The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
Prayers and Reflections by the Hon. S. Malcolmson.
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
The Hon. M. Farnworth presented the Interim Report of the Special Committee of Selection for the First Session of the Forty-second Parliament, December 8, 2020.
“Parliament Buildings,
December 8, 2020
Mr. Speaker:
The Special Committee of Selection appointed on December 7, 2020 to prepare and report lists of Members to compose the Select Standing Committees of this House, presents its interim report that the following is the list of Members to compose the Select Standing Committees on Children and Youth, Finance and Government Services, Legislative Initiatives, and Public Accounts for the present session:
Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth — Jinny Sims (Convener), Susie Chant, Fin Donnelly, Kelli Paddon, Jennifer Rice, Henry Yao, Karin Kirkpatrick, Mike Morris, Coralee Oakes.
Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services — Janet Routledge (Convener), Pam Alexis, Megan Dykeman, Rick Glumac, Grace Lore, Harwinder Sandhu, Lorne Doerkson, Greg Kyllo, Ben Stewart.
Select Standing Committee on Legislative Initiatives — Jinny Sims (Convener), Brittny Anderson, Garry Begg, Megan Dykeman, Kelli Paddon, Doug Routley, Michael Lee, Todd Stone, Andrew Wilkinson.
Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts — Mike Bernier (Convener), Brittny Anderson, Dan Coulter, Rick Glumac, Andrew Mercier, Niki Sharma, Mike Starchuk, Bruce Banman, Jackie Tegart.
Hon. M. Farnworth
Chair and Government House Leader"
The Report was taken as read and received.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved that the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to foster greater awareness and understanding among legislators and the public of the B.C. child welfare system, including the specific needs of Indigenous children, youth, families and communities, and in particular to:
1. Receive and review the annual service plan from the Representative for Children and Youth (the “Representative”) that includes a statement of goals and identifies specific objectives and performance measures that will be required to exercise the powers and perform the functions and duties of the Representative during the fiscal year;
2. Be the Committee to which the Representative reports, at least annually;
3. Refer to the Representative for investigation the critical injury or death of a child;
4. Receive and consider all reports and plans transmitted by the Representative to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; and,
5. Undertake, pursuant to section 30 (1) of the Representative for Children and Youth Act (S.B.C. 2006, c. 29), a comprehensive review of the Act or portions of the Act before April 1, 2022 to determine whether the functions of the representative described in section 6 are still required to ensure that the needs of children and young adults as defined in that section are met.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to:
a) appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c) conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e) retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to:
1. Examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to the budget consultation paper prepared by the Minister of Finance in accordance with section 2 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act (S.B.C. 2000, c. 23) and, in particular, to:
a) conduct public consultations across British Columbia on proposals and recommendations regarding the provincial budget and fiscal policy for the coming fiscal year by any means the Committee considers appropriate; and,
b) prepare a report no later than November 15, 2021, on the results of those consultations.
2. Consider and make recommendations on the annual reports, rolling three-year service plans and budgets of the statutory officers, namely, the:
(a) Auditor General;
(b) Chief Electoral Officer;
(c) Conflict of Interest Commissioner;
(d) Human Rights Commissioner;
(e) Information and Privacy Commissioner;
(f) Merit Commissioner;
(g) Ombudsperson;
(h) Police Complaint Commissioner; and,
(i) Representative for Children and Youth.
3. Inquire into and make recommendations with respect to other matters brought to the Committee’s attention by any of the aforementioned statutory officers.
That the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in sections 19, 20, 21 and 23 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) and that the report in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) be referred to the Committee.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered to:
a) appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d) retain personnel as required to assist the Committee;
and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That all reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia transmitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly be deemed referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts. For greater certainty, the following exceptions are provided:
a) the report referred to in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) shall be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services; and,
b) reports of the Auditor General respecting the Legislative Assembly prepared under the provisions of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 258) shall be referred to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee.
That the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be the Committee referred to in sections 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2).
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be empowered to:
a) appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d) retain personnel as required to assist the Committee
and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That a Special Committee be appointed to review the Personal Information Protection Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 73) pursuant to section 59 of that Act and that the Special Committee shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and, in addition, be empowered to:
a) appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Special Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c) conduct consultations by any means the Special Committee considers appropriate;
d) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e) retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That any information or evidence previously under consideration by the Special Committee appointed by order of the House on February 18, 2020 be referred to the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee shall submit a report, including any recommendations respecting the results of the review, to the Legislative Assembly within one year of this motion being adopted by the House; and shall deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.
That the said Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Mable Elmore (Convener), Garry Begg, Rick Glumac, Rachna Singh, Dan Ashton, Andrew Wilkinson, and Adam Olsen.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. M. Farnworth moved —
That a Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act be appointed to examine, inquire into, and make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly on the following:
1. Reforms related to independent oversight, transparency, governance, structure, service delivery, standards, funding, training and education, and any other considerations which may apply respecting the modernization and sustainability of policing under the Police Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 367) and all related agreements.
2. The role of police with respect to complex social issues including mental health and wellness, addictions, and harm reduction; and in consideration of any appropriate changes to relevant sections of the Mental Health Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 288).
3. The scope of systemic racism within British Columbia’s police agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, independent municipal police and designated policing units, and its impact on public safety and public trust in policing.
4. Whether there are measures necessary to ensure a modernized Police Act is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007), as required by section 3 of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (S.B.C. 2019, c. 44).
That the Special Committee undertake the above examinations as it deems appropriate with regard to relevant reports, studies, and examinations.
That any information or evidence previously under consideration by the Special Committee appointed by order of the House on July 8, 2020 be referred to the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee have all the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition is empowered to:
a) appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Special Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b) sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c) conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d) adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e) retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House by October 8, 2021, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.
The Special Committee is to be composed of Doug Routley (Convener), Garry Begg, Rachna Singh, Grace Lore, Rick Glumac, Harwinder Sandhu, Dan Davies, Trevor Halford, Ian Paton and Adam Olsen.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. M. Farnworth on behalf of the Hon. D. Eby (Attorney General) tabled the following documents:
British Columbia Ferries Commissioner Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2020, August 28, 2020;
Environmental Appeal Board Annual Report, 2019/2020;
Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch Annual Report, 2019/20;
Labour Relations Board of British Columbia Annual Report, 2019; and,
Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia Annual Report, 2019/2020.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 3) intituled Finance Statutes Amendment Act, 2020, a debate arose.
The debate continued.
On the motion of Mr. Ross, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.
And then the House adjourned at 6.56 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Thursday, December 10
Ms. Cadieux to introduce a Bill intituled Equal Pay Reporting Act.
Mr. Halford to introduce a Bill intituled Food and Beverage Delivery Fees Cap Act.
Mr. Stone to introduce a Bill intituled Assessment (Split Assessment Classification) Amendment Act, 2020.
Monday, December 14
1 Ms. Rice to move —
Be it resolved that this House support the government’s continued actions to protect the health and livelihoods of all British Columbians as we fight the second wave of COVID-19.
Copyright (c) Queen’s Printer, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada