British Columbia Hansard — 27 April 2021, p.m., Issue 60 (42nd Parliament, 2nd Session)

20210427pm-Hansard-n60

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 42nd Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Afternoon Sitting Issue No. 60 THE HONOURABLE RAJ CHOUHAN, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC Second Session, 42nd Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Raj Chouhan EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council ............................................................................................................... Hon. John Horgan Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training...........................................................................................................Hon.

Anne Kang Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries......................................................................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing .............................................................................................Hon. David Eby, QC Minister of Children and Family Development ....................................................................................................................Hon.

Mitzi Dean Minister of State for Child Care...................................................................................................................................... Hon. Katrina Chen Minister of Citizens’ Services.....................................................................................................................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Minister of Education .................................................................................................................................................. Hon.

Jennifer Whiteside Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation ........................................................................................Hon. Bruce Ralston, QC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy............................................................................................. Hon. George Heyman Minister of Finance .......................................................................................................................................................... Hon.

Selina Robinson Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development ................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations................................................................................. Hon. Nathan Cullen Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.............................................................................Hon.

Adrian Dix Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation .......................................................................................... Hon. Murray Rankin, QC Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation....................................................................................................... Hon. Ravi Kahlon Minister of State for Trade...............................................................................................................................................Hon.

George Chow Minister of Labour ...................................................................................................................................................................Hon. Harry Bains Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.............................................................................................................. Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Minister of Municipal Affairs ............................................................................................................................................. Hon.

Josie Osborne Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ........................................................................................................... Hon. Mike Farnworth Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction........................................................................................... Hon. Nicholas Simons Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport .................................................................................................................. Hon.

Melanie Mark Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure................................................................................................................... Hon. Rob Fleming Minister of State for Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................... Hon.

Bowinn Ma LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Official Opposition...................................................................................................................................................Shirley Bond Leader of the Third Party .......................................................................................................................................................... Sonia Furstenau Deputy Speaker..........................................................................................................................................................

Spencer Chandra Herbert Assistant Deputy Speaker..............................................................................................................................................................Norm Letnick Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole .......................................................................................................................... Ronna-Rae Leonard Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ...........................................................................................................................................

Kate Ryan-Lloyd Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.............................................................................................................................. Seunghee Suzie Seo Clerk Assistant, Parliamentary Services........................................................................................................................... Artour Sogomonian Clerk of Committees.......................................................................................................................................................................

Jennifer Arril Clerk Assistant, Committees and Interparliamentary Relations ..............................................................................................Susan Sourial Senior Research Analyst ................................................................................................................................................................... Karan Riarh Acting Sergeant-at-Arms..................................................................................................................................................................Greg Nelson

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS Alexis, Pam (BC NDP) ............................................................Abbotsford-Mission Anderson, Brittny (BC NDP) .........................................................Nelson-Creston Ashton, Dan (BC Liberal Party) ............................................................... Penticton Babchuk, Michele (BC NDP)...............................................................North Island Bailey, Brenda (BC NDP).................................................. Vancouver–False Creek Bains, Hon. Harry (BC NDP).........................................................

Surrey-Newton Banman, Bruce (BC Liberal Party) ............................................ Abbotsford South Beare, Hon. Lisa (BC NDP) .......................................

Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Begg, Garry (BC NDP).................................................................Surrey-Guildford Bernier, Mike (BC Liberal Party) ...............................................Peace River South Bond, Shirley (BC Liberal Party).................................Prince George–Valemount Brar, Jagrup (BC NDP) ................................................................Surrey-Fleetwood Cadieux, Stephanie (BC Liberal Party) .............................................

Surrey South Chandra Herbert, Spencer (BC NDP).................................Vancouver–West End Chant, Susie (BC NDP) ..............................................North Vancouver–Seymour Chen, Hon. Katrina (BC NDP) ............................................... Burnaby-Lougheed Chouhan, Hon. Raj (BC NDP).................................................Burnaby-Edmonds Chow, Hon. George (BC NDP) ..........................................Vancouver-Fraserview Clovechok, Doug (BC Liberal Party)........................Columbia River–Revelstoke Conroy, Hon.

Katrine (BC NDP) ....................................................Kootenay West Coulter, Dan (BC NDP) .......................................................................... Chilliwack Cullen, Hon. Nathan (BC NDP) ................................................................... Stikine Davies, Dan (BC Liberal Party)................................................. Peace River North de Jong, Michael, QC (BC Liberal Party)....................................Abbotsford West Dean, Hon. Mitzi (BC NDP) ...............................................

Esquimalt-Metchosin D’Eith, Bob (BC NDP) .........................................................Maple Ridge–Mission Dix, Hon. Adrian (BC NDP) ................................................ Vancouver-Kingsway Doerkson, Lorne (BC Liberal Party) ........................................Cariboo-Chilcotin Donnelly, Fin (BC NDP) .......................................... Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Dykeman, Megan (BC NDP)............................................................... Langley East Eby, Hon. David, QC (BC NDP).......................................

Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable (BC NDP) ..................................................Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Hon. Mike (BC NDP) .................................................Port Coquitlam Fleming, Hon. Rob (BC NDP) ...............................................

Victoria–Swan Lake Furstenau, Sonia (BC Green Party) .............................................Cowichan Valley Glumac, Rick (BC NDP) ..................................................Port Moody–Coquitlam Greene, Kelly (BC NDP) ........................................................Richmond-Steveston Halford, Trevor (BC Liberal Party) .........................................Surrey–White Rock Heyman, Hon. George (BC NDP) .........................................Vancouver-Fairview Horgan, Hon. John (BC NDP) ......................................... Langford–Juan de Fuca Kahlon, Hon.

Ravi (BC NDP) .............................................................. Delta North Kang, Hon. Anne (BC NDP) .................................................. Burnaby–Deer Lake Kirkpatrick, Karin (BC Liberal Party) ........................West Vancouver–Capilano Kyllo, Greg (BC Liberal Party)....................................................................Shuswap Lee, Michael (BC Liberal Party) ..............................................Vancouver-Langara Leonard, Ronna-Rae (BC NDP)...............................................

Courtenay-Comox Letnick, Norm (BC Liberal Party) .................................. Kelowna–Lake Country Lore, Grace (BC NDP)........................................................... Victoria–Beacon Hill Ma, Hon. Bowinn (BC NDP).....................................North Vancouver–Lonsdale Malcolmson, Hon. Sheila (BC NDP)........................................................Nanaimo Mark, Hon. Melanie (BC NDP).................................Vancouver–Mount Pleasant Mercier, Andrew (BC NDP) ........................................................................

Langley Merrifield, Renee (BC Liberal Party)......................................... Kelowna-Mission Milobar, Peter (BC Liberal Party) .......................... Kamloops–North Thompson Morris, Mike (BC Liberal Party) ................................. Prince George–Mackenzie Oakes, Coralee (BC Liberal Party).................................................. Cariboo North Olsen, Adam (BC Green Party)............................ Saanich North and the Islands Osborne, Hon.

Josie (BC NDP)........................................Mid Island–Pacific Rim Paddon, Kelli (BC NDP) ................................................................Chilliwack-Kent Paton, Ian (BC Liberal Party) ............................................................... Delta South Popham, Hon. Lana (BC NDP)........................................................ Saanich South Ralston, Hon. Bruce, QC (BC NDP) .............................................Surrey-Whalley Rankin, Hon.

Murray, QC (BC NDP) .............................Oak Bay–Gordon Head Rice, Jennifer (BC NDP) ...................................................................... North Coast Robinson, Hon. Selina (BC NDP)...................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Ross, Ellis (BC Liberal Party)......................................................................... Skeena Routledge, Janet (BC NDP) .............................................................Burnaby North Routley, Doug (BC NDP)...........................................

Nanaimo–North Cowichan Russell, Roly (BC NDP).................................................... Boundary-Similkameen Rustad, John (BC Liberal Party)......................................................Nechako Lakes Sandhu, Harwinder (BC NDP) .................................................Vernon-Monashee Sharma, Niki (BC NDP)..........................................................Vancouver-Hastings Shypitka, Tom (BC Liberal Party) .................................................... Kootenay East Simons, Hon. Nicholas (BC NDP).........................

Powell River–Sunshine Coast Sims, Jinny (BC NDP) ................................................................. Surrey-Panorama Singh, Aman (BC NDP) .............................................Richmond-Queensborough Singh, Rachna (BC NDP)...................................................Surrey–Green Timbers Starchuk, Mike (BC NDP) ......................................................... Surrey-Cloverdale Stewart, Ben (BC Liberal Party) .......................................................

Kelowna West Stone, Todd (BC Liberal Party) ...............................Kamloops–South Thompson Sturdy, Jordan (BC Liberal Party) ............................. West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Tegart, Jackie (BC Liberal Party)....................................................... Fraser-Nicola Walker, Adam (BC NDP) ....................................................... Parksville-Qualicum Wat, Teresa (BC Liberal Party) ....................................... Richmond North Centre Whiteside, Hon. Jennifer (BC NDP) .........................................

New Westminster Wilkinson, Andrew, QC (BC Liberal Party)......................Vancouver-Quilchena Y ao, Henry (BC NDP) ..................................................... Richmond South Centre LIST OF MEMBERS BY RIDING Abbotsford-Mission................................................................................. Pam Alexis Abbotsford South...............................................................................Bruce Banman Abbotsford West......................................................................

Michael de Jong, QC Boundary-Similkameen........................................................................ Roly Russell Burnaby–Deer Lake....................................................................... Hon. Anne Kang Burnaby-Edmonds......................................................................Hon. Raj Chouhan Burnaby-Lougheed .................................................................... Hon. Katrina Chen Burnaby North .................................................................................

Janet Routledge Cariboo-Chilcotin ..........................................................................Lorne Doerkson Cariboo North.................................................................................... Coralee Oakes Chilliwack ...............................................................................................Dan Coulter Chilliwack-Kent .................................................................................... Kelli Paddon Columbia River–Revelstoke .........................................................

Doug Clovechok Coquitlam–Burke Mountain...............................................................Fin Donnelly Coquitlam-Maillardville ...................................................... Hon. Selina Robinson Courtenay-Comox................................................................... Ronna-Rae Leonard Cowichan Valley ............................................................................. Sonia Furstenau Delta North................................................................................... Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Delta South ..................................................................................................Ian Paton Esquimalt-Metchosin .................................................................... Hon. Mitzi Dean Fraser-Nicola .........................................................................................

Jackie Tegart Kamloops–North Thompson .............................................................Peter Milobar Kamloops–South Thompson..................................................................Todd Stone Kelowna–Lake Country .....................................................................Norm Letnick Kelowna-Mission ...........................................................................

Renee Merrifield Kelowna West ..........................................................................................Ben Stewart Kootenay East.......................................................................................Tom Shypitka Kootenay West........................................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Langford–Juan de Fuca .............................................................. Hon.

John Horgan Langley .............................................................................................Andrew Mercier Langley East....................................................................................Megan Dykeman Maple Ridge–Mission.............................................................................. Bob D’Eith Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows............................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Mid Island–Pacific Rim............................................................ Hon.

Josie Osborne Nanaimo.............................................................................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Nanaimo–North Cowichan............................................................... Doug Routley Nechako Lakes........................................................................................ John Rustad Nelson-Creston ............................................................................. Brittny Anderson New Westminster.............................................................. Hon.

Jennifer Whiteside North Coast ........................................................................................... Jennifer Rice North Island................................................................................... Michele Babchuk North Vancouver–Lonsdale......................................................... Hon. Bowinn Ma North Vancouver–Seymour...................................................................Susie Chant Oak Bay–Gordon Head..................................................Hon.

Murray Rankin, QC Parksville-Qualicum........................................................................... Adam Walker Peace River North ................................................................................... Dan Davies Peace River South ................................................................................ Mike Bernier Penticton ................................................................................................. Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam...................................................................... Hon.

Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Coquitlam.......................................................................Rick Glumac Powell River–Sunshine Coast..............................................Hon. Nicholas Simons Prince George–Mackenzie....................................................................Mike Morris Prince George–Valemount ..................................................................

Shirley Bond Richmond North Centre..........................................................................Teresa Wat Richmond-Queensborough..................................................................Aman Singh Richmond South Centre .......................................................................... Henry Y ao Richmond-Steveston ............................................................................

Kelly Greene Saanich North and the Islands .............................................................Adam Olsen Saanich South .............................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Shuswap...................................................................................................... Greg Kyllo Skeena........................................................................................................... Ellis Ross Stikine........................................................................................ Hon.

Nathan Cullen Surrey-Cloverdale .............................................................................. Mike Starchuk Surrey-Fleetwood.....................................................................................Jagrup Brar Surrey–Green Timbers........................................................................Rachna Singh Surrey-Guildford......................................................................................Garry Begg Surrey-Newton ..............................................................................Hon.

Harry Bains Surrey-Panorama ...................................................................................... Jinny Sims Surrey South ................................................................................ Stephanie Cadieux Surrey-Whalley ................................................................. Hon. Bruce Ralston, QC Surrey–White Rock .......................................................................... Trevor Halford Vancouver-Fairview.............................................................. Hon.

George Heyman Vancouver–False Creek...................................................................... Brenda Bailey Vancouver-Fraserview...............................................................Hon. George Chow Vancouver-Hastings ..............................................................................Niki Sharma Vancouver-Kensington....................................................................... Mable Elmore Vancouver-Kingsway..................................................................... Hon.

Adrian Dix Vancouver-Langara................................................................................ Michael Lee Vancouver–Mount Pleasant..................................................... Hon. Melanie Mark Vancouver–Point Grey ............................................................Hon. David Eby, QC Vancouver-Quilchena........................................................Andrew Wilkinson, QC Vancouver–West End .....................................................Spencer Chandra Herbert Vernon-Monashee .....................................................................

Harwinder Sandhu Victoria–Beacon Hill............................................................................... Grace Lore Victoria–Swan Lake.................................................................... Hon. Rob Fleming West Vancouver–Capilano...........................................................Karin Kirkpatrick West Vancouver–Sea to Sky................................................................Jordan Sturdy Party Standings: BC NDP 57; BC Liberal Party 28; BC Green Party 2

CONTENTS Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Afternoon Sitting Page Orders of the Day Budget Debate (continued) .................................................................................................................................................... 1473 G. Kyllo M. Babchuk T. Halford K. Paddon B. Stewart P . Alexis J. Sims N. Sharma R. Russell M. Starchuk Hon. M.

Dean Royal Assent to Bills................................................................................................................................................................ 1509 Bill 3 — Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2021 Budget Debate (continued) .................................................................................................................................................... 1510 Hon. M. Dean Hon. N. Simons

TUESDAY , APRIL 27, 2021 The House met at 1:32 p.m. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] Orders of the Day Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued debate on the budget. Budget Debate (continued) G. Kyllo: I’m happy to continue my remarks with respect to Budget 2021. Just before we broke, I was sharing that one of the roles of the official opposition is to high- light where we feel that government has maybe misalloc- ated, I guess, their spending priorities and to hold them largely to account.

As we look at Budget 2021, there’s a number of areas where I certainly feel that government has fallen well short of expectations and promises and commitments that were made to British Columbians, especially prior to and dur- ing the election of last fall. Specifically, we have a look at the failure to actually implement the $400 renters rebate. That was something that was announced back in the 2017 election, again in the 2020 election, yet this budget fails to show evidence of any spending priority to meet that lofty goal that government had provided to the electorate. [N.

Letnick in the chair.] As we look to the budget, there are a number of sig- nificant cuts — specifically, health authorities. Certainly not lost on any British Columbian is the significant chal- lenge that we’ve seen on account of the pandemic and the exemplary work of health care professionals in meeting the needs of one of the single-largest pandemics and medical health emergencies we’ve ever seen in our province. Interesting to see, though, that in spite of the pandemic, health authorities are going to see a $1.1 billion funding cut. That’s $1,100 million.

I’m not quite sure how our gov- ernment can square that priority with some of the most significant challenges that our health care system has incurred in the history of our province, yet a $1.1 billion spending cut. School districts are also seeing about a $53 million cut. I know school district 83, which is largely in the Shuswap riding, has had significant challenges with trying to main- tain their balanced budget, which is a requirement, largely, for school districts in the province.

So seeing a spending cut at a time when school districts are really challenged is definitely concerning to myself. [1:35 p.m.] Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation is seeing a $5 million spending cut. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, which is largely responsible for issuing many of the permits — whether it’s a mining permit or a forest tenure cutting permit — have had a cut, also, of $41 million. So definitely very concerning when you have a look at the fact that we’re incurring a very significant budget defi- cit this year.

The deficit last year is approximately $5 billion less than initially anticipated. The funding dollars seem to be there, but there does not seem to be, I guess, the desire or willingness of government to even maintain services in some of these very important ministries. Y ou contrast that with the Premier’s desire to, actually, fund the Premier’s office. It absolutely astounds me that the Premier’s office has increased their budget allocation for their office by 36 percent — a 36 percent increase at a time when government revenues are largely on the decline.

And they’re choosing to actually cut many of the other ministries that provide services that British Columbians rely on. Just before the break, I commented briefly about one of government’s biggest commitments in the 2017 election was to improve affordability, largely around the afford- ability of housing for British Columbians. Despite pretty strong commitments by this government, they’ve abso- lutely failed on any initiatives that are actually increasing affordability of housing for British Columbians.

Of the 114,000 residential units that were committed to, by this government, to be built over ten years — that’s 11,400 units per year — again, failing miserably. In the last four years, only a small fraction — I believe it’s only around 4,000 or 5,000 housing units — have actually been completed. At the current rate of delivery on that promise, it’ll be likely closer to 100 years before the NDP are able to actually meet that commitment, which they made to voters across the province.

As we’ve seen, record-high housing prices, again cre- ating significant challenges for first-time homebuyers or others that might be otherwise looking to enter the hous- ing market. When we have a look at some of the significant commitments that government has made, they’ve largely failed in their ability to deliver that. Now I just want to take a few minutes, also…. One of my critic portfolios is Labour. I spent significant time in the House over the last couple of weeks asking very spe- cific questions of the Minister of Labour with respect to paid leave.

Bill 3, which was just passed unanimously in the House yesterday, provides a provision for paid leave for employees that are looking to obtain their vaccina- tion shots. With respect to the Labour Ministry itself, the piece that I tried to highlight, and I’ll just share with British Colum- bians that might be listening here today, is the fact that, despite the pandemic being upon us for over 13 months now, the ministry was far from proactive in bringing for- ward legislation that would provide that necessary paid 1473

leave for workers that need to take time off in order to get vaccinated. The bill could have been brought forward last summer. It wasn’t. It could have been brought forward in a fall legis- lative session, but government chose, instead, to throw us into a risky and unnecessary snap election. As we advance forward into December, there was two weeks of sitting in this House in December. Again, the legislation was not brought forward. Then we advance to this current, 42nd sitting of the par- liament.

We came back to this House on March 1, and again, the Labour Minister was not proactive and failed to bring forward this very important piece of legislation until just last Monday, April 19. The unfortunate piece is that for workers that otherwise would have obtained their vaccination shot prior to April 19, there’s no funding available for them. Again, I think this just highlights the fact it’s a government that seems to be flying by the seat of their pants. [1:40 p.m.] They’re far from proactive, waiting till the last minute and then rolling through a piece of legislation.

I canvassed significant questions in this House, trying to provide an opportunity for the minister to provide clarity for busi- nesses and for employees across this province. Unfortu- nately, those requests were largely ignored. Earlier today my colleague from Kamloops–South Thompson brought forward a question in this House, spe- cifically looking to government with respect to another very significant commitment that was actually made to British Columbians by the current Premier. This commit- ment was made, initially, last spring, and that was a request for paid sick leave for workers in British Columbia.

I was very happy that the Premier, as well as the Minis- ter of Labour, did commit and actually agree that any paid sick leave programs would not further burden employers in the province and that any costs associated with the pro- vision of paid leave would not fall onto the backs of B.C. employers that are already struggling, largely, during the pandemic.

Y et despite the Premier making very significant com- mitments that regardless of whether the federal govern- ment was going to be there, the province would have a plan B — that should the federal government fail in providing a nationalized sick pay program, the current government would actually move forward with that. Y et not only have we not seen any legislation coming forward, but there’s no funding that’s been established or set aside in this current budget to give even the smallest of consideration to a paid sick leave program for Canada.

That’s specific to my critic role, as the critic for Labour, but I definitely have some significant concerns on the fail- ure and the shortcomings of this government on actually coming forward and meeting some of the commitments that they had made, promises that they had made to Brit- ish Columbians during the election. Now, one of the things that I highlighted in my con- versations, in questioning with the minister yesterday, was around the need and necessity of providing funding for businesses to help backstop any additional cost burden that may be put on to them. We know that businesses are struggling.

We’ve had the most significant number of busi- ness failure rates in recent history over this last year. With the current travel restrictions, we can only anticipate that there will be further business closures. As we look at heading out of the current pandemic and towards economic recovery, we need to make sure that we have a very competitive business regime in British Colum- bia.

Businesses need to be able to compete with businesses not just across the street or maybe down the road but busi- nesses in neighbouring jurisdictions — Alberta, Saskat- chewan, Manitoba, Ontario — and other jurisdictions out- side of Canada — the United States, as an example. It’s really important to provide a competitive opportunity for B.C. businesses to be on a somewhat level playing field in order to be able to compete with some of these other com- peting jurisdictions around the globe.

One particular area, when we talk about tax competit- iveness, is the fact that B.C. has seen a significant amount of additional increased tax burden being placed on the backs of B.C. businesses. If we look at the corporate tax rate in B.C., the provin- cial portion of the corporate tax in British Columbia is now 12 percent. But what’s important is that we need to look at how that compares to other jurisdictions. In our neighbouring province of Alberta, for example, it is only 8 percent. So the corporate tax rate in British Columbia is now 50 percent higher than it is in the neighbouring province of Alberta.

The United States’ tax rates are also significantly lower than British Columbia. So what we’ve seen under this cur- rent government is a continual erosion of the competit- iveness of the tax structure in B.C., which puts B.C. busi- nesses at a distinct disadvantage. [1:45 p.m.] The other tax that was brought in by the current gov- ernment, despite making promises to British Columbi- ans that the medical services premium was going to be eliminated….

Well, far from meeting that commitment to British Columbians, an absolute fail from my per- spective, and rather than eliminating the medical ser- vices premium, they simply replaced it with a new form of taxation called the employer health tax, the EHT, which puts an additional $1.9 billion annually on the backs of B.C. businesses. Again, back to the competit- iveness piece, our neighbouring jurisdiction of Alberta does not have an employer health tax.

As we look to recovery, it is very important that gov- ernment give consideration to providing not just tax relief and supports through the pandemic, but also look at the broader picture about competitiveness. In order for B.C. businesses to thrive and for us to continue to create those 1474 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

all-important family-supporting jobs, it is crucially important that government, and our current government, give consideration to the impact of all of the various new taxes that have been put on the backs of B.C. businesses. I was very supportive of the initiative of government with respect to Bill 3, which is the paid leave for those workers that are obtaining their vaccination. That’s admir- able. I think that is definitely for the public good. However, saddling businesses with that additional cost….

In all estimations, I estimate it will be between $200 million and $300 million a year of additional new costs that will be put on the backs of B.C. businesses. Government has the opportunity. They’re sitting on a little over $1 billion — call it their COVID recovery slush fund — that is yet to be allocated.

Government has the funds that are already set aside and established, as a con- tingency reserve within this current budget, to provide that necessary cost relief so that businesses are not further burdened with additional legislative changes that just con- tinue to put up and add additional costs onto the backs of B.C. businesses.

If we compare it to the way other jurisdictions around the globe might be dealing with the idea of paid leave for vaccinations, south of the border, the U.S. government is actually putting forward a program that will provide tax credits to offset those additional cost burdens that are going on to the backs of B.C. businesses. I’m certainly concerned about our ability as a province to actually come out and be successful in creating those very important family-supporting jobs.

I certainly would have thought that government also would want to provide those protections and to support what is the single largest source of revenue for government: personal income tax. Well, in order for that personal income tax to actually be generated, you need to have a job. Those jobs are largely created by the private sector, by moms and dads and fam- ilies and entrepreneurs that are willing to take the risk and to actually provide that employment for British Columbi- ans.

I certainly do hope that, as we continue with the sitting of the 42nd parliament, government gives some serious and thoughtful consideration proactively to how they might provide further supports and financial relief for businesses that are now being burdened with additional cost pressure and a very uncompetitive tax regime. Y ou know, it’s certainly not just concerning to myself but to businesses, even in the Shuswap. I shared the other day in my remarks that I was speaking to one elderly couple that were running a small business. What COVID has meant to them…. For this small business, COVID and the pandemic….

They didn’t just lose their business income. They also lost their personal income. All of their nest egg for retirement is invested in this business. They don’t have some big, fancy pension plans to fall back on in retirement. For them, everything was in their business. They worked hard. They were diligent. They provided employment. Good employers. But they’ve not just lost their business income. Their personal income and now their entire retirement savings, which is invested in the small business, are at risk. I think that if those watching from home just thought about that for a second….

The stress and anguish that that couple are under during the financial strain of the pan- demic, and when they’re looking to government for relief, to have a government that simply chooses to put addition- al cost burden onto their backs…. That, I believe, is offens- ive. I’m certainly very concerned with the lack of spending priority in Budget 2021. [1:50 p.m.] M. Babchuk: I’ d like to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Lək̓ ʷəŋin̓ əŋ-speaking people and the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations.

I’ d also like to say how remarkably proud I am to be standing here today representing the people of North Island and how incredibly powerful and humbling this beautiful building is. This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to speak to a provincial budget, and I couldn’t be happier to address how it will affect British Columbians and, especially, the people of the North Island. This is a budget that, I believe, really connects with the people of the North Island con- stituency. This budget truly speaks to British Columbians like myself.

It supports people and their families through investment in things that make a difference in our daily lives, like child care, health care, education and supports for seniors and elders. It also supports those who have been hit hard in this pandemic, including women, young people and Indigenous communities, while addressing the needs of industries, like the tourism and hospitality sec- tors, that have been hit especially hard over the past year.

Nowhere have the ramifications of this pandemic been felt more deeply than on the North Island, a place tradi- tionally reliant on resource-based industries as the eco- nomic driver for our communities, a place that is focused on economic diversification and has been transitioning to economic stability for many years now. Historic sectors like forestry, fishing and mining were impacted long before COVID-19 and have been further exacerbated by the pandemic. Growing and thriving tourism and hospitality indus- tries have nearly been decimated over the past year.

With mill closures, a changing forest industry, a year-long strike, aquaculture in a state of flux, a lack of affordable housing and rentals, an opioid crisis and a global pandemic, I’m happy to see this budget, as it provides a beacon of hope for the people and the communities of the North Island. Don’t get me wrong. Folks on the North Island are resi- lient. By prioritizing health and safety for our citizens; by offering new supports for people, businesses and com- Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1475

munities; and through investments that support health and well-being of Indigenous peoples and communities, this budget will not only help the North Island to survive this pandemic but to flourish. Since the beginning of the pandemic, our government’s priorities have been to protect the health and safety of all British Columbians. I’ d like to provide a quick snapshot of what this government has done to demonstrate its com- mitment to the people of this province.

This government has invested over $10 billion in COVID-19 relief and recovery measures that have helped British Columbians with immediate restrictions and safety protocols and were implemented provincewide. Pandemic pay was introduced for front-line, health and social service workers. The B.C. recovery benefit was implemented to provide a boost to millions of eligible Brit- ish Columbians affected by COVID-19. Increased sup- ports were made available for vulnerable populations.

The small and medium-sized business recovery grant program offered some relief to our communities by making grants from $10,000 to $30,000 available to those businesses impacted, with extra supports for the tourism sector. And $68 million in relief and recovery measures was invested in the tourism industry in fall of 2020, with an additional $5 million to help local Indigenous and tourism businesses.

Our government worked in collaboration with B.C. arts and entertainment communities to develop a tar- geted recovery funding plan for arts organizations and event and entertainment industries that have been shut down and struggling to survive the pandemic. As part of the fall 2020 StrongerBC economic recovery plan, more than $35 million was invested in the arts and entertain- ment industry — over $22 million in funding provided through Amplify B.C. to support B.C. ’s music industry over the next three years.

Budget 2021 continues the great work of supporting British Columbians in our recovery by committing $900 million for health-related COVID-19 management, like the vaccine rollout; $1.05 billion for support for people and businesses; $1.1 billion in reserve to support any unanticipated urgent health and recovery measures; and $200 million to prepare for economic recovery. We know, once again, that tourism and hospitality industries are the hardest-hit sector in this province.

As part of this budget, we will invest another $100 million to support tourism recovery, along with an additional $20 million earmarked for community destination develop- ment grants, for communities to prepare for future visitors through tourism infrastructure, like trails and airport improvements. [1:55 p.m.] My plea to British Columbians, though, is to follow the most recent guidelines and travel restrictions so that we can put this pandemic behind us, start to remove restric- tions and see businesses open, hopefully, sometime in the summer of 2021.

This government is working hard to get vaccines in the arms of every British Columbian, with the end goal that people will be vaccinated and we might be able to return to some kind of normal. Speaking of vaccines in arms, early on in this pandemic, a year ago to this day, the ‘Na̠ mgis First Nation in Alert Bay was hit by this pandemic. An Elder contracted COV- ID-19 and was the first Indigenous person to pass away from this disease. Shortly after the Elder’s death, a cluster of COVID-19 cases was discovered on Cormorant Island, home of the ‘Na̠ mgis First Nations and the small village of Alert Bay.

A state of emergency was declared. This is a small island with approximately 1,500 people, and the loss of that Elder was felt by the entire community. For the past year, that community, like all First Nations communities across this province, has been taking extra precautions to protect its residents from the risk of corona entering their tiny communities. I’m happy to report that all residents on Cormorant Island have been vaccinated.

In recent meetings with Chief Don Svanvik and with Alert Bay Mayor Dennis Buchanan, I have heard how grateful they are for the support they received from public health officials and the province of British Columbia. We know that health risks for Indigen- ous people are much greater than non-Indigenous people. I’m proud that this government prioritizes First Nations communities in its vaccine response. The North Island constituency is a unique place in this province. It is anchored by an urban centre with several rural and remote communities.

In fact, according to the B.C. electoral area map, it includes 33 First Nations bands that have all or some of their territories within the North Island boundary. For the past 15 years, I’ve worked with local governments on the Island, establishing and building working relationships with local First Nations, and I’m proud to be part of a government that has made reconcili- ation a priority from the very beginning.

In 2019, we became the first jurisdiction in Canada to pass legislation implementing the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and to create a path forward that respects Indigenous rights and title.

Over the past three years, we’ve invested in a number of projects that support that reconciliation, with North Island Indigenous communities, including support for community economic emergency plans for Homalco, Quatsino, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’-Che:k:tles7et’h’ and Wei Wai Kum First Nations, a community energy plan for Kwakiutl First Nations and support for projects that harness the power and arts and culture to build healthy and connected communities. Ours was the first provincial government to invest in on-reserve housing, meeting an unmet need for housing in Indigenous communities.

We built six units of affordable housing for Indigenous Elders and families, for the Kwaki- utl First Nation in Fort Rupert. 1476 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

With Budget 2021, we are investing in activities that not only support reconciliation and the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples and communities but activities that put that declaration act to work. The Connected Coast project will bring improved connectivity and cellular ser- vices to rural and remote Indigenous communities. This opens up the ability for our government to provide skills and training initiatives that will lead to long-term employ- ment and economic growth for these First Nations com- munities.

On a personal note, I’m happy to see the $20 million investment or 400 additional seats in the Aboriginal Head Start program, provincewide. I say this because my grand- sons are members of the We Wai Kai Nation and attend the Head Start program in their community at Quinsam Crossing. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with this program, but the Head Start program provides culturally relevant child care and early learning at no cost to Indigenous fam- ilies, in partnership with the Aboriginal Head Start Asso- ciation of British Columbia and the First Nations Health Authority.

Both of my grandsons have benefited from this exper- ience and were receiving extra supports. My grandson, Jason, is autistic. He requires in-class supports as well as speech therapy and often help coping with sometimes overwhelming stimulated environments. [2:00 p.m.] Mostly, they have benefited from being connected to the community and close to their mother, who is one of only a small group of Wei Wai Kai members that are speaking their traditional language.

She has not only helped devel- op language training for children at the Head Start pro- gram but is now being embraced by school district 72 and bringing an Indigenous language immersion program to all Indigenous learners. This warms my heart. We, as a family, are very proud of her. Since last fall, I’ve been hearing from many North Island constituents who are feeling the weight of this pandemic. The isolation and stress have impacted people of all ages, affecting both their physical and mental well-being.

Sadly, we’ve seen an increase in suicides among children and youth, including children from my hometown of Camp- bell River. I would like to take this moment to extend my sincere condolences to the families of those young people who are no longer with us. There’s no greater pain for a parent than the loss of a child. I want those families to know that they are in my thoughts and supported by their community. We’ve also seen the highest overdose rates since the opioid crisis was first declared an emergency five years ago this month — a crisis that has impacted all communit- ies across the province.

If nothing else, this pandemic has highlighted the need for strong health and mental health services and support for all British Columbians. The previous Liberal government neglected this sec- tor, and today we are seeing the impacts of this inaction. That is why we should be applauding Budget 2021’s investment in health and mental health care, including a $500 million investment to expand mental health and substance use services to connect people to their cul- turally safe and better effective care needs, the largest investment in mental health and addiction services in British Columbian history.

This government will also invest $97 million in a net- work of mental health support for youth through increased mental health funding for schools, new Foundry centres like the one that’s happening in my riding in Port Hardy and integrated child and youth support teams for more than 15 school districts; $51 million over three years to improve access to quality mental health services, includ- ing suicide prevention, eating disorder care and early psy- chosis intervention; and $14 million for the First Nations Health Authority to deliver mental health and addiction services to Indigenous people.

On a personal note, I’m happy to see the $7.8 billion in capital investments in new health infrastructure, includ- ing the Surrey hospital and the cancer care. I can, once again, reflect on my family’s own experience with this ter- rible and tragic disease. I don’t know any British Colum- bian who hasn’t either dealt with cancer themselves or a close member of their family. Only two months ago my family lost my uncle to cancer. In January of 2020, my younger sister was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer. She was 49 years old at this time.

She is the strongest, most positive person I know and is fighting this with everything that she has. On April 13 of this year, she had her 51st birthday, and we continue to put up a good fight. As I watch her go through the treatments, I am so grate- ful that she is in a community where the level of cancer care is exemplary, but not all British Columbians have access to this level of care and have to travel long distances. I am very happy to see the need for more cancer care centres reflected in this budget. I want to say to my sister: “I love you so much. I am so proud of you.

We will do whatever it takes, supporting and fighting by your side, as long as we get the results that we are looking for. ” I’m not just a sister. I’m a mother and a grandmother. I’m proud to see this government’s commitment to sup- porting families and investing in quality, affordable child care. Every investment in child care is an investment in our community and our economy.

We know that when people are able to participate in the economy, it supports busi- nesses, helps families and lifts children out of poverty. [2:05 p.m.] Since the beginning, this government has continued to make improvements to child care. In 2018, we introduced a $1 billion child care plan, the most significant investment in child care in B.C. ’s history. This plan included funding for more licensed child care spaces and the affordable child Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1477

care benefit and introduced a $2-an-hour wage increase for early childhood educators in licensed facilities. With Budget 2021, the wage enhancement for early childhood educators will double from $2 to $4 an hour, bringing the median wage to $23 an hour, and will support approximately 11,000 early childhood educators in licensed care centres, encouraging better recruitment and retention in this sector.

Additionally, Budget 2021 will more than double the number of families getting $10-a-day child care, help almost 2,000 more families access supported child devel- opment and Aboriginal-supported child development pro- grams, increase the hours of support for children already enrolled, support thousands of new child care spaces through the Childcare B.C. new spaces fund and invest an additional $20 million in health and safety grants to help alleviate the cost of keeping child care centres safe through this pandemic. Budget 2021 brings total child care fund- ing to nearly $2.3 billion over this fiscal plan.

I can’t ask for much more than that. From our youngest citizens to our oldest, I believe that I’m not too much different than many other British Col- umbians, who are not only supporting adult children and grandchildren but also elderly parents and in-laws — truly the sandwich generation. This budget speaks directly to people who are in this situation and addresses the needs of our seniors population.

Last week, after a year of no contact, my family was giv- en the ability to connect with my 94-year-old mother-in- law, who is currently in a care facility in Nanaimo, a care home that has done a wonderful job of keeping its res- idents safe and healthy during this pandemic. I want to thank the health care workers of Wexford Creek for their perseverance during the pandemic, their caring nature and their family-like treatment of my mother-in-law when we couldn’t be there. We know that to provide the level of service necessary, it has been a struggle, and we need to do better.

Budget 2021 is doing that by providing thousands of new staff in long-term care facilities so that we can not only address the fatigue and workload of care providers but also so that we can guarantee care standards that our seniors deserve. I’m also proud to report that both of my parents are actively involved in our lives and living independ- ently in Campbell River. And as they age in place, they are starting to require assistance in areas that neither myself nor my husband can provide. My parents have been married for 57 years on May 16. They have travelled the world. They have raised children.

They have worked and contributed to our communities their whole lives. And now that they are in their twilight years, they are looking to the future and concerned that services they require to continue their independent living may be limited.

That’s why I’m extremely happy to see that Budget 2021 includes significant investments to continue to strengthen B.C. health care so people know that help is there when and where they need it: $585 million to train and hire up to 3,000 new health care workers, $68 million to increase the number of care aides and community care providers to deliver quality home care to seniors in their daily living and $12 million to provide seniors with complex care needs from the comforts of their home.

This speaks dir- ectly to the needs of people in the North Island and their families, mine included, and gives people like my parents hope that they can live independently and together for a lot more years. Talking about seniors, one of the challenges that the North Island is facing is affordable housing for seniors. In fact, that’s a problem for everyone.

Budget 2021 provides $2 billion in development financing through the Hous- ingHub for government to work in partnership with com- munities, non-profit and private sector stakeholders to facilitate and create new rental housing and home owner- ship opportunities for middle-income British Columbians.

The province continues to build on its historic invest- ments in housing — $7 billion over ten years, starting with Budget 2019 — and invests to create more social and affordable housing, providing funding to support the construction of 114,000 units, including 10,000 new housing units over the fiscal plan through grant funding to not-for-profit housing providers and $1.6 billion in capital investments. [2:10 p.m.] Currently I’m actively working with the Hardy Bay Seniors to advance seniors housing in Port Hardy.

That has been identified as a priority as seniors choose to stay close to their families and not move out of these communities after retiring. Just to change to a little bit of a different topic, many in this chamber know that I cut my teeth as a politician when I was elected to the school district 72 board of education in 2005. I became politically active over school closures in my area, and I was trying to hold the school board of the day to account for the processes in which they used. Later I found out that it was actually the direction of the Liberal government of the day.

For three terms, almost ten years under the previous Liberal government, I watched and advocated against what I considered to be a systemic dismantling of our public education system, with phrases like zero-based budgeting, school closures, funding model revisions and the removal of any recognition of fixed costs for boards of education. Over that time, I can remember sitting in provincial council meetings and conventions for the British Colum- bia School Trustees Association, cringing at the thought of the next message that was coming from the minister of the day.

As most of us knew, it usually meant that we would have to deliver extra government-mandated services to students, without extra resources to do so, or losing just a little bit more of our local decision-making autonomy with an unconsulted change at the ministry level. 1478 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The impact of the government from 2005 to 2014 left a full educational generation of children without funding levels required to keep special needs programming and educational assistants at the levels they need to be and educational programs competing against each other. Worst of all, it diminished the ability of local boards of education to reflect community-based priorities and exer- cise autonomy. Over the last three years of the NDP government, we’ve seen significant investments in K-to-12 education, and in our riding alone, we saw an additional $13 million over and above the regular funding formula.

These included playground equipment, upgrades to mechanical equip- ment and the hiring of over 60 new teachers — 51 in school district 72, Campbell River; ten in school district 84, Vancouver Island West; one in school district 85, Van- couver Island North. Over the next three years of the fiscal plan, approxim- ately $3.5 billion will be invested to maintain, replace, ren- ovate and expand K-to-12 facilities.

This year the province will invest $1.2 billion, over the length of the fiscal plan, to support growing numbers of students accessing B.C. ’s K-to-12 education system and support wage increases for teachers and support staff. Funding will also support growing numbers of special needs students, English and French language learners and Indigenous learners. The exciting part for me of Budget 2021 is that there is new funding to address the improved mental health sup- ports in schools, expand early learning and on-site child- care opportunities and develop a framework to address racism and reconciliation.

This brings the total budget for the K-to-12 sector to $7.1 billion, a number that I am proud to stand behind. When I think about children, and particularly children on the North Island, I think about the pristine environ- ment that we live in and our shared responsibility to pro- tect it for our children, grandchildren and future gen- erations to come.

We must all work together to reduce the impact of climate change, and Budget 2021 provides a framework to continue our efforts to create a cleaner, stronger economy, with an additional $500 million inves- ted in CleanBC to reduce emissions, create new opportun- ities and promote affordability in our communities. B.C. will be well positioned for a stronger recovery. CleanBC rebates and low-interest financing are making energy-saving building improvements more affordable for all British Columbians.

This is also working with industry to reduce emissions with cleaner technology and increased energy efficiency through the CleanBC program for industry, to which we’re providing $96 million in new funding for the reduction of emissions and to expand clean tech sector energy and global competitiveness.

Continued funding of $519 million over the fiscal plan will also help industries such as forestry and mining oper- ations transition to low-carbon technology. [2:15 p.m.] Through Budget 2021, this government will invest $18 million for active transportation infrastructures — like bike lanes, sidewalks and multi-use pathways — and another $10 million to further develop policy to reduce the carbon intensity of fuel in developing the hydrogen eco- nomy in B.C. One of the key issues in my constituency is the pre- servation of wild salmon.

Wild salmon are an iconic spe- cies for North Island people and necessary for the survival of First Nations. Investments in initiatives that support wild salmon enhancement facilities, whether it’s building new facilities or expanding on existing facilities, are essen- tial to the protection of these stocks from their continued decline. Both the commercial fishing industry and the recre- ational fishing industry rely on the sustainability and enhancement of these stocks. It should come as no sur- prise that salmon are essential to our way of life on the North Island.

I’m looking forward to working with every- one to increase wild stocks to the level that they have his- torically seen. I consider myself an average British Columbian, and I can see the priorities of people like myself reflected in this budget. Budget 2021 offers support for everyday issues like better quality and more affordable childcare, better and more accessible health care, mental health supports in schools, investment in education and affordable housing, an increase in income and disability assistance and more supports for people who are most vulnerable or experience homelessness.

It’s my hope that all British Columbians can see their issues reflected in this budget and that it will help improve their lives. I want to extend my thanks to Minister Robin- son and her team for all the hard work they have done, and I look forward to the implementation of all of the priorit- ies in this budget. Deputy Speaker: Please pass on my best wishes to your sister for a full recovery. Also, a reminder to all members. We do not use MLAs’ names in the House. So “minister” would be fine. “Minis- ter of Finance” would be good. M. Babchuk: My apologies. Deputy Speaker: No problem. Surrey–White Rock, please.

T. Halford:I thank the member opposite. Any time that we’re able to bring in personal stories I think humanizes why we’re all here. I appreciate the words, specifically, on your sister. I wish her nothing but the best, and I’m sure you will have many more birthdays to celebrate with her. I rise to speak on this most anticipated NDP budget. I see the theme of the budget is “ A stronger B.C. for every- one. ” Now, I’m not sure I agree with that. Maybe I can Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1479

make a suggestion. Some of the words that I’ve used for this budget are: “Less for more. We will provide British Columbians with less, but they will give us more. ” I think it fits. Or maybe this one: “Big government. Bigger deficits. ” That can work too. See, because at the end of this, what we always see with NDP governments — and it’s a pattern, and I think it’s a very unfortunate one — is, at the end of the day, you run out of other people’s money. That is some- thing that NDP governments have never learned. I hope maybe this one is different, but based on this budget, I’m not optimistic.

Now, April 27 is always a special day in my heart, more of a sombre day. It’s five years ago to the day I lost my grandmother, Mudgie. I’ve talked about Mudgie in this House before. Mudgie was one of the reasons I got into political office. But Mudgie was a big, big believer in budgets. In my family — her name was Beverley — we called them “Budgets with Bev. ” Mudgie always wanted to see what your budget was. How are you going to accom- plish this? How are you going to make that happen? Her motto was: “Do not overpromise and underdeliver. ” I’m a little bit worried in this budget.

On some things, we’ve overpromised, and on a lot of things, we are under- delivering on. I get that this was a very, very important budget for this government, as they emerged from their election in October. I said it was an anticipated budget because it was a delayed budget. Any time we hear the word “delay, ” expectations get bigger. [2:20 p.m.] When a movie gets delayed, you’re thinking: “Oh, that’s going to be a blockbuster movie because they need more time. ” I think people kind of thought that with this budget: “This budget is going to knock our socks off. ” We’re on a two-month delay.

People are waiting for money. What is the plan here? I think they were a little bit underwhelmed. I’ve heard in my community that folks were very underwhelmed. I was underwhelmed. Now, I get that this Minister of Finance does have a lot going on and a lot on her plate, with this budget. We as MLAs always take the opportunity to make sure that we are speaking to our local media, whether we’re in govern- ment or opposition, and that we are discussing the budget. The Minister of Finance seems to have taken exception to some of the comments I and my colleague the member for Surrey South have made to our local media.

I just want to go through them, because I’m a little bit confused. I’m a little bit at a loss. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t think I am, but I’m just going to take a look, because this has to do with the budget. In an

article from April 22 — it appeared in the Peace Arch News, which is my local paper and the local paper for the MLA for Surrey South — the member for Surrey South said: “Spending is going up at record rates, but it’s not coming here. ” I agree with that comment. “The budget has completely abandoned the NDP’s commitments to Surrey. They’ve abandoned their commitment to eliminate port- ables. They didn’t meet that commitment, and now they have eliminated it” from the budget. “It doesn’t appear anywhere in the document. ” Well, I have three kids in the Surrey school district, two of which are in portables right now.

So that statement seems to make sense and be accurate. Here’s another one: “They don’t have money in the budget, except notionally, for the Surrey hospital that they’ve promised. They planned a completion for two dif- ferent dates, which goes to show you how much planning has gone into it. ” That, again, is a comment from the member for Surrey South. I agree with that comment. I think it’s an accurate comment. There are two different completion dates in the budget. Now, that can be confusing to a lot of people. It’s confusing to me. Let’s go on to the next one.

This is a comment from myself: “One of the things that I really called for and will continue to call for is affordable access to counselling and psychiatric services. ” I stand by that quote; I think it’s accurate. I think that we’ve heard from a lot of families. We’ve heard from the Third Party that people are tapped out when it comes to affording mental health services. I think that’s accurate. We talk about wait times and how long it takes a child to get in to see a counsellor or a psychiatrist. We’ve had a heartbreaking example of a situation in Langford where a child was on a wait-list for months.

When his family finally got the call to go see a psychiatrist, the call was too late. I think that’s accurate. I said: “I know this government likes to pat itself on the back in terms of investment, but don’t forget that invest- ment is over three years” — I’m talking about the invest- ment for mental health and addictions — “and this year is actually one of the lowest-funded years, which is pretty disappointing. ” Now, we’ve heard from a lot of people, including the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition, when we talk about last year being the worst year on record for overdose deaths.

Unfortunately, we are seeing it continue month after month, when we are seeing overdose deaths, so I take exception to this year being the lowest-funded year for Mental Health and Addictions. I appreciate the fact that the minister took the time out of her schedule, a busy schedule, to phone our local paper and to dispute those facts. In her words, they were “untruthful. ” Now, what did I just read that was untruth- ful? I’m confused by the minister’s comments.

It’s also fairly irresponsible, but it is what it is at this point. [2:25 p.m.] I will say, when you want to talk about comments that are untruthful, how many times have British Columbians heard from this government that the cheque is in the mail? “Hold tight. We know you’ve got to pay your mortgage. We 1480 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

know you have to pay your rent. We know you have to pay your bills. The cheque is in the mail. ” Well, there must be a lot of cheques in the mail in my riding, because every time I do constituency work, it’s usu- ally to do with a grant that’s been approved or it’s been an economic recovery benefit that a senior is struggling and struggling to get more information to the government because they cannot get the money that was promised to them by this Premier during his election.

At a time when we say “a stronger B.C. for everyone…. ” Y ou know, in the words of my grandmother, my Mudgie: “Don’t overpromise and underdeliver. Do what you say you’re going to do. ” If you make a commitment to British Columbians that they will have this economic recovery benefit by Christmas, do it. If you have grant applications out for businesses — for restaurants that are desperately trying to stay alive, meet their payroll, get patio space set up, purchase heaters — make those commitments. We have to pay our bills. Pay our bills. Pay your bills.

The gov- ernment has to pay the bills. “The cheque is in the mail” is not good enough anymore. The government likes to talk about the number of jobs that it has created in this pandemic. We’ve got to be honest with British Columbians that those are government jobs: 60,000 positions in this government. I have to say that a classic sign of an NDP government is when government gets big and business gets small. The problem with that is that under an NDP government, big business becomes small business and small business goes out of business. We have to step up, we have to break that, and we have to stop that.

Now, a couple of noted vacancies from the budget. This government likes to talk a lot about standing up for renters. A twice-made NDP promise of a $400 renters rebate has magically vanished from this budget. It’s nowhere to be seen. In question period today, the minister stood up very proudly and spoke on the government’s expansion of $10-a-day daycare and how it was doubled. If I say to my wife: “Hey Holly, listen. Y ou know, for this amount here, our goal is to have $1,000. I’ve only got $100. But listen, I’ve doubled it to $200.

I still haven’t met my goal, but I’ve doubled it. ” Y ou know, just be honest and be transparent. I think that’s what British Columbians want. I think that’s what British Columbians deserve. I get that there is a vulnerabil- ity in this House, and I get that there’s an uneasiness, espe- cially with this Finance Minister, if she’s going to take the time and call a local paper and say: “My colleagues across the way aren’t being truthful. I want them to be truthful. ” Well, nowhere there were we untruthful. We were accur- ate. I’m asking to you do the same.

If you’re saying you’re going to deliver for British Col- umbians on $10-a-day daycare, then do it. Don’t just say: “We’re doubling this; we’re doubling that. ” Y ou’re over- promising, and you’re underdelivering.

Maybe that’s going to be the slogan going into the next election, because this one was kind of like: “Never let a crisis go by without tak- ing advantage of it. ” That, to me, should have been the slo- gan of the 2020 election, but it didn’t make it in there. [2:30 p.m.] I do want to talk on a file that is very close to my heart — I think it’s close to all members’ hearts — and that is men- tal health and addictions. When we talk about the glob- al pandemic that we’re in and the world is experiencing, I think it has dramatically altered…. Well, it has altered everybody’s lives. It has.

It has touched every life of every British Columbian. It has touched every life of every per- son on this planet. We’re in two global pandemics. Well, we’re in two pan- demics in British Columbia. The other pandemic we’ve been in since 2016, and it’s a pandemic where I’m strug- gling to find the light at the end of the tunnel, because every month we’re talking about numbers of overdose deaths that are growing and growing. We’re averaging los- ing five British Columbians a day to overdose deaths. That is too many. I think we can all agree in this House that we need to do more.

That’s something that the Premier said a few weeks ago when we recognized the sombre anniversary of how long this pandemic has gone on — five years. I think it’s something, on this side of the House, that we are very much committed to. I will tell you this. I always find it distressing when I hear…. And I get it. We all have a job to do in terms of politics. But this issue shouldn’t be a political issue. This should be a commonsense issue where we come togeth- er to try and find a solution to save British Columbians who are dying en record masse — five British Colum- bians a day.

When I hear members from the government side get up and say: “There was nothing in place. We had to start from scratch…. ” Well, two things on that. The first thing: that’s just not accurate. I think that when you look at the five- year anniversary that we discussed a few weeks ago, at the time, it was the Minister of Health, Minister Terry Lake, who declared that we were in a pandemic. It was at that time that we put in $100 million — imme- diately deployed it to help combat this public health emer- gency. It was at a time where we established the B.C.

Centre on Substance Use, operating hundreds of addition- al treatment beds. We set up the Foundry network for youth. Now, I get that it’s in everybody’s speaking notes that they had to start from scratch. That’s just not accurate. But the bigger problem I have with that is that this is not a new government. It is not a new government. This is a re-elec- ted government that has had multiple years, five years, to deal with this issue — four years to deal with this issue. So every time I hear: “We had to start from scratch. There was nothing in place…. ” Enough.

We need a coherent plan from this government Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1481

that deals with the overdose crisis. Right now what we’re getting is piecemealing here and piecemealing there. [S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.] I can say it. I know this government is very proud to say that this is the biggest investment they’ve made in mental health and addictions. But let’s look at that for a second, because a couple of things, we need to pay close attention to. The Premier states that he is very proud that his gov- ernment created a stand-alone Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. I was proud when that ministry was intro- duced.

But I think we need to be very clear that this min- istry doesn’t stand alone. It doesn’t. This ministry can’t stand on its own. This Minister of Mental Health and Addictions has a budget responsibility of $11 million. That is her responsibility in this budget — $11 million, $4 mil- lion less than the Premier’s office. [2:35 p.m.] In my riding of White Rock, I have roughly around a population of 20,000. The budget for parks and recreation in White Rock is bigger than the budget of Mental Health and Addictions for the province of B.C. That tells me that we have a problem with accountability.

At the end of the day, what is this minister actually accountable for? Some- thing I struggle to try and define is: what is this minister bringing in terms of value for this file? Y esterday we had the unfortunate job to speak on an issue of recovery, where somebody in Interior Health made the comment that recovery is not effective. When we look at this budget and we look at where the govern- ment prioritizes recovery…. I’ll speak to that in a second. I, on this side of the House — and I think all my colleagues — fully disagree with that comment.

Recovery is effective, and it is something we need to take seriously. I gave the minister every opportunity to try and speak out against those comments that were made by a senior member of Interior Health, to no avail. Maybe that is why the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions has the responsibility that she does, with just $11 million in her budget. Maybe it’s comments like that that show this gov- ernment that the Ministry of Mental Health and Addic- tions isn’t up to delivering for British Columbians when it comes to mental health and addictions.

Now, I did speak, and I mentioned before that even the Third Party…. We spoke about the affordability issue for counselling and psychiatric services, not only for youth but for all British Columbians. And a lot for youth. I have to say we need to do a lot better. This is something that was not addressed in the budget. It’s something that the minister continues to evade when the subject comes up. She says she had to start from scratch, that it was some- body’s else’s file and not her responsibility. Now we see…. Okay. Looking at your budget lines, I get the lack of responsibility.

That being said, it’s got to be somebody’s responsibility when we are seeing British Columbians and our youth facing months and months for delayed services when it comes to mental health. We have to do better than that. Part of the challenge is to say: “Okay. We want to do something. We want to help, and we don’t know what to do. ” And what do we get from this government? We get a bingo card. They put out a bingo card on a Friday after- noon to say: “Hey, if you’re feeling blue, look at the card and try and see where you are. ” Or we get a website. That was the other one too.

We get a website that you try and navigate through to see if there’s a number that you can call if you need assistance. We need support. We need resources. We need actual people that can help and deliver mental health services for every British Columbian. In my riding of White Rock and South Surrey…. A lot of seniors live in my riding. That was one of the big chal- lenges with the economic recovery benefit. They would phone, and they’ d say: “I don’t have a computer. I don’t know how to use a computer. I don’t know how to apply for this money that I was promised during the election.

What can you do?” We would work with them, and we would get them through on the phone and everything like that. It was a cumbersome process. Again, everything since the election has been cumbersome. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. That’s exactly what we’ve seen from this government from day one. I will say this. When you’re looking at the seniors in my riding…. A lot of them have phoned and said that they are struggling with their mental health. What do we say? “Well, have you gone to the mental health website? Have you tried the website?

Have you tried the bingo card?” [2:40 p.m.] We need real solutions for real problems. This budget does not address that. It doesn’t. It falls short in many ways. I know it’s a sensitive issue, but when we look at the transportation needs…. We look at the Massey Tunnel replacement. I put out a tweet, and somebody from the Premier’s office was really quick to jump on it and say: “It’s not accurate. It’s not accurate. We’re funding it. We’re funding the Massey replacement. We’re doing this. We’re doing that. ” I had to define the word “notional” and what the word notional means when it’s next to a line item.

It’s means “existing only in theory or as a suggestion or idea. ” So where’s the money, right? This is something my colleague from Delta has talked about numerous times. The Massey Tunnel is one of the worst bottlenecks in western Canada, and there’s nothing that addresses that in this budget. Now, it’s something that the Minister of Transportation likes to talk about, but there’s not really much to talk about if you’ve got no money allocated to it. And I get that. 1482 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Actually, in fairness to the Minister of Finance, that’s actually not one of the things she pointed out in the news- paper article, because I think she…. That’s a vulnerability there, and I completely understand that, but at the end of the day, if you’re going to commit to something, commit. If you’re going to commit to a new hospital in Surrey, com- mit on the right date. Don’t give us two dates. Give us one, and give us a realistic budget. I really do worry about a few things. Like I said, I am a father of three. My wife and I do everything we can, just like everybody in this House, to provide for our family.

For a lot of families right now, it is incredibly tough. To the beginning of my comments, when I said…. It is a problem with NDP governments, and it’s one I don’t think an NDP government has ever learned from. I’ll say it again: “One day — someday, someday soon or someday in the future — you run out of other people’s money. ” When you pile up the deficit after deficit…. We under- stand that a lot of jurisdictions are in deficits right now, but a lot of jurisdictions have plans for what they’re doing with that money. I don’t see a coherent plan. I don’t see a plan for transportation in the Lower Mainland.

We talk about it. We talk about SkyTrain extension; we talk about the Massey replacement; we talk about Highway 10. We talk about all these different things — Highway 1, where’s that? — but at the end of the day, we don’t have a plan. To go back to the file that I speak about a lot, in terms of mental health and addictions, give us a plan. For a minis- ter that doesn’t have the responsibility — it all exists in the Ministry of Health, so that minister is actually responsible for executing what’s in the budget — take the time that you have, and develop a plan. We are in an overdose crisis right now.

We have asked, time after time, for this government to give us something that we can all unite and get behind. Instead, we get piece- meal here, piecemeal there. The worst

part is we get com- ments made. And the minister doesn’t even have the authority, or I don’t know, to stand up and discount the comments made when it comes to people in recovery. I’m going to end it at that. I’m going to say that I am worried that this budget will overpromise and underdeliv- er. I think that’s clear. I’ve said that numerous times. [2:45 p.m.] I hope that this budget is an opportunity for this gov- ernment to understand what British Columbians are ask- ing from them, and that is for transparency and direct accountability. This budget has failed to do both those things. K.

Paddon: I’m happy to speak in support of Budget 2021. I’m grateful to be doing so from the unceded traditional territory of the Stó:lō people. I want to take a moment to express my gratitude. I have spoken once to a throne speech, but I need to take a moment. As a newer MLA, it’s taken me a little bit to understand where my gratitude should be, sometimes. One of the things that I’m overwhelmed with is the support of the staff that works so hard for us.

I do want to take a moment to just express my gratitude to my constituency assistant Lawrence, who works so tirelessly to support and address the needs of the constituents here in Chilliwack-Kent. I’m really grateful for the dedicated work of the staff in the precinct as well, most notably: Cailin Tyrrell, who has found me in the building when I don’t quite know where I am; Devon Leathwood, who helps me with my words; Kaylee Szakacs, who makes sure I’m where I need to be, including here right now; and of course, our hard-work- ing interns, Kala Bryson, Gabriel Martz, Rachel McMillan, Kate Olivares and Arian Zand.

Y ou all come to work every day, whether in-person or virtually, and give your all to make sure that we can serve to the best of our ability. So thank you. I want to recognize what an honour it is to serve and represent Chilliwack-Kent. I’m overwhelmed by the trust and the confidence put in me by all of the communities in our riding. These are Chilliwack and Cultus Lake, Har- rison Hot Springs and Agassiz-Kent, Rosedale and every- where in between. It’s a beautiful riding, and I encourage you, once it’s safe, to come out and check it out, because you won’t regret the trip.

This budget, like any budget, can’t be all things to all people. I understand that. But this budget does build on our commitment to a stronger B.C. for everyone. The focus is not to leave anyone behind, so that we can all move forward together. There is acknowledgment from the opposition that the Minister of Finance has “a lot on her plate, ” as they char- acterize this budget as not blowing anybody’s socks off. It may be generous to understand that the minister has a lot to consider, but there seems to be a forgetting that all Brit- ish Columbians have a lot on their plate, every single one.

Everybody in British Columbia is focused right now on a common goal, although the path there may look different. I don’t understand how, even now, the opposition still doesn’t get it. This isn’t about creating a blockbuster. It’s about taking care of the people during a pandemic and set- ting a path to a healthy and successful recovery for not only people but businesses, which are made up of people. As I listened to the budget speech, I could hear the stories of people who have shared with me over the past months.

I could hear the acknowledgment of where we find ourselves right now — still in the midst of a pandem- ic. I could hear the hope of where we’re heading. I heard the direction and the course that we have set for the future, while acknowledging that we need to continue to be agile, innovative and responsive now to the needs of our current dual health crises. We’re continuing to work through both of those. This word is overused now, but it’s unprecedented. We have a focus, but it’s not the same focus as three years ago Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1483

or, hopefully, three years from now. The one thing that remains consistent is that the focus has to serve the people. I was also reminded of the Speech from the Throne, as I listened to the budget speech.

My favourite sentence, if it’s all right to have just one: “ …building an innovative, sus- tainable and inclusive economy with an eye to the post- pandemic world. ” [2:50 p.m.] Now, it’s my favourite sentence for a lot of reasons, but one of the reasons is the words “innovative, sustainable and inclusive. ” It triggers, for me, the conversations that I’ve had with students, as they’re looking forward to their futures, and what I’m reading in some submissions. Stu- dents are submitting applications for an equity and social change scholarship here in Chilliwack-Kent that I’m sup- porting.

I’m just blown away and completely awed by how amazing these humans are. We are living in a time where, for the last year, everything is hard. Everything is hard, and our buckets aren’t getting filled in the same way socially, emotionally, developmentally. I’m reading applications from the graduating class here in Chilliwack-Kent, and I’m seeing students who are focused on others, who are focused on raising others up, not maintaining the status quo, not protecting only them- selves and their friends.

In this hard time, people are reaching out to raise others up, understanding that none of us rise unless all of us do. Those are not my words, and I know it. I’m just not sure who to quote at the moment. They’re embracing so much change rather than fighting it. This is absolutely not to minimize the fact that the struggles and the stress and the anxiety that they’re living with right now — that everyone is living with right now — change everything. Y et I’m seeing these students take on leadership roles in traditional or non-traditional ways. I’m seeing them speak for each other.

I’m seeing them open to conversations about mental health, to conversations about gender identity and intersectionality and to understand- ing their impact on others. Now more than ever, maybe we can come to a place where we understand our individual impact on others, as we’re separated in so many ways. One of the other things that I thought of when the words around innovation and sustainability and inclusion came up was the arts. We are living history right now.

It is our artists and our performers, our creators, who are going to be able to capture and speak a language that will be able to communicate what this looks like, what this feels like into the future. This is not only a sector — the arts. It’s a way of life, and it’s an outlet. It’s a way of healing and sus- taining, and it’s a way of coming together. One local organization here that serves youth, the Chil- liwack School of Performing Arts, has had to completely pivot. They have been responsive to every health order. They have made adjustments not only based on what Dr.

Bonnie Henry is guiding us to do but also in recognition of the youth that they serve and what those youths’ needs are. They continue to create, and they create new ways to cre- ate and connect. This is innovation. This is inclusiveness. Y ou need both of those for anything to be sustainable and healthy, so I have to shout out to them. They’re not alone. So many local artists are creating in ways that are completely original. They’re capturing this time, and they’re giving us an outlet.

So I was incredibly proud of our government when we supported 13 arts and culture organizations here in Chilliwack-Kent, recogniz- ing the importance of this sector, of this way of life. With regard to inclusion, there are a lot of pieces of this budget, as well as the throne speech previous, that touch on this need for inclusion, this need for that framing. I know that our government has committed to inclusion and accessibility.

I think that it’s important to pause and just recognize that there have been lessons hard-learned from COVID — lessons about inclusion, about old excuses that separate us that were based on habit. We have learned new ways to be productive. We have learned new ways to come together and innovate. [2:55 p.m.] Work production, work productivity have changed dra- matically. Environments and attitudes that used to exclude, be it because of gender, be it because of ability level or disability or other intersectional identity issues…. We don’t ever have to go back there.

I think that that’s really critical, and a lot of the investments made by this government and planned by this government acknowledge that we have come a long way, and there are more oppor- tunities now than there were before with respect to how we approach work and inclusion and acceptance. I’m excited to be part of a government that won’t fall back into old habits that were just done that way because it was the way it was always done. The pandemic has changed the world. It’s changed my world. I don’t know anybody whose world it hasn’t changed. Let this be a good thing that’s changed.

Stories of the last 13 months filled my mind as I read through the budget. The path charted ahead describes the priorities and the work that will be done here, in response to what we always serve first: the people of British Colum- bia. There is still a lot of work to do. I know in Chilliwack-Kent…. I was going through the list, taking a look at the work that’s been done here in Chilliwack-Kent, just since the fall. It was exciting. I have to say, some of the highlights in this beautiful area….

Our government is partnered with Tzeachten First Nation and welcomed 23 new affordable rental homes through the Building B.C.: community housing fund. They’ve supported Indigenous communities and organizations to end gender-based violence through a project by Seabird Island Band. We have the recovery benefit for individuals and fam- ilies, and I hear every day from people who have told me: “This made a big difference. I needed this. It arrived just in time. ” 1484 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

We have improved forest service roads, providing access to different areas in our constituency. Our government has supported 16 local PACs and DPACs. We have the busi- ness recovery grant, which I’ll talk about in a moment, because this is a big piece of information from my area in Budget 2021. Capped fees for food delivery. We’ve doubled CleanBC home retrofit rebates. This is a really big issue. Locally, I’ve heard from several people who have said that this will make a difference. This helps with affordability. Made $10 million investment to help persons with dis- abilities return to the workforce.

For myself, I previously mentioned inclusion and accessibility, especially where work is concerned. This continues that. This can build on that. The government has invested in 25 new micro-creden- tial programs, including one here at UFV in Chilliwack- Kent. That’s going to be fantastic. Not everybody has time to commit to a long degree. Sometimes it’s those micro- credentials that will give people either a taste of that sector or the information that they need to get started. They funded four local projects through B.C. com- munity economic recovery infrastructure program.

They’re investing in three large-scale school additions. Now, this is massive. Those are three schools where stu- dents will have classrooms instead of portables. That’s fant- astic. They’ve partnered with Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society to provide 50 additional supportive homes and a 40-bed shelter. They’ve extended the rent freeze, capped future rent increases, and stopped illegal renovictions. These all have a direct impact. All of these things that I’ve mentioned, I’ve heard from people about how this impacts their life. The list goes on, and this is only since the fall.

Budget 2021 addresses immediate challenges and builds a founda- tion for a strong recovery, with new investments in health and mental health services, business supports, affordable housing and child care, and helps to keep life more afford- able for families. [3:00 p.m.] I’m also very excited about record levels of job creation and community infrastructure. This budget continues to build on the work and investments that we have made, and I’m proud to support it.

One way that our government is investing, especially here in Chilliwack-Kent, as well as across the province, is through the grants available to businesses impacted by the pandemic. In the Chilliwack and Kent area, there’s been over $1 million received by businesses. Now, this is money going to our neighbours, our business owners, that will help pay employees, that will take a little bit of pressure off the businesses. This is $1 million that is going directly to people we see in our community. They’re not faceless. They’re not numbers. That’s an incredible investment in Chilliwack-Kent.

In addition to this, we have a lot of people from around Chilliwack as well as Chilliwack-Kent. If you’re not famil- iar with our ridings, they’re inextricably linked. I’ll talk about the area generally for a second. We have people championing our small and medium- sized businesses, and seeing the investment that govern- ment is willing to make, seeing the priority that govern- ment is making small and medium-sized businesses, has encouraged our communities to do the same. They’re matching that. They’re ordering takeout. They’re using patios. They’re shopping and buying and eating locally.

It’s a wave on social media. I’m seeing pictures all the time. So it’s not just what our government is investing. It’s what people are inspiring, because we’re recognizing that these are our neighbours and these employees are our neighbours. These businesses who give us so much as a community need us now. So it’s our turn to give back. Now, like the flowers that are popping up — dandelions all over my backyard — I see newness here as well in Chil- liwack-Kent.

I see businesses that have opened up in the midst of COVID at various times, like the Corner Café in Agassiz, which, when you come to Chilliwack-Kent, is a must-try for anyone who loves pastries and crepes. Their croque monsieur is…. Well, just order it. Y ou’ll be happy. Another business is the brand-new TwoChiefs. Accord- ing to their web page — there’s been a lot of attention on it lately — TwoChiefs is 100 percent Indigenous-owned, by Kirkland Douglas. Kirkland is a member of the Cheam First Nation from the Stó:lô Nation territory. He’s opened this business.

The name “TwoChiefs” is in honour of Kirk- land’s dad and grandfather, who both served as chiefs of their nation. Their teachings, he says, will guide TwoChiefs as a new brand. This brand features authentic designs by Indigenous artists, including local Nikki LaRock. Our government is prioritizing business, and we can see it in the investments they’re making in our community and across British Columbia. We know the answer that people are wishing for right now — the answer that it’s over, that we’re okay now, right now, today…. We can’t provide that in this budget.

But what this budget does do is it protects us as we get there together. There’s a light as we roll out the largest vaccine campaign ever. And when we’ve come through this, this budget lays out a plan for recov- ery. It sets us up to be able to carry on and to be stronger together. As I mentioned before, not everybody will see every- thing that they want. We’re hearing from the opposition that there are big gaps. There are big things that they’ d really like to see.

It seems that it took a pandemic to inspire and hear from so many of the opposition as they rise to speak about where they see the needs of our most margin- alized, our most vulnerable, the gaps in the areas that they previously didn’t seem concerned about, as they acclimat- ize to thinking about our most vulnerable, to noticing our most vulnerable. Now that we’re in a situation where everyone is Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1485

impacted rather than only the most vulnerable, it’s under- standable that they may not completely understand the intersectionality and complexity of social issues and con- structs that are being magnified by this pandemic. [3:05 p.m.] This can’t be fixed by a tax cut to the wealthy or a cash infusion from ICBC, and any oversimplification or silo- ing of these issues, making representations as though they occur in a vacuum, does significant disservice to British Columbia.

It is understandable that my colleagues across would be overwhelmed now, as the harsh reality of the pandemic also impacts them, where it’s no longer an accommodation for somebody else but rather their life as well. It’s easy to see how they might miss the vision of Budget 2021. This new world view can be overwhelming and scary — put- ting people first, protecting people’s health and livelihoods through this pandemic and into recovery. There’s good news. British Columbians have been extremely clear that the values, ideas and priorities of our government are their values and priorities.

Their voices and needs were heard as they chose B.C. ’s most diverse, most progressive majority government ever. Why? I think it’s because our government has been focused on all British Columbians the whole time and has been working and will continue to work, as there is much to do on supporting British Columbians not only through this pandemic but into a more inclusive and innovative and sustainable future. Budget 2021 continues to honour the immediate and future needs of British Columbians. This is why I support it. Thank you very much. B.

Stewart: It is an honour to rise in the House, as I know many of my colleagues, our colleagues, are not able to do that. First, I want to thank everyone in this chamber for their work in this province. I think it’s important to reflect on the fact that we’re all here because we share a love for this province and because we want to make it better. We’re all here to give British Columbians a bet- ter life, though our ideas to move forward and heal from this pandemic differ greatly. Unfortunately, it’s this difference that fuels this debate today.

I believe Budget 2021 is a disappointing and lackluster proposal on how we move the province forward. It’s clear in this budget that the NDP are letting down Brit- ish Columbians, as there is a lot of work to do. We all know that, and you acknowledge it. We are facing an unpar- alleled crisis, and this second-term NDP government has, I think, let down British Columbians, without a clear path- way forward. That’s what British Columbians asked for. That’s what you told them you were going to do in the October election.

All I can say is that this budget is about spending money in areas that, frankly, don’t all need to have the increases that are being proposed. Frankly, the things about economic recovery, the real substance and back- bone of what creates an economy…. At a time when British Columbians are finally starting to think about a world on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear that this government has no plan to secure a bright future. Instead of big ideas from this government, we’re getting big deficits and bigger government. Spending and taxes.

Well, there’s some déjà vu in this chamber, because we have all seen an NDP budget like this before. In the late 1990s — and perhaps many of the new members weren’t even in business or working yet — the NDP threw taxpayers’ dollars at problems, hoping it would resolve complex issues with a blank cheque. It didn’t work. Time and time again, we see the same thing. The fact that the deficits and the operating deficit were stagger- ing in 2001, when our government took over and had to make adjustments — that’s what we don’t want to have to go through again.

Now after a snap election, which jeopardized the health and the safety of our society, the NDP are sinking back into their old ways. As my colleague said, there is spending widely and there is spending well. This government is not choosing to spend well. By the end of this government’s second term, the NDP will have added $10,000 of addi- tional debt to every British Columbian. [3:10 p.m.] The total debt-to-GDP . I don’t know how many mem- bers know what that measurement is, but I know that when I arrived in this House, we had a debt-to-GDP that was around 17 percent. We had the ’08 financial crisis.

We had all sorts of crises on all fronts, with people not knowing where the economy was. This budget forecasts a debt-to-GDP of 26.9 percent. I’m sure that the credit- rating agencies are going to have something to say about that in time. Provincial debt is now at $103 billion. It doesn’t sound like much based on what the federal government is talking about, but the economy in this province is much smaller than the federal economy. The fact is that this budget in the last four years has grown from under $47.5 billion to where now we’re nearing $70 billion. Just think about that.

In four years, we’ve had that big an increase. It’s staggering. The debt is going to rise to $127 billion. Some of that debt is with…. Twenty-three new and increased taxes is what’s helping defray that. But for all of this debt, what are British Columbians actually receiving in terms of job programs, renter rebates, housing advance- ments, road improvements? Well, I’m sorry to say not very much. This government seems intent to spend a lot but give out less to people in need of support — more costs, less services — which is just a bad deal for B.C.

Now, we know in the last session, or the parliament, the government criticized about ICBC. We knew that there was a pandemic, and insurance companies across the country gave rebates because there was less driving going 1486 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

on. Now British Columbians are just starting to receive their cheques, the last in Canada, the last to be fully dis- tributed in the country. It’s still nowhere to be seen for some, not to mention that some regular drivers are getting cheques just worth the price of the postage. Those who drive luxury cars are getting far bigger rebates. To worsen the impact on drivers, the Premier’s long- awaited gas price relief is yet to be seen. Motorists have been paying higher prices or immense prices at the pumps for the last two years now. The new Pattullo Bridge is still a four-lane bridge.

Gran- ted, it has safety improvements for pedestrians and cyc- lists, but it’s still a four-lane bridge. It’s still at an early stage and has the same motor vehicle capacity over the current bridge. The situation is no better for those commuters in Tsawwassen and Delta, south of the Fraser, with the Mas- sey Tunnel crossing. As funding is nowhere in sight, this tunnel will continue to be a headache for all. No word on the final phase of BCAA ’s worst road in B.C.

Jim Edgson, former regional director and the head of the road improvement committee from 20 years ago, worked hard to get the first three of four phases. We’re still wait- ing for that final phase, to the Minister of Transportation. We would like to see that. Every day there are over 125 school children that drive on roads that are too narrow, confirmed by the Ministry of Transportation, that need to be improved. Jobs. With high unemployment and the only jobs growth focused in on part-time jobs, the NDP still has no economic recovery or jobs plan.

Why is there no incentive for businesses to try to hire people, to find ways to innov- ate? There are bright people out there, but we’ve come to a situation where we think that giving out money to the workers, etc…. I know that many of them have been hard hit, but we want them to be able to get back to where they have jobs and they can take care of themselves and not be on this treadmill where they’re just receiving loans or grants from the government. What about the businesses? There are no new supports in the budget for people struggling right now that need to get help today.

Despite the Premier’s promise of a made- in-B.C. solution, there’s still no paid sick leave. During a pandemic, which will be affecting British Columbians for the foreseeable future, this is unacceptable. There’s no new comprehensive funding for jobs and economic recovery. I know we heard earlier today about InBC. I’m looking forward to more details on that. But I still believe that there’s still $1.1 billion of recovery funding that’s unalloc- ated.

We saw during the last year that we approved $5 bil- lion on March 23, and then we came back and approved another $2 billion to add on to that and another $1 billion. Really, a lot of that money came out during the election, when businesses were shut down and failing earlier than that. I hope that that’s not what the plan is to do with that contingency. [3:15 p.m.] The only jobs plan seems to be the expansion of govern- ment, by 60,000 positions, with more than 40,000 private sector workers remaining unemployed. Y ou know, if I was paying minimum wage….

I’m pretty certain that those government jobs are not minimum wage. I’m going to use the cost of roughly $30 an hour, which is probably more realistic, which is about $62,500 — 10 percent for bene- fits, the employer health tax and all the other things. That roughly works out, at a mere $68,400 per employee, to $4.2 billion per year. That’s part of our spending plan this year. We’re going to increase taxpayer-funded employees. Granted, many may be needed, but at the end of the day, it’s a cost on the tax- payer.

No word on how the thousands of jobs lost in the private sector are going to be recovered and how those workers will be supported. It is through meaningful investment in the private sec- tor that we can see economic stimulation. Invest in the sectors B.C. wants to see grow — small businesses, green technology. We know we have CleanBC, and the minister is here. Tourism. What about that?

Today I’m seeing all sorts of reports from different associations, etc., and an industry that just does not know how they’re to get through to even the end of May, with this current lockdown — the cancel- lations, the road closures and all of those things that we have heard about in the recent week. The bottom line is that this is an industry that needs clear help to get out of this, because they’re losing their businesses. Real people hire real people. Invest in the private sector now — tourism, restaurants and small busi- ness. Maybe temporary PST relief. Something that is nov- el, to incentivize people.

And 85 percent of the construction workers are being told that they can’t work on B.C. projects if they’re not part of the CBA ’s labour hiring policy. That has been very unconstructive for many of the organizations in my par- ticular riding. They’ve actually had to terminate relations with other unions, just so that they can do CBA agree- ments. We’ve seen this idea of investments work in previous years by previous governments, such as the innovative clean energy fund, a $50 million fund out of the carbon tax that we brought in to government — 2008.

This fund was designed to support the province’s energy and envir- onmental priorities, but it also was new, clean, innovative technology. We saw all sorts of examples of that, and the fact is that I think that that’s one area that I’m sure the min- ister will be thinking about or has thought about. Since 2008, the ICE fund has committed more than about $104 million to support pre-commercial, clean energy technology projects, clean energy vehicles, research and development, energy efficiency programs. Where are these type of innovations and creative investments in Budget 2021? Not to be found.

It’s now more important than ever that the NDP comes Tuesday, April 27, 2021 British Columbia Debates 1487

up with a jobs plan to help restore the health of the eco- nomy. Not doing so means workers, families and busi- nesses will continue to pay the price for NDP incompet- ence. The B.C. Liberals were calling for a private sector jobs plan — a jobs plan that included women and youth — and that’s still missing. Let’s talk a little bit about housing. Many British Colum- bians, young and old, are being forced to rent at exorbit- ant housing prices across this province. Y ou all know that. The bottom line is every single community in this province is in crisis, with high rents and higher housing prices.

Every community from Fernie to Lake Country, Victor- ia to Chilliwack to Prince George, beyond Dawson Creek, and countless other communities across this province are feeling the squeeze, as housing continues to be considered a commodity by this government. We have heard of the promises of affordability from the NDP’s promised $400 renters rebate. Well, that really wouldn’t mean very much today, considering that rents have gone up by $2,500 on average in the city of Van- couver. I just don’t think that it’s appropriate and respons- ible to make promises like that, that have gone unfulfilled. Look at the $500.

Look at how much effort it took to get that out in December, with all of the promises. It’s difficult to just roll this money out, when you don’t have a plan. [3:20 p.m.] I think that one of the things, to just put a perspective on affordability…. A yearly three-zone pass at TransLink is now $2,124. These renters that didn’t get the grant have seen their annual travel budget sink away into rent increases alone in only four years. As far as home ownership, this ship has more than sailed for countless British Columbians. It’s not on our watch. We were blamed — the fact that it was foreign buy- ers.

We put in a foreign buyers tax in 2015, a tax of 15 per- cent. The number of foreign buyers last year was a mere 1 percent in British Columbia. They’re not the problem. The problem is supply. The B.C. Real Estate Association says that the average B.C. home price is up 20.4 percent, year over year, in March 2021, with no plans from the gov- ernment on how we work with municipalities. How do we find those solutions? I know that there have been announcements made by the minister. But the situation is: how are we going to get to affordable housing?

Y ou can’t choke off supply with the delays that municipalities are putting in front of the private sector to actually build real housing and get supply hap- pening out there. There is a report I saw yesterday that housing owner- ship during the pandemic crisis has grown from a mere 3 percent up to 27 percent. That’s how many people believe that they want to own. Interest rates are certainly very attractive, but the housing prices are staggering. In our hottest housing market, the prospect of home own- ership is going to take a mere 34 years to save for the down payment for a typical Vancouver home.

It’s out of reach. It’s not affordable. Add on to that student loans, transportation costs, an individual’s and family’s worth of expenses. There’s no hope there. There’s no action on the red tape in local housing devel- opment. Unnecessary zoning is forcing people to live fur- ther and further on the outskirts of desirable urban centres. We need to build infrastructure. I know that there are lots of promises, but we’ve got to get it built. These skyrocketing costs are spurred, at least in part, by the diminishing supply.

We’ve had this government for nearly four years, and one of the results is the lowest supply of homes since 2000, a 21-year low, dating back to the previ- ous NDP government. I wonder if this is a coincidence. The NDP have introduced $2 billion for the Hous- ingHub to support the construction of middle-class homes. But without a contingency plan, who can say whether this is a wise investment for government to be making? Is it going to help new families finance the new homes, or is it going to become a boon for government budgets?

For some, the rising cost of housing is compounding with the helpless situation they face with the ever-increas- ing strata insurance costs. I know that we’re going to hear more on that later this year to see if we can get more competition in the market. The bottom line: this govern- ment took power during a pandemic by promising afford- ability, yet nearly everyone is paying more. That’s not just this election; that’s the previous election. The Premier can question that and stand up and talk about the tolls.

But at the end of the day, it’s costing more to live in British Col- umbia, not by a little bit but by a long shot. What is worse is that all of this unaffordability is actually the basis of the NDP’s budget. This government is using extreme wealth gathered through the property purchase tax — a tax that they used to oppose and scrutinize — to throw money at problems, rather than creating a compre- hensive post-pandemic plan. Y esterday in this House, we talked a bit about the opioid crisis. Last year 1,724 people died from drug overdoses.

The first two months of this year were on track, at 320 people in the first two months, to exceed 1,900 British Col- umbians losing their lives to that. More has to be done to address the health aspects of drug addiction. Governments must fund the four pillars of recovery: harm reduction, prevention, treatment and enforcement. More treatment beds, stepped-up preven- tion, early intervention in our schools are the measures we must take to ensure proper mental health and addiction care in B.C.

There must be a full spectrum of care to ensure effective and accessible treatment in recovery programs. [3:25 p.m.] What’s frustrating in this budget and the overdose prevention funding is that only $15 million is going to the overdoses. Despite a $500 million, three-year plan to invest in mental health, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions still has a budget of $13 million, which is 1488 British Columbia Debates Tuesday, April 27, 2021

still smaller than the Premier’s increased budget of $15 million. Y esterday the minister confirmed that 195 new treat- ment beds are funded, but that’s not enough. Leading up to the 2017 election, we had opened 500 mental health and recovery be

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20210427pm-Hansard-n60
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20210427pm Hansard n60
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	4fbb2e7f780209a636de7b8ca1934f6b132eb0b1

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