British Columbia Hansard — 20160211pm Hansard v32n4

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British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Fift h Session, 40th Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) THE HONOURABLE LINDA REID, SPEAKER ISSN 0709- 1281 (Print) ISSN 1499-2175 (Online) Th ursday, February 11, 2016 Aft ernoon Sitting Volume 32, Number 4

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC Fifth Session, 40th Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Linda Reid EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council .............................................................................................................. Hon. Christy Clark Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing ......................Hon.

Rich Coleman Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation ......................................................................................................... Hon. John Rustad Minister of Advanced Education ............................................................................................................................... Hon. Andrew Wilkinson Minister of Agriculture ........................................................................................................................................................ Hon.

Norm Letnick Minister of Children and Family Development ....................................................................................................... Hon. Stephanie Cadieux Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Minister Responsible for TransLink ................ Hon. Peter Fassbender Minister of Education ............................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Mike Bernier Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review .....................................................................Hon. Bill Bennett Minister of Environment ..........................................................................................................................................................Hon. Mary Polak Minister of Finance .................................................................................................................................................. Hon.

Michael de Jong, QC Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations......................................................................................Hon. Steve Th omson Minister of Health ............................................................................................................................................................... Hon. Dr. Terry Lake Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for Asia Pacifi c Strategy and Multiculturalism ........................................................................................... Hon.

Teresa Wat Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour ...................................................Hon. Shirley Bond Minister of Justice ...............................................................................................................................................................Hon. Suzanne Anton Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ...................................................................................................................................Hon.

Mike Morris Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction and Minister Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch ........................................................................................................ Hon. Coralee Oakes Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation..............................................................................................Hon. Michelle Stilwell Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services ................................................................................................ Hon.

Amrik Virk Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................Hon. Todd Stone Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness .................................................................................................................... Hon.

Naomi Y amamoto LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Offi cial Opposition ...................................................................................................................................................John Horgan Deputy Speaker .............................................................................................................................................................................. Richard T. Lee Assistant Deputy Speaker ...............................................................................................................................................................

Raj Chouhan Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole ............................................................................................................................................ Pat Pimm Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ................................................................................................................................................... Craig James Deputy Clerk and Clerk of Committees .................................................................................................................................

Kate Ryan-Lloyd Sessional Law Clerk ...................................................................................................................................................Roderick MacArthur, QC Sergeant-at-Arms ................................................................................................................................................................................. Gary Lenz

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS Anton, Hon. Suzanne (BC Liberal) .............................. Vancouver-Fraserview Ashton, Dan (BC Liberal).....................................................................Penticton Austin, Robin (NDP) ................................................................................ Skeena Bains, Harry (NDP) ....................................................................Surrey-Newton Barnett, Donna (BC Liberal) ............................................... Cariboo-Chilcotin Bennett, Hon.

Bill (BC Liberal) ...................................................Kootenay East Bernier, Hon. Mike (BC Liberal) ......................................... Peace River South Bing, Dr. Doug (BC Liberal) ................................ Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Bond, Hon. Shirley (BC Liberal) ........................... Prince George–Valemount Cadieux, Hon. Stephanie (BC Liberal) ................................Surrey-Cloverdale Chandra Herbert, Spencer (NDP) .................................Vancouver–West End Chouhan, Raj (NDP) ...........................................................

Burnaby-Edmonds Clark, Hon. Christy (BC Liberal) ........................................ Westside-Kelowna Coleman, Hon. Rich (BC Liberal) ...........................Fort Langley–Aldergrove Conroy, Katrine (NDP) .............................................................. Kootenay West Corrigan, Kathy (NDP) ..................................................... Burnaby–Deer Lake Dalton, Marc (BC Liberal) ............................................. Maple Ridge–Mission Darcy, Judy (NDP) ..................................................................New Westminster de Jong, Hon.

Michael, QC (BC Liberal) .............................. Abbotsford West Dix, Adrian (NDP)............................................................Vancouver-Kingsway Donaldson, Doug (NDP) ......................................................................... Stikine Eby, David (NDP) ..........................................................Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable (NDP) ................................................... Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Mike (NDP) ............................................................ Port Coquitlam Fassbender, Hon.

Peter (BC Liberal) ................................... Surrey-Fleetwood Fleming, Rob (NDP) .......................................................... Victoria–Swan Lake Foster, Eric (BC Liberal) .......................................................Vernon-Monashee Fraser, Scott (NDP) ............................................................Alberni–Pacifi c Rim Gibson, Simon (BC Liberal) ............................................. Abbotsford-Mission Hamilton, Wm.

Scott (BC Liberal) .................................................Delta North Hammell, Sue (NDP) .................................................... Surrey–Green Timbers Heyman, George (NDP) .................................................... Vancouver-Fairview Hogg, Gordon (BC Liberal) ............................................... Surrey–White Rock Holman, Gary (NDP) .......................................Saanich North and the Islands Horgan, John (NDP) .......................................................................

Juan de Fuca Hunt, Marvin (BC Liberal) ....................................................Surrey-Panorama Huntington, Vicki (Ind.) ..................................................................Delta South James, Carole (NDP) .........................................................Victoria–Beacon Hill Karagianis, Maurine (NDP) ........................................Esquimalt–Royal Roads Krog, Leonard Eugene (NDP) ............................................................. Nanaimo Kyllo, Greg (BC Liberal) ........................................................................ Shuswap Lake, Hon. Dr.

Terry (BC Liberal) ....................Kamloops–North Th ompson Larson, Linda (BC Liberal) .........................................Boundary-Similkameen Lee, Richard T. (BC Liberal) ......................................................Burnaby North Letnick, Hon. Norm (BC Liberal) ..............................Kelowna–Lake Country Macdonald, Norm (NDP) ....................................Columbia River–Revelstoke McRae, Don (BC Liberal) ............................................................

Comox Valley Martin, John (BC Liberal) ..................................................................Chilliwack Morris, Hon. Mike (BC Liberal) ........................... Prince George–Mackenzie Mungall, Michelle (NDP) ..........................................................Nelson-Creston Oakes, Hon. Coralee (BC Liberal) .............................................Cariboo North Pimm, Pat (BC Liberal) .........................................................Peace River North Plecas, Dr. Darryl (BC Liberal) .............................................Abbotsford South Polak, Hon.

Mary (BC Liberal) .............................................................. Langley Popham, Lana (NDP) ...................................................................Saanich South Ralston, Bruce (NDP) ................................................................ Surrey-Whalley Reid, Hon. Linda (BC Liberal) ..................................................Richmond East Reimer, Linda (BC Liberal) ........................................

Port Moody–Coquitlam Rice, Jennifer (NDP) ........................................................................North Coast Robinson, Selina (NDP) .............................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Routley, Bill (NDP) .................................................................. Cowichan Valley Routley, Doug (NDP) ............................................Nanaimo–North Cowichan Rustad, Hon. John (BC Liberal) ................................................

Nechako Lakes Shin, Jane Jae Kyung (NDP) ...............................................Burnaby-Lougheed Simons, Nicholas (NDP) ................................... Powell River–Sunshine Coast Simpson, Shane (NDP) ..................................................... Vancouver-Hastings Stilwell, Hon. Michelle (BC Liberal)............................... Parksville-Qualicum Stilwell, Dr. Moira (BC Liberal) ........................................ Vancouver-Langara Stone, Hon. Todd (BC Liberal) .........................

Kamloops–South Th ompson Sturdy, Jordan (BC Liberal) ..................................West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Sullivan, Sam (BC Liberal) ...........................................Vancouver–False Creek Sultan, Ralph (BC Liberal) ..................................... West Vancouver–Capilano Tegart, Jackie (BC Liberal) ............................................................Fraser-Nicola Th omson, Hon. Steve (BC Liberal) .......................................Kelowna-Mission Th ornthwaite, Jane (BC Liberal) ..........................

North Vancouver–Seymour Th roness, Laurie (BC Liberal).................................................Chilliwack-Hope Trevena, Claire (NDP) .................................................................... North Island Virk, Hon. Amrik (BC Liberal) ............................................. Surrey-Tynehead Wat, Hon. Teresa (BC Liberal) .............................................. Richmond Centre Weaver, Dr. Andrew (Ind.) .......................................... Oak Bay–Gordon Head Wilkinson, Hon. Andrew (BC Liberal) ........................ Vancouver-Quilchena Y amamoto, Hon.

Naomi (BC Liberal) ................ North Vancouver–Lonsdale Y ap, John (BC Liberal) ......................................................Richmond-Steveston Vacant .....................................................................Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Vacant ...................................................................... Vancouver–Mount Pleasant LIST OF MEMBERS BY RIDING Abbotsford-Mission ......................................................................Simon Gibson Abbotsford South ..................................................................... Dr.

Darryl Plecas Abbotsford West ...................................................... Hon. Michael de Jong, QC Alberni–Pacifi c Rim .......................................................................... Scott Fraser Boundary-Similkameen ................................................................ Linda Larson Burnaby–Deer Lake ...................................................................

Kathy Corrigan Burnaby-Edmonds ..........................................................................Raj Chouhan Burnaby-Lougheed .............................................................Jane Jae Kyung Shin Burnaby North .............................................................................. Richard T. Lee Cariboo-Chilcotin ........................................................................Donna Barnett Cariboo North .................................................................... Hon.

Coralee Oakes Chilliwack ......................................................................................... John Martin Chilliwack-Hope ....................................................................... Laurie Th roness Columbia River–Revelstoke .................................................. Norm Macdonald Comox Valley.....................................................................................Don McRae Coquitlam–Burke Mountain ....................................................................Vacant Coquitlam-Maillardville...........................................................

Selina Robinson Cowichan Valley ................................................................................ Bill Routley Delta North .........................................................................Wm. Scott Hamilton Delta South...............................................................................Vicki Huntington Esquimalt–Royal Roads .....................................................Maurine Karagianis Fort Langley–Aldergrove ...................................................Hon.

Rich Coleman Fraser-Nicola.................................................................................... Jackie Tegart Juan de Fuca .....................................................................................John Horgan Kamloops–North Th ompson ............................................ Hon. Dr. Terry Lake Kamloops–South Th ompson ..................................................Hon. Todd Stone Kelowna–Lake Country ..................................................... Hon. Norm Letnick Kelowna-Mission .............................................................. Hon.

Steve Th omson Kootenay East .......................................................................... Hon. Bill Bennett Kootenay West ............................................................................ Katrine Conroy Langley.......................................................................................Hon. Mary Polak Maple Ridge–Mission ..................................................................... Marc Dalton Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows ........................................................ Dr. Doug Bing Nanaimo ...........................................................................

Leonard Eugene Krog Nanaimo–North Cowichan ......................................................... Doug Routley Nechako Lakes ........................................................................ Hon. John Rustad Nelson-Creston ........................................................................Michelle Mungall New Westminster ...............................................................................

Judy Darcy North Coast......................................................................................Jennifer Rice North Island .................................................................................. Claire Trevena North Vancouver–Lonsdale ........................................Hon. Naomi Y amamoto North Vancouver–Seymour ..................................................Jane Th ornthwaite Oak Bay–Gordon Head ...................................................... Dr. Andrew Weaver Parksville-Qualicum .......................................................Hon.

Michelle Stilwell Peace River North ................................................................................ Pat Pimm Peace River South ..................................................................Hon. Mike Bernier Penticton............................................................................................ Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam ..........................................................................Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Coquitlam ................................................................Linda Reimer Powell River–Sunshine Coast .................................................

Nicholas Simons Prince George–Mackenzie ....................................................Hon. Mike Morris Prince George–Valemount ................................................... Hon. Shirley Bond Richmond Centre ......................................................................Hon. Teresa Wat Richmond East ..........................................................................Hon. Linda Reid Richmond-Steveston ..............................................................................John Y ap Saanich North and the Islands ....................................................

Gary Holman Saanich South ................................................................................ Lana Popham Shuswap ................................................................................................Greg Kyllo Skeena .............................................................................................. Robin Austin Stikine ....................................................................................... Doug Donaldson Surrey-Cloverdale ....................................................... Hon.

Stephanie Cadieux Surrey-Fleetwood ........................................................... Hon. Peter Fassbender Surrey–Green Timbers .................................................................. Sue Hammell Surrey-Newton ................................................................................. Harry Bains Surrey-Panorama ........................................................................... Marvin Hunt Surrey-Tynehead ......................................................................Hon.

Amrik Virk Surrey-Whalley.............................................................................. Bruce Ralston Surrey–White Rock ....................................................................... Gordon Hogg Vancouver-Fairview ..................................................................George Heyman Vancouver–False Creek ................................................................... Sam Sullivan Vancouver-Fraserview ......................................................Hon.

Suzanne Anton Vancouver-Hastings ....................................................................Shane Simpson Vancouver-Kensington .................................................................Mable Elmore Vancouver-Kingsway..........................................................................Adrian Dix Vancouver-Langara .................................................................Dr.

Moira Stilwell Vancouver–Mount Pleasant ......................................................................Vacant Vancouver–Point Grey .........................................................................David Eby Vancouver-Quilchena ................................................ Hon. Andrew Wilkinson Vancouver–West End ...............................................

Spencer Chandra Herbert Vernon-Monashee ...............................................................................Eric Foster Victoria–Beacon Hill .......................................................................Carole James Victoria–Swan Lake.........................................................................Rob Fleming West Vancouver–Capilano ............................................................. Ralph Sultan West Vancouver–Sea to Sky ..........................................................Jordan Sturdy Westside-Kelowna ................................................................

Hon. Christy Clark Party Standings: BC Liberal 48; New Democratic 33; Independent 2; Vacant 2

CONTENTS Th ursday, February 11, 2016 Aft ernoon Sitting Page Routine Business Introductions by Members ................................................................................................................................................... 10297 Tributes ................................................................................................................................................................................... 10297 Norm Levi S.

Robinson Introductions by Members ................................................................................................................................................... 10297 Introduction and First Reading of Bills .............................................................................................................................. 10298 Bill M201 — Land Title Amendment Act, 2016 A. Weaver Bill M202 — University Amendment Act, 2016 A. Weaver Bill 3 — Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Amendment Act, 2016 Hon.

Michelle Stilwell Statements (Standing Order 25B) ....................................................................................................................................... 10299 Moose Hide anti-violence campaign S. Fraser Timber Kings television program and Cedar Rocket vehicle D. Barnett Art Kube H. Bains Seymour Salmonid Society J. Th ornthwaite Alex Cuba D. Donaldson Moose Hide anti-violence campaign J.

Yap Oral Questions ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10301 Investigation into real estate transactions D. Eby Hon. M. de Jong Real estate transactions and collection of property transfer tax C. James Hon. M. de Jong A. Weaver Housing aff ordability in Lower Mainland and vacant properties A. Weaver Hon. M. de Jong Uber services and lobbyist activities H. Bains Hon. P . Fassbender C. Trevena S.

Simpson Reports from Committees .................................................................................................................................................... 10306 Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh, Final Report: Child and Youth Mental Health in British Columbia — Concrete Actions for Systemic Change, January 2016 J. Th ornthwaite D. Donaldson Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, annual review of the budgets of the statutory offi ces, January 2016 S. Hamilton C. James

Petitions .................................................................................................................................................................................. 10307 Hon. Michelle Stilwell A. Weaver Orders of the Day Th rone Speech Debate (continued) ..................................................................................................................................... 10308 G. Hogg A. Weaver Hon. M. Morris J. Darcy S. Sullivan K. Corrigan Moira Stilwell S. Fraser

THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 11, 2016 Th e House met at 1:33 p.m. [Madame Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Introductions by Members E. Foster: I have three guests in the House today. First, I would like to say hello and welcome to my wife, Janice, who is here visiting the precinct, and to also take this op- portunity to wish her a happy Valentine’s Day, because we won’t be back before then. My other two guests are longtime friends Colin and Jacquie Mayes. We’ve known them for many years. Colin has served many years in the public service in diff erent parts of Canada.

Colin was the mayor of Dawson City from 1974 to 1976. He was the mayor of Salmon Arm from 1996 to 2005. And he was the MP for Okanagan- Shuswap, which takes in my riding of Vernon-Monashee and also the riding of Shuswap, from 2006 until his re- tirement last fall. [1335] Colin was a great supporter, certainly, of our area and took our concerns to Ottawa for many years. I wish Jacquie and Colin all the very best in their retirement and welcome them here to the precinct today. M. Karagianis: I’m very honoured today to intro- duce two guests in the House. We have with us today JoAnne Landolt and Linda Proctor.

Y ou may recall that they have visited this House before. Linda’s granddaugh- ter and JoAnne’s niece, Kimberly Proctor, was murdered nearly six years ago by two of her peers. Th ey’re here to- day to continue to advocate for reforms, both provincial and federal, that would help prevent what happened to Kimmy from happening to anyone else in the future. Th e Children and Y outh Committee will be tabling a report today. It’s the end result of a two-year process of youth mental health hearings that we held around the province.

Th e Proctor family participated in those hear- ings over that time period, ensuring that Kimmy’s story was always a part of what we were doing and that they could oversee the messages that came in and the work that we did. Th ey’re two very heroic members of a heroic family, and I’ d like the House to please make them very welcome. Hon. Michelle Stilwell: Today, visiting us from my beautiful riding of Parksville-Qualicum, I’m pleased to welcome my constituents Carol Roberts and Don Quinn, as well as Val and Phill Rowley, along with Val’s brother Vic Audley and his wife, Pat.

Th ey’re here for their fi rst question period. I will also be presenting a petition to the House later, aft er question period, on their behalf in regards to safety measures to be taken on Roberton Boulevard in Parksville. Would the House please make them feel welcome. A. Weaver: It gives me great pleasure to introduce today two small business owners in Ucluelet who are here to see a petition being presented to the Legislature. It’s a petition that Michelle Coulter launched that has 65,721 signatures as of last night, and it grew by over 100 overnight, calling on the B.C. government to abol- ish MSP premiums.

She’s joined by David Juniper, also from Ucluelet. Would the House please make them feel very welcome. Tributes NORM LEVI S. Robinson: I’ d like to extend an invitation to all the members of the House for a celebration of life for Norm Levi, who passed away December 25. Norm was born in England and joined the British Army at 16 and was part of the British forces that liberated Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. He was elect- ed fi rst to this House in 1968, representing Vancouver South, and then later Vancouver-Burrard from ’72 to ’79 and then eventually Coquitlam-Maillardville from ’79 to ’83.

When he was part of the Barrett government, he served as the Minister of Rehabilitation and Social Improvement, and he was also responsible for Indian aff airs. As a cab- inet minister, he decentralized power to the creation of community resource boards. He brought in PharmaCare and expanded community-bas ed juvenile services and daycare services. He was also the fi rst politician in British Columbia to arrange for settlement and restitution for cut-off Indian lands.

Th e family is inviting everyone in the House to join them in a celebration of life, to be held Sunday, February 21, at 2 p.m. at the Inn at Laurel Point. He is predeceased by his daughter Alisa and survived by his other two daughters, Dani Mate and Tamar Levi-Bandel, and his two sons, David Levi and Wayne Levi. Introductions by Members Hon. A. Virk: In the House today, we have Gail Hausknecht and Dan Weinberger. Th ey’re visiting from beautiful Campbell River on north Island. Th ey’re among this wave of Albertans that have moved to greener pas- tures in British Columbia. Would the House please make them welcome.

M. Dalton: I’ d like to also welcome JoAnne Landolt, who’s a constituent of mine, and also Linda Proctor. As 10297

British Columbia Debates10298 Thursday, February 11, 2016 was mentioned, they’ve brought forth Kimberly’s law as far as a number of proposals for youth off enders and with legislation that has both national and provincial implica- tions. I just want to thank them and commend them for the tireless work that they have been doing. Would the members once again make them feel welcome. [1340] L. Th roness: Th e world can only benefi t from another Throness, so I’m happy to report that on January 13, Michael Warren was born to my nephew Chris and his wife, Krista. He came a bit early, but he’s doing just fi ne.

He’s already gained a pound. Would the House please congratulate them. G. Holman: I’m very pleased to introduce to the House today a young man from Saanichton, in my con- stituency, Payton Braun, along with his mother, Jaci, and his grandparents, Judy and Con. Payton is a pho- tographer and recently won fi rst place in the Show Us Y our Canada photography contest, put on by Canadian Geographic. Did I mention that Payton is 13 years old? Payton got his fi rst camera when he was eight.

He has his own website showcasing the diversity of his work and uses his photography for his own greeting card and calendar business. And just for the House’s information, you can fi nd Payton’s work at paytonbraunphotography. weebly.com. Would the House please welcome this talented young man and his family to the House. S. Fraser: I’ d like to join my colleague from Oak Bay–Gordon Head in welcoming to the House Michelle Coulter and David Juniper from Ucluelet.

I just want to say that it’s a testament to grassroots action on what seemed like a small initiative to fi ght against a type of taxation that hurts a lot of people. I also want to say I’ll be pleased to be speaking about that in my response to the throne later today. Would the House please make them feel very, very welcome. R. Lee: In the House today, I have a visitor, Michael Harrick. He’s the vice-president of the consulting services, CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants. Th ey have their offi ce in my riding. Th e company has 40 years of history. Please welcome Michael.

Introduction and First Reading of Bills BILL M201 — LAND TITLE AMENDMENT ACT, 2016 A. Weaver presented a bill intituled Land Title Amendment Act, 2016. A. Weaver: It’s with great pleasure that I move introduc- tion of a bill intituled Land Title Amendment Act, 2016. Motion approved. A. Weaver: I’m pleased to be reintroducing a bill that off ers government one of the tools it needs to begin to properly assess and act upon the aff ordability-in-housing crisis aff ecting Metro Vancouver and emerging here in the capital regional district as well.

Th ere’s been signifi cant conversation in the past few months about the role that speculation is playing in our market. Th e government came out with a number of documents purporting that foreign investment wasn’t a factor. Th ese studies were vague and lacked any links to clear, rigorous evidence that supported the claim. It’s with this in mind that I bring this bill forward today. Th e bill amends the Land Title Act to provide the govern- ment with the means of determining who is purchasing property in B.C.

Th is includes both foreign investment fl ows — the role that corporations are playing in pur- chasing property — and if we have signifi cant specula- tion coming from other places in Canada. To be clear, this bill is not about identifying what spe- cifi cally is driving housing prices to unsustainable rates but, rather, to ensure that the government is informing itself so that any future policy measures are based on a better understanding of what is happening with our prov- incial real estate industry.

I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. Bill M201, Land Title Amendment Act, 2016, intro- duced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on or- ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. BILL M202 — UNIVERSITY AMENDMENT ACT, 2016 A. Weaver presented a bill intituled University Amendment Act, 2016. A. Weaver: It’s also with great pleasure that I move introduction of a bill intituled University Amendment Act, 2016. Motion approved. A.

Weaver: I’m sure members are aware of the two signifi cant controversies that have plagued two of our universities recently: the controversy between the UBC board and the past president of UBC, Dr. Arvind Gupta, and the recent controversy concerning the decision to appoint James Moore as chancellor of UNBC.

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10299 In both these instances, the confl ict arose because of decisions the board made or in how the board acted. While the role of a board of governors is essential to the functioning of a university, the governance of a univer- sity must also be independent of any potential — real or apparent — political interference. [1345] It’s with this in mind that I bring this bill forward to- day.

Th is bill amends the University Act to ensure that appointees from the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council cannot unilaterally set the tone and direction of a uni- versity board through having a majority of votes and that university boards cannot unilaterally appoint a chancel- lor for their university. Th is bill will bring British Columbia to the same uni- versity governance standards employed by much of the rest of Canada. I move that this bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today.

Bill M202, University Amendment Act, 2016, intro- duced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on or- ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. BILL 3 — EMPLOYMENT AND ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AMENDMENT ACT, 2016 Hon. Michelle Stilwell presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Amendment Act, 2016. Hon. Michelle Stilwell: I move that Bill 3 be intro- duced and read a fi rst time now. Motion approved. Hon.

Michelle Stilwell: I’m pleased to introduce Bill 3, the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Amendment Act, 2016. Th is bill will amend the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act to simplify and improve the application and adjudication process for designation as a person with disabilities under the act. In order to receive disability assistance, you must have the persons-with-disabilities designation from the ministry. Th is involves an extensive application process, along with medical assessments.

But there are provincial and federal programs that have an assessment similar to the one for disability assistance. With this amendment, people who have been approved for services through one of those programs will now be able to receive the persons-with-disabilities designation without having to complete the full application. Up to 1,000 people with disabilities will benefi t from these changes each year, the majority of them being young people transitioning to CLBC services. It means less stress and faster access to disability assistance for hundreds of people every year.

It’s a change that responds to what we heard during Accessibility 2024 consultation, and it addresses this government’s commitment to red tape reduction. It’s a change that makes sense, and I’m delighted that I can introduce it in the House today. I move that the bill be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. Bill 3, Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Amendment Act, 2016, introduced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today.

Statements (Standing Order 25B) MOOSE HIDE ANTI-VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN S. Fraser: Th e Moose Hide Campaign is a grassroots movement of aboriginal and non-aboriginal men who are standing up against violence towards women and children. Wearing the moose hide signifi es your com- mitment to honour, respect and protect the women and children in your life and to work together with other men to end violence against women and children. Men standing up to end violence against women: this is a powerful statement and an equally powerful action.

Th e 2016 Moose Hide Campaign is the fi ft h annual gath- ering and will provide learning opportunities for men and women by hosting workshops that explore various strategies to address violence against women and chil- dren in a good way. It is an opportunity to take action to educate ourselves, to role-model healthy behaviours for our children and to rebuild honest and trusting relation- ships between women and men. Violence against aboriginal and non-aboriginal women and children is still a daily occurrence in this province and in this country, including family violence, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Th e Truth and Reconciliation Commission tabled its fi nal report in December of last year, and the 94 calls to action have provided a road map for reconciliation across Canada. Th e Moose Hide Campaign embraces these calls to ac- tion and the recognition of the impacts of the residential school system, and so should we in this House. We all need to be determined to support activities that will end the cycle of violence that aboriginal and non-aboriginal women and children continue to experience today. Many men are giving up food and drink today to en- hance their spiritual awareness and focus on this cam- paign.

Th is is called a fast — a misnomer, I would say,

British Columbia Debates10300 Thursday, February 11, 2016 because according to my grumbling stomach, it’s going very, very slow. [1350] TIMBER KINGS TELEVISION PROGRAM AND CEDAR ROCKET VEHICLE D. Barnett: By now, all of you and almost everyone in Canada has heard of Timber Kings. Timber Kings is the name of a reality television show based out of Williams Lake in which viewers get to see every week how mas- ter craft smen build a diff erent log home structure, from logs to a beautiful home. Th e program is now in its third season on HGTV in Canada and in more than 30 coun- tries around the world.

The company behind Timber Kings is Pioneer Log Homes of Williams Lake, in the heart of the Cariboo- Chilcotin. Company founder and president, Bryan Reid Sr. and his son Bryan Jr. and their crew recently set a Guinness world record, not for building log houses but for building the world’s fastest log car. Y es, a race car con- structed from a single cedar tree. Th e car is named the Cedar Rocket, and it was recent- ly tested at a drag strip in Arizona. Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble never imagined anything like this.

While Fred and Barney drove around on foot power, the Cedar Rocket is powered by twin 20-horsepower electric tur- bines. In setting the Guinness world record, the Cedar Rocket reached a speed of 90 kilometres per hour over the quarter-mile track. Th e car’s body was shaped from a 240-year-old western cedar from the Bella Bella area. Bryan Reid Sr. plans to take the car on tour around North America this year and have it back home for the Williams Lake Stampede on the Canada Day weekend.

Th e Cedar Rocket is another example of the amazing ingenuity of the folks at Pioneer Log Homes, a company that continues to make us proud in the Cariboo-Chilcotin. ART KUBE H. Bains: It is with great pride that I rise to speak about one of the great British Columbians of our time, a labour leader, recipient of the Order of Canada, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Lynn Williams Award for Service to humanity by the Steelworkers organization of active retirees.

I would like the House to join with me to recognize brother Art Kube for his contributions to the labour move- ment in British Columbia and continuing to be a strong advocate to improve the lives of seniors in this country. Art Kube immigrated to Canada in 1953. It was then that he began his lifelong journey fi ghting for workers rights and towards a just society. He promptly joined the United Steelworkers as an organizer prior to becoming a representative for the Canadian Labour Congress in 1960. Art wore many hats over the years, including president of the B.C.

Federation of Labour, special adviser to the fed- eral Deputy Minister of Employment and Immigration and special advisor to the Deputy Minister of Labour. Brother Kube continued his advocacy into retirement, advocating for seniors rights across this country, and served as president of the Council of Senior Citizens Organizations and National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation. Most recently, I was privileged to witness a presen- tation at the CLC winter school just a week ago where brother Kube was recognized by the president of the CLC, brother Hassan Yussuff , and president of the B.C.

Federation of Labour, sister Irene Lanzinger, for his ac- complishments. Art was presented with a plaque scribed with their motto: “What we wish for ourselves, we de- sire for all. ” From one Steelworker brother to another: congratula- tions, brother, on a lifetime of contributions dedicated to improving the lives of British Columbia. SEYMOUR SALMONID SOCIETY J. Th ornthwaite: Today I rise to recognize a North Shore organization dedicated to nurturing and protecting one of British Columbia’s most valuable resources.

For nearly three decades, the Seymour Salmonid Society has been enhancing local fi sh stocks by building and main- taining spawning habitats along the Seymour River. Th e society runs the Seymour hatchery and provides hands- on educational programs to elementary schools across the Lower Mainland which teach students about con- servation and the importance of protecting and properly managing this resource. In December 2014, a massive rock slide caused 50,000 cubic metres of granite to block part of the Seymour can- yon, cutting salmon off from an important spawning es- tuary.

Over the past year, the society and its volunteers have been busy rescuing the salmon that have been cut off , capturing and ferrying them upstream, one by one, so they could make it to the estuary to spawn. [1355] Despite these ongoing eff orts, the lasting impact of the rock slide is threatening the Seymour’s ability to remain a salmonid-bearing body of water, which is why the so- ciety is partnering with the Squamish Nation to build an aluminum fence to trap and move fi sh upstream and developing a plan to use explosives to slowly chip away at the blockage.

I was very happy to meet with the society and its president, Shaun Hollingsworth, last month and along with the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources and the Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness, hiked to the site to see it fi rsthand. I look forward to help- ing the society in their eff orts to remove the obstruction and protect the future of the salmon river run.

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10301 The dedication to responsible salmon stewardship is why the society is a respected voice for conservation throughout the province. On behalf of the community, I want to thank the society and its volunteers for continuing to promote education and conservation and for protecting a precious resource that belongs to all British Columbians. ALEX CUBA D. Donaldson: [Spanish was spoken.] “Because in you, I fi nd everything I’ve dreamed of. ” As Valentine’s Day approaches, many of us would like to be able to sing that to our signifi cant others.

If you had a voice like mine, it might actually do more harm than good. But not for a musician from Smithers. Th at is a lyric from the song “Sarah”, dedicated to his wife. It’s from his latest CD, Healer. Th is Monday night, Alex Cuba will be up for a Grammy Award in Los Angeles for Best Latin Pop Album. He has already won three Latin Grammy Awards, two Juno Awards, and Healer is also nominated for a 2016 Juno — all this from Smithers, working as an independent artist. He and his wife, Sarah, run Caracol Records out of their home.

His bassist, Ian Olmstead, and Jake Jenne, on drums, are local guys, and the music video that won a Latin Grammy in 2013 was produced entirely in Smithers. It’s a great example of the knowledge economy, the cre- ative economy that exists rurally and can expand out- side of major population centres with the right supports. Alex was born Alexis Puentes in Cuba, and during a 1995 cross-Canada musical tour he met Sarah in Victoria. Th ey just celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, and Sarah’s dad, Bill Goodacre, the former B.C.

NDP MLA for Bulkley Valley–Stikine, helped to host a celebration in Smithers in December. Alex boarded a fl ight in Smithers — population 5,000 — yesterday and headed to L.A. and the Grammy Awards on Monday night. It’s his second nomination for a Grammy, and we’re all hoping for a win. Whatever the outcome, you should know, Alexis, how proud you make us with your global achievements from a little town in northern B.C. Buena suerte, mi amigo. Good luck, my friend, on Monday night, from all of us in the north, around B.C. and in this Legislature. MOOSE HIDE ANTI-VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN J.

Y ap: Along with the member for Alberni–Pacifi c Rim and all colleagues in the House, today I’m proud to be wearing my Moose Hide pin. It marks the fi ft h an- nual Moose Hide Campaign in which aboriginal and non-aboriginal men stand up against violence towards aboriginal women and girls. Everyone in this House stands with the founder of the campaign, Paul Lacerte, and all of the participants who have taken

part in today’s gathering here in Victoria. We stand with all those who are taking

part in all corners of British Columbia. Whatever the problem, violence is never, ever the an- swer, and by standing together, we shine light on the violence. Silence perpetuates the issue. Actions such as today’s gathering address it. We’re working closely with aboriginal leadership and with families to stop the violence. Last week, we co- hosted the B.C. family gathering for families of miss- ing and murdered indigenous women and girls. It was a very powerful event, and I know that colleagues who attended were incredibly moved to hear the stories of family members.

Addressing violence against aboriginal women is a key priority in the vision for a violence-free-B.C. strat- egy, B.C. ’s long-term strategy to prevent, respond to and rebuild from violence against women in our province. Our mothers, daughters, sisters and grandmothers have a right to a life without fear. Standing up for what is right is something that we all have a responsibility to do.

It’s fundamental to who we are as British Columbians that our communities are safe places to live and to grow. [1400] To that end, I’ll continue to wear my moose hide pin with great pride, and I salute everyone who participated today and all those who continue to address violence in whichever form it takes. Oral Questions INVESTIGATION INTO REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS D. Eby: Y esterday I raised the case of Mr. Liang Wei, a realtor who assisted his client in opening a bank account with fraudulent information, a realtor who personally deposited a bank draft obtained by fraud to that same account.

Th is information came from B.C. Securities Commission sworn testimony. The Real Estate Council has refused to investigate. T oday we know why . Th ey write: “Th e council cannot make a determination as to whether any of the actions were wrongful, but should the appropriate regulatory body make such a determination, the council would be very interested in those fi ndings. We would then be able to open an investigation. ” So when the Real Estate Council receives credible in- formation about realtors involved in fraud or money laundering, they don’t ask police for assistance.

Th ey don’t call the federal anti-money-laundering agency, FINTRAC. Th ey don’t even open an investigation fi le. Th ey do nothing. Can the Finance Minister tell us, please, whether the reason he believes the Real Estate Council has the time to investigate itself is because it’s refusing to investigate real- tors alleged to be involved in fraud and money laundering?

British Columbia Debates10302 Thursday, February 11, 2016 Hon. M. de Jong: Th e responsibilities that accrue to the Real Estate Council are set out statutorily within the Real Estate Services Act. Th ey impose upon the council both a signifi cant responsibility and signifi cant authority to examine the aff airs of the industry and the aff airs of li- censees. Th at includes conducting investigations of licen- sees who commit professional misconduct, do “anything that constitutes wrongful taking or deceptive dealing” — anything that’s contrary to the public interest.

Of course, there are other statutory provisions as well. Th e record of the council demonstrates, I believe, that it takes those responsibilities seriously, as does the super- intendent. I can assure the member that the government and I take very seriously the obligations that members of the real estate and realty community have to fulfi l their obligations, both under the act and pursuant to federal requirements like FINTRAC.

In a market of the sort that exists in certain parts of British Columbia, it is fundamentally important that the consumer — that the customer, the client — be able to rely on the fact that real estate agents are acting in their interest, acting in good faith and acting according to the law. Th e Real Estate Council, now with the assistance of the superintendent, is going to ensure that that is tak- ing place. Madame Speaker: Th e member for Vancouver–Point Grey on a supplemental. D. Eby: Th e minister says that the Real Estate Council takes its responsibilities very seriously, and he believes that they do so.

He believes this even though last year, they received 536 complaints about various realtors, and they held one investigation hearing in the entire year. On the Wei case, the Real Estate Council also wrote that they are refusing to investigate, because they’re hoping the courts will somehow step in for them. “If there should be a fi nding either in a court action or a FINTRAC proceeding, the council could then initiate an investigation to determine if there has been profes- sional misconduct. ” Mr. Wei’s case is not going to court. Th ere will never be a court fi nding in this matter.

Even if there were, a pros- ecution would take months or years. With mounting evidence that the Real Estate Council has failed to investigate and remove the licences of bad- apple realtors, why is the Finance minister asking them to investigate themselves? Hon. M. de Jong: I don’t know if the member has a copy. If he doesn’t, I’ll happily send one over to him. [1405] I did write to the Real Estate Council, and I made clear what the expectations of government and I are in these circumstances.

In acknowledging that they are taking steps to respond to some of the allegations of question- able practices and behaviour, I made it clear that my ex- pectation is that the council will be examining both the adherence of realtors to existing rules and the rules them- selves to ensure that they are adequate. I said yesterday and will say again that the government and I have no sympathy and no patience for those who practise real estate who would seek to take advantage of clients or mislead them about interests that they, as real- tors, may have in transactions involving their customers.

Having said that, I also feel obliged, though, to say that in the vast majority of cases, I believe realtors take seriously their requirement to protect the public, protect the public interest and practise in a manner that is consistent with those highest ethical standards. For those who don’t and who are motivated by greed or some other self-interest, the council and the super- intendent will conduct their work and report out to the government and to me by April 15. If that doesn’t pro- vide a satisfactory response, the government reserves the right to act itself.

Madame Speaker: Vancouver–Point Grey on a fi nal supplemental. D. Eby: Th e minister says he sent a strongly worded letter to the Real Estate Council. I’m sure they’ll read it very carefully. He also says that he has confi dence in the superintendent of real estate, who he’s also sent over to help the Real Estate Council investigate themselves. Th is week, the B.C. Liberal–appointed superintendent of real estate said she just heard about shadow fl ipping as a problem “over the last few days. ” How can that be?

Real estate agent William Metzger said it was 2013 when he wrote to the Real Estate Council about shadow fl ip- ping hurting buyers and sellers. Th e Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver posted a consumer warning on their website in August of last year. Even the Premier says her government has known about this for about a year. Th en again, the superintendent of real estate hasn’t seen a lot of problems for buyers or sellers in our real es- tate market. She posted the last consumer advisory press release on her website seven years ago, in 2008.

To the Minister of Finance: why is the superintendent of real estate being asked to lead this investigation instead of being investigated herself for failing to detect and stop these unscrupulous practices preying on B.C. buyers and sellers of real estate? Hon. M. de Jong: I try as best I can to be fair in the de- liberations that take place, even during question period. Y esterday I acknowledged, I thought fairly, to the mem- ber that I believe there is a legitimate issue for us to be dealing with and discussing and debating in this cham- ber. But to malign the character of the superintendent, to somehow cast….

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10303 Interjections. Madame Speaker: Members. Hon. M. de Jong: To suggest that somehow this is an individual who is motivated by political considerations…. I can only assume that’s why the member made the com- ment he did. She’s also the head of FICOM. Th is is one of the duties that she performs. Th e member is wrong when he makes the assertion that there has been no activity. I have a list — it is available to the member — of all of the enforcement actions that the superintendent has taken.

If the member wishes to be taken seriously, and I pre- sume he does, then let us speak and debate the issue. Th e issue, to be fair, is the evidence that exists about real- tors who are in a confl ict of interest and not conducting themselves in accordance with their statutory obliga- tions and in accordance with their professional conduct requirements. [1410] Th at is a legitimate issue. Th at is something that the gov- ernment is interested in having the council and the super- intendent deal with and expects a report on.

When we get that report, we’ll make a decision on whether or not suffi - cient action has been taken or whether more is warranted. REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS AND COLLECTION OF PROPERTY TRANSFER TAX C. James: Y esterday I asked the Minister of Finance how much taxpayers have been shortchanged by his fail- ure to act on shadow fl ipping. According to the Premier, government knew about this practice but chose to do nothing. Th e minister declined to answer how much property transfer tax revenues the province had missed out on and instead said the tax was only triggered when a property was registered.

My question is to the minister. Why is he not con- cerned that some realtors are using shadow fl ipping as a way of avoiding paying the property transfer tax? Hon. M. de Jong: Well, insofar as the property transfer tax, and the mechanism by which payment is triggered under the property transfer tax, has been in place since the 1980s, this comes as something of a revelation to the member.

Th ese non-registered means of transferring an interest in property, whether it is a share sale of a com- pany, a benefi cial trust or an assignment of a contract, have existed for the duration of the time the tax has been in place. So when the member asks what has not been paid, the tax is triggered by the registered interest and the registration of that interest in the property.

Now, happily, if the member will wait 72 hours or four days or whatever, there may be some news that even the crew of no can applaud, that even the crew of the good ship no will be able to stand up and applaud, as it relates to the aff ordability of housing. But I will have to wait with bated breath to see if that is in fact the case next week. Madame Speaker: Victoria–Beacon Hill on a supple- mental. C.

James: Well, on behalf of the taxpayers of British Columbia, the best we get from the minister is a half- hearted defence of the property transfer tax and the claims that he can’t do anything because the tax is only triggered when a property is registered. Well, doesn’t the minister see that that is exactly the problem here? If a group of unscrupulous realtors are using shadow fl ipping to shield transactions from the property transfer tax, why doesn’t the minister change the law to prevent that, then? Hon.

M. de Jong: I was tempted to ask the mem- ber why, in the ten years in offi ce, they did nothing to change this… Interjections. Madame Speaker: Members. Members will come to order. Hon. M. de Jong: …why they did nothing to alter this egregious and outlandish… Interjection. Madame Speaker: Surrey–Green Timbers. Continue. Hon. M. de Jong: …and outrageous loophole. But ac- tually, I don’t need to ask them. I know why they didn’t change it.

It’s because in the ten years they were in offi ce, assign- ments were taking place, but they were taking place for a diff erent reason: because property values were going down in British Columbia. Th at’s why people needed to assign properties. Y es, in those days, vendors needed the instrument to protect themselves from the fact that people were fl eeing British Columbia. Happily, today they’re coming back to B.C. A. Weaver: I must admit I found that rather enter- taining, if not….

I’m searching for an answer within the rebuttal there. [1415] For more than two years now, I’ve been raising the issue of aff ordability and speculation in the housing mar- ket. Th ere are at least three dimensions to this: (1) incen- tivize government speculation, (2) a preponderance of vacant homes and (3) non-enforcement of illegal realtor transactions.

British Columbia Debates10304 Thursday, February 11, 2016 I just reintroduced a bill to amend the Land Title Act, thereby providing government with access to critical in- formation needed to understand who is actually buying properties in our province. Government inaction plays a substantive role in fostering speculation. Th e bare trust loophole that I’ve raised several times in this House for several years allows wealthy individuals and corporations to avoid registering at the land title offi ce and so avoid paying B.C. ’s property transfer tax. Interjection. A.

Weaver: Th e Minister of Advanced Education clear- ly does not understand fundamental real estate, or he would actually understand here a little bit more about where I’m going with this. Will the Minister of Finance introduce legislation to close the loophole, which we are the only province in the country that still allows to exist, by following the lead of Ontario to actually apply the property transfer tax upon change in benefi cial ownership instead of change in title? And if not, why not?

Th e Minister of Advanced Education should know bet- ter than to actually pretend this is not an issue in British Columbia, because it is. I speak to real estate developers, I have spoken to mortgage lenders, and I know that this loophole is being used in British Columbia for specula- tive purposes and to avoid paying property transfer tax. Hon. M. de Jong: I think there are two issues, and to be fair, the member has raised them at various times and today used another tool of the Legislature to highlight one of them: the collection of information.

I’m going to be a little cautious about what I say today, except to ac- knowledge that the unregistered transferring of interests in real property in British Columbia does have an impact. It also does have an impact on the amount of property transfer tax and the mechanism by which we collect the property transfer tax. I am cautiously optimistic that when the member has an opportunity to see some of the provisions of the budget that will be tabled on Tuesday of next week, he will fi nd favour with at least some aspects of that docu- ment that will respond to some of the concerns that he’s outlined today.

Madame Speaker: Oak Bay–Gordon Head on a sup- plemental. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN LOWER MAINLAND AND V ACANT PROPERTIES A. Weaver: I hope on that day when I see that, the hon. Minister of Advanced Education will eat some humble pie, but I suspect that may not happen. Interjection. A. Weaver: Hon. Speaker, I have to respond. Th e min- ister suggests I have a PhD in climate change. I don’t. I have a PhD in applied mathematics. Th is points to the fact that the members opposite clearly are not able to get their facts right on so many issues. Madame Speaker: Question. A.

Weaver: When I was door-knocking in Coquitlam– Burke Mountain in one area a few weeks ago, I passed empty houses — empty house aft er empty house. I went so far as to estimate that one in three of the homes that I knocked the door on were empty. Houses, townhouses and condos that remain empty are driving up the price of real estate, making housing less and less aff ordable for far too many British Columbians.

Will the Minister of Finance introduce legislation simi- lar to what’s being considered elsewhere — in particular, Sydney, Australia, where the exact same problem is hap- pening — that taxes vacant properties in urban areas in a revenue-neutral fashion to ensure that the money be- comes available to pay the social costs associated with the lack of aff ordable housing? Hon. M. de Jong: I feel like a spectator at the Cambridge-Oxford regatta here. Let me say this.

I will say candidly I’m not entirely drawn to the specifi c example that the member cites with respect to the Australian jurisdiction. [1420] I will say this. I think the idea that is captured within the private member’s bill that he has tabled earlier today has merit and relates to the need and the advisability of beginning by ensuring that we have a reliable database that tells us more about what is taking place in the market. Beyond that, I’ll have to ask the member to be patient for a few more days. UBER SERVICES AND LOBBYIST ACTIVITIES H. Bains: Th e government has developed a strange relationship with Uber.

Madame Speaker, 2½ weeks ago the Premier took responsibility for Uber away from the Minister of Transportation and gave it to the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. Can the minister explain why he placed his office, through his chief of staff , in a confl ict of interest by letting her arrange and sit in closed-door meetings between his offi ce, Uber and taxi companies when his chief of staff ’s daughter is the registered lobbyist for Uber? Hon. P . Fassbender: Again, the member opposite is wrong. Th ere is no ongoing relationship with my chief

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10305 of staff ’s daughter with Uber. Th at was severed when, in- deed, the responsibility for that was given to my ministry and myself to work with the taxi industry. Like always, the members opposite are always behind the times. Madame Speaker: Th e member for Surrey-Newton on a supplemental. H. Bains: Let’s look at this government’s history with Uber. In 2014, the Minister of Transportation said “no way” to Uber. Then Uber hired the Premier’s former principal secretary.

Th en, in July 2015, Uber lobbyists set up meetings between Uber and the Minister of Citizens’ Services. Th en, suddenly, the Minister of Transportation says Uber is inevitable. Th en the Minister of Transportation says they’re not coming anytime soon. Th en the Premier gave the fi le to the minister, whose staff — clearly his offi ce, through his staff — have a blatant confl ict of interest. Y esterday the minister took his chief of staff to meet- ings on Uber. According to the registrar of lobbyists web- site, his chief of staff ’s daughter is still Uber’s lobbyist.

Th e minister clearly — clearly — placed his offi ce in a blatant confl ict of interest and didn’t tell anybody. In this view, why would anybody trust that he will have a fair and transparent process on Uber and that he will place the public interest ahead of Uber lobbyist friends? Hon. P . Fassbender: I think the member, again, is not willing to look at the facts. When something was brought to my attention aft er I was assigned the responsibility, ac- tion was taken. I know the members opposite are jealous of the fact that this government has said we care about the taxi in- dustry.

We are going to work with them. We met with them, and we had a very good meeting yesterday, talk- ing about the future of their industry and the people who have dedicated their lives and their families to that industry. We are committed to not have any hidden agendas but to absolutely work with the industry so that we can ensure that the future of the taxi industry is protected and the lives of the families that are in that industry can move ahead in a positive way because of our sound eco- nomic policies, because we have balanced budgets and because we do care. C.

Trevena: What the minister seems to miss is that this is about government integrity. It’s not about the taxi industry. Uber has a long history of employing well-connected lobbyists to get what it wants, and in B.C., it appears to have managed to make a very close connection in the minister’s offi ce. [1425] Th e minister says he was aware of this confl ict the day he was handed the job by the Premier. Can the minister tell the House when he told his chief of staff that she had a confl ict of interest and had to recuse herself from the fi le? Hon. P .

Fassbender: When my chief of staff came and told me that she had a concern, she said that action was taken immediately. Th at was when I was informed that I was taking on this responsibility. Th is is all about the taxi industry. It is all about the in- tegrity of this government to not rush to decisions but to work with all parties, to make sure that we move ahead in a positive way. Th at’s the commitment of the Premier. Th at’s the commitment of the members on this side of the House. Th at is the commitment that I made to the taxi industry in the meeting yesterday morning.

I know they walked out of that meeting pleased that we are working together in a collaborative and a cooperative way, and they were absolutely pleased with the outcome of that meeting. Madame Speaker: Th e member for North Island on a supplemental. C. Trevena: Maybe more pleased than we are about the answers that this minister is giving. I’m sure the minister is aware of the standards of con- duct for political staff .

Th ey were written by this govern- ment aft er several staff in the offi ce of the member for Richmond-Steveston and the Offi ce of the Premier were found to be abusing the rules in the quick-win scandal. Th ey say: “Upon appointment, political staff must arrange their private aff airs in a manner that will prevent confl icts of interest or the perception of confl icts of interest arising. ” Th is confl ict of interest has been talked of openly by those who believe that government is cutting a special deal for Uber. So why did the minister let it happen? Hon. P .

Fassbender: I’ve said it, and I will repeat it clearly and slowly for the members opposite. Th e minute there was even a question of perception, action was taken that very moment. S. Simpson: We know that Uber is a globally aggres- sive company. We know they take the actions they deem necessary to get what they want, including hiring a lob- byist fi rm full of Liberal insiders. Th at’s their preroga- tive to do that. It’s the minister’s responsibility to ensure that there is no confl ict and that any perception of that is above reproach.

Th e question isn’t: when did his chief of staff ’s daughter get on or off the fi le? Th e question is: why is his chief of staff still on the fi le now, when in fact there is a connec- tion with the family? Why is that? Th at’s the perception of confl ict. Th e minister knows it. Interjections.

British Columbia Debates10306 Thursday, February 11, 2016 Madame Speaker: Members. Members. Hon. P . Fassbender: It grieves me when I see time and time again that the members opposite impugn the repu- tation of people who have the highest integrity, who work very hard on behalf of the offi ces of this government. I can say without equivocation that my chief of staff came to me when she even had the slightest feeling that there was going to be a concern and told me that action was taken, and I have the utmost confi dence in her and the fact that action was taken immediately. S.

Simpson: What should grieve this minister is that apparently he and the rest of his cabinet colleagues don’t know how to follow the rules around confl ict. [1430] If the minister is so sure about this, will the minister release information on dates when the daughter recused herself and on dates and times when he talked to his chief of staff about this? Th e bottom line is she shouldn’t be on the fi le when she has that connection on something as confl icted as this. Absolutely, she shouldn’t. Will the minister release the documents and information to sup- port his assertion? Interjections.

Madame Speaker: Members. Hon. P . Fassbender: I will say, very simply, this. Interjection. Madame Speaker: Excuse me. Vancouver-Hastings. Please continue. Hon. P . Fassbender: Again, the aspersions that are coming out from the members opposite are unfounded, unwarranted and totally inappropriate. I know that my offi ce and my chief of staff have conducted themselves ap- propriately and were doing the right things for the right reasons, not the suggestions coming from the other side. [End of question period.] Reports from Committees J.

Th ornthwaite: I have the honour to present the re- port of the Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh. Th is report covers that second phase of the com- mittee’s special project in relation to child and youth mental health. I move that the report be taken as read and received. Motion approved. J. Th ornthwaite: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report. Leave granted. J. Th ornthwaite: In moving adoption of the report, I would like to make a few brief comments. Th is report is the fi nal report of the committee’s special project re- garding child and youth mental health.

In the report, entitled Concrete Actions for Systemic Change, the com- mittee makes 23 recommendations to improve the de- livery of child and youth mental health services in the province. Th e committee special project was conducted in two phases. In November 2014, the committee issued an in- terim report highlighting six priority areas for attention, including improving services, integrating service delivery, and ministry leadership. In the second phase, the com- mittee focused on concrete and practical solutions to the challenges identifi ed in the interim report.

The committee’s recommendations are based on evidence heard during a public consultation process conducted over two years. Participants included organiz- ations that deliver child and youth mental health services in British Columbia; ministries, including the Ministry of Health, MCFD and the Ministry of Education; indi- viduals with lived experience with mental illness; as well as those with expertise in child and youth mental health; and individuals who have received mental health services, and their families.

I’m pleased to say that the committee worked coopera- tively throughout this review and unanimously agreed to all of the recommendations in this report. A key recommendation made by the committee is that a position for a minister of mental health be created to strengthen leadership and accountability for the deliv- ery of mental health services in the province.

Other ma- jor recommendations include support for an integrated model of service delivery where services are delivered in school and community-based hubs in child- and youth- friendly settings, a “one child, one fi le” philosophy, and 30-day targets for the assessment and treatment of chil- dren and youth. In closing, I would like to thank all my fellow com- mittee members, including the Deputy Chair, the mem- ber for Stikine. With that, I move adoption of the report. D.

Donaldson: As Deputy Chair, I’ d like to make a few comments in the submission of this fi nal report on be- half of the committee. [1435] I’ d like to thank all the committee members for their hard work over the last two years, and especially the Chair, the member for North Vancouver–Seymour; and also the former Deputy Chair, still a member of the committee, the member for Victoria–Beacon Hill,

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10307 who, together with the member for North Vancouver– Seymour, initiated this special project; Clerk Kate Ryan- Lloyd for her work on the report; and especially the committee researchers, Helen Morrison and Alayna van Leeuwen, who did a great job of distilling and writing the document for us. I’ d like to thank those who presented to the commit- tee and wrote in — the experts, the academics and the practitioners, but especially the families and the youth. Th ose were heartfelt presentations that we heard. Th ey really made an impact.

Th e report states that children, youth and young adults “are suff ering as a result of signifi cant weaknesses and gaps in services. ” It goes on to conclude that improve- ments to delivery are urgently needed. Th e main recommendation, and the fi rst recommen- dation, for a minister for mental health is a recognition that families and youth need an entry point into the men- tal health system, that it needs to be better coordinated in delivery, and there needs to be a stronger voice at the cabinet table to secure funding.

Th e coordination aspect — an example of that is the “one child, one fi le” recom- mendation that’s in the report. Th at could have made a world of diff erence to children like Paige, and that’s some- thing that could be acted on quickly. It’s not something that’s a costly recommendation. As for securing funding, there’s a recommendation, an important one, about a 30-day maximum period for as- sessment and 30 days for treatment. Th at’s a recognition that even though that’s a 60-day period, that would be an improvement on what we have now. Th at early interven- tion is so important. Th ere are 23 recommendations.

It’s a blueprint and a road map for a solution and for better service. I know that members of this Legislature themselves have family members or know of constituents who have experience with children and youth and young adults with mental health challenges. I urge the government to adopt this blueprint to address such a fundamental need that can make a life-changing diff erence for families and children in this province. Motion approved. S. Hamilton: I have the honour to present a re- port of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

Th e report covers the committee’s annual review of the budgetary estimates of statutory of- fi ces. I move that the report be taken and received. Motion approved. S. Hamilton: I ask leave of the House to move a mo- tion to adopt the report. Leave granted. S. Hamilton: Moving adoption of the report, I’ d like to make a few brief comments. Th is unanimous report summarizes the committee’s review of the budget proposals, annual reports and ser- vice plans of British Columbia’s eight statutory offi ces.

This year’s review implemented the committee’s deci- sion, taken last year, to enhance our oversight of statu- tory offi ce budgets. We increased our meetings to provide a more detailed review of plans and priorities of offi ces, and we strengthened fi nancial reporting to improve con- sistency and transparency. Th e committee members and statutory offi cers wel- comed these new measures. Th ey have improved the eff ectiveness of the committee’s oversight. Th ey’ve also enhanced accountability to British Columbians for the expenditure of taxpayers’ funds to support the import- ant work of statutory offi ces.

It has been a very busy year for my committee. I want to thank all of the statutory offi cers and their staff , as well, of course, as my fellow committee members, including the Deputy Chair, the member for Victoria–Beacon Hill, for their support. With that, I move adoption of the report. C. James: I’ll just add my appreciation to the Chair of the committee, as well as all of the members and the statutory offi cers.

I think that, as the Chair has said, we focused very clearly as a committee this year on making sure that we were getting more information, that we had more time to examine the offi ces and the work of the offi ces, which I think is critical when we’re taking a look at the budgets to be able to do that. We had the opportunity to be able to have each of the offi cers appear, to be able to have more time to explore their work and better understand it and, therefore, to be able to take a look at the budgets in a much more thor- ough way. I think that was appreciated by all. Motion approved. Petitions Hon.

Michelle Stilwell: I would like to present a pe- tition signed by 169 residents in my constituency re- questing changes to traffi c on Roberton Boulevard in French Creek. [1440] A. Weaver: It gives me great pleasure to present a pe- tition with 65,721 signatures from people across British Columbia calling on the government to abolish B.C. ’s re- gressive approach to collecting MSP premiums. As the petition states, B.C. should follow the lead of other prov- inces in eliminating fl at-rate MSP premiums.

British Columbia Debates10308 Thursday, February 11, 2016 Orders of the Day Hon. M. de Jong: Continued debate on the Speech from the Th rone. Th rone Speech Debate (continued) G. Hogg: Today, as we’ve heard in this House, marks the fifth annual gathering of men, the Moose Hide Campaign, to end violence against women and children. Th e founder of this national campaign, Paul Lacerte, this morning referred to the phrase namaste, which he said means “the light in me sees the light in you, ” and he used that as a principle for addressing the issue of violence. [R.

Chouhan in the chair.] Paul talked about the national process, the national movement, to decolonize and to reculturize aboriginal people. During the opening protocols and welcoming this morning, the presiding elder talked about moving — moving from vision through a concept to reality, the process of taking an idea through a process to its exist- ence. Th e process, in some ways, is similar to the intent of the throne speech through a budget and to actualization.

Attending the opening of the Moose Hide Campaign this morning reminded me of the honour I have to repre- sent the people of Surrey–White Rock and to participate in the deliberative process of governing the province. It is an honour to walk into this building each day, to under- stand what it stands for and to be a part of its traditions and challenges, to know that there is a commitment from both sides of this House to present options to better the lives of British Columbians. Governments always have challenges, and the task of prioritizing options is one of those challenges.

John Maynard Keynes said that we are entitled to our own opinions, but not to our own facts. As an infl uential economist, he worked with and infl uenced many gov- ernment policies, and he was named one of the 100 most infl uential people of the 20th century. Aft er working with governments for years, he observed that: “Th ere is nothing a government hates more than to be well informed, for it makes the process of arriving at decisions more complicated and more diffi cult. ” While it may be true that it makes it diffi cult — even more dif- fi cult — it also, when done well, makes decisions better.

Making good decisions is not simple nor easy. Evidence can help us understand what works, where, why and with whom. It can also tell us what doesn’t work. We can avoid repeating failures. Evidence also challenges what we might think is common sense. For example, it may seem a good idea to increase po- lice on the street to reduce crime, or to reduce class- room sizes, but evidence doesn’t necessarily support this. Studies — evidence — suggest that having more uniformed police on the streets might perceive to be making the public safer, but it can actually take police away from solving crime.

Historically, politicians have tended to ignore such evidence because it is a popular belief that it works. Th e process of decision-making, of support, of under- standing and of gaining social licence is both complicat- ed and diffi cult. Mark Twain said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you in trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. ” As we plan for our future generations, one challenge is that of social engagement, of deliberation, of decision- making and of our youth and our youth’s involvement.

All cultures tend to teach their mores and their values and beliefs through the process of play, and that oft en leads into sport. [1445] Pope Francis recently announced that the Catholic Church is putting its faith in the power of sport to bring about social change. He is making sports a focus of his papacy’s third global initiative on education. His three- day event will examine the role sports can have and play in society, from establishing relationships to helping promote health and wellness.

Th is is the fi rst time such a high-profi le global institution has focused on the topic as a driver for social change. United States statistics and studies have found that 75 percent of all children playing sports at the age of ten quit by age 12. Between 2008 and 2013, there were 2.6 mil- lion fewer children between the ages of six and 12 play- ing basketball, soccer, track and fi eld, baseball, soft ball and football, a reduction of 8.8 percent.

We oft en emphasize performance over participation well before kids’ bodies, minds and interests mature, be- fore they are physically, psychologically and emotion- ally capable to understand and to assimilate what oft en coaches and parents believe they should. Our goal should be to help every 12-year-old youth develop the ability, the confi dence and the desire to be physically fi t for life. When asked about sport, 90 percent of six- to 12 year- olds said they wanted to have fun. It was the main reason that they played sports.

When they were asked to rank what fun was and what fun meant, they said, fi rstly, it means “trying to be my best. ” Secondly, it means having a coach that teaches and respects. Th irdly, it was having playing time. Fourthly, playing well together as a team. Next, getting along with teammates. And, fi nally, exercis- ing and being active. Th ose are the fi rst six. Number 48 on that list was winning. It oft en seems that coaches have that somewhat inverted in terms of their approach to it.

A good coach sees the potential in every child, and kids say they want a coach that respects and encourages them as a positive role model who gives clear and con- sistent communications, has a knowledge of the sport and is someone who listens. Parents, when they looked

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10309 at these statistics and saw the reductions, said that they oft en drove their child home from a practice or a game, and the child was upset. Th ey were upset because a coach had yelled at them, because somebody had yelled at them, because they didn’t get to play. Th at was one of the reasons we were seeing the reduc- tion. Th e other was a concern with respect to concus- sions, with respect to the physical well-being.

I think it’s ever-important for governments to ensure that there are policies and practices out there that do ensure that we respect the physical, emotional and psychological well- being of all of the students and people that participate in the sports that are funded by the state.

It has been a privilege over the past while to work with some phenomenal people who are positively engaged in providing opportunities for aboriginal youth — leaders and role models such as Paul Lacerte and Rick Brant, who have worked so hard to put together a sport-for-life book that gives a number of options and challenges and ways of dealing with sport. I’ve had the privilege of being in longhouses and the North American Indigenous Games, where British Columbia won the North American Indigenous Games and also won the Spirit Award, the fi rst time that’s ever been done.

We continue to win the Canadian games with respect to hockey, and certainly, the Canadian team of women won the World Indigenous Games gold medal for soccer and should be appropriately recognized for that. Th e Premier’s aboriginal youth sports awards are hap- pening in March of this year. Th ere’s a Gathering Our Voices that the aboriginal people have every year. Th ey’re expecting over 2,000 people to attend this at the Victoria convention centre, which houses about 1,500, so there will be a lot of people outside and watching on TV and being a part of it.

Th ere are going to be 1,500 youth on the lawns of this Legislature having what’s called a Nike move moment. Th e Nike Society Foundation is funding this move moment for 1,500 people. Th ey’ve contacted Guinness, and they’re hoping to be able to set a world’s record with respect to that. Microsoft has contributed $3 million to Right to Play, an international organization that’s looking at how we can encourage youth to be involved in sports. [1450] Right to Play started in Africa. A famous Dutch skat- er who won a number of gold medals set this up. He went off to Africa, where he handed out T-shirts to the people.

None of the kids wanted these T-shirts, but they saw some long-sleeved shirts, and they wanted those. He found out they wanted long-sleeved shirts because they could tie them up into a soccer ball and use them, and that couldn’t happen with a T-shirt. Th at’s when he real- ized the impact that he could have, so he moved quickly to bring more soccer balls and more opportunities. We now have that opportunity in British Columbia, as Right to Play has received $1 million a year for three years from Microsoft to work with aboriginal commun- ities to have them more actively engaged in sport and the work around those.

Th e Semiahmoo First Nation, which is a part of the riding I represent…. Th eir Grand Chief Bernard Charles, who died a few years ago, left an incredible legacy. Th ey hold a potlatch every year at Earl Marriott School. Troy Derrick, who is an RCMP member, comes and par- ticipates. He started a program called code blue, when they have their potlatch. Th is code blue he started out for Grand Chief Bernard Charles’s two grandchildren, to start working and getting them actively involved in physical exercise. Th e aboriginal kids started coming to this program, and then they wanted to bring their friends.

Now the program has expanded to about eight schools in Surrey. Alberta has contacted, wanting to know what’s happen- ing with it. Th ere are two communities in the north who are wanting to participate in this and actually are going to have an exchange with the Semiahmoo First Nation in terms of looking at how they can use this to grow and to understand.

Last week I had the privilege of being at the sign- ing ceremony with ViaSport British Columbia and the Canadian Olympic Committee, as the Canadian Olympic Committee has made a decision for their fi rst time that they actually want to get involved in from-cradle-to- grave sports. Instead of just looking at excellence, as the Olympic Committee has done for so many years, they’re now wanting to recognize and be engaged.

British Columbia was the fi rst province to sign an agreement, an MOU, a memorandum of understanding, with the Canadian Olympic Committee where they’re going to provide $200,000 to us to look at how we can continue to look at development. I had the privilege of meeting with the representatives of the COC some six months ago where they talked to me about the MOU and the ideas around it. I had some con- tributions that I thought were contributions.

Th ey kindly included some visionary statements into it that I provid- ed, and then they modifi ed and changed, but I think it refl ects much more of a visionary sense rather than just the practical model of going back and forth in an MOU. KidSport is also an active and important part of what’s happening in this province. Th e statistics I gave earlier were talking about kids dropping out of sport. Th ose were kids who had started in sport, and it wasn’t a fi nancial issue for most of those that dropped out.

Y et the biggest barrier that still exists for a number of kids participating in sport is a fi nancial barrier. KidSport, which started in British Columbia, is now a national organization. It is a tremendous contributor to providing the registration fees necessary for kids to par- ticipate in sports. Th e province provides about $400,000 a year for that. Th ere are a number of chapters around the province that do that. We run a

chapter in South Surrey–

British Columbia Debates10310 Thursday, February 11, 2016 White Rock for all of Surrey. We have a fundraiser each year, in which we have been successful in one evening to raise over $100,000 to participate in providing the neces- sary funding for those kids to participate in the registra- tion of the sports that they want to participate in.

I think our job, our process is much like that out- lined at the beginning of the program, for establishing, reducing, managing the violence against women and children — a vision of greater equality, of greater equity, through a concept, through a plan, through a structure to proceed to a reality that is a better future of all of the people of our communities, of our province, of our coun- try and the world. One of my favourite little anecdotes is about three kids who are out in an elementary school playground.

Th ey are playing around, and then one of the kids says: “Well, my dad is so fast, he can take a baseball, throw it in to home plate and run in and catch it. ” Th e other kids’ heads are sort of spinning. Th e second kid says: “Well, my dad is faster. My dad can have his py- jamas on. He can be sitting on the edge of the bed and he can get up and turn off the bedroom light and be back in bed before the room gets dark. ” Pretty quick. Th e third kid says…. His head’s kind of spinning. He says: “Well, my dad is even faster than that.

My dad gets off work at fi ve o’ clock, and he can be home by 4:30. [1455] Th ese three kids have diff erent perspectives, diff erent vantage points from which to see reality, their reality, see- ing the world as they want to see it, seeing the world as they want it to be. May we fi nd common perspectives that benefi t everyone as we work through the processes that we are going through, through a throne speech, through a budget, and move optimistically forward for the better- ment of all the people of our community and province. A.

Weaver: I rise to take my place in a debate that, I suspect, honestly, will be going on for next year and a half, a debate that is about the direction this province is going, a debate about what the future could look like for British Columbia, a debate that I’m eager to participate in. But this throne speech did not give us the ability to de- bate because there were virtually no ideas. Gone is the over-the-top rhetoric about LNG that has so defi ned this government’s approach.

Replacing it, however, is a fam- iliar drumbeat that I remember hearing in 2012, before the last election: the world is a scary place; only this gov- ernment has prevented complete collapse. Y et, to make such a claim would defy logic, given this government’s record over the last four years.

I remember sitting here, bright-eyed, in 2013, having just been elected, and listening to a throne speech that stated the govern- ment would “bring the liquefi ed natural gas opportunity home, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and leading to the establishment of the B.C. prosperity fund, which will be protected by law to eliminate our debt. ” Th ree years later this is clearly an empty promise, an unfulfi lled vision that was never based in reality, a his- tory that this government is quick to forget.

British Columbians are hardly going to feel assured that this government has a concrete plan, given the direction indi- cated by the Speech from the Th rone. Th e undercurrent of their retreat away from their high- ly rhetorical promises of 2013 is the idea that there was no way the government could possibly have known that LNG would be delayed. “Unforeseen global conditions are posing new challenges, ” Tuesday’s speech read. But these challenges, I would argue, were largely foresee- able, of course.

For the past few years, experts from a variety of fi elds have been outlining just how unlikely it would be for this industry to come to British Columbia as promised. Since 2012, I’ve been saying that this was nothing but a pipe dream. Since 2012, nothing has happened in this industry because the world is oversupplied in natural gas. China now has excess gas. It is a seller on the inter- national marketplace. And the price of future contracts would mean that, in British Columbia, we would literally have to pay people to take our natural gas.

Finally, Iran, the world’s largest reserve of natural gas — almost 20 times that of all Canada combined — has recently had sanctions lift ed. Is there anyone out there who still believes anything this government has to say when it talks about LNG? I think it’s important for us to look at just how much was promised in order to understand why the government’s refrain that “success is not for quitters” is not simply, yet again, empty rhetoric. But not only that. It’s a dangerous approach to the management of public resources.

In 2011, the Premier said that she planned to take an “aggressive approach to the development of the natural gas sector, ” and she was confi dent that British Columbia could “create a prosperous LNG industry that would bring local jobs to our communities and deliver import- ant dollars into our economy. ” Her offi ce predicted that the Kitimat liquefi ed natural gas plant would be “oper- ational by 2015. ” Nothing much happening in Kitimat in the area of LNG. Interjections. A. Weaver: And yes, I have been to Kitimat, and I have toured the Rio Tinto Alcan plan, and there is a lot going on there, certainly.

But in fact there is no LNG development going on in Kitimat. In fact, the pipeline that was being processed there has simply had construction stop, and yet again, again and again, fi nal investment decisions are kicked down…. Th e can is kicked down the road for years to come. Th e NDP , citing jobs for underemployment, commun- ities and a “better market in Asia, ” were quick to support the development of an LNG industry, initially. I will say,

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10311 of course, that they have seen the light, and they, too, recognize the empty promises that this government led British Columbians down. [1500] “I suspect…that if we have a facility in Kitimat and markets in Asia, then the activity in the northeast is go- ing to continue to be hot rather than fl at, ” said the Leader of the Opposition in 2011. “Th e risk to our coastline from LNG is insignifi cant. Th e benefi t to British Columbians is quite signifi cant, ” he added a few days later. Th e B.C.

Liberals continue pushing their LNG — and until recently, supported by the NDP . In 2012, for ex- ample, the NDP said they were comfortable with fracking and supported increasing B.C. ’s greenhouse gases in the name of reducing those in Asia. “We’ve been fracking in British Columbia for a long, long time — decades in fact. ” In fact, that’s true. Vertical fracking has been going on in British Columbia for many decades, but not horizontal fracking.

Horizontal drilling is a relatively new construct both in British Columbia and the rest of the world, which is one of the reasons that there’s no market for B.C. gas, because everyone in the world is using horizontal frack- ing now, not just British Columbia. In 2013, the Premier’s “aggressive approach” morphed into her entire re-election strategy, one based solely on the LNG industry.

Massive promises were made to British Columbians: a debt-free B.C. by the end of the 2020s, a $100 billion prosperity fund, 100,000 jobs, elim- ination of the provincial sales tax, $4.3 billion in extra government revenue by 2020, $1 trillion in the new eco- nomic activity. Th e list went on and on. To quote again: “Th is opportunity is very real for all the people of our province, ” she said.

In 2014, this chamber once again heard that LNG was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create 100,000 new jobs and a prosperity fund to eliminate the provin- cial debt. ” Despite all scientifi c evidence to the contrary, we heard that this LNG fi ction was the “greatest single step we can take to fi ght climate change. ” Th at’s almost a laughable quote. As a climate scientist, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, and I spoke against the idea.

Climate leadership aside, which this government is so sorely lacking, it was clear that the economics simply weren’t there to support an LNG industry on the scale of what was promised, and a number of energy analysts were voicing similar con- cerns. Nonetheless, onwards we go.

Th e Premier told us that her plan to foster a competi- tive LNG industry was “showing results. ” She was so con- fi dent in her vision that by April 30 of 2014, she stated that her government was meeting with key investors to “take the last crucial steps towards fi nal decisions. ” By the end of the year, her plan was, by any account, looking a little iff y.

Th e deal with Petronas wasn’t going so well, despite the Premier’s assurance that they were “absolutely on schedule” and that they were “going to get there on the timeline that they had set. ” Th e 7 percent tax that was originally proposed had been cut in half. The imminent deals that were just around the corner were dwindling in number. I stated in this House that this was an industry of “high-stakes promises and low-stakes delivery, ” and I asked the gov- ernment repeatedly about their backup plan if the pre- dicted LNG windfall did not materialize. Th e response from the hon.

Minister of Natural Gas was that they knew they “will be successful on this fi le. ” No backup plan. Not necessary. None. Interjection. A. Weaver: And the balanced budgets are being done, as the Minister of Health is pointing out — on the backs of individual British Columbians through things like speculation in the real estate industry and medical ser- vice premium increases.

As we saw today, 65,712 British Columbians from around the province signed a petition saying: “Stop this. ” Th e government will listen or not listen, at their peril, because these 65,712 voters will be there in 2017 to send this government a message, bringing ten or 12 folk along with each and every one of them. Come 2015, the government was still touting the LNG promises. Albeit, those promises had diminished signifi - cantly.

Th e price of oil had fallen through the fl oor, while the government looked the other way and continued to insist that LNG was a “generational opportunity. ” By this point, however, the government had gone quiet on the big-ticket promises, and our Premier’s timeline had changed. Having an LNG plant operational by 2015 clearly wasn’t happening.

But she insisted now that they were on target to have “three projects by 2020 up and running. ” Th at’s a bit like kicking the can down past the next election — desperate, absolutely desperate, to try to get one — not two, but one — fi nal investment decision. [1505] Th is government had a rare, unusual summer session for the sole purpose of legislating an agreement that ul- timately amounted to a sellout of our resource — a des- perate attempt to land an industry one fi nal investment deal. Th at deal was and remains environmentally reckless, fi scally foolhardy and socially irresponsible.

It is undoing all of our climate leadership, as recently emphasized by a Canadian report on the environmental assessment in the area. Admitting what we already knew by the end of 2015, the Premier said timelines were prob- ably going to be diff erent than what she had promised. Running parallel to the government’s over-the-top statements on LNG was a continued advancement of the Site C dam. Th e massive undertaking is perhaps the clear- est example of how irresponsible this government is with public resources. Th e whole reason for building Site C,

British Columbia Debates10312 Thursday, February 11, 2016 as the Premier stated in 2013, was because it was needed “for powering up these huge LNG facilities. ” Oops. What LNG facilities? Th is project was originally priced at $6.6 billion in 2010, $7.9 billion in 2011, and as of 2014, the estimate was set at $8.8 billion.

I’m willing to stake a large bet to- day that it’ll come in around $13 billion when all is said and done, and this will be an example of public subsidy for an industry that is not going to come to B.C. any time soon — all to power these LNG facilities that we’re not going to have, with none appearing to be close. Now, with this apparent excess energy whose pro- duction has crippled the clean energy sector in British Columbia, we hear that Site C may help to power Alberta — well, there’s a new idea — and we’ll put more public money subsidizing a transmission line to allow us to do so.

To me, this sounds like a desperate attempt to salvage a bad idea that anybody outside of government’s inner circles would have realized was not timely and not cost- eff ective and irresponsible — a bad idea that happened to support another bad idea. Here is the critical point. We have not seen one sin- gle investment decision in fi ve years of political rhetoric about how promising the LNG sector is for our prov- ince, not a single investment decision to help fund all those big election promises — not a single investment decision, period.

I want to return to this line we heard on Tuesday — that “success is not for quitters” and that “success de- mands steadfast attention. ” I would suggest that success is knowing when to stop throwing good money aft er bad ideas and having the courage to admit that you were wrong. Th at is, aft er all, what a fi scally responsible gov- ernment would do. Th at is what a fi scally responsible Green government would do. Anybody who has ever been in the stock market knows you don’t double down chasing a stock. Just ask anybody who invested in Nortel back in the day when it went from over $100 to pennies and change.

Despite the clear lack of progress in developing an LNG record, the Minister of Natural Gas stated last month that those who question this abysmal track rec- ord are “pessimists, short-sighted, reluctant to admit that LNG is making progress and securing long-term pros- perity for all of us. ” Indeed, rather than switching tracks, they’re switching to being derogatory and defensive of their failed strategy while superfi cially referencing a diversifi ed economy they have done little, if anything, to support.

Th e Premier her- self said the world is being divided in two: the people that will “say no to everything” and the people who would “want to fi nd a way to get to yes. ” “I’m not sure what science the forces of no bring togeth- er up there, except that it’s not really about the science, and it’s not really about the fi sh. It’s just about trying to say no. It’s about fear of change. It’s about fear of the fu- ture. ” It’s about derogatory statements like this Premier is making — a complete and utter lack of understanding of the fundamental issues facing British Columbians that she would have the gall to say that.

Is there any reason why voter turnout in recent by- elections was only 20 percent? The people of British Columbia are fed up with this political rhetoric. Th ey will vote for change in the future. Th ey will vote for change like the federal government voted for change, like the American Republicans and Democrats are voting for change in their leadership. Th ey will vote for change to get this government out of power. It’s been in far too long. It’s sending the signals to British Columbians that they do not want to hear. Th e arrogance of that statement is simply outstand- ing.

Th ere are very good scientifi c reasons to not support the LNG pipedream of this government, not the least of which is the fact that pursuing the LNG strategy will throw our climate leadership out of the window, plain and simple. Y ou can’t argue it the other way. [1510] Indeed, the continued rhetoric on LNG isn’t really about the reality of LNG in this province. It’s about try- ing to convince us that LNG promises are going to mater- ialize if we just trust government. Heard that before? It’s about fear of British Columbians actually remembering what they were promised and realizing it’s not what was delivered.

It’s about a fear of losing the next election. The Minister of Natural Gas Development once told me that my opposition to his LNG pipedream would leave me eating my words, just as the Minister of Advanced Education said today. Well, it hasn’t happened yet. I have to admit I’m getting hungry for real govern- ment leadership in this province.

Furthermore, I must confess my confusion about how this government feels it can insinuate that Alberta is not an example of how to run a province, while at the same time being entirely fo- cused on developing a carbon-based commodity market economy in the same low-price environment. It’s precise- ly that that’s hurting Alberta. For three years, we’ve had a one-issue Premier, caught up in the political promises she had to make to win the last election. We’ve had a supportive opposition up until recently. We have heard plenty of promises, and they have rarely been based in reality.

Th is is an approach to government that is, sadly, being repeated on a number of fronts. For example, let’s take a look at the B.C. jobs plan, which promised thousands of new jobs and is now in its fi ft h year. It has done nothing to fuel job growth. Interjection. A. Weaver: In fact, the employment rate in B.C. has dropped, hon. Minister of Health. Th e employment rate in B.C. has dropped since the B.C. Liberals took offi ce.

British Columbia DebatesThursday, February 11, 2016 10313 Th e employment rate has dropped since the B.C. Liberals took offi ce, despite their B.C. jobs plan. As Stats Canada reported this past December, B.C. ’s unemployment rate has risen to its highest level since December ’13. Th e pat- tern of job losses in our province is troubling, especially when considered next to skyrocketing housing prices. Again, mirroring the government’s outlandish LNG promises, the B.C. Liberals have repeatedly vowed that every British Columbian would have a family doctor by 2015. Th ere’s another promise.

But unfortunately, 2015 has come and gone, and there are an incredible number of people still in need of a family doctor. In fact, here’s another statistic. Fewer British Columbians have a regu- lar doctor now than before the government made these loft y promises. Right now in British Columbia, it’s esti- mated that over 200,000 people are still actively looking for a family doctor. Th e minister has gone quiet on that one. I wish he’ d ac- tually look at the statistics there and fulfi l the promises his government made and send that in the wrong direc- tion.

Given this government’s complicated history with doctor shortages, however, what I fi nd most concerning about the B.C. Liberals’ promise to provide every British Columbian with a family physician is not that they have failed. One only has to look back at the struggles Canada has, as a country, in maintaining the appropriate num- bers of GPs to know that B.C. ’s doctor shortage was never something that could have been fi xed in two years. What is most concerning is that British Columbians were repeatedly misled about what could be realistically achieved. British Columbians deserve better.

Th ey de- serve real politics. Th ey deserve real statements. Th ey deserve statements in government that are grounded in reality, not political rhetoric that has no hope to ever transpire, simply because the government is concerned about winning, winning at all costs. Now, I would ask all members of the government op- posite to take a look and read the comments of the pre- vious member, the member from the White Rock area, and what he was actually talking about there — talking about coaches, talking about winning.

It’s pretty clear to me that that speech said a lot about this government and its approach to winning at all costs — saying whatever it takes to get through lunch, saying whatever it takes them to get through dinner, going into rope-a-dope to pretend issues don’t exist. We’re beginning to see a pattern emerge with this gov- ernment, whether it be promises of 100,000 jobs, a debt- free B.C., unrealistic job growth, a GP for every British Columbian, unicorns in the backyards for all kids by the age of 20.

Th e government is long on rhetoric and short on the leadership required to truly make things better for British Columbians. Real leadership is desperately needed in this province. Only when this government is honest with British Columbians about our strengths and weaknesses can it bring forward a real vision that positions British Columbia as a leader in the 21st-century economy. Such a vision starts by being clear about what our real strengths are as a province — our people, our place and our resources. [1515] British Columbians are among the best educated in the world.

Our high school students are consistently ranked near the top of global comparisons. Th e OECD program for international student assessment identifi es B.C. as continually ranking at the very top in science, mathemat- ics and reading. The strengths go beyond academic comparisons. Travelling around this province for the past three years, I’ve found the same thing everywhere I’ve gone: British Columbians who succeed by bringing innovation into their work. Small and family-owned businesses are the heart of innovation. Th ey know that the market is com- petitive, yet they are fi nding ways to succeed.

In many cases, in most cases, this is despite the lack of govern- ment support, not because of it. We have such an opportunity in B.C., the opportunity to grow our economy in sunrise industries like the tech sector and the renewable energy sector. Th ese are rapid- ly growing economic sectors that we need to nurture in our province. I recently attended the B.C. Tech Summit in Vancouver, kind of an afterthought by the B.C. government in August of last year. Interjection. A. Weaver: I do know about the B.C. Tech Summit.

I know that it was only thought of as a last-minute thing in August of last year, and staff were tasked to get it done. Th is is not a government that has put any long-term ef- fort into some particular issue. When I attended that, I had a chance to sit down with numerous entrepreneurs who are working in the cre- ative economy. I was able to hear fi rsthand their views on the challenges and opportunities faced by their indus- try. Th is is exactly the type of sector that has been largely neglected for the past three years by a government fi x- ated on a windfall. We have another: the agricultural sector.

Government’s response? “Let’s have another conference on this. ” Rather than nurturing this industry…. Interjection. A. Weaver: First conference on this. Th ank you to the member for Saanich South. Everyone I have met with talked about the physical draw of our province. Interjections.

British Columbia Debates10314 Thursday, February 11, 2016 A. Weaver: I’m so glad that I’m working up some of the ministers opposite. It’s clear that I’m actually hitting a nerve there with some truth, which is getting them to be a little upset. Everyone I met with talked about the physical draw of our province… Interjections. Deputy Speaker: Members. A. Weaver: …as one of the main reasons they remain here. Over the generations, the beauty of this province has attracted talent and investment from across Canada and, indeed, the world. Th e reason is simple. People want to live here.

Th ey want to take advantage of the lifestyle oppor- tunities that exist. People move here and they stay here to be active and surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty. Our province attracts and retains people who believe in creating a better society. We also have the natural re- sources that position us to be a leader in the clean tech and resource technology sectors. Our opportunity is more than just exporting physical goods. We should be ex- porting our best practices and cutting-edge technologies. Unfortunately, our government is no longer spearheading those values.

We are not the climate leaders we once were. Instead, we are promoting fossil fuel development. Th e government is subsidizing the destruction of an- cient forests that should be saved. Other ecosystems are so poorly managed that we have to cull one species in the name of saving another, bringing B.C. into global dis- repute. Wild salmon, erring and oolichan stocks are falling in many regions, while the B.C. government ignores the province’s role in their protection and dismisses the vital importance of these fi sh in sustaining the environment and First Nations culture.

Instead of addressing these issues honestly and head on, we see a government kick- ing the can of responsibility down a never-ending road. The government consistently says that they are world leading. Th ey say it because they know British Columbians want to be world leading. We want to be ahead and modern. Simply proclaiming that something is world leading does not make it so. Y ou cannot bestow such a title on yourself. Only with the hard work of actual leadership and vision does such recognition come from abroad. Th at leadership is lacking.

Th is is what I had heard from the tech entrepreneurs who dream of a new creative industry in this province and who believe in the potential for British Columbia. Th ey want to live here. While they were encouraged that government is fi nally paying attention, as of August of last year, to what could be a powerhouse industry in the province, the challenges they face are the same that all British Columbians are facing. Aff ordability. It’s hard to tell if this government merely took its eye off the ball with the crisis of aff ordability in the Lower Mainland.

Th ey do seem to have turned hyping an industry that they politically chained themselves to into a full-time job. I get that. Either way, this is one of the funda- mental challenges our province must come to terms with if we are to create an environment that fosters the growth of resilient local businesses in the creative economy. Th e government has ignored the low-hanging fruit available to solve some of the housing aff ordability issues, such as closing the bare trust loophole or ensuring that it has the data to make evidence-based decisions.

Similarly to LNG, this government has ignored all the warning signs and expert advice along the way. Th at is not look- ing out for young families. Th at is not showing leadership. Frankly, that’s like standing as a deer in the road looking at the headlights of the car as the economy comes and crashes down on you. [1520] Grounded in the housing aff ordability crisis is a strong sense that fairness is fundamentally lacking in our prov- ince’s approach.

Vancouver is a city of people from all walks of life, but this government’s policies risk hol- lowing out that region by supporting the speculative in- dustry rather than small business owners who give this city its heartbeat. Making life aff ordable and fair for British Columbians means MSP premiums need to be eliminated. Why is B.C. the only province that perpetuates a fundamentally un- fair system to help pay our health care services? In our current system, someone making $30,000 a year pays the same premium as someone making $3 million a year.

Th is unjust measure has been carried out year aft er year in an attempt by the government to show that they have lowered taxes. But to lower taxes and then cre- ate specifi c fees that disproportionately aff ect the lower- income bracket to pay for health care services is hardly fair, and British Columbians are noticing. In fact, it was my constituents who brought this con- ce

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20160211pm-Hansard-v32n4
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20160211pm Hansard v32n4
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	2442cea840f3b657804321fa8464f43459b506a0

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