1981 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 32nd Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1981

Morning Sitting

This issue contains the prorogation of the 3rd session, 32nd

parliament.

[ Page

6607 ]

CONTENTS

Morning Sitting

Routine Proceedings

Prorogation –– 6607

Appendix –– 6608

The House met at 10 a.m.

Prayers.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor entered the chamber and took his place in the chair.

HON. MR. BELL-IRVING (Lieutenant-Governor):

Mr. Speaker and members, of the Legislative Assembly, in closing this

third session of the thirty-second parliament, it gives me much

pleasure to remark on the conscientious manner in which you discharged

your duties in all matters which were put before you.

While

you were deliberating the business of the people of British Columbia,

we were all saddened by the death of a courageous young British

Columbian, Terry Fox, whose Marathon of Hope has inspired people

throughout the world. It is heartening to know that my government, in

addition to awarding a large grant for the furtherance of cancer

research while this young man was still among us, also established the

Terry Fox Memorial Research Foundation to accelerate that work and

later further enshrined his name in British Columbia's historical

record by dedicating one of our majestic mountains in his name.

also mourned the passing of two men well respected by this assembly:

Robert Martin Strachan, who served this House with distinction for 23

years as a member, Leader of the Official Opposition, a minister of the

Crown, and in later years as British Columbia's agent-general in

London, England; and James Knight Nesbitt, an honoured member of the

Fourth Estate who reported on the deliberations and accomplishments of

this assembly for some four decades.

During the short recess

you have had from this assembly, your Speaker received the most

gracious letter of appreciation from His Royal Highness the Prince of

Wales for the illuminated copy of your unanimous resolution, signed by

you all, of congratulations on the engagement of His Royal Highness to

Lady Diana Spencer. A similar message of thanks was also delivered to

my government's agent-general in London in appreciation of British

Columbia's wedding gift of matching, hand-knit Cowichan sweaters. At

the conclusion of his formal message, His Royal Highness personally

wrote: "Would you please convey our warmest thanks to the government

and people of British Columbia for their most generous gift."

Also

during the recess, my government was the host of a most successful

conference of all the Premiers of our nation. I'm particularly pleased,

as favourable conferences of this type assist immeasurably in our

common cause of national unity.

Turning to your

accomplishments of the past year, it was most gratifying to learn of

your concern for the rights of all people of our province, with the

passage of legislation designed to protect those rights from abuse by

those who would not consider all people to be equal under God. In

response to the United Nations General Assembly declaration of 1981 as

the International Year of the Disabled, my government initiated a

provincial program of awareness of the contribution of disabled persons

to the continuing development of British Columbia. Under the guidance

of my Minister of Education the year has been an unqualified success

and will continue beyond the year to carry its message to all our

people.

Ours is a vast province, rich in natural wealth that

must be shared by all. It pleased me to learn that in your discussions

you have taken the first important steps toward development of our

untold underground riches in the northeast

section of British Columbia.

At the same time, because of the potential danger in harvesting those

natural resources, you approved legislation to protect our environment.

Our people must not only be guaranteed a comfortable life from the

earnings of our resources but must be safe in the knowledge that the

beauty of our natural inheritance is not threatened by that harvesting.

that same vein, my government is to be commended for steps it has taken

to almost totally remove from use the leg-hold trap and, without

impeding the trapping industry, introduce a more humane method of

continuing with this productive and historic trade.

You took

a major step toward the conservation of energy, and the convenience of

the people of our lower mainland, through legislation that will

initiate a public transportation system that will move people quickly

and economically.

For the second consecutive year you showed

fairness and consideration to the important small business sector of

our province's economy through a reduction in income tax, benefiting

some 50,000 small business operators.

It was with great

satisfaction that I noted your legislative actions to improve safety

standards in our huge and vital building industry, and that you

established an advisory council to ensure that all regulations

respecting structural design, construction and alteration of buildings

are made only after consultation and concurrence of this commission.

the matter of the health of our people you moved swiftly to ensure that

health care remains within the financial reach of all, and with the

Financial Administration Act you provided for more stringent control of

the financial affairs of our province.

Concern for our

senior citizens was exhibited in your decision to ease the financial

burden of automobile insurance by establishing a program of financial

assistance.

You also took legislative action to assist those

people who rely on highly trained dogs to overcome a sight impairment

by allowing those people to take their dogs with them into places of

business.

During the period of your discussions you were

joined by a new member for Kamloops, Claude Harry Richmond. I

congratulate him on his success, and wish him well in his labours on

behalf of his constituents and all of our people.

These are

but a few highlights of your most recent deliberations to ensure that

the people of this bounteous province are guaranteed the basic aims of

life.

Honourable members, I now relieve you of your

legislative duties, and I trust the blessing of Divine Providence will

be with you as you shortly resume these duties.

HON. MR. WOLFE:

Mr. Speaker and members of the Legislative Assembly, it is His Honour

the Lieutenant-Governor's will and pleasure that this Legislative

Assembly be prorogued until 2 o'clock this afternoon, and this

provincial Legislative Assembly is hereby prorogued accordingly.

The House prorogued at 10:19 a.m.

[ Page

6608 ]

Appendix

42 Mr. Skelly asked the Hon. the Minister of Forests the following questions:

During the fiscal years 1976-77 to 1980-81—

1. What pesticides did the Ministry purchase in each year, in what quantities and at what cost?

2. What quantities of each pesticide were used in each year, for what purpose and what was the total cost of each program?

3. What amount of each pesticide remained in storage or was disposed of at the end of each year?

4. What pesticides, in what quantities are presently in the possession of the Ministry?

The Hon. T. M. Waterland replied as follows:

"1,

2 and 3. The information is contained in the annexed tables headed

'Ministry of Forests Pesticide Inventory' for the respective fiscal

years.

"4. The information is contained in the annexed table headed 'Ministry of Forests Pesticide Inventory, August 1981'."

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