister’s responsibility.

In August of 2019, this government gave a green light to the Surrey police transition. The minister just spoke about that. At that time, the project was approved, with little transparency, numerous unanswered questions and an uncertainty about true costs.

Now, yesterday, and the minister would be aware of this, Mayor Brenda Locke said: “There is a poison pill inside of that contract that says there is an 18-month severance clause after as little as six months of work.” Let me repeat that: “an 18-month severance clause after as little as six months of work.” This minister must have known about that. This government and this Premier signed off on it. Now Surrey residents are stuck with it.

Will the Premier stand up today and tell the people of Surrey why this government, this minister and this Premier signed off on a clause on a contract that had an 18-month severance clause?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for the question. The member will know that the contracts are negotiated between the police board and the city of Surrey and their police department.

Policing is a local government responsibility, hon. Member. Policing is a local government responsibility.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

The minister will continue.

Hon. M. Farnworth: The key in this whole thing…. I noticed that when this whole issue came about, the opposition’s view was very clear — that this is a local government responsibility, that this is a local government decision. And it is.

My decision as Solicitor General is to ensure that if Surrey wants to do a transition, any transition, whether it’s going forward or backward, ensures there is safe and effective policing in place. The plans for that were signed off by the federal government, the province and the city of Surrey in order to move forward to the Surrey Police Service. That transition has been well underway.

[10:30 a.m.]

I’ll remind the member of what his own leader said around the Surrey transition, which was that he will work hard to ensure that there is a smooth and successful transition for Surrey’s own police force. That’s what the Leader of the Opposition said.

I’ll repeat for the member. My responsibility is to ensure that if Surrey goes back, there is a safe and effective plan. The city of Surrey has said and acknowledged that….

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Member.

Hon. M. Farnworth: Do some homework, hon. Member. I don’t sign off on the contract.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, both sides.

Hon. M. Farnworth: As I was saying, the transition…. My responsibility is to ensure that there is a safe and effective transition that ensures safe and effective policing for the city of Surrey. That work is underway. I want that work to be done as quickly as possible, the city of Surrey wants it to be done as quickly as possible, and I know the residents of Surrey want it to be done as quickly as possible. The city of Surrey has acknowledged that those costs are their costs.

Hon. Member, that work is underway. I want to make it clear. A transition has to ensure safe and effective policing. As a former Solicitor General, you should know that that is the key priority. That is the key priority, Member. You may not think that, but we certainly do.

S. Bond: I can assure the member opposite that the debate in this chamber today is not about public safety. We agree with that. We agree that that has to be a priority.

What we are arguing about is the fact that this minister studiously avoided answering the question. He feels very free to point fingers at everybody else for the mess that’s taking place in Surrey.

Let’s be clear. This is a total mess. The people that are going to have to pay for this government’s incompetence and delays are the people of Surrey, a nearly 20 percent increase in their taxes. That would be a record tax hike in the city of Surrey. Every single day that this minister delays making the decision on the future of policing in Surrey only serves to increase anxiety about the cost to Surrey residents.

Let’s talk about those costs. Those would be on top of sky-high inflation, which leads the country again today. They have the highest gas prices, the highest gas tax prices in North America and the highest housing prices in North America. Many British Columbians are at the breaking point.

Will the minister get up and give us a specific timeline, especially to provide relief for the people of Surrey? Will he fix the mess?

Hon. M. Farnworth: Well, I’ll disagree with the member. This is about public safety. This is very much about public safety. If it was just about saying, “Yes, your plan is fine. Go ahead and do what you want….” It’s not.

This is about ensuring a safe transition, both forwards and backwards. The transition forward was proceeding. The council made a decision that they want to go back. In order to do that, they have to put in place a proper plan that ensures safe and effective policing.

They submitted an initial proposal. It was lacking. We have been working with the city of Surrey and the RCMP on the gaps that were identified to ensure that we have the answers in place, which will satisfy the statutory responsibility that I have and that government has to ensure safe and effective policing, and that a transition takes place that people understand and that ensures safe and effective policing not only for the city of Surrey but also for the rest of the province.

I’ll tell that member this. If a plan came forward that said, “We’re going to restaff Surrey by taking members from Prince George or taking members from Coquitlam or taking members from the North Shore,” it would not pass muster on this side of the House and, I expect, on that side of the House. We are going to do the work that needs to be done to make sure it’s done properly.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Prince George–Valemount, supplemental.

S. Bond: Let’s be clear. The minister can’t have it both ways. He talks about scrutinizing a plan. Apparently, he did know that there was an 18-month severance clause in that contract. He can’t have it both ways. The minister can’t do that.

[10:35 a.m.]

In fact, let’s be clear. This mess landed on his desk. He said, clearly, that the government approved the transition, which means he was aware that there was an 18-month severance clause in that transition plan after, potentially, as little as six months of work. That is what’s driving the unbelievable costs that Surrey residents may face.

The minister can’t have it both ways, so would he like to stand up today and answer the specific question? Was he aware of the fact that there was an 18-month severance clause in the case of the transition in Surrey policing?

Hon. M. Farnworth: The contract is one that’s negotiated at that level. I don’t sign off on the contract.

The city of Surrey voted to move from the RCMP force to a municipal police force, the Surrey Police Service. They subsequently, after almost three years of transition, decided to move back to the RCMP. In order to do that….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. M. Farnworth: In order to do that, there has to be a plan that ensures safe and effective policing. Within the contracts that the Surrey police department puts in place and that the city of Surrey agrees to, there will be terms of employment, just as there are for every other police department in this province and, indeed, across the country.

We have seen that the RCMP have negotiated a contract that’s resulted in a 25 percent salary increase. That has added significant costs to policing right across this province.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, shhh. Members.

Hon. M. Farnworth: The bottom line is this. I am responsible for ensuring a safe transition for policing. Whether they want to go forward or whether they want to go back, that work is underway. That’s what’s being done.

FUNDING FOR
ISLAND COASTAL ECONOMIC TRUST

A. Olsen: The Island Coastal Economic Trust was capitalized with $15 million in 2006 by the former B.C. Liberal government. This B.C. NDP government bought themselves some time by adding $10 million to that in 2017.

We’ve seen the $56 million assist in the member communities on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, attracting upwards of about $250 million in new investment into the region. Rural communities on Vancouver Island and on the coast have been waiting months to hear whether this vital economic driver for the region will be a priority for this government.

My question is to the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. I and, I imagine, my B.C. NDP colleagues will be interested to know: will the minister recapitalize the Island Coastal Economic Trust in Budget 2023?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you to the member for the question. The Island Coastal Economic Trust has played a very important role in stimulating economic development throughout Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast since 2006. Building resilient communities is a key action of our StrongerBC economic plan, which helps move B.C. forward by tackling the challenges of today while growing an economy that works for everyone.

In 2018, our government provided an additional $10 million in recapitalization of the trust to ensure it continues to support communities. We’ve also provided ICE-T with almost $3.3 million in funding through two rural rounds of community recovery initiative funding. This funding has supported the trust to hire business advisers, to help diversify local economies through the pandemic and to help mitigate changes in the forestry sector.

Communities in ICE-T’s region are also able to apply for funding through our new $33 million REDIP program to, again, drive economic diversification. The first intake just closed, and we’re very excited about the quality of the applications that have come in.

We’ve got more work to do. The focus on local communities continues, and it’s incredibly important to us.

[10:40 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: House Leader of the Third Party, supplemental.

A. Olsen: I think the communities on Vancouver Island and in the coastal region deserve better than just the minister replying with the same information that I provided in the preamble to my question.

There are 500,000 people in this region who depend on this trust to be able to fund important projects in their communities. Our local government colleagues rely on these funds to be able to fund local projects.

Resilient communities, as the minister framed, require reliability in the government funding. They need to know how they’re going to be able to plan. Unfortunately, according to the act, ICET is about to have to shutter their doors because their funding is coming to an end.

We’ve received letters from community leaders outlining how these investments have supported initiatives; developed community identity, Indigenous-led and nature-​based tourism, entrepreneurialism, sustainable innovation. Twenty-eight communities including Courtenay, Nanaimo, the shíshálh Nation, ’Na̠mgis First Nation, Campbell River, North Cowichan, Port Alberni, Powell River, Saltspring Chamber of Commerce, the Rural Islands Economic Partnership. Just among 28 commun­ities who have written this government.

I look to my colleagues on the other side who represent these communities and wonder out loud how it is that we even got to this sort of brinksmanship situation.

To the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, will she be reinvesting in these communities, or will she be telling them that they’re on their own?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. I myself am an Island girl. These communities matter deeply to me, and they matter deeply to our government. There are many examples I can share of the investments we’re making on the Island in this community and others.

For example, an investment in 2020-2021 in the goods movement strategy, tens of millions of dollars invested in the Port of Nanaimo expansion at Duke Point. We have received ICET’s proposal, and we’re considering it. Since its inception, ICET has operated on a spend-down model, and we understand the timeline that the board is working with.

We’re continuing to have discussions with the new CEO to explore funding options for ICET. We’ll have more to announce in future days.

LNG PROJECTS AND
FIRST NATIONS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

E. Ross: Haisla-Cedar LNG is one of the largest First Nations-led infrastructure projects in Canadian history with the potential to create thousands of jobs and reduce global emissions by replacing coal-fired power in Asia. But under this Premier, the project has been trapped in political purgatory since last November.

The Premier is afraid to even talk about it. He’s ashamed of our natural resources and LNG. He has no clear explanation or timeline for a decision on the Haisla-Cedar project.

A simple question for the Premier: when will a decision be made so Haisla-Cedar LNG can start exporting clean and ethical LNG to the world?

Hon. G. Heyman: Thank you to the member for the question. I’ll keep my answer short. The issue, the project, is complicated. It has a number of features. My colleague, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, and I are the decision-makers. The material is before us for a decision. We are looking at it thoroughly. We are working toward a decision, and that is all I can say.

E. Ross: That answer doesn’t make any sense. LNG Canada was complicated. Phase 2 was complicated. When I was chief councillor of Haisla Nation, we actually put together Haisla-Cedar LNG as an accommodation of rights and title.

[10:45 a.m.]

I mean it’s clear that the NDP are still ashamed of our natural resource economy, including LNG. We hear it in their debates every day in this Legislature. First Nations are doing their part to seize opportunities and lift their people from poverty. But there is growing frustration over the Premier’s delays and political purgatory.

Chief Councillor Crystal Smith from the Haisla Nation said last month: “In regard to the approval of the environmental assessment, it has definitely been frustrating, to say the least.”

By law, the deadline for this government to decide on Cedar LNG was 45 days, but it’s been over 100 days with no clear explanation or timeline. There was less timeline for LNG Canada.

When will the Premier stop delaying and actually support one of the largest First Nations–led infrastructure projects in Canadian history?

Hon. G. Heyman: On this side of the House, we take reconciliation, including economic reconciliation, with First Nations very seriously. I would just simply add that the Premier isn’t delaying or ducking a decision, because it’s not his to make. It belongs to me and to my colleague, the Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

We take economic reconciliation seriously, as I said. We’re taking the proposal seriously in all of its aspects and in all of its impacts, and we are working towards a decision very soon.

M. Lee: This government, under this Premier, needs to act on economic reconciliation with First Nations. It’s a nation-to-nation relationship. This Premier knows that, and he is failing on this file. He’s failing these First Nations.

The minister’s answer about Cedar LNG is just another example about how this government is failing on economic reconciliation with First Nations. First Nations, Indigenous peoples, want to be full partners in the economic development of B.C., including on clean and ethical LNG projects like Cedar LNG. The Musqueam Indian Band has partnered with Fortis on a project to unlock LNG as a marine fuel through the Tilbury LNG project in Delta. But just like Cedar LNG, the project has been caught in an NDP political purgatory.

Despite a legislated deadline of 45 days for a decision on the Tilbury marine jetty, this government has remained silent, and this Premier sits there and lets that minister stand up and answer the questions. This has been a delay for over 130 days.

When will the Premier provide answers and make a decision that respects the rights of First Nations to pursue economic opportunity?

Hon. G. Heyman: Once again, the member opposite raises an issue of a decision under the Environmental Assessment Act. As a lawyer, the member should know that I or any of my colleagues are very limited in what we can say in response to a decision that is currently before us.

But what I will say is that we take economic reconciliation very seriously. We take the rights of Indigenous peoples very seriously. That’s why when we rewrote the Environmental Assessment Act in 2018, we put in a provision that stated that if there were nations with legitimate interests who did not give consent to a project or raised concerns that we would meet and hear from those nations.

Despite the fact that Tilbury marine jetty is a project under the old act — because that is our commitment in the new act; because it is our commitment in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act that this government brought in, that every member of this House voted for unanimously — we, my colleague the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and I, the decision-makers on this project, are respecting every Indigenous nation who wants to be heard and wants to ensure that we take their points of view and their concerns seriously and into account for the decision.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Vancouver-Langara, supplemental.

M. Lee: Nations in our province are asking for respect, and quite frankly, that answer shows a real lack of respect for the Haisla Nation and for the Musqueam Indian Band.

[10:50 a.m.]

They are looking for the partnership to move forward with major economic development projects like Cedar LNG and Tilbury LNG. The delays and lack of support only further demonstrate this government’s failure to move forward with economic reconciliation. Yes, I am a lawyer. I have been, but this project and these decisions have been delayed beyond the legislated time frames of 45 days — 100 days and counting for Cedar LNG, 130 days and counting for the Tilbury LNG project.

It seems that this Premier is choosing his extremist base, including members of his own cabinet, over Indigenous reconciliation and economic opportunity — for instance, his Attorney General, who was a senior campaigner for the U.S.-based Stand.earth. She wrote a fundraising email opposing Tilbury LNG and said: “This is just the beginning of our fight to expose LNG for what it truly is — another climate catastrophe.”

Why has this Premier chosen to side with extremists at Stand.earth over the Haisla Nation and the Musqueam Indian Band?

Hon. G. Heyman: It is just regrettable that the member opposite is choosing to label anyone who disagrees with his position as an extremist. That is not how we have dialogue in this province.

Interjections.

Hon. G. Heyman: I’m familiar with my record. I’m familiar with my colleagues’ records, and I’m proud of all of them. My colleagues and I are proceeding…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. G. Heyman: …in a respectful, thorough manner to make the decisions that are before us. In making those decisions, we consider environmental impacts, we consider our commitments, we consider economic reconciliation, and we consider the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Among the nations with whom we met on Tilbury marine jetty were the Musqueam.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES ON
LNG DEVELOPMENT AND STATUS
OF PROJECT PROPOSALS

T. Stone: Well, the words of the minister are cold comfort to First Nations and, indeed, to the thousands of hard-working British Columbians who contribute so much to the provincial economy and put food on the table for their families through the hard work that they do in B.C.’s natural resources sectors. It’s time for this government to start respecting those families.

I would suggest that doesn’t come through comments, attributable to the Attorney General, that were just read into the record. They don’t come from comments from the current Minister of Emergency Management — who said, during the Premier’s run for leadership, that the Premier would “take an unambiguous stance against LNG.” They don’t come from comments made during the throne speech from the Premier’s own appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development, who said that supporting our natural resource sector was uninspiring and “a vision for what rural communities were 100 years ago.”

Later this week, on February 24 to be exact, it will have been one year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine — a war that has underscored the need of the Western world to stop relying on oil and gas sold by dictators like Vladimir Putin. In Germany, six new floating LNG regasification terminals are expected to come online by the end of this year, and growing demand for LNG is forcing countries like Japan and South Korea to turn to coal power plants as a future energy source.

B.C. should be a leader in providing a secure source of clean and ethical LNG, reducing emissions in Asia by 50 percent. We have everything that it takes for this to be the case, except for the political will. The Premier seems to be more interested in pandering to ideological extremists, saying, in his very first speech as Premier: “We cannot continue to expand fossil fuel infrastructure.”

My question to the Premier is this. Why isn’t the Pre­mier seizing the opportunity to support our allies with safe transitional fuels like LNG, which also happen to promote reconciliation and reduce globe emissions?

[10:55 a.m.]

When will this Premier stand up? When will he indicate that he’s going to approve, expeditiously, Haisla Cedar LNG, Tilbury LNG and phase 2 of LNG Canada?

Mr. Speaker: Before the Chair recognizes the Premier, I want to remind all members not to use electronic devices during the question period, please.

Hon. D. Eby: I thank the members on the other side for the questions. These are important projects that have been brought forward by First Nations partners. They’re challenging questions for British Columbians, even if the opposition pretends that they’re not.

British Columbians are seized with the issue of climate change. They see the smoky summers, the wildfire seasons that have destroyed a huge portion of our forest base, the floods that we’ve seen through atmospheric rivers and the heat dome. LNG is, let’s be frank, a fossil fuel that contri­butes in part to global climate change.

We have brought in a CleanBC plan with clear targets for carbon emissions. Projects have to hit those targets. We’ve been clear about LNG targets: fossil fuel emissions generally have to hit our carbon pollution targets. Now, illustrating some of the complexity of this, one of the proudest moments I’ve had since being Premier was the agreement we signed with Blueberry River First Nations.

The complexity that that nation faces of wanting to preserve the land base, also recognizing the economic opportunities that the biggest private sector investment in B.C.’s history, LNG Canada, brings to them and other nations — which our government delivered, by the way — is important. That’s why the agreement talks about reducing disturbance on the land by half but making sure that we’re meeting our international commitments, including around carbon pollution.

These are not simple, black-and-white issues. These are complex issues. We’ll work closely with nations on economic development. We’ll work closely with fossil fuel producers around LNG, to ensure that we’re hitting our carbon targets, but all of us in this House need to be focused, as well, on the fact that the world is transitioning rapidly away from fossil fuels and to make sure that, for our kids and for the future of our economy, B.C. is part of that, through clean hydrogen and through our clean electricity. Across the province, these are huge advantages.

We have critical minerals. In getting our permit times down, I accept the critique of the opposition. They struggled, while in government, to deal with this. We’re going to take it on. Permit times are a huge issue for resource proponents that need to get at those critical minerals. We’re proud of our resource industries. You see our work on forestry, at a time when so many forests burned down and the forests aren’t available.

We’re going to do that work. That’s why we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Canada. That’s why we gained 63,000 jobs last year, the vast majority of which are in the private sector — three-quarters of the job growth from women, thanks for our investments in child care. In 2017, we led the country in small business job growth. We had the highest credit rating of all the provinces in Canada. Our economy came back faster than other provinces’ because we supported people. Natural resources are a part of that.

We’re going to continue to do the work to deliver for British Columbians. We’re going to keep building the strongest economy in Canada, and B.C. will be a leader in the clean energy future of the world.

[End of question period.]

Motions Without Notice

POWERS AND ROLE OF
FINANCE COMMITTEE

Hon. R. Kahlon: I seek leave to move a motion to provide the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services with their terms of reference.

The full text of the motion has been provided to the other House leaders.

Leave granted.

Hon. R. Kahlon: I move:

[11:00 a.m.]

[That the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to:

1. Examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to the budget consultation paper prepared by the Minister of Finance in accordance with section 2 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act (S.B.C. 2000, c. 23) and, in particular, to:

a. conduct public consultations across British Columbia on proposals and recommendations regarding the provincial budget and fiscal policy for the coming fiscal year by any means the Committee considers appropriate; and

b. prepare a report no later than November 15, 2023, on the results of those consultations.

2. In conjunction with general oversight of the following statutory officers, namely, the:

i. Auditor General

ii. Chief Electoral Officer

iii. Conflict of Interest Commissioner

iv. Human Rights Commissioner

v. Information and Privacy Commissioner

vi. Merit Commissioner

vii. Ombudsperson

viii. Police Complaint Commissioner

ix. Representative for Children and Youth

a. consider and make recommendations on the annual reports, rolling three-year service plans and budgets;

b. inquire into and make recommendations with respect to other matters brought to the Committee’s attention by any of the aforementioned statutory officers; and

c. consider and make decisions, on behalf of the Legislative Assembly, regarding the terms and conditions of employment of any of the aforementioned statutory officers arising as a request of an officeholder during their term of appointment.

That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in sections 19, 20, 21 and 23 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) and that the report in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) be referred to the Committee.

That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in sections 47.02 and 47.03 of the Human Rights Code (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 210).

That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to:

a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;

b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;

c. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

d. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee;

That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible; and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.]

Motion approved.