First Session, 43rd Parliament

Official Report

of Debates

( Hansard )

Monday, March 10, 2025

Afternoon Sitting

Issue No. 21

The Honourable Raj Chouhan , Speaker

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

Contents

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Personal Statements

Message of Appreciation

Hon. Bowinn Ma

Introductions by Members

Members’ Statements

Jubiel “Jube” Wickheim

Dana Lajeunesse

Senior Link Society in Richmond

Hon Chan

Burial Sites at Residential Schools and Support for Survivors and Families

Amshen / Joan Phillip

Queensborough Community Support for Track and Turf Field Initiative

Steve Kooner

Selkirk College Technology Access Centre Lab

Steve Morissette

Mark Ponting

Brennan Day

Oral Questions

Carbon Tax Policy and Revenues

John Rustad

Hon. David Eby

Peter Milobar

Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson

Seismic Impacts of Fracking and Oversight of Oil and Gas Industry

Jeremy Valeriote

Hon. Adrian Dix

Government Action on Homelessness and Community Safety in Downtown Eastside

Elenore Sturko

Hon. Garry Begg

Hon. Ravi Kahlon

Budget Provisions for Security at FIFA World Cup Event

Bruce Banman

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert

Community Safety in Chilliwack

Á’a:líya Warbus

Hon. Garry Begg

Crime in Communities and Action on Community Safety

Reann Gasper

Hon. Garry Begg

Community Safety in Kelowna

Gavin Dew

Hon. Garry Begg

Crime in Communities and Action on Community Safety

Steve Kooner

Hon. Garry Begg

Mental Health and Addiction Issues and Action on Community Safety

Brennan Day

Hon. Josie Osborne

Government Action on Repeat Offenders and Crime in Communities

Linda Hepner

Hon. Niki Sharma

Kiel Giddens

Involuntary Care for Mental Health and Addiction Issues

Trevor Halford

Hon. Josie Osborne

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate (continued)

Hon. Jagrup Brar

Gavin Dew

Stephanie Higginson

Harman Bhangu

Hon. Christine Boyle

Scott McInnis

Sunita Dhir

Claire Rattée

Second Reading of Bills

Bill M204 — Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Strategy Act (continued)

Monday, March 10, 2025

The House met at 1:33 p.m.

[The Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Hon. Mike Farnworth : In the gallery today, visiting us here in Victoria, is His Excellency Can Dizdar,

the ambassador of Türkiye to Canada.

He’s accompanied by Mr. Hüseyin Emrah Kurt, consul general from the Consulate General

of the Republic of Türkiye in Vancouver, and Mrs. Ilgin Su Çatalkaya Üstörk, the second

secretary of the embassy.

Would the House please make these distinguished guests most welcome to our beautiful

province.

The Speaker : Member for Surrey-Panorama. No? Sorry.

Kamloops–North Thompson.

You look like the identical brother of Surrey-Panorama.

Ward Stamer : Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I do believe that the hon. member is my brother,

so thank you very much for that.

I have a couple of people I’d like to recognize — I know there are a few others that

will be as well — from the realtors group that was here.

First up, I have Kadin Rainville, from Kamloops. He’s current vice-president of the

board of directors for the Association of Interior Realtors.

We also have Chelsea Mann here, who is past president and currently on the board of

directors.

Will the House please make them welcome.

[1:35 p.m.]

Personal Statements

Message of Appreciation

Hon. Bowinn Ma : My family had a terrible scare this weekend when my daughter’s hand was sucked into

the edge between an elevator door and the elevator door frame. All four fingers were

caught there. When we finally managed to get her out, screaming and in pain, and all

her fingers were all blue, the first place we took her was the urgent and primary

care centre across the street.

I just wanted to thank, so much, the incredible staff over at the James Bay Urgent

and Primary Care Centre for helping us in our moment of need. She’s okay, but boy,

could it have been a heck of a lot worse. I know that the health authorities monitor

these question periods, so I hope they’ll be able to send my personal gratitude to

the team there.

Would the House please help me thank all of the incredible health care workers that

help families like mine each and every day.

Introductions by Members

Mandeep Dhaliwal : I would like to introduce Sarbat Da Bhala Aid, from Surrey. They are dedicated to

helping those in need.

Sarbat da bhala means “well-being” to our community. Sarbat Da Bhala Free Aid Society

has been providing food and clothing to those in need. For the past five years, four

days a week, they have served, for 18 days each month.

Thank you to Harjit Gill, Baljinder Sangha, Upkar Singh Basra, Gurdeep Singh Kailay,

Santokh Singh Chandi, Manjit Singh Dhillon, Malkit Singh Purewal, Balraj Singh Sanghera,

Shingara Singh Dhaliwal, Ravinder Singh Padda and Gurkirat Singh Soch.

Thank you to everybody.

Hon. Christine Boyle : Joining us in the gallery here today is a group from the ʔiiḥatisatḥ First Nation, Chief Simon John and Councillor Chrissie John; as well as Domenico

Iannidinardo, CEO and vice-chair of Strategic Natural Resource Consultants; Rod Visser,

lead negotiator; James Tate, legal counsel; and other members of their team as well.

They’re in Victoria today for meetings with government and their community.

ʔiiḥatisatḥ is located in the Zeballos Inlet, which is on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island.

It’s lovely to get to meet with them and to work alongside them in the really important

work they’re doing.

Will the House please join me in making them very welcome.

Pete Davis : It’s my honour to introduce Kaytee Sharun from Cranbrook, my hometown. I’m not sure

where she’s sitting here, but she’s here with the realtors.

Kaytee is the president of the Association of Interior Realtors, representing 2,600

members. She works with Royal LePage East Kootenay Realty and the Wheeldon Group.

She has been a dedicated realtor in my riding since 2012.

Please join me in welcoming Kaytee to the House.

Kristina Loewen : It’s a privilege for me, as a realtor from Kelowna and from the Okanagan, to welcome

some more realtors to this House.

On top of the list, I want to welcome Kim Heizmann, who’s the current director of

BCREA. As well, she was president and vice-president of AIR, as we like to call the

Association of Interior Realtors, when I started.

I also want to welcome Seth Scott — I have two notepapers — from BCREA advocacy; Mohamed

Ladak, CEO of AIR; as well as Ryan Mayne, on the board of directors for AIR; and Daniel

Kreines, government relations and policy.

Please join me in welcoming them.

Peter Milobar : We have several members from the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association of B.C. here

today. We have Rebecca Casey, Carla Giles, Sabeena Bubber, Jeff Brown, Julie Sheremeto,

Christine Buemann and Dave Teixeira.

Will the House please make them all welcome.

[1:40 p.m.]

Lynne Block : I also would like to welcome people from the B.C. Real Estate Association, specifically

Leon Prescesky, Taylor Biggar, Tore Jacobson, Ray Harris and, particularly, Lisa Morris,

who is from my riding, West Vancouver–Capilano.

I really enjoyed their discussion this morning because I learned a lot from their

expertise and experiences, which we can really, really utilize, moving forward.

Scott McInnis : I have three members of my family here today.

First of all, from beautiful Fort Steele, British Columbia, my mother-in-law, Ellen

Dearden. My wife, Diana, is back again from Kimberley. My son, Luke, who turns 15

in a few days, made the ultimate sacrifice to take his ski boots off for a few days

and come out and watch us work.

Would you please welcome them to the House.

Korky Neufeld : We also had a great meeting with the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board this morning,

so I just want to give them a shout-out.

Thank you for their partnership and ongoing contributions that they do in the city

of Abbotsford.

Hon. Mike Farnworth : I also have another introduction to make. We have some amazing companies in our province,

and one of them is Terra Remote Sensing.

They do a lot of work with lidar, and their company has mapped more than 10 percent

of our province in projects for their various clients.

With us today from Terra Remote Sensing is Taylor Davis and David Mostyn.

Would the House please make them most welcome.

John Rustad : Although he’s already been introduced, I want to take an opportunity, once again,

to welcome Harjit Gill here from Sher-e-Punjab.

I remember when I was first doing some work with them, I was on his radio show numerous

times, and he is a great broadcaster.

Will the House please make him welcome.

Members’ Statements

Jubiel “Jube” Wickheim

Dana Lajeunesse : Today I would like to honour the remarkable life of an extraordinary figure from

my riding, Jubiel “Jube” Wickheim, a master of log-rolling who passed away February

17 at the age of 90.

Jube’s journey began as the son of a Norwegian couple who homesteaded near Sooke.

Alongside his brothers Maywell and Ardy, he honed his skills working the log booms

in Sooke Basin, earning pocket money and laying the foundation for his future success.

Jube was not only a world champion log-roller but also a dedicated husband, father

and grandfather. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to start several businesses, including

a gravel company, a tree-falling business and a farm in Shawnigan Lake. His strong

work ethic and commitment to his family were evident in every aspect of his life.

Jube’s achievements in log-rolling are unparalleled. He won ten world championships,

a record that remains unbeaten, and claimed multiple titles in the U.S. Open, Canadian

championship, Vancouver Island championship. He holds the title for the most successful

log-roller in Canadian history, a testament to his skill and determination.

His influence extended far beyond Canada. Through Wickheim Timber Shows, Jube and

his brother Ardy showcased their talents to audiences worldwide from Sweden to Japan,

South America to North America, including a notable performance at Expo 67. Jube’s

contributions to logger sports were pioneering, and he was a founding member of CanLog,

serving on its executive committee for years.

Despite his unconventional style, Jube’s mental toughness and persistence made him

a fierce competitor. He set the Guinness World Record for the longest log-rolling

match, lasting two hours and 40 minutes, in 1956 at the Albany Timber Carnival.

[1:45 p.m.]

Yet more than his personal achievements, Jube valued sharing the history and tradition

of log-rolling, introducing it to new audiences and ensuring its legacy. Many of Wickheim’s

notes and artifacts have been donated to the B.C. forestry museum in Duncan, and several

trophies and photos are in the Sooke Region Museum where Wickheim’s sister and the

last remaining sibling, Elida Peers, now 93, is the historian.

Jube was a humble storyteller who enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experiences. He

didn’t boast about his accomplishments but took pride in the influence and legacy

he left behind.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mavis; their three children; nine grandchildren;

and three great-grandchildren.

The Speaker : Members, keep your statements within the two-minute allotment, please.

Senior Link Society in Richmond

Hon Chan : This past Saturday I had the honour of attending the 25th anniversary celebration

of the Richmond Senior Link Society. This is a remarkable milestone, and I want to

extend my deepest gratitude to the past and present board members, volunteers, community

supporters who have contributed to this organization’s success.

For 25 years, Richmond Senior Link Society has been a pillar in our community, dedicated

to improving the well-being of seniors through wellness programs, social activities

and outreach services. This organization has made a real difference in the lives of

so many. Their work ensures that seniors remain connected, supported and empowered

to live fulfilling lives.

A society is measured by how well it cares for its elders. In Chinese, we have an

old saying,

家有一老，如有一寶 ,

which means “having a senior in the family is like having a treasure in a house.”

Seniors have spent their lives building our community, raising families and contributing

in countless ways. It is only right that we ensure they continue to live with dignity,

respect and the support they deserve.

Richmond is not only a diverse and vibrant city, but it is also home to the highest

life expectancy in Canada. According to the Statistics Canada report, Richmond residents

live an average of 85.7 years, more than four years longer than the national average.

However, we know that life expectancy can vary by as much as 30 years across Metro

Vancouver, showing that there is still work to be done to ensure our seniors receive

the care they need.

As our senior population continues to grow, the work of Richmond’s Senior Link Society

will become even more essential. I have no doubt that they will continue to be leaders

in senior care and community support.

I look forward to working alongside organizations like this to ensure that Richmond

remains a great place to age with dignity.

Burial Sites at Residential

Schools and Support for

Survivors and Families

Amshen / Joan Phillip : I want to thank the lək̓ʷəŋən- speaking people through Esquimalt and T’Sou-ke for the opportunity to do this work here today.

I’d like to talk about the residential schools. As I understand, there has been some

misinformation being spread by members of this House.

After the findings on the grounds of the former residential school in Kamloops, I

got a call from a friend of mine saying her dad called her, crying. He told her, “I

know where the bodies are buried,” because they made the older children bury the young

kids.

Racism should never be a partisan issue. We all need to come together to work towards

a better future for everyone, and that starts with listening to communities and believing

them when they tell you they’ve been harmed. Indigenous peoples across Canada have

been harmed by colonialism and racism, both of which continue to this day.

[1:50 p.m.]

So I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for using their voices

to correct this harmful misinformation, because it is not okay, and it’s never been

okay. Speaking out requires courage, and I lift my hands up to you for using your

voices responsibly.

Denying the history and pain of the survivors retraumatizes the very people we need

to be standing up for. I hope that, going forward, we remember that we all have a

responsibility to support all our constituents.

No one should stay silent on racism. Truth and reconciliation matter more than political

gains.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Huy ch q’u siem.

Queensborough Community Support

for Track and Turf Field Initiative

Steve Kooner : It’s an honour to speak about the Queensborough community today and their community

advocacy work for a track and turf field in recent years.

Queensborough is in New Westminster, part of my constituency, and Queensborough residents

have come together to do something great for youth, seniors and the whole community.

In recent years, local community groups such as the parent advisory councils at the

Queensborough elementary and middle schools, the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar and the

New Westminster Soccer Club, amongst others, have advocated for a track and turf field

in Queensborough.

The parents in this community have been facing some hardship in driving their children

to organized sports clubs in uptown New Westminster, and organized sports clubs have

been unwilling to come to Queensborough, as they complain that the playing fields

in Queensborough are unsuitable due to grass and soil conditions turning muddy from

late fall to early spring. Moreover, many seniors have faced safety issues around

walking along neighbourhood ditches and roads without adequate sidewalks to walk on.

I’m happy to report the Queensborough community has been active and has taken action

on their community’s concerns. The Queensborough community attended and spoke at a

New Westminster city council meeting in support of the track and turf field back in

Recently, now in 2025, the city of New Westminster had a consultation meeting with

the Queensborough residents about the track and turf field. I really commend the community

for not giving up on their track and turf field community dream and for their continued

community advocacy for youth, seniors and neighbours.

I will continue to support this community’s track and turf field initiative, and I

hope all members of this House can also support this great community initiative as

well.

Selkirk College Technology

Access Centre Lab

Steve Morissette : Today I am excited to shine the light on the Selkirk College Technology Access Centre,

or STAC lab. Rural colleges are economic drivers throughout the province, and they

provide the programming that fits the needs of their region.

The STAC lab, located in Trail, is an exciting place that trains people for jobs that

will lead to a new and diversified economy. This lab uses scanners, 3-D printers,

water jet cutters, CNC-operated machines and robotics to design and fabricate all

manner of parts and pieces, as well as robotic arms to do various tasks.

Our STAC lab is the only applied research facility in our region and one of three

technology access centres in B.C. — along with Camosun, which works in advanced manufacturing,

and Okanagan College — working in researching wine and spirit development.

Our STAC lab is second in B.C. for colleges’ applied research, behind only BCIT; third

in Canada for paid student researchers; and first in industry research income growth.

STAC’s leader, Jason Taylor, the passionate department head and researcher, was invited

to participate in the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research

last year.

But the STAC lab isn’t just research. They produce parts for local industry that are

simply not available to purchase anywhere else. Our dams, smelter, pulp mill and battery

recyclers all use their unique services.

[1:55 p.m.]

Our local colleges are key to rural and B.C. economies, and research labs like STAC

are leading us to new jobs.

Thank you to all British Columbia colleges for being the leaders we need to develop

and diversify our economy for a new world.

Mark Ponting

Brennan Day : Today I rise to honour the life of Mark Ponting, a pillar of the north Island forestry

industry, a devoted husband and a loving father. Mark was a man of resilience, skill

and unwavering determination whose impact on our community will not be forgotten.

His life, however, was not without challenges, but he met each one head-on.

On May 17, 2024, Mark and his family lost their float camp to a fire, a devastating

blow, but they pressed on. Then only months later, on December 27, they faced an even

greater heartbreak when Mark’s son-in-law Jared Cook, a forester himself, passed away

suddenly. Still, Mark carried on.

Tragedy stuck again on January 4, 2025, when he suffered a severe accident while working

on his dock on Cortes Island, where he ended up in the water and was rescued by a

fellow employee. It took five hours to get him off the island, and after initial surgery

in Campbell River, he was transferred to Victoria General for a gruelling nine-hour

operation, five plates placed — two in his leg, one in his hip and two in his right

arm.

He was transferred back to the valley, and despite the odds, Mark fought with the

same strength and perseverance that defined him. On February 24, surrounded by excellent

care, he passed away in hospital.

To Nancy and all who loved Mark: our hearts are with you. You are not alone. The north

Island stands with you in mourning and in gratitude for a man whose legacy will live

on in the forests he worked, the people he mentored and the family he cherished.

Oral Questions

Carbon Tax Policy and Revenues

John Rustad : The NDP’s carbon tax makes life more unaffordable for everyone in British Columbia.

It also makes our companies less competitive at a time when we are already facing

huge challenges in British Columbia.

The newly elected leader of the federal Liberal Party is committed to getting rid

of the consumer tax, but of course, the right answer is that the federal Conservative

Party wants to eliminate the tax entirely.

Will this Premier commit to not just eliminating the consumer carbon tax but also

to eliminating the tax increase coming on April 1, or will he continue with his April

Fools’ joke on people in British Columbia?

Hon. David Eby : We have committed to British Columbians that if the federal government removes the

carbon price backstop, we’ll remove the consumer carbon tax here in British Columbia.

We are still going to make the big polluters pay, to encourage them to reduce their

carbon pollution here in the province.

Climate change is a serious issue for people right across the country and around the

world, and British Columbia is going to do our part to encourage reducing those emissions

and moving to those technologies that’ll ensure a sustainable economy for generations

to come.

The Speaker : Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

John Rustad : The reality is this. Getting rid of the consumer tax and cranking up the business

tax is only going to make us less competitive. It will damage it, and ultimately,

it’s just going to be passed on to consumers in British Columbia anyway, hiding this

NDP carbon tax.

This is a job-killer. There’s no question it will hurt our economy. It’ll make us

less competitive. Businesses have already expressed their concern associated with

this.

On April 1, the most important issue is: will this Premier actually give the taxpayers

in British Columbia a break and stop with the increase in the carbon tax — clearly,

it’s going to be eliminated in terms of the consumer tax; and will he do this without

increasing the job-killing NDP carbon tax on businesses?

Hon. David Eby : The member knows that the April 1 increase is a federally mandated increase. If they

get rid of the backstop that requires us to do that, we will absolutely get rid of

not just the increase but also the consumer carbon tax entirely.

[2:00 p.m.]

The member, though, forgets his own history. I’m going to quote the member for Kamloops

Centre, who sits right there with the Leader of the Opposition, who said about the

Leader of the Opposition: “The carbon tax, the same tax that — checks notes — the

opposition leader voted for seven times and spoke to in the Legislature as well.”

Then the member for Kelowna-Mission talked about the carbon tax and said: “We are

seeing increasing recognition across the world that carbon pricing is necessary to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We’re proud that the B.C. Liberal government introduced

North America’s first and most comprehensive carbon tax.”

Carbon pricing for big companies, making big polluters pay, helps encourage them to

make decisions to reduce their emissions. We’ve grown our economy the fastest in the

country last year with the carbon tax, but we’re going to make sure that consumers

are protected with the cost-of-living expenses that they’re facing. We recognize that.

If the feds remove the carbon tax for them, we’ll do that, but we’re going to still

make sure that those big companies face that pressure to adopt technologies to reduce

pollution.

Peter Milobar : Since the Premier prompted me, I might as well get up and ask a question about carbon

tax as well.

It’s interesting. On April 1, the carbon tax goes up 12 percent, yet in this budget,

it goes up 20 percent in revenue. In other words, emissions keep rising under this

government, and the carbon tax has turned into nothing but a cash cow.

Given that emissions continue to rise under this government, given that they now have

a $3 billion revenue source in their budget and they will not be clear what exactly

they classify as a big polluter versus a consumer, is the Premier now suggesting that

the $3 billion will be put over onto industry like forestry, which is struggling right

now, mining and other industries like that that are begging for actual non-existent

relief in this current budget?

Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson : Thank you to the member across the way for the question.

British Columbians are seeing firsthand the threat of climate change, including extremely

low snowpack and the worst forest fire season on record. It’s no surprise that people

and businesses want to protect this extraordinary place that we call home.

We are going to be getting rid of the carbon tax for consumers, but we will be holding

strong on protecting our environment and making sure that we’re building a place that

everyone in B.C. wants to live in.

The Speaker : Kamloops Centre, supplemental.

Peter Milobar : Again, this government, propped up by the Green Party, is actually budgeting for

emissions to rise, and that’s how they make more money for general revenue — $3 billion

this year, a 20 percent increase in carbon tax revenues, despite the carbon tax going

up 12 percent on April 1.

Again, the question was actually about the $3 billion and whether or not this Premier

intended to heap all $3 billion onto industries like forestry, mining and other natural

resource sectors that are begging for relief from this government, not a $3 billion

tax bill.

Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson : Thank you again to the member for this important question.

I think we really have to remember that this is just fearmongering. We don’t want

to be looking at things that are going to be hurting our environment. Big business….

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh, Members. Members, come to order.

Minister will continue.

Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson : A lot of people in B.C. want to just do development. They want to do business at

any cost. But we believe that we can do environment with the economy, and we can build

a strong economy.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members.

Seismic Impacts of Fracking and

Oversight of Oil and Gas Industry

Jeremy Valeriote : On the south coast, many of us have had earthquakes on our mind these past few weeks,

always wary of the possibility of the big earthquake.

However, in B.C.’s northeast, residents have been shaken by the largest number of

earthquakes ever recorded, all related to fracking for methane gas in the Montney

region. Local residents are sounding the alarm and for good reason. Fracking-induced

earthquakes come with serious public safety, infrastructure and environmental risks,

and they will increase in magnitude and frequency with more and more gas extraction

for export.

My question is for the Premier. Will the province implement no-fracking buffer zones

around critical infrastructure to reduce the risk of damage caused by fracking-induced

earthquakes?

[2:05 p.m.]

Hon. Adrian Dix : The member knows that the B.C. Energy Regulator regulates hydraulic fracturing to

protect groundwater and to address issues of setback distances and in casing requirements.

We have asked the scientific panel to look at hydraulic fracturing, and indeed they

have, including how it relates to seismic events, impacts on water quality as well

as quantity and fugitive methane emissions. They held 40 separate sessions, as the

member will know.

As he knows, it’s important to take these issues seriously and — with more than 60

experts from industry, from academia, from First Nations and others — to address these

questions. We’re going to continue to take this issue seriously to ensure that people

in the northwest and their interests are supported and protected, everyone who lives

there, and that we have an industry that works for everyone in the province.

That’s exactly what I think the B.C. Energy Regulator is trying to do.

The Speaker : Member, supplemental.

Jeremy Valeriote : Thank you to the minister for the answer.

The B.C. Energy Regulator, formerly the Oil and Gas Commission, the agency responsible

for managing the fossil fuel industry and other energy activities in our province,

is failing to hold oil and gas companies accountable when they violate regulations.

A recent investigation identified more than 1,000 instances when inspectors documented

apparent infractions yet gave the sites in question a passing grade. B.C., to our

chagrin with this caucus, is on the cusp of significantly expanding fracked gas production

for export, yet there are only 17 enforcement officers, three technical advisers and

seven supervisors responsible for the entire province.

My question is for the minister. How is this government strengthening oversight in

preparation for the planned increase in fracked gas for export?

Hon. Adrian Dix : Our government has taken action, as the member knows, to strengthen the way we regulate

oil and gas development in B.C.

We created a new process to make sure oil and gas dams have the right permits. We

brought in new regulations, he knows, to regulate orphan wells, unanimously supported

in the Legislature; improved monitoring of fugitive emissions; enhanced groundwater

monitoring; eliminated the deep-well royalty credit.

We’ll continue to ensure that the development of our natural gas resources, so important

to the province, is done in a way that is responsible while creating revenues to support

services and good jobs for people throughout B.C.

Government Action on

Homelessness and Community Safety

in Downtown Eastside

Elenore Sturko : On Saturday, I was in the Downtown Eastside, and I was filming a documentary with

CNA Singapore about fentanyl and about the NDP’s failed policies. I said it was too

dangerous to walk on the sidewalk in the area, but I did agree to stand on the sidewalk

and answer some questions.

We were on the corner of East Hastings and Dunlevy when shouting erupted about 30

feet away. Two men wielding large chefs’ knives, fighting, trying to stab each other.

I thought I was going to be witnessing a homicide. I called 911, and thankfully, VPD

arrested one of the men. I don’t know if the other was ever arrested. All of this

was captured on video. The world is watching.

When will the Premier do as he promised in 2022, take ownership and end the chaos,

crime and death in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside?

Hon. Garry Begg : Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

She raises an important question about the Downtown Eastside, which has been for a

number of years a source of concern for us. We, as the member knows, have invested

many dollars into the Downtown Eastside…

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members.

Hon. Garry Begg : …into drug interdiction so that those on the Downtown Eastside can fight the problems

that they face. That’s something we will continue to do.

The Speaker : Member, supplemental.

Elenore Sturko : In 2007, the Premier warned the United Nations that there wasn’t enough housing for

the homeless. He protested the expenditures for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and he

argued the money would be better spent addressing homelessness, mental health and

addictions.

[2:10 p.m.]

Now the Premier is the one in charge, and he’s spending $3 billion to host FIFA 2026.

All this as the city of Vancouver conducts a $5 million police operation, a sweep,

that doesn’t include any new housing for the homeless and no services for mental health

and addiction.

How can the Premier look himself in the mirror, knowing that he promised to take ownership

of the Downtown Eastside and things have only gotten worse?

Hon. Ravi Kahlon : We have been investing millions of dollars to build hundreds of housing opportunities

in the Downtown Eastside. The member is not correct. The member is not correct that

there’s been no new housing in the Downtown Eastside.

I appreciate the member likes to go down there to film videos of homeless people.

But on this side of the House, we’re making investments. We’re working with people

on the ground to actually help those people, to actually find ways to get them out.

It’s easy to go down there…

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh, Members.

Hon. Ravi Kahlon : …to make movies, film them to get some hits. It’s easy for the Leader of the Opposition

to go down there for campaign stops, to have homeless people in his backdrop.

That is not helping the vulnerable people that you say that you want to help. The

way you do it is you sit down with community, with local government, with your partners.

You make investments which haven’t been made for a long time, and you get people into

housing.

That’s what we’re doing on this side of the House.

Budget Provisions for Security

at FIFA World Cup Event

Bruce Banman : During the Vancouver Olympics, the then protester, now Premier, was busy making a

name for himself in the Downtown Eastside by actively handing out a handbook on how

to sue the police and security guards. Yet in a classic case of flip-flopping, with

FIFA now coming to town, I can’t help but notice the Premier has become a huge supporter

of this event.

Would the Premier like to share with this House what the budget now is to prevent

the very same activators, activists and protesters from campaigning against FIFA?

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert : Well, I’m looking forward to the World Cup. In fact, it’s such a positive experience

for B.C. that we’re expecting over $1 billion in visitor spending from 2023 through

2026. We like soccer. We like football. Whatever you want to call it, it’s good for

the province.

I would ask the member, because I seem to remember he made a name for himself….

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert : He made a name for himself.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members. Come to order.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert : It would be interesting. He says now that he cares about homeless people. Well, he

certainly didn’t when he instructed his staff to dump manure on homeless camps in

Abbotsford when he served as mayor.

Community Safety in Chilliwack

Á’a :líya Warbus : Personal security and body cameras shouldn’t be necessary.

At a convenience store that I frequent with my family, my constituent was assaulted,

requiring facial reconstructive surgery before he could return to work, a place where

he says, and I quote: “I try to have people leave the store happier than they were

when they came in.” He is now fearful to return to work.

My question: how bad do things need to get before this government takes public safety

seriously, and how many people can we expect to be dropped off in the downtown core

in my city of Chilliwack?

Hon. Garry Begg : Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

Every British Columbian deserves to feel safe everywhere in this province. That is

why we have enacted legislation, for example, the repeat violent offender program.

That is aimed and targeted at those people who have a propensity to commit crimes

in the downtown core or anywhere in British Columbia.

[2:15 p.m.]

A former client in Prince George has told us how his contact with ReVOII has changed

his life.

That’s what we want to do. We want to make all of the communities safe throughout

British Columbia.

Crime in Communities

and Action on Community Safety

Reann Gasper : This government can exaggerate all it wants about taking action, but the fact is

sexual assault has doubled in my riding of Abbotsford-Mission. All across British

Columbia, people aren’t safe at stores, they aren’t safe in the streets, and they

aren’t even safe in their homes. What is it going to take for this government to do

something?

The Solicitor General used to be an RCMP officer. When will he act like it and make

B.C. safe again?

Hon. Garry Begg : Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

She draws on my past experience as a police officer to help her with the crimes that

she is witnessing now. I was a very proud member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,

and I am today. What we did then is what we are doing now. We are trying to get to

the core of the problem.

It’s nice to talk about. It’s nice to have a plan. This is a government that does

things about it. That’s important. That’s what we need to continue to do.

Community Safety in Kelowna

Gavin Dew : Firearm offences are up threefold in Kelowna. Sexual assaults are up threefold too.

Robberies are up 50 percent. My constituents in Rutland, in particular, are sick of

dealing with drug-induced chaos on their streets.

Will the Premier himself stand up and show up and tell the people at the Rutland Residents

Association and the Uptown Rutland Business Association why he has thrown their community

to the wolves?

Hon. Garry Begg : Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

It’s important that we understand that these types of attacks that you see in communities

and upon people are the exception rather than the rule.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Members, shhh.

Hon. Garry Begg : People want to feel safe in their communities, and we want people to feel safe in

their communities.

We have expanded, for example, Car programs to communities, one in Kelowna, allowing

mental health care nurses to pair with police to tackle problems at the root of the

crime.

As a matter of fact, a psychiatric nurse in Abbotsford, for example, says: “We’re

helping to bring a sense of calm to the situation, helping people get the care they

need instead of escalating the crisis.”

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members, let him finish.

Hon. Garry Begg : We are proactive with public safety, and we always will be.

Crime in Communities

and Action on Community Safety

Steve Kooner : People are being assaulted, robbed and threatened with guns and knives. Total Criminal

Code violations are up 37 percent. B.C. has turned into a post-apocalyptic hellscape.

Why has this government left British Columbians to fend for themselves on B.C.’s unsafe

streets?

Hon. Garry Begg : Thank you to the member opposite for the question.

I think it’s important that we bring some clarity to what you see as an emerging problem

in your community. Crime rates, you say, are up, but crime rates in fact are down.

It’s safer to be in, for example, Kelowna today than it was a year ago. Kelowna decreased

for the second year in a row…

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members. Members.

Members, let’s hear the answer.

Hon. Garry Begg : …and it’s down from its high-water mark ever. This is happening all across the province.

It’s alarmist of you to pick examples like you’ve used to paint a community. We’re

doing better, and we will continue to do so.

[2:20 p.m.]

Mental Health and Addiction Issues

and Action on Community Safety

Brennan Day : Public disorder and violent crime driven by untreated mental health and addictions

are surging across Vancouver Island: 1,187 assaults in Nanaimo, nearly three a day;

3,014 in Victoria, nearly eight a day; and rising concerns in my hometown of Courtenay-Comox

and small communities across the Island.

While communities struggle, why does this Premier continue to ignore the crisis his

government has enabled, and why was funding for real treatment options and substantive

justice reform largely absent in the most recent budget?

Hon. Josie Osborne : Thank you to the member for Courtenay-Comox for the question.

He raises really important points around community safety and the need to balance

that with the help that people need. That’s why our government is going to continue

to make record investments in mental health and substance use health supports for

people.

We are working hard to build out the full continuum from detox and withdrawal to treatment

and recovery and aftercare to help get people the help that they need. We’re going

to continue this work. There are already over 3,000 treatment beds in this province.

We’ve added 700 more over the past years, and we’re going to continue this work.

Our Budget 2025 sees a $500 million lift for mental health and substance use. We’re

going to continue this work.

Government Action on Repeat

Offenders and Crime in Communities

Linda Hepner : Across this province, this soft-on-crime government has done little to stem B.C.’s

crime wave. Break and enters, stabbings, robberies, sexual assaults, cops slashed

and their firearms grabbed. This is not the peace and order the people deserve.

Why can’t this government realize that whether it’s their disgraced decriminalization

program, their safe supply scandal or how they’ve ruined B.C.’s cities, it’s their

entire ideological approach that has made B.C. the unsafe haven for crime and violence

that it has certainly become?

Hon. Niki Sharma : This side of the House takes safety very seriously. We’re putting in the resources

and the boots on the ground to keep communities across this province safer.

You know what, Mr. Speaker? I think it’s important to put on the record that when

the Leader of the Opposition was on this side of the House, they cut funding to sexual

assault centres. Over 30 sexual assault centres in this province were left without

supports for victims of sexual assault.

They say they care for victims. I don’t believe it.

Interjections.

The Speaker : Shhh. Shhh.

Hon. Niki Sharma : Let’s talk about gun laws. When the Leader of the Opposition was campaigning to be

Premier, he said that he would instruct police to stop enforcing semi-automatic gun

laws in this province.

I can’t understand how that’s going to keep people safer in this province. What that

is, is…

Interjections.

The Speaker : Members, shhh.

Hon. Niki Sharma : …American-style gun laws in our province. What we’re going to do is hold the line

on safety and put in the resources on the ground to make communities safer across

this province.

Kiel Giddens : Businesses are tired of the constant property crime in downtown Prince George. It’s

the prolific offenders that keep coming up time and time again.

Last year I attended a community safety town hall in Prince George, and the RCMP had

nothing to say but that the catch-and-release justice system was completely at fault

for this problem in Prince George.

When is the Premier going to give up the catch-and-release justice system and actually

do something to support these property owners and businesses in Prince George?

Interjection.

The Speaker : Member.

Please start.

Hon. Niki Sharma : Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We take bail reform very seriously on this side. We led the country…. B.C. led the

country in asking the federal government for stricter bail laws to keep repeat violent

offenders off the streets. I made sure the Minister of Justice federally knew that

we need tougher rules when it comes to long knives and machetes on the street.

[2:25 p.m.]

We’re asking for more changes. We’re going to keep asking for more changes, but we

are not stopping there. We’re investing in the resources that we need on the ground

right now, with 12 repeat violent offender hubs across this province circled around

400 of the most prolific violent offenders to keep them off the street.

More boots are on the ground with the highest investment in police officers in the

history of this province. We are seized with this matter, and we’ll continue to make

improvements.

Involuntary Care for

Mental Health and Addiction Issues

Trevor Halford : Two weeks ago in the middle of the night, a senior in my riding is awakened. Door

kicked in. Savagely attacked. Bloodied, he flees to his neighbour for help. A short

time after that, a suspect goes to the hospital, tries to disarm the police officer

and has to be restrained by the physician that’s attending him.

This Premier, in the October campaign, tried desperately to talk tough on crime. Today,

desperately, they try to talk tough on crime. The problem with this all is that everybody

here has a story about how this government is failing on crime every single day.

My question is this. In 2020, when this government called a snap election, one of

the reasons was involuntary care. This Premier got up, campaign stop after campaign

stop, and he talked about involuntary care.

This government has failed every single day to protect British Columbians, because

they don’t have the stomach, they don’t have the budget and they don’t have the resources

to actually do what they say they’re going to do and make sure they are doing and

getting involuntary care done in this province.

When will this Premier stand up and walk the walk and actually do as he’s going to

say and fulfil one campaign commitment and get this done?

Hon. Josie Osborne : We are launching secure care facilities in this province, with the first one in Surrey

opening later this month. The second one will open in May.

[End of question period.]

Point of Order

Bruce Banman : I stand on a point of order. Today in this House, the Minister of Tourism, Arts,

Culture and Sport misled the House with a statement he made. I would ask that you

ask him to retract and apologize, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker : Thank you, Member. Your question is taken under consideration, and we’ll respond

to that, unless the minister wants to respond now.

Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert : Thank you, hon. Speaker. If the way I stated my response was not completely accurate,

as the member is suggesting here, of course I would withdraw that statement. But I

would like to check the historical record. I certainly would be willing to withdraw

that statement.

The Speaker : Thank you.

Orders of the Day

Hon. Mike Farnworth : In this House, I call continued debate on the budget.

[Lorne Doerkson in the chair.]

Budget Debate

(continued)

Deputy Speaker : Thank you very much, Members. We will call this House back to order. We’re going to

have continued debate on the budget this afternoon, and today we’re going to recognize

the Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals.

[2:30 p.m.]

Hon. Jagrup Brar : I would like to continue my speech where I finished last week. I was at the right

spot, talking about Surrey. You know that Surrey is the fastest-growing city in the

province, probably in the country. We welcome roughly about 1,500 people every month,

and that has been going on for almost 20 years. Of course, our entire system…. The

education system, health care system and transportation system are all under pressure.

Budget 2025. We are making significant investments to build the infrastructure to

meet the needs of this fast-growing city. To address the health care needs throughout

the province, we have $15.5 billion in capital funding that will be provided over

this fiscal plan to help and upgrade hospitals, long-term care facilities and cancer

centres. Similarly, the budget also invests $4.6 billion over the fiscal plan in capital

funding to build and upgrade schools moving forward.

In Surrey, we are building the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain to move people faster and safely.

This project will expand the SkyTrain line by 16 kilometres, primarily along the Fraser

Highway from King George station in Surrey to 203 Street in the city of Langley. It

will improve regional transportation connections and provide fast, frequent and reliable

transit services to the people of the region. The project includes eight new stations

and three new transit exchanges.

I am really pleased to inform the people of Surrey-Fleetwood that three of the eight

stations will be located in the Surrey-Fleetwood area to provide easy access to transit

services to the people of Surrey-Fleetwood. The station will be located at the corner

of Fraser Highway and 152nd, Fraser Highway and 160th and Fraser Highway and 166th.

SkyTrain is scheduled to start providing services in 2029.

We are also replacing the old and unsafe Pattullo Bridge with a brand-new bridge.

That’s the bridge that the B.C. Liberals completely refused to build when they were

in power for 16 years. The new toll-free bridge will provide important improvements

for everyone using the bridge, including a safer crossing for all bridge users with

modern, wider lanes separated by a central median barrier, and dedicated walking and

cycling lanes separated from traffic by a barrier on both sides of the bridge. The

new bridge is scheduled to open this year, in 2025.

The state-of-the-art second Surrey hospital is also under construction to improve

health care services in the region so that everyone gets the timely and high-quality

health care they need. The second hospital in Surrey will provide 168 more hospital

beds and a second emergency department for the community with 55 treatment spaces.

The new hospital is scheduled to open in 2029.

[2:35 p.m.]

We are also committed to investing in Surrey schools so that we have the classrooms

needed for students. Over the last seven years, we have built and opened over 9,000

new student spaces, and 6,800 more are on the way. This includes seven new schools.

If we combine the new school and the extension, it will be equivalent to almost 20

elementary schools. That’s what we have built in Surrey.

Our capital investment in new schools, replacements and upgrades is stronger than

ever. Budget 2025 invests $4.6 billion over three years in K-to-12 schools across

the province. This means more seismic replacements and upgrades and more classrooms

for schools in growing communities.

Since last year ten new major school projects worth $1.1 billion have been approved

to build good neighbourhood schools for our kids, including new elementary schools

for Vancouver, Richmond and Burnaby; new middle schools for Coquitlam and Langley;

new secondary schools for Langley, Mission, Pitt Meadows and Prince Rupert; and an

expansion for Surrey’s Fleetwood Park Secondary.

Now, the difference when it comes to budget is…. We compared with the previous administration.

They refused to build the SkyTrain, and we are building the SkyTrain. They refused

to build a second Surrey hospital — they actually sold the land — but we are building

a second, state-of-the-art new hospital. They refused to replace the old and unsafe

Pattullo Bridge. We are replacing the unsafe and old Pattullo Bridge as we speak.

They built only one school, from 2013 to 2017, in their budget. We have, as I said

to you, built seven new schools and extensions since we took over, altogether roughly

about 20 elementary schools. They refused to build a new medical school, and we are

building a new medical school in the city of Surrey.

I would like to talk, keeping in mind the time, about my ministry, the Ministry of

Mining and Critical Minerals. Mining provides 40,000 good, family-supporting jobs

for people in communities throughout the province and supplies the minerals critical

for our low-carbon economy.

Budget 2025 is good for the mining sector. The new mine announced in Budget 2025 will

greatly help businesses and the people that work within the sector. This is a tax

incentive that reduces the amount of taxes owed on the development of new mines and

expansion of existing mines. This budget will extend the new mine allowance by regulation

for five years until December 31, 2030.

On budget day, Jack Middleton, vice-president of AME, said: “Budget 2025 maintains

a strong fiscal framework for investing in mineral exploration. They renewed the new

mine tax credit until 2030, a really positive move.”

Mineral exploration and the mining sector are a foundational part of British Columbia’s

economy, with mineral exploration expenditure in 2024 amounting to $552.1 million,

the fourth-highest amount on record. Mining production value is forecasted at around

$16.5 billion.

Those are strong numbers, even in the face of global economic headwinds. We remain

firmly committed to supporting and meeting the needs of the industry and our partners.

That’s why the Premier has created a stand-alone Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals.

B.C. is geologically rich and is already responsibly producing some of the critical

minerals and metals that are essential to fight climate change and ensure economic

security. In fact, we are Canada’s largest producer of copper and only producer of

molybdenum.

[2:40 p.m.]

In total, B.C. hosts at least 19 of the critical minerals identified on Canada’s critical

minerals list. In 2023, we exported approximately $3.6 billion worth of copper and

$1.2 billion worth of aluminum and $1 billion worth of zinc. These critical minerals

are vital for low-carbon technology, electronics and key components for military applications,

including aircraft and vehicles.

The smelter in Trail is a major contributor to the world’s germanium supply, a key

mineral for microchip manufacturing, and is the primary supplier to the United States.

Trump tariffs could impact this smelter operation significantly in the situation.

That’s why it’s important for us to diversify our trade to other nations and other

markets.

With the current geopolitical situation with China, we see B.C. as an important partner

with our ally globally to be a key supplier of these critical minerals.

So we have three significant mine expansions that will come forward this year, and

I look forward to sharing the news on those with you as it comes to reality.

There are also 17 critical mineral projects at varying stages of readiness that could

help B.C. realize our critical minerals potential. If successful, these projects could

represent a projected impact of around $40 billion in capital investment in the province

of British Columbia and around 10,000 direct jobs by 2040.

Last year the Premier announced B.C.’s critical minerals strategy, demonstrating our

commitment to supply critical minerals and products globally. B.C.’s strong trade

links with North America, Asia Pacific and Europe underpin the success of this strategy.

As an early step under this strategy, we created the critical minerals office to help

advance projects, overcome barriers and make the permitting processes more efficient.

True success is coming through meaningful partnership and collaboration. That’s why

we are developing a long-term outreach strategy with First Nations, industry, unions

and other stakeholders to create new opportunities. We have already partnered with

Canada to invest $195 million to upgrade Highways 37 and 51 in northwest B.C., making

travel safer and improving access for industry in a mineral-rich region. We will continue

to work closely with the federal government, First Nations and international partners

to promote and enable projects throughout the province.

Keeping in mind the time, we have taken great strides when it comes to improving permitting

efficiency, reducing major mine application review timelines by over 35 percent since

2019 and reducing our regional permitting backlog by 52 percent since spring 2022.

The Premier has given me clear directions to work with industry to improve permitting

timelines and dramatically reduce the grant wait times and work with industry and

First Nations to establish fixed timelines. This means more predictability and certainty

for investments and operations. Combine this with our province’s natural business

advantage; extensive road, rail, port, power and other infrastructure; a diverse,

skilled workforce; and world-class geoscience data, and you can see why our mining

and critical minerals sector has so much potential, moving forward, to provide good

jobs to the people of British Columbia and grow the economy.

[2:45 p.m.]

That’s why we are supporting a strong, responsible and competitive mining sector that

creates good jobs for the people of British Columbia and provides the minerals we

need to develop a low-carbon economy, moving forward, for the people of British Columbia.

Gavin Dew : This is both a budget response and a maiden speech. As I begin, I hope you will indulge

me as I take a trip down memory lane to acknowledge the long, winding and unlikely

road that led me to this place and to express my gratitude for the people and experiences

that have shaped my reasons for being here, my motivation to build a better B.C. for

people and families, and my frustration with the actions and inactions of this government

in their almost eight years in power.

Let’s start at the very beginning. Some people want to be Prime Minister when they’re

ten. I did not. And I had no rational reason to believe that the role I now fill was

within reach or something that I would ever do. My family never talked about politics

at the dinner table, and I didn’t know how my parents voted.

I was born in Vancouver as the son of a teacher and an engineer, both immigrants who

came here to build a better life and met in the main library of UBC. Mining put food

on our table. As the son of a hydrotechnical engineer, my first unofficial job was

filing and photocopying at the downtown office where my father worked. The fact that

we are still opening mines that I remember the names of from 30 years ago in a file

room says a lot about the state of mining in our province.

My first official job was at Petcetera in Richmond. I eventually moved up to bagging

fish and running cash. But it was my time mopping up other people’s abandoned dog

poo that really prepared me for a life in politics — that and my time delivering pizza

— which prepared me well for door-knocking on campaigns. When you don’t control the

pizza recipe and you don’t control the traffic, how you connect at a stranger’s door

makes a big difference.

People who know me only as a reasonably clean-cut business guy and dad would be surprised

to know that I spent my teenage years playing in industrial metal and punk bands,

raging hard against the machine. With that came experiences that shaped my perspective

on the world. It was the meaning and belonging and purpose that came from my love

of rugby and heavy metal that took me in a different direction in grade 10 or 11 when

my best friend became a meth addict living on the street, and I didn’t.

I believe that with the chances and choices that gave me the opportunity for a different

life came an obligation to make sure others have the opportunity for recovery and

rehabilitation and transition, the chance to build a better and more productive life.

It was also that love of music that introduced me to both leadership and business

when, as a UBC student in my early 20s, I had the opportunity to turn around Arts

County Fair, a 15,000-person, student-run charity rock concert with a massive structural

deficit. That in turn led me into an executive role at UBC’s student government, where

I was elected in 2005 to represent tens of thousands of students and to stabilize

and turn around an organization that had been led off a cliff by radicals.

It was in that role that I first learned the importance of having a seat at the table,

not just yelling in the hallways. I learned the importance of shaping policy based

not on what is desirable in an imaginary world but what is possible in a world of

scarce resources and hard decisions.

For example, our team of early-20s student leaders wrestled with tuition hikes, which

were the end result of the NDP government of the 1990s freezing tuition but failing

to account for a little thing called inflation. That resulted in a systematic, real

dollar defunding of our post-secondary institutions by the same people who claimed

to be standing up for students. In fairness, they probably earnestly believed they

were, just as the members opposite earnestly and sincerely feel that they are doing

what is right for B.C. But it turns out math doesn’t care about our feelings.

After years of tension between tuition skyrocketing to catch up with rising costs

and deferred maintenance, with left-wing groups fighting for tuition freezes, I still

remember our successful advocacy in 2005 to fix tuition increases at 2 percent a year

so that future generations of students would have predictability and stability instead

of uncertainty and sudden changes. That policy hasn’t been perfect, but it’s still

in place 20 years later through multiple different governments.

[2:50 p.m.]

As we wrestle with today’s complex and challenging times, I’m thankful for the formative

opportunity at a young age to wrestle with the real-world implications of policy and

politics, and to come to the strong belief that elected officials, stakeholders and

political advocates must look for stable and durable policy solutions that address

underlying issues and not just short-term political fixes.

I’m also deeply thankful for a core memory in a bar in the UBC Student Union Building,

on the last day of my time as a student leader, almost 20 years ago. We were reflecting

on lessons learned, and a friend named Ryan asked me, based on my experience, where

I thought I sat on the political spectrum. I told him with absolute conviction that

I was pretty left-wing.

He told me that he’d been watching me get stuff done for the people I represented

for two years and it was time for me to come to terms with the reality that I was

a centre-right pragmatist. Twenty years later here I am, sitting on the side of the

House that is focused on common sense, pragmatism and getting things done.

Now, I hope this is the most I’ll ever have to talk about myself in this House, but

I know I would not be here today without these formative experiences, and I would

not be here without the direct help and support of a huge number of people.

I’m thankful for the employers and clients who gave me opportunity after opportunity

in the private sector, which in turn gave me the opportunity to learn about different

industries and institutions and small businesses that make up this complex and amazing

province, from universities, to housing, to oil and gas, gaming, child care, agriculture

and technology.

I’m thankful for the challenges that have given me the opportunity to suffer, to lose,

to face hardship and to learn and grow as a result. I’m thankful that I had the opportunity

to lose a by-election in Vancouver–Mount Pleasant in 2016, for all the people who

helped me in that uphill battle and for the surprisingly positive relationships that

I built with my Green and NDP opponents in that race: city councillor Pete Fry and

former MLA Melanie Mark.

I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to lose a B.C. Liberal leadership race in

2021. I’m thankful that in the process, I had the opportunity to learn a tremendous

amount about the breadth of this province, about its evolving voter coalitions and

about the wants and needs and aspirations of everyday people and families in all different

parts of B.C.

There will never be enough thanks that I can extend to the Dew crew, the people that

believed with me and that got me through a seemingly endless campaign that overlapped

with the many challenges and complexity of COVID.

I am thankful to the people of Abbotsford, many of whom I worked with closely for

four years in my last private sector role as chief strategy officer for Abbotsford

tech district, a multi-billion-dollar private sector agricultural technology hub.

And while it pained me immensely to see that proposal hit a wall in the summer of

2024, I’m deeply thankful for the experience.

I’m thankful that it gave me the unexpected opportunity to run in this election, and

I’m thankful, above all else, that it added jet fuel to my motivation to make British

Columbia a place that thinks big and gets things done again.

Most recently I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to run and be elected by the

amazing people of Kelowna-Mission. For years, Kelowna was our family’s home away from

home, where we quietly went to get away from business and politics. But in the span

of two years, we moved there full-time, started our kids in school, launched a new

business, and I had the honour of being elected to this House.

Having stepped away from partisan politics almost entirely at that point, it was a

short ten weeks from the day I decided to run to election day. That incredible sprint

of hard work would not have been possible without the generous help of not only my

campaign team but both leaders and everyday people throughout Kelowna who gave me

the opportunity to earn their support.

In these complicated political days, people in Kelowna need to know that their elected

officials are there for them, showing up for them with the door always open to them.

And I will never stop doing that work.

As elected officials, we can never, ever take the people for granted — most importantly,

our constituents. That’s why I’m so thankful to have a strong constituency association,

with representation from throughout my riding and a strong office team in Jarrod Stocker

and Sonia Sandhu, who do an amazing job of keeping up with my ridiculous

schedule

and my desire to take every single meeting I am physically capable of taking.

Above all else, I am thankful for my family, who are both my motivation and my support

structure. I would not be the man I am without the influence of my mother, Martha.

[2:55 p.m.]

I would not be a father, my most important job, without my amazing wife, Erin. We

met on the campaign trail in 2014, and we have taken turns supporting each other in

a total of five campaigns. That includes an independent, families-focused campaign

for Vancouver city council that Erin waged in 2018 while nursing a three-month-old

in the parking lot between debates. As Erin is fond of reminding me, it took me more

than a decade to catch up with her and to actually win an election.

My six-year-old daughter, Abby, and my four-year-old son are my why. I know that I’m

not alone in this House in struggling with the balance of work and family, especially

during long periods away from home. But when my daughter proudly tells people that

her daddy’s job is helping people and making better laws, and when she asks me when

I get home, “Daddy, how many problems did you solve at work today?” it reminds me

exactly why I’m here. I know the same goes for my colleagues on both sides of this

House.

The line here says, “I’m thankful I got through that part without crying,” but I didn’t.

Now that I have done a lot of personal reflection and gratitude, it’s time to talk

about economics. Before we talk about the budget itself, it’s crucial that we talk

about the context in which this budget arrives. This NDP government and their federal

friends have brought us into this tariff war in an incredibly weak position. Now they

are trying to blame their failures on external forces. On this side of the House,

we will not let them get away with that.

Let’s talk about where things really stand, starting at the national level. Canada

has had the third-weakest GDP-per-capita growth out of the 38 OECD countries over

the last decade. In fact, the OECD projects Canada will have the slowest per-capita

economic growth among advanced economies for 2020 to 2030 and 2030 to 2060. That’s

not good news.

Government spending per person has grown by 11 percent since 2014, nearly three times

the rate of household spending, which was 4 percent. Exports per person have shrunk

by 3 percent, and business capital investment has fallen by 23 percent since 2014.

Monthly food bank visits in Canada reached 2.1 million in March 2024, which was a

90 percent increase from 2019 and which has continued to grow. Right here in B.C.,

food bank visits hit 226,000 in March of 2024, an 81 percent increase from 2019.

This Saturday night I was proud to be at a fundraiser for the Central Okanagan Food

Bank, and the stories were incredibly emotional and touching, especially recognizing

that the growing cohort visiting food banks are stable families with two parents,

two jobs and kids.

Let’s talk about B.C. B.C.’s GDP growth has been below its long-term average but has

still outperformed other provinces primarily due to major capital projects that this

NDP government fought, like Trans Mountain and Site C.

But the hopper of major capital projects has been running dry, and the NDP’s efforts

to pick winners and losers does not actually create long-term, stable, predictable

conditions for investment where people will start thinking about the next tranche

of major projects and major investments in this province.

Private sector hiring has stagnated since 2019, remaining at 1.8 million employees,

while overall public sector employment has increased by 36 percent to 600,000. In

2017, when this NDP government came to power, there were 34,367 full-time-equivalent

positions across the B.C. government and government agencies.

This year the NDP are forecasting 48,386 full-time staff. That’s a cumulative increase

of 41 percent. That means that you have a bigger and bigger public sector perched

on the back of an anemic economy that has been stunted and prevented from growing

by the policies of this government.

Those policies include the highest combined marginal effective tax rate on investment

in Canada at 25.6 percent, compared to the national average of 15.6 percent and Alberta’s

12.1 percent. No wonder people are leaving.

Eighty-one percent of machinery and equipment spending is taxed under B.C.’s PST,

compared to only 7 percent in HST provinces. B.C.’s top marginal personal income tax

rate is 53.5 percent. That is the fourth-highest among 60 Canadian provinces and U.S.

states. Those aren’t foundations for success for economic growth. Not at all.

[3:00 p.m.]

Now let’s talk about the budget itself. The Eby NDP’s latest budget fails British

Columbians on every front: higher taxes, a record-breaking deficit and no plan to

address the biggest challenges facing our economy.

Despite promising relief, they cancelled the grocery rebate, leaving families struggling

with rising food prices. Instead of helping people get ahead, they’re hiking the carbon

tax by 19 percent on April 1, driving up the cost of gas, groceries and home heating

at a time when affordability is already a crisis.

This is a government that takes more and delivers less. After years of reckless spending

and economic mismanagement, B.C. is now facing a $10.9 billion deficit. The province’s

debt is projected to hit $208 billion, a record high that will cost taxpayers $5 billion

a year in interest alone. That’s money that could have gone into health care, education

or wildfire prevention, but instead it will be spent paying down the NDP’s financial

mismanagement.

Corporate tax revenue has plunged 24.8 percent, a clear sign that businesses are losing

confidence in B.C.’s economy. In fact, we have the lowest business confidence by far

across every single province in Canada, according to the CFIB Business Barometer . That’s nothing to be proud of.

At the same time, housing starts have dropped 9.2 percent after the NDP’s full-court

press on housing, making the affordability crisis even worse. This budget does virtually

nothing to address these serious economic challenges, leaving British Columbians and

their children and grandchildren paying the price for the NDP’s failure.

This NDP’s budget also breaks key promises they made when they were pandering to voters

in Kelowna Centre. Unfortunately for them, I am proud to be joined in this House by

my colleague, the Conservative member for Kelowna Centre. Unfortunately for the people

of Kelowna, this NDP government has a habit of breaking its promises when they find

it inconvenient.

So we will be watching for them to deliver on key city of Kelowna priorities, like

a new transit operations centre, support for the Highway 33–Clement multimodal corridor

and a regional Red Fish Healing Centre offering compassionate mandatory care.

People in neighbourhoods all over Kelowna are bearing the burden of this government’s

failed approach to mental health and addictions. But nobody is bearing a heavier burden

than the proud people of Rutland, good folks that I am proud to represent. They are

sick and tired of being thrown under the bus and thrown to the wolves by this government.

This Premier and this government need to show up and answer to groups like the Rutland

Residents Association and the Uptown Rutland Business Association, people who have

been calling for better policies and better solutions for years. It’s time for a change,

and it’s time to put the hope back in Rutland.

Throughout the election, local NDP candidates in Kelowna promised a made-in-Kelowna

solution to short-term rentals, because this government’s sledgehammer policies have

made things worse for a tourism sector and a winery sector that are already on their

knees.

NDP candidates like my Kelowna-Mission opponent, Harpreet Badohal, who is a good man,

who offered himself in the spirit of seva, and the NDP candidate in Kelowna Centre,

Loyal Wooldridge, who continues to serve as a city councillor, both know that the

NDP’s heavy-handed policies on short-term rentals weren’t working in Kelowna, especially

in purpose-built, short-term rental buildings that had been developed, built and sold

for short-term rental. They knew it, and they said it over and over again on the record.

But it appears that this Premier ignored them completely after he finished using them

as cannon fodder. The NDP talked a big game during the campaign, but now that the

election is over, many of their commitments to Kelowna have seemingly been abandoned.

We will not let them get away with that.

At the same time, B.C. faces another record-breaking wildfire season, yet this budget

fails to make proactive investments in prevention and response, like supporting a

wildfire lab at UBC Okanagan. Wildfire response and recovery costs continue to skyrocket.

Historically we have spent 9 to 1 on wildfire response versus prevention. But instead

of investing materially in mitigation strategies, community protections and better

emergency response, the NDP is once again waiting until disaster strikes before acting.

British Columbians shouldn’t have to beg for help after losing their homes. Strong

leadership would help prevent these crises in the first place.

[3:05 p.m.]

More broadly, this government also shows that the NDP has little or no serious plan

to protect B.C. businesses from U.S. tariffs. With B.C.’s exports to the U.S. already

down 5.5 percent, this government should be aggressively defending our industries.

Instead, there is no serious funding, no strategy and no action to deal with trade

threats that will cost B.C. workers their jobs — just a bunch of political posturing

and American wedge politics.

The NDP’s inaction on trade, combined with their years of failure to expand into provincial

markets or grow key sectors like agriculture, proves that they’re not serious about

building a stronger economy.

Let’s listen to what some other folks had to say about this budget. According to the

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade: “While the government has talked openly about the

need to grow the economy and attract private sector investment, we await the transition

from words to action.”

Words to action — that says it all. What we’ve gotten so far is a lot of lip service

from a government that has devastated our economy and that now wants credit for waking

up and realizing that the economy exists.

We need to see serious action, a serious change, and it needs to be sustained, not

just a short-term pivot because politics call for it.

The Business Council of British Columbia says: “This budget missed an opportunity

to improve conditions for private sector investment and hiring in the face of the

Trump administration’s threat to B.C.’s industrial base. Now that U.S. tariffs are

going ahead, we will be looking to the government to quickly follow up with bold action

to improve our competitiveness and strengthen our economy.” Not just words, action.

According to the Surrey Board of Trade: “This budget needed to support the economy,

but it missed the mark. We were hoping to see tangible investments to help businesses

pivot in the face of tariffs implemented by the United States President.” They were

absent from this budget, according to Jasroop Gosal, spokesperson for the Surrey Board

of Trade.

Well, it’s not just business organizations that think this budget is empty, vacuous

words. Let’s listen to our friends from the Greens. Let’s listen to MLA, whose riding

I can’t remember right now…. What riding is Mr. Botterell from?

Interjection.

Gavin Dew : Thank you very much. Saanich North and the Islands.

Let’s listen to what the B.C. Greens have to say about the budget: “But what happens

in a year when these short-term fixes run out and the debt has grown another $10.9

billion? There isn’t an action plan here for a 21st-century, innovation-driven economy

that builds resilience in our society, protects our environment and tackles climate

change.”

No wonder the Greens are frustrated about this. The last CASA signed in 2017 obligated

this NDP government to create an innovation commission and a future economy task force.

There’s been no follow-up on the future economy task force.

The last innovation commissioner left this government in the spring of last year.

They haven’t replaced that innovation commissioner. So they have actually abandoned

the long-term commitments they made under the 2017 CASA that would have been opportunities

to think actively about the future of our economy.

Let’s see how long it takes until they betray both the letter and the spirit of their

current agreement with the Greens.

Let’s go closer to home, and let’s talk about what our friends at the BCGEU had to

say about this budget. You would think that these would be the most stalwart supporters

of this government, given the dramatic growth in the public sector workforce, yet

what did president Paul Finch have to say? He said that B.C. needs an economic development

plan, which is absolutely critical to workers in the province. Mr. Finch is correct.

Folks, in closing, a few final facts to drive home. This budget uses the same forecast

for economic growth as the one contained in the September ’24 economic outlook and

financial forecast. That matters because it means that the Premier lied about his

$1,000 per household grocery rebate. The Premier was creative in his language…

[3:10 p.m.]

Deputy Speaker : Member. Member.

Gavin Dew : …around the $1,000 per household grocery rebate, $2 billion in tax relief in 2025

for B.C. families.

Now, with the exact same forecast for the B.C. economy, the Premier has cancelled

the rebate. I know the members opposite are upset about the language, but that is

also the mathematical reality.

Deputy Speaker : Member, just one moment, please.

Minister of Forests.

Hon. Ravi Parmar : The member across the way knows what he said, and I would welcome the opportunity

to hear him retract his comment.

Gavin Dew : I’ll withdraw.

Despite the tax grabs, this budget runs a record deficit. The forecast deficit for

2025 to 2026, as you know, is $10.9 billion, the largest in history. One year ago

the NDP deficit forecast for this year was $7.7 billion. Next year the deficit is

forecast to be $10.2 billion. These numbers are absolutely staggering, and generations

will be paying for them.

As I mentioned before, by 2028, the total debt is expected to hit $208.8 billion.

This NDP government inherited total debt of $64.9 billion when they took office in

2017. Over the next three years, they’re forecasting debt to increase by $75.8 billion.

That’s more than all the debt accumulated since British Columbia joined Confederation

153 years ago. That is absolutely devastating. That will be paid for by generations

upon generations of British Columbians. That is absolutely irresponsible.

It is a result of this government’s fundamental economic mismanagement and fundamental

economic illiteracy that has left our economy in a very broken place. There is incredibly

difficult work ahead in order to rebuild, and it will require much more than lip service

from a government that has suddenly awoken to the existence of the economy and has

spent all of their time fixated on political posturing at the expense of practical

solutions.

In closing, British Columbians deserve better. Instead of hiking taxes, piling on

more debt and blaming their failures on everyone else, we need a government that will

prioritize affordability, protect jobs and deliver on its promises.

On this side of the House, the B.C. Conservatives will continue to push for real solutions

— lowering taxes, strengthening our economy and putting British Columbians first.

We look forward to doing that as soon as possible.

Deputy Speaker : Just a reminder that there should be no insinuation that members are misleading this

House. Also, the use of names of members is not permitted here in this chamber.

Stephanie Higginson : I would like to start by recognizing that I am giving my first response ever to the

budget on the territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and that I am grateful to them for

their stewardship of this land since time immemorial.

I rise today to speak in support of Budget 2025 entitled “Standing strong for British

Columbia” and what this budget offers to support the people of British Columbia and,

in particular, my riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside through these unprecedented times.

I want to express my appreciation to the Minister of Finance and to her dedicated

team, who have delivered a budget under very difficult circumstances.

I was part of a provincial response team for education during COVID. The member for

West Vancouver–Capilano will remember our times in the trenches together during that

time. During that time, we used the term “unprecedented” a lot as well. But somehow,

in reflection, that time feels more stable than what we are experiencing right now.

During that time, provincial health had experts in population medicine that had education,

training and experience in pandemic response. Public health had guiding principles

that are designed for use during a public health emergency that helped guide the decisions

that we had to make.

[3:15 p.m.]

We had previous pandemics to look back on and learn from. My dad was a child during

the polio epidemic. Both he and my uncle contracted polio, and both spent months in

iron lungs. My dad consistently reminded me, during that time, that we had done this

before and that we would do it again. We had precedents for navigating pandemics,

but this current threat, the one that has us once again using this term “unprecedented,”

is giving new meaning to the term.

I want to point out that during both of these unprecedented times, it was the NDP

that was in government. That can make for a rocky road, an unprecedented one if you

will, from which to govern. Most importantly, these worldwide, global events impact

any government’s ability to fulfil their campaign promises and their government mandates.

As a parent, I am very glad that during these times, it was the NDP government, which

puts people first and protects the services that people need, that was in power during

these worldwide, gut-punching crises.

I say thank you to the Minister of Finance and her team for their thoughtful approach

to finding a balance between protecting the services people rely on and being able

to respond to these times and to stand up for and protect British Columbians.

I want to start by addressing some of the whiplash that I’m feeling at the moment.

Many of you may think that the whiplash is a result of the constantly changing goalposts,

of President Trump changing his mind on tariffs so many times.

That would be a safe assumption, but this whiplash is actually felt as a result of

listening to some of the responses to this budget given by the members opposite. Let’s

start with the continual criticism regarding the size and cost of the public sector,

often provided by the member for Kamloops Centre.

Before I dive into the partisan critique and what my mom has started calling the political

theatrics of this chamber, I first would like to actually compliment the member for

Kamloops Centre for his dignity and his integrity over the last couple of weeks in

standing up for the Tk’emlúps Nation and all residential school survivors and the

families of those that did not make it home.

Integrity matters in these chambers. No matter what side of the aisle we are from,

we must stand united to reject residential-school denialism. When you are fortunate

enough to be elected to these chambers, you represent everyone in your constituency,

not just the folks that share your personal experiences and your beliefs or that look

like you and sound like you.

I raise my hands to the member for Kamloops Centre for his integrity and representation

during these unfortunate and difficult circumstances. I also tip my hat to the member

integrity.

Now back to my comments about whiplash. The members opposite have spent significant

time criticizing this government and the growing size of the public sector, even quoting

the size of the public sector in 2017 versus today, but it is no secret that the population

of British Columbia has grown incredibly in size since 2017.

Let’s just take a quick look at some of those numbers. In 2017, the population of

British Columbia was just under 4.8 million people. At the end of 2024, the population

of British Columbia was just under 5.7 million people. That’s almost a million more

people in the province in seven years. This means we need more teachers, more doctors,

more nurses, more health care aides.

[3:20 p.m.]

Yes, it means the public sector will grow to meet the demands of providing even the

most mundane but important services such as renewing your driver’s licence; getting

your hunting licence, an important one for members of my family; providing a birth

certificate and even a death certificate.

Let’s look at some of those numbers. So 14,212 new nurses registered since January

2023, bringing the total nurses registered in all categories in British Columbia to

over 72,000, the second-quickest overall nursing workforce growth in Canada behind

Prince Edward Island. More than 38,000 new health employee union health care workers

hired since 2017.

In 2023, B.C. had 13,800 full-time-equivalent education assistants, 4,400 more than

in 2016 and 2017. We have had 37,000 full-time-equivalent teachers. That’s 4,560 more

than in 2016-17.

I stand proudly behind the growth of the public sector and the critical work they

do for British Columbians each and every day. In addition to the important services

that our public sector provides, the constant criticism of the public service is counterintuitive

to the members opposite’s desire regarding a strong economy, because public sector

jobs provide good and reliable salaries. Public servants spend their money in their

communities. They support local businesses.

There is nothing to be ashamed of in providing the people necessary to support British

Columbia’s growing population in accessing the services and supports that they need.

This budget does just that. It protects the services the people of British Columbia

need, and it ensures that those services will be provided to people when they need

them, where they need them most.

My whiplash is made worse — and I’ve actually suffered from whiplash before; it’s

terrible — when I hear the members opposite argue for more public services, more staff

for ERs, more doctors for essential medical services, more paramedics for rural and

remote communities, more teachers for classrooms in growing communities, more addiction

services beds. All are things we agree need to be addressed, positions we are working

relentlessly to fill.

At the same time as asking for these positions and these services, the members opposite

criticize us for a growing public sector. I ask: how do we provide these critical

services if not by hiring actual people into the public service to fill these positions?

Our budget is focused on building stronger services that support British Columbians,

and we believe that the people providing these critical services should be employed

by the province.

There are a few highlights in this budget for me that I would like to address. Truth

and reconciliation is important to Ladysmith-Oceanside, and this budget continues

our government’s commitment to meaningful and lasting truth and reconciliation. Of

critical importance is the revitalization of Indigenous languages across the province.

For generations, First Nations people have been clinging to the responsibility and

bearing the burden of keeping these languages alive.

Since 2017, this government has committed tens of millions of dollars to language

revitalization, and this budget continues that important work. Budget 2025 nearly

doubles previous investments in language and culture programming with stable funding

of $15 million per year to advance the work of the First Peoples Cultural Council,

and these investments are working.

Hul’q’umi’num’ is one of the languages of the lands upon which Ladysmith-Oceanside

is situated. When I started as a school trustee in 2014 in school district No. 68,

there were two fully fluent Hul’q’umi’num’ speakers in the district. Today that number

has risen to six, and it continues to grow. Six fully fluent Hul’q’umi’num’ speakers

work for school district 68, and I’m tremendously proud of this.

[3:25 p.m.]

As a school trustee, people questioned why we were supporting the development of a

lost language. That was a term people used all the time. What’s the point? What good

will it do? And my answer was clear: Hul’q’umi’num’ is the language of the lands upon

which the schools of school district 68 sit. If we don’t stand up for the language

with actual financial investments as well as good intentions, who will?

That same saying applies now that I am an MLA in British Columbia. These languages

are the languages of the lands upon which we govern. They have been spoken since time

immemorial. If we don’t support the reincarnation of these languages, who will? This

budget does just that.

In the riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside, I heard clearly about two particular health

care priorities: access to family health care practitioners and rebuilding and expanding

the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital so that people in the central Island region

can have access to the critical health care they need, when they need it, where they

live.

This budget continues to prioritize strengthening health care, with actions underway

to expand access to family doctors and nurse practitioners and to recruit and train

more health care practitioners. This includes $443 million over the fiscal plan to

support our primary care strategy, to continue progress on connecting people with

a family doctor or a nurse practitioner and to deliver quality primary care services.

We are finally starting to see those results in Ladysmith-Oceanside. In Oceanside

alone, over 3,400 people have been attached to a primary health care practitioner

in the last 12 months. Every day I’m getting emails from constituents who are getting

attached to family health care practitioners thanking us for the work we are doing

trying to solve this problem.

This budget continues to fund critical upgrades to the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital

to the tune of half a billion dollars. It includes construction on a new cancer care

centre at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, a new ICU, a new high-acuity wing, which

means that the ICU in Nanaimo will go from eight beds in 2017 to 24 beds when it opens

this summer.

I know many folks in the central Island region were watching with bated breath for

the funding commitment to the much-needed hospital tower at the Nanaimo Regional General

Hospital. I can tell you that our government is working closely with the local hospital

board to help move this project forward.

On budget day, the chair of the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District board was my guest

in the gallery. My fellow central MLAs from Nanaimo–Gabriola Island and Nanaimo-Lantzville

met with the Minister of Infrastructure to discuss next steps in this project. The

hospital board is a willing, creative and collaborative partner, and we are all working

hard to move this project forward.

Making sure people can find good quality housing that they can afford is always going

to be one of our top priorities. Ladysmith-Oceanside has benefited from numerous investments

in the riding in affordable and supportive housing.

One such example is the purchase of Moilliet Manor by the B.C. Rent Bank last summer.

Over half the residents in that building are over 75. Thanks to the investment from

this government, these folks now have long-term, stable housing. Without this investment,

the building would have been sold, most likely torn down, made room for condos, displacing

these residents.

The budget continues to prioritize access to affordable housing across the spectrum.

Budget 2025 injects an additional $318 million over three years to BC Builds as part

of the province’s goal of delivering thousands of rental homes for middle-income people.

We’re making sure that people, not speculators, can find affordable housing by increasing

the speculation and vacancy tax to 3 percent for foreign and untaxed worldwide owners

and 1 percent for Canadian citizens and permanent residents. All of that money is

being invested back into the housing in the regions where the tax is applied. More

than 99 percent of property owners who live in B.C. are exempt from the tax.

[3:30 p.m.]

This remains a top priority for the residents of Ladysmith-Oceanside. We know the

expansion of the speculation and vacancy tax areas will help ensure that the families

that work and support our communities can live in those communities. Since the introduction

of the speculation and vacancy tax, we have seen so many homes that used to be short-term

rentals switched over to long-term, stable housing for the families of Ladysmith-Oceanside.

During the campaign, I had one woman walk right out onto the doorstep and point to

houses on the street and say to me: “That used to be short-term rental. That used

to be short-term rental. That used to be short-term rental.” They’re now all filled,

either purchased or have long-term renters in them, families who live and work in

the community.

Another family that told me a story about being displaced by a fire when they were

looking for a place to live…. All the rentals were short-term rentals. Now that the

rules have changed, when they look online, they see those same rentals being advertised

for long-term rent for families who live in the communities. The tax is working, and

it’s time to do more.

The speculation and vacancy tax recently expanded into my own community this year,

and I’d like to say that the process for declaring the exemption was actually very

quick and easy. There are 59 communities in B.C. that this tax applies to, including

13 declaring for the first time in 2025. The rate increase is expected to bring $47

million in 2026-27.

Speculation tax is playing a critical role in turning empty units into homes for people

in communities across the province. I myself am renting an apartment here in Victoria,

as an MLA, that used to be a short-term rental and is now available for long-term

rentals because of the change of rules.

When you have rural areas in your riding, you become familiar with the tangled jurisdictional

web of encampments. The rise in encampments is directly related to the affordability

crisis that we are facing. With these encampments, people experiencing homelessness

are living in unsafe conditions in encampments throughout multiple communities in

British Columbia. It is such a complex issue, because the people who have encampments

outside their properties also deserve to feel safe in their communities.

In my riding of Ladysmith-Oceanside, we have large rural networks, and these encampments

can often be found right outside people’s driveways, on the edge of their properties,

straddling roadways, creating a maze of jurisdictional hot potatoes.

It’s a complex problem to solve the root cause of this. You can’t just say, “Tow away

the vehicles,” because people are living in these vehicles. If you tow away the vehicles,

you displace people, and the problem just continues.

We’re working very hard to address these challenges. B.C. Housing is working with

partners to provide people living outdoors and in encampments with better access to

a range of support services, new shelters and housing options through new programs

funded by the province under the belonging in B.C. homelessness plan.

With compassion at the centre of solving this issue, this budget has $90 million to

get people out of encampments and off the streets by providing more services, shelters

and homes through the HEART and HEARTH programs: homelessness encampment action response

team, HEART, and homelessness encampment action response temporary housing, HEARTH.

I witnessed it firsthand last week, as I attended a multi-jurisdictional response

team planning meeting regarding one of the growing encampments in my riding.

As a small business owner, paying close attention to finances is important to me.

On the previously mentioned theme of whiplash, I consistently hear the members opposite

using their question period to simultaneously demand more services while criticizing

the provincial deficit.

This budget demonstrates that we are focusing on supporting and growing the economy

and carefully managing our finances to protect the services people rely on today.

While we have work to do, we do have one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the country.

But it’s more important than ever to strengthen the province’s fiscal position so

that the government can respond to changing needs in these uncertain times. Despite

these unstable times, government is taking the first steps to building a path to balance

our budget over the long term, reviewing all government programs to ensure that every

dollar we are spending is delivering results for British Columbians. We’ve put a temporary

pause on hiring in the B.C. public service, separate from the public sector, with

the exception of critical roles.

[3:35 p.m.]

Budget 2025 also includes expenditure management targets around cutting administration

costs as part of a multi-year approach to balance budgets over time by growing the

economy and carefully managing our spending.

In conclusion, during these very challenging times, I am grateful to the Minister

of Finance and her team for delivering a budget that protects British Columbians,

protects the core services that we all rely on and supports our businesses through

investments in trade diversification at a time when we need it most.

I thank the hon. Speaker for allowing me to speak in support of Budget 2025, “Standing

strong for B.C.,” that is focused on building a stronger economy that works for all

British Columbians, not just some, that strengthens health care and the services people

rely on and builds B.C.’s critical infrastructure.

I want to end with a message I received recently from a constituent who is not a traditional

NDP supporter, but I managed to kind of convince them during this campaign to vote

for me. They said: “I’m impressed with the Premier — thoughtful, emotional, realistic

and rightly untrusting of Trump, even channelling a bit of John Horgan. I am confident

that B.C. is in capable hands.”

Harman Bhangu : I rise today in this chamber with immense gratitude, knowing that I stand here because

of the incredible volunteers who believe in the Conservative vision for British Columbia.

This election was historic not just for Langley-Abbotsford but for the entire province,

and it was made possible by the dedication of those who gave their time, energy and

determination to bring real change.

I’m a trucker. My family came here for a better life to this country. My mom and dad

worked tirelessly to provide that life. I lost my father eight years ago, but not

a day goes by that I don’t think of him, and I know he’s watching me down in this

chamber here today.

I’d also like to thank my wife, who’s been instrumental in even letting me pursue

this journey. Having two young kids at home, I know how hard it is for all the members

here, the hardships we face with our families and everything else, the sacrifices

they make for us to take

part in this.

I also want to thank my campaign manager, André Roberge; Joe Latam; and there are

several others — Richa Nair, a good friend of mine from high school — that all stepped

up to the plate and helped me achieve this.

And without my wife, Courtney, it would be really impossible. I want to thank her

again. She’s been a rock for me.

I also want to thank my friend Brittany Foote, who hopped in a car, made the travel

across in a ferry, drove down to Langley-Abbotsford and a bunch of ridings to help

us achieve this mission.

To the door-knockers who braved the elements to have conversations that mattered:

you made a difference. You listened to the concerns of our neighbours, shared our

message and showed that Conservative movement is about people first.

To those who helped me put up signs, rain or shine: thank you. Every sign was a symbol

of hope for those who wanted a better future. You worked tirelessly, early mornings,

late nights, ensuring that every street, every neighbourhood saw that there was a

choice on election day.

To the drivers who made sure the volunteers could reach every part of our riding and

to those who spent hours making phone calls, connecting with voters, answering questions

and encouraging people to get out there and vote: your efforts did not go unnoticed.

This victory was not mine alone. It belongs to every person who gave their time to

make sure Langley-Abbotsford’s voice was heard, and I promise that as your representative,

I will fight every day to ensure that your hard work was not in vain.

The great township of Langley is one of British Columbia’s most historic places. In

1824, renowned explorer James McMillan was sent by the governor of the Hudson’s Bay

Co. to explore the lower Fraser River. He and his party portaged their canoes through

what is now called Langley township to avoid the rapids near Kanaka Creek. He recommended

establishment of a fort on the banks of the river there. The rest is history.

[3:40 p.m.]

Today giant greenhouse operations are located on the site of the original Hudson’s

Bay farm. The reconstructed fort can be found at the national historic site of Fort

Langley. It was there in 1858 that Gov. James Douglas proclaimed the creation of the

colony of British Columbia.

The township of Langley was the first district municipality incorporated in British

Columbia, on April 26, 1873, the same day that Chilliwack was incorporated as a city.

Only two cities in British Columbia are older than the township: New Westminster and

Victoria, whose incorporation predates the entry of British Columbia into the confederation

in 1871.

The Abbotsford portion of our riding has rich history, deeply rooted in both Indigenous

heritage and the contributions of European settlers. The name “Matsqui” comes from

the Halq’eméylem language, meaning easy portage or easy travelling, reflecting on

the region’s historical significance for the Stó:lō people who lived along the Fraser

River for thousands of years.

Scandinavian settlers later shaped Matsqui village, leaving their mark with institutions

like Matsqui Lutheran Church, built in 1903. Matsqui was incorporated as a district

in 1892 and later merged with Abbotsford in 1995.

One of Matsqui’s well-known political figures, Harry De Jong, was a dedicated public

servant who served as mayor from 1975 to 1987, both representing the area as an MLA

and serving as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Just west of Matsqui lies Bradner, a community founded in 1895 by Thomas Bradner,

who is celebrated for his deep agricultural roots. Since 1928, the Bradner flower

show has been a cherished tradition, showcasing over 400 daffodil varieties each spring.

This year’s show, themed “Springtime in Paris,” will be held in April, continuing

the legacy of a community built on hard work, culture and connection to the land.

I stand on the shoulders of giants, some of the most constructive, influential political

leaders in British Columbian history.

Rich Coleman led a team of volunteers who built Aldergrove Kinsman Community Centre

in the 1980s with their own donated materials and labour. He went on to represent

the township in the Legislature for 24 years, during which time he served as opposition

Whip, as interim leader of the Official Opposition, and in government as Minister

of Public Safety, Minister of Forests, Minister of Housing, Minister of Energy and

Mines, Minister of Natural Gas Development and Deputy Premier of British Columbia.

This NDP government can be thankful to Rich Coleman when they examine the revenue

side of their terrible deficit-ridden budget. Were it not for his work developing

our natural resources, their enormous deficit would be even larger.

Before Rich Coleman, Bob McClelland was one of the key ministers in the Social Credit

government of Bill Bennett, serving 14 years in this place representing Langley. At

the time, he served as Minister of Health; Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum

Resources; Minister of Labour; and Minister of Industry and Small Business. Bob McClelland

was a visionary decades before his time. As a health minister, he led a drive to provide

involuntary care for heroin addicts. His pioneering legislation for involuntary care

was struck down by progressive judges, just like we’re seeing today.

In a way, these progressive judges were instrumental in thousands and thousands of

untimely, unnecessarily drug-caused overdose deaths. We can only hope that our current

Premier is successful in fulfilling McClelland’s vision of over 40 years ago and begins

to bring an end to the death and the suffering.

I can’t forget to honour the contributions of local leaders who helped make the township

the great place it is today. The township has one of the few 50-metre Olympic swimming

pools in the region, built at a cost of just $14 million in the 1990s by legendary

mayor of the day, John Scholtens. Several talented young Langley swimmers have gone

on to compete in the Olympics and world juniors, and the pool hosts one of the top

swimming programs in Canada.

Mayor Scholtens brought clean drinking water to Aldergrove. He brought flower baskets

and beauty to Aldergrove’s downtown core, and he did it all while paying off every

single penny of the township’s outstanding debt.

[3:45 p.m.]

We hold up John and Fannie as they mourn the loss of their eldest son, Geoff, who

travelled the world as a missionary and lost his life much too young in a plane crash

in Merritt last summer.

We also remember Lt. Col. Dean Drysdale, who started off in public life as the president

of the student council at D.W. Poppy Secondary in my riding. We lost him too soon

to ALS, likely from exposure to toxic materials in Iraq during the first Gulf War.

He was the commanding officer of the 16th Field Artillery Regiment, served as deputy

mayor of the township, earned an MBA and a PhD in Europe, taught business at Kwantlen

Polytechnic University, served in the Prime Minister’s Office and started several

successful companies.

The son of a heavy-equipment operator, much like myself, Dean showed young people

in Langley what is possible when you dream big, work hard. A library in Langley bears

his name, and his inspiration is on my heart today.

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to mention my late friend and mentor,

Peter Wall, a man whose impact will be felt for generations. Peter’s roots were in

Abbotsford, where his family settled after immigrating from Ukraine in 1948. From

humble beginnings, he built an incredible legacy as co-founder of Wall and Redekop

Corp., later Wall Financial.

He reshaped Vancouver’s skyline, but his influence expanded far beyond real estate.

His developments reached across the Fraser Valley, including Langley and Abbotsford,

helping shape the communities we know today.

Peter believed in lifting people up, those with drive and ambition, no matter their

background. I was one of those people. I learned a lot of business in my conversations

with Peter, more than I would have taking any course.

He saw potential, gave opportunities and changed lives. His generosity was unmatched.

His $15 million donation to UBC in 1991 was the university’s largest at the time,

just one of many contributions to health care and community initiatives.

People like Peter simply don’t leave us. His presence is etched into the communities,

in the lives he changed and in the spirit of those he inspired. His legacy will live

on forever.

I stand in this historic chamber. I am reminded of the immense responsibility that

comes with being elected to serve the people of Langley-Abbotsford. This is not a

job to be taken lightly, nor is it a title to be worn without duty. It’s a calling,

a commitment, and for me, it’s a deeply personal mission.

I did not get into politics for prestige. I did not step forward when the path was

easy, nor did I seek the safe route. When I ran first, under the Conservative banner

in Surrey South, our party barely registered in the polls. People told me, “You’re

wasting your time,” that British Columbians weren’t ready for a real Conservative

alternative. But I knew better.

I knew that the people, especially in the communities like Langley-Abbotsford, were

tired — tired of broken promises, tired of being ignored and tired of watching their

hard work go unrewarded.

So I put my name on the ballot, and we fought. We didn’t just show up; we made an

impact. We took a party polling under 2 percent and proved that the change was possible.

We sent a clear message. Conservatives weren’t here to play petty politics. We were

here to fight for the future of this province.

That fight led me here today, representing the people of Langley-Abbotsford. Langley-Abbotsford

is home to hard-working families, small business owners and tradespeople who wake

up every morning, work long hours and sacrifice to build a better life.

My father was a trucker, a provider, a hard worker, a man who never backed down from

a challenge. He worked long hours, made sacrifices and taught me the values of integrity

and perseverance. He taught me that no matter how tough things get, you don’t give

up. You stand up. You push forward.

This is exactly what I bring to the chamber. I am here to fight for families in Langley-Abbotsford

who work tirelessly just to keep up with the rising cost of living. I am here to fight

for truckers, farmers and small business owners who keep this community and this province

moving — people who are ignored by this government, a government that only seems to

care when it’s politically convenient. I am here to fight for everyday British Columbians

who have been left behind by a government who chooses ideology over common sense.

[3:50 p.m.]

I did not come to warm a seat. I came here to fight. And let me be clear, I will not

stand by while this province and my riding continues down a path where families can’t

afford their homes, businesses can’t afford to stay open and our children can’t seem

to see a future for themselves here. This is not the British Columbia I believe in.

This is not the British Columbia that Langley-Abbotsford and my constituents deserve.

Langley-Abbotsford is more than just a riding. It’s a thriving economic, agricultural

powerhouse that represents the best of British Columbia. It is home to families, farmers,

business owners and workers who believe in hard work, innovation and community. Agriculture

is the backbone of our region. Our world-class berry farms, greenhouses and agricultural

businesses not only feed British Columbians but also contribute to our economy. Farms

like Tamara Jansen’s greenhouse exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit that drives our

province forward.

Speaking of farms and agriculture, I would like to congratulate Sukhman Gill, a young

man who grew up on a berry farm in the township of Langley, on winning his federal

nomination for Abbotsford–South Langley. Sukhman’s dedication to our community and

commitment to conservative values is truly commendable. He understands the challenges

we’re facing in our region and is ready to bring a strong voice for the residents.

I look forward to working alongside him to build a stronger future for British Columbia

and Canada. I wish him great success in his journey ahead.

I’d also like to give a thanks to Jessy Sahota stepping up in Delta. I know in the

Sikh community, we’ve had a lot of people say we need people that can articulate things,

and it’s good to see the next generation of Sikhs stepping up to the plate. I’m really

proud of them.

Langley-Abbotsford is not just a centre for agriculture; it is also a hub of connectivity

and movement. As a key transportation corridor, 16th Avenue serves commuters, truckers

and businesses moving goods across the region. The Langley Regional Airport is another

economic driver, training pilots, supporting local enterprises and keeping our economy

strong.

The riding is also rich in a history of culture: the Annand/Rowlatt Farmstead, dating

back to the 1880s; and the Lochiel schoolhouse, a one-room school built in 1924. After

a glimpse into our agricultural heritage, these landmarks connect us to the pioneers

who built this region and remind us of the importance of preserving our history and

giving credit to the ones that paved the path for us today.

Transportation remains vital to our economy. The Southern Railway of British Columbia,

operating since 1897, has evolved into a critical freight link, moving 69,000 railcars

annually and transporting everything from automotive products to building goods and

grain.

Langley-Abbotsford is also home to Thunderbird Show Park, a world-class equestrian

facility that attracts top riders from around the globe. As a cornerstone of our local

economy, it drives tourism, creates jobs and inspires the next generation of athletes.

Supporting venues like Thunderbird is essential to sustaining economic growth and

promoting excellence in Canadian sport, and it also happens to be the favourite place

my daughter Audriana likes to visit. She hopes to ride there one day as well.

Beyond industry and commerce, Langley-Abbotsford is also about natural beauty, quality

of life. Campbell Valley Regional Park, with its 1,352 acres of forest, grasslands

and wetlands, is a sanctuary for wildlife and place for families to connect with nature.

Whether it’s hiking the Little River Loop trail, horseback riding on Shaggy Mane trail,

enjoying a peaceful walk, this park showcases the best of our province’s natural treasures.

Langley-Abbotsford is a riding of opportunity, history and progress. From our farms

to our businesses, from our transport networks to our natural spaces, we must continue

to support and strengthen foundations that make this community thrive. We must ensure

that Langley-Abbotsford receives the investment it deserves, not just roads and transit

but in education, health care, public safety.

Families in our riding want safe streets, strong schools and opportunities for their

children to thrive. Small business owners want fewer barriers, not more red tape.

Farmers want policies that support their hard work, not policies that make it harder

to compete.

[3:55 p.m.]

I will not let Langley-Abbotsford be an afterthought in this chamber. I will fight

every day to make sure that our families, our workers and our businesses get the support

they need to succeed.

Langley-Abbotsford is the beating heart of British Columbia, not just in words but

in the people who work hard every single day to keep it moving forward. They deserve

a government that fights for them as they fight for their families, and that is exactly

what I intend to do.

The recently tabled 2025 British Columbia budget made it clear. Langley-Abbotsford

is not a priority to this NDP government. One of the most glaring omissions was the

lack of funding for the much-needed patient care tower at Langley Memorial Hospital.

This project is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Our community is growing rapidly,

and our health care system is already struggling to keep up.

This expansion would have provided enhanced surgical facilities, increased patient

capacity and modernized health care services to better serve the people of Langley-Abbotsford.

Instead of delivering on this vital investment, what has the government chosen to

do? To delay it, citing economic uncertainties and external factors like the U.S.

tariffs. What is more uncertain than a patient waiting for critical surgery in an

outdated operating room? What is more uncertain than a family wondering if their loved

one will get a hospital bed in an overcrowded facility?

In a letter dated September 7, 2024, local surgeons pleaded for this expansion, calling

its current significant infrastructure dilapidated and unfit for modern medical care.

No major capital investments have been made to Langley Memorial’s surgical facilities

in over 35 years. Meanwhile, our population continues to grow, the new residential

developments adding thousands of new residents to the area.

Langley’s health care needs are increasingly urgent, yet when Langley’s representation

shifted to the Conservative side, the promises for a new patient care tower went unmet,

with no immediate funding allocated.

Meanwhile, Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, represented by an NDP MLA, has

received significant improvements, including the completion of Paul Myers Tower. This

is a stark contrast to Langley’s situation and is how a lot of people south of the

river feel.

The people of Langley-Abbotsford don’t need more excuses. They need action. They deserve

the same level of commitment to health care and infrastructure as other communities

across the province.

The failures of this government don’t stop at health care. The long-promised expansion

of Highway 1 continues to be riddled with delays, cost overruns and mismanagement,

all at the expense of people in my riding who are stuck in worsening congestion every

single day. Highway 1 is the backbone of our regional economy. It connects commuters

to work, businesses to customers and goods to the market.

For years, residents of Langley-Abbotsford have been forced to sit in traffic, losing

valuable times with their families because this government refuses to get the job

done. The expansion project was supposed to alleviate congestion, improve safety