Second Session, 41st Parliament

(2017) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Afternoon Sitting

Issue No. 21

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate (continued)

S. Sullivan

R. Kahlon

S. Gibson

J. Routledge

L. Larson

L. Krog

J. Yap

M. Dean

J. Isaacs

R. Leonard

R. Sultan

S. Chandra Herbert

D. Clovechok

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

The House met at 1:33 p.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Orders of the Day

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

Budget Debate

(continued)

S. Sullivan: I’m pleased to speak to this budget. It is said that budget is

ideology without rhetoric. So I hope to parse the budget to identify

ideology that requires our attention.

First of all, I’d like to say that I’m grateful to the citizens of

Vancouver–False Creek for giving me their confidence in electing me to this

august body.

[1:35 p.m.]

I’d also like to acknowledge my opponents that ran against me in the

last election. I’d like to take a moment to thank Morgane Oger, who, as a

transsexual person, made history with her strong showing. I have run in

seven elections, and I have won them all. But the last one, I’ve got to say,

was a little bit of a nail-biter, so I acknowledge her strong showing.

Bradley Shende, a young tech entrepreneur who set a record for Green Party

support. There were a number of others that also conducted themselves very

finely. In my books, they are all winners.

I’d also like to acknowledge the First Nations, the traditional

territory of the Coast Salish people here and in my riding.

I was successful in getting elected because of my co-chairs: Lou Cruz,

Kristen Blake and Hasnain Raza. I also had a wonderful riding association

board chaired by Farhan Lalani. I’d like to acknowledge the incredible work

that all of those people have done through the last four years, and

counting, to support the democratic process.

It was much easier for me to do what I needed to do knowing that my

faithful assistant, Chris Garvey, was manning the office. I thank her for

all her work. She is such a great resource for our citizens who need

help.

[L. Reid in the chair.]

Most of all I would like to thank my incredible and amazing Lynn. I

would definitely not be here without her. She recently raced her bicycle in

the Whistler GranFondo, starting in Vancouver.

I must say I’m very offended that one of the members is leaving in the

middle of my speech. [Laughter.] Oh sorry. I’ll let you go.

So she was racing in the Whistler GranFondo, starting in Vancouver.

I’m very lucky that she is in such great shape, as she has been an

incredible help to me.

We’ve all witnessed history in the last few months. The results of the

last election put in motion some very unusual outcomes. I certainly would

like to congratulate the new government. We are adversaries, but we are also

all British Columbians. I think we want you to succeed as much as you do. If

you do, that’s a great success for all of us.

I think we should also be grateful for the system of government we

have inherited. It is quite a remarkable thing that the opposition —

certainly, in many older and traditional cultures — is considered the enemy.

In our system, which is a great innovation, the opposition is considered

part of the government. It is, actually, an essential part of the

government. It’s a government-in-waiting. We hope, on our side, that it’s a

very short wait. But in any case, it is a system that has provided us

stability and prosperity, and it has been flexible enough to accommodate

much social change. We only need to look around the world to understand how

lucky we are to live in this province under this form of

government.

Now, in the majority of cases our system delivers a clear decision on

who will be the government. This is one of the rare cases where there’s a

kind of coalition. I think this is certainly something that we have to

really think hard about, because there is an effort to change the system of

governance. If that is something that does go through, we will see minority

governments as the norm.

Right now we see this affecting our budget. We’ve had some discussion

about the secretariat that would be required to mediate between governing

parties. I suspect that would be enhanced and a much more important part of

government if we do change to a proportional representation

system.

[1:40 p.m.]

It does give me pause to look around the world and see proportional

representation work in other countries. In some cases, it seems to work

quite well. I do know that two months before our election, the country of

the Netherlands went to the polls. To this day, they still do not have a

government. The party that won second place is, quite clearly, a xenophobic

party that represents some ideas that I certainly do not share. They’re

committed to banning the Qur’an, closing down mosques and leaving the

European Union. What has happened in that country is that no one can get to

a coalition. There has been no way. They need at least four parties. That

has not been possible, at least to this date.

I believe Belgium went through well over a year before they could get

their government, in a coalition. In Germany, now an extreme right-wing

party looks like it might become the third-largest party in their

parliament. In Israel, small religious groups have forced religious

legislation on that country.

As I say, in some countries it seems to work sometimes, and in others,

it seems to have some serious problems. Will we have racists, a racist

party, religious and ideological extremists, delivering their speeches in

this parliament with public funding for the new parties? This could be as

early as two years from now. If the referendum passes, I suspect the

government would fall fairly quickly, and we’d have an election. We have to

be very sober about this, especially in light of what’s going on in society,

in technology, in methods of communication. I would certainly be very

disturbed if we did have parties that were enabled because of a new

change.

I’d like to, first of all, say that there are parts of this budget

that I like, and I’d like to acknowledge the government for a balanced

budget. I think that needs to be acknowledged and recognized. We shouldn’t

take our economy for granted. It needs to be nurtured. I’d think an economy

can be considered like a company. You need to focus on it. You need to

nurture it. You need to do the things that are necessary. Any company that

is considered just a source of quick cash will certainly not be a company

that lasts into the future. I believe that it’s the same with our

economy.

I want to make a couple of notes about my portfolio. I’m the critic

for Housing. The NDP promised to build 114,000 housing units over ten years.

That’s 11,400 per year, but this budget only commits to 3,700, a tiny

fraction of that. I noticed the sum of 2,000 and another amount of 1,700 —

of which some are container-type housing. Now, to stay on track, the

government would need to complete 41,900 units over the next three years.

According to our calculation, this would be somewhere in the ballpark of

$5.6 billion over three years, just using the average cost of the units

promised in the minister’s fiscal plan.

[1:45 p.m.]

Now, we know that the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a group

that is highly regarded by the government, says the average cost of an

affordable housing unit is $250,000. I’ve heard different numbers between

$250,000 and $350,000. If we take the number of units allocated in this

year’s budget…. If we take them out, that leaves 110,300 housing units left.

At $250,000 a unit, taking the lower number, we come to a cost of $27.5

billion. That’s $3 billion a year, and that is certainly not in any budget

that I’ve read here in the last week. So it is well outside the government’s

finances.

I wanted to just make a couple of comments on the tax increases. Now,

we’ve heard some…. There has been an incredible surplus that has been

delivered to the government, and my sense of that is that it’s quite

remarkable that this budget not only forecasts a very rosy picture, but it

also has to take tax increases to actually make the budget balance. So that

is certainly a concern.

Abandoning the revenue-neutral requirement of the carbon tax is a big

concern. We were getting some pretty remarkable plaudits from around the

world, and one of the things…. Certainly, having a carbon tax at all is a

wonderful thing, and I note that our government went and actually had an

election over that. It was opposed by members of the current government. But

to see that the revenue-neutral requirement of the carbon tax is gone — to

me, that’s an alarming development. It certainly was something citizens were

pleased about, as I recall — that the overall tax burden would not go up

with the carbon tax, that it was just a way of taxing things you don’t want

and reducing tax on things you do want.

Raising the corporate tax rate from 11 to 12 percent. This certainly

is going to be passed on to the consumers. And raising the personal income

tax rate for individuals earning over $150,000 from 14.7 percent to 16.8

percent. This has been characterized — I know, in the previous government,

our government — as a tax cut for high-income people. What actually happened

was that when we first got elected in 2013, we needed to do some surgery to

balance the budget. We decided to do that for two years through high-income

earners. And then after we did balance the budget and were on a track for

success, we removed that. That was characterized as a tax reduction for

wealthy people. That’s not what happened at all. That was just returning

them to the historic levels that they were at.

We’ve seen some major items in this budget that were already announced

in our 2017 budget last February. Of course, I am pleased to see those have

remained. The reduction of the MSP premiums by 50 percent and the reduction

of the small business tax rate from 2.5 to 2 percent I think is a very

positive move for our small businesses. The phasing out of the PST paid on

electricity is very important for many, especially our rural areas, where

businesses are really struggling because of this extra tax on

electricity.

[1:50 p.m.]

Then, of course, the $3,000 non-refundable tax credit for volunteer

firefighters and search and rescue volunteers. Certainly, we have seen in

the past few months incredible sacrifice and the incredible work that’s

being done by our firefighters and search and rescue volunteers, who have

done an amazing job of doing their best for the areas that have been hit by

wildfire. I know it has been such a trauma for so many people that I’d like

to think that this non-refundable tax credit is something that we certainly

could do to support them.

Now, jurisdictions like Ontario and Quebec are paying a lot more money

than we do because of their annual debt service costs. I note that there are

a number of threats to our economy that may make the rosy predictions —

bring them into question. On September 6, the central bank raised the prime

interest lending rate by one-quarter of a point. That’s from 0.75 percent to

1 percent, and there has been talk for well over a year that this was going

to be happening. And there is generally a concern that this interest rate

will be raised in the near future. It is the first increase in seven years.

That happened on July 12. Now it is expected that in October we’re going to

see another rate increase.

Another risk that we have that our economy could be very affected by

is the softwood lumber agreement and the changes to NAFTA. I don’t want to

be the person who drops the T-bomb in this venerable House, so I’ll try to

avoid that. But there are some trends in the United States that are very

worrying, very concerning. Certainly, any changes to NAFTA will affect our

economy. I do know some businesses that say that if there is a negative turn

in the NAFTA regulations, they would have to move to the U.S. The majority

of their business is there, and they would then be not viable in British

Columbia. These are things we must be aware of.

Under the current legislation, the budget surplus has to go towards

paying down the provincial debt, and the $2.7 billion surplus was applied to

the debt. I would like to see some commitment that would continue this

practice.

The current government has inherited a very successful and strong

economy. It’s the best-performing economy in the country. This was confirmed

by the Auditor General’s latest report, on August 22. Five consecutive

balanced budgets — and I acknowledge the sixth coming here. A $2.7 billion

budget surplus is just incredible, sort of in the…. Other provinces would

just love to have this kind of problem.

The government has an ambitious spending plan, but half the balance

sheet is missing. It’s without a plan to grow the economy, to grow revenues.

Government is already lowering economic performance expectations. Employment

growth will just be 1 percent from the 3 percent that the Auditor General

confirmed. GDP is expected to fall from a 3.7 percent growth to just 2

percent over the next four years.

I must say that 3.7 percent is incredible. This is the kind of thing

that you expect from these emerging economies. It’s the kind of growth that

is not seen in the western world. I think it’s remarkable that British

Columbians have been able to achieve that. Major credit-rating agencies,

such as Moody’s and the DBRS, have already issued warnings that B.C.’s

triple-A credit rating is at risk unless we can find additional sources of

revenue.

I note that with the rise of the increase to the corporate income tax,

we will now be at the same rate as Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Another way of saying this is that we will lose our comparative advantage

and become less attractive of a place to invest.

[1:55 p.m.]

Now, I wanted to make a couple of other comments on…. It does take

hard work, and it takes discipline to balance a budget. We do need to be

able to have additional revenue to pay for extra spending. I believe that

what this budget represents is an aggressive spending plan. We’re going to

see more spending, because there are a number of key items that were in the

platform of the government that still haven’t been touched. I do,

especially, think about my own portfolio, in the housing portfolio, noting

the big disconnect between what has been committed and what is being put

into the budget.

I believe that certainly with the last election, British Columbians

did send a message — one of the reasons we’re sitting on this side of the

House. People do want to see additional investment in some priority areas. I

respect that, and I believe that is very important. But we also did not

provide — I believe the citizens didn’t say — a blank cheque or “Let’s have

endless spending.”

What I believe is missing in this budget is the other side. It’s the

revenue side. How do we sustain the economy? How do we increase jobs?

Certainly, from what we’ve seen by the cancellation or the uncertainty

around major projects, we’re going to see that revenue not as optimistic as

it once was. It’s attracting the investment and it’s generating revenue that

is really the concern that I have on this budget. I believe that the efforts

to increase spending that we’ll see over the next few years will show that

we do have a lot of work to do in improving the revenue side.

I mentioned the carbon tax. Now, when I was watching some of the

commentary around the world on our carbon tax…. The fact that we have been

able to implement it when so many other countries and provinces have not

been able to do that, I think, is a huge, huge success. And I think that

we’re going to have real challenges from the fact that we’re now no longer

making this revenue-neutral. I think that we need to respect the way it was

brought in, the fact that we had an election over it. This was spoken about

at the time — that citizens were willing to support it if it was

revenue-neutral. But by reducing and removing that, we’re going to, I think,

break faith with the citizens that have given us that ability to do

it.

We have delivered to this government the best-performing economy in

the country. Indeed, the current Finance Minister confirmed the fact from

the public accounts that she released. Five consecutive balanced budgets —

unheard of in the country. A $2.7 billion surplus. A triple-A credit rating

— the only province, other than San Francisco, to enjoy this rank. And more

importantly, a solid plan to keep taxes low, attract investment and grow the

economy, and create jobs. I don’t see a jobs plan in this budget.

I’d like to make a few comments about some of the spending that was,

certainly, under the Liberal government.

[2:00 p.m.]

In Budget 2017, we announced that there would be spending on health

care, an increase of $486 million — an almost $500 million increase. That’s

2.5 percent over the previous year. We note that the health budget is

getting close to 50 percent of our entire budget, and this is absolutely

important for the citizens to have good solid health care and also to have a

good solid education sector. We note that this, in the B.C. Liberal budget,

was an increase of $256 million. That was 2.1 percent over last year. So

already, with the B.C. Liberal budget, there were significant increases to

both health and education.

Even in the social services sector, there was an increase of $137

million. That’s 3.3 percent. Health was 2.5 percent; education, 2.1 percent;

social services, 3.3 percent in the B.C. Liberal budget.

We should also recognize that the interest cost actually decreased by

$199 million, a $200 million decrease. That’s 7.1 percent over the previous

year, and the reason is because we haven’t run any deficits over the past

five years. We’ve been paying down the provincial debt at the same time. So

just by doing that, we freed up $200 million for health, education and

social services. I believe that the $200 million is something that we need

to continue. We need to keep going in that direction. If we can continue

balanced budgets, we will see the further decrease in interest costs, and

this will result in more funding for our social services, our health and

education.

There’s no guarantee that next year there will be a large surplus. I

think this is one of the biggest concerns I have about this budget. Yes, it

is a surplus budget, but I note that, in the B.C. Liberal budget, we had

based our revenue on projections of a 2.1 percent increase in GDP. The

current budget is forecasting 2.9 percent, a far rosier outlook, and that

has resulted in a surplus — but just barely. If we don’t achieve 2.9

percent, which is very significant growth, we will not see a balanced

budget.

The revenue, certainly from corporate tax sources, depends on our

provincial economy performing in a healthy and supportive investment

environment. Now, I’m concerned about the uncertainty that has been brought

to the provincial economy because of the cancellation, or the discussion of

the cancellation, of important projects. That uncertainty in itself reduces

investment, reduces job growth and, ultimately, tax revenues. So just by

bringing a level of uncertainty, we are seeing a negative impact on the

economy.

R. Kahlon: It’s my pleasure to rise in favour of the budget. Before that, I would

like to acknowledge that we are gathering on the territory of the Esquimalt

and Songhees Nations. They’ve been custodians of this land for thousands of

years, and I’d like to pay my respect to the elders, both past and

present.

[2:05 p.m.]

I’d like to thank the member for Vancouver–False Creek for his

thoughtful analysis. Perhaps we might not agree on the budget, but I

appreciate his comments. Also, earlier I heard the member for Chilliwack end

his speech with hoping us well, regardless of if he doesn’t agree with us. I

think that people that are here in the House watching might hear

disagreement all day, but it’s important for them to know that we actually

do get along. We just don’t agree, necessarily, on how to get there. So

thank you to both of you.

I want to start off by thanking the Minister of Finance. I think the

opposition Finance critic spoke right after the budget and talked about how

difficult of a job it is to be the Finance Minister and the challenges and

the expectations that the public have for their particular needs. I think

that the minister has delivered a very progressive budget that speaks to the

people of North Delta and to the region.

That leads me to the people of North Delta. I want to thank them for

giving me the honour of being their representative in this House. It’s an

honour. I recall seeing numbers on how few people get a chance to be in this

House, so it hits home. I’m grateful for it every day.

I would like to start off by thanking my family — my wife and my young

son. I think he’s finally adjusting to the new reality of me not being home.

Although he won’t be watching now, I’m sure he’ll watch for the first ten

minutes when he gets home, until he loses attention and moves on. I want to

thank my lovely wife. I can say confidently that she has made me a better

person. I’m not sure if she’s that confident on the flip side, but I’m

grateful for her support.

I want to start off by acknowledging my family and what it means for

me to be here in this House to speak today. My parents came to Canada in the

’70s, and not with very much money. They soon realized, when they got here,

that the expectations they had and the opportunities they thought they would

have here weren’t necessarily here for them. Language issues, getting

employment that paid a fair wage and many other factors made it really

difficult for them when they arrived.

They made a decision that they would basically sacrifice their

opportunities, their hopes and dreams to ensure that their kids would have a

better life. So they struggled, washing dishes and working in various

low-paying jobs, until my father got a good job at a mill. They struggled

throughout the years to ensure that we had that, and it was my great honour

to return all those years of commitment to represent Canada at the Olympics.

Having them there meant a lot to me because, as a young parent now, I get

what they went through to give us those opportunities.

What I learned from my parents was work ethic and commitment, and I

put that into the election. I used my sporting background to create a

disciplined approach to campaigning. I spent six days a week, minimum four

hours a day, and knocked on doors. I have to tell you that the first few

doors were difficult, so to speak. But it was fruitful, because I got a

chance to talk to people in my community and learn about the issues that

mattered to them and the issues that they wanted me to take forward. Many of

them shared their goals, their hopes — their hopes for government, their

the budget.

My commitment, our commitment, to the people of British Columbia

throughout the election was three main principles: making life more

affordable, improving the services that they depend on and building a

sustainable economy that works for everyone. I’m pleased to be here today to

speak to a budget that I believe reflects those commitments.

[2:10 p.m.]

I’d like to start off with tolls. In the spirit of talking about the

first few people’s doors I knocked on, I remember the first difficult door

was a sign on a big truck that said, “Hands off my guns.” The garage door

was open. It had a Confederate flag. I thought: “Oh my gosh. Should I knock

on this door or not?” I did, and it was an amazing conversation. It was a

small business man. He’s got a construction company, and he had about 15

employees. We talked about tolls. He shared with me that his company spends

$28,000 on tolls a year, and he was talking about the heavy burden that that

was putting on his bottom line.

For the context of everyone here, North Delta is a small community. I

heard the member for Fraser-Nicola talk about how it takes her a complete

day to cross her riding. I had to chuckle, because I can probably cross my

riding in ten minutes. It puts things in context, except that we have a

challenge with traffic. We have serious gridlock, so that ten minutes can

actually be standing in one spot for 15, 20 minutes, in fact,

sometimes.

When I heard the discussion from people on the doorstep about tolls

and congestion, it really hit home. This gentleman said to me…. He

summarized the toll situation as that the Port Mann Bridge has become the

autobahn for the rich and desperate. He said it’s for the rich because most

can’t afford to get over that bridge, so that leads them to other bridges in

the area. The desperate is: a lot of people can’t afford it, but they take

it anyways because they have no choice. I thought he summarized it quite

well.

Nothing was more frustrating than going over, let’s say, the Pattullo

Bridge, which I did frequently, looking over and seeing the Port Mann with

barely any cars on it and being stuck on the Pattullo. That’s a frequent

thing for folks in North Delta. We have serious congestion on the Alex

Fraser, and we have serious congestion on the Pattullo.

What we’ve seen immediately is that since the tolls have been

removed…. And I’m grateful to the Minister of Finance for making that

commitment. What we’ve seen instantly is traffic levels drop both on Alex

Fraser and Pattullo. People are starting to actually use the infrastructure

that we spent millions of dollars on for getting over, and the heavy cost on

one bridge is not offsetting the traffic on one. I think the Minister of

Finance said in her statement that individual families were paying $1,500 a

year; commercial were paying about $4,500, on average, a year. This

gentleman that I spoke of earlier had a big burden on his

company.

Generally, people in south of the Fraser felt that the tolls were

unfair. We’ve been building infrastructure in this province, and in some

places they have tolls — like people in the south of the Fraser — and in

many places they don’t. So there was unfairness to it. Most people would say

that they would be fine with an equitable solution that captures every part

of Metro Vancouver, in particular, but they just didn’t like the idea of it

being just targeted towards people south of the Fraser. Most of the people

move out there and work in Vancouver because they can’t afford living in

Vancouver. They’re being pushed out, and then they’re getting hit again.

That was a major concern.

I was delighted by the announcement. It means great savings for

residents in my community and communities south of the Fraser. Also, it

means great savings for the business community that has truckers and workers

who have to travel that and then they incur the cost. I think it was a great

announcement. Coupled with our commitment to transit in the Lower Mainland,

I think we can start addressing this traffic congestion. But this was a good

first step.

MSP. I would say that after housing, MSP was the number one issue that

I got on the doorstep. I met this elderly couple who invited me in. I was

tired, so it was timely. I sat down with them for some time, and we talked

about MSP and the challenge that they were facing.

They had just recently retired. Her husband was going in for an

operation. They had some costs that were associated with that. Their income

went down because of retirement, and all of a sudden, because their employer

wasn’t paying MSP, now they’ve got this MSP bill. They were talking about

how they were struggling. I’m sure members on all sides of the House have

heard that.

[2:15 p.m.]

I’ve actually sat in this House and listened to most of the speakers.

Not because I’m on duty, but more because I really want to hear people’s

opinions and thoughts on these matters. Many have said: “Well, we were going

to commit to doing this as well.” Well, all we’ve seen over the years is the

doubling. To say: “We would have, could have….” Well, I say we should have

eliminated this or at least cut them down in half a long time

ago.

MSP hit folks in my community particularly hard, and I’m excited and

I’m happy that the minister announced that on January 1 we will see MSP cut

in half. That’s excellent. I think in the minister’s statement she said this

will save couples $900 per year. “Individuals will save $450 per year. These

savings are our government’s first step toward eliminating MSP premiums

within four years. Regressive fees like MSP premiums are costly to families

and costly to administer. We are also establishing the MSP task force to

advise government on the best way to eliminate the MSP premiums and replace

those revenues.”

I’m, again, grateful to the Minister of Finance for taking that step.

It’s a commitment we made to the people of B.C., and I believe it’s the

first step in getting to eliminating MSP.

Income and disability rates. Again, I think many members of this House

will agree — and have had constituents come to them regarding this issue.

I’d say the most remarkable conversation in the election was with a woman

who was hearing-impaired and non-verbal. I didn’t quite know how to start

the conversation. She brought the notepad out, and half an hour later…. We

had this amazing conversation, half an hour. I realized how poor my

handwriting was, trying to communicate to this woman. In the dialogue, it

was about income and disability rates.

She expressed how hard it was for her and her husband, who also was

struggling, to survive on the rates. She spoke about the ten-year freeze and

how the costs over ten years have continuously gone up and the impact of

that on her life. This was all exchanged over a notepad and pen. I’m

grateful for having some of those stickies that were on my pad. I keep them

here as a reminder of who we are here to represent.

Again, I was struck by her comments — ten years, lowest rate in the

country. This $100 per month increase and the increase to the amount of the

exemption, I believe, is a good step to helping people who, I think, are the

most vulnerable in our society. I think everyone in this House will

acknowledge that there is much more to do, but I think it’s a first step,

coupled with a much-needed poverty reduction plan.

I mean, it’s unbelievable to me that we are the only province in

Canada that does not have a poverty reduction plan. I can’t understand why

it is that we can’t even step forward to have a plan to address poverty in

this province. I know some people would rather not acknowledge that poverty

exists, but it’s a reality, and I’m grateful that we’re getting at

that.

Housing. No one in this chamber can go to an event without having this

topic come up. Housing comes up everywhere. I remember I was at a social

event, and this topic came up. They said: “Well, what are you guys going to

do about housing?” We started discussing what the possibilities were on

housing. One gentleman stopped me and said: “You guys are talking about

buying a home.” He said: “The majority of us are not even in a place to

think about buying a home. We’re talking about just how we’re going to make

rent.”

Those kinds of comments really hit home — how housing affordability is

such a major concern and how for many the idea of owning a home is so

distant. It’s sad that it’s gone that way. I worked in banking for seven

years. I still recall this one family of six people who came to me to apply

for a townhome they were going to buy for $280,000 — I had to tell them that

they couldn’t afford it; six of them couldn’t afford it because of their

credit card debts, and so on, and so forth — and how heartbroken they were

that with their incomes, they couldn’t qualify for a townhome.

That was many years ago, so we’ve seen this housing crisis coming for

a long time. This is not something that just happened overnight. This has

been happening over years and years and years.

[2:20 p.m.]

I think this is a good start from our government, to make the first

step toward addressing this. I think the Finance Minister said: “Over $200

million in capital investment to help build over 1,700 affordable rental

units across this province to assist low- and moderate-income renters,

seniors, adults with mental health challenges and developmental

disabilities.”

I’ve heard members from the other side say: “Well, you haven’t solved

the housing crisis. You haven’t built all the houses and you haven’t done

all this.” Well, it’s been two months. I think this is a good first step.

I’m confident the Minister of Housing is very much on top of this issue and

is actively engaging with co-ops and other people in the private sector, as

well, on how we can get to the solution.

There is no way this can be done without the private sector, so it’s

important to engage them on solutions that they believe also can help solve

this crisis that we have. From early conversations I’ve had with folks in

the private sector, many of them do have proposals. I believe they’re

meeting with the minister responsible for housing. I look forward to more

things coming down from that.

learning and adult basic education. In order to build a sustainable economy,

we must ensure that the workforce is ready to take those jobs. I think it

was the Minister of Advanced Education who shared with us numbers — 35

percent drop in enrolment when the fees came in. That is massive.

Those aren’t just numbers. Those are people who all of a sudden had

their hopes shattered. They thought that education would have given them the

opportunity to advance further in their careers. For them to be all of a

sudden hit with this massive bill and struck with the idea that they will be

stuck where they are forever…. It’s just amazing to me.

We have many new immigrants who come to this country. They come to

this country with skills like, I would say, my parents did. They didn’t

have…. My mom was fortunate enough to have a program, back in the day, that

only finished up to grade 10, and there was a community group that offered

are facing this, but we’ve got to think about their families and what those

opportunities mean for their families.

I hope that because of the announcement by the Minister of Advanced

Education, there will be a lot more success stories that we can point to

because of it. Again, I want to thank the Minister of Advanced Education for

making that one of the first commitments from her ministry. I think it

speaks to her commitment to ensuring that people have opportunities to

advance. So again, thank you for that.

I think that it’s also important to acknowledge that our economy is

changing. So when folks who work in traditional industries need to retool

themselves and find ways to participate in this new economy…. We need to be

able to provide supports for those people to bridge from where they’re

working to other opportunities. Again, another reason why I think that that

announcement was well received.

We lowered the small business tax from 2.5 percent to 2 percent. I was

sharing this story about my family and my mother. I think the one piece I

forgot to mention was that when she came to this country, she washed dishes

in a restaurant here in Victoria called Scott’s diner. She would work all

night washing dishes.

When my dad got laid off at the mill, they sent us to India. I lived

in India for four years, because they couldn’t afford to keep us here.

During that time of the struggle, my mom bounced around at various jobs and

finally got a decent-paying job. She was a member of the Hospital Employees

Union, worked as a caretaker and, over the years, started saving up some

money.

[2:25 p.m.]

I’m proud to share that, 20 years later, my mom ended up buying that

restaurant where she used to wash dishes. So my family owned that restaurant

for a decade here in Victoria as I was growing up. I learned quickly how to

wash dishes, become a prep cook, run the till and handle complaints. There

weren’t many, because my mom’s a pretty amazing cook, but nevertheless, you

have to be able to handle that.

Interjection.

R. Kahlon: That’s right.

So I understand the stresses of families, of small businesses. When

times were good, we were stressed if they were going to be good tomorrow.

When times were bad, we were stressed because we were worried about

tomorrow. That’s the life of many small business people in B.C. and across

the country. I very much get it.

The reason I say that is that I heard a couple of members from the

opposition speak about small business and their experience, but they were

implying that only they understand the pressures of small business. So the

reason for me to raise this is that there are many people in this House that

represent different parties and different views who come with that

experience and that knowledge of small business and the stresses that small

businesses face.

No party here has the sole ownership of ideas. Ideas can come from all

parties. I look forward to hearing some of the announcements that I’m sure

will be coming very soon to support small businesses, but a drop in the

small business tax is certainly a good first step to addressing

that.

I go back to that gentleman that I met early on. I did end up seeing

him again on the weekend. That’s why it’s top of mind. He said: “Well, what

are you guys going to do about small business?” I reminded him that we had

dropped the small business rate — 2.5 percent — which saves him money. I

asked him if he paid his employees’ MSP, and he said he did. I said: “Well,

you’ve got a saving now that you were paying your employees.” He got a lower

small business tax, he got a saving on MSP and now he’s not paying tolls, so

I think he is pretty well taken care of on that piece. I think that’s

something that we should all be quite proud of. Again, thanks to Minister

James, in the budget, for that.

Phasing out PST on electricity. This is a piece, particularly, that

I’m delighted about, because the Minister of Finance had obviously done lots

of consultation, and this was one of the recommendations from the previous

government’s tax competitiveness group. Combined with the MSP tax cut in

half — I believe that it’s coupled together — it’s good for

business.

It’s not very often you read an

article in the Vancouver Sun that has major labour leaders and leaders from the business community

speaking about the same issue in the same way. I believe there was an

article written by Steve Hunt from the United Steelworkers and Tom Sigurdson

for building trades with leaders from the business community about why we

should cut this, phase this out — what it means for employees and what it

means for the employer at the same time.

I think it was a good move by the Minister of Finance to include that.

I think it was nice to see her taking advice from all people, from all sides

of the House, and ensuring that we put together good policies that work for

this province.

The innovation commissioner and the emerging economy task force. The

innovation commissioner is to support innovation, business development and

the technology sector and appoint an innovation commissioner with a mandate

to be an advocate and ambassador on behalf of B.C.’s technology sector in

Ottawa and abroad. The emerging economy task force is to address the

changing nature of business over the next ten to 25 years. The task force

will be charged with developing a made-in-B.C. solution that will keep our

government and our policies thinking about cutting edge.

The reason I find this quite remarkable is that what I’ve heard

consistently over the years of working with the business community and

talking to business leaders is that this is what they want from their

government. They don’t want the government just to be thinking two years

down the road. They want our government to be thinking ten, 20, 30 years

down the road, thinking about where the economy is going, thinking about

what that means with innovation and what that means for the changing dynamic

of our workplace.

[2:30 p.m.]

This is what they want. They want to be assured that their government

is ahead of where even they are. I believe this is a strong initiative, put

forward by our colleagues from the Green Party and embraced strongly by all

of us. I think it will remind the business community that we are thinking

there. It will also remind those who represent workers in this province that

we are starting to think about workers and thinking about what the future of

employment looks like in this province.

We had also made a commitment that we would be improving services. I

think we’ve heard all members in this House speak about the fentanyl crisis

and how all our communities are affected by it. This issue does not affect

just one party’s community. It affects everybody in this House and their

constituents.

Just in Delta, last year we had six overdoses in 30 minutes. That was

quite remarkable. It sent a chill through my constituents. We had several

meetings, town hall meetings and others, to speak to people from Delta

police, from fire, school board. They were all involved in how it is that we

can collectively support our folks through this. I’m delighted that the

Premier has put a minister in place that is solely dedicated to addressing

this and mental health. It will go a long way to bring together all the

services that are provided in this province, bring them together in one

ministry, giving one minister responsibility to pull all those pieces

together.

I remember reading the story in the local paper of Stacey Dallyn, who

talked about her 18-year-old son who died of an overdose and how they

struggled to find a bed. Here was a young man who was ready to get help, and

they couldn’t find a place for him to go. They did try, when he was 16, to

go to the U.S. and put him in a private home. He got a little better, and

when he came back, he relapsed. Hearing her heartbreaking story about trying

to find another home in B.C. and not being able to…. It was truly

heartbreaking. It still stays with me.

I think that it’s one of those issues that I know, certainly, the new

minister is looking at carefully. If a person comes forward and says they

need help, it’s our responsibility as a government, as a caretaker, to be

there to help. I’m grateful for that announcement from the

Premier.

K to 12. We’ve made that substantial announcement of dollars that will

go to K to 12 in this province. It has been a long time coming, I think I

can fairly say. My son is entering grade 2, and I remember when he went to

kindergarten. The teacher sent home a letter to us saying: “We have a

problem. Can you all send an additional two boxes of tissues because we have

none left?” I thought to myself: “Here we are in the richest province in the

country — I’d say the richest country in the world — and we do not have

enough tissues to provide to our kids.” It was a shame. It’s $681 million of

investment, and I’m grateful for that.

I think I see the green light. In closing, I would like to thank the

Minister of Finance for all the work she did on this budget. I would like to

thank all the members in this House for listening to my thoughts in a

respectful manner. I didn’t get any heckling from even my own side, which is

always a nice thing.

We’re in an era of cooperation, and I believe that no one party has

the monopoly on good ideas. It’s an opportunity to work together and make

B.C. a better place. I thank you and look forward to the next

speaker.

[2:35 p.m.]

S. Gibson: A privilege it is to be able to speak to this House today on Budget

2017, representing the wonderful people of the Abbotsford-Mission riding. I

always remind people that the Abbotsford-Mission riding is the first riding

in British Columbia, alphabetically. I’m just privileged to be able to

represent constituents in probably one of the most beautiful areas in our

province. And it’s an honour to be here.

I want to acknowledge, first of all, some of the people that have made

it possible for me to be here — my family, my wife, Joy. Many of us, on both

sides of this House, know that we leave family members behind. I talked to a

colleague across the floor just the other day about that. We leave our loved

ones behind to serve in this democratic institution here in our province. We

love to do it, but it’s sometimes sad to leave folks behind. I have two

daughters, Shari-Anne and Alisa.

I was going to note that my oldest daughter just moved into her first

home in Yarrow, in the Chilliwack riding, represented here by our member

from Chilliwack. I’m privileged to be able to go and visit them. They lived

in an apartment for a number of years in Vancouver, very close to city hall.

Being able to help them out a little bit and to be able to buy a home in

Yarrow…. It’s still expensive, but watching those three little grandsons,

Sammy, Lars and Felix, running around in the front yard is kind of a neat

feeling. That’s kind of good news, to be able to see that.

A lot of folks allowed me to be here and helped me in my efforts. I

want to acknowledge just a few of them here today. I don’t want to leave

anybody out, particularly, as I probably will. Folks like Colin Reimer, Rick

Zacharias, Abe Neufeld, Andrea Lindgren, Colette Squires, Don Stahl, Danny

Plecas, Mark Duyns, Dave Maples, Kristina Kobes and so many more. These are

just folks that have helped me along the way. Brian Gaudet — a big note of

thanks to him, so much, for the work that he’s done for me.

I have a lot of folks behind me. I really count it an honour to have

them supporting me as I continue to serve, now beginning my second term

here.

I want to also acknowledge my staff in the constituency office in

Mission. Jean and Joyce — they work really hard for constituents. We’re on

the main road in Mission, and folks come in all the time with issues working

with different government agencies. Jean and Joyce do such a wonderful job

taking care of them.

I’m proud of the valley. I had the privilege of teaching at UFV for

many years. We have four campuses throughout the Fraser Valley. I had my own

manufacturing company in Abbotsford, a small company with 13 employees. That

was a real privilege.

I say sometimes — not always jokingly — that every MLA should, at some

point in their life, have to meet a payroll. I tell you, when you have your

own business…. Some of you are nodding. It’s tough when you have your own

business, right? There were times that I barely had enough to pay myself. We

had all our employees and our rent and our forkliftrentals and our pickup

truck leases and everything else and the taxes and WCB premiums. And

hopefully, there was a little left for me at the end of the month to put

some food on the table.

Our riding is crossed by the river. The river cuts through it. I often

say that if they made a movie about my riding, it would be called A

River Runs Through It . The Fraser River is the most important

fisheries river in North America. When I’m back in the riding, I get to

drive across it regularly. It’s a majestic place to live, and I certainly

encourage those of you who haven’t been out there lately to come on out.

We’re pretty friendly out in the valley. That’s the way we are out there.

I’m proud just to call the Abbotsford-Mission riding my home.

This is the first budget put forward by this new government. You can

kind of see the direction. It’s sort of a trajectory we watch for, on this

side of the House, having been government for so many years and really

having been what I would characterize as stewards of the

taxpayers.

I think all of us on both sides of this House…. I think my colleagues

here from Delta South and Kootenay East would also agree, and all the folks

along this side would agree that we’re stewards. Our role is to take what

we’re entrusted with and allocate it as most correctly and most thoughtfully

as possible. I think that we on this side of the House are a little more

cautious that way and a little more sensitive.

I want to acknowledge my colleague from Abbotsford West for the

fantastic work he did over the years as being probably the top Minister of

Finance in this country, acknowledged by his peers when he went to

conferences and that kind of thing.

[2:40 p.m.]

Producing a balanced budget year after year — it’s tough. I had the

privilege of serving on Treasury Board for my full four-year term, and wow,

it’s a big deal to be able to balance that budget the way we did. We had to

say no to a lot of things and be very scrupulous in the way that we managed

the funds that were entrusted to us by our taxpayers. We don’t want to

negatively impact the public in any way without showing some kind of balance

to that, because, after all, we’re hearing a bit about tax increases. We’ll

talk about that in just a minute.

Health care and education spending — huge priorities for us, and I

think, in fairness, to our colleagues across the floor as well. There are

always pressures, pressures from all sides. I think we can even relate to

that if we look at our family situation — always pressures from different

things. You can’t do everything you’d like to do.

That’s my challenge really, personally, from the heart. I encourage

our members from across the way there to be careful, be cautious. Remember,

it’s not your money. You’re spending somebody else’s money. It’s tempting

sometimes, because the financial situation is so healthy right now, to spend

a lot more than perhaps you should. Just a personal observation. We need to

spend within our means.

I was sharing here with my colleague just a moment ago. I grew up in a

home that was…. My dad had a pretty average job. My mom was a stay-at-home

mom. I think we only went for one vacation. I didn’t really know any

different. I didn’t have that sort of entitlement thing: “Are we going to

Disneyland?” We watched the Disney Channel on TV. That was about as close as

we got. I’m kind of conscious of that.

Some of you know I served on Abbotsford council for a number of terms,

quite a few terms, as a matter of fact.

Interjection.

S. Gibson: Thank you for noticing. I appreciate that. It’s nice to have fans on

the other side. The member for Surrey-Whalley is always there for me. I

appreciate that.

One thing you were conscious of on council…. For those of you that

served in local government, what’s the big different between local

government and provincial? You can’t what? You can’t run a deficit. I mean,

it’s simple, right? You can’t do that, and you know that from your

experience. The folks here that come out of local government, we’re pretty

cautious about spending — quite a bit more cautious.

I had the privilege of first getting elected to Matsqui council.

Nobody remembers Matsqui anymore. In ’95, Matsqui and Abbotsford amalgamated

to the single community of Abbotsford, which is now the fifth-largest

community in British Columbia. I had the privilege of serving on there for a

number of terms and also on the FVRD board of directors as well. I want to

acknowledge Alec Niemi, Al Stobbart and Ray Boucher, who are regional

directors in the FVRD, which I represent, in the unincorporated area in my

riding. It’s called the Abbotsford-Mission riding, but if you go just east,

you’ll find some beautiful country — beautiful horticulture, dairy farms,

blueberries. It’s unincorporated area, as it goes towards the area of

Harrison Lake.

We’ve got a lot of hard-working people in our province, and they’re

looking to us to take care of them. That’s what they’re looking for —

providing services, yes, but with funds that they can afford. How we manage

those dollars is critical. We want to avoid waste and redundancy. I think,

increasingly, as our new government takes shape and figures out the

political landscape…. You turn to discover it’s not quite as easy as it’s

been criticizing us over the years. You suddenly realize you’ve got to be

pretty careful.

We’ve seen some tax increases. A little bit troubling. It’s

interesting. They’re increasing taxes at the same time they’re inheriting an

incredible file of funds that we left for you because of our good

stewardship. It seems ironic, a little bit. Surprising that they would raise

taxes. Isn’t that kind of surprising?

Interjection.

S. Gibson: I thought so too.

We see an increased corporate tax rate, from 11 to 12 percent. We see

an increased personal income tax rate for those making more than $150,000

per year, from 14.7 percent to 16.8 percent. Kind of quietly doing that. Of

course, it’s going to generate funds so they can share it around a little

bit.

We see the removal of the revenue-neutrality requirement for B.C.’s

carbon tax. That’s going to have quite an impact on the price of gas, as we

know.

We even see cuts to children’s arts and fitness tax credits. That’s

kind of surprising. That seems almost like the opposite of what I expect

from them. It’s probably just a mistake.

When government raises taxes, it means less money for British

Columbians. In this case, it will cost more for British Columbians to heat

their homes, enrol their kids in extracurricular activities or just drive

them around to their various soccer games and hockey games.

Interjection.

[2:45 p.m.]

S. Gibson: Yep, and canasta in your town there.

These tax hikes take place after the NDP inherited the best-performing

economy in Canada. People all over Canada said, “You guys rock.” We were a

bit humble, but we didn’t deny it. We didn’t deny it. Not only did they

inherit a province that leads the country in economic growth, job creation

and youth employment, but they inherited, as I mentioned, a $2.7 billion

surplus — better than anybody expected. How cool is that? Pretty

exciting.

Interjections.

S. Gibson: Yeah, thank you. And thanks for those nurturing comments from across

the floor there.

These tax increases are taking place in a time of remarkable economic

growth, which makes me wonder: if the NDP can’t support their spending with

the economy as it is now and with a surplus of nearly $3 billion, how will

they be able to sustain it? That’s the concern I think a lot of observers….

You’ve probably seen some of the articles about that. People are worried

about the sustainability that this government has.

No matter how well it’s managed, the economy fluctuates, right? The

economy fluctuates. So I encourage our colleagues across the floor. Be very

careful. Be cautious. Right now we’re faced with significant external

economic pressures, protectionism. There are a lot of issues internationally

that could affect the economy — softwood, etc. The new government has based

their budget on the presumption that our economy will continue to grow at

the same remarkable rate. It’s not going to happen. It’s something that

can’t be taken for granted.

They also claim to be undertaking other tax measures that will help

make life more affordable. Let’s go through a list of these. They’re kind of

interesting.

Cutting MSP premiums in half. Very original.

Reducing the small business tax rate by half a percentage point, from

2.5 to 2 percent.

Phasing out PST on electricity. And introducing a tax credit for those

volunteers who keep us safe through search and rescue, and fire

response.

Wow, those are really cool ideas. Very good. They sound kind of

familiar. I wonder where I saw those before. I think I know. We already

proposed them. Wow. Who was it? A student once told me that originality is

concealing one’s sources. I’m not sure if that applies here. I don’t know

that. I’m just tossing it out.

They were already proposed. The money is already there in the budget.

It’s nothing new. But these tax hikes are new. To suggest that tax cuts in

some areas counterbalance tax hikes in other areas just isn’t accurate. It’s

worth mentioning what isn’t in the budget, despite new revenue.

You made a lot of promises. These folks made a lot of promises, and

promises are really special. We love promises, don’t we, folks? Let’s have a

look at the promises and see what’s going on here. Here we go.The NDP

promised…. Let’s have a look here.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

S. Gibson: They’re getting so excited hearing about the list, they can hardly

contain themselves. It’s a captive audience I think we have. For instance,

the NDP promised to eliminate interest payments on student loans. Now, I’m

one of the critics for Advanced Education, so of course this brightens my

heart. I’m encouraged. Let’s have a look at that. Is it mentioned in the

budget?

Some Hon. Members: No.

S. Gibson: Oh. I’m feeling a bit bad for these guys. I sense there’s a hurting

mood over there. The member for Surrey-Whalley is looking rather

distraught.

Okay. The NDP campaigned on giving college- and university-skilled

graduates a $1,000 completion grant at the end of their programs. That must

be in the budget.

Some Hon. Members: No.

S. Gibson: Oh. Another promise where the budget is silent. Normally, silence is

golden, but it doesn’t apply here.

They pledged to cap tuition rates. That’s a pretty good one. That’s

comforting, I think, for many students. I taught students for many years.

They would be comforted by that. They’ll probably be calling to thank you.

Apparently not. It’s not in the budget. Uh-oh.

[2:50 p.m.]

They vowed to invest heavily in scholarships, creating a new graduate

studies excellence program fund. That’s hopeful. I think we’re turning the

corner here. Let’s have a look. It must be in the budget. Not in the budget.

If the NDP plans to fulfil these pre-election plans, we wonder — on this

side — how much it’s going to cost. Pretty reasonable question, I

think.

And that’s not all. They promised — now, we’ve heard a lot about this

— the universal, $10-a-day daycare. Wow. Now, that’s a big

promise.

Interjections.

S. Gibson: Oh, it’s coming. Let’s see here. I wonder if any of us will be here.

Will any of us be here when this arrives? By then, $10 will be worth

$3.

They promised a $400 annual renters rebate. How’s that going? A

rollback on ferry fares. That sounds dangerous. That’s going to make the

ferry tip, isn’t it? A rollback. A freeze on hydro rates. You know, these

guys…. You guys are amazing.

Hey, remember that movie Promises, Promises ? That was a bad

movie too.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

S. Gibson: Netflix doesn’t even offer that movie.

There were so many significant promises, and they’re going to be

expensive to keep up.

Now, the NDP’s junior partner, the B.C. Greens — how’s the support

going?

Hey, we believe in transparency in this House. Why don’t you guys

share it with us right now?

Interjections.

S. Gibson: Yeah, they’re struggling. We get it. It’s okay.

Deputy Speaker: Members, through the Chair.

S. Gibson: The body language gives it away.

There is a lot of unclarity. There are a lot of problems with this

government, because we just don’t know where they’re going. They’re making

all kinds of promises and then, unfortunately, not living up to them. This

doesn’t make the people of British Columbia feel very confident about these

folks. We get worried that, somehow, you folks are floundering. It’s sad.

And we feel sad for you. There’s some empathy over here, okay?

Another thing that’s not mentioned, which applies to my area…. And a

lot of us have agriculture, right? We have a lot of agriculture. No mention,

hardly any mention, of agriculture. I’d like to know why. I’d like to know

why. Low priority with this government.

You probably don’t even know strawberries are grown in British

Columbia. Yes, they are. Blueberries are grown in British Columbia. Yes,

they are. Raspberries. Cranberries, right? They’re grown in the

Abbotsford-Mission riding. Come on out and see it. Those of you who live in

urban, grey urban, you need to get out and smell the flowers.

No mention of agriculture, just in passing — it’s so sad. We need this

government to take agriculture seriously. Very important, the agrifood and

seafood sector. In fact, in 2016, thanks to some of the hard work of the

minister over here and others, exports reached a new high of $3.8 billion,

an increase of $300 million. Can we keep that trend up with these folks? I

don’t think so. I’m quite concerned.

A lot of lack of detail. I think the budget was kind of thrown

together, and here’s the evidence. The NDP needs to find a way to balance

both sides of the budget. What about Site C and LNG? How is that going? Wow.

Thousands of people depending on that for their future.

Infrastructure, transportation — do you care about those

people?

[2:55 p.m.]

And what about investments in ridings throughout out province? I was

privileged. My riding — I was able to find a lot of funding, help my people

out. I hope that’ll continue.

Phone me. I can give you some ideas about the Abbotsford-Mission

riding. Give me a call.

Fraser Valley regional district, all our ridings — we need the

attention of this government. I’ve got beautiful communities in my riding —

McConnell Creek, Clayburn, Matsqui, Deroche, Dewdney, Lake Errock and many

more — beautiful little communities. I’m wondering if this government cares

about them.

Interjection.

S. Gibson: Yeah, yeah.

I believe this government has lost touch with the rural area of our

province, in many cases. Isn’t that right? They’ve lost touch with the rural

area of our province. It’s so sad. We need to keep our….

Interjection.

Deputy Speaker: Powell River–Sunshine Coast.

S. Gibson: The only way that we’re going to keep this economy moving is if we

replace it with this group here.

So B.C. is the greatest province in Canada. We know that. We’re proud

of it. But we’ve got to nurture it. We’ve got to look after it. Don’t

overspend. Don’t overpromise, as you’ve just done. I just made a list here.

You’re overpromising. Has anybody here worked in sales? Put your hand up on

the other side. It’s okay. Has anybody here worked in sales? Just put your

hand up.

Deputy Speaker: Member, through the Chair.

S. Gibson: This is called overpromising and underdelivering.

Thank you, hon. Speaker.

Deputy Speaker: All members will direct their comments through the Chair.

J. Routledge: I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are meeting on the

traditional territories of the Lekwungen people, including the Esquimalt and

Songhees Nations. I thank them for their generosity in letting us conduct

our business here.

I would also like to thank the people of Burnaby North for trusting in

me to be your representative, but more importantly, for trusting in

yourselves and in each other that together you could make a difference. I am

so honoured to be standing here to speak in favour of this budget update,

which is already beginning to make such a difference in the lives of the

people in my community.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

I wish my parents were still alive to witness this moment. I’m here

today because of the example they set and the values they taught me. My

parents were simple people who used simple words to express simple ideas —

love, fairness, justice, mutual respect, community, family, hard work,

joy.

My parents had a good life, but it wasn’t without struggle. They met

during the Second World War when they were both enlisted in the Canadian

army. In fact, my mother was the first person in her tiny Ontario farming

community to enlist. She didn’t actually get to finish high school until she

was in her 40s, yet the war taught her that she had a place in history and

that she could make a difference in the world.

As a child, I was encouraged to fiercely debate current events around

the dinner table. I was encouraged to have strong opinions and to state my

opinions, but only if I could back them up with facts and never use them as

weapons to make others feel bad. Even during the age of Leave It to

Beaver and Father Knows Best , my parents believed that I

could be anything I wanted to be, even though I was a girl. They gave me the

confidence to be the first person in our family to go to university, but it

was low tuition fees and interest-free loans that made it

possible.

[3:00 p.m.]

Though they suffered from debilitating illnesses and stressful working

conditions, my parents always found the time and the grace to give back to

the community. As a Little League coach, as a Girl Guide leader, as a church

elder. Those were the people who set me on the path of public service, but

there are so many more who helped me along the way. I particularly want to

thank my husband — who believed I was a leader long before I even believed

it myself — for being so wise, so strategic and so compassionate.

I want to thank my son and his wife, who are raising two amazing

children, who, at nine and 12, already give me reason to believe that when

it’s time for their generation to take the reins, our shared future will be

in good hands. I know that when they get home from work and school tonight,

my family will be watching a recording of this speech and cheering me

on.

I want to thank my community of friends and neighbours near and far.

Some I’ve known almost all my life; some I’ve met recently. Brothers and

sisters in the labour movement, comrades in the social and environmental

justice movement, many of whom played leadership roles in my election

campaign, all of whom helped me find my political voice. I wouldn’t be here

without you.

During and since the election, I’ve heard many versions of the same

story. After 16 years of B.C. Liberal neglect, life here has just gotten too

hard. Not only has life become too expensive; it’s become exhausting — long

commutes, constantly organizing fundraisers to subsidize the kids’ schools,

waiting on hold for critical services, juggling two or three minimum-wage

jobs just to make ends meet.

Before May 9, I met far too many people who had simply given up on

politics. Some told me they were overwhelmed by their lives and couldn’t

keep up with the news. They told me they didn’t feel competent to vote.

Others had stopped voting or never even started voting, because they didn’t

believe it would make a difference.

Like Curtis, a young First Nations father of two. We met on the street

during the election. Curtis told me he had never voted, didn’t see the

point, that nothing ever changes. I asked him what he thought of the Kinder

Morgan pipeline expansion. He told me he was opposed to it. I said: “So is

the B.C. NDP, and if we form government, we will do everything in our power

to protect our environment, protect our economy and thousands of existing

jobs.” So he said he’d vote.

I am proud to say that one of our first actions as government was to

announce that we would join the legal challenges and that not one shovel

would be put in public land until the province fulfilled its duty of

meaningful consultation with Indigenous people concerning this project and

outstanding provincial environment management plans were

completed.

Curtis, you did make a difference.

So did Julena. I know you worked hard to convince members of your

community to get out and vote, many of whom did so for the first time. You

told me that the new spending we had committed to improve the education

system and help children succeed was a relief to you as a

grandmother.

Skye, I’m relieved that after years of waiting, your little boy has

finally been diagnosed and that new money in the education system in Burnaby

means he will now get the classroom support he needs to thrive.

Soon after the election, I was contacted by a young man who rents an

apartment on the eighth floor of his building. He told me that one of the

elevators in his building had been broken for two months and that both of

them stopped working two weeks ago. He was particularly worried about his

elderly neighbour who was essentially trapped in her apartment. Not only

that, the mail wasn’t being delivered, and tenants had to go to the post

office to pick it up.

[3:05 p.m.]

Luckily, this young man grew up in a union household, so he knew the

power of organizing. Within hours of him posting notices inviting fellow

tenants to a meeting, the elevators were fixed and mail delivery was

reinstated. Sadly, this kind of story is all too common.

I was also contacted by a senior, who’s been on the B.C. Housing

waiting list since 2011. In the meantime, she lives in substandard housing,

and her landlord refuses to undertake repairs. She did file a complaint with

the residential tenancy branch, but it remains unresolved. It just shouldn’t

take so much work to get your landlord to treat you with respect and

dignity.

Our government is going to invest $7 million in new funding over the

next three years to improve the residential tenancy branch. We are sending a

clear message to landlords and tenants alike. With more resources, more

complaints will be resolved more quickly.

Furthermore, we are committing to invest $208 million over the next

four years to support the construction of more than 1,700 new units of

affordable rental housing. These kinds of units are desperately needed in

communities like ours, in Burnaby North.

Let me tell you about Tiffany and Tobias. They live in a beautiful but

small condo in my community, and they just had their second child. They want

to stay in the neighbourhood but need another bedroom, and they just can’t

find anything that they can afford. To make matters worse, Tiffany

calculates that when she returns to work, her take-home pay will be $30

after she has paid for child care.

Speaking of child care, I met a young man during the election who came

to B.C. from Quebec. Amiel told me that, as a child, he had personally

benefited from $10-a-day child care. It was Quebec’s system of universal,

affordable child care that permitted his single-parent mother to work and

support her family.

I know that it’s going to take a lot of work to implement $10-a-day

child care here in B.C. As a member of the child care working group made up

of ministers and government MLAs, I am eager to get started. I look forward

to talking to parents, child care professionals and other stakeholders to

make sure we get it right. Child care is an investment in our shared

future.

I was recently contacted by the founder of a biotechnology company in

Burnaby. Let me quote what he wrote.

“We have been profitable and employ ten people. Most are scientists who

are well compensated. Nevertheless, the incessant and irrational increases

in real estate are having a destabilizing effect on the company, as founders

are contemplating taking capital out of the company to buy houses before

they rise still further.

“I hope you realize the profound effects these irrational house price

increases are having on allocation of capital. Instead of capital being

allocated to start and sustain businesses, including those in the knowledge

economy, enterprising people are allocating capital to invest in houses.

Swapping and speculating on houses will not grow an economy and create jobs.

The ability to attract and retain talent is impaired, and young people

taking on huge mortgages at the precise time in their lives when they should

be taking risks to establish new enterprises is lamentable.”

This constituent went on to attribute the housing crisis to the

previous government’s unwillingness to curb speculation. I am proud to say

that our government will act to close speculation loopholes and reduce tax

fraud and money laundering in the B.C. real estate industry.

The Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, skyrocketing costs of housing,

no child care — these were the issues that came up most frequently on the

doorsteps of Burnaby North during the election, and at the bus stops, in the

parks and the coffee shops. But they weren’t the only issues the voters

raised with me. They asked us to increase funding to the education system,

to improve the transit system, to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour,

and we are working on all of those priorities.

I am so proud to be part of a government that is moving quickly to

make life more affordable for the average person in Burnaby North, to invest

in the services they need and to create a sustainable economy for

everyone.

[3:10 p.m.]

My commitment to the people of Burnaby North is anchored by something

that happened a couple of days before the election happened on May 9. My

team and I were handing out material at one of the SkyTrain stations. It was

early morning. Travellers were in a hurry. They weren’t really interested in

engaging. But this one guy rushed by, and he called back to me. He said: “I

already voted for you. Don’t let me down.”

I’ve been haunted by that encounter ever since. I’m happy to say that

right after our throne speech, this guy — I’ve since found out his name is

Waldo — tracked me down on Facebook to say: “Thank you. Keep up the good

work.” Others have reached out to tell me it’s a good start. I agree with

them. It is a good start. But there is so much yet to do to create a better

B.C. for the people who have been left behind for the last 16

years.

It won’t be easy. We’ll be questioned for daring to suggest that we

can bring in affordable child care; for daring to suggest that those at the

top in our province can pay a little more; for suggesting that creating

good, family-supporting, long-term jobs goes hand in hand with protecting

our environment. We will be questioned for daring to hope. I am confident

that hope is exactly what the people of Burnaby North want. That is what

they voted for on May 9.

I’d like to conclude by returning to the story of my parents. They

sacrificed their youth to go to war to save the world — literally. They did

it with the expectation that their generation was creating a better world, a

better life, for future generations, and they did. The postwar years were a

period of unprecedented prosperity in British Columbia. It saw the

introduction of important social programs like health care, pensions and

unemployment insurance.

In the years immediately following the war, my father-in-law was an

unemployed single parent. He wasn’t able to care for his four children, and

his only option was to put them in an orphanage. But then, after four years,

he got a good union job, with benefits, at Fraser Mills. He purchased a lot,

he built a house, and he was able to bring his children home. He worked

there for more than 30 years and was able to retire in dignity. But Fraser

Mills doesn’t exist anymore, and the good, family-supporting jobs, like

those in so many other foundational industries, have disappeared. The social

safety net my parents’ generation worked so hard to knit together has come

unravelled, and the sad

part is that the growing income gap, the growing

rate of child poverty and the reversal of the fortunes of so many British

Columbian families didn’t happen by mistake.

It happened as a result of deliberate choices made by the B.C. Liberal

government. It happened because of their blind trust in an economy that only

works for those at the top. I am proud to be part of a government that

rejects dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-fittest economics. I’m proud to be part

of a government that is choosing to invest in people. The voters of Burnaby

North called for it. Our budget update supports it.

L. Larson: Unfortunately, I will not be as entertaining as my colleague from

Abbotsford-Mission was, and I’ll apologize for that right now.

I would like to take this opportunity, as many of my colleagues have,

to thank the people who have worked so hard in the background to support me

in my position as MLA for Boundary-Similkameen. My CAs, Colleen Misner and

Patt Vermiere, demonstrate every day their patience and empathy working for

the constituents. It’s probably a good thing that they live in wine country.

My riding association president, Everett Baker, who touches base with me

every day, is quick to keep our board and members informed of constituency

activities. My family, my three daughters and four grandchildren, ranging in

age from four to 20. Of course, my number one fan, my husband, Larry, for 47

years has demonstrated extreme patience and calm in what seems like

continuous chaos.

[3:15 p.m.]

I am honoured to represent an incredibly diverse riding: 17 distinct

communities, two regional districts and three school districts. I am pleased

to take my place in responding to the budget that government has

tabled.

Like all of my colleagues, I have been proud of the disciplined

approach to budget management that has been our focus for the last four

years and that has resulted in balanced budgets and triple-A credit ratings.

I’m sure this is boring to many, and as voters, many appeared to not care

about balancing the budget or paying down debt with the same level of

enthusiasm that we did.

However, I believe that the majority of British Columbians do care

about the stability that those balanced budgets have afforded all of us and

do not want that to change. B.C. did not become the number one job creator

in the country by raising corporate taxes. It has been number one because we

have maintained a competitive advantage over other jurisdictions by creating

a tax environment that allowed the companies to grow and hire more people —

people that became taxpayers themselves.

Those large businesses and companies will probably stay for a while

under the new higher tax regime, but they won’t be expanding or growing

their businesses or adding more employees. They will go into a holding

pattern for as long as they can before they begin to downsize and lay people

off.

Some members of government have sung the praises of the Port of Prince

Rupert expansion and other areas of the tech sector that have recently

expanded, forgetting that those businesses’ plans for growth are decisions

that take months and sometimes years to become a reality and were developed

under the certainty of the corporate tax regime at that time and a

government that welcomed investment.

New investors from outside B.C. will also wait and watch the

performance of this government. There are other places in the world that

will appear more welcoming and will be actively competing for those

investments. Capital is mobile. Investors choose where they will invest from

the signals they are getting.

The carbon tax is just one of those deterrents to investment. B.C.’s

revenue neutrality on the implementation of the carbon tax won it

recognition from the United Nations for environmental innovation, returning

that tax to the families, industries and businesses that paid it to put it

back into their businesses and retain their competitiveness.

Now it is just another tax burden, which not only industry but all

British Columbians will be paying as it is added to everyday purchases like

gas for your car. The average household will see a 17 percent increase in

the carbon tax charged on household expenses. Some tax credits will be

maintained, but the majority of the burden of tax will be carried by all

British Columbians.

The Liberal government plan was to comply with the climate action

mandate, raising the carbon tax as required but offsetting it with reduced

PST and other tax credits. This government needs those tax revenues and many

more to offset some of their spending commitments.

Under the banner of improving affordability for those living on the

Lower Mainland, the rest of the province will bear the burden. The removal

of tolls on Lower Mainland bridges will shift that debt to

taxpayer-supported debt. While people who used to pay those tolls are happy

at the moment, they may sing a different tune when the carbon tax is added

to their costs of fuel and any savings are quickly eaten away. Everyone will

pay.

The downgrading of our credit rating is also looming as the capital

debt rises and more interest will have to be paid by the province. Again,

there is only one taxpayer.

All estimates for revenues over the next three years in this budget

are based on an assumption that the investment climate in B.C. will stay the

same, and that investors will be willing to pay higher taxes just for the

privilege of working in B.C. That is an extremely naive and blind way to

build a budget.

For all of us in rural British Columbia, instead of building a bridge

between urban and rural, this project further divides us. The rural dividend

fund, which has created economic activity in every corner of this province,

is gone. There is no rural budget or plan to sustain rural

communities.

[3:20 p.m.]

There is no jobs plan. Without jobs, there are no taxpayers. The

creation of over 200,000 jobs in the last three years is reflected in the

surplus in the budget that was left to this government. Already this

government has eliminated the possibility of thousands of jobs by taking the

Massey Tunnel replacement off the table and has created uncertainty for

2,500 taxpaying workers at Site C.

Where is the money going to come from in the years ahead to fulfil the

promises made by this government? All of the investments that were part of

the spring Liberal budget were possible because there was a plan to continue

to grow the economy, a plan based on revenues that had a reasonable

certainty of happening. This budget is moving ahead, over the next three

years, with a $1 billion shortfall expected, $1 billion to be added to your

taxes.

We all recognize the value of education, but unlike some of the

members opposite, I don’t believe that my grandchildren — one who is in

radiology; another who will graduate soon, moving into an apprenticeship in

refrigeration — have been denied a good education. Quite the contrary. They

and all their friends are experiencing more opportunities in careers for the

future than ever before, and they are well prepared for the challenges. They

have all been educated in rural British Columbia.

The budget increase in education reflects the court’s decision on

classroom composition but does not lay out a plan for anything outside of

the Lower Mainland. While schools all over B.C. now have the mandate to add

classrooms and teachers, rural parents and school boards have already

identified the difficulty in attracting teachers to rural British Columbia,

no matter what the enticement might be. There are not enough teachers to

fill all those spots, and the Lower Mainland will absorb all that are

available, just another example of the lack of a rural economic plan. Only

healthy, thriving communities are able to attract new teachers.

For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of being involved

with the Select Standing Committee on Health. Many professionals and

non-professionals, individuals, organizations and volunteers presented their

ideas on improving health care in British Columbia to the committee, and a

report was tabled in the Legislature last spring. There were recommendations

in all areas of health care, many directed at supporting local health care

centres, as well as seniors, and more training and support for the

professional caregivers who keep all our medical services functioning every

day and, certainly, many innovative ideas on how to improve rural health

care.

My local hospital struggles with staffing for 24-hour emergency and

was hoping for some changes to the model of compensation they currently work

under, one of the key recommendations in the report. There does not appear

to be any of the health budget allocated to these

recommendations.

Health care has always been the largest budget and continues to be.

The increase, however, is directed to the opioid crisis, not to the

wait-lists or seniors or the many other areas of health that need to be

addressed. While there is mention of the need to better support seniors to

live in their own homes longer, there’s very little budget to see that

through.

There are items in this budget that have been well received by the

public as positive. The small business community welcomed the lowering of

the B.C. business tax from 2.5 percent to 2 percent. That was a Liberal

campaign promise. But I’ve been a small business owner, and success is not

based on just low taxes but, rather, on the economic activity surrounding

that business — the family-supporting jobs that provide the paying customers

for the business, the investment in housing and infrastructure that makes

the community a desirable place for people to live.

This budget also promises the reduction of MSP in January 2018, also a

Liberal promise, and the removal of PST from electricity bills for business,

another Liberal promise. Promises with an economic plan enable those

reductions to be made without raising your taxes. Those promises will make a

difference to affordability for everyone.

Then there are the NDP promises that are in this budget — raising

corporate taxes, raising taxes for all wage earners over $150,000, raising

the carbon tax without tax credit offsets. These promises will not make life

more affordable for anyone.

[3:25 p.m.]

Perhaps the bigger story about the budget is what is not in it. The

number one promise of this government during the recent election was

affordable daycare — specifically, $10-a-day daycare. It’s a concept not

thought through from a funding perspective, but promised over and over again

— a promise that had voters excited and willing to vote for the NDP, just

for that one promise.

Add to that the promise to renters of a $400 tax rebate each year that

is also no longer on the table. There is no mention of financial relief for

students, either. It comes back to a lack of fiscal competence that would

allow anybody to make promises like that without a financial plan to pay for

them.

We can all agree that when the economy is strong, more should and can

be done for those who need it most. It is the ability to sustain those

increases with a plan that does not put the province’s financial health at

risk. That is the most important part of any spending budget. There is no

economic plan, no job creation plan. This is about spending, and raising

taxes to pay for it.

The Finance Minister lists in this budget the internal and external

factors that put the budget at risk — uncertainty in global economic

activity; assumptions underlying revenue, specifically from Crown

corporations; potential changes to the federal transfer allocations;

utilization rates for government services; and external trade forces such as

softwood and NAFTA.

Despite the recognition of those potential downturns in the economy,

there is no plan to support continued economic growth. No plan to create

jobs. No plan to attract new investment, but rather, a deterrent to new

investment with the raising of corporate tax, which has removed British

Columbians’ tax advantage over other jurisdictions.

Adding to that uncertainty is the elephant in the room, a Green

elephant. The secretariat that manages this partnership and the rules

enabling it to function are not clear. What promises have been made to keep

this government functioning? What will the costs be to taxpayers for those

commitments? As has been publicly stated by the leader of the Greens, the

NDP campaign promises are irrelevant. So what is relevant, and what will

that cost us all? While there is, admittedly, some shared philosophy on

affordability in this partnership, the actions proposed appear to be in

dispute.

Already there is uncertainty in the investment community, as financial

warnings have been sent to this government after only a few short weeks in

office. A credit-negative label — an acknowledgment that the government will

be challenged to maintain its spending without a credit downgrade and the

need to further raise taxes. A downgrade in our current triple-A credit

rating will result in millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money being needed

to pay rising interest rates. That likely probability is not factored into

this budget.

My colleagues and I will continue to remind the people of British

Columbia that this government inherited the best economy in Canada — five

balanced budgets, triple-A credit ratings, number one in job creation and

growth and the lowest individual tax rates. British Columbia is an economic

leader in this country and deserves to stay there.

L. Krog: As the walrus said to the carpenter: “The time has come to talk of

many things.”

Interjection.

L. Krog: The comment of the Member for Oak Bay–Gordon Head I find almost

inspiring.

Well, let’s start with some basics. Firstly, I, too, want to

acknowledge that for this — the major speech of this session that’s allotted

to all of us, the chance to speak to the budget or the throne — that we are

gathered on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Esquimalt

peoples.

[3:30 p.m.]

As someone who says with great pride that he’s descended from

colonists who came here in the 1840s, I think that I particularly need to

acknowledge that because of the role that my family and its history played

in the contact between First Nations and the Europeans who colonized this

area, which is a difficult part of our history and which hasn’t been

mentioned much today or in the preceding days by the B.C. Liberals, who have

chosen to address their remarks to the throne speech.

This government has said very clearly — very clearly — that the United

Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples is going to be at

the heart of what we do. With great respect to those who now sit in the

opposition benches, that wasn’t always the case. That is going to be one of

the hallmarks of this government.

I hear from the other side constantly that we’re anti-job in the NDP,

that we’re not going to grow the economy, that we’re going to tax and spend.

The world is going to end in a whirlwind of debts someplace, if you believe

the B.C. Liberals. Instead of acknowledging right off the bat that if

British Columbia’s economy is to continue to improve and remain strong and

be strong — if it is to do that — particularly for the people who actually

work in it — who work in their mines, who work in their small businesses,

who provide the services, who care for our elderly, all of those people —

then it needs to recognize that we will do so most successfully in

cooperation with those who have occupied this land since time immemorial.

That is crucial to all of this.

Now, I also, obviously, want to thank some people, in my constituency

in particular, who can take — how shall I say — depending on one’s

perspective, either credit or responsibility for my re-election to this

place as the member for Nanaimo.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

I want to thank, firstly, Joyce Scotton, who managed the campaign and

never describes herself as a campaign manager but refers to herself as a

coordinator. She had a most distinguished career working in public service

for our Member of Parliament T.C. Douglas, for Premier Pawley of Manitoba,

for Premier Blakeney of Saskatchewan and for various other politicians over

the years. She headed an amazing team that secured victory in Nanaimo for

the NDP once again.

I want to pay my compliments to Paris Gaudet, who was the B.C. Liberal

candidate chosen by the Premier, who worked very hard and, I think,

understands now better than many people do that getting to this place is not

always easy. It places great demand on your family life, and the longer the

campaign goes on, the more you start to reflect and recognize how important

family is.

For those of you who have children or grandchildren or a spouse or

someone you love and are new to this place, let me remind you: at the end of

the day — I say with a certain amount of cynicism — when you leave here,

that’s all you’re going to have left unless you’re long enough to get a

pension and then you’re going to hand that over to them and say: “That’s

your compensation for not having had me in your presence and in your life

for all these many years.” That is the reality of politics.

But having said that with a touch of cynicism, I also want to reflect

on the fact that the opportunity to serve in this Legislature and the

opportunity to serve your constituents and be elected to this place at all

is a great and incredible honour. I know that members opposite — and some of

them are nodding now — understand that intimately, particularly those who

have been here a while and understand the sacrifices that their family has

made.

So I want to say thank you to Joyce and the team who got me elected,

but I want to say thank you to my family, as well, because they have endured

my absence on many occasions when I should have been present, just as those

who have been newly elected here are going to face the same issues with

their own families.

I just want to say a few things about what’s happened here today as

I’ve been watching. Now I understand what the opposition must feel like. It

reminds me of the characters in a Victorian novel. We’re over here, and

they’re over there. They’re living in reduced circumstances and ours have

improved considerably. I know that that’s a hard thing to swallow, but it’s

like my first boss at the Chevron would have said to me: “It’s

character-building.”

I’m sure it will be character-building for the B.C. Liberals as they

spend the next 4½ years in opposition, struggling away, criticizing the

government and remembering the good old days when they were on this side of

House with enormous numbers and could do whatever they pleased.

[3:35 p.m.]

We still have a rather silly electoral system where, as Nathan Cullen

puts it so eloquently, “you can get 40 percent of the vote, over 50 percent

of the seats and 100 percent of the power, and that’s the way it is.” Well,

that’s the way it was for a while, but it’s this government, on this side of

the House, supported by the B.C. Green Party, that’s actually going to give

British Columbians an opportunity to bring into being an electoral system

that reflects the face of British Columbia and the desire of voters to be

heard in this place.

By those voters, I don’t mean the heads of large corporations. I don’t

mean the wealthy folks who populate the BMW and Mercedes-Benz dealerships,

who get a Rolls-Royce in the driveway once in a while. I’m talking about the

British Columbians who work hard year in, year out, pay their taxes and

wonder why that party kept taking, for so long, so much money from wealthy

individuals and from powerful corporations — and not just British Columbia

corporations. They’re not even patriotic. They took it from out-of-province

corporations. No end to it, and for their perfidy, there they sit, condemned

in the seats we formerly occupied for 12 long years.

I am in the midst of reading a wonderful, wonderful biography, which

I’m sure many of the members have read.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

L. Krog: It’s Richard Gwyn’s biography of Sir John A. Macdonald…

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: The member for Nanaimo has the floor.

L. Krog: …a founding prime minister of this great country who faced such

difficult tasks in trying to persuade this country to come together and form

Confederation. There’s a lovely line. Oh, it just struck me so well. I know

the members are anxious to listen. It’s from Kipling’s Recessional .

When I look across, I can only think how perfect it is: “Lo, all our pomp of

yesterday, Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!” Oh, the destroyed cities. Here

they sit, collapsed, driven from government, wiped out and confined to the

opposition benches. Oh, it is a wonderful sight indeed. It is a wonderful

sight.

I can stand here today and say with great relish: “I’m a former member

of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition” — a former member. Let them

assume…

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

L. Krog: …with grace and enthusiasm that mantle…

Deputy Speaker: Members, wait for your turn, please.

L. Krog: …for at least 4½ years, thwarted in their dreams and plans of acceding

again to the seat of power.

I appear to have excited the members on the other side. I’m delighted

to do so.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

L. Krog: Some of them made a few comments during the course of their remarks. I

made a couple of notes here. I was particularly impressed by the remarks of

the member for Vancouver–False Creek. He talked about the jobs plan. The

Liberals still talk about the jobs plan.

I looked high and low for many years, and I never actually saw the

plan. They talked about it. It got repeated in speeches, but was it

contained in a nice little booklet somewhere — the jobs plan? Now, the jobs

plan appeared to be taking credit for every job created in British Columbia

instead of acknowledging it was the good consumptive habits of British

Columbians and the paycheques of the workers that drove the jobs in this

province.

Look, either government helps create jobs or it doesn’t, but you can’t

have it both ways. I used to listen with relish when they were on this side

of the House, telling me how they were creating jobs at the same time that

they said only the private sector creates jobs. I never understood that. So

I listened with delight to the member for Vancouver–False Creek.

Now, of course, it appears we’re going to have to suffer for at least

six months or a year listening to the B.C. Liberals taking credit for the

economy. I’ve got to tell you…. If the economy takes a downturn in the next

six months, are they really going to blame us for it — six months in

government?

[3:40 p.m.]

There’s an old saying that New Democrats are simply Liberals in a

hurry. Well, happy anniversary. We’ve been government for nine whole weeks

today. It takes nine….

Interjections.

L. Krog: The member for Penticton said: “What have you done to

date?”

Here, Member. I beg of you — through you, hon. Speaker — just to

listen. This was just the press release of August 11. We hadn’t even done

three weeks.

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members.

L. Krog: We’d stood up against Kinder Morgan. We’d restored the Human Rights

Commission. We eliminated tuition fees on adult basic education. We

announced that children in the care of the province would get free tuition

in post-secondary education. We sent Site C where it should have gone: for

an independent review by the B.C. Utilities Commission. And we increased

social assistance rates for the poorest and most vulnerable in this

province. We even had the good sense to acquire the Waneta dam as well. And

then we established a Ministry for Mental Health and Addictions. That was by

August 11.

The member asked a question. I give him an answer. Why isn’t he

clapping?

Then there was the member for Abbotsford-Mission. Now, I have great

affection for the member for Abbotsford-Mission for a whole series of

reasons, none of which need explanation on the floor of this House. But I

will say this. His speech, although incredibly amusing and witty and

charming, was in fact a great recitation of complaints about the NDP

government, nine weeks old, not having spent enough money.

He complained: “Where is it in the budget for low tuition? Where is it

in the budget for universal health care? Where is it in the budget for this?

Where is it in the budget for that?” My goodness. I thought he was going to

walk across the floor and grab my seat and stand up and give the speech from

the government side. It was amazing.

I realize now that our attitudes weren’t shaped by years of being

members of the B.C. New Democratic Party. Our attitudes were shaped simply

by our placement on that side of the House. If they stay there long enough,

not only will we achieve proportional representation; we will have the most

cooperative government in the history of British Columbia, because we’ll all

be singing from the same song book.

Right now they’re begging us to spend more money. They’re begging us.

It comes up in every speech. I love it. It is music to my ears to hear

that.

Interjection.

L. Krog: Oh, promises, promises.

And the member for Boundary-Similkameen….

Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: Members, let’s hear the member for Nanaimo.

L. Krog: The member for Boundary-Similkameen said, I think, quite wisely — I

wouldn’t say profoundly — that this budget is about spending and raising

taxes.

Now, I know that the concept of raising taxes on the wealthiest

British Columbians is anathema to that group of people. But I’ve got to tell

you, as I mentioned in this House the other morning…. You know all those

folks who were sleeping in the doorway of my constituency office? Guess

what? I think they’re okay with raising taxes on the people who make more

than $150,000 a year. They happen to think that’s pretty good public policy.

They can see the connection between taking a little bit of money…. And it

is. If you make $200,000 a year, you know what you’re going to do? You’re

going to pay a whole $1,000 more income tax in a year — a whole $1,000 out

of your $200,000.

But the people in my doorway — they get it. They understand that you

might take that $1,000 from one of those rich folks, and you might actually

give that $1,000 — actually, it’s $1,200, a $100-a-month increase, to be

precise — to one of those sleeping in the doorway.

Now, hon. Speaker, I’ve got to tell you that I’m a person of some

faith. I know there are many members of faith on the other side. There are

some on our side. I’ve said it dozens of times in this House, that line in

the Bible: “Easier for the camel to go through the eye of the needle than

the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” What’s wrong with taxing

people who are already well off to give some to the most

vulnerable?

[3:45 p.m.]

Is this a problem? Is it a problem? Is this a bad thing? Of course

not. It’s something this government’s proud of doing — after 16 long years

of denying the poorest in this province an opportunity.

I can’t help but reflect on what I said earlier about all the

announcements made by August 11. That was just by August 11. Then we have

the budget, and it’s a budget update. Let’s be blunt about this. We’re six

months through the fiscal year. I know that may come as a surprise to

members opposite, but actually, the budgetary year runs from April 1 to

March 31. We’re halfway through the year.

What have we done? We’ve decided that a government that works for

people is a good thing. It’s what we promised in our campaign. There’s

nothing shocking about it. We’re trying to make life more affordable for

British Columbians, not for the wealthy British Columbians but for those who

need it the most. We’re supporting….

Interjection.

L. Krog: The member for Nanaimo–North Cowichan says: “I think they want you to

spend more money again.” Well, we may have time for that.

I guess I just want to say, after nine weeks, would the members

opposite please just have the patience to wait until the budget in the

spring? Give us a little chance to even get the offices staffed up and lay

out some planning.

Surely, after the fiasco of Site C — not sending it through the proper

process — this party and this opposition, of all oppositions, would have

learned the good sense of going through appropriate processes to ensure that

the public’s money is wisely and well spent — and not spent on what I will

call projects to support the ego of their former leader, who I notice isn’t

here anymore, or, alternatively, support their friends who they’ve made

enormous promises to.

After 16 years of bad choices and neglect, you have now in this

chamber a government, sitting in Victoria, trying to do its best for the

majority of British Columbians. I am so delighted — so delighted, as I look

at the Minister of Education, the member for Victoria–Swan Lake — to know

that at least some of those parents who have been coming into my

constituency office will finally have the funding in the classroom that

their children need so that those children, too, can have an opportunity to

succeed.

The member for Boundary-Similkameen talked about how well her family

was doing. I congratulate her. I say that quite sincerely. I’ve been

fortunate myself — very fortunate. Our children have done fine, and I’m sure

my grandchildren will do fine, but they are, in essence, the children of

privilege. Let’s not kid ourselves. The minute you walk into this place,

depending on whatever your salary is, compared to most British Columbians,

you’re in the top 5 percent or more of income earners — top 10 percent, for

sure; maybe even top 5. You’re already doing well. The people who get into

this place, by and large, tend to be relatively successful.

We aren’t the majority of British Columbians. The majority of British

Columbians… No, they’re not sleeping in the streets, but a lot of them are

struggling paycheque to paycheque. They are trying to find hope for a

future. Some of them, cynically, are probably waiting for their parents to

pass on to the other side so they can get enough of an inheritance to put a

down payment on a house somewhere. It’s a sad state of affairs.

Now, I don’t blame that on the B.C. Liberals. There are market forces.

There are all kinds of things that impact on it, but one has to be realistic

about the effect of public policy.

When you keep the minimum wage down, when you keep assistance rates

down, when you give tax breaks to the people at the top, when you allow

tuition to rise to extraordinary rates, when you don’t take steps early on

when, clearly, we’re going to enter a speculative real estate market that

allows significant foreign investment that drives up the price of housing….

When you do all those things, there are consequences.

It’s not shocking. One doesn’t have to have a PhD like the member for

Oak Bay–Gordon Head. You don’t have to be a math whiz. Gosh, you don’t even

have to have adult basic education, although they stopped that too. All you

have to have is good old common sense.

[3:50 p.m.]

After 16 years of this approach to public policy, there have been

consequences. And the consequences are: vulnerable at the bottom are worse

off than they ever were before, a shrinking middle class and a growing class

of people at the top for whom life has been very good. It’s been very good

indeed.

So I come back to it. What has this government done already to help

those people? Guess what. Yes, the Liberals are going to take credit for it

because they promised it too, only when they started to realize their

electoral fortunes were fast shrinking. Eliminated half of the MSP premiums,

committed to raising the minimum wage, increasing social assistance rates,

engaging in an extensive capital investment program.

Oh, I’m going to hear from the members: “You cancelled the Massey

bridge.” There is a time to step back and just acknowledge that if you’re

going to spend that much money, don’t you think you should have a real plan?

Don’t you think you should have an overall plan that meets the needs and

recommendations of all of those local politicians who live every day with

that gridlock?

I don’t live with that gridlock. I get to drive down the Island

Highway. Oh, that’s right. When the NDP were in power, we built the new

Island Highway. I don’t have to worry about it directly, but the local

mayors, the people there, want a transportation plan that works for them.

They want it done in a way that least impacts the environment, that doesn’t

take farmland out of production in a world ripe with damage from climate

change.

This government has taken the right steps. This government is taking a

thoughtful approach to major projects. It’s what this government — this

opposition, rather…. It’s hard to get used to be being on this side. It’s

what this opposition…. If they had done so, they might still be sitting over

here instead of sitting over there.

I grew up in an era — I’m not that old, not much older than many of

the members here; some of you are even older than me — where the expectation

was that public education was there for you, that university and college

tuition wasn’t that significant, where the minimum wage actually had real

purchasing power.

I’ve said it here…. I think I say it every budget speech. In 1991,

when I was first elected into this place, sitting in the seat over there —

where the member for Kootenay East sits now, the farthest corner of the

province — I was the farthest corner of the government caucus. I’ve only

managed to get over here so far, but I’m working on it.

The minimum wage in 1991, in order to have the purchasing power it did

when I was getting it in 1969 and ’70-71, should have been $11 an hour. I

enjoy the advantage of a decent minimum wage, more union jobs, a thriving

forest industry that has been so damaged by the policies of this government,

let alone the world marketplace, but we’re not going to go into that too

deeply. I had every advantage, and I am conscious of it. What we on this

side of the House want for our children and our grandchildren are the

opportunities, or something akin to it, that were given to our generation,

to my generation.

That is not achieved simply by saying that the economy is in great

shape and that the Mercedes-Benz dealerships and the BMW dealerships are all

prospering. It happens because you make provision to ensure that they get

access to education. It means you don’t make adult basic education a charge.

It means you make it free. It means you control tuition. It means you work

toward giving grants to students to complete their programs. It means you

put money into public education.

It means you put money into hands of people who aren’t going to stick

it in an RRSP and invest it abroad, who aren’t going to spend it on a

vacation somewhere. You stick it in the hands of people who are going to

spend in the local economy and generate jobs and economic activity right

here at home. You do it in a society that respects the First Nations who

occupied this land from the beginning, and you do so in a society that

respects the environment.

[3:55 p.m.]

We don’t have to go into long examples, as we look south to what’s

happening in the Caribbean, if we look at what’s happened in the interior of

this province this year, with devastating forest fires that have, for some,

irreparably ruined their lives — irreparably. For many others, it’s set them

back years, decades. We don’t have to look far to understand the

consequences of climate change.

So as we work through an agreement with the B.C. Green Party, we are

conscious of our responsibilities. What this budget does is address those

responsibilities to the First Nations of this province, to those who care

about the environment, to those who want to protect the Salish Sea, to those

who want to ensure we have a vibrant forest industry that is renewable, to

ensure that we generate electricity in a way that damages the planet the

least.

As we move towards the kind of society that British Columbia is

becoming — with great respect to politicians everywhere, much of it on its

own, and in spite of the policies of governments of every stripe…. But where

government has a role, government should play that role, not for the few,

but for the many. That’s the great difference, I would suggest, between that

side of the House and this side of the House. What does that mean? It means

you invest in people. It means that we are investing in a sustainable

future. It means you’re putting people first by improving the services that

they rely on.

As the member for Delta North said in his remarks, talking about the

small businessmen…. I whispered to him, and I’m sure it wasn’t picked up by Hansard , when he talked about this businessman who’d seen his

premiums for the Medical Services Plan for his employees cut in half, seen

the elimination of tolls, seen a reduction in the small business income tax

rate. I muttered the word “jackpot.” Jackpot. He’s already seeing it, just

as his employees will see it. The people who are in receipt of social

assistance will see those benefits. It is the benefits of a change in public

policy. Whatever else we may say, if you don’t change governments every once

in a while, society stagnates. What we have in this chamber today, for good

or for ill, depending on your perspective, is the results of an

election.

Now, I’m tempted to say, and I shouldn’t say it…. The members start to

quake when I make a remark like that. But there’s an old line about

governments and underwear, and that is that they both need to be changed

fairly regularly. We’ve finally seen a change after 16 long years. And I

just….

Interjection.

L. Krog: My friend from Prince George, for whom I have great affection, has

pointed out that it says: “Thanks to our partners.”

Well, let me just say if it’s thanks to our partners, then absolutely

we believe in building partnerships in British Columbia, building

coalitions, building a new electoral system that allows for partnerships to

be successful and working towards a better future for our children and our

grandchildren.

I am delighted to be on this side of the House and so happy to see the

members over there getting a valuable experience in their political

education.

J. Yap: It’s my honour and privilege to join in the debate on the budget.

Before I go into my comments and thoughts on the NDP budget, I just want to

start out by saying a few words of thanks for those who have made it

possible for me to be the MLA for Richmond-Steveston, a great

honour.

First of all, my family. I want to thank my wife, Suzanne, and my

daughter, Lisa, my new son-in-law, Seungjoo, and my son, Michael. Their love

and support means all the world to me.

I also want to thank my constituency office team, led by Paige

Robertson, my loyal and great constituency assistant, who is my face and

presence in the community, as well as a great adviser; also, PoWah Ng, who

also works in my constituency office — a great support to me and to our

team. I want to thank my…. So many to thank, but I’ll….

[4:00 p.m.]

I’m sure, Mr. Speaker, you encounter this too. You don’t want to name

names specifically, but I feel I should at least mention, among my team, the

riding association which has supported me all these years — my riding

president, Ray Holme, and my two riding vice-presidents, Daniel Baxter and

Michael Chiu. Thank you for your friendship and support.

To the people of Richmond-Steveston, thank you for the true honour of

being re-elected, for a third time, to my fourth term representing them in

this great House, the House of the people. This was a hard-fought election —

the May 9, 2017, election — and I’m truly honoured that the voters of

Richmond-Steveston felt that they would give me their confidence to

represent them and to speak for them here in this House.

Turning to the budget, I wish I could give a commentary on what’s in

the budget. But rather, I’m forced to focus on what’s not in the budget. For

the people in my riding, there’s a lot missing.

Interjection.

J. Yap: I’m glad the Minister of Labour is listening intently.

There’s a lot for this government to answer for. This has been

canvassed during the last few days of debate. Most notably, the Massey

Tunnel replacement project, which many, many people in Richmond, in my

riding, were looking forward to. We know there’s no money allocated towards

this project in the budget. The official reason is that the B.C. NDP want to

study it further. They want to study it further, despite the fact that there

have already been five years of planning and consultations on this project,

and three rounds of public engagement.

Then we find out that replacing this aging seismic safety risk, which

is the worst traffic bottleneck in British Columbia, isn’t a priority at all

for this government. There is an internal NDP document that’s proof that

they have no intention of resolving this issue. The document, as has been

referred to, is clear. It says: “Platform prep 2017. This is what bold looks

like. We build the Vancouver and Surrey rapid transit projects, rapid buses

across the North Shore from Port Coquitlam to Maple Ridge and through

Vancouver along Hastings Street and 41st and 49th avenues. That is, we’ll

implement the Mayors Council vision. We’ll pay for this, instead of

replacing the Massey Tunnel.”

This is unacceptable to people in Richmond, south of the Fraser and

surrounding areas, as 80,000 people get stuck in this traffic bottleneck

every day. That includes commuters trying to get home to their families

after a long workday and commercial truck drivers trying to get to the

ferries, to the U.S. border or to local industrial parks, trying to get out

goods to market. Instead, they’re sitting in traffic, idling — which isn’t

ideal for our environment or for these drivers’ quality of life, when it

takes them twice as long to do the things that they need to do.

The tunnel is also a huge seismic safety risk. Anything over a

magnitude 7.0 would likely make the crossing unusable, for who knows how

long, in an emergency situation. What about the hard-working men and women

in emergency services, who are trying to rush people to hospital in

Vancouver or Richmond, or the patients sitting in those ambulances waiting

for care? All of these folks have been waiting for years for a solution, and

their hopes have been dashed by this government. Not only that; they were

misled into believing that a solution would be forthcoming. But this

internal document shows that the NDP has been hiding its agenda and always

planned to kill the project.

That’s unacceptable to families in my riding, who would rather spend

time together, instead of having mom and dad stuck in traffic for far too

long each day. I should note that the bridge project, which that side of the

House is killing, would save rush hour commuters up to 30 minutes and would

help move goods worth $25 billion a year more efficiently. As we know,

Highway 99 is a key corridor for provincial and national economic

development.

[4:05 p.m.]

Also missing from the NDP budget was any mention of Richmond Hospital.

This is despite the fact that back in February, the member from Juan de Fuca

and current Premier, along with some of his candidates, came to Richmond and

publicly threw their support behind a new acute care tower for the hospital.

So where is the support now?

Richmond Hospital has been serving our community tremendously well for

50 years, but the years have taken a toll. Upgrades and improveme