Fourth Session, 41st Parliament

(2019) OFFICIAL REPORT

OF DEBATES

(HANSARD)

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Morning Sitting

Issue No. 207

ISSN 1499-2175

The HTML transcript is provided for informational purposes only.

The PDF transcript remains the official digital version.

CONTENTS

Routine Business

Introductions by Members

Introduction and First Reading of Bills

Bill 7 — Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act, 2019

Hon. M. Farnworth

Statements (Standing Order 25B)

Brian Minter

J. Martin

Arthritis

R. Leonard

Documentary on transgender youth

J. Thornthwaite

Teesha Sharma

B. D’Eith

Small businesses in West Vancouver–Sea to Sky area

J. Sturdy

Punjabi language education

R. Singh

Oral Questions

Vaccination requirements for school system

N. Letnick

Hon. A. Dix

A. Wilkinson

Access to measles-mumps-rubella vaccine

A. Wilkinson

Hon. A. Dix

Call for public inquiry into money laundering

A. Weaver

Hon. D. Eby

Trans-Canada Highway upgrade project in Chilliwack area

L. Throness

Hon. C. Trevena

Massey Tunnel replacement project

I. Paton

Hon. C. Trevena

School district funding and potential school closings

D. Davies

Hon. R. Fleming

Petitions

D. Clovechok

Tabling Documents

Public Service Benefit Plan Act, annual report for year ending March 31,

Office of the Auditor General, Progress Audit: Correctional Facilities

and Programs , independent audit report, February 2019

Orders of the Day

Budget Debate

(continued)

T. Shypitka

Hon. M. Mungall

J. Martin

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2019

The House met at 10:05 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Routine Business

Prayers.

Introductions by Members

R. Leonard: I’d like to introduce a constituent of mine, Cathie Talbot. I’ve known

Cathie for an awful lot of years. Her daughter and mine are the same age and

well on their way to being great successes in the world. Cathie is always

willing to jump in and take up the challenge of whatever job is needed by

the team, even while she’s looking after an aging parent at home, which is

such an honourable job that she does.

I thank you for that.

May the House please welcome Cathie Talbot.

M. Stilwell: Today seems to be class field trip day in the Legislature, as I have

multiple groups who are joining us here. First, it’s my pleasure to

introduce two separate groups of amazing students from Ballenas Secondary in

Parksville and their teachers, Ms. Olivia Hill and Ms. Mischa Oak. They’ll

be joining us in the gallery soon. I understand they had some travel

difficulties coming down this morning.

I spent time with the Ballenas Secondary students earlier this month

at their school, and I was so impressed with how engaged the students are

with politics and community issues. I welcome them.

Also joining us in the House today are a small but fantastic group of

students and teachers from Claro. Claro is an alternative learning school in

Nanaimo and Kelowna and serves 75 neurodiverse students, in partnership with

B.C. independent schools. Claro is open learning. Students receive

individualized support in the areas of academics, social and life skills in

the environment, where diversity is viewed as a strength.

Students at Claro are active and contributing citizens, participating

in regular, community-based social, recreation and volunteer opportunities.

I would say that collectively, they are compassionate, intelligent,

hard-working, strong self-advocates.

Would the House please welcome the mentors, Melissa Rombough and Ruth

Christmas, who are accompanying the students: James Buckingham; Katie

Dalton; Kieran Flood; Shyler Walther; and, of course, my son, Kai

Stilwell.

D. Routley: I’d like the House to help welcome my constituency assistants, who

have come down for meetings today: M and M, Patty McNamara and Kayla Mazer.

And wait, there’s another M: Sarah Miller, who will be arriving soon. The

three Ms — Patty McNamara, Cayla Masur and Sarah Miller — are the force of

service in Nanaimo–North Cowichan, taking care of hundreds and, over the

years, thousands of issues for people. As you all know, they come into our

offices at the worst and most challenging times of their lives. We rarely

have to face the stress that our assistants do.

With that, I’d like to welcome them and thank them for everything that

they do.

N. Letnick: Today in the House, we have Dr. John Esdaile, scientific director of

Arthritis Research Canada. He’s an internationally respected rheumatologist

who spearheaded the creation of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada, and

he’s here today to talk to some of us about his research. May the House

please make him feel welcome.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I have a couple of guests to introduce. They’re in the gallery today.

They are Scott Hanna, the CEO of the Credit Counselling Society of British

Columbia, and Tayt Winnitoy, the executive vice-president of Consumer

Protection B.C.

[10:10 a.m.]

They’re here to see whether the government has something in a few

minutes to deal with consumer protection. Would the House please make them

most welcome.

G. Kyllo: I have to say that procreation is alive and well in the Shuswap. I’m

very proud today to rise in the House and announce the arrival of yet

another grandchild. Georgina and I could not be happier to announce the

birth of our eighth grandchild and our second grandson, Harvey James Michael

Hansma, who arrived Friday, February 8. Harvey is the first child of our

youngest daughter, Samantha, and her husband, Mike Hansma, of Sicamous.

Would the House please join me in welcoming Harvey James Michael

Hansma.

Hon. R. Fleming: I’d like to congratulate that member and also thank him for being a

part of the growing enrolment in B.C.’s school system.

I’m here to make an introduction upon the request of the Minister for

Advanced Education, who is losing her voice but who I know would want all of

us in the House to give a warm welcome on B.C. Colleges Day to a number of

our guests we have here with us. John Bowman is the chair and president of

North Island College, Sherri Bell is the vice-chair and president of Camosun

College, Lane Trotter is the past chair of B.C. Colleges and president of

Langara College, and Colin Ewert is the president of B.C.

Colleges.

Very important, the 11 colleges that we have in British Columbia. The

reputation they have gained over decades for high-quality skills training

and university transfer programs I think all of us know from our own

constituencies. Very valuable partner in delivering post-secondary

education. They represent 150,000 students, and I’m sure those students are

delighted that they will now not have any interest on the student loans they

pay. I would ask members of the House to please make these guests most

welcome.

S. Furstenau: Today I’m delighted to introduce Amelia Hadfield. She’s in the gallery

right now, and she’s going to spend the day shadowing me here. Amelia is a

grade 11 student at Brentwood School who recently attended the Forum program

in Ottawa, which gives the opportunity to high school students to spend a

week immersed in the parliamentary world in Ottawa. I can attest to the

benefits of this program because I attended it in 1987.

Amelia is also an accomplished debater. At the regionals earlier this

month, Amelia’s team placed second, and she will be competing in the

provincial debating championships this weekend in Oak Bay. Would the House

please make Amelia welcome, and when you see her straggling along next to

me, say hello to her.

Introduction and

First Reading of Bills

BILL 7 — BUSINESS PRACTICES AND

CONSUMER PROTECTION

AMENDMENT ACT, 2019

Hon. M. Farnworth presented a message from Her Honour the

Lieutenant-Governor: a bill intituled Business Practices and Consumer

Protection Amendment Act, 2019.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the bill be introduced and read a first time

now.

I’m pleased to introduce Bill 7, the Business Practices and

Consumer Protection Amendment Act, 2019. This bill proposes a collection

of amendments to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act to

strengthen financial protections and make life more affordable for

British Columbians who use payday loans and other high-cost credit

products and services.

There are consumers who have limited options and seek high-cost

loans and other high-cost credit products from alternative lenders,

measures to strengthen existing payday lending laws. The bill also

establishes a new licensing and regulatory scheme for businesses that

provide other high-cost products such as instalment loans.

In addition, certain business practices will be prohibited under

the legislation, and licensed businesses will be required to adhere to

specific disclosure rules in credit agreements. Overall, this bill aims

to better protect consumers from potentially harmful and predatory

business practices.

Mr. Speaker: The question is first reading of the bill.

Motion approved.

Hon. M. Farnworth: I move that the bill be placed on the orders of the day for second

reading at the next sitting of the House after today.

Bill 7, Business Practices and Consumer Protection Amendment Act,

2019, introduced, read a first time and ordered to be placed on orders of

the day for second reading at the next sitting of the House after

today.

[10:15 a.m.]

Statements

(Standing Order 25B)

BRIAN MINTER

J. Martin: I recently had the opportunity to attend the Chilliwack Business

Excellence Awards, where Brian Minter received the 2019 Chilliwack

Chamber of Commerce Stan Rogers Legacy Award for his many contributions

over many, many years.

Brian and his lovely wife, Faye, have been successful

entrepreneurs in Chilliwack since 1970, when they purchased the Country

Garden store. In 1980, they opened the 32-acre Minter Gardens, which,

until it closed in 2013, was basically a horticultural Shangri-la and

was listed among Rae Spencer-Jones’s 1001 Gardens You Must See

Before You Die . No doubt many members in this chamber have

fond, colourful, special memories of walking through Minter Gardens,

taking in all its beauty, all its splendour.

Brian Minter is a recipient of the Order of Canada; the Order of

British Columbia; the Order of Chilliwack, the Chilliwack person of the

year award; B.C.’s Small Business Excellence Award; the spirit of

enterprise award; and an honorary doctorate of technology from the

University of the Fraser Valley, where he was chair of the board of

governors when the then Fraser Valley College was transformed into a

degree-granting university college in 1991. He served as UFV’s first

chancellor in 2008, when it changed from a university college to full

university status.

Brian was inducted into the Gardening Writers Association’s Hall

of Fame in recognition of a lifetime of exceptional work and spirit

promoting gardening and garden communication to the public, as well as

winning the North American Perennial Plant Association Award of Merit

and the 2015 Canadian Garden Tourism Award.

He is a best-selling author. He continues to write gardening and

horticultural articles for numerous provincial, national and

international publications and is a regular contributor to CBC and BBC.

He has educated and inspired countless British Columbians and others on

just how much is possible in horticulture.

His commitment and contributions to the educational, social,

cultural and economic development, and fabric of the community could

fill a book. He is an inspiration to all who know or knew him, and there

is no one more deserving of this most recent recognition.

Please join me, everyone in this chamber, in congratulating Brian

Minter for a lifetime of service to his community and fellow

citizens.

ARTHRITIS

R. Leonard: Hon. Speaker, 1.2 million British Columbians have one of 100 types

of arthritis. That’s costing $7 billion, with more than half that amount

from lost work time. That doesn’t begin to capture the personal, human

toll.

I was under 30 when I was told I needed a new hip because of

advancing osteoarthritis, but I had to wait four years, with the

prescription of taking enough aspirin until my ears rang, before I would

become a bionic woman. It wasn’t known then, yet, how long my artificial

hip would last.

It was right to be conservative. As it is, I’ve had two hip

revisions since, but thanks to researchers; my surgeon, Dr. Clive

Duncan; a vast array of health professionals; and the loving support of

my family and friends through those years, I’m living the

dream.

We’ve come a long way since those days. Research has been

critical. Researchers like Drs. John Esdaile and Linda Li from Arthritis

Research Canada and others are leading the way right here in British

Columbia. Every year there are improved medicines to stem the

advancement of joint degeneration and to control pain. Surgeries have

advanced in ways that I never dreamed possible, and evolving activity

protocols continue to improve lives.

Yet we still have a long way to go. We know the challenges of

growing wait-lists, especially for hip and knee replacements. Arthritis

is responsible for the vast majority of those joint

replacements.

The Minister of Health has introduced a surgical strategy that

will provide 34 percent more new hips and knees. That’s 4,000 more men

and women being given a new lease on life every year. I look forward to

the day when those numbers go down as we continue to find ways to manage

arthritis and finally, one day, to nip it in the bud before it consumes

our lives and our health care budgets.

[10:20 a.m.]

DOCUMENTARY ON TRANSGENDER YOUTH

J. Thornthwaite: Gina Hole Lazarowich is a friend and constituent, but she’s also a

successful producer and filmmaker. Her latest project is Krow’s

TRANSformation , which follows the three-year journey of a

transgender female, a former teen model, into his true, authentic

self.

After six years as a globetrotting female fashion model, Krow

embarked on the journey towards physically becoming a man at the age of

18. He never felt comfortable as a woman and struggled daily with his

identity during his youth. Throughout the documentary, we not only

witness Krow’s physical changes; we also witness some of the

heartbreaking interviews with his friends and family and see how his

decision to transition impacted those close to him.

We learn how his mother initially struggled with the revelation

her daughter wanted to be a boy but then learned to embrace her son’s

new life. She lost a daughter but gained a son. In the film, Krow says:

“Sometimes trans youth don’t come out to their families because they

would rather have their family love them for who they are not than risk

their family disowning them for being who they are.”

He said that for the most part, it was exciting to share his

transition with others but that it became more challenging to talk about

whether he could survive if he had to go on living as a female. But he

hopes this documentary will help educate people and create

understanding, if not acceptance. He feels that even if the documentary

could save just one life, it’s all worthwhile.

It is also worth noting that both myself and the member for

Vancouver–West End were interviewed for this film. Gina asked me about

our government’s decision to include gender identity expression into the

human rights code to improve protection for trans people and about our

government’s decision to bring SOGI policies to all schools in British

Columbia.

Gina is in the final process of fundraising for post-production

and is getting ready to bring the first screening of the film to

fruition. If you’d like to help her campaign, visit FundRazr, or join us

at 6 p.m. on April 11 at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver. I look forward to

seeing you there.

TEESHA SHARMA

B. D’Eith: Teesha Sharma, one of my constituents and friends, passed away

unexpectedly at the age of 27 on February 15, 2019. I would like to

honour her by telling her story.

Teesha grew up in an abusive house, spent most of her childhood in

foster care and shelters and eventually ended up living in a hotel at

age 16. But notwithstanding these challenges, she was part of many

leadership groups at school, was on the honour roll and graduated as

valedictorian.

Teesha never thought of herself as a victim but as an advocate.

She didn’t want other kids to face the same barriers that she did and

became a champion for at-risk youth. She found a partner in advocacy

with Christian Cowley and the Maple Ridge CEED society and centre. And

through the CEED centre, Teesha started blue door youth services, which

offers barrier-free programs to youth from 13 to 24 who are homeless, at

risk of homelessness or experiencing mental health issues.

With her lived experience and caring personality, Teesha was able

to reach at-risk youth in a way that no one else could in our community.

Teesha actually credited the support that she received at the Iron Horse

Youth Safe House in Maple Ridge, which is now closed, for saving her

life. Before passing, she was working very hard on securing a new safe

house in our community.

She was also part of the Youth Wellness Centre committee, which

went from being a committee to a youth wellness centre and is now going

to be opening as a Foundry. Last year Teesha was recognized in our

community by winning the inaugural Citizen of the Year under 40 award

from the Maple Ridge Community Foundation gala and was a finalist at the

YMCA’s Power of Peace Award. She was known internationally for her

work.

On behalf of myself, the member for Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows and

our staff, we offer our sincerest condolences to all of those who are

affected by this loss. Our community is a better place because of

Teesha. She reminds us all that if you act with strength, dedication and

compassion, you can move mountains. I just never thought that the time I

had with her as a friend would be so short.

She will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

SMALL BUSINESSES IN

WEST VANCOUVER–SEA TO SKY

AREA

J. Sturdy: I’m pleased to rise today to speak and to recognize small business

entrepreneurs from my constituency of West Vancouver–Sea to Sky. Last

week Small Business B.C. held their 16th annual awards event, which

recognizes entrepreneurs from across the province for leadership in ten

different categories.

[10:25 a.m.]

Finalists from West Vancouver–Sea to Sky included, from Squamish,

Glacier Interiors and Marwick Marketing; from Pemberton, Murphy

Construction and Small Potatoes Bazaar; from Whistler, Whistler Photo

Safaris, Lighthouse Mentor Network, RDC Fine Homes and Whistler Cooks.

I’d like to congratulate Bob Deeks and RDC Fine Homes for winning the

Best Apprenticeship Training Award. RDC has been building homes in the

Sea to Sky since 1993. The company employs 37 people and is dedicated to

building sustainable homes with a focus on customer service.

Murphy Construction and Whistler Cooks were also recognized as

top-five finalists in the apprenticeship training award.

This is significant because this isn’t the result of some big

government requirement. On the contrary, this is private sector,

unlegislated, entrepreneurial commitment at work.

RDC Fine Homes, Murphy Construction and Whistler Cooks are

committed to creating workplaces that not only attract but retain great

people. Being recognized for apprenticeship training demonstrates

commitment to building a team, and it means establishing a

well-structured, supportive program that gives employees the opportunity

to learn, to grow, to contribute to the success of a business and to

advance within the company.

In a competitive labour market, employers who are committed to

training and retention should be recognized. I’m glad to see that these

Sea to Sky businesses are recognized for their focus on their employees.

Small business powers this province. We’re fortunate to have so many

committed, experienced, innovative and passionate entrepreneurs making a

difference all across all of our communities.

Thank you to the small business entrepreneurs, and congratulations

to all the nominees and winners at last week’s awards.

PUNJABI LANGUAGE EDUCATION

R. Singh: We all celebrated International Mother Language Day on February

21. Last weekend in my community of Surrey, Punjabi Canadians came

together to celebrate the recognition and acceptance of their mother

language in Canada.

The event was held under the aegis of the Punjabi Language

Education Association, also known as PLEA, which was formed in 1994 for

the progress of Punjabi language in Canada. This association has been

celebrating International Mother Language Day for the past 16 years, and

this event highlighted their ongoing efforts to promote Punjabi language

education in B.C. This year the celebration had a very strong focus on

student participation as we heard poetry, songs and stories from young

Punjabi learners living across the Lower Mainland.

Along with this celebration, PLEA has been instrumental in

promoting Punjabi language in B.C. public schools across the province.

In Surrey alone, there are nine secondary schools where Punjabi classes

are available, which includes two high schools in my riding of

Surrey–Green Timbers, L.A. Matheson and Queen Elizabeth

Secondary.

This association has effectively ensured that our local schools

are now promoting and teaching the Punjabi language, with the support of

the local communities. PLEA has allowed children and adolescents from

Punjabi-speaking families to connect with their heritage and language

through these classes.

In cities like Surrey, where Punjabi is the second most-spoken

is key to promote the language at various levels. Their dedication and

commitment to the Punjabi language is admirable, as through this

endeavour they have been able to spread the Punjabi language with so

many communities.

Being a Punjabi Canadian myself, I’m so happy to see their hard

work to connect our youth with their roots, and I would like to

congratulate PLEA for their great efforts.

Oral Questions

VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS

FOR SCHOOL

SYSTEM

N. Letnick: In past years, vaccination records for measles were maintained by

schools, because all students were vaccinated at school, including

myself and probably many of us in this chamber. In some Canadian

provinces, children who are not immunized may be asked to stay home from

school when an outbreak occurs. In other jurisdictions, proof of

immunization is required for school entrance, with exceptions for

medical or ideological reasons.

Can the Minister of Health please confirm he will be following the

Ontario model and passing regulations to remove non-immunized students

from school during an outbreak?

[10:30 a.m.]

Hon. A. Dix: First of all, as the member will know, we have an outbreak of

measles in British Columbia right now — I think as everyone knows — 13

cases concentrated in Metro Vancouver. Just to show how seriously we

take this: one case of measles, which shouldn’t be there, is an

outbreak. With 13, we take it very seriously.

There are significant protocols by public health officials. Under

the Public Health Act today, we have the opportunity to exclude students

from school, and that is, in fact, happening now. As of a few days ago,

I think, 38 to 40 students and adults have been excluded from particular

schools where the outbreak is taking place.

As the member will know, in 2010, there were 87 cases of measles

in British Columbia, which were all over the province. In 2014, there

were 342 cases that were concentrated in school communities in the

Fraser Valley. At that time, the provincial officer of health, Dr. Perry

Kendall, recommended — and today Dr. Bonnie Henry recommended —

mandatory registration of students in the public school system and the

independent school system, the entire school system in British

Columbia.

That recommendation we’re following up and delivering on, and we

hope to deliver on that by September of this year.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Kelowna–Lake Country on a supplemental.

N. Letnick: Thank you to the minister for the answer. Many parents, of course,

are still upset that in this day and age, they need to be watching their

children over measles. Misinformation about vaccinations is being spread

Now, we recognize that while governments in Canada cannot enact

compulsory immunization, there is a compelling public health benefit

from achieving a 95 percent or better rate of population immunity. What

more does the government plan to do to better inform British Columbians

about the importance of vaccinations?

Hon. A. Dix: I agree very much with the hon. member. One of the things we can

do is what we’re proceeding to do, with respect to mandatory

registration. It should be noted that he referred to Ontario earlier,

that they have currently probably the most stringent rules with respect

to school-aged children in Canada, yet their rate of immunization is 91

percent, well below the goal of 95 percent. In fact, in Newfoundland,

where there are no such rules, they have the highest, which is around 96

percent. So there is more we can do.

What I am suggesting today, right now, is that everyone in British

Columbia, especially for their children but for themselves as well: go

and get immunized. It’s very straightforward. It is happening all around

British Columbia now — 8,000 more doses in the Vancouver Coastal Health

Authority; a 50 percent increase in the last two weeks compared to

previous years in the Interior Health Authority; the Vancouver Island

Health Authority. People are responding to this.

I think one of the things…. This is getting a lot of attention

now. This is an opportunity to deliver the message — everyone to deliver

it in constituency offices and everyone else — that being immunized is

not just important for your child. It’s important for children who, for

medical reasons, cannot be immunized. It is our public responsibility to

do so, and I want to encourage everyone to do so.

As the member rightly says, it’s not just about rules. It’s about

ensuring that people have the information they need. We have not, I

think…. The levels of immunization in British Columbia are not

sufficient. I think the hon. member would agree. We have to take every

step possible to ensure that especially the children who cannot be

immunized are protected from disease such as measles, which should not

exist in British Columbia.

A. Wilkinson: I’d like to thank the minister for taking this constructive

approach to a problem the public expect us, as a Legislature, to address

constructively and effectively.

Now, we all know that some of the people in this room are old

enough to remember being lined up in the school hallways with no consent

forms, just mandatory immunization. Those days are gone, and since then,

immunization has been widely dispersed between public health facilities,

schools, doctors’ offices. It presents a challenge to parents to even

know where their records might be.

In the spirit of cooperation to make this province a better and

safer place, can the minister please advise us what steps are being

taken to alert parents of where they’re going to find these records and

how they might assemble the history of their immunizations, especially

if they have moved locations and especially between provinces? Also, if

he would be so kind as to provide an information packet and posters for

our constituency offices.

Hon. A. Dix: The answer to the second question is, yes, that work is taking

place now. I think that’s important work that we can do together. One of

the challenges, as the member will know, with mandatory registration are

these issues around records. There are some health authorities, on

immunization, who still have paper records, which presents

challenges.

[10:35 a.m.]

You know, when this was proposed in 2014…. I’m not suggesting no

action was taken at that time. In fact, action was taken to improve

systems, but they did not move at that time, I think, for reasons that

would be called systemic and not ideological or

philosophical.

Right now we are taking action. The significant part of that

action will not be the regulations pursuant to the Public Health Act.

It’s in ensuring that that system of records is in place so that parents

can reasonably be able to get access to their own records. That task is

a difficult one, but it’s one that we are working on very

diligently.

In the meantime, we’re also now, right now, making the public case

everywhere, and our provincial officer of health…. Our outstanding

provincial officer of health, Dr. Bonnie Henry, and all the people who

work in public health around B.C. are making that case. Parents are

making that case. People around B.C. are making that case to one

another. You can see that in the response to immunization right

now.

My hope, in this month — because there is more than enough vaccine

to take care of this in British Columbia, although there are always

challenges in delivering services — is that we can see immunization

rates rise. It will require actions such as the members suggests. But it

will also involve individuals making that decision for themselves,

taking responsibility for themselves, for the care of their children and

others’ and making this decision to be immunized.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a

supplemental.

ACCESS TO

MEASLES-MUMPS-RUBELLA

VACCINE

A. Wilkinson: The Minister of Health outlined some positive steps. There’s one

further step that could be taken. Given that the measles-mumps-rubella,

or MMR, vaccine is cheap, highly effective and can be given repeatedly,

there is a concept that’s widely known around the world — it’s been

known for more than 30 years — of post-exposure prophylaxis, or

PEP.

This is where MMR is made widely available, usually at schools, so

that a parent who hears about exposure, whether they were in one of the

shopping malls or on the SkyTrain or at Toys “R” Us, if they’re worried,

why not just get another MMR? The issue is the logistics. How do they

find the MMR; where do they go to get it?

Is the minister prepared to embark on a plan to get PEP

vaccinations available at our schools, mobile public health units, with

students being basically given the option of having an MMR on demand,

readily available at no charge?

Hon. A. Dix: First of all, I was asked last week this question by an adult, who

was asking whether they had to pay or whether it was free for children.

It is free for everybody in British Columbia.

Right now all of our public health offices, in some parts of the

province — those are the primary centre for immunization. In other

parts, it’s doctor’s offices. But all of those public health units —

nurses; nurse practitioners; doctor’s offices; and pharmacists, for

those over the age of five, as well. We have to ensure that pharmacies

have adequate access to the vaccine to meet demand.

There are lots of opportunities now to get access, and we are

absolutely looking at the questions raised by the hon.

member.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition on a second

supplemental.

A. Wilkinson: Just to clarify with the Minister of Health, given that the MMR

vaccine is cheap, effective and safe; given that there are about five

million of us in British Columbia; and given that about half of us know

that we’ve had it and the other half don’t know or, perhaps, possibly

haven’t had it, can we make it more readily available so that any

licensed practitioner — pharmacist, nurse practitioner, physician,

nurse, public health nurse — could be prepared and armed to have

this?

pharmacy in British Columbia, saying: “If you were in any of the

following locations, you may have been exposed. Come on in and get a

free immunization.”

Is the minister prepared to take that retail-level action so that

parents can be reassured and have the option to be sure their child has

had the MMR?

Hon. A. Dix: As the member knows, of course, with respect to retail pharmacies,

right now the rules are that pharmacists can deliver the vaccine, over

the age of five, and there are some reasons for that to work through.

But I think that’s a huge category of people who can access vaccines

through pharmacy. Generally speaking, with the MMR vaccine, which is

measles, mumps and rubella, you get the first shot at or around the age

of one, and then the booster shot between the ages of four and

six.

[10:40 a.m.]

What is critical for our public health system as well…. This is

where issues around lack of access to nurse practitioners and family

doctors are important. We just announced, for example, in the Tri-Cities

and New Westminster a primary care network which will expand access to

primary care. What we found was that one of the areas where people were

lacking care was in pre- and post-natal care in that area. Having access

to a family doctor is critical, so that part of it as well.

The support for basic health of British Columbians is, I think, an

important part of this. There are things we can do now. There are

specific urgent actions we can take now. I agree with the hon. member.

As well, we have to make the structural changes in systems to ensure

that children’s health is better. That includes access to family

doctors, access to nurse practitioners, access to basic health care and

basic primary health care.

There are more than three-quarters of a million people in British

Columbia right now without a family practice doctor, attached to a

family practice doctor or nurse practitioner. That number is too high.

Whenever an issue like this emerges, you see the impact of that in

society. We have to make improvements there, and we are.

CALL FOR PUBLIC INQUIRY

INTO MONEY

LAUNDERING

A. Weaver: Please let me start by thanking members of the opposition and the

minister for canvassing such an important issue and having the dialogue

that led to some very informative answers that we can take back to our

constituency. I thank you for the questioning there.

A recent

article from the Vancouver Sun pointed out that

the scale of money laundering happening here in British Columbia is

still unclear. A report last year from the Paris-based financial action

task force indicated that $1 billion a year was laundered through a

“massive” underground bank in British Columbia that served Mexican

cartels, Asian gangs and Middle Eastern crime groups.

Illegal gambling money, drug money and money derived from

extortion was laundered in British Columbia to supply cash to Chinese

gamblers, yet our government continues to take a reactive approach to

money laundering. There’s a deficit of public trust in our province, and

the people of British Columbia deserve a government that will take a

more proactive approach to this issue.

My question to the Attorney General is this. Will the minister

introduce a public inquiry into money laundering in British

Columbia?

Hon. D. Eby: I thank the member for the question, and all members for the tone

in the Legislature today. I think it’s great.

In terms of the member’s question about the approach that the

government is taking, we were clear, from the very beginning, about why

we have taken the approach of doing reviews into money laundering versus

a public inquiry. We can move faster. We can get the information that we

need, and we can stop the activity that is actually taking place in

British Columbia. We saw that in the casino file. We were able to stop

the activity of bringing bulk cash into the casinos very quickly, as a

result of a review. A public inquiry takes longer to get to those kinds

of results.

That doesn’t mean we don’t have the same questions that the member

has about who knew what and when, what kind of accountability there

should be — the kinds of questions that can be answered through a public

inquiry. What it does mean is that we need to take action to stop the

activity as quickly as we can.

The member knows that Dr. German is currently working on questions

related to horse racing, luxury cars and real estate. I can tell the

member that Dr. German is already uncovering some very disturbing

information that’s causing government to take action and enabling us to

take quick action. I’m very grateful for Dr. German doing that kind of

work for us, but that does not exclude the possibility of a public

inquiry.

I thank the member for making his party’s position very clear on

this issue — and all British Columbians, frankly, who have written to me

about this issue to express their interest in a public inquiry as

well.

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Third party on a supplemental.

A. Weaver: I thank the minister for the answer to the previous

question.

While I do appreciate the response I received, the question I’m

left with is: how many reports and news stories do we need to be written

to convince this government that more resources are required to solve

the problem? This government needs to develop solutions, not wait for

them to arrive on their doorstep and wait for other reports to

articulate them.

Last week the Attorney General made reference to the fact that one

of the top five transnational criminal organizations in the world was

getting tax credits from Advantage B.C. A criminal organization getting

tax credits in British Columbia to launder money — it’s absolutely

unbelievable. It’s an unbelievable allegation. It’s clear that

government doesn’t yet understand the scope of this issue and that one

or two reports is not enough.

[10:45 a.m.]

In order to get to the root of this problem, we need an

independent approach that can address the broad scope of money

laundering in our province. Previously the Premier stated that he

prefers prosecution over public inquiry. However, transparency watchdogs

and lawyers who are experts on transnational crime have called for a

public inquiry. That’s the only way to effectively deal with this

problem. A public inquiry, along the lines of what occurred in the

Charbonneau Commission, can run in parallel to criminal investigations

that may or may not be ongoing.

Again, my question is to the Attorney General. When will the

minister institute a public inquiry on the issue of money laundering in

our province?

Hon. D. Eby: A couple of pieces about the member’s question. One is in relation

to prosecutions. The member knows that the federal prosecution fell

apart. It was expected to go to trial; it didn’t. It was ultimately

stayed just before it was going to go to trial. Those materials are

being reviewed by provincial prosecutors right now to determine whether

or not our independent prosecution service will be bringing charges in

relation to those materials. That’s ongoing.

A public inquiry, itself, will not result in criminal charges. It

provides accountability. It provides the public with transparency into

what took place — who knew what and when. It is a political

accountability tool, but it is not a prosecution tool — just to draw

that important distinction. Now, that’s not to say it doesn’t have an

important place in the tools of accountability of government; it’s just

to say that it has that limitation.

The work that we’re doing right now is not reactive. We’re out

there. We have experts on this issue. The Minister of Finance cancelled

Advantage B.C., right? That is the program that gave the tax credits to

PacNet. We are taking the steps that are needed. We’re getting the

experts to provide advice. We’re actually taking steps — the Ministry of

Finance on the beneficial ownership registry — so that we actually know

who owns property, an important tool for police and for tax authorities.

We have Peter German out there, working on important issues so that we

can take action in relation to those other areas that I’ve told the

member about. We’re taking a lot of action on this.

As I said to the member and as I would say to all British

Columbians, that does not mean — the Premier has been very clear — that

we have ruled out a public inquiry on this issue. It just means that

we’re taking these steps, these necessary steps, first.

TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY UPGRADE

PROJECT IN CHILLIWACK

AREA

L. Throness: Well, I hate to change the tone in the chamber, but my

constituents are frustrated. Every day, 53,000 vehicles pass over the

Vedder Bridge, west of Chilliwack, on their way to Vancouver. That’s 19

million trips every year, one-way.

The former government had Treasury Board approval to widen the

freeway. It was in our capital plan. It was all ready, and then this

government cancelled it. The Finance Minister forgot about it in her

budget.

Why did the government cancel the plan to stop the gridlock on the

No. 1?

Hon. C. Trevena: I have to say that I think the members opposite do confuse press

releases with real structured plans and announcements. There was a press

release that went out from the B.C. Liberals in March 2017 — which was,

I guess, six weeks before the election — saying that they were going to

be going ahead with six-laning that

section of the

Trans-Canada.

I would like to remind them and remind the former Minister of

Transportation, as well as his colleagues who live and work down the

valley, that there was no federal money attached to that press

release.

L. Throness: The Trans-Canada is our national highway. It’s one of the main

transportation corridors in the country for goods and services that

travel in and out of Canada’s third-largest city. I can’t imagine a

better illustration of the NDP’s lack of financial sense than to ignore

this huge impediment to our economy in last week’s budget.

When will the government do what’s best for B.C.’s business,

tourists, travellers, commuters, taxpayers and everybody else? When will

they do it?

Hon. C. Trevena: The member is asking when we’ll do it — cognizant of the fact, I’m

sure, that the B.C. Liberals were in power for 16 years. In our 17

months, we do continue to work with communities….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, if we please may hear the response.

[10:50 a.m.]

Hon. C. Trevena: We don’t intend to make premature announcements. We intend to

continue to work with….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. Members, we don’t have a question. We’re waiting for a

response.

Minister.

Hon. C. Trevena: I would say that the other approach we’re taking, as well as

actually talking to communities and making sure we get the full

involvement of communities, is that when we are building infrastructure,

we are not going to be tolling people to ensure that it is paid for.

We’re paying with our budget.

MASSEY TUNNEL REPLACEMENT PROJECT

I. Paton: Well, this morning I’m a little astounded by a couple of things.

First, I was astounded by the non-announcement of the Massey Tunnel

replacement a few months ago in Vancouver. Despite raising $5.5 billion

in taxes, this budget offers nothing to fund the replacement of the

Massey Tunnel. There is no bigger traffic bottleneck in the province

than the Massey Tunnel, and the need for a replacement has been studied

to death.

The other thing that astounds me is that the Premier has gone to

Washington state and put thousands of dollars into a study for a

possible rapid train that would cost as much as $40 billion. This makes

a lot of sense. With the traffic congestion and gridlock on the North

Shore, on Highway 1, south of the Fraser, we’d rather spend money to get

a fast train from Seattle to Vancouver, which would get you to Vancouver

in less than one hour. If you live south of the Fraser, you’re better

off to move to Seattle and take the train to get to downtown

Vancouver.

To the Transportation Minister, can she tell the people of Delta

why there is nothing in the budget to fund the replacement of the George

Massey Tunnel?

Hon. C. Trevena: Very interesting. The previous member said that Highway 1 was the

most important project. Now we hear the member for Delta South talk

about this being the most important project.

My responsibility is to make sure that people can travel safely on

our highways…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members, we shall hear the response. Thank you.

Hon. C. Trevena: …and that we are investing appropriately. As the member well

knows, we had an extensive review done by a respected engineer, Mr. Stan

Cowdell, who showed that the previous government’s approach, a $3.5

billion tolled bridge that people south of Fraser would be using and

having to pay tolls for, was the wrong project for the

region.

I’ve got to say that the previous government’s approach — their

elbows-up approach, as the former Transportation Minister described it —

is one of the reasons why this has been so delayed. We are now talking

with communities, ensuring that communities who opposed a ten-lane

bridge that they would have to pay for through tolls are actually

engaged and helping in the decision-making.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Delta South on a supplemental.

I. Paton: After five years and 14,000 pages of consultation reports,

incredibly, this government will keep studying the George Massey Tunnel

replacement for another two or three years. And this government has

suggested that spending $40 million more on new lightbulbs and a paint

job will somehow ease the congestion of 80,000 truckers and commuters

each day.

The minister threw away $100 million that had already been

invested in the tunnel replacement, and because of this ongoing delay,

companies such as London Drugs are threatening to relocate.

Again, to the minister, where is the money to replace the tunnel,

and when will construction begin?

Hon. C. Trevena: I know that people are frustrated with congestion and bottlenecks

at the Massey Tunnel. Mr. Cowdell’s review did confirm that a ten-lane

bridge was the wrong project for the region. He showed that there are

better options for the region that could provide benefits at a far lower

cost. And unlike the former government, the B.C. Liberals, we are

willing to discuss with communities the options that work best for

them.

[10:55 a.m.]

We know that people are eager for relief. We do know that. We’re

not blind to this. We can see the congestion, which is why, in the

meantime, we are working aggressively on congestion relief, on

intersection relief and on what the former member dismisses as important

safety measures to make sure that that tunnel is safer for people who

are using it.

SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING

AND POTENTIAL SCHOOL

CLOSINGS

D. Davies: The government is now proposing to close dozens of schools, and

that just rips the guts right out of our communities. And that’s not me

saying that. That’s the…

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members. The member for Peace River North has the

floor.

D. Davies: …words of the now Education Minister, said on June 10, 2015. Does

the Minister of Education still agree with his statements?

Hon. R. Fleming: What I would say to that member…. I haven’t heard him comment on

it publicly before, but he will have a chance to ask another

question.

Budget 2019 is the best news the K-to-12 school system has ever

had in the history of British Columbia. Our government has been in

office for 18 months. We have never seen seismic investments so

accelerated in British Columbia’s history. A quarter-billion dollars

have been invested in Vancouver schools alone. There’s more on the

way.

The operating budget for the school system today is $6.6 billion.

That’s $1 billion more than under the old government. That’s leading to

the hiring of thousands of new teachers, thousands of new educational

assistants, the lowest class sizes we’ve seen in generations and

improvements in the school system in every part of British Columbia and

Vancouver in particular.

Mr. Speaker: The member for Peace River North on a supplemental.

D. Davies: Well, the best news? I’m not too sure if you can tell that to the

Vancouver school board. Twenty-eight schools are on the chopping block

in Vancouver — something, again, the minister said would rip the guts

out of neighbourhoods.

This is what else he said. The people of British Columbia know

that “the provincial budget decides what the funding level is for

education.” The provincial budget decides. I further quote: “It would

take a lot a money to stabilize school districts and to stop school

closures.”

Does he still agree with what he said or not?

Hon. R. Fleming: Thank you very much to the member for the question. I welcome the

opportunity to clear up the kinds of misconceptions he’s trying to

spread out there. The reality is there has been….

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Hon. R. Fleming: The reality is there has been a 100 percent sea change in

education policy in this province, and it’s good for….

Interjections.

Hon. R. Fleming: I’ll give the members on the opposite side this. They’re experts

in school closures. They closed 240 of them in British Columbia. What’s

happening in every region of British Columbia today is quite different.

We’re reopening schools that that government closed. If they’d done what

we did in 18 months over 16 years, there wouldn’t be any seismic

upgrades left to do in the province of British Columbia.

The members in Richmond know that we did in one year more than

they did in 16 years. Parents in Vancouver know that we’re going twice

as fast as the previous government ever managed to do. It’s a

quarter-billion dollars already invested in Vancouver schools, and we’re

just getting started.

[End of question period.]

Petitions

D. Clovechok: I’d like to take this opportunity to present a petition to the Premier

with 972 letters. It’s of great concern that the government of B.C. has not

provided adequate consultation opportunities regarding the closures in the

back country that relate to the issues surrounding species at risk. Industry

stakeholders and the general public deserve a say to their government about

this critical issue.

[11:00 a.m.]

Tabling Documents

Hon. C. James: I rise to table the B.C. Public Service Benefit Plan Act 2017-2018

annual report.

Mr. Speaker: Members, I have a report to table, and that is the Progress Audit:

Correctional Facilities and Programs report, 2019.

Orders of the Day

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

[J. Isaacs in the chair.]

Budget Debate

(continued)

T. Shypitka: It gives me great pleasure to rise here today to give my response to

Budget 2019 on behalf of the hard-working and fun-loving people of Kootenay

East. Before I start with my response to the budget, I would first like to

acknowledge the passing of four fine community citizens in the region of

Kootenay East.

The names of Maxine Caldwell, Bud Abbott, Colin Campbell and Elkford

city councillor Joe Zarowny will not be forgotten, although they have been

taken from our lives. These four individuals separately contributed much

more than anyone could think humanly possible. All of them cared deeply

about their communities and were leaders in their own right.

Volunteers, promoters, Good Samaritans and ambassadors are something

that all communities need to function properly. All four of these

individuals were role models and exemplified what community service means.

We can only stand back and bask in the glow of the legacy that they left us

all. To the families of Maxine, Bud, Colin and Joe, we share in your loss,

not necessarily as blood relatives — although some of us are — but as

community family. They have touched us all, and they will all be sorely

missed.

Also, I’d like to thank my assistants that make my job very

manageable: Heather Smith and Christy Wheeldon in

Cranbrook; Wendy King here in Victoria; as well as my expert researcher,

Dylan Kelso; and comm specialists Adam Luk and Stu Bertrand. Thank you for

all you do.

Finally, to my three children. Dustin, with his brand-new wife, Julie;

Allie and Adam for their contributions of support, supporting my role as

MLA; and my gorgeous wife Carrie, of course, for being the rock that she is

and holding down the fort.

Now on to my response to Budget 2019. I wanted to do something a

little bit different here today. I wanted to appease to the other side a

little bit. Sometimes we have this left-brain, right-brain mentality. I

wanted to not speak so much about numbers, but go to the artsy side of our

brain so maybe we can relate a little bit better. So I will clear my vocal

chords a little bit.

One evening as the sun went down

and the jungle fire was burning,

down the track came a hobo hiking,

and she said, “Boys, I’m not turning.

I’m headed for a land that’s far away,

beside the crystal fountains.

So come with me; we’ll go and see

the Big Rock Candy Mountains.”

That’s the first verse of a popular song that was written in 1895 by a

fellow by the name of Harry McClintock. He recorded it in the late 1920s,

and it’s entitled Big Rock Candy Mountain . Mr. McClintock wrote

this song as a road traveller, describing what paradise would look like, a

fictional place that he desperately would love to find.

[11:05 a.m.]

However, after reviewing this whimsical tune — I was reminded by my

astute colleague from West Vancouver–​Capilano over there — I suddenly

came to realize that Mr. McClintock was much more than just a songwriting

hobo. He was truly a visionary, a 19th-century soothsayer, if you will. He

had the ability to predict future events.

The event Mr. McClintock prophesied in 1895 was the NDP budget in 2019

— amazingly, almost 125 years later. In the next 20 minutes, we’ll see how

clearly the lyrics to this classical jig perfectly align with the messaging

of this year’s budget. The Nostradamical view of this musician would be

proved much more than just coincidence. Let’s dissect the song line by line,

shall we?

The first line: “One evening as the sun went down, and the jungle fire

was burning.” Clearly, the reference here is to the sun going down, and the

“jungle fire burning” is the political landscape the NDP was experiencing

after losing the confidence of their core supporters over the acceptance of

Site C; fracking practices for natural gas, which will prevent them from

reaching climate targets; and the abysmal conclusion to the vote on

proportional representation.

The next line: “Down the track came a hobo hiking, and she said:

‘Boys, I’m not turning.’” The hobo coming down the track — “the track”

representing the budget process — would, therefore, logically be the Finance

Minister saying to her cabinet that she has a clear direction and that she

cannot be swayed.

The next line:

I’m headed for a land that’s far away

beside the crystal

fountains.

So come with me; we’ll go and see

the Big Rock Candy

Mountains.

Obviously, this is the Finance Minister selling her pitch to the

Premier and cabinet on her glorious vision of a full-bounty budget, which is

referred to in the song as “Big Rock Candy Mountains.” The budget is

synonymous with the words “Big Rock Candy Mountains.”

The chorus of the song is somewhat self-explanatory, as it describes

the litany of freebies that the budget — the Big Rock Candy Mountains — is

prepared to offer. Let’s examine that for just a moment:

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

there’s a land that’s fair

and bright,

where the handouts grow on bushes

and you sleep out

every night,

where the boxcars all are empty

and the sun shines

every day.

All the birds and the bees

and the cigarette

trees,

the lemonade springs

where the bluebird sings

in the Big

Rock Candy Mountains.

The first chorus illustrates that the budget proposed appears to be a

very happy place, with singing birds and “lemonade springs” — which clearly

describes Site C. Also, with “handouts growing on bushes,” perhaps that’s

referring to the child opportunity fund.

However, this part of the song does paint some conflicting

foreshadows, pointing out empty boxcars, which is signalling an empty

economy, with our natural resources such as mining and forest products not

going out to export — an empty train, if you will. “Sleeping out every

night” certainly predicts the lack of projected housing due to severe drop

in housing starts — 26 percent over the next three years, as the budget

mentions.

More disturbingly — and this is part of the foreshadowing I was

talking about — the inclusion of “cigarette trees” proves that there is a

cancerous overtone to this budget that is secretly hidden within the

landscape.

Let’s skip to the second verse, which may pull some of this prediction

even closer to reality, shall we?

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

all the cops have wooden

legs,

and the bulldogs all have rubber teeth,

and the hens lay

soft-boiled eggs.

This certainly refers to what the Attorney General feels about the

enforcement on the money-laundering issue. The AG believes that police or

the investigators have been ineffective — the cops having “wooden legs.”

However, the reality is that the Attorney General has no bite to solving

this crisis. That’s referring to the bulldogs with “rubber

teeth.”

“The hen that lays soft-boiled eggs” means more goodies in the budget.

However, they are soft, a meaning perhaps referring to the interest-free

loans to postgraduate students, which is a good idea. On average, this

benefit will save the average student $2,600 over ten years, which is just

over 20 bucks a month. It’s admirable and welcome, but it’s not really a

game-changer to strengthening our economy.

The next line:

The farmers’ trees are full of fruits,

and the barns are

full of hay.

This line clearly demonstrates the NDP singing the song to British

Columbians: “Don’t worry; the budget is balanced, and we have oodles of

money. We have a surplus” — exclamation mark. That being said, the surplus

they are talking about here is on a razor’s edge.

At only $274 million, this budget is dependent on many variables and

unknowns, such as global economic turndowns in China; a one-time federal

transfer payment of $1.6 billion; emergency spending — such as forest fires,

as we’ve seen in the last two years, at record levels, and flooding; trade,

with the new U.S. and Canada trade agreement, which is just brand-new, and

particularly, the U.S. steel tariffs on Canadian steel. That will affect our

economy.

[11:10 a.m.]

The success of LNG Canada is not a done deal, by any means. It’s on a

grim course right now, perhaps. What about random costs, such as maybe a

measles outbreak? These are all things that affect the budget, and the

budget is on a razor’s edge.

Let’s continue, shall we?

Oh, I’m bound to go

where there ain’t no snow,

where the

rain don’t fall,

the wind don’t blow —

in the Big Rock Candy

Mountains.

This is clearly a hidden message directed as a slant on rural British

Columbia. The Lower Mainland has an attractive climate, compared to the

rugged regions of our province. The budget completely ignores rural B.C. It

gives us nothing. It gives nothing to our search and rescue efforts, which

are invaluable with our rugged terrain.

There’s absolutely nothing for wildlife in this budget — and ecosystem

restoration. I come from the Kootenays, and a lot of us from rural British

Columbia are majorly disappointed in the lack of funding for, as I said,

search and rescue.

Our wildlife in my region is in total decimation right now. Ungulates

are at an all-time low, and we’re seeing lots of other conflicting things as

far as caribou recovery — uncertainty, no consultation. Clearly, in the

message, Mr. McClintock prophesized this 125 years earlier. Truly

remarkable.

So if you want the goodies, in this song, it clearly says: “Oh, I’m

bound to go where there ain’t no snow….” Victoria, other than last week, has

no snow. If you want the goodies, you have to go where there ain’t no snow,

which is urban B.C. We see lots of stuff in the budget on some bridges and

schools down in the Lower Mainland but nothing in rural B.C.

Let’s move on with the song, shall we?

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

you never change your

socks,

and the little streams of alcohol

come trickling down the

rocks.

This is another reference to the economy here, stating that nobody

changed their socks, obviously, because they never get dirty from work, as

the budget does not spell out a jobs plan. No jobs plan in here at all. So

in this fantasy land, nobody changed their socks because nobody is working,

clearly.

A jobs plan is critical to building an economy as well as building

opportunities for all. The Premier himself has said that British Columbians

are currently working two or three jobs, and he is the leader of government.

That is why a high-skills job plan is so important. But it seems this

government is complacent, with clean socks that never need to get

changed.

The alcohol trickling down the rocks is symbolic for trickle-down

economics, I would think. The irony placed here by the songwriter is the

harm to the economy that will not come from a no-jobs plan and that

trickle-down economics will not happen with all the taxes that have been

implemented.

Nineteen new or increased taxes this government has brought forward —

over $5½ billion. This is not something that’s going to drive our economy.

This is something that’s going to stagnate us. And this, once again, has

been prophesized.

I believe the songwriter was having a little tongue-in-cheek fun with

this line in the song. It would be quite humorous if it wasn’t so

devastating to so many families and communities.

The song continues:

The brakemen have to tip their hats,

and the railroad bulls

are blind.

This clearly illustrates the railroad being the substitute pipeline

for the Trans Mountain pipeline. “Railroad bulls” is, essentially, a slang

term for railroad police. You would probably remember that, Member for West

Vancouver–Capilano, the old slang term railroad bulls. That’s back in the

earlier days of transportation.

Transportation of oil by rail is a lot more dangerous than by

pipeline. The fact that the government wants to use trains for the

transportation of oil is for political reasons. The government, therefore,

needs the public and all those associated with it to be blind to this fact,

and that’s where the railroad bulls are blind.

Continuing on:

There’s a lake of stew

and of whiskey too.

You can

paddle all around them

in a big canoe

in the Big Rock Candy

Mountains.

There is a lot of symbolism here, and no question this segment speaks

about the CleanBC plan. The paddling around in the big canoe is symbolic for

electric vehicles. The lakes of stew and whiskey are the bounty of cash this

project will receive from the budget. Unfortunately, these lakes will not be

near big enough, as the NDP has shortchanged the plan, offering up only 15

percent of what the carbon tax brings in. The rest is going to general

revenue for pet projects.

The carbon tax will bring in approximately $6 billion in revenue over

the next three years, as we go from $35 a tonne to $50 a tonne, making our

resource sector that much less competitive.

[11:15 a.m.]

For the CleanBC plan to only get $900 million of that $6 billion is

such a disappointment, especially to our members from the Green Party. We

thought they would be able to have some influence over this current

government.

The prediction in this song is truly amazing — 125 years ago. Wouldn’t

you agree? I do.

As we head into the final stanza of the song of revelations, we tie it

all together.

In the Big Rock Candy Mountains,

the jails are made of

tin,

and you can walk right out again

as soon as you are

in.

This is very apparent that the jails are symbolic for the revolving

doors of promises that the NDP has made. There is no conviction to keep

promises in place. Once a promise is made, it finds its way in and then out

the back door again instantly.

The budget doesn’t address the big promises of $10-a-day daycare.

There’s no $400 renters rebate. The 114,000 affordable units seem to be

extremely out of reach. A land that welcomes broken promises is exactly

where the NDP would like to go.

Next line:

There ain’t no short-handled shovels,

no axes, saws nor

picks.…

where you sleep all day,

where they hung the jerk

that

invented work

in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

The reference to axes and saws is obviously talking about the forest

sector, and the mining industry is symbolized by picks. The fact that none

of these working tools have handles — or fail to exist at all — suggests

that these sectors are not recognized in the budget and will fail miserably

in the coming cycle. To Mr. McClintock’s credit, the 2019 budget does verify

a drop in resource revenue of 30 percent. So this is essentially confirmed

by Mr. McClintock’s prophecy.

Being B.C. Mining Day yesterday, this is undoubtedly disappointing for

me, being the mining critic. The miners and the suppliers I talked to last

night are very disappointed in this year’s budget, with essentially nothing

to supporting the mining sector.

Interjection.

T. Shypitka: Well, I hear a member on the other side speaking about $20 million,

but quite honestly, $20 million to add further bureaucracy and tie things up

is really something they don’t want to see at all, I would think.

We’ll continue with the song. I’ve got the ear of some of the members

over there. They’re actually truly amazed by the prophecy that this man

wrote.

Where you sleep all day,

where you hung the jerk

that

invented work

in the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

The description of hanging the jerk that invented work is a

distasteful insult to the B.C. Liberal Party that did have a jobs plan and

was determined to put many British Columbians back to work with highly

skilled and highly paid full-time jobs.

This budget does not mention anything about a jobs plan. It wasn’t

almost until the very end, when I listened to the Finance Minister’s speech.

About 55 minutes into the speech was the first time I heard the word “jobs”

come up. That’s once again prophesized here.

It is truly amazing that Harry McClintock, the writer of this song,

would be able to see the hatred the NDP has for B.C. Liberals 125 years ago,

especially after the B.C. Liberals had 16 years of good governments that

boasted the best economy in the country, lowest unemployment, highest

triple-A credit rating in North America, lowest personal taxes to those

under $125,000. The list is long. Maybe 16 years wasn’t quite as bad as the

other side always seems to say. It was a very positive time in our

provincial economy.

The final line of the song says:

I’ll see you all

this coming fall

in the Big Rock Candy

Mountains.

This, clearly, once again, states the continuous motion of this budget

and the other things that have been put forward, kicking projects down the

road, such as the child opportunity fund, which is planned to come on line

in the fall of 2020 — almost two years from now. It’s 20 months from now,

and it’s in this year’s budget.

It also speaks to the endless trough of task force consults, reviews

and examinations that do nothing to actually consult with everyday British

Columbians. The caribou recovery program immediately comes to mind when I

think of that. Industry, user groups, stakeholders and everyday citizens

have essentially been shut out of any input whatsoever.

I look at the child opportunity fund being proposed in this year’s

budget, and it actually makes me shake my head a little bit, where something

that’s not coming on line until the fall of 2020 is proposed in the budget

of 2019.

[11:20 a.m.]

If they understood — and they clearly do, because they’ve said it —

that this plan doesn’t come on line until 2020, then why wouldn’t you put it

in the budget of 2020? Why are you holding this carrot out for people with

these false hopes that we’ve seen so many other times before? It’s a hollow

budget.

When you think of famous soothsayers and prophets throughout history,

we immediately think of the brilliant minds such as Nostradamus, of course.

Stephen Hawking was quite a visionary. Benjamin Franklin. The blind prophet

Baba Vanga. Biff Tannen. Well, he was from Back to the Future . I

don’t know if you remember Biff. That might not be quite the same. He did

have Marty McFly’s almanac, so he wasn’t really legit, but I’ll throw Biff

in there as well. We should also be adding Harry McClintock, with his

predictions of this year’s budget, almost 125 years later — truly

amazing.

I think I’ve got a little bit more time. The budget highlights what we

would expect from this government — taxing and spending at a record rate.

Nothing about how we generate revenues. And there’s no jobs program on how

we lift up British Columbians to highly skilled and highly paid jobs, no

real funding to our natural resource sector, which is projected to drop 30

percent in the upcoming years, no funding to rural B.C. for agriculture,

ranching and wildlife.

Our poor search and rescue operators. They give their volunteer time

and save lives, especially in my riding and the riding of the member next to

me from Columbia River–Revelstoke. These are really solid, salt-of-the-earth

people. There’s nothing for them.

This budget appears to be more and more of a campaign speech than

anything else, to me. I look at it, and I say: “This is a populist-type

speech that’s trying to get the ear of people that want to listen to this

stuff.”

Nothing about $10-a-day child care. That’s been ignored. Renters

rebate. Like I said, 114,000 portable homes — not on the table. Truly

hollow.

I’m going to cut it short there. I wanted to give you quality, not

quantity here today. On behalf of myself; the Kootenay East riding; Mr.

McClintock, who wrote the amazing song; and the constituents of Kootenay

East, I cannot support this hollow budget.

Hon. M. Mungall: I’m very pleased today to rise in support of the budget that was

delivered by the Minister of Finance just a week ago today,

actually.

First, before I start conducting my comments on the budget, I just

want to acknowledge some of the people that are in my riding who are holding

down the fort at my constituency office. Laurie Langille, who has been with

me since I ran for the nomination to be the candidate for the New Democratic

Party for Nelson-Creston. She is just a stellar human being who works every

single day for the people of our constituency and has just been delivering

excellent service to them for almost ten years now.

Also in my constituency office is another wonderful person, Tessa

Bendig, who is always answering the phones and making sure that people are

connected to the services that they need throughout the community. The two

of them combined are a real powerhouse and working for the benefit of people

that I represent.

A new addition to my constituency office is a young woman from the

Kootenays. Her name is Danika Hammond. She’s my executive assistant for the

ministry, and she’s been doing a really great job at connecting people in

the area to ministry services, helping people throughout British Columbia

actually get connected with ministry services and get information, as well,

about the ministry and the types of things that we do on the ground every

single day. It’s wonderful to have such a bright young woman from New

Denver, which is a metropolis of, I believe, about 600 people, in my

constituency office — and having that background in the region.

Of course, let me just give a shout-out, as well, to my ministerial

office staff. We have Kate Duncan, who is my administrative coordinator, and

Lisa, whose last name I’m not going to brutalize right now. She’s our

administrative assistant. She’s the bright, shiny face that you see when you

come into the ministry office. Melissa Sanderson, who is just a phenomenal

superstar of a staff person, is my senior ministerial assistant, and Scott

Andrews has been working in my office for about six months now — seven

months actually. He started the same time that my son was born, so seven

months now. Prior to that was James McNish. I’ve just really been fortunate

to be surrounded by such wonderful staff people.

[11:25 a.m.]

Of course, I could get started on the senior executive of the

ministry, but, Madam Speaker, I do need to start making some comments on the

budget before you shut me down.

I want to just say thank you so much to everybody in the ministry for

their diligent and hard work that they deliver day in and day out for the

people of British Columbia. Before I do move on to my comments for the

budget, it would be horrible for me to not recognize my wonderful husband,

Zak Matieschyn, who is currently on parental leave looking after our little

one, who is seven months old, Zavier. My family grew this year, and it’s

just been such a delight to be a mother, especially to the little guy that I

have who was with me last night at the reception for Mining Day and just

absolutely enjoying the opportunity to socialize with so many

people.

This budget. When I first read it and got to hear the Minister of

Finance deliver her full speech and talk about all the things that are in

this budget, the word that came to my mind to describe it was “beautiful.”

This is a beautiful budget.

One of the reasons why I think it’s so beautiful is that it truly

reflects the values of the people that I represent. Not surprisingly, I

think that I come from the best riding in the province, Nelson-Creston. You

can’t look anywhere in that entire riding and not see the beauty of British

Columbia — the beautiful mountains, the forests, the wildlife. Kootenay Lake

is just stunning. No matter what season it is and whether you are skiing in

the wintertime, hiking in the summer — absolutely, no matter where you are

in Nelson-Creston, it’s beautiful.

The people from this area are beautiful. They have strong values — the

idea that we help one another and that government has a responsibility to

provide services, to put people first. Not just rich people; everybody. That

is the value base of the people that I represent. That’s why this budget is

so beautiful. It represents the values of beautiful British

Columbia.

I want to talk about some of the things that are going to have a

really positive impact for the people that I represent. As you can imagine,

when I call up my local media and talk about some of the things that we’re

doing here in Victoria, what they want to know is what is in it for the

people in our area, what’s in it for people who live around Kootenay

Lake.

Well, this is for all British Columbians, and it’s also for people who

are living around Kootenay Lake. We’re eliminating the medical services

premium. We are eliminating MSP. This is equivalent to one of the largest

tax cuts in B.C. history.

So what does that mean? No longer do we have a regressive tax that

charges everybody, no matter what their income, the same amount just to get

health care services. We don’t have that anymore in British Columbia.

Rather, we have a more progressive tax system that’s going to be paying for

our health care that employers are going to be taking on. And the thing is,

when you are able to employ people, it’s important that we also have the

health care services that they need so that they can come to work, every

single day, healthy and ready to do their job.

And that we have eliminated the MSP is a huge benefit to the people I

represent who are struggling to make ends meet. Whether it’s been the

affordable housing crisis or not being able to get child care or having to

pay MSP premiums going up and up and up over the 16 years of the B.C.

Liberal government — and the effects rate increases at B.C. Hydro have on

Nelson Hydro or Fortis customers as well, rate hikes at ICBC and how that

all increased over 16 years.

People in my area needed a break. They were struggling. Things that we

don’t have a direct influence over — food pricing, for example. We are

actually doing a lot on agriculture. I’m going to come back to that. But

broadly, food pricing is something that happens in the private market, and

that’s been increasing quite substantially over the last decade or

so.

All of these things come down on to the same people. That we’re able

to put $900 a year back into the pockets of people in my area is going to

make a huge difference for them.

[11:30 a.m.]

For families, though, they’re getting more. They’re getting more than

just the elimination of the MSP. They’re getting the child opportunity

benefit. That benefit…. We’re changing the parameters around that benefit,

because up until March 31, that benefit was only available for families with

children six years and under.

Going forward, starting in October 2020, once we put the application

forward to the Canada Revenue Agency and work with them to develop this new

benefit and all the wonderful administrative paperwork that comes with this,

and it’s on line, that benefit will now be available to families with

children up to 18 years old. That’s another 12 years that families are going

to be able to access this benefit.

That benefit is also going up, $1,600 a year for one child. The more

children a family has, the more of that benefit they will also get. For

example, $1,600 for one child, $2,600 for two children, $3,400 for three

children, and so on. What this is going to mean for families in my area is

that they’re going to have more funds in their pockets to buy school

supplies, to put food on the table, to pay for running shoes, to pay for

field trips. The list goes on.

I remember, when I was in opposition, bringing forward the issue of

the child support clawback, speaking to parents of children with

disabilities who relied on income assistance, on disability, and who weren’t

getting their child support about what that meant for them. It meant those

very items — school supplies, food on the table, new clothing.

I remember this one girl. She was 14, and she just really wanted to go

to the movies with her friends and not have to ask her friends to pay for

her. She wanted to pay for herself. She wanted the dignity to pay for

herself, to just go hang out with her friends, like a normal 14-year-old.

More money in the hands of families is going to mean that they are going to

be able to do that. They’re going to be able to afford those activities for

their children right up until 18 years old.

I know I used to go the movies quite a bit in Nelson and Creston. I

haven’t done that in seven months. My nights are occupied now, such as they

are. You’d always see the teenagers at the early show in the evening — so

something as simple as being able to spend time with your friends. Now that

families are going to be more able to afford that is a good thing, not only

for the families but for my local movie theatre and its viability as

well.

I did mention about disability. I was talking about my past

experiences. One of the first things this government did when we…. Actually,

the very first thing we did as a cabinet was we raised income assistance

rates and disability rates by $100 a month. While those rates…. And we’re

all very proud of that, thank you very much. We’re all very proud of that,

and guess what. We’re doing it again. We’re raising rates again, by $50 a

month.

People living in property, struggling to get by — it doesn’t need to

be so difficult. That this government is prioritizing their needs is

something I’m very proud of, and I’m very proud to be working with my

colleagues, who prioritize everybody of all incomes every single day,

looking to make a more equitable society.

On that note, we know that B.C. has been living through an affordable

housing crisis for many years. The previous government didn’t do a whole lot

about it. There was some talk about it, but at the end of the day, they

didn’t crack down on speculation. They let those safety deposits in the sky

keep getting built over and over again, rather than putting money towards

affordable housing and making sure that we have a wide range of market as

well as social housing available at more affordable rates for British

Columbians.

[11:35 a.m.]

This government is continuing on its path to tackle that crisis. We

have announced a registry to deal with the presales of condo flipping. We’ve

talked about the speculation tax and what that’s doing for British

Columbians across this province in terms of making housing more affordable.

We’ve addressed the cost of putting a school tax on very pricey homes of

over $3 million.

We’re looking at how we can create greater equity in the overall

housing market and the private market. But we’re also committed to

delivering on new units that we can build as a government. We have a $7

billion plan over ten years for 114,000 units. This budget continues on that

plan rather than abandoning it or pretending that somehow things are all

better now.

We recognize that it’s going to take several years to address this,

and that’s exactly why we have developed the plan that we have. British

Columbians can have confidence that there won’t be a time when this

government, our New Democratic government, is going to be stepping away from

its responsibilities to make sure that we have affordable housing in British

Columbia for British Columbians.

I think it’s important to note, as well, that we are not the only ones

actually active on the file of affordable housing and developing affordable

housing. I want to share with you a story that came from Mining Day

yesterday. Teck, in Elkford, in the Elk Valley, just in the riding next door

to mine in Kootenay East, sees a very strong need for worker housing in

Elkford in conjunction with their growing mining operations, so they are

investing in modular homes for their workers.

Once those homes are no longer needed for their workers, I’ve been

told that they are going to be gifting that for seniors housing so that we

can address the need for seniors housing and so that the seniors can stay in

their community of choice longer.

This is a really big issue in rural B.C., where a lot of seniors will

find that either they can’t afford their long-term home, their family home.

It’s maybe too big for their needs anymore and so on, and they’re looking to

downsize, but there are not a lot of places for them to downsize to. That

this will now be available to them at an affordable level in Elkford is, I

think, very, very positive.

When companies like Teck are getting involved in taking care of their

communities where they operate, it just shows the extent to how many British

Columbians, companies, industries, individuals and government are getting

involved and taking this issue very seriously.

Of course, I have to point out that it’s really disappointing when I

hear members opposite talk about things such as their constant criticisms of

these mechanisms that are actually increasing affordability. Members

opposite have, obviously, criticized the real estate speculation tax. They

want it to end. Well, what would that mean? That would mean

$200 million per year to owners of B.C.’s 2 percent most expensive

homes by eliminating the progressive component of the school tax, which is

something I mentioned earlier, because it applies only to $3 million homes

and more. It would mean $185 million to people with multiple vacant homes,

by cancelling the speculation tax.

When they criticize the speculation tax, what they are doing is saying

that those who have vacant homes, the dark windows in our communities that

actually function to reduce vacancy and drive up demand and, therefore,

drive up pricing…. They want to give more money back to those folks rather

than make sure that those units are actually open and available to improve

the vacancy rate and improve the pricing in our rental markets.

It’s clear to me when I listen to members opposite that their

dedication to affordable housing is lacking, which is in stark contrast to

what we’re seeing from this government and also British Columbians and

companies all throughout the province.

Another area that is going to be benefiting people in my constituency

is the elimination of interest on B.C. student loans. I have several

students that I represent. I represent two post-secondary institutions from

the public side: Selkirk College and College of the Rockies over in

Creston.

[11:40 a.m.]

I also have several private institutions where students are able to

access B.C. student loans. The traditional Chinese medicine school is one.

We have an art therapy institute, which is another, offering both

undergraduate and graduate degrees. The list goes on and on.

Now that students are not going to have to pay interest on their B.C.

portion of their student loan, it means more money in their pocket when they

need it. When you graduate from post-secondary education and you have this

huge burden of debt…. As we know, under the B.C. Liberals, tuition jumped.

The rate for student loans was the highest in the country under their watch.

Of course, that burdened young people with debt just when they were getting

started in life.

We’re doing what we can with this budget to reduce that burden and

make life more affordable for our students, and that’s by eliminating

interest on student loans. As a former critic for Advanced Education and a

former post-secondary student myself, I’m very proud of this. I’ve already

paid off my student loans, and I paid interest in full. I’m very happy that

students going forward don’t have that same situation that I’ve had and are

able to afford basic necessities right when they’re getting

started.

There’s a lot in this budget that is going directly to my ministry,

the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, because my ministry

is responsible for delivering on several of the programs related to CleanBC.

The idea that we have a responsibility to reduce our impact on climate

change and do what we can to decarbonize our economy here in British

Columbia is a value very, very strongly held by the people that I

represent.

I’m very proud that I’m going to be working with my ministry staff and

working with the climate action secretariat and the advisory council and

working with all members in terms of delivering on CleanBC. In fact, what I

told folks back home that when I calculated up the amount of mega tonnes of

greenhouse gas emissions that we plan to reduce with CleanBC, my ministry is

responsible for two-thirds of those reductions.

Some of the things that we are investing in with CleanBC…. I’m going

to give you some large numbers, and then I’m going to break it down for how

it will impact people on the day to day. We have $107 million to help

British Columbians switch to cleaner transportation through point-of-sale

incentives. That’s for zero-emission vehicles. It’s about moving our fleet

of cars on the road from a carbon-based combustion engine that’s burning

carbon-based fuel, to a zero-emission vehicle, whether it’s electric or

whether it’s hydrogen. There are different types of hybrids out there.

They’re called plug-in hybrids.

All of those types of vehicles are now a part of our zero-emission

vehicle program but also part of our mandate. This is part of achieving that

overall mandate that we announced last fall. The intention is that all new

cars being sold by 2040, all of them, will be a zero-emission vehicle. I

think it’s possible, because the demand in this province is so high. The

wait-lists that car dealers are seeing for zero-emission vehicles…. For

Tesla 3s, some of them are two, three years long. The demand is absolutely

there. We need to make sure that we have the supply. This mandate actually

helps us achieve that goal of getting enough supply of these vehicles into

British Columbia so that we can meet the demand here in our province to

reduce our impact on climate change.

A lot of these vehicles are fairly pricey. We acknowledge that, so we

want to help people. We want to incentivize people to buy these vehicles. We

don’t want price to be a barrier as we are transitioning. As I said, $107

million. How does that break down?

Well, for most British Columbians, they’re going to be able to save up

to $6,000 on the purchase of their new zero-emission vehicle. Approximately,

that will work out in terms of their annual fuel cost…. That’ll be a savings

of $1,500 if they are switching to electric vehicles from your typical

gasoline-fuelled vehicles.

[11:45 a.m.]

One of the other areas in CleanBC that is integral to the overall

program is ramping up EfficiencyBC. This particular program is focused on….

We announced it just last fall, in September. It’s to green our buildings.

It’s to make our buildings more energy-efficient, hence the name

EfficiencyBC. So we have $58 million in addition to capital funding to make

buildings more energy-efficient. This $58 million is going to be including

incentives for homes and businesses to install high-efficiency heating

equipment and building envelope improvements. What does that mean for people

back home?

This is, I think, a really great opportunity for people who live in my

riding, because there are a lot of heritage homes. Nelson is actually known

as a heritage city. You can’t go down a street in Nelson without seeing

heritage buildings, with most of those buildings actually being heritage

buildings.

This is a great program for people to access to make that heritage

building — building codes were much different 100 years ago — more

energy-efficient. That could be helping people to replace their windows or

switching from a fossil fuel heat source to an energy-efficient electric

air-source heat pump. So there’s $2,000 available, if you’re looking to do

that. If you’re looking to make that switch, there’s $2,000 available to do

that through EfficiencyBC.

Or if you want to upgrade to a high-efficiency natural gas furnace,

therefore reducing your overall energy outputs, there’s up to $700 for that.

And as I mentioned about windows and doors, I love my 100-year-old windows,

and I love my 100-year-old door, but I really do need to replace that door,

because it is not efficient. Let me tell you, it is just not efficient. So

for those in my community who have the same type of situation as me, with a

heritage door or heritage windows, there’s $1,000 to upgrade your windows

and doors to be better insulated in your home.

There are a variety of things that people can access to ensure that

they’re reducing their impact on climate change but to make it more

affordable, because, at the end of the day, that’s what this government

wants to be doing. We want to make life more affordable for British

Columbians. As I’ve touched on many avenues in which we’re doing that,

helping people to reduce their energy costs, to reduce their energy

consumption and doing it in a way that makes it more affordable, I think, is

part of why this budget is so beautiful.

Part of CleanBC, though, is also about electrifying our gas fields. If

we can move industry from burning fossil fuels to run its processes, to run

its operations, and move it on to clean electricity that we generate here in

British Columbia through B.C. Hydro’s hydroelectric dams, through renewable

resources that are emission-free, we are reducing our impact on climate

change.

We have programmed to do exactly that, which is targeting specifically

our natural gas fields up in the northeast. What a lot of people in British

Columbia don’t know is the northeast actually provides more than 58 percent

of British Columbians with their heating source for their home. And that’s

not going away any time soon.

How can we make this industry…? This industry wants to know how they

can become more energy-efficient. We have identified a way to do that as

part of our CleanBC plan, and we’re going to be delivering on that as

well.

One of the things, though, that we have to recognize is that not every

jurisdiction has a carbon tax. So I want to talk about the carbon tax a

little bit. Here in British Columbia, it was actually the previous

government who instituted the carbon tax, and we’ve kept that carbon tax,

recognizing that it actually does have value in terms of incentivizing

industry and individuals to reduce their carbon emissions.

[11:50 a.m.]

We also want to make sure that it is not hindering our

competitiveness. Should we hinder competitiveness in our industries, that

could have a negative impact in terms of job creation or maintaining the

existing number of jobs that we have.

Many of our industries, such as mining…. I’ll come back to mining in a

bit. Mining plays a considerable role in B.C.’s economy. It’s a foundational

industry.

I just noticed that I’ve got two minutes left, and I’ve got so much

more to say. I’m going to quickly say that we put $20 million into mining to

put more boots on the ground so that we can clear up the backlog of permits

that happened under the previous government and we can ensure that we are

enforcing health and safety and environmental protection so that the

industry is sustainable and so that people are not at risk of losing their

jobs, should a situation like Mount Polley….

We want to prevent that from happening, not bury our heads in the

ground. I know that industry is very supportive of this, unlike what the

critic for mining said earlier in his speech. But we’ve also made permanent

two important tax credits that are going to promote exploration so that we

can grow the industry in this province.

I wish I was the designated speaker for this, because I could speak

for hours about how great this budget is for the people I represent, for

British Columbia. I am so proud to be standing here in support of what is a

beautiful budget for beautiful British Columbia that is delivering on the

needs of British Columbians every single day.

J. Martin: I probably have a few minutes before we’ll take our adjournment for

lunch, resuming in the afternoon. This is the first opportunity to speak in

the House in this context since the resumption of the session. Always happy

to be here.

One thing I always like to get on the record every parliamentary

session is just how fortunate, privileged and humbled I am to be here. I

look around in this magnificent chamber — the architecture and the history

that has gone on here. I know that every member, those that are part of the

2017 election cohort and those that have been there for several terms before

me, would feel the same way.

I would hope that anyone who walks into this chamber and takes their

seat and fails to recognize how privileged they are to support their

constituency would think that maybe it’s time to do something else, because

we are privileged. There’s such a short list of people who have ever been

able to serve in this Legislature. For those that do have the opportunity

and the distinction of having done so, it’s something that we’ll take to our

graves as one of the most special opportunities that we’ve had in our

lifetime.

Like everybody else, I’m not here by accident. It’s not a fluke. I’m

here due to the support and the hard work of numerous people. I’d like to

first give a shout-out to the people that keep my constituency office going

in my absence. I’ve got an outstanding team. I’ve got a young woman just out

high school, Montana Armstrong, who is holding down the fort. She’s the

first person you’ll see when you come into my office. I’ve got Hank Pilotte

in the office, who does the bulk of the casework that comes in when I’m over

here.

I’m particularly fortunate to have Matthew Hawkins, who I introduced

in the House yesterday, who is probably the best videographer I’ve ever had

the pleasure of working with. He’s just got such a keen eye for what’s

special in Chilliwack and what should be recognized and put up on Facebook.

He does all of my videos, almost all of the photography, so he’s part of the

team.

[11:55 a.m.]

The one that really keeps things going and the only reason I’m here is

my wonderful wife, Margaret Martin. She’ll be coming over next week. She

doesn’t get over here an awful lot because we have two shelties that are

kind of awkward to travel with. Shout-out to Blue and The Dude. They miss me

terribly when I’m away, and it’s mutual. I miss them as well.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

The people that are on my riding executive, obviously, have done an

immense effort to keep the riding of Chilliwack in the win column for the

B.C. Liberals. They’re great people. Many of them have been serving the

constituency for years and years, way before I became part of the

family.

I will look forward to speaking to the budget, probably in a little

less of a friendly, collegial tone when I get to resume. But, you know,

that’s part of the business. I’m in opposition. There’s a job to

do.

The members across, most of them, served in opposition as well. They

more than anyone probably have an appreciation of some of the challenges

that a member must go through in opposition. One of the things that we are

to do is to hold a government to account, and I look forward to doing that

with respect to Budget 2019 when I have an opportunity to resume my

place.

Having said that, I would like to reserve my place in the debate, and

I now call for adjournment of the debate.

J. Martin moved adjournment of debate.

Motion approved.

Hon. A. Dix: I want to move that the House do now adjourn. We’ll see everybody this

afternoon.

Hon. A. Dix moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until 1:30 this afternoon.

The House adjourned at 11:57 a.m.

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