1975 Legislative Session: 5th Session, 30th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes

only.

The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1975

Afternoon Sitting

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CONTENTS

Afternoon sitting

Routine proceedings

Speech from the throne (Hon. W.S. Owen) 1

Perpetuities Act (Bill 1). Hon. Mr. Macdonald.

Introduction and first reading

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1975

The House met at 3 p.m.

This being the first day of the fifth session of the 30th

Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia for

the dispatch of business, pursuant to a proclamation of the

Hon. John L. Farris, Administrator, dated January 9, 1975, Hon.

Members took their seats.

His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, having entered the House

and being seated upon the throne, was pleased to deliver the

following gracious speech.

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

HON. W.S. OWEN (Lieutenant-Governor): Mr. Speaker and

Members of the Legislative Assembly:

I extend warm greetings and a sincere welcome to each of you

to the fifth session of the 30th parliament of this

province.

My government is pleased to report that much has been

accomplished since August, 1972, in developing and implementing

new policies to improve the economic and social conditions of

the citizens of British Columbia. However, there is a renewed

sense of commitment to seek out new solutions to emerging

problems and to strive for even greater achievements in the

future.

During 1974 British Columbia was honoured by official visits

of heads of state and distinguished persons, including Their

Excellencies Governor-General Jules Leger and Madame Leger; His

Excellency Chang Wen-chin, Ambassador of the People's Republic

of China to Canada, and his wife, Madame Chang Ying; Their

Majesties King Hussein and Queen Alia of Jordan; His Excellency

Sir John Johnston, KCMG, KCVO, British High Commissioner to

Canada, and Lady Johnston; His Excellency Kakuei Tanaka, Prime

Minister of Japan; Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden; and

later in the year the Premiers of the Provinces of Alberta,

Saskatchewan and Manitoba during their participation in the

annual Western Premiers' Conference.

On Tuesday, April 9, Governor-General Leger, during the

course of his visit, officially opened the lower causeway

promenade in Victoria Inner Harbour. The causeway development,

funded through the Capital Improvement District Commission, is

one of the many beautification projects in the capital precinct

area initiated by the commission since its inception in

My government wishes to acknowledge with sincere

appreciation the gift of land in the Clayoquot district for

provincial park purposes made by F. Armour Ford and Helen

Jessop Ford, the gift of land in the Yale district for

provincial park purposes by the company, Pope and Talbot Ltd.,

and the gift of land at Dawson Creek to the Department of Education by F.W. Gardner.

Absent from this Legislative Assembly today is E.K. DeBeck,

who served this assembly faithfully and well during his period

as Clerk and later as Clerk Consultant. He was beloved by all

and will be greatly missed.

My government was deeply saddened at the news of the passing

of Senator Arthur Laing. Senator Laing served this province and

the country with integrity during his long, distinguished

public career.

Notwithstanding the slowdown in economic activity in Canada,

the British Columbia economy has performed well, particularly

in relationship to other provinces.

Due to extensive reliance on our export markets, my

government is keenly aware of the problems that downturns in

specific resource sectors can produce, and it has already taken

action in a number of cases. To create additional employment my

government is planning the introduction of an employment

programme in the forest industry.

My government is deeply concerned about a number of

federal-provincial matters. No national comprehensive energy

policy is being developed, as reflected both in the

federal-provincial resource taxation dispute and the recent

submissive position taken by the federal government in regard

to multinational corporations on the Syncrude project.

My government continues to make strong representations to

States government to the proposed Alaska oil-tanker route

through the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca.

Legislation will be introduced to provide for a British

Columbia financial institution responsive to the needs of the

people of British Columbia.

As opposed to the present eastern-based financial

institutions, the new British Columbia financial structure will

provide services throughout the province, particularly in

northern and rural areas, and specifically in matters such as

mortgages for families.

The year 1975 has been proclaimed by the United Nations as

International Women's Year, during which time there will be new

and intensified departmental activities to promote equality

among men and women. My government is pleased to join in

support of these efforts. Policies will be implemented to

continue to improve employment opportunities for women in the

British Columbia public service and to increase the number of

women in management positions. In addition, legislation will be

introduced to eliminate existing discriminatory legislative

provisions applicable to women.

In order to reform our electoral system and provide greater opportunity for

people to exercise their rights in a democracy, a new Provincial Elections Act

will be brought forward which will emphasize, in particular, the areas of election

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financing and disclosure.

My government has initiated policies over the past year to

stimulate further the agricultural industry of British

Columbia.

The Land Commission has furthered, and now virtually

completed, the establishment of agricultural land reserves

throughout the province. Continued refinement of these areas

and a policy of purchasing farmland, when appropriate, will be

followed in 1975, with acquired lands available to farmers on a

leasehold basis.

A new dimension to British Columbia farm production was

introduced in 1974 with the Income Assurance Programme.

Commercial operators in the dairy, tree fruits, field tomato,

and swine sectors may now confidently plan production and

marketing schedules without risking their income levels. Plans

for extending coverage to other production areas are under

way.

In 1974 my government initiated innovative financial

programmes to stabilize market returns for farm products and to

make additional credit available to primary producers.

You will be asked to make amendments to the Farm Products

Industry Improvement Act.

Financial programmes will be further expanded to assist in

the development of agricultural lands and to help with the

credit needs of the agricultural industry and processing

facilities.

My government has assisted a number of our citizens by

implementing the Allotment Garden Programme and Farm Vacation

Programme. These programmes afford participants the opportunity

of getting on the land to grow their own vegetables or of

visiting a working farm operation. These programmes will be

further expanded in 1975.

My government is prepared to share our good fortune in the

face of present world food shortages. The suffering of peoples

in such places as Bangladesh demands both a provincial and

national commitment of aid to world areas left in chaos by

natural disasters.

British Columbians will be allowed this year to express

their concern with new proposed legislation.

In 1974 my government appointed a Minister responsible for

northern affairs. The Minister has since travelled throughout

the north, meeting with local government bodies, special

interest groups and individuals, and has received excellent

cooperation from all departments of government. A series of

public workshops have been initiated in northern communities to

provide a forum for local residents to outline plans for their

communities.

Northern residents have long felt that government decisions affecting them

are made away from the north and their needs and aspirations have been overlooked

in the decision-making process. My government, since receiving its mandate,

has adopted a planning approach to resource development in the north and during

the past year has moved to achieve a more significant record of public involvement

in the activities of the north.

In the coming year there will be increased efforts to

broaden education, health and social services in the northern

areas of the province.

The various sections of the new Labour Code which were

proclaimed during 1974 were successfully tested in a major

bargaining year that included a marked increase in the labour

force. The number of man-days lost through labour-management

disputes declined a dramatic 28 per cent, from a high of 2.1

million in 1972 to 1.5 million in 1974.

To improve and rationalize labour standards legislation,

there will be amendments to the Hours of Work Act, Annual and

General Holidays Act and the Payment of Wages Act.

Amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act contained in the

1974 legislation that provided for wide-ranging reforms have

nearly all been brought into effect and the provisions relating

to hearing loss will be completed this year.

A cooperative venture by the Department of Labour, other

provincial departments, the federal Department of Manpower and

Immigration, and Babine Forest Products Ltd. will lead to

construction of a sawmill at Burns Lake to be operated by and

for the native peoples of the Burns Lake area.

An agreement signed by the Ministers of Education and Labour

established a joint government committee to implement

co-ordinated manpower training programmes in the province.

Programme plans for public education, developed during the

year by the Human Rights Commission, will initially involve a

campaign to inform the general public about human rights and to

encourage respect for persons, whatever their race, religion or

sex.

My government in 1974 emphasized community involvement and

responsibility in the planning and development of social

services. At the same time, we have assumed greater financial

responsibility by reducing the municipal share of social

assistance programmes from 15 per cent to 10 per cent.

In recognition of the needs of our citizens, we implemented

the first Pharmacare programme in Canada, continued

improvements to Mincome — our guaranteed income programme for

people over 60 years — and provided additional assistance in

the areas of day care, special services for children, foster

homes, nursing homes and private hospitals.

A priority area this year will be increased emphasis on the

development of community-based services for the mentally

retarded.

Amendments will be brought forward this session to the

Social Assistance Act.

Seven hundred and thirty-seven new acute- and extended-care units were provided

in 1974, which, together with renovations, cost approximately $23

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million. My government's increasing concern with the need

for intermediate-care facilities has been demonstrated through

the provision of 500 new beds for this purpose in Burnaby,

Kamloops and Vancouver.

As of July 1, 1974, residents of the province became

entitled to emergency ground ambulance transportation under the

new emergency health services legislation.

Provision has now been made for community Human Resources

and Health centres in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Grand

Forks–Boundary, Houston-Granisle and James Bay, Victoria. These

locally planned and operated centres will enable doctors,

nurses, social workers and other professional staff to work

with the community to provide comprehensive and integrated

services. Expansion of these centres and home-care programmes

are planned for this coming year.

To improve health services in the province, amendments will

be brought forward to the Medical Services Act, the Hospital

Act, and the Dentistry Act. In addition, legislation will be

brought forward on the Community Care Facilities Licensing

Act.

My government last year authorized capital and construction

costs totalling $91 million for community colleges, and nearly

$3 million for vocational and technical training.

The importance of the quality of education has been

recognized with the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio

throughout the public school system by 1.74 over the past

year.

My government intends to continue its long-term policy of

alleviating the burden of rising educational taxes.

During 1974, major new ecological reserves were established

in the province and an accelerated search has begun for Crown

land suitable as home-building lots in rural, semirural and

suburban areas.

Despite the substantial decline in lumber market prices, the

total harvest of forest products in 1974 exceeded 2.5 billion

cubic feet.

Although reduced lumber markets put independent sawmills in

jeopardy, this situation was greatly eased by the lowering of

stumpage rates to their statutory minimum and by the passage in

the Legislature of the Timber Products Stabilization Act, which

is providing the sawmills with higher prices for pulp

chips.

My government is pleased with the reforestation programme

under which nursery production has exceeded the initial goal of

75 million seedlings established for 1975.

Adjacent tree farm licences have been awarded to the towns

of Smithers and Burns Lake which will enable the local people

to develop the licences with due regard for resource

potentials and values. Similar community tenures will be

pursued this year,

Following a number of studies on the forest industry, my

government will ask that a legislative committee consider terms

of reference for an inquiry into forest-tenure policy in the

province.

My government is proud of the accomplishments of the British

Columbia Petroleum Corporation in the natural gas area and of

the dynamic success of Columbia Cellulose Co. in the forestry

sector.

Highly successful programmes in industrial development have

been completed this year by my government, including the

hosting of a number of British Columbia's international

customers and the mounting of trade missions to Europe,

Malaysia, Australia, Latin America, Japan and Indonesia.

Initial sales attributable to these trade missions are in

excess of $5 million, The British Columbia Development Corporation, established in

1974, is providing financial assistance to smaller business

concerns. In addition, the corporation is active in land

assembly with two major industrial parks being planned through

purchases in Delta and Prince Rupert.

A new Outdoor Recreation Act and a Wild Rivers and

Wilderness Act will be brought forward for your

consideration.

The Community Recreational Facilities Fund, established in

1973, has allowed over 500 grants to be made to municipal,

cultural, ethnic and religious non-profit groups throughout the

province for a total of over $32 million.

Through the Green Belt Protection Fund Act, 692 acres,

representing four key wildlife management areas, were purchased

by my government this year.

The travel industry produced another record year with an

estimated revenue of $759 million as against $600 million for

The Trades Practices Act passed in 1974 is becoming the

model in Canadian legislation designed to fight deceptive and

unfair practices against consumers of this province. Amendments

to this Act are planned in 1975.

My government established a Department of Consumer Services

in 1974 and by the end of the year consumer service centres

providing staff for the handling of consumer complaints,

mediation and case investigation were operating in Vancouver,

Victoria, Kamloops and Prince George.

You will be asked to consider specific legislation on

prepaid consumer contracts as well as a Personal Information

Reporting Amendment Act.

The B.C. Police Commission, established by legislation since

July 1, 1974, has in cooperation with the Justice Development

Commission introduced a new training programme, a new

discipline code, 12 police boards and the first police

committees throughout the province. Policies regarding police

problems in working with other departments and concerned

citizens have been

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developed through a series of public meetings.

Court services are being expanded, integrated and

decentralized in conjunction with careful research and

evaluation of facility adequacy and administrative

effectiveness.

The Provincial Court Act will be revised to bring in line

existing procedures and structures of the courts.

Amendments are planned under the Sheriffs Act and the

Summary Convictions Act. Legislation will be introduced on a

Legal Services Commission Act.

My government will place emphasis on developing more

community resources and programmes for juveniles on probation

through local area management teams consisting of probation

officers and social workers.

Following the report by the Hon. Mr. Justice Berger on the

family law and the courts, legislation will be brought forward

in this area.

A complete revision will also be made of the Credit Unions

Act and the Government Liquor Act. In order to increase

protection for property owners, amendments will soon be

introduced to the Expropriation Act.

A rentalsman programme and a Rent Review Commission has been

established to deal with landlord and tenant conflicts and

matters of rent control. Further amendments will be forthcoming

to the Landlord and Tenant Act.

Through aggressive land acquisition and servicing programmes

over 3,621 residential lots and 1,127 mobile home pads have

been or are being developed. Legislation is to be introduced to

provide for the registration of mobile homes.

Substantial projects such as Burke Mountain land assembly,

Victoria Highlands and major development in the Burnaby

Mountain and Riverview areas were also highlighted in this past

year.

My government has assisted in the creation of 2,259 rental

and cooperative housing units in 1974 with another 14,323

units in the construction or planning stage.

Home ownership of moderate-income facilities is now possible

through the new Leasehold Mortgage Programme that carries an

interest rate as low as 5 per cent.

Amendments will be brought forward on the Housing Act,

Department of Housing Act and the Strata Titles Act.

Since the passage of the Sewerage Facilities Assistance Act

in 1974, $5.5 million has been paid to local governments to

assist them in building sewage treatment plants and gathering

systems.

Among the host of activities engaging my government during 1974 was the inception

of the universal, non-profit fund for traffic accident compensation administered

by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. Although its first year of

operation is not completed yet, it is already apparent

that Autoplan has brought benefits to all citizens of this province that include

stabilizing premiums for vehicle owners, providing a rate structure that is

generally the lowest among all the provinces, taking into account traffic densities

and vehicular use, and virtually eliminating the severe financial problems of

victims of uninsured vehicle accidents.

Further amendments to the Insurance Commission of British

Columbia legislation and the Automobile Insurance Act will be

brought forward this session.

To help curtail the growing number of traffic fatalities, my

government has reduced speed limits on a number of provincial

highways. In addition, highway maintenance programmes have been

emphasized this year with an increase of $29 million in the

Department of Highway's maintenance budget.

Notwithstanding substantial increases in traffic demand, the

B.C. ferries continue to provide greater service with the

addition of the Queen of Surrey . Contracts have been signed for

three new vessels to be built in North Vancouver and Victoria

yards for delivery early in 1976 at an estimated cost of over

$50 million.

Government aircraft were equipped in 1974 to provide

emergency air evacuations when needed. In this first full year

of "mercy flights," provincial government aircraft

logged 40,790 miles in both speeding stricken citizens from

outlying areas to our modern hospitals and in transporting

emergency supplies of blood plasma. This programme will be

expanded to provide greater service in the present year.

The public accounts and the reports of the departments of my

government will be laid before you, and you will be asked to

grant to Her Majesty the ways and means of supply.

To these and all other matters which may come before you, I

ask your most careful attention, praying that divine guidance

may guide you.

Mr. Speaker and Hon. Members, I leave you now to the

discharge of your legislative duties.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, I am sorry we forgot to have

prayers prior to the opening. I would ask you all now to rise

for prayers.

Prayers.

MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, in order to prevent mistakes, I

have obtained a copy of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor's

speech.

PERPETUITIES ACT

Hon. Mr. Macdonald presents a message from His

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Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled the

Perpetuities Act.

Bill 1 introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on

orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House

after today.

HON. D. BARRETT (Premier): Mr. Speaker, I move that the

speech of His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor be taken into

consideration at the next sitting of the House, and that this

order have precedence over all other business, except the

introduction of bills, until disposed of.

Motion approved.

HON. E. HALL (Provincial Secretary): Mr. Speaker, I move

that Votes and Proceedings of this House be printed, being

first perused by Mr. Speaker, and that he do appoint the

printing thereof, and that no person but such as he shall

appoint do presume to print the same.

Motion approved.

HON. MR. BARRETT: Mr. Speaker, I move that the select

standing committees of this House for the present session be

appointed for the following purposes:

On Standing Orders and Private Bills;

On Public Accounts and Economic Affairs;

On Agriculture;

On Municipal Affairs and Housing;

On Labour and Justice;

On Health, Education and Human Resources

On Transportation and Communications;

On Environment and Resources; which said committees shall severally be

empowered to examine and inquire into all such matters and things as shall

be referred to them by this House, and to report from time to time their observations

and opinions thereon with power to send for persons, papers and records, and

that a special committee be appointed to prepare and report, with all convenient

speed, lists of Members to compose the above select standing committees of

this House under standing order 68(1), said committee to be composed of the

Hon. A.B. Macdonald, the Hon. R.M. Strachan and Messrs. Dent, Bennett and

D.A. Anderson.

Motion approved.

MR. J.H. GORST (Esquimalt): Mr. Speaker, I move that Hartley

Douglas Dent, Member for Skeena Electoral District, be

appointed Deputy Speaker for this session of the Legislative

Assembly.

Motion approved.

HON. MR. BARRETT: Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to move that

report No. 9 of the Select Standing Committee on Standing

Orders and Private Bills adopted by this House on February 27,

1973, relating to oral questions, be adopted by this House for

the present session.

Motion approved.

HON. MR. BARRETT: Mr. Speaker, I ask leave to move that on

each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this session

there shall be two distinct sittings on each day: one from 2

p.m. to 6 p.m. and one from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m.; and on each

Friday there shall be one sitting from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.,

unless otherwise ordered.

Motion approved.

Presenting reports.

The following papers were presented:

Hon. E. Hall (Provincial Secretary) —

Nineteenth annual report of the business done in pursuance

of the Members of the Legislative Assembly Superannuation Act

for the year ended March 31, 1974.

Thirty-ninth annual report of the business done in pursuance

of the Public Service Superannuation Act for the year ended

March 31, 1974.

Thirty-fifth annual report of the business done in the

pursuance of the Municipal Superannuation Act for the year

ended December 31, 1973.

Sixth annual report of the business done in pursuance of the

College Pension Act for the year ended August 31, 1974.

Thirty-third annual report of the business done in pursuance

of the Teachers' Pension Act, year ended December 31, 1973.

Fourteenth annual report of the business done under the

Public Service Group Insurance Act, for the policy year July 1,

1973, to June 30, 1974.

A statement of receipts and disbursements from the report

from the Capital Improvement District Commission.

The annual report for the year ended March 31, 1974, from

the Library Development Commission.

Under the Public Inquiries Act, the interim report of the

commissioners into the use of pesticides and herbicides, dated

December 22, 1973.

Under the Public Inquiries Act, the royal commission inquiry

into the use of pesticides

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and herbicides — the second interim report dated December

10, 1974.

Under the Public Inquiries Act, the royal commission of

inquiry into Jericho Hill School, dated September 4, 1974.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry on Family and Children's

Law, the fourth report of the commissioners, dated February 12,

Hon. A.B. Macdonald (Attorney-General) —

The fifth-third annual report of the Liquor Administration

Branch of the Department of the Attorney-General for the year

ending March 31, 1974.

The fifty-second annual report of the Fire Marshal for the

year ended December 31, 1973.

The annual report of the British Columbia Racing Commission

for 1974.

The sixty-third annual report of the Superintendent of

Insurance for the year ending December 31, 1973.

Hon. D. Barrett (Minister of Finance) —

The public accounts of British Columbia for the fiscal

year ending March 31, 1974: return submitted in accordance with

section 46(2)

of the Revenue Act; return submitted in accordance with

section 85(4) of the

Taxation Act; statement of unclaimed money deposits under authority of the Unclaimed

Money Deposits Act.

The thirty-second annual report of the Purchasing

Commission, January 1, 1974, to December 31, 1974.

Annual report of the Minister of Finance under

section 75 of

the Trust Companies' Act.

Annual report of the Assessment Appeal Board for the year

ended December 31, 1974.

The annual report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1974,

Office of the Assessment Commissioner.

Hon. Mr. Barrett moves adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

The House adjourned at 3:39 p.m.

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