British Columbia Hansard — Wednesday, February 11, 2015

20150211pm-Hansard-v19n2

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Fourth Session, 40th Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) THE HONOURABLE LINDA REID, SPEAKER ISSN 0709- 1281 (Print) ISSN 1499-2175 (Online) Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Aft ernoon Sitting Volume 19, Number 2

PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Entered Confederation July 20, 1871) LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Her Honour the Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC Fourth Session, 40th Parliament SPEAKER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Honourable Linda Reid EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Premier and President of the Executive Council .............................................................................................................. Hon. Christy Clark Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing ......................Hon.

Rich Coleman Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation ......................................................................................................... Hon. John Rustad Minister of Advanced Education ............................................................................................................................... Hon. Andrew Wilkinson Minister of Agriculture ........................................................................................................................................................ Hon.

Norm Letnick Minister of Children and Family Development ....................................................................................................... Hon. Stephanie Cadieux Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development ........................................................................................... Hon. Coralee Oakes Minister of Education ..................................................................................................................................................... Hon.

Peter Fassbender Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review .....................................................................Hon. Bill Bennett Minister of Environment ..........................................................................................................................................................Hon. Mary Polak Minister of Finance .................................................................................................................................................. Hon.

Michael de Jong, QC Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations......................................................................................Hon. Steve Th omson Minister of Health ............................................................................................................................................................... Hon. Dr. Terry Lake Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for Asia Pacifi c Strategy and Multiculturalism ..................Hon.

Teresa Wat Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour ...................................................Hon. Shirley Bond Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business ....................................................................................................Hon. Naomi Y amamoto Minister of Justice ...............................................................................................................................................................Hon.

Suzanne Anton Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation..............................................................................................Hon. Michelle Stilwell Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services ................................................................................................ Hon. Amrik Virk Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................Hon.

Todd Stone LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Leader of the Offi cial Opposition ...................................................................................................................................................John Horgan Deputy Speaker .............................................................................................................................................................................Douglas Horne Assistant Deputy Speaker ...............................................................................................................................................................

Raj Chouhan Deputy Chair, Committee of the Whole ..................................................................................................................................................Vacant Clerk of the Legislative Assembly ................................................................................................................................................... Craig James Deputy Clerk and Clerk of Committees .................................................................................................................................

Kate Ryan-Lloyd Sessional Law Clerk ...................................................................................................................................................Roderick MacArthur, QC Sergeant-at-Arms ................................................................................................................................................................................. Gary Lenz

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MEMBERS Anton, Hon. Suzanne (BC Liberal) .............................. Vancouver-Fraserview Ashton, Dan (BC Liberal).....................................................................Penticton Austin, Robin (NDP) ................................................................................ Skeena Bains, Harry (NDP) ....................................................................Surrey-Newton Barnett, Donna (BC Liberal) ............................................... Cariboo-Chilcotin Bennett, Hon.

Bill (BC Liberal) ...................................................Kootenay East Bernier, Mike (BC Liberal) ................................................... Peace River South Bing, Dr. Doug (BC Liberal) ................................ Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows Bond, Hon. Shirley (BC Liberal) ........................... Prince George–Valemount Cadieux, Hon. Stephanie (BC Liberal) ................................Surrey-Cloverdale Chandra Herbert, Spencer (NDP) .................................Vancouver–West End Chouhan, Raj (NDP) ...........................................................

Burnaby-Edmonds Clark, Hon. Christy (BC Liberal) ........................................ Westside-Kelowna Coleman, Hon. Rich (BC Liberal) ...........................Fort Langley–Aldergrove Conroy, Katrine (NDP) .............................................................. Kootenay West Corrigan, Kathy (NDP) ..................................................... Burnaby–Deer Lake Dalton, Marc (Ind.) ......................................................... Maple Ridge–Mission Darcy, Judy (NDP) ..................................................................New Westminster de Jong, Hon.

Michael, QC (BC Liberal) .............................. Abbotsford West Dix, Adrian (NDP)............................................................Vancouver-Kingsway Donaldson, Doug (NDP) ......................................................................... Stikine Eby, David (NDP) ..........................................................Vancouver–Point Grey Elmore, Mable (NDP) ................................................... Vancouver-Kensington Farnworth, Mike (NDP) ............................................................ Port Coquitlam Fassbender, Hon.

Peter (BC Liberal) ................................... Surrey-Fleetwood Fleming, Rob (NDP) .......................................................... Victoria–Swan Lake Foster, Eric (BC Liberal) .......................................................Vernon-Monashee Fraser, Scott (NDP) ............................................................Alberni–Pacifi c Rim Gibson, Simon (BC Liberal) ............................................. Abbotsford-Mission Hamilton, Wm.

Scott (BC Liberal) .................................................Delta North Hammell, Sue (NDP) .................................................... Surrey–Green Timbers Heyman, George (NDP) .................................................... Vancouver-Fairview Hogg, Gordon (BC Liberal) ............................................... Surrey–White Rock Holman, Gary (NDP) .......................................Saanich North and the Islands Horgan, John (NDP) .......................................................................

Juan de Fuca Horne, Douglas (BC Liberal) ..............................Coquitlam–Burke Mountain Hunt, Marvin (BC Liberal) ....................................................Surrey-Panorama Huntington, Vicki (Ind.) ..................................................................Delta South James, Carole (NDP) .........................................................Victoria–Beacon Hill Karagianis, Maurine (NDP) ........................................Esquimalt–Royal Roads Krog, Leonard Eugene (NDP) .............................................................

Nanaimo Kwan, Jenny Wai Ching (NDP) ........................... Vancouver–Mount Pleasant Kyllo, Greg (BC Liberal) ........................................................................ Shuswap Lake, Hon. Dr. Terry (BC Liberal) ....................Kamloops–North Th ompson Larson, Linda (BC Liberal) .........................................Boundary-Similkameen Lee, Richard T. (BC Liberal) ......................................................Burnaby North Letnick, Hon.

Norm (BC Liberal) ..............................Kelowna–Lake Country Macdonald, Norm (NDP) ....................................Columbia River–Revelstoke McRae, Don (BC Liberal) ............................................................ Comox Valley Martin, John (BC Liberal) ..................................................................Chilliwack Morris, Mike (BC Liberal) ..................................... Prince George–Mackenzie Mungall, Michelle (NDP) ..........................................................Nelson-Creston Oakes, Hon.

Coralee (BC Liberal) .............................................Cariboo North Pimm, Pat (BC Liberal) .........................................................Peace River North Plecas, Dr. Darryl (BC Liberal) .............................................Abbotsford South Polak, Hon. Mary (BC Liberal) .............................................................. Langley Popham, Lana (NDP) ...................................................................Saanich South Ralston, Bruce (NDP) ................................................................ Surrey-Whalley Reid, Hon.

Linda (BC Liberal) ..................................................Richmond East Reimer, Linda (BC Liberal) ........................................ Port Moody–Coquitlam Rice, Jennifer (NDP) ........................................................................North Coast Robinson, Selina (NDP) .............................................Coquitlam-Maillardville Routley, Bill (NDP) .................................................................. Cowichan Valley Routley, Doug (NDP) ............................................Nanaimo–North Cowichan Rustad, Hon.

John (BC Liberal) ................................................ Nechako Lakes Shin, Jane Jae Kyung (NDP) ...............................................Burnaby-Lougheed Simons, Nicholas (NDP) ................................... Powell River–Sunshine Coast Simpson, Shane (NDP) ..................................................... Vancouver-Hastings Stilwell, Hon. Michelle (BC Liberal)............................... Parksville-Qualicum Stilwell, Dr. Moira (BC Liberal) ........................................ Vancouver-Langara Stone, Hon. Todd (BC Liberal) .........................

Kamloops–South Th ompson Sturdy, Jordan (BC Liberal) ..................................West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Sullivan, Sam (BC Liberal) ...........................................Vancouver–False Creek Sultan, Ralph (BC Liberal) ..................................... West Vancouver–Capilano Tegart, Jackie (BC Liberal) ............................................................Fraser-Nicola Th omson, Hon. Steve (BC Liberal) .......................................Kelowna-Mission Th ornthwaite, Jane (BC Liberal) ..........................

North Vancouver–Seymour Th roness, Laurie (BC Liberal).................................................Chilliwack-Hope Trevena, Claire (NDP) .................................................................... North Island Virk, Hon. Amrik (BC Liberal) ............................................. Surrey-Tynehead Wat, Hon. Teresa (BC Liberal) .............................................. Richmond Centre Weaver, Dr. Andrew (Ind.) .......................................... Oak Bay–Gordon Head Wilkinson, Hon. Andrew (BC Liberal) ........................ Vancouver-Quilchena Y amamoto, Hon.

Naomi (BC Liberal) ................ North Vancouver–Lonsdale Y ap, John (BC Liberal) ......................................................Richmond-Steveston LIST OF MEMBERS BY RIDING Abbotsford-Mission ......................................................................Simon Gibson Abbotsford South ..................................................................... Dr. Darryl Plecas Abbotsford West ...................................................... Hon. Michael de Jong, QC Alberni–Pacifi c Rim ..........................................................................

Scott Fraser Boundary-Similkameen ................................................................ Linda Larson Burnaby–Deer Lake ................................................................... Kathy Corrigan Burnaby-Edmonds ..........................................................................Raj Chouhan Burnaby-Lougheed .............................................................Jane Jae Kyung Shin Burnaby North .............................................................................. Richard T.

Lee Cariboo-Chilcotin ........................................................................Donna Barnett Cariboo North .................................................................... Hon. Coralee Oakes Chilliwack ......................................................................................... John Martin Chilliwack-Hope ....................................................................... Laurie Th roness Columbia River–Revelstoke ..................................................

Norm Macdonald Comox Valley.....................................................................................Don McRae Coquitlam–Burke Mountain .....................................................Douglas Horne Coquitlam-Maillardville........................................................... Selina Robinson Cowichan Valley ................................................................................ Bill Routley Delta North .........................................................................Wm.

Scott Hamilton Delta South...............................................................................Vicki Huntington Esquimalt–Royal Roads .....................................................Maurine Karagianis Fort Langley–Aldergrove ...................................................Hon. Rich Coleman Fraser-Nicola.................................................................................... Jackie Tegart Juan de Fuca .....................................................................................John Horgan Kamloops–North Th ompson ............................................ Hon. Dr.

Terry Lake Kamloops–South Th ompson ..................................................Hon. Todd Stone Kelowna–Lake Country ..................................................... Hon. Norm Letnick Kelowna-Mission .............................................................. Hon. Steve Th omson Kootenay East .......................................................................... Hon. Bill Bennett Kootenay West ............................................................................ Katrine Conroy Langley.......................................................................................Hon.

Mary Polak Maple Ridge–Mission ..................................................................... Marc Dalton Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows ........................................................ Dr. Doug Bing Nanaimo ........................................................................... Leonard Eugene Krog Nanaimo–North Cowichan ......................................................... Doug Routley Nechako Lakes ........................................................................ Hon.

John Rustad Nelson-Creston ........................................................................Michelle Mungall New Westminster ............................................................................... Judy Darcy North Coast......................................................................................Jennifer Rice North Island .................................................................................. Claire Trevena North Vancouver–Lonsdale ........................................Hon.

Naomi Y amamoto North Vancouver–Seymour ..................................................Jane Th ornthwaite Oak Bay–Gordon Head ...................................................... Dr. Andrew Weaver Parksville-Qualicum .......................................................Hon. Michelle Stilwell Peace River North ................................................................................ Pat Pimm Peace River South ............................................................................Mike Bernier Penticton............................................................................................

Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam ..........................................................................Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Coquitlam ................................................................Linda Reimer Powell River–Sunshine Coast ................................................. Nicholas Simons Prince George–Mackenzie ............................................................. Mike Morris Prince George–Valemount ................................................... Hon. Shirley Bond Richmond Centre ......................................................................Hon.

Teresa Wat Richmond East ..........................................................................Hon. Linda Reid Richmond-Steveston ..............................................................................John Y ap Saanich North and the Islands .................................................... Gary Holman Saanich South ................................................................................

Lana Popham Shuswap ................................................................................................Greg Kyllo Skeena .............................................................................................. Robin Austin Stikine ....................................................................................... Doug Donaldson Surrey-Cloverdale ....................................................... Hon. Stephanie Cadieux Surrey-Fleetwood ........................................................... Hon.

Peter Fassbender Surrey–Green Timbers .................................................................. Sue Hammell Surrey-Newton ................................................................................. Harry Bains Surrey-Panorama ........................................................................... Marvin Hunt Surrey-Tynehead ......................................................................Hon. Amrik Virk Surrey-Whalley..............................................................................

Bruce Ralston Surrey–White Rock ....................................................................... Gordon Hogg Vancouver-Fairview ..................................................................George Heyman Vancouver–False Creek ................................................................... Sam Sullivan Vancouver-Fraserview ......................................................Hon.

Suzanne Anton Vancouver-Hastings ....................................................................Shane Simpson Vancouver-Kensington .................................................................Mable Elmore Vancouver-Kingsway..........................................................................Adrian Dix Vancouver-Langara .................................................................Dr. Moira Stilwell Vancouver–Mount Pleasant .........................................

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan Vancouver–Point Grey .........................................................................David Eby Vancouver-Quilchena ................................................ Hon. Andrew Wilkinson Vancouver–West End ...............................................

Spencer Chandra Herbert Vernon-Monashee ...............................................................................Eric Foster Victoria–Beacon Hill .......................................................................Carole James Victoria–Swan Lake.........................................................................Rob Fleming West Vancouver–Capilano ............................................................. Ralph Sultan West Vancouver–Sea to Sky ..........................................................Jordan Sturdy Westside-Kelowna ................................................................

Hon. Christy Clark Party Standings: BC Liberal 48; New Democratic 34; Independent 3

CONTENTS Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Aft ernoon Sitting Page Routine Business Introductions by Members ..................................................................................................................................................... 5657 Introduction and First Reading of Bills ................................................................................................................................ 5658 Bill 9 — Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2015 Hon. S. Bond Bill 2 — B.C. Transportation Financing Authority Transit Assets and Liabilities Act Hon. T.

Stone Bill 4 — Chartered Professional Accountants Act Hon. A. Wilkinson Bill 7 — Private Training Act Hon. A. Wilkinson Statements (Standing Order 25B) ......................................................................................................................................... 5660 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George M. Morris Protection of Grace Islet G. Holman 85th anniversary of Central Elementary Community School in Chilliwack J. Martin 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George D. Donaldson Public policy and political engagement by citizens G.

Hogg Participation by B.C. students in Taiwan International Science Fair R. Fleming Oral Questions ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5662 Independent review panel report on tailings pond breach at Mount Polley mine J. Horgan Hon. C. Clark N. Macdonald Hon. B. Bennett Government contracts for communications on teachers labour dispute negotiations R. Fleming Hon. P . Fassbender M. Mungall Hunting allocation policy changes K. Conroy Hon. S.

Th omson Hunting allocation policy changes and role of Energy Minister K. Conroy Hon. S. Th omson R. Austin Point of Privilege (Reservation of Right) ............................................................................................................................. 5666 K. Conroy Motions Without Notice ......................................................................................................................................................... 5666 Appointment of Children and Y outh Committee Hon. M. de Jong Appointment of Special Committee to Review the Independent Investigations Offi ce Hon.

M. de Jong

Reports from Committees ...................................................................................................................................................... 5667 Special Committee on Local Elections Expense Limits, fi rst report, December 2014 J. Tegart S. Robinson Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, annual review of the budgets of statutory offi ces, December 2014 D. Ashton C.

James Personal Statement .................................................................................................................................................................. 5668 Withdrawal of comments made in the House Hon. B. Bennett Orders of the Day Th rone Speec h Debate ............................................................................................................................................................ 5669 M. Hunt M. Morris J. Darcy D. Barnett N. Macdonald Hon. S. Cadieux C. Trevena S. Hamilton L. Krog Hon. T. Stone S. Fraser

WEDNESDAY , FEBRUARY 11, 2015 Th e House met at 1:34 p.m. [Madame Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers. Introductions by Members J. Horgan: Here on our fi rst day of the 2015 spring session is a good day for those of us in Juan de Fuca. We have a couple of introductions to make today. [1335] Joining us in the gallery is the youngest school board trustee in the Sooke district, Ravi Parmar, who turned 20 on election day, with the second-highest number of votes in Sooke, by the way. Ravi is here to watch parliament in action, and I’m confi dent we’ll give him a good show.

With him as well is someone I think that the Lieutenant- Governor might have been thinking about when they were talking about a volunteer medal, my ten-year vol- unteer, Larry Fofonoff , who every Friday for the past ten years has come and helped me in my constituency offi ce and helping the good people of Juan de Fuca. I want to thank Larry for that. I don’t know if I can get you a medal, Larry, but thanks for coming today. Two other guests that had to drive through Juan de Fuca and brave the Malahat to get here come from Campbell River.

One is Robin Geary, who was the con- stituency assistant for Rosemary Brown in the 1970s and worked for the NDP caucus in the late ’70s into the 1980s. She now is a free-form gardener in Campbell River. She works with the Stephen Lewis grandmothers foundation, and she is the mother of our executive director, Vanessa Geary. Would the House please make her very welcome. Lastly, I’ d like to introduce someone who is no stran- ger to this place — fi ve times elected, once from the North Shore and four times from the North Island. He, of course, knows the Malahat and the community of Juan de Fuca very, very well.

Th at is the former Attorney General, Colin Gabelmann, who joins us here today. Colin is one of the lucky people to have his picture by himself on the wall in this place. I know many Attorneys General on that side of the House also have their portraits there, but none as dashing as Colin. On his birthday I think we should all give him a big round of applause. Happy birthday, Colin. Th ank you for being such an outstanding Attorney General. R. Lee: In the gallery today we have four visitors from the Baina Mining Corp.: Mr. Jun Ren Wang from China; Sam Peng, Frank Xu and Frank Man from Vancouver.

Baina Mining is exploring the jade mining in British Columbia. As you know, jade produced in B.C. is known as B.C. jade, our provincial gemstone. Would the House please make them welcome. S. Robinson: I’ d like to introduce to the members here in the House…. Ruth Nicholson has joined us from Coquitlam-Maillardville along with her friend Wendy Mazur. Ruth is a loyal friend and supporter who always shows up with a great big smile on her face.

I think the House will appreciate it when I say that she’s one of those few people where I can actually look over Ruth’s head and get a sense of how everyone else feels when they talk to me. I’ d like the House to please give Ruth and Wendy a warm welcome. Hon. A. Wilkinson: I’ d ask the House to welcome Mr. Dan Little from Mill Bay, who serves as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia and also as chair of the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia. With him is Mr. Bob Strachan, who serves as board chair of CPA Canada. Would the House please welcome them. L.

Krog: I’ d just like the House to welcome back one of my strong supporters and a strong supporter of this side of the House, a young woman who because of her straight-A average can aff ord to take some time off high school in Nanaimo and come and visit us in the House. Would we please welcome Avery Valerio. Hon. S. Bond: I’m very pleased to introduce someone visiting in the gallery today, Mr. Gordon Macatee, who is the B.C. Ferry Commissioner. But my connection to him is in his role of providing oversight at Worksafe B.C.

He was also the person who did the work to present a report to government and an action plan last July. Th at report was very well done, and I am very impressed with the dedication, attention to detail and professionalism that Mr. Macatee has demonstrated in this very critically im- portant work. I know the House will want to welcome him here to the gallery today. [1340] V . Huntington: I’ d like to introduce two people to- day: one, Jeanette Cormier, a faithful volunteer in my constituency office, visiting the precinct for the first time; and the other, one of my constituency assistants, Bernadette Kudzin.

Will the House please make them welcome. S. Hamilton: I’ d like to introduce someone who doesn’t join me in Victoria very oft en because she has a life of her own back in the Lower Mainland: my lovely, long-suff ering wife, Kristen, of 31 years. Her guide assist- ance dog, Gambit, is joining us today as well. Would the House please make them welcome. 5657

British Columbia Debates5658 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 G. Holman: I’m pleased to introduce members of my constituency here today: representatives of the Pender Ocean Defenders, or POD for short — that’s very clever — who are advocates for the protection of the Salish Sea, including protection against the risks associated with oil transportation. We have Leslie McBain, Monica Petrie and Lynn Wells here today. Would the House please make them feel welcome. Also a member of POD is another member of my constituency visiting today, Ms.

Mae Moore, an iconic Canadian singer and songwriter who’s likely very well known to this assembly. Would the House please make welcome all of our guests here today. C. Trevena: I’ d like to join the Leader of the Opposition in welcoming Robin Geary and Colin Gabelmann to the House. I owe a huge amount to them. Colin had been retired about ten years when I was fi rst elected, and he was still sorely missed. While we may have diff erences in approach, I think we’re still striving for the same end. I’ d ask the House once again to give them both a very warm welcome.

Introduction and First Reading of Bills BILL 9 — WORKERS COMPENSATION AMENDMENT ACT, 2015 Hon. S. Bond presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2015. Hon. S. Bond: I move that the bill be introduced and read a fi rst time now. I’m pleased to introduce amendments to the Workers Compensation Act.

In light of the tragic mill explosions in Burns Lake and Prince George and the subsequent ap- pointment of Gord Macatee to ensure that B.C. sawmills are safe and that we have a world-class inspection and in- vestigation regime at WorkSafe B.C., this legislation aims to improve workplace health and safety by implementing the recommendations from Mr. Macatee’s report. Th e bill will strengthen the tools that WorkSafe uses to achieve compliance with B.C. ’s workplace safety laws and regulations.

Specifi cally, the legislation will expand WorkSafe B.C. ’s ability to stop work where unsafe con- ditions present a risk to workers. It will also expand the court’s authority to bar the worst off enders from continu- ing to operate in an industry. As well, the legislation introduces two new enforce- ment tools: a compliance agreement for use in circum- stances where employers agree to voluntarily comply with the safety requirements and a new administrative penalty for employers that can be issued on the spot, like a ticket.

Th e amendments will specify new time frames for em- ployers to conduct an investigation when there is a sig- nifi cant workplace safety incident. Th e intent is to ensure that corrective action happens quickly to avoid similar incidents in the future. Finally, this bill will create two new director positions to ensure occupational health and safety expertise is add- ed to the WorkSafe B.C. board of directors. I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. Madame Speaker: Hon. Members, two votes. First reading. Motion approved.

Madame Speaker: Motion to refer to…. Second read- ing. Bill 9, Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2015, introduced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. [1345] BILL 2 — B.C. TRANSPORTATION FINANCING AUTHORITY TRANSIT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES ACT Hon. T. Stone presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled B.C. Transportation Financing Authority Transit Assets and Liabilities Act. Hon. T. Stone: I move that the bill be introduced and read a fi rst time now. Motion approved. Hon. T.

Stone: Today I am pleased to introduce Bill 2, the B.C. Transportation Financing Authority Transit Assets and Liabilities Act. Th e legislation being tabled to- day is administrative in nature. Th e province currently owns rapid transit assets in Metro Vancouver through a variety of entities: the Expo Line and the West Coast Express, which are held by B.C. Transit; the Millennium Line, which is held by Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd.; and the Evergreen line, which is held by B.C. Transportation Financing Authority. Th e consolidation of these assets has been a longstand- ing issue.

Consolidating ownership of Metro Vancouver rapid transit assets into the BCTFA has many benefi ts to the province. Introducing this legislation today will support greater control over managements of the assets, enable cost savings through effi ciencies, simplify and

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5659 streamline operations. Th e legislation may appear technical, but the intent is straightforward: to transfer the ownership and con- trol to the BCTFA of all assets and liabilities on an “as is” basis. Th at is, to move provincial transit assets held by B.C. Transit and RTP 2000 into the BCTFA seamlessly and without any changes in status.

Th e legislation will ensure that the BCTFA has all the currently available powers and authorities applicable to these assets and liabilities so that BCTFA is in a position to operate the assets as they have always been operated. Th e transfer of assets by statute has been done before, and it is effi cient, transparent and certain. I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. Bill 2, B.C.

Transportation Financing Authority Transit Assets and Liabilities Act, introduced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. BILL 4 — CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS ACT Hon. A. Wilkinson presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Chartered Professional Accountants Act. Hon. A. Wilkinson: I move the bill be introduced and read for a fi rst time now. Motion approved. Hon. A. Wilkinson: I’m pleased to introduce Bill 4, the Chartered Professional Accountants Act.

Most of us are familiar with the idea that in this prov- ince there are three diff erent bodies that have tradition- ally been responsible for governing the accounting profession: that is chartered accountants, certifi ed man- agement accountants and certifi ed general accountants. Th is act creates a single professional organization to be entitled the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia. Th e Chartered Professional Accountants Act will unify the three accounting regulatory organizations in British Columbia and amalgamate them into the one Chartered Professional Accountants of B.C.

Th is will continue the strong self-regulatory system for chartered professional accountants in B.C., which is a self-regulated profession. It will also establish a govern- ance structure for the chartered professional accountants, set out the powers of the body regulating the profession to regulate and investigate and discipline both members and students as well as accounting corporations and fi rms. It’ll provide for chartered professional account- ant education programs and reserve the use of certain accounting titles or designations for chartered profes- sional accountants.

Th is bill will include transitional provisions to ensure that the amalgamation does not adversely aff ect the pub- lic interest or members of the current three accountancy regulatory bodies. I move that the bill be placed in the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House. Bill 4, Chartered Professional Accountants Act, intro- duced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on or- ders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. BILL 7 — PRIV ATE TRAINING ACT Hon. A.

Wilkinson presented a message from Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Private Training Act. Hon. A. Wilkinson: I move that the bill be introduced and read a fi rst time now. Motion approved. Hon. A. Wilkinson: I’m pleased to introduce Bill 7, the Private Training Act.

Th is legislation is the result of a core review process, and the initiative is to strengthen the governance and regulation of private career-training institutions and the educational sector. [1350] Th e Private Career Training Institutions Act, under Private Career Training Institutions, currently regulates the private training industry in the province. Th e new legislation will replace that act, dissolve that agency and bring its functions and responsibilities into the Ministry of Advanced Education.

Th is will involve government assuming direct responsibility for regulation of the pri- vate career-training sector and the institutions involved. It’s consistent with the approach in other Canadian juris- dictions. The government announced its intention to make these changes in April of 2014. We held extensive con- sultations with private training institutions, students and other stakeholders. All of this feedback helped to shape the process that the province is going through now with the introduction of this bill to regulate private career training in British Columbia within government.

Th e legislation will create higher quality standards for the sector and ensure a high-quality education for students. It will streamline approval and administrative processes. It will introduce a risk-based approach that protects the public interest, and will reduce the regula- tory requirements for private institutions with a strong history of compliance — that is, institutions that have operated successfully and within the framework for a

British Columbia Debates5660 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 number of years. Th e legislation will create better student protection and will improve public confi dence in the private training sector. Finally, it will help to reduce student loan default rates in the private sector. I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today. Bill 7, Private Training Act, introduced, read a fi rst time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House aft er today.

Statements (Standing Order 25B) 2015 CANADA WINTER GAMES IN PRINCE GEORGE M. Morris: In just two days the 2015 Canada Winter Games will commence in the host city, Prince George, co-hosted by the Lheidli First Nation. Th e games will run from February 13 to March 1, attracting athletes from the Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. Athletes will compete in 19 diff erent events. Th e games are expected to draw 2,400 athletes, along with 1,000 coaches and offi cials. Th e host committee has enlisted over 4,500 volunteers to assist with the logistics and pro- vide assistance to an estimated 15,000 visitors.

Th e scale of this sporting event is eclipsed only by the Olympics. Team B.C. will bring a team of 350 athletes, accompan- ied by their coaches and mission staff , to the games to compete on home soil. The competitors you will see at the 2015 Canada Winter Games are the future of sport in B.C. Th ey are the next generation of national team athletes, and many will go on to higher levels of competition, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In addition, the 2015 Canada Winter Games Arts and Cultural Festival will showcase the incredible diversity of talent in our prov- ince.

Th e 2015 Canada Winter Games will be the largest multisport and cultural event ever to be held in Prince George and northern B.C. No other country in the world has an event like the Canada Winter Games. Th ese games are a tremendous opportunity to share the incredible beauty and spirit of B.C. ’s north and of its residents, as well as the many opportunities that abound in the region. Madame Speaker, we are ready. Many people have been working hard to make sure that the fi rst-ever edi- tion of the Canada Games in B.C. is an unforgettable ex- perience.

On behalf of this House, I wish to congratulate them on their eff ort. Th e games will be generating a last- ing legacy across the north. PROTECTION OF GRACE ISLET G. Holman: I’m honoured to rise as the fi rst speaker on this side of the House for this session of the Legislature and also, on behalf of the member for Esquimalt–Royal Roads, to thank all those First Nations, community lead- ers and citizens who’ve worked to protect Grace Islet. We’ve all participated in grass-roots eff orts supporting worthy causes.

Th e coalition that formed around Grace Islet — initiated by Joe Akerman, a young Saltspringer with aboriginal heritage — was strengthened by the pa- tient resolve of south Vancouver Island First Nations. Countless hours of organizing, fundraising, media inter- views and even legal actions went into this campaign. My experience with such campaigns — coming from Saltspring, I’ve been involved in a few — is that everyone plays their role. We all become leaders and followers. In this case we were all followers of the peoples of Saanich Peninsula, Cowichan and the Penelakut.

I’m very proud of my community of Saltspring, which was at the forefront of the campaign. Once described as 10,000 opinions surrounded by water, Saltspring has pro- tected over 4,500 acres of land since 2001. I also want to thank the Nature Conservancy of Canada, which will hold title to Grace Islet in trust for First Nations. Th e Land Conservancy of B.C. will also be playing its part soon. [1355] Finally, although highly irregular in this House, I want to personally thank the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

It is said that all that’s re- quired for evil to prevail is for good men to remain si- lent. Many good men and women spoke up for Grace Islet, and that includes the member for Kelowna-Mission. Hychka, Mr. Minister. 85th ANNIVERSARY OF CENTRAL ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN CHILLIW ACK J. Martin: I am pleased to report to the House that the oldest school in Chilliwack has turned 85 years old. Central Elementary Community School opened in 1929 and has been pivotal in the education of thousands of young Chilliwack students, many whom have grown up to do great things in our community and beyond.

Built in the heart of Chilliwack’s downtown, Central Elementary is a key community partner, fully integrated into the neighbourhood — undoubtedly, one of secrets to the school’s longevity. At a community school, a full-time coordinator works with agencies and organizations to host Gateway for Families programming, which respect- fully engages inner-core community members from all age, ethnic and socioeconomic realms to promote health and independence in their lives. Shannon Carmichael leads these initiatives, part-

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5661 nering with MCFD, aboriginal child and youth men- tal health, the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre and others to provide a supportive environment for chil- dren and families during the day and aft er school. Th is is in addition to providing a world-class education for kindergarten students through to the sixth grade and English-as-a-second-language programming. For more than eight decades students have walked the halls of Central Elementary with impressionable minds.

Bright- eyed Central students have gone on to become mayors, athletes, business owners and other community leaders. It’s quite likely that each Central alumnus can identify a teacher who made a diff erence in their careers and in their lives. I would like to thank Principal Leslie Waddington and staff for leading Chilliwack Central Elementary Community School through its 85th year and into the future. 2015 CANADA WINTER GAMES IN PRINCE GEORGE D. Donaldson: Northerners like their winters crisp to cold. Northerners like their winters with snow.

Northerners are fi ercely independent yet proud of our communities, so we like to show them off to outsiders, especially in winter. Y ou might think that’s an intro to discuss the storm that just hit Kitimat and Terrace. No, I’m talking a little further east and a little further south where, on Friday, it will be not as crisp as we like and not the most amount of snow, but the hospitality will be there in spades as Prince George welcomes athletes from across the country for the Canada Winter Games. I remember, shortly aft er being elected in 2009, writ- ing a letter of support for Prince George’s bid.

Now here we are aft er countless hours and hard work by organiz- ers. Th e games are about to begin. I’m looking forward to attending the opening ceremonies on Friday night. Th e numbers are staggering: 2,400 athletes from 800 com- munities, 1,000 coaches and volunteers, and up to 4,500 volunteers as well. For the fi rst time for the Canada Winter Games, there’s an offi cial host nation, the Lheidli T’ enneh, on whose ter- ritory Prince George sits. I would especially like to pay tribute to the volunteers making the whole show happen, volunteers from places like the Smithers Ski and Snowboard Club.

President Gary Huxtable and Vice-President Philippe Bernier and a crew are heading to Prince George to take care of the alpine ski events. It couldn’t happen without people like this from all over the province. Northerners have a close connection to the land that sustains us and have winter outdoor sports that can re- inforce that connection physically and spiritually. It reminds us that we have a valid way of living that is some- times a bit diff erent from mainstream B.C.

At its core is reciprocity, the responsibility to ensure that this can con- tinue, to share our way of life and the riches of the land with others with the understanding that we’re willing to receive in return. Well done, Prince George. Go, Team B.C., and let the games begin. PUBLIC POLICY AND POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT BY CITIZENS G. Hogg: A disconnect between politicians and their citizens continues to grow. Our polling has suggested that 76 percent of Canadians do not believe that polit- icians share their view of the most important problems that they face. Th is is a 14 percent increase since 2005.

England’s 2013 annual audit of political engagement found that their citizens were disgruntled, disillusioned and disengaged and that the form of disengagement was more severe than anything they had previously seen. [1400] France’s Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, chaired by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, found that a political voice was an integral component of a citizen’s quality of life. Policy development is not easy. Today’s policy issues are more complex, more horizontal and, in many ways, more intractable than ever before.

Today there are many more players on the policy fi eld, and on every issue, con- cerned citizens have an opinion and many ways to ex- press themselves. A Canadian study on engagement found that when citizens participate in setting priorities and fi nding solu- tions, the process invokes more trust, more openness and more personal responsibility. Denmark has found that citizen involvement is a cost- eff ective means of ensuring that new solutions better meet citizens’ needs and government goals.

England’s 2014 audit of political engagement found that only 23 percent of their citizens agreed that parliament encour- ages public involvement, and this was a drop of some 7 percent from the audit done two years before. New technologies and new approaches provide new opportunities for democracies to explore creative ways of increasing citizen engagement, thus shrinking the grow- ing sense of disconnect between politicians and their citizens while, at the same time, increasing public con- fi dence in politicians, in the quality of public discourse and in decision-making.

May we all learn from the experiences and practices of other democracies. PARTICIPATION BY B.C. STUDENTS IN TAIW AN INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR R. Fleming: A hypothesis can come from just about anywhere, and for two bright young British Columbians

British Columbia Debates5662 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 representing B.C. and Canada at the annual Taiwan International Science Fair this month, they came from the kernel of an apricot and a pile of hay. Emily O’Reilly, a grade 12 student from Prince George’s College Heights Secondary School, was select- ed to present her project, entitled “ Ancient Knowledge — Modern Approach. ” When she was younger her grandfather told her that apricot kernels could help reduce the pain of stomach ail- ments, and Emily wanted to fi nd out why.

With the help of UNBC organic chemistry professor Guy Plourde, she proved that cyanide-absent apricot kernels could hinder the growth of harmful stomach bacteria, and that amaz- ing discovery earned her a chance to present her fi ndings. Aft er hours sift ing through hay from 22 farms in the Peace Valley, Victoria Platzer, a grade 9 student from Fort St. John’s Bert Bowes Middle School, analyzed and planted over 5,500 seeds and discovered that over 600 of these seeds were actually invasive plants.

Her pro- ject, entitled “Hay Aliens, ” looked at how invasive plants travel in harvested hay and can cause harm to animals who ingest them. Th e participation by Emily and Victoria at the Taiwan International Science Fair is made possible by grants from the Science Fair Foundation British Columbia.

I would ask members of both sides of the House to send our thanks for the support that the science foun- dation gives to young students like these to inspire them and allow them to pursue their love of science, and also, of course, to congratulate the two students who are repre- senting British Columbia in Taiwan this month. Oral Questions INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL REPORT ON TAILINGS POND BREACH AT MOUNT POLLEY MINE J. Horgan: We’ve all had time now to review the fi nd- ings of the expert panel looking into the catastrophe at the Mount Polley mine site in Likely, British Columbia.

Th e government has done its level best to blame one thing and one thing only for that failure: a design fl aw early in the development of the mine. But the report paints quite a diff erent picture. In fact, the report says it’s a story of too little, too late. I’ d like to quote for the House one

section that goes as follows: “Something had to give, and the result was oversteepening dam slopes, deferred buttressing and the seemingly ad hoc nature of dam expansion that so oft en ended up constructing something diff erent from what was originally planned. ” Th ere were 13 amendments to the initial operating plan at Mount Polley, the bulk of them on the watch of the B.C. Liberals. So aft er cutting staff and reducing oversight…. My question is to the Premier. She’s had an opportun- ity to read the report. She’s had an opportunity to assess accountability in this matter.

Can she tell this House, and British Columbians, why her government stood by and watched a preventable accident happen? Hon. C. Clark: Th ank you very much, Madame Speaker, and indeed, it is a delight to be back in the legislative ses- sion again this year for this session of the Legislature. [1405] In answer to the member’s question, fi rst I would say this. We are not talking about a report that was delivered by the government. It was delivered by an independent panel, independent of the government, that drew its own conclusions.

Amongst those conclusions is the very clear statement that additional inspections would not have prevented the failure. Th is was a dam that was permitted in 1995. It was a dam whose construction was underway for many years aft er that. Th ey identifi ed the source of the failure in the design, and despite the fact that the panel says there is no blame to be found on the side of the inspections, we take no comfort in that.

We are going to take the results of this report and the subsequent reports that are yet to come, make sure that we take a very close look at those recom- mendations and implement all that we need to, to make sure that this does not happen again in British Columbia. Madame Speaker: Th e Leader of the Opposition on a supplemental. J. Horgan: It’s the selective reading of the government of the expert fi ndings that is disconcerting. In fact, it was disconcerting to the panel.

I’ll read another excerpt for the Premier so that she’s aware of what she speaks. “The panel was disconcerted to find that while the Mount Polley tailings dam failed because of an undetected weakness in the foundation, it could have failed by overtopping, which it almost did in May of 2014. Or it could have failed by internal ero- sion, for which some evidence was discovered. Clearly, multiple failure modes were in progress, and they diff ered mainly in how far they had progressed down their respective failure pathways. ” In other words, it wasn’t a ticking time bomb; it was multiple ticking time bombs.

And those bombs were ticking on the watch of the B.C. Liberals. Now, overtopping is a serious issue, and we’ll talk about that as question period unfolds. But again, it’s a question of accountability — 13 amendments to the operating permits at Mount Polley, the bulk of them on the watch of the B.C. Liberals. Certainly the Premier will acknowledge that accountability rests at the feet of her government. Will she acknowledge to the people of British Columbia today that the failure at Mount Polley is the result of this government? Hon. C.

Clark: It would be equally easy for members on this side of the House to say almost the same thing in opposite back to the member. Th e mine was approved on

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5663 the NDP’s watch. Inspections were done on the NDP’s watch. But we shouldn’t be playing politics with an issue that is as serious as this one. It is not a question of, “Th e government inspectors on the NDP watch didn’t do their job, ” or that the gov- ernment inspectors since the B.C. Liberals have been in government didn’t do their job. Th e independent report is absolutely crystal-clear about that. Th ere was a problem in the design of this dam when it was permitted in 1995.

Th e most important thing that we can do for the people of British Columbia, thousands of whom depend on mining for their livelihood…. So many communities are mining-based and depend on that income for all of the things that keep those com- munities thriving. Th e best thing that we can do for all of those working men and women in mining across British Columbia is answer the recommendations that come out of this re- port, take seriously what they said and put aside politics for once — for once — to ensure that British Columbians know that we care about mining.

We want to make sure that it succeeds in our province, and we want to make sure that it is done in as safe and environmentally sound a way as it’s done anywhere else in the world. Madame Speaker: Recognizing the Leader of the Opposition on a fi nal supplemental. J. Horgan: It’s tragic that it takes a failure of a mine for the Liberals to acknowledge that mines did open and operate in the 1990s. Th at’s a revelation. It’s unfortunate that it has to come like this. But Mike Harcourt didn’t al- low the oversteepening of the walls. Mike Harcourt didn’t allow too much water to be in the tailings facility.

Mike Harcourt didn’t defer buttressing. Mike Harcourt’s gov- ernment did not stand by in May, six weeks before the failure, and disregard evidence that suggests that there were serious concerns. [1410] Let me read some of that evidence — alarm bells. On May 28, 2014, AMAC, the consulting engineers respon- sible at Mount Polley exchanged e-mails — three engin- eers. Th ey said the following. “If they are not removing water, then they are operating in direct contravention of the EPP that the ministry expects.

Th at is a danger- ous game to play, and we just need to make sure that our backside is covered by telling them to pump water out of the TSF” — the tailings storage facility. Now, the Premier is correct. Workers at Mount Polley are fearful for their future, the people in Likely are go- ing to have to live with that disaster for decades to come, and the government’s response is no accountability at all. When you take the reins of the government of British Columbia, you have to be responsible for what happens on your watch, and on your watch this tailings pond failed. Will you stand and acknowledge that today? Hon.

C. Clark: So far what we have is the geotech- nical panel report — an independent report, made in- dependent of government. We also have the Leader of the Opposition’s suppositions about who was to blame and what was to blame, as he mischaracterizes consist- ently what was actually in that report. I’ve quoted from the report a number of times already. Th e report says that it does not blame the inspection pro- cess for this problem. It was a design problem that was inherent in the dam in 1995 when it was permitted. Now, since then there have been many changes to the mine.

Th ere is much more information to come as well. We will be getting further reports from two separate bod- ies independent of government that will give us more in- formation, and we can work from that information. But it is vitally important that politicians in this House put aside their ambition for personal and political gain and make sure that we look aft er mining, make sure that we respond to this report appropriately, ensure that people in British Columbia can regain their trust in the mining industry. Unlike on that side of the House, on this side of the House we support the mining industry.

We support the men and women who depend on the mining industry. W e want to make sure that it’ s done safely, that it’ s done in an environmentally sound way, and we want to make sure that it’s done with the trust of the people. But we want to make sure that it gets done, because mining sup- ports a lot of people in British Columbia. N. Macdonald: Th e panel report pulled no punches about the problems caused by water accumulations at Mount Polley in the disaster that followed the breach.

Th e report goes on to say, and this is a direct quote: “Had the water levels been even a metre lower and the tailings breach…wider, this last link may have held until dawn the next morning, allowing timely intervention and potential- ly turning a fatal condition into something survivable. ” But the minister and the Premier continue to dismiss and deny. In August the minister told the press there was no evi- dence to indicate that there was any caution for concern at Mount Polley.

When a radio host asked him about wheth- er he should have shut down Mount Polley in May until the problems with the tailings pond were addressed, he called the question “yet another piece of misinformation. ” Th e question is: will the minister or the Premier fi nal- ly acknowledge that they are ultimately responsible for the lax oversight that turned this dam failure into an en- vironmental disaster? Hon. B.

Bennett: I can perhaps put the opposition’s col- lective mind at rest by saying that when the panel states, as it does in numerous occasions in the report, that the regu- lator was competent, the regulator did his job, the regu- lator wasn’t responsible for the accident, that covers the whole period of time during which the dam was designed,

British Columbia Debates5664 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 constructed and then steepened and raised over the years. I’m not going to stand in the House here and blame this accident on the NDP . Y ou’ll notice that the Premier of the province didn’t stand here in the House and blame this accident on the NDP either. [1415] Th e report is very , very clear . Here ’ s what the report says. “Th e root cause of the breach was the undrained failure of the upper GLU” — that’s a glaciolacustrine unit — “under the imposed load of the perimeter embankment on August 4, 2014. ” Th at’s on page 104.

Y ou can follow along if you have the report. Another quotation: “Th e dominant contribution to the failure resides in its design. Th e design did not take into account the complexity of the subglacial and preglacial geological environment associated with the perimeter embankment foundation. ” Th e design was doomed to fail — page 105.

Page 135: “Th e breach…was caused by shear failure of the dam foundation materials when the load- ing imposed by the dam exceeded the capacity of these materials to sustain it. ” Th ere are many, many quotations where the panel quite clearly states what the cause of the accident is. What I want to say to the opposition at the end of this answer, though, is that that’s not the end of it. We understand there are recommendations that come in this panel report.

We understand that this panel of three PhD geotechnical engineers took the time to make recommendations to government and to the mining in- dustry and to the engineering industry on how we can improve how we permit mines and operate mines in this province. We have accepted all of those recommendations. N. Macdonald: So it’s a continuation of the evasion and not taking responsibility, which started on day one. On May 28 the engineers at AMEC were worried about the dam and the very survival of the mine itself. Th ese engineers were concerned about safety, and these con- cerns were profound.

I’ll again quote from some of the e-mails that were in- cluded in the package from this panel. “We cannot blank- ly support the ‘just keep operating in the danger zone’ attitude.

Remember, if they lose the dam, then the mine cannot operate anyways. ” But on August 7 the minister told the newspaper: “We don’t have any indication, cer- tainly that I’m aware of, in our fi les that any inspectors had a concern about the tailings dam. ” To the minister: presumably your staff didn’t tell you that the engineers at Mount Polley were worried that they could have lost the dam and mine in May, so how can you possibly claim that you were regulating Mount Polley properly? Hon. B. Bennett: I’m not actually claiming anything personally.

As the minister responsible for Energy and Mines in the province, I am quite content to let this report speak for itself. Th e report is very clear. If the opposition wants to continue to argue about what the cause of the accident was, we can do that. Th ere’s enormous evidence within the report that the panel believes that the cause of the accident was some un- stable material that was not identifi ed when this dam was designed. Th e engineers clearly…. And if you want quota- tions, they’re certainly there to show that the dam was de- signed to sit on stable ground, on stable foundation.

Th ey did not do suffi cient drilling to get the core samples…. Interjections. Hon. B. Bennett: Hon. Speaker, I was asked a question. I’m going to try to answer it. Th e engineers, according to the panel — not according to the Mines Minister but according to the panel — failed to do adequate drilling in the area of the perimeter em- bankment where it failed. Th ey therefore did not know the location of this GLU, and as the panel said, they did not understand the nature of the soils that were there. Th at is why the dam failed. Again, we need to learn from this. Government knows that.

Th e panel has made some very signifi cant, import- ant — I would say profoundly important — recommen- dations for us. We are going to take them to heart, and we’re not going to blame the NDP for this. But we’re also not going to blame the people who work in the ministry who have been completely cleared of any wrongdoing or negligence by this panel. [1420] GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS FOR COMMUNICATIONS ON TEACHERS LABOUR DISPUTE NEGOTIATIONS R. Fleming: Last week the B.C.

Liberals got caught red-handed using taxpayer money to help out their friends — $350,000 direct-awarded to a company that worked on the Premier’s leadership campaign and even designed the B.C. Liberal Party’s logo, lavished with con- tracts to help her pick a fi ght with teachers. Can the Premier stand up and explain to the taxpay- ers of British Columbia, who were fl eeced by this scheme, why her friends are getting special access to government contracts? Hon. P .

Fassbender: Well, I’m really aware that the members opposite are still smarting from the fact that this government was able to negotiate a settlement with the BCTF that’s a historical settlement in this province. As part of that, this government made it very clear from the beginning that a negotiated settlement was our pri- ority. Th at’s fact one. Fact two is that we were going to keep the people of British Columbia informed as to what the issues were and what this government’s position was.

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5665 I fi nd it interesting that the very members opposite who wanted an arbitrated settlement, who wanted a legis- lated settlement, now are complaining because this gov- ernment informed the people of British Columbia so that they could avail themselves of a support payment because of the strike. We had almost 100 percent subscription. I suspect that there is a large number of teachers who availed themselves of that support payment as well. We make no apology for keeping the people of British Columbia informed through the means that were avail- able to us.

Indeed, their response to us at the end of the strike was that we did the job we promised to do. Madame Speaker: Recognizing Victoria–Swan Lake on a supplemental. R. Fleming: What the minister just said is just the kind of spin that taxpayer money was wasted on to describe the longest school disruption dispute in British Columbia history. It’s bad enough that the B.C. Liberals wasted money on this scheme when kids in our schools in this province have seen so many special education teachers laid off .

But now, to make it worse, we see this govern- ment writing fat cheques — for Facebook spots, for pro- moted tweets, for Google ad words and all of those things — to B.C. Liberal friends and insiders. It’s downright off ensive to every British Columbian, no matter how they felt about the school dispute. Madame Speaker: Question. R. Fleming: Will the Premier do the right thing and apologize to kids and parents in B.C. for cooking up this wasteful scheme that rewards her friends using taxpay- er money? Hon. P .

Fassbender: Well, I’m sure that the member opposite is trying hard to move into the top fi ve that the Leader of the Opposition…. Y ou know, it is very interesting that the members op- posite who wanted us to arbitrate or legislate — not to communicate to the people of British Columbia, not to keep them informed, not to use the very vehicles that were being used by all of the other people that are in- volved in this dispute, including the members opposite…. I will say this. Th e people of British Columbia knew the issues. Th ey knew what this government stood for .

Th ey knew that this government — supposedly, the long- est strike that resulted in the longest-ever negotiated settlement…. [1425] As the weather vane revolves on the other side of this House, I can tell you this. Th e government is going to con- tinue to keep the people of British Columbia informed. M. Mungall: I’ d like to remind the Minister of Education that taxpayer-funded ads are supposed to be neutral, and these simply were not. And now taxpayers fi nd out that they are on the hook to the Premier’s friend for these mean-spirited ads to the tune of $350,000.

Th at’s aft er they have already been billed nearly $900,000 since the Premier took offi ce in 2001. Th at’s money that should have gone into the classroom. Why is the Premier able to fi nd money for her insider fi rms, for her friends from her leadership campaign, but cries, “Empty coff ers, ” when it comes to putting money into B.C. classrooms? Hon. P . Fassbender: I would urge the member oppos- ite to look at how social media is used on that side of the House when it comes to besmirching other members of this House and doing a character assassination.

Th is government gave facts to the people of British Columbia — to a fi rm that was qualifi ed through an open RFP process. And that fi rm did not receive all of those funds. It was used to buy the space to give the people of British Columbia the facts that they deserved, and they got the facts. Th ey understood where the government was, and they knew that the government was going to get a negotiated settlement. And do you know what? Th e facts speak for themselves. HUNTING ALLOCATION POLICY CHANGES K.

Conroy: Changes made by the Liberal govern- ment to hunting allocations are literally taking food off the tables of British Columbians. Th ere are over 100,000 resident hunters in this province who hunt for food, ac- cessing a public resource, yet changes by this government have meant that many will no longer have that opportun- ity. Instead, those allocations will go to the guide-outfi tter industry so that wealthy foreigners can hunt our wildlife. Can the minister explain why he has chosen to favour foreign hunters over moms and dads who are just look- ing to stock their freezers for the winter? Hon. S.

Th omson: Sustainable hunting contributes over $350 million in economic activity for the province of British Columbia — $120 million from the commer- cial guiding sector; $230 million from the resident sector, the recreational sector. Finding the allocation formula is all about fi nding the balance between the sharing of the resource, and that’s what this process has been: a long, ten-year history of determining that allocation.

What we have done is found a balance that, in the end, transfers about 60 animals from the resident hunt- ing community to the guide-outfi tter hunter commun- ity, less than half of 1 percent of the total 47,500 animals harvested in British Columbia. And we talk about taking meat out of the freezers? Th irty thousand of those ani- mals are deer, and deer are in general open season and not aff ected by this allocation policy at all.

British Columbia Debates5666 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 HUNTING ALLOCATION POLICY CHANGES AND ROLE OF ENERGY MINISTER K. Conroy: Well, we know full well, and the minister knows full well, we’re talking about percentages — we’re not talking about numbers — and we’re talking about over 5,000 allocations. Th is fi le actually does belong to the Minister of Natural Resource Operations, but to no one’s surprise, the Energy and Mines Minister has been front and centre on this one. He’s the one who went off on Facebook telling hunters he didn’t care about their protests.

So it’s no surprise that we have found some leaked e-mails from him, throwing his weight around the Natural Resource Ministry to get a guide-outfi tter to access land that has always been re- served for resident hunters. [1430] Again to the Natural Resource Minister: why is he let- ting the Energy Minister push around his staff to get pref- erential treatment for foreign hunters? Hon. S. Th omson: I hope the member opposite is not questioning at all my integrity or approach in coming to this allocation decision. Th is took years of review, years of study, years of analysis of the numbers to come to this formula.

Both parties, both the guide-outfi tters and the resident hunters, knew that this decision was coming, that we needed to make a decision, because they couldn’t reach agreement on the allocation, and they were both aware that this decision was going to be made. Aft er all the analysis, we made a decision that recognizes three core principles: one, conservation fi rst; second, First Nations’ interests; and resident hunter priority — that resi- dent hunter priority is maintained through these decisions.

As I said, less than half of 1 percent of the total animals har- vested in British Columbia are accounted for in this alloca- tion decision. It doesn’t include…. Out of the total number of opportunities available, 17,500 opportunities, this aff ects about 475 opportunities, less than 4 percent. Th e balance has been found that maintains those core principles. R. Austin: Th e minister is being disingenuous here. Y es, a deal was arranged aft er years of negotiation, but then that deal was broken by this minister with no notice whatsoever to the resident hunters.

But let’s get back to these e-mails, because they speak to e-mails that came out last June. As you read them, you can hear the voice of the Energy Minister come ringing through. The first one was just a sentence long, writ- ten to a senior staff member in the Natural Resources Ministry: “Bob Cutts is wondering whether he’s going to get that piece of land east of his guide-outfi tter’s territory to make up for what he lost in Wheeler Creek. ” Now, any- one who’s ever met the Mines Minister knows that this isn’t just him wondering about anything. He’s demand- ing action for his friend.

Does the Natural Resources Minister think it’s okay for the Mines Minister to be pushing around his staff in this way? Hon. S. Th omson: Again, just to reiterate. A decision that was over ten years of discussion where agreement was not reached between the two respective sectors of the hunting community and one where they knew that a decision was coming….

We needed to make a decision that respected that balance, that respected the important economic contribution that guide-outfi tters, and the long history of guide-outfi tting in this province, have made to the province of British Columbia — to the tourism sec- tor, to the hunting sector — recognizing the important contribution of resident hunters — $230 million in eco- nomic activity.

Again, those core principles have been maintained: conservation first, which both organizations keep at the forefront of their code of ethics in their approach; secondly, First Nations consideration for ceremonial purposes; and thirdly, resident hunter priority. Th is al- location formula, this decision, maintains that priority. [End of question period.] Point of Privilege (Reservation of Right) K. Conroy: I rise to reserve my right to raise a mat- ter of privilege. Madame Speaker: Th ank you. Hon. M. de Jong: I rise to seek leave to move two motions activating two parliamentary committees.

Th ese motions continue the work of the Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh and the Special Committee to Review… Interjections. Madame Speaker: Members. Hon. M. de Jong: …the Independent Investigations Offi ce. I’ve provided the full text of the motions to the offi cial opposition House Leader and to independent members of the House. Motions Without Notice APPOINTMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE Hon. M. de Jong: By leave, I would move the fi rst motion regarding the Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh.

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5667 [Th at the Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh be appointed to foster greater awareness and understanding among legislators and the public of the BC child welfare system, and in particular to: 1. Receive and review the annual service plan from the Representative for Children and Y outh (the “Representative”) that includes a statement of goals and identifi es specifi c objectives and performance measures that will be required to exercise the pow- ers and perform the functions and duties of the Representative during the fi scal year; 2.

Be the committee to which the Representative reports, at least annually; 3. Refer to the Representative for investigation the critical injury or death of a child; 4. Receive and consider all reports and plans transmitted by the Representative to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia; and, 5. Pursuant to

section 30 (2) of the Representative for Children and Youth Act, S.B.C. 2006, c. 29, complete an assessment by April 1, 2015, of the eff ectiveness of

section 6 (1) (

b) in ensuring that the needs of children are met. In addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Children and Y outh be empowered:

a) to appoint of their number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess aft er prorogation until the next follow- ing Session and during any sitting of the House;

c) to conduct consultations by any means the committee considers appropriate;

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

e) to retain personnel as required to assist the Committee; and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly. Th e said Select Standing Committee is to be composed of Jane Thornthwaite (Convener), Donna Barnett, Mike Bernier, John Martin, Dr. Darryl Plecas, Dr.

Moira Stilwell, Doug Donaldson, Carole James, Maurine Karagianis, and Jennifer Rice.] Leave granted. Motion approved. Madame Speaker: Go ahead. APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS OFFICE Hon.

M. de Jong: Again, with leave, I move the second motion, regarding the Special Committee to Review the Independent Investigations Offi ce. [That a Special Committee to Review the Independent Investigations Offi ce be appointed to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to the administration and general operations of the Independent Investigations Offi ce in ac- cordance with

section 38.13 of the Police Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 367, and in particular: 1. To conduct and conclude a review of: a. Th e administration and general operations of the Independent Investigations Offi ce; and b. Th e Chief Civilian Director’s progress towards a goal of having an Independent Investigations Offi ce that is staff ed entirely with employees and Independent Investigations Offi ce investigators who have never served as offi cers or members of a police or law en- forcement agency. 2. To consider the written and oral submissions received during the Th ird Session of the 40th Parliament 3.

To submit a report, including any recommendations respecting the results of the review, to the Legislative Assembly by February 25, 2015. Th e Special Committee shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition is empowered:

a) to appoint of their number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess aft er prorogation until the next follow- ing Session and during any sitting of the House;

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

d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee; and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly. Th e said Special Committee is to be composed of Mike Morris (Convener), Dr. Doug Bing, Scott Hamilton, Dr.

Darryl Plecas, Jackie Tegart, Spencer Chandra Herbert, Scott Fraser, and Jane Jae Kyung Shin.] [1435] Leave granted. Motion approved. Reports from Committees J. Tegart: I have the honour to present the fi rst report of the Special Committee on Local Elections Expense Limits. Th is report covers the fi rst phase of the commit- tee’s work in relation to local election expense limits. I move that the report be taken as read and received. Motion approved. J. Tegart: I ask leave of the House to move a motion to adopt the report. Leave granted. J.

Tegart: In moving adoption of the report, I’ d like to make some brief comments. Th is report summarizes the committee’s inquiry into principles for the relationship between elector organizations and their endorsed can- didates with respect to expense limits, and principles for establishing expense limits for third-party advertisers.

British Columbia Debates5668 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Th is inquiry took place in October, November and December of last year. Th e committee conducted a com- prehensive public consultation process. It received pres- entations from stakeholders at public hearings, including from candidates and electoral organizations, and re- ceived written submissions, including many responses to an on-line questionnaire. I am pleased to say that the committee worked coopera- tively throughout the review and unanimously agreed to all of the recommendations in this report.

Th e commit- tee recommended that fairness, neutrality, transparency and accountability be principles which may inform the development of legislation on expense limits for candi- dates, electoral organizations and third-party advertisers. In the second phase of its inquiry the committee is examining expense limit amounts for candidates and for third-party advertisers. In closing, I would like to thank my fellow committee members, including the Deputy Chair, the member for Coquitlam-Maillardville. With that, I move adoption of the report. S.

Robinson: As the Deputy Chair of the committee, I, too, would like to echo some of the sentiments we heard from the Chair of the committee. I’ d like to thank every- one who participated in this fi rst phase. It was certainly a learning experience for everyone, and hearing from British Columbians and local governments of all sizes helped the committee identify key principles to consider as we move forward into phase 2 of our work. Th e principle of fairness was the consistently domin- ant principle that witnesses expressed to the committee as it relates to expense limits.

We also heard over and over again how donation limits would also support this principle of fairness. I do hope that going forward we will continue to hear from a variety of stakeholders about how to actually implement these principles. I’ d like to thank the staff who helped us do this work and, in a very tight timeline, get this report tabled here in the Legislature. Madame Speaker: Th e question is adoption of the report. Motion approved. D. Ashton: I have the honour to present a report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

Th e report covers the committee’s annual re- view of the budgetary estimates of the statutory offi cers. I would move that the report be taken as read and received. Motion approved. D. Ashton: I ask leave of the House to move to adopt the report. Leave granted. D. Ashton: In moving the adoption of the report, I’ d like to make a few brief comments. Th is report summar- izes the committee’s annual review of the budget propos- als, annual reports and service plans of the eight statutory offi ces of this House. This year’s review took place in November and December.

Th e committee met with each statutory of- fi cer and their staff and carefully reviewed the budget proposals for the coming fi scal years. I am pleased to say the committee worked very cooperatively together throughout the review. In addition, the committee considered a number of measures to enhance its legislative oversight role, in- cluding holding more frequent meetings with the offi - cers at other times of the year and improving the format of reporting and submissions to the committee. Th ese are mentioned in the report, and we look forward to the undertaking of this work in the coming months.

In closing, I would like to thank all of the statutory offi - cers and their staff , fellow committee members, the incred- ible staff of the committee and Clerk’s offi ce and especially the Deputy Chair, the member for Victoria–Beacon Hill. [1440] Th is is the second year in a row that the recommenda- tions have been accepted and forwarded unanimously by the committee. In my opinion, I feel that the citizens of British Columbia like to see their representatives working together to advance their causes and concerns. With that, I move the adoption. C.

James: Th ank you to the Chair of the committee and, just to add, a thank-you to the statutory offi cers who presented to the committee. I think one thing was very clear, as the Chair has said. More time and more opportunities to learn about the work of the statutory offi cers will give us a better ability, as members of this Legislature, to be able to review the budgets and be able to make better decisions.

I think the positive part of this report coming forward is the fact that we will spend time over this next year meeting with the statutory offi cers, talking about the work that they do, so that when budget time comes and we review their budgets, we have that understanding of the kind of work that they do. I think it was a very posi- tive experience from that perspective. Motion approved. Personal Statement WITHDRAW AL OF COMMENTS MADE IN THE HOUSE Hon. B. Bennett: I want to retract a word that you

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5669 wouldn’t have heard but the member for Kootenay West heard. I want the House to know, and I want the mem- ber to know that I was questioning the validity of the in- formation. I would never question the integrity of the member. I have the greatest respect for the member for Kootenay West. I just want to make that clear, and I do retract the word. Madame Speaker: Th ank you. Orders of the Day Hon. M. de Jong: Madame Speaker, I call debate on the reply to the throne speech. [D.

Horne in the chair.] Th rone Speech Debate Deputy Speaker: As the Government House Leader has pointed out, we’ll now call on the member for Surrey- Panorama. I’ d ask the members that are leaving the cham- ber to respect the member that has the fl oor. M.

Hunt: In accordance with the parliamentary trad- ition, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Prince George–Mackenzie, that: [We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, in Session assembled, beg leave to thank Y our Honour for the gracious Speech which Y our Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present Session.] On behalf of my constituents from the riding of Surrey-Panorama, it is indeed my privilege to be the fi rst to rise in this House today and to address the Speech from the Th rone.

First of all, of course, I want to thank the residents of Surrey-Panorama for the tremendous honour that they have bestowed on me in giving me the privilege of being able to serve them here in this House. In offi cially opening this fourth session of the 40th parliament, the Lieutenant-Governor reaffi rmed our gov- ernment’s commitment to creating jobs and opportun- ities across British Columbia while maintaining strong fi scal discipline.

I personally am very, very proud of both the cabinet and the caucus that I serve in because of the focus that they have brought to this year’s throne speech and to what is going to be transpiring throughout this session. We ran on an election platform with a strong economy and a secure tomorrow. Th at is exactly where the focus remains in this session.

Th anks to the diversity of our economy here in British Columbia, British Columbia is performing well com- pared to other jurisdictions, which have not fared as well through the continual fragility of the global fi nancial markets, as well as the unforgiving commodities mar- kets.

Our commitment to maintaining the diversity in this province is seen through the eight sectors that make up the B.C. jobs plan, fi rst of all — agrifoods, forestry, international education, mining and energy, natural gas, technology and the green economy, tourism and trans- portation. [1445] We will continue to deliver on the jobs plan, which has created more than 74,000 jobs since its introduc- tion in 2011. As well, we will continue to implement the skills-for-jobs blueprint to meet the growing demand for skilled labour and to make sure that British Columbians are fi rst in line for those new jobs.

We also want to continue to build on our strong trad- ing relationships. An example of that is that since 2001 British Columbia’s trade with China has grown rapidly. They are now our second-largest trading partner, ac- counting for $6.5 billion in 2014. Th at’s tremendous, but that is a part of the relationship that we have to have as the government in creating those strong relationships and, of course, working with the federal government. In addition to delivering on the jobs plan to support economic growth — responsibility across all sectors — our government has consistently taken the right fi rst step.

Th at, of course, is fi scal responsibility. We know that in our own households. We know that in our own homes and our family relationships. In the midst of trying and challenging times, the fi rst thing you’ve got to do is make sure that you are living within your means. We’ll soon be introducing our third balanced budget, which protects taxpayers and sustains public services while maintaining costs and controlling spending. We’ll also be focused on saying yes to continued economic growth so that we can grow revenues instead of raising taxes. Our government has a strong vision.

We’re sticking to it, and we’re seeing that hard work will continue to pay off as we build a most prosperous province. Now, when we introduced the budget in 2014, we were one of only two jurisdictions in this country that balanced their books. It looks like we may be the only one this year. We are standing here at the beginning of this session with the potential of delivering our third consecutive balanced budget. Th is reaffi rms the govern- ment’s commitment to controlling our spending, creat- ing jobs through diversifi cation, growing the economy and increasing our ties with emerging economic powers.

Our pledge to employ fi scal restraint — which is, of course, coupled with our triple-A credit rating — means we spend less on interest payments and servicing our debt and therefore have more money for health care and education. If we simply took our current debt in the prov- ince of British Columbia and were paying the rate that the province of Ontario is paying, we’ d be spending $2 billion more just in interest — which, of course, we’re not having to do. We can have that available for health care and education. Ultimately, investors crave stability and economic certainty.

I believe that this is exactly what our government’s decisions are bringing, in bringing forward

British Columbia Debates5670 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 this balanced budget. In a world fi lled with economic uncertainty and tur- moil, B.C. is seen as a choice destination, thanks to our competitive tax rates, our supportive business climate and our stable fi scal position — which is, of course, as I said, reaffi rmed by a triple-A credit rating. Th ese distinct- ive advantages are what make British Columbia a great place to invest and to increase trade looking forward. Obviously, small business is the engine of any economy.

Th is coming year our government is looking as to how we can engage and interact with citizens in our govern- ment services. We want to continue to reduce red tape for real people, and we want to continue to propose changes to ease unnecessary burdens and to save time and make things more effi cient within government systems. As we are talking about small business, I want to use the example of a couple of businesses we have in Surrey, one of which is Endurance Wind Power. Th is is a com- pany that started only seven years ago. It started with six employees.

Today they have over 200 employees in two new facilities — one in Surrey and one in the U.K. It’s a rather interesting niche that they have looked for in wind power. Where most of the European turbines are looking to utility generation and very large turbines, they have fo- cused on on-site generation rather than utility generation. [1450] In December of this past year, just over two months ago, they completed construction of their 1,000th wind turbine. Th ey export them to Nova Scotia, to New Y ork state, Italy, the United Kingdom, as well as other places throughout the world.

Th ey’re focused on income for farmers and communities. Th e ultimate question comes: why are they in Surrey? Because in Surrey we have no wind turbines. Actually, we don’t have enough movement of air to be able to make them effi ciently operate. But what we have, as we have here in the province of British Columbia, is the skilled labour. We have the access to suppliers. We have the access to the markets. We have low taxes and stable governments.

And so Endurance Wind Power has chosen to build their industry here in the province of British Columbia, in the city of Surrey particularly, and are thriving on the world stage as a result. We have Donia Farms, which is a dairy farm in Surrey. Actually, I believe it’s the largest dairy farm in Surrey. Rather than just continue the family tradition of the dairy farm, what the sons have done is they have created Kefi r Smoothies, which they are marketing in the local stores throughout Surrey, again trying to diversify their income while working with the main portion of what they have, which is the dairy industry.

We have the same thing with Heppell farms, which is a potato farm. Again, a multigenerational family farm that has been a part of Surrey’s history for a very long time. Th ey have expanded into packaging vegetables for them- selves and for other farmers, but now they’re actually going into the development of potato chips. Again, the business is growing and expanding in our province because of the great conditions that we have within our province. Th e Speech from the Th rone also reaffi rms B.C. ’s dedi- cation to the burgeoning natural resource sector.

Th at accomplishment is a direct result of this government working diligently to create growth and to expand our markets to build on mutually rewarding relationships with new customers. We’re also seeing the eff ects of this burgeoning indus- try in the urban centres. So oft en when we talk about it, we seem to be talking most about the northeast sector, the transmission through the northwest sector of this province of British Columbia. But actually, it has tre- mendous eff ects on urban centres such as Surrey.

In my hometown, in Surrey, we are feeling the eff ects in every aspect of our lives, and businesses are booming. I simply want to use an example of Murray Latta, which is a large company within the city of Surrey. One of their key challenges is fi nding and attracting highly qualifi ed skilled workers, especially in light of the on- going retirements that we have and the perception of a talent drain going to projects up in the north.

Well, Murray Latta Progressive Machine, as they call their company, has been a leader in millwrighting ma- chinery and moving and custom industrial machining manufacturing parts and distribution since 1918. It was started by two guys in the fi shing industry who wanted to make a pressure cooker for canned salmon. Now obviously, it’s not a little pressure cooker like we have at home. It’s a very large retort that they’re building. In fact, Murray Latta is still building those retorts.

When I was there a few weeks ago at their plant, they were building another one coming out of the plant for a company, continuing the tradition from 1918 but also expanding into other areas of development, manufac- turing and, ultimately, dealing with custom machinery that is needed within planer mills, sawmills, structural steel fabrication. Actually, they’re doing ski lift s as well. When you go up to Whistler, in the summertime at least, and you take your bike up, and you….

Well, for those that are adven- turous and want to come down the mountain on the bike, when you put your bike up on the tram to run up the ski lift , you’re actually putting it on fabricated productions that they have to be able to take those bikes up the ski lift . Th ey’re also doing heavy equipment and waste and re- cycling shredders in their plant, which is 60,000 square feet. Th ey’re also creating new jobs. Every year since 2009 they have been creating jobs. Th ey have 170 people on staff .

So 110 of them are tradesworkers, but four to fi ve of those at any particular time are, in fact, apprentices, as they continue to develop apprentices and develop skilled trades within our province and within their company to begin with.

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5671 [1455] Th ey also have about 60 offi ce and staff workers, 50 more that are working out in the fi eld. Currently they’re in the hiring mode. Th ey are hiring millwrights, boring mill machinists and operators. It is, as I said, a custom machinery manufacturer. Th ey are the ones that…. When you get on and off the planes at YVR and here in Victoria, those loading bridges — they created them. Th ey are also the ones that….

When you get your baggage, most likely your baggage has gone over some of their production, as well, because all of the extensions to the baggage handling systems have been produced by Murray Latta. Th ey’re doing all sorts of things — developing jobs and servicing this entire prov- ince of ours. Our government’s blueprint commitment is delivering a trained workforce — those who are ready for the jobs that are coming available within liquid natural gas as well as many other industries.

A career in the trades pro- vides an opportunity for long-term, well-paying jobs that strengthen our families and our communities. Th ere are new trades-training equipment and spaces that are being made available for post-secondary train- ing institutes throughout the Lower Mainland. Students will have the opportunity to get the skills necessary to take advantage of those job opportunities throughout this province.

Th ree of our post-secondary educational institutions in the Lower Mainland are going to be receiving a total of $1.1 million to buy new trades-training equipment and to support students in entering into those in-demand oc- cupations that are critical to our economy. Part of the B.C. skills-for-jobs blueprint is a commit- ment to $185 million over three years for trades-training infrastructure and equipment at our post-secondary institutions. Now, the funding for the equipment also builds on the commitment of last July for 404 additional critical trades-training seats at these three particular in- stitutions.

Th e institutions are…. BCIT, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, is receiving $421,000 for training equipment. In our own area of Surrey, Kwantlen Polytechnic University is receiving $325,000 for equipment to sup- port pipefi tters, electrical, millwrighting and construc- tion craft workers and apprentices; training equipment to deal with fi re suppression training; simulators; high- voltage and low-voltage trainers, as well as backup to energy and fi re alarm control systems.

Vancouver Community College is also receiving $356,000 — again, for trades equipment, to help them with such things as full-sized blast furnaces and ranges and ovens for their culinary systems. Continuing on with BCIT, our government is de- livering on the commitment to the B.C. skills-for-jobs blueprint by increasing access and reducing waiting lists by adding 272 seats to BCIT. Now, that’s a 4 per- cent increase. Y ou know, we think that should be normal and that, but the waiting list that we have in the Lower Mainland for people to get into some of these trades is absolutely amazing.

For example, dealing in the heavy-duty mechanic ap- prenticeship program….Th is extra 272 seats, a portion of which is going…. I believe there are about 70 seats alto- gether that are being involved in the heavy-duty equip- ment mechanics side. Th at will reduce the waiting list by 10 months. We have students, individuals, that are waiting to get into these programs. Th ese funding allocations are based on the most recent labour market data and con- sultations with the institutions as well as the Industry Training Authority and the province’s labour market pri- orities board.

Also, the government of British Columbia is aligning our operating grants to provide public post-secondary education institutions the ability to continue to train, with another $40 million. Again, that was outlined in the B.C. skills-for-jobs blueprint. Y ou see, B.C. is shift - ing education and training to become more aligned with those in-demand opportunities, and that’s ultimately where we need the economy to be going.

Th e top 60 occupations that were listed in the B.C. 2002 Labour Market Outlook, as well as the priorities of health occupations, regional labour priorities and, of course, working with aboriginal communities and those with disabilities are all part of that shift in funding. [1500] We see, for example, at BCIT….We’re dealing with power engineering. Capilano University is developing programs in business administration. Th e College of New Caledonia is dealing with community support workers. North Island College is opening up facilities for regis- tered nursing.

Th e Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is dealing with social work; Simon Fraser University in computing science; Th ompson Rivers University in law; University of the Fraser Valley in construction and elec- trical and carpentry. Th e University of Victoria is dealing with computer science and engineering. All of this is dealing with trying to make our young people ready for the jobs that are going to become avail- able. Th at is our commitment.

Th at’s why a part of that commitment is the Find Y our Fit tour that has been go- ing on throughout the province, dealing with our youth and trying to give them the opportunity to fi nd the tools and the resources that they need in order to consider the full range of those in-demand occupations. I don’t know about other members of this House, but I remember, as a kid, skipping. As we skipped, what was it…? “Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief ” were the main ones we had as choices as we were thinking of our occupa- tions for the future, but today there is such diversity.

We want our young people to be aware of all of the diff erent opportunities that are there and give them the potential

British Columbia Debates5672 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 ability to actually have interactive, hands-on experience so they can see whether they have the gift for that, the inclination towards those types of industries. So far, over 10,000 students have taken

part in that provincewide tour, whether it’s in Prince George, Fort St. John, Terrace, Burns Lake or my own community of Surrey. Th is is a defi ning moment for British Columbia. As we see in our burgeoning LNG industry, we have the oppor- tunity to increase revenue and maintain the world-class services our growing population relies on. Behind all of that is our third consecutive balanced budget, which is the strong backbone for our future growth and the foun- dation upon which that future growth rests.

I’m incredibly optimistic about our future and the future for my children and my 13, soon to become 14, grandchildren, which is why I’m honoured to be a part of this government and to represent Surrey-Panorama here in Victoria. Th at’s why I’m pleased to be the fi rst speaker to speak in support of this Speech from the Th rone, be- cause we’re working together to build a great province for today and for future generations. M.

Morris: It’s my privilege and great honour to stand in the House today and second the Speech from the Th rone in this sitting of the Legislature and on behalf of the people of my constituency, Prince George–Mackenzie. I’ d like to thank my colleague from Surrey-Panorama for moving the debate on the throne speech. I, too, was just recently blessed. My fi ft h grandchild was born last week, just in time for Family Day.

My grandchildren are one of the most signifi cant reasons why I chose to take on this role as MLA for Prince George–Mackenzie and put my oar in the water to see what I can do to make life better for British Columbians and to make sure that my children have the opportun- ities that all British Columbians should have in the fu- ture, with a secure future and a strong economy in British Columbia. Prince George is a community I’m well-versed in. I’ve lived many, many years in that community, but I’ve also lived in many communities throughout the rural part of British Columbia.

Most of them have been designed around a single commodity within the resource sector that we have in British Columbia. Most of them have suff ered the swings — the highs and lows — of the com- modity sector throughout my lifetime. Those swings have caused all kinds of devastation within the communities. They’ve caused all kinds of hardship for various community members and for the province in general, because the province relies so much on the forest industry and the other resource sectors in order to provide the social infrastructure and the fabric that we have across our great province here.

One thing that we’ve noticed over the last number of years, though, is the diversifi cation that we’re experien- cing in the province here. We’re picking up speed as we move along. Getting to where we are today hasn’t been an easy task.

It has taken a lot of work by a lot of people, a lot of fo- cused people, to ensure that we do everything we can to get the resource sector and our economy running strong; to balance our budget, as we have for the third consecu- tive time — one of the only balanced budgets in the coun- try; and to maintain our triple-A credit rating, as we have. [1505] To get to the point where we are today has taken a lot of discipline. It’s taken a lot of determination to main- tain that balanced budget and to watch how we spend the scarce resources that we have coming in.

One of the things that we’ve done to get there is to try and diversify our economy as much as we can. We’ve talked about LNG. Th e members opposite will probably think we’ve talked about LNG ad nauseam. But that’s the only way that we can make things come about and to breathe life into some of these projects that we have here. LNG is going to come along. Canada and British Columbia have no control over what happens world- wide with respect to the oil prices, with respect to the other commodity prices, which all dictate how quickly we move ahead with some of these great projects that we have in mind.

A couple of weeks ago in Prince George I was very for- tunate to host the Natural Resource Forum that we’ve put on now for 12 consecutive years. It has grown in scope and in attendance every year since it was initiated a doz- en or more years ago. One thing I noticed this year…. We had 850 registrants who came to the resource forum this year from all facets, from all sectors of the resource industry in British Columbia — from industry, from the suppliers, from transportation. Th ere was government representation there as well. Th ere was a lot of collabora- tion that took place within that forum.

We had a sold-out trade area. I think there were over 65 participants in the trade area that represented every- thing from engineering to supply to transportation to advertising — everything that the resource sector needs in order to fl ourish within the province here. I had some signifi cant compliments from major CEOs and executives from the corporate resource sector. Th ey said that this was…. One gentleman, in fact, said that the resource forum that we had in Prince George was second to none. He had never been to one like it in Canada.

It provided them the opportunity to hear from other resource sector employers, companies, to network with a variety of disciplines within the resource sector in order to see what they can do to make things better. Th e collab- oration that I saw at that particular forum was fantastic. I think that collaboration leads to better effi ciencies in economies of scale as a lot of these corporations develop their businesses and move forward in British Columbia. We’re not a single commodity–based province.

British Columbia DebatesWednesday, February 11, 2015 5673 Forestry was the foundation of British Columbia. It de- veloped a lot of our social infrastructure that we have in the province. Mining has come along, and mining has seen its swings. But in the last number of years mining has contributed signifi cantly to British Columbia’s eco- nomic base and its employment base. We do go through the commodity cycles in single- commodity communities like Tumbler Ridge, which is experiencing a downturn in metallurgic coal prices, for an example. It is devastating for that community.

But the province is buoyed by other sectors that enable us to get through these times. Where it’s such an impact on some of these smaller communities, we can help them out to the extent that we can. To show the strength that this government has and this caucus has in supporting the resource sector in British Columbia and the economic development base that we have here, on the Wednesday morning of the resource forum we tried something that was a little bit diff erent this year. We had what we called the minister’s breakfast.

Th e ministers were given an opportunity to answer questions from the 300 or 400 people that attended the breakfast. I think that gave the people there an oppor- tunity to see that this government was committed to strengthening the resource sector and strengthening B.C. ’s economy, by attending this breakfast and this function. We were also graced with the presence of the Premier, who give a keynote address on that particular aft ernoon as well, signifying the diversity of our economy that we have and the strength that we have within the re- source sector of British Columbia.

With all my colleagues that were in attendance there as well, I think it demonstrated to the 850-plus people that attended, plus the residents of Prince George and throughout the country, that this government is strong and is committed to making sure that we have a strong resource sector and a strong economy. [1510] I’ve talked about the LNG industry and the steps that we’ve taken. We’ve introduced the LNG Income Tax Act, giving proponents a clear understanding of the tax framework so they can begin to make some of the fi nal investment decisions that are necessary to move forward with this.

Th ese are big decisions for companies to make when they’re investing $10 billion, $20 billion, $30 bil- lion into the various LNG plants we have. We’ve also introduced legislation to ensure that the LNG plants that we do have are going to be the cleanest of technologies in the world. We’ve launched the LNG-Buy B.C. tool program, con- necting small, medium and large businesses with LNG proponents looking to invest their billions of dollars in British Columbia. We’ve talked about pipelines in the past. It’s been quite a topical issue for years in this province.

We’ve got vari- ous proponents talking about building pipelines across British Columbia to provide natural gas to the coast to supply these LNG plants. We also have a couple of proponents that are talk- ing about transporting oil as well. Th is province stands behind the fi ve conditions that we had laid out for the pipeline proponents for heavy oil. We’re still committed to stand by those fi ve conditions for the transportation of heavy oil across the province. Forestry.

Oftentimes I hear from different folks throughout the province that forestry appears to be not in the forefront any longer as far as this provincial gov- ernment is concerned. Nothing could be further from the truth with regard to forestry. Forestry has increased its exports by 65 percent over the last fi ve years, and the dollar value of those exports has gone up signifi cantly, contributing to the coff ers of British Columbia. Th e forest industry is reinventing itself and is looking at new and better ways to do business.

Th e forest industry has developed some of the most modern high-tech saw- mills in the world, in the interior of the province. We’ve got one recently built in Prince George. We’ve got a new one in Burns Lake. We’ve got forest companies that have spent millions of dollars upgrading their sawmills north of Prince George and down into the 100 Mile area to make sure that they’re competitive with the world forest companies, all competing for a share of the market there.

We’ve got the Wood Innovation and Design Centre in Prince George that we recently opened, and we’ve recently announced a partnership between the Wood Innovation and Design Centre — the program that they have with UNBC — and the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Th ey’re collaborating together to come up with new and unique ways to use wood throughout British Columbia. I think that kind of a program is go- ing to reveal all kinds of diff erent ways that we can util- ize wood products and value-added wood products to the betterment of the entire industry.

I talked a little bit about mining, about Tumbler Ridge. Exploration expenditures in British Columbia accounted for $330 million and accounted for over 21 percent of all exploration spending in Canada. I think that’s pretty signifi cant, when you look at the vast array of mineral deposits across Canada. I think this government has cre- ated an atmosphere where mining companies feel com- fortable in investing in exploration in British Columbia. Y ou can’t be faint of heart if you’re going to invest in mining stocks anywhere in the country or in the world.

It takes a long time to take a mine from the identifi cation of an ore body until you can get it into production, and it takes a lot of money to get there. We’ve since thrown in some other dynamics in British Columbia, with the recent Tsilhqot’in decision, in bring- ing First Nations’ partners into a lot of the decision-making process we have in mining. I think that’s a good thing. At the Natural Resource Forum we had in Prince George, we had a couple of prominent experts from

British Columbia Debates5674 Wednesday, February 11, 2015 across Canada speaking about the evolution of aborig- inal rights and title across Canada. Th ey told me that British Columbia is leading the charge, that we are doing things right in British Columbia. We may not be where we want to go yet, but we are doing things right. We’ve come into several economic benefi t agreements with over 200 First Nations bands throughout British Columbia where they’re benefi ting from the resource development in their particular area. [1515] One of those bands is in my riding — the McLeod Lake Indian Band.

Th ey’ve been working in collabora- tion, and they’ve got a construction company working for Mount Milligan. Th ey’ve been able to invest quite heavily in their community. Th ey’ve paved the streets. Th ey’ve paid dividends to their community members, and they’ve made life quite a bit more livable for the people in their community. Since June of 2011 we’ve opened fi ve new mines in British Columbia. We’ve created over 1,300 new jobs. Th ere are seven major mine expansions that have been approved.

Th e mining industry in B.C. employs 30,000 workers, with an average salary of $114,000, a signifi cant increase from 2001, when there were only 14,700 workers employed, with an average salary of $81,000. The transportation network that we’ve created in British Columbia and that we continue to invest in, in British Columbia is a vital part of making this province work. Prince George is ideally located in the centre of the province as a services and supply area for the resource sector. We’ve got highways intersecting north and south, east and west. We’ve got railways intersecting north and south, east and west.

Th ose corridors are providing access to the Port of Prince Rupert. We have a CN intermodal terminal in Prince George, which is an integral part of that. Th e Port of Prince Rupert is becoming one of the fastest-growing ports in North America. It provides direct access for goods coming into British Columbia and being shipped all the way to the eastern seaboard, to Chicago, by rail. It’s providing opportunities for Canadian goods. British Columbia has a signifi cant responsibility with- in the confederation to provide access to the Asia- Pacifi c markets.

Th e Port of Prince Rupert, Deltaport, Vancouver, Nanaimo — all of our ports — play an in- tegral role in ensuring that access for Canadian goods manufactured across Canada. Th at is a benefi t for the Canadian economy and buoys our economy in times of commodity fl uctuations that we see with the commod- ities that we have in British Columbia. We also have our airports that are becoming more and more involved in the economy of British Columbia. Th e Vancouver airport is one of the best airports in British Columbia. It moves a lot of passengers. It moves a lot of cargo.

Prince George Airport has the third-largest run- way in Canada. There are all kinds of opportunities to expand the aerospace industry and cargo shipping from the central interior of the province. I think we’ll see that part of

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20150211pm-Hansard-v19n2
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20150211pm Hansard v19n2
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	a06a2bddfbdeb10c982cf97d987d352198b661e4

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