British Columbia Hansard — 6 May 2026, p.m., Issue 174 (43rd Parliament, 2nd Session)

20260506pm-Hansard-n174

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 43rd Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Issue No. 174 THE HONOURABLE RAJ CHOUHAN, SPEAKER ISSN 1499-2175

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Wendy Cocchia, CM, OBC Second Session, 43rd Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Raj Chouhan EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council ................................................................................................... Hon. David Eby, KC Minister of State for Local Governments and Rural Communities .......................................................... Hon.

Brittny Anderson Minister of Agriculture and Food ..............................................................................................................................Hon. Lana Popham Attorney General and Deputy Premier ............................................................................................................... Hon. Niki Sharma, KC Minister of Children and Family Development ......................................................................................................Hon.

Jodie Wickens Minister of Citizens’ Services ......................................................................................................................................Hon. Diana Gibson Minister of Education and Child Care ............................................................................................................................Hon. Lisa Beare Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness ................................................................................ Hon.

Kelly Greene Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions .................................................................................................................... Hon. Adrian Dix Minister of Environment and Parks .................................................................................................... Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson Minister of Finance ......................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Brenda Bailey Minister of Forests .......................................................................................................................................................... Hon. Ravi Parmar Minister of Health ........................................................................................................................................................Hon. Josie Osborne Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs ...........................................................................................................Hon.

Christine Boyle Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation ........................................................................Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert Minister of Infrastructure .............................................................................................................................................. Hon. Bowinn Ma Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth ...................................................................................................................... Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies .................................................................. Hon. Rick Glumac Minister of Labour .............................................................................................................................................. Hon. Jennifer Whiteside Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals .....................................................................................................................Hon.

Jagrup Brar Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills ........................................................................................Hon. Jessie Sunner Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General ........................................................................................................ Hon. Nina Krieger Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services ........................................................................ Hon.

Terry Yung Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction ...............................................................................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport ............................................................................................................. Hon. Anne Kang Minister of Transportation and Transit ................................................................................................................ Hon.

Mike Farnworth Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship ............................................................................................... Hon. Randene Neill Minister Without Portfolio ..............................................................................................................................................Hon.

Grace Lore LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Official Opposition ......................................................................................................................................Trevor Halford Leader of the Third Party .................................................................................................................................................Jeremy Valeriote Deputy Speaker ......................................................................................................................................................................

Mable Elmore Assistant Deputy Speaker .................................................................................................................................................Lorne Doerkson Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole ......................................................................................................................George Anderson Clerk of the Legislative Assembly....................................................................................................................................Kate Ryan-Lloyd Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel ......................................................................................................................Seunghee Suzie Seo Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly...............................................................................................................

Artour Sogomonian Clerk of Committees .............................................................................................................................................................. Jennifer Arril Committee Clerk ......................................................................................................................................................................

Karan Riarh Committee Clerk .........................................................................................................................................................................Darryl Hol Senior Legal Counsel .................................................................................................................................................................Hayley Hill Sergeant-at-Arms ..................................................................................................................................................................

Ray Robitaille Director of Hansard Services .......................................................................................................................................D’ Arcy McPherson Legislative Librarian ...............................................................................................................................................................Peter Gourlay

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS BY PARTY BC NDP Anderson, Hon. Brittny ........................................... Kootenay Central Anderson, George ................................................ Nanaimo-Lantzville Arora, Rohini ....................................................................Burnaby East Bailey, Hon. Brenda ................................Vancouver–South Granville Beare, Hon.

Lisa .......................................Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Begg, Garry .................................................................Surrey-Guildford Blatherwick, Jennifer ....................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Boyle, Hon. Christine .............................Vancouver–Little Mountain Brar, Hon. Jagrup ......................................................Surrey-Fleetwood Chandra Herbert, Hon. Spencer ..................... Vancouver–West End Chant, Susie .............................................

North Vancouver–Seymour Choi, Paul ..................................................Burnaby South–Metrotown Chouhan, Hon. Raj ................................. Burnaby–New Westminster Chow, George ....................................................Vancouver-Fraserview Davidson, Hon. Tamara / Laanas ...........North Coast–Haida Gwaii Dhir, Sunita .............................................................Vancouver-Langara Dix, Hon. Adrian .................................................. Vancouver-Renfrew Eby, Hon. David, KC .......................................

Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable ................................................. Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Hon. Mike .................................................Port Coquitlam Gibson, Hon. Diana ........................................Oak Bay–Gordon Head Glumac, Hon. Rick ...................................... Port Moody–Burquitlam Greene, Hon. Kelly ..............................................Richmond-Steveston Higginson, Stephanie ........................................Ladysmith-Oceanside Kahlon, Hon. Ravi .............................................................. Delta North Kang, Hon.

Anne ......................................................... Burnaby Centre Krieger, Hon. Nina ...............................................Victoria–Swan Lake Lajeunesse, Dana ..............................................Juan de Fuca–Malahat Lore, Hon. Grace .................................................Victoria–Beacon Hill Ma, Hon. Bowinn ................................... North Vancouver–Lonsdale Malcolmson, Hon. Sheila .........................Nanaimo–Gabriola Island Morissette, Steve ...................................................Kootenay Monashee Neill, Hon. Randene ............................

Powell River–Sunshine Coast Osborne, Hon. Josie ....................................... Mid Island–Pacific Rim Parmar, Hon. Ravi ...............................................Langford-Highlands Phillip, Joan / Amshen .....................................Vancouver-Strathcona Popham, Hon. Lana ........................................................ Saanich South Rotchford, Darlene ...............................................Esquimalt-Colwood Routledge, Janet .............................................................Burnaby North Sandhu, Harwinder ......................................................

Vernon-Lumby Shah, Amna ............................................................. Surrey City Centre Sharma, Hon. Niki, KC ....................................... Vancouver-Hastings Sunner, Hon. Jessie ....................................................... Surrey-Newton Toporowski, Debra / Qwulti’stunaat .......................Cowichan Valley Whiteside, Hon. Jennifer ...................New Westminster–Coquitlam Wickens, Hon. Jodie ............................. Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Yung, Hon.

Terry .................................................Vancouver-Yaletown CONSERV ATIVE PARTY OF BC Banman, Bruce .......................................................... Abbotsford South Bhangu, Harman .................................................. Langley-Abbotsford Bird, Rosalyn ............................................. Prince George–Valemount Block, Lynne ..............................................West Vancouver–Capilano Chapman, Brent .................................................................Surrey South Clare, Sheldon ....................................

Prince George–North Cariboo Davis, Pete ..................................................................Kootenay Rockies Day, Brennan ........................................................... Courtenay-Comox Dew, Gavin ..................................................................Kelowna-Mission Dhaliwal, Mandeep .......................................................... Surrey North Doerkson, Lorne .....................................................

Cariboo-Chilcotin Gasper, Reann .......................................................Abbotsford-Mission Giddens, Kiel ..............................................Prince George–Mackenzie Halford, Trevor ......................................................Surrey–White Rock Hartwell, Sharon ..............................................Bulkley Valley–Stikine Hepner, Linda ................................................Surrey–Serpentine River Kindy, Anna ........................................................................North Island Kooner, Steve ............................................Richmond-Queensborough Loewen, Kristina ..........................................................

Kelowna Centre Luck, Tony ..........................................................................Fraser-Nicola Maahs, Heather ......................................................... Chilliwack North McCall, Macklin .........................................West Kelowna–Peachland McInnis, Scott ......................................... Columbia River–Revelstoke Milobar, Peter ............................................................

Kamloops Centre Mok, Lawrence ...........................................................Maple Ridge East Neufeld, Korky ............................................................Abbotsford West Neufeld, Larry ...........................................................Peace River South Paton, Ian ..............................................................................Delta South Rattée, Claire .................................................................................Skeena Rustad, John ...................................................................Nechako Lakes Stamer, Ward .........................................Kamloops–North Thompson Tepper, Br yan ............................................................

Surrey-Panorama Toor, Jody ............................................................Langley-Willowbrook Van Popta, Misty..............................................Langley–Walnut Grove Warbus, Á’a:líya ..............................................Chilliwack–Cultus Lake Wat, Teresa .........................................................Richmond-Bridgeport Williams, David ...............................................Salmon Arm–Shuswap Wilson, Donegal ............................................Boundary-Similkameen BC GREEN PARTY Botterell, Rob .......................................Saanich North and the Islands Valeriote, Jeremy .....................................

West Vancouver–Sea to Sky INDEPENDENT Armstrong, Tara .....................Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream Boultbee, Amelia .............................................Penticton-Summerland Brodie, Dallas .................................................... Vancouver-Quilchena Chan, Hon ..................................................................Richmond Centre Kealy, Jordan ............................................................. Peace River North Sturko, Elenore .........................................................

Surrey-Cloverdale PARTY STANDINGS Total seats – 93 BC NDP – 47 | Conservative Party of BC – 38 | BC Green Party – 2 | Independent – 6

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF RIDINGS A Abbotsford-Mission ........................................................Reann Gasper Abbotsford South ........................................................... Bruce Banman Abbotsford West .............................................................Korky Neufeld B Boundary-Similkameen .............................................Donegal Wilson Bulkley Valley–Stikine ............................................... Sharon Hartwell Burnaby Centre ...........................................................Hon.

Anne Kang Burnaby East ......................................................................Rohini Arora Burnaby–New Westminster .................................. Hon. Raj Chouhan Burnaby North ..............................................................Janet Routledge Burnaby South–Metrotown .................................................. Paul Choi C Cariboo-Chilcotin .......................................................Lorne Doerkson Chilliwack–Cultus Lake .............................................. Á’a:líya Warbus Chilliwack North ..........................................................

Heather Maahs Columbia River–Revelstoke ...........................................Scott McInnis Coquitlam–Burke Mountain .............................. Hon. Jodie Wickens Coquitlam-Maillardville .................................... Jennifer Blatherwick Courtenay-Comox ............................................................ Brennan Day Cowichan Valley ....................... Debra Toporowski / Qwulti’stunaat D Delta North ................................................................Hon.

Ravi Kahlon Delta South ...............................................................................Ian Paton E Esquimalt-Colwood ................................................Darlene Rotchford F Fraser-Nicola .......................................................................... Tony Luck J Juan de Fuca–Malahat ...............................................Dana Lajeunesse K Kamloops Centre ............................................................. Peter Milobar Kamloops–North Thompson .........................................

Ward Stamer Kelowna Centre ........................................................... Kristina Loewen Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream ......................Tara Armstrong Kelowna-Mission ..................................................................Gavin Dew Kootenay Central ............................................ Hon. Brittny Anderson Kootenay Monashee ....................................................Steve Morissette Kootenay Rockies................................................................... Pete Davis L Ladysmith-Oceanside ........................................

Stephanie Higginson Langford-Highlands ................................................ Hon. Ravi Parmar Langley-Abbotsford ....................................................Harman Bhangu Langley–Walnut Grove ..............................................Misty Van Popta Langley-Willowbrook ............................................................ Jody Toor M Maple Ridge East ............................................................Lawrence Mok Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows ........................................Hon. Lisa Beare Mid Island–Pacific Rim ........................................ Hon.

Josie Osborne N Nanaimo–Gabriola Island ..........................Hon. Sheila Malcolmson Nanaimo-Lantzville ................................................. George Anderson Nechako Lakes ....................................................................John Rustad New Westminster–Coquitlam .................... Hon. Jennifer Whiteside North Coast–Haida Gwaii ............Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson North Island ........................................................................Anna Kindy North Vancouver–Lonsdale .....................................Hon.

Bowinn Ma North Vancouver–Seymour ...............................................Susie Chant O Oak Bay–Gordon Head ......................................... Hon. Diana Gibson P Peace River North ..............................................................Jordan Kealy Peace River South ............................................................Larry Neufeld Penticton-Summerland .............................................. Amelia Boultbee Port Coquitlam ................................................. Hon. Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Burquitlam ........................................Hon.

Rick Glumac Powell River–Sunshine Coast ............................. Hon. Randene Neill Prince George–Mackenzie ...............................................Kiel Giddens Prince George–North Cariboo ......................................Sheldon Clare Prince George–Valemount ...............................................Rosalyn Bird R Richmond-Bridgeport .......................................................... Teresa Wat Richmond Centre .................................................................. Hon Chan Richmond-Queensborough ............................................

Steve Kooner Richmond-Steveston ...............................................Hon. Kelly Greene S Saanich North and the Islands ....................................... Rob Botterell Saanich South ......................................................... Hon.

Lana Popham Salmon Arm–Shuswap ................................................David Williams Skeena ..................................................................................Claire Rattée Surrey City Centre ...............................................................Amna Shah Surrey-Cloverdale .......................................................... Elenore Sturko Surrey-Fleetwood ....................................................... Hon. Jagrup Brar Surrey-Guildford .................................................................

Garry Begg Surrey-Newton ........................................................ Hon. Jessie Sunner Surrey North ............................................................Mandeep Dhaliwal Surrey-Panorama ..............................................................Br yan Tepper Surrey–Serpentine River ................................................

Linda Hepner Surrey South ..................................................................Brent Chapman Surrey–White Rock .......................................................Trevor Halford V Vancouver-Fraserview .....................................................George Chow Vancouver-Hastings ........................................ Hon. Niki Sharma, KC Vancouver-Kensington ...................................................Mable Elmore Vancouver-Langara .............................................................Sunita Dhir Vancouver–Little Mountain ............................. Hon.

Christine Boyle Vancouver–Point Grey .........................................Hon. David Eby, KC Vancouver-Quilchena ......................................................Dallas Brodie Vancouver-Renfrew ................................................... Hon. Adrian Dix Vancouver–South Granville ................................ Hon. Brenda Bailey Vancouver-Strathcona ..................................... Amshen / Joan Phillip Vancouver–West End .......................Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert Vancouver-Yaletown ..................................................Hon.

Terry Yung Vernon-Lumby ....................................................... Harwinder Sandhu Victoria–Beacon Hill ................................................. Hon. Grace Lore Victoria–Swan Lake ................................................Hon. Nina Krieger W West Kelowna–Peachland ..........................................Macklin McCall West Vancouver–Capilano ................................................Lynne Block West Vancouver–Sea to Sky ...................................... Jeremy Valeriote

CONTENTS Wednesday, May 6, 2026 Afternoon Sitting Page Routine Business Introductions by Members ............................................................................................................................................. 7349 Members’ Statements ...................................................................................................................................................... 7351 Child Care Month and Salmon Stone Childcare Centre George Chow Xing Wu Zen Temple Society Steve Kooner Naturopathic Doctors Sunita Dhir Nursing Week and Contributions of Nurses Reann Gasper Emergency Preparedness Week Darlene Rotchford Experience as Stroke Survivor and Heart and Stroke Awareness Pete Davis Oral Questions ................................................................................................................................................................. 7353 Mining Project Court Case and Involvement of U.S.

Indigenous Group Scott McInnis Hon. Niki Sharma Work of B.C. Law Firm for U.S. Indigenous Group in Mining Project Court Case Scott McInnis Hon. Niki Sharma Government Handling of DRIPA and Concerns of Business Owners Claire Rattée Hon. Ravi Kahlon Health Impacts of LNG Projects and Methane Gas Flaring Rob Botterell Hon. Adrian Dix Impacts of Provincial Sales Tax Expansion Peter Milobar Hon. Ravi Kahlon Macklin McCall Gavin Dew Hon. Jagrup Brar Donegal Wilson Hon. Brenda Bailey Burnaby Hospital Expansion Project and Cancer Care Centre Misty Van Popta Hon. Bowinn Ma Ronald McDonald House Expansion Project Near B.C.

Children’s Hospital Brennan Day Hon. Josie Osborne Reports from Committees .............................................................................................................................................. 7359 Public Accounts Committee,

summary of activities, 2025-26 Peter Milobar Stephanie Higginson Children and Y outh Committee, annual report, 2025-26 Rohini Arora Kristina Loewen

Orders of the Day Government Motions on Notice ................................................................................................................................... 7361 Motion 16 — Recommittal of Bill M217, Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act Hon.

Mike Farnworth Gavin Dew Second Reading of Bills .................................................................................................................................................. 7362 Bill 9 — Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026 (continued) On the amendment (continued) Rob Botterell Claire Rattée Heather Maahs Teresa Wat Peter Milobar Lynne Block Jordan Kealy Linda Hepner Hon Chan Ward Stamer Motions Without Notice ................................................................................................................................................. 7392 Recess and Sitting Hours Hon.

Mike Farnworth Second Reading of Bills .................................................................................................................................................. 7392 Bill 9 — Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026 (continued) On the amendment (continued) Scott McInnis Steve Kooner Misty Van Popta Jeremy Valeriote Larry Neufeld Gavin Dew Pete Davis Kiel Giddens David Williams Brent Chapman Lawrence Mok Tony Luck Reann Gasper Amelia Boultbee Ian Paton Lorne Doerkson Elenore Sturko Kristina Loewen Standing Order 81.1(2) ................................................................................................................................................... 7454 Adoption of Government Business

Schedule Hon. Mike Farnworth Second Reading of Bills .................................................................................................................................................. 7455 Bill 9 — Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026 (continued) On the amendment (continued) Macklin McCall

Proceedings in the Douglas Fir Room Committee of Supply ...................................................................................................................................................... 7457 Estimates: Ministry of Transportation and Transit Hon.

Mike Farnworth Harman Bhangu Jeremy Valeriote Bruce Banman Rosalyn Bird Proceedings in the Birch Room Committee of Supply ...................................................................................................................................................... 7476 Estimates: Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (continued) Hon. Randene Neill Donegal Wilson Estimates: Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth Hon. Ravi Kahlon Gavin Dew

7349 WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2026 The House met at 1:34 p.m. [The Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers and reflections: Hon. Jessie Sunner. [1:35 p.m.] Introductions by Members Bruce B anman: Sometimes as we march these hall - ways, we get to meet some very interesting people. I would like to draw attention up in the gallery. We have some stu - dents from Western Washington University. They’re poli- sci students. I know they’re heartbroken that I won’t ask a question today, but I promised them our very best when it comes to heckling so that they get a good chance to experience a true question period.

Will this House please make them very, very welcome — our guests from Washington state. Hon. Laanas / Tamara Davidson: As many people who live in rural communities, I hear often that they say: “It’s not very often that I have a constituent visiting here.” I’m very lucky because I also have my constituency adviser, who just started about a month ago — Alison Uppal from Prince Rupert. She is joining us today in the gallery. Would everyone please make her feel welcome. Hon. Kelly Greene: The Legislature’s favourite guest is here for their biannual visit.

You may remember that it is Emergency Preparedness Week, and I’m here to introduce our emergency alert systems test. These alerts are one of the ways that we keep people safe. In an emergency, you would receive information and instructions on how to keep you and your family safe. Today at 1:55 p.m., people across the province will re - ceive an alert on their mobile device, radio or cable tele - vision. Check your device settings. If your phone is on do not disturb, you may not receive the alert.

Dana Lajeunesse: Today in the House, I have my two constituency advisers — Aakriti Rai, who looks after the Sooke office, and Sarah Dinsdale, who is present every day in the Cobble Hill office. Thank you for being here. Hon. Christine Boyle: I, too, am delighted to get to introduce and welcome one of the members of my con - stituency office team. Tony Jiang is here. I told him I would embarrass him. I apologize now for doing so. As we all know, our constituency staff work incredibly hard. Tony works incredibly hard serving the neighbours in Vancouver–Little Mountain.

I also want to introduce and welcome Emmanuel Can - tiller, who works in the constituency office of my col - league in Yaletown but is a resident of Vancouver–Little Mountain, so I am delighted also. Will the House join me in making both of them feel welcome. Hon. Jagrup Brar: I rise to introduce and welcome two well-known leaders in the Surrey community, Mr. Gaurav Bhutani and Mrs.

Pooja Bhutani, who are the CEO and vice-president and creative director of ICONS Magazine, a new platform that seeks to highlight community members who are making a positive impact in our community. [1:40 p.m.] Gaurav and Pooja have toured the Legislature and enjoyed lunch at the dining room today and are also cele - brating Gaurav’s birthday, which was yesterday. I ask the House members to please make them feel wel - come and also wish Mr. Bhutani a very happy birthday. I have one more introduction to make. I also would like to welcome and introduce members of the Kerala Cultural Association of British Columbia.

They are joining us in the gallery today for question period. This organization has been serving the Indian and Malayalee community since 1989 through creating a space where Kerala tradition and culture can be celebrated across our communities. I am pleased to introduce my friend President Matthew John and board members Rajeev Rajan, Prince Vengal Thomas, Jack John, Riyaz Kunju Mohammed and James. I will ask the House to please make them feel welcome. Jody Toor: I have two introductions today.

A school group from my riding of Langley-Willowbrook — the school’s name is Belmont Elementary — is visiting with their grade 5 students. There are 26 grade 5ers and six adults visiting with their teacher, Mr. Ronald. Can the House please make them feel welcome. My second introduction. The World Sikh Organiza - tion of Canada is in the chamber today. The organization serves as a vital platform for advocating for our rights, promoting equality, ensuring that our voices are heard. Can the House please make them feel welcome today.

Mable Elmore: Today in the House, we have joining us the legislative tour guides and Parliamentary Players, who tour and act at the building. Every spring there is a new cohort of folks, all students currently in post-secondary education programs, to join the permanent tour team and work on the grounds and in the buildings, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors. Will the House please help me welcome Taylor Bowden, Eakam Dhillon, Martin Moreno Anderson, Niloofar Ri - azibeydokhti, Rowan Rallison, Cassidy Lemay, Law -

7350 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 rence Barss, Lawson Farman, Louisa Whitmore, Grace Wiebe, Naomi Duska, Makayla Madill, Mariah Madill, Marlee Young, Scott McCollom, Evan Utzinger and Jessie Hutchinson. Let’s give them a warm welcome. Hon. David Eby: Looking up in the gallery, I see two of my hard-working CAs. I see Sahithi and Iman. Together with Sofia, they are the trio that keeps the office running. They are the front line for all of the important feedback from constituents near and far. I want to thank them for the hard work they do in Van - couver–Point Grey every single day.

Nice to see you. Gavin De w: Today I’m pleased to introduce two differ- ent delegations from Victoria. Firstly, I’d like to welcome the good folks from the Greater Victoria Chamber. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to meet with them earlier. I was the only one from my caucus who wasn’t, I think. It’s good to see you guys: Corrie, Julia, Zahra, Zoë, Nicki, Maddy, Ashley, Nicole, Hanna and Cheryl. I hope I haven’t missed anyone. Thank you so much for being here today. Welcome.

Speaking of Victoria, I’d also like to welcome a young man named Sebastian Horabin, who I gather might just be running for Victoria school trustee. I’m always a fan of young people stepping up to lead in politics, so it’s great to see young people like Sebastian getting engaged. I understand he’s a Red Seal electrician. He’s passion - ate about education, trades pathways, apprenticeships — issues that are areas of passion to many members of this House. Once again, I commend you for stepping up. Thank you. Hon.

Josie Osborne: I’m pleased to introduce some friends who are joining us today in the gallery from the Heart and Stroke Foundation. They just hosted many of us for lunch and to have a discussion about women’s heart and brain health.

We learned that heart disease and stroke are the leading cause of premature death in women and that historically, two-thirds of clinical research has fo - cused on men. [1:45 p.m.] We also learned of the Heart and Stroke’s new screen - ing tool that targets key risks that are unique to women and the foundation’s investment of $20 million over five years to fund research that’s focused on women’s heart and brain health. Would the House please join me in welcoming Robyn Jones-Murrell, Mary Stambulic and Rebecca Ponting from the Heart and Stroke Foundation along with Dr. Jennifer Yao from UBC.

And an extra-warm welcome for Lilli Law, who shared with us so openly about the journey that she has been on. Hon. Brenda Bailey: I, too, have a constituency assist - ant who’s in the House today, Kathleen Serrano, who has been taking great care of the people in Vancouver–South Granville for a couple of years now. She’s a true political nerd, has previously worked in Ottawa as an intern. We’re very lucky to be served by her. Would the House please join me in making her most welcome.

Steve Morissette: I rise to recognize my two constitu - ency advisers, Angelika Brunner, who has taken a pass on joining us in question period, and Sarah Brownlee up in the gallery. The two of them do their best with the chal - lenging job of making me look good in the constituency. I appreciate the work they do. Thank you so much. Jody Toor: Sorry, I was just advised from my colleague across the chamber that my school group has entered the building now. A school group from my riding of Langley- Willowbrook, Belmont Elementary, is visiting with their grade 5 students and their teacher, Mr. Ronald.

Can the House please make them feel welcome. Hon. Jessie Sunner: I’d also like to welcome a contin - gency of the World Sikh Organization of Canada that’s here today. We have Danish Singh Brar, the national president; Gurpreet Kaur Rai, the B.C. regional president; Sandeep Singh Toor, the B.C. regional vice president; and Guntaas Kaur Cheema, the national director of inter - national affairs. They’re also accompanied by a large con - tingency of their B.C. regional members.

The WSO is a leading national Sikh advocacy organ - ization that’s dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of Sikhs in Canada and around the world, while championing human rights, equity, inclusion and protec - tion of fundamental freedoms. They play a vital role in up - holding civil liberties and are at the forefront of advocacy efforts, including in challenging Quebec’s Bill 21. They do a number of initiatives here as well. I appreci - ate their advocacy. I know they’re meeting with members from both sides of the House today, and I look forward to meeting with them later today.

If the House will please join me in welcoming them. Amna Shah: Somewhere up in the gallery are two in - credible young men who work in my constituency office. We are joined by Ayush Saini and Mostafa Ramadan. I have so many good things to say about these two young men. They exhibit exceptional compassion and care for my constituents and exceptional care and com - passion with all of my technological needs. Helping me

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7351 open an email is apparently a lot more difficult than you may think. I do want to congratulate Ayush on his recent post- secondary graduation. I hope that their experience here in their Legislature for the first time is going to inspire them and that the members in here will show them what good democracy looks like. Jennifer Blatherwick: I am very pleased to introduce the House to my longtime constituency adviser, Iti Kalsi. I think everyone here can empathize.

I make Iti do two events every month out in the community, and with her expertise and guidance and warmth, she makes each of those events a delight. If the House could please welcome her. I am also pleased to welcome my newest constituency assistant, Negar Shaban. Hon. Diana Gibson: I also want to introduce my de - pendable and creative team: Zachary Gustavson, Max Thomson and Juliana Cotacio. [1:50 p.m.] They provide the most thoughtful, compassionate casework and advocate for the constituents of the riding of Oak Bay–Gordon Head day after day.

I couldn’t do this work without them, and I know that the constituents thank them greatly for the work they’re doing connecting people and ensuring people get the important services they need. Will the House give them a warm welcome. Rohini Arora: This morning we met with the Can - adian men’s mental health foundation. It was such a pro - ductive discussion and really amazing to see these big, jacked, ripped guys talking about toxic masculinity and the way that the patriarchy harms us all.

I met with Kenton Boston, the president; Sachin Latti, who is a staunch mental health advocate and podcaster — he has run across the country, raising $216,000 for men’s mental health; and Trevor Botkin, who is a union brother. He’s a carpenter, Red Seal, and a mental health podcaster as well. Please join me in welcoming them. The Speaker: I understand my CA, Gurvinder Hanjra, is also somewhere in the gallery. Is she’s standing up? She’s the best.

Members’ Statements CHILD CARE MONTH AND SALMON STONE CHILDCARE CENTRE George Chow: May is Child Care Month and is a time to celebrate the important role child care plays in the lives of children and the families in our communities and in our economy. Last November Salmon Stone Childcare Centre, in my riding of Vancouver-Fraserview, welcomed children and families to this brand-new child care facility. Operated by South Vancouver Neighbourhood House, this child care centre provides 49 new spaces for infants to five-year- olds.

This facility will also offer a family drop-in program, which is a play-based learning opportunity for children. The Salmon Stone Childcare Centre was jointly funded by our government and the city of Vancouver. Our prov - incial government contributed $6.2 million to this project, a very significant investment to bring necessary child care services to residents.

Located in the growing River District neighbourhood in southeast Vancouver, Salmon Stone Childcare is lit - erally a stone’s throw away from the Fraser River and will be one of the only active child care facilities in the com - munity, providing much-needed access to affordable child care in the area. The name Salmon Stone came from Geraldine Lalonde, a member of the Indigenous council of the Neighbour - hood House. Salmon Stone signifies life, rebirth and repre- sents determination, strength, protection and courage.

The child care centre will be hosting its grand opening next Saturday, May 16, during Child Care Month. I welcome you all to join South Vancouver Neighbour - hood House, the city of Vancouver and the residents of Vancouver-Fraserview in celebration of this opening. XING WU ZEN TEMPLE SOCIETY Steve Kooner: I rise today to recognize the outstand - ing contributions of Master Shi Xing Wu and his Xing Wu Zen Temple Society in Richmond-Queensborough.

On May 2, I had the privilege of attending the society’s fourth annual multicultural art and expo festival, held in celebration of the International Bathing Buddha Festival and B.C. Buddhist Culture Day. This event was a powerful reflection of the society’s commitment to building com - munity through culture, tradition and shared experiences. Under the leadership of Master Shi Xing Wu, the Xing Wu Zen Temple Society has become a respected and wel - coming presence in our community.

Through martial arts, meditation, Buddhist teachings and charitable initiatives, the society continues to create opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together, learn and grow. Their events are welcoming and community-fo - cused, and they bring people together in the spirit of re - spect, understanding and connection. At a time when strong communities matter more than ever, this kind of leadership and dedication makes a real difference. [1:55 p.m.] One significant recent example of where Xing Wu

7352 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 Zen Temple Society made a real difference was when they held a stage play and charity dinner. There were do - nation proceeds as a result of those events last year. The society actually donated a portion of those proceeds to the Richmond Hospital Foundation. That’s an example of their significant contributions within the riding of Richmond-Queensborough. Master Shi Xing Wu society’s community efforts go beyond organizing events. They help foster a sense of be - longing and ensure positive values and strengthen the so - cial fabric of Richmond-Queensborough.

I want to sincerely commend Master Shi Xing Wu and all members of the Xing Wu Zen Temple Society for their ongoing contributions and their commitment to serving our community of Richmond-Queensborough. NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS Sunita Dhir: I rise today to recognize May 6 as Naturo- paths Day in British Columbia, as officially proclaimed by the province, and to acknowledge the important role nat - uropathic doctors play in supporting the health and well- being of people across our province.

Naturopathic doctors are highly trained, regulated health professionals who complete extensive post- secondary education and clinical training before entering practice. Many British Columbians rely on them for on - going patient-centred care, including prevention, chronic disease management and support for complex health needs. Their work reflects key priorities of our health care system — helping people stay well, supporting continuity of care and complementing the broader network of pro - viders delivering care across the province.

In rural and remote communities, naturopathic doc - tors are pivotal in providing increased access to care for patients. British Columbia has been at the forefront of regulating naturopathic doctors in Canada, reflecting a long-standing commitment to ensuring safe, qualified and accountable care for patients. Today is an opportunity to recognize the contribu - tions of naturopathic doctors and the important role they play in supporting healthier communities across British Columbia.

I would also like to congratulate the association of Brit - ish Columbia Naturopathic Doctors on their leadership and ongoing commitment to patient care and community well-being. NURSING WEEK AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF NURSES Reann Gasper: Today I want to recognize National Nursing Week, coming up next week. I want to honour the incredible nurses serving communities across British Columbia. Nurses are there for people during some of the most important and vulnerable moments in life. They are there in moments of fear, relief, heartbreak, healing and hope. As a mother of three, I know how much those moments matter.

Many of us can remember a nurse who brought comfort during a difficult time, who stayed calm in the middle of uncertainty or who simply showed kindness when it was needed most. Nursing is not just a career. It is a calling rooted in compassion, patience, skill and service. Today nurses work under pressures that did not exist a generation ago. Patient volumes are higher. Cases are more complex. Workplaces are more demanding and, at times, more dangerous. Yet despite these realities, nurses continue to show up. Day after day, shift after shift, they persevere not because it’s easy but because it matters.

This week is an opportunity for all of us to pause and recognize the sacrifices nurses make every single day — the long hours, the emotional weight they carry and the dedication they bring to caring for others. Whether they work in hospitals, long-term care, community health, school clinics or emergency care, nurses are truly the backbone of our health care system. To every nurse across British Columbia, including those serving in communities like Mission Memorial Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital and throughout Fraser Valley: thank you. Thank you for your compas - sion.

Thank you for the countless ways you care for people every single day. We see you. This province thanks you, and this country is better because of you. Happy National Nursing Week. [2:00 p.m.] EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WEEK Darlene Rotchford: As the weather grows warmer and more British Columbians spend time exploring the nat - ural beauty our province has to offer, it’s an important time to recognize Emergency Preparedness Week right here in B.C. This year’s theme is “In it together.” It highlights a simple but powerful truth: emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility.

When neighbours know one an - other, when communities stay connected and when we look out for one another when we need additional support, we strengthen our collective ability to respond effectively in times of crisis. Preparedness also begins here at home, understanding the risks in our communities, developing an emergency plan and ensuring our households have both an emer - gency kit and a grab-and-go bag, which are essential steps. These practical measures help families remain calm, or - ganized and resilient when the unexpected occurs.

Sharing knowledge with others further strengthens the readiness of our communities — and, more importantly, making sure we’re all familiar with resources such as Pre -

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7353 paredBC so we can offer valuable guidance for those to get started. It is also strengthening emergency services, from wildfires to floods and severe weather events. In those moments, some of our Canadian Armed Forces and our reservists, who also happen to be our public servants in some cases, play a very critical role in supporting oper - ations.

Whether it’s assisting with evacuations here in B.C. if needed, delivering essential supplies or helping communities recover, the Canadian Armed Forces are a trusted, capable partner in emergency responsiveness right across our province. I’m particularly proud that in my community of Es - quimalt-Colwood, we have the regional joint operations centre, located right in my backyard, serving as a hub for coordinating military support to domestic operations in British Columbia.

The work carried out there ensures that assistance can be deployed quickly and effectively when it is needed most, reinforcing that strong partnership be - tween our communities and those who serve. Emergency preparedness is an opportunity for us all to reflect on our readiness and take meaningful steps to be better prepared. By working together, staying informed and supporting one another, we will build a safer, more resilient community right here across our province. EXPERIENCE AS STROKE SURVIVOR AND HEART AND STROKE AW ARENESS Pete Davis: It’s an honour to speak in this House today.

Not long ago I didn’t know if I would ever have this priv - ilege again. Today is day 130 since the stroke that almost took my life. In a matter of minutes, everything changed. The stroke took my ability to walk. It took my use of my right hand and my right arm and blurred my vision for almost five months. One moment, life felt normal. The next, it was completely turned upside down. You hear the words “stroke” and “heart attack” all the time, but most people don’t truly hear it until it has hap - pened to them or someone they love. And when it happens, it happens fast.

In stroke care, they say: “Time is brain.” I’m here today because of the incredible people who acted quickly — the health care professionals who knew what to do and did not hesitate and the team at STARS air ambulance who got me to a stroke hospital within 80 minutes. They didn’t just transport me. They gave me a fighting chance. To all of them, I owe my life, and I will never forget it. The reality is this. Organizations like the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada remind us that heart disease and stroke take a life every five minutes in Canada.

Here in British Columbia, around 2,300 people die each year from stroke alone. These are parents, children, friends and neighbours, and it’s happening younger and younger nowadays. Stroke and heart disease do not discriminate. That’s why awareness matters. We need young people to under - stand the risks and take their health seriously now, not later, because later may be too late. Since my stroke, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and I am proud to stand with them as an advocate.

In my riding, I’m work - ing to create a support group so that people going through recovery don’t feel alone. Because I can tell you this: recov- ery is hard, it’s humbling, and it changes you. I am not the same person I was in December, but I’m here, and for that I’m very, very thankful. I’m Pete Davis, and I’m a proud stroke survivor. [Applause.] The Speaker: Members, we’re going to have a couple of minutes of recess to allow the members to remove their T-shirts, and then we’ll continue with the question period.

The House recessed from 2:05 p.m. to 2:05 p.m. [The Speaker in the chair.] The Speaker: Calling the House back to order. Oral Questions MINING PROJECT COURT CASE AND INVOLVEMENT OF U.S. INDIGENOUS GROUP Scott McInnis: We need to get some serious answers this afternoon, because there’s something fishy going on here. The sn̓ ʕaýckstx case has potential to enable Amer - icans to have serious influence in B.C. affairs, beyond what the constitution requires.

To the Attorney General: were you aware two weeks ago, when you famously tapped the Premier on the shoul - der, that the WHY Resources case was scheduled to be heard in the B.C. Supreme Court on May 5, yesterday? The Speaker: Member, the question is before the courts already. Attorney General, do you wish to answer? Hon. Niki Sharma: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll just go. We’ve talked about this line of questioning before. We’ve talked about our decision and the work that we’re doing to address the Gitxaała decision and that we’re hard at work doing that.

I’m not going to speak about a matter that is before the courts, and that’s been something that I’ve said over and over again in this House. But I will say that the obligations that we may or may not have to U.S. tribes are something that is a matter be -

7354 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 fore the court and was a matter before the court in 2010, when the first decision came forward related to that, when we were not in government. We did bring a fix forward in this House to make sure that our EA process can distinguish between U.S. tribes and the First Nations of this province, who we stand be - hind, and they did not support that legislation. So I’m really confused with the continual line of questioning — that they’re unable to support a legislative fix to the prob - lem, but they keep asking questions about it.

The Speaker: Member, supplemental. WORK OF B.C. LAW FIRM FOR U.S. INDIGENOUS GROUP IN MINING PROJECT COURT CASE Scott McInnis: I keep asking questions because I’m not getting an answer. I didn’t ask any details about the court case. I asked if the Attorney General knew that it was happening. Yesterday a case involving the Sn̓ ʕaýckstx Confederacy attempting to block a magnesium mine in the West Koo - tenay was in the B.C. Supreme Court.

On reviewing the court documents, I note that former Minister of Indigen - ous Relations and Reconciliation Murray Rankin’s firm is acting for the American tribe, the Sn̓ ʕaýckstx Confeder - acy, in at least three cases against the government. According to public accounts, this firm has been paid millions by this government over the past several years. Is this firm still acting for government while representing American tribes? If so, is the Premier concerned about this? Hon. Niki Sharma: Of course, we don’t make a choice of who is legal counsel selected by different parties in the province.

That’s their choice, and we have a free and in - dependent court system, along with lawyers that are free to associate with whoever they want. If there are any issues of conflict of interest, the proper step that I would suggest should be taken is to go to the Law Society. The Speaker: Member has a second supplemental? Scott McInnis: I’d like to know: was it necessary for government to give its consent for that firm to act for this American tribe, and if so, did the government, in fact, consent? Hon.

Niki Sharma: Never have I been asked such a question, of whether or not I consent to opposing coun - sel acting for opposing parties. That’s not something that happens in our legal system. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Hon. Niki Sharma: That’s not how it’s set up in our ad- versarial system, where we have our own representation and represent in the court, so I guess my answer is no. [2:10 p.m.] GOVERNMENT HANDLING OF DRIPA AND CONCERNS OF BUSINESS OWNERS Claire Rattée: The B.C. Business Council released a survey today, and the responses speak for themselves.

Nearly 75 percent of B.C. businesses plan to decrease in - vestment due to uncertainty over DRIPA. The president of BCBC said: “The message from busi - ness leaders is clear. DRIPA isn’t working.” B.C. businesses are pulling their money out of the province. Will the Minister of Jobs stand up for 75 percent of B.C. businesses today and address this, or will he continue to downplay their concerns? Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I would like to thank the member for the question and also note that B.C. outperformed what the B.C. Business Council projected was going to be the GDP growth for British Columbia last year.

In fact, the headlines read, “B.C. led the country in economic growth,” and we’re projecting that again for this next year. The member highlighted the question around invest - ments in British Columbia. Four new mines have been in - vested in. We have $8 billion of investment that has just come from January to now. Within the last few weeks, we’ve seen billions of dollars of investment in British Col - umbia, and we’re expecting billions of dollars of more in - vestment coming to British Columbia in the weeks ahead. We’ll continue to work with the B.C. Business Council.

I know they’re advocating for certain measures, and that’s great. They should do that. But let’s not get the stats mixed up. The stats are clear. We are continuing to lead the coun- try, and we will do that into the years ahead. Claire Rattée: Well, that’s interesting, because what the minister failed to mention is that much of that invest - ment is tied up in court right now because this govern - ment has failed to act. And I don’t think downplaying the concerns of B.C. businesses is very becoming of a Minister of Jobs. The B.C.

Business Council also found that 98 percent of its members are very concerned about DRIPA. The other 2 percent said that they are somewhat concerned. That’s 100 percent of B.C. businesses that are concerned about the effects of DRIPA in some capacity — every single one. And to note, that includes Indigenous-owned businesses. That’s not fearmongering. It’s fact. When will this government listen to B.C. businesses, secure investment certainty and repeal DRIPA?

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7355 Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I think my friend is being econom - ical with the truth. What the stats clearly show here in British Columbia is that we have been leaders in the coun - try since 2017. Since 2017, the strongest GDP growth in the entire country…. Interjections. The S peaker: Shhh. Members, the minister has the f loor. Hon. Ravi Kahlon: We talk about small businesses — the fastest retail sale growth in British Columbia, the strongest wage increases since 2017. We outperformed the B.C. Business Council’s own projections. Just think about that for a second.

They made a projection of what they thought we were going to do. We outperformed that last year. We’re going to outperform this year’s projections as well. And $8 billion of investments have come to British Col - umbia over the last few months. Guess what. We’re going to see billions more dollars in investments. Not only that, this budget that they voted against sees significant investments in making sure that young people have the skills and the training that they need to take those employment opportunities. That should be cele - brated in this House.

Any other province would see these results and metrics and they would celebrate it. But only the Conservatives…. They look for bad headlines. They look for bad news, be - cause they can’t celebrate. They can’t be…. Interjections. The Speaker: Members, shhh. Members. Members will come to order now. Hon. Ravi Kahlon: They can’t be happy. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh. Hon. R avi K ahlon: They have opposed everything. The North Coast transmission line — opposed to it. Budget that doubles skills training — opposed to it. They oppose everything. They are now the new party of no.

We’re going to continue to make investments that grow this economy. HEALTH IMPACTS OF LNG PROJECTS AND METHANE GAS FLARING Rob Botterell: The Premier has been firm in his stance that there is no chance a pipeline will be built to the north coast. The B.C. Greens, oddly enough, agree. Meanwhile, this government appears willing to leave communities ex - posed to the potential health risks of fossil fuels and fast- tracked projects — places like Kitimat, where asthma rates have risen by more than 70 percent. [2:15 p.m.] The reality is we still don’t have a full picture of LNG’s impacts.

The health impacts have never been studied. Councils in Terrace, Squamish, Dawson Creek and Hazel - ton are all calling for proper health assessments. Will the Premier explain to these communities why their health concerns are being ignored? Hon. Adrian Dix: The member knows they’re not be - ing ignored. There’s significant…. All LNG facilities — indeed, all such facilities in B.C. — are subject to strict regulation. All of them have been through environmental assessment processes led by the outstanding staff at the environmental assessment office.

All of those processes include substantial study and review of the impact of pro - jects, whatever they may be, on human health. There is an absolute and continuing obligation on the part of regulators to ensure that the conditions on projects are followed. When there are issues, action is taken, as has happened recently by the B.C. Energy Regulator with re- spect to the issue of black smoke. And we’re going to con - tinue to see those actions taken. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Rob Botterell: I’m glad this government wants to be precise with their language.

So perhaps B.C.’s Minister of Climate Solutions would like to correct the record when he said B.C. has the lowest-emission LNG in the world, strongest provincial oversight. It was recently reported that LNG Canada flared, or burned off, 350 million cubic metres of gas in 2025, more than anywhere in the world. This would be enough nat - ural gas to meet the annual heating needs of approxi - mately 130,000 homes in Canada. Just like the U.S.A., this government will say that there’s no need to study the noise and chemical emission health impacts on British Colum - bians like you and I.

So will the Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions explain what reality British Columbians should live in — the world of what he says or the reality of what’s actually happening and is not being studied? Hon. Adrian Dix: It’s simply not the case. The B.C. Energy Regulator and other provincial regulators take ac - tion on these questions. For example, in the case of LNG Canada, provincial air quality data in the area and additional data from measure - ment requirements put in place by the BCER — and are requirements, indeed, of LNG Canada — continue, in the present moment, to be in normal range.

7356 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 That said, as of December 26, 2025, LNG Canada com - pleted commissioning and start-up activities and entered the operational phase of phase 1. Flaring is expected dur - ing operation, with volumes depending on the operation of train 1 and train 2. It is common for LNG facilities to experience changes in flaring volumes, and that has occurred. A condition in their permit states that flaring must not result in the emission of black smoke. Black smoke during flaring indicates incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon gases.

Action has been taken by the BCER on this ques - tion in order to ensure full information to the people who live in the community, the people of B.C. This is the regu - latory action that is required. It seems to me that if we believe in environmental as - sessment — we believe in that work, we believe that condi - tions applied should be followed — then when officials act on those, that process should be respected.

IMPACTS OF PROVINCIAL SALES TAX EXPANSION Peter Milobar: Well, before the Green interlude, the minister was getting quite the round of applause from the Mutual Admiration Society across the way, so I’ll give them another chance for an applause line about their eco - nomic track record. Fastest deficit growth. Interjections. Peter Milobar: Keep it up. Fastest deficit growth. Fastest debt growth. Five credit downgrades in a row. Come on, let’s hear ya. Come on. In just five years, this government has hiked tax rev - enues by 50 percent, yet they’ve never been further from a balanced budget.

It’s sure quiet again over there. This government is so unbalanced that they’ve decided to hike taxes on B.C.’s smallest businesses at a time when it’s harder than ever for those businesses to stay alive. This government just ignores those concerns. To the Minister of Finance: why is this minister’s fiscal mismanagement being placed on the shoulders of B.C.’s smallest entrepreneurs? [2:20 p.m.] Hon. Ravi Kahlon: It’s great to see my friend who’s running for the leadership come up and speak today. In fact, I think he spoke more today than he spoke at the last leadership debate that he was in. Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Members, let’s focus on the subject matter, please. Hon. Ravi Kahlon: For sure, hon. Speaker. I appreci - ate that. We continue.… Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Minister will continue. Hon. Ravi Kahlon: We continue to support small busi- ness. We have lowered the small business tax for small businesses, 25 percent lower than when these members — they used to be the B.C. Liberal Party; now they’re B.C. Conservatives — sat on this side of the House. They claim they’re not B.C.

Liberals, but when their new leader comes in, they’ll be reminded really fast about the history that they have on this side of the House. Not only have we lowered small business tax, but we continue to see strong economic growth here in the prov - ince. We heard from small businesses that they wanted expansion of the chronic property offending program, which was a direct response to them, part of the budget, $16 million. We heard from them that they wanted more skilled people to be able to take employment opportun - ities. We provided that as well. This is why we continue to lead the country in economic growth.

I’ve got a lot more to say. I hope they use the rest of the question period for more questions. The Speaker: Member, supplemental. Peter Milobar: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, from the party that doesn’t know what a leadership race actually is. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members. Peter Milobar: It’s interesting. I’m trying to move two chairs, and so are two people two chairs away from the Premier currently. So it’s an interesting seating diagram in this House right now. The Speaker: Let’s focus on the subject matter, please.

Peter Milobar: Small business owners like Caren Mc - Sherry are at their wits’ end. They’re forced to respond to the chaos on the streets all on their own. The Gourmet Warehouse is just one, and it has been forced to hire se - curity. Now this government says: “You know what? You should pay tax for that security as well.” Caren has said: “Not only can we not protect you and your property and your businesses, but now we’re going to tax you on what we can’t do.” Again, to the Minister of Finance: why is this govern -

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7357 ment expanding taxes to services that this Solicitor Gen - eral has completely failed to provide to the public? Hon. Ravi Kahlon: I’d like to remind my friends across the way that we didn’t take out our leader. We sup - port our leader on this side of the House. Interjections. The Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members. [The Speaker rose.] The Speaker: Members. Members, order. Members will be quiet. The minister will continue. [The Speaker resumed their seat.] Hon.

Ravi Kahlon: As I mentioned to the member al - ready, we on our side are proud of the record of lowering small business taxes by 25 percent right when we formed government — in fact, much lower than when they were on this side of the House. We have one of the lowest small business taxes in the country. Not only that.… Yes, I figured they’d be clapping to that as well. Not only that, but we heard from small businesses. They wanted us to expand the chronic property offend - ing program, because they were seeing the results.

They were seeing that people that were the repeat offenders had wraparound supports put around them so they couldn’t have the impacts that they were having. I’ve shared in this House before that my family ran a small business a few blocks from here. I know how stress - ful it is for a small business to have their window broken. That’s why these programs are important. That’s why the supports we put in place are so vitally important for their growth. Macklin McCall: Well, this PST will cause business owners to pass additional costs onto their customers.

René Rossignol, with Themis Security, said: “For us, for our pricing as well, we are going to have to take into account that bills are going up substantially, more than a normal inflation rate.” That ripple effect will be felt by everyone. Can the minister explain to business owners across British Columbia how expanding the PST on essential se - curity services is helping British Columbia? [2:25 p.m.] Hon. Ravi Kahlon: Again, I’ve mentioned this to my friends, but I’ll repeat it because the question continues to be the same one over and over again. We heard from small businesses that they wanted a few things.

They wanted us to expand the programs that were tar - geting repeat offenders. We put money in the budget to do that. They told us that they needed more skilled people to be able to take the jobs that they’re creating in their busi - nesses. We doubled the training dollars in this budget, the largest investment in skills training in the history of this province, because we wanted to meet that moment. We heard from our small businesses they wanted us to cut red tape. We’re doing that, the largest reduction of intraprovincial trade barriers in the history of this prov - ince, in the history of this country.

We’re going to continue to do the things that are needed to support our small businesses. We’re proud of that record. We have much more to do, and we’re going to lead the country in economic growth not only this year but in future years as well. Gavin Dew: It’s not just storefront businesses that have been impacted by this government’s PST expansion.

Here’s a quote from the CEO of the Association for Min - eral Exploration: “Leading up to the provincial budget, there was never a single mention of a potential expansion of PST costs that would impact service providers that are required to move an exploration project forward.” At a time when DRIPA has shattered confidence in the claim-staking system, did the Minister of Mines even try to stop the Minister of Finance from blindsiding the min - ing sector with her PST expansion? Hon. Jagrup Brar: Thanks to the member for the question. If there’s one thing the industry has been asking for, including under the B.C.

Liberals, that was certainty and stability in the business sector, particularly in the permit - ting process. They had been there for 16 years. They failed to take any action. We are taking actions every day to pro - vide that certainty and stability to the business commun - ity for permitting processes. We have reduced major mine permitting process time - lines by 35 percent. Also, we introduced fixed timelines for the permitting process for the exploration sector.

We are the only province to do that, and we have $3 million attached to it to have more staff members to make sure we implement that fixed timeline for the exploration sector. I want to say to the member that last year the invest - ment in the early exploration sector was $751.9 million. That was highest in the history of this province. Donegal Wi lson: This government has a dismal rec - ord and already has the most projects with cost overruns in B.C.’s history, yet this Finance Minister has decided to try and balance her budget by taxing her own government.

Applying PST to provincial infrastructure projects doesn’t balance the budget, and it doesn’t make these projects any more affordable for British Columbians.

7358 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 A simple question to the minister. Did government ex - empt themselves from their own PST expansion, yes or no? Hon. Brenda Bailey: The members opposite began this line of questioning with the question of the deficit. This side of the House is taking serious measures on re - ducing our deficit. We’re reducing the size of the public service by 15,000 people. This is serious and important work. We’ve found more than $3.5 billion in savings through our efficiency review. We’ve made moderate changes to some of the rev- enue impacts. Interjections.

The Speaker: Shhh. Hon. Brenda Bailey: But it is very important to point out two things. What would the other side do in these dif - ficult circumstances? What would they do? Interjections. The Speaker: Members. Members. Hon. Brenda Bailey: We know that Alberta is at a $9.4 billion deficit. We know that Ontario is at $14 billion. What would the other side do? Interjections. The Speaker: Members. Hon.

Brenda Bailey: Well, we don’t have to go too far to find out, because the member for Fraser-Nicola told us: “If education and health care are the biggest line items on the budget, they’re the ones that are going to have to take the brunt of this somehow.” Interjections. The Speaker: Member for Abbotsford South. Minister, hold it. Interjections. [2:30 p.m.] The Speaker: Members, the minister has the floor. Hon. Brenda Bailey: These modest changes help us address the challenges we face, supporting health care and supporting education. That’s what we’re doing on this side of the House.

BURNABY HOSPITAL EXPANSION PROJECT AND CANCER CARE CENTRE Misty Van Popta: It’s interesting to hear from the Fi - nance Minister talking about cuts when, in fact, it was her budget that cut $3 billion of infrastructure projects from this year’s budget, not Conservatives. Earlier this week the Minister of Infrastructure talked about being upfront with the residents of Burnaby.

The president of the Burnaby Hospital and Community Foun - dation said: “The assistant deputy minister confirmed that the final project proposal was received in January 2026 and was within the approved $1.8 billion budget.” Yet on Friday, the Premier told reporters it was “over budget.” So which is it? According to the minister’s assistant deputy minister, the project was on budget, but the Pre - mier said it was over budget. That’s not being upfront with the residents of Burnaby. To the minister: who is telling the truth? Does she agree with the comments made by her assistant deputy minister or the Premier? Hon.

Bowinn Ma: I was in that meeting with the as - sociate deputy minister and the hospital foundation, and that is not the correct characterization of what the associ - ate deputy minister said. What we said is that the latest fully funded, properly cost-counted plan that we received was over budget. There was an additional plan that was presented that had not been fully costed but had the intention of bringing the total project cost down to below $1.8 million.

However, upon review by the independent peer review board, it was also determined that that plan was not going to be successful in doing what it was hoping to achieve. I apologize. I’m taking a bit of time. My lungs are com - pressed, and I’m sick. What we had from Fraser Health in regards to Burnaby Hospital phase 2 was either a project budget that was well over budget or an alternative plan that included scope re - ductions that we did not believe would successfully meet the service needs of the community.

That’s why we’re go - ing to be working with Fraser Health to come up with a renewed plan that can do both. The Speaker: The member has a supplemental? Misty Van Popta: It appears that the goalposts are al - ways moving on this project. The minister said…. I’m glad that she mentioned the peer review panel. The minister said that they were currently considering the 25 recom - mendations from the independent peer review panel and working towards refreshing the plans. That review panel, in its report from January, when speaking in regards to the alliance team that was in place, said they “will be able

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7359 to achieve a functionally effective, affordable, approvable and successfully delivered project.” So 65 percent of the recommendations in that report were assigned to the alliance team, which was comprised of a panel of construction and design experts. But just last week this minister fired that alliance team. Will this minister…? Interjections. The Speaker: Members. The member will continue. Misty Van Popta: You know, there’s a lot of chirping from Burnaby in regards to their hospital, but I hear a lot of silence when they’re fighting for their hospital.

Will this minister tell us why she fired the very team charged with streamlining this redevelopment when it was already on budget? Hon. Bowinn Ma: I want to take a moment to thank the members of the government caucus who serve Bur - naby so diligently for their stalwart advocacy and con - tinued support for the expansion of Burnaby Hospital.

Not a week goes by when I don’t receive their advocacy for their community and their reminder of how important the hospital expansion project is for people in the region. [2:35 p.m.] We are confident that we are going to be able to deliver a plan that is both cost-effective for taxpayers and capable of meeting the service delivery needs of Burnaby and the broader region. We’ll continue to do that work with Fraser Health. RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE EXPANSION PROJECT NEAR B.C. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL Brennan Day: Very, very quiet from the five members of the NDP from Burnaby.

Today is McHappy Day, a day when Canadians step up to support families with seriously ill children. Interjection. The Speaker: Shhh. Brennan D ay: But here in British Columbia, those same families are being asked to carry more and more of the burden themselves. Interjection. Brennan Day: I’m sorry. Am I interrupting the mem - ber opposite? Interjections. The Speaker: Members. Brennan Day: This government has already made sig - nificant cuts to the travel assistance program for families of sick kids in the latest budget. Now Ronald McDonald House’s 75-suite expansion beside B.C.

Children’s Hospi- tal is at risk because the government hasn’t stepped up. The Speaker: Question, Member. Brennan Day: The federal government has stepped up. Donors have stepped up. The Speaker: Question, Member. Brennan Day: Ronald McDonald House has stepped up. The question to the minister is simple. Will this NDP government step up today and help sick kids and their families, yes or no? Hon.

Josie Osborne: We are so fortunate in this prov - ince to have partners like Ronald McDonald House, like Variety, like Hope Air, like Angel Flight, who work with government to provide access to the services that families need at a time when they need it most. Interjection. The Speaker: Member, let the minister answer, please. Hon. Josie Osborne: It is a terrible thing for a family to have to experience needing to support their sick children. That’s why this government is here for them — through assistance programs, through partnerships with charities — to do this work. What the member says is inaccurate.

We have in - creased the funding for the B.C. family residence program, for example. We have increased supports to the travel as - sistance program that helps people come in from remote communities by ferry, for example, making sure that we can do everything we can to support those people. This government understands why it’s important. That’s why we do the work, and we’re not going to stop. [End of question period.] Reports from Committees PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE Peter Milobar: I am pleased to present the first report of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts for

7360 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 the second session of the 43rd parliament, titled

summary of activities, ’25-26. I move that the report be taken as read and received. Motion approved. Peter Milobar: I ask the leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report. Leave granted. Peter Milobar: In moving adoption of the report, I would like to make some brief comments. The Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts reviews the reports of the Office of the Auditor General, engaging in important and productive discussions, pro - viding a public forum for the scrutiny of effectiveness and efficacy of government programs and services.

Through its work, the committee plays a key role in strengthening accountability and transparency. This report summarizes the committee’s work from February 26, 2025, to March 31, 2026, including its exam - ination of the performance and information reports on government’s administration of a variety of program areas, as well as the Auditor General’s reports on the fi - nancial audit work for the fiscal years 2024-25 as well as ’25-26.

The committee also reviewed the Office of the Auditor General’s follow-up report on performance audit recom - mendations issued between 2019 and 2023 and strength - ened its follow-up process to support ongoing account - ability. In reviewing this report, the committee also had select audited organizations appear before the committee to provide updates on implementing recommendations. This part of the committee’s work is an important part of ongoing accountability, and I would like to thank all the organizations for their engagement with the committee.

On behalf of all committee members, I would like to thank the Auditor General, Bridget Parrish; Nicole Wright, comptroller general; and their staff for the im - portant work that they do. The committee would also like to thank Sheila Dodds for her service as acting Auditor General. [2:40 p.m.] On behalf of the committee, I’d like to express my ap - preciation to the staff in the Parliamentary Committees Office and Hansard Services for their support as well.

Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to all committee members, including the Deputy Chair, the member for Ladysmith-Oceanside, for their hard work and dedication. Stephanie Higginson: I’d like to thank and acknow - ledge all the committee members for their contributions and engagement to the committee. I would like to also recognize the Chair, the member for Kamloops Centre, for his work on the committee.

Over the course of the last year, the committee con - sidered reports across a broad range of program areas, in - cluding legal aid representation services, carbon projec - tions and child care licensing capacity. The committee also reviewed the Office of the Aud - itor General’s annual follow-up report on performance audit recommendations from 2019 to 2023 and received follow-up presentations on select reports.

During our consideration of all reports and in follow - ing up with some audit organizations, committee mem - bers engaged in constructive and valuable discussions on complex and important issues, helping to promote public sector oversight and accountability in B.C. I will say that committee work, despite what we witness in question period, often reminds us that there is more that unites us than divides us.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the Office of the Auditor General, the office of the comptroller gen - eral and to the numerous senior public servants who took time to appear before the committee and answer all of our questions. Finally, I would like to thank the staff from the Parlia - mentary Committees Office and Hansard Services, who helped the committee in its work. The Speaker: The question is adoption of the report. Motion approved.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE Rohini Arora: I move that the report for the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth, intituled annual report, 2025-2026, be taken as read and received. Motion approved. Rohini Arora: I seek leave to adopt the report. Leave granted. The Speaker: Please continue. Rohini Arora: I move that the report be adopted, and in doing so, I would like to make some brief comments.

Our annual report summarizes the committee’s work from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, during which time the committee reviewed five reports from the Representa - tive for Children and Youth, including two annual reports and service plans. The committee provides an important opportunity to foster greater awareness and understanding of the prov - ince’s child welfare system. Over the past year, we have re- viewed reports on issues within this sector, including with

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7361 respect to workforce challenges, supports and services for children and youth with disabilities and the unique needs of children and youth living with mental health challenges. In addition to reviewing reports, the committee also followed up with the Ministry of Children and Family De - velopment on the status of implementing the representa - tive’s recommendations in two of her reports. On behalf of the committee, I would like to recognize and thank the representative, Dr.

Jennifer Charlesworth, and the staff at her office, for her dedication and ongoing advocacy and work on behalf of the children, youth and families throughout British Columbia. I’d also like to acknowledge the many public servants working in the child welfare system for the important work they do in the support of children, youth and their families in our province. I also want to recognize the staff in the Parliamentary Committees Office and Hansard Services, who mean the world to me as someone living with a disability who re - quires closed captioning.

It is incredibly important to have the support of Hansard, so I thank you — and the com - mittee, as well, that they supported in our work. Finally, I want to express my appreciation to all com - mittee members for their ongoing dedication and collab - oration. I would especially like to thank the Deputy Chair, the member for Kelowna Centre, and the previous Deputy Chair, the member for Penticton-Summerland, who sup - ported this committee for the last year, for their contribu - tions and leadership in this committee.

Kristina Loewen: I’d like to rise for a few moments to talk about this report and the work of the committee. [2:45 p.m.] I had the privilege of joining this committee last fall. I very much value its important role in raising awareness of challenges across the child-and-youth-serving system. The presentations that we have received have been insight- ful, and I appreciate the ability to seek further information from the representative. This has helped me to continue to advocate for children and youth in British Columbia, and this is not something that I take lightly. Children and youth are a precious gift.

At a time when social and economic pressures are increasing, social media is taking a toll and mental health issues are on the rise, I feel that it’s more important than ever that we work together in the committee in a non-partisan manner. I’m proud to do that work. On that note, I want to thank the member for Burnaby East for her leadership and guidance as well as the pre - vious Deputy Chair, the member for Penticton-Summer - land, and all members of the committee for their commit - ment to this work. I, too, want to extend my gratitude to Dr.

Jennifer Charlesworth, the Representative for Children and Youth, and her team for their expertise and passion in this field. On top of the reports they have provided, they presented to the committee a wealth of information, allowing com - mittee members to have meaningful discussions about ways to improve services and supports to children and youth in British Columbia. Lastly, I’d like to recognize the staff in the Parliament - ary Committees Office and Hansard Services for their support. The Speaker: Members, the question is adoption of the report. Motion approved.

Orders of the Day Government Motions on Notice MOTION 16 — RECOMMITTAL OF BILL M217, DASHBOARD CAMERAS IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ACT Hon. M ike Fa rnworth: I call Motion 16 on the order paper. I move Motion 16, of which notice has been given in my name on the order paper, which recommits Bill M217 to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Pri - vate Members’ Bills. [That, pursuant to Standing Or der 86, t he order for third reading of Bill (No.

M 217) in tituled Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act be discharged and that the bill be re- committed to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills; That the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills reconsider clause 1 of Bill (No. M 217) intituled Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act for the purpose of considering amendments to that clause; and, That the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills report Bill (No.

M 2 17) intituled Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles Act to the House within 20 sitting days.] I want to be very clear that as the Minister of Trans - portation, I support this bill and look forward to it receiv - ing royal assent. My recommittal motion is to fix an error that my ministry identified once the committee reported to the House. Specifically, this motion is to give instructions to the committee to consider two amendments to clause 1. There are two small amendments that we hope to see.

One is to revise the proposed definition of “commercial vehicle” to mean a commercial vehicle, as defined in the Commer - cial Transport Act, that has a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 11,793 kilograms. And two, to define “gross vehicle weight rating” to mean gross vehicle weight rating as defined in the Motor Vehicle Act. These changes will narrow the scope of the mandatory

7362 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 dashboard camera requirement to apply to the heaviest types of commercial vehicles that regularly cross borders and for which there is the greatest need for consistency among the federal and provincial regulatory frameworks. As the bill is written now, it would apply to taxis, Uber, pizza delivery drivers and not the heavy commercial ve - hicles that the MLA who brought in this bill has intended. This would make the mandatory dashboard camera requirement consistent with the requirement for these vehicles to be equipped with speed limiters.

The narrow scope of the application will ensure that the mandatory dashboard requirement does not unintentionally apply to smaller commercial vehicles such as delivery vehicles and landscaping trucks. “Gross vehicle weight rating” is defined in the Motor Vehicle Act to mean the value specified by the vehicle manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle. The gross vehicle weight rating is the maximum total safe operating weight of a vehicle as determined by the manu - facturer, including the vehicle itself.

That is curb weight, passengers, fuel, accessories and cargo. [2:50 p.m.] The gross vehicle weight rating acts as a crucial safety standard to prevent overloading. It is an easily discern - ible measure for enforcement purposes because it is found on the driver’s side door jamb label. I bet you didn’t know that. Finally, I know that the Chair of the committee and the vice-Chair of the committee are following these pro - ceedings closely, and I request that the committee work on these very small amendments expeditiously so that this bill can receive royal assent before we adjourn for the summer on May 28.

Gavin Dew: As the Deputy Chair of the committee, I certainly want to affirm that we appreciate the very clear communication from the minister in the House. This is consistent with what our expectation is around how we’re working on this, and we’re certainly thankful for the very constructive process that has played out in committee around this bill. That’s all I have to say. The Speaker: Members, the question is adoption of the motion. Motion approved. Hon. Mike Farnworth: In this chamber, I call con - tinued second reading debate on Bill 9, Freedom of Infor - mation and Privacy Act.

In the Douglas Fir Room, we call the estimates of the Ministry of Transportation and Transit. In

Section C, the Birch Room, Committee of Supply for the estimates of the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. [Mable Elmore in the chair.] Second Reading of Bills BILL 9 — FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIV ACY AMENDMENT ACT, 2026 (continued) Deputy Speaker: We’re resuming the debate on the amendment to Bill 9, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026, the amend - ment which was moved by the Leader of the Official Opposition. On the amendment (continued).

Rob B otterell: I rise to continue speaking in support of the motion, and I’d note that I will be the designated speaker for the Green caucus. I support the motion because it will allow six months for further consultation with all those impacted by the provisions of Bill 9. It allows additional time to consider the recommendations from the 2022 special commit - tee report on FOI and privacy.

It allows, during that six months, to consider in much more detail the sweeping new powers contained in Bill 9 and to ensure, in that six- month period, that there is actual evidence, not anecdotal evidence, to support the changes. [2:55 p.m.] By way of explanation, in that six-month period, we can overcome a major flaw in the legislative process with respect to Bill 9, which is that it is not enough to consult within government. There needs to be robust consulta - tion.

That certainly cannot be accomplished in the time available to the end of May, but the six-month period will give the government ample time to properly pursue consultation. By way of comparison, in 1992, when the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act was intro - duced in this Legislature, a discussion paper was released publicly.

There was feedback sought from all interested parties — including journalists, including future users of the act, including organizations, including businesses — essentially, any British Columbian and any British Col - umbia organization or business that had an interest in the legislation, either because it intended to use the legislation or because it wanted to ensure the legislation was robust. I note that after that feedback was provided on the dis - cussion paper, there was actually a televised debate regard - ing the legislation, involving the minister and others.

The submissions made during that period of time were made public. This all resulted in amendments to the legislation,

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7363 which is a far different process than the process that’s been undertaken for this bill. It gives a clear indication of the type of work that could be conducted over the next six months if this motion is adopted. Not to put too fine a point on it, but that type of pro - cess over the next six months will ensure that the legis - lation that is brought forward is fashioned by the public in B.C. and for the public, because it is the public’s right to know. It’s certainly not enough to have these changes based on anecdotal evidence.

I’ll come back to that, and I’ll explain how this six-month period can be used to fa - cilitate that. I also would note that that six-month period will also…. Should the government proceed on the basis that we’d cer- tainly suggest in how they use that six-month period, they would, as part of the release of a discussion paper and the gathering of feedback, be able to include in that discus - sion paper an explanation of why not or why they would proceed with the recommendations of the all-party com - mittee.

And with all of that information, that six-month period will enable it to be properly gathered, considered, made public, analyzed and used to inform changes to the legislation or new legislation. [3:00 p.m.] On the issue of new legislation, I think it’s important that that six-month period would also allow for the de - velopment of new legislation that incorporates the parts of the act that the Green caucus certainly supports — those provisions in the act that are particularly focused on en - suring that individuals seeking their own personal infor - mation can do so more easily.

That six-month period and the work done during it will help to ensure that not only do we end up with a stronger act with a better, broader base of support, but it will also be a way to ensure that we don’t lose the good parts of the act which we support. I want to just talk a bit about some of the specific ways in which that work can be undertaken over the six-month period and illustrate some of the benefits.

I don’t plan to revisit earlier speeches in relation to this legislation, but I do want to illustrate, in respect to some of the sections, the work that would be undertaken over the six months and that has not been undertaken to date. In

section 1 of the act, there’s an amendment that re - lates to the production of documents in a proceeding. As I mentioned, that six-month period allows for further con - sultation. To date, there has been no consultation with the Trial Lawyers Association of B.C., the Canadian Bar As - sociation or the broader public around the implications of this broadened exemption. From an evidentiary point of view, there has been no data gathered regarding how many FOI requests were made in the past year that would be excluded from the act if this amendment were in force and what metrics there are that are available.

That’s the type of work that would be undertaken during this six-month period in relation to that clause. We also have a

section 2 that deals with introducing a phrase “with a reasonable effort.” This is another avenue that can be pursued over the next six months and that hasn’t been pursued yet, which is to consult with appli - cants who have used this legislation regarding this change. To date, we have only seen, as I understand it, consultation with the administrators of the legislation, not with the ap - plicants who would be impacted by this change.

There’s also no data available in terms of the delay to processing the request and how the forecast has been made about the impact of “with a reasonable effort.” So it’s not just about the plain meaning of the act. It’s also about taking those six months to properly consult the public, the applicants — those impacted — to assess the implications. I’ll touch on some other examples. I don’t propose to go through all of the amendments that need to be given further consideration.

But I will say that one of the key changes that is affected, that needs to be studied further in the six months allowed for that study, involves the amend - ment to

section 43. [3:05 p.m.] That amendment, as you’ll recall, provides and enables, on application, for requests to be either denied or delayed because they would unreasonably interfere with the oper - ations of the public body or, as is the current amendment, the ministry responsible for the administration of this act.

From a consultation perspective, there is a need to take time to actually survey and get input from those ap - plicants — what they think of that type of change, what their perspective is — and other journalistic organiza - tions, business organizations and so on and to have some specific analysis done, over that six-month period, of the number of requests that would be excluded. There are a number of other provisions in the act that, effectively, make operational considerations a basis for de - laying or not dealing with a request.

In that regard, as an example, over the next six months, through a discussion paper process or some other form of thorough public con - sultation, there will be opportunities, like the applicant for information — and I’ll use this to illustrate, because they have not been consulted — on the incorporation of Oka - nagan Falls as a municipality. Their experience is instruct - ive and needs to be factored in, in this discussion paper process over the next six months. By way of background — I’ll be brief — they made an application on August 8, 2025.

On August 20, they paid a fee of $420 to have the FOI application dealt with. On August 20, they received the invoice, and on September 20, they paid the fee in full. Then on October 10, 2025, the ap - plicant received a letter from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs discussing their request. At the bottom of the first page of the letter, they say:

7364 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 “As we advance this process, I recognize that transparency is essential to building trust with partners and commun - ities, especially during a change in governance such as municipal incorporation. Our goal is to provide clear and timely information while working collaboratively with our partners.” That was October 10, 2025. The request was made Au - gust 8. To date, they have still not received a response to their request.

It was extended on October 16, November 28, January 20, February 11, March 9 and just recently on April 20, so that the current date for release of information is June 4, 2026, when they made the request on August 8, 2025. I remind the House that this legislation provides for a response within 30 days. It seems to me it’s a lot longer than 30 days.

My point here is not to delve into the detail of this request but to illustrate that this is exactly the type of applicant that has not had an opportunity to participate in the process of the development of these amendments. [3:10 p.m.] In the next six months, through a discussion paper process and other mechanisms, maybe we could even have a debate, like we did in 1992, but I don’t think it’d be televised. It would probably be on YouTube or Zoom. We could actually have full public engagement in these amendments, because that will build trust in the ultim - ate result.

The type of evidence that should be available that can be gathered over the next six months is information re - lated to the specific forecast impact of each amendment and the current number of requests that are being dealt with under each amendment, the impact on budgets of public bodies and service plans and other items. As I mentioned, over the next six months…. It’s con - founding to me, for example, that the consultative com - mittee provided for in

section 67 of the act is not active. It would be helpful in the discussion paper to understand why. Perhaps many of the reasons we need to spend six months doing this work could have been avoided if there had been a consultative committee in place to offer advice on the changes proposed and to also provide a way to seek public input in addition to the discussion paper approach. The other item that we…. I’m not going to go through all the amendments, but some of these provisions would be made retroactive if the amendments were adopted.

That, over the next six months, needs some close scrutiny too, in terms of the number of requests that it’s expected would have these provisions apply retroactively to either enable them to be stopped in their tracks or to be put on a slower frame or to be held back pending operational re - source availability. I look at the request I mentioned earlier from an appli - cant. If this legislation were passed and it’s retroactive, is the idea that this applicant that’s been waiting since Au - gust 8, 2025, to get a response would be out of luck?

The six-month process is the opportunity to dig into these issues in a lot of detail through a discussion paper process, through activating the consultative committee, through gathering robust public input that isn’t simply focused on what those inside public bodies and inside government see as being the best approach forward but, actually, results from extensive consultation with users of the legislation. This approach that we have of considering a hoist mo - tion is an opportunity to use that six months to really do the work that wasn’t done before these amendments were introduced.

In that way, we will create a level of under - standing of the amendments and will be able to have a proper consideration of which parts of the act could be reintroduced in the form of a new bill. [3:15 p.m.] As I’ve mentioned, we in the Green caucus support the changes that increase the ability of individuals to seek their own personal information on a more proactive basis through MCFD, but we see a significant degree of change here that we cannot support and that requires, over the next six months, much more scrutiny.

It’s not just to ensure, from our perspective, that a new piece of legislation incorporates the public’s wishes in terms of the 2022 special committee report. It’s not just to ensure that any provisions related to the administration of the FOI Act are done in a way that truly reflects the broad base of interests — not of those who, either intentionally or unintentionally, would look through their lens of ways to reduce administrative burden — but to encourage and really be reflective of the applicants, the public, those that are behind wanting this legislation.

It’s to ensure that they are able to access information, not based on who they are or why they want it, and are also able to access the information in a period of 30 days, rather than over a year. The solution that we would like to see canvassed over the next six months is alternatives to making access to in - formation subject to not interfering with operational con - venience. We have not had an opportunity to really can - vass — in any way, shape or form — alternatives to the approach proposed in this legislation.

We definitely would like to see that six-month period as an opportunity to understand what other options are available, rather than enabling the reduction of access to information.

Six months gives the government the chance to rewrite provisions that weaken freedom of information, or free - dom to information — six months for the government to build broad-based public trust in the changes, rather than having it seen as an effort to reduce access in the goal of administrative convenience; six months to show that the government is prepared to approach amendments with transparency and with openness — to ultimately ensure that the legislation, when recrafted and reintroduced as a

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7365 new bill, has a much broader base of support and has a full understanding of the implications. I can only go back to when the legislation was origin - ally introduced, and I would point out that a number of organizations accepted the legislation as being the gold standard at the time, not because they were thrilled with every provision but because they had been involved dir - ectly and listened to, in terms of how to strike the balance between competing interests. That work has not been done.

Over the next six months, that is the work that can be done, that will rebuild trust in this legislation and that will offer an opportunity for members of the public and others to recommend addi - tional changes that they see as needed. [3:20 p.m.] A good starting point for that is the recommendations in the 2022 all-party special committee report.

For all of those reasons, I simply want to conclude by saying that the Green caucus supports this work and sup - ports this motion that the motion for second reading of Bill 9, entitled the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026, be amended by deleting the word “now” and substituting “six months hence.” Claire Rattée: I’m rising today in support of the hoist motion that’s before this House, the motion to amend second reading of Bill 9 by deleting the word “now” and substituting “six months hence.” I want to be very clear from the outset about why this hoist motion is needed.

This motion is not about pre - venting discussion on freedom-of-information legislation, and it is not about saying that the current system is perfect. In fact, I think that everyone in this House recognizes that there are issues within the current FOI system that need to be addressed. The reason that this hoist motion is ne - cessary is because Bill 9 is not ready to proceed.

A six-month delay is necessary because this legislation raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and access to information — concerns that have not been adequately addressed by government, despite widespread criticism from journalists, legal experts, watchdog organ - izations, opposition members and even people who helped build British Columbia’s original freedom-of-information framework. To be clear. A six-month delay is less time than the average wait right now for access to a freedom-of- information request.

Frankly, the government’s own actions over the last several weeks demonstrate exactly why this six-month hoist is justified. After second reading debate had already begun, the government tabled amendments to the bill, not immediately but weeks later. It is a clear acknowledgement that there were problems with the legislation as originally drafted. Those amendments can’t even be tabled until the committee stage.

It’s also important to note that during committee stage, we can’t receive extra presentations from people that will be affected by this legislation, so making the further amendments that are necessary at committee stage would not be possible. That’s why this hoist motion is important. We need that six-month pause to be able to do this work properly. Government ministers have attempted to frame these amendments as minor clarifications. We heard the min - ister say that these were simply targeted adjustments to provide additional precision.

But if these issues were truly minor and if this legislation was truly ready to proceed, then why were amendments necessary at all? It seems highly unlikely and unconventional, to be honest, and I think that a lot of it comes down to much of what has been said over the course of the discussion that we’ve had around this piece of legislation on second read - ing and the recognition that there are a lot of problems. More importantly, why do these amendments still fail to address the core concerns that have been raised throughout this debate? Even after the amendments, the same fundamental problems remain.

The bill still expands discretion for government, it still weakens clarity around access rights, it still introduces vague and undefined language, and it still shifts the balance of power further away from the public and further toward the institution being scrutinized. This is exactly why this House should support the hoist motion and allow six more months for proper review and reconsideration before proceeding with second reading.

One of the strongest arguments in favour of this six- month hoist is the fact that the government has largely ignored the work already completed by the special com - mittee on the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in 2022. On that note, I think it’s important to talk a little bit about why that work should have been included here, the frustrations with the fact that it wasn’t and why I think that this hoist motion is necessary so that we can make sure that that is incorporated. As somebody that has been sitting on committees since I’ve been elected here….

I spent a lot of time on the Fi - nance Committee last summer. We did a lot of very hard work. It ate up most of my summer, to be honest, putting together recommendations for the Finance Minister. I can’t help but notice that most of them went largely ignored in this year’s budget. I understand that maybe this is different times that we’re in, but I don’t understand what the purpose of doing all that work was if it was going to be ignored.

I think that it’s frustrating for people that were on this special committee because it probably feels like a lot of their hard work has been ignored with this piece of legis - lation. I think that it does need to be incorporated, and it needs to be listened to. [3:25 p.m.]

7366 B ritish Columbia Debates W ednesday, May 6, 2026 That committee produced a comprehensive all-party report with 34 recommendations intended to modern - ize and improve the FOI system while protecting trans - parency and accountability, and it focused on improving administration of the act to meet current digital-era de - mands. Yet instead of implementing the majority of those recommendations, the government introduced Bill 9, legislation that focuses heavily on expanding refusal pow - ers, increasing discretion and making requests easier to dismiss. That raises a very important question.

If there was already extensive committee work done on improving FIPPA, why are we rushing ahead with legislation that ig - nores so much of that work? A six-month hoist would pro- vide time to properly review and implement those recom - mendations, instead of moving forward with legislation that has generated such significant concern. The special committee received extensive input from private citizens and experts, such as the Canadian Asso - ciation of Journalists — work that clearly was not done by this government in the drafting of this bill.

The bill itself failed to address many of the core recommendations that came out of that special committee report. To inform its work, the special committee also held open consultation and heard from 97 organizations and individuals, including the Ministry of Citizens’ Services themselves and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. Again, it begs the question: why did the resulting report that came from that special committee not inform the work that was being done on Bill 9?

I think that 97 different organizations and individuals would pro - vide an awful lot of context on what’s needed to make the improvements that are necessary for the Freedom of In - formation Act. The need for the six-month delay becomes even clearer when we examine some of the specific clauses that re - main deeply problematic even after the government’s amendments. Take clause 2, for example. Even with the proposed amendment, the bill still leaves it to the opinion of the head of the public body to determine whether enough de - tail has been provided in an FOI request.

That language still introduces subjectivity. It still allows government bodies to determine whether a request is sufficiently de - tailed, and it still includes undefined concepts like what constitutes a reasonable amount of time. The government may have removed some wording, but the fundamental issue remains exactly the same. There is still no definition of “experienced employee” provided, rendering the clause exactly the same as it was before the potential amendment. That is precisely why this hoist mo - tion is necessary. The same is true of clause 13.

Even after the poten - tial amendment, the bill still expands the grounds upon which requests can be disregarded. The legislation still relies on vague and undefined terms like “abusive,” “mali - cious” and “excessively broad,” and requests that may “un- reasonably interfere” with government operations. None of those terms have been clearly defined. When the legis - lation grants broad discretion without clear

definitions, accountability weakens. That concern has not only been raised by members of the opposition though. It has been raised by legal experts, journalists and advocacy organizations across British Col - umbia. That’s why this hoist motion is important, because we need to have the opportunity, government needs the opportunity to make sure that those recommendations are incorporated here by the people that it’s going to im - pact the most. The B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Associa - tion warned that these changes shift the balance of power away from the requester and toward government.

Former architects of British Columbia’s FOI legislation have raised concerns. Journalists have raised concerns. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has raised concerns and delivered a petition signed by thousands of British Columbians op - posing this bill. When that many people from that many different back - grounds are sounding the alarm, perhaps this government should not be rushing the legislation through.

I know that this government frequently seems very comfortable with ignoring what others are saying to them about their legislation and trying to urge them to listen, but I think that this is a time where they really do need to listen. I think that perhaps we should support this six- month hoist motion so that we have the time to get it right. Another reason this six-month delay is necessary is be - cause transparency in British Columbia is already under strain. People are already waiting months, sometimes close to a year, for FOI responses. Proactive disclosures have already been paused in several areas.

Independent oversight mechanisms are already being weakened. Against that backdrop, Bill 9 moves us further in the wrong direction. This House should not proceed with legislation that risks further eroding public trust without taking the time to properly address the legitimate con - cerns that have been raised. Ultimately, that’s what this motion is about. It’s about ensuring that legislation impacting fundamental demo - cratic accountability mechanisms receives the scrutiny that it deserves.

It’s about ensuring that we do not rush forward with flawed legislation simply because govern - ment believes it has the votes to do so. It’s about recogniz - ing that transparency is not an inconvenience for govern - ment to manage; it’s a democratic obligation. For all of those reasons, I support the motion to hoist Bill 9 for six months, and I would encourage all members of this House do the same. [3:30 p.m.] I think that I want to read, at this point, a couple of dif -

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 B ritish Columbia Debates 7367 ferent quotes so that government can recognize the need for this motion and that it’s not just coming from this side of the House. It’s not just coming from opposition mem - bers. It’s coming from the people that rely on this legisla - tion and that need it to be able to do their jobs.

On April 29, from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, I’ll read a couple of quotes here: “‘Bill 9 is an attack on British Columbians’ most basic democratic rights,’ said Carson Binda, B.C. dir - ector for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. ‘Any MLA from any political party who supports Bill 9 is endorsing an attack on transparency. The govern - ment claims it needs the powers to crack down on the volume of FOI requests. However, the total number of FOI requests has substantially decreased in recent years, from 8,300 requests in 2020-21 to 4,700 requests in 2024-25.

Taxpayers deserve more accountability, not less,’ Binda said. ‘FOIPPA already allows the Infor- mation Commissioner to block frivolous or vexatious requests, and the total number of requests are trend - ing downwards.’” Which, again, is why this motion is

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20260506pm-Hansard-n174
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20260506pm Hansard n174
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	87e18c82d8009a16250a090861a64034e011b58b

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