Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: T. Wat.

[10:05 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

M. Bernier: It’s not often, like many of my rural MLAs that we have here, that we have the privilege of having a guest in the Legislature coming from probably one of the furthest corners of this province all the way down here.

I’m pleased to have James Wall, city councillor from the village of Pouce Coupe, in attendance with us here. He took the long drive all the way down here to Victoria to watch question period today.

Will the House please make him welcome.

Hon. P. Alexis: Today some of the best and brightest members of the Agriculture and Food Ministry team are joining us in the House. We have Zofka, Yasmine, Papa, Catherine, Chelsea, Heeba, Danna, Zac, Alejandra and Ekam.

Would the House please welcome these young ministry staffers to the House and be good today please.

T. Wat: It is my pleasure to welcome, in the public gallery, Master Khenpo Sonam of Thrangu Monastery, located on the world-famous Highway to Heaven in the beautiful city of Richmond.

Joining Master Sonam are his Buddhist followers: Dina Ding, Mandy Liang, Ashlee Bai, Jeremy Zhai; as well as my constituent assistant, all the way from Richmond too, William Tu.

Please join me in welcoming them.

D. Davies: Like my colleague from Peace River South, it does give me great pleasure to introduce, on behalf of both of us, as she represents Northern Lights College, Tara Hyland-Russell. She’s the vice-president of academics and research at Northern Lights College, of course.

Both of our ridings are quite large. Northern Lights College, I believe, if I remember this right, covers around 350,000 square kilometres-ish across seven communities, three ridings. A great benefit. Of course, we all recognize the colleges that do provide to our communities.

Would the House please make Tara welcome.

Hon. R. Fleming: I see in the gallery…. It’s a real pleasure to notice that a friend of mine and a fantastic councillor in the district of Saanich is here, Coun. Zac de Vries, who is doing a fantastic job in local government in my constituency. He’s a very strong transit advocate, working on a lot of conservation and parks initiatives in Saanich to improve the quality of life of his residents.

[10:10 a.m.]

You didn’t tell me you were going to be here, Zac, but it’s great to see you all the same. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

B. Banman: It is indeed an honour to welcome president Brian Thomas and general manager Kevin Boon of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association to the Legislative Assembly today.

The B.C. Cattlemen’s Association are strong advocates for our farmers and ranchers who raise beef throughout this province to be able to help feed this province.

I want to thank them for all the hard work they do, and I invite all the members in this House to make them feel very, very welcome.

M. Starchuk: Joining us today in the gallery is a group of people that are here to spread the word about Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month that’s coming forward. Joining us today are Cristina, Margaret, Patti, Trudy, Brenda, Elizabeth, Annie, Sinclair, Anne, Meghan, Sheryl, Brenda, Merrilee, Phyllis, Robert, Chuck, Elise, Lynn, Maureen, Rebecca and baby Blake.

Would everybody please make them feel welcome in this House today on this special day.

Hon. A. Kang: I’m pleased to introduce Jocelyn Fan, my senior adviser in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. Jocelyn is with us today in the gallery.

Jocelyn and I have been working together since my time as Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, and Jocelyn has proven to be so capable and indispensable. She is an integral part of my team, has a great sense of humour and reminds the team to stay hydrated every day.

I also want to mention her husband, Eugene, whom I’ve known for over ten years since my time serving on the Burnaby city council. Eugene is now a director in the B.C. public service with the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.

Tomorrow is Jocelyn’s last day working with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs as she prepares for her maternity leave. She’s having a little girl, and I know that baby Evelynne will be loved and cherished by everyone.

I would like to wish huge congratulations to Jocelyn, Eugene and Evelynne and a big welcome, of course, to baby Evelynne.

Would the House please make Jocelyn feel very welcome in the House and wish her all the best.

K. Paddon: Joining us today in the gallery is Hans Baer. He’s a constituent from Chilliwack-Kent. I just wanted to thank him for being here. He is a fierce advocate for a community that we both love, for his neighbours. I’m just very grateful he’s here to join me for meetings today.

Would the House please make him most welcome.

Hon. B. Bailey: It’s always exciting when we have JEDIs in the House. I’m very excited this morning to welcome a stellar team from our trade and investment division, a powerhouse of B.C. government’s trade initiatives locally and globally. Guests this morning are Mashal Narsi, Carla Wormald, Jonas Kuhn, Yi Zou, Rossini Yeung, Patty Wen and Marian Payot.

Thank you for your efforts in promoting trade, activating investments and supporting businesses, the backbone of our thriving economic landscape.

Would the House please join me in making these guests most welcome.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

BILL M201 — RESIDENTIAL TENANCY
AMENDMENT ACT, 2024

S. Furstenau presented a bill intituled Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2024.

S. Furstenau: I move that a bill intituled Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2024, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, be introduced and read a first time now.

In British Columbia, the current practice puts no limits on how much landlords can raise rents between tenancies, which leads to evictions aimed at increasing rents for in­coming tenants. This has resulted in B.C. having the highest eviction rate in Canada.

Of the 10.5 percent of renters who experienced eviction in the last five years in B.C., 85 percent were no-fault evictions. Research attributes these evictions to profit-driven displacement, where the financial incentive of selling a property or raising rents leads landlords, particularly real estate investment trusts, to evict tenants from their homes, despite these tenants paying rent and respecting the property.

[10:15 a.m.]

This displacement has disproportionate effects on people with low and fixed incomes, on Indigenous, racialized and disabled members of the community, a significant portion of whom are evicted into homelessness. It’s time for the practice to end.

This Residential Tenancy Amendment Act would re­strict the ability of landlords to unfairly increase rent when a unit becomes vacant. In doing so, it removes the incentives for landlords and investors to displace tenants for the sake of increased profit. It would help limit no-fault evictions, increase housing stability for tenants and preserve affordable housing in B.C.

This is one immediate solution to address the housing affordability crisis. It would help to ensure security of tenure for tens of thousands of renters who are waiting for affordable, non-market housing to be built. It’s an effective and necessary policy tool for addressing the extreme housing affordability crisis that is facing B.C. renters.

I call on this government to recognize the value in this work, and I hope to debate this bill at second reading.

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

Motion approved.

S. Furstenau: 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 M201, Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2024, 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)

COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR
FUNDRAISING WALK
IN SOUTH SURREY–WHITE ROCK

T. Halford: Last Saturday we donned our toques, we laced up our walking shoes, and we hit the streets. We hit the streets for the Coldest Night of the Year, which I know that many in this House…. I know the Leader of the Opposition participated, with a lot of other MLAs across this province.

Why I’m highlighting this today is obviously the great work that these organizations do, particularly Sources B.C. and the support they give for those that are unhoused in our province.

It was the community of South Surrey–White Rock that now ranks No. 1 when it comes to fundraising for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year. As of right now, $271,000 has been raised by the peninsula. Number one in that category was led by White Rock Baptist Church, and I thank them for their contributions.

I want to single out somebody here specifically, and that is White Rock city councillor Ernie Klassen for the work that he has done specifically with the White Rock Pride Society. Ernie Klassen himself has raised over $27,000.

So way to go, Ernie. We are definitely proud of you.

I want to single out the Chilly Knights, led by Mayor Megan Knight, and Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Member of Parliament for Surrey–White Rock, who was in the top ten of fundraising.

It was a great event held. Particular thanks to Marc Bur­chell and David Young, CEO of Sources. Mark and David have worked tirelessly for this event, and we are so lucky to have them in our community and call them friends.

COMMUNITY EVENTS IN SURREY

J. Sims: We all do important work here and in our constituency offices, but one of my favourite things to do is to actually get out and be in the community with the community.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure to participate at an event, the International South Asian Film Festival — Lark Productions and CBC. They transformed city hall into the red-carpet location for the premiere screening of the new show Allegiance, a show that was not only filmed in Surrey, but the stories take place in Surrey.

The evening began with high-energy Banghra dance — it was Surrey after all — followed by a screening of the show. Afterwards there was a question-and-answer with the stars, Supinder Wraich and Enrico Colantoni, and the creator, Anar Ali, concluding with a wonderful reception.

Surrey is a magnet for the film industry. As the week continued, I was invited by the Zimbabwe Cultural Society to speak to a group of African newcomers. It was a great opportunity to talk about government services and to hear their stories of why they chose Canada and Surrey to be their home.

[10:20 a.m.]

I attended the welcoming day of francophones that celebrated the diversity of French-speaking newcomers. Although my French is no longer as good as it was when I moved here from Quebec, the messages translated well through the food, the art, the music and the dance. And yes, I danced.

Le Relais C.B. did a great job of connecting francophone newcomers with services in their community and showing them that pieces of home can be found here in Surrey.

This weekend ended with a celebratory lunar new year festival co-hosted by the White Rock and South Surrey Chinese and Hua Xia multicultural societies. The event was packed with people, food and entertainment. Red envelopes and dragons were everywhere, and the evening was filled with cultural performances from people of all ages.

Surrey is a magnet for our world’s diversity.

HOCKEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF
LOGAN STANKOVEN

T. Stone: What is the best birthday that you’ve ever had? For Kamloops native Logan Stankoven, it was probably this past Monday when he scored his first ever goal in the NHL — on his 21st birthday, no less.

Logan is the former captain and star of our beloved Kamloops Blazers hockey team. What an incredible WHL career he’s had during his time in Kamloops, the Blazers being the only team in the WHL that he ever played for. He became an amazing play-maker, someone with immense talent, but also incredible grit and unwavering leadership in the dressing room.

During his junior career, he also played in several international championships. He scored the game-winning goal in the 2021 U18 World Championships, bringing home gold for his team. As a member of Team Canada in the World Juniors, he won two consecutive gold medals and was named one of Canada’s three best players in both years.

In 2021, Logan was selected by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the NHL entry draft, going on to sign a three-year contract. On February 24 of this year, he was finally called up from Dallas’s AHL affiliate to play in the NHL for the first time. Two days later, in his second-ever NHL game and on his birthday, he scored his first goal, also getting an assist for his team. Head coach Pete DeBoer reported that Logan is fitting right in. Well, no kidding. And if you’re wondering what Logan had to say about the game, well, he said: “It was unreal.”

Today all of Kamloops sends our congratulations and support to Logan on his incredible achievement.

Logan, we are very proud of you. We’ve enjoyed watching you throughout these years. We’ve been honoured to see your career unfold, and we certainly can’t wait to see the great things that you do next in the NHL.

RARE DISEASE DAY

S. Chandra Herbert: Today is the rarest of rare days. It is a leap day, February 29. It is also Rare Disease Day. Rare diseases impact people…. One in 2,000 is defined as a rare disease. But indeed, in some folks’ lives, folks close to me, that might be one in 100,000. Others that we know, one in a million.

Diseases that have names that are very difficult to pronounce, acronyms that are long, every alphabet letter in the universe, every number. There are over 7,000 rare diseases and, in fact, many in our province — well, I should say a few in our province — I know are facing diseases that, as of yet, don’t have names.

But today is not a day for sorrow. Today is a day to celebrate those who are living lives with rare diseases, their caregivers, their loved ones. It’s a day to celebrate them because they are brave. They face challenges that few of us have to face. They are rare challenges on top of living your everyday life. These are challenges of not knowing what you’re facing, not knowing if it will come back, not knowing if the disease that you’re dealing with is going to be helped by the medication you take or hurt because they’re still trying to figure it out.

I want to acknowledge those heroes. I want to acknowledge those patient networks, those advocates, the nurses, the children’s hospital, the researchers, the life sciences folks in our province, and indeed across the world, because it’s a community that spans the globe. If it affects only one Canadian, you can tell there are others all across the globe who are being affected too, and they’re joining together through online support to find cures, to find therapy.

On this Rare Disease Day, I say to those living with rare diseases and those supporting people living with rare diseases: we love you, we see you, you’re important and we will work for you.

[10:25 a.m.]

HOUSING AS A HUMAN RIGHT

A. Olsen: Canada adopted the national housing strategy in 2019. It recognizes housing as a human right. It commits organizations and governments to reform housing laws, policies and programs from a human rights perspective and to involve communities in meaningful ways.

What does a commitment to housing as a human right look like? It starts with an urgent focus on the people with the greatest housing need: unhoused people currently camping in parks, shelters and on the streets. It’s a total dedication to protecting the dignity of the person: basic access to washrooms, to showers, to laundry and storage facilities. It’s a commitment to housing options where they’re needed that meet the imperative needs of the most desperate British Columbians.

Next, it’s a commitment to people with insecure housing, who are at risk of becoming unhoused, and offering the relief of housing security, a place they call home that won’t be taken away at a moment’s notice. It’s immediate steps to remove the anxiety and stress caused by housing insecurity.

Then, a commitment to housing as a human right ad­dresses the need of people with inadequate and unaffordable housing, helping people access the homes they need to live good, dignified lives; ensuring people have options and that they can move homes, change jobs, start a family without worrying about side hustles and pouring every cent into ever-increasing rent payments.

Housing as a human right is a provincewide commitment, a commitment to meet people where they are and help them access the homes they need; a commitment to take active steps to provide for all people, starting with the most urgent and desperate need.

When we fail them, we fail all.

MULTIPLE MYELOMA AWARENESS

M. Starchuk: Last November my office held an open house for our seniors in our community rec centre to share their thoughts, share their ideas and ask their questions.

For most of you, you’re aware that in my career as a firefighter, I have a number of co-workers who have passed away due to their occupational exposures to the toxins that they breathe.

I was speaking about our past battalion chief, Bill Ro­bertson, who’d passed away after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma. It was at this meeting that I met Betty, who I would find out later was also diagnosed with the same carcinoma I had spoken about at that meeting. And that led to a meeting in my constituency office with Dr. Phil.

Dr. Phil Harbridge is a patient advisory council vice-chair and western Canada representative for Myeloma Canada. He was asking what I could do to make Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month more prominent, so here we go.

Eleven Canadians are diagnosed with multiple myeloma every day. That number has steadily been rising over the last 15 years, and Stats Canada reports that myeloma is increasing at a higher rate than any other type of cancer for males and at the second-highest rate for females. In recent years, considerable progress has been made, but Canadians need your help to continue to accelerate that progress.

This month we’re celebrating Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, and they, those in the gallery, need your help to bring awareness to this incurable cancer. More Canadians need to be made aware of the effects of this devastating disease so that those who have been diagnosed earlier can have a chance for a better outcome.

Together we can get one step closer to a cure and make myeloma matter. Together, we can improve the lives of those living with the disease and look at implementing measures to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment, wherever possible. Together, we can create a far better future for myeloma patients.

Tributes

PATTY SAHOTA

The Speaker: Hon. Members, with your indulgence, I would like to pay a tribute to one of our former colleagues, Patty Sahota.

Patty was a community-builder, a gracious colleague and an example for all of us in the House on working across party lines and looking for opportunities to cooperate.

[10:30 a.m.]

She was elected in 2001 and was the first South Asian to represent Burnaby-Edmonds. I was and am proud to follow in her footsteps.

The shock of her passing has affected me deeply.

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to her family and friends, not only on my own behalf but on behalf of everyone in the Legislature.

M. de Jong: Like you, Mr. Speaker, I never thought we’d have to make this tribute and desperately wish it wasn’t required today.

It’s hard for me to believe that it was almost 30 years ago that I met Patty Sahota, but there are members of this chamber who knew her before that.

She was a kid just out of high school when she went up to Kamloops and met the now Opposition House Leader and joined with a group of energetic, passionate young people who had the audacity to think that they could change the world by getting involved politically. And that’s what they did. That’s what she did. She joined the B.C. Liberal Party at a time when the B.C. Liberal Party didn’t have any members in this chamber. I guess we don’t today either.

She eventually signed on with Gordon Campbell and his leadership campaign, and when he became the leader of the B.C. Liberal Party and the Leader of the Official Opposition, she joined his staff in his Vancouver office. That’s when I met her, just after the election in 1996.

Now, you might think that in the immediate aftermath of a close election loss, there would be this cloud of disappointment hanging over the office. But Patty Sahota was the centre of activity in that office, and that wasn’t her style. There was a job to do, and she threw herself into that job.

She could write. She could speak. She could engage with people. She could draw folks in. And that’s what she did, with a boundless energy and a thousand-watt smile. Along with folks like Mike McDonald, she developed this network across the province that ultimately propelled her party to a historic majority in this Legislative Assembly. And she was still in her 20s.

But she wanted to be more than just…. Not “just,” she wanted to be more than an organizer for others. She wanted a seat at the legislative table, so in 2000, she announced that she would seek the nomination in Burnaby-Edmonds. She secured that nomination after a hard-fought contest, and she became the MLA.

She was a pioneer, Mr. Speaker, as you mentioned.

There’s a little room. I don’t know if they call it the Farnworth Room — sorry, I broke the rules there — or the de Jong Room. Anyway, it’s a little room just outside the door here, and her picture hangs on the wall. She was one of the first 70 women — it’s remarkable to think that — of the first 100 that are in the photo, who were ever elected to this place. She was the first woman, along with Sindi Hawkins, of South Asian descent to sit in the cabinet in British Columbia.

She, as you pointed out, Mr. Speaker, worked tirelessly on behalf of her constituents. I still occasionally run into former constituents who speak with admiration of the work she did on their behalf.

[10:35 a.m.]

When the election rolled around in 2005, she threw herself into that with the usual enthusiasm. This time, she was not successful. She lost to a fellow who has gone on to have a reasonably successful political career in his own right.

She was competitive. She didn’t like losing. But she licked her wounds, and she moved on, and she found other ways to contribute and serve her community and make it a better place. And she came to know her successor as a friend.

As proud as she was of being an MLA, it’s not what defined her. In every endeavour, she was this intelligent, beautiful person who radiated this warmth and acceptance. She was brave and fearless, the kind of bravery I guess you need to have when you arrive in Merritt as a nine-year-old from the Punjab with very little English. She drew on that courage throughout her life, whether it was on the basketball court or in a provincial all-candidates meeting. She never backed down, and she was never intimidated.

She was an intensely proud Canadian. She showed me her village in Punjab one time. She observed how wonderfully different her life had been because of the sacrifices her parents had made to bring the family to Canada, to B.C. and to Merritt. She thought and was thankful for all of the opportunities. She taught me a lot about where she was from, that part of the world.

Today her mom and dad are grieving the loss of their beloved Patty. Her sisters Nunden, Navy and Neelam. Nieces, nephews, cousins. The folks that she worked with at Aspen Planers.

I know the members of this assembly will want to convey, along with you, Mr. Speaker, to all of them our heartfelt condolences as we remember this really extraordinary woman, a former colleague, a friend who left an indelible mark on B.C. but who left us too soon.

Oral Questions

AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS
AND SAFER RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

K. Falcon: Keith Light is the latest victim of the Premier’s housing failures. At 77 years old, this former construction worker has been trapped in a two-year-long wait for a call from B.C. Housing that never comes.

Keith’s New Year’s Eve was spent in an old RV, desperately trying to stay warm. “I just laid there and visualized B.C. Housing calling me and saying: ‘We have a place for you.’”

We, as the official opposition, have been calling for two years now for this government to listen to the seniors advocate and fix the long wait-lists that have exploded under this NDP government. I can tell you that B.C. United will certainly fix it. We’ll update the SAFER rent subsidies program immediately to reflect the current housing market and actually support our seniors.

My question to the Premier is…. The SAFER rent subsidies have not changed for six years. Why is this Premier failing to help seniors who aren’t getting the help they need while they sit stuck on B.C. Housing wait-lists?

Hon. R. Kahlon: The story of Keith is a challenging one for all of us. I’ve met, in this role as Minister of Housing, unfortunately, too many Keiths.

It’s really hard to hear from people who are…. Whether they have worked their entire lives and then find themselves on the verge of homelessness or they’re a young family who is working full-time and can’t find housing in their community and find themselves living in an RV, it’s tragic. It’s really difficult for me, but I do meet with folks and listen to them and hear from them about what the pathway is and how we address this.

[10:40 a.m.]

We know we are two decades behind when it comes to investing in affordable housing. Governments decided that they didn’t want to invest in it and that we would just leave it to the private sector alone.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Please continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: It’s a serious question, and I’m trying to give a serious answer.

Governments believe that we could just step out of the way and let the private sector deal with it. The private sector has an important role, but it’s going to require government investments. We’ve been making historic investments.

Now, the member talked about SAFER. The member will know that when we came into government, SAFER was…. The funding was very low. We, in fact, increased the funding in 2018 by 48 percent. Now, the program serves 20,000 seniors in British Columbia. I think it helps a lot of people, and we do acknowledge that it needs more reform. We have launched a review of the program. The review is complete. We’re just going through the details of the recommendations.

I met with the seniors advocate, as well, and shared with her my commitment, this shared commitment that we’re going to continue to build housing, invest in housing and support seniors as the challenges we’re dealing with, with global inflation and the housing crisis continue.

The Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

K. Falcon: Well, classic NDP. More reviews, more meetings, more emails, more bureaucracy, everything but actual results for the people that need that help today right now.

Here’s the reality. The seniors advocate, who’s there to represent the interests of seniors and reports to this Legislature, says that B.C. seniors receive less support than seniors in any other province. In fact, British Columbia rates the worst in the country under this government.

Under this Premier’s watch, while he was the minister responsible for housing, overseeing B.C. Housing, the Crown agency responsible for this, the wait-list for seniors subsidized housing has doubled. Despite running a record-setting historic deficit, the largest in the history of this province, in spite of doubling the provincial debt, in spite of the fact that they want to increase it by another 64 percent over the next three years, somehow this Premier couldn’t be bothered to just increase the subsidies for our most vulnerable seniors.

Seniors like Carole Fawcett from Vernon are being neglected by this NDP government. She says, and again I quote: “It’s absolutely disrespectful how seniors are treated by the government in that we don’t even have enough to live with any dignity or respect.”

How can this Premier continue to fail seniors who rely on the SAFER subsidy program so badly, despite running up the largest deficit in the history of the province of British Columbia?

Hon. R. Kahlon: As I said to the member previously, when I said governments for two decades decided not to invest in affordable housing, perhaps he didn’t realize I was talking about him and his party. For two decades, there was a decision made by governments not to invest in affordable housing.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members, please.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Now it is recognized…

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. The minister has the floor.

Hon. R. Kahlon: …that the level of affordable housing that was needed for the last two decades in British Columbia has not been built in communities throughout this province. The member knows that.

Interjection.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Oh, he doesn’t know that. Oh, that’s a surprise. The Leader of the Opposition doesn’t know.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, Members. Members, let’s have one speaker at a time, please. One person at a time.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Perhaps to refresh the member across the way, the Leader of the Official Opposition’s memory, I will send him a list of the affordable housing projects they cancelled in 2001 in communities. In fact, my colleague here has one in his community as well.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Now, the challenge is real. We know that. We have seen our population continue to increase. We welcome people to British Columbia. At the same time, the amount of housing has not increased. It’s a real challenge. And we’re not alone in dealing with this challenge. This is a challenge that’s being dealt with by provinces across the country, jurisdictions across North America.

I met recently with the representatives from Ireland who are dealing with the same challenges. How are we responding? We increased the SAFER program by 42 percent from what they were funding it. We still have more to do. We’re investing historic levels of dollars into building actually affordable housing that people can afford in our communities. We’re unlocking housing by allowing three, four or six units on single-family lots. We’re protecting our housing stock with the rental protection fund.

[10:45 a.m.]

All of this work is on a pathway to address the challen­ges we have. We have a serious plan with the Homes for People plan. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard anything serious from the opposition.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON
HOUSING ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS

T. Halford: Day after day we see this Minister of Housing, time after time, misrepresent in this House, and it needs to stop. It needs to stop today. At what point will this minister actually take responsibility for the utter failure we are seeing in housing today in British Columbia?

Young families are seeing the dreams of home ownership disappear. The Premier peddles a fantasy of government schemes and empty announcements to the rescue. His track record tells a different story. Whether it’s the utter mismanagement and the scandals of B.C. Housing, which include mass board firings and the fatal fire we saw at the Winters Hotel, what do we see? We see a surge in homelessness of 34 percent in Metro Vancouver alone. That is this minister’s record, this Premier’s record, and they need to take responsibility for it.

Now we see a damning new report called This Isn’t Working, and it says that homelessness will skyrocket a further 50 percent.

Considering this Premier’s dismal record, how can anybody believe what that they are doing, including those making nearly $200,000 a year in terms of subsidies, will actually turn out any different when he has constantly failed those who are in dire need?

Hon. R. Kahlon: We met with the folks who wrote this report. We acknowledge that there are still challenges that we need to address in the community, in the Downtown Eastside. But what they made clear — and perhaps if the members took time to meet with them before they asked this question — was that there was nothing happening for people in the Downtown Eastside before we formed government. The level of action that was needed was not happening.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members, you will have the opportunity to come back and ask another question — to correct, if you feel it is not.

Interjections.

The Speaker: No, hold it. Let us hear the minister. He has the floor.

Hon. R. Kahlon: If the members are serious about this question, I welcome them to go and meet with the people who wrote the report and hear from them about what they believe was the record of that party when they were in government compared to ours.

They will tell you that we’ve opened 1,400 supportive housing units in Vancouver since we formed government. They will tell you that we have either purchased or renovated 600 new SRO units in the Downtown Eastside. They will tell you that we provide $11 million for the SRO collaborative to support the most vulnerable people.

They’ll tell you that we are funding a brand-new project of 103 homes for Indigenous people with Lu’ma and First United. They will tell you we are funding 170 homes and 80 new shelters with the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre.

I recommend, before they ask questions about this re­port, that they meet with the folks who wrote the report so that they can get the true facts of what the challenges are.

The Speaker: Surrey–White Rock, supplemental.

T. Halford: I’ll give this minister a number. It’s the number two. That’s two years without heat. That’s two months without hot water. That is the situation at the Cedar Lane Motel.

That is the situation this minister and this ministry have known about for over a month and a half. When he talks about meetings, has he gone and met with the seniors at the Cedar Lane Motel to see the absolutely abysmal conditions they are living in, day in and day out?

Minister, have you met with them? Because the answer is no, you haven’t.

Residents like Don McKay are living this, day in and day out. They are forced…. In this situation, they get eviction notices based on permits that don’t exist. The RTB knows this. The minister knows this. What do we hear from the minister? Nothing. We hear silence.

To the Premier, to the minister, what is it going to take for him to get up and do his job so people like Don and the seniors at the Cedar Lane Motel aren’t living in the absolutely abysmal conditions this minister has put them in today?

[10:50 a.m.]

Hon. R. Kahlon: Every time I or my colleagues hear about an incident where people are struggling, where there’s a challenge, we take steps to respond. Every single time.

Now, the folks that are living in this privately owned motel had some serious concerns that came forward. The compliance enforcement unit, which we created on our side to take proactive action, stepped in. They’ve taken steps to reach out to the owner, inform the owner of their responsibility to ensure there’s hot water. They’ve also been given a permit by the city of Surrey for redevelopment of that project.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members, please.

Please continue.

Shhh.

Hon. R. Kahlon: The member is highlighting a private party that is not following their obligations to the renters. If he is upset about that, well then, I concur with him. I agree with him. If he is upset about that, I’m upset about that as well.

We have taken steps to use the compliance enforcement unit to step in to inform this owner of this building that what they’re doing with their tenants is inappropriate. I’m agreeing with the member.

Now, the solution to the challenges is we have to unlock more housing supply in our province. That’s what the legislation that we brought in the last fall was about. We have to invest in direct, affordable housing, which we’re doing at a historic amount. We have to protect our existing housing stock. That’s what we were doing in Esquimalt yesterday when we protected 16 homes for people who were about to be displaced because a private interest was going to buy it and jack up their rents.

All the steps we’re doing are to address the challenges that the member has laid out. We’re going to continue to do that work because we know that every single person in British Columbia deserves to have a safe, affordable place that they can call home.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF NURSES
AND USE OF PRIVATE AGENCIES

A. Olsen: Under this Minister of Health, spending has increased from $18 billion, when he took the office, to $36 billion now.

A year ago the minister agreed to adopt minimum nurse-patient ratios. The minister told nurses that help was on the way. However, the experience of British Columbians trying to access health care and Stats Canada paint a different picture than the version of exceptionalism that we hear in here, day in and day out.

According to Stats Canada, there are nearly 5,500 vacant job postings for nurses across the province. B.C. nurses are here today. They want less announcements from the minister and more supports — more supports to retain nurses, including a provincially coordinated plan to address the systemic workplace health and safety concerns that have been raised over and over and over again.

The minister’s $36 billion health care system is in crisis.

What is his plan to retain nurses, and will he deliver a provincial plan to address the health and safety concerns he has known about and failed to solve?

Hon. A. Dix: We’re doing just that. We’re working specifically with nurses in British Columbia on the issue of nurse ratios, a historic commitment that we’re putting into place.

In the last number of years, we’ve led Canada in new registered nurses, including last year. The increase in the 12 months of 2023 was more than 6,000. That has involved the increases we’ve made in nursing spaces, the improved pathways to internationally educated nurses and the dramatic increase in the number of spaces for nurse practitioners, more than double they were when I became Minister of Health.

Finally, I would say, with respect to the issue of health and safety, one of the key proposals by the B.C. Nurses Union, by the Hospital Employees Union, by the Health Sciences Association and by the Doctors of B.C. was to change the system of security in acute care. We said we’d do it. We said we’d hire 320 people in a year. We’ve put in place a new relational security model, and we have delivered on behalf of nurses and others in B.C.

The Speaker: House Leader Third Party, supplemental.

A. Olsen: What’s doubled is this health care minister’s budget, yet our health care system is still in deep, deep crisis. You know who is doing well under this minister? That’s private health care corporations. They’re doing really well under this minister.

One of the ways he has tried to address the shortage of nurses is through the expansion of agency nurses. The Premier wondered out loud recently “how adding profit margin to the limited number of health care workers we have somehow improved services for people” It’s a question that the Premier asked, and it’s a good question from the Premier. I’m wondering if he asked the Minister of Health right before jacking up his budget again this year.

[10:55 a.m.]

This Minister of Health is relying on agency nurses, adding cost to the system and profit for corporations. Dispirited nurses, exhausted by the lack of support by this $36 billion minister, leave the public service to join the for-profit health care system. The result is a 400 percent increase in spending for agency nurses over the past four years.

To the $36 billion minister, we’re seeing creeping privatization of health care under his watch. It appears to be his strategy. He’s doing it with public money. When is he going to come clean and just admit that that’s what he’s doing?

Hon. A. Dix: The facts are the opposite. We have the largest capital building program in the history of the B.C. health care system, every one of those projects is health authority–owned and operated.

With respect to nursing, we’ve increased 602 nursing spaces in British Columbia’s colleges and universities. We have improved pathways for internationally educated nurses. We’re leading Canada in new nurses while other jurisdictions, such as Alberta, have lost nurses in the same period.

The fact of the matter is that we are working with nurses, as we work with doctors, to ensure that working conditions for nurses improve, that nurse ratios are put in place in British Columbia and that we’re adding nurses to our system. The facts say that.

The member can be opposed…. The member is suggesting he’s opposed to more money to pay for health care when we have 650,000 people across British Columbia….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Hon. A. Dix: That’s what he’s saying. I disagree with him.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Shhh, Members. Members.

Hon. A. Dix: Well, talk about results: leading Canada in new nurses, putting them in place….

Interjections.

Hon. A. Dix: We had around 300 nurse practitioners in B.C. when I became Minister of Health; we now have more than 1,000. That’s important. That’s a change. That’s an increase.

We led Canada in new registered nurses. It hasn’t always been the case. There’s one Health Minister who lost registered nurses in the history of B.C. health care. That was the Leader of the Opposition.

We are leading Canada in new registered nurses, and we’re going to continue to recruit, retain and make life better for nurses in British Columbia.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

FUNDING FOR MEDICAL SCHOOLS

B. Banman: I’ve had the opportunity to speak at length with Melonie, the mother of Sophia, who tragically died. Melonie told me a bit about her daughter, Sophia, and I would want to share some of what she shared with me with the House today.

Sophia was a fighter. She was a ball of energy and passion, and she had a way of speaking with people with in­credible love and care to anyone, no matter who they were. She was the kind of person who wanted to help everyone.

Melonie told me that Sophia actually wanted to become a medical doctor so she could help British Columbia heal. Sadly, Sophia could not afford the debt, and she didn’t have the ability to spend almost a decade at university, so she did the next best thing: she started helping with our most vulnerable.

Every British Columbian deserves a doctor, and every child born in British Columbia deserves the opportunity to become one if they want to do so.

My question to the Minister of Finance: what percentage of new spending on health in the 2024 budget is going towards allowing more British Columbian kids to become doctors so that they can help heal our province?

Hon. A. Dix: Of course, it would be, I think, wrong not to say how much everyone in B.C. feels for Sophia and for her family, and I appreciate the member raising her story again in the Legislature today.

The way we get more doctors in B.C. is to add spaces in medical schools. We’re adding 128 at UBC medical school, and we’re starting a second medical school, the first in generations in western Canada, at SFU in Surrey. The way you get more doctors is to increase pathways for internationally educated doctors, and we’ve done just that: 938 registered in 2023 alone.

The way you get more doctors in longitudinal family practice is to work with doctors in B.C. and with nurse practitioners in B.C. And this was a record year for longitudinal family practice and doctors: more than 708 doctors in longitudinal family practice in nine months.

[11:00 a.m.]

You work with people. You take steps to make workplaces better. You add primary care networks and team-based care. You increase spaces in medical schools. You improve pathways for international medical graduates. And, finally, you respect doctors in their work, whether they’re doctors in public health or anywhere else.

The Speaker: House Leader of the Fourth Party, supplemental.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON ISSUES IN
HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND
RESPONSE TO CASE IN NANAIMO

B. Banman: As we have heard in this House, the Leader of the Opposition was the one that made the cuts to B.C.’s health care system that got B.C.’s health care system to this point. In 32 years, there’s been 16 years of incompetence by the leader of the B.C. United and now this NDP Health Minister.

When I talked with Melonie….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Shhh, Members. Come to order, please.

Members, no cross-talking, please.

The member has the floor.

B. Banman: When I talked with Melonie, she told me that she had an infant son who also died due to delayed medical treatment. And she herself, like a million other British Columbians, does not have a doctor. B.C.’s health care system has failed her twice, and she’s deathly afraid it’s going to fail her.

I want to read from a post that Melonie shared on her personal social media.

“I find it odd to hear my name and things I’ve said…”

The Speaker: Question, Member.

B. Banman: “…along with my daughter’s name, come out of the mouths of politicians.”

The Speaker: Member, let’s have a question, please.

Interjections.

B. Banman: You know, out of respect for a woman that has lost two infants, I think this House should pay attention to words that she said.

“I find it odd to hear my name and things I’ve said, along with my daughter’s name, come out of the mouths of politicians who have not even spoken to me or acknowledged my letter to them. Our government of British Columbia has failed me twice, and it’s despicable. I deserve an acknowledgment and an apology from a few people in our provincial government — the NDP Minister of Health, the Premier, Dr. Henry and, since he’s used my comments, Kevin Falcon.”

The Speaker: Question, Member.

B. Banman: My question to the Minister of Health: will you commit to formally apologizing to Melonie and get in touch with her, and will you ask the Premier and Dr. Henry to do the same?

Hon. A. Dix: I’d say a few things in response. I did say to the Opposition House Leader…. I don’t plan to take a long time, but I’m just going to say this really very solemnly. I understand that they have questions to ask as well. I’ll just say that these are obviously….

This is profoundly filled with grief, not just for Melonie, but for the whole community, right?

One of the things I think we owe in this matter is rigorous independent investigation. One of the things we did in this House — the minister was George Abbott, and I was the opposition critic — was work together to put just such processes in place so that independent information would be developed and shared with families, in the first instance, and with the community to make the health care system better.

I am absolutely committed to that, absolutely committed to going through a rigorous process of doing that, because I think that’s really what we owe in these circumstances, which are the facts and a real effort to get at the truth and make things better. That’s what I’ll continue to try and do.

IMPLEMENTATION OF CHILD CARE
LEGISLATION AND PROGRESS REPORTS

R. Merrifield: Three years have passed since the introduction of the Early Learning and Child Care Act. At the time, the NDP called it a milestone that would “confirm government’s ongoing commitment to make child care more affordable and…increase transparency and accountability by requiring the province to produce annual reports on its progress towards building a universal child care system.”

Yet three years later not a single section of this legislation has been enacted, and the only things parents get are glossy NDP brochures, press releases and rhetoric, not transparency or accountability.

A simple question to the Premier: why hasn’t the act been brought into force?

[11:05 a.m.]

Hon. M. Dean: Thank you to the member for the question. We know that child care is absolutely a vital core service that families need and rely on across the province. It’s also one of the largest expenses facing families today in the province.

We have been taking action. There are over 13,000 $10-​a-day child care spaces in B.C. We’re on track to hit 15,000 by this spring. Also, with the affordable child care benefit, over 35,000 children and their families are supported monthly so that lower-middle-income families are saving over $1,000 a month.

There are many thousands and thousands of families who are experiencing $10 a day or less, and some families are not paying at all for child care. We know that when the other side were in government, they treated child care as a luxury, and they would do that again.

Our families in British Columbia cannot afford to go back. We will continue investing in building this new system of services.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP HOSTING COSTS

L. Doerkson: The Minister of Tourism and Sport has promised complete transparency and claims to know ap­proximately how much FIFA 2026 will cost.

A simple question today to the minister: how much is FIFA 2026 going to cost taxpayers in this province?

Hon. R. Kahlon: Thanks to the member for the question. I think most British Columbians are very excited about the idea that we’re going to be hosting the world. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to host the world in a soccer match. I know that there are soccer fans on both sides.

When we first were putting a proposal forward for FIFA, we were hoping for five games. Much to our surprise and happiness, we now have seven. With those additional two games, it means we have to make sure that we’re prepared for the additional capacity that’s needed. That’s the work that’s happening right now.

Once we have done the analysis on what the additional games mean, what the associated costs will be, certainly we’ll be making all of that public.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ON GANG
VIOLENCE AND DRUG TRAFFICKING

E. Sturko: Under the NDP’s watch, our streets have be­come a battleground of gang warfare, with gangs armed with deadly automatic weapons like those used in a recent shootout in a residential neighbourhood of White Rock. The number one funding source for these murderous gangs is the illicit drug trade, bolstered by diverted safe supply programs and the NDP-endorsed organizations like the Drug User Liberation Front.

Evidence of this as mounting is seen in a major RCMP operation in Campbell River where police seized kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and thousands of hydromorphone pills diverted from safe-supply prescriptions, alongside $30,000 in cash.

Why does the Premier continue this taxpayer-funded drug trafficking that’s putting money and guns into the hands of gangs?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I appreciate the question from the member. What I can tell the member is that I think the police forces and agencies in our province are doing an outstanding job in interdicting illegal drug-trafficking weapons and other criminal activities and gang-related activities in our province.

What I can tell you is there have been new initiatives launched to ensure that we are doing everything we can to interdict firearms coming across into our province, working closely with the federal government.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Minister, continue, please.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I note the member started off by asking me a question about the use of these firearms, dangerous firearms which put communities at risk, which we know are illegal in Canada and have come from across the border in the United States.

What we as a province have been doing, along with other provinces, is advocating with the federal government to have tougher restrictions in place, to have more resources at our border to be able to do better inspections in terms of dealing with the interdiction of illegal firearms.

[11:10 a.m.]

I can tell you that the resources that we have put in place to assist police in their investigations have been paying dividends. We have seen significant drug busts in the last number of months that have seen arrests and convictions and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of drugs seized that will no longer be on the street. We are taking action and we will continue to do so.

[End of question period.]

Petitions

L. Doerkson: I rise today to introduce a petition from 60 residents of Terra Ridge in Williams Lake.

The petition of Terra Ridge, PGS189, states that they’re looking to qualify for assistance. They respectfully request that the honourable House recommend assistance for those who incurred structural damages that have occurred due to unexpected land movement in Terra Ridge PGS189 and are currently uninsurable.

Tabling Documents

The Speaker: Members, I have the honour to table the report of the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture titled Working Together to Build a Better Parliamentary Culture at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

After this, the members of the working group will be making some comments. The first one is the member for Vancouver-Kensington.

Motions Without Notice

PERMISSION FOR WORKING GROUP ON
PARLIAMENTARY CULTURE
TO SPEAK TO REPORT

M. Elmore: I seek leave to move a motion to permit members of the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture to speak to its report.

Leave granted.

M. Elmore: I move:

[That the Members of the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture be permitted to speak to its report.]

Motion approved.

Statements

WORKING GROUP ON
PARLIAMENTARY CULTURE

M. Elmore: You’ll recall that the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture was established in May 2023 by the Speaker, Hon. Raj Chouhan, and pleased to be joined by the members for Surrey South and also Cowichan Valley to examine the Legislative Assembly’s programs, procedures and practices and identify potential ways to strengthen respect and support for members from all parties, backgrounds and identities, including indigeneity, race and ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, religion and age, and to ensure that every member experiences a safe and respectful workplace and is supported to carry out their important work without barriers.

I want to thank all the current and former members who shared their experiences, challenges and ideas with B.C.’s first Working Group on Parliamentary Culture. In the summer and fall of 2023, the working group contracted an external consultant, ADR Education, to help and assist. Just a great participation. In total, 79 of 87 current members and several former members completed the survey, and several current and former members also participated in interviews.

We heard unanimously that all members on all sides are deeply committed to serving their communities and representing their constituents and strengthening public service and democracy. We also heard that there are opportunities for improvements in the way our institutions function. We heard from some current and former members that they’ve experienced disrespect, bullying, harassment and discrimination.

The report contains 17 recommendations along the themes of orientation, learning and professional development, a welcoming and inclusive institution, a family-friendly institution, a respectful workplace, and order and decorum. These recommendations will require collective action from the Speaker, House Leaders, party leaders and all Members of the Legislative Assembly.

I want to thank the Clerk, Kate Ryan-Lloyd, and also Kar­an Riarh, the parliamentary committees Clerk. Again, a deep appreciation to my co-committee members, the MLAs for Surrey South and Cowichan Valley.

I look forward to working with all members and the Legislative Assembly administration on these efforts to improve parliamentary culture.

The Speaker: Members, before the Chair recognizes the next member of the working group, I will recognize the Leader of the Official Opposition.

K. Falcon: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, as I seek leave to make a very brief introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

K. Falcon: Visiting here from Vancouver, I’m really thrilled to have one of our Vancouver constituents, Cur­tis Braber, who’s visiting here in the gallery with his son, Lincoln, who’s 12 years old. I want to recognize them here today.

Debate Continued

E. Sturko: It’s been my privilege to represent the official opposition in the Working Group on Parliamentary Culture.

[11:15 a.m.]

It was an honour to work collaboratively with my colleagues, the MLA for Vancouver-Kensington and the Lead­er of the Third Party and MLA for Cowichan Valley, as well as work alongside of you, Mr. Speaker, and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and her staff in the Clerk’s office.

Our working group was tasked with identifying ways to strengthen respect and support for members from all parties, backgrounds and identities. We also sought to strengthen the ways in which the B.C. Legislature reflects the diversity of our province and a place where all British Columbians can see themselves reflected.

Throughout our deliberations, there was a consistent theme that emerged. It’s that all members come to the Legislative Assembly with a common purpose: to serve their communities and our province. As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we also have a shared responsibility in maintaining a workplace environment that shows respect not only for our colleagues and the public but also for the democratic institution that we serve.

One of the aspects I hold very dear is that the recommendations that are being made in this report have come from the introspection and reflection of members of this Legislative Assembly, both past and present.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all current and former members of the B.C. Legislature who shared their experiences, both positive and those that were challenging, along with their ideas on how we can work together to build a better parliamentary culture and to support every member to fulfil that common purpose: to serve their communities and our province.

S. Furstenau: I just want to add my comments, along with my colleagues from the working group.

I will start with an appreciation of my colleagues, to the member for Vancouver-Kensington, the member for Surrey South, yourself, Mr. Speaker, the Clerk and her team and, in particular, Karan Riarh and Mary Newell, who worked very hard to keep us to our schedule and ensure that we are presenting this report on time.

Cedar George-Parker is a səlilwətaɬ youth. He has been here in the chamber. I have spoken of him before. He is the son of Chief Rueben George. He often says something that sticks with me so deeply. We need to humanize our pol­itics and indigenize our institutions.

The work of our working group stemmed from the powerful words of Melanie Mark in her last speech in this chamber. As an Indigenous woman and B.C.’s first Indigenous minister, she described this room as a torture chamber. We did not succeed in humanizing our politics and indigenizing our institution for her. The culture of this institution is shaped by all of us, how we practise as parliamentarians, how we treat each other, the respect we show for the institution and the respect we show for the public that we serve.

A lot of the recommendations of this report are focused on ways to build relationships across party lines, on ways that we humanize our politics and each other. A number of the recommendations also focus on ways that we continue to, as we have been, under the guidance and leadership of our Clerk and our Speaker, indigenize our institution.

We had frank, honest, productive and constructive conversations and discussions, and I am proud of the report and recommendations that we bring forward today. How we practise, as MLAs, how we root our practice in purpose, as parliamentarians, shapes our culture.

A commitment to that humanizing of our politics and each other. A recognition that we have a deeply rooted culture of governance on these lands, a culture of Indigenous governance that goes back thousands and thousands of years. That culture can help guide us to be better shepherds of this institution and of the fragile and precious democracy that I know we all want to protect.

My thanks to all members, current and past, who participated in the survey. My thanks, again, to my fellow working group members, and my thanks to the Speaker and the Clerk for their guidance and leadership.

[11:20 a.m.]

The Speaker: Member?

S. Furstenau: If I may correct. Cedar Parker George. Thank you.