Second Session, 42nd Parliament

(2021) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Monday, April 26, 2021

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 57

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

Utilization of pharmacists

R. Merrifield

M. Starchuk

Pandemic support champions

R. Russell

T. Shypitka

Veterinarian shortage

I. Paton

A. Singh

The power of hope during the third wave

B. Anderson

K. Kirkpatrick

Private Members’ Motions

Motion 5 — Support for communities during COVID-19

T. Halford

M. Dykeman

D. Ashton

J. Brar

L. Doerkson

J. Rice

M. Lee

J. Sims

T. Wat

H. Yao

T. Stone

MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021

The House met at 10:02 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers and reflections: R. Russell.

Orders of the Day

Private Members’ Statements

UTILIZATION OF PHARMACISTS

R. Merrifield: The first time that my baby ran a fever, I panicked. I’d always

heard of your baby getting sick, but my son was lethargic, red, sweaty,

and his skin was so hot to the touch. It was the middle of the night. My

husband was working out of town. So I ran down to the 24-hour pharmacy

in my city, taking my little 9-month-old baby with me. Desperate, I went

to the pharmacy counter to ask which of the fever medications would be

the most effective for his type of fever.

[S. Chandra Herbert in the chair.]

I don’t know if it was the panic in my eyes, the quiet lethargy of

my incredibly feverish baby, or the description of how I had been

fighting the fever to date, but with the utmost sympathy he looked at me

and said: “I would give your baby this one, but I would take him to the

hospital if his fever doesn’t break.”

That night I put my baby in a tepid bath and gave the medication

that was recommended. When his fever didn’t break, it was that

pharmacist’s voice that was echoing inside of my mind. I took him to the

hospital. It turned out he was sicker than I’d thought. He required a

few overnights in the hospital in order to get him the treatment he

required.

[10:05 a.m.]

The pharmacist that night probably saved my baby’s life. It’s the

same pharmacist who works around the clock, who monitors our medications

and side effects, who often manages the pharmacy as a small business

owner and who’s the one we trust with all of our medication needs and

questions.

Pharmacists are medication experts and play a critical role in

helping people get the best results from their medications. Pharmacists

prepare and dispense prescriptions, ensure medicines and doses are

correct, prevent harmful drug interactions and counsel patients on the

safe and appropriate use of their medications. They have specialized

expertise in the composition of medicines, including their chemical,

biological and physical properties, as well as their manufacture and

use.

Other health care professionals rely on pharmacists to select and

administer medications that offer the best results and quality of life

for a particular patient — all this, and they know our names when we

come through their doors. That’s because pharmacists are also the most

accessible health care professionals and have continued to be so during

this pandemic, since most people in B.C. live within two kilometres of a

pharmacy. There are 1,440 of them across B.C. They are often the closest

medical resource to B.C. residents.

We trust our pharmacists with our nine-month-old babies, as well

as our 90-year-old parents, and go each year to them to receive our

influenza vaccinations. This last fall pharmacists were asked to

accomplish a mission impossible: get over one million flu vaccines into

British Columbians’ arms in six weeks. They rose to the challenge and

succeeded.

Just recently we did it again. We gave them 48,000 AstraZeneca

vaccines that had 48 hours until expiration, and they rose to the

challenge. Some pharmacists had lineups around the block when people

heard, and those pharmacists stayed until every eligible arm was given

the opportunity for the vaccines on hand.

They did this without a contract, without knowing what amount they

were going to receive, how the details were going to work out — and many

at their own cost. I just want to remind you. We gave them those

vaccines on the Wednesday before Good Friday, which would have been a

holiday for many. What business owner would do that? Why wouldn’t they

just refuse the vaccines? Well, it’s because they are health care

professionals and because they have been at the forefront of this

pandemic with minimal PPE, always providing their own, having to pivot

during a pandemic and modify their own spaces for COVID safety while

remaining open at all times.

They know the people that come through their doors, and they know

that they are giving more than just a medication or a vaccine. They are

giving quality of life and, now, hope. Why is this an issue at all?

Surely our mass vaccination clinics are more than enough. But we only

have hundreds of vaccine clinics across B.C., and we have thousands of

pharmacies.

We also know that we have been warned. This is our new normal.

We’re going to have to have two doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the next

six months, and we’ll likely need boosters from that point forward. This

may be our reality for years. It’s a little-known fact that the virus

that causes the Spanish flu still is amongst us today. How many years

will it take us to get full natural immunity against COVID-19? No one

knows.

We need our pharmacies — and more than that, we need our

pharmacists — to fully participate in the mass vaccination efforts of

this round of vaccines, as well as the next and the next. Why? Well,

it’s because more vaccines are coming. We’ve been promised, by the

federal government, that B.C. will have six million by June 30. That’s

only 65 days from now. That means that we have 4.5 million vaccines to

still get into arms. We need to be giving 68,500 per day on every single

day from now until June 30 to get all of those out into British

Columbians.

[10:10 a.m.]

Our best day so far is 42,000. That’s only the doses that we know

about. What about the Johnson and Johnson arriving this week, more doses

from the States? What if that number increases? We haven’t even really

started on the second doses or the booster shots.

The other reason we need our pharmacies is that they can deliver

the vaccine in more places closer to where people live. They can also

deliver it less expensively than the mass clinics. They are more

expeditious, less expensive to the taxpayer and give better, more

personal service.

Pharmacists and pharmacies are the best bet we have. They have

been with us through every baby’s fever as well as through all the times

our health has been at its worst. They’ve supported us with our flu

vaccines and have been the most accessible health care provider, even

during this pandemic. Like many other front-line workers, they’ve made

sacrifices to our businesses, and we need to set up our pharmacies for

success.

M. Starchuk: Thanks to the member for Kelowna-Mission for this subject. The

B.C. government is currently underway with the largest immunization

effort in the province’s history. As of this morning, 1,542,066 British

Columbians have been vaccinated. This is because of the extraordinary

and dedicated work of the health care professionals and the health care

workers across B.C. and the desire of people across B.C. to be

immunized. I’m enthusiastic about this effort, excited to see each

person share their story of vaccination and the impacts of vaccines on

them, and extremely proud of the work of our public health officials in

what they’re doing.

The first story is that of a senior who was moving from Campbell

River to West Kelowna. She was very anxious about this long move during

a pandemic. When the vaccine rollout finally reached her age category,

she signed up and received her first dose of Pfizer mid-March. Weeks

later, with all of her stuff packed up, she made the long journey with

her son to West Kelowna. She was relieved and way less stressed now that

she had her first dose. She could finally see the light at the end of

the tunnel — or in this case, the light at the end of the

Coquihalla.

This senior, by the way, was my mom, Flo. I was her driver. It was

a long and enjoyable trip, and now she’s living next door to my sister

Steph and her husband, Steve. She looks forward to a time when it’s safe

to travel and to see those great-grandchildren that she has never

met.

We’re delivering on our promise to move quickly to get vaccines to

people who have been patiently waiting for them. When AstraZeneca was

approved, Immunize B.C. began planning a partnership with our community

pharmacies throughout B.C. to offer that AstraZeneca vaccine to those

who are currently eligible to receive it.

That partnership launched on

March 31 in the Lower Mainland and then was expanded to other health

care regions. By working alongside pharmacists, we’ve been able to get

more vaccines to people who need them. This is in addition to the mass

immunization clinics that offer vaccine to people through our

foundational age-based approach and the AstraZeneca clinics in 13

high-transmission communities.

When we talk about the immunization clinics that offer vaccines to

people through our foundational age-based approach, I must take the time

to speak about my former colleagues from the Surrey fire service. I’m

happy to see that the Pfizer vaccine was made available to them weeks

ago, and now those everyday heroes are seen in a different light, as

there are 12 firefighters working each day in three different

immunization clinics in Surrey seven days a week.

Right now anyone born in 1981 or earlier can make a vaccine

appointment at a participating pharmacy. There are currently more than

600 pharmacies offering this vaccine across the province. As of April

21, the province had administered over 178,489 doses to people primarily

over the age of 55. The majority of these vaccinations of

Astra­Zeneca have been delivered by a pharmacist.

Through our age-based program, everyone in B.C. who is eligible

will be able to get their first dose by July 1. Our partnership with the

pharmacies helps us get more doses to the people in B.C. As the Health

Minister said, we can deliver a vaccine at a rapid rate here in B.C.,

but we’re restricted on the basis of supply we receive from the

manufacturers and the federal government.

The availability of the vaccine is continually changing, and as we

receive more supply, we’re able to add more pharmacies to our

immunization program. This led me to my encounter: I received my vaccine

at a local pharmacy almost three weeks ago. It was a simple sign-up

online, a text was received the next day, and it was just a matter of me

choosing the time that suited me best.

[10:15 a.m.]

Upon arrival, I met Winston, who informed me of the conditions

surrounding my choice to be vaccinated. From there, it was around the

corner to a private area so I could roll up my sleeve and receive my

vaccination. I asked Winston if it was okay to take a picture so I could

shot in getting ready to jab me. I took a selfie and then asked him if

he wouldn’t mind pausing with the needle actually inside of my shoulder.

What I didn’t realize was that he was finished. I don’t recall ever

receiving a vaccination of any kind where the delivery was absolutely

pain-free.

We went on to talk about the role of the pharmacy and their

vaccinations, and he was letting me know that he had concerns about the

amount of vaccine that he had in stock as it related to the vaccination

appointments that were vacant. This was in the early stages, and people

were just starting to learn how this worked. I’ve stayed in contact with

Winston to find out how their pharmacies are doing with regard to the

scheduling, and he told me that once the 40-plus age category was

announced, the demand was overwhelming.

We will continue to direct the vaccine where it’s needed the most.

As you all know, every person vaccinated makes us all safer and brings

us one step closer to putting the pandemic behind us.

R. Merrifield: I want to thank the member opposite for their thoughtful response

to this topic in their words about Winston, the importance of

pharmacists and the detail about our mass vaccination clinics. I’m sure

that we can both agree that our pharmacists have made incredible

contributions to our province, particularly during this pandemic. I hope

that we can recognize, as the House, not just the contributions that

pharmacists have made but also what they could do should they be given

the opportunity. We need to ensure that as we move forward in this

vaccination program, we are utilizing every resource at our

disposal.

Pharmacists and pharmacies already have the resources, just as

we’ve heard, to vaccinate large numbers of people and also every type of

vaccination — Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, AstraZeneca. They

already have the knowledge and know-how, and they know us, having been

partners in our medical care for as long as we have lived in our

communities. They also have a booking system, a distribution system,

space and capacity. In fact, they can do 445,000 vaccines a

week.

We talk a lot about using every tool in our toolbox. I would hate

to look back at this time and feel like government had missed something

so seemingly obvious as empowering our pharmacists to play a central

role in our vaccine rollout. Right now it’s clear that while we are

making progress through mass vaccination clinics, we are falling short

of goals that we need to be reaching. It should be a time for all hands

on deck, particularly the hands that have been specifically trained to

do this work and to do it painlessly.

The infrastructure is in place. The willingness is there. We just

need to set our pharmacies up for success. Give them the green light.

Distribute vaccines to them. It’s a commonsense step, one that could

save money, save time and, ultimately, save lives. Our pharmacists have

been committed and dedicated front-line workers during this pandemic.

They’ve put themselves and their families at risk to ensure that we are

cared for, that we have the medication we need. Let’s appreciate their

contributions, thank them for their service and ensure that they have

the tools they need to look after British Columbians.

PANDEMIC SUPPORT CHAMPIONS

R. Russell: Thanks to the Lək̓ʷəŋin̓əŋ-speaking people, whose lands I’m on

today, and also to the Nsyilxcen-speaking people, whose lands I live

on.

I also note the landmark decision on Friday regarding one of those

Nsyilxcen-speaking people, the Sinixt. limləmt .

I stand in front of you this morning to address this House on the

matter of expressing gratitude to our teachers, our educational

assistants, our instructors, our tutors, our school counsellors, our

Elders, our coaches and, I’m sure, many others — all those who have a

part to play in helping guide and nurture our community’s children. But

I don’t want to highlight, nor is my gratitude today aimed at, the job

that they have been hired to do. I want to highlight all the peripheral,

all of the intangible facets of what these people do to help support the

well-being of our communities.

[10:20 a.m.]

First, I’ll ask your indulgence to allow me a brief digression.

The word “economy” is derived from two roots: oikos , meaning

“house,” and nemein or nomos , meaning “management.”

This is where I want to start. I start here, because it highlights an

evolution in our understanding of the term “economy” — which would mean

management of our homes, or, more broadly, our environment or

surroundings — to shift towards a more narrow and reductionist concept,

relying on the things we can count more easily, such as money as a key

measure of our economies.

I would also wager that very few of us here in this House think of

our household management — how we actually make decisions about what we

do with our family’s money or our family’s time, based on, solely,

things we can count easily. More realistically, we make decisions based

on what we value, what is important to us. Love, nature, pride, lust,

compassion — these are examples of the types of values that lead us to

make what may seem like poor decisions, at least from the perspective of

the easily quantified — for example, money — in favour of things that

really matter to us but are intangible and brutally difficult to count

or to quantify, like love or friendship.

We gather and break bread — or at least we used to — with our

friends, not for a quantifiable reward, but for the relatively

intangible pleasure of how that social connection makes us feel. These

intangibles really are the foundation of our economy, even if not the

measure of it. That’s what I want to speak to today.

When I speak of gratitude to our teachers and school staff, it’s

not the tangible, obvious elements I’m spotlighting. It’s not their jobs

per se, or the delivery of curriculum. It’s all of the more subtle,

additional, often invisible energy they dedicate in order to enable our

children to thrive.

We all know, I believe, how painful and difficult this last year

and a bit has been on so many of us. Economic impacts are staggering, of

course, and we have lost nearly 24,000 lives in this country alone.

These are elements of the immediate impacts of a pandemic. Yet pandemic

researchers knew, long before COVID-19, that the psy­chosocial

impacts of influenza pandemics were likely to be greater than the

immediate physical health impacts.

Before going on, though, I should define “psychosocial,” a term I

certainly wasn’t familiar with until I was deep into post-disaster

trauma and recovery in my own community years ago. “Psychosocial health”

is a multi-dimensional term that encompasses the mental, emotional,

spiritual and social dimensions of health, or, in other words, our

wellness associated with our thinking, feeling, being and relating

selves.

I’ll quote a

section from B.C.’s community pandemic influenza

psychosocial support plan, which, in turn, is part of our pandemic

response plan for B.C.: “The size of the psychosocial ‘footprint’ of a

pandemic — for example, fear-driven behaviours, impaired

decision-making, social and family functioning, psychological disorders,

decrea­sed workplace and school performance, and acute or chronic

stress — is likely to be much larger than the ‘medical’

footprint.”

I’ve spent half my time here setting the frame for this statement,

and perhaps that’s excessive, but it’s not accidental. Our education

system and the champions within it are playing a key role in nurturing

the well-being of our youth. That is enormously important right now and

will be in the months and years to come.

On Thursday afternoon in my small hometown, I happened to pass a

troop of little people, grade 4 age, trundling off downtown to our local

art gallery. They were smiling and laughing and talking as they walked

in the sunshine. At the head of that line of distracted and rambunctious

kids was their teacher, Amy. She had decided to take those kids to see

an art show that was, in turn, the product of a whole diversity of

elementary school kids’ art that had been done in an after-school art

program by another compassionate and creative soul in our school system,

Carol.

They had collected hundreds of pieces of art from these children,

all created in the midst of this pandemic, and had worked with our art

gallery to put on a show of these children’s art — everything from

Kache-Lynn’s magic wand and Sylvie’s grumpy cat painting, to Oscar’s

cannibal Barbie and Juno’s earthy clay bowl.

The art show, the teacher taking her students out on this

adventure — these aren’t actions that are required of these champions in

our educational system. Yet again and again we see these people, these

bright lights, going so far beyond the call of duty to make life good

for our community’s children. Indeed, this teacher, Amy, also put her

hand up to teach pandemic basketball and ski lessons and now, indeed,

has coached soccer for these kids, all in her own time. She’s surrounded

by similar stories in my riding, and there isn’t enough time to share

them here now.

[10:25 a.m.]

These acts aren’t unique in the schools in my riding. Every day,

all across the province, teachers, EAs, coaches — they’re volunteering

themselves to go this extra mile and make life better for our

children.

Take a moment today to thank those people in your environment who

are helping in ways that aren’t easily seen, easily recognized or easily

noticed. They are the ones, with these actions, who are weaving the

threads of resilience and adaptation into our communities, and they

deserve our thanks. Indeed, the roots of psychosocial wellness run deep,

and these actions nurture and strengthen that foundation, in turn

setting the stage for so much that is yet to be. Our society has,

without words, asked an enormous amount from our teachers and so many

others during this pandemic. So please, let’s recognize and appreciate

them properly.

T. Shypitka: I rise this morning from Kootenay East and the traditional

territory of the Ktunaxa First Nation in response to the member opposite

in regard to his following private member’s statement, entitled

“Pandemic Support Champions.”

I definitely agree with the member opposite. These champions — or

as he called them, bright lights — not only deserve our whole-hearted

support but also our eternal gratitude for front-line workers putting

themselves at risk to provide care to our seniors, attend to our sick

and injured and care for those unable to care for themselves.

Certainly, front-line workers first come to mind when we think of

the true champions of this pandemic: front-line workers in my region,

like Cranbrook RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Barry Graham and all the

RCMP members across Kootenay East; Kootenay East firefighters, like the

members of locals 1253 Cranbrook, headed by fire chief Scott Driver and

his team, including dispatcher Mary-Ann Dragovan; and also the great

2827 from Fernie and those with Sparwood, Elkford, and Jaffray

fire-rescue services and the many other volunteer firefighters in Elko,

Baynes Lake, Hosmer, Moyie.

Paramedics and those with the B.C. Ambulance Service. Our health

authority workers, such as Terri Domin — I’ve got to get her name in

there — at Interior Health, who have all been stretched to the maximum

during this crisis. Residential care aides, such as Dusty Phillips.

They’ve been working their fingers to the bone and often don’t feel the

support they are deserved. Those that work in long-term care, such as

those underlying folks that never sometimes are seen at the forefront

but are dietitians, laundry and janitorial services. Border patrols,

ferry workers, bus drivers, grocery workers, gas station attendants —

and the list goes on and on.

On occasion, we, as elected members of this House, get to champion

the champions. Then, on other occasions, we have to champion those in

desperate need of support throughout this pandemic. Recently I was

contacted directly by the family-owned restaurant that operates the

Fernie Cattle Co. in my constituency of Kootenay East. This particular

restaurant in the city of Fernie has been in operation for a decade. The

owners, Scott and Cindey Taylor, have sunk their life savings into

building their business.

Scott tells me that his restaurant has followed all the

regulations put in place since last March. However, his business is not

really set up for just takeout. As a result, their gross income has been

reduced between 63 percent to 90 percent over this period of closures.

The most recent restrictions have hit his family business hard. Scott

is, naturally, worried about his own future and those of his

employees.

When Scott contacted me, he also made a specific request

concerning the sharing and transparency of data related to COVID-19. We

in the B.C. Liberal caucus share Scott’s concern about the information

the public is receiving from this government. We believe that important

information should be available to businesses and the public,

information such as (1) detailed daily reporting of all active cases,

including variant strains detected in schools that include a breakdown

of staff and students affected; (2) the most recent data available on

PCR screening for variant cases, including by age, location, and date of

screening; and (3) provincial capacity for genome sequencing and any

delays associated with the step.

[10:30 a.m.]

Additionally, we need to see better reporting and collection of

exposure settings data, location types and the rate that transmission is

occurring; detailed hospitalization demographic data; detailed

vaccination progress data based on geography, age group and

socioeconomic categories; daily updates on the number of rapid tests

delivered and administered in each health authority by settings; and

race-based data, other socioeconomic data and cases among people with

disabilities.

We not only owe it to our front-line workers to have the best

tools and the best protection; we also owe it to all British Columbians,

from front-line workers to grocery workers and, yes, the food service

industry.

Not only has the hospitality industry taken a hit, as I’ve

illustrated, but our tourism industry has been hit as well and requires

the same data and reporting from government. Our fishing and wildlife

guide-outfitters are now in their second season of seeing absolutely no

international clients. These seasonal but key tourism operators have

largely fallen through the cracks for support that will keep them from

closing forever. They need help now, and they all deserve the best

information available because it will save lives and support our

pandemic champions.

R. Russell: Thank you to the member for Kootenay East. I certainly am aligned

with much of what he speaks to. We’re surrounded by these acute

challenges that the member for Kootenay East mentions. Many of these

individuals that are on the front lines…. Certainly we applaud the

people that are there to help us navigate through those challenges — the

nurses, the doctors, the hospital supply chains, the janitorial staff —

all those people that come together to help us stickhandle our way

through these daunting challenges.

But past that acute primary crisis, we’re moving into a wave of

chronic challenges to our well-being. People like our teachers are

playing a central role in helping build resilience in our youth to be

prepared to combat those pressures. The warp and weft of our social

fabric is more sparse than it has been for a very long time, and while

our teachers and others have always played a central role for our

children, that role is now more isolated and more amplified than it has

been for a long while.

At the same time, the champions within the system are carrying

their own personal burdens, yet still finding reserves to spread that

care around. The compassion and dedication of the champions in our

educational system are even more central and more important in these

unique times. Yet it is also, unfortunately, more obscured from view of

others during this pandemic.

Both my parents were teachers, and a handful of my friends are

teachers. I know how hard they work, how many extra hours they log

before the sun rises and after the day is done. I think about what our

teachers are engaged in, and I think it is a form of disaster risk

reduction, much like much of the work that the member for Kootenay East

refers to. This is what these empathetic souls are doing daily in their

classrooms and on the sports fields and beyond — reducing the invisible

but very real risk of immediate or future emotional, mental and social

trauma for our youth, helping equip them with the tools to speak out

against rising racism, with the tools to be an ally to a peer who might

need someone by their side.

These are the sorts of acts nurtured by our educational system

champions that make us all stronger together. So know that we see you.

Know that we recognize that this was more than what we all bargained

for. Know that you have our gratitude, and as always, know that what you

do as educators will forever change the lives of our

communities.

VETERINARIAN SHORTAGE

I. Paton: It gives me great pleasure to rise today to speak to this motion

on veterinarian shortage in B.C. As British Columbians have navigated

their way through the pandemic, many have taken the opportunity to enjoy

the great outdoors. Often people enjoy this time with their beloved

pets, whether it is taking their dog for a walk, playing with their cats

or riding their horse down their favourite trail. Animals have been a

source of comfort and escape from the difficult realities we have all

been facing.

As the pandemic continues to affect British Colum­bians,

people are seeking solace and companions, and house­hold pet

adoptions have risen rapidly. The phenomenon was so popular that the

nickname “pandemic puppies” was given to newly adopted dogs in this

province.

As a result of this needed comfort and animal companionship, the

importance of having access to veterinarians across our province and the

difficulties in booking time with an appropriate veterinarian have

become apparent. The demand for veterinary services in B.C. already

outstrips the number of vets available, and this situation is only going

to get more urgent as people continue to get household pets. As a result

of the shortage of veterinarians in B.C., the vets are facing increased

levels of demand, exhaustion and burnout. These realities severely

impact the mental health and well-being of vets, and unfortunately, due

to the pandemic, the situation is only getting worse.

[10:35 a.m.]

My brother Dr. David Paton, an equine veterinarian in Langley,

often tells me about the joys his chosen profession gives him in his

personal life. He often says the ability to assist animals in their time

of need is truly rewarding. As a longtime livestock farmer of dairy

cattle, sheep and horses, I have personally witnessed the long hours and

midnight call-outs for colic, C-sections, milk fevers, difficult births

and the physical wear and tear of vet experiences while treating and

handling large animals.

When people think about a profession that involves spending time

with kittens and puppies, they would not assume this would be a

high-stress situation. But this could not be further from the truth.

Long working hours, morale and ethical conflicts and emotional distress

all contribute to the weight a veterinarian experiences. There are many

instances where veterinarians have to deliver devastating news to

families about the health of their pets. Can you imagine the emotional

burden of dealing with the end-of-life procedures performed on beloved

horses, ponies, pets and companions while also consoling a devastated

owner?

Ontario veterinarian Dr. Darren Stinson recently told CBC News:

“Veterinary medicine, unfortunately, has the highest suicide rate among

professionals in the United States, and it’s very close in Canada as

well.” This saddening statistic proves that many veterinarians across

the country are struggling with their mental health, and many are too

afraid to take time off to address their anxiety or

depression.

Dr. Stinson also paints a similar picture for the current

situation here in British Columbia. He told CBC News: “We’re

experiencing a high volume of caseload practices. And unfortunately,

along with that comes frustration among clients. And some clients don’t

handle that well because they’re dealing with issues themselves, as well

as their pets, and they sometimes behave inappropriately to the

veterinarian or to their staff.”

Due to COVID-19, veterinarians have been working curbside, which

is an added stress because the only time they have a face-to-face

conversation with a client is when they have to inform them of bad news.

Unfortunately, the only time a client is allowed inside the building is

when an animal is in dire condition, which is a very emotional and tense

appointment.

It is abundantly clear that COVID-19 has truly made matters worse.

When veterinarians were deemed an essential service, they had to begin

working excessive hours caused by an increase in pet acquisition,

accommodate longer appointments due to public health guidelines, and

increase delays between appointments for cleaning procedures. We see

these added stressors play out across veterinary clinics and hospitals

in B.C.

Several weeks ago the equine veterinary hospital, B.C.’s only

full-service veterinary hospital for horses, located in Langley, was

struggling to provide emergency services after COVID struck some members

of the staff. Out of a staff of 16, two staff members tested positive

for COVID-19. Because of the small team, they basically had to shut down

the hospital. The vets were pleading for help. But no one is answering

the call, due to the shortage of veterinarians, surgeons and the

specialized training needed for the hospital.

Veterinarians in B.C. haven’t been prioritized for vaccination,

leading to the challenging situations experienced by those at the equine

hospital in Langley. These stressors, as well as the stressful realities

of being a vet, can put a strain on their mental health. The province

must act to ensure that adequate mental health supports are made

available to all front-line workers, like veterinarians, who face

occupational anxiety, depression and stress.

The president of the Canadian Veterinary Association, Dr. Enid

Stiles, noted that more veterinarians and animal health technicians are

needed across Canada to meet the demand for care, which would alleviate

the pressure on current practising vets. Urban veterinarians are

reporting two-week, or longer, wait times to get appointments for

veterinary care. Rural veterinarians report eight weeks or

longer.

What few large-animal veterinarians there are, are oversubscribed

and can only focus on current, not new, clients. The remote locations of

cattle ranchers place tremendous burdens on ranchers in the Chilcotin,

Cariboo, Smithers, Nechako, Skeena, Vanderhoof and the Kootenays. It is

also common for retiring veterinarians who want to sell their practices

to have to close their doors, for lack of a replacement

veterinarian.

[10:40 a.m.]

The shortage of veterinarians has and will continue to have a

significant negative effect on the health and welfare of animals in this

province. And the shortage of B.C. veterinarians will continue to

negatively impact the working conditions, working hours, mental health

and resiliency of the overwhelming majority of veterinarians who have

voiced their concerns.

I look forward to the remarks from the member opposite.

A. Singh: Thank you to the member opposite for bringing up this

issue.

Access to good-quality veterinary care is an issue that affects

many in British Columbia, including myself and many friends and family I

know. The member mentioned pandemic puppies. The one good thing about

this pandemic…. The pandemic has been hard for all of us, in whatever

area that we speak about. But one of the good-news things here is that

there has been an uptick in adoption of rescue dogs. That really is

something that is good.

Before I delve into it, I’m actually quite ecstatic first to

introduce this House to Charlie and Dave. Charlie and Dave are an

integral part of my family, beings that offer unconditional love and

support and that keep me grounded and keep my mental health, in this

hard time, steady. My wife, Katrina, and I rescued Charlie when he was

only a year and a half old. He’d been seized from near Williams Lake, we

believe, and he’d spent almost eight months in the shelter, a long time

for a boy who was only a year and a half old. He was adopted by another

family for a day, and then returned the next day. He was too

rambunctious for them.

We were lucky that happened, and we picked him up a few days later

from the SPCA in Vancouver, which does incredible work. You haven’t seen

a creature as glorious and handsome as Charles. When he’s sitting, he

just exudes grace. When he looks at you, you can see the kindness and

the love in his eyes. He’s likely a German shepherd and malamute and

Rottweiler. We’re not really sure. But a complete mix. He’s incredibly

playful. That also makes him incredibly accident-prone. So vet visits

for us have been fairly common.

Dave is a puppy of a rescue by a friend — a mix of who knows what.

But he’s the softest, kindest, most loving being, spending most of his

time either napping on one of us or kissing my daughter. Not as

accident-prone as Charles, so less vet visits. Someone once said that we

could learn a lot from dogs. If we greeted each other like they greet

us, with all of the excitement and love they have, even when we leave

the room for just a minute, the world would likely be a better

place.

Back to Charles. When Charles eats something in the middle of the

night or hurts himself as he’s trying to navigate a fence…. Sometimes he

thinks he’s a cat. This inevitably happens on a weekend night or in the

middle of the night. We have had to rush to a vet. We’re lucky. We live

a few blocks away from a clinic — Atlas vet clinic. They’ve been

incredible and caring and have always provided quality care that’s

affordable.

You know, veterinarians are valued professionals, and we recognize

the critical role that they play in not only supporting our loved ones

but in B.C.’s agricultural and aquacultural industries and protecting

the health and welfare of our companions as well.

Fellow members, earlier today, spoke this morning about pandemic

support champions. Vets often get missed in that. But as a professional

who provides support to our most loved ones, they also stepped up during

the pandemic. They were there. I want to recognize that. I want this

House to recognize that.

Over the past 50 years, B.C. has been a key partner in maintaining

the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, a world-class veterinary

college. The college has, in turn, provided domestic veterinarian

graduates that B.C. needs. This very year we provided the college with

$8.48 million to support the education of British Columbia’s students.

This funding supports at least 20 seats per year in the four-year

undergraduate program, and there are at least 80 students each year

whose education is supported through B.C.’s investment in the

college.

I appreciate the frustration people may be experiencing when they

have difficulties accessing qualified veterinary specialists in their

area. We’re facing labour shortages in many, many sectors. I’m looking

forward to working with the member opposite on this. We’re committed to

continuing our current, significant, annual investment in veterinary

medicine and training at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The

majority of B.C.’s vet labour force is also filled through other

sources, such as domestic mi­grants and international improvement.

We don’t just rely on funding and training for British Columbia’s

recruitment efforts. We look outside as well.

[10:45 a.m.]

I spoke about Atlas earlier — the vet clinic that we go to. These

vets are trained in India. They had some issues in the 2000s. But

they’re doing incredibly well, and they provide access to quality,

affordable care. I’m forever grateful to them.

This is an issue that, like many other issues in the pandemic, we

faced difficulties with. But I’m pleased to note that this is an issue

that we’ll continue to work on and that the Ministry

of Advanced Education, Skills and Training

has been able to increase the number of B.C. students in the college

this year through a differential tuition pilot program. Now, a total of

33 new B.C. students will be admitted.

I. Paton: Thank you to the member for his reply.

My answer to that is there is an easy fix to this. The provincial

government can start funding more seats at the vet college in

Saskatchewan. It is incredibly important for this House to recognize the

shortage of veterinarians in British Columbia. The Society of B.C.

Veterinarians

chapter has written a public letter to all members of this

House in an effort to identify the gaps that exist in funding for

veterinarians. In the letter, it is outlined that B.C. students wishing

to become veterinarians in Canada can attend the Western College of

Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, the WCVM, B.C.’s regional vet

school.

However, only 20 B.C. students are admitted each year to this

four-year program, and each student pays approximately $11,000 for

tuition annually. Recently, it was learned that Alberta, which has its

own veterinary school for Alberta residents, was no longer going to send

any of its Alberta students to WCVM after 2019. Thus, those 20 Alberta

seats were no longer reserved for Alberta students and became available

for students from B.C.

In the letter, it is stated: “B.C. currently educates 20

veterinarians each year of the four-year program…. There are 80

B.C.-funded students at WCVM at any given time. We asked WCVM if those

20 available Alberta seats could be available to B.C., and they said

yes. B.C. needs them all.”

The Society of B.C. Veterinarians

chapter was incredibly

disheartened to learn that they were unable to secure a meeting with the

Ministry of Advanced Education. However, as far

back as 2018, they did meet with the Minister of

Agriculture, and she fully supported the request for 20 additional

seats. Despite the evidence from B.C. veterinarians of the shortage and

how it affects them, this government’s Ministry

of Advanced Education said that funding of B.C.

veterinarians is not a priority. Therefore, WCVM had no choice but to

make these available seats open to other Canadian and international

students.

It is also noteworthy that B.C. had more than 145 qualified

applicants for its 20 B.C. seats. There was no shortage of qualified

applicants, and B.C. would have no problem filling 40 B.C. seats. The

government’s response to the Society of B.C. Veterinarians

chapter

letter and request spells it out very clearly. The Ministry of Advanced

Education does not view B.C. veterinarians as a funding

priority.

B.C. veterinarians, without question, should be a priority in

British Columbia. We rely on vets when our beloved animals and pets need

them most. But unfortunately, the government is not prioritizing

veterinary training, vet mental health and their overall well-being. I

urge all members of this House to consider the health and well being of

veterinarians and act on the urgent need for more B.C.

veterinarians.

THE POWER OF HOPE

DURING THE THIRD

WAVE

B. Anderson: I would like to start by acknowledging that I am on the unceded

traditional territory of the Ktunaxa, Sinixt and Syilx

peoples.

This pandemic has been challenging for all of us, but for some of

us, it has been unbearably tragic. People have been very sick and unable

to be surrounded by loved ones. People have lost loved ones. People are

scared for themselves, their families and their community. Some people

have lost their jobs, while others have lost their businesses. Rites of

passage like graduation and weddings have had to have been postponed or

reimagined. Our mental health has been compromised. Our social lives

ground to a halt. For some people, their homes have become unsafe spaces

that they have had to leave.

[10:50 a.m.]

Even though the pandemic has impacted the entire population, not

everyone has been impacted equally.

With COVID-19, we have seen profound transformations. I am hopeful

we can take the lessons of profound transformations that we have learned

during the pandemic and channel them into addressing systemic

inequalities and our largest global challenge: climate

change.

My thoughts go out to all of those who have been affected by

COVID-19 and to those who are working to combat this challenging virus

each and every day. The pandemic has caused a lot of stress and anxiety.

But amidst the uncertainty, there were so many stories of kindness and

resilience, which gives me hope that we will make it through this third

wave. With our vaccine numbers rising and our COVID numbers falling, I

am feeling hopeful.

Here are a few stories from my riding that give me hope during the

third wave of the pandemic. When the pandemic first started, almost

immediately a group called Nelson Helps popped on to Facebook. They were

focused on supporting people through the pandemic.

This unofficial group of volunteers would help to deliver food or

run errands for people. The volunteers helped people isolating and

people who were vulnerable and did not feel comfortable leaving their

homes. People could reach out with a request, and almost immediately

people would step forward to provide support. The Nelson Helps group of

volunteers were focused on neighbours helping neighbours.

Seeing this type of engagement and these acts of kindness brings

me an enormous amount of hope. I know many other communities had similar

groups pop up. I know we will survive and thrive through communities

that support each other.

Now, rites of passage, like graduations and weddings, have had to

be rethought. We have had to change how we celebrate our big

milestones.

When Edna, who is famous in Nelson for being a Welcome Wagon

volunteer for decades, turned 100 this month, she could not celebrate in

the same way she did on her 90th birthday. On her 90th birthday, Edna

spent a day on the slopes at the Whitewater ski hill, followed by a

surprise birthday party in the lodge. This year for Edna’s 100th

birthday, the community had to come together in a different way. So they

created a drive-by birthday party. Nearly 70 vehicles took

part in the

parade for Edna’s birthday, and she was thrilled.

Although we are not able to celebrate in the traditional way,

people are finding a way to connect and celebrate in a way that keeps

everyone safe. That gives me hope. I have seen a shift in values to

where we need it most — in families, loved ones and

communities.

During the pandemic, many of us have started to be concerned with

the global supply chain. Toilet paper was out. Good luck finding yeast

for bread. People were expanding their gardens. It was great to see how

many people refocused their attention to their nourishment and local

production.

Food security has become a hot topic once again. The Creston

Valley is the agricultural hub for my region. This weekend Creston had

its first outdoor farmers market of the season. Watching Mayor Toyota,

director Tanya Wall and director Garry Jackman open the farmers market

marked the beginning of the season.

The opening of the outdoor farmers market is not the only exciting

agricultural activity happening in the Creston Valley right now. The

Creston Valley food hub, a project a decade in the making, will be

moving forward this year. There is already an abundant supply of food

available in the Kootenays with local products, including cheese, meat,

grains and fruits. This new processing facility will provide an

opportunity for businesses to diversify and create value-added foods

with a longer shelf life. It will also transform food waste into an

opportunity.

Currently imperfect cherries are discarded in the landfill on an

annual basis during the cherry cull. Now farmers will have the

opportunity to turn that food waste into items like juices, jellies and

fruit leather. So strengthening our local food supply and turning

imperfect fruit into delicious food for the community. That also gives

me hope.

Now, I am particularly concerned by how young people have been

impacted by COVID. One of the young people in my life graduated from

high school in 2020. He did not know what career path he wanted to

pursue. He had a part-time job at a fast food restaurant, but no, that

is not where he wanted to be long term. A few months later, because of

the investment in staffing at our local long-term-care facilities, he

was hired in a non-clinical health care role at a long-term health care

facility. He has really enjoyed the meaningful work he gets to do on a

daily basis.

[10:55 a.m.]

His employer was able to offer him an opportunity. As part of

StrongerBC, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training is

working with the Ministry of Health to deliver the health career access

program. So now he is being supported to pursue health care assistant

training. After graduation, he has agreed to work for at least a year as

a health care assistant in the long-term-care sector, filling critical

roles in our health care system. He is one of 800 health care assistants

that are participating in this program. Less than a year ago he was

totally unsure which direction he wanted to go in, and now he’s pursuing

a meaningful career in health care.

Knowing that we are spending money in long-term-care homes to

ensure seniors receive the care they need and deserve while providing

people with training opportunities and prospects at a career gives me

hope. It is not only in the big moments we’re experiencing gratitude and

hope during this pandemic. Small acts of kindness can spark big feelings

of gratitude and hope.

K. Kirkpatrick: Thank you to the member for speaking about such an important issue

— the power of hope to help people cope and to heal in these troubling

times. April is actually designated as the month of hope to convey the

importance of hope to people across the world.

Now, the word “hope” comes from the Latin word cupio,

which means “to desire or wish well.” About 200 years ago, language

shifted, and it shifted that meaning. It wanted to make sure that hope

actually meant something that was attainable. In 1828, Webster’s

dictionary amended it to be a desire of some good, accompanied by at

least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is

“confidence in the future.”

Hope sounds a lot like optimism does, and they certainly do go

together. Optimism is the quality, full of hope and emphasizing all the

good parts of a situation. Hope is that belief that it can actually

happen. Yet we often have a difficult time in understanding what hope

is. We know it’s an emotion. We know that it’s something that we

individually determine. It’s personal to each person. It’s a way of

thinking, our way of feeling and our way of acting.

What does hope mean to us today? Crises like these pandemics can

lead to mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress syndrome,

depression, anxiety, family breakdowns and more.

This third wave has been particularly difficult. In the last few

kilometres of a marathon, you’re just so tired, and you don’t know if

you can make it. It discourages us. Many marathon runners will tell you

that they get to a point where they don’t think they’re going to make

it, and they start to lose hope. In this pandemic, which feels like a

marathon — it has dragged on so very long — our hope often

fades.

Now, painting a picture, giving someone a vision of the future and

the potential it holds, is how we provide hope to others. It’s the one

thing that lifts the human spirit and keeps us going in spite of our

difficulties. At times like these, it’s a leader’s hopeful outlook that

enables people to see beyond today’s challenges to tomorrow’s answers —

their ability to show people what that looks like.

There has been a lot of study on how hope impacts us. We know it

is essential for improved coping. Improved well-being is essential and

associated with hope. Depression and negative life aspects are less

intense for those who are more hopeful. A protective factor against

suicide and negative thinking is associated with hope, and a hopeful

person is much less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours.

How do we leverage this power of hope? The month of April is

chosen as the month of hope because it’s the perfect time to celebrate.

Spring is the season of rebirth and new beginnings. As a result, through

the ages, nature has been linked to hope.

For many, gardening and farming are signs of hope. You sow the

seeds, and you wait. You hope that your plants will grow. You hope that

your flowers will bloom. You envision and imagine what that garden will

eventually look like. You’re hoping. You can see the future in a

positive way rather than the empty soil that’s in front of

you.

[11:00 a.m.]

What does hope actually look like for us? It looks like dinner

with your family and friends. It looks like taking that special trip

you’ve been planning. It looks like that new job or going back to that

place you work with your coworkers in person. It looks like seeing your

grandmother or your grandbaby for the first time. It looks like

freedom.

You can help others feel that hope, but we still need to get

there, and we will. We were hopeful for vaccines, and they came. We’re

hopeful to get people vaccinated, and that will happen, but we still

need to hold on and not let COVID win. It has already taken so much from

us. Keep moving forward until we get to that future that we know is

going to happen.

I wish all of those who are tired and having a hard time pushing

through the third wave of this pandemic to know there truly is hope.

People are resilient. We have vaccines, and we have a way forward. So

hope can help us hold on just a little bit longer. It’s not wishing for

something. It’s a true belief that what we wish can come

true.

B. Anderson: Thank you so much to the member for their words. I agree with

you.

[N. Letnick in the chair.]

House have already participated. You know what I’m talking about: the

vaccine selfie. I love seeing people share photos of themselves getting

vaccinated.

I have also noticed another trend that frequently goes along with

the vaccine selfie. People are sharing the side effects that they are

experiencing. Besides having a sore arm, many people have been sharing

that the biggest side effects they experienced after getting vaccinated

are tears of joy and a huge sense of relief.

I know that when people in my life have told me that they have

received the vaccine or have their appointments booked, it gives me a

huge sense of both relief and hope.

To all the essential workers that have gotten us to this point:

thank you. I am hopeful that we all follow the provincial health orders

and get vaccinated at our earliest opportunity. We are doing this to

protect each other. We will be able to look forward to opening back up

soon, which makes me very hopeful.

To all the health care workers, from the cooks and the cleaners to

the nurses, doctors, pharmacists, techs and specialists: thank you for

your excellent level of care.

To the people supporting our vulnerable populations, whether at a

soup kitchen, a safe consumption site or providing home care: thank you

for taking care of our community members.

To the teachers who have pivoted, the educational assistants who

have helped students transition, to the principals and administration

who have kept students learning: thank you.

To the early childhood educators who not only teach our littlest

members of society but, as one ECE put it, are wiping snot and bums all

day so parents can go to work: thank you for helping to keep our kids

safe and the economy going.

To the utility workers, including hydro workers who worked through

the night to get our power back on after a tremendous windstorm: we

appreciate you.

To the farmers, food processors, transport drivers and the grocery

store clerk who has that sparkle in her eye, with the big smile behind

their mask: thank you for feeding us.

To the cooks that continue to sweat behind the grill and the

servers who continue to hustle while providing safe service with a

smile: we appreciate you.

To the first responders, including paramedics, search and rescue,

firefighters and police: thank you for your continued service to our

community.

To all of the essential workers: I am grateful for the work you do

for our community. When we talk about our front-line workers, they are

actually our last line of defence. We need to do our part to keep them

safe. What gives me hope is knowing that, when called into action,

British Columbians have stepped up and continue to do so to support and

care for our communities.

Hon. J. Osborne: I ask that the House proceed to the consideration of the

Motion 5 standing in the name of the member for Surrey–White

Rock.

Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent of the House is required to proceed to

Motion 5 without disturbing the priorities of the motions preceding it

on the order paper.

Leave granted.

[11:05 a.m.]

Private Members’ Motions

MOTION 5 — SUPPORT FOR

COMMUNITIES DURING

COVID-19

T. Halford: I am pleased to bring forward the following motion this

morning:

[Be it resolved that this House support communities during the

COVID-19 pandemic.]

As we continue to fight the global pandemic, it continues to be

essential to support our local communities in everything that makes them

special. This means ensuring that we take care of families, seniors and

those who need an extra helping hand, but it also means that we take

care of small businesses and organizations that make up the fabric of

our local communities.

Where I call home, in White Rock and Surrey, the heartbeat of our

community is small business. I was raised in a family where food was put

on the table through small business, and it continues to do so. My mom

owned a local catering shop — she still does — in White Rock. She moved

from Ocean Park and now into White Rock. To say that the past year has

been a struggle would be a dramatic understatement. She has been

fighting every day to stay open. Every day on my Facebook page, I go and

share her menu that day, hoping that a few extra eyes will see it to go

do some takeout. So far, she’s been able to stay open, but it has come

at a substantial cost.

There are many stories in my community where people have not been

as fortunate as my mother has. I’ll give you an example: the Delight

Indian Bistro. It opened in June of 2020. The general manager recently

spoke out, and it was a cry for help. He said: “Relief programs set in

place by the government over the last year required way too much

information.” It was payroll information that he was struggling to get

out. It resulted in him getting delays in funding, and he ultimately

closed his doors.

We look at Penguin Meats. Now, Penguin Meats was a store I loved.

I’ve gone there every day. They actually sponsored my local hockey teams

growing up. That iconic White Rock store was open for 55 years in the

community. It closed this summer. The owner said specifically that

business conditions resulting from the pandemic were too

much.

Surrey’s Round Up Café is set to close its doors. The owner, whose

family has owned and operated the café for over 60 years, cited the

pandemic as a reason. He said: “A hundred percent of the reason that

we’re closing is because of the pandemic. Before the pandemic, we were

rocking it, very busy, lined up out the door on Saturdays and Sundays.

Even when we were open again in December, we got some business back. We

were still struggling, but we were breaking even and enough to keep

going and maybe wait until the pandemic is over. But now with this

current shutdown, we don’t know when it will end.”

These stories are all too common in my community, and I’m sure

they’re common in every member’s community across this province. People

are looking for help, and quite often the help that’s given here has

been tied to bureaucratic bungling, time after time, where information

is requested and information is given, and then further information is

requested. These communities, these small businesses, are struggling to

provide for their families. They’re struggling to provide for their

employees. They want to keep their doors open. They are depending on all

of us to step up and do the right thing. Now, the intention of this

House is there. I know that, and I see it, but the execution is clearly

not.

When I hear stories of businesses such as Ocean Park Pizza

receiving approval for their grant, but it’s taking weeks and weeks to

get that grant paid, that means they’re not paying their employees. That

means they’re not paying their vendors when they’re going out and

they’re trying to set up a patio and keep their business open. They’re

trying to adapt. Quite often in business, you hear the words: “Adapt or

die.” If we are not helping businesses adapt, they die. And in my

community, I’ve seen it too often.

Deputy Speaker: The member for Langley East.

M. Dykeman: Thank you, hon. Speaker, for recognizing me and giving me the

opportunity to rise in this House today to speak to this motion from the

member opposite.

I’d like to start off by saying that I am on the traditional

ancestral and unceded territories of the Matsqui, Kwantlen, Katzie and

Semiahmoo First Nations.

[11:10 a.m.]

I am very appreciative of the member opposite bringing this motion

forward because it is no secret that this has been so very challenging.

This has been an incredibly challenging time for so many people. The

challenges of COVID-19 have affected people from every corner of the

globe. All British Columbians have felt the impact of the challenges

that COVID-19 has brought.

As we have all recognized in this House at some point or another

over the past year, the challenges have not been felt equally, and some

groups have been more affected than others. People are tired; they are

disillusioned. They feel, rightfully so, that this year has been

overwhelming with, say, distance and separation from their loved ones,

the struggles that businesses have felt, and missing our friends and

family.

This pandemic has highlighted and intensified certain areas, like

mental health, partner violence, isolation, seniors care, substance

abuse and homelessness, just to name a few. The pandemic has been a

multi-pronged challenge, the virus itself being just one aspect. The

other issues have simply just been exacerbated and moved to the

forefront, and therein lies the challenge. There are many ways that

people, families and communities must be supported. At the beginning of

this pandemic, one would never have known that those issues and needs

would be so complex and diverse.

Our government has recognized that nothing is more important than

our health and safety and that the support that people, families,

businesses and communities have received needs to continue as we

navigate towards the end of this challenging period. That’s why Budget

2021-2022 has included a $3.25 billion pandemic and recovery contingency

fund, which will continue to support people and businesses now and to

support recovery.

Some examples of that include $900 million for health-related

COVID-19 management, managing the most complex vaccine rollout that

we’ve seen, testing and screening, and PPE for our front-line workers;

over $1 billion in supports for people and businesses, including ongoing

supports for people experiencing homelessness, or business recovery

programs and allocations that are supporting the tourism sector, which

has been so hard hit, as they wait to welcome back visitors; $200

million to prepare for economic recovery, including funding to support

community infrastructure, skills training and youth employment

initiatives; and $1.1 billion in reserve to support unanticipated and

urgent health relief measures. This has been building a plane while it’s

flying.

Our government also recognizes that we have to plan going forward,

so another $1 billion is reserved for next year and another $300

million, if needed, for ’23-24. Budget 2021 also includes permanent new

funding and support for the health care system, so $450 million over

three years to increase surgical capacity.

These are just a few of the supports that are in place to support

our community. In my community of Langley East, which is very

entrepreneurial, I hear every day of the challenges people are facing

but thankfulness for the support, such as expedient approval of

expansion of patio spaces so that businesses can continue and pivot —

support through the programs and the support that the government has

provided in getting funding to the businesses so that they can

continue.

I know this is a challenging and frustrating time, and there has

been a lot of uncertainty surrounding it from our youth, who are

sacrificing so much; our front-line workers, who have stepped up every

day to ensure that our communities are functioning and safe and to

provide us with access to essential goods and services; people who are

isolated; seniors, parents and others. They need support. We must

maintain hope, as this House has spoken about today. We all long for our

familiar routines and normalcy.

This is a challenging time, but this government recognizes that

and is rolling out vaccines each and every day and the support that’s

needed for businesses, families and everyone through our community as we

near the end of this very difficult time.

Thank you once again, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to speak

today on this important motion.

D. Ashton: I stand today to address a topic raised by this week’s motion: “Be

it resolved that this House support communities during the COVID-19

pandemic.” First of all, I really would like to thank the original

people of the Okanagan Valley for sharing this incredible valley that

many of us call home.

[11:15 a.m.]

Also, I really put my heart out to those on the front line, those

essential workers that have made such a huge difference — whether you’re

in care homes, you’re nurses, you’re doctors, you’re clerks in grocery

stores, you’re the stockers of the grocery stores — and that have made a

difference and tried to maintain some normalcy in the life that we’re

facing at this point in time.

Our communities have faced the challenges of COVID-19 for over a

year now, and there have been many opportunities to reassess our

supports available to families, to businesses, to communities. I say

“our” because we are all going to have to work together to make a

difference to those who need the help the most.

However, I think there are significant gaps in the support

available. There is a need to swiftly revise application criteria, and

to do everything possible to limit unnecessary costs to our communities,

and to limit those of small businesses that are struggling so hard

today. It is my understanding that only $127 million of the $365 million

promised so far from medium and small business grants has been

administered yet. Those resources are needed now. They’re needed right

now.

COVID, here in the valley where I live, has been incredibly tough

on tourism businesses. Whether you’re in Penticton, Naramata,

Summerland, Peachland or those conducting businesses in the regional

district areas, everybody has felt the pinch of COVID, and it’s made

such a difference. It’s not just financial. There is an opportunity

right now to make a difference — to streamline regulation, to get

responses from ministries quicker.

Everybody is stepping up and everybody is making that little bit

more of an individual effort. An example: a large, local hotel has

really been paralyzed by this. They have five different liquor licences.

They’ve had an application. I know the ministry is working towards this,

but a simplification would make such a difference. This is a hotel that

has expanded onto their property on the beach to service their

clientele. It works great when the weather is beautiful, but when it’s

not, it pinches their opportunity for survival.

Clothing stores. I can cite an example of a young girl that had a

great business running for years and years. She had a baby. Her staff,

with CERB and with other moneys promised by levels of government — the

staff decided to stay home. She was forced to close. But that was her

business. That was what provided the income for her family.

I think we have an opportunity to really examine how we’re

administrating help to those that are suffering from COVID. There is an

opportunity at this point in time, in my opinion, to make a difference

with regulations, etc. Also, tourism is down about 70 percent, in my

understanding. There is an opportunity for each and every one of us to

work together, instead of just handing out resources.

An idea for the government: let’s put those people that are out of

work right now, and let’s get them helping in the community. We can pay

them. As government, we can help out. We can assist them. There are

other entities, even private entities, that have the opportunity to put

people to work. Let’s give them an opportunity where government supports

them, partially, with funding for employment, where they support part of

it, and we can make a difference in the communities.

Don’t forget: small businesses are the first people whose doors

get knocked on, whether you’re a sporting club…. I heard the original

mover of the motion talk about his hockey team. Whether it’s a dance, or

whether it’s hockey, or whether it’s youth soccer, or whether it’s

graduation — who are the first people that get knocked upon? It’s the

small businesses. They’re asking for donations and for contributions.

We’ve got to do everything possible to keep those community assets,

those small businesses, going.

They say that in a pandemic, or in opportunities that come from a

pandemic, there is a chance to make a difference. We have a real chance,

going forward in this province, to make a difference. We have a chance

to streamline how we conduct our business as government. I say “we”

because collectively, we walk down the street…. Even though I’m from

here, I would bet that 25 or 30 percent of the people can’t address who

their MLA is, but they look at the government, and we are all

government.

We have that opportunity, at this point in time, to make an

incredible difference for the future. The pandemic has given us an

opportunity. Let’s not use this time unwisely. Let’s use it to make this

province the incredible province it always has been and make it so much

better for all the individuals that have been affected by

COVID.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak to this motion

today.

J. Brar: I’m pleased to respond to the motion introduced by the hon. member

for Surrey–White Rock, asking this House to support communities during

the COVID-19 pandemic.

[11:20 a.m.]

There is no doubt COVID-19 has impacted and continues to impact

all of us. British Columbians continue to struggle during this

challenging time. People are worried about their health and about their

future. When the pandemic hit our province last spring, our government

promised British Columbians that we would be there for them for as long

as it takes to recover. That promise stands today, tomorrow and forever.

We will continue to listen to public health officials, help those on the

front lines and support families and businesses as we make it through

this current wave of COVID-19 and as vaccines bring better days

ahead.

When COVID-19 first struck, our province moved very quickly to

provide relief for renters, middle-class families, hard-hit small

businesses and the most vulnerable people. We have invested over $10

billion in COVID-19 relief and recovery programs. These programs

include….

Up to 3.7 million British Columbians are eligible for the recovery

benefit. Individuals can apply to receive up to $500 and families up to

$1,000. The emergency benefit for workers provided a $1,000 payment to

people who lost their income due to COVID-19. Over half a million

British Columbians have received this tax-free payment so far. The

temporary rental supplement offers up to $550 per month to reduce the

cost of rent and ensure that landlords continue to receive income. All

student loan payments were suspended until September 30. People

receiving income and disability assistance were given a $300-per-month

COVID-19 crisis supplement. And the list goes on.

Our government also provided and continues to pro­vide

much-needed support to small and medium-sized businesses, as mentioned

by the members on the other side. We cut property tax bills for

businesses by 25 percent, providing $700 million in immediate relief. An

average urban business saved about $5,600. We moved quickly to defer

many business taxes until the end of September. We allowed restaurants

to purchase alcohol at wholesale prices, saving them up to 25 percent.

We provided emergency funding to support child care centres — over $150

million to support more than 4,500 child care centres.

Our government is investing more than $220 million in CleanBC

programs to put people back to work, building cleaner energy, protecting

the environment and preparing B.C. for the impact of climate change.

Help is available now to hard-hit small and medium-sized businesses get

through this tough time and thrive in the recovery, with a $345 million

new grant program that’s open right now.

The good news is that our provincial vaccination plan is now

underway. It is being distributed to all British Columbians as quickly

and safely as possible, beginning with those most at risk. We can

finally see the finish line in sight. Over 1.5 million people in B.C.

have already re­ceived their first vaccine, with thousands more

getting it every day.

I agree with the member that in some areas, the impact of COVID-19

is more, and in some areas, the impact is less. But I would like to say,

in concluding, that in fact, B.C. has delivered more direct help for

people throughout the pandemic than any other province in this country.

As we move forward towards better days, our government will remain

committed to supporting communities and keeping people safe while

building a recovery that works for everyone.

[11:25 a.m.]

L. Doerkson: I am pleased to address the topic raised by this week’s motion

before us today: “Be it resolved that this House support communities

during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

My constituents of the Cariboo-Chilcotin have been through so many

challenging events over the past couple of years. Wildfires have

devastated large tracts of forest land. The result has been a major loss

of timber supply in the region and, as a consequence, a subsequent loss

of jobs through permanent mill closures and temporary shutdowns. Then

every spring we have freshet season. I can­not tell you how many

homes I’ve seen ruined throughout our region by flooding in the past two

weeks and so many more over the past two years. On top of all of that,

we’ve had the pandemic sweep through small, isolated communities

throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin.

The combined effect of all three events has had a devastating

effect on local business operations. This is why so many British

Columbians, especially local entrepreneurs hit hard by the pandemic,

have been patiently awaiting this year’s long-delayed provincial budget.

Unfortunately, the relief that is greatly needed in rural British

Columbia did not materialize.

Yet it was not for lack of trying to get the government’s

attention. Local governments throughout our region have sent requests

for help to different ministries, along with the Premier’s office, with

really only one very simply message. That was: “We need help.” The

people of the Cariboo-Chilcotin are experiencing the combination of

wildfires, flooding and now, of course, COVID-19.

Here are just a few examples of what’s happening at the ground

level in my riding. As I indicated in our budget debate last week, it’s

very disappointing that, for the second year in a row, we have lost both

our beloved indoor rodeo in Williams Lake and, of course, the Williams

Lake Stampede as well. I also indicated earlier that, regrettably, the

100 Mile House Cruzers Car Club announced the cancellation of their

annual Hot July Nights car show this year. These cancellations are

having a cumulative effect that reverberates through our entire local

economy. The loss of these events affects everyone: restaurants, gas

stations, hotels, lodges and also guide-outfitters, guest ranches and

stock contractors.

As I also noted during the budget debate, these last operations

that I mentioned have had the added pressure of feeding animals as part

of their overhead, all in addition to heating and lighting their

infrastructures as well. A prime example of this is C+ Rodeos, with

expenses running more than $100,000 a year for feed alone. Allow me to

quote a recent

article in the Williams Lake Tribune on the

subject of COVID-19’s impacts on the sport of rodeo since March of 2020.

C+ Rodeos’ roughstock contractor, Roy Call, had this to say: “We’ve been

involved in rodeo for 35 years, and there’s never been anything like

this. We’re the same as a lot of other businesses. It’s been

catastrophic.”

Mr. Speaker, it’s heartbreaking. I’ve also previously indicated

that family-run operations are all running low on resources. Other small

businesses, like Re4rm Fitness in Williams Lake, are now temporarily

closing, holding onto the prospect of finally reopening soon in the

future, they hope. It can’t be soon enough.

We also have the Laughing Loon restaurant, which is also

struggling to stay in business, like so many others. Laughing Loon was

trying to do their best to serve take­out, but a sudden health

order led to severe loss this month because supplies have to be ordered

by food outlets weeks in advance. Like so many other restaurants, the

owners are not sure how much more they can handle.

Neighbouring towns in rural British Columbia that are also

dependent on tourism are also showing signs of financial distress. The

hon. member for Cariboo North will tell you that historic towns like

Barkerville are in desperate need of assistance.

In conclusion, I’m going to support this motion because the people

of Cariboo-Chilcotin need help. They need more immediate supports from

this government, and they need it right now.

[11:30 a.m.]

J. Rice: In the face of such uncertainty and adversity, British Columbians

have been extremely resilient. For over a year now, this pandemic has

inflicted havoc on people’s lives, our communities and businesses.

People have pa­tiently waited for vaccine development and then

patient­ly waited for a vaccine rollout.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, your B.C. NDP

government has said we would be there for British Columbians, and that

position still stands. We’re here for British Columbians in the health

response, guided by health officials. We’re here for them in the

recovery, as we build back B.C. stronger than before. Compare that to

the previous government, which was only there for their friends, the

wealthy and the well connected. We’re here for all British

Columbians.

First and foremost, we’re here to help people, communities and

businesses to implement whatever public health protections are necessary

to address outbreaks. Those supports also include the B.C. recovery

benefit, which became available to people at the end of last year. Our

provincial vaccination plan is now underway and being distributed to all

British Columbians as quickly and as safely as possible, beginning with

the most vulnerable. Key investments in health care allow more patients

to receive treatment at home, reduce wait times and train and hire more

doctors and nurses.

We’re also taking significant steps to assist small and

medium-sized businesses in weathering the economic storm caused by

COVID-19. New tax measures reward businesses for hiring and help them

grow and become more productive by making it easier for them to invest

in equipment and machinery. The province’s $10 billion COVID-19 response

is protecting people’s health and livelihoods and investing in stronger

communities and a bright future.

We’ve taken action to help hard-hit industries while we build a

stronger economic recovery. Our COVID-19 response included a further

$1.6 billion investment in health care and mental health supports to

build on our improvements and make sure critical services are always

there when people need them.

In communities throughout B.C., local governments and housing

organizations have stepped up efforts to keep people safe and provide

shelter and housing. The province is here to support them. We’re

investing $42 million in the new launch online grant program to help

eligible small and medium-sized businesses build or strengthen their

digital commerce capabilities. We have provided funding to Small

Business B.C. to support the B.C. business COVID-19 support service, the

personal protective equipment and B.C. marketplaces.

B.C.’s restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries and gyms have been

particularly hard hit by this pandemic, so the recent provincial health

orders were difficult news for many to take. To help the 14,000

businesses that have been further impacted by the recent restrictions,

we have put a $50 million circuit breaker business relief grant in

place. Applications will remain open until June 4 or until the funds are

dispensed, whichever happens first.

This grant provides businesses $1,000 to $10,000 in one-time

funding to help with expenses like rent, employee wages, maintenance and

utilities. It also helps support unexpected costs that may have resulted

from the order, such as perishable foods that a restaurant may have

purchased but was unable to sell.

To ensure businesses in these categories can access funds quickly,

the circuit breaker business relief grant is designed to be a

streamlined and easy-to-use application. Through a yes-no check mark

application, a business simply declares that they were affected by the

recent provincial health orders, are registered as a B.C. business,

demonstrate majority ownership and operations, and payment of taxes in

B.C. A business is required to provide their direct-deposit information

and produce a single business validation document — such as a lease

agreement, business or liquor licence, or notice of assessment — at the

time of application.

If you receive this grant funding, it will have no bearing on the

regular small and medium-sized business recovery grant program. These

two streams are completely different.

We can all do our part to help businesses right now. If you’re in

a position to do so, please order takeout, dine at home, or dine at an

active outdoor patio, buy B.C. and shop local.

Hon. Speaker, this is just an overview of supports. More

importantly, we will continue to be responsive to the needs of people,

businesses and communities to see them through the pandemic and into a

strong economic recovery that supports all British

Columbians.

[11:35 a.m.]

M. Lee: I’m pleased to rise to support this motion by the member for

Surrey–White Rock.

I’m sure we can agree right now that as we continue to fight this

global pandemic, we need to be supporting our communities. This means

making sure individuals and families are cared for. But it also means

ensuring our community organizations, non-profits and small businesses

have the supports and resources they need to get by during this

incredibly difficult time.

Unfortunately, there are far too many small businesses, arts and

culture organizations, tourism operators and others across British

Columbia that have had to make the heartbreaking decision to close their

doors because they were unable to make ends meet. Many couldn’t pay

their rent in the face of massive drops in revenue. This year, in

addition to property taxes, some had the speculation tax imposed on the

air above their heads. The supports they needed from this government

simply were not in place when they needed them.

For over 13 months, this government has said they would be there

to support businesses, but in so many situations, what this government

has offered has been too little, too late. Budget 2021 was a clear

example of this. This budget was late — two months late — because the

government decided to call an unnecessary election in the middle of a

pandemic. Not only was there next to no new support for small

businesses, and even less for non-profits, the money set aside for the

small business program has been further delayed. On top of this delay,

the money remains too difficult to access for most businesses that so

desperately need it.

It’s worth noting that much of the funding for this program is

money that members of this House supported setting aside 13 months ago,

in March. Over a year later, it’s hard to believe that all of this money

has not made it out the door. Businesses like the Kino Café on Cambie

Street in Vancouver, which, after 30 years of being a hot spot of comedy

and culture, had to close its doors, the owner stretched to his

financial limits; or the Vancouver restaurant Campagnolo, which closed

its doors after 12 years because under the current business climate, the

owner couldn’t see a way to reopen his restaurant and make it thrive

again.

There are other numerous businesses suffering in the Punjabi

Market in Marpole village in my constituency of Vancouver-Langara.

They’ve been feeling the strain of rising rents and property taxes for

years. For many, the lack of support from this government during the

pandemic has been a tipping point. These small businesses are the

lifeblood of our community. With the closing of shops and restaurants,

we are seeing the hollowing out of our neighbourhoods. I grew up in a

family running a small business on the east side of Vancouver. Working

weekends in my father’s corner pharmacy stores, I saw the kinds of

impacts that that business had on families, on seniors, on children in

our neighbourhoods.

The tourism industry has been hard hit by COVID-19, yet in this

budget, the government has provided less than half the funding the

industry said it needed for recovery. We’ve already watched as the

Vancouver Aquarium, a beloved destination for our locals and tourists

alike, was sold to new American owners after this government could not

step up to provide the supports that were needed to sustain the

aquarium, including to keep the animals fed. The strength of our

communities is dependent on the continued success of businesses and

organizations like these — the restaurants, the museums and attractions,

the shops, the arts and culture organizations and

non-profits.

But we have seen over the past year…. Far too many have had to

close their doors, take on more debt or lay off hard-working staff. For

the last 13 months, B.C. small businesses have looked to this government

for hope and help, for some sort of relief that will help them survive

beyond this pandemic. Unfortunately, these businesses have been ignored,

as the supports came too little, too late or not at all from this

government.

As members of this House, we come together to ask this government

to implement simple solutions that will help our small businesses

survive.

[11:40 a.m.]

I sincerely hope, as we continue to contend with this third wave

and as businesses face another round of closures, that we see increased

action on this and other supports to help the hard-working people of

this province and for the good of all our communities.

J. Sims: It’s my pleasure today to rise and speak in this House on the

motion moved by my colleague from across the way: “Be it resolved that

this House support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

I can say I cannot imagine even one person, no matter where they

sit in this House, being opposed to this motion. Supporting communities

— that is our job. We get elected not to just come to Victoria and have

debates in here but so that the actions we take when we sit in this

House will help to support individuals and our communities.

I want to say and do a huge shout-out to our communities right

across this province. They are in a marathon. I’ve heard this word used

a few times today, but it’s a marathon that we thought was maybe only

going to be one or two months in length. That has now gone on into its

15th month. It’s a marathon that has brought out the best in British

Columbians. It has shown our resilience, whether it’s in the north,

whether it’s in the centre, whether it’s on the Island or whether it’s

in the Lower Mainland. Our resilience has been evident.

I’m so proud of the fact that so many people in every field, from

front-line health workers to people who work in our grocery stores, look

after our children, work in our schools…. Everybody stepped forward to

do their part.

I know it’s been frustrating recently. I know some people are

getting tired, so they’re looking for quick fixes. But from day one,

we’ve known that we are in a health pandemic. I have to say, I am so

proud of the fact that in this province the lead for the health orders

was left with the experts so that the decisions that have been made,

every step of the way, have been made based on data, based on knowledge

of health and what is good for British Columbians. Yes, we have taken

actions and passed motions and provided support. But the driving force

for the health orders and for the restrictions has always been our

public health officer.

I have to take a moment now. I know I have a very short time to

say how disgusted — I will say and use the word “disgusted” again — and

disappointed I was to read about the graffiti that appeared on the

seawall in Vancouver. Unacceptable. We have a health officer who is

working around the clock, keeping us safe and taking actions based on

data. Yes, we don’t like her actions sometimes, because it

inconveniences us, but she is doing her very best. I say that that kind

of hate and those kinds of actions have no place in the British Columbia

I call home. So I wanted to call out on that.

I want to talk about communities being supported. What do we mean

when we’re talking about communities? We’re meaning every single one of

us right across British Columbia. We’re talking about individuals. We

know that our system, and I’m not going to…. This is not a partisan

comment. We’ve known even before COVID that our system is inequitable,

that there were haves and have-nots — those who could access services,

those who could not. It has become more evident where we need to put our

investments and to support communities so that we do have a more

equitable society.

So, yes, we have to. We have to support our business community

because the business community is us. It is all of us. Business

communities, especially our small and medium-sized businesses, are the

backbone of our economy. We need to make sure that the supports are

there for them, and we have been working on that.

[11:45 a.m.]

One of the things we have to congratulate…. And we don’t do this

enough. Every British Columbian, young and old and in between —

congratulate them on their resilience. Congratulate them on their

positivity. Congratulate them that even in the darkest of moments, they

found time to laugh, to support each other, to share wonderful stories

and to make a meal for a next-door neighbour who might be isolated.

Businesses who themselves gave up so much and are

struggling….

Deputy Speaker: Thank you, Member.

T. Wat: I rise to speak on the motion: “Be it resolved that this House

support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

I want to first acknowledge that I’m speaking to you from the

traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh

First Nations.

Our communities have endured the challenges of COVID-19 for over a

year now. Throughout that time, there have been many opportunities for

our government to assess and reassess their response and the

effectiveness of the support they’re offering to our

communities.

With this in mind, it does raise some serious questions as to why

this government has left and continues to leave significant gaps in our

pandemic response and the supports needed for people and businesses. The

government continues to face strong criticism for the restrictive

criteria and sluggish rollout of the small and medium-sized business

grant program — money that was approved to go out the door more than a

year ago, and less than half has made it to the businesses in

need.

With my riding being home to more than 800 restaurants, many of my

local business owners have suffered from this government’s refusal to

admit when their plan isn’t working. One constituent of mine, Ding

Chuhang, wrote to me to express his concern. He is a long-standing

businessman who had plans to expand his noodle restaurant chain as well

as open a music restaurant and bar. So 2020 was scheduled to be a year

of expansion and opportunity for him. When the pandemic hit, his year

quickly turned into one of strife and ever-mounting economic

cost.

Despite being on the hook for over $20,000 in rent for his

properties every month and being responsible for supporting more than 50

jobs, my constituent said he was unable to apply for the small and

medium-sized business grant since his restaurants were new and had not

had the opportunity to generate revenue for him yet. His only respite

was $60,000 in federal interest-free loans. While this government claims

to have been swift in revising the application criteria to have

businesses better access the support, many business owners like my

constituent would disagree.

Not only has this government failed to offer supports to address

the real-world situations and challenges many of our businesses are

facing, but they have also failed to remove some of the unnecessary

costs that have plagued our many businesses throughout the pandemic.

More than 60 travel agencies in my community have written to me to

express their dismay. Despite seeing a revenue drop of 95 percent, these

agencies are still subject to the manda­tory monthly licencing

fees for Consumer Protection B.C. Three provinces in Canada require

travel agencies to be licensed — Ontario, Quebec and B.C. — yet B.C. is

the only province that has yet to waive the mandatory monthly licensing

fees.

Lack of government initiatives to address the unreasonable

criteria on their supports has done more than impact business economic

well-being. It has impacted the identity of Richmond itself. The

Richmond Night Market, perhaps the most iconic celebration of our

community’s cultural identity, is a prime example.

[11:50 a.m.]

While this government has taken steps to change the criteria for

large venues and events in this recent budget, it is cold comfort for

Raymond Cheung of the Night Market, who is on the hook for $800,000

worth of 20th anniversary memorabilia in 2020, including tents and

coupon books on top of over $60,000 in monthly rent for more than a

year.

There are too many examples like this to fit in just five minutes.

I hope government will move forward by listening to our communities and

revising the criteria for government supports so that my local

businesses can actually receive the help they need.

H. Yao: I acknowledge that I’m speaking from and representing Richmond

South Centre riding, which is located on the unceded and traditional

territory of the Musqueam, Kwantlen and Tsawwassen Coast Salish people.

I thank them for allowing us to live, work and play on their ancestral

land.

I want to thank the member for Surrey–White Rock for introducing

the motion. I also want to thank many of my colleagues before me for

sharing their passions and concerns in our provincial government’s

effort in the fight for COVID-19. I’m also proud that our province has

the highest per-capita support in Canada. Although we’re in the same

storm, we’re all in different boats.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

As I continue, I want to first actually acknowledge the many lives

lost prematurely to COVID-19 and the many families broken by COVID-19. I

want to take a moment to express my sincere condolences. We’re hoping we

can find a way to continue moving forward, but we also express our

sincere pain, as many families are experiencing.

I know many of my colleagues talk about small business, but I

would like to start with talking about health care providers, our health

care professionals — doctors, nurses and other health care professionals

who are working day in and day out to keep the front line of the fight

over COVID-19.

Since our government took hold in 2017, we have made investments

into our health care system to catch up all the years of neglect, to

ensure we are ready and able to fight. As COVID-19 has demonstrated, it

has proven that our health care system still has many, many…. It has a

ways to go. We still have a lot to do.

We also want to say that British Columbians are working with our

health care providers, continuously understanding the directives

provided by Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Ministry of Health, and to

understand all of the efforts that have been scientifically approached.

We must understand that although a few are criticizing Dr. Henry’s

directives, and it has been challenging for Dr. Bonnie Henry to move

forward with many of her suggestions, the majority of British Columbians

are resilient. The majority of British Columbians respect her

leadership, steadfast determination and everlasting endurance,

especially in the darkest moments, when many chose to criticize instead

of appreciating her effort.

I also want to take a moment to thank the teachers and thank the

many education professionals. We know it has been hard, and many

teachers go to work with fear and anxiety. Even though our provincial

government has provided extensive protective gear and equipment — HVAC,

to help with proper air flow — and to have a proper cohort system to

help protect our students, we have also learned, through the incident of

the spring break, that school is the safest place for students to be at.

That’s why we thank the teachers for their endurance and for their

courage — and for them to know that we are here, listening to everything

they have been saying to us. We will fight together to overcome

COVID-19.

I also want to take a moment to thank all the grocery store

workers, all the individuals working on the front line in different

kinds of capacities to allow our economy to continue and to allow us to

maintain our quality of life. Again, I want to emphasize that B.C. has

the highest per-capita support in Canada, and we’re one of the few

provinces that didn’t have to shut down, to allow our economy to

continue moving forward throughout this pandemic.

But I do want to emphasize one thing, and this is probably my main

point today. It feels like we’re talking about a marathon. It feels like

we’re talking about how we can endure and outlast this pandemic of

COVID-19.

I do want to send a message to COVID-19, or maybe the

personification of COVID-19: “Be not proud. You might have hurt our

friends, harmed our neighbours, scared our loved ones, broken many

families and taken away many lives prematurely. However, we British

Columbians will be victorious. We will recover. We will prosper. British

Columbians will thrive through this fight together.”

I look forward to the day that my daughter will learn about the

COVID-19 pandemic in her history textbook, where British Columbians,

Canadians and the people in Richmond South Centre all came together to

fight against COVID-19, came out on top and had a full, proper recovery

in our B.C.

[11:55 a.m.]

Our government has been here for people with problems earlier, and

we continue to be here for British Columbians. We have, again, the

highest per-capita support in Canada and continue to be here for British

Columbians, for small businesses, for the non-profit sector, for

families, and to ensure we British Columbians can recover as the time

goes.

I look forward to the day that I get to meet all my colleagues, in

person in the House, and look forward to the day that British Columbians

may hug their families and say hi to their friends and enjoy a dining

experience. Thank you.

T. Stone: I’m pleased to stand and rise in support of this motion. I, too,

share the previous member’s commitment and gratitude to the exceptional

work that’s been done by health care workers and teachers and all of

those on the front lines as we have gone through this pandemic. But I

want to pay particular attention, in my comments this morning, to the

impacts of this pandemic on small businesses and the lack of supports

that small businesses have realized from this government.

Underneath the pain of the stories that we have heard this morning

from members that represent communities like Williams Lake and Vancouver

and Richmond and White Rock is a very important reality. That is that

one in seven of British Columbia’s small businesses today are at risk of

closing forever. That works out to 25,000 small businesses. That equates

to 300,000 employees, 300,000 people, whose jobs are in jeopardy. Of

course, this is on top of the 8,000 small businesses that the Minister

of Jobs acknowledged have been lost in British Columbia already to this

point.

Contrary to comments that members opposite continue to make,

British Columbia is actually not first when it comes to providing direct

relief in grants to business and to small business. That free

enterprise–loving organization, the Canadian Centre for Policy

Alternatives…. In their recent report, they indicate that British

Columbia is actually in eighth place. Ontario spends $507 per person in

support of small businesses. Alberta spends $483 per person in support

of small businesses. Here in British Columbia, we’re in eighth place, at

$196 per person.

Not only is this government not focused as it should be on getting

supports into the hands of small businesses; every program that has been

rolled out for small business has been an absolute failure, the most

glaring of which has been the business recovery grant. Inexplicably, we

all learned in the recent budget that the government has had so much

difficulty getting money out the door to small businesses that it had to

extend, by one year, the time frame to push the final $195 million out

of the original program budget.

This program was made up of funds approved a year ago. It was put

into a program that was launched eight months ago. When the member for

Surrey-Panorama says, “I know people are looking for quick fixes,” I

would suggest that a program that was set up eight months ago, with

money from a year ago that is going to take another year to fully expend

the dollars, is not exactly a quick fix. There is no cohesive plan for

small business from this government. There is no cohesive jobs

plan.

There is an increasing reliance on part-time jobs. We do know that

part-time jobs are up 59,000 since the start of the pandemic a year ago.

Full-time jobs are down 39,000. We do know that there is a plan to grow

the size of government. Government jobs are up 60,000, while private

sector jobs are down by 43,000 over the past year. We do know that 53

percent of British Columbians are only $200 away from not being able to

pay their monthly bills, and that’s getting worse and worse. We do know

that women and youth have been disproportionately impacted, with young

women the most unemployed demographic, at 13 percent. There is no plan

from this government to address those realities.

If the members opposite really understood the scope of the problem

with small business, they would be marching down to the door of the

Premier and they would be saying: “Fix these grant programs. Get the

money out the door now, not a year from now.” They’d be saying: “We have

to do more to help businesses adapt. We have to help businesses

survive.” They’d be saying: “Don’t impose any new taxes or fees or other

costs on small business.” They’d be saying: “Don’t increase any taxes on

small business.” These members would be saying: “Provide relief to small

businesses on their payroll cost.” Maybe you could start by providing a

suspension of the employer health tax and then maybe reducing it over

time.

[12:00 p.m.]

They would be saying: “Refund excess WCB premiums collected. Maybe

help small businesses with PPE costs.” They’d be saying: “Why don’t you

remove the taxes on the airspace over the heads of small businesses?”

And on and on it goes.

I will end on this note. A number of my colleagues have quoted

small businesses in their communities, so I will quote one as well —

Manny Mattis of Harold’s Restaurant in Kamloops, on being stuck with

fridges full of perishable food that couldn’t be sold because of no

advance notice from this government. He said recently: “I just don’t

think this government has any idea how to run a business or what it

takes to run a business.”

I think that’s an appropriate way, although a sad way, to end this

morning’s debate on this motion.

T. Stone moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. J. Osborne moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 12:01 p.m.

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