First Session, 42nd Parliament

(2020) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 3

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Tributes

Katherine McParland

Hon. S. Robinson

Joe Arvay

Hon. D. Eby

Hon. M. Rankin

Cecil Paul

Hon. N. Cullen

Introductions by Members

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Bill 3 — Finance Statutes Amendment Act, 2020

Hon. S. Robinson

Presentation of Estimates

Supplementary estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Murray United Church in Nicola Valley

J. Tegart

411 Seniors Centre Society

M. Elmore

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives program and Christmas fund

T. Wat

A Tale of Two Cities and work of

Legislature

G. Begg

Salvation Army programs

D. Davies

Election of Raj Chouhan as Speaker

J. Brar

Oral Questions

COVID-19 rapid testing program for long-term-care facilities

S. Bond

Hon. A. Dix

R. Merrifield

COVID-19 impact and disaggregated data

collection

S. Furstenau

Hon. A. Dix

COVID-19 response and mental health services

T. Halford

Hon. S. Malcolmson

COVID-19 rapid testing program for long-term-care facilities

J. Tegart

Hon. J. Horgan

Tabling Documents

Office of the Auditor General, information report,

Summary of COVID-19

Pandemic Funding Allocations and Other Financial Relief

Measures

Office of the Conflict of the Interest Commissioner, annual report,

2019-20

Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, report, Disaggregated Demographic

Data Collection in British Columbia: The Grandmother

Perspective

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, annual report,

2019-20

Office of the Ombudsperson, special report, Course Correction: The Ministry

of Education 2019 Provincial Exam Errors

Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, annual report, 2019-20

Office of the registrar of lobbyists for B.C., annual report, 2019-20

Office of the registrar of lobbyists for B.C., Investigation Report

20-01 , B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, designated

filer: John Paul Fraser, September 24, 2020

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, report, A Way to Cope:

Exploring Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in B.C. Youth

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, annual report, 2019-20, and service plan, 2020-21 to 2022-23

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, financial statements, 2019-20

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, report, Left Out:

Children and Youth with Special Needs in the Pandemic

Office of the Representative for Children and Youth, report, Illuminating

Service Experience: A Descriptive Analysis of Injury and Death

Reports for First Nations Children and Youth in B.C., 2015 to

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Ministerial Order

M314/2020, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Ministerial Order

M324/2020, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Ministerial Order

M358/2020, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Ministerial Order M425/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Ministerial Order

M425/2020, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 475/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council

475/2020, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor

General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 477/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 485/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding

Order-in-Council 492/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 566/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 579/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 586/2020, Attorney General

Report pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures Act regarding Order-in-Council 593/2020, Attorney General

Orders of the Day

Throne Speech Debate

G. Begg

G. Lore

M. Elmore

J. Rustad

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020

The House met at 10:02 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: Hon. Anne Kang.

[10:05 a.m.]

Tributes

KATHERINE

M c PARLAND

Hon. S. Robinson: I rise today with some sad news. Katherine McParland, a well-known

and well-loved resident of the Kamloops community and a good friend of

mine, passed away suddenly this weekend.

I first heard of this remarkable young woman when I was Housing

Minister and saw an

article in the Kamloops local paper about the work

she was doing. Shane Simpson, the Minister of Social Development at the

time, and I invited her to make a presentation about the work she was

doing.

She shared her story of bouncing around the foster care system for

most of her childhood. It was followed, as she aged out of that system,

by years of homelessness. It was from this that she was able to find her

calling. After Shane and I met with her, we introduced her to the

Minister of Children and Family Development, the member for Kootenay

West, so that she, too, could hear from Katherine’s experience and her

wisdom. I know that the members from Kamloops who are here in this House

knew her well also.

Katherine was unwavering in purpose and committed to lasting

change. She’d lived experience, and she married that with academic

rigour by completing her master’s degree earlier this year. In the few

years that I have known her, she became the co-chair of the B.C.

Coalition to End Youth Homelessness. She became a member of the federal

Advisory Committee on Homelessness, and she became a dedicated member of

the board of B.C. Housing.

Katherine was courageous and warm, compassionate, thoughtful and

funny. She had an ability to draw people to her that would help her in

social chutzpah. I think that’s a completely accurate description of

her.

I will miss her midday texts asking if I had a moment for a

check-in. She would often say that she was in awe that she had the

ability to talk with ministers of the Crown and do work with the

ministers.

I can really say, and I think I speak on behalf of my colleagues

and all members of this House, those that knew her, that the truth is

that we were the ones who were actually in awe of her.

I ask the House to join me in recognizing Katherine’s efforts on

behalf of British Columbians and the tragedy of her untimely passing

with just a brief moment of reflection on how we can honour her work and

legacy on behalf of vulnerable youth through our work as legislators

here in this place.

May her memory be for a blessing.

JOE ARVAY

Hon. D. Eby: It is very unfortunate news that I have to bring to the House of

the sudden and unexpected passing of Joe Arvay, Queen’s Counsel. He was

an exceptional lawyer. He was an exceptional person.

As a law student, I studied his cases. He revolutionized the

understanding of

section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that

guarantees equality to all Canadians, and his work was especially

influential in recognizing the rights of the LGBTQ community. He fought

the censorship of children’s books that promoted tolerance and

understanding. He fought for the rights of same-sex spouses to the same

benefits that every other person was entitled to in the country. He

stood up for survival sex workers to say that they had a right to appear

in court without having to put themselves in jeopardy.

He was respected not just throughout the legal community but

across the country. He was the kind of guy that had every right to be

unapproachable and to come across as condescending. He was brilliant,

yet he was the exception to the rule of never meet your heroes, because

if you had the opportunity and the honour, as I did, to meet Joe and to

know him, he was kind. He was thoughtful. He never made you feel like

you didn’t understand what he understood.

[10:10 a.m.]

He was an excellent teacher. He brought that ability to

communicate the law to the courts, to his clients and to the public. He

was unapologetic and unafraid in asserting the rights of even unpopular

groups at the time and to say things that now are common sense but at

the time were quite revolutionary. He dramatically reformed the legal

landscape in Canada.

I am so grateful for the chance to know him. But more importantly,

as a British Columbian and as a Canadian, I am so grateful for his work

promoting the rights of all Canadians.

He left an indelible mark. He will leave a gap that will not be

filled. But I will note, and I hope it is some comfort to his family and

friends who are reeling right now, that he was an inspiration to

generations of lawyers about the need to be committed to public service

in the work that we do and the need to recognize the rights of everybody

in the work that we do.

He changed the world. He changed our country, and he changed our

province in incredibly positive ways. I’m very grateful that I knew him.

I hope that other members had the opportunity. I’m very grateful for his

life, very well lived. He will be sorely missed.

Hon. M. Rankin: All of us in this historic place are here in our own way because

we want to make the world a better place. We want to leave a legacy of

accomplishments that help change peoples’ lives for the

better.

Yesterday a giant of Canadian law left us — a tireless giant who

truly changed the course of history for so many people facing

discrimination and injustice. Joe Arvay was my former law partner and

dear friend. To read Joe’s cases over the last forty years is to

chronicle the sweep of social justice and law reform.

Were it not for Joe Arvay, marriage equality in this country would

not exist. Were it not for Joe Arvay, discrimination against LGBTQ2+

people in our schools and in our bookstores would have persisted. Were

it not for Joe, the rights of Indigenous people would not have advanced

to the degree that they have. And were it not for Joe, people suffering

with interminable pain would not have been able to avail themselves of

medical assistance in dying.

A month ago a widow of a dear friend of mine came with tears in

her eyes and asked me to thank Joe because he had made it possible for

her husband’s suffering to come to an end. In that historic case, Joe

persuaded a unanimous Supreme Court of Canada to reverse the Susan

Rodriguez decision that had been rendered not 20 years earlier. That is

the stuff of legal legend.

Joe was widely recognized as perhaps Canada’s most brilliant and

successful constitutional and human rights lawyer. He appeared in the

Supreme Court of Canada over 75 times on some of the defining cases of

our generation, including access to legal safe injection sites, the

right of workers to associate in pursuit of workplace goals and

countless cases advancing equality. At the time of his death, Joe was

representing 15 children from across the country seeking more urgent

government action to address climate change.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force during

his career, and Joe was recognized for building its foundation case by

case. Joe’s passion for justice was in his DNA. He didn’t care whether

there was case law with him or against him. He believed that if he

worked hard enough and long enough, he’d find a way. He usually did, and

often all of this without fees.

I believe that Joe’s greatest legacy was that he inspired an

entire generation of young lawyers to try to change the world and make

it a better place. Yesterday a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada

reached out to me. He said this: “What a fine man, and what an

absolutely exceptional lawyer, perhaps the very finest appellate lawyer

I ever saw. And what a record of achievement. I’m not sure how he

persuaded my colleagues of some of the things he persuaded them of. I

used to call him the court whisperer.” British Columbia and Canada have

lost a legal warrior and a legal giant.

[10:15 a.m.]

He was like a brother to me. He was the bravest person I ever

knew, and he made all of us better for having lived in our

world.

CECIL PAUL

Hon. N. Cullen: I would like the House to join me in also recognizing the passing

of a giant amongst us. Recently Wa’xaid, Cecil Paul, from the Xenaksiala

Nation passed away at the age of 90. Cecil was an author, a

conservationist, a cultural leader and also a very dear friend to me and

to many.

He was born in the Kitlope, in northern British Columbia, in 1931

and soon after was torn away from his family and, like so many of his

generation, sent off to residential school, where he experienced abuse

that most of us can’t even imagine. For years — for decades, in fact —

Cecil struggled with addictions. Only in returning to the Kitlope, the

place of his birth, was he, in his own words, eventually healed by that

place.

He then dedicated his life to protecting the Kitlope, the world’s

largest intact temperate rainforest. He worked with many great leaders

like Gerald Amos, Bruce Hill and others to make sure that that place

that had healed him, the place of his birth, would be protected for

generations and generations to come.

Cecil once said: “Build a canoe and it will be supernatural. No

matter how many people will come aboard to help you paddle to save your

place of birth, it will never be full.”

To Cecil’s family, to his entire nation, I would like the House to

join me in recognizing his contribution to the north, to British

Columbia and, in fact, to our entire country and world.

Introductions by Members

S. Furstenau: I just want to take a moment to celebrate. It is my son’s 15th

birthday today. Peter is remarkable in so many ways — inquisitive, curious,

joyful, funny, always challenging us — and makes the most incredible meals

that we can imagine.

Happy, happy birthday, Peter. I can’t wait to see you this evening.

I’m so grateful to have you in my life.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL 3 — FINANCE STATUTES

AMENDMENT ACT,

Hon. S. Robinson presented a message from Her Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Finance Statutes Amendment Act,

Hon. S. Robinson: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time

now.

I am pleased to introduce the Finance Statutes Amendment Act,

2020. The bill includes amendments to the Budget Transparency and

Accountability Act to allow additional time for the budget and estimates

development process. The amendments provide that the budget and

estimates will be tabled no later than April 30.

While the proposed rules will also allow for modest extensions to

release dates for quarterly reports in a fiscal year when there is a

general election, the amendments still ensure that fiscal updates are

publicly provided so that there is not a lengthy gap in public

reporting.

The bill also proposes amendments to the Financial Administration

Act to complement the amendments to the Budget Transparency and

Accountability Act. This amendment ensures that limited funding remains

available should a supply act not be enacted by the start of a new

fiscal year and would only apply to address election year

schedule

impacts.

Finally, the bill includes amendments to the Home Owner Grant Act,

which is a first step in ensuring that the province will meet its

commitment to centralize the homeowner grant program administration as

planned for in Budget 2020.

Beginning in 2021, all applications, including retroactive

applications, will be made directly to the province.

[10:20 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. S. Robinson: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second

reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 3, Finance Statutes Amendment Act, 2020, introduced, read a

first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading

at the next sitting of the House after today.

Presentation of Estimates

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES FOR THE

FISCAL YEAR ENDING

MARCH 31, 2021

Hon. S. Robinson presented a message from Her Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor: supplementary estimates (No. 3) for the fiscal year

ending March 31, 2021.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

MURRAY UNITED CHURCH

IN NICOLA

VALLEY

J. Tegart: Today I want to share a story about community commitment and

resilience. It’s a story about a beautiful church located in the Nicola

Valley that was burned to the ground in 2019 by an arson. The Murray

church was built in 1876 as a Presbyterian church and was the oldest

building in the Nicola Valley built with Nicola Valley

lumber.

If you took a peek through the windows, you got an idea of what a

19th century church looked like back in the day. There was a pulpit at

the front, pews waiting to be filled and stained-glass windows at the

back.

In 1927, the church became the Murray United Church, named after

its founder, Rev. George Murray. As you can well imagine, many families

in the Nicola Valley have fond memories of church events. Weddings,

Christmas services, special occasions and funerals all happened at the

quaint little white church.

In January of 2019, the community was devastated when the church

burned down by an arson. The community came together and decided to

raise $200,000 to rebuild the church. I’m pleased to report that the

fundraising has reached nearly $170,000 of their $200,000 goal. They

recently held a ground-breaking ceremony, with hopes of construction

starting next year. They also an­nounced that an anonymous donor

has offered to match every dollar of the last $15,000 needed if this can

be accomplished by January 11, the second anniversary of the loss of the

church.

This project is a beacon of hope during a very challenging time in

our province and our country. I hope that this chamber will join me in

congratulating the people of the Nicola Valley for their commitment to

renewal.

411 SENIORS CENTRE SOCIETY

M. Elmore: The grey tsunami has arrived, and they’re working to change the

world. The 500-member-strong 411 Seniors Centre Society activates the

talents, strengths, expertise and skills of older adults.

Their peer-led services since 1977 include supporting seniors;

navigating the health care system; resolving pension issues; skills

training in the digital revolution; to their podcast, Powered by

Age . Programs are delivered by members. You can take art

classes, yoga, Spanish and other language courses, including ESL, and

also join town hall and advocacy campaigns.

[10:25 a.m.]

During this pandemic, they’re working especially hard to ensure

seniors are connected and that they get the help they need. Along with

providing these important services, the 411 Seniors is a community of

vibrant, passionate and critically engaged elders committed to bringing

their wisdom to current-day challenges.

I’m so excited to welcome the 411 Senior Centre Society to their

new location in Vancouver-Kensington. They’ll have a new centre, as well

as a seniors housing co-op, partnering with the city of Vancouver, B.C.

Housing, the Community Land Trust.

This modest but mighty organization is an inspiration for their

dedication to taking care of those needing the most help amongst us.

They’re always pushing boundaries to create a just, equitable and

respectful world for all.

Please join me in recognizing the exceptional service and

leadership of the 411 Senior Centre Society.

RICHMOND CARES, RICHMOND GIVES

PROGRAM AND CHRISTMAS

FUND

T. Wat: The holidays are a time for joy but can also be a very challenging

time, especially for the most vulnerable individuals and families. This

season brings with it more challenges than ever before due to COVID-19,

which is why it is more important than ever that we recognize and

support amazing programs like the Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives

Christmas fund.

A couple of weeks ago I joined a joint drive-through toy drive

with Richmond RCMP in the parking lot of Lansdowne mall in my riding of

Richmond North Centre. Over 300 people drove by to drop off toys and

donations. This year this charitable campaign is able to help 3,000

Richmond families, children, teens and seniors with food vouchers, gift

certificates and over 10,000 toys.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my most sincere

appreciation to CEO Ed Gavsie; co-chairs Wayne Duzita, Rob Howard,

Michael Chiu; and the committee. I’d also like to thank the nine angel

donors who have stepped up with $10,000 each to support those in need.

Special thanks must be given to the 200 volunteers and, of course, the

many charitable donations from our community.

Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives, which runs this program every

year, has been an integral part of Richmond for more than 40 years.

Their work to support those in need and their efforts to promote

philanthropy and the spirit of giving cannot be celebrated

enough.

This season I urge you all to give the extra mile to support an

amazing initiative like the Christmas fund. Help a family in need and

offer our communities that little bit of extra holiday cheer.

A Tale of Two Cities

AND WORK OF LEGISLATURE

G. Begg:

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times; it was the age

of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief; it

was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light; it was the

season of darkness; it was the spring of hope; it was the winter of

despair; we had everything before us; we had nothing before us; we were

all going direct to heaven; we were all going direct the other way — in

short, the period was so far like the present period that some of its

noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for

evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

That memorable passage is, of course, the opening paragraph from

A Tale of Two Cities , an 1859 novel by Charles Dickens set

in London and Paris before and during the French revolution. Those

words, penned more than 160 years ago, sound eerily like where we find

our­selves today. Times are tough, and our future is uncertain.

But is there hope?

[10:30 a.m.]

At the start of this legislative session, in facing the enormous

challenges we all face together, let us all commit to working together

to bring the house of hope to all our citizens who are looking to us.

The task ahead of us is enormous and unprecedented. Let us join each

other in finding that path forward together.

The last paragraph of A Tale of Two Cities is not as well

known but just as memorable: “It is a far, far better thing that I do,

than I have ever done; it is far better rest that I go to than I have

ever known.”

It is my hope that we can all collectively say that at the end of

our tenure here together. We can curse the darkness, or we can light a

candle. The choice is ours. May we all, in this House, be

candle-lighters.

SALVATION ARMY PROGRAMS

D. Davies: Today I’m going to be talking briefly on an organization that all

of us know and appreciate, the Salvation Army. This is an international

organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to

become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services

in our country. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for

children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life,

providing shelter for homeless people or supports for those in

addiction.

In Fort St. John, their food bank operates on a drop-in basis.

People can come in, have a cup of coffee, grab a snack or sign up for a

food bank slot. The community meal program brings guests in to enjoy

fellowship, games, and access to case workers or just a hot lunch. In

addition to food, many people are in need of clothing or household items

and can find support there.

Additionally, the Salvation Army’s Northern Centre of Hope in Fort

St. John has designed a proactive program for those who have reached a

point in their lives where they are ready to move forward out of poverty

and address the barriers that prevent the acquisition of sustained

housing and career employment. The primary goal is to integrate these

individuals back into the community as self-sufficient

citizens.

There is little doubt that 2020 has been one of the most

challenging years ever, which has presented significant hurdles for the

Salvation Army and many organizations like it. Christmas can be an extra

hard season for people with low income, and much worse under COVID-19

conditions.

Thank you to all the Salvation Armies across the pro­vince.

I want to give special thanks to our local executive director, Cameron

Eggie, and all of his staff and volunteers who are very thankful for the

generosity of residents in our community for their continued support.

The request for service remains high and ongoing. There is greater

diversity of food bank users than ever before, from people that were not

prepared for layoffs or revenue interruption. The same theme is taking

place across our province.

Christmas kettles will be out this year. They may or may not have

a volunteer. Some will have a $5.00 tap feature for your debit card or

credit card. Whatever the case may be, please give

generously.

ELECTION OF RAJ CHOUHAN AS SPEAKER

J. Brar: Once upon a time, a young Punjabi man came to Canada in 1973 for a

better life for himself and his family. He spent his entire life

fighting for the rights of every person and working to end

discrimination and inequality. As a result of his work, he was first

elected in 2005 as MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, and yesterday he made

history in B.C.

Mr. Speaker, your long walk to the Speaker’s chair reminds me of

Nelson Mandela’s words: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

You may have thought the same for many years until it was done

yesterday, Mr. Speaker. It was a historic day for the people of British

Columbia, and specifically for the people of the Punjabi community and,

of course, for you, hon. Speaker.

All members of this House worked together to make this historic

choice and a positive change in this House. A long-serving member of

this House from Burnaby-Edmonds was elected unanimously as the Speaker

of this House, a rare milestone for all of us and for the Member for

Burnaby-Edmonds. It was rare because you, hon. Speaker, are the first

Punjabi person from India to be ever elected as a Speaker of a

legislature in North America.

[10:35 a.m.]

It is so because Canada is a country of immigrants, who come to

this country with big dreams for a better life. But it is almost

impossible to dream of becoming a Speaker of the House, because it seems

something beyond reach. Not anymore. It is not a remote possibility

anymore. In fact, it can be done now.

Your story, Mr. Speaker, will inspire every immigrant and person

of colour to dream even bigger. Your story, Mr. Speaker, will also send

a message to the global community that people in this country not only

open doors to new immigrants but embrace them as equals.

My sincere thanks to the Premier, the Leader of the Official

Opposition, the Leader of the Third Party and all members of this House

for your support to show that we are committed to making this province

more inclusive, more equal and more fair for all.

In the end, Mr. Speaker, my sincere congratulations,

mubarakan , and good wishes, shubhechhawan , to you

and your family — your beautiful wife, Inder, and your kids. Der ahe

drusat aae .

Oral Questions

COVID-19 RAPID TESTING PROGRAM

FOR LONG-TERM-CARE

FACILITIES

S. Bond: Day after day British Columbians, including every member of this

assembly, feel heartbroken when we hear about transmission, about

outbreaks and, ultimately, about deaths in our long-term-care homes. The

images of families being separated from the seniors that they love and

the fear of losing that loved one should compel all of us to do

absolutely everything possible to lower transmission rates and protect

our most vulnerable citizens.

Yesterday the government announced the limited use of rapid tests

in a small number of long-term-care homes in two health

authorities.

My question is a straightforward one to the Premier. Rapid tests

would provide an additional level of protection for vulnerable seniors.

Knowing that, will the Premier immediately commit to the implementation

of a rapid-testing program in long-term-care homes across the entire

province?

Hon. A. Dix: Thank you very much to the Leader of the Opposition for her

question. She’ll know that outbreaks in long-term care, the situation in

long-term care, affects everyone in the province, from Rotary Manor in

her hometown to Three Links in my constituency. I think it’s fair to say

that every day, everybody in the health care system, including Dr.

Bonnie Henry and all of us, are working and doing everything we can to

both assist people in long-term care and to stop outbreaks in long-term

care. It’s for that reason that a number of measures have taken place in

B.C. that have not taken place in other places in the country, and we’ve

had relative success compared to other jurisdictions in dealing with

it.

But I don’t think people are that concerned with what happens in

other jurisdictions. They want us to do everything we can here, and we

are. The fact is that rapid testing, as Dr. Henry has explained many

times…. The rapid tests that have been sent to us are not successful or

effective in dealing with asymptomatic testing and, in any event,

haven’t been sent to us in the numbers available to put in place such a

system. It would not be effective.

That said, as with everything else, we are trying absolutely

everything, including a pilot project, to see in what ways they could be

effective in our province. Rapid testing is also being used and being

piloted in other areas where vulnerable people live, from the Downtown

Eastside to rural communities.

[10:40 a.m.]

I just want to assure her that the reason why we’re pursuing the

pilot is that we’re pursuing absolutely every option to keep people

protected. The reality is that these particular tests will not do what

the hon. member is asking us to do. If they were able to do that, there

would be no reason not to do them. We are following the evidence, we’re

following the science, and we’re doing absolutely everything we can to

protect everyone in long-term care.

I appreciate the member’s concern and the seriousness of her

question. We will continue, I hope, to work together to provide as safe

a solution as possible for everyone living in long-term care.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a first

supplemental.

S. Bond: I certainly want to let the Minister of Health know that the

members of the opposition absolutely appreciate the exceptional and

outstanding work being done by health care workers and particularly

those in long-term care across British Columbia. The Health Minister

himself has just pointed out how important it is that we do absolutely

everything possible.

For weeks now, families, seniors organizations and even the B.C.

seniors advocate have been calling for additional action from this

government. In her recent comments, the seniors advocate had this to say

about rapid testing: “We’re going to catch some of those people, maybe

not all of them, but some of them. We have nothing right now. The

question is: what is the harm in using them?”

I am sure that the Premier would agree with me that we must make

every single effort possible to protect our most vulnerable seniors. The

Premier has the opportunity today to take additional action and

implement a provincewide rapid-testing program that has the potential to

make a difference in long-term-care homes right across British Columbia.

Will the Premier commit to doing that today?

Hon. A. Dix: Thank you again to the member for her question. As noted — and it

has been a disappointment to us over the term of the pandemic — the

technology involved in rapid-testing has not been as effective as we

would have hoped by this point.

The fact is that these tests are not licensed for what’s called

asymptomatic testing. So that is not an appropriate means, and in any

event, that isn’t an effective method. The people who say that are the

people who are expert in this area. I am with the seniors advocate, and

I am with everyone in this province that wants to do everything they

can, but the people who know testing have drawn this conclusion, because

they, too, care about people in long-term care, and their first

principle of action is to do no harm.

The member will know that this week we will be presenting our

rollout plan for vaccines in British Columbia. She will know — I’m not

letting anything out of the bag early in this regard — that the priority

of long-term care, of long-term-care workers and residents, in that

vaccine plan will be key to managing the pandemic for long-term care in

the coming weeks, and I mean immediate weeks.

We are going full effort on that, just as we are in ensuring and

finding ways to use rapid tests in the most effective way, to save lives

of people across British Columbia. There is no issue more important to

me personally and, I know, to the member and also to the critic for

seniors for the opposition, the Leader of the Opposition. That’s why

we’re going to continue to follow the science, to follow the advice

we’ve received from our leaders in terms of testing in the province and

make all the decisions necessary to protect our seniors.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a second

supplemental.

S. Bond: As we continue to battle COVID-19, every day matters, and every

action matters. No one is suggesting that the implementation of a

rapid-testing program will guarantee the end of transmission or

outbreaks, nor is the suggestion that we would replace the existing

testing regime, but it would add an additional layer of

protection.

To the point that the Health Minister made, just yesterday his

government announced the fact that they are going to use rapid testing

in a small number of long-term-care homes. Our question is: what is the

harm in looking at a provincewide rapid-testing program if it even adds

a simple extra layer of protection for vulnerable seniors? The time for

that action is now.

[10:45 a.m.]

If implementing a provincewide rapid-testing program has the

potential to provide any additional protection for our most vulnerable

British Columbians, there should be no hesitation in putting a

provincewide program in place.

Families are frightened. Seniors are vulnerable. Will the Premier

take the action that they deserve and immediately implement a

provincewide rapid-testing program? Not just in a few long-term-care

homes. As the seniors advocate said: what is the harm in putting a

rapid-testing program in place? So to the Premier: will he make a

commitment today to expand the rapid-testing program to long-term-care

homes across British Columbia?

Hon. A. Dix: We have been using rapid tests in appropriate circumstances, and

that action is guided by the leading experts in public health that we

have. With great respect to the seniors advocate, who the Leader of the

Opposition cites as evidence, this is not her area of expertise. The

fact is that the rapid tests are not licensed, even, for asymptomatic

people and that we have a better overall plan to address symptomatic

people in long-term care.

The purpose of the pilot project, the reason that we are pursuing

even that option, is to see under what circumstances you could use rapid

testing to help — not to hinder but to help — our overall protection of

long-term care. That’s why we’re proceeding, because every day we look

at every possible option to assist people in long-term care and to deal

with outbreaks in long-term care, which, right now, in active,

long-term-care outbreaks in B.C., involve a total of 1,401

people.

Regularly, I talk to the families of those people, as the member

will know. I hear their concerns, their worries, the fact of their

separation, so we are taking the steps necessary. But those steps have

to be effective, and they have to follow the science, and that’s why I’m

following, in this case, the advice of Dr. Henry, the advice of the B.C.

Centre for Disease Control, the advice of those who know these areas of

testing and have worked in them all their lives to guide our policies

and will continue to do so.

R. Merrifield: The minister has referenced science. We know from science that

rapid tests can break stubborn bottlenecks. They can contain infection.

They can sever the chain of transmission. They can reduce morbidity and

mortality and diminish debilitating economic costs — these tests, which

can deliver results in minutes rather than days. Other jurisdictions

such as Ontario have called these a game-changer.

Two weeks ago the federal government gave B.C. 131 rapid-test

machines, 27,000 test kits and 500,000 antibody tests. Can the Premier

confirm that B.C. has these tests and tell us how many have been

deployed in long-term-care facilities?

Hon. A. Dix: We’ve received 131 of the machines with respect to the Abbott ID

NOW tests, with about 27,000 tests. One might understand in the case of

those machines that 27,000 tests would only be able to do the tests

being suggested by the hon. member one time, or less than one time, for

a long-term-care resident and less than one time per worker in long-term

care equally. They’re not licensed, as we said, for asymptomatic

testing.

Dr. Bonnie Henry has given the response on this question multiple

times, as the member will know — that her response is founded on the

science in this area. What British Columbia is doing in terms of

piloting with respect to rapid testing is not dissimilar to what they’re

doing in Ontario, and we’re going to continue to act, including ensuring

that early access to vaccine, especially for long-term-care workers,

which will hopefully ring-fence long-term care, will be a key part of

our vaccine plan.

[10:50 a.m.]

For the member…. I think the member is incorrect in suggesting

that those tests, the 500,000 Panbio antigen tests, are the answer in

long-term care. They are being used in British Columbia. We’re taking

the very steps required to ensure the best use is made of them so that

people in long-term care and in other vulnerable circumstances such as

rural communities, such as vulnerable communities, such as the Downtown

Eastside…. So that they can be effective.

We’re following the science. We’re following the advice of the

people in epidemiology who lead this effort, this specific effort, of

testing. We’re going to continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Kelowna-Mission on a supplemental.

R. Merrifield: I can appreciate the minister’s comments, but there are still many

voices calling for a widespread rapid-testing program to reduce the

number and extent of the current outbreaks in long-term care and to

protect one of our most vulnerable populations. That includes families

like Lesley Telford’s, whose mom, Sandy, is in long-term care. She says:

“I do believe that we can do more testing. We do have to pay more

attention to their quality of life. We can’t just lock people away

indefinitely.”

Again to the Premier, how many rapid tests does B.C. have today,

and how quickly could they be deployed to our long-term-care

facilities?

Hon. A. Dix: Well, I believe I just answered that question. I’m happy to answer

it again. We have 27,000 tests of the Abbott ID NOW system and 131 of

the machines. We’ve received approximately a little under 500,000 of the

Panbio antigen tests. All of them, of course, require a nasopharyngeal

swab. All of them require a health care worker to do the swab. All of

them are not licensed for use except in people who are symptomatic, and

even in the case of people who are symptomatic, they are not as able to

pick up the virus as the regular NAT tests that we do on an ongoing

basis in B.C.

I absolutely agree with the member, and people frequently want

this: they would like there to be a magic solution or a single solution

or an easy solution. There is not an easy solution to this worldwide

pandemic. We have to do the work. We have to trust in the

epidemiologists who have led us so extraordinarily well in this

area.

We absolutely have to do testing on a systematic basis, and we

have significantly increased our capacity to do testing in B.C. We have

to ensure, as we have done in B.C., our single-site model for staffing,

ensure that we’re adding health care workers — more than 1,000 of the

7,000 already hired, as proposed by the Premier in September. We have to

ensure that infection control procedures are in place, and that effort

is being made by health care workers everywhere in the

province.

I am with the hon. member. I am with the families in this area. In

fact, I am one of the families in this area. I can tell the member that

we are doing absolutely everything we can, but wishing doesn’t make

[audio interrupted]. We have to follow [audio interrupted] the best

advice of people such as Dr. Bonnie Henry and will continue to do

so.

COVID-19 IMPACT AND

DISAGGREGATED DATA

COLLECTION

S. Furstenau: I just want to say that I’m glad that we have the opportunity to

be asking questions of government after this time and being in the

depths of the second wave of COVID-19. The public has a lot of

questions, and it’s important we have this opportunity to be able to ask

them. And as we come to terms with being in the depths of the second

wave, we must recognize that COVID-19 has not only exposed the

inequalities in our society but continues to deepen those inequalities.

We’re not actually all in it together.

Some of us have the certainty of jobs that are not at risk because

of COVID-19 and can work safely from home, even relying on delivery of

groceries as a buffer from the risk. Others work in jobs that don’t

allow them that security. Health care workers, teachers, principals,

custodial and cleaning staff; people working in retail, food service,

transportation — none of them are able to stay home while continuing to

earn a salary. We also know that this virus has disproportionate

race-based impacts, but we don’t know exactly to what extent.

My question is to the Premier. Telling people to stay home is not

good enough. We need targeted supports that match the realities that

different British Columbians face. To create those supports, we need

disaggregated data about who is getting sick and where, including income

and ethnicity. When will the Premier make this a priority and make the

call to start collecting this critical data?

[10:55 a.m.]

Hon. A. Dix: Thank you to the member for her question and her assistance and

advice during the many months of the pandemic. The member will know that

British Columbia was the first to provide information around modelling,

the first to do a provincewide survey to see the effects of COVID-19 on

groups across B.C. All of that information is publicly available, and

we’ve continued to do so.

It is the case that right now, we are not providing unique case

counts, disaggregated data. But we know what the facts are. We know

precisely what the facts are with respect to Indigenous people. We know

that people who are doing essential work and others who are vulnerable

are most affected from COVID-19.

I agree with the member that COVID-19 affects people differently.

It clearly does. We only have to look at long-term care. We only have to

look at people with chronic diseases. We only have to look at people who

are doing essential work to know that. But I disagree to say we’re not

all in this together. I think people in B.C. have come together in

extraordinary ways, and we have to continue to do so.

We will continue to add and provide information and more

information to people. But we have a pretty strong idea. That’s why the

host of measures taken by the government across government ministries

has supported people who are renting, supported people on income

assistance and disability, supported people in vulnerable circumstances,

raised up the wages of workers in long-term care, and so on.

We understand the scope of the situation, and everyone understands

that the impact on some is greater than the impact on others. But I

believe we can best respond by coming together as a province. I know the

member agrees with that, and I know we’ll continue to do

that.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Third Party on a supplemental.

S. Furstenau: I agree absolutely with the Minister of Health that British

Columbians have indeed come together in the face of COVID-19. But that

doesn’t mean that it is impacting us equally. I heard him agree with

that as well.

It is government’s job to put policies in place that recognize

that the impacts are not being felt equally and respond to that

unequality of impact, and to do that, government needs evidence and

data. We need to heed the voices of countless community leaders who are

calling for this change and to collect disaggregated data from Black and

Indigenous community leaders to the Human Rights Commissioner to the

South Asian Mental Health Alliance.

Visible minority communities have been hit harder by COVID-19 than

the general population across the country. But in B.C., we know very

little about what is actually going on. We are one of the least

transparent provinces in Canada when it comes to COVID-19. Most other

provinces are far ahead of us in providing more detailed information

about where cases are occurring and who is affected, yet this doesn’t

seem to be a priority.

My question again is to the Premier. Why isn’t B.C. heeding the

calls of the leaders of communities who are asking that we collect more

disaggregated data and be transparent in our explanations about COVID-19

and its impacts?

Hon. A. Dix: I simply disagree. I do so respectfully with respect to the

collection of data. What B.C. is doing — what many other jurisdictions

in the country are not doing — is continuing to do case management and

systematic contact tracing, which means we’re treating cases of people

not just as groups, but as individuals. We’ve hired, for example, over

1,100 contact tracers since August in addition to the team of contract

tracers, more than 500, that we put in place before.

I think British Columbia and the British Columbia health system

have a greater understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on communities

and how to address it, and that understanding informs our decisions. I

simply disagree with the member that we aren’t being

transparent.

Well, I think one important consideration, to the hon. member,

because sometimes people did… This was true at the beginning of the

pandemic, and it’s true now. There is a desire for more information

about where COVID-19 is in communities. But it’s also critical for us —

including for all of the people most affected by COVID-19, including the

very people that the member talks about — that privacy be maintained,

that people be protected, that they trust their health care system, that

they can come forward so we can contact-trace. Those are critical values

that we’ve put in place and have balanced here.

[11:00 a.m.]

We were the first to provide our modelling. We provide regular,

detailed information, respond to questions virtually every single day,

either in press conferences or in other forums, and we are in the

Legislature.

I’m always looking to do better. Clearly, on the case of taking

disaggregated race-based data, we have a direction from the Premier and

the government to do better, and we will. But at the moment, the effort

we’re making in British Columbia, the extraordinary effort of our whole

system and our whole province, is second to none in Canada.

We must continue to make that effort together because this

pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, although there is some good

news on the horizon, and we’ve got a lot of work to do

together.

COVID-19 RESPONSE AND

MENTAL HEALTH

SERVICES

T. Halford: This pandemic is having a profound effect on the mental health of

British Columbians. For many, the increase in social isolation and

uncertainty is leading to the increased levels of distress, worry and

anxiety. There is a critical need for more mental health services than

what is available today. Unfortunately, the need is only going to get

worse in the coming months.

My question is to the Premier. Where are people struggling with

their mental health supposed to go for help today?

Mr. Speaker: The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Hon. S. Malcolmson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I first congratulate you on your

historic election. It’s a proud moment for British Columbia.

I thank the member so much for his first intervention in the

House, and for his first opportunity to speak, to talk about this double

whammy of the pandemic. We know how much people in British Columbia were

hurting, and we know that COVID-19 has made everything in the pandemic

worse, so I share the member’s concerns about the impacts.

Let me say, more than anything, if you are someone who is thinking

about suicide, someone who is suffering in isolation, if you’re a family

member of someone, I want to take this opportunity to reach out and let

you know there are supports especially designed through the pandemic to

be safe. You can go to gov.bc.ca/covid-19 or call 811.

There are so many online and person-to-person virtual supports

that are available. Foundry, there’s no cost. Addictions. Counselling

support. We have an expanded the Bounce Back program, particularly

focused on youth. I’m so encouraged that this spring we launched a 24-7

mental health support line for students in post-secondary, a very strong

call that came particularly from Nanaimo.

But I’ll say, in a more focused way, we had started the work of

building up a strong mental health and addictions system in British

Columbia before the pandemic hit. We know even more now how badly that

is needed. I want to assure all members in the House of our government’s

deep resolve to invest more deeply in people and encourage anybody who

needs help to reach out and ask for it. We need to do more. We will do

better.

T. Halford: To me it’s clear that there are not enough mental health resources

in B.C.

Last week the Canadian Mental Health Association reported that 42

percent of British Columbians said their mental health has deteriorated

since the start of the pandemic. People need more help than they are

getting, and the time is of the essence to get people the support they

need.

My question, again, is to the Premier. How do people connect to

the mental health supports they need today?

[11:05 a.m.]

Hon. S. Malcolmson: Again, I say to the member that we agree there was a great hole,

as Dr. Bonnie Henry said. When our government inherited government in

2017, there was no mental health and addictions system in place. We have

worked hard to pick up the slack from the front line, the amazing

families and service providers that had been holding the system

together.

But we have already, in the time that we’ve had before the

pandemic hit, been able to get more supports on the ground. We opened

B.C.’s first mental health and support team focused through the urgent

primary care centre in Surrey, an urgent response centre. We’ve opened a

75-bed mental health and substance use division at Royal Columbian. That

was opened in August. We’ve opened new Foundry centres focused on youth,

a fantastic model, and we’ve announced the locations for eight more.

That will be a total of 19 across British Columbia.

If you ask me three more questions, I’ll be able to carry on the

list of the work that we have done. There’s more being rolled out right

now. Towards the end of the summer, all of the health authorities across

British Columbia received the funds to be able to expand supports for

mental health on the ground. We’ve got more to do and more

underway.

COVID-19 RAPID TESTING PROGRAM

FOR LONG-TERM-CARE

FACILITIES

J. Tegart: The pandemic is taking a toll healthwise. It’s also taking a toll

on the mental health of British Columbians — seniors who are separated

from their families, parents who want to know if a school exposure was

in their child’s classroom, teachers who can’t find out if they’ve been

exposed for several weeks, isolation that’s impacting all of us in many

negative ways.

Today we’ve expressed the worries and stresses being felt by many

British Columbians, and we’ve asked the Premier to implement a number of

practical, thoughtful actions to address these concerns.

Again, will the Premier embrace the feedback that we’ve shared

today and commit to rapid testing broadly across British

Columbia?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for her question.

I also welcome the new members for their first question period

today.

I’m grateful for the line of questioning from the new Leader of

the Opposition with respect to focusing on the challenge of our time,

the number one issue for British Columbians wherever they live — whether

it be on the Island, in the north, in the Kootenays, in the Lower

Mainland — is addressing COVID-19 and making sure that we’re there for

people, for businesses and for communities, and we have been doing that

for the past nine months.

I’m grateful for all of the questions today. I’m grateful for the

coherent answers from ministers responsible for the particular issues

that were raised by all of the members in this House.

I understand that politics are now behind us, and we can, all

together, focus on bringing forward the issues that matter to the people

in our communities and matter to the people of British

Columbia.

With respect to the final point that the member for Fraser-Nicola

made with respect to rapid testing, pilot projects are in place,

consistent with the response the Health Minister gave to the Leader of

the Official Opposition. We will build on that if the science takes us

in that direction.

With respect to race-based information and data, that is being

collected. We’re working with the human rights commission. We’re working

with the federal government on those issues.

With respect to the issues around mental health and addictions —

again, one of the first provinces in the country to have a stand-alone

minister to focus on these issues, establishing urgent primary care

centres with mental health components attached to them, expanding acute

care facilities across the province, making sure that our schools have

the counsellors and social workers they need for young people who are

distressed at the upheaval in their lives.

All of those issues raised by the official opposition today are

valid issues, valid questions. I’m grateful that they were asked, and I

want to continue to reach out and appeal to all members of this House to

bring those issues forward and take the responses from the people that

have been designated on the executive council to manage those issues

going forward.

We have a lot of work to do, but I’m confident this new and

invigorated Legislature is up to that task.

[11:10 a.m.]

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, I have the honour to present the following

reports.

Auditor General information report —

Summary of COVID-19 Pandemic

Funding Allocations and Other Financial Relief Measures .

Conflict of the Interest Commissioner — 2019 Annual

Report.

Human Rights Commissioner report — Disaggregated Demographic Data

Collection in British Columbia: The Grandmother Perspective ,

September 2020.

Information and Privacy Commissioner — Annual Report

2019-2020 .

Ombudsperson — special report No. 45, Course Correction :

The Ministry of Education 2019 Provincial Exam Errors , August

Police Complaint Commissioner — Annual Report

2019-2020 .

Registrar of Lobbyists — Annual Report 2019-20 ; and

Investigation Report 20-01 , B.C. Salmon Farmers Association,

September 24, 2020.

Representative for Children and Youth reports — A Way to

Cope:

Exploring Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in B.C. Youth;

Annual Report 2019-20 and Service Plan 2020-21 to 2022-23;

Financial Statements 2019-2020; Left Out: Children and Youth with

Special Needs in the Pandemic , December 2020; Illuminating

Service Experience: A Descriptive Analysis of Injury and Death Reports

for First Nations Children and Youth in B.C., 2015 to 2017 ,

December 2020.

Fourteen reports pursuant to the COVID-19 Related Measures

Act.

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call Address in Reply, Speech from the Throne.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

Deputy Speaker: We will just take a moment while members get to where they need to go so

we can get on to the throne speech reply. Nudge, nudge.

Throne Speech Debate

G. Begg: I move, seconded by the member for Victoria–​Beacon

Hill:

[That we, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative

Assembly of British Columbia in session assembled, beg leave to thank Your

Honour for the gracious speech which Your Honour has addressed to us at the

opening of the present session.]

G. Lore: I rise to second the motion “that we, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and

loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in session

assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious speech which Your

Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present

session.”

[11:15 a.m.]

M. Elmore: I join you virtually from the traditional territories of the Musqueam,

Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations.

I’d like to start by congratulating you, hon. Speaker, on your

election as the Deputy Speaker. It’s great to have you there in the chair.

Congratulations.

I’m so honoured to rise and take my place here virtually for my fourth

term as the MLA for Vancouver-Kensington. I’m very pleased to be speaking in

reply and support to the throne speech. First, I’d like to thank everyone in

Vancouver-Kensington for their trust. I’m humbled for this opportunity to

serve them again as their representative. I especially look forward to my

role as Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors Services and Long-Term

Care.

I’d also like to thank my family; my partner, Natalie; and my

incredibly dedicated and enthusiastic campaign team and volunteers, who put

in a lot of time and effort during this unprecedented election.

As I look back to all the province has been through since my first

election in 2009, through two terms in opposition, a minority government in

2017, and now with the majority, I’m hopeful today — even as we’re in the

midst of an unprecedented global pandemic — when I reflect on the throne

speech, the highlights of which pledge the priorities for the government to

continue fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by taking steps to protect the

health of British Columbians and ensuring that people, communities and

businesses are supported.

The situation we find ourselves in today, reflected in the throne

speech, is really in the grips of an unprecedented global pandemic of

COVID-19, the likes of which we haven’t seen — I certainly haven’t seen, no

one has seen — for the last 100 years. It’s really laid bare the fault lines

of those most vulnerable. They have been the ones who have really borne the

brunt — most vulnerable by poverty, due to racism and those who really bear

the brunt as well, seniors.

We know across British Columbia, across Canada, just the incredible

hardship and the fear of folks meeting the challenge of COVID-19. We know

the steps that our province, under the leadership of the provincial health

officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry; and, of course, our very able Minister of Health,

Adrian Dix; and, really, the whole health care team; elected leaders right

across the province; all of my colleagues in the Legislature; and Indigenous

leaders, community leaders and British Columbians coming together to really

work in solidarity, to really play a leading role here in British Columbia,

to ensure that we get through….

We got through the first wave of COVID-19, and now we find ourselves

in the current wave, with the throne speech looking at how we emerge. It’s a

global pandemic with global challenges here in British Columbia. We have

come together to meet those challenges.

The global pandemic has also really brought devastation to

individuals, families and businesses. We’ve seen that here in British

Columbia, certainly in Vancouver-Kensington. I want to reference, also, the

grief that is born out of this difficulty and challenge that I’ve heard from

so many families, certainly through the tragedy of people who have succumbed

to COVID-19, exacerbated by the distance, not being able to mourn. Here in

British Columbia, folks who have passed away across Canada and around the

world, there’s really a very deep grief. It’s really been an incredible

difficulty for individuals, families and businesses struggling.

[11:20 a.m.]

It’s an incredible challenge to meet the needs, to ensure that the

health of British Columbians is safeguarded and to get us through this

current wave and through to the other side. I think that there are some

promising signs on the horizon, but certainly, much more needs to be

done.

The issue, as well, that I have heard here in Vancouver-Kensington

around the disproportionate impact of those in the COVID-19 pandemic…. I’ve

heard from workers on the front lines, essential workers, health care

workers. I think British Columbians have come together to really heed the

provincial health orders so that we support those front-line workers in our

health care sector. Their stories have come to light. Many of them are

racialized, on the front lines, in essential services, lower wages — really

bearing the brunt of ensuring that all British Columbians are safe and are

cared for.

That has really brought up the reality of the racialized nature of

those on the front lines. We’ve now come to appreciate the important role

of, for example, migrant workers and undocumented workers doing that work

and the need to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected. So that’s one

area that I’m also proud of the leadership from our government on and the

support from all sectors and British Columbians to ensure that we do more to

bring COVID-19 under control and ensure that we can protect the most

vulnerable and that that’s the basis for rebuilding our economy.

We also heard about, and I had so many reports into my office about,

incidents of racism, of people being targeted, really feeling the brunt of

attitudes of white supremacy either through verbal attacks or physical

attacks on our streets, in our parks, on buses. This is one area, I think,

where we’ve seen British Columbians come together and, certainly, folks in

Vancouver-Kensington come together in solidarity to stand up against

systemic racism in all the forms. That’s another area, moving forward, that

we have to integrate and ensure that those most impacted are considered and

included, in terms of policy discussions. I’m very pleased to hear the

commitment of our government to move forward for disaggregated race-based

data as a key component.

When we look at the issue of solidarity, the throne speech talks about

where we are now and how we move forward. In my role as the Parliamentary

Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, our province has taken

decisive action to ensure that those most vulnerable…. Often, it’s been

seniors — not only in British Columbia, across Canada, around the world —

who are most vulnerable to COVID-19. We’ve seen the most deaths from our

seniors. A very tragic circumstance.

It was with early, decisive action that our government, under the

leadership and direction of our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry,

took steps to ensure that those in long-term care were protected through

addressing the supply of personal protective equipment, to ensure that we

had a single-site order, to raise wages and standardize wages across the

sector. These were key.

When we look at the commitments in the throne speech ensuring that

British Columbians are protected, moving through this period into the new

year, this is going to remain a key sector and a key area to prioritize.

Certainly, the commitment from our provincial health officer, through all of

the front-line staff, everyone in the health care sector, to really ensure

that our seniors are protected in long-term care and in society is a key

priority. It’s something that I’m very proud of here in British

Columbia.

We also know that the commitment towards the single site so that

workers don’t move between multiple sites and possibly bring infection

between those work sites…. That was key. The incredible effort of all

stakeholders, the complexity of the whole sector, to come together to work

and to implement that directive has really been an incredible testament in

terms of the commitment in this sector.

[11:25 a.m.]

We achieved…. As of June 18, 100 percent of sites across all health

authorities in British Columbia were compliant with the single-site

staffing. In addition, the Minister of Health has referenced the need to

ensure that long-term care sites are adequately staffed. So we’ve put in a

commitment to ensure that we hire more workers — front-line health care

workers and those also doing infection control. The commitment has been

made, and that’s underway. We’re seeing more folks come on board, and we

need to continue that, moving ahead, in terms of how we ensure that seniors

in the long-term-care sector are protected.

One of the issues, as well, with respect to the necessary direction to

restrict visits to long-term care to limit the potential exposure from the

community…. I know I’ve heard from families and seniors the great toll this

takes — the difficulty of not being able to support seniors and seniors

missing that contact and support from their family members. That has taken a

big toll on seniors.

It was a decision not made lightly, and in the context of the COVID-19

life-or-death situations, that was a necessary decision. But with increased

investments to ensure that long-term-care facilities can put additional

protective measures in place to ensure that there is a more effective

infection control, this has allowed more visitors to visit their loved ones

and provide that quality of care that’s so important to our seniors in the

long-term-care sector.

We have additional resources going towards enhanced infection

protection. Also, a key component to ensure our seniors are kept safe is

that they’ve been prioritized with respect to the fall flu immunization

program. Now we have 98 percent of residents in long-term care who have had

their Fluzone vaccination.

These are some concrete steps that are happening now and every day.

Every day is an intense effort to ensure that seniors are protected, that

they’re safe and that we’re doing all we can to ensure that their safety and

well-being is paramount. I’m very proud of that.

We have the reality of seniors in long-term care but also across the

spectrum. We have seniors now with an increasing demographic. More people

are aging. We have the support to ensure that more seniors can live in their

homes and in community. So that’s the spectrum. Initiatives have been taken

in long-term-care homes, to ensure in assisted-living facilities that

measures are put in place — the necessity to ensure that seniors are

supported in community.

Some of the key programs that came in…. I’m sure many of my colleagues

got calls from seniors right across British Columbia who were scared, who

needed to isolate but were restricted, who needed to get groceries or needed

to have their prescriptions filled. So the partnership with the safe

seniors, strong communities program, a collaboration between the Ministry of

Health, the United Way of the Lower Mainland and bc211, was a key

program.

I know that folks here in Vancouver-Kensington availed of and

participated in it. I thought it just a great initiative to respond to the

COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s a program that supports community-based seniors whose regular

network has been disrupted — seniors who need support with virtual wellness

checks, grocery shopping and delivery, meal preparation, prescription

drop-off, medication pickup, etc. It’s a unique program, and I think it

really showcases that commitment and the great spirit of British Columbians.

In a time of unprecedented challenge, we just saw so many volunteers come

forward and want to help — British Columbians who were worried about

seniors, who were worried about supporting those most vulnerable.

[11:30 a.m.]

The 211 program and the safe seniors, strong community allowed for

volunteers. Since the program launched just in March, there were more than

11,000 volunteers who put their names forward. They have delivered over

425,000 services to around 16,600 seniors. So just a great example, I think,

of that spirit coming together from community; leveraging support; working

with stakeholders, government, the non-profits, the civic sector and also

British Columbians to ensure, in these unprecedented times, that we support

seniors in community.

Another good example which is so important now and ensures that we

move forward through this time in terms of how we overcome COVID-19 and

support seniors in their homes is the Better at Home program. That’s an

existing community-based program, in partnership, working with the United

Way of the Lower Mainland. It’s a network hub model, where it’s in place in

over 75 communities, I’m sure, right across the province.

Many of my colleagues know about these programs. They partner with

neighbourhood houses, they partner with non-profit organizations, and they

deliver programs and supports to seniors in their communities to ensure that

they have that support. These are some of the measures that our government —

working in collaboration, right across the political spectrum, through all

sectors of British Columbia — has come together to ensure that seniors are

safe, that they’re supported and that their health is paramount. It’s a key

commitment.

There’s more to be done. Certainly in my role as Parliamentary

Secretary for Seniors Services and Long-Term Care, I look forward to

engaging with seniors, engaging with families, working right across the

sector, getting suggestions and ideas on how, together, British Columbians

do everything we can to ensure that seniors, wherever they be in British

Columbia, are safe, supported, happy and healthy.

With respect to the throne speech, looking at the snapshot in time

where we are now into this current wave of COVID-19, the throne speech lays

out the commitment that the government will support people. The priority is

to ensure the health and well-being of British Columbians. Through COVID-19,

we will put…. The government, I’m pleased, through the throne speech, has

continued the commitment to ensure that people, families, communities and

businesses are supported.

There’s a recovery benefit for individuals and families. That will be

a grant that goes towards families who need it the most. That will also

benefit local businesses. We know that local businesses are so hard hit, and

many different sectors of our economy are impacted, some more than others.

Across the board, unquestionably, it’s the greatest challenge. It’s the

greatest challenge for all of us, right across the board.

I just want to conclude. I’m pleased with our throne speech — the

commitment that it dedicates to British Columbians to ensure that the

government will support them. People will support families and communities

to ensure that the health and well-being of British Columbians is paramount.

We will take steps, all the steps that we can take, to ensure that British

Columbians are safe and that those most marginalized — particularly,

especially, seniors — are protected and working in partnership, as well,

with businesses.

We can’t separate that. They’re interconnected, so we have to ensure

that supports go hand in hand with the perspective that once we establish

the foundation of health and well-being for British Columbians, that

certainly is the foundation for economic recovery — an economic recovery

that benefits all British Columbians.

[11:35 a.m.]

In conclusion, there’s a great challenge ahead of us. Certainly, we

can see, with the development of vaccines coming and other treatments, that

that is looking positive, moving forward. But the challenge still remains.

This is my commitment, and I know it’s a commitment from all my colleagues

in the House as well as all leaders across British Columbia and individuals

— for us to come together and to heed the advice of Dr. Bonnie

Henry.

Observe physical distancing, wear a mask, wash our hands, limit social

interactions, and ensure that we follow provincial health orders — not just

for ourselves but for those we love, for those most vulnerable, coming

together. This is what I’ve been so inspired to see in British Columbia to

get us through the first wave, and I know that’s what will take us through

this current wave and into recovery.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m so proud to be speaking here

with you today on the commitment from the throne speech to move

forward.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you very much, Member. I appreciate your remarks.

J. Rustad: As always, it’s an honour to be able to rise in this chamber and to be

able to represent my riding, Nechako Lakes, and respond to the throne

speech. I do want to start with some thank-yous. Perhaps even before that,

though, I want to congratulate you in your position, and especially to our

new Speaker in his appointment. It is historic, and it is great to see that

appointment.

I want to thank, of course, the constituents of mine in Nechako Lakes

for having the confidence in me to send me back here to this Legislature for

the fifth time. When I think back to my time in starting politics, I would

never have imagined even going into politics, let alone now being elected

for the fifth time to represent Nechako Lakes. It is truly an honour to have

the opportunity to be able to carry on with that work.

Of course, it’s never possible to be involved in politics without

support from your family, so I want to take a moment to thank my wife, Kim,

very much for her ongoing support and long-suffering support, you might say.

In politics, you spend a lot of time away from home. It’s often very tough

on family, far tougher than it is on you as a politician.

As well, I want to just mention my parents. My mom, Molly Rustad —

Mary, as she was born — God willing, will be 99 coming up just after

Christmas this year. It’s quite remarkable. My dad is 93½. We have them both

in their home, and we’re providing care for them in their home still, as

they aren’t able to provide care for themselves due to their health issues.

I think we’re really blessed to be able to do that and be in that situation,

where our family is able to support them being at home, given the situation

we have with COVID and the impacts that we’re seeing today.

We’re very fortunate for that, but when we went into the election, my

dad, who’s got significant mobility issues and many other health

challenges…. The first thing he said to me was: “What can I do to help?” He

wanted to go out and put up signs, knock on doors or whatever it was,

because that’s what he’s always done in the past. Of course, he wasn’t able

to do that. Just knowing that he was there to support me and to support Kim

in this process — as well as my mom, of course — was very special, to be

able to have them there as part of it.

I want to take a moment to also thank Charlie Rensby, who was my

campaign manager. He’s a councillor in Burns Lake, and he works very hard

for his community and for the whole area. He’s very passionate about issues.

I was very fortunate to have him be able to help me in my campaign. As well,

of course, there’s Peet Vahi. This is now the fifth campaign that he’s

worked on for me, taking care of signs in the area. He’s currently

recovering from surgery, but he was a big support in my campaign.

There are so many other people to thank, but I just want to quickly

also mention my constituency assistants. They have been working tirelessly

through COVID-19 and before. Both Carrie Smith and Lory Derksen have been

doing a great job for me in my office, making sure that the needs of my

constituents are looked after, and of the people that are contacting my

office.

[11:40 a.m.]

Nechako Lakes is an interesting riding. It’s made up of very small

communities, the largest community being 4,300 people, which is very

different from the vast majority of people in this chamber. All the small

communities are very spread out.

My riding is about 2.2 times the size of Vancouver Island, with about

30,000-plus people that live in it. It makes it very challenging both for

services that they want and need as well as, of course, for representing, in

terms of being able to get around and connecting with people in those

communities.

One of the challenges that’s come up, though…. I was happy when the

throne speech talked about refocusing on rural care and faster care, shorter

times. I thought: “Well, that’s good. I’m happy to hear that government is

going to do that kind of focus.”

But here’s the reality of what’s happening on the ground. In Fraser

Lake today, things have never been worse in terms of seniors needing to go

in and get lab work done and get testing done. Seniors often, because of the

drugs that they’re on, need to have a regular opportunity to go in and get

lab work done to make sure the drugs are tuned properly for their blood

work.

They’re being told now in Fraser Lake that they may have to wait two

or three weeks to get in to see a lab tech to get the blood work done. The

reason for that is because they only have somebody there part-time — a few

hours a day, three days a week or thereabouts. They’re told: “Well, sorry,

but you have to drive to the next community.” We’re in the middle of winter.

We’re in the middle of a pandemic. They’re worried about travelling to begin

with because of the conditions and because of the pandemic, and they can’t

get these services in their community.

I just think that is unacceptable. It’s an unacceptable level of care

that we’re seeing in communities like the ones that I represent — you know,

small rural communities. Those services were readily available in the past.

We’ve never seen a situation like this under this current government, so I’m

happy to hear they’re focusing on that. But I can tell you that over the

last three years, they’ve been failing. The services have gone down in terms

of what’s needed.

I had some seniors reach out to me in tears because of the stress that

this is causing. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. They shouldn’t have to

worry about something like this kind of service and these kinds of

challenges. These kinds of services should be readily available.

Once again, I heard it in the throne speech, and it was an opportunity

for me to be able to talk about the realities of what is facing in the

communities with COVID and the issues across my riding.

I’ve been fortunate in some ways in that some of the retail outlets in

my riding that have been able to stay open have actually see an increase in

business during COVID-19. Instead of travelling down the road to a larger

community, like Prince George, they’re staying and doing things more locally

because they don’t want to take the risk. So that’s actually been a bit of a

benefit for some of the retail.

However, that is not widely distributed across other retails. Of

course, they’ve been struggling. Some have had to close. The lack of aid….

In particular, there wasn’t much in terms of support for and recognition of

those impacts on those retail outlets, as well as, of course, on the

restaurant sector. There was nothing in the throne speech of substance to be

able to support them, and that was disappointing because there have been

months and months of this going on. The government has well known about it,

and it didn’t seem to make that a priority.

When you’re talking about the small businesses in my riding, you’re

talking about mother-and-father, mom-and-pop operations — a small family

where one or two people are trying to run a business, trying to make a go of

it in small communities. They’re proud of what they do. They’re proud of the

services that they bring forward, but it is a real struggle. There just

hasn’t been the support, and there aren’t the avenues, I think, for them,

and that’s disappointing, to say the least.

Across my riding, as well, I often think about, of course, the critic

role I’m in, because it’s also one of the most important industries in my

riding. It’s about 40 percent, 45 percent of the economic activity in my

riding, which is forestry. Forestry, of course, struggled significantly in

the previous years.

We’re blessed at the moment because lumber prices are in the vicinity

of $700 per thousand board feet, so everybody is working. It’s been good.

It’s been solid. You know, the contractors are out. They’re pretty worried

about the stumpage increase coming in January. But even with that increase,

because of prices, they’re still going as much as possible.

[11:45 a.m.]

However, there’s a big problem, and that is the cost structure that’s

in this province. We are not competitive. At this price, everybody is

competitive, where you can make money. But companies aren’t doing the

reinvestment that’s needed. We need mills to be retooled for the change in

the fibre flow that’s coming in, for the amount of fibre that’s coming in.

We need those significant investments on the ground. Companies aren’t

willing to make those investments. That’s going to hurt us, because all that

does is continue on with inefficiencies within mills.

Coupled with the cost structures that have been put in place by this

government and the increased costs, it means that at some point those lumber

prices come back down, and we will be the first to feel that impact. My

riding feels it significantly because that is a risk. Our people are making

hay when the sun is shining, but it is a real challenge, I think, going

forward.

That’s something that I wish government…. When they talk about

economic recovery, they need to be think­ing about that cost

structure. They need to be thinking about the confidence that needs to be

brought into this province to be able to attract those kinds of investment

dollars. Once again, unfortunately, over the last number of years, that

hasn’t been there, and I haven’t seen any direction out of the throne speech

to suggest that direction will change.

I also think, in my riding, about agriculture. The sector is probably

25 to 35 percent of the economic activity in my riding — primarily cow-calf

ranching operations. I’ve talked about it many times in the Legislature

here. I’ve had many town hall meetings in my riding. Many times I’ve had

opportunities for the various groups to come forward.

We did one, about a year ago now, in the riding, and we had over 70

people come out for it. That has never happened for anything along these

lines, but that just goes to show how worked up the ranching sector, the

agriculture sector, is at changes that have happened to the ALR, changes

that have happened to the way that the ALC is doing things, and the new

rules and components that have been brought in by this

government.

What’s missing from the government’s approach is the farmers, the

people that actually work the land. They’re concerned about all these other

things, but it’s the people who are working the land that are producing the

food, that are feeding our province and exporting the foods to other areas.

Those are the ones that we need to be thinking about. You can change all

kinds of rules, but if you make it so hard that people can’t do the work on

the land, what have you done? You’ve ended up killing a sector, or hurting a

sector or hurting the opportunities of a sector. That’s not the right

approach.

Once again, I recognize that this is a short throne speech, to be

focused on one thing, but there’s a component that has been going on around

the province. Quite frankly, many people in the province, of course, are out

protesting in support of what’s going on in other places in the world. It

just goes to show the level of engagement that people have on this sector,

which unfortunately has not had the kind of focus that I think is

needed.

Going back to COVID-19 and the impact, particularly on long-term-care

facilities. I mean, it’s tragic. I think everybody in this chamber

understands the complexity of the issue, the seriousness of the issue and

the seriousness of the approach that’s needed. We’ve got outbreaks

continuously happening in long term or in various care facilities, and the

vast majority of the tragic fatalities that have come from COVID-19 have

come in these facilities.

Yet I wonder. You know, today in question period we talked about

testing. We talked about the kinds of approaches that could be taken, the

suggestions that came from the seniors advocate and the apparent lack of

willingness to go and do some of those suggestions. But here’s something to

think about when it comes to long-term-care facilities and our response to

COVID-19: why is it that the film sector requires everybody involved in the

film sector to be tested every day — every person, every day — to keep

people protected and to make sure that there aren’t outbreaks? Why isn’t

that same standard being applied to our long-term-care facilities? I don’t

get it.

[11:50 a.m.]

We’re talking about wanting to be able to protect our most vulnerable,

to protect the seniors, to protect the people that built this province, and

we are not taking the same standards and approaches as they do for the film

sector, to try to prevent outbreaks, to try to catch them early, to try to

be able to contain them. I don’t get it, and I hope we’ll get an opportunity

to be able to debate that at some point in this chamber.

I’m not an expert on COVID-19, but if these are the standards that are

being applied to a sector that has lots of interactions, to try to prevent….

A majority of people involved in that are healthy, engaged people. That

should be a minimum standard if we’re talking about protecting our seniors

in care facilities. Why is it not being considered? Why is the question not

even being asked or the comparison even being made?

It does make me wonder where the priorities are. We’re here being

called back in this chamber to give $2 billion out in $1,000 cheques to

everybody as part of an election giveaway when that money could be used and

be spent on increasing capacity and being able to do that testing and

protecting seniors in our long-term-care facilities. Where are the

priorities? And where are the priorities of this government and this

Legislature when we are letting down the seniors that are in those

facilities by not taking those steps?

Like I say, I’m not an expert. Maybe that wouldn’t help, but I think

we should be doing everything we possibly can. I think it’s not unreasonable

to be thinking that that is an approach we should be considering

doing.

We’re here in the Legislature, and we’re debating the throne speech.

We’ve had a bill introduced today that, quite frankly, caught me by

surprise. My understanding is that the Legislature was called back to be

able to pass a bill that would enable government to carry on the election

giveaway, the $2 billion election giveaway that was promised. I get it. That

was part of the campaign. They’re going to have to do it. That’s fine. It is

what it is.

But that’s not the bill that we’re here to debate. The bill we’re here

to debate is actually to delay introducing a budget, which will create all

kinds of other challenges that I’m sure I’ll get an opportunity to speak to

in the debate on that bill. But I was surprised — I was very surprised — by

that. I’m really going to be curious to see how government explains that

piece given that the whole stated purpose of being here was the $2 billion

election giveaway.

As we go through, I look and think about my riding, and I think about

approaching Christmas. My riding has many, many churches, many faith-based

organizations. I’ve heard from many of them with regard to the standards and

rules put in place. I’m not an expert, so I’m not going to question the

orders that Dr. Bonnie Henry put in place. But I do know the struggles that

those faith-based communities are going through right now, particularly at

this time of year, with Christmas — not being able to get together, not

being able to share with one another, not being able to support one

another.

We heard today about questions about mental health and some of the

challenges that are being brought up by COVID-19. These faith-based

organizations, the churches, play a big role in supporting families and

supporting each other. It really is tragic. We need to be able to find some

way for them to get together.

I had one of the organizations reach out to me from a community who

said: “You know, we’ve been following the rules. We have no more than 40

people in a very large room. Everybody is more than six to 12 feet away from

each other. We go through; we do this. We have multiple sittings. We make

sure everything is clean — the whole process, following all the rules.” They

haven’t had any problems, but they’re being shut down.

Like I say, I’m not questioning Bonnie Henry. But there is that

question that’s nagging in the community, and people are very disheartened

by this. At this time of the year, it can be very stressful. It’s a time of

celebration, in terms of celebrating Christmas, but it can also be very

stressful on families, for loved ones, for people that have health issues,

for people that are away. Sometimes it can be very challenging for

them.

I think some consideration needs to be given for our faith-based

communities to be able to support one another through activities. At the end

of the day, COVID is one issue, but it’s not the only issue. It’s not the

only thing that needs to be considered in terms of the broad

support.

So with that, I’ve just got a few more comments I’m going to make, and

then I’ll wrap up my comments and allow somebody else to be able to continue

fresh after the lunch break that we’re approaching.

[11:55 a.m.]

I also want to just mention, in terms of what we’re supposed to be

here for, which is the $2 billion that will be going out to people, I do

also know that food banks are struggling, and the demand is there as people

have been impacted by COVID-19. It’s disappointing to hear that there isn’t

an additional provision being thought of by this government to be able to

support the food banks and communities, particularly in the small

communities out and around.

You know, in small communities….

Deputy Speaker: Sorry, Member. Just noting the hour, I believe the member was going to

move adjournment of the debate and return after the lunch hour.

J. Rustad: I’ve got another two minutes of comments, if I may, Mr.

Speaker.

Deputy Speaker: Thank you. Please proceed, and we’ll wrap it up.

J. Rustad: Thank you.

Just in terms of, as I was mentioning, food banks, in small

communities, the communities I represent, people are always there to be able

to support each other. I mean, that’s just the way we are, because we don’t

have the broad services that we do in large urban areas. That’s, quite

frankly, some of the uniqueness and some of the things I really appreciate

about my riding.

But I do know that there’s some support needed, both on the mental

health side and on the food bank side. So I hope that’s something that

government will consider. It was disappointing, once again, to see that it

wasn’t in the throne speech.

I’ll close, then, by saying this. Once again, it’s a tremendous honour

to represent my riding of Nechako Lakes, to be able to be in this chamber to

debate and to bring the voice of my riding through our representative

system.

I just want to say, to everybody out there who is listening and to

people around the province, I do wish that everybody does have a merry

Christmas, to the best of their abilities, given the restrictions. I hope

that they will follow the health restrictions, because this is a serious

issue, but I hope they take some time to reflect and to appreciate our

province and each other and our families. Once again, thank you for the

opportunity to be able to speak today.

J. Rustad moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. L. Beare moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 p.m.

The House adjourned at 11:58 a.m.

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