Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Hon. N. Sharma: It’s with great pleasure that I invite our government caucus team at the Attorney General’s office, who are up here somewhere. They really are a dream team. It’s Preet Grewal, Michael Cox, Tara Saracuse, John O’Dowd, Nicole Hall and Catherine Pate.

I want to thank you for all the work that you do.

Hon. D. Coulter: I have two introductions to do today. My senior administrative assistant, Ebony Rindahl, is joined by her sister in the gallery. Ebony started her career in government in 2021 as the administrative assistant in Social Development and Poverty Reduction, where she was the direct administrative support for myself, as Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-profits. Ebony has a passion for inclusion and is always trying to find ways to make those around her feel welcome.

With her is her sister Misty Olsen, who is joining us in the gallery for the very first time. Last year Misty was elected as a councillor for the city of Colwood. Not only is she serving her community supporting their mayor, but she has been busy supporting the community in Victoria for over a decade, from program coordinator for the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association to past festival productions around the city. You may also find her curating dream weddings at Langtry Walk in Saanichton.

If the House would please make Misty and her sister Ebony welcome to the House.

Hon. M. Rankin: I’m pleased to rise today and welcome guests from the Haida Nation and the Haida recognition of title team, some of whom are with us in the gallery and others who are in the precinct and will join us later on the floor.

I’d like to welcome Gaagwiis, Jason Alsop, who is, of course, president of the Haida Nation; Ginn wadluu un uula isdaa ayaagang, who is Trevor Russ, vice-president of the Haida Nation; Stihlda, Frank Collison; Gaahlaay, Lonnie Young; Git’kun, Reg Young; 7idansuu, Jim Hart; Kil tlaats ’gaa, Peter Lantin, who is past president of the Haida Nation.

The elected representatives who are with us are Laanas, Tamara Davidson; Gidin Jaad, Erica Reid; Kuuyas 7waahlal gidaak, Lisa Hageman; Gam kaayangsdla.ang, Don Edgars, of Old Massett Village Council; and NangKiihlgaa, Gordon Mills, of the Skidegate Band Council.

Finally, I’d like to welcome Jisgang, who is Nika Collinson; and Taaydal, Cohen Isberg.

To all members of the Haida Nation who have joined us, we thank you. háw’aa.

Hon. H. Bains: In the gallery, I notice a good friend of mine and a friend of labour, a friend of working people in this province. A delegation from Unifor is here, led by, as I said, a good friend of mine, Gavin McGarrigle. They are here to talk to us.

We met with the Premier yesterday, myself and the Minister of Forests, and they brought issues that are important not only to their members but all British Columbians.

I want to say thank you for raising those issues and helping make for not just the working people, the members of yours, but for every working person here and that lives there their health and safety and working conditions better.

Please join with me in giving them a very warm welcome.

J. Routledge: I’d like to introduce Jonny Sopotiuk. He is an accomplished union organizer, community organizer and campaign organizer. He’s a creative artist and a creative thinker, and I’m proud to call him my friend.

Please join me in giving him a warm welcome.

Hon. M. Dean: Today in the gallery we have joining us Bryant Doradea. He’s an artist, grassroots activist, youth worker, former youth from care and was also a member of the ministry’s Youth Advisory Council.

[10:15 a.m.]

Bryant is also known by his hip-hop alias, HK, which stands for higher knowledge, and he’s going to be doing a performance today in the library gathering place in honour of the upcoming B.C. Child and Youth in Care Week. His performance of The Foster Kids Survival Guide is for all interested members, and I’d invite you all to come. It’s going to start at noon, and it’s really, really fantastic.

Joining Bryant in the gallery are members of our ministry staff and the Youth Advisory Council team, Renaa Bacy and Connie Epp.

Would everybody please help me in welcoming them here today.

Hon. G. Lore: Joining us today in the gallery is the GCPE team for Child Care. As I mentioned, it’s Child Care Month, and as we celebrate educators and providers, I also want to celebrate and thank everyone at the ministry for all that they do to make child care more accessible and affordable to families in B.C.

Thank you to this team for helping us connect with families and providers and educators and communities.

Will the House please join me in making them welcome.

S. Furstenau: I have two introductions to make today. Joining us in the House and up in the gallery are members of the Vancouver Foundation Level youth policy program. Arsh Grewal and Amora Takawira are here again with two more of the youth policy team, WeiChun Kua and Yara Younis. Would the House please make them most welcome.

I have a very special introduction to make as well. In the gallery today is Gud Takin Jaad, Rose Williams, who is my constituency assistant and is here as a Haida woman and a Haida artist to witness the Haida Recognition Act.

Rose is extraordinary in so many ways. One of them is just last week, when we knew that I’d be speaking publicly on Red Dress Day, staff reached out to Rose, and in the space of two days, she made this beautiful red dress. She beaded it herself and gifted it to me on Wednesday. Rose is an incredible artist, an incredible writer and an incredible human being. I’m so grateful to know her.

B. Anderson: Today in the gallery I have two guests. I have Lauren Mirva and Adam Sutherland from the Nelson police department. Not everyone knows that Nelson has its own municipal police force. It’s 126 years old.

This morning I got to meet with Lauren and Adam, and we talked about some of the challenges that the police force is facing, but also some of the opportunities. I’m really grateful for the work that they do to keep our community safe, and I really appreciated the conversation this morning.

Thank you for joining us, and will everyone make them feel welcome, please.

Hon. B. Ma: A little bird told me that we may have some guests in the gallery here today from GCPE, government communications and public engagement team: Krystal Thomson, Aimee Harper, Dave Paulson, Aaron Hinks, Octavian Lacatusu and Patrick Newman. I don’t know if they are here, but if they are here, I hope that the House will please join me in making them feel very welcome.

M. Dykeman: Today is a very special day in my home. Twenty years ago today I gave birth to the most wonderful, kindest and most compassionate son you could have. My son A.J.’s birthday is today, and I’m so incredibly proud of him.

I’m wondering if the House could please join me in wishing him a very happy birthday.

J. Rice: I just want to echo the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation’s welcome and introduction to the House of all the Haida members, who are all across British Columbia.

[10:20 a.m.]

As the MLA for North Coast, who has the pleasure of representing the people of Haida Gwaii, it’s a really special day for me, not just because we are recognizing in colonial law which is inherent and has been forever in Haida law, but also because in ten years of being the MLA — ten years today, in fact — I have never had this many constituents in Victoria at the same time, ever. I am ecstatic.

Welcome. háw’aa.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL M223 — CONTROL OF
FOREIGN FUNDING AND
ELECTORAL INFLUENCE ACT

T. Stone presented a bill intituled Control of Foreign Funding and Electoral Influence Act.

T. Stone: I move that the bill intituled Control of Foreign Funding and Electoral Influence Act, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read for the first time now.

Recent events have put a spotlight on the significant threat to foreign influence on the integrity of elections, democratic institutions and processes. We have witnessed numerous instances of foreign influence in politics, both locally in British Columbia and around the world.

When these types of concerns go unaddressed, public trust and confidence in our democratic systems can be eroded, leading to divided communities and increased social tension. Therefore, to protect the democratic process, we must modernize to strengthen our Election Act laws, ensuring they’re up to date and effective in combatting foreign influence in B.C. politics.

Disappointingly, there were gaps in this government’s recent amendments to the Election Act. Two recommendations in particular from Elections B.C., both of which related to the issue of foreign interference, were not included in these most recent amendments.

The bill I am introducing today will prohibit foreign-funded individuals and organizations from making false or misleading communications for any purpose related to an election. It will also ban contributions from any foreign person, government or political organization for any purpose related to an election and prohibit any individual organization from collaborating with or accepting funds from foreign entities in order to influence an election.

Transparency is a fundamental element of a strong democracy. When people are unsure of the truth, it breeds fear and mistrust. A fair and proper review of this matter in a transparent way is essential to maintain the public’s trust and protect the values we all hold dear.

It’s time for us to work together to ensure that political power remains firmly in the hands of British Columbians and that we can effectively safeguard our democracy from the influence of foreign entities.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the question is the first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

T. Stone: 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 M223, Control of Foreign Funding and Electoral Influence Act, 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.

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST
HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA AND BIPHOBIA

R. Merrifield: Today I rise in the House to recognize the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which is celebrated every year on May 17. This day is an important opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing discrimination, violence and marginalization faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or questioning and two-spirit individuals and all of those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, expressions and sex characteristics.

It is significant to note that May 17, 1990, was the day that homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder by the World Health Organization. Since then, after a global campaign, the first International Day Against Homophobia was celebrated in 2004, and it is now celebrated in more than 130 countries.

This year’s theme is “Together always, united in di­versity,” which highlights the importance of solidarity, community and allyship across different identities, movements and borders. It is a message that resonates with the ongoing struggles and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community.

As a society, we have made progress towards equality and acceptance for LGBTQ2S+ individuals, but we still have a long way to go. We must continue to advocate for equal rights and ensure that nobody feels discriminated against simply because of who they are.

On this day and every day, it is important to create a platform for LGBTQ2S+ people to share their stories and experiences. We must listen to them and amplify their voices so that we can work together towards a better future for everyone.

[10:25 a.m.]

On behalf of the B.C. United caucus, I reaffirm our commitment to work hard to make homophobia, transphobia and biphobia a thing of the past and strive for a province where everyone can feel safe and comfortable being themselves.

RESILIENT RURAL ECONOMIES AND ROLE
OF PLACE IN GOVERNMENT POLICY-MAKING

R. Russell: I start with a quote from Danielle Rhubart and her colleagues: “Federal policies and programs are typically written with place-neutral intent or without considering how they might affect places differently depending on population compositions or geographic contexts. On average, rural areas are older, sicker and poorer and have weaker health care infrastructures than urban areas. We should anticipate that place-neutral policies would impact health and aging differently in rural versus urban areas.”

Our rural and remote communities are not little Vancouvers, and most don’t want to be. Nor are we beholden to only forests, farms, fish or oil and gas or minerals to be the definition of our identities. Our rural communities will always be leading the charge with innovation in the natural resource sectors and in securing more value from those raw products that fuel our province, but they are rapidly becoming more diverse, socially and economically, and have grand visions for what they want to become.

The unintentional status quo of this place in creating place-neutral policies is the creation of policy that is inordinately informed by metro realities, which is why it’s so important to see shifts like that announced by Shannon Salter, Deputy Minister to the Premier, earlier this year — that effective April 1, all job postings will be open to people in any B.C. community where the hiring ministry has an office, and any restrictions will require deputy minister approval.

This isn’t just a win for our public service, for personal employment flexibility. It’s a win for our ability to ground-truth our policy development process in a more representative cross-section of B.C., and it’s a win for rural resiliency.

For wine policy, for example, understanding the realities of place is enormously important, as Leslie at Noble Ridge knows all too well.

This internal change is one of the eight key opportunities identified by the B.C. Rural Centre as a way to help support rural communities. It matters for people, for policy and for resilient rural economies, and we’re getting it done.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEEK
AND SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESS

L. Doerkson: Economic Development Week is an annual event that runs from May 8 to 12 and celebrates the importance of economic development in communities right across British Columbia. This event aims to raise awareness of the important role that economic development plays in creating jobs, attracting investment and promoting sustainable growth in our province.

During Economic Development Week, businesses, community organizations and government agencies come together to showcase their successes and collaborate on strategies to foster economic growth in the regions.

Unfortunately, small businesses in British Columbia are facing significant challenges these days in keeping their doors open as they face a mixture of barriers that are slowing them down. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable to property crime, which can include theft, vandalism and break-ins. These crimes not only cause financial losses for businesses, but they can also lead to the loss of confidence in the local business community. This is why it’s so important that we support small businesses in British Columbia by taking steps to prevent property crime and supporting them in their recovery from these incidents.

Economic Development Week is a great opportunity to learn more about our local businesses and help them explore options to increase their revenue. There are many workshops and webinars that are available for the public to learn more ways to retain employees, attract businesses and utilize their community.

By supporting small businesses in British Columbia, we can help ensure they continue to play a vital role in driving economic growth and creating jobs in the province.

As we celebrate Economic Development Week, let us also remember the importance of supporting these small businesses that make our communities extremely strong and vibrant.

UNION COOPERATIVE INITIATIVE
AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

J. Routledge: The Union Cooperative Initiative was launched last year to bring together the labour and co­operative movements to promote economic development through shared community-focused values. The UCI is supported by Vancity Credit Union and the Alliance for Cooperative Development.

B.C. has a long history of collaboration between unions and co-ops. Helena Gutteridge, Vancouver’s first woman city councillor and a union organizer, helped create a toy-making co-op in 1914. Japanese and Indigenous fishing co-ops were early sustainable B.C. enterprises.

[10:30 a.m.]

Today the UCI serves as an incubator and developer. VALU Co-op was UCI’s first initiative. It was launched in 2020 at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide living wage work for freelance arts and cultural workers.

Scoop, the Stitchers Co-op, was launched by costume workers in the theatre sector to make flexible fabric masks and other soft goods.

Seize the Means of Production Film Co-op provides high-quality film and creative services to value-aligned organizations. One of its newest ventures is the community fitness co-op that provides at-home training to clients around Burnaby.

In the words of managing director, Jonny Sopotiuk: “The union cooperative model provides tools for communities to combat pressing issues of our time: income inequality and workplace alienation, racism and discrimination, climate change.”

So far, UCI has launched seven union cooperatives in partnership with the B.C. Federation of Labour, IATSE Local 891, Arts and Cultural Workers’ Union and MoveUP. Another ten are in development. Their union co-op development centre recently opened in Chinatown and will become a hub for worker-focused community economic development, labour organizing and co-op incubation.

GRADUATES OF 2023
IN KOOTENAY EAST AREA

T. Shypitka: Today I want to take the time to speak to our greatest natural resource that we have here in the province, and that is our young K to 12 students and, more specifically, our graduating classes across the province.

In Kootenay East, I would like to mention the six graduating classes of 2023. The smallest but perhaps mightiest class will be from Kootenay Discovery School in Fernie, with nine wonderful graduates.

Kootenay Educational Services, or KES, will have 13 bright and promising students walk out their doors this year.

Elkford Secondary has a graduating class of 28 in a city that is wild at heart.

Sparwood Secondary inches out Elkford this year with 29 eager students ready to take on the world.

Fernie Secondary is proud to produce 81 grads that are as beautiful as the city itself.

Cranbrook’s Mount Baker, my alma mater, boasts 248 hard-working and fun-loving graduates this year.

To make things extra special this year, my daughter, Allie Jade Nora Shypitka, will be one of those 408 names that will be finishing their secondary education in the coming weeks, and I couldn’t be more proud. Time flies like an arrow, and it seems bittersweet for me to see my daughter finish this part of her life that my wife and I seem to be in so much control of. I know she’s about to embark into a phase of her life that is independent of her parents as she takes on the world as a strong, intelligent, beautiful woman that she has become.

Life will be scary sometimes, but at other times, it will be full of accomplishments, love and newfound joy.

Words of advice, if I may: live your own life. Don’t compare your beginnings to somebody else’s middle. Be positive. Do things that you are uncomfortable with. Appreciate moments with those you love. Less stuff equals more freedom. Help others. Build a budget. Love yourself before loving anyone else. Believe in yourself. Most of all, have fun, and don’t let life pass you by.

To my favourite daughter, my most beautiful daughter, my most intelligent daughter, my only daughter: congratulations to you and the 407 grads of 2023 in Kootenay East. You made it.

ARTS AND CULTURE
IN VANCOUVER–WEST END

S. Chandra Herbert: This last weekend in the West End, we celebrated Art in the City. It’s a long-standing festival put on by the West End Community Centre Association, a celebration of visual arts and pottery. Indeed, you can find me drinking my morning coffee every day from a mug that I purchased right there.

Now, that’s not the only centre for arts in the West End. Of course, just outside the doors, you’ll find John Ferrie murals on just about every wall at that centre, including a small piece put up by my own son — a very good artist, I must say.

Up the street you’ll find Mole Hill, where we have the Mole Hill gallery, Mole Gallery, featuring artwork from local artists most every weekend.

Down the road you’ve got Gordon House where, I’m really proud to say, they’ve taken on work with Keith Spence. Now, Keith is a Squamish Nation artist, and this last summer he engaged the community to carve the very first house post in the West End in over 100 years.

[10:35 a.m.]

This summer there’s more work to come, and I can’t wait to help announce it.

Going beyond there, of course, over in Coal Harbour, we have the Performing Arts Lodge with its resident theatre company, Western Gold. Every night — most summers, most winters, most every night — you’ll find incredible artwork there from the theatre artists in the community.

We’ve got Roedde House, with its history museum. Davie Village where, of course, you’ll find drag performed just about every single night.

Then, if that’s too much for you, you can pick up a book from Ronsdale Press. One of the ones I’m reading currently is about the late, great MLA and Nisg̱a’a leader Frank Calder.

There are playwrights. There are performers. You turn on the TV. You look it up on Netflix. You’ll see West End artists on our screens as well.

I just want to say, please join me in celebrating the arts. They are what make us who we are, celebrating the artists and all those who help artists thrive.

R. Leonard: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

R. Leonard: I’m really excited to see more students coming into the gallery today from home. They’ll be in here momentarily, so I wanted to get it out now.

They’re grade 4 and 5 students. There are 23 of them coming from, once again, Queneesh. I think there’s a bug going around in that school. It’s a good one that I’d like to see spread further. Ms. Munro, better known as Ms. Catherine, is here and Ms. Thygesen. They have the Montessori kids from grade 4 and 5, and later we’ll be having some more students from their class coming in.

May the House please welcome them and give them a reason to come back.

Oral Questions

MANAGEMENT OF B.C. HOUSING
AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING
FOR ATIRA PROPERTY SERVICES

K. Falcon: Yesterday we received confirmation of the Premier’s horrific mismanagement of B.C. Housing, the Crown corporation tasked with providing housing to those most in need. This total mismanagement occurred while the Premier was directly responsible for B.C. Housing but clearly was asleep at the switch. Yet to believe the Premier, no one at the political level is responsible: not the member for Coquitlam-Maillardville, when she was the minister responsible; not the Premier when he was the minister responsible. He takes no responsibility.

I remind you that the Premier was the one that made the Treasury Board submissions for the $90 million that he secured for Atira without financial reviews being in place and despite multiple damning reports outlining the misuse of taxpayer dollars.

My question for the Premier: why did the Premier more than triple the funding to Atira at the same time that he buried reports that were suggesting exactly the kind of gross financial mismanagement we’re only finding out about today?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Well, we’re responsible for the report that was just released to the public, the first time in B.C.’s history, released without redactions so the public can see the challenges. We take this responsibility very seriously.

Now, I think it’s important for those watching at home to have the context of the steps that were taken. The Premier became the Minister Responsible for Housing. He saw some issues that concerned him. He went to the Office of the Comptroller General. He actually brought in EY. They made recommendations last year on things B.C. Housing can do to ensure that there’s greater oversight of projects. Those things, many of them have been done, and many more are under progress.

They also identified some specific new challenges or new issues that they felt needed further investigation, and that’s what the Premier took the next steps on — to bring EY in, as was highlighted yesterday. A team flew in from Toronto to look at this new information.

Now, the information is clear that the former CEO, Mr. Ramsay, and the CEO of Atira, who are married, saw some additional benefits because the former CEO was pushing staff to send more contracts and more dollars to Atira at the expense of others.

Now, we all agree in this House that rules must be followed. It’s unacceptable behaviour. That’s why I felt strongly that this report, the information that was made available to us, needed to be made public.

[10:40 a.m.]

Now, it’s important for everyone in this House to know that around 2020, we were in a pandemic. There were additional dollars required for not-for-profits to support the most vulnerable people in this province.

What is unacceptable, and what the report highlights, is that the decisions made by the then CEO of B.C. Housing to direct-award contracts to Atira and not make them available for other not-for-profits. It’s unacceptable; it’s wrong. We all agree on that in this House. But what was vital during the pandemic, what’s vitally important, was that we supported the most vulnerable people. That’s what we did.

Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

K. Falcon: That is possibly the most ridiculous amount of spin I have ever seen on a subject that this government is entirely responsible for. So let’s do have some context.

It actually goes back to 2018, when BDO, an accounting firm, came out with a scathing report on the mismanagement and carelessness with taxpayer dollars that was taking place at B.C. Housing corporation and at Atira. What did the NDP do with that report? They buried it for four years. It was only when this opposition brought it forward that finally, we started to find out that there were huge problems there.

What was the Premier’s response? He initially said that he hadn’t seen the report, that he wasn’t aware of it. The next day, apparently, his memory was refreshed. Now he had some familiarity with the report, but that was only after he had B.C. Housing draft a press release saying: “Oh, that has all been taken care of. That was all old news that we’ve all taken care of.”

That was not the case. The BDO report found incorrect, incomplete, misleading information, yet during this entire time, we saw more reports come out. Now we have the Ernst and Young report come out, which the Premier, then the Housing Minister responsible, quietly posted on the Friday evening of a long weekend. Imagine that. That’s the NDP’s idea of transparency.

Then the following Friday, what does he do? He fires the entire NDP-appointed board. That’s the transparency from this NDP government. After firing the board, the Premier’s response is that it had nothing to do with any suggestion of impropriety whatsoever. “Nothing to see here, folks.” That’s the message that the Premier and the NDP have been giving the public. We know now that that was not true.

It is a damning pattern of evasion and misleading and not being straight-up with the public. You owe a duty to the public to stand up right now and come clean about the fact that $90 million, by this current Premier, went before Treasury Board, that he brought forward.

Why was he increasing the funding by over 300 percent at the same time that he was sitting on reports that showed the damning amount of misuse of public funds?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Transparency is, when you have a report like this, to make it public without redaction. That’s transparency. It’s not ripping pages out of a report. It’s not ripping pages out of a report, which we’ve seen.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Members. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: It’s not triple-deleting emails. That’s not what it is. This is not documenting things on Post-it Notes. This is seeing a report that’s clearly in the public interest and releasing it, for the first time in B.C.’s history, under the Freedom of Information Act. That’s transparency.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: That level of transparency is shameful? Maybe the member will have a question, and I’m happy to answer that.

The member talks about a BDO report. That report was made by the board at the time. It was not made available to the minister at the time. The board made a decision. They felt at that time that it didn’t need further action. Now….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Members. Members, let the minister answer, please.

Members will come to order.

Please continue.

[10:45 a.m.]

Hon. R. Kahlon: Hon. Speaker, I think it’s a fair comment for the public to ask that. Since 2012 there have been news stories about this. In fact, in 2012, there was a report asking the minister at the time around conflict of interest…. Because, by the way, this relationship had started in 2010. At the time, Minister Coleman said: “I can assure you that everything was done that had to be done, and then some.” They were very cautious about it.

Hon. Speaker, now we reflect back to those news stories and think: “Why weren’t steps taken earlier?” I can assure the members….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, Members.

Members, please.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: I can assure the members of this House and the public that when the Premier saw something inappropriate, he took action…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …just like he did with money laundering, just like he did with ICBC, just like he did with B.C. Lottery Corp. That’s the type of public transparency that we provide on this side.

K. Falcon: We now have a better idea, for all the British Columbians watching today, of why the Canadian Association of Journalists calls this the most secretive government in Canada.

Oh, they’re so transparent. They only sat on this latest report for two months, and the only reason they released it…. It was because of pressure from this opposition in question period that they finally, finally said that they were going to release this report.

The truly shocking….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please. Shhh. Shhh.

K. Falcon: The truly shocking element here is the fact that this Premier, while sitting on two extremely damaging reports — the earlier BDO report from 2018 and the Ernst and Young report, which disclosed and exposed all the financial management that was taking place at B.C. Housing under the Premier’s watch while he was minister responsible and particularly the mismanagement that was taking place at their largest housing provider, Atira…. He still felt it was appropriate to increase the funding by 335 percent to that housing organization. That is fascinating to me.

Yesterday I heard the Premier say that he…. As he tried to shift blame entirely from his own failures, the Premier astonishingly had the audacity to claim, in this House, that he was concerned “about the spike in funding at Atira.” Well, that is really interesting, given that he was the minister that brought it forward to Treasury Board and asked for that extra $90 million for Atira.

This shocking misrepresentation, evasion, blame-shifting by this Premier exemplifies what is going on and why we have not got housing for the society’s most vulnerable. No wonder they haven’t come close to meeting their housing targets.

If not this Premier, then who is responsible for the massive run-up in funding to Atira and the gross mismanagement that was outlined in that report? Who is responsible?

Hon. R. Kahlon: There’s so much misinformation in there that I don’t know where to start. I’ll start with….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, both sides.

Members.

Members, the question was asked; now let’s hear the answer. Please, let’s be respectful to each other.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you so much, hon. Speaker.

First, I’ll start with releasing the report. When the report was made available to me, immediately upon reading it, I believe that it was….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. It’s not very cute when you keep interrupting, please. Please, both sides.

Continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Upon receiving the report, I was very disturbed by the findings. I made sure, immediately, that staff stopped any additional funding that may be going to Atira.

I then expressed to my team, to the legal team that was advising me, that I believed that this should be released to the public because it’s in the public interest. I was advised that, in order to do so, I must inform the entities named in the report and give them sufficient time to make representations.

[10:50 a.m.]

The deadline was April 25 for representations. Then we, upon a request, extended that to April 28. After that, I reviewed the representations and made the decision last week that I still believe that the report should be made available to the public without any redaction. Those are the steps we took. That’s the level of transparency we want to ensure.

Now, the member talks about the $90 million. I think it’s important to note that we were in the middle of a pandemic. We had people who had extreme needs. I know that people want to forget about that time. Certainly, I think it’s easier to forget about that time. But we had people who needed supports, so we increased the amount of investments to ensure that people had housing and people had all the types of supports they need.

Now, what is fundamentally wrong is that with that support that was provided, B.C. Housing, under the direction of the former CEO, was directing funds more to his partner’s not-for-profit and not to other not-for-profits. That is fundamentally wrong. But we’re not going to apologize for making additional investments to support the most vulnerable people in the middle of a pandemic.

B.C. HOUSING COMMUNICATIONS
WITH ATIRA PROPERTY SERVICES ON
STATUS OF ATIRA SENIOR EXECUTIVES

M. de Jong: I have a copy of a letter dated May 4 of this year, signed by the present chair of B.C. Housing and sent to Atira. It includes a series of demands. Included in those demands is a demand for what they term “leadership renewal.”

My question to the Premier…. Clearly, the letter was sent on orders from the government. Is the Premier demanding that Atira fire executives, and if so, which ones, and if so, why?

Hon. R. Kahlon: The letter was sent from the chair of B.C. Housing, who is a man of integrity, who served here as Deputy Attorney General under the opposition when they were in government. He followed up on a conversation that he had with the chair of Atira regarding the concerns that were raised in the report.

My view is, certainly, that in order for them to continue to serve the public in a good way, and serve the most vulnerable people, they take the actions that are required to ensure that the public has confidence and that they can continue to do so. Certainly, I suspect that’s what the chair conveyed to the chair of Atira.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Abbotsford West, supplemental.

M. de Jong: Quite frankly, in the aftermath of the report that has been tabled, I would have thought that the minister, the Premier and the government would be in a position to provide more certain information than “I’m guessing.” It’s pretty clear that orders were given to send this letter to Atira.

The response, however, is interesting. I presume that the Premier and the minister are aware of the response, dated May, 5 from Atira to B.C. Housing: “You call for ‘leadership renewal,’ which we understand to be a euphemism for terminating one or more senior executives. We decline to do so at this time, and we continue to have confidence in our executive team.”

The Premier, who wants to maintain this facade that he was a hapless victim, unaware of all of these shenanigans that were taking place, has now sent a letter, via B.C. Housing, saying: “I want you to fire someone.” The agencies he sent it to said no.

What’s the Premier going to do about it?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Surely the member knows they’re an independent organization, an arm’s length away from government. Decisions made about their leadership made by them, ultimately, in the end, will be made by their board. Certainly, I’ve already made it clear that I’m of the opinion that changes need to happen there. It can’t be business as usual. It cannot be business as usual.

Now, the letter the member refers to also mentioned that the CEO hadn’t read the report, that only their board chair had read the report. That’s unacceptable. Given the severity of the findings, that the CEO and the other board members hadn’t read the report, yet that was the position they’ve taken, I think is very troubling.

[10:55 a.m.]

That being said, the decisions made by the board around their leadership have got to be made by them. What we are going to be doing is taking the actions that we need to do. We’re starting immediately inspections on all of Atira’s sites. We’re freezing all new additional funding that is going to Atira.

We’re asking for an independent government representative to keep an eye on some of the actions that they will be taking. These are the steps that we can take within the realms of what we have, and we’re going to continue to urge them to do the right thing.

INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OF
CONSERVATION OFFICER SERVICE

A. Olsen: I asked the Minister of Public Safety about independent oversight of the B.C. conservation service. The B.C. COS website says: “Conservation officers are highly trained, dedicated individuals responsible for en­forcing 33 federal and provincial statutes. They hold special provincial constable status under the Police Act and have unrestricted appointment to enforce acts and statutes and protect the public and preserve the peace.”

They dress like police, drive police-like vehicles, use police-like tactics, carry police-like assault rifles, have all the powers under the Police Act but are not subject to police-like independent oversight and have no constabulary independence. They are directly responsible to the Minister of Environment.

The Minister of Public Safety responded that incidents with weapons should go to the independent investigations office, and issues around toxicity of culture should go to the Public Service Agency. But section 6 of the Police Act states: “The Public Service Act does not apply to…a special provincial constable” while in the course of exercising a constabulary duty.

Is the Public Service Agency acting like the police complaints commissioner for special constables? When I tried to ask them that question, I got rerouted back to the B.C. COS chief and the Ministry of Environment.

My question is to the Minister of Public Safety. He says that his ministry is working on trying to fix the shocking lack of oversight. The Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act raised this issue a year ago, and still nothing. When will he act?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I appreciate the question from the member.

As I have stated previously in this House and in the estimates process, there are changes coming to the Police Act this fall. There will be the first phase, which will be dealing with governance and accountability, and I’m expecting to table that legislation this fall.

Mr. Speaker: Member, supplemental.

A. Olsen: It’s been a year of lack of oversight for the B.C. conservation service. The antiquated legislation unleashes the authority of the Minister of Environment to direct a provincial policing agency, the B.C. conservation service, in environmental investigations, investigations of serious and potential serious environmental crime like Mount Polley and large-scale forestry non-compliances.

To admit the B.C. COS is a fully functional and unrestricted environmental policing agency, it limits the powers of the Public Service Agency and the B.C. General Em­ployees Union, restricting the B.C. NDP’s ability to access information or influence investigations over environmental crimes. The provincial government would be subject to internal policing reviews of environmental decisions under both the provincial offence provision and, perhaps, the Criminal Code of Canada. We’re starting to see why it’s taken a year for this to happen.

Constabulary independence should be enforced as a cardinal principle of our democracy and rule of law, just as the Minister of Public Safety reminds me often, in this House, about the rule of law. Conservation officers who put their lives on the line every day must know that they have a safe place to do their police work on environmental matters, and currently they do not.

My question is, again, to the Minister of Public Safety. The Police Act is his responsibility. He’s currently allowing this heavily armed service with all the powers of police but no independent oversight to be under the direct control of his colleague the Minister of Environment. Serious crimes need investigation, and his loitering is threatening the safety of the public and the people who do this work.

Does he support the status quo?

Hon. M. Farnworth: There’s a lot in that question. I will answer it this way. First off, we have a very professional conservation service in the province of British Columbia.

Interjection.

Hon. M. Farnworth: We have a very professional conservation service in the province of British Columbia, composed of men and women who do their job effectively, and they take that job seriously. As I outlined to the member during estimates, if there was an issue, for example, with a firearm, the independent investigations office has every ability to investigate, which they would.

[11:00 a.m.]

At the same time, I have also outlined that there are changes coming, in terms of the Police Act, in part on the work of the all-party committee.

I can tell the member, as I said in estimates, that there has been a significant amount of work underway on those changes in terms of consultation not only with stakeholders and Indigenous nations but communities right across the province. A key part of those changes, which I said are coming in the fall, deals with issues of governance and accountability, which includes oversight.

The work has been underway. It has been thorough. There are changes coming in the fall.

I can tell the member that we have very professional conservation officers in this province. They do an amazing job.

MANAGEMENT OF B.C. HOUSING
AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING
FOR ATIRA PROPERTY SERVICES

K. Kirkpatrick: The draft BDO report which first identified mismanagement at Atira was completed in November of 2018. That was five years ago.

Page 6 of the BDO report states very clearly that this was based on a review of Atira’s 2018 financial statements. This draft report was then systematically concealed both by the Premier, in his capacity as Minister of Housing, and his predecessor until a whistleblower leaked that report just this last year.

Why did the Premier not only neglect to take corrective action but also increase Atira funding and deliberately bury the BDO report?

Hon. R. Kahlon: The statement the member made is false. The decision around the BDO report was made by the board. When the Premier became the Premier, he changed the board. It wasn’t a decision made by the minister. It wasn’t brought to the minister, at the time, that was responsible.

As far as the $90 million, I have already answered that question. The $90 million of additional funding was about supporting the most vulnerable people through the pandemic.

We did make historic investments through the pandemic to support people, to support businesses. That’s why we’ve come out of the pandemic in a better way than many other jurisdictions around the world.

The decision wasn’t made to give $90 million to Atira. The decision was made to give additional dollars in the portfolio to support the most vulnerable people.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Now, do I agree with the member that it was inappropriate for the former CEO of B.C. Housing to direct-award dollars to Atira, where his partner is a CEO? Yes, I disagree with that. That’s not the way things should be done.

Clearly, they went to….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Please, Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: It’s clear, in the report, that they went, to a great extent, to not only direct-award dollars to Atira but also to hide it from others on the board and from some of their colleagues. That kind of behaviour is unacceptable.

S. Bond: This minister can stand up, and he can try to duck and dodge all he wants. By any measure, this is a damning report. All of the evidence, all of it, points to a Premier who knew about significant mismanagement, and he failed to act. That’s what the public understands.

Let’s look at page 7 of the report. What it reveals is that under this Premier’s watch…. “B.C. Housing’s financial reviews of Atira have been substantially delayed. The most recently completed financial review was for fiscal year 2020, and it was finalized in August of 2022.”

Instead of ensuring that financial reviews were completed, what did the Premier do in his role as the Housing Minister? He made Treasury Board submissions, knowing all about the mismanagement. And what did he do? He secured an additional $90 million for Atira.

Maybe the Premier can answer this question. Why on earth did he triple Atira’s funding without any completed financial reviews since 2020?

Hon. R. Kahlon: When the Premier saw something in­appropriate, he took action. When he saw something inappropriate, he took action.

The first report, when EY did a review of B.C. Housing….

Interjections.

[11:05 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, please. Members.

Minister.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you, hon. Speaker.

When he first saw that there was something inappropriate there…. When he was shown text messages of the former CEO encouraging staff to award direct contracts to Atira, he brought in the changes. He replaced the board because he knew that there was going to be more capacity needed there to make the transformational changes that needed to happen.

The members are appalled that the former CEO took steps to urge staff to direct-award money to Atira. We’re all with them. We think that’s inappropriate. That’s wrong. That’s why we released the report the way we have done.

I also share with the member the concern…. There was a culture that was established at B.C. Housing where, if Atira came for dollars, they were given dollars to help them with cash flow and other issues. That’s wrong.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, we made the findings in this report public.

For the members to suggest that all of a sudden this all happened…. In 2012, there were reports, when they were in government, where people were suggesting that.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Members, come to order, please.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The member says no one believes it. The member across the way was a cabinet minister at the time. Her colleague is reported in the newspaper saying: “Hey, we’ve taken all the actions.”

The relationship started….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The relationship started in 2010. So yes, I think it’s fair for people to say…. From 2010 to 2012, when the reviews started, how come action wasn’t taken?

What I can share with the members is…. When the Premier saw something inappropriate, he took steps to ensure not only that action was taken but that the report was made public.

T. Stone: For the minister opposite to frame this as a Premier taking action is actually pathetic. It’s laughable. It is not borne out by the facts. The fact of the matter is this. The Premier has his fingerprints all over this scandal at Atira and B.C. Housing.

Let’s just refresh everyone’s memories here. It starts with a BDO report being buried by this Premier back in 2020 after he became the Minister Responsible for Housing. The public only found out about it because it was leaked by a whistleblower.

Then the E&Y review of B.C. Housing is posted on the government’s website over the Canada Day long weekend.

Then the Premier fires the entire board in June of 2022 and looks in the camera and tells British Columbians: “Don’t worry about anything. There was no wrongdoing whatsoever here.” In fact, the Premier goes so far as to, when he was the Minister Responsible for Housing, actually have B.C. Housing issue a news release telling British Columbians that all is fine at B.C. Housing.

Then the Premier leaves cabinet for his leadership campaign in July of 2022, still with the BDO report being sat on. When he comes back to the executive council as Premier, he tells British Columbians, through CKNW, that he knows nothing about this report, only to change his tune the very next day, where he says: “I didn’t recognize the report that the reporter was describing to me, but I am familiar with that report now.” How convenient is that?

Then he announces that he had secretly launched a second E&Y investigation, this time a forensic audit, but sits on that for two months.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: Throughout this entire period, this Premier increases funding at Atira to $90 million, over 300 percent. That’s under this Premier.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: Then the Premier says…. We find out that all funding has been suspended at Atira, only to then learn….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: This is back in March of this year. We’re told all funding is suspended to Atira.

Mr. Speaker: The member will ask a question.

T. Stone: Now we’re told that, actually, there are still projects that are being funded for Atira. This is an absolute and complete mess, and it’s characteristic of how this Premier does business — evasion, blame, finger-pointing and deception.

The question is this. How is it that nobody, not least of which the Premier…? How is it that nobody has stood up and been accountable for the consequences of this scandal, which has happened under the Premier’s watch?

Interjections.

[11:10 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Let’s hear the answer, please. No interruptions.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thank you so much, Hon. Speaker.

The Premier saw something inappropriate and he took action. He didn’t rip pages out of an ICBC report. No. When he saw something inappropriate, he saw changes needed, he did it. He didn’t triple delete emails.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: He didn’t triple delete text messages. He didn’t do that.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Everything the Premier has touched, he has made sure there’s full transparency — ICBC, B.C. Lottery Corp., the changes around money laundering.

What we saw was something inappropriate. We took action.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: We made the report public for the first time using the freedom-of-information act, unredacted to the public. That’s the level of transparency that we do on this side of the House.

[End of question period.]

Reports from Committees

CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE

J. Sims: I am pleased to present the second report of the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth for the fourth session of the 42nd parliament titled Annual Report 2022-23.

I move that the report be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

J. Sims: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

J. Sims: I move that the report be adopted. In doing so, I would like to make some brief comments.

As members are aware, the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth works to foster greater awareness and understanding of the child and youth serving system. The committee also provides a public forum for discussion of the reports issued by the Representative for Children and Youth. Our annual report summarizes the committee’s work in 2022-23, during which the committee reviewed the representative’s annual report and service plan plus three reports related to funding for Indigenous child welfare, quality care planning and the mental health of children in care.

On behalf of the committee and all members of the Legislative Assembly, I would like to recognize and thank the representative Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth and her staff at the office for their ongoing advocacy and work on behalf of children, youth, young adults and their families across B.C.

I’d also like to acknowledge the dedicated public servants in various ministries, as well as the community organizations in this sector for the important work that they do in support of children, youth, young adults and their families in our province. I also want to recognize the staff in the parliamentary committee offices and Hansard Services who support our work behind the scenes.

I want to express my appreciation to all committee members for the insightful and collaborative contributions and their commitment to supporting the well-being of children, youth and young adults in B.C. There have been a few membership changes in the committee this year, and I want to ensure that I acknowledge the excellent work done by previous members, including the member for Chilliwack-Kent, who served as Chair of the committee.

I would also like to especially recognize the Deputy Chair, the member for Peace River South, for his thoughtful contributions, experience and leadership on this committee.

M. Bernier: I just want to add a few comments. I’ll echo, basically, everything that the member for Surrey-Panorama just said, the same thank yous.

The committee operates, obviously, in a non-partisan way, working together to try to make things better for our children and youth in the province of British Columbia. But that wouldn’t happen without the expertise of Dr. Charlesworth and her staff, as the representative’s office, the ministry staff, everybody who has contributed over the last year to help the committee and to guide the committee to make sure we’re making the best decisions possible, and having the accountability going forward to, again, make sure we’re making good decisions for the people of British Columbia.

[11:15 a.m.]

I want to thank Karan and everybody, as well, in the Clerk of Committees office, and all past and present members of this committee. We’ve been working very well, very collaboratively, trying to make good decisions, working together for our children and youth.

Again, thank you to the Chair, who has been guiding us through that, and everybody who’s been involved for the last year. I’m pleased to see this report. I’m looking forward to the next year of trying to do good work for our children and youth in the province of British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker: The question is adoption of the report.

Motion approved.

Petitions

C. Oakes: I rise to present a petition, today, signed by 325 residents of Kersley and the surrounding area, re­questing the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to not allow the proposed reactivation of the Roberta Pit gravel pit, which is in the heart of the community and is by Kersley School, for the health and safety of our children, residents, livestock, animals and the users of the Sisters Creek recreational site.

Motions Without Notice

PERMISSION FOR INDIGENOUS LEADERS
TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE

Hon. R. Kahlon: By leave, I move:

[That, notwithstanding any provision of the Standing Orders or usual practices of the House, Erica Reid (Gidin Jaad) and Jason Alsop (Gaagwiis) of the Haida Nation be permitted to address the House from the floor of the House later today.]

Leave granted.

Motion approved.