Fourth Session, 42nd Parliament

(2023) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 268

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Cycling activities and road safety

J. Sturdy

Burnaby urban search and rescue team in Türkiye earthquake response

J. Routledge

Legion Veterans Village Centre of Excellence

E. Sturko

Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in Nanaimo and Oceanside

A. Walker

Charles Elliot

( TEMOSEṈŦET )

A. Olsen

Women’s Memorial March

K. Paddon

Oral Questions

Status of Royal B.C. Museum and collections facility project

K. Falcon

Hon. L. Beare

E. Ross

Employment plan for infrastructure workers and role of LNG development

A. Olsen

Hon. B. Bailey

Hon. R. Fleming

Health worker vaccination and rehiring of staff

J. Rustad

Hon. A. Dix

Government support for rural economy and natural resource sector

L. Doerkson

Hon. R. Kahlon

T. Shypitka

Hon. B. Bailey

Tabling Documents

Office of the Auditor General, B.C.’s COVID-19 Response: Monitoring

Vaccination Coverage , February 2023

Orders of the Day

Committee of the Whole House

Bill 2 — National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act

Hon. H. Bains

G. Kyllo

M. Dykeman

A. Olsen

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2023

The House met at 10:04 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: L. Doerkson.

[10:05 a.m.]

Introductions by Members

I. Paton: It’s my pleasure today to welcome my brother-in-law, Vic Noble, who is

my wife Pam’s brother. Vic resides in North Vancouver with his family, and

his family goes way back in the forest industry with the mill they used to

have on the shores of Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver.

Please make Vic Noble, my brother-in-law, welcome today.

A. Olsen: Today I have the privilege of welcoming two constituents of mine,

Andrei Marti and his mother, Annelies, to the House. Recently Andrei was

awarded the Medal of Good Citizenship. At a young age, Andrei has already

established himself as an exceptional fundraiser, philanthropist and

change-maker. He has raised over $50,000 to date for local

charities.

Determined and creative, Andrei has raised money busking on the

streets of Victoria and turning handstands into dollars, as well as

collecting bottles and selling goods and crafts. He annually challenges

other kids to match his $500 donation to a specific charity, and he is

working to mobilize his community.

In recognition of his amazing achievements, Andrei has been awarded

the National Philanthropy Day for Youth in Philanthropy award twice and,

again, was recently awarded the Medal of Good Citizenship. Andrei has made

it part of his goal to raise awareness about type 1 diabetes, specifically

in children and youth.

Could the House please welcome Andrei and Annalise to the House and

raise our hands in gratitude for being an exceptional leader in our

community.

HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM .

K. Paddon: My guest…. I’m going to have to introduce them remotely due to

illness, but tomorrow is a very special day for them. They’re my sweet baby

boy, which I have to say on TV, because they are turning into a voter

tomorrow — sorry, an 18-year-old tomorrow. It’s their birthday.

So for my son Nic Paddon, who many people here have met…. He may have

introduced himself with a fun fact. I just would ask the House to join me in

saying a very happy birthday and a quick recovery — he’s not feeling well —

to Chilliwack-Kent’s newest voter and my adult child, Nic Paddon.

R. Russell: I have the privilege to introduce in the House — my apologies; I’ve

forgotten your last names — Mimi and Erin from the UBC AMS students group. I

appreciate their tireless advocacy on behalf of their university

students.

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

CYCLING ACTIVITIES AND ROAD SAFETY

J. Sturdy: I’m pleased to rise today to speak on the importance of cycling

safety. ICBC data shows that just over five bicycle-vehicle crashes

occur every day, and who knows how many single-operator accidents.

However, within those nearly 2,000 bicycle-vehicle collisions every

year, roughly 30 percent result in an injury, generally not to the

motorist.

Now, don’t let me scare you off with those stats. Riding a bicycle

remains one of the most enjoyable, cleanest, economic and healthiest

transportation alternatives that can be enjoyed by British Columbians

from right across this province, including in my riding of West

Vancouver–Sea to Sky, where we welcome residents and visitors to

participate in it.

At this point, I think I’d like to take the opportunity to put a

plug in. If you do already enjoy cycling, think about trying out the Sea

to Sky GranFondo, where you can enjoy a supported and controlled ride

from Stanley Park all the way to Whistler. It truly is an epic ride, and

I can testify that it will be a life memory.

[10:10 a.m.]

If your riding is of a more utilitarian nature, while many laws

govern the use of bikes in British Columbia, including most standard

traffic laws, we don’t yet have legislation which dictates how vehicle

drivers are obligated in their interactions with cyclists on the

road.

This is why the B.C. Cycling Coalition is asking this Legislature

to update the Motor Vehicle Act and implement road safety laws

establishing a minimum safe passing distance to protect cyclists. With

the increasing use of bicycles, it makes sense to join Ontario, Nova

Scotia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and

Labrador who already have minimum safe passing distance laws.

An amendment would help keep cyclists safe and support the

building of more active, mobile and sustainable communities. By setting

a minimum distance between passing vehicles and bicycles, we’re

certainly decreasing the potential for injuries and deaths, and it just

seems like the right thing to do.

BURNABY URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM

IN TÜRKIYE

EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE

J. Routledge: We’ve all been following the news about the Burnaby firefighters

who flew to Türkiye the day after a devastating earthquake to help

rescue those trapped in the collapsed buildings. They were deployed to

the city of Adiyaman.

We cheered them from afar when we heard they had successfully

pulled a woman from the rubble of a collapsed six-story building. It

took them six hours to dig her out, and then they were immediately

assigned to the next location.

They are members of the Burnaby urban search and rescue team, a

self-funded, non-profit volunteer unit. They worked with Turkish

government agencies to provide urban search, technical search, scene

stabilization and humanitarian assistance.

They arrived prepared to be self-sufficient in austere conditions

for up to nine days, living in a disaster zone in winter conditions.

They brought with them a Delsar seismic acoustic listening device. It

converts an entire collapsed structure into a large, sensitive

microphone that transmits noises and vibrations from entombed victims.

They brought search cameras, light-breaching and cutting equipment, hand

tools and a water filtration unit.

On February 10, they were reporting that over 140 people had been

rescued alive. It was assumed that there were people in every building,

and priority was being given to buildings with signs of life. By

February 12, they were working with international teams to locate and

remove deceased victims. They came home Tuesday.

Please join me in thanking firefighters Ryan Berry, Shawn

Mohammed, Rob Lee, David Parker, Brody Mackenzie, Rory Graham, Kevin

Douglas, Ryan Moon, Luke Kava­nagh, White Rock firefighter Norm

MacLeod and the many others behind the scenes who supported this

group.

LEGION VETERANS VILLAGE

CENTRE OF

EXCELLENCE

E. Sturko: Last week on Wednesday, February 8, along with the Minister of

Forests, the member for Surrey-Whalley, I had the privilege of attending

the opening of the Legion Veterans Village Centre of Excellence, which

is in the city centre of my home community in Surrey.

The Legion Veterans Village project is Canada’s first-of-its-kind

integrated centre of excellence for veterans and first responders,

focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health as well as

mixed medical and rehabilitative services. Led by the B.C. and Yukon

Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, together with the Whalley Legion

Branch 229 and the Lark Group in Surrey, B.C., this unique $312 million

two-phase multipurpose project has been ten years in the making and is

envisioned to be the first of many such projects across

Canada.

As a former member of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP, I’ve

worked side by side with soldiers and first responders who’ve been

heavily impacted by the duty they carried out for our country. I know

many who continue to battle mental and physical challenges resulting

from their service, and I’ve known and loved some who’ve lost their

battle.

The Legion Veterans Village will save lives and change the current

continuum of care for veterans, first responders and citizens in the

community that it serves.

[10:15 a.m.]

In addition to providing housing in community, the Legion Veterans

Village will generate active research, science collaborations as well as

utilize multiple innovative technologies and rehabilitation spaces, all

specifically focused on transforming care for veterans while building an

integrated continuum of programs and services for suffering veterans,

first responders and their families.

This brand-new centre of excellence will contribute to training

and research towards new practices, interventions, technologies, mental

health counselling, engineering robotics and advancements in

neuroscience.

Congratulations to all those involved in this important project,

and thank you for caring for our veterans and first responders and for

making Surrey a better place.

COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

FUNDRAISING WALK IN

NANAIMO AND OCEANSIDE

A. Walker: I rise today to speak to an issue that we all see and are all

impacted by. That’s of homelessness and precarious housing. To do this,

I want to focus on a positive and practical way that we can make a

difference.

It’s understandable that for many of us the problem can feel

overwhelming. We may not know how, as an individual, we can impact the

structural poverty, mental health and substance use challenges that are

often correlated with homelessness or the issues of family stability and

trauma that can lead to a life of vulnerability.

There is something we can all do. The Coldest Night of the Year

walk is a fun and easy way that individuals can step forward and

contribute to making real change in our community. Proceeds raised in

Nanaimo and Oceanside help fund the shelter and support programs of

Island Crisis Care Society that focus on this vulnerable population.

ICCS clients often face significant barriers to connection stemming from

adversity in their past and stigma in their present.

Funds raised go towards innovative, client-centred programming

that can address the needs, including specialized life skills and

employability programming through Project Rise and client-centred

outreach supports for people experiencing homelessness and precarious

housing at Oceanside through Oceanside outreach. The record number of

individuals, community groups and businesses stepping forward this year

to support is incredible, not only raising funds but, more importantly,

raising awareness.

At the centre of the Coldest Night of the Year is the idea of

community. Let’s work together to address the challenges faced by our

vulnerable population and help them move forward to wellbeing. Join us

Saturday, February 25, and let’s make a difference.

CHARLES ELLIOT

(TEMOSEṈŦET)

A. Olsen: Today I stand to recognize and honour my uncle,

TEMOSEṈŦET, Dr. Charles Elliott.

Charles was the pre-eminent Coast Salish artist.

When Charles started to walk his path of artistry 50 years ago,

Coast Salish art was overlooked. At that time, the museum curators had

hidden our culture into boxes and drawers. Charles helped bring it from

those dark rooms and into the light. He studied in private collections,

and he spent hours searching through the boxes and shelves. The imagery

that Charles breathed life into through his craft was inspired by the

incredible industrious innovation of his, of our, ancestors.

His ambassadors are everywhere: the Victoria Airport, the

University of Victoria and the Mary Winspear Centre. Some of his

best-known works include the design on the gold medal and his

contribution to the Queen’s Baton for the 1994 Commonwealth Games in

Victoria and a talking stick commissioned by the Duwamish Tribe and

presented to Nelson Mandela during his visit to Seattle in 1999. He was

proud of that talking stick because Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter

as was Charles.

His work rose out of the radical activism of the American Indian

Movement. Much of the political progress that Indigenous people have

achieved is rooted in a powerful generation of civil rights warriors.

Well, Rebel Chuck was one of those warriors.

Last year Charles’ life’s work was recognized with an honourary

degree of fine arts from the University of Victoria. He had a wonderful

relationship with the faculty and students at the university. I raise my

hands to UVic and to the hundreds of people who paid tribute to Charles

and brought good feelings to my family.

TEMOSEṈŦET passed away on

January 29, and we will miss the powerful contribution he made to his

family, his community and to W̱SÁNEĆ

storytelling.

HÍSW̱ḴE SIÁM .

WOMEN’S MEMORIAL MARCH

K. Paddon: On Tuesday the streets of the Downtown Eastside were filled with

family, friends and community advocates dressed in red and holding signs

commemorating their loved ones. One woman was there to honour 64 friends

and loved ones that are missing or who have been murdered. No one should

have to mourn that many loved ones in such tragic way.

[10:20 a.m.]

First held in 1992 to respond to the murder of a woman on

Vancouver’s Powell Street, the annual Women’s Me­morial March

takes place in the Downtown Eastside neigh­bour­hood on the

unceded territory of the Coast Salish people. This past Tuesday,

February 14, hundreds of people.

This past Tuesday, February 14, hundreds of people marched to

honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, trans and

two-spirit people from the Downtown Eastside and across British

Columbia. The march included speeches and ended with a community

meal.

Red has been the representative colour of missing and murdered

Indigenous women since 2010, when Métis artist Jaime Black began the

REDress Project as an art installation, which was first shown at the

University of Winnipeg in 2011. This installation is now a permanent

exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and is marked annually

with Red Dress Day on May 5 to remind us of the people in our

communities who have been taken.

As Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, I recognize that

there is much, much more to do. The urgency of this issue and the need

for progress on reconciliation and meaningful action is woven throughout

everything we do. We know that Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+

people are disproportionately vulnerable to gender-based violence due to

colonialism, discrimination, racism and other forms of systemic

oppression.

I want to take this opportunity to honour the people whose lives

have been stolen, their families and the survivors. Thank you to the

advocates, community members, families and friends, survivors and loved

ones.

We stand with you, remembering those we have lost.

Oral Questions

STATUS OF ROYAL B.C. MUSEUM

AND COLLECTIONS FACILITY

PROJECT

K. Falcon: Another day, another example of glaring NDP

incompetence.

It’s been almost a year since the NDP cabinet approved an inept

plan to shut down and demolish the Royal B.C. Museum, wanting to leave a

gaping hole for almost a decade. And let’s not forget this Premier’s

personal support for that billion-dollar vanity project. In fact, when

asked about it, he doubled down and had his office tell the media: “He

agrees with the project as well as the proposal and business

case.”

Now, fortunately, the combination of the opposition and the public

uproar forced the government to pull the plug on a project that nobody

asked for and nobody wanted, but bizarrely, the museum remains largely

boarded up, with the iconic Old Town exhibit on the third floor

remaining completely closed off. Tourists and children now get to see a

largely empty museum, depriving the province of one of its most popular

destinations.

A simple question for the Premier: will the Premier stop the

endless consultations, be a leader and reopen the museum, especially the

entire third floor, so people can finally enjoy the museum’s exhibits,

especially the Old Town, and do it now?

Hon. L. Beare: I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question,

because it’s a really great chance to talk about the Royal B.C. Museum,

which is truly special to all of us here in the House and to all British

Columbians.

We know how important…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

The minister will continue.

Hon. L. Beare: …this museum is to people and the ties that they have to it over

the years. We know how popular the third-floor exhibits have been to

people and also how problematic it has been to others, which is why the

museum is undertaking extensive consultation as we speak.

We also know that there’s an opportunity to use what’s there,

modernize it and highlight the real history of British Columbia, to tell

all the stories. I know the minister has spoken with the chair of the

museum, the CEO of the museum, and made it very clear her interest in

having the third floor open to the public with an updated story of

British Columbia.

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

K. Falcon: Well, government has taken the expression “Nothing to see here,

folks” to a whole new level.

[10:25 a.m.]

The NDP incompetence doesn’t just end with the museum itself.

Let’s talk about the disaster of the separate collections facility

project in Colwood, where the NDP wanted to temporarily relocate the

artifacts from the billion-dollar museum they were going to build over

to a new site in Colwood.

It was supposed to cost $177 million and be completed in 2024.

Surprise, surprise. Costs have already gone up by 30 percent and are

still climbing. The site remains an empty field today, even though

construction was supposed to have started last year.

You know, you’d almost think the NDP don’t know what the heck

they’re doing. There’s absolutely no chance that the delays and budget

runs are over. In fact, I’m going to make a prediction. I’ll predict

that those costs will be well over $350 million, and it will be years

behind

schedule by the time it finally gets completed.

Again, my question to the Premier: what is the current cost of the

separate collections facility project today, and will he come clean with

the public of British Columbia and admit that this is a complete and

total waste of taxpayer dollars?

Hon. L. Beare: We have over seven million artifacts at the Royal B.C. Museum.

This is our shared collective history of all of British Columbia, and

there’s global history as well.

We have the largest collection of Emily Carrs. We have dinosaurs.

We have antiquities from all across the world, seven million pieces

that…. Currently, many of them are sitting below sea level and at risk,

which is why our government made the commitment to build the collections

and research building to have a safe, modern, accessible space for

researchers, for people to view these collections and engage with these

treasures that we have.

We’re going to continue that work, and we’re very proud of

that.

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

K. Falcon: We’ll note that there was absolutely no answer to the question of

how much it’s going to cost. No surprise.

Frankly, the public of British Columbia deserves a lot more than

an empty field in Colwood and a half-empty Royal B.C. Museum. It has

been 15 months since the government abruptly closed down the Old Town on

the third floor without any public consultation, and the rationale keeps

changing constantly.

First, the former minister said: “Well it was a result of

decolonization.” Then she switched her story and said: “Exhibits like

the Old Town are full of asbestos.” Next it was seismic issues, claiming

the entire building was in imminent risk of collapsing, apparently. Now

I’m hearing the minister talk about the flood issues that they’re so

apparently concerned about. Just this week the current minister said:

“I’m not in charge of Old Town.”

It’s time for the Premier to stop with the excuses and just show

some leadership for once. When will the Premier scrap the collections

facility and commit today to immediately open up the third floor and get

Old Town open so the public can enjoy it again?

Hon. L. Beare: It’s only the B.C. Liberals who would think scrapping a protected

collection and research building and leaving the Douglas treaty at risk

is a good idea. Only the B.C. Liberals would think the largest

collection in the world of Emily Carrs being at risk of flooding due to

seismic instability…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Hon. L. Beare: …is a bad idea.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, wait for the next question, please.

The minister will continue.

Hon. L. Beare: Our government has made some very important commitments to the

public and to the people of British Columbia. We are out there. The

museum is out consulting right now with the public, with Indigenous

communities, to see what it is they want for a modern museum. We made

that commitment, and we’re doing that work. We made the commitment to

protect our treasures that we have in B.C.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

The minister will continue.

[10:30 a.m.]

Hon. L. Beare: We have made that commitment to the people of British Columbia to

protect these shared treasures, which we all hold dear. We’ve made the

commitment to the people of British Columbia to have a new, modern

museum…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Members, please.

Finish off, Minister.

Hon. L. Beare: …which shares the collective history that we all have together,

and that’s what we’re going to do.

E. Ross: The Royal B.C. Museum does hold some treasured artifacts on behalf

of all British Columbians. So it only stands to reason that it deserves

more than 15 months of incompetence. It deserves more.

None of this makes any sense. I mean, pick an excuse that you

disclosed over the last 15 months, and run with it. Pick just one, not

five or six. Your story keeps changing.

The excuse about decolonization was nothing but political

posturing by the NDP. I did question the then Tourism Minister about

this, and the story changed. They claimed it was being closed for

decolonization, and then the story became about asbestos. “Let’s blame

it on asbestos.”

Now we have the Minister of Tourism claiming that it was never

“torn down” in the first place. Now it’s about flooding.

All this started with a billion-dollar museum that nobody wanted,

nobody asked for, and then the B.C. government had to pull it back. The

truth is that the third floor of the Royal B.C. Museum remains shut

down, and nobody knows if or when it’s going to open.

A simple question to the Premier. Will he give us a straight

answer? Is the third floor of the museum going to reopen or not, and if

so, when?

Hon. L. Beare: I appreciate the question.

The members opposite should know very well the reports of asbestos

and the concerns that were had with the museum. They weren’t new. The

members of their cabinet had them as well. So I’m surprised that the

members are asking that.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members.

Hold it, Minister.

When the question was asked, courtesy was given to listen to the

question. Now let’s do the same thing to hear the answer.

Minister will continue.

Hon. L. Beare: We made a commitment to British Columbians to modernize the

museum. This was a commitment, which our Premier talked about and which

we shared with British Columbians, so that we could protect the

artifacts that we have in our collective history.

The minister has spoken with the CEO and the chair of the museum

and expressed her interest in having the third floor open. She has made

that very clear.

We are not in charge of operations of the museum. Obviously, the

chair and the CEO will make these decisions. We have made our position

clear, and we will continue to work with them so that we can find a way

to open the third floor and share our collective history in a way that

shares all of our stories.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Skeena, supplemental.

E. Ross: It seems that we’re going to continue with the mixed messages. I

only want to see what the messages could be next week. We’ve already

covered flooding, asbestos, decolonization. I don’t know what else there

is. The story keeps changing.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, you’re heckling your own member.

Member will continue.

E. Ross: I spoke out of turn here when I said that the museum was shut

down. It’s not totally shut down. The minister is offering private tours

of the third floor and claiming that Old Town remains intact. It’s

closed to the public, but it’s not closed to everybody.

This is ridiculous. This is absolutely ridiculous. After 15

months, after the public said they don’t want a billion-dollar refit….

They just want the museum to be open to the public. That’s what the

public wants. So either the third floor is unsafe or the asbestos risks

were overblown, because people are actually viewing it with private

tours, or there’s going to be a flood happening. What is it?

[10:35 a.m.]

Again to the Premier, is the third floor still intact or not, and

most importantly, when will it reopen?

Hon. L. Beare: I thank the member for the question.

This is the fifth question, and the answer hasn’t changed. I’m not

sure why the member is confused.

The minister has made it very clear that she intends to see the

third floor open.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh, Members. Members.

Please continue.

Hon. L. Beare: She’s had this conversation with the CEO and the chair. The work

was already underway for that. The RBCM was working on reopening the

third floor, when I had the portfolio a few months ago, to include an

exhibition called SUE: The T. rex Experience.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

Hon. L. Beare: This work is ongoing, and we’re going to continue doing that work.

We’re going to continue to protect our incredible collections that we

have in the museum. We’re going to continue to bring modern exhibits

like the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit that opened in

December.

This work is ongoing with the museum. We’re going to continue to

provide world-class exhibitions for people that they want to see. We’re

going to continue the work on the third floor, because we intend to see

it open.

EMPLOYMENT PLAN FOR

INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS

AND

ROLE OF LNG DEVELOPMENT

A. Olsen: I apologize for the outburst earlier, Mr. Speaker. This is quite

activating, this conversation, this whatever it is that’s going on in

here.

The recognition needs to be made by this government that our

stuff, the stuff that my uncle, which I talked about, had to go visit….

Our cultural so-called artifacts, in that place, were locked behind

closed doors. Those are not being transported out to the safe place for

storage. Those are staying in the building that’s going to fall down.

That’s what we’ve been told. So yeah, this is an activating conversation

for those of us who have sacred items locked away in the glass cases of

those museums.

The British Columbia economy experiences boom-and-bust cycles.

There are many factors, including commodity prices and access to natural

resources. The completion of four major megaprojects over the next two

years will end thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic

activity. LNG Canada, Coastal GasLink, Site C, Trans Mountain are

worth a combined $88 billion and employ 18,000 people, on average, in

northern B.C. and the Lower Mainland.

To the Premier, what’s his plan for these workers?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you to the member opposite for the question. We know how

important it is to keep people working. We’ve seen significant impacts

as mills curtail, for example, and the member’s example as well. That’s

why we’ve created the $90 million manufacturing jobs fund. It’s one

example of the work that we’re doing to ensure economic diversity in our

province.

It’s so important that people can find well-paying jobs wherever

they live in the province. It’s important to us. We’re doing that work,

and we’ll continue.

Mr. Speaker: Member, supplemental.

A. Olsen: It’s $88 billion worth of economic activity that’s being generated

by 18,000 jobs, and the minister provided a roughly $20 million response

to that. The context is way out of whack.

It’s remarkable that this B.C. NDP government is allowing the hope

of the LNG industry, an industry that they know makes no sense in a

climate emergency, to continue to burn. I imagine this is because under

their plan, these workers will be working in the handful of new LNG and

pipeline projects that are currently being speculated on in our

province.

It appears that this B.C. NDP government is poised to make fracked

gas the next forest fibre. Neither the Premier nor his ministers will

close the door on future fossil fuel expansion. We’ve given them several

opportunities just this week and before.

[10:40 a.m.]

To the Premier, is he planning on keeping these workers busy on

the handful of new gas liquefaction and pipeline projects, such as the

Enbridge project, which is currently being proposed in this

province?

Hon. R. Fleming: I appreciate the member’s question. It’s a bit perplexing, because

the projects he listed — and the job creation and the economic activity

associated with them — are all projects that, to my knowledge, he

opposed. I can tell him that the workforce, the heavy construction

workforce in this province, will be utilized, and is being utilized, on

major infrastructure projects right across British Columbia

today.

There are even workers who had been working on pipeline projects

constructing the Kicking Horse Canyon phase 4 right now. We have workers

who are working on the Broadway subway tunnel project right through

Vancouver. We have the largest capital infrastructure investment plan in

the province’s history.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Hon. R. Fleming: By investing in the skills of workers in this province, we are

creating the capacity to do even more infrastructure projects that will

develop a modern economy in the province of British Columbia.

HEALTH WORKER VACCINATION

AND REHIRING OF

STAFF

J. Rustad: I also find it interesting that the House Leader of the Green

Party was talking about all these projects that are hiring thousands and

thousands of people. One can only hope that there are additional

projects that those people will be working on.

We do have a labour problem in this province. The challenge we

have, quite frankly, is that our health care system is in a crisis, and

there are literally hundreds of workers that are needed right across

this province, professionals that are needed in our emergency rooms and

providing services in our hospitals.

A simple question to the Health Minister: when will this

government do the right thing and hire back B.C.’s health care heroes,

providers who were fired or who quit because of mandates and

disrespect?

Hon. A. Dix: As the member will know, there are 38,000 more people working in

our health care system today than there were when I became Minister of

Health. He’ll know that we have a health human resources plan with 70

actions that are dealing with recruitment. They’re dealing with pathways

for internationally educated doctors and nurses. They’re increasing the

number of spaces. They’re creating new medical schools. These are the

actions required as we need to continue to build out our health care

system to meet existing demand.

We are working with those who work in health care such as doctors,

who approved our most recent master agreement by 94 percent; resident

doctors, who approved by 98 percent; ambulance paramedics, who endorsed

this plan by 96 percent, working together.

With respect to COVID-19 requirements, the people who are treated,

for example, in our acute care hospitals in B.C. are, by definition, the

most vulnerable people in the province. There are 10,000 of them in

acute care hospitals as we speak today, 10,004. They are, as everybody

knows, after three years of this pandemic in a couple of weeks, the most

vulnerable to COVID-19 and its negative effects. It’s why British

Columbia and the provincial health officer acted to ensure that those

who work in our public health care system are vaccinated. We will

continue to do that.

The issue is not mandates; it’s COVID-19. The issue is the safety

of patients and staff. We will continue to act on that and continue to

see these decisions made by the provincial health officer, not by

politicians.

Mr. Speaker: Member for Nechako Lakes, supplemen­tal.

J. Rustad: What I find interesting is that every other province in this

country has done the right thing and removed the mandates. They’ve

removed the mandates because they know they need the health care

professionals in the system.

It’s great that the Health Minister is talking about all these

improvements to the system, but the priority should be patients, not a

system. The priority needs to be to make sure that we get the

professionals we need to be able to provide those services for

patients.

[10:45 a.m.]

Once again, when will this government come to the realization that

patients should be at the centre of health care, not the system, and

hire back B.C.’s health care heroes?

Hon. A. Dix: That decision was made with patients in mind. One of the reasons

why I think…. Everybody in B.C. deserves credit for this — not the

Minister of Health, not someone else but everybody in B.C. B.C.’s

COVID-19 response was amongst the best in the world was because we acted

with unprecedented speed to support patients and health care workers. It

is patients in our hospitals.

I can tell you from personal experience, with our family, how

vulnerable patients are in long-term care, residents are in long-term

care, how vulnerable patients are in acute care hospitals.

To take action when people are at their most vulnerable, when

they’re being treated for cancer and heart disease and other questions.

To take actions to protect them from the effects of a pandemic that has

affected the entire world and killed people in the thousands in B.C., in

the millions across the world.

To take action — yes, B.C. was the only province in Canada to take

this action. Yes, B.C. led the way, and we’re going to continue to do

so.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR RURAL

ECONOMY AND NATURAL

RESOURCE SECTOR

L. Doerkson: Let’s talk for a moment about the Premier’s caucus of chaos and

their latest insults to British Columbians.

During throne speech debate this week, the Premier’s appointed

Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development had some very disparaging

things to say. He said that supporting our natural resource sector was

“uninspiring,” and worse, he said “a vision for what rural communities

were 100 years ago.” Frankly, it’s unbelievable to me that a person the

Premier has personally picked to fight for rural B.C. has just given up

and says he thinks it’s uninspiring.

Our natural resources and industries have supported the

livelihoods of generations of hard-working British Columbians, including

many people who used to vote for the NDP. Whether it’s forestry, natural

gas, mining, hydro, ranching, you name it, you just don’t seem to

care.

Will the Premier stand up today, publicly reject these ridiculous

and insulting comments from his point person for rural B.C. and tell him

to do his job and start fighting for our natural resource sector,

instead of insulting resource workers from across this

province?

Hon. R. Kahlon: You will not find many people that are as strong an advocate for

rural communities as you will as the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural

Development in British Columbia.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh.

Members, Members. Members.

Okay, Members.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: We hear from mayors, from chambers, from local government

officials all across B.C. who want to see more economic development in

rural communities. Yes, resource development is important. No one is

denying that resource development is important. It is critically

important.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

The minister will continue.

Hon. R. Kahlon: Hon. Speaker, we could do more. We can have advanced manufacturing

in rural communities. We have tech companies in rural communities. Rural

communities are not just resource development. Rural communities are a

whole host of economic development.

[10:50 a.m.]

Perhaps the narrow definition of what “economic development” in

rural communities is, from this member, is the problem. We’re going to

continue to make investments to diversify our economy, to diversify

economic development opportunities in rural communities. We believe

rural economies can be more than just resource development. They can be

a whole host of other initiatives. We’ve announced many things. We’re

going to announce many more.

T. Shypitka: It’s a great day today in the Legislature when we hear members of

the Green Party celebrate and recognize economic activities that our

natural resource brings and the minister to double down with his own lip

service of the same. But sadly enough, our Premier is ashamed. He’s

ashamed of our resource sector, and there’s no question about

it.

Last month, during his keynote address at the Natural Resource

Forum in Prince George, he couldn’t even bring himself to mention the

initials LNG. In his first 90 days, he managed to lose 12,000

manufacturing and natural resource jobs.

What does the Premier’s parliamentary secretary have to say to

those workers that lost their jobs? “Oh well. You’re too uninspiring and

too last century for us.” News flash to the Premier: these are not

sunset industries.

Why on earth should any worker in forestry, mining or natural gas

trust a Premier who is ashamed of the work they do to pay the bills in

this province?

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you for the question, but nothing could be further from the

truth.

Our natural resources sector…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Shhh. Members.

Members, let’s hear the answer.

Hon. B. Bailey: …is so important to our economy, and it’s so important to

us.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. B. Bailey: I had the opportunity to attend the Natural Resources Forum in

Prince George and met firsthand with many workers in the sector. We met

with folks who were impacted by mill curtailment, and we’re talking to

them about what their needs are.

It’s so important that we provide supports, and we’re doing that:

$185 million in last year’s budget specifically to support workers,

things like bridging to retirement and skills training. Skills training

— so important, so important.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, Members, wait.

Hon. B. Bailey: We know that we need….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members.

The minister will conclude.

Hon. B. Bailey: We know that we need to ensure that there are well-paying jobs in

these communities, and we’re doing that work in a number of different

ways. The jobs manufacturing plan is one example, the $90

million.

But I want to tell you what is inspiring, Mr. Speaker. What is

inspiring is the work of my colleague the parliamentary secretary who

created the REDIP program. The REDIP program was a result

of….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, enough.

Minister, please conclude.

Hon. B. Bailey: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

My colleague the parliamentary secretary on this file worked very

closely with rural communities to create the REDIP program. It’s an

excellent program, funded at $35 million. He met with people throughout

the regions to design this program. It’s been well overprescribed, and

I’m hearing from staff that the applications are excellent. He does

great work. I’m very proud to call him a colleague.

[End of question period.]

Tabling Documents

Mr. Speaker: Members, I have the honour of tabling the Auditor General report

B.C.’s COVID-19 Response: Moni­toring Vaccination

Coverage .

Hon. R. Kahlon: I’ve had an opportunity to hear from members across this House about

how we need to reform private members’ time and private member

bills.

Mr. Speaker, I seek leave to move a motion with respect to an

appointment of a special committee to review private members’

business.

Leave not granted.

Orders of the Day

Hon. R. Kahlon: We call Committee of the Whole on Bill 2.

Mr. Speaker: The House will be in recess for five minutes.

The House recessed at 10:55 a.m.

Committee of the Whole House

BILL 2 — NATIONAL DAY FOR

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

ACT

The House in Committee of the Whole on Bill 2;

S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.

The committee met at 11 a.m.

On clause 1.

The Chair: All right, hon. Members, I’d like to call this committee into

session.

Of course, we’re on clause 1, but I want to recognize the

minister in case you want to make any opening remarks or introduce

your staff.

Hon. H. Bains: It is with great honour that I stand here today. We are doing

Committee of the Whole on a bill that is probably going to be the

highlight of this House for a long time to come. I think there’s a lot

of work that went behind it. It was asked by the Truth and

Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation No. 80.

I think it is a great time for us to talk about the details of

this bill, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the questions might be.

But I can tell you it is a great honour to be here to talk about the

details of this bill and how we are going to use this day as a lasting

reconciliation, at the same time honouring the resilience of our First

Nations, their strength, and remembering the children who never came

home.

G. Kyllo: It certainly gives me a great amount of pride to be able to rise

in the House today to speak in committee stage on Bill 2, the

recognition of National Truth and Reconciliation Day. As the minister

has indicated, a very important day, a monumental day across Canada. I

think it is incredibly important that B.C. follow other provinces and

territories in recognizing September 30 as a public stat

holiday.

The bill is probably the smallest bill, the shortest piece of

legislation, that I have actually seen in this House. Although

previously I’ve gone at great lengths to inquire with the minister on

other pieces of legislation, this piece of legislation is truly one, I

think, that all members of this House will be in support of. It is very

simplistic.

With that, hon. Chair, I have no questions with respect to this

piece of legislation and certainly want to acknowledge my support for

this very important day.

M. Dykeman: This is such an important bill, and I believe that we need to have

a really fulsome discussion about it, because it’s something that

matters to people in my constituency. I believe that this is a great

opportunity to have a long conversation about the development of the

bill and give it the deference that deserves.

My question is related to the consultation. I was wondering if the

minister could provide some details about the consultation. Who was

consulted? What was discussed? What were the points that people wanted

to really dig in on? Sort of start with that process, because I think

that’s something that’s really important for the people of British

Columbia to understand.

[11:05 a.m.]

Hon. H. Bains: I want to thank the member. It is impor­tant for us to talk

about this: what brought us here today, how we came up with this

bill.

My recollection, having discussions on the government side, was

that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation No. 80

talks about having a day as a statutory holiday. As you know, the

federal government went ahead with it, but that applied to only

federally regulated workers, and there are not that many in British

Columbia when you compare to all those that come under B.C.

jurisdiction.

We went with two streams of consultations. One was through the

Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. The consultation

with the First Nations — that ministry took that responsibility. I will

go over, for your next question, how we went about it and who was

consulted. But then we, as the Ministry of Labour, took on the area of

employers and employees, the workers, their representatives.

I could give you more information about what the results of those

consultations were and who we consulted. It was driven by then Premier

John Horgan. I guess I can name him here now. Or maybe I could still

say…

Deputy Speaker: Not yet, Member. Not yet.

Hon. H. Bains: …ex-Premier, the member from Juan de Fuca.

He said: “Look, we want to make sure that we do it right. Who

would know the right answer to that? That would be our First Nations and

Indigenous people in British Columbia.” So we wanted to go out and talk

to them and ask them what it is that they would like us to do to make

this a day that would be commemorative, that would be a day where we

recognize and honour the strength and resilience of our First Nations

who went through a lot, through history, as we all know, and also

remember the children who never came home.

I think those are the themes: how we will make this day really

meaningful, and that will lead us to add to the lasting reconciliation

that we really wanted to do.

[11:10 a.m.]

Member, I could go on, on that, but I think that is the theme.

That’s what brought us here and how the consultation took place. But if

the member has a question about who we consulted, how we consulted and

who consulted them…. Perhaps, if members have that question, then I

could answer that question.

M. Dykeman: I appreciate the minister’s answer. When this bill was coming

forward, I heard from members of the First Nations community,

constituents who had lots of questions about the consultation. They

wanted to know, as the minister has mentioned, who was consulted, how

long the consultation was, what it looked like, what topics were

covered.

I just want to say that it’s important to have this on the record.

I’m actually surprised. Although this is my first term as MLA, I’ve

never seen a committee where there have been no questions about

something so important. I think that it’s important to have that on the

record, because I think the people of British Columbia would like to

know this. Minimizing something as straightforward when it’s so

important and affects so many people and is so instrumental in

reconciliation is concerning and quite saddening.

But yes, Minister. I was wondering if you could please explain a

little bit more of exactly who was consulted, how long the consultation

took place and what the themes of those consultations were.

Hon. H. Bains: As I said, the calls to action are based on statements provided by

over 6,000 residential school survivors between 2006 and

In April and May of 2022, the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and

Reconciliation completed a targeted, time-limited consultation with

Indigenous partners and communities to understand, as I have said

earlier, if there’s support for designating September 30 as a provincial

statutory holiday. That was the main, I think, driver behind where the

government wants to be, because we knew early on that to do it right, it

must be Indigenous-driven. For people of Indigenous…. Those are the

people who would be guiding us, if there’s support for September 30, to

designate it as a provincial statutory holiday.

[11:15 a.m.]

The second, about the way in which the National Day for Truth and

Reconciliation could be observed. You could agree, but then how do you

observe it? That’s more important to me because the day is designated.

It’s not just another day for us to go to the beach or to enjoy our

family at a park. It has to be real and meaningful behind what this day

is all about. That’s why it was important to consult as widely as you

could and talk to as many people, especially Indigenous communities.

“How do we observe that day? What happens on those days?” My expectation

is that different communities will have different ways to

commemorate.

The theme behind all of that would be remembering those children

who never came home, remembering what happened, how they were taken

away, remembering what those parents must have gone through. We all have

children — at least, most of us. Imagine a five- or six-year-old. A

government agent comes in and just takes your child away from you.

Imagine. It happened — not one family, not two families but so many

families. That’s why it is important what the intent is behind this

particular day.

We have stat holidays in B.C. This will make it 11. We had ten

before. Remembrance Day is one that comes to mind. It is different than

all other days. This is where communities come together — young, old,

school children, those who are not working and workers. They go to their

neighbouring cenotaph, and then they talk about the history — wars, our

veterans, how many of them never came back. Many came back with physical

and mental scars that never went away. We talk about it. That’s what we

do there. We pay respect to them, who risked their lives and gave their

lives, sacrifices on our behalf so we could live a free life, the

quality of life we have today.

It’s similar. Not exactly, but those would be the themes behind

September 30. I’m hoping that there will be storytelling by our Elders,

that there will be the young, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, coming

and listening to those stories and talking about what kind of future —

learning from the past — this British Columbia and this world should

have. That’s my hope. That’s what our government’s hope is.

I’m sure everyone on both sides of the House understands that, the

importance of that day. So remember, that’s what was behind the need for

consultation. I can tell you those were the months, April and May. I can

give you a list, but there’s a lot more. I could probably give you more

information, if you have the next question.

For example, what Indigenous organization representatives were

consulted? You asked that question, so here. The Ministry of Indigenous

Relations and Reconciliation consulted key Indigenous partners at the

provincial level, including Reconciliation Canada, the Orange Shirt

Society, the First Nations Leadership Council, Métis Nation B.C., UBC’s

Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre.

Government also engaged with many First Nations investigating the

sites of former Indian residential schools and Indian hospitals,

recognizing their unique role in documenting the history of residential

schools in B.C. These formal consultations were supplemented by targeted

discussions with individuals who have known interest to have an active

and visible role in public education on this issue.

[11:20 a.m.]

We wanted to talk to everyone who has any knowledge and those who

experienced, those who have members of their families who experienced,

the survivors. That’s what we did with this part of the consultation,

but I have more. If the member would like to delve into more and who and

what, I think I could give you that answer as well.

M. Dykeman: I have one more question in this area, and then I have another

area I’d like to move on to.

Thank you for that really thorough answer. One of the questions

that I get a lot from constituents in my community and others that I

have the opportunity to speak to when I’m out at events is about the

comment you made about targeted consultation.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to ask these questions in

committee. I think committee stage is so important for people to ask

questions, because it does give us an opportunity to get information to

the public. I mean, these are important conversations. It’s important

for people to understand how this legislation comes forward, how we pass

bills. I think that it’s unfortunate there aren’t more questions coming

forward on such an important subject.

I believe that one of the things that comes up the most often in

my community is how the people who are consulted, the targeted

consultations…. How does that happen? What’s the process that goes into

identifying who you’ll consult with? As you know, our province is large,

and there are lots of different people that play important

roles.

One of the questions I hear from people, and I used to hear this

at school board too, is: how do you decide who you’re going to consult

with, and how do you put together those lists, then what’s the process

in developing that list? I was wondering if you could expand on that a

little bit. It’s a question I’ve been asked quite a bit.

The Chair: Of course, questions or answers are through the

Chair.

Hon. H. Bains: My apologies that I neglected to introduce my staff, who are here

to help me out with many of these tough questions.

Interjection.

Hon. H. Bains: With that kind of reaction from the House Leader, maybe I should

ignore that still.

I have my deputy minister Trevor Hughes with me, Michael Tanner

and Lydia Zucconi. She’s from the labour policy and legislation branch.

I just want to say thank you.

Also, before I answer the question, there are some children in the

gallery. First of all, I want to say welcome. This is where we debate

very important issues that impact you, your parents, your neighbors,

your school. Here is another one of those examples, what we’re doing

here today.

So that you know what we are talking about here today, our

neighbours, our Indigenous people, people that were here forever before

any one of us came…. We’re talking about the history, what they went

through when the settlers first came and how their children — your age,

a younger age — were taken away from them and put in residential

schools, and many of them never came back.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed by the federal

government, after consultation, with the recommendation that we should

set aside September 30 as a statutory holiday in Canada. The federal

government did that, but that applies only to workers who are federally

regulated, like banks and airlines.

[11:25 a.m.]

But British Columbian workers, or the majority of them, did not

enjoy the statutory holiday. So this is what we are doing here,

declaring September 30 as a statutory holiday so that we can gather on

that day and talk about the history and what went on and the history

behind residential schools, the impact on our Indigenous communities and

those children who, some of them, never came home. It’s so that we never

repeat that history ever again, never let that happen again.

That’s the debate going on, on the third stage of that bill. If it

passes, it will become law in British Columbia that September 30, which

was Pink Shirt Day, which we all celebrated in the past

anyway….

Interjection.

Hon. H. Bains: I’m sorry. Orange Shirt Day. That’s what we celebrated in the

past, in commemoration of the past injustices, and that’s the day we are

picking. It was a date that was recommended by the Truth and

Reconciliation Commission.

The debate is going on. Questions are being asked, why and how we

got here, so that you understand what we are doing here. Thank you, and

I hope you will…. This could be boring, but bear with us. It’s a

necessary part to do.

Now, coming back to the question that was being asked. Member, the

consultation with Indigenous communities was the responsibility of the

Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. They made that

recommendation, and that’s what we’re doing.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I seek leave to make an introduction.

Leave granted.

Introductions by Members

Hon. M. Farnworth: I appreciate the comments that the minister was making to those

students in the gallery, but I also think it’s important, for the record,

that the school they represent and their teachers are actually mentioned in

the official record.

Visiting us today in the gallery and listening to the debate were a group of students from

Eagle View Elemen­tary School and their teacher, Ryan Nast. They are

24 grade 4 and 5 students, along with five adults. I’d ask the House to make

them most welcome.

Debate Continued

M. Dykeman: Thank you for that very thorough answer. I have another question,

which is changing direction a little bit. One of the things that has

come up over and over again through the conversation about recognizing

this important day….

I truly am so thrilled that we are at this stage and moving

forward to responding to call to action 80 to honour survivors and their

families and communities, and that we are ensuring that there is this

public commemoration of the history of residential schools and a

recognition of the trauma to Indigenous peoples. It is a vital, vital

part of the reconciliation process.

One of the concerns that I’ve heard from constituents, from

members of First Nations communities and from many youths, actually,

about this is that by creating a stat holiday — the concern is around

that — there may not be the recognition; that it will become another day

off; that there won’t be opportunities for people to learn about the

history, recognize and reflect on the trauma in the history of

residential schools; that it would just be treated as another day

off.

I’ve heard from teachers, also, that feel that it would be better

if this was going on in schools, that this was something in schools.

Listening to the information provided by the minister, that’s something

that I believe has been thought about. I know that there are several

residential school survivors and conversations and events.

[11:30 a.m.]

I’m wondering. In the development of this bill and through the

consultation, could you, so it’s on the record, explain what that

conversation looked like? What sort of information was brought forward

by First Nations communities on how this day can be protected from

becoming simply a day off and one where our society has the opportunity

to reflect? What were the First Nations leaders in this area’s ideas on

how to enshrine this as a very important day and an opportunity,

especially for youth, to learn about the history of this?

It’s something that has come up many times in my constituency and

something that I think is very important. I’m wondering if the minister

could provide us with that information.

At the conclusion of this question, I know that my colleague from

North Coast has some questions, although I probably could drone on for

another hour. I have at least ten other questions I’d love to ask. I

know that my colleague from North Coast has some questions they would

like to ask also.

Hon. H. Bains: Member, the Indigenous communities and partners have been very

clear that this day should be approached with a sense of reverence,

humility and respect. I mean, that’s just the beginning. The strong

support that we see amongst Indigenous leaders for creating a statutory

holiday is based on the belief that this day can create a better

understanding and that it can contribute to a culture of remembrance and

commemoration.

Orange Shirt Day is a grassroots movement that grew out of work to

commemorate the history and harmful legacy of St. Joseph Mission near

Williams Lake. We know that these events are most meaningful and

impactful when they are survivor-driven and community-led. It is

important that we create opportunity to amplify the voices of survivors

and their families so that they have opportunities to share their

experience in their own words.

Here is what we received from the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs

Chiefs council, a letter saying exactly that. I will read

you….

[11:35 a.m.]

I think it’s important that it goes on record what our Indigenous

partners have been saying when we were talking about whether to have

September 30 as a statutory holiday. This is in regards to provincial

statutory holidays, National Day for Truth and

Reconciliation.

“Whereas the Truth and Reconciliation Commission call to action No.

80 called on the federal government to establish, as a statutory

holiday, a national day for truth and reconciliation to honour survivors

and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of

residential school remains a vital component of the reconciliation

process.

“Whereas in June 2021 the federal government passed Bill C-5,

An Act

to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the

Interpretation Act and the

Canada Labour Code to designate September 30 as the National Day for

ruth and Reconciliation and make it a federal statutory

holiday.

“Whereas the creation of a new provincial statutory holiday in B.C.

requires changes to provincial employment standards through legislation

or regulation, the province of B.C. made a commitment to engage

residential school survivors and Indigenous partners and communities on

whether to make this a statutory holiday in B.C. and how September 30

should be observed each year in B.C.

“Whereas the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous

qualifications and has, alongside the government of B.C., committed to

implement, affirms

“Article 7(2): Indigenous peoples have the collective right to live

in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples and shall not be

subjected to any act of genocide or any other act of violence, including

forcibly removing children of the group to another group.

“Article 8(2): States shall provide effective mechanisms for

prevention of and redress for (

a) any action which has the aim or effect

of depriving them of their integrity as distinct peoples or of their

cultural values or ethnic identities; (

b) any action which has the aim

or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or

resources; (

c) any form of forced population transfer which has the aim

or effect of violating or undermining any of their rights; (

d) any form

of forced assimilation or integration.

“Article 15(1): Indigenous peoples have the right to the dignity and

diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations,

which shall be appropriately reflected in education and public

information.

“15(2): States shall take effective measures, in consultation and

cooperation with the Indigenous peoples concerned, to combat prejudice

and eliminate discrimination and to promote tolerance, understanding and

good relations among Indigenous peoples and all other segments of

society; and

“Whereas First Nations have advised the province of B.C. that the

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation should be marked by

reflection, truth-telling and remembrance for all British Columbians,

including the Crown, while honouring and upholding the resilience and

strength of residential school survivors, veterans and intergenerational

survivors.

“Therefore,

be it resolved that UBCIC Chiefs council fully support

making September 30 a provincial statutory holiday through changes to

legislation and/or regulation made in consultation and cooperation with

Indigenous people.

“Therefore, be it further resolved that UBCIC Chiefs council call

upon all British Columbians and Canadians to support this call to action

and to stand with survivors and Indigenous people on September 30 in the

spirit of truth and reconciliation.

“Therefore, be it further resolved that UBCIC Chiefs council call

upon the province of B.C. to make meaningful investment in public

education, commemoration and remembrance, events, sites, memorials and

other initiatives that are planned by Indigenous people.

“Therefore, we have finally resolved that UBCIC Chiefs council call

on the entire B.C. public and private sector to create plans to

acknowledge truth and reconciliation on September 30 and educate their

staff in advance of the holiday.

[11:40 a.m.]

“Moved by Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, Tk’emlups te Secwepemc.

“Seconded by Chief John Powell, Mamalilikulla First Nation.

“Disposition: carried.

“Date: June 2, 2022.”

I apologize for mispronunciation.

That’s the theme behind what the First Nations have told us, after

the consultation took place.

My hope is, and the government’s hope is, that we comply with the

intent and the direction that we are receiving from our First Nations

and Indigenous partners because we want to make this day truly

memorable, truly to honour the survivors, the communities and remember

those children.

A. Olsen: The minister has referred in the responses today and also the

Minister of Indigenous Relations referred to some negotiation that was

ongoing with the Minister of Heritage, the federal government, with

respect to some potential funding that could be available for

communities to engage in this day in the right way, in a good

way.

The minister referred to ensuring that the spirit of this day be

clear. I just want to ask the minister if there’s any intention, from

the provincial government, in ensuring that there are resources

available to communities across the province that could have a terms of

reference that would then allow for the provincial government to ensure

that the day of reflection that this should be is going to be assured?

Or is this just going to be sort of a free-for-all for everybody to kind

of determine whatever it is that they feel about this day from the

outset, starting on September 30, 2023?

Hon. H. Bains: Thank you, Member, for the question. I’m advised that the Ministry

of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation has been working very closely

with their federal counterparts and has learned that the federal

government has agreed that there is a $10,000 grant available to

different community groups. That could be municipalities, Indigenous

groups, up to $10,000.

[11:45 a.m.]

Again, we need to work together with the federal government and

these community groups to make sure that we do it right, to make sure we

respect the intention and the direction that comes from the Indigenous

partners. How do we commemorate this day? How do we remember the past

wrongdoings? I think it will take time. I mean, I’m a realist; it’ll

take time. To create a culture for that particular day will take time,

but I think we want to start on the right footing if we can.

The federal government has already committed a certain amount.

They are also committed to September 30, as you know, and they are also

committed to lasting truth and reconciliation. What model is it going to

be? What kind of day will it be? I think if you keep in mind what is

being told by our Indigenous partners, as to how they would like to see

this day’s commemoration go and how these events will take place, and if

we could start on the right footing, we will have a lot more to build

on, then, as we go forward.

A. Olsen: It appears that members of this House are supportive of this bill.

I guess I just want to urge some caution here that we are getting

dangerously close to what this institution has done for decades: to take

advantage of Indigenous people and their experiences with the colonial

and Crown governments for the purposes of the colonial and Crown

governments.

We are in this unique situation today where members of the

government are asking their own ministers questions — not because of a

legitimate reason that we want to get to these answers. This never

happens in this House. We are here because the Government House Leader

attempted to table a bill in the spirit of debating private members’

bills, to put together a special committee to do that. Leave was not

granted, and the statement was: “We’re doing this because there’s a

genuine interest from the government to debate private members’

bills.”

The project has been ongoing for the last year and a half, but all

of a sudden, due to events that happened last night, it’s now a

priority. The intention of getting private members’ bills debated was a

genuine intention, to ensure that this House operates properly for all

members. That didn’t happen. So now we are going to be, potentially,

debating this bill that the members of this House agree on.

As I said in my second reading speech to this bill, every time

this conversation happens, every time we get to September 30, Orange

Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, that is not a day

of celebration; that is a day of pain, of suffering, of reopening

wounds. That’s not a day of the past; that’s a day of the current

generation, who has experienced intergenerational trauma.

If the government was genuine about private members’ bills, there

are private members’ bills on the order paper today that could replace

this debate. I recognize we’re getting very close to lunchtime. My

sincere hope is that we do not return after lunch to debate this bill on

and on, when the members of this House agree that it should move forward

and should be passed.

[11:50 a.m.]

The Minister of Indigenous Relations in his second reading

speech…. I think that we had several second reading speeches identifying

the importance of this bill. I just urge caution that we do not use this

bill because of House management, whatever the members of this place

might consider it to be — good, bad, indifferent — to just debate this

ad nauseam when there is already agreement.

Let’s ensure that we are respectful to the issue, and I’m not

suggesting that the minister has been disrespectful to the issue. The

minister has not been disrespectful to the issue. The minister is simply

doing what the minister has been asked to do. The Minister of Indigenous

Relations has been very respectful. The members who have been asked to

stand up and ask questions, my colleagues from the government side, have

been respectful.

What I’m urging caution and what I’m making warning about is that

if we spend 4½ hours debating this bill because the Crown institution

can’t manage the legislative calendar, their own legislative agenda,

that is bordering on disrespectful, and I just urge caution in that

regard.

Hon. H. Bains: First of all, let me say this: everyone is genuinely serious and

respectful about this bill in this House. That’s why the discussion

should take place. I believe in that. If there was no discussion, then

we would be seen as if we’re just rushing through and somehow

diminishing the importance of this bill and the day that we are talking

about. I’m saying that there were good questions.

Interjections.

The Chair: Members. Members, can we have some order here, please? Thank

you.

Hon. H. Bains: That’s not showing respect, when you’re heckling on a bill that is

so important to all of us. You’re heckling me, just saying how

respectful we should be.

Interjections.

Hon. H. Bains: The government’s action is to declare September 30 as the Truth

and Reconciliation Day, and that’s what everyone is talking about here.

So without getting too much into it, it is an important bill. Important

discussions are taking place.

Looking at the time, I move the committee rise, report progress

and seek leave to sit again.

Motion approved.

The committee rose at 11:52 a.m.

The House resumed; Mr. Speaker in the chair.

The Committee of the Whole, having reported progress, was granted

leave to sit again.

Hon. M. Farnworth moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1 p.m. today.

The House adjourned at 11:53 a.m.

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