2002 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 37th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes

only.

The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2002

Morning Sitting

Volume 3, Number 7

CONTENTS

Routine

Proceedings

Page

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

Hon. L. Reid

Tributes

A. Hamilton

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

A. Hamilton

Tributes

P. Sahota

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

P. Sahota

K. Stewart

B. Penner

V. Roddick

R. Sultan

J. Wilson

[ Page 1181 ]

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2002

The House

met at 10:02 a.m.

Prayers.

Orders of the Day

Hon. G.

Plant: I call Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne.

Throne Speech Debate

(continued)

Hon.

L. Reid: Yesterday I was suggesting that we had much work to do in our

province on behalf of early childhood development. Certainly, I want to make

reference again to the work of Dr. Clyde Hertzman. We indeed have established a

relationship with the human early learning partnership, based at the University

of British Columbia but a consortium of understanding among all of the

universities of our province.

The human

early learning partnership links universities, government and community programs

concerned with early childhood development, health and education for research

purposes. It will help us define and understand the biological, familial and

community factors — both positive and negative — that influence young

children's ability to learn.

We are

fortunate in British Columbia to have some of the finest leaders in the country

concerned about our growth and development in the area of early childhood

development. The partnerships we're building with universities and with people

like Dr. Hertzman are examples of the kinds of approaches we want to take to

this very complex area of public policy. Many of you in this room have extensive

knowledge, skills and experiences that you're already offering to children and

families.

[1005]

We want

decisions to be based on the best available science. We want to constantly

monitor and measure the results of those investments to see if we can do better

for our children. That is what we mean when we discuss strategic investment. We

will take every opportunity to share with you the best available evidence,

research and emerging scientific and medical knowledge.

This

strategic research-based approach has also been applied to existing programs,

such as the early intensive behavioral intervention program for children with

autism spectrum disorder. This program currently serves 75 children under the

age of six with autism spectrum disorder in eight communities throughout British

Columbia. The program has an extensive evaluation component which is being

conducted by the University of British Columbia. They will be looking at

significant measurable factors: child and family change, community

capacity-building and best practice.

As well,

families with autism spectrum disorder have said they want the right to choose

from a range of early intervention options. This year eligible families of

children under the age of six who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

will have access to individualized funding for treatment services for their

children. Individualized funding is funding provided to eligible families or

individuals for the purchase of early intensive intervention services. The

amount of funding each individual family will receive will vary based on the

assessed needs of the individual child.

Recently,

we have posted a request for proposal on the B.C. Bid website. We are seeking

qualified providers to implement the individualized funding option. This would

include the management, administrative, operation and accountability skills and

experience necessary to implement this option. This RFP, request for proposal,

will close on March 11 of this year.

The area of

research into autism spectrum disorder is complex and growing rapidly. Every

year there appears to be new levels of knowledge, new approaches to test. That

is why, as we implement this early intervention program, we must be prepared to

adjust to the new findings in order to get the best outcomes for children with

autism spectrum disorder. We believe this evidence-based approach is the best

way to address the needs of children with autism and their families.

This brings

me to my third priority, which is to examine opportunities for parental

education initiatives in five specific areas. We're going to spend a great deal

of time and investment, I believe, in the area of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Certainly, the awareness aspects are important. We have recently joined the

Prairie–Northern Pacific FAS Partnership. We have Building Blocks programs. We

have infant development programs. We now have an aboriginal infant development

program adviser on the horizon. As a society and in our communities, we can

dramatically improve children's development by emphasizing the importance of

maternal health in shaping the environment for fetal growth and development.

Fetal

alcohol syndrome is the leading known cause of intellectual disability in

children, and the damage is permanent. Educating parents on healthy pregnancy is

a priority for this government because healthy parents are more likely to have

healthy infants. Social supports for pregnant mothers, as well as positive

prenatal nutrition and other personal health practices, can help reduce low

birth weight and other problems associated with birth.

We know

that FAS is preventable. Early diagnosis and intervention can make a difference

in reducing the problems associated with this syndrome. Some governments and

communities have been providing FAS intervention for many years. The work is

hard, but it is something we can absolutely move forward on.

British

Columbia recently joined the provincial-territorial Prairie–Northern Pacific

FAS Partnership. I represented British Columbia at our first meeting on November

22 in Edmonton. As part of this western and

[ Page 1182 ]

northern team, we will work with our partners towards increasing public

awareness in the prevention of FAS.

A large

proportion of the children in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family

Development are there because of FAE or FAS involvement in their family. The

financial costs to taxpayers of this totally preventable syndrome are huge —

schooling, medical care, too often the justice system. The human costs to these

children are unacceptable.

There are

no easy solutions to ending FAS and FAE impacts on our society, but there are

answers — tough work that needs to be done by individuals in community. That

is certainly what we mean when we talk about capacity-building: how we can

encourage communities to care for their own children, to put their health

interests first. Again, this research has shown that the greatest benefits

result from government and communities working together to design and deliver

programs tailored to the needs of each community. I'm proud to have incredibly

knowledgable people, both at the resource society and the FAS/E Support Network

of B.C., continuing to offer advice to me. This is one area where we must

achieve success.

[1010]

Building

Blocks programs in our province were established in 1997 to help parents cope

with the demands of childrearing through education and support. Building Blocks

programs currently serve 27 communities with resources, education and supports

for families who need assistance to provide a safe, nurturing environment for

their children. Elements of this program include lay–home visiting, FAS

prevention, advanced infant-toddler stimulation and mentoring of new or

expectant families by more experienced parents.

There are

many examples of success stories which are shared by these children, their

families and their caregivers. Doctors have reported fewer incidents of children

going into the emergency room. Young parents with children in care have gained

sufficient skills so their children are able to come back to the family home.

Parents have come together to form social networks.

Another

great example is the Healthier Babies–Brighter Futures program in Burns Lake.

The major employer for this community sits on the steering committee for this

community outreach program. As a result, FAS prevention awareness sessions are

provided for all employees on company time. In 1999 the Burns Lake program

reported that 94 percent of the clients who were using alcohol or drugs quit or

cut down during pregnancy, and the three pubs in Burns Lake now serve

non-alcoholic beverages free of charge to pregnant women. The people of Burns

Lake are proud of their successes, and frankly, I agree they should be. In fact,

we hope to host an FAS symposium in Burns Lake in concert with the

Prairie–Northern Pacific FAS Partnership in September of 2003.

The infant

development program provides home-based services to infants who are at risk of

being developmentally delayed. Services are targeted at children's first three

years, which are particularly critical to a child's development. Overall

development and health are enhanced by beginning early to identify a child's

specific needs. Staff and caregivers work together to optimize the child's

development. Mentoring of staff, neighbours and experienced parents is

particularly important when parents have a child with significant developmental

delays. We are enhancing infant development services across our province to

ensure the continuation and growth of this vitally important connection for our

families. The infant development programs in British Columbia are highly

regarded across the country.

I am

pleased to announce that we will be enhancing these services to aboriginal

communities by establishing a position for an aboriginal infant development

program adviser. This position will give added support to aboriginal communities

for optimizing the healthy growth and development of their children and

families. We are working in close connection and consultation with the

aboriginal communities to ensure that the design and implementation of this new

infant development support position meets the needs of aboriginal families

across British Columbia and ensures, as in the urban aboriginal ECD funding,

that services are community and culturally relevant. The RFP is on the B.C. Bid

website today, and if you have interested individuals in your communities, my

hon. colleagues, I would encourage you to encourage them to apply.

I said

earlier today that the Premier's assignment to ministers of state was to address

the long term, and certainly, that is about a future plan for early childhood

development. There are two issues affecting our long-term commitment to early

childhood development. Firstly, the federal government has established the

funding for the national children's agenda for five years up to the year 2005.

After that, provinces should have programs and planning firmly in place.

Secondly,

some of you may recall the reports by former child, youth and family advocate

Joyce Preston. In all of her reports Ms. Preston called for "the development of a

fund dedicated to early childhood development whose sole function will be to

allow British Columbians to pay exclusive attention to the early years in

children's lives." Most importantly, administration of the fund will be

independent of government. We have taken a substantive and most important step

by establishing the Early Childhood Development Legacy Fund through B.C.'s

second-largest charitable foundation, the Vancouver Foundation.

The

Vancouver Foundation has over $600 million under endowment, and since 1946 it

has been distributing the earnings of its financial base to communities

throughout British Columbia. The government will invest $1 million per year for

the next five years. This government is challenging businesses, foundations,

individuals, non-profits, professional groups and corporations in the private

sector to build that fund to $25 million by 2005. Interest from this fund will

go to enhance projects in early childhood development in perpetuity, whether it

be the creation of a toy-lending library or a durable parenting program.

[ Page 1183 ]

[1015]

We will

also have the opportunity for named endowments under the fund, and as you know,

I am working very hard on these opportunities with many of my colleagues in this

chamber. We hope to honour the work of Carol Legge, our province's first FAS

coordinator — the only position of its kind in Canada — with such a named

endowment. Before becoming provincial FAS prevention coordinator at Children's

and Women's Health Centre in Vancouver, Carol Legge held a variety of positions,

including program director and program manager at alcohol and drug education

services. It was at this place where she created the FAS provincial consultation

group.

Mother of

two children, Brian and Rebecca, and partner to Ken, Carol Legge was a tireless,

compassionate pioneer in prevention and health promotion, especially when it

came to FAS and FAE. Unfortunately, she was taken by cancer in December 2001.

The establishment of this legacy fund is one answer to Joyce Preston's call.

This fund will assist B.C. communities in building their own capacity to serve

young children and provide direct funding for projects.

Creation of

this community incentive fund is a huge undertaking. However, I believe it will

facilitate real partnerships and thus real change for young children in British

Columbia. It will give communities access to other funding sources independent

of government. I believe it is a duty a society has today to provide the means

for the next generation to fully enjoy and contribute to everything this

province has to offer.

This is the

accountability of a responsible, visionary society. We have the means now to

make it a reality. Each one of us can write a line on those little résumés. As

those little folks turn five — those born in the year 2000 will turn five when

this term of office comes to an end — we want to ensure that the investments

we have taken have in fact enhanced their skill set, so they can indeed be

successful in their kindergarten year in our province.

In terms of

the fund, we've already had interest expressed by several heads of major private

sector concerns, and we all believe this legacy fund will offer communities more

flexible choices. The Vancouver Foundation has experience assessing and

evaluating these kinds of grass-roots applications and ideas. With its

experience and credibility, the Vancouver Foundation is uniquely positioned to

attract financial support to the legacy fund.

Best of

all, it is a true legacy, a legacy we can all share with future generations. I

can tell you that my federal counterpart, the Hon. Jane Stewart, would suggest

to you that we are the only province today making a plan for post-2005, when our

national children's agenda funding comes to an end. We are doing some very fine

things in our province.

I thank you

most sincerely for your interest in this area, and I can tell you we're going to

continue with the series of educational documents we've put forward. We have a Baby's

Best Chance series. New parents in the chamber today may have indeed

utilized that document. I certainly did when my little girl was born. It is a

document we're going to put into increased publication, increased distribution

across our province. We're actually going to offer second books in the series.

We're going to talk about toddlers and their growth and development and young

children as they enter the school system, so we have toddlers' first steps.

certainly have opportunities to continue to provide real information to the

hands of parents across our province so they can go forward and make the best

possible choices on behalf of their children. That is something we believe in

fundamentally. This is about increasing capacity and strengthening families, and

if you do that, you have some ability to strengthen community and indeed

strengthen the province as we go forward.

In closing,

collaboration, consultation and research will help us provide programs and

services that will create healthier and more resilient communities and, frankly,

a more resilient society. Those are issues we believe to be vitally important.

We believe

the steps we are taking today will, by 2005, lead to more communities planning

and delivering ECD programs and services, enhanced community and family

capacity, integrated and culturally relevant programs, fewer aboriginal children

in care, healthier outcomes for children, families more able to effectively

parent, a reduction in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effect and more

children ready to learn at school entry.

Our

progress will be reported on the ECD website, which will be made available on

the Ministry of Children and Family Development home page. Healthier

development, safe and nurturing homes, opportunity and promise for the future

— these are things we wish for all children. In partnership with

organizations, communities and families, I know we can find and develop

innovative ways to deliver effective early childhood development programs.

Tributes

HMCS OTTAWA

Hamilton: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to rise in response to

the Speech from the Throne. Before I begin my remarks, I ask the House to join

me in a very special tribute.

On Sunday,

I had the great privilege and honour of representing the B.C. government at the

send-off of HMCS Ottawa for its deployment as part of the United States

battle carrier group. All of us at the ceremony at Esquimalt were touched and

immensely proud of the Canadian men and women on board for their deep commitment

to our nation and its security in what seems, since September 11, to be an

increasingly dangerous world.

[1020]

I ask all

members of this House to join me in thanking the men and women of HMCS Ottawa

for their val-

[ Page 1184 ]

our and devotion to duty and wishing them Godspeed, fair winds and a safe

return.

Debate Continued

Hamilton: Mr. Speaker, I want to offer my sincere congratulations to the

Lieutenant-Governor on her appointment as the Queen's representative of our

great province. I know all hon. members will join me in applauding her

comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the substantial challenges we face and

the action our government is taking to meet those challenges.

Like many

of my colleagues in this House I am a relative newcomer to the world of

politics, and like many of my colleagues I sought elected office for the first

time last May out of my frustration and anger at the dismal state of affairs

after a decade of the NDP. The frustration and anger were totally justified. The

NDP legacy included a provincial debt that doubled in size and has grown more in

the last ten years than it did over the previous hundred years. It included a

provincial economy that went from being top in Canada to have-not status. The

NDP's borrow-and-spend policy had reached a point where it was completely

unsustainable, far outstripping the province's rate of economic growth. But, for our government to be successful over the long term in revitalizing

our economy, restoring sound fiscal management and putting patients, students

and other British Columbians first, we must follow the course set out in the

Speech from the Throne. We must support the initiatives that will be forthcoming

in this session's budget.

This is

especially true given the recent downturn in the global economy and the fallout

from September 11, events that have further increased the economic challenges

faced by British Columbians. It is especially true when you consider that the

provincial health care budget, currently at $9.6 billion and climbing, consumes

an alarmingly increasing share of government revenue but is only offset by 14

cents on the dollar by transfer payments from the federal government.

Mr.

Speaker, every cloud has a silver lining, and the silver lining in the cloud

cast by these difficult times in British Columbia is obvious. Our adversity has

given us the opportunity to start a brand-new day. We have the opportunity to

move away from the spend-and-borrow mindset of the past and move forward towards

prosperity and the well-being of all British Columbians.

We have the

chance to make fiscal responsibility, prudent management and the developments of

new opportunities the economic cornerstones of our way of life in the province.

We have the chance to embark on a course that will lead us to lasting and

beneficial change, and I believe that British Columbians are ready and willing

to take

part in this endeavour.

There will

always be naysayers, to be sure. There will always be those not willing to

change their view that government is there to serve their every need and to meet

their every expectation, but I am convinced that these people are in the

minority. Most British Columbians want a prosperous and secure future. They

accept that it's going to take hard work and tough choices on the part of

individuals and government to get there. They know it will take nothing less to

end the appalling and frightening situation in which we currently find

ourselves.

In recent

days some media have taken to describing the initiatives put forward in the

throne speech as revolutionary. I prefer to characterize it somewhat

differently, not as revolutionary change but as a response we were obliged to

make as responsible parliamentarians to an unacceptable and unsustainable status

quo.

Every

member of this chamber has to agree that our individual constituencies comprise

the heart of British Columbia political life. From my constituency of

Esquimalt-Metchosin through every constituency on Vancouver Island, from

Vancouver-Burrard to Shuswap, from Penticton–Okanagan Valley to

Nelson-Creston, from Kamloops to Peace River North, British Columbians are

saying the same thing. They are saying: "It is time to take B.C. from No.

10 in Canada back to No. 1." They are saying: "It is time to get rid

of the taxes and red tape that have made B.C. the enemy of investment and

opportunity." Most important of all, B.C. voters want to rekindle their

pride and community spirit.

The

priorities set out in the throne speech and initiatives we'll be hearing about

in the budget that will be presented later today are proof positive that we are

listening. For example, people from one corner of this province to the other say

that they want British Columbia to rise from the NDP ashes and once again assume

the role of economic leadership in Canada and North America.

[1025]

We have

responded by pledging to develop public-private partnerships to support greatly

increased private sector investment in transportation, highways, information

technology, land and resource development, health services and education

infrastructure. We have responded by saying that we will strengthen the forest

industry by streamlining the Forest Practices Code and moving towards

market-based stumpage.

Other steps

we will take to spark economic renewal include the introduction of measures to

increase investment in jobs in the energy and mining industries; changes to the

Company Act to cut red tape; and changes to the Employment Standards Act, the

Workers Compensation Act and the Labour Relations Code to ensure more

flexibility and fairness for workers and employers.

Perhaps the

worst legacy of the previous NDP government is the crippling debt from ten years

of incompetence, waste and simply spending more than we had in the bank. The

bill for that decade stands at $37 billion, and the people of this province have

made it clear that they want their new government to break the vicious cycle of

borrow and spend and to set a course that is fiscally prudent and fiscally

responsible.

On this

issue, as the Lieutenant-Governor so eloquently put it, the government will not

break its trust

[ Page 1185 ]

with the people. We are keeping that trust by committing to balancing the

budget by 2004-05. We are keeping that trust by an average reduction of 25

percent over the next three years in the budgets of all ministries except Health

and Education. And we are keeping that trust by eliminating unnecessary

expenditures and seeking cost-saving innovations in delivering government

services.

The people

of this province have also made it clear they want health care and education

that puts patients and students first. Here, too, this government will not break

that public trust. With respect to health care, funding cannot keep up with the

cost of maintaining service levels, let alone improving patient care. Health

care expenditures in B.C. have tripled in the last 15 years. As I mentioned

earlier, the health care budget now stands at nearly $10 billion — more than

all the revenues from personal income tax, health care premiums, federal

transfer payments and the tobacco tax combined.

We have

already restructured regional health governance to give local health authorities

the tools to find savings and efficiencies. During this session, measures will

be introduced to reduce costs from duplication, administrative overlaps and

unnecessary regulations. Reducing health services in response to a chronic

funding shortfall is not an option. We believe an increase in MSP premiums is

the only recourse to fund the required increase in the health budget. Although

this will be the case for most British Columbians, premiums for low-income

earners will actually decrease.

Right

alongside health care, education is also a major concern of British Columbians.

People recognize that education holds the key to the future for our children and

grandchildren. Since being elected, the B.C. government has taken important

steps to put our students first. We have given locally elected school boards new

management tools to deal with cost pressures and to utilize schools, classrooms

and resources for maximum student benefit. There are new legislated class-size

limits, and we will bring in a new funding formula to enable school districts to

plan on the basis of multi-year funding allocations.

Mr.

Speaker, I am truly proud to serve as the MLA for the people of

Esquimalt-Metchosin, where I have spent the better part of my life. With that in

mind, I would like to spend a few moments to bring the members of this House up

to date on some important issues my constituents and I have been working on

together.

As my

southern Vancouver Island colleagues may be aware, the E&N railway service

is scheduled for cancellation by mid-March. This throws the future of a key

transportation system very much into question and perhaps into jeopardy. I am

proud to be part of a major initiative to develop a strategy to save this

important transportation infrastructure for use in meeting potential future

demands from tourism, industry or passenger traffic. This initiative is

spearheaded by the Association of Vancouver Island Municipalities, which is

composed of the mayors of all the Island's municipalities, and the Vancouver

Island Railway Society. The aim is to bring together all the key players in a

round-table process to determine the best possible use for this critical rail

right-of-way.

The first

meeting of key stakeholders is planned for later this month in Nanaimo, and it

will include a very impressive list of participants, including the Association

of Vancouver Island Municipalities, the Vancouver Island Railway Society, the

federal government Department of Western Economic Diversification, Transport

Canada, Via Rail, native groups and a number of companies that currently use

E&N for freight services. One option that may be considered during the

round-table process is the creation of a Vancouver Island rail authority to

oversee the future operation of the system. I am fully supportive of the E&N

initiative. I believe there is a real opportunity here to lay the groundwork for

the future development of our communities and our regional economy.

Planning

for future economic growth and job creation is an important issue in my riding.

To meet this challenge head-on, the West Shore Chamber of Commerce and

representatives of Colwood, Langford, View Royal and the Highlands have

established a special creating employment opportunities committee. This

committee will develop a strategic plan. That plan will review the potential for

growth and employment in the business, recreation, education, municipal services

and law enforcement sectors. I serve on this committee and look forward to the

employment opportunities it will supply to my constituents.

[1030]

Another

important local initiative is the creation of a new 41-acre park from Crown land

at the foot of Triangle Mountain. Negotiations are underway with the

municipality of Colwood, and I am hopeful we will gain a new greenspace in

Esquimalt-Metchosin.

I'm also

proud to be part the committee that has adopted HMCS Algonquin for the

Western Communities. This relationship will recognize the importance of naval

personnel in our community.

A lot has

been said in this House over the past week about the need to make tough choices

and tough decisions. A lot has been said about the immense challenges of

correcting the sins of the previous government. It is true that we have tough

choices to make. It is true that there are tough decisions ahead. There is no

question that the previous government has left us ten years behind the rest of

Canada. It is in our constituencies that we witness firsthand the everyday lives

and concerns of those who elected us to serve. I believe our success as MLAs

depends on how effectively we respond to these concerns.

As the

throne speech says, British Columbia is on the move. It is charting new ground

and reaching out to create a better future. The best days lie ahead.

H. Bloy:

I ask leave to make an introduction.

Leave

granted.

[ Page 1186 ]

Introductions by Members

H. Bloy:

It is with great pleasure today that I would like to introduce in the gallery

Harvey Grigg, who has been for many years a volunteer for all British Columbians.

He was my mentor when I first started the process to win the election. I'd like

the House to make him welcome.

Tributes

FRED RANDALL

Sahota: It is an honour and a privilege to rise in the chamber to offer my

Address in Reply to the throne speech.

Before I

begin my address and remarks, I would like to take this opportunity to wish my

predecessor, Fred Randall, who was a longtime member of this House, lots of

strength as he goes through a very difficult time with his family. As many

members in the chamber know, Mr. Randall has been very ill, and we pray for him.

Shortly

after I was elected, Mr. Randall phoned me and wanted to wish me a lot of

success in my new job. We met after that, and he wanted basically to give me the

survival tips on how to survive in Victoria. These are the sorts of things we

don't get taught in campaign school or don't get told when we take on this type

of job. I would like to thank Mr. Randall for his assistance and the advice that

he offered me. I would like to wish Fred and his family lots of strength as they

go through this very difficult time.

Debate Continued

Sahota: Last Tuesday the Lieutenant-Governor delivered an eloquent throne

speech, and in it is a mandate for the vision of our government. It lays out our

government's path and direction. It outlines our government's priorities. It is

clear that our government is determined and focused on revitalizing the British

Columbia economy and on restoring sound fiscal management. By doing so, we will

have the funds we need to protect the most important services like health care

and education.

As the two

opposition members continue to point out, there are those who are opposed to the

government's agenda. They continue to tell us that perhaps we're not on the

right track. I know and I believe that we're on the right track. I also know

that we don't have a choice in this. We were elected with a mandate to change

the way government is delivered in British Columbia and to reinvigorate an

economy that had been allowed to stagnate for more than a decade. The challenge

has been immense, but our government has not shied away from making the tough

decisions geared to creating new opportunities for British Columbians, even if

those decisions do not meet with everyone's approval.

What have

we been doing for the last eight months or so? We implemented the 90-day agenda.

We made promises to British Columbia, and we kept those promises, which was one

of the first steps toward delivering a different kind of government. One of the

most interesting parts of the past eight months has been the collaborative

approach implemented by Premier Campbell. During the election, the Premier spoke

of creating new and meaningful roles for MLAs, and he has done that.

I am

honoured to sit as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Health, which

did not sit for nearly a decade under the previous government. The committee's

report, Patients First: Renewal and Reform of British Columbia's Health Care

System , was tabled in the House yesterday by the member for Delta

South.

[1035]

You will

note in this report that there are a number of committee members from various

parts of the government. There is also the member for Vancouver-Hastings, who

was appointed to the Health Committee. But you will also note that she did not

attend a single meeting in the course of our travels across the province. So

it's pretty hard to take when the member for Vancouver-Hastings, the opposition

leader, gets up in the House and demands answers from the government on health

care. She was on TV last night showing off this report. What I find indefensible

is that for 14 days the Health Committee travelled across this province to

Kamloops, to Quesnel — we were in Surrey for three days — and did she bother

to show up once? Did she bother to show up to listen to the health care workers,

to the patients? No, she did not bother to show up. The committee's report is a

product of extensive consultation, but the member for Vancouver-Hastings did not

show up.

If she had

bothered to show up, she would have been able to hear from British Columbians

about the kind of health care system they want. Our committee listened, and the

message was heard. The government is committed to creating a system that has the

flexibility to meet the needs of patients. We're not going to build up a

bureaucracy in Victoria to make decisions on your health care, but we are going

to implement a system where decisions on local care are made at the local level.

The government has done that with our new, restructured regional health

governance model.

As the

government, we know we've had to make difficult decisions to create a viable

health care system for today's and tomorrow's generations. We undertook this

task in the most thoughtful and open way possible. Side deals made away from the

bargaining table, in some cases weeks before the 2001 election, were going to

cost B.C. taxpayers millions of dollars. No one likes to open up contracts.

However, we were elected to ensure that the best interests of the public were

put first. We had a choice to make. We could either maintain the status quo, or

we could take action to ensure that patients come first. I think the choice was

clear.

Mr.

Speaker, we have made some tough decisions over the past eight months not just

in health care but

[ Page 1187 ]

across government. Though difficult, the decision to reduce and discontinue

services was not taken lightly by the members of this House and the members of

this government. It was a result of a careful reassessment of the size and scope

of government, an approach based on answers to questions such as: what services

should government provide, and what services can government afford to provide?

It's a responsible and reasonable approach, no different from what each and

every family does on a daily basis to live within our means.

Those made

for tough choices, but we believe the well-worn path of the past ten years was

the wrong one to follow. We fully realize the magnitude of the problems we face.

Our government is committed to putting patients and students first, to ensuring

that the core services of government are protected.

The Premier

has my full support, and I believe British Columbia deserves a better future. We

believe in British Columbia. We will stand up for a new way of governing and a

new future for our province. The hard work has just begun, and good things are

happening in spite of what the opposition would lead you to believe.

I'm going

to talk about some of my constituents and the good things that are happening.

Abdul Tejpar and his family, for the past five years, have invested close to $30

million in the province of Alberta because they couldn't afford to do business

in British Columbia. But they're ready to do business in B.C. again. Their new

hotel is opening up this week, and the company is already looking at sites to

build more so they can bring their business back to British Columbia. In a

letter to myself and the Premier, Mr. Tejpar notes: "We have decided to

build our latest hotel in British Columbia due to the favourable investment

business climate created by you and the Liberal government. Once again, we

applaud your policies to create a supportive business and taxation climate to do

business in British Columbia."

I also know

that the real estate market is on the upswing in Burnaby. If you talk to the

local realtors like Ron Basra, they will tell you that housing sales are on the

increase. People like Ron Basra are not only looking for opportunities in

Burnaby or in British Columbia, they're also looking overseas. He's been to

China to see if there's a market for stucco.

I have met

with constituents who are looking to places like China and India to export our

lumber. As the softwood lumber dispute drags on, despite the hard work and the

best efforts of the Minister of Forests, we as the government are doing the

right thing as we look to diversify not only our economy but our reliance on the

U.S. industry. The Premier has travelled to Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. The

government signed agreements in Shanghai to improve access to China's growing

market for wood-framed housing.

[1040]

You know,

Mr. Speaker, good things are happening, and there are people who are once again

looking for these opportunities. People are feeling a sense of hope. As the

throne speech pointed out, there are signs the economy is on the mend. I receive

many phone calls, e-mails and letters from my constituents who are not only

looking for new opportunities, but they're also very happy with the types of

policies that our government has carried out. I'd like to share some of those

letters that I've received from my constituents.

Mr. Kang:

"Congratulations as your government takes a number of steps to improve the

health care delivery."

From a

constituent that says:

"You

should know that more than 50 percent of the voters in B.C. voted for the

Liberals. The main issue of the Liberals' platform was smaller government. If

the NDP had any economic wisdom, they would have made the cuts, and maybe the

NDP would have more than two members.

would like to encourage you to please stay the course of cutting government.

Do not listen to the BCGEU, the NDP or the Federation of Labour. All they want

to do is continue to drive the province into financial ruin. We the voters of

B.C. gave the Liberals a strong majority to dish out the strong medicine that

B.C. needs."

Another

letter from a Mr. Paul Lawson:

"Just

want to congratulate you on the way that your administration is handling the

downsizing and rationalization of government. Please make no mistake that this

task was mandated to you at the last election. I am sure that you realize that

getting this over with sooner rather than later is going to be better for us

all. The forces working against us are well financed and well organized.

Continued success will require discipline."

And

a letter that appeared in our local paper, Burnaby Now :

"It's

good to see that we finally have a government working for the people and not

the special interests. For too long the party that labour paid for through

campaign donations gave ridiculous gifts to labour, such as year-long

severance if an employee was hired for a day…. These sweetheart deals were

often negotiated behind closed doors and without any publicity at all because

the people would not have allowed this to happen, had they known.

"It's

good to see that the B.C. Liberals are standing up to the special interests

and standing up for the people of B.C. This is what I voted for," says a

constituent of mine.

Another

letter from a small business owner in my constituency:

just wanted to tell you that as a small business owner in B.C., it's a

pleasure to finally have a business-friendly government in power. As part of

the group of people who are truly paying the bills in this country, we

couldn't be happier. Thank you."

Last,

a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Nylander from Burnaby: "It's time that we

stopped relying on the government to provide for all of what we perceive as

our needs and realize that like ourselves, the people who manage our province

must be financially responsible as well. Only in this way will the real needs

of the people of B.C. be taken care of."

You know,

Mr. Speaker, there are some good things that are happening, as you can tell from

some of these letters and some of the examples that I've offered, but I also

know that not everyone will agree with us. There will be those who will work

against our vision, but that is democracy. I understand those who are afraid and

unhappy. I understand there are those who are advo-

[ Page 1188 ]

cating for their members, and so they should be. But my job as MLA, and our

job as government, is to advocate for everyone, not just a special interest

group. Furthermore, I'm here to represent my constituency of Burnaby-Edmonds,

and I want to do that in a fair and just manner.

I also know

that as a government, if we don't make the tough decisions, we will be worse

off. The vision of our mandate as a government has only just begun. I envision

this province in four years' time as one with a new set of priorities, where

fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of

this government; where the people of British Columbia embrace the possibility of

growth and prosperity; where free choice and less involvement from government

are valued rather than feared.

This is

what the throne speech lays out. We all have to work together to make sure we

accomplish these goals. We all have a stake in the changes that are coming.

Change is not always easy because it impacts real lives. It will impact every

corner of this province. It is going to have a positive impact on the growth of

business. It is going to have a positive impact on how communities interact and

get involved. It is going to motivate parents to take a more active role in

their children's lives. It is about making all of us more accountable and

responsible, and that is a crucial shift that is taking place in government and

in British Columbia today.

I believe

that we must continue to work together as we go through these very tough times.

We must accomplish what we set out to do, so we can make this province a

bountiful place to live in, to work in and to grow old in. Thank you.

[1045]

Stewart: Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure today to address the House with my

response to the throne speech. Before getting into the specific impact of the

throne speech, I would first like to introduce myself and the constituency that

I represent to the House.

When I was

born in 1955, my family was living in a small home on River Road, situated

halfway between the towns of Hammond and Haney. Geographically, this is about as

close as you can get to the centre of the riding that I now represent. Today the

Maple Ridge Hospital sits about one kilometre from this site. It's now called

the Ridge Meadows Hospital.

In 1955 my

mother had to journey on many gravel roads to the Royal Columbian Hospital in

New Westminster for my birth. What necessitated the trip was that the Maple

Ridge Hospital, as it was first named, was not opened until 1956. The local

population was then about 1/10 of its current size. Since one is only entitled

to one birth, I missed by a matter of months my chance to be born in the local

Maple Ridge Hospital. This, however, did not stop my wife from having all four

of our children born in that hospital.

Today it is

no longer acceptable for the people and the mothers of Maple Ridge and Pitt

Meadows to trek to New Westminster to have their children. I make this comment

not only as an announcement of my birth but also as a lead comment in expressing

to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Finance the importance of this

hospital to my constituents.

Today this

hospital provides service not only to 55,000 constituents in my riding but to

25,000 members of the adjoining Maple Ridge–Mission riding. The future of

medical and health services in my riding is of paramount concern to my

constituents. This is also of paramount concern to my government. Balancing the

delivery of health care services and being fiscally responsible are challenges

that I will be carrying forward in the following months and years.

My riding

of Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows is bound geographically by water on three sides

and mountains to the north. No river of the province is as important as the

Fraser River, the river that makes up our southern boundary. My community and

the province are closely interwoven by the economy and history of the Fraser

River. Our boundary to the west is another important watercourse: the Pitt

River. This river meanders up to — of all names — Pitt Lake, one of only

two tidal lakes in the world.

While

canoeing upriver, as I've done many times, these tides can be used to carry one

upstream well into the lake. I'm sure these tides were used thousands of times

over a period of hundreds of years by the local Katzie people. These people

fished the massive sturgeon that rested in the sloughs along the Pitt River and

picked the plentiful wild berries that grew in the tidal flats. At this

northwest corner of my riding is the Pitt Polder waterfowl preserve, still

plentiful with ducks and geese. But these populations are nowhere near the

numbers that rested in these tidal flats in the early part of the last century,

when outgoing flocks would darken the skies. A number of recent and ongoing land

acquisitions are preserving more local lands for fish and fowl habitat.

As we move

east on our northern boundary, we come to the peaks of Golden Ears Park, most of

which I foolishly soloed on in my youth. These peaks provide much enjoyment and

recreation for thousands of outdoor enthusiasts, a multitude of users which

grows each year. Traditionally, the eastern boundary had been Stave River and

Silvermere Lake, another geographically defined water boundary. The eastern

boundary of my riding has recently moved westward due to the rapid population

expansion of the area. A political division of a series of roads and cross

streets now replaces the past water boundary to the east.

Many of my

colleagues have stated that they live in the most beautiful part of British

Columbia. We all know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I can assure

you that to look north across the rivers in the morning light to the snow-capped

peaks of my riding is something to behold.

South

across the river of my riding is historic Fort Langley, to which many of my

community's first settlers came. Both sets of my grandparents came to Maple

Ridge in the early part of the last century. At the time, lumber from the local

forests and salmon from the mighty Fraser were king. Agriculture also played

[ Page 1189 ]

an important supporting role in the local economy during this era.

[1050]

Why did I

spend so much time on the past before I got on with the details of today's

throne speech? I believe that before we move ahead, we should be well aware of

what has happened in the past. To know where you've come from will help direct

you in the future.

As we move

to the future, it is not only important where you've been in the past but where

we are today. What is the reality of our current status? Financially, we know

the past rate of government expenditures was unsustainable. As a result, we've

made a number of significant and drastic changes. I believe, and I find my

beliefs well supported in the throne speech, that our fiscal responsibilities

are equally matched by a desire to more efficiently deliver core services —

those services the people of British Columbia find so important. Not only are we

going to reduce the cost of delivery of services but in many cases actually

improve the services delivered, with less cost per unit of service.

I know many

of you have followed with interest the impact and responses to our legislative

and financial actions in Victoria. The focus of my campaign last year was on the

fact that the NDP operated in a fiscally unsustainable manner. Changes would

have to be made.

Since being

in Victoria, the challenge of financial stability has become very evident. The

previous government committed to future funding increases with no ability to

pay. This problem is much worse than I had expected. As a result, I have

participated in making a number of unpleasant decisions. As difficult as some of

the solutions have been, I do support these actions. I do not see any easy way

out of the difficult situation we now find ourselves in. Turning the province

around will require tough, sometimes unpopular decisions.

A number of

people have asked me: "Why are you acting so quickly?" I counter this

question with: "If not now, when?"

We are

acting quickly, and the changes we are making are dramatic. The current state of

our province makes these changes absolutely critical. Along the way we will make

mistakes, but I am hopeful that when presented with strong evidence, we will be

able to make corrections. Revisiting seniors' bus passes is one example of doing

so.

The need

for expediency still exists, as the financial time bomb is ticking. The quicker

we are able to reduce expenditures, the more opportunity we will have to get

B.C. back on track. The previous government left us with a number of financial

landmines previously unknown to us, and we are working hard to make the

necessary changes. The time has come for your government to live within its

means.

The Speech

from the Throne, our legislative agenda, will allow us to make the necessary

changes to get government back to the point where we will become fiscally

responsible to those who are paying for these services: you the taxpayer. As a

government sensitive to the real needs of British Columbia, we will be asking

over the coming months and years for your input on a number of issues. Our

government's priorities are to revitalize British Columbia's economy, to restore

sound fiscal management and to put patients, students and people first.

Our

government's central mission is to revitalize the economy as quickly as

possible. Steps will be taken to make the economy more competitive, diversified

and attractive to investors. As mentioned earlier, the investors are coming

back. This will provide a sustainable framework to maximize growth and job

creation to establish British Columbia once again as an economic leader in North

America.

Changes to

the Employment Standards Act, the Workers Compensation Act and the Labour

Relations Code will be initiated in this next year to provide greater

flexibility, fairness and efficiency for those employers and employees alike. Of

all the agencies that I get complaints on from my constituents, the most complex

files all belong to WCB. This tops the list. Changes to this act must be made

for the workers to get the protection and the justice they so deserve.

Private-public

partnerships will be explored to spur more private sector investment in

transportation highways. This is a trend that I've spoken on a number of times

and have firsthand seen what benefits can be gained when business and

governments work together for mutual goals.

Efforts

will be intensified and focused to win the bid for the 2010 Olympics. Those of

you who remember Expo 86 and recall the positive effects that had on British

Columbia should be able to visualize the effects of such an important event as

the international Olympic Games.

[1055]

In the

forestry industry a shift will be made towards market-based stumpage, and the

complex challenge of forest policy reform will be tackled. It's crucial to make

these changes to again allow forests to be the number one motivator for

financial gain in British Columbia. We have seen, over the years, this number

one industry be slowly ground down. It's time now to make the fundamental

changes to make forestry again number one in British Columbia.

referendum will be conducted later this spring by a mail-in ballot that will put

forward the question to guide the government in negotiating treaties, foster

greater understanding of the treaty process and build public support for the

critical need for treaties. I have met with our local Katzie band, who initially

are not overly pleased with the referendum and have indicated that they will

pass on their concerns, through me, to this House. I would like to add how

inclusive they have been with local governments, and I've enjoyed my meetings

with their Chief, Peter James. Although we disagree sometimes, we still have

respect for each other. I'm sure we can move forward with that.

Restoring

sound fiscal management to British Columbians. They elected a new government to

make the decisions necessary to live within the taxpayers' ability to pay. The

government will not break this trust with the people. The government is

committed to balancing

[ Page 1190 ]

its budget by the third full budget, 2004-05. We will spell out the

commitment of how that's to be done later today.

Deficit

financing is not new. It started in the late sixties with the federal government

and in the mid-seventies for British Columbia with the first NDP government. Off

and on, most provinces in Canada have gone to deficit financing. Most provinces,

though, woke up in the late nineties. B.C. continued on that deficit financing

trend, which got us in the mess we are in today.

This can't

be stopped in one year, but I'm sure that with the fiscal plan that's going to

be presented today, we will be able to move on to that fiscal responsibility

and, in 2004-05, finally balance the budget for British Columbia again. During

this process, every effort has been made to protect those most vulnerable in

this society, putting patients, students and people first.

There's no

greater or more pressing challenge than the need to save and renew public health

care funding. This funding cannot keep up to the cost pressures, however, that

are needed to maintain service levels, let alone improve patient care. This will

require major structural reforms that will challenge us to all accept some

short-term sacrifices for long-term improvement in patient care.

Changes to

the School Act will be aimed at improving student achievement through better

system accountability and increased flexibility and choice and involvement for

parents. I couldn't help but note the other day where we've gone with our

schools, when I saw a group of parents who were lunchtime volunteers being

forced to join the Teamsters union to supervise their children at lunch. That

tells me that there's drastic reform needed in our educational system.

Legislation

will be introduced to create more choice for post-secondary students to ensure

that the system serves them better. This legislation will build on the new tools

recently given to post-secondary institutions to fully and properly utilize this

resource.

In closing,

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to relate an event of this morning. Like many of my

colleagues, getting into any type of lifestyle routine in Victoria is a bit of a

challenge. One of the activities I have chosen to do is jog the three kilometres

to work each morning. This morning I woke up a bit tired. It was raining out. I

looked at my truck in the driveway. It would have been so easy to drive, so easy

to get off the routine that I've set for myself, so easy to fall back into the

old ways. Instead, I put on my running shoes and jogged off in the drizzle. On

the way…

An Hon.

Member: I don't believe you.

Stewart: I've got the sweaty T-shirt to prove it.

…I was rewarded, as were many out at 7:30 this morning, with the most blazing,

vivid rainbow possible right over the House here as I came in. I take this as a

bit of an omen for today's budget speech. To the Minister of Finance: though it

may seem tough at times, stick with it, seize the day, for if you continue with

your program, as tough as it may seem, you and all British Columbians will be

rewarded, as there are rainbows ahead.

[1100]

Penner: I left my sweaty T-shirt at home, and you'll all be happy to hear

that.

I rise to

respond to the throne speech. It's a privilege for me to do so, and I thank you

for that opportunity.

There's a

Chinese proverb, which has sometimes been called a curse, that says: "May

you live in interesting times." Indeed, it seems like we are. Ever since

this government was elected back on May 16, 2001, things have been very

interesting and not always for the good.

We have the

softwood lumber dispute, which has gone from bad to worse. I fear, despite the

best efforts of our Minister of Forests, the Premier and the many concerned

people in the industry in British Columbia, we are not going to get easy

resolution to that matter anytime soon. It appears to me that we'll have to

pursue the litigation angle rather than rely on negotiations. It's become all

too clear to me and other interested observers that in the U.S. system, there is

no inherent incentive for industry to compromise. Their legislation is entirely

different than ours, so their complaint process is industry-driven,

whereas ours

in Canada requires the support of the federal trade department.

We've also,

of course, been dealt a serious blow as a result of the tragic consequences of

September 11. Of course, many thousands of innocent people lost their lives in

that mindless act of terrorism, and thousands upon thousands of people have lost

their jobs as a result of that ill-conceived endeavour. British Columbia has not

been immune to that either.

Those are

the interesting times in which we live. I suppose, to compound all of those

things, we are just entering upon a worldwide recession or at least a recession

in the northern hemisphere of North America and perhaps throughout the western

world.

Against all

of those odds, the B.C. government is struggling to come to grips with our

spending and our fiscal imbalance, which we've encountered in this province for

far too long. It's not going to be easy, but I suppose when we all let our names

stand for elected office, people told us that. We knew that, and now we're

coming to live with that reality — that it is not easy. Many people who are

opposed to some of the tough measures that the government has taken seem to have

the belief that there must be an easy way out of the problems. There's got to be

an easy way out of dealing with the softwood lumber crisis, the fallout from

September 11, the worldwide slowdown in the economy and the legacy of ten years

of fiscal impropriety on the part of the previous government.

Well, I ask

you: do you expect there to be an easy way out of your own personal problems

when you have financial difficulties? As an example, many of us in this

assembly, including myself, went to university for a period of time. During that

time, we had to make

[ Page 1191 ]

sacrifices. We didn't have an income, because we weren't working; or if we

did, maybe we had a part-time job that wasn't enough to entirely pay for our

university education. We had to really scrimp and save to make ends meet, but

that was a conscious decision we made in the knowledge and belief that by

short-term sacrifice we would be positioning ourselves for incredible

opportunities in the future — certainly far more opportunity than we would

have if we went straight to working in a mill after high school or to some other

reasonably well paid job. Those of us who made that sacrifice did so knowing, or

hoping, that we would be rewarded for that.

I would

submit to you that the situation for government is really no different. There is

no easy way to get out of the bind that British Columbia is in. The NDP likes to

say: "Well, gee, we managed to balance the budget right at the end of our

ten years in office after more than doubling the provincial debt." Of

course, they did so on the back of a windfall in energy revenues after a record

level of energy prices in North America. They also did so on the back of a

one-time accounting change, which was worth more than $1.2 billion or $1.3

billion. That accounting change didn't result in any more revenue actually

flowing into government coffers. It was simply a transaction that showed up on a

piece of paper.

[1105]

It would

seem to me that only a party as irresponsible as the NDP would base future

spending decisions around a one-time windfall, record-high energy prices and a

one-time accounting change that didn't result in any new revenue to government.

Yet that is exactly what the previous government did through any number of

collective agreements, side deals, secret accords and not-so-secret accords.

This government locked in expenditure levels at unsustainable rates based upon a

one-time windfall in revenues and an accounting change. That's not responsible,

and we're going to have to deal with that to get out from under it, and it won't

be easy.

The NDP's

explanation over that previous ten-year period about why they didn't balance the

budget sooner was that now was not an opportune time. It just was too difficult

to do it right at the moment. I remember being in opposition then and thinking:

"You know, this reminds me of something. I've heard this before." One

day when I was driving in my car I heard a song on the radio, and I realized

what it was that the NDP was reminding me of. It was reminding me of that old

Creedence Clearwater song, Someday Never Comes.

That was

the NDP's entire approach to fiscal propriety. It just wasn't an opportune time

to do it now — maybe later but certainly not today. They did that while the

rest of North America was experiencing an unprecedented economic boom, the likes

of which most people in our generation have never seen, and I fear we may not

see for a long, long time to come.

British

Columbia missed out on that whole economic cycle. We missed out on about ten

years of sustained, phenomenal economic growth throughout the rest of North

America. It's very hard to get that back once you've missed it. Frankly, I don't

think we'll ever get that opportunity back. We will, I hope, position ourselves

to catch the next big wave of economic growth in the cycle, but that last cycle

has come and gone, and British Columbia missed it. I hold the previous

government wholly responsible for that decade of lost opportunity in British

Columbia.

Someday has

come in the eyes of this government. We can't simply put off the tough tasks

hoping that maybe another windfall in energy prices or some unforeseen miracle

might bail us out of our current problems. That's not prudent. People wouldn't

do that in their own lives because if you do, if you keep borrowing more than

you take in, eventually the bank's going to throw you out of your house. We

don't want that to happen to our province. We have a responsibility as

legislators to look to the medium to long term. While trying to mitigate the

short-term impacts, we have to always keep our eye on the long term.

Trust me,

nothing would be easier than to say: "Well, gee, I'm an elected person. I'd

like to get re-elected. Maybe if we just paper over our problems, hide it,

shuffle it, do some off-the-books borrowing, maybe we can somehow waltz our way

to the next election, pretend everything's all right, keep people mollified and

content, and maybe we'll get re-elected that way."

Well, that

would not be the responsible thing to do, and that would not be the honourable

thing to do. We're going to look our problems straight in the eye, and that's

what we've done. In fact, I've heard other members speak here, and I know that

we've all struggled with some of the decisions that had to be made.

I have the

privilege of chairing one of the government caucus committees that the Premier

has established as part of his innovations as to how government should operate.

We had to come face to face with some very stark realities last fall. The

provincial government did not have the revenue required to continue to fund all

the programs that people have become accustomed to. We had to make some tough

choices, and that wasn't easy. I can't pretend to have been happy with all of

the choices we had to make, but the bottom line is that we had to make those

choices, and so we did rather than duck our responsibility.

Some people

say that misery loves company, so maybe this will make us feel better. If you

take any time to look around beyond our own borders, you'll find that many other

jurisdictions are going through somewhat similar circumstances. I was in

Washington State last week on Monday in my capacity as the vice-president of

PNWER, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. Their legislature is in session in

Olympia, their state capital, and their number one issue is trying to figure out

how to balance their budget.

They were

heading into this session this spring with a projected $1.2 billion shortfall,

out of a $20 billion budget. Their budget is roughly comparable to ours in its

total size, but their deficit of course is projected to be smaller. The shock

that they were experiencing last Monday was that their accounting office

[ Page 1192 ]

had just predicted that in fact they were facing a $1.8 billion shortfall and

not the $1.2 billion shortfall they were already trying to grapple with.

[1110]

I was given

the unique opportunity of addressing both the Republican and Democratic caucuses

of the House. The first question they wanted to ask me was: "Do you have a

deficit in British Columbia?" I said: "Do we have a deficit? We have a

deficit, and ours is over $4 billion — at least that's what's projected for

the coming year." They could not believe it. They thought they had a

problem, and when they started to hear me talk I think I made them feel a lot

better. I'm always happy to help people out.

Well,

they're struggling to come to grips with that. What are they recommending to do?

Keep in mind they have a Democratic Governor, Gary Locke. He's put forward a

list of spending cuts that include reductions to women's shelters, to programs

for abused women, to higher tuition fees, to ending all sorts of social programs

that people have become accustomed to. Why is that? It's because they have to

balance their budget, and they simply don't have any extra money to go around.

Unlike us,

they have a constitutional requirement. They have a state constitution that

requires them to balance their budget. There is no debate in their state about:

"Well, maybe we can put this off for another day. Maybe three years, five

years, ten years from now — maybe never — we can get around to balancing our

budget." They don't have that discussion. They know they have to balance it

this year. They have to sort it out, and they're not going to be allowed out of

that legislature until they figure it out. They're going to have to make some

tough choices.

I'd like to

read with you an

article I came across just yesterday on the Internet. As you

hear it, I think you'll think it sounds eerily familiar to what you've been

reading in our newspapers here. This is dated February 17: "Lawmakers

responded today to…deepening fiscal distress by unveiling plans to constrict

and reorder…government through tuition and fee increases, prison closings,

health care cuts and dozens of other reductions that [a senior politician]

called 'gut-wrenching.'"

"Struggling

to close an immediate budget shortfall of $1.3 billion and a looming $2.5

billion gap" in the next year, committees have met with each other on many

details of balancing the $25 billion annual budget.

"'The

economic uncertainty…leads to gut-wrenching decisions,'" said one of the

politicians. "'There's just no delicate way to put it. A $3.6 billion

problem can't be fixed with a nip here and a tuck there. It can only be fixed

with real, lasting budget reductions that involve a lot of pain.'"

They are

considering various program reductions of more than $110 million for

kindergarten through high school. Later the

article notes that they're planning

to make sure they avoid "one-time fixes" that lawmakers now

acknowledge they have used in the past to paper over deeper problems in the way

government manages its money.

"But

lawmakers said it was time to usher in a [new] era of relative austerity, even

if it meant politically unpopular choices. 'We put everything on the

table,'" said one of the committee chairmen. "'There would be no

sacred cow.'"

That is a

report detailing the struggles in Virginia, and it comes from the Washington

Post Online .

Many

jurisdictions are struggling with fiscal problems. Texas — we like to think of

that as a wealthy state. I was passing through there a couple of weeks ago, and

they are struggling with a $5 billion projected deficit. Of course, that's U.S.

money, so those are real dollars. Even Alberta is having to trim its budget.

Ontario is facing a $5 billion deficit — in Canadian dollars — and so we're

not alone.

I'll tell

you where we stand out. In the past ten years the previous government did not

take meaningful steps to get our spending under control. They kept avoiding the

hard choices. They kept papering over the problems. That's made it even more

difficult for us to do what we need to do. Well, I'm proud to say that I belong

to a government that is going to do the tough things to make sure we are

sustainable in terms of our finances and our economy in the long run. With a

strong economy and sustainable finances, we can pay for the important services

we depend on.

There is a

brighter light. Yesterday members heard me speak briefly about new jobs coming

to Chilliwack. I think good news bears repeating. Stream International has

chosen Chilliwack as a location for one if its customer interaction centres, and

already 1,054 people have been hired in just the past seven or eight months or

so, with another 104 people working part-time. I talked to the plant manager the

other day, and he is in the process of interviewing another 80 individuals for

full-time employment. Here's a message to all of us: if you're getting tired of

this job, get your résumé ready, because Stream International is continuing to

look for more employees at their plant in Chilliwack.

[1115]

It's my

hope, working with city council and my colleague the member for

Chilliwack-Sumas, that we will be able to use Stream International as a bit of

an anchor tenant. Where Stream is located in other parts of the world — they

have about 22 locations throughout North America, in India and in Europe —

they tend to co-locate eventually, over time, with other high-tech companies.

Stream provides services that support Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and other

high-tech organizations. I know the city of Chilliwack is very eager to try and

attract Hewlett-Packard or some other entity to come and locate next to Stream,

where Stream can provide the trained workforce that would be required for

higher-paying jobs with Hewlett-Packard or these other companies.

That's part

of the economic development strategy of my community, and I believe it is being

made possible by B.C. now having a competitive environment in terms of taxes and

wages and all the other things that

[ Page 1193 ]

go with it. There is a bright future ahead for British Columbia if we stay

the course, if we do the tough things that are necessary, if we make the

sacrifice now to lead the way to the future.

With that,

I'll turn the floor over to the next speaker. I thank you for the opportunity.

Roddick: It is a privilege to rise today for my third throne speech

response. I would like to thank all my supporters in Delta South who worked

tirelessly on my campaigns. Delta South was certainly put to the test with a

nomination meeting, a municipal election, a by-election and a provincial

election, all between September '99 and May 2001.

It shows

what a community we have. Delta South is a strong, vibrant community that stands

firm when threatened, puts forward workable ideas when asked and puts its hands

around its heart when necessary. The sobering events of September 11 have

impacted our lives in many, many ways, but the most important factor we now

realize is that we must accept responsibility for our actions.

We as

government are taking responsibility, responsibility to rebuild our province,

and we are giving back to the people of B.C. the tools to achieve this goal of

economic and social renewal. Our priorities will not waver. Our mission will not

be altered or diminished. Robert Mundell, Nobel prize winner and arguably the

greatest economist of our time, states that it is the anti-business philosophy

that has permeated a lot of civil services and the government — the view that

the economy is kind of a class struggle rather than something we can all benefit

from.

Profit and

competition are positive, encouraging words, not something that should be met

with fear and loathing. When our economy suffers, people pay the price. If we do

not balance our budget, our credit rating goes down. The province's interest

rate goes up, and there's less money for programs people need. As the Premier

said in his televised speech last week, we have to balance our personal budget,

pay our rent or mortgage, pay our credit card bills, and it's the same at the

government level.

It's not

enough to spout warm and fuzzy comments about the fact that we enjoy a wonderful

quality of life, as if that were exactly the same thing as our standard of

living. It's nice, but it won't pay for our medical system or our post-secondary

education. All this takes money. We simply have to be productive. We simply must

encourage productivity.

[R.

Stewart in the chair.]

British

Columbia is heading for smaller, more effective government. No one likes change,

but we have to be strong. Just remember an exchange described by writer

Elizabeth Nickson in last week's National Post : "We're broke. Really

broke. Despite the highest rate, pre-Campbell, of personal income tax in the

world. The attitude of labour? Our money is their money."

I pointed

out to Jim Sinclair, head of the B.C. Federation of Labour, that the tax cut

only returned people's money to them, and I paraphrase. "That was our

money," he cried. "No, it wasn't," I said. "Yes, it

was," he said, before breaking down in confusion. If you remember only one

thing about British Columbia, pre-Campbell, please remember this exchange.

[1120]

Nickson

went on to say that this part of the country, British Columbia, by resources,

climate and proximity to Seattle, headquarters of the new, clean economy, is

capable — were the business climate healthy — of attaining the

best-educated, hardest-working families anywhere: "British Columbia should

be a magnificent engine of prosperity for not only Canada but the whole

continent. And it will be. If Campbell and his admirable team keep their nerve,

in three or four years the B.C. miracle will astound us all. There is so much

undercapacity and underemployment and so many broken dreams that, once freed,

the province will be untouchable."

We can do

it. The Delta South save the hospital campaign and its maintain community health

care petition are just the beginning.

We must get

back into the window of the world. People need to know this is a place to visit,

spend tourist dollars, invest in businesses and natural resources, and that we

are actually alive. We can develop and generate jobs across our province. There

are lives beyond Hope, lives that contribute 50 percent of our provincial

revenue, and they are only a quarter of the provincial population. We must not

forget them.

We have

many challenges facing us, but like the people of Delta South, we can do it. We

can tackle offshore oil and gas, softwood lumber, aquaculture. We will achieve

success based on sound environmental and scientific practices and procedures.

Touring the

province as the Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Health brought home to

me just how desperate our health care system is. It also showed the depth and

passion of its people and how they want to be part of the solutions we are going

to be creating.

I must say

I echo the comments of the member for Burnaby-Edmonds across the chamber re the

member for Vancouver-Hastings, who was on the Health Committee. I can only

assume that because not one comment was received from the member for

Vancouver-Hastings, she agrees with and supports the findings of the Select

Standing Committee on Health 100 percent. She had ample opportunity made

available for her participation.

An Hon.

Member: How many meetings did she show up to?

Roddick: None.

Criticism

now is an insult to the people of British Columbia.

One of the

many challenges facing our health care system is aboriginal health care. It has

fallen through

[ Page 1194 ]

the cracks over the years and is a disgrace. We all need to work to repair

and rebuild.

One idea

emanating from the Delta campaign is to possibly use part of Delta Hospital as a

training-at-all-levels facility for first nations. Aboriginals have put the

request forward time and time again around the province. They need a small but

up-to-date facility to be able to learn in.

We are also

focusing on truly core services in all aspects of government, including health

and education. It won't be easy, and it won't be without some hardship, but it

can and will be done. Avoidable costs will be avoided. Unnecessary expenditures

will be eliminated. Cost-effective innovations in service delivery will be

employed. All of this is to put patients, students and clients first.

[1125]

Business

plans will be used to make decisions such as the Delta courthouse decision. If

more practical solutions are presented, they will be listened to — such as the

Delta police working with Surrey instead of Richmond.

MLA offices

are venues which the people of B.C. are realizing are neutral ground to be used

to discuss problems and bring forward ideas and solutions. This should be

encouraged and enhanced. We need to maintain democracy, and these offices allow

that. We should not penalize citizens for running for office by intimidation,

such as happened with the member for Victoria-Hillside at 5 o'clock this morning

on her front lawn.

Our

government has taken enormous steps in bringing back government to the people of

British Columbia. Having a free vote on Bills 27, 28 and 29 is a prime example.

The Valentine's Day presentation of the Delta Hospital campaign and all that

that entailed is unprecedented, should be commended and will be encouraged in

our new open and accountable way of running government.

I would

like to thank our Premier for his vision, his wisdom and his courage. Under his

stewardship, we will stay the course, and we will succeed.

In closing,

Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my pleasure at being able to serve this

government both as a member of the core review task force and as Chair of the

Select Standing Committee on Health.

The changes

outlined in the throne speech step by step will move us beyond our fears and

expectations to the limits of our imagination.

Sultan: Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the question of how we are going to

bring head offices back to Vancouver. The Speech from the Throne outlines

certain initiatives this government will take to answer that question. I would

like to expand on the topic.

The issue

of head office is important for the many of my West Vancouver–Capilano

constituents who work in or who even control such organizations. It is equally

important to the citizens throughout our province. Head office is the hub and

the brain of any business organization. Did anybody notice over the past decade

how many of these head offices left town? Well, I did. When two out of the three

largest head offices remaining in B.C. are Crown corporations, I'd say we have a

problem.

Over the

past decade astonished citizens on the Victoria side of the water watched an NDP

government indifferent to — hostile to — head office. Over there, on our

side of the water, alarmed citizens watched many of our corporations fail or

simply pack their bags and leave town. It reminded me of living in Montreal in

the 1970s, when the Parti Québécois cheered every loaded moving van heading

down Highway 401 to Toronto, as if ideology would somehow replace all those good

jobs for their children.

In British

Columbia the typical NDP supporter seems inclined to say: "Good riddance to

all those head offices and their corporate agenda. We'll get along just fine

without them. We live in the richest province in the land. And while we don't

quite understand how it all works, those government cheques just keep on

a-comin'." Well, as a matter of fact, I say we do need those head offices

if we want a prosperous and independent future for our children and for our

grandchildren. B.C. needs business decision-makers.

[1130]

Having

lived and worked 15 years in the United States, I learned — up close and

personal — how the Americans moved from virtual income parity with Canada to

having a 50 percent advantage over us in just about 40 years. They did it

through hard work and enterprise. I use "enterprise" in the business

sense.

[H.

Long in the chair.]

Some say:

"Well, so what if the Americans passed us by in dollar terms? The skiing is

better up here." And so it is. B.C. has been endowed with magnificent

natural surroundings, and as long as we preserve and protect it, that natural

endowment will carry us far. But if Mother Nature is the only touchstone of our

strategy, the future of British Columbia — indeed, of Canada as we know it —

is in doubt.

Remarkably,

after 20 years of denial by Ottawa, only a few MPs even today will openly admit

that if we don't pull up our socks, Canada faces a continued drain of capital

and trained people. If we can't retain our capital and our trained people,

Canada's destiny as an independent nation will certainly be affected. And when

you talk about capital and trained people, you're really talking about

decision-makers and head offices.

Here's a

small but significant case example. Today, if you want to make a corporate loan

from Canada's largest bank, that credit decision will be made in Calgary, not in

Vancouver. This is a stunning reversal of fortune from only a few years ago.

Under the NDP, Vancouver was becoming a branch office town with important

decisions referred to head offices elsewhere — to Calgary, Toronto or the

U.S.A.

Head office

or branch plant? Which is it to be, British Columbia? The stakes are large.

British Columbians are in a structural transition from life dependent upon

[ Page 1195 ]

government — a government cash-strapped today by NDP waste — to life

based on self-reliance. Canada was built by the self-reliant. As those dulled

instincts are relearned, it should be abundantly clear that the characteristics

of a successful, self-reliant society — that is to say, flexibility and

mobility, high income, advanced education, professionalism, generous charitable

and cultural activity and intelligent leadership, not to mention a healthy tax

base supporting a reasonable menu of government services, all of these — are

attributes associated with a thriving head office economy. One can't develop to

maximum potential in one area without the other.

I've worked

in head offices, and I've worked in branch plants. Believe me, head office is

better. Head offices, their driving and striving professionals and the money

they pump into the community, are essential ingredients of great cities. As

well, with head offices comes control — control over great mobile pools of

capital. Deployment of that capital creates jobs.

In many

ways, the issue boils down to the questions of who will own us and who will

control us. If we want British Columbians to control the destiny of British

Columbia — an objective I think all would endorse — then we should

understand that head offices are our friends; not, as the NDP would have us

believe, our enemies.

The NDP's

poisonous doctrine of class struggle and envy, its admiration of socialist

enterprise over free enterprise, its affinity to Havana over Hong Kong or

Singapore, its declaration that wealth is an accident of birth, not a creation

of thrift and toil, has fortunately run its course. We witness its bedraggled

remnants in tents on the front lawn of our Legislature today.

[1135]

Even an

eminent journalist in these galleries, no particular friend of our government,

has commented with some acidity on those apparently fit who stand on the front

steps of our Legislature bellowing into a bullhorn over the possibility of being

removed from welfare. Surely such critical commentary from the newsroom marks a

turning point.

All of this

signals that our head office environment is changing for the better. Will it be

sufficient to bring those head offices back? Yes, but it will take time. When it

comes to decision-makers, once burned, twice shy, but the building blocks for

head office renewal are coming into place.

One key

building block for head office renewal is a welcoming tax environment. As the

Speech from the Throne pointed out, our government has built a strong foundation

through eliminating the capital tax on non-financial corporations, through

reducing income taxes so that persons earning less than $60,000 enjoy the lowest

rate of personal income tax in Canada, through lowering the corporate profits

tax to equal Alberta's at least for now and through eliminating the provincial

sales tax on manufacturing and resource sector machinery.

B.C.'s

business taxes are now competitive internationally. B.C.'s corporate tax rate is

now lower than the comparable tax rate in Washington State, Oregon or

California. As a percentage of cash flow, B.C.'s tax burden in electronics

manufacturing, software development, new Web media and engineering services is

now more attractive than the three American states I just mentioned, as well as

Ontario.

While there

is still work to be done, taxes should no longer be a major impediment to head

office renewal. Furthermore, as a side bonus under the federal-provincial tax

allocation formula, growing head office employment in B.C. will give B.C. a

larger share of corporate income tax revenue.

A second

key element of our strategy is deregulation. Head offices don't thrive on

government red tape. They've got quite enough of their own, thank you. The

Speech from the Throne reminds us that the Minister of State for Deregulation is

now tackling the 400,000-plus regulations now on our books. As the minister

hacks away at this bramble bush, government and caucus are behind him every step

of the way.

A third key

element of our head office strategy is providing a friendly legal environment.

Six months ago when, for the first time, I rose to address this Legislature, I

declared my ambition to help create in British Columbia the friendliest head

office environment west of Delaware. This remains my ambition, and I'm delighted

our government is moving in that direction.

How can we

create the friendliest head office environment west of Delaware, and what's so

special about the state of Delaware? Delaware is the incorporation capital of

America, and we're talking serious money here. Shares of Delaware corporations

represent a major chunk of the market capitalization of shares traded in New

York, and those have a collective value of more than 100 times the size of our

B.C. economy.

Suffice it

to say, for little old Delaware — an otherwise featureless place with lousy

skiing, I might add — head office is a giant business, an ideal sort of

business. There's no smokestacks, no pollution — just a lot of specialists and

assistants running around, computers and filing cabinets, and tax revenues which

keep pumping into the government from all over the world. The government just

goes down the street and puts it in the bank to be used later to fund programs.

I don't believe they have any crisis of health care finance in Delaware.

[1140]

Delaware

has climbed to the top of the incorporation heap by offering corporate clientele

four things: (1) a short and sweet company act along internationally familiar

and litigation-tested lines; (2) frequent updates via regulation, not via law,

through a legislative committee charged with that responsibility; (3) a friendly

and skilful corporations branch in the government there to help; and (4) a

commercial court staffed by judges who actually have some understanding of

finance and economics, balance sheets and sophisticated commercial transactions.

As I look at the Attorney General, I'm led to believe they're a rare and

endangered species in B.C., I'm told by others.

[ Page 1196 ]

In British

Columbia, if we could create these four attributes and throw in our good skiing

for good measure, there's just no telling how far we might go. The good news is

that our government is taking some key initial steps.

Where do we

stand on the first of the Delaware prerequisites — the company act? The

current B.C. Company Act is the child of the Bennett government, circa 1978.

It's now going on 25 years old — in commercial legal terms, something like

running your computer on an early version of DOS instead of Windows. Recognizing

the urgent need to update the B.C. Company Act when, at age 11, it was due for

retirement, the government of the day constituted a task force. That was in

1989. Two years later the socialists stormed the gates of this House. One of

their first victims was the Company Act project. What good socialist would want

to have anything to do with something called "company"? Not many, as

it turned out. It never occurred to them that companies employ people.

Eventually,

as moving trucks emptied downtown head offices of their furniture, even the most

doctrinaire NDP diehards began to wonder: maybe something here needs fixing. In

1999, after some hurry-up drafting, they actually passed a new B.C. Company Act

right here in this Legislature — 1999. The practising corporate bar assessed

its flaws without mercy. The Lieutenant-Governor was never asked to promulgate

it, so it never became law — a good thing, too, for one of its principal

themes was that company directors should be hung, drawn and quartered for any

misfortune that befell their firms. It was hardly a legal philosophy calculated

to win friends and influence corporations to B.C.

Since then,

another task force has loyally toiled away attempting to draft a B.C. company

act which will fulfil the needs of an increasingly international and

multinational clientele. Meanwhile, British Columbians came to favour

incorporation in such odd places as the Yukon, Nova Scotia or even Ottawa. Many

companies either abandoned their B.C. charters — most notably in recent weeks,

Intrawest, owner-developer of Whistler — or chartered their new ventures

elsewhere.

After 25

years it's time to act. As the Speech from the Throne indicates, the enactment

of a new Company Act is one of the government's high priorities for this session

of the Legislature. In the future let's keep our Delaware competitor in mind,

where updating cycles are measured in months, not in decades.

The

requirements of a new B.C. Company Act are quite clear. A committee of leading

corporate legal practitioners recently advised that it is the committee's view

that, rather than create legislation that is unfamiliar and hope that business

people, practitioners and companies will spend the time and resources necessary

to understand and utilize it, the surest way to achieve the desired goals is to

take legislation that is familiar to the widest possible audience in British

Columbia and Canada and amend it to address the perceived deficiencies in that

legislation, thus creating legislation which is the best of what already exists

and is familiar. The goal should be harmonization with other Canadian practice,

not a unique statute.

[1145]

That advice

is clear. This Legislature's response should be equally clear. The first

principle of a new act should be familiarity and commonality. Having said that,

there is no doubt that any such legislation should also embody a second

principle: desirability. By that I simply mean that the act should have features

which corporate decision-makers and their advisers find attractive as they shop

around. For make no mistake: in this marketplace the customer has lots of

choices, ranging from the Yukon to Bermuda. If we're serious in our quest to

attract a healthy and growing volume of corporations back to B.C., we must be

competitive and even offer certain unique advantages. The imagination to

construct such laws and regulations within the bounds of conservative and

responsible corporate governance is readily available.

To sum up,

the Speech from the Throne sets out our government's intention to enact a new

Company Act, which is long overdue. A properly constituted Company Act will send

a strong message, reinforcing the other elements of our platform, that B.C. is

open for business.

The head

office business is the type of clean, high-paying, income-tax-attracting, dry

and no-heavy-lifting industry we need. Head offices and the managerial and

capital resources they command are vital to our long-term prosperity and

independence. If we could become the friendliest head office town west of

Delaware — and there's no reason we cannot — and then throw into the balance

our North Shore amenities — for example, Saturday sailing from Eagle Harbour,

Sunday morning latte at Delaney's on Edgemont Boulevard, evening skiing on

Grouse Mountain or simply walking the dog at Ambleside Beach and watching the

setting Pacific sun reflected from all those new head office towers in Vancouver

— then we could truly savour renewed prosperity for all. There really is no

telling where it might all end. Thank you.

Wilson: It's indeed a privilege today to be able to stand here and address

the throne speech, the direction that this government is taking. I have been in

this House since 1996. Each year I read the throne speech. This is the first

time I picked one up that has any substance to it whatsoever.

British

Columbia has suffered immensely. It's sort of like watching a horror movie. We

have become a land out of time. We are no longer in sync with the rest of North

America. We've gone, as you've heard, from first place in 1991…. British

Columbia had the best economy in Canada. And where are we today? Tenth or

eleventh.

Why did

that happen? Well, there were a number of reasons. We had a government that

didn't understand what it takes to keep a vibrant economy. We had a government

that didn't understand that you can't tax and spend and tax and spend, and then

when you run out of money, you tax some more so you can spend

[ Page 1197 ]

some more. And if things really pick up and you make some money in whichever

area and industry that's doing well, whether it be forestry or gas and oil, and

revenues go up, you simply factor those in and spend more. Never a thought to

where we're going with our debt, consistent failure to balance the budget, all

of these things….

What

basically happened is that we ended up with a province where business was

regulated out of existence. We did a baseline count: 404,000 regulations in this

province that people have to contend with if they want to operate and work here.

Is it any wonder that there have been hundreds of businesses that packed their

bags and left British Columbia for other areas in Canada and the U.S.? No, it's

not. You cannot work under such a huge regulatory burden as we experience in

British Columbia today.

At the same

time as our companies were leaving, our government continued to grow. It grew

right along at a fairly regular rate. Not only did we lose companies out of the

province, we lost workers. We've lost roughly 60,000 working families. A lot of

them have gone to Alberta to find employment. These are young families that need

to have work to raise their families, educate their children and all of those

things that this province should be providing. With the exodus of workers, the

exodus of companies and the increased tax burden that they were experiencing….

Yet the take-home, after-tax pay has continually dropped over the last ten

years.

[1150]

I might add

here that since the election there are some areas of this province that have

actually seen a little bit of recovery, but there are some areas where it is

very slow. The central interior of British Columbia is one of those areas. There

are a whole array of factors affecting it. It's a resource-based economy up

there. What's happening to us is that we are losing workers. They take their

families with them. The children are gone. Now we're looking at school closures.

We're looking at reduced funding to keep our infrastructure alive there, where

once it was vibrant. It was a great place to live. Now we see schools closing

every year. This is not acceptable. We have to turn that around, and the only

way we can turn it around is to follow the plan that's laid out in this throne

speech.

If there's

one thing that we can count on in life, it's change. Change is the only constant

factor with people, with governments, with living. Each day we get older —

that's change. It's amazing how much resistance you find when you want to change

things. The changes that we're bringing in are not for the worse; they're for

the better. Yet people are resistant to change, and it's up to us to allay the

fears that are being brought on by individuals and organizations that this is a

bad thing. It is not a bad thing. Change is good.

We've

identified certain areas that needed to be addressed and needed to be addressed

very quickly. One is in taxes. Shortly after we were elected as government, we

reduced the personal income tax on the people of British Columbia. If you're in

that $60,000-or-under tax bracket, it is a real benefit to people that are

trying to earn a living and feed their families. I've had several people come up

to me since that day and say: "Thank you. What you've done has really

helped us. We appreciate it even though it is not something huge. We recognize

the fact that it has cut the government revenues immediately, but it will

increase the government revenues in the long run because the dollars that we get

back on our taxes we can spend on the things that we need to spend them

on." Those dollars go back into the community, they go back into the

economy, and they generate jobs in the private sector.

Regulations

are another area that's being addressed. We're committed to reducing those

regulations by one-third at the end of three years. Also, we can expect some

changes to labour laws — more flexibility, fairness and efficiency. Those are

needed and have been brought up many times as one of the things that this

province needs to address. British Columbia is a rich province. Unfortunately,

we have that wealth out there, and we can't access it because of the regulatory

burdens. Changes to our mining act, our forest policy, our stumpage appraisal

system will all help to stimulate this economy and get it back on track.

[1155]

One of the

problems that we inherited from the previous government was in the health

situation we encounter in our forests in the interior from 100 Mile House to

Smithers and Mackenzie. It's the mountain pine beetle. For ten years we tried to

get government to address the issue of forest health. Nothing happened. In June

of this year, after the election, our Premier had the foresight to immediately

address the problem. He struck a task force which went through the affected

regions and reported out to the Minister of Forests. It's the first time in ten

years that anything has happened to address this problem.

Now we have

addressed it, and we are on the road to dealing with it. If that hadn't been

done, the economic cost to this province would have been in the billions and

billions of dollars. This pine beetle has a voracious appetite, and it eats its

way through our forests. It doesn't stop for any type of legislation or

regulations; it just eats away. Until the weather conditions come that will deal

with it, we have to address the problem. We can't ignore it, and we haven't

ignored it. We are now doing that.

We have a

huge opportunity in this province in gas and oil. Our minister recognizes that,

and he's making changes that will facilitate the development of those resources.

That will create jobs. It'll create some wealth in the areas where we

desperately need it today.

One of the

issues that keeps coming back — the previous government spent hundreds of

millions of dollars and really had no results — is the area of land claims. We

are having a referendum on this, and we will get the direction from the people

as to how they want us to negotiate. By doing that, it's an effort to speed up a

process which to this point has really had no results. We need to get this thing

settled. We need to

[ Page 1198 ]

do it in a timely fashion so that we can move forward in this province.

Another

area that we've looked at is the municipal government level. We've come out and

developed a community charter that puts more ability in the hands of the local

communities to deal with the issues that they understand. Victoria doesn't

understand their needs; they understand them. To do that, we have to leave some

revenue there so that they can make the necessary changes in their communities

so that they will be more efficient and better managed. That is another area

where we're going to see some development in the near future.

I guess the

biggest problem that we have today — and it's not just us; it's been

identified by all the Premiers of Canada — is in health care. We cannot

continue to keep throwing dollars at something. There have to be some changes in

this system. It is already eating up almost 40 percent of our government

revenue. We have to get those dollars to the patient level so that they will do

the job they were intended to do. We are doing this. It is an enormous task —

huge. It's being worked on, and it will be something that evolves as time goes

on.

The other

area that we've identified as a problem is the shortage of nurses and doctors.

We've addressed those by putting in more positions in our universities. We've

created a facility at the University of Northern British Columbia in conjunction

with the University of British Columbia so that we can graduate more doctors and

try and keep them in the region where we need them: in the north and the

interior. It has been a really serious problem up to this point to maintain the

level of doctor service in those regions. This is something that will help. It

will address that problem.

I see that

I'm running short of time. I had a whole lot of other good news here that I

wanted to expound on, but I would like to say one thing. I've lived in this

province since 1967, and this is the first time that I have seen a government

come into office and actually do what they said they were going to do.

[1200]

We had an

aggressive 90-day plan, and we met it. We said we are going to balance the

budget. We will balance the budget. It is to me an honour and a privilege to be

part of bringing British Columbia out of the recession that it's in and putting

it back where it rightfully belongs in Canada.

Hon. G.

Plant moved adjournment of debate.

Motion

approved.

Hon. G.

Plant: Others will have the opportunity to continue the debate in due

course.

With that,

I move that the House do now adjourn.

Hon. G.

Plant moved adjournment of the House.

Motion

approved.

The House

adjourned at 12:01 p.m.

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