Second Session, 41st Parliament

(2017) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Afternoon Sitting

Issue No. 22

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Simon Lucas

Hon. S. Fraser

Introductions by Members

Statements

Rosh Hashanah

Hon. S. Robinson

Introductions by Members

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Bill 4 — Acting Information and Privacy Commissioner Continuation

Act

Hon. J. Sims

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Prostate cancer awareness

L. Krog

Parksville Beach Festival and sand sculpting competition

M. Stilwell

Mission District Historical Society

B. D’Eith

Pulling Together canoe event

J. Sturdy

Tasha Faye Evans

R. Glumac

Rotary Club of Dawson Creek and Rotary Lake safety

improvements

M. Bernier

Oral Questions

Election campaign financing legislation

M. de Jong

Hon. J. Horgan

R. Coleman

Hon. D. Eby

A. Wilkinson

Mills Memorial Hospital replacement project in Terrace

E. Ross

Hon. A. Dix

Richmond Hospital acute care tower project

J. Johal

Hon. A. Dix

Point of Privilege (Reservation of Right)

B. D’Eith

Tabling Documents

B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, annual report, 2016-17

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate

(continued)

Hon. M. Mungall

N. Letnick

G. Begg

M. Lee

M. Elmore

J. Sturdy

Hon. M. Farnworth

M. Polak

Hon. J. Horgan

T. Redies

Hon. C. James

Motions Without Notice

Committee of Supply to sit in two sections

Hon. M. Farnworth

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2017

The House met at 1:35 p.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

Hon. J. Darcy: It gives me great pleasure to introduce a very, very special guest

from New Westminster who is in the Legislature today. John Hagen, who is

known to many people in this House, is a prince of a man. He is kind. He is

gentle. He is a distinguished citizen of New Westminster. He’s very

opinionated. He’s dedicated. He is so many things.

People in this House will know John Hagen as having been the life

partner of Anita Hagen, a former MLA for New Westminster and former minister

in this House. I’m deeply honoured to walk in her shoes. I know that every

step of the way, John was there for Anita, supporting her absolutely every

step of the way.

When I say that John is opinionated and a hard worker…. One of my

first experiences with John was in 2012, a year before the election of 2013.

He came out in the rain and the cold. He was then 80 years old — he’s just

celebrated his 85th birthday — knocking on doors in the cold. And do you

know? It was a year out from the election, so we weren’t really asking a

very hard question about who they were voting for. John Hagen said: “Why

aren’t you asking them if they’re voting for you?” I said: “You know, it’s a

year out.” He said: “No, no, no. This is the way it’s done. You ask them how

they vote, and then you take it on. If they aren’t voting for you, you have

that discussion with them.”

A wonderful guy, a wonderful volunteer and a wonderful citizen of New

Westminster. I’d ask everybody to join us in welcoming him to this

House.

I. Paton: Today I’d like to welcome my sister Glenda and her husband, John, from

Ladner, B.C. and their friends Wave and Trish Steinwand. My sister has

recently retired after 27 years as an RN at the Delta Hospital. Her husband,

John, recently retired from the Vancouver fire department. For whatever

reason…. I mean, she’s no spring chicken, but she’s taken up biking. They

rode their bikes from Ladner all the way to the Parliament Buildings in

Victoria this morning.

Welcome to my sister.

Hon. H. Bains: It gives me a great deal of pleasure to introduce to this House a good

friend, a lifelong activist and a fighter to improve the lives of working

people and overall help the society to have a better life — my good friend

Irene Lanzinger, president of the B.C. Federation of Labour.

S. Sullivan: Today in the House is a man named Anthony McCord of Paris. He’s an

expert in infrastructure responsible for international projects like the

RCMP headquarters and the Surrey Memorial Hospital, but he grew up here. I

knew him as my very first employee at the Disabled Sailing Association.

Thanks to his wisdom, skill and forethought, that group now touches the

lives of thousands. His son William is a remarkable young man who came out

here to work in my constituency office. Please will the House welcome

Anthony McCord.

Hon. M. Farnworth: It’s my pleasure to introduce a former long-standing member in this

House, a former member of the class of 1991. I see Sue Hammell up in the

gallery. Will the House please make her welcome.

[1:40 p.m.]

L. Reid: I’m delighted to welcome my newest seatmate back to this place. Lorne

Mayencourt has joined us. I’d ask the House to please make him

welcome.

Tributes

SIMON LUCAS

Hon. S. Fraser: I rise with a heavy heart today to recognize the loss of an

important leader for the Hesquiaht First Nation and the Nuu-chah-nulth

people. Dr. Simon Lucas, elder, was a passionate advocate for Indigenous

rights and culture. He passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 16,

in Port Alberni.

He was a friend. Every time, an elder’s loss is a tragedy beyond

comprehension. An elder’s knowledge cannot be duplicated, and it’s based

on thousands of years of knowledge, wisdom and history.

Dr. Lucas became politically active early on, starting with the

Allied Tribes of the West Coast in 1958, working to increase the

political influence of First Nations people in this province. He was

named an elder at the age of 40, and he played a lead role integrating

First Nations knowledge and values into emerging, modern ecosystems

science.

I went out on a boat off of Hesquiaht territory in Clayoquot Sound

20 years ago with Simon. He taught me the web of life between the sea

otter, the urchin and the kelp forests. I still remember that today. He

was known for his impassioned speeches, for his eloquence when

advocating for the recognition and advancement of First Nations rights,

particularly fishing rights.

In May 2001, the University of British Columbia bestowed an

honorary title and a degree of doctorate of laws in recognition of Dr.

Lucas’s contributions to the university. He is described as a tireless

advocate for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, working together to

restore fisheries, resources, to coastal communities.

Dr. Lucas and his wife, Julia, were the go-to couple when it came

to matters of culture and language. Dr. Lucas spent months and months

recording songs and gathering people together to share the knowledge and

to help rebuild their culture.

May this House join me in expressing our condolences to Julia

Lucas and their 62 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and

great-great-grandchildren and all the Nuu-chah-nulth peoples.

Introductions by Members

S. Furstenau: I’d like to welcome three very special guests to the House. Madeleine

Corwin, a former student of mine, was last here in May 2015 as a grade 11

student. She delivered an impassioned speech on the steps of this

Legislature to 1,600 people. My mother, Jan Carole, also taught me the art

of advocacy. She spent seven years fighting a landfill in Alberta and

succeeded in having it stopped. And her dear friend Gillian Gwyer has put up

with my mom since they were 18 years old. I’d like to welcome them all to

the House.

Statements

ROSH HASHANAH

Hon. S. Robinson: I’d like to take a moment to just wish my family, my friends and

the British Columbian Jewish community a shanah tova , a happy

new year. Those who celebrate will be gathering tonight as the holiday

of Rosh Hashanah begins. We celebrate the creation of the world and the

beginning of the Days of Awe. This is a time when we reflect on the past

year, and we look forward and contemplate the coming year.

I’d like to also take this opportunity to wish all my colleagues

in the House a very healthy year, a very happy year and a very sweet

year to come.

Introductions by Members

Mr. Speaker: Members, I, too, have an introduction to make this afternoon. My two

CAs, Tricia Taylor and Amber Born, are up in the gallery. Amber is joined by

her husband, Chris Pecor. Please make them feel welcome.

[1:45 p.m.]

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL 4 — ACTING INFORMATION AND

PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

CONTINUATION ACT

Hon. J. Sims presented a message from Her Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Acting Information and Privacy

Commissioner Continuation Act.

Hon. J. Sims: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time

now.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. Sims: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce Bill 4, intituled Acting

Information and Privacy Commissioner Continuation Act.

As it stands, the current acting Information and Privacy

Commissioner’s term will likely expire before a new commissioner can be

appointed for a six-year term. The role of the Information and Privacy

Commissioner is vital to upholding access and privacy rights of all

British Columbians. As a testament to this, the Freedom of Information

and Protection of Privacy Act places a time limit on an acting

commissioner’s appointment.

FOIPPA also requires that a special committee of the Legislative

Assembly make a unanimous recommendation to the Lieutenant-Governor

about whom to appoint to this important position. The time limit set in

the legislation for a temporary commissioner is 20 sitting days of this

Legislative Assembly.

As the title suggests, this bill will provide a temporary

legislative solution intended to ensure continued independent oversight

over access and privacy issues while a special committee of the Leg.

Assembly can be established, deliberate and make its recommendations for

a new appointee. I want to emphasize that this is a temporary measure

only, as the bill contains a sunset clause which will effectively repeal

it on the 31st of March, 2018. I have every confidence that the special

committee will come to a unanimous recommendation on or before this

deadline.

I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second

reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 4, Acting Information and Privacy Commissioner Continuation Act,

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

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

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS

Mr. Speaker: The member for Parksville-Qualicum. Oh, the member for Nanaimo.

Sorry.

L. Krog: Thank you, hon. Speaker. There seems to be some confusion about

who gets to go first. Don’t deduct from my time, please. This is

important.

It’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. One in seven men will be

diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. It’s the most common

form of cancer in men. My late uncle Jim Foster, a veteran of the Second

World War, passed away from it on November 11 — rather fittingly — in

1999. Mercifully, deaths have dropped by 40 percent over the last 20

years, but 4,100 will die in 2017 alone in Canada.

Men, you need to know your numbers. You need to know your blood

pressure. You need to know your weight, your cholesterol and your PSA.

If you’re over 40, for heaven’s sake, get your PSA tested, because it is

showing up in greater incidence in younger men now.

Prostate Cancer Canada is the only national foundation trying to

eliminate the disease through research, education, support and

awareness. Thus, members on both sides of this House today are wearing

pins, are wearing ties and acknowledging the importance of public

awareness. Through that awareness, hon. Speaker, you are going to quite

literally save lives.

To all members, all men, pay attention to this disease. Don’t be a

victim. Be someone who is supportive of those who suffer from prostate

cancer. Our former friends Gordie Hogg and Sue Hammell, as members of

this chamber know, spoke on this issue many times. It’s time to pay

attention.

[1:50 p.m.]

PARKSVILLE BEACH FESTIVAL

AND SAND SCULPTING

COMPETITION

M. Stilwell: With the temperatures dropping and fall certainly on its way, I’d

like to take a minute to talk about an epic Parksville summer event, in

an attempt to hang on to my favourite time of year.

For 35 years, Parksville has taken playing in the sand to a whole

new level. Parksville has welcomed visitors and competitors from all

over the world to our Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition and

exhibition. Parksville’s Joan LeMoine, who I was fortunate enough to

award the first-ever Medal of Good Citizenship from the province, was

instrumental in re-establishing the Parksville beach society in

Without a doubt, the community support from local businesses like

Coastal Community Credit Union, Quality Resort Bayside, Tigh-Na-Mara

seaside spa resort and conference centre, Lefty’s Fresh Food and Scott

Signs — just to name a few of the dozens of sponsors — is part of the

bricks and the mortar that make the festival such a success. That’s

coupled with the hundreds of volunteers that make this event a great

success for our community.

Beach Festival Society directors, including Cheryl Dill, Leslie

Phillips, Karen Eakins, Penny Rutherford, Jim Hoffman, Dennis Belliveau,

Kirsteen McLean, Anissa Derek, Lloyd Derry, Pam Petrie, Kirk Oates and

Wendy Sears went above and beyond this year with their Canada 150 theme.

It included an inaugural light-up evening of the sculptures, which was

received with rave reviews.

For three weeks, visitors enjoy the sand sculptures, the

children’s events and musical entertainment, which occur while

attracting more than a quarter of a million people to the Oceanside

area. Almost more impressive are the proceeds raised and that they stay

completely in the community.

The annual fireworks show over the waterfront is the perfect

ending to the festival for most. However, for the Beach Festival

director, it also signals the beginning of planning for next year’s

festival, which helps define the beautiful city where we live, work and

play. So make your travel plans next summer to Parksville. You won’t

want to miss it.

MISSION DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

B. D’Eith: The Mission District Historical Society is a growing and busy

organization that serves the citizens of the district of Maple Ridge and

surrounding areas, Lake Errock, McConnell Creek, Hatzic Prairie, Hatzic

Island, Nicomen Island, Deroche and Dewdney. The society is particularly

active this year because Mission is celebrating its 125th birthday —

which we share with my friend across the aisle, of Mission and

Abbotsford.

N. Simons: He’s not that old.

B. D’Eith: Come on. He can attest to the rich history of Mission as

well.

The Mission Community Archives and Mission museum are actively

involved in celebrations of the anniversary of its incorporation this

year. Last month the district of Mission parks, recreation and culture

department generously provided the exhibition space in the Mission

Leisure Centre for the archives to use for the entire year. That means

that they are able to mount a different exhibit every six weeks during

the year for this celebration, and it’s a great opportunity for the

community to share in this priceless archive, which has being created

and maintained in Mission.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with society archivist Val

Billesberger, who toured me through the historical society archives at

the time. She was actually processing a donation from a long-time

Mission family, and you can see the amount of time and energy that goes

into processing these artifacts. It’s a huge job, and she obviously

takes this job very seriously and celebrates it with great relish. So

thanks to Val, her staff and her board of directors for ensuring that

the history of Mission is preserved for generations to come.

I also wanted to also take the opportunity to thank the society

for allowing my constituency office to display a rotating number of

historical photographs. This gives us a chance to show off our local

history to all our visitors, and I want to thank the society for

that.

PULLING TOGETHER CANOE EVENT

J. Sturdy: I’m pleased to rise today to showcase an event that took place

recently on the traditional Indigenous transportation routes between

West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and Burrard

Inlet.

Pulling Together is an annual canoe event that teams police and

government public service agencies with First Nations youth for a

long-distance paddling journey that aims to build true reconciliation at

the grassroots level. The canoe is an ancient First Nations vessel that

has been used for ferrying people and cargo for thousands of years.

Canoes have been essential to the way of life of the coastal

peoples.

The Squamish First Nation, the West Vancouver police department

and the Royal Canadian Navy worked collaboratively to plan the 17th

annual Pulling Together Journey. Thirty boats took

part in a multi-day

trip, with the aim of being able to enhance common learning and cultural

understanding.

[1:55 p.m.]

This year’s journey began at Sechelt, travelled around Howe Sound,

then along to Ambleside, Vanier Park and Lumbermen’s Arch, before

finishing on the North Shore. This year I was honoured to paddle the

Burrard Inlet to Vanier Park leg and back.

We hefted our big canoe, called Dimitri , to the water’s

edge, and our skipper organized the team. Between the crew and

passengers, we estimated the canoe to weigh in well over two tonnes.

Naturally, I was designated one of the engine spots. You can imagine

what that means. The skipper of our canoe was Indigenous RCMP Insp.

Linda Blake. She was a strong hand that guided our canoe quickly,

instilled the critical teamwork, coordinated our strokes and ensured our

safety as we made our way across the inlet.

The pride the youth participants felt as they shared their

traditional way of life on the water and felt the collective success of

paddling together was rewarding and inspiring to witness. The Pulling

Together canoe journey is a great example of collaboration, teamwork and

reconciliation, and I look forward to participating again next

year.

TASHA FAYE EVANS

R. Glumac: I’d like to rise in the House today to acknowledge an amazing

woman in my constituency named Tasha Faye Evans. Over the course of the

summer, Tasha has been organizing numerous events in the community to

raise awareness of Coast Salish culture and to confront larger issues

facing First Nations.

The summer programs included walks, traditional songs and

storytelling, cedar-weaving, drum-making and a couple of events around

reconciliation. She’s partnered with the Port Moody Ecological Society

and the Tri-City SUCCESS Centre for new immigrants. Over the course of

these many events, people were drawn together and, I think, developed a

connection with each other and with the Coast Salish lands and waters on

which Port Moody now exists.

Tasha’s goal is to work together with the community to create a

Welcome Post in the city. It would be the first Welcome Post raised in

that area since it became Port Moody. She wants to invite everyone to

participate and share ideas.

The first gathering to discuss the Welcome Post will be tomorrow

at the Noons Creek Hatchery at 7 p.m. There will be other opportunities

over the weekend and in the weeks to come as well. In Tasha’s own words:

“As our city grows in population and development, the Welcome Post

project has begun a conversation about our values. Designing, carving

and raising this Coast Salish house post solidifies these values and

creates an opportunity for us to build the foundation for our community

that is based in respect for the First Peoples of this land. It is

leaving a legacy for future generations that expresses our shared

commitment to our sacred responsibility to care for each other, for all

our relations, in these Coast Salish lands and waters.”

Thank you, Tasha, for all the incredible work you’re doing in the

community.

Mr. Speaker: Peace River South. [Applause.]

M. Bernier: Well, thank you, hon. Speaker. But it’s not quite question period

time yet. Never seen that much excitement before a two-minute speech has

actually started, but thank you.

ROTARY CLUB OF DAWSON CREEK AND

ROTARY LAKE SAFETY

IMPROVEMENTS

M. Bernier: In 1967, the rotary clubs of Dawson Creek decided, as a centennial

project, to volunteer and build a man-made lake inside the city as a way

to offer free outdoor recreation for the families in the region. I want

to thank all the members of the rotary clubs of Dawson Creek, who always

step up and make sure that they’re building facilities like this and

countless other projects to help families in our area.

The Rotary Lake was designated a lake under an order-in-council by

the Ministry of Health in the province, and for the last 50 years,

families in the entire region and tourists from around the world have

had a chance to enjoy hot summer days at a free swimming hole in the

community.

Last year, though, a tragic accident happened, where young

12-year-old Beverly Park drowned in this lake. The community was

devastated. We were shocked by this news, and our hearts go out to

Beverly’s family and friends, who have to deal with this loss. The city

and the Mile 0 Park Society have worked closely together to ensure

they’re making changes possible to ensure that this unfortunate

situation never happens again.

[2:00 p.m.]

I want to thank Dale Campbell and the volunteers who put in

countless hours with the city of Dawson Creek, Mayor Bumstead and the

council there, who have worked together tirelessly to ensure that we

have a safe, fun, free outdoor experience for all our families in our

region.

We need to learn from this sad accident that happened and this

situation so that next year we can reopen Rotary Lake for all our

families to enjoy safely for another 50 years.

Oral Questions

ELECTION CAMPAIGN FINANCING

LEGISLATION

M. de Jong: Interesting couple of days. The Premier made a promise. He

promised British Columbians that campaign finance reform would not

include forcing people to fund political parties through their tax

dollars. He made the promise repeatedly, and he actually ridiculed

anyone that dared to question the sincerity of his promise. Now he’s

broken his promise. He’s broken his word.

I asked myself: I wonder how the Premier as opposition leader

would have responded to that kind of conduct. The opposition leader from

Juan de Fuca — how would his response be different from the Premier from

Juan de Fuca?

The question is not a complicated one. Will the Premier today, in

light of what he has done, what he has chosen to do, along with his

colleagues, stand and apologize to British Columbians who took him at

his word when he said that he wasn’t going to force British Columbians

to pay and subsidize political parties in this province?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the Opposition House Leader for his question. He knows

that there’s a bill before the House. We’ll all have an opportunity for

reasoned debate about the merits of that bill in the days ahead. But I

want to focus in on the crux of the issue, and that is getting big money

out of politics. We made a commitment that the first order….

Interjections.

Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate that the members are reluctant to see big money

leave, because last year they raised $12½ million. Half of that money

came from 185 donors — six million bucks. Six million bucks from 185

people went into the coffers of the B.C. Liberal Party. That’s why the

public, that’s why this Legislature and that’s why those on this side of

the House want to eliminate big money and the negative influence it

has.

There is a transition funding arrangement that will disappear at

the end of this parliament, and it will cost us less than the member

across the way spent on partisan advertising in the lead-up to the last

election.

Mr. Speaker: The House Leader for the official opposition on a

supplemental.

M. de Jong: I think the best indication that government arrogance is taking

over from common decency is when a Premier stands up….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, if I may take a minute and remind the House of

the long-standing and necessary parliamentary practice of being

respectful towards each other during debate. We all insist on this, and

I know the public expects nothing less.

M. de Jong: When a Premier stands up and dismisses out of hand the

significance of fundamentally breaking a clear promise that has been

made…. Sadly, the Premier is still not being forthright with British

Columbians, and we just heard it again a moment ago.

[2:05 p.m.]

The Premier insists on characterizing this as a temporary subsidy.

It is clearly not that. Millions of dollars are embedded permanently and

will flow from the taxpayers to political parties, and

whereas the

Premier could have ensured that it was a temporary measure, instead, he

and his colleagues chose to do the opposite and create a mechanism by

which these billions and millions of dollars in subsidy will continue in

perpetuity. We’re talking about upwards of $38 million in the first

round.

Will the Premier at least today…. If he refuses to apologize, if

he refuses to abide by that standard that he would have set as Leader of

the Opposition, will he at least be honest with British Columbians and

acknowledge that there is nothing temporary about a measure that,

statutorily, is bound to continue year after year and will remove from

British Columbians the basic right to choose whether or not they want to

make a political contribution?

Hon. J. Horgan: Hon. Speaker, 185 donors, a handful more people than are in this

building right now, gave $6½ million to the B.C. Liberal Party last

year. That’s why they don’t want to get big money out of politics.

That’s why they resist this change.

The legislation before the House is the first opportunity for

those who were elected after May to come together and have a genuine

debate, a real debate, about the importance of getting big money out of

politics.

I welcome any amendments the member may bring forward, but the key

issue here is that the people of British Columbia are tired of deep

pockets running the government of B.C. They want people in the centre of

their politics. This legislation does that.

Mr. Speaker: The House Leader for the official opposition on a second

supplemental.

M. de Jong: And with surprising speed, the public of British Columbia have

grown tired of a Premier who refuses to keep his word.

It has not taken long for the traditional ideological approach of

the NDP to reveal itself in these matters. People will not have a

choice. The NDP will tell people that they must make contributions

politically. They will no longer have that choice.

The Premier repeatedly stated otherwise. He stated that in the

run-up to the campaign. He stated it during the campaign. Presumably, he

stated it because he thought it was important and mattered to British

Columbians. Presumably, he made that promise repeatedly because he

thought it was of consequence and significance, and then he broke his

word.

One last time for me. Will the Premier do the decent thing, stand

up in this House and stop trying to deflect the fact that he has broken

his promise and, instead, apologize for that very fact?

Hon. J. Horgan: This legislation transforms politics in British Columbia. It has

ended what was a stain on B.C. politics. The Wild West of fundraising is

coming to an end. Now, I appreciate those on that side of the House who

are revving up their leadership campaigns are concerned about that. But

maybe the good news for those who don’t have the deep pockets like the

member from Quilchena…. Maybe the good news for them is they’ll engage

with people, and when they do that, they’ll find out that what really

matters to people is that their politics is cleared from the influence

of big pockets.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Order, please.

Hon. J. Horgan: Every jurisdiction in Canada but Quebec has a lower limit than

British Columbia. We have among the lowest in the country now.

Furthermore, Quebec, Ontario, all the Maritimes and Manitoba have

permanent allotments to political parties. We will not. It will end at

the end of this term, and it’s up to the next parliament to proceed from

there.

[2:10 p.m.]

R. Coleman: I was raised by a mother and father. My mother was one of the most

remarkable people I ever knew. The integrity she brought and what she

taught my sister about her future and what she could accomplish in her

life was remarkable. I’ve been married to the same woman for 43 years —

my wife, Michele — and we’ve told our children that every opportunity is

available for them in British Columbia. It’s important. And now I have a

granddaughter who actually should know that too.

On April 5, 1917, this Legislature gave the vote to women by royal

assent to an amendment to the Elections Act. It was a remarkable day — a

sad day for men, because we should never have stopped them from having

the vote in the first place, but doing the change was important to the

history of British Columbia.

Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition said…. Sorry, the Premier

said in a scrum, reported in the Times Colonist — I confirmed

it with the reporter today — that legislation before the House on

campaign financing reform is “the most significant piece of legislation

we’ve seen in B.C. since 1871.” I think 1917, 100 years ago, for the

vote for women was a lot more important than giving money — going into

the taxpayers’ pockets to pay for campaigns.

To the Premier: how could you possibly think this is the most

significant piece of legislation since 1871?

Hon. D. Eby: I thank the member for the question and for his reminder about a

very important piece of legislation that I think all members in this

House care about. Thank you for the reminder, which is not to take away

from the significance of the bill that is in front of the

Legislature.

I want to just express why this side of the House thinks this bill

is so significant by way of illustration of how things used to run in

this province before this bill was introduced.

A lot of the members in the House will remember a climate

leadership team that was assembled by the previous Premier. It’s a group

of citizens who came forward with their best ideas about how British

Columbia could take a leadership role again in addressing climate change

and the climate crisis. They made 32 recommendations in good

faith.

Well, it turns out that after they completed the process, there

was a secret meeting where the government went to Calgary to meet in the

boardroom of the Canadian Association of Petroleum

Producers….

Interjections.

Hon. D. Eby: Oh, pardon me. The members are objecting. I did make a mistake. It

was five meetings in the boardroom of the Canadian Association of

Petroleum Producers to rewrite the climate action plan for B.C. And

incidentally, the Canadian Association of….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please.

Hon. D. Eby: The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers gave $3.6 million

since 2011 to the B.C. Liberal Party.

The significance of this bill is that people will be writing

legislation through their votes again, not big donors. It is very

significant, and it is historic.

R. Coleman: The government arrogance contained in that answer to a question is

stunning. I’ve got to say this. I don’t know what it is you have about

admitting that maybe women’s rights in British Columbia are more

important than putting taxpayers’ money into an election, but that’s

what you said. And not only did the Premier say that this is the

most….

Interjections.

R. Coleman: I’ll wait.

Mr. Speaker: Leader, proceed.

[2:15 p.m.]

R. Coleman: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The most significant legislation we’ve seen in B.C. since

I’ve been to First Nations communities where poverty is rampant.

I’ve seen their opportunity, looking for children’s futures. I know how

important it is to them and that there are other things that are

important to them. I also think that it was really important to them — a

shameful piece of B.C. history that took too long. First Nations people

registered under the Indian Act in this province were not allowed to

vote in a provincial election until 1948 or in federal elections until

I think that’s way more significant than any bill brought to this

House since 1871, than a piece of legislation to put money from

taxpayers into campaigns against a promise made by the Premier of the

province of British Columbia.

To the Premier: why don’t you stand up and admit to people in this

province that a whole lot of things, including human rights and other

things that happened in B.C. that are way more important, are way more

important than you taking money from the taxpayers to line your campaign

pockets?

Hon. J. Horgan: The questions I was asked yesterday were in the context of

election finance reform. In that context, the answer I gave was

absolutely appropriate.

To take a lecture from B.C. Liberals about human rights…. While

the interim Leader of the Official Opposition was coming up with that

lame response to groundbreaking legislation in British Columbia, we were

relaunching the Human Rights Commission in British Columbia that you did

away with.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

A. Wilkinson: It’s very clear today that this Premier has a chance to stand up

now and show us what he’s really made of.

During the election the Premier repeatedly stated there would be

no subsidies from taxpayers to political parties. In this House, he has

completely reversed himself from everything he said during the election.

Instead, they have laid out a program for $27 million in subsidies from

taxpayers — with no consent, no information, nothing — direct payments

to parties from taxpayers, contrary to what he said during election, as

he smirks across the floor with the satisfaction of knowing he’s misled

taxpayers.

Will this Premier stand here today, show us what he’s made of and

admit that he misled the electorate and has taken this House down a path

of taxpayer subsidies that was never put forward by his party during the

election and represents a complete fraud on the taxpayer?

Hon. D. Eby: It was a pleasure to hear in the throne speech, to hear in the

response to the throne speech of the very brief B.C. Liberal government

after the last election, that they are as committed as we are, as the

Green Party is, to getting the big money out of politics.

This was a very….

Interjections.

Hon. D. Eby: Absolutely.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we will hear the response.

Hon. D. Eby: We talk about how transformative and historic this legislation

truly is. It takes $65 million in big money out of our political

system.

[2:20 p.m.]

I want to talk about the public cost of the old system. Under the

old system, the way things used to be done in this province, the top 200

donors to the B.C. Liberal party got $15 billion in public contracts.

That is the cost to the public of the old system, and that is why we are

changing the system.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Vancouver-Quilchena on a supplemental.

A. Wilkinson: Well, a most unfortunate pattern is developing in these first few

weeks of this Legislature.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

A. Wilkinson: We have a government who said it would be collaborative and

cooperative with the members from the Greens down the aisle and that

we’d perform good public policy in this chamber. Instead, we have a

Premier who won’t admit that he directly misled taxpayers during the

election, that he has broken a promise — basically once a day on his way

through this legislative session — that he is now going to tap the

taxpayers of British Columbia involuntarily to support his own political

party with a $1 million cheque on January 1, 2018, and another $1

million cheque on July 1, 2018.

Beyond that, this is a Premier who lacks the stomach and the

gumption, the backbone, to stand up and answer questions and hands it

off to his sidekick. Will this Premier show some backbone and stand up

and explain to taxpayers that he has misled them through an election?

Will he do that?

Hon. J. Horgan: I can appreciate the confusion in the member’s mind, because I’ve

been here every day, which never happened until we came over to this

side of the House.

If the member and his colleagues are true to their word, which

they discovered after the election — that they want big money out of

politics — and if they can improve this groundbreaking legislation, I

look forward to their amendments. I look forward to the debate in this

House.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

MILLS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN

TERRACE

E. Ross: My constituents are worried and concerned that this government is

ignoring rural B.C. This government has cancelled or opposed projects

that would provide good jobs for families in the north.

In Terrace, a replacement for Mills Memorial Hospital is badly

needed. It was the previous government that promised to fund the

hospital and delivered on that promise by including it in the previous

budget. I don’t see it in this government’s budget.

My question is to the Minister of Health: will this government

commit to providing funding for the Mills Memorial replacement project

so we can get shovels in the ground?

Hon. A. Dix: As you know, there is a process for approving capital projects in

British Columbia.

There is usually a lead-up to it, but there is a concept plan

submitted by the community and the health authority. Really, if we

consider this case, it demonstrates why a lot of communities have been

waiting a long time.

A concept plan was submitted in 2014 by the health authority. To

date, the next stage in that process is that the Ministry of Health

approves the concept plan. The next stage in that process is a business

plan. The next stage in that process is the Ministry of Health and the

government approves the business plan, then it goes in the

budget.

The members opposite know this. They also know that the concept

plan has not yet been approved by the Ministry of Health. It certainly

wasn’t in all the years between it being submitted to the government and

the day that we took office in British Columbia.

Here is the significant part of this. There’s a difference. I know

that members on the opposite side have been orbiting around planet photo

op for a long. Now, in this case, before the election, they could have

approved the concept plan. But the then Minister of Finance, the

Opposition House Leader, went up to Terrace and made an announcement,

where he pretended to but, in fact, didn’t.

[2:25 p.m.]

Now, it is before me right now. I agree with the member. I’d be

happy to meet with the member on this question. The issue of Mills

Memorial Hospital is important to me. I know it’s important to him, and

it’s especially important to people in Terrace and Kitimat and the whole

region.

I look forward to meeting with him, and I look forward to the day

when finally a Minister of Health approves a concept plan so we can get

on with Mills Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Skeena on a supplemental.

E. Ross: I’ll take that answer back to my constituents, as well as to all

the people that were planning to build this hospital after our Finance

Minister of the previous B.C. Liberal government announced that it would

be in the budget. All the preparation was starting to be put in place.

The business plan, the concept plan — it was all being worked

on.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please. We will hear the question.

E. Ross: That’s why there’s so much uncertainty. There’s so much concern

that rural B.C. is being ignored. In fact, this B.C. government includes

in their budget projects, hospitals and upgrades, all over the Lower

Mainland, Vancouver Island. You’ve got the North Island hospitals, the

Teck Acute Care Centre at Children’s and Women’s Hospital, the Joseph

and Rosalie Segal family health centre. The list goes on, but these are

all projects that were built under the previous B.C. Liberal government

and included in their previous budgets.

To the Minister of Health. The government seems fine with throwing

$30 million to political parties. How about spending some of that money

and replacing Mills Memorial Hospital as quick as possible?

Hon. A. Dix: That government, the previous government, submitted a budget in

February. They presented a throne speech to the people of British

Columbia in June. They mentioned new hospitals in that throne speech.

They didn’t mention Terrace, they didn’t mention Williams Lake, they

didn’t mention Quesnel, because in all of those cases, concept plans had

been submitted years ago and not approved by the Minister of

Health.

He had other priorities, and some of those are fair enough. For

example, in that region, his priority was Royal Inland Hospital, which

we’re continuing to build. That’s the process. I think it’s a little bit

unfortunate, and I would be happy to meet with the hon. member on this

question — absolutely happy to meet with him.

I think it’s really unfortunate when they didn’t take the one step

they could’ve taken to move this hospital along. They didn’t take it.

The former Minister of Finance went up to Terrace, and the press release

says that “concept planning is an important part of the process for

planning a new hospital and provides Northern Health and the Ministry of

Health with an opportunity to ensure the new facility will meet the

needs of the community.”

That’s the first part of the process. What he didn’t do, in that

pre-election photo-op, which served the Liberal Party’s interest but not

the people of Terrace’s interest, is approve the concept plan. We’re

getting on with business.

RICHMOND HOSPITAL

ACUTE CARE TOWER

PROJECT

J. Johal: My constituents are concerned that this government is ignoring

Richmond. The NDP called for a new acute care tower for Richmond

Hospital, but their budget is silent on the topic. Our government

committed $3 million to the business plan and to build that tower. Yet,

like the Massey Tunnel, this government has no mention of it in their

budget.

My question is to the minister. Will the government commit to

provide funding for the Richmond acute care tower?

Hon. A. Dix: It’s wonderful. I hope I get a long list of communities that have

been waiting for a Minister of Health and a Premier and a government

that are going to respond to their health care concerns.

If he wants to know why it’s not a budget item in the budget, he

just has to ask the former Minister of Finance, because it wasn’t a

budget line in that budget either.

There’s a process going on with Richmond Hospital. Clearly, if you

visited the hospital, just like if you visited a hospital in Terrace,

just like if you visited a hospital in Williams Lake, just like you’ve

dealt with the emergency room at Surrey Memorial Hospital, just like you

visited the hospital in Trail, you see that there is a lot of business

left over from the previous government. And we are getting on with

it.

[2:30 p.m.]

Mr. Speaker: The member for Richmond-Queensborough on a

supplemental.

J. Johal: I remind the minister that our government committed $3 million to

the business plan and promised to build the tower — for the business

plan. The Premier promised to build that acute care tower, yet there was

no mention of it in the budget.

I remind this Health Minister as well that this government has

spent $11 billion…. We spent $11 billion while in power, and many more

billions were there for planning for future projects. I remind you also,

sir, that we built seven new hospitals.

Some Hon. Members: Through the Chair.

J. Johal: Through the Chair. Sorry, my apologies.

I remind the member that during the ’90s, no hospitals were built

by this bunch.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, please. We will hear the question.

J. Johal: People in Richmond need a government that isn’t going to ignore

it. The NDP budget does mention, among others, the next phases of Royal

Columbian, Royal Inland Hospital and Peace Arch Hospital projects

already announced by the B.C. Liberals. Looking at the NDP budget and

where Richmond stands, we see absolutely nothing.

I’m starting to think Richmond residents should be concerned that

the government has a vindictive streak towards them and will punish

them, just like they do rural British Columbia.

To the minister: how about following through on a promise? Build

the acute care tower at Richmond Hospital.

Hon. A. Dix: Well, I think it’s disrespectful — to the people who are working

in the process now to ensure that services are improved in Richmond — to

try a few weeks into a new government, when a new government is dealing

with a legacy of neglect in health care that’s gone on for 16 years, to

be raising these questions.

He knows. He wasn’t an MLA before the election, but he served on

the board of a health authority before the election. He’ll know the

process, or he ought to know the process. He ought to know exactly why

that project is not a budget line in this budget, if he had any

understanding or any real briefing on how projects are developed in

British Columbia.

It wasn’t so long ago, before the election, when the council in

Richmond had to take out a full-page ad to draw the government’s

attention to their failure to act on a tower in Richmond.

My suggestion to the next question from Quesnel, the next question

from Dawson Creek, the next question from Williams Lake, the next

question from Richmond — all projects stuck in the mud under the

previous government — is that they work with the Ministry of Health,

work with the health authorities and come together to ensure that we

deliver the health care services that people deserve in British

Columbia.

[End of question period.]

Point of Privilege

(Reservation of Right)

B. D’Eith: I rise to reserve my right to raise a matter of personal

privilege.

Tabling Documents

Hon. D. Eby: I have the honour to present B.C. Human Rights Tribunal Annual

Report 2016-17 .

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued debate on the budget.

[2:35 p.m.]

[L. Reid in the chair.]

Budget Debate

(continued)

Hon. M. Mungall: I am very pleased today to rise in this House as the new Minister of

Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and to support the New Democrat

government budget that we tabled just earlier last week.

I’m very proud of this budget. But before I move into my comments on

our first budget update…. Well, our first budget, and it’s a budget update,

as everybody knows what happened with the election — moving into September,

our first opportunity to deliver a budget. We’ll be delivering our first

full one in February, for those at home who are watching. But this budget

update I’m very proud of, very proud to support and proud to support as the

new Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

As I said, before I move into my comments, though, about the budget, I

do want to take this time to say a few words of gratitude to people in my

constituency. It’s my first opportunity to do so following the election. I’d

like to especially thank those who get out and volunteer for our democracy.

Whether it was the two independents who ran; or Tanya Wall, who’s the

regional district director for area B in the RDCK, who ran for the B.C.

Liberals; or Kim Charlesworth, who ran for the B.C. Green Party, I want to

thank them all for stepping forward and being a part of our democratic

process.

I notably want to say that the volunteers, who are a part of that

democratic process, who get out with every candidate day after day, whether

it’s on the doorsteps or in the campaign offices, are just doing…. It’s

amazing that these people come forward and volunteer, and volunteer such

long hours and work so hard.

For my team, I especially want to say thank you to Heather Compton,

who was my campaign manager. She’s been with me the last two campaigns. She

comes out every time for New Democrats, and she delivers. We are so grateful

to have her on our team.

[2:40 p.m.]

Sherry Nicholson has been my financial agent the last two elections.

She’s been volunteering as our constituency association treasurer for about

seven years now. I always say that for all of us, our financial agents have

a special place in heaven, because that job is extremely demanding. There’s

no end of forms to fill out, no end of dollars and cents to track, and they

do a tremendous job. I’m very grateful to Sherry Nicholson for the work that

she does, on a volunteer basis, for those of us in

Nelson-Creston.

I have a very long list. I’m going to first say, to Curtis Bendig and

Laurie Langille — just amazing people. I love being on campaigns with them.

They are amazing volunteers and really help make the democratic process

work. Alison, Aaron, John, Rita, Becky, Brenda, Enid, Stan, Jesse, Byron,

Janice and Anne — you guys are all amazing. Thank you so much for being in

that campaign office or out in the field every single day, whether it was

answering questions of those who came in to the office, making sure the

office was open or getting out on the doorstep. You guys humble me every

election with the amount of volunteer hours that you put in.

I would be remiss if I was a terrible wife and forgot my husband, Zak

Matieschyn, who does all of this every step of the way with me and is just

the best friend, I think, anybody could ever have. I love him dearly, and

I’m so glad that I get to call him my husband.

Last, but so far from the least, are my amazing constituency

assistants, who are in the office every day serving the people of

Nelson-Creston, serving the Kootenays. I think every single member in this

House appreciates their CAs and knows that we would never, ever be able to

do the work that we do on behalf of the citizens of British Columbia without

our constituency assistants. So let me take this moment to say a huge thank

you to Tessa Bendig, Laurie Langille and Jesse Pineiro, who was filling in

for Tessa Bendig this last year while she was on a maternity leave with her

new little one Aurie. They are the amazing faces that people get to see and

interact with and who help them every day in the constituency.

I also want to do a couple of community shout-outs. This year was my

15th year at Kootenay Pride. Of course, Kootenay Pride parade has been going

on for longer than 15 years, but it was quite young when I first started

marching in Kootenay Pride. I remember that few people lined the streets,

and in fact, some people shared messages of hate as we walked down the

street of Nelson, proud of our diversity in the community.

Fast-forward to today, just 15 years later, and Baker Street is lined

from beginning to end with people celebrating our community’s diversity. Our

rainbow sidewalks, our rainbow flags — they are all over for the entire

pride weekend. We decorate the constituency office, and I’m just so pleased,

after 15 years, to see the change and support and love for human rights, and

the Kootenays has just grown and grown and grown. That truly is something to

be proud of.

I also want to shout out to the Creston Fall Fair. I wasn’t able to

make it this year because we were delivering our Speech from the Throne.

Hopefully, I’ll get some opportunity to have comments on that, as well,

later on in the session. The Creston Fall Fair, the agricultural fair, is

just a wonderful opportunity….

If you or anybody in this House ever finds yourselves in Creston,

normally in the first week of September, that is your opportunity to really

take in the incredible agriculture, which I’ve been talking about for years

in this Legislature, that exists in the Creston Valley. We grow everything

in the Creston Valley, whether it’s asparagus, carrots, wheat, whether it’s

ranching — even oranges. Yes, you can find oranges and citrus fruit in some

of the greenhouses in the Creston Valley. We take great pride that we grow

the best food that you’ll ever eat.

Interjection.

Hon. M. Mungall: I was just reminded by a colleague sitting nearby that her favourite

is the Kootenay Meadows cheese. Alpindon is my personal favourite, although

some people love the Nostrala. And if you actually go to the farm, you can

get the Mountain Grana. But I digress from the budget — at that point, quite

a ways.

[2:45 p.m.]

Before I come back to the budget, let me just say: Kaslo Jazz fest,

you did it again — another amazing year. About 300 volunteers and thousands

of volunteer hours make that happen. Shambhala Music Festival is turning out

to be a world-premiere electronic music festivals, in Salmo of all places.

You might not think as you drive by Salmo that it’s hosting a world-class

music festival, but it is, because that’s how we do it in Salmo. And 75

years of the Balfour ferry landing. We celebrated that this spring. It was

very exciting.

We almost lost that ferry landing just over a year ago, but the

community was very vociferous in their push-back to the government of the

day. Just taking out that ferry landing would have destroyed so many small

businesses. That we get to keep that was definitely cause for celebration

this year.

Back to our budget. I mentioned that I’m very proud to support this

budget. It’s great to be able to rise and feel confident in that what’s

being put forward is going to deliver on the very things that I heard on the

doorstep in May and April.

One of the things I heard a lot about was access to post-secondary

education. A lot of people couldn’t even get their foot in the door at

Selkirk College for a program — for example, university science transfer; or

nursing, a very popular program at Selkirk College; or some of the trades

programs — because those individuals required some high school upgrading,

adult basic education.

It used to be free. When I started in this place in 2009, the one

thing that I could always support the then Liberal government on was that

that people, no matter what their income, could get their foot in the door

so they could get to post-secondary education, and they could get the job

that they wanted to get.

What we know is that 80 percent of jobs today require some level of

post-secondary education. So if you want a job and if you want a good-paying

job, you need post-secondary training. But if you did not have the grades in

high school, for whatever reason, or you’re a mature student and you needed

to do that upgrading — it’s required — and you could not afford adult basic

education, basically you were not allowed to better your life. That was what

was happening structurally, systematically.

I was on the doorstep — one gentleman in Creston. I remember him

telling me…. I saw him on the doorstep, and then we had a conversation

there. Then he came back, actually, to the campaign office, and he wanted to

tell me more about his situation. Creston has a College of the Rockies

program in that community. For him, he was wanting to better his life, get a

better-paying job, and he wanted to do some preliminary university studies.

But before he could do that — he was a mature student — he required some

adult basic education. He was working a minimum-wage job. He was struggling

to pay his rent.

Creston is nowhere near the cost of living that Vancouver is. I just

want to highlight that, because that affordability crisis isn’t just a Lower

Mainland issue. It’s a B.C.-wide issue. It’s happening in the rural

communities I represent. You only need to look at the recent census data to

see that.

Anyway, I didn’t need to look at this recent census data because I had

somebody in my campaign office telling me right then and there how the cost

of ABE — the new cost that was put on by the B.C. Liberal government — was

impacting his life and preventing him from getting the opportunities that he

should have.

[2:50 p.m.]

So when we announced that we were going to be funding adult basic

Columbians, I think literally three minutes after I put it up on Facebook,

this gentleman was right on there, posting his elation at the fact that he

would now be able to register this September for ABE. He could go back to

school and get his degree and get the job that he wanted, a good-paying job.

That’s the difference that this budget is making in people’s

lives.

That’s one story, but let me share with you some more. As you’ll

remember, for the last four years, I stood in opposition — I was the critic

for Social Development. I took on the role of advocating for people with

disabilities and for poverty reduction in this province. This is something

that I did prior to my time as an elected official, when I was running the

Nelson Food Cupboard, a small food bank. It’s a little food bank that could

feed thousands of people out of the corner of the basement of the Nelson

United Church. It still does. I saw poverty walk in and out of the door of

that food bank every day, back from 2003 to 2005.

I came here and, from 2013 to 2017, sat as the critic for Social

Development and introduced legislation for a poverty reduction plan. Five

times, I believe, I did that and — regularly, year after year in the budget

estimates process — asked about raising the rates for people with

disabilities and people on income assistance. Year after year, no raise came

in. Finally, a raise came in, but so did the bus pass clawback at the same

time, taking away most of that raise. What happened, in that meantime, is

that poverty deepened and deepened, particularly for people with

disabilities.

In my view, that’s just wrong. Just because somebody has a disability,

it doesn’t mean that they should be poor. I think we can do better than that

in our society, in 2017 — and we are. We are, because this budget is

increasing disability and income assistance rates by $100 a month. That’s on

top of the existing increases that were announced previously. We are also

increasing earnings exemptions, so that people with disabilities and people

on income assistance are able to get their foot in the door with employment

opportunities. They can get a part-time job and, eventually, maybe make that

a full-time job.

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of people I have heard where

that would have made all the difference in their lives — just to be able to

keep an extra $200 a month, if they could keep that from a part-time job —

what that would mean for their monthly expenses, how that would help to lift

them out of poverty. There are so many stories along those lines. It’s hard

to even pull out just one.

I know there’s one young woman whom I’ve been working with very

closely and getting to know over the last several…. I’m thinking about all

of them all of a sudden. But this one young woman, Sheenagh Morrison, has

visited this House. She has become a regular in this House, and she’s just a

tireless self-advocate, not only for herself but for people with

disabilities across this province.

I want to let everybody know that they have an amazing advocate in

Sheenagh Morrison. She’s here all the time, and she has the ear of, I think,

every member now. She has taken selfies with, I think, every single one of

us. She has been a force behind this decision to increase disability and

income assistance rates, to increase earnings exemptions.

Another thing in the budget is to end that bus pass

clawback.

Way to go, Sheenagh. You did it. Way to go, Tabitha Naismith. Way to

go, so many people all across this province. Nick Toner, in my riding, is

just an incredible advocate for people with disabilities.

[2:55 p.m.]

The list goes on and on. I worked with so many people for four years,

and I want to say: “Way to go. The changes in this budget reflect all the

advocacy that you all did. I’m so proud to support your advocacy. I’m so

proud to support the results of your advocacy that are in this

budget.”

Another item in this budget that I’m really pleased about, and got

some feedback on just last weekend at the Nelson farmers market, is the cut

to medical service premiums. This is an idea on our path to actually

eliminate MSP. That’s long overdue. The Liberals had an attempt at this in

their promised budget before the election, but it was quite complicated.

You’d have to apply, and once you did apply, you had to be eligible, and it

was only a certain group of people, and so on. We’ve made this simple. We’re

just cutting it in half. We’re beginning the process to eliminate MSP — like

every other province in Canada.

I’m going to tell you what this meant for a woman who came up to me at

the farmers market on Saturday. She, unfortunately, lost her job. It was a

union job. In her collective agreement, her MSP premiums were being paid for

by her employer, so she actually never had to pay her MSP premiums directly

herself. But she lost her job, and she’s got a new job. I’m very glad to say

that she found another job, but this job does not have that same type of

collective agreement or benefits. As a result, she’s paying MSP

directly.

She came up to me and said: “My new job pays less than my previous

job, and I can’t afford this.” I looked at her, and I said: “You won’t have

to, because we’re going to cut MSP on January 1, and we’re going to

eliminate it.” She was, like: “I know. Thank you so much.”

She was so glad, because in her life, she was going to have a little

bit more at the end of the day to pay her bills, to put food on the table

and do stuff that a lot of other people take for granted — go to the movies

with her husband, for example. Have a date night with her husband. Everybody

should be able to enjoy a little bit of fun in this world, and that’s what

that’s going to mean for her.

Something else I heard a lot about in this election…. I know that as

soon as I say it, members opposite are probably…. Well, if I’m lucky enough,

they might start heckling. I want to take note…. To the many parents who

came up to talk to me about two things — education and child care — on

education, we’re delivering. We’re working with teachers. We’re working with

school boards. That’s the commitment that you can get from the NDP

government.

Interjection.

Hon. M. Mungall: I am so fortunate. I’m getting heckled. It’s not by who I thought I

might, but thanks all the same for paying attention.

The other item is child care. So many parents came out. They got

organized. We had stroller brigades for child care. Moving B.C. to a

universal child care system is no small task. I’m going to tell you that

members in the Green caucus and members in the NDP government are working

together, and we are looking forward to delivering on a program for British

Columbians. That is coming.

It’s going to be a program that is rooted in early childhood

education, that has the support of parents, that has the support of early

childhood educators. I am very much looking forward to working with the

people in my community and the people in this House to deliver — finally. We

first started talking about universal child care in this country in 1970,

long before I was even born, and I don’t think I’m a spring chicken anymore.

That we’re finally going be able to deliver on this item is extremely

exciting. I know that the parents back home are with us every step of the

way, and they’re excited too.

[3:00 p.m.]

I did want to address something that I heard from another member. I

believe it was the member for Kootenay East, actually. I was listening to

his speech, and one of the things that he brought up that I did want to take

a few minutes to address was the tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears

bridges. We’ve eliminated those tolls. Anybody who’s ever crossing those

bridges, whether they live in Surrey, Maple Ridge, Coquitlam, Nelson,

Creston or Cranbrook, will not have to pay tolls anymore.

The way that member characterized it was that his constituents were

paying for the transportation needs of people in the Lower Mainland. I’m

really getting tired of this urban-versus-rural dichotomy of the B.C.

Liberals, this narrative they’re trying to put forward. We’re one province.

We are British Columbia, and we are proud British Columbians.

As a rural MLA, I stand with my caucus members, with members from

urban ridings, on the issues that matter to them, as they stand with me —

and you — on the issues that matter to us in rural B.C. To give that member

opposite an example of that: would he like a bridge in his riding tolled?

Would he like a road in his riding tolled? I don’t think so.

If he thinks they would, I’ll remind him of what happened in

2001-2002, when the B.C. government suggested tolling the Kootenay Lake

ferry. We got mad in Nelson-Creston. We got really mad. You know what

happened at the end of the day? It was urban members from the New Democrat

opposition of two, at the time, who took our rural voice to this House, not

our own Liberal MLA, and we kept tolls off our ferry.

That’s why the New Democrat government is taking tolls off the Golden

Ears and the Port Mann bridges. It’s because we are one province, and it’s

not fair that one community pays tolls while others don’t. We shouldn’t. So

I’m very proud that we’ve delivered on that, and I’m very proud of the New

Democrat members back in 2001-2002 who stood up for my riding.

There are so many ways that we need to be making life more affordable

and building good jobs on good projects. I believe there are many ways that

we can accomplish this, but I want to talk about some of the ways that we’re

going to be accomplishing that in my ministry. I’m very proud of the work

that we’ve already started doing.

One of the things that I’m working on right now with my staff is

establishing the B.C. mining jobs task force. One of the things we need to

do in this province is to ensure that we’re creating mining jobs and that

we’re keeping mining jobs. We have to ensure that we have a straightforward

process for the mining industry. We have to make sure that communities and

First Nations are on board with that process and that industry is working

with communities and First Nations. And you know what? I have to say I’m

incredibly impressed with the way that industry, for the most part, does

exactly that.

Not too long ago I was touring Teck in the Kootenays, in my own

backyard. That was the west side that I recently went to, and I’m off to the

east side soon enough. These are family-supporting jobs at Teck. Teck is a

fantastic example of a good industry leader, on so many fronts. One of the

fronts is how they can actually meet our climate change goals, our GHG

reduction targets. I look forward to working with Teck and others in the

industry on that issue, on ensuring that mining jobs are sustainable, on

ensuring that we are not just creating but that we are keeping those good,

family-supporting jobs.

[3:05 p.m.]

One of the other items in my mandate letter is to create a road map

for the future of B.C. energy. There is no doubt about it. We have a

tremendous amount of opportunity, with renewable resources, for renewable

energy in this province. We are just at the beginning of what that’s going

to be.

First Nations have actually taken the lead on this. We’re going to be

working with First Nations. We’re going to be working with so many people to

make that happen.

I see that my time is almost up. But let me tell you, I had a very

long list of all kinds of things that we’re going to be doing in my ministry

to work on making life more affordable and creating good jobs. I’m going to

list them off quickly: reinvigorating the innovative clean energy fund;

developing an improved and properly resourced approvals process to assess

mining applications — let’s get those projects going.

LNG. For so many years, the Liberals made big promises and never

delivered. Meanwhile, our competitiveness went down. We’re going to be

addressing those issues. We’re phasing out PST on electricity. We have a

mining flow-through share tax credit that’s extended for a year. We have a

mining exploration tax credit that’s going to be expanded, including costs

incurred from environmental studies and community consultations.

We’re going to ensure that whatever we do, we are working hand in hand

with First Nations and communities, because building a better B.C. isn’t

just a government task. It’s all of our task. First Nations are meaningful

partners. It’s time government worked with them in that fashion.

I am extremely excited at the prospect of what it means to be at the

beginning of an era of reconciliation and to build on UNDRIP, the United

Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples, and to truly build

a better B.C. with First Nations, with communities. We’re going to get it

done. I’m very excited, and I’m excited to support this budget.

N. Letnick: Indeed, it’s a privilege to take my place in the budget debate. I will

not be supporting the budget, and I’ll be going through my reasons why, over

the next 20 minutes or so.

Before I do that, I’d just like to give a shout-out to all of the

people in Mexico who are suffering under the conditions of an earthquake in

the last couple days, especially the parents who have lost their children in

schools. It goes to show you how important it is to continue with our

seismic program here in British Columbia. Again, my prayers and thoughts go

out to all of the people in Mexico during this very difficult

time.

When you’re preparing a budget speech — as I have done now, I think,

something like eight or nine times over the course of my eight years-plus in

this Legislature — it’s always interesting to see that budgets have things

that you can support and, of course, things that you wish were in the

budget.

At the end of the day, for me, it’s always come back to my

constituents. What is in the budget for my local constituents? Maybe that

plays a role why, next to the Minister of Advanced Education, I had the

second-highest plurality in the province, and she had the highest.

Congratulations to her.

I think that speaks to the emphasis on making sure that your local

constituents’ needs are addressed throughout the eight years or four years

or number of years that you’re here. What you see in question period is very

interesting. But at the end of the day, most of the voters don’t watch QP.

They do watch, however, how you deliver on their priorities.

I’m going to focus most of my time on their priorities, in my response

to the budget. Also, in my area of Kelowna–Lake Country, a wonderful area.

I’m sure most of you in this House have visited Kelowna and the Lake Country

area once, or more times, in your tenure in British Columbia — a beautiful

place with even more beautiful people, people who, like every part of the

province, get together in times of crisis.

We had some crises this summer, as other parts did — in the case of

forest fires, in the Joe Rich area as well as in the Lake Country area.

Thank goodness that they weren’t as extensive as they are in some other

parts of the province.

[3:10 p.m.]

When you lose a home or are not allowed to go see your pets or have to

leave your house in a hurry, that’s very dramatic, no matter where you are

in this province, including in my area. So I want to give a big shout-out to

the firefighters, the people at the emergency centres, the volunteers, the

municipalities, of course, who led the attack, and all of the other

personnel around Kelowna–Lake Country for doing the work that they did to

support my constituents through the challenge of the fires.

Of course, before the fires were the floods that came through in our

area. We did have some damage to properties but, luckily, no lives lost

through the floods, and hopefully with time we will adapt to the quicker

freshets in the spring and find a way to lower the risks that climate change

has played in our part of the province.

Also, of course, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the support of my

family, and I’d just like to give a shout-out to my wife, Helene, who right

now is in Quebec visiting her cousins in that belle province .

[French was spoken.] I hope to see her very soon. And I am blessed, like

many in this House, to have children that actually live in the area of my

home and not necessarily at home. They’re all grown up now and started their

lives independent of Mom and Dad, in the Kelowna area. So I’ll give a

shout-out to them and to my newest daughter, my daughter-in-law, Joanna,

and, of course, our one and only granddaughter, Luna, who I miss terribly

every time that I leave the riding.

The staff. You hear from members across both sides of the House that

we couldn’t do our job without our staff. In particular, my constituency

assistants Katja Maurmann and Lesley Driscoll — a big shout-out to you,

wherever you are, if you’re watching. But you’re probably not. You’re

probably working, helping some constituents, as you do so well.

To my new legislative assistant, Tyler Schaffrick. If I mispronounced

your name, Tyler, I’m sure you’ll tell me when I get back to the office. I

appreciate the work that you’ve done. You’ve been great here in Victoria to

help this MLA get used to a new office — actually, I’m in my second office

already — and a new role. Thank you, Tyler, for all your help.

I’d like to also thank our ministry staff in the Ministry of

Agriculture. It was a privilege to serve as the minister for more than four

years. I have great respect for the ministry staff, all the way from the

political staff through to the 360th employee that works for the ministry.

I’m sure the current Minister of Agriculture has a great team that’s working

to support her.

At the end of the day, we’re all in this to support agriculture, the

industry and the seafood industry as well; to continue to improve B.C.’s

food supply security; and to help farmers and ranchers, processors,

producers and fishers continue to be successful in what they do to supply

us, and also all the people of British Columbia, Canada and around the

world, some top-of-the-line products at affordable prices. My hat goes off

to the whole team at the B.C. Ministry of Ag.

I’d also like to thank two former Premiers — I can actually say their

names now in the House, former Premier Gordon Campbell and former Premier

Christy Clark — for the foundation upon which this budget has been laid. For

16 years, they worked very hard through very difficult times to make sure

that the future of British Columbia was secure financially for our kids and

our grandchildren.

Former Premier Campbell had to bring a budget under control that was

damaged considerably — and this province’s reputation, damaged considerably

— through the time in the ’90s. Former Premier Christy Clark had to work

very hard through a recession after the sub-prime mortgage crisis in 2008 to

make sure that we continued over the years to come back to balance and stay

balanced.

[3:15 p.m.]

Those two Premiers have set an example, I believe, on how to ensure

that we do have the funds necessary to tackle our more serious challenges as

a province, both in terms of infrastructure investment creating

opportunities but also on the social infrastructure side, the social safety

net.

It really comes through, when you look at the record: five consecutive

balanced budgets after the sub-prime mortgage crisis and the recession; the

triple-A credit rating — that seems to be under challenge, right now, I

understand, from some of the bond-rating agencies; the $2.7 billion surplus

that was provided to the government to start off with, best performance of

an economy in the country; and leading investments in health care and

education, which I firmly believe the members opposite will continue to

build upon.

When we look at the successes that we see in this particular budget,

much of that comes from the previous leadership that we saw from the former

Finance Minister. Again, kudos go to him and the team for permitting that to

go ahead through our budget and then handing it off to the new

government.

Reductions in MSP by 50 percent immediately. Small business tax

reduction from 2.5 percent to 2 percent. PST elimination on electricity.

We’re also seeing a $3,000 tax credit for volunteer firefighters and search

and rescue volunteers continue under the new government. I would like to

thank the new government and the Finance Minister for continuing those

initiatives.

On the local scene, because of the balanced budgets and the strong

fiscal situation that the previous government brought us to, we’ve had a

growing economy in the area of the Central Okanagan, thanks to partnerships,

of course, with my colleagues — the former member for Kelowna Westside, the

former Premier; as well as former MLA Ben Stewart; and, of course, the newly

minted former Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations,

now known as the member for Kelowna-Mission — who, along with myself, have

had the privilege of serving the Central Okanagan ridings and delivering on

some of these priorities that the people of the area have brought to us,

like Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan. Major expansions there — over $100

million in investment.

And $10 million in tourism; $9.4 million in the replant program for

the Okanagan tree fruits; $7 million for the third-largest but best Okanagan

innovation high-tech centre in British Columbia. In total, it’s almost $1

billion in government construction and job-creating projects.

We’ve also been very fortunate to see a new Highway 97 from Winfield

to Oyama, of course, increasing access speeds but, more importantly, saving

lives and improving safety. One very important part of that was concrete

medians from Kelowna to Vernon. We’re almost through with that project, but

that, too, is saving lives.

I remember being at a cemetery for a service. We were celebrating a

life, and as we were celebrating the life, right outside on the highway,

there was an accident, a very serious car accident — one of many before the

medians went in. I don’t know the stats, but I would imagine that since

those medians have gone in, we’ve seen quite a reduction in fatalities along

that stretch of the road.

We’ve also seen, in our area, thousands of more handyDART and

conventional bus service hours, $8.4 million to help buy and prepare the CN

Rail corridor for use. This is an interesting project, one that probably

only happened because of our strong fiscal situation, where the CN Rail

corridor was available for sale. The local municipal governments asked us to

contribute — a third federal, a third provincial and a third local. We were

able to secure the third provincial dollars for that once-in-a-lifetime

purchase at $7.2 million. Since then, we’re able to provide $1.2 million for

upgrading the railbed to a usable standard.

It is important that we continue to identify those key priorities for

our constituents. Millions for critical local water infrastructure — we’ve

seen money come to help people in our area get good, clean water.

[3:20 p.m.]

We’ve also seen, of course, hundreds of millions of dollars come into

our area to expand our Kelowna General Hospital and the particular services

that are being offered there — a lab building, a new cardiac surgical

centre, including obstetrics, and a medical school.

These are important investments, and investments that are being done

throughout the province. In particular, I’m highlighting those that were

invested in our area, including the Foundry. This is a new hub for youth and

young adults with mental health and substance abuse challenges. I had an

opportunity to visit the Foundry a few weeks ago and am looking forward to

their work in helping young people with substance abuse and mental health

issues.

We have a new integrated team approach to seniors health located at

the Cottonwoods Care Centre and funds for affordable housing projects in our

area — like the New Gate; NOW Canada; Pleasantvale Homes; Apple Valley

homes, phases 1, 2 and 3 — and funding for 205 new local, licensed daycare

spaces.

With this new budget, I am hoping that we will also see further

investments in our area. The completion of Highway 97’s six-laning project

and the intersections improvements. The completion of the John Hindle Drive,

connecting Glenmore to Highway 97 at UBC Okanagan.

The implementation of a nurse-in-practice program, which will help

over 3,000 people find a family doctor in the Central Okanagan. With this

new budget, I’m also hoping that we will see the creation of a new

multidisciplinary health hub for residents of Lake Country, as is available

in other parts of the province.

We will continue to see support for Accelerate Okanagan as they can

take full advantage of their new space in the Okanagan centre for innovation

in downtown Kelowna.

We will help school district 23 deliver on the schools that they need.

In addition to the ones that we were able to secure over our time in office,

we also need a new school for Rutland, a Lake Country middle school, a high

school for Glenmore and a replacement for Glenmore Elementary, which I hope,

over time, we will see moved forward with.

We need to continue to expand our transit service in the Central

Okanagan — and I’m sure that this new budget will accommodate that growth,

as well — and also, to move forward on 13,000 new additional child care

spaces by 2020 that we had committed to in our platform.

We need to complete the transfer of the old Highway 97 to the district

of Lake Country and help Lake Country taxpayers turn into a world-class

public amenity. We’ve already done the completion. I was on the government

side when the completion was done. But we need to look for partnership with

the new provincial government to turn it into a world-class amenity. I’ll be

working with the district of Lake Country to see that happen, as well as

fixing the bottleneck at Beaver Lake Road and Highway 97.

A couple more things that I hope we will see, through this budget,

when we get into the details. To continue to fight invasive mussels in our

lakes in British Columbia and, of course, in particular, in our lakes in the

Central Okanagan. These are very horrible creatures that can clog up

waterways, hydro facilities and, of course, make it very difficult for

tourism. So we need to continue to expand our vigilance and funding for a

fight against invasive mussels. And, of course, continue to deliver on

agriculture and their needs.

With that, I would like to spend a few minutes to talk about

agriculture as the agricultural co-critic. It is important that we continue

to see success in agriculture throughout British Columbia. We’ve had great

successes over the past few years.

We’ve achieved $14 billion in revenue for agrifoods. It’s a record

year, way ahead of what we projected as far as when we would achieve that.

So $3.8 billion in exports — another record. Not only have we seen a record

increase in domestic consumption and sales; we’ve also a record increase in

exports. They go hand in hand.

We’ve also seen a record increase in our labour force — just under

63,000 people employed in agrifoods in 2016. That’s up over 6,000 people

from 2015. That year was a banner year, in 2015, with net cash for our

agrifoods sector at $440 million, up 21 percent from the prior year, and a

net profit. The first time in the last ten years that our agrifoods sector

was in the black. Again, just great results.

[3:25 p.m.]

We also saw an increase in funding for the land commission by more

than double, from $1.9 million to $4.5 million, so they can continue to do

their work independent of interference from MLAs. We’ve seen faster service

in rendering their decisions because of the local panels that have been

working extremely well in and around the province to make sure that

decisions are done by people who have local knowledge on the land

base.

We’ve seen a permanent measure, putting the Buy Local program

permanently into the budget. I will, of course, have a question in estimates

to find out whether or not the new Buy B.C. program is going to take those

funds away from Buy Local or if that’s going to be in addition to. I’m sure

the minister will be able to answer that when we get there.

One thing about the Buy Local program that I hope will continue is the

whole issue of matching dollars. The matching dollars with the Buy Local

program requires that the proponent puts in at least 50 percent of the

dollars for the marketing promotion campaign. That’s leveraged close to $30

million in private investment towards marketing B.C. products. I hope that’s

what continues with the new program. We’ll canvass that in

estimates.

Another item that’s in the budget — or was in our budget before, which

I need to understand if it’s in the current budget — is the amount of money

going to greenhouse growers to offset them for the cost of the carbon tax,

especially if we see carbon tax going up.

Some other questions that I’m not too sure of with this budget which

we’ll have to canvass in estimates: is there money in this budget for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act for the registration or licensing of

catteries and puppy mills? Is there money for the SPCA? We had committed an

extra $5 million to help the SPCA on the capital side and, of course, I’d

like to know if that’s continuing.

I see that there is money for new trade representatives to Hong Kong

and South Korea. Notwithstanding the fact that the government, when it was

in opposition, voted against the TPP, I would like to make sure that the

government is committed to continue to expand trade with our foreign

partners and therefore will continue to implement the new trade

representatives in those areas.

Carbon tax. As I mentioned, the carbon tax seems to be targeting

fugitive emissions and slash pile burning. I’d like to know what that means

for agriculture. Does that mean that if cows are out there creating fugitive

emissions, they’ll have some kind of mechanism to capture that and charge

the farmers for that? When the farmers or the orchardists are cutting down

old trees and burning them, or the ranchers are cutting down trees to

provide land for their cattle, will that mean that they’ll also have to pay

when they burn those slashes?

These are questions that I have regarding the budget that we’ll

canvass more fully in the next few weeks.

Also, we’re talking about a new framework with the federal government.

The staff had done a great job of negotiating a preliminary agreement with

the federal government for what is currently called Growing Forward 2. It’s

moving to a new framework, a new name, but essentially it’ll be very much

part of the same, with some money going to business risk management — the

majority of it going to BRM — and some of it going to innovation.

The question will be: will we fully fund our 40 cents on the dollar?

The federal government puts in 60. We have been, in the past, putting in 40.

Will this new budget allow for the government to provide our full funding of

the 40 percent?

Other questions that I will have on this budget through estimates is

the agriplex on Vancouver Island. We had committed $5 million in capital

funding — I’d like to know if that’s still going to be there — and another

$5 million for the B.C. tree fruit industry for replant. Will those dollars

also be allocated through this budget? Still some questions that we don’t

have the details on and which we’ll canvass through the estimates

process.

There are some things that aren’t very clear in this budget, and my

concern is that they might come, actually, in the February budget and at a

high cost to taxpayers.

[3:30 p.m.]

Things like the $400-a-year renters rebate — very expensive. The

$10-a-day universal daycare — another very expensive…. The elimination of

interest payments on student loans, a $1,000 completion grant for college

and university graduates, $5 million to restore provincial parks and hire

more conservation officers, $10 million in more arts and culture funding, a

rollback on ferry rates, a freeze on hydro rates, and income taxes that were

promised in the Green platform, like the new tax on personal residence

capital gains.

These are some of the items that I’m really concerned about —

concerned because a government’s role is, of course, to provide social

programs to citizens of the province. Also, part of the government’s

responsibility is to set the conditions under which the private investment

flows into the province.

In prior years, we’ve seen what NDP policies regarding trying to

attract investments have done. I looked up some headlines from the ’90s,

economic headlines: “NDP is a Big Spender on a Bender,” Vancouver

Sun in 1994; “B.C. Economy Stagnates under NDP Rule, University of

Calgary Report Warns”; “NDP Keeps Spending Like There’s No Tomorrow — Don’t

We Wish” in the Province in ’99; “NDP Hammered for Creating Bad

Business Climate,” Vancouver Sun , 1998.

This budget is a fundamental departure from the sound fiscal policies

that will attract investment and, if continued, will reduce the quality of

life of most British Columbians. It’s for that reason that I stand here in

opposition to the budget, and I will not be supporting it when it comes to a

vote.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

G. Begg: It’s an honour for me to stand here today as a Member of the

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. I, like many other Canadians, have

much to be thankful for.

We are all, except for our Indigenous brothers and sisters, the

progeny of immigrants to this country and have prospered because of the

bounty which accepted my ancestors from Scotland and Ireland and offered

them a new life in a new land. I acknowledge that we are meeting on the

traditional territories of the Lekwungen people, including the Esquimalt and

Songhees First Nations.

As original settlers in Ontario, then called Upper Canada, my

forefathers in the 1800s carved a life out of the wild, untamed forests and

lakes and rivers and were pioneers in the true sense of the word. I, too,

was born in Ontario. My presence in this House is a continuation of a life

of public service. Before being elected, I was a career member of the

RCMP.

I’m here today because of the support of my wife and family and the

good citizens of Surrey-Guildford. I want to acknowledge and thank my

constituents in Surrey-Guildford, who worked so hard to make sure that my

riding, a new riding, was first represented by a New Democrat.

Surrey-Guildford was created in the 2015 redistribution from parts of

Surrey-Tynehead and Surrey-Whalley.

It’s also a good time for me to express my gratitude to a whole team

of supporters in my riding. Brett Barden, my campaign manager, an incredibly

talented and motivated young man, whose dedication and work ethic is

unparalleled anywhere inside or outside of the political arena. Trevor Loke,

the youngest person ever elected to the Vancouver park board, a true

visionary and an advanced intellect whose political acumen and team-building

and motivational skills were so valuable to me during the

campaign.

Stu Neatby, now my constituency assistant, one of the best political

organizers anywhere, and I thank him for his support and ongoing leadership.

Amy Choi, who was the cheerful and talented team-builder and organizer who

made sure the campaign office was an open, inclusive and welcoming place.

Felix Magalanis, who so capably made the calls and knocked on doors

seemingly without ceasing. Hannah Watt, an engaging and charismatic young

woman who added vigour and spirit to everything we did.

[3:35 p.m.]

There are many others. Glenn Girard; Dave Betker; Faroukh Williams;

Bob Akester, my friend, who accompanied me to all manner of events and

functions and whose history with the New Democratic Party goes back to Tommy

Douglas; Ashley Fehr; Michael Cheevers; Ren Morley; Christine Dixon; along

with the entire Surrey-Guildford executive — all of the hard-working donors

and volunteers.

I will speak today in support of the government budget, but before I

do that, first let me boast a bit about the city that I represent here, the

city of Surrey. Surrey’s population has now surpassed 500,000. As of May

2016, last year, the population was 517,887. That’s an increase from 468,000

in 2011 that also represents a growth rate of 10 percent, which means we’re

outpacing the national average, British Columbia, the city of Vancouver and

the Vancouver region in general.

To give you some perspective on those statistics, and for comparison,

between 2011 and 2016, Canada as a whole grew by 5 percent, British Columbia

grew by 5.6 percent and Vancouver grew by 4.6 percent. So clearly, our

growth rate at 10.6 percent surpasses everything else. With Surrey adding an

average of 1,000 new residents per month, as of February 2017, the

population of Surrey was estimated to be 525,000 people. It’s expected that

Surrey will surpass Vancouver in population to become the largest city in

B.C. by 2030.

I’m very proud to represent Surrey-Guildford, the largest municipality

of Surrey, one of the most dynamic areas in the entire province.

It’s important today that we acknowledge the devastating impact that

forest fires have had on our great province over these recent months, and we

salute the men and women from across B.C. and around the world who’ve

stepped up to meet the challenges presented by the unprecedented forest fire

situation. The personal toll and the economic toll on our citizens has been

daunting, and our hearts and thoughts are with all of those affected

today.

I’m proud that our government is helping evacuees, communities and

businesses impacted by wildfires, with $100 million in support through the

Red Cross, along with $140 million in forest projects focused on wildfire

risk reduction, reforestation, wildlife habitat restoration and raising

awareness of the FireSmart program.

Today’s topic, however, is the budget and the update that this

government recently tabled and then updated. We on this side of the House

fervently believe that a budget should benefit all of the people of the

province, not just the few at the top, and that’s why we’re committed to

making choices that benefit everyone. It’s clear that this budget, like the

election that preceded it, is a clear change in direction for this

province.

This is a budget that aligns with the priorities of the people of the

province of British Columbia. This is a budget that will make life better

for all of the people, and it’s clear, I hope, that this is a government

that works for all of the people. This budget brings to reality our

commitment to make life more affordable, deliver the services that British

Columbians can count on and create a strong, sustainable economy that works

for everyone.

The stark reality for the past 16 years has been a Liberal government

in this province where children and families struggled to get supports.

Seniors couldn’t find care when they needed it. Families were unable to

afford housing. Businesses couldn’t find staff because workers couldn’t

afford to live in the communities they worked in. Fees were increased.

People were paying more and getting less.

During the recent election campaign, I knocked on hundreds of doors in

my riding. One message that became resoundingly clear very quickly was that

residents of Surrey-Guildford were tired of being ignored.

[3:40 p.m.]

Time and time again, I was greeted at doorways by citizens who were

fearful of their future, of their ability to maintain a lifestyle that they

had worked for their entire lives. They were tired of rising fees and lesser

services, of a government that was concerned more about their own priorities

and privileges and not concerned about their lives and their

issues.

I visited schools where portables had become the reality of the school

lives for thousands of children, who were faced each day by the prospect of

getting up in the morning and going not to a classroom but to a portable.

Some of them had spent the majority of their school lives in

portables.

Residents in Surrey-Guildford had three major concerns: education that

was deteriorating, with students in overcrowded classrooms and portables and

with class sizes out of control; a tax, called a toll, on the Port Mann

Bridge; and a health care system that was not meeting their

needs.

I will share a story with you from this past weekend from my home

riding that I hope helps to illustrate some of the needs of my

community.

I had the great opportunity to share some time with the Rotary Club of

Surrey Foundationat their starfish backpack program, a weekend food,

literacy and availability program created in response to teachers hearing

the cries of their students. Too many children were coming to class on

Monday morning hungry, reporting that they had not eaten over the weekend.

The starfish program in Surrey is 100 percent staffed by volunteers who pack

two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, healthy snacks and fruits into

each backpack, each weekend throughout the school year. The backpacks full

of food are delivered then to elementary schools once per week.

The good part of that story is that teachers are now reporting

improvement in children’s reading skills, math skills and ability to focus

and do cooperative work. Children have increased access to healthy foods,

along with their parents.

Let me remind you that this is not a program in some Third World

country. This is a program in Surrey, British Columbia, in Canada, in the

21st century.

Let me share this starfish story with you, the story from which this

program was developed. While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw

someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it

into the ocean. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a

young man picking up starfish, one by one, and tossing each one gently back

into the water.

He came closer and called out: “Good morning. May I ask what it is

that you’re doing?” The young man paused, looked up and replied: “Throwing

starfish into the ocean.” The old man smiled and said: “I must ask, then,

why you are throwing starfish into the ocean.” To this, the young man

replied: “The sun is up, and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them

in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented: “But young man, do

you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish

all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference.” The young man

listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it

out into the ocean past the breaking waves and said: “It made a difference

for that one.”

I hope that’s what we’re all about in this House, that we all dedicate

our time here to making a difference in the lives of British Columbians.

Although we’re separated by the artificial barriers of parties and partisan

beliefs, it’s my hope that we’re united in this: that we are all here to

make a difference.

[3:45 p.m.]

I believe that the reality is that there is more that unites us than

divides us, and moving forward, I hope that we keep all of that forefront in

our minds.

It’s shameful that in this province, in this time and in this place,

we do not have a poverty reduction plan. In fact, we’re the only province

that does not have a poverty reduction plan. Over 700,000 people in this

province live in poverty, and 20 percent of those are children.

I am proud to be a part of this government that has created a ministry

and a parliamentary secretary who are tasked with finding solutions to

reducing poverty in B.C. Part of that solution is to develop, for the first

time ever, a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.

We’re going to increase child care in this budget, with $20 million in

new child care investments, which will increase our spending on early

childhood development and child care to $330 million this year and support

more than 4,000 new child care spaces.

We’re providing $681 million over three years to help our kids get the

education they deserve, with smaller class sizes along with more resources

and support staff. We’re already in the process of hiring 3,500 more

teachers, along with providing capital funding of $50 million to ensure

spaces for our kids as they go back to school.

This is a budget that ensures that everyone benefits from our strong

economy. When the economy is strong, we continue to make investments in our

greatest natural resource, which is the people of the province of British

Columbia. This budget will reduce inequality, invest more equitably in the

services that our citizens count on and support a thriving, competitive,

innovative economy.

This budget addresses climate change as a tool for long-term

sustainable growth and jobs in every area of this province.

This is a budget about fairness. We’re asking people at the very top

to pay a little bit more. Under the previous Liberal government, the top

earners in this province got a tax break. We will correct that handout to

the very rich. Now the top wage earners will pay an additional 2.1 percent

on income over $150,000.

We’re cutting MSP premiums in half, saving families up to $900 per

year. That is real money in the pockets of British Columbians. We’re

lowering the small business tax rate by 20 percent, from 2.5 percent to 2

percent. We’re increasing the corporate tax rate by a modest 1 percent to

keep us competitive and in line with other provinces. We’ve eliminated the

tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges. That move alone will save

ordinary British Columbians as much as $1,500 a year and commercial truck

drivers up to $4,500 a year.

We want and we’re committed to making life more affordable for all of

our citizens by getting started on a comprehensive plan that makes housing

more affordable. We will close speculation loopholes and reduce tax fraud

and money laundering in B.C. real estate. We’re investing $208 million over

four years to support the construction of more than 1,700 new units of

affordable rental housing in various locations across this province. We’re

providing $291 million over two years to construct 2,000 modular supportive

housing units for people who today are homeless.

All members of this House, I’m sure, are concerned about the opioid

and addictions crisis that is ravaging our province and the state of health

care in this province. I am proud that this budget will increase the base

budget for the Ministry of Health by $603 million over three years, with

$256 million of that to go to addressing the fentanyl emergency and the

remainder going to addressing other pressures in the Health

Ministry.

We’ve also established the new Ministry of Mental Health and

Addictions to provide strategic leadership in addressing and coordinating a

blended mental health and addictions system.

[3:50 p.m.]

We will also look after our seniors by improving access to home and

community care, with $189 million over three years, through our

federal-provincial agreements. We’re committed to building schools,

hospitals, transit and transportation infrastructure across the province and

creating jobs in every corner of B.C., with $14.6 billion in capital

spending over three years.

We’re creating an innovation commission to advocate for made-in-B.C.

solutions, and we’ll look at how governments can encourage innovative and

sustainable industries to drive economic growth in B.C. in the 21st century.

We’re moving forward on phasing out the provincial sales tax on electricity,

which will help businesses all across the province compete.

We’ve been a government for a short period and have accomplished much.

I am incredibly proud to support this budget and its update because it

demonstrates, in a very real way, our core beliefs and principles — that

government should work for people.

To the people of British Columbia, I say this: this province belongs

to all of you. When it comes to B.C. finances, this is your money. You

worked hard for it. This is your government, and this is your budget. I

commit to working every day to ensure that the choices we make every day

reflect your voice, your needs and your priorities.

M. Lee: I rise in this House today to give my response to the NDP government’s

budget update. I would like to first acknowledge that we are gathered here

in this House in the traditional territories of the Lekwungen people, the

Esquimalt and Songhees Nations.

I would also like to thank, again, the diverse community of

Vancouver-Langara for the opportunity to represent them in this House. Since

the election in May, I’ve enjoyed our continued dialogues, which I started

with you on your doorsteps, at coffee chats, coffee meetings and events

throughout the riding, including our first annual picnic at the end of

August. I’d also like to thank my new constituency staff, Mackenzie Stannard

and Tanya Tan, and to congratulate Dawn Escobedo, who was with me for a

short period of time and now has started law school at Thompson Rivers

University.

I’d also like to acknowledge and thank my new staff here in the House

— Marissa Olson, Justin Brattinga and Derek Cummings — for your great

assistance to me in these first couple of weeks. Thank you to my children —

Justine, Graham and Andrea — for their energetic and passionate support, and

to my better half, Christina, for her staying power, compassionate spirit

and sense of humour, particularly when I need it most. Thank you very

much.

We have spent several months dealing with the aftermath of the May

2017 election. With this budget update, the NDP government now has their

opportunity — finally, after 16 years, as they would say — to move forward

on their agenda. But with this budget update, we can see just how challenged

the NDP are in doing that, particularly with the need for the Green Party

support.

What British Columbians need is a government that deals with the

pressing challenges that face us and builds a stronger province. What they

need in this House is for all 87 members to act responsibly for our entire

province. We come to this House to represent the people in our ridings,

including from northern British Columbia and the Kootenays, travelling every

week, back and forth, between this House and our ridings. Each of us cares

about the people of British Columbia and our constituents. For members

opposite to suggest otherwise is misguided and, in my opinion,

disrespectful.

I have seen, in the last week and a half, the kind of discussions

we’ve been having across this floor, and I know that when we say we

represent the people of British Columbia, we do that. We do that with

honour, we do that with respect, and we do that with commitment to those men

and women and families in our individual ridings.

[3:55 p.m.]

The differences in this House between us are the priorities and plans

that our parties present. It’s the throne speech and budget process, where

tough decisions need to be made within the finite resources that government

has. These investment decisions are what we should be discussing in this

House.

I stepped forward this past election to do what every one of us wants

to do, no matter our political stripe, and that is to keep our province

moving forward as we work to build a better B.C. When some of our other new

members opposite in the House speak in response to the budget — like the

member for Delta North, the member for Surrey-Guildford and the member for

Saanich North and the Islands — if you listen carefully, you can hear some

of the same sentiments for finding a better way for our province.

In this vein, there are some elements in the budget that I agree with.

These were included in the last budget of the previous B.C. Liberal

government. These included, of course, the reduction of MSP premiums by 50

percent and the reduction of the small business tax rate from 2.5 percent to

2 percent. This doesn’t make up for the increased corporate tax rate, but it

will be a relief for the engine of our economy.

Phasing out PST paid on electricity is another initiative from our

budget, and, of course, the $3,000 non-refundable tax credit for volunteer

firefighters and search and rescue volunteers. This is especially vital in

light of the record wildfire season that we’ve been facing as a province,

which is another budget piece from February.

Another point that I do agree with our NDP government on is the return

of funding for adult basic education and ESL. We are a diverse province and

a province that needs to ensure that many who move here need to learn our

official languages. It makes it easier for them to find work and attend

school, as well as integrate with our communities.

Adult basic education, too, is a key part of ensuring prosperity. In

addition to the B.C. Liberal government’s single-parent employment

initiative, this will allow those who want to further their education and

improve their lives to do so. Only those who need adult basic education

cannot afford to pay tuition and other costs, and oftentimes, the

single-parent employment initiative is a good way to give them an

opportunity to better their lives.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit with the Multicultural Helping House

Society in my riding of Vancouver-Langara, and I’ve done that a number of

times over the last few weeks and months. Recently they had a jobs fair. At

that jobs fair, a number of the caregivers in South Vancouver were coming to

find new job training opportunities for them, and for them to take care of

their families and children.

I say that when we see the NDP budget, there are a number of promises,

of course, that they made to the people of British Columbia. As the members

opposite would say, it’s only been nine weeks, but that’s really the

concern.

During the provincial election, the B.C. Liberal Party presented a

fully costed platform. The NDP presented one that had billions in uncosted

promises. Despite their loud cries to the contrary during the election

campaign, we now see the objections we raised during the campaign were

accurate. It begs the question: what kind of trust and confidence do British

Columbians have in a government that does this? Is this about false hope —

false hope for the people of British Columbia? This NDP government has not

been able to meet its promises to these people that they’re purporting to

help.

Above everything else, I believe that British Columbians want a

government that we can count on to keep their promises and not to break

them. There are a number of examples of promises the NDP have made but

broken in this budget, as aptly summarized by my esteemed colleague the MLA

for Abbotsford-Mission — promises that they made in the media, in this

chamber, in our ridings; promises they made in order to win the

election.

Of course, we’ve heard there’s no plan for the $10-a-day daycare, not

a mention of the $400 renter rebate, nothing on the hydro rate freeze,

nothing on the ICBC freeze. There are a whole lot of promises here that the

NDP made to seek votes from the people of British Columbia which are not

present in this budget. The NDP promised $10 million for arts and culture —

not in this budget.

That’s without even going into the fact that they promised, in their

election platform, 114,000 housing units. Unless they plan on doubling

production over the next few years, they’re not going to even manage do that

either. At the rate they’re going in this first year, with what they have

promised in this year, that’s what I’m suggesting.

After years of sitting in this House and advocating for seismic and

capital spending for the K-to-12 system, we’re now seeing in this budget

that the NDP have failed to increase spending — capital spending, that is —

for seismic upgrading for school districts.

[4:00 p.m.]

In fact, several capital projects have been delayed, such as the New

West Secondary School — the largest capital project ever undertaken by the

Ministry of Education. It’s been delayed.

Our fellow British Columbians spoke loud and clear during the

election, and they told us what they wanted. They wanted a strong economy,

one that can afford the social programs we need. They made it clear that

they value our economic success, which we have built together. They want

that success and prosperity to be shared and that we look after every

British Columbian, including our children, our parents and those British

Columbians who need our help most.

For 16 years — yes, 16 years — B.C. Liberal governments under the

leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell and Premier Christy Clark, as well as,

more recently, the leadership of the member for Abbotsford West as the

Minister of Finance, have made the tough decisions, with British Columbians,

to build a strong financial framework with low taxes and, of course, the

first carbon tax in North America, a revenue-neutral one.

This budget undermines and jeopardizes this strong fiscal framework.

As many of my colleagues have noted before and during the recent election

campaign, and as now demonstrated by the throne speech and in this budget,

the Minister of Finance and her colleagues have laid out an aggressive and

uncosted spending litany. The list of expenditures is long, and it will only

continue to grow. With one budget, the NDP has sent another strong signal to

investors that B.C. is no longer such a good place to invest.

As a father of three children, two of whom are in their 20s, working

in Vancouver and starting to build their hopes and dreams, this budget

certainly makes it tougher. As well, as the MLA for Vancouver-Langara, I

want to voice concerns I have heard and lay out why much of the NDP plan is

the wrong way to go for families, small businesses and others wanting to

have their future in B.C.

I do want to acknowledge that the NDP deserves some credit for some

firsts. As I’ve spoken in the House, they probably broke a record for having

the fastest retraction and apology by a minister and a Premier. We will see

where this leads. They probably also set a record for the fastest exodus of

capital — millions in the short term and billions over the medium term —

walking away from British Columbia when we saw LNG projects announce that

they’re leaving the province.

Sadly, these are just a few examples why the NDP has already started

to hurt working families in B.C. and set British Columbia up for long-term

economic pain.

Simply put, I don’t see a plan for the economy. Large projects are

leaving or have left, and this NDP government continues to send the wrong

signals to investors. By raising taxes and spending money aggressively

before they’ve even dealt with all of their major campaign commitments, the

economy and, ultimately, B.C. workers and families will pay the

price.

The NDP government says they will balance the books. But they took a

$2.7 billion surplus and have taken this down to a rounding area away from

the deficit, and they haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to

their wish list of spending. They have used up most of a $2.7 billion

surplus, all the while ignoring the importance of ensuring we have a diverse

economy for all British Columbians.

I don’t see a strategy for technology. There is no transportation

vision for the long term, just short-term, band-aid solutions that are

politically motivated. What does this government say to the people of Delta,

Ladner or White Rock that want a viable solution? Why is this government so

silent on the needs of Prince George, Vanderhoof and Quesnel? This is bad

for local communities — Indigenous peoples, small businesses in rural and

remote communities looking for a way to stay in the communities that they

grew up in and want their kids to have a future in too.

British Columbians are trying it make a go of it. The costs of living

in the Lower Mainland and Victoria are concerning and need to be addressed.

At the same time, the rest of this province is working hard to keep the

economy going, and this NDP government isn’t making life easier for

them.

Let’s be honest: it’s a scary world out there. With protectionism from

the United States, our lumber industry is under assault. We need a plan that

will deal with America’s attack on our businesses and workers, but we also

need to continue to diversify our markets. The members on the other side

have already chased away investment. This is bad for our province and will

have a long-term impact for future generations, who will have to pay for

it.

[4:05 p.m.]

We also need to set up and be ready for the conversation on how we

continue to support our technology industry. Film, digital communications

and information technology are continuing to evolve, impacting commerce and

trade. We need to be helping create the jobs of tomorrow while protecting

the jobs of today.

Sadly, this budget has little in the way of new ideas or ways of

harnessing and growing this opportunity, helping B.C. workers adapt and

businesses thrive. I think a lot of this is because the NDP has a hard time

understanding that we’re competing for investments, people and ideas. And

that competition is global.

The NDP government is raising taxes while not putting in place the

building blocks for a strong and diverse economy. Ultimately, who will

suffer? I believe it will be the next generation of British Columbians, who

will need to deal with the higher debt loads, deficits, higher borrowing

costs and loss of opportunities.

Over time, this also means less revenue to the government to pay for

schools, child care and seniors care. We are already hearing warning signs

that the NDP’s unrestricted spending plan is unsustainable. DBRS has said

that the NDP government will likely require more revenue to cover the costs

of their aggressive spending agenda and warns that an economic downturn will

challenge their fiscal plan. Vaughn Palmer in the Vancouver Sun has

followed suit with his prediction that there will be more tax increases to

follow.

As British Columbians, we have been very proud of our triple-A credit

rating, and it is at risk. Maintaining that credit rating is fundamental to

this province. With just one single credit downgrade, B.C. will pay more

than $500 million on debt-servicing costs.

The previous Finance Minister for our provincial government, the

member