Second Session, 42nd Parliament

(2021) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Thursday, October 21, 2021

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 111

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Statements

Great British Columbia ShakeOut

Hon. M. Farnworth

30th anniversary of Mike Farnworth’s election

M. de Jong

Hon. J. Horgan

S. Furstenau

Hon. M. Farnworth

Introductions by Members

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Diversity and reconciliation

E. Ross

Eevah Macdonald and prevention of racist

bullying

K. Paddon

Wildfire impact and donations of hay for evacuated animals

I. Paton

Regional Animal Protection Society in Richmond

A. Singh

Overdose awareness

A. Olsen

Message of appreciation

G. Lore

Oral Questions

Youth stabilization care legislation and access to information on youth overdose deaths

S. Bond

Hon. J. Horgan

K. Kirkpatrick

COVID-19 response and impact on health care system

S. Furstenau

Hon. A. Dix

Vaccine passports for international travel

J. Sturdy

Hon. J. Horgan

Application of freedom-of-information legislation to InBC Investment Corp.

T. Stone

Hon. R. Kahlon

Government response to freedom-of-information requests

B. Banman

Hon. J. Horgan

Government response to Lytton fire

J. Tegart

Hon. M. Farnworth

Tabling Documents

Elections B.C., annual report, 2020-21, and service plan,

2021-22–2023-24

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2021

The House met at 10:03 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: T. Stone.

Statements

GREAT BRITISH COLUMBIA SHAKEOUT

Hon. M. Farnworth: Hon. Speaker, as you know, today is the Great ShakeOut date here

and also across the province. As we all know, earthquakes can strike at

any time, and while many of our earthquakes are small, we need to be

prepared for the very real possibility of a major one.

Today on ShakeOut Thursday, the third Thursday of every October,

we ask people in schools, homes and workplaces, such as the Legislature,

to practise how to drop, cover and hold on. We’re encouraging everyone

to participate in ShakeOut B.C. as a way to make sure that when we do

have a real earthquake strike, people know what to do without hesitation

because they’ve done it before.

At 10:21 a.m. today, all of us here in the House will be doing the

same drill as many others across the province. So at 10:21, it will be

back to our offices to drop and to follow the instructions, and we will

have a successful ShakeOut day.

Mr. Speaker: Any other member for introductions?

If not, Members, you heard the Solicitor General and Minister of

Public Safety on following instructions about your area from people who

are in charge. We will be back around 10:50 or 10:55. Have a safe

stepping-out outside, and also, be safe under your desks. Don’t hit your

head.

We will be in recess until the ringing of the bell.

The House recessed from 10:05 a.m. to 11 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

30 th ANNIVERSARY

OF MIKE

FARNWORTH’S ELECTION

M. de Jong: We acknowledge a lot of special days in this chamber, and here’s

one that, by my recollection, hasn’t come along in the better part of a

half-century. It’s an anniversary of sorts.

In describing to members what it relates to, I’ll ask them to

think back, if they can, and try to remember what they were doing 30

years ago this week. I know what one of us was doing 30 years ago this

week: he was celebrating his first election to this chamber. I think

everyone here was born 30 years ago. God, I hope so. So 30 years — 30

years in a vocation where the shelf life is notoriously

short.

It’s difficult to remember a time when the member for Port

Coquitlam wasn’t here, but for the Leader of the Opposition and me, no

one here can remember a time when he wasn’t here. He arrived all those

years ago with all of the zest, enthusiasm, sense of excitement and

purpose that I think guides all of us as we come through those rotating

doors for the first time into this chamber. As his reputation for

diligence, skill and performance gathered, the weight of responsibility

also gathered on his shoulders.

In the full-contact sport that is B.C. politics, he has weathered

his share of body bruises, of insults, of pettiness, of nastiness — the

things that all too often reveal themselves in our respective caucus

rooms. And look. Clearly, he and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on

matters of public policy, and we haven’t seen eye to eye on all

procedural matters in this chamber. But he has debated vigorously and

skilfully, and on more occasions than I care to recall, I have been on

the receiving end of his razor-sharp wit, that perfectly timed bon mot,

delivered with a twinkle in his eye but — I will say this — an absolute

absence of malice.

The evolution of the relationship we have with one another in this

place is really a fascinating thing. We arrive with a partisan

competitiveness, I suppose rooted in the fact that we are plotting the

electoral demise of our opponents along the way. But somewhere along the

line, we first acquire a wariness, as we sense the abilities in our

political opponents. That kind of evolves, eventually, into a measure of

respect for a worthy and skilful opponent. Then, eventually — this is

really in the case of the member for Port Coquitlam, the minister, the

Government House Leader — there comes that genuine affection that one

feels for a friend.

You’re not retiring, are you? [Laughter.]

[11:05 a.m.]

A friend, Mr. Speaker, who has served with distinction, with

humility, with civility, for the better part of three

decades.

Now, I do say “better part of three decades,” because he took a

sabbatical. He took a brief, four-year sabbatical, which allows me to

claim two years seniority on him. I wasn’t sure if I should mention

that, but it occurred to me that the whole concept of seniority probably

means more in his party than it does in mine.

Oh, the book he could write about this place — the book we could

write about this. Look, if Zussman and Shaw can do it, anyone can. What

was that book called — A Matter of Confidence ? I didn’t like

the ending, but it was a pretty good book. I don’t know what we’d call

it. “A Matter of Insolence”? It certainly wouldn’t be “A Matter of

Temperance.”

Actually, in the case of the member for Port Coquitlam, the House

Leader and the minister, I think the book would be “A Matter of Honour”

— the honour that he has shown for his constituents through those three

decades in serving them, the honour he’s shown to this institution and

the honour I think we all feel, hundreds of members past and present,

who have had the honour to serve with him.

On this, your political birthday, congratulations, Mike. You don’t

look bad for 30. [Applause.]

Hon. J. Horgan: I was very reluctant to get up and even comment on an

extraordinary presentation by the member for Abbotsford West — I know

genuine and heartfelt. But I wanted to just advise members that this is

a teachable moment for all of us.

In a few short minutes, we will be screaming at each other. We

will be braying to the moon. We are reminded, before we engage in this

place in the blood sport that the member for Abbotsford West touches

upon, of how fortunate all of us are to be participating, as members of

our communities, in this place, to come forward with different

perspectives and different ideas but, at the end of the day, still have

enormous respect for each other.

I have been a friend of his for a long, long time.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I am older than you.

Hon. J. Horgan: He is, as everyone knows, a few weeks older than me. But I do

know, having observed the two Mikes — as that Mike was over here, and

that Mike was over there — how they were able to manage the insolence of

their colleagues, whether they be in government or in opposition. They

did it with such aplomb that no one really understood.

This one would get up and hector, and that one would get up and

defend. As much as it was annoying to both sides — and I remember being

very annoyed at both of them at different times — I knew that at the end

of the day, both of them had such a deference for this place and such a

respect for each other that extraordinary things happened here despite

all of us and all of those who came before us.

For the new members, this is absolutely a teachable moment about

how decent people come here from every corner of the province with

different perspectives and a different way of getting to a better life

for our friends, our neighbours and our communities.

As we leave this fantastic moment, I lift my hands again to the

member for Abbotsford West for reminding us of something that I should

have known, because I was here when he arrived as well, making sure that

he was as prepared as he could be, as was the member for

Vancouver-Kingsway.

[11:10 a.m.]

All three of us were part of a club called the 213 club, which was

the 213 souls who were convinced by Ian Waddell that he should be the

leader of the federal NDP. That was the beginning of our friendship, and

it has endured over 30 years.

I want to just say, because I know that when this one goes home,

he’s going to say to Doug: “You should see what happened

today.”

I want to also lift my hands to Doug for allowing him to be with

us. I know the genuine sentiment of many on the other side. It’s not a

retirement party for him just yet.

S. Furstenau: As the somewhat fresher face, but hopefully not forgettable, I do

want to add to the kind words that have been said about the House Leader

for the government party.

It has been just over four years that I have had the fortune to

work with him, and I would say that those four years were a matter of

being thrown into a very deep pool and trying to figure out how to swim

very quickly. One of the people that made that possible was the member

for Port Coquitlam.

I think that he and the former member for Langley and I bonded

through quite a tumultuous time in this Legislature and shared,

absolutely, the commitment that the member for Abbotsford West speaks

about — the commitment to this place, to this institution, to the

well-being of democracy but also a commitment to working respectfully

across all party lines and working in a way that raises the level of

what we do in here.

I can’t sit down before I speak about the one thing that we always

talk about, which is the member’s garden. He loves gardening, and I

don’t think we’ve had a single conversation in four years that doesn’t

end up on the cabbages or the melons or the kale or the meal that Doug

makes at the end of the week. It’s important, as the Premier

noted.

We are humans here. We are colleagues. We are friends. Thank you

for always bringing it back to that.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I just want to say thank you. It’s one of the nicest things that

anyone has ever done. Thank you. [Applause]

M. Elmore: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Mr. Speaker: You can do it. Please proceed.

Introductions by Members

M. Elmore: We have today in the precinct, right here above us, Eevah and Marina

MacDonald. They’re joining us from Chilliwack-Kent. Eevah is 11 years old.

She’s in grade 6, and we’re going to be hearing her words today. She worked

with her MLA, the MLA for Chilliwack-Kent, so she’s going to be delivering

those remarks.

I’d just like to say that I myself and a number of colleagues had the

privilege and the honour of meeting her and her mom yesterday. We think that

she is certainly someone who could be on the route to joining us. She’s

sitting in the gallery. One day we could see her down here joining

us.

I’d ask everybody to please give them both a very warm

welcome.

[11:15 a.m.]

Mr. Speaker: Any other member to make any introductions we missed this

morning?

G. Lore: Joining us today is my sister Faith, and her partner, Doug. We have

five little kids between us. Between that and a notable distance and a

pandemic, I don’t get to see her very often. I’m so thrilled she’s here

joining us today, watching.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

DIVERSITY AND RECONCILIATION

E. Ross: In 1792, my ancestors were awestruck by explorer Joseph Whidbey’s

huge canoe and shocked at white spirits, q’wemksiwas rising out

of the floorboards. They made a trade of two 70-pound salmon for a piece

of steel, and diversity had officially begun for this land that we now

call Canada.

My Elders told me about the first time they met Asians, South

Asians and Africans, and their stories are always the same. It starts

out with the observations of physical and colour differences, and then

it turns to wonder and curiosity on both sides. Then, if conditions

allow, it turns to the sharing of technology and culture for mutual

benefit.

You don’t hear First Nations talking much about diversity, whether

it be gender, race or religion, because we evolved beside it, and for

the most part, we evolved within it. The fear that we had to overcome

was actually overcome by interaction. Today, the lines of division are

based in that same fear and unfair narratives, but we can get over this

if we dig deeper, and I include myself.

I’ve been invited to churches so that parishioners can pray for me

as an MLA. I’ve been invited to temples in Terrace, and now Surrey, to

witness their culture and festivals. I’ve been invited to Asian

communities to try their traditional foods. Of course, I’ve been to many

First Nations across B.C. where the customs and stories are different.

It’s amazing to experience the diversity, but it’s also inspiring to

hear how proud everyone is to be a British Columbian or a Canadian as

well. It’s obvious in the way that we talk or look that we are diverse,

but to visit each other gets us beyond our fears.

I’ll close with this. There’s an Asian dance troupe who wants to

come to my community to dance for my people to commemorate the

residential schools era. Many people around the world suffered through

some experiences of similar trauma, but this is how we reconcile at the

human level. We share a unique perspective, so it becomes a collective

healing journey.

This is one initiative I’ll be extremely proud to be a part of,

because it’s a continuation of our first diverse steps that started in

EEVAH MACDONALD AND

PREVENTION OF RACIST

BULLYING

K. Paddon: I rise today to amplify the voice of a young constituent, Eevah

Macdonald. I became aware of Eevah through Facebook posts made by her

mother, Marina — first, a post expressing her heartbreak at watching her

young daughter deal with racist bullying at school and then, a few days

later, a post saying that Eevah was 11 years old. My heart stuttered as

I realized how young Eevah is and how damaging this could be if there

were no other voices.

So I did two things. First I invited my colleagues, women of

colour from this House, to send Eevah birthday messages so that she

could see and hear that racism is not winning. I thank them for the real

difference that they made to this young girl in Chilliwack-Kent. Then we

invited her here so that we could show her that her voice can be a

powerful vehicle for change. She can’t speak here yet. So I’m honoured

to share her words with you all.

“They said that because I am Black, I should go kill myself, that I

should be an example for other Black people to do the same. They said

that I am like a dog. It’s kind of like when a tree gets cut down and

just left there and forgotten. That’s how I felt — left there with

damage, by myself.

“It’s like some people think that because I’m Black, because I’m not

white, I am just something, an object. But what’s real is that it

doesn’t matter what your skin looks like. You’re beautiful just the way

you are. The most important things about me are my funniness and my

kindness. I’m proud that I stick up for people. I speak up for people.

I’m a safe place for someone.

[11:20 a.m.]

“Someday, I’m going to dance en pointe. Someday people are going to

see me — that I’m brave and I’m smart and I’m good and I’m strong, that

I’m a sister and a daughter, that I’m sensitive and I’m funny, that I

like to laugh, and I like to make people laugh, that I’m more than

Black. But there’s nothing wrong with being Black.

“I’m happy that maybe this doesn’t happen as much anymore, that

maybe some people don’t know it still happens. It’s not funny. It

doesn’t matter where you heard it or who said it or if you read it on

the Internet. It doesn’t matter how they meant it. It’s racism. It

hurts. I’m a person, and I matter.”

Thank you. [Applause.]

WILDFIRE IMPACT AND DONATIONS

OF HAY FOR EVACUATED

ANIMALS

I. Paton: This summer, watching the news every evening and learning of the

devastation of wildfires, I asked myself: “What can an MLA from the

Lower Mainland do to help?” I couldn’t join my colleagues in the B.C.

forest fire zones — who were, by the way, working tirelessly for their

constituents — but I could get on the phone and connect with my farm and

ranching friends to bring awareness to the hundreds of animals being

evacuated to places of refuge and the urgent need to feed

them.

So it began with a call to the Horse Council of B.C. to find out

where the best centralized evacuation centre would be to deliver donated

hay from farmers in my riding. The first load of hay was from my own

farm to a facility that graciously had accepted horses, ponies and sheep

from a ranch in the Cariboo. I had done the same in 2017, to a fire

evacuation centre for livestock in Barriere, B.C.

Then it was agreed that Sageview Ranch in Kamloops would be the

best upcountry location for hundreds of needed bales of hay to be

dropped off. Delta farmers Danny Sherrell and Scott Harris were the

first to step up with the offer of 300 bales of hay.

My next call, on a Sunday morning, was to Mike Wol­zen’s

trucking company in Ladner to ask a favour in which Mike said: “I’m all

in to donate the trucking.” Coincidentally, he had an empty truck

heading towards Kamloops that night. However, where would I find bodies

to load up 300 bales of hay on a Sunday afternoon in July in 34-degree

heat? Incredibly, after a few quick phone calls, I had 14 farmers show

up, at an hour’s notice, to get the truck loaded.

This initiated further community engagement from far­mers

Joe and Peter Vaupotic and Morgan Thompson, who stepped up the following

week with 600 more bales of totally donated hay along with two more

trucking runs to Kamloops by Mike Wolzen and labour donated by Good

Samaritan Delta farmers and hired hands.

In Delta South, I boast thousands of acres of B.C.’s best

potatoes, blueberries, vegetables, cranberries and dairy farms, but what

I boast most about is the generosity of our farmers to step up with

donations to our local food bank, donations to our local charities and

donations of hay to stressed-out ranchers who we’d never even

met.

REGIONAL ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY

RICHMOND

A. Singh: Mr. Speaker and colleagues, I get up today to encourage you to

adopt and not shop, and about the Richmond Regional Animal Protection

Society in my constituency. Before that, though, I want introduce you to

Charlie and Dave.

Charlie is an enlightened soul, a mix of a German shepherd,

Rottweiler and who knows what else. Always eager to get into trouble,

he’s the most loving soul that I know. Dave, the younger one, is an old

soul. Likely a collie mix, he spends most of his day trying to get

comfortable, which, when I’m home, usually means laying on top of me.

Just close proximity to him instantly generates a sense of ease that I

cannot describe.

Dogs came into my life at a very, very late age. I can’t conceive

of how I lived over four decades without pets. It was not a fulfilling

life, I believe. Our animal companions provide a sense of life and

companionship that’s unparalleled.

The Regional Animal Protection Society is a regis­tered

charity that operates the RAPS Cat Sanctuary, the RAPS Adoption and

Education Centre, a fostering network, social enterprise thrift stores

and a full-service RAPS Animal Hospital in Richmond, B.C. RAPS is proud

to be a no-kill organization, which is among the reasons they have built

a strong and devoted community of animal-loving allies.

The organization was founded in the 1980s, when local volunteers

discovered an overwhelming number of feral cats in Richmond. These cats

and kittens had not been spayed or neutered, had not received any

veterinary care or basic necessities. They would have been euthanized if

they were taken to any of the municipal shelters at that time in the

area.

[11:25 a.m.]

A tiny group of deeply dedicated folks from Richmond formed the

Richmond Homeless Cat Society. This was a precursor to the Richmond

Animal Protection Society, which became the Regional Animal Protection

Society. After lobbying by RAPS, its acronym, Richmond became the first

municipality to legally require spaying and neutering for cats and to

ban the sale of puppies and dogs in pet stores.

Someone much wiser than me once said that people could learn a lot

from dogs. He said that when someone you love walks through the door,

even if it happens multiple times a day, you should go totally insane

with joy and greet them like dogs do.

OVERDOSE AWARENESS

A. Olsen: I stand here today feeling grateful to be alive.

Earlier this summer I was invited by Leslie McBain to speak at the

August 31 vigil for Overdose Awareness Day. “I feel like I’m a lucky

one,” I said as I looked out from the podium to the audience of family

members of those British Columbians who were not so lucky. I felt the

love and the understanding of those family members. I felt the love and

support of our chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, and our Representative for

Children and Youth, Jennifer Charlesworth, who would speak after me

about the poisonous drug supply and the thousands of people that they

have encountered that were not so lucky to survive.

My 20s were rough — tobacco, coffee, sugar, cannabis, cocaine. I

had an unhealthy relationship with myself, and I abused these

substances. I am, indeed, a lucky one.

I shared my story yesterday with Rob Shaw, and I’m sharing it in

this chamber today because I feel a duty to be a positive voice in

breaking down the stigmatization of people who use and abuse or who are

addicted to illicit substances.

My peers are dying at a shocking rate. In recent weeks, I have

been surrounded by the sadness and despair.

We are not acting quickly enough. Between January and July of this

year, 1,204 people perished due to illicit drug toxicity. Seventy-nine

percent of the deaths in 2021 are males, mostly 30 to 59, and 85 percent

are dying in their residences. Luck should not be the only factor

determining whether someone dies or goes on to win four elections,

become a community leader, a husband and the father of two incredibly

amazing children.

I can never be as grateful as I need to be for my partner, Emily.

She didn’t know it at the time, but she saved my life.

Now I look to this chamber and ask that we move with great urgency

so that more friends and families don’t need luck to make their

contribution to their community.

HÍSW̱ḴE

SIÁM .

MESSAGE OF APPRECIATION

G. Lore: What a date to rise in this House. October is Blindness Awareness

Month, bringing attention to the realities of living without full sight.

Last week was OCD Awareness Week to increase understanding of

obsessive-compulsive disorder. International Brain Tumour Awareness Week

starts later this month.

This year these days of significance hit me a bit harder and

represent a year of challenge and resilience for my family. Like many of

my colleagues in this House, a year ago I started a new journey

representing this community I love. It was a learning curve: how to do

the work in this House to make life better for people in our province.

Then, in February, my son was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and it felt

more like falling off a cliff.

Today I am so grateful to be back in this House. I want to take

the opportunity to express my gratitude — my thanks to health care

workers who, amid two public health crises, emergencies, continue to

provide my family and all British Columbians with incredible

care.

Doctors, nurses, neurosurgeons, those who kept operating rooms and

hospital rooms clean, and those who fed my kid: thank you.

Thank you to the other critical front-line workers: those in our

education system. As they, too, continue to navigate the fourth wave,

providing care and education in our communities, they somehow found

extra compassion and energy for my kids.

And I want to thank Ms. Roberts, Heather, Katie, Ms. McEwan, Ms.

Clifford and the leadership and supports at George Jay.

Of course, I also want to thank my family and community for the

love and support, as there is no care like community care.

My incredible staff here at the Legislature and in my community

office continue to provide support and information and connections to my

constituents. So a thank-you to Matt and Andrew and Kate and Hannah and

Ange and Britt.

[11:30 a.m.]

To this House, I want to thank my colleagues for their messages

and support and for the incredible kindness I have felt from all sides

of this House. I’m so grateful to be here with you and to be back

representing Victoria–Beacon Hill in this chamber.

With a final note to those parents who are learning how to care

for and support their kids with new or exacerbated mental illness in

this pandemic and for those who face new health challenges over the

pandemic, keep going. You’re not alone.

Oral Questions

YOUTH STABILIZATION CARE LEGISLATION

AND ACCESS TO

INFORMATION

ON YOUTH OVERDOSE DEATHS

S. Bond: British Columbians expect answers from this Premier on Bill

Bill 22, the Mental Health Amendment Act, was introduced 16 months

ago on June 23, 2020. This is a bill that the Premier thought was so

important that he used it as part of his rationale for breaking his word

and calling a snap election during a global pandemic. But one year later

we’re not debating any form of safe care legislation. The Premier said

he was going to do something about it. He hasn’t, and we continue to

lose children to overdose in our province.

Can the Premier tell British Columbians how many children in care

have died from an overdose this past year?

Hon. J. Horgan: I appreciate the question from the Leader of the Official

Opposition.

I will just say that I do agree with her that the elements in Bill

22 were particularly important to me and to her and to other members of

this House, but it was unable to pass in the last parliament. To that

end, I have appointed a new minister responsible, and she is conducting

a consultation to meet the gaps that some members felt existed in the

legislation.

In addition, we’ve invested $132 million in terms of treatment

beds and recovery opportunities for young people and $500 million in

mental health and addictions this year. Going forward, we’ll continue to

make those investments. Involuntary treatment is already available under

the act, and I expect health care professionals will make their best

judgments based on the legislation as it currently exists.

We’re going to continue to work with members on both sides of the

House to bring forward that bill again. I’m hopeful that we’ll have the

collaboration that the member talks about to ensure that the bill is as

strong as it can be and to protect those vulnerable citizens that she’s

talking about today.

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

supplemental.

S. Bond: Six people a day are dying, including children.

This spring the opposition submitted multiple FOI requests to the

Ministry of Children and Family Development to receive information on

the publication of the death of children in care. An internal briefing

note contains details of children who, in care, tragically died of an

opioid overdose.

In 2019, from the period of January to the end of June, nine

children in care died, including two deaths that were confirmed as

opioid overdose deaths. Shockingly, these details are not published on

the government website. Instead, these opioid overdoses of children are

classified as accidental deaths.

We’re in the middle of an opioid crisis. Not sharing that

information hinders our ability to actually understand the depth of the

problem and to make the kinds of policy decisions that we need to make

children in care safer.

Can the Premier explain why the number of children in care who

have died from an overdose is not being provided publicly to better

inform the critical work that we must do?

Hon. J. Horgan: Thank you to the Leader of the Official Opposition.

I well understand the feelings and sentiments of all members of

this House when we learn of the tragic death of a child in care. Those

children are in the care of us. We are the state. We are the Legislative

Assembly and the government of British Columbia. We are the parents in

this instance. We have a higher calling as a result of going through not

one but two public health emergencies concurrently here in British

Columbia.

[11:35 a.m.]

I do know that there are members on the other side who sat in the

office of the Minister of Children and Family Development and who well

understand the challenges of personal privacy, the challenges of making

sure that we do everything we can to be fully transparent about the

causes and the circumstances of deaths in care.

We have an independent advocate. We have a standing committee of

this Legislature where we can have those discussions to make the best

public policy we can.

I appreciate there is no malice in the question from the member

today. I know that she will work with me and my colleagues through those

channels that we have available to us — the independent youth advocate,

the committee that is constituted and part and parcel of the work that

we do here — so that we can make sure that we’re making the best

possible choices for children today and in the future.

K. Kirkpatrick: The purpose of the briefing note was “to provide information on

statistics of children who died, which will be posted on the ministry’s

website.”

For the six-month period covered by this briefing note, the only

information that was made public is that three children in care died

accidental deaths, but that’s not what happened. The internal briefing

note says two of those children in care actually died from an opioid

overdose. We are in an opioid crisis. This information needs to be given

to the public.

Can the Premier explain why the tragic overdose deaths of children

in care are still only being reported as accidental?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for her question. She will know that numerous

steps are taken when children are in care to ensure that they are in the

best possible place, to ensure that they are getting the services that

they need, whether it be mental health services, whether it be services

to deal with other trauma that has led them to become wards of the

Crown.

We continue to work tirelessly with health care professionals to

ensure that we’re doing the best possible care we can. We’ve also

brought forward a number of initiatives in the past four years to deal

with children as they come out of care, as they age out. As we all know

— those of us who have children — when our children reach age 18,

they’re still our children. When they’re 24, 25, 26, they still face

challenges in their personal lives and in the community. That is exactly

the same. In fact, it’s exacerbated if you are a child in care coming

into the broader population.

We’ve made it our business on this side of the House to ensure

they’re putting in place the building blocks of stability coming out of

care. We’ll also continue to work with the coroner. We’ll continue to

work with the independent advocate and others in this House to ensure

that as much information that can be released is released.

This is a challenge. I look to the member for Surrey South,

because she knows it full well. We, when we were on that side of the

House, wanted the same level of information. We expected that this would

be a seamless and easy process, and we all know that it’s not. I will

continue to advocate, as well as the minister, to ensure that all the

information possible does get out to the public.

Again, this has been such a powerful day, with statements by

members, with the sentiments at the beginning of the House. I want to

just add that this is a golden opportunity for all of us to redouble our

efforts to collectively focus on how we can be more transparent, how we

can ensure that the information is made available to help destigmatize

the challenges that some members are speaking about directly from their

personal experience and what we know to be the case in families in this

place and, of course, families in our constituencies.

Mr. Speaker: The member for West Vancouver–Capi­lano on a

supplemental.

K. Kirkpatrick: Thank you to the Premier for that answer.

This is about critical information getting to the public so that

decision-making can be made. Once again, just like COVID

hospitalizations, there is one set of internal numbers and a different

set which is provided to the public. We only know about this because of

multiple FOIs, yet blocking FOI requests seems to be a higher priority

for this government than re-introducing an improved Bill 22 on youth

stabilization care.

This is a Premier who called a snap election during a pandemic to

talk about protecting children. A year later there’s been zero

legislation still brought to this House despite that promise.

Why is the Premier focused on hiding information instead of

protecting children?

Hon. J. Horgan: Again, I’m encouraged by the enthusiasm from the official

opposition. When the bill does come forward…. It’s being developed by

the minister at this time, and I’m sure that there is going to be

dialogue with the critic to make sure that we’re getting all of the

points that she’s raised here today.

The coroner, in her work, records deaths as natural, accidental,

homicide, suicide, undetermined. There is no “overdose for children”

category.

[11:40 a.m.]

We’ll talk to the coroner about this, now that it’s been brought

to my attention here in the House, and we’ll see what we can do about

making changes there.

I’ll also remind people that

section 70 of the act protects the

privacy rights of children while they’re in care. I spoke just the other

day — two weeks ago, in Chilliwack — to a parent, a father, whose child

died in care back in 2015, 2016. The issue that he had was that his

child could not be named. He knew who his child was, of course, but his

child could not be named in the interests of protecting privacy, even

though he had already passed way.

These are challenging issues that make no sense to people when

they’re grieving. It makes no sense to people who are just perhaps

dialling in today to hear the discussion that we’re having. But we have

to work through those issues. We have to make sure that we’re protecting

those important elements that we all know are critical, but we also have

to make sure we can break down these barriers to full and open

transparency.

I’m glad that the member and the Leader of the Official Opposition

are going to be with us as we move forward.

COVID-19 RESPONSE

AND IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE

SYSTEM

S. Furstenau: There are some health experts who are indicating we may see a

fifth wave of COVID-19 in early 2022. We’ve been here before: we see a

rise in cases in other jurisdictions, we hear a call from scientists and

health experts for stronger proactive measures, and we see little action

taken before it’s too late.

We’re not out of this fourth wave, and our hospitals are beyond

capacity, our ambulances are backlogged in emergency room waiting bays,

and health care workers are crying for help to mitigate the number of

COVID patients ending up in their wards. Vaccines alone are not getting

us out of this. And 89.7 percent of B.C.’s eligible population with a

dose of a vaccine is phenomenal. It has protected millions of people in

our province. Yet our health care system is still overwhelmed, surgeries

are being cancelled, and burnout is a growing reality for so many health

care workers.

We have been able to see a decline in cases in the past due to

strong public health measures — measures that we’re moving away from

now, with full capacity indoors, larger social gatherings and limited

guidance on or investment in air filtration and well-fitting

masks.

My question is to the Minister of Health. Are we going to see a

more proactive response from this government as we once again see surges

in cases in other jurisdictions around the world?

Hon. A. Dix: Thank you to the member for the question. British Columbia’s

response to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be guided by the

science and by public health leadership on medical issues.

All members of the House will know that on July 1, the province

moved to step 3 of our restart plan. We are still at step 3 of that

plan. Since then, with the significant success of our vaccination

campaign that the member refers to — more than 89 percent of people over

12 vaccinated — we’re very optimistic that children five to 11 will be

able to join them soon.

We’ve been able to change our approach tactically to deal

regionally with outbreaks as they occur and the circumstances as they

occur. At the end of July and the beginning of August, we took action in

the Central Okanagan local health area and in the Interior Health

Authority in the middle of August. I’m happy to say that test positivity

in Interior Health, for example, has gone from 14.4 percent in the

middle of August to under 6 percent today. This allows us — and members

have been asking about this — to consider measures that are currently in

place in Interior Health as well.

We’ve taken action in the eastern Fraser Valley as well. We have

added a mask mandate in indoor public spaces in the last month. We are

moving forward with third doses today. About 199 long-term-care and

assisted-living homes have received third doses. We are moving forward

with these initiatives, and we’ll continue to adapt and respond to

COVID-19. It doesn’t argue with us. We need to continue to have public

health measures and continue to have an even higher rate of vaccination

in B.C.

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

question.

S. Furstenau: Thank you to the minister for the response.

It’s not to say that all these measures aren’t effective, but at

the same time, if we look at our health care system, we can all agree

that it is struggling. Nurses are overworked and leaving their

profession. Doctors are overburdened and frustrated. When somebody calls

an ambulance in this province — and this is such a shock for all of us —

we don’t know if it’s going to arrive or not. People are frustrated

trying to get COVID tests.

[11:45 a.m.]

I don’t think it’s enough to assume that what we are doing will

keep cases low. It’s not enough to react too late. Everyone who works in

health care has felt the impact of delayed reactions this last wave and

those preceding it.

The provincial health officer, the Minister of Health and the

BCCDC have led British Columbia through an unparalleled pandemic for the

better part of two years. There is no way to be perfect in these

circumstances, and there’s no undermining of the intentions. There has

been incredible hard work and effort. But we can always strive to be

better — recognizing the role of aerosol transmission, for example, and

how best to mitigate risk with ventilation filtration and effective

masks.

A greater number of health experts, scientists and doctors helping

to give the best available science would not only help inform

decision-making, but the collaboration would make our pandemic response

stronger.

My question is to the Minister of Health. Will this government

start to work with a broader range of scientists and health experts to

inform decision-making, recognizing the pressing need to reduce the

burden on our health care system?

Hon. A. Dix: I thank the member for her question and her comments. I agree that

we seek perfection, but we don’t arrive there all the time. This has

been an extraordinarily challenging period.

I think one of the things that makes Dr. Bonnie Henry a special

leader and that makes Dr. Penny Ballem a special leader is their

willingness to work with everybody — to reach out beyond to work with

people. We do that at every level. You should see how many people from

different walks of life Dr. Bonnie Henry meets with regularly to get

their advice and to engage with them — not one-way communication but

two-way communication.

I agree with the member that we have to continue to reach out. We

do that every week with scientists and researchers across B.C. We

provide, I think, the widest range of health information which has been

provided on any subject in the history of British Columbia, and we have

to keep working together to do that, because the pandemic is, of course,

not over. We have to do things, therefore, and work together to do

things that we’d never consider.

I would say this, finally. We had yesterday, I think, 137 people

in critical care in B.C., and 120 of those were amongst the less than 11

percent of people in B.C. who are unvaccinated. What I would say to

people is, unfortunately, this wave has been a pandemic of the

unvaccinated. I have nothing but compassion for people, and they are

getting the best health care in the world, but we need people to get

vaccinated, and we need them to get vaccinated now.

With the level of transmission we’re seeing amongst the number of

people who are unvaccinated, we need to continue to raise those levels.

I know people are advocating working together, including all members of

this House, to see that happen. But we have to see it happen, because it

is wrong, when it’s preventable, for people to be lying in critical care

from Dawson Creek in a hospital in Victoria. It is wrong, and we have to

work together to see that that changes.

VACCINE PASSPORTS

FOR INTERNATIONAL

TRAVEL

J. Sturdy: Today British Columbians were disappointed to learn that B.C. was

the largest province to not meet the standard for an international

vaccine passport. The Premier promised to “make sure that we are

synchronizing this activity to the best of our ability.” Well, clearly,

we have not hit the mark.

People want to make plans to travel, but now B.C. is at the back

of the line.

Can the Premier guarantee that there will be no more delays and

that B.C. will be ready to have access to international vaccine

passports in time for winter travel?

Hon. J. Horgan: I thank the member for his question. He will know that 3.7 million

British Columbians have downloaded the B.C. immunization card so they

can interact in their community, they can go to public events and they

can know with comfort that the people around them have made the same

choices to protect themselves, their families and their communities. The

member will also know that international travel is a responsibility of

the federal government.

[11:50 a.m.]

When we were, along with Quebec, the first provinces to come out

with an immunization card, we did so by saying, quite clearly at the

time — and I regret the member didn’t hear this — that if international

travel required documentation, that was the responsibility of the

federal government.

We have waited an awkward interregnum between when we had these

conversations, as Premiers and the federal government, back in the

spring of this year to the date of today, when the Prime Minister

announced that there will be a federal vaccination card that will give

out much more information than the information that we requested to get

into a restaurant or to go to a hockey game or go to a play.

We are not going to amend the vaccination card we have today

without more consultation with the federal government. If you want to

travel, you need federal documents to leave the country. If you want to

travel now on federally regulated transportation modes, you’re going to

need a federal transportation card, and we’re going to work with British

Columbians to make sure they get that.

At the end of the day, these are federal responsibilities, and it

has been a long time coming, as the member knows. I regret that it’s

taken this much time, but he can take it up with his local Member of

Parliament.

APPLICATION OF

FREEDOM-OF-INFORMATION LEGISLATION

TO I n BC INVESTMENT CORP.

T. Stone: Earlier this year the Premier blatantly disregarded the

Information and Privacy Commissioner when it came to making his $500

million high-risk venture capital scheme known as InBC transparent under

freedom-of-information legislation.

Five months ago the commissioner penned a letter to this

government and said: “Because InBC will be making decisions about the

allocation of significant public moneys and discharging important public

functions, it should be subject to transparency and accountability under

FIPPA.”

The Premier had an opportunity, and he has an opportunity, to be

transparent about an agency in charge of $500 million of taxpayers’

funds.

My question to the Premier is this. Will the Premier listen to the

Information and Privacy Commissioner and make InBC subject to the

transparency and accountability under FOI?

Hon. R. Kahlon: It’s been some time since we’ve canvassed this issue in this

House, so I’ll remind the member that the structure of InBC is a

continuation of the B.C. Immigrant Investment Fund, which was created by

the previous government. And by the way, when it was created, businesses

did not have to disclose the information that the member is highlighting

now.

We’ve continued the investment fund over. But we’ve also done

considerable consultation with the business community on the

implications of what the member is suggesting. Greg D’Avignon, who,

members in the House may know, is the president of the B.C. Business

Council, said: “I’m pleased to see the province launch a strategic

investment fund…higher productivity and growth while retaining exciting

new and growing business, IP and talent in British Columbia.”

He stresses the point to us in a letter: “It’s critically

important that we protect the private information in order for the fund

to be effective, to see good investments come here to British

Columbia.”

We’ve made our position clear to the independent office. We’ve

shared with them the feedback that we’ve gotten from the business

community about the sensitivity of the documents that are being handed

to government and what that information will mean if it gets shared

publicly. We’re going to continue to work with the independent office as

we move forward.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Kamloops–South Thompson on a

supplemental.

T. Stone: Frankly, that’s patently ridiculous. The B.C. Immigrant Investment

Fund, which the minister continuously references in saying this is

simply a continuation, that InBC is a continuation of it…. What he fails

to acknowledge is that the B.C. Immigrant Investment Fund involved

private dollars, private funds, not half a billion dollars of taxpayers’

money.

That’s an important distinction. This Premier has promised

transparency over and over and over again, and then they set up InBC

with no public access to InBC’s business plan, no public access to

investment scorecards of the actual investments, and did decide not to

make InBC subject to FOI.

The Premier said this: “I think all British Columbians should be

concerned when their government hides things from them. The whole point

of having access to information is so we can all make reasonable

judgments about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of our political

leadership.”

[11:55 a.m.]

That’s the Premier, but it seems like the Premier is determined to

continue to ignore the advice of the Information and Privacy

Commissioner. In his May 19 letter, the commissioner wrote: “The

public’s trust of InBC will depend upon its ongoing transparency and

accountability. The public’s right of access to information under FIPPA,

tempered by exceptions that can appropriately protect InBC’s and

third-party interests, is vitally important to achieving and keeping

that trust.”

My question to the Premier, again: why is the Premier continuing

to ignore the advice of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to

subject his government’s half-billion-dollar, high-risk venture capital

scheme to freedom of information laws in British Columbia?

Hon. R. Kahlon: I just can’t believe this member is lecturing us about freedom of

information given his….

Interjections.

Hon. R. Kahlon: InBC will issue an annual report on its performance of its

investments. It will be tabled here at the Legislature and made

available to the public.

Every five years it will go to an external third party for an

audit. I remind the members that this a continuation of their fund. In

fact, I’ve got a letter here that was written at the time when questions

were being asked of them about this fund. There were questions being

asked about whether they would include it under FOIPPA, and the

minister, Iain Black at the time, wrote the letter and said that the

accountability measures that the investment fund has are sufficient to

meet the needs.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order, please. Order.

Continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: InBC is an exciting venture. This is the first of its kind in

North America. The Danish government, the Irish government, the Scottish

government are looking to B.C. We’re going to invest in B.C. companies.

We’re going to help them scale up. We’re going to create good-paying

jobs here in British Columbia. We’re proud of it, and we’re going to

continue to move forward.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO

FREEDOM-OF-INFORMATION

REQUESTS

B. Banman: You know, it was interesting to hear the Premier use the word

“transparency” and pledge towards that. But actions speak louder than

words. We’ve been battling, for years, whether the Premier could take a

simple screenshot of his computer through an FOI process.

First, the Premier was incapable. Then he took the opposition to

arbitration, and he lost. Then he said it would cost thousands of

dollars to create a program to take a screenshot, which we paid. The

Premier is now claiming it will cost even more money. The Privacy

Commissioner did not agree with him. He’s disagreed and ignored the

Privacy Commissioner many times.

Our question to the Premier is: why are you taking so long to hide

and provide screenshots of your personal computer, and why are you so

determined to ignore the Privacy Commissioner?

Hon. J. Horgan: Again, I am perplexed at the interest of the member of the

opposite side about what’s on my computer. He’s welcome to come over

today, and he can take a look at it if he wants to.

The issue is fishing trips like that that are clogging up freedom

of information for ordinary British Columbians. As members will know…. I

mean, like, get real. Who cares? Like, who cares what’s on my screen of

my computer in my office? Not many people.

What British Columbians want to know is: how are we making

decisions? What is the duty to document by government? If the member for

Kamloops–South was in cabinet with the bill that’s currently before the

House…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Order.

Hon. J. Horgan: …there would have been a $50,000 fine for his staff, rather than

just the ignominy of having to work for him.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO LYTTON FIRE

J. Tegart: Two weeks ago in this House, I shared the story of the village of

Lytton, and the Premier stood up and made some promises, once again. The

people of Lytton are still waiting. They believed the Premier when he

said he would have their backs.

[12:00 p.m.]

We’re at 113 days since fire tore through Lytton, burning it to

the ground. The people still have no access to interim housing. They

still don’t have full access to their own properties, and adding to the

pain is a failure to communicate from this Premier and his government.

Residents are scattered throughout the province, and now they feel

they’re being abandoned.

Here’s Judith Urquhart’s quote: “The biggest heartache is losing

our community. Everyone is trying to pick up the pieces on their

own.”

My question to the Premier is: after 113 days of waiting, can the

Premier tell the residents of Lytton when they will actually see a plan

for their recovery?

Hon. M. Farnworth: I appreciate and thank the member for that question, because I

know how trying the situation is for the residents of Lytton, and I know

how much she cares and is working to ensure that we can get the

community of Lytton rebuilt.

I can confirm for her that the report of the Fraser Basin Council,

which has come to my ministry and is undergoing a final review, is

expected to be presented to the village of Lytton next week. I’ve also

committed to her that when I get it, she will also be able to review it

and see it at that time.

What I also want to assure the member is that not only have the

supports that we have talked about been extended to the 30th of

November, but I know one of the issues that she has raised with me and

is particularly concerned about and residents are concerned about is

that ability to get back into the community. One of the issues has

been…. Sifting has been taking place for personal valuables. That has

now finished.

I can also let her know…. Again, one of the challenges, of course,

has been the debris and the toxicity around the debris. For houses that

have insurance, the insurance company takes that, and if you’re

uninsured, that’s a real problem. We are coordinating with the insurance

companies, with the community, so that the province will make sure that

that debris for those residents is going to be cleared. They do not have

to worry about that. The province is going to ensure that that is

done.

There is significant work underway with the interim CAO, who came

from Kamloops and who has considerable experience in dealing with

wildfires. I will continue to work with the MLA and keep her updated on

the progress, because there is significant work underway. But I wanted

her to know, in this House, that those are some of the steps that are

taking place.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Members, I have the honour of tabling the Elections B.C. report,

An Unprecedented Year:

2020-21 Annual Report and 2021-22–2023-24 Service Plan .

Members, regarding the question of privilege raised by the member for

Saanich North and the Islands, I will provide my ruling at 1 p.m.

today.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 12:03 p.m.

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