British Columbia Hansard — Monday, October 27, 2014

20141027am-Hansard-v16n4

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Th ird Session, 40th Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) THE HONOURABLE LINDA REID, SPEAKER ISSN 0709- 1281 (Print) ISSN 1499-2175 (Online) Monday, October 27, 2014 Morning Sitting Volume 16, Number 4

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

Rich Coleman Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation ......................................................................................................... Hon. John Rustad Minister of Advanced Education ............................................................................................................................................ Hon. Amrik Virk Minister of Agriculture ........................................................................................................................................................ Hon.

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

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

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

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

Suzanne Anton Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation......................................................................................................Hon. Don McRae Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services ................................................................................... Hon. Andrew Wilkinson Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................Hon.

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

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

Kate Ryan-Lloyd Sessional Law Clerk ...................................................................................................................................................Roderick MacArthur, QC Sergeant-at-Arms ................................................................................................................................................................................. Gary Lenz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Naomi Y amamoto North Vancouver–Seymour ..................................................Jane Th ornthwaite Oak Bay–Gordon Head ...................................................... Dr. Andrew Weaver Parksville-Qualicum .................................................................Michelle Stilwell Peace River North ................................................................................

Pat Pimm Peace River South ............................................................................Mike Bernier Penticton............................................................................................ Dan Ashton Port Coquitlam ..........................................................................Mike Farnworth Port Moody–Coquitlam ................................................................Linda Reimer Powell River–Sunshine Coast ................................................. Nicholas Simons Prince George–Mackenzie .............................................................

Mike Morris Prince George–Valemount ................................................... Hon. Shirley Bond Richmond Centre ......................................................................Hon. Teresa Wat Richmond East ..........................................................................Hon. Linda Reid Richmond-Steveston ..............................................................................John Y ap Saanich North and the Islands .................................................... Gary Holman Saanich South ................................................................................

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hon. Christy Clark Party Standings: BC Liberal 49; New Democratic 34; Independent 2

CONTENTS Monday, October 27, 2014 Morning Sitting Page Routine Business Personal Statement .................................................................................................................................................................. 4907 Clarifi cation of comments made in the House L. Krog Orders of the Day Private Members' Statements ................................................................................................................................................. 4907 Th e value of local government S. Robinson D. Ashton Small Business Month S. Hamilton N.

Simons Including First Nations in building the economy S. Fraser J. Tegart Women and the economy Michelle Stilwell M. Elmore Private Members' Motions ..................................................................................................................................................... 4916 Motion 7 — Economy and environmental protection S. Chandra Herbert L. Larson C. Trevena J. Th ornthwaite N. Macdonald M. Morris K. Conroy M. Dalton G. Heyman D. Barnett M. Mungall

MONDAY , OCTOBER 27, 2014 Th e House met at 10:03 a.m. [Madame Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers. Personal Statement CLARIFICATION OF COMMENTS MADE IN THE HOUSE L. Krog: I rise to make a statement with respect to comments I made in the House on October 22. [1005] Upon further refl ection, I understand how some might have interpreted my comments as a comparison between the undemocratic aspects of Bill 2 and the terrible events that transpired in our nation’s capital last week. Th at was not my intention.

Nor is it to diminish the seriousness of those events and the pain felt by those who suff er the violent loss of a family member or friend. I regret that some may have taken off ence at my com- ments, and in the future I will endeavour to choose my words more carefully. Orders of the Day Private Members' Statements THE V ALUE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT S. Robinson: I am pleased to rise in the House today to talk about the value that local governments bring to our communities. [D.

Horne in the chair.] I think Naheed Nenshi, the mayor of Calgary, captured this value well when I heard him speak at a local govern- ment conference in the Okanagan last spring. He noted that if the federal government were to stop governing, how long would it take for us to even notice? Two weeks, three weeks. And if our provincial government stopped governing, how long would it take for us to notice? One week, ten days. But if our local governments were to stop operating, how long would it take for us to notice? One day, two days, maybe even three days.

Th e message here is that local governments pay close attention to the day-to-day lives of the citizens they serve. Th ey are responsible for public safety, with properly sup- ported police and fi re services. By funding building in- spectors and road engineers, they make sure that the buildings we are in and the roads that we drive on are properly constructed. Our local governments ensure that we have clean water to drink and that our wastewater and our solid wastes are properly destroyed. Local governments do more than just make us safe; they also ensure that we have a good quality of life.

Local governments build libraries, seniors centres and recrea- tion centres. It’s local governments that build the very hockey rinks that bind Canadians together across our nation. Local governments protect lands that we use for parks and lands that we designate for industry. Local gov- ernments shape our neighbourhoods and our ability to move from place to place, whether we can easily visit our neighbours, go to work or shop for our groceries. In short, local governments touch every aspect of our lives.

It’s for this reason that it’s important for us to con- sider how it is that other levels of government treat and engage with local government. As a country and as a province and as communities, we’ve organized ourselves so that each level of government has its responsibilities to care for its citizens. It’s important that each fulfi l its com- mitment to deliver the services as outlined and to recog- nize that when the three levels of government cooperate, work together on behalf of the taxpayers, then we are best serving our shared constituents.

Since the 1950s, support for building the infrastruc- ture we depend upon, support from our most senior levels of government, has dramatically been reduced. In 1955 the federal government accounted for 34 percent of capital investment in our communities, but by 2003 it had declined to just 13 percent. Th e municipal share, on the other hand, increased from 27 to 48 percent. Federal and provincial transfers to local governments to build and maintain the very things that keep our com- munities livable are $4 billion less today than they would have been had 1995 per-capita transfers remained con- stant.

Federal wastewater treatment regulations intro- duced in 2012 have billions of dollars in implications for local government infrastructure. Local expenditures for local governments have in- creased dramatically as the transfer of responsibilities has shift ed from other levels of government. Local expendi- tures for communities in our province on sewer services between 2001 and 2010 grew by 173 percent. Policing costs have increased by 134 percent over that time and water services by 130 percent. Local governments are fi nding themselves picking up the slack on more than just infrastructure.

Local govern- ments are picking up the slack on a range of supports and services that have traditionally been the purview of other levels of government. When other levels of government choose to change how they deliver service and then don’t follow through, or if they choose to no longer fund cer- tain kinds of services, these choices have real impact, and the impact is felt at the local level. [1010] 4907

British Columbia Debates4908 Monday, October 27, 2014 We see these changes in our communities. We see people who are on the streets, along our rivers or in our parks — people who are struggling with mental illness and addiction. We see fi re service attending to accidents, injuries and illness, because they have been asked to do so by the people they serve. But now they are doing so without the proper backup from the Ambulance Service. As a result, fi re service is less available to respond to other crises in the community.

The Columbia Institute recently prepared a report based on surveys of local governments throughout British Columbia. Th ey reached out to local governments and their senior staff and asked them about their experi- ences. Th ese researchers learned that there are a num- ber of these off -loaded concerns that face many of our local governments. Th ey note that when we take a look at things like housing, mental illness, addictions, social services, wastewater treatment, diking and fl ooding man- agement, drinking water and recreation infrastructure, we see a shift over time.

When the federal government got out of the business of housing and out of the business of providing tax in- centives to developers to build rental housing, it was lo- cal governments that had to deal with street and other forms of homelessness. When the provincial government committed to developing community-based supports for those living with mental illness and then failed to proper- ly produce those community-based treatments, it’s been municipalities that have had to pick up the slack with po- lice services. Th ey’re now providing social work services. Now the B.C.

Ambulance Service has downgraded 70 types of calls, and the burden of responding to these emergencies is falling to local fi refi ghters — a burden felt at the local level. We also see that Emergency Management B.C. — the provincial body that’s been responsible for taking leader- ship in helping us, all of our communities, prepare in the event of a catastrophic earthquake — have changed their mission statement.

Instead of taking leadership in the event of an earthquake, they now “support other author- ities within their areas of jurisdiction. ” In other words, the expectation is for municipalities to take leadership, with the province now providing backup support. Let’s be really clear. It’s local governments that don’t pass the buck to anyone else. Local governments recog- nize their commitments to their citizens. When they are elected to serve their communities, this level of local gov- ernment listens very carefully to what their communities are saying, and they respond accordingly. D.

Ashton: First of all, I’ d like to apologize to all of my peers on this side of the House. Th is morning, instead of being at a nine o’ clock meeting, I was doing Dolly Domestic chores at home, getting caught up on a very long weekend. I do apologize to everybody. It is really a privilege to stand in the House today and respond to the statement made by the member oppos- ite on an issue that we all know too well. Many of us know too well the value of local government. I would like to thank the member for Coquitlam-Maillardville for speaking, fi rst of all.

Many of us in the House were involved in municipal government, sitting on a council, on regional districts or as mayors of great B.C. commun- ities — including my own in Penticton. I was proud to serve for almost fi ve years as mayor, 12 years as chair of the regional district and, during that time at the regional district, also as a councillor. Now that we represent the interests of our commun- ities at the provincial level, our passion for making the places we live, work and play even better has not wav- ered.

We believe that local government programs and supports for B.C. families are important services, which is why we are providing them with record levels of fund- ing. Th is funding is incredibly valuable to help local gov- ernments meet the infrastructure and job creation needs of their communities. We continue to work closely with UBCM and the fed- eral government to secure ongoing infrastructure fund- ing for local governments. We are proud of our continued partnership with UBCM and the federal and local gov- ernments.

Since 2001 our government has provided ap- proximately $3 billion to local governments, over and above previous existing funding levels. Combined with federal dollars, that’s close to $4.5 billion invested. Including payments made this fi scal year, the province will have returned more than $657 million in traffi c fi ne revenues to communities since 2001. Small commun- ity and regional district grants have doubled since 2004. Th is includes payments made 2014-2015 — another $582 million provided to local governments. Th e purpose of these grants is to help fund local government programs and services.

Since 2009 the strategic community investment fund has provided $695 million to help support B.C. com- munities, enabling them to address their service require- ments, enhance policing and invest money in projects that have been identifi ed at the local level as a priority. Th is year alone we distributed almost $74 million in stra- tegic community investment funding to communities throughout B.C. [1015] Our infrastructure improvements.

Th e government has provided $176 million through the Building Canada fund and $100 million through the infrastructure stimu- lus fund for local government priorities alone — sig- nifi cant investments in local water, sewer, community infrastructure including $267 million in the Canada-B.C. infrastructure program and $75 million in the municipal rural infrastructure fund, both matched by federal and local governments, and $80 million in B.C. community water improvement programs. For communities with fl ooding at risk, we have committed $100 million over

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4909 ten years to fund fl ood protection. Government has invested approximately $60 million — $19 million of which is attributable to the Spirit Squares, and LocalMotion, $40 million in programs to provide new and existing infrastructure for communities; provid- ed close to $70 million in the 2001 Towns for Tomorrow project since, if I remember correctly, 2007; and funded up to 80 percent of the projects in smaller communities and regional districts; a further commitment of $30 mil- lion for 98 community recreation projects throughout the province.

We’ve also placed emphasis on increasing funding in regions where communities feel pressure from high economic growth, such as the Peace region. We have committed $43.1 million through the Fair Share agree- ment to help these affected communities deal with growth and alleviate pressures from a large infl ux of population.

Since 2005 this program has delivered $337 million to the region, committed to developing legislation to imple- ment changes based on the recommendations of Local Government Elections Task Force and continues to work with UBCM, Elections B.C. and other stakeholders to en- sure that reforms related to accountability, transparency, compliance and enforcement, and education were made during this year’s election. At this time, hon. Speaker, noting the time, I would just like to thank you very much for the opportunity to respond to the member’s statement.

If you would indulge me for just one minute, I would like to wish the best of luck to everybody running in the municipal elections for municipal offi ce this year, and I would like to thank those who are choosing to retire. S. Robinson: I certainly appreciate the opportunity to respond to the member opposite. I, too, have spent fi ve years in local government and certainly loved every sin- gle second of it, recognizing that its value in terms of be- ing able to respond accordingly and almost immediately to the needs of the community is part of what makes lo- cal government absolutely fabulous.

But I do want to point out that as part of the Columbia Institute report, the authors do make a number of recom- mendations that I think we ought to be paying attention to. Based on what they heard from the local government leaders and senior staff , they noted that there are very specifi c things we can do at our level of government, es- pecially paying attention to the fact that they can offi cially deliver a whole range of services, and they are willing to take on the expanded role if it makes sense and if they are given the resources to manage them. More specifi cally, these authors note:

(1) No transfer of responsibilities should occur with- out funding or revenue stream opportunities. Expecting local governments to take on more responsibility with- out the funds or the ability to raise funds is a setup for failure for everyone.

(2) Ensure stable revenue rather than unpredictable and time-consuming short-term grants like the member opposite talked about. Asking local governments to ex- pend funds to complete grant applications as they com- pete with each other for special project funds means that there will be losers, and as a result, taxpayer money will be wasted.

(3) Th ey suggest establishing a formal review process to examine the impacts of the restructuring of provin- cial services and funding cuts on local governments. We ought not to ignore local governments. We need to rec- ognize their role in caring for citizens and acknowledge that there are real impacts when we make decisions at this level of government, and the impacts are felt in our communities. Th ey also suggest that we perform a major review of funding models and revenue streams, especially for cit- ies that are becoming more highly urbanized and where growth is unprecedented.

Th eir ability to keep up with the growth and to generate the kinds of revenue that they need in order to maintain a certain standard of living is becoming more and more diffi cult over time. [1020] Perhaps it’s time for all of us in this House to look at creative ways to properly support local governments so that they can do the best that they can do. Th ey are the ones that create vibrant, well-designed, livable commun- ities — places where all of us, every single person in this House, raise our children, places that we all call home and that millions of British Columbians call home.

On that note I, too, would like to thank all those who put their name forward and wish everyone the very best in the upcoming local elections. SMALL BUSINESS MONTH S. Hamilton: It’s with a great deal of pride that I stand before you today and talk about the backbone of our economy in our great province. I’m speaking, of course, of small businesses. It’s no secret that our government, unlike a lot of people in this House, is committed to building a strong economy that creates jobs for B.C. fam- ilies. We believe that small business plays a vital

part in that eff ort. Some basic facts about small business. It makes up 98 percent of all businesses in the province and employs more than one million British Columbians. That ac- counts for 55 percent of private sector employment in this province. Th at’s why our government has proclaimed the month of October as Small Business Month. In 2008 our government cut the small business cor- porate tax rate from 4.5 to 2.5 percent, a 44 percent re- duction. Th is remains the second-lowest rate in Canada, and we’re committed to lowering the rate by a further 40 percent under the B.C. jobs plan.

British Columbia Debates4910 Monday, October 27, 2014 One of the key barriers small businesses face is un- necessary red tape, and B.C. continues to be seen as a global leader in regulatory reform. Our attention to the needs of small businesses has been recognized on a national scale. In fact, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business gave B.C. an A for regulatory re- form for the third year in a row — the only province in Canada to receive an A. Let’s talk a little bit about small businesses. Th ere were approximately 382,200 small businesses operating in the province in 2013.

British Columbia ranks fi rst in Canada for the number of small businesses per capita, with 83.4 businesses per 1,000 people in this province. Th e national average is 70.1. Small business accounts for 31 percent of British Columbia’s GDP , higher than the Canadian average of 29 percent. British Columbia’s share of self-employed work- ers is the second-highest in the country, accounting for 18.1 percent of total employment. Small businesses in British Columbia shipped about $14.4 billion worth of merchandise to international destinations in 2012.

Th at’s almost 50 percent of the total value of goods exported from the province. In 2013 small business provided just under 32 percent of all wages paid to workers in British Columbia, well above the national average of 26 percent. To help these entrepreneurs, our government has raised the small busi- ness tax threshold from $200,000 to $500,000, making B.C. the highest threshold in Canada and saving small businesses $20 million a year. Since 2001 B.C. has reduced regulatory requirements by more than 42 percent. Th e number of regulatory re- quirements in 2001 was 360,295.

Th e number of regula- tory requirements today: 206,566 as of March 31. Th e province is committed to a net-zero increase in regula- tions to 2015. It’s because of forward-thinking initiatives like these that our province has helped world-renowned businesses like Lululemon and Hootsuite grow from small entities to those that are known on the international market. It’s not about growing these power players.

It’s about help- ing our local businesses grow and thrive to their poten- tial and to let them know that this government believes in them and wants to ensure that they have all the tools they need to ensure success. Th at’s why we’ve been working closely with the B.C. chambers of commerce and local chamber networks to create an environment in British Columbia for small businesses to thrive. Th ere are more than 125 chambers of commerce and boards of trade in B.C., representing more than 36,000 businesses.

Chambers of commerce throughout the province have been supportive of our small business initiatives, su ch as the mobile business licence and BizPal. Reducing red tape at all levels of government is key to making it easier for businesses to do business in B.C. Th e mobile business licence, also referred to as the inter- municipal business licence, reduces red tape by allowing mobile businesses to operate in more than one muni- cipality by purchasing only one licence, rather than by obtaining non-resident permits in each municipality in which they operate.

Th is allows business owners to spend less time doing paperwork and more time making their businesses a success. Th e mobile business licence was successfully piloted in 2007 in the Okanagan-Similkameen, and to date, a total of 69 municipalities have established mobile business li- cences.

Working with local governments to expand the MBL program is a key commitment under the B.C. jobs plan, and talks are underway with additional municipal- ities interested in joining the program. [1025] We continue to leverage their network to gain insight on the actions we’re taking to further our eff orts on the B.C. small business accord.

Th ese actions include im- plementation of the 12 recommendations in the Small Business: Doing Business with Government report to re- duce barriers to small business access to government and to improve procurement opportunities, and development of a small business awareness strategy to help small busi- ness owners understand and locate the resource tools and organizations available to assist them, both through our members, the B.C. chamber, as well as our partner organizations. Our government, in collaboration with the B.C.

Chamber of Commerce, has provided funding for the Competitiveness B.C. forums taking place throughout the province. Five sessions took place throughout the province in the spring, and three more were held to co- incide with Small Business Month. Th e chamber will also meet with the provincial and federal governments to share fi ndings and to develop a framework to improve B.C. ’s productivity and global competitiveness. These are just a few examples of what this govern- ment is doing to show their support for small business.

I celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship, and with that said, I’m very interested in what the member opposite has to say. N. Simons: Let me start by thanking the member for Delta North for expressing his interest in hearing what I have to say. Th at’s a fi rst. Let’s let that be the beginning of a new relationship here. I have to say…. L. Krog: His prayer is working already. N. Simons: His prayer is working already, the member for Nanaimo has informed us. I’m happy to be able to stand in this House and also raise my hands and thank the small businesses in our province for doing the amazing work that they do.

Th ey

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4911 do represent over a million workers, as the member has recited from the same website that I perused earlier. I think it’s clear that we do have an important, strong sector, and small businesses are, in fact, the fuel of our economy. But let’s just think about it for a minute. Who are these small businesses? Th e vast majority of the small businesses in this province are of fi ve or fewer people, and many are of them self-employed.

These are the people who are putting out their eff ort, their money and their commitment to provide a service or a good to our community to ensure that our economy continues but also that they have employment themselves. While the member might be selective in referring to certain indicators that are absolutely positive, I should point out that there are some things that we can do bet- ter. It’s not all about regulatory reform. It’s not all about taxation levels. If you think about it, between 2008 and 2013 the number of small businesses in British Columbia went up exactly 0.2 percent.

Th e number of small businesses in our community went up 0.2 percent. Th at’s not only well below the national average; it’s the lowest in all of the country. Th e national average was 5.4 percent. We are not growing the number of small businesses the way other provinces have, and between the same years, ’08 and ’13, the number of self-employed is down 1.5 percent. We’re one of only two provinces to see that reduction. I don’t mind that the minister, the member…. I keep promoting him, probably because of his kind words to- ward me, which is how things work.

I’m just pointing out that this isn’t always a partisan issue. We’re all interested in ensuring that small businesses continue to be an im- portant part of our community. We can’t just simply say, “We want to have the lowest tax rate” in order to attract people. Obviously, we want to make sure that our tax rates are competitive, that our regulatory systems do what they need to do — that is, protect the employer as well as protecting the environ- ment, protecting the employees and ensuring that we have the appropriate resources in our community to fund the necessary factors that make those businesses successful.

While we’ d like to see this government reverse the negative trend that we see with the number of small business employment down, one of only two provinces between 2008 and 2013…. We’ve seen us drop in the number of people employed by small businesses. Th e chest-thumping and the pride that the member seems to take in reciting facts from the website belie the fact that, in truth, we need to do more. It’s not just about regulatory reform. It’s ensuring that we have a safe com- munity where people have the income necessary to pur- chase goods and services.

I think that that balance is what we as legislators should strive to achieve, not the chest-pumping and the chest-pounding that seems to characterize this govern- ment’s approach towards everything. [1030] I’ d say that small business, just like everyone else, is the backbone, the fuel of our economy. Th ey talk about red tape on one side of their mouths, and they bring in MMBC with the other. It’s an example, I think, of show- ing that government is more talk than action and more platitudes than reality. I think that’s unfortunate. I do look forward, actually, to the member’s response.

Perhaps he hasn’t got prepared statements, so we’ll see a little bit of an improvisation. I’m looking forward to that. Mr. Speaker, with that, I thank you for the opportun- ity to respond. S. Hamilton: I’ d like to thank my good friend the member for Powell River–Sunshine Coast for his com- ments. I’ll start off by saying we may look like chest pounders, but I think we’ve got a right to pound our chest because our record speaks for itself. Th ere has never been more confi dence in small business in this province, than ever before. Th e level of confi dence in small business is over the top.

I know the opposition sees success in our failure, at least an attempt to have us fail, but we’re not going to. I’m going to go to the bigger businesses here just for a minute. I’m going to talk about LNG and the consider- able trickle-down eff ect that LNG is going to have on small businesses in this province. Y ou know, it is a sim- patico relationship. Th e LNG business wouldn’t exist in this province without small businesses either. Th e member opposite spoke about small businesses and their eff ort and their money and their commitment. Th ere’s another little thing that they do. It’s called risk.

People in this province that operate small businesses do so. Th ey go out on a limb, and they take risks. Th ey take considerable risk. Some fail. But thanks to the eff orts of this government, many, many more succeed than fail. In my community we have the Annacis Island indus- trial district. We have the Tilbury industrial district, and it is vibrant. It’s full of successful small businesses that stand as a testament to how this government supports them going forward in the investments that they make. It’s through the local business community and beyond that they succeed.

Now, I’m tempted, very tempted, to evoke the com- ments that were made by the member for Cowichan Valley in this House back on October 9. But you know what? I’m not going to do that. No, I’m not going to do that. I think it’s more important that we deal with what people in small businesses in this province want us to deal with, and that is to help them become more success- ful and to talk about the issues at hand and the things that matter to them — the stuff that our small business com- munities need us to talk about.

British Columbia Debates4912 Monday, October 27, 2014 Th at’s what I’m going to do, and I’m going to continue to do that. Th at’s how we can better support our com- munities and the small businesses that they rely upon for their livelihoods. Delta is just one example of many around this province. Again, I thank the member opposite for his comments. I look forward to continuing this debate and these dis- cussions in the hallways. We don’t necessarily have to be in this chamber. I think if we all work collectively for a common goal, this province could be even better than it is.

It’s my intention to continue doing that. Th ank you for your time. INCLUDING FIRST NATIONS IN BUILDING THE ECONOMY S. Fraser: I’m going to be speaking on including First Nations in building the economy. Before I begin with that, I’ d just like to comment that yesterday I returned from Quesnel. I had the wonder- ful privilege and honour of attending an event with the Leader of the Opposition, with the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, with a number of other members and hundreds of people there at a ceremony recognizing a huge injustice that happened in this prov- ince 150 years ago yesterday.

With the apology and the exoneration of six chiefs who were executed in the most duplicitous way by the state, we’re bringing a closing to that. Th at spans politics. I believe that including First Nations in building the economy needs to span politics also. I’ll try not to make this political. I need to speak from this side of the House, so on this side of the House we do believe that First Nations are essential partners in any sustainable economy in this province.

I believe that’s more of an imperative than ever with the Tsilhqot’in decision, with the Roger William decision, that came out in June. [1035] Prosperity and justice in all of our communities rely on recognition. Recognition is key. Recognition and reconciliation and, above all, respect — respect for First Nations and aboriginal peoples in this province. Th e William decision makes it clear that First Nations must be kept involved in issues involving their territor- ies. It’s not an option, and it has much further implica- tions than just with the Tsilhqot’in, although that’s where the decision lay.

It is clear — it should be clear to all of us here — that First Nations…. Th ere are 203 bands in the province. All First Nations in this province predate European contact — thus, the term First Nations. It should just be intuitive that we need to have recognition, not just for the Tsilhqot’in and the court decision that said 1,750 square kilometres are title lands for the Tsilhqot’in. Th at’s a huge decision — the fi rst time the courts have actually defi nitively laid out clear title over the lands within the traditional territories.

But that is not exclusive to First Nations, so we need to have recognition and respect. Th e Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation should have two more Rs, and those are respect and recognition. Th e recognition part has not yet happened. Actually, the Vickers decision seven years ago recog- nized title to some extent. Justice Vickers clearly said that the government should get out of the courts and should get into negotiating in good faith. Instead, the govern- ment went back to court.

I wonder where we’ d be, seven years later, if the gov- ernment had listened to the sage advice of Justice Vickers. We would be so much further ahead. First Nations are moving forward post-Tsilhqot’in. Th ey understand the importance of that court decision and government needs to too. Th ey have to recognize First Nations titles and rights in this province. I’ll give you an example. I’ve got a letter that was sent to the Premier from the Acho Dene Koe First Nation. I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting their communities. It spans the Northwest Territories, Yukon territories and northern British Columbia.

I am going to read the fi rst paragraph of this letter to the Premier. “The Acho Dene Koe’s traditional lands are in southwest Northwest Territories, southeast Yukon and northern British Columbia. Its traditional lands are equally found in three juris- dictions. Acho Dene Koe is not just a transboundary claim. Its traditional lands are found where B.C. ’s prime natural gas fi elds are. ” Th en they cite where those are. “Y our dreams of an economically secure B.C. rest with settling Acho Dene Koe claims on these lands.

Failure to do so may cause the closure of LNG activities on our lands. ” Th is should get the attention of government — of the Premier, certainly, with the commitments that she has made, certainly pre-election commitments, about what benefi ts LNG would bring. Th e next paragraph: “However, notwithstanding the urgency that Canada and the B.C. Treaty Commission have placed on Acho Dene claims and treaty negotiations, B.C. has nevertheless ignored Acho Dene’s claim.

B.C. ’s evasion of negotiations has become critical, as Acho Dene Koe is closing negotiations on its fi nal agreement already with the Northwest Territories and starting into a comprehensive claim with Yukon and has attempted without success to engage B.C. since 2002. ” I have tried to urge the government and the minister and the Premier to move forward with taking the Acho Dene’s claim seriously, with respect and with recognition. Th at has simply not happened.

Th is is an example of how economic partnership could bring a windfall to the province, could bring benefi ts to the province — to all people of the province, First Nations and non–First Nations. Th e government’s failure to deal with the issue with re- spect and recognition is problematic. It’s problematic for all of us in British Columbia, I would submit. Th e Septem- ber 12 meeting with the Premier and the entire cabinet was a very good start on a relationship — a few years late, I would submit, but I will give credit where credit’s due.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4913 [1040] However, following that meeting, where the leadership council clearly laid out their conditions of foundations for moving forward post-Tsilhqot’in, many First Nations left that meeting feeling less than confi dent with the gov- ernment’s responses. Th e Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs statement right following the summit said that the B.C. government and First Nations leaders “look to uncer- tain future of reconciliation” based on what happened at that meeting. Again, what we need in British Columbia is certainty.

Certainty on the land base means certainty with First Nations, and certainty with First Nations means deal- ing with First Nations with recognition and with respect. Th at is not happening. I see the red light is on. I will wait for a response from government and then be happy to respond to that. J. Tegart: Th ank you, to the member opposite. It truly is a pleasure to stand today and speak on this subject that is near and dear to my heart. I think we all agree in this House that our province is blessed to have such a rich First Nations heritage. It’s our diversity that gives us strength.

In my constituency, Fraser-Nicola, First Nations people are an integral part of communities. As the MLA, I’m proud to represent their interests here in the Legislature and to further their goals of building a strong and prosperous future for their com- munities and their bands. As economic development continues across British Columbia, I believe, as do members of this assembly, First Nations deserve to benefi t equally from this progress.

However, to achieve a strong and prosperous future for everyone in B.C., there needs to be cooperation and an open dialogue between industry, government and First Nations on all projects taking place on traditional ter- ritories in order to maximize the social benefi t for all stakeholders involved. In

summary, this means recognizing that First Nations are full and active partners in any economic development within their traditional territories. First Nations support economic development projects that are socially, en- vironmentally and culturally sustainable. Th ese projects can and will go ahead if all stakeholders work together in partnership based on the key values of respect, recog- nition and reconciliation of aboriginal title and rights. British Columbia is blessed to have an abundance of natural resources.

Th at said, a large quantity of these re- sources are found in First Nations territories, and it is only fair that First Nations and surrounding commun- ities are partners in these projects. Th e mining sector is one of the largest employers of First Nations people in Canada and a major economic driver in my constituency, as well as providing many First Nations people highly skilled and high-paying jobs. We are proud to be one of the fi rst provinces to share dir- ect provincial mineral tax revenue generated from new mines or expansions with First Nations.

To date, we have also reached ten economic and com- munity development agreements with First Nations, cre- ating certainty for six new and expanding mines across British Columbia. These agreements underscore the commitment by the government to ensure First Nations meaningfully benefi t from resource activity happening on their territories. Forestry is another major employer in my constituency.

Forest consultation and revenue-sharing agreements al- locate a percentage of provincial forestry revenue from First Nations territories directly back to the commun- ity to allow them to invest these funds where they deem necessary. LNG is the newest resource development opportunity on the horizon, providing greater economic certainty, op- portunity and security to First Nations across the prov- ince. Already work is underway to initiate engagement with First Nations communities and opening the door for aboriginal students to be the fi rst in line for these jobs through the B.C. skills-for-jobs blueprint.

Spaces for critical trades training have been announced at NVIT and TRU so students can enrol and gain the skills they need to be a part of the incredible opportunities coming. [1045] Of course, the province is continuing to work with communities across B.C. to ensure long-lasting benefi ts are achieved for First Nations over the long term as the LNG industry develops.

Tying this all together, the B.C. jobs plan has made the commitment to improve opportunities and resources for First Nations in all eight key sectors found in B.C., to en- sure further job creation and greater inclusion of First Nations in our economy. Th e B.C. jobs plan also created the Aboriginal Business and Investment Council to work with First Nations to foster new wealth-creating partnerships. Th is plan also achieved ten non-treaty agreements in January 2012, two years earlier than planned, to encourage economic development and opening up opportunities for aborig- inal communities.

We are committed to continue working in partnership with First Nations to stimulate investment, create jobs and provide economic benefi ts for First Nations bands and all British Columbians. S. Fraser: I very much appreciate the comments from the member for Fraser-Nicola across the way, my col- league on the Liberal side. I don’t disagree with many of the words, and I would note that the member did men- tion recognition and respect, but we need more than words. We actually need actions on the part of the gov- ernment. I attended the B.C. Joint Gathering 2014 in Vancouver last week, a three-day conference.

I think it was the third

British Columbia Debates4914 Monday, October 27, 2014 annual one. I would note that the mood there was diff er- ent. We had the leaders from all over the province there — aboriginal leaders, First Nations leaders. All the leader- ship council representatives were there. Grand Chief Ed John said: “Following the Tsilhqot’in decision, which is a game changer” — everyone has agreed it’s a game changer — “the position from the B.C. government has been a status quo. ” No reaction, no change, no recognition of what that court decision means. No recognition that title exists in British Columbia. Th at’s a problem.

Th at’s a problem of trust, and that’s a prob- lem of respect. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip at the same conference said that First Nations and aboriginal people seem to be considered a liability, not an asset. Th ere’s a signifi cant gap here. When there is this kind of gap in understanding of respect and recognition, we have a problem.

We have a government that quietly brought in two orders-in-council last year to amend the reviewable projects regulation, to eliminate environmental assess- ments for ski resorts, all-season resorts and 99 percent of the natural gas processing plants in the province — something that the member was speaking about. Th is was done with no consultation with First Nations. As a matter of fact, the Minister of Environment was forced to apologize and withdraw. So again, that complete lack of recognition and respect that First Nations have a role, that they even exist — that is a problem. The member talked about mining.

Well, following the Mount Polley disaster of deregulation, and the aft er- math that we’re going to see for years, directly aff ecting First Nations and non–First Nations in the area…. I’ve received a letter, and raised this in the House already, from fi ve First Nations from the Cariboo, downstream of the Mount Polley disaster. Th eir attempts to get any communications with the government have failed. Th ey had to rely on the press and have to rely on the press and have got no response to their queries.

I agree with the member for Fraser-Nicola that we in this House need a relationship based on recognition and respect. But that has to be more than recognition and re- spect in words. It must be in deeds also. WOMEN AND THE ECONOMY Michelle Stilwell: Th ank you for allowing me to have this opportunity to speak today on a subject that is very important to me and, I believe, to many other people in our province: women and the economy. As we know, October marks Women’s History Month across Canada.

For 2014 the theme is “Canadian busi- nesswomen: a growing economic force. ” As a free enter- priser, I can’t think of a better theme for this year. But fi rst, let’s go through a bit of a history lesson. [1050] In 1914, 100 years ago, there were no women MLAs in this Legislature. Th e fi rst, Mary Ellen Smith, was elected four years later, in 1918, one year aft er women were given the right to vote in British Columbia politics. Th ree years aft er that, she was appointed to cabinet, marking the fi rst provincial cabinet minister in Canadian history and the fi rst in the British Empire.

It was also in 1921 that B.C. ’s fi rst maternity leave legis- lation was passed, an entire six weeks’ worth. In 1900 the federal Married Women’s Property Act allowed a wife to own her own property separately from her husband and to also control her own wages and profi ts. As you can imagine, without a strong and eff ective female political representation, women tended not to be looked upon as being serious players in the busi- ness world. Of course, there were exceptions to this, but women owning businesses and being leaders was def- initely not the norm.

I hope we can all agree that how women were treated in the past is not something we should be proud of and that there have been huge strides in women becoming business leaders. October is also Small Business Month, as we heard earlier today. Th is is one of the areas in the economy where women do thrive and own their own businesses. According to a recent RBC Economics report, business- es that are majority-controlled by women contributed an estimated $148 billion to the Canadian economy in 2011. Women-owned businesses currently employ over 1.5 mil- lion Canadians, according to the BMO Financial Group.

Here in B.C. small businesses provide nearly 56 percent of all private sector jobs, and they employ over one mil- lion people. It’s a huge economic driver. We want to inspire women to tap into their entrepre- neurial spirit and to make a diff erence in their commun- ities. A national BMO survey from a couple of years ago indicated that 71 percent of women responded that they want to start their own business. In fact, in my area of British Columbia, in Parksville-Qualicum, women are some of the community’s most recognizable and most successful leaders and entrepreneurs.

For instance, Robynne Shaw is the general manager of Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort, and she’s also the president of the Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce. Donna Andres owns Lady’s Mantle bou- tique, a popular retail accessory boutique. Sue Battle is the owner of Bosley’s pet store franchise in Parksville, a favourite place for animal lovers, including me. Lisa Leger is a natural health consultant at Pharmasave Health Centre in Parksville, but she also owns her own private practice as a fertility awareness facilitator.

Crystal McMillan, who owns Bare Roots Natural Health and Y oga Centre at French Creek Landing, is also with Bear Smart B.C. Consulting, where she works with our province to reduce confl ict with bears. Th en, of course, there’s Beth Ross, who has established B Digital Video Productions. Th e list goes on and on.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4915 But we’re not just talking about entrepreneurialism. Many of us know that B.C. will need to fill one mil- lion jobs by 2022. In addition to these positions open- ing up due to retirements, many will be created by new opportunities such as liquefied natural gas develop- ment, increased resource sector activities and growth in transportation. Many of these jobs will be in the skilled trades, and women are primed to be a huge part of this jobs boom. Today women make up 47 percent of the Canadian labour force, up from 37 percent in 1976.

It’s important that we set strategic priorities based on the needs of em- ployers and industry but, just as importantly, the needs of women. Th e women can certainly lead this charge. Today the door is open for women in every trades ca- reer in British Columbia, and this is something that the Industry Training Authority is emphasizing. I encourage everyone to see what they are doing to assist women and encourage the employers to seek out tradeswomen. Perhaps we do not generally associate women with trades, but stats show that women report high job satisfaction and good pay in the skilled trades.

Th is is not surprising, because skilled trades pay more than the provincial average. Over the past few decades society’s view on women in trades has changed rapidly. Women need to continue to inspire each other to seek out these opportunities, as a well-paying job means economic freedom. It means the ability to invest more into children and families. [1055] When people are at work, society grows. Th e more people earn, the more our economy grows. Over the past century women have achieved so much in business and building the economy. I look forward to what the future holds for our female leaders.

I realize that more needs to be done, but as a free enter- priser I am proud of the success that women have dem- onstrated in the boardroom, as entrepreneurs and in the skilled trade professions. I hope that all my colleagues will join me in recognizing the success of women becom- ing a growing economic force and will work together to make sure that there is a level playing fi eld for all budding entrepreneurs and future business leaders. M. Elmore: I’m very pleased to rise and speak on the motion put forward from the member for Parksville- Qualicum on women and the economy.

When we mark October as Women’s History Month, I think it can be characterized as one of the most notable features of eco- nomic development when we saw over the past centuries the transition and transfer of women’s work in the home to their involvement in commercial employment and full participation in the economy. I’ d like to take us to today and look at what the experi- ence is of women in British Columbia with respect to their economic security, looking at some of the factors around women’s participation and representation in the labour force.

We’ve seen that more women are partici- pating in the labour force, but it’s still not equal to men. As well, we see that the unemployment rate is also high- er for women. When we look at the experience of women, it’s not all women who have the same experience. We see addition- al barriers for immigrant women, women of colour and also indigenous women, who see lower participation in our labour force as well as higher unemployment rates and lower employment rates. When we look at part-time work, we also see that near- ly 70 percent of part-time workers are women.

When we look at the benefi ts that women are able to gain from the economy, we see that there is, indeed, a gender gap in earnings here in British Columbia — a gender gap on two levels. Women in B.C. actually have fallen behind the Canadian average of earnings for women across the country, and women in British Columbia also suffer wage disadvantages compared across British Columbia. Over the past ten years we’ve seen that average earn- ings for women lag behind the Canadian average. Th at’s a reality for women in the labour force in British Columbia.

When we look at the gender gap in earnings as well, we see that the gap between men and women in British Columbia and also that gender gap in wages is worst in British Columbia compared to across Canada. Th at is the reality of women looking for work and their experience in the labour force. Compounding that, where does that lead us? That contributes and that explains why British Columbia has the worst poverty rate.

Also, women — particularly lone parents heading their households, with children — have the highest poverty rate when you look at their experi- ence and their inability to access full-time, quality, good- paying jobs. As well, when we look at what the resolves are to sup- port women to participate fully, closing that gap in labour market participation is a real drive for productivity and is a goal to boost not only women’s earnings but also the functioning of the economy.

Th e number one area is women facing that diffi culty to balance their work and family life, the need for a commitment to child care so that women can feel secure that their children are looked aft er and are able to participate fully in the workforce. Th e other area is access to jobs. We see that B.C. has the second-worst rate of creating private sector jobs, and hand in hand, we’ve seen just an opening of the door for temporary foreign workers coming into our province — tens of thousands of temporary foreign workers in British Columbia and a lack of opportunity for people in B.C. to fi nd work.

As well, we see an outfl ow of people leaving British Columbia to fi nd jobs. [1100] Th ere needs to be, for women to participate fully, ac-

British Columbia Debates4916 Monday, October 27, 2014 cess to quality child care. We need to see jobs in British Columbia. Th at means — for my colleagues across the way — let’s have some jobs in British Columbia. Let’s build some fer- ries in British Columbia and not send those off to Poland. Let’s have the ability for women across this province to fi nd good-paying jobs in British Columbia and give op- portunity to women, particularly indigenous women and women from immigrant communities. Let’s not forget that this government — the B.C.

Liberal government — has the distinction of the worst record of women losing their jobs, with the privatization of health care workers in 2002. Michelle Stilwell: I’ d like to thank my hon. colleague from across the aisle for her remarks. While I agree that women do face obstacles, I’ d like to point out that all busi- ness leaders and entrepreneurs face obstacles, regardless of their gender. As legislators we need to ensure that the doors are open for everyone. All parents need to take care of their children. All stu- dents and workers deserve an education and opportun- ities.

No worker should face barriers because of their gender or their race, religion, creed or physical ability. I’ d like to actually quote Janet Y ellen, the chair of the United States Federal Reserve. She said: “Every woman I have appointed is here because they have the skills and the capabilities to lead. ” I echo her thoughts. People should be and must be promoted based on merit. I hope that my hon. colleague would not think diff erently. Y ou know, women now earn over half of all Canadian university degrees. Over one-third of MBAs granted in Canada are to women.

In fact, it’s estimated that nearly half of the students in business and management pro- grams at the master’s level are now females. As a parent, I’m proud that we have measures in our province that are being made to implement a meaningful early learning approach while reducing child care pres- sures on families. I know that the B.C. early-years strat- egy is a long-term plan to improve access, aff ordability and the quality of early-years programs and services for families with young children aged zero to six.

Th at’s not to mention that we have now implemented all-day kindergarten through the Ministry of Education’s two-year implementation completed in September 2011. It will benefi t $327 million to the program, helping ap- proximately 38,000 kindergarten students across B.C., which is a current number. Th is is, of course, improving the early learning while reducing the child care pressure that we have on families. Th ere’s also the recently formed Premier’s Women’s Economic Council that was created to off er advice to women on tapping into economic opportunities.

Along with bringing into focus the barriers that are facing women in business, they will provide advice on how to eliminate those barriers. Let’s not forget that women have had an opportunity to seize a career in the trades, realizing a well-paying career that may mean independence, job satisfaction and, most importantly, the ability to support their family. Right now the barriers are tumbling down, and the opportunities are on the rise for women of all back- grounds who want to pursue careers as welders, carpen- ters, heavy operators and plumbers, just to name a few.

It’s fi tting, I think, now that we have women as a grow- ing economic force. Deputy Speaker: Members, unanimous consent is re- quired in order to proceed with Motion 7 and not disturb the previous motions on the order paper. Leave granted. Private Members' Motions MOTION 7 — ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION S. Chandra Herbert: I am moving a motion: [Be it resolved that the government rebuild confi dence in our economy by introducing stronger protections for our province’s land, water, and air, and ensure stronger enforcement of those protections.] [R.

Chouhan in the chair.] I’m bringing this motion today because, of course, this summer — August 4, to be specifi c — provided a wake-up call. [1105] I think it certainly sent a shock wave through the min- ing sector, any natural resource companies and environ- mentally concerned British Columbians — indeed, all British Columbians. What happened on August 4? Well, it was the collapse of the Mount Polley tailings dam. Some call it a breach. I visited the site.

Very clearly the whole side of the dam has scoured away, sending 25 million cubic metres of mine tailings into Quesnel Lake, scouring Hazeltine Creek and leaving a moonscape of tailings in the dam site itself. Of course, many are aware of the potential harm that this has brought to what was once a pristine lake — to the fi sh, to the people that rely on that and to the tourism businesses associated with it as well. What does that mean?

Well, it has meant, in many other resource operations and in many other proposed resource operations, a great deal of concern — British Columbians saying: “Who is managing the economy? Who is managing to protect our ecology? And how can we have these good-paying jobs in resource sectors while also protecting the ecology and the environment?” Th e government’s response has largely been to suggest: “Well, you’re either for jobs and the economy, or you’re

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4917 against them if you’re in favour of the ecology and pro- tecting the environment. ” It doesn’t have to be both ways. For those that look at the etymology of words, as I like to, we look at ecology and economy, and they’re very much the same thing. Economy — oikos nemein, in the Greek — is about managing the household. Ecology, of course, is about managing the interaction of organisms in that household. Really, you cannot have one without the other. Unfortunately, under the B.C.

Liberal government we’ve had management of the household, so to speak, where you focus on just one thing. Y ou let the roof burn. Y ou let somebody cut down the trees right outside of the window or somebody potentially poison the fi sh that you’ve been keeping in your dugout in the backyard, as my grandparents had when I was a kid, and look the other way. We’ve had example aft er example aft er example of big multinational companies polluting the environment, and either the public pays to clean it up, or we just leave the damage as it is.

Now, British Columbia — as we look at this building, as we look at our history — was built on natural resources. We’ve an incredible forestry sector, mines, the fi sheries, and on and on you go. But that was an interaction with nature. Th ere were many bad deci- sions made in the past, which have cost us to this day. I point, of course, to the former Britannia mine and the on- going pollution problems that it has to this day because things were managed poorly. We seem to think that we could go on and on forever and that there would never be an impact. Well, they’re wrong. Th ey’re wrong. To this day the B.C.

Liberal gov- ernment continues to seem to believe if you just look the other way, if you pretend that you are going to deal with it by claiming you have world-class standards, that some- how makes it true. Well, it doesn’t. I have in front of me an e-mail from the emergency management department of the Ministry of Environment talking about oil spill preparedness and toxic spill pre- paredness. Are we ready? What does it say here? It says: “We could point to hundreds of spills on an annual basis where gaps occurred or improvements are needed.

Compiling such a report, however, would involve signifi - cant staff resources that we currently do not have. ” To put that in terms anyone can understand, there are so many problems out there across B.C. where we do not have policy and we do not have enforcement and we do not know what’s going on, but we don’t even have enough staff to know what we don’t know. We don’t even have enough staff to know the extent of the problems. Th ere are so many. Has the government decided this is a priority now, all of a sudden? No, in fact, they haven’t.

Instead, what the government has done — in managing the household and managing the economy, in shredding confi dence in the economy and in our ability to balance environmental needs and economic needs — is…. Instead, what they’ve done is they’ve moved to a model of laying off staff — 35 percent cut to our natural resource offi cers, 25 percent of the foresters gone, 23 percent of agrologists gone, around a quarter of natural resource offi cers gone. It’s time for change. We need to balance in a better fashion. [1110] L.

Larson: In response to my colleague, B.C. is a North American leader in climate action and has gained inter- national recognition for being a leader on the green economy. In 2010 B.C. was the fi rst jurisdiction in North America to become carbon-neutral across its public sec- tors and remains the only carbon-neutral province or state on the continent. Water is our most precious resource, and the proposed Water Sustainability Act will help ensure that our supply of clean, fresh water is sustainable to meet our needs to- day and for generations to come.

We are the fi rst government in B.C. ’s history to imple- ment a comprehensive drinking water protection plan, which included investing more than $300 million in municipal projects, including drinking water and waste- water infrastructure. Modernizing the Water Act was a key commitment in our government’s election platform, and it will better protect our water resources and help keep our environment, economy and community strong. Th e new Water Sustainability Act responds to current and future pressures on water, including groundwater, and positions B.C. as a leader in water stewardship.

Th e Water Sustainability Act regulates and protects ground- water use in B.C.; collects information to better under- stand B.C. ’s aquifers and to make informed water use decisions in the future; ensures that environmental fl ows needs are considered in allocation decisions to protect our streams; secures rights for water users, com- munities and industries, especially for groundwater; se- cures water for agricultural production and agriculture water reserves; allows for wider participation in deci- sions and water governance, the water sustainability plans and water objectives; and entrenches household use and aquatic ecosystem priorities in times of drought and scarcity.

While primary legislation governing drinking water in B.C. is the Drinking Water Protection Act, the Water Sustainability Act will complement that in ensuring safe and secure supplies of drinking water. Specifi c provisions of the Water Sustainability Act that help protect drink- ing water and associated watersheds are the protection of environmental fl ows; the protection of water, both sur- face and ground, from the introduction of foreign mat- ter; the establishment of water objectives; and the ability to undertake water sustainability plans. Water is the lifeblood of my community of Oliver.

Th e domestic and the irrigation water systems are the envy of other rural communities. Th e water twinning project has provided potable water to all rural properties while

British Columbia Debates4918 Monday, October 27, 2014 maintaining separately the irrigation system. Th e canal project, borne out of the First World War, turned desert into farmland and created jobs for returning soldiers. Out of that system has come our modern water distribu- tion system of today. Th e recently completed twinning project of $11 million was a partnership with all levels of government but only happened on the condition that metering would be part of the project. Consequently, all water use is now me- tered, with diff erent base rates for diff erent uses. Water consumption has dropped dramatically.

Th is government has protected our water through policies like this by con- trolling the volume of usage and eliminating waste. Other communities are now also upgrading their water systems and saving water through a metering process, in partner- ship with the province. Th ere has been provincewide support for the act, as per this quote from Lorne Hunter, chair of the Water Committee of British Columbia: “B.C. farmers and ranchers support updating the Water Act and hope that it will protect our food-producing capacity for future gen- erations.

We appreciate that the Ministry of Environment has sought our input on this issue and look forward to ongoing discussion as the new act is fi nalized. ” B.C. continues to lead the way in North America with water protection to ensure good, clean and plentiful water for future generations. C. Trevena: We’re all clearly taking diff erent approach- es to understanding the links between the environment and the economy.

My colleague from Vancouver–West End has tabled the motion: “Be it resolved that the gov- ernment rebuild confi dence in our economy by introdu- cing stronger protections for our province’s land, water, and air, and ensure stronger enforcement of those pro- tections. ” We have recently seen the devastation of what’s hap- pened with Mount Polley and the tailings pond. We heard my friend from Boundary-Similkameen talking about the necessity to protect water.

I’ d like to talk a little bit about the necessity to protect our land base. [1115] We are talking very much that there is no dichotomy between protecting our environment and investing in our environment and investing in our economy. I rep- resent North Island and have been very proud to do so for almost ten years now. We are a resource-based econ- omy. We have mines. We have a forest resource. We have fi shing. We have aquaculture with fi nfi sh and shellfi sh.

Everybody knows that you’ve got to protect the land base in order to make sure that it continues producing for you and for your economy but also for future generations. We have gone, I would hope, beyond the approach of previous generations where you’ d just go down, haul out the trees and forget to replant. We have gone, I would have hoped, beyond the stage where you go right by a salmon-bearing stream, you haul out the trees right by it, and it doesn’t matter because they’re high value. I’ d have hoped that we had learned that.

Emotionally, a lot of people have learned that, but we also have the fact that we have very few people on the land base monitor- ing just what is happening. I think this is where some of the problems come. If we are wanting to use our environment for our econ- omy — which we all accept, I believe, as B.C. ’ ers that we are going to do…. Whether it is for the logging industry or even for the tourism industry — which relies equally on a well-maintained, healthy, protected environment — we’ve got to invest in that.

We’ve got to invest in con- tinuing — whether it’s the replanting, the nourishment, whatever it is — to reinvest back into the land base. We’ve also got to make sure that we are not going too far, that those companies out there that are working are doing it in a sustainable way and that they are not break- ing the rules. Now, we all hope that this is the case, but we’ve seen time and time again that there’ve been inspec- tions and reports and so on and so on, and nobody has acted. One of the reasons nobody has acted is because of this government cutting back on inspection.

Particularly, I’ve been talking about forestry here. It’s been still vital to my community. Back in March of this year, the Professional Employees Association issued a report which pointed out a decline of 15 percent of licensed science offi cers in the province over fi ve years. Now, for foresters, they were the worst hit; 25 percent of foresters were hit. Professional forest- ry was hit. Th ese are the people who are doing enforce- ment and compliance.

Th ese are the people who are on the land base, making sure that what is happening there is happening in a way that is both within the law and also ensuring that we are not overstepping our mark and making sure that we continue to invest in and pro- tect our land base. Th e cuts have meant that we are seeing not just that, but you see a reduction in revenue because you lose the oversight. Nobody knows what’s happening. Th e gov- ernment isn’t getting their returns on it. Th e companies aren’t necessarily getting the returns on it.

Y ou’re seeing a degradation of the forestry base because of this, right across the province — not just in my constituency, but right across the province. Once you take away the eyes and the ears of the people on the ground to what’s hap- pening, you are going to have an impact. Th ere is no way that you can separate the environment and the economy. Th ey do go hand in hand. We have to make sure of that, whether it is for forestry or wheth- er it’s for tourism. I have a number of companies in my constituency where you see that they have made a shift from a forest economy to a tourism economy.

Likewise, they are looking for protection of the land base for their businesses to continue in a well-ordered way. We all talk about tourism as a new sector of the economy, but that

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4919 also does involve some environmental regulations. It does ensure that we have the protection of what are called visual-quality objectives. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this debate. J. Th ornthwaite: Th e government of British Columbia believes that resource development should not come at the expense of the environment. Th at is why we have a vigorous, robust and independent environmental assess- ment process. However, we also know that industry re- quires certainty.

Th at is why, unlike the opposition, we respect the process and don’t pick winners and losers. [1120] We have a principled approach to heavy-oil pipelines in the province — one that requires a world-class marine and land response plan, that ensures that First Nations are included and that B.C. gets its fair share of the prof- its generated by our resources before we approve any projects. In July 2012 our government released a heavy oil policy paper outlining fi ve requirements that must be met for B.C. to consider any heavy-oil pipelines.

All heavy-oil pipeline proposals are subject to these fi ve con- ditions, which include the northern gateway pipeline, the proposed twinning of the existing Kinder Morgan pipe- line and the proposed Kitimat refi nery. In the case of Enbridge, they have only met the fi rst condition: successful completion of the environment- al review process. Th ere are four other conditions that still must be met. In the province’s fi nal submission to the joint review panel we stated we could not support the project because Enbridge has been unable to ad- dress B.C. ’s environmental concerns.

B.C. ’s position on the northern gateway is unchanged. All proposals will be judged on their merits, and the province’s fi ve condi- tions will still apply. Our government understands the economic benefi ts of responsible resource development, but it will not be at the cost of the environment. Our fi ve requirements provide certainty, predictability and transparency about our government’s position on any heavy-oil pipeline pro- ject proposal. We have taken a fair and reasonable ap- proach which refl ects and defends the interests of British Columbians and our environment.

Meeting the fi ve conditions will be a challenge. We set the bar very high for a reason: to ensure that British Columbians’ concerns around the environment, First Nations participation, and overall economic benefi t are taken seriously. Th e responsibility for meeting the fi ve conditions is complex and will take a great deal of eff ort from both industry and government. To date we are not in a position to consider support for any heavy-oil pipeline in B.C.

Our government is com- mitted to protecting B.C. ’s coast from marine spills, and while this is primarily a federal jurisdiction, we must en- sure that provincial interests are protected. Tankers have been delivering and exporting petrol- eum and refi ned products in the Lower Mainland for 100 years. In the event of a spill, the ministry’s highly trained response professionals will immediately begin imple- menting the province’s spill response plan and protocols.

Th e ministry’s response would be integrated with the re- sponsible party and participating federal agencies, local governments, First Nations and other stakeholders. Th e Canadian Coast Guard is the lead federal agency for ship- sourced oil spills in marine waters. We stand by the conditions. Th is is why we contracted Nuka Research, an international expert in the fi eld, to deliver a three-volume report which lays the foundation for building a world-class marine spill response and pre- paredness system.

We also have a land-based, world-class spill response preparedness plan, in partnership with industry, which we are developing. In April 2014 we re- leased our second land-based spills intention paper, and I would encourage the House to check that out. In

summary, I think it is absolutely evident — I’m sure you can see from my remarks today — that our gov- ernment has indeed worked to build confi dence in our economy and at the same time provided world-class pro- tections for our land, our water and our air. N. Macdonald: Well, mining needs strong, fair, pre- dictable regulation. Th ey need it applied in a timely way, but they need to avoid poor mining practice in order to succeed. Mining employs thousands of people here in British Columbia. Billions in economic activity fl ow from it.

Done properly — and that’s the key — we can maximize economic benefi t and minimize environment- al damages. In B.C. the government is responsible for setting the rules to achieve this and for enforcing those rules. Mount Polley was a failure to protect the land, a dramatic fail- ure, and 25 million cubic metres of tailings fl owed into pristine Quesnel Lake. It was a failure of the B.C. Liberal government to do their job, and industry, workers and local residents are paying the price for B.C. Liberal failure. Mining is done on public land, and here in B.C. much of that land is still under First Nations title.

Th e industry needs public confi dence, and while individual compan- ies can work to maintain their own standards, the fact is that there have to be strong standards applied to all com- panies if this is going to work. [1125] Right now the reality is that regardless of what is said by this government, people do not trust the B.C. Liberals with mining safety or with standards. Continued cover- up of Mount Polley by the government does not make that any better. Th at’s a problem. Environmental assessment, let’s be clear, is a farce in this province.

Everything here is approved in B.C., and Mount Polley is a disaster because a lake was used as a

British Columbia Debates4920 Monday, October 27, 2014 tailings pond, presumably by accident. Remember that at Fish Lake the B.C. Liberals actually approved using the lake as a tailings pond. Th ey skipped that part of it. Th ey went straight to dumping it in the lake — approved by B.C. Liberals. When Stephen Harper is the voice of reason on an environmental issue, it’s a pretty obvious indictment of B.C. environmental assessment processes. Th at’s the reality of it. I just want to talk about a local issue for a minute: Jumbo.

Th e minister and the environmental assessment director were in Jumbo Valley over Th anksgiving to de- termine if, aft er ten years, the laying of a concrete pad in Jumbo Valley represents a substantial start to a $1 billion resort. Now, it’s a $1 billion resort without the $1 billion, but that’s another factor. It’s still a $1 billion resort con- crete pad. Is that a substantial start? Well, exactly 30 years ago my wife, Karen, and I, along with Peter Olive, went to a small cabin up in Jumbo Pass. Th at cabin, 30 years ago, is more than the proponent for Jumbo Glacier Resort has built in Jumbo Valley now.

Th at’s the reality of it. And those three people spending a night, 30 years ago, is more than have spent a night in Jumbo resort municipality, which these Liberals created as another element of their farcical environmental as- sessment process. So when the B.C. Liberals talk about doing the job properly and all the wonderful things that the Premier’s offi ce have handed these members to read out, the real- ity on the ground for anyone who is out there on the land base is completely diff erent. M.

Morris: I’ve been listening to the members oppos- ite speaking in metaphors and using other adjectives to express how they feel about this particular motion. Th e member for North Island was talking about the number of forestry workers that have been laid off that are no longer out on the land and monitoring what’s going on. But we don’t need government workers to be monitoring what’s out on the land. We have the association of profes- sional foresters that have some strict standards for their people when they’re out there.

All registered professional foresters in the province have a duty to abide by that charter to make sure that the work is being done properly out there and to make sure that the environment is being logged in a sustain- able fashion. It doesn’t necessarily fall on government to ensure that’s done. In addition to that, we have countless other tenure holders across the province here that are the eyes and ears for people. I talk about trappers, guide-outfi tters, resident hunters, fi sher-people.

Whoever is out there on the land, they have a vested interest to make sure that everything is operating according to the standards that have been set. Th ey are the fi rst ones to come in to let us know what’s going on out there, and I speak from experience as a trap- per. I speak from experience as a hunter. If there have been any issues out there that have caught our attention, then we’re the fi rst ones to go into the local offi ce to talk about that. I also had an experience years ago.

I was able to go in and apply for a license of occupation for an adventure tourism business that I had, and I personally experienced the rigorous regulations and process that this province has in place to ensure that the environmental standards are upheld. Th e process that I had to follow to get a license of oc- cupation was not only the consultation with the other tenure holders within the specifi ed geographical area, but I also had to consult with First Nations to make sure that my plans were compatible with their use of the land as well. [1130] I also had to hire a biologist to go out.

Th ere was some notion that there was some historic piece of grass some- where in the area that I had laid out in my plans that I had to ensure was protected. I had no idea what this looked like, so I had to go and get a biologist to come in and point it out to me, to make sure that I wasn’t going to jeopardize that particular piece of grass. I also had to look for nests of the northern goshawk, which is another endangered species or species on the list of animals to watch.

I had to hire the biologist to come out there with me to make sure that we weren’t jeopard- izing the future of that particular species as well. Also, with the 30-odd lakes and ponds and creeks and whatnot that were in this area, I had to go in and do fi sh counts. We had to go in and make sure that we weren’t jeopardizing any of the fi sh that were in the area and the riparian areas. It’s a very, extremely, rigorous process.

It took me about two years to go through that environ- mental review, to submit it to the proper authorities to make sure that I’ d hit all the standards before they even considered issuing me a permit for my licence of occu- pation to go and take people out into the wilderness and show them the beautiful fl ora and fauna that this prov- ince has to off er.

Th e process I went through is no diff erent than the process that the mining companies have to go through, that oil and gas has to go through, that the pipeline pro- ponents and LNG proponents have to go through in or- der to put their facilities on the ground as well. I’m pretty comfortable that we have a very rigorous process and that it’s followed to the letter and that our environment is in a safe and sustainable manner. K. Conroy: I, too, am very pleased to rise and speak to my colleague from Vancouver–West End’s motion today.

Th is government has been downsizing the public sec- tor workers in the various ministries since it came into offi ce in 2001. It has been particularly hard on the re- source ministries, making signifi cant cuts to the people who hold positions that actually do the work in the fi eld

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4921 — the boots on the ground, so to speak: the folks who get out and ensure due diligence is being carried out by com- panies involved in forestry and mining. Th ere has been almost a 30 percent cut in staffi ng levels of dirt minis- tries since 2001. These are the very people who are proactive, who prevent situations from occurring, proactive instead of having to be reactive at a great cost to the environment, communities and the economy.

A perfect case in point is what happened at Mount Polley on August 4, when a catastrophic breach of the tailings pond allowed 20 million cubic metres of tail- ings and debris into pristine creeks and lakes in the area. Th ere were warnings, and the cuts to staff have resulted in concerns being expressed as far back as 2010. In 2010 senior department engineer Glen Davidson, who is the comptroller of water rights for the B.C. ’s Ministry of Environment, wrote to the then deputy minister, Doug Konkin, warning that the province’s dam safety program continued to be understaff ed and would lead to nega- tive results.

Th e letter specifi cally named tailings ponds as a risk. Th e number of natural resource offi cers in the ministry has shrunk from 292 in 2009 to 169 offi cers today. Th ere were other warnings about Mount Polley, specifi cally — warnings in 2011, continual warnings throughout, and in 2012 — continuing to warn the ministry, the govern- ment, that there were issues that were going to happen with this mine. So the government had fair warning that there were concerns about Mount Polley. Did they have the appropriate regulations in place, the adequate resourcing from the ministries to deal with it?

Well, obviously not. Th e aft ermath has been devastating for the businesses that were aff ected by the spill.

Th e people of Likely met with the Premier and her entourage when she fi nally made it to the community, and she, in fact, told Peggy Zorn: “If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know. ” Four of the businesses, including the Zorns, who oper- ate Ecotours-B.C., wrote to the Premier in September. “ As the reality of this disastrous event sinks in and we look toward the coming business years, we are realizing the losses and business disruptions we are facing and that immediate damage control is a necessity to ensure our businesses survive, and that takes money and all other resources we can access. ” Premier, we are calling on you to fulfi l your person- al commitment to these members of the community of Likely.

Th ey asked for $50,000 each to help mitigate the issues aff ecting their businesses caused by the breach. Th ey heard back, eventually — not from the Premier — from the Minister of Environment, who basically said, “We hear you but can’t help you. We gave money to the local chamber of commerce, ” and referred to a tourism recovery plan that was underway. I want to quote and enter into the record parts of a let- ter that was sent in response to that letter from the busi- nesses in Likely. “Y our response does not address the issues we have.

We are re- sponding to a direct statement Premier Clark made to Peggy Zorn: ‘If there’s anything at all I can do for you, let me know. ’ [1135] “So far, nothing has been done for the businesses or community of Likely by your government to provide assurance of business for the coming year. Providing $50,000 to hire someone to fi nd out what the community needs is not a solution.

We already know what went wrong and what we as community members and busi- nesses need. “Besides, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association has already had a study done for both Likely and Horsefl y, and the report has been submitted. It is my understanding that it went beyond just tourism needs. It contained the needs of the com- munities. “We as businesses need to manage our own destinies, not to have someone who doesn’t understand our businesses or unique positions telling us what to do. ” Th e letter goes on, saying they’re not getting the help from the government that they want.

I also talked to Sharon and Terry Borkowski, or Skeed, as everyone calls him. He is also saying that they’re not getting the support they need. He says there needs to be legislation in place to have licensees or corporations that cause a situation, like this one they are in, to be immedi- ately responsible for loss of revenue based on the victim’s fi nancial statements. He goes on to say: why should they have to borrow money?

Why should their company have to borrow money to keep themselves solvent, to keep their business going, because of a situation that was brought about by this government’s lack of regulations, this government’s lack of due diligence, and this situation has happened? Now they’re told to go to Community Futures and bor- row money to keep their organization afl oat. How is that working for people up there? It’s not. It’s obvious that they need help now. Th e situation they’re in is through no fault of their own.

Again, if the govern- ment could only learn from their past mistakes and fol- low through on this motion by ensuring that we do have some confi dence in our economy, by ensuring that there are regulations in place. M. Dalton: It’s a privilege to be able to speak to this motion. It addresses two important priorities for our gov- ernment. One is the economy. Th is talks about rebuilding confi dence in our economy, which is interesting coming from the opposition. Two is the environment. Th ese are important priorities for our government.

Th ey are im- portant priorities for our government because they’re important priorities for the people of British Columbia. Th e health of our economy directly impacts, positively or negatively, individuals, families, communities, wheth- er they’re persons working, whether they’re retired or go- ing to school. Th e economy impacts each and every one of us, because a stronger economy provides more oppor- tunities, better-paying jobs, increased prosperity.

British Columbia Debates4922 Monday, October 27, 2014 It also leads to increased revenue streams for govern- ment to provide services such as health care, education, parks, transportation infrastructure. Governments make a diff erence that directly impacts the economy and pros- perity of their countries and jurisdictions. Last week I heard a speaker from Uganda, actually the head of the revenue agency, and she surprised me by say- ing that Uganda is a rich country. She was speaking about natural resources. She was speaking about opportunities and the transformation that they are seeing in that nation.

Th ey have looked at the regulations. Th e Ugandan rev- enue agency was known for its corruption about a decade ago, and they addressed this. Th ey have transformation, and they’ve seen the amount of income increase by about 300 percent. So governments make a big diff erence. We notice even here, when the NDP was last in gov- ernment, that their practices, their taxation levels, their bureaucracy smothered the B.C. economy. It was the fi rst time that we became a have-not province. Th e B.C. government recognizes the importance of a strong economy, and we make every eff ort to….

In the area of regulation, we have to have regulations that are needed and necessary, whether it be in environment or in other areas. But we have cut down regulations and taxation. We want to encourage businesses to set up shop here. Also, we’ve focused on expanding markets. Mining is a good example. Investment had dried up during the ten- ure of the opposition. Th ey weren’t in opposition then; they were in government. In 2001 there was $29 million in exploration. In 2012 there was $680 million in explora- tion. Th ere are 30,000 people now employed in the min- ing industry, directly or indirectly.

At that time, in 2001, there were 14,700. [1140] Th e resource sector jobs are not just in the hinterlands. Th ey are in the Lower Mainland also. I toured a site last week. It was AdvanTec. Th ey recently set up shop — ac- tually, about three years ago. Th ey have 70 employees. Th ey are expanding by another 20 employees. Th ey spe- cialize in making mobile homes for the oil and gas sec- tor and also building pipes. It’s needed for the resource sector, and it’s right in the Lower Mainland. We all agree that protecting our environment is of ut- most importance.

Th is can and is being done without kneecapping our economy. Water is our most important natural resource. Without it, there would be no life on earth. British Columbians consistently rank water as one of the province’s most valuable natural resources. British Columbia is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and it has a lot to do with water — the rain, streams, lakes, rivers. In the last session, on May 29, 2014, we introduced Bill 18, the Water Sustainability Act, which received royal assent and will be coming into force next year.

Th is new Water Sustainability Act delivers on the government’s commitment to modernize B.C. ’s water laws. It’s the fi rst time in 100 years, since 1909, that it’s been updated. At that time the population was 350,000; now we’re at 4.6 million. Th ere’s been population growth and urban develop- ment, and they’ve all put pressures on our water resour- ces. We’ve gone through a consultation process, where there’s been thousands of responses from all diff erent stakeholders, including First Nations, the agricultural sector, local governments and ordinary citizens. G.

Heyman: It’s an honour to stand to support this motion. It’s a motion that I would have hoped that mem- bers opposite, on the government side of the House, would embrace, because it speaks to what we need to do to create some economic certainty and meet the ex- pectations of British Columbians for environmental re- sponsibility in the development of our natural resources. I’ve been listening carefully to statements from mem- bers opposite. Some talk about the world-class standards that we have in environmental regulation and environ- mental enforcement.

Others talk about how successful we can be in relying on proponents and people exploiting our resources to self-regulate, to be responsible and to report. I’ d be stirred by these statements if they bore any rela- tion to reality, but unfortunately, members opposite say what they think British Columbians want to hear, and then they do whatever they want.

Th e fact remains that in August we had a catastrophic failure, not just of the tailings dam at Mount Polley, which spilled incredible amounts of toxic tailings and debris into Hazeltine Creek, Polley Lake and Quesnel Lake, but it was also a failure of a decade of government policies on both environmental regulation and boots-on-the- ground enforcement. British Columbians want jobs and development, de- serve jobs and development, but they also want and de- serve environmental responsibility. Th ese are important concepts. Th ey’re important actions.

Th ey’re important responsibilities, because for resource companies, they cannot proceed or attract investment or understand what the rules are or what they should do without social li- cence and without support from First Nations. Unless the government ensures that citizens’ expecta- tions of environmental and public health are assured as much as possible, there is no certainty for these com- panies. Th ere is no social licence. Th ere is continued confl ict with First Nations, who worry about the land, the air and the water that has sustained their people for generations.

When there’s a lack of social licence, as we saw during the Mount Polley tailings disaster, it means investor uncertainty. [1145] Aft er the tailings dam breach, Imperial’s share value dropped by close to 50 percent, and other mining com-

British Columbia DebatesMonday, October 27, 2014 4923 panies, who had nothing whatsoever to do with that par- ticular disaster, saw their share prices suff er as well.

If what the members opposite said were true, then the Auditor General, in a 2011-12 report entitled An Audit of the Environmental Assessment Offi ce’s Oversight of Certifi ed Projects , would not have said, as they did say, the following. “When major projects such as mines, dams or tourist destina- tion resorts are undertaken in the province, British Columbians expect that any potentially signifi cant adverse eff ects, whether environmental, economic, social, heritage and/or health related, will be avoided or mitigated. Th e environmental assessment offi ce is expected to provide sound oversight of such projects.

However, this has not been happening. “We also found that information currently being provided to the public is not suffi cient to ensure accountability. ” Th ese are the facts. Th ese are the facts on the ground in British Columbia. Aft er they took offi ce, the B.C. Liberal government undid the environmental regulations to a great degree in their hurry to, as they said, remove red tape and open B.C. for business. And then they laid off huge numbers of people in the resource ministries who would get out and see if the minimal regulations that were in place were still being enforced and lived up to.

If only the government would actually listen to the words in this motion and take to heart that resource in- vestors need certainty, they need consistency, and they need to know what the rules are — and that’s what British Columbians expect — then we could truly move forward and build a resource extraction industry with certainty in this province. D.

Barnett: I am pleased to stand today on behalf of my constituents of the Cariboo-Chilcotin to speak to the following motion. “Be it resolved that the government re- build confi dence in our economy by introducing stronger protections for our province’s land, water and air, and en- sure stronger enforcement of these protections. ” [Madame Speaker in the chair.] We truly do have some of the strongest regulations, policies, legislation, that there is for our resource indus- tries. Th is motion was interesting.

I was going to speak dif- ferently until I heard some of my colleagues from across the fl oor, from Kootenay Westand Vancouver-Fairview, bring a topic up — a catastrophic disaster at Mount Polley on August 4, 2014. It appalls me that members from across the fl oor seem to get — I’m not sure what it is — satisfaction out of continuously putting blame where no one knows what the cause is. Th ere is an investigation go- ing on. When the facts are here, we will see what caused it, and it will make mining even stronger than it is today.

We have no idea, and neither do they, but instead of thinking about families, feeding children, families mov- ing forward and, hopefully, creating jobs, we have to have sensationalism and make our communities look like there’s something devastating when they are the best communities in the world. I have spent so much time in my community. I have spent so much time up there. I work with the people. We’ve got the chamber of commerce. Th e government is working with them.

It’s not to do another study; it’s to promote the Cariboo, to promote our resource indus- tries, to promote Likely, to take care of the businesses in Williams Lake and surrounding that support our families. We should be working together on positive messages to the world. “Come see what we have. See what a great, beautiful, pristine place we still are. ” But no, not the op- position. We’ve got to tell the world we’re in bad shape. [1150] I go back to 1996, with the pine beetle. I was involved in local politics then. We begged the opposition to let us mitigate the pine beetle in our parks. What did we do?

We forgot to tell the beetle they couldn’t leave the parks. What catastrophic disaster have we got from there? Look at what Alberta did. Th ey learned from here. Th ey learned: mitigate. Interjection. D. Barnett: I’m sorry, sir. I live with it. I know the topic. Y eah. Y ou can defend yourself all you want. Let’s go back to what we have in this province. We have good government. We have good policies. We work with our First Nations. We work with our communities. We work with the private sector.

We need to continue on with the good regulations, the good policies, the good legislation and always remembering families fi rst — tak- ing care of families, the environment, jobs and resource industries. With jobs, we not only have a healthy environment; we take care of it. We do it responsibly. We do it sensibly. It takes care of our families, because they have good jobs that put food on the table, roofs over their heads and edu- cation and health care. Madame Speaker: Th e member for Nelson-Creston. M.

Mungall: Th ank you very much, Madame Speaker. [Interruption.] Madame Speaker: Nelson-Creston, please continue. M. Mungall: Th ank you very much, Madame Speaker. Unfortunately, we had a little technological mishap. I rise to speak to this motion. I think it’s incumbent upon any government to do its due diligence in identify- ing the best way to protect our natural environment and to make sure that there are suffi cient boots on the ground to enforce those protections. Th at’s not what is happen- ing in British Columbia today.

British Columbia Debates49

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20141027am-Hansard-v16n4
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20141027am Hansard v16n4
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	e56abfb56325b5ad6345d72b3997029a98dd90dc

Source file is stored in the law ingest library (pdf).