Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

T. Shypitka: Good morning, hon. Speaker. Today I rise about the importance of protecting our province’s wildlife populations and diverse ecosystems.

The Speaker: Member.

T. Shypitka: Prayer? Yes. I thought we were missing something there.

The Speaker: Yes, we missed it. Sorry about that.

Prayers and reflections: G. Kyllo.

T. Shypitka: Good morning once again. Today I rise about the importance of protecting our province’s wildlife populations and diverse ecosystems.

I am confident everyone in this House recognizes the great value of our wildlife population as a precious resource and a defining element of our province’s identity. British Columbia is renowned for its breathtaking beauty and wildlife, and the southeast corner of the province and the riding of Kootenay East is commonly referred to as the Serengeti of North America. We must do everything in our power to restore and keep it that way.

[J. Tegart in the chair.]

However, the government’s practices and underfunding in the wildlife sector pose significant risks to the well-being of our wildlife populations and the resilience of our ecosystems. Insufficient funding for wildlife conservation resonates deeply, both throughout my region of Kootenay East and across British Columbia.

Despite our global reputation for natural beauty, we fall behind other jurisdictions in allocating resources to protect our wildlife populations. This has consequences for our wildlife populations and ecosystems and leaves them vulnerable to threats such as infectious diseases.

[10:05 a.m.]

One pressing issue we need to address together is chronic wasting disease, also known as CWD. It’s an infectious disease that occurs when certain proteins in the brain become misshaped, affecting deer, moose and elk, collectively known as cervids. Given the risk associated with consuming meat or other parts from animals infected with CWD, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and Health Canada advise against it.

CWD was first discovered in the United States in 1967. Since its discovery, it has spread across several regions, including parts of Europe, South Korea and Canada. On January 31, 2024, it was discovered in British Columbia, for the first time, in my riding of Kootenay East.

Key stakeholders across various sectors, including wildlife, agriculture and public health, along with communities throughout British Columbia, acknowledge the importance of combatting CWD. With no known vaccines or treatments available, the disease poses a significant risk of rapid environmental transmission. Once contracted, it is 100 percent fatal. As CWD progresses, infected animals may have a variety of changes in behaviour and appearance. They may include drastic weight loss, stumbling, drooling, droopy ears or other behaviours. It’s called the zombie disease, and it’s usually compared to mad cow disease.

It is important to highlight that the detection of chronic wasting disease in British Columbia was made possible by the efforts of hunters. Over the years, hunters have shown a commitment to conservation by preserving the heads of the deer they hunt. These samples are sent to testing facilities to identify infectious diseases such as chronic wasting disease. In doing so, hunters show a real commitment to taking care of the environment, often acting as the unsung heroes in our efforts to protect nature in our province.

The consequences of CWD go far beyond those directly engaging with cervids, whether through hunting or consumption. This disease also impacts a larger community, including the outdoor industries, agriculture and the tourism sector. Having healthy deer, elk, moose and other related animals is important for keeping our province’s tourism industry strong.

How the government handles this disease affects everyone in our province, from people’s jobs to the overall economy of areas that rely on our natural environment. Recreational and hunting groups have continued to express their eagerness to contribute to solutions against CWD. Not only have hunters saved parts of the animals they hunt for testing, but they also have helped count and keep track of different kinds of animals and taken part in disease prevention programs.

Local First Nations and scientists have been extremely important in helping us understand the variety of life in our region and finding ways to fight off these diseases. For many years, I have long advocated and warned for our province to base its wildlife management practices on science and enhance its response capabilities to chronic wasting disease. And now here we are.

As the representative for Kootenay East, I understand that my constituents are concerned that chronic wasting disease will impact our region’s deer, elk and moose populations. With it now present in our province, it is more critical than ever that we act fast to tackle this issue.

That is why, over the past two years, I have introduced a private member’s bill focusing on wildlife and habitat management to reflect this growing concern. The Wildlife Amendment Act (No. 2) suggests a new independent funding model to ensure the long-term sustainability of our wildlife populations. This will make certain that when it comes to combatting threats to our wildlife, decisions will be made informed by those who understand the issues the most.

There are solutions. Now with the real threat of CWD, there is a series of evidence-based steps the government can take to combat the disease effectively.

Firstly, we must establish an emergency response fund dedicated to swiftly addressing CWD-positive cases in cervids. This fund would cover necessary expenses such as oper­ations, travel, regional depots and contracted resources to ensure a rapid and effective response to chronic wasting disease outbreaks.

Secondly, we must invest in in-province testing facilities and safe disposal measures. This includes setting up local accredited laboratories to significantly lower testing turnaround times, allowing faster responses to chronic wasting disease detections. I truly believe one of these testing facilities should be set up in Kootenay East, or ground zero, as some refer.

[10:10 a.m.]

The recommended steps outlined are practical measures to manage chronic wasting disease and mitigate its spread. By establishing an emergency response fund and in-province testing facilities, we can ensure a swift and effective response. These proactive measures are our strongest defence against the disease and will ensure a complete response to significantly mitigate the impacts.

With CWD now a reality, the call for action is louder than ever. We cannot afford to allow chronic wasting disease to spread further across the province and put our wildlife populations and the communities who rely on that at risk. The time for action is now.

B. Anderson: The province is responding to the first cases of chronic wasting disease in British Columbia, found in two deer samples from the Kootenays. One was a harvested adult male mule deer, and the second was a female whitetail deer struck by a vehicle. These cases were confirmed by the CFIA on January 31.

Because it exists in neighbouring jurisdictions, we anticipated that this was a possibility, so in order to prevent the spread of CWD in B.C.’s cervid populations, the province is implementing a planned, collaborative, coordinated and rapid response as a result of these detections.

Chronic wasting disease is an infectious and fatal disease affecting the species of the cervid family, such as deer, elk, moose and caribou. The disease has the potential for far-reaching conservation, social and economic impacts. The disease threatens food security for First Nations and licensed hunters, cultural traditions, agricultural practices and local economies.

There is no direct evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans, and there have been no cases of the disease in humans. However, to prevent any potential risk of transmission or illness, Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend people do not eat meat or other parts of the animal infected with chronic wasting disease.

In B.C., submission of cervid heads for CWD testing is encouraged provincewide. However, the priority is for the areas of high risk adjacent to CWD-positive jurisdictions, where head submission is mandatory. Anyone who sees a deer, elk, moose or caribou exhibiting any symptoms — weight loss, drooling, poor coordination, stumbling or generally sick with no obvious reason — is asked to report it to the 24-seven report all poachers and polluters line, also known as the RAPP line, at 1-877-952-7277.

In response to the disease being detected in neighbouring jurisdictions, the province established a surveillance and response plan for chronic wasting disease to lessen the risk of disease spreading into B.C. In accordance with the surveillance and response plan, the provincial wildlife veterinarian is leading the response with support and input from the chronic wasting disease advisory committee regional working groups, which include First Nations, stakeholders, experts on chronic wasting disease and other partners.

Early response activities are being delivered with an initial response area and will focus on confirming details of the situation and minimizing disease transmission and spread. People in initial response areas should remain attentive for further direction, including deer feeding in the area and handling of carcasses.

Public awareness and education play a vital role in addressing chronic wasting disease. By educating hunters, outdoor enthusiasts and the general public about the risks associated with CWD and the importance of implementing preventative measures, we can work together to mitigate its spread and protect our wildlife.

In conclusion, chronic wasting disease poses a significant threat to cervid populations, ecosystems and communities in British Columbia. However, by taking proactive measures, including surveillance, rapid response and raising public awareness, we can tackle this challenge head-on.

T. Shypitka: Thank you to the member for Nelson-Creston for highlighting her thoughts about wildlife management and biodiversity in the province. I’d have to say this is more than just a possibility. I would suggest that her region of Nelson-Creston will be the next that’ll be impacted. This will spread across B.C. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.

[10:15 a.m.]

However, I have to say it’s a little disappointing to see the government not stepping up with the speed required to address this emerging disease. Wildlife is not mentioned once in this year’s budget. Understanding our wildlife and their habitats is vital in our conservation efforts. We must recognize the wealth of knowledge held by wildlife experts, scientists, First Nations and local communities who have valuable information about our ecosystems.

This session will be the fourth time I have introduced my private member’s bill that promotes long-term sustainability through science-based decision-making and an independent funding model. Considering the escalating threat of CWD, it is paramount we listen to the advice of experts who can guide us in navigating this complex challenge and fund it accordingly. The existing wildlife management strategies in our province are a major threat to wildlife populations. This “managing to zero” strategy will lead to the spread of CWD among deer, moose and elk throughout the province.

By investing in surveillance and disease management strategies, we can improve our ability to detect and respond to outbreaks of chronic wasting disease. Testing turnaround times of two to three weeks is absolutely critical. The states of New York and Illinois have proven this. The Minister of Agriculture needs to assure us that this can be accomplished with the testing facility in Abbotsford.

As mentioned, I would like to see a testing facility at the gateway of the disease in Kootenay East. My private member’s bill directly addresses this by outlining a new model for wildlife and habitat management that prioritizes strategies in the best interest of local wildlife. The solutions need to be a collaborative approach.

The Leader of the Official Opposition is committed to an emergency response plan, as I have outlined here today. The government must step up and demonstrate its financial commitment to protecting our province by addressing this pressing matter and adopting the previously outlined evidence-based approach.

It takes a collaborative approach. I would like to thank these folks for their efforts: B.C. Wildlife Federation, Jeff Berdusco and his crew, Cait Nelson and her crew, Rick’s Fine Meats, Gwinner’s Country Butcher, Kimberly Sausage and Meats, ʔaq̓am Nation, Jaffray Sports and Hardware, Bull and Livestock Services, South Country Services, Grasmere country store, Wes’s Country Meats, Fernie Canadian Tire, Bernie’s Backyard Butcher, Elkford union hall, Invermere COS, Canal Flats village, Golden Rod and Gun Club, and the Fernie Rod and Gun Club, and all gun clubs in region 4, region 4 Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, 2 Pump Paul’s, Wynndel Foods, Skyway Auto, Canyon Country Store and all the Okanagan and Peace region participants as well.

MENTAL HEALTH — FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE

S. Chant: I’ll start by acknowledging that I’m on the lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.

I’m grateful to represent the people from North Vancouver–Seymour, situated on the unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ Nations. As always, I have immense gratitude for the opportunities I have to live, work and learn with those whose families date back to time immemorial.

Our province is proud to recognize the service and dedication of Stand Up for Mental Health. April 13, 2024, marks Stand Up for Mental Health’s 20th anniversary, an incredible milestone for this organization and an opportunity for us to discuss the importance of mental health and destigmatization.

It was founded by David Granirer, a counsellor, come­dian and instructor at Langara College, who was inspired to bring Stand Up for Mental Health after seeing the power that stand-up comedy held in students’ lives. The program teaches stand-up comedy to people experiencing mental health changes, giving them tools that can increase self-confidence, help take ownership of their experience and share them with an audience through humour.

David leads from firsthand experience, as someone with bipolar disorder, and works tirelessly to break the stigma around discussing mental health, build community and bring joy into people’s lives through laughter. Stand Up for Mental Health has gained international attention and delivers training across North America and overseas, including Australia and the U.K. They have and certainly will continue to make B.C. proud.

How does the B.C. government support mental health throughout the lifespan? It’s an easy question to ask and a somewhat more complex one to respond to. Everyone deserves to feel supported, cared for and have the opportunity to get the help they need when they face mental health challenges. With children and toddlers and preschoolers, we believe that you need to make sure that they’re safe, they’re well supported, they’re well cared for, and they have things that are appropriate for their growth and development time.

[10:20 a.m.]

Those are the things that will help those children feel secure and help them to develop and keep up with their cohort and begin to become aware of the wider world.

Most mental health conditions emerge before the age of 25, with early intervention being essential so issues can be addressed before they become worse. Our government is committed to supporting young people through accessible mental health services so that every child and young adult knows that they are not alone and that help is available.

Additionally, B.C. is integrating mental health care into the primary care, with 78 primary care networks in implementation, and working towards establishing networks in all communities throughout the province over the next two years, and 32 new urgent primary care centres are in implementation, with more expected to open.

Both Ministries of Health and Mental Health and Addictions are committed to dialogue regarding the role of psychologists in primary care networks that may help to improve gaps in service. The Minister of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, is responsible for community, acute and tertiary child, youth and adult mental health and substance use services, along with services provided by general practitioners and psychiatrists.

If we were to talk about what is provided for children, we’re looking at supports for students in K-through-12 education through the integrated child and youth teams, which help to fill gaps in mental health and substance use care, bringing together multidisciplinary teams and removing roadblocks to deliver better care. These teams help families and students navigate services, provide mental health and substance use supports for children and youth.

B.C. committed $55 million to implement teams in 20 school districts by 2024 to be fully operational by 2025. Initially piloted in North Vancouver school district, there are now ICY teams operating in the following school districts: Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows; Comox Valley; Richmond; Coast Mountains, which includes Terrace and Hazelton; and Okanagan Similkameen, Oliver and Keremeos. Seven more school district communities have ICY teams in development, and eight more are expected to initiate ICY teams, bringing the total to 20 school districts with operational ICY teams by 2025.

Sixteen Foundry centres operate across our province, providing free and confidential health care services, including counselling, primary care, mental health, sexual health and substance use services for youth ages 12 to 24. Nineteen new Foundries in development will soon provide access to many comprehensive health care services for thousands of young people in many different communities, including rural and remote areas.

Since 2020, our government has provided additional access to mental health services for post-secondary students through the 24-seven Here2Talk mental health helpline, which connects students with professional counsellors at any time of the day. Offering one-time counselling sessions and referral services, students can get help they need in moving forward.

We additionally have a whole spectrum of services for adults and seniors. I’m probably going to run out of time, so I’m going to start on adults, and I’ll move forward to seniors.

To address the needs of people with mental health and substance use disorders, B.C. provides a range of services for adults in community and inpatient settings and the health prevention and promotion services. Examples include hospital inpatient psychiatric services such as psychiatric emergency units; designated observation units in rural hospitals; mental health and substance use tertiary care units, which provide specialized assessment, treatment and rehabilitation services for people with complex MHSU disorders; and primary care networks where physicians, with support from allied mental health clinicians such as social workers and nurses, provide the assessment, treatment and follow-up.

A new Island Health mental health bridging care day program for people transitioning between hospital and community provides short-term out-patient support, skills-based services and transitional supports, including recovery-focused treatment, equipping them with skills and strategies to manage their mental health in community, which can shorten or avoid inpatient hospital stays.

Culturally appropriate care for Indigenous people through Indigenous-led healing and recovery options grounded in First Nations’ culture and tradition using First Nations’ traditional holistic practices….

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

E. Sturko: I want to thank the member opposite for raising this important issue.

[10:25 a.m.]

When we talk about mental health, too often we fail to distinguish between mental health and mental illness. Mental health is something that all of us have and that many people struggle with from time to time, and there are many things that can help improve the mental health of all British Columbians. I’m not only referring to improved access to mental health care and services, which is desperately needed, but I’m also talking about the social determinants of health, things like affordability, access to all forms of health care, access to quality education and public safety.

If British Columbians could access a family doctor, if they could afford to pay their rent and buy groceries or they could feel safe in their communities, mental health outcomes would improve. Sadly, this is not the case for many British Columbians right now. We simply can’t talk about mental health in isolation from the many other issues impacting people on a daily basis that, as elected officials, it is our job to try and solve.

As important as it is to discuss mental health, I’ll dedicate most of my time today to mental illness and advocating for some of the most vulnerable people in our province. It is undeniable that the system is failing individuals when it comes to mental illness. The statistics paint a harrowing picture. About 4,000 Canadians die from suicide every year, and many more attempt to take their own lives. Suicide rates in British Columbia account for around 600 of those deaths every year.

Those experiencing mental illness have a higher likelihood of developing substance use and addiction disorders. Their challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing and affordability crisis and our health care crisis. Adequate supports are missing from the system, and the government is failing to take the necessary action to fix this. People with mental illness and advocates have been saying this for years, pleading for better access to quality mental health care.

Right here in Victoria at the PES at Royal Jubilee Hospital, it’s been given a tongue-in-cheek nickname by individuals who have had negative experiences there. Instead of calling it by its official name, the psychiatric emergency services, they call it “pathetic excuse for support.” There’s a Facebook group with the same name, with almost 3,000 members, where people struggling with mental illness share their challenges and their grievances. Unable to access proper mental health supports, they’ve turned to this online community of people who can relate to their struggles. They’re there because they’ve been failed by the system.

The system’s failure to urgently support individuals in crisis who pose a danger to themselves and others is deeply troubling to me. I am referring to individuals at risk of suicide under the Mental Health Act. You will recall that last year I introduced a private member’s bill to amend section 28 of the Mental Health Act, following the tragic suicide of Vancouver police Const. Nicole Chan and also inspired by the 2009 suicide of Todd Marr.

The bill would have required doctors and nurse practitioners to make reasonable attempts to contact the family or care providers of those brought to the hospital by police before making a difficult and critical decision whether a person should be involuntarily admitted. My private member’s bill was supported by coroners, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, mental health advocates and, of course, families of victims across the province.

This bill could have saved lives in the past year, but the same gaps in the Mental Health Act persist. How many more stories will we need to hear before this government takes action to support those experiencing mental illness and mental health crises? How many more lives will be lost while we wait? It is time for us to take the necessary action to support individuals with mental illness and their loved ones.

S. Chant: Thank you to the member from South Surrey. I really appreciate the compassion and care that she has for the folks that are dealing with things that are well beyond what the rest of us can deal with.

It’s clear; we all need to work together to support folks that are dealing with mental health changes and dealing with mental health illness, some to the extent of self-harming and suicide. The government has been working for many years now towards creating a solid and comprehensive mental health system that is open and available to the needs of those who seek it out and who are brought to it.

[10:30 a.m.]

On many occasions, we have folks that have mental health needs but they’re unable to get there themselves, so they need folks on the ground that are able to help them to get to those places.

Now what we’re looking towards is…. Rather than a patchwork of fragmented services that are here and there and not necessarily available in this area but are available if you come from your community to here…. We’re trying very, very hard to get a full, comprehensive mental health state in place. We’re working on that, and there has been a lot of success as well.

We now have services for 452 complex care clients in communities throughout British Columbia that include housing and tailored supports for those living with complex mental health challenges. We’ve got funding committed for more than 2,240 new full-time-equivalent health care workers to support team-based care through various initiatives, with currently about 1,500 of those FTEs recruited.

We’re expanding the integrated mobile crisis response teams that pair police officers with health care professionals to respond to mental health calls. Teams provide on-site emotional and mental health assessments, crisis intervention and referral to appropriate services in the community.

Peer-assisted care teams made up of peers with lived experience and mental health professionals support people in crisis by meeting them where they are, providing person-centred care and connecting them to follow-up supports. In 2022, the province committed $10 million for new and existing mobile community-led crisis teams, and the peer-assisted care teams were, again, piloted in North Vancouver.

Well-being websites so that people can more easily navigate our health care system and connect with the mental health resources and supports that they need. We also have the PharmaCare plan G, which is for psychiatric medications. Patients meeting both clinical and financial criteria are fully covered for psychiatric medications, which is one of the best in Canada.

TAX INCREASES

P. Milobar: I’m glad to rise today and speak to increased taxation in the province of British Columbia.

I think it’s important for people at home to realize that since 2017 British Columbians have faced 32 new or increased taxes in British Columbia. That has added $22 billion a year to the overall taxation that we all pay here within British Columbia.

Now, as I was preparing my comments for today…. I was going back and forth on my phone to look up a few documents over the weekend. My screensaver on my phone is actually a picture of my two granddaughters sitting on the sofa together. Both of them will be turning two over the next couple of months, and both of them, right now, have no idea at all, obviously, of the future liabilities of this type of spending and taxation that is being put on their shoulders years down the road.

I know we all come to this place and say we are talking and run and are worried about our future generations, but when you see 32 increased and new taxes piled on in the space of a few years, when you see $22 billion added to the overall tax bill…. We have to keep in mind that’s at a starting point of around a $30 billion tax bill back in 2017, which is now closer to $52 billion. That’s the level of taxation that we have seen increase over the last few years. That is a level of taxation that simply is not sustainable for everyday British Columbians.

I know we always hear about how B.C. is working to make life more affordable for British Columbians. But the simple reality is…. That simply is not the case, household by household by household.

We’re in a situation, as a province, where we have the most unaffordable housing in British Columbia, largely driven by taxation. We have the most expensive gas in Canada and North America, largely driven by the highest gas taxes in North America. We have ever-climbing costs on our home heating bills, largely driven by ever-increasing carbon tax taxation, despite, essentially, Atlantic Canada now being exempt from paying carbon tax for the next three years on their home heating oil.

[10:35 a.m.]

What we need is to be pushing back against this ever-increasing level of taxation. When you have over half of the population of British Columbia $200 or less, every single month, from being able to meet their household bills…. They simply can’t withstand any more.

Now, those residents weren’t fortunate enough to get retroactive 10 percent pay raises, like the cabinet voted themselves in a couple of years ago, to cover the bills. These households are working two or three jobs, just trying to make ends meet. Instead of getting real and meaningful support, they see $22 billion added to the tax bill.

The bottom line is: when people go to pay a bill, they need the money in the bank account. They don’t need to hear about some program that may or may not actually help, which they may or may not actually be qualified for, based on applying to some other level of government, essentially, through filing their federal income tax return and then waiting for a quarterly payment that may or may not show up in their bank account.

Certainly, the vast majority of people that are struggling right now actually are at an income threshold that does not qualify them for most of these programs. That’s the fundamental problem. The hard-working middle class in British Columbia has been left behind.

We need to see programs in a way that people actually get the help. One big way would be to not continually be adding to the tax burden for these residents and these households. In fact, it’s so bad now that the latest government form of housing that needs subsidization for rents…. You qualify if you have a household income of $190,000. That’s how expensive housing has become. The government has had to acknowledge that you have to actually earn $190,000 a year, and you will still get help with your rent. That’s simply not sustainable.

When we look at the overall tax bill and we look at those 32 new and increased taxes…. You hear talk like: “We got rid of MSP.” There was no getting rid of MSP. It was renamed and reallocated to different people. It was called the employer health tax, and it collects way more now than it did when it was MSP. That’s a tax shift and a tax increase by any measure.

That is the problem. When you look at the $22 billion extra, yearly, in taxation being brought in — despite record deficits, I might add — it does make you wonder where the heck all the money is going. We don’t have time today to get into how this government might want to redistribute and the questionable ways that that’s getting handled right now. That’s in the news.

The genuine concern out there for people around taxation is the lack of sustainability for it. People understand that they need to pay for services. People understand that their taxes help fund those.

When you see the overall tax draw…. The percentage going to education, despite record enrolment in K to 12, is actually dropping. You see our numeracy results and our literacy results dropping in K to 12. The result simply is not matching the excess taxation. That’s, ultimately, what people want to be able to see when they see $22 billion extra being drawn out of their paycheques. They want to see actual better results, not worsening results.

I look forward to hearing what the members opposite have to say for their five minutes. I’ll certainly have more to add for my three-minute rebuttal at the end of this.

R. Glumac: Taxes. It’s a word that can cause a lot of emotions. Cutting taxes has been the simple go-to promise of desperate politicians, a promise used election after election after election as the solution to all problems. Yet the promise of cutting taxes can be nothing more than a smokescreen to prevent having a deeper and a much-needed conversation.

If we want to talk about taxes — and I think we should — let’s have a real conversation. People deserve to be treated with respect, especially in these times when affordability is a real and pressing issue for so many.

[10:40 a.m.]

With global inflation increasing the costs of many items, people want to know if they are paying more money to the government for taxes or not. Let’s answer that question. When you add up all of the provincial taxes, the truth is that an average family with two kids making $100,000 used to pay almost $7,500 in provincial taxes in 2016. Today they pay just over $4,600. That’s a 38 percent decrease in taxes.

A family making a lower income, $60,000, pays 98 percent less in taxes. That’s the answer. That’s the truth. Most families are paying less tax today than under governments that seemed to want to cut taxes. How is that possible?

What about the 32 taxes we keep hearing about? What about the carbon tax? The issue here is that not enough people are talking about the type of tax. Not all taxes are the same. Is it a progressive tax, or is it a regressive tax?

Progressive taxes target certain taxpayers, while regressive taxes are taxes that nearly everyone pays. Medical service premiums were a regressive tax. We got rid of it. B.C. Hydro, ICBC premiums — their increases were a regressive tax. We got rid of them. In fact, we reduced ICBC rates.

Bridge tolls were a regressive tax. We got rid of them. Remember the HST? That was a tax on everything, from your morning coffee to your funeral when you die. Guess who tried to introduce that, and guess who had to axe it.

The taxes we brought in as a government are progressive taxes. Taxes like the luxury home tax, the luxury vehicle tax, the speculation and vacancy tax — taxes that only apply to a small percentage of high net worth taxpayers. They’re not the same as taxes that all or most people pay.

The speculation tax also targets something we don’t want — housing speculation, the single biggest reason we saw property values increase so much over the years. Just as the speculation tax is meant to reduce speculation, the carbon tax is meant to reduce carbon, something we want to reduce, something that is contributing to wildfires, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events that cost everyone more money.

Like the speculation tax, the carbon tax is targeted to higher-income earners that do not receive the climate action tax credit — the biggest polluters, like oil and gas companies that have been making record profits.

We also have to acknowledge that this tax is helping us invest in a clean, world-leading economy with more jobs for British Columbians. When we look at pictures of our grandchildren, we can be happy to know that we’re investing in their future, in a clean economy, in a clean world.

While some people are saying that the carbon tax is raising prices on everything, it’s simply not true. A recent study at the University of Alberta showed that the carbon tax has almost no impact on everyday items. It’s 33 cents on a $100 grocery bill. That’s the impact. That’s what we’re talking about. The amount of money that most B.C. families are saving on their provincial taxes is so much more than this.

So let’s talk about taxes, but let’s try to make sure it’s an honest conversation.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

Recognizing the member for Kamloops–North Thompson.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the member for Kamloops–North Thompson.

P. Milobar: Well, they’ve got three more minutes if they want to applaud to made-up numbers. Feel free, Madam Chair.

The member says: “Let’s have an honest conversation.” Well, let’s have an honest conversation. At a time when people are looking at a 23 percent increase in carbon tax, the government may like to focus on just that singular increase, but I would remind the member that his leader has made it very clear that they have every intention to go to $170 a tonne.

[10:45 a.m.]

Let’s look at what $170 a tonne looks like, over the next few years, to an average household. I have news for the members opposite. People, everyday people in this province, have to heat their homes in the middle of winter. Let’s look at what a $170 carbon tax looks like, versus a $30 carbon tax.

A $30 carbon tax on your home heating: very little impact to your overall bill. A $170 home heating carbon tax on a tax bill where you consume about $53 a month in actual gas will cost almost $200 a month in carbon tax for $53 of natural gas to heat your home in the middle of winter. I think most average British Columbians will actually be paying that, because they have to heat their home, regardless of what they earn.

If you want to look at filling up at the pump, it will be over 38 cents a litre in carbon tax under this government’s plan, which translates to $23 a fill just for a 60-litre tank. That’s not even talking about the 14½ cents a litre of provincial fuel taxes that should be removed at the pump, but this government refuses to remove them at the pump.

That is what everyday British Columbians are facing in their bills, on a monthly basis, and why this government has created an environment where over 50 percent of them can’t meet those bills every month, why decisions are being made about going to the grocery store or having enough fuel in the tank to be able to get to work so that you can still have your job, especially in areas where transit isn’t prevalent.

That’s the reality of what is happening under taxation. Only this government can say that adding $22 billion to the overall tax bill has made life more affordable for people in British Columbia. The math simply doesn’t add up. These are numbers directly out of their own budget book.

It’s time that this government actually own up to the fact that they have created an unbearable tax burden for all British Columbians, regardless of what your income level is at, and start to take some steps that have been suggested to them to directly address the affordability issues that their taxation, running rampant, is creating for everyday British Columbians in their household, especially those hard-working, middle-class households out there that simply want to be able to make ends meet without having to go to the food bank, like the 200,000 people this government has created, on a monthly basis, going to a food bank.

B.C. FRUIT

R. Russell: I rise today to express my support for B.C. fruit growers. I extend my gratitude to B.C. fruit growers for their dedication to a fruit-growing sector that produces some of the highest-quality fruit in the country and indeed the world. I know that millions of children across the country can’t be wrong.

In a time of global uncertainty, your commitment has not only sustained our province’s food system and supported our food security, but recent challenges have reinforced the vital importance of B.C.-grown produce. Ensuring access to nutritious, fresh and local fruit is more than a matter of health. It’s a matter of our identity and history in much of this province, certainly in the B.C. I call home. Local food is a celebrated element of our resilience, security and self-sufficiency.

Farmers are at the heart of that. Your contributions significantly support our economies, generating revenue in the many billions of dollars and employment for tens of thousands of people across British Columbia. Beyond economic metrics, the fruit sector enriches our cultural fabric and community bonds. Orchards and vineyards are a symbol of our heritage, playing a central role in bringing people together. This sector represents a blend of economic enterprise and social richness, fostering a shared identity, togetherness and pride among British Columbians.

In these past few years, our fruit growers and producers have faced unprecedented challenges due to extreme weather events and the adverse effects of climate change. Our soft-fruit growers have grappled with unprecedented crop damage caused by two extremely cold winter freeze events, climatic uncertainty, wildfires and more. Our tree fruit growers, like apples, were hit hard by the heat dome followed, in turn, by that extreme cold. The life of a farmer has been exceptionally tough as of late, and we’re here to help.

Just as we have seen with local avalanches or the pandemic, supply chain disruptions are leaving our shelves bare in what seems like just a moment. These challenges test our resilience but also underscore the sector’s critical importance and the need for adaptive strategies. Amidst adversity lies opportunity for innovation, sustainability and growth. Embracing these opportunities requires foresight, collaboration and support to ensure the longevity and prosperity of our fruit-growing sector.

[10:50 a.m.]

The B.C. government is committed to supporting our fruit growers and processors. Through initiatives aimed at reducing bureaucratic hurdles, we strive to create a more streamlined and accessible environment for agricultural businesses. Investments in trade and marketing opportunities, including both the Buy B.C. and Feed B.C. programs, for example, aim to enhance the visibility and consumption of B.C.-grown produce both locally and globally.

Work with our federal partners to deliver programs like the environmental farm plan help farmers navigate some of the diverse challenges they face; offer a roadmap for sustainable practices, aligning with our commitment to ecological stewardship and climate resilience; and financially offset some of the costs of production and infrastructure.

As the Premier said last month: “Climate change, and drought in particular, make it tough to secure water for animals, crops and feed, and it makes food more expensive for everyone. Our government heard the call for help from farmers.” B.C. farmers will now be able to access an additional $80 million in funding through the agricultural water infrastructure program to make irrigation more efficient, or to build infrastructure to improve water availability and storage.

Similarly, in recognition of the sector’s challenges, particularly those posed by climate change, I had the privilege of joining the Minister of Agriculture last month to announce an enhanced replant and renewal program, with funding of up to $70 million. This initiative supports farmers to renew and revitalize their orchards with climate-resilient varieties, ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of B.C.’s fruit industry. Such targeted support is crucial for adapting to changing environmental conditions and market demands, securing the future of our cherished fruit-growing sector.

These actions we’re taking are designed to fortify the sector against current challenges while paving the way for future successes. These are only but a few of government’s approaches to action in order to support farmers impacted by severe weather, pests, plant diseases and shifting consumer demands.

I know farmers are struggling. While all of these actions to help are vital, they don’t mean we can rest, and we won’t stop working to find new ways to help. I recently read that one of my political predecessors in the South Okanagan 75 years ago, MP Owen Jones, was advocating in Ottawa for low-to-no-interest loans to help farmers. We’ve come a long way since the ’50s, but I have been and will be continuing that push.

For example, the federal government has their APP program that can support, and we know that we can help advocate to expand tools like that to provide more financial support for more farmers. I know that the minister and her team are always keen to find new ways to provide support for growers and will continue their work with the industry associations and the farmers to help us move forward in a good way.

The B.C. fruit sector is deeply rooted in B.C.’s history, the southern Interior specifically. This legacy is a foundation upon which we build our future not just as an economic activity but as part of our province’s identity. The sector literally puts food on our plates, as both farm families and eaters across this province know so well. I am committed to preserving and enhancing this sector, ensuring that it remains a vibrant and integral part of British Columbia’s landscape for generations to come.

Recently while visiting with me in Osoyoos, the Premier mentioned how essential supporting our farmers was to our identity as leaders in B.C. The best food in the planet is grown right here in B.C., by you as growers. Rest assured, the government recognizes your efforts and challenges. We are dedicated to supporting you through these times, ensuring that the food sector continues to thrive. Together we will navigate these challenges, bolstered by the strength and resilience that defines us as British Columbians.

I will note the odd tie today is my wife’s grandfather’s tie. We both have our roots in the Prairies. They’re stooks, for those of you that can’t see. The tie has stooks on it.

Thank you very much.

I. Paton: Thank you to my colleague from Boundary-Similkameen for a subject that’s certainly dear and very important to both sides of this House: protecting our wonderful fruit industry in British Columbia. Everyone in this House can agree that the B.C. fruit industry needs proactive solutions right now.

B.C.’s fruit industry produces renowned, high-quality fruit every year from all parts of the province, and these fruits from British Columbia are enjoyed by people worldwide. British Columbia is Canada’s largest producer of blueberries, cherries and raspberries. The province’s tree fruit industry significantly bolsters the economy, generating $900 million annually in economic activity and employing thousands of people each year.

[10:55 a.m.]

Farmers are resilient and strong people. However, as a farmer myself, I understand the struggles of the past few years, and I’m hearing of the burden faced by so many farmers across this province. Earlier in this season, I stood up and highlighted that the B.C. grape industry needs our help as well. Today I emphasize that the B.C. fruit industry is also struggling from crop losses and financial burdens. They need our support as well.

Just a few years ago during the heat dome of 2021, being the shadow minister for Agriculture, I got in my vehicle, and I went to Oliver, Osoyoos and Similkameen Valley to speak with tree fruit growers whose product was actually burnt by the heat from the heat dome. Then just recently I was in Kelowna to speak with the farmers and the grape growers who were hit so hard by the freeze that went to minus 30, devastating their industry.

In 2021, the B.C. fruit industry was hit hard by an extreme heat dome wave impacting crop yields. Just as recovery efforts were underway, the severe cold snap in January 2024 dealt a devastating blow. Due to the mild start to our winter, many fruit trees in the province were not fully dormant and were decimated by the cold weather. The freeze resulted in substantial losses, with stone fruit crops predicted to suffer an alarming 80 to 90 percent crop loss this year alone.

Reports from farmers indicate an alarmingly low number of viable flower buds, signalling a bleak outlook for fruit production this coming season. While this is concerning to farmers, it is also concerning to the food security of our province, where we will have an unprecedented shortage of fruit. Cherries, soft fruits and grapes were impacted particularly hard and are predicted to be in very short supply this coming season.

Farmers are also facing many financial risks due to crop shortages. Although some funding has been provided to farmers to replant orchards and vineyards, farmers are concerned that the government is only providing reactive solutions that address a small part of the problems they face.

There are many costs and barriers that farmers face in their operations. For instance, many farmers face challenges with temporary workers and their housing. The process of bringing in workers has been made incredibly time-consuming and inefficient, primarily due to the timeline when it comes to drawn-out inspections for housing. Cutting red tape and simplifying this process would allow farmers to host temporary workers in a more reasonable timeline.

Sustaining profitability amid growing financial and weather pressures is a concern for the industry. We need to find proactive ways to make farming accessible, reduce bloated costs and improve efficiency. Taking the carbon tax off farming operations would lower the cost of operations for farmers while also lowering food costs for consumers. Amid soaring potential costs being passed down to consumers, this is just one way the government could immediately provide relief to farmers who need it.

I talk often about the three Fs of production and the costs of production in British Columbia — feed, fuel and fertilizer — and the increasing importance of labour and getting labour into our province from foreign countries.

Like all British Columbians, farmers are feeling the cost-of-living crisis, and the B.C. fruit industry is concerned. Now in combination with their crop losses, they require immediate support that addresses their significant concerns.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

The B.C. fruit industry requires proactive, enduring solutions rather than negative measures. Farmers need appropriate resources and safeguards to ensure they are prepared and resilient in the face of future extreme weather events.

I am deeply grateful for the hard work of our farmers in our province, including those in the B.C. fruit industry. I stand with you during these tough times, and I will keep supporting and advocating for proactive solutions in our tree fruit industry.

R. Russell: I appreciate the comments from Delta South, especially on behalf of the youth in the audience up above in the gallery. I always appreciate the opportunity when we can come together and do cross-party work. The member for Delta South is vice-chair of a committee where we are coming together, along with the chair from Port Moody–Coquitlam, to really dig into some of these challenges. That’s the work of this place that I certainly appreciate a great deal.

April is also B.C. Wine Month, and I wanted to take a moment to celebrate that in the House. I’ve been sharing my passion here for fruit growers, generally and for farmers across the province.

[11:00 a.m.]

I know you’ve heard me speak about the wine industry before, but I want to take a moment to specifically honour this huge value-added industry.

B.C. Wine Month is a time to celebrate the dedication of local vintners and vineyards, the expertise of our grape growers and their stewardship of the land, and showcase their commitment to sustainability, to excellence and innovation. The month offers a great opportunity to explore the diverse range of high-quality B.C. wines that B.C. has to offer and hear some of the stories of the passionate people behind them.

Let’s raise a glass to the exceptional wine culture of British Columbia. Get out there and enjoy it. The wine sector certainly is navigating some immense challenges, so let’s take a moment and support them for the world-class product that they provide.

B.C. is certainly known for its spectacular diversity, and it is that diversity of climate, soil, geography and people that has blessed us with the ability to grow an equally spectacular array of products. From the vineyards that dot our valleys to the vast fields of grain in the North, the berry fields near the Fraser or the cattle ranches in the Interior, greenhouses or cannabis fields, or Settle Down Farm’s market garden where I walk my dog, our province’s agricultural production is both varied and abundant.

This diversity showcases our ability to adapt, innovate and lead in new, exciting markets. B.C. agriculture, along with many others, is a testament to the adaptability and forward-thinking nature of our farmers.

My call to action today for each of us here is to stand behind our farmers, to celebrate their achievements and to support them in any way possible. Our collective effort is key to ensuring that the vibrant world of agriculture in British Columbia continues to thrive. Our farmers deserve our gratitude, our respect and our unwavering support as we continue to work together towards a bright and sustainable future.

As we move forward, let’s not forget the shared responsibility that we all have in supporting our farming communities and farming families. Maybe take a moment to ask where the lettuce comes from at your grocery store or at that favourite local restaurant.

Our farmers truly are the backbone of B.C.’s economy. Their contributions go beyond the produce they grow, reflecting a deep commitment to sustainable development and care for land. It’s their resilience, diversity and innovation that keep our agricultural sector vibrant and strong.

Whether it’s what I buy at my local grocery or what policy we create in this place, we can help show them the support they deserve.

Hon. A. Dix: I ask that the House consider proceeding with Motion 24, standing in the name of the member for Surrey South.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to Motion 24 without disturbing the priorities of the motions proceeding it on the order paper.

Leave granted.

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 24 — DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION
PROGRAM

E. Sturko: I move:

[Be it resolved that this House supports scrapping this Government’s decriminalization experiment.]

I really appreciate the opportunity to rise in this House and speak to this morning’s motion regarding decriminalization.

I’m going to predict something right now: that every speaker on this motion from across the chamber is going to fail to address the many negative consequences and population-level harms that they’ve caused. Instead, they’re going to try to excuse their abject failure by saying that they’ve done this under the support of this entire House.

I’m going to be clear. There has been no prior debate on decriminalization in this chamber. There is no provincial legislation on decriminalization. The decriminalization pilot is an agreement made by the B.C. NDP and the federal government.

Like many times before, this government relies on wordplay. This House accepted recommendations of the Select Standing Committee on Health, but the agreement on decriminalization — how it was going to be implemented, how it would be measured and managed — was entirely planned by the NDP and approved by the federal government.

When the committee was only a month into its work, that’s when this happened. It would have never mattered what that report said. The NDP promised to fast-track decriminalization in their 2020 election campaign. They had an agreement with the feds, and they were going to go ahead with their plan, their strategy, their failure, no matter what the committee recommended.

However, the select standing committee did agree to recommend the pilot under strict conditions outlined in the federal government’s letter of requirements. I’m going to run through that for this House.

[11:05 a.m.]

This is directly from the select standing committee. They agreed that there must be consideration of local needs and circumstances during implementation of decriminalization. In this regard, members supported the consultation and support for municipalities.

The committee discussed the letter of requirements that supports B.C.’s exemption under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which outlines further the commitments made by the province to help support the successful implementation of the exemption.

I must say that although the select standing committee supported the recommendation, after February, when the decriminalization pilot went ahead, that’s when they changed the recipe. It quickly became clear that the NDP — or the federal government, for that matter — wasn’t living up to the letter of requirements. One example of this is the promise of a monthly dashboard that was supposed to show the public the results of this experiment. This was quickly changed to a quarterly snapshot. Well what does the snapshot show?

The April 2024 snapshot shows the following. It shows that there is a decrease in people going to supervised consumption sites and overdose prevention. It shows that there is a decline in drug checking utilization. It shows that there is a decline, since March 2023, of people who are getting prescribed alternatives. It shows that we have incredibly low numbers on people who are getting proactive outreach. It shows that we have a plateau since decriminalization of people being connected to care for opioid agonist treatment.

One of the saddest parts is that it doesn’t show any evidence that it’s helping anyone. In fact, on the one-year anniversary of the decriminalization pilot, former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe actually said that there is insufficient evidence for her to say whether or not decriminalization could have prevented any deaths, or whether it’s effective.

But you know what? This government doesn’t track any unintended consequences either. That’s brought on by the fact that it did not abide by any guardrails. But the public didn’t need a dashboard to see what was happening anyway. All they had to do was look around, look at the rising public drug use not only in parks, in playgrounds, but we’ve also become alive to rampant illicit drug use in our hospitals.

This is all as a result of the NDP failing to put any regulation in place. We do not have decriminalization in B.C. We actually have default legalization. There is no administrative penalty or process to act as any deterrent to anti-social behaviour that is accompanying drug use.

Portugal has a process to do this. Oregon has now converted to a process to do this. It’s missing, and the reason why we have rampant drug use in B.C. is that this government has failed to put any accountability into the process. It has failed to put in any guardrails. I strongly urge all members to please support this motion.

A. Singh: I rise to speak against this motion for a multitude of reasons. The most obvious one is that whatever the critics and the opposition say, the facts on the ground are absolutely clear. Here they are.

Fact: the number of deaths from poisoned supply have increased since COVID. Every death is a tragedy to countless others: family, friends, fellow travellers in that journey to sobriety and cleanliness. But you can’t just look at numbers out of context.

Another fact: in 2023, 2,539 people died in British Columbia due to toxic drugs. But let’s look at our neighbours. Toxic drug deaths increased by 17 percent in Alberta and 30 percent in Saskatchewan over the 2022 deaths. Those numbers for Alberta are only until November of 2023, compared to the 5 percent increase.

The fact is clear. What that plainly shows me is that had it not been for the policies that our government has launched, there would have been more deaths in B.C. and more tragedy. Decriminalization works. Again, the facts are clear. Decriminalization works well in conjunction with our other programs that we’ve launched over the last few years.

I often get up here and speak about this because I have experience in this field. It affected me. I’m a recovering alcoholic. I’ve spoken about that before, and I’m very active in recovery.

[11:10 a.m.]

Not a month has gone by when I haven’t seen or heard of someone I knew or sponsored or just had a coffee with after a meeting who hasn’t died from the toxic drug supply. I wish they had access to safe supply.

Just last week another one of those sweet angels, Donovan M., whom I had the privilege to know, passed away from this disease and from the toxic supply that’s out there.

I also practiced criminal law for over two decades in the trenches, many times defending really unfortunate addicts and alcoholics who just needed treatment, a helping hand and safe supply, and not the might of the whole criminal justice system smashing down against them because they were addicts and had a mental disease. Another fact from those two decades of experience: cancelling decriminalization…. All that will do is it will divert police away from focusing on serious drug trafficking and crime. It will make it harder for people to reach out for help and treatment.

As I said, I know that. I’m a recovering alcoholic, and I talk about this a lot in this hall. The reason I talk about that a lot is that I want people out there to know that this is a disease that can affect anyone from the alleyways of the Downtown Eastside to this very chamber where we govern those alleyways from. And why do I want people to know? Simple: to decrease the stigma that surrounds addiction and mental disease.

Every time the opposition speaks about this in a negative way and speaks about those people in a negative way, all it does is increase stigma. It does not help, because that is the one thing that keeps people away from getting the help that they need. It keeps them in the proverbial valley of the shadow of death. I’ve been there. It was that stigma that took me to death’s door before I had the courage to ask and get help.

I was lucky for so many reasons, socio-economic being one of them. Having friends that were willing to help…. Most of all, I did not have to worry about being poisoned by my drug of choice. I did not have to worry about being arrested when I was trying to treat myself with my drug of choice.

Because as you know, the government has, many decades ago, regulated alcohol, decriminalized alcohol, and I could get my safe supply without fear of being poisoned or arrested from a government-run liquor store or a bar. A bar essentially is the equivalent of a safe-use site for alcohol, because alcohol used to be poisonous in the old days. We’ve been experimenting with this decriminalization and safe-use sites for decades, and the first step there was also the decriminalization of alcohol. We know that it works.

What that experiment did was it took out the poisonous supply and also dealt with the criminal elements that were running alcohol trade in those days. We’ve all seen stories. We’re familiar with Al Capone and his cohorts. They were created when alcohol was made illegal.

Drug use is a public health matter not a criminal one. Arresting someone for struggling with addiction and taking them in front of a judge takes up police and court resources without improving outcomes. That fact is clear. Fear of criminalization can drive people to hide their drug use and use alone, and that’s fatal.

I’m absolutely against this motion. I think all it does is increase stigma, and it doesn’t help the situation for people out there in the streets.

R. Merrifield: I rise today to support this motion for a simple reason. The heartbreak needs to end.

It was almost a year ago that I met Stacy. She had booked an appointment with me to discuss the topic, and in my calendar it read: “B.C.’s drug policy.” When I walked into the boardroom, she had pictures spread out in front of me. I sat down and she started to speak.

“This is my son,” she said, “when he was 12, when he was 13, the year he first tried marijuana. Here’s a picture of him when he was 14. Here’s a picture of him when he was 15, the year I was told that the only way to get treatment for him for his addictions and help was to turn him over to MCFD.

“We were successful in getting him committed, but Kelowna General Hospital released him immediately, saying they didn’t have a bed for him.

“Here he is at 16, and here he is at 17 when he got kicked out of the group home. This is how I found him when I came to get him.”

The photos were haunting. I saw a boy becoming a shell of a teenager, completely obliterated by his addictions.

[11:15 a.m.]

I looked closer. What was next to him in that photo of him at 17? No, it couldn’t be. It was a sleeping bag and a tent given to him by this government.

This mom told me the story of her son’s addictions and showed me a printout of the seven prescriptions that he has filled every single month for free under this government: Dilaudid, gabapentin, hydromorphone, just to name three. She looked at me with disgust, pointed her finger at me, and said: “This is my son today. This is what your province’s drug policies have done to my son. He’s not going to make it to 19.”

My heart broke looking at that last picture that she showed me. He was a shell — hollow, empty, without hope. Sadly, he’s not alone. Gratefully, I told her: “It’s not my government that has these policies.” It’s not me that ever voted for this NDP’s decriminalization policy that has left her and her son without hope.

Last year was the deadliest year for overdose deaths in provincial history. Under this government, the crisis has gotten worse every single year, year after year. More than a year after the NDP’s reckless decriminalization experiment, not only have more innocent lives been lost than ever before, but the explosion of chaos and public safety concerns on our streets not only has many people feeling unsafe but also works to further stigmatize those suffering from addiction issues. Their trauma is on our streets for all to see.

Today my colleagues and I stand united in our call for urgent attention to the ongoing toxic drug overdose crisis, a crisis that has torn families apart, devastated our already overstrained health care system and resulted in the preventable loss of thousands of British Columbians. Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers — lost.

What action has the NDP government taken in response to this escalating emergency? Well, they’ve ignored and dismissed concerns raised by addictions doctors and the B.C. United caucus for years, instead engaging in a reckless decriminalization experiment without guardrails, with the lives of British Columbians on the line. It’s not working.

Despite the NDP’s constant gaslighting, the RCMP and police agencies across the province are showing evidence of the diversion of publicly supplied addictive drugs, putting vulnerable people, youth and children at risk. The diversion of drugs is not a good thing.

This program needs to stop. There is nothing safe about this supply of publicly supplied addictive drugs. What we’ve heard today is a stark testament to the human cost of these policies. But better is possible.

I got to finish my meeting with Stacy by telling her about hope, about a whole plan for a recovery-oriented system of care for those struggling with addiction that we have. Everything must prioritize getting people the treatment they need and deserve with no financial barriers to getting better. We cannot allow this crisis to continue. The heartbreak must end. Better is possible with the B.C. United.

M. Elmore: I rise today to speak against the motion that’s being moved by the member for Surrey South. I’m disappointed to hear the remarks from friends across the way.

We know and we’ve heard, I think, around the House and across the province about the devastating impact of the deaths of the overdose crisis that we’ve been in for a number of years and the toll that that takes on families, on communities. I think there’s not one community that hasn’t been impacted across the province. We know that the toxic drug crisis devastates individuals, families and communities.

[11:20 a.m.]

The central frame and priority for the government to tackle and to take steps to address this crisis is to understand that we have to treat addiction as a health issue and not a criminal one. That’s an important distinction. It’s a distinction that saves lives, understanding addiction as a health issue and also putting programs in place to support that.

We know that the program of decriminalization…. Cancelling the program won’t save a life. What it will do — very powerful — is ensure that stigma is reduced for individuals who need to reach out for help and get treatment.

Also, in terms of listening to the remarks from the opposition, the B.C. United Party, it’s a little bit unclear in terms of what they actually stand for. Today they’re speaking against decriminalization, but we know that they have spoken in favour of decriminalization.

The member who moved the motion actually is on record. The member for Surrey South has said: “The NDP will try to tell you that we are backtracking on decriminalization, which is not the case. We’re not backtracking on decriminalization. We’re not backtracking on the need for harm reduction.” As well, she said: “Does it mean that our party doesn’t support decriminalization or harm reduction? Absolutely not. We do, with our whole hearts. We want to save people.” So I think we’re hearing two messages from the official opposition, and it’s disappointing.

The toxic drug crisis requires everyone across the province to take steps to support people in addiction, recognizing it’s a health issue, and to provide avenues for them to get support. We know that as the toxicity of illicit street drugs increases, more people are at serious risk. The priority for someone struggling with addiction is not to put them in front of a judge but to provide access to services for them to exit their addiction and get that support.

In terms of our province prioritizing decriminalization and looking to support people, addressing it as a health issue, we’ve also put in place a comprehensive response to the toxic drug crises. It includes early intervention and prevention; treatment and recovery options; services that keep people safe and connect them with care, like overdose prevention sites; and going after organized crime and criminals who are making and selling toxic illegal drugs.

There’s no point…. We’ve heard the powerful testimony for the MLA for Richmond-Queensborough in terms of…. That’s why we’ve shifted away from treating addiction as a criminal justice issue, and to prioritize, to give people options to access drugs. But often, to get out of the addiction, they have to bridge that gap that stigma places.

It’s an important message. I just want to tell you how disappointed I am that the official opposition contributes to increasing stigma, talking about criticizing decriminalization. We need to support people, address it as a health issue and ensure that they have support to exit.

T. Wat: I rise today to join my colleagues and concerned communities in urgently calling attention to the ongoing toxic drug overdose crisis that is devastating British Columbia.

Since the declaration of a public health emergency in April 2016, over 13,000 people in B.C. have lost their lives to toxic illicit drugs. Shockingly, drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death in our province for individuals between the ages of ten and 59, surpassing the combined total of homicides, suicides, accidents and natural diseases.

[11:25 a.m.]

The numbers are staggering: 2,303 deaths in 2021; 2,383 deaths in 2022; and 2,511 deaths in 2023. This averages nearly seven deaths per day. These are not just statistics. They represent the loss of human lives, deeply affecting our families, our friends and our communities.

Despite the urgency and severity of this situation, the NDP’s response has been grossly ineffective. The number of deaths has increased almost every single year since the NDP has been in power. These numbers don’t lie, and this tragedy is unfolding under their watch.

It is clear that the NDP’s reckless decriminalization experiment is not the answer. It’s making everything worse, not better. This is a crisis and a public health emergency, and it’s time that this NDP government starts treating it like one. We need to act with the leadership and urgency this crisis deserves and requires and implement a comprehensive and evidence-based plan to reduce overdose deaths in our province and truly help people struggling with addiction.

Experts and community members alike have criticized the NDP’s decriminalization policy since it was implemented, pointing out its haphazardness and inefficiency. Even the former chief coroner has said that decriminalization alone will not do much to stop drug deaths, which should be our top priority.

We have seen this play out in 2023, seeing a record number of drug-related deaths in our province after decriminalization was implemented. We cannot continue to ignore this harsh reality. Over one year after its implementation, decriminalization is not even achieving its goal of reducing stigma. Instead, it has led to negative unintended consequences, such as increased public drug use and decreased community safety.

My constituents in Richmond are especially concerned about this issue following discussion about building a safe consumption site in our community. Concerned Richmondites protested against this proposed project at city hall, even gathering over 22,000 signatures on a petition against it. Residents were worried about drug use in their community without ample treatment and recovery services for those who need it.

They are also concerned about the potential increases in crime and other public safety issues that have been seen in many other communities. Yet their concerns have been dismissed by this NDP government without proper consultation. Communities deserve a voice on issues that directly affect them. Government needs to hear this voice, consider it and work together with residents to find solutions that work for everyone.

It is clear that the status quo is not working. The NDP’s approach to this issue is not getting results, and there is no time to waste. It’s time that this government begins to urgently address this issue and provide all support possible to people trying to overcome addiction, in consultation with the community affected by this crisis. A shift to a recovery-oriented system is far overdue and is desperately needed in order to save lives in our province.

It’s time to put an immediate end to the NDP’s reckless decriminalizing experiment that is costing lives every day. We know that better is possible.

F. Donnelly: I rise to speak against the motion. Treating people with addictions like criminals won’t save a single life and will actually prevent people from accessing the treatments they need to save their lives. It will also divert police resources away from the important work of cracking down on drug trafficking and organized crime, which is a necessary pillar in our response to the toxic illicit drug crisis.

[11:30 a.m.]

As Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, says: “Senior police leaders in British Columbia recognize the importance of a compassionate and evidence-based approach to ensure those who use drugs receive the integrated care they require. We stand committed in our desire to not criminalize those who use drugs but to redirect the individuals to alternate pathways of care. This is a complex public-health care crisis that we must continue to work together to address as we know the overdose crisis continues to devastate communities throughout British Columbia.”

As the former mayor of Vancouver, former MP and my friend Kennedy Stewart writes in his recent book Decrim, “ready access to safer drugs appears to be the only way forward for those suffering with substance use disorder.” He goes on to say: “Treatment offered often does not work for the vast majority of drug users, who then relapse.”

The book also provides insight to the best evidence-based care or solutions out there and the worst scare tactics used by critics. He points out the real cause of many drug overdoses is fentanyl and other potent substances, which are so prevalent and inexpertly mixed with other illicit drugs. Drug users then cannot know what they are actually injecting or inhaling. Decriminalization will save lives and takes us one step further along the path to ending the destructive war on drug users.

Since the toxic drug emergency was declared in April 2016, almost 14,000 British Columbians have died from toxic drugs. It’s not only those who have died who are impacted, but it’s also the many grieving families, friends and co-workers. Those who die are someone’s husband, auntie, grandson, best friend, and they are dearly missed.

The public health emergency is devastating for families and communities across B.C. Cancelling this government’s programs will not save a single life and, what’s more, will make it harder for people to reach out for help or treatment. Decriminalization means that we can treat addiction as the health issue that it is, not a criminal one.

As the toxicity of illicit street drugs increases, people are more at risk of death or permanent injury. Arresting someone that is struggling with addiction and taking them to court ties up the justice system, while not improving outcomes at all. Fear of the legal system and criminalization can lead people to hide their drug use and use alone, which is dangerous and keeps them from reaching out for the treatment they need.

Decriminalization is one of the tools needed to help keep people alive so they can connect with the health care system to get into treatment. At the same time, it’s not a licence to use hard drugs — especially in places where kids play — or to block the doors of businesses in downtown areas. Our government brought in legislation that addresses drug use in public spaces, and we’ll keep working with the communities to keep them safe and welcoming, while we tackle this public health emergency.

Our response to the toxic drug crisis is comprehensive and includes action on many fronts. Early intervention and prevention are important, as well as treatment and recovery options. Under our government’s leadership, there are now 3,596 publicly-funded adult and youth substance use treatment beds so that people are able to access recovery when they are ready to reach out for help. We know more beds are needed, and we are working on that.

In places that treat people suffering from addiction like criminals, we see tragically worse outcomes. Like in Alberta, a 17 percent increase in deaths from toxic drugs, or a 32 percent increase in Saskatchewan.

Finally, if you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, there is help. To learn more, you can visit the website HelpStartsHere.gov.bc.ca or call HealthLinkBC at 811. Never use alone. If you don’t have a safe person to be with, use the Lifeguard App.

If you or someone you know uses illicit drugs, keep a naloxone kit with you, which are available for free in B.C. They can be picked up without a prescription at thousands of locations across the province.

[11:35 a.m.]

M. Bernier: I want to maybe start by acknowledging some youth that just came in to watch the debate today. I think that’s very telling and very important to highlight that, because what we’re discussing right now is a motion that was just put on the floor about scrapping the government’s reckless decriminalization experiment.

Where I want to go with this, first of all, is reminding people that drugs are not safe. What happened to the time when we used to talk about “Don’t do drugs” at all? Now this government’s mantra is: “It’s okay to do drugs.”

Now let me go to some of the commentary that I’ve heard today. First of all, why we need to end this reckless experiment. I’m going to say that it’s going to be hard not to get emotional, and it’s going to be hard not to get mad because this government has utterly failed with this experiment in helping people in British Columbia.

We have the highest amount of addictions in the province’s history. We have the highest amount of deaths because of the use of drugs in the provincial history. And one thing I will agree with some of the NDP members on is their commentary about we have to end stigma. That’s one piece only.

This government has failed to put in the supports to help people who are struggling with addictions. We see that day in and day out. People are coming into our office saying, “I need help, and it’s not there” in a moment of clarity, when they’re having that moment, saying: “I need supports because I have an addiction to fentanyl or heroin or methamphetamine.”

The members from the NDP are saying, “We want to support those people,” but they’ve failed. It’s not there. When I have to tell somebody that comes into my office that is saying, “I want to get off the streets. I want to get off drugs,” and I have to say: “I’ll make some phone calls and try to help you. But I’m sorry. It’s seven, eight weeks until I can find a detox bed for you because there aren’t enough in this province, and this government hasn’t made enough in this crisis.” Within 48 hours, those people are back on the streets using drugs. We have failed them.

Last week I was at another funeral in my riding for a young boy who was in my office just a couple of weeks ago, who was struggling. A beautiful young man. A musician that I knew, that I played music with, that I sang with for a long time over the last ten to 15 years. He told me he was struggling, but he was doing better, but he needed more help. I said: “I’m really sorry. In the Peace region, there’s nothing for you.” He goes: “Well, I know. I tried to go to Prince George, but I couldn’t get in.” I said: “Well, we’ll do everything we can.”

I gave him a hug. We went out and sang some songs together. We went to a karaoke night, shared a drink. He drank pop. I had a beer. Ten days later, he was dead of an overdose, found in a basement, because he was not able to get the supports that he needed.

Every single one of us have had these stories. Maybe it’s hit us personally with family members, friends. There’s a reason why many of us on this side of the House have put this motion forward today and are speaking against it because this government has not done what they said they would do. We never voted in favour of this. It never came to the floor to say: “Let’s talk about decriminalization and support that.”

I’ve never been in favour of this, because I’ve seen what it does in my community, the chaos that we have on the streets, the people who are struggling with addictions that don’t have hope. This government needs to put their money where their mouth is in the sense of actually helping people. Don’t talk about just getting rid of stigma. Talk about supports and helping people. If this government truly wants to help people, I don’t care; take credit for it.

The B.C. United put a Better Is Possible plan forward that would actually put supports to help people when they need help. But no, they’ll just hear from NDP members of why they support this, even though other jurisdictions like Oregon have walked away and backed away from what they’ve done because they saw the failure.

Once again, British Columbia is going to be the only jurisdiction. The government is going to keep their heads in the sand and not face reality that we are failing the people right now. Failing the people that need help so let’s do that. Let’s help these people.

[11:40 a.m.]

R. Leonard: The member for Surrey South has put forward a motion which I cannot support. I understand people’s frustrations that there isn’t a single magic cure that could end addictions and the carnage it leaves in its wake.

We live in a time when most people know at least one person who grieves over the worst harm of increasingly toxic and lethal drugs: the death of a loved one, a colleague or a neighbour, someone in our community. This alarming rise in the number of people dying precipitated the declaration of the public health emergency in 2016.

Chief amongst the factors leading to death by illegal substances is the stigma that results in people using alone and dying alone. In a step to break free of the stigma, B.C. sought, and the federal government granted, a three-year decriminalization pilot.

At the 2023 announcement, we heard the powerful testimony of Kathryn Botchford, who spoke about the need to end stigma. She spoke about her husband, Jason Botchford, a well-known sports reporter who was a victim of illicit toxic drugs in 2019. After 17 years together, her reaction was that it must have been a mistake. She said: “We have three young kids. He knows the risks.” Yet he died, and he died alone.

She said the stigma that comes with using substances is dehumanizing, and people feel they must suffer in silence alone. Her instinct was to tell her kids that he’d died of a heart attack, in order to protect them. But then they began learning about substance use at school, and she realized she was enabling an environment of secrecy, unconsciously creating shame, so she sat down and told them the truth. She said they were more mad that she had kept the truth from them than at how he had died.

She ended by saying that we all have a responsibility to change the narrative on substance use and the stigma associated with it. Treating drug use as a public health matter, and not criminalizing people who use drugs is a step forward towards ending stigma. It is a step to ending the life-threatening behaviours like using in secret, alone. People are more likely to get the help they need if they know they will be supported and not found wanting.

On the one-year anniversary of the three-year decriminalization pilot, the federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions says: “The data is clear: fewer people are being criminalized for personal possession, and more people are accessing life-saving services, including treatment. As the first exemption of its kind in Canada,” she goes on, “we will continue to work closely with British Columbia to monitor impacts, learn as we implement and make adjustments as needed.”

Yet we now have a member opposite pushing for an end to this important initiative. Only a year ago, the member said, in a CBC interview: “Does it mean that our party doesn’t support decrim or harm reduction? Absolutely not. We do, with our whole hearts. We want to save people.”

As B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addiction said of the member opposite’s call to end decrim today: “Cancelling this program won’t save a single life, but it will divert police away from focusing on serious drug trafficking and crime. It will make it harder for people to reach out for help and treatment.”

Today more people are reaching out, as the province builds a strong continuum of care and expands the number of treatment and recovery beds, services and housing options. It’s also reassuring to see that law enforcement continues to be at the table, as we work together to end stigma and save lives.

As a previous speaker noted, Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson, president of the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, said of this complex public health crisis: “We stand committed in our desire to not criminalize those who use drugs but to redirect individuals to alternate pathways of care.” Just as we learned that corporal punishment is not the way to alter the behaviours of children for the better, arresting people with addictions will not help, and we know that being consistent over time is what leads to success.

As Kathryn Botchford said, we all have a responsibility to end the stigma for those who struggle with addictions. I say that that begins with leaders who stay the course, not flip-flopping and falling prey to inconsistent reactions, to the frustrations that come with complex problems like the public health emergency that is the toxic drug deaths.

[11:45 a.m.]

T. Stone: I am pleased to participate in today’s debate in full support of the motion, moved by my colleague from Surrey South, to scrap this government’s reckless decriminalization experiment.

This policy choice, along with the NDP’s decision to flood British Columbia with publicly supplied addictive drugs, has been an absolute failure at every single level. Most importantly, since the opioid overdose crisis was declared the public health emergency that it is, in April 2016, eight years ago, over 14,000 British Columbians have died. It’s now the leading cause of death in British Columbia for persons aged ten to 59.

Before we go further into the policy details, let us never forget that each of these are the lives of loved ones. They represent British Columbians that have been lost, family members — mothers, dads, brothers, sisters, cousins, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. We all share in the grief that everyone has felt as they’ve lost a loved one.

Each loss is a tragedy, but the greatest failure of all is that there are not the supports and the services available to help people with addictions get better, to access a path of wellness. We’ve sat here this morning, and we’ve listened to a number of members on the NDP side who have not actually talked much about the dearth of beds in this province, the lack of supports and services on the treatment side.

This government talks a good game, and they’re good at announcements, but when it comes to action, the record is appalling. More needs to be done — much, much more. That is why I’m so proud of the Better Is Possible mental health and addiction plan that our leader has put out to actually help people access that care that they need to get better.

What is most frustrating and what makes all of us even angry about the government’s response is that all the NDP seem to focus on is ensuring even more access to publicly supplied, illicit, addictive drugs everywhere in the province. In companion to this, this NDP government sent British Columbians careening down the path of decriminalization, shockingly, without putting any guardrails in place.

Let’s be clear on who has done what here on this file. The NDP had this in their platform in 2020. The title is “Fast-track the move towards decriminalization.” It was in their platform in 2017 as well. There has never been a vote on decrim in or out of this chamber. Anyone who says that there has been a vote is not telling British Columbians the truth.

If there had been a vote, B.C. United would have voted against it. Anyone who says that B.C. United voted in favour of decrim is also not telling you the truth. I challenge the NDP to actually call a vote on decrim today. Let’s have a vote so that every MLA in this place can finally stand up and vote on decrim.

There has been lots of talk from this government, even the Health Committee, looking into strategies that the NDP could embrace to better tackle the opioid crisis. Most of the recommendations from that Health Committee have actually not been put in place. Decrim came up in this Health Committee. The committee made it clear that if decrim were considered, there must be guardrails.

This government has particularly failed at ensuring that the health care system is ready, that it’s equipped and that there are those treatment and addiction services available — one of the key requirements if decrim were to even be considered.

We were adamant about those necessary protections to protect the public. We pointed out other jurisdictions like Washington and Oregon state, which are years ahead on implementing decrim. These states were experiencing massively bad outcomes resulting from the implementation of decrim, and they were dialling it back. In fact, just the other day, the state of Oregon completely repealed their failed decriminalization experiment.

What has the NDP decided to do here? Well, they’ve doubled down on decrim, pushing it out into every corner of society. Playgrounds, parks, beaches, public spaces are all fair ground for open use of hard drugs. SkyTrain, transit buses, restaurants, coffee shops are all fair game for open drug use.

We hear from the public every day: why is the NDP government not prioritizing public safety over the rights to do open, illicit drugs anywhere people want to? That’s a very good question. We profile these stories every single day. When I hear from a mom in Kamloops who’s irate after her child came home from Riverside Park, an Easter egg hunt, recently with a baggie of hard drugs…. That makes her angry. That makes me angry.

[11:50 a.m.]

The latest is what’s happening in our hospitals, where this government is actually complicit in hard, illicit drugs being used and trafficked and weapons not being seized.

There is so much more on this. This government needs to end this reckless decriminalization experiment in British Columbia and end it today.

D. Routley: I rise to speak in opposition to the motion brought forward by the member for Surrey South.

We are in a crisis that is devastating families. All of us have been connected to someone who has been affected by this. In my own life, my partner’s cousin down in New Jersey died of toxic drugs a few years ago. The brother of my brother-in-law in Vancouver died of a toxic drug overdose.

A young man named Lee, who was a friend of my daughter’s, happens to come from the largest number of those who have died, young men from age 25 to 40 who are in the construction and transportation trades. He, having been a heavy-equipment operator, suffered a back injury and became addicted to opiates. He died alone. He died afraid to share the fact that he was struggling with an addiction.

In B.C., yes, we have seen an increase. Last year it was 5 percent. Let’s compare that to neighbouring provinces. In Alberta, the increase was 17 percent in deaths. In Saskatchewan, the increase was 30 percent in deaths. Those are provinces that still treat people suffering from addictions as criminals.

Many of the members of the B.C. United party would have us put our heads in the sand, but we will not do that. It was only last year, in November 2022, that that party stood in this House and demanded that we accept the recommendations of the B.C. coroner in the report on deaths from toxic drug overdoses, which included decriminalization.

It was on April 4, 2022, that former Premier John Horgan agreed to task that committee with examining how to implement that report. He pondered at the time whether or not this non-partisan effort could survive in this House. Sadly, it has not.

The old approach was a misuse of resources, both police and court. It hurt vulnerable people.

The member who brought forward this initiative said on CBC on March 3, 2023: “Does it mean that our party doesn’t support decrim or harm reduction? Absolutely not. We do. With our whole hearts, we want to save people.”

That committee was multi-party. It agreed unanimously to implement that report, including decriminalization. Workers, youth, treatment professionals came before that committee. As I said, the largest group was young men, workers in those industries. Those industries have led the way with programs like the tailgate toolbox, elements that can help save lives, help their members shed the stigma and come forward and share their struggles.

The people who died of toxic drug overdoses, on average, had ten or more contacts with the health system in the year before they died. So we’ve responded to that. Ninety-five people in Fraser Health came forward last year. All of them were connected to resources. Twenty-nine people on Vancouver Island. Almost 100 percent of those found resources.

The members across the way like to point to Oregon. Oregon has the lowest access to treatment in the entire United States. It is dead last.

This province has made record-breaking investments in treatment for mental health and addictions. That is the truth. It is an inconsistent approach from the other side at a time when we need consistency, when we need to be consistent with what we said we would do, have a unified approach in this House. It is failing at this point. This motion would have it fail at an even more drastic rate.

It’s sad, when I think of that young man, Lee. He was a charming young guy. I feel like, now, I should have known. He just didn’t have the resources that he should have, given the work he was doing. He struggled in ways that should have been obvious to me, and I wish I had been able to help him.

Not a single life will be saved by cancelling decriminalization in this province. And it’s clear that we are turning the corner.

[11:55 a.m.]

We will not turn our backs on the recommendations of the coroner, on the recommendations of the provincial health officer and on science. It seems some would fight over these struggling people. We won’t do that. We will continue to support them in every way we know how.

S. Bond: The saddest debates that take place in this Legislature are debates that imply that if we disagree about policy, we don’t care about people losing their lives in British Columbia. Nothing could be further from the truth.

To the member who just spoke, I shared the experience of that committee. Let’s tackle head-on exactly what the committee said. The member conveniently left out the part of the report that says: “The committee discussed the letter of requirements to support B.C.’s exemption under the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.”

Let’s look at what the committee concluded, conveniently left out of every single discussion by members on the opposite side. “Committee members recognized that there is preliminary work that must be done to support the implementation of decriminalization.”

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Let’s look at that list. The members on the government bench have failed on every single requirement that they promised to do. It says that there must be improved access to health services — no. Provide law enforcement training and guidance — not done. Undertake meaningful engagement with Indigenous people. Undertake continued consultation, law enforcement, racialized communities, other key stakeholders. How about this one? Lead effective public awareness and communications, and conduct comprehensive monitoring and evaluation.

Not one member on that side of the House can get up and say that every one of those requirements has been met. That is why we are opposed to the current situation in British Columbia.

Let’s look at the timing. Let’s look at what actually happened. The terms of reference for the Health Committee were released on April 4, 2022. The report was tabled in the Legislature on November 1, 2022. Guess what happened in between. What happened in between was….

On May 31, 2022, the committee had barely started its work. Guess what happened. The previous provincial Minister of Mental Health and Addictions got together with the federal minister and had a press conference. Before the committee even finished its work, the federal government agreed to give this government an exemption.

For this group of MLAs to stand up and use the Health Committee report…. Shame on them.

From 2020, in their platform, they made it clear that they were going to fast-track the move toward decriminalization. They planned that move to decriminalize as far back as a snap election called in the middle of a pandemic. Then we have the government grant the exemption long before the report was ever tabled in this Legislature. To suggest that because a report was tabled and received, every person here agrees with decriminalization is laughable at best and misleading at worst.

Members know parliamentary procedure. A report is tabled and received. It does not mean blatant agreement. If it does, how about the dozens of other recommendations in this report never once referenced by a single member on that side of the House — key recommendations about the gaps that exist in treatment and care and resources all across the province?

If they want to pick out decriminalization, they might want to go back and look at the dozens of recommendations that would change the lives of British Columbians in this province. This isn’t about who cares more. This is about an experiment that is not working.

We’ve had members stand up and say over and over again: “Decriminalization isn’t going to save lives.” Well, boy, that is in contrast to the press release they issued. “B.C. Applies for Decriminalization in Next Step to Reduce Toxic Drug Deaths.”

It is not working. We see people being impacted in hospitals and in communities right across the province. Maybe the members would like to stand up and suggest whether or not families should have to re-mortgage their house to get treatment.

[12:00 p.m.]

Well, I know this. We have a plan that will focus on recovery and treatment and education and prevention. I also know this. It takes a government that is bold and has convictions to look back, recognize that this isn’t working and do the right thing for British Columbians. Add recovery programs across the province. Make sure people can get free treatment instead of free drugs.

Better is possible, and I can assure you, this side of the House understands that.

M. Babchuk: I’m happy to stand today and talk about decriminalization in this House. There isn’t a member in this House that hasn’t been affected by this, and this is an extremely important topic.

I would like to continue this, to go forward.

Noting the hour, I will reserve my right to speak on this important motion and adjourn debate.

M. Babchuk moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. A. Dix moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m.

The House adjourned at 12:01 p.m.