The House met at 10:03 a.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Susie Chant.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Adrian Dix: This afternoon, members on all sides of the House will come together to recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide. As members will know, this Legislature passed a motion unanimously in 2006 to recognize the Armenian Genocide as a crime against humanity.

I wanted to introduce some of the members. We’ll be joined by some 50 members of the Armenian community at noon in the Hall of Honour. I invite members to hear members from all sides of the House recognize this occasion.

I want to introduce some of the people who will be here to speak. Vanessa Agopian from the Armenian National Committee of Canada; Kate Tairyan, the senior lecturer at Simon Fraser University; and we’ll have musical performers, the Very Reverend Father Vartan Tashjian; Manush Harutyunyan, an opera singer visiting from Armenia; and Lori Kullahian, a concert pianist and second-year UBC student.

[10:05 a.m.]

I want to acknowledge the Armenian National Committee and the United Armenian Committee of British Columbia for their efforts in again bringing this event to the Legislature.

I invite everyone to join us at noon today.

Bruce Banman: It was this year, I believe, or this election rather, where just over a thousand MLAs have actually served in this House. So when one of the MLAs comes back to visit, I think it is worthy of an introduction.

Would this House please welcome and give a huge round of applause to former MLA…. Oh my god….

[Laughter.]

Interjections.

Bruce Banman: Jane Thornthwaite, yes, yes. Would you please give her a huge round of applause.

Every now and again, the connection between my brain and my mouth isn’t in gear. Just ask my wife.

Paul Choi: I’m very excited today to have my friends join us from OKTA. There’s about ten of them. I won’t go over all their names, but it’s led by President Chae-Ho Lim. World Federation of Overseas Korean Traders Association is an international organization with over 7,000 Korean businesses, mostly made up of local Korean Canadians who promote international trade.

Their chapter here in Vancouver is one of 151 chapters around the world formed to provide economic well-being to the local community and an effective economic engine that moves the local Canadian economy forward and will be a great partner in diversifying our economy and strengthening our trade relationship with Korea.

So please, if I can ask the House to join me to make them feel really welcome.

Sheldon Clare: I was out for a walk this morning, and I had the pleasure of running into the member for Esquimalt-Colwood and meeting her darling little girl Josephine.

I just wanted to draw the House’s attention to the fact that Josephine is joining us here this morning. I’m sure the applause isn’t going to bother her, because she is a very robust young lady. I hope we can all make her very welcome.

Hon. Anne Kang: I would like to welcome Ava Cornell, Nicholas Mitchell and Anthony Preston, who are in the gallery today. They are part of UBC’s medical students, here for the Provincial Day of Action. I had an amazing conversation this morning about their research on youth in care and recommendations that they have made to government. I thank them so much for their advocacy.

Would the House please make them feel very welcome.

Hon. Niki Sharma: I’m pleased to introduce representatives from the Mechanical Contractors Association of British Columbia. The association plays a vital role in our province’s construction industry, advocating for the interests of mechanical contractors, who are essential to building and maintaining the infrastructure that supports our community. This association has been actively engaged in promoting initiatives such as addressing the skilled-trades shortages through support for apprentice programs.

As well, they will be giving out to everybody copies of a very special book called Susie’s Shed, which was written to engage younger generations and help debunk the myth that girls don’t build.

Please make them feel welcome today.

Gavin Dew: I know that, for many of us, we all miss our families when we’re here in this place, so I’m very excited to have my family here with me today: my beautiful wife, Erin; my daughter, Abigail; my son, Evan; my father-in-law, Richard; my mother-in-law, Betty. And our nanny, Dina, is with us today.

I love you.

Hon. Brittny Anderson: I am really honoured today to give a huge shout-out to Havana Gibson. She is a legislative assistant. She worked with me for a few years, and today is her last day working for us here in the Legislature. She is off to go back to the Bahamas, where she has a really exciting job opportunity awaiting her. I know she’s excited to be back with her family.

[10:10 a.m.]

I know many of us worked with her, worked with Havana. She was detail-oriented, she was smart, she was kind, and she was always willing to step in to help. Havana, thank you so much for everything that you have done for us in this place, and we all wish you nothing but the best.

Steve Kooner: We’re going to have some students here from Henry James Cambie Secondary School, which is in my constituency. It’s part of school district 38 in Richmond. My understanding is that they have not arrived yet because they got delayed on the ferry, but they will be here soon.

Will this House please give them a deep welcome.

Á’a:líya Warbus: I’d like to take a moment to recognize two people that mean an incredible deal to me. I’m emotional just speaking of…. Steven and Gwen Point are going to be celebrating 53 years of marriage this weekend. We get some family time together. I just want to take a moment in this House to recognize a joining of two hearts that mean a lot to me.

Steve Morissette: This week just keeps getting better for the Kootenay-Monashee and the Legislature. It is not often I get visitors from Kootenay-Monashee, and this week, two sets. Today it is my pleasure to introduce two friends from the beautiful, progressive city of Castlegar, home of my constituency office.

Please join me in welcoming the wonderful team of Maria McFaddin and CAO Chris Barlow in the gallery today.

Amelia Boultbee: Someone as illustrious as Jane Thornthwaite deserves another, more fulsome introduction, so I’m very proud to introduce my constituent, my mentor and my friend Jane Thornthwaite, who was the MLA for North Vancouver–Seymour from 2009 to 2020.

She had many roles over the years that focused on support and advocacy for mental health, addictions, children and youth and animal advocacy. She was often really leading the charge on those fronts. She fulfilled these roles and many more.

All of her accomplishments can be found in her recently published book, Unfinished Business: Notes from the Memoir of a Recovering Politician, which is a great book that I’ve learned a lot from. If I had read it much earlier, I would have known a lot more going into this role. So I highly recommend the book.

Will the House please join me in making Jane feel very welcome.

Nina Krieger: Joining us today are very special guests, my father, Kit Krieger, and our dear family friends who I have also known for my entire life, Ros and Michael Crommelin. At a time when fostering relationships with partners beyond our southern neighbour is top of mind, Ros and Mike are beacons of the close ties between Canada and Australia.

Michael first came to Canada in 1971 as a graduate student at UBC’s Allard School of Law and has the unique designation of being its first PhD graduate. He went on to become the dean of the Melbourne Law School and has had many visiting professorships at UBC.

Ros is a beloved former French teacher, and they are both really the finest people I know. Welcome.

I would also like to extend a happy belated birthday to my dad. I missed celebrating with you yesterday, and I love you very, very much.

Peter Milobar: Last night in Kamloops, the city council had their exceptional citizen awards ceremony, and there were a lot of great people that were recognized. But I do want to take a moment to single one person out. She is one of my two constituency assistants, Julie Dormer, who was recognized for her years of selfless giving back to the Kamloops community.

No surprise; Julie’s late father, John, was a former mayor of Kamloops and no doubt instilled that sense of community in Julie as well. So we are very fortunate, all of us, to have such great constituency assistants. It’s even better when one gets recognized by the city they love so dearly, the way Julie was last night.

Will the House please help me in congratulating Julie and, indeed, everyone that was recognized last night for their exemplary service to the city of Kamloops over the years.

[10:15 a.m.]

Misty Van Popta: Like the Opposition House Leader, my parents are also celebrating an anniversary this weekend: 55 years, something to be celebrated. I’d like to just publicly thank them for modelling love and grit and determination and a lot of humour in our home.

If the House would just help congratulate them.

Amshen / Joan Phillip: Today I’d like to introduce the United Way of British Columbia. They’re an organization that supports the development of healthy, caring and inclusive communities by strengthening vital connections that support people in need. Serving over four million people, they focus on urgent response, children and youth, seniors, poverty, mental health and food security.

Particularly, Andrew Callicum, welcome.

The Speaker: Member for Esquimalt-Colwood and the baby.

Darlene Rotchford: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I actually have two, so I’m going to start with one who’s not the baby, who’s watching but not here.

To my husband, Joey Rotchford: tomorrow is actually our four-year wedding anniversary. We actually had our first dance — don’t tell security — our first champagne on the ledge of the stairs, during COVID, so it’s very humbling to stand here today in front of you all and have the privilege of him watching this congratulations.

So to Joey, my biggest cheerleader, thank you for everything you do. An amazing father, amazing military serving member, and I can’t say enough good about that.

Now on to the next, more important, introduction. Sorry, Honey. I would like to formally introduce everyone to Josephine Catherine Ellen Rotchford. It has been a pleasure carrying her during my time so far here.

To everyone in the House who has been so kind in checking in and to everyone since she has been here who has constantly asked when she is going to come, so to everyone in this House, please give me a warm welcome to introduce baby Jo.

[Applause.]

Members’ Statements

Richard and Betty Shum

Gavin Dew: I rise today to honour two British Columbians who exemplify the promise of Canada: my in-laws, Richard and Betty Shum.

Richard arrived in Vancouver from Hong Kong in 1971 with just $500 to his name, money he promptly handed to his aunt in gratitude. With limited English and dental credentials that didn’t transfer, he faced the challenge of starting over. He enrolled in night school, apprenticed in a dental clinic and delivered pizzas to make ends meet and send money home.

Through hard work and perseverance, he became a registered denturist and opened a practice on Main Street in Vancouver that still serves patients to this day. He sponsored his family of six to join him in Canada. In 1979, he bought a home in East Vancouver and married Betty.

Betty’s family history traces back to the early Chinese immigrants who paid the head tax and persevered through immense hardship in this province. Her grandparents worked tirelessly to bring the next generation to North America, eventually settling in Alberta and British Columbia.

After growing up working in the family restaurant and picking berries in Richmond, Betty earned her nursing diploma at Langara College, raised a family, worked as an interpreter for the RCMP and ran several small businesses, including a vegetarian restaurant and a spa with my wife, Erin.

Today Richard and Betty are retired, proud grandparents and grateful Canadians who continue to give back in quiet and meaningful ways, including as a crucial part of the support network that makes it possible for me to be in this place.

[10:20 a.m.]

The story of Richard and Betty Shum and their children and grandchildren is a reminder that the Canadian promise is alive and well, and that the contributions of immigrants continue to shape this province for the better.

As Richard likes to say, especially after a glass or two of B.C. wine: “We are in Canada. Life is good.”

[Applause.]

The Speaker: Good introduction, but no unparliamentary words are allowed in this House.

[Laughter.]

Education Week and
Education System in B.C.

Stephanie Higginson: Next week is Education Week. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the hard work and achievements of students throughout British Columbia and recognize the dedication of the teachers, support staff, school administrators and trustees who make our education system one of the best in the world.

How do I know B.C. has one of the best education systems in the world? Because the evidence and the data tells us so. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, B.C. is the top scoring education system in Canada and in the top 5 percent in the world.

The OECD runs the program for international student assessment. Eighty-one countries and 620,000 randomly selected 15-year-old students from around the world participate in PISA. In Canada, 10 provinces and 23,000 students participated in the last round of PISA.

These results show that not only is B.C. the best in Canada, but B.C. students continue to perform among the best in the world in math, in science and reading. B.C. was in the top 10 in the world in math, second in the world in reading and top 5 in the world in science.

As a parent of two school-aged children, I know that schools look and feel differently than when all of us went to school. That’s because the world is different than when we graduated. In their short time, my kids have lived through a pandemic, major climate events and, now, global economic warfare. These are rapidly changing times, and B.C.’s education system is also changing to make sure that today’s students are prepared to tackle today’s problems.

While we have world-class results, we know there is still hard work to do, and we will keep doing that work for B.C. students. I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who dedicates their time and energy to making British Columbia’s education system strong and inclusive. Your efforts empower students and help build a brighter future for all of British Columbia.

Easter

Korky Neufeld: Central to the Christian season of Easter is Good Friday, which is remembered tomorrow, April 18, followed by Resurrection Sunday. This is a religious celebration with a rich spiritual history that has shaped cultures and communities around the world for centuries.

Our forefathers founded and dedicated our country to hope, provided by the God of the universe and his son, Jesus. Easter is the most significant season in the Christian calendar. The lead-up to Easter is marked by Lent, a 40-day reflection and self-discipline and, for some, fasting. Then comes Good Friday, which is a solemn day, marking the crucifixion of Jesus.

On this day, we remember how Jesus willingly took on the weight of humanity’s sin, suffering death on a cross. Good Friday is a day of reflection — of sorrow, yes — but also of deep, deep gratitude, as in that moment of darkness, God’s love shone brightest.

Jesus laid down his life so that we could be forgiven and restored to a relationship with God. The Bible says that we know that Jesus, being raised from the dead, will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him.

After the sorrow and reflection of Good Friday comes Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. This is the ultimate declaration of hope. It tells us that no matter how dark the night, morning is coming. No matter how heavy the burden, there is victory in his name. He is alive, and because he lives, we too can have eternal life.

It’s a time of joy and celebration for the followers of Jesus, with greetings of, “He is risen” with responses: “He is risen, indeed.” This Easter season then continues for 50 days, ending with a day called Pentecost.

The Easter season symbolizes hope, renewal and the truth that life and love are stronger than death. Even those who don’t practise Christianity, Easter invites reflection on universal themes such as renewal, resilience and the arrival of new beginnings after difficult seasons.

[10:25 a.m.]

It’s a reminder that transformation, both personal and communal, is always possible. He has risen. He has risen, indeed, and I wish everyone a happy Easter.

Castlegar and District
Chamber of Commerce

Steve Morissette: Castlegar is a good example of a small rural community getting things done. Today it is my pleasure to highlight the work of the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce.

Chambers of commerce throughout British Columbia do a lot of the heavy work in support of B.C.’s lifeblood: small business. The Castlegar and District chamber has stepped up, above and beyond, to build a beautiful multi-use facility, an $8.7 million chamber building built with locally-sourced mass timber from Kalesnikoff mass timber to serve the community as the new Castlegar Confluence building. This is a huge undertaking in a small community.

The confluence will serve many local economic development needs. It is a chamber of commerce building, visitor centre and a multi-use building for the community which has incorporated several offices available for rental, both long- and short-term, which will support many needs, including serving as a small business incubator. The confluence also has a flexible multi-use meeting space that can be expanded or contracted as needed for many types of community and regional meetings.

The vision and planning put in to create this magnificent building by the chamber executive director, Tammy Verigin-Burk, and the chamber board shows in the product. They worked hard to include the community and had buy-in by local business and industry with significant sponsorships. The Castlegar Confluence building is something the community is very proud of and a model that shows there are no limits to what can be accomplished in rural British Columbia.

Congratulations to Tammy and the board for the foresight and courage to see their goal realized. Well done.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence

Jeremy Valeriote: In my heart, I’m an optimist, so I take no joy in standing up to be a doomsayer. However, British Columbia faces a threat that doesn’t play by the rules, a threat that will have an unknown impact on our economy, our environment and our sovereignty. I’m not talking about the U.S. President, and amazingly, I’m not talking about climate change either. What I’m talking about is generative artificial intelligence: AI.

AI can analyze massive data sets in milliseconds, and it has already led to huge advances in science, health care and other industries. But if the story of AI advancements was a movie, it wouldn’t be a rom-com. As we’ve learned during Creative Industries Week, AI presents an outsized risk to the livelihood of Canadian performers and thus Canadian culture.

Performers deserve consent, compensation and control over the use of their likeness, but our province has no laws to protect them from the theft and misuse of their work. Jobs are at risk, and in the Trump era, when our independence is under siege, it’s more important than ever to protect the jobs and culture of Hollywood North. From AI to child labour laws to federal funding fairness, there’s more we can do to make our creative industries resilient, ethical and innovative.

Of course, the threat from AI goes beyond creative industries, putting serious pressure on our environment. A single ChatGPT request consumes ten times the electricity of a Google search. Writing a 100-word email in ChatGPT consumes 500 millilitres of water. AI needs guardrails for our creative industries, our society, economy and environment because we want to keep apocalyptic robot takeovers on the silver screen and not in real life.

Naad Arts Centre

Jessie Sunner: I rise today to recognize one of the true cultural treasures in my community, the Naad Arts Centre. Since 2006, Naad Arts has been a place where tradition meets innovation and the wisdom of the past meets the creativity of the future.

Led by the incredibly talented tabla maestro Amarjeet Singh, Naad Arts offers instruction in everything from Indian classical vocals to tabla, sarangi, kathak and even Western instruments like guitar and piano. It teaches more than just music. It’s a sanctuary for artistry, discipline and cultural preservation.

[10:30 a.m.]

Last month, I had the privilege of attending Rhythmic Remembrance, one of Naad’s three-part spring festival known as Vasantotsav. Held at the Surrey Arts Centre, it was more than a show; it was a spiritual experience for so many of us in the room. The energy was something you could feel in your chest. It was healing; it was powerful; it was deeply moving.

The coming together of Indian classical and western musical traditions made the evening incredibly special. The fusion of instruments and styles didn’t just sound beautiful. They told a story of what’s possible when cultures meet in harmony. It was a reminder that art can transcend language, geography and even time.

My favourite part of the evening was watching young artists, trained locally, take the stage with such confidence and grace. It was truly inspiring. These students are not only learning ragas and rhythm; they’re learning discipline, cultural identity and artistic expression. The evening was a beautiful reminder of how art can awaken something in all of us and leave us feeling more connected and more alive.

We’re fortunate to have the Naad Arts Centre in our community. Let’s continue to support spaces like this. They uplift our youth, preserve our culture and bring soul to our communities for generations to come.

Oral Questions

Government Action on
Police Health and Safety and
Funding to Drug User Organizations

Elenore Sturko: This week we learned that the Vancouver police are investigating a plot to kill a police officer on the Downtown Eastside. An internal email reported in the media stated: “An unknown group of young men were considering a plan to kill a police officer.”

This threat is coming after a series of serious attacks on VPD officers — a pair of officers set on fire and another officer slashed with an edged weapon. This week members of the B.C. Police Association came to Victoria, and they asked for support for seven priorities related to health, wellness and the safety of their members.

Will the Premier stand up today and commit to following through on all seven of those priorities?

Hon. Garry Begg: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. I myself met with the group that you met with today. I met with them yesterday.

One of the principal concerns is the protection of all of the police community in all of the provinces in Canada. We had a very candid discussion. We talked about the danger that they face every day as men and women who put on the uniform and go out in the community. It is important that their work and their lives be cherished, and we will do that. We committed to that, and we committed to that moving forward.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Elenore Sturko: The minister made it clear that this government doesn’t intend to support the union with their asks and their seven commitments. The official opposition, however, has committed to supporting police on all seven of those recommendations. It’s possible that the Downtown Eastside has become the most dangerous neighbourhood for police to patrol in the entire province.

This Premier is paying organizations in that same area who stoke anti-police sentiments and push the Premier’s pro-drug agenda. Police lives are under direct threat in the Downtown Eastside. Our police need a government that’s going to have their backs and take a stand against threats to their lives.

Will the Premier stand in this House and commit to stop funding radical pro-drug organizations which undermine law enforcement?

Hon. Garry Begg: To the member opposite, she makes a lot of noise but not a lot of sense.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Members. Members.

Please continue.

Hon. Garry Begg: It is important that we recognize the value of policing in this society. I’ve said that. I’ve repeated that. I’ve told you I met with the group to which you refer.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Through the Chair, Minister.

Members.

[10:35 a.m.]

Hon. Garry Begg: We didn’t talk about anti-police. We talked about police — which is something you should talk about.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Hon. Garry Begg: What we committed, what I committed to them, was that they have our full support all across the province. In Vancouver, which is having problems now, and Kelowna, which has problems, all across the province, this government is committed to fulfilling our obligation to provide the police the tools they need to do their job. I and we will continue to do it.

Comments by City Councillor
and Government Support
for Police Officers

Bruce Banman: Last week we called on the Premier to join us and the Jewish community in condemning antisemitic comments made by recently elected Vancouver councillor Sean Orr. Instead of standing up in this chamber and doing just that, this Premier had his MLAs dodge the question for him.

This week the Vancouver Police Union is calling out Sean Orr for saying such despicable things as: “All pigs must die, cops aren’t people, the cops are violent bums, and the VPD are murderers.” Now, this Premier…. After a career spent undermining law enforcement and overseeing the degradation of law and order in B.C., I don’t expect this NDP Premier to have the courage to stand up. But nevertheless, I will ask.

What actions will be taken by this Premier to ensure that the concerns of police members, of police unions, of family of police officers are addressed, and will he condemn Sean Orr’s nasty, filthy comments?

Hon. Garry Begg: The comments of Sean Orr are of Sean Orr. He doesn’t represent anything that we believe in. We, on this side of the House, believe fervently that free speech is important. He will face the electorate. He will face the consequences. Nothing that we can do is going to make it better but to condemn him unequivocally. We don’t like what he said. We don’t encourage him to continue it. This is a choice that he made. We condemn it, and we stand by our condemnation.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Bruce Banman: I think that most British Columbians would expect their Premier to stand up and condemn comments like: “All pigs must die, and cops aren’t people.” It’s not a huge ask.

Last week we saw cops lit on fire by criminals, and this week we have heard about a plot to murder law enforcement officers to ensure that they don’t make it home to their families. It seems like this government is unwilling to do the right thing, even when it is blatantly obvious.

Can the Solicitor General please explain, based on his comments a moment ago, not only to me but to the police unions and the families who he works with, how he’s able to participate in an NDP party that supports municipal politicians, who campaigns with municipal politicians who say things like: “All cops are bastards”?

Hon. Garry Begg: It is always important that we defend the police. I don’t know how I can make it clearer to you that that’s what we do every day.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Through the Chair, Member. Through the Chair.

Shhh.

Hon. Garry Begg: We respect…. We provide the police with the tools that they need to do their job. I meet with them regularly. I know that they know….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. Garry Begg: Yesterday I had the privilege of announcing the presence of the commissioner of the RCMP in the House. I was a very dedicated Mountie. My role with the police is to ensure that they have the tools to do the job and to ensure that they can go out there and do the job.

[10:40 a.m.]

I cannot pass other than criticism on Mr. Orr, and I’ve done that. Nothing more I can do about that.

For your question about the police, we protect the police. I expect this government, all sides of the House, to be as supportive of the police as I am.

Sexual Assault Policy
and Support for Survivors

Rob Botterell: I’d first like the House to be aware that I will be speaking about sexual assault and gender-based violence.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Across the province, a patchwork of policies and organizations supports survivors, but more work is needed.

B.C. has made good strides in recent decades, but there are still gaps in supports for survivors. Our health, justice and social services should continue to grow. We can do better, not just to address harms related to sexual assault but to prevent that harm altogether.

To the Premier: will your government create a provincial sexual assault policy?

Hon. Niki Sharma: I want to thank the member for his very important question.

As a government, we’ve been investing in front-line services like sexual assault centres, making sure we have a gender-based violence action plan that is reaching across government to respond to this very horrific crime and assault on people.

It’s something that as Attorney General I take so seriously that I’ve asked Dr. Stanton to do an independent review of our justice system, every level of our justice system, to understand why it is that this is such an underreported crime. Why is it that people that face such atrocious violence against them don’t feel comfortable coming forward to the justice system?

Based on that report, I will be taking actions to make sure that our justice system responds better to this type of violence, and I look forward to reporting that to the public and this House.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Rob Botterell: The misuse of non-disclosure agreements continues to allow instances of harm to be swept under the rug. Initially designed to prohibit the sharing of trade secrets, NDAs, as they’re called, have become tools to silence victims of workplace discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, racism and ableism.

The misuse of NDAs silences and isolates those who have been wronged. The B.C. Green caucus has previously introduced legislation to address this misuse, and this government has committed to doing the same.

To the Attorney General: what is the timeline for introducing legislation to ban the misuse of non-disclosure agreements?

Hon. Niki Sharma: I want to thank the member again for a very important question. I think I’ve spoken in this House before about the use of NDAs and how they can be important legal tools and they can be used inappropriately.

I agree with the member that we have a lot of work to do when it comes to bringing clarity to the law there so it’s not misused to silence victims and to try to silence the behaviour that we would all condemn in organizations.

That’s why we’ve taken a few actions. One is to strengthen our whistleblower protection laws to make sure that if you are part of an organization and you want to disclose something that’s happening, you are protected from that disclosure.

We’re also taking steps right now. My legal team is hard at work with the Uniform Law Conference thinking about what a model piece of legislation might be to make sure that we can protect against the misuse of NDAs and only have them in our system when they’re used appropriately and in the correct times.

That work is underway, and I expect that we will have policy answers either in the fall or the spring of next year.

Government Policies on Gender
Identity and Gender Transition

Tara Armstrong: The U.K.’s top court just issued a historic ruling to keep men out of women’s bathrooms, change rooms and prisons. All it had to do was acknowledge the biological reality that a man is not a woman.

Can the Premier prove his own grip on reality here for us all today by answering the same basic question: what is a woman?

[10:45 a.m.]

Hon. Niki Sharma: I find myself once again rising to respond to a question that I wish I didn’t have to respond to.

I want to send a message to all queer, trans and two-spirit people in this province that we stand with you and we see you. We on this side of the House are going to fight for an inclusive society for all people — for all people.

We’re going to make sure that our laws and all of our policies respect and stand up for the rights of all people. We’re going to keep doing that work in this House, and I hope that we would have a majority of this House on side with that work.

Once again, I just want to say that I am really sorry that we’re facing the type of politics that’s pitting communities against each other, that’s creating division and fear in this province. I strongly condemn that type of politics here in this House, and I think we all need to.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Tara Armstrong: The member may deflect on what a woman is but perhaps will rise to answer my next question about a man, a psychologist, who reportedly works for the Ministry of Children and Families.

This individual bragged about transitioning 1,000 children, half of whom were in government care, and some as young as a mere three years old. The same person is on record coaching kids to threaten suicide to access harmful and irreversible gender transition procedures.

So my next question is actually very simple. It really is just a yes or a no answer. Will this Premier finally ban the brainwashing, sterilization and mutilation of our precious children by these so-called medical professionals?

Hon. Niki Sharma: There can be no simple yes or no to the type of hate that was just raised in this House right now, the type of hate that seeks to deny an identity of people and seeks to create this cloud of fear and mistrust and misinformation about what that identity is in this province. Again, I condemn it, and I hope the whole House would stand in condemning that.

To trans people in this province: we see you, we support you, we will fight for your equality, and we will fight for safe places for you to show up across this province.

Cellular Service Reliability and
Access to Emergency Services in
Rural and Remote Communities

Rosalyn Bird: Two days ago, in McBride, when a fire burned for hours and destroyed a large structure, 911 cell service was unavailable. Residents sought out land lines.

What is this government doing to ensure that British Columbians have 24-7 access to all 911 services in British Columbia?

Hon. George Chow: Thank you for the question.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. George Chow: Emergency services are important. And of course, we’ll make sure that is the case for the entire province. We are ensuring that 911 services are available for all British Columbians. We have call boxes on highways that we install for emergencies.

We also have done a lot of work in terms of the cellular service as well, even though cellular service is not the responsibility of the provincial government. It’s under the federal government, under the CRTC. We have devoted $90 million so far to encourage service providers to provide cellular service on our highways and also in the community.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

[10:50 a.m.]

Rosalyn Bird: I’m glad we are encouraging that essential service.

Many feel that there are two British Columbias: one where ERs are open and all 911 services are available and call-outs are responded to; another where ERs are closed, have long waits and 911 services are unreliable. Two days ago British Columbians in my riding learned they lived in the second B.C. They pay the same taxes as every British Columbian.

My question: when will this government support rural, remote and Indigenous communities and ensure they get the same standard of treatment as B.C. residents who live in multi-million-dollar mansions in Point Grey?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you to the member for the question and for raising the very important issues around equity for people who live in the rural, remote and Indigenous communities of this province.

As a resident of a rural community myself, a former mayor of a rural community, I understand what it is like to be at the end of a highway where closures can happen, where emergency rooms can close and services can be less than what people in urban areas experience.

That’s why we are taking steps to increase access to health care services for rural and remote residents. That’s why we are working so hard with communities and health authorities to increase the number of doctors, nurses and other health care workers who choose to live in these incredibly beautiful spaces in British Columbia.

We’re going to continue to fast track credentials for physicians and nurses coming from other locations. We’re going to continue to incentivize people to move to these places and build out the workforce because people need to know that health care is there for them when they need it, no matter what size of a community they live in.

Trans Mountain Pipeline
and Trade Diversification

Gavin Dew: The Minister of Energy lost an election in 2013 on his opposition to expanding the Trans Mountain Pipeline to diversify away from the U.S. market. As Attorney General, the Premier tried every tool in the toolbox to block it. Now there’s talk of expanding the pipeline again.

Can the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions confirm whether he’s working with all relevant authorities to expedite a second expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and the dredging of Burrard Inlet to allow fully laden tankers to take Team Canada oil to diversified markets?

Hon. Adrian Dix: The TMX pipeline, of course, is a matter of considerable public debate over time, but it’s built. It has been built with a massive investment of public dollars in our country. It was built, I think, in the neighbourhood of $25 billion. It’s my view that given that public investment, that private investment and the importance of energy issues, we should use what we’ve built to the fullest possible extent. We built it. We paid for it. We should use it.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental.

Gavin Dew: The minister misspoke. The cost of the pipeline was $34 billion, and it was increased by his government’s obstructionism.

Now we’re in the middle of a trade war, and the Minister of State for Trade hasn’t risen once to defend this government’s record. But the numbers don’t lie. The NDP government of the ’90s took the U.S. share of B.C.’s exports from 40 percent up to 70 percent. By the time this NDP government took power in 2017, the B.C. Liberals had driven exports to the U.S. back down to 52 percent. Over the last eight years, there has been virtually no change.

Why should anyone believe this government is taking trade diversification seriously when 35 years of evidence suggests otherwise?

[10:55 a.m.]

Hon. Rick Glumac: This member may not be aware, but a couple of years ago we initiated a trade diversification strategy, and we’re working right now on expanding and enhancing that strategy. And if we’re looking for results, you just need to look at the data between 2023 and 2024.

You look at exports going out to different countries. United Kingdom, exports from B.C. are up. Germany, exports from B.C. are up. Taiwan, exports from B.C. are up. South Korea, exports from B.C. are up. Australia, exports from B.C. are up.

We’re taking this diversification very seriously on this side of the House, and I hope the member can recognize that.

Health Ministry Consultant
Contract and Reporting

Anna Kindy: While British Columbians are waiting 13 hours in ERs, struggling to find family doctors and watching surgical backlogs grow, this government handed a $400,000 consulting contract to one of their political insiders with no deadline, no scope and not even a requirement for a written report.

As quoted in an article by Rob Shaw on April 9, the minister said: “This isn’t a form of a formal written report, so it’s not something that I intend to release publicly.”

To the Premier, how is this anything other than a blank cheque for a political ally with, once again, little accountability and little meaningful engagement with the front lines, where censorship is alive and well, all while patients across B.C. are getting sicker waiting to be seen?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you to the member for the question. I think she might be a little bit confused because when she is citing from Rob Shaw’s article, I am speaking about the update that I will get in the first six weeks of the review that is taking place in PHSA. That’s a report that I will get. That’s not a report of the entire review. I’ll be updating this House and the public as recommendations come forward from the review.

But it’s important to understand why we are undertaking this review in the first place. We know that administrative structures have grown. We know that British Columbians expect every possible dollar to be spent on front-line services for British Columbians in the health care that they deserve, need and expect in communities large and small, no matter what their background is. Their access to our public, universal health care system….

Undertaking a review of the PHSA helps us make sure that dollars are being maximized for use on the front lines and that the health authority is operating as efficiently and in as streamlined a way as possible. That’s the purpose of this review. Yes, it’s going to take time. Results will come forward. The House will learn about this, and we will see changes.

Inclusion and Services for
Children with Complex Care Needs

Claire Rattée: My question is not for the Minister of Health, but I will say that it’s unacceptable that an insider is getting paid like this and that a report is not coming out to the general public.

We asked about this in estimates, and we were not able to get any clear answers on when we were actually going to see this report or when we were going to find out what the findings were. This is very important, and it needs to be dealt with, and British Columbians deserve to know what is going on within the health authorities.

This government loves to talk about inclusion, but Roman, a non-verbal child with complex needs and the rare Angelman syndrome, has been excluded again and again from his daycare in Terrace, not because of his behaviour but because of the system’s failure to support him.

His parents are exhausted, out of pocket and forced to pick him up early or keep him home entirely, simply because there is no consistent, qualified support staff despite his documented one-to-one care needs. Roman misses out on a normal childhood with his peers, and his mother is unable to work.

What does inclusion mean to this NDP government if children like Roman are being left out, sent home and treated like a burden?

Hon. Lisa Beare: I absolutely want to recognize that parents and families with children with complex needs face complex situations here in our province. We know that they can face unique challenges when accessing child care.

[11:00 a.m.]

It is so important that we provide the supports needed in the system to ensure that kids like Roman are well supported in care. The member talked about training for staff to ensure that we can provide those supports, and I want to let the member know that we have programs to train providers on inclusive child care practices and policies. We have ongoing online training, as well, for ECEs on inclusive child care practices, so that they can augment education that they may have received in the past.

We want to help families and their children find child care with those needs and with providers, by helping to develop those systems. I know more work needs to be done, absolutely, in the system, but we are committed to doing that work.

Child Care Plan
and Access to Services

Lorne Doerkson: The government keeps insisting that the $10-a-day daycare rollout is on track, but former supporters are now saying otherwise. Katrina Chen, former Minister of State for Child Care, said: “This is not what the NDP promised in 2017, nor the plan recommitted in 2020.”

If the government won’t listen to the opposition, will they at least listen to their former NDP minister and admit their failure to delivering child care in this province?

Hon. Lisa Beare: I want to remind the member where we were before we formed government. I want the member to remember that we had a patchwork system of boutique child care providers…

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. Lisa Beare: …with no coordination. I want to let the member know that there was a $14-a-day child care plan in place…

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member, let her finish, please.

The minister will continue.

Hon. Lisa Beare: …that was cancelled by the Leader of the Opposition.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Lisa Beare: Look, I know the members across the way don’t want to recognize the record of the Leader of the Opposition. I know it’s hard to realize….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Members, come to order, please, now.

The minister will conclude.

Hon. Lisa Beare: It’s really interesting when I look at the front bench: B.C. Liberal, B.C. Liberal, B.C. Liberal, B.C. Liberal. Those are who are asking the questions. Remember that.

We have reduced child care fees for families all across this province from $47 a day, which is what we inherited when we formed government, to now an average of $19 a day.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

The Speaker: Hon. Members, I have the honour to table the Elections B.C. report, statement of votes, for the 43rd provincial general election.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth: In this chamber, I call continued debate on second reading, Bill 5.

In Section A, the Douglas Fir Room, continued committee stage on Bill 7.

Steve Kooner: I request leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Steve Kooner: Earlier I spoke about H.J. Cambie Secondary School students. I believe they’ve now arrived. They’re in the chamber, in the gallery somewhere. I want to make sure that they get a warm welcome in the House here today. They’re accompanied by their teacher, James Lo. There are approximately 40 grade 10 students here, and they’re from school district 38 in Richmond.

Please give them a really warm welcome.

[11:05 a.m.]

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Second Reading of Bills

Budget Measures
Implementation Act, 2025
(continued)

Deputy Speaker: Good afternoon, Members. We’ll call this House back to order.

We are going to continue with comments on a motion introduced yesterday for Bill 5, that motion for second reading of Bill 5 intituled Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2025, be amended by deleting all the words after “that” and substituting therefore the following: “Bill 5 not be read a second time until the House amends the basic personal income tax provided in section 4.3(1.1) of the Income Tax Act (RSBC, 1996), to $22,462.”

On the amendment (continued).

Sheldon Clare: Good morning. It is indeed a pleasure to rise again to speak on this most excellent amendment.

As I stated yesterday, this amendment is rooted in fairness, compassion and in covenant with the people of British Columbia. I believe, if I recall correctly, I was talking about some of the wonderful things that citizens of this great province could do with a $500 tax rebate, which this amendment would provide.

I think I was talking about mining — the ability to go out and literally scoop money from the ground just by buying a few pieces of equipment that such a rebate could provide. This sort of activity represents an investment in the economy, it helps to circulate money in the economy, and it provides a little bit of ability to get out and enjoy some of the beauty of this great province and yet participate in its industrial activities.

Recreational activities are also important to British Columbians — doing things like climbing mountains, hiking. All of these things are able to be funded with a little bit of money that this amendment would provide. People could enjoy engaging in recreational activities, and with the cost of everything being up so much and the value of money being so far down, this is certainly something that British Columbians would most definitely benefit from.

Now, it is certainly the case that the Premier made a clear promise last year that there would be a $1,000 rebate, a support that families could count on. That rebate hasn’t arrived. That rebate is not going to come, and it was abandoned after the election. I know that many people were disappointed. The people in Prince George–North Cariboo were looking at this and thinking that, well, maybe there’d be something for them.

But much more eloquent speakers than I have talked about taxation policy in the past, and I’d love to share some of those brilliant, eloquent speakers with you. Notwithstanding that sometimes we have our little foibles with our neighbour to the south, I think that these speakers would likewise be in favour of an amendment which helps people at the lower end be protected from excess taxation.

Ronald Reagan once said: “You can’t be for big government, big taxes and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.” I think that’s pretty true. How can you keep on putting the burden of the debt and the deficit upon the taxpayer and expect that sometime they won’t break?

Ronald Reagan further said that the government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: “If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” Is that the kind of province we want to live in? I think not.

Now, my dear friends on the other side of the House are often in favour of providing quotations from other speakers. I believe Margaret Thatcher was quoted in this House the other day. I thought I would return with a quotation directly relevant to this amendment, which is that “the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

[11:10 a.m.]

Well, that is the problem with excess taxation: you eventually run out of other people’s money, and the tax burden on the people of this province at this point in time is excessive. This amendment is one that I do hope my dear friends on the other side of the House will embrace as being good for the taxpayers of this province. It would encourage the circulation of money within our economy, which would benefit everyone.

Dear Maggie Thatcher also said: “Be very wary of high taxes. Any government that has high taxation is giving itself more powers and the people less.” I think the irony of that quotation would not be lost on anyone in this House.

Let us turn to Canadian speakers on taxation for a moment. I may come back to some of these other notables. John Diefenbaker said he was criticized for being too much concerned with the average Canadian. “I can’t help that,” he said. “I am one of them.”

I, too, am one of those people concerned with the average British Columbian. The average British Columbian is suffering under a tremendous tax burden, and the Leader of the Opposition has introduced this excellent amendment, which would help to alleviate that crushing burden faced by our taxpayers.

He further stated: “It is time to take the unrepentant tax master at Ottawa off the backs of the Canadian people.” Can we not likewise take the tax burden off the backs of ordinary British Columbians? Can we not do that? Can we not reach across this House and embrace each other in trying to do the right thing for more people in this province?

Now, in doing this, I go back to my dad’s dear friend John Diefenbaker, whom he once drove all the way from Prince George out to Valemount when he was a young lawyer — Mr. Diefenbaker, that is, not my dad. My dad was a good old hardware store conservative.

He took the young lawyer, John Diefenbaker, out to Valemount to help defend a railway worker who was being maligned by the railway after a terrible accident which took the lives of soldiers on their way to fight in the Korean War. Diefenbaker successfully defended that young man and went on making his name to become a very significant Prime Minister of Canada and, thus, able to eloquently, like myself, advocate for tax relief.

We need to think very carefully about keeping taxes high and punishing ordinary British Columbians. Winston Churchill, so oft-quoted by my dear friends on the other side of the House, once said: “Taxes are an evil, a necessary evil, but still an evil. And the fewer of them we have, the better.”

From my own words, I would say: “The interests of the people and the interests of the government are not necessarily congruent, but they certainly should be.”

I go back to Churchill. I’ve always enjoyed reading the words of that eloquent and pithy writer, who once won the Nobel Prize, not for peace but for literature. He said: “For a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is very like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” Is that what we’re doing with taxation policy in British Columbia? I would certainly hope not.

[11:15 a.m.]

It certainly feels like that to those people who are standing in food lines, who are standing, making a decision about whether they’re going to buy food or pay for rent. A little bit of relief would go a long way. The $500 would be a great addition as a tax break, which this amendment would provide for. It would be entirely consistent with the NDP’s own policy and the vote that we took yesterday.

Churchill again: “The great principle which this House ought to guard and cherish is that when the tax collector comes to the private citizen and takes from him of his wealth for the service of the public, the whole of that money taken shall go for the purposes for which it is intended, and that no private interests, however powerfully they may be organized, and however eloquently advanced, shall thrust their dirty fingers into the pie and take the profit for themselves.”

He said that in the House of Commons on the 8th of June, 1908, a very long time ago, but those words ring true even to this date. People are heavily taxed; they’re overtaxed. Canadians and British Columbians are some of the most taxed people in the world. It’s taxing just to talk of it. Now, it simply cannot be the case that we can keep taxing people to an extent where they will be expected to continually bear the burden.

Why can we not encourage more industry to be taking up shovels and digging the gold out of the ground, pulling the liquid natural gas out of the ground, bringing forth all of those resources which are so abundantly present in British Columbia that would so quickly help to pay down our debt, eliminate deficits and allow us to pay for the programs which we have all come to expect and find so dear?

Think about the words of Tommy Douglas. Some of my colleagues on the other side may know about Tommy Douglas.

“We are all in this world together, and the only test of our character that matters is how we look after the least fortunate among us, how we look after each other, not how we look after ourselves. That’s all that really matters, I think,” said Tommy Douglas.

Winston Churchill, who, admittedly, did walk across the floor a couple of times — perhaps that’s where the enjoyment of his quotations, by my dear colleagues and friends on the other side of the House, comes from — also said:

“This refusal to treat all forms of wealth with equal deference, no matter what may have been the process by which it was acquired, is a strenuous assertion in a practical form that there ought to be a constant relation between acquired wealth and useful service previously rendered, and that where no service, but rather disservice, is provided, then whenever possible, the state should make a sensible difference in the taxes it is bound to impose.”

The taxpayer has had enough; the taxpayer is in need of help. I sincerely hope that my dear, dear friends on the other side of the House would come together with my colleagues and wonderful people on this side of the House and vote in favour of this amendment. This amendment will do something remarkable for British Columbians. It will show unity. It will show that compassion and care that I spoke of. It’s just the right thing to do, and we need to do it.

Now, when you look at a tax bill, and you look at an amendment to a tax bill…. I’m reminded of the eloquent words of no less than that great physicist and genius, Albert Einstein: “This is too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher.” Perhaps he was referring to Critical Minerals on the other side, who is, as I understand it, a philosopher. He went on to say: “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.”

I think the hardest thing to understand about the income tax is why it’s there at all when we have so many abundant resources in this province that we could bring forth out of the ground and pay for so much, if only we hadn’t been wasting money over successive governments over many years.

[11:20 a.m.]

Now it’s also the case that another famous speaker — who I think my learned colleagues on the other side would recognize, Franklin Delano Roosevelt — was the President of the United States in a very difficult time, in an isolationist time, that the United States was participating in, until it was abruptly ended by conflict, quite sadly.

“True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.”

This is a warning from that time to this future.

I believe very strongly that this amendment is something that British Columbians will support and get behind and believe in. They will be so happy when those dressed in orange join with those dressed in blue to propose a bit of tax relief. A bit of tax relief is not too much to ask for.

I think this is the right thing to do. I think this is necessary. It’s that grocery rebate that was promised delivered, but through the tax system, not through a press release. It’s something that would be much more effective.

If people truly need help now, so they can get ahead, as it was said by the Premier, then let us have that tax relief. Let us go forth together. Let us go forth together joined in supporting this amendment that will give British Columbians the tax relief they so desperately need to be able to prosper. Even a little bit of money handed to so many people can make such a difference, circulating in the economy and making that money grow in value.

Let’s not keep the people of British Columbia waiting. Let’s put money in people’s pockets. Let’s provide some relief. Let’s present accountability. And let’s give us that amendment and make it permanent so that the income tax is something that is fixed or made better. It’s not fixed; it’s made somewhat better.

Death and taxes are certainties. That’s been said many times. I believe that was something the learned Mr. Churchill referred to.

This tax cut isn’t aimed at billionaires. This is not aimed at speculators. This is not aimed at those who are sipping their lattes on 4th Avenue. This is not aimed at anyone of great wealth with expensive vehicles to drive and wonderful mansions to live in, in West Point Grey. This is aimed at the middle class and the working families of British Columbia. These are the people who work hard. These are the people who pay their bills. Should they continue to be punished for their efforts? Certainly not.

This is about growth. It is about fairness. If you lower the taxes on low- and middle-income earners, what that means is they will be spending that money. They won’t have to try to save a penny or two, which is almost impossible for them anyway.

This kind of effort is good for those little small family businesses. It’s good for the corner stores. It’s good for communities. It’s good for cities.

We’re seeing more and more money go out of our communities as people turn to online shopping and the internet and big-box stores. The mom-and-pop stores are the backbone of our economy, and they deserve and need our support. This amendment will help circulate that money through their stores so they can pay the wages of those teenagers who are in there working retail and helping to contribute.

This amendment is a good thing for British Columbians. This will help people stay afloat in these tough times. Why are we heavily taxing those already underwater?

To every member on the side of the government, that narrowly elected government, to our dear friends and colleagues over there: if you believe what your Premier says and has said repeatedly, then you must support this amendment. You must. If you believe in affordability, then you must support this amendment. If you believe in lifting the people up, then stop letting them down. Support this amendment.

[11:25 a.m.]

The average British Columbian is $200 away from a financial crisis. A missed paycheque could be a financial disaster. This little bit of tax relief could make a huge difference.

Let’s make things better for British Columbians, not harder. Let’s give people a break. If we can just raise this basic personal amount that this amendment proposes, deliver on the promise that the government chose to break and give British Columbians the $500 a year that they were told to expect — not just one time but continually — then we must be responsible, be sensible, be compassionate and do the right thing for the hard-working people of this province: pass the grocery rebate guarantee, and make it law.

I really hope that members will stand with the opposition, support this bill and do the right thing for British Columbians. Let’s give them some tax relief.

Thank you so much. I very much appreciate the time.

Scott McInnis: I would like to thank the member for Prince George–North Cariboo for that hybrid delivery of a Shakespearean play, a history lesson and a bill amendment speech. Thank you to my colleague for that.

I agree with one thing that the Finance Minister said last evening in her response to this amendment that we debate here today. We are facing the most pressing economic threat of our time — and it is this NDP government.

I also want to respectfully disagree with the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions, who accused opposition members of attacking, personally, the character of the Finance Minister. Politics isn’t personal. This is not a place for personal attacks. Although I disagree with the politics of my colleagues opposite, I respect them in every sense.

Our frustration isn’t with the Finance Minister. It is with the bean-counters behind the scenes, within this government, who can’t seem to understand simple, basic arithmetic: when you have one, and you take away ten, it does not equal zero.

Today I rise with purpose. I rise not only as a representative of my wonderful constituents in Columbia River–Revelstoke but as a voice for every British Columbian who has looked at their grocery bill this month and asked: “How am I going to make it?”

I rise today to support the amendment to Bill 5, the income tax amendment act — a simple, straightforward and necessary solution that brings real, immediate financial relief to the people of this province. This amendment, if passed, would save every British Columbian $500 a year through a refundable provincial income tax claim. For a two-income household, that’s $1,000 back in their pockets.

Let’s be clear. This is not a luxury; this is a lifeline. Right now across British Columbia, families are hanging on by a thread. The Premier himself knows it; his Finance Minister knows it. All members opposite must feel it when they go home to their ridings and hear from everyday people who are drowning in bills, living off credit cards and walking past staples at the grocery store because they simply can’t afford them anymore. British Columbians are, on average, $200 away from not being able to pay their bills each month.

This is British Columbia, the best place in the world, and people cannot afford to live. That’s not a political talking point; it’s a crisis. It’s not theoretical; it’s the harsh reality for seniors, single parents, small business owners and young families alike.

[11:30 a.m.]

What has this government done? They’ve made promises, and they’ve broken them. In the fall, the NDP promised British Columbians a $1,000 grocery rebate. It was widely reported. It was applauded by their own members. It was even budgeted for. British Columbians were told help was coming, that the government recognized the pressures and would deliver immediate relief.

But when the time came to follow through, the government abandoned its promise, and when pressed for answers, they blamed Donald Trump and the threat of tariffs. That excuse doesn’t hold any water in here. The rebate was promised before those tariffs were even on the table. The numbers were already in the budget. The words were already out of the Premier’s mouth. If the government truly believed in that rebate, they would have delivered it. But they didn’t, because promises from this government can be very paper-thin.

That’s why, as the B.C. Conservatives, we are stepping up. If this government won’t deliver relief to working families, we will. The Income Tax (Grocery Rebate Guarantee) Amendment Act is a clean, simple and affordable way to do what the Premier didn’t — give people something back. This isn’t a patchwork program with bureaucracy and delays. This is a direct, refundable $500 tax credit that every British Columbian can claim on their personal income tax. It’s predictable, it’s easy to administer, and it’s effective.

Let’s not forget; the government can afford it. If they can afford to hire a million dollars worth of Twitter typers in the Premier’s office, they can afford to give a grocery rebate to the hard-working families in Revelstoke, Golden, Nicholson, Edgewater, Wasa and everywhere in between.

This government claims to stand for affordability, yet with record-high deficits and a skyrocketing debt that will have us paying over $2 million an hour in interest payments by 2028…. Let that sink in for a second — $2 million an hour to service the debt, while families are skipping meals to feed their kids. That’s unacceptable and not sustainable.

This government has no plan, no course correction, no answers. They’re good people over there, doing the same job we are, and I respect each and every one of them for doing it. But the basic lack of accounting from someone within the NDP yoke is astounding. And now, after taking so much from British Columbians, they are going to walk away from the one thing they promised to give back: a grocery rebate. I’m asking them to reconsider.

Well, the B.C. Conservatives are here to say enough is enough. We are here for the single mother in Golden, who’s deciding between diapers and dinner. We are here for the retired couple in Ta Ta Creek, whose fixed income hasn’t kept pace with skyrocketing food costs. We are here for the millworker in Radium, who is watching their paycheque disappear before the month is over. We are here for the family in Kimberley, the tradesmen in Fairmont, the nurse in Invermere. We are here for all of you. We are here to say: “You deserve relief. You deserve honesty. You deserve just a little extra cash in your pocket.”

This amendment is not just a tax credit. It’s a message, a message that there are still people in this Legislature who are fighting for working families, a message that politics isn’t just about slogans and press conferences. It’s about deliverables. This amendment is about far more than just dollars and cents. It’s about dignity. It’s about recognizing the struggle that British Columbians are facing in every corner of this province. And choosing, as legislators, to stand on the side of working people is not a political spin.

This is not just a tax credit. It’s a declaration, a message loud and clear that the Conservative Party of British Columbia sees the people who thought they were getting a grocery rebate. And then — pow! — it was gone. It is a message that says: there are still people in this House fighting for you.

[11:35 a.m.]

British Columbians are desperate. This $1,000 grocery rebate will go a long way, especially for people in rural British Columbia, who face very unique challenges. We’re stepping up, because if this government won’t, we most certainly will.

We believe in British Columbians. This amendment restores something that’s been missing from this chamber for far too long, and that is trust. It is a clear, simple, accountable measure that delivers tangible help, not next year, not buried in red tape but right now. It gives people something back at a time when everything seems to be taken from them: their sense of security, their ability to get ahead, even their confidence that government still works for them.

Well, hope is what this amendment will deliver, and not in a symbolic way, in a real, practical, family-first way. We are not here to score political points. We are here to do the job this government promised British Columbians they would do.

I’d like to take a moment to talk about what $500 really means to the people, especially the great folks in Columbia River–Revelstoke. For some in this House, $500 might seem like a drop in the bucket, but for families in our region, it’s about serious choices in their lives.

That $500 could mean a full tank of gas every month for the single mom in Invermere, who drives 20 minutes each way every single day just to get her kids to daycare and to make it to work on time. That’s not a luxury. That’s a necessity, and it’s getting harder and harder to afford.

That $500 could be the difference for a family in Golden or Invermere, who wants to buy their child a ski pass, not just for fun but for community, for exercise, for precious memories. It could mean dance lessons in Kimberley for the daughter of a single-income household — a chance to express herself, to feel confident, to belong. It could mean hockey gear, a summer camp registration or a school trip that suddenly becomes possible because someone in this Legislature finally delivered help that matters.

Or maybe the young tradesman in Canal Flats or the new teacher in Edgewater, just getting started in life, living in their first apartment and trying to turn it into a home. That $500 could mean a real mattress, a kitchen table, a proper sofa, the basic things that keep someone to feel rooted in their community and proud of what they’re building.

Rural British Columbians, especially in Columbia River–Revelstoke, are doing everything right, but they’re still falling behind. They work hard. They volunteer. They raise families. They pay their taxes. What do they get in return? Higher costs, fewer services and unfulfilled promises.

This tax relief may not solve every problem. We understand that. But it sends a clear message: we see you, we value you, and I guarantee your MLA and the rest of this opposition is going to fight tooth and nail for you every step of the way.

In a government that seems increasingly centred around the Lower Mainland, it’s time that Columbia River–Revelstoke and all of rural British Columbia get something back for a change.

[11:40 a.m.]

A $500 income tax rebate for every British Columbian, a $1,000 tax break for working couples and two-income households. No bureaucratic hoops. No political games. Just real relief for real people. This is the start of a different kind of politics around here, one that puts the taxpayer first, that puts the family first, that puts everybody in this province first.

We are not afraid to lead on this side of the House. We are not afraid to stand on principle. We are not afraid to say to every British Columbian, loud and clear: help is on the way, and we will not rest until you get it.

Macklin McCall: I rise today to speak in strong support of the Income Tax (Grocery Rebate Guarantee) Amendment Act, an amendment that will make a real difference in the lives of everyday British Columbians.

Before I get into the details, let us take a moment to reflect on what this amendment symbolizes. The amendment is not just a technical tax change. It is the duty of the government to live up to their flagship campaign promise, a promise that was promptly broken, betraying every British Columbian that voted for them last year. The amendment represents a return to basic fairness and the reaffirmation of trust between the government and the people.

The tax relief will provide the grocery rebate promised during the election and restore fairness to British Columbians' wallets after almost a decade of NDP fiscal incompetency and economic destruction.

This is not just about numbers on a tax form. It is about people, families, seniors, students and workers who are just trying to get by. It’s about putting money back in the pockets of those who need it most. It’s about keeping a promise that this government made and then walked away from.

That is precisely what the amendment to the Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2025 accomplishes. It keeps the Premier's original $1,000 grocery rebate promise alive through permanent tax relief for every family in every corner of this great province.

Right now, the real economic value of the amendment lies in its equal application. Every British Columbian who files taxes stands to benefit from it, removing barriers and replacing NDP uncertainty with conservative, universal certainty.

Let me be clear. This bill proposes $500 of annual tax savings for every single British Columbian who files income tax in this province. That means a two-income household will see $1,000 back in their pocket every single year. Not once. Not a one-time rebate — every single year. This matters. It is immediate and impactful relief for British Columbians.

I recently spoke with a single mother in Peachland. She works two jobs. During the day, at a medical clinic. At night, cleaning offices. She told me her grocery bill has gone up by over $200 a month since last year. She's not buying anything extravagant. Milk, bread, pasta, eggs — when they're on sale. She's cutting back on fruit. Her kids love apples, but even that's now a luxury. This amendment responds directly to the stories like hers by delivering real relief through income tax savings.

Her story is not unique. Across the province, I've heard stories of struggling British Columbians. Seniors buying canned soup in bulk not because they prefer it but because it's all that they can afford. Young people and students skipping meals some days to keep up with rent, and retired British Columbians on fixed incomes relying on food banks for staples they used to buy without a second thought. This amendment matters to every single one of these British Columbians.

[11:45 a.m.]

Allow me to take a moment to speak about what this amendment will do for the people I represent, my neighbours, the residents of West Kelowna–Peachland. From the lakeside communities to the foothills and farmland, this is a region full of everyday British Columbians who work hard and care deeply for their families. They do not want special treatment. They just want fairness. They want the ability to keep up with rising costs without sacrificing their quality of life.

The amendment proposed will bring meaningful and much-needed relief to households across the region, whether it’s a young family juggling child care and mortgage payments, a small business owner navigating unpredictable costs or a retired couple adjusting to inflation on a fixed income. These stories are far too common in my riding.

These are folks who aren’t looking for a handout. They simply want the government to deliver on the tax fairness that was promised. The amendment delivers the fairness through a straightforward, permanent increase to the basic personal income tax credit — no applications, no waiting, just reliable relief.

I’ve heard from residents and business owners in both urban and rural parts of the region who are feeling squeezed by the rising cost of living and overburdened by this provincial government’s punitive taxes and throttling regulations. The armchair pseudo-socialists opposite, who claim to represent the working people of this province, are completely out of touch with the dark reality they have created.

Grocery costs are climbing, gas prices are unpredictable, and wages are struggling to keep pace, all while hidden carbon taxes and excessive regulations are driving businesses out. With this amendment, thousands of individuals and families will have more room in their budgets. They will be better equipped to manage life’s essentials, from school supplies and fresh produce to prescription medication and utility bills.

Adopting this amendment can be a signal to the people I represent and those struggling all across the province that they are seen and heard, that the government understands their struggle and that their contributions to the economy, to their communities, to their families are valued. This amendment respects this reality and responds to it with practical support for all.

This is immediate relief. The Premier himself said: “People need help now so they can get ahead.” He’s absolutely right. But what happened to the $1,000 annual grocery rebate the Premier promised during the election? He said it was coming. People counted on it. They voted based on it. And then, nothing.

This bill rectifies that broken promise. It keeps the spirit of that commitment alive and makes it permanent, not through cheques that may or may not arrive but through tangible tax savings every paycheque every year. The amendment to subsection 4.3(1.1) of the Income Tax Act enshrines this promise into law.

To my colleagues who hesitate, I say this: let this be a moment to prove that we can put partisanship aside when the stakes are real and when the people of British Columbia are counting on us. This isn’t a handout. It’s a lifeline. It’s about dignity. It’s about giving families just a bit of breathing room so they can buy the groceries they need without anxiety, so they can fill a tank of gas without checking their bank balance first or so they can maybe, just maybe, afford a nice birthday gift for their child.

The government has said they’re on the side of working people. Well, here’s a test to that. Will they support a bill that puts $1,000 back in the pockets of a hard-working couple in Kamloops or a nurse and a teacher living in northern B.C. who are barely holding on under the rising cost of living?

The Premier said: “…a $1,000 tax cut the year after that, the year after that and the year after that.” And yet, that promise has been swept under the rug. This bill brings it back and ensures it isn’t just an election talking point.

Some in this House will ask: “How will we afford this?” My response is: “Can we afford not to?” British Columbians are being squeezed from every angle. Rents are up, gas is up, insurance premiums are up and food inflation is up. Recent polls said that more than half of Canadians are just $200 away from not being able to pay their bills — $200. That’s one flat tire. That’s one emergency vet visit. That’s one extra week of daycare.

[11:50 a.m.]

This bill would provide immediate help to those families. It’s not just good policy. It’s the right thing to do. Under this plan, families get more support, and they get it right away — not in 18 months, not if you qualify for some complicated eligibility formula, not if you're lucky enough to get through the red tape, but right now.

Last year the Premier himself said: “The Leader of the Official Opposition would hand tax breaks to billionaires and speculators while leaving you waiting for the help you need now.” Well, this amendment doesn't wait. It doesn't speculate. It delivers.

I know some across the aisle may say this isn't their bill, so they can't support it. But I urge them to think about who this bill is really for. It's for the young family in Kelowna struggling to afford baby formula and diapers. It's for the senior in West Kelowna who now skips lunch to afford her prescription meds. It's for the grocery clerk in Summerland who just wants to afford gas to get to work.

As the Premier said: “I'm on the side of everyday people and families who just want to end the day a little further ahead than when they started." Well, if that's true, then they will have no trouble voting in support of this amendment, because that's exactly what it does.

This bill is simple, direct and fair. It doesn't require an application. It doesn't require bureaucracy. It's built into the system. And most importantly, it provides dignity, relief and certainty for millions of British Columbians.

Before I close, I want to share something personal. Before entering political life, I spent years serving British Columbians as an officer with the RCMP. That experience shaped my values, service, accountability and justice.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

I've seen up close how poverty, stress and instability can harm not just families but entire communities.

Noting the hour, I reserve my right to continue the debate.

Macklin McCall moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Jessie Sunner: Section A reports progress on Bill 7 and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Point of Order

Susie Chant: I rise on a point of order, if I may.

Early in my opening reflection, I referenced a quote attributed to Henry Ford without considering the full context of his legacy. Thank you to my colleagues who have helped me to recognize that invoking Ford's name, given his well-documented history of antisemitism, was inappropriate and hurtful.

I want to be clear. I completely condemn antisemitism and the harmful ideas that Henry Ford promoted. I deeply regret my oversight and any hurt this may have caused, particularly to members of the Jewish community. I’m committed to learning from this and being more thoughtful in the future.

Hon. Ravi Parmar moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The Speaker: This House stands adjourned until one o'clock this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:53 a.m.