Contents

The House met at 10:03 a.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Lynne Block.

[10:05 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

Hon. Lisa Beare: Today in the gallery, we are joined by the board members from the British Columbia School Trustees Association up here in the gallery with us. Joining us today are president Tracy Loffler, vice-president Bob Holmes, Roxanne Gulick, Erica McLean, George Nelson, David Swankey, past president Carolyn Broady, CEO Trevor Davies and other members of the BCSTA staff.

BCSTA have been champions for public education for 120 years now, and I want to thank them for that. They have been excellent partners to government, and we continue to work with them to build up public education.

I look forward to our conversations later today. Thank you so much.

Will the House please make them welcome.

Tributes

Manjit Singh Rana

Sheldon Clare: On October 19, Quesnel lost a great man, a cornerstone of the community, Manjit Singh Rana. This past weekend, Highway 97 at Quesnel was closed to honour a procession of first responders, to honour Manjit’s tireless service to our province.

Manjit was a member of the B.C. Ambulance Service and a longtime forestry worker in Quesnel who for 34 years provided critical life-saving services. The testimonies from residents in Quesnel on Manjit’s impacts on their lives and community are numerous. One friend noted that Manjit was kind, reliable and hard-working, someone who prioritized safety. Manjit said that being a paramedic brings as much joy as the feeling you get when you help save someone and you see them come back into themselves. It’s something that’s unmatched.

Thank you, Manjit. Your legacy is profound. Thank you for all you did for Quesnel.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Lana Popham: Today is a really big day here at the B.C. Legislature. Not only are we celebrating Diwali at lunchtime, and we all have many guests here. We are also celebrating B.C. Agriculture Day 2025.

The B.C. Agriculture Council has organized another amazing day where they are bringing over incredible organizations that represent farming, farmers, food security all across British Columbia. Nearly 70 representatives and 20 producer groups are here.

I am going to quickly just run through the producer groups that are here represented: B.C. Greenhouse Growers, B.C. Potato and Vegetable Growers, B.C. Cattlemen’s, B.C. Pork Producers, Organic B.C., B.C. Fruit Growers, B.C. Shellfish Growers, B.C. Salmon Farmers, B.C. Chicken Growers, B.C. Turkey, B.C. Egg Producers, B.C. hatching egg, B.C. Poultry, B.C. Landscape and Nursery, the United Flower Growers Co-op, the Horse Council of B.C., the B.C. Honey Producers, B.C. Blueberry Council, B.C. Raspberry Growers and, lastly, the B.C. Cranberry Growers.

Thanks to everybody who made such great efforts to get over here, and again, great appreciation to the B.C. Agriculture Council for organizing it.

Sharon Hartwell: It’s my pleasure today to welcome two women into the House: Kerri Bassett, the executive director, and Charlene Johnson, board chair of the Northwest Child Development Centre.

This valuable organization has been in operation since 1981. They’ve been providing an integrated health and social services delivery model serving children, youth and their families. They provide quality programs and services with over 40 rural and remote communities throughout Bulkley Valley, the Hazeltons, Stikine, Lakes District, Burns Lake, Houston and Terrace. They serve over 1,200 children, youth and their families every year alone.

They are funded over several ministries, including MCFD, Education and Health; Northern Health; school districts; and Indigenous Services Canada.

Would the House please make them very welcome, and we’ll look forward to their meeting this afternoon.

Lawrence Mok: In the gallery, I have two wonderful friends from Mission, Stuart and Kathryn Duncan. They are very excited to visit the parliament building and the Legislature today.

May the House please join me in giving them a very warm welcome.

[10:10 a.m.]

Brennan Day: I would just like to introduce Joy Tansky’s grade 10 and 11 class from Gaglardi Academy. They will be joining us for question period, so everybody can keep it civil. This is my son’s school, so I will hear about it later.

Thank you very much to them for joining us, and please make them feel welcome.

Jordan Kealy: I just want to thank the B.C. Agriculture Council for coming here. It’s also near and dear to my heart, being a farmer myself. Without farmers, we would have no future.

I would also like to welcome a friend that came here to the Legislature, Kat Kanada, as well. I look forward to being able to show her around. She follows politics closely, provincially and federally.

Thank you very much, and welcome her to the Legislature.

Heather Maahs: I would like to take the opportunity to welcome the chair of the Chilliwack school board, who is one of my constituents and is here in the Leg. with BCSTA today, David Swankey.

Thank you very much.

Hon. Jodie Wickens: I just want to quickly join my colleague in welcoming Kerri Bassett and the Northwest Child Development Centre. I have to add my voice because Kerri Bassett has been a formidable advocate for children and youth in this province, and she’s also been a mentor of mine.

When I started my career in child development, she supported me. She helped me understand services in our province. She’s been serving our province for decades.

Thank you, Kerri, for all of the work that you’ve done for the families in your community but also for the B.C. Association for Child Development and Intervention.

The Speaker: On behalf of all the members in the house, I would like to extend our warm welcome to everyone, all those guests, who are here to celebrate Diwali with all of us today. We will be having a beautiful event at noon, and we welcome them.

Please join me and give them a warm welcome.

Introduction and
First Reading of Bills

Bill M218 — Residential Tenancy
Amendment Act

Rob Botterell presented a bill intituled Residential Tenancy Amendment Act.

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

Renters in British Columbia face the highest eviction rates in Canada, but it’s through no fault of their own. It’s because in British Columbia, there are no limits on how much landlords can raise rent between tenancies. Rent increases are only regulated within existing tenancies.

Research attributes these evictions to profit-driven displacement, where the financial incentives of selling property or raising rents lead landlords, particularly real estate investment trusts, to evict tenants from their homes, despite these tenants paying rent and respecting the property. This has resulted in tens of thousands of tenants being forced out of their communities, paying drastically more for rent elsewhere or, worse, becoming homeless.

The impact is not felt equally. People with low or fixed incomes, Indigenous and racialized renters and people with disabilities are hit hardest. Many are evicted directly into homelessness. Indeed, in a 2025 homeless count in Metro Vancouver, evictions were the cause of homelessness for nearly half of respondents. It’s time for this practice to end.

[10:15 a.m.]

The Residential Tenancy Amendment Act proposes to limit how much landlords can raise rent when a unit becomes vacant. By closing this loophole, we remove the financial incentive to evict tenants for profit and help keep existing homes affordable. This amendment would reduce no-fault evictions, increase housing stability and preserve affordable housing across B.C.

As one in three British Columbian residents are renters, this amendment would go a long way in addressing the housing affordability crisis. It’s a practical, effective and necessary tool to address our housing affordability crisis and ensure that teachers, nurses, service workers, students and seniors can afford to live in the communities they help build.

If we are serious about addressing the housing affordability crisis, if we believe housing is a human right, then let’s act now to limit for-profit rent hikes and keep British Columbia livable for everyone.

I call on this government to recognize the urgency of this issue and look forward to debating this bill at second reading.

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

Motion approved.

Rob Botterell: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Motion approved.

Members’ Statements

Feed the Need Program

Lynne Block: I rise today to recognize an inspiring community initiative in my constituency, West Vancouver–Capilano. It is called Feed the Need program at the West Vancouver Seniors Activity Centre.

This program was created in 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many seniors were facing isolation and challenges accessing healthy, regular meals. In response, the seniors activity centre developed Feed the Need, a volunteer-driven meal program designed to ensure that vulnerable seniors in our community would not go hungry.

What began as an emergency response has become a vital and ongoing service. Today Feed the Need provides approximately 350 nutritious meals each week to seniors who need them most. These meals are prepared and delivered by volunteers, offering both nourishment and a meaningful human connection.

Funding for the program comes through community donations matched by the Ian and Rosemary Mottershead fund via the West Vancouver Foundation Give Where You Live campaign. In 2023, the campaign exceeded its goal, raising over $109,000 to help sustain the program through 2026.

The Feed the Need program is a remarkable example of what can happen when neighbours come together, combining compassion, generosity and local action to meet real community needs.

To the staff, volunteers, donors and partners who make this program possible, thank you. Your work reflects the very best of my riding, West Vancouver–Capilano, and the caring spirit that strengthens our province.

Food Security and
Community Organizations

Amshen / Joan Phillip: I rise today to celebrate the incredible organizations in British Columbia and particularly Vancouver who are leading the way in food security and food justice. These groups don’t just feed people. They build community while restoring dignity and creating pathways to healing.

Recently I had the privilege of touring some of these organizations with several of my colleagues. It fills me with pride to witness the dedication of the many men, women, two-spirit and non-binary folks who are doing this vital work on the front lines.

I want to specifically recognize the First United Church, Union Gospel Mission, South Vancouver Neighbourhood House and Little Mountain Neighbourhood House, all supported by the United Way. These organizations are deeply rooted in their communities and are responding with compassion, creativity and courage.

[10:20 a.m.]

I’d like to make a special shout-out to the folks working in my constituency who are doing this amazing work, folks like the team at First United: Amanda Burrows, George Flett, Sarah Marsden, Katie Koncan. Their leadership is driving systemic change and ensuring that no one gets left behind.

I want to celebrate two front-line managers also at Union Gospel Mission, Leona So and Julie Naidoo. They are meeting community members where they’re at, offering support that meets their needs and creating pathways to recovery, shelter and housing.

These organizations remind us that food is more than nourishment. It’s a human right, a source of connection, and a foundation for justice, so let us continue to support and uplift their work.

Huy ch q’u siem.

B.C. Agriculture Day

Ian Paton: Organized by the B.C. Agriculture Council, B.C. Agriculture Day is a reminder to all British Columbians how fortunate we are to have such dedicated people producing food for our province.

It is important to understand how the decision to buy local supports farmers, ranchers, producers and processors, as well as our communities. Their dedication to their craft has helped them overcome major challenges such as an unprecedented series of climate events that caused much damage to crops, lands, structures, equipment and livelihoods.

Our past summers in B.C. also brought to light additional challenges of extremely hot and dry summers, which negatively affected food production, and recent past winters, which saw frigid temperatures that devastated our tree fruits and grape industry. These are stressors farmers must deal with throughout the year, yet they continue their work without fault to keep our province fed.

Farmers every day wear many hats in this province. They need to be many things. They need to be mechanics, veterinarians, engineers, environmentalists, salesmen, bookkeepers and architects.

Under the wing of my dad and my grandfather, I learned the trade and became a third-generation dairy farmer. Our family was just one contributor to B.C.’s diverse agriculture industry, which includes so many products.

And let us never forget the volatile and high-risk livelihood of farming, dealing with the challenges, such as persistent labour shortages and the ever-increasing financial burden of the three F’s facing farmers today, that being feed, fuel and fertilizer.

While steps have been taken to combat these issues, we will continue to advocate for British Columbia’s farmers and their efforts to improve B.C.’s food security for current and future generations.

Ag Day is not only a great day to connect legislators with farmers, but the day also increases awareness of agriculture’s positive impact on the local economy while giving farmers and ranchers an opportunity to share ideas and solutions to the sector’s challenges with MLAs here in Victoria.

Fall-Winter Cultural Festivals
and Diversity and Inclusion

Sunita Dhir: From October to December, communities across British Columbia and in my riding of Vancouver-Langara come alive with celebration. It’s a season when lights, music and traditions from around the world fill our neighbourhoods with warmth and joy.

In these months, we see Diwali diyas glowing in homes, gurdwaras celebrating Gurpurab, families gathering for Thanksgiving, menorahs shining for Hanukkah and Christmas trees lighting up our streets.

Our Filipino friends begin their joyful Simbang Gabi celebrations, filling churches with song and community spirit. Korean families reflect on Chuseok and prepare for Seollal honouring families, ancestors and the values that bring people together. And soon we will see the vibrant red and gold lunar new year celebrations welcoming a new beginning.

[10:25 a.m.]

In B.C., we see this spirit every day — neighbours sharing festive foods, children learning about each other’s holidays and families from every background coming together to help those in need. But we also know that building a truly inclusive society means standing firmly against racism and discrimination in all its forms.

Every act of prejudice weakens the fabric that holds us together, and every act of understanding makes it stronger.

As we celebrate this season of light and gratitude, let us continue to honour the diversity that defines us, reject hate wherever it appears and build a province that remains a true home for all.

Sumas Prairie Farmland Flooding
Recovery and Protection

Bruce Banman: Not only today do we celebrate Diwali, but we also recognize B.C. Agriculture Day, a day to celebrate the hard-working farmers, ranchers and producers who feed our province and anchor our economy.

In my community of Abbotsford, the Sumas Prairie is the most productive agricultural land in all of Canada. Generations of farmers have worked that land, producing milk, eggs, poultry, berries, fruits and vegetables that end up on our kitchen tables not only across British Columbia but across the world. But four years after the devastating floods of 2021, many of those farmers are still…. In their own words: “The waters may have receded, but financially we’re still under water.”

The losses remain. Homes, farms, machinery were destroyed. Fields were ruined, and crops were lost. Yet these farmers persevered, rebuilding, doing what farmers do, replanting and working day and night to recovery. They deserve more than just our platitudes and gratitude. They deserve a real plan from all levels of government to protect the Sumas Prairie not just from the next flood but from neglect.

These farmers feel abandoned and lost. This is the most valuable agricultural land in Canada, and we cannot afford to lose it.

If we want true food security, we must secure the land that feeds us. I encourage every British Columbian to reach out to their MLAs and MPs and call for concrete action to protect our farmland and support our farmers who keep it alive and feed us.

Mr. Farmer…. Mr. Speaker, without our farmers….

Interjections.

Bruce Banman: Well, you know, I do have to pay homage. Farming is near and dear to the Speaker’s heart. I know it is.

Without our farmers, there is no food security, and without the Sumas Prairie, there is no future for B.C. agriculture.

If you see a farmer, go up to them and say thank you. They work hard to feed us every single day.

B.C. Agriculture Day

Harwinder Sandhu: Today we proudly celebrate B.C. Agriculture Day, a day to honour our incredible people whose hands, hearts and dedication feed our province.

As someone who comes from a proud multigeneration farming family, I have seen firsthand the blood, sweat and tears that go into producing the food we enjoy every day. I have seen the early mornings, long days and deep commitment it takes to take care of the land and animals that sustain us.

Farming is not just an occupation. It is a way of life built on perseverance, hope and love for the land, people, ranches and animals the farmers carry in their hearts.

To all farmers, ranchers, growers and food producers joining us today, welcome and thank you. You are the backbone of our communities, our economy, our food security. You remind us that no farmer means no food, and no food means no life.

Across British Columbia, more than 60,000 hard-working people dedicate themselves to growing, raising and producing food we all depend on. From the fertile fields of the Fraser Valley, the orchards of the Okanagan, the ranchlands of the Interior, the farms of Vancouver Island and the vast agricultural heartlands of northern B.C., your work sustains us all.

Food producers in every corner in our province play a vital role in our food systems, strengthening regional economies and ensuring that communities across the province have access to fresh, local, high-quality food.

[10:30 a.m.]

Through climate challenges, market pressures and the unpredictability of nature, you continue to adapt and lead the way for sustainable food security. Our government stands firmly with you. We’re all committed to supporting B.C.’s agriculture sector so that you can grow, thrive and remain profitable while inspiring and empowering the next generation of farmers to carry your legacy forward.

Happy B.C. Agriculture Day, and may we continue together to grow a stronger, more resilient future for the agriculture of this province.

Thank you for all you do.

The Speaker: Member for West Vancouver–Capilano has a point.

Lynne Block: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

The Speaker: Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

Lynne Block: Today I am honoured to introduce Shirin Saleh and Atena Ferdosi, two amazing women who are residents and role models of the North Shore. Shirin is the founder and president of a flourishing business on the North Shore, which contributes a great deal to our community, and I am so grateful for that. It is a pleasure to have them here in Victoria today.

Please make them feel very welcome.

Speaker’s Statement

Unparliamentary Language
and Guidance on Language
Used in Debate

The Speaker: Members, before we recognize members to ask questions, I’m going to make a statement.

Hon. Members, last week the Chair made a commitment to return to the House with guidance on language, given the use of unparliamentary language by some members in debate over the course of the current sessional period. The rules of this House prevent members from engaging in debate in a manner that leads to disorder. In the current circumstances, the most applicable rule is Standing Order 40, which provides guidance and states: “No member shall use offensive words against any member of this House.”

An allegation that a member is racist clearly imputes what most members would regard as an offensive personal characterization, and as such, it is out of order. For the Chair to permit allegations of racism to be directed at other members would encourage what is already a regrettable reality of this place — an undue personalization of issues and debate.

As someone who has fought against racism for decades, the Chair does not address this topic or the word lightly. The Chair understands the feelings of members who believe that the policies or views of other members are objectionable, but in the Chair’s view, personal name-calling or labels are not a robust or effective debating tactic.

An allegation of being a racist, if it is levelled against a member or a group of members, clearly leads to disorder and does not encourage productive debate and distracts us from discussion of issues critically important to those we represent. That said, the use of strong language in terms that relate solely to policy or positions taken by members or party may be permitted in debate at the discretion of the Chair. But rather than directing personal insults at one another, members are asked to focus their comments on the policies and issues that are the subject before the House.

The Chair is reminded of the wise words of Speaker Gretchen Mann Brewin, who delivered the following guidance to the House on December 3, 1998:

“It is very important in this House that we not reflect badly on this institution by the language that we use. It seems to the Chair that opinions can be expressed by members without resorting to certain terminologies, like implications of racism, or personal attacks. The Chair wishes to encourage all members to take that under advisement and to give more thought to the English language, which is indeed enormously rich and provides infinite scope for the expression of views in this chamber.”

[10:35 a.m.]

The Chair thanks all members for heeding this direction and for always being mindful of the words they choose to use in the course of debate in this House. Thank you.

Oral Questions

Community Safety and
Corrections System Oversight of
Cases in Remote Communities

John Rustad: A whistleblower from community corrections says that high-risk sexual offenders’ cases are being supervised remotely from 700 kilometres away because of staffing shortages. Breaches are being missed, victims left vulnerable and offenders unsupervised.

Why has this government allowed community corrections in the North to deteriorate while public safety in the North is severely compromised?

Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you very much to the Leader of the Opposition for the question.

B.C. Corrections plays a vital role. B.C. Corrections continuously focuses efforts on reducing violent incidents and doing their work to ensure that our communities are safe. We recognize that the work of corrections is vital throughout the province, including, of course, in northern communities, which is why the corrections staff in my ministry are in constant contact with the corrections team to ensure that the corrections centres are adequately resourced.

We will continue to ensure that we carry on this work to ensure that corrections centres and the staff within them are fully resourced and able to do their work.

The Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

John Rustad: Fully resourced, 700 kilometres away. Whistleblowers have come forward and alleged that serious staff misconduct was covered up and front-line officers’ warnings were ignored. Meanwhile, Indigenous nations like the Haisla, Nisg̱a’a, Haida as well as Tāłtān have not been engaged with regards to this, and their concerns appear to have been ignored.

There are sexual predators living in remote communities in the Nass Valley being supervised by parole officers more than 700 kilometres away. This minister seems to think that’s just fine, so maybe she can answer a simple, straightforward question.

Does she think it’s appropriate that somebody 700 kilometres away should be the one supervising these dangerous offenders?

Hon. Nina Krieger: B.C. corrections does use GPS-enabled technology, which allows for curfew monitoring and supervision due to a substantial concern that they may commit a serious, violent offence.

Electronic supervision is not suitable for the highest-risk individuals. While it cannot stop someone who’s determined to commit an offence, it builds on other supervision tools like risk-needs assessments, home visits, curfew checks, public notifications and programming.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Minister will complete the answer. Please continue.

Hon. Nina Krieger: B.C. corrections works collaboratively with law enforcement, community partners and the public when supervising individuals. Any breach of court-ordered conditions can result in charges and possibly time in custody at the discretion of the courts.

Gun Violence in Communities and
Government Action on Gang Activity

Macklin McCall: I guess we are relying on GPS now to keep people safe.

Another Surrey neighbourhood sprayed with bullets, families jolted awake by gunfire. This is everyday life now in B.C. under this government. You have to sleep with one eye open just to ensure your own safety.

The minister may be getting a good night’s sleep, but how does the minister expect British Columbians to sleep soundly?

Hon. Nina Krieger: I know that people are deeply concerned about the shootings that we are seeing in Surrey and in other communities. I share these concerns. Nobody should live with a threat of violence.

I have met with police leadership across the province, including recently the Surrey police chief, to discuss the challenges that they’re facing on the ground, in communities.

[10:40 a.m.]

I appreciate the hard work that police leadership and officers do every day to keep our communities safe, which is why we are committed to providing police with the resources they need to investigate these crimes.

We invest over $100 million each year in targeted enforcement for gang activities, including gun and drug violence. These are practical investments that provide concrete tools that help get guns off our streets, and we will keep taking action, supporting police and doing the work on gun violence and the issues that we’re seeing in our communities to keep people safe.

Macklin McCall: I’ve been on the front lines, attended and responded to shootings. This minister hasn’t. I’ve had to deal with the family and their concerns that violence may continue, with the young children that are afraid, the nearby residents that wonder if their community is no longer safe, and our society that wonders if the suspects will be brought to justice. With all due respect, this minister doesn’t know a thing about what it means to deal with these issues on the ground.

Metro Vancouver police are dealing with a surge in extortion threats and dozens of shootings tied to criminal networks. In Surrey alone, over half of all extortion cases this year have involved gunfire.

When will this government stop putting criminals ahead of Surrey residents?

Hon. Nina Krieger: In my role as Solicitor General, I work every day with law enforcement leaders and officers, ensuring that I have a sense of what is going on in communities. I’m also in touch with community members, businesses, families who have been affected by the gun violence, extortion threats and related acts of violence that we’re seeing in communities.

We are doing everything that we can to ensure that police have the tools that they need to investigate extortion crimes. This includes setting up the B.C. extortion task force, the first of its kind in the country, to ensure that there are coordinated, comprehensive investigations taking place. We’re providing additional funds to municipal police jurisdictions to investigate extortion threats beyond the scope of the task force.

We make our ongoing investments in combatting organized crime and gun violence. We’ll continue to carry on this work, supporting police while also advocating for the bail reform measures that we’ve been hearing about recently, which include bail and sentencing reforms directly related to extortion threats, thanks to B.C.’s advocacy.

We will continue to work on all fronts to keep our communities safe.

Rob Botterell: Renters in B.C. are suffering without comprehensive rent control, but the usual excuse is that mom-and-pop landlords will suffer. It turns out that they only make up a small fraction of our rental housing market. It’s numbered corporations and REITs that are protected by this government law, not the public.

Landlords in B.C. evict tenants at the highest rate of any province, mostly through no-fault evictions. They’re financially incentivized…

The Speaker: Member.

Rob Botterell: …to do it because rent is tied to the renter, not to the unit, meaning they can increase rent as much as they want when a tenant moves out.

The Speaker: Member, thank you. I think the issue is already in front of the House. That will be debated later.

Cultural Curriculum
Guidance in Schools

Tara Armstrong: If you want to humiliate your children at school, send them here to us in British Columbia. I have a document in front of me from the government’s own curriculum guidance for teachers. It instructs that students are to develop a “mindset of cultural humility.”

In our classrooms, our kids are being taught to not take pride in their culture, Canada’s incredible culture, but to be ashamed of it. That’s because this government and every other party in this House continue to defend the practice of land acknowledgments in our classrooms, the pinnacle of humiliation rituals. They shame our kids for having the wrong ancestors, and they impose false guilt for crimes they did not commit…

The Speaker: Member.

Tara Armstrong: …and in many cases, events which never even happened.

[10:45 a.m.]

The Speaker: Member, this issue is also before the House. If the member has another question.

Tara Armstrong: Our kids should be taught to be proud of Canadian culture because we have the best culture in the world.

My question is for the Minister of Education. Why is her government humiliating our kids instead of teaching them?

The Speaker: Member, although the issue raised by the member was before the House, it was rejected by the House.

I leave it up to the minister, at her discretion, if she would like to answer.

Hon. Lisa Beare: It is very unfortunate that this member continues to raise this line of questioning in this House. We have made it very, very clear to the member and to every single person in this House that our B.C. is a welcoming place.

Our schools need to be a safe place, no matter how you look, what you wear, where you come from, what your background is. Everything we do is grounded in keeping kids safe and making them feel included and welcome.

There was once a time in this House where every member agreed on that. It’s very unfortunate that we’re not there today.

The Speaker: The member has a supplemental?

Tara Armstrong: Well, in actual reality, this government indoctrinates your kids at school.

The Speaker: Member.

Tara Armstrong: Their curriculum guidance instructs that students should…

The Speaker: Member.

Tara Armstrong: …“challenge and decentre colonial structures, knowledge systems and hierarchies.”

The Speaker: Member.

Member, the issue was before the House. It was rejected, and the minister has already answered it.

Does the member have a different question?

Tara Armstrong: I do not.

The Speaker: Thank you.

Before I recognize the next member, the House Leader of the Third Party, if they had another question other than the question which was already before the House, they have the right to ask.

Go ahead, please.

Extreme Weather Shelter Policy

Rob Botterell: Earlier this month I met a constituent living in her car in Sidney. Even with disability assistance rates below the poverty line, she says she could afford to spend $800 a month on rent if any landlord would accept her.

Winter storm season is here. Nights in cars are getting colder. The minister is probably aware that Sidney council recently voted down a rezoning application to accommodate a winter shelter. That’s where my constituent would like to live.

The Speaker: Member, keep it short, please.

Rob Botterell: My question is to the Minister of Housing. In situations where municipal governments are unable or unwilling to step up, how is her government helping people find shelter?

Hon. Christine Boyle: Thank you for such an important and timely question.

We know that shelter spaces, in addition to supportive housing, are life-saving, particularly during extreme weather events. That’s why we as a government and B.C. Housing work so closely with mayors and councils across the province to provide emergency winter shelter space, year-round shelter space, to bring more people inside, where they can be safe and where they can connect with supports and resources that make them and the broader community safer.

We have requests from local governments all over the province, and we work to be responsive and ensure that we can work together to deliver supports, particularly where local governments are making land available so that we can move quickly together.

We have many great partnerships on this front, and I look forward to being able to speak more about our emergency winter shelters soon. In the meantime, many local governments have been coming to us and working together with requests…

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister.

Hon. Christine Boyle: …because they know that shelters are how we improve safety for everyone.

Gun Violence in Communities and
Government Action on Gang Activity

Korky Neufeld: Yesterday a 60-year-old Abbotsford husband, father, businessman and respected leader was gunned down in broad daylight while he was getting into his truck. Children in three nearby schools were forced to lock down as bullets flew. A man died, Mr. Speaker.

[10:50 a.m.]

My community doesn’t want to hear talking points or platitudes. They want to feel safe again. After nine long years of this government, they do not.

To the Premier, how can British Columbians have any faith in this government when victims are the only ones to bear the consequences?

Hon. Niki Sharma: A very horrific incident, and my heart goes out to all the victims and those children that were involved in that incident.

We won’t stop until every community across the province is safe.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Niki Sharma: We are showing leadership in this province to change laws and put more resources on the street.

It was because of B.C.’s leadership that the Bishnoi gang was certified as a terrorist organization across this country. It was B.C.’s leadership, where there’s, for the first time, a 40-person unit that’s specifically focused on extortion. And it was B.C.’s leadership that helped change the law of this whole country when it comes to bail and sentencing…

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member for Richmond-Queensborough, come to order.

Hon. Niki Sharma: …to circle around repeat offenders, including extortion.

It was B.C.’s leadership that changed the laws across the country to circle around extortion, circle around repeat offenders and circle around intimate-partner violence to keep those people off the streets.

We will keep doing that work. Seven arrests, seven charges and more on their way.

Mandeep Dhaliwal: I stood up one week ago and asked about a shooting in Surrey. Another day, another shooting in my community.

Why can’t this NDP government keep Surrey safe?

Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

I know that residents of Surrey are deeply concerned about extortion threats and related acts of violence. I share those concerns. This violence and these threats of violence are completely, completely unacceptable.

The Attorney General and I were at a conference of federal, territorial and provincial ministers recently and heard that B.C. is not alone in facing these extortion threats. We are seeing this in Alberta and Ontario.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. Nina Krieger: B.C., however, is taking a leadership role in the country in combating extortion with our provincial task force dedicated to extortion. We are starting to see results with the seven arrests and charges brought recently.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members. Order, please.

Hon. Nina Krieger: We led the charge for the entire country in the designation of the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organization to give the police the tools that they need.

We will continue to ensure that police have the resources and that victims of extortion have the supports that they need in terms of safety plans going forward. We’ll work in partnership with law enforcement to keep tackling these extortion crimes and keep our communities safe.

Ian Paton: My residents of Delta, my constituents, are tired of, day after day, turning on the news, morning and night, and listening about more killings, more shootings in the Lower Mainland.

On the same day as the Surrey shooting, multiple shots were fired into a family home in Delta, all caught on CCTV. A suspect stepped out of a SUV and opened fire before fleeing. Another violent eruption linked to an extortion investigation.

Why has this government allowed Delta to become a place where families sleep in fear while criminals run rampant?

Hon. Nina Krieger: Thank you so much to the member opposite for the question.

We’re ensuring that police of jurisdictions such as Delta have the resources that they need to investigate these crimes and ensure that coordination is happening with the provincial task force.

[10:55 a.m.]

What we’re hearing from the task force and police of jurisdiction is the importance of community members with any information to come forward to police or, if anonymity is a concern, to Crime Stoppers. Any piece of information, no matter how small, can support investigations that are in progress.

We’ll continue to work with police, continue to do our outreach to the community, to raise awareness about the importance of not paying in the event of an extortion threat and reporting any and all information to police, which will help make a difference and bring these investigations to the place that we all want to see, which is to see these criminals behind bars.

Government Action on Gang Activity
and Role of Crown Prosecutors

Steve Kooner: When will the Attorney General take some leadership on the extortion crisis?

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members, the member has the floor.

Steve Kooner: This isn’t a funny matter. A lot of people are experiencing fear as a result of this crisis. It’s sorry to hear that you’re laughing on that side of the House.

When will this Attorney General appoint dedicated Crown prosecutors to work with the police on the extortion crisis?

Hon. Niki Sharma: We do have a team of Crown counsel that’s dedicated to these types of crimes.

B.C. has taken a leadership role across this country when it comes to responding to extortion and responding to public safety issues on our street. I am proud of what we’ve put on the table to make it safer for the whole country.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Please continue.

Hon. Niki Sharma: We will continue to do the work that we know we need to do to respond to what’s happening on the street.

I’ve gone through all of the resources and the Criminal Code changes that we have asked for and led in this country. We are going to keep at it until we get at these criminals that are causing harm to our streets and put them behind bars.

Safety of Health Care Workers and
Funding for Mental Health Programs

Á’a:líya Warbus: We’re speaking today about violence that’s happening out in the streets, but unfortunately, violence is also happening to our front-line workers.

We’ve had an outcry from nurses who’ve been coming to this government for nine years asking for support. Members on both sides of the House were asked to stand and take a photo as a pledge with these nurses: “Violence is not a part of the job.” They’ve been punched, strangled, kicked, spat on, threatened, traumatized and left to work in fear.

As members of this House took that pledge, just four days later a paramedic in Kamloops was punched in the face while fuelling up their vehicle. Meanwhile on Vancouver Island, two paramedics were assaulted by a driver who crashed into the ER.

These are the people that dedicate their lives, outstretched hands, to support our residents. They are stating that violence is not supposed to be a part of their job.

My question is simple. How many front-line workers have had to take leave under this government due to violence in the workplace?

Hon. Josie Osborne: Thank you to the member for the question.

There is no room for violence in any workplace, whether you’re a paramedic, a nurse, a physician, a front-line worker of any kind. That is why our government is so dedicated to putting the resources in, the policies and the frameworks that are needed, to prevent violence in the workplace.

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member.

Hon. Josie Osborne: Not only do our front-line…

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members will come to order.

Please continue.

Hon. Josie Osborne: …workers need to know that they are safe and feel safe, but patients in our health care system do too. That is why we’ve expanded the relational security initiative, supporting nurses in the workplace and other health care professionals, and we are seeing results.

[11:00 a.m.]

With over 780 of these protective officers working in health care settings, we have seen the incidents of violence come down 8 percent, and we have seen a 13 percent reduction in WorkSafeBC claims after only one year.

We know that violence against health care workers has dire consequences for them and for the teams. That is why this government will continue to take actions every single day to reduce these incidences, to create the safe, supportive workplaces that help recruit more workers into it and ultimately to support the people of British Columbia.

Peter Milobar: Well, here is the problem, yet again, with this government’s answers to all of these issues. We canvassed yesterday about the critical shortage of mental health services and the four psychiatrists in Vernon that resigned, leaving now 151 openings within psychiatry within B.C.

This is why it matters. Here’s what Ian Tait, the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. union communications director, said in regards to the latest unprovoked attack. “The frustrating part is we’re seeing it from a lot of unhoused and people who are suffering from mental health.” That is the problem when we have a systemic failure of mental health capacity in this province.

When is the province going to actually get serious about the critical shortage we have in psychiatry and mental health services in this province so our front-line workers, who are there to not judge people but actually help people, aren’t getting randomly attacked on a repeated basis?

Hon. Josie Osborne: What has happened with these paramedics…. These incidents are deeply unsettling, I know, for them. I want to say thank you to the RCMP who responded and for the people who provide support to paramedics and other front-line workers when terrible circumstances like this unfold.

The continuum of publicly funded services that this government is building out when it comes to mental health is absolutely unprecedented. This year’s budget has a $4.2 billion lift in health care, and that includes $500 million to expand the services of mental health and substance use across this province. It includes Foundry centres, interdisciplinary teams for youth. It includes integrated child and youth teams. It includes community counselling grants, a way to make low- to no-cost counselling available to any British Columbian here in the province.

It includes building out provincewide helplines, crisis-led community response teams. It includes assertive community treatment teams, recovery centres. It includes the supports that people need to support their mental health as a part of their entire well-being, not just of people and their families but communities across this province.

Trevor Halford: When it comes to mental health supports, this government has made a decision to cut programs that are proven to work. It is true. They cut Saplings.

I asked the minister directly yesterday. Her answer was…. She decided to talk about the choices she’s making and two-tier health care systems. Not once did she address this program that is providing mental health, addiction support and suicide prevention.

My question to the minister is this. Will she step in, reinstate that funding and keep this program open, yes or no? Not a speech. Will she do it today?

Hon. Josie Osborne: First of all, I want to say thank you to the incredible team at Saplings for the work that they have been doing in the community supporting children and youth with mental health supports. They have had three contracts to deliver child and youth mental health supports, and Northern Health has only ended one contract. The other funding continues. The work that they are doing is being transitioned into a child and youth regional support team. It’s a change that is not a reduction in service, and I want to be really clear about that.

[11:05 a.m.]

Psychiatric liaison nurses will continue to support both adult and youth mental health assessments in the ER seven days a week. We have a new regional support team that will be helping families and doctors with mental health assessments, with resource navigation and access to child psychiatry.

We know how important these supports are to communities in the North, to the children and families there, and we will continue to do just that.

The Speaker: The Chair will allow one question from the member for Skeena.

Justice System Prosecution
Decision in Case of
Kitselas Nation Member Death

Claire Rattée: I appreciate that, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, one program being cut in a region…. I understand it’s just one program, but in a region where we don’t have any programs, it is one too many. Just to be very clear about that, it is one too many.

Last year 19-year-old Sebastian Moore from the Kitselas Nation was murdered. The RCMP recommended charges, but the Crown refused to prosecute, not even for manslaughter. The man responsible is a dangerous repeat offender with a record of violent assaults that have resulted in hospitalization.

Sebastian’s grandmother, Debbie, asked me something that no grandmother should ever have to ask. She said: “I saw on the news that someone in B.C. is being prosecuted for beating a dog. Why is a dog’s life more important than my grandson’s?” It’s a question that cuts to the heart of justice in this province. She said: “Only in B.C. is a dog’s life more valuable than human life.”

The Speaker: Question, Member.

Claire Rattée: So enough with excuses and talking points.

The Speaker: Member, question.

Claire Rattée: Will the Attorney General come to my riding and meet with me and my constituents and explain how this happened?

Hon. David Eby: This sounds like a devastating case. I am sure that the Attorney General and her team would be happy to meet with the member to discuss it.

In British Columbia, we do have a model where Crown counsel review investigations done by police and make decisions on charges.

I did want to stand and address a recurring theme in the questions from the opposition, which was the issue of community safety. Nothing could be more important to this side of the House than safety in every single community of this province.

I was glad to stand with the Attorney General federally for the bail reform changes that are going to make communities safer. Public confidence in the criminal justice system….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Members, please.

Hon. David Eby: Public confidence in the criminal justice system across the country is under threat, and it’s under threat because repeat violent offenders have been released back to communities, because men who assault their spouses, awaiting sentencing, are released back into the community and kill their partners, bail in the court.

These issues needed to be addressed, and they have been addressed. But what I didn’t hear in the opposition stand, and they say they’re concerned about gun crime…. I’d like to hear the members on that side of the House explain how every single one of them campaigned to direct police not to enforce federal gun laws during the election campaign.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Hon. David Eby: The member says it wouldn’t…. You heard the member.

The Speaker: Members, please.

Hon. David Eby: You heard the member. It wouldn’t make a difference, he says. They’re still defending their direction to police not to….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members will come to order.

Interjections.

Hon. David Eby: You hear them shouting at me.

[The Speaker rose.]

The Speaker: Members, please.

Shhh. No argument with the Chair, Members.

The Premier has the floor.

[The Speaker resumed their seat.]

Hon. David Eby: You hear them shouting at me, defending the indefensible. You cannot stand up in this place and say you stand for safety in community…

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Hon. David Eby: …and, at the same time, say you would direct…. If you sat on this side of the House, you would…

Interjection.

The Speaker: Member for Kamloops Centre.

Interjections.

[The Speaker rose.]

The Speaker: Members, shhh.

Members will be quiet now. Shhh! Stop it, please.

The Premier will conclude.

[The Speaker resumed their seat.]

Hon. David Eby: …defend the indefensible, which is to say that you stand for community safety and you stand against gun crime and that you would direct the police not to enforce federal gun laws.

They acknowledge it’s true. It’s embarrassing. It’s humiliating. It’s ridiculous, and it’s….

Interjections.

The Speaker: Members.

Interjections.

Hon. David Eby: If it weren’t so tragic, it would be funny, hon. Speaker.

[11:10 a.m.]

The Speaker: Member for Kamloops Centre and all members, the Chair has reminded members, all members from both sides, that when one person is standing up answering a question or asking a question, please do not interrupt. Thank you.

[End of question period.]

Point of Order

Dallas Brodie: Mr. Speaker, I’d like to raise a point of order about one of your earlier rulings regarding my colleague’s question.

It’s my understanding that question period is allowing members to raise issues of urgent and important matters to the public of British Columbia. Is it the Speaker’s ruling that if you’ve had a bill brought in that’s defeated, you can never use any words that were used in that bill again, such as…? My friend from the Third Party has introduced a bill today about rent controls. If that bill is defeated, is he never allowed to refer to rent controls again?

My colleague had a question today regarding curriculum in the B.C. schools, regarding words such as “cultural humility,” and so on, and “decolonization.” And in her supplemental question, I must say that the words “land acknowledgement” weren’t even going to be used.

If the Speaker is making a ruling that you can no longer use words that have been presented in bills that have previously been voted down, then that’s going to be a long list of words. And which standing order is the Speaker referring to when he makes this ruling?

I don’t make this point of order to be sassy or rude at all. I’m truly curious as to what this rule means, going forward, because I’m looking at my colleague MLA Armstrong’s question, and it did not use the words “land acknowledgement” anywhere in it.

I’m wondering, actually, if not only I could have this point of order ruled upon in the future, but could we also have an opportunity to ask the question again? Because it does not contain the words “land acknowledgements.”

The Speaker: Thank you, Member. The Chair will look at the script, and I’ll get back to the House afterwards.

Speaker’s Statement

Use of Electronic Devices
During Question Period

The Speaker: Members, during the question period, I’m advised a number of members were using electronic devices, which is prohibited. So please be careful not to use any of those electronic devices during the question period.

Tabling Documents

The Speaker: Members, I have the honour to table the Auditor General’s report Beyond the Bottom Line: Navigating the Province of B.C.’s 2024-25 Audited Financial Statements.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth: In this chamber, I call continued second reading debate on Bill 31.

In the Douglas Fir Room, Section A, I call continued committee stage on Bill 20.

[Mable Elmore in the chair.]

Second Reading of Bills

Bill 31 — Energy Statutes
Amendment Act, 2025
(continued)

Deputy Speaker: We’re continuing debate on second reading of Bill 31. Recognizing the member for Abbotsford South.

Bruce Banman: We are talking about Bill 31, the Energy Statutes Amendment Act. I will just take a few minutes to recap, as I believe is my right.

For decades, successful governments in British Columbia, including the NDP, have stood on the principle that B.C. Hydro is a public utility owned and operated by the people of our province.

[11:15 a.m.]

As I mentioned the other day, yesterday, this same NDP government, which claims to be the champion of the public sector, is now entertaining the idea of selling off portions of British Columbia’s transmission network to different entities through the so-called co-ownership agreements.

As I said, it’s one thing for B.C. Hydro to purchase power from independent producers, yet it is entirely different for B.C. Hydro to sell off parts of its transmission system — a transmission system which is owned by the public, I might add. This critical infrastructure is the backbone of this province’s energy grid.

And we should not take lightly that this government, behind closed doors in cabinet, no transparency, can now decide to just sell off portions of a public utility. It is shameful, it’s dangerous, and it’s unsettling. Every British Columbian that pays an electrical bill should be worried. These are publicly owned assets, and this side of the House maintains that they should remain as publicly owned assets.

The bill allows cabinet to designate agreements that would transfer assigned B.C. Hydro assets, a.k.a. stuff owned by the public, or rights to a North Coast limited partnership. That is incredibly troubling.

In addition to that — yesterday I spoke with regards to this — the reality of the bill is this bill is not required to build a power line from Prince George to Bob Quinn Lake, because we already have the ability to do so right now in existing legislation. So we don’t have to go to the drastic measure of selling off portions of this in order to actually build transmission lines now.

It seems to me that this government is more concerned about press releases and photo ops than it is about protecting the public assets of this province that the taxpayers have paid for — dearly, I might add. I don’t think that anybody wants to see this government do ribbon-cutting deals rather than doing their duty, which is to ensure a transparent, accountable and, more importantly or just as importantly, serious management of critical public infrastructure.

We’re talking about the electrical grid. This government has done huge backflips over saying how important the electrical grid is for the future. I happen to agree. It is very, very important.

In there yesterday, I talked about the fact that this government went pushing companies that want to go into data centres, cryptocurrency, hydrogen production and carbon capture, synthetic fuel production and, also, new mines, all of which require electrical transmission lines and electricity to be able to do that. Yet now what they did is the classic bait-and-switch. We encourage you to come, and now we’re going to change the rules on you now that you’ve invested, in some cases, millions of dollars.

Deals have been done. Lands have been purchased. Investment has been done with First Nations.

Deputy Speaker: Member, excuse me.

Recognizing the member for Courtenay-Comox.

Brennan Day: Thank you, Speaker. Can I have leave to make an introduction?

Leave granted.

Deputy Speaker: Please continue.

Introductions by Members

Brennan Day: I’d just like to welcome Joy Tansky’s grade 10 and 11 class from Gaglardi Academy here today.

That’s my son’s school, and I know they’re all working very hard to raise well-adjusted children. I look forward to seeing my son and Mrs. Tansky’s class.

[11:20 a.m.]

Debate Continued

Bruce Banman: As I was saying yesterday, these very industries that this government campaigned to come here…. They are now regulating them out of existence through this government, through this bill. It makes zero sense. It’s almost schizophrenic in nature. It makes absolutely no sense. It is the biggest flip-flop and con game that I think I’ve seen in a long time. It’s just incomprehensible that this government, within its nine years, campaigned to bring them here and now is regulating them out of existence.

What it sends as a message to anyone who wants to invest in B.C. is, “Hey, you may be legal today, but you’ll be gone tomorrow,” with the stroke of a pen. And it won’t even be discussed on the floor of this Legislature. It will happen behind closed doors within this building, in a cabinet minister’s office.

It is not up to government to pick winners and losers, but that’s exactly what this government is now trying to do. As far as I’m concerned, they are losing valuable investment that should be here, that should be the backbone of our economy.

These data centres, AI centres, could go up into northern parts of British Columbia. Actually what happens is they like the cooler climates because they don’t have to keep those AI centres cool. There are a lot of cooling fans that are required to keep those centres cool. So what could be a solution for the logging industry that’s been decimated by this government…. These AI centres, these data centres could replace some of those economies. They’re now chasing them away.

The Conservatives stand for three clear principles of our energy policy.

One, public accountability. B.C. Hydro must remain a public utility. It has to be transparently managed, not sliced up through backroom ownership arrangements that the public has no input on, nor any ability to take a look at what these deals actually are until after they’re done, if ever.

Innovation and regional empowerment. We support modern technologies like small modular reactors and local generation that provide affordable power where and when it’s needed. That’s already being done in other parts of Canada as we speak.

We also need predictability. Predictability and fairness. Government must stop picking and banning industries based on the ideology of the moment rather than science and sound economics.

Bill 31 fails in all three of these tests.

Deputy Speaker: Member, can I just….

Recognizing the Minister of Health.

Hon. Josie Osborne: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Josie Osborne: I want to introduce the Arrowsmith Independent School, which is up here in the gallery. They are visiting from my riding of Mid Island–Pacific Rim. This is a group of grade 4s and 5s. They’re touring the Legislature today and learning about what we do here.

Thank you so much for visiting with us. We hope you have a wonderful day here in the Legislature.

Would the House please help them feel very welcome.

Bruce Banman: I hope that the classroom is paying attention to how many times a person can be interrupted for a leave while they’re debating a bill. It’s all part of the goings-on in this building and I welcome it and it’s a good thing for them here.

Interjection.

Debate Continued

Bruce Banman: Is there one more time? I look forward to it.

There is another dimension of this bill that just can’t be ignored, its impact on energy security and competitiveness in British Columbia. Every time this government adds another layer of regulation, a.k.a. bureaucracy, or restriction on energy use, it drives up costs and, more importantly, it drives out opportunity.

The industries being targeted here — data processing, which we desperately need. Anybody who uses a cell phone needs data processing. Hydrogen advanced manufacturing. If we’re going to get to hydrogen-based cars, we need it.

These are not fringe players. They represent the next generation of investment that keeps our resource economy relevant in a carbon-conscious world.

[11:25 a.m.]

If British Columbia refuses to supply them with affordable, reliable power, they won’t simply disappear. They’ll go to Alberta. They’ll go to Saskatchewan. They’ll go to Washington state. They’ll go to other places in the world where governments are actually working with them and working hard to attract them.

It is the next big wave, and when that happens, it’s not just a lost investment. It’s not just a lost opportunity to have that here. It’s lost jobs, it’s lost tax revenue, and it is lost energy independence for British Columbia.

This bill moves B.C. towards a more restrictive, risk-adverse model of energy government, a frightening one where cabinet decides which sectors are politically acceptable. That should make us all stop and ponder and wonder whether or not that side of the House will be happy when this side of the House takes government and decides who they want to pick and choose without any transparency.

It’s not just about what this government is doing. It’s setting the precedent for future governments to hide behind closed doors. Energy should never be treated as a political bargaining chip. It’s the backbone of industrial growth, of housing construction and affordability for families. It’s something we desperately need right now.

If we want to secure the next generation of jobs in mining, forestry and clean tech, we need a stable power grid and a clear pro-investment policy. Bill 31 does the exact opposite. It injects uncertainty, and it centralizes control behind closed doors.

Government’s Bill 31 reflects a government that has completely lost its way on an energy policy. It is contradictory. It is heavy-handed, unnecessary, and it undermines B.C. Hydro’s public character while restricting innovation in our growing industries.

Conservatives believe in responsible stewardship of our power system, not political interference, not ideological bans and certainly not secret asset partnerships. We will continue to hold this government to account and to stand up for a balanced, future-focused and truly public energy policy in British Columbia.

As always it is a pleasure and honour to speak in this House and to be transparent to the public. It just saddens me that yet once again this NDP government is trying to push through policy where the decisions are held behind closed doors without public scrutiny.

Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson: I stand this morning to talk about the Energy Statutes Amendment Act.

Northern British Columbia. It might seem like a faraway place to many people here, but this is an area that I call home. From the mountains to the rivers to the ocean and the forests, the government of British Columbia is really working hard for all British Columbians to reduce our emissions, to protect our environment and to unlock economic development opportunities.

The Energy Statutes Amendment Act is to expedite the construction of the North Coast transmission line, and this will be done in full partnership with First Nations.

On this side of the House, we believe in partnerships, in reconciliation, in building our economy, our projects, alongside our First Nation partners. We want to build respectful relationships with our First Nation partners. This will also ensure that electricity is available for sectors that help B.C. to produce jobs, to generate public revenues and to have the greatest opportunity to decarbonize.

The next steps for this major project will be finalizing the details of the route and initiating the select construction permitting.

[11:30 a.m.]

Government needs to make decisions that are complex, challenging and considering many different viewpoints while serving all British Columbians. This is not just holding up one or two examples and yelling louder, stoking fear and distrust. It’s about protecting B.C. jobs, protecting the B.C. economy and working in partnership with our First Nation communities.

As one of my previous colleagues stated, proponents are lined up to come to B.C. and start projects with clean energy in mind. We’ve already had two calls for clean energy by B.C. Hydro. These are important steps to have clean, renewable energy here in our province.

We also have to look at the demands of B.C. Hydro customers, industries and communities all over the province. We have to make tough decisions about data storage, about AI, the use of technologies here in British Columbia and technology that’s already being used in many areas of the province.

Growth here in British Columbia is moving fast. There are new and emerging industries, and the use of technology requires electricity. We know that when we work in close partnership with First Nations, we can help advance all our priorities.

We’ve seen other jurisdictions struggle when growth and emerging high-load, fast-scaling industries like crypto mining, data centres, artificial intelligence centres and large-scale hydrogen facilities simply outpace the infrastructure, and we don’t want to make that mistake.

We’re committing to strike the right balance, driving growth in emerging new sectors through strategic investments that prioritize B.C.’s strategic priorities like data sovereignty and that deliver the greatest benefit to British Columbia, all while ensuring our province’s overall energy needs are responsibly and sustainably met. That’s what we’re doing here.

The Energy Ministry plans to engage with First Nation partners, industry and municipalities on the development of the regulations. We believe in collaboration. We believe in bringing our partners along with us so that we can deliver for all British Columbians.

This is an important act. It’s really important that we support this bill and the work that has gone into this and that we work in partnership to ensure that we unlock new economies and new growth in our province. That is the only way we’re going to move forward.

B.C. is a great place to live, despite what you’ve heard from our opposition. We have strong communities from Prince George to Terrace along the line of the North Coast transmission line. We have strong communities everywhere. Our rural and remote communities deserve to have clean energy coming into their communities and to be building the economy.

This project is an important one in the public interest. It’s also an important one for nation-building, and we’re going to continue to work together with our First Nation partners to ensure that this is done.

Reann Gasper: I count it an honour to be in this place and to speak on behalf of the people of British Columbia — families, farmers, small business owners and seniors on fixed incomes who already know what it means to live with the consequences of decisions made far away from their kitchen tables.

[11:35 a.m.]

They’re not thinking about statutes and amendments. They’re thinking about their hydro bill, their rent, the cost of feeding their kids and whether they can keep the lights on without cutting somewhere else.

That is exactly why Bill 31 matters. This bill isn’t just about energy; it is about who gets to decide how our power is used and who pays when those decisions go wrong.

We’re told that Bill 31 is about modernization, streamlining, efficiency, unlocking opportunity. It sounds so reasonable — who wouldn’t want modernization? — but when you look a little closer, you start to see what’s really happening underneath that word. It is not modernization in the way people think; it’s concentration of power, of control, of decision-making.

It gives the government and large utilities the authority to decide which industries get to access our clean electricity grid, how much they pay and how much the rest of us will have to make up for it when the math doesn’t balance out.

It lets them approve massive projects, billion-dollar transmission lines and corporate power deals without the same kind of public oversight that British Columbians have always counted on to keep things fair and transparent. It is like being told, “Don’t worry; we’ve got it handled,” while they quietly move the decision-making behind closed doors.

Let me make it plain. Bill 31 means cabinet can now decide who gets the energy at what price and when — not the independent regulators, not the local communities and not the ratepayers footing the bill. If a major company wants to run a crypto mining operation, an AI data centre or a hydrogen export plant, government can give them priority access, even when there isn’t enough grid capacity to go around.

While the bill is framed as if it’s just about flexibility, what it really does is give the government permission to pick winners and losers.

Winners…. My tongue. I oftentimes want to go into my Trinidadian tongue. The pronunciation is not coming to me.

Businesses with deep pockets. Losers would be families and small businesses that cannot absorb one more cost increase.

It allows government to retroactively support agreements that might not have followed proper process. In plain English, if the rules didn’t fit when they made the deal, they can just change the rules afterwards to make it fit. This isn’t modernization; it’s rewriting history to justify a shortcut.

Across this province, we know what energy means to daily life. It’s the farmer starting irrigation pumps at dawn. It’s the mechanic running the compressors. It’s the single parent watching the Hydro app at the end of the month, hoping the bill won’t be higher than the last one. It’s the seniors heating their homes through long winters, already calculating which light they can leave off.

When government decisions shift the cost burden, it’s not an abstract economic ripple. It’s groceries. It’s medicine. It’s families deciding between keeping warm and keeping current. That’s the weight of this bill, not the techs but the trade-offs.

We’ve heard the word efficiency used again and again, but efficiency for whom? It’s not efficient for families who can’t get a clear answer about why their hydro bill is climbing.

Deputy Speaker: Excuse me, Member.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Thank you to the member for allowing me to make an introduction.

I seek leave to do that.

Leave granted.

Deputy Speaker: Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

Hon. Ravi Kahlon: We have students here from Hillcrest Elementary School, and they are excited to be here. They’re here with their teacher, Christopher Purnell, 25 grade 4s and 5s.

Welcome to the House. The Minister of Agriculture wanted to introduce you, but she is in a meeting and couldn’t be there and asked me to do that.

Today you’re listening to a debate on a bill that has been brought in front of the House. I hope you enjoy the debate, and I hope you enjoy the experience.

I’m a Lambrick Park grad, so I grew up in your neighbourhood.

Go, Lions. Go, Hillcrest.

Thanks for coming today.

Can the House please make them feel very welcome.

[11:40 a.m.]

Debate Continued

Reann Gasper: It is not efficient for families who can’t get a clear answer about why their hydro bill is climbing. It is not efficient for the community that loses its voice because the review process was skipped. It is not efficient for the farmer who wakes up one morning to survey crews staking out power lines across their land with no real consultation.

What it is, is convenient for those who want to move big projects quickly without hearing the voices that might slow them down. Those voices — local councillors, farmers, residents, First Nation partners — who ask hard but necessary questions are the voices democracy depends on. Silencing them in the name of efficiency is not progress. It is power without accountability.

British Columbians understand fairness. We work hard, we pay our taxes, and we do our part. We expect government to do theirs, not by being perfect but by being honest. When the government starts making deals that shift costs and risk onto ratepayers, taxpayers, without telling them, fairness leaves the room.

The bill paves the way for large-scale industrial users to plug into our clean grid. That might sound fine until you realize that those same users can drive up demand, leaving less capacity and higher costs for everyone else. If B.C. Hydro has to build new lines or buy extra power to meet those demands, who do we think will pay? Not the companies making the profits. It will be ordinary British Columbians opening their bills in January and wondering how it got that high again.

We’ve seen this pattern before, the promise of prosperity, and somehow never quite reach the people paying for them.

This bill also shrinks the role of independent oversight. Projects that once required a full public interest review through the Utilities Commission can now be approved directly by cabinet. This means fewer questions, fewer hearings, fewer chances for communities to be heard. And when you remove oversight, you remove oxygen — the oxygen of democracy, of debate.

People lose trust when things go wrong and when they go dark, when decisions are made in rooms that they can’t enter and explained in words they can’t understand. That is when frustration grows. That is when cynicism takes root. That’s when people start to believe their government no longer serves them, only themselves.

Power is supposed to serve people. That’s the simple truth at the heart of public service, whether it is electrical power or political power. When power becomes about itself, about control, it forgets its purpose.

We are told this bill will attract investment and innovation, but what kind of innovation puts decision-making further from the people it affects? What kind of progress demands that we stop asking questions? If the goal is to grow our energy future, then the foundation must be trust. And trust is built on transparency and not secrecy, on fairness and not favouritism, on accountability and not convenience.

Across this province, people know what stewardship looks like. We have built our lives around the natural rhythms of this land, around soil, sea and seasons. We understand you can’t take more out than you put in, that the truth of the environment is true of governance. When government keeps drawing authority away from local communities, it drains the soil of democracy, and the harvest of that kind of government is always the same: disconnection, frustration, loss of faith in public institutions.

If this government truly believes in partnership, it needs to stop centralizing every decision in Victoria and start trusting the people who live with the consequences. Sometimes the danger isn’t what is written in the bill. Sometimes it’s what’s missing. What’s missing here are the protections, the assurances that everyday taxpayers won’t be left carrying the costs for corporate deals.

[11:45 a.m.]

What’s missing are the transparency measures that would let communities see where their money is going. What’s missing is a clear commitment that residential and rural power needs will remain a priority. When silence fills those gaps, people fill them with fear, and rightfully so, because in an absence of clarity, there is only uncertainty. Uncertainty is costly, not just in dollars but in trust.

Leadership is not about having the loudest microphone. It is about listening long enough to understand the quiet concerns that never make the headlines. I have heard from seniors whose fixed incomes can no longer stretch to cover winter heating; from business owners told to go green, who can’t afford to retrofit; from young families trying to build a life, wondering how every promise of affordability seems to end in another expense. These are not complainers. These are contributors. They are the backbone of this province, and they deserve to know that someone in this chamber still sees them.

Stewardship is about more than managing resources. It’s about managing responsibility. When we hold public office, we hold the trust of people who don’t get to read every bill and sit in every meeting. They trust that we will do the work for them. Not above them, not against them, but for them. Bill 31 betrays that trust by asking for more control while offering less clarity, by asking for faith without showing its work, by treating public input like a delay instead of a duty. This is not stewardship. It’s convenience disguised in competence.

If we let this bill pass without question, we risk losing more than just a process. We risk losing public belief that government decisions are still made in their interests. We risk losing the independent checks that prevent abuse of power. We risk losing the humility that comes from being answerable to people. Once those things are gone, they are not easily rebuilt.

Every time I stand in this chamber, I cannot help but think of the ordinary households across this province. Families turning down their thermostats to save dollars. It’s happening. Businesses shifting production hours to avoid peak rates. It’s happening. Seniors heating one room instead of three because the costs are unbearable. It’s happening. These are the conversations that I am having on a weekly basis when I go back home and I meet with people.

This bill puts distance between the people and what we do in this chamber. It almost feels like there’s this deafening of…. People are crying out for some help, some support, some accountability, some attention to detail, the ability to be heard. Yet it feels like it’s falling on deaf ears.

But they deserve better. They don’t deserve to be told it’s complicated. It’s not complicated. It’s not complicated. It’s a choice.

If this government truly believes Bill 31 will help families, then say how. Show us the numbers. Show us the safeguards. Show us how you will ensure that these projects don’t raise rates, they don’t silence communities, and they don’t reward the few at the cost of the many. Show us. If you can’t show us that, then what you’re asking for isn’t support. You’re asking for blind faith.

The people of British Columbia deserve better than just blind faith. They deserve transparency. They deserve representation. They deserve a voice.

I do believe there’s hope, because there’s always hope when people start paying attention. Hope lives in every conversation where a citizen asks: “What does this really mean?” Hope lives in every community that refuses to be silenced when their voice is pushed aside. Hope lives in this chamber when we remember that debate isn’t division but democracy. We can still do the right thing. We can still build an energy future that’s clean, affordable and accountable.

[11:50 a.m.]

We can still protect the people of British Columbia from being left in the dark. But it starts with telling the truth about what this bill really does, and it starts remembering who we work for. I stand here today to defend a principle — that power must always serve people, not the other way around.

We cannot call it progress when it leaves our communities voiceless. We cannot call it modernization when it hides decisions from people paying for them. We cannot call it leadership when it forgets to listen.

British Columbians are resilient. They don’t expect perfection. They expect honesty. They expect fairness. They expect to be heard. And that’s our job, every one of us: to make sure they are. This province was built on everyday people who believe their government worked for them, not above them, so it is our responsibility to prove them right.

Let’s not let efficiency become the excuse for erasing accountability. Let’s not let modernization become the mask for centralization. Let’s not let progress come at a cost of the very people progress is supposed to serve.

There’s still time to get it right. There’s still time to honour the trust of those who sent us here. There’s still time to choose transparency over expedience, fairness over favouritism, stewardship over control.

I, for one, will keep standing for that choice, for the people of British Columbia, for families, for workers, for seniors and for every citizen who deserves to know that when we say clean power, we mean every sense of that word.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Deputy Speaker: Noting the hour, I ask you to move adjournment of the debate, reserving your right to continue speaking.

Kristina Loewen: Noting the hour, I’d like to reserve my right to debate and move adjournment.

Kristina Loewen moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

George Anderson: Section A reports progress on Bill 20 and asks leave to sit again.

Leave granted.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Deputy Speaker: The House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:53 a.m.

Proceedings in the
Douglas Fir Room

The House in Committee, Section A.

The committee met at 11:35 a.m.

[George Anderson in the chair.]

Committee of the Whole

Bill 20 — Construction Prompt
Payment Act
(continued)

The Chair: Good afternoon, Members. I call Committee of the Whole on Bill 20, Construction Prompt Payment Act, to order.

Hon. Ravi Parmar: Chair, I move that the committee rise, report progress and ask leave to sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 11:35 a.m.