2010 Legislative Session: Second Session, 39th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for

informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

official report

Debates of the Legislative Assembly

(hansard)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 10, Number 6

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Page

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Jack Ebbels

Hon. G. Abbott

J. Horgan

Introductions by Members

Tabling Documents

Office of the Auditor General, report No. 9, 2009-2010,

Electronic Health Record Implementation in British Columbia

Ministerial Statements

2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Hon. G. Campbell

C. James

Statements(Standing Order 25B)

Richmond Olympic student band and choir

L. Reid

Dennis Baptiste

B. Simpson

Olympic Games events and legacy in Richmond

R. Howard

Nisga'a new year celebration

R. Austin

Olympic and Paralympic Games

P. Pimm

Hospice care in Delta

V. Huntington

Oral Questions

School district costs and funding

C. James

Hon. M. MacDiarmid

R. Austin

D. Thorne

H. Bains

Camping reservations phone service

B. Simpson

Hon. K. Krueger

S. Herbert

Halalt First Nation consultation on water project

D. Routley

Hon. G. Abbott

UBC role in purchase of forest lands on Vancouver Island

J. Horgan

Hon. B. Bennett

Reports from Committees

Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services,

report for the first session of the 39th parliament

J. Les

Petitions

V. Huntington

Orders of the Day

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

Hon. M. Polak

C. Trevena

Hon. P. Bell

B. Routley

Hon. R. Hawes

K. Corrigan

G. Hogg

H. Bains

[ Page 3025 ]

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2010

The House met at 1:36 p.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Introductions by Members

J. Les: There was a lot

of celebration going on yesterday across the province and across our country, but

my wife and I had another reason to celebrate, and that was the arrival of another

granddaughter. Katelyn Nicole Strong arrived yesterday morning at four o'clock.

She clocked in at 9 pounds and 1 ounce. My daughter Diane and her husband, Mike,

are thrilled, as are the grandparents. Her little brother Nathan is still trying

to figure out what's going on.

Hon. K. Krueger: We have

in the House with us today a relatively new constituency assistant of mine. I'm

very glad to have her on our team, and she's been really looking forward to seeing

the Legislature in action. Would you please join me in welcoming Gabrielle Price.

Tributes

JACK EBBELS

Hon. G. Abbott: It's with

great sadness that I acknowledge the passing of an exceptional British Columbian

and an exceptional public servant. Mr. Jack Ebbels — who, I think, many of us in

this House know, on both sides of the House — passed away last Thursday after suffering

a heart attack while skiing in Alberta.

Jack joined the Attorney General's ministry in 1981.

He worked his way up through the B.C. public service and in 1990 became the chief

counsel for the Nisga'a land claim negotiations. He also served, again with great

distinction, as the deputy minister in various areas such as Aboriginal Affairs

and Energy and Mines.

I know the House would like to join with me in recognizing

Jack's enormous contribution to this province, and I ask that all members join me

in sending our prayers and our best wishes to Jack's family at this extraordinarily

difficult time in their lives.

J. Horgan: It's with great

sadness that I rise and join with the Minister of Aboriginal Relations in marking

the passing of Jack Ebbels, who was a colleague of mine. I had the good fortune

of working with Jack, not only on his triumphant work on the Nisga'a treaty but

also within the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.

I want to echo the words of the minister that Jack was

a real gentleman and a really outstanding deputy minister. He planned the work,

and he worked the plan. That was his credo, and he was one of the best deal-makers

in government as well. I know many ministers over there would desperately love to

have a good, solid deputy minister to get those things done, and that's what Jack

did.

He was a solid guy. He never took credit himself. He

always deferred that glory, whenever there was any in the public service, to those

below him — a quality guy, a class act — and he will be desperately missed by his

family and those who knew him.

Introductions by Members

Hon. B. Penner: I have

the pleasure this afternoon of introducing a group of Washington State legislative

interns whom I had the opportunity to speak to a couple of hours ago this morning.

They're here as part of an annual internship exchange between the Washington State

Legislature and our Legislature here in Victoria.

This exchange, I think, is a great opportunity to share

ideas and to learn from each other about our mutual systems and to understand how

they're similar on the outside but can be quite different on the inside in terms

of their day-to-day workings. I know that our Minister of Aboriginal Relations as

a past intern has a particular interest, as do I as a former intern, in the ongoing

success of the legislative internship programs generally, and I ask that the House

would please make them all welcome.

[1340]

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members,

I have the honour to present the Auditor General's report No. 9, 2009-2010,

Electronic Health Record Implementation in British Columbia .

Ministerial Statements

2010 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES

Hon. G. Campbell: I rise

to make a ministerial statement. The last time that we gathered in this House we

were about to embark on a great Canadian undertaking, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Today we can say together and we can say with pride that the 2010 Winter Olympic

Games were a Canadian triumph.

It was a triumph of partnerships. It was a triumph that

erased borders and brought us together as a country as never before in my memory.

Millions of Canadians held this Olympic dream in their hearts. We were together

as one nation as Alex Bilodeau crossed the finish line, won gold and embraced his

brother Frederic. We rose as one as Ma ë lle Ricker won B.C.'s first gold medal at

home in an Olympic Games and helped set the pace for a record-breaking performance.

[ Page 3026 ]

Hon. Speaker, this was a team effort. It was a country's

effort. It was the effort of every province. It was the effort of the cities of

Vancouver and Whistler and Richmond. It was the effort of all Canadians. Our Olympians,

our games organizers, volunteers and host communities set the bar high for themselves,

and they have now set the Olympic standard for all to follow in the future.

Families from all walks of life, of all places of origin

came together in Vancouver and Whistler and Richmond. They celebrated the success

of our athletes. They celebrated the community of one another, and most importantly,

they celebrated being Canadian with spontaneous outbreaks of the national anthem

at one in the afternoon, at one in the evening and, some say, at four in the morning.

As President Rogge of the IOC said today, he has never

seen the kind of exuberance, excitement and embracing of the Olympic spirit that

he saw in British Columbia, Canada. Whether you were there in person or one of the

3.5 billion people that was introduced to B.C., Canada and the communities that

we all live in, you all actually got to share in the joy and the exuberance of the

Olympic Games.

We all embraced the power of sport to unify us all,

not just as Canadians but as a human family. Through the power of sport and seemingly

impossible feats of human strength, agility, endurance, artistry, perseverance and

dedication, our athletes have inspired generations with the power of the human heart

and the performances for the ages.

When we see what our athletes have done and, more importantly,

overcome to achieve their true potential, we know there is no goal too great if

we believe in ourselves as British Columbians and as Canadians. As we watched, we

learned the power of hope, the importance of family, the strength of team, the coaches

and all who supported them in their quest for excellence. Their journeys are Canadian

journeys. They're Canadian stories. They speak to the essence of who we are as Canadians

and the force of national purpose.

The greatest triumph of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games

is the intangible bond that strengthens us as the Canadian family and the indelible

pride and confidence that we will all share forever and can spark our national purpose

as we reach into the future. For us, these games will always be a defining moment

for British Columbia and for Canada.

British Columbia has always imagined these were Canada's

games, that we could contribute to our country, and we have through the efforts

of literally thousands and thousands of volunteers who said to the world: " Bienvenue

en Colombie-Britannique . Welcome to British Columbia. Welcome to Canada."

[1345]

These were the most watched games in Olympic history.

They celebrated the Winter Olympics as never before. This was Canada's team. As

we walked through the streets of Whistler and Richmond and Vancouver, as we walked

through Vancouver Airport as athletes from around the world were welcomed, we saw

blue-jacketed volunteers who were putting the best face they could on Canada's games.

What a superb job every single one of those people did.

This was the culmination of years of effort by thousands

of people — people from every territory, from every province and indeed from around

the world. They were inspired by the vision and the mission that Jack Poole set

for them as the chair of VANOC.

They have been encouraged and prompted and energized

by the leadership and the example of John Furlong. Our VANOC team is one that the

IOC looks to as the standard-bearers for future international Olympic Games, and

to all of them we owe our heartfelt thanks.

It was the people behind the scenes that really lifted

this Olympics up and made it something exceptional. Our security forces. I met with

the executive producer of NBC's Olympic coverage. He said to me that he had never

felt safer in an Olympic venue, and he remarked upon the fact that he felt safe

in spite of the fact that he saw no weaponry and he saw no automatic weapons. He

saw police officers and security officers who were taking care of the public good,

the public interest. To all of those security officers, I say thank you for putting

such a proud face on Canada.

The medical team that we had. In the Turin Olympics

of 2006 over 1,100 patients had to be admitted to Turin's hospitals. In British

Columbia in 2010, because of the excellence of our medical team, because of the

dedication of them, we only had to put 22 people in hospital. That speaks to their

professionalism, to their expertise and, again, to their commitment to the Olympic

spirit. I say thank you to all of them also, hon. Speaker.

This was an Olympics of many firsts. It was the longest

torch relay in the history of the Olympic movement — in-country torch relay. Twelve

thousand Canadians carried the Olympic torch, but equally importantly, 15 million

Canadians had their hearts touched as that flame crossed their community and over

a thousand communities in this country.

We set our sights on gold-medal performances, and we

had so many firsts. For the first time ever, a Canadian athlete won an Olympic gold

medal at home when we hosted the games, when Alex Bilodeau received his mogul medal

early in the sport.

For the first time ever, a British Columbian won at

home in the women's snowboard cross when Maëlle Ricker crossed the finish line.

For the first time ever in the Winter Olympics at any time, a British Columbian

won a gold medal when Ashleigh McIvor won her ladies' ski cross championship.

For the first time ever, Canadians, Americans and people

around the world were awestruck at the excep-

[ Page 3027 ]

tional precision of both the incredible Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue as they won

the skate dancing gold for the Olympics.

For the first time ever, we won a gold medal in men's

skeleton when Jon Montgomery won at Whistler. Let us not forget the gold-medal performance

of Christine Nesbitt in the 1,000-metre speed skating. It was electric to watch

the gold-medal performance of Heather Moyse and Kaillie Humphries as, for the first

time ever, women crossed the bobsled finish line, coming in first in an Olympic

Games. Right behind them were silver medallists Shelley-Ann Brown and Helen Upperton.

[1350]

For the third straight time, the women led the way,

and they won a gold medal in Olympic hockey.

There was not a British Columbian this weekend who didn't

rise to their feet and cheer as Fort St. John's own Denny Morrison and his team

gave us a gold in the men's team pursuit. Charles Hamelin gave us a gold in men's

short track 500 metre, and not content with that, he and his team got us a gold

in the men's 5,000-metre relay.

Then imagine the performance of Jasey Jay Anderson,

who came from 20th place to a gold medal in the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding.

For the first time ever, a Canadian rink, Kevin Martin and his team, went undefeated

through 11 games in an Olympic Games to win gold for Canadian men's curling.

As if that wasn't enough, yesterday we were all sitting

around, minding our own business on a Sunday afternoon. There we were, thinking

to ourselves, "They're going to do it; they're going to do it," until there were

24 seconds left, when it was a tie. I have never heard the country so quiet until

that lad from Nova Scotia put the puck in the net, and Canada's men won gold. This

was Canada's team. People from every province and territory joined in making sure

that they would lift our entire country up with their performance.

You know, it wasn't just our gold medallists who made

us proud. I can recall — I think it was the second day of the games — as Jennifer

Heil won silver after an incredible race, she looked in the camera and said: "I

won this. It's Canada's silver medal." She had performed exquisitely.

I can recall Clara Hughes at the end of her exceptional

Olympic career, knowing that she had skated the skate of her life and set an Olympic

record not just for Canada, but for the world, as the first multi-medal winner in

both Summer and Winter Olympic Games. What an example she has set for all of us.

We won more silver medals at the 21st Winter Olympic

Games than has ever been won before in a Canadian-held Olympics. We saw the incomparable

Kristina Groves win both a silver and a bronze. We saw the entire women's speed

skating team win silver in the 3,000-metre relay. We saw Mike Robertson, who won

the silver in snowboard cross, and Marianne St-Gelais, who won silver in short track.

We saw Francois-Louis Tremblay win a bronze in the 500-metre men's short track and

our four-man bobsled team come third.

We were all moved, we were all inspired, by the incredible

performance of Joannie Rochette. How can you top that? Her courage and performance

epitomized the strength of her resolve and the resolve of the entire Canadian Olympic

team. It also epitomized the strength of family, as her father watched her perform

in the performance of her life.

It has been an incredible 17 days, and on behalf of

all British Columbians I want to say thank you to everyone who brought the 2010

Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to us here in our province, in our country,

and who made us so proud.

Within days we are going to see another round of exceptional

athletic performances. On March 12 the Paralympics will open in Vancouver, B.C.

Just as we set the standard for others to follow, we will do the same in the Paralympics.

[1355]

Our Paralympians are ready. They are prepared. They

are determined, and we are all looking forward to their gold-medal performances

as we host them here in 2010.

The spirit of 2010 is one that I hope will last for

a lifetime. I hope it will touch the hearts of our children across this country.

I hope it will remind us of what we can do as Canadians when we act as one nation

with common purpose and a common commitment to one another.

I am very proud of the work that VANOC did, that the

volunteers did. I am proud of the partnerships we've had. But mostly I am proud

of British Columbians, the people that cleaned the streets, that kept our hotels

clean, that provided the service to our international visitors. There's not one

person that visited Vancouver for 2010 — or Whistler, or Richmond — who did not

go away knowing the warmth of the Canadian heart, the warmth of Canadian hospitality

and our commitment to one another as well as to our guests.

Four host First Nations, for the first time in history,

welcomed the world's international athletes to an Olympic Games. We have learned

from them. We welcomed the world as well. We were inspired by the performances of

our athletes, but mostly I have been inspired by the performances of Canadians from

coast to coast.

It was an honour for British Columbia to host these

games. It will be an honour to host the Paralympics.

[The members sang O Canada. ]

C. James: I want to rise

to speak as well about the extraordinary games, and I think they really will be

known not simply as the 2010 Winter Olympics but the extraordinary games of Canada,

because that's really what we saw over the last number of weeks.

[ Page 3028 ]

I want to offer on behalf of the opposition a huge thank-you

to everyone involved, from start to finish. Politicians of all levels of government

— federal, provincial, municipal, First Nations — were all involved in making sure

that these games were a huge success.

I want to express our appreciation to John Furlong.

If there's anyone who deserves a vacation and a rest, it's John right now.

I also want to say that I'm certain that Jack Poole

was smiling down on all of these games during those weeks. I know he would have

been incredibly proud. Knowing Jack, I know he also would have said that it was

a team effort and that we need to make sure we supported the team and said a huge

thank-you to VANOC and the entire team that put together such an extraordinary performance

over the last while.

I want to express a huge appreciation to the athletes,

both successful and not, because every athlete was successful regardless of whether

there was a medal performance or not. Those performances kept us on the edge of

our seats, and not just the hockey game but performance after performance where

you saw athletes standing up a second and a half behind, the difference between

a medal and not a medal.

[1400]

It was extraordinary to watch people who had spent years

and years building up to the Olympics, to express that kind of emotion and that

kind of performance. I think every one of our athletes deserves our huge awe and

appreciation for the performance that they did over the Olympics.

It was also, for many of our athletes, an incredibly

emotional time — personal stories. I think all of us send our prayers and our thoughts

to the luge tragedy at the start of the Olympics, to Nodar Kumaritashvili and his

family and his country. It was a huge tragedy, and it really shows the emotions

that occur in the Olympics. I think all of us in this House would send along our

thoughts.

It was also an emotional time for many of the athletes.

We saw that with Joannie Rochette in the performance, as the Premier mentioned —

to watch her father in the audience and to watch Joannie, as she received the Terry

Fox Award a couple of days later, talk about the emotions of that time, about the

fact that she knew her mom was there with her while she was performing. It's those

kinds of personal stories.

Alexandre Bilodeau. I don't think any one of us will

forget him or his family in these games. That was an extraordinary measure of the

emotion and the support of a family. I think it was a lesson to all of us to hear

Alexandre talk about the fact that he never complained when he performed because

all he did was think of his brother and the physical struggles that his brother

had every single day to know that he had nothing to complain about. On that day

he didn't feel like going out and training, he thought of his brother, and he remembered

that story and the personal support that his brother provided for him.

I think it was those kinds of life lessons from the

athletes that we will always remember, and the personal support of family that was

so evident in performer after performer — husband, wife, family, children — who

were all there to be able to celebrate. I think it really was a huge strength.

The volunteers. I don't think there were any of us who

spent time down at the Olympics, whether it was out on the streets or at events,

that didn't see those blue jackets and that didn't know that the people who were

there were so proud. I spent time at each of the venues that I visited, and at each

of the opportunities I had, to stop and ask volunteers how they were enjoying their

experience. There wasn't one that didn't say to me that it was the best time they've

ever had — how terrific it was.

At one of the games I went to, I sat next to someone

who had come here from Australia to volunteer, who had volunteered in their games

and wanted to be involved in the next Olympics because they were so excited. He

talked about the amazing experience that he was having here in British Columbia.

He'd taken some time off on his one day off as a volunteer to come down to go to

a game. It showed the kind of involvement, and I don't think any of this would have

been the kind of experience we had if it wasn't for those 25,000 volunteers.

The sites and the free events. Again, I think that many

of us took

part in those free events: the visits to Surrey, to the O Zone, down

to Granville Island, to Robson Street. They were extraordinary. It was amazing to

see people gathering, to see that kind of excitement. For me, that's the real pride

of these games — the people. What really will be the pride of these Olympics will

be the people.

You saw security officers and police and RCMP and seniors

and families all out on the street together celebrating, showing pride. I think

that really will be, in my mind, the real pride of the Olympics — the people of

British Columbia and the people of Canada, the people of our country who really

came together.

My hope is that that's the legacy we leave from this

Olympics. The legacy really is pride in our province and in our country, and that

remains strong for all of us — pride and community spirit. These games proved that

if you pull together events like this, people will come out from the community.

They will gather together.

A community is safer and healthier when people are out

celebrating together, when people get to know each other, when we break down those

barriers and bring people together. That community spirit should be a legacy from

these games.

The last piece is support for one another. I saw that

every day of the games — athletes supporting each other, families supporting each

other, visitors being supported by British Columbians who were helping them get

to where they needed to get to. Again, if we leave anything

[ Page 3029 ]

from these games, a legacy of support for one another is a true legacy coming from

these Olympics.

On behalf of the opposition, I add our support and our

thanks and our appreciation for an extraordinary time. I'm really looking forward

to participating and seeing the events at the Paralympics. I know it'll be another

great show that we'll all be proud of. [Applause.]

[1405]

Mr. Speaker: Thank you,

British Columbia. Thank you, Canada, for a job well done.

Introductions by Members

D. McRae: I'd like to

introduce some students from G.P. Vanier who are visiting us here today. The students

are in grade 11 and participate in the Explore program at Vanier. They're here due

to the hard work of their teachers, Ilene Yeomans, Dave Neill and Grayson Pettigrew,

who could not be with us here today because of a sports injury. I'd like this House

to make them welcome.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

RICHMOND OLYMPIC

STUDENT BAND AND choir

L. Reid: From laid-back

to laying it down, for Canada, for British Columbia and for Richmond, this exhilaration

is embedded in the spirit of the Richmond O Zone and sparkled during the February

12 performance of the Richmond Olympic Oval school choir and band under the direction

of Mr. Tim Braund, musician extraordinaire.

One year ago 600 students performed at Richmond Winter

Fest. Richmond's music teachers were energized by the possibilities, and discussions

centred around an Olympic band and choir performance by 3,000 students. Meetings

were held, and five Canadian songs were taught including "Canada, We Love You" to

all students in grades 3 through 7 attending 37 schools — an enormous undertaking.

Choirs were then created with elementary and secondary

students. During this time David Wong, a grade 9 student at MacNeill Secondary,

talked to his band teacher and to his mom, Lily Pang of LY Enterprises, about jackets

for the choir. Mrs. Pang embraced the idea, brought her designers home from New

York, and they crafted glorious Canadian jackets and pants for more than 4,000 students,

teachers and volunteers representing 47 Richmond schools.

February 11 saw all the students perform together for

the first time. The very next day, February 12, saw the Richmond Olympic Oval school

choir and band give an amazing, unifying performance. It was my pleasure to share

in the celebration, thanking Lily Pang, her family and her companies for their wonderful

gift. To the students, the 100-plus teachers, the volunteers, the parents: you have

made us better, and we thank you.

The legacy is a music program strengthened and young

people thrilled by their performances. The Olympics are about building dreams, and

the Cultural Olympiad was a brilliant contributor. My dream is that we keep our

flags flying high over the Paralympics yet to come.

DENNIS BAPTISTE

B. Simpson: Every community

has its quiet, unassuming heroes, people who serve their community without expectation

of reward or recognition. Dennis Baptiste is one of these people.

Dennis and his broom are a familiar sight on the streets

of Quesnel. His contribution to the cleanliness of the city is quite literally legendary.

Dennis has been a city of Quesnel employee since 1974. His work ethic and commitment

to keeping Quesnel clean is well recognized by his co-workers and by residents alike;

so are his perpetual smile and the enthusiastic wave you get when you call out his

name.

When Dennis isn't pushing a broom or shovelling snow,

he's an active member of the community. He joined the Quesnel volunteer fire department

in 1989 and in 1996 was awarded the Jack Allison Memorial Award as firefighter of

the year by his peers. In 1997 he attained the highest attendance record during

practice sessions — 100 percent.

Dennis also spent many years in local athletics. He

was a stick boy for the Quesnel Kangaroos hockey team. He fetched water, tape and

pucks for them and kept their dressing room clean, all with a giant smile. He was

also active with the local men's senior baseball team as a bat boy.

Dennis Baptiste recently celebrated his 60th birthday

and continues to work as hard as ever and always with that smile. This year Quesnel

celebrated Dennis's dedication. He was named Employee of the Year by the Quesnel

and District Chamber of Commerce, and then Dennis got to bask in the loud and enthusiastic

recognition of his years of selfless service when he mounted the stage as the community

torchbearer and lit the flame in Quesnel.

I ask the House to help me add to the recognition Dennis

Baptiste deserves. If you're in Quesnel and see a little guy enthusiastically pushing

a broom, yell, "Hey, Dennis, keep up the good work," and you'll see that smile.

OLYMPIC GAMES EVENTS AND

LEGACY IN RICHMOND

R. Howard: It is my pleasure

to rise in the House to recognize the many Olympic legacies that have been established

in my riding of Richmond Centre. The last two

[ Page 3030 ]

weeks were a wonderful time in the city of Richmond as we proudly welcomed the world.

Hundreds of thousands flocked to the Richmond O Zone where they saw many attractions,

visited Holland Heineken House and were taken on a tour of our great province via

B.C. Street.

[1410]

I must say it was especially exciting to hear our very

own Richmond Olympic Oval receive such acclaim from national and international media.

It was by many considered the crown jewel of these great Olympic Games. Even though

the games may be finished, the oval is still looking to serve the city of Richmond.

With ice rinks, sporting courts, a rowing tank, fitness and training facilities

and the adjacent Spirit Square park, the oval will be an excellent place for community

sport, providing our city with recreation for generations to come.

The new Canada Line was also used well, as up to 250,000

people used the service on a single day.

These Olympics were enjoyed by everyone, and in most

cases the best ticket was not always one for a sporting event. In fact, it was not

a ticket at all. It was just walking on the street and seeing the amazing spirit

that was alive during the games.

Of course, on the street were the Blue Jackets. One

of the best legacies to come from the games is the invaluable volunteer framework

that will be in place for years to come. So much of the success of these games is

because of the thousands of people who offered their time and enthusiasm. In Richmond

alone over 800 volunteers made these games the best ever, including Jim Korjima,

Hans Havas and Julie Halfnights, just to name a few.

Their blue jackets and remarkable helping and positive

attitude made them a big part of the feel of the games. Please let us thank them

and congratulate them.

NISGA'A NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

R. Austin: Last Friday

I had the privilege, along with my colleague from the north coast, of attending

the Nisga'a new year celebration, or Hobiyee as it is

known. In the last 17 days we have witnessed a wonderful outpouring and demonstration

of aboriginal culture for the entire world to see, as a consequence of the Winter

Olympics.

I am delighted to say that Olympics or no Olympics,

this province has a wealth of incredibly diverse First Nations celebrations to share

with the world, and Hobiyee is a perfect example. This

event takes place at the end of February to signal the beginning of the food harvesting

year and usually signals the forthcoming arrival of the oolichan, a small fish akin

to a sardine that is a rich source of protein and oil, or oolichan grease, which

has sustained First Nations of the northwest for thousands of years.

This year's celebrations were held in Prince Rupert

and not in the Nass Valley, but of course, people travelled from all over to witness

the drumming and singing that is an important part of Hobiyee .

The highlight on Friday was the grand entrance, when all the dancers who attend

the weekend come together to dance and drum.

Aside from representation of the four Nisga'a communities,

there were also dancers from other nations in the northwest, such as the Tsimshian

and Haisla and, for the first time, the Kwe Unglis Haida Dancers from Haida Gwaii.

I hope that any British Columbian who wishes to see

Hobiyee will decide to make the journey up north in

person, as listening to huge numbers of drummers and singers in a large hall is,

frankly, a spiritual experience. But for those who would like to get a taste of

this incredible celebration, I encourage them in the future to visit CFNR First

Nations radio, as this year they included for the first time a live webstream from

the hall, which gives people an opportunity to see an example of aboriginal culture

up close.

There were more people this year than attended even

the All-Native Basketball Tournament, which is another very popular event that finished

just a week ago in Prince Rupert. The atmosphere, as always, was jubilant and raucous,

and I want to thank all the organizers for a job well done, in particular the Gitmaxmak'ay

Nisga'a Dancers, who sponsored the event.

All that remains is for me to wish everyone a happy

Nisga'a new year — Hobiyee.

OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES

P. Pimm: Olympic pride

and legacy. I'm so proud to be Canadian. If I wasn't sure before these Olympics,

I certainly am now. I've just spent two fantastic weeks, from the events of the

opening ceremonies right through the closing ceremonies. As I watched the opening

ceremonies, awaiting who was going to be the final torchbearer — and then came four

— I thought that would be okay.

But no, it wasn't over. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky,

got to do the final honours and lit up the outdoor cauldron. What a moment — my

all-time favourite Canadian being our final torchbearer.

But wait. That was just the start of what would be the

greatest two weeks of my life. Waiting for our first gold medal. We knew it would

come. We knew there would be many, and then there it was. Alex Bilodeau, the name

we'll all remember for the rest of our lives.

I was fortunate enough to be at some of the events and

to be part of the crowds and part of the daily excitement. I was part of the huge

crowds at downtown Robson Street, part of the excitement, and what a thrill to see

so many proud Canadians. I have never seen our country so patriotic.

[1415]

The anticipation of each event, the results for our

athletes, the huge celebrations of each one of the results

[ Page 3031 ]

were amazing. These games were truly Canada's games, and I'm truly proud to be Canadian.

For the first time in my life, I believe we all came

together to celebrate all of Canada's successes. I heard everybody talking about

our athletes, our events and our anticipation of the end results. Whether it be

an athlete from Quebec or one from British Columbia, the anticipation levels and

celebrations were the same.

When I wasn't in attendance, I was definitely in front

of my television anxiously awaiting each result and fighting back the many tears

as the proud results kept coming in. Our athletes were fabulous. Our country was

fabulous, and I, for one, will remember forever. I think many will remember forever.

Whether it's Canada Line when you ride on it or a drive on the Sea to Sky Highway

or when you're part of a big conference in the new convention centre, these are

all legacies that will trigger the memory.

In my area, every time I enter our new covered speed

skating oval called the Enerplex, I will remember Denny Morrison and his gold medal.

HOSPICE CARE IN DELTA

V. Huntington: "In the

normal course of our days, we tend not to think about death — not, that is, until

the imminent threat to a loved one's life. Then we are barely able to think about

anything else." Those words on the hospice movement were delivered in this House

by my esteemed predecessor Fred Gingell over 12 years ago.

I am proud that Delta South has always been a leader

in hospice care in this province, both by helping people live until they die and

by supporting their loved ones through the stages of grieving and healing.

Today I proudly announce to this House a great milestone,

the opening of Delta's freestanding hospice facility. Named the Irene Thomas Hospice

to honour a $1 million donation from Delta's Thomas family, it provides ten comfortable

suites in a beautiful building adjacent to Delta Hospital in Ladner. The generosity

of our entire community has helped build the Irene Thomas Hospice, led by the determined,

dedicated focus of Nancy Macey, longtime executive director of Delta Hospice.

Connected to the hospice is the Harold and Veronica

Savage Centre for Supportive Care, which provides medical support and outreach services.

The ongoing work of the Delta Hospice Society is supported by generous private and

corporate donations, proceeds from a successful thrift store, government funding

and countless hours of volunteer activity.

The Delta Hospice Society steps in when care replaces

cure. For decades it has been helping people in care homes, in hospital and in the

community. Now the Irene Thomas Hospice offers a special place for those whose time

left may be limited, but whose right to dignity, comfort and hope is protected through

this amazing community resource.

Oral Questions

SCHOOL DISTRICT COSTS AND FUNDING

C. James: Today we have

more evidence of this government's broken promise to protect education. I have a

report from the North Van school district that lists what they'll have to cut to

deal with the $6 million deficit. The results will be devastating for students and

their families: increased class sizes, increased fees for music and outdoor programs,

school closures, cuts to supports for children with special needs.

My question is to the Minister of Education. How do

these cuts protect education for children in B.C.?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: Thank

you for the question. I would like to remind the Leader of the Opposition that we

have actually substantially increased education funding over the last number of

years. I don't think any of us can be unaware that while we've had an enrolment

decline of over 56,000 students, funding for education has gone up $1.3 billion

since 2001.

Last year in particular, in the face of significant

budgetary challenges that were not unique to British Columbia but in fact were found

across all jurisdictions around the world, we managed to increase per-pupil funding

in British Columbia.

[1420]

Mr. Speaker: Leader of

the Opposition has a supplemental.

C. James: Every day this

minister stands up and gives answers that are completely removed from reality. Well,

the reality is that the B.C. Liberals have failed students in British Columbia.

That's the reality. The reality is that school boards across British Columbia are

coping with an avalanche of downloaded and unfunded costs from this government.

I'll just give you a few examples: cancellation of facilities

grants, $110 million cost; MSP premiums, $2.8 million; higher hydro rates, $2.4

million; teacher salary increases, $43.5 million. The list goes on and on.

This North Van district budget document tells us exactly

who pays the price: "Any reduction to services will have a direct impact on students,

parents and our community."

Again, my question is to the minister. How does cutting

programs for B.C. students support children and their future?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: The

government was, and remains, completely committed to our students' learning around

this province, and that is exactly why we increased our funding last year by $84

million. We had the highest per-pupil funding grant last year: over $8,000 —

[ Page 3032 ]

over $2,000 higher than it was in 2001. We have made every effort to ensure that

funding remains in the classroom in difficult economic times.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: Last

year certainly was an extraordinarily challenging time around British Columbia and

around the world. We did make changes last year. But we remain committed, in particular,

to early learning. We're continuing to invest in that.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader

of the Opposition has a further supplemental.

C. James: One thing is

clear. It's very clear that the B.C. Liberals misled the public when they said they

were going to protect education, in this last election. This budget document is

very clear: class sizes increased; student fees increased; in fact, a 13 percent

fee increase for any students who may want to be involved in music programs — 13

percent.

Schools closed. Four schools slated for closure in North

Vancouver. Support staff reduced — 12 full-time-equivalents for students with autism

and other special needs, who are going to lose their services. That's the legacy

of this Liberal government. Tomorrow's budget could bring even more cuts.

Again, my question is to the minister. Why are B.C.

students being made to pay the price for this government's broken promise on education?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: You

know, I had the opportunity to tour some schools a month ago in this province, in

the Kootenays. Nothing that the members opposite can say can take away from me the

feeling of incredible optimism I had when I left those schools. The students I met

in those schools are clearly global citizens. They, at the age of seven and eight,

were planning their savings.…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: They're

planning their savings that they could pass on to people who were devastated in

Haiti. Wonderful young people are out there in whom we continue to invest, with

StrongStart B.C. centres, with our investment in early education and full-day kindergarten

starting next year.

I could go on and on, but suffice to say that we are

continuing to invest in education, in spite of what the member opposite would like

people to believe.

R. Austin: To deal with

their $6 million deficit, the North Vancouver school board is looking at increasing

the average class size for students in grades 4 to 12.

[1425]

The consequence…. I quote from the district's budget

document. "This will likely result in more classes with 30 students or more," adding

to the growing number of B.C. classrooms that break the government's own class-size

and composition laws. Last year North Vancouver saw a 45 percent increase in classrooms

with 30-plus students. These cuts will push that number even higher. So how do overcrowded

classrooms support quality public education in British Columbia?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: Specifically

talking about the North Vancouver school district. Enrolment in this district has

gone down by 15.7 percent since 2001, and in spite of that enrolment decline, their

per-pupil funding is almost $2,000 higher than it was in that year.

With respect to class size and composition, may I remind

the members opposite that we are the government who actually brought in legislation

with respect to this. We thought that this was too important to leave to be a bargaining

chip with unions, and we've brought it into legislation.

Again, in spite of what the members opposite…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Just take your seat, Minister.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: …would

like all of us to believe, in fact, the legislation has been a success. Since the

legislation came into place, 99 percent of classes have 32 or fewer students, and

95 have 30 or fewer — Mr. Speaker, successful.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

The member has a supplemental.

R. Austin: Yes, this is

the government that brings in the law and then allows it to be broken with 10,000

classrooms that break that law every single day.

School boards are doing everything they can to protect

students from the cuts, clawbacks and broken promises of this government, but they

can't do it all, and today support for students with special needs is on the chopping

block. In fact, the North Vancouver school district is in such dire straits that

they're asking bus drivers to work as special education aides to help ease the cuts.

To the Minister of Education: how can British Columbians

have any faith that your government will

[ Page 3033 ]

protect education when it's so clear that your cuts are hurting students in need?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: Two

points I'd like to make. One is that funding for students with special needs is

at an all-time high in this province — over three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Continue,

Minister.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: With

respect to our class-size legislation, we need to be really clear about this legislation.

All of our educational partners, with the exception of the Teachers Federation,

said to us: "We want to have flexibility in this legislation." Every school district

is different. Every class is different, and that is why the built-in flexibility

is there. They requested it, and we provided it, and the legislation is being upheld.

D. Thorne: Last year the

number of classrooms with four or more special needs children increased by almost

1,000 across this province. That's a 10 percent increase in classes where vulnerable

children are not getting the support they need to succeed.

In my own district of Coquitlam — a district, by the

way, that is facing a $14.3 million shortfall next year — the number of classes

with four or more special needs children has gone from 539 to 1,075 in just one

year.

[1430]

My question to the Minister of Education. I would like

to know how heaping more costs on school districts will improve the situation for

all these special needs children.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: We

have and we continue to invest in our students with special needs, without question.

The funding has gone up every year since 2001. We have more classes with educational

assistants. It's gone up almost 16 percent around the province since 2005-2006.

We do have classes where there are more than three students with individual educational

plans, but as I previously mentioned, we've been asked for this flexibility.

Not all students with individual plans are the same,

and in many cases teachers tell us the classes are functioning well. They are not

requiring extra resources. There are examples of students with special needs, such

as the student who has diabetes, and there is no extra need in that classroom. So

what we've been told by our partners is that the needs are different. Allow us this

flexibility, and that's exactly what we've done.

D. Thorne: I'd just like

to point out to the House and to the Minister of Education that the download costs

to school districts have increased tremendously over the past couple of years. Last

Thursday the Coquitlam school district, my school district, said that they expect

this government to cut facilities grants again this year. For my district, that

will amount to a $12 million additional cut.

When buildings break down, they still must be fixed.

Without facilities grants, schools have to take those costs out of the classroom.

There is nowhere else. I would like the Education Minister to commit today to restore

facilities grants this year.

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: I'm

sure we are all eagerly anticipating tomorrow's budget and what it will bring. I

know for myself, from the throne speech, and for all our educational partners for

school districts…. Everyone is very excited about the prospect of full-day kindergarten

starting in half of our schools this year and in all of our schools next year and

in further investments in early education in our continuing with StrongStart B.C.

centres.

I am not in a position to give you the details of the

budget for tomorrow, only to say that we are going to continue to invest in education

as we have in the past. It is a priority for government.

H. Bains: The growing

district of Surrey is facing a similar crisis. Last fall alone 1,100 new additional

students entered our district, but the district is facing a $19 million shortfall

in budget. This is a district that has already experienced $9 million the previous

year for deficit. So the services are cut to the bare-bone minimum.

My question to the minister is this: what other services

does the minister suggest the Surrey district cut now?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: It's

certainly true that Surrey is one of our few growing districts, where enrolment

is 13.1 percent higher in Surrey than it was in 2001. The funding has increased.

They received a $17.8 million increase just last year in their funding. Per-pupil

funding is up by 34 percent since 2001.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

The member has a supplemental.

[1435]

H. Bains: If the Minister

of Health had any backbone, he would be standing in this House and protecting the

students of Surrey rather than heckling us. This is what the superintendent of Surrey

district, Mike McKay, has to say. He said that at the end of the day, it's going

to affect the classroom. This is what the superintendent, Mr. McKay, says.

There are already more than 1,200 classrooms in Surrey

that broke this government's own class-size and class-composition law, as the minister

mentioned earlier. So much for that law. Now the district is looking at cutting

[ Page 3034 ]

almost 200 staff, including teachers, despite the increased number of students.

My question again is to the Minister of Education. Can

she explain to the parents in Surrey why their children are bearing the burden of

this government's gross mismanagement in the education system?

Hon. M. MacDiarmid: Again,

I'm happy to say what government has done. It has been a priority for us this year.

We have invested record amounts in education, including an $84 million increase

this year over last year that's going to classrooms. That's going to students in

classrooms around this province.

In the case of Surrey, they've had increases. Not only

have they had increases in the per-pupil funding, but we've been investing, in fact,

since 2001 over $200 million for new projects — new schools.

CAMPING RESERVATIONS PHONE SERVICE

B. Simpson: Mr. Speaker,

my question is to the Minister of Tourism. If I want to enjoy a camping experience

in Super, Natural British Columbia, I wonder if the minister could tell the House

where I have to phone to make a reservation.

Hon. K. Krueger: I would

recommend that the member have a look at our website, hellobc.com. British Columbia

is full of tourism opportunities, and he is going to be very excited about the plans

that we're rolling out following our wonderful Olympic opportunity.

Mr. Speaker: Member has

a supplemental.

B. Simpson: Well, we heard

a lot about Hello B.C. during the Olympics, but if you call….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Just take

your seat, Member.

Members.

Continue, Member.

B. Simpson: Somehow I

thought that would get an applause.

You see, when you phone to make a reservation, it's

Hello Guelph, Ontario. And for the Minister of Health, it's right on the ministry

website if you care to check it out.

Hello Guelph, Ontario, doesn't accept MasterCard or

even Visa — cash only — and they say the address for B.C. parks reservations is

on Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario. Yet the Minister of Tourism has in his own town

people who are losing their jobs in a call centre — a call centre that will be closed

permanently shortly.

How does the minister rationalize to this House the

transfer of B.C. tax money to the Ontario economy while people in the minister's

own town are losing their jobs today? How does he justify that?

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. K. Krueger: How quickly

the love has fled from the room. This is sad. We just had the most wonderful marketing

opportunity any jurisdiction could dream of in the world — 3½ billion people looking

at British Columbia in the opening ceremony, millions of people watching all through

the Olympics.

[1440]

We have implementation teams who are rolling out the

plans to capitalize on this economic opportunity. The member has come to my office

for assistance before, and he's absolutely welcome to come this afternoon. We'll

show him around the website. We'll help him make his phone calls.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Just take

your seat, Member.

S. Herbert: I don't think

we look to that minister or that government for leadership in tourism. They've already

decimated the industry-led Tourism B.C., and they're threatening the industry with

the HST, which could cost the industry up to 10,000 jobs.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

S. Herbert: It could cost

the tourism industry up to 10,000 jobs.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Member, take

your seat for a second.

Members.

Continue, Member.

S. Herbert: Sensitive

over there. It hurts when you tell the truth.

Will the minister tell me why now, instead of "Hello

B.C.," he's saying we should say "Hello Ontario" when booking camping spots.

Hon. K. Krueger: "Decimated"

is a word I don't think anybody else would use for what's been happening in British

Columbia the last 17 days.

British Columbia has just lived through a time of absolute

joy, the largest cultural event that we've ever seen in our province. People are

elated. I didn't see the member

[ Page 3035 ]

there. Invited to some things that he didn't come to…. I can tell him that we're

the opposite of being decimated in British Columbia. The province is alive with

excitement.

I'm going to share a phone number with the members:

1-800-435-5622. And our travel counsellors are standing by to assist you.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Member has a supplemental.

S. Herbert: I'm glad that

the minister can have joy, but there's not a lot of joy in that call centre in his

own riding right now with the loss of jobs going on there.

This is a serious issue for this industry. When they

talk about the loss of up to 10,000 jobs because of the HST, the minister should

be paying attention, not pirouetting and trying to change the question to talk about

something else.

So again, will the minister tell me, instead of "Hello

B.C.," why he's saying we should call "Hello Ontario" on discovercamping.ca's website

and also when you make that call to Discover Camping.

Hon. K. Krueger: British

Columbia is leading the country in economic opportunities and in economic growth.

If the member had found the time to come to the Olympics, I would have been delighted

to introduce him to the wonderful people of Aboriginal Tourism B.C. Aboriginal tourism

is the fastest-growing segment of our tourism industry. They have incredible venues

for people to enjoy.

They long ago embraced cultural tourism as a part of

tourism, which they offer to the people of the world that are coming to our doorstep,

and we're bringing them together. We co-funded the pavilions that they had. We took

part with them in all of their opportunities to host Olympic guests, and they took

part with us in ours.

We are finding that tourists are far more interested

in aboriginal tourism than many of the other venues that have been offered in the

past. We are not just on the threshold; we're rolling ahead with the most fabulous

opportunity we've ever had, economically, for tourism investment and every other

economic opportunity in British Columbia.

[1445]

HALALT FIRST NATION

CONSULTATION ON WATER PROJECT

D. Routley: The Halalt

people of the Crofton area are raising legitimate concerns over a plan to drill

water wells in their traditional territory. They're worried that this proposal will

affect their own drinking water and will harm fish habitat in the Chemainus River

aquifer.

Again, typical for this government, they've waited for

things to reach a crisis moment before acting. Consultations could have averted

problems here, but now the Halalt have been forced to take action to be heard.

I'm wondering if the Environment Minister could commit

today to meaningful consultation with the Halalt people and reassure them that they

will have a measure of control over the water resources in their territory.

Hon. G. Abbott: The project

that the member references is a project that has been undertaken by the district

of North Cowichan. I think the member knows that. The project is a substantial one.

It was the object of attention by the provincial environmental assessment office

— as well as a harmonized federal assessment of the project. The Halalt First Nation

was consulted extensively during that EAO process, and I'm pleased to say that changes

were made with respect to the scope of the project as a consequence of the concerns

that were raised by the Halalt First Nation.

If the member is somehow suggesting that the process

was flawed, I think that's unfortunate. It was a comprehensive process. I know the

Halalt First Nation has launched a judicial review with respect to this, and I'm

sure all parties will look forward to the adjudication from the Supreme Court with

respect to that matter.

UBC ROLE IN PURCHASE OF

FOREST LANDS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

J. Horgan: Three years

ago, without consultation or compensation, the Minister of Forests allowed Western

Forest Products to remove 28,000 hectares of land from a public tree farm licence.

For the past three years community groups, First Nations, environmental organizations

and other members on this side of the House have been trying to get the attention

of a distracted government.

What a surprise last night to see that Bill Shatner

is able to say "Juan de Fuca," but the government on that side of the House doesn't

recognize the travesty of the decision made by the member from Langley back in 2007.

My question now to the Premier, who knows where Juan

de Fuca is: will he intervene today, seven days before these lands go up for public

sale, to ensure that the University of British Columbia has fair access and opportunity

to participate in the purchase?

Hon. B. Bennett: Well,

ironically enough, I just spoke to the member in the dining room before we came

up here, about this very issue. I guess he's forgotten that, but I'll repeat what

I said to the member at the time, that I intend to work closely with the member,

because I know he's representing the interests of his constituents.

I will continue to work with rural director Mike Hicks,

who I think has shown tremendous leadership

[ Page 3036 ]

as an electoral area director. Mike and I have talked several times on the telephone.

I've talked to the chair of the CRD several times about this, and we're going to

try to be as constructive in this situation as we possibly can.

[End of question period.]

Reports from Committees

J. Les: I have the honour

to present the report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government

Services for the first session of the 39th parliament, respecting the annual review

of the independent officers of the Legislative Assembly, and I move that the report

be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

V. Huntington: I seek

leave to present a petition.

Mr. Speaker: Proceed.

Petitions

V. Huntington: I have

a petition here from the people of Delta South requesting members of the Legislative

Assembly to not support implementation of the HST.

D. Routley: I seek leave

to make an introduction.

Mr. Speaker: Proceed.

Introductions by Members

D. Routley: I'd like to

welcome to the House many of the peoples of the Halalt Nation, including their Chief,

Robert Thomas, one of their Councillors, Tyler George, and their consultant Georgia

Dixon. Would the House and, perhaps, the Aboriginal Relations Minister please make

them welcome.

[1450]

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. de Jong: I call

throne speech debate.

Throne Speech Debate

(continued)

Hon. M. Polak: It's a

pleasure to rise to continue my remarks with respect to responding to the throne

speech. Actually, it works out rather nicely to be able to share along the lines

of the theme I had begun, and that is to recognize some of the remarkable experiences

that we have all been able to enjoy in British Columbia over the last year, but

especially with respect to the Olympics this past two weeks.

[L. Reid in the chair.]

I had the distinct privilege of being able to take my

80-year-old father along with me to a medal presentation at B.C. Place. My father

had never even seen B.C. Place. He'd never been inside it, and I have to tell you

that he just has not stopped talking about how amazing that event was — for him

in particular.

He was and is a veteran of the Korean War, and sitting

very closely behind us were about a half a dozen Korean young people in their Samsung

jackets. There was a Korean athlete who won gold, and these young people just went

crazy. For my dad to be there and observe something that might have seemed only

like an Olympic moment….

But what truly brought together for him the reality

that something he was a part of so many years ago had an impact that stretched out

into the future to now bring us to a place where a country that was so troubled

was now able to be standing proud on a podium in front of the world with a gold

medal…. It just speaks to the kind of hope, optimism, inspiration that the Olympics

has provided not only for us but for the world.

Throne speeches are similar in nature. They're not nearly

as exciting. They don't draw nearly as much attention. But philosophically, they

are there to provide the hope, the inspiration, the optimism for the future that

government takes forward.

I know that in Langley, in my growing community, we

have benefited greatly over the last number of years through the support of our

government here in Victoria.

In this past year we welcomed the opening of the Gateway

of Hope. It's a transition homeless shelter that provides services for people in

need as well as a warm place to stay. It was the result of a partnership between

the federal government, our provincial government and local governments, a partnership

that really, I think, is unique in terms of all the types of provisions for homeless

shelters that have been made across the province. Very proud of that investment

that we've made into the most vulnerable people in Langley.

This past year we also welcomed the opening of the Langley

Events Centre. This is a tremendous facility. As a result of the Olympics coming

to Langley, we were able to enjoy, in Langley, the Vancouver Giants. We offered

them a second home in our Langley Events Centre, so for those of us living in Langley,

we were privileged to be able to enjoy WHL hockey at its finest right there in our

own backyard.

We also opened a new 20-bed, state-of-the-art pediatric

surgical unit at Langley Memorial Hospital this past year. That was a dream come

true and, especially, was

[ Page 3037 ]

important in providing that commitment of support to a hospital that has often felt

as though it was sometimes forgotten in and amongst the larger centres in our province.

But Langley Memorial Hospital received that support, and it has meant so much to

our community.

[1455]

We're also seeing now the completion of the new tower

at Langley Lodge, and I want to commend my colleagues who assisted many times when

that project was ready to go off the rails. There was assistance from the Minister

of Health. There was assistance from the Minister of Housing. It's a result of that

collaborative work that we now see the tower at Langley Lodge almost completed.

That is going to be just a tremendous asset to our growing community, but a community

that also has quite a large seniors population and quite a large population who

call Langley Lodge home and who will in the future.

We have challenges facing us, though, in Langley, and

they are challenges that I'm proud to say our government has recognized. First and

foremost, if you're from Langley, if you're from the valley, the biggest thing on

your mind in terms of an upcoming challenge is usually transportation.

I can give you an illustration of that. My own daughter

was attempting to work a job in Surrey not that many years ago — a couple — and

to try and get bus service that was appropriate for her to be able to keep that

job was basically impossible. She ended up having to let that job go and retain

a job in Langley.

In turn, she's recently taken a job in downtown Vancouver,

and she ended up moving to downtown Vancouver. Very proud of her. She's got a great

job, a cute little place, but one of the main reasons she was faced with having

to move to downtown Vancouver was because the transit for her travelling from Langley

all the way into downtown Vancouver meant usually a two-hour commute each way. It

was becoming next to impossible for her to do her job and continue to use transit.

Fortunately, the cries of those of us who have been

living in the valley and asking for recognition for the transit challenges we have,

have been heard by this government. We're seeing an expansion of the SkyTrain that

will bring the SkyTrain out to Langley by 2030. We've got the express bus network,

which is going to be key to our transportation needs when the Port Mann corridor

is finally open to transit again for the first time in 20 years. We've seen in Langley

itself an investment of $54.6 million announced for our park-and-ride transit exchange

at 200th Street.

These are just amazing investments that are going to

make such a difference to Langley. The express bus alone is going to allow people

to travel from downtown Langley to downtown Burnaby in 23 minutes. I'll tell you,

right now that's a trip that if I was to drive it would probably take me a good

hour, maybe more on a bad day of traffic.

All of this kind of support that we've received from

the provincial government has really aligned well with our own community's plans

for development — developments in the Willoughby area, Walnut Grove area. These

have all been recognized in the way in which TransLink and the provincial government

have begun to plan out what is going to happen for transportation and infrastructure

needs in Langley going into the future.

This also aligns with Langley city's plans for their

downtown. I have to compliment our Langley city mayor, His Worship Peter Fassbender,

and our Langley city council. They really do punch above their weight in the region,

and they are really leading the way with respect to their plans for their downtown

city core. They are looking at increasing densities. They are looking at mixed residential

and commercial such that they're going to be able to take advantage of the expanding

transit opportunities out to the valley.

Truly they have a forward-looking view, and we're very

proud not only of the work they've done in Langley but also in leading the region.

I know they, too, feel that tremendous support that we've had from the provincial

government as we've moved forward with our infrastructure plans — infrastructure

like the Nicomekl Bridge replacement. We have a 208th Street upgrade. This is an

example of where we got to — a one-project, one-process approach, and it really

did help to speed things up.

Support for families. Langley is a community that's

growing, and we have very young families. I'm excited to hear about the families-with-children

property tax deferral program. I think that that is going to be an amazing boost

for those who are struggling to try and make ends meet to raise a family. There

are so many pressures on families these days, and I think this is going to be a

welcome support to them.

Of course, supporting families is something that the

ministry I am privileged to be a part of is all about — the Ministry of Children

and Family Development. It certainly can be a challenging ministry, but it's also

a ministry where there are tremendous opportunities to make a difference for people

who are the most vulnerable in our community.

[1500]

We depend on the work of more than 4,000 dedicated employees

across the province. I want to thank them once again this year for their work in

protecting our children, protecting our communities, supporting families — certainly

the protection that they provide in critical front-line services. I want them to

know how much we appreciate their dedication and hard work and how hard we are working

to ensure that we protect those critical front-line services.

There are positive developments in our ministry that

we should all be feeling proud of — in particular, in the

[ Page 3038 ]

area of service to aboriginal children and their families. I want to compliment

First Nations for their willingness to collaborate with us to improve the outcomes

for their children. First Nations take the responsibility of caring for their children

very seriously. In fact, I think in many cases our mainstream community could learn

an awful lot from aboriginal culture around the importance and significance of children.

I remember being at a ceremony where there was a very

special song sung in welcome, and one of the most meaningful lines in the song was

"Our children are our medicine." Imagine that. Our children are our medicine. They

are not just small adults that we look after. They recognize a tremendous spiritual

and community significance to their children.

These are their children. We need to not lose sight

of that. As we move forward, one of our key pillars in our

Strong, Safe and Supported document is that of the aboriginal approach. We

are going to continue over the coming years to work to support aboriginal communities

in enacting jurisdiction over their own children.

We have made some progress. The number of aboriginal

children served by a delegated agency has tripled since 2001. It still needs to

go much further, but that is tremendous progress.

There are important changes, too, to what's happening

in the field of child protection — good news there as well. We're moving away from

what is, or has been, an investigative response to a family development response.

We've had now 601 family group conferences that were held in the first nine months

of the '09-10 fiscal year, compared with only 199 in the first year that we offered

this, in '08.

That's tremendous growth in an area of work with child

protection that we have hoped to encourage. We've seen it expanding at a rate that

is certainly encouraging to us — encouraging to think that we can finally be moving

forward with best practice.

Mediations is another area where we're seeing tremendous

progress in the ministry. Some 570 mediations have been conducted in the first nine

months of '09-10, compared with only 221 in the first full year of 2008 — again,

tremendous progress as we try to work toward really utilizing the best of research,

the best of practice, and encouraging our social workers, our front-line people,

to be able to truly use the expertise they have rather than having to engage in

only a risk-management type of approach.

We want to keep families together. We know that the

outcomes for children are so much better when we work to keep them in their family

home and when we work to support and empower those families. We have to change the

relationship that we have with families. Our goal is to be the first place that

a family thinks to contact when they need support. We know that is going to take

significant effort, but it is what we have to do for children.

We've seen continued downward trends in terms of children

in care. There are 1,600 fewer children in care than in the year 2000 when the figure

was almost 10,500. We've also worked across government to build a foundation for

families to support those who are finding it difficult to provide for themselves

on a day-to-day basis.

Since 2001, by any measure, the rates of low income

in British Columbia have declined such that we now have the lowest rate of child

poverty in 20 years. According to the market basket measure report produced by Human

Resources and Skills Development Canada, the rate fell 30 percent between 2000 and

2007. One of the most dramatic decreases actually came in 2006-2007, when the rate

dropped 17 percent in that year alone — again, significant progress in areas that

are important to all of us.

[1505]

We know that an effective poverty reduction strategy

must include more than just financial supports. It needs to include affordable housing,

literacy and education, training and employment, child care and effective income

security altogether. This year alone our province will invest more than $1 billion

in child care, early childhood development and services for children with special

needs and their families.

Our investment in housing support over the past eight

years totals more than $2 billion. This year alone we'll spend more than $450 million

on housing support — three times the level of funding that was there in 2001. We've

increased shelter rates for income assistance such that they are now the second-highest

in the country, and families with children now have the third-highest shelter rates

in all of Canada.

Due to tax cuts since 2001, an additional 325,000 low-income

British Columbians now pay no taxes at all. Equally important to this equation is

an economy that makes it possible for families to increase their ability to earn

a living and be independent of government. Through our efforts to rebuild B.C.'s

economy, we've seen hundreds of thousands of jobs created, 80 percent of which are

full time.

I know that as we look at this throne speech, which

we will put in front of us to guide us in the coming year as we work to go through

difficult budgetary times and to manage through to a recovery…. We know that the

secret is not just in trying to support people with government assistance; it's

trying to provide them the empowerment to have a job, to have that support for themselves

independent of government.

More than 55,000 people on income assistance have been

placed in jobs since 2001. Real average disposable income is still at its highest

level in 20 years, growing 24 percent since 2000 and 13 percent between 2005 and

All of these factors have meaning not just for economic

departments in governments but for ministries

[ Page 3039 ]

like mine, in Children and Family Development. We as a government are recognizing

the need to bring to bear all types of supports across ministries, across government,

because we know it is in supporting the various economic and social needs and supports

of families that we are truly going to make a difference to empower them to be able

to support their own households and their own children.

This year marks the beginning of the implementation

of Strong, Safe and Supported , our ministry's action

plan that guides our work and our decisions not only in the coming year but in the

years to come.

With an emphasis on prevention and early intervention,

the five pillars contained in the action plan are based on a holistic approach to

planning and delivering services and the best possible outcomes for children and

families. We are focused on helping to build healthy families through investments

in early childhood development, quality child care, supports for children and youth

with special needs, services for youth and intervention services for families in

need.

We're also focused on supporting an aboriginal approach

that is more inclusive and reflective of aboriginal cultures and traditions. We

have seen success, and despite the challenges presented by the current fiscal climate,

we will continue to build on what we have accomplished with our community partners.

Over the next year we will find better ways to support family connections, deliver

healthy outcomes and continue on our journey with aboriginal people, supporting

them in developing and delivering services that reflect their culture and their

identity.

We are faced now with a choice: to wait for economic

recovery and rebuild the old world or to continue to advance and build a new one.

For the sake of B.C.'s children and families, we choose to advance.

Success does not come by taking a linear path but rather

through a confluence of new ideas, proven methods, strong partnerships and sound

planning. While we have the courage to correct our course when needed, the end goal

remains — a province where children and families are strong, safe and supported

to reach their full potential.

C. Trevena: It's always

an honour to stand in this place to represent the people of North Island, and it's

an honour to be the Assistant Deputy Speaker and play a day-to-day role in the running

of this place — like yourself, Madam Speaker.

Before I start I would like, as many have had the opportunity

to do today, to acknowledge the athletes — all the athletes — who took

part in the

Olympics. It's an amazing feat, whether or not you win a medal, just to be one of

the world's best, to get to the Olympics and to represent your country in such an

important event. I'd also like to recognize all the volunteers who played such a

part in making all the thousands and thousands of people so welcome to B.C.

[1510]

In this start to my response to the throne speech, I

would also like to thank and acknowledge the staff at my office who make it possible

for me to do my job: in the constituency Lynne Stone, Kathy Smail and Norm Prince,

as well as Sandra Doren, who stepped in for immediate assistance in the autumn;

Monique Games, who is a very regular and much appreciated volunteer in the Campbell

River office; here in Victoria, Teresa Scambler, whose organizational capabilities

I share with two other MLAs; and, of course, the very helpful and very willing staff

in the Speaker's office.

I take my place here today to respond to the Speech

from the Throne. This was really an opportunity for the government to set out its

agenda and for us in the opposition to question that agenda for the coming legislative

session. It gives an indication of the direction that the government will take in

the coming months and its perspectives on the future of B.C. Of course, we will

see in tomorrow's budget how these plans will be paid for, how much of the vision

will become a reality rooted in investment.

In the last few years we've had various themes within

the throne speeches. We've had the five great goals or the golden decade, but I've

got to say these are increasingly sounding like headlines crafted by people who

are using a large typeface to cover an empty front page and seem to be more the

hollow cries of a government bereft of ideas but definitely very full of ideology.

We've had a children's throne speech, a seniors throne

speech, a green throne speech, and these themes are, I find, full of sound and fury

and signify very little. Talking to people who are involved with our children, whether

educators or child care workers, social workers and others, they don't see that

there's been an ongoing commitment. Likewise for seniors. The reality for seniors

in this province, the seniors that I've talked to, is increased costs for care,

downloading of costs for prescriptions and a very fragile future if they are able

to stay in their own homes.

The green speech inched along with some remedies for

a few individual problems but lacked the conviction needed to ensure that a green

revolution would start here in B.C., as I think was promised. This year, somehow,

I think the throne speech really, if anything, is a families throne speech. It's

been hard to define, but I'm sure over the year we will hear references to it, and

we will see reflections of it in tomorrow's budget.

I think that on this side of the House we're aware that

we are in for hard times. We know that the government wants to bring us out of deficit

swiftly, and we know it will be a year of cuts. We've been warned through the throne

speech that the financial underpinning is the private sector rather than continued

government funding.

[ Page 3040 ]

Determining the vision that drives the agenda isn't

difficult. I've got to say that we are confronted with a neoconservative philosophy.

It's the philosophy that I've got to say drove me into politics. I grew up, as I

mentioned in the past, with Margaret Thatcher in Britain. It was her philosophy.

It was the philosophy of Mike Harris's Conservatives in Ontario and now the Harper

Conservatives in Ottawa, and this neoconservatism is the philosophy of this B.C.

Liberal government.

It's a philosophy that believes in the individual rather

than depending on society. It's a belief that everyone should pay their own way,

without recognizing that many cannot. We hear often that people are being given

a choice — I think six times in this last throne speech. But what that choice often

means is that people can either pay for it or not have it.

It's a philosophy which clearly sets out in this throne

speech…. What's clearly shown in this throne speech is a philosophy of privatization,

taking from public hands and turning to the private sector for money and for governance.

It's a philosophy which allows for the sale or the very long-term lease of our public

assets. Those are our public assets.

Our rivers. I've talked many times in this House about

the proposed mammoth private power project being planned for Bute Inlet, which involves

17 dams and the mass industrialization of that inlet. Our water. Licences are being

sought for water bottling from up Knight Inlet and other freshwater sources.

Our hydro, by allowing the independent power projects

to bloom like algae. According to the throne speech, this is going to be speeded

up and codified by

an act. Our forests, by allowing single monolithic companies

to harvest and leave all but high-quality trees to lie and rot, and by not ensuring

there's anything available for local manufacturing.

[1515]

Our ferries, by selling off our ship-building skills

to Germany and letting the coastal communities, which rely on the marine highway,

pay their own way. Our future, by refusing to invest in public education and, according

to this speech, turning to the private sector for educational development. And our

touchstone, public health care, being turned over to public-private partnerships

for health care delivery.

That is the B.C. Liberal vision, a vision which created,

I think, a cold and callous government that doesn't care about the people of B.C.

But that really doesn't have to be the only vision for our province.

The world has changed. We are back in a time of deficit

budgets where it should be good for a government to spend, where people are looking

for investment in the fabric of society by our governments, not by the private sector.

We're at a time where the latest recession is still

being felt across the province, where jobs are gone and may not come back. It's

a year since the Catalyst mill closed in Campbell River, and people are now being

asked to say whether they want to accept severance. It's almost 18 months since

the Elk Falls sawmill shut its doors and was dismantled, and there isn't that much

there for people.

We're also facing climate change, and this is likely

the single most serious issue that our generations will have to try to deal with.

It's not just whether we'll be able to grow peaches in Prince George or rice in

the rising waters of the Lower Mainland. It's what's happening to such fragile places

as Bangladesh and the Maldives, what's happening in a fragile, failing state such

as Haiti.

We need to deal with climate change not only for our

own well-being, not only for our children's or our grandchildren's well-being, but

for the survival of ecosystems around this planet. These are some of the big-picture

problems we need to be dealing with as legislators here in this House, as do politicians

in every jurisdiction the world over.

We need to realize the interconnectedness of our actions

and that A leads to B leads to C and leads to Z. If we build more roads, increase

taxes on bicycles — with the introduction of the harmonized sales tax — and don't

build public transportation, more people are going to be driving.

The Minister of Children and Family Development has

just told the story about the difficulty of commuting and the importance of public

transportation. I can't agree with her more. We need to be having more public transportation.

We can't be carrying on adding to our carbon footprint. We can't be carrying on

building the roads and the bridges that are going to add to that footprint.

Likewise, if we don't stop subsidizing the oil and gas

sector, any green initiatives we may undertake will be insignificant because they

are diminished by the continued reliance on the fossil fuel industries.

Now, I would say, is the time for brave action, for

a new way of approaching our communities, our economy, our industries and our environmental

obligations — now, because of climate change, because of our changing economy, because

of insecurity and uncertainty in our communities.

I think "sustainability" has to be the most overworked

how we can make an honest move forward, provide a really different approach by using

that lens of sustainability on everything we do, from social planning, developing

child care or education policy, looking at our energy policy, our industrial development

or our economic foundation.

It's something which has been part of the policy on

this side of the House for a good few years. I and a number of other colleagues

have talked about Sustainable B.C., which is "the vision for our province in which

dedication to a sustainable future supports healthy

[ Page 3041 ]

people and communities; a clean, productive environment; and a vibrant, diversified

economy." It is "a vision for our province where dedication to the principles of

sustainability secures for present and future generations the benefits of a healthy

environment and a decent, just and sustaining society."

So what is it? Well, it's not a magic bullet. It's not

the wand that will make everything better.

[1520]

Last year all MLAs received a copy of Thomas Friedman's

book Hot, Flat and Crowded . Those of you who read it

may remember his references to the quick ways to fix the planet — the list of 365

ways to be green, how to be green in seven days and so on. It isn't, as Mr. Friedman

points out, that easy. It is a revolution — a revolution in the way we think and

the way that we act.

Sustainable B.C. — this framework that we refer to on

this side of the House occasionally — is one tool that can be used to change the

way we do things. It helps us to change our mindset and our way of dealing with

basic problems and practical issues.

It has four core characteristics: environmental stewardship

through public, corporate and personal actions that restore and maintain ecosystem

health; a diversified economy that serves the needs and aspirations of people and

their communities within the environmental carrying capacity; equity — to share

the wealth of our province fairly among all British Columbians while recognizing

our obligation to future generations; and individual and community well-being built

on mutual respect, cooperation and economic and social political democracy.

So far, it seems — at least from the perspective of

people in North Island, the constituency that I am so proud to represent — to be

something which is desperately needed. People are sorely aware of the need for environmental

stewardship, of a diversified economy. They want to see some equity and have a resilient

community that survives through economic vicissitudes.

The principles on which this vision of sustainability

is based likewise have resonance in my constituency and, I would say, in almost

all constituencies in this province. They can be attained if there is political

will. These principles are…. I'll run through them. There are a number of them,

but I think it's worth running through them.

Ecosystem protection. This is becoming an issue for

an increasing number of people. It's no longer the territory of so-called tree-huggers.

Loggers in my community are worried about the rate of the cut and the amount of

waste left in the bush. Sport fishers are concerned about plans to industrialize

the inlets of the central coast for private power projects. We need to protect the

ecosystem for all species, including humankind.

Resource conservation. When we talk about energy, one

of the things which is too rarely mentioned but is so important is the old adage

of reduce, reuse and recycle — the three Rs. That's as true today as when it was

first coined, but it should be the first point in planning, rather than an afterthought.

So if the B.C. government ever wanted to do an accurate plan of hydro needs and

possibilities, the first thing it should do would be to estimate how much can be

saved from conservation.

Another principle is biodiversity. This is an obligation

we all have to ensure that we are not harming the biodiversity of our small patch

of the planet. It means, for example, looking again at alternatives to open-net

fish farms, examining ocean ranches or forms of closed containment to protect the

many species that rely on salmon. It means not fast-tracking the environmental assessment

process for the ease of developers.

Resilience. We have to ensure that our communities can

survive, that they are diverse economically and socially, that where possible there

is local food production and local power production so that we can have truly resilient

communities — communities that can face risks and can adapt.

The principle of the protection of the commons. We have

shared public trusts: water, air, Crown lands, health care, education. Yet apart

from air, much of this is en route for privatization. Our rivers are being leased

by private power companies and water bottlers. Single companies, often based in

central Canada or in the U.S., control our Crown lands.

[H. Bloy in the chair.]

We pay our way for health care through MSP, and the

services covered under that diminish. Education is a darn sight better if your parents

can pay your way. This is, in my sights, simply wrong. But I think that, looking

at the way the throne speech is written, it's going to get worse.

[1525]

Public health care and public education are rights and

should not be cheapened or chiselled. We need to ensure that public provision exceeds

the private alternatives and that public funds stay in public services. We need

to protect our public lands, to ensure our Crown lands are managed for our communities,

not for corporate profits, and that our rivers and our water remain ours and are

not turned into a commodity for sale to the highest bidder.

Another principle is food security. Living on an island

in the North Island, we are aware of our distance from the food sources of the Lower

Mainland and how quickly things run out if there's an emergency. We have to really

work hard to protect our agricultural land reserves. They are a jewel, and they

need to be protected to ensure that there is local food production.

The principle of social equity, the resources and benefits

derived from our social and economic activities as well as from our natural environment,

must be shared

[ Page 3042 ]

equitably. This isn't revolutionary; it's basic human rights. Every person should

have the right to clean air and water, to adequate shelter, to quality education

and health care, to a sustainable livelihood and be able to participate in the economy.

Full-cost economics. This means that the bottom line

isn't the way Dickens's Mr. Micawber did his math. "Annual income £20, annual expenditure

£19.96, result happiness. Annual income £20, annual expenditure £20.06, result misery."

It's not just the money earned against the money spent. It means including in planning

the long- and short-term social and environmental impacts of production. By ensuring

these costs are reflected in the price of goods and services, it should discourage

waste and encourage innovation.

The precautionary principle. This is often ignored but

so basic. It means that when we're making a decision, we should err on the side

of caution if there's a potential that specific actions may pose a threat to environmental

or human health. It's a bit like not using a drug until it's been thoroughly tested.

Again, I see this being undermined by the government's proposed plan of action set

out in the throne speech.

The principle of adaptive management. We've got to be

continually looking at how we work, what we do to make sure we are attaining our

sustainable objectives and democracy and due process. People need to have access

to full and accurate information about public policy, which means opening up freedom-of-information

policies once again. And it means respecting this House, which is why I am truly

honoured to hold the office of Assistant Deputy Speaker. The role of this House

is fundamental in our democratic process and our due process.

As I said earlier, none of this is easy. These are difficult

principles, and none will be done overnight. A surprising amount of what is here

is in our charter rights and in the UN declaration of human rights, which is a wonderful

document. I urge every member to reread it on occasion.

The final principle acknowledges this and acknowledges

that there should be a just transition. This is so that mechanisms are in place

to manage the transition through a green revolution so that everyone takes responsibility,

and no one bears an unfair burden.

Saying that we will start to make a shift is not good

enough. We have to realize that the time for small steps may have passed, and now

is the time to embrace major changes.

I sometimes look back to the Second World War, where

countries came together to fight a common enemy. People knew they were at war and

made sacrifices. Industrial and agricultural production was geared to the war effort.

People left home to fight. Those at home lived with rationing for many years after

the war in Britain.

[1530]

We now have another common enemy. It's climate change.

To fight it will mean making sacrifices. It may mean rationing of fossil fuels,

for instance. It will mean changing the ways we approach our society, including

reducing consumption.

But if we're serious about what we do in this place

— trying to make our communities better places to work and go to school, trying

to leave a better B.C. to our children and our grandchildren, making those difficult

decisions about when we should spend and who we should ask to pay — we have to take

a lead.

We have got to make that leap and start to do things

differently. We have to embrace a vision of sustainability and resilience and make

it work in an equitable and just way for our people and for our province.

Hon. P. Bell: It's a real

pleasure for me to rise and speak to the Speech from the Throne today. This is,

I think, my 11th or 12th response to various speeches from the throne since I was

first elected in 2001. I think this one is really characterized by its focus on

building the economy — the strength of our economy — and our competitiveness in

a variety of sectors, but especially as it relates to some of the natural resource

sectors and particularly with regards to the energy sector and bioenergy being a

key element of that particular business.

I think this Speech from the Throne absolutely hits

the mark in terms of establishing priorities for our government in a very challenging

time. We need to continue to stay focused on the economy and the health of our economy

in order to make sure that we have a sustainable recovery, despite the fact that

we've started to see some positive trends. Certainly the Conference Board of Canada

has indicated that B.C. is likely to lead the nation this year in terms of overall

economic growth — led, I might add, as a result of two primary areas.

First of all is, of course, the Olympics, which has

been just a wonderful experience for our province and for our country over the last

few days. Interestingly, the Conference Board of Canada also identifies forestry

as one of the key initiatives that will help support and lead our economy to a new

level in 2010, approaching 4 percent. I believe 3.7 percent was the Conference Board

of Canada's number — so a very positive direction.

When I think about some of the key elements of the throne

speech for 2010, I immediately turn my mind to investment attraction and what this

throne speech commits to in terms of developing strategies to support investment

attraction — probably none more important than the coordination of the environmental

assessment processes so that we have a single process for a single project, working

with our federal colleagues in developing a new model for environmental assessments.

There are billions and billions of dollars tied up right

now, billions and billions of investment dollars tied up in the federal environmental

assessment processes even

[ Page 3043 ]

though the information that they're looking for and the consultation processes they

go through exactly parallel the provincial environmental assessment processes.

It just makes no sense from a business perspective or

from a protection-of-environment perspective to have two separate processes when

they are pursuing the same end objective: making sure we have an environmentally

sustainable model that ensures we have a minimal impact on the landscape, that we

respect First Nations rights, that we respect the needs and desires of the local

community in delivering these projects. Yet we put proponents through an incredibly

complex series of processes in order to accomplish that.

You know, when I often think about what it is that we

need to do to be the most competitive jurisdiction anywhere in the world, I think

it's providing certainty to the investment community. So if someone wants to come

and invest in a new project, when they look at British Columbia and they look at

Alberta and they look at Ontario and they look at Quebec and they look at Washington,

Oregon, California or another jurisdiction somewhere around the world, they see

B.C.'s processes as being the leader in terms of providing definition to their project

goals and objectives.

They know that when they submit to that project, they

know what the timelines are, they know what is expected of them, and they know what

they get out of the end of the process — that they have a very predictable outcome

and they can clearly understand that. No one is asking for us to reduce our environmental

standards or look in any way at moving projects through a process that would have

a significant impact on the rights and title of First Nations or on the environment.

[1535]

We want to make sure that we do have the highest standards

anywhere in the world, but what's absolutely critical is that proponents understand

the way you get to that end objective, understand the way that the process flows

and that they have a high degree of predictability when the end decision is made

on the project — whether it's a yes or a no, either way.

That's absolutely critical. I think the first initiative,

certainly, that I wanted to highlight today was our commitment to work with our

federal partners to amend the Canadian environmental assessment process to have

a unified federal-provincial project that eliminates that redundancy and unnecessary

costs.

The second point I'd like to make is our commitment

to launch a new investment process review in terms of how we ensure that we have

expedited approvals across government, single-window approaches to various sorts

of environmental approvals. I have a certain amount of responsibility for this through

the integrated land management bureau and, particularly, FrontCounter B.C. — the

work that we've done with small and medium-sized businesses across this province

over the last number of years.

What businesses, again, are looking for is a simplified

process that allows them to engage with government, that allows them to acquire

the necessary permits, go through the appropriate legal processes that are necessary

to achieve an end outcome in a reasonable period of time.

I recall a few years ago, when I was in Cranbrook opening

the FrontCounter B.C. office in Cranbrook, being approached by a couple of individuals

who are involved in the helicat industry — so heli-skiing and cat-skiing. They were

in the business of helping support the acquisition of the necessary permits for

that business. A very complex business it is, because there's a broad-ranging variety

of permits that are necessary.

These two individuals said it used to take them three

days and they had to travel to four different communities to acquire all the necessary

permits in order to do their business, but as a result of FrontCounter B.C., they

were able to receive all of those permits through a single entity, that being the

FrontCounter B.C. office. We acted as a virtual single window that allowed them

to apply in, and then we would take and go out and acquire the necessary permit

information from our colleagues across government.

It's been a very successful initiative and one that

we hope we'll be able to expand upon. It also goes beyond that. I spoke earlier

about the federal government processes, the provincial government processes. It

also includes municipal government processes. Is it necessary to have a different

business permit for each of the communities that you want to operate in? You know,

when you go from Surrey to Langley, is it necessary to have that different permitting

process? Or when you go from Quesnel to Williams Lake, should you have different

permits?

We all operate in communities across this province.

Particularly in the natural resource sector, companies that are located in Prince

George work in the Peace, they work in the Cariboo, and they work in the west. Companies

that are located in Terrace work all the way up Highway 37, they work out into Prince

George, and they work down into the Cariboo, up into the Peace region. It makes

sense to have a more coordinated effort. The new investment process review that

we will be launching will really help support that overall economic direction of

providing for a simpler way of doing business — again intended to increase investment

in the province.

The third item I wanted to touch on is the joint committee

on municipal property tax reform. Clearly we've heard a strong message from communities,

but also from industry, that the property tax system that we have on heavy industrial

usage at this point is unsustainable.

There is a significant cost burden to our major employers,

and these are employers that produce some of

[ Page 3044 ]

the highest-paying jobs that we have in this province. Whether they're large pulp

mills, whether they're large sawmills, whether they're smaller businesses, they

all are carrying a significant tax burden right now and one that we need to weave

our way through and find a more effective way of doing business.

Catalyst we've all heard of. We know the implications

of their taxation regime and the, literally, well over $20 million in annual tax

that they're paying in four different communities across this province. But the

same holds true in other parts of the province.

I will say, though, there are communities that have

led the way in terms of property tax reform and have worked hard to make sure their

property taxes are as reasonable as they possibly can be.

I was in the Interfor Adams Lake division sawmill celebrating

the opening of a brand-new sawmill — a $100 million-plus investment in that particular

operation — a little while ago. The senior vice-president of Interfor took the time

to acknowledge the community of Chase, British Columbia, just outside Kamloops,

and acknowledged that they had made a really sincere effort to maintain reasonable

levels of property taxation.

[1540]

I think they had a ratio of about 3½ to 1. Interfor

indicated that one of the reasons they chose to make the investment in the Adams

Lake division of that particular sawmill was because of the efforts Chase had made

in attracting business to their community.

I think that's a real testament, and it tells us a lot.

We should look at that and understand that Interfor's decision to make that investment

was reflective of the commitment that the local community had made. So I think that

again is a very important piece of the equation.

Although there are many others in terms of investment

attraction, three of the very important elements that this government intends to

take on in the coming months are developing a harmonized environmental assessment

process with our federal government partners; looking at an investment process review

— how we can expedite permits through the various processes; and then a joint committee

on municipal tax reform.

I think those are three very, very strong policy pieces

that need to be done that will help support investment attraction and really increase

the opportunities, as we see it, for high-paying industrial jobs in this province,

which are absolutely necessary to continue to support the economy of British Columbia.

The second area I wanted to touch on that I think was

particularly important in this year's throne speech is the Asia-Pacific. Clearly,

the Asia-Pacific is developing a whole new strength of economy. When you travel

— whether it's in Japan, Korea, China, which are three of the areas that certainly

we do a lot of business with — throughout the Asia-Pacific, the global economy is

shifting further to the west again.

It shifted post–World War II from Europe and Britain

into the United States. Of course, they built this massive economy and led the world

in economic growth for many, many decades, almost a century or perhaps a century.

Now I think that continues to shift further to the west into Asia and particularly

China.

We need to develop those strategic linkages between

British Columbia and China, whether it's our energy industry, whether it's our mining

industry, whether it's our forest industry, whether it's our green technologies

industry. In all of those different industries, it's absolutely critical that we

develop those linkages into China at this point, build on the strong linkages that

we already have in Japan and continue to work with our Korean friends to help develop

their businesses over time as well.

There are a number of key initiatives that we're moving

forward that I wanted to touch on. One of the really interesting ones for me is

the new wood and innovation design centre. This is something that's intended to

help support the development of wood construction, not just here in British Columbia,

not just across Canada, not just in North America but around the world.

Nowhere is there more potential for this than in China.

When I was in China last fall I had some very interesting information provided by

the Canadian ambassador. He said that between now and 2030 half of the world's construction

will take place in China — half of the world's construction. Yet much of the work

historically over there has been done in concrete and steel despite the fact that

we've made significant headway. It really has been dramatic what we have accomplished

in terms of having more wood construction in the Chinese marketplace.

The potential for us to grow that business over there

is dramatic. But it's also dramatic to grow the green energy business in China.

It's also dramatic to create the potential for LNG exports into the Chinese marketplace.

Our mineral exports are another dramatic opportunity that we have. So all of our

natural resource sectors.

The wood innovation and design centre is about helping

support not just British Columbia, not just Canada but the world in terms of their

capacity around building larger structures. We need to continue to develop the technologies

that are necessary but also the architectural and engineering skills, and we're

looking forward to moving forward aggressively on that.

Another one of the major new announcements was the expansion

of the International Financial Centre. We believe that we can play a major role

in terms of international finance here in British Columbia. We have an attractive

taxation regime. Again, this is moving significant capital into British Columbia,

creating a large number of jobs but also helping investment. When you have that

sort of capacity in a financial sector here in British Columbia, it creates the

opportunity to invest closer to home.

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[ Page 3045 ]

I once heard that a common rule for deploying capital

in businesses is that people would like to see the location from their office of

where this investment is being made. No better place to have large financial institutions

than here in British Columbia. So again, I think that is a really significant opportunity.

In terms of building infrastructure and connecting the

Asia-Pacific, I think there's a huge lesson to be learned in terms of interconnection

to China and China shipping lines and Korea and Japan and building that port infrastructure

in places like Prince Rupert, building the port infrastructure throughout the Lower

Mainland and really creating significant capacity that allows us to get our products

to market.

As we see, potentially, new mines coming on stream,

the Milligan mine being one of them…. That's going to require increased port infrastructure

and allow us to move those goods through to market.

When I was Minister of State for Mining about five years

ago I remember the Port of Prince Rupert at the time had not been moving any coal

for a number of years. There hadn't been any coal movement out of the Port of Prince

Rupert at all. I understand now that they're approaching about five million or six

million tonnes of coal per year. That's a significant amount of coal moving out

of that Prince Rupert port. They have the capacity to double that internally.

But as we start moving more minerals, as we start moving

pellets, as we start moving green bioenergy out of that port as well as, certainly,

moving lumber through either break-bulk or containerization, it's something that

we want to build on. So the gateway proposition, I think, is one that's very important

to build on. The port opportunities that we have all create that interconnection.

Again, it's about building our capacity to move products through to the Asian marketplace.

I've touched on the green economy and clean and green

energy a bit, but I want to talk about that because that's another key initiative

that was spoken to in the throne speech that I think is very important and creates

a huge opportunity. When you look around the world, there is no question that the

world has turned its mind to the opportunities associated with green energy. When

I look at the most rapidly expanding part of the forest sector right now, it has

specifically been in the wood pellet industry.

In fact, over the last 90 days or so there have been

three new pellet plants announced in this province, all creating significant investment

— in the neighbourhood of $60 million worth of investment — additional jobs, employment

and utilizing a low-value wood material that previously was being discarded. I think

it's a very, very good story, and we need to continue to build on that.

The climate action plan that the government is going

to continue to build on…. We had a great submission from the Green Energy Advisory

Task Force, and that's going to allow us to build a comprehensive strategy going

forward around green and clean energy.

My colleague the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum

Resources and I have been working aggressively on a strategy for bioenergy. Although

it has taken time, I think that there is a dramatic opportunity available to us

out there to better utilize our undervalued species of fibre, to create this green

energy that is in such demand internationally right now.

A new clean energy act will be introduced, and that

new clean energy act will provide for fair, predictable, clean power calls on a

regular basis, and I think that's absolutely critical. As the world competes for

the investment dollars provided by the international green energy industry, B.C.

needs to position itself in a way to attract the majority of that investment.

I often say that the way I measure our success is by

the percentage of investment that we get from our international forest products

companies. Here in B.C. we're head office to three of the world's top five softwood

lumber manufacturers. The No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 largest softwood lumber manufacturers

in the world have their head offices here in British Columbia — one in Vancouver,

one in Quesnel. The largest one, actually, in the world is in Quesnel, British Columbia.

The third-largest is in Vancouver. The fifth-largest is in Vernon, British Columbia.

Those companies have provided a significant number of

high-value jobs to our economy over the years, and we have to make sure that when

those companies think about investing, they think about investing here in British

Columbia, because every one of them has operations outside of British Columbia.

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Every one of them has operations either in Alberta or

Washington or Oregon or into the U.S. or in Quebec or Ontario. You look at companies

like Tembec. Although they're not the largest forest softwood lumber manufacturers

in the world, they're still significant companies with operations outside of British

Columbia.

When the CEO of each one of those companies goes to

their board to recommend a capital investment, I want them to make that investment

in British Columbia, because that means higher-paying jobs in British Columbia.

It means our mills will be more efficient, more effectively run, and they'll withstand

the test of very difficult economic circumstances.

It's key from my perspective that we continue to attract

a high percentage of the capital being invested, whether it's in the forest industry

or whether it's in the clean energy industry, by having a new clean energy act that

will provide for fair, predictable, clean power calls in a simplified procurement

process. I think that's a huge step towards attracting that investment in British

Columbia in terms of new energy opportunities, whether it be bioenergy or other

initiatives.

[ Page 3046 ]

Another key investment that needs to be made is in transmission

infrastructure, and that's also mentioned in the throne speech. Transmission infrastructure

can be a limiting factor in terms of building capacity for a green energy industry.

We are blessed in this province with significant resources around clean and green

energy, but we have to get that to market.

We've made a very specific commitment in this, certainly

on the Highway 37 project — to make sure that we have power lines up and down Highway

37 that can capture new green energy opportunities as well as service new mines

in that region — but also new transmission capacity in the northeast part of British

Columbia, which will help interconnect into Alberta and the northern Rockies region.

We'll also work south of the border as well to create

that interlink, to allow people in the United States to tap into our clean and green

energy opportunities. I think that's a very, very positive thing as well.

Also mentioned in the throne speech was that government

will have a report out on Site C and that that will be reviewed this spring. I know

my colleague the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has spoken to

this already, but I also think it's important with regard to Site C that we have

all the information that's necessary and that we put ourselves in a position where

we can make a decision on the viability of that project. I'm looking forward to

seeing that information come forward.

On the forestry side we have, I think, probably one

of the more dramatic pieces of tenure reform that we've seen in some time, and that's

a new form of licence. It's called a receiving licence. A receiving licence can

be made available to bioenergy producers that will give them the security of tenure

that they need to negotiate business-to-business relationships with existing tenure

holders and existing licensees.

It'll take the lower form of biomass, make that available

to the bioenergy producer and ensure that the sawmill or the solid-wood manufacturer

has the ability to acquire the necessary logs that they need for their operation.

This has been very, very well received regardless of whether it's the bioenergy

industry…. But also, the primary manufacturing industry has been very supportive

of this new initiative, and I'm very much looking forward to getting on with it.

Another key element with regard to the bioenergy industry

that I think will help is the new stand-as-a-whole pricing model. This model places

a value on a stand of timber that the company then pays a stumpage rate for, as

opposed to paying stumpage on each and every tree within that stand. It encourages

full utilization of the stand because 100 percent of the stumpage is paid on that

stand when the decision is made to harvest.

So it's 100 percent sunk costs in that stand, and the

company is highly incented to try and get as much value as they possibly can out

of that stand. It also eliminates a lot of effort around scaling, around scale site

designations, around the processes that are associated with that.

When you use those two elements together, when you have

the new receiving licence and stand-as-a-whole pricing, I think we'll see much better

utilization of our resource and a rapidly expanding bioenergy industry. I think,

again, it's a very, very positive step forward.

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When I look at the initiatives from this throne speech

and I think about investment attraction, about the Asia-Pacific and about the new

opportunities around energy, I am absolutely supportive of the direction that we're

taking.

Now is not a time for us to move on and run business

as usual for government. We need to be aggressive in terms of attracting international

capital and investment. It is the only way that we as a jurisdiction can be successful

and continue to fund important initiatives in health care and education, in the

environment, in services to people who need them the most in this province.

It's the strength of economy that allows you to do that,

and I think we need to be very much focused on our ability to compete internationally.

We need to be the most productive economy in the world.

When I look at the opportunities that are associated

with British Columbia's economy, I immediately turn my mind to the resource sectors.

The Asian marketplace — China, India, Japan, Korea — has a huge need, a real need

for our resources. We need to support those economies, build trading relationships

with those countries in a way that will sustain our economy long into the future.

We need to be smart in how we do that.

One of the things that I often find interesting is the

reputation that Canadians have in the Chinese marketplace, particularly as a result

of Dr. Bethune. Dr. Bethune is probably the best-known foreign individual in China.

In fact, Bethune's legacy carries on throughout the Chinese health care system.

He's seen as someone that was a true hero in the Chinese marketplace, in the Chinese

end of the world. They know him as the Canadian.

I think that's a very, very exciting opportunity that

we need to capitalize on and utilize. Canadians are seen as individuals who are

reliable trading partners, who look for solutions, who are constructive. When they

make a commitment, you can shake