Third Session, 42nd Parliament

(2022) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 163

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Tributes

Fran Prince

R. Leonard

Introductions by Members

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Bill M201 — British Columbia Transit Amendment Act, 2022

J. Sturdy

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

World Wildlife Day

T. Shypitka

Legacy of war and work for peace

R. Singh

Frank Demaris

S. Cadieux

VMF Winter Arts Festival in Vancouver

B. Bailey

Agriculture and climate change

S. Furstenau

Recreational sports and COVID-19 response

J. Sims

Oral Questions

COVID-19 public health measures

K. Kirkpatrick

Hon. A. Dix

S. Bond

Drug use deaths and access to safe supply

S. Furstenau

Hon. S. Malcolmson

Replacement of B.C. Bid procurement system

B. Banman

Hon. L. Beare

M. de Jong

Petitions

I. Paton

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate

(continued)

J. Rice

T. Stone

Hon. S. Robinson

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022

The House met at 10:04 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: J. Tegart.

[10:05 a.m.]

Tributes

FRAN PRINCE

R. Leonard: I’d like to acknowledge the passing of K’ómoks First Nation Elder

Fran Prince. She was memorable for her proud presence, representing the

K’ómoks people at many events. The tribute paid to her by Hegus Nicole

Rempel speaks to the impact she has had on younger generations, and she

will be missed not only by the K’ómoks First Nation but by all of us in

this province.

Introductions by Members

D. Coulter: I’m really excited today to introduce three of my friends, from the

B.C. NDP actually. It’s not often they get to come here and see the result

of their work. I know at least one wouldn’t even be able to find this

chamber. Anyway, we have the provincial director, Heather Stoutenburg, field

director Jordan Reid and the best field organizer I know, Karl Riley. I

would really, really like it if we all gave them a warm welcome.

I. Paton: Today in the House we have an elderly gentleman sitting up there that

used to be with the B.C. Liberal caucus — actually talked me into running to

do this job — and former MLA for Delta North, Mr. Scott Hamilton.

R. Singh: In the House today I have my son, Kautak Singh. He’s in his final year

of biomedical engineering at UVic. I think, partly, he chose UVic because he

wanted to get away from Surrey, from his mom, but unfortunately,

coincidently, the same year I got elected and came to Victoria, and we have

been housemates since then. Would you please make Kautak very

welcome.

R. Glumac: You’ll remember that yesterday I introduced Tanya and Shane Davis.

Tanya — imminent birth. That birth has now happened, just not long after

leaving question period. I would like the House to welcome Henry Davis to

the world.

S. Furstenau: I’m delighted to introduce three guests who are in the gallery today.

Teagan Yakimovich is a grade 8 student at Queen Margaret’s. Gemma Kelly is a

grade 8 student at Quamichan middle school. Teagan’s mom, Cynthia Lockery,

is also here.

Teagan and Gemma are shadowing me today. They have been friends since

grade 3. They’re both interested — and I’m delighted about this — in the

loves to write stories.

Would the House please make these future leaders most

welcome.

B. D’Eith: I wanted to rise today to wish a very happy birthday to someone who is

very important to all of us. I would appreciate it if everyone would join me

in singing happy birthday for the Speaker of the House —

tomorrow.

Some Hon. Members:

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy

birthday, Mr. Speaker,

Happy birthday to you.

Mr. Speaker: Thank you so much, but it’s not today.

Now, I also have a minister of state on the list to make

introductions. Should I recognize her?

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: All right. Minister of State for Child Care.

[10:10 a.m.]

Hon. K. Chen: Mr. Speaker, I’m sorry that I’m unable to be there in person to wish

you a happy birthday. I have made a promise not to mention anything about

Bollywood or something else that I don’t want to talk about, because I want

to be able to continue to wish the Speaker of the House a very happy

birthday.

I know everybody knows that you’re very special to the Legislature and

very special to our community here in Burnaby as a proud Burnabarian. You

are also, probably, the most kindest person that I know, and I am just so

grateful. Many of us all feel the same way — that we’re so grateful to be

able work with you, to get to know you, to be able to know such a

passionate, generous person who is so kind to all of us.

At the same time, I also want to wish happy birthday to another very

special person to the Legislature — and also another proud Burnabarian. That

is Amber Keane, from the Speaker’s office as well. I want to wish you both

happy birthdays. Have a great celebration this week, and I wish you all have

a wonderful rest of the week.

T. Shypitka: We have a couple of guests of mine that are in the galley here today.

I’d like to welcome them. It’s Cranbrook native Don MacMillan, and beside

him is Rob Milroy. Would the House please welcome them to the

House.

J. Sims: I want the House to join me in welcoming my cousin Amrik Dhillon. I

last saw Amrik Dhillon, before this year, in 1971. When his family

immigrated, I was still living in England at that time. His family

immigrated to Canada, and he stayed behind in England and lost touch after

that. You know, we would talk occasionally on the phone — but really, lost

touch.

When he turned up for a six-month visit here to visit his son and his

grandchildren, we had a chance to reconnect. I know that he has enjoyed

visiting our beautiful British Columbia, and I’ve really enjoyed reliving my

childhood of climbing trees, falling off roofs and all that kind of thing.

Apparently, I was quite bossy in those days. It’s hard for me to believe.

What he does remember is that if anybody had to climb to the top of a tree

or to the top of a roof to get to something, they could always count on me

to do that.

Anyway, please help me welcome Amrik Dhillon to beautiful British

Columbia.

H. Sandhu: My son Avishaan — it’s his birthday on Saturday, March 5. This is my

first time wishing, out of my three children. I got the opportunity to wish

him a very happy birthday.

So 11½ years ago life changed for me and my daughters, and things

didn’t make sense. I thought that was the most devastating time. People told

me things happen for a reason, but that thing didn’t make sense. But six

years ago, when he was born, things started to make sense. He was destined

to be part of our lives, not only mine.

He’s this lovely little gentleman. I’m trying to raise a gentleman who

will respect women and respect everybody, and I see that. His sisters adore

him. I hope I succeed in my goal.

He is in kindergarten this year, French immersion, so he often likes

to show off his language skills to me with a few words he’s learning. The

other thing about Avishaan and proud when I do this work. Whenever I leave,

he started saying, very early on: “You my life.” He couldn’t say: “You are

my life.” So those words, when I go home, I look forward to, and they remind

me of the work I am doing.

I hope the House will join me to wish my son Avishaan happy birthday.

It’s on March 5, one day after yours. I think he’ll be thrilled watching

this.

[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker: I think we should levy a penalty on the Clerk. [Laughter.]

[10:15 a.m.]

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL M201 — BRITISH COLUMBIA

TRANSIT AMENDMENT ACT,

J. Sturdy presented a bill intituled British Columbia Transit

Amendment Act, 2022.

J. Sturdy: I’m introducing this bill today for a second time.

Last month’s new census numbers confirmed what we’ve known for

years now. The Sea to Sky region is growing rapidly. Between Squamish,

Whistler and Pemberton, we added over 8,000 residents to the corridor.

These are growth rates of 18, 22 and 32 percent respectively. Things are

getting busier in the corridor, and the Sea to Sky Highway is no

exception.

B.C. Transit, the local governments and the Squamish and

Líl̓wat First Nations recognize

this. Since the 2017 generation of the 25-year Sea to Sky Transit Future

Plan, the region has, with one voice, been advocating for a commission

model for a new regional transit service to meet the demand created by

Greyhound’s pullout and further fueled by growth in population and

recreation.

The first step in the creation of this service is pretty

straightforward. Currently only Sea to Sky’s local government elected

officials are eligible to sit on the Sea to Sky Transit Commission. This

bill rectifies this issue by amending the B.C. Transit Act to allow

representatives of the Squamish and

Líl̓wat First Nations to also

serve on the commission. This supports the memorandum of understanding

between the parties. It speaks to governance, growth and a funding

model. I certainly hope the government will finally act to support the

region to do what is necessary and what is right.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t take this opportunity to remind

government that, beyond regional transit, for over a month now, we’ve

had no local transit services in the Sea to Sky due to a seemingly

intractable labour dispute. It’s hurting kids, families, businesses.

It’s driving people into their cars or to put out their

thumbs.

I ask the Labour Minister to appoint a mediator. It is past

time.

Mr. Speaker: Members, it’s the first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

J. Sturdy: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second

reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill M201, British Columbia Transit Amendment Act, 2022, introduced,

read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of the day for second

reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

WORLD WILDLIFE DAY

T. Shypitka: Today is March 3, World Wildlife Day. World Wildlife Day will be

celebrated in 2022 under the theme: “Recovering key species for

ecosystem restoration.”

The celebrations will seek to draw attention to the conservation

status of some of the most critically endangered species of wild flora

and fauna and to drive discussions towards imagining and implementing

solutions to conserve them. According to data from the International

Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species, over

8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while

close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or

vulnerable.

In B.C., we are home to the most diverse collection of wildlife

species in North America. We are slowly losing that distinction as the

number of ungulates, deer, moose, elk and sheep are rapidly

declining.

I have spoken in this House many times to the concerted effort

that needs to take place between all sides to make wildlife a major

priority. Ecosystem restoration and habitat loss need to be funded at

arm’s length from government. Legislation is a must to prioritize

wildlife. As well, data science–driven decision-making, with the aid of

local First Nations and stakeholders, will achieve our goals.

Now I have had some preliminary discussions with members on all

sides of the House — and a couple of ministers, actually — so I believe

we’re underway. But it will take much more than talk, as we’ve heard

this theme for over 40 years now.

I want to thank all our stewards and conservationists of the land,

be it hunters, trappers, guide outfitters, biologists, ranchers,

naturalists — many others that respect our greatest natural resource —

and, finally, our First Nations that have been here for time immemorial,

who can teach us so much from their traditional use.

Let’s all come together and celebrate today, Wildlife Day

[10:20 a.m.]

LEGACY OF WAR AND WORK FOR PEACE

R. Singh: Just this past weekend my husband and I were having a conversation

about a historical exhibition he recently experienced and how relevant

those images and stories still are today, albeit in a slightly different

context. This exhibition, aptly called Broken Promises, is currently

installed at Surrey Museum, a display co-created by Nikkei National

Museum, Royal British Columbia Museum and the Landscapes of Injustice

research collective.

It explores the stories of seven families of Japanese origin that

were subjected to internment during World War II — unjustly abducted

from the lives that they had built, just like everyone around them. The

exhibition is a poignant reminder of what follows wars, displacement of

masses of people being just one of them.

It brought me to the realization that our world, unfortunately,

has never been without war. Even if geographies and appearances of the

people might change like characters, the weight and trauma they carry

remain the same. The heaviest burden of each violent conflict, no matter

its location, has been borne by the common people of that place, with

faces and lives just like us. It is they who are sent to battle, they

who suffer from the violence and they who are displaced from their

homes.

As we look on today, towards Ukraine, with utmost concern, like we

have towards other places experiencing violence, as our hearts again go

out to the people, at the images of them being forced to leave their

lives and loved ones to seek refuge and safety, and as our prayers again

carry a hope for peace, I also feel inspired to see the world come

together in joint peaceful action to avert war and calamity.

I, as many have before me, hope for universal and lasting

peace.

FRANK DEMARIS

S. Cadieux: Some people really leave a mark on this earth. Today I’d like to

recognize an individual whose volunteer and community spirit will be

forever remembered in his community — my community of Surrey — but also

in the memories of softball teams around the world.

Frank Demaris joined the Canada Cup organization in 1994 because

he believed in community and wanted to volunteer to contribute. His

impact was immense. At the age of 84, Frank headed transportation and

logistics for the Surrey 2016 WBSC Women’s World Softball Championships,

successfully greeting and transporting 2,500 international guests as a

part of the largest multi-sport team world championships in Canadian

history.

Our former colleague from South Surrey–White Rock, Gordie Hogg,

knew Frank well. In his words:

“Frank had the patience of Job. He was a super fan and volunteer

extraordinaire. He dealt with everyone in a kindly and respectful

manner. He exemplified the best values of Canada to players and to

visitors. A truly compassionate ambassador for our community and our

country. As a host family for Canada Cup, we often held barbecues for

the team that we hosted, and Frank usually transported the team to our

house and joined in. Always positive and congenial, Frank was a prince

of a man.”

Thankfully, following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the

Canada Cup Women’s International Softball Championship will proceed

again this year, June 17 to 26. The tournament, now in its 25th year,

showcases some of the top female athletes across Canada and the world,

as well as more than 1,500 elite athletes at the national and club

levels.

In honouring Frank, the Canada Cup has partnered with B.C. Amateur

Sport Fund in the creation of the Frank Demaris Volunteer Spirit Award

and will be honouring Frank this year at the tournament. It’s a fitting

tribute for a community hero.

VMF WINTER ARTS FESTIVAL

VANCOUVER

B. Bailey: What do you think of when you think of downtown Vancouver in

February? The grey of February in the city can get us down at the best

of times, never mind in the midst of a long and difficult pandemic. But

as we know, Vancouver is one of the most digitally creative cities in

the world. We’re brimming with creators working in video games,

animation, visual effects, AR, VR, MR and the metaverse.

How wonderful that these digital creators recently transformed the

downtown core into a vibrant, edgy, immersive experience. The VMF Winter

Arts Festival was launched in 2021 at the height of the

pandemic.

This annual event is Canada’s first-ever augmented reality

festival and ran this year from February 11 to 27. It included 11

interactive augmented reality art and light installations by local and

international artists. These installations were activated in public

plazas all across downtown Vancouver.

[10:25 a.m.]

Illumination displays included Blanketing The City: Lighting The

Way, a public art series and reconciliation process designed by

acclaimed Musqueam weaver and graphic designer Debra Sparrow.

This project lit up iconic landmarks like Science World and B.C.

Place and others across the city with large-scale lighting displays,

featuring transformed Coast Salish weaving patterns, colours and

stories. It also included a free all-ages outdoor winter arts hub to

enjoy art, drink, food and live performances as well as an online free

talk series presented by Electronic Arts at the Vancouver Art Gallery,

including the topic of “How Can Digital Spaces Increase Empathy?” and so

much more.

Congratulations to the downtown improvement association and all

the VMF Winter Arts festival artists, organizers and participants.

Beautifully done. I’m quite surprised to admit that I’m actually looking

forward to next February.

AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE

S. Furstenau: Cammy Lockwood is a constituent and friend of mine from the

Cowichan Valley. She owns Lockwood Farms, a family-run business growing

local produce and eco eggs. Cammy has written this statement, and I read

these words on her behalf:

“I do not need to recap for you all that B.C. farmers have suffered

in 2021. We have moved from crisis to crisis. I wake up tense about what

the next day will bring, what crisis I need to deal with next. Our

best-laid plans have been upended continuously.

“Mental health in farmers has long been a concern. The truth is that

no amount of counselling, no pills, no healthy coping strategies are

able to adequately address the very real problems that we face daily and

that are beyond our realm of control.

“I share this with people, and they look at me with compassion. ‘It

must be so hard when your livelihood is so dependent on the weather,’

they say. Yes, it is, but let’s not forget it’s your food.

“As farmers, we are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and

our front lines are breaking. I’m calling on you, on all of you here, to

allow the weight of my words to sink in, to understand how fragile our

food systems are and how much they have been stretched and

tested.

“We cannot continue to still favour corporations that rely on

extraction from our incredible province. What use are jobs if there is

no food to buy, no home to live in? I’m calling on this government to do

more for farmers and our food systems for everyone’s sake. I’m calling

on B.C. to be a global leader. I’m calling on this government to

contribute to our natural world instead of taking from it.

“You have the opportunity to be climate leaders. Please take

it.”

RECREATIONAL SPORTS

AND COVID-19

RESPONSE

J. Sims: The lifting of the restrictions means that families, coaches and

athletes can meet and play at one of their happiest spots, be that the

rink, a turf or a gym. Like every other aspect of our lives, this

pandemic interrupted recreational sports. Clubs, associations and gym

owners had to adapt to closures and evolving provincial health orders.

Gyms like Dreams and Splitz managed to engage their gymnasts and keep

them involved and active until they could return to the gyms to

train.

Guildford Athletic, B.C. Tigers, Surrey United and countless other

soccer clubs around the province spent months running drills, practising

kicks and passes. Surrey Minor Hockey and other clubs focused their

energies on skill development and endurance training. Athlete and DRIVE

basketball clubs had their players practising shots and dribbling. Teams

then moved from practices and drills to games within their league, with

no spectators and no travelling.

Today teams are wrapping up their seasons and playing their

playoff games. Basketball, soccer, baseball and hockey are holding

tryouts for upcoming seasons and team placement. Year-end banquets can

be held in person.

COVID has been challenging to sports. Today I would like to thank

all the coaches who were able to keep the athletes engaged and active

and who somehow made the activity fun, regardless of the

restrictions.

Thank you to parents for supporting the gyms and the clubs through

their closures. Thank you to parents for supporting our young athletes,

getting them to practices and games at all hours, when you had to be a

cheerleader from a distance and couldn’t watch in person.

[10:30 a.m.]

We know, Mr. Speaker, that sports is much more than the game.

Sports and the lack thereof during the COVID time had a huge impact on

our kids, so let’s all of us in this House thank all those who keep our

kids active and healthy.

Oral Questions

COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES

K. Kirkpatrick: British Columbians have done and are doing their part to fight

COVID-19. They have overwhelmingly got vaccinated and boosted, and now

they want government to do their part too.

People are asking for clarity in how British Columbia is moving

forwards to an endemic approach to managing COVID-19. But so far, we are

yet to see clear, specific metrics, targets or timelines for lifting the

remaining restrictions.

The question to the Premier is: can he tell us the specific

metrics for lifting the remaining COVID-19 restrictions?

Hon. A. Dix: With respect to the specific restrictions put in place to deal

with the omicron variant of concern, when those were extended in the

early part of January, Dr. Henry was specific as to when they would be

reviewed. She repeated that statement on a number of occasions in

between time, as did I. On the day where we said we would respond, we

did, and changes were made to ease restrictions.

When that announcement was made, specific dates were given, as

well, as to when the remaining restrictions would be considered. We’re

following that

schedule precisely. We’re continuing to follow the advice

of public health.

I think it’s that clarity that has allowed us to keep schools

open, where other jurisdictions have not, and, I think, to work very

closely…. I’m very proud of the work that public health has done with

the business community, with the labour community, with the non-profit

community, with those who work with people with developmental

disabilities, with school communities and with many others about COVID

restrictions and their impact.

We’ve been clear, precise to the day, and we will continue to

be.

Mr. Speaker: Member for West Vancouver–Capilano, supplemental.

K. Kirkpatrick: British Columbians are left wondering what “reviewed” means.

They’re wondering what “being considered” means. So B.C. is an outlier

when it comes to a clear and transparent, specific plan for lifting

COVID-19 restrictions.

British Columbians have followed the rules to fight this virus, so

it’s only fair to ask for clear, specific metrics when it comes to

lifting restrictions. In fact, just last year, the B.C. restart plan had

targets for hospitalizations, case counts and vaccination rates. It

makes no sense that we don’t have that same level of transparency today.

Surely there are specific indicators that will be used to make these

decisions.

Again to the Premier, what specifically are the clear, scientific

metrics for how the remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be

lifted?

Hon. A. Dix: Every day we provide specific metrics on how COVID-19 is going in

British Columbia. The member will know that yesterday we saw two things.

We saw the number of people in hospital…. I think it was 516 yesterday,

and that is less than half than it was at the height of the omicron

variant of concern pandemic, which was 1,058. However, it’s also higher

than it was at any time in the pandemic prior to December 1.

This is continuing to be a situation that’s particularly

challenging for health care workers everywhere in B.C. It’s why we’ve

taken a balanced approach, as we have from the beginning. Other

jurisdictions have moved their restrictions up and down more quickly.

Clearly, and it’s true, other jurisdictions have relied less clearly on

public health than we have. But the situation continues to be a serious

one, and it’s why a balanced approach is required.

It’s why, on the day that Dr. Henry said she would address the

lifting of restrictions, she did. She gave four weeks notice of that.

Repeatedly updated it. Gave a clear plan with clear metrics as to why

that was happening. Laid it out remarkably, including

yesterday.

She also, at that time, gave specific dates. I don’t know how you

can be more specific than giving specific dates…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. A. Dix: …as to where the existing restrictions would be

reconsidered.

[10:35 a.m.]

The information is clear. The evidence is clear. The challenge

continues, and the balanced approach remains. I don’t know of any

jurisdiction in North America that can be prouder of public health than

British Columbia.

S. Bond: What we are proud of is the fact that British Columbians…. For

more than two years, the vast majority of them — I know the minister

knows this too — have done absolutely everything that they have been

asked to do and more. We’re proud of them.

While we certainly appreciate the fact that the government has

laid out a time frame for the next update, what is missing in terms of

the directions that have been provided for British Columbians is: what

will it take to specifically trigger the lifting of the restrictions

that remain in place?

The last restart plan had very specific targets for case counts,

hospitalizations, the number of vaccinations. We don’t have that now. We

have a date on the calendar where British Columbians have been told that

the restrictions will be reviewed. I think the minister would understand

that there is uncertainty. There is anxiety.

People want to know what specifically will trigger the lifting of

the remaining restrictions in British Columbia — what specific

measures.

Could the minister provide those today?

Hon. A. Dix: The member knows, as I’ve just described it, that the situation in

British Columbia with respect to hospitalizations continues to be

challenging. Last week, about 13,500 health care workers were off sick.

Not all with COVID-19 — there are a lot of health care workers in the

system — but that’s significantly more than is usually the

case.

What goes into the consideration? Modelling — that has been

routinely provided to the opposition and to the people of B.C. by Dr.

Henry and public health. Hospitalizations. Test positivity, which is

more important right now than case counts specifically, because of the

nature of the omicron variant of concern, something that Dr. Henry has

described at great length. The number of people in critical care.

Vaccination rates. All of these go into the consideration by public

health in making the decisions.

Those are reviewed, and our progress is reviewed, every day, not

just by Dr. Henry and her team but by the people of B.C., who see the

results both in the number of people in B.C. who are still struggling

and will continue to struggle with COVID-19 for some time and the impact

of measures on communities. So we review these things consistently. Dr.

Henry reviews these things consistently. She’s provided a date in which

the next consideration will occur.

You know, it could be — and some people have called for this —

that we would have Premiers make these decisions on behalf of Dr. Henry,

but that’s not been our approach in B.C. on public health measures,

which are the proper jurisdiction of the provincial health officer.

We’ve communicated regularly and consistently, and I think it’s been a

mutually successful situation.

The people of B.C. have responded with more adherence to public

health measures than anywhere else in B.C. That’s in part because Dr.

Henry and her team have been so open and, I think, thoughtful in their

communications on those very issues. That approach will

continue.

The members can expect to hear, on specific dates, the next steps

in the COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, there are two major measures

still in place: the B.C. vaccine card and mask mandates in indoor public

spaces across B.C. Those will be considered in the context of the

evidence, as we have done from the beginning of the pandemic.

Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Official Opposition, supplemental.

S. Bond: I think what the minister…. The point the minister is missing is

that, as British Columbians have continued day after day, month after

month, to do the right thing, as they sit in British Columbia today,

what they hear from this government is: here’s the next date that we’ll

let you know. We are far past the time where that is good

enough.

[10:40 a.m.]

As British Columbians sit and watch other jurisdictions across the

country make specific decisions, make that information transparent….

They make it clear when and what will happen in their province. Let’s

just look at what’s happened in other jurisdictions that have

outlined….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, please. Let’s hear the question,

Members.

Please continue.

S. Bond: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The members opposite may want to dismiss

what are legitimate questions about the rollout of the next phase of

lifting restrictions. British Columbians don’t think it’s quite as funny

as people on the other side of the House do.

These are legitimate and important questions. They are about: what

metrics will it take to actually trigger the lifting of the final

restrictions? The minister can make statements about whether the Premier

is making decisions. Those are not words that I said today. What I am

asking, on behalf of the people of British Columbia, is: what specific

measures, targets, metrics will lead to the lifting of the

restrictions?

Mask mandates and vaccine cards have been removed in Alberta and

Saskatchewan. Quebec, Manitoba and maritime provinces have clear

timelines. They have timelines in place specifically about when those

mandates will be lifted. Ontario has dropped their vaccine passport.

Every province but B.C. has announced that they are completely ending

the use of the vaccine passport.

We’re simply asking what I think is an important question in this

Legislature. What will it take to lift the remaining restrictions in

British Columbia so that parents can plan, businesses can plan, so that,

in fact, we can have certainty as we move ahead in British

Columbia?

Hon. A. Dix: I think the Leader of the Opposition knows that I’m always ready

to discuss with anybody at any time and answer questions at any time. I

don’t consider any question to be illegitimate, of any kind, about the

COVID-19 pandemic. This is something we’re all living through

together.

That’s why, during the period of the omicron variant of concern,

we took specific measures to keep people safe in B.C. We went up to

1,058 hospitalizations. We’re now down at 516. Yesterday there were

9,350 people in acute care hospitals. That’s more than our base bed

capacity, but significantly less than our base in surge bed capacities.

But it’s a significant issue. There are 432 people in critical

care.

These are the measures that we look at every day. The trajectory

is in the right direction. But again, it is assessing that information

against the reality of COVID-19 and its impact on people that we have to

do every day. That’s what public health is doing.

The next they will be…. We made this clear last week. At our next

week’s press availability, media availability, which the public sees in

B.C, we’ve made it clear we’ll have more information about the two

significant remaining measures.

What do we need? We need people to continue to do what they have

been doing, which is overwhelmingly following the mask mandate,

overwhelmingly getting vaccinated, overwhelmingly using their B.C.

vaccine card to continue to drive down those rates. Even though 516 is

less than 1,058, it’s still 516 people. And even though 73 people are in

critical care, surely we all agree that’s 73 people too many with

COVID-19.

We continue to have to take the steps necessary. We’ve laid out a

specific time frame. It’s hospitalization, it’s cases, it’s test

positivity, and it’s the impact of the omicron variant of concern on

people that are the main considerations.

DRUG USE DEATHS

AND ACCESS TO SAFE

SUPPLY

S. Furstenau: This is a quote from a CBC

article from February 27.

“Advocates say the lack of progress on a safe supply of drugs in

B.C., and a fixation on treating addiction instead, is in keeping with

the B.C. NDP’s approach since they came into power in 2017 and hindering

any efforts to stop the deaths. This province makes no mention of safe

supply in its 2022-23 budget, focusing only on the ruling NDP’s

expansion of addiction treatment in response to the toxic drug crisis

that claimed thousands of lives last year.”

[10:45 a.m.]

Every day seven British Columbians are poisoned by toxic drugs. If

every person with substance use disorder was to recover in British

Columbia, our toxic drug market would still kill people, because not all

people who use drugs are addicted. In fact, the chief coroner made it

very clear that the majority of people dying from drugs are not frequent

drug users and do not have a substance use disorder.

This is fundamentally not about addiction, but this government

refuses to recognize the reality that in this province, more than

100,000 people use drugs and are at risk of dying from a poisoned

supply. This is a health emergency, not an overdose crisis.

Because it is a health emergency, to the Minister of Health, how

does the Minister of Health intend to separate those who use drugs from

the toxic supply, without any additional funding in Budget 2022 to

achieve this?

Hon. S. Malcolmson: I am honoured to be the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions,

with the assigned responsibility for overdose response and building a

system of mental health and addictions care that did not exist in 2017,

when we took government. I give thanks every day for the health care

system and the health authorities that are fighting two public health

emergencies while building that system of care

simultaneously.

The budget commitment in last year’s budget, over the three-year

fiscal plan, dedicates over half a billion dollars to building up that

mental health and addiction system of care, with $22.6 million dedicated

specifically to prescribed safe supply — prescribed safe supply being

the bandwidth that the provincial government has within a federal

system. That is our mechanism to deliver prescribed safe supply, to

separate people from the toxic drug supply with the use of prescribers.

We are grateful to health authorities, to the federal safer programs and

to prescribers, nurse prescribers and doctors, who are separating people

from the toxic drug supply.

This was mentioned in the Finance Minister’s speech. It was echoed

in our budget. But because long-term planning is needed, it was in last

year’s budget. We are spending at an unprecedented level on treatment

and recovery, on fighting stigma through our decriminalization

appli­cation and our work with the construction industry and other

partners to beat back stigma, to do drug testing, treatment recovery,

supervised consumption sites and prescribed safe supply. There is more

to do, and we’re determined to do it.

Mr. Speaker: Leader of the Third Party, supplemental.

S. Furstenau: I think this reinforces exactly what was pointed out by advocates,

which has been pointed out by experts, which has been pointed out by

health professionals: that we are treating this like an addictions

crisis.

It’s not an addictions crisis. It is a toxic supply crisis. If one

in ten bottles of wine were killing people in this province, we wouldn’t

have a minister stand up and say: “We’re going to build a system of

care.” We would have a government respond to the fact that people are

dying from a poisonous supply.

This government applauds itself for introducing safer prescribed

alternatives to the toxic drug market. So 100 percent of the 12,000

people given prescribed safe supply in 2021 and 2020 were given

withdrawal management substances, not true safe supply. It doesn’t

mention the tens of thousands more people who don’t have a prescription

of safe supply and will never get one.

It’s hard for me to understand the acceptance of seven people

dying every day and not thinking: “Uh-oh, what we’re doing right now

isn’t working, because things are getting worse.” More people are dying.

Not people with substance use disorders, not people with addictions —

people who use once in a while. This government tells you its priorities

by where it spends its money, and this government is not spending money

to stop these preventable deaths.

My question is to the Premier. Why does this government lack the

political will to implement true harm reduction solutions that will

actually prevent the deaths of seven people every day?

[10:50 a.m.]

Hon. S. Malcolmson: Not a single death is acceptable in this province, and never has

there been so much spent on mental health and addictions — $2.8 billion

a year now, under this government.

There are a multitude of reasons where people fall into addiction

or into drug use. So we are addressing…. We are hitting that crisis with

everything — with better pain management, with better occupational

safety, with anti-stigma campaigns carried out with the construction

industry, with sports organizations like the B.C. Lions and B.C.’s

Canucks.

We’re applying for decriminalization to more clearly assert that

drug use is a health care problem, not a criminal justice problem. We

are doubling youth treatment beds. We are adding hundreds of treatment

beds every year. And because it is the power that a province has within

a federal framework, we are offering prescribed safe supply, the only

province in Canada that does so.

I am very encouraged that I now have a federal counterpart. The

federal government has mirrored British Columbia’s adoption of having

the first-in-Canada Minister of Mental Health and Addictions with a

federal counterpart in Minister Carolyn Bennett. There may well be

conversations about how to expand safe supply, within the federal

framework.

These are the powers that we have. British Columbia is hitting

this with every tool we have. Before the pandemic, the number of deaths

did drop, and then the toxicity of drugs has spiked in a heartbreaking

and life-threatening way. We’re determined to keep doing more and to

bring the terrible death toll down again.

REPLACEMENT OF

B.C. BID PROCUREMENT

SYSTEM

B. Banman: In 2017, this NDP government announced that a new B.C. Bid website

would be “up and running in 2019.” Next, the Minister of Citizens’

Services said: “We expect the new B.C. Bid to be ready in 2020.” Last

year the minister claimed it was on budget and would be operating by the

end of 2021.

None of these comments from the minister turned out to be true.

The NDP and the minister have completely bungled this project from day

one.

My question to the minister is: when will the project be done, and

how much more will this NDP bungling end up costing the B.C.

taxpayers?

Hon. L. Beare: I’d like to let all the members of the House know that the current

B.C. Bid site is actually more than 25 years old. It no longer meets the

needs of people and the businesses that do use it.

Our government is doing what the members opposite failed to do.

That is to fix the system. We need a system that’s faster, more reliable

and will provide more openness and transparency on opportunities to work

with government. We’re now testing the application. We’re preparing

buyers and suppliers for registration and on-boarding. We’re training

government buyers on using the new tool, and we’ll be hosting

information sessions for broader public sector users and suppliers to

ensure that they become familiar with the new application on

launch.

We’re doing the work, hon. Member. There are almost $7 billion

worth of opportunities available annually through B.C. Bid, and this new

site will give people and businesses the opportunity to work with

government who haven’t had the chance before.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Abbotsford South, supplemental.

B. Banman: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You know, the sad fact is

that British Columbians just don’t believe this minister anymore.

Everyone knows she has trouble with the truth.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Member. The member will withdraw that comment.

B. Banman: I withdraw the comment, Mr. Speaker.

[10:55 a.m.]

Now, whether it’s on fees for freedom of information or on a

project that she’s completely bungled, on March 23, 2020,

recommendations were prepared for the minister for a complete project

reset, with delayed timelines, reduced scope and a changed

budget.

The minister, respectfully, had to be aware of the serious

problems, but when asked by the opposition — myself — last spring, she

completely dismissed the concerns and claimed nothing had changed from

the original budget. FOI documents released to a reporter show not one,

not two, but 34 change requests were made on the project, which have

added more than $2½ million in costs to the B.C. taxpayers.

The question is: why was this minister pretending the project was

on time and on budget when it wasn’t even remotely true?

Hon. L. Beare: I think it’s truly unfortunate that the members opposite take

great pains to attack my character here in this House, but I truly

believe it speaks more to them than it does to me.

I do find these questions really interesting, because when the

members opposite were government, they did absolutely nothing to improve

a 25-year-old system that was falling apart.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Member. Member for Abbotsford West.

Members. Members, be careful with your language.

Minister will continue.

Hon. L. Beare: Thank you. It is because of a lack of planning by the previous

government that we are here today, and our government is doing the hard

work to actually fix the system. This is a huge, large, complex system

that…. The work has taken longer than expected, of course. We were

affected by the impacts brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and

other factors associated with the complicated technical redevelopment of

a 25-year-old legacy program that was falling apart.

The new B.C. Bid is being worked on now. As I’ve said in my

previous answer, we’re actually out testing it right now with users, so

that we can provide a better service for British Columbians. We’re

creating a more open and transparent B.C. Bid that will allow people to

share in the $7 billion in procurement we do every year.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Answer is over. Question time.

M. de Jong: The minister wonders why we are doubtful about the accuracy of

what she advises this House. Her own documents, obtained by FOI, confirm

that the work on this project was initiated in 2015, and she

deliberately tries to suggest to the House that that is not so. That is

unacceptable. The problem is that it is once again very difficult to

reconcile what the minister is saying with the truth, as revealed in her

own documents. That is the challenge.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, please.

Member, please continue.

[11:00 a.m.]

M. de Jong: It’s a recurring pattern from this minister. I’m sorry to have to

say that. If there were a Nobel Prize for secrecy and misinformation,

she’d be in Oslo today.

The government that claimed they were going to be the most open in

all of Canada is about as transparent as my bathroom window.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, order.

Continue.

M. de Jong: Page after page after page of documents obtained by FOI confirm

that this project is years behind schedule, significantly over budget

and continues to be plagued by problems. The minister has tried

deliberately to conceal that fact from this House for the past three

years.

Why has she done that, and why won’t she be honest about the state

of the project?

Mr. Speaker: Members, before I recognize the minister, an oral question has

been asked, so please be quiet. Let’s hear the answer.

Minister of Citizens’ Services.

Hon. L. Beare: Well, if there was an Oscar for little theatre, the member for

Abbotsford West would certainly win that.

I don’t know what the members don’t understand about fixing a

25-year-old legacy system that was left falling apart.

We are doing the hard work. We are testing the application with

buyers. We’re preparing suppliers. We’re onboarding as we speak. We’re

training government buyers.

We were delayed due to COVID-19, and actually fixing a 25-year-old

legacy system. We’re doing the hard work that those members

didn’t.

[End of question period.]

I. Paton: I rise this morning to present a petition from the farmers of

Hatzic Prairie, B.C.

Mr. Speaker: Proceed.

Petitions

I. Paton: I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the farmers in the

Hatzic area of British Columbia.

They are requesting that provincial and local governments work

together to address the long-standing issues concerning drainage, removing

vegetation and opening beaver dams that obstruct waterways and for years now

have been causing flood damage to these surrounding farms.

Orders of the Day

Hon. M. Farnworth: I call continued debate on the budget.

Budget Debate

(continued)

J. Rice: I rise today to speak to Budget 2022. I realize that I am one of the

last speakers on the list to address the budget, and I will only generally

say that I think there are a lot of positive decisions that have been made

in this budget that will serve British Columbians and also people within my

riding, within North Coast, particularly around increased funding to support

rural connectivity, which is critical to having the members of North Coast

contribute and participate in the 21st century.

We’ll also have seen some positive decisions made around improving

health services, addressing the rural recruitment and retention issues and

making spaces available for training new nurses, LPNs and nurse

practitioners.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

I thought I would take my time today to really just focus on some of

the major decisions and announcements that we’ve made in regards to my

portfolio as the Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. So I

will take my time to focus on those highlights.

[11:05 a.m.]

As we know, climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity and

duration of disasters. The events we experienced this past year from a heat

dome and wildfires to flooding and mudslides have highlighted the need to

support communities with disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.

Budget 2022 includes $2.1 billion to support the recovery of communities as

we build back better from recent disasters and to strengthen our defences to

make sure people and communities across B.C. are protected from future

disasters.

To do this, $1.5 billion in new funding will be invested over the next

three years to support the province’s ongoing response and recovery efforts,

including rebuilding more resilient infrastructure. This includes

contingencies over the next three years to support those people, businesses

and communities that have been impacted due to recent disasters.

Budget 2022 invests $110 million over three years for the community

emergency preparedness fund, which is administered by the Union of B.C.

Municipalities, or UBCM. This is a historic investment into this fund that

will support local governments and First Nations with their community-led

disaster risk-reduction initiatives: things such as evacuation route

planning, structural flood mitigation, volunteer fire department equipment

and training, Indigenous cultural safety training, flood risk assessments,

and emergency operation centre training and supports.

Through emergency management B.C., we’ve made investments to expand

our public alerting system and emergency surge capacity to support people

when it matters most. We are strengthening our ability to protect public

safety and transforming emergency management B.C., adding more staff to

improve capacity to support communities, with a strong focus on the

prevention, preparedness, response and recovery for wildfires, floods and

all other hazards.

First Nations will benefit from the community emergency preparedness

fund investments. As well, an additional $10 million is allocated to begin

to address the needs of Indigenous communities. That means that in total,

$120 million is being allocated to support both First Nations and local

governments in realizing their emergency preparedness goals.

In regards to the B.C. Wildfire Service in Budget 2022, we have

allocated $194 million to the B.C. Wildfire Service — an increase of $58

million over last year, and over three times as much as the 2018

firefighting allocation. We’re moving the B.C. Wildfire Service to a

year-round workforce, so these professionals can support British Columbians

in their wildfire preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery. This

model will also allow the B.C. Wildfire Service to flexibly support its

partners in response to other emergencies, such as flooding and

landslides.

Investment in a year-round model will mean more training and staff

development, with a focus on continuous service improvement. The B.C.

Wildfire Service is committed to educating individuals and communities about

wildfire risk and the actions they can take to protect themselves. An

additional $98 million over the fiscal plan will fund wildfire prevention

work and maintain crucial forest service roads used to respond to forest

fires.

Wildfire risk reduction is a shared responsibility. Budget 2022

includes $90 million in 2021 and 2022 to help more communities participate

in programs like FireSmart. FireSmart provides homeowners and communities

with information and tools to take direct action and protect their homes,

their neighbourhoods and their communities from the impact of

wildfire.

Mitigating wildfire risk is a shared responsibility. Individual

British Columbians can play a critical role in mitigating wildfire risks

around their homes and properties by undertaking FireSmart initiatives.

Given the effects of climate change and the number of homes being developed

in forested areas, B.C. residents need to participate in proven FireSmart

activities to help protect their homes and neighbourhoods from

wildfires.

The FireSmart program was developed to help people reduce the risk of

personal property damage due to wildfires. FireSmart is the Canadian

standard recognized by all provinces and territories. It is based on

National Fire Protection Association standards that have evolved over the

last 40 years.

[11:10 a.m.]

FireSmart is backed by a vast amount of field, laboratory and

modelling research. The methods have proven to reduce the risk of losses,

even under the most extreme fire conditions.

Local governments also have a role to play, by implementing

FireSmart-related bylaws or new developments in the wildland-urban

interface. This has already been done in some B.C. communities. FireSmart

principles can also be used in the design of new communities, by

incorporating more green space between houses and surrounding areas to

create firebreaks.

The river forecast centre does excellent work with their team of

world-class experts in hydrology and forecasting and has developed

innovative tools and models to support accurate and timely forecasting. To

make sure that people and communities continue to receive timely and

accurate information in the face of changing flood risk, the prov­ince

is expanding the river forecast centre and floodplain mapping

program.

This is part of the $210 million set to support community climate

change preparedness and emergency management, which includes supports for

communities and First Nations to build more resilient dikes, floodplain

mapping and other risk reduction activities.

In

summary, Budget 2022 protects people and communities from

climate-related disasters, with a total investment of over $2.1 billion from

2021 through the end of this fiscal plan. We’re working to help people on

the ground recover, and we’re helping communities rebuild stronger so that

they’re better prepared in the future.

T. Stone: I appreciate taking my place in the debate on the budget that was

presented by the government in recent days.

I want to start off the front end of my remarks by just underscoring

the fact that I think every member of this House, every British Columbian,

continues to be horrified by what’s happening in Ukraine. Sometimes the

debates in this place, the back-and-forth in question period and so forth,

might feel like the most important thing in the moment. But for context and

for some perspective, when you turn on the television and you take a look at

what’s happening, the tragedy that’s unfolding in Ukraine, it’s a very, very

humbling perspective.

I was honoured to rise in this House recently to provide a statement

on behalf of the official opposition, a statement of solidarity for the

Ukrainian people. Certainly my prayers and, I know, the prayers of everyone

in this House continue to be with all of the people of Ukraine who are in

the middle of this conflict and on the receiving end of the Russian

aggression.

With respect to the budget that is in front of us, I think this budget

is best characterized as a budget that’s disappointing and that really fails

to deliver on the major issues that are facing British Columbians today. You

know, these are uncertain times with respect to just coming out of the

pandemic. There’s lots of job dislocation and lots of businesses that are

still hanging by a thread and struggling. There’s obviously the Russian

invasion of Ukraine, as I just mentioned, from an international perspective.

Inflationary pressures. It’s a challenging time. It’s uncertain for all of

us.

British Columbians, I think, against that backdrop, are looking for

the government to just come forward with a plan to tackle these big issues —

to tackle these issues that we’re facing not just today and in the months

ahead but, indeed, the years ahead, as we’re seeing significant changes and

almost a realignment of so much from a global perspective, whether it’s

supply chains and the potential for additional waves of the COVID-19 virus

and so forth.

[11:15 a.m.]

The budget really fails to address the affordability challenges that

are faced by so many British Columbians today, whether that’s with respect

to housing or rents or groceries or gas prices. The budget fails to deliver

in a tangible way, from a results perspective, on commitments that the

government has made around affordable, accessible child care.

The government is failing in this budget with respect to addressing

the mental health and addictions crisis. Communities in downtowns in every

corner of this province are in the midst of significant social strife that

has, at the centre of it, a tremendous and growing number of vulnerable

populations that are simply not getting the supports that they need. It is

creating all kinds of challenges in our communities.

When you talk to people who live in these neighbourhoods; when you

talk to small businesses that operate in the neighbourhoods; when you talk

to the social service agencies that are there on the front lines to support

and serve these vulnerable populations; when you talk to law enforcement,

not enough is being done to address these challenges.

There’s no private sector jobs plan in this budget. There wasn’t in

the economic plan that preceded this budget by about a week, and there

certainly wasn’t in the throne speech that preceded that.

There is a growing range of significant challenges in health care.

Again, no community, no region of this prov­ince is spared.

Yet the NDP government had made very clear commitments on all of the

above, not just in the most recent election, in 2020, but in the election

before that, in 2017. We’ve been through two elections in nearing five years

of this NDP government. Very little progress made on these critical

commitments that were made and these challenges that British Columbians are

facing.

From an affordability perspective, it is actually breathtaking, to an

extent, that against the backdrop of the most significant affordability

challenges that British Columbians have faced in literally decades, the

government would seemingly think this is a good time to actually increase

some taxes and impose some new taxes. In the areas that the government chose

to do so, areas that will only serve to impact, overwhelmingly, lower- and

middle-income British Columbians, it is bizarre political choices that the

government has made.

A new tax on online marketplace transactions. What is an online

marketplace? Well, it’s a service like Facebook, when Facebook completes the

implementation of their e-commerce capability that will enable the

ex­change of funds.

A struggling family decides to go to Facebook online and purchase a

new parka for their child or decides to go on to Facebook to sell some

surplus skis or sports equipment to raise a few extra bucks to maybe buy a

few more groceries. It’s odd that this government would choose that as an

area to target for adding additional tax onto the backs of, again, the

lower- and middle-income British Columbians that would be predominantly

impacted by that.

The fact that the government has made a choice in this budget to

increase taxes on used-car sales…. Are you kidding me? The new rules in this

budget provide for an increase in the PST on used-car transactions. The way

the government is going to generate more tax revenue is they’re going to

apply the tax on the greater value between the actual sales price and the

average sales price.

[11:20 a.m.]

Again, if British Columbians go out there, as they do to this day, and

are fortunate to negotiate a really good deal on that used car, that used

pickup truck, the government is saying, “I don’t trust you on the price that

you’re disclosing. I don’t trust that what you’ve paid is what you should

have paid” — because we have a Black Book or a Blue Book or whatever the

benchmark on fair market value is that the government is going use.

Government is saying: “We’re going to use that as the value with which the

tax will be calculated.”

We ran some rough scenarios and looked at a 2015 minivan that was

actually for sale online in Surrey. Based on the value of that — if the van

actually sells for what it’s posted as — it’s quite a bit less than what the

fair market value of the Black Book suggests, meaning if that transaction

went ahead, that individual, that British Columbian, is going to pay a

couple of hundred dollars more for that used minivan.

We’re not talking about luxury cars here. We’re not talking about

brand-new cars here. We’re talking about used vehicles that struggling

British Columbia families, against this backdrop of affordability, look to,

to stretch their dollars as far as they possibly can. This government has

decided to tax at that higher value.

The budget book suggests that this tax will result in about $30

million of additional tax revenue for government — again, during an

affordability crisis. It would be bad enough in normal times, if we weren’t

in this crisis, but they’re doing it in the middle of a time when people are

having such difficulty making ends meet.

To hear members opposite explain this tax or try and play it down as

closing a loophole or that, essentially, government doesn’t trust that

British Columbians are telling the truth when it comes to the values that

are being disclosed….

I mean, the comments that the member for Vancouver–False Creek made in

this House the other day are just absolutely absurd, suggesting that anyone

who gets a good deal on a used vehicle and might save a few hundred bucks or

a few thousand bucks on that deal…. If they don’t pay that extra tax that

the government wants to take from that British Columbian, in some way….

These are the words, again, from the member for Vancouver–False Creek. She

said: “Frankly, it’s tax evasion.” She said that the other day.

What planet is that member living on? She’s a very reasonable person.

I don’t know her terribly well, but I think it’s astonishing. She repeated

what several other members of government said — “It’s tax evasion” — as if

to suggest that, in some way, British Columbians are cheating if they go out

and get a good deal on a used vehicle. That just doesn’t make sense. It

shouldn’t be in this budget. The government shouldn’t be adding that burden

onto the shoulders of British Columbians.

The budget provides for increased taxes on the purchase of home

heating systems that use natural gas, as an example. Home heating systems

using natural gas will have the sales tax that applies to that increase from

7 to 12 percent. This will cost taxpayers an additional $9 million. This

will predominantly impact people — British Columbians, families — who live

in rural areas of the province. It will predominantly impact people that

live in the Interior and the north.

That’s simply because, notwithstanding the government saying that

there are incentives in this budget for people to purchase heat pumps, these

variable heat pumps don’t work that well in really cold climates, and you

end up needing to have either a natural gas backup or you have to have

natural gas — period — as your heating source. There are all kinds of

communities in this province, particularly in the Interior and the north,

where you don’t have access to this technology, and if you did, you can’t

afford it.

[11:25 a.m.]

I don’t know if anyone in government has gone out and looked recently

at what a heat pump actually costs. We’re talking thousands of dollars. If

you’re privileged, if you have the means, likely you’ve already made the

conversion, you’ve already implemented the heat pump, and then this

increased tax would not apply because you are using less natural gas,

presumably, or no natural gas. But that’s not possible for so many British

Columbians. Why would the government think that this makes sense for B.C.

families that will be impacted by it?

It continues to be very disappointing that there’s been no

reconsideration by this government with respect to going back to a

revenue-neutral carbon tax. There was an understanding with British

Columbians, who agreed with the former government that brought in the carbon

tax — it was our former government — that good tax policy looks at taxing

the things that you want less of, and you decrease the taxes on the things

you want more of. There was always a corresponding decrease in personal

income taxes and small business tax and other taxes, requisite with the

carbon tax.

We’re talking about this government making the decision a number of

years ago, one of the very first decisions they made when they came into

power, to eliminate that revenue-neutrality on the carbon tax. That’s ripped

about $1 billion out of the pockets of British Columbians, who haven’t

received those requisite tax reductions.

Let’s talk about gasoline for a moment. British Columbians have been

advised that folks in the Lower Mainland should expect that the price of gas

is going to hit an all-time high of $2 a litre any day now — $2 a litre. And

37 cents of that is tax that is applied at the provincial level. This

government decides it’s a good time to increase taxes by another cent a

litre. That’s going to take effect on April 1. Instead of just holding back

and saying, “You know what? We’re going to hold off on that additional

increase in gas taxes,” they decide: “No, we’re going to proceed with

it.”

This, again, is against the backdrop of very specific commitments that

the Premier has made around utilizing every tool possible. He said:

“Everything’s on the table.” He said that on February 25 of this year.

Everything is on the table with respect to tackling gasoline prices, to try

and drive them down. He said: “We are monitoring gas prices, and we will

take steps if necessary…. We have talked about a range of options, and we

will look at them should the prices remain high over the next number of

weeks.” The Premier said that, actually, on March 21, 2018. That was 204

months ago. There has been no action aside from a website.

British Columbians are struggling under the weight of increased costs

pretty much right across the board. Not all British Columbians have the

option to jump on a bus or a bike. If you’re a contractor, you’ve got a

pickup truck full of equipment, and your worksite is on the other side of

the Lower Mainland, for example, you don’t have the luxury. As the Premier

said the other day: “If you can’t afford the gas prices, take the bus.” You

don’t have that luxury. If you’re a person with a disability, it can be a

great challenge — not always, but often it can be.

If you’re a mom trying to get your three kids to dance and soccer and

basketball, as is the case in my household with my wife and my three

daughters…. It’s not an option for them to take the bus. You’ve got to pay

to put more fuel in your vehicle. Like so many other families out there,

we’ve tried our best to switch out our vehicles with vehicles that burn less

fuel, that are more fuel-efficient, buying used vehicles. We’re going to get

taxed more on that. This government said that they were going to focus on

gas prices, that they were going to be there for British

Columbians.

[11:30 a.m.]

It’s a joke to point to this transparency act, that we’re now

transparent — or that we forced the oil companies to be transparent about

what they charge for gasoline or we’ve set up a website. None of that, in

practical terms, means anything to British Columbians as they show up and

pay a buck-84 or a buck-95 and soon $2 or more.

This government will say: “Oh, don’t you know, MLA, there’s a war

going on in Ukraine?” You know what? British Columbia had the highest gas

prices and the highest taxes on gas prices anywhere in North America prior

to the pandemic, prior to the war in Ukraine. We continue to have the

highest prices and the highest taxes on gasoline today. That’s on this

government.

Housing. The cost of housing has skyrocketed under this government.

There was perhaps no more signature commitment that this government made

when they were first elected, when they first formed government in 2017….

They repeated the commitments in 2020. There was probably nothing more

prevalent in their campaign than: “We are going to make life more

affordable, and it’s going to start with housing. We’re going to make

housing more affordable.”

How well is that going? We have the highest housing prices ever. It’s

not just in the Lower Mainland anymore, in the capital region here, or in

Kelowna; it’s happening in communities all over British Columbia. We know

that assessed values have jumped, year over year, by about 20 percent across

the entire Lower Mainland, with about a 40 percent increase in Chilliwack, a

39 percent increase in Langley and by 38 percent in Abbotsford.

In my home community of Kamloops, prices have gone up, on average,

about 25 percent, year over year. Over the last four years, all while this

government has been in power, while the NDP have been in charge, housing

prices in Kamloops have gone up about 40 to 50 percent — in the last four to

five years. Yet of course, it’s not anything to do with them. It’s nothing

to do with government choices. It’s nothing to do with policy levers, taxes

or anything that the government chooses to implement or embrace. It’s

everyone else’s fault.

They were elected on the promise to make housing more affordable, and

that has not happened. It’s not just homeowners. This government just

can’t…. They get squeamish when we talk about renters. Like child care, and

like so many other supposed domains of the New Democratic Party, we’re not

allowed to talk about these things.

Well, you know what? There are a heck of a lot of British Columbians

who rent in this province, in every community around the province, and

renters have been let down by this government as well. Renters have been let

down big-time. Renters are paying almost $3,000 per year more today, under

this government, than they were five years ago — almost $3,000 more. Renters

in Metro Vancouver, specifically, are paying $2,880 more per year under this

government.

Of course, this government promised a renters rebate. Well, they’ve

had — this is their sixth budget — six bud­gets in a row to deliver on

that promise. The Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, the

week before the budget came out, in answer to a question in question period

in this House, even said, “We’re working on it,” when we asked him: “Where’s

the renters rebate?”

It was a pretty fair assumption, I think, to assume that that

statement, which was very definitive by the Minister for Housing, meant that

good news was coming, that it was going to be in the budget. It wasn’t in

the budget, Mr. Speaker.

Let’s talk about road pricing. I think we’re going to be talking about

road pricing a heck of a lot more, frankly, in the coming weeks and months.

I believe that this government intends on implementing road pricing in the

Lower Mainland. This government’s friends…. The mayor of Vancouver wants to

do it. TransLink has got staff that they’ve hired and that are working on

it.

I just want everyone to understand what this means. This means if

you’re a driver — again, as I said earlier, you have no choice — if you live

in Langley, you’re a contractor, and your worksite is in Coquitlam, or if

you’re that soccer mom, you’ve got to get your three girls to their

different activities, and transit is not an option, this government is going

to charge you.

[11:35 a.m.]

They’re going to charge you in some fashion. Whether that’s per

kilometre, some kind of mileage-based system…. They’re working on it. Joy

MacPhail, a former member of this House, a former minister, has recommended

it in various reports. So drivers, beware. Road pricing is coming under the

New Democratic Party, under this government.

I’ve talked about gas prices. I’ve talked about housing, renting and

renters. I’ve talked about groceries. I’ve talked about these new taxes that

the NDP wants to impose. This is against the backdrop of people really

struggling with affordability. I know the government doesn’t like to hear

it, but 53 percent of British Columbians are within $200 of being insolvent,

of not being able to pay their bills — half of British

Columbians.

I guess this would be as good a place as any to say, also against this

backdrop: it’s just beyond the pale that this government would think that

now is a good time — if there ever is a good time — for cabinet and the

Premier to give themselves a raise. I know they say it’s not a raise; it’s a

holdback. Let’s be very clear about this.

This government is making changes to legislation, as part of this

budget, that will have, as an end result, the increase in the Premier’s

compensation of about $40,000 over the next four years and of $20,000 over

the next four years for each cabinet minister. They can call it whatever

they want, but British Columbians would look at that and go: “Hmm, your pay

is here. You’re making changes. I don’t really understand the mechanisms of

the changes, but after the changes you make, your pay is going to go from

here to here. That’s a pay increase.”

It’s absurd, when British Columbians are struggling with every facet

of cost in their life, just trying to make ends meet and put food on the

table for their kids, that this government is going to whack them over the

head when they go to get a good deal on a used car. They’re going to whack

them over the head with how they heat their homes. They’re going to whack

them over the head when they go to an online marketplace to save a few bucks

so they can prioritize their spending and maybe spend more money on food or

other priorities.

All the while, they’re going to give themselves a raise. They’re

increasing their pay. When our Finance critic highlighted this in his

comments, right on the day that the budget was released, oh boy, were there

ever shocked looks on the faces of private members in government, who

obviously didn’t know that this was there. I sure would love to be a fly on

the wall to see how they explain that to their constituents back home — how

it makes sense for a $20,000-per-cabinet-minister raise at any

point.

The members can chuckle, and many that are in the chamber at the

moment spoke to the budget earlier. I’m well aware of the comment from the

member for Victoria–Beacon Hill, who just completely downplayed this as:

“Nothing to see here.” The Finance Minister had the most ludicrous

explanation of this, suggesting that by requiring a holdback on the salaries

of cabinet ministers and the Premier if the province is in deficit, it

somehow drives austerity, that if we kept that in place….

That accountability mechanism is really all about ensuring that the

government is doing everything it can to, yes, meet the needs of British

Columbians but also to have some semblance of fiscal sanity to the decisions

that are taken. There shouldn’t be accountability? By the way, this

mechanism was brought in by the NDP when they were in power in the 1990s,

albeit in the dying days of their administration, prior to being reduced to

two seats in this chamber. They did bring in the initial provision relating

to the cabinet ministers’ and the Premier’s holdbacks.

[11:40 a.m.]

That was, again, intended to send this clear message to everyone in

government, to send a clear message to British Columbians that cabinet and

the Premier were going to lead by example when it comes to stretching every

taxpayer dollar as far as they possibly can.

Today to suggest, as the Finance Minister did in her comments

recently, “Well, there wouldn’t be vaccination clinics. There wouldn’t be

critical services if we didn’t do away with this holdback” — sorry, “pay

increase for cabinet and the Premier” — is absolutely ridiculous.

There is so much more that could be canvassed in this speech. The fact

that there’s no private sector jobs plan, the fact that this government

can’t get big things done, especially when it comes to infrastructure

investments in the province…. I mean, what has the government got to show

for infrastructure in five years in power? What have you got to show? What

have you built? It’s been five years, right? Instead, we’ve got a promise

to….

Interjections.

T. Stone: Oh, I’ve woken them up.

Instead, we’ve got a promise to replace a four-lane bridge with a

four-lane bridge in Surrey that’s $100 million more than it should be

because of community benefit agreements, union-only construction. All of the

Trans-Canada projects are all projects that were launched by the former

government. They’re all massively over budget now. They’re all

delayed.

Interjections.

T. Stone: The Labour Minister talks about Surrey. Boy, I wish I had more time.

How many portables are still in Surrey? There are more today than there were

when you came into power. But give me a break. Give me a break, Minister of

Labour.

And the George Massey Tunnel — really? You’ve got a ten-lane tunnel,

$500 million of transit. You’ve got all kinds of interchanges and the broad

project. It’s $2.6 billion. It’s $900 million under, and you’re going to

build a tunnel for double the cost. That’s never, ever going to get built.

That’s the NDP — less for more. This budget fails British

Columbians.

Deputy Speaker: Recognizing the Minister of Finance to, I believe, close

debate.

Hon. S. Robinson: I want to thank everyone for standing up and participating in the

budget debate, even the member from Kamloops.

I am, however, saddened to hear that opposition doesn’t support

funding for more urgent primary care centres. That’s really disappointing.

They don’t think it’s a good idea that government should be spending….

That’s really, really disappointing.

I’m also terribly disappointed that the members opposite don’t support

funding for sexual assault centres. It was their government that cut the

funding to victims of sexual assault. Well, we’re restoring that funding in

this budget. It’s very, very disappointing — certainly as a woman, it’s

disappointing, but as a British Columbian it’s disappointing — that the

members opposite don’t support funding these critical services for British

Columbians.

It’s also disappointing that they don’t support funding a full-time,

year-round wildfire service. Did they not pay attention to what was

happening in the summer in many of their communities? By not supporting this

budget, they’re saying that’s not important. How disappointing that

is.

And what about significantly reducing fees for child care? They don’t

support that either. You know what? While I have to say I’m disappointed,

I’m not surprised, because they never supported that anyway, so why would

they change now?

Now, the other thing that they’re not supporting is more complex care

housing for those most in need of mental health and substance use supports.

I heard the member for Kamloops–South Thompson talk about what’s happening

in urban centres. We all see people who are needing more supports than

traditionally have been offered. That’s being delivered in this budget, and

they’re not supporting it. What does that say about how they care about the

urban centres in our province and what they need?

The other thing that we’re doing here in this budget is we’re fighting

climate change. It’s disappointing that they don’t support fighting climate

change or mitigating against future climate-related disasters, because

that’s here in this budget. As well, growing our life sciences industry —

they’re not supporting us doing that either. They don’t think that that’s

what British Columbians need or want. Or what about more Indigenous Head

Start programs? They’re not supporting that either, by not supporting this

budget.

It’s a long list, but the last thing I do want to mention is expanding

connectivity for rural, remote and Indigenous communities. It’s so

disappointing that the members opposite do not think that that’s a good idea

for British Columbians.

[11:45 a.m.]

Now, there are other elements in this budget. I could go through them,

but I don’t have as much time as I would like, so I want to just make a

couple of other comments. This is a budget that builds a stronger economy, a

stronger environment and a stronger society.

We are continuing to protect and support British Columbians through

the pandemic. We are continuing to invest in the services that British

Columbians rely on. We are preparing and protecting British Columbians from

climate-related disasters. We are continuing to fight climate change, and we

are investing in a clean and inclusive economy, one that works for everyone

here in British Columbia. That is what British Columbians want from their

government.

I’m just going to sign off. My colleague from Burnaby North, who

chairs the Select Standing Committee on Finance….

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

She earlier commented to me today just how much this budget tracks

with what she and the committee heard from British Columbians as they toured

the province just a few months ago. In her words, she said how proud she is

of this budget. You know why? Because, she said, this is what we heard from

British Columbians, and this is their budget. With that, I am very proud to

table this budget.

I move, seconded by the hon. Premier of British Columbia, that the

Speaker do now leave the chair for the House to go into Committee of

Supply.

Motion approved on division.

Hon. L. Beare moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:47 a.m.

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