2017 Legislative Session: Sixth Session, 40th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.

The printed version remains the official version.

official report of

Debates of the Legislative Assembly

(hansard)

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 41, Number

ISSN 0709-1281 (Print)

ISSN 1499-2175 (Online)

CONTENTS

Page

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Tony Hoar

D. Routley

Introductions by Members

Tributes

Neil Muth

K. Conroy

Introductions by Members

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

Tim Jones Peak and North Shore Rescue

J. Thornthwaite

New Westminster rent bank

J. Darcy

Lee Hesketh

G. Kyllo

Fairview Container Terminal at Port of Prince Rupert

J. Rice

Hollyburn Ski Lodge on North Shore

R. Sultan

UBC Thunderbirds basketball teams

D. Eby

Oral Questions

Government response to report on youth death case

J. Horgan

Hon. C. Clark

M. Mark

D. Donaldson

Hon. S. Cadieux

Youth death case and oversight of contracted services

J. Wickens

Hon. S. Cadieux

S. Robinson

M. Mungall

Foster home standards

C. James

Hon. S. Cadieux

Reports from Committees

Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, report on the Budget 2017 consultations, November 2016

S. Hamilton

C. James

Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, annual review of the budgets of statutory offices, December 2016

S. Hamilton

C. James

Motions Without Notice

Appointment of Special Committee to Appoint an Information and Privacy Commissioner

Hon. M. de Jong

Tabling Documents

Islands Trust, annual report, 2015-2016

Orders of the Day

Throne Speech Debate

J. Yap

J. Martin

N. Macdonald

J. Thornthwaite

S. Fraser

Hon. A. Wilkinson

C. Trevena

J. Tegart

B. Routley

Hon. S. Bond

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017

The House met at 1:34 p.m.

[Madame Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

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Introductions by Members

J. Horgan: I know members are probably wondering: “Where the heck is the member for Vancouver–West End today?” He wasn’t here yesterday. He’s not here today. A very good reason, probably the best reason ever. At 12:24 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, his husband, Romi, and he welcomed into the world Dev Juno Chandra Herbert. They are now the proud parents of a bouncing baby boy, delivered by their good friend Amanda.

Spencer and Romi are absolutely overjoyed. I have a very good picture here, which I can’t show anybody, but he’s a beautiful, beautiful little baby boy.

I would like the House to all please make Dev Juno very, very welcome.

Hon. C. Clark: On behalf of everyone on the government side of the House, I’d like to add our congratulations to the member for Vancouver–West End and his partner, Romi, on a beautiful new addition to their lives. There is nothing more important for a child than to be loved. I know that Dev Juno will be welcomed into a loving family where, for the rest of his life, he knows that he’s cherished by parents who have the greatest aspirations for him. So congratulations to the member from West End, and welcome to the world, Dev Juno. We are delighted to join the Leader of the Opposition in that.

I’d also like to welcome some people to the Legislature today, if I could, before I sit down. Today we signed an historic set of agreements with the Lax Kw’alaams and the Metlakatla up on the northwest coast of British Columbia, and we are honoured by the presence of their leaders and members of their community today. They’re agreements that set in place the sharing agreements on liquefied natural gas in the communities, the product of a lot of hard work, durable relationships and, really, working to understand one another.

From Lax Kw’alaams, we have Mayor John Helin, Deputy Mayor Helen Johnson, Coun. Chris Sankey, Coun. Sherrie Haldane and community members Linda Simon, Bill Helin and Erminio Pucci.

From the Metlakatla, we have Chief Councillor Harold Leighton, Coun. Robert Nelson and community member Shaun Thomas.

I hope the House will make, on this historic day, the members of the Lax Kw’alaams and the members of the Metlakatla very, very welcome in this, the people’s House.

K. Corrigan: When I announced last April that I was not going to be seeking re-election in 2017, I said I hoped that, as part of my retirement, there would be grandchildren. It was only about two weeks later, on Mother’s Day in May, that my son Darcy and his partner, Natalie Labelle, gave us the great news that they were expecting.

It is with the greatest of pleasure and love that I get to announce that on November 21, 2016, one month early, on Grandpa Derek’s 65th birthday, Bastien Derek, at five pounds, eight ounces, and Finn Yvon, at three pounds, eight ounces, were born at Burnaby Hospital. After a few weeks in the fantastic neonatal intensive care unit, they came home and are thriving under the love and care of Natalie and Darcy. There are no two solitudes in the French Labelle and Irish Corrigan household. In fact, I think it’s fair to say there is no solitude at all.

I hope the members of this Legislature will give these two precious boys a great welcome into the world.

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Hon. P. Fassbender: Very often we have the honour to introduce people that contribute to our communities. Today I’m honoured to introduce Udham Singh Hundal; his wife, Amandeep; his brother from India, Sahib Singh Hundal; his sister-in-law Jaswinder Hundal; and his nephew Jasdeep.

I just want to ask the House to welcome them.

Udham is just an amazing guy. He works in the community with youth in sport, and he’s just a tremendous addition. We welcome his brother, sister-in-law and nephew from India.

S. Fraser: We all know this job can take its toll. We travel a lot. We’re away from home a lot. It can be hard on family and loved ones. My wife, Dolores, is here joining us today. It can be heartless if we have to start on Valentine’s Day, so I’m going to try to make that up.

Next week is, by my calculation, the anniversary of our first date 36 years ago. So with that in mind, will the House please join me in welcoming Dolores Fraser here to the precinct.

Hon. M. Bernier: I think everybody in the House here would agree, whether we’re here in the House or back in our ridings, that we can’t do the great work we try to do without the amazing work that our constituency assistants do. So I’d like to have the House please welcome my constituency assistant, Terri Paulovich, who’s visiting with us today.

M. Farnworth: It’s my pleasure to introduce five individuals who help make this side of the House function. I

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know that there are an equivalent number who make the government side function. Those are the interns.

It’s my pleasure to introduce the interns who are working with us this particular session. They are Jasmin Brown, who has a bachelor of arts, honours, in philosophy and political science from the University of Victoria; Richel Donaldson, who has a bachelor of arts, honours, in political science and a minor in indigenous studies from the University of Victoria; Emily Gorner, who has a bachelor of arts in political science and a minor in history from the University of the Fraser Valley; James Nonen, who has a bachelor of arts in political science and a minor in European studies from the University of Victoria; and Selina Wall, who has a bachelor of arts in history from Simon Fraser University.

Would the House please make these very talented young interns most welcome.

G. Kyllo: I’m proud today to introduce to the House two brothers, constituents of mine from Sicamous — Eric and Austin Schneebeli. Austin is currently taking his third year in geology at UVic, and Eric is currently on a sabbatical, basking in the glorious sunshine of the Shuswap.

Would the House please make them feel very welcome.

Tributes

TONY HOAR

D. Routley: I wish the House to help me celebrate the birthday of a very important person to cycling and in my life. The gentleman’s name is Tony Hoar.

I first met Tony when I was manufacturing bicycles, and we often supported each other, despite being competitors, by trading parts back and forth. Tony was a great example of how businesses can work together for success.

Tony was a really dedicated athlete but then went on to build CBS bicycles in Vancouver. He became the builder of Rick Hansen’s first racing wheelchairs and later became a builder of trailers — trailers that support people on the street. He made a folding tent trailer for bicycles that homeless people could use as a binning cart in the day and a trailer at night. He won a humanitarian design award for that and has developed trailers for disaster relief.

Tony is a fantastic person, a real leader and a great friend. Let’s celebrate his 85th birthday here in the Legislature.

Introductions by Members

S. Hamilton: It’s my pleasure today to welcome representatives from the Canadian Beverage Association, all the way here from the frozen east in Toronto. Fortunately, the last few days we’ve thawed out a bit for them.

Joining us in the gallery are Megan Boyle and Ron Soreanu. I’d ask the House to please make them welcome.

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K. Conroy: I’m pleased to introduce two University of Victoria students, as well — Sheridan Hawse and Jacob Noseworthy.

Both are actually participants of Youth Parliament. Jacob has been in Youth Parliament for four years and Sheridan for three. She is from Kelowna and is studying sociology and hopes to be a social worker someday. Jacob is from Grand Forks and is studying political science with a minor in journalism.

I got to know Jacob during the federal election, where he was a great volunteer for our new MP, Richard Canning’s, election.

Would the House please join me in welcoming these two students today.

J. Rice: I, too, would like to welcome Chief Harold Leighton from Metlakatla, as well as representatives from Metlakatla First Nation. I, too, would like to welcome Mayor John Helin from Lax Kw’alaams and representatives from Lax Kw’alaams that are in the precinct today.

I would also like to acknowledge that we have representatives from the Prince Rupert Port Authority in the precinct today, and I would like the House to please make them feel welcome.

R. Chouhan: Today my constituents are visiting us from Burnaby-Edmonds. They are: Terena Campbell and her husband, Ashish Anand, with their children Isabelle Anand and Dorian Anand. Also visiting with them is April Campbell, Terena’s aunt.

Please join me to give them a very warm welcome.

Hon. S. Anton: I hope that everybody who is a birder or who has a friend who is a birder, which will be everybody in this House, will be pleased to welcome today my guests, two distinguished international scientists.

The first is my constituent from Vancouver-Fraserview, Dr. Robert Elner, who is the convener of the 27th annual International Ornithological Congress, which will be held in Vancouver in August of 2018. He is here with his colleague Dr. Robert Butler, who is the founder of the first Vancouver International Bird Festival being held in Vancouver next year.

The world congress is the most prestigious and largest meeting of avian scientists which takes place in the world. It only happens every four years. This is only the second time in Canada and only the first time on the west coast of North America. So I think everyone will be most interested in this event.

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His colleague Dr. Butler is running the Vancouver Bird Festival, which is an ambitious festival with numerous events in and around the convention centre, showcasing bird science, art, stories, music, innovation and all things that birders love — speakers, artists, expo photographs, etc. I hope the House — everyone — will partake of this event, which is in August of next year and welcome Drs. Elner and Butler to the House.

D. Donaldson: The All-Native Basketball Tournament is underway in Prince Rupert as we speak. I know the House gave a warm welcome to the Metlakatla leadership, which we just heard. But this afternoon, in the women’s division, it’s my hope that the Hazelton Mystics do not give a warm welcome to the Metlakatla team they’re playing at four o’clock. Go Mystics. They’re last year’s finalists.

N. Macdonald: I’d just like to introduce my brother Don, who’s visiting from Thompson, Manitoba.

Would the House join me in making him welcome.

Tributes

NEIL MUTH

K. Conroy: On November 9, Neil Muth, the president and CEO of the Columbia Basin Trust, unexpectedly passed away at his home in Christina Lake. Neil touched many lives in his all-too-short life. He was guided by faith and gave freely of his time, energy and love to his family, friends and the wider community. He lived life to the fullest and was happiest when spending time with his family on the dock at Christina Lake with a margarita in hand.

He still found time for his numerous hobbies, including golfing, hunting, playing the bagpipes, running with his constant companion, Fairly, and both snow- and water-skiing. He loved teaching people to water-ski and had a recognized talent in being able to bring success to anyone who was willing to learn.

Born in 1959 in Trail and raised there, Neil was excited to come back to the Kootenays in 2005 to join the trust from Victoria, where he served as vice-president, private placements, for the B.C. Investment Management Corp. That excitement showed in his passion for and interest in every aspect of basin communities, their projects and their aspirations, as well as the best places to ski, eat and have a cup of coffee.

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Neil’s accomplishments as president and CEO over the past 11 years are many, but his appreciation and respect for the trust mission statement are what truly defined his service. He will always be remembered in the region for his honest and sincere engagement, his leadership and his commitment to supporting the efforts of the people of the basin.

He will be remembered mostly, though, as a loving husband and supportive father who cherished his children. He is survived by his wife, Cathy, their three children, his mother, brothers and sister, in-laws, nieces and nephews, a wide circle of friends and also by his family, the trust, who worked closely with him. All said he was a friend and a co-worker, never a boss. The family would ask that donations be made to a scholarship fund in his name.

Introductions by Members

M. Elmore: I’d like to make an introduction and welcome a couple of classes who are here touring today from Sir Charles Tupper Secondary in Vancouver-Kensington. They’ve got 71 students with them and eight supervisors, led by teachers Bonnie Burnell and Mr. Lum. They’ve got student teacher Brad Drummond, as well as retired principal Dr. Sheikh — I believe he’s already retired — as well as the vice-principal Nick Akrap. They are accompanied by Katherine Olson, Shauna Mathieson and counsellor Keel Freeman.

Tupper is renowned for their winning basketball teams and the just incredible programs that they offer — a very dynamic band and music program, as well as Multi-Fest — really supported by terrific teachers and great partnerships with the community. I ask everybody to please give them a very warm welcome.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

TIM JONES PEAK AND

NORTH SHORE RESCUE

J. Thornthwaite: Today I would like to recognize Tim Jones. We are in the third year since his passing, but the communities that make up the North Shore will be forever indebted to his service. Tim was the leader of North Shore Rescue and was instrumental in building that organization, mentoring those who would follow and, of course, saving countless lives.

Tim participated in more than 1,400 missions and helped more than 1,600 people. He was a true hero of British Columbia. In 2011, Tim received the Order of B.C. for his longstanding efforts in search and rescue on the North Shore.

Last month on January 20, I had the privilege to stand alongside our Premier, fellow MLAs, Tim’s son, Curtis, Tim’s wife, Lindsay, daughter, Taylor, and mother, Mary, as they officially named a part of Mount Seymour, Tim Jones Peak. This honour is well-deserved and will serve as a permanent reminder that in the face of the toughest conditions or throughout our day-to-day lives, caring for our neighbours is always worthwhile. As part of our renaming of the peak, the province placed a helipad on Tim Jones Peak to aid in their rescues.

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British Columbia is a safer place because of Tim and the entire North Shore Rescue association he helped build. These men and women work tirelessly as volunteers, oftentimes on top of full-time jobs, to help those in need. They have revolutionized the way search and rescue is conducted.

In closing, to quote Tim’s daughter, Taylor: “We were all lucky to have such a caring, empathetic, compassionate and adventurous man who has left such a positive legacy of volunteerism in British Columbia.” Thank you, Tim. Roger.

NEW WESTMINSTER RENT BANK

J. Darcy: Every week people come to my constituency office for help with a wide range of issues. A crisis in housing is part of almost everyone’s story: a woman fleeing domestic violence with her child who can’t afford to pay the first and last month’s rent; Matt and Mona, who gave notice that they were leaving low-paid jobs for better-paying jobs only to have their hours cut; and Jennifer, who is facing eviction because she had to take time off work to care for her son with mental illness. All were facing a temporary housing crisis — one that threatened to plunge them into homelessness.

That’s where, two years ago, the idea of creating a New Westminster rent bank was born. My constituency assistants and I set to work learning about other rent banks where people in temporary need can get loans for a nominal fee or very low interest rates without having to resort to payday lenders. We met with advocacy groups in the community. We approached credit unions, who believe in building stronger communities. We presented to the mayor’s task force on housing and met with the homelessness coalition.

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They all agreed that there was an urgent need for action and that they were willing to step up to the plate. Securing start-up financing was critical, and thanks to the effort of Doug Eveneshen of Community Savings, every credit union with a branch in New Westminster came through, for a total of $34,000 within three weeks. Then our awesome city council voted to cover the administration fees. The homelessness coalition is donating to ensure the rent bank’s ongoing viability. Several community agencies have applied to operate the rent bank.

So within a few short weeks, the New Westminster rent bank will be up and running, helping to prevent homelessness in our community. It does take a village, and I’m so proud that my community came through.

LEE HESKETH

G. Kyllo: The farmland-riparian interface stewardship program is a program managed by the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association with the common goal of promoting long-term environmental care while enhancing farmland — specifically, watersheds and river banks and protecting local wildlife.

This spirit of care and attention to our environment is embodied in the program manager and member of my constituency, Mr. Lee Hesketh. In recent years, Lee’s generosity and selflessness has made its mark in my community. Lee has an exceptional ability to connect local government, industry and members of the community, including First Nations. He possesses a wealth of knowledge concerning watershed and wildlife preservation.

In 2014, Lee employed his skill sets to help restore the waterways that were destroyed by a landslide in Cook Creek, as well as impacting the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre. The Kingfisher Interpretive Centre is a non-profit organization that educates visitors on watershed restoration and salmon habitat. Thanks to his timely contributions, the centre was able to host 2,500 Girl Guides touring the Interior in the summer of 2015.

Lee’s talents were called upon once again in 2015 to help tackle flood issues in Gardom Creek in Grindrod, during which he contributed to guiding the work of multiple ministries and interest groups, as well as assisting residents with major issues. Lee is an individual who tirelessly strives to ensure that his local environment and neighbours are all working in harmony.

Please join me in thanking Lee Hesketh for his efforts to better the local communities of the Shuswap area.

FAIRVIEW CONTAINER TERMINAL

AT PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT

J. Rice: They say it’s the Prince Rupert advantage: being the closest port to Asia by up to three day’s sailing compared to other North American ports. I say it’s that plus our deep-water harbour and the capable workforce in Prince Rupert that make Fairview Container Terminal the most efficient and fastest-growing terminal of its kind on the continent.

With an initial capacity of 500,000 TEUs, or 20-foot-equivalent units, and now operating at almost 800,000, Fairview was the first dedicated, intermodal, ship-to-rail container terminal built in North America. It has grown to become a major transpacific trade gateway known for its speed and reliability. Formerly operated by Maher Terminals and now operated by DP World, Fairview keeps on growing. The phase 2 container terminal expansion project launched in 2015, and it’s almost complete, on schedule, to increase annual capacity to 1.3 million TEUs.

Despite fluctuating markets and declines in certain commodities, such as coal, the Port of Prince Rupert has held steadfast with a strategy of diversification, creating more union wage jobs locally. After this expansion, we will see even more of these good, family-supporting jobs, and that is worth celebrating.

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In the northwest, so much emphasis has been placed on one industry that may or may not come to fruition. It dominates our local media and every coffee shop conversation. It has riled and rallied people, with the uncertainty of it all causing tremendous angst for my constituents.

What I hope to highlight today is that there are projects, such as the Fairview Container Terminal expansion, that are happening right now in my community. Projects like this are creating good jobs for locals and First Nations communities. By highlighting our natural assets, such as the Prince Rupert advantage, we can grow the northern economy regardless if a certain industry comes to fruition or not.

HOLLYBURN SKI LODGE ON NORTH SHORE

R. Sultan: Our North Shore backyard has three mountains: Cypress on the left, Seymour on the right and Grouse in the middle. The flankers are provincial parks. The one in the middle is privately owned. Recreation on these mountains has exploded. Cypress and Seymour combined are around one million visitors a year. On Family Day on Grouse, on Monday, I was told that they’ve achieved 10,000 visitors in a single day.

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A lot of history is at work here. A couple of weeks ago ski veterans celebrated the restoration of the Hollyburn Ski Lodge. This lodge was built in 1926 by three Swedish loggers who wanted to come in out of the cold when they were skiing. For 25 cents, skiers could sleep on spruce boughs up in the loft. But after 75 years of stomping skiers, the old building was ready to collapse. The floor was certainly sagging dangerously.

Restoration enthusiasts formed the Hollyburn Heritage Society, and it only took 20 years to finish the job. A coalition formed, with persons including Iola Knight, now aged 94; Bobby Swain, Cypress Mountain corporation out of Seattle; West Vancouver district; the Hollyburn Ridge Association, foundations; the Olympic legacies fund; and almost 300 others, ranging from Emco to the West Van Old Boys club. Led by fundraising chair, Jackie Swanson, they succeeded.

The 1926 lodge is now open for business again. Congratulations. Now let’s all go skiing.

UBC THUNDERBIRDS BASKETBALL TEAMS

D. Eby: It’s the end of the regular season for basketball in Canada, and I have some very happy news to bring to the Legislature from the beautiful constituency of Vancouver–Point Grey, the home of the UBC Thunderbirds.

Our UBC women’s basketball team has had an outstanding season. They finished fifth in Canada West Division, with four UBC women among the top scorers in the league. Maddie Penn wrapped up the regular season as the second-highest scorer in the Canada West Division, averaging 18.1 points per game.

The UBC men’s basketball team had an even better season. They lost just one game in the entire season, wrapping up with 19 wins. Conor Morgan averaged 23.1 points per game for the Birds. He led the Canada West Division in overall points and points per game. Now, the UBC men’s team, I’d like to note, is ranked first in Canada West and second in Canada.

On the women’s team, congratulations to head coach Deb Huband and her coaching staff, as well as team members Shilpa Khanna, Marcie Schlick, Cherub Lum, Sammy Baumgartner, Ali Norris, Krysten Lindquist, Kara Spotton, Gabrielle Laguerta, Jessica Hanson, Andrea Strujic, Chelsea Hamming, Susan Thompson, Keylyn Filewich, Isabelle Khalifa and Maddison Penn.

On the men’s team, congratulations to coach Kevin Hansen and his coaching team, as well as team members Isaiah Yugola, Will Ondrick, Ajay Hallaway, Isaiah Familia, Taylor Brown, Jordan Jensen-White, Phil Jilalpoor, Parker Simpson, Connor Morgan, Patrick Simon, Justin McChesnie, Harprit Randhowa, Roger Milne, Luka Sarayevik, Joaquin Bennett-Whar, Charles Day, Harry Lu and Jerome Thompson.

Both UBC teams will be going to the playoffs, giving every member here a chance to come out and cheer for the Thunderbirds, as they come from a number of different communities across the province. I’d like to point out that the members representing Surrey, Kelowna, Vernon, Port Coquitlam, Vancouver and Prince George should be all painted Thunderbird blue, out cheering for their constituents in the playoffs, which start February 17 for the women and February 23 for the men. Go, Birds, go.

Oral Questions

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO

REPORT ON YOUTH DEATH CASE

J. Horgan: On October 5, 2015, shortly after Alex Gervais jumped from a window in an Abbotsford hotel room that he had been consigned to, the Premier said that she wasn’t interested in an independent review of his death. Having now read the report by the Representative for Children and Youth, I can understand why the Premier wanted to keep this under wraps.

The report is an indictment of the government, it’s an indictment of the children in care in this province, and it’s absolutely unacceptable. But the Premier’s response and the minister’s response have been predictable. As with the death of Paige Gauchier, as with the death of Nick Lang, as with the death of Isabella Wiens, as with the death of Carly Fraser, the response from the government is uniform: “We will do better.” Yet after each death, no action is taken.

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Yesterday the government laid out their plan for the year ahead and made no reference, no reference whatsoever, to children in care.

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My question to the Premier is: after all of these failures, year after year after year, why should anyone who is concerned about vulnerable children believe a word this government says?

Hon. C. Clark: The death of Alex Gervais is a tragedy. It’s a loss for everyone who loved him. It’s a loss for all of us that care about vulnerable children, which is everybody in British Columbia and everybody in this House.

Everyone knows that looking after vulnerable people, especially vulnerable children, is the most important work that government can do, that families can do. It’s also the most difficult work that families and government can do.

We have a duty to do that work well. We have a duty to make sure that children are protected when they are vulnerable. That didn’t happen in the case of Alex Gervais. We, though, also have a duty now to learn from what went wrong in the case of Alex Gervais and make sure that we correct the mistakes that were made. The ministry has already taken immediate steps, and longer-term steps are also underway in response to what happened to Alex.

Again, it’s a terrible tragedy. Our duty is to respond in the face of those tragedies, to make sure to do everything that we can to learn from them and to ensure, to the extent that we can, that they don’t happen again.

Madame Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a supplemental.

J. Horgan: Again: Paige, Nick, Isabella, Carly, Alex. These are teachable moments. One would think that a government would harness all of its resources, everyone working together, to find solutions, not just to continue to deflect when another child dies in the care of this government. They’re there for the wealthy and the well-connected; they’re not there for the vulnerable.

Just before Alex’s death, he reached out. On five different occasions, he reached out to social workers. He reached out to caregivers. He was told, in the report…. The ministry had given this young boy’s life “profound instability and neglect.”. On five separate occasions, professionals called out to this government for mental health assistance for Alex Gervais, and they were denied. On five occasions, the government was asked to help this young boy, and they didn’t.

Can the Premier tell the people of British Columbia when she will start to care about the vulnerable in this province and let the wealthy and the well-connected take care of themselves?

Hon. C. Clark: What happened to Alex Gervais was a tragedy. Our responsibility and our duty to Alex, everyone who loved him, and all of the vulnerable children in British Columbia who are in government care and who aren’t is to learn from it and to make sure that those lessons find their way into the practice of the incredibly hard-working social workers who are out there on the front lines every day doing the work of angels, the kind of work that most of us might not even have the courage to do. It’s difficult work. It’s hard work. But it is the most important work that we do.

The ministry had a budget increase of over $72 million last year, and that money has gone into supporting more social workers to make sure we have more front-line staff. It has gone into supporting more adoptions, supporting families so that we can try and keep children out of care.

In addition to that, the ministry has accepted all 700 recommendations from the representative and will be acting on all of those. Some are specifically related to this case — for example: allocating $2.7 million to indigenous organizations to help them develop culturally specific plans, mandating 100 percent compliance with the requirement to have a plan of care for all children and youth in government care, implementing continuous monitoring. A list of actions that the ministry has undertaken in response to the report is to take effect immediately.

Young people like Alex don’t have someone to depend on in many cases. That’s why they find their way into government care. And government needs to be there to support them and make sure they are cared for.

This minister cares about that. Our government is investing in that. It is hard work. It is difficult work. But it is important that every year we strive to make sure that we are doing it as well as we possibly can.

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J. Horgan: With the greatest of respect, these children do have someone they can depend on. It’s supposed to be the British Columbia government. It’s supposed to be the responsibility of the Minister of Children and Family Development. That’s who should be caring for these kids.

We’ve heard it time and time again: “We accept all the recommendations, but we don’t accept responsibility.” If this is the most important thing government can do, why not one mention in the Speech from the Throne prior to an election campaign? Why was this again swept under the rug? More deflection, more distraction, zero accountability.

In his last days, alone in a hotel room, Alex reached out by text to his former caregiver, his former social worker and the caregiver that was supposed to be with him, appealing for help, and he went ignored. I am fearful that the government will again deflect, again ignore and again pretend that they give a darn about the vulnerable children of British Columbia.

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To the Premier, why in the world would anybody — after Paige, after Nick, after Isabella, after Carly and now after Alex Gervais — believe a word they say?

Hon. C. Clark: For the children who depend on the government, as I said, they have no one else, often, in their lives to look to, so that’s why it is so important that government be there for them. Part of that is making sure that we respond to the recommendations that we see from the rep, which the ministry is doing. But it’s also making sure that the ministry has the resources that it needs to be able to look after children to the standard that we need to and that they depend on us to provide.

So $72 million last year. The member will see in the coming budget that there will be more resources that go to the Ministry of Children and Families, more resources that we can invest in support programs, that we can invest in children who are leaving care and trying to find their way out of care on a stable footing, resources that we can invest in social workers, in life skills programs, in the various programs — all of which underpin our ability to be able to meet our responsibility to look after vulnerable young people.

Alex Gervais’s case is an example of one where many, many things went wrong. We need to learn from that. We are acting on the recommendations already. We are going to continue to implement new policies within the ministry. We are going to continue to devote more resources from government to make sure that we support social workers in the work that they do in the programs and enriching the programs that young people depend on in our system so that we can learn from tragic events like the one that we saw with Alex Gervais.

M. Mark: I must say, for the record, it sounds like a broken record in this House, when it comes time for the advocacy for our kids in care. The representative’s report made it clear that Alex would have thrived had he been placed in the care of his extended family. My question is for the Premier. Why did you choose…?

Madame Speaker: Through the Chair.

M. Mark: Pardon me, Madame Speaker.

Why did she choose to pay a contractor more than $8,000 a month to ignore Alex rather than have him cared for by his extended family?

Hon. C. Clark: The issue with respect to contracted resources is one that the ministry is taking on, because that was clearly a problem for Alex. Alex was not supposed to be alone, and yet he was. So this issue…. Making sure that contractor resources are appropriately hired and managed, that they have the appropriate background checks, that they are there and that they are supervised properly are changes that the ministry is going to be making — part of the response in learning from the tragedy of Alex Gervais’s death.

This is a very difficult job. It is a very important job, as I said, and it’s one, when things go wrong — tragically wrong, as they did in the case of Alex Gervais — that we have a responsibility and an obligation to learn from. Those changes are being made.

Madame Speaker: Vancouver–Mount Pleasant on a supplemental.

M. Mark: Alex had a right to be in a home, not a hotel. It wasn’t just Alex’s stepmother who wanted to care for him. His aunt in Quebec also offered to become his guardian.

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Alex could have been with his family, where he would have experienced love and stability and access to his Métis culture. That was his right, and it would have saved government thousands of dollars — thousands of dollars that could have been used to help other children in government care.

Given that opportunity, why did this government refuse to place Alex with his family?

Hon. C. Clark: The government, the minister, does not make decisions on those kinds of matters, those issues. Those decisions are made by front-line social workers, who are the experts on these issues. They make the decisions. It is very, very hard work.

I have to say that civil servants in our province work incredibly hard across all ministries. I don’t think there are people in the employ of government who work harder and who have to make tougher decisions than the ones in the front line at the Ministry of Children and Families. We accept their guidance and their expertise. We make sure that they are following the guidelines that are set out by the ministry.

In this case, clearly, guidelines need to be changed, clarified or improved. All of that work is underway in response to the tragic, tragic loss that all of us experienced when we learned of the death of Alex Gervais.

D. Donaldson: The Premier talks about learning, yet the ministry’s care standards are very clear. They recognize that youth on continuing care orders need permanency. Alex Gervais had a family willing to provide that permanency, but according to the Representative for Children and Youth: “For Alex, however, permanency was a concept that didn’t actually exist. Instead, government decided Alex would age out of care after 17 different placements and be left to his own devices.”

My question is for the Premier. Why did her B.C. Liberal government seem determined to rid themselves of Alex rather than care for him?

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Hon. S. Cadieux: First off, let me say that I’m not in the habit of questioning decisions that were made in the field over a period of ten years. When we get a report like this, it’s our obligation, though, to look at what happened and make change.

Before this report was even provided to us and before we could look at this tragic situation for learning, as minister, I made it a priority that permanency would be focused on. That’s why we invested additional dollars in our adoptions and permanency program and set targets to ensure that more children than ever before in the history of this ministry would find permanent homes in the last two years. We achieved that.

It is my expectation of the ministry — and I have commitments from my executive that this will be so — that every child and youth in our care — all 7,100 — will have an up-to-date care plan in place that focuses on permanency for that child, with a cultural plan that is complete and that is actionable in a real way. I agree that the best place for children is with a family and that government cannot replace the love that a family will provide.

Madame Speaker: Recognizing the member for Stikine on a supplemental.

D. Donaldson: Those basic care plans under this minister for the past four years are supposed to be basic ministry standards. It takes time to seek permanency for foster children — time social workers too often don’t have because of repeated cuts to front-line staff. This B.C. Liberal government oversaw the largest cut to social workers in the province’s history.

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That is their legacy, and Alex paid dearly for the Premier’s and this minister’s cuts.

Why didn’t the minister give her staff the resources they needed to place Alex with his family?

Hon. S. Cadieux: When I took on this job 4½ years ago, I knew this was not an easy one. It is easy for the opposition, when there is a tragedy and a thorough report that is made public, to shout across the aisle how everything would be different if only it was them.

You know what? I know better than that. I know that every minister before me on this file has faced the same tragedies, the same horrendous, heartbreaking situations, because the children and families we work with are the most vulnerable in the province, and the work we do is the most difficult. What I have been committed to since the first day on this job is ensuring that I advocate and provide the best support I can to my ministry staff to be able to do those very hard front-line jobs. We’ve done that.

I heard we needed more staff. We’ve hired 200. There’s another 100 on the way. We needed to improve permanency. As I said in my last answer, we focused on that, and we’re getting results. We’ve improved the supports to kids aging out. We now lead the country, because that matters. We’ve added a provincial mobile response team, because we understand that at times, some offices, especially in rural and remote communities, are going to need some extra help and expertise.

We are continuing to invest and improve upon the services that this ministry provides. I am proud of the 4,500 employees that go out every day and make these very difficult decisions on behalf of children.

YOUTH DEATH CASE AND

OVERSIGHT OF CONTRACTED SERVICES

J. Wickens: In September 2012, when this minister was appointed, she had the results of the government’s residential review project in her hands. That review made it clear that contracted services were harming children. That review should have alerted her to the need for oversight of contracted services to protect children — children like Alex.

My question is to the minister. Why did she ignore a government review that recommended life-saving changes to the care system?

Hon. S. Cadieux: Well, the member is incorrect in that it was not ignored. In fact, as of today, 22 of 30 recommendations have been implemented, and we’re continuing work on the rest.

This is a large and complex ministry, serving 160,000 families every year, 7,100 children in care. Any decisions that we make to shift, to change, to adapt and to improve require us to be thoughtful and to do it in a way that doesn’t disrupt the system negatively and impact those children and youth.

That report suggested that we needed to address permanency. We’ve done that by focusing on adoptions and permanency. It suggested we needed better transition supports. We’ve done that. We’ve improved the supports for kids aging out of care and will continue to do so. It did talk about the need for additional accountability, and in fact, we’ve put much of that in place.

It is clear. It is crystal clear from the investigations into Alex’s death that we need to do far more. I’m committed to that work, and it will be done.

Madame Speaker: Member for Coquitlam–Burke Mountain on a supplemental.

J. Wickens: Well, I have to ask: did the minister really need the representative to tell her to monitor children in contracted services? Did the minister really need the representative to tell her to check the qualifications of contracted care providers? Apparently, she did.

My question is: why did it take until last week, five years after the review, for the minister to decide that she

[ Page 13537 ]

needed to establish better standards for people providing care to vulnerable children?

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Hon. S. Cadieux: Again — the member could have listened to the last answer — we have been doing that work. We will continue to do more of it, because, clearly, it is not up to where it needs to be.

I was horrified when learning about the situation Alex was in.His early years aside and the decisions made in his early years aside, the fact that there were resources being provided to care for Alex 24-7, to provide for his unique needs, to the tune of $8,000 a month, but that were not being properly deployed doesn’t bother just me. That bothers the thousands of professionals that are on the front lines, trying to make good decisions.

When somebody isn’t doing what they signed up to do, that’s a problem. We all feel let down. The most of which, Alex was let down. Everyone is sorry for that, and everyone wants that to change.

This is not a case of the ministry not resourcing or caring. This is a situation where the ministry didn’t know. That’s not okay, and that’s why we’re doing even more to increase the standards for residential caregivers, to reduce the use of residential resources — because we know family settings are best — and to take over all of the screening of caregivers, regardless of whether they are contracted or foster, because that is our responsibility.

S. Robinson: Under this minister’s guidance, Alex was left in the care of a person with a history of gun violence, gang involvement and drug issues. Can the minister tell the House whether she thinks that these sorts of professional qualifications actually lend themselves to dealing with a child who is in desperate need of mental health services — services that this government failed to provide for Alex?

Hon. S. Cadieux: Of course not.

Madame Speaker: Coquitlam-Maillardville on a supplemental.

S. Robinson: According to the representative, one of the contractors caring for Alex was given $29,000 to cover their food costs, but they only provided half of the actual meals for Alex. Alex frequently complained about being hungry and going without food. Can the minister explain why her ministry left Alex in the care of people who took tens of thousands of dollars to feed Alex, but he still was hungry?

Hon. S. Cadieux: As I have said, what we’ve learned from this report is clearly unacceptable. The resources were being provided in good faith to ensure that Alex’s needs were met, and they weren’t. That is not all right. But we will learn from this, and we will move forward. That is what my commitment is to the 7,100 other children and youth in the care of this ministry.

We will continue to improve the system. We will continue to improve the oversight. We will, most importantly, reduce our reliance on contracted resources for vulnerable kids, because we know the best place for them is with their family.

M. Mungall: The minister just responded to my colleague’s question about the professional qualifications, saying: “Of course not.” Of course, being a drug dealer or being a criminal are not the appropriate professional qualifications of somebody who should have been in charge of Alex Gervais. Can the minister say what are the appropriate qualifications, and why did the person who was in charge of looking after him not have those?

Hon. S. Cadieux: Again, for the benefit of the member opposite, I don’t make the day-to-day decisions regarding the care or safety of children. What I do is set in place the strategic direction for the ministry, ensure the resources are there to have that work done and, when we learn that something went terribly awry, take that information, learn from it and do what we can to change it and prevent it from happening again.

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There are no easy solutions to caring for British Columbia’s most vulnerable citizens: children and their families. Each and every child and youth that we work with has their own unique set of needs, circumstances and challenges. Some of them are very challenging. While we first need to focus and ensure that we’ve done everything we can to make sure they stay with their family, if we need to bring them into care, our next best option is a foster family who has got the training specific to the needs of that child.

We’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure that the needs of each and every child are met. But we all have a role to play in this. Foster families are aging. New people are not stepping forward. We will have a need for contracted resources for some youth, especially on a short-term basis for stabilization, before we’re able to find them a residential setting. But standards are in place, and we expect them to be followed.

FOSTER HOME STANDARDS

C. James: I just heard the minister say that she does not get involved in day-to-day responsibilities. Well, with all respect, we need a minister who gets involved day by day, minute by minute, moment by moment, because those children deserve it in this province.

The minister has spent most of this question period saying: “It’s not my responsibility.” Well, in fact, it is the minister’s responsibility. It is this government’s respon-

[ Page 13538 ]

sibility to be the parent for these children. They have failed over and over again.

I heard the minister say that she is responsible. She did say one thing she was responsible for, and that’s standards. Well, in fact, the problems aren’t limited to contracted care homes. The minister is also not making sure that foster care homes are meeting her own standards.

According to a report, the minister has achieved a zero compliance rate for monitoring the safety and well-being of kids’ foster homes in the northwest, the Kootenays and East Fraser where Alex lived — zero percent compliance. That means in three regions in this province, there was no contact between social workers and children in care for more than three months at a stretch.

Is it the minister’s new plan for children in care to simply hope that nothing goes wrong?

Hon. S. Cadieux: It is because we do audit and have oversight that we know that standards aren’t being met. When we find that out, our staff go in, they set up a plan for how to address the deficiencies, and they put that in place.

I’m not satisfied with the fact that all of our offices aren’t at 100 percent compliance in these standards.

Interjections.

Madame Speaker: Members.

Hon. S. Cadieux: There is more work to do, as I’ve said. There will always be more work to do in the Ministry of Children and Family Development. There will always be more we want to do, and there will always be more we need to do to address the changing environment, the changing situations and the changing needs of the children and families that we serve.

I’m committed to continuing to make the necessary changes in this ministry. I’ve been doing that. I’ve got a record, and I’m sticking with the plan.

[End of question period.]

Reports from Committees

S. Hamilton: I have the honour to present two reports from the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the fifth session of the 40th parliament.

The first report covers the committee’s public consultations on Budget 2017. I move the report be taken and read as received.

Motion approved.

S. Hamilton: I ask leave of the House to move the motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

S. Hamilton: I move that the report be adopted, and in doing so, I’d like to make a few brief comments.

This report contains the results of the committee’s annual consultation on the 2017 provincial budget, which took place from September 15 to October 14, 2016. During that time, the committee held 14 public hearings throughout the province and received 705 submissions from British Columbians outlining their priorities for this year’s budget. The report’s 102 unanimous recommendations are a direct reflection of the ideas proposed and put forward by British Columbians during the consultation.

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On behalf of the committee, I’d like to express my sincere appreciation for everyone who participated in the consultation process. The committee could not have produced such a fulsome final report without your valuable contributions and innovative ideas.

Aside from my duties as Chair, I’ve served on this committee for nearly four years now. I am proud of how well the committee works together in the true spirit of collaboration. In those four years, we have managed to gain consensus on all reports forwarded to the Finance Minister.

I’d also like to especially thank the Deputy Chair, the member for Victoria–Beacon Hill, for her knowledgable contributions and dedication to the consultation project.

C. James: As Deputy Chair, I’d like to thank the Chair for the report and the work on the committee. Although many colleagues from all sides in this House talk about the gruelling travel

schedule of the budget consultations, I have to say that it is an honour and a privilege to listen to British Columbians all over this province, in every corner of this province, talk about their wishes and their hopes for a better B.C. They have put forward their ideas on the budget.

I would encourage all members, before the budget comes out next week, to take a look at the budget consultation document. It was unanimous, as the member has said. There are some very good ideas and very good approaches for improving services in British Columbia.

I thank all the committee members as well, as the Chair has done, for the hard work on this committee.

Madame Speaker: Hon. Members, the question is adoption of the report.

Motion approved.

S. Hamilton: I’d like to present the second report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services dealing with the annual review of the budgets to the statutory offices. I move that the report be taken and read and received.

[ Page 13539 ]

Motion approved.

S. Hamilton: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

S. Hamilton: I move the report be adopted. In doing so, I’d like to make a few brief comments.

This unanimous report summarizes the committee’s review of the budgets of British Columbia’s eight independent statutory offices, which report to the Legislative Assembly, support the work of members of the Legislative Assembly and play an important role in government accountability.

I want to thank all of the statutory offices on their staff and their cooperation in strengthening their committee’s oversight of statutory office budgets and ensuring accountability for the taxpayers and the use of taxpayers’ funds. I’d also like to reiterate my gratitude for the dedication and contributions again of my fellow committee members, including the Deputy Chair for her support.

C. James: Just a couple of brief words to mention.

It began last year, again in agreement with the committee, that we actually have the independent officers come to the Finance Committee to talk about the work that they’re doing separate and aside from their budget requests, which really provides the committee members a good chance to be able to ask questions, to be able to talk about their responsibilities and to have a better understanding of the work of those offices. I think it’s been very effective and very helpful to the committee members.

I thank the committee. I thank the statutory officers for continuing to appear in front of the committee.

Madame Speaker: The question is adoption of the report.

Motion approved.

Motions Without Notice

APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO

APPOINT AN INFORMATION AND

PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

Hon. M. de Jong: On Monday, the Committee of Selection will meet, and we will populate the various committees and select standing committees. However, the special committee appointed to select and unanimously recommend the appointment of an Information and Privacy Commissioner — there was some urgency to that committee being constituted.

Therefore, with the leave of this assembly, I would move the motion. I won’t read the whole motion.

[That a Special Committee be appointed to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an Information and Privacy Commissioner, pursuant to

section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 165).

The said Special Committee shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition is empowered:

a) to appoint of their number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the committee and to delegate to the subcommittee all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;

b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;

c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the committee;

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

The said Special Committee is to be composed of Sam Sullivan, Convener, John Yap, Dr. Doug Bing, Doug Routley and Leonard Eugene Krog .]

Motion approved.

Tabling Documents

Hon. P. Fassbender: I have the honour to present the 2015-2016 annual report of the Islands Trust.

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. de Jong: Debate on the Speech from the Throne.

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Throne Speech Debate

J. Yap: In accordance with parliamentary tradition, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Chilliwack, that:

[We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in session assembled, beg leave to thank Her Honour for the gracious speech which Her Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present session.]

It’s indeed an honour to be the first member on the government side to respond to the Speech from the Throne. This honour represents more than just parliamentary tradition, hon. Speaker. It represents an opportunity to stand up for British Columbia. This is why most of us in this House seek elected office. We want to make a difference in the lives of ordinary British Columbians, and in many instances, that means making tough decisions.

[R. Lee in the chair.]

[ Page 13540 ]

Making tough decisions is not the most popular thing to do, but it is the right thing to do. In elected office, you cannot be all things to all people. If you do try, you will most certainly fail. As a leader, you can’t just say anything. People will eventually see through that. Making all sorts of promises to all sorts of people without even thinking about the consequences is just plain irresponsible.

The future of our province is at stake. This government has never been afraid to make tough decisions. Our Premier has never shied away from making tough calls, and her leadership has played a huge role in making our province the leading economy in Canada.

It’s all about standing up for British Columbia. We want to make our province a better place to live, to work and to raise a family. As you heard in the Speech from the Throne yesterday, we’re not out of the woods in this global economy. In 2016, many were expecting that risk around the world was receding, and maybe things were getting a little more predictable. However, as we’ve seen in just the first few months of 2017, the global economy has been anything but predictable.

We do know a few things for certain. British Columbia has the lowest middle-class taxes in Canada. We have record investments in health care and infrastructure. This means record investments in roads, airports, ports, schools, hospitals, and programs that lift people up, like the single-parent initiative. We have the best job creation record and the lowest unemployment rate in Canada.

Our provincial economy is the envy of the rest of the country, but we did not arrive at this point by accident. It took fiscal discipline with our public finances to table four balanced budgets in a row, and next week our Finance Minister will table a fifth balanced budget in a row. There are not many jurisdictions in North America or even around the world that have succeeded in balancing their budgets. Yet the results of our balanced-budget policy in British Columbia are paying off.

We are going to eliminate our operating debt for the first time since 1975 within four years. This is the first step towards a debt-free B.C. International investors value governments that have their fiscal house in order. They are always attracted to jurisdictions that are stable and have control over their own finances. Governments that pile up huge deficits and burden future generations with mountains of debt are definitely not seen as desirable places to invest. When the public sector is addicted to borrowing to pay for services, it is literally steering capital away from the private sector. That’s why B.C. is viewed by the rest of the world as a place to invest.

In a world of economic uncertainty, B.C. has established itself on solid economic footing, and investors know it. It’s one of the major reasons British Columbia is also one of the few jurisdictions that enjoys a triple-A credit rating. In fact, the government of British Columbia has a lower cost of borrowing compared to virtually every other province in Canada.

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This factor is critical when it comes to making decisions on large-scale infrastructure projects. It enables us to make investments in all the important things I mentioned earlier, including roads, bridges, airports, ports, schools and hospitals. Balanced budgets also make it possible to keep taxes low. A low tax regime is attractive to investors, and that generates even more economic activity. A company will make a final decision to invest if they know business taxes are low and kept stable over the long term. Furthermore, businesses will attract the best talent if employees pay less in income taxes.

Aside from balanced budgets, a triple-A credit rating and a low tax regime, the one thing that sets British Columbia apart from other provinces is our diverse economy. We have been able to weather the storm of economic uncertainty because British Columbia does not have all of its eggs all in one basket. The struggle in Alberta and other provinces like Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador, is their dependence on a single commodity to drive their economy.

This is not to say that British Columbia has not had its own challenges, but we’ve faced them head on and come out stronger. Five years ago, the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training launched the B.C. jobs plan, and since then, it has been our road map for economic success and job creation. The results speak for themselves. We’re leading the country in economic growth and job creation, with 191,000 jobs created. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in Canada now, and January was the seventh consecutive month we had the lowest rate in the country.

Part of our diverse economy is our booming high-tech industry. We also had a record year in tourism, and since the launch of the jobs plan, we have seen a 10 percent rise in exports, to $36 billion annually.

On exports, we’re continuing to look for new customers. Currently Ontario sends about 80 percent of its exports to the United States. Alberta sends more than 85 percent of its exports to the U.S., and while the United States is still an important customer, B.C. sends only about half of our exports to the United States.

At one time in our history, B.C. sent all of our exports south of the border, but that is no longer the case. More and more of our exports are heading to Asia. Trade with the Asia-Pacific region has increased by over 50 percent since 2009. China, in particular, is developing a taste for our B.C. wines; our agriculture products, like berries; and our seafood, to the tune of nearly $6 billion in 2015 alone.

British Columbia recognizes the importance and global emergence of China’s economy and the international use of its currency, the renminbi. That’s why B.C. was the first foreign government to issue bonds into the Chinese renminbi market. It’s opening doors to new investors and raising the profile of British Columbia

[ Page 13541 ]

in the Asia-Pacific. Furthermore, the establishment of a Canadian renminbi hub fits well with our long-term strategy to strengthen our economic ties with China and the Asia-Pacific region in general. Our future depends on finding new markets like China and India, and we will continue efforts to diversify the economy.

Our provincial prosperity depends on supporting the private sector. We will continue to cut red tape and reduce outdated and obsolete regulations that hinder job growth.

We also recognize that we need to put British Columbians first: first in line for jobs, first in line for new training opportunities through the jobs plan and first in line for places to live. It’s one of the reasons the government of B.C. is investing $855 million to ensure that more British Columbian families have access to affordable rental housing. This is the largest housing investment in a single year by any province in Canada.

Most of this housing will be created in partnership with non-profit societies, local governments, government agencies, community organizations and the private sector. This will help ensure that we will be developing the right type of housing to match the needs of each unique community. This includes low-to-moderate-income renters, seniors, youth, students, adults with developmental disabilities, aboriginal people and women and children.

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We also know that it can be challenging for young families starting out to gain a foothold in the real estate market. That’s why we launched the B.C. home partnership program in December. This new three-year $700 million initiative gives a hand up to first-time homebuyers by contributing to the amount they have saved for a mortgage down payment. Up to $37,500, or up to 5 percent of the purchase price, will be provided to qualifying first-time buyers through a 25-year mortgage loan that is interest-free and payment-free for the first five years.

In the time since the program became active on January 16, more than 250 applicants have been approved, totalling more than $1.1 million in loans. I’m certain that demand for this program will only grow in the future.

We have also taken action to address the high cost of housing in Metro Vancouver by imposing a 15 percent tax on foreign homebuyers. This comes in addition to a 3 percent luxury property transfer tax on homes valued over $2 million.

For my own part, as Parliamentary Secretary for Liquor Policy Reform, I’ve been active on this file since the B.C. liquor policy review was launched in 2013. After extensive public consultations that were held provincewide, I submitted a report that took into account 65 stakeholder meetings and 188 stakeholder submissions. In addition, thousands of British Columbians provided their insights or sent us their comments by email.

In the end, the liquor policy review made 73 recommendations to modernize B.C.’s liquor laws. The goal was to bring convenience, choice and selection to consumers but also to do it in a socially responsible way. We are now at the stage where 90 percent of my recommendations have been implemented.

Changes to the liquor landscape have been nothing less than transformative in supporting B.C. manufacturers, boosting tourism, making our hospitality industry more competitive and increasing consumer convenience, all with health and public safety kept in mind. For example, virtually any business can apply for a liquor licence. Consumers can access liquor in grocery stores and pubs. Restaurants may alter their liquor prices throughout the course of the day to host happy hours.

We are also helping to boost our craft brewing industry by allowing them to showcase their products at the closest B.C. Liquor Store even before they’ve proven themselves in the larger marketplace. In addition, craft brewers can grow their business and produce more beer without being worried about a large jump in the amount of markup they’ll have to pay if they go over a certain production amount. That markup is now gradual. And now more than 350 pubs and legions allow kids up until 10 p.m. so that families can have brunch or enjoy a meal together.

Furthermore, the new act and regulations support the province’s ongoing work with liquor manufacturers, industry associations and businesses to reduce red tape, increase flexibility and provide new opportunities by creating a new graduated markup scale and new provisions to increase cash flow for craft beer; by creating a new interprovincial trade agreement so vintners can list their wine with distributors in Quebec and Ontario; by allowing manufacturers to sell liquor at artisan and farmers markets; by allowing event organizers to apply on line for a single special event permit that covers multiple events over several days; by permitting full-service liquor stores to relocate throughout the province, provided they’re not within one kilometre of an existing full-service liquor store; by allowing retailers to charge for liquor samples to recoup the cost of sampling higher-end products; by implementing a new on-line application process to significantly simplify the process for licensing for special events; by permitting two manufacturers or agents to provide samples in a liquor store at the same time; by allowing eateries to operate a licensed patio even if the establishment has no interior licensed area; and by permitting licensees to store liquor in secure off-site locations and transfer small amounts of liquor between different establishments.

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These are just a few highlights, and they play a

part in helping to support our tourism sector, which recently had a phenomenal season. The latest numbers indicate that in the first 11 months of 2016, over 5.1 million international visitors arrived in British Columbia. That’s a 12.2 percent increase over the same time frame in 2015.

[ Page 13542 ]

A fair number of these visitors would have come to my riding, Richmond-Steveston. Steveston was founded in 1880 and is well known for being a historic salmon-canning and boatbuilding centre at the mouth of the south arm of the Fraser River. At one point, Steveston was promoted as Salmonopolis and even rivalled the city of Vancouver at its height in the early 20th century.

If you are still not convinced that Steveston is a special place, then let me tell you about the hit series entitled Once Upon a Time. Heritage buildings located throughout Steveston and Richmond provide the charm and setting for the mythical town of Storybrooke, Maine for Once Upon a Time . This magical TV series has been a tremendous success, judging by the fact that it’s been renewed by the ABC TV Network for a sixth season. Many of my constituents benefit either directly or indirectly from the economic activity generated by Once Upon a Time . It’s all a part of B.C.’s booming film industry, which forms an important part of our diversified economy.

Hon. Speaker, I’d like to draw your attention to a new and innovative approach to the delivery of health service in Richmond. Under a partnership between the Richmond Division of Family Practice and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, it’s called the Steveston Neighbourhood Network Project. The purpose of this project is to help patients living with multiple health conditions receive better support by connecting them with a team of health professionals, including family physicians, nurses, social workers and other health professionals.

The goal is to help people remain healthier and longer at home and in the community with less need to have to go to hospital. The Steveston Neighbourhood Network will be the first such team to become operational, with other networks to follow throughout the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority region.

I’d also like to recognize the efforts of some of my constituents associated with a new project called Bridge Interconnect International. This is a non-profit organization that helps foster economic and social inclusion in our community. Bridge Interconnect International is undertaking projects designed to reduce pollution and encourage more environmental citizenship at the grassroots level with youth in the region. I look forward to assisting this organization to help them in realizing their goals.

I’d like to provide a big shout-out to my constituency office staff, the people who are my presence, my representatives in the community: Paige Robertson, PoWah Ng and Guang Cheng Ma. I pride myself on being a constituency-focused MLA because I believe in the important work done at this level. My constituency office staff provide timely, effective and invaluable service to the community, and it shows.

If I may, let me share a few examples of how my staff have made a difference. These are actual emails or cards that we’ve received recently from constituents.

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For example, here’s one that reads as follows:

“To whom it may concern:

“I’m sending this email to thank the office of John Yap. I’m 63 years old and crippled by advanced rheumatoid arthritis. Over the years, I’ve had issues arise that were just too overwhelming for me. Fighting the disease is a life task all by itself. A few times, I didn’t know where to turn for help, eventually seeking out my MLA office.

“Ms. Paige Robertson helped me from the very start. Never rejecting any request for help, she did things to help me, I’m sure, that were not what her position or job called upon her to do. The office and Ms. Robertson didn’t give up after first tries but held out some hope and successfully helped me through a few dark times.

“I would say a heartfelt thanks to her and Mr. Yap’s office, because through Ms. Paige Robertson’s help, I got help I so desperately needed.”

Signed.

We also received another card from a constituent who received some assistance:

“Dear Mr. Yap and Paige,

“Thank you so much for your effort in helping our family in the midst of our difficulties. Your help has significantly changed our lives and enabled us to move on with hope. May God continue to bless Richmond through your hands and faithful service.”

Signed.

Just a few examples of the work that I’m proud we’ve done in our constituency office.

Finally, I’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to my family — to my wife, Suzanne, my daughter, Lisa, and my son, Michael. To each of you, thank you for your love and support.

In conclusion, hon. Speaker, I’d like to thank you for this opportunity to respond to the Speech from the Throne. Our province has a bright future ahead, and we need to keep standing up for B.C. to ensure a brighter future for all of us.

J. Martin: Welcome back to everybody. It’s a pleasure to be here again. In accordance with parliamentary tradition, I rise in the House today with great pride to second the Speech from the Throne. On behalf of my constituents back in Chilliwack, it’s a great honour to follow the Member for Richmond-Steveston, my colleague and my friend, and stand with our government and address the Speech from the Throne.

Now, yesterday the Lieutenant-Governor officially opened the sixth and final session of the 40th parliament, laying out the priorities of this government as we work hard to continue to create jobs and prosperity and

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to further grow our economy, which has taken the enviable spot of number one in the entire country.

In that throne speech we heard just how B.C. is on the right track in a world full of uncertainty and increasing protectionism. British Columbia is leading the country in economic growth and job creation, with 82,000 jobs created in the last 12 months, up to January. That’s an increase of 3.5 percent. More British Columbians are working today than at any other time. Unemployment fell a full percentage point between January 2016 and last month to 5.6 percent, the absolute lowest among provinces.

It’s clear that our plan is working. Our dedication, our focus have been on creating the strongest economy in the country, and part of that strength lands in our diversification. We’ve been working hard to ensure that we are not overly dependent on one industry or one sector or in one area of the province, as is the case with many of the other provinces.

Our government has delivered on our promise to control government spending, balance budgets, and cut red tape. We’re focused on building a provincial economy that creates jobs and creates prosperity. We are on track for our fifth — one more time, our fifth — consecutive balanced budget, something that is virtually unheard.

This is a time when only one other province in the entire country is able to balance their budget. We’ve done four in a row, and by next week we’ll have made it five in a row. With such a strong fiscal foundation, today’s B.C. is a place businesses are excited to invest in, a place people are excited to come to work and a place that people are proud to call home.

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With our growing economy, we’ve seen that we can support a growing and aging population. We can build new schools and replace aging infrastructure so our children can continue to get a first-rate education, while also funding state-of-the-art hospitals so that seniors and all other British Columbians can continue to receive the quality of medical care they so deserve.

Right now British Columbia is first in student outcomes and the very best in the country for health outcomes. We have the best cancer survival rates, and we are making record investments in health, education and infrastructure.

We’re making these investments now because we believe in the future of this province and the people. By supporting responsible economic development, responsible resource extraction and strong, effective stewardship of industry, we are laying the foundations for an even brighter future down the road.

To some extent, that future is happening now. We are already seeing some of the dividends and returns of our plan, as our government’s discipline is turning into dividends for all British Columbians. In these prosperous times, we are taking action to ensure that people throughout British Columbia can keep more of their hard-earned money as they so richly deserve to do.

There’s a lot more that still needs to be done. We know that, and we will continue to grow the economy. We will continue to have the best rate of job creation in the country, and we will continue to have the lowest tax rate for middle-class families.

Now, a key part of our plan to continue this growth into the future is the B.C. jobs plan. Many of the accomplishments that I have been speaking to can be traced back to the introduction of that jobs plan back in 2011. It’s been in the five years since we introduced this plan that we became Canada’s economic powerhouse. In 2011, we were ranked third in economic growth and ninth in job growth.

Before the introduction of the jobs plan, we had the fourth-lowest unemployment rate, while today we have the lowest. In fact, January marked the seventh consecutive month that B.C. has had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. We can see the success of the jobs plan across all sectors of the economy. I would like to take the time to highlight a few of these.

We have seen our tech sector take off in recent years, and we have taken action to support and encourage that growth through our B.C. tech strategy and the B.C. tech fund. This will help new companies get on their feet. This sector contributed a staggering $14.1 billion to B.C.’s economy in 2015, and revenues increased 5 percent to $26.3 billion, the highest ever recorded for the tech sector. Over 100,000 people work in our technology sector, with more than 9,900 companies employing them.

Our tourism industry is also experiencing great success, with nearly five million international visitors coming to British Columbia last year. In the last ten years, we have more than doubled the number of aboriginal tourism businesses, and we continue to see higher numbers of people employed in that sector, with over 127,000 people working in tourism and 19,000 total tourism businesses.

Finally, our agrifood sector, one that has significant importance in my riding of Chilliwack, has reached new heights in the past several years. Employing almost 63,000 British Columbians with a 6,100 increase in employment in 2016 alone, this industry is so vital to the local economy of Chilliwack and other parts of the province. Revenues hit $13 billion in 2016. That’s up 18 percent since 2011.

We’ve been strengthening food security in B.C. while still managing to dramatically increase exports. Our seafood and agrifood shipments to South Korea, for example, have risen a staggering 63 percent. We have an ambitious goal of increasing our revenues in this sector by 43 percent by 2020, and we’re well on our way to getting there.

All of these sectors show that we really are on the right track in British Columbia. Employment numbers are up. Revenues are up. Exports are up. In fact, since we launched the jobs plan, we have seen a 10 percent increase in exports to $36 billion annually.

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Part of diversifying our economy involves diversifying our export markets, and I’m proud to say that thanks to our efforts in that area, nearly 40 percent of our exports now go to Asia. Not only that, but we’ve seen an 18 percent increase in capital investment. As I said, thanks to the B.C. jobs plan, businesses are excited about British Columbia.

The rest of Canada knows a good thing when they see it. Net migration from the rest of the country totalled over 52,000 people in the past five years since the B.C. jobs plan came into effect.

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It’s such a privilege and an honour to be able to serve the constituents of Chilliwack. It’s a great place to live, and I know that many people in this House have had a chance to spend time there and visit. It’s full of natural beauty, which is shown to great advantage by the trails established through the Experience the Fraser system. We continued to invest in the trail system this past year, providing $335,000 in funding for construction and trail-building.

Our search and rescue volunteers, who brave treacherous conditions to rescue the lost or stranded, deserve our thanks and our gratitude. I’d like to use this opportunity, if I may, to express my personal thanks for their hard work, their bravery and their diligence in saving lives and keeping us safe. I’m proud to note that this year our government gave $100,000 to Chilliwack Search and Rescue — funds that help these brave women and men receive training, equipment and support.

We’ve also brought in new support for craft breweries, as my colleague recently spoke to. And in huge news this past year, we have the new Molson Coors moving their brewery to Chilliwack, creating jobs and investing in the local economy. Chilliwack has the best water. We’ve got one of the best places to do business in. Molson Coors could not have picked a better place to invest. I’m proud to see such success in Chilliwack.

We’re also making investments in our local transportation infrastructure. These investments will help accommodate future success and future growth. We’re overhauling the Lickman Road interchange, making our highways safer and accommodating increased traffic. And we celebrated one year for the route 66, Fraser Valley Express this year.

We’re investing in affordable housing. I was proud to recently announce two affordable housing projects worth $17 million in Chilliwack this past year.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, the forest sector is near and dear to me. Our forestry sector has become a cornerstone of our economy for decades, and we’ve continued to support a strong, sustainable and globally competitive industry. We’ve been focusing on diversifying our export markets in order to protect our forestry workers from trade disputes with our neighbours south of the border, and our work is showing results. We just sent our largest-ever shipment of mass timber to India last month, and we are an attractive long-term supplier to that growing market.

We’re also working hard to resolve the trade dispute. As the source of 50 percent of Canada’s softwood lumber exports, we must do all we can to get there. That’s why I was very pleased to see that our government named David Emerson to defend B.C.’s interests as a special envoy in Washington. He’ll work diligently with the forestry sector, the federal government and the government of the United States to secure a new agreement on softwood lumber.

Like forestry, LNG is also a major player in our long-term plan for a strong, diverse economy. We’re attracting investment for the cleanest LNG in the world. We just saw Woodfibre LNG get the green light this year — a project that’s creating hundreds of jobs. Since 2012, industry has invested an estimated $20 billion in developing LNG, and there’s more on the way.

Of course, when Pacific NorthWest wanted to make the largest private sector investment in Canadian history right here in British Columbia, the opposition was opposed to it — thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment, and they stood in the way. The Leader of the Opposition even sent a letter to the federal government to try and stop the project.

Our government, on the other hand, recognizes the benefits that projects like these have for British Columbians. When Kinder Morgan wanted to build a pipeline from Alberta, helping our neighbours get back on their feet, our government said they had to provide protection for the environment, to make sure a spill didn’t destroy our pristine waters and forests. We demanded a world-class spill response, consultation with First Nations and a share of the economic benefits.

Our five conditions for approval were met with the successful completion of the environmental review process, the establishment of a world-leading marine oil spill response, world-leading land spill practices, the consultation with First Nations in respect of aboriginal and treaty rights, and a share of the fiscal economic benefits.

Of course, the opposition has said no to this. Rather than finding a way to get to yes…. Well, they did actually say yes, and then they said no. And then they said they could be persuaded. I don’t know where it’s at today.

But Kinder Morgan — that’s not the only project about which the Leader of the Opposition seems to have trouble making up his mind. Site C is another one that comes to mind. We hit a few milestones this year on that project. The latest employment statistics show that there were 1,916 total workers employed by the Site C project in December of last year, and 82 percent of them were from British Columbia.

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The stats also show that more than 6,000 job seekers and 700 businesses have attended Site C job fairs. The

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project — the least expensive of the alternatives according to the independent joint review panel — is giving thousands of British Columbians skilled and high-paying jobs to provide for their families.

Yet the opposition can’t make up their mind about Site C. The Leader of the Opposition has a new stance on Site C every time he’s asked about it — one day for it, the next day against it. Sometimes he changes his mind more than once in a day. For the most part, this is about par for the course: just say no.

This government is also investing in protecting the great natural beauty our province is blessed with. The Great Bear Rainforest is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. It covers 6.4 million hectares, an area about the size of Ireland. Recognizing the value of this crown jewel of our environment and ecosystem, our government took action to ensure that it will be protected forever by introducing legislation to accomplish just that.

Here again, the world took notice. We were recognized by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for our conservation efforts with inclusion and recognition under the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy initiative.

The Great Bear Rainforest wasn’t the only conservation that we put in place last year. We also announced the B.C. Parks future strategy, investing up to $22.9 million for campsite expansion and $35 million to increase and strengthen conservation, protecting and preserving the back country and promoting and enhancing the B.C. Parks experience. That’s in addition to the more than $13 million we invest each and every year to maintain B.C. Parks sites. We know that our breathtaking landscapes are for everyone in British Columbia to enjoy, and we’re committed to keeping them pristine for generations to come.

Now, part of that commitment, and our broader commitment, involves ensuring that we put infrastructure in place that can help mitigate emissions. One such project that will help reduce emissions is the George Massey Tunnel replacement. This project will replace the current crossing, which only has about ten years of useful life remaining, and in addition to creating jobs, will reduce commuter times by 30 minutes a day and eliminate over one million hours of vehicle idling each year.

The project has many benefits — increased transit, bike lanes and safety improvements — over the current tunnel. We’re making sure that these necessary improvements are made in the best, most environmentally conscious way possible, because we believe in the importance of investing in the future, investing in British Columbians and investing in the environment of this wonderful province.

Of course, this is something that the opposition is against as well. When asked whether he supports it, the Leader of the Opposition said: “Not today.” Well, maybe tomorrow. We’ll see.

When it comes to the everyday lives of British Columbians, we know that one issue that is top of mind for many people is housing affordability. This government continues to work to address this important issue. This year we took principled and strong action to help cool an overheated market. We introduced the foreign buyer tax so that we can build affordable housing and increase supply — something that, once again, the NDP was against.

We’re committed to finding a way to keep home ownership within the reach of the middle class. As part of this, we created the B.C. home owner partnership. Applications for this program opened last month, and we’ve already approved over 250 applicants and more than $1 million in loans. More people are applying every day.

What this program does is give eligible first-time homeowners the chance to make their first purchase just a little bit easier. This three-year, $700 million initiative is possible because of our discipline in spending, our strong economy and our dedication to giving back to British Columbians.

Of course, the opposition has said that they would cancel this program. They don’t want first-time homeowners to have a hand up. They’d prefer a repeat of the last time they were in government, when people fled our province in droves for greener pastures elsewhere.

While many British Columbians are at a stage in life when they can dream of home ownership, there are many young British Columbians who are in need of the kind of forever home that only a family can deliver. We’re committed to helping these children and youth find these homes so that families who are eager to welcome them as their own can do so more easily. We introduced a new on-line adoption site this year, the very first of its kind in the country, and it’s making a big difference by streamlining the adoption process.

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We’ve made record investments in adoptions, and they’re showing results. Adoption is at its highest level in B.C., with 644 children and youth finding forever homes this year. That is more than ever before. All children deserve the comfort, the security and the love that a home and family can give them. We’re proud to see these efforts paying off for B.C.’s children.

Another great initiative to help B.C.’s families that has really taken off is the single-parent employment initiative. By providing single moms and dads with up to 12 months of training for an in-demand job, child care costs, public transit costs and the ability to stay on income assistance the whole time, we’re helping these people get the training they need and that they want. With this training, they’ve got the edge to get into the job market.

More than 4,300 single parents have taken up this program, and over 700 have found employment in fields ranging from home support workers and nurses to administrative assistants and social workers. The best

part is not one of them had to worry about how to take care of their children while they received training. Now every

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one of them knows that they will be able to provide for their family for as long as they need to.

On Friday last week, I read about a young single mother of two who had scoured for countless hours to find a job. The single-parent employment initiative gave her financial support and child care for her five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son while she undertook her training. In this supportive environment, she was able to graduate early and graduate with honours.

It’s stories like this that really bring home the importance of what we’re doing, why it’s important and why we need to be fiscally responsible as a government so that we can get to the point of being able to give back to British Columbians and so that we can give a helping hand to the women and men of our province who need it, with programs like the aforementioned single-parent employment initiative.

I know that the opposition doesn’t agree with any of that and continues to stand in the way of all of these projects that are demonstrating that they do help British Columbians, and they will continue to oppose these projects. We know this.

But their blind opposition will not sway our resolve to standing up for British Columbians. For the sake of British Columbians, our government has taken a principled stand on the economy. We’ve put in hard work for everyone in B.C., and we’ve done it all with a tightly controlled spending regime and soon-to-be five balanced budgets. That is very, very different than the way the opposition did things the last time they were in government, with credit downgrades and huge deficits, turning B.C. into a have-not province, a province of beggars.

The NDP couldn’t have brought in any of the success that we see in our province today. They said no to the Coquihalla Highway. They said no to the Canada Line. They said no to B.C. Place. They said no to the Alex Fraser Bridge. They said no to Expo 86. They said no to the improvements on the Sea to Sky Highway. They say no to the new Port Mann Bridge. They said no to Pacific NorthWest LNG. They say no to Kinder Morgan. They say no to Site C. They say no to the George Massey Tunnel replacement. They say no to the South Fraser Perimeter Road. They say no to the home ownership program.

We don’t agree with that mindset. We think British Columbia is a great place to be. We know how to get to yes.

This government is working very hard to ensure that British Columbians can enjoy unparalleled prosperity in Canada’s No. 1 strongest economy. We’re working hard to make sure everybody has a place to live, has a job and can take pride in their community.

I’m proud to be in this House and speak to these priorities, as part of the government, to talk about the prosperity B.C. has experienced thanks to the hard work of people in every single corner of this province. Together we’ve created a beautiful British Columbia we can be proud of, where job creators can thrive, where people can work.

Our growing economy means that we can provide the services that British Columbians need and deserve. And to keep this economy growing, we need to continue to support development while protecting the environment. We need to stick with the plan that has brought us this far, and we need to remember that British Columbians know how to get to yes.

A. Dix: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

A. Dix: I have the honour today — they were in the gallery earlier — to welcome students from St. Mary’s Elementary School in my constituency of Vancouver-Kingsway. It’s a terrific school on Joyce Street. It was wonderful to meet the students today.

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I’d like all members of the House to wish them a welcome to Victoria and congratulate them on all the work they do in their school.

Debate Continued

N. Macdonald: It’s a pleasure to speak here today. This is my last session, and I’m not running in the next election, but obviously, I have a strong interest in making sure that the current government is going to be replaced. I absolutely think that that’s essential.

It’s a difference in priorities, it’s clear, but this is also a government that’s adrift, and after 16 years, it’s a government that is defined, as much as anything else, by cronyism — 16 years on, a government adrift, defined by cronyism.

Now, the promise I made in the first election was the same as I made in the following two. My staff actually posted it on the office wall so that we would always be reminded of this.

We promised, and we promised clearly, that if we were elected, we would work to empower people. We would empower ordinary people, and we would be on people’s sides. We would fight for them, and we wouldn’t sell out. We’ve done that. We’ve fought for our seniors, for proper care for seniors. We’ve stood with teachers. We’ve fought for resources for search and rescue and highway rescue, to respect community views with regards to Jumbo.

Throughout, we talked about local decision-making, and this is something that I share with my colleagues on the NDP side: the belief in democracy and that decisions should be made by the people — not by those who can afford to meet with the Premier, but by those that we represent. That voice is the one that should be the most

[ Page 13547 ]

dominant, and it should guide public policy. That is not what happens in this province now, and it’s one of the reasons why there needs to be a change of government.

Why does politics matter? A lot of people say that. It’s true that there are periods with bickering and negatives. Those are real things that are part of the process. But there are far more good things that can be accomplished. I’m reminded, since I see my colleague here and since she talked about somebody who did tremendous work for the Columbia Basin Trust, about that work. There were many who worked on it, but her husband, Ed Conroy, and Corky Evans had the idea of the Columbia Basin Trust.

I live in an area where we see the benefits in our communities from that idea each and every day, and this is literally a generation later, decades later. That is an idea that is going to go forward generation after generation. That’s what you can accomplish in politics if you’re willing to put up with the negatives that are there.

But it also means that you have to be rooted in the community, rooted in an area where your focus is not on satisfying those that can pay $20,000 to sit beside you at a dinner, but rather to serve the people that you represent. That’s what I saw with Ed and with Corky and with others, and I see the good work that came from it.

When you look at this throne speech, it had no idea. I used to mock Premier Gordon Campbell for this — the ten great goals or all of these other things — but there was actually a central idea that was there. Whether it was sincere or whether it was accomplished, that’s something different. Here we are, 16 years later, where there wasn’t an idea that you could pull out of that throne speech. It was absolutely bereft of any central idea, completely empty. You compare that to when you hear the leader of the NDP or you hear my colleagues talk.

[R. Chouhan in the chair.]

There are all sorts of ideas that would make a great throne speech, and one that I hope to hear in the fall. That’s ideas like an affordable child care plan. Now, that’s something that would benefit the economy. That would benefit generations: an affordable child care plan.

It’s there. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a throne speech with an idea like that — that that’s what we’re going to do in this province? A real plan for agriculture, a real plan for food in this province, a real plan that’s effective on climate action, a sincere commitment to four-lane and divide the Trans-Canada Highway, an affordable housing plan and a poverty reduction plan.

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These are all things that the B.C. NDP is offering. Now, that would be a throne speech. That’s an idea. That’s something that people can get behind, where there is benefit for more than simply those that can afford to get the Premier’s ear — broad public benefit. That’s what we should be doing in this Legislature. But we don’t, because we have a government that, frankly, has lost track of that public need. They’re simply not connected to the people that need these things.

You know, in my area, I’m stepping aside. I’m very excited about Gerry Taft, who’s the B.C. NDP candidate in my area. He was five years in youth parliament here. The first business he opened was in high school. He was on council when he was 21. He was mayor at 25 of the district of Invermere. He’s only 34 now. He started and owned Gerry’s Gelati, two restaurants; Stolen Church Coffee; five rental properties; part-owner of a motel; executive of the AKBLG; executive of the UBCM; director of the RDEK.

He’s experienced, he’s bright, a diverse background, successful, young, and he’s running for the NDP to replace me. I’m really excited about that. I feel like we’re trading up, and that’s a wonderful thing to do when you step aside.

You know, people set a standard for government and for this Legislature with their vote, a chance that we really only get every four years. I hope this May we’re going to see the majority of people in British Columbia being able to see through B.C. Liberal propaganda and elect a different group of people to form government.

To all British Columbians, I would say what we in Columbia River–Revelstoke recognize, that there is something seriously wrong with this government. They do not deserve to be rewarded with your vote. You look at their record, and it’s a record of failure and cronyism. The two previous speakers made a virtue out of the failure of the LNG strategy. It’s like: “Hey, lucky thing. We don’t have one industry.” But you know, that’s not what the intent of this government was. They have failed utterly.

Over the throne speeches, we’ve gone from throne speeches that were completely dominated by LNG to where it was mentioned once or twice. Let’s remember what this government said was their goal, the single laser focus of this government. It was to create a liquefied natural gas industry. It was, as I said, hardly mentioned in the throne speech.

In previous years, we were promised 17 LNG plants. The first one was going to open years ago, right? We’re nowhere close to that. We were going to have 100,000 jobs. Now, that was a made-up number, just like many you’re going to hear from the government side again. So 100,000 jobs. How many have we had? We have zero. There’s not one LNG plant up and going, and none are likely in the next number of years.

Now, maybe this government is going to reduce the sales tax, right? Maybe that’s their big promise budget day. “Let’s reduce the sales tax by 1 percent.” That’s the big announcement. Remember in 2013, the big announcement was no sales tax. You were going to get rid of the sales tax because of all of the money from the LNG. That’s a bit less grand, going to a 1 percent cut, if that’s what you do. You promised in 2013, before the last election: no sales tax.

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You were going to have no debt. How’s that going for you? It’s kind of going the wrong direction completely. Now, you could change the words and try to make it something different than the debt, but the debt has risen under this Premier more than any other Premier in the history of British Columbia. That is a bit rich, when you promise no debt, to take it in the opposite direction.

You were going to have a $100 billion prosperity fund from revenues in LNG. The B.C. Liberals have collected substantially less than Premier Ujjal Dosanjh from natural gas revenue. So we are worse than those ’90s you talk about for collecting money. You’re a long way from $100 billion. In fact, you’re at zero from natural gas revenue.

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Still, the minister responsible no doubt is going to stand up and say: “Oh, be patient. It’s coming.” We’ll talk about a fictitious number, like $20 billion, right? We had that in the advertising — fictitious completely, as if, somehow, fiction over time, repeated again and again, changes people’s lives. It’s just an incredibly cynical strategy.

Does that failure deserve to be rewarded with your vote? I would say to all British Columbians: it does not. You need to set a standard with your politicians. Otherwise, accept that this is what you get. You just get these sorts of alternative facts thrown at you.

The throne speech. The B.C. Liberals talked about tax relief coming, right? That’s one of their things. In 2013, as I said, they promised no sales tax. So whatever it is, remember this. The tax relief for the people that they serve has already come. They already gave them what is now a $1 billion in tax cuts for the top 2 percent.

And they talk about the middle class being looked after. Yeah, they’re looked after all right. They pay the bills. We have MSP raises. We have B.C. Hydro rates up. We have ICBC rates up and by a lot, right? Forty percent coming. B.C. Hydro. The same thing. It’s up 28 percent. There’ll be a new surprise if they form government again. Ferry fares up. Bridge tolls up.

You know, the real relief would be to get rid of MSP. That’s what the Leader of the Opposition has promised. He will get rid of the MSP. Now, that’s something tangible and real and fair.

The B.C. Liberals. Here, I’ll talk about a local issue. They promised for ten years — they had it on the websites — $1 billion resort in the Jumbo Valley. They took donations from the proponents. They created a municipality. I see the minister who did it and defended it over there. They created the municipality of Jumbo. It’s the newest municipality, still, in British Columbia. Well, what a force. What a joke that is.

They disregarded local voices. They disrespected First Nations spiritual beliefs. And nothing now but an empty municipality still not with one person, not with one road, not with one building. There is a concrete slab, which was meant to be the base of a lodge, put in the wrong place, which happened to be an avalanche path.

There was never an investor in the last 20 years for that project, but it was pushed by a group of B.C. Liberals cronies quite willing to grab public lands and public money. There is still a municipality. There is still a council that this government is paying for in Jumbo. It is unbelievable. That’s a municipality that should have been dismantled yesterday.

Does that Jumbo farce mean that B.C. Liberals need to be rewarded with your vote? I would say no.

Now, the Leader of the Opposition has promised, a sincere promise, to four-lane and divide the Trans-Canada Highway. He’s not the first politician that has said this. This government has promised it many, many times. In fact, the Premier stood at UBCM and said in a period of ten years, it would be done, many years ago.

This is, of course, the main road connecting the rest of Canada to B.C. Despite the Premier’s talk about making it a safe and dependable road, the improvements promised have not been delivered at all.

Prior to the 2009 election, signs were put up along the Trans-Canada around Revelstoke, Golden and Field. It said: “Trans-Canada Highway, four-laned and divided. It’s coming soon.” Okay? Those signs sat there. They weathered. But they needed to be replaced, of course, for the 2013 election. We had new signs that said the same thing, that it’s coming. “Don’t worry, it’s coming.” It’s like LNG, you know: “It’s coming. Don’t worry.”

Well, I have friends who work for the highways department, right? And what did they get delivered for this election? New signs. There are new signs going to be put up. The road hasn’t been improved. It’s going to take 60 years at the pace they’re going to do what the signs promise. But the same old thing, the same tired idea to put up new signs.

By the way, the only thing that the contractor is allowed to claim overtime for is to put up the signs. “Get them up there,” because that’s the priority. There you are.

This is a highway where there are deaths. There are injuries. It’s repeatedly closed. How cynical do you have to be to make those promises knowing full well that they’re not promises that are going to be fulfilled? And why would people in British Columbia reward that sort of politics with their vote?

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You look at the B.C. Liberal record attacking our public education system. When public education is undermined, it’s our province’s children that are deprived. It’s our children. A 12-year attack on our students culminated in a Supreme Court of Canada ruling confirming what we all knew — that the B.C. Liberals had acted in bad faith. Why would you reward that by voting for a government that cannot act in good faith and actually honour contracts that they’ve made?

Look at B.C. Liberal records with seniors. What’s more important than looking after our seniors? That’s what everyone says. But it’s actions. It’s decisions on money.

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Where does this government consistently choose to make cuts and to fail seniors? What senior can afford to go and spend $20,000 to sit with the Premier and tell their story?

You look at proper child care. You look at the B.C. Liberal indifference to child poverty. You look at the absolute failure. I mean, today in question period was another example — an absolute failure in the Ministry of Children and Families.

You look at the Orwellian statements. The MLA for Richmond-Steveston talked about a debt-free B.C. I’m sorry. You cannot make this stuff up. “Orwellian language”is thrown around a lot as a term, because we are in a period of it. But it was a promise to get rid of the B.C. debt that the Liberals made in 2013. “Debt-free B.C.” was on the side of the 2013 B.C. Liberal campaign bus.

When the B.C. Liberals took power, there was less than $40 billion in debt and contractual obligations. You know what there is now? There is $170 billion in debt and contractual obligations. That’s the record. Those are the numbers. And still you have an MLA willing to stand up and say they’re making B.C. debt-free. What? You’re going in exactly the opposite direction faster than any Premier in the history of British Columbia. Again, especially when you promised to get to zero…. I just would say: is that what you want to reward with a vote for the B.C. Liberals?

You look at the failure of government to manage mine sites. Actually, if people take the time and look at what went on at Mount Polley, you look at the failure of B.C. Liberals to protect workers.

We in British Columbia had two mills exploding from a known problem. The oversight clearly was not there, just as it was not there for Mount Polley, with tragic results for the people of Burns Lake and for Lakeland.

You have Sullivan mine, Banks Island, Swansea Ridge — one example after another where the government failed in its oversight. You have to ask yourself: does that need to be rewarded? Is that the standard you want to set for government? And I would say no. I mean, I’m not running. I’m just telling you: do not reward that. Set a higher standard for governments. Insist that they do better than that.

Look at the HST — the debacle that that was and the deceit that surrounded the HST. You look at the health researchers firings. You look at the secretiveness of this government. The donations and the pay-to-play, $10,000-per-plate secret dinners with the Premier — it’s what she was doing last night, right? She raised more, hundreds and hundreds of thousands more last night.

You look at that money going to pay the Premier hundreds of thousands more than she earns as Premier. She already makes almost $200,000 but hundreds of thousands more added to that.

You look at how the sessions are cancelled. You look at the giveaways of B.C. Rail. Now, that’s a giveaway that included bribery and deceit. And you consider that the corruption of B.C. Rail, that giveaway…. This government, instead of looking at it carefully, chose to spend $6 million to keep that information out of the public view. And this is what you’re going to reward the B.C. Liberals for with another four years in power?

You look at the partisan takeover of B.C. Hydro. Point to the other public utility of that size that has a partisan appointment. Not on the board. The board can be…. I guess it’s all partisan. That’s clear.

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But actually on the staff, the senior management. You wouldn’t choose to have engineers or experts. Rather, you put in a partisan to run that corporation. Who does that? No other jurisdiction does that, as far as I can tell.

You look at the $55 billion that B.C. Hydro ratepayers are stuck with because of sweet, overvalued IPP contracts. All of that, I have to say, does not deserve to be rewarded with a vote. All of these things I spoke of as failings have consequences for people — real people. Now, sometimes it’s financial impacts; other times, it’s more personal.

As MLA, I met with my colleagues. It was a very emotional meeting. We met with the families of those that lost loved ones or had loved ones injured. In fact, some of the injured people were there from Burns Lake and Lakeland. These are people that have not found that they have had their issue looked at. All they see is a government protecting their interests, making sure that they are not politically hurt and quite willing to deny closure to families that were hurt through what, in my mind, is clear neglect from government.

I look, too, at the sister of the smeared health researcher, Roderick MacIsaac. She’s still looking for justice. Instead of doing what is right, the political interests of keeping that pushed away take priority.

B.C. Liberals don’t deserve to be rewarded with your vote. In Columbia River–Revelstoke, I am proud to say, we have seen through B.C. Liberal propaganda consistently. I think that my colleagues would say the same of the areas that they represent.

We voted to resist the government agenda and to put children and seniors, to put local manufacturing, local food production, our environment and justice ahead of cronyism. I’m really proud of the people of Columbia River–Revelstoke and others who have done that. I look forward to a time when a majority of British Columbians make the same choice.

The Leader of the Opposition has laid out an agenda that I feel really excited about. I think it’s an agenda that would help people tremendously. I know that when I sit around the caucus table, I sit with colleagues that are rooted in their communities and have in their hearts the interests of those that they serve. I think there’s no doubt that many on the government side would be the same.

The difference is the willingness to stand up, when the time comes, and to actually speak out for what’s right. What you see again and again from a top-down government is that those diktats from the government are enabled by government MLAs that aren’t willing to stand up.

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I see, going forward, tremendous hope in an NDP government that is going to take care of the things that I care about. They’re going to have good daycare. They’re going to get rid of corporate and union donations. There’s going to be seniors care that we can be proud of in this province. We’re going to have the best public education system in the world, where people do not fall through the cracks. All of those things are possible, and that’s a day that I look forward to.

The election can’t come soon enough. A throne speech that contrasts with the emptiness of this one should come in, I would say, September of 2017, where there are real ideas and benefits that will come to generations to come, because it will be a government rooted in the communities and rooted in, at its heart, the interests of the ordinary person.

[1550]

J. Thornthwaite: On behalf of my constituents of North Vancouver–Seymour, it is a pleasure to rise in the House today to respond to the Speech from the Throne.

Before I delve into the contents of my speech, I want to take this opportunity to thank some very important people in my life. Nick Hosseinzadeh is my constituency assistant back in North Vancouver. He works tirelessly helping people when I’m there but also when I’m not there, like now.

Hi, Nick. He’s probably watching.

Also, Sarah O’Connor, who’s my new legislative assistant. I’m very, very pleased with the work that she’s been able to accomplish just in the second day on the job since we’ve been back.

All of these assistants really do make us successful and are invaluable to the work that MLAs do. We also have very competent people in the research department and the communications department that help our entire caucus.

Of course, I’m always grateful for the patience that my family, my children give me to spend a lot of time working and not being at home with them like I would like. They’re very patient. I very much appreciate their support.

Last, of course, and certainly not least, the residents of North Vancouver–Seymour, who I’m lucky enough to represent. I truly believe it’s one of the best areas to live on earth.

I’d also like to take a moment to convey my condolences to the families and friends of the Canadians we lost last month in Quebec City. It was a senseless act of violence that took the lives of six people at a local mosque, and several more were terribly injured. In response, thousands of Canadians expressed their shock, grief and sadness and paid their respects spontaneously all across the country. It was truly the kind of response that one might expect in a multicultural society like Canada.

I’d also like to mention that on January 22, we in North Vancouver lost a dear friend, wife and mother. Fiona Marshall-White succumbed to the devastating disease called ALS. She was a modern businesswoman who seemed to have it all — a successful career, beautiful daughters, loving husband, beautiful home, lots of great friends — until ALS came knocking at the door. ALS seems to attack people in the prime of their lives. Fiona tackled her disease with positivity, grace and courage every single day, and of course, my charity of choice is the ALS Society.

British Columbia has been the leading economy in Canada for the past two years. Everyone wants to move to British Columbia, and who wouldn’t?

The government in this province has practised exceptional fiscal discipline. We have balanced the budget four years in a row, and we are on track for a fifth balanced budget when our Finance Minister tables Budget 2017 next week. We have a triple-A credit rating. Fiscal discipline and balanced budgets have earned the province the highest credit rating.

What does this all mean? When we need to borrow for large infrastructure projects — like a bridge, and we’re building bridges in North Vancouver as well as the highway interchange that I’m going to talk about later; or a school, and I’m going to talk about the schools; or a hospital, and we have new hospitals, also, in North Vancouver — British Columbia pays the lowest interest rates available because our international lenders know that our government is in control of its finances. That’s what a triple-A credit rating means.

It’s worth noticing, as well, that North Vancouver has benefited tremendously with significant capital investments in new schools, even since I became an MLA in 2009. I’m going to list just a few. These are all either brand-new schools that were built in partnership with the municipalities or significant renos and seismic upgrades.

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Lynn Valle