Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: J. Tegart.

Mr. Speaker: I call on Madam Clerk to read the certification letter from the Chief Electoral Officer regarding the by-elections in Vancouver–Mount Pleasant and Langford–Juan de Fuca.

By-Election Results

MLA FOR LANGFORD–JUAN DE FUCA AND
MLA FOR VANCOUVER–MOUNT PLEASANT

Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Sent by Elections B.C.:

Hon. N. Sharma: I move that the certificate of the Chief Electoral Officer of the results of the elections of members to be entered upon the Journals of the House.

Motion approved.

Hon. D. Eby: It’s a great honour to rise in this place and share with members that we have two amazing new MLAs who are ready to serve British Columbians.

I have the honour to present to you Joan Phillip, the member for the electoral district of Vancouver–Mount Pleasant, and Ravi Parmar, the member for Langford–Juan de Fuca, who have taken the oath, signed the parliamentary roll and now claim their right to take their seats.

Mr. Speaker: Please proceed.

Hon. D. Eby: Thank you, hon. Speaker. [Applause.]

[10:10 a.m.]

The hon. member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant and the hon. member for Langford–Juan de Fuca took their seats.

Mr. Speaker: Now that they are seated, I welcome the member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant and the member for Langford–Juan de Fuca to this assembly.

Welcome. [Applause.]

Introductions by Members

Hon. R. Singh: We have representatives from Dyslexia B.C. in the Legislature today. I know Cathy McMillan and Kerry Quinn are not in the House at this time, but I would really like to welcome Cate Arnold, Lee-Ann Lust, Finn Lust, Jessica Mosley, Tierney Van der Vlugt and Natalia Nazaro to the Legislature.

Would the House please make them feel very welcome.

Hon. H. Bains: In the House today, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to introduce two very wonderful people.

One, my ministerial assistant, who helps me on the other side of the waters when we are in the Surrey area, Jasmeet Sangha. She’s here.

Also, one of the newest introduction to my office, my constituency assistant Sartaj Sandu, who joined our office a few months ago. He is here for the first time, I’m told, in this building, never mind the question period. They are both here to watch the question period and to see how this House works.

Please join with me and give them a great and warm welcome.

Hon. D. Coulter: Today I’m very happy to have my family here in the House and on the precinct. It’s very exciting to see them. My mom, Judy Coulter, is here; my brother, Christopher Coulter; his wife, Alex Coulter; Nathaniel Coulter, their son, my nephew; and my cousin Christy Johnson is here.

Many of my colleagues here know that my father passed away earlier this year and was never able to see me in this House. So it’s such a pleasure to have my mom here.

Hon. L. Popham: First day back. I’m really happy to have some amazing guests join us here today. We have Rob Newman, the president and CEO of Sport B.C., and Angela Crowther, a director of Sport B.C.

We also have a couple of folks from my ministry joining us. Liam McDonough is a sports consultant, and Denise Mahon is an assistant director in our sport, policy and strategy division.

Welcome.

Hon. B. Ma: We are joined in the chambers today by many members of the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness led under the capable leadership of Deputy Minister Tara Richards.

She is joined today, in the gallery, by Teresa Dunmire, Grant Holly, Keith Preston, Katie Olthuis, Monica Cox, Julia Iwama, Hayley O’Neil, Mark Perry, Anna Vunder, Nick Stelter, Taylor Jeffery, Darin Guenette, Dyllan Goldstein, Kirstie Park, Kae Yee Tsai, Bryan Williams, Raeleen Siu, Christine Fraser and Kathleen Van Ekris.

These are the members of the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness involved in the development of policy and legislation and here to witness the tabling of our modernized Emergency Management Act. I know they have all worked incredibly, incredibly hard on this act over the last many years.

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

S. Furstenau: I’m delighted to introduce Katie Reid, the new chief of staff for the B.C. Green caucus. Katie is in the gallery today.

[10:15 a.m.]

She comes to us with an abundance of amazing experience. For four years, she was the senior policy adviser with the New Zealand national security policy directorate, leading the counterterrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism in New Zealand. Prior to that, Katie served as the private secretary to a woman that I have looked up to for a very long time, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Would the House please make Katie most welcome.

B. Banman: My list isn’t quite as lengthy as the minister from EMCR. I’d like to introduce…. We can all agree. Behind every team there are dedi­cated staff that are with us. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce Hannah Driedger, Azim Jiwani and Adam Beattie.

Tributes

FRED GIRLING

M. Dykeman: This past Friday, the 29th, we lost a very special person who was a constituent of mine and a friend to many in this House. Fred Girling passed away. He was a member of and a B.C. district coordinator for the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees and very involved with the Council of Senior Citizens of British Columbia.

Personally, as I mentioned, he was a constituent of mine and, for a long time, one of the people who had kept the riding association where I was elected going for many, many years. He became a dear friend and a mentor to me when I was elected. He seemed to know every piece of history on the political landscape of British Columbia.

At the end, he was ill. He had moved to England to be with his family and passed away peacefully, surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Hon. Speaker, as I’ve mentioned, we’ve lost a good friend to many in this House. I just want to express my deepest condolences to his family.

Mr. Speaker: Members, before we proceed, let me say welcome back to the House. I recognize that all of you have had a very busy summer in your communities, given the challenges that the province and our citizens have faced. I know you share my sentiment and the honour that we take, that we are back in this chamber to undertake our important parliamentary duties.

On our first day back, there is a lot happening in the House procedurally. I ask for your patience as we work through the routine business of the House this morning.

Thank you again. I’m looking forward to having a wonderful question period today and the rest of the week.

Welcome.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 31 — EMERGENCY AND DISASTER
MANAGEMENT ACT

Hon. B. Ma presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Emergency and Disaster Management Act.

Hon. B. Ma: I move that Bill 31 be introduced and read a first time now.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to introduce the Emergency and Disaster Management Act. This bill delivers on government’s pledge to introduce modernized emergency management legislation that aligns with the United Nations Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction, the international best practices for how we make our communities safer and more resilient.

This legislation formally recognizes the rights of First Nations as decision-makers in emergency management, which is an important step in aligning B.C.’s approach with the declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

The Emergency and Disaster Management Act moves towards a holistic four-phase approach of mitigation, preparation, response and recovery. It embraces disaster risk reduction and will require that climate risk be assessed so that entities can better mitigate the impacts of climate-related emergencies before they happen.

This bill updates the concept of what constitutes an emergency to reflect modern realities and risks and provides improved tools for response and recovery. I look forward to debate on this bill and, ultimately, to the improvements it will bring for the safety of people across British Columbia.

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

Motion approved.

Hon. B. Ma: I move that Bill 31 be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 31, Emergency and Disaster Management 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.

[10:20 a.m.]

Statements
(Standing Order 25B)

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
AND SCREENING

S. Bond: I rise today to acknowledge an issue that has impacted many British Columbians.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when we honour British Columbians who have lost their lives, those who are currently undergoing treatment and those who are in remission. I am sure that everyone in this chamber has a story of how their lives have been touched by a cancer diagnosis, whether it is a family member, a friend, a colleague or even their own cancer journey.

Because breast cancer is most effectively treated if caught early, our medical system relies on early detection as the best chance of survival and the best chance to avoid aggressive treatment and surgery. This means it is incredibly important that British Columbians have access to the technology that detects early signs of breast cancer. This includes addressing the risks for women with dense breasts, whose mammograms are less likely to detect cancer. These women need more than a mammogram.

Thankfully, advocacy groups like Dense Breasts Canada have made it their mission to ensure that more British Columbians are able to get the care they need. The organization has pointed out that at present, there are too few locations offering the essential screening that is vital for so many, and it is working to increase access so that we can work to ensure early detection, giving women with dense breasts the best chance at survival.

I am very proud to say that we have worked across party lines in the past on this issue, and we must continue to do that.

This month as we raise awareness, honour our loved ones and recognize the progress that has been made, I hope we will also consider the work that still needs to be done, the action that all of us must take to ensure that the one in eight Canadian women who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes all have the best chance to live long, healthy lives.

KIDSPORT B.C. AND
SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES

R. Leonard: October 1 to 7 is KidSport B.C. Week. Participation in organized sports is often a huge part of a child’s world. Kids who are active through sport are physically and mentally healthier, more connected to their community and develop important life skills like teamwork and leadership.

Sadly, for one out of three kids, families can’t afford sport registration fees, but led by Sport B.C., KidSport B.C. supports low-income families to help see no child left on the sidelines due to financial barriers. Thanks to generous donations, KidSport B.C. provides up to $400 per child a year to help pay for membership fees to eligible sports organizations.

The government of B.C. invests $400,000 to support this great work. In 2019, our government also provided a one-time $2.5 million to expand the program over three years. Last year $1.7 million supported nearly 5,400 kids in 180 communities, with over a third who are underrepresented in sport, including Indigenous children, athletes with disabilities and new Canadians.

Over its 30 years, KidSport B.C.’s 40 chapters have distributed more than $19 million to fund sports for over 80,000 kids. It has now expanded across Canada with 160 community chapters.

One West Kelowna parent said: “Without KidSport support, I couldn’t afford this alone. Thank you so much. They love their karate class.”

As a child, Sam Adekugbe was supported by Edmonton’s KidSport chapter. He now plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Canadian men’s soccer team.

There’s no telling how far a child may go when we pitch in to keep them in the game.

Thank you to the people at Sport B.C. and KidSport B.C. for creating a better childhood and future for our kids.

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

K. Kirkpatrick: October is Women’s History Month in Canada. Throughout this month, we’ll recognize and cele­brate the extraordinary contributions and achievements of women in our society here in Canada.

[10:25 a.m.]

It should also give us pause to think about other women around the globe. Women’s History Month is not just a time to acknowledge the accomplishments of a few exceptional women. It’s a time to reflect on the collective resilience and the strength of women throughout our history. It’s a reminder of the countless women who have fought for gender equality, social justice, reproductive rights and human rights.

We pay tribute to the women who have broken barriers and shattered the glass ceilings in various fields, and we honour the scientists, artists, activists, educators and, yes, politicians who have made lasting impacts and who have paved the way for future generations. Because of these women, our daughters will have the opportunities that they would not have thought possible in the past.

Now, this is an American reference, but I did just listen to a podcast about the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon. I know there are many wonderful Canadian women, but I was so shocked — or not shocked — that even as late as in 1967, the organizers of the marathon claimed that women were “physiologically incapable” of running 26 miles. Well, this woman went on, unofficially, to run, and she finished ahead of two-thirds of the male entrants. No surprise.

There is still work to be done. It highlights the ongoing challenges women face in our society, including gender-based violence, unequal pay and a disproportionate share of child-rearing. Nearer to home, we are seeing the stripping away of reproductive rights that women have fought so hard for.

It calls upon us to continue advocating for gender equality and to support the empowerment of all women.

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

H. Yao: The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Full Moon Festival, holds immense cultural and social significance. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm around the world.

Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally observed in many Asian cultures and symbolizes unity and gratitude, with a central theme of reconnecting with family and friends. People come together to celebrate by sharing delicious mooncakes, delectable pastries filled with various sweet and savoury fillings. This act of togetherness fosters a sense of closeness and reinforces the importance of family bonds and friendship.

The Mid-Autumn Festival also serves as a reminder of the harvest season. In many cultures, it is a time to express gratitude for nature and for reflection on the cycle of life. Lanterns of all shapes and sizes, often intricately designed, are lit and carried through the streets, symbolizing the guiding light that leads us through our lives’ ups and downs.

The significance of Mid-Autumn Festival extends far beyond Asian cultures. In today’s interconnected world, people from various backgrounds have embraced this celebration as a reminder of the importance of unity, diversity and gratitude in the world often marked by divisions and differences. The Mid-Autumn Festival teaches us the importance of coming together and sharing traditions.

It is a time when people, regardless of their backgrounds, come together and celebrate the common thread that binds us all as human beings: our desire for love, family and connection. While our hearts go out to different parts of British Columbia that have experienced unprecedented challenges, we are reminded that British Columbians are resilient and can overcome difficulties by working together.

I also want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to many organizations that allowed me to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with them — Vancouver Chinese Family Association, Canadian Cultural Society and Creative Industries, Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Kuohua Trading Co. Ltd., Guangzhou Huadu Benevolent Association of Canada and Canadian Guangdong Business Association.

FUEL PRICING

J. Sturdy: With inflation, rising interest rates, ever-increasing house and food prices, it’s no wonder affordability is top of mind for British Columbians. People are feeling financially strapped, and transportation costs, particularly fuel prices, are hitting people hard.

It used to be that when you headed up the highway to Whistler or beyond, Squamish was the place to fuel up. Fuel was cheaper than in Metro Vancouver, in part because there was no TransLink fuel levy, so no extra 18½ cents per litre.

Well, there still is no TransLink levy — or regional transit, for that matter. Yet for years, gas prices in the Sea to Sky have met or even exceeded those of Metro Vancouver. It doesn’t make sense, Mr. Speaker. Transportation costs for fuel are about half a cent a litre, so that’s not it. No TransLink tax, so that’s not it.

[10:30 a.m.]

What’s going on? Well, when the Fuel Price Transparency Act was brought into law in 2019, the B.C. Utilities Commission became the authority authorized to investigate and get clarity on fuel pricing in the province. They recognized a problem in the Sea to Sky and paid particular attention to Squamish.

It’s no surprise that the assessment data confirmed that drivers in the Sea to Sky are being overcharged. With more than 60 million litres of fuel being sold annually in the region, a simple calculation suggests that some $10 million to $15 million a year is being siphoned straight off the bottom line of families and businesses, as the equivalent of the TransLink tax is collected as profit.

With the data in the BCUC’s possession and people struggling, it’s past time to right this wrong by ensuring competitiveness in the fuel market. The BCUC has the data, and now is the time for them to make the case and generate a submission to the Canadian Competition Bureau that shines a light on this predatory fuel pricing. It’s time to take the fuel companies to task, because failing to act makes us complicit, and the price of indifference is more than families can afford to pay.

CITY DREAM CENTRE SOCIETY

M. Starchuk: Last month I had the opportunity to get a second tour of City Dream Centre with the Premier and a few of the other MLAs from our caucus. There the founder, Loretta Hibbs, provided an outreach group with a brief tour and some of their achievements.

Hon. Speaker, I’m going to give a whole bunch of numbers, and just remember that every one of these numbers is a family or a person.

Their adopt-a-school program touches the lives of over 6,000 students. They supply 1,800 hygiene packs per school to 16 schools. During the school year, their weekend feeding supports 160 families in 20 schools. The summer program supports 180 families in 28 schools. This equals 1,440 bags of groceries to these families over the summer.

They supply 1,100 backpacks to students for their back-to-school supplies, and this year it will increase to at least 1,500.

During Christmas, 500 hampers, 1,500 large grocery bags, are given out each Christmas to each family, who gets three bags of a great mix of food items for the holidays. As well at Christmas, 300 volunteers assemble and wrap 3,400 gifts to give to every child in their adopted schools.

They also have City Care Dental, where they provide mobile dental service to their adopted schools and surrounding neighbours that have identified the needs. They go out and do this at least once a month. Licensed dentists and hygienists and dental assistants and supervised dental students partner with them to offer a full range of dental care.

City Dream Centre also promotes healing and reconnection and successful transitions for those back to society that have come out of our prison systems.

Their life skills programs such as boundaries, parenting and anger management are taught several times a year.

City Dream Centre is a place where hope, dignity and value exist for every person.

Ministerial Statements

NATIONAL DAY FOR
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

Hon. M. Rankin: I’d like to acknowledge we’re gathered on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.

I rise today to acknowledge that Saturday, September 30 was B.C.’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, recognized as a statutory day. It was also the tenth anniversary of the Orange Shirt Day.

We honour the resilience, the dignity and the strength of survivors and intergenerational survivors of the Indian residential school system, of Indian day schools, Indian hospitals and of the Sixties Scoop. Together we remember the children who never came home.

I offer my deep respect and heartfelt thanks to all those who are bringing this dark truth into the light, who are working to right historic wrongs and to build a future, a better future, based on respect, rights and reconciliation.

[10:35 a.m.]

I’d like to pay tribute to two extraordinary people, if I may. I’d like to single out Phyllis Webstad, who attended the St. Joseph’s Mission School in Williams Lake and whose story of having the orange shirt taken from her on her first day of school, on her sixth birthday, was, of course, the origin story for the Orange Shirt Day movement, and a movement it is.

I’d also like to recognize Eddy Charlie, who was a survivor of the Penelakut residential school and who did so much, along with his ally Kristin Spray, to make this day a reality coast to coast to coast.

A few days ago the Premier and I had the honour of joining the Nisg̱a’a Nation in celebration. The Ni’isjoohl house pole, once wrongfully taken, came home with all the honour due to an ancestor.

I thank the people of Scotland, the Scottish museum in Edinburgh for all they did to make this day such a powerful reality.

Eva Clayton, president of the Nisg̱a’a Nation, termed it reconciliation in action and a huge step in reversing our colonial history. It was a powerful reminder that acts of reconciliation in one part of the world — in this case, on the lands of the Nisg̱a’a Nation — can serve as a model for others as we move forward together.

It’s our solemn responsibility to listen to survivors. Non-indigenous people in British Columbia must deepen our understanding of Canada’s colonial histories and to show, through our words and actions, that Indigenous people and their children do matter, because the truth matters. The ongoing community-led work to document what happened at these institutions matters.

Findings have now been shared by the Williams Lake First Nation, the Tseshaht First Nation, the shíshálh and the Stó:lō First Nations. The acknowledgment that there will be more to come is a heavy sadness.

The B.C. government will continue to work side by side with First Nations to address community concerns. We are also focused on challenges raised in an interim report from the independent special interlocutor for missing children and unmarked graves and burial sites.

Today and every day we’re going to listen, to learn and to act with Indigenous peoples for a brighter future. And may we always recognize Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for what it really is. It’s not a day for rest but a day for action and allyship. We saw that on Saturday with people from all ages and all walks of life honouring the strength, resilience and healing journeys of survivors and their families. People across our province gathered in the thousands.

I had an opportunity to attend the South Island Powwow at the Royal Athletic Park here in Victoria where there was literally a sea of orange shirts, thousands of people of all ages and so many young people there to participate.

The missing children, the Le Estcwicwéy̓, sparked a national awakening, one that was long overdue. It’s the young people of today who will carry forward the work of generations before. By working together toward reconciliation, we can help bring respect where there has been indignity, healing where there has been pain and light where there has been so much darkness.

We do this work for the children of today, for the generations before and the generations to come.

M. Lee: On behalf of the B.C. United caucus and in my role as the shadow minister for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, I’m honoured to respond to the minister’s statement as we recognize the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation here in British Columbia.

Only a little while ago we stood in this chamber to stand united in recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday in the province of British Columbia. As the minister just said, we had that opportunity to see so many British Columbians take the time on Saturday and on Monday to reflect, to learn, to understand.

[10:40 a.m.]

I know that we had the opportunity here last Monday in front of the Legislature. I was invited to join the minister, the new member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip. And we heard from others, as we’ve heard in this chamber — Elder Shirley, Elder Butch.

I can say that the challenge with this day is that it brings so much trauma for Indigenous peoples — the grandmothers, the mothers, the relatives, the Elders, the Knowledge Keepers — to share their stories. It is a tall ask — that we ask of Indigenous peoples to share with us that intergenerational trauma that we’ve seen. As I said in my comments here in the Hall of Honour that day, they are the stories for Indigenous peoples to tell and share, if they can, and it is difficult. We saw that difficulty by those Elders that day.

I know that when the member for Kamloops–North Thompson and I visited with the Simpcw Nation last year to talk about the Indigenous self-government bill that has been passed in this chamber to take back responsibility for the care for children, we heard from a young Indigenous woman who works with that nation to take care of their children. She told us a story about the challenge of her own mother.

As she was a young child being picked up from school by her mother, or not picked up…. She came home one day from school and said: “Why is it that all the other mothers hug their daughters or their children when they pick them up from school? What is that?” After days and days of that repeated question, the mother finally broke down. For the first time — and the only time, as I understand — she shared her own experience of residential schools and the fact, of course, that so many Indigenous boys and girls did not know a parent’s love because they were at these residential schools, separated from their families.

As the minister just referenced, we’ve seen so many thousands of British Columbians come together on this statutory holiday. I hope that British Columbians really, truly take the time to understand and to learn.

I’ve seen that with efforts in South Vancouver at the Killarney Community Centre, where I attended a gathering which was about learning about culture and language. There were people in the urban context from the Nisg̱a’a Nation teaching many of us how to dance some of their traditional dances.

We saw that also in Delta. I joined, on Saturday, the member for Delta South to attend the gathering for the Tsawwassen First Nation. I think it was representative, I’m sure, of so many members in this House who joined with community on that day and every day to understand the importance of partnerships.

I heard from leaders of the local chamber of commerce; the Delta police; young leaders on the Tsawwassen First Nation like Taylor Baker; elected leaders there on council; and of course, ordinary citizens in the Delta community who all came together to walk and march. As we opened up and marched, I can tell you that in my conversation at the end of that march at the Tsawwassen Mills parking lot…. So many were gathered there. I can tell you that in my conversation, they feel very strongly about what the day means to them as British Columbians and the partnership there locally with the Tsawwassen First Nation.

But we know at this time, of course, with the intergenerational trauma, that we all have a responsibility in this House, as members both on the government and the opposition side, to ensure that we stand above the divisions in our societies today that continue to exemplify themselves every day, whether it’s on social media or otherwise. We have a responsibility to unify British Columbians, to bring them together, to have a better understanding of our path towards reconciliation together.

[10:45 a.m.]

That reconciliation, that history that we share on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is something that means something more than just about that horrific past. We have a responsibility to take it forward, to actually have it mean something with our relationship with First Nations, Métis, Indigenous peoples — with the 204 distinct nations in this province.

That partnership, that action that needs to move forward to ensure that we work with First Nations to have meaningful reconciliation — to support them; to recover their language, their culture, their responsibility for care for children; to address the fiscal relationship; and to understand the need for the economic development of our province in partnership with First Nations…. This is what the decades of the survivors, their families, the intergenerational trauma that we continue to see on our streets, including in Vancouver, that we have to address…. And the good words that are spoken in this chamber have to mean something.

Even with the passage of UNDRIP four years ago, we have a responsibility to move this forward in a meaningful way. I hope, as we continue to see legislation that comes into this House, that we reflect on the meaning and the learnings of this day, to reflect on our responsibility to each other and that we truly rise above and work together to move forward with Indigenous peoples in our province.

Mr. Speaker: House Leader, Third Party.

A. Olsen: HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM. HÍSW̱ḴE MEQ SÁN.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the members of this House for providing this space. Thank you to the minister and the previous speakers.

Saturday was the national and provincial Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Yesterday was the first provincial statutory holiday that gave us pause for reflection, commemoration and the uplifting of survivors of residential and day schools and Indian hospitals and to celebrate the beautiful diversity of Indigenous cultures that make British Columbia so unique not just here in Canada and North America but globally. Nowhere else is there such a vibrant quilt of language and culture as we celebrate here in British Columbia.

As we have heard by many over the past few years, before reconciliation, first must come truth. The truth is that British Columbia — former minister Scott Fraser, former Premier John Horgan, members of all parts of this assembly — was the first parliament to pass the important work undertaken by the United Nations in the creation of the declaration on the rights of Indigenous people. They, and we, should be acknowledged, and I do recognize the substantial political momentum that was needed and generated between 2017 and 2019 in order for this colonial institution to do right on behalf of Indigenous people.

It is a statement in and of itself, though, that it took a substantial amount of political momentum to do what is right on behalf of Indigenous people. We didn’t do that work easily. Seemingly, nothing is done easily if it’s done on behalf of Indigenous people.

The walls of this old building whisper, and I was not shocked by what I heard and some were saying in the work of truth and reconciliation. I was saddened to hear some of the racist tropes used by some members of this assembly before they were finally willing to stand and recognize the basic human rights of Indigenous people.

It appears, though, that even this government takes its victory laps, showered with praise for the first to pass this law championing the Declaration Act, while in court, British Columbia continues to fight the way it long has. On one hand, British Columbia acknowledges the Council of the Haida Nation and creates a provincial holiday for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and then contradicts that good work with some pretty low arguments in court.

For example, in the 2022 reference case to the Supreme Court of Canada on federal Bill C-92, British Columbia intervened to argue against provisions that would uphold the laws of Indigenous peoples regarding their children and families, even when those laws are in conflict with federal or provincial laws. British Columbia also argued it had the right to infringe the rights of Indigenous people regarding the care of their children. How is that upholding the inherent right to self-government?

[10:50 a.m.]

Why is British Columbia still arguing to protect its role with respect to Indigenous children, given all we know about the residential school system, about the urgent crisis of children in care? And then again more recently, in the context of the challenge on the Mineral Tenure Act, British Columbia argued that the obligation it has under section 3 of the Declaration Act to align laws is not legally enforceable and that the court has no role to play.

Once again, the Crown says to Indigenous people, “Trust us; we will do good by you,” while making sure that there is no legal forum where British Columbia can be held accountable.

I imagine the members on the government side of this House who care about how this institution deals with Indigenous people, members who care about human rights, members who don’t want Indigenous Nations to continue to be impoverished for decades further by the racist Indian Act, constantly fundraising to defend our inherent and treaty rights, our interests…. I imagine those members are assured by the lawyers on the government benches who run out the legal narratives of why British Columbia must continue to fight this way in court. “We can’t stop nations from suing us,” they will say. While it is true that Indigenous Nations sue the provincial government, it does not make it ethical for British Columbia to deliver arguments in court that undermine the Declaration Act.

With respect to children and families, this government will argue that we are the only province to argue that the inherent laws should be respected, while at the very same time arguing against upholding aspects of the authority of Indigenous governments. In my riding, this government flexed their domination of Indigenous people as they informed me and my relatives that their requests were to be ignored in the environmental assessment process and that the potential cumulative impacts of mining and our treaty rights will only be studied and understood after the mine expansion was approved. Even then, what is found will only be considered by decision-makers. And another ministry begins its consultation and engagement with one nation in the territory, ignoring the others.

The colonial games continue. Well-meaning government officials, recognizing that what they would like to do or what they believe they should do is not always aligned with what is pragmatic. Up north, this government has turned Indigenous communities and families against one another in an effort to protect their dominant position. They deliberately send mid-level bureaucrats with no authority to speak on behalf of government whose job is to delay, deflect and defer, leaving Indigenous leaders to defend themselves against the angry mob.

This is why we need space for Indigenous voices in this chamber that are free from the partisan grips and interests demonstrated by all political parties, free from the showers of applause and glory in the light while undermining and eroding in the darkness. Indigenous people need voices that are outside the political drama and able to hold this government and all future governments accountable for their promises. Our relatives need advocates in here that are willing to powerfully speak the truth against power and the decades of injustice.

I raise my hands to the Elders and survivors who share their stories, their pain, their suffering, their trauma in plain view.

I raise my hands to the thousands of British Columbians I saw wearing orange shirts this weekend.

I raise my hands to those who organized and hosted events to reflect the tragic history of our province and country.

I raise my hands to all the businesses and community organizations, the local governments who took pause from their work to invite local Indigenous people to share a few moments of learning.

I raise my hands to all our teachers, who are on the forefront of change, who have been working to elevate Orange Shirt Day, struggling without an adequate curriculum for years. Teachers are well ahead, and as a result, we have a new generation of British Columbians and Canadians who have finally been taught our true history, and I’m grateful to you.

As we pause for a moment like this to share truths, difficult truths, reconciliation comes when our government stops forcing Indigenous people to fight for every centimetre.

J. Rustad: I want to thank the previous speakers and my friend here from Saanich North and the Islands for his very powerful words on this day as we recognize, of course, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in this Legislature. It’s an honour to stand and share a few words from my experience with regards to truth and reconciliation.

[10:55 a.m.]

To me, reconciliation needs to be more than words. Quite frankly, it actually needs to be more than actions. It needs to be a broad understanding and acceptance of our differences, of our history and of our future.

When I was Minister for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, I visited many First Nations and had the honour to meet many Elders and many leaders across the province. I remember visiting the Stó:lō Nation. That stuck out in my mind particularly, because the Stó:lō Nation, in one of their halls, had a memorial to the residential schools. On there were pictures and stories and names, as well as other memorabilia from that period.

The Stó:lō people asked their leadership: “Why? Why would you have that? Why would you keep that here?” The leadership said that it wasn’t right to erase the past. That we needed to make sure we understood it so that we could learn from it and make sure it could never be repeated again.

Within that display was a list of many things. In particular, it was a list of punishments. Some of the most severe punishments were saved for Indigenous people who spoke their own language or practised their own culture. It was pretty moving to see those brutal punishments put in place for Indigenous students just trying to be themselves.

I also had the honour of attending some of the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation when it was in Vancouver. During that time, I heard many of the very heart-wrenching accounts by survivors. It was very moving to hear these stories. It made me wonder how the Canadian government could do this to Canadians.

Obviously, it was a different time back then. Still, it was disturbing to hear these accounts of how government stripped away these individual rights and the rights of the families. The accounts of children who did not come home and the accounts of trauma are something I will never forget. It’s something that is worth remembering in this Legislature.

When I was minister, as part of the truth and reconciliation recommendations, we introduced changes to the education system. We introduced changes to make sure that their knowledge and the understanding of our history would actually be reflected in our education system. I can tell you that during my time in school, there were still residential schools operating, and our true history as Canadians and British Columbians was not being taught to students. It wasn’t until many years later, when I got involved in politics, that I actually started to become aware of what that history was.

To me, reconciliation needs to be that generational change. We need to make advancements today. But most importantly, we need to make sure that reconciliation is that important part of our future.

My hope is that one day we will no longer need to be talking about reconciliation because we’ll have been able to achieve it.

Mąsi chok.

Mr. Speaker: Members, I ask that the House observe a moment of reflection.

[The House observed a moment of reflection.]

Speaker’s Statement

RULES FOR QUESTION PERIOD

Mr. Speaker: Members, before I call on the Clerk, I will note that the proceeding of oral question period will proceed as status quo, meaning that the Leader of the Official Opposition would ask his number of questions, which he is allowed to, and then another member of the official opposition will ask a question. After that, the Chair will recognize the Third Party and the Fourth Party, and then we’ll get back to the official opposition after that.

I’m aware that the House Leaders continue to be in discussions about what these proceedings may look like on a go-forward basis, recognizing the shift that a new fourth party brings to the dynamic of the House.

[11:00 a.m.]

As Speaker, it is not my role to unilaterally change the procedures and practices of the House. Therefore, I will continue to enforce the rules as they stand, unless the House makes a decision by way of standing order amendment or sessional order or until I am advised of an agreement between all House Leaders.

Oral Questions

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
AFFORDABLE HOUSING

K. Falcon: There’s no bigger broken promise to the middle class by this Premier than the utter failure to make housing affordable in British Columbia. After nearly seven years and two terms of NDP government, what do we have to show other than reannouncements and photo ops?

Well, we’ve ended up with the highest-average rents in the entire country, and we’ve ended up with the highest housing prices in North America. The average rents have doubled to almost $3,000 a month in Vancouver. We’ve got average townhome prices up over 33 percent to $1 million, and single family homes now approaching $2 million.

Well, results matter, and this Premier needs to understand that making housing affordable means making it less expensive. Why has this Premier utterly failed to deliver on his word?

Hon. D. Eby: Welcome back to all members of the House. It’s great to see you here to address the issues of the day that matter to British Columbians, including the issue of housing. I thank the member for raising this issue.

We know that a lot of British Columbians are looking for a decent place to live and struggling to find it, whether to rent or to buy. In this session, I can assure all members we’ll be introducing a number of pieces of legislation to further our Homes for People plan, to make sure that we’re delivering that housing for people.

I hope all members support those initiatives, including building more housing across the province and opening up spaces. The more we work together to deliver housing, the more successful we will be.

I can tell you that right now we have 15 times more housing underway than when the BCUP was in power. When you talk about student housing, when they delivered fewer than 200 units in 16 years…. We have student housing right now, in just one building, where we’re delivering more units than they did in 16 years.

We didn’t get to this place by accident, but we are sure going to address it.

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

K. Falcon: I think the public could be forgiven if they said: “Please. No more help from the NDP in terms of trying to get to affordability.”

I mean, the reality is results matter, and whether this Premier likes to admit it or not, the undeniable results are that we have the highest rents in the entire country, and we’ve got the highest housing prices in North America. That’s your result.

You cannot just keep pointing fingers and trying to find blame. The fact of the matter is that you’ve allowed this to take place. Now we see things are going to even get worse, because now the Premier is allowing Metro Vancouver to triple the building fees that are being charged on housing.

Just for the viewing public, that means that for an average single-family home, that will be an extra $24,000 of fees. For a typical apartment, that will be $14,000 more. Hardly affordable.

Now, B.C. United would stop this madness, because we recognize that adding more fees and costs is not how you get affordability. If you want housing affordability — memo to the Premier and government — make housing less expensive.

My question to the Premier: will you block Metro Vancouver’s latest assault on housing affordability, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker: All questions through the Chair, please.

Premier.

Hon. D. Eby: Well, thank you very much, hon. Speaker.

We know we need to bring on a lot more housing, a lot faster and a lot more affordably. That’s why we’ve been working with local governments to set housing targets, to strip away unnecessary requirements that lengthen the process. On our provincial side, getting permits done faster to make sure that housing gets built.

I do wonder where we would be had the person who’s standing up for the BCUP today, when he was sitting on this side of the House for 16 years, actually done some of the things he now thinks we should be doing.

This government is taking those actions. We’ve been taking those actions since day one. I welcome the member to the party. But I wonder: where was he then?

[11:05 a.m.]

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

K. Falcon: Well, I’ll tell you exactly where I was. I was building housing, studio apartments for $249,000. I was building one bedrooms for $299,000 right in the heart of Surrey and building townhomes for $450,000 in Surrey. That was affordable, and that’s the problem. After six years of NDP government, we’ve got anything but affordability.

Maybe it would be nice if just one of them actually had five minutes’ experience in the housing sector. That might actually give British Colombians a little bit more confidence that they know what they’re doing.

The fact of the matter is that under this Premier, delays, fees and prices just keep rising, crushing the dreams of young British Colombians to ever own a home in this province. By every measure, life is less affordable in British Columbia under the NDP government.

Now, when the NDP promised in two successive elections to make life more affordable, was this what they had in mind — the highest-average rents in the country and the highest housing prices in North America? Was that really what you had in mind?

Hon. D. Eby: You know, I remember sitting on that side of the House being the Housing critic, raising the shortage of rental housing both for students and otherwise, raising the issues of speculation in our housing market, international money in our housing market, money laundering in our housing market. What did the member and his colleagues say? “No issue. Nothing to see here. Don’t worry about it,” until they were dragged — dragged — to address those issues.

The member then went into the private sector to benefit from his lack of action by working for a big developer. He didn’t build those houses; skilled tradespeople built those houses. And while he and his developer friends benefited from the inaction while he was sitting here, British Columbians suffered.

We changed the story. We got the big money out of politics. We’re taking action for British Columbians.

K. Kirkpatrick: It is just stunning that this blame game keeps playing out and out and out. Never, Mr. Speaker, is there an answer to a question. It’s always: “Look over there. It was those guys’ fault.” It’s never like: “We have to take responsibility after seven years for having a crisis that does not allow people to have a home.”

This new normal is not working for people like Teresa Chhina. She quotes: “My job is outreach with the most vulnerable people in the province, but I myself am homeless.” Teresa has a middle-class income and isn’t eligible for housing support, yet she can’t afford a home in this province.

That’s this NDP’s middle-class squeeze. It’s getting worse. It is not getting better under this Premier. Affordable housing means making housing less expensive.

When will middle-class workers like Teresa be able to afford a home in British Columbia?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I appreciate the question from the member across the way. Certainly, we know with global inflation, with rising interest rates, that it’s having real pressures on communities not only in British Columbia but across the country, across North America.

We are proud of the investments we’re making. The Premier already mentioned 15 times more housing units coming online right now than when they were in government.

Purpose-built rentals. When the opposition leader was the Minister of Finance, 2,000 purpose-built rental units were being built a year. We have over 14,000 right now being built in British Columbia for the last three years. When the member was across the way, 137 student housing units built in 16 years.

So yeah, I agree with the member. Results…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …do matter, and our investments are showing that.

Mr. Speaker: Member for West Vancouver–Capilano, supplemental.

K. Kirkpatrick: British Columbians like Teresa are fed up with this Premier’s empty promises, as the NDP’s middle-class squeeze tightens every day. Searching for an affordable home, Teresa describes the experience as soul-sucking. That’s the result of nearly seven years and two terms under this NDP government: the highest rents in Canada and the worst housing affordability not just in Canada but in all of North America.

Making housing affordable means making it less expensive — period.

[11:10 a.m.]

When will this Premier stop talking and announcing and start delivering on homes that are affordable?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, it is a challenging time for people not only in British Columbia but folks across Canada, across North America. We’re seeing in British Columbia a combination of record numbers of people coming to British Columbia, which we welcome but is putting pressure on our housing stock…. We also have rising interest rates, which also are putting real challenges on our housing stock.

We are two decades behind when it comes to investment in housing. I agree with the member, two decades behind. The Leader of the Opposition, when he was Minister of Finance, saw little to no housing being built in this province.

Interjection.

Hon. R. Kahlon: He says it was affordable. He should know that it was, at that time, the highest rents in the country as well. Vancouver had the highest rents at that time in the country.

We are making up for lost time. We are making serious investments. In fact, recently, when I was in Ottawa, it was highlighted to me by the federal minister that B.C. is seen as the leader in the country with the actions we’re taking.

Interjections.

Hon. R. Kahlon: It’s their time.

Mr. Speaker: Continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: We are going to continue to make the historic levels of investment into housing, because we want to see these affordable units get online. We want to see more families getting the access to the housing that we know they desperately need.

WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT AND
SUPPORT FOR FIREFIGHTERS

S. Furstenau: “Climate change has become very real for West Kelowna on August 16.” Those were the words spoken by West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund at the United Nations recently.

Firefighters in B.C. are now battling blazes “on a scope and scale that’s nearly impossible for us to be successful against, in part because of a changing climate that makes it easier for fires to burn and grow.” Brolund warned that “we’re spending the money on the wrong end of the problem.” B.C. spent a record $1 billion on wildfires this year.

My question is to the Minister of Forests. Does he think that this government has been spending wildfire funds on the right end of the problem?

Hon. B. Ralston: I thank the member for the question. There’s no doubt that this fire season was the most extreme, the worst in British Columbia’s history. The figure that’s quoted about the money to fight those fires is accurate.

What I want to say is that the Premier has appointed a task force, which will be convened fairly shortly, to examine the results of what took place this fire season and to look at some of those programs, the very successful programs that have — within the province and taken up by municipalities, by regional districts — contributed to fire prevention in the long run.

There were a number of reports done after the 2003 fire by former Premier of Manitoba Gary Filmon. The Abbott-Chapman report after that put great stress on prevention, and there are programs, FireSmart programs, that really bring that issue forward and are funded by the government.

One of the things we have done…. In this discussion that took place at the UBCM, there was great enthusiasm for expanding those programs. I’m confident that in this budget cycle, given the fire season that we’ve had this year, there will be a substantial expansion of those programs.

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

S. Furstenau: The Abbott-Chapman report that the minister references…. The first recommendation is: “Establish Indigenous peoples as true partners and leaders in emergency management by including First Nations from the beginning at all levels of planning, decision-making and implementation.” It also talks about communities being part of that planning, decision-making and implementation. We certainly heard at UBCM that that’s not how communities are feeling right now in their relationship with this government.

I’m going to make this easier for this minister to respond to. There’s a petition circling by the BCGEU on behalf of firefighters asking the Minister of Forests to properly compensate them for their work. They’re putting their lives on the line to protect communities and doing it for between $26 and $29 an hour.

[11:15 a.m.]

My question is to the Minister of Forests. Will this government show their support for B.C.’s wildland firefighters and fix the recruitment and retention crisis immediately?

Hon. B. Ralston: There’s no doubt, as I mentioned, this season was a very tough fire season. We saw the deaths of two firefighters — and four more just recently in a vehicle, contractors who were heading home from work in Vanderhoof.

There are real consequences that took place this fire season. What we did in the budget last year was dramatically expand the working group, the core of the B.C. Wildfire Service. That turned out to be a prescient move, given the fire season that we’ve experienced this year.

Certainly we value the work of…. Whether it’s people in the B.C. Wildfire Service, whether it’s contractors who work with the Wildfire Service, the work that they do on all of our behalf is excellent — really important, crucial work. We want to compliment them. We’ve continued to work to expand the funds that will flow to the B.C. Wildfire Service and to their training.

The federal government has initiated a training program in cooperation with the provincial government to expand training of firefighters as well. We are working to improve the quality and the work conditions of firefighters across the province, and we value their work.

SOGI 123 IN SCHOOLS

J. Rustad: Thousands of British Columbians, many of them from minority communities, have been protesting against SOGI 123, which was originally introduced by the B.C. United, Liberals. Parents are concerned about the sexualization of their children in this NDP government’s education system.

Will the minister admit that SOGI 123 has been divisive, an assault on parents’ rights and a distraction on student education?

Hon. D. Eby: I welcome the member to the House as the leader of his new party, but I’ve got to say, this is not an auspicious start.

You know, when you talk about the issues of the day for British Columbians — cost of living, housing, we heard from the BCUP; health care; addiction; mental health…. To come into this place, to use the authority of his office, his new party, to find a small group of kids in our province to leverage all of that — to make them feel less safe at school, less safe in our community, to feed the fires of division in our province and bring culture war to British Columbia…. It is not welcome.

When he sat on this side of the House, he supported those same policies. It is outrageous that he would stand here and do this. He sees political advantage in picking on kids and families and teachers and schools who are just trying to do their best for kids who are at risk of suicide.

Shame on him. Choose another question.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Members.

Leader of the Fourth Party, supplemental.

J. Rustad: It’s very clear that we’re talking about a uni-party in this House, and that’s fine, in terms of it.

To the Premier, what I find most offensive is that the division is being created by what this government is implementing. There are thousands of people taking to the streets. There are thousands of people protesting at school board offices.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

J. Rustad: There are kids that are being part of this because they are disturbed at what’s happening in their schools.

This isn’t about attacking a particular group of people. This is about having a policy that is inclusive, that is anti-bullying, that is supportive, so everybody feels safe. But right now we have kids that are running home from school and going to the bathroom because they don’t feel safe in school, and that is this government’s fault, in terms of it.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, shhh.

Question please.

[11:20 a.m.]

J. Rustad: In my riding just recently, with the protests that happened last week, two young Indigenous girls were suspended from school for participating in a protest. Now, whether or not that action was appropriate, I can tell you that the mother of those two Indigenous girls is outraged at the fact that those kids are now being excluded from education.

This is not what we want to be able to see.

Mr. Speaker: Question.

J. Rustad: We need to be able to see an education system, quite frankly…

Mr. Speaker: Question.

J. Rustad: …that is accepting of everybody.

The question once again to the minister — or to the Premier, if he cares to take it: will the minister actually look at this — look at the divisions that this is creating, look at the divisions that SOGI 123 is creating — and replace it with a less divisive approach to anti-bullying in our schools?

Hon. R. Singh: I’m so saddened that the member opposite is talking about this. Here we are trying to create inclusive, safe spaces for our children where every child belongs, and the member is the one who’s trying to create these divisions.

We are committed to provide those safe and welcoming spaces. We want to make sure that every child feels included, and they feel that they can be themselves in the schools. That’s what we are committed to.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
AFFORDABLE HOUSING

P. Milobar: Let’s be very clear, this next question, that we 100 percent do not agree with the NDP government on their handling of, and that is affordability. The NDP’s new normal are the highest rents in Canada and the worst housing affordability in North America — full stop.

It doesn’t matter who the Premier tries to point the finger at for blame. They have taken precious little action over the seven years they’ve been in government.

For people like Berta Goser that’s turned apartment hunting into an episode of The Hunger Games. Berta says: “It becomes like Hunger Games. We’re fighting to get the place.”

People deserve a break from the NDP’s middle-class squeeze. Making housing affordable means you make it less expensive. When will this Premier and this government finally give people like Berta a break?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thanks to the member for the question. Certainly, it is a challenging time for some families in British Columbia. That’s why we put such a focus on ensuring that we have affordable housing being built in this province.

There was a time, when the other side was over here, where they would take realtors on trade missions to Asia, because they thought that was a good way to sell the real estate that we have here. There was a time when there was a housing minister that sat across the way that said: “If you can’t afford it, just move.”

That is not the approach we’re taking. We’re taking an approach that is changing laws, which will be happening this session, around allowing more units to be built on single-family lots — taking steps to work with local governments to create more certainty on cost, more certainty around decision-making so that we can get more housing coming online.

In the end, it’s going to require government investment. You cannot build the level of affordability that we need in our communities without government being involved. That’s what we’re doing — historic-level investments in affordable housing that are helping families across the province right now.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Kamloops–North Thompson, supplemental.

P. Milobar: I have a news flash for the minister and the government. If they think this is working for families, what they’re doing right now, it’s not. People cannot afford….

Interjections.

P. Milobar: Once again, instead of the blame game, people like Ankita Goel want a break from the NDP’s middle-class squeeze, plain and simple. She says: “Housing is unaffordable, groceries are going up, rent is going up…and it’s making me consider moving out.”

The NDP’s new normal simply isn’t working for new immigrants or anyone else. Highest rents in Canada. Worst housing affordability in North America. People deserve a break.

The NDP’s middle-class squeeze is getting worse and worse. When will the Premier finally make housing less expensive?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, we know it’s a challenging time for some families in British Columbia. That’s why we’ve got record levels of investment in housing.

[11:25 a.m.]

Now, where would those families be if we had stuck with the same rent cap model that they had, where it was at inflation plus 2 percent? Where would the rents be right now? The rents would be through the roof.

We’ve taken steps through the pandemic to ensure that rents did not go up in the middle of the pandemic. The formula had it set at over 5.7 percent. We’ve decided that 3½ percent was…. Because it’s just not affordable for folks right now.

We have people coming to British Columbia in record numbers. They see an opportunity in British Columbia. They see the strongest economy in the country. We want to make sure that we have the infrastructure and the housing available for them when they come, because that’ll only make the province even stronger as we move forward.

S. Bond: Well, what people see in British Columbia is seven years, two elections, empty promises, and what are the results? The highest costs in North America. That’s under this government.

Paula Hudson-Lunn is 71 years old, and she is being priced out of her home because of the NDP’s failed policies. She says: “Here I am at 71, looking for housing in a 0.6 percent rental vacancy market.”

This is the NDP’s new normal: the highest rents in Canada and the worst housing affordability in North America. People deserve a break. When will the Premier make housing affordable for seniors like Paula?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, we know that it’s a challenging time for some families in British Columbia. That’s why recently I was in Prince George actually opening units that we invested in, 36 affordable units, with the mayor. Many counsellors were there talking to family members who are moving into affordable units because the government actually invested in it.

We are two decades behind. When they had the opportunity, they chose not to invest in affordable housing. Now they look around and say: “Why is there no affordable housing?” You can’t sit with inaction for 16 years and then all expect….

There’s no affordable housing. We’re going to continue to make those investments in Prince George, in other communities like we have, because we know that our communities are growing. We need the infrastructure and housing for them as that growth happens.

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

S. Bond: What British Columbians expect from this government is more than empty words. That is exactly what this minister and Premier continue to do.

Seniors like Paula are being priced out. Even with a part-time job to supplement her pension, she simply can’t afford her rent. Paula is having to consider drastic options, from living in a camper van to leaving Nelson entirely, losing her family doctor in the process.

That is on this Premier’s shoulders. This middle-class squeeze is all about the lack of action by this Premier and this minister. When will the Premier keep the promise he made to British Columbians to make life more affordable?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, it is a challenging time for some families in British Columbia.

Our government is taking a different approach. There was a time when there was a housing minister on the other side of the way who would have said, if that same question had been asked, that if they can’t afford it, they should move elsewhere. What we’re saying is that yes, we believe people should be able to stay in their communities, be part of the community, stay close to family, have access to transit, have access to health care. That is what strong, vibrant and healthy communities look like.

Again, I was in Prince George just a little while ago, opening up new units so that seniors could be able to live in the community, close to services. Investments like that are happening across the way.

I’m looking at the faces of my colleagues across the way. We are investing in every single community of these members. We’re going to continue to do that, because we believe people should have access to affordable housing in their community where they live with their families.

T. Halford: Michelle Cyca and her husband had to consider leaving Vancouver just to entertain the thought of starting a family because housing was so unaffordable. “The prospect of having a baby in a new community far from friends and family was hard to swallow.”

This is the NDP’s new normal: the highest rents in Canada, the worst housing affordability in North America. When will this Premier make housing affordability and actually allow people to stay in their communities without being forced to move because life is just too unaffordable?

[11:30 a.m.]

Hon. R. Kahlon: Again, thanks to the member for the question. As I’ve said multiple times, I know it’s a challenging time for some families here in B.C. That’s why, when we’re bringing forward legislation this session to allow for multiple units — triplexes, fourplexes — on single family lots, I hope we get support from all members of this House. That’s my hope, because I’ve heard mixed messages from the opposition on this.

The reason why is to get to the very core point that he just made, which is that we have young families who are looking for places to buy, but they can’t afford the single-family home that gets built on that single-family lot after that home is taken down. We need to ensure that multiple units can be built on that lot so that the units that are built are more affordable to individuals.

I also hear from seniors. I hear from seniors, just like the member highlighted, who say: “My kids are thinking about leaving this province. Do I have to go as well?”

I want to see, with this legislation, opportunities for seniors to be able to tear the house down and have multiple units on that same lot so their kids can live in the same place as them. That is why we’re bringing this piece of legislation forward.

I certainly hope that when it comes forward, we get support from all members of this House.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Members, I have the honour to table the following reports.

Auditor General — B.C.’s COVID-19 Response: Destination Development Grants; Annual Report 2022-23; annual follow-up report, Status of Performance Audit Recommendations (2019–2021); and Board Oversight of Cyber­security Risk Management at Vancouver Island University.

Conflict of Interest Commissioner — Annual Report 2022.

Elections B.C. — Delivering Modernized Elections: Annual Report 2022-23 and Service Plan 2023-24–2025-26.

Human Rights Commissioner — Sparking Change: Annual Report 2022-23 and Service Plan 2023-24–2025-26.

Information and Privacy Commissioner — Annual Report 2022-23.

Merit Commissioner — Annual report, “Upholding fair hiring in the B.C. public service,” 2022-23.

Ombudsperson — special report 53, Time to Right the Wrong: Monitoring Government’s Implementation of Rec­om­mendations Related to the Confinement of Doukhobor Children; special report 54, Fairness in a Changing Climate: Ensuring Disaster Supports are Accessible, Equitable and Adaptable; and public report 54, Misinformed: How the Ministry of Children and Family Development Failed in Its Permanency Planning Obligations to Youth in Care.

Registrar of lobbyists — Annual Report 2022-23.

Representative for Children and Youth — The Right to Thrive: An Urgent Call to Recognize, Respect and Nurture Two-Spirit, Trans, Non-binary and Other Gender-Diverse Children and Youth; Annual Report 2022-23 and Service Plan 2023-24–2025-26.

Reports from Committees

FINANCE AND GOVERNMENT
SERVICES COMMITTEE

M. Starchuk: I have the honour to present the first report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fourth session of the 42nd Parliament, titled Interim Report on Statutory Offices, a copy of which has been deposited with the Office of the Clerk.

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

Motion approved.

M. Starchuk: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

M. Starchuk: I move that the report be adopted, and in doing so, I would like to make some brief comments.

As part of the committee’s oversight role, we met with each of the province’s nine statutory offices in the spring to receive financial and operational updates. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place during those meetings.

The committee appreciates the updates provided by each office and their continued efforts to find savings and efficiencies while delivering important work to all British Columbians. We look forward to the opportunity to meet with the statutory officers again in the coming weeks to consider their budget requests.

In concluding my remarks, I want to acknowledge the staff of the Parliamentary Committees Office who assisted in the committee. Thank you to Jennifer Arril, Katey Stickle, Darryl Hol, Natalie Beaton, Mary Heeg, Danielle Migeon, Mary Newell, Jianding Bai and Emma Curtis.

[11:35 a.m.]

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the committee members, especially the Deputy Chair, the member for Kootenay East, for their support and diligent work on the committee.

T. Shypitka: I’d also like to extend my gratitude to committee members, including the Chair, of course, the member for Surrey Cloverdale, for all their hard work and dedication and their attention to detail to this committee. And let me just say there is a lot of detail.

Over 700 submissions and reports were given. Those reports from each member of British Columbia are all well warranted, and it was a difficult task at times to sift through all those reports and summations. We had some laughter. We had some tears, to be quite honest, and some of that is taxing on the committee members. I’d like to thank them and the staff for the job that they did. Well done.

I also echo the Chair’s appreciation of the statutory officers for their service to British Columbia, for appearing before the committee earlier this year to provide updates and answers to our questions. During these updates, we heard ongoing challenges for statutory officers, such as recruitment and retention, as well as the implementation of new initiatives to increase awareness, improve accessibility and respond to new or expanded legislative mandates.

I look forward to meeting with the statutory officers again over the fall.

Lastly, I’d like to thank once again, as the Chair so eloquently put it…. He mentioned all the names. Thank you to the staff from the Parliamentary Committees Office and Hansard Services, who have helped the committee in its work. Thank you again.

Mr. Speaker: Members, the question is the adoption of the report.

Motion approved.

M. Starchuk: I have the honour to present the second report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fourth session of the 42nd parliament titled Report on the Budget 2024 Consultation, a copy of which has been deposited with the Office of the Clerk.

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

Motion approved.

M. Starchuk: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

M. Starchuk: I move the adoption of the report, and in doing so, I would like to make some brief comments.

The annual budget consultation is an important opportunity for British Columbians to connect directly with the MLAs and share their views, ideas and priorities on the upcoming provincial budget. From May 25 to June 16, British Columbians provided thoughtful, informative and passionate input on a range of issues.

In total, we visited 11 communities across the province, and as the Deputy Chair mentioned, we heard 375 presentations and received 387 written submissions. The presentations generated over 1,100 questions to the presenters from the committee members. I won’t say who the MLA was who asked the most amount of questions from the presenters, but let’s just say it rhymes with Tom.

On behalf of the committee, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who took the time to participate, including many individual British Columbians who had the courage to share their deeply personal stories and experiences with the committee. Their input directly informed the committee’s 166 recommendations for the 2024 provincial budget.

In making these recommendations, the committee recognizes the needs to address challenges within our labour shortages, our housing supply and affordability, and access to health care, including mental health and addictions.

Committee members also highlighted the need for additional efforts to address climate change, including increased investments in mitigation and resiliency. Further, we highlighted the need to improve regulatory processes in many areas to improve efficiency and timeliness of the development. The committee also acknowledges the significant input received regarding challenges that are faced by international students.

I would again like to take this opportunity to thank the committee members, especially the Deputy Chair, the member for Kootenay East, for his support, good spirits and work on the consultation and his thoughtful contributions and discussions during the deliberations.

[11:40 a.m.]

On behalf of the committee, I’d also like to acknowledge and extend our appreciation to the Legislative Assembly staff for their work on this consultation.

From the Parliamentary Committees Office, thanks to Karan Riarh, Mary Newell, Natalie Beaton, Jessie Gordon, Mary Heeg, Danielle Migeon, Jonathon Hamilton, Sean Morgado, Jianding Bai and Emma Curtis.

From IT, thank you to Darren Parfitt and Patrick Stobbe.

From Hansard Services, I wanted to thank Danielle Suter, David Smith, Dwight Schmidt, Simon DeLaat, Kaitlyn DeWeerd and the entire broadcasting and transcribing and publishing teams.

There’s one name that I didn’t mention, and it was the name that I mispronounced many times and much to the laughter of all the committees. While she’s not here right now, special thanks to Amanda Heffelfinger, who I believe just won a Canadian doubles championship this summer in Winnipeg, which I believe was called the Victoria Beach Seniors Master Tournament.

Congratulations, Amanda.

T. Shypitka: Thank you to the Chair not only for his pronunciation of staff names but also his ability to count how many questions were asked during our budget consultation. Let’s just say I was very engaged from who got the most questions asked.

I also would like to thank fellow committee members for their hard work and insight. I was a little premature on my last statement and made that once before, but it was a very laborious endeavour, to say the least, during the summer holidays. There were a lot of sacrifices by staff and by committee members, and I’d like to thank them for that.

Also, I thank all British Columbians who shared their ideas with us for their passion and advocacy for their families and communities. We visited a number of communities across the province, and the presentations and stories we heard highlighted complex issues facing our province and pointed to opportunities to address some of those challenges.

The committee recognizes that British Columbians are struggling with the cost of living, so we made recommendations to address affordability in different areas like food security, housing and post-secondary education.

The committee also highlighted the need to support B.C.’s energy transition, investments in legal aid services, health care, student supports and public transportation across the province.

Finally, on behalf of the committee, I would also like to recognize the many Legislative Assembly staff who supported the committee during this consultation, including from the Parliamentary Committees Office, Hansard Services and IT.

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

Motion approved.