The House met at 10:03 a.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Jessie Sunner.

Introductions by Members

Kristina Loewen: Today I rise to welcome Will and Patty Friedrich, new friends of mine. They are from Kaleden, and they’re enjoying retiree life in the Okanagan Valley.

[10:05 a.m.]

Will retired from Circular Stairworks, his business in Penticton, and Patty was in investment planning. Most of all, I’m told that they’re enjoying their grandkids who live in Victoria, Kaleden and Calgary, so please welcome them with me today.

Debra Toporowski / Qwulti’stunaat: I would like to have the House acknowledge my niece here, Rebecca White, who is up in the chambers. She was part of my two-minute statement and is going for her practicum. Hopefully she’ll get placed next week. So can the House make my niece Rebecca White feel welcome.

Darlene Rotchford: I would like to congratulate the Victoria Grizzlies, our BCHL team in the riding of Esquimalt-Colwood, on going to the second round of the playoffs, thank them for their commitment to the community and wish them the best of luck.

Stephanie Higginson: I am not sure that they are in the chamber in this moment because I can’t see it. Chief Michael Recalma from the Qualicum First Nation is on the precinct today. He was here with the Kidney Foundation breakfast. He is a kidney recipient. His story is inspiring for all of us who are elected leaders. It is not my story to tell, but if you Google it, it will be inspiring how he received a kidney from another member of elected office in our community. Oceanside is the community that keeps on giving in so many ways.

If you see Chief Recalma and his incredibly supportive, wonderful wife, Sharon, in the precinct today, please make them feel welcome.

Kiel Giddens: This weekend, I travelled to the Vernon-Lumby riding and had the chance to take my son to the All Valley martial arts championships, a fantastic event put on by Sundance taekwondo. I want to thank all of the organizers for putting on such a great event.

Thanks to my son’s coach, Jordan Boudreau, who’s been named to the national taekwondo coaching team, going to the international championships in Croatia this year. I want to congratulate my son Thomas. He got gold medal in sparring in his division and also a bronze in pattern. Big weekend in the Giddens household.

Jennifer Blatherwick: I would like to draw the attention to the House to yet another person who joined us at the Kidney Foundation breakfast this morning, my good friend Chrissy Bennett. Chrissy is not someone who leads from the front. She is someone who supports from behind. If you’ve ever worked in non-profits, you know that she is gold because she writes grant applications.

I have been involved with many non-profits over the years that have benefited from her selfless service and the countless hours that she puts in to make sure that deserving non-profits have the expertise that they need to be able to submit very lengthy, very complicated applications. She has been the reason that almost $1 million has been raised for non-profits in my community, and I would like the House to raise her up and thank her for her work and make her welcome here today.

Lynne Block: I wish they were here right now so we could say thank you for the lovely breakfast that we had this morning and the information they gave us.

It is my pleasure to introduce a friend and near-constituent from Eagle Harbour in West Vancouver, Alexis MacKay-Dunn. Alexis is a small business owner, a devoted mother of two, and a patient living with late-stage kidney disease. Drawing strength from her own experience, Alexis has become a passionate advocate for kidney health across British Columbia. Today, Alexis is part of a powerhouse delegation from the Kidney Foundation, here to meet with MLAs and shine a light on a growing issue. Kidney disease now affects one in ten British Columbians, many of whom are unaware they even have it.

Please join me in welcoming Alexis and in thanking the Kidney Foundation for their vital work to improve outcomes for kidney patients and their families throughout this province.

[10:10 a.m.]

Susie Chant: I too was at the Kidney Foundation breakfast. I’d just like to welcome constituents from my riding, Harry and Jayne Brownlow. Jayne is dealing with kidney disease, and Harry has taken up the torch as a volunteer with the Kidney Foundation. He came to visit me at my office earlier this year. I’ve actually known the family for a long time.

The message is: all MLAs, if the Kidney Foundation comes and asks to talk to you and help spread the word, please take the meeting.

Donegal Wilson: I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Grand Forks Border Bruins congratulations on the Teck Cup champion. They were victorious over the Revelstoke Grizzlies. It was an unforgettable season so far. A big thank you to the staff, players and the fans for a great season for the Grand Forks Border Bruins.

Darlene Rotchford: Well, I can’t let it go without wishing one of our lovely members from Coquitlam a happy birthday today. Could the House please join me in clapping and wishing her the happiest birthday.

Point of Order

Hon. Mike Farnworth: I rise to seek a ruling on private members’ bills and their admissibility for debate and voting in this House. As you know, the rules for the admissibility of private members’ bills are set out in standing orders. The matters which private members can introduce by way of a bill in the Legislative Assembly are limited by both the constitution and our standing orders.

This House has vested you with certain powers to apply the standing orders and to establish the practice of the application of these standing orders. Speaker Barisoff, on October 23, 2007, very clearly set out the authority of the Speaker: “Let it be clear, however, that it is the Speaker and the Speaker alone who has been given the authority and the responsibility to rule a bill out of order on procedural grounds.” B.C. Journals, October 23, 2007, page 130.

Particularly, I rise regarding the admissibility of a bill in relation to Standing Order 73, which reads: “Any bill affecting the constitution must be introduced by a Member of the Government or with the sanction of the Government.” It is clear that Standing Order 73 sets out clear parameters for public bills, private member….

In this instance, I would like to draw your attention to Bill M209, sponsored by the member from Vancouver-Quilchena. Bill M209 contains a clause which seems to set aside certain powers that govern this province under section 35 of the Constitution Act, which could be in contradiction of Standing Order 73.

Clause 13 of Bill M209 reads, “To the extent that this Act may affect or limit an Aboriginal right or treaty right recognized under section 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982, that effect or limitation is justifiable by factors including the following,” and the clause continues to a number of subclauses.

By way of background, Section 35(1) of the Constitution Act reads: “The existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.”

Government has not sought sanction of this clause, nor would government grant sanction to a private member.

In addition, Section 35 falls inside Schedule 2 of the constitution, outside of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and is exempt from the notwithstanding clause. No government, including this government, may simply override rights and title of Indigenous people in this province.

[10:15 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker, your predecessors have similarly ruled on the withdrawal of a bill in the hands of a private member: Standing Order 76, April 2, 1969, page 229 of the B.C. Journals; October 17, 1953, page 73 of the B.C. Journals; and October 1, 1953, page 32 of the B.C. Journals.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first opportunity that any member has had to rise in this House to address the matter of Bill M204, as it was first introduced on April 10 and printed later that day within an hour of the adjournment of the House.

I ask that you provide a ruling on the admissibility of Bill M204 at your earliest convenience prior to its scheduled second reading later this morning. In addition, I ask that you provide a ruling on the past practice to allow the sponsoring member to speak briefly to a bill at second reading, even if that bill is ruled out of order.

I draw your attention again to Speaker Barisoff, October 23, 2007, page 130, where he outlines the courtesy provided to this House: “The practice of this House has been somewhat more benign. The proponents of such flawed bills as a matter of pure courtesy have been permitted a limited time to speak on second reading before the bill is ruled out of order.”

Speaker Barisoff continues: “Many jurisdictions in the Commonwealth do not even permit such a bill to proceed beyond first reading, and such bills are removed from the order paper after introduction. No opportunity to speak to second reading is provided.”

Speaker Barisoff did not have to contend with the revised and reformed private members’ time standing orders that were put in place at the end of the 42nd parliament. This past practice and courtesy of the Chair to members of this House may now be in contradiction of these revised standing orders.

There are now established rules that govern a new order of precedence and related consequences should a private member’s business be found out of order. Standing Order 27A5 states: “A private member who has a public bill or a motion standing in their name ruled out of order by the Speaker shall be added to the bottom of the placement list for private members’ time.”

Mr. Speaker, there is an opportunity for members to speak to the spirit and intent of the bill and inform the House at its introduction.

The Parliamentary Practice of British Columbia, fifth edition, contains a procedural recommendation on page 240 which allows members to have up to two minutes to introduce their bill and provide brief remarks as to the purpose and intent of the proposed legislation. It reads: “Permit a statement not to exceed two minutes by the member in charge of introduction of a bill to explain its purpose. No further debate shall be permitted at this stage.”

I would hold, Mr. Speaker, that you maintain this leniency to members at introduction and the first reading of a private member’s bill and that two minutes provides ample opportunity to introduce a bill, while respecting the time and resources of this House without opening second reading debate on a bill that has subsequently been ruled out of order.

I also ask for your guidance on this past practice of opening debate at second reading of a bill ruled out of order and if it is still applicable, given the recent changes to the standing orders, specifically Standing Order 27A5.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: The Chair thanks the Government House Leader for his submission. Just two corrections. It’s Bill M209, and the standing order you are referring to should be 76, not 73.

Peter Milobar: I rise to address the comments from the Government House Leader and thank you for that correction.

I was going to start off by saying that this side of the House fully supports M204. That is the Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Strategy Act, which is actually at committee stage right now as we speak and was widely supported in this House to move along.

But certainly, M209, intituled Tax Relief and Tariff Defence Act, is really what we are discussing today.

As opposition, I think it’s incumbent on us to recognize that private members’ bills and private members’ motions on Mondays are about one of the only times we have to meaningfully advance thoughts and actions that we would like to see happen in this place and actions taken by government and to try to deal with real issues that are facing British Columbians every day.

So it’s not something that we certainly take lightly within the official opposition. It’s a role, I think, that we’ve demonstrated with our private members’ bills over the last several weeks — the heft to them and the importance to them — that we are taking very seriously.

We recognize that part of the reason you don’t see maybe even more currently on the order paper is because of its high threshold that opposition members are expected by government to bring forward these private members’ bills. It’s a high standard to meet within the standing orders.

[10:20 a.m.]

You have to get a little bit creative, I guess, with a little bit of thought put into what you’re bringing forward to make sure it’s not running afoul of any of the standing orders or the constitution, frankly.

As the House Leader for the government rightfully pointed out, Standing Order 76 says: “Any bill affecting the constitution must be introduced by a member of the government or with the sanction of the government.”

It sounds very clear that the government is not sanctioning any potential changes to section 35 of the Constitution Act of Canada. In fact, our understanding is that section 35 is not subject to even notwithstanding-clause provisions being enacted on it, which would make it a next to impossible bar to be met that we see within the legislation proposed under Bill M209.

Again, it’s incumbent on all of us in the official opposition, or any opposition parties, to ensure that things we bring forward do meet those high standards within the standing orders, have reasonably met that test.

In this case, based on the language in clause 13 of Bill M209, which very clearly references section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982, and any potential overrides essentially ignoring that section of the constitution, it very clearly appears to be in contravention of Standing Order 76.

Again, section 25 of the constitution, which provides additional protections, is also found in schedule 2 of the constitution and is not subject to that notwithstanding clause.

When private members’ bills are brought forward, all private members that bring them forward, I think, hope to see them actioned. So when we see things like the perinatal bill being actioned, or at least moving through committee stage, that’s an important day for opposition to continue to hold that standard, to bring that impetus to government, hopefully, to bring forward more legislation to the floor of this place and action it, more importantly.

That only happens when legislation is brought forward by the opposition, or by others within the opposition, where it’s actually deemed to be in order, to keep the credibility of the process in place and moving forward.

Private members’ time is very important, but so is maintaining the integrity of our democratic processes and ensuring that the time is being used to bring forward legislation that can be lawfully advanced, which adds to that back-and-forth debate between government and the opposition points of view of what should or shouldn’t be happening within British Columbia.

When you look at other bills like the Mental Health Amendment Act, M205, that have been brought forward and the seriousness around supports and suicide prevention at the root of that bill, those are meaningful and took a lot of time by the members involved to get to a place where they are deemed to be in order in this place and not stand that challenge from government or by others in here.

If we are going to be spending time on bills, we need to make sure that they do meet that very high threshold.

The rest of the bill…. People can go back and forth, and we can debate, I guess, sections around potential tax cuts or things of that nature, but it makes it very clear, when you get to clause 13 of Bill M209, that in fact the admissibility, as a piece of stand-alone legislation, simply does not meet the threshold of Standing Order 76.

Mr. Speaker, for those reasons and many, many others, as the official opposition, we look for your guidance on this. We know that it may take a little while for you to deliberate and take into account the seriousness of the precedents that could be set one way or the other depending on how you rule on this.

As the Government House Leader has pointed out, in several of the other examples from previous Speakers, like Speaker Barisoff and others, there seems to be a very clear history of rulings in this place around whether bills that contain clauses that would impact the constitution would hold as in order, or not, when presented by a member of any form of opposition in this place.

[10:25 a.m.]

With that, I’m sure you will take the appropriate steps to review what has been presented to this point. I’m not sure if there are other members that are going to be speaking to this as well. Certainly, it’s our hope that Standing Order 76, which is a very clear standing order in terms of how it’s written.... There are a lot of standing orders in our book of procedures that seem somewhat contradictory at times or that can be a little bit convoluted, especially to a layperson trying to read it.

I think, for anyone watching at home, when they hear that 76 is as simple as that any bill affecting the constitution must be introduced by a member of the government or with the sanction of the government.... They realize that section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982 is, very clearly, something relating to the constitution, and this is not a bill brought forward by government. By the virtue of them opposing or asking for it to be called out of order, they most obviously are not in support of or sanctioning that change to happen.

It means that the Speaker might not even have to delve into whether or not the notwithstanding clause within section 35 could even be used or not. The simple fact of the matter is that it is part of the constitution. The government is not sanctioning anything affecting the constitution. And if they’re not sanctioning it, it must be introduced by the government, and M209 most clearly is not introduced by the government.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we look forward to your deliberations and the final ruling on the direction for M209.

Dallas Brodie: In response to this point of order, I would start by saying that, first of all, nothing in this bill affects any provision of the Constitution Act of Canada, 1982, and it does not infringe on any Aboriginal rights. This bill specifically says that this does not infringe on Aboriginal rights, as contained in section 35 of the Constitution Act of Canada.

We have also consulted with one of Canada’s leading Aboriginal law scholars when we were drafting this bill — which, by the way, does meet high thresholds; I’ll come back to that in a minute — who has confirmed that this bill does not affect anything that’s laid out in the constitution.

I would also like to respond to some of the comments regarding procedures that were followed by us, by myself and by our team, in putting this matter forward. We followed all procedures as required by the Clerk, and we worked with the Clerk and her office to put this through in a way that met all requirements. I will dispute any insinuation that we did not act with the highest of standards.

We also agree that private members’ bills are very important and one of the only ways for MLAs who are not in government to participate in democracy.

Also, I would ask: who is going to define this new high threshold suggested by the member for Kamloops Centre? What even does that mean? Is the member saying that a peri- and postnatal care private member’s bill somehow meets a higher threshold than tax cuts and cutting red tape? I don’t know how we’re going to make a distinction between which bills meet a high threshold and which ones don’t. And who is going to be the arbiter of what that threshold is?

I realize, Mr. Speaker, you have a difficult decision in front of you. I would ask, as well, that the importance of this matter.... Any act to prohibit me, as a private member, putting forward a bill is going to be an imposition and, frankly, a derogation of my ability to participate in democracy in this House.

I came forward with my bill at a time appointed on the list. If we start down this road, then for any bill that someone presents, they could start saying: “Well, that doesn’t meet a threshold that I like. I don’t like what’s in this bill, so we’re going to stop it before it can get anywhere, before it’s even debated or discussed.”

I would also suggest that, given the constitutional issues raised by both the government and the opposition, we be permitted to make written submissions on this matter. If further submissions would be allowed, Mr. Speaker, that would be most helpful in a case like this, where we’re talking about the constitution, whether or not this impacts the Constitution Act of Canada, and whether or not this meets some threshold.

[10:30 a.m.]

I want to say that we have acted in the highest of interests of British Columbia in putting this bill forward, and there was no attempt here to get around any rules that exist in this House. It’s certainly not the way I operate.

Jeremy Valeriote: I’ll rise to present the perspective of the Third Party caucus on Bill M209. Not to repeat all of what the Government House Leader and the member for Kamloops Centre have stated; however, I will say that Standing Order 76 is very clear. Clause 13 of the bill says in black and white that this act may affect section 31 of the Constitution Act. Therefore, we do believe it’s in contravention of Standing Order 76, and we look forward to the Speaker’s ruling on the matter.

The Speaker: Thank you, all Members, for your thoughtful submissions. The Chair will take that under advisement. It’s my intention to make the ruling before the end of private members’ statements today.

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

Vaisakhi

Mandeep Dhaliwal: Today we celebrate Vaisakhi, an important day for Sikhs across British Columbia and the world. Vaisakhi marks the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh ji in 1699. On this day, Sikhs promised to live by the principle of truth, equality and helping others.

[Mable Elmore in the chair.]

The Khalsa is the term of Sikhs who have accepted the khande di pahul and committed to live their lives in the spirit of service to all. B.C.’s 300,000 participating Sikhs believe in the universal acceptance of all humanity, hosting one’s family and hard work.

Sikhs have been part of British Columbia for over 100 years and helped build our railways and industries. This is why the month of April is also Sikh Heritage Month in our province.

For followers of Sikhism, Vaisakhi is a religious holiday of significance, and it also celebrates the spring and harvest. For non-Sikhs, Vaisakhi and the langar eating.…. It’s just a lot of fun and a great time to learn about the culture and tradition.

The world’s largest Vaisakhi event takes place in Surrey, right there in B.C., in the spirit of seva, selfless service and dedication to others. Local businesses and volunteers hand out vegetarian food and hot and cold drinks to event attendants. They do not discriminate, and they will provide for all. This idea of the community is what we call langar.

Maybe some members received the opportunity to visit the Vaisakhi parade in Vancouver over the weekend. The Vancouver Vaisakhi event started in 1979 and the Surrey event in 1998. News media were reporting that a couple of hundred thousand attendants showed up at the Punjabi Market for the Vancouver Nagar Kirtan this past Saturday, April 12. And yesterday the Sikh community living in Port Alberni hosted the city’s very first Vaisakhi event ever, with a turnout of hundreds of people.

It is incredible to see the Vaisakhi event become more and more popular everywhere, from Port Alberni to Terrace to Kamloops to Williams Lake. Non-Sikhs are always impressed by the generosity, friendliness and energy that they witness at the Vaisakhi event in B.C. Locals enjoy the performance, as well as the pakora, samosa and jalebi. After all, Vaisakhi is also about joy. It is a celebration that brings people together regardless of background.

[10:35 a.m.]

Also, the best of the Sikh community is showcased at Vaisakhi. The truth is that Sikhs are serving others year-round. We run food banks to feed those who have fallen on hard times and help during emergencies like the 2021 floods in the Fraser Valley. We raise money to support each other’s cause. Langar is not just one day of the year on Vaisakhi, but rather it’s a daily act for Sikhs in the gurdwaras. To all who celebrate, I say with great pride: “Vaisakhi Diyan Lakh Lakh Vadhaiyan.” Happy Vaisakhi.

Yom HaShoah and
Holocaust Remembrance

Nina Krieger: I’d like to begin by recognizing that we are gathered on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, the Songhees and the SXIMEȽEȽ First Nations, who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial.

Today I rise in the House to reflect on Yom HaShoah, the annual day of remembrance of the victims of the Shoah, known as the Holocaust, observed by Jewish communities worldwide. Here in British Columbia, Holocaust survivors, their descendants and others will be joined by government representatives and members of civil society at commemorations that begin at sundown on April 23. Memorial candles will be lit to honour the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. The Nazis also carried out a genocide against the Roma and targeted millions of others on racial and ideological grounds.

As someone who has spent much of my professional life dedicated to Holocaust education and remembrance, this day carries personal and communal weight. This day also brings with it great communal strength. Some of my greatest teachers have been Holocaust survivors who settled in B.C. and who dedicated themselves to courageously sharing their testimonies in the hope of countering hate and indifference.

Holocaust survivors are central to many of the programs of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, which has engaged 25,000 British Columbian students a year over the last three decades. Students that are fortunate to engage with an eyewitness have described these encounters as some of the most transformative of their school careers. These survivors reflect experiences in ghettos, concentration and death camps, enforced labour, in hiding and as refugees establishing new lives in Canada.

Testimonies provide powerful human entry points for learning about what would otherwise be an abstraction of numbers that defies imagination. How else can we begin to grasp that of the six million victims of the Holocaust, 1½ million were children, representing some 89 to 94 percent of Europe’s pre-war population of Jewish children. Their crimes? Being Jewish.

Those that emerged from the war in most cases found their families and communities destroyed. The precious few who survived are known as child survivors of the Holocaust. British Columbia is home to what is likely the most long-standing and active group of child survivors in the world. They are now in their late 80s and 90s. Not only have they shared their testimonies; they have written memoirs and poems, created artworks and contributed to academia, business and community-building. They are our neighbours. They have raised families here. They helped build our province with its cherished values of diversity and compassion.

My dear friend Robbie Waisman, a survivor of Buchenwald concentration camp and now 94 years old, was made an honorary witness by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and he has spoken alongside survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and survivors of residential schools.

This is so significant because the Holocaust is known as a paradigmatic genocide, which can help us understand the patterns that genocides typically follow. It offers opportunities to reflect on the possibility of moral decision-making in times of crisis and other lessons deeply relevant to our own time and place — lessons that speak to intergenerational trauma and resilience in the face of this and the importance of documentation, remembrance, education and justice in its aftermath.

[10:40 a.m.]

The Holocaust also teaches us about the dangers of the denial, distortion and trivialization of history and of memory. At a time when antisemitism is rising globally and here at home, the Holocaust teaches us that we cannot afford silence or complacency. This is why the integration of the Holocaust into the B.C. curriculum in the upcoming school year provides such an important and meaningful opportunity for students and teachers.

As elected leaders in a province that remembers the Holocaust, we have a responsibility to counter and condemn antisemitism whenever and wherever it appears because the safety and dignity of Jewish British Columbians, like all British Columbians, matters and must be protected.

Yom HaShoah serves as a reminder of this. The murder of Jewish men, women and children offers no redemption. But as we light memorial candles and reflect on lives cut short by hate, let us honour their memory with purpose: to remember, to teach and to vow never again.

Central Okanagan Food Bank

Kristina Loewen: Today I rise to bring attention to an incredible organization in my riding that is alleviating suffering and standing in the gap in this affordability crisis. This organization is truly innovative, forward-thinking, saves this government a ton of money and has been an absolute lifeline to many. I’m talking about the Central Okanagan Food Bank and the incredible work done there for my community by a small army of staff and volunteers.

In the fall, Central Okanagan MLAs, city councillors and mayors had a tour of these incredible facilities. I must say the tour was impressive. From the huge and well-organized and well-used warehouse, with scales and shipping capabilities, to the under-construction industrial kitchen, to the cheery and passionate staff, the front-line packing room with all the perishables, the magnitude of this undertaking that served so many was mind-blowing and humbling.

The Central Okanagan Food Bank is the largest food bank in the interior of B.C., and it provides nutritional food assistance to 10,500 residents each month. This is a sharp increase of 353 percent since 2019, and 44 percent are children and 20 percent are seniors.

This food bank is seeing a 59 percent increase year over year. In March, 307 new clients registered for support: people who have never needed a food bank before. This is Kelowna, British Columbia.

With locations in Kelowna and West Kelowna, 31 staff, 450 volunteers, this charitable, not-for-profit, non-government-funded organization relies on community generosity to support their work. This includes the donations of food, funds and time. Recently, the significant increase in food bank users that they’ve seen is from the middle-income bracket. The Central Okanagan Food Bank is now serving patrons, that’s right, who have two employed individuals in one home. Only 30 percent of their client base is on any type of social assistance and the remaining 70 percent are working members of the community struggling to make ends meet.

With families living paycheque to paycheque, the beautiful news is that this food bank has served as a stopgap measure that has saved many a family from hunger or homelessness when things became unbearably tight. The food bank can and does provide specific food to individual or family needs and can tide them over for a week or so until the next paycheque.

Last year the food bank received three million pounds of food. This was distributed to clients primarily. The rest was shared with other food banks and local agencies. The Central Okanagan Food Bank also runs several programs. They run Food for Thought, which is a school-based program that delivers over 5,000 meals and serves more than 1,200 children. They also run more than food, which provides resources, education and skill development to help clients move beyond emergency food aid and protect them from homelessness and break the cycle of poverty.

The community kitchen offers cooking classes, food safety education and gardening workshops. Proudly, this location is also designated as a national food sharing system hub, supporting an additional 32 regional food banks.

[10:45 a.m.]

Let me tell you about Maria. Maria has a great job and a university degree. She’s proud of her accomplishments and career. But although it seems she has it all together, this grateful mom is raising three children on her own and feeling the pressure to make ends meet.

The sad truth is that she is part of the fastest-growing demographic using food banks: working families. With the help from the food bank, she is able to put healthy, nutritious food on the table every day.

Recently she joined the more than food program and took a class to learn how to make the best use of her hamper ingredients. More Than Food also offers FoodSafe certifications for clients to assist in their gaining employment in our local food industry. This course was recently offered in Arabic and was full. Fifteen clients took the course, and currently, more are registered for the next session. One client, a new immigrant here, is on a journey to open a restaurant serving food from his country of origin. I am looking forward to following that yummy journey.

Lastly, I want to point out the Hungry Hungry Half marathon brought to us by Valley First and working closely with this food bank to raise money for the Valley. I had the fun and honour of participating last year along with several of my colleagues on this side of the House, as well as my family and some friends. Together we raised $29,000 last year at the 9th annual run. I know marathon sounds impressive, but to be clear, most of us walk the 5K.

If you are in the area or you want to plan a trip, please join us May 31 this year. Thank you to the Central Okanagan Food Bank for providing this incredible service in our city.

Vaisakhi

Rohini Arora: Today I want to take you all on a journey not just through history but into the heart of a vibrant celebration called Vaisakhi. As a child, my dad used to recite this story to me in Punjabi. Today I want to share it with all of you. At first glance, Vaisakhi might look like a colourful festival with dancing, food and joyous celebrations. And it absolutely is. But beneath the surface lies a powerful story of courage, transformation and unity.

So what is Vaisakhi? Vaisakhi, also spelled Baisakhi, is one of the most important festivals for Sikhs around the world. It falls in April each year and marks the birth of the Khalsa, meaning the pure or sovereign, a defining moment in Sikh history. But it’s also celebrated by many others in India, especially in Punjab, as a harvest festival giving thanks for abundance and new beginnings.

Now let me take you back to the year 1699, in a town called Anandpur Sahib in northern India. The Mughal Empire ruled the land, and Sikhs were facing persecution for standing up for justice and religious freedom. On Vaisakhi day, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Guru, called upon thousands of his followers and made an extraordinary request. He asked: “Who among you is willing to give your head for your faith?”

Imagine the silence, the fear, the uncertainty in the crowd. Then one man stepped forward. He was taken into a tent. Moments later, the guru emerged with a sword, but no man. The crowd gasped. Then another man went, and another, until five had stepped forward.

Finally, Guru Gobind Singh Ji brought them all out, alive and well. Dressed in royal saffron robes, these five men became what we call the Panj Payaare, the five beloved ones. They were the first to be initiated into the Khalsa, the community of committed Sikhs who would dedicate their lives to equality, justice and service.

This was more than a ceremony. It was a revolution. The guru didn’t just form a religious order. He empowered everyday people to become fearless warriors, compassionate leaders and protectors of the oppressed. He gave them a distinct identity with the five Ks, our articles of faith, like the turban and the kara, which you might see as a steel bracelet — symbols of dignity, discipline and unity.

[10:50 a.m.]

So why do we still celebrate Vaisakhi today? Because the spirit of Vaisakhi still speaks to us. It reminds us that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. It teaches us that standing up for the truth and justice isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. And it celebrates the idea of community coming together across backgrounds, beliefs and borders.

Whether you’re Sikh or not, Vaisakhi carries a message for all of us: be brave, be kind, and be united. As you see the vibrant processions, hear the beat of the dhol or taste the sweet langar given freely by volunteers, you’re not just witnessing a festival; you’re witnessing a legacy of resilience and hope.

Happy Vaisakhi to all of us.

Reann Gasper: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Reann Gasper: Bryce Schaufelberger is in the House. Bryce is the president of the Mission Self Advocacy Group and Reimagining Community Inclusion. Would the House join me in welcoming him today.

Private Members’ Statements

Infrastructure for
Housing Development

Donegal Wilson: I’m grateful for the chance to stand here today and speak to something that affects every British Columbian: smart infrastructure investments and why they’re absolutely critical if we’re going to solve our housing crisis.

We all know there’s a housing crunch. That’s not breaking news in this chamber. But if we’re going to move from sound bites to real solutions, we need to talk about what actually makes housing possible. It starts with the basics: water, sewer and the core services that make communities livable.

It’s easy to stand behind a podium and announce a housing mandate. It’s a lot harder to explain why there are no water hookups, no sewage capacity or no space at the local wastewater plant to actually support those new homes. Mandating density without the infrastructure to support it — that’s not bold policy; it’s bad planning. It has created frustration, not homes, and it’s happening across British Columbia.

We need to be asking better questions — not just how many units can we cram into a neighbourhood, but where is it actually realistic to grow? What do communities actually need to support that growth, and what role does the province play in making that happen?

In my own riding of Boundary-Similkameen, especially in the South Okanagan portion, the situation is getting urgent. Municipalities estimate they need over $200 million in infrastructure upgrades just to maintain current service levels. This isn’t about accommodating new growth. It’s about keeping clean water flowing and managing wastewater for the people that are already living there.

If we don’t invest, communities risk losing housing, not gaining it. That’s right — losing supply. When water and sewer systems fail or hit capacity, development doesn’t slow down; it gets shut down.

Homeowner taxes are skyrocketing, and people are forced to move or downsize to accommodate. Developers walk away, and municipalities pull the plug, and not because of red tape but because they literally don’t have the pipes to do it.

This is not a hypothetical scenario. It’s happening today. Applications are being turned away, not for lack of interest but for lack of infrastructure. This isn’t just a rural problem. We’re feeling the pinch in rural B.C., but the ripple effect is provincewide. When smaller communities can’t grow, we lose out on housing, on jobs, on tax revenue and on the chance to build strong, multigenerational communities across B.C. Frankly, we’re also losing opportunities, because when developers hear “infrastructure deficit,” they just go elsewhere.

Now, I want to draw attention to a specific piece of the provincial housing mandate, one that requires communities to allow secondary suites and carriage houses on every single-family lot. On the surface, it sounds like a practical solution. In theory, it could help both with the housing shortage and with affordability, as many people are buying homes with the idea that they’ll add a suite or a carriage house to help cover that mortgage.

But here’s the problem. Those neighbourhoods were never built for high-density housing. The water lines, the sewer systems and the electrical grids were all planned and installed based on single-family homes.

[10:55 a.m.]

Adding a second dwelling to each lot isn’t as simple as just pouring a foundation and picking out the cabinets. You need systemwide upgrades, and people are finding that out the hard way. They go to city hall with plans for a rental suite only to find out their application is denied, not because of zoning but because the neighbourhood is at capacity. In some cases, the infrastructure is already failing.

We are setting up homeowners to fail, and we are putting municipalities in an impossible position. On one hand, they are being told to meet provincial housing targets, but on the other hand, they are literally on the front line of frustration when they are having to deny applications.

It’s no wonder that people are frustrated. I’ve spoken with mayors and councillors who support growth, but they are asking the province to fund the foundation first — not flashy photo ops but basic infrastructure.

Let’s work with communities, not against them. Let’s target provincial infrastructure dollars where they’ll do the most good, not where it’s politically convenient but where there’s real local support and a clear plan with an actual chance to build. Let’s reward readiness. Let’s support the communities that have already done the planning, built local consensus among their community and mapped out where growth should happen.

If we’re serious about building homes, we need to be just as serious about building the services that support them. Infrastructure might not be flashy, but it’s what makes everything possible. So let’s get this right, and let’s put the money where it matters.

Hon. Brittny Anderson: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Brittny Anderson: I looked up in the gallery, and I see the mayor of Terrace, Sean Bujtas. I just wanted to say he and other mayors are here from the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance this week. They are really incredible representatives who have worked hard and continue to work so hard for their communities.

Will this House please make Mayor Sean Bujtas of Terrace, but also all of the mayors for the Northwest Resource Benefits Alliance, feel very welcome here this week.

Private Members’ Statements

Lifesaving Society and Water Safety

Susie Chant: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to talk about a non-partisan organization that makes a critical difference in our province.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking on the lands of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, the Songhees and the xʷsepsəm.

As well, I acknowledge the səlilwətaɬ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations on whose unceded land my riding and home of North Vancouver–Seymour is founded. As always, I am grateful for the stewardship of land, water and air that these and other nations continue to practise.

Today, I offer a big thank you to the royal Lifesaving Society B.C. and Yukon branch for inviting me to a very special occasion during which tribute was paid to everyday heroes whose quickness of thought, sureness of skill and deep care for their fellow human beings manifested in acts of supreme bravery and selflessness in the service of lives in peril.

Additionally, during the event, awards were given to volunteers with the society, the folks that have kept it going for the past 113 years. I’m talking about administrators and program managers, swimming and first-aid instructors, lifeguard trainers, lifeguards and so many more. I deeply appreciate, and I am filled with gratitude for, all the work that the Lifesaving Society does to help keep people safe in, on and around the water.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

The waters of British Columbia — the oceans, the rivers, the lakes — are such an important part of the lives of people, of everyone who calls this province home. Whatever the nature of our own personal connection with water, whether it’s our livelihood or recreation or just proximity, the importance of that connection is something that I think all British Columbians share.

As well, pools and hot tubs abound throughout our province, and the water must be respected and understood for the risks, not just the enjoyment. As much as we love and enjoy the water, we must always be mindful of the dangers that it can pose as well. Cold and freezing temperatures alone are as deadly as drowning and usually quicker.

I was grateful to receive water safety training in my previous life with the Naval Reserves. We were taught what to do if you fall in; how to help someone else get out of the water; how to revive and survive; and throw, row and go because time is of the essence.

[11:00 a.m.]

But not everyone joins the navy.

Thankfully, British Columbia has had the Lifesaving Society for, as I said, the past 113 years. Through its public education campaigns, research on water-related deaths, swimming courses, aquatic safety, first-aid courses and its promotion of life-saving sport, they have truly made a monumental impact on the safety of our province.

During that afternoon, B.C. citizens who have taken heroic measures to help others were honoured: an overturned boat in Nanoose Bay, rescued through the combined efforts of a pair of kayakers, a water taxi and the communications of emergency personnel; a couple who underestimated the strength of a waterfall in the Interior, brought safely to shore by a teenager who had done his bronze medallion, and he knew what to do when the casualty panicked and started to push his rescuer deeper under the water; a rescue of a dog and two people who went through the ice at Thetis Lake by a couple of siblings who heard their cries and figured out how to bring them all back to the rocky beach safely; a father of two kids hanging out in a hot tub in a hotel in the U.S. hearing calls for help and seeing a child, not his, at the bottom of a pool just lying there. He was able to bring the young boy up, administer first aid and stabilize him for emergency management. It was estimated that child had been under for more than two minutes. However, he survived without damage.

These are the people and the actions that we hope can be present when help is needed to save a life. The combination of training, confidence and willingness to engage is a powerful recipe with life-changing impacts.

Once again, I thank the Lifesaving Society, B.C. and Yukon branch, for all that you do to prepare people with the knowledge and skills they need to be safe in and on the water, and for teaching folks how to preserve their own lives and, if need be, how to be ready to answer the call to save others.

Point of Order
(Speaker’s Ruling)

The Speaker: Hon. Members, earlier this morning, the Government House Leader raised a point of order regarding the admissibility of Bill M209, intituled Tax Relief and Tariff Defence Act, standing in the name of the Member for Vancouver-Quilchena.

The Chair thanks the Government House Leader, Member for Kamloops Centre, Member for Vancouver-Quilchena and the Leader of the Third Party for their submissions and for seeking clarity on the application of Standing Order 76.

The Chair has examined the submissions, the bill and prior Speakers’ rulings on the application of Standing Order 76 and is now prepared to rule on the point of order. Standing Order 76 provides: “Any bill affecting the constitution must be introduced by a member of the government or with the sanction of the government.”

In our House, previous Speakers have ruled private members’ bills out of order on the grounds that they offend Standing Order 76 by effecting provisions in the provincial Constitution Act.

It’s the view of the Chair that Standing Order 76 also applies if a private member’s bill touches upon the provisions of the Constitution Act, 1867 or the Constitution Act, 1982, being Canada’s constitution.

It has also been held in previous Speakers’ rulings that the private members’ bills cannot touch upon the prerogatives of the Crown, with bills being ruled out of order on such grounds. Royal prerogatives are powers and privileges accorded by common law to the Crown, exercised on the advice of the executive.

Specific to the matter at hand, these prerogatives include treaty-making with First Nations. Clause 13 of Bill M209 directly pertains to the Aboriginal and treaty rights recognized under section 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982.

[11:05 a.m.]

This clause and other provisions of the bill offend Standing Order 76, touch upon the prerogatives of the Crown and conflict with section 8.1(2) of the provincial Interpretation Act, which provides: “For certainty, every enactment must be construed as upholding and not abrogating or derogating from the Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples as recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.”

In consideration of the above is the ruling of the Chair that bill M209 is not in order. As such, they will not be permitted to proceed. The Chair has consulted the report of the Special Committee to Review Private Members’ Business, which serves as the basis of the standing order amendment for how business is undertaken during private members’ time. Based on the report, the departure from guidance provided by Speaker Barisoff is justified.

The Chair accepts the submission of the Government House Leader that once a bill is ruled out of order by the Chair, it will be removed from the order paper. The bill therefore dies, and there is no basis for debate. Pursuant to Standing Order 27A, subsection 5, the member for Vancouver-Quilchena is moved to the bottom of the list of precedence for consideration of private members’ business.

Now, Members, we will continue with the private member’s bill. According to the order paper, the House will continue second reading of Bill M208, intituled Emergency and Disaster Amendment Act, 2025.

Second Reading of Bills

Bill M208 — Emergency and Disaster
Management Amendment Act, 2025
(continued)

Larry Neufeld: I rise today to support and applaud the proposed amendment to the Emergency and Disaster Management Act by my colleague the member for West Kelowna–Peachland. This bill would mandate the minister responsible for emergency preparedness to establish a committee — I would prefer to call it a task force — or an action team to bring about the creation of the British Columbia Volunteer Corps.

[Mable Elmore in the chair.]

Once this provincewide initiative is launched, everyday people across our great province will be empowered, truly empowered, to prepare for emergencies, to train for emergencies and to play a vital role in the life-saving work that is so critical when minutes and even seconds matter so much.

The member for West Kelowna–Peachland sees the mandate of the British Columbia Volunteer Corps as encouraging and facilitating volunteer involvement in preparing for emergencies. The member envisions a platform where everyone in the province can make themselves aware of opportunities to volunteer, to prepare for emergencies and to provide critical life-saving assistance to emergency responders as the need arises.

He sees a day not too far in the future where all of us can go online, look at the many ways we could potentially be of assistance to emergency responders, sign up for a local team in their area and receive training needed to support the professionals and their neighbours in times of need.

British Columbia was built on some of the world’s roughest wilderness. Today we experience mudslides and wildfires. Every new major building we plan and construct is engineered in anticipation of an earthquake. Involving volunteers, training volunteers, making everyday British Columbians aware of the role they can play in an emergency is a critical missing piece of the puzzle in emergency planning.

This is not a partisan issue. It doesn’t matter which side of the aisle or which end of the chamber you happen to be situated in today. Here are the simple facts.

First, British Columbia today does not have a provincial volunteer corps. The question is: why not? Why don’t we have one? The only acceptable answer would be this: we simply don’t need one. British Columbia does not need to provide some way for people to step up, identify themselves and volunteer to assist their communities and neighbours in times of great need.

[11:10 a.m.]

I’m not going to continue on with the next few sections because, clearly, we all understand that the need is very strong and the need is there. Here is what we know. There are hundreds, there are thousands of our fellow British Columbians who would not think twice — they would not hesitate; they would not wait a second — to jump into their car, their truck to run and assist a neighbour in need.

If we say no to the creation of a volunteer corps, we are effectively planning for the next emergency that we face as a province. As a legislature, we are saying: “No. We don’t want to know who these people are. No. We don’t want to know how to contact them in an emergency. No. We don’t want them trained, equipped, prepared for an emergency.”

If we, as a legislature, say no today, we are doing the worst kind of emergency planning. We’re effectively planning to create an emergency, to make the emergency worse than it needs to be by denying our first responders the support and the backup that they will desperately need.

I will close with one real-life example of volunteers who acted to save lives and protect family homes. I won’t say where, and I won’t say when, because I’m not entirely sure that this would actually be legal in the current environment, where the framework for volunteer involvement leaves a lot to be desired.

Long story short, local residents were facing an extreme threat from a wildfire. Emergency responders — the professionals — already had their hands full. There was no chance that they could reach the neighbourhood in time. Local volunteers swung into action. They canvassed local businesses, quickly obtaining machinery, pumps, hoses and all forms needed to fight the fire. They cordoned off the area, they created a buddy system, they put in place a very robust safety regime, and they saved the neighbourhood from the wildfire. When the professional firefighters arrived, they turned the scene over to the professionals and stood down.

Not only should this kind of action be legal, it should be honoured. These people deserve a medal, not any kind of legal sanction. British Columbia needs a plan to encourage volunteers, to train volunteers, to prepare volunteers and, indeed, to honour volunteers. Because when lives are in danger and seconds count, British Columbians will step up. They will volunteer. And we can decide here whether these folks will be prepared, whether these folks will be trained and whether these folks will be ready to step up quickly, effectively and safely.

George Anderson: I rise today to speak to the proposed amendment to the Emergency and Disaster Management Act and, particularly, the creation of a new provincial organization, the B.C. Volunteer Corps.

First off, I’d like to start off on common ground. All of us in this House, no matter where we sit, recognize the extraordinary role that volunteers play in British Columbia. Whether it’s during wildfire season, public health emergencies, floods or even just the day-to-day work of looking after one’s neighbours, volunteers have always stepped up. They’ve done so without expectation of recognition, reward or regulation.

I understand that the instinct is to harness that power and to formalize it, to make it easier to call upon people in times of need. That’s what I see the intention is behind this amendment, and I believe it’s rooted in good faith.

But good intentions are not enough. Legislation is about outcomes. The question before us is not whether volunteering is good. The question is: how do we, as a province, support that work without undermining it? And that starts with a critical question: are we duplicating work that’s already being done?

Across British Columbia, we have an ecosystem of community responders, local ESS programs, Indigenous-led response teams, faith-based networks and non-profits that have built trusted relationships over decades. These people know their neighbours, they know the terrain, they understand the context, and when crisis hits, they don’t wait for a directive from Victoria. They act, and they mobilize.

[11:15 a.m.]

This amendment proposes creating a new centralized provincial body. That likely means a new digital platform, an administrative structure, paid staff, training modules, eligibility systems, reporting requirements and so on. We know what that means in government terms — more layers, more costs and more bureaucracy.

So we must ask: are we solving a problem, or are we creating one? When you start duplicating efforts, two things happen: (1) you spend money that could directly go to the front line, and (2) you risk eroding the trust and initiatives that community-based organizations have spent years and, in some cases, generations building.

That brings me to a point that I think should give the members opposite a real pause. Is this not the kind of centralized overreach that many conservatives have historically cautioned against? As Margaret Thatcher once said: “The state has no source of money other than the money people earn themselves. There is no such thing as public money; there is only taxpayer money.”

I would ask: would this proposal utilize taxpayer dollars in the best way? Are we building something new because it’s necessary or simply because it will look good on a press release? I say this not to be partisan but to raise a real philosophical question. When government steps in with a top-down model, it often unintentionally sidelines the very people it’s trying to help. And for a party that has long talked about limiting government, empowering civil society and respecting local autonomy, this proposal ought to raise some flags.

Let me put it this way. If a non-profit group in rural British Columbia is already doing the work, are we here to support them or are we here to supplant them? I can tell you as an MLA that has rural components to my riding, I will always stand up for my rural riding, the areas of my rural riding, and make sure that I can do everything in my power to support them.

Centralizing volunteer coordination may sound efficient in theory, but in practice, it shifts resources from where they’re needed most, especially in small towns and Indigenous communities and in rural and remote regions. These are the places where infrastructure already exists, where trust is strong but capacity is stretched and where adding more reporting and oversight won’t necessarily help those communities, but perhaps, it may actually hinder our ability to help.

Let’s talk about volunteers. I’ve been a longtime volunteer myself, whether as being the president of Literacy Central Vancouver Island, working alongside the Nanaimo-Ladysmith Schools Foundation or many other organizations. British Columbians are generous with their time. But they’re also fiercely independent, they value their privacy, and they volunteer because they want to, not because they’re on a list.

This new body would likely require a centralized database of volunteers, perhaps linked to training, certification and even eligibility checks. That further raises some very real questions. Who owns that data? How will it be protected? Will people be able to opt out without consequence? And how long until this volunteer registry becomes a tool not of support but of scrutiny?

These are not abstract concerns. They go to the heart of what makes volunteering work, and that is trust — the trust of our local communities, the trust of the people in their communities knowing exactly how to deal with challenges that face them.

Let me be clear. There may be a place for better coordination, but it must be done with the people who are already doing that work. That means sitting down with Indigenous leaders, faith groups, municipalities and rural associations, listening to them and partnering with them, not creating a parallel structure that assumes that government knows better.

[11:20 a.m.]

As I’ve mentioned already, I will stand up with our partners in our local communities every single day because they know exactly what they need in their communities.

If this legislation does move forward…. Today I’m not here to say whether or not it should or shouldn’t but rather that it receives the scrutiny that it deserves, which is our job as legislators.

If so, government has the responsibility to be transparent about four things: the cost of establishing and maintaining the B.C. Volunteer Corps, the governance structure. Who will oversee it? Will it be a volunteer structure?

We also talk about the integration with existing groups and how they will be funded and not forgotten. And privacy protocols — how will this data be stored? Who will access it? What are the rights of those volunteers?

To paraphrase “Stone Cold” Steve Austin from WWE, what’s the bottom line here? Will this actually help us respond faster when disaster strikes, or will it just look good on paper? Will it make it easier to volunteer, or will it make it more complicated? Will it bring resources to the margins or consolidate them in Victoria?

This House should be careful not to confuse action with impact. Because sometimes in our rush to create something new, we overlook the quiet, resilient and effective systems that are already in place.

The people of British Columbia do not need us to reinvent the wheel. They need us to listen. They need us to invest in what works and to resist the urge to centralize what is, at its heart, a deeply local impulse: the will to help.

This amendment deserves our full attention, not because we doubt the value of volunteers. Again, I am very much supportive of all British Columbians and the work they do, but we should honour them and honour the work that they’re doing in their local communities.

Because if we’re serious about strengthening emergency response, then we must strengthen the people and organizations who are already holding the line. Let’s not replace the grassroots with red tape. Let’s not confuse bureaucracy with bravery. And in trying to help our communities, let’s make sure that we help them and not harm them.

Hon. Lisa Beare: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Lisa Beare: Up in the gallery right now, we have Monterey Middle School accompanied by their teacher, Kirsten Pierce. We have a bunch of grade 7 and grade 4-year-olds. On behalf of the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, I welcome her constituents from Oak Bay–Gordon Head.

So glad you’re able to join us today to watch some very interesting debate in the House. Thank you so much for joining.

Debate Continued

Korky Neufeld: As the MLA for Abbotsford West, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you today about a critical piece of legislation that has the potential to change the way we respond to emergencies and disasters here in British Columbia.

I couldn’t disagree more with the member for Nanaimo-Lantzville. It’s not from the top down; it’s from the bottom up — volunteer-run, volunteer-coordinated. I thank my colleague from West Kelowna–Peachland for bringing this bill forward.

I am proud to support Bill M208, the Emergency and Disaster Management Amendment Act, 2025, which aims to create the B.C. Volunteer Corps, a transformative initiative that will harness the power of community and volunteerism in disaster preparedness, disaster response and disaster recovery.

This was highlighted in the five-minute speech by the member from North Vancouver–Seymour regarding lifesaving societies. They’re coordinated. They’re trained, and they’re ready, and that’s what we’re talking about.

[11:25 a.m.]

As we’ve witnessed in recent years, British Columbia is no stranger to the devastating effects of natural disasters. From wildfires to floods, we face significant challenges in ensuring that our communities are prepared for and resilient in the face of these events.

The complexity of these events requires more than just professional first responders. It actually demands the involvement of every British Columbian. This was illustrated in my neighbourhood in the Abbotsford flood of November 2021, which revealed just that. We witnessed all of this taking place right before our eyes as the flood overwhelmed our community, and our community responded — community members of all ages volunteering and sandbagging in torrential rains, saving the Barrowtown pump station.

What I need to emphasize here is we were one inch from losing that Barrowtown pump station if it hadn’t been for our volunteers sandbagging. If we would have lost that pump station, our Sumas Prairie would have been flooded for three to six months. By saving that pump station, it allowed us to pump the water out, bringing the land back. It would have had greater damage if those people wouldn’t have been there and assisted.

We also had jet boats rescuing baby calves and cows from farms all over Sumas Prairie, delivering them to higher ground. Jet boats made for fishing, jet boats made for skiing, are now rescue boats for dairy farmers and their livestock — fishing boats and ski boats full of mud and now full of cow manure. They rescued over 175 calves before the RCMP shut them down, causing many calves to drown.

It was heartbreaking to watch this unfold in real time. Boats were ready, and boat owners were willing, the community able. Even farmers were prevented from going onto their own property to assist in rescuing efforts. It was heartbreaking for the farmers in Abbotsford to watch the destruction of their livestock. It is more than losing their investment for the farmers. They truly care about their livestock and about their future.

But we must do more than rely on the goodwill of individuals during these times. We need to remove the barriers and encourage volunteerism. We need a structured, coordinated approach that mobilizes volunteers efficiently, trains them effectively and ensures they are ready to assist when disaster strikes.

This is where Bill M208 comes in. By amending section 6 of the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, 2023, we are mandating the creation of the B.C. Volunteer Corps, an organization designed to coordinate and enhance volunteer efforts across the province.

First and foremost, the B.C. Volunteer Corps is about empowerment. It’s about recognizing and supporting everyday British Columbians who are ready to step up in times of crisis. Whether it’s a flood, wildfire or any other emergency, this bill is a formal recognition of the people in our communities who have willingness and the heart to help. It’s about building a system that provides them with the structure, the training, the coordination they need to be effective in their service to others.

Through Bill M208, we are ensuring that volunteers aren’t just untrained bystanders. We are providing them with the tools to support our first responders and assist during emergencies in a manner that maximizes their impact. When trained, organized and well prepared, volunteers become an essential part of our emergency management framework. They are the unsung heroes who help save lives, protect property and restore normalcy to our communities, and we saw that in Abbotsford in 2021.

Volunteers have always been at the heart of British Columbia’s emergency response efforts. Organizations like the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, B.C. Search and Rescue, volunteer fire departments and emergency support services rely on dedicated volunteers to help when disaster strikes. But the reality is that these volunteers are often scattered and uncoordinated, which can limit their effectiveness.

The B.C. Volunteer Corps will change this by creating a centralized, deployable organization that can operate as a cohesive network. This will ensure that no matter the size or scope of the emergency, British Columbia will have the trained volunteers ready to support first responders and help communities in need.

Local knowledge is invaluable, especially in rural and remote communities where help may be delayed. Volunteers from these communities will be at the forefront, providing immediate support while waiting for outside assistance. This local action will ensure that British Columbia is never caught off guard in the face of disaster.

[11:30 a.m.]

In addition to strengthening our emergency response capabilities, Bill M208 is about enhancing the autonomy and resilience of British Columbia. By developing a provincewide network of volunteers, the B.C. Volunteer Corps will provide a made-in-B.C. solution to our emergency management needs. We won’t have to rely on outside help only. We’ll be able to mobilize our own resources, drawing on the strength of our communities and the pride we take in our provincial identity.

This is more than just a practical measure; it’s a reflection of the values of our province. We are strong, we are resourceful, and we are capable of overcoming any challenge that comes our way. By fostering a culture of community self-reliance, we’re not only improving our ability to respond to emergencies; we’re also building our resilience here in British Columbia, unifying our province.

One of the most exciting aspects of this B.C. Volunteer Corps is the opportunity it represents for the British Columbians of all ages to serve their communities. For young people, it’s an initiative that is a chance to engage in meaningful civic service, to develop leadership skills and to contribute to the greater good. For the retired professionals, particularly former first responders, it’s an opportunity to continue to use their experience and expertise to help their communities in a new capacity.

By bringing together a diverse range of volunteers, young and experienced and everything in between, we will create a network that draws on the strength of every British Columbian. This will not only benefit our communities in times of crisis, but also instil a sense of civic pride and duty in generations.

In British Columbia, we know the emergencies can strike at any time. Wildfires, floods, earthquakes — they can disrupt our lives and devastate our communities. But we also know that preparedness is the key to minimizing the impact of these events. The B.C. Volunteer Corps is designed to ensure that we’re not just reacting after the sirens go off, but we’re ready to respond proactively before disaster strikes.

Through training and preparedness programs, the B.C. Volunteer Corps will ensure that British Columbians are equipped with the skills they need to respond to emergencies, whether it’s basic first aid, search and rescue, or disaster recovery. This is about being ready to act when every second counts.

Bill M208 is not just a legislative change. It’s a forward-looking vision for the future of emergency management in British Columbia. It acknowledges the critical role of volunteers in keeping our communities safe and gives them the recognition, the resources and the support they deserve. As the bill moves forward, we will work with local organizations, municipalities, Indigenous groups and not-for-profits to build a comprehensive, effective network of trained volunteers who are ready to step up when action is needed.

The B.C. Volunteer Corps will also explore the introduction of legal protections for volunteers through the Good Samaritan law, ensuring that those who step forward to help are protected for liability while serving their communities.

In closing, Bill M208 and the creation of the B.C. Volunteer Corps are more than just a response to emergencies. They’re a commitment to building a stronger, more resilient British Columbia. They represent our shared belief in the power of community, the value of volunteerism and the strength of a united province.

I am proud to stand with my colleagues in support of this bill. Together, we can empower the people of British Columbia to respond to emergencies with confidence, with pride and the knowledge that they are part of something much greater than themselves.

This is our moment to lead. This is our moment to build. This is our moment to ensure that when disaster strikes, we are ready, not just to survive but to thrive.

Steve Morissette: I rise today to speak to Bill M208, the Emergency and Disaster Management Amendment Act, 2025. While I do truly appreciate the spirit behind this proposed legislation, it is clear to me that the bill is both unnecessary and potentially oversteps the strong community-based volunteer systems that already exist across British Columbia.

As the MLA for Kootenay-Monashee, I have seen firsthand the power of community volunteerism. The people I represent are no strangers to crisis, and they are also no strangers to stepping up to meet those challenges. Whether it’s wildfires, flooding or evacuations, time and again local residents take initiative, not because they were directed by a centralized government agency but because it’s what we do. It’s who we are in British Columbia.

[11:35 a.m.]

Helen James, a resident of the Kootenays, is one of many local Red Cross volunteers who dedicates her time to helping evacuees during emergency events. She has worked in support of evacuees during and following the Rock Creek and area fires, the Fort McMurray fires, as well as multiple smaller-scale emergencies. In the aftermath of a disaster, it’s people like Helen, our neighbours and our friends who ensure people are fed, housed and cared for.

There are also multiple volunteer search and rescue organizations in my riding and throughout B.C. made up of people who, first of all, give of their time to get the training required to, in the most safe manner, find the lost, assist the injured and support police and emergency responders in the most challenging of terrain.

In addition, most of rural B.C. has fire protection provided by paid on-call volunteer fire departments. If that is your area of interest, these fire departments offer free firefighter training so you are properly trained when a fire threatens your area. We do not need to duplicate these long-established, well-trained fire departments with volunteers having limited training. That would be a coordination and a safety nightmare.

In my hometown of Fruitvale, when high creek flows threatened homes pretty recently, the village quickly delivered sand and put out a call for help. Volunteers showed up quickly, filled sandbags and stood shoulder to shoulder to defend vulnerable areas.

We have seen many extraordinary examples of volunteerism in the face of emergency across the province. During the 2021 atmospheric river event, as the member across said, hundreds of people in the Fraser Valley came together to fill sandbags and protect the Barrowtown pump station, efforts that prevented what could have been even more catastrophic flooding. In Yarrow, Victoria Kuit responded to the 2021 floods by creating the Yarrow Food Hub. She coordinated home-cooked meals and vital supplies for displaced residents from Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

These stories are not outliers. They are examples of what happens when communities are empowered to respond on their own terms.

The bill before us proposes the creation of a centralized B.C. Volunteer Corps to encourage volunteerism and manage training and deployment. But British Columbia already has systems in place to do this effectively and in partnership with local governments, First Nations and well-established non-governmental organizations. Volunteer B.C. already offers a comprehensive provincewide database to connect individuals to opportunities that suit their skills and interests. Local governments routinely issue emergency volunteer call-outs and manage volunteer reception centres when disasters strike.

Through the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, passed just last year, the province modernized our emergency response framework. It includes specific provisions for training, deployment and protection of volunteers. Under the Emergency and Disaster Management Act, organizations can be designated as public safety providers and volunteers gain liability and employment protections when deployed in a recognized emergency. This framework already provides the structure, support and coordination that Bill M208 claims to offer, without unnecessary duplication or added bureaucracy.

The bill also overlooks the substantial work already being done by non-government organizations like the Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, the Salvation Army and the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada. Since 2021 the federal government has invested $150 million into the humanitarian workforce program to build a deployable civilian emergency response network.

[11:40 a.m.]

These non-government organizations have the experience, the infrastructure and the trust of communities to respond when needed. The province is already working with these partners to enhance emergency response capacity. Introducing a new provincial agency would not only duplicate efforts; it could damage these relationships and create confusion in a system that requires clarity and coordination.

Let’s also not forget the role of local authority. During an emergency, decisions must be made quickly and with deep local knowledge. Local governments and Indigenous governing bodies need the flexibility to respond to the unique and evolving circumstances. The Emergency Development Management Act recognizes and respects this leadership. Bill M208, by centralizing volunteer coordination, risks confusion about roles, undermining community-led initiatives and introducing efficiencies that could slow critical response efforts.

We also need to be upfront about the fiscal reality. Establishing and managing a new provincial volunteer corps will come with significant costs, money that could otherwise go toward direct support for existing programs, training and equipment for the volunteers who are already on the ground and ready to respond.

There are safe, effective and proven pathways for people who want to help during emergencies, whether it’s joining a local volunteer fire department, training with an emergency support service team, supporting mitigation efforts through FireSmart or organizing community wildfire response groups. What we should be doing is strengthening these systems, not layering a new structure on top of what already works.

We should never undervalue the people who are already doing the work. Volunteers in B.C. are the backbone of our emergency response system. Instead of layering on new structures, let’s focus on strengthening what works. Let’s support the systems already in place. Let’s lift up our volunteers, not with bureaucracy but with trust and encouragement.

With National Volunteer Week just around the corner on April 27, I encourage every British Columbian and Canadian to find a way to give back. Check your local municipality’s website, visit a community centre or explore Volunteer B.C. to find out how you can contribute.

This bill, while well-intentioned, does not reflect the reality on the ground. It’s not necessary, and I urge this House to consider the strength we already have in our people.

Donegal Wilson: I rise today in support of Bill M208, the Emergency and Disaster Management Amendment Act, 2025, which proposes a simple but powerful addition to section 6 of the Emergency and Disaster Management Act.

This bill directs the minister to establish a committee to support the development of a new provincial organization, the B.C. Volunteer Corps. At first glance, it may look like just a few lines of legal text, but for people in my riding of Boundary-Similkameen, this change could make a world of difference the next time disaster strikes.

The B.C. Volunteer Corps will encourage and facilitate volunteerism in support of emergency preparedness, response and recovery. It will create a centralized platform where individuals can access training and volunteer opportunities throughout British Columbia.

This is an idea whose time has come, and I can tell you firsthand how badly it is needed. In 2021, the communities of Tulameen, Coalmont and Princeton were devastated by flooding. An atmospheric river in November flooded homes, businesses and community infrastructure. This was followed by a cold snap that caused even more damages. Homes under water started to freeze.

Many homes were damaged, lives were uprooted, and in that moment of crisis, something remarkable happened. People stepped up. Neighbours helped neighbours. Strangers arrived with shovels, food and water; volunteers filled sandbags, delivered supplies and opened their homes.

[11:45 a.m.]

Despite the outpouring of support, one thing was missing: coordination. Volunteers wanted to help but didn’t know where to go. Many groups and the town office stepped up and tried to keep up, but there was no centralized system for neighbouring communities to register, no official way to match skills with needs.

People were willing and able to help but did not want to add to the confusion by just showing up without knowing what was needed. I’m told the same thing happened during the Grand Forks flood in 2018.

Across B.C. in rural communities, emergency services are stretched thin, and volunteerism isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. It’s part of our lifestyle in rural B.C. That’s where this bill comes in. The B.C. Volunteer Corps will be much more than a volunteer list. It will be a centralized hub for recruiting, training and deploying volunteers across B.C.

Under the direction of the minister responsible, it will coordinate with fire departments, municipalities, First Nations and non-profits to match volunteers to critical needs. It will maintain the public registry of trained and available volunteers. It will offer accessible training in key areas like emergency response, community engagement, fire suppression and flood assistance. It will provide a platform where people from across B.C. can sign up and get involved before the disaster hits, not just after.

I want to take a moment to share another story, this one from last fall. While I was on the campaign trail, a devastating windstorm hit the communities of Westbridge, Christian Valley and Beaverdell. This storm knocked out power across the entire region for over a week. For most people in that region, that meant no water. They ran their water on wells, and without electricity, they had no water.

Those fortunate enough to have generators still faced a major challenge. Gas stations couldn’t pump fuel without power, and the nearest fuel was often hours away on roads that were impossible. Highway 33 was closed in both directions. Hundreds of trees lay across the road, power lines were down everywhere, and yet amid that chaos, something also truly remarkable happened. People pulled together, neighbours helped neighbours and community members worked tirelessly to keep each other safe.

But despite that incredible spirit, there were still gaps that we couldn’t fill. There was no way to coordinate trained volunteers, people with chainsaw experience who could help clear the roads safely. There was no centralized system where residents could report their urgent needs, like fuel or potable water, and no way to efficiently match those needs with others in the region who were able to help.

I had a constituent reach out to my office requesting water. I showed up with a few flats of water and quickly realized the need was well beyond a few flats of water. I was able to coordinate a pallet of water for the residents, but that’s where the B.C. Volunteer Corps would have come in. They would have had access to that water in a neighbouring community instantly.

With a centralized registry of volunteers and needs across the region, the response wouldn’t have been limited to just the communities that were impacted. It could have become a regional effort. Help from Midway, Rock Creek, Kelowna and Osoyoos could have helped those residents and mobilized quickly.

This is a blueprint for a stronger, safer community, especially in rural B.C. where we rely so heavily on one another.

I also want to highlight a very thoughtful inclusion and the vision behind this bill, and that is the need to explore Good Samaritan legal protections for our volunteers. We all know how important it is that people feel safe to help without worrying about liability. If someone volunteers in good faith to support their community during an emergency, they should be protected, not punished.

I would like to thank the member for West Kelowna–Peachland who brings to this bill his experience as a former RCMP constable and auxiliary volunteer who understands what it means to serve on the ground. His vision is one of community-led resilience, and that means drawing on the knowledge and willingness already present in our communities.

Imagine the potential. High school students getting certified in emergency preparedness. Retirees finding renewed purpose as trained community responders. Small businesses partnering to support response logistics in their area. It’s about building a culture of readiness and civic pride. A better trained, better coordinated volunteer response can speed up recovery, reduce costs and get communities back on their feet faster.

This bill turns willingness into readiness. It gives structure to the instinct to serve, it gives our communities tools to be safe and strong, and it honours the spirit of volunteerism that is so deeply woven into the fabric of rural B.C.

Again, I want to thank the member for West Kelowna–Peachland for bringing this forward and for his commitment to a vision of emergency response that begins with people helping people.

[11:50 a.m.]

I urge all members of this House to support Bill M208 and help us create a province that is not only prepared to face the next emergency but ready to face it together.

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the member for West Kelowna–Peachland to close debate.

Macklin McCall: I want to close debate on Bill M208 by going back to where this all started, with the simple idea that British Columbians care deeply about their communities and, when disaster strikes, they want to help. This bill is about making sure they can. It is about providing motivated volunteers with the training, organization and authority to help in times of emergency and contribute to public safety in B.C.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

In my own riding, during the West Kelowna fires of 2023, I saw firsthand what happens when big government policy gets in the way of community action. A fire smouldered for two days while 50,000 people stood by helplessly. It would have taken just four people to hike up and put out that fire. But those who stepped up to help were warned they could be arrested or fined — fined for trying to protect their homes. Talk about red tape. Mr. Speaker, you, me and two members from across the aisle could have gone up and put this fire out.

This experience isn’t unique. In Scotch Creek in the Shuswap, people were ready to fight for their homes but were told to stand down. This is demoralizing and wrong. We had community members, including retired emergency workers, ready and willing to contribute, and we shut the door on them, all while professional first responders and fire crews were understaffed and overstretched.

This bill gives structure to the energy and willingness that already exists across B.C. It offers training, coordination and authority to those who want to serve their communities when it matters most. The B.C. Volunteer Corps will be there to empower, not obstruct, local volunteers defending their communities.

This past weekend many people from my constituency and our local Member of Parliament reached out to me to say how much they support this bill. One person said that they tried to volunteer during the West Kelowna fire and were devastated to be turned away. They told me: “As soon as this bill passes, I’ll be the first to sign up.” British Columbians are ready now.

The B.C. Volunteer Corps will give our youth purpose, connection and real-world experience. It’ll give retired first responders a chance to mentor and share skills with the next generation. And it will create a deeper sense of community, civic pride and shared responsibility across our great province. When emergency crews often find themselves stretched thin, especially in rural and remote regions, Bill M208 will support our first responders with backup and additional resources.

This is about building resilience and preparedness before the next flood, fire or landslide. Importantly, this bill brings local people into the picture, because they are the ones most affected and most ready to act when crisis strikes. We need to stop sidelining local knowledge and start recognizing its value.

Volunteers aren’t a risk. They are a crucial resource used in emergencies in jurisdictions right across North America and the world. When organized and trained, they can be a powerful force for good in times of crisis.

British Columbians are resilient, resourceful and proud. We don’t wait for Ottawa, and we don’t wait for permission. We act. The B.C. Volunteer Corps is about building a future shaped by British Columbians for British Columbians.

Bill M208 takes a proactive step forward for our province towards self-reliance, preparedness and civic service. Let’s invest in our strengths, let’s honour our spirit of service, and let’s ensure that the next time disaster strikes, we’re not turning volunteers away; we’re welcoming them and providing the tools needed to make a difference.

I ask for the support of this House to pass Bill M208. Let’s stand on guard against the next emergency together and build the B.C. Volunteer Corps so we are prepared for whatever the future brings.

[11:55 a.m.]

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

Division has been called. Pursuant to Standing Order 25, the division is deferred until 8:30 p.m. today.

Hon. Lisa Beare moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

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

The House adjourned at 11:55 a.m.