The House met at 1:32 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

The Speaker: Members, today you have seen…. Many of you were there outside, participating in the beautiful ceremony, solemn ceremony, that we had for all our firefighters.

We all love our firefighters. I’m sure each and every one of you would like to introduce them individually. It’s not going to be possible. This time we had the largest members of the uniform, firefighters, here — 650 who came today, plus their families.

So on behalf of all of you, I would say: thank you and welcome.

[Applause.]

Hon. Mike Farnworth: In the gallery today is a very good friend of mine. I’ve known her for a long time. She’s a former school trustee in district 43. She now resides in Mission.

It’s not often I get to welcome too many people here, but Deborah Burton is in the gallery today, and I’d like the House to make her most welcome.

Teresa Wat: On behalf of my B.C. opposition party Richmond team, MLA for Richmond-Steveston and from Richmond Centre, it is my privilege to welcome the distinguished representatives from the Richmond school district, No. 38, in the public gallery today: Chairperson Ken Hamaguchi, Vice-Chairperson Chris Yang, Superintendent Christopher Usih and Secretary-Treasurer Cindy Wang.

We are honoured by your presence and grateful for your continued commitment to education and the well-being of our students in Richmond. Your leadership plays a vital role in shaping the future of our community, and we look forward to cooperating with you to further strengthen our education system. Thank you for your dedication and service.

Please give them a warm welcome.

[1:35 p.m.]

Hon. Kelly Greene: I am also here to welcome our Richmond delegation that is here advocating on behalf of education. They are strong advocates, and I thank them very much for the work that they do: trustees Ken Hamaguchi, Chris Yang; Superintendent Chris Usih and Secretary-Treasurer Cindy Wang.

While the member opposite may have given her colleague an upgrade to Richmond-Steveston, on behalf of the residents of Richmond-Steveston, I thank them very much for their work.

Kiel Giddens: It’s my pleasure to be able to introduce, for the very first time in this House, my wife, Elyse Giddens, who’s joining in the gallery today. The love of my life. I’m very proud that she’s here.

Would the House please make her very welcome.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: I would like to welcome my cousin, Christopher Bailey, who is here at the precinct today. I’ll sneak in that, yes, he is a firefighter. If you watched the procession or participated in the procession, you went underneath the giant Canada flag hanging between his rig from Oak Bay and the rig from Victoria.

Our family is as deeply proud of Christopher as everyone in this House is of the wonderful firefighters in British Columbia.

Larry Neufeld: I would like to recognize the presence today in the gallery of my son, Ayden Neufeld. Ayden was able to take advantage of the incredible dual-credit program put on between Northern Lights College and South Peace Secondary, and at the very young age of only 21, he was a fully licensed red seal mechanic. He’s one of my three children, all of whom I’m very, very proud of.

So help me say welcome.

Hon. Lana Popham: I’m really happy today to be able to tell this House that my baby brother is in the audience. He’s come over from his hometown of Boundary Bay. He’s actually the constituent of the member for Delta South. But he also happens to be the fire chief of Delta.

I’m really happy that he’s here. Please welcome him.

David Williams: I’d like to welcome two guests today. The first one hailing here all the way from the houseboat capital of Sicamous, my constituency assistant for Salmon Arm–Shuswap, Amanda Kalf. The second guest is my friend and former candidate, Hamed Najafi.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Please join me in welcoming the following guests in the gallery today. We’ve got Chairman Peter Luckham and Chief Administration Officer Reuben Bronee from the Islands Trust.

Peter Luckham is the chair of Islands Trust and served as the Thetis Island local trustee since 2005. He’s just announced that he’ll be stepping down as chair later this month. He’s been providing leadership in the community for almost a decade now.

He’s joined by Ruben Bronee, who is Islands Trust’s chief administrative officer since November 2024 — 26 years of working in the provincial public service, most recently as assistant deputy minister for the B.C. Public Service Agency.

They’re both attending question period to witness the tabling of the Islands Trust annual report and to engage with provincial decision-makers on the unique mandate and priorities of the Islands Trust.

Claire Rattée: I have the honour of welcoming today my best friend and her brother, Chelsea and Julian. They are in the gallery up there.

After moving up north…. I moved up there, and I didn’t have any of my own family up there. Their family really accepted me as their own and takes care of me up there. I really appreciate that they were able to come down and be here today.

Please join me in making them feel welcome.

Linda Hepner: I would like to recognize in the House this afternoon my constituency assistant, Deborah Coult. Deborah has been instrumental, both in my election and in setting up a brand-new riding.

I hope the House would make her feel as welcome as I know she is.

[1:40 p.m.]

The Speaker: Minister of Labour.

Hon. Jennifer Whiteside: Thank you very much, hon. Speaker. As you noted, we did just have a very moving ceremony on the south lawn of the Legislature, honouring firefighters who have died in service to British Columbians.

I won’t go through the whole list of those who are joining us in the gallery today, but I did want to introduce Todd Schierling, the president of the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association; and Steve Farina, vice-president, who are joining us in the gallery today with the delegation. I thank them for their tireless work on behalf of all firefighters in the province and British Columbians.

Would the House please join me in making them welcome.

Bruce Banman: You know, we wouldn’t be where we are as parties if it were not for our dedicated staff. Today is a very special day. I understand that our executive director for the B.C. Conservative Party is in the House, and it is also his birthday.

Would you please give a very warm House welcome to Connor Gibson.

Lorne Doerkson: She is the past mayor of the district of 100 Mile for 17 years, past MLA for three terms of Cariboo-Chilcotin, and she, believe it or not, is a current city councillor for the district of 100 Mile. She’s been Citizen of the Year, she is an amazing volunteer in our South Cariboo community, and she is a fierce advocate for all things Cariboo-Chilcotin.

She is my mentor, she is like a mother to me, and she brought fresh-baked cookies today. Would this whole House please welcome past MLA Donna Barnett.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert: I’m sorry I didn’t get any of Donna Barnett’s cookies, but I’ll follow up later with the member.

But I also have great joy to welcome back a former member of this House, MLA Bob D’Eith. He’s Bob D’Eith now. I can just call him Bob in the House and say his name as many times as I want.

He’s an incredible artist and an incredible advocate. I met him as an advocate for the music industry many, many years ago, long before he came to this place. He has taught us so much as a government, and he has taught the world how to love music in an even bigger way.

I’m glad he has got some time to participate in the music industry once more, but I miss him around this place every day. I just want everyone to welcome him back. Welcome back, Bob.

Misty Van Popta: I was going to speak to this even before the memorial. This past Friday, a suspected drug lab exploded in Langley, killing one, injuring two, flattening one home and severely damaging five more. I would like to take this time to acknowledge the brave men and women of the Langley Township Fire Department, who ran towards danger and attended to the injured while keeping my community safe.

Also in the chamber today are Fire Captain Jordan Sparrow and Captain Brad Wegesser, president and secretary, respectively, of the Township of Langley Local 4550. Jordan and I go way back to our childhood. Who would have thought that 35 years later, he would be union president and I would be an MLA?

So let’s give them a warm welcome and always keep them and all firefighters in our daily thoughts as they move through their days protecting and serving our communities.

Hon. Bowinn Ma: I have some guests in the gallery here today. I’d like to introduce the chamber to Alborz Jaberolansar, who runs Rumi Translations, a translation agency in North Vancouver. We are also joined by Dorsa Mohebat, who is here from North Vancouver as well, shadowing me for the day.

In addition to former MLAs Donna Barnett and Bob D’Eith, we are also joined in the gallery today by former MLA Terry Lake, CEO of B.C. Care Providers and former B.C. Liberal MLA for Kamloops–North Thompson and Minister of Health.

[1:45 p.m.]

Pete Davis: Today I’d like to introduce some very important people from my riding, some people that I would say that if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here. I would like to thank, first of all…. I’ll introduce Kevin Seward, who was my campaign manager and now is my constituency office manager, as well as our RA president, Vince Miller, and his beautiful wife, Kim.

Please make them feel welcome.

Peter Milobar: I pledge to be on good behaviour today because of one of the guests in the chamber. No, it’s not Terry Lake that I’m making that pledge for. He would probably disown me.

My wife Lianne is here from Kamloops for the next few days, and she decided to stop in and see what question period is like today. Will the House please make Lianne welcome.

The Speaker: If that’s the case, we are going to ask her to come here every day.

Jeremy Valeriote: I’m pleased to welcome the Washington state legislative interns to the gallery today.

This is the 20th anniversary of the exchange program between our two legislative internship programs, and it has always been a welcome opportunity to celebrate the long-standing friendship between our two countries, this year more than ever. We recognize how important it is to continue this educational exchange to model the important relationship between our two nations.

Please join me in making them feel welcome.

Mable Elmore: Joining the Leader of the Third Party, I have the pleasure of introducing our 30 Washington state legislative interns visiting from Olympia today.

They’re part of the annual exchange between our two internship programs in Washington state and British Columbia. We’re so happy that this tradition continues. This is their 20th visit to our parliament. As part of the Washington state internship program, their interns work for members of the House of Representatives or Senate while earning academic credit from colleges and universities around the state — whereas our B.C. legislative interns have already graduated from university.

This morning, they met with several members of the Legislative Assembly to learn about our parliamentary system and discuss issues of importance to both of our jurisdictions. They’re accompanied by Louis Lindstrom, the deputy civic education director for Washington State.

Please join me in giving them a very warm welcome.

Kristina Loewen: I wanted to rise today to introduce to you my two constituency assistants: first of all, Katherine Gountas, who is my constituency assistant, as well as my campaign manager; and my second CA, Sonia Sandhu, who also works for Gavin Dew half the week.

Please help me in welcoming them.

Ward Stamer: I have three introductions I’d like to present the House with today.

First off, I’d like to welcome first-term TNRD director from electoral area A, which is Wells Gray country. That would be Mr. Usoff Tsao in the gallery. Second up, I’d like to also say there are many TNRD representatives, including chair Roden, who will be here with minister meetings.

But I’d also like to welcome Dennis Giesbrecht. He’s from my riding. He was our candidate for the B.C. Conservative Party in our last election in Vernon-Lumby, and now Dennis is a regional director for the B.C. Conservative Party.

It’s with great pleasure I’d like to recognize Kukpi7 George Lampreau, Chief of the Simpcw First Nation, who will be here shortly.

Simpcw First Nations is one of our largest First Nation territories in British Columbia, and as Barriere’s previous mayor…. Barriere has worked closely with our Simpcw First Nation, strengthening our relationships, collaborating together. As their MLA, I will continue to do this. [An Indigenous language was spoken.]

Members’ Statements

Search and Rescue Volunteer
Memorial Day

Janet Routledge: Yesterday was Search and Rescue Volunteer Memorial Day. Every year since 2017, on March 2, the ceremony is held at the Search and Rescue Memorial in memory of those who died in the line of duty and to honour all that serve.

[1:50 p.m.]

This year’s host was Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. Not-for-profit and volunteer-based, it operates more than 30 marine rescue stations along the coast of British Columbia, working in one of the most challenging search and rescue regions in the world. With over 900 volunteers, professionally trained rescue crews are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

They rotate hosting with other volunteer search and rescue organizations, like the B.C. Search and Rescue Association. In B.C., ground search and rescue is all done by volunteers, who are also always on call. Unpaid professionals provide their time, gear, dedication and expertise to the people they rescue.

Provincial Emergency Program Air also participates. PEP Air is B.C.-wide volunteer air search and rescue, with over 400 members, who provide tens of thousands of hours of service each year. Their highly trained volunteers search for missing persons, aircraft and other targets, using privately owned planes.

They are now joined by the Coastal Nations Coast Guard Auxiliary.

We are so blessed to have access to the mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers and oceans that surround us in British Columbia. But whether we are hiking, camping, kayaking or otherwise enjoying the backcountry or coastal waters, things can go wrong. So we are also blessed to have thousands of dedicated people willing to help when we get into trouble in the wilderness.

But these missions come with a terrible cost. Since 1967, 17 search and rescue volunteers have lost their lives in the line of duty. But their sacrifices can never be forgotten.

Support for Firefighters

Kiel Giddens: I rise today to pay tribute to the firefighters across our province who put their lives on the line for all of us. These British Columbians are the ones who run towards danger to protect people and property when the rest of us are running in the other direction.

The B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association is comprised of 56 locals serving in communities across B.C. and the Yukon. They represent over 4,600 professional men and women firefighters, dispatchers, prevention officers and support members.

I recently had the opportunity to tour Fire Hall No.1 in Prince George and chatted with members of Prince George Local 1372 about what’s working and what challenges they’re facing day in and day out. I was reminded of the complexities of responding to a call as quickly as possible, from the time dispatchers receive it to having trucks and equipment safe and ready to go and having trained firefighters on the scene working hard on our behalf.

As if fighting fires and saving lives isn’t dangerous enough, it’s also pretty sobering to understand that the equipment and PPE used is a danger in itself. The procedures for handling this equipment once it’s in the fire hall are all about minimizing the risks of cancers because we all know that the risk of the job is high. The B.C. injury research and prevention unit determined that nearly 85 percent of work-related fatality claims of firefighters in Canada were cancer-related between 2007 and 2021.

Firefighters and their loved ones deserve to be protected and supported for all that they do for us, and that’s why there’s so much support in this Legislature for the expansion of presumptive cancer legislation for firefighters under the Workers Compensation Act. That’s why many of us here in this House just attended the seventh biennial B.C. Fallen Firefighter Memorial. The final sentences that we all heard of the Firefighter’s Prayer are pretty powerful. The prayer reads:

“…I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me,

to guard my neighbour and protect his property.

And if according to your will I have to lose my life,

bless with your protecting hand my loving family from strife.”

Let’s all commit to protecting the loved ones of the names we heard today, and let’s all commit that they will not be forgotten.

Women in Trades

Darlene Rotchford: Again, I would like to acknowledge the Songhees and SXIMEȽEȽ peoples, on whose traditional territory I stand before you today.

Today starts Women in Construction Week. This was founded by the national association of women in construction. This week is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the role of women in skilled trades industries. It’s also an honour to have this same week, as we are talking about, International Women’s Day this upcoming Saturday.

[1:55 p.m.]

In B.C., we cannot talk about this important topic without speaking about British Columbia Centre for Women in the Trades or, as they are known, BCCWITT. I will be calling it women in trades; it’s slightly easier to pronounce.

It works to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive skilled trade industry where all feel welcome, healthy, respected and safe, which wasn’t always the case for women in trades. They pride themselves in not just removing barriers for women but also for people of Indigenous, racialized people, people with disabilities and 2SLGBTIAQ+ people. It also offers amazing programs such as ConnectHER, Trades Training and Employment, Bursary and Project Grant and many other programs.

On this important day, I would like to encourage everyone in this House to check out the amazing website for more details and familiarize yourself with the great work they do, so we can ensure to support women in trades. Women are starting to really see working in trades as a viable option for employment, so we need to do everything we can to ensure that we can do that moving forward. During this week, we need to take the time to thank all of those women in trades.

Bulterys House and
South Peace Health Services Society

Larry Neufeld: It is an honour to pay tribute to Bulterys House and the South Peace Health Services Society, whose dedication to supporting health care access has made a profound difference in the lives of so many in northern British Columbia. The story of Bulterys House is one of vision, generosity and community spirit. The South Peace Health Services Society was founded through the collaborative leadership of the mayors of Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd and the Peace River regional district directors from areas D and E.

Recognizing the challenges that patients and their families faced when travelling for medical care, they sought to create meaningful solutions that would ease financial and emotional burdens. One of those solutions was Bulterys House, named in honour of the late Dr. Bulterys, a respected ob-gyn specialist in Dawson Creek.

Dr. Bulterys was devoted to his patients and community, and his sudden passing from brain cancer left a lasting impact. When his widow put his clinic up for sale, an idea was born — to transform the facility into a patient accommodation home for those in need. Thanks to the generous support from the Peace River regional district, Lake View Credit Union, local First Nations, including Saulteau, West Moberly and Doig River, as well as a $325,000 grant from Northern Development Initiative Trust, this vision became a reality.

Today Bulterys House is a safe, welcoming and wheelchair-accessible home located just one block from Dawson Creek and District Hospital. With six bedrooms, five bathrooms, shared kitchen and lounge spaces and, of course, compassionate care, it provides affordable, comfortable lodging for patients undergoing maternity care, cancer treatment, surgery and more.

To everyone involved in this incredible initiative, thank you for making a lasting impact. Bulterys House is more than just a place to stay; it is a symbol of hope, compassion and the true heart of our community.

Lynella Henke

Harwinder Sandhu: As we will be celebrating International Women’s Day on Saturday, with a heavy heart, yet also with immense gratitude, I rise today to honour a remarkable woman whose impact on her community will be felt for generations to come. In November, our community lost an extraordinary person, Lynella Henke.

Lynella was a pillar of strength, a beacon of kindness, care and force of love. Lynella’s journey was marked by resilience. She lost her battle with cancer mere months after enduring unimaginable loss — tragedy of her beloved daughter Lynza Henke. At just 15 years old, Lynza’s bright future was taken far too soon when she was struck in a downtown crosswalk in July 2024. There are no words to measure loss so profound, yet in the face of unimaginable grief, Lynella carried herself with grace, courage and an unwavering love for those around us and for our community.

Lynella was a devoted mother, a loving wife, a cherished daughter, and she was friend to all. She made people feel seen, valued and uplifted, always greeting the world with her radiant smile.

[2:00 p.m.]

In 1990, alongside her mother, Lynella co-founded Vernon’s Teach and Learn, a beloved cornerstone of her community, which is a place of joy, curiosity and connections, a reflection of Lynella herself. Through her work, she brought the magic of learning into countless lives, creating a space where children and families could discover, explore and grow.

We miss Lynella dearly, but her spirit will live on. It will live in the laughter of children exploring the aisles of Vernon Teach and Learn, in the quiet acts of kindness she inspired and in the strength of a community that she helped shape.

I extend my deepest gratitude to her family and to all who had the privilege of knowing her and loving her. May you find comfort in the legacy she leaves behind and in the love that surrounds you.

Rest in peace, Lynella. You will never be forgotten.

Fraser Canyon Hospice Society

Tony Luck: Today I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary organization that has been a pillar of support, compassion and care in the community of Hope for over 30 years, the Fraser Canyon Hospice Society.

Since its founding on February 20, 1995, this remarkable society has provided vital bereavement hospice services, ensuring that individuals and families facing grief and end-of-life transitions are never alone. Their work is a testament to the power of kindness and human connection.

One of their most profound initiatives is Camp Skylark, a bereavement camp for children ages seven to 12 who have lost a loved one. Since 2007, 425 children have found comfort, healing and friendship through this program. For one weekend a year, these children are simply allowed to be children.

Surrounded by nature, new friends and the reassurance that they are not alone in their grief, many of these young campers, touched by the program’s impact, have returned as volunteers to give back to the next generation.

The hospice society has also been privileged to operate within the Fraser Canyon Hospital, with dedicated staff Mary Norman and Sar Robson working alongside a palliative team, including Dr. Whaley, Len van Oort and Catherine Wiebe, and the incredible nurses and hospital staff. Their compassion and care ensure that families from Hope to Boston Bar to Seabird Island and beyond receive the support they need.

I also want to acknowledge the Fraser Canyon Hospice board — Catherine Younker, Brian Mclean, Heidi Trautmann — and their advisory board, who continue to navigate the challenges of providing hospice care in our rural and remote communities.

The Fraser Canyon Hospice Society has touched thousands of lives, offering dignity, comfort and compassion to those in their most difficult moments. As they celebrate 30 years of service, let us recognize their incredible work and ensure they have the resources to continue meeting the growing needs of our communities.

To the staff, volunteers and supporters of Fraser Canyon Hospice, thank you. Your dedication is an inspiration to us all.

Oral Questions

Proposal for Carbon Tax
on U.S. Thermal Coal

John Rustad: Last week we proposed our plan to apply B.C.’s carbon tax to U.S. thermal coal being shipped through B.C. ports. The Premier says that he brought it to the federal council.

Will the Premier, today, tell this House how much progress is being made and when this can be expected to come to the House?

Hon. Adrian Dix: As you know, the government of British Columbia is part of the Team Canada effort to respond to tariffs in the United States, one that builds our province, strengthens our province, diversifies our markets and works with other jurisdictions. That is precisely what we’re doing in this case. That means when issues are raised here, we take issues forward to the federal government and we work together as a team.

I know, and I’m hopeful — and we’re all hopeful — that the Leader of the Opposition’s pursuit of this issue means that he will support the government as we defend Canadians and British Columbians against these tariffs.

The Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

[2:05 p.m.]

Trade and Economic Diversification

John Rustad: I guess I shouldn’t have expected an answer with regards to the progress. But here’s the reality. It’s been eight years — eight years and no softwood lumber agreement, and our forest industry is in shambles. Over eight years, this government fought hard against the Trans Mountain Pipeline, against the ability to diversify trade. In eight years, this government has closed all 13 trade offices that we had, destroying the opportunity for diversification. Eight years, and at least this government initially started trying to block Site C and the energy that we need. The list could go on and on.

My question to the Premier is this: why has this government continuously fought economic diversification every step of the way for eight long years?

Hon. Brenda Bailey: The member couldn’t be more wrong. We have been deeply focused on economic diversification, and I can speak from my own personal experience.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: The other side likes to portray things that, in fact, are not entirely accurate. For example, the portrayal that we shut all these offices, and our trade and investment workers went away.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: I personally, when I was in the private sector, took advantage of those wonderful people doing this work. They’re on the ground. They’re working for us every day. People are working in Korea, in Japan, in Singapore, in Vietnam, in Mexico. I could go on and on and on.

We have 50 representatives in 14 offices helping…

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: …our businesses get access to the markets that they need.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: This is important work. It is ongoing work, and it’s one of the reasons that our trade exposure is 54 percent instead of 75 percent or higher, like in Ontario and Quebec. This is important work, and we will continue to do it.

Public Service Hiring Freeze
and Environment Ministry
Front-Line Staffing

Peter Milobar: Well, that is astounding that the minister is trying to give us a lecture on accuracy of statements in this House. Three times now over the last month and a half or so, this minister has stood up with great fanfare talking about hiring freezes in the B.C. public sector and how they’re going to bring costs under control, how they’re going to get things under control because despite, by their words, a good economy, we’re running record deficits. Lord help us if the economy falters.

Let’s look in that time frame at what has happened with this government. In that time frame, this minister has signed off and the cabinet has signed off on 36 new hires and promotions, 19 of them directly under the Ministry of Finance’s direction. These aren’t front-line workers. No, no, no. These are public affairs officers, marketing officers, issues management directors, and it’s all partisan spin doctors.

Why is this government prioritizing more political spin doctors over front-line services?

Hon. Brenda Bailey: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. We have brought in a hiring freeze for our public service. This is an important hiring freeze that allows us to essentially flatline our public service growth, and you’ll see that continuing in the budget that we’ll be introducing tomorrow.

The way that it works is that when there is a vacancy, that vacancy is evaluated as to whether it’s needed, and there are many examples where we need to fill those vacancies. There are also many examples where we don’t. That decision is made very carefully by the head of the public service under guidelines which are being followed.

Peter Milobar: It’s very clear that this government has lost their way. We have no clear direction on the tariff file. Their cabinet minister in charge of that all-star team seems to be more worried about the state of triplex construction in Oak Bay than dealing with the tariff issue.

Now we have this minister talking about hiring freezes when the record shows the exact opposite. If, in fact, it’s a shifting of numbers of people to flatline as the minister is talking about, I’ll remind the government this is a government hanging on by a thread because they’re supposed to be getting propped up by the Green Party.

[2:10 p.m.]

Perhaps the Green Party would like to know that in southern British Columbia right now, as we speak, the Ministry of Environment is actually removing front-line, on-the-ground biologists and other workers so that government has $4.2 million to put on paycheques for government spin doctors.

Why is this government prioritizing the hiring of spin doctors over staff in the Ministry of Environment that work on the ground daily?

Hon. Brenda Bailey: There were many things in that dog’s breakfast of a question, but I’ll speak originally and first to the question about tariffs. To suggest that we have not been moving forward on tariffs is ridiculous. We have been stepping in strongly on this question in a number of different ways. Our Premier has been leading provinces, very involved in the response across provinces and with the federal government, responding very strongly as part of Team Canada — deeply important.

We’re working on diversifying our economy, both at home and abroad. Minister Gibson has been doing excellent work across the province on this important question.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: And we’re focused on strengthening our economy.

You asked the question, Member. I’m giving you an answer.

Interjection.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: Among many other things, the member has also said that somehow we’re hiring more people into marketing roles. The truth of it is GCPE staffed down in anticipation of the election. That’s actually good fiscal management, knowing that their services would not be as needed.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: They’ve been staffing up since, saving us money.

Firefighter Health Risks and
Use of Fire Suppression Foam

Jeremy Valeriote: Perhaps something that we can all agree on.

As we’ve just honoured on the south lawn, firefighters put service over self, risking their lives every day for our communities, a fact that has become all the more poignant as climate-fueled wildfires impact every part of our province.

Firefighters across B.C. have raised concerns about health and environmental risks from per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, carcinogenic forever chemicals they’re exposed to in their workplaces. Yet PFAS are still widely used in fire suppression foams. On the day of the B.C. Fallen Firefighter Memorial, it’s vital that we heed their concerns.

To the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, will this government invest in the health of B.C. firefighters by transitioning to PFAS-free fire suppression foam?

Hon. Garry Begg: Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Firefighters put themselves in the line of danger every day as they save life and property. While many firefighters are paid employees, many of them are volunteers. We recognize this. In fact, most communities in British Columbia rely on volunteer firefighters to protect their property, and I commend them all for the service that they do to this province.

Our government supports fire departments through investments in training and equipment. Since 2017 more than $17 million has been provided to firefighters and composite fire departments through the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. Last year the province provided more than $6 million for 122 local projects supporting 200-plus fire departments: mental health peer supports for all 15 volunteer fire departments in the Cowichan Valley, upgrading and replacing equipment for Sandspit volunteer firefighters, new relay tanks, hands-on training, personnel and demonstration props — all to fire departments.

I am pleased to be meeting this week with some of these firefighters, and I’m going to continue to work with them for the safety of the province.

The Speaker: Leader of the Third Party, supplemental.

Early Cancer Screenings
for Firefighters

Jeremy Valeriote: While we appreciate the recent strides that have been made, our firefighters deserve better. Studies suggest that firefighters are three times more likely to die of cancer than the general population. Cancer is still the leading cause of fatality claims among Canadian firefighters.

Despite being classified as one of the most high-risk occupations for carcinogens, firefighters across the province are unable to access coverage for early cancer screenings, screenings that could be life-saving.

[2:15 p.m.]

To the Minister of Health, will this government commit to a proactive health screening program for firefighters to ensure we are looking after those who look after us?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you so much to the member for the question. It is a good question to ask today because we have the firefighters here with us. Of course, over the lunch hour, we had the opportunity to celebrate and to mark the incredible, incredible dedication that these women and men have and how they put their lives on the line.

That includes, as the member refers to, the exposure to carcinogens and to other aspects of danger that can really put their lives at risk. Supporting the health and well-being of front-line workers like firefighters is one of our top priorities.

Being able to access early cancer screening for the prevention and detection of cancers is a key plank in helping to keep all people in British Columbia safe and well. We offer four different cancer screening programs here in British Columbia, but of course we need to be continually reviewing those criteria and ensuring that people, especially groups of our populations like firefighters who could be at more risk, are there.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet with the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association on this. I’ve heard them, and I’ve asked BC Cancer to review the criteria that are used and the issue of recognizing the unique risks that firefighters may face, and I look forward to reporting more on that.

Fire Safety and Building Code
Changes to Staircase Requirements

Misty Van Popta: You wake up to the fire alarm. You smell smoke. You head for your apartment’s staircase to find that it’s on fire. You’re stuck. Your building has one staircase, and you’re six stories above the ground, hoping that your fire department can come rescue you. This isn’t the plot of a daytime soap opera. This is the reality created by this government when they removed the two-staircase requirement from the building code.

Why has this Premier removed fire safety from British Columbians and from our front-line firefighters?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I want to thank the member for the question. I want to welcome firefighters in the House here today, in particular the good people from Delta.

Interjection.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: This is not a question to be heckling on, Leader of the Opposition.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Let them finish.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I can’t believe the Leader of Opposition heckles a question of safety and importance to the community.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members, the question was very clear about the issue. Let the minister answer the question now.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

It’s important to note that with the change, there are measures put in place to make sure the buildings are safe. We have limited to six storeys. Sprinklers are a necessity and a requirement of any buildings that go forward. Wider stairwells, a smoke management system.

Also, it’s important to note that we’re not the only jurisdiction to do this. Seattle has allowed this since 1977. New York has allowed it for over a decade now. In fact, I met with Seattle fire officials who informed me….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members.

Minister.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: What the fire officials have informed me is that, with these additional measures and what they’ve seen in Seattle, they have not seen a significant increase in any way to the effectiveness of the safety measures for that building.

We’re going to continue to work with fire officials, but it’s vitally important that we look at this housing crisis with a new lens, try to create more suites that are bigger for families, allow for bigger bedrooms. That’s the balance we’ve found in this change. We’re going to continue to engage with fire officials as we move forward.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Misty Van Popta: You cannot use flawed data. You cannot compare rural B.C. paid on call halls with Seattle — different requirements.

The Fire Chiefs Association of B.C., the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters Association and the Greater Vancouver Fire Chiefs Association: they’re who is ringing the alarm bell on this issue.

[2:20 p.m.]

A single point of egress simply puts lives at risk. It is the government’s job to keep our people safe. My municipality has invested $50 million in the last two years alone for our constituents and for our firefighters. This Premier needs to look up into this gallery and tell the firefighters and the members sitting here today and out on the front lines, as we speak, why they are cutting fire safety in British Columbia.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: First off, I have to correct the member. These buildings are not allowed in rural communities. The member implied that rural communities are included. It’s only in communities where there’s a professional fire service. That’s an important measure. Perhaps the member might want to check in with where she got that source from.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: The member is again incorrect, but that’s okay. We’ll continue with the question.

It’s important, and I can share with the member, that just this last week, another important research out of the U.S. was released by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members.

Member.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: The member says that this is Canada and not the U.S. When we voted to send Trump a message last week, five of their members voted with the U.S., and now they’re lecturing us.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Both sides. Both sides, order, Members.

Surrey-Cloverdale.

Members.

The minister will conclude.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, the Pew charitable society did a review of New York and Seattle, and over the last 15 years, they could find no evidence that with sprinkler systems and all the safety measures put in, these buildings are less safe.

We continue to look at the research. We continue to find ways to make sure that we can continue to have more housing options, bigger units for families that are much-needed in all of our communities and done in a safe way.

Kootenay Lake Ferry Labour Dispute

Harman Bhangu: The Kootenay ferry strike is costing locals financially, but it’s devastating their mental health.

A woman from Kootenay Lake contacted me and said that due to the ferry strike, her husband’s work has cut his hours, costing him $1,000 a month and his pride. They’re falling behind on their bills, Fortis is threatening to cut off their power, and she fears her husband will self-harm again.

Eight years ago today, I lost my father. I have witnessed seeing how my mom’s hardships were, being a single mother afterwards.

My question to you: will this government finally act and designate increased ferry service levels as essential so Kootenay families and businesses can get their lives back?

Hon. Jennifer Whiteside: I thank the member for the question.

I want to say that I understand that people in the Kootenays rely on the ferry system, and I appreciate that they are frustrated with the current disruptions caused by the dispute.

I know that the parties have been at the table, all last week and through the weekend. I have urged the parties to work with urgency and diligence to resolve this collective bargaining dispute so that life can get back to normal for folks in the ferries. I continue to state and to send that message, that we need folks to be bargaining with urgency and diligence. We need them to move through and conclude this process so that folks in the Kootenays can get back to normal.

Kiel Giddens: The opposition has been calling on the Minister of Labour to designate better essential service levels during the Kootenay Lake labour dispute. Residents and businesses shouldn’t have to suffer. We’ve also been clear that we support getting a fair contract through negotiations.

The minister does have tools and yet has continued to stay on the sidelines, even though there are clear options. It’s time to get Vince Ready on speed dial or a senior minister or senior mediator.

To the minister, will she commit today to appointing a special mediator?

[2:25 p.m.]

Hon. Jennifer Whiteside: Again, thank you to the member for the question.

I understand how frustrating it is for the community when important services are not available.

I will just remind the House that the phrase “essential service” has very specific meaning and definition under the B.C. Labour Relations Code and that this dispute is, in fact, governed by….

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member. Member.

Minister will conclude.

Hon. Jennifer Whiteside: This dispute is, in fact, governed by the Labour Relations Code. The board has issued an essential services order, and I know that the board is monitoring that order and that there is, of course, opportunity for community members to express their concerns to the board.

I will say that my message to the parties in this dispute is: ensure that you are working with urgency and diligence to resolve this dispute.

Job Creation in Private Sector

Gavin Dew: It took a near-death political experience for the Premier to decide he wanted to reset his relationship with the business community. What gets measured gets managed in business. A series of NDP Jobs ministers have delivered virtually zero private sector job growth, while public sector employment swole by 36 percent under this government. Yet this Premier keeps rewarding failure by promoting his failed Jobs ministers.

Two questions. Can the Premier tell the business community what measurable target he has given his latest Jobs minister for private sector job growth in 2025? And can he tell us what it would take to actually get fired from his cabinet for poor performance, or does he only fire people for being Jewish?

Hon. Diana Gibson: The member opposite is leaning on rhetoric rather than fact. B.C.’s unemployment rate has been below the national average. In January, B.C. gained 10,300 private sector jobs, third highest among the provinces for private sector job growth. Just to clarify, in case the member opposite has failed to hear that properly, that’s private sector job growth.

B.C. has outpaced this nation in real GDP growth. B.C. has been amongst the leading provinces in the last five years and continues to leverage significant private sector investment and will continue to do so as we face what is an unprecedented challenge. We know, north and south of the border, citizens and businesses are going to be hurt deeply by the tariffs, and these threats that are coming are economic challenges we’re facing.

Our government is standing strong with businesses across B.C., working to strengthen our economy. We expect that both sides of the House should be stepping up to lean into real facts and figures and really work with our businesses to respond to this challenge.

Government Response to Deaths of
Children and Youth in Care
and Systemic Inequality

Amelia Boultbee: Last year 103 children died while receiving government services from MCFD.

Given that only nine of the current 72 recommendations from the Representative for Children and Youth have been implemented, my question is: what immediate actions is the Minister of Children and Family Development taking to ensure that no further deaths occur on MCFD’s watch?

Hon. Jodie Wickens: I want to thank the member for the question. Any time a child dies in this province, it is devastating and horrific. I wake up every single morning and go to bed every single night with the sacred stories of children in this province.

[2:30 p.m.]

Any time a child or family comes into interaction with MCFD, it can be at some of the most challenging times of their lives. Our front-line workers have some of the most challenging work that they have to do.

Immediately our government stood up, after the Don’t Look Away report that was tabled by the Representative for Children and Youth, and immediately took action to ensure that our social workers and front-line workers were looking at checking in with families, ensuring that they had the supports and services that they needed.

Over the last number of years, we have increased our front-line workforce by 20 percent. There’s always more work to be done. I look to working with the member opposite on this file collaboratively and will continue to work diligently every day.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Amelia Boultbee: Over the last three years, 62 percent of the children in care that died were Indigenous. Again, to the Minister of Children and Family Development, what is being done to address the systemic inequality that is leading to the disproportionate deaths of Indigenous children?

Hon. Jodie Wickens: There are a disproportionate number of Indigenous youth in this province due to the impacts of the residential school system and colonization.

There are a number of steps that we are taking. We know that children and youth have better outcomes when they’re connected to their culture, their family and their communities. Our province was the very first province to hire an Indigenous child welfare director. We are working with Indigenous communities to ensure the resumption of jurisdiction over children and families in this province. We have signed four coordination agreements and are working very closely with Indigenous communities because we know that they love their children and are able to care for their children best.

There is still more work to be done. I’m committed to working with the member opposite on this.

Indigenous Youth Overdose Deaths
and Management of Safe Supply

Heather Maahs: In the last five years, 318 Indigenous youth have died from overdose. More and more every day. Many of these deaths were a result of the government’s safe supply experiment. It’s tragic when any child dies, but this government continues to feed the fire that is consuming our youth.

How many more deaths, how many more children have to die before this government will end this experiment?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you to the member for the question. It is an incredibly serious one, and one that we know has impacted the lives of people in British Columbia, communities large and small.

The member is correct that this has disproportionately impacted Indigenous communities, and that’s why it is so important that we continue to take every step possible through the entire spectrum of...

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Please finish.

Hon. Josie Osborne: That’s why we’re going to continue to invest in prevention, in mental health supports for youth, in mental health supports specifically for Indigenous peoples, in treatment and recovery so that we build up the full continuum of care and do everything that we can to remove the scourge of this toxic drug crisis.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I have the honour to present the 2023-2024 annual report of the Islands Trust.

This fulfills a trust statutory obligation to prepare the annual report that includes a summary of Trust council, executive committee and local trust committee operations, along with the annual report of the Islands Trust Conservancy and audited financial statements.

[2:35 p.m.]

The annual report outlines the diversity of work the Islands Trust and Islands Trust Conservancy undertook over the past year to support communities, safeguard sensitive ecosystems and manage development in this special area of British Columbia.

Hon. Brenda Bailey: I respectfully present the Approved Guarantees and Indemnities Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, Section 72(8).

I have two more reports.

Pursuant to the Financial Administration Act, I am pleased to present the reports for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, on all amounts borrowed by government and all amounts loaned to government bodies. These reports provide an overview of the province’s borrowing activity in fiscal ‘23-24.

Finally, I have the honour to present the Public Service Benefit Plan Act Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.

Hon. Sheila Malcolmson: I have the honour to table today the 2023 annual report for British Columbia’s poverty reduction strategy. This report provides a comprehensive list of actions across government that contributed to reducing poverty in the 2023 calendar year, as required by legislation.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert: I have the honour to present the B.C. Arts Council Annual Report 2023-2024 and supporting documentation.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth: I call continued second reading debate on Bill 4.

Á’a:líya Warbus: Hon. Speaker, I seek leave to make an introduction.

The Speaker: Is leave granted?

Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

Á’a:líya Warbus: I’d like to welcome my former MLA, who was in his seat but maybe has moved, Barry Penner, who served Chilliwack and was a House Leader here during his time as well. He has come to sit with us today. I just wanted to make him feel very welcome.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Second Reading of Bills

Bill 4 — Business Practices and
Consumer Protection
Amendment Act, 2025
(continued)

Deputy Speaker: Good afternoon, everybody. We are going to enjoy the afternoon discussing Bill 4, the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act, 2025. We will go to our first speaker, the member for North Vancouver–Seymour.

Susie Chant: I rise in a continuation of my support of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act amendments.

As I begin, I gratefully acknowledge I am speaking on the lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, the Songhees and Esquimalt, in particular.

I also wish to acknowledge appreciation to the səlilwətaɬ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations, on whose unceded territory the riding of North Vancouver–Seymour is situated.

The key changes that are proposed in this legislation will help raise consumer awareness and allow for enhanced enforcement, particularly in the areas of predatory practice. The changes will hold businesses accountable for their practice and establish an expectation that consumer protection is incorporated into all transactions.

This will be achieved through requiring businesses to provide contract terms and conditions right up front, to include improved remedies for consumers related to renewal, cancellation, return and refund policies, particularly pertinent to goods and services bought online, and bringing greater transparency to contracts related to pre-purchase.

[2:40 p.m.]

Additionally, notification requirements will be established for automatic subscription renewals, with restrictions placed on significant contract changes occurring without the subscriber’s consent.

Contract terms that restrict participation in class action lawsuits, restrict consumer reviews or require private arbitration for disputes — these will now be prohibited.

Direct sales of high-cost products, items that typically cost more than $1,000, will be banned, as will the offering of credit as part of a direct sale. This step will address and reduce the risks of predatory sales tactics. Consumers will have more transparent options to cancel contracts under specified conditions.

Finally, consumers will be able to use the Civil Resolution Tribunal to adjudicate disputes under the amended legislation.

Implementing these new changes will enhance consumer awareness and the capacity for enforcement. This, in turn, will prevent and reduce predatory practices while enabling the capacity to hold businesses accountable. These amendments promote affordability and fairness, increasing the ability for the people of British Columbia to access information and tools that are important in making informed decisions regarding the purchase of goods and services.

As always, these amendments have gone through a rigorous consultation process involving both public and private stakeholders and are designed to promote fairness, transparency and fiscal inclusion for all consumers. Public surveys, consultation with industry and stakeholder engagement forums were conducted to determine a clear understanding of current consumer challenges and business impacts. Input was also provided by consumer advocacy groups, financial institutions and legal experts.

These amendments will also bring British Columbia into alignment with other leading consumer laws in the country.

For some businesses, it will mean updating policies and contracts and disclosures to ensure that they are in compliance with the new rules. This work will be supported by Consumer Protection B.C. so that businesses will be informed about the impact on them.

Consumer Protection B.C. will also oversee enforcement and penalties of a maximum of $50,000 for a business and $5,000 for a person. CPBC is an independent entity funded through licence and compliance fees that are paid by businesses — not tax dollars.

As of royal assent, some of these changes will be immediately in effect, whereas some of them will be enacted later, allowing businesses to make the required adjustments to bring them into compliance.

I will willingly support Bill 4, amending the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, and I thank you for the opportunity to finish my speaking.

Deputy Speaker: The Chair will recognize the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions.

Hon. Adrian Dix: Thank you very much, hon. Speaker. It’s great to see you in the chair.

It’s my first opportunity since the election to speak on legislation, to speak on the throne speech. It is, as you know, hon. Speaker, and as all members know — whether this is your first session of the Legislature or your more-than-first session of the Legislature, as it is in my case — an enormous privilege. It’s a privilege to speak to this consumer protection legislation put forward by my colleague the Attorney General, because it is a significant improvement and gives value and support and agency to consumers in our society.

I think that’s an important thing to understand: the purpose of this. It’s in a tradition of actions taken by the province under many governments to ensure that the marketplace works for consumers, whether they themselves be business people or other people in society, to give them agency in commercial relationships and relationships between buyers and sellers that we would like to see as equal but are rarely equal.

It is, of course, a profoundly changing marketplace. When the previous B.C. Liberal government brought in the most recent version of the act that we are amending today, the B.C. Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, in 2004, most of us, if we think of this Legislature as typical, would not have had any kind of online commercial relationship.

[2:45 p.m.]

In fact, at the time, that number would have been, if you think of this Legislature of 93, about nine of us. Now, in this time, that number would be about 80 of us who would be involved in online relationships.

It’s why it’s important when circumstances change to make changes in legislation so that those profound power imbalances that can take place in society between us as consumers, between smaller businesses and larger businesses…. So that there is a place for people, fundamentally, to be heard.

That’s fundamental to consumer protection legislation everywhere — that right to be heard. You see that reflected here in this bill: the right to redress, the right to ensure that there is common understanding and education and the right to a business environment. That is important, I would argue, for businesses and consumers alike and for all people in society.

We all have our own experiences. In my life, we grew up in the family of a small business. My dad and I came to British Columbia in 1969, and he opened a business on 41st Avenue in Vancouver. He served in that business between 1969 and 2011, when he retired at the age of 82. See, we all have a while left. We work long and hard in my family, I think, and in lots of families, especially in small business families.

He believed in service. We always used to kid him. My brother is a business person, and he always used to kid him that he saw his business as something of a social agency. But it was true. When my dad passed away in 2013, two years later, many, many of his former clients came to his memorial service. They came because getting service from him, learning from him in an area about which he was expert…. The fact that he was there when they needed him, not just when he needed them, was fundamental to what a good business person does.

He always advocated for strong laws, always advocated for consumer protection, because he knew that that didn’t just favour the consumer; it favoured the businesses that were acting in the interests of their clients and their customers. It favoured them — consumer protection legislation.

This legislation, which is important, serves to bring the 2004 act up to date with certain changes, just as the changes brought in in 2009 around payday loans did the same thing. Why I think it’s so valuable, the work that the Attorney General has done on this legislation…. In this case, the proposed changes require businesses to provide important contract terms up front. The intent of this, particularly for online orders, will be to bring more transparency to pre-purchase contracts. That makes sense. That’s in the interest of business. That’s in the interest of consumers.

To introduce notification requirements for automatic subscription renewals and restrict significant contract changes without the customer’s consent…. Yes, in a world where our relationships and the way that we did subscriptions…. I think when I was growing up and was delivering newspapers in Vancouver, we would have subscription contracts that were guided somewhat differently. We, in this case paper-boys, as we used to describe ourselves, would sign the contract with newspaper subscribers in person. We knew them. We saw them every day.

Well, the relationship with online subscriptions and online services is different today and requires changes in the law, especially with respect to automatic subscription renewals. All of us, I think, or many of us here, would see this relating to the work we do. Certainly the imposition of this change would only affect those who are not acting in the interests of their customers.

That you prohibit contract terms that restrict participation in class action lawsuits, restrict consumer reviews or require private arbitration for disputes…. This makes sense. Indeed, I think it’s fair to say that it is important in every place that a contract once signed does not restrict one’s basic rights as a citizen of Canada.

[2:50 p.m.]

That we ban direct sales of high-cost household products, such as air conditioners and furniture, and prohibit the offer of credit as part of a direct sale…. This reduces, as one might expect, the risk of predatory sales tactics. To provide clear pathways for consumers to cancel contracts under specified circumstances. Finally, to give consumers — and this is of benefit to consumers — the ability to use the Civil Resolution Tribunal to adjudicate disputes under the act.

I would say that it is part of a general effort to make the law more accessible, that the Attorney General has been part of, her predecessor, now the Premier, as Attorney General has been part of. Not just them, but other Attorneys General in the recent history of British Columbia. These changes will improve consumer awareness, indeed, and improve enforcement measures to crack down on predatory practices. It means holding people accountable when they do not act according to good business practices. It reflects, in our view, a commitment to affordability and fairness and to a market that works for businesses and for consumers.

I think it reflects part of the evolution of consumer protection that we’ve seen in Canada. I think that if you look at the history of consumer protection in Canada, you can see that the most important period in consumer protection — it was a transformative period — actually started around World War II.

We saw the elimination, often, of a traditional market and the need and the involvement, in particular…. Because of the nature of World War II, the fact that we had — disproportionately those who served overseas were men — women involved in the process of ensuring a fair allocation in the market at a time when goods were being restricted in our society…. Then after the war, as we emerged from all of that as a society, consumer organizations started to ensure again that consumers had fair access to consumer products and were treated fairly in the marketplace. This is the history of consumer protection.

Of course, later on, the organizations, the Consumer Association of Canada, that started out of that were dynamic organizations here and in other jurisdictions. The one in the United States, and the newspaper that they founded, Consumer Reports, was one of the most significant instruments of public policy in modern American post-war history, just as our consumer organizations were here in Canada.

That advocacy, which was important in the 50s and 60s, led to something that was exceptional. It happened in this Legislature, led by surely one of the most remarkable women leaders in the history of the B.C. New Democratic Party — an MLA for Vancouver–Little Mountain, in fact — Phyllis Young, who introduced the first Consumer Protection Act in B.C. She was the first minister responsible for consumer protection in B.C.

She came from Vancouver. She was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I had the honour to have met her in her life. She passed away tragically early, at the age of 58. But she had an enormous impact on public policy. Yes, around issues of women’s rights, she was a legend. I think she would be very honoured and very proud that the new member for Vancouver–Little Mountain, the minister, is here in the House. She’d be very proud that she was elected with such a remarkable majority in that constituency. Phyllis Young would be proud of that.

She and that government, which was a profoundly activist government at the time, brought in, for the first time, consumer protection legislation. And it was important because it had been it had been a period of high-profile scams — many of which, around televisions and around vacuum cleaners, were famous at the time in Vancouver. I will not regale you with that history, although we could perhaps do that on another occasion or perhaps if I were the designated speaker, which I am not.

But I would say that at that time, these were identified frequently by members of the media, who played a very significant role, at the time and in the period after that, in consumer protection, but which the government could do nothing about.

[2:55 p.m.]

The idea of consumer protection at the time was people could do whatever they wanted, and if they were caught, maybe they’d make restitution, and that was that. Phyllis Young thought that was unacceptable and introduced legislation that essentially said, “Not just buyer beware,” because it’s not one part of the relationship, “but buyer and seller beware.”

And that was a fundamental change that was made in legislation, and it made a profound difference. And that legislation, while it changed over time…. And frequently, consumer legislation gets changed over time when an issue arises and so something is added to the legislation.

But that legislation was so significant, and its principles, which were some of the principles I stated at the beginning — the right to redress, the right to be heard, ensuring consumer education and ensuring a healthy market environment for consumers and business — were so valuable that the legislation, the core of the legislation, while it was improved, remained in place for the following 30 years before a significant review took place.

That review took place under the previous government. It led to the creation, as we know, of the current structure with Consumer Protection B.C., which is, essentially, an independent agency that has a self-funding model out of fees that are in place today.

So that change was made in 2004. It reflected a significant difference. But also, I think we’ve seen, in the period between the creation of consumer protection legislation in B.C. at that time in 1974 and the present, significant other changes. We’ve seen, for example — I know this, and people will know this — most television stations, most radio stations that were news-oriented, many newspapers had consumer reporters. We’ve seen, as we know, and we’re seeing in many communities, the disappearance of that — less of a role on the consumer side for reporters. That’s a significant loss in terms of bringing issues to people’s attention.

The consumer associations themselves have declined. They used to have, in Canada, hundreds of thousands of members. They have considerably less now.

In fairness, we’ve also seen other evolutions. With respect to B.C. Hydro, for example, you see that the regulation for consumers effectively comes under the Utilities Commission Act, a public monopoly, or in the case of FortisBC and its monopoly territories, the same thing. You see the B.C. Utilities Commission playing that role in engagements and organizations such as the Public Interest Advocacy Centre over periods holding people accountable in those places.

And of course — there’s always a counterpart to these things — a very significant role for people in the social media and the Internet age in raising issues around businesses as well. We have an active, shall we say, online market, whether it’s an efficient online market all the time, an active online market for businesses and everyone else….

So we are in a period where we’ve seen significant evolution. In 2004, we saw a shift back, I would argue, to less oversight, a less significant overseeing role.

And finally, I would just say one thing. And that’s why I give real credit to the Attorney General in bringing this forward. Historically, and in Canada, we…. And remember, the ministry in the national sphere, because much consumer protection…. If you look at our constitutional responsibilities, really, they’re shared and kind of equalized between the national government and the provincial government. In this case of consumer protection, there’s a critical role for the national government.

But even in national governments, we’ve seen that we’ve gone from having ministers of consumer and corporate affairs. We do. We all remember people who were around at the time: André Ouellet, who was a federal Liberal, who held that position for a very long time.

We’ve seen a shift away from stand-alone consumer ministries to it being part of a broader ministry — in this case, of the Attorney General. That’s why I think it’s so valuable that the Attorney General has given such priority to this legislation and brought it forward here today.

These are the evolutions that have been in place over time, and it’s why I would argue that this legislation today that we’re debating at second reading is so important, because over time, circumstances have changed. They’ve changed in the marketplace. They’ve changed for businesses. And they’ve changed for consumers. But what hasn’t changed is the nature of risk, in particular, for consumers in dealing with, often, giant organizations, who are not located anywhere near you, in effect.

[3:00 p.m.]

They’re located…. Their relationship with you is frequently an online relationship. The transparency around contracts is so important. It does imply and require ourselves to take a role in things.

But when you get a relationship with someone over the Internet — you want to subscribe to something or you want to have some sort of ongoing relationship with something on the internet — and you receive, for example, terms of contract that’s pages and pages long and really all you really want to do is read the newspaper in question or the magazine in question or anything else, the tendency is to say: “I agree.”

Well, there are a few things you can’t agree with, and one of them is the waiving of your legal rights. There are a few things you shouldn’t have to agree to, which is the waiving of your ability to get out of a contract at the end of the contract. A few things you shouldn’t be able to waive, like the requiring of private arbitrations when public arbitrations are possible. There are a few things you shouldn’t be able to waive, like the right to basic transparency and when services are not provided, the right to cancel.

That’s what this legislation does. It, in effect, gives consumers, individuals, the ability to respond to the specific requirements of now and to have consumer protection agency, which would have been very different in a time when most sales were door to door, and has transformed those sales when most sales, or lots of sales, are not door to door but are online, that one has to have different tools and different circumstances.

So I think what we have here, then, is a real path to what Phyllis Young put forward to the people of B.C. in 1974, to what the present Attorney General, of whom I think Ms. Young would also be exceptionally proud, put forward here today.

That’s why I really encourage the opposition to support this legislation. I encourage them to stand with the government and to stand with consumers; to stand with small businesses, who themselves are frequently consumers of larger businesses; to stand with people in B.C.; to acknowledge that circumstances change over time and that a 20-year review of legislation that involved the business community and involved consumer groups and involved many other people is a reasonable basis to move forward with legislation; and to, in effect, say and appreciate that this is not an ideological question, unless your ideology is that you don’t believe consumers should have rights in the face of powerful interests. Well, I think they should.

I think small businesses should have rights in the face of bigger businesses. I think the law should work for people. That’s why we put forward consumer protection legislation. It’s why a Social Credit government brought in the B.C. Utilities Commission Act to support and give consumers and others a voice in energy decisions in a time of monopoly. It’s why we bring forward human rights legislation to ensure that the individual in particular and groups in society are not disadvantaged in processes, that they have access to the very laws that the Charter of Rights has enshrined — in the very rights they’ve enshrined.

It’s why I think that businesses in their relationships with government…. And this was a change brought in at that same time, in 1974. In 1974, the right of individuals to sue the government was brought in, in this legislature, by the Dave Barrett government. It wasn’t brought in on some ideological question. It was brought in to ensure a form of accountability and right for citizens in a time when life is becoming more complex, not less complex.

[3:05 p.m.]

In case you want to say that the 1974 thing was an NDP thing, to put it in context, the Ontario legislation was introduced at the same time by an Ontario Conservative government and the Quebec legislation brought in at the same time by a Quebec Liberal government. That those pieces of legislation, of which B.C.’s was the outstanding example…? Why, even after the NDP government lost, the legislation was maintained? It was because it was a belief that individuals against powerful interests have a right to basic justice, and in their roles in societies, consumers would have that right.

So I want to encourage the opposition to look at the actual changes, not an idea about the changes but the actual changes put in place here, which protect their constituents and mine against predatory practices, which protect their constituents and mine against the taking away of their basic rights, that provide their constituents and mine the right to have education about what we’re purchasing — to know what it is we’re purchasing. All of those things, I think, make this legislation worthy of support. Buyer beware, yes. Seller beware as well.

This is one aspect, I think…. What I’ve always believed can bring us together as a Legislature…. I believe the legislation in 1974 was passed with the support of all parties in the House. This legislation, in this form, updates legislation that was put in place by the previous B.C. Liberal government under Mr. Campbell. This updates that legislation. When the NDP came in, we didn’t tear that legislation down. We built on it to protect people in the circumstance of payday loans because they needed protection. Individuals in the community needed protection.

Why in this case, when circumstances change, when the nature of the relationship between buyer and seller changes, when some of those relationships become complicated in a way that consumers might not reasonably be able to understand them, that we shouldn’t have a 2004 law; we should have a 2024 law.

So I encourage all members of the House, regardless of party, to support this legislation. It was brought forward with full consultation. It’s thoughtful. It’s specific. It responds to specific issues. It makes things better because it brings a better business climate. It rewards businesses who treat their customers with respect. It absolutely does. And that’s an important thing in any market-based society.

I suggest to you that it does what we all came here to do: to be a voice for our constituents, to give the individuals and our individual constituents more authority and more voice and more power to protect their own interests. That’s what this legislation does, and I encourage all members of this House to support it.

Deputy Speaker: The chair will recognize the member for Ladysmith-Oceanside.

Stephanie Higginson: Thank you, hon. Speaker. I also just want to recognize and congratulate you on being in the chair. We have a mutual friend from your riding who would actually be quite tickled by this exchange right now.

I want to also recognize that I’m speaking on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking people of the SXIMEȽEȽ and Songhees Nations, whose stewardship of this land since time immemorial I am grateful for.

My mom is going to be very excited. This is my second time speaking today. She’s going to be very excited about that. She’s got lots to do tonight now.

I want to recognize that I stand in support of Bill 4, the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act. I want to recognize the Minister of Energy and Climate for the history lesson on consumer protection. I just learned a lot about consumer protection. As a student of history, it’s hard for me to learn new things, and that was actually quite interesting, so thank you for that.

I just want to say that I was in the chambers last week when the member for Richmond-Queensborough spoke about this bill. If one listened and believed everything that was said, small businesses across the land, nationally, I believe, would be forced out of business because of these amendments. He even went so far as to talk about small mom-and-pop corner stores who would be threatened by these amendments.

I have to say, you know, I’ve talked about this. My family is a small business owner, and I was actually a bit offended by the representation that was given by the member for Richmond-Queensborough. These amendments to the British Columbia Consumer Protection Act are about predatory and opportunistic business practices. As a business owner, from a family of business owners, if you are feeling worried or threatened about these practices, then the issue is not with the amendments. The issue is with the business practices that are being employed by those who are feeling threatened by them.

As a small business owner, my family strives to build good and trusting relationships with our clients, because that’s what brings them back to purchase more products from us.

[3:10 p.m.]

This is what makes them want to recommend us to their friends, to purchase products from us. We are interested in profiting from our good relationships, our good business practices and, most importantly, being known for the quality and integrity of our good products.

As business owners, we welcome legislation that allows consumers to feel confident in entering into a business relationship with us. While I constantly refer to “us,” I’m actually referring to my husband, who is the owner-operator of our family business. I listen to him on the phone all the time. He says things like “we,” and I say: “Who is the we? Because it’s all you.” He said: “Well, it’s our family business.” He strives every day to show our children that integrity matters, and he demonstrates that with his honest, fair and reliable business practices and relationships.

These amendments are not a threat to small businesses. They are a threat to corporate greed that erodes the trust that my spouse works so hard every day to build with his customers. These amendments are not directed at the corner store in your neighbourhood. Who has a contract with their corner store? The last time we had amendments to this bill was in 2004. We were still renting movies from our corner stores, so there were contracts perhaps in place in 2004. But I can’t think of a contract that I’ve held with the corner store in my neighbourhood ever, and I’ve lived there for almost 15 years now. These are not directed at honest, hard-working small businesses like my family business.

I also heard concerns, from the members opposite, for small online business owners who may be negatively impacted by predatory consumers, particularly in today’s world where so many people are buying things online. But what I hear from some of those business owners is a concern that due to the rise in predatory business practices, consumers are becoming weary of purchasing online, which is negatively affecting honest business owners. They have been able to expand into markets they previously couldn’t sell to because of the online opportunities. They rely on these customers, and they’re seeing these predatory business practices impact their own business. So this will support them in creating consumer confidence.

These amendments are directed at online and predatory contractual business practices. The proposed amendments to the consumer protection laws in British Columbia will crack down on predatory sales practices, such as drip pricing that was outlined in a class action lawsuit against TicketMaster; trap-by-design contracts, outlined by a CBC story last December, where consumers expressed frustration with telecom contracts that allowed for unexpected price increases on TV, Internet and home phone bills. Some people still have home phone. I still have a home phone plan. Even my parents don’t have one, but I still have one.

These amendments will also ensure people are better protected when making new purchases. These important amendments are needed because British Columbia’s consumer protection laws were last updated in 2004, and, as we heard previously, the market has evolved significantly since then.

The proposed legislative changes modernize the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act to reflect contemporary business practices. They are designed to promote contract fairness and transparency and strengthen consumer rights, particularly for vulnerable folks and particularly for seniors. The members opposite have actually banged their desks, calling for transparency, and banged their desks at the throne speech that did not represent seniors enough. And that’s exactly what these amendments will do: create transparency and add a layer of protection for seniors.

The key proposed changes in this legislation will require businesses to provide important contract terms up front, including improved remedies for consumer-related renewals, cancellations, returns and refund policies, particularly for online orders, bringing more transparency to pre-purchase contracts.

I live in the country. We actually have to now purchase a lot of clothing online, and the first thing I do is look to see what the return policy is. If I can’t find it, I don’t purchase from these people. This will make things more transparent for consumers.

It will introduce notification requirements for automatic subscription renewals and restrict significant contract changes without the customer’s consent.

[3:15 p.m.]

It will prohibit contract terms that restrict participation in class action lawsuits, restrict consumer reviews or require private arbitration for disputes. It will ban direct sales of high-cost household products such as air conditioners and furnaces, prohibit offering credit as part of direct sales and reduce the risk of predatory sales tactics.

It will provide a clear pathway for consumers to cancel contracts under specified conditions, and it will give consumers the ability to use the Civil Resolution Tribunal to adjudicate disputes, under the BPCPA.

Consumers are facing increasing risks of fraud, and vulnerable people — such as seniors, newcomers, individuals with disabilities and those with lower incomes — are often targeted by predatory business practices. These amendments address these issues by improving consumer rights, protections and transparency.

The B.C. seniors advocate has said: “Our office hears from seniors who have fallen victim to scams and purchased an item or service that they didn’t need due to high-pressure sales tactics.” Many older British Columbians live on fixed incomes and take great care with their finances; therefore, giving seniors and others space to review contracts in advance and prohibiting home sales will reduce the opportunity for older people to buy products and services that they don’t need and can’t afford.

I’m a child of divorced parents, which means I’m lucky enough to have not just two but four parents. That number recently dwindled to three, but combined with my parents-in-law, my husband and I work to support five seniors who don’t actually need a lot of support from us except for when it comes to these issues.

I have to tell you that the amount of people out there trying to take advantage of seniors, both through scams and predatory business practices, is upsetting and heartbreaking. Our seniors — honestly, I feel like they have to live like ninjas to avoid falling prey to so many of these dishonest people who are targeting them.

Recently, in the past year, my dad passed away and spent a lot of time in the hospital. I spent a lot of time in the hospital with my dad. During that time, I was often in control of his phone. It was shocking to me to witness the amount that he was targeted. I just spent the whole time saying: “Dad, do you know this person?” “No.” “Block.” “Do you know this person?” “No.” “Block.” People asking for money, people convincing him they were his friends.

I know this isn’t exactly what we’re talking about here, but it is a layer of protection for people who are facing a barrage of illicit practices aimed at taking advantage of them. When my dad died, we didn’t even have an obituary because the risk after printing an obituary of having your identity stolen has skyrocketed. These are the types of things that vulnerable people are facing. These amendments will add a layer of protection for them when they’re already facing a barrage of predatory practices aimed at them. They will ensure that customers and consumers are aware of their rights and that they are protected.

Strengthening consumer protection laws reflects our government’s commitment to affordability and fairness, to ensuring British Columbians have the tools and information needed to make informed purchases.

In closing, as I said earlier, there are so many scams and so much dishonesty in the market targeting vulnerable people. This will provide one more layer of protection for folks as they weave and bob through these high-pressure tactics. I’m thankful to my colleague the Attorney General and her team for their work on these long-overdue updates on the British Columbia Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act.

Jennifer Blatherwick: I rise today to speak in favour of the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act as proposed by the Hon. Attorney General.

I acknowledge we are standing on the traditional land of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking peoples, now known as the Songhees and SXIMEȽEȽ Nations.

I live on the unceded lands of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm.

This act is put forward before the House to ensure that the people of B.C. will be better informed before entering into contracts with companies for goods and services and to modernize the legislation that ensures stronger protections for consumers.

[3:20 p.m.]

These changes are important because they protect both sides of the transaction — consumers, but also good, honest businesses who are providing solid value for consumer dollars.

Transparency and dependability are key for business. Predatory practices can lead to short-term gain, but ultimately, they destabilize business and create distrust for the industry in general. A breakdown in consumer trust is not easily repaired.

We want to ensure that we have legislation that supports the integrity of transactions and the relationship of trust between consumers and businesses. Protecting that trust is such an important stabilizing factor in B.C.’s economy, especially in hard times like these, when customers tend to be more cautious about spending their hard-earned dollars. We need money flowing to businesses, to their workers and back to the community — businesses that are working hard to have a sustainable business model that creates reliable goods or services for a fair price, because every dollar is going to count for consumers, increasingly so in a new, challenging, unpredictable economic environment.

I want to emphasize that this is especially true to British Columbians who are on restricted incomes. Thank you so much to my fellow colleague for acknowledging the struggle that seniors have when they are being targeted for scams and exploitation. Every unnecessary charge is disproportionately felt in their slimmer pocketbooks. A pensioner on a very fixed income may only have a small amount left over at the end of the month. They will feel that exploitation or an unfair charge or an additional piece of challenge when they are trying to get out of a contract, buy out a contract, return a product. They will feel it that much more acutely than a person who has more padding and more resources.

Disproportionately, this is also often true for women, and especially Indigenous and racialized women, who are more likely to be living on very tight budgets, while supporting their children and family. Any missing dollars from the family bank account really matter, but it’s not just purely about the funds.

It’s also about the time. When families are working hard to ensure that they have food on the table, it’s very difficult for them to find time to fight predatory practices. That’s what these businesses are depending on. They are depending on having more time, more money and more resources than the families that they are trying to exploit.

For families, it becomes about having to make a hard choice: “What activity do I put down to go get on the phone, to go to that office, to go fight that charge? Which moment with my children, my spouse, or even a few precious moments to myself, do I give up in order to pursue this unfair charge or end this predatory contract?” Unscrupulous businesses depend on people giving up. They depend upon themselves, their process being so difficult that families will just give up.

Young people are vulnerable too. I still remember the very first time I got a credit card, and I read that contract over very thoroughly. I’m glad that I did, because it taught me a lesson that I have never forgotten. I think we have all seen, before we get to be an adult…. We have all seen people use credit cards in movies and TV. We never see them read the contract.

I’m so glad that I did, because I learned that if I didn’t pay my balance off in full, every single cent, every month, then I would be charged interest not on the balance remaining but on the entire balance. As a young person who was very unfamiliar with the reality of credit and credit cards, that was shocking to me. And that contract was with a reputable company. The risk is even higher for young people who are looking to contract with a company engaging in predatory practices.

So here is how this legislation will protect consumers. Requiring small businesses to provide important contract terms up front, including improved remedies for consumers around renewing contracts and cancelling. Anyone who has ever tried to end a contract with a business and found roadblocks, delays and obfuscation in the way knows how important this is. Busy parents, working people, small business owners, teachers don’t have time to stay on hold for hours or come to the offices in person between 1:30 and 2:00 on a Tuesday once a month. Simple and clear process should be enough to bring contracts to an end.

[3:25 p.m.]

When I was working for my family business for many, many, many years, one of the things we were very clear about up front, every time, was our return policy. It was posted right there in our business. It was on every single contract. It was so clear. We would go over it with every single customer who made a significant purchase with us, because we wanted to be able to protect ourselves from unfair returns, but we also wanted a customer — who we wanted to come back again — to understand what their obligations and what our obligations were.

Return and refund policies need to be clearly stated and should be easily available to consumers, especially as online shopping becomes more prevalent and predatory retailers can hide behind that screen, making it difficult for buyers to return products for a full refund.

Good businesses strive to make customers happy to ensure they have repeat customers. Predatory businesses will make returns as onerous as possible, hoping people will just give up. This is especially difficult for consumers in situations where the original listing is a misrepresentation of the product, deceptive business practices where the product on offer is an expensive knock-off or, even worse, an inexpensive knock-off of the real item to take money out of the pockets of good businesses, and often small businesses, who are trying to find a living selling products that they love.

We have all seen, in recent years, the use of AI to reproduce the product listings of actual small businesses, further exploiting the labour and the work that those businesses put into providing a good-quality service to customers.

Difficult return policies advantage those companies that produced that low-quality product, that knock-off. Those companies are aware how often consumers will want to send back a product that doesn’t meet expectations. Companies who love their work and care about producing a good product want customers to love what they see. They want the customer to be happy and to return.

Clear guidelines for returns and refunds ensure that there is less incentive for exploitive methods, helping protect consumers and good businesses who produce the things that we are proud to say were made in British Columbia.

This amendment looks to introduce notification requirements for automatic subscription renewals and restrict significant contract changes without the customer’s consent. A contract should be a fair deal, clearly understood between two parties. A contract should be a dependable agreement between two or more parties that creates legal obligation. Contracts are a responsibility, defining the duties and obligations of each party involved. Everyone who signs that contract should be fully informed, not just at the moment of signing but in an ongoing manner. The contract is a guideline for their relationship.

This amendment prohibits contract terms that restrict participation in class action lawsuits, restricts consumer reviews or requires private arbitration for disputes. British Columbians need to be protected when companies breach their contracts or products cause harm, and they need access to fair and open remedy. Restricting participation in class action lawsuits eliminates a route for purchasers to have fair compensation in a cost-effective and judicially overseen manner.

I thank my colleague for mentioning how important it is for British Columbians with small claims to come together to pursue their grievance in a cost-effective manner that allows individuals to act on a more even playing field with businesses.

We’ve already discussed how important it is for our entire economy for companies to be able to build trust with British Columbians and how this disproportionately affects those of the least means. Private arbitration is often a costly, high-risk process for those without funds or time and allows the unscrupulous companies to use high-handed tactics to keep individual consumers from pursuing financial compensation.

I thank my other colleague for recognizing and specifying the outrageousness of some of those required private arbitration requirements. They don’t just cost consumers for the cost of any old arbitration. We’ve seen consumers who are required to go to an in-person arbitration in the Netherlands. Customers are then required to take a trip to Europe, not for a well-deserved vacation but for an onerous negotiation in which they may not even be successful.

This legislation also bans the direct sales of high-cost household products, such as air conditioners and furnaces, and prohibits the offering of credit as part of a direct sale, reducing the risk of predatory sales tactics.

[3:30 p.m.]

We want to protect our constituents from stories like Tracy’s. Tracy was told she would get a real deal when the direct salesperson showed up at her door, but in the end, she had a complicated and restrictive rental contract for her furnace and air conditioner. After she’d paid $7,000 in monthly rental fees, then she realized that the rental cost was approaching the cost of the appliances.

The company told her she’d have to pay another $32,406 to buy out her contract, to actually own those appliances. This was despite her furnace and air conditioner only having a combined cash selling price of $10,000.

After a flood of consumer complaints like this one, Ontario banned unsolicited door-to-door home energy appliance sales in 2018. Alberta has also banned the practice.

In Tracy’s story, two factors combined together to make her vulnerable to this exploitive practice. She was pressured to sign up for her deal when an aggressive salesperson showed up at her home, a place that she felt safe but where she was trapped by the conventions of Canadian politeness and hospitality.

The second factor was the pressure she felt from her life circumstances. It was a brutally hot day. Her air conditioner died. Her brother, who lived with her, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and was finding the heat incredibly difficult. Not only was she trapped in a costly contract; the cost savings the salesperson had promised she would realize by giving up her oil furnace to a new gas one never actually made its way into her pocket, because it was completely offset and overtaken by high rental fees.

The final straw for Tracy came in December 2019, when she tried to refinance her mortgage and discovered that a lien for the air conditioner and furnace had been placed on her home. This meant that not only was she trapped in the rental contract; the lender financing the contract had found a way to lock onto one of her only assets, her home.

Here we go again with the power of disproportionates, between individual consumers and companies that can leverage the systems in place to ensure they can wear down individual people. The company had an aggressive collections department that used high-pressure sales tactics and high-pressure guilt to try and get her to settle that bill. “You’re under a time crunch. You need this paid out. Here’s the payout. If you don’t pay us this amount, we’re not going to take that lien off your property.”

She tried to work with the company by negotiating, but she had no power. So then Tracy had to dig into her savings to engage a lawyer. He determined that her buyout on that original ten-year contract should be about $15,000, not $32,000. But the company’s manager of collections wouldn’t budge on the price.

Eventually, she solved the problem by going public, to the media. Shortly after the negative press, the company was eager to resolve the situation in Tracy’s favour. But not everyone has Tracy’s capacity to persist or the luck to have their story picked up on the local news.

This amendment will give consumers the ability to use the Civil Resolution Tribunal to adjudicate disputes under the B.C. consumer protection act. The new changes will raise consumer awareness and improve enforcement measures to restrict predatory practices and hold businesses accountable. Strengthening consumer protection laws reflects our government’s commitment to affordability and fairness, ensuring that British Columbians have the tools, preparation and information needed to be informed consumers.

This amendment modernizes B.C.’s consumer protection laws by amending the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act to respond to today’s economic environment with auto renewals, online shopping and sophisticated interlocked financial systems.

This amendment is based on public and stakeholder consultation and will add new requirements to consumer contracts that state the terms right up front, not hiding them behind a six-point font or the need to click through. There will be clear renewal, cancellation and refund policies so consumers can understand what it is that they’re buying before they’re locked in.

These changes promote fairness, transparency and financial inclusion for all consumers, especially those who are the most vulnerable and who can least afford to be the victims of predatory practice. Let’s remember that B.C.’s consumer protection laws were last updated in 2004. I know that my colleague referred to flip phones, but I want to emphasize that in my house, we didn’t have those newfangled devices. I had a good old Nokia brick phone, and we walked uphill both ways to school.

My grandparents still had a phone that plugged into the wall that used rotary dial and transmitted sound using piezoelectric crystal. It is consumers like my grandparents that we especially need to protect, to ensure that British Columbians like them will not be preyed upon by unscrupulous companies.

We want consumers, especially our seniors, to be able to trust in companies. As our population ages, we need to ensure that there are protections in place to ensure that there is a standard of expected practice that keeps anyone vulnerable from being exploited.

[3:35 p.m.]

Seniors, newcomers, individuals with disabilities, those with lower incomes are specifically targeted because they have less defence against predatory business practices. We want to protect them from having their limited financial resources drained away by these practices. We also want to ensure that what is often their biggest asset, their home, is not vulnerable to exploitation by companies who want to access the value stored in those homes.

The change in legislation is good, but how will it be enforced to give weight to the law and to ensure that it is truly discouraging unscrupulous practices? Concerns have been raised about whether or not there would be a disadvantage to businesses, especially small ones. It would be helpful, then, to understand the current context and how supportive it is for collaborative compliance before it moves to punitive enforcement.

The Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act has a variety of enforcement tools if a violation occurs under the laws. If a business doesn’t voluntarily comply with their obligations, the enforcement tools are applied in a progressive manner, depending on the severity, depth or repetitive nature of the violation. The results of our enforcement actions are published online. Depending on the severity of the issue, and if it is in the public interest, there may also be information shared more publicly, for example, in a media release.

The CPA has the authority to conduct inspections to determine compliance with legislation. A person is not allowed to obstruct, hinder or interfere with investigations or supply false or misleading information to inspectors. For the purposes of an inspection, the CPA has the same powers that the Supreme Court has for a trial of civil action. They may summon, compel witnesses to give evidence under oath and produce records. If a person fails to comply with the summons, they may face further actions.

If businesses are non-compliant due to a lack of understanding, then the CPA will work with all regulated businesses to educate them on their responsibilities under the laws and regulations. How do you better meet those obligations? There are situations in which lawful, well-intentioned businesses can make mistakes, and it’s important that we work with those owners to ensure that they have the opportunity to correct any errors.

That means that the consumer protection agency will routinely meet with business owners to discuss compliance-related issues and complaints. If warranted, and if that doesn’t solve the challenges, they start with sending warning letters to business owners. Any businesses that are inadvertently in violation can get to voluntary compliance through education and awareness.

If the CPA has reason to believe that a person is violating on purpose or is about to violate or has violated any of the laws overseen by the consumer protection act, that business can choose to accept a written undertaking, a voluntary agreement, that has the terms and conditions appropriate.

Another option for enforcement is the authority to freeze the property of a person or business if they believe it will protect their customers. This action can be taken on shorter notice and is meant to intervene in situations where an ongoing violation may continue to harm the customers.

If a business does not voluntarily comply with a law, there may be a compliance order issued which forces the business to comply. Restitution can be ordered to consumers through a compliance order. A compliance order is filed in the Supreme Court of B.C. and becomes enforceable as any order of the court.

Finally, administrative monetary policies can be imposed as part of the inspection or investigative process. Every contravention has a base penalty amount, based in part on the seriousness of the infraction. From the base amount, decision-makers then have the discretion to recommend a specific penalty amount within a certain range. These monetary penalties are restricted to a maximum of $5,000 for an individual and up to $50,000 for a corporation.

These penalties, amounts and steps are clearly, publicly available on their website. The steps and procedures are meant to bring companies and individuals into compliance while maintaining the health of the businesses.

I want to thank the members of the CPA who pursue their work with diligence and ethics to ensure that British Columbians know that there is an enforcement of fair business rules and that bad actors can face penalties for their action. Care and caution are taken to ensure that companies can make honest mistakes and learn from them and continue on, but companies that try and manipulate or take advantage of British Columbians will receive penalties.

[3:40 p.m.]

Hon. Mike Farnworth: It’s a pleasure today to rise and speak at second reading to Bill 4, legislation that makes amendments to the Consumer Protection Act of our province that will improve the ability of British Columbians to be able to access remedies when they find themselves in a situation that, to put it bluntly, is not fair, has been misleading or is, well, by the standards, I think, of most people, just simply wrong.

British Columbia’s consumer protection ministry has been around since 1974. It was one of the, I think, signature achievements of the Barrett government back in the day.

It’s a piece of legislation that has been part and parcel of our laws in this province ever since then. The last time it was amended was in 2004. And since then — as members will know, and I know you certainly will, hon. Speaker, and myself — the world has changed since 2004, particularly when it comes to how people access and buy and purchase goods and enter into contracts.

The age of the Internet, the age of social media has changed very much how people interact with businesses. It’s changed how they purchase products, and it has left some people very much on the outside, particularly people who are older seniors, and that has been mentioned by previous speakers, an aging population.

What we’re finding is time and time again, there are these incidences of literally vulnerable people being taken advantage of and companies who are being predatory by their actions. They’re a small number. The vast majority of businesses want to do the right thing. They go about their business in a way that is upstanding, in a way that works for everybody, but there are those predatory businesses that don’t do that. They have taken advantage of the changes that we have seen in terms of the Internet, in terms of social media, in terms of the ability to write contracts in a way that, frankly, is one-sided, to put it mildly.

This legislation will make some critical changes in a number of key areas. They will require businesses to provide important contract terms upfront, including improved remedies for consumers around renewal, cancellation, return and refund policies.

What could be wrong with that? What could be wrong with ensuring that we have clear policies spelled out, not only just for the consumer but also for the business in terms of return policies? We know that’s an issue that businesses have been concerned about. We know consumers are wanting to know what the return policy is. It shouldn’t be there in fine print. It shouldn’t be there, as my colleague from Coquitlam-Maillardville has said, in size 2 font where you need, literally, a microscope to be able to read the fine print in the contract.

It shouldn’t be there in a list of…. You get some of these contracts, and they’re like five pages long, and there are more caveats in them than in a U.S. drug commercial you see on TV. It’s plain language in a way that people understand. That’s what’s required.

The legislation will also introduce notification requirements for automatic subscription renewals and restrict significant contract changes without the customer’s consent.

Again, what on earth could be wrong with that? We know what happens in many cases. People go online. They give the credit card online, and they get whatever service or subscription it is, and a lot of times there’s no notification that your subscription is up for renewal. In fact, it just automatically renews, and people don’t realize it.

Then, for many people, the only time they actually find they are able to cancel something is when their credit card expires in one, two, three or four years down the road and a notice comes: “Oh, you owe us for this month because your credit card’s expired.” And then they suddenly realize: “Oh, I’ve still got that subscription.”

That’s a very common problem, because people spend so much time dealing these days, not just paying cash or not paying by cheque, but just tapping their card and going.

It’s one of those things that builds on itself, layer upon layer upon layer of all the different things that people have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

[3:45 p.m.]

Having that kind of transparency, being able to say: “Oh, by the way, you’ve subscribed to whatever service or whatever subscription” — and reminding you three months, or whatever, before — “Do you want to continue?” should be pretty standard. The idea that it’s automatic or it’s difficult to cancel — that’s just not right. It’s just not right.

Prohibit contract terms that restrict participation in class action lawsuits, restrict consumer reviews or require private arbitration for disputes. We live in a day and age where people are often going on about, you know, “free speech, free speech. I’ve got free speech.”

You can’t tell anybody on X or Twitter that they’re offensive. It can’t be taken down, because you’ve got that clown, DOGE head in the White House now, Elon Musk, allowing some of the most vile things that one could possibly say being allowed on a platform that hides behind trolls and bots and you name it, to the point where we know that Twitter is such a toxic, toxic platform that the most vile stuff gets said. Yet someone who has had a bad experience with a service in a contract is not allowed to leave a customer review? That is absolutely insane.

If I’ve got a service, and if I go to a restaurant…. I’ve had this experience. Most of the time I’m satisfied with restaurants. But I do remember going to one restaurant, and the service was terrible. The meal came in a bowl with a big chip in it and a crack in it. The food was absolutely…. I was once described as a bad cook’s best friend, because I’ll eat just about anything put in front of me. But in this particular case, it was literally inedible. Well, the idea that you could not leave a review on that is just not acceptable.

Oh, I left a review, in caps: “Do not eat here.” Then, looking at the thing, a lot of people left that. But there are contracts that say you cannot leave a review. That is just, again, an infringement on basic rights of people in terms not only of free speech but to let other people know of the experience that they have had with a service so that other people can avoid and not suffer either the bad service, the bad product or the bad experience that they have had.

Along with that, you have contracts that say: “Oh, you can’t join a class action suit.” Well, anyone who says you can’t join a class action suit, that should be a red flag right there. Because if you’ve got confidence in your product, if your product has been made in a way…. The service that you do is a legitimate service…. One can think about tobacco companies. Plenty of class action suits have been launched against them. Pharmaceutical companies — class action suits have been launched against them. There’s a contract that says you can’t join a class action suit. Wow, that’s a red flag.

But they’re there. They’re there because they take away your rights as an individual to seek justice, to seek fairness, to seek accountability for a product or a service that you may have purchased. In fact, when you see that, it also tells you it’s not just you, but it’s thousands of other people, tens of thousands of other people potentially, across North America or wherever, who may find out they had the same bad experience or had the same problems that you have had.

Yet a contract has been written in such a way that the remedy which would require a class action is not there for you. Again, that’s just a denial of justice. That is just a denial of justice, and I don’t know how anyone could say that that is fair or that should not be changed.

[3:50 p.m.]

The other in this particular area that, again, has been touched on and — when you think about it — is truly appalling and again reflects two things. One is how things have changed — through the Internet, through social media, through the way the digital world has become so all-encompassing — and the idea that if you did want to, for example, fight the dispute, you could be required to go through a private arbitration process. It’s not a public one, not a government body but a private one.

We know there are cases, examples after examples, where, as has already been mentioned: “Oh, absolutely, of course you can arbitrate. Don’t worry. Yeah, you can arbitrate.” In the fine print, though, you’re going to Toronto; you’re going to the Netherlands. You’re going somewhere far, far away, where they know that you don’t have the money, don’t have the time and are just going to give up. That’s wrong, because if there’s a problem in this province, it should be able to be solved in this province, not having to go to a private arbitration in Toronto or somewhere else.

This legislation comes into line with other provinces, other jurisdictions, which have already been experiencing some of the challenges that I have been talking about and that consumers and individuals face, in the kinds of changes that need to be made with consumer protection legislation.

Another area is to ban direct sales of high-cost household products — again, in place in other jurisdictions in this country. The value of those things is usually classed at around $1,000 or more. It’s one of those things where it could prey on those who are vulnerable, those who often don’t understand the nature of the contract, by people specifically chosen because they have the ability to do, on that doorstep, that high-pressure sale.

I’ve seen it in my previous constituency office. I was working in the back, and someone came door to door selling frozen food. The person in my office was — I don’t want to quite say forced into a corner — certainly coming under increasing pressure to explain why they would not buy this product. It’s one thing if it’s something inexpensive. It’s completely different if it is a high-value product.

As my colleague who spoke before me has outlined, there are challenges in entering into a contract and the ways to get out. There are leasing contracts, for example, where the leasing is actually more than the cost of the goods itself. Those are the kinds of things that we’re trying to deal with, with this legislation.

The idea that somehow this is bad for business could not be further from the truth. As I’ve said a moment ago, 99 percent of businesses do a good job, and they want their customers to be repeat customers, but there’s that 1 percent that can give a whole industry a bad name.

There’s that 1 percent that can cause a lot of pain for people, who shouldn’t have to put up with that — seniors, for example. Young people just entering the job market for the first time have some money in their pocket or have gotten a first credit card. All of a sudden something is being dangled in front of them. “Wow. Oh yeah, I should have that, yes.” They’d need a magnifying glass to read the terms and conditions, because they’re that complex.

That’s what this legislation does. It provides clear pathways for consumers to cancel contracts, under specified conditions. It recognizes the specified conditions. It makes it clear.

Contracts are a two-way street. They are there for the person buying the product; they’re also there for the person who’s selling the product. If they’re fair and written in a way that is balanced, that is easy to understand, that ensures that people are being treated fairly, that there are remedies in place if something is not working, then that’s what needs to happen. That’s what this legislation is all about.

[3:55 p.m.]

It has been a pleasure to rise to speak on Bill 4, which is modernizing B.C.’s consumer protection laws by amending the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act. There has been significant public and stakeholder consultation on this piece of legislation.

It is a piece of legislation that, as I said, has been done with public consultation, stakeholder consultation, and on what is happening in other parts of the country, on how other provinces are responding to the same challenges that consumers are facing here in British Columbia — changes that have come about in large measure because it has been a long time since 2004, since it was last updated, but more importantly because the world that we live in is changing.

The digital economy and the ability to access products or services has evolved in a way that I don’t think most people ever imagined. Certainly I look at my parents’ generation. But one of our responsibilities as government is to keep up with those changes and to ensure that legislation is there, meeting the challenges and meeting the problems that people are facing.

Hon. Speaker, with that, I will take my seat, and thanks for the opportunity to put a few remarks on the record.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much, Minister.

Members, seeing no further speakers, I’ll call on the Attorney General to close debate.

Hon. Niki Sharma: As I wrap up second reading of this bill, I just wanted to thank all the speakers for coming forward and expressing their views.

What’s clear for me, from the debate that has occurred today, is that this bill is going to do a lot of really important things to update and to fulfil government’s role, which is to create a fair marketplace, so that consumers can be protected while we’re balancing off the interests of business. We’re also putting a clear line around what is proper behaviour and conduct and what isn’t, therefore making it a fairer place for consumers and businesses.

I’m just really grateful for all the work and the speakers that have come to date. With that, I move second reading.

Deputy Speaker: Members, the question is second reading of Bill 4, the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act, 2025.

[4:00-4:05 p.m.]

Motion approved unanimously on a division. [See Votes and Proceedings.]

Hon. Niki Sharma: I move that the bill be referred to Committee of the Whole to be considered at the next sitting after today.

Motion approved.

Hon. Mike Farnworth: I call continued address in reply to the throne speech.

Throne Speech Debate
(continued)

Deputy Speaker: We’ll get those having conversations into the hallway, if we could, and we will call on the member for Skeena for her comments on the throne speech.

[4:10 p.m.]

Claire Rattée: It’s an honour to rise today and speak on behalf of the people of Skeena in response to this government’s throne speech.

Before I begin, though, since this is my first speech in this House, I want to take a moment to thank and recognize the people who have supported me on this journey. To my constituents: thank you for your trust. Representing Skeena is the greatest honour of my life, and I will work every day to make sure your voices are heard. To my incredible, supportive family — my parents, grandparents and all of my little sisters and brother — you’ve always been there for me, and I cannot tell you how grateful I am. I would not be the woman I am today without your support, encouragement and moral strength.

To the member for Nechako Lakes for his leadership and faith in me, and to all of my colleagues on both sides of this House: thank you for your commitment to the people of British Columbia. Although we don’t always agree, I know all too well how thankless this position can be and the sacrifice involved, so I appreciate each of you in the role you play in our democracy.

To my employees, Shaylin, Reese, Brendan, Kaylee and Hazel, for holding down the fort back home and stepping up when I needed them. To my amazing campaign volunteers who gave their time and effort to make sure that Skeena had strong representation. I cannot begin to name every single one, but especially Zach, Dave, Julian, Bryce, Jolene, Austin and Suresh. For all of your hard work, I truly thank you.

To the staff that assist me here every day — Brad, Ryan, Marina, Doug, Matthew and countless others — I couldn’t do this without your support. My mentors, Michelle and Cherie, your wisdom and encouragement right from day one of my journey for encouraging me as another young woman in public service…. You have taught me so much about resiliency and bravery. Thank you for being the strong women that you are and for treating me like your own.

To the leaders in my community that paved the way — Crystal, Sean, Phil, Ellis, Glenn and many others — your example of leadership has driven me to be a better role model.

And most important of all, to the love of my life, Colton, for his unwavering support, patience and unconditional love, and to Chelsea, my best friend and my rock, who has supported me through every challenge of the last decade. None of this would be possible without you two. Your sacrifice to support me does not go unnoticed, and I would not be here right now without you. I love you.

Like many British Columbians, I didn’t come from a background in politics. I’m a tattoo artist and an entrepreneur. I’m an average British Columbian, just like the people that I represent. This isn’t a career for me. It’s a responsibility I feel to serve the community that has given me so much and accepted me with open arms. I’ve experienced firsthand the struggles that many people in this province face. I was once homeless, and I’m a recovered addict. By the grace of God and the support of my amazing family, I am here today.

I have seen what it means to struggle. I know what it’s like to feel like you have no options. I know what it’s like to be painfully hungry and cold and not know where to turn. I also know how important it is to have support, equality of opportunity and a government that listens to the people it serves. I don’t say all of this for sympathy or to seem brave; I say it to inspire others to see what they, too, can accomplish.

This is why I got into politics. At 21 years old, I was elected to Kitimat city council, where I served a four-year term. During that time, I worked on major issues that mattered to my community: housing, social programs and economic development. One of my proudest accomplishments was working on the approvals for LNG Canada. Right before my term ended, I saw phase one reach the final investment decision, the single largest private sector investment in Canadian history.

LNG Canada isn’t just a project. It represents opportunity, jobs and prosperity for my riding, this province and this country. It also plays a role in reducing global emissions by providing cleaner energy alternatives.

I also fought to address the housing crisis, helping establish Kitimat’s first emergency weather shelter and working on Douglas Place, a unique and truly affordable housing project. I championed small business and worked to break down barriers to entrepreneurship.

But the reason I’m here today, the reason I ran in this election, is because the people of Skeena and all of British Columbia deserve better. Skeena is a beautiful place, and I am so proud to call it home. The people are welcoming, the scenery is breathtaking and there is nowhere else that I would rather be. But life in northern B.C. is often not easy. And this throne speech did not offer the solutions that our region desperately needs.

Let’s talk about health care. People in my riding cannot access basic medical services. We have a doctor shortage, nurse shortages and long wait times. ER closures are so frequent in my community of Kitimat that they are expected, and for some these barriers to care are a matter of life and death. Last year, just between January and September, our ER was closed for 800 hours. Sometimes the highway between the two communities and the only highway out of Kitimat is closed.

[4:15 p.m.]

One of the first constituents who came to me in my role as MLA was an elderly man with mobility challenges. He needed dialysis treatment multiple times a week and had to take the public bus from Kitimat to Terrace to get to the hospital, a 45-minute to one-hour drive either way.

After the new hospital was built, the bus route wasn’t updated. This meant that he had to walk four blocks in the ice and snow just to get inside the hospital. This man told me that he was just going to stop going for his treatments because it was too much. “I’m going to die in about a year anyway,” he said.

I was outraged. This was a life-or-death situation, and it was completely avoidable. So I got to work. I reached out to B.C. Transit. Elise Wren, who I want to recognize for her incredible compassion and efficiency, helped me make sure that the bus stop was relocated so that patients like him could access life-saving treatment.

This is what real advocacy looks like. It shouldn’t take an MLA stepping in to get something so basic fixed. While it may seem like a small thing, to me and this man, it was enormous. It was the most rewarding feeling to be able to help him, but it was so frustrating to see how little communication there was between these two government entities.

That is the reality in the North. We are too often ignored. We desperately need investments — investments in health care, infrastructure and economic development. Instead, we get a government that prioritizes ideology over practicality.

Mental health and addictions are at a crisis level in this province. I’ve lived through addiction. I’ve seen firsthand what it does to people and their families. The city of Terrace has one of the highest rates of overdose in the province, yet this government talks about bringing detox to my riding as if it’s the solution, with no talk of treatment options.

Detox alone without wraparound supports is not a solution; it is a death sentence for many. Sending someone to detox and then dropping them back into the same environment without housing, without mental health support and without a long-term plan is setting them up to fail.

We need a treatment-first approach. We need more detox and recovery beds. We need to actually help people get clean and stay clean, not just manage their decline. Where is the investment in recovery programs? Where is the commitment to long-term housing and mental health care for people trying to rebuild their lives? Instead, we see a government doubling down on policies that are failing.

As the representative for Skeena, I have the privilege of serving many Indigenous communities — communities that are strong, resilient and deeply connected to the land. But they also face unacceptable inequities. Many of my constituents still do not have access to basic health care services, reliable transportation or economic opportunities that so many in the Lower Mainland take for granted. In remote communities, a simple doctor’s visit can mean hours of travel, sometimes even leaving the region for care.

Nowhere is the failure of this government more evident than in its response to the drug and mental health crisis. In the North, Indigenous people are nearly six times more likely to die from drug poisoning than the rest of the population, yet rather than investing in the treatment and recovery services that Indigenous leaders, families and front-line workers have been demanding for over a decade, this government continues to pour millions into their so-called safe supply experiment, a policy that has no clear path to recovery and has failed to reduce addiction, suffering or overdose deaths.

My constituents desperately need treatment options and wraparound supports, not more government-funded drugs that leave them trapped in addiction. The government talks about reconciliation, but what good are words when families are burying their loved ones at an alarming rate? It is time for real action, because reconciliation is not just a land acknowledgment in a speech. It means ensuring that Indigenous people in Skeena and across B.C. have the same opportunities, the same health care and the same right to a future free from addiction as anyone else in this province.

Then there’s forestry, an industry that has been the backbone of Terrace and the surrounding area for generations. This government loves to talk about protecting jobs, yet they have stood by and watched forestry-dependent communities collapse. There is still no softwood lumber agreement, and the government has failed to stand up for workers. Mills have closed, families are being forced to leave their hometowns and communities that were once thriving are now struggling to survive.

Where is the plan for forestry workers? Where is the plan for sustainable forestry management? The government continues to pile on regulations, delay approvals and make it harder to do business in B.C. This is not just incompetence; it is a betrayal of the people who built this province.

Nowhere in this province is the inequity of the carbon tax felt more harshly than in the North. This government continues to increase their carbon tax, punishing the very people who have no alternative but to drive long distances, heat their homes in freezing temperatures and rely on industry to survive.

[4:20 p.m.]

In urban centres, people can take public transit or switch to an electric vehicle, but in Skeena and across northern B.C., those simply aren’t options. People in my riding don’t have SkyTrains. They don’t have access to cheap, reliable transit, and they can’t afford to trade in their trucks for Teslas.

Meanwhile, the carbon tax is making everything more expensive: groceries, fuel, heating and the very resources that drive our economy. This isn’t an environmental plan. It’s a direct attack on rural and working-class British Columbians.

Instead of burdening northern families and businesses with skyrocketing costs, this government should be incentivizing innovation, supporting projects like LNG Canada and Cedar LNG — which are assisting the energy transition in a meaningful way — and creating real solutions that don’t put people out of work and drive up the cost of living. The North shouldn’t be punished for its geography. It should be supported for the critical role that it plays in B.C.’s economy and energy future.

Seniors in British Columbia are also being left behind. In my riding and across the province, I have spoken with elderly residents who are struggling to find safe, affordable housing, who cannot access the health care they need and who are being forced to choose between paying for medication, rent or groceries. These are people who spent their lives building this province, yet in their later years, they are being ignored and neglected by this government.

The need for seniors’ housing is dire, yet this government has failed to deliver real solutions. Assisted living and long-term care facilities are at capacity, with wait-lists growing longer every year — and in my riding, they essentially do not exist. Seniors who want to age in place cannot afford skyrocketing housing costs or home care services, leaving many in precarious and unsafe living conditions.

Instead of taking action, this government continues to talk about affordability, while doing nothing to actually make life easier for seniors. Our elderly population deserves dignity and respect, and that starts with ensuring affordable housing, better health care access and proper long-term care options. The government has ignored them for too long. It’s time to prioritize seniors, not treat them as an afterthought.

If we want to build a strong future for this province, we also need to invest in our children. But this government has failed them at every turn. In my riding, I have dear friends who have been waiting more than eight years — eight years — just to get an autism diagnosis for their child.

Or I think of the young boy in Terrace with Angelman syndrome, a devastating and incurable diagnosis, whose family has been fighting tirelessly for the support that he needs, yet they still can’t access even a fraction of the resources that would make life even marginally manageable.

Why has this government abandoned them? Why is it that families have to fight tooth and nail for basic services? Again, this is a daily reality for many of us living in northern B.C.

Meanwhile, our schools are crumbling. Kitimat’s high school is partially condemned and has needed to be replaced for years. Yet there is still no commitment from this government. Teachers are forced to hold classes in the library, because there simply aren’t enough classrooms. How is this acceptable in a province like British Columbia?

If the government wanted to show that they truly cared about children, they would prioritize education, fund support services and ensure that every child, regardless of ability or where they live, has access to the resources that they need to succeed.

The highways in my riding are in abysmal condition, and this government’s failure to ensure proper maintenance and emergency response times is costing lives. Every winter, poor snow clearing, treacherous road conditions and a lack of investment in infrastructure put drivers at extreme risk. Far too many people are in accidents every year, many of them tragically fatal.

Just last fall, two young people in my community lost their lives on the highway. The dangerous conditions caused them to go off the road into a ditch, and it took over an hour for first responders to respond. Their families and our entire community are still grieving. I have tried to assist the family multiple times with receiving a police report or an autopsy report, to no avail. They are left with questions unanswered and losing faith rapidly in a system that should be there for them.

How many more lives need to be lost before this government takes action? We deserve safe roads, proper maintenance and emergency services that can respond in time to save lives. This government cannot continue to ignore the realities of life in rural and northern B.C. We need real investments in highway infrastructure and safety, and we need them now. Our communities are already at an extreme risk of food insecurity, and any potential that our highways are unpassable increases that risk.

Last year, the Kitimat hospital emergency room was closed for nearly 800 hours, just between January and September alone — 800 hours. That means for weeks’ worth of time last year, people in my community had nowhere to go in a medical emergency.

[4:25 p.m.]

And what does this government call these closures? Diversions. Another bureaucratic term to distract and deflect from the fact that people in Kitimat are being denied basic health care. These aren’t diversions. They are emergency room shutdowns, and they put lives at risk. The government can spin the numbers all they want, but for the people who have been turned away, who have had to drive an hour to Terrace for emergency care or who were too sick or injured to make the trip, this is a crisis.

The health care system is failing us, and instead of acknowledging the problem and fixing it, this government chooses to minimize, deflect and do nothing. How many more hours will our ER be shut down this year? How many more families will suffer because of this failure in leadership?

I could go on for hours about the problems that my constituents face and how few of them were addressed in this throne speech, but the fact is that British Columbians are resilient. We have overcome challenges before, and we will do it again. But we need leadership that actually listens, leadership that understands that prosperity and social progress go hand in hand.

I will keep fighting for my constituents. I will keep pushing for better health care, real solutions for mental health and addiction, housing that people can actually afford and a strong growing economy. The North will not be ignored. My constituents will not be forgotten. And I will not stop fighting until this government delivers the real action that Skeena and all of British Columbia deserves, because we deserve better.

Stephanie Higginson: It’s an honour to stand before you for the first time to give my very first response to the throne on behalf of the people of Ladysmith-Oceanside.

I would like to start off by acknowledging that I am speaking today from the unceded territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking people of the Songhees and SXIMEȽEȽ First Nations. I would like to say [an Indigenous language was spoken] to the Elders Frank George from the Songhees Nation and Mary Ann Thomas from the SXIMEȽEȽ Nation, who started us off at the beginning of the sitting by sharing the ancient teachings of this land to start the session off in a good way.

I want to congratulate the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin on your election as Assistant Deputy Speaker. We’re fortunate to have your experience guiding this large crop of new MLAs today and throughout the session.

And if I may also take a moment to congratulate the member for Burnaby–New Westminster on being re-elected to the role of Speaker of this House. I can’t tell you how honoured I am to be a part of a chamber that has re-elected the first Speaker of South Asian heritage. I am reminded that many years ago, people like the member from Burnaby–New West and me were not allowed in this chamber. We were not allowed to speak in this chamber. But today, through the dedication and battles of our predecessors, here he is taking on a key leadership role in these chambers. It seems almost unthinkable that someone like he and I were once banned from speaking in these esteemed chambers.

But it’s moments like these that inspire me to always fight for human rights and to ensure that every person in B.C. has the opportunity to represent their communities just like each of us today. I am grateful for the experience, wisdom and grace of this member during my first — and already proving to be rowdy — session as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

I also want to take a moment to thank the people of Ladysmith-Oceanside for choosing me as their representative to the B.C. Legislature. It is my pleasure, it is my challenge, it is my honour to represent those who live on the traditional and shared territories of the Stz’uminus, Snuneymuxw, Staw-naw-as and Qualicum nations where Hul’q’umi’num’ and Pəntl’áč are the languages of the lands upon which I serve.

These lands include the communities of Saltair, Ladysmith, Cassidy, Yellow Point, Extension, Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Lasqueti Island, French Creek, Qualicum Beach and Dashwood.

I’d like to provide the chambers with an abbreviated Hul’q’umi’num’ greeting, abbreviated in order to observe the rules of this House regarding using the proper names of members: [Hul’q’umi’num’ was spoken.]

[Mable Elmore in the chair.]

In some very broken Hul’q’umi’num’, I just said: “Good day. It’s nice to see all of you here. I come from the land of the Snuneymuxw.”

Each and every day I endeavour to be a voice for the incredible people of Ladysmith-Oceanside in these esteemed chambers.

[4:30 p.m.]

I wouldn’t be standing here today, delivering my first response to the throne, without the support of one of the best campaign teams out there.

My incredible campaign manager, Karen Cooling, did something many did not think was possible. For those who haven’t looked at a map, the new riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside is a bit of a quirky one. Essentially, it’s two ridings separated by two other ridings. Karen took on the challenge of running a cohesive campaign like the experienced campaign manager that she is, and she ran that campaign all the way to victory.

My campaign staff also included the incredibly talented and dedicated Isaiah Labbe, Julia Witte, Hayley Tomlinson and Natalia Tola, as well as our regional director, Darcy Lindberg. I can’t thank this dedicated group enough for their role in getting me here.

No campaign is successful without the support of the tireless volunteers who dedicate their own literal blood, sweat and, sometimes, tears to ensuring success. We had a steady and evolving stream of volunteers from all walks of life, and I am so thankful for all their support. To each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart, I raise my hands to thank you for your tireless support to ensuring the success of our movement.

I want to give a shout-out to my two constituency advisors, Sarah Miller and Hayley Tomlinson. As a new MLA, these highly experienced constituency advisors have been a life-saver to both myself and to the constituents who are reaching out for support across Ladysmith-Oceanside. I can say with confidence that I have the best constituency office staff around. Now we just need an office. Any office will do. We’ll take it. One of two. Looking for two out there.

I want to extend a big thank you to my family. This job and the campaign that gets us here are hard on our families. I want to start my family recognition by giving a shout-out to my Bammers Fammers. That’s the family I choose. They know who they are, and I wouldn’t be here without all their support.

To my teenage children, Oliver and Emmett, thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate a new role that sees me at fewer basketball and lacrosse games. You are my inspiration and my very best accomplishment. If the sports reference didn’t give it away, we are a very competitive family. A lot of competition happens in our house. Throughout the campaign, as I was missing another event or another trip, my kids would say: “Go win, Mom.” With their support, I did.

To my incredible partner Kevin, who has become a flag-waving member of the NDP caucus husbands club. He has scaled back his work at his sawmill business that he spent years building up in order to pick up the family responsibilities that I have had to give up because of the demands of this job. Kevin, our family is lucky to have you. I am lucky to have you.

To my mom, Susan, and my stepdad, Len, who didn’t miss one campaign event and could often be found knocking on doors with me, sometimes in the pouring rain. My mom eventually had to bow out of that duty because she would get really angry with people who told us on the doorstep that they weren’t going to vote for me. These two have become avid watchers of Legislature TV and right now are probably glued to the TV as I give this speech. Hi, Mom. Thank you for your incredible support.

My older sister Kelly, who herself is a warrior for justice and fairness, has blazed a trail for me and constantly surprises me with her unwavering support.

Finally, my dad. As some of you know, my dad passed away suddenly last June. He lived to see me get the nomination, and he passed away three days later. My dad was a reluctant girl dad. Reluctant because he didn’t realize the depths of the inequities that women faced until he became a girl dad. My parents encouraged my sister and I every day to be leaders and stand up for what we believe in.

[4:35 p.m.]

Leadership for women is not always easy. My dad was determined that systemic inequity would not stand in the way of my sister and me. He became a feminist without even knowing it, often demonstrating his frustration with the barriers my sister and I would face with some very unparliamentary language. My dad is looking down with a big grin. He would be so proud.

He was a political animal, and, as a child, I remember my parents volunteering on political campaigns. While I miss him daily, the timing of his passing may have been unintentionally appropriate because, along with being a political animal, he was highly opinionated. I know that’s probably surprising to hear, people — that I come from someone who’s opinionated. But if he was alive today, he would be texting me right now with unsolicited advice on how to run the province, probably laced with said unparliamentary language.

Because the riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside is a new riding, I would like to spend a bit of time today telling my fellow members about this beautiful and unique part of British Columbia. The slogan for British Columbia is “Beautiful B.C.,” and Ladysmith-Oceanside is no exception.

As MLAs, it is our job to be a strong champion and advocate for the communities we serve. Ladysmith-Oceanside — the geography, the people and the history make it easy to be their advocate, their champion. They make it easy for me to want to wake up every day and bring forward their issues and champion solutions and initiatives to make the lives of the residents of Ladysmith-Oceanside easier and better.

This beautiful riding is located on the east side of Vancouver Island and is comprised of three main communities. When you look at a map of Ladysmith-Oceanside, you might think it is slightly U-shaped. We like to call ourselves a rainbow around Nanaimo. My other favourite is that we’re giving Nanaimo a hug.

We have a lot of love to give because of the incredible people and organizations that exist in this riding. Ladysmith is home to the famous cinnamon buns from the Old Town Bakery. The best gluten-free baking anywhere can be found at the Wild Poppy Market.

Ladysmith is fortunate to be served by the Ladysmith Resources Centre Association, also known as the LRCA. The LRCA is an inclusive, non-profit, multi-service organization that assists people in all stages of life in the Ladysmith community. They run an affordable housing project known as Heart on the Hill, a year-round shelter in the heart of downtown Ladysmith, a food bank; counselling services, senior support, and the list goes on.

Another incredible service provider in Ladysmith is the Ladysmith Family and Friends association, also known as LaFF. As a new parent with one young child and another in my belly, I walked into LAFF as a new resident of the area in 2010. I was thankful for the warm welcome into the community and the supports that were offered to me as a new parent. LaFF has continued to grow. They now offer families and caregivers from Ladysmith and the surrounding area with children up to six years old inclusive and interactive opportunities for the development of children, families and our community.

I would be remiss not to mention the Ladysmith Search and Rescue that has over 30 members trained in swift water rescue, ground search and rescue and ropes search and rescue.

As a marine community, Ladysmith is supported by the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue branch 29. RCMSAR 29 is a non-profit, all-volunteer rescue station that responds to marine distress calls off the shores of Ladysmith and the surrounding area. The RCMSAR 29 is a busy station in an active boating area. In 2024, it was the busiest of all the RCMSAR stations in British Columbia. We are grateful for the sacrifice of the incredible volunteers at Ladysmith SAR and RCMSAR 29 to keep us safe on land and sea.

If you have not been to Parksville or Qualicum Beach, you might not be aware of the incredible oceanfront that winds its way through these communities. Shady Rest is one of the many incredible restaurants in the community and is located right on the ocean’s edge in Qualicum Beach. The Shady Rest just turned an incredible 100 years old.

Oceanside is also served by the Island Crisis Care Society, which runs the Orca Place supportive housing program. Opened in August 2019, the building contains 52 studio and one-bedroom suites, including six accessible units, and is classified as long-term supportive housing. The three-storey building, funded by this government’s housing strategy, has been designed to suit the architectural style of the neighbourhood, and each home includes a private bathroom and a kitchen.

[4:40 p.m.]

Among many other organizations serving the residents of Oceanside is the Society of Organized Services. The SOS offers a variety of programs, including but not limited to counselling services, homelessness prevention, seniors advocacy, a safe haven for women and children, and a barrage of youth programming.

Oceanside is kept safe by the Arrowsmith Search and Rescue. Like Ladysmith SAR, Arrowsmith Search and Rescue is made up of over 40 members trained in urban, swift water and mountain rescue operations. They provide a vital lifeline for those that are lost in the beautiful and enticing terrain in the Arrowsmith region, and they have been doing this for over 50 years.

In fact, this year Ken Neden was recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his 50 years of service to this organization. If you saw Ken, you would wonder how this could be true, because he doesn’t look old enough to have met this kind of a milestone. But it is true, because Ken has been part of this organization since he was just a teenager. He has literally dedicated over three-quarters of his life to helping people when they are experiencing the most frightening times of their lives, often in incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances.

People like Ken and the many volunteers across the riding are what make Ladysmith-Oceanside an incredible place to represent. I am grateful to represent this riding under an NDP government who puts people, not profits, at the centre of our decisions.

A living example of this is child care. I was pleased to see our government’s continued focus on child care in the throne speech. I mentioned earlier in my speech that I’m a parent of two beautiful teenagers. When my children were born, child care was something that my friends and I often referred to as a fairy tale. If you could find it, it was so unaffordable that it made it an unrealistic option. It was like the tooth fairy. Have you seen it? Does it exist?

I relied on my incredible mom and a complicated cobbled-together network of friends as we shared parenting duties amongst ourselves and our own parents. Sometimes the parents of my friends were helping with child care for my children; my mom stepping in with child care for theirs. Thank goodness for the moms, which I was lucky enough to have providing this support.

During the campaign, I heard from young family after young family the difference that our child care program has made to them and their families and their finances.

On the doorsteps, I had one mom of three young children tell me that, while her oldest entered school before subsidized child care came to the community, she was able to benefit from the program for her two youngest children. With three children, her child care costs would have been over $3,500 a month before our government’s focus on quality, affordable and inclusive child care. Today she was paying just under $1,000 a month total for her two youngest children.

There is still much work to be done to bring quality, affordable and inclusive child care to every community across this province, but based on my experience as a parent when child care was basically a fairy tale compared to the experiences of the family I talked to during the election, I’m glad it is the NDP government that will be continuing this critical, equity-building work.

I was pleased to hear a continued focus on this government’s Homes for People plan. Housing affordability was something I heard from so many people during the campaign. I talked to people who were worried that their children would never be able to afford to buy a house in the community that they were raised in because the housing market had gone unchecked for so many years before the incredibly comprehensive Homes for People plan was brought in by this government.

There is still much work to be done, but the plan is working. We heard last week — it might have been the week before by now, because they’re all blending together — from the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs that the vacancy rate in Victoria is at almost 3 percent. I myself and at least two other MLAs that I know of are renting apartments here in Victoria that used to be short-term rentals.

When I was on the doorsteps during the campaign, I heard two stories of how our Homes for People plan is making a difference. On one doorstep, a woman walked right out onto the step, and she pointed to two homes on the block and said that they used to be short-term rentals — turnover all the time, sometimes parties, often little regard for the children that lived and played on the street. Since our housing plan has come into effect, one of the homes was sold and one has been rented out. They are both filled with families who live in the community, work in the community and invest in the community.

Another woman told me that a few months before the Homes for People plan came into effect, her family home caught fire and their young family was displaced. When she looked for a home for her family to live in while their house was being rebuilt, every listing was a short-term rental.

[4:45 p.m.]

Through serious cajoling and tugging at heartstrings, she convinced a landlord to let her family stay for two months, then another month, and eventually they were able to stay in the same home for the entirety of the rebuild process.

She told me on the doorstep that when she looks at rental listings now, she sees those same listings are now available for long-term rent for the people who work in the restaurants, the stores and the doctors’ offices of our community to be able to live in the communities they work in.

This government has invested over $18 million in the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding to create housing in our community: $8.4 million towards the 52 unit low-barrier supportive housing building I spoke of earlier, known as Orca Place; $3.8 million towards the accessible and subsidized housing, Heart on the Hill, that I mentioned, which has 36 units; $5 million, with a further $1.25 million capital improvement grant from the B.C. Rent Bank to purchase the Moilliet Manor in Parksville, where over half of the residents are over 75 years old and who now have long-term housing stability because of this government’s work.

This is what it looks like when your government builds a housing strategy — period — but most importantly, a housing strategy that focuses on people, not profits.

We’ve heard a lot about health care in this sitting so far, and I was pleased to hear in the throne speech that our government will remain laser focused on health care. As we know, this is the number one priority for people in British Columbia, and that is no different for the constituents of Ladysmith-Oceanside.

The most important issue I heard from the people in Oceanside during the election was access to primary health care practitioners. As we know, this government has done historic work to increase the number of primary health care practitioners in British Columbia, and Ladysmith-Oceanside is finally starting to see the fruits of this labour. In the last five months, we have welcomed seven primary care practitioners that I know of in the Ladysmith-Oceanside area.

The wait-list for primary health care practitioners remains long, and the work is not done, but many of the barriers that existed with the fee-for-service model have been removed with the revolutionary and groundbreaking longitudinal family physician payment model that was developed and introduced by this government.

After years of neglect under the Liberal government, the central Island region is benefiting from generational capital investments in health care.

A new and expanded ICU, costing $41.6 million, opened at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital in June 2023. Construction is almost complete on a new high acuity wing at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, with this government contributing $18.5 million. When the high acuity wing opens this spring, ICU space at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital will go from eight beds in 2017 to 24 beds because of this government’s focus on improving health care for people of the central Island region.

Also, at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, site work began this month on the new three-storey cancer care centre that will have a PET and CT diagnostic scanner and an oncology ambulatory care unit with 12 exam rooms and four consultation rooms. Patients will be treated with oral and intravenous cancer treatment, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapy.

The clinic will provide initial consultation treatment, treatment planning with medical oncologists, supportive care, follow-up care and patient education. This $289 million investment into health care in the region means patients and their families will be able to receive life-saving care closer to home, where they need it, when they need it.

And finally, we have committed $171 million to a 300-bed long-term-care facility to be built in Lantzville. This critical piece of health care infrastructure will allow seniors to age in their central Island community and will free up critically needed beds in the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

All of these investments add up to over $520 million invested in the central Island region under this government. That’s over half a billion dollars.

The work is not done, because our government has committed to building a new hospital tower and cardiac cath lab at the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Myself and my fellow central Island MLAs are committed to seeing that project through to fruition, because together with the new ICU, the new high acuity, the new cancer care centre, people from the central Island region will get the health care they need when they need it, where they live.

[4:50 p.m.]

No other government has committed as much to central Island health as this government. While the work is substantial, it is not done, and we will not rest until it is.

As I get close to the end of my allocated time, I want to reflect on the focused commitment in this throne speech to protect British Columbians as we face the acute threat of unjustified tariffs.

We heard our government’s plan to build off of British Columbia’s many assets and strengthen our economy at home by fast-tracking energy projects while still maintaining environmental assessment processes. These projects are expected to create over 8,000 jobs.

We will diversify our trading relationships by building strong economic partnerships around the world and work with our provincial colleagues to break down interprovincial trade barriers within Canada.

Finally, we will respond to these threats by providing a tough, thoughtful and united response.

As we work together to face these threats of economic warfare, I am reminded of how British Columbians came together during COVID, looking out for each other, working together. This unity resulted in B.C. having some of the best outcomes in the world during that dark time. It was because our best resource, our most reliable resource in British Columbia, is the people of British Columbia. Just as we did during the last global threat, we will work together to meet these challenges head-on and grow a more self-reliant economy that delivers more good-paying jobs.

British Columbians are hard-working and resilient, and during this unprecedented time, they expect us all to work together across all the aisles to defend ourselves, to protect ourselves, and to come out stronger together. This throne speech laid out a strong commitment to doing so, and I look forward to working with my fellow members to deliver for all British Columbians.

I would like to provide a teaching to my fellow members that was gifted to me years ago when I worked on the truth and reconciliation advisory committee for the Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, where I served on the board of education from 2014 until 2022. This is a lesson of Uy’shqwaluwan. Uy’shqwaluwan is a Hul’q’umi’num’ word that translates to “good heart and good mind.” I learned that the people who have walked the lands upon which the Nanaimo Ladysmith public schools are situated from time immemorial use Uy’shqwaluwan as a way to walk through life.

Western education and Western lifestyles train our minds to be razor sharp, but they often leave out the importance of using our heart as well as our mind to make decisions. It is when one can act with the perfect balance of heart and mind that they know they are living a good life in a good way, making good decisions.

As we settle into our work here in the Legislature, I provide this teaching to my colleagues. If we work with Uy’shqwaluwan, using our good hearts and our good minds, we will do good work together. British Columbians are asking for this, and British Columbians deserve this.

I will conclude by inviting all the members here to come and visit the Ladysmith-Oceanside riding. We have an incredible array of events and happenings that draw thousands to the area each year. You don’t want to miss these events.

Parksville will host the internationally renowned sand sculpting contest this year from July 10 to 13, with the theme this year being “Circus by the Sea.” These sculptures will remain on display from July 14 until August 17. Come and visit this incredible event. Walk through or even stay at the incredible Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park.

Perhaps you are a Christmas fanatic. Then you should consider visiting Ladysmith Festival of Lights. It draws over 15,000 people to the town to watch Santa throw the switch to light literally tens of thousands of twinkling lights throughout the town. It’s a sight to behold. Ladysmith Light Up occurs on the last Thursday of November, and the lights stay on until the second Sunday in January.

The riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside welcomes all of you to visit us and experience the energy that makes it such a special place to live.

I thank you for allowing me to speak in support of this throne speech.

Bryan Tepper: I rise today with great pride as a Conservative Party MLA for Surrey-Panorama and as official opposition critic for Community Safety and Integrated Services. I want to express my deepest gratitude to Her Honour the Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, for delivering the Speech from the Throne.

[4:55 p.m.]

It was a privilege to attend the Government House reception with my colleagues, and I thank Her Honour and her husband, the charming and now viceregal consort for their hospitality. I wonder how he is adjusting to being called a consort.

The Lieutenant Governor plays a critical role in upholding the institutions that safeguard our democracy and preserving the heritage and traditions that are so important to the history of our great province of British Columbia. British Columbia is a province rich in history and tradition, and it is our duty to honour and protect that heritage, not erase it in the name of political agendas.

I also want to take a moment to recognize Her Honour’s tireless work in supporting charitable causes, particularly autism awareness in B.C. As someone with a close personal connection to this issue, I deeply appreciate the work being done to improve support and resources for children and families affected by autism.

Before I begin, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family and my incredible wife, Rona Tepper. Rona is by my side at nearly every event. I say nearly because her own schedule of work and volunteering often outpaces my own. I say that Rona should’ve been the one running for office, given how popular she is in the community.

To give you a sense of her dedication, and without trying to turn this into a resume, here are just a few of her volunteer roles. She started off when we first moved into the area in South Surrey at Ocean Cliff Elementary School PAC. She’s been on the Crescent Beach Property Owners’ Association as vice-president, the Crescent Beach Yacht Club as an events coordinator, the Canadian Red Cross emergency response team member.

She was a corporate concierge for the Beach House Theatre. She won volunteer of the year at Crescent Beach Swim Club, which, if you know anything about the swim club, is quite an honour. They cover swimming, tennis, sailing, volleyball, triathlon and a lot of adult events.

The Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue station 5. She has been the station leader of that station and recipient of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary award for administrative excellence.

Semiahmoo Peninsula Marine Rescue Society as the vice-president.

She was a recipient of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal for all of this volunteer work.

Surrey water polo club, where she acted as secretary.

She is on the critical incident stress management team for the member and committee chair for RCMSAR and B.C. Search and Rescue Association. She is the secretary on the board of directors for the region for RCMSAR, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. She is on the humanitarian workforce and a CISM team member, critical incident stress management team member, Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada, SARVAC.

I can’t forget the volunteering for fostering of kittens in my home. And I will mention VOKRA, the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association, if people are looking for cats. We do have some that are going out the door shortly.

Next, I’d like to thank my children, Emily, Charlie and Denny Tepper. They know I complain about them a lot, mostly to their faces, but they are three of the most caring, fun kids that you could ask for, especially considering they’ve had to put up with me.

I also want to thank my parents, Bob and Dorothy Haley. Not only are they incredibly supportive, but at over 80 years of age, they were out knocking on doors during my campaign. And they did turn out to be some of my most dedicated volunteers.

My campaign team deserves immense gratitude. David Hutchison, better known as Hutch, Connie and Lance Marples, Paul Smith, Logan Hicks, and Gurjot Cheema. As newcomers to politics, they quickly became a team that other campaigns turned to for advice.

Most importantly, I’d like to thank the residents of Surrey-Panorama. Thank you for welcoming me into your homes, sharing your concerns and for trusting me to be your voice in this chamber. The people of my riding welcomed me more warmly than I could have imagined.

As many know, my campaign took a sharp turn towards the end. I had canvassed nearly all of Surrey–White Rock, where I was first nominated, before switching to Surrey-Panorama, with little time left before the election.

[5:00 p.m.]

Which brings me to my final thank-you. Janice and Ed Hird deserve special recognition. I thank Janice for her efforts and even more for lending me her husband for the campaign. Among a team of all-stars, Ed shines as a superstar. On days when I wanted nothing more than to rest my feet, Ed was ready to go, keeping me moving. Without his tireless work, introducing me at the doors, my path to victory would have been far tougher. Thank you, Ed. Thank you the residents of Surrey-Panorama for taking the time to greet me at the doors and get to know me even just a little.

I grew up as the youngest of three boys, raised by a single mother who worked full-time. She gave everything to provide us with a solid upbringing. As I entered my teen years, my mother, Dorothy, married Darcy Corbett. Tragically, Darcy passed away from cancer at far too young an age. From him, I learned the value of service. He’d do anything to help another person, and I watched that selflessness up close.

While my parents shaped my early years, I’d be remiss not to mention the summers that defined my childhood, those spent in Saskatchewan. My grandparents kept me busy at the town pool, while my aunts and uncles introduced me to life on the farm. Aunt Helen tirelessly kept the farm running. Uncle Martin worked hard and always had a joke ready, no matter the situation. Uncle Freddie spoke his mind plainly. Aunt Rita remains one of the kindest people I have ever known. My cousins, Daryl, David, Lynn, Heather, Keith and Greg each left their mark on me.

Community ran deep in their veins. Uncle Martin served as the reeve of the rural municipality of Reford, Saskatchewan. Yes, for us Canadians, those are real words. I’ve since learned that my cousin, Daryl, has been a councillor for Reford for nine years, carrying on that tradition of service.

Now, before we get into the heart of the matter, let me start with an old economist joke, because they’re always funny. Why did the chicken cross the road? To maximize his utility. Whether that joke lands as funny or not, there’s a truth in it. Here in B.C., we might ask a follow-up: “Why did not the entrepreneur cross the road?” I’ll get back to that right after we take a hard look at this throne speech.

The NDP’s throne speech is big on promises but thin on specifics. After eight years of NDP rule, it’s hard to point at anything that’s improved. Health care is in free fall, crime is skyrocketing, housing is unaffordable, and B.C. industries are collapsing. The only thing that this government has truly succeeded in growing is the size of government itself.

The NDP loves to talk about progress. But progress for who? I can tell you. It hasn’t been for the working families struggling to afford groceries. It hasn’t been for seniors waiting months to see a doctor. It hasn’t been for business owners, boarding up their windows after yet another break-in. This government has spent years virtue signaling and patting itself on the back while ordinary British Columbians have been left to fend for themselves.

Last week I received a distressing call from Surrey Memorial Hospital. A soon-to-be grandmother was in the maternity ward with her daughter, who had arrived early for a 12:15 p.m. induction appointment. They called me at 5:30, where they were just being seen, over five hours late. British Columbians might not blink at this, so numb have we become to health care delays under this NDP government.

But what they overheard was truly shocking. The maternity ward was over capacity, with no beds available to admit anyone — hardly news to those who have endured B.C.’s hospital systems over the past eight years. Yet in the next bed, a woman desperate to be admitted refused to leave. The staff’s advice? Opt for a C-section, a guaranteed admission — a completely unnecessary surgery, pitched as a workaround for overcrowding and understaffing.

[5:05 p.m.]

This isn’t just reckless; it’s robbing surgical time from patients languishing on months- or years-long waiting lists, left to suffer under this NDP’s mismanagement. When will this Premier admit their hiring boasts have failed and commit to putting front-line doctors and nurses where they are needed most?

When will this government acknowledge the destruction they have caused and ensure that people don’t die waiting for treatment? Health care wait times have ballooned. Patients now wait a median of 28.9 weeks for treatment, up from 19.4 weeks in 2017. Costs have soared from under $18 billion in 2017 to over $30 billion in 2024, yet access remains a lottery. Only the NDP could spend an extra $12 billion and get worse results. Nobody wins. Those wait times do not include the time to get access. That’s still a gamble. I’d like to know when the NDP are going to fold the Ministry of Health into B.C. Lottery Corp. so people can have some hope that they will get access to medical care.

According to Consultant Specialists of B.C. and Doctors of B.C., over 1.2 million British Columbians lack a family doctor, and rural ERs are closing, unpredictably, due to staffing shortages. They blame shortages in the North on recruiting woes. Now with ER closures in Delta and threatened in White Rock, I can’t wait to hear the excuses for why no one wants to work south of the Fraser River.

Is the problem really just money? You would think with all that money being spent on recruiting, nurses wouldn’t have gone from 3 percent of their income coming from overtime to over 8.4 percent. Or could it be government incompetence, like the botched decriminalization rollout, where overdose deaths have hit levels that is the stuff of nightmares, despite promises of progress? More cash hasn’t fixed these failures. It’s exposed a government that is fundamentally unable to deliver on basic promises for B.C.

This government loves to tout the nurses and doctors they’ve hired, painting a rosy picture of a health care system on demand. Yet the number of people without a family doctor keeps climbing, and after years of supposed recruitment wins, well, how does that add up? Could it be they are failing to account for the steady stream of professionals leaving the field, retiring early after burnout from a grueling workload or moving to a jurisdiction like Alberta or the U.S., where working conditions might offer better pay, fewer hours, less bureaucracy or no Bill 36 throttling them?

Look at the emergency rooms shutting down in rural places like Lillooet and Oliver and in the urban locations that serve us, Surrey-Panorama, Delta and White Rock, not for lack of buildings but for lack of staff willing to stay. The government brags about adding hundreds of internationally trained nurses, yet many get stuck in red tape or lured away by provinces with faster licensing.

Meanwhile, veteran doctors are walking away, some fed up with a system drowning in paperwork, others chased off by policies that ignore their expertise. Again, like Bill 36. Hiring numbers sound impressive until you realize they’re just plugging holes in a sinking ship, not building a crew that lasts.

The NDP produced a throne speech that has done nothing to address the economic collapse of what should be the richest province and one of the richest countries in the world. This government has done nothing to help our forest product industry, the softwood lumber dispute that has had no attention in eight years. They have cut our allowable harvest to levels that wouldn’t sustain our workers. Then they also dragged their feet in issuing permits, often years, while some harvests rot on the ground.

Meanwhile, mining projects in British Columbia take an average of 17 years to get approval, a glacial pace under this NDP government. Even then, shipping those materials has become more expensive than ever, thanks to the NDP’s regulatory tangles and rising costs. Their promise to hike the industry carbon tax, offsetting any consumer carbon tax cuts, will drive up expenses further, hammering the final nail in the coffin for anyone daring to operate a mine or transport goods in British Columbia.

[5:10 p.m.]

Eight years of NDP rule have saddled us with red tape, stalled projects over environmental flip-flops and a CleanBC plan that chokes heavy industry while delivering little, other than higher bills for citizens. In eight years of NDP rule, the NDP government seems incapable of more than first-stage thinking, with nary a thought of the consequence of their radical policies.

In health care, they tout that they are hooking up more patients with doctors every day. There’s no thought of the people that are losing their doctors every day. They brought in the Airbnb ban, but as we’ll hear, they never looked further, and somehow didn’t realize that this would kill many other development projects.

The NDP is choking off the LNG sector under the guise of environmental care, noting that they have cut greenhouse gases — never mind that trains go past my house, day and night, filled with coal being shipped to Asia. We could cut global emissions, but the NDP seems blind to the global part of their plan. All they crow about is having stopped B.C. from producing carbon fuel. It doesn’t matter that the global number has gone up and that these decisions have made British Columbia and our people poorer.

I’ve long championed unions. My most notable stint was as treasurer for the Mounted Police Professional Association. I won’t claim that I did the heavy lifting, but I stood with the movement when we dragged the federal government to the Supreme Court of Canada to win the RCMP’s right to associate, a hard-fought victory.

I’ve never understood why unions insist on voting against the well-being of their province and of their own members. They back the party line, no matter the cost. It’s time union members broke free and put their own interests ahead of their bosses’ agendas. When we all grasp what truly makes this province prosper, we can finally reap the rewards of our labour, not just prop up a failing and expired government.

This throne speech brims with lofty housing dreams. Too bad the NDP’s plan backfires at every turn. Let me tell you a tale of how this government’s grand ideas have harmed us all. We had Ken Brooks, a retailer, and Sid Landolt, a marketer and salesman — two regular folks who dared to tackle Kelowna’s housing crunch with a 360-unit residential project. They hacked through the jungle of approvals and permits, got to pre-sales, and things looked promising.

Enter the Premier’s noble crusade. It turns out that many buyers, part-timers planning to offset costs with short-term rentals, wanted these units. But this NDP crew, ever the champion of big-government overreach, decided that you can’t use your own property as you see fit. They banned short-term rentals provincewide, swearing it would magically generate long-term housing.

Guess what happened? Pre-sales tanked, contracts evaporated, and those 360 units, part-time or not, including the ones that would have been available full-time, vanished into thin air — just brilliant. Eight years of this government’s meddling, and we’re left with fewer homes, higher prices and a Premier who’d rather play landlord than fix the mess he’s made.

This centralized meddling extends to the NDP’s radical, failed, drug decriminalization experiment. With the NDP’s so-called safe supply, they point to one person at a time who didn’t overdose and call it a win, yet over the past two weeks, it has become glaringly clear that they’re blind to the fallout. Each diverted safe supply dose puts an unknown number of other citizens at risk, including our children.

[5:15 p.m.]

When the government’s policies normalize toxic drugs by labelling them as safe, you’re not just enabling addiction; you’re fuelling an overdose crisis that’s ensnaring the next generation. The NDP is running a cruel experiment at the expense of ordinary British Columbians. These dangerous drug policies must end now.

It’s a sad reality that public safety, under the NDP, is a disaster. Crime, open drug use and violent attacks have become daily reality in our communities. Shoplifting, stranger attacks and break-in rates are at all-time highs.

They promised that safe supply would prevent overdoses. Instead, those drugs are being resold on the streets and ending up in our schools and elsewhere in our communities. Instead of getting addicts into treatment, this government is funding the very thing that keeps them in addiction. Instead of supporting law enforcement, the NDP has created a revolving-door justice system where criminals walk free on the same day they’re arrested.

B.C.’s small business owners are paying the price, dealing with repeated theft, violence and vandalism. The Premier of our province says public safety is a priority, but his policies have made everything worse. This is a Premier who wrote a book that may as well have been called, “How to Sue the Police.” Maybe he should look at how to punish criminals. We need real consequences for repeat offenders, not more failed social experiments.

The NDP’s incompetence permeates every aspect of their public policy. Take their plan to counter tariffs by halting imports of U.S. liquor from Republican-led states. One glaring flaw: it’s our hospitality industry that will pay the price. As prices rise, more people will order from Alberta’s online black market, where they can still get what they want, where taxes are lower and products are cheaper. That leaves our already struggling retailers and restaurateurs with dwindling revenue and a government too shortsighted and complacent to see it.

As the Premier of B.C. recently said: “If it was easy, we’d do it.” Behold this man of action. Here’s news for him: governing isn’t easy. It demands complex thinking, something you might overhear at a corner coffee shop where retirees solve the world’s problems over a $2 brew. If the Premier can’t match or outdo the solutions of the Monday-morning walking group, perhaps it’s time for some introspection.

This brings me back to my question: why did the entrepreneur cross the road? He left the province because he was driven out by this incompetent NDP government.

Enough is enough. This NDP’s failed big-government experiment must end, for the sake of our province. British Columbia deserves leadership that puts people first, not ideology or bureaucracy but real solutions for change. Health care must be about patients, not government bureaucracy. British Columbia needs less red tape and fewer big-government roadblocks.

Our economy must be allowed to grow and thrive in an environment that encourages investment, not one that drives it away. The Conservative Party of British Columbia is ready to restore prosperity, safety and common sense to B.C. It’s time to take back our province.

I’d like to thank you, Madam Speaker, and I just have one follow-up on that.

I have a story that I often tell. The Whip rather enjoyed it. He isn’t here right now, but I’m going to admit to him that it actually isn’t my story. It came from a friend of mine, Mr. Garry Slonowski. If the Whip of our party would like to hear more about the pink underwear, he can ask him. At some point, I hope he comes to visit the chambers.

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the member for Surrey-Newton.

Jessie Sunner: I want to start by congratulating you on your role as the Deputy Speaker of the House. This is the first Asian woman to hold this role, and I know this is a big accomplishment for yourself and for so many in our community. Thank you for your service, and I look forward to working with you through this session.

[5:20 p.m.]

I’d like to start by acknowledging that I’m speaking to you today from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən-speaking people, the Songhees and SXIMEȽEȽ First Nations. They have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. As settlers on this land, it is our responsibility to listen, learn and take meaningful action towards justice, truth and reconciliation.

Today I stand before you filled with gratitude, humility and an overwhelming sense of responsibility as the MLA for Surrey-Newton, which is located on the traditional territories of the qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓, the q̓ic̓əy̓, the qiqéyt, the SEMYOME and the Tsawwassen First Nations.

To my community of Surrey-Newton, thank you. Thank you for believing in me, for putting your trust in me and for giving me the opportunity to serve as your MLA.

This victory is not just mine. It belongs to all of us. It belongs to the hard-working families who want a better future for themselves and for their children. It belongs to the workers who deserve fair wages and safe working conditions, and it belongs to every person in our community who has ever felt unheard or unseen.

This moment is deeply personal for me. I grew up in Surrey. I’ve seen its challenges as well as its incredible resilience. I have seen its beauty, its diversity and its livelihood. And now, to be elected by the very people in the neighbourhoods that shaped me…. It’s beyond my wildest dreams. It is the honour of my life, and I promise you this: I will fight for you with everything I have. I will fight for stronger health care, for safer streets and for a future where we can all succeed. This is my commitment to you.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible leader who came before me, the hon. Harry Bains. He was the former MLA of Surrey-Newton and the Minister of Labour. For 19 years, this riding was represented by a trailblazer who broke so many barriers and paved the way for so many of us. To follow in his footsteps is no small thing, and I heard that on many doorsteps, but it is a privilege. It is also a responsibility, and I do not take it lightly.

More than just a leader, he has been a mentor and a steadfast supporter throughout my entire campaign and beyond. From the very beginning, he encouraged me to step forward, to believe in my voice and the unique perspective I bring, and to fight for the community of Surrey-Newton just as he did.

So I know what this seat means, what this movement means, and I promise to carry forward his legacy while also forging my own path, one that reflects the hopes and dreams of this community today. I’m grateful for his leadership, his friendship and his support.

I would also like to thank each and every incredible person who made this campaign possible. As we all know, running for office is not something anyone does alone. It takes a team, a community and a network of people who believe in the vision and are willing to put in the work.

This campaign was powered by people, by friends, by family and by supporters who showed up every single day, rain or shine — even lots of rain like we saw on election day — all to make sure we connected with as many people in the community as possible.

I want to thank my team, my campaign manager, Jasmeet, my volunteer coordinator, Sartaj, and my voter contact coordinator, Mandy. Thank you for coming in every single day and working tirelessly behind the scenes, organizing events, strategizing and making sure everything ran smoothly. Thank you for your kindness, your belief in me, and for sharing your knowledge, your creativity and your time with me. Thank you for coming in every day with dedication and smiles that energized our campaign and our volunteers through the long and gruelling days.

A special thank you to Mandy and Sartaj who continued to want to work with me even after those long, gruelling days, and now are my constituency advisors. Thank you for holding down the office while I’m here in the Legislature and every other day.

This campaign was also fuelled by volunteers, people from all walks of life who took time out of their busy schedules to help however they could. Some knocked on doors, some made phone calls, some helped put up signs and others chipped in financially to make sure that we had the resources we needed to run this campaign.

[5:25 p.m.]

Whether they were able to give a few hours or spent weeks on the ground, their contributions mattered — every single person who helped played a role in allowing me to stand in front of all of you today.

With this, I want to give a special shout-out to my super-dedicated volunteers: Angad, Divayanshu, Narinder, Shini, Emily, Garnet, Kal, Anuraj, Dal, Rajkumar, Simrit, Susan Atwal and Susan Sanderson, and all of my amazing uncle-jis and auntie-jis who came out every single day to help.

There were also so many friends and family who went above and beyond, including my brothers, Amradeep and Sandeep; my sister-in-law Babjeet, who came out and helped even though she was six months’ pregnant and could barely walk; my cousins; my in-laws; my aunts and uncles. Some folks even flew or drove in for weeks from Vancouver Island, Edmonton and California just to help, doing whatever they could to support the campaign.

You know you have amazing family and friends when they’d willingly trade a vacation for standing in the rain to Burma Shave, knock on doors and get yelled at — a couple of overly aggressive dogs. I’m forever grateful for each and every one of you for every single minute that you put into this campaign.

I want to also thank my parents. This moment, standing here as an elected MLA, is not just my achievement. It is theirs. My parents came here from the state of Punjab, India, with dreams, with aspirations and with the hope that their sacrifices would create opportunities for their children. They worked incredibly hard, often putting their own needs aside and even working opposite work shifts just so one of them would always be home with myself and my brothers, only seeing each other for a few minutes a day as they crossed each other in the staircase as one went to work and one came off of a 12-hour shift.

This is the routine that they had for years, just to make sure that they were there for our family. They worked this hard so that my brothers and I could have the chance to pursue our education, our careers and our dreams. My parents didn’t come to this country with the expectation that one day, their daughter would run for office, but they did have hope that one day, I would have a chance to build a life filled with purpose, dignity and service. I owe everything to their hard work and sacrifices, and I carry their resilience and determination with me in every step of this journey.

My parents’ pride in this moment is something I will cherish forever. Throughout the campaign, they showed up every single day. My dad, in particular, wore every hat possible. He was my fundraising coordinator, my sign guy, my door-knocker extraordinaire, and he probably would have done every other role if we had let him. My dad is a taxi driver, and even through this campaign he would work his long days driving his taxi throughout the Lower Mainland, and he’d still show up every single day to make sure that he was there to help on the campaign.

My mom, who had just recently retired in August of this year and had hoped for some rest and relaxation, did not get that — surprise. She put all of that aside to show up every single day of the campaign. She greeted volunteers, did so much of our administrative work and had one of the most important jobs: keeping our volunteers well fed. She brought in many delicious meals and made sure no one left our office hungry.

My parents’ love, strength and perseverance shaped me, and I hope to make them as proud in this role as I am to be their daughter.

Finally, I would like to give a huge thank-you to my husband, Darcy, who has been my biggest supporter throughout this entire journey. I even joke that he was too big of a supporter, because if he had been even a little less supportive, I wouldn’t have taken the wild step to even run and be standing here with all of you today.

He is my rock. He has stood by me through every challenge, every late night, and every crazy idea along the way. Never once has he questioned the journey, even when it meant making personal sacrifices along the way. His patience, his support and his love has been my greatest source of strength, and I could not do any of this without him.

So thank you to everyone for their collective efforts and for giving their time, their energy and their belief to something bigger than themselves. As I stand in this role, I do so with a deep appreciation for the people who have helped me get here. I carry with me the lessons I have learned from them, the support they have given me and the responsibility to make sure their efforts were not in vain by ensuring that in this role, we work to deliver real results for our community and for all British Columbians.

[5:30 p.m.]

This is a critical time for British Columbia. We are facing challenges, but we are also uncovering opportunities to build a stronger and more prosperous province.

One of the key messages in the throne speech was about economic resilience. We know that external pressures, like President Trump’s unjustified tariffs, pose a real threat to our industries, to our workers and to our families. Our government is standing firm against these economic attacks, working with all levels of government across Canada to protect our economy and the livelihood of all British Columbians.

Our government has made it clear: British Columbia will not back down when our workers, businesses and communities are put at risk. We are accelerating major resource and energy projects, cutting through unnecessary red tape and ensuring that investment keeps flowing into our province and into Surrey.

Surrey is a vibrant, diverse and growing city. Surrey-Newton is especially diverse, known for its rich cultural heritage and strong sense of family and community. Surrey-Newton is home to a large South Asian population, reflected in its authentic restaurants, small businesses and annual celebrations like Eid ul-Fitr at the Surrey Jamea Masjid and the Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan, which is one of the largest in the world outside of Punjab, India.

If you’re anywhere near Surrey-Newton this April, please join us for this year’s celebration. It’s a beautiful time and celebration of cultures, and I’d love to show you around Surrey-Newton.

Surrey-Newton is also a hub for amazing non-profits that provide everything from free legal services, culturally sensitive counselling services, youth programs, settlement services and everything in between.

Surrey-Newton has amazing small businesses including florists, art studios and award-winning bake shops. For anyone who hasn’t watched Is It Cake? season 2 — spoiler alert — the winner of that season is a young man, Jujhar Mann, who owns a bake shop in our riding of Surrey-Newton. Great show, great cakes. Please come out and try them.

Surrey-Newton is also known for well-known recreation spots like Newton Wave Pool and the Newton Athletic Park. Surrey-Newton has a unique blend of culture, history and community spaces that continue to thrive and evolve each and every year. Surrey is also one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, and our government’s priorities reflect that.

Let’s look at transit. For years, people asked for better public transportation south of the Fraser, but they were ignored by previous governments. But our government listened. The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension is well underway, which means better connectivity, lower emissions and more opportunities for businesses and residents alike.

Our government’s work on transit-oriented development also helps to make the most of this investment. This means more housing, more amenities and better planning around SkyTrain stations, so we can build communities where people can live, work and commute with ease.

In Surrey-Newton, the planned bus rapid transit line will provide faster, more frequent and reliable transit service along King George Boulevard, where it will take only 15 minutes to travel from Surrey city centre to Surrey-Newton. This will also make it easier for residents to get to work, to school and to essential services while supporting a more sustainable and greener transportation network.

But we also know that a growing city needs more than just transit. It needs strong health care. For years, Surrey has been growing faster than its health care services, and our government is taking meaningful action to lessen this gap. We are making record investments in health care to ensure all people can get the care they need when they need it.

This includes building a brand-new hospital in Cloverdale, which brings a second emergency room to Surrey, more operating rooms, in-patient beds and specialized services. We’re building a new state-of-the-art cancer centre in Surrey so patients can receive life-saving treatments right in their community.

At Surrey Memorial Hospital, we’re expanding the renal dialysis services and building a new acute care tower. We’re also opening a new medical school at SFU Surrey to train the next generation of doctors right in our community.

[5:35 p.m.]

In Surrey-Newton, specifically, we’ve also opened an urgent primary care centre, helping community members get same-day and ongoing care.

We also know that in order to run these facilities, we need health care workers. As former in-house legal counsel for the Hospital Employees Union — a shout-out to HEU — I know that health care workers are the backbone of our health care system, and we’re making sure that we are investing in them.

Unlike some members across the aisle, who were in government at the time when thousands of unionized workers were fired, with their collective agreements being ripped up overnight and wages being cut in half, we in government are bringing these workers back into the public sector and rebuilding our health care workforce.

We’re bringing jobs back into the public sector but also licensing new health care workers every year. We have hired over 6,300 new nurses in the last year, and we’re taking action to retain them with better pay and working conditions, which has resulted in B.C.’s nursing workforce growing faster than any other province.

We have hired over 900 internationally trained doctors, including family doctors and specialists, who have been licensed to practice in B.C. in the past year. But we’re only getting started. There is still so much more to do, and we will continue to invest in the health care system so that everyone can get the care they need when they need it.

On this note, I would like to take a moment to talk about international credential recognition, because for far too long, skilled workers in B.C. have been shut out of careers they trained so hard for.

For me, this is personal. When my dad immigrated to Canada in the 1980s, he brought with him years of teaching experience, as he taught engineering in college in India, along with his passion for education. But despite his qualifications, he couldn’t continue his career here in Canada. His credentials were not recognized, and instead of stepping into the classroom for years to obtain credentials that he already had, he took the jobs he could to provide for his growing family.

My family experienced firsthand the frustration of watching his expertise be lost and wasted simply because of barriers that never should have been there in the first place. This is why this work matters so much. No one coming to B.C. should have to start over when they have the skills that we so desperately need. I look forward to a future where newcomers are able to contribute fully — where their work, their education and their experience is recognized and where stories like my dad’s become a thing of the past.

Another key priority in the throne speech was housing. The cost of living in B.C. is one of the biggest concerns I hear from people in my constituency every single day. Whether it’s families, seniors or vulnerable populations, we are committed to making sure that everyone in Surrey and across British Columbia has a safe and stable place to call home.

That’s why we’re taking actions to build more homes faster. We’ve introduced changes to allow for more townhomes and multi-unit housing, cut red tape to speed up construction and invested in affordable housing projects across the province. These changes have also made it easier to build more multigenerational homes, something which many people in Surrey-Newton have told me they need, want and can’t wait to build for their own growing families.

This throne speech is about action. It’s about tackling the big challenges head-on and delivering real results for people in Surrey and across British Columbia. Whether it’s making housing more affordable, improving health care, expanding transit, improving community safety or defending our economy, our government is committed to ensuring that everyone can feel a positive difference in their lives.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we are making real progress. I promise you this: I will continue to fight for the priorities that matter to our community of Surrey-Newton and ensure that our government is listening, delivering and putting people first.

In addition to being the MLA for Surrey-Newton, I am privileged to have been appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives. In my role, I am working closely with the Attorney General to ensure that British Columbians have effective tools to fight all types of racism, hate and discrimination, whether through civil or criminal laws.

[5:40 p.m.]

I’m also working with the minister to ensure that across government ministries, we are responsive to the issues and systemic racism identified through the Anti-Racism Data Act.

Everyone should feel safe in their community. However, the reality is that, especially in today’s international political climate, too many people in B.C. are being harmed by racism and don’t feel that necessary sense of safety that they should in their communities. Government has a moral and an ethical obligation to tackle racism, and we are committed to doing that work. We are doing so by starting and taking an inward look at our government ourselves. Let it be known: racism has no place in our province, no place in our communities and no place in our Legislature.

This is one of the reasons we enacted the Anti-Racism Data Act in June of 2022. This legislation was our government’s first step towards identifying and dismantling systemic racism in order to be able to better deliver government services and programs for everyone. With the findings from the Anti-Racism Data Act, we enacted the Anti-Racism Act in May of 2024. This was to bring action to these findings and target systemic racism within government programs and services in order to address racial inequities.

We are now working with the newly appointed provincial committee on anti-racism to develop an anti-racism action plan, which will outline specific, measurable steps that public bodies will take to address gaps and remove systemic racism and barriers in programs, policies and services in order to make it equitable for Indigenous, Black and racialized people in B.C. to access these services.

Last May we also launched the racist incident helpline. This is a crucial tool to allow people to report racist incidents that they witness or experience and, in doing so, get the support that they need. This helpline is working. In only its first eight months, the racist incident helpline has received over 500 phone calls from people, and these people have been able to connect to the relevant and necessary supports in their communities in a culturally and language-sensitive manner, as these services are provided in over 240 different languages.

We know that there is an urgent need to address people’s concerns about how racism is impacting their everyday lives, and we are committed to working with Indigenous, Black and racialized communities to take real action to address racism and strengthen protections against hate.

As I near the end of my response, I want to reflect on the incredible journey this campaign has been for each and every one of us here today. I am deeply grateful for the trust and support my community has shown me.

Thank you to those who have shared your hopes, challenges and dreams with me throughout this campaign. Your voices have guided me, and they will continue to guide me in my work in the Legislature. I carry your priorities with me every day, ensuring that the changes we work towards reflect your needs and aspirations.

Our government has outlined ambitious and impactful priorities for British Columbians and the residents of Surrey. We’re committed to working together to deliver results for people, like lowering the cost of living, building homes people can afford, investing in education, making sure health care is there when you need it and ensuring that we live in safe communities in a clean environment with a strong economy.

Specifically, we are investing in our health care system with new hospitals and the expansion of services like renal dialysis and cancer care. We’re tackling the housing crisis by building affordable homes and speeding up the construction process. We’re building thousands of new school seats. We’re improving transit with bus rapid transit and the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension. These are just a few of the many ways that we are working to ensure Surrey gets the attention, the investment and the growth it deserves.

There’s a lot more work to do to lighten the load for British Columbians, and we will continue to work together to make life better for everyone. I understand the importance of having a government that hears you, that is compassionate and that fights for fairness. The real work involves listening and engaging with all of you. Your feedback is essential to the ongoing work we do as government, and we will continue to work with the community to ensure that all of British Columbia thrives for generations to come.

[5:45 p.m.]

Thank you again for your unwavering support. It is an honour to serve the community of Surrey-Newton, and I look forward to continuing this work alongside all of you. The work ahead is great but so is our resolve. Together we will make Surrey and British Columbia an even better place to live, work and raise our families.

Deputy Speaker: I’d like to recognize the member for Richmond Centre.

Hon Chan: Thank you, hon. Speaker, and congratulations on your role as the Deputy Speaker.

It is truly an honour to rise in this House today as the elected representative for Richmond Centre. This moment is not just about me. It is about the people of Richmond Centre, the constituents who have placed their trust in me to be their voices in this chamber. I am deeply humbled by this responsibility, and I stand here today with a strong commitment to serve them with integrity, dedication and to fight for their concerns.

I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Richmond Centre. Thank you for believing in me, for putting your faith in my ability to represent you and for giving me this incredible opportunity to stand here and speak on your behalf. I made a promise to you that I would stand up and fight for the issues that matter most to our community, and I will not waver in that commitment.

I would also like to extend my deepest appreciation to my family. Politics is never an easy journey, and without their love, patience and unwavering support, I would not be standing here today. To my parents, my family and all my loved ones, thank you for your sacrifices and for standing by my side through every single challenge and triumph. This victory is not mine alone. It belongs to all of us.

To my dedicated supporters, many of whom were strangers at the beginning but now have become friends, I cannot thank you enough. Your tireless efforts, your belief in our shared vision and your countless hours of hard work — walking, running with me and for me in rainstorms — have made all this possible.

From knocking on doors to making phone calls, from organizing events to simply offering words of encouragement when the campaign trail became very difficult, you have played an irreplaceable role in the journey, and I am truly grateful to have such an incredible team. I am proud to call you not just supporters but lifelong friends.

I want to also take this moment to acknowledge my previous career in the news industry. For 16 years, I had the privilege of engaging with the community, asking tough questions and holding those in power accountable, including many current ministers sitting across the aisles and the current Premier, the current Prime Minister. It was through that experience that I gained invaluable insights into the issues facing British Columbians and Canadians.

I had the opportunity to speak with people from all walks of life, to hear their concerns, their struggles and their aspirations. Today I am honoured to continue in that role, but this time within this very chamber, to question the government, to demand answers and to fight for the people of this province.

There is only one reason why I ran for office: I am tired of this government’s incompetence. For far too long, we have watched as this government operated like a dictatorship, ignoring the voices of British Columbians and making decisions that harm, rather than help, our communities. If we do not stand up today, if we do not fight back, the consequences for our future generations will be dire. Our economy will crumble, and our debt will spiral out of control. Our health care system will collapse, and our citizens will suffer. I refuse to stand idly by and let that happen.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

This government has given us nothing but empty words, broken promises and policy flip-flops. They claim to stand for British Columbians, but their action tells a very different story. Let me give you an example. The NDP government glorified the carbon tax, calling it a necessary measure to combat climate change. But let’s not forget that before they took power, the carbon tax was revenue-neutral. The moment they assumed office, it became nothing more than a cash grab, placing undue burden on hard-working British Columbians.

[5:50 p.m.]

This government championed the carbon tax for years, telling us it was essential. Yet just one month before the election, they suddenly copied our Conservative platform and claimed they want to cancel it. Five months after this election, however, the carbon tax is still here. When questioned, they will simply shift the blame to the Trudeau government, or maybe even to the Trump administration, dodging accountability at every single turn.

Hon. Speaker, let me tell you what they did in the past five months. They forced the Cambie and Sexsmith permanent housing project onto Richmond without any consultation with local residents and stakeholders. This government paused this project before the election, hoping to buy more votes, but we started in no time. This is a true dictatorship move, completely ignoring the voices of Richmond residents, disregarding their concerns and imposing their will without any democratic process. This is disgusting. This is the legacy of our NDP government.

British Columbia and my riding of Richmond Centre face significant challenges. Many of them have been created or worsened by this government over the past eight years. Housing affordability is at an all-time low, with families struggling to find a place to live. Crime rates are on the rise, yet this government continues to fail in providing real solutions for public safety.

Our health care system is in crisis, with residents waiting hours in the emergency room unable to access the care that they desperately need. Small businesses, many of which are the backbone of our community, are suffocating under excessive regulation, taxes and bureaucratic red-tape.

Listening to this throne speech was both ironic and painful, as many of the problems highlighted in the speech were actually caused by this government in the first place. Even more concerning is that many of their so-called solutions have been lifted directly from our platform. It is as if this government has suddenly realized the gravity of the situation they have created but lack the vision or competence to address it effectively.

My constituents deserve better. The people of Richmond Centre, and indeed all British Columbians, deserve a government that listens to them, that respects their voices and that works to create a real, meaningful change. They deserve a government that prioritizes affordability, that ensures public safety, that strengthens our economy and that restores confidence in our institutions. They deserve a government that is accountable, transparent and committed to serving the people, not just staying in power.

The throne speech spoke of a brighter future, but under this government, I am not optimistic at all. How can I be? When British Columbia is in crisis on multiple fronts, how can the people under this government feel hopeful when our communities are being hollowed out by the government’s incompetence, ideological stubbornness and misplaced priorities?

We have lost over 16,000 lives to the drug crisis and counting. It is a crisis that has spiralled out of control under this government’s watch. It is a crisis. And yet the United States’ Trump administration has explicitly named British Columbia as a major contributor to the fentanyl crisis. Reports have surfaced that this government has, essentially, become one of the largest drug dealers in the province, using taxpayer dollars to fund criminal activities and enrich organized crime.

In many democratic countries, or even in undemocratic ones, the government would have to step down, the Premier and the minister responsible would have to resign and a public inquiry would have to begin. And guess what? None of this is happening under this government.

Yet, in this throne speech, this government spent more time blaming Donald Trump than addressing the root causes of this crisis. Let me remind them. The fentanyl crisis existed long before Trump. The 16,000 deaths happened long before Trump came into power.

[5:55 p.m.]

The decriminalization of drugs happened long before Trump. The health care crisis, emergency room closures and doctor shortage happened long before Trump. Our record-breaking deficit and mounting debt happened long before Trump.

Our trade offices closing, rising crime rates, electricity shortages and housing unaffordability — all of these problems existed because of this NDP government, and long before Trump.

The throne speech stated that this government will put B.C. in a better position to weather the storm and emerge stronger. But let’s be clear, this storm was created by this government. We were already weak internally, and now we must also face increasing pressure from the United States.

The throne speech spoke about B.C.’s abundant natural resources and clean energy, yet this is the same government that hindered the growth of our natural resource sector and rushed to electrify the province without a proper plan, without even ensuring we have enough electricity to meet our own needs.

When the NDP first came to power, they nearly cancelled the Site C dam. Fortunately, the project was already too far along for them to stop it. Now they take credit for it, boasting about the dam’s ability to provide significant amount of power. Yet we’re still 20 percent behind in electricity supply. Their so-called solutions: nine new wind projects that will take nearly a decade to complete yet only providing 8 percent of the electricity we need. Meanwhile, last year alone, we were already 20 percent behind.

This government is also shortsighted for even their ten-year energy plan. They can’t even meet the electricity demand from last year. How can British Columbians trust them to plan for our future?

This government is skilled in only one thing: making excuses for its failure. It is constantly looking for a scapegoat — blaming the federal government; blaming the economy; blaming the previous government, which was themselves; and now blaming Donald Trump. But British Columbians are not fooled. They see through this government’s deflections and are demanding accountability. In this throne speech, this government failed to lay out any concrete plan to address these pressing issues.

This NDP government also had the audacity to reference World War II so many times in its speeches. With a simple Google search…. During World War II, over 45,000 Canadians and 3,500 British Columbians lost their lives for our country, yet this government refused to acknowledge that their failed drug experiment has already cost British Columbians 16,000 lives, and counting.

I reserve my right to continue my speech at a later date, and I would like to adjourn the debate.

Motion approved.

Second Reading of Bills

Bill M202 — Eligibility to Hold
Public Office Act, 2025
(continued)

The Speaker: Members, earlier today during private members’ time, a division was requested on second reading of Bill M202, intituled Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act.

Pursuant to Standing Order 25, the deferred division will take place now.

[6:00-6:10 p.m.]

Motion approved on the following division:

YEAS — 48
Lore	G. Anderson	Blatherwick
Elmore	Sunner	Toporowski
B. Anderson	Neill	Osborne
Brar	Davidson	Kahlon
Parmar	Gibson	Beare
Chandra Herbert	Wickens	Kang
Morissette	Sandhu	Krieger
Chant	Lajeunesse	Choi
Rotchford	Higginson	Popham
Dix	Sharma	Farnworth
Eby	Bailey	Begg
Greene	Whiteside	Boyle
Ma	Yung	Malcolmson
Chow	Glumac	Arora
Shah	Phillip	Dhir
Routledge	Valeriote	Botterell
NAYS — 42
Wat	Kooner	Halford
Hartwell	L. Neufeld	Dew
Gasper	Brodie	Block
Day	Sturko	Kindy
Milobar	Warbus	Rustad
Banman	Rattée	Davis
Armstrong	McInnis	Bird
Luck	Stamer	Maahs
Tepper	Mok	Wilson
Kealy	Clare	Bhangu
Paton	Boultbee	Chan
Toor	Hepner	Giddens
Williams	Loewen	Dhaliwal
Doerkson	Chapman	McCall

The Speaker: Pursuant to Standing Order 84A(1), the bill stands committed to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills.

Hon. Mike Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.

The House adjourned at 6:12 p.m.