2003 Legislative Session: 4th Session, 37th 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)

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 11, Number 2

CONTENTS

Routine

Proceedings

Page

Introductions by Members

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Foresters Act (Bill 5)

Hon. M. de Jong

Statements (Standing Order 25 B )

Avalanche victims

W. McMahon

Community volunteers

B. Suffredine

Fire at Alpha Processing plant

R. Visser

Oral Questions

Aquaculture industry advisers

J. MacPhail

Hon. S. Hagen

Collection of unpaid sales taxes

J. Kwan

Hon. B. Barisoff

Federal-provincial agreement on health care funding

K. Krueger

Hon. G. Campbell

Heritage Aquaculture licence violation

J. MacPhail

Hon. S. Hagen

Reports from Committees

Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, second report

B. Lekstrom

J. MacPhail

Throne Speech Debate

B. Bennett

J. Bray

J. MacPhail

B. Suffredine

R. Masi

D. Jarvis

Hon. K. Whittred

Hon. C. Clark

R. Lee

E. Brenzinger

K. Stewart

[ Page 4707 ]

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003

The House

met at 2:03 p.m.

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. S.

Santori: It is a great pleasure for me to introduce to the House today three

special visitors from Singapore. They are Debbie Choy, Ee-leen Tan and Wendy

Yap. These three ladies are here to attend a two-day conference sponsored by my

ministry, entitled Frontiers of Privacy and Security: New Challenges for a New

Century. I would ask all members to join me in giving them a warm welcome to

British Columbia.

[1405]

Jarvis: Would the House please welcome a friend of mine, Bob Fearnley, who

is a councillor in the city of North Vancouver and also the president of the

lower mainland municipalities.

Brenzinger: Today I'd like to introduce to the House my two assistants,

Marilynn Johnson and Barb Kraushar, who are here from Surrey-Whalley. Would the

House please make them welcome.

B. Kerr:

We have members of the Sooke Seniors Activity Society here today visiting in the

gallery. The son of one of the members of that society, a fellow who was

affectionately nicknamed "Fang" by a former Premier, has asked if I

would specifically mention his mother, who is here. I'd like the House to

welcome the society and also Maude Kierans, who is here today to visit us.

S. Orr:

It's my pleasure today to introduce a very, very special person called Judith

Armstrong. She's co-president of Operation Trackshoes and a recent recipient of

the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal for her work with people with mental, physical

and medical disabilities. She is a true leader in our community, and I would

like this House to make her welcome.

P. Wong:

It is a pleasure to have joining us in the House today the board members of

Lingnan Elder College, a project assisted by the former Lieutenant-Governor's

David Lam Centre to offer courses of cultural and practical interest for

Chinese-speaking seniors. They are as follows: Dr. Miriam Yu, president of the

college; Mr. Terence C.T. Teng, vice-president; Dr. Ping Cheung Chan; Mr. Siu

Foon Wong; Mrs. May Y.M. Lung; Mr. Robert K.P. Chau; and Mr. Anthony S.S. Liad.

May the House please make them most welcome.

Chutter: With us today in the House is the mayor of Lytton, Chris O'Connor.

Would the House please welcome him.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

FORESTERS ACT

Hon. M. de

Jong presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill

intituled Foresters Act.

Hon. M.

de Jong: I move that Bill 5 be introduced and read a first time now.

Motion

approved.

Hon. M.

de Jong: I am honoured to introduce Bill 5, the Foresters Act. This

legislation, which members will recall was originally tabled during our last

session in the fall, repeals and replaces the existing Foresters Act — which

has been in place since 1947 — brings the act up to date and strengthens its

provisions dealing with professional accountability.

The Forest

and Range Practices Act, passed during the last session, relies on the judgment

and accountability of forest professionals to ensure that environmental

standards are maintained under a workable, results-based code. One of the keys

to meeting this commitment is being able to depend on highly trained, dedicated,

accountable professionals to make sound resource management decisions. With this

new Foresters Act, the judgment of forest professionals can be relied upon as a

cornerstone in the results-based era.

Under the

new act, the Association of B.C. Professional Foresters will continue to be

responsible for upholding and protecting the public interest by providing

expertise in entomology, ecology, hydrology, silviculture, road planning and

numerous other areas; planning and approving of all forest activities; assessing

the effect of activities on the forest.

[1410]

I move that

the bill be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting

after today.

Bill 5

introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for

second reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Statements

(Standing Order 25

b) AVALANCHE VICTIMS

McMahon: While I did not know personally those who lost their lives as a

result of the two very tragic avalanches on January 20 and February 1 near

Revelstoke, I know that I, as well as the local community, felt a connection to

the skiers. They were in our back yard exploring our wilderness and doing

something they loved. These events have been devastating, and we have all felt

the loss. The communities of Revelstoke and Golden responded immediately with

determination to save those trapped and with compas-

[ Page 4708 ]

sion afterwards as they consoled those who lost friends and family. In

particular, I would like to acknowledge all those who worked so diligently on

the rescue and recovery. To those on site and those attending in a support role,

we are thankful that you were there.

Avalanches are

a naturally occurring event. We know that people make a choice when they go into

the back country, and that the risk and the thrill are part of the experience.

For those who suggest we regulate the back country, I disagree. It's about

education, about knowing how to avoid trouble or what to do if you find yourself

in trouble. It's about being prepared. I am hopeful that investigators will be

able to determine the cause of the tragedies so that we can work to reduce the

risk in the back country. I also believe we all have a responsibility to use our

back yard wisely and to educate ourselves before we recreate. By doing this, we

will honour the lives of those who have so tragically died.

Let us pause

and remember Naomi Heffler, 25, of Calgary; Dave Finnery, 30, of New

Westminster; Craig Kelly, 35, of Nelson; Kathleen Kessler, 39, of Truckee,

California; Dennis Yates, 50, of Los Angeles; Ralph Lunsford, 49, of Littleton,

Colorado; and Jean-Luc Schwendener of Canmore, Alberta.

From

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School near Calgary, Alberta: grade 10 students Daniel

Arato, Scott Broshko, Jeffrey Trickett, Michael Shaw, Alexander Pattillo,

Benjamin Albert and Marissa Staddon.

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS

Suffredine: I rise today to honour two very special people from my riding

who recently passed away. Joan Gatzke of Creston and Margaret Jardine of Kaslo

were outstanding community volunteers and leaders. It is the tireless work of

people like Joan and Margaret that binds these communities together.

Joan Gatzke

was part of the soul of Creston. Her list of volunteer activities is too long to

read. Her tireless, dedicated and compassionate spirit touched the lives of so

many. Fundraising through rummage sales, bowling tournaments, raffle tickets and

bake sales for a handibus, the Blossom Festival, fall fair and Christmas parade

were just some of the ways Joan contributed. Joan Gatzke's devotion to a cause

made her famous in the Kootenays and beyond.

In 1991 she

developed breast cancer. While hospitalized, she decided to spearhead a campaign

to collect pull-tabs from aluminum cans to raise money to purchase special

wheelchairs for Creston facilities. She became the tab lady, collecting 4,500

pounds of tabs — enough to buy three specialized wheelchairs — all the while

fighting her lengthy battle with cancer. In 2001 Joan and her husband, Ed, were

named Creston's co-citizens of the year. Joan Gatzke was a devoted mother and

grandmother, wife and volunteer, who drew strength from adversity, contributed

tirelessly to her community and should serve as an inspiration to us all.

Margaret

Jardine provided similar inspiration to Kaslo. She moved to Kaslo in 1917 and

married Andrew Jardine in 1935. Margaret's generosity of spirit and giving was

famous in Kaslo. Family members, friends and complete strangers all benefited

from her kindness. She served on the Kaslo hospital board for 31 years and was a

life member of Kaslo's hospital auxiliary. She also served many, many years on

Kaslo's council. She was a member of the Liberal Party for more than 60 years.

Margaret was the unofficial first lady of Kaslo.

Joan Gatzke

and Margaret Jardine were outstanding contributors to their community. They

exemplify that building a strong community begins with individual contributions.

I am grateful to have known them.

[1415]

FIRE AT ALPHA PROCESSING PLANT

Visser: Last Friday a fire broke out at the Alpha Processing plant, and by

early the next morning, the town of Port Hardy had lost its single largest

employer. For months the debate has raged on about salmon aquaculture, all of it

seemingly oblivious to the fact that the government has built a continuously

improving regulatory regime that ensures sustainability for the marine

environment and protection for the wild stocks — all of it completely

oblivious to the fact that no new expansion has been undertaken.

The critics

still cry foul at every turn. What is most offensive about their tirade is that

they ignore the people. Two hundred and seventy folks work at Alpha and are

connected to that community. The average age doesn't reach 30. Three-quarters of

them are women, and nearly a third of them are first nations. The payroll can

reach a little over $600,000 a month, and for those young families this is

devastating.

Yet people

always seem to find good from adversity, and the next morning the Alpha

employees, as they watched the fire's glow, left Port Hardy for Nanaimo, where

they joined the 600 people that were gathering to tell the positive story about

aquaculture to the people of British Columbia. The theme of the rally became

"Hug somebody from Alpha."

I'm very proud

to represent those people — the workers at the plant, the workers in this

industry and all those that live in the North Island's coastal communities.

They're the heart of this province, and as the days and weeks unfold, we will

all have the pleasure of seeing them pull together and rebuild their plant and

their lives.

I want all of

us to learn a lesson from those folks. I especially want those relentless

critics of this industry to remember one important fact: there are people whose

lives you affect when you misrepresent reality. I want you to remember that it

is the people who live and work in the heartlands of this province who allow us

to have all that we have. We should thank them. We should support them, and we

should help them get on

[ Page 4709 ]

with rebuilding their futures and rebuilding this province.

Oral Questions

AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY ADVISERS

MacPhail: This question is timely. After dismissing hard science warning

against the dangers of open-net fish farming and before being forced to resign

as a result of a police investigation, the former Fisheries minister gave Monty

Little the task of assessing that evidence to report back to the government with

recommendations. He plucked Mr. Little from amongst over a dozen members of the

Science Council. There's just one problem. The opposition has learned that Mr.

Little is the president and founder of Syndel Laboratories, a big chemical and

drugs supplier to fish farms.

To the new

Minister of Fisheries: how can British Columbians have any trust in the

Liberals' handling of the fish farm fiasco when their top scientific adviser

stands to benefit from the decision to expand open-net fish farming?

Hon.

S. Hagen: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity of taking

the first question in this new session of the House.

The person

mentioned is not the only science provider that we are getting. As a matter of

fact, on February 22, 23 and 24 the University of British Columbia is hosting a

three-day seminar on a variety of scientific issues. We are bringing in people

like Alan Pike from the University of Aberdeen, Al Lewis from UBC, Terry

Sutherland from Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Stewart Johnson from NRC,

Jens Christian Holst from Norway, Paul Arne Bjorne from Norway, Frank Neilsen

from Norway and a host of other experts in the field of salmon aquaculture that

are coming here from Norway, Scotland, the United States and Canada.

I want to

assure this House and all British Columbians that this government takes this

issue very seriously. The most important salmon on the west coast of Canada, on

the coast of British Columbia, is the Atlantic salmon — I mean, it's the wild

salmon. Pardon me.

[1420]

Interjection.

Hon. S.

Hagen: It's the wild salmon. Actually, I have a fair amount of experience in

dealing with wild salmon, which I'll be pleased to outline to you on a

supplementary question.

MacPhail: Another conversion on the road to Damascus from this minister.

This government appointed Monty Little to head up the B.C. Aquaculture Research

and Development Committee. Until they've been caught out on this file so

outrightly, he's the man they're relying on. Not only is Mr. Little the

president of Syndel Laboratories, he's also a big contributor to the Liberal

Party. Syndel Laboratories gave the Liberals $5,000 to help win the last

election.

Again to the

Minister of Fisheries: why is the president of a company that supplies fish

farms with chemicals and drugs, and which gave the Liberals big bucks in the

last election, now in charge of providing the government with advice on the

dangers of fish farms?

Hon. S.

Hagen: Thank you, and what an opportunity. You know, the member for North

Island gave that incredibly great speech about the people who are ousted now

from their jobs because of the fire, and hopefully that will be rebuilt.

Why is it that

the NDP dislikes people in our coastal communities so much? Why is it that they

are trying to tear down the economy, trying to tear down forestry and trying to

tear down aquaculture? Why are they trying to do that? We believe on this side

of the House that both salmon industries can coexist on the coast of British

Columbia, the wild salmon and aquaculture.

Now, in answer

to the supplementary question. In 1995 to 1997 the previous government did a

study called the salmon aquaculture review. It took two years and 1,800 pages.

Out of that came 49 recommendations. This government has put in place all but

eight of them. The reason eight haven't been is that they have to be put in

place by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

This study was

supported by the National Marine Fisheries Service study from Washington State.

It was supported by the net-pen salmon farming industry study in the Pacific

Northwest. On top of that, the Hon. John Fraser just released his report in

November, The Protection of Broughton Archipelago Pink Salmon Stocks. And

guess what, Mr. Speaker. Our government is actually implementing his

suggestions.

Mr.

Speaker: The Leader of the Opposition has a further supplementary.

MacPhail: I know this minister has enough time handling the file that he had

before. He doesn't know what's going on. Clearly, he's completely out of touch

with this file. The very studies he named were used to continue the moratorium

on fish farming. It isn't the previous government that brought aquaculture into

disrepute. It's this government that brought it into disrepute — fully and

foremost this government.

British

Columbians don't need more studies…

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please.

MacPhail: …run by fish farm pharmaceutical companies and Liberal backers

to tell the minister what he wants to hear. They don't need a minister who blew

off scientific warnings as just hysteria. Just a few weeks ago he was naming

those very studies as being hysteria. They don't need a minister who's up to his

ears in

[ Page 4710 ]

fish farm money, and they don't need a minister who's been implicated in the

same controversy that brought the former minister down.

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please.

MacPhail: The action that has destroyed public confidence in the aquaculture

industry…. Will he take action now to restore public confidence in the fish

farm industry and in his government's integrity by stepping down from the

Fisheries portfolio?

Hon. S.

Hagen: I've got to tell you, Mr. Speaker: last Thursday, as the new

minister, I met with the industry and gave them a very strong message. This

government expects them to abide by the regulations put in by this government. I

met with the environmentalists and told them that, yes, we obviously do care

about the environment in the province of British Columbia, but we also care

about jobs and people who live in the communities on coastal British Columbia. I

also met with the first nations.

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please. Order, please.

[1425]

Hon. S.

Hagen: I also met with the first nations from the Broughton Archipelago, and

do you know what? The first nations have invited….

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Please continue.

Hon. S.

Hagen: I met with the first nations, as I said. As a result of that meeting,

the first nations have invited myself as the minister, the Hon. John Fraser and

the federal minister, Mr. Thibault, to visit the archipelago, to visit their

villages, to visit the net-pen sites. The Hon. John Fraser and I have accepted

that invitation. I'm waiting for a letter back from Minister Thibault.

This

government believes in the wild salmon, but we think that it can coexist with

salmon farms.

COLLECTION OF UNPAID SALES TAXES

J. Kwan:

To the Minister of Provincial Revenue: what steps does it take before his

ministry files a judgment in the Supreme Court to collect unpaid PST? Can the

minister also explain what steps his ministry would take to secure a Supreme

Court writ of seizure and sale of assets to collect those taxes?

Hon. B.

Barisoff: When the Premier instituted the Ministry of Provincial Revenue,

what he wanted to do was make sure that we had the ability to collect

outstanding debts that were owing to government. So, in doing that, when people

don't pay their debts, we do whatever measures are taken to collect whatever

debts are due to government.

Mr.

Speaker: The member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant has a supplementary

question.

J. Kwan:

Perhaps this question is best directed to the Minister of Forests, but I'll ask

it again of the Minister of Provincial Revenue.

On July 31,

2002, the Supreme Court of B.C. ordered the sheriff to seize and sell assets

belonging to the law firm of De Jong, Derksen and Phipps to cover over $12,000

in unpaid taxes. On August 2, 2002 — two days later — the Supreme Court

judgment was cancelled with no explanation. Can the minister tell this House if

those unpaid taxes were paid and, if so, when?

Hon. B.

Barisoff: I'll take that on notice.

FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL AGREEMENT

ON HEALTH CARE FUNDING

Krueger: Last week the Premier, along with his provincial and territorial

counterparts, met in Ottawa with the Prime Minister to find ways to fix Canada's

ailing health care system. At the meeting the federal government agreed to

provide the provinces with added resources for health care. Will the Premier

please tell British Columbians what this agreement means for them and for the

future of our province's health care system?

Hon. G.

Campbell: Last week we did meet as first ministers in Ottawa. The agreement

that was reached was very clear. We clearly do not have the dollars from the

federal government that we need for a true federal-provincial partnership.

However, approximately $500 million a year will be coming to British Columbia

over the next three years. About half of that will be used to sustain the

current health care system, and an additional half will be used for reforms in

the system.

If I may, I

think it's important to note this. Our health care costs are growing at between

7 and 8 percent a year. The dollars that will flow to British Columbia's

patients through this new arrangement are not going to be sufficient to meet the

full needs of sustainability and reform as they've been identified not just in

British Columbia but across the entire country.

This is a

first step, but there is a long way to go, and we will continue to work to build

a true partnership between our federal government — and the taxpayers patients

send to them — and the provincial government.

Mr.

Speaker: The member for Kamloops–North Thompson has a supplementary

question.

Krueger: Over the last 18 months this government has implemented quite a

number of significant

[ Page 4711 ]

changes to the province's health care system, with more on the way. With last

week's announcement, people are wondering if we'll get credit for those changes

that we've made. I wonder if the Premier can tell us what impact last week's

announcement will have on those changes our government has already taken to

address the sustainability of the health care system.

[1430]

Hon. G.

Campbell: In terms of addressing the long-term sustainability of the system,

I think we have to be very clear with everyone. We are a long way from bridging

the sustainability gap. The $250 million is roughly 40 percent, maybe, of the

challenges that we see in the health care system today for sustaining the

system.

There is about

$250 million which is available for reform. That health care reform in home

care, in mental health community services, in primary care and in catastrophic

pharmaceutical care is very important to us. It's part of what we were putting

in place as we moved through the changes to the health care system over the last

18 months.

Again, these

are small steps. They are small steps forward. We believe the new arrangements

provide for the flexibility we need to make sure that the dollars flow through

to the bedside, where people need it the most. We also believe that there's much

more work to be done.

In terms of

the reform package that we've put in place, I want the member opposite to know

that this government remains committed to making sure the health care dollars we

receive from British Columbians are focused first and foremost on the needs of

patients in this province.

HERITAGE AQUACULTURE

LICENCE VIOLATION

MacPhail: We heard from the new Fisheries minister that he wants to do

everything in the most legitimate way, according to all of the regulations, in

an environmentally sound way.

Heritage

Aquaculture, a fish farm company that contributed generously — another one —

to the Fisheries minister's local election campaign, stands accused of violating

its permit. It's alleged that Heritage is operating 24 open-net fish farm pens

at its operation in the Broughton Archipelago when it's only licensed for 12.

As the

minister is well aware, I know, disease has once again broken out at Heritage,

threatening the coming run of pink salmon. The community is demanding that

Heritage be shut down to protect pink salmon stocks. The minister has said he

wants both to survive — the wild stock and the fish farm stock. Will the

minister listen, investigate and shut operations at Heritage to protect

consumers and wild salmon from disease?

Hon. S.

Hagen: The member opposite is confused again. She's confusing the sockeye

disease, which is spread by wild sockeye to farmed salmon, with the issue in the

Broughton Archipelago.

The company,

which she mentioned, was presented with an official warning on January 24 of

this year as a result of being in non-compliance. A follow-up inspection has

been scheduled to assess the current status of the site. This is coming under

the new regulations, which we had to make tougher because the old regulations

put in by the previous government weren't tough enough.

The results of

the investigation may lead to one of the following outcomes: the issuance of a

violation ticket, recommended charges to Crown counsel, or recommendations for

licence suspension or cancellation.

[End

of question period.]

Reports from Committees

Lekstrom: I have the honour to present the second report of the Select

Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the third session of

the thirty-seventh parliament respecting the review of the statutory officers.

I would move

that the report be taken and read as received.

Motion

approved.

Lekstrom: I would ask leave of the House to suspend the rules to permit the

moving of a motion to adopt the report.

Leave

granted.

[1435]

Lekstrom: At this time I would move that the report be adopted.

Just to touch

on this issue, there has been some concern expressed in the concerns of some of

the statutory officers, and I'd like to make something very clear. This

committee, which is a legislated committee of this House, has made it very clear

to the statutory officers that should additional requirements for funding be

necessary, they can re-approach the committee to address those concerns. I

wanted to make sure that was very clear to not only the statutory officers but

all British Columbians should circumstances be needed that way.

Mr.

Speaker: The question is the adoption of the report.

MacPhail: Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to note — because one couldn't tell

from the report — that as a member of this committee, after hearing from all

of the legislative officers and deliberating with my colleagues and after a very

thorough debate, I voted against this report and the recommendations.

Motion

approved.

[ Page 4712 ]

Mr.

Speaker: Hon. members, just before we proceed to routine business of the

day, I would point out to all members that the long-awaited current edition of

the Members' Handbook is on every member's desk. I know that as you put

it into the binder, you will peruse every page.

Orders of the Day

Hon. G.

Collins: Mr. Speaker, I call Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

Throne Speech Debate

Bennett: I move, seconded by the member for Victoria–Beacon Hill, that:

"We, Her Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative

Assembly of British Columbia in session assembled, beg leave to thank Your

Honour for the gracious speech which Your Honour has addressed to us at the

opening of the present session."

With that, Mr.

Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to respond to the Speech from the Throne.

The Speech from the Throne sets out the government's vision for moving the

province forward towards our goal of prosperity for all British Columbians.

There is much in the speech that provides hope to rural British Columbians in

particular. I will be using my opportunity here today to focus most of my

comments about the throne speech on rural B.C.

The new B.C.

heartlands economic strategy and the creation of economic development plans for

the regions of the province will give rural regions the opportunity to assess

the vast and diverse potential of their regions. I look forward to the Minister

of Competition, Science and Enterprise visiting the East Kootenay sometime soon

to hear from the people of our region their ideas for renewing prosperity.

The references

in the speech to revitalizing northern and rural transportation infrastructure

are also exciting. Major improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway at Kicking

Horse Pass are long overdue. The recognition that regional airports are economic

engines is also very good news for rural B.C. and particularly the Kootenay

region, which is looking forward with great anticipation to the expansion of the

Cranbrook Airport.

New

legislation to support action on coalbed methane development, a commitment to

offshore oil and gas development by 2010, establishing a B.C. resort task force

to promote the development of resort communities across the province, changes to

the Small Business Venture Capital Act to increase access to seed capital, new

partnerships with first nations to finally get treaty-making on the move and

create more certainty for business investment, regional innovation chairs at the

colleges of B.C. to foster economic and social research — all of these

measures are exciting and bring hope to the people of British Columbia that this

government is making progress on its commitments to renew prosperity across all

of British Columbia. The speech offers hope that we can bridge the rural-urban

economic imbalance that does exist and that has existed in this province for at

least two decades.

I have lived a

rural lifestyle for all of my 52 years. I grew up in a town of 3,200 people and

lived a good share of my life in the northern Canadian wilderness. Rural-urban

differences are not new. This is not a new problem, as some of this government's

antagonists would have us believe. It is true that rural B.C. and rural Canada

have certainly changed over my lifetime. Many people have moved from rural areas

to urban areas because that's where the economic growth and the new jobs have

been created.

[1440]

Even with

the loss of population, rural British Columbia — the economic heartlands of

this province — makes an overwhelming contribution to the province's economic

health. The Urban Futures Institute informed British Columbians just a while ago

of what most rural people have suspected: forestry and mining and agriculture

still form the backbone of the provincial economy. The B.C. Progress Board's

January 2003 report on the economic heartlands states that in 2001, industries

located primarily in rural B.C. were responsible for 72 percent of the value of

B.C.'s international goods exports and roughly 60 percent of the province's

total exports in goods and services.

What exactly

defines rural? For me, rural refers to the special relationship that rural

people unquestionably have with the land. It very often means that the person

feeds his or her family from a job or a business that depends on access to the

land in rural B.C.

If we want to

open up rural B.C. to all the opportunities that exist for the province, we must

give rural British Columbians the freedom to act responsibly as the custodians

of the land they know. If there is one trend in public policy that has hurt

rural British Columbia over the past decade, it is the trend of former

governments to close off access to the primary source of this province's wealth:

the land base.

Rural British

Columbia does want high-speed broadband Internet to open up small business,

education and health-related opportunities. We do understand the value in

developing more diversified rural economies, whether that be tourism,

value-added wood enterprises, light manufacturing or real estate developments.

But as very clearly established by the B.C. Progress Board and the Urban Futures

Institute just in this past year, forestry, mining and agriculture continue to

drive the economy in all of British Columbia and especially in the rural parts

of the province. Rural B.C. needs growth and diversification in both the

resource industries and all the other new opportunities.

I want to tell

a true story in the House today about a choice between opening up opportunities

in rural B.C. for new jobs and economic growth or closing those opportunities.

There is an area in the southeast corner of this province known as the Flathead

Valley. This area contains the highest non-coastal density of grizzly bears in

North America. It also contains vast numbers of Rocky Mountain elk, deer, black

bear, Rocky Moun-

[ Page 4713 ]

tain bighorn sheep, mountain goats and all manner of smaller critters. Those

who believe that this wealth of wildlife diversity will be lost unless a park is

created would like to extend Waterton National Park in from Alberta and take in

the Flathead Valley.

But there is

another feature of the Flathead Valley that is also interesting and unknown

outside the region. There have been people working and playing in this valley

for 100 years. The Flathead Valley was one of the first areas the CPR took ties

from. The CPR took millions of trees out of the Elk and Flathead valleys to

build the railway across this province. Hunters, anglers, campers, loggers,

miners, gas drillers and prospectors have used the Flathead Valley for decades

and decades and decades.

In the 1970s

much of the Flathead Valley was infested by a pine beetle epidemic that came in

from Montana. Unlike what has happened in B.C. in the 1990s — tragically in

northern B.C. — government in the 1970s had the foresight to remove the

infested trees from the Flathead immediately, before the plague could spread

north through the Elk Valley and over the Rockies. Now, some 30 years later,

there is a third-growth forest growing in much of the Flathead Valley.

Those who

claim that people must stay out of these areas also claim that conserving this

wilderness can only be achieved by creating another park. "Keep the people

out; keep their machines out," is what they say. The Ministry of

Sustainable Resource Management is about to put out for public consultation a

draft plan of the southern Rocky Mountain management plan. The former government

had drawn some lines on the map in the Elk and Flathead valleys just weeks

before the last election. They had made a secret deal with their friends, but

they had not consulted with most of the people who live in the Elk Valley. This

was yet another example of how the last government, the group that now

represents itself as being rural advocates, made arbitrary and unilateral

top-down decisions about land use that had a job-killing impact on rural

communities in this province.

This

government, through the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, gave the

right to self-determination back to the rural people of the Elk Valley. Over 40

very diverse groups met and debated and pored over maps and debated some more.

In the end, after 11 months, they created a draft plan for responsible,

integrated activity and conservation in the Elk and Flathead valleys. This

management plan is supported today by the snowmobilers, the local

environmentalists, the miners, the ranchers, the hunters, the hikers, the

naturalists and the loggers.

[1445]

I'm very

proud of the way the people of the Elk Valley came together to work for the past

year on this plan, and I would say that it's a great example of how rural people

understand that we humans are not separate from our natural surroundings. We do

not just look at nature from the outside like a tourist in the zoo. We take and

use some of the excess trees from the forest. We dig wealth from small holes in

the ground, and then we restore the land. We grow food from the soil, and we

irrigate, fertilize and do our best to keep out the harmful insects and diseases

that threaten our food production.

This is not a

negative relationship with nature. This is the relationship that rural people

have always, for all time, had with nature. So when I hear from the Ministry of

Sustainable Resource Management and the Ministry of Forests that British

Columbia will finally have a working forest, roughly 48 percent of our land

base, I am overjoyed — finally, a government in B.C. that understands what

allows us to live our lives in rural B.C. and to very happily send B.C.'s wealth

to the lower mainland, where it is processed, consumed and exported and where it

supports thousands of families.

We need access

to the land to find new mineral wealth that we can share with our neighbours in

the lower mainland. The Sullivan mine in Kimberley over its 100 years built

dozens of hospitals and schools around B.C. It is now gone, with no new mine yet

in B.C. to replace it. Where will we find the billions of dollars in tax revenue

that the Sullivan mine paid to successive B.C. governments over its 100 years?

This government is making some progress. Because of the changes made by the

Energy and Mines minister and the Sustainable Resource Management minister,

exploration is increasing in B.C. In fact, in my riding of East Kootenay it

doubled in the year 2002.

I know many of

my rural colleagues feel the same way I do. We want new mines in our ridings. We

want those high-paying jobs for our constituents and the tax revenues, so we can

put more into health care and education. Rural British Columbians are asking —

we're pleading, I think — those who want to keep us off the land: "Please

respect the needs of families in rural British Columbia."

One particular

area of economic diversification that's showing great promise in the Kootenays

and elsewhere in rural B.C. — and I'm referring to the explosion of the

tourism industry over the last five years…. One thing we have plenty of in the

Kootenays is mountains and valleys and lakes and rivers and trails and wildlife.

We also have world-class golf courses and world-class ski resorts. Hundreds of

billions of dollars have been invested over the past five years in the Kootenays

— all new money, all directed towards the growth of the tourism industry. With

the expansion of the Cranbrook Airport to create a direct air portal into the

Kootenays, market surveys show that European and U.S. tourists will come by the

thousands. Governments will collect important increased tax revenues, and

tourism will continue to create new jobs in our region.

A successful

Olympic bid would also increase this growth in tourism dramatically. The

prospect of a Winter Olympic Games brings hope to the Kootenay region, as it

should to all regions of the province. We are excited about the possibility that

in 2010, the world will come to B.C. to play and spend their money. We already

know from Calgary, from Lillehammer and from Salt Lake City that the potential

to grow the tourism

[ Page 4714 ]

industry will be phenomenal. We know also there are some pre-Olympic training

opportunities for rural B.C., and we know that from the positive experience B.C.

small business had at Salt Lake City, there will be many, many small business

opportunities when we win the bid.

The ski and

golf resorts in the Kootenays are already strategizing on how to best exploit

the direct European and U.S. charters that will be coming from an expanded

Cranbrook Airport. It's just a step for these resorts to strategize on how their

fast-growing businesses can also exploit the tourism bonanza that British

Columbia will enjoy when we win the bid. We're holding a regional gathering in

Cranbrook of people from around the Kootenays on March 19 to strategize on how

our region can best exploit all the diverse opportunities that will be opened up

by a successful Olympic bid.

[1450]

Our

government does focus on the economy as one of its main priorities. It's a

simple and unavoidable fact that public services decline without a robust

economy. I would like, however, to address one of the other top priorities of

this government, and that is health care. Last April this government gave the

interior health authority the responsibility to manage health care in the East

Kootenay. Some of my constituents asked the question — and it is a good and

fair question: what do we, the people, stand to gain from all this change to

health care in the East Kootenay? Unfortunately, all too often the health

authority has been too busy trying to implement the changes and has not

responded with a sufficient explanation. So let me say to my constituents and

perhaps to other rural British Columbians today that what they stand to gain

from these important changes is, first, sustainable health care for us and our

children. Sustainability is actually a simple concept, but difficult to

implement. If the health care system is sustainable, what that means is that

there will be enough revenue to pay the cost of providing service now and in the

future. The system we inherited as a government was not sustainable. B.C.

taxpayers cannot continue to inject $1 billion of new money into the provincial

health care system, as this government just did.

What else do

rural people gain from the changes taking place in health care? Seniors will

have more choices to stay at home with support or to move to an assisted-living

unit with other seniors for company, communal dining, personal support and

health services. Up until now the only option for low-income seniors who need

some level of health care service was to go into the hospital or into a

long-term residential care institution.

Finally, the

third benefit that all these difficult changes are leading to, which is so often

overlooked, is the increased level of specialist care available on a reliable

basis to rural patients. The East Kootenay has never had seamless, 24-hour,

365-day-a-year access to core medical specialists. We have never had that.

During their ten years the former government refused to make the difficult

decisions, the ones that risked the loss of political support but which are

nonetheless the right decisions. We have made those decisions, and more and more

people are starting to recognize the very positive end goal of these changes.

Finally, after

decades of inertia, this government is putting in the resources for the first

time ever to make the East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook a true

regional referral centre for all the people in the East Kootenay.

Change is

never easy, but what is most important, and what is often lost in the anxiety

brought on by change, is that my constituents in the East Kootenay will receive

some very, very important benefits from changes to health care. We know that

what we are building can be sustained for our children. We also know that our

parents and our grandparents will not be forced to enter an institution before

they need to. We have the knowledge that in the near future if any man, woman or

child in the East Kootenay needs a core medical specialist, they will know for

100 percent certain that they will not be turned away at the regional hospital.

The last 18

months have been challenging for all members of this government, and I expect

that the next two years will continue to be challenging. Very few people enjoy

the prospect of change. In fact, it is probably often the prospect of change and

the anxiety about the change that people have the most difficulty with. I

respect the anxiety that I hear expressed in my riding, and I am confident that

with the additional information promised in the throne speech, the people of

rural B.C. will more and more come to realize the benefits of the plan that this

government is implementing.

I say to the

people in my riding who are worried about the future: we will work harder to get

you the facts in a timely way. When you have the facts, we will work with you so

that we understand your concerns.

The

cheerleaders for the status quo are hard at work. Information from our

government about what we are really doing and not doing will not be welcomed by

them. But the Speech from the Throne is clear. This government will continue to

work towards a better, more prosperous British Columbia. We will not spend more

than taxpayers can afford to pay, nor will we settle for doing all the same

things in the same ways that have not worked in the past. The Speech from the

Throne is a strong, bold vision. We will pursue this vision with the commitment

and energy that this government has demonstrated to date — and more. We will

move British Columbia forward into the prosperous future that all British

Columbians want and deserve.

[1455]

J. Bray:

It is indeed my privilege today to second the motion made by the member for East

Kootenay. It is an honour again to rise on behalf of the residents of my

community, Victoria–Beacon Hill, and respond to the throne speech.

The

Lieutenant-Governor has laid out a comprehensive vision for British Columbia. It

is not only a

[ Page 4715 ]

vision that deals with the present but also a vision for our children and

grandchildren. As I have done in previous responses to the throne speech, I want

to take this opportunity to highlight areas of the throne speech I believe are

important to my constituents and to draw attention to those issues my

constituents have raised with me since the House was last in session.

Victoria–Beacon

Hill is a dynamic riding. Although the smallest geographic riding in the

province, there are many distinct neighbourhoods. James Bay, Fernwood, downtown,

Jubilee, Fairfield, Rockland and Vic West all bring distinct perspectives to the

issues I deal with as their MLA.

I agree with

the sentiments expressed in the speech. A lot has happened over the past year as

the world has struggled to recover from the devastating after-effects of

September 11, 2001. We do indeed live in trying, uncertain times of great global

change. New solutions are required to cope with the generational challenges that

all Canadians are facing in health care, education and other vital social

program areas. This throne speech provides the road map to long-term solutions.

There are

fundamental elements to review, and let me start with health care. No area of

government is of more concern than the reforming of health care. We must find

new ways of dealing with rising health care costs while also increasing access

to services, drugs, technology and highly skilled health professionals. This is

very important because, of course, the public sometimes doesn't hear this

message clearly. It is important to note that in the last year, this government

has increased funding for health care by $1.1 billion. However, we must

recognize that it's still not enough to keep pace with British Columbians'

growing demands, an aging population and rising expectations for ever bigger,

better and more expensive health care services.

Victoria–Beacon Hill we have a couple of significant health issues that I have

been working on with my constituents. As I have mentioned several times in this

House, the James Bay Community Project health clinic is a vital health service

for the residents in James Bay, many of them seniors. It is funded under a

blended funding model which includes population-based funding and

fee-for-service. Practices funded under this model are paid for the number of

patients cared for and not for the number of services provided. It is part of

primary care reform. It is part of the thrust that the provincial governments

and the federal governments are working towards, and it is a dynamic source of

health care in my riding.

However, James

Bay has had to face the resignation of their doctors over a dispute with the

board. Uncertainty over the future of this unique health care centre is very

trying for many patients. Many of the residents are seniors, and the lack of

access to quality health care is paramount in their lives. I will continue to

press for the best funding options available to meet the needs of this

community.

In that vein,

the throne speech does outline that later this year, the government will

initiate a new strategy for chronic-disease management. I am very pleased to see

this. As a member of the Select Standing Committee on Health, we have been

recommending that this area receives higher focus. I also want to point out to

my colleagues and to the Ministry of Health Planning that the James Bay health

clinic is ideally suited to be a lead locale in advancing strategies for

chronic-disease management. In fact, over the last three years they have

implemented a strategy dealing with diabetes to effectively manage the care for

people living with the disease, to reduce the incidence of hospital stays,

incorrect drug interactions and other effects of diabetes, and they are moving

forward to implement plans to deal with cardiac disease. I want to remind the

members that when we're looking for opportunities, the James Bay health clinic

is available to take the lead.

[1500]

Another key

area for my community, and one that has received a lot of attention recently, is

the looming crisis in Victoria's downtown core. Together the city, the Vancouver

Island health authority and the Victoria police have recently announced a joint

strategy to deal with illicit drug use, homelessness and mental health as it

pertains to our community. For my riding this means not only downtown but also

other residential neighbourhoods such as Fernwood. We often talk about how

governments fight with each other, how governments don't get along. I think it's

very important to note that there is cooperation among the local authorities to

deliver immediate as well as long-term solutions to this problem. The local

authorities have asked us for help. They've asked for help from the province.

They are looking to the provincial government to be a partner in these

solutions. As the MLA for downtown, I will work with ministers to ensure that we

do our part to support this collaborative and positive approach.

Later this

week I will be touring downtown with Rev. Al Tysick from the Open Door to see at

first hand where the gaps in service are, meet the people living on the street

and find solutions to improve their lives by allowing for access to the services

that they need, the services that not only will benefit the individuals but in

fact will benefit our entire community. I will also be taking the Minister for

Mental Health on an evening ride-along with the Victoria city police to see what

our police officers must deal with from the perspective of dealing with persons

with mental illness. My hope is that by allowing the minister to see the front

lines in Victoria, we can identify gaps in service for people with mental

illness and that the provincial government, in cooperation and conjunction with

the health authority and the city, can deliver real solutions to the needs of

these citizens.

Constituents

tell me they want to be more involved in the decisions regarding health care in

Victoria. To that end, later this month I'll be holding community consultations

in Vic West, Fairfield and Fernwood. These forums will bring the decision-makers

from the health sector together with the community for an ex-

[ Page 4716 ]

change of ideas and information on important local health issues.

In light of

that, I would also like to draw attention…. The throne speech made mention of

child care, and I'm very pleased today to see an announcement on child care

subsidy — that is, the subsidy that goes to low-income families to help them

pay for the cost of child care. The income threshold with which parents are

tested for eligibility for child care subsidy has been increased by $100

starting this May. Three thousand more children will be eligible for subsidy,

and another 6,000 children will see an increase in their funding. That is

significant support for those that are working in our communities, those who are

going to school to improve the lives of themselves and their families. I'm very

proud that we've responded so quickly to the throne speech by delivering on that

promise to improve child care for families in British Columbia.

One of the

issues I hear most frequently from my constituents is the treatment of first

nations. That is why I know my constituents will welcome the tone of

reconciliation outlined in the throne speech. I agree with the statement that it

is up to us to accord first nations the respect, support and social and economic

opportunities to which they are entitled.

Errors have

been made in the past. Our institutions have failed aboriginal people across our

province. I believe my constituents want the provincial government to make real

progress on treaties and to recognize that we must treat each first nation as an

individual entity, and that each first nation has its own history, culture,

spirituality and wisdom. We often talk about the concept that one size doesn't

fit all. Well, that is no more relevant than with first nations. Once we

recognize the individuality of each first nation — their distinct language,

their oral traditions — and learn from each culture how they relate to their

elders and to the earth, then I believe we all can move forward together secure

in our uniqueness of spirit but commonality of purpose. I applaud the boldness

of the throne speech in addressing this vital area of our provincial lives.

Another

important theme in the throne speech is that of opening up our province to

opportunity. I believe one area that is vital and very important to my community

is education. That is why I'm so pleased that despite dropping enrolment, our

school district will receive the same budget as last year, in effect increasing

the funding provided for each student. I am also delighted that Victoria will

share in the additional education funding of $50 million recently announced by

the Premier. This is a result of savings in the Education ministry and will go

directly to helping school districts deal with cost pressures, and it'll mean

stronger educational opportunities for our students. I'm very pleased that the

Victoria share of these funds is almost $2 million going straight to the needs

of students.

[1505]

As a member

of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, education

was a major focus of our recommendations. In fact, I want to reiterate one of

our key recommendations from the report: that government give serious

consideration to providing additional transitional funding for the K-to-12

education system. During the public hearings, the committee was struck forcibly

by how much financial pressure educators working in the K-to-12 system seem to

be experiencing as they try to adjust to the new funding formula for school

districts. I'm therefore very pleased that government has responded to our

committee's work, responded to the views of British Columbians and delivered on

the priorities the community has identified, but I do believe more needs to be

done.

The select

standing committee also recommended special attention be paid to the

school-based funding envelope. These are programs that include school meal

programs and youth and family counsellors. I will continue to strongly advocate

that funding be allocated for these programs to the end of the school year and

not just to the end of the fiscal year of March 31. I will continue to work with

the Minister of Children and Family Development to ensure that school-based

funding remains a permanent fixture in his budget.

Another key

theme in the throne speech, along the lines of opening up the province, was

tourism. As members are well aware and I remind them, tourism is one of the

fastest-growing and most exciting aspects of the Victoria economy. I'm very

pleased that again we have reinvigorated our commitment to doubling tourism by

the year 2010. I know that in working with the provincial government, the city

and the regions in the capital area are determined to ensure we help attain that

goal. I will continue to work with the Minister of Transportation to ensure that

we find support for the Belleville Street terminal, which is our border with our

American cousins who come up to visit Victoria.

I will ensure

that we take full advantage of the opportunities that our Olympic bid will

provide to not only Vancouver and Whistler but, indeed, the whole province. I

know that Vancouver Island is gaining momentum in its excitement towards the

bid, is looking for opportunities to support the bid and is looking for

opportunities to ensure our residents get full benefit from that opportunity.

The throne

speech spoke of exciting opportunities in the heartlands of our province for

providing opportunity and access to our natural resources for the benefit of our

communities and first nations and the ability of government to deliver important

public services. In general, my constituents would agree with this direction.

However, there's a great sensitivity to our environment that my community

expresses to me regularly. They want to ensure that economic benefits do not

come at the expense of our environment. Therefore, I will be working with

government to ensure that the issues my community believes are important are

addressed as various economic ministries move forward.

Specifically,

the throne speech identified clean energy sources as a key focal point of the

energy plan. I know my community is eager to see progress on Vancouver Island

and indeed the whole province in the

[ Page 4717 ]

development and delivery of clean power. I encourage the government to

support these initiatives and encourage the large energy consumers to explore

the use of alternative energy sources to the benefit of all. My constituents

want to leave an environmentally positive legacy for future generations as well

as a strong economic legacy for our children.

Finally, I

wish to speak to an issue that I believe my constituents are eager to see

progress on. That's the citizens' assembly. As the throne speech stated, this

year your government will put the drafting pen in the hands of the people to

shape the future of our parliamentary democracy in the twenty-first century. A

citizens' assembly will examine and make recommendations on the crucial issue of

electoral reform. British Columbians will have an unprecedented opportunity to

review and debate all models available throughout the world for electing their

MLAs consistent with our system of responsible government. If the assembly

ultimately determines that there is a better model than the current system, that

model will be put directly to the people in a referendum to amend our provincial

constitution on May 17, 2005.

The throne

speech also identified that a motion will be introduced in this assembly within

a few weeks to initiate this process, following the release of the report that

was completed by Gordon Gibson. This is a historic situation for Canadian

parliamentary history. This is absolutely exciting that the politicians will be

removed from the process. It will be the citizens that will make the

determination on how they want to see their representatives elected.

In fact, it

reminds me that it was W.H. Auden who said: "There is no such thing as a

perfect democratic state good for all time." Our political institutions

change even when we're not paying attention to them. But as circumstances

change, so, too, will our attention focus from time to time on the need to

embrace more consciously the project of political reform.

[1510]

As the

throne speech highlighted, some reform has already taken place in this House in

the last 18 months. We have government caucus committees that allow

unprecedented opportunities for private members to have influence on the

development of public policy, not just the debating of public policy.

Select

standing committees of the Legislature — some that haven't seen the light of

day for 30 years — are now out and travelling the province, hearing from

British Columbians and reporting to the Legislature. What's most important is

that the Select Standing Committee on Education, the Select Standing Committee

on Finance and Government Services and the Select Standing Committee on Health

have all had direct impact and positive change in the direction of government

policy for the benefit of British Columbians throughout the province. I think

that is an outstanding achievement that this parliament is delivering to the

people of British Columbia by being open, accessible and accountable.

The other

thing that has gone somewhat under the radar screen is that we've instituted

free votes in this Legislature. In fact, they're so common now that people tend

not to notice, but private members do speak on behalf of their constituents. On

countless occasions since the last election, members have stood up and spoken

out on behalf of their constituents. I'm proud to have stood up on more than one

occasion to vote on behalf of my constituents in this House. That's the kind of

change people want. That's the response they want from their representatives,

and I'm proud to be a member of government that has bravely endorsed this,

accepted it and moved forward with it. It's what the people want.

In the

elections of 1996 and 2001 we saw results in this Legislature that many felt did

not reflect the actual voting preferences of citizens. For me, the fundamental

goal of elections is not to serve the need of political parties. The goal of

elections is to give citizens a voice in choosing their government. Thus, the

urgent question for 1996, 2001 and all elections is this: how do we create a

system that better serves all of the people of the province? I will continue to

promote a citizens' assembly that will allow ordinary citizens, and not

politicians, to decide how they wish to elect their representatives and their

government. The main focus of electoral reform is and ought to be not the

political party but the voter. Therefore, I am pleased that this progressive

first in Canadian history was part of the throne speech.

British

Columbia is poised to make great strides in our economy, delivery of public

services and our place in the world. I will continue to work on behalf of my

community to ensure their views and interests are represented in the House and

in government. The future is ours, and we can help shape what it will be for us

and future generations. I'm reminded of a statement a friend once made to me:

"Fear of the future is no foundation for a better tomorrow."

Therefore, my community looks forward with their eyes firmly fixed on the hope

for peace, health and happiness for all those who live in this province.

MacPhail: Welcome back to all of our colleagues for this session — a very

important session.

I rise today

in response to the Speech from the Throne — a throne speech that marks the

halfway point in this government's mandate, a throne speech that I am sure the

Premier had hoped to see delivered under different political, economic and

fiscal circumstances.

After almost

two years in power, the economy is not well. The deficit is out of control. More

debt is being added to the books than ever before. Our communities are being

devastated. Our health and education systems are in decline, and perhaps most

importantly, the reputation that the government and the Premier had hoped to

build for competence and integrity is in tatters.

For all their

high-flown rhetoric, throne speeches can be useful for the insight they provide

into the confidence that a government and its leader have in their

[ Page 4718 ]

agenda. This throne speech powerfully demonstrates that this government has

lost that confidence and doesn't know any longer what to do with its enormous

legislative majority now that it is rapidly losing its moral authority.

[1515]

Less than

two years ago the Premier won an overwhelming mandate on a promise of hope and

prosperity, on a promise to restore confidence in the integrity of our political

institutions. Not only has that promise not been fulfilled, it's been broken.

More than half of British Columbians think that the Premier should resign. More

than that think he's lost the moral authority to govern, and more than that

think at the very least he is, to put it politely, one who is prone to double

standards. How very sad — so much hope, so much promise, so much confidence

reduced to a desperate attempt to re-earn trust. Two years after being swept to

power, B.C. is a more polarized, a more anxious and a less confident province

than it has been in recent memory.

The Premier

promised to change politics, to transcend old divisions and to return integrity.

He has failed on all those counts, reinforcing the old patterns of polarization

that have infected our political system for far too long. The Premier promised

to usher in a new era, but he's delivered more of the same, only now with a

hard, right-wing, mean-spirited edge. This is not what British Columbians voted

for. This is not what they deserve.

The opposition

— conscious of our past mistakes, aware that now is a time to listen and to

learn, and dedicated to setting a new course for our party and province — is

committed to delivering the lasting political, economic and social change that

British Columbians are demanding. I'm sure many British Columbians expect me and

my colleague — indeed, many have asked us — to focus on the Premier's arrest

and the criminal charges and penalties that he still must face. There is a

tremendous amount of anger, frustration and disappointment with the Premier, but

we are going to refrain from doing that.

A month ago I

said that by the Premier's own standards of conduct that he aggressively and

vigorously demanded of others over the course of his political career, he had no

choice but to resign. He did not make that choice, and so today we are left with

a significantly diminished Premier and a government trying to cope with huge

public policy questions, having blown much of their political and moral capital

defending the criminal behaviour of one man. Those challenges grow with each

passing day, but the government has neither the vision nor the moral authority

to take them on.

British

Columbia is not the province it was only a few short years ago. We are faced

with a whole new set of problems and new opportunities. The forces of

globalization and technological innovation have had a profound effect on all

societies, none more so than our province. Only a generation ago we were, with

some very notable exceptions, a fairly homogenous and in some ways a deeply

conservative society. Not any longer. Today British Columbia pulsates with the

rhythm and dynamic energy of the entire world. The huge mountains and the vast

oceans which once locked us in physically and psychologically are now just

points on the map.

A small, open

society with a highly educated workforce, huge natural advantages, diverse and

outward looking, British Columbia could not be better positioned to take

advantage of the opportunities that the new economy affords. We in British

Columbia are wasting that opportunity. Through blind ideological commitment to a

failing right-wing economic agenda, the government is wasting B.C.'s opportunity

to be an economic leader, to show the world that economic innovation and growth

can and must go hand in hand with fairness, compassion and social justice.

[1520]

Instead of

bringing people together in a common project to build a better, more democratic

and more prosperous province, we are dividing people, pitting workers against

management, environmentalists against loggers, rural against urban British

Columbians, rich against the middle class and the poor. Instead of encouraging

the potential of every British Columbian to realize their hopes and dreams and

to bridge the gap between who they are and what they want for themselves, we are

throwing up as many barriers as we possibly can on their life's journey.

The government

is throwing up obstacles, doing the best it can to crush initiative by making a

hard life unbearable. This is economic foolishness, and it's morally

reprehensible. It results from the government's ferocious commitment to a

right-wing, anti-government ideology, an ideology that seems to have engulfed

the Liberal Party, an ideology that gained purchase in reaction to the previous

administrations but has gone way too far in the other direction. It's an

ideology that is taking B.C. down a path that a growing majority of British

Columbians don't care to travel, and it's an ideology that is out of step with

the spirit that put our province on the map and the spirit of our times.

I am the first

to admit that governing is difficult. I am the first to admit the mistakes made

by the previous government. Too often we played to the lowest common

denominator, looking for the easy hit and the quick headline. Too often we

declared enemies and polarized issues, believing wrongly that some political

advantage would accrue. Then, when things didn't go as planned, we blamed the

media. We blamed the communications of the policy instead of the policies

themselves.

I take great

pride in many of our government's achievements, but the wonderful good was

overwhelmed by the culmination of failures, and we paid a heavy price. You would

think, having spent ten years in opposition, that the Liberals would have

learned something. But they didn't. They have brought neither stability nor

moderation nor thoughtfulness to their task. From forestry to fish farms, from

education to the environment, from the economy to the integrity of

[ Page 4719 ]

those at the cabinet table, the Liberals have brought shame upon their

offices and disrepute to their policies.

The Premier

about to be sentenced for drunk driving; a minister under police investigation;

questions swirling about the relationship of big money, big industry, political

influence and the safety of our food and future of our wild salmon stocks;

concocted and contradictory stories from the Attorney General about what led to

the decision to pay for a judge to smoke in her office; and, of course, the

ongoing scandal of the Liberals' class war carried out against the poor, the

disabled and the vulnerable…. Why? It's to pay for a massive transfer of

wealth from the poor to the super rich, all grounded in an ideology that may

excite the academics of the Fraser Institute but is leaving communities across

B.C. wondering if they have a future. It's grounded in this outdated,

discredited ideology and paid for by this government's campaign backers, the

same wealthy corporations, industries and individuals who now benefit from

virtually every government decision.

The public is

fed up with the perception that governments are bought and paid for by special

interests. That's one of the reasons why we have called for the Premier to

introduce campaign finance reform that would take the money out of politics and

ensure that the public policy decisions are made with the public in mind, not

big forest companies, not the multinational fish farm industry, not the

wealthiest among us who are the only ones with any of their tax cuts still in

their wallets.

[1525]

Campaign

finance reform is good public policy. It's sensible, it's moderate, and it's

doable. That's precisely why this government is unlikely to do anything about

it. The Premier has made it clear. He's not going to do anything about campaign

finance reform. But I'll repeat my call today, and I hope the Premier's

listening. Bring forward a bill that would fundamentally change the perception

that political parties are bought and paid for, and the opposition caucus will

support it 100 percent.

The government

has also promised massive reforms to the way we extract wealth from our forests.

Change is necessary, market reforms included, but once again the Liberals are

putting the primacy of markets ahead of the needs of communities, tearing up the

social contract upon which this province was built, with little thought to the

ruined communities they will leave in their wake.

Rural B.C. is

hurting. A change of name, to the heartland B.C., won't change a thing unless

this government takes action. Rural B.C. is hurting. It's hurting in a way we

haven't seen since the 1930s. Those are not my words; those are the words of the

old-timers I've met with in the communities throughout rural B.C. At precisely

the moment they are most in need, the Liberals have walked in and closed their

schools, shut down their courthouses, locked their hospital emergency room

doors, put liens on many of their homes and said, in essence: "You're on

your own. Good luck. Life is tough. Let's hope we get the Olympics. Maybe you'll

get lucky, and some tourists will find themselves your way — not by a train.

Maybe they'll stumble upon your community."

Now in this

throne speech, adding insult to injuries, the Liberals have renamed the

interior, as I've said, the heartland, as if that will solve the problems

they've created. What's the point of paying taxes? What's the point of

participating in our province's political and civic life if that's all a

government can do for you when times are as tough as they've been in

generations? With almost every seat in the province, interior residents are

wondering what on earth their Liberal MLAs are doing. Who is standing up for

them? As the politicians draw up their plans for change, who is at the table to

remind them that there are stories, there are lives, there are families and

dreams built over generations behind every number and in every graph and chart?

Who is there to say that while we may need to change the way we arrive at a

price for our trees, we cannot forget the value of those trees to our

communities?

Rural

British Columbians know that change is coming. They know that change is

required, but they also know that it will all be for naught unless their needs

— and not some abstract market principle — are the centre of the new balance

that is struck. These British Columbians are the very ones that are joining

together under the community forest solutions banner to consult, to listen and

to develop new solutions that embrace the need to change in a way that remains

true to communities' enduring values.

[1530]

We can also

expect, finally, to see in this session this government's plan for what is

euphemistically known as the community charter, but what everybody knows to be a

blueprint for downloading provincial costs and tax powers onto municipalities as

the province gets out of the business of governing. We saw that in the

announcement of the fees changes by the open cabinet last Friday — upping all

sorts of fees but claiming, on the other hand, that they were going to remove a

whole bunch of fees. Well, it turns out they're not actually removing those

fees. They're downloading them onto other agencies at the local level —

another little spin by the Liberal open cabinet meetings. Is the taxpayer

getting rid of those fees? Not at all. They'll just be charged by a different

local agency, and that's just the beginning of what the community charter will

mean for taxpayers in this province.

This session,

with close to half their mandate behind them, the government will no longer be

able to blame others for their failures. The health care system is worse, much

worse, than it was two years ago. Public education is in serious decline.

Affordable day care is out of reach for thousands of working people, thousands

of working parents who have seen their subsidies reduced. Seniors to this day

are still being moved around from care home to care home in a botched and

dishonest effort to build cheap and unsatisfactory assisted-living beds.

The

environment is in trouble, with polluters getting special treatment and special

access, and the econ-

[ Page 4720 ]

omy still sputters along waiting for the miracle of trickle-down economics to

work its promised magic. The Liberals have certainly delivered change:

short-term, ill-conceived and hurried change to cope with the reckless tax

giveaway that has, sadly, driven every decision since their first day in office.

Instead of the lasting, thoughtful reform of our institutions that was promised,

the Liberals have veered off in a direction that few expected and that certainly

wasn't disclosed.

In the

process, British Columbians have seen the enduring values that define our

province sacrificed in countless ways and small injustices to pay the price of

one big mistake, a mistake born from a narrow and oversimplistic idea of what it

takes to prosper in an era of lasting change. Lasting change, enduring values

— these are the principles, I believe, that this government, any government,

must use as their compass in an era where the only constant is uncertainty.

[J.

Weisbeck in the chair.]

With war on

the horizon, we cannot even be certain what the next few weeks will bring. How

long will the war last? How many lives will be lost? What will it do to our

fragile economy? We don't know the answers. All we can know for sure is that at

times like this, we need to return to first principles, to those enduring values

that centre our moral vision: peace, humanity, civility, tolerance and

compassion — values that are now more important than ever, and values that

desperately need to find renewed expression in our political and civil life.

I don't for a

moment think that anyone in this room is anything but committed to those values,

but still I think that many have forgotten them — maybe momentarily; I hope

not forever. Forgotten by a government that rode to power on the promise of

change and that thought that's all they had to deliver. Forgotten by a

government that had one big idea — tax cuts — but no smaller, more practical

ideas and certainly no backup plan if things went wrong. Forgotten by a

government for whom ideology always seems to trump common sense.

[1535]

The

throne speech talks repeatedly about opening up. If the Premier and his

government were serious about demonstrating change, demonstrating the compassion

the Premier has asked British Columbians for…. If the Premier is serious about

regaining public trust, credibility and the moral authority he has squandered,

he would do just that: open up — open up and listen to the thousands of

British Columbians who are crying out for the government they thought they voted

for. We hear from them every day — British Columbians who openly admit that

they voted against our former government, British Columbians who voted for

change but not this kind of change.

The coming

session promises to be a tough one. I will certainly not hold back my critique

of the government. My colleague and I will continue to put forward constructive,

positive solutions to the serious challenges facing our economy, our forest

industry, our rural communities, our health care system and our schools. But I

want to say in closing that although we disagree passionately about the

direction this province is taking, I sincerely wish the Premier, his cabinet and

his caucus the best. Governing is not easy. I know that from experience. I think

the Premier has finally realized that it will not be as easy as he fantasized it

would be when he was in opposition. But good government requires listening to

those you govern. This government needs to do a better job of that. It's not too

late to start.

Suffredine: It's an honour to rise in response to the Speech from the

Throne. Opening up the heartlands to opportunity is what we need in the

Kootenays.

When I was

elected in May of 2001, I knew that the choices that I and the others would have

to face in order to reverse a decade of mismanagement would not be easy. In that

decade of decline the debt owed by the province doubled. The commitments made by

the former government would have seen the annual deficit grow to $7 billion

within a few years unless we took action.

We acted. It

hasn't been easy. I've worried about the effects some of the things we've done

have had on people where I live and on people I know. I've noticed in that short

time that I have a lot more grey hair. But in the end, I think it will all be

worth it.

On the way

home from Victoria recently, I had time to reflect. One thing that struck me was

how easy it can be to lose sight of the underlying problems in this province

that prompted me to run for office and that prompted voters across this province

to sweep this government into power. We had a sluggish economy that forced many

people to watch their children move away to find work.

The underlying

problem was poor fiscal management of B.C. For decades previous governments had

recorded deficit after deficit budget that grew our debt to an enormous amount

and eventually made us a have-not province, qualifying us for federal

equalization payments. British Columbia has a debt of $38 billion. That's

alarming, but the worst

part is that the interest payments on that debt cost us

$7.2 million every single day of the week. That's just interest; it doesn't

touch the principal. For most people that number is just too large to

comprehend. The most difficult

part is that our children and grandchildren will

have to pay this back. They deserve better. That's why fundamental change to

spending tax dollars has been necessary.

We're sticking

to a plan to balance the budget and stop digging ourselves further into debt. It

involves spending money responsibly while stimulating the economy to increase

government revenues. It's not an easy task, and it will take time, but it's the

right thing to do. British Columbia has more resources and greater potential

than any Canadian province. We should have a thriving economy with our rich

resources. That's why I'm so pleased that the government understands the

[ Page 4721 ]

value of the heartlands. We who live in the heartlands know the true economic

strength is there in our people and our resources. There are opportunities in

mining, forestry, high-tech and tourism that can and will bring jobs to the

people throughout the province if they have the chance.

[1540]

Opening

opportunities in the mining sector can help mining reach its full potential in

the Kootenays. Recently I received some information on a development of a mining

project near New Denver. This project was originally begun in the 1980s by a

company known as BP Resources. It's called the Willa project. Millions of

dollars were spent many years ago on the Willa proving up a body of gold-,

copper- and silver-bearing ore. Sadly, that project was abandoned during the era

of the NDP. Now it has a chance to proceed if we create a friendly business

environment. Mining produces the best-paying jobs of all sectors. This project

alone could produce up to 90 jobs, and the ore is to be trucked to Goldstream to

be processed in an already existing mill, so the environmental impact will be

minimal. If this project proceeds, the whole Arrow Lakes and Slocan region will

benefit.

Our plan is

working. Business and investors have renewed confidence. We have a long way to

go, but the direction we are headed in is the right one. Recently the promoter

of the Willa project, Mr. John Chapman, who has a successful history in mining

development, was quoted about the attitude to mining in B.C. after the last

government. He said, "B.C. has been classed as a place for the mining

industry to stay away from, right down there with Russia as far as investment

attractiveness," according to the annual survey of mining companies

released last month by the Fraser Institute. But with the more business-friendly

Liberal government now in power, he's hoping for a change in the business mining

climate.

I also read in

the Province this morning about a Nelson company, Pacific Insight

Electronics, that is making a foray into manufacturing components for

energy-efficient hybrid electric cars. Against the odds, this ingenious company

has grown in Nelson over the years, producing automatic headlight controls. This

new venture, I hope, will cause them to prosper further and provide hundreds

more jobs over the hundreds it already provides. The heartlands strategy to

provide them with access to high-speed broadband will help.

Responsible

spending and economic growth are a formula for success. We must stay focused on

this plan so future generations will not inherit a legacy of debt. We must make

it possible for investors to do business here in a way that respects the

environment without creating needless obstacles.

In the

Kootenays development of a transportation strategy is the key to success, so I

was very pleased to hear that the first stage of an integrated provincial

transportation plan is ready. Whether you're in tourism, mining, forestry,

manufacturing or whether you're working or retired, you need access. I'm

thrilled that the development of a strategic transportation plan that takes into

account provincial needs is proceeding.

Last year, in

order to reduce expenses and meet budget requirements, there were several

reductions in inland ferry services, and legislation was passed to enable

tolling. Those were difficult times. As the summer progressed, it became

apparent that there was a consequence to that for tourism and industry that

materialized in the Arrow Lakes and that was not predictable. Traffic volumes

were higher than in any previous year, and lineups at Galena Bay and Shelter Bay

stretched for miles. People turned around and went home, and trucks were

rerouted. All of that had a cost. A great deal of work has been done since. I am

now optimistic that the provincial transportation strategy will soon resolve

these issues and create new opportunities for tourism, mining and forestry. I

hope this plan empowers people in the heartlands to participate in planning and

committing improvements to transportation within our region.

The dedication

of gasoline tax revenues to transportation improvements is a welcome

announcement. For too long people have felt that these taxes go into the black

hole known as general revenue with no accountability. I hope that dedicated

funding of transportation will eliminate the need for tolls and let local people

help direct the investment of funds where they can do the most good.

We need to

open up the heartland communities of the Kootenays, like Nelson, Creston, Kaslo,

Silverton, Nakusp and Salmo. We need to develop tourism opportunities of all

kinds in the region. The Kootenays are the most spectacular place on earth to

visit. Winter and summer tourism abounds. We really have something to sell.

[1545]

Let me give

you a few examples. You can ski at Whitewater or Baldface basin or heli-ski with

Canadian Mountain Holidays at Nakusp. You can golf at any one of a dozen or more

golf courses designed for people from professionals to amateurs. You can fish

for trophy rainbow, Dolly Varden or kokanee in Kootenay, Slocan or Arrow lakes.

You could bask in the hot springs at Ainsworth Hot Springs, Nakusp or Halcyon.

You can curl in the Midsummer World Bonspiel at Nelson. You can hang-glide if

you want from Buchanan Lookout at Kaslo or Mount Lavina near New Denver. You

could mountain-bike up the historic Burlington Northern railway or the Kettle

Valley Railway.

You can hike

or mountain-climb at Kokanee Glacier or Valhalla Park. You can prospect almost

anywhere. You can even birdwatch at the 17,000-acre Creston Valley Wildlife

Centre or canoe up the Silvery Slocan. We have a wealth of tourism

opportunities, and those are just a few.

In forestry, I

welcome the establishment of a working land base. The working forest is not what

some people think. It is simply the designation of an area of land upon which we

accept that forestry is a priority use. It allows other compatible uses. It

gives certainty to an industry that in the past has suffered under the

[ Page 4722 ]

vagaries of needless uncertainty. The working forest will create new

opportunities for us in Nelson-Creston.

The move to a

market-based stumpage system is also welcome news. Since the election we have

been plagued by the softwood lumber dispute. It is a result of protectionist

actions by U.S. producers. Of course, it is possible that because our system of

stumpage is so complex, virtually no one really understands it, and that lends

itself to a dispute like this.

A shift to a

market-based system that people understand will create opportunities for

value-added producers who previously had trouble obtaining a source of product.

In the past six months alone I have spoken to producers who make things like

wooden airplane parts, teepee poles, wainscot panelling or fence posts. Most of

them said they could not get a wood supply. Some only wanted salvaged wood, but

the system did not enable them to buy it. Some complained that the present

system made it so they could not get a supply of any wood at almost any price

that was realistic.

The new system

will create opportunity for any producer willing to pay a reasonable market

price to obtain the supply necessary. It will also assist in bringing long-term

stability to the softwood market, as a simple system that is market-based and

easily understood will help avoid future disputes.

The plan to

restrict log exports from Crown land is also a welcome announcement. I am

painfully aware of abuses in exports that are currently occurring. Sometimes the

most value can be obtained by exporting a log to build something like a log home

or use it as a pole or a piling. It isn't cut into dimension lumber to do that.

The definition of poles, pilings and logs is so vague. However, that wood being

shipped across our borders, under the description of poles or pilings, goes

directly to mills in Washington State to be cut into dimension lumber.

I've heard

this complaint regularly in Creston — that dozens of trucks daily go across

the border under that description. I personally followed one truck to the border

about a week ago, which was hauling half-peeled logs that were clearly neither

poles nor pilings and were destined for a sawmill. This abuse must stop so we

can open up opportunities for British Columbians to process this wood.

The

announcement that child day care spaces will be increased is welcome indeed, and

I look forward to more detail in the days and weeks to come. Quality child care

is important in Nelson-Creston. Recent uncertainties about child care must be

overcome. Parents need quality day care; children need quality day care. I'm

pleased that we intend to deliver that quality child care.

[1550]

The

announcement that earnings exemptions for the disabled are to rise is a

particular pleasure. Shortly after the election — in fact, arising out of a

contact I had during the election — I had been working with a fine local lady

named Margaret Patterson who explained to me that in the over 20 years that she

has been on disability, the earnings exemption for people like her who suffer

disabilities and can never hope to be fully self-supporting had never been

adjusted. As she put it: "Every time the minimum wage goes up, I work for

less per hour." I had discussions with Minister Coell, who listened and in

the last budget acted to raise the earnings exemption for all people on

disability to a flat $300 per month, so that all people like Margaret got the

benefit of that. While that was welcome news, it still makes life for the

disabled financially challenging. They cannot be expected to ever be completely

independent, so anything we can afford to do to give them a better life is

personally satisfying for me. Any news that the disabled can look forward to a

better life and a better earnings exemption to help them survive is welcome.

There are many

more things in the throne speech that I would like to cover, but I think I'll

hold it at that for now. We will open up this province to the world and continue

to show the world that British Columbia is indeed a wonderful place to live and

work. Moreover, the choices we are taking today and the opportunities we are

developing will lay the foundation for our children and grandchildren to enjoy

this legacy.

R. Masi:

I'm very pleased to rise today to participate in this throne speech debate. Just

under two years ago this government was granted a resounding mandate from the

people of British Columbia. All across our great province and in my own

constituency of Delta North people agreed it was time for a government that was

dedicated to restoring openness, accountability, fiscal responsibility, economic

renewal, a first-class education system and a health care organization dedicated

to the needs of our patients.

Since that

election this government, from the Premier on down, has been committed to

delivering on our promises and to delivering on the potential of our great

province. Along the way we as a government have been faced with some very tough

choices and even tougher decisions. At times these decisions have generated

spirited public debate, but rest assured these decisions have been taken because

they were the right thing to do, not because they were politically expedient.

That takes leadership. It takes fortitude and foresight, and it takes

determination to make the right decision.

We have made

tremendous progress since June of 2001. B.C.'s economy is responding to our

leadership after a decade of neglect and indifference. Recent economic

indicators show the year-over-year increase in the number of jobs created here

in B.C. from December 2001 to December 2002 was 81,000 — the third-highest

increase in all of Canada and well ahead of the national average. Housing starts

in 2002 were up 26½ percent over 2001, well over the national experience and

surpassing forecasts generated by the province, CMHC and our Economic Forecast

Council. Closer to home, the port of Vancouver recorded a 27 percent increase in

its container traffic over last year — yet another con-

[ Page 4723 ]

crete example of how our economic growth policies are bearing fruit.

This

government has moved boldly on many fronts with a vision of providing a new era

of hope and prosperity for British Columbia. This Speech from the Throne

continues building on our positive agenda. Over the course of the past 20

months, we have protected our funding for education and implemented much-needed

reform to our education system. We've not only protected the funding for our

health care system, we've increased it by some $1.1 billion to $10.4 billion,

now accounting for a record 41 cents of every provincial dollar spent this year.

As well, we're moving forward on much-needed electoral reform with the

appointment last year of Gordon Gibson to help provide guidance on the critical

issue of reforming our electoral system to better reflect the needs of our

citizens.

[1555]

I was very

pleased to note the Attorney General's leadership on this file with his

appointment of Gordon Gibson, a man well known to British Columbians for his

passionate beliefs in parliamentary democracy and its role in society. Indeed, I

suspect that Mr. Gibson would concur with the following description of democracy

first advanced by Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher, essayist and social

critic. Bertrand Russell states: "Democracy was invented as a device for

reconciling government with liberty." Bertrand Russell's observation is a

recognition that government without democracy is tyranny; it's dictatorship at

its worst. Government without democracy, as a notion of government, was roundly

rejected by the Fathers of Confederation, and rightly so. What the founding

fathers envisioned was a system of government operating within a representative,

as well as a responsible, form of parliamentary democracy. Our founding fathers

would also heartily agree that parliamentary procedures and processes are not

and should not be static and inflexible. It is imperative that it change in

order to accurately reflect the will of the people.

That's what

this government pledged to do in the last election, and it's what the citizens'

assembly will be tasked to do in the near future. The citizens' assembly will

provide a framework for electoral reform to help ensure that the will of the

people is best reflected in the election of their representatives to this

Legislature. Along the way I expect that the citizens' assembly will be

challenged, and very much challenged, to balance the competing interests of

effective citizen participation with that of effective government. With the

sound judgment and conviction of all who participate in this process, I believe

that this issue, along with others, can and will be resolved.

Concurrent,

however, with the need for electoral reform lies the equally serious issue of

parliamentary reform. We need to recognize and applaud the Premier for his

personal commitment to reforming the way this Legislature operates. Initiatives

such as the fixed calendar dates, as well as the fixed date for the tabling of

the budget, were long overdue. Similarly, the establishment of government caucus

committees, in which government MLAs serve alongside their cabinet colleagues to

review and discuss policy initiatives soon to be adopted as government policy,

is an important initiative. For the first time ever in this province MLAs have

direct input into the government policy process, ensuring that constituent views

on these important issues are reflected in government policy. I believe that we

can make further progress with an examination of the legislative process,

targeting the role of standing committees, to determine if we can provide them

with the flexibility and clout that they deserve in order to better serve the

people of this province.

This

government has made tremendous strides in modernizing and updating our education

system throughout British Columbia. For instance, the recently proposed

amendments to the graduation requirements help ensure that our students are

better equipped to meet the rigorous demands of an ever-changing world.

Similarly, extending the requirement for physical education to all grades, from

kindergarten to grade 12, is a policy direction which is long overdue. As many

members know, I was an educator for 35 years, which included teaching physical

education and coaching basketball, track and field and associated sports. I

believe that I have the firsthand knowledge of the positive impact that physical

education has on our students.

We all know

that the advent of computers and computer games, coupled with a proliferation of

channels available on television, has helped spawn a nation of youth who are

unfortunately choosing more sedentary activities over physical fitness. Indeed,

childhood obesity rates have risen sharply across the nation, leading to a

corresponding increase in illness and premature death as our children enter

adulthood.

Current

research and statistics show that childhood obesity is a national crisis.

Examples of some of these types of preventable illness include type 2 diabetes,

stroke, coronary heart disease, gall bladder disease and some forms of cancer.

We owe it to ourselves and our children to encourage them to adopt a healthy

lifestyle, one which they may maintain throughout their natural life, including

physical fitness, good nutrition and personal responsibility. This will require

a serious change of direction in the organization, implementation and conception

of physical and health education in our schools.

[1600]

At the same

time, I am encouraged that the Minister of Education is in the process of

developing a much wider program of choice and guidance for young people of all

abilities and aptitudes through the implementation of the new Pathways program.

Recently the

Minister of Education released a report outlining the progress and challenges

facing our aboriginal youth in the public school system. That report highlighted

that while the percentage of first nations students who graduated from grade 12

had increased over the past five years from 34 percent to 42 percent, it still

fell well short of the provincial average of 77 percent. Clearly, we must do

better in encouraging and

[ Page 4724 ]

ensuring that more first nations youth graduate from grade 12, thus providing

them with the additional educational options that they require to compete in

society.

The issue of

funding our education system has proved to be problematic for all stakeholders.

These are indeed difficult times for the ministry and the school boards across

the province, as they grapple with the ever-increasing cost pressures compounded

by declining enrolment. Education of our young must be given priority and

requires the full support of the government. Navigating the tricky shoals of the

fiscal squeeze facing our school districts will be no easy task. We need to find

a way to resolve this issue, lest it negatively impact our students.

I'm gratified

to note that again this government has stepped up to the plate and is providing

additional funding to our hard-working school trustees across the province.

After all, what is more important to the future of our province? I ask the

question: what is the difference between our society and Third World societies?

The answer is education. Ultimately, we as a government and a society must

clearly define our educational goals to meet the obvious challenges of the

future. These goals must include advanced and continuing education as well. The

government has been actively developing the fiscal and policy framework around

which to educate, and to continue to educate, society as it ages.

The

long-awaited announcement last year that Simon Fraser University would be taking

over Tech B.C. in Surrey addressed a festering fiscal mess that the previous

government callously left behind. The business plan that the former government

had developed for Tech B.C. was simply unsustainable and severely compromised

the future ability of Tech B.C. to continue. Careful scrutiny by this

government, particularly by the Minister of Advanced Education, culminated in

the selection of Simon Fraser University as the lead institution now responsible

for Tech B.C. This decision has not only contributed greatly to the financial

stability of this innovative post-secondary institution but also provided

much-needed security to current and future students. It was the right choice to

make, and I'm delighted that Simon Fraser University is now operating in Surrey,

providing educational choice and options to students from my community of North

Delta and from all across British Columbia.

As well,

students from my constituency are equally well served by Kwantlen University

College. Indeed, over 25,000 students are involved at four Kwantlen campuses in

everything from university-level courses in the arts and commerce to

horticulture, nursing and skills training. This broad range of programs helps

ensure that local students get the advanced education they need to succeed in

today's world. We are fortunate that these two fine institutions are available

to students in the south Fraser region right in their own back yard.

Our world is

changing. The challenge for us as government is to develop new structures and

frameworks around which we as a society can continue to upgrade our skills and

knowledge. That's why this government, through the Ministry of Advanced

Education, acted to review and propose new delivery models for training and

apprenticeship here in British Columbia. A significant and positive change has

been put forward to acknowledge that modular training and competency-based

credentials — which reflect the actual skills, knowledge and ability of

participants — are important steps to providing more flexibility for students

while maintaining the quality, training and credentials that they need.

[1605]

All members

of this Legislature are keenly aware that our health care system is under

tremendous pressure. Chronic underfunding of financial obligations on the part

of the federal government placed an untenable fiscal burden on the provincial

government. We know that 41 percent of every dollar spent in British Columbia by

our government goes to health care. Over $10 billion goes into health care.

That's a lot of money. While I was pleased to note last week that Ottawa will be

providing some new money for health care, I think it is fair to say that it

won't be enough to offset the cost pressures of health. At some point we need to

sit down and rethink just how we are going to deliver the quality health care

that all British Columbians need and deserve.

We need to

look at different models of delivery, ways with which to develop cost-effective

health care right in our own communities. Some months ago the Fraser health

authority identified my constituency of North Delta as a top priority for the

construction of a community health centre. This health centre would provide

primary care to individuals, along with additional services such as

physiotherapy and the like. This proposed centre would not be a full-blown

hospital but rather one where individuals needing medical care could go for

things such as casts, stitches, family consultations and other situations not

requiring the full resources of a hospital. I believe this is an idea whose time

has come.

Up and down

what is known as the Scott Road corridor, we have 50,000 people in North Delta

and a further 50,000 on the Surrey side who would directly benefit from this

facility. Once operational, the community health centre not only would greatly

improve the delivery of quality health care to these 100,000 people but would

also alleviate the significant pressure on the emergency ward at Surrey Memorial

Hospital, which is currently ranked the busiest emergency ward in the province

and among the top three in Canada. This is an example of the innovative thinking

we need if we are to ensure the long-term viability of our health care system.

The issue of

Burns Bog has again been capturing the interest of many people throughout Delta

and the lower mainland. I was pleased to note the firm commitment of this

government to protecting and preserving Burns Bog as an ecological treasure here

in the heart of the lower mainland. I have great expectations that in the near

future we will resolve this issue once

[ Page 4725 ]

and for all. To that end, I offer my strong encouragement to my colleagues

the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection and the Minister of Competition,

Science and Enterprise in their efforts to negotiate a satisfactory purchase

price from the current owners of the bog. We must continue to press forward and

realize the goal of protecting Burns Bog for today and for future generations.

Finally, I

want to address another pressing issue confronting not only my constituency of

North Delta but the entire lower mainland. I speak of the South Fraser perimeter

road. This proposed highway has been talked about for a long time and for a good

reason. The purpose of this major highway is to expedite the movement of goods

from the CN Rail terminus, Fraser Port, Roberts Bank, YVR, the Canada–U.S.

border crossings and beyond. Currently, the only route for truck traffic along

this corridor is to utilize River Road, a road which was designed and built to

handle primarily residential traffic along the shoreline of the Fraser River.

Construction of the South Fraser perimeter road would alleviate the daily

overwhelming pressure currently being experienced by residents along River Road

and at the same time would provide trucks with a dedicated route to utilize in

moving their goods.

The GVRD, and

more specifically TransLink, has identified this proposal as a critical

component of the lower mainland's transportation infrastructure. Coupled with

other initiatives such as the new bridge crossing at 200th Street over the

Fraser River, the South Fraser perimeter road project would go a long way to

greatly improving the total goods and services infrastructure and in turn

increase the economic advantages not just for the region but for the province as

a whole.

The Speech

from the Throne is a blueprint for our future. It sets out in bold detail the

agenda that this government will be pursuing throughout the course of this

legislative session and beyond. There is much to be done in order to revitalize

the province. The forest industry, the industry that reaches into every corner

of British Columbia, must be reformed, revitalized and made more efficient and

competitive. The Olympic dream must be achieved not only for economic reasons

but to provide a goal of excellence that all British Columbians can strive

towards and achieve more than we ever thought possible.

[1610]

The throne

speech is more than mere words. It's a statement, a commitment to the people of

British Columbia that we will continue to keep our promises and strive to build

a better province for all its citizens.

Jarvis: I rise once again to respond to the government's throne speech.

This, I believe, would make it some dozen times or so since I was first elected

in 1991. It's a long time. The riding I represent in North Vancouver–Seymour

is a very dynamic riding, one that's located in an urban setting. But at the

same time, along with the 56,000 citizens or residents it encompasses, it has

colleges, chemical plants, farms, shipbuilding, lumber companies, ski recreation

areas, fish hatcheries, waste reduction plants, and on and on. The population is

growing, and most businesses are doing very well.

I was

mentioning the waste reduction. Just to show you how a business can stay

together in the same environment as a residential area, the Newalta recycling

plant just expanded to recycle oil containers and oil filters. Within about a

three-football…area surrounding it, we have two chemical plants: Sterling Pulp

Chemicals and Canadianoxy. We have a concrete company, a lumber company, the

Maplewood Bird Sanctuary — well known in there. It just shows you how

environment and industry can live together. Proof of it is in the North

Vancouver–Seymour riding, which I represent.

It's been an

honour to be the MLA for North Vancouver–Seymour, and I thank my constituents

for their overwhelming support over these last years. This Legislature, as I

said before, I think is about 102 years old — when it was first constructed. I

was just thinking that if I've been here for 12 years and it's about 102, I've

lived here approximately 12 percent of the life of this building. Either the

building is getting younger, or I'm getting older — one or the other.

I'm one of

only 830 MLAs in the province that served in this building. That's quite a feat

when you consider that there are probably over five million people in this

province. I think all of us are thankful for that honour.

I want to tell

the government that my constituents still support this government and this

party. They do, however, feel that they may have been neglected in some way on

the education and transportation aspect. That's what I want to talk about

tonight. The schools in my constituency are generally older structures and, as a

result, are in desperate need of updating and repair. There was a time when

district 44 was considered the best of the best. I'm going to give a talk

basically about capital cost funding, not operational expenses. The treasurer

and the school trustees have been doing very well on that aspect and handling

the problems. We're actually quite pleased that the province gave them another

$50 million into the system of the $4.8 billion budget for education.

Due to the

philosophical changes in education over the last ten years, the total funding

picture for the North Shore did change. Where school district 44 was considered

one of the best systems, it now appears that we have been brought down to the

lowest denominator, rather than bringing all the rest of the schools up to the

highest denominator where we once were. Something is wrong with this picture.

[1615]

I say that

there is now an obvious lack of capital funding to maintain and repair the

schools, as they should have been over this past decade. A great number of our

schools are older, pre-1985, and a lot of repairs have been done recently. But

capital funding costs, as you can appreciate, are very limited, and while our

school board has endeavoured to handle the problem or control the depreciation

of these older structures, it's difficult to keep up. But where do they start

with the great number of schools? Do you start a

[ Page 4726 ]

little bit here and a little bit there or repair the most obvious? Where do

you start, as I said, when you are restricted with funding of capital dollars?

The problem is that there is more need than there is money available.

This is going

to be one of my appeals today. I want to tell the minister that this is not a

frivolous situation, and without question it's a very serious one. I've viewed

most of the schools in my riding in this last short while, and I've viewed

photographs of the others, been down in the crawl spaces and viewed the health

inspection reports. In every instance none of us here would expect to live under

the conditions presented, let alone send our children out to sit and learn for

hours every day under those conditions.

I won't go

into lengthy explanations or examples, but let me relate a few such

circumstances. In the crawl spaces of some of the elementary schools, water has

been collecting over the years. There are large areas of yellow and orange

spores, fungus and mould, and in some cases it's spread into the upper

classrooms and even into the closets and wherever, causing respiratory problems,

breathing and asthma problems for our youngsters. When some of the children were

removed from this environment, their health problems did subside, so there's no

question that the condition of some of the schools is very, very bad.

This is a

brief outline of the problems, but it does give you sort of a base idea. Only

last week I was in Windsor high school speaking to some grade 11 classes for

about three hours. I had a great opportunity to see and hear firsthand from some

of the students telling me of the respiratory problems they have in that school

and seeing the cockroaches along the wall bases. I saw 24-year-old carpeting in

the classrooms that cannot be cleaned anymore, in which mushrooms are growing.

In fact, due to the germs and who knows what on the carpeting, during earthquake

drills the students are not allowed to get under their desks for protection

because of what they might get off the floors.

This may

appear to be humorous in its absurdity, but it's disgusting. It is. There's no

just cause in this society that our children should have to face these

situations. I'm asking my government to seriously sit down with my school

district and flush out all the problems surrounding these schools in district 44

and/or North Vancouver–Seymour that have a deterioration and health

maintenance problem. These problems will not go away, and the only cure is more

capital funding. This is tough during tight revenue times, believe me. I

appreciate it, and they appreciate it. But what is available at this time cannot

do what is needed. My school board is more than willing to work with this

government. They have been supportive of the government, and now they need the

government's support in return. As schools in other jurisdictions built after

the 1985 period are able to draw on extra funds when they have problems, I think

fair is fair, and so is equality.

One more

problem I want to relate to the government is the sad state of the looming

crisis that is coming over the congestion of traffic in the Seymour, Dollarton

and the Trans-Canada Highway areas adjacent to the north end of the Second

Narrows Bridge. You've heard me talk about this time after time, year after

year. It's a problem that's not going away. Over the past years I've repeatedly

tried to emphasize to the highways department that if some sort of answer is not

forthcoming soon, serious problems are going to occur. Now the clock is ticking

faster as the population is growing. Commercial development is increasing,

aboriginal bands in the locale are expanding, and the Sea to Sky population

expansion is continually growing. Then there's the looming 2010 Olympics.

[1620]

What I have

mentioned all goes through this area. All the factors are coming down onto a

road system that was designed to carry the traffic flows of the 1950s. Traffic

out of Seymour only allows three lanes for thousands of vehicles to enter into

or to exit the north quadrant of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Second Narrows

Bridge. Traffic destined westward to North Vancouver and West Vancouver and to

Whistler north enters into this quadrant all at the same time. Emergency

vehicles from Seymour cannot get to the hospital during peak times and find

themselves unable to move. At the best of times an emergency vehicle would take

probably three-quarters of an hour to get to the Deep Cove area. In the morning

or evening, as I have said, it is virtually impossible if an emergency vehicle

or a system is required.

Eastbound and

westbound traffic directions have four to five lanes backed up as far as three,

four or five miles every morning. Now we have an additional factor entering this

equation with an aboriginal commercial venture known as Seymour Creek

development, which is going to create a potentially serious situation as it is

adjacent to this main quadrant off the Second Narrows Bridge. As a result of our

previous government's agreement between B.C. Hydro and the Squamish band back in

1986, access off the reserve area into this Trans-Canada Highway quadrant was

given in lieu of a transformer being built on the reserve land. The access plan

by the highways department will cause serious traffic situations, and traffic

coming off the bridge, especially during rush hours, will also be impaired

considerably.

While there is

already an access route from the Dollarton, which the highways ministry contends

is very dangerous, they have now sat down and redesigned another that is still

unacceptable and very dangerous. This same commercial venture by the Squamish

band has plans for three or four big box–style ventures in its reserve land,

and this will only add or draw traffic from every area you can conceivably think

of on the North Shore and cause even more damage.

This will

affect even the three smaller malls in the general area in North Van–Lonsdale

and Seymour. Highways estimate that the nearest mall in North Van–Lonsdale

already draws about 14 percent of its business from Burnaby. Now with this

expansion coming,

[ Page 4727 ]

the larger mall will only exacerbate the problems in these areas.

What I briefly

express here today is concern for my constituents and needs to be addressed by

this government and the Minister of Transportation.