British Columbia Hansard — 1 November 2021, a.m., Issue 120 (42nd Parliament, 2nd Session)

20211101am-Hansard-n120

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 42nd Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday, November 1, 2021 Morning Sitting Issue No. 120 THE HONOURABLE RAJ CHOUHAN, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Janet Austin, OBC Second Session, 42nd Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Raj Chouhan EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council ............................................................................................................... Hon. John Horgan Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ...................................................................... Hon.

Mike Farnworth Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training...........................................................................................................Hon. Anne Kang Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries......................................................................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing .............................................................................................Hon.

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

Lisa Beare Minister of Education .................................................................................................................................................. Hon. Jennifer Whiteside Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation ........................................................................................Hon. Bruce Ralston, QC Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy............................................................................................. Hon.

George Heyman Minister of Finance .......................................................................................................................................................... Hon. Selina Robinson Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development ................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations................................................................................. Hon.

Nathan Cullen Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.............................................................................Hon. Adrian Dix Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation .......................................................................................... Hon. Murray Rankin, QC Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation....................................................................................................... Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Minister of State for Trade...............................................................................................................................................Hon. George Chow Minister of Labour ...................................................................................................................................................................Hon. Harry Bains Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.............................................................................................................. Hon.

Sheila Malcolmson Minister of Municipal Affairs ............................................................................................................................................. Hon. Josie Osborne Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction........................................................................................... Hon. Nicholas Simons Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport .................................................................................................................. Hon.

Melanie Mark Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure................................................................................................................... Hon. Rob Fleming Minister of State for Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................... Hon.

Bowinn Ma LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Official Opposition...................................................................................................................................................Shirley Bond Leader of the Third Party .......................................................................................................................................................... Sonia Furstenau Deputy Speaker..........................................................................................................................................................

Spencer Chandra Herbert Assistant Deputy Speaker..............................................................................................................................................................Norm Letnick Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole .......................................................................................................................... Ronna-Rae Leonard Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ...........................................................................................................................................

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

Jennifer Arril Clerk Assistant, Committees and Interparliamentary Relations ..............................................................................................Susan Sourial Senior Research Analyst ................................................................................................................................................................... Karan Riarh Sergeant-at-Arms ........................................................................................................................................................................... Ray Robitaille

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS Alexis, Pam (BC NDP) ............................................................Abbotsford-Mission Anderson, Brittny (BC NDP) .........................................................Nelson-Creston Ashton, Dan (BC Liberal Party) ............................................................... Penticton Babchuk, Michele (BC NDP)...............................................................North Island Bailey, Brenda (BC NDP).................................................. Vancouver–False Creek Bains, Hon. Harry (BC NDP).........................................................

Surrey-Newton Banman, Bruce (BC Liberal Party) ............................................ Abbotsford South Beare, Hon. Lisa (BC NDP) .......................................

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

Surrey South Chandra Herbert, Spencer (BC NDP).................................Vancouver–West End Chant, Susie (BC NDP) ..............................................North Vancouver–Seymour Chen, Hon. Katrina (BC NDP) ............................................... Burnaby-Lougheed Chouhan, Hon. Raj (BC NDP).................................................Burnaby-Edmonds Chow, Hon. George (BC NDP) ..........................................Vancouver-Fraserview Clovechok, Doug (BC Liberal Party)........................Columbia River–Revelstoke Conroy, Hon.

Katrine (BC NDP) ....................................................Kootenay West Coulter, Dan (BC NDP) .......................................................................... Chilliwack Cullen, Hon. Nathan (BC NDP) ................................................................... Stikine Davies, Dan (BC Liberal Party)................................................. Peace River North de Jong, Michael, QC (BC Liberal Party)....................................Abbotsford West Dean, Hon. Mitzi (BC NDP) ...............................................

Esquimalt-Metchosin D’Eith, Bob (BC NDP) .........................................................Maple Ridge–Mission Dix, Hon. Adrian (BC NDP) ................................................ Vancouver-Kingsway Doerkson, Lorne (BC Liberal Party) ........................................Cariboo-Chilcotin Donnelly, Fin (BC NDP) .......................................... Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Dykeman, Megan (BC NDP)............................................................... Langley East Eby, Hon. David, QC (BC NDP).......................................

Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable (BC NDP) ..................................................Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Hon. Mike (BC NDP) .................................................Port Coquitlam Fleming, Hon. Rob (BC NDP) ...............................................

Victoria–Swan Lake Furstenau, Sonia (BC Green Party) .............................................Cowichan Valley Glumac, Rick (BC NDP) ..................................................Port Moody–Coquitlam Greene, Kelly (BC NDP) ........................................................Richmond-Steveston Halford, Trevor (BC Liberal Party) .........................................Surrey–White Rock Heyman, Hon. George (BC NDP) .........................................Vancouver-Fairview Horgan, Hon. John (BC NDP) ......................................... Langford–Juan de Fuca Kahlon, Hon.

Ravi (BC NDP) .............................................................. Delta North Kang, Hon. Anne (BC NDP) .................................................. Burnaby–Deer Lake Kirkpatrick, Karin (BC Liberal Party) ........................West Vancouver–Capilano Kyllo, Greg (BC Liberal Party)....................................................................Shuswap Lee, Michael (BC Liberal Party) ..............................................Vancouver-Langara Leonard, Ronna-Rae (BC NDP)...............................................

Courtenay-Comox Letnick, Norm (BC Liberal Party) .................................. Kelowna–Lake Country Lore, Grace (BC NDP)........................................................... Victoria–Beacon Hill Ma, Hon. Bowinn (BC NDP).....................................North Vancouver–Lonsdale Malcolmson, Hon. Sheila (BC NDP)........................................................Nanaimo Mark, Hon. Melanie (BC NDP).................................Vancouver–Mount Pleasant Mercier, Andrew (BC NDP) ........................................................................

Langley Merrifield, Renee (BC Liberal Party)......................................... Kelowna-Mission Milobar, Peter (BC Liberal Party) .......................... Kamloops–North Thompson Morris, Mike (BC Liberal Party) ................................. Prince George–Mackenzie Oakes, Coralee (BC Liberal Party).................................................. Cariboo North Olsen, Adam (BC Green Party)............................ Saanich North and the Islands Osborne, Hon.

Josie (BC NDP)........................................Mid Island–Pacific Rim Paddon, Kelli (BC NDP) ................................................................Chilliwack-Kent Paton, Ian (BC Liberal Party) ............................................................... Delta South Popham, Hon. Lana (BC NDP)........................................................ Saanich South Ralston, Hon. Bruce, QC (BC NDP) .............................................Surrey-Whalley Rankin, Hon.

Murray, QC (BC NDP) .............................Oak Bay–Gordon Head Rice, Jennifer (BC NDP) ...................................................................... North Coast Robinson, Hon. Selina (BC NDP)...................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Ross, Ellis (BC Liberal Party)......................................................................... Skeena Routledge, Janet (BC NDP) .............................................................Burnaby North Routley, Doug (BC NDP)...........................................

Nanaimo–North Cowichan Russell, Roly (BC NDP).................................................... Boundary-Similkameen Rustad, John (BC Liberal Party)......................................................Nechako Lakes Sandhu, Harwinder (BC NDP) .................................................Vernon-Monashee Sharma, Niki (BC NDP)..........................................................Vancouver-Hastings Shypitka, Tom (BC Liberal Party) .................................................... Kootenay East Simons, Hon. Nicholas (BC NDP).........................

Powell River–Sunshine Coast Sims, Jinny (BC NDP) ................................................................. Surrey-Panorama Singh, Aman (BC NDP) .............................................Richmond-Queensborough Singh, Rachna (BC NDP)...................................................Surrey–Green Timbers Starchuk, Mike (BC NDP) ......................................................... Surrey-Cloverdale Stewart, Ben (BC Liberal Party) .......................................................

Kelowna West Stone, Todd (BC Liberal Party) ...............................Kamloops–South Thompson Sturdy, Jordan (BC Liberal Party) ............................. West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Tegart, Jackie (BC Liberal Party)....................................................... Fraser-Nicola Walker, Adam (BC NDP) ....................................................... Parksville-Qualicum Wat, Teresa (BC Liberal Party) ....................................... Richmond North Centre Whiteside, Hon. Jennifer (BC NDP) .........................................

New Westminster Wilkinson, Andrew, QC (BC Liberal Party)......................Vancouver-Quilchena Y ao, Henry (BC NDP) ..................................................... Richmond South Centre LIST OF MEMBERS BY RIDING Abbotsford-Mission................................................................................. Pam Alexis Abbotsford South...............................................................................Bruce Banman Abbotsford West......................................................................

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

Janet Routledge Cariboo-Chilcotin ..........................................................................Lorne Doerkson Cariboo North.................................................................................... Coralee Oakes Chilliwack ...............................................................................................Dan Coulter Chilliwack-Kent .................................................................................... Kelli Paddon Columbia River–Revelstoke .........................................................

Doug Clovechok Coquitlam–Burke Mountain...............................................................Fin Donnelly Coquitlam-Maillardville ...................................................... Hon. Selina Robinson Courtenay-Comox................................................................... Ronna-Rae Leonard Cowichan Valley ............................................................................. Sonia Furstenau Delta North................................................................................... Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Delta South ..................................................................................................Ian Paton Esquimalt-Metchosin .................................................................... Hon. Mitzi Dean Fraser-Nicola .........................................................................................

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

Renee Merrifield Kelowna West ..........................................................................................Ben Stewart Kootenay East.......................................................................................Tom Shypitka Kootenay West........................................................................ Hon. Katrine Conroy Langford–Juan de Fuca .............................................................. Hon.

John Horgan Langley .............................................................................................Andrew Mercier Langley East....................................................................................Megan Dykeman Maple Ridge–Mission.............................................................................. Bob D’Eith Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows............................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Mid Island–Pacific Rim............................................................ Hon.

Josie Osborne Nanaimo.............................................................................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Nanaimo–North Cowichan............................................................... Doug Routley Nechako Lakes........................................................................................ John Rustad Nelson-Creston ............................................................................. Brittny Anderson New Westminster.............................................................. Hon.

Jennifer Whiteside North Coast ........................................................................................... Jennifer Rice North Island................................................................................... Michele Babchuk North Vancouver–Lonsdale......................................................... Hon. Bowinn Ma North Vancouver–Seymour...................................................................Susie Chant Oak Bay–Gordon Head..................................................Hon.

Murray Rankin, QC Parksville-Qualicum........................................................................... Adam Walker Peace River North ................................................................................... Dan Davies Peace River South ................................................................................ Mike Bernier Penticton ................................................................................................. Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam...................................................................... Hon.

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

Shirley Bond Richmond North Centre..........................................................................Teresa Wat Richmond-Queensborough..................................................................Aman Singh Richmond South Centre .......................................................................... Henry Y ao Richmond-Steveston ............................................................................

Kelly Greene Saanich North and the Islands .............................................................Adam Olsen Saanich South .............................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Shuswap...................................................................................................... Greg Kyllo Skeena........................................................................................................... Ellis Ross Stikine........................................................................................ Hon.

Nathan Cullen Surrey-Cloverdale .............................................................................. Mike Starchuk Surrey-Fleetwood.....................................................................................Jagrup Brar Surrey–Green Timbers........................................................................Rachna Singh Surrey-Guildford......................................................................................Garry Begg Surrey-Newton ..............................................................................Hon.

Harry Bains Surrey-Panorama ...................................................................................... Jinny Sims Surrey South ................................................................................ Stephanie Cadieux Surrey-Whalley ................................................................. Hon. Bruce Ralston, QC Surrey–White Rock .......................................................................... Trevor Halford Vancouver-Fairview.............................................................. Hon.

George Heyman Vancouver–False Creek...................................................................... Brenda Bailey Vancouver-Fraserview...............................................................Hon. George Chow Vancouver-Hastings ..............................................................................Niki Sharma Vancouver-Kensington....................................................................... Mable Elmore Vancouver-Kingsway..................................................................... Hon.

Adrian Dix Vancouver-Langara................................................................................ Michael Lee Vancouver–Mount Pleasant..................................................... Hon. Melanie Mark Vancouver–Point Grey ............................................................Hon. David Eby, QC Vancouver-Quilchena........................................................Andrew Wilkinson, QC Vancouver–West End .....................................................Spencer Chandra Herbert Vernon-Monashee .....................................................................

Harwinder Sandhu Victoria–Beacon Hill............................................................................... Grace Lore Victoria–Swan Lake.................................................................... Hon. Rob Fleming West Vancouver–Capilano...........................................................Karin Kirkpatrick West Vancouver–Sea to Sky................................................................Jordan Sturdy Party Standings: BC NDP 57; BC Liberal Party 28; BC Green Party 2

CONTENTS Monday, November 1, 2021 Morning Sitting Page Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements................................................................................................................................................. 3837 Gendering health K. Paddon S. Cadieux Emergency room closures M. Bernier M. Dykeman Local agriculture and food security A. Walker I. Paton Importance of accessing government information J. Sturdy B.

D’Eith Private Members’ Motions ..................................................................................................................................................... 3846 Motion 18 — Rural communities and economies R. Russell L. Doerkson M. Babchuk C. Oakes J. Rice B. Stewart B. Bailey M. Morris D. Coulter J. Tegart D. Routley

MONDAY , NOVEMBER 1, 2021 The House met at 10:03 a.m. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers and reflections: R. Merrifield. Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements GENDERING HEALTH K. Paddon:I think perhaps one of the most mislead- ing ideas about feminism and gender equality is that if you can look around and see more women, we must be achieving it. [S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.] Take this chamber, for example. There are more female members than ever before.

If you can count an equalish number, that must mean equity and equality, right? [10:05 a.m.] That, to me, is a most dangerous notion — a notion that, if taken without any critical examination, could have us ignoring many gender-related inequities that put us all, men and women, at risk. One of these inequities — per- haps one of the riskiest, in my opinion — is gendered health. We all know that in our health care system, access is for everyone. When we talk about health, it doesn’t matter your gender. Access is open to everyone. But access to what?

Health care is based on a very long and old tradition of predominantly men studying in a predominantly male dis- cipline doing research about and on predominantly male bodies for the purposes of keeping society healthy. Tradi- tionally, “society” has had a very narrow definition. Spoiler alert: it’s men. Now, we have moved past this. We have brilliant people in STEAM working in medicine and research and treat- ment, and it’s different today.

We have men and women engaged in the work required to do the science and be rep- resentative, accessible and relevant to all genders, but we can’t ignore the hangover of our history. We know that all genders can experience access issues in health, and it is critical to not lose sight of this. Today I would like to dis- cuss about gendered health for women. Let me give you an example, a very simple example. Take the heart attack. We all know the signs and symp- toms, right? I think I learned them in grade 6 or 7, prob- ably while doing Jump Rope for Heart. I think many of us may have.

The symptoms of a heart attack are: squeezing chest pressure or pain; jaw, neck or back pain; nausea or vomiting; shortness of breath. But it is a fact that women die every year of heart attacks, because these are actually the symptoms of a heart attack for men. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, for women, symptoms are: chest pain — but not always; pain or pressure in the lower chest or upper abdo- men; sweating; jaw, neck or upper back pain; nausea or vomiting; shortness of breath; fainting; indigestion; and extreme fatigue. Some symptoms are the same or similar, but many are unique.

So unique, in fact, that most women have not heard of these symptoms being associated with heart attacks and so brush them off. Last night, when I shared this with my partner, he was surprised and said he had no idea. This wasn’t a shock, but his next point was: “How do I know how to help you — that you even need my help — if I don’t know this?” It’s not just women who need to understand and know the signs and symptoms but those around them who love and care for them — employers, friends, all of us. How do we take care of each other if we only know the signs for approximately half of us?

That’s just one example of how research and education can be gendered and can impact health outcomes in women’s bodies. Women’s bodies are often smaller, with smaller hearts and arteries, and there are specific risks that we know impact women’s health — risk factors like pregnancy, menopause and hormonal changes that impact every sys- tem in the body and can result in drastic changes, as well as gender-related factors such as lower socioeconomic status, gender-related violence, and the reality that there are still many arenas in our society where women’s experiences are just not believed.

We also know that many of these risk factors are exacerbated for our trans brothers and sisters and for racialized women. There are some very real risks to gendered health, and there are also some very real costs, both individual and social. Social costs are both more difficult to initially rec- ognize and dramatically more costly and risky to our province. One very big example is the cost of caregiving. Women continue to overwhelmingly provide most of the care.

In our personal lives, women continue to leave, adjust or limit their participation in the community and eco- nomy in order to carry the weight of caring for our babies, our children, aging parents, sick partners or family. Even before the pandemic, 30 percent of women in B.C. suppor- ted people who have long-term illnesses, disabilities or are aging, racking up an estimated total of six million collect- ive unpaid caregiving hours per week.

Professionally, women continue to make up a huge majority of care aides, community support workers, res- idential support workers, nurses, long-term care, health care workers, child care providers, mental health workers, nutritional and cleaning support professionals, and edu- 3837

cation staff. These positions require a massive amount of emotional labour, which I would argue is essential but often unpaid. Traditionally, they are largely precarious positions or underpaid. [10:10 a.m.] The B.C. Women’s Health Foundation has indicated in theirUnmasking Gender Inequity report that, historically, girls and young women have been encouraged into occu- pations with high levels of flexibility under the assumption that they will eventually be the primary caregivers of chil- dren and other family members.

According to the report published by the foundation, the concentration of employment in these sectors led to women in B.C. losing 60 percent more jobs than men, as women occupy jobs in industries that were the first to be impacted by job loss or restrictions and that those jobs were impacted to a greater extent and for a longer period. The same report found that the gendered nature of work put women at higher risk of exposure to and infection from COVID-19 in B.C. Women having access to health care that is relevant and inclusive to them is more than just a moral or social responsibility.

As the report highlighted, children, families and communities need healthy women. Essential services need healthy women. Organizations and the economy need healthy women. If there are still any who need more reason, making changes that support women staying healthy has the potential to save up to $2.6 billion in lost work or pro- ductivity annually in B.C. and as much as $17.9 billion across Canada. S. Cadieux:Thank you to the member for raising this issue. It’s certainly one that we can agree on. I’m pleased to speak today about gendering health.

Over the last two years, during the global pandemic, all British Columbians have come to realize the import- ance of our medical system and equal access to it. People from across B.C., especially those underserved by access to medical care, were impacted. Deficiencies, though, in our medical system are not new, and especially as we are talking about today, there are significant gender biases that impact women. Women’s health research has been chronically deficient in the past.

I experienced this myself when I was first injured 30 years ago and looking for information about various impacts of spinal cord injury on women. There was very little information available on women’s experi- ence. Furthermore, the determinants of health are com- plex, and they arise from a combination of interacting economic, social, psychological and biological forces. But with a lack of research into women’s health, the medical system has sexism built into it, at the very foundation. Take, for example, as the member said, heart attacks.

The typical symptoms that most people attribute to heart attacks are more likely symptoms for men, leaving women more likely to have severe side effects or die because symp- toms are different. Women, in general, aren’t as aware of them and aren’t taken seriously. This is just one, but one very deadly, side effect of the quiet sexism that interferes and influences medical care. If we want to see long-term change in health outcomes for women, it has to include the society-wide impacts.

The Vancouver Women’s Health Research Network did publish a report — and obviously, both the member and I have read it —Gendering the Health Determinants Framework: Why Girls’ and Women’s Health Matters, which highlighted the need for a long-term approach, not only for women generally but especially for vulnerable groups. For this to happen, an equitable distribution of resources is crucial.

It could be achieved with greater gender equality in paid and unpaid work; social rights, like parental leave; public child care and elder care; and eth- noculturally appropriate care aimed at Aboriginal, visible minority, immigrant and refugee communities. We know that rural and on-reserve Aboriginal women are partic- ularly likely to find themselves without equal access to health care and, therefore, not reaching out for health care and experiencing worse health outcomes. When we talk about trans health, those issues are also important.

In British Columbia, no one can be denied medical care, whether they identify as trans or cisgender. This is critical, but unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent dis- crimination in the health care system. There’s still a lot more to be done. Groups like trans health B.C., the Cather- ine White Holman Wellness Centre and Trans PULSE are just some of the organizations helping to ensure the deliv- ery of services for transgender people. Patients aren’t the only ones impacted by gender. Those who work in the medical field are as well.

In any given workplace, research has shown that 51 percent of women, compared to 31 percent of men, report experiencing work- place discrimination. That same study found women phys- icians were five times more likely than their male col- leagues to experience opposition to career advancement and three times more likely to experience actions they per- ceived to be disrespectful in the workplace. [10:15 a.m.] It’s interesting that this topic came up today. Just over the weekend, I was speaking with a woman whose sister- in-law is a doctor who has experienced that very kind of discrimination.

Not only have female physicians reported feeling their career has been impacted by their gender, but there’s also an issue where 30 percent of women in Canada report having experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. When women don’t feel safe or equal in the workplace, that leads to significant mental health issues, burnout and individuals less likely to remain in the system.

At a time where there are significant shortages of med- ical staff, including family doctors and nurses, it’s more important than ever that we ensure that everyone, no mat- ter how they identify, feel appreciated, valued and, most 3838 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

importantly, safe, working and seeking help in our medical system. Deputy Speaker:Of course, just a reminder to every- body. Please wear your mask over your nose and your mouth in order to follow the public health orders. K. Paddon: I’ve given examples of social costs of ignoring gender health, but there are also individual costs. Beyond the pink tax that many of us have heard of on everyday goods and services, there are very real indi- vidual health-related costs to being female. There is peri- od poverty, birth control, time off related to reproduct- ive health issues.

There is a cost to lives and quality of lives and the reality that often women’s pain is dismissed as anxiety or not believed or recognized as a physical ail- ment. This costs us. Ineffective testing that is not designed for our bodies or is not effective for us costs us. Late detection, not know- ing the signs and symptoms in women, lack of research and lack of diagnostics cost us. Lack of choice, depression, anxiety, fear of losing our jobs, self-medication, ignoring symptoms as we care for others instead — all of this costs us.

There is so much work to do, and I’m so grateful to all the health care professionals, advocates and researchers of every gender who continue to call out for change, who continue to publish and ask for awareness and policy that supports health which recognizes the range of gendered needs and differences. This is especially true when it comes to supports, treatments, procedures, coverage, access, research and education. I thank those who recognize that women’s health is impacted by many different areas.

I’m also proud to be part of a team that is committed to listening and doing the work and has already started it. There is so much yet to do to fix a system that has been built over a long, long history, but we’ve begun by committing to make health more affordable for women by addressing period poverty, giving easier access to medic- al abortion and addressing the cost of contraception, by providing publicly funded gender-affirming lower surger- ies in B.C. and by recognizing gender-related risks in B.C. ’s mental health road map and investing in specific mental health supports for women.

We have a Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity who recognizes that gender-based violence is not just a justice issue but a health issue, and we must work on best practices for accessing health care following an assault. We know that gender-based violence impacts women’s health and comes at a individual and social cost that was exacer- bated by the social and economic impacts and restrictions of COVID-19, and we have put supports and resources in place to help those for whom home is not safe.

Together, we can move past the confines of old defin- itions, habits and assumptions, and advance equality and build a brighter future for women, girls and gender- diverse people in British Columbia. We need everyone of all genders to become leaders in health care across B.C. One last note. If you have delayed your tests during COVID — your routine mammogram or your pap — maybe because you were busy or nervous or because you were taking care of others, it’s time to re-book. Y ou are your strongest advocate, and you cannot care for others if you do not care for yourself. Make the appointment.

EMERGENCY ROOM CLOSURES M. Bernier:It’s interesting listening to the last com- mentary. I’m going to build on that. One of the things I think we can all agree upon is that there’s not much more important in life than our health and our family members’ health. Obviously, right now in the province of British Colum- bia, we are almost in a crisis mode in so many areas. This is not just because of COVID.

It’s exasperated the issue. [10:20 a.m.] When we look at the state of health care and health care professionals, the shortage thereof around the province, and the hospital emergency room closures that have had to take place because of that, I think it warrants a very healthy discussion in this House and action from all of us. Maybe I should start by thanking all of our nurses, doc- tors and health care staff around the province. When we look at the stress and the workload that they’ve been under the last couple of years, it can’t be easy for anybody.

But it definitely has been, I think, at the front lines, just that much more of a challenge when people who we trust our well-being to are tasked to the limit when we look at the shortages that we have. I think we all want to thank all of our health care professionals for the extraordinary work that they’ve done — the last couple of years, specifically.

I think through COVID, one thing that has happened is it has really highlighted and acknowledged the cracks that we have in our system and the need for greater invest- ment, the need for greater supports and attention that are needed, especially for our health care workers. Right now across the province, in almost every juris- diction, we’re seeing a serious shortage in staffing in our hospitals and in our clinics. Many emergency rooms — I think, unfortunately, some of us in this House know — are chronically understaffed. That’s leading to increased stress on our workers.

More people are leaving because of burnout. Some are choosing to retire because of this extra stress, and that’s only, again, exacerbating this staffing issue that we have, which is just compounding and making it harder for those that are staying in the system, looking out for our health and our well-being. Again, it’s in every corner of the province. I look at our northern hospitals, the dedicated health care professionals that we have in Northern Health. And in my region spe- cifically, I can attest to that. And the fact that they have Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3839

been dealing with such a staff shortage…. And this is for years. This is for quite a few years now. COVID-19 def- initely has made it worse. We’ve seen the impacts of that. But again, it’s highlighted the struggles, the troubles that we already have. Our understaffed hospitals around the province are leading to closures — shifts being closed, hospitals being closed, patients in need being diverted to other areas and, in a lot of cases, being diverted to hospitals that, them- selves, are understaffed or over capacity.

This summer in Dawson Creek, for instance, we had to bring in a virtual doctor service to help cover the fact that we did not have night-shift doctors in our hospital. And even with that extra help that came in, it still wasn’t enough. Our hospital, on numerous occasions in Dawson Creek, which is the hub hospital for the region that I rep- resent, had to close, had to not accept patients into the ER, and divert people away. I look at Chetwynd. That’s also in my riding.

This is almost a daily occurrence that I see a notification coming out from Northern Health, saying that due to staff short- ages and the pressure in the hospital because of the amount of people who are utilizing the ER or the health care system in the hospital, the hospital has had to go on diversion. That is causing a huge ripple effect in regions like ours. But I also say that that puts pressure on every single person in this House, when we have to transport people out of a region to other parts of the province.

And although we appreciate that help and that support, people would far rather have the health care that they need as close to home as possible, when we have the hospitals that are right there. The issue is that we need the staff. Fort St. John — beautiful, fairly new hospital. In June 2020, right at the onset, I guess, of the pandemic, the ICU in Fort St. John, another major hospital for the north- east part of the province, had to shut down due to staffing shortages and people being transported. [10:25 a.m.] Imagine that. Y ou’re in a large geographical area of the province.

All of the hospitals are being shut down due to staffing issues, and people are having to be transported. To actually be told when you need to go to the emergency room: “Sorry. The doors are closed…. ” We actually have that happen, where people show up and there is a sign on the hospital door: “Sorry. We don’t have room for you. We don’t have staff. ” The next-closest major hospital is a four- hour drive away through the Rocky Mountains to Prince George, which is also struggling with the same issues. I think it’s important that we just highlight that we have a lot of work to do. The Fort St.

John Hospital, again, requires 20 nurses in the ER. They only have five. There are 15 vacancies right now, which is why they have to go on diversion, just like so many other hospitals around the province. Again — I know I’ll have a few more minutes just to wrap up at the end of this — I think it just highlights the struggles that we need to, in this House, collectively work on and address, because this is the health and the well-being of our constituents, the people we represent. We need to find a solution to make sure that they have the supports they need when they need it. M.

Dykeman: Absolutely every British Columbian, no matter where they live and whatever their health con- cerns, should have access to the care they need when they need it. I’ d like to thank the member opposite for bringing this forward.

The pandemic has shone an even brighter light on the importance of health services, and in Budget 2021, our government continued to protect people’s health and safety with $4 billion in new investments over three years, including launching our primary health care strategy, which focuses on faster team-based care, hiring more than 660 new full-time-equivalent health profes- sionals who will be part of 22 primary care networks throughout the province.

In establishing primary care networks across 65 per- cent of B.C. ’s communities since that strategy was star- ted, the government has invested over $1 billion over three years to improve care for seniors, which includes investments in primary care, home health, long-term care and assisted living. We’ve opened urgent primary care centres. These centres provide primary care to patients who do not cur- rently have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and weekend and after-hours care, taking pressure off hospital emergency departments.

A total of 16 of these urgent primary care centres are now up and running across the province. They include community health centres. These health centres bring together health and broader social services to improve access to health promotion, preventat- ive care and ongoing services. We’ve dramatically boosted the number of MRI exams and elective surgeries as part of the surgical and diagnostic imaging strategy and increased the number of priority sur- geries and diagnostic imaging, like PET scans and CTs, to ensure faster access.

We’re increasing staffing levels in long-term care homes, taking action lowering drug costs by making record investments in Fair PharmaCare, and moving forward with a first-of-its-kind children’s complex care transition facility in B.C. to fill in those gaps in much- needed services. As I said earlier, every person deserves to have the best possible health care close to home.

One of the things that our government is focused on is boosting support and hir- ing to enhance services in Northern Health so that people in northern B.C. are benefiting from additional govern- ment action to deliver needed health care services. The government announced $6.38 million for programs to retain and recruit more health care workers and by making 3840 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

the northern area a desirable and accessible place for health professionals to live and work. Our government has been working with Northern Health regarding concerns on recruitment and retention of health care workers in the north. To address these, actions are being taken at every level in Northern Health, starting immediately with the launch of a comprehensive health care worker rural retention program. The program is designed to offer financial incentives and support for health care workers.

It’s funded by the Ministry of Health at approximately $3 million. [10:30 a.m.] There’s funding of $821,000 to continue the travel resource program, keeping more than 40 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in the area; $225,000 in fund- ing to develop a child care program to support expanded and new child care spots and expanded hours of operation to meet the needs of health care workers who often work 12-hour shifts; $750,000 to develop a housing program in communities where suitable market housing is a barrier to permanent staffing; and $825,000 to launch the rural doc- tor in-aid virtual support pathway.

These new programs will help retain and recruit more health care workers to provide needed services. Our government knew that the way that health care is delivered had to change, and we’re working to fix those problems and ensure that those left behind are now brought into the net. We’re transforming the way it’s delivered not just for people in the community but for everyone around the province through these strategies. My colleagues and I know that there’s more to do, and we’re committed to delivering the health care services that families in B.C. count on.

I’m very excited to have been able to stand here today and talk about the investments and the pathway forward that will ensure that every British Columbian has access to the health care needed in a sys- tem that, unfortunately, had previously been systemically underfunded. Our government has worked so hard over the last several years to reinvest to ensure that there’s equit- able access throughout the province. M. Bernier:I’ d like to get back to the topic, which was supposed to be around emergency room closures and some of the challenges that we are facing around the province of British Columbia.

I guess the politest thing I can say…. The member can stand up and read off a whole bunch of things that were written for her, but at the end of the day, what’s happening is that hospitals around the province are being closed. We do not have enough staff in the hospitals right now. We need to collectively work on a plan. It’s not just about training and recruiting. It’s also about retaining. One of the biggest issues that we have, that we hear right now, in our health care profession is retaining the health care workers when they do come. Again, I can speak from experience for the rural parts of British Columbia.

It is difficult to recruit people to rural B.C. That is just a fact that we need to work on, and we need to have strategies around that. But again, what com- pounds the issue is the additional stress that they are faced with when they move to smaller communities where hos- pitals are being shut down, ERs are being closed, and the health care professionals are being burnt out. So what hap- pens? They in turn, maybe, leave. Retaining them is diffi- cult, and we need to work on that collectively. St. John Hospital in Vanderhoof is sounding the alarm. They’re in a lot of trouble.

ERs being closed this year in Ashcroft hospital, Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater, Barriere Health Centre. All their emergencies rooms were closed this year, in part times, due to staff shortages. Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, luckily, is able to take some, but they are being stretched to the limit as well. This is not just a rural issue. I think everybody in the House has heard the breaking point that the Surrey Memorial Hospital is under. The fastest-growing com- munity in the province, and they don’t have the systems in place for the people that they have as well.

So we need to be working on that. And again, this is about making sure that we come together with a plan. This is not about just announcing projects and money, because that doesn’t solve the problem unless we know it’s going to where it is needed. We need to have plans in place. I am very thankful that we have a nursing program now at Northern Lights College, in Fort St. John, that is going to hopefully help the Peace region. There is some light at the end of the tunnel. If we can train local, they stay local. But we do need to collectively work on this. We need to talk about the stresses.

We have to talk about emergency rooms that are being closed around the province due to lack of staff, and we need to find a plan to fix this issue. LOCAL AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY A. Walker:Over the past few generations, we have seen our relationship with food change dramatically. Many of our children have never experienced the unexpected sweetness of biting into peas straight from a pod or freshly picked carrots.

Many of their parents no longer know the family farmers who grow this food. [10:35 a.m.] In the 1950s, here on Vancouver Island, we produced 85 percent of the food that we ate, but today us Islanders pro- duce less than 10 percent of what we consume. Our food comes to us from farther away geographically, of course, but also much of it is processed well beyond recognition, and it comes to us through more intermediaries than ever before. Early in the pandemic, we saw just how precarious our food system is.

Disruptions in global supply chains and massive volatility in price led to, for the first time in a long Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3841

time, the conversation of food security being heard at din- ner tables across our province. Add to this struggle the impacts of climate change that farmers are already experiencing in a significant way. Not just the heavy winter rains and storms and the longer dry spells each summer but the heat dome that we all felt recently had a massive impact on our agriculture sector. Here in B.C., over half a million chickens perished from the heat.

In many areas, berry crops suffered 40, 50 per- cent or complete crop failures, and millions of dollars in damages were felt across the sector, including shellfish and aquaculture operations. The vital link between our economic prosperity and food security is now, more than ever, clear to us all. It is because we know the importance of a strong and secure agricultural and food sector that our government has focused heavily on food security and sustainability initiat- ives since we were first elected.

We are ensuring that we will have a resilient and com- petitive agriculture and food sector in this province that feeds British Columbians and the world both for now and for generations to come. This will be crucial not only for ensuring food security but also lasting prosperity and jobs, especially as we work towards an economic recovery fol- lowing COVID-19. What gives me hope is seeing how our government’s focus on food security initiatives is being amplified by the interest and demand of regular British Columbians. Our farmers markets were hit hard by the provincial health restrictions of the pandemic.

In Parksville-Qualic- um, our local market, led by Launie Elves, every week adapted their market plan to keep their vendors and pat- rons safe. They worked incredibly hard to ensure as much local product as possible made its way to the tables of fam- ilies across our community. Here and across our province, people lined up to buy local produce and support com- munity farms. We are also seeing more families sign up for CSA boxes, community-supported agriculture.

When you sign up for a CSA, you commit to paying a local farm the same amount weekly throughout the growing season, and they deliver a bounty of fresh vegetables, meats and/or eggs at the peak of their growing season. We’re seeing positive signs as local demand for B.C. food is growing and as the market for value-added products does as well. We are also seeing investments in local companies as the number of new businesses and made-in-B.C. products continues to grow. This is especially evident through our B.C.

Food Hub Network, which is creating more demand for ingredients from local farmers and helping increase the volume of food grown and pro- cessed locally. These hubs are providing good jobs and economic opportunity for many businesses, as well as farmers, ranchers and fishers in 12 communities across the province, increasing food processing capacity and strengthening regional food security.

Our government is also focused on three key initiatives: Grow B.C., which works to get more farmland into pro- duction, to date bringing more than 6,000 acres of farm- land into the capable hands of new farmers; Feed B.C., which is increasing B.C.-grown and processed foods in meals served in our hospitals and post-secondary institu- tions; and Buy B.C., which makes it easier for consumers to identify the products with a buy-B.C. label so British Columbians can enjoy healthy and local food while also supporting our local community and economy.

What we eat not only sustains us; it is also a reflection of who we are. We are a strong, resilient and community- focused people. I. Paton:It’s a pleasure to rise today to speak about my favourite topic, agriculture, with a particular focus on loc- al offerings, as well as food security. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, we are start- ing to deal with its full impact and the long-reaching effects it will have on our economy.

Farmers have experi- enced unprecedented labour shortages, disruptions in pro- cessing and transportation sectors, as well as increasing domestic and international market uncertainty. [10:40 a.m.] Over the past 19 months, farmers have had to make dif- ficult decisions about which crops to grow and whether or not to leave certain fields fallow for a season. Moving for- ward, it’s imperative that the government work with the federal counterparts and industry partners to restabilize our province’s agriculture industry by strengthening our risk management and agri-recovery programs.

It’s been said many times, but it bears repeating. B.C. ’s agriculture industry must become more self-sufficient. As the old proverb goes, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. We need to be better pre- pared for unexpected interruptions in the international food supply chain, as COVID-19 has made us realize how reliant we are on meat, fruit and vegetable imports from other countries. We must continue to incentivize both buying and grow- ing B.C. products.

These are just a few of the many unre- solved issues that we as legislators can tackle to help ease some of the worry and financial struggle facing our agri- cultural community. Just last week, we welcomed agricul- ture representatives from all across the province of B.C. for B.C. Ag Days at the Legislature. Many of us got the opportunity to meet virtually with farmers, ranchers and stakeholders to hear about the issues that matter to them. One of the big takeaways was the need to review previous tax recommendations, along with water licensing, labour shortages and trespass issues.

What the council wants to see is an update to the pro- vincial farm and ranch taxation legislation with a goal to improving incentives offered to active farmers and to increase farmland productivity. Over the past few years, I’ve reminded this House many times about the growing 3842 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

costs that farmers and ranchers are having to contend with. The hike to the minimum wage and carbon tax, the introduction of the employer health tax and the financial losses that came with the government’s Bill 52 disrupted building plans and put principal and secondary houses on hold. I will note that hardship could have been avoided had they been consulted about the proposed changes in advance in the first place. Another issue highlighted this past week by the B.C. Agriculture Council is the need to remind the buying pub- lic that there is much value in both large-scale and small- scale farms.

The council notes that a lot of conversations around agriculture today are influenced by a perception that the products grown or raised on smaller-scale opera- tions are a better choice than those offered by bigger farms. The council reminds us that there is a market and a need for both types of farms, and many, many opportunities need greater collaboration and working together. As a third-generation dairy farmer myself, I can tell you that for the vast majority of farmers and ranchers, we share the same values.

We care about the safety of the products we grow, the safety and care of the animals we raise, and the care and adequate housing for our workers. We go above and beyond to offer safe, high-quality products to customers, and we understand the importance of making connections with those buyers who come to our properties, to our homes and to our farms. We believe in environmental protection and in putting in place prac- tices to ensure that the next generation can follow in our footsteps. Perhaps, most importantly, we know long-term profitability…. As I’m fond of saying, there is no farmland without the farmer.

If governments continually put up barriers and make it harder for farmers and ranchers to do their jobs and actually make a living, they will disappear, and so will the farmland they once tilled. That would be devastating to food security in this province. It’s a significant issue, and it’s part of the reason I introduced the Home-Based Craft Food Act in 2020. It would have allowed individuals to sell food products that have been prepared in their home kit- chens as long as they have the appropriate FoodSafe certi- fication and local business licence.

This bill would have been a step forward towards our goals of food security, while also providing more oppor- tunity for British Columbians to enjoy high-quality homemade food straight from local farms. One idea that could help in this regard…. I hope all sides of the House will continue discussing creative ways to support local agriculture by lessening the regulatory burden and red tape for farmers and improving food security in British Columbia. A.

Walker:I want to thank the member for Delta South for your continued advocacy for the farmers of our com- munities and for your collaborative effort as we look to become more resilient in the future of British Columbia. I would be remiss if I did not use the balance of my time here to celebrate a few of the hard-working family farms in Parksville-Qualicum. [10:45 a.m.] Every morning, on the way to my office, I have the abso- lute pleasure of taking in the beautiful sights of Hilliers Estate blueberry farm, crowned with the stunning back- drop of Mount Arrowsmith in the distance.

This family farm was established by the Bergen family in 2006, but like many farms, it is the continuation of a leg- acy on this land, dating back generations. With over 150 acres of blueberries, they supply families all over western Canada with some of the finest blueberries available on the market. Morningstar Farm, in Parksville, founded 20 years ago by Clarke and Nancy Gourlay, has flourished into a thriv- ing dairy and cheese works.

The farm is open seven days a week, where visitors can come and see up close the herd of 45 cows, the automated milking parlour and, the highlight for many, Canada’s first on-tap milk vending machine, where, for a small sum, you can bring your own bottles and fill them with milk fresh from the cows. This family farm has very recently found new caretakers, with Albert Gorter and Chelsea Enns bringing with them an experi- ence and passion for dairy farming. Springford Farm, founded by Collin and Dianne Springford. Together, they brought generations of family farming experience to our community.

In 1979, they star- ted on a 10-acre hobby farm in Parksville, moved to a 30-acre farm in 1990, and in 1998, they moved to their present 225-acre site in Nanoose Bay. They not only pro- duce some of the finest eggs and beef that can be found in central Vancouver Island, but through their market store, they have enthusiastically helped countless small, local producers sell their products. The recent passing of Clarke Gourlay and Collin Spring- ford had a massive impact on the people of my com- munity. They will be missed, but the legacies live on.

These are but three of the hard-working family farms that helped form the backbone of our community. To all of the farmers in our province, I thank you and your families. Through the early mornings, long days and the hard work, you do more than just feed us. It is with your collaborat- ive, neighborly spirit that you help bring our communities closer together. And through the nurturing of your land for future generations, you give us hope for tomorrow. For all this, and all that you do, I thank you.

Deputy Speaker:Before we move to the next statement, I just wanted to caution the members that, of course, the subject matter of the statement pertains to a bill that’s currently before the House. Pursuant to Standing Order 25A(5)(c), we’ve got to take care that we don’t anticipate Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3843

deliberations that the House or one of its committees may undertake. I’m sure the member is well aware of that. So I’ll acknowledge the member for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky. IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSING GOVERNMENT INFORMATION J. Sturdy:Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As always, I appreci- ate your guidance. The pandemic has shown us that this is a critical time in our province’s history, where people need and deserve accurate information from their government now more than ever.

People need to have access to the information that will allow them to make educated and informed decisions that help ensure their health and safety and the safety of those around them — decisions that give them confidence in this democratic institution, decisions that can influence the fundamental direction of our demo- cracy. It is our democratic duty to provide citizens with the appropriate information that allows them to understand the issues that we face as a society.

At a time when British Columbians are looking for greater access to information, greater transparency and greater accountability, it is imperative that governments protect people’s access to open information. Transparent governance allows for information to flow freely so that citizens understand the underpinnings of decisions that are being made that can affect their lives. Transparency is fundamental in ensuring good gov- ernance, something that we should all be striving for.

Openness and transparency are key pillars that allow democracy to work, and without these important aspects, accountability and trust, cannot be formed. I think we all understand that knowledge is power. When openness and transparency are threatened, access to knowledge is imperilled, the power of the people in a democracy is weakened, and thus, democracy itself is undermined. [10:50 a.m.] We in this House need to stand together in defence of this institution, in defence of freedom to access public information and in defence of the principles on which this democracy rests.

A key tool to open information is the freedom-of-infor- mation process, and a key tenet of that principle is that the information belongs to the public and, therefore, should be accessible to the public. Without freedom of informa- tion, we would not be able to ensure government is mak- ing the right decisions that are in the best interests of our citizens. Rather, government could ensure the decisions are made to better their positions of power, and these decisions don’t come to light as such. Individuals within government can potentially do as they please without oversight.

Our current freedom-of-information laws are a safe- guard against this. Oppositions of government, of the media and of the community at large are free to request this information at no charge, as this is the people’s information. Deputy Speaker:Member, I’ve listened to debates on Bill 22, including your own, and it seems that we’re start- ing to traverse into topics of legislation. We do have a bill at committee where arguments such as the member may wish to make can be made, those arguments, and that would seem to be the appropriate place under our standing orders. J. Sturdy:Just stating facts, Mr. Speaker.

Just stating facts. Deputy Speaker:Please don’t argue with the Speaker, Member. There are standing orders that we, as a House, have agreed to follow. Those include orders that discuss where appropriate debate is to be had. The member has made his debate around freedom-of-information legislation. There is a committee looking into those matters right now. If the member wishes to continue debating the legisla- tion, the appropriate place would be that committee, not here under the private members’ statements, as stated in our standing orders.

If there’s a different track to take on the discussion of accessible information, I invite the mem- ber to try and find it. However, if it’s discussing legislation and our laws, the rules are very clear. J. Sturdy:Mr. Speaker, this is about democracy and the process for openness and transparency, through which we strive to ensure accountability and trust is created between government and those they govern. It allows for demo- cracy to work, and it demands that individuals are able to participate effectively in decision-making and assess the performance of their government.

Freedom of information contributes to enhanced empowerment and equality of all social groups, includ- ing women, Indigenous people and the disadvantaged. It also plays an important role in creating well-func- tioning markets and ensuring governments make the right improvements as our world continues to change — improvements in investment climates and improve- ments in government policy. We don’t have to look back very far to see examples of how freedom of information has allowed us to better understand what government is doing.

Time and time again we’ve seen information come to light that highlights the importance of this process. It’s only through freedom of information that we’ve learned about unfulfilled com- mitments on housing targets; unfulfilled commitments on child care targets; the details, or lack of details, on the Massey Tunnel replacement project; or, more concerning, 3844 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

government’s initiative to use taxpayer dollars to politicize constituency offices; or examples of ministers’ improper use of messaging services to communicate with political staff. The freedom-of-information process holds govern- ments accountable and keeps them honest. It ensures the public has access to vital public data, data that helps the public better understand if government is making the right choices for all our communities and citizenry. It’s a process that’s critical.

In a world where this process is hindered and barriers are in place, it’s important that this is not hindered. [10:55 a.m.] Deputy Speaker:Again, I’ d ask members to reflect on the standing orders. I didn’t write them, but they are orders that we all agreed to follow. If there are suggestions for changes, please suggest them, but let’s try and follow them until those suggestions and changes are made. B. D’Eith: I did want to thank the member for West Vancouver–Sea to Sky for bringing up a statement in regard to the importance of accessing government inform- ation.

As we know, Members, in 1993, the Freedom of Inform- ation and Protection of Privacy Act was brought in to hold current and future governments accountable to the people who trust them to make decisions on their behalf and to act with integrity. The last round of amendments to this were in 2011, which was ten years ago…. Deputy Speaker:Again, I’ll…. I probably should have cut this off at the beginning. I just don’t know how we can talk about freedom of information when we have a free- dom-of-information act open before us in this House for amendments and debate. That is the appropriate venue.

I know we can go down the history. I apologize to the member. B. D’Eith:Thank you, hon. Speaker. If I may just move on, then? Deputy Speaker:Okay. Please. B. D’Eith:Thank you. Where I was going, hon. Speaker, was that I can’t speak to the bill. That’s what my next state- ment was going to be — that I can’t speak to the bill. So what I will do is speak about the importance of freedom of information generally. Freedom of information is important to fight corrup- tion.

Freedom of information is important to ensure that elected governments are held accountable and are trans- parent with the decision-making that they’re making. Freedom of information is important to expose any fraud or mismanagement. Freedom of information allows people to make informed decisions when electing repres- entatives. In short, freedom of information is important to democracy. Over the last decade, there are a number of examples, where freedom of information was important to these very things that I’m talking about. For example, in 2012, there was the B.C.

Health researcher firing scandal that happened. In that story, there were a lot of things that happened: whistleblowing, dismissals, lawsuits, settle- ments, restatements, apologies and, of course, a very tragic suicide. But there was one piece that illustrates the import- ance of freedom of information. That is that there was an ongoing RCMP investigation, at that time, that went from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, in July, the RCMP closed its files to the invest- igation.

At that point, theVancouver Sunmade a freedom- of-information request, and nearly a year after that, it was revealed that the police were never given evidence by the government to investigate the wrongdoing that was used to justify the firings, despite the government at that time telling the public that an investigation was ongoing. At that time, the then Health critic said…. They claimed an RCMP investigation simply didn’t exist. They failed to provide any information, even though they led their press conference announcing the dismissal of these workers say- ing there was an ongoing RCMP investigation.

It shows a government that, frankly, intentionally, from the begin- ning, misled the public about this issue and continued to do so for years. This is an example of exactly the kind of information that freedom of information is done for, in order that the public can then make an informed decision when they go to the polls, when they choose their representatives. Another example of freedom of information and the principles around freedom of information was also brought forward in 2015.

This was around a scathing report from the then Privacy Commissioner in regard to destruction of email records that related to missing women on the Highway of Tears. This resulted from an investigation after the former executive assistant to the Minister of Transportation wrote the commissioner a let- ter stating that he was ordered by other staffers to triple- delete records responsive to a freedom-of-information request.

The commissioner investigated and found that the min- ister did, indeed, contravene the Freedom of Information Act in ways that threatened the integrity of access to infor- mation in British Columbia. The commissioner then said: “It’s difficult to overstate the seriousness of the problem that my office discovered. ” [11:00 a.m.] Again, while no charges were laid for the deletions — now, of course, the information of unrecoverable Highway of Tears records — the public was made aware of serious issues. Moving on. Basically, over the last four years, there have Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3845

been a number of actions that have been taken to allow the public to have more access to information. One of those is the increase of data and practically publishing documents. I have run out of time. There’s so much to talk about. I very much appreciate the opportunity to speak to the very important access to freedom of information. J. Sturdy:Thank you to the member, not necessarily opposite but down the road, anyway, here. I suggested before that we really don’t have to look back far to see how freedom of information has allowed us to explore how governments operate.

Equally important is to understand what type of personal information is collected on the public. Ever since the Cambridge Analytica scandal was exposed in the U.K., people have become more aware of how their data is collected, who has access to it, how it is used and to what ends, and rightly so. We know that seemingly mundane data is extremely valuable to third parties, to companies, to advertisers, to political campaigns or, even, to bad actors, wherever they happen to be.

Likes, dislikes, views on various social issues, views on hot-button political issues, page views and preferences — if enough of this basic data is gathered about somebody, it can be extremely powerful for a third party, regardless of who that third party is. Intentions can be innocuous but increasingly can be insidious and, in some cases, can even be with criminal intent. [N. Letnick in the chair.] Until now, certainly the rules here in British Columbia have been largely…. The government has largely been restricted from gathering this type of data, and for good reason.

In the wrong hands, this type of information can be used against someone to target them without them knowing it. Currently even when it is deemed permissible to collect information of this nature, it is done under the purview and oversight of the independent Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia. It is important that there are checks and balances in place to prevent governments from using this type of information for their own self-interested end, to create strategies to target citizens and sectors with design, to purposefully manipulate narratives with self- serving purposes.

Thresholds on limits to this type of information that would routinely be captured by advertising companies, political campaigns and bad actors should remain high, and if this is to change, and there are initiatives to change this, then the citizens of British Columbia should be justi- fied and concerned and demanding to know why. Hon. J. Whiteside:I ask that the House consider pro- ceeding with Motion 18, standing in the name of the mem- ber for Boundary-Similkameen.

Deputy Speaker:Members, unanimous consent of this House is required to proceed to Motion 18 without dis- turbing the priorities of the motions preceding it on the order paper. If any member is opposed to the request for leave, please indicate now. Leave granted. Private Members’ Motions MOTION 18 — RURAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES R.

Russell:I move: [Be it resolved that this House support strong rural communities built on thriving, diversified and sustainable rural economies.] A few years ago, sitting around a campfire near Pember- ton, my friend Ben made the astute observation that what our small communities needed most is the ability to reach their full potential.

The historic model of economic devel- opment and the foundations of neoclassical economics is that more is better. [11:05 a.m.] Today I rise to remind us that better is actually better, and that as people tasked with making life better for Brit- ish Columbians, all of us in this chamber owe some atten- tion to how best we can help support rural communities live up to their full potential. We need to do this in the context of significant trans- formation in rural B.C. The nature of our resource sector is changing. There is dramatic increase in the mobility of labour. Climate change is impacting everything we do.

Even fundamental expectations and values of our new generations are different than in years past. For example, over the last few decades, we’ve seen job losses and mill closures in the forest sector. This leaves our communities struggling to revitalize those downtown cof- fee shops and kindergarten classes, and it is the impetus for the sweeping changes proposed in our forest remod- ernization intentions paper, for example, to help provide more value to more British Columbians.

Even while this pandemic has tried relentlessly to break our spirits, there has been an increased appreciation of the quality of life that rural communities can afford. We’ve seen a shift to increased remote work opportunities and increased digital engagement options in education and beyond. This resulted in migration into rural communities — people deciding to live where they want to and fitting their work into those places, as opposed to vice versa. This means more vibrant communities, as long as we plan wisely for these changes.

We’re also coming to a greater societal recognition that climate action is not an altruistic or optional path forward. It is a responsible investment in public safety. The oppor- tunity here is to reimagine how rural communities identify 3846 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

as active actors in this process. How well we incorporate climate solutions into our identity in rural communities will dictate our success. This motion is to support that transformation that’s on the horizon. The fascinating question for me is: how? Communities are all unique, and they have different needs and different pressure points for change. Given that one size clearly does not fit all, this government’s support plan needs to, and does, provide a diverse menu of programs to get the right support to the right places. There are some fundamentals of making life more secure that we know are foundational.

Child care is a necessary part of the scaffolding to support thriving rural communities. Keremeos, for example, loses rural profes- sionals after recruitment because they simply cannot find child care. Investments in child care partnerships like this government is making in an unprecedented fashion across B.C. are investments in health care, investments in jobs, economic vibrancy and more. Another cornerstone of thriving rural communities is connectivity. It’s tough to work remotely without predict- able and high-speed Internet.

Budget 2021 brought stable funding to connectivity for the first time to help realize the government commitment to connecting all British Col- umbian communities — a bold proposition but one that we all recognize is central to helping provide the potential for communities to be creative, to be diverse and to sup- port a shift in the nature of what rural B.C. ’s identity really is. Agriculture is part of the fabric of rural B.C. as we heard earlier, helping building predictability into producer’s fin- ancial statements.

Programs like Feed B.C. and food hubs are important to ensure that local producers have sustain- able avenues to get their healthy food processed and into institutions like hospitals and universities. This builds pre- dictability and security into our agricultural systems. To help pivot minds, the StrongerBC future leaders pro- gram is providing over 5,000 people with access to skills training, internships, job co-ops and meaningful jobs.

Hopefully, we’ll find inspiration from rural innovators such as Boundary Electric in my riding, which, among other things, converts sea cans into mobile cryptocurrency mining centres, eventually equipped with generators attached to convert waste gas into energy onsite. We are foresters and miners, but we have an identity in rural B.C. that can be so much more as well, if we embrace it and support it wisely. How do we support best rural communities to plan for and prepare for this future that we have yet to see?

How do we help ensure that rural res- idents keep a strong sense of purpose and identity in this new future? I’m not certain, but I see it as our number one challenge — for us in this House to work to ensure that we can provide diverse supports for a diverse and sustainable, thriving B.C. On Friday, I met with leaders in Okanagan Falls, an unincorporated community with huge potential and an enormous amount of local energy poised to make great things happen. If we do this right here, our role in this House will help lower barriers and provide supports to help make rural community visions such as theirs a reality.

L. Doerkson:Thank you to the member opposite for moving this motion this morning. It is an issue that I’m sure you know is one of great importance to many people on my side of this House and, certainly, many people of British Columbia. [11:10 a.m.] I have to say I’m glad to hear the member opposite talk about the importance of strengthening rural communities and, of course, our economies, particularly when so many people in B.C. — certainly rural B.C. — feel utterly forgot- ten and left behind by some of the government’s decisions.

It is not lost on my constituents or people around B.C. that this NDP government is mainly composed of MLAs from Metro Vancouver and Victoria. Therefore, much of it’s focus lies in southwestern B.C. But as it has been rightly pointed out, strengthening our rural communities is abso- lutely vital and something that needs to be a greater prior- ity for this government, so I welcome the opportunity to highlight this motion. One need that is prominent in my constituency and, also, in much of rural B.C. is connectivity.

This is true both in cases of Internet and cell coverage and also with respect to transportation, especially in the past two years. As so much of our daily life has increasingly moved online, our need for better connection to the Internet is becoming more and more profound. Improving this will open up so many new opportunities to access services that are cur- rently limited. Additionally, to improve overall connectivity, we need better transportation services.

The lack of transportation between communities and even within our cities and towns holds people back from being able to access health care, businesses, other services and, sometimes, even their work. The withdrawal of Greyhound from B.C. left consid- erable gaps in our transportation system. While private companies have done an amazing job of filling some of these gaps, they could be used by the government to solve some of these large transportation issues that still plague rural B.C.

It’s not just the need for alternate routes of transporta- tion; it’s also the state of our roads that can be a limitation to connectivity. We frequently have roads that have been washed out by landslides and floods, and these events can block off the only routes in and out of communities. There is significant need for better maintenance of these routes both to limit the safety risk and so that people do not have to worry about being cut off from businesses or services like health care. Also, in order to strengthen our rural communities, we Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3847

need proper supports for recovery from disasters like wild- fires. It is absolutely unacceptable that months and some- times years after devastating fires, people are still trying to pick up the pieces by themselves because this government has not stepped in to provide the needed investment and recovery. I’ve spoken at length, before, about the NDP dragging their feet on securing disaster relief funding from the federal government and the impacts that this is having on ranchers looking to get their cattle back on the range.

But there is so much more to do — so much work that is absolutely necessary to maintain and strengthen our rural economies. It’s hard to forget that this government, despite their attempts to make it seem like they are ready to invest in rural communities, is the same government that cancelled the rural dividend fund. The rural dividend fund consisted of millions of dollars set aside precisely for what we’re talk- ing about this morning: creating thriving and diversified world economies.

Instead of investing in a program and allowing it to con- tinue to fund important projects, the government called it a slush fund and then raided it to use the money elsewhere. It was profoundly disappointing for so many people, par- ticularly local governments who were depending on this money for projects in their communities. I am glad that the members opposite are finally starting to acknowledge the need for greater investment in the Interior and the North, but I hope that they know they have a lot of work to do.

Rural B.C. deserves better — far better — from this government than what it has received over the past four years. M. Babchuk:I stand today to support the motion: “Be it resolved that this House support strong rural com- munities built on thriving, diversified and sustainable rural economies. ” The most important part of that state- ment, to me, is the identification of rural economies and the understanding that they differ from urban or metro- politan economies. Rural and remote communities should not just be defined as a location on a map or a population statistic.

They’re communities that have deep, historic roots, cul- tures of resilience. The people who live there, most often, are from multigenerational families who identify them- selves directly with their community. [11:15 a.m.] It will not come as a huge surprise that my riding, North Island, is primarily made up of a dynamic group of rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Currently we’re see- ing these communities raise concerns as we watch historic economic sectors attempt to transition.

Industries like commercial fishing, forestry, mining, tourism and aquaculture are looking at sustainability and diversifica- tion strategies that are creating a sense of risk or uncer- tainty for any type of economic investment. Coupled with the absence of tools that urban and met- ropolitan communities often take for granted makes it more important than ever to listen to the needs identified by the people in these communities as we assist them with their economic diversification. A great example of this is the Connected Coast pro- ject.

This project started with the strategic direction from rural and remote directors of the Strathcona regional district in hopes to promote safety and provide accessibility to government services like telehealth, dis- tance education and emergency management B.C. and to assist with attracting economic opportunity. This pro- ject grew out of necessity and has become what is today a collaboration between the Strathcona regional district and CityWest, a B.C. telecommunications company founded by the city of Prince Rupert.

I was extremely proud to welcome the Minister of Cit- izens’ Services and the Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction to Campbell River just last Friday to announce the launch of the cable-laying vessel for the Connected Coast backbone fibre. Our government has identified that approximately 60 percent of rural non-Indigenous and non-urban Indigen- ous communities do not have reliable, affordable, high- speed Internet and that people need broadband to work, learn and stay in touch with friends and loved ones.

That’s why I’m so grateful for programs like connecting British Columbia that help fund a significant portion of this infra- structure cost and our Stronger B.C. plan that includes record investments in connectivity infrastructure for rural and Indigenous communities. Budget 2021 brought stable funding to connectivity for the first time, ensuring that these important investments continue. When provincial, federal and privately funded projects are complete, 60 percent of rural and Indigenous communities throughout B.C. will have access to reliable, high-speed Internet.

Almost $90 million has been com- mitted to connectivity projects throughout B.C. since October 2020. The Connected Coast is bringing unprecedented digital capacity to many rural and remote coastal communities in B.C. The subsea fibre optic cable will be laid along the ocean floor, providing the infrastructure to benefit approx- imately 139 communities, including 48 Indigenous com- munities, from the southern tip of Vancouver Island to as far north as Haida Gwaii. That’s not all.

We’re investing in rural and remote B.C. with small and medium business recovery grants, circuit breaker relief grants and wage growth strategies, through the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation; Buy B.C., Feed B.C., B.C. Food Hub and the B.C. salmon restoration and innovation fund, through the Ministry of Agriculture; new regional airport infrastructure, active transportation initiatives and road upgrade projects, through the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastruc- ture; and rural community resource grants and explora- 3848 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

tion around mass timber opportunities, from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. We are working hard, but there’s still more to do. We need to continue to provide rural remote communities with the tools they need to diversify their economies: cell service, reliable hydro, travelable roads and municipal infrastructure.

Rural and remote B.C. is quickly showing itself to be the ideal place for people seeking lifestyle and affordable choices for themselves and their families, so it’s more important than ever that we get these communities tooled up so they can invest, make investments, create jobs and provide services, all while keeping their community iden- tities. C. Oakes:It truly is my honour to rise today to speak to the motion of supporting strong rural communities. Investments in rural British Columbia form the found- ation for future growth, economic certainty and oppor- tunity across this province.

They assist rural communities to remain vibrant, attractive places to live, work and, of course, encourage young adults to stay and attract new res- idents into our communities. Government needs to invest in these communities to ensure that the next generation can flourish in the very communities that they call home. [11:20 a.m.] This requires a rural economic development strategy that aligns with government policy and a wide range of programs. Governments need to be there to support these communities, to support forest-dependent communities facing mill closures, curtailments.

Government needs to be there to support communities facing wildfires, floods and landslides. Government needs to be there. I encourage members of this House to look at the B.C. Liberal B.C. rural opportunities strategy of which the cornerstone, of course, was the rural dividend fund. Don’t abandon policies that made good common sense, that sup- ported rural economic development. Building infrastruc- ture such as highways is critical to rural communities which, of course, link them to the rest of the province and the key markets to help them thrive.

At the same time, it’s essential for government to con- tinue to do road repairs on impacted communities that have faced catastrophic climate events such as wildfires and floods, because, of course, transportation serves a dual purpose by generating direct employment and underpin- ning job creation, all while supporting the quality of life for citizens in our communities. It is also critical that government supports policies that support thriving rural economies.

We all know that small businesses are the heart and soul in all of our communit- ies, and it is critically important that we are there to assist them in times of difficulty. We need to do more to create vibrant places for people to live, work and play. One of the ways is to make sure that we’re supporting the very small businesses that give back each and every time that com- munity members ask. I have heard firsthand the many challenges that busi- nesses in my riding of Cariboo North are currently facing. Things such as they’re having difficulty accessing labour. They’re struggling with the increase in taxes.

And they are, of course, still dealing with the devastating impacts of the pandemic. This government needs to do more to support this important sector in order for our communities to live up to their full potential. Helping rural communities meet local infrastructure needs such as affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure and replacing aging infra- structure can enhance safety, grow our economy and sup- port trade for B.C. ’s expanding resource sectors. Last week in this House, we recognized the importance of our agricultural sector in our province.

Food security in our province requires that we listen closely to this import- ant sector and ensure that government policies and reg- ulations do not have negative consequences. However, I have heard major concerns from a variety of my agricul- tural constituents that this government continues to create roadblocks for this sector. Issues such as confusion around requiring permits, delays in receiving water well licences and layering of new fees have caused disruption for many and are greatly impacting our agricultural sector.

For example, I have heard from individuals that future farm planning has become so difficult for the next gener- ation that it is not sure if the next generation is willing to step up or can even survive in this critically important sec- tor. For many, the water well licence programs have taken years to process. And most importantly, the new fees on top of the rising costs of layering of cumulative fees are negatively impacting a sector that needs to thrive for B.C. to meet its food security needs. I want all members of this House to understand the unique challenges our rural ridings experience.

Cariboo North is larger than Vancouver Island. I want each of you to consider for a moment what it means when government policies and regulations, the role it plays in making rural communities less efficient…. Under this government, communities like mine have struggled, and we need to implement the right policies here in Victoria to ensure that our rural communities can thrive. One of my proudest accomplishments when we were in government was when we developed a pilot project across ministries looking at how we can support rural communit- ies. I implore this House to continue that important work. [11:25 a.m.] J.

Rice: It is important to note that the wealth gener- ated in the regions of rural B.C. make possible many of the essential public services that every British Columbi- an depends on. Our government has been working hard to support rural B.C., including the communities I rep- resent in North Coast. These investments help maintain Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3849

diversified and sustainable economies, allowing com- munities to thrive. Locally, some of the investments to rural economies include the northern planning and capital grant, which brought in over $175 million to northwest communities. Communities like Prince Rupert received over $14 mil- lion to invest in water infrastructure, roads or down- town revitalization. To put that into perspective, the city’s budget is $35 million annually. So that’s quite an investment.

Thanks to federal and provincial investments, High- way 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George will soon have cellular coverage along the entire route, fulfilling a critical recommendation to make the highway safer. As part of this project, Rogers plans to install 12 cellular towers along the highway. This will provide 252 kilo- metres of new highway cellular coverage, closing several gaps along the corridor. As someone who uses this highway regularly and has been stranded on the highway myself, I know how import- ant this project is for the people who travel Highway 16.

Not only will this project open up access to communities along the corridor; it will make it much easier for emer- gency responders to react quickly when people need assistance. It’s scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2022. People in northern British Columbia will continue to enjoy safe, reliable transportation options with help from new multi-year funding from the provincial and federal governments.

B.C. and Canada are providing $7.9 million in safe restart funding to respond to the longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued need for public transportation in rural and remote com- munities in northern B.C., through to March 2025. The new funding will enable northern bus services, including the areas served by B.C. Bus North, to be sus- tained and enhanced. In 2018, when Greyhound elim- inated its bus services throughout western Canada, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, working in partnership with B.C. Transit, launched B.C.

Bus North, a long-haul bus service serving communities such as Prince Rupert, Prince George, Valemount, Fort Nelson and points in between. People who live and work in northern B.C. are bene- fiting from a provincial investment of $25 million that will improve and expand operations at the Port of Prince Rupert. This supports B.C. and Canadian exporters’ com- petitiveness and opportunities in international trade. Our investment in the Port of Prince Rupert improves western trade corridors and helps Canadian importers and export- ers get goods to market.

It supports regional businesses and provides the necessary infrastructure to boost our provincial economy to help build back stronger from the hit of COVID-19. The project, led by the Prince Rupert Port Authority, improves and expands infrastructure at Ridley Island export logistics platform. The new platform will increase the port’s export transloading capacity from 75,000 20-foot-equivalent units, or TEUs, to over 400,000 TEUs annually. Subsea fibre optic cable will be laid along the ocean floor, providing the infrastructure to benefit approxim- ately 139 communities, including 48 Indigenous com- munities.

The Connected Coast network will serve com- munities with backbone infrastructure from Haida Gwaii to southern Vancouver Island. Service providers will be able to offer high-speed Internet that will provide coastal communities with better opportunities to learn, do busi- ness, access services and stay connected. It’s a powerful socioeconomic driver that supports the delivery of accessible and responsive services citizens count on. My colleague from North Island has done an excellent job outlining the benefits of this project.

I’m running out of time to elaborate on the investments we’ve made in northern communities, such as the creation of 45 new child care spaces at school district 52 or the $720,000 input into the Prince Rupert regional airport to help sustain services. We have accomplished much in the North, but of course, we still have much more work to do. It is my hon- our to represent and advocate for the people of North Coast and to help develop strong, resilient, diversified rur- al economies. B.

Stewart:It’s a pleasure to rise in the House today to support the motion before us today and speak to the need to strengthen our rural communities and economies. Our rural communities are vital and, unfortunately, all- too-often forgotten by this government.

I have to say that it was surprising to see the NDP put forward this motion — however, the member who brought it forward, I know, lives in rural British Columbia in one of the communities that needs many things — as it feels like the priorities for the government often lie outside of rural B.C. [11:30 a.m.] However, it is a positive step to see them recognizing the importance of these communities here in this House. I hope it signals a change in the way that we operate and the way that we engage with the majority of the province that is beyond Hope.

As for strengthening rural communities, there is no shortage of important issues to talk about. The one that remains at the top of the list, I think, in everyone’s mind is connectivity. I know that we continue to hear that, and I know how rapidly it’s changing. But that change really took place during COVID, when people were stranded at home, couldn’t connect with their businesses, their loved ones. This has been a growing issue, with the threshold and the standards that the federal government has insisted that connectivity levels get to across Canada.

I’m glad to hear from the member for Boundary-Similkameen about the continued investments in this, but I do think that we need long-term, sustainable funding. 3850 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

As I mentioned, the CRTC has recently set a target that every Canadian should have access to Internet with a speed of 50 megabits per second. But right now only 40 percent of rural British Columbia communities have access to this, and it’s even worse in our Indigenous com- munities that are at less than 38 percent. The Internet is so essential for most people’s daily life, from business, school, health care, consulting a doctor, or being able to just stay in touch with loved ones and friends. As such, there needs to be a greater focus in ensuring that every home in B.C. has access to this kind of connectivity.

In the same vein, there are still many places in this province, and I’m glad to hear the member for North Coast mention the fact that there is going to be cellular coverage along Highway 16. That’s great, but there are still many places besides Highway 16 that need to have access to that. We have to invest in this. That transportation, that connectivity, is as important as our highways. For people that live in the Lower Mainland, it’s hard for them to imagine living somewhere that cell coverage isn’t always a guarantee. But right now, that’s just a part of life for so many British Columbians.

It’s not just cell coverage. There are so many challenges for rural communities that people in urban areas never have to think about and don’t really understand. There’s less access to education, particularly at the post- secondary level, and for those that are in rural B.C., want- ing to attend college or university usually means leaving your community. Rural B.C. also has fewer options for health care. Hospitals are few and far between in much of the province. Ambulance wait times can be exceptionally long, or you simply don’t have access at all. This makes having a family doctor all the more important.

Hence, I go back to my earlier comment about con- nectivity and health access over the Internet. In the rest of the province, we’re seeing people, more than ever, without a primary care provider, so this is one of the ways of help- ing to make that more accessible. What about transportation? It’s not only a challenge to traverse long distances between cities, but the transport- ation options or lack thereof within many of our com- munities pose a challenge.

Many cities and towns do not have the transit infrastructure to adequately serve our res- idents, particularly in places, even in my riding of Kelowna West, where areas like Northwest Side have no access and school students ride for up to an hour and a half just to get to school one way every day. We need to ensure that we are investing in our com- munities in ways that make common sense and serve the needs right now into the long future.

Whether it’s recov- ering from wildfires, improving connectivity and trans- portation options, providing more supports for businesses, there are certainly no shortages of ways that this govern- ment could work to strengthen rural communities and their economies. The problem is not a lack of opportunit- ies to invest but a lack of will and effort to prioritize the needs of rural British Columbians. Whether someone lives in the centre of Vancouver, in rural Peace River or in my constituency of Kelowna West, they deserve the same access to services, the same level of government support.

I hope that the members on the opposite side of this House can come to not just agree with that statement but actively work to make it a reality. [11:35 a.m.] B. Bailey:Most of us are well familiar with the rural- to-urban brain drain. For decades, rural towns have been losing inhabitants to bigger cities. Between 1951 and 2016, B.C. ’s urban population grew from 68 percent of the total population to 86 percent. Many of those workers joined the tech sector, now employing more than 135,000 individuals. With both wages and employment growth well above average, a career in technology has never been more inviting.

Projec- tions show that we expect a shortage of 75,000 workers in this sector by 2030. That’s not very far off the horizon. The global pandemic has had horrific consequences for many. It’s also been a disrupter both in supply chain but also in how we do business. As has been widely reported, working from home allowed British Columbians a new framework from which to plan where to live. Why pay high urban prices when you can work from anywhere that you can get Internet? Of course, this government contin- ues to seriously invest in connectivity in rural B.C. and Indigenous communities.

Much has been written about the future of work, but in reality it’s still being invented. We don’t really know what comes next. Innovation and disruption breed change and opportunity. A favourite small-town example is that of Greg Malpass and Traction on Demand. Greg hails from Nelson, and he founded Traction after attending SFU in Burnaby. Malpass has grown Traction from a one-person company to what is now over a thousand people. He has seven offices worldwide in Canada, the U.S., India and Australia.

Interestingly, Malpass reports seeing a steady migration of his team that are moving from major urban centres to smaller communities where there’s more affordability. They can leverage the fact that they can do their work from virtually anywhere. In 2018, the company opened a 10,000-square-foot office in Malpass’s hometown of Nel- son. Traction is looking at many disruptive and new ways to do work, including a model where remote workers have a central location to meet up, like a coffee shop, and Trac- tion pays part of the operating cost to that business.

B.C. has a network of regional economic development agencies working to support companies in these com- munities. KAST, the Kootenay Association of Science and Technology, collaborates with companies like Traction on Demand. Accelerate Okanagan, or AO, is one of the drivers that’s led to the Okanagan becoming a rapidly Monday, November 1, 2021 British Columbia Debates 3851

growing tech and innovation hub. AO indicates that the Okanagan now hosts 12,500 tech workers, a 15 percent growth, and $1.7 billion in economic impact. One of the companies AO has been working with is Y eti Farm. Creative couple Ashley and Todd Ramsay had been working in the animation sector in Vancouver and, after starting their own company and becoming parents, decided in 2010 to move closer to family in Kelowna. The couple rented space, hired five students and secured their first work-for-hire projects. By 2019, Y eti had 160 artists — 7,000 square feet of studio space.

Historically animating shows under contract for other companies, Y eti has now expanded to the point where they are writing, developing and pitching their own series. Recently three ideas have been greenlit to develop into primetime pilots. Innovation Island works to support tech companies north of the Malahat. A great example of a studio that benefits from this support and continues to be successful is Cloudhead Games, located in an old fire hall in Qualicum. Cloudhead Games was an early adopter of building video games in virtual reality, or VR.

In fact, their hit game Pis- tol Whip won VR game of the year in 2020. There’s no region in B.C. where technological innova- tion is not happening. In the north, tech firms often devel- op technologies specifically for the more traditional north- ern B.C. industries, like energy, mining and forestry. As an MLA from Vancouver, I’m always happy to see growth of tech companies in my city. As the Parliamentary Secretary for Technology and Innovation, I see opportunity everywhere. I’m delighted to see the growth of technology and innovation spread throughout our province, creating opportunity for all B.C. ’ ers.

In honour of Women and Girls in STEAM Week this week, November 1 to 7, I’m happy to mention that Y eti Farm, in fact, and Cloudhead Games are both women co- founded and led. M. Morris:Good morning. It is my privilege to stand and speak about the importance of strengthening our rural areas and ensuring that we have a thriving, diversified eco- nomy throughout British Columbia. Rural B.C. can’t sur- vive without a strong resource sector. [11:40 a.m.] B.C. can’t survive without a strong resource sector across the province.

The focus on building a strong and resilient, robust resource economy has never been more critical than it is today. B.C. ’s electricity originates in rural B.C. and is trans- ported through thousands of kilometres of hydro lines across the province. Our natural gas, which is generated in northeast B.C., provides heat for most residential buildings in the province, provides natural gas for industry and commerce in British Columbia and the northwest United States. Those take people, and those take a commitment by government to ensure that those resources keep flowing south.

Provincewide, resource sector jobs have dropped from 8.4 percent of all employment to around 4.4 percent — 50 percent just in the last few years alone. This is an indica- tion that government has abandoned the resource sector right across the province. Fifty percent of our resource sec- tor jobs have disappeared. I’ll start with forestry. The severe overharvesting and bark beetle salvage that we’ve seen throughout the province have prematurely depleted B.C. forests. It’s led to several mills being permanently shut down, and there are several more to come.

Modernization in the forest sec- tor over the last 15 years has seen a 50 percent drop in employment within the forest sector. I look at Mackenzie as an example, a small town in my riding where the pulp mill has permanently closed. A large-dimension sawmill has permanently closed. The oth- er mill in town has been operating intermittently over the past number of years. Combined, this has put hundreds of people in this small community out of work. They’ve had to go to other areas to seek employment. I haven’t once seen government in town to address any of those concerns within that community.

They virtually abandoned Mackenzie in its time of need. The time has come to reset how we do forestry right across the province to enable us to extract the other values of the forest, rather than just mere fibre. I turn to another resource sector that I think has been abandoned by government: mining. It’s always been the cornerstone of the B.C. economy as well, contributing to small and large communities. There are several mining opportunities in British Columbia. Just in my region alone — within about a two- or three-hour drive of Prince George — there are all kinds of shovel-ready projects that are ready to go.

Rare earth minerals are in high demand right around the world. Again, within a two- or three-hour drive of Prince George, there are a number of rare earth elements that are attractive to international folks. The problems that we see facing the existing and poten- tial mines are the escalating costs, many of them imposed by government, like your employee health tax, increased fuel costs and lengthy permitting processes. I look at Mount Milligan near Mackenzie. It employs about 450 people.

It’s very vital to not only the regional economy in Prince George, but there are people who travel to Mount Milligan from all across the province to work. As a result of examining these increased costs, the mine life of Mount Milligan has been reduced from 25 years to nine years. That’s going to have a significant implication on the public and the economy, moving for- ward, not only for the folks in Mackenzie but regionally all across the province. There are a number of things — you know, oil refinery…. We have petrochemicals. There are a number of 3852 British Columbia Debates Monday, November 1, 2021

initiatives that we need to look at to stimulate the resource sector and the economy of British Columbia so that every- body has the opportunity to succeed and live successfully in our province. D.

Coulter:I’m very happy to speak today in full sup- port of the member for Boundary-Similkameen and Par- liamentary Secretary for Rural Development’s motion: “Be it resolved that this House support strong rural communit- ies built on thriving, diversified and sustainable rural eco- nomies. ” [11:45 a.m.] My colleagues have mentioned many ways to diversify the rural economy, but I’ d like to mention just two: forestry and connectivity. It’s not a secret that I worked in the forestry industry, in particular a sawmill, so the forestry industry is quite important to me.

Forestry has been the backbone of our rural communities for so long. I look around the province now, though, and see so many saw- mills that have disappeared. Communities all over the province were devastated by these closures. The 2003 forestry revitalization strategy — truly an Orwellian name — was a disaster for the forest industry here in B.C., an unmitigated disaster. It removed the social contract that required forestry companies to process their logs locally wherever possible.

Local mills shut down, raw log exports accelerated, and the jobs and wealth from our Crown resources went elsewhere — resources that belonged to the people of B.C. The current government is taking a different approach. We need to maximize our resources for the people of B.C. to have good-paying jobs and vibrant communities. That’s why this government is supporting things like mass timber by investing an additional $2 million into the mass timber demonstration program to support a second intake for successful eligible applicants who want to advance their mass timber project.

The first intake invested $4.2 million to support eight mass timber demonstration projects and four research projects in the province. This provides grants to accelerate the use of mass timber in B.C. to support jobs in research, design, engineering, construction and forestry. Mass timber already provides approximately 166,000 jobs and generates more than $17 billion annually for B.C. ’s economy. With these grants, I think that British Col- umbia has the opportunity to become a world leader in mass timber.

Another place that we can ensure that forestry contin- ues to provide good-paying jobs to British Columbians for generations is to ensure that we are getting the most out of our fibre. In my constituency, and in my colleague the member for Vernon-Monashee’s constituency, there’s a company that takes the waste wood or cut ends from larger mills and joins them together to create high-end products, including siding and structural beams. These pieces are as small as six inches long.

Also, in my other friend’s constituency, the member for Chilliwack-Kent, there’s a new mill that employs up to 100 people and is focused on remanufactured wood. These are the types of activities that we need to continue to support. There’s a lot of potential for the value-added sector to keep forestry jobs in our rural communities. I’ d also like to talk a li

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20211101am-Hansard-n120
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20211101am Hansard n120
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	86c3d8be00752263d150e4741fb3e2dd4a5683c6

Source file is stored in the law ingest library (pdf).