British Columbia Hansard — 22 June 2020, a.m., Issue 327 (41st Parliament, 5th Session)

20200622am-Hansard-n327

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Fifth Session, 41st Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday, June 22, 2020 Morning Sitting Issue No. 327 THE HONOURABLE DARRYL PLECAS, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC Fifth Session, 41st Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Darryl Plecas EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council ............................................................................................................... Hon. John Horgan Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance............................................................................................................................Hon.

Carole James Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training..................................................................................................... Hon. Melanie Mark Minister of Agriculture.........................................................................................................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Attorney General.................................................................................................................................................................Hon.

David Eby, QC Minister of Children and Family Development ............................................................................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Minister of State for Child Care...................................................................................................................................... Hon. Katrina Chen Minister of Citizens’ Services...................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Anne Kang Minister of Education ............................................................................................................................................................ Hon. Rob Fleming Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources ..................................................................................................... Hon. Bruce Ralston Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy............................................................................................. Hon.

George Heyman Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development ..............................................Hon. Doug Donaldson Minister of Health .....................................................................................................................................................................Hon. Adrian Dix Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation ......................................................................................................... Hon.

Scott Fraser Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness.............................................................................Hon. Michelle Mungall Minister of State for Trade...............................................................................................................................................Hon. George Chow Minister of Labour ...................................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Harry Bains Minister of Mental Health and Addictions............................................................................................................................ Hon. Judy Darcy Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.................................................................................................................. Hon. Selina Robinson Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ........................................................................................................... Hon.

Mike Farnworth Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction..............................................................................................Hon. Shane Simpson Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.....................................................................................................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure................................................................................................................ Hon.

Claire Trevena LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Official Opposition................................................................................................................................Andrew Wilkinson, QC Leader of the Third Party .................................................................................................................................................................Adam Olsen Deputy Speaker................................................................................................................................................................................

Raj Chouhan Assistant Deputy Speaker............................................................................................................................................................. Simon Gibson Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole ................................................................................................................ Spencer Chandra Herbert Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ...........................................................................................................................................

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

Artour Sogomonian Clerk Assistant, Committees and Interparliamentary Relations ..............................................................................................Susan Sourial Senior Research Analyst ................................................................................................................................................................. Jennifer Arril Senior Research Analyst ...................................................................................................................................................................

Karan Riarh Acting Sergeant-at-Arms..................................................................................................................................................................Greg Nelson

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS Ashton, Dan (BC Liberal) ......................................................................... Penticton Bains, Hon. Harry (NDP)................................................................ Surrey-Newton Barnett, Donna (BC Liberal) .....................................................Cariboo-Chilcotin Beare, Hon. Lisa (NDP)..............................................

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

Surrey South Chandra Herbert, Spencer (NDP) .......................................Vancouver–West End Chen, Hon. Katrina (NDP)...................................................... Burnaby-Lougheed Chouhan, Raj (NDP) .................................................................Burnaby-Edmonds Chow, Hon. George (NDP).................................................Vancouver-Fraserview Clovechok, Doug (BC Liberal) ..................................Columbia River–Revelstoke Coleman, Rich (BC Liberal) ................................................................ Langley East Conroy, Hon.

Katrine (NDP)...........................................................Kootenay West Darcy, Hon. Judy (NDP) ............................................................. New Westminster Davies, Dan (BC Liberal) ........................................................... Peace River North de Jong, Michael, QC (BC Liberal) ..............................................Abbotsford West Dean, Mitzi (NDP)................................................................ Esquimalt-Metchosin D’Eith, Bob (NDP) ................................................................Maple Ridge–Mission Dix, Hon.

Adrian (NDP)....................................................... Vancouver-Kingsway Donaldson, Hon. Doug (NDP)...................................................................... Stikine Eby, Hon. David, QC (NDP).............................................. Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable (NDP).........................................................Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Hon. Mike (NDP) ........................................................Port Coquitlam Fleming, Hon. Rob (NDP) ......................................................

Victoria–Swan Lake Foster, Eric (BC Liberal).............................................................Vernon-Monashee Fraser, Hon. Scott (NDP) ..................................................Mid Island–Pacific Rim Furstenau, Sonia (BC Green Party) .............................................Cowichan Valley Gibson, Simon (BC Liberal) ...................................................Abbotsford-Mission Glumac, Rick (NDP).........................................................Port Moody–Coquitlam Heyman, Hon. George (NDP) ................................................Vancouver-Fairview Horgan, Hon.

John (NDP) ................................................ Langford–Juan de Fuca Hunt, Marvin (BC Liberal) ........................................................ Surrey-Cloverdale Isaacs, Joan (BC Liberal) .......................................... Coquitlam–Burke Mountain James, Hon. Carole (NDP).................................................... Victoria–Beacon Hill Johal, Jas (BC Liberal).................................................Richmond-Queensborough Kahlon, Ravi (NDP)............................................................................... Delta North Kang, Hon.

Anne (NDP)......................................................... Burnaby–Deer Lake Kyllo, Greg (BC Liberal)..............................................................................Shuswap Larson, Linda (BC Liberal) .............................................. Boundary-Similkameen Lee, Michael (BC Liberal) ........................................................Vancouver-Langara Leonard, Ronna-Rae (NDP) ..................................................... Courtenay-Comox Letnick, Norm (BC Liberal).............................................

Kelowna–Lake Country Ma, Bowinn (NDP) .....................................................North Vancouver–Lonsdale Malcolmson, Sheila (NDP) ........................................................................Nanaimo Mark, Hon. Melanie (NDP) .......................................Vancouver–Mount Pleasant Martin, John (BC Liberal)....................................................................... Chilliwack Milobar, Peter (BC Liberal)..................................... Kamloops–North Thompson Morris, Mike (BC Liberal) ........................................... Prince George–Mackenzie Mungall, Hon.

Michelle (NDP)......................................................Nelson-Creston Oakes, Coralee (BC Liberal) ............................................................ Cariboo North Olsen, Adam (BC Green Party)............................ Saanich North and the Islands Paton, Ian (BC Liberal).......................................................................... Delta South Plecas, Hon. Darryl (Ind.) ........................................................... Abbotsford South Polak, Mary (BC Liberal) ............................................................................. Langley Popham, Hon.

Lana (NDP)............................................................... Saanich South Ralston, Hon. Bruce (NDP) ............................................................Surrey-Whalley Redies, Tracy (BC Liberal) .......................................................Surrey–White Rock Reid, Linda (BC Liberal) ................................................. Richmond South Centre Rice, Jennifer (NDP) ............................................................................. North Coast Robinson, Hon.

Selina (NDP) .........................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Ross, Ellis (BC Liberal)................................................................................... Skeena Routledge, Janet (NDP) ....................................................................Burnaby North Routley, Doug (NDP) ................................................. Nanaimo–North Cowichan Rustad, John (BC Liberal) ................................................................Nechako Lakes Shypitka, Tom (BC Liberal) ..............................................................

Kootenay East Simons, Nicholas (NDP) ......................................... Powell River–Sunshine Coast Simpson, Hon. Shane (NDP)..................................................Vancouver-Hastings Sims, Jinny (NDP) ........................................................................ Surrey-Panorama Singh, Rachna (NDP) .........................................................Surrey–Green Timbers Stewart, Ben (BC Liberal) ................................................................. Kelowna West Stilwell, Michelle (BC Liberal)...............................................

Parksville-Qualicum Stone, Todd (BC Liberal)..........................................Kamloops–South Thompson Sturdy, Jordan (BC Liberal)........................................ West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Sullivan, Sam (BC Liberal)................................................ Vancouver–False Creek Sultan, Ralph (BC Liberal) ...........................................West Vancouver–Capilano Tegart, Jackie (BC Liberal) ................................................................. Fraser-Nicola Thomson, Steve (BC Liberal)......................................................

Kelowna-Mission Thornthwaite, Jane (BC Liberal) ...............................North Vancouver–Seymour Throness, Laurie (BC Liberal) .......................................................Chilliwack-Kent Trevena, Hon. Claire (NDP) ................................................................North Island Wat, Teresa (BC Liberal) ................................................. Richmond North Centre Weaver, Dr.

Andrew (Ind.)................................................Oak Bay–Gordon Head Wilkinson, Andrew, QC (BC Liberal) ................................Vancouver-Quilchena Y ap, John (BC Liberal)............................................................Richmond-Steveston LIST OF MEMBERS BY RIDING Abbotsford-Mission............................................................................Simon Gibson Abbotsford South....................................................................... Hon. Darryl Plecas Abbotsford West......................................................................

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

Janet Routledge Cariboo-Chilcotin .............................................................................Donna Barnett Cariboo North.................................................................................... Coralee Oakes Chilliwack ............................................................................................... John Martin Chilliwack-Kent ...............................................................................Laurie Throness Columbia River–Revelstoke .........................................................

Doug Clovechok Coquitlam–Burke Mountain.................................................................. Joan Isaacs Coquitlam-Maillardville ...................................................... Hon. Selina Robinson Courtenay-Comox................................................................... Ronna-Rae Leonard Cowichan Valley .............................................................................

Sonia Furstenau Delta North.............................................................................................Ravi Kahlon Delta South ..................................................................................................Ian Paton Esquimalt-Metchosin ..............................................................................Mitzi Dean Fraser-Nicola .........................................................................................

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

Steve Thomson Kelowna West ..........................................................................................Ben Stewart Kootenay East.......................................................................................Tom Shypitka Kootenay West........................................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Langford–Juan de Fuca .............................................................. Hon. John Horgan Langley .....................................................................................................

Mary Polak Langley East.........................................................................................Rich Coleman Maple Ridge–Mission.............................................................................. Bob D’Eith Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows............................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Mid Island–Pacific Rim................................................................ Hon. Scott Fraser Nanaimo......................................................................................

Sheila Malcolmson Nanaimo–North Cowichan............................................................... Doug Routley Nechako Lakes........................................................................................ John Rustad Nelson-Creston ................................................................... Hon. Michelle Mungall New Westminster........................................................................... Hon. Judy Darcy North Coast ...........................................................................................

Jennifer Rice North Island.............................................................................. Hon. Claire Trevena North Vancouver–Lonsdale................................................................... Bowinn Ma North Vancouver–Seymour........................................................Jane Thornthwaite Oak Bay–Gordon Head............................................................Dr.

Andrew Weaver Parksville-Qualicum.......................................................................Michelle Stilwell Peace River North ................................................................................... Dan Davies Peace River South ................................................................................ Mike Bernier Penticton ................................................................................................. Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam...................................................................... Hon.

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

Shirley Bond Richmond North Centre..........................................................................Teresa Wat Richmond-Queensborough.........................................................................Jas Johal Richmond South Centre ......................................................................... Linda Reid Richmond-Steveston ...................................................................................

John Y ap Saanich North and the Islands .............................................................Adam Olsen Saanich South .............................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Shuswap...................................................................................................... Greg Kyllo Skeena........................................................................................................... Ellis Ross Stikine....................................................................................Hon.

Doug Donaldson Surrey-Cloverdale ................................................................................ Marvin Hunt Surrey-Fleetwood.....................................................................................Jagrup Brar Surrey–Green Timbers........................................................................Rachna Singh Surrey-Guildford......................................................................................Garry Begg Surrey-Newton ..............................................................................Hon.

Harry Bains Surrey-Panorama ...................................................................................... Jinny Sims Surrey South ................................................................................ Stephanie Cadieux Surrey-Whalley ......................................................................... Hon. Bruce Ralston Surrey–White Rock .............................................................................. Tracy Redies Vancouver-Fairview.............................................................. Hon.

George Heyman Vancouver–False Creek........................................................................ Sam Sullivan Vancouver-Fraserview...............................................................Hon. George Chow Vancouver-Hastings ............................................................... Hon. Shane Simpson Vancouver-Kensington....................................................................... Mable Elmore Vancouver-Kingsway..................................................................... Hon.

Adrian Dix Vancouver-Langara................................................................................ Michael Lee Vancouver–Mount Pleasant..................................................... Hon. Melanie Mark Vancouver–Point Grey ............................................................Hon.

David Eby, QC Vancouver-Quilchena........................................................Andrew Wilkinson, QC Vancouver–West End .....................................................Spencer Chandra Herbert Vernon-Monashee ....................................................................................Eric Foster Victoria–Beacon Hill.................................................................. Hon. Carole James Victoria–Swan Lake.................................................................... Hon. Rob Fleming West Vancouver–Capilano...................................................................

Ralph Sultan West Vancouver–Sea to Sky................................................................Jordan Sturdy Party Standings: BC Liberal 42; NDP 41; Independent 2; BC Green Party 2

CONTENTS Monday, June 22, 2020 Morning Sitting Page Routine Business Speaker’s Statement ............................................................................................................................................................... 11665 Special procedures for proceedings during COVID-19 pandemic Tabling Documents............................................................................................................................................................... 11665 Agreement with respect to hybrid proceedings of the House and remote meetings of the Committee of Supply Motions Without Notice....................................................................................................................................................... 11665 Printing of agreement on proceedings during COVID-19 pandemic inVotes and Proceedings Special procedures for proceedings of Legislative Assembly during COVID-19 pandemic Hon.

M. Farnworth Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements............................................................................................................................................... 11667 Serving Surrey M. Hunt R. Singh Homeless count R. Leonard T. Stone Seniors and affordability D. Barnett S. Chandra Herbert Team-based medicine S. Malcolmson J. Thornthwaite Private Members’ Motions ................................................................................................................................................... 11676 Motion 4 — Economic opportunity C. Oakes J. Brar D.

Davies M. Dean S. Cadieux J. Routledge J. Isaacs D. Routley M. Stilwell

MONDAY , JUNE 22, 2020 The House met at 10:03 a.m. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers and reflections: S. Malcolmson. [10:05 a.m.] Speaker’s Statement SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR PROCEEDINGS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Mr. Speaker:Members, before calling introductions by members, I wish to take a moment to recognize the histor- ic nature of the proceedings which are about to unfold.

For the first time in the nearly 149 years that British Columbia has been a province and in the 122 years that the laws governing our province have been made in this very chamber, a large portion of the members of this House will not be physically present in the chamber. This arises from the unprecedented circumstances that our province, our country and the world are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an exercise of the Legislative Assembly’s exclusive right to regulate its own internal affairs as they relate to its legislative and deliberative functions, including control over the conduct of proceedings of this House, many members will be participating in debate and attending the service of the House remotely by video conferencing tech- nology. This new temporary reality was authorized by agreement of the House Leaders and myself in accordance with the order of the House of March 23, 2020.

I’ d like to recognize the incredible work of the Legis- lative Assembly staff who have made this new temporary reality possible in a very short time frame. This includes assembly staff in Hansard broadcasting, information technology and the digital information office; legislative facilities services; the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms; the Parliamentary Committees Office; and the Office of the Clerk. On behalf of all members, I wish to thank all staff who have made contributions to make a hybrid House a reality. A special, special thanks for doing it so well. Tabling Documents Hon. M.

Farnworth:On March 23, 2020, the Legislative Assembly resolved: “That, by agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders of each recognized caucus, the loc- ation of sittings and means of conducting sittings of this House may be altered if required due to an emergency situation or public health measures, and that such agree- ment constitute the authorization of the House to proceed in the manner agreed to.

The Speaker shall give notice to all Members of the agreement. ” Further to that resolution and in recognition of the pub- lic health measures that continue to be in place in British Columbia due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you, Mr. Speaker, and the three House Leaders have come to an agreement with respect to hybrid proceedings of this House and remote meetings of the Committee of Supply. Y ou gave notice of this agreement to all members on June 17, 2020. I seek leave to table the agreement. Leave granted.

Motions Without Notice PRINTING OF AGREEMENT ON PROCEEDINGS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS Hon. M. Farnworth:By leave, I move: [That the agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders with re- spect to hybrid proceedings of the House and remote meetings of the Committee of Supply be printed in theVotes and Proceedingsof this sitting day.] Leave granted. [10:10 a.m.] SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR PROCEEDINGS OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Hon. M.

Farnworth:By leave, I move the adoption of the Sessional Order establishing special procedures respecting the regulation of the conduct of proceedings of the Legislative Assembly in exceptional circumstances, COVID-19 pandemic, a copy of which has been distrib- uted to the House Leaders of the recognized caucuses: [SITTING

SCHEDULE 1. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2(2)(

a) and unless other- wise ordered, the House sit the weeks of June 22, July 6, 13, 20, 27, and August 10, 2020. 2. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2(1), the time for the or- dinary meeting of the House the weeks of June 22 and July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2020 shall, unless otherwise ordered, be as follows: Monday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 3. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 2(1), the time for the or- dinary meeting of the House the week of August 10, 2020 shall, un- less otherwise ordered, be as follows: 11665

Monday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday: Two distinct sittings: 10 a.m. to 12 noon 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. 4.

That, notwithstanding Standing Order 3, if, at the hour of 6:30 p.m. on a Monday and Tuesday, or 5:30 p.m. on a Wednesday the weeks of June 22 and July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2020, the business of the day is not concluded and no other hour has been agreed on for the next sitting, the Speaker shall leave the Chair: On Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday On Tuesday until 1:30 p.m. Wednesday On Wednesday until 10 a.m. Monday 5.

That, notwithstanding Standing Order 3, if, at the hour of 6:30 p.m. on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the week of August 10, 2020, the business of the day is not concluded and no other hour has been agreed on for the next sitting, the Speaker shall leave the Chair: On Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday On Tuesday until 1:30 p.m. Wednesday On Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday On Thursday until 10 a.m. Friday On Friday until 10 a.m. Monday 6. That any Standing Order reference to Thursday proceedings be suspending for sittings of the House the weeks of June 22 and July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2020.

QUORUM AND ATTENDANCE 7. That Members who are participating in the House’s proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology be counted as pres- ent for the purposes of the quorum of ten Members, as set out in

section 42 of theConstitution Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 66) and Stand- ing Order 6, and for the purposes of determining a majority of votes as set out in

section 43 of theConstitution Act. 8. That Members who are participating in the House’s proceedings by the approved videoconferencing technology must have the au- dio and video functions enabled with their face clearly visible in order to be counted towards quorum, to participate in debate, and to vote. VOTING AND DIVISIONS 9. That, notwithstanding Standing Order 16:

(1) When the Speaker puts the question, no further debate on the question shall be permitted.

(2) When a division is requested, it shall be deferred until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting during which the division is requested. If there are less than 30 minutes remaining prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting during which the division is reques- ted, then it shall stand deferred until 15 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the afternoon sitting of the following sitting day.

(3) Notwithstanding Standing Order 25 and subsection (2) of this order, if a division is requested during a morning sitting, it shall stand deferred until the afternoon sitting of the same day.

(4) If a division is requested in a Committee of the Whole, the clause of the bill under consideration shall be postponed, and the division shall be deferred in accordance with subsection (2) of this order.

(5) If a division is requested in the Committee of Supply, Sec- tion B, the division shall be deferred in accordance with subsec- tion (2) of this order.

(6) If a deferred division is scheduled to take place during a sit- ting, the Speaker shall ring the bells and recess the proceedings 30 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting. At 20 minutes prior to the ordinary time fixed for adjournment of the sitting, the Speaker shall call the House back to order. No longer than 5 minutes thereafter, the Speaker shall again state the question.

(7) If a division is deferred in a Committee of the Whole or the Committee of Supply,

Section B, the House shall resolve itself into the appropriate Committee prior to the ringing of the bells and recess set out in subsection (6) of this order.

(8) No Member shall enter or leave the Legislative Chamber or connect to or disconnect from the approved videoconferencing technology after the final statement of the question until the division has been fully taken, and every Member present shall vote.

(9) When two or more deferred divisions are to be taken dur- ing a sitting, the divisions shall be taken in succession in the or- der they were deferred.

(10) During a sitting at which a deferred division is to take place, no motion to adjourn the House shall be in order until after that vote and the conclusion of any consequential business that must be disposed of. If successive divisions are scheduled, the House shall sit beyond the ordinary time of adjournment until the conclusion of all divisions and until other business consequential to the division has been disposed of. DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND NOTICE REQUIREMENTS 10.

That any Standing Order requiring that a document be “handed in” or “laid upon the Table” or transmitted by other sim- ilar physical means be interpreted to include the transmission of a document by approved electronic means. 11. That the transmission of a document by the Office of the Clerk to all Members by electronic means constitute for all purposes the distribution and delivery of that document, regardless of whether a Member has received the document. 12.

That, notwithstanding Standing Order 25B(2) and the usual practices of the House, at least two hours prior to the scheduled start of a sitting of the House, the Whips shall provide to the Office of the Speaker a list and, if applicable, the sequence, of Members wishing to make an introduction or to participate in an item under Routine Business, which shall be held in confidence. Independent Members shall inform the Office of the Speaker directly with the same notice period. 13.

That, notwithstanding the usual practices of the House, any Member who intends to move a motion in amendment to a bill at committee stage, of which notice is not typically required, shall, if possible, provide at least one hour of notice to the Office of the Clerk prior to introducing that motion in the House, which shall be held in confidence, to ensure the electronic distribution of that motion to all Members forthwith after it is moved. SPEAKER’S DISCRETION 14.

That, for greater certainty, the Speaker be empowered to exer- cise discretion on the applicability of Standing Order 17A as it may relate to the facilitation of participation of Members in proceedings of the House. 15. That, for greater certainty and further to Standing Order 19 and Standing Order 20, the Speaker be empowered to intervene on any matter of decorum on the Speaker’s own initiative or on a point of order raised by a Member, including by muting a Member’s mi- crophone and excluding Members from the sitting in cases of seri- ous misconduct. 11666 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

16. That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion in the

interpretation of the provisions of any Standing Order requiring Members to stand or speak in their assigned place as this require- ment may relate to Members participating via the approved video- conferencing technology and to Members participating in person in the Legislative Chamber. 17.

That the Speaker be empowered to exercise discretion, in con- sultation with the House Leaders or the Whips, in the interpret- ation of any provision of the Standing Orders or Sessional Order that may require leniency or alteration in order to allow all Mem- bers to be able to fully exercise their duties and rights in the pro- ceedings of this House conducted in a hybrid manner. OTHER 18. That, should any provision contained in this order be incon- sistent with the Standing Orders, the provision in this order prevails to the extent of the inconsistency. 19.

That this order expire on August 31, 2020.] Leave granted. Motion approved. Mr. Speaker:Members, another motion. I apologize; it should have been put to you earlier. That is the motion “of the Speaker and the House Leaders with respect to hybrid proceedings of the House and remote meetings of the Committee of Supply be printed in theVotes and Pro- ceedings of this sitting day. ” Motion approved. Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements SERVING SURREY M. Hunt:It gives me great pleasure to speak today at the Legislature as we resume this sitting.

I welcome everyone back here and welcome some of you virtually as we contin- ue to serve our constituents and realize that our province as well as we, as elected officials, have certainly persevered through a whole set of unique situations in the past few months. [R. Chouhan in the chair.] While British Columbians have had our share of chal- lenges to overcome, we still have a long way to go. We also have an immense amount of good being done by citizens and our communities as we rally together to lend a helping hand to each other.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of our community members in their fight to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and sup- port for the most vulnerable. I am particularly proud to be here representing the people of Surrey who have stepped up during the pandemic in the most profound of ways. Seeing neighbours going out of their way to help each oth- er, organizations going beyond their scopes of duty to fill in the gaps left in the community in the midst of this crisis is incredibly heartening.

There are thousands of volunteers and many organiza- tions that have come together to increase support for those in need all across Surrey, but there are a few that I would like to highlight here today. The City Dream Centre is a Surrey-based organization that works to support the underprivileged and the vulner- able who live in Greater Vancouver. Thanks to the City Dream Centre, 3,000 food hampers containing one week’s worth of food each have been delivered to struggling fam- ilies throughout Surrey.

The residents of Surrey are getting the extra support they need to get through these difficult times because of the generous donations, committed employees and volunteers of organizations such as the City Dream Centre. [10:15 a.m.] The Cloverdale Kitchen, which prepares and serves meals for the homeless and the seniors in Cloverdale, also runs the Fraser Valley Food Bank, along with other com- munity initiatives. They have stepped up during this peri- od of time and added additional support to those in need.

The food bank saw a huge surge over a short period of time when the pandemic initially hit, and it was quickly able to adapt their operations to run in a safe, physically distanced way to ensure that people were still able to get the food that they needed. In a recent food drive, they raised more than $4,500 and collected more than $5,000 worth of non-perishable food for the community. Now, talking about food banks, we have to give a shout-out to all of the food banks throughout the province of British Columbia which have done a great job in dealing with this crisis.

Another organization I’ d like to acknowledge is Night- Shift, a not-for-profit organization that provides outreach services such as meals, clothing, basic nursing and coun- selling, and a safe space for conversations for people stuck in the cycle of poverty, addiction and homelessness in the Whalley neighbourhood of Surrey. As a province, we have seen the effects of the COVID-19 health crisis exacerbate the ongoing opioid overdose health crisis that we have. The wraparound care that this organization delivers is critical in supporting those who have been impacted most by our two public health crises.

There’s also the Surrey Urban Mission, which is another fabulous not-for-profit that selflessly serves our city. Now, organizations like these truly make a difference in people’s lives. They provide support, consistency and hope during times of uncertainty and give people the comfort of know- ing that they’re not alone. In Punjabi, there’s a word,seva. The Sikh community has certainly demonstrated the spirit of service. Their gurdwaras, which normally serve food, had to go into the takeout mode and delivered thousands upon thousands of meals. Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11667

Also, community groups like Our Global Village. This is a group of ladies that got together on the weekend to sew face masks. They have made over 10,000 face masks that they have distributed throughout Surrey. We’ve also seen the innovation and efforts from small businesses and individuals contributing to the fight. Brew- eries in Surrey shifted their production to meet the need for hand sanitizers. A teen in Surrey also was sewing homemade masks to raise money for the hospital found- ation. Neighbours were shopping for neighbours to keep each other safe.

These seemingly small acts have made a huge difference, and most importantly, they sent a message from one to another that we care. During one of the worst crises our province has faced, the people of Surrey and the people of British Columbia have risen to the challenge. In a time of adversity, the goodwill in people has prevailed above all else. People have stepped up, and continue to step up, to help the elderly and the most vulnerable in our communities. It has been incredible to witness how we rally together with compas- sion, innovation and perseverance to get through a chal- lenging time together.

The success that this province has seen in responding to the COVID-19 crisis is because of the joint effort of each and every one of us working together. We know we’ve not done everything that needs to be done, but as each one of us continues to play our part, we will continue to be proud of the collective efforts of all of us working together. We have weathered this storm so far, and we recognize that each one of us has a responsibility to each other — a responsibility to keep each one safe.

The selflessness exhib- ited by British Columbians to follow health care orders and put others over ourselves speaks to the identity of us as a province. We have witnessed kindness over hate, com- passion over chaos. I am proud to be here today to bring light to the excep- tional work that has been done in my community. I believe our community is stronger and more resilient, as we have proved to each other our ability to rise up together in the face of this emergency.

Our community has shown out- standing compassion for one another throughout this epi- demic, and I am proud to be a part of the wonderful com- munity of Surrey. I hope we continue as we embark togeth- er in working on the next stages. [10:20 a.m.] R. Singh: I would really like to thank the member for Surrey-Cloverdale for what he talked about. For the first time, I can say that I completely agree with the member opposite. We know the crisis that we have all gone through, and along with him, I would like to thank the people of Surrey and the way they came together to fight this pandemic.

How the community, beyond the…. It did not matter what party, what religion, what culture they belonged to. They all came together to fight this. The number of sacrifices that our community has made…. As we know, Surrey is one of the most culturally diverse communities that we have. We have a lot of cul- tural celebrations. We saw the community recognizing the need of the time and putting a halt on those celebrations. We have one of the largest Vaisakhi celebrations that hap- pens in Surrey. People from all over the world — I would say, mostly from all over North America — come to Surrey to celebrate Vaisakhi.

For the first time in a number of years, keeping in mind the safety of people, that celebra- tion was cancelled. Also, they came up with different ways to celebrate. They came up with a virtual Vaisakhi concert. That is to help and feed the vulnerable

section of our society who were struggling during this pandemic. Then we had a huge event. We saw that Ramadan came and then how the Muslim community came together. They brought the spirit of Ramadan and were donating and col- lecting food hampers and serving the most vulnerable in our communities. As the number of organizations that my esteemed col- leagued has already mentioned, I would like to talk about a few organizations in my community, like the Progressive Intercultural Society. They came together.

That is a society, a non-profit organization in the community, that was help- ing any senior who needed the help, whether it was doing the grocery shopping or it was any kind of support that the seniors needed. This organization stepped up, and their volunteers, their staff, were helping the seniors and the vulnerable sections during this time. Also, we knew that although a lot of things were closed, our essential care workers…. How they came up. The gro- cery stores…. When I was going to my local grocery stores like Fruiticana, those people, not caring about their own well-being, were serving the community.

They were mak- ing sure that nobody is left behind, that everybody has food on their shelves, food in their kitchens. So I would really…. My hat is off to all of the essential care workers. Definitely our health care workers, who were keeping us safe, but also the grocery workers who were stepping up and providing all of the services that we needed. The member has already mentioned about different organizations coming up. We know, during this pandemic, the need to wear masks. It was something that a lot of people wanted to keep safe. They were wearing masks. So many organizations….

I had the opportunity to visit one organization just this last weekend, Our Global Village Charitable Foundation. The women members of that organization have been getting together for the last nine weeks, making masks and distributing freely in the com- munity. The teenagers, like Tavisha’s Helping Hands…. She was making masks, taking nominal donations for the masks, and the money that she collected she gave to the Surrey Hospital Foundation. So many examples. I’m so proud of my community, the way they have come together, whether it was with religious 11668 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

organizations, non-profit organizations or normal citizens in the community who were working together to keep us all safe and to help to flatten the curve. [10:25 a.m.] So very proud. Without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to deal with this pandemic. My hat is off to them. Thank you so much. M. Hunt:Thank you to the member for Surrey–Green Timbers for her gracious comments. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I’m extremely proud to be a part of the community of Surrey. I know that Surrey is simply one example amongst many throughout this province that have shown what it means to be a com- munity.

I’m sure that all the members of this House are proud of the areas that they serve as well. Together we’re committed to putting people’s health and safety above all else. As we navigate these uncertain waters, we know that the time has come for all of us to continue keeping each other safe while we address the work that must be done in rebuilding our economy.

As the province moves for- ward through the recovery from this pandemic, and as we begin the whole process of rebuilding our economy, I have no doubt that the community of Surrey, as well as those throughout British Columbia, will continue to overcome the challenges that we have met along the way — and we will be. The city of Surrey is finding this balance between ensur- ing public safety and getting people back to their liveli- hoods. This transition must be made in a thoughtful and deliberate, responsible way.

As Surrey continues to reopen parts of the community, we are doing it in a cautious man- ner that involves listening to the people who live here. We must recognize that everyone has a different comfort level and varying ideas on how the transition to the new normal should look, but we must keep being patient, understand- ing and empathetic to each other. Because we do all have different comfort levels, we may not all agree on everything going forward, but we can all agree that moving forward is necessary, and we need to acknowledge and recognize the differences that we all have.

We can agree that we need to recognize the efforts of individuals, organizations and businesses that continue to positively contribute to the success of our communities’ reopening. We may not get it perfect, and we may need to be willing to admit mistakes and take corrective actions as we move forward, but now more than ever the province is relying on us, as elected officials, to find solutions that work for everyone. I look forward to continuing the work that we’ve started to help get this province back on track.

Again, I want to thank everyone for the exceptional work that we have done over these past weeks working together to keep each oth- er safe. We’ve been calm, we’ve been collected, and we’ve been caring. That’s what community is all about. HOMELESS COUNT R. Leonard:Hon. Speaker, I’ d like to add my voice of appreciation to everyone in British Columbia for respond- ing so well to Dr. Henry’s advice, everyone continuing to practise all the necessary precautions. It’s the successful formula that has made it possible for the Legislature to resume today.

Our return is also a reflection of a new normal, and it is a privilege for me to be able to be virtually present in the House today. I’m also thankful for the incredible work of everyone at the Legislature who has made possible this innovative opportunity for our democracy to function and to thrive, to see public debate return to the Legislature and to witness the passage of laws. As we left the building in early March, we had declared our topics for today’s statements. Communities were pre- paring to complete their point-in-time homeless counts.

It would be only the second time that such a comprehensive count would be conducted throughout B.C. Unfortunately, many of the counts were delayed by the COVID-19 pan- demic, though I’m happy to report that the Comox Valley was one that managed to complete the count early. The federal government had previously developed a point-in-time model for counts for some of our more major urban centres. Some communities, like the Comox Valley, saw our dire housing need and human tragedy unfolding year after year and took the initiative to find ways to do their own local counts.

With no national hous- ing strategy, with severe cuts for those living in poverty and with skyrocketing poverty rates, the numbers of people without a home were growing. The injury to indi- viduals, to communities and, indeed, to the whole of soci- ety needed to be quantified and held under a microscope to trigger the right measure and fit of solutions. [10:30 a.m.] At an annual community resource fair in my com- munity, hundreds of people in need come to learn about the services available, many of them families. One year, a new organization participated, with people staffing it who hadn’t traditionally attended.

After hours of witness- ing so many people come through the door, one gentleman turned to me and, in a disturbed and a haunted voice, said: “I didn’t know. ” The belief that the face of homelessness is only in the Downtown Eastside is a myth. It’s a myth that’s been bus- ted in community after community that’s undertaken point-in-time homeless counts. The previous govern- ment’s Minister of Housing did not support point-in-time counts. As late as 2016, he criticized the counts as inad- equate. But saying that point-in-time counts are less than perfect is simply an excuse to do nothing.

I recall the frustrations of people who were desperate for action. They recognized the value of consistent and standardized counting to give a sense of scale and scope of our homelessness crisis. They recognized the value of Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11669

being able to compare year over year, community by com- munity, to inform action. But again, the previous govern- ment would not and did not support action for a poverty reduction strategy or a homelessness action plan. The previous government consistently refused to sup- port point-in-time counts throughout their time in office, and by 2014 even stopped collecting data on how many people were turned away from full shelters. Deputy Speaker:Member, let’s keep these statements non-partisan. Thank you. Continue. R. Leonard:Birders who love birds count birds that are constantly on the fly.

Stream stewards who care about the state of salmon count fish swimming in the streams. Who doesn’t count? The answer is: those who want to pretend that a problem doesn’t exist — those who wish to turn a blind eye. In 2016, Victoria’s point-in-time count revealed a sharp increase in the number of homeless. Undaunted, the then minister set out to carve a smaller number to represent only those living on the street. He left behind nearly 1,200 people who had been identified as having no fixed address, without a permanent roof over their head, living in con- stant limbo. Why didn’t these people count?

It’s not enough to do a patchwork of guesses and opin- ion to guide what the government thinks is necessary. Government needs to be informed by reliable information. That’s why, at our first opportunity, our government sup- ported the first provincewide coordinated and standard- ized point-in-time count in 2018. So 24 communities, working on the ground in a 24-hour period, revealed that nearly 8,000 people across B.C. were experiencing life without a home. The count informed the development of B.C. ’s first poverty reduction strategy, which does include a homelessness action plan. As Jill Atkey of the B.C.

Non-Profit Housing Association confirmed, the cross-province count provided the basis to track the impacts of our provincial government’s historic investments and to guide our collective efforts in solving the crises in housing and social supports that exist in every corner of the province. The homeless crisis did not arrive at our door overnight. Every year of delay in the past has compounded the crisis, increasing human, economic, environmental and cultural costs. A regular provincewide homeless count is an important step to giving everyone who wants a permanent address a proper place to call home. T.

Stone:Thank you to the member for Courtenay- Comox for her statement. I certainly appreciate her per- spective on this incredibly important issue. It goes without saying that all members of this House want better for all British Columbians. Everyone in B.C. deserves a place to call home, a place to feel safe, and one that provides them with a firm found- ation to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

Unfortunately, there are thousands of people across our province for whom this is not the case today, and we all, collectively, need to do everything possible to change this reality. [10:35 a.m.] However, we must remember that support for those experiencing homelessness doesn’t end with housing alone. Y ou cannot just give someone a roof over their heads and expect that every other challenge they’re facing will suddenly be solved or will disappear. This is why we support increased access to mental health and addictions recovery for those who need those supports.

It’s why our previous government built and preserved a mixture of thousands of supportive housing units for those experien- cing homelessness as well as those with mental health and addictions issues. The past few years have seen slow progress in the cre- ation of new supportive housing units. In addition to only 2,963 out of 114,000 units of promised affordable and supportive housing being built over the past three years, there have been zero units of Indigenous housing open to date, and 65 percent of those units are unfun- ded.

Also, 70 percent of women’s transition housing fund units remain unfunded, and only 80 units have been opened to this point. At this rate, it will take 100 years before the govern- ment’s housing goals are fulfilled. It is clear that this pace is far too slow to address the housing needs that are prevalent across communities in every corner of British Columbia. When it comes to truly addressing homelessness in our province, we cannot narrow our focus simply to building homes. As I mentioned earlier, a roof over a head will certainly make someone’s life easier. It’s a very important action.

But in and of itself, it will not solve the underlying causes of homelessness. Every supportive housing devel- opment must include full wraparound supports to address the mental health and addictions needs that are wide- spread among many of those experiencing homelessness. We have seen that the government relies heavily on a patchwork of off-site supports related to some of their supportive housing projects, but this is not enough to meet the needs of all the residents. People need and deserve better. Right now we are seeing proof of the problems with this approach play out in the city of Vancouver. B.C.

Housing recently made the decision to decamp the Oppenheimer Park tent city — last month — and move residents into hotels in the Y aletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver. I will add that this action, this decision, of B.C. Housing was done with absolutely zero consultation or warning for the residents of this neighbourhood. Suddenly, hun- dreds of people were moved into this high-density resid- 11670 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

ential neighbourhood that has the second-highest number of children per square kilometre in the city of Vancouver. Point of Order Deputy Speaker:There’s a point of order by Maple Ridge–Mission. Would the member for Maple Ridge–Mission like to state a point of order? B. D’Eith:Y es. This is partisan, Hon. Speaker. Deputy Speaker:Thank you, Member. Members, as we have instructed everybody earlier, these statements must be non-partisan. Thank you. Member, please continue. Debate Continued T. Stone:Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

And all of this without having a plan in place to provide the new residents with the supports for their own well- being and to keep the entire community safe. Not only is this unfair to the broader community, which was not giv- en time to prepare for this sudden change, but it’s unfair to those who have been moved into these hotels and left to fend for themselves in an unfamiliar environment without the supports they need to live a safe and healthy life.

This situation underscores the need for careful planning in supportive housing projects, inclusive of 24-7 on-site wraparound supports along with careful planning and advanced engagement with communities to be impacted. I wholeheartedly agree that we need to do more to address homelessness in our province. Everyone deserves a place to call home. But we simply cannot move people around from community to community and hope that this solves the underlying challenges people face.

Rather than relying on patchworks and band-aid solutions, we need to be diligent in our approach and make sure that we are addressing the whole picture. R. Leonard:First of all, I’ d like to thank the member for Kamloops–South Thompson for his comments on home- less counts, I think. [10:40 a.m.] Earlier I mentioned that the Comox Valley was quick out of the gate to do this year’s homeless count, as many of the challenges of homelessness continue to persist. Our homeless seniors population is growing. Women are overrepresented in the numbers of homeless.

Our government worked with the city to bring 48 homes to people without a home in its supportive modular housing. There are other projects that have been supported to house women, children and youth fleeing violence, as well as to bring more affordable rental units on stream. Increasing assistance and disability rates, increasing the subsidies of SAFER and RAP , bringing more services to those in need and making life more affordable put us on the right path, but everyone recognizes that there is still so much more to do, and they’re eager to get on with it.

I remember the early days of figuring out how to count those without a home. Efforts have been made for point- in-time counts to become more standardized and to add more details. By covering more communities, 88 percent of B.C. ’s population this year will be covered with this second count. The counts continue to better reflect the extent of homelessness and the scope of needed support. We can always do better. There are some limitations to the point-in-time approach. That’s why this year alternat- ive approaches will be piloted in two communities, Cran- brook and Port Alberni.

They’ll delve deeper to explore hidden homelessness or those who might be missed by the point-in-time counts. Enhancing the information from the 24-hour count, it’s expected, will enrich the understanding of the differences between population categories. More work will also be undertaken to better understand Indigenous perspectives and

definitions. A video project will delve into individual stories behind the count, and a quantitative analysis will be taken of data from the self- identified Indigenous respondents from the point-in-time count. The new office of homelessness coordination’s goal is to move beyond reactive emergency responses toward preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place. The goal of homeless counts is not to simply gather figures. It informs government about services needed, where to build homes, how many and for whom.

Our government stepped up quickly to begin to provide housing for those struggling to find a roof over their heads and to provide the necessary supports. There’s no question that there’s much more to do. This global pandemic may be challenging us, but our commitment continues. SENIORS AND AFFORDABILITY D. Barnett:First, I would like to recognize the great work of Bonnie Henry and to thank the constituents of the Cariboo-Chilcotin for adhering and making us all safe. On behalf of my constituents, though, I am pleased to bring forward an important statement this morning regarding seniors and affordability.

I gave notice of this statement prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. However, seniors in B.C. and, indeed, across the country and around the world have been the hardest hit by COVID-19. People over the age of 65 are the most vulnerable segment of the population, and we think government needs to be doing more for them. I will provide you with some examples in my riding later in my comments. But it doesn’t matter if you are a senior in rural British Columbia or the Lower Mainland or Vancou- ver Island: these people are scared, they are isolated, and they fear a second wave could be just around the corner.

Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11671

I first want to draw your attention to the fact that as offi- cial opposition, we have been trying to provide the govern- ment with much support throughout the pandemic. This includes pointing out which people are falling through the cracks and why seniors need more help than ever. Our seniors have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and, tragically, represent the majority of deaths our province has experienced. B.C. families have had to endure the heartbreak of losing loved ones. For these reas- ons, the Leader of the Official Opposition wrote to the Pre- mier on June 10.

The letter expresses our deep concern for seniors in long-term care facilities and the hard-working staff responsible for protecting and caring for them. [10:45 a.m.] Our seniors and staff in our long-term care homes have been at the forefront of our fight against COVID-19. These people have experienced some of the hardest realities of this ongoing pandemic, and they continue to. The heart- break felt by families is only amplified by the current cir- cumstances that keep family members apart from our loved ones.

We have heard from many families eager to see their senior parents residing in care as soon as it is safe to do so. We strongly feel that this government is duty-bound to keep British Columbians up to date and provide guid- ance to care home operators, staff and family members. They need plans for resumption of in-person visits with appropriate physical distancing measures in place.

We therefore suggest launching a thorough independent review of long-term care facilities in British Columbia to clearly define where our long-term care system has per- formed well and where we have failed, creating a com- prehensive resource strategy to meet the growing demand for staffing in seniors’ care, providing support for residents and staff incurring the costs of implementing COVID-19 health and safety measures in senior care facilities and, as I’ve already mentioned, establishing a timeline and resources strategy that will allow families to visit their loved ones in senior care while adhering to the appropriate physical distancing measures.

MLAs on both sides of this House have heard from fam- ilies and advocacy groups across B.C. who believe that more must be done. Regardless of party politics, every member serving in our Legislature shares a collective goal with all British Columbians. We want the best for those who gave us so much. We hope your government will listen to the ideas of the official opposition and advocacy groups as well as the con- cerns of British Columbians whose parents, grandparents, siblings or loved ones occupy or staff these homes. We hope that together we can provide our elders with the care and support they need.

I look forward to hearing from the hon. member on this deeply important issue. S. Chandra Herbert:Thank you to the member for Cariboo–Chilcotin for sharing her words and care for seniors at this time. I want to start, I think, by thanking the seniors in my community of Vancouver–West End and all those that look out for seniors across this province. As the member rightly noted, COVID-19 has harmed seniors and those who take care of seniors and watch out for seniors more than everyone else.

We all know of the fear and the con- cern but also the care and the incredible love and attention that seniors have given to each other and have felt in their communities. I want to thank the member first. I prepared my remarks based on the title, which was affordability and seniors, which didn’t get addressed in the opening remarks. But I can understand, given the change of COVID-19, that the member wanted to focus on that urgent demand and that urgent need.

I want to thank the unofficial elders council in my com- munity, whether it’s the West End Seniors Network, the West End Seniors Planning Table, the blind seniors group that meets in my office once a month — or has, prior to COVID-19 — and the many seniors who have given me advice in the coffee shops, street corners, elevators and laundry rooms of the West End and Cole Harbour. One thing that I know that they have told me strongly around COVID-19 is their concern about our long-term care facilities, which the member noted.

Haro Park Centre was one of the worst hit so far in my community of the West End, and I want to honour and thank the staff who worked so hard to look after our elders and to remember them — those that we lost due to this crisis — and remem- ber their families and their friends who could not see them in these final moments. [10:50 a.m.] I also want to thank those that continue to try to make the system better, because unfortunately, as we know, the system was not a good system, not a full system, at the beginning. That’s in part why we had this challenge.

Work- ers who were trying their best but having to work multiple jobs and having to go through multiple sites in order to make a living. Thankfully, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Minister of Health, they’ve moved to a single-site model, which should have always been the way. I understand that seeking the lowest cost, trying to save money and cut budgets led to a system of greater risk. Our seniors never should have been put in that place, but they were. That’s not a partisan remark. It’s just the reality. Thankfully, that leadership is changing things.

That leadership is making the seniors the priority once again, which is what they should have been to begin with — and, of course, those that look out for them in those care homes. I know we’ve increased staffing in the care facilities and, to the end of affordability, cut a lot of those extra costs, the bells and whistles that were putting those who had more money ahead in the line of those who did not, making a mockery of a universal health care system that I think we all, hopefully, value and continue to work for, 11672 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

because our seniors deserve that kind of care and treat- ment. In terms of the questions of affordability and some of those other underlying issues, I just wanted to say thank you for the advocacy to the seniors in my community, for doing things like the last ten years of listening to me talk about wanting to eliminate the MSP but, unfortunately, seeing it double in that ten years. They told me: “We want it gone. ” Unfortunately, I couldn’t, and nor could the offi- cial opposition at the time, get that message through.

Thankfully, we’ve now completely eliminated the MSP so that seniors in our communities can put more money towards their housing, their food, their grandkids, should they have them — just the necessities of life — and chan- ging things like eliminating PharmaCare fees for low- and middle-income seniors, in many regards.

One issue that I just have to mention, because the seni- ors would not have it any other way, is standing up for seniors who rent, making sure that we don’t go back to the days of 100 percent rent increases, fixed-term tenancies, geographic increases, that we continue to focus on afford- ability for senior renters, including looking at things like SAFER and other ways to find that they can have more money in their pockets as well. Thank you to the member for raising these issues. I look forward to continuing to advocate for seniors’ affordabil- ity, as I have since I first began over 12 years ago.

Deputy Speaker:Members, again, I just want to remind everybody. Make sure that everybody remains non-parti- san during their statements. D. Barnett:I thank the hon. member for those com- ments. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, I have had a growing number of seniors and their loved ones express- ing concern about their future. Seniors, and I am one, are the most vulnerable. Here is a prime example of one senior in my riding. My constituent first contacted our office because her 87-year- old father-in-law was being transported to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops for surgery.

This was his first time in a hospital, ever. Can you imagine, at 87 years old? No one was allowed to go with him in the ambulance because of COVID-19, but the family went in their own vehicle and followed anyway. They were not allowed to be with him, in any way, before or after his surgery. Like most people, they could only use Skype — the family has since learned he has now had to have further surgery — and Skype didn’t work for them. The daughter-in-law was told once again they could not have visitors. As a result, this poor man had given up, and the family feels he was failing quickly.

Fortunately, we were called. We were able to intervene and arrange a meeting with Interior Health. As a result, two family members are now able to provide the support that will make a huge dif- ference in the world of this 87-year-old man. It makes me wonder how many people out there are currently suffering from a similar situation, or worse, with loved ones. I have had many contact my office. [10:55 a.m.] In conclusion, government has an obligation to act on behalf of all the families and loved ones who are suffering from similar situations.

We owe so much to our parents, grandparents and our seniors who laid the foundation for this province. Their hard work and sacrifice are what gave us the quality of life we currently enjoy. Now is the time to act on behalf of all our seniors to make their lives more comfortable, more affordable and more accessible to their needs. TEAM-BASED MEDICINE S. Malcolmson:I’m honoured to stand here to repres- ent the people of Nanaimo in the Legislature at this his- toric time.

We know that many people in Nanaimo, like other places around the province, find it difficult to receive the adequate health care that they need when they need it. For too long, British Columbians struggled to be seen by a family doctor quickly. They faced growing surgical waiting lists and had to turn to overcrowded hospitals and emer- gency rooms. Our government knew that the way health care was delivered had to change. Instead of relying on the old model of health care, we knew we needed to be forward-looking and harness the power of teams to better meet the needs of British Colum- bians.

So I jumped at the chance to visit the Snuneymuxw First Nation’s new health care clinic this winter. They had successfully developed a health centre that provides team- based primary care alongside traditional cultural practice. They refer to it as the One Canoe model of care. Physician services came in 2017, in partnership with the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice, to this health care centre that had been offering preventative services and advocacy since 1998. For some community mem- bers, it was the first time they’ d seen a doctor.

This new place where they moved just this winter will have more space to house physicians and, eventually, a pharmacist and a dentist. Their One Canoe principles provide clear guidance that every member of the team is essential to achieve the goal of health, but the patients are the skippers, and it’s they who decide the direction of the canoe according to their own health care goals. Now, that team-based health care is…. I want to especially acknowledge Snuneymuxw nurses Connie Paul and Cheryl Mooney. Their leadership is just beautiful to witness.

Here’s what the One Canoe model means, and this is what’s so important, I think, for the rest of us in the province to hear. This is based on the rule of tribal jour- neys. They say that the gift of each enriches all. Every story Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11673

is important. The bow, the stern, the skipper, the power puller in the middle — everyone is part of the move- ment. Secondly, we all pull and support each other. Noth- ing occurs in isolation. When we aren’t in the family of a canoe, we are not ready for whatever comes. Never could we have imagined how vital it would be to pull together, to paddle together, to work as a team to hold back COVID-19. So I raise my hands to every health care worker, every one of them, and every job from cleaner to lab tech to front-line emergency room worker. Y ou have saved lives, and your work has been extraordinary.

Now, before COVID-19, I heard the Premier, in almost every government caucus meeting, talking about how he was making progress on the things that people cared about. He would say to us: “I get out of bed every morning thinking, ‘What can I do today to make people’s lives better?’” In a minority parliament, every day is a gift. We were so focused on change that would affect people at a day-to-day level. But I can’t imagine how we would have weathered the pandemic without some of the team supports that we were able to put in place before the pandemic.

Our primary care network strategy was a major part to harness the power of nurse practitioners, doctors, every- body working together. In Nanaimo, our urgent primary care centre was one of those pieces. It opened a year ago at the Medical Arts Centre in Port Place Mall. At that time, more than 15½ thousand people in our region didn’t have a family doctor, and for those who did, same-day access was really difficult to give. The idea is that you go in, and you’ve got access to addictions counsellors, pharmacists, social workers, nurse practitioners, physio, mental health supports.

People work together. [11:00 a.m.] Our focus so far has been on high-risk and complex medical patients; 805 of them between September and the beginning of March have been attached to primary care providers at the urgent primary care centre. Another 150 patients monthly get referred through this structure to be able to be attached to someone that will act kind of like a family doctor used to in Nanaimo. When we opened this, or announced it a year ago, we thought there would be 25,000 people a year that would come to the urgent primary care centre.

There have been 22,000 just since September — well, between September and the beginning of March. We know that once COVID hit, the place was just…. I wouldn’t say overwhelmed, but the community response and how many people got expert care and navigation from them is extraordinary. Meanwhile up the hill, Nanaimo Regional General Hospital was one of the COVID-designated hospitals for Vancouver Island. From a team perspective, everyone at NRGH had to change the way they did their work com- pletely to learn new procedures and new protocols in a very short amount of time.

They had to, obviously, work safely together and care for patients. Everything shifted. When surgeries were cancelled, then some of the staff became ambassadors, doing screening as people entered the hospital. In every place, people have worked together in our region. It has saved lives. The way that the Medical Staff Association at Nanaimo Hospital describes it, it then opened doors. Another area of teamwork is between Island Health, Nanaimo MSA, our community leaders and the Min- istry of Health working together to identify needs.

They’ve already achieved the basis of a neurology pro- gram, the beginning of a gastroenterology program and implemented a complex medical care unit for internal medicine. Particularly because of the pressure that was brought by COVID-19, everybody has agreed that we need a high-acuity unit. It’s something that I’ve been advocating for as an MLA. It is kind of an in-between — people that don’t need to be in ICU but need more care than a hospital bed. That temporary space is going to open in October. It’ll be done in association with our intensive care unit, also a new addition for Nanaimo, also badly overdue.

The need was identified for it back in 2013. The previous government did not act on it. Deputy Speaker:Member, no partisan comments. S. Malcolmson:I will just say, just to pause, how deeply reliant we are on working together and how important it’s been to have the cooperation of the B.C. Liberal and Green parties working together, again as a team, to save lives and look after people in our community during an extremely challenging time. J. Thornthwaite:Thank you to my colleague for her comments on team-based medicine.

I would like to first begin my comments by acknowledging the work that has been done by the teams of health care workers, first responders, grocery store workers, recovery home work- ers, home care nurses and, of course, our long-term-care workers, all during this pandemic. [S. Gibson in the chair.] Some health care workers, in particular, could not even see their families for fear they would put them at risk. Sig- nificant sacrifices from health care professionals and all those who work in the field deserve our credit.

It is also necessary to recognize that we are in the middle of two public health emergencies right now, and that while the COVID-19 situation improves in the province, the opioid crisis has worsened significantly. This pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated many of the gaps that exist in our current system of care, which is evid- ent in the most recent increase in overdose deaths. May was B.C. ’s worst month for overdose deaths in our 11674 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

province’s history, and 170 people died that month. These were our brothers, our sisters, our moms, our dads and our daughters. But mostly, it was our sons dying alone at home. Individuals with mental health and substance use issues should not have the additional burden of navigating a complicated, broken system if they wish to seek help. There is possibly no better place to implement team-based care than in mental health treatment.

We need a single- point-of-entry system where individuals can access all of the care that they need immediately, rather than being referred to other professionals and waiting even longer. Sadly, this is still not the case. [11:05 a.m.] We need to commit to creating a more integrated wrap- around approach to mental health and substance use issues in this province. To achieve this, we need to increase funding for the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions so we can effectively respond to the crisis in areas that are currently lacking.

We need a mental health and addictions strategy that will allow a single point of entry for those who are ready. We need a drug monitoring program to prevent addictions in the first place and funding for scientific research to determine best practices, and that includes safe supply. Finally, we need to invest in a pathway to recovery for people with addictions. Getting to the root of the addic- tions requires a significant commitment, but we could start out by funding more addiction recovery beds — the ones that are already sitting empty. Far more people have died in B.C. of overdoses than COVID-19.

Y et we do not seem to have the same sense of urgency in addressing this severe and ongoing public health crisis, 170 deaths in May. This is versus 168 deaths, sadly, with COVID, totally. This has highlighted that we only have 30 specialized addiction treatment beds today. That’s it, 30, and we had 170 deaths in May. The pandemic has opened our eyes to the fragility of the system and the need to create a strong foundation which can stand the effects of any emergency that may come at us.

For example, simply moving people into hotels, out of Oppenheimer Park, carries over the crime, the vandal- ism, theft, assaults, needles, sexual assaults, public urina- tion and defecation from the park to the steps of the con- dos and businesses in Y aletown, Coal Harbour and all of downtown Vancouver. Unless there are true wraparound supports for mental health and addictions, these problems are not going to get better. Sadly, it is clear that the current system is not working. The band-aid approaches that continue to be addressed are not working for mental health and those with addictions.

It is costing lives and family grief. Going forward, we must recognize the flaws in our sys- tem and work to repair them. As elected officials and rep- resentatives of the communities that are affected, we have the responsibility to lead this change. We cannot allow others to fall through the cracks when there are solutions that could be implemented. I look forward to continuing our work to bring about action on this issue, which deserves government’s urgent and immediate attention. Deputy Speaker:The Chair recognizes the member for Nanaimo to close discussion on this. S.

Malcolmson:Speaking to the power of teams as a way to deliver health care in our region, I have to point out the number of lives that have been saved on Vancouver Island by workers in long-term care. It’s been a huge suc- cess that — looking at the rest of the country and how many lives have been lost — on Vancouver Island, we haven’t had a single case of infection. We haven’t had a single death. Thank goodness. We don’t take that for gran- ted. We’re not complacent about it.

But it’s a testament to the dedication of both families and the care home work- ers, under extremely difficult circumstances, that our seni- ors have been well cared for and able to not fall to the fate that seniors in other parts of the country have. Huge credit to HEU, HSA, B.C. Nurses Union. Almost 9,000 workers across British Columbia formerly worked at multiple sites for care homes, potentially tracking the disease between homes. When Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered that they all work at a single site…. Nine thousand of them now are all working at a single site.

I’m grateful to the Health Minister for topping up wages and making sure that we’re able to look after both workers and the elders that are under their care. [11:10 a.m.] We’re fixing the problems that were left behind not just for people in Nanaimo but for everyone around the province through our primary care network strategy and team-based care. By improving how we connect people to care, we can make sure that British Columbians get the health care they need faster and closer to home. In this case, we are absolutely saving lives doing it. Thank you to the workers.

Thank you to the families who have made great sacrifices at this time to keep our province safe. Hon. M. Farnworth:I ask the House now to consider proceeding with Motion 4, standing in the name of the member for Columbia River–Revelstoke. Deputy Speaker:Hon. Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 4 without disturbing the priorities of the motions provided on the order paper. Leave granted. Deputy Speaker:Further, unanimous consent of the House is required to permit the member for Cariboo Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11675

North to move Motion 4 on behalf of the member for Col- umbia River–Revelstoke. Leave granted. Private Members’ Motions MOTION 4 — ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY C. Oakes:I move, on behalf of the member for Colum- bia River–Revelstoke: [Be it resolved that this House encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians.] It is well known that small business is the sector of the provincial economy to be hardest hit by this pandemic. A recent survey by Insights West indicated that 65 percent of small business owners are very worried about the negative financial impact overall.

Earlier the member for Courtenay-Comox talked about the importance of data and counting. To the member, I am looking at current data as it surrounds the discussion around small businesses and, specifically, the impact it will have disproportionately on women, whether they’re small business owners or employees. When you look at the data and you look at the statistics, small businesses are incredibly concerned.

Sixty-six per- cent are worried about financing, 41 percent are afraid they will not have the ability to pay their salaries, 43 per- cent feel that they will have difficulty paying their rent or lease, and only 55 percent think that emergency federal aid will be effective. Most of all, it is uncertainty. That is the worst thing facing small businesses in British Columbia. This will have impacts on everything. Starting June 25, each of us has the opportunity as an MLA to demonstrate our support by joining the Canadian Federation of Independent Business campaign #Small- BusinessEveryDay.

Now is the time for every single mem- ber to stand up and show our support for our small busi- nesses. Action is needed now. In 2021, the Business Council forecasts the economy may have the potential to grow by 4.8 percent. That means we will only be regaining just over half of the economic output lost in 2020. The council also indicates that the magnitude of job losses is especially concerning. That affects every single area of the province. [11:15 a.m.] Since February, the number of people working in the province has plummeted by roughly 350,000 people.

B.C. ’s greater exposure to hard hit sectors, especially accommodation and food services, wholesale and retail trade, resulted in the unemployment rate nearly tripling in three months. It now sits around 13 percent. Unfortu- nately, many businesses will not reopen, and several tens of thousands of jobs will be permanently lost. The coun- cil concludes that for both Canada and British Colum- bia, the 2020 downturn is shaping up to be the deepest in 100 years.

It is therefore very puzzling why the provincial govern- ment has launched a questionnaire that will ask British Columbians to “share their feedback as the province con- tinues to build a strong, economic recovery that works for people. ” This six-week consultation process, launched over three months after the pandemic began, will only serve to delay British Columbia’s economic recovery. The people deserve more than a questionnaire. They deserve econom- ic leadership. That is why the people of British Columbia — the small business sector — are crying out for action on the part of their government. The B.C.

Business Council is also saying that the province is likely to experience a net loss of 20,000 to 30,000 businesses with paid employees over the next 18 months. Our neighbourhoods and our communities will be changed forever. Until then, the Finance Minister is sit- ting on $1.5 billion set aside for economic recovery. Government has been quick to highlight the fact that they’ve been meeting with the Small Business Roundtable and stakeholders. The government claims to have held over 1,500 outreach sessions with businesses, labour, not- for-profits and community leaders across British Colum- bia.

The Premier said: “Over 20,000 individuals have been talked to about the challenges of COVID-19 and how we come through this. ” So my question is…. Now is the time for government to act. We need action. What has the government been doing? Do not dismiss what small businesses have been saying. Don’t dismiss the Chamber of Commerce MindReader and all of the information that they’ve gathered and the CFIB surveys. Small businesses need action now. J.

Brar:I’m really pleased to respond to the motion introduced by the member for Cariboo North asking this House to encourage economic opportunity for all British Columbians. I see the shift on this topic, right now, mov- ing to small businesses. It’s not a bad one, by the way. As we return to the Legislature today, British Colum- bians are worried about their health care and their liveli- hoods, whether it’s small business people or a working per- son. COVID-19 has impacted all of us in ways we never could have imagined. People feel isolated and anxious about the future. Our friends and neighbours are out of work.

So it’s important for us to talk about what is next and talk about the economic opportunity for all British Col- umbians moving forward. During the B.C. Liberals’ time in government, economic opportunity really only meant opportunities for those at the top. The door to economic opportunity was designed by the B.C. Liberals to be so narrow that only the top 2 per- cent were able to enter the universe of economic oppor- 11676 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

tunity and prosperity. That includes a lot of small business people, as well, who were not able to enter that door. For years, the B.C. Liberals sent huge giveaways to multi-millionaires and made everyone else pay for it with fee hikes and service cuts, including cuts to health care and senior care that forced staff to work at multiple facilities, contributing to COVID-19 outbreaks that made this pan- demic worse for our health care and our economy. They refused to make an investment that would benefit every- one in British Columbia.

The minimum wage in B.C. was kept low, disproportionately affecting women and immig- rant workers. [11:20 a.m.] Health care wages were rolled back due to privatization, and health care workers will never forget the painful era at that time under the Liberals. Education opportunities and skills training were all but eliminated. Not enough invest- ments were made in affordable housing and child care. Now the surprising thing is that the Leader of the Oppo- sition is planning for big tax breaks for those at the top at a time when people can least afford it.

His plan helps multi- millionaires and makes everyone else pay the price. We know what these giveaways will mean. People will pay more taxes and fees, just like before. They are planning to bring back MSP , which they doubled while they were in power. That’s going to hurt a lot of small businesses. As well, their cuts to health care and seniors care would weaken our health care system when we need it the most. The Leader of the Opposition’s tax breaks for the rich and powerful will mean that everyone else pays for it. That is a risk that people can’t afford now.

Our government is committed to sharing prosperity for everyone in B.C., including small business people. We truly believe in it, and we act on it. Before COVID-19, we were making progress on things that people care about. People are the economy. We will build B.C. back stronger so that everyone has a good job and a secure future and so that small business can prosper in B.C. ’s economy. We will build an economic recovery around everyday people, including small business people — not just the rich 2 per- cent, as it happened under the B.C. Liberals.

Helping people get the training and education they need to get good jobs is very important. Building infrastructure like roads, mass transit and bridges will boost the economy and create good jobs and opportunities for small business people in B.C. We have the largest project in the history of the province, LNG, creating over 100,000 jobs and oppor- tunities for thousands of people. I think my time is up. We have a vision for a strong, sus- tainable economy that provides good jobs for people and quality public services for people. Thanks a lot for the opportunity. D.

Davies: I rise in this House today to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that this House encourage eco- nomic opportunity for all British Columbians. ” I think it is very fitting that on the first day of what will surely be the most unique and historic parliamentary session that this province has ever witnessed, I’m here today to speak on this motion. British Columbia is currently facing one of the greatest economic crises in its history. Over 300,000 jobs have been lost. Businesses have closed their doors, many of them for good.

We have witnessed unprecedented strains on our health care system and our essential services. These next weeks are going to be crucial to put our province back on the right path toward economic recovery. Promoting and investing in economic opportunity has never been more important, and it is our job, as representatives of the people of British Columbia, to lead this task. Fortunately for us, we live in a province that is blessed with countless opportunities.

British Columbia has an abundance of natural resources: forestry, mining, fishing, oil and gas, agriculture and hydroelectricity — the very things that we need to restart our economy and get British Columbians back to work. We need to seize these oppor- tunities. Coming from one of the more rural parts of Brit- ish Columbia, in Peace River North, I know that natural resources are the lifeblood of our communities. Even before COVID-19, we have seen the impact of what a lack of investment in our rural economies can do to these communities.

After a lack of supports and heavy- handed tax increases by this government, many of our resource industries have lost their competitive edge on the national and the global markets. Capital dollars are like water; they will take the path of least resistance. And this government has created a lot of resistance in British Col- umbia right now. [11:25 a.m.] This government’s ongoing mismanagement of our forestry sector has led to a crisis for the industry and has done catastrophic damage to our rural communities.

Mills have closed, jobs are becoming more difficult to find, people are forced to seek work elsewhere, and our com- munities are suffering. Now more than ever, we need to be actively promoting our natural resource sector, including LNG. A thriving LNG sector will bring direct economic benefits to our local Indigenous communities, rural communities and, indeed, our province. We want to bring more benefits to the people of B.C. while producing the cleanest LNG in the world, and it’s up to this government to take action and promote these projects.

We need a government that is willing to defer stumpage fees for our struggling forestry industry, promote and champion our LNG industries, support mining and stand by the agriculture industry. But make it easier to farm, not harder. COVID-19 is an ever-changing challenge, and accountability and transparency to British Columbians are as vital as support is. British Columbians are seeking better input and infor- mation from the government so they can continue to Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11677

adjust their daily lives to the ever-changing norm. Since March, British Columbians have been seeking forums to hear a viable plan from this government. So how is it that after three months into this pandemic, government has now only decided they should release a survey on what it should do? How is this adequate? How does this support the people who are suffering right now and need the sup- ports right now? This government has asked people to make extraordin- ary sacrifices to help flatten the curve and help support our health care system.

Now it’s government’s responsibil- ity to help these same people and businesses recover from the economic fallout and to help position our businesses to reopen safely and to flourish. This government needs to produce a viable economic recovery plan so that British Columbians know exactly where the $1½ billion of their tax money is being spent. And they’re really wondering when they can expect this support. Time is of the essence. British Columbians are waiting for this government to help. We need that help now. M. Dean: I do believe that we need to encourage eco- nomic opportunity for all British Columbians.

But let’s remember that even before the pandemic, our economy was not creating opportunities equally for all British Col- umbians. Here in the context of the current pandemic, I want to recognize that it’s our people who are the economy of B.C. and to say thank you to all of our front-line workers who have come to work every day across so many sectors. Thank you to all British Columbians for doing your bit, staying home and helping to flatten the curve. While I’ve heard heartbreaking stories during these times, I’ve also heard truly heartwarming ones too.

Pulling togeth- er, we have been taking care of people across our com- munities. However, I want to recognize the loss for 168 families and offer condolences to them and everyone who cared for them. The economic impact of this pandemic is as bad as any we have ever seen in the history of our province. Hundreds of thousands of British Columbians have lost their jobs. We have seen staggering job losses in food service, retail and accommodation sectors hitting young people, women and low-wage earners such as racialized, marginalized and immigrant people particularly hard.

Y outh unemployment rate is an overwhelming 29 per- cent, and women make up more than 60 percent of the job losses in the hardest-hit sectors. Women are also more likely to be shouldering the greatest caregiving responsibilities for their children and other family members. In addition, economic insecurity associated with the pandemic is more likely to be com- pounded by other factors and amplified for Indigenous women, LGBTQ2S+ people and people with disabilities.

I also want to take a moment to absolutely condemn the racism that we have seen to the south and also in parts of our province in relation to policing as well as COVID-19. We are investing in Resilience B.C. to build a strong anti- racism network and tackle racism head on. We will mod- ernize the 45-year-old Police Act with a specific focus on systemic racism. And there is more to be done. [11:30 a.m.] Since the effects of COVID-19 have not been the same for all people, or all sectors of the economy, our rebuilding plan can’t be one-size-fits-all either.

As the Premier has said, we can build a stronger, more resilient B.C. by putting people at the centre of every decision we make. Our Min- ister of Finance says that by building on our strengths and drawing on new ideas, we will restore economic growth and achieve a vibrant, inclusive, competitive economy. We also know we have a chance to address systemic inequities that have been so clearly magnified during the pandemic and build an economy that leaves no one behind. When we talk about the economy, we’re talking about people. The economy isn’t an abstract thing sep- arated from people’s real lives.

Although we often use numbers to measure economic trends, behind those numbers are real people. As B.C. works to build its COVID-19 economic recovery plan, it’s vital that every- one, especially those who already face disadvantages, is supported and given the best possible opportunity to be part of B.C. ’s restart. It’s critical that marginalized groups are not further impacted by systemic inequalities. Economically, the immediate challenge is to get people back to work as quickly and as safely as possible, starting with those who have been hurt the most by the pandemic.

Those are Indi- genous people, new Canadians, women, young adults, people earning less than $30 an hour and service sector workers. Significant investments in K-to-12 education, skills training and the new B.C. access grant will help people respond to the current challenges in our job market while moving towards a future in our province where opportunities are not defined by your gender or gender expression, age, income bracket or home address. Con- tinuing our investments in child care and infrastructure also gives us a strong foundation for economic recovery.

As we move from restart to recovery, we have the chance to address existing gaps and to do much more. We can build back better than before. S. Cadieux: I’m pleased to speak today on the motion before this House. A thriving economy, one full of oppor- tunity for all, is an important sign of a healthy province. It’s never been more important than now to encourage activ- ity that grows and strengthens that economy. The very fact that I’m not giving my statement from the Legislature is a sign of just how much COVID-19 has changed our daily life in the province.

It’s altered the way we interact with one another, the way we do our jobs, the way we operate and frequent businesses. As a result, thou- sands of businesses across this province are struggling. The 11678 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

Canadian Federation of Independent Business has repor- ted that because of COVID-19, 32 percent of small busi- nesses are behind on their major bill payments. As many as 36 percent have seen a 70 percent or greater drop in revenue. This kind of revenue loss could be cata- strophic for any business at any time, let alone our favour- ite small, local businesses. I’ve watched many over these past few months, in my own neighbourhood, close their doors for good. It’s heartbreaking to see the loss of such foundational pieces in our communities.

Instead of standing by and just watching as our neighbourhoods are hollowed out, we need to be taking every step possible to provide these busi- nesses with the opportunity to recover and become suc- cessful once more. For the last four months, I and my colleagues in the opposition have been listening to the concerns of thou- sands of British Columbians affected by this pandemic. We’ve heard people talk about their struggles. We’ve listened to what they’ve been asking for in terms of sup- port. In turn, we’ve taken their feedback and turned it into policy recommendations that we’ve shared with this gov- ernment.

Last month we wrote a letter to the Premier that sugges- ted a number of different actions government could take to support B.C. businesses during this recovery. We sugges- ted temporary tax breaks, not simply tax deferrals, on the PST, the EHT and the hotel tax to give businesses a break from mounting bills. We suggested a small business hard- ship grant be implemented in B.C., as other provinces in Canada have already done.

We suggested a moratorium on new regulations and policies that would add costs for busi- ness during this time and asked for funding to help busi- nesses secure personal protective equipment. In addition to all of this, we recommended a short-term commercial rent relief plan that flows directly to the tenants if the land- lords don’t apply. [11:35 a.m.] These are straightforward, commonsense solutions that, if implemented, would make a real difference to the many businesses, and ultimately workers, that are currently struggling to make ends meet or to get back into employ- ment.

They are solutions that would provide business own- ers the opportunity to continue to employ those staff that they feel are family and to provide those much-needed jobs that the member prior spoke about for those groups most impacted, women and young workers. There are nearly 40 recommendations we’ve made to government since March. Unfortunately, the government has no interest in putting them into action, it would appear.

When I learned that the Premier would be making an announcement last Wednesday, I hoped that govern- ment had spent the last few months developing a solid economic recovery plan for the province. But instead of announcing a comprehensive plan to get the economy back on track, we have another six-week survey. Now, I’m not against public consultation — not at all. But this is only going to delay a process of recovery during an absolutely critical period. It fails to understand the needs of British Columbians today.

The people of the province have been telling their government what they need for these last number of months, and only now, when action is needed most, does government decide to listen. At the beginning of the pandemic, government asked the people of B.C. to trust them, to trust that they had our best interests at heart and that if we followed their instruc- tions, we would make it through. Businesses responded. They followed the directions they were given. They made sacrifices, with many businesses closing their doors volun- tarily, for the public good.

Now, as a feeling of abandonment by government grows amongst the business community, they’re starting to won- der if that trust was misplaced. For the good of B.C., I hope that this is not the case. I hope that we will soon see swift action from government to support the businesses of this province so that they, in turn, can ensure that their employees are back earning money, supporting their fam- ilies, and that the growth of this economy is on the right track sooner rather than later. J.

Routledge:I’m pleased to rise in support of this motion: “Be it resolved that this House encourage eco- nomic opportunity for all British Columbians. ” In fact, taken at face value, this motion expresses a sentiment one would expect to hear from this side of the aisle. After all, economic opportunity for all has been our rallying cry since the 1930s. It’s one of the fundamental values that unite us. It’s our vision, our manifesto, our pride.

Now, I have a lot that I want to say about economic opportunity for all, the kinds of decisions that create the conditions that foster it and the kinds of decisions that put it out of reach for so many. I may run out of time before I get to my conclusion, so let me say up front that eco- nomic opportunity without economic equality is nothing more than economic exploitation. Economic opportunity without economic justice is simply empty words. I want to give the members opposite the benefit of the doubt. We’ve been through a lot as a province in the past few months.

The pandemic has changed us, how we relate to each other as a community of human beings. For many of us, it’s strengthened our concept of what the common good is, what we owe to each other as members of the same society. The pandemic has taught us that we survive and thrive as individuals only when the whole community survives and thrives. We didn’t compete with each other to be the healthiest during the pandemic. We cooperated. So many British Columbians, front-line workers and volunteers put them- selves at risk to protect the health of the most vulnerable amongst us.

Now, I would hope that what we’ve experienced together and the fact this motion has been made today Monday, June 22, 2020 British Columbia Debates 11679

means that the members opposite have come to see the danger of letting the market do our thinking for us. I would hope that they’ve had a change of heart, that the so-called, self-described free enterprise coalition has had a change of heart. [11:40 a.m.] If they have, then I would like to hear them admit that their trickle-down theory didn’t work.

I would like to hear them admit that by cutting taxes to the rich while raising them for everyone else, that by gutting the labour code to make it near impossible for working people to band together, support each other and secure their share of eco- nomic opportunity was, in fact, being captured by what’s come to be called “zombie economics, ” beliefs that are dead and continue to walk amongst us.

I would hope that they would concede that by doubling tuition fees, cutting funding for adult basic education and English language training, and dismantling skills training and apprenticeship systems, they robbed working people of their best chance of economic opportunity and edu- cation. I’ d like to hear them admit that for the 16 years they ran this province, if their goal was to create economic opportunity for all British Columbians, then they failed. Because by the time they left office, more wealth was concentrated in the hands of those at the top than in any point in our history since the 1930s.

Because by the time they left office, 20 percent of children were living in poverty. Because the number of people relying on food banks to feed their families had doubled. Because 10 per- cent of the people living in Metro Vancouver could be clas- sified as the working poor. They had jobs all right, but many of them had more than one job and still didn’t earn enough to make ends meet. That’s what happens when the market is free to deter- mine social outcomes. It’s humans who should determine social outcomes, with deliberate, purposeful and proactive policies, programs and incentives.

I see I’m quickly running out of time, so I will say again that economic opportunity without economic equality is nothing more than economic exploitation. J. Isaacs: I rise in the House today to speak to the motion: “Be it resolved that the House recognizes econom- ic opportunity for all British Columbians. ” The COVID-19 pandemic has made life difficult for British Columbians. For many, a once bright and exciting future is now uncertain.

There are over 300,000 British Columbians who have lost their jobs and many more self- employed and independent contractors who are also uncertain as to what the future holds for them. Y oung people who were once anxious to build their resumes are now facing the highest youth unemployment rates in recent history. There have been terrible financial impacts to small busi- nesses. Small businesses create jobs and contribute enorm- ously to our local and global economies.

Businesses such as restaurants, sports and entertainment industry, and per- sonal service providers all contribute to a healthy economy and have a positive impact on our social well-being. Tour- ism and the hospitality industries have been particularly hard hit, and it’s going to take time for consumer confid- ence to return and for businesses to rebuild to pre-COV- ID-19 conditions. Everyone in British Columbia has felt the strain of COVID-19 in one way or another. While Dr.

Bonnie Henry and her team have done a great job leading us through the public health response, we must now shift our efforts and shift our focus to providing economic oppor- tunity for all British Columbians. Now more than ever, it is urgent that government deliver a comprehensive econom- ic response plan. Delays may be the difference between whether business owners fight to keep their doors open, or whether they will be forced to close their doors for good. Delays will deter- mine if families need to seek work elsewhere, move out of their homes, put their kids back to school or seek daycare.

It is critical that families and businesses have hope for the future and can push uncertainty aside. [11:45 a.m.] Businesses want to open their doors and welcome back their customers and their staff. It is government’s respons- ibility to assure that everyone in British Columbia has the opportunity to get ahead once again. In March, billions of dollars of taxpayer money was giv- en to government to lead the response to the emergency and to produce a unified plan for our province’s economic recovery.

In the last four months, ideas and input have come forward from countless business round tables, mem- ber organizations, industry and regional groups, as well as suggestions from British Columbians and small business owners all across the province. There have also been substantive solutions provided by the official opposition, suggestions such as the 90-day tax break on the provincial sales tax, hotel tax and employer health tax. They’re just some of the meaningful suggestions that would go a long way to help support businesses dur- ing these volatile times.

A short-term commercial rent relief plan would also help small businesses, especially those which are experien- cing a significant loss in their cash flow. A reduction of red tape and excessive administration costs would allow small businesses to focus their efforts on successfully reopening their businesses. Every day without a defined plan for economic oppor- tunity is another day of worry and stress for our small businesses.

After four months, rather than government launching a consultation survey seeking public input, it’s time that British Columbians have a clear path forward and the opportunity to succeed and get back to work. As a business owner and business consultant for many years, I encourage this House to swiftly move to provide economic opportunity for all British Columbians. 11680 British Columbia Debates Monday, June 22, 2020

D. Routley:Assuming that everyone can hear me, I have a suggestion. Perhaps we could engage in heckling on the chat box, because it’s a little unusual not to be able to contribute in the ways we have in the past. But we’ll work with what we have. I thank the Speaker and all the members for this oppor- tunity. It has been an amazing three months where we have seen British Columbians face the greatest challenge that I’ve ever witnessed in this province, certainly.

It has been absolutely inspiring to see people come together, cooper- ate, work together for a solution and make the sacrifices that were necessary to flatten the curve for the betterment of all of us. That involved so many sacrifices from people who might not have been so directly impacted, like young people who have embraced the message of Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Dix. I think we have to give great thanks to British Columbians for that. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] We’re also a province that was very well positioned to respond to this pandemic in that our economy was the leading economy in Canada.

We have a very diversified economy. Obviously, very deeply impacted on many levels, the food industry being one. My own daughter, a chef in a high-end restaurant that’s small and isn’t open, is directly affected. I and all the people on the screen are fortunate in that we aren’t so directly impacted in terms of our income, but in every other way, we are. In this province, if you ask yourself what you need in order to have people thrive economically, well, you need the institutional supports of education, housing, agricul- ture, food security — all of those things to be intact.

Y ou need economic justice, which was referred to so eloquently by the previous speaker from the government side. Those foundational elements of our society are the ones that required investment over the past 16 years, before our government. And those are, in fact, exactly the areas in which cuts were made. Cuts that disproportionately affected women, immigrants and people of lower income levels.

So it was our job, coming to government, to imme- diately begin to turn that around with massive investments in housing and child care and the kinds of supports that make an equal opportunity for British Columbians to par- ticipate in their own economy, in their own province, in their own communities. [11:50 a.m.] All of those steps were taken, and it actually further bet- ter positioned us to respond to this. It is in exactly those same areas that we need to make investments to support the recovery — that is, in child care, in housing, in sup- porting small businesses — so that the words of a

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20200622am-Hansard-n327
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20200622am Hansard n327
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	7fd69fc1acb62b9799c81c743e1b1cb53a73e8b4

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