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British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Third Session, 39th Parliament official rePort of Debates of the Legis Lative a ssemb Ly (hansarD) the honourable bill bari Soff, SPeaker iSSn 0709-1281 Thursday, February 17, 2011 Morning Sitting Volume 20, Number 6

Pro Vince of britiS h colu Mbia (entered c onfederation July 20, 1871) lieutenant -Go Vernor h is h onour the h onourable Steven l. Point, obc Third Session, 39th Parliament SPeaker of the leGiS latiVe a SSeMbl Y h onourable bill barisoff eXecutiVe council Premier and President of the executive c ouncil ......................................................................................................h on.

Gordon c ampbell Minister of a griculture ............................................................................................................................................................h on. ben Stewart a ttorney General and Minister of a boriginal r elations and r econciliation ........................................................ h on. barry Penner, Qc Minister of c hildren and f amily Development ....................................................................................................................h on.

Mary Polak Minister of citizens' Services ............................................................................................................................................... h on. Mary Mcn eil Minister of c ommunity, Sport and cultural Development .................................................................................... h on. Stephanie c adieux Minister of environment ...................................................................................................................................................... h on.

Murray c oell Minister of State for c limate a ction ......................................................................................................................................h on.

John Y ap Minister of finance and Minister r esponsible for Small business and Deputy Premier and Minister of h ealth Services .................................................................................................................................... h on. c olin h ansen Minister of f orests, Mines and l ands ........................................................................................................................................... h on.

Pat bell Minister of State for Mining ............................................................................................................................................h on. r andy h awes Minister of l abour ...................................................................................................................................................................... h on. iain black Minister of n atural r esource o perations and Minister of energy ..............................................................................h on.

Steve Thomson Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and Minister r esponsible for h ousing ............................................h on. r ich c oleman Minister of State for building c ode r enewal .......................................................................................................h on. n aomi Y amamoto Minister of Science and u niversities and Minister of r egional e conomic and Skills Development .............................. h on. ida c hong Minister of Social Development ........................................................................................................................................ h on. k evin k rueger Minister of t ourism, t rade and investment and Minister r esponsible for the intergovernmental r elations Secretariat and Minister of education ................................................................................... h on.

Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid Minister of t ransportation and infrastructure ...................................................................................................................h on.

Shirley bond leGiS latiVe a SSeMbl Y l eader of the official o pposition .....................................................................................................................................................Dawn black Deputy Speaker .................................................................................................................................................................................... l inda r eid a ssistant Deputy Speaker .............................................................................................................................................................c laire t revena Deputy c hair, c ommittee of the Whole .......................................................................................................................................... h arry bloy c lerk of the l egislative a ssembly...................................................................................................................e.

George MacMinn, obc, Q c c lerk a ssistant ..................................................................................................................................................................................r obert Vaive c lerk a ssistant and l aw c lerk................................................................................................................................................. ian D. izard, Qc c lerk a ssistant and c lerk of c ommittees ............................................................................................................... craig h.

James (on leave) c lerk a ssistant and a cting c lerk of c ommittees ................................................................................................................. k ate r yan-l loyd Sergeant-at-a rms ................................................................................................................................................................................. Gary l enz

alP habetical liS t of MeMberS a bbott, George (l) ................................................................................. Shuswap a ustin, r obin (nDP) ................................................................................ Skeena bains, h arry (nDP) ....................................................................Surrey-n ewton barisoff, h on. bill (l) ............................................................................Penticton barnett, Donna (l) ................................................................ c ariboo-c hilcotin bell, h on.

Pat (l) ..................................................... Prince George–Mackenzie bennett, bill (ind.) ........................................................................k ootenay e ast black, Dawn (nDP) ................................................................n ew Westminster black, h on. iain (l) ..................................................... Port Moody–c oquitlam bloy, h arry (l) ......................................................................burnaby-l ougheed bond, h on.

Shirley (l) ...........................................Prince George–Valemount brar, Jagrup (nDP) ................................................................ Surrey-fleetwood c adieux, h on. Stephanie (l) .................................................Surrey-Panorama c ampbell, h on. Gordon (l) .........................................Vancouver–Point Grey c antelon, r on (l) ..............................................................

Parksville-Qualicum c handra h erbert, Spencer (nDP) ................................Vancouver–West end c hong, h on. ida (l) ..................................................... o ak bay–Gordon h ead c houhan, r aj (nDP) ........................................................... burnaby-e dmonds c oell, h on.

Murray (l) ....................................Saanich n orth and the islands c oleman, h on. r ich (l) ........................................... f ort l angley–a ldergrove c onroy, katrine (nDP) .............................................................. k ootenay West c oons, Gary (nDP) .........................................................................n orth c oast c orrigan, k athy (nDP) ..................................................... burnaby–Deer l ake Dalton, Marc (l) ..............................................................

Maple r idge–Mission de Jong, Michael, Qc (l) ........................................................ a bbotsford West Dix, a drian (nDP) ............................................................Vancouver-kingsway Donaldson, Doug (nDP) ......................................................................... Stikine e lmore, Mable (nDP) ................................................... Vancouver-kensington f alcon, k evin (l) ....................................................................Surrey-c loverdale f arnworth, Mike (nDP) ............................................................

Port c oquitlam fleming, r ob (nDP) .......................................................... Victoria–Swan l ake f oster, eric (l) .......................................................................Vernon-Monashee f raser, Scott (nDP) ............................................................a lberni–Pacific r im Gentner, Guy (nDP) .........................................................................Delta n orth h ammell, Sue (nDP) .................................................... Surrey–Green t imbers h ansen, h on. c olin (l) ..................................................

Vancouver-Quilchena h awes, h on. r andy (l) ..................................................... a bbotsford-Mission h ayer, Dave S. (l) .................................................................... Surrey-t ynehead h eed, k ash (l) ................................................................ Vancouver-fraserview h ogg, Gordon (l) ............................................................... Surrey–White r ock h organ, John (nDP) .......................................................................

Juan de f uca h orne, Douglas (l) ..............................................c oquitlam–b urke Mountain h oward, r ob (l) .....................................................................r ichmond c entre h untington, Vicki (ind.) ..................................................................Delta South James, c arole (nDP) .........................................................Victoria–b eacon h ill k aragianis, Maurine (nDP) ........................................e squimalt–r oyal r oads k rog, l eonard (nDP) ........................................................................... n anaimo k rueger, h on. k evin (l) ..................................... k amloops–South Thompson kwan, Jenny Wai ching (nDP) ...........................

Vancouver–Mount Pleasant l ake, Dr. t erry (l) ..............................................k amloops–n orth Thompson l ali, h arry (nDP) ..........................................................................f raser-n icola l ee, r ichard t . (l) .......................................................................burnaby n orth l ekstrom, blair (ind.) ............................................................

Peace r iver South l es, John (l) .........................................................................................c hilliwack l etnick, n orm (l) ........................................................k elowna–l ake c ountry MacDiarmid, h on. Dr. Margaret (l) ............................... Vancouver-fairview Macdonald, n orm (nDP) ....................................c olumbia r iver–r evelstoke Mcintyre, Joan (l) ..................................................West Vancouver–Sea to Sky Mcn eil, h on.

Mary (l) .................................................Vancouver–f alse creek Mcr ae, Don (l) ............................................................................. c omox Valley Mungall, Michelle (nDP) ..........................................................n elson-creston Penner, hon. barry, Qc (l) ....................................................c hilliwack-h ope Pimm, Pat (l) ..........................................................................Peace r iver n orth Polak, h on.

Mary (l) ...............................................................................l angley Popham, l ana (nDP) ...................................................................Saanich South r alston, bruce (nDP) ................................................................

Surrey-Whalley r eid, l inda (l) .............................................................................r ichmond e ast r outley, bill (nDP) .................................................................. c owichan Valley r outley, Doug (nDP) ............................................n anaimo–n orth c owichan r ustad, John (l) ........................................................................... n echako l akes Sather, Michael (nDP) ......................................... Maple r idge–Pitt Meadows Simons, n icholas (nDP) ...................................

Powell r iver–Sunshine c oast Simpson, bob (ind.) .....................................................................c ariboo n orth Simpson, Shane (nDP) .....................................................Vancouver-hastings Slater, John (l) ..............................................................boundary-Similkameen Stewart, h on. ben (l) ........................................................... Westside-kelowna Stilwell, Dr. Moira (l) ......................................................... Vancouver-l angara Sultan, r alph (l) .....................................................

West Vancouver–capilano Thomson, hon. Steve (l) ........................................................k elowna-Mission Thorne, Diane (nDP) .................................................c oquitlam-Maillardville Thornthwaite, Jane (l) .......................................... n orth Vancouver–Seymour t revena, c laire (nDP) .................................................................... n orth island van Dongen, John (l) .............................................................a bbotsford South Y amamoto, hon. n aomi (l) ................................. n orth Vancouver–l onsdale Y ap, hon.

John (l) .............................................................r ichmond-Steveston liS t of MeMberS bY riD in G a bbotsford-Mission .............................................................h on. r andy h awes a bbotsford South .....................................................................John van Dongen a bbotsford West ................................................................Michael de Jong, Qc a lberni–Pacific r im ..........................................................................

Scott f raser boundary-Similkameen .....................................................................John Slater burnaby–Deer l ake ................................................................... k athy c orrigan burnaby-e dmonds ......................................................................... r aj c houhan burnaby-l ougheed ............................................................................ h arry bloy burnaby n orth .............................................................................. r ichard t . l ee c ariboo-c hilcotin ........................................................................Donna barnett c ariboo n orth ................................................................................ bob Simpson c hilliwack ...............................................................................................

John l es c hilliwack-h ope .......................................................... h on. barry Penner, Qc c olumbia r iver–r evelstoke .................................................. n orm Macdonald c omox Valley.................................................................................... Don Mcr ae c oquitlam–b urke Mountain .....................................................Douglas h orne c oquitlam-Maillardville...............................................................

Diane Thorne c owichan Valley ................................................................................ bill r outley Delta n orth ......................................................................................Guy Gentner Delta South ...............................................................................Vicki h untington e squimalt–r oyal r oads .....................................................Maurine k aragianis f ort l angley–a ldergrove ...................................................h on. r ich c oleman f raser-n icola........................................................................................ h arry l ali Juan de f uca .....................................................................................John h organ k amloops–n orth Thompson ......................................................Dr. t erry l ake k amloops–South Thompson ............................................ h on. k evin k rueger k elowna–l ake c ountry ...............................................................n orm l etnick k elowna-Mission .............................................................. h on.

Steve Thomson k ootenay e ast ....................................................................................bill bennett k ootenay West ............................................................................ k atrine c onroy l angley.......................................................................................h on. Mary Polak Maple r idge–Mission .....................................................................

Marc Dalton Maple r idge–Pitt Meadows ........................................................Michael Sather n anaimo ......................................................................................... l eonard k rog n anaimo–n orth c owichan ......................................................... Doug r outley n echako l akes ..................................................................................

John r ustad n elson-creston ........................................................................Michelle Mungall n ew Westminster ..............................................................................Dawn black n orth c oast....................................................................................... Gary c oons n orth island .................................................................................. c laire t revena n orth Vancouver–l onsdale ........................................h on. n aomi Y amamoto n orth Vancouver–Seymour .................................................

Jane Thornthwaite o ak bay–Gordon h ead ............................................................ h on. ida c hong Parksville-Qualicum ..................................................................... r on c antelon Peace r iver n orth ................................................................................Pat Pimm Peace r iver South .........................................................................blair l ekstrom Penticton................................................................................... h on. bill barisoff Port c oquitlam ..........................................................................Mike f arnworth Port Moody–c oquitlam .............................................................h on. iain black Powell r iver–Sunshine c oast ................................................. n icholas Simons Prince George–Mackenzie .............................................................h on.

Pat bell Prince George–Valemount ...................................................h on. Shirley bond r ichmond c entre ............................................................................ r ob h oward r ichmond e ast ................................................................................... l inda r eid r ichmond-Steveston .................................................................... h on. John Y ap Saanich n orth and the islands ........................................... h on.

Murray c oell Saanich South ................................................................................ l ana Popham Shuswap .........................................................................................George a bbott Skeena .............................................................................................. r obin a ustin Stikine ........................................................................................Doug Donaldson Surrey-c loverdale ...........................................................................k evin f alcon Surrey-fleetwood ...............................................................................Jagrup brar Surrey–Green t imbers ..................................................................Sue h ammell Surrey-n ewton ................................................................................. h arry b ains Surrey-Panorama ........................................................ h on.

Stephanie c adieux Surrey-t ynehead ........................................................................... Dave S. h ayer Surrey-Whalley.............................................................................. bruce r alston Surrey–White r ock ....................................................................... Gordon h ogg Vancouver-fairview .......................................h on. Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid Vancouver–f alse creek ........................................................ h on.

Mary Mcn eil Vancouver-fraserview ........................................................................k ash h eed Vancouver-hastings ....................................................................Shane Simpson Vancouver-kensington .................................................................Mable e lmore Vancouver-kingsway..........................................................................a drian Dix Vancouver-l angara .................................................................Dr.

Moira Stilwell Vancouver–Mount Pleasant ..........................................Jenny Wai ching kwan Vancouver–Point Grey .................................................h on.

Gordon c ampbell Vancouver-Quilchena ..........................................................h on. c olin h ansen Vancouver–West end ...............................................Spencer c handra h erbert Vernon-Monashee ...............................................................................eric f oster Victoria–b eacon h ill .......................................................................c arole James Victoria–Swan l ake.........................................................................r ob fleming West Vancouver–capilano ............................................................. r alph Sultan West Vancouver–Sea to Sky ........................................................

Joan Mcintyre Westside-kelowna ...................................................................h on. ben Stewart Party Standings: l iberal 47; n ew Democratic 34; independent 4

CONTENTS Thursday, february 17, 2011 Morning Sitting Page t abling Documents ................................................................................................................................................................. 6355 b.c. h uman r ights t ribunal, Annual Report 2009-2010 crown Proceeding a ct, Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010 environmental a ppeal board, Annual Report 2009-2010 Public Guardian and t rustee of b.c., annual report, 2009-2010 b.c. u tilities c ommission, 2009-2010 Annual Report b.c. f erry c ommission, Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010 introduction of a mendments by Message ........................................................................................................................... 6355 a mendments to estimates — fiscal year ending March 31, 201 2 h on. c. h ansen Orders of the Day c ommittee of the Whole h ouse ............................................................................................................................................ 6355 bill 3 — Supply a ct (n o. 1), 2011 b. r alston h on. c. h ansen r eport and Third r eading of bills ......................................................................................................................................... 6356 bill 3 — Supply a ct (n o. 1), 2011 budget Debate (continued) .................................................................................................................................................6356 h on. i. c hong b.

Simpson h on. b. Stewart G. c oons h. b loy Point of Privilege (r eservation of r ight) ............................................................................................................................. 6369 l. Popha m budget Debate (continued) ..................................................................................................................................................... 6369 S. h ammell

6355 thurSD a Y , februar Y 17, 2011 The h ouse met at 10:03 a.m. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] Prayers. Mr. Speaker: Minister of finance. Government h ouse l eader. Tabling Documents Hon. R. Coleman: i rise to table a number of reports. Mr. Speaker: Proceed. Hon. R.

Coleman: i have the honour to present the following reports: the b.c. h uman r ights t ribunal Annual Report 2009-2010 ; the crown Proceeding a ct Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010 ; the environmental a ppeal board Annual Report 2009-2010; Public Guardian and t rustee of b.c. annual report 2009- 2010; the b.c. u tilities c ommission 2009-2010 Annual Report; and the b.c. f erry c ommission Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010. Hon. C. Hansen: i would defer to the h ouse l eader at any time, any day.

Introduction of Amendments by Message a Men DMent S to e Sti Mate S — fiScal Year enD in G March 31, 2012 h on. c. h ansen presented a message from h is h on- our the l ieutenant-Governor: amendments to estimates, fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. Hon. C. Hansen: i move that said message and the amendments to the estimates attached thereto be re - ferred to the c ommittee of Supply. Motion approved. [1005] Orders of the Day Hon. R. Coleman: Good morning, and sorry to my colleague for jumping up there. i call committee stage of bill 3, intituled Supply a ct (n o. 1), 2011. B.

Simpson: i seek leave to make an introduction. Mr. Speaker: Proceed. Introductions by Members B. Simpson: i would like to introduce in the gal - lery today Wendy bergerud, r oger t aylor and Stephen h arrison. They're with the greater Victoria

chapter of f air Vote b.c. We had a very intriguing meeting this morning. of course, they're proponents of electoral re - form c anada-wide and in british c olumbia. i ask the h ouse to please make them feel welcome. Committee of the Whole House bi ll 3 — Su PPl Y a ct ( n o. 1), 2011 The h ouse in c ommittee of the Whole on bill 3; l. r eid in the chair. The committee met at 10:08 a.m. on

section 1. B. Ralston: i had a couple of quick questions on sec - tion 1. The

section refers to 4/12 of the total amount of the votes of the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. So would it be correct that this bill, if passed, authorizes spending until July 31 of this year? Hon. C. Hansen: i think it would be more accurate to say that this authorizes spending to approximately the end of July. We often talk about getting, you know, four months of supply or six months of supply when in real - ity it's not a calendar month; it's based on the approval of an amount.

So by 4/12 of the total amount for the year, it should get us roughly to the end of July, but it's based on how much actual spending is incurred as opposed to a date on a calendar. B. Ralston: a gain, just for clarity, because this bill is sometimes considered somewhat arcane to the uniniti - ated — and that might even include some members of the l egislative a ssembly — given what you've said about when this authority would end, what would be necessary to continue spending authority? Would the l egislature have to come back into session either to extend this bill or some other procedure? [1010] Hon. C.

Hansen: Yes, it would require an additional authority from the l egislative a ssembly to spend be - yond this amount. if you look at a typical year, it is not unusual for there to be more than one supply bill in the year. So the first supply bill would get to a certain point, and then if the full estimates have not been completed and the final supply bill passed by the l egislature, it is not unusual for there to be a second supply bill put in place.

british c olumbia Debates6356 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 i think this will certainly allow for the l egislative a ssembly to have an adequate amount of time to get final supply done, but given the uncertainty around what the timelines might look like over the coming months, this will at least get us to roughly the end of July. if final sup- ply is not completed by that time, it may potentially be necessary for a second supply bill. B.

Ralston: So would it be fair then for a member of the public to conclude that the l egislature at some point, roughly, before the end of July will reconvene either to extend this supply bill or for a discussion of the main es- timates through the supply process? Hon. C. Hansen: Y es, that is correct.

Section 1 approved. on

section 2. B. Ralston:

Section 2 says — and i'm looking at the end of the last sentence: "…and being substantially 1/2 of the total of the voted amounts referred to in those Schedules to the main e stimates." c an the minister explain the reason for that choice of language: "substantially 1/2"? Hon. C. Hansen: This is typical of every interim supply bill that's brought in. There is typically a…. Well, i can't think of an exception where the interim supply on the capital side is not at least 50 percent, and it's because of the timing of projects.

So when you wind up with construction of capital projects, it's not sort of an equal one-third per month that it flows out. So this allows for that flexibility. The fact that it says "substantially 1/2 of the total" is really just because the amount that is being included has been rounded off to the nearest hundred thousand dollars.

Section 2 approved. on

section 3. B. Ralston:

Section 3 refers to

schedule e, and there are a number of ministries referred to in that schedule. c an the minister explain the purpose of that particular clause? Hon. C. Hansen: So this pertains to

schedule e of the main estimates, and this actually is funds that, while they're collected by the province, flow through to other organizations. a gain, this is typical in every interim supply bill — that 100 percent of that authority is given at the time of interim supply. it does not impact on the spending estimates of particular ministries, and it is really there just to facilitate that flow-through to outside organizations. Sections 3 and 4 approved.

Preamble approved. t itle approved. Hon. C. Hansen: i move that the committee rise and report the bill complete without amendment. Motion approved. The committee rose at 10:14 a.m. [1015] The h ouse resumed; Mr. Speaker in the chair. Report and Third Reading of Bills bill 3 — Su PPl Y a ct ( n o. 1), 2011 bill 3, Supply a ct (n o. 1), 2011, reported complete without amendment, read a third time and passed. Hon. R. Coleman: Well, i don't know if we can top that scintillating debate for the rest of the morning, but i'm sure we can try, as we will now move into reply to the budget debate.

Budget Debate (continued) Hon. I.

Chong: i take this opportunity to speak on budget 2011-12. o bviously, i feel that it's important to put in perspective a number of items raised, and in particular, i hope to have an opportunity to discuss the budget with respect to the ministries that i currently have responsibility for — that is, Science and u niversities, and r egional e conomic and Skills Development. [l. r eid in the chair.] but overall, i think it's fair to say that the commentary we have heard from a number of third-party organiza - tions and groups has indicated that they were expecting a status quo budget.

They weren't expecting major changes, knowing what is happening in the political cli - mate currently, with leadership races on both sides of the h ouse, and that it was important to be able to bring a budget forward that allows for continuity, for con - sistency throughout until such time as a new Premier and new cabinet make decisions that may provide for different ideas and a different vision.

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6357 So it was, i think, not an unexpected — i hate to say boring — rather mundane budget that the Minister of f inance brought in, simply because we wanted to provide that assurance that the information that was presented last year would more or less continue on to this year. i wanted to speak about the Ministry of Science and u niversities, and r egional e conomic and Skills Development, because there was concern in o ctober when the former Ministry of a dvanced e ducation and l abour Market Development was divided.

There was some angst in the community. i have since been out around the province speaking to our universities, to our colleges, to student organiza - tions and others who feel they have a stake in the change, to ensure that there are no fears to be had. in fact, the division was made to better represent and better align resources to very important areas that will affect british c olumbia and, indeed, our economy. f or example, in the area of science and universities, the area of research was included because our universi - ties provide so much of that research-based knowledge. british c olumbia produces world-leading research in the life sciences, in information and communication technology, in particle physics, in material science, in oceanography, resource management and alternative energy.

We should be proud of that. o ur government-supported research, innovation and technology provide a long-term foundation for a strong and vibrant economy, for a sustainable environ - ment, and safe and healthy communities, both within british c olumbia and worldwide. o ur universities are best aligned to do that, to best maximize their potential in research. in fact, since 2001 our government has committed $1.8 billion to research in british c olumbia, and we've levered an additional $1.3 billion in research funding from other sources.

That's significant, and we want our universities that are doing research to be the very best they can be, to attract the very best they can be, be - cause it is going to be the foundation going forward in this 21st century in terms of the knowledge-based economy. [1020] Since 2001, Madam Speaker, you'll know that our government has created seven new universities to serve british c olumbia, including the Thompson r ivers u niversity and the u niversity of british c olumbia o kanagan campus, two of which i think have really had a huge increase in enrolment and interest, more par - ticularly for students to learn closer to home.

There have been new universities and expanded campuses that also provide more choice, again providing more choice closer to home for b.c. students so that they can certainly get the training and skills they need to succeed. That's the other ministry that i want to quickly speak about — r egional e conomic and Skills Development. They represent our colleges, and our colleges provide the basis for upskilling a number of our individuals and our employees, providing the right job training in the right job vacancies in the right regions of the province.

This is why it's regional economic development — not economic development as a whole but regional — and skills development, because we need to have those skills in those places for those communities to have a viable, healthy, vibrant community.

That has been particularly important. i just wanted to make that very brief clarification, be - cause i know there has been some concern, but also for the members opposite, because we haven't had the chance to have that dialogue that we would ordinarily have, i would suspect, during budget estimates debate. it's important to know that with changes like that, there also needs to be an alignment of ministry financial re - sources. Therein is where i want to take some time to speak in specific relation to the budget. in this h ouse we acknowledge there is usually very healthy debate — in fact, vigorous debate.

We do not always agree. in fact, disagreement occurs frequently, i think we would all admit. Sometimes members even mischaracterize, sometimes mislead or make statements that are misleading, but no member is actually permitted to deliberately or knowingly make a false or misleading statement. t o do so would be tantamount to, as we know, the word that we don't use in this chamber. So as i stated, sometimes there is vociferous dis - agreement, and sometimes members don't completely represent, or they mischaracterize. but when a false state- ment is presented as fact, that is just not permitted.

Madam Speaker, you may wonder, and i'm sure others are wondering, why i am speaking to that. i think it is important that if one were to follow the debates today or to review Hansard at a later time, why is it that i am broaching this obviously very sensitive subject matter? it's because i want to take time this morning to make a specific clarification for the benefit of all members in this h ouse but particularly for the nDP official oppos - ition members who have spoken to the budget of late and who may be speaking to their media with respect to the budget that i have responsibility for.

When i hear the f inance critic, the member for Surrey-Whalley; the member for Stikine; the member for n anaimo–n orth c owichan; the member for n orth island make specific reference to this year's budget that there has been a $34 million cut to the student aid pro - gram, i need to say that that is absolutely wrong. a s well, the member for k ootenay West was quoted in her local media making the same statement. She is also wrong. o ur student aid program remains the same as last year. i know, in looking at the budget materials, that the n DP f inance critic….

Perhaps the member for c olumbia r iver–r evelstoke also made it, and i appreciate him rais-

british c olumbia Debates6358 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 ing that.

When you look at the budget materials, the n DP f inance critic made a very quick assumption when looking at the student support program. h e saw a re - duction there, and i understand that he made the quick assumption that the student aid program was being re - duced when, in fact, it was a student support program that includes a variety of programs. [1025] because of that, the variety of programs that were in there needed to be better aligned and reprofiled with the Ministry of r egional e conomic and Skills Development. it is an accounting change, but the dollars that were pre- viously there have in fact been aligned to a ministry that has been created to take care of the responsibility and mandate that was afforded there.

So while there have been some reprofiling and some transferring of those dollars to a different ministry to align with that…. a s i say, they represent accounting changes, not a cut to the student aid program.

The reason why i want to make that statement very clear in this chamber is because i know it is a general acceptance that when the finance critic provides infor - mation to members — because i've been in opposition before — members will take that information as fact, and member after member will come into the h ouse and make the same statement or provide it to media. i know that is practised. i've been in opposition. i've done that. being in government, you also make the same kind of assumptions. but i wanted to take this opportunity, because i think it's only fair to provide that clarification because there may not be the time to do so at a future date. i don't want that statement to be perpetuated in the media and public for longer than it needs to be, providing concern and worry for students and parents when in fact it is not true. i have to say that. it is just not true.

The student aid pro- gram remains the same as it did last year. i would be happy to provide a briefing to any member of the opposition, any member of the h ouse, if they so desire it, because i am concerned that that statement has already caused some alarm, some fear to students and to parents. it's not about disagreeing with government policy. it is simply a fact, a false statement that has been made. t o blatantly disregard the truth, now that i have made it clear — to blatantly disregard that statement and that truth…. i do not think members will want to do that. if they continue to do so, i think, then, that that leads to a very serious infraction.

Therefore, i provide that, as i say, not to suggest that members don't have an opportunity to disagree when they don't like government policy or government pro - grams, when they have a different idea on how it should be presented, but i'm asking that all members of this h ouse, not just the nDP official opposition, do not de - liberately or knowingly mislead the public by continuing to make that statement. a gain, i rarely try to be as specific when i do a budget speech response, but i do so because i am very worried about the statements being made and am concerned about the ramifications they may have.

The budget is an important process that we all go through. it is important that when there is an opportunity to debate, as we do in estimates debate, there is that vigorous debate. a gain, we will disagree with programs. We may dis - agree with policy.

There will be clarification that is often sought, and i would be more than happy to provide clarification such as that. but i can say that from this point onwards, should i hear members opposite make a direct comment that there has been a $34 million cut to a student aid program, i will have to make the absolute assertion that they have deliberately or knowingly mis - led the public as well as their constituents. Deputy Speaker: Minister. interjections. Hon. I. Chong: i hear members opposite disagreeing…. Deputy Speaker: Minister, i will caution you. Hon. I.

Chong: i understand, Madam Speaker, which is why i'm taking the time to be very clear that from this point onwards…. i recognize that previous to this point, members may not have had the opportunity to have the clarification that i'm providing, which is why i'm doing so and why i also want to provide that information and to also suggest heartily that if they wish to see that in - formation and speak to members of my ministry, i am offering that. t o do so from this point onwards, now that i have made the clarification, is very dangerous for members on both sides of the h ouse, any member who makes that statement. a s i say, i rarely take the time and effort to be as clear as i wish to have been this morning because i know we have this healthy and rigorous debate that takes place. but i do so because i do respect the h ouse. [1030] i do respect the opportunity for rigorous debate, but i think it's important to do so with all the facts. if a mem- ber refuses to take up the offer of trying to find out the facts by not taking advantage of a briefing — which again, for the third time now, which i've said, i've of - fered — then they do so at their peril.

Madam Speaker, i have enjoyed my opportunity to provide some comments on the budget. Going forward i know that i will continue to hear some very interesting comments and disagreements from time to time. but certainly, again, i caution members that i will be watch - ing very closely how they take their comments further from this point onwards.

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6359 B. Simpson: i want to start off by expressing my ap - preciation to the h ouse l eader of the opposition for giving me the opportunity to speak today. i know we're all going to have to learn how this h ouse will work with, hopefully, more independents and others involved. So i do appreciate that that room was made. i do want to comment on something that the Minister of Science and u niversities has just commented on, be - cause i think she did make her point very clear. but unfortunately, as we all know, and i'll speak to it, debate is truncated.

The actual nature of the debate that should be going on in this h ouse and that would get to the heart of the issue as to whether the opposition is cor- rect in their characterization or the minister is correct in her characterization is what we call estimates debate, which of course we're not going to get until after the game of thrones is completed and we get to come back and do the real work of this l egislature. h aving said that, i want to reflect on something as i tried to figure out what i wanted to say on the budget, because i only have a few minutes here. e verything's truncated. i do feel as if the business of the h ouse was completed at 10:10 or whatever this morning when bill 3 was passed, because that's the real reason we're here. it's to get the interim supply bill passed so that people can get paid, the lights can stay on until the game of thrones is completed and we can get back to the work of the people's work in this h ouse. in my reflection, what i was thinking about is that my wife and i are involved in a renovation of our home.

We took about ten days, which is fast for my wife because it's usually about 18 months for her to decide on things like this. it took us ten days to figure out what blinds we wanted in the house and then for back-and-forth with a supplier to get them to keep sharpening their pencil, to get them to give us good quotes, etc. on balance, that proportion of our renovation budget is minuscule. it's about 1 percent of the budget, but we spent about ten days doing that. h ere we are with a $40 billion budget, $60 billion- plus in debt, an unaccounted-for allocation to money for a yet-to-be-determined Premier to do with as he or she wills, and i as a l egislative a ssembly member get 15 minutes to give my comment on it, and all of us collect - ively get two days. i have a fundamental problem with that because it is not the way our democracy is supposed to work.

The budget is the set piece for the province. it's the set piece not just for the finances but for the policy direction for the province. it's the set piece for the direction we're going to go on in the first year and then gives a sense of the next couple of years. Y et in the finance Minister's speech he explicitly states that no new direction will be set. Why? Madam Speaker, 85 of us are here. We were all duly elected.

We are the representatives of the province of british c olumbia, duly elected, and yet because one of the 85 has not been anointed because the game of thrones has not been completed, we can't do the people's work in this h ouse. i think that's unconscionable. i think it's unacceptable. i think what we've got in the budget speech is an admission — and the same in bill 3 — that politics, and the internal politics of political parties, trumps the people's business. a nd this is supposed to be the people's h ouse. [1035] We have the finance Minister admitting that the l iberal leadership issue, the opposition leadership issue and, of course, the hS t issue, which is bad process, bad politics from the get-go, have prevented us from meet - ing in this h ouse and convening and actually debating the people's budget and giving certainty to the people of british c olumbia.

That's critical — that word "certainty" — because as we know, the child and youth advocate has told us that we must get on with the job of addressing child poverty. c hildren should not be forced to wait until political par- ties get their houses in order. There is no excuse that the 85 members of this l egislative a ssembly could not deliberate and come up with a strategy for legislated tar- gets, for budget assignment to address that fundamental issue. h ow many vulnerable children at risk have to die in this province before we get that job done?

We have communities right now that have the issue of a potential wildfire season looming ahead of them again.

We can debate in this h ouse whether or not we've done sufficient work around fuel management and various other things. i lived in the heart of the wildfire season last year. i know how close we came to those wildfires crossing the f raser r iver into where the bulk of the population was. i know we have a lot of work to do. i believe that the Minister of f orests knows we still have a lot of work to do, not in the fire protection — kudos to the fire protec - tion, to the people who get out there and put those fires out; we've got work to do to make that process and sys - tem better — but on the front end, in the spring, when we can do fuel management work, when we can actually make sure that those communities are better protected, ranches are better protected, infrastructure is better protected.

Y et what we've got here is uncertainty as to whether some of that slush money that's floating around will be assigned to that, not because 85 of us can't agree on that but because one person hasn't been anointed to deter - mine and sanction whether that work should get done. That's not the way a representative democracy is sup - posed to work. We have institutions, organizations, charities that are sitting wondering if they're going to be able to keep their doors open. They don't know that. i have sports groups

british c olumbia Debates6360 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 in my riding that do not know if they have another sea - son ahead of them. i have big brothers and big Sisters organizations that do not know if they're going to have to close their doors and stop servicing those children. Why? because this government has not explicitly stated in this budget if they are going to truly address the finance c ommittee's recommendation, as well as the sum of the calls for action on this, and restore the gam - ing grants and stabilize them with three-year funding to give certainty and stability to those organizations.

We are now going to go into at least four months of instability and uncertainty that could actually be suc - ceeded by more months, if not an election. That is patently unfair to the people of british c olumbia and to these volunteer organizations and to all of the families and individuals serviced by them.

So it is imperative that we do that work, and i think the 85 Mla s in here are smart enough, bright enough, have got the sanction of their own constituencies to come down here, to represent and to be involved in the government of this province, and we should not be in the situation we're in now — that because the game of thrones is going on, we can't do our work.

Madam Speaker, one of the classic examples of what's fundamentally wrong with our system is the hS t . i'm not going to argue the legitimacy of hS t , whether it's good tax or bad tax. i do believe there are some ideo - logical and policy debates there. i will state, though, that it's my fundamental belief that everybody in this h ouse, including the members in government, got caught off guard by that decision. That was an autocratic decision.

That was a decision that forced everybody and the province into complete uncertainty and, i would argue, significant chaos since the 2009 election, when that position was reversed and hS t came down. [1040] The proof is evident. There are people in this l egislature who are under recall campaigns because of an autocratic decision.

We had an initiative occur in which we got a record, an unbelievable amount of signatures, because people were so angry that the democratic process was not dealt with, that the people were not brought into the fold on that decision, and a reversal of a political statement in this h ouse ended up burdening them with additional taxes that they did not want. i do hope we get good information. i do hope we get an informed choice. i do hope that the government stands today and, with unanimous consent of the h ouse, passes the legislation moving the referendum up to June 24 to get this thing done. unburden us from that bad decision. i had to laugh when the l ieutenant-Governor was in the chair. i laughed when he said the chair seemed to be getting smaller, but i laughed when he said that he was relieving us of our duties — the formal statement that he made when the h ouse was prorogued. i would argue with anyone that the Mla s' duties have been relieved from them for some time in the l egislature of british c olumbia, in the Parliament in o ttawa. n ot our duties as constituent M la s, not our duties as lobbyists to go to a minister's office hat in hand or the Premier's office hat in hand and ask for what our constituents want, but our duties as parlia - mentarians and legislators have been relieved from us over successive administrations in this province. it needs to end. r ight now is a classic example of how bankrupt that model is.

We can't do anything because the game of thrones is going on. There are 85 of us. We don't need the one to be anointed. in that prorogue, i had to think about what the l ieutenant-Governor said about what we accom - plished in the last session, which the prorogue closed. h e said we did all kinds of wide-ranging initiatives, etc. The reality is that we didn't do very much. We didn't sit very much.

Most of what was accomplished was undone by a Premier on the way out who announced to the whole world a complete reorganization of government, includ- ing the most fundamental reorganization of the natural resource ministries that this province has ever seen, with massive implications for the shareholders of those re - sources, which are the people of british c olumbia, who were not consulted on any of that.

Then he had the audacity to turn around and under - mine the finance c ommittee and the finance Minister by saying that he would give all british c olumbians a 15 per- cent tax cut, so that his swan song was 15 percent, while his entry was 25 percent. it was about saving his neck, not about leading and giving vision to the province. it undermines us as hon. Members of the l egislative a ssembly when that kind of thing can be done.

What i would assert is that the cabinet did the right thing, be - cause the cabinet at least turned us for a moment — a fleeting moment, mind you, but a moment — into an executive democracy, as expressed through the will of the cabinet that put that 15 percent tax break in abey - ance. a nd we don't see it in this budget.

So for a fleeting moment cabinet actually was governing this province, and we broke the back of that. f or a long moment, if each one of us simply does our job better as legislators, not as constituency folks — please don't misunderstand me — but as legislators, as parliamentarians, if we demand the right for this h ouse to be restored to the supremacy as contained in bill 1 of every session, the supremacy of parliament, if we de - mand that right that the elected representatives are the supreme entity in a legislative democracy, then i think that we can restore the confidence of british c olumbians in our democratic process.

We can restore the confidence of british c olumbians in our governance. We can restore the faith of people,

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6361 like those who are from f air Vote c anada, that we, as legislators, can represent. [1045] Madam Speaker, bill 1, i think, should be amended, because bill 1 only protects us from interference from the monarch. i think we need bill 1a that says we are protected from the autocratic rule of the Premier's office, that the supremacy of parliament is actually protecting us from an executive style, an autocratic style of govern- ment. i would put that amendment forward if i knew how to do it. Maybe i'll figure it out for the next session.

This is a movement for democratic reform that's not isolated to british c olumbia. i dare anybody to look at what's happening in a ustralia and some of the things that independent r ob o akeshott is saying down there. i'm running out of time, so i can't read some of his stuff, but please do go on to his webpage and look at it. o ne of the things that i think would be interesting reading for all M la s, all MPs, is George Washington's speech and address as he left as the President of the u nited States.

So 220 years ago George Washington warned a mericans about the fledgling political par - ties and what they were going to do to the democracy in a merica. i would say that that is worth all of us reading. it is my sincere hope that we do have an opportunity right now, as both parties go through their leadership reviews, to get a commitment from all leaders and to get that commitment fulfilled in the new leaders so that when we do get to return here, eventually, to do the people's business, we also get the opportunity to col - lectively reassert our rights as Mla s, reassert our rights to be involved in the day-to-day decisions about policy and spending priorities, the day-to-day decisions about legislation.

That is my sincere hope, because that's how we will get people back to the ballot box, that's how we will get people to believe that this place works, and that's how i believe we will truly get good government in british c olumbia. Hon. B.

Stewart: Well, along with the members on this side of the h ouse, i am thankful to have the oppor - tunity to speak in support of the budget. i'd first like to start off to say how proud i am to rep - resent the riding of Westside-kelowna and what a great opportunity the people of Westside-k elowna have af - forded me. i will continue to work hard to represent you in our constituency. i just have a few thank-yous of my own. first off, my wife doesn't get to see me very often, but she keeps the home fires burning, our granddaughter babysat some - times, horses fed, and our driveway is plowed, with the snow we've had this winter.

More importantly, in my constituency office i have two wonderful ladies that work for me — c heryl Doll and erica Macnab — who have been doing yeoman's work. t o my staff here in Victoria, who really have been doing an excellent job. i was fortunate to inherit a number of people that came over from a griculture — h eidi Scott, r .J. Senko, c athy a rmstrong and Sabrina l oiacono. f or their great efforts here in Victoria. i'm really proud to call the o kanagan Valley home. i see so much opportunity that we can do by working together. This year was a special year.

We lost a great friend, but i was moved by the decision to rename the b.c.

Southern interior c ancer c entre to the Sindi a hluwalia h awkins c ancer c entre. it's a fitting tribute to a great woman, a great friend, a great Mla and a great minis - ter. but there are new things going on at that clinic or that centre. a new state-of-the-art radiation therapy was added this year. it's an investment that will greatly improve cancer care and treatment in k elowna and the southern interior. i can't help but remember working on the cam - paign to fundraise with the k elowna General h ospital f oundation for that very centre. in its early days we were struggling to raise the money for a fixed Mri. of course, at that time we shared the Mri with k amloops and Prince George. it's done great work.

There are other great things happening in health care in k elowna and the surrounding area.

My colleague from k elowna-Mission discussed earlier about the addi- tions that are happening at k elowna General h ospital. it's undergoing a metamorphic transformation. because of the nature of the fact that it's a regional hospital that services the southern interior of british c olumbia — from the borders in the east to places in the north and the c ariboo and places that count on the services there — there are many different things that are happening. [1050] The ground just broke for a $47 million e ast Pandosy clinical support building, which will be an integral part of a $448 million interior heart and surgical centre.

The ihSc is an extremely important addition to the health care system in k elowna since it means, in addition to angioplasties already being performed at k Gh, heart surgeries will also become available for the first time outside of the l ower Mainland and Vancouver island. The ihSc has come to k elowna as a result of the hard work of many but especially the hard work of cardiolo - gist Dr. r ichard h ooper.

The new c entennial tower at k Gh is also under construction and is a little over a year away from opening. i remember when the r oyal tower actually opened. i was born in the Pandosy build - ing, which is the one that's coming down for the new clinical service building, but i have to say that k Gh has grown a whole lot since my grandmother used to be a nurse there. This is an extremely significant facility for our area, and i'm proud and very happy to say it will include a new

british c olumbia Debates6362 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 emergency department four times larger than the one that we have right now. The population of k elowna is growing rapidly, and it's also aging. That means that there are in- credible stresses on our health care system in kelowna. This much larger emergency department, along with the other improvements mentioned above, is going to make a great difference.

We just recently announced $629,000 in new patient-focused funding for the er , which will help in easing emergency department con - gestion and reducing patient wait times while this new department is being finished. Something else significant happened last year in my riding. it wasn't that long ago that we were all talking about the forest fires of 2003.

The member for c ariboo n orth just mentioned forest fires in his area, and fire mitigation is an important and an ongoing responsibil - ity of not only the government but the people. in my area we were fortunate enough for the regional district to be able to get a quarter of a million dollars of funding to be able to do fire mitigation practices in the parks in and around the area.

The district of West k elowna got a $70,000-some planning grant for fire miti- gation, and all governments have worked together. l ast June we additionally gave the district of West k elowna another $249,000 in funding from both the federal and the provincial government.

This initiative will employ ten workers to remove in - fested trees, heavy loads of pines and needles and other fire fuels as well as thin and prune trees. it also pays for some trail upgrades to allow crews access to facilitate this work. but you know, the responsibility is still the individual homeowner. if you want to find out what you can do, go to firesafebc.com, which is our new website, and be able to make certain that you know what you can do to fire - proof your own home. The member from Saanich?

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Minister, for yielding the floor to the Minister of environment for an introduc - tion. Introductions by Members Hon. M. Coell: it's my pleasure today to introduce to the h ouse 32 special guests from k eating e lementary and their teacher Marylynn h eron. They're here to have a tour of the l egislature, and they've been over to the iMaX to watch a show. Would the h ouse please make them all welcome. Debate Continued Hon. B.

Stewart: Welcome to all the students that are here today. on the transportation front, a lot of people re - member the days of being stuck in their cars on the old double-lane bridge that we had crossing l ake o kanagan waiting for hours sometimes to get across in the summertime. one of the bottlenecks was a major intersection just above the new W .r . bennett bridge, but it's going through a metamorphic change.

There's a $41 million upgrade at Westside r oad, and that change is really going to help open up some of the things that are hap - pening both on first n ation lands under the skilful leadership of c hief r obert l ouie but also the fact that we have an increasing and growing population moving up Westside r oad. l ast September we announced rapid bus in the c entral o kanagan. it has begun operation.

This is an excellent addition, and it has changed exactly the way that our transit system functions in the o kanagan with a spine running from ubco down to downtown k elowna and soon to cross l ake o kanagan and come into the district of West k elowna. it is an excellent example of how rapid bus can work in communities to reduce congestion and be able to reduce co 2s as well. i'm looking forward to this next phase of rapid bus. [1055] This was made possible through a joint federal and provincial contribution of $43 million as well as contri - butions from both the city of k elowna and the district of West k elowna.

This is an excellent example of where the communities have come together to work collectively on a common problem. i look forward to the day when rapid bus spans from Vernon to Penticton. r ecently k elowna hosted the international c hildren's Winter Games. Through a grant of $50,000 in funding from the province, the games were hosted from January 26 to 31. i remember being approached about the c hildren's Winter Games by bob Sugden.

When bob first ap - proached me, i didn't really know what this was going to be like. i can tell you that on opening night ceremon- ies at the Prospera Place arena in k elowna, i have to say that i was taken by not only all the athletes who came from all over the world but by the choreography and the entire performance of the opening ceremonies that were put on. f rankly — i don't want to diminish the o lympic Games ceremonies — they were fantastic. The participants, the young people that were sing - ing and dancing….

That really made us proud in the o kanagan. a gain, i want to thank bob Sugden, who was a volunteer who brought this wonderful vision to the city of k elowna. it's something that we are all proud of. in regards to the budget, as the Minister of finance stated at the budget address, british c olumbia is go - ing through a time of transition and ongoing economic recovery. This budget confirms the government's com - mitment to maintain its core services that british c olumbians depend on and ensures that we have the ability to manage the affairs of the coming year.

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6363 i'm proud to say that my ministry remains committed and has succeeded in maintaining the core services that we deliver. The reorganization has allowed us to focus squarely on agriculture. Within the new framework, my ministry transferred programs of responsibility for invasive plants, crown land administration and aqua - culture.

These changes are reflected in the 2011 budget for agriculture. i'm happy to report that the b.c. agriculture plan, done by my colleague from Prince George, is still very much a guiding document for the ministry, with 90 per- cent of its recommendations either being completed or implemented at the present time.

The province continues its ongoing dedication to strengthening and promoting local food sources. b.c.'s agriculture, aquaculture, food processing, food whole - saling, food retail and food service industries have generated more than $40 billion in total gross revenues and accounted for more than 315,000 jobs in 2009. b.c. is first in c anada in sales of blueberries, cran - berries, sweet cherries, apricots, raspberries and finfish aquaculture.

We provide support to the b.c. a ssociation of f armers Markets, which helps develop markets across b.c. that represent an estimated value of more than $118 million each year to local economies. i was struck — $118 million turning over at farmers markets. i have to say that i was in the c owichan Valley recently, and there's a great partnership going on there to develop a farmers market right on the side of the highway with Ducks u nlimited. f rankly, that's the type of collaboration we need. i've asked the president of ubcM to make certain that they reach out to communities to provide certainty to farmers markets so that they have a place in their community where people know that they can come to get fresh local produce. in September we held f armers a ppreciation Week in partnership with o verwaitea f ood Group.

We are work- ing with the b.c. a grit ourism a lliance to promote local agriculture and food. a gritourism is on the rise with over 1.6 million people attending agricultural fairs in b.c. each year and learning about the importance of the agricultural industry to the economy. We've worked hard to ensure that what continues to be strongly supported by british c olumbians, and de - spite the fact that there are challenges facing government, we're still able to focus and maintain critical ministry services.

The alr is an important part of this work. [1100] The alr continues to be strongly supported by british c olumbians and the provincial government. it has been in place for 37 years as a means of preserving farmland, and more than 20,000 hectares have been added to the alr since 2001 — 20,000 hectares. We often hear or read reports about reductions. it can be relied upon by b.c. farmers for current and future agricultural purposes.

That is why the province has or - dered the first significant review in many years, even decades, of the a gricultural l and c ommission and the agricultural land reserve. i have received the report, and i am taking the time to review it in detail and will share it with my cabinet colleagues and other Mla s. Then i will be making the report public. [c. t revena in the chair.] i note that yesterday the critic made comments that the chair has produced a business plan and a t reasury board submission. i would like to suggest that the critic check her facts before making those erroneous statements.

Speaking of erroneous statements, the members op - posite yesterday alleged that this government does not support the tree fruit industry. t o the contrary, the province and the federal government just provided $5 million in funding to the b.c. tree fruit industry. This $5 million was provided to the b.c. tree fruit industry through agriflexibility. it's for the b.c. tree fruit market and infrastructure innovation initiative, which will draw on that $5 million.

This money is to be targeted at new and innovative ideas with long-term benefits that will raise the profile of this industry. but i'm also meeting with the b.c. fruit growers this week to listen to their concerns. The ministry strongly supports the b.c. tree fruit industry.

We invested over $33 million in replant and grafting programs just since 2001. in addition, the province has announced several initiatives in other sectors. in the past few months we've announced the federal and provincial governments' $5 million investment in the b.c. beef industry through the agriflexibility fund; $5.5 million to the b.c. c attlemen's a ssociation to de - liver several different range-fencing upgrades on crown land, including fence line protection and replacing of aged fences; $1.55 million for a pilot project to pro - tect b.c.'s commercial livestock sector from wildlife predators; another $3.5 million for cross-ministry man - agement of invasive plants. l ast year the r anching t ask f orce brought forward recommendations about how government and industry can work together to achieve a more profitable, self-sus- taining industry.

We followed up with our first-ever b.c. beef Day. i think i saw all the members of the h ouse there enjoying wonderful wine-fed beef on the grounds of the l egislature. in o ctober the Ministry of a griculture led a trade mission to a sia. i'm happy to report that the results of that trade mission are already starting to come through. We've had the c hinese government here doing its in - spections of our meat production facilities to make certain that we can access that market not only for beef but for cherries and soon blueberries.

british c olumbia Debates6364 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 one of our primary focuses on our trade mission was market access for b.c. beef. We built new relationships with our partners and our friends in c hina and Japan, which are priority markets for b.c.

We anticipate that by 2012, c hina will begin a risk assessment for b.c. blue - berry crops that will open doors to one of this province's great-tasting food products. l ast year we exported $2.6 billion worth of total goods to c hina. of that, more than $98 million in b.c. agricul - ture and seafood products were exported to c hina. i think that we can expand on that significantly. My colleague the Minister of f orests has shown what he can do with lum- ber. i hope that we can replicate that in agriculture. but you know what?

We've seen an 8 percent in - crease in the agrifood and seafood exports for the first ten months of 2010, even considering how challenging these times are. With b.c.'s economy in recovery, we need to be assertive and sell our province to potential overseas businesses and investors. one of our top priorities in government is to support in- novation. Through a federal-provincial Growing f orward agreement, we have invested $2 million in innovative in- itiatives and pilot projects over the last four years.

Ministry staff are hard at work collaborating with in - dustry to create an innovation and commercialization centre to promote collaboration among businesses and organizations, to build product development capacity within the province. t ogether we're planting the seeds of innovation and making sure the right conditions exist for them to grow and prosper in the industry at large. [1105] by the year 2013, b.c. will have received over $553 mil- lion in federal funding for programs that benefit b.c .'s agricultural sector through Growing f orward.

We are cur- rently planning for a new policy framework to take place in the Growing forward agreement which ends in 2013. The critic believes that we do not care about our farm- ers and our future — another erroneous statement. o ur government has continued to deliver business risk man- agement programs to support farmers that are dealing with weather-related challenges — whether it has been drought, flooding — as we've seen in b.c. this past year. Production insurance, a griStability programs, are in place to help agriculture producers.

During the past few months regional assessment data for drought on the Peace r iver was gathered by indus - try and in late December was presented to the province. During that time the government had already processed approximately $11 million in production insurance payments to nearly 200 farmers, and we are work - ing with them on millions more in payouts under the a griStability program. We also had potato crop losses, and i'm sure that you all saw the footage on that. The province also has both business risk management and disaster financial assist - ance programs in place to help these farmers.

Production insurance claims are very near complete, with over $4 million being provided to these growers. Ministry staff are working hard to match all the avail - able program benefits to the situations faced by farmers this past year. budget 2011 also allows us to maintain our state-of- the-art containment level 3 lab and the facilities located at the a nimal h ealth c entre in a bbotsford. This en - sures that we retain the capacity to properly respond to animal and plant disease outbreaks, to protect the en - vironment, meet important biosecurity objectives and protect plant and animal health.

We are also reviewing the existing animal health legislation and policy, focusing primarily on the a nimal Disease c ontrol a ct and the related legislation and regulation and policy. The a nimal Disease c ontrol a ct is b.c.'s centre animal health statute. it's over 50 years old. What hasn't changed in 50 years? The goal of this review is to develop a robust frame - work for the management of animal health in b.c.

Y ou know, of course, one of the other things that's troubling is…. a nimal health and welfare has been top of mind for many british c olumbians due to the recent report of the sled dog killings last a pril. on f ebruary 2 the Premier announced that a special joint task force would be reviewing the related and re - ported incident. The task force will initially focus on the dogsledding industry and then review the specific in - cident after liaising with the b.c. SPca and the rcMP . This report is due on March 25. The report's recommen- dations will be publicly released following my review.

The humane treatment of animals is something that we all expect in this province, and we will work to ensure something like this never happens again. The agricultural industry has asked for a simplified tax exemption system for farmers. The hS t accomplishes that. i don't know how many members opposite have actually farmed before, but i think that if they knew what the farm goods list looked like and the exemptions and the holes and what was covered and what wasn't covered…. The hS t and farming is a perfect example of how the harmonized sales tax can work for an industry. it makes it simple.

The b.c. a g c ouncil estimates that the hS t could save b.c.'s agricultural industry over $15 million a year. b.c. farmers, ranchers and food processors are taking advantage of the many benefits that these changes rep - resent for our agricultural sector. The h St reduces costs, eliminates the administrative burden of tax duplication and increases productivity at a time when our front- line food producers need it most. The h St puts b.c . farmers on a more level playing field with the farmers in a lberta and in other provinces who currently enjoy the advantages of the harmonized sales tax. [1110]

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6365 Producers of livestock, poultry, greenhouse vege - tables, grains and more will benefit from being able to get back more of the tax that they used to pay. The hS t is good news for agriculture and aquaculture in b.c., for both food producers and processors, giving them a new competitive edge. a s i mentioned earlier, we have now transferred the regulation of aquaculture to the federal government in accordance with the Supreme c ourt ruling.

The prov - ince will retain responsibility for land tenures under the l and a ct. a sustainable, stable aquaculture industry remains a priority for this government. We will retain the thou - sands of jobs that come with this industry that is particularly important to first n ations. The aquaculture industry provides an estimated 6,000 jobs and over $224 million in wages for british c olumbians. We continue to protect core programs and key services. i also want to take this opportunity to express my per- sonal gratitude to Premier Gordon c ampbell.

Premier, you were a trailblazer. it was your vision and leadership that made b.c. the place it is today. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication in making b.c. the best place on earth. in closing, i'd like to leave you with the words of William a rthur Ward: "i f you can imagine it, you can create it. if you can dream it, you can become it." G.

Coons: i rise today to respond to the budget. i'd like to acknowledge some special people in my life — my spouse, l ois e lliot; my daughter breton, who is a teacher in Victoria; and my other daughter h annah, who just graduated last year from unbc in commerce and human resources and who is travelling in Thailand. i'd also like to thank some people in my office — Pauline Woodrow and a nna l amb-Y orski, who work hard on my behalf and on behalf of our constituents; and of course, l ucy Mears in the l egislature. a gain, Madam Speaker, here we are. budget day passed. We get a few minutes to respond.

What did brit- ish c olumbians get? Well, basically a status quo budget — a placeholder budget, an empty budget, a slush fund budget, a whitewash budget — and one that i cannot support. a fter nine months, 256 days, this b.c. l iberal govern- ment, along with their handful of leadership retreads, brings in a budget that's empty and completely out of touch with what's actually going on in the province.

We get called back for four days — well, actually two days, two working days — to discuss and debate a budget that lives up to the expectations that will eventually lead to the downfall of this out-of-touch and arrogant gov - ernment.

We got a nothing budget — zilch, nada, zip, zero, nothing, not a thing, an empty budget, status quo, slush fund — and now, basically, a two-day sitting to dis- cuss this, two days to do the work necessary and ensure that this government is accountable and that they treat people fairly. i want to bring that up. it's appropriate that i'm speak- ing after the Minister of a griculture. l ast September there was horrendous flooding in the bella c oola Valley. Three to four feet of water came rushing through. h omes destroyed, businesses, small producers. Their agricul - ture industry destroyed.

Great work was done by the c entral c oast regional district with c hristine h yde as the chair and Joy Mackay, the administrator. The emergency program coordinator, Steve Waugh, did an outstanding job. The c anadian r ed cross, Salvation a rmy, the Mennonite district relief so - ciety came in.

Great work was done by the ministries. i kept in touch with the Ministry of t ransport, Ministry of environment, Solicitor General, Ministry of a griculture, Ministry of Small business, c ommunity and r ural Development because of the issues. it was a disaster, and the disaster financial assistance was available — but only available to small businesses and small producers if it was the major source of their income. in a region like the bella c oola Valley, that just doesn't work. There has to be an allowance for areas where there's seasonal employment, cottage industries and de - veloping farms.

Dozens of small farms and producers and small businesses were wiped out, with no help or support from the disaster financial assistance. [1115] i want to relate that to the meat regs that came in. The meat regulations were provincewide, and due to a lot of pressure from producers and from the opposition, there were special licences granted to h aida Gwaii, Powell r iver regional district and bella c oola because they were geographically unique and distinct from anywhere in the province.

They got special licences and they were treated differently because of the remoteness. o ur financial assistance in disasters should relate to the same as the meat regs, in my opinion, and that is something that we need to discuss. The people in bella c oola got hit twice: once by the floods and again by lack of support and recognition of their remoteness. This budget, out of touch, highlights the dismal fail - ure of this government for the last ten years. n o new ideas. n o help for b.c. families. n othing for rural or northern british c olumbia. n othing to stimulate the economy or jobs.

Definitely not a rural b.c.– or north - ern b.c.–friendly budget. a fter 256 days away one would expect a budget with some thought, some purpose, some hope. Some of the headlines…. it's interesting to read the headlines after the budget. "b udget Swimming in Slush for a n ew l eader." That slush was basically the slush fund put in there for whoever the new leader of this b.c. l iberal Party is. i don't think they're swimming in slush. They

british c olumbia Debates6366 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 may be knee-deep in something that is going to lead to their downfall, but it's not slush. "b.c. budget built on hS t r evenues." We knew that. We knew that it was a $1.9 billion tax shift on to consumers, this hS t scheme that was put forward. it was built on the backs of restaurants, small businesses, tourism, real estate, homebuilders and average british c olumbians. They didn't have a mandate.

This government didn't have a mandate to bring in the hS t . it was done through deception and not bringing out the reality of the situa - tion. in two separate surveys they said they had no plans, but right after the election the deception started. a nother headline that was out there basically looked at "a budget built on l iberal-created Myths." We hear quite a bit — the chatter on the other side, the rant on the other side — about the '90s.

When we look at what hap - pened between 2001 and 2009 under this government, it was a have-not province six times, receiving $2.4 billion in equalization payments. between 1991 and 2000, b.c. received only one payment of $125 million. So there's a real indication of the failure of this government. e conomic growth. The best two years under this b.c. l iberal government were 2005 and 2006, which saw the economy grow by 4.4 percent,

whereas in 1993 and 2000 it grew by 4.5 and 4.6. The finance Minister talked about british c olumbians leaving in droves, tens of thousands during the '90s. The reality was that between 2001 and 2009, under this gov - ernment, approximately 5,400 per year…. There was a migration in. During the 1990s, between 1991 and 2001, there were about 14,000 per year. So again, the myths just keep going from this government, and that's what we've heard for the last ten years: deception, myths and misleading the public.

What isn't a myth is that british c olumbia still has had the highest rate of child poverty in c anada for the last seven or eight years, a dubious distinction it has held since 2002.

This government is number one in something — a gold medal in child poverty — and that's shameful. n ow we can also look at the debt. one of the head - lines: "f ast-Mounting Debt l eaves b.c. o pen to r isk." When we look at when this l iberal government came into power, the debt was $34 billion after the nDP brought in three balanced budgets. t oday the debt is $47 billion and growing — growing 50 percent faster than it did ten years ago. by the end of this year it's going to be $53 billion, and by 2013 the debt will be $60 billion under this government.

Very interesting. [1120] Vaughn Palmer, in one of his articles, says: "from debt loathers to debt loaders in a space of six years." h e men- tions that the Premier's take on this years ago was that a "mounting debt was simply an irresponsible tax on our kids." That's what's been happening over the last ten years under this government. if we look at deficits — in 2009 a record deficit by this government of $2.8 billion. in 2010 the quote was not to exceed $245 million, and it was another $1.8 billion deficit.

Projected 2011 is $925 million, and projected 2012, $440 million as deficits. by 2013 this government will have had seven deficit budgets and six surplus ones, and by 2013 a $60 billion debt.

This from a government and their cohorts who cry from the mountaintops about prudent fiscal management. it seems to be more of a pudent fiscal management scheme that this b.c. l iberal government has undertaken for the last ten years — re - cord deficits and skyrocketing debt. a gain, we talk about the status quo budget and a headline. it means no help for those in need, no poverty reduction strategy, no raising of the minimum wage, no supports for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, no new ideas, no help for families, nothing to stimulate the economy.

What we will see is an increase of those on income assistance, 3,000 more over two years, while cut- ting programs that help by $16 million in this whitewash of a budget. Student aid being cut by $34 million. t rades training cut by $3 million. r egional economic development — $21 million slashed. The trade and investment program area was cut $22 million in 2010 to $13.5 million this year, so there was an $8.5 million cut — a 39 percent slashing of the trade and investment program area. f orestry.

Massive cuts in forest stewardship — $21 million, an 18 percent cut, an outrageous cut in the f orest Service. in the last ten years under this govern - ment we lost a quarter of our f orest Service. n ow, in education we know that we have a funding formula that does not work. it does not work, and it penalizes those in rural british c olumbia. This budget accelerates the abandonment of education, no account - ing for the many unfunded pressures: the MSP costs, increased hydro costs, the cost to meet carbon neutral - ity or costs related to hS t .

More cuts, less share of the provincial budget and no commitment to supporting public education. The environment. The environment Ministry was cut by $6.1 million, with cuts to environmental sustainability, the climate action secretariat, parks, conservation offi - cers and the environmental assessment office. So much for Mr. Green Jeans as a Premier. Good news for the fos- sil fuel sector — more tax breaks and big subsidies. Madam Speaker, ferries — nothing for three years except up to 100 percent fare increases, declines in rider- ship and the decimation of coastal communities.

What we need is a moratorium on fares until a full, compre - hensive review is done, taking into account the impact of ferry fares on ferry-dependent communities. n othing in this budget relating to that. n ow the clincher is that the a ttorney General Min - istry was cut by $15 million. Prosecution services cut by $6 million; court services by $8 million, despite out -

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6367 rageous ongoing court delays and criminals being set free. a nd speaking of criminals being set free and con - victed of corruption, we have that within this very h ouse. We have basi and Virk, the b.c. r ail sell-off, a raid on this l egislature — a raid on the people's h ouse, rcMP streaming through here carting out boxes from ministers' offices. Just outrageous, arrests and convic - tions. a nd what we saw was a $6 million payoff for their legal fees, the same amount that was cut from prosecu - tion services.

Just outrageous. [1125] When we look at what we should be doing in this h ouse, we should be representing the people of the province in a fair and reasonable manner and ensur - ing that the most disadvantaged and those that need help get it. We got none of that from this budget.

This budget is empty. it has no vision, and it cannot be supported. it does nothing to alleviate the real issues, the real concerns of british c olumbians who are looking for a government with vision, a government with solutions to address our social, our economic, our environmental challenges. it isn't this b.c. l iberal government — which has over the last ten years deceived, stonewalled and held back the progress of this province — that british c olumbians are looking forward to, to lead the province. on that, Madam Speaker, i thank you for the oppor - tunity to speak to the budget that i do not support. H.

Bloy: it's a pleasure to be here today to respond to the 14th throne speech, i believe, in my career of ten years in this h ouse. i'd like to start by thanking my staff in my constituency office, who do one great job keep - ing me going and handling everything that goes through the office. That's Mike l ee and barbara Spitz, and we have an international intern student there from c hina, Grace Guo, at the present time.

We've had a number of great intern students from Simon f raser u niversity — actually, some from Vancouver island here — in my office working at different times. i'd like to start my remarks by thanking the Premier for his years of service to this province, whether as an indi - vidual, city councillor, mayor, l eader of the o pposition — and now Premier of the province. h e's left legacies that i believe all sides of the h ouse can be proud of.

We may not have agreed on everything, but i believe that many great opportunities and many great projects were completed to benefit all british c olumbians. i would also like to thank the l eader of the o pposition. e ven though i may not have agreed with many of her things, i do commend her commitment to public service. f or that, she has been involved for many years, from the school board in Victoria to the provincial school board and her work as l eader of the o pposition. but what i want to comment on is a part of politics that's sad. both leaders, in their closing remarks, talked about the personal attacks on them from the media and from outside of their realm.

So whenever they tried to do something, it was not the leader's policy that was being discussed; it was the leaders themselves being discussed. i think they each said that they wanted to see the new leaders of each of their respective par - ties be able to take the next step so that when they put policy forward, it's for debate on the policy and not on the individual. i look forward to that from both sides of the h ouse. Y ou know, the hon. Minister of finance stated that this wasn't a very exciting budget. i guess i'm going to have to disagree with him, because as an optimist, i thought it was pretty exciting.

While this budget may be status quo, we can be thankful for that. We've had ten good years, and now we're in a position to move forward with new leadership. h ere are some of the facts.

Since 2001 b.c. has seen seven consecutive credit rating upgrades. a t a time when other jurisdictions face bankruptcy and other serious financial crises, we in british c olumbia enjoy a triple-a credit rating. i think british c olumbians just have to travel across c anada or anywhere in the u nited States to see what great shape we are in, what a bubble we live in as building permits continue to rise every year and are up in every area of british c olumbia except for k elowna. Y ou look at the bankruptcies in the u nited States and where people are forced out of their homes, the loss of jobs.

We still have more people employed today in british c olumbia than we've ever had before. british c olumbia continues to grow. This is not luck. This was done by sound financial management. [1130] Y ou know, Moody's credit ratings do not indulge or pay attention to the petty part of partisan politics. They consider what british c olumbia has accomplished — the lowest provincial income taxes in c anada. h ow low? Well, 325,000 british c olumbians with low income pay no income tax. a s of December 2010 the average hourly wage was $22.80. This is the third-highest average hourly rate in c anada.

This figure has risen nearly 30 percent in the last decade. The government continues to invest in health care, including $1.4 billion more to health authorities for front-line services and $438 million more to the Medical Services Plan for physicians and lab services. These in - vestments pay off every day. The province enjoys the highest life expectancy and lowest death rates for both heart and cancer in the nation. in this respect, as in so many others, we are the envy of the nation. on health care and on cancer, you know, it has in - volved every one of us, whether it's personally or with our families.

We have incredible cure rates in british

british c olumbia Debates6368 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 c olumbia, and we have the lowest death rate from can - cer. i am proud of the work we have done in that area. i want to talk a little bit about my riding and the burnaby schools there. This budget reflects our com - mitment to education. t ake full-day kindergarten. We have committed $144 million in new capital funding for full-day kindergarten. There is $446 million for school replacement projects, which includes $64 million to - wards a brand-new high school replacing burnaby c entral in my riding.

This is part of $1.2 billion invested in k-to-12 facili - ties over the next three years, or $8,357 per student. burnaby was included in this as well.

The province con- tributed $3.3 million to t aylor Park e lementary School for eight additional classrooms. i had the pleasure of being there to announce the start of construction for these new classrooms that will be added to t aylor Park e lementary School. it is combined with additional funding from the burnaby board of education for a total of 11 new class - rooms that will be added. it shows the province and the local school board working together for students. t aylor Park will need the room.

They have 225 additional elementary students and 100 full-time kindergarten stu- dents that will be starting there in September. i'd also like to talk about a new school in my riding, u niversity h ighlands e lementary School. Y ou know, this probably took about seven years to get approved when i first started working on it with different minis - ters, but it's up there now. it opened this past September, and it has been a great success. The students are coming. Students at u niversity h ighlands are lucky indeed.

They still learn the three rs of reading, writing and arithmetic. but they also learn about clean energy and the sustain - able community they live in. Their school has demonstrated a green roof where they learn about how vegetation lowers air temper - ature. They have an outdoor classroom in the woods. This kind of education is crucial. The economy of the fu- ture is increasingly green, and tomorrow's scientists and leeD-certified architects need new and different skills than the ones they learned in school.

This government knows a good investment when it sees it. o n a personal note, when you visit u niversity h ighlands e lementary School and go through the front lobby, i hope you'll notice the original oil painting of the b.c. flag that i did myself. it was donated to the school. i'm sure you'll want to rush up there and see it now — okay? interjections. H. Bloy: Members are commenting on my artistic abilities. Madam Speaker, i'll let you judge for yourself. My wife thought i might be embarrassing myself, but at the end of the day she said: "That's not bad." interjections. H.

Bloy: n o, my tie is all i got on a trip. on January 10 this government invested $180,000 in S fu's multi-scale thermal fluid lab for sustainable energy. This funding was delivered through the b.c. knowledge development fund, or bckD f , and will sup- port the lab's objective of developing new solutions for sustainable energy conversion. [1135] The research the lab is conducting is invaluable. n ot only are they helping to build a greener and more en - vironmentally responsible society; they are bolstering b.c .'s position as a leader in the green economy sector.

The lab's main objective is to develop innovative solu- tions for sustainable energy conversion, heat recovery, energy storage devices through utilization of emer - ging micro- and nanostructured materials. a ll of this $180,000 will be used for the purchase of equipment to establish a unique lab.

Sfu is an outstanding post-secondary institution recognized for excellence and also the number one rated Maclean's university for comprehension in all of c anada. i'm delighted to see this support going to my university, and i see a number of my colleagues, and how proud they are of having graduated from Simon f raser u niversity in the riding of burnaby-l ougheed, as it's called today, represented by a l iberal member — if i can say that. i'm also proud that this bckD f funding is supporting 21 projects at seven universities throughout the province, a total of $2.9 million in total.

The fund is an outstand - ing program that provides to our public post-secondary institutions, teaching hospitals and certain non-profit research agencies. t o invest in research infrastructure is going to pay off handsomely.

Through this program, we are promoting research excellence, maximizing the economy and the social benefits of that investment, and encouraging increased collaboration between our post-secondary institutions and business. i believe this is really important — that business and our post-secondary institutions work together in the research that they do so they're creating the sort of student employee that they will want to hire one day. This also helps us to retain high-quality researchers that want to come here because we've invested in the universities and we give them an opportunity to work on their projects.

The fund is an important part of this effort and has invested more than $423 million in re - search projects to date. in mentioning projects at Simon f raser u niversity, i would be remiss if i failed to mention Dr. Michael Stevenson, who just retired last year. u nder his leader - ship, S fu grew beyond burnaby to an international

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6369 level with courses and partnerships offered all over the world. i also want to congratulate our new president, Dr. a ndrew Petter, who many of us in the h ouse know as a former colleague. h e is gaining respect remarkably fast at Sfu . The students are with him, and the staff. h e was able to put together a project…. i'm sure every new president has help from the former president. S fu was just given $22 million by the beedie family, the largest donation of its kind ever to the university — but just moving it up.

Dr. a ndrew Petter was there to help close the deal, along with all the staff — c athy Daminato, Jennifer Peng and other ones. i'd like to now talk about bcit . l ast year we an - nounced over $440,000 in funding for bcit . in addition to renovating their laboratories and buying new equip - ment, this allowed them to expand their diagnostic medical stenography diploma program, doubling the student spaces and creating a two-year diploma pro - gram, the only such program in the province. a lso, i have to mention that bcit has had a large renovation done to their building, a new opening, new entranceway.

Many of their students working in the technical trades and building trades were hired by the companies that were doing the work, so it was a real hands-on experience. Then we have burnaby h ospital.

There are just so many great things going on in burnaby. it's hard to know where to stop and end. i was pleased to announce $1.2 million in patient-focused funding for the emergency department at burnaby h ospital to help ease congestion and reduce patient wait times. a dditional funding was part of $22 million in patient-focused funds distributed among 15 b.c. emergency departments that account for almost half of the er visits through the province. [1140] burnaby, because of this government, has continued to benefit, as have many communities around the prov - ince, from the financial prudence and growth this province has seen. burnaby athletic organizations re - ceived a $1.1 million funding boost this past December to six different groups. h ealthy communities and athlet- ics are certainly a part of it. a thletics are important for the development of physical fitness, leadership skills and teamwork, which we all use today in our business or in our life here in the l egislature.

The funding these burnaby PSo s received was part of a grand total of $92 million provided to 61 PSo s through- out the province. This funding allows the sports groups to grow their memberships, to train their coaches or to train their people to be certified, to give the best to our communities. but one of the legacies that was left here….

There were many legacies to be proud of from the member for Vancouver–Point Grey, the Premier. h e left his mark on british c olumbia. i know there's some debate in the h ouse about how these marks are achieved, but i think every government that's ever served british c olumbia has done well, and their intent has always been for the benefit of every person, every citizen of this great province. but the one area — the o lympics — wasn't just british c olumbia. it was c anada's o lympics.

We were lucky enough to be the host to the o lympics, and i think that the patriotism, the heart feeling which you saw last year was just amazing, and it didn't happen just in Vancouver. if you were lucky enough to walk around the streets through the duration of the o lympics…. i still wear my hockey jersey on occasion, and i haven't worn one for many years, but i'm proud to wear it. People were proud all over this country to wear it. f riends that i know across this country told me that when c anada scored the winning goal in the men's hockey game, they were out celebrating in the street.

When the women's team won their medal, they were out celebrating. but it brought pride to every c anadian, and i think we have to be proud as british c olumbians that we were part of that. We were host - ing. i know every member of this h ouse celebrated the o lympics. once we got them, they were here to accept the o lympics. i'm proud to have been part of that legacy. i'm proud that i continue to have the honour to stand in this h ouse to be able to express my views and to support all the positive things that government is doing and will con - tinue to do. Point of Privilege (Reservation of Right) L.

Popham: i'm rising at this point. i'd like to reserve my right to raise a point of personal privilege. Deputy Speaker: So noted. Debate Continued S. Hammell: it gives me great pleasure to rise in re - sponse to the budget. i know that time is short in the h ouse this session, so i will try to keep my remarks fairly terse, hoping that someone else may be also able to say a few words. b.c. families were hoping for an end to the b.c. l iberals' stand-pat budgets. They're tired of new taxes that hit them hard, like the hS t and medicare pre - miums.

Medicare premiums rose on January 1 and are due to rise again next January. n ow, that's a rise of 6 percent each year for not only this year but again next year. i don't know of anybody that is getting a 6 per - cent increase in their pay raise. a family of four earning $60,000 would pay almost $1,500 a year this year, and then it would rise again next year.

british c olumbia Debates6370 t hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 if you review the comments from the finance critic, he states — and i agree with him — that this government appears to prefer user fees over a graduated income tax rise to pay for the groceries that this government needs to serve the people of the community. [1145] These taxes that continually rise, these user fees and regressive taxes like the hS t , hit families and small businesses very hard. f or the b.c. l iberals, again that's standing pat. There's nothing new. it's been their raison d'être for ten years, and they continue in this budget.

What about the services that those families count on? e ducation funding gets such a small increase that school districts are already bracing for another round of cutbacks this year. i come from the Surrey school dis- trict, the area where the Surrey school district works, and they are still reeling from the cuts they had to take last year. e veryone knows that Surrey is one of the few districts that are growing, and the government has not managed yet to hold two pieces in their hand — one for districts that are reducing and another for districts that are growing.

We are seeing more and more portables on our school playgrounds, and those portables, to a large extent, come out of operating costs. We had this discussion in question period just the other day, where the minister acknowledged there were 250 portables on the grounds in the Surrey school district. if we just round that off to saying those portables cost $100,000 each, then that is a cost of $250,000 that comes out of operating costs — not out of capital, out of operating costs that the Surrey school district has to find and take away from students' daily needs. h on.

Speaker, the minister did acknowledge that she gave $2 million back. but at most, if we're assuming that portables cost $100,000, that's paid for 20 portables. We need the government to focus on the needs of Surrey school district, the other school districts in the prov - ince, and look at how we can improve the services to the people here in british c olumbia. There are also no increases in universities, in colleges, at a time when jobs are scarce and working people need training opportunities more than ever.

S fu , which the speaker before me mentioned, is a university growing in the heart of our city. it needs to expand as there are more people trying to attend, which drives the point count up to get into the university and deprives people who are very qualified to attend the university of their choice. f unding for the Ministry of c hildren and f amilies is frozen at a time when new funds for this ministry are desperately, desperately needed. c utting and freezing — that's stand pat for b.c. l iberals. The list goes on.

When the agricultural commission is having trouble doing its job, this government cuts fund- ing. When our forest industry continues to suffer, this budget cuts support for forest stewardship — standing pat, b.c. style. This l egislature has been called back to receive a budget that's empty of ideas and devoid of new initia - tives. The only exception to this rule is new service cuts and new tax increases for british c olumbians who can least afford them. The new tax cuts and other goodies for corporations and wealthy people who have done very, very well in the past decade…. but the bad news is just beginning.

The finance Minister says this budget has little new in it, allowing the new Premier to set new directions for this government. l ike other british c olumbians, we've been watching the l iberal leadership race to see what new ideas might emerge from the candidates.

Sadly, we have seen very little new thinking from the members and former mem- bers of this government who are seeking to lead the b.c. l iberals — just gimmicks. n o ideas that would mean real change for b.c. families who need help from this government, not another fee increase or tax hike. i don't think the government really understands the financial strain that ordinary people and ordinary fam - ilies are under at this time. [1150] a gain, nothing for british c olumbians who know that it's time to deal with climate change. it's clear from watching the b.c. l iberals' leadership race that this is a party that's run out of ideas, and it's a government that's run adrift — a government that knows only how to stand pat with 18th century trickle-down economics.

There's nothing in this budget that suggests that this government has heard what british c olumbians think about the hS t . instead, this finance Minister and this government intend to play chicken with our province's finances over the fate of the hS t . The b.c. l iberals have already mortally wounded their government with the hS t , and it's clear that the bleeding will go on and on and on because they want to stand pat with the hS t . but there is good news on the horizon — what we've heard every day, in every corner of this province. british c olumbians are tired of standing pat.

They are tired of regressive taxes, and they want an end to paying more and more and getting less from their government. They want a government with new ideas that will give them hope for the future. i reject this stand-pat government, and so do my con- stituents, and when the people of b.c. get their chance, they will reject it too. [Mr. Speaker in the chair.] i just want to close on the notion that…. Just reflect - ing what the member opposite said to this h ouse and said in many different ways — that we need to be very careful about what we say.

So it does lead me to reiter - ate something that the finance critic said and i think

british c olumbia Debatest hursday, f ebruary 17, 2011 6371 was repeated by a member from this side of the h ouse earlier today. i would agree with the minister opposite that we won't say anything about $34 million in student aid being cut if the government on that side would stop suggesting that they never received any handouts from the federal government, that they never received any equalization payments, or acknowledge that they re - ceived the equalization payments over the period of their ten years. i'd just like to reiterate for the record that the nDP government between 1999 and 2000 received $125 mil - lion in equalization payments, and the b.c. l iberals also received equalization payments for a total of $2.4 billion during their time in office. in 2001 and '02, $158 million.

That's more than the $125 million received once by the n ew Democratic Party government. in 2002-2003 they received $543 million. in 2004-2005 they received $979 million. in 2005-2006, $590 mil - lion in equalization payments, and in 2006-2007, $459 million. So that's a grand total of $2.4 billion as opposed to $125 million. it just feels good to know that that myth will never be repeated, because i'm sure the minister would just be astonished if that kind of myth kept com - ing from the government side. h on.

Speaker, on that note, i'd like to close and say i appreciate being here and being able to respond to the budget. S. h ammell moved adjournment of debate. Motion approved. [1155] Hon. P . Bell: Just before i adjourn the h ouse, i would like to recognize and acknowledge all of the students from Millstream e lementary on behalf of my colleague from Juan de f uca. Welcome to the house. h on. P . bell moved adjournment of the h ouse. Motion approved. Mr. Speaker: This h ouse stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon. The h ouse adjourned at 11:56 a.m.

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Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	H0217am 06
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	H0217am 06
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	a44da4a056188a45dc6c2ceec0aa6e0b620ac779

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