Fourth Session, 41st Parliament

(2019) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 266

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Retirement of Ron Huck and Randy Ennis

Hon. J. Horgan

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Retirement of Ron Huck and Randy Ennis

L. Reid

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Pieter Walsh

J. Rice

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Business of Legislative Assembly

A. Wilkinson

Legislature staff

R. Chouhan

Action on climate change and intergenerational equity

A. Weaver

Candlelight ceremony at God’s Acre veterans cemetery

M. Dean

Opening of Ridley Island propane export terminal

J. Rice

Supports for tenants and landlords

S. Chandra Herbert

Ministerial Statements

75th anniversary of D-Day landings and role of Canadian veterans

Hon. J. Horgan

M. de Jong

A. Weaver

Oral Questions

Community benefits agreement and costs for highway four-laning project in Illecillewaet area

T. Stone

Hon. J. Horgan

Community benefits agreement and infrastructure project costs

T. Stone

Hon. J. Horgan

M. Polak

Management of logging practices on private forest lands

A. Olsen

Hon. D. Donaldson

Massey Tunnel replacement project

J. Johal

Hon. J. Horgan

I. Paton

Wages for community social services workers

S. Bond

Hon. S. Simpson

Motions Without Notice

Appointment of Special Committee to Appoint a Clerk of the Legislative Assembly

Referral of Workers Compensation Act revision to Parliamentary Reform Committee

Hon. M. Farnworth

Reports from Committees

Children and Youth Committee, annual report,

2018-19

N. Simons

M. Stilwell

Orders of the Day

Third Reading of Bills

Bill M206 — Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2019

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Office of the Premier (continued)

A. Wilkinson

Hon. J. Horgan

Proceedings in the Douglas Fir Room

Committee of the Whole House

Bill 22 — Forest Amendment Act, 2019 (continued)

J. Rustad

Hon. D. Donaldson

Proceedings in the Birch Room

Committee of Supply

Estimates: Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (continued)

J. Thornthwaite

Hon. M. Farnworth

THURSDAY, MAY 30, 2019

The House met at 10:06 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. B. Ralston: Joining us in the members’ gallery this morning is His Excellency Vesa

Lehtonin, who’s the ambassador of Finland to Canada. He’s making his first

official visit to British Columbia. He’ll be meeting with myself and several

officials today and tomorrow. Will the House please make the Ambassador of

Finland feel very welcome here.

M. Hunt: Today we have five waves of students coming from Surrey. First of all,

we have groups from Frost Road — 27 grade 5 students. Then the Cloverdale

Learning Centre will have 22 grade 12 students. I’d ask the House to help

join me in making them welcome.

Hon. K. Conroy: We all have great staff working for us, and I have one of them in the

gallery today. Emily White is my administrative coordinator. With Emily is a

good friend of hers, José Estrada, who just finished going to Camosun and is

taking political science. He’s looking forward to going on to continuing

those studies at UVic this fall. Would you all please join me in making him

feel very welcome.

[10:10 a.m.]

B. D’Eith: I want to introduce some members from the BCEdAccess Society: Tracy

Humphreys, who’s the founder and chair; Nicole Kaler, who’s the treasurer;

and my very good friend and constituent Chantelle Morvay-Adams, who’s the

secretary.

BCEdAccess is a society. It’s a non-profit. It’s run by parent

volunteers, and it basically provides peer-to-peer support for parents with

students with disabilities and complex learning issues. Today they’re here

to meet with MLAs and the Minister of Education to advocate for equitable

access to education. We’d really, really like to make them feel

welcome.

Hon. A. Dix: I’d like to introduce guests we have from the Ministry of Health today

— in particular, Debra Hartlen, who works in the deputy minister’s office

and does a great job for us there, sometimes even liaising with the

minister’s office, which I’m sure is the best part of her work. I wanted to

wish Debra and all our guests from the Ministry of Health welcome. They do

extraordinary work for us every day.

Hon. L. Beare: I have the great pleasure of introducing some members from Sport

Hosting Vancouver who are in the gallery here with us today — the Michelles,

as they are known. I’d like to introduce Michelle Collens specifically, as

being the chair of the minister’s tourism engagement council as well. Would

the House please make them feel very welcome.

Tributes

RETIREMENT OF

RON HUCK AND RANDY

ENNIS

Hon. J. Horgan: I rise today to give thanks and bid a warm farewell to two people

who have been working — and he’s already shaking his head — in this

institution for a long time: Randy Ennis, Acting Sergeant-at-Arms, and

Ron Huck, our security operations commander. Both of these individuals,

outstanding people, will be leaving the Legislature this week. I wanted

to bid them farewell.

I wanted to talk a little bit about Ron Huck first. Ron, of

course, comes from the Saanich police department. I grew up in Saanich.

I don’t recall Ron ever chasing me down the trestle by Swan Lake. That

might have happened, but I don’t recall.

His wife, Heather, and his two daughters, Erin and Hailey, are

going to be happy to see more of him. He started working here at the

Legislature on October 2, 2006. So 13 years of service is time well

spent.

Ron’s passion, interestingly, is ultralights. That’s not me.

That’s, actually, a fixed-wing aircraft that flies without an engine.

I’m told that although, when you look at Ron, he appears to be

unflappable, when he did his pilot’s licence and the instructor turned

off the engine, it was the one and only time that he was petrified. So

if anyone comes up to you that looks like Ron and says, “Do you want to

get into my ultralight?” I strongly recommend you say no.

Randy Ennis has been here longer than I have, which is not

unusual. There are other members that have been here longer than me.

Randy and I first met at the hockey rink over a cup of Tim Hortons. Both

of our boys played hockey together, so we spent a lot of time

complaining about the Canucks. We spent a lot of time talking about how

we could make the world a better place.

When I arrived here in 2005, Randy had left his work with the

Canadian Armed Forces to take up his position here. I couldn’t have been

happier to see a friendly face, a competent face and a capable friend

here at the Legislature.

Randy is an outstanding individual. His wife, Sue, is going to be

happy to see a bit more of him as well. I’m going to miss him terribly,

but there’s always a hockey rink and a Tim Hortons somewhere in the

capital regional district. I’m sure we’ll meet again.

My hands go up to Ron and Randy as they bid farewell to this fine

institution that they have served so very, very well for the past number

of years. [Applause.]

Introductions by Members

A. Weaver: Today I rise to acknowledge two very special people in the gallery

today. They are Ben Foster and Iliana Turner. These two exemplary

individuals have worked in the B.C. Green caucus as part of the

parliamentary intern program for the past several months.

They’ve assisted our team with everything from preparation for

question period, through to statements, speeches and media scans. They’ve

assisted the rest of our team as well, immensely. They have integrated

extraordinarily well into the busy and exciting work environment we have

downstairs.

[10:15 a.m.]

My colleagues and I…. On behalf of the three of us, I wish them the

very best of luck in their future endeavours. Would the House please make

them feel very welcome in their last question period before they move

on.

Tributes

RETIREMENT OF

RON HUCK AND RANDY

ENNIS

L. Reid: I rise to echo the Premier’s comments, when he bids the fondest of

farewells to both Randy and Ron.

There is a love of this place found in both of these gentlemen,

and I emphasize the word “gentlemen.” They have been outstanding in

their roles. They are, frankly, the reason — absolutely the reason —

that we are safer today in this place and that we have some of the best

security provisions in the country. Members and staff can come to work

each day, knowing that this is a safe workplace. That is an outstanding

tribute for Randy Ennis and for Ron Huck — truly outstanding.

We’re grateful. We thank you. We bid you the fondest of farewells,

and we trust you’ll visit this place often.

Introductions by Members

R. Chouhan: It gives me pleasure to introduce two wonderful people here today in

the gallery.

One person has kept me in line since 2007 and made sure that all of my

schedules are intact — you know, that I do everything on time. That is

Teresa Scambler. She’s my legislative assistant. She’s been with me since

I want to say thank you for taking care of me. It’s wonderful to work

with you.

I also want to introduce our new addition to the Deputy Speaker and

Whip’s office, Rajmeet Virk. She’s also doing an excellent job since she has

joined our team.

I would like to ask the House to please join me to welcome both of

them.

J. Rice: I have a dear friend here, a former Rupertite, Amber Sheasgreen, who

now lives down here in the Victoria-Sooke area. Amber is the fairly new

operations manager for the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue. I just

wanted the House to make Amber feel welcome. I think this is her first time

here in the B.C. Legislature.

R. Kahlon: I also want to add to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s

announcement of Michelle Collens. Taunya Geelhoed is joining her today, and

she also works at Sport Hosting Vancouver. Both of these individuals have

been doing amazing work to bring top-level sports to B.C. and to Vancouver,

in particular. So I want to thank both of them on behalf of everyone

here.

S. Furstenau: There are three people in the gallery that I want to recognize

today.

I’m going to start with my constituency assistant, Maeve Maguire.

Maeve is an extraordinary woman, and she brings a kind of commitment and

ability to her work in Cowichan and to the work that I do that connects the

work down here to the riding. I often say that Cowichan is very lucky. It

has two MLAs for the price of one because Maeve is that extraordinary. I

wouldn’t be able to do this job without her. I’m so delighted to have her as

my assistant but, more importantly, as my friend.

Aldous Sperl is also in the gallery. Aldous is one of these people

that you rarely see because he stays in the background making sure that

everything works exactly as it should. Without Aldous…. It seems like we

have a small caucus, so it should be easy enough to manage. In fact, it’s

incredibly challenging to keep the three of us in line. Aldous has done it

with a skill and capacity that, again, I have rarely seen in an individual.

I want to commend Aldous for his incredible work.

Finally, Stephanie Siddon. Once in a while, you meet somebody who is

so extraordinary and also incredibly young. Stephanie just celebrated her

23rd birthday. She has been a volunteer for several years, and she has been

working on our team in the legislative office for two years. Stephanie does

it all: communications support; research; staff lead on several important

files, including old growth, professional reliance; drafting speeches and

statements.

[10:20 a.m.]

Through it all, she never stops smiling. She’s always friendly and

happy. This is her first time in a live question period. Stephanie is going

to go to Carleton in the fall to study public policy, to do her master’s

degree. I know that we will all one day know Stephanie Siddon’s name. She is

truly an amazing young woman.

We love you dearly. We love Stephanie dearly in our office. We are

going to miss her enormously. She has been the most amazing addition, and we

wish her all the best in her next journey, where she will bring just an

amazing capacity.

Would the House please make all of these people welcome. Thank you to

all three of them.

B. Ma: Despite political differences, I think the House knows that the member

for West Vancouver–Capilano and I share a lot in common. We both represent

ridings on the North Shore. We both wear engineer’s iron rings. We both

occupy the extremes of the age spectrum here in the chambers.

I’d like to bring the House into the twilight zone for a moment here

and share yet another eerie commonality that we have. It’s numerical. You

see, the member for West Vancouver–Capilano was born in 1933, and I am

currently 33 years old. But it doesn’t end there. I was born in 1985, and

the member is currently 85 years old — but only for another week.

Would the House please join me in wishing the member for West

Vancouver–Capilano an early 86th birthday. He turns 86 this time next week.

[Applause.]

A. Olsen: This gentlemen has been introduced by members from the other parties

in the past, but I had the opportunity to have some time with him this week.

So I also wanted to stand and acknowledge a person that walks the halls of

this place, a very gentle and kind person — the chaplain for our

Legislature, Jason Goertzen.

As I look up into the gallery and see him, I just wanted to note the

service that he offers us to have a calm conversation. He’s a steadying

influence. It’s an opportunity to share the ups and downs and, indeed,

sometimes the lefts and rights of this place.

As we go and step away from this House for the next number of months,

I wanted to make sure that, as we go, we together raise our hands and thank

our chaplain, Jason Goertzen.

Tributes

PIETER WALSH

J. Rice: He fixed my car. He fixed my boat. He fixed my trailer. He fixed

my weed whacker. He fixed my lawnmower three times. More importantly, he

taught my wife and I how to fix these things ourselves.

Pieter Walsh was the glue of my neighbourhood, always available to

help a neighbour out or to distract us from yardwork with his friendly

visits and offers of assistance. Pieter was a diehard car fan and

mechanic. In fact, he recently took my 1997 hunk-of-junk Toyota named

Shirle off the road. Now, Shirle belonged in the dump, in my opinion,

but is now fixed up and on the road.

Pieter recently, just yesterday, lost a battle to stomach cancer.

He was the glue of our neighbourhood, and he will be sorely, sorely

missed. Would the House please offer condolences to the friends and

family and to his lovely wife, Leona, in the passing of Pieter

Walsh.

[10:25 a.m.]

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

BUSINESS OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

A. Wilkinson: This House has been through some degree of turmoil in the last

year, culminating in the McLachlin report, which cleared the air

substantially and has allowed us to move forward to some

degree.

We are now aware that in the last 24 hours, the Speaker has

embarked upon new intrusions involving employees in this House. Some

employees seek to insulate or protect themselves from this effort by the

Speaker, while others are leaving or planning to leave.

Procedures leading to this instability are arbitrary. Immediate

action is required to re-establish the orderly conduct of this

institution, which represents five million people in British Columbia —

many more than the people in this room, who are simply elected

representatives. That action, those changes, those remedies may involve

decisions by this assembly. It may involve committee decisions. It may

involve legislative changes. The integrity of the institution must be

preserved, because that is our duty to the public, to the electorate of

British Columbia.

Employees must be treated fairly, both in terms of procedure and

their rights within those procedures, which are manifested in their

rights in the workplace. Arbitrary, non-accountable actions must stop,

and we will work with all of the other parties, all of the other elected

members of this House to make sure that that is the case.

We must work to make this a better place to conduct the business

of the people of British Columbia as the elected representatives of the

people of British Columbia. Part of that involves the continuity of the

democratic process. So question period must proceed. That is part of the

democratic process. This House must sit, but this House must also sit

until the air is cleared about the events of the last 24

hours.

LEGISLATURE STAFF

R. Chouhan: When the House is sitting, the House is in session, some of us

arrive here on Sunday. Some of us arrive here on Monday. We take

everything for granted — that all of these services are taken care of,

be it the lawn or the flowers or the library or whatnot.

We also have to take a moment to think about who the people are

behind that. Who are these people working so hard to make sure that we

are able to do our jobs? It’s not only in this chamber, when we are

here. They take care of us. They make sure that we are hydrated.

Sometimes when we speak long, long, longer, longer speeches and some of

our throats get irritated, they bring two candies to us. So I want to

say thank you for everything that you do here.

I want to take this moment to thank all the staff in Hansard,

facilities, the dining room, the kitchen staff, Sergeant-at-Arms,

parliamentary education and tours, the library, IT, finance,

administrative staff, the Clerk’s office and the Speaker’s office. Thank

you, each and every one of you, for making sure that we are able to do

our jobs.

Now we are ending our session today, and we will be back in

October. You will continue to work here to make sure our democracy is in

action and stays in action. I want to say, on behalf of all of us, thank

you each and every one of you.

[10:30 a.m.]

ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

AND INTERGENERATIONAL

EQUITY

A. Weaver: It gives me great pleasure to rise on this last day of the session

to deliver a two-minute statement.

Prior to coming up to the Legislature today, I did what I often

do. I took a look at the seasonal climate forecast for this part of the

world. The seasonal climate forecast for the summer of 2019 in British

Columbia is this: extraordinarily high probabilities of higher than

normal temperatures and drier than normal conditions. What does that

lead to? That leads to yet another suite of conditions that will lead to

forest fires in British Columbia.

I remind members that back in 2004, Nathan Gillett, Mike

Flannigan, Francis Zwiers and I published a paper in Geophysical

Research Letters where we identified the fact that we could

detect and attribute the increased area burnt in Canada by forest fires

directly to human activity. Since that time, similar papers have come

out for Siberia, for the eastern U.S., for Europe and elsewhere. We know

that the increasing forest fires in our country are a direct consequence

of global warming.

In fact, the science of global warming goes back to 1824, when

Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier was the first to recognize that the

atmosphere was transparent to incoming solar radiation but was effective

at blocking outgoing longwave radiation and kept the surface area of the

planet warmer to allow life to flourish.

In 1861, John Tyndall, best known for his incredible sideburns,

actually developed an amazing instrument that allowed us to detect the

different radiative absorption properties of a diverse array of

greenhouse gases. In 1896, Svante Arrhenius, a famous Swedish Nobel

laureate, was the first to actually directly calculate the increasing

warming associated with increasing carbon dioxide levels. And in 1936,

Guy Callendar was the first to make multi-century predictions as to what

would happen as a direct consequence of increasing carbon

dioxide.

In fact, the very first national assessment was done in 1979 — the

year I graduated from high school — where Jule Charney from MIT was

tasked with assessing what the human contribution to climate change was.

At that time, the best scientific estimate of the warming associated

with increasing greenhouse gases was between 1½ and 4½ degrees for a

doubling of carbon dioxide. That number has not changed for 35 years of

scientific research.

As we leave to the summer, I ask members to consider this. The

question of global warming boils down to a single question. Do we, the

present generation, owe it to future generations, in terms of leaving

behind to them the quality environment that we were blessed with

inheriting?

Intergenerational equity is the question. For those who make the

decisions today don’t have to live the consequences of the decisions

they made. Yet the next generation will. I suspect those in the gallery,

those children in the gallery looking down upon us today, would suggest

that, indeed, it behooves us to put intergenerational equity front and

centre in our decision-making.

CANDLELIGHT CEREMONY AT

GOD’S ACRE VETERANS

CEMETERY

M. Dean: I’m honoured to be invited to a candlelight tribute at God’s Acre,

the only veterans cemetery still in operation in Canada, this evening.

This is a sacred place that has, for 150 years, provided a quiet dignity

and honour to the memory of its almost 3,000 veterans. The chapel was

constructed by ships carpenters and left unconsecrated so it could be

used by all religions.

The ceremony has been happening for over 20 years and is very well

attended by dignitaries, veterans, military members and family, and the

local community. After the music and ceremony, each distinguished guest

is handed a candle and accompanied by a youth to walk to a marker. The

adult passes the candle to the youth, who places it on the marker. This

symbolizes the passing of the torch of remembrance. Each takes a moment

of reflection. After the playing of God Save the Queen ,

spectators are invited to place candles on the gravesite markers until

each one is marked by the light of freedom.

This year the candlelight tribute will honour the 75th anniversary

of D-Day, when 14,000 young Canadians from 12 Canadian regiments stormed

Juno Beach. They were preceded before dawn by 400 members of the 1st

Canadian Parachute Battalion, who jumped inland.

The Canadian Scottish Regiment from Victoria was amongst the first

ashore, landing just after 8 a.m. under heavy machine gun and mortar

fire. The price that the Canadians paid was terrible, with 340 killed in

action, 87 of whom were from the Canadian Scottish, and 574 Canadians

wounded.

We thank them for their sacrifice.

[10:35 a.m.]

OPENING OF RIDLEY ISLAND

PROPANE EXPORT

TERMINAL

J. Rice: This week we celebrated the grand opening of the Ridley Island

propane export terminal in Prince Rupert, which is the first marine

export facility for propane in Canada. The facility began introducing

propane feedstock in mid-April, and the first shipment departed the

terminal last week bound for Asia.

The Ridley Island propane export terminal will play a critical

role in opening overseas markets to a cleaner burning fuel. Propane, in

its liquid form, can easily be transported and provides a low-carbon

fuel source for homes, businesses and industry. Prince Rupert’s

strategic placement on the map means Canadian propane gets to Asia in

about ten days, compared to 25 days from the U.S. Gulf Coast. Japan is

the world’s largest importer of North American propane and is the first

customer of the Ridley Island export terminal.

The project cost roughly just under half a billion dollars, with

over 200 construction jobs and up to 40 permanent jobs. I might add that

60 percent of the construction work was carried out by local

contractors, community members and First Nations.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the graduation of 11

students who completed the six-month AltaGas operator training program,

and all of them have been hired to work at the terminal. Christopher

Vogt, a graduate, had this to say, “It’s going to give me the prospect

of giving me a job in the same town where I live and the ability to work

close to home rather than leaving the province for work in the relevant

field,” adding he’s pleased he can work in the community he wants to be

in and help.

AltaGas has been a good partner to work with, contributing about

$400,000 in taxes to the city of Prince Rupert last year. They respect

our values and local Indigenous communities by treating First Nations as

true partners.

Congratulations to the construction crew, staff and management on

the grand opening of the AltaGas Ridley Island propane terminal. The

completion of this project reflects the economic progress being made in

our region and, ultimately, brings good-paying, family-supporting jobs

to Prince Rupert and area.

Hon. M. Mark: I glanced up to see that my niece Ava was up there. She’s a

student from Ladysmith Secondary. She’s visiting with her

class.

Pardon me. May I seek leave to make an introduction?

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. M. Mark: I apologize. I was so excited to see my niece Ava, who’s visiting with

her class from Ladysmith. Will the House please join me in welcoming her and

her classmates, who are here at the precinct to learn all about democracy

and the fine work that all the MLAs do in these chambers.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

SUPPORTS FOR TENANTS AND LANDLORDS

S. Chandra Herbert: It gives me great pleasure to be able to rise today to speak about

renters and the challenges renters have faced and the improvements

they’ve seen. It will be no surprise to many that the central challenge

renters have faced with housing has been one of my central causes in

running to be an MLA and being an MLA here for the last ten years.

Indeed, prior to politics, I worked with people in my community facing

renovictions, facing loss of housing.

Now, for around eight years in this place, I must admit, I didn’t

see much success in fighting for my constituents as renters. We had

challenges getting improvements through.

I’ve got to say that being able to say we’ve banned fixed-term

tenancies, which allowed people to be told, “You’re going to be evicted

or face a 50 percent rent increase,” has been a huge improvement. Being

able to ban geographic area increases, where people were told: “Well,

the guy across from you is paying 75 percent more for a beautiful unit.

You’re in this basement. I’m going to charge you 50 percent more. Unless

you sign today, I’ll charge you 75 percent more….” We banned that

too.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, Member. Is this an introduction?

S. Chandra Herbert: This is a two-minute statement. I believe we were still on

two-minute statements.

Mr. Speaker: Proceed, Member.

S. Chandra Herbert: The other challenge that, of course, we’ve seen is landlords and

tenants seeking information, seeking help. They would be told: “Well,

sorry, the wait time to get a response is hours and hours.” If you do

get into the process, it can be months and months and months before you

get an answer.

[10:40 a.m.]

Because of the wise investments that this government has made in

the residential tenancy branch, we’ve seen those wait times drop, in

some cases to five minutes from what would have been over an hour and a

half. That’s a service that people need. It gets them the information

they need so that they can get the help they need in their

housing.

Of course, just recently we announced the enforcement team. I want

to thank the Minister of Housing for her wise investments in

enforcement, because if the rules aren’t enforced, no one respects them.

Certainly, we saw that in B.C. both on the renters’ and the landlords’

sides.

We’ve got a lot more to do and a lot more coming, but I just want

to say that it’s been such a pleasure to see the changes we’ve made for

renters in the last 18 months. I know we’re going to keep pushing,

because renters and landlords, frankly, deserve that respect.

Ministerial Statements

75 th ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY LANDINGS

AND ROLE OF CANADIAN VETERANS

Hon. J. Horgan: I rise today to recognize the upcoming 75th anniversary of the

D-Day invasion and the Battle of Normandy. I rise to pay tribute to the

Canadians who put their life and their liberty at risk to land on Juno

Beach on June 6, 1944. I know all of us will want to remember the

sacrifices that were made by the veterans that put their lives on the

line and those that we will never forget.

We need to remind ourselves of the horrors of war. Too many times

television, too many horrific movies, too many dragons on our television

sets make us oblivious and immune to the horrors of war, the battles

that were fought by Canadians and Allied forces from 1939 to

I visited Juno Beach and Dieppe with my young children many years

ago. My kids couldn’t understand why I was so emotional about being in a

place where Canadians and British forces and Americans and other Allies

landed to liberate Europe from the tyranny of Nazism. And 359 Canadians

died on D-Day, 5,000 more in the months that followed. Over the course

of the Second World War, 45,000 Canadians gave up their lives, and many

returned home with scars visible and invisible.

It’s fundamental to our future that we remember our past, and we

need to do so with deep gratitude and respect for the veterans that

served in the past and those in the Armed Forces that serve us today.

They served us ably in the European theatre and in the

Pacific.

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to be with the

Lieutenant-Governor at Government House to pay tribute to 15 veterans

and to talk to one, George Chow — not that one — who landed on Juno

Beach and will be with me next week to revisit the place he was at 75

years ago.

Before that, a week earlier, I was at Fort Rodd Hill with the

Lieutenant-Governor and Rear-Adm. Bob Auchterlonie to pay tribute to our

hometown heroes: Alice Adams, who was a communication specialist here on

on a supply vessel during that week in June when the world changed. When

Trevor came back to Canada, came back to Victoria, he served as the

aide-de-camp to Lt.-Gov. George Pearkes — again, a recognition that

service did not just happen during the war. It happens every single

day.

I’m reminded of all of us in this place who come with the best of

intentions to do good deeds, to do the things that our citizens want us

to do. I’m reminded that we would not be able to do that were it not for

the sacrifices of those who landed on Juno Beach 75 years

ago.

My mom and dad served in the armed forces here in Victoria. When I

met Alice Adams, a communication specialist like my mom Alice, at Pat

Bay here in Victoria, it reminded me of what she instilled in me as a

young boy and as a young man: that we should never forget the absolute

blessing of being Canadians and those who lost their lives so that we

could proudly say that we are the best people on the planet.

[Applause.]

M. de Jong: Well said by the Premier.

We remember those code names from our study of history — Overlord

and Neptune — the marine aspect of the landings at Normandy.

[10:45 a.m.]

But it’s true. As the years pass, our appreciation for the

magnitude of the effort and the magnificence of the achievement

dissipates. It’s easy to lose sight of what was at stake and what was

achieved.

On this day 75 years ago, men began the process of mobilization:

150,000 British, Americans, Free French, Canadians beginning to load

aboard boats that would take them across the channel on what Eisenhower,

their commander, called a crusade. Some of them would be out in that

water for several days, and landing, despite all of the turmoil of being

shot at and mines, was a bit of a relief because they were horribly

seasick. The human dimension to what took place 75 years ago defies any

description that I or anyone today could offer, but the crusade

began.

There are, fortunately, still those, as the Premier has

mentioned…. The history is still alive. The participants are fragile,

but the memories of what they encountered, what they sought to achieve,

are still very real.

For all of us, that history lives if we are fortunate enough to

visit the Juno Beach Centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer. You can stand on the

beach at Courseulles and, at the right time of day, imagine the turmoil

of that early morning on June 6 as Canadians disembarked and fought

their way up the beaches. Just down the beach, at Arromanches, you can

still see the remnants of the mulberry harbours that were dragged across

and became the deep-sea ports that the Allies would need to rely

upon.

Then, as you move inland, you can trace, day by day, the progress

those 14,000 Canadians made. On that first day, almost 400 Canadians

fell dead — imagine if that happened today — and 5,000 would die over

the course of the Battle of Normandy. Even today you can trace, day by

day, and come across the monuments of where the small battles took

place, where the temporary airfields were constructed and, of course,

the graves, most of which are in those magnificent, large Commonwealth

war graves cemeteries, but some of them are not — smaller churchyards in

some of the small French villages in the countryside.

What began 75 years ago next year we will commemorate, because

those Canadians fought their way through Normandy. They were assigned

the horrible task of clearing the Falaise gap, and then up north into

the Netherlands, into Germany. It is an incredible

chapter in the

history of our country and a

chapter that brought the country together.

Today we think about the number of casualties. Imagine what that meant

in a country with half of the population that we now have, where every

community was impacted in some way, shape or form.

So it is appropriate, I think, for the Premier, as he has done, to

draw attention to this 75th anniversary and begin a year-long

remembrance that culminates with the liberation of Europe, the end of

Nazi tyranny.

I know and I am pleased that the government and the Premier are

prepared to work with celebrants who next year will bring that

celebration home and give British Columbians and those remaining

veterans not able to return to the site of their heroic deeds an

opportunity to once again celebrate and participate and honour that most

magnificent achievement.

We will remember forever. I thank the Premier for his comments

today. [Applause.]

[10:50 a.m.]

A. Weaver: I rise to echo the compelling words of the Premier. His passion

and heartfelt words were very inspiring.

As we know, on June 6, it will be the 75th anniversary of D-Day

and the Battle of Normandy. D-Day was one of the most well-known and

important events of the Second World War, and Canadians played a

critical role in this pivotal campaign. It changed the direction of the

war, but it came at a terrible cost.

On June 6, 1944, the Allies launched a massive attack, with 7,000

vessels being used, 4,000 bombers and 3,700 fighter planes. More than

450 members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were amongst the

very first to engage the enemy forces. A few hours later, 14,000

Canadian troops from the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd

Canadian Armoured Brigade would land on Juno Beach, braving heavy fire

for the Canadian soldiers who were successful in capturing their

shoreline positions and who endured some of the worst fighting over the

next several days of the Normandy invasion.

Canadians suffered the highest casualties of any divisions in the

British Army Group during the campaign, and 359 Canadians died on D-Day

itself. More than 5,000 would die in the ten weeks of fighting that

followed. More than 13,000 Canadian soldiers were severely wounded

during this time. Mental and physical injuries that many would carry for

the rest of their lives also occurred. More than one million Canadians

would serve in the Second World War, and over 45,000 would lose their

lives.

I stand today in humble recognition of their sacrifice, and I ask

all members of this House to never forget the freedoms we have and the

society we have come to enjoy. This has come at a high cost.

[Applause.]

Oral Questions

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT

AND COSTS FOR HIGHWAY

FOUR-LANING

PROJECT IN ILLECILLEWAET AREA

T. Stone: Last summer the Premier said: “The opponents of labour agreements

have put out significant numbers…. But I think before we have too many

people piling on about the consequences, we should get the tenders

back….” Well, we now have the contract back from the very first project

at Illecillewaet, a four-laning project in the Revelstoke area, and it

is exactly what we warned the Premier of: a 35 percent cost overrun,

with B.C. taxpayers left on the hook to the tune of $22 million extra

for this project.

Now, this union-only policy discriminates against 85 percent of

B.C.’s construction workers, and we’re now learning how bad it is for

taxpayers. We have a May 21 Illecillewaet four-laning project debrief

completed by one of the companies that pursued this project. It

confirms: “Ultimately, the community benefit agreement required the

contractor to work in an unfavourable working condition with too many

labour uncertainties, so we elected to withdraw our bid. The CBA killed

the project’s completion.”

My question to the Premier is this. Will the Premier finally admit

what is well known in the industry, what we’ve been telling him for

months — that the 35 percent cost overrun is due to his union-only

benefit agreement requirement?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for Kamloops–​South Thompson for the

question. Of course I reject the premise.

We have received bids on the Illecillewaet project, which, he will

know very well, coming from the region and formerly holding the position

of Minister of Transportation, is a very difficult piece of

construction. This isn’t building a road from Winnipeg to Brandon. It’s

in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, and it’s a challenging project. We

have had other project bids opening up, non-CBA projects, which have

been 100 percent over budget because there’s a labour shortage. There’s

a skilled worker shortage. Costs are going up for other inputs like

gravel, asphalt, steel, and so on.

[10:55 a.m.]

I understand that the members on that side of the House want to

demonize community benefit agreements. But the principles in the

community benefits agreements, I’m sure, are supported by members on

that side of the House: making sure that we’re hiring local people to do

this work, ensuring that their children are getting the training that

they need — red seal training, not just being on the job and not getting

the opportunity to get school training to get that red seal at the end

of the day.

I’ll also say that it seems to me, when I hear this line of

questioning…. The Leader of the Opposition was asking me these questions

yesterday in estimates as well. It’s as if they forgot their time in

government, when there were no CBAs and projects were over budget all

the time.

I’ll just give a couple of examples. It makes me feel better, and

it reminds them of their time on this side of the House. The northwest

transmission line: 80 percent over budget. No CBA there. So what

happened with that? The Vancouver Convention Centre: 60 percent over

budget. No CBA there. And, of course, putting a roof on B.C. Place: 40

percent over budget. Again, no community benefits agreements in

place.

There are times in a hot economy…. I do need to remind members

that this is the hottest economy in the country, the fastest growth

rate. We are competing for publicly funded capital projects with the

private sector. Of course, we have the largest private sector investment

in Canadian history coming here as well. So it’s little wonder that the

labour market is a little bit hot.

I’m not going to apologize for the good news in British Columbia.

I will not apologize for training the next generation of

workers.

Mr. Speaker: Kamloops–South Thompson on a supplemental.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT

AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

COSTS

T. Stone: Well, the Premier needs to get his facts right. The B.C. Place

project was on budget. The other fact….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we shall hear the question.

T. Stone: The other fact is the Premier and his party have stood in this

House year after year after year, and they opposed that project, which

provides about $350 million of net economic benefit to the province of

British Columbia.

The fact of the matter is that the former government built this

province through projects all across British Columbia, and these

projects were done with a combination of union and non-union

contractors. Everybody was busy. The fact of the matter is that 81.5

percent of B.C.’s construction apprentices are sponsored by open-shop

companies, not unions. That’s fully four times more apprenticeship

sponsorship by the open-shop companies than by the unions.

To be clear, this is all about a political promise that the

Premier made to his NDP-friendly union bosses to give them a monopoly

over contracts on major infrastructure projects in British Columbia. Now

we’re seeing the results of this policy: the first project, the 35

percent cost overrun at Illecillewaet. That’s just the beginning. We

know that there are six more projects coming on the Trans-Canada. We

know that there’s the Pattullo replacement project. We know that there

are other transit projects. The Broadway line in and of itself will

result in a 35 percent cost overrun, about $1.6 billion more, leaving

the taxpayers on the hook.

My question to the Premier is this. Taxpayers….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: Taxpayers are on the hook for more costs as a result of CBAs.

Taxpayers are suffering from delayed projects. Taxpayers are going to

have to deal with less scope, and this promise of more apprentices is a

sham.

With projects going over budget by billions, which other projects

are now jeopardized? Does this mean that the Terrace hospital isn’t

going to go ahead? Does this mean that the Richmond Hospital is not

going to go ahead? Does this mean that…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

T. Stone: …we’re going to have to wait another two years for any portables

to be replaced in Surrey? What is it, Mr. Speaker?

Hon. J. Horgan: I note that the member talked about sponsorships for apprentices,

not completion rates for apprentices — a little bit of a difference

there. The notion that the roof on B.C. Place was on budget might

explain how we didn’t have a huge deficit at ICBC. We just pretend it

didn’t exist.

[11:00 a.m.]

Opening up one bid, and all of a sudden, the Broadway line, which

has not yet even completed the RFP process, is billions over budget. If

that’s the way the Liberals are going to look at building British

Columbia, thank goodness they’re sitting over there and not over

here.

M. Polak: Clearly, this isn’t about training. That’s a myth. That’s not what

this is about. The Premier actually made clear what it’s about in a

speech that he delivered on March 19, 2016. In speaking about future

plans for roadbuilding, he said to that crowd: “You don’t do it by going

with the turkeys at CLAC. That’s how I roll. That’s how I

roll.”

We know now that the first project has come in $22 million over

budget. We know that it’s because of these discriminatory policies. But

how does the Premier justify that big gift to his NDP friends and

insiders that is costing the taxpayers an additional $22

million?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for the question. Look, she’s kind of answered

her question. I’ve been saying for years that the best way forward is to

use community benefits agreements. I wasn’t hiding that fact. I was

talking about it publicly. That might be why we’re on this side and the

members are on that side.

The public understands that if their kids aren’t getting jobs, and

they’re not getting the training that they need, something is terribly,

terribly wrong. The opposite side, we saw: “Everything’s fine.

Everything’s fine.”

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we shall hear the response. Members, we shall

hear the response.

Hon. J. Horgan: A $1 billion hole in ICBC that just keeps getting worse because of

the lack of attention that the Liberals paid at that time. Budget

overruns on project after project after project, with no benefit coming

back to the community.

Community benefits agreements are supported by the people of

British Columbia because they know their kids need to get a break. They

need to get the training they need so they can participate in the

hottest economy in Canada.

Mr. Speaker: The House Leader for the official opposition on a

supplemental.

M. Polak: Yeah, well, to clear the deck, to start the question…. Yeah, you

didn’t win a majority. You cut a deal. That’s why you’re here. The fact

is….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, order, please.

M. Polak: I guess the truth hurts. But let’s go back to the subject at

hand.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we shall hear the question.

M. Polak: The term, though, community benefits agreements, is just a

convenient dodge for what it really is. Those agreements are not about

the community, and they’re not about community benefits. Those

agreements are about benefits to NDP friends and insiders, in the guise

of something for communities.

Instead, what it is, is dinging the taxpayer for increased costs

as a result. It is a dodge. It’s a dodge to cover up an agreement that

determines and expresses for this government that they believe that

non-union workers aren’t as good as union workers and their

determination to make the taxpayers pay for it.

What I want to know is: with the increased costs, can the Premier

tell us, in the 35 percent increase on the one project…? What is this

going to cost overall, what modelling did they do, and what is the

estimated total cost that the taxpayers are going to be bearing for this

political promise?

Hon. J. Horgan: Again, it’s hard for me to take any lessons about cost overruns

from a party that took it from a fine art to a science. Project after

project over budget. Temporary foreign workers being brought in for some

of them, rather than training people here in British Columbia. It’s as

simple as that. I appreciate that there are still hard feelings on the

other side, because they’re on the other side. But I would have thought

that they would want to celebrate an economy that is booming.

[11:05 a.m.]

Lowest unemployment in the country for 18 consecutive months.

Fastest growth rate with a projection to be growing faster than any

other province this year, next year and the year after that. So there’s

a lot of good news in British Columbia. Of course, sadly, for half an

hour every day, we come in here and hear about bad news or the creation

of bad news by the people on the other side.

That is your right. That is your responsibility. I’m happy to be

here to answer those questions. Keep them coming.

MANAGEMENT OF LOGGING PRACTICES

ON PRIVATE FOREST

LANDS

A. Olsen: Over the past few weeks, our caucus has been focused on old

growth. The response to our work has been overwhelming. It comes from

across the political, economic, social and cultural spectrum. People are

frustrated. They’re unhappy with the responses from the Minister of

Forests.

Our office has also been inundated by British Columbians who are

affected by logging on private land. Clearcut logging on private lands

on the southern Gulf Islands is challenging. Every day the last

remaining stands of coastal Douglas fir are hacked from the rocks and

shipped off-island.

The ministry knows about this not only because of the ongoing

public outcry but because this outcry dates back to the very beginning

of when the Private Managed Forest Land Act was brought in, back in

2004. It’s not just the Gulf Islands; it’s the Kootenays as

well.

My question is to the Minister of Forests. When is he going to

stop the unsustainable logging practices on private lands?

Hon. D. Donaldson: Our government is committed to making sure the management of

private forest lands is being done in a way to encourage sustainable

practices. There are a couple of ways that harvesting occurs on private

lands. Private land owners who have forests that they want to harvest is

one way, and then private land owners who are part of the private

managed forest program is another way.

Regardless of which category the private land owners fall into,

they’re subject to provincial statutes, such as the Water Sustainability

Act, the Drinking Water Protection Act, the Environmental Management

Act, the Wildlife Act, the Assessment Act and the Wildfire Act. And

federal acts, as well, they’re subject to, such as the Fisheries Act,

the Migra­tory Birds Convention Act and the Species at Risk Act.

If there are violations under those acts, they’re investigated, and

charges are laid.

We also strongly encourage property owners to participate in the

private managed forest program. That has another set of rules and

commitments for those who want to harvest on their private

lands.

The private managed forest lands program was first established in

2003, and it hasn’t been updated or reviewed in over a decade. That’s

why our government launched a review of this program earlier this week.

It started May 28, and public engagement goes till July 9. We’re looking

forward to getting comments back from communities that are concerned and

to incorporate that into a new approach to managing private forest

lands.

Mr. Speaker: Saanich North and the Islands on a supplemental.

A. Olsen: The list of regulatory frameworks that the minister mentions is in

stark contrast to the bare mountainsides and hillsides that we’re seeing

— complete clearcuts of properties on the southern Gulf Islands and

throughout southern Vancouver Island and in the Kootenays.

Private owners may have the right to cut down a tree, but clearcut

logging without proper oversight and enforcement can result in massive

changes to water tables and slope stability. It becomes an issue for the

rights of neighbours, who suddenly cannot trust their water source, as

we’ve seen in a few neighbourhoods on Saltspring Island that they’re

deeply concerned about — and risks of landslides, as the people of

Youbou have just learned. In severe rainstorms, they’ve been asked to

move to the front of their homes to protect themselves. It seems to be

absurd.

In British Columbia, it appears that the right to clearcut private

forest land is pre-eminent over the well-being of our communities. I

certainly appreciate that the Minister of Forests is undertaking a

public consultation to hear from British Columbians.

To the Minister of Forests, will he put a moratorium on these

unsustainable logging practices until after his public consultation and

decision on how to proceed?

[11:10 a.m.]

Hon. D. Donaldson: Well, these are private lands. As I pointed out, these private

land owners are subject to provincial statutes, a number of acts, as

well as a number of federal acts.

We are concerned about what we’re hearing from communities and

what we’re hearing from individuals, as reflected in the member’s

question. That’s why we are launching a review of the provincial

program, the managed forest land program, which hasn’t been reviewed in

over ten years.

Staff from my ministry will be directly meeting with landowners,

local governments, First Nations and organizations and community groups

that are directly impacted by activities on private managed forest land.

That review will allow us to see how the program is doing, whether we

need to make any changes. We’re going to do that over the summer. We’ll

have a

summary report ready for the fall of 2019.

That’s simply part of our commitment to address the problems

around forest management and unresolved issues that were left to us by

the former government. We’re undertaking the private land review. We’re

undertaking the coast forest sector revitalization initiative. We’ve

launched the Interior renewal process. We’ve launched legislative

changes to make it more transparent and restore public confidence in

forest management.

That’s what we’re doing. We’re committed to a vibrant forestry

sector, and we’re committed to a forestry sector that supports First

Nations, communities and workers.

MASSEY TUNNEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT

J. Johal: The Massey Tunnel is the largest traffic bottleneck in British

Columbia. If the Premier and the NDP weren’t interested in punishing

voters who didn’t support them, a replacement would be half-built by

now. Instead, we have the spectacle of the Premier promising quick

action, only to be contradicted by the Transportation

Minister.

Commuters want to know: when is this new crossing going to be

built?

Hon. J. Horgan: I’ve just been passed a note. It’s an article. We had a reading

circle yesterday in estimates. We were reading the Vancouver

Sun by question, and this was one that apparently didn’t get

picked up. It was from 2016. The headline, of course, is: “B.C. Liberals

Redefine ‘On Time, On Budget.’” But the lead is the best part. “Another

day, another bogus claim by the B.C. Liberals that a major capital

project is on time and on budget.” Again, no lessons from those on that

side of the House.

The member asks what we are doing in ridings that didn’t vote for

us. Well, that’s an ideal opportunity to talk about the $100 million

grant that we gave to communities in the north of British Columbia,

represented by the member for Skeena, represented by the member for

Nechako Lakes, represented by the member from Valemount, the member from

Mackenzie, the member from Quesnel.

We haven’t even gone into hospitals. We’re building a hospital in

Richmond. We’re building a hospital in Kamloops, Langley, Terrace,

Quesnel, the Cowichan Valley, Fort St. James and Dawson

Creek.

The notion that the chief muckraker over there wants to stir up is

that we are not working for British Columbians. We’re working for

everyone in every corner of this province, putting people

first.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

The member for Richmond-Queensborough on a

supplemental.

J. Johal: I remind the Premier that commuters in Richmond and Delta are not

laughing at all on this issue. They’ve seen five years of consultation

down the drain, 13,000 pages of consultation, over 100 meetings with

local governments. This project was shovel-ready, and it got

cancelled.

Yesterday, when the Premier was challenged about his

contradiction, the Premier said: “The Vancouver Sun wants to

blow it out of proportion.” Instead of presenting a plan for actually

taking quick action, he is blaming the media for reporting what they

did.

Once again I ask, on behalf of residents of Richmond and Delta and

south of the Fraser: where is the plan for quick action? And they want a

timeline for construction.

Hon. J. Horgan: I thought that the member from Richmond would have been

celebrating the idea of the regional mayors coming together with a

common view and a common purpose to address the congestion in his

communities.

I believe the member represents Richmond, I think. The Richmond

mayor at the time, when the so-called consultation was going on…. I

don’t believe the member was working…. He might have been in the media.

I can’t recall.

[11:15 a.m.]

The mayor at the time said: “We have been trying to constructively

comment on this proposal from the first day it was announced. We have

been disregarded and ignored in the questions that we have asked. I

think that it’s absolutely critical to the future of our city that there

be a re-examination of this project.”

It’s the important thing to do, and we have to do this in a

different way. That’s exactly what we’re doing.

I. Paton: Two years ago hydro lines were being relocated for the new

crossing, and 600,000 tonnes of preloaded sand was in place for the

Highway 99 widening. Piles were being driven for the bridge supports.

All this after five years of consultation and two engineering firms

concluding a bridge would be the best option.

Then, in December 2018, the NDP announced the results of the

Cowdell study, which would be to study it further. The bridge project

could have been half-built by this time now. The people of Delta simply

don’t trust this Premier when he promises quick action, because they

know his track record. He makes it up as he goes along.

To the Premier, when will the construction start on the tunnel

replacement?

Hon. J. Horgan: I had the opportunity to play a little bit of cricket with the new

mayor of Delta just last week, in Delta North. We were celebrating a

significant grant to the community that would allow more people to

participate in the beautiful community of Delta North and Delta, broadly

speaking.

The mayor and the new council members were pretty excited about

getting to work. I expressed that excitement as well, when the mayors in

the region came together and said, with common purpose: “We have a plan.

We can work together in the best interests of the people of the

region.”

A responsive government, one that the member from Kamloops South

said he wished he was in at the time, will listen to the people and make

choices that are in the best interest of everybody. That’s what we

intend to do. The Minister of Transportation is working diligently.

We’re going to get going as quickly as we possibly can.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Delta South on a supplemental.

I. Paton: Well, this is very interesting, to bring up how proud he is that

the mayors got together — except they’re on different tracks. The mayors

got together over coffee and said: “Well, why don’t we put a deep-bored

tunnel under the river?” Then the Premier said: “No, I’d rather have a

twin tunnel in the river. That would be environmentally sound, I’m

thinking, with the salmon and the sturgeon, etc.”

Commuters have been on the side from the beginning with the need

to get on with the building of a replacement.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, we shall hear the question. Members.

I. Paton: But despite years of reviews and consultation, the Premier has

done nothing but dither and delay. One day we hear about a deep-bored

tunnel under the river. The next day we hear about a twin tunnel in the

river. He makes it up as he goes along, and 90,000 vehicles a day sit in

gridlock.

Again, it’s a simple question. When will construction

begin?

Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate that hyperbole is a fine art. It’s practised on

opposition benches around the Commonwealth, so I’m not surprised at

this. But I didn’t say anything of the kind. Nothing of the

kind.

When the hatchet team in Liberal research starts putting together

their memes about how diabolical we are here, listening to people, I

hope that they’ll remind them that I was asked a question about the

coming together of mayors, and I expressed enthusiasm for that. I didn’t

say I wanted to bore deep, lay it on top, build a bridge. I said it’s

good news that the people in the region understand that working together

will get a better outcome.

WAGES FOR COMMUNITY

SOCIAL SERVICES

WORKERS

S. Bond: I can certainly remind the Premier about some people who are not

enthusiastic and who this government is not listening to. Since April 1,

17,000 workers in British Columbia have been denied equal pay for equal

work. I’ve met with families impacted by the Premier’s discriminatory

policies who are deeply concerned about the impact on their

children.

They told me: “This creates a significant wage gap for those of

us, small family groups, who are working so hard to provide the best for

our sons and our daughters. We cannot begin to articulate to you our

disappointment and our frustration.”

[11:20 a.m.]

The Premier stands here and brags about listening. It’s time he

listened to these families, who are devastated by this discriminatory

policy.

Will the Premier stand up today and make a commitment that he will

ensure there is equal pay for equal work for these workers and these

families?

Hon. S. Simpson: I’m pleased that we’ve been sitting down with the umbrella

organizations that represent 2,000 organizations across this province,

who work with the government as contracted service providers. We’ve been

talking about an array of issues that they have not been able to get

satisfaction on for many, many years — maybe 16.

We’re talking here about those issues, about contracts, about

procurement, about recruitment and retention, about governance — that

array of issues. We’re coming together. We’re moving forward. I’m

excited about that, as we have those discussions over the coming

months.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Prince George–Valemount on a

supplemental.

S. Bond: Well, the minister can be as excited as he wants, but this is

about families who are devastated by what is a discriminatory hiring

policy that will impact their children. He can be dismissive, and he can

give us lists of things. There is one issue that he needs to address. He

has failed to do that. Every time he comes into this House, he talks

about how he’s talking and he’s talking. It’s time for him to actually

act and do something to fix this problem.

Here’s what those families had to say: “This funding discrepancy

shows there is no level playing field for people with disabilities when

it comes to how our provincial government views us. Their funding model

is hardly inclusive.” That is a pretty strong message to this minister

and this Premier.

Today will the Premier stand up in this House and apologize for

this discriminatory salary issue and stand up for families in this

province who are speaking to him today, to say it’s time to end the

discrimination?

Hon. S. Simpson: What we know, when we talk about families and workers, is what

we’re not doing. We’re not tearing up the contracts for thousands of

workers in this province. We’re not hurting the lowest-paid workers in

this province, which that government and that member, as a minister,

hurt every day when they were government. They were shameful. What we’re

not doing is turning our back on people who are vulnerable, people who

got no rate increases on social assistance for a decade.

Time and time again — this member as a minister, as part of

executive council, all of them — you hurt people. Shameful. That’s what

you did. That’s what you did. That’s why.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. S. Simpson: That’s what you did. Thankfully…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. S. Simpson: …for the people of this province, they have a government that

cares, that doesn’t turn their back on them like what happened for 16

years. Shameful. Shameful.

[End of question period.]

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order, please.

[11:25 a.m.]

Motions Without Notice

APPOINTMENT OF

SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO APPOINT A

CLERK OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move:

[That a Special Committee be appointed to unanimously select and

recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an individual

to exercise the powers and duties assigned to the Clerk of the

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia pursuant to statutory

provisions and the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly.

The said Special Committee shall have the powers of a Select

Standing Committee and in addition is empowered to:

(

a) appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees

and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the

Committee;

(

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 such 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 Acting 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 said Special Committee is to be composed of Garry Begg

(Convener), Mitzi Dean, Michael de Jong, Mary Polak, and

Dr. Andrew Weaver .]

Leave granted.

Motion approved.

REFERRAL OF WORKERS

COMPENSATION ACT REVISION TO

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM COMMITTEE

Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move:

[That the revision of the Workers Compensation Act [RSBC 1996]

Chapter 492 , be presented to the Select Standing Committee on

Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing Orders and Private Bills

for examination and recommendation pursuant to the Statute Revision

Act [RSBC 1996]

Chapter 440 .

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select

Standing Committees of the House, the Committee is empowered

to:

(

a) appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees

and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the

Committee;

(

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 such 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 Acting 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.]

Leave granted.

Motion approved.

Reports from Committees

CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE

N. Simons: I have the honour to present the second report by the Select

Standing Committee on Children and Youth for this session. The report

summarizes the committee’s activities. I move the report be taken as

read and received.

Motion approved.

N. Simons: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the

report.

Leave granted.

N. Simons: I move that the report be adopted, and in so doing, I’ll make a

few brief comments. As reflected in this annual report, the committee

has been very active in the past year. Since 2006, the committee’s

purpose has been to serve as a public forum for reviewing the reports of

the Representative for Children and Youth.

This year we had the pleasure of welcoming the new Representative

for Children and Youth, Jennifer Charlesworth, and saying a fond

farewell to the outgoing representative, Monsieur Bernard Richard, who

has returned to New Brunswick. We also had the opportunity to review a

number of reports, including Promoting Access to Breastfeeding in

Child Welfare Matters , Time to Listen:

Youth Voices on Substance Use and Alone and Afraid: Lessons

Learned from the Ordeal of a Child with Special Needs and His

Family .

I’d really like to thank all members of the committee, especially

my colleague the member for Parksville-Qualicum, the Deputy Chair, for

doing the work that needs to be done in this committee. It’s

fundamentally important to this House and to the province of

B.C.

I’d like to thank the Clerk of Committees and the Clerk’s office.

I’d like to thank all of those who support the work that we

do.

We’ve undertaken a new project on neurodiverse special needs

children in this province, seeking to find ways of improving the system.

Our public consultation period is underway, and I thank the members for

sacrificing much of their free time to travel with the

committee.

With that, I think that’s it.

M. Stilwell: I, too, would like to acknowledge all the committee members who

have come together, including the Chair, the member for Powell

River–Sunshine Coast, for their collaborative spirit and their

contributions and for coming together with the committee, particularly

with respect to our special project on neurodiverse special needs and

youth that is currently underway.

[11:30 a.m.]

I know I also speak for all committee members in extending our

appreciation to the new representative, Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, in

coming into that position with her passion and her new perspectives on

how we can continue to improve the system. We’ve had several occasions

to meet with her over the last year. I think we all agree that we look

forward to continuing those discussions with her office, as well as the

Ministry of Children and Family Development, to find those

opportunities, to find solutions so that we ensure that children and

youth in our province are well supported.

Mr. Speaker: The question is the adoption of the report.

Motion approved.

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. Farnworth: In this chamber, I call third reading of Bill M206. In the Douglas Fir

Room, I call continued committee debate on Bill 22, Forest Amendment Act. And in

the Birch Room, Committee C, I call the estimates of the Ministry of Public

Safety and Solicitor General.

Third Reading of Bills

BILL M206 — RESIDENTIAL TENANCY

AMENDMENT ACT,

Bill M206, Residential Tenancy Amendment Act, 2019, read a third time

and passed.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call the estimates of the Premier’s office.

[11:35 a.m. - 11:40 a.m.]

Committee of Supply

ESTIMATES: OFFICE OF THE

PREMIER

(continued)

The House in Committee of Supply (Section B); J. Isaacs in the

chair.

The committee met at 11:41 a.m.

The Chair: As we’re waiting for someone, we’ll take a five-minute

recess.

The committee recessed from 11:42 a.m. to 11:48 a.m.

[J. Isaacs in the chair.]

On Vote 11: Office of the Premier, $11,349,000

(continued) .

A. Wilkinson: I’d like to address a particularly current issue with the Premier

now, and that is our response to mental illness, addictions and social

housing. This has been raised in a very dramatic way, here in Victoria

and in Nanaimo and in Maple Ridge.

The Victoria story is well known in that there was an encampment

beside the Victoria courthouse that lasted roughly a year.

[11:50 a.m.]

That was eventually clarified and sorted out by having roughly 120

individuals move into a facility at 844 Johnson Street in Victoria. That

facility, you understand, is staffed, according to the website of the

Portland Hotel Society, which administers the facility…. The most

current information is that it has four mental health workers available

24 hours a day, every day; a full-time, on-site manager; a community

outreach worker; two home support workers available Monday to Friday; a

primary care clinic, which includes a full-time licensed practical nurse

and a physician, 16 hours a week; and a supervised consumption site that

was established by December 2017.

The obvious contrast is the situation in Maple Ridge, where the

encampment which became known as Anita Place was the subject of a court

order late last year, which resulted in the camp being significantly

shrunk and individuals moved into housing in Maple Ridge.

The facility that currently exists in Maple Ridge has, as we

understand it, for 52 individuals: two on-site staff, with other staff

visiting; liaison visits from Fraser Health; one rotating nurse for

three different sites in Maple Ridge; off-site access to Fraser Health

mental health facilities, which are nowhere near this facility; a

crime-free requirement in the tenancy agreement; eight hours of

overnight security only, plus some cameras; and the understanding that

the residents can use drugs in their rooms as they see fit.

So the contrast between these two is dramatic. We understand that

there’s a plan to introduce a further temporary facility, which may or

may not be temporary, at 11749 Burnett Street in Maple Ridge, which has

been the subject of an extreme level of controversy in Maple Ridge. The

question to the Premier is: given the description of the services at 844

Johnson Street, how is it that the facilities are so much more limited

and, in fact, dramatically reduced in Maple Ridge as compared to

Victoria?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. I know he

understands the sensitivity of these issues.

I grew up in Victoria. I was disappointed at the expansion of

homelessness in my community. The 848 Johnson Street facility and many

others are working in the capital regional district, some 350,000

people, to provide the services that the member articulated.

During the 2017 election campaign, I visited the encampment, Anita

Place, in Maple Ridge, and I talked to the residents there. It became

clear to me that, as the member has outlined, there are a whole range of

issues there. There are addictions issues. There are mental health

challenges. Poverty is a significant component of any homeless camp, but

in Maple Ridge, it was critical.

The Minister of Housing and the Minister of Mental Health and

Addictions, the first of its kind in the country, have worked together

to put in place modular housing programs that will have wraparound

services at the site. We’re working diligently to get those houses on

stream. We had cooperation in a number of communities, Nanaimo being

most obvious, to bring all of these services together.

Victoria, of course, is a larger urban area than Maple Ridge, so

the services available are significant. The member does outline that the

distances involved mean that Fraser Health has services around the

region. The Alouette Addiction Services, the opioid treatment clinic

that’s attached to Alouette, and, of course, the public health nurses,

the mental health services, nurse practitioners and an intensive care

management team are all in place, ready to go. As those houses come on

stream and we move people out of Anita Place into those houses, I’m

confident they’ll get the services that they need.

A. Wilkinson: The question that obviously arises is this term “temporary” which

is used to describe the facilities in Kamloops, Nanaimo, Surrey and

Maple Ridge. The Vancouverites amongst us get a bit cynical. We were

told the bicycle lanes in 2008 were temporary, and now they’ve been

there for 11 years.

Does the Premier have a policy on how long these supposedly

temporary facilities will be present in these communities in their

current locations? They are modular housing, for the most part. They’re

not designed to be permanent. Is there a plan to replace them, or will

they just stay there until further notice?

[11:55 a.m.]

Hon. J. Horgan: The member is correct. These are intended to be temporary. They’re

new facilities. I’ve visited many of the modular homes that are being

constructed in Terrace, in Nanaimo. They are destined to be temporary,

as we build out permanent structures over time.

We have a ten-year plan, a $7 billion envelope, for housing. The

modular component is one of those, to help with those hard-to-house or

those that are homeless. The services, though, that are attached are the

critical part, as the member identified, and not all communities are the

same. Terrace doesn’t have the same access to services that you would

find in Victoria or Vancouver and other major urban centres.

This is a critical challenge for all governments across Canada. It

was a problem in the ’90s. It was a problem in the 2010s. It’s a problem

today. But I believe that we’re putting sufficient resources. Having a

dedicated minister to look at mental health and addictions allows us to

have a person at the executive council table every day reminding us of

the importance of making sure that the programs that we’re talking about

are funded and that the people that will deliver those services are in

place.

A. Wilkinson: The obvious question that arises, just before we break for lunch,

is: does the Premier anticipate these facilities will stay in their

current state indefinitely?

Hon. J. Horgan: Each lease is different. These are not all on Crown land, so it

will be dependent on the community. Our expectation is about three to

five years, and that will give us sufficient time to have a buildout so

that there can be permanent residences for the people in

question.

With that, I’ll note the time and ask that we rise, report

progress and ask leave to sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 11:57 a.m.

The House resumed; Mr. Speaker in the chair.

Committee of Supply (Section B), having reported progress, was

granted leave to sit again.

Committee of the Whole (Section A), having reported progress, was

granted leave to sit again.

Committee of Supply (Section C), having reported progress, was

granted leave to sit again.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:59 a.m.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE

DOUGLAS FIR ROOM

Committee of the Whole House

BILL 22 — FOREST AMENDMENT ACT,

(continued)

The House in Committee of the Whole (Section

A) on Bill 22; N. Simons

in the chair.

The committee met at 11:36 a.m.

section 20 (continued) .

J. Rustad: I think we’re just about wrapped up with

section 20. For some

reason, I actually thought we were still on

section 19. I must have

missed the last little bit. In any case, it’s fine.

I’m just looking through here on

section 20. We were talking

yesterday about keeping information confidential, the components and who

can use the information. Of course, it’s beyond the Ministry of Forests

in terms of where all those sorts of information can go.

I’m just curious. As other ministries get to look at the

information that is being collected…. I know that you could get some

aggregates within the Ministry of Forests, but could other ministries

utilize this information, for purposes that are not related directly in

terms of forestry and forest activity, within government?

Hon. D. Donaldson: That’s not the intent, and we don’t anticipate that. This

information pertains to forestry, and we intend it to be used in regards

to forestry management and the associated activities with

that.

Sections 20 and 21 approved.

section 22.

Hon. D. Donaldson: I move the amendment to

section 22 standing in my name in the

orders of the day.

SECTION 22 , in the proposed

section 151.9, by adding

the underlined text as shown:

151.9

(1) The Lieutenant

Governor in Council may make regulations respecting the

following:

(

a) for the purposes of the definition of “fibre supply

arrangement” in

section 136, prescribing facilities, including but not

limited to

(

i) facilities that manufacture products from timber or

wood residue, and

(ii) facilities that produce bioenergy;

(

b) for the purposes of

section 136 (2) (f), prescribing

persons or classes of persons

(

i) who acquire, distribute, buy or sell timber, wood

residue, products manufactured from timber or wood residue or rights to

harvest Crown timber, or

(ii) who process timber or wood residue,

including but not limited to

(iii) persons who transport timber, wood residue or

products manufactured from timber or wood residue,

(iv) operators of facilities that manufacture products

from timber or wood residue, and

(

v) operators of facilities that produce

bioenergy;

(b.1) exempting persons or classes of persons from

section 136 (2);

(

c) for the purposes of

section 136 (3), establishing

requirements respecting the keeping of records under that section,

including but not limited to

(

i) establishing categories or subcategories of

information,

(ii) requiring that records be kept according to

categories or subcategories established under subparagraph

(i),

(iii) requiring that records be kept in relation to

particular periods, or

(iv) requiring that specific information or types of

information be recorded;

(

d) for the purposes of

section 136 (3) (d), prescribing

infor­mation in relation to fibre supply arrangements, including

but not limited to information respecting

(

i) the parties to, and term of, the

arrangement,

(ii) the recipients and intended recipients of timber or

wood residue supplied under the arrangement, or

(iii) the actual and agreed-on volumes and prices of

timber or wood residue supplied under the arrangement;

(

e) for the purposes of

section 136 (3) (e), prescribing

information in relation to

(

i) the acquiring, distributing, buying or selling of

timber, wood residue, products manufactured from timber or wood residue

or rights to harvest Crown timber, or

(ii) the processing of timber or wood

residue,

including but not limited to information respecting

(iii) the transporting of timber, wood residue or products

manufactured from timber or wood residue,

(iv) the manufacturing of products from timber or wood

residue, and

(

v) the producing of bioenergy;

(

f) for the purposes of

section 136.1, specifying

information prescribed for the purposes of

section 136 (3) (

e) that must

not be disclosed.

(2) For the purposes of this section, products

manufactured from timber or wood residue include wood products that

are manufactured from products manufactured from timber or wood

residue. ]

On the amendment.

J. Rustad: I’d perhaps just ask the minister to provide some clarity around

the rationale for moving this amendment.

[11:40 a.m.]

Hon. D. Donaldson: There are two parts in this amendment. One is to ensure enabling

regulation to exempt a person or class of persons from recordkeeping

obligations set out in

section 136 of the Forest Act. It provides the

government the flexibility to ensure that smaller organizations in the

forest sector are not subject to the same administrative rigour as the

larger industry players, whom the government has a greater interest in

gathering information from to support future policy

decisions.

The second amendment is to just ensure that the

information-gathering includes remanufacturing facilities so we have a

thorough picture of the industry activities.

J. Rustad: I’m just curious in terms of the…. The minister mentioned the

purpose of the amendment is to not collect data from small manufacturing

facilities. I’m just wondering: is there a definition or a line, I guess

you could say, between what I guess would be thought of as primary and

smaller production facilities?

Hon. D. Donaldson: The amendment is to provide the flexibility. We haven’t defined

and haven’t had the experience of implementing the bill yet, so we don’t

have the definition for smaller players. But at least, through this

amendment, we’ll have the flexibility if and when it’s needed to provide

the exemption.

J. Rustad: I guess that’s encouraging, in terms of it. But for my own

purposes, I’m curious in terms of small operations and the ministry’s

definition of, for example, a sawmill. A sawmill of note on his webpage

is a mill that consumes about 40 million cubic metres or produces about

40 million board feet, I think it is. It translates to roughly one

truckload every couple of days.

That’s why I’m wondering where that definition or where that line

may come, because obviously, that’s already pretty small in terms of the

amount of fibre that’s being used and stuff. Could the minister provide

at least some indication of what he’s considering with regard to the

scope or size of facilities that may or may not fall under

this?

Hon. D. Donaldson: I already answered that question. It’s smaller organizations.

We’re not prescribing that yet, and it provides the flexibility for an

exemption.

J. Rustad: I’m sorry for pushing the minister on the point with regard to it,

but I guess that means everybody’s included until such time as the

minister decides they’re not included. That’s unfortunate, of course,

given that there are many different types of manufacturing facilities

and components out there that may or may not end up being captured. I

guess they’ll just have to wait and see — but assuming that they all

are, to begin with at least, until at some point the minister decides to

do an exemption.

Carrying on with the amendment and the purpose in here, 151.9(2)

says: “For the purposes of this section, pro­ducts manufactured

from timber or wood residue include wood products that are manufactured

from products manufactured from timber or wood residue.”

I’m just curious about the scope that that captures. Does that

include everything down to someone who takes a piece of waste wood to

produce a musical instrument or furniture production? What’s the intent

in terms of that section?

[11:45 a.m.]

Hon. D. Donaldson: The intent is to capture the re-engi­neering of wood

products, particularly those products that use a particular cut of the

log. It’ll be done by regulation, so we don’t have particular categories

to supply the member with as answers to that question. But the intent is

to capture the remanufacturing, the re-engineering of the raw wood

product.

J. Rustad: I guess that would include things like cross-laminated timber.

We’re talking about wanting to build large facilities out of wood, etc.

That’s obviously taking a manufacturing product and producing another

product from it.

Obviously, the reporting from a facility that’s producing the

components that go in…. Basically, if I understand the minister right,

it would be double reporting — reporting for the product that’s being

produced plus production from the secondary products that would be

produced from that product. Is that correct?

Hon. D. Donaldson: I wouldn’t consider it as double reporting. We’d like to know what

the inputs are into their remanufactured product and the output of the

engineered product to give us the kind of information we need to make

better-informed forest policy decisions.

Amendment approved.

Hon. D. Donaldson: Noting the hour, I move that the committee rise and report

progress on Bill 22 and seek leave to sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 11:47 a.m.

PROCEEDINGS IN THE

BIRCH ROOM

Committee of Supply

ESTIMATES: MINISTRY OF

PUBLIC SAFETY

AND SOLICITOR GENERAL

(continued)

The House in Committee of Supply (Section C);

S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.

The committee met at 11:41 a.m.

On Vote 39: ministry operations, $770,889,000

(continued) .

J. Thornthwaite: I’ve got a couple of questions. First of all, I wanted to correct,

in the record, for the Attorney General…. My questions are to do with

help for victims of sexual assault. I had asked the Attorney General

specific questions that he had recommended that I bring up with the

Solicitor General, but before I ask that question, I wanted to just

correct the record.

The Attorney General had mentioned — and I’ve got Hansard

in front of me right here — that we have a pilot in place at three

locations in British Columbia modelled on the Ontario initiative in

which the provincial prosecution service has partnered with Women

Against Violence Against Women, WAVAW. They are working with local

lawyers in the communities to provide support to victims of sexual

assault through the process.

That’s what the Attorney General said a couple of days ago, but I

got some feedback from the organization called the Ending Violence

Association of B.C. The executive director is Tracy Porteous, and she

has told me that that is not in fact correct. It is not a provincially

funded program, and it is not run by the provincial prosecution service.

Apparently, according to EVA, it’s 100 percent federally funded, and

it’s not WAVAW that is providing the services. It’s, in actual fact, the

Ending Violence Association of B.C.

I just wanted to correct the record. Obviously, if the minister

wants to comment, that would be good, but I wanted to get that on the

record first before I asked my next question.

Did the minister want to…?

Interjection.

J. Thornthwaite: Okay.

The question that was referred to the Solicitor General’s

estimates was about trauma-informed practice. It was: what is British

Columbia going to do to train and provide education for those who come

into contact with sexual assault survivors?

I have given a

preamble as to the reason why I was asking that

question, because many rape victims go through the so-called second rape

because of the way that the judicial system treats them when they do

report.

My question to the Attorney General was: what is British Columbia

doing to educate those that come in contact with sexual assault victims?

And he recommended that I bring that up with the Solicitor

General.

[11:45 a.m.]

Hon. M. Farnworth: I thank the member for her question. I appreciate her question on

this issue, because it’s a very important one.

Currently we are in year 4-5 of a federally funded pro­gram

which is developing the curriculum for trauma-informed practice. It is

at that pilot stage. A lot of work has been done, and it’s now at the

pilot stage. It’s been developed with the input…. The feds have been

involved, the police, Crown, violence-against-women

organizations.

Also, it is an initiative that actually came out of — the former

Solicitor General will know about these — the Justice Summits that have

been held. In this case, it was Justice Summit No. 5.

That is what I can tell you right now. Work is taking place. It

has reached the pilot stage, and it has been funded by the federal

government.

The Chair: Thank you, Minister. And unfortunately, noting the

hour.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the committee rise, report progress and ask leave to

sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 11:46 a.m.

The Official Report of Debates ( Hansard ) and webcasts of

proceedings

are available on the Internet. Chamber debates are broadcast on

television.

Copyright © 2019: British Columbia

Hansard Services, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada