British Columbia Hansard — Monday, May 25, 2015

20150525am-Hansard-v27n1

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Fourth Session, 40th Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) THE HONOURABLE LINDA REID, SPEAKER ISSN 0709- 1281 (Print) ISSN 1499-2175 (Online) Monday, May 25, 2015 Morning Sitting Volume 27, Number 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kate Ryan-Lloyd Sessional Law Clerk ............................................................................................................................................. Loredana Catalli-Sonier, QC Sergeant-at-Arms ................................................................................................................................................................................. Gary Lenz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONTENTS Monday, May 25, 2015 Morning Sitting Page Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements ................................................................................................................................................. 8619 Th e value of Shawnigan Lake B. Routley M. Bernier Gold Rush Trail D. Barnett K. Conroy Aff ordability for seniors M. Karagianis D. Bing Summer festivals J. Martin D.

Eby Private Members’ Motions ..................................................................................................................................................... 8627 Motion 17 — Support for public education R. Fleming J. Th ornthwaite S. Hammell S. Gibson N. Macdonald R. Sultan K. Corrigan J. Martin R. Austin M. Morris S. Robinson

MONDAY , MAY 25, 2015 Th e House met at 10:02 a.m. [Madame Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers. Orders of the Day Private Members’ Statements THE V ALUE OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE B. Routley: Th e value of Shawnigan Lake. I believe the value of a place, a community, is not only its economic value or even just the environmental value. I believe it’s the people that make a community special. Th at’s certainly what I fi nd in the Shawnigan Lake community. It’s the individuals living or learning in the Shawnigan community who have a special shared value, and it’s the Shawnigan Lake itself.

Currently, they feel that value is being threatened. I want to share with you some of the recent statements of students and others that speak to the values that they hold dear for their lake and their concerns regarding threats to that value. [1005] Natalie Urquhart is a student at the Shawnigan Lake School. She says: “I adore this lake. I’m a day student, and I live nearby in Mill Bay. First of all, as a student at Shawnigan, my drinking water comes from the lake. On my days off school and in the summer I like to come and swim, go tubing, water-skiing and have picnics on my boat on the lake.

Most of my friends and I live quite close to the lake and usually spend most of our summer days there. It’s a wonderful place to spend time with family and friends to cool off in the heat or just to enlighten the mood of the day. “I am truly opposed to the contaminated soil dump, as it would destroy the charming comfort of our lake. Th e damage could be irreversible, with pollution and the safety concerns that every- one feels. If there is a leakage of the waste container, that would permanently damage the lake, killing water life and water quality. [R.

Chouhan in the chair.] “Even if there is no leakage, people might not feel safe in the water. Someone saying that there is no leakage probably won’t put people’s minds at ease. Parents may no longer allow their children to swim there and may stop coming.

Th e houses around the lake won’t feel safe having drinking water from there, and families might go to great expense to fi nd water elsewhere. “I am outraged at the fact that hundreds or even thousands of people have protested this idea because of the immediate impact to each of them, and yet government is adamant and ignores them all. “I doubt anyone will even read this letter. I think that’s my favourite part. “I will send it in, though, with the hope that you will realize what a horrendous decision you have made and change it.

I have a strong connection with this lake, and I know hundreds of other people who do as well. I believe I speak for all of us when I say that I hold out hope that you will change your mind, that you will realize this decision is catastrophic and change the decision for everyone’s sake. “My name is Halle Campbell, and I’m a grade 9 student at Shawnigan Lake School. I do not know how to put into words the impact the lake has on each and every one of us at Shawnigan Lake School.

Whether they’re a rower or a sailor, even if they just enjoy swimming in the summer, every single person at Shawnigan is aff ected by the lake. “Fast approaching is our centennial celebration, being next year. If you think about it, that is 100 years’ worth of students repre- senting over 30 countries from across the globe — students from Poland to Dubai, even the United States where I live, who have been strongly impacted by this lake. “I may not be from Canada, and yet I still feel protective over this lake.

Th is school has done so much for me, opening my eyes to the world, expanding my passions and teaching me it is okay to be myself. So I feel the need to preserve this great place for all future students, for grandchildren, for great-grandchildren of current students. Saving the school includes saving its biggest asset — Shawnigan Lake. “My name is Daria. I came to Shawnigan School from Russia, and I know exactly what pollution is. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything against it, but I wish we could.

I am from a place where we don’t have the ability to even tell our politicians what we think, to express our opinions about pollution. Here I am able to tell you that the people in my country suff er because of it. People there can- not clean the water, but you do have clean water. Please protect it. “I’ve been rowing on Shawnigan Lake since the beginning of this year, and I have been enjoying it, because at home I didn’t have the ability to row on clean, pure lake water.

Th is lake is a huge part of Shawnigan life that gives us lots of aesthetic opportunities for people who live here and for those of us who are from around the world. Please think about the people who are part of Shawnigan Lake life, what the lake brings us and how many things will change in a negative way if the lake becomes full of toxic materials. “My name is Amelia Macintosh. I’m a grade 8 student from Shawnigan School. Shawnigan Lake is so important to me. Th ere are so many people who benefi t from this lake and what it off ers. “ As a student at Shawnigan, I use the lake’s resources every day.

I use the lake when I row on the beautiful, clear water. Th ere are schools and rowing clubs that would die for the water we have 30 seconds away. While I row, I oft en see water-skiers or fi shermen. Th is lake is something that everyone uses. [1010] “I don’t understand how you can’t see that while this place may look so small, we are a community. If we don’t have the lake, we will fall apart. “I am a day student at Shawnigan, which means I have had the privilege of using this lake since I was a baby. I see it every morning when I go to school.

I look out at this beautiful place, and I am thankful to call it my home. One of my favourite hikes I usually do with my family is Mount Baldy. On the top of that mountain is a most breathtaking view. Th e view that you see is Shawnigan Lake. It makes my worst days better, and my good days incredible. “Th is lake is my home, and if you continue to dump contamin- ated soil, you are potentially ruining my home and the homes of so many other people. I have a request.

If you would please hike to Mount Baldy and see the view I’m talking about, or go to the site where the soil will be dumped and see exactly what you are ruining, you will see the beautiful Shawnigan Lake. ” M. Bernier: I’m pleased to rise in the House today and respond to the statement brought forward by the member opposite. For myself, for my fi ve minutes, I’m going to spend a bit of time mostly talking about the process and 8619

British Columbia Debates8620 Monday, May 25, 2015 the facts of the issue of what are taking place right now. First of all, I don’t think there’s one person in this House that would argue the fact of the importance and the beauty that Shawnigan Lake has and what it brings to this province. As a government, we’re working hard to make sure that we address the concerns that the com- munity and the citizens in that area have. In fact, the ministry has a legal obligation to consider applications that we get from companies when they want to treat and discharge contaminated soil.

South Island Aggregates has two separate permitted areas. One area is permitted under the Ministry of Environment and can receive contaminated soil. Th e other is permitted by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and that one actually cannot. Each parcel of land is permitted to receive soil, con- taminant concentrations that are deemed safe for the specifi c use for that permit. Government staff actually has carried out robust testing on both permitted sites, and they did this on May 13. Th ey did this on the ground- water, the surface water and the soil.

Th e sediment and surface water were also tested for Shawnigan Creek. South Island Aggregates can continue receiving con- taminated soil on the Ministry of Environment’s permit- ted site as long as they remain in compliance with the permit that they have. Th ere is a process in place, and I’m sure that the member opposite is hoping that gov- ernment, obviously, will follow the process, which is what we are doing.

I would like to remind the member opposite, as well, that the company, under these permits, is required to implement a comprehensive sampling pro- gram of the soil, of the groundwater and the surface water. Now the ministry staff are in the process of amending the permit in accordance with the Environmental Appeal Board’s direction that was outlined in the fi nal decision that took place. Th is was not and is not a political deci- sion. Th e Environmental Appeal Board is an independ- ent tribunal, and as government, we respect that decision.

Th e original decision to grant this permit was made by a statutory decision–maker, independent of a political process. As part of the permit, the company must treat discharged water to meet the most stringent water stan- dards here in British Columbia and is required to post monitoring information and the reports of this. Th e ministry also conducted inspections of the facil- ity as recently as this April and will conduct additional inspections and monitoring to ensure the site is in com- pliance with this permit. The Environmental Appeal Board decision on March 20 ruled in favour of Cobble Hill Holdings.

Th at’s formerly South Island Aggregates. Th is came with a number of requirements for South Island Aggregates. I’ll just explain a couple of those. Th is included inclusion of local community representation on an advisory committee. It prohibits blasting dur- ing cell-liner installation. It prohibits the reuse of liners. Th e permanent roof must be constructed within one year. Wheels of soil transport vehicles must be rinsed off before leaving the site.

And monitoring of streams im- mediately aft er any storm event greater than a one-in- 200-year event…. [1015] By implementing these regulations, we can ensure the quality of drinking water standards are met. On May 1 the Ministry of Energy and Mines issued a stop-work order to South Island Aggregates with respect to soil im- portation on lot 21, which is covered under an Energy and Mines permit. South Island Aggregate was also re- quired to forward all documentation relating to the im- portation of soil onto that site by May 8, which they did.

The Ministry of Environment permit also issued is currently in effect, and amendments to reflect the Environmental Appeal Board’s decision will be com- pleted in June. The conditions that the Ministry of Environment has placed respond directly to the resi- dents’ concerns that they have for any danger or risk to their drinking water. Decisions are made by technical staff and experts who have the knowledge on this subject. In this case, the statu- tory decision–makers concluded that the fi nal permit will provide the necessary level of treatment and human health and environmental protection.

Th is includes treat- ing discharge water to B.C. drinking water standards and full transparency by posting the monitoring information and the reports for everyone to see. Our government is committed to conserving, preserv- ing and protecting the amazing and beautiful water re- sources that we have here in the province of British Columbia, and Shawnigan Lake is one of them. B. Routley: The people from the community of Shawnigan Lake are not comforted by what we just heard at all, and I can tell you why.

Even at the Environmental Appeal Board hearing, the evidence put forward was con- fl icting evidence about the geology and the hydrology. For example, the proponent’s expert on hydrology and geology suggested that there was no aquifer. Th e closest one would be one kilometre or four kilometres away. Th en it came out that there may be an aquifer right underneath the site. It was also put forward in evidence that the geology was such that it was a kind of granite that would be good for 100 years, possibly as much as three million years.

Unfortunately, there’s confl icting evidence that suggests that there may be limestone, and it may be fractured. Th ere are too many issues that are yet to be resolved. Th e community is taking this matter back to court. I think it’s unfortunate and unexplainable that the government of British Columbia would have forced a community to spend $1.2 million, so far, defending their community’s water. In the fi rst place, the community was absolutely against this contaminated soil dump because it’s upstream of the beautiful Shawnigan Lake.

It makes no sense to have a project located right next to a stream leading to the

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8621 beautiful Shawnigan Lake. It’s a threat to the watershed, as far as the community is concerned. It’s not just the students. Th e entire community feels this way and feels betrayed by the government. I mean, think about it: a community of 8,000 people, and we’ve got more than 15,000 signatures on a petition opposed to this decision of the government. Th ey’re asking that gov- ernment be reasonable, understand the feeling that the community has and deal with it.

Unfortunately, they’re forced to go back to court yet again, which they are do- ing — now going to the Supreme Court. Also, the CVRD is taking the matter to court as well. Again, that’s just the wrong approach, from my point of view. Interestingly, a group from Camosun College some time ago, a group of students of their environmental technology program, decided to look into the Shawnigan watershed. I fi nd it fascinating. One of their conclusions and statements in the report is that since everything that happens upstream may eventually impact areas that we surveyed below, we need to look at that as well.

GOLD RUSH TRAIL D. Barnett: Th e Gold Rush Trail. Back in 1850, explor- ers to Haida Gwaii found gold. In 1854 more was found on the Columbia River, just south of Trail. [1020] People came to B.C. from all over the world, including Scotland, England, Germany and even 6,000 to 7,000 im- migrants from China. Many Chinese immigrants moved to the Cariboo to become miners, to set up business- es, such as laundries and restaurants, in a place called Barkerville. The gold rush started in 1860 and was centred in Barkerville. In response to the Cariboo gold rush, Gov.

James Douglas built, at great expense, a 650-kilometre road from Y ale into the rugged interior of the Cariboo Mountains. Th is provided an important transportation route for further development of the mainland colony. By 1865 the surface placer gold was almost gone. Barkerville was practically wiped out by a fi re in 1868. In 1858 Gov. James Douglas recruited 500 miners to be fed in exchange for free labour, building the fi rst por- tion of the trail. What is the Gold Rush Trail today? Th e Gold Rush Trail is the highway from Hope to Barkerville.

Another part of the Gold Rush Trail is a trail from 70 Mile House presently to Horsefl y and on to Barkerville. Th is trail was established back in the 1990s, and it was registered as a legal snowmobile trail in 1999 by the 100 Mile District Trails Foundation and by the B.C. Snowmobile Federation. It will eventually be a 463-kilo- metre gold rush snowmobile trail linking communities — Clinton, 70 Mile, 100 Mile, Likely and Wells — to promote the Cariboo as a winter destination for snow- mobile touring. Th is is a gold rush for our communities, for tourism and for our communities’ social well-being.

It draws so much attention and dollars and cents and recreation to the Cariboo. Th is trail has had many, many volunteer hours put into it. It also has the participation of the provincial gov- ernment, the federal government, the 100 Mile District Trails Foundation, the 100 Mile Snowmobile Club and the First Nations, who work very closely with all these organizations encouraging and working together for the gold rush economic venture.

The trail also has great participation from New Pathways to Gold, a society that was formed in about 2005 and that works to promote our heritage from Hope to Barkerville, along the highway and along our trails. It can only be said that our government has given probably over $2 million time and energy through our staff and participation with all those who were involved in putting such a great venture together. Our partners are Clinton, 70 Mile House, 100 Mile House, Horsefl y, Likely, Barkerville and Wells. Our First Nations partners are Canoe and Dog Creek, Canim Lake, Alkali.

Snowmobile clubs throughout the re- gion are the Green Lake Snowmobile Club, the 100 Mile Snowmobile Club, Interlakes Snowmobile Club, Williams Lake Powder Kings and the British Columbia Snowmobile Federation. Our tourist associations throughout many regions are involved. Th e South Cariboo tourism centre; Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association; the Vancouver, Coast and Mountains tourism region; Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association; Aboriginal Tourism B.C.; and Heritage Tourism Alliance. We have not-for- profi t organizations.

Th is here is an economic gold rush for the people of the Cariboo and the people of the prov- ince. It’s also a gold rush for the environment when you have trails that are maintained, that are built to the highest en- vironmental standards. We know that that is so import- ant to the province of British Columbia. Part of our trail system is our First Nations heritage. Th ey are great part- ners in this project. [1025] Th ere are many types of gold rushes out there, but this one here is special. Th is one is unique. Th is one will be there for history, as it was when the gold rush fi rst started in the 1800s.

Th is is an opportunity that we must carry on. Some day we hope that this trail will carry us right through British Columbia, with opportunities that keep moving our province ahead, with opportunities for First Nations, for young people, for those that enjoy the outdoors and for those that know what the economic benefi ts are to our small rural communities in British Columbia. Th is here is called gold rush 2000, and it will carry on for many, many years.

British Columbia Debates8622 Monday, May 25, 2015 K. Conroy: I am pleased to respond to the member for Cariboo-Chilcotin. She reminds me of a quote from our Lieutenant-Governor, Judith Guichon, when she said: “Th ey came for the gold but stayed for the grass. ” She was, of course, referring to what I’ d call the gold rush of ranch- ing in the Cariboo country, which is still here today, as long as all the land isn’t lost to development or sales to foreign companies to plant trees for carbon sequestra- tion, taking the land out of agriculture production for hundreds of years.

Another business in the Cariboo that has taken off would be that of ecotourism activities. I’ d like to refer to Gary and Peggy Zorn, both third-generation western Canadians, who have over 30 years of knowledge and experience in the tourism industry with their company Ecotours-B.C. Th ey off er a professional guide service with an excel- lent reputation for providing a quality wilderness out- door experience.

A sense of stewardship, regard for the waters and lands and a commitment to combining good management with both maintenance and enhancement of the unique ecosystem and life it sustains with their leave-only-footprints philosophy ensure that it will be maintained for future generations. The lodge is located on the Quesnel River at the outlet of Quesnel Lake and at the foot of the Cariboo Mountains in Likely. Th ey off er a number of profession- ally guided outdoor all-inclusive adventure tours. “Walking with the bears” is one of those packages.

Th is thrilling adventure has you walking among the bears in the boreal forests and on the riverbanks of the salmon- infested waters. It’s high adventure, where only a few people have had this rare opportunity to actually walk among the bears, including grizzly bears. Gary has an international reputation as the Bear Whisperer. Because of his passion for the big bears and the knowledge of their habitat, habits and body language and his understanding of their actions and reactions, Gary is noted not only for his unique relationship with the bears but also for his many amazing bear, wildlife and adventure stories.

Th is company, along with the many others in B.C., generates millions of dollars to the economy of our province. A short-lived gold rush? I think not. I be- lieve these companies will be around for years to come, as long as there are environmental regulations in place to ensure that we continue to actually have the wildlife to watch. I want to touch on another part of our province that experienced the gold rush as well, and that’s in the Kootenays. First discovered by two prospectors from the nearby Dewdney Trail, the Le Roi mine was a claim that started the gold rush in Rossland in 1890.

It was sold to Colonel Topping in lieu of $12.50, and he then turned it around and sold it to a Spokane company for $30,000, a lot of money in those days. They began to develop the mine, and the town of Rossland was born. In 1898 the Le Roi mine was sold to the British American Corp. for just over $3 million. Once the mine came into production, Le Roi’s stock jumped from 50 cents a share to $40 almost overnight. Th e population of Rossland exploded as gold fever at- tracted men from around the world, and Rossland be- came one of the largest cities in western Canada and a major business centre in North America.

Many of the Rossland mines became world famous and were worked over the next 40 years. By 1897 the population of Rossland had increased to 7,000, with 42 saloons, four banks and 17 law fi rms. Th en we see that the community of Trail evolved from that. I also want to talk about the fact that the Golden City now looks to a new future. Th at’s the white gold of their winter ski slopes and the reawakening of their histor- ic mines. I think it’s a golden past with historic build- ings and sites, a really great museum and heritage sites.

It shows the importance that this community has given to the development of the Kootenays and the province. Another area was the Slocan Valley, which saw con- siderable mining in the early 1800s. Millions of dollars came out of that area as well. Th e community of Sandon actually had millions and millions of dollars come out of that tiny little community. Today it has some of the old- est trails in the region and in the province. [1030] Th e railway was taken out and is now trails. One of the most actively used trails in all of B.C.is the Slocan Valley trail, which used to be a railway but now is a trail.

It is utilized in the winter and in the summer and is one of the most actively used trails in the province. From 1895 to 1910 there was over $12.5 million that came out of that valley, which would be equivalent to over $200 million today. I think in response to the member for Cariboo- Chilcotin, we have a number of gold rush opportunities in our past as well as new ones like ecotourism that we need to ensure stay here for today and future generations. We need to ensure that we have legislation and regula- tions in place to guarantee that that actually happens.

I think it’s interesting to note that for people who are truly interested in the gold rush in B.C. and the role that the gold rush played in the world, they shouldn’t miss the exhibit that’s happening right now at the Royal B.C. Museum. It’s called Gold Rush: El Dorado in B.C., and it’s here until October 31. It shows the excellent opportun- ities that the gold rush provided for this province. D. Barnett: Th ank you to my colleague across the fl oor. I was very happy to hear her be so positive about the won- derful things that the province has in British Columbia and the opportunities that we have.

As a government, we’re working to make them even better by cooperating with citizens.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8623 We talk about ecotourism. Ecotourism is wonderful. It is a great product. Th e people that she spoke about…. I actually talked to them last week, and they’re moving forward. Th ere always are challenges, but if you take a challenge and you quit looking at it as a negative and you make an opportunity out of it, we move forward — as we do in this government and as we do in my communities throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin and all communities in British Columbia.

We talk about agriculture, the opportunities for agri- culture and the negative comments that came from across the floor regarding tree planting. I think that basically we should look at our statistics. We should look at the whole story and not have sensationalism. Let’s stick to truth and facts. Interjection. D. Barnett: I know lots about it. Working together with our landowners and with our communities, with our opportunities in this province, everything is a gold rush, not just trails — mining, forestry, agriculture, tour- ism, education, health care. Th is is a province full of gold rush.

Th is is a province full of opportunities. Th is is prov- ince with a government that looks forward to creating more opportunities. Back to my gold rush trail in the Cariboo that I start- ed my topic on. I kind of got off because of some com- ments that were made.

I encourage everyone to come in the wintertime and see what we have, to see what our communities have put together with help from govern- ment, with help from diff erent organizations, with First Nations — with people that see that working together on the positive side of the equation, as we do on this side of the House, can bring nothing but more and more gold rushes to the province of British Columbia. To keep our environment safe by having trails, trails that are met to the highest environmental standards possible in this province…. We have so much to be thankful for.

We have so much to work for to make our opportunities and our province better, to help people with a hand up instead of a hand- out. Th is is a wonderful province. Th e Cariboo-Chilcotin is the best place on earth to live. Our gold rush will con- tinue on for years and years to come, and I am so pleased to be a part of it. AFFORDABILITY FOR SENIORS M. Karagianis: Th is morning I’ d like to stand up and talk here about aff ordability for seniors because, in fact, aff ordability is a growing threat for many seniors in this province.

In a very timely way, there was a report that came out last week from the B.C. seniors advocate that actually highlights very specifi cally in great detail what that kind of aff ordability challenge looks like. For seniors who spent their entire life building the province of British Columbia and working at a variety of careers, many had modest pensions that came out of that.

Many more have, of course, had to rely on Canada pension and an old-age supplement, guaranteed income supplement, to top that up. [1035] Th e reality is that lots of seniors looked at their pension and looked at the kind of income that they might expect in their senior years and thought: “Th is looks like it will be adequate. Th is looks like this will give us a reasonably secure future.

We should be able to aff ord to have a kind of risk-free and anxiety-free retirement. ” But the reality is that that has not happened, and nowhere is that more vivid than here in British Columbia — the challenge for aff ordability. Many seniors are now fi nding themselves stretched from one month to the next. Th e report that came out from B.C. ’s seniors advocate last week really highlights one aspect of that. Some of the details in there I will talk about shortly. I think the reality that one of the main challenges that seniors see is that the cost of living is outstripping their fi xed pension.

Remember that seniors are not in a position where they are going to see a signifi cant growth in their pen- sions over time. Th ey are not like the working person who can certainly get ahead and can get increases in pay or can advance their career or can move up in their com- panies. Seniors are in a position where their income is fi xed, and there will be no change to that. In fact, the cost of living has outstripped any meagre increases in seniors’ pension growth for some time.

Th is government has chosen a couple of things that they are now putting onto seniors’ shoulders that are making things even less aff ordable for them. I hear from seniors every day right across British Columbia about this growing anxiety and concern about the fees and costs that government has put on their shoulders. Now, we canvassed in this Legislature many times — that the government has chosen in the most recent budget to give a considerable tax break to the wealthiest in the prov- ince and at the same time increased costs on families and on seniors.

Even more than on families, it is hard felt by seniors on a fi xed income. Th ey are now looking at dramatic in- creases in their hydro bills, their MSP , their ICBC and, of course — as we’ve canvassed numerous times — in- creased costs for ferries for seniors, who are now becom- ing more isolated and feeling less connected with their families as a result of those. Th e growing costs around things like hydro and MSP and ICBC are a real crush for seniors, again, on a fi xed income who have no alterna- tives as to where they might fi nd that money or how it might aff ect their well-being.

In fact, seniors right across British Columbia are strug- gling. Th ey are having a very diffi cult time, and there are subsets of those that I’m going to speak about as well this

British Columbia Debates8624 Monday, May 25, 2015 morning. Regardless of whether the government likes to believe that this is not true, many seniors are in a position of having to make some really hard choices. As they see their hydro bills going up, lots of seniors are trying to decide: “Do I turn the heat on during the winter in my home? Can I aff ord medication? Can I af- ford food? Which of these do I begin to cut back on as I see hydro rates increase?

I see MSP squeezing my meagre income and the cost of trying, maybe, to continue driv- ing my car become more and more expensive. ” Th ey’re having to make hard choices. Th ese seniors, who worked their entire lives to build British Columbia, are now fi nd- ing themselves in their senior years being squeezed and ignored and cornered by their own government. Th e Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters is a program that the government has put in place to help off set some of these costs. Th e seniors advocate has, in her report, out- lined how incredibly inadequate it is in real terms. Th e fees and….

Basically, the top end of the SAFER program is completely inadequate to meet the real costs for sen- iors living in communities. Th e seniors advocate report has outlined very clearly that it is more expensive now for seniors if they don’t own their own home. Th at’s a very diff erent set of criteria that aff ect those. Seniors who are living in their own homes are having to be concerned about maintenance costs, up- keep costs. How do they maintain living in their home when these costs are beyond their means? For seniors who are living in rental accommodation, even in places like Fort St.

John, the rental costs are ex- tremely high because of the pressures on the market. How do they continue to stay there when the government’s own aid program does not help them? Within this, there’s another subset of seniors who are even less able to cope with all of this, and that is women. [1040] Senior women, this subset of seniors, oft en did not work in the workplace to the same degree in the past. Th ey don’t have a huge Canada pension and are living on even lower incomes. If you are a First Nations woman, that is even low- er. It’s a very meagre income.

If you are an immigrant woman who is living now on your own — you’ve lost a spouse — you are fi nding that your income is complete- ly inadequate. We see this threat for a huge number of seniors about encroaching homelessness, and there is no bigger fear, I think, for seniors than that they might fi nd themselves homeless at the end of their days. Th e advocate has fl oated some interesting public policy ideas. I’m sure we’re going to touch on those today.

Y ou know, the government oft en likes to talk about the big jobs plan as somehow a panacea and a cure for all ail- ments, but certainly, that doesn’t help seniors at all. It is a completely inadequate response to them. I think the fact that there are no clear answers coming from government…. What are they going to do? What can be done to make housing aff ordable, to keep seniors in their homes as long as possible, to help them with this growing issue of aff ordability? I’m looking forward to hearing what the government has to say on some of this. D.

Bing: I’ d like to thank the member for Esquimalt– Royal Roads for bringing forward the motion entitled "Affordability for Seniors." As the member noted, on May 21 the seniors advocate for British Columbia, Isobel Mackenzie, issued a report entitled Seniors Housing in B.C. According to the report, the seniors advocate met with thousands of seniors and their families in every region of the province. Among the many issues and concerns raised, they expressed a deep concern about the aff ord- ability, availability and the appropriateness of seniors housing in this province.

Seniors expressed clearly that they want to age as independently as possible in their own homes and in their own local communities. As you know, British Columbia was the fi rst province in the country to establish the offi ce of the seniors ad- vocate. Naturally, the government takes the fi ndings of this report very seriously. It is a thorough examination of housing for seniors as they age, and it examines how we can improve care and support our growing aging population. In response, the Minister of Health issued a statement that agrees with many of the general fi ndings of this re- port.

Th e minister is assuring British Columbians that the government will act on the majority of recommen- dations that pertain to the Ministry of Health. In the coming months, the recommendations will be further analyzed by government, along with our health author- ities and partners. Adopting many of the recommendations will require extensive work, coordination and signifi cant fi nancial commitment. It is a fact that British Columbia has the fastest growth for seniors in Canada. It is expected to count for one quarter of our provincial population when it peaks in 2031.

It is also a fact that British Columbians are living longer and better than in any other province in Confederation. With that in mind, our government has invested over $4 billion to provide aff ordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families since 2001. Each year we spend over $2.7 billion on home and community care alone. Th is is up over 73 percent since 2001. We also provide help support to more than 51,000 sen- iors households across British Columbia through a range of housing options.

In addition, we support senior home- owners through property tax deferment, the homeowner grant, Home Adaptations for Independence — HAFI — and the B.C. seniors home-renovation program. Th e government has also provided $22 million in fund- ing to enhance and support the Better at Home program,

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8625 which now operates in over 60 communities throughout B.C. Better at Home provides improved access to non- medical supports, such as light housekeeping and trans- portation to appointments, to help seniors remain in their homes and connected to their communities. In conclusion, the government will act on the majority of recommendations contained in the seniors advocate report. Our aim is to ensure the best quality of life and care for our seniors. M. Karagianis: Th ank you very much to the member for the response.

I think it’s interesting that the government is always very quick to respond to many of these critical reports that come out and demonstrate some of the failings that the government has put in place for either children and families or, in this case, seniors. [1045] Th ey’re very quick to come out and agree with all the fi ndings. It’s great to say that, but I think, in fact, history and examples of exactly the follow-through on this will prove that the government is oft en very slow to respond in real terms to some of these issues. Th e idea that we’re going to analyze this.

Y es, certain- ly, I think that that’s all very laudable, but at the end of the day, seniors are in trouble right now in their current living circumstances. Many women are challenged with trying to make it from one month to the next. Seniors everywhere are very concerned about what will happen next winter when the hydro rates go higher. How do they keep the heat on? How do they aff ord medication? Do they have to make choices between eating less?

It’s a great concern to me that the government will be quick to respond and say, “Wow, these are all great rec- ommendations in this report and others, ” but what will the follow-through look like? I don’t know. I’m skeptical of the reality. Th e member opposite mentioned a couple of programs like the SAFER program. Th e reality is that that program is highly undersubscribed. I mean, there are only 20 per- cent of seniors who are eligible that are, in fact, subscrib- ing to that, when there could be a whole lot more seniors that should be accessing that. I think that needs to be publicized a lot more.

Th e renovation programs all sound terrifi c — if you have the money to do that, to make renovations and then to access the funds there. If you have no money and you’re living on a well-below-the-poverty-level in- come, how in the world can you think about renovating your home? Th e government has made very clear choices here: big tax breaks for the wealthy, while those that built this province continue to live in hardship. I’ d like to see more real action and more real commitment by this govern- ment on how they’re going to reach out to seniors today.

Come the end of this summer, seniors once again are going to be concerned about how they are going to be able to continue to drive, how they’re going to heat their house, how they’re going to pay for their medical pre- miums. Are they going to be able to aff ord their medi- cation? Do they have to keep the heat turned down low and wear more sweaters in their homes? We know that the implications of that are signifi cant on the mainten- ance and upkeep of wherever they’re living. Th ese are hard choices that seniors are making.

Th e fact is that the seniors advocate has outlined very clearly here the hardship that is currently facing many individ- uals. On an $18,000 a year income, just the basic cost of getting through your life, whether it’s paying your rent or anything, leaves seniors with anywhere from a $300 or $400 or $500 shortfall every single month. Th at’s in- adequate. Th e government needs to do better, and they need to do it now. SUMMER FESTIV ALS J.

Martin: With the spring session of the Legislature coming to a close and summer just around the cor- ner, I thought it may be appropriate to focus on some of the things that people love to do in British Columbia. Th erefore, on behalf of my constituents of Chilliwack, I am pleased to bring forward this morning’s statement on summer festivals to highlight local artists and things to do in B.C. that attract people far and wide to our province. B.C. currently hosts more than 30 major cultural festi- vals and events annually.

Th is doesn’t include signifi cant museum displays, art gallery exhibitions and regional arts activities, all of which present opportunities for lo- cals and visitors to see what B.C. has to off er. Th ey in- clude everything from the Harrison Festival of the Arts, the Mission Folk Music Festival, Victoria’s International Jazzfest, Vancouver’s International Jazz Festival, the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, the Sweetwater905 arts and music festival in Dawson Creek and even the Edge of the World Music Festival in Haida Gwaii. Th ese are just a few examples.

It’s why this government is investing $60 million this year to support artists, cul- tural organizations and communities throughout B.C. For good reason. Arts and culture in B.C. employs over 87,000 British Columbians, including almost 26,000 art- ists. Th ese events have signifi cant economic impact in our province. For example, the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society produces the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Th is festival presents more than 300 concerts featuring more than 1,800 musicians from all over the globe.

Th e event attracts half a million people every year and gen- erates $35 million in economic activity. In addition to supporting local artists, public invest- ment in the arts and cultural sector also supports the tourism sector of our community. Th e more we do, the more people come to visit British Columbia. [1050]

British Columbia Debates8626 Monday, May 25, 2015 Another example. Our government provided $50,000 to support the Capital Region Music Awards Society by bringing BreakOut West to Victoria in 2015. Th is four- day event features a three-day music conference, a multi- genre music festival and the western Canadian music industry awards as well as the Western Canadian Music Awards gala.

Th ese events will provide a diverse group of musicians and music industry representatives, including worldwide festival producers, publishing companies, record labels, funding agencies, booking agents, songwriters, produ- cers and many more. Th ese events will run concurrently with the Riffl andia Music Festival from September 17 to 20. By combining a music industry conference, a popular music festival and a prestigious award show into a four-day event, BreakOut West helps western Canadian musicians showcase their work and build new business connections.

According to the Capital Region Music Awards Society, hosting BreakOut West brings signifi cant benefi ts. Th e host province usually provides between 40 and 50 per- cent of the participating musicians. Up to 75 artists would perform at 12 to 15 venues throughout the city. It will attract over 300 delegates and 3,000 event attendees. Plus, it will deliver 600 to 700 hotel room nights and an estimated total economic impact of $1 million. Th ese types of events also foster encounters between inexperienced artists and the more experienced enter- tainers.

With just a small investment of $50,000, a con- siderable amount of spinoff benefi t is generated that will have long-term benefi ts for B.C. artists and for our lo- cal economy. If anyone is wondering how to spend their summer, I would encourage everyone to check out at least one sum- mer festival in your local community. Better yet, pack up your things and head out to a part of British Columbia that you might not have seen before, and experience something new. Because if there’s one thing we all know British Columbians do best, it’s how to have a good time.

Th ere is no way to have a better time than to sit back and enjoy one of British Columbia’s summer festivals. D. Eby: I have limited time to reply to the member’s statement about public festivals. I’ d love to fact-check the numbers that he’s provided in terms of government sup- port for summer festivals, but maybe instead, because I don’t have the time to do that, I’ll have to look beyond the member’s words about supporting summer festivals to the government’s actual actions that I’m familiar with, which are in Vancouver. Everybody loves summer festivals.

In Vancouver– Point Grey, where I come from, we’ve got Khatsahlano festival. It’s a music festival. We’ve got Greek Day. We’ve got the Point Grey Fiesta. It’s wonderful. We can all stand in this House and say we support summer festivals, but let’s look at the actions of this gov- ernment when it comes to supporting community festi- vals, because words are very, very easy. Th ere’s an agency called Tourism Vancouver in my community.

Th is is a small industry group that is tasked with providing money to community groups in part for hosting summer festivals, winter festivals, all kinds of fes- tivals to drive tourism in our community. Tourism Vancouver and local hotel operators got together to voluntarily put a tax on hotel rooms and to use that money from the tax to help support festivals, among other things. It was a great agreement. It resulted in $10 million a year going to promote tourism and local festivals. In our community it was win-win.

Now, when this government built their new conven- tion centre in downtown Vancouver, they went way over budget. Th ey went to Tourism Vancouver, and they said: “Tourism Vancouver, can you help us out? Can you lend us $100 million towards the cost of the convention cen- tre? Y ou’re going to get a lot of hotel rooms out of this. People are going to come and stay for conventions. ” Tourism Vancouver said: “ Absolutely. Th is seems like a reasonable deal. We’ d like to do that. ” But wow, what a bad idea to enter into an agreement with this government without reading the fi ne print.

Th is government has used that loan from Tourism Vancouver to turn the hotel tax from a tax that was sup- posed to go into tourism events in communities like mine and summer festivals into a general revenue tax for this government. Let me tell you how they did it. Th ey charged Tourism Vancouver an interest rate of 6.1 percent, but the government borrows money at 4 to 4.5 percent. What does that 2 percent spread between the two bor- rowing rates mean? It means $2 million a year in extra costs for Tourism Vancouver that go directly to the gov- ernment.

Th ink of how many summer festivals could be provided with that $2 million that Tourism Vancouver is now spending on debt payment instead of on the com- munity. How did the government respond to the fact that Tourism Vancouver has paid $7 million down on this $100 million loan, and now the debt is at $109 million? Th at’s right. Th ey’ve paid off millions on the debt, but it’s going up because the interest rate is more than the pay- ments that they can aff ord to make. [1055] Th ey didn’t say: “Let’s match the interest rates. Let’s lend the money to Tourism Vancouver at our cost” — which is 4 to 4½ percent.

Instead, they “allowed” Tourism Vancouver to increase the hotel room tax from 2 percent to 3 percent. Th at will increase the payments Tourism Vancouver makes to this government from $4 million a year to $5½ million per year. Now, debt is abstract. What does all of this mean? Let me tell you about what this means in my community, for festivals. Here’s a headline from the Globe and Mail,

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8627 October 10, 2014: “Vancouver New Y ear’s Eve Festivities Cancelled Due to Lack of Funding. ” Th e

article by Ian Bailey says: “Plans for a family-friendly New Y ear’s Eve celebration in Vancouver this year have fallen through because organizers were unable to raise enough money. ” How much were they looking for? One hundred thou- sand dollars. Th ey were $100,000 short of their $300,000 budget, but Tourism Vancouver couldn’t help them be- cause they were busy paying off debt to this government for their over-budget convention centre.

Th is government thinks it’s a good idea to take money for general revenue out of tourism, so it’s a bit hard for me to hear this member of the government stand up and say that this government supports summer festi- vals and this government supports community festivals, when clearly, their actions show what their priorities are, which is putting a bright face on the fact that they spent $400 million more than they expected on the conven- tion centre by hiding the debt in a small tourism agency in Vancouver at the expense of our community festivals, including summer festivals.

Th at pretty much summarizes my perspective on the member and the government’s commitment to summer festivals. J. Martin: First off, I would like to thank the hon. member for whatever that was for the last few minutes. Very much hoping he, one way or another, fi nds the sum- mer spirit. In any event, I would be remiss if I did not mention EventHostBC. Following on the success of the 2015 Canada Winter Games, the government of B.C. intro- duced two new measures to further promote B.C. as a world-class hosting destination. Th e fi rst element is a fi ve-year hosting strategy.

Th e second involves one-time funding opportunities. Th e new five-year hosting strategy will capitalize further on the international exposure the province received in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the success of the recent Canada Winter Games held in Prince George. Both of these events resulted in unpreced- ented economic benefi t. In support of the fi ve-year strategy, this government has created a quarter-million-dollar one-time funding opportunity, EventHostBC, which encourages small events that strengthen volunteer capacity for event host- ing throughout beautiful B.C.

Eligible non-profi ts are in- vited to apply for up to $5,000, awarded on a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis, distributed to B.C. ’s six tourism regions. Th e funding will provide a stimulus for new events or assist existing events that are currently ineligible for other provincial government funds. An event that receives muni- cipal, regional or federal funding is still eligible, as the event does not receive any other provincial funding. While a one- time $5,000 grant may not seem like a lot of money, it does represent a signifi cant sum to help launch start-up festivals.

As long as the broader community can participate, this type of event is fairly open. It could be sports, art, cul- ture-related or some other creative idea supported by the community. To be eligible, the event must be held prior to September 15. Applications are due by June 30, 2015. I encourage all members to encourage all of their groups in their communities to get those applications forwarded. Hon. R. Coleman: I move to private members’ mo- tions. Deputy Speaker: Hon.

Members, unanimous con- sent of the House is required to proceed with Motion 17 without disturbing the priority of the motions preceding it on the order paper. Leave granted. [1100] Private Members’ Motions MOTION 17 — SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION R.

Fleming: I welcome the opportunity to debate this motion this morning, and I look forward to hearing the views of both sides of the House on this issue. [Be it resolved that this House call on government to work collab- oratively with its kindergarten to grade twelve education partners to support quality public education so that all children have every opportunity to meet their full potential.] [D.

Horne in the chair.] I don’t expect very many members, whether they’re Liberal or New Democrat, to disagree about the value of public education to our province’s citizens, to our econ- omy, to our collective well-being as a good and just soci- ety — nor should they disagree.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in its 2012 report, Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Lives, said this about advanced economies like ours that underinvest in education: “Without adequate investment in skills, people languish on the margins of society, technological progress does not translate into economic growth, and countries” — or provinces — “can no longer compete…. In short, skills have become the global currency of 21st century economies. ” Th ose are words that we need to bear in mind in the province of British Columbia.

We can well appreciate here that the greatest single investment our province has ever made to further its social and economic develop- ment and to sustain our prosperity for more than a cen- tury has been public education. Without B.C. governments of all stripes in the 20th century sharing a consensus and building a modern, comprehensive and inclusive public education system

British Columbia Debates8628 Monday, May 25, 2015 with excellent teaching instruction, there would be far less wealth. Th ere would be no middle class. B.C. would be uncompetitive. We would have more crime, and we would be an undesirable, highly unequal society. Th at’s how we know that public education has been our single greatest legacy investment in our province.

Th e problem here today in British Columbia, a dec- ade and a half into the 21st century, is that this govern- ment doesn’t seem to understand that underinvestment in education brings with it a host of problems for both the near term and the long term. We have gone from the second best funded jurisdiction for K-to-12 education in Canada over a decade ago to ninth place. We’ve been scolded by the Conference Board of Canada for having not even met the rate of infl ation for funding increases and for falling further behind.

Here’s how B.C. stacks up in Confederation: total ex- penditures per student in 2002 constant dollars — tenth place amongst provinces; total expenditures per capita in current dollars — tenth place goes to British Columbia; total expenditures in K-to-12 education as a percentage of GDP — ninth place. Th e record is clear. More than a decade of this government at the helm of education…. Interjection. R. Fleming: Mr. Speaker, I’ d ask the member from Comox, who was a former Minister of Education and did next to nothing when he had that position, to quiet down, please. Interjections.

Deputy Speaker: I think when debate…. R. Fleming: If these Liberals would like to go and talk to parents who have children in the school system…. Th e underinvestment shows in the classroom, in the ratio of students to educators. Th ese are facts. Th ese are statistics gathered nationally. B.C. has shown no improvement in the educator-to-student ratio. Between 2005 and ’10, the number of FTE educators in Canada increased by 5 percent. In British Columbia it decreased by 2 percent. Before a Liberal can talk about declining enrolment, B.C. was one of seven provinces that experienced enrolment decline.

We were the only outlier jurisdiction in the country that fi red teachers that served ELL learners and special education assistants. Th at’s their legacy. Now I want to, at this point in debate, appreciate the members opposite and their views and the bipartisan work that the Select Standing Committee on Finance conducts annually. Members on both sides of this House have demonstrated great capacity to listen, to learn, to provide advice to the government.

How disappointing, then, in this parliament, since 2013, that the committee and its Liberal, New Democrat and independent members are continuously and utterly ignored. It’s frustrating for the opposition on this side of the House. I can only imagine what it’s like to be a back- bench Liberal, to plead the case of communities and schools in their areas and regions and to be utterly ig- nored by the Minister of Education.

Let’s look at these resolutions that are bipartisan and both parties agreed were issues. “Suffi cient evidence was presented to the Finance Committee indicating that the K-to-12 system is experiencing cost pressures as a result of infl ation and aging school facilities. Th e committee therefore recommends that enough funding be provid- ed to schools to meet rising costs and capital needs while ensuring strong educational outcomes for B.C. students. ” [1105] Th at’s not the budget we got. We got a $54 million cut. We got a $50 million cut in capital. Th e record of this government…. Interjections. J.

Th ornthwaite: I’m pleased to stand up and support the motion. “Be it resolved that this House call on gov- ernment to work collaboratively with its kindergarten to grade twelve education partners to support quality pub- lic education so that all children have every opportunity to meet their full potential. ” I agree totally. In fact, as most people know in this House, I was a school trustee before. I worked, along with my colleagues on the school board, collaboratively with our fellow MLAs from North Vancouver. We have a very, very good working relationship and meet, quite frankly, on a regular basis.

B.C. ’s public school system is co-governed by the Ministry of Education as well as the 60 boards of educa- tion. Th ey are autonomous, responsible and accountable to their electorate for their budgetary spending decisions. I want to bring up a good example, the LIF fund. Th e learning improvement fund was established to address complex classroom needs and ensure learning conditions are appropriate for all students.

Th e exact use of the LIF funding is determined through consultations between school districts, principals and classroom teachers and allows the schools to tailor the supports to the unique needs of each classroom. I’m going to quote the November 18, 2014, board of education from North Vancouver minutes.

Th e super- intendent reported on the consultative process that took place in the spring and fall, initially at the school level with school administrators, staff and chief staff representatives and then at the district level with the executive members of the North Vancouver Teachers Association and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, having met with the senior executive committee. Support was provided for priorities identifi ed at both school and district levels.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8629 And what happened? Th is is where the funding went in North Vancouver: 11 new part-time staff or support staff , six new full-time positions for teachers and 52 new part-time positions for teachers — all for the school dis- trict of North Vancouver. And — this is key — the local teachers union has agreed to this plan. I would like to paraphrase what our Minister of Education said. British Columbia has one of the best education systems in the world. We are ranked in the top three along with Finland, which is oft en quoted as being the best in the world, and Japan.

Th at doesn’t come just because of good sound policy. It comes as a result of the dedicated eff orts of teachers across the province, day in and day out. I stand here and say that I respect the profession. I re- spect the work that they do. I respect the commitment on the part of teachers to providing the best they can do for every single student, day in and day out, month in and month out. Th is is proof from the results that we heard. In 2011 the PIRLS, Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, proved that grade 4 students, our grade 4 students, were one of the top seven jurisdictions in the world.

In 2012 the PISA program, program for internation- al student assessment, proved that B.C. ’s 15-year-olds showed the highest performing jurisdictions, particular- ly in reading and science. Compared to other Canadian provinces, B.C. students were top ranked in reading and science, second only to Quebec.

British Columbia surpasses all provinces and ranks behind only Finland and Japan among peer countries, according to the Conference Board of Canada, How Canada Performs, “Education and skills. ” In 2013 the pan-Canadian assessment program, PCAP program, assessed that grade 8 students either matched or outperformed all but one province in reading and sci- ence and all but three in mathematics. B.C. is doing very well. Why? Because our govern- ment supports quality public education so that all chil- dren have every opportunity to meet their full potential. S.

Hammell: It gives me great pleasure to join this de- bate, particularly as it is around education. I think I’ll begin my remarks with actually talking about the misrepresentation of the truth or the distor- tion of reality and maybe, in political terms, the big spin. And the big spin…. Deputy Speaker: Member, I think you are pretty close to the line, so I’ d watch. [1110] S. Hammell: Fair enough. I’ll heed those remarks. The Liberals like to boast that they’ve added huge amounts of money to education, despite declining enrol- ment.

However, a recent Conference Board of Canada re- port clearly shows that the education funding — I’ll refer back to the member who spoke prior, from our side — in British Columbia has failed to keep pace with infl ation. It reports that B.C. would have to spend $1.6 billion more than it has budgeted for education over the next three years, just to keep in pace with infl ation. What is happening is that the money is being clawed back out of the British Columbia education system, to a point where we have fallen behind. In fact, the only prov- ince that spends less on education per student than B.C. is P .E.I.

I would submit that Prince Edward Island does not have the complicated geography we have or the com- plicated multicultural system that we support proudly in British Columbia. What the Liberals have done is continually squeeze and squeeze the education system by downloading costs, which they incur, onto the system, and they tell some- body else to go and pay for it. Th at is how they collab- orate. Th ey collaborate by imposing costs on the system and then expecting their increases to be absorbed in the money that they have already assigned them. Y ou can see that through B.C.

Hydro increases, through MSP increases and through negotiated staff increases for support staff and teaching staff . Teachers’ pension plan contributions are expected to be absorbed, and the WorkSafe B.C. rate increases, as well as general infl ation. Y ou cannot continue to squeeze an education system like the Liberal government has been doing and expect it to continue to produce good results. Y ou have to ask why. I am a little bit cynical about the reason why the Liberals are doing this.

With their com- plete commitment to balancing a budget, what they have done is squeeze education to take money to balance their budget while giving a cut to the highest 2 percent, in this province, of earners. Th en, not only have the Liberals given that cut to the highest earners; what the Liberals have also done is increase the funding to the private school system. Y ou have a system where you’re squeez- ing the public education system but increasing funding to the private system, while you are cutting the taxes of those people that are the most wealthy in this province.

A public education system is the heart of a democracy. It is the symbolic nature. Y ou educate your people be- cause they, in the long run, go out and vote and choose their leaders. It’s critical to a strong and vibrant demo- cratic climate, as well as a strong and vibrant economy. I think this obsession with cutting and cutting at the heart of the school system is misguided and will, in the end, be seen as foolhardy. I would hope that we would, as speakers have said before me, collaborate in terms of the public education.

Take the words of some of the people on both sides of our House, and I’m sure we can do a better job. S. Gibson: What a great opportunity to speak to this motion, speaking on behalf of my constituents of the

British Columbia Debates8630 Monday, May 25, 2015 amazing riding of Abbotsford-Mission. I’m proud of the government’s achievements with respect to giving all stu- dents the opportunity to be all that they can be. [1115] I know this discussion today will be of particular in- terest for the hon. member for Comox Valley, who was an educator for many years and contributed much to the communities that he served in the Comox Valley area. Also, I want to acknowledge for the record my wife, Joy, who spent her entire career in education as a teacher in the Abbotsford area — also as an early literacy helping teacher.

Th e facts speak for themselves, and they’re very af- fi rming. Last June the Conference Board of Canada con- fi rmed that B.C. has a world-class education system. Y es, our province was ranked No. 1 among 26 jurisdictions, including all ten provinces and 15 peer countries — I don’t remember the opposition commenting on that — and earned an A-plus for high school achievement. More than 91 percent of B.C. residents age 24 to 64 have a high school diploma. Put up your hands if you have a high school diploma.

Th is is the highest score not only in Canada, but we outrank Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Past performance gives British Columbia a strong educational foundation to build upon, and we’re doing just that. Last year 95 percent of students who wrote provincial exams passed the courses. We’re very proud, as British Columbians, of our edu- cation system. But we have to keep on fi nding ways to improve it. We all agree with that. Th is means fi nding new, innovative approaches that lead to better results for students, starting with our youngest students.

Our gov- ernment supports a variety of early learning initiatives to ensure that our youngest learners have every opportunity to achieve their best. We support many StrongStart centres located in com- munities throughout the province, including in my con- stituency of Abbotsford-Mission. StrongStart centres provide school-based learning services to parents and preschool-age children free of charge. Full-day kindergarten was fully implemented in B.C. in September 2011 and is available for all fi ve-year-olds in the province. I’m proud to say that my little grandson Sammy will be starting kindergarten this fall.

We also support Ready, Set, Learn initiatives in many B.C. school districts. Families and their preschool-age students visit school libraries and participate in events such as school tours and a variety of play-based learning activities, all geared to supporting early learning. Ready, Set, Learn and StrongStart are funded by more than $13 million a year to get children ready for their school years. Our focus for the K-to-12 system is on producing better student outcomes. We’re committed to more per- sonalized learning to achieve this.

Th is partnership is comprised of schools interested in pursuing new initia- tives to improve their success in the school system, pro- viding research support and helping to measure and evaluate results. In addition to generating information on successful approaches, this strategy will require ongoing dialogue, including the sharing of research with leading inter- national jurisdictions with similar philosophies. We want to ensure that B.C. educators are aware of the innovations that demonstrate the greatest promise as well as those that need more work.

As we move toward more personalized learning, we want to create a fl exible curriculum to nurture the skills and knowledge needed for the years ahead. Th is means more hands-on opportunities for students, allowing them to delve deeper into high-level concepts and ex- plore concepts of interest to them, their classrooms and their communities. An important part of classroom innovation is the skills- for-jobs blueprint, which is designed to give students a head start on hands-on learning.

Th is was launched a year ago to re-engineer education and training systems from kindergarten through to post-secondary training and beyond. Th e blueprint calls for a more targeted focus on training for high-demand jobs and useful labour mar- ket information to allow students to make the best deci- sions for their own lives, encouraging innovation. Finally, no education system would be successful with- out high-quality administrators and teachers. In B.C. we are fortunate to have the best of both. Our government has achieved the longest negotiated agreement with the B.C.

Teachers Federation, which promises stability and certainty in our classrooms. [1120] N. Macdonald: A high-quality public education is the greatest gift that we can give to the children of our province. One would think that those responsible for our public education system here in B.C. would agree with that. What has been clear over the past 14 years is that this government is far more intent on its ongoing war on teachers than it is in promoting educational excellence here in British Columbia.

Th e good news for B.C. students is that the teachers of B.C. have been able to maintain the public school system standards despite the B.C. Liberals. But at some point the cracks are going to start to show. Predictably, every government member will stand up and assert that the B.C. Liberals do one thing or another and that this somehow shows a commitment to public education. But the clearest sign that the government was working with teachers for the benefi t of children would be making sure that the children with the greatest chal- lenges would be allowed to reach their full potential.

Th at would be what one would see. In fact, there’s a member that was Minister of Education in this government that articulated the problems that the

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8631 B.C. Liberals have created in classrooms very clearly. When he was a teacher, he wrote to the government. I’ve never done that. No matter how frustrated I got, I didn’t do that. But this member wrote to government and laid out the facts. Th e problem with what the government is doing and how it does not allow students to reach their full potential is that you have to set up the classrooms properly. Th ere are 16,000 classes in this province right now — there were none in 2001, by the way — that have four or more students on individualized education plans.

Th ere are 4,000 classes that have seven or more students on indi- vidualized education plans. At some point, no matter how skilled or hard-work- ing the teacher, it becomes impossible. Th at was the es- sence of what the member from Comox was saying in his letter. It becomes impossible to run these classes ef- fectively. Th at was never there prior to this government changing things. Th at’s not all. Th ose are the students that are identifi ed and actually have individualized education plans.

Th is government, through its funding, ensures that students do not get the testing that would allow them to get fund- ing and have individualized education plans until well into their school time. Th e key point for addressing students with special needs is in those fi rst years. Identify them in kindergart- en, in fi rst year, in second year. Th is government makes it inevitable that those students do not get the identifi - cation that they need, so the teachers are fi ghting for it. Th at was the issue in the strikes. Th at was the issue that comes forward again and again in the court cases.

It is this government that intentionally makes sure that our system is not what it should be and that students who de- serve to reach their potential are denied that opportunity. If you say there is no money…. Th e richest 2 percent will get $1 billion over the next four years that they don’t need. What could you do if you put that towards children who deserve to reach their potential? Anybody who stands up on the government side and says that they are doing what they should do in the edu- cation system….

First, if there’s success, thank the teach- ers that you stomp on regularly for being successful with those students and do something real. Stand up in cau- cus or even stand up here and address the real issues that have been pointed out again and again. I know it’s easier to stand up and vote for budgets that make tax cuts for the richest 2 percent. But if you really believed in what you’re standing up and saying today, you would stand up and say that we need to put the priority on helping students, no matter what skill set they bring to the classroom, to meet their potential.

It is, to me, unbelievable that this is where we are in this wealthy part of the world. With all the ability to do it, we allow students to not reach their potential. To me, it is the most hypocritical thing for somebody to then stand up and say the government is doing a good job. It clearly is not. So that’s the challenge. In terms of other partners in education, this minister went and signed a document in front of 400 trustees promising to work in co-govern- ment. Th en — what? — two months later he comes here and breaks that. Th at’s B.C. Liberal honour in a nutshell. [1125] R.

Sultan: Th e member for Victoria–Swan Lake asks the government to work collaboratively with its K-to-12 partners to support quality public education. Of course, it should. Of course, it does. Of course, it must. Th ere’s no other alternative. Th e sheer size and complexity of running this vast and vital $5 billion enterprise in 60 school districts across this huge and highly diff erentiated province enforces such collaboration, whether the parties eagerly embrace it or not. It’s my impression that the school boards, independ- ently elected, have never been more vital to the system.

Th ose few who embrace contention and confrontation in this arena are rare and, I believe, are on their way out through electoral choice. I believe this also holds true for any provincial govern- ment which doesn’t put students fi rst, which is why this government, in my observation, tries hard to guide edu- cation well and for the most part succeeds. To illustrate, consider the big-picture numbers. Since 2001 spending has grown from about $4 billion to about $5 billion. Th is means, distortions of Conference Board data notwithstanding, total spending is keeping pace with infl ation.

But as has also been noted, the number of students served is declining. So in real terms, expendi- ture per student is climbing. How is that real increase per student actually spent? In various ways which have improved the quality of the system. Let’s consider four of them. One of the most impactful education innovations of this government is universal, all-day kindergarten. When it was fi rst proposed I thought to myself: “Lots of luck.

Th is is not going to run very smoothly. ” But collaboration and hard work on the ground — the school boards, the administrators, the principals and the teachers, most importantly — plus smart guidance from the ministry made it work just fi ne — in fact, splendid- ly — a superb example of the collaboration advocated by the motion of the member for Victoria–Swan Lake today. Another example: StrongStart. In school district 45, which I represent, there are parent lineups at the door. Demand is strong — 34,000 children participating prov- incewide.

Ministry offi cials in Victoria are clever enough to simply stand aside and not get in the way — another huge success for this government. A third example: more resources for ESL, ELL, First Nations and special needs. Were these what I would call

British Columbia Debates8632 Monday, May 25, 2015 service niches even on the radar screen 15 years ago? Compared to today, hardly at all. But as school budgets in real terms have been maintained and as the school popu- lation, as traditionally served, has declined, this opened resource space for a more determined educational drive to serve those students who do indeed need extra help. Signifi cant progress is being made, although it would be reckless to suggest that thorny issues don’t remain. Finally, I would mention the community hub concept which my own SD 45 and others, I am sure, are imple- menting.

A neighbourhood in SD 45, my riding, needs help along the dimension of adaptation to Canada and socialization across the ethnic strata. SD 45 to the rescue. School assets are being deployed to create a neighbour- hood meeting place where none existed before. Th e ex- periment is a success. To sum up, school system resources across the prov- ince are being maintained in real terms.

As the tradition- al client base has failed to grow, the positive increment in per-student funding available is being redeployed to serve critical education niches. [1130] Evidence of the success of the ministry’s collaboration may be found in B.C. ’s top-ranking student outcomes in international comparisons and, in top-ranked SD 45 at least, growth in the market share of the public education system — how about that? — as the excellent alternative private system is no longer a virtually unique comparator. K. Corrigan: I’m pleased to rise and speak in support of this motion.

Recently I was up in Prince George, and I met with the Prince George school board while I was there. Shortly aft er that, they wrote me a letter express- ing concern about where the Liberal government is going with education and said: “Th ere is a democratic right to a free, quality public education. In fact, public education is the heart of an inclusive democratic society, and any erosion of public education is an erosion of the inclusive rights of its citizens. ” I agree. In fact, ensuring access to a strong public education system, I believe, is the most important thing that we as a democratic society can do.

In a province with some of the highest inequality and the highest poverty rates, we should not be slamming the door on public education, and yet we are, in so many ways. We provide less funding than any other province except for Prince Edward Island. We are seeing cut aft er cut, year aft er year in our public system — cuts to pro- grams, cuts to supports for students. I know that because I spent year aft er year as a school trustee presiding over some of those cuts. Th at’s not good for education. But it’s not just about funding and the appropriate funding for public education, which is eroding.

It’s about getting the best out of all the partners. It’s about innov- ation. It’s about making sure that we bring the best out of all of the partners in the education system. Th e best way to do that is with respect. It’s giving each partner the room and the autonomy to do what it does best. I saw it over and over again. It is true that the best in- novations in education, the leading practices, come from teachers and administrators and professionals through their locally controlled professional development and through the projects and the leading-edge research that they do at local school boards.

Y et the B.C. government, the B.C. Liberals, have repeatedly over the past 14 years demonstrated a lack of respect and a refusal to work cooperatively with local school boards and with teachers. Th ey’ve created confrontation. Th ey’ve created a lack of respect, demonstrated by the fact that they’ve been taken to court time and time again, lost several times and yet continue to repeat their unsuccessful modus operandi and continue their high-handed approach to teachers and health care workers and other workers.

Now the most recent example we have is the education act changes, which seriously compromise the autonomy of both school boards and teachers and belie promises that this government made that it was going to work with both groups, that it would reverse its decade of disrespect and that it would work collaboratively.

It is completely, in fact, contrary to an agreement that was made just in December, a promise, a memorandum of understanding, that the provincial government was going to work collab- oratively, that it was going to consult on any changes to the relationship or any changes that it was going to make in public education. By taking control of professional development, by al- lowing the minister to impose shared services and to fi re school boards if they don’t agree with the minister, this government was once again demonstrating that it has no intention of acting cooperatively or with respect to its partners.

I just want to spend a minute or so talking about adult basic education, where hard-working British Columbians who want to improve their lives take courses to fi nish high school or upgrade so they can go to college or uni- versity or get further technical training. Th ese are people who are trying to do everything that is right, oft en strug- gling with and juggling family commitments and work commitments.

In fact, a bipartisan committee, the Select Standing Committee on Finance, agreed that it was important to support adult public education, and yet this government has recently abandoned that commitment and started charging fees. [1135] It’s hurting people like Y ashar Hakak, an Iranian engin- eer who left his country aft er he was jailed for protesting against racism and for equality. His credentials have not been accepted in Canada, so he is taking upgrading courses in order to attend SFU. He’s working as a cook in the aft ernoons in a restaurant and taking English, phys- ics and calculus.

His wife is taking English and chemistry. Th ey cannot aff ord to continue on.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8633 Deputy Speaker: Th ank you, Member. K. Corrigan: Th is government is shutting doors to education by not funding advanced education, and it is consistent with the long history of doing exactly that. Deputy Speaker: Member for Chilliwack. J. Martin: Th ank you so much, and I assure you that I’ll end on time. If there’s a single tangible gift that one generation can pass to another, that would be an education. Th ere is no single asset that an individual will benefi t more from throughout their entire lifetime than the opportunity to learn.

For that reason alone, it gives me great pleasure, on behalf of my constituents in Chilliwack, to address the motion brought forward by the member for Victoria– Swan Lake regarding public education. B.C. ’s public education system is co-governed by the Education Minister and 60 elected boards of education throughout the province. B.C. boards of education are autonomous, although not fully independent, and are ac- countable to their electorate for their budgetary spend- ing decisions. Provincial funding to school districts remains at rec- ord levels.

Th is coming year total funding to school dis- tricts will reach $5.06 billion. Th at’s up 31 percent since 2001. Annual operating grants to school districts are now almost a billion dollars more than they were in 2001. It should be noted that these funding increases are tak- ing place during a period of declining enrolment. While other jurisdictions in North America take the opportun- ity to cut funding for education, in parallel with declining enrolment, B.C. stands out because we wish to improve student outcomes through increased funding. Average per-pupil funding has risen by 42 percent since 2001.

Back in 2001 we spent an average of $6,262 per student. Today we are spending more than $8,900 per student in British Columbia. Furthermore, we have established the learning improvement fund. Th is specialized funding was estab- lished to address complex classroom needs and to ensure that learning conditions are appropriate for all students. In this school year alone $100 million will be invested in the learning improvement fund. Th e allocation of this funding is determined through consultation, and that involves school districts, princi- pals and teachers.

Th is school year districts have told the ministry they intend to use this money to hire 1,100 new teachers, to hire 352 new support staff and to increase the hours of nearly 2,600 support staff and teachers from part-time to full-time. Now, I know that the members opposite would like to dispute these funding increases and create that false sense of doom and gloom in our education system they’re so fond of. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. One need only look at student outcomes in B.C. Th e number of students graduating in British Columbia has increased by 17 percent since 2001.

During that same period the graduation rates for English language learn- ers has increased by 68 percent. Furthermore, the num- ber of special needs students graduating has increased by 190 percent. In fact, B.C. is recognized internationally for successful student outcomes. In 2011 the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study indicated that among grade four students B.C. was recognized as one of the top seven jurisdictions in the world for reading ability.

In 2012 tests of 15-year-old students indicated that B.C. tends to be one of the highest performing jurisdictions, particularly in reading and science. Compared to other provinces, B.C. students were top-ranked in reading and science, second only to Quebec in math.

I know that the members of the opposition are greatly disappointed by these facts, but we can take heart that, while the school year might be quickly coming to a close, the Legislature could be coming back for a special sum- mer session, and that would be a great opportunity for the opposition members, maybe, to sign up for some summer classes, brush up on their ABCs before we come back to the fall for a regular session. R.

Austin: It’s my pleasure to stand in support of this resolution brought forward by the member for Victoria– Swan Lake: “Be it resolved that this House call on gov- ernment to work collaboratively with its kindergarten to grade twelve education partners to support quality pub- lic education so that all children have every opportunity to meet their full potential. ” [1140] I don’t think there’s been anything that has been quite as contentious in this Legislature, in the ten years that I have stood here and spoken on behalf of the people of Skeena, than public education.

I think I’ d like to just point out as proof of the lack of collaborative work between the government and the education establishment…. Y ou have to look at some of the evidence that came out dur- ing one of the multiple court cases that this government has been embroiled in. I think you have to look at the comments made by Paul Straszak, who was at the time the lead negotiator on behalf of the government. Under evidence in front of a judge, Madam Justice Susan Griffi n, he said very clearly that it had been government policy to actually use the education system to initiate strife in our public education system.

Why? Because there was some political advan- tage to be had on behalf of the government. I don’t think there is any more evidence than that of the kind of work, or lack of work, and the lack of col- laboration that this government has done since 2001 to attack teachers, to attack school trustees, to undermine what was, certainly, one of the best education systems

British Columbia Debates8634 Monday, May 25, 2015 when they took over. Th at is the evidence. Y ou don’t need any more proof than that. In fact, in the current court case that’s going on, they’ve asked that this kind of evi- dence be struck from the record so that it can’t be used as they go to the Supreme Court. Let’s just speak for a second here. We’ve heard lots from the government members about how we have a co-governed system. Let’s be real. Th e school trustees have just spoken out at their most recent AGM. Th ere’s no co-governance.

Th ey are there to bring in the cuts that the lack of funding that comes out of Victoria pro- vides them with. Th at’s their job now. It’s simply to fi nd: “Where do we cut? Do we cut transportation? Do we cut more special needs teachers? Do we cut more ELL teach- ers? Where do we cut?” Y ou’ve got to have one teacher at the front of the class- room. God knows you can’t cut that person. So all the other specialized teachers get cut, all the other services that are required to help our kids. And it’s not just those kids who succeed at the test scores; it is all children.

Public education is the one, single way in which we can mitigate the forces that, when a child is born, give some children privilege and others not so much. Th e only way we can mitigate that is through public education. Y et we have a system that denies the ability for those kids who are challenged, who come from less than great circum- stances, whose parents perhaps aren’t as educated as other parents.

Th ere are so many social factors upon which we ask our teachers to try and be the social workers, the social engineers, the people who will try and make sure that every child who comes into their classroom gets a chance at making it in life. Th at’s what we have seen with the lack of funding here. In fact, let’s talk about funding for a second. Here in this budget during this session what was the biggest spend? Th e biggest spend on the B.C. Liberal side was to give a $230 million tax cut to the richest 2 percent. What does that tell you?

Madam Justice Susan Griffi n, in one of her readings, said that in her estimation, about $250 mil- lion had been taken out of the public education system each and every year since 2001. Th at was her estimate. A couple of billion dollars should be added on to what the government has added in the last ten years. Th at is why we are No. 9 out of 10 in per-pupil student funding. Now, all of the government members have gotten up and said: “Oh, we do very well on the PISA scores. We do very well on this and that. ” But think of all the kids who have dropped out.

Th ink of all the kids whose lives have been just basically written off as a result of not hav- ing the proper educational funding to help them to reach their full potential. Just think of that. Nobody seems to care about that. Nobody seems to care. Y ou know, the government has spoken about the learning improvement fund. Th e learn- ing improvement fund came about as a result of a loss in a court case.

It was an acknowledgement that so much money had been pulled out: “Oh my goodness; we’ d bet- ter do something. ” Having pulled that $250 million a year, each and every year, they threw back a little money through the learning improvement fund. [1145] M. Morris: I’ve just been listening to the dissertation by the members opposite, and it’s clear to me that the members opposite don’t really appreciate the fact that British Columbia gets more value per dollar invested in education than most jurisdictions in Canada, and that’s the bottom line.

Our government is working hard to support quality public education so that all children have every oppor- tunity to meet their full potential. We’re in the process of transforming education to give students a head start to hands-on learning. Let me give you some examples of what I consider to be practical solutions that our government has initiated that will particularly benefi t students in the interior and northern regions of B.C. who will get jobs in the skilled trades.

Th e B.C. blueprint was launched a year ago to re-en- gineer education and training systems from kindergarten through to post-secondary training and beyond. We’re making it easier for B.C. families and students to make the best possible career choices in a changing economy by providing the best job information possible, and we’re delivering on this. Since launching our blueprint we have made signifi - cant progress on some key objectives.

ACE IT and sec- ondary school apprenticeship enrolment increased in the 2013-14 school year, and work is underway to double ap- prenticeship and dual-credit training opportunities for high school students by June 2017. A new superintendent of trades and student transi- tions is dedicated exclusively to expand opportunities and build seamless pathways to training, working with districts, employers and post-secondary institutions. Graduation policies have been changed to provide more fl exibility for skills-training courses and credits.

Th e skills exploration 10-12 course was launched to give students the opportunity to explore a variety of trades while they earn credit towards graduation. A range of new on-line tools for students, parents and teachers, including a career skills and training toolkit for school district career programs, has been launched. Moving forward, a youth apprenticeship review with ITA will be completed, and approved recommendations will be implemented. Part of our government’s plan to realign skills train- ing with future workforce demands is by giving students some exposure to in-demand jobs.

In the fi rst year gov- ernment has delivered on its promise to provide a head start to hands-on learning with nearly 50,000 British

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 25, 2015 8635 Columbians in 31 communities participating in Find Y our Fit, a youth-focused, interactive event showcasing in-demand careers. Th e tours off ered youth all across our province the chance to explore some hands-on training. Students got to watch some science demos and explore career paths like welding, carpentry, accounting and more. By getting a chance to try their hand at diff erent skills, our youth get to start thinking about potential future jobs. One of our highest priorities is to improve outcomes for aboriginal students.

I’ d like to tell you about a pro- gram in my riding, the aboriginal choice program, which commenced operations in 2012. This school, called Nusdeh Y oh, or “house of the future, ” provides aborigin- al-based education for K-to-7 students. Over 25 percent of students attending schools in school district 57 are of aboriginal descent. We’ve seen great progress, but there can still be more to do so every aboriginal student can thrive and survive. From 2001 to 2014 the number of aboriginal students graduating in B.C. increased by 113 percent.

Th e six- year completion rate for aboriginal students increased by 45.6 percent — 19.3 percentage points — to a high record of 61.6 percent. Th at’s from 42.3 percent in 2001. Th e transition rate for aboriginal students entering grade 12 increased 21.9 percent, from 64 percent in 2003-2004. Th at’s 78 percent. Fift y-four school districts out of 60 worked with local First Nations and signed abor iginal education enhance- ment agreements. Th ese agreements are the reason we’ve seen steady and signifi cant improvements in aboriginal completion rates.

Our goal is to produce capable young people ready to thrive in a rapidly changing world and help to provide students with tools and resources necessary to consider the full range of options available to them. Our govern- ment takes a practical, strategic and innovative approach to education because we want our students to be success- ful. We’re working hard with education partners to sup- port quality public education so all children in B.C. have the chance to meet their full potential. [1150] S.

Robinson: It’s my pleasure to take my place to speak to the motion “that this House call on government to work collaboratively with its kindergarten to grade 12 education partners to support quality public education so that all children have every opportunity to meet their full potential. ” I fi rst want to speak to the latter half of the motion — the idea that quality education exists so that all children have every opportunity to meet their full potential. I be- lieve, along with members on this side of the House, that public education is the great equalizer we have in our province.

I am a product of public education, and my children benefi ted from public education. Now, I could have chosen diff erently for my children, and I will confess in this House that I had considered pri- vate education, particularly for my son. My son Aaron was a precocious little boy, fascinated with geography and all things to do with this world. Before the age of three he knew the names, fl ags and capital cities of every coun- try in the world. When eating a piece of toast, he would comment on the shape. He even noted: “Hey Mom, look.

I made Texas. ” My husband Dan and I had fairly signifi cant conversa- tions about how we were going to meet the needs of this special little boy. Aft er much soul-searching and refl ec- tion on our values, we came to the determination that public school was the best option. Y ou see, my husband and I were products of public education. It served us well. We have fi ve university de- grees between the two of us. We believed that a public education, one that served the needs of all students so that they can reach their potential, would work for our very special little boy.

We believed that a public education should give him the tools and experiences he would need to reach his full potential, to become a lifelong learner and to become a full-fl edged, contributing citizen. He started school in the mid-1990s, when schools were the focus of the government of the day, a government that was focused on building and supporting schools all over this province. My son finished his public education in 2007, a few years aft er things started to deteriorate in schools.

Th ankfully, his fi rst few years in the public education sys- tem provided excellent early learning opportunities and a solid educational base. As a result, his own learning was not greatly impacted by the disruptions that existed in the early part of the 2000s, with larger class sizes and supports for special needs eliminated by this government. Now I’ d like to say a few things about the fi rst part of the motion — that this House call on government to work collaboratively with its kindergarten-to-grade-12 educa- tion partners. I’m not sure how t

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20150525am-Hansard-v27n1
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20150525am Hansard v27n1
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	b9fe0de579066e3896e30cc26e044b1b5d59260f

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