Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: L. Doerkson.

Introductions by Members

Hon. M. Farnworth: I know we’re not sitting tomorrow, but it will be a special day for a member of this House. I think it’s a nice opportunity to recognize that tomorrow will be the Attorney General’s birthday.

Happy birthday.

T. Halford: I come from a riding I’m very proud of. There are a number of seniors. One of my seniors is celebrating a very special milestone. Mrs. Anna Ellen Woodruff is turning 100 today, and she’s celebrating with her son and his wife in Ocean Park.

I want to wish Mrs. Woodruff a very happy birthday and all the best from all of us here in Victoria.

Hon. N. Sharma: Would the House please welcome Chad Rintoul. He is the CEO of the British Columbia Notaries Association and a town of Sidney councillor.

Welcome.

October 1 to 7 is Make a Will Week in British Columbia. B.C. notaries completed 10,780 wills for British Columbians. They completed that in the first six months of 2023, which is pretty remarkable. The purpose of Make a Will Week is to encourage the public to write their will or bring an existing will up to date. An increasing number of British Columbians are making wills, which is great news.

Thanks, Chad, for coming to listen to us today.

P. Milobar: I’ve been joined by my wife, Lianne, down here all week. A belated happy anniversary to her. I know the members of government have had enough of me after 30 minutes of question period, but she has tolerated me for 30 years now.

In addition, an advance happy birthday to her. Her birthday is on Monday. Our second granddaughter Azalea’s first birthday is on Monday. So happy birthday to them as well.

Hon. M. Dean: I have the great honour today of recognizing in the House this morning a delegation joining us from the Simpcw First Nation: Kukpi7 George Lam­preau; council member Alison Green; and Simpcw administration and social development staff — Andre Taniguti, Carmen Hance, Alan Cummings, Megan Sim, Kathleen McDonald and Heather Lowe.

At noon this delegation will be joining me and representatives of the ministry in the Hall of Honour to sign a unique new agreement to expand prevention services for Simpcw families delivered directly by Simpcw members. This builds on the Tcwesétmentem, or “Walking Together,” agreement that we signed together on beautiful Simpcw territory in April last year.

Would everybody here please make them very welcome.

R. Parmar: It brings really great joy for me to be able to introduce two incredible British Columbians who have joined us in the precinct today. In particular, as the son of HEU workers, I’m so pleased to be able to introduce Meena Brisard, who is the business manager for the HEU, and Caelie Frampton, who is the director of communications and someone who worked very closely with our government as a staffer back in the day.

Please make them feel very welcome.

Hon. S. Robinson: Well, this week we’ve had student Lobby Days. We have the B.C. Federation of Students who are joining us here in the gallery for question period, and they’re here to talk with us about their experiences in the post-secondary world.

I would invite all members to give them a very warm welcome.

[10:10 a.m.]

Hon. L. Beare: We have two new members in the Ministry of Citizens’ Services offices here in the Legislature. We have Katelyn MacKenzie, my new AA, and Braeden Mayer, who is my new executive assistant. They’re here to watch question period today.

Would the House make them welcome.

A. Olsen: I rise today to introduce two constituents, Cindy Zimmer and Crystal Kenzie, who are here today, in the precinct and around the precinct, to raise awareness about mental health, addictions and suicide prevention.

Could the House please make Crystal and Cindy very welcome.

M. Elmore: I’d like to wish a happy 55th wedding anni­versary to my parents.

Mom and Dad, happy anniversary. I look forward to celebrating with you later this evening.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL 34 — RESTRICTING PUBLIC
CONSUMPTION OF
ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES ACT

Hon. M. Farnworth presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time now.

I’m pleased to introduce Bill 34, the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act.

The toxic drug crisis is continuing to impact our prov­ince. It is hurting people and communities, and this government remains committed to the goals of decriminalization, which are to save lives and connect people to the care that they need.

But the province also recognizes that British Columbians want to feel safe as they move around their communities and to use and enjoy recreational spaces free from drug use.

The Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act establishes a provincial framework to restrict public drug use at parks and other recreational spaces, around doorways and near bus stops.

The legislation establishes a progressive approach to enforcement, which aims to stop the use and redirect rather than punish a person who uses drugs.

This government supports decriminalization because we know drug use is a public health matter, not a criminal justice issue. But decriminalization does not mean that it is okay to use drugs everywhere, and this legislation sets clear provincewide standards that communities expect and deserve.

Mr. Speaker: The question is the first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth: 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 34, Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances 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)

CONNECT 2 PROTECT SOCIETY AND
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SUPPORT

E. Sturko: Aaron Sanio was a successful B.C. entrepreneur, beloved father, son, partner and friend. Sadly, Aaron died by suicide on June 15, 2021, after leaving a psychiatric hospital at the Vancouver Coastal Health region. He was just 30 years old.

James Zimmer was a talented carpenter, beloved son, brother and friend. On February 9, 2023, James took his own life after being discharged from the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria at age 50.

Tragically, neither Aaron nor James’s close relatives were notified of their releases from involuntary care, despite existing legislation in the B.C. Mental Health Act.

Aaron’s dad, Michael, and James’s sisters, Crystal and Cindy, had consistently provided support and aftercare for their family members, and they believe that if they had been informed and included in safety plans, their loved ones might be alive today.

Crystal and Cindy have decided to take the anguish that they feel in the loss of their brother James and turn it into an opportunity to advocate for change, and they have founded Connect 2 Protect.

Connect 2 Protect is a non-profit society created to advocate for government to activate a more supportive and effective system of mental health crisis response care, one that requires and mandates strengthened communication between individuals experiencing mental health crises, their families, advocates and mental health care providers.

[10:15 a.m.]

Connect 2 Protect advocates to unite with other B.C. residents who want health authorities and the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to provide mental health crisis support so that it is person-centred, compassionate and comprehensive, so that all people experiencing a mental health crisis are safe in their most vulnerable moments.

Today at noon, Connect 2 Protect will be on the lawn of the Legislature, sharing personal stories. I hope you’ll all join us then.

TOMEKICHI HOMMA AND
WORK WITH JAPANESE-CANADIAN
COMMUNITY IN STEVESTON

K. Greene: It’s well known that some of the earliest settlers in Steveston arrived from Japan in the late 1800s and were valued as skilled fishermen and boatbuilders. They also faced discrimination from some of the white community, with cannery bosses paying them less for their catch than white fishermen.

Discrimination also prevented them from accessing health care. Tomekichi Homma, who emigrated to Steveston at age 18 in 1883, worked tirelessly for fair treatment of Japanese Canadians in their home of British Columbia.

Tomekichi Homma was a labour organizer and founded the Japanese Fishermen’s Benevolent Society in 1897. The society did important work to mitigate the disadvantages inflicted on their community by building a school so children could learn and a hospital that provided good care to anyone seeking it regardless of ethnicity.

Most famously, Homma-san sued for the right of Asian-Canadian suffrage and won his case at the local court and the Supreme Court. The provincial government of the day then took the case to the British Privy court, which ruled against him.

We know that story. But in minority communities in British Columbia live stories of inspiration and resilience that are unpublished.

The hospital founded in Steveston had an annual membership of $8. It included all medical services except for surgery. Many children of all ethnicities were born at this hospital, since it was far closer than the hospital in either Vancouver or New Westminster and welcomed everyone.

The resounding success of the hospital quickly gained the attention of Kunito “Tommy” Shoyama, a Japanese-Canadian journalist in Vancouver.

He spent time with Tomekichi Homma and learned all he could of this novel way to provide health care with easy access to all in the community. He was inspired by the vision of good accessible health care and went on to work with Premier Tommy Douglas on the implementation of provincial health care and later went to Ottawa to work on national universal health care.

I’m grateful to the Japanese-Canadian community in Steveston for sowing the seeds of public health care in Canada.

I also want to thank Jim Kojima for generously sharing his time with me.

SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS

D. Davies: I’m honoured to rise in the House today, first as a former teacher as well as a former student, to pay tribute to the remarkable educators that continue to dedicate and support all of our students across British Columbia and, indeed, around the world.

Teachers are true leaders in our communities who selflessly prioritize the well-being and education of our youth every single day. The impact these educators have on shaping the lives of our children and setting them up for a successful future cannot be overstated.

Today is more, though, than just a day to celebrate teachers and educators across British Columbia. It’s also a day to reflect on the challenges that they face and how we can strive to better support them and invest in them, as they do the same for our children.

This year’s theme, “The teachers we need for the education we want,” serves as a reminder that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege. It is our collective duty to ensure that every child receives the quality education that they rightfully deserve.

Having been, of course, both a student, like all of us, as well as a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand the time, passion and commitment that teachers invest in their job.

I can tell you it’s not just a 9-to-3 job. Many work tirelessly behind the scenes and go above and beyond for each of their students. Their dedication can often go unnoticed, but it’s their commitment to students that creates a bright future for our province and for each of our children.

I want to thank all of British Columbia’s hard-working teachers for their ongoing commitment to a world-class education system that is going to support future generations to come.

Happy World Teachers Day.

LIBRARY MONTH

B. D’Eith: I rise today in recognition of Library Month in October in British Columbia, a time to celebrate all libraries and services that they provide.

[10:20 a.m.]

I’d like to start by thanking librarians, teacher-librarians, library workers and volunteers for all the work that they do for people and learners in our province. Their dedication and enthusiasm are admirable.

Libraries are important to communities because they are safe spaces for people to learn and connect with others. Libraries offer programs that help people with skills they use in their everyday lives, like reading, using the Internet, getting or replacing public ID and so much more. We understand, all the members understand, how important these services are to our communities.

For example, the Thompson-Nicola Regional Library offers a neurodiversity in art program that allows neurodivergent people to explore what art means to them. The Vancouver Public Library offers ESL conversation practice week, where, once a week, people can drop in and practice their English learning skills. These are just a few examples of how libraries are providing services to support their communities.

In fact, there are over 245 library service locations in British Columbia, and almost two million British Columbians are active library card holders. In 2022, people accessed 25 million digital resources, loaned out 33 million items, and libraries offered 60,000 programs.

That’s why, in March, we announced a one-time grant of $45 million for libraries, in addition to their annual operating budget. This funding has gone towards expanding services like digital collections, hours of operation and new program offerings. With this investment, we’re ensuring library services across the province can continue to operate and provide even more services for the people of British Columbia.

Libraries are unique spaces where people can explore ideas, create new content and find community connections. I ask that all members join me today in celebrating Library Month in British Columbia in October.

DIVISIVENESS IN POLITICS

S. Furstenau: All of us have watched with a sense of horror as the political landscape in the United States has deteriorated over the last decade. A man who declared that he could shoot someone and still be elected president continues to try to prove his point. Being inflammatory, divisive and hateful commands a following to places that none of us could have imagined.

This has happened before. It’s not a new playbook to attack public institutions, to diminish our public and political dialogue until we are in an us-versus-them mentality.

I believe that we all care deeply about the well-being of children. Let’s consider what is causing children the most harm today.

Hunger — one in three food bank users are children. This is shameful.

Air pollution worsened by fires — smoke damage to young lungs can cause lifelong health issues, including asthma.

Lack of access to mental health supports for kids growing up in a world that none of us could have ever imagined — a world of technology, of cyberbullying, a world of biodiversity loss and extinction, a world of floods and droughts, a world of climate refugees, a world of unaffordability, too few teachers and education assistants who desperately want to meet the needs of all the children in their classes every day.

The dog-whistle politics of division, of pitting people against each other will not solve these very real crises that children are dealing with today.

In 2017, when I ran to be an MLA, what mattered most to me was that we build community, not tear it apart. Let all of us commit to rejecting populism and the politics of division and focus on solving the many real and urgent problems we face.

JADE MUSIC FESTIVAL AND
SUPPORT FOR MULTICULTURAL ARTISTS

K. Chen: We all know that B.C. is a province full of people with diverse cultures and language abilities. But you may not know that many prominent musicians and artists in Asia also have their roots here in B.C., including Angela Chang, Charlene Choi, Nicholas Tse and many more.

These artists have been active in Asia for years, but they rarely bring their work back to B.C. Perhaps it’s time to think about how we can promote more multilingual artists right here in our province.

This is one of the many reasons why the Jade Music Festival started last year. It’s an annual event that aims to make Vancouver the North American hub for multicultural language music, starting with Chinese-language music.

[10:25 a.m.]

The festival is organized by the Society of We are Canadians Too, a B.C.-based non-profit that connects BIPOC communities through arts and culture.

Last year they successfully brought artists and commun­ity members together, including Canadian musician Tyler Shaw, who is of Chinese, Polish and Ukrainian descent. This year they will once again bring many talented local and international artists together, including Xiao Bing Chih, Aiko Tomi, Vanessa Lefon and more.

One of the musicians, Juno-winning artist Jacqueline Teh, shared: “For many years, I never saw my cultural identity represented in the current-day popular artists. I am grateful that communities and initiatives such as Jade Music Fest have risen out of the necessity to preserve and celebrate our heritage. I owe the privilege I have today to my fellow Asian artists and peers who uplifted me and encouraged me to follow my own path.”

I am inspired by these artists’ spirit and courage to create their own journey instead of simply trying to fit in. Through their collective work, I believe that one day we can make B.C. a hub for multilingual artists where they can thrive in their own home communities.

Please check out the Jade Music Fest, which will take place between October 18 to 20 this year.

Ministerial Statements

FREDERICK O’BRIEN

Hon. M. Farnworth: It is with tremendous sadness that I rise to honour Ridge-Meadows RCMP constable Frederick “Rick” O’Brien. He was killed in the line of duty in Coquitlam on September 22. He made the greatest sacrifice while protecting Coquitlam residents.

On behalf of the government of British Columbia and all British Columbians, I offer Constable O’Brien’s loved ones, friends and colleagues my profound condolences.

To those first responders who rushed to support Constable O’Brien and his two wounded colleagues, thank you for rushing into a situation amidst the knowledge that your colleagues were wounded.

Frederick O’Brien became a Mountie in 2016, with a passion for working with young people. He recently celebrated seven years of service.

Born in Ottawa, before embarking on his incredibly impactful policing career, Rick O’Brien worked as an education assistant, an after-school support worker and a teacher. His passion for community is a testament to leading by example. He loved his family, he loved his community, and he loved working with children. In turn, he was loved by his community, his colleagues and his peers.

Rick O’Brien regularly used his free time to volunteer at food drives and sporting events and to visit at-risk youth at schools. His colleagues have said that his contribution to the RCMP and community is immeasurable. He was hard-working, he loved his job and was an exceptional human being.

In 2017, shortly after becoming the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, I had the honour and the privilege of giving Constable O’Brien an Award of Valour at the 2017 Police Honours, along with his colleagues. Risking his own safety, Constable O’Brien courageously rescued hostages in a home invasion. I remember meeting him and thanking him for his selflessness. He is an example of the exceptional people who choose to take on the heavy mantle of policing in full knowledge of the risks that they face to protect all of us.

Constable O’Brien’s tragic death resonates especially deeply as we approach the first anniversary of the death of Burnaby RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang. They reside forever in the grateful hearts of British Columbians.

Yesterday, along with the leaders from the official opposition, the Third Party and the Fourth Party here in this place, local MLAs, community leaders, hundreds of first responders and, of course, the family and loved ones of Constable O’Brien joined together to mourn his loss and provide comfort to those who knew and loved Rick at his regimental funeral.

[10:30 a.m.]

We learned about a man who loved rock music — in particular, Led Zeppelin — loved sports, especially hockey and baseball and the Blue Jays, and loved interacting with young people.

It was a stark reminder of the respect and admiration that we owe to first responders and that they are more than a person in uniform. They hold hopes and dreams and have families, some with children. They are outstanding members of our communities. A loss of one is a loss for all of us.

Constable O’Brien’s years of service and tragic loss of life have impacted multiple communities, including Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Coquitlam and his home community of Langley. He leaves behind his wife, Nicole, and six children, Cindy, Tayler, Chelsie, Isaac, Brayden and Bryce.

To them, I want to say: we mourn with you, and we stand beside you as you shoulder this excruciating loss. To you, Constable O’Brien was Rick or Dad, and he was a cherished husband and a beloved father.

To all British Columbians, his colleagues and those who knew him, he is a hero, and we will remember him always.

K. Falcon: Yesterday I, too, attended the funeral of Const. Rick O’Brien, a father of six children, a husband, a son and a man who served his province, his community and his family well, who stepped up to give back and help others time and time again, as an education assistant, a mental health worker, a youth worker and most recently as an RCMP officer, serving seven years as a member of the Ridge-Meadows detachment. He did so with great distinction and, as the member opposite pointed out, with great personal courage at times.

He also took tremendous joy and pride in visiting with kids in schools and establishing a positive rapport, particularly with vulnerable and at-risk kids. He recognized the value of building trusting relationships with community members and reflected the best values that so many members of law enforcement exemplify every single day. He truly cared about his community, and he epitomized what our society looks for and seeks out when it comes to those whom we entrust to protect and serve.

This loving father of six was killed two weeks ago, shot dead while executing a drug-related search warrant. His senseless death shook our province, and the aftershocks reverberated right across the country, as fellow law enforcement members and officers in RCMP detachments and non-RCMP forces throughout Canada learned of this incredible, horrible tragedy.

Our hearts went out to his family and his loved ones on that horrible Friday night when he was taken from them so abruptly, and our hearts remained with them as their family friend, Stephanie Porter, read out the tearful and heartbreaking statement from Rick’s wife, Nicole, at the funeral yesterday.

I heard her powerful words of how he inspired his children and showed them how to chase their dreams. I, along with countless others in attendance — officers from around the province, firefighters, military personnel, paramedics and my colleagues the MLAs for Surrey South and Abbotsford West, along with the other MLAS who joined us — reflected on the deep loss and how one individual can touch so many lives.

I have to tell you that watching the RCMP’s riderless horse at the funeral service yesterday powerfully symbolized a fallen member of the force. I thought of the legacy Constable O’Brien has forged through his years of community service and all those lives he touched — a life that can be measured by love, by achievement, by immense contributions to his community and by the positive impacts that he had on so many British Columbians. For that, we should all be thankful for Const. Rick O’Brien.

[10:35 a.m.]

While the love of a husband and a father can never be replaced, I hope — we all hope — that his family knows that his legacy and the good works he accomplished can never be taken away from them or from those people whose lives he changed for the better as an education assis­tant, a mental health worker, a youth worker and a proud member of the RCMP.

On behalf of the entire official opposition — and, I am certain, this entire Legislature — I want to express our, and my, sincere condolences to the O’Brien family and convey to them that British Columbians will not forget him nor fail to honour his legacy. We are all so much greater because of the life he lived and how he chose to give back each and every day of his valued life.

S. Furstenau: I, too, rise to respond to the ministerial statement, and I appreciate the comments from the minister and from the Leader of the Official Opposition.

Yesterday when we gathered to honour the life of Const. Rick O’Brien, all of us were touched deeply by the many people who demonstrated their great love and admiration. It was a solemn and powerful moment but also a celebration of his life and a reminder to all of us of the preciousness of life.

Constable O’Brien’s life was taken too soon, and I send my deepest and heartfelt condolences to all who are grieving at this time. My heart goes out to his spouse, his children, his family, his friends and colleagues — all those who loved him so dearly. It was clear from yesterday that he was indeed very deeply and very dearly loved, not just by his friends, families and colleagues but by his whole community.

B. Banman: Const. Rick O’Brien’s selfless commitment to the safety of his fellow British Columbians is a testament to his character and a shining example to us all. It takes a special kind of person to make the decision to dedicate their career to others, to put themselves in danger and protect and serve their fellow British Columbians.

As the father of a first responder, there is a call which every parent and every family dreads. The fear of that dreaded call looms over every parent of a first responder, and an unspoken reminder of the risks that accompany their noble calling. Last week a family in our province received that heart-wrenching call, and it sent ripples of sorrow throughout British Columbia and beyond. Their loss is shared by all of us. It echoes in the hearts of all British Columbians who recognize the extraordinary sacrifice that comes with the uniform.

It is with a heavy heart that I offer my sincerest condolences to Const. Rick O’Brien’s family. His loss is profound, not just to your family but to the extended family of first responders and law enforcement officers. The void left by his absence will always be deeply felt, and the memory of his dedication will forever be etched in our collective consciousness.

Sadly, we’ve lost first responders in my home community of Abbotsford. The loss of Const. Rick O’Brien has brought back deeply held, too often buried, pain to the surface. Each fallen hero represents a beacon of light extinguished far too soon. Their memories live on in the hearts of those they served, and their legacy is carried forward by the brave men and women who continue to answer the call of duty.

[10:40 a.m.]

In this trying time, we must extend our thoughts to the families and friends who stand in the shadow of this immense loss. Their strength, their commitment and resilience in the face of such adversity is a testament to the unbreakable bonds that tie our communities together.

We stand in this chamber offering our support, our love and our shared determination to honour and remember those who gave their all in service to others.

Constable Rick O’Brien, thank you. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker: Members, I ask the House to observe a moment of silence to honour the life and service of Const. Rick O’Brien.

[The House observed a moment of silence.]

Oral Questions

ATTACKS BY REPEAT OFFENDERS AND
ACTION ON JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORMS

K. Falcon: This Premier’s soft-on-crime policies continue to endanger British Columbians, and Mohammed Majidpour’s case is exhibit A.

For a year now, we’ve been sounding the alarm about this violent prolific offender, who viciously assaulted a young Asian woman with a pipe across the head in what was clearly a racially motivated attack. Despite 14 one-day sentences and multiple releases, just yesterday he was back on the streets, ignoring bail conditions and posing an immediate danger to the public.

So my question to the Premier is a simple one. When will the Premier finally stop his catch-and-release program that is putting the public at extreme risk?

Hon. D. Eby: It is disturbing to all British Columbians when a violent repeat offender is released back into community to offend again, which is why, when we went to Ottawa just a couple of weeks ago, the Attorney General spent her time visiting senators one-on-one to convince them to pass the amendments to the federal bail laws, as quickly as possible.

We cannot wait for that, and it is profoundly unfortunate that the federal government didn’t see fit in the previous legislative session to pass that reform that was badly needed. They passed it this time — one day, unanimous support of all federal parties.

Now the Senate needs to do their work: pass it. We need to address this issue. I hope the member will join me in calling on the senators to pass that reform.

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

K. Falcon: Well, actually, what I’d like the Premier to do is take responsibility for the areas that he has control under, and did as Attorney General for 5½ years, where nothing changed. The fact of the matter is he’s the one that promised results.

After his 14th one-day sentence in August, Majidpour was back on the streets, and, predictably, he ignored all his bail conditions and probation conditions that were set for him.

In early September, he was arrested once again for breaching bail conditions, only to be unleashed back into the community like a ticking time bomb.

Again to the Premier, when will the Premier recognize that his catch-and-release policies are the reason why these individuals keep getting released back into the communities, threatening the lives of British Columbians?

Hon. D. Eby: The member knows that we have issued a directive to Crown counsel that is the strictest in Canada in terms of releasing….

Interjection.

Hon. D. Eby: Member, this is a serious matter.

We issued a directive to Crown counsel, the most strict in Canada, to keep violent offenders behind bars.

[10:45 a.m.]

We led the charge, not alone, in partnership with Ontario, and then with all Premiers that are seeing incidents like this take place — in Alberta, in the Maritimes, in Quebec — to push the federal government to amend their bail rules.

The member will also know that we stood up 12 repeat violent offender teams across the province who are monitoring 230 people right now to make sure the courts have all the information to hold offenders behind bars.

We believe very strongly that British Columbians need to be safe in their communities. We’re taking the action that’s necessary to address this, and we’re pushing the federal government to do what’s necessary to address the federal Criminal Code.

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

K. Falcon: Enough with the NDP blame game. It was provincial prosecutors that were under this Premier’s catch-and-release playbook who stayed the proceedings in August on two key charges, including breach of probation. This soft-on-crime Premier and his catch-and-release policies are the problem.

Under B.C. United’s Safer B.C. plan, we’ve made it very clear. We will always make sure there are consequences for all criminal behaviour.

Again, when will this Premier stop enabling prolific offenders and start putting the rights of victims to reoffend ahead of the rights of the public to know that they can be safe in their communities?

Hon. D. Eby: This member wants us to forget his record. When he cut the chronic offender program as Finance Minister, he made British Columbians less safe. That’s a program that we brought back in.

When he cut mental health services for young people, those young people grew up and became those prolific offenders.

When he failed to put in place the care that people need around addiction and mental health in the 16 years they sat on this side of the House….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Hon. D. Eby: Where do they think those people went?

Interjection.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. D. Eby: I can tell this is a sore point for the Leader of the Opposition, but that is his record. He needs to own it.

We are taking action to keep British Columbians safe.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
HOMELESSNESS

K. Kirkpatrick: The 2023 homeless count in greater Vancouver is in, and it’s damning — the highest level of homelessness ever, up a staggering 34 percent since 2017.

The evidence is on our streets for all to see. The NDP has failed. Despite wrapping up the largest deficit in B.C.’s history, homelessness has skyrocketed under this NDP government. It’s the NDP’S new normal.

Why, after seven years and two elections of empty promises, is homelessness at its worst under this NDP government?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Certainly, the data that’s been released today shows to us what we already, I think, knew — that coming out of the pandemic, we have seen significant increases in people that are struggling, not only in British Columbia. This is across North America. Every community is dealing with the same challenges we’re dealing with.

That’s why we have taken huge steps in investing in affordable housing for people. We have people moving in every single week for the last three months. We’ve had a new opening of affordable housing projects for people throughout the province, because we know that’s the only way we’re going to be able to address the challenges people are facing.

In that member’s community, over 300 units of affordable housing have been opened up, and more are coming. We are committed to continuing to find ways for people to have affordable housing, given the challenges we’re seeing coming out of the pandemic.

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

K. Kirkpatrick: Well, let’s talk results — NDP results that are nothing short of disastrous.

Vancouver has the highest level of homelessness in history. Nothing the NDP is doing is working, but this NDP Premier expects us to accept record-high levels of homelessness as being the new normal. People deserve a home, and they deserve to feel safe in the streets.

[10:50 a.m.]

When will this Premier and his NDP government stop making excuses and stand up today and say no to the NDP’s new normal of historic, record-high homelessness?

Hon. R. Kahlon: The point-in-time numbers that have been released are the first ones since the middle of the pandemic. Of course, it shows what we know that’s happening across the communities, not across only British Columbia, but across North America. Every community on the west coast, every state, every city is dealing with the challenges coming outside of the pandemic.

People are struggling, but the historic investments we’re making in affordable housing are actually making a difference. I’ve been able to visit openings where people are moving in and talking about the impact that affordable unit means for them. People talking about how they were paying 60 percent of their income towards rent and now they’re paying 30 percent and what that life-changing moment means for them.

We have a different path than that they’ve taken. They believe that somehow….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The Leader of the Opposition believes that somehow government shouldn’t do anything. It should stay out of the way, and somehow the private sector will solve all the problems.

We saw that happen, and that’s why we’re living with the realities we’re living with now — two decades behind, when it comes to investing in affordable housing. We’re choosing a different path.

ROLE OF FAMILY MEMBERS IN
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES

A. Olsen: I’ve heard many stories of how the mental health crisis impacts family members. I’ve heard how psychiatric emergency services dismiss family members’ desire to support their loved ones. I’ve heard how these services are reluctant to connect with family members to inform them of the status of their loved ones, only to have that mental health crisis come to a tragic end.

Our current mental health system excludes family members who want to be involved in the support of their loved ones.

To the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, will she make the necessary changes to allow more family involvement in the psychiatric care of their loved ones?

Hon. A. Dix: I think this is an important question. As you know, family members will be meeting outside the Legislature today. It is my intention, if that works, to meet with them today to hear what they have to say. There are some specific cases involved that are the subject of patient quality review.

I think it’s clear that…. The people who know it’s clear are the doctors and nurse practitioners and nurses and health care workers I’ve met with in the last few months who have spoken to these questions.

They understand the crucial role of family, and what we continue to do is adapt clinical standards to ensure that they can fully involve families as much as absolutely possible in support for people who are dealing with mental health issues in acute care.

A. Olsen: We’ve heard how psychiatric emergency services are overwhelmed. Hundreds of people have taken to social media to tell their stories over recent years. Stories that reflect how the treatment they received let them down while they were at their most vulnerable time.

My constituents Cindy Zimmer and Crystal Kenzie are here today. They’re advocating for changes in the mental health and addictions policy. They were excluded from the care of their brother, and earlier this year, he was discharged from psychiatric emergency services at the height of a mental health crisis. PES was convinced he wouldn’t commit suicide. That’s exactly what he did, only minutes after discharge.

Cindy and Crystal are just two of many family members that I’ve talked to, and that other members here have talked to, who want to be a part of the care team for their family members, but they’re excluded.

Will the minister make the necessary policy changes so other families don’t have to experience the premature loss of a loved one?

Hon. A. Dix: Well, I think, at the very least, let me say that our heart goes out to the families in these circumstances. I’ll look forward to meeting with them today personally on behalf of the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to have that discussion.

Certainly, those who work with people dealing with mental health crises in the health care system are fully aware and fully supportive of the involvement of families in that process.

In addition, we need other supports, the supports that are being provided and increased for suicide prevention, for early intervention, for reducing risk to save lives. All of these are elements of the comprehensive mental health system that we are building in British Columbia and that we need to build together.

[10:55 a.m.]

FARMLAND IN COWICHAN VALLEY

J. Rustad: Today in the Cowichan Valley, the NDP is scheduled to destroy over 100 acres of the Dinsdale farmland, taking it out of British Columbia’s agricultural land reserve to create a marsh. This is excellent-quality, productive agricultural land that is currently used to grow food for people here in British Columbia.

To the NDP Premier: why are you so eager to take land out of the agricultural land reserve to create a marsh, while refusing to repurpose underutilized ALR land for more housing for everyday British Columbians who are facing a housing crisis so profound that it is driving working people into homelessness?

Hon. P. Alexis: Farmland is precious to all of us in British Columbia. I am not familiar with this particular case, but I would like the member….

Interjections.

Hon. P. Alexis: Excuse me? I have the floor.

I would like the member to reach out to me…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, please.

Hon. P. Alexis: …after this session, and we can discuss this fully.

I can tell you that we all need and appreciate the agricultural land. Yes, there’s pressure on agricultural land reserve everywhere in British Columbia for a number of reasons, growth being one of them.

I would like to take this, if I could, after the session.

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

J. Rustad: The minister has actually responded to the people on the issue on this and said that land will be repurposed. I find it disturbing that that is a letter that came from the minister’s office and the minister wasn’t aware of what’s going on, on that file.

The reality on this is there was actually a contract in place on this land when it was transferred to the Nature Trust, and that contract says: “The purchaser warrants that the existing diking scheme around the perimeter of the property will not be materially altered or breached to allow uncontrolled flooding on the land. This warranty is to remain in effect for the term of 50 years, commencing December 15, 1990, and running until December 15, 2040.”

Not only has this government provided $1.5 million to the destruction of this property, but they’re actually going to be breaching the contract that was put in place for this heritage land that is so critical in terms of providing agricultural benefits.

At a time when people are struggling to put food on the table and struggling to find housing, why does this government think that destroying farmland is appropriate?

Hon. P. Alexis: I will take this question under notice.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
MENTAL HEALTH CARE

E. Sturko: While we sit here today, the families of Aaron Sanio and James Zimmer are shouldering the unbearable weight of a broken system that the Premier seems all but indifferent to. Both Aaron and James died by suicide shortly after being discharged from psychiatric care with­out any notice to their loving families.

Yesterday this government found time to move forward with an NDP private member’s bill on naming a provincial fossil, yet they ignore our urgent bill designed to save human lives.

If the Premier’s government can find time for trivial matters like naming fossils, then why hasn’t our life-saving private member’s bill been called yet, and will it be called today?

Hon. A. Dix: The case in question, of course, is a tragic one for everyone involved, including family members and including all caregivers, as well, who are involved in the case. Obviously, I can’t talk about the particular case, be­cause the matter falls under privacy, as everyone would expect.

I think the actions that are required are the building out of a full mental health system in B.C. That is what we’re doing. It involves early intervention and very significant increases in supports for Foundry.

It involves action specifically on suicide prevention that the member is well aware of, that this government has taken. It involves connecting people to care and new publicly funded care beds for people in the system, particularly dealing with issues of mental health and addiction. That is precisely what the government is doing.

[11:00 a.m.]

EMERGENCY SERVICES AT HOSPITALS

T. Shypitka: Emergency rooms are in crisis, and rural communities are left hanging, with no relief in sight. It has been over two years since Elkford lost its emergency room to a temporary closure, making urgent care a perilous 45-minute road trip out of that community.

Seven years, two elections and all these empty NDP announcements have given us nothing but broken promises and a health care system in free fall. The Health Minister calls this the new normal, as if we should just get used to failing health care.

Does the Premier think the people of Elkford should just settle for the NDP new normal of closed emergency rooms?

Hon. A. Dix: What we’ve done, in Elkford and everywhere else, is to take action. The member will know — I know he supports this — about the recruitment of physicians in Elkford, but that reflects the situation across the province.

This year — not sometime in the past; this year, January to August — 5,221 net new nurses and the expansion of the emergency room locum program. There’s action in Elkford and action across the province. In particular, on the issue of doctors and family doctors, 3,700 doctors joining the new family practice program in B.C., the new payment model.

This year so far, now, January through August — 520 new international medical graduates in British Columbia. We see them everywhere in B.C. We are continuing to act on our health human resources plan.

L. Doerkson: I have an example of what action looks like on behalf of the NDP. Seven years, two elections and still, despite all of the NDP’s grand announcements, health care in Williams Lake is getting worse, not better.

Pictures posted on social media show people walking into Cariboo Memorial’s ER to find a chilling sign declaring: “The ER is closed unless the patient is imminently dying.” No health care unless you’re imminently dying, yet the Health Minister has the audacity to say this is just a new normal.

Does the Premier seriously expect the people of Williams Lake to accept that they must be imminently dying just to receive health care under this NDP’s new normal?

Hon. A. Dix: Well, first of all, what I was specifically talking about was 9,700 people in acute care in August. What do you do? You have to meet that test by increasing the number of acute care beds, which is precisely what we’re doing.

The member refers, and he knows the answer to this question, to a sign that was put up on Monday, October 2. The emergency room was not closed. Obviously, we’re….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Hon. A. Dix: The emergency room was not closed, and service continued. Of course, we’re reviewing how a sign was put up there, because that is very disturbing. Of course, that’s very disturbing.

The emergency room stayed open. It was open through­out that period, and we continue to take action, working with people in Williams Lake, to ensure they have the staff necessary to provide the services people need.

E. Ross: In the Williams Lake emergency room, there’s a sign that says you have to be imminently dying to get health care. You can’t deny that. In Smithers, it’s got so bad that emergency room nurses have to call 911.

Seven years, two elections of NDP promises and still, after all these empty announcements, health care is getting worse, not better. Just yesterday in Kitimat, our emergency room had to shut its doors once again. Meanwhile, the Health Minister calls the collapse of the health system across B.C., under his watch, the new normal.

Does the Premier — the Premier — think the people of Kitimat should settle for this disastrous NDP new normal, where emergency rooms are as good as closed and you have to be imminently dying to get help or you require nurses to dial 911 in our hospitals in B.C.?

Hon. A. Dix: What we’re doing across B.C., under our health human resources plan, is bringing more doctors, more nurses, more health sciences professionals.

[11:05 a.m.]

How do we do that? With respect to doctors — by ensuring there are more international medical graduates, by tripling the practice-ready assessment program. It benefits his constituency, which has also got a new hospital coming.

With respect to all of these issues, we are taking action — action to recruit doctors, action to recruit nurses, action to ensure, through scope-of-practice changes, that people get more and better care sooner.

It is, of course, a challenge whenever an emergency room has to close. That’s a requirement under specific circumstances, but we are taking the actions necessary to ensure that people in every community in B.C. have the emergency care they need.

T. Halford: For seven years and two elections, the NDP has promised better health care. Yet doctors in Surrey Memorial continue to openly warn of dangerously unsafe and sometimes deadly conditions.

Overcrowding is now the NDP status quo, with patients languishing in hallway beds and endless ER wait times. These aren’t anomalies. They’re daily realities that are forcing doctors to now hold rallies on weekends as a direct result of this Premier’s broken promises. The Health Minister says this is the new normal.

Why does the Premier believe Surrey deserves nothing more than the NDP’s new normal of patients lying in hallways and doctors forced to protest for basic patient safety?

Hon. A. Dix: With respect to Surrey, we’re building a second hospital…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members.

Hon. A. Dix: …and the person who is yelling sold the land intended for a second hospital.

At Surrey Memorial Hospital, by working with doctors, nurses and health care workers, we’ve put in place 30 actions, all of which have seen significant progress in the last few months, to improve the situation at Surrey Mem­orial Hospital.

In Surrey, fewer MRIs than anywhere else in Metro Vancouver prior to my becoming Minister of Health, and it’s now leading the province and the country. We are listening to the people of Surrey, after years of neglect.

P. Milobar: Well, seven years, two elections, and the NDP’s new normal in health care in Merritt results in 13 ER closures over the last few months, to the point where the mayor is now looking at ways to withhold any potential municipal transfers to the provincial government to try to get the health care they actually deserve in that community.

Again to the Premier, when will this new normal of the NDP’s health care actually change and see people getting the health care they need and, more importantly, the emergency rooms they should have open in their communities stay open?

Hon. A. Dix: How we respond to that is by training more nurses, recruiting more nurses, because that has been the crucial issue in Merritt, as the members know. That’s why, working with GoHealth B.C., three GoHealth B.C. RNs just started in Merritt in September. This makes a difference for the community in Merritt and reflects the 5,221 net new nurses that have been recruited this year.

I remind the member that between 2009 and 2016, the actual number of registered nurses in B.C. went down. We are making the changes necessary to have nurses and doctors in place everywhere in B.C., and that is what we will continue to do, working with local communities.

S. Bond: Seven years, two elections, and the health care system is collapsing.

Interjections.

S. Bond: The members opposite may want to laugh. It is not funny if you live in Elkford, Surrey, Merritt, Smithers or anywhere else in this province. Shame on you.

Health care workers in British Columbia are drowning. Communities are suffering. The NDP apparently think that’s funny, and instead, they continue to make an­nouncements and do photo ops, where the new normal in British Columbia is that apparently you have to be imminently dying or nurses in Smithers have to call 911 to get help. That is nothing but shameful.

[11:10 a.m.]

This isn’t about health care professionals, and the minister knows it. It’s about this government’s failure to support them. What kind of day is it in British Columbia when the Health Minister himself concedes that this mess is the new normal in this province?

To the Premier, does he think it is acceptable that people have to be imminently dying or an emergency room nurse in Smithers has to call 911 to get the help they need?

Hon. A. Dix: Well, that’s not what I said, and the members know it. Just repeating it doesn’t make it true.

We are taking action to address, I think, very significant challenges in our health care system. On surgeries and diagnosis…. In the months of July and August, 2,000 more surgeries done than before the pandemic. We’ve gone from the bottom of the list — that’s their record — to the top of the list in surgical categories and diagnosis. We’ve gone through together….

Our public health care system has gone through, together, the enormous challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is an increase in demand. That’s what’s hap­pened. We are responding to that increase in demand by increases in resources in the system and by setting records in the recruitment of doctors and nurses. We are going to continue to act.

Mr. Speaker: Prince George–Valemount, supplemental.

S. Bond: By any measure, this government has failed British Columbians abysmally with an ever-growing health care crisis.

I can’t imagine this minister or Premier would be willing to stand up and defend the fact that there are signs in emergency rooms that say, “You have to be imminently dying to get help,” or that an emergency room nurse has to call 911 from the emergency room.

That is shameful. It is unacceptable. It is time for the Premier to stand up and accept responsibility for this mess.

Hon. A. Dix: Basing your question on a sign that wasn’t accurate, wasn’t correct, and in an emergency room that was still open is not, I don’t think, the correct approach. The correct approach is to have a health human resources plan in place that recruits record numbers of doctors, record numbers of nurses, record numbers of health sciences professionals.

For people in long-term care, it’s an HCAP program, which is the most successful health human resources program the province has ever seen and contrasts…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. A. Dix: …with the policy of the Leader of the Opposition in this regard, who laid off health care workers — the largest layoff of health care workers in Canadian history.

We are going to continue to take action on health human resources, action on doctors, action on nurses, actions to support acute care actions to…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, let’s hear it.

Hon. A. Dix: …support long-term care and, yes, changes to the primary care system. We’re going to do all of it by working with people and health care professionals across B.C.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order please.

Hon. A. Dix: I would say this, finally, because we’ve gone past the time. We wanted to absolutely have the opportunity to have debate, and that’s why I stopped and allowed the supplementary question and didn’t run out the clock. But you know, hon. Speaker, if they’re going to just yell, it takes longer.

In any event, we are going to continue to serve the people of British Columbia.

[End of question period.]

Point of Order

Hon. D. Eby: The Minister of Finance and I saw a gesture made by the Leader of the Opposition during question period. Given the sensitive nature of the questions that were asked, I’ll invite him — given the dialogue we’re having about toxic behaviour in this place — to consider whether he wishes to apologize to the House.

Mr. Speaker: If the Leader of the Official Opposition has any comments…. Any comments?

K. Falcon: I’m not even sure what comments he’s made that are the problem, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker: We will take it under advisement, Mr. Premier.

[11:15 a.m.]

Tabling Documents

Hon. N. Sharma: I have the honour to present annual reports for civil resolution tribunal, 2022-23; B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, 2022-23; Environmental Appeal Board, 2022-23; and Forest Appeals Commission for 2022.

Hon. L. Beare: I have the honour to present the report on the administration of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Hon. S. Malcolmson: I table today the report of Together B.C.: British Columbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, our annual report for 2022.

Reports from Committees

SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO REVIEW
PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BUSINESS

M. Babchuk: I have the honour to present the report of the Special Committee to Review Private Members’ Business.

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

Motion approved.

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

Leave granted.

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

The Legislative Assembly agreed on February 27 to establish a special committee to examine the use of time for private members’ business on Monday mornings and report to the Legislative Assembly on October 5 on ways to improve opportunities available to advance parliamentary business put forward by private members.

The Legislative Assembly’s current rules for private members’ time on Monday morning were developed more than two decades ago. They provide for the first hour, from 10 to 11 a.m., for four private member statements. Each statement has a length of up to 15 minutes divided into a maximum of seven minutes for the proponent, up to five minutes for any other member and up to three minutes for the proponent in reply. By practice, the second hour, from 11 till 12 noon, is dedicated to private members’ motions, which typically rotate by agreement between the government and official opposition caucus.

The committee considered the experience of other jurisdictions and the ways to modernize and make better use of the two hours of time available on Monday mornings. The committee is recommending a made-in-B.C. approach by restructuring private members’ time and giving private members more opportunity to make statements of up to five minutes on matters of importance to them and their constituents.

The committee recommends reducing the time dedicated to private member statements from one hour to 30 minutes to allow time for private members to propose ideas in the form of motions or bills, have them debated and bring them to a vote. This will allow for a balance between raising matters of local and provincial importance through statements and debating motions and proposed legislation.

With respect to consideration of private members’ bills, the committee recommends the time limits attached for various stages of considerations to ensure that these bills can progress through the legislative process, and that committee stage be undertaken by a new select standing committee for this purpose rather than the Committee of the Whole House.

To ensure fairness and equity for all private members, the committee recommends that a lottery system be used at the outset of a new parliament to determine the order of the members who can bring forward motions and bills. The committee recommends that these changes be implemented prior to dissolution of this parliament and take effect in the 43rd parliament.

In concluding my remarks, I would like to acknowledge and thank staff in the office of the Clerk, the parliamentary committees and Hansard Services who supported the work of this committee.

Finally, we would like the opportunity to thank the committee members — the member for Maple Ridge–​Mission, member for Port Moody–Coquitlam, member for Vancouver-Langara, member for Courtenay-Comox, member for Saanich North and the Islands, member for Nanaimo–North Cowichan, member for Surrey-Panorama and the member for Fraser-Nicola and, especially, the Deputy Chair, the member for Abbotsford West for their collaboration and contributions to this positive spirit of collaboration.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Abbotsford West.

M. de Jong: Thanks, hon. Chair, and to the member for North Island for her able chairpersonship of the committee that is presenting its report today.

[11:20 a.m.]

Change in this place doesn’t happen quickly. It doesn’t happen often. I don’t think anyone would read this report, necessarily, and the recommendations that are contained therein — there are some 13 recommendations — and describe it, necessarily, as an earth-shattering piece of parliamentary reconstruction, but I think it is important.

The Chair and other members of the committee, who served the committee well, would, I think, agree that the spirit of what is contained in here, and the direction that is being sought to be charted, is an important one.

There is a tension in this place. It’s a long-standing tension between the desire to capitalize and tap into the talents and the energies and the passions of individual members, which comes up against and contrasts with the need for governments to enjoy the confidence of the House, to maintain a measure of party discipline. That’s true on the opposition side as well.

So how do you accommodate that desire to provide individual private members with greater freedom and an avenue to advance issues that are of great concern to them in a context and in an atmosphere that is, by very definition, partisan? That’s what the changes here are endeavouring to do.

I think it is worth emphasizing that, as is frequently the case in these committees that deliberate away from the view of the public, the tone and tenure of the discussion was healthy, was collegial, was civil, and many ideas were floated. The idea that members would have up to five minutes to highlight a matter that is of importance to them is, I think, something that the committee thought was worthwhile during that two hours.

I will say this. To be partisan is not necessarily…. Well, it is to disagree, but it need not be disagreeable. I think the committee is hoping that from the pages of this report will emerge the idea that for someone on one side of the House to say: “I am concerned that the policies of my political adversaries are not reflective of what I think needs to be done, and I disagree with them….”

There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s why this place exists. To do so in a way that is respectful and civil is, of course, a preferred way to proceed. So that change has been made.

The idea that individual members would be, as is the case in other parliaments…. There would be a lottery to determine a priority system by which members can present a private member’s bill or a motion. It is one that enjoyed support and something that the Clerks will work through. The fact is that once a matter has been called, it will enjoy the benefit of having been voted upon in this chamber, which is something that hasn’t always happened in the past. So there will be resolution, positive or negative, for that initiative. These are changes.

Finally, I’ll say this. Every parliament has a life. In the past, people might ask…. They say: “Well, if the Chair and the co-Chair and members of the committee are so proud of their work and believe it represents a step forward, then why not start right away? Why not implement this immediately and see how it works?” I will say this. I think members of the committee…. This was a view that members of the committee shared.

[11:25 a.m.]

There is a character to every parliament, and it changes from the first day a parliament convenes after a general election to the last day. The committee and I believe there is value in this work, that it deserves a chance to be tried and to succeed.

Presenting it and implementing it in the last session of a parliament in the spring before a general election doesn’t necessarily give it the best chance of success as the partisan nature of that parliament ramps up in advance of the electoral contest to follow in the fall.

So the committee has suggested and made the recommendation that the steps be taken to amend the Standing Orders and to breathe life into these recommendations — that that be done next spring but that the changes not take effect until the first session of the new parliament after the next general election that is scheduled to take place next year.

I think that is a wise recommendation and improves the chances that the modest but important changes that are contained and recommended within the pages of this report will stand some prospect of having a positive and lasting impact on the deliberations in this chamber.

A. Olsen: Just very few brief comments. I was very pleased to be able to participate in this work that happened over the last several months with respect to making these recommendations to changes of private members’ time, how we use it and how this Legislature provides access to all of the members — including all the private members, which is everybody that’s not a member of cabinet — and the ability to propose and have their ideas debated.

I just want to, I think, go back to a little bit of history and acknowledge the fact that this work, this discussion, really started with the previous Government House Leader, the previous Opposition House Leader and the previous Third Party House Leader and has continued. It continued to the current Government House Leader, the current official opposition House Leader and myself as the Third Party House Leader.

This has been an effort to have this discussion amongst all of the representative parties here and to make recommendations to improve the time and how we use private members’ time.

I raise my hands to the Chair for the excellent work in keeping the members on track and focused.

I also want to raise my hands to the Deputy Chair, the member for Abbotsford West, whose time and experience in the House here over the many years that he’s been here, actually really contributed…. Not actually; I should say contributed. Actually, he really contributed to the quality of the debate, which was….

No, really. I think it’s important to acknowledge that those of us that have only been here for a few years don’t have long memories, and being able to understand that this institution has been going and going and going and going for many decades and learning from the experiences from the past, I think, is really important to inform our work.

I just want to thank all of the members who worked in a spirit of collaboration, the spirit that I think we’re all hoping that this institution continues to demonstrate as it goes forward. I’m just really hopeful that the government passes these recommendations and that when the new parliament resumes next fall, it’ll have a more vibrant and more engaging debate from all of the members sitting, no matter where they sit in this House.

HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM.

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

Motion approved.

Personal Statement

APOLOGY FOR REMARKS
MADE IN THE HOUSE

K. Falcon: Mr. Speaker, I now understand the nature of the concern that was raised after QP, and I apologize to the House.