British Columbia Hansard — Monday, December 7, 2020 p.m. — Number 2 (HTML) (42nd Parliament, 1st Session) (20201207pm-Hansard-n2)
20201207pm-Hansard-n2
British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
First Session, 42nd Parliament
(2020) OFFICIAL REPORT
OF DEBATES
(HANSARD)
Monday, December 7, 2020
Afternoon Sitting
Issue No. 2
ISSN 1499-2175
The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.
The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.
CONTENTS
Speech from the Throne
General Election Results
Introduction and First Reading of
Bills
Bill 1 —
An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of
Parliament
Hon. D. Eby
Motions Without Notice
Special procedures for proceedings of Legislative
Assembly during COVID-19 pandemic
Hon. M. Farnworth
Motions
Appointment of Deputy Speaker
Hon. M. Farnworth
Appointment of Assistant Deputy Speaker
P. Milobar
Appointment of Deputy Chair, Committee of the
Whole
Hon. M. Farnworth
Printing of Votes and
Proceedings
Hon. D. Eby
Appointment of select standing committees
Hon. J. Horgan
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020
The House met at 2:03 p.m.
[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]
Mr. Speaker: I invite Elder Butch Dick of the Songhees Nation to offer a
blessing.
B. Dick: [Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ was spoken.]
Good afternoon, my friends and family. My name is Yux’wey’lupton, in our
with you.
I thank Premier Horgan for the invitation and, always, the recognition of
the traditional territory of the Songhees Nation and Esquimalt
Nation.
In our gatherings in our House, the blessing from the Elders is so vital
to our ceremonies, and this House has many, many ceremonies. I think the Creator
has to marvel at all the gifts that people bring to this House.
Today we ask the Creator to give us more light at the end of the trail to
create hope for the people of not only British Columbia but Canada and the
world. It seems like that hope is there, and we really understand what is
happening in this world today.
[2:05 p.m.]
I think we all long for that closeness of friends and family and
community. So we ask the Elders if they could give us the patience that they
have. We ask the ancestors that are here for the wisdom that they have, because
the world needs it at this point. And I lift up my hands to you, because words
of prayer are a way of showing gratitude and encouraging each and every
one.
We have a word in our language called Na’tsa’ maht — “one heart,
one mind.” It seems like the world is calling for collaboration in a big
way.
So Creator, I’d like you to smile down on this circle of people and give
them the courage and the energy to approach a new reality.
I thank you for this opportunity to be here today, and I wish you
well.
Hay’sxw’qa si’em . Thank you.
Mr. Speaker: Thanks, Elder Dick, for your blessings.
Hon. Members, Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor is in the precinct.
Please remain seated while we wait for her arrival.
Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor requested to attend the House, was
admitted to the chamber and took her seat on the throne.
Mr. Speaker: May it please Your Honour, the House of Assembly has elected me as their
Speaker, though I am but little able to fulfil the important duties thus
assigned to me. If, in the performance of those duties, I should at any time
fall into error, I pray that the fault be imputed to me and not to the Assembly,
whose servant I am, and who, through me, the better to enable them to discharge
their duty to the Queen and country, humbly claim all their undoubted rights and
privileges, especially that they may have the freedom of speech in their
debates, access to Your Honour’s person at all seasonable times, and that their
proceedings may receive from Your Honour the most favourable
interpretation.
[2:10 p.m.]
Hon. D. Eby: Hon. Speaker, I am commanded by Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor to
declare to you that she freely confides in the duty and attachment of the House
of Assembly to Her Majesty’s person and government, and not doubting that their
respective proceedings will be conducted with wisdom, temper and prudence, she
grants, and upon all occasions will recognize and allow, their constitutional
privileges.
I am commanded also to assure you that the assembly shall have ready
access to Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor upon all seasonable occasions and
that their proceedings, as well as your words and actions, will constantly
receive from her the most favourable construction.
Speech from the Throne
Hon. J. Austin (Lieutenant-Governor): Good afternoon, friends. ÍY SȻÁĆEL NE
SĆÁLEĆE .
We begin by acknowledging the
Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ peoples, the Songhees
and Esquimalt First Nations, upon whose traditional lands we are gathered
today.
We open the 42nd parliament at a difficult moment when the successes
we have collectively achieved in flattening the COVID-19 infections curve in
the spring stand in contrast with the toll exacted by the wave we now
confront.
It is a long-standing tradition to begin a new session by
memorializing prominent British Columbians who have passed away since the
last Speech from the Throne. At this extraordinary time, it is appropriate
to focus on the almost 500 British Columbians who have died from
COVID-19.
We pause to mourn those who have passed, all of them taken from us by
a virus that was unknown just one year ago. We acknowledge the grief the
pandemic has caused all British Columbians, especially those who have lost
someone they love.
We recognize the compounding effect of the pandemic on the parallel
health emergency that is the opioid crisis. We mourn those we have lost to
an increasingly toxic drug supply. They were our children, parents, sisters,
brothers and neighbours, and their memory fuels our continued resolve to
turn back the tide again, to save lives, to get people treatment and to end
this terrible crisis.
While COVID-19 threatens people of all ages, our elders are especially
at risk. Seniors infected by COVID-19 are more likely to end up in the
hospital and, sadly, much more likely to die from it than younger
people.
Those whose health is most endangered by this global pandemic are the
same people who have already been through their share of hard times. They
faced challenges they did not always choose, but they carried on with an eye
towards a better future. Now it falls to us to do the same. This moment
calls on all of us to show resiliency, to look out for each other, as those
who came before us did.
We did not choose the challenge of COVID-19, but we are meeting it.
Health care providers have worked themselves to exhaustion and put
themselves at risk to care for others. So many other workers have kept our
supply chains running and food on our shelves. Teachers and educational
support staff are keeping our classrooms and child care centres open so that
children can continue to learn, grow and make connections with
friends.
Most of all, ordinary British Columbians have made extraordinary
efforts and sacrifices to keep their community safe. Overwhelmingly, British
Columbians have united behind front-line caregivers and workers and
continued to reject those who would divide us. Already we can see the signs
of better days ahead, as science and research lead the way with new
treatments and vaccines.
As we gather here today, we recommit to putting our shoulders to the
wheel and working together to make those better days a reality as quickly as
possible for everyone.
Focusing now on beating the virus will allow British Columbia to move
as quickly as possible to address our economic recovery. By investing in
people, strengthening communities and supporting jobs and growth in a clean
energy future, we can build a recovery for everyone. All will be guided by
this government’s core principles, including climate action and
reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
[2:15 p.m.]
Nothing is more important than the health of your family. While the
scale of COVID-19 means that we use numbers to understand its spread, behind
those numbers are real people and real families — families grieving a parent
or grandparent who died without their children by their bedside to comfort
them; others unable to find solace in the rights, sacraments or ceremonies
of mourning. Even for those who recover, COVID-19 can mean weeks of pain,
fear and uncertainty.
Your government’s priority in the fight against COVID-19 has been and
will remain protecting people’s health.
In the spring, government acted decisively. In a matter of weeks, the
government of British Columbia worked with the federal government to quickly
close the border with the United States; addressed outbreaks in long-term
care by limiting workers to one facility and providing supports for safer
visits for families; acted to provide appropriate care in Indigenous, rural
and remote communities; postponed non-urgent surgeries to prepare for the
initial surge of hospitalizations; secured the large amounts of personal
protective equipment our front-line workers need to keep our health system
safe; and worked with public health officials to implement a strategic
testing and contact tracing strategy to limit outbreaks as they
emerged.
In the early fall, your government rolled out additional plans,
including hiring 7,000 new front-line health care workers, including health
care aides, to help ensure seniors get the high-quality care they need and
deserve and hiring approximately 1,000 people to work as contact tracers to
help stop further spread in the community.
The steps taken so far have saved lives. However, as we face the
latest wave of COVID-19, we must do even more. In the months ahead, your
government will build on the measures already in place. Some programs will
be extended or expanded and new ones launched. First and foremost, we will
continue to support people, communities and businesses to implement whatever
public health protections are necessary to address outbreaks.
Preparations are underway for when a vaccine is available. The focus
will be on distributing it to British Columbians quickly and safely,
beginning with those most at risk.
A new Hospital at Home initiative is ramping up across the province
that allows patients to receive medical services in their own homes, helping
to reduce congestion in hospitals.
Your government will also move ahead with a health care plan based on
three main goals: faster care, so patients will have shorter wait times for
the care they need; care closer to home, so more people will be able to
receive care in their local community or even at home; and more personalized
care, to make it simpler and less stressful for patients and their families
to navigate the health care system.
Your government will take action on faster care by adding more MRI
machines in high-demand areas to reduce wait times; training, recruiting and
certifying more skilled health care professionals; and bringing in new
approaches to build on the success of our surgical renewal plan and an
increase in diagnostic procedures.
Government will ensure that patients get care closer to home by
delivering ten more community-based urgent primary care centres in more
communities and building and modernizing hospitals. Your government will
develop more personalized health care by expanding primary care networks and
refocusing on rural health care. It will also work with health employees and
unions to hire a workforce that better represents the communities it
serves.
Keeping seniors safe and allowing them to live with the dignity and
independence they deserve are top priorities for your government. Government
will continue to make the investments needed to deliver better care for
seniors and stability and safety for long-term care workers.
When COVID-19 hit, B.C. was an economic leader in Canada. Our province
saw robust growth, rising wages and unemployment at or near the lowest in
Canada for two years running. Balanced budgets and a triple-A credit rating
put us in an enviable fiscal position. Over the same time, government made
significant investments to benefit British Columbian families, communities
and businesses and to help make life more affordable for people.
Building affordable housing helps more families find good places to
live while helping businesses attract and retain talent.
Investments in child care give children a good start in life while
creating jobs and allowing more people to join the workforce.
[2:20 p.m.]
Fixing roads and bridges shortens commute times and makes life safer
while creating jobs and helping B.C. businesses get their goods to
market.
The same applies to the investments and the necessary public health
measures that keep people safe during a pandemic. These actions do not
restrict economic activity. They are the tools government can use to foster
it. In short, healthy people are necessary for a healthy economic
recovery.
Your government acted quickly to support people during the pandemic.
More than 600,000 workers received help from a $1,000 emergency benefit.
More than 86,000 renters got the peace of mind that came with temporary rent
relief and protection from the threat of eviction. More than 200,000 people
on disability and income assistance received crisis supplements. Eighty
percent of B.C. families got more money in their pockets thanks to a
doubling of the enhanced climate action tax credit.
During this first phase, your government’s interventions were focused
on helping people observe health restrictions without fear of losing their
incomes or homes. Businesses received help through property tax cuts,
deferred tax payments and B.C. Hydro rate relief. These measures have helped
protect jobs and businesses. Among the largest provinces in Canada, B.C. has
the highest job recovery rate of pre-pandemic employment levels. But as with
fighting the virus itself, now is the time to redouble our
efforts.
This fall your government released a robust economic recovery plan.
Eligible businesses are already receiving direct support from the plan’s
various measures, including the small business recovery grant, the increased
employment incentive and the PST rebate on machinery and equipment. These
supports provide direct funding to hard-hit businesses, making it easier for
them to invest in the people and capital needed to recover.
In the short term, government will support businesses, jobs and
incomes in several ways: give most British Columbian households direct
financial assistance and help support economic activity during the recovery
with the B.C. recovery benefit; reward eligible businesses for hiring; help
thousands of people upscale or rescale and find in-demand jobs in the
post-COVID-19 economy; make it easier for companies to bet on themselves and
increase productivity by rebating the PST on capital investments like
machinery and equipment; and give renters a bit more financial breathing
room.
Protecting incomes and businesses will help us realize a strong
economic recovery. Other actions will too. Your government will ramp up
investments in transportation and infrastructure, which will stimulate
growth during the recovery period and benefit British Columbians through
shorter commute times and greener transportation.
Expanding child care and early learning is another strong economic
development policy. By creating jobs and allowing more parents to work,
child care counts as strategic economic infrastructure every bit as much as
roads and highways. In the months ahead, your government will provide
millions of dollars to child care providers to help them deliver
COVID-19-safe care and millions more to school boards and health authorities
for renovations to create more spaces.
This moment calls for action. The way to get through this difficult
time is by following the same approach we used during the first wave, by
listening to the experts, supporting health care workers on the front lines
and taking care of each other. This government pledges to be there for
British Columbians for the long haul. Soon Members of the Legislative
Assembly will be asked to vote for the appropriation of funds to make the
plans outlined above a reality.
Representing British Columbians in the Legislature is a privilege and
a responsibility, never more so than at a moment like this.
To the members of the Legislature, may your commitment to the
well-being of all British Columbians guide and inspire your work.
I add to this my personal thanks, my gratitude and my deepest respect
to all of you for the many sacrifices that you make for the privilege of
serving us.
ENÁN U HE’LEȻ NE SĆÁ LE ȻENS Á
TSĆÁ. I feel so very proud of the work that
you do all together.
HÍSW̱ḴE.
Merci. Thank you.
Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor retired from the chamber.
[2:25 p.m.]
[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]
Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, in order to prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy of
Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor’s speech.
General Election Results
Clerk of the Legislative Assembly: Hon. Members, pursuant to
Section 147 of the Election Act, I have
received two reports from the Chief Electoral Officer certifying the results
of the provincial general election held on October 24, 2020. The first
letter, dated November 17, 2020, certified 86 members, and the second
letter, dated November 20, 2020, certified the results of the West
Vancouver–Sea to Sky electoral district that was subject to judicial
recount.
Accordingly, the members of the 42nd Parliament of the Legislative
Assembly of British Columbia are as follows.
[2:30 p.m.]
Electoral District
Elected Member
Political Party Affiliation
Abbotsford-Mission
Pam Alexis
B.C. NDP
Abbotsford South
Bruce Banman
B.C. Liberal Party
Abbotsford West
Michael de Jong
B.C. Liberal Party
Boundary-Similkameen
Roly Russell
B.C. NDP
Burnaby–Deer Lake
Anne Kang
B.C. NDP
Burnaby-Edmonds
Raj Chouhan
B.C. NDP
Burnaby-Lougheed
Katrina Chen
B.C. NDP
Burnaby North
Janet Routledge
B.C. NDP
Cariboo-Chilcotin
Lorne Doerkson
B.C. Liberal Party
Cariboo North
Coralee Oakes
B.C. Liberal Party
Chilliwack
Dan Coulter
B.C. NDP
Chilliwack-Kent
Kelli Paddon
B.C. NDP
Columbia River–Revelstoke
Doug Clovechok
B.C. Liberal Party
Coquitlam–Burke Mountain
Fin Donnelly
B.C. NDP
Coquitlam-Maillardville
Selina Robinson
B.C. NDP
Courtenay-Comox
Ronna-Rae Leonard
B.C. NDP
Cowichan Valley
Sonia Furstenau
B.C. Green Party
Delta North
Ravi Kahlon
B.C. NDP
Delta South
Ian Paton
B.C. Liberal Party
Esquimalt-Metchosin
Mitzi Dean
B.C. NDP
Fraser-Nicola
Jackie Tegart
B.C. Liberal Party
Kamloops–North Thompson
Peter Milobar
B.C. Liberal Party
Kamloops–South Thompson
Todd Stone
B.C. Liberal Party
Kelowna–Lake Country
Norm Letnick
B.C. Liberal Party
Kelowna-Mission
Renee Merrifield
B.C. Liberal Party
Kelowna West
Ben Stewart
B.C. Liberal Party
Kootenay East
Tom Shypitka
B.C. Liberal Party
Kootenay West
Katrine Conroy
B.C. NDP
Langford–Juan de Fuca
John Horgan
B.C. NDP
Langley
Andrew Mercier
B.C. NDP
Langley East
Megan Dykeman
B.C. NDP
Maple Ridge–Mission
Bob D’Eith
B.C. NDP
Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows
Lisa Beare
B.C. NDP
Mid Island–Pacific Rim
Josie Osborne
B.C. NDP
Nanaimo
Sheila Malcolmson
B.C. NDP
Nanaimo–North Cowichan
Doug Routley
B.C. NDP
Nechako Lakes
John Rustad
B.C. Liberal Party
Nelson-Creston
Brittny Anderson
B.C. NDP
New Westminster
Jennifer Whiteside
B.C. NDP
North Coast
Jennifer Rice
B.C. NDP
North Island
Michele Babchuk
B.C. NDP
North Vancouver–Lonsdale
Bowinn Ma
B.C. NDP
North Vancouver–Seymour
Susie Chant
B.C. NDP
Oak Bay–Gordon Head
Murray Rankin
B.C. NDP
Parksville-Qualicum
Adam Walker
B.C. NDP
Peace River North
Dan Davies
B.C. Liberal Party
Peace River South
Mike Bernier
B.C. Liberal Party
Penticton
Dan Ashton
B.C. Liberal Party
Port Coquitlam
Mike Farnworth
B.C. NDP
Port Moody–Coquitlam
Rick Glumac
B.C. NDP
Powell River–Sunshine Coast
Nicholas Simons
B.C. NDP
Prince George–Mackenzie
Mike Morris
B.C. Liberal Party
Prince George–Valemount
Shirley Bond
B.C. Liberal Party
Richmond North Centre
Teresa Wat
B.C. Liberal Party
Richmond-Queensborough
Aman Singh
B.C. NDP
Richmond South Centre
Henry Yao
B.C. NDP
Richmond-Steveston
Kelly Greene
B.C. NDP
Saanich North and the Islands
Adam Olsen
B.C. Green Party
Saanich South
Lana Popham
B.C. NDP
Shuswap
Greg Kyllo
B.C. Liberal Party
Skeena
Ellis Ross
B.C. Liberal Party
Stikine
Nathan Cullen
B.C. NDP
Surrey-Cloverdale
Mike Starchuk
B.C. NDP
Surrey-Fleetwood
Jagrup Brar
B.C. NDP
Surrey–Green Timbers
Rachna Singh
B.C. NDP
Surrey-Guildford
Garry Begg
B.C. NDP
Surrey-Newton
Harry Bains
B.C. NDP
Surrey-Panorama
Jinny Sims
B.C. NDP
Surrey South
Stephanie Cadieux
B.C. Liberal Party
Surrey-Whalley
Bruce Ralston
B.C. NDP
Surrey–White Rock
Trevor Halford
B.C. Liberal Party
Vancouver-Fairview
George Heyman
B.C. NDP
Vancouver–False Creek
Brenda Bailey
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Fraserview
George Chow
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Hastings
Niki Sharma
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Kensington
Mable Elmore
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Kingsway
Adrian Dix
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Langara
Michael Lee
B.C. Liberal Party
Vancouver–Mount Pleasant
Melanie Mark
B.C. NDP
Vancouver–Point Grey
David Eby
B.C. NDP
Vancouver-Quilchena
Andrew Wilkinson
B.C. Liberal Party
Vancouver–West End
Spencer Chandra Herbert
B.C. NDP
Vernon-Monashee
Harwinder Sandhu
B.C. NDP
Victoria–Beacon Hill
Grace Lore
B.C. NDP
Victoria–Swan Lake
Rob Fleming
B.C. NDP
West Vancouver–Capilano
Karin Kirkpatrick
B.C. Liberal Party
West Vancouver–Sea to Sky
Jordan Sturdy
B.C. Liberal Party
Hon. D. Eby: I move that the certificates of the Chief Electoral Officer of the
results of the election of members be entered upon the Journals of
the House.
Motion approved.
Introduction and
First Reading of Bills
BILL 1 —
AN ACT TO ENSURE
THE SUPREMACY OF
PARLIAMENT
Hon. D. Eby presented a bill intituled
An Act to Ensure the Supremacy
of Parliament.
[2:35 p.m.]
Hon. D. Eby: I move that Bill 1, intituled
An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of
Parliament, be introduced and read a first time now.
Motion approved.
Hon. D. Eby: The introduction of this bill expresses the established right of
parliament, through its elected members, to deliberate independently of
the Sovereign. As such, it is an important part of our parliamentary
democratic process. It is a right that was first asserted by the
Parliament at Westminster in the year 1603, during the reign of Queen
Elizabeth I.
I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second
reading at the next sitting of the House after today.
Bill 1,
An Act to Ensure the Supremacy of Parliament, 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.
Motions Without Notice
SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR PROCEEDINGS
OF LEGISLATIVE
ASSEMBLY
DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Hon. M. Farnworth: By leave, I move the adoption of the sessional order establishing
special procedures respecting the regulation of the conduct of
proceedings of the Legislative Assembly in exceptional circumstances of
the COVID-19 pandemic, a copy of which has been distributed to the House
Leaders of the recognized caucuses.
Leave granted.
[ GENERAL
1. That, as an exercise of the Legislative Assembly’s
exclusive right to regulate its own internal affairs as they relate to
its legislative and deliberative functions, including control over the
conduct of its proceedings, the use of videoconferencing technology be
authorized to enable all Members to be present in the proceedings of the
Legislative Assembly through remote participation, counting toward
quorum, while other Members continue to be present physically in the
Legislative Chamber, thereby enabling hybrid proceedings of the
House.
2. That Zoom be approved as the videoconferencing technology
platform for the purposes of supporting hybrid proceedings of the
House.
SITTING
SCHEDULE
3. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2 (2) (
a) and unless
otherwise ordered, the House sit the weeks of December 7 and 14,
QUORUM AND ATTENDANCE
4. That Members who are participating in the House’s
proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology be counted as
present for the purposes of the quorum of ten Members, as set out in
section 42 of the Constitution Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66) and
Standing Order 6, and for the purposes of determining a majority of
votes as set out in
section 43 of the Constitution
Act .
5. That Members who are participating in the House’s
proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology must have the
audio and video functions enabled with their face clearly visible in
order to be counted towards quorum, to participate in debate, and to
vote.
VOTING AND DIVISIONS
6. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 16:
(1) When the Speaker puts the question, no further
debate on the question shall be permitted.
(2) When a division is requested, it shall be deferred
until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the
sitting during which the division is requested. If there are less than
30 minutes remaining prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of
the sitting during which the division is requested, then it shall stand
deferred until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for
adjournment of the afternoon sitting of the following sitting
day.
(3) Notwithstanding Standing Order 25 and subsection
(2) of this order, if a division is requested during a morning sitting,
it shall stand deferred until the afternoon sitting of the same
day.
(4) If a division is requested in a Committee of the
Whole, the clause of the bill under consideration shall be postponed,
and the division shall be deferred in accordance with subsection (2) of
this order.
(5) If a division is requested in the Committee of
Supply,
Section B, the division shall be deferred in accordance with
subsection (2) of this order.
(6) If a deferred division is scheduled to take place
during a sitting, the Speaker shall ring the bells and recess the
proceedings 30 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment
of the sitting. At 20 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for
adjournment of the sitting, the Speaker shall call the House back to
order. No longer than 5 minutes thereafter, the Speaker shall again
state the question.
(7) If a division is deferred in a Committee of the
Whole or the Committee of Supply,
Section B, the House shall resolve
itself into the appropriate Committee prior to the ringing of the bells
and recess set out in subsection (6) of this order.
(8) No Member shall enter or leave the Legislative
Chamber or connect to or disconnect from the approved videoconferencing
technology after the final statement of the question until the division
has been fully taken, and every Member present shall
vote.
(9) When two or more deferred divisions are to be
taken during a sitting, the divisions shall be taken in succession in
the order they were deferred.
(10) During a sitting at which a deferred division is
to take place, no motion to adjourn the House shall be in order until
after that vote and the conclusion of any consequential business that
must be disposed of. If successive divisions are scheduled, the House
shall sit beyond the ordinary time of adjournment until the conclusion
of all divisions and until other business consequential to the division
has been disposed of.
(11) Divisions are not permitted on a motion that a
committee rise and report, and on a routine motion moved by the
Government House Leader or their designate that the House
adjourn.
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND NOTICE
REQUIREMENTS
7. That any Standing Order requiring that a document be
“handed in” or “laid upon the Table” or transmitted by other similar
physical means be interpreted to include the transmission of a document
by approved electronic means.
8. That the transmission of a document by the Office of the
Clerk to all Members by electronic means constitute for all purposes the
distribution and delivery of that document, regardless of whether a
Member has received the document.
9. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 25B (2) and the usual
practices of the House, at least two hours prior to the scheduled start
of a sitting of the House, the Whips shall provide to the Office of the
Speaker a list and, if applicable, the sequence, of Members wishing to
make an introduction or to participate in an item under Routine
Business.
10. That, notwithstanding the usual practices of the House,
any Member who intends to move a motion in amendment to a bill at
committee stage, of which notice is not typically required, should
provide at least one hour of notice to the Office of the Clerk prior to
introducing that motion in the House to ensure the electronic
distribution of that motion to all Members forthwith after it is
moved.
SPEAKER’S DISCRETION
11. That, for greater certainty, the Speaker be empowered to
exercise discretion on the applicability of Standing Order 17A as it may
relate to the facilitation of participation of Members in proceedings of
the House.
12. That, for greater certainty and further to Standing Order
19 and Standing Order 20, the Speaker be empowered to intervene on any
matter of decorum on the Speaker’s own initiative or on a point of order
raised by a Member, including by muting a Member’s microphone and
excluding Members from the sitting in cases of serious
misconduct.
13. That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion in
the
interpretation of the provisions of any Standing Order requiring
Members to stand or speak in their assigned place as this requirement
may relate to Members participating via the approved videoconferencing
technology and to Members participating in person in the Legislative
Chamber.
14. That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion, in
consultation with the House Leaders or the Whips, in the
interpretation
of any provision of the Standing Orders or this order that may require
leniency or alteration in order to allow all Members to be able to fully
exercise their duties and rights in the proceedings of this House
conducted in a hybrid manner.
OTHER
15. That, should any provision contained in this order be
inconsistent with the Standing Orders, the provision in this order
prevails to the extent of the inconsistency.
16. That this order expire on December 31, 2020.]
Motion approved.
Motions
APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY SPEAKER
Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Kamloops–North Thompson
electoral district:
[That Spencer Chandra Herbert , Member for Vancouver–West
End Electoral District, be appointed Deputy Speaker for this Session of
the Legislative Assembly.]
Motion approved.
APPOINTMENT OF
ASSISTANT DEPUTY
SPEAKER
P. Milobar: I move, seconded by the member for Port Coquitlam electoral
district:
[That Norm Letnick , Member for Kelowna–Lake Country
Electoral District, be appointed Assistant Deputy Speaker for this
Session of the Legislative Assembly.]
Motion approved.
APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY CHAIR,
COMMITTEE OF THE
WHOLE
Hon. M. Farnworth: I move, seconded by the member for Kamloops–North Thompson
electoral district:
[That Ronna-Rae Leonard , Member for Courtenay-Comox
Electoral District, be appointed Deputy Chair of the Committee of the
Whole for this Session of the Legislative Assembly.]
Motion approved.
PRINTING OF Votes and
Proceedings
Hon. D. Eby: I move:
[That the Votes and Proceedings of this House be printed,
being first perused by the Speaker, and that he do appoint the printing
thereof, and that no person but such as he shall appoint do presume to
print the same.]
Motion approved.
[2:40 p.m.]
APPOINTMENT OF
SELECT STANDING
COMMITTEES
Hon. J. Horgan: I move:
[That the Select Standing Committees of this House for the present
Session, be appointed for the following purposes:
1. Aboriginal Affairs;
2. Education;
3. Finance and Government Services;
4. Health;
5. Public Accounts;
6. Parliamentary Reform, Ethical Conduct, Standing
Orders and Private Bills;
7. Crown Corporations;
8. Children and Youth;
9. Agriculture, Fish and Food;
and further that a Select Standing Committee on Legislative
Initiatives be appointed for the present Parliament,
which said Committees shall severally be empowered to examine and
inquire into all such matters and things as shall be referred to them by
this House, and to report from time to time their observations and
opinions thereon, with power to send for persons, papers, and records,
and that a Special Committee be appointed to prepare and report with all
convenient speed lists of members to compose the above Select Standing
Committees of this House under Standing Order 68 (1), the Committee to
be composed of the Hon. M. Farnworth (Convener), Lisa
Beare, Bob D’Eith, Garry Begg, Michele Babchuk, Niki Sharma, Peter
Milobar, Stephanie Cadieux, Doug Clovechok , and Sonia
Furstenau .]
Motion approved.
Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.
Motion approved.
Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow
morning.
The House adjourned at 2:41 p.m.
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