First Session, 43rd Parliament

Official Report

of Debates

( Hansard )

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Morning

Issue No. 115

The Honourable Raj Chouhan , Speaker

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

Contents

Speaker’s Statement

Shootings in Tumbler Ridge

Tabling Documents

Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, special report, Un(mediated): Report of the Inquiry into the Exclusion of Media from the April 2023

Hastings Decampment , February 2026

Office of the Merit Commissioner, merit performance audit, 2024-25

Office of the Ombudsperson, special report, Stamp of Approval: Delivering Income and Assistance Cheques during a Postal Strike , December 2025

Office of the Ombudsperson, special report, Open Meetings: Best Practice Guide for Local Governments , second edition, January 2026

Office of the Ombudsperson, special report, Holding Pattern: Call Wait Times for Income and Disability Assistance , January 2026

Office of the Ombudsperson, special report, Committed to Change: Protecting the Rights of Involuntary Patients Under the Mental

Health Act , January 2026

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, special report, Putting Children and Youth at the Centre: Reforming and Modernizing the Mental Health

Act for Children and Youth , December 2025

Motions Without Notice

Membership Change to Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills Committee

Hon. Mike Farnworth

Membership Change to Review of Public Interest Disclosure Act Special Committee

Hon. Mike Farnworth

Prorogation Address

Thursday, February 12, 2026

The House met at 12:03 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Prayers and reflections: Hon. Kelly Greene.

Speaker’s Statement

Shootings in Tumbler Ridge

The Speaker : Hon. Members, before we continue with today’s business, I ask that you please rise

as we observe a moment of silence for the community of Tumbler Ridge and extend our

deepest condolences to the families and all those who are affected by this tragedy.

[12:05 p.m.]

[The House observed a moment of silence.]

Tabling Documents

The Speaker : Hon. Members, I have the honour to table the following reports.

Human Rights Commissioner — Un(media)ted: Report of the Inquiry into the Exclusion of Media from the April 2023

Hastings Decampment .

Merit Commissioner — Merit Performance Audit Report: Upholding Fair Hiring in the B.C. Public Service , 2024-25.

Ombudsperson — special report 59, Stamp of Approval: Delivering Income and Assistance Cheques During a Postal Strike ; special report 60, Open Meetings: Best Practice Guide for Local Governments, second edition; special report 61, Holding Pattern: Call Wait Times for Income and Disability Assistance ; and special report 62, Committed to Change: Protecting the Rights of Involuntary Patients under the Mental

Health Act .

Representative for Children and Youth — Putting Children and Youth at the Centre: Reforming and Modernizing the Mental Health

Act for Children and Youth .

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I seek leave to move a motion to ratify membership changes on the Select Standing

Committee on Private Bills and Members’ Bills.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Please proceed.

Motions Without Notice

Membership Change to

Private Bills and Private

Members’ Bills Committee

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I move:

[That the written agreement between the Government House Leader, the Official Opposition

House Leader, and the Third Party House Leader, dated January 6, 2026, be ratified,

confirming the following membership changes effective January 13, 2026:

That Gavin Dew replace Trevor Halford as a Member of the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’

Bills for the First Session of the Forty-third Parliament.]

Motion approved.

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I seek leave to move a motion to ratify membership changes on the Special Committee

to Review the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

Leave granted.

The Speaker : Please proceed.

Membership Change to

Review of Public Interest

Disclosure Act Special Committee

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I move:

[That the written agreement between the Government House Leader, the Official Opposition

House Leader, and the Third Party House Leader, dated January 6, 2026, be ratified,

confirming the following membership changes effective January 13, 2026:

That Bruce Banman replace Rosalyn Bird as a Member of the Special Committee to Review the Public Interest Disclosure Act for the First Session of the Forty-third Parliament.]

Motion approved.

The Speaker : Hon. Members, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor is in the precinct, so please remain

seated while we wait for her.

[12:10 p.m.]

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor requested to attend the House, was admitted to

the chamber and took her seat on the throne.

Prorogation Address

Hon. Wendy Cocchia (Lieutenant Governor) : Hon. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, in closing this first session

of the 43rd parliament of British Columbia, on behalf of all British Columbians, I

note that in this session we enacted 33 bills covering areas of substance and importance

to the people of this province.

I wish to express my appreciation for the care and attention you have given to your

deliberations and the service that you have provided to our great and beautiful province.

I now relieve you of your legislative duties.

Splendor sine occasu.

Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor retired from the chamber.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Hon. Niki Sharma : Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, it is Her Honour the Lieutenant

Governor’s will and pleasure that the Legislative Assembly be prorogued until 2 p.m.

today, and this Legislative Assembly is hereby prorogued accordingly.

The Speaker : This House is prorogued until 2 p.m. today.

The House prorogued at 12:14 p.m.