British Columbia Hansard — Monday, May 5, 2014

20140505am-Hansard-v11n8

British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)

Second Session, 40th Parliament OFFICIAL REPORT OF DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (HANSARD) THE HONOURABLE LINDA REID, SPEAKER ISSN 0709- 1281 (Print) ISSN 1499-2175 (Online) Monday, May 5, 2014 Morning Sitting Volume 11, Number 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don McRae Coquitlam–Burke Mountain .....................................................Douglas Horne Coquitlam-Maillardville........................................................... Selina Robinson Cowichan Valley ................................................................................

Bill Routley Delta North ..................................................................................Scott Hamilton Delta South...............................................................................Vicki Huntington Esquimalt–Royal Roads .....................................................Maurine Karagianis Fort Langley–Aldergrove ...................................................Hon. Rich Coleman Fraser-Nicola....................................................................................

Jackie Tegart Juan de Fuca .....................................................................................John Horgan Kamloops–North Th ompson ............................................ Hon. Dr. Terry Lake Kamloops–South Th ompson ..................................................Hon. Todd Stone Kelowna–Lake Country ..................................................... Hon. Norm Letnick Kelowna-Mission .............................................................. Hon. Steve Th omson Kootenay East .......................................................................... Hon.

Bill Bennett Kootenay West ............................................................................ Katrine Conroy Langley.......................................................................................Hon. Mary Polak Maple Ridge–Mission ..................................................................... Marc Dalton Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows ........................................................ Dr. Doug Bing Nanaimo ........................................................................... Leonard Eugene Krog Nanaimo–North Cowichan .........................................................

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONTENTS Monday, May 5, 2014 Morning Sitting Page Orders of the Day Private Members' Statements ................................................................................................................................................. 3431 Supporting our youth C. James J. Tegart B.C.'s skills-for-jobs blueprint G. Kyllo D. Routley Public interest G. Heyman J. Martin Being leaders, not followers, on social media literacy J. Th ornthwaite M.

Karagianis Private Members' Motions ..................................................................................................................................................... 3440 Motion 17 — Rights and welfare of Canadian and temporary foreign workers in B.C. M. Elmore M. Bernier H. Bains L. Larson D. Eby S. Hamilton K. Conroy J. Th ornthwaite B. Ralston M. Morris S. Hammell

MONDAY , MAY 5, 2014 Th e House met at 10:03 a.m. [Madame Speaker in the chair.] Routine Business Prayers. Orders of the Day Private Members' Statements SUPPORTING OUR YOUTH C. James: I'm very pleased to rise today to speak to supporting our youth in British Columbia. [1005] Th ere are a wide range of supports that I could speak to this morning — everything from the challenges in youth mental health and the lack of specialized supports to the lack of resources and beds for youth and their families. [D.

Horne in the chair.] I could speak to the challenges of children in care, the caseloads for social workers, the real diffi culties that, again, specialized services and children who need those specialized services are facing. I could speak to youth justice and the real lack of planning and attention that's being given to youth justice when we see the closure of the youth custody centre right here on Vancouver Island.

But in the few minutes that I have this morning I want to focus in on youth leaving foster care and the challenges that our youth are facing as they move from being in the care of the government to being on their own. I think it's important to remember that youth who are in the care of government are there by no fault of their own, because of their family circumstances or otherwise. Government is then their legal guardian and, therefore, has a respon- sibility to take care of those children. I think anyone who's a parent knows that every child is unique and that one size does not fi t all.

Th ere isn't a par- ent I know who decides, when their child turns 19, that they should all of a sudden move out and be on their own, that they have no supports and that they're expected to manage. Y et in our province that's exactly what happens for approximately 700 youth a year on their 19th birthday. Th ey turn 19, and then there are no supports. Th ey're ex- pected to move out on their own. I think about how life has changed for that age group since the 1950s, for example, when many of us on our 19th birthday were on our own, were working, were go- ing to school.

Th e kind of expectation that is here for children when they turn 19 now is completely diff er- ent. Life is completely diff erent than it was during that time period. Back then, I think, young people expected one job, perhaps with one company — that that would be their lifetime employment — and that they would have one family, live in one place and be close to their extended family. Well, that doesn't happen anymore. Th e cost of living is much higher than it ever was then. Th ink about a youth who's transitioning.

Th ink about full-time employment right out of high school if you haven't had university or college or additional course work. Th ink about how a 19-year-old could manage in the kind of environment we have today with, as I said, the cost of living and the employment situation.

Th en I want everyone in this House to think about a 19-year-old managing in that situation, who's just come out of government care, who doesn't have the kind of supports that I think all of us have either given to our children or have seen as individuals, received from our parents — the kind of support when you're short rent for a month because you haven't been working full-time. Y ou know you've got a diffi culty, and your parents help you out, to cover you off for that month.

Or the secondhand furniture that's been in the basement of the house, which comes over to your place when you get a place, your fi rst apartment. Y ou've got that furniture, and you've got that support from a family. Th ink about the phone calls home, either from your own kids or when you were a child. Y ou'd phone home, and your parents would help steer you in the right direc- tion. Th ey'd remind you about things that you needed to do that perhaps you hadn't remembered to do. Well, just imagine a 19-year-old trying to navigate that without all that family support.

Th ink of a 19-year-old trying to navigate that, who may have mental health issues, who may have had eight, nine, ten placements and has no one stable in their lives. Th ey're then steered towards income assistance — told to go and get income assistance — no diff erent than anyone else out there. Th ink about that challenge. Th e kind of transition that is needed for our youth who are aging out of care is transition that will be less expen- sive than not putting the transition support in place. It's actually going to cost the system more to not help those young people get on their feet as they come out of care.

Now, I'm sure we'll hear, as we go through this discus- sion, some discussion about programs and supports that are limited but in place and that there isn't an opportun- ity to be able to expand that. But I believe the government has an obligation — an obligation both moral and fi nan- cial to these young people — to do more. Other jurisdic- tions do. Saskatchewan and Ontario consider 21 as the age for children before they age out of care. [1010] Ontario, for example, provides medical, dental and ex- 3431

British Columbia Debates3432 Monday, May 5, 2014 tended health benefi ts up to age 24 for youth who have been in care because they recognize the real challenges that youth are facing. We could look at expanding the kinds of supports for up to age 24 for our youth who need them. Th ere are some young people who will be able to transition, but again, I come back to the fact that every child is diff erent and unique, and every circumstance is unique. I believe we have an obligation to put those kinds of supports in place. Y outh who are in youth agreements are able to get some support aft er 19.

So there has been some recogni- tion of that. But those contracts are only in place for six months. Again, if you're a youth coming out and you know you've got the six-month clock ticking, that makes it really tough for you to settle in and try and get the kind of support that you need. Many youth aren't able to get into university and col- lege.

While I'm pleased that we're seeing some private sector partners come forward and put supports in place for youth who have been in care to be able to access uni- versity and college, providing that stability is critical, be- cause for youth to even access those dollars they need to have a stable home. Th ink about a youth going out and trying to fi nd some place that's aff ordable when you're on income assistance because that's your only income. Th en if you decide to go to school…. "By the way, your income assistance is cut off ." Y ou then have to fi nd another opportunity for your income.

When I look at supporting our youth and when I'm speaking specifi cally about youth transitioning, I want to emphasize how important it is for us to take a look at this from, as I said, both a fi nancial and a moral obligation that we have as government. Th ese children are in the care of government. Government is their legal guardian, and certainly all of us as parents would understand that. J. Tegart: Th ank you very much to the member op- posite.

On behalf of the constituents of Fraser-Nicola, it gives me great pleasure to respond to the private mem- ber statement entitled "Supporting our youth." Th is is a motion that is of particular signifi cance to me and all of us on both sides of the House. Like many of you, I have devoted a great deal of my life to promoting education and the well-being of young people in British Columbia. May I begin by saying that any youth transitioning out of care at age 19 will certain- ly face challenges.

But the government is doing more to make sure that young people are aware of and are able to access many supports that are already available. As a recent Representative for Children and Y outh report points out, the Ministry of Children and Family Development is already engaged in initiatives to improve planning, coordinate supports and use existing services for current and former youth in care more effective- ly.

In fact, the latest report from the Representative for Children and Y outh is a good foundation document, not only for the ministry but for our key partners as we work together to improve our system and facilitate better out- comes for young people. We know that there is always more we can do. Th e Ministry of Children and Families works to link youth with other services such as medical and fi nancial sup- ports, skills training, employment services and thera- peutic and addiction programs through other ministries. It is of vital importance that youth transitioning to adult- hood don't slip through the cracks.

Y oung adulthood can be a difficult time of change and adjustment, especially with the added stress of no family or support system. Our government wants to en- sure that young people have the appropriate supports in place to transition into adulthood and lead healthy and productive lives. B.C. already matches or exceeds many types of supports or services other jurisdictions off er to post-majority youth who have been in care. Of course, there is always more we can do, and that's why our focus now is to ensure young people are aware of and able to access the many supports that are available to them.

We also off er youth agreements, as the member opposite indicated, independent living ar- rangements and agreements with young adults which can extend the transition age to 24. [1015] Our government recently announced the Strive pro- gram, a new $250,000, 18-month pilot program, created and delivered in partnership between MCFD and YWCA Metro Vancouver. Our experience is that not all youth who age out of foster care want continued contact with a social worker, but many do want support in accessing programs that allow them to move into adulthood.

Th is innovative program will help youth transitioning from care gain the life and work skills necessary to become independent. Y es, we can always do more, but the government re- mains committed to promoting better outcomes for youth in transition. Most importantly, we need to con- centrate on ensuring that young people are aware of cross-ministry services that are already available and help them to access those services when youth are mak- ing the transition.

Our task is to support them along the way, to provide as much stability as possible and to help youth gain the life and work skills they need to become independent. It has been a pleasure to speak to this subject this mor- ning. It is one of great importance and one that both sides of this House have a great deal of concern about. C. James: Th ank you to the member for her comments. I certainly know her commitment to youth and to educa- tion. We worked together many years ago on the area of school boards, and I thank her for her comments. I think it's important, though, to look at specifi cs in

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3433 the programs that are in place because I think part of the diffi culty that youth face as they age out is that many programs and services are only available in certain areas. Th e member mentioned the Strive program. Th e Strive program is great if you're in the Lower Mainland and you're able to access it and you know about the program, but if you're a youth in another part of British Columbia or Vancouver Island or the north or the Interior, the Kootenays, you don't have access to that program.

Y ou're then stuck with the kind of diffi culties that I talked about in navigating the system. I think the other challenge youth face is just being able to even know about the programs and services. I just want to honour the voice of a youth I met in Prince George, a young woman who came to talk to me about her excitement at getting into a child care program at the college. She was really keen on being an early childhood educator and discovered she couldn't get a student loan because she hadn't paid her medical service premiums for a year. Well, nobody had told her.

Nobody had told her she needed to pay her medical service premiums. Nobody had told her there was a program even to look at it. So she was then denied the opportunity to be able to go in because that transition support hadn't been there. I think there is much more to be done, and I don't think it's a matter of working towards it.

I think it's a matter of getting on with it — early support, early plan- ning in place, lower caseloads for social workers, because with the kind of caseloads they have, they aren't able to provide that kind of support to youth who are aging out who sometimes don't need the same kind of supports as other kids in care. Moving on that is critical. Basic supports for youth transitioning. As I said, there are other provinces like Saskatchewan, like Ontario, where they've extended the age for children to be in care.

I think that's another area that this province could cer- tainly look at that I think would make a big diff erence. Services across the province. Th ey're never going to be the same. People in rural communities understand they don't get exactly the same services as in an urban setting, but they expect basic service. Right now, for many youth in care, there aren't basic services — mental health, addi- tional supports — once they age out. So looking at ser- vices and supports across our communities. I think the last piece that I just want to touch on is the issue of making children and youth a priority.

I think we hear a lot about the resources of our province in this Legislature, and I think we all understand the import- ance of resources in our Legislature, but I think we oft en forget that children and youth are one of our greatest resources. If we're really going to focus on resources in British Columbia, I think we need to recognize that. I think we need to recognize what a precious resource our children are and that they're more deserving of the care and attention and resources and supports than they're able to get right now.

If I think of children in care and the challenges that they face, many of them who have been in placements, they need and deserve our attention. B.C.'S SKILLS-FOR-JOBS BLUEPRINT G. Kyllo: It is a pleasure to rise in the House this mor- ning as Parliamentary Secretary for the B.C. jobs plan to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training to speak on the B.C.'s skills-for-jobs blueprint — re-engineering education and training, a plan that our government an- nounced just last week.

Th is plan is key to our govern- ment's goal of building a strong economy and a secure tomorrow for all British Columbians. [1020] Th e blueprint calls for a more targeted focus on train- ing for high-demand jobs, encouraging innovation on how we provide education and training to better meet the needs of British Columbians and aligning funding for skills and training programs for high-demand occu- pations and jobs in the workforce. With over one million job openings projected in B.C. by the year 2022, the need and timing for the skills-for- jobs blueprint could not be better.

Th is remarkable fi g- ure is exciting news for our province, and that is why our government is taking the leadership to seize this op- portunity to develop a coordinated approach between the Ministries of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training; Education; and Advanced Education. Th e goal of the blueprint is to maximize the potential of an estimated 537,000 young people as they exit the education system, making fundamental changes to en- sure that as they enter the workforce they'll have the ne- cessary skills for the jobs and the economy of tomorrow.

More than 78 percent of the one million job openings require some form of post-secondary education, and 43 percent of these jobs will be in the trades and technical occupations. There is a very bright future for young British Columbians in the years ahead, with new career oppor- tunities in new industries such as liquefi ed natural gas and in rapidly growing sectors such as high-tech, along with more traditional job openings coming available as our older workers retire.

I'm proud of our government's proactive and thought- ful eff orts to take action and create the skills-for-jobs blueprint, helping to ensure that British Columbians will have the skills and training required to fi ll these jobs. By making sure that British Columbians are fi rst in line for the jobs of tomorrow, we will help to keep our economy moving forward and provide the opportunity for our children to enjoy an even higher standard of living in British Columbia. Th is plan recognizes that in order to achieve these goals, we have to start with the fundamentals — education and skills training.

Th e blueprint starts with recognizing that

British Columbia Debates3434 Monday, May 5, 2014 the current funding model for post-secondary education institutions needs to be signifi cantly overhauled and re- engineered to ensure that there are both openings and the capacity to train young British Columbians so they are fi rst in line for new career opportunities.

With this realignment and increased capacity, we'll also do our part to encourage young people to consider training and programs that lead to high-demand occu- pations and jobs in the workforce and help to ensure a robust utilization of these training spaces, providing tax- payers the best possible return on investment. Th e release of the skills-for-jobs blueprint could not be more timely. With one million job openings projected by 2022, the necessity and urgency for re-engineering our skills and training programs across the province to meet the needs of industry and the economy of tomorrow is before us.

Providing the right workers with the right skills in the right place at the right time is an enormous undertaking, but we are up to the challenge. By realigning 25 percent of provincial operating grants to public post-secondary institutions, we'll be better able to focus funding and training towards high-demand oc- cupations and jobs, such as those projected by 2017-2018 for the LNG sector — projected job openings for oper- ating engineers, pipefi tters, welders and civil and mech- anical engineers to name a few.

Our government will be investing over $185 million in infrastructure and equip- ment over the next three years to modernize training facilities to better support these new trades-related pro- grams across the province. Re-engineering our system doesn't necessarily mean spending more. It means we demand better outcomes and results from our training programs, training, again, the right workers with the right skills in the right loca- tions at the right time.

Our government currently invests more than $7½ billion each year in education and train- ing in British Columbia, and we'll continue to measure our successes, monitor our progress and continue to ad- just program funding as the economy evolves. Th at being said, starting this fi scal year we'll be target- ing over $160 million in funding to meet labour market priorities, and in four years that fi gure will reach $400 million. Over the span of the ten-year plan this funding will represent $3 billion directed towards training for high-demand occupations and skills-training programs.

What is very revolutionary of this plan is the aspect of changing the culture and attitude of people towards the trades, starting at a very young age. For students in the K-to-12 school system, we want them to have a head start on hands-on learning so they're better prepared for the workforce and more advanced training once they graduate. For example, we are going to double the number of ac- celerated credit enrolment in industry training — or the ACE IT spaces — to 5,000 over the next two years.

Th is program lets high school students take their fi rst level of technical training in specifi c trades, which will help to prepare or qualify students for apprenticeship or indus- try training programs. [1025] We will be expanding dual-credit programs to off er students courses and programs that will help them move into post-secondary studies or the workplace faster and with the skills for jobs that are in demand.

We are going to reform grade 10-to-12 graduation re- quirements to allow personalized graduation plans and have education sector leaders more involved in skills out- reach programs to help assist young students in planning for their future careers. For students in college, university or trades training, we're matching training with jobs in demand and maxi- mizing the spaces available to provide the programs they need to compete successfully in the workforce of tomorrow. As parliamentary secretary to the jobs plan, I've had the opportunity to meet with business owners from across our great province.

One of the most common con- cerns expressed by business owners and industry lead- ers is the need they have for a constant stream of skilled tradespeople to allow them both to keep their operations running at full capacity over the long term but also to fi ll new projected job openings. Th e large majority of companies that I have met with are extremely optimistic for the growth potential in British Columbia over the coming years and are ex- pecting to increase their workforce. Th e skills-for-jobs blueprint goes a long way to address this issue, and as a business owner myself, I could not agree more.

Th anks to the leadership of our government, we will ensure that any British Columbian interested in working in high-demand jobs will have access to and the opportunity of these new education and skills-training spaces. To summarize, our blueprint is about seizing the mo- mentum of our growing economy by making it easier for British Columbians to get working and fi nding their best fi t. I'm looking forward to the remarks from my op- position colleague. D. Routley: Th ank you to the member for bringing this important issue again to the fl oor of the Legislature.

Having heard such glowing remarks on the government's record, I'm sure the Speaker will entertain some more critical evaluation of their performance. It is a most important issue to our economy — how we broaden and make our economy more productive and competitive through enhancing the skills and the train- ing opportunities for the people of British Columbia. But we need to remember how we got here. Th is reminds me of a GPS verbal warning: "Take the next exit. Take the next exit.

Recalculating the route." Th e further you go ignoring the warnings that you're off track, the further the path back to being on track becomes.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3435 That is, in fact, where we find ourselves in British Columbia, where we have endured ten lost years in the skills-training sector. Our completion rates in this prov- ince have dwindled to an abysmal 35 percent. In Alberta, our neighbouring province and economy, we see com- pletion rates that are double the completion rates in B.C. Indeed, we do have a problem. Indeed, it needs to be addressed.

But I can't resist the thought of an arsonist arriving at their own fi re with a pail of water, wanting to be appointed fi re chief and patted on the back and given a medal for having recognized that there's a fi re burning. In fact, in 2002 the government dismantled the trades- training programs of this province. For a year there was no program whatsoever in place. When it was reinstat- ed, it was eff ectively disassembled. So 120 staff worked in the sector in government before the dismantling; only 12 aft erwards. Forty regional offi ces were closed, and 40 counsellors were fi red.

For years the government has heard "please" from the sector, from this opposition, to reinstate trades and ap- prentices counsellors to help students and help employ- ers reach higher levels of completion. So we do welcome a reinvestment, as small as it is, in the role of counsellors in the trades-training sector. It should also be mentioned that this government has made many promises. Before the Olympics we were promised that there would be tens of thousands of jobs fl owing from that. Now, with an approaching LNG indus- try, we're promised more than a million jobs. Let's take a look at how that's calculated.

Th e Toronto- Dominion Bank recently called that projection as being "founded on shaky ground," to quote their report. Th e assumptions on economic growth have not turned out. [1030] We need to recognize that this report and the response to it are essentially an acknowledgement of the failure of the past ten years. It is important that we recognize that. It is important also that we recognize that this report continues a longstanding pattern of behaviour from the government of off ering grandiose schemes that are well promoted and have slick advertising but no substantial support. Th ere's no substance.

Th ere is no additional funding being added to skills training in this province. In fact, there's not even a retro- fi t of high school shops, which are abysmally obsolete in their equipment. If we double the number of ACE IT opportunities for high school students, they will go into shops that do not and will not meet the need. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, today on Canada music day is coordinating a countrywide performance of band students performing Commander Hadfi eld's music that was composed in the space station.

Th e Vancouver school board has just given their band programs a one-year reprieve. Now the government is asking these stressed institu- tions, post-secondary and K to 12, to re-engineer them- selves, to redefi ne what they are. Th ey can barely provide foundational skills now. What we need is real support. What we need is a real commitment, reflected in re- sources, that this government can add. Who will pay for this refocusing of resources? It will be the students in all of the other programs that will have their funds diverted in order to fulfi l the government's promise to fi x up their own mess.

I welcome this subject coming to the fl oor, but I would also welcome respon- sibility taken from the government for this mess. G. Kyllo: I thank the member opposite for his com- ments. Th e reality is that British Columbia has done a fantastic job with our skills training. Can we do more? Can we do it better? Certainly. I'm really honoured and privileged to actually speak on behalf of the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training in laying out the foundation for that ten-year skills training plan.

I think we're going in the right direc- tion, and I'm really encouraged by the remarks that we're hearing from industry. As a business owner myself and from discussion with entrepreneurs and business owners across the province, the B.C. skills-for-jobs blueprint addresses the funda- mental need of having a comprehensive plan to ensure that we have skilled workers needed in new resources, manufacturing and technology-related roles through- out our great province.

By making the necessary chan- ges now to the post-secondary system, we will meet our province's future demands and be well able to fi ll these new job openings. Before announcing our plan to re-engineer education and training, we listened to the needs and ideas of young British Columbians, educators and labour and industrial leaders. Aft er the release of the government's skills-for- jobs blueprint, we're hearing some extremely positive accounts. Here's what some of these British Columbia leaders have to say.

Terry Sullivan, of the Kamloops-Th ompson school dis- trict, said this about training for jobs demanded by the economy and education of youth in trades at NorKam trades centre of excellence on CHNL. "A very positive type of initiative on the part of the province." John Winter, of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, praised our government's eff orts in a news release on April 29, saying the following. "It's great to see B.C. lead- ing the country in moving to a data-driven strategy on education spending.

By using labour market information to drive B.C.'s education and training spending prior- ities, we can ensure that we're providing the educational opportunities that our students need to land B.C. jobs." Irene Lanzinger, secretary-treasurer of the B.C. Federation of Labour, said this on CBC radio on April 30. "We need more young people going into the trades. Th ey're very good jobs. Th ey're extremely well paid." Phil Hochstein of the Independent Contractors and

British Columbia Debates3436 Monday, May 5, 2014 Businesses Association of B.C. said this on meeting the needs of industry to promote trades for opportunities in LNG for youth.

"What this announcement does to help that is it shows the investors who want to come here that the government is going to have the skilled workforce to build their projects so it's all tied together." Th is reaffi rms our blueprint is the right plan for build- ing the economy of tomorrow, a collaborative focus to create a data-driven educational and training system in B.C. and will help to increase our ability to provide the right workers with the right skills in the right places in order to maximize the career opportunities for all British Columbians. [1035] Deputy Speaker: I thank the member.

I feel like I need to get a recording that plays, "Th is is private members' time," and the rules for private mem- bers. I'd like all members to maybe, perhaps over the next week, spend some time looking at the standing orders and familiarizing themselves with the rules for private members' times on Monday morning. With that, I'll recognize the member for Vancouver- Fairview. PUBLIC INTEREST G.

Heyman: In this time when British Columbians and people across Canada are becoming more cynical about politics, more alienated from government, I think one of the tools we have at our disposal to reverse that unfortunate trend, to give people back some sense that we in this chamber and people in government are acting on their behalf, is to respect their right to information. Th e freedom-of-information and protection-of-privacy commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, has expressed the strong view that the creation of records is a fundamental part of our access-to-information rights.

Th e public has a right, and it's been enshrined in legislation since the early 1990s, to the free release of information about the processes and discussions through which government makes decisions on all of our behalf. It's subject to only very explicit and narrow limitations. However, the commissioner has repeatedly, includ- ing recently, noted that government is simply not keep- ing and releasing appropriate documentation. She said: "We're seeing the creation of an era of oral government that leaves little trace as it erases its tracks." Ms.

Denham reported out recently the increase in "no record" responses in March 2013. Th is is following many years of slow response to freedom-of-information requests. In fact, this government received an F , or a fail- ing grade, from the Association of Journalists in Canada. "No record" is the frequent claim made by government that it just has absolutely no documents that are relevant to the request that's been made. Th e commissioner's key conclusion is that in the past four years the number of "no record" responses has in- creased from 13 percent in '08 and '09 to 25 percent in '11 and '12.

Th e dramatic increase was helped along by a Premier's offi ce record where the percentage went from 30 to 45 percent, ending in 2012. Th is includes speaking notes, agendas, travel expenses, briefi ng materials and far more information that's quite critical for people who are reviewing how government reaches its decision. Th at's why the commissioner has called for a legislated duty to document — that the public's right to know de- serves to be supported by proactive information. Recently the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association reported that the U.S.

Trade Representative had complained about B.C.'s privacy laws that require in- formation be housed in Canada. We could fi nd, and no one could fi nd, any records in B.C. of these discussions, yet an FOI request to the American government turned up this information. When asked about it, the minister responsible brushed off this news by saying that it was a non-issue. How can this be, hon. Speaker?

Well, let's look at a directive from the current assistant deputy minister of International Trade and then–special projects executive director Christine Little telling staff to make e-mail info transitory only and telling them to be sure to delete it. Transitory e-mails are not FOI-able. Th ey're only meant to cover very time-limited discussions around the logis- tics of meeting schedules. Th ey are not meant to throw a blanket over information to which the public has a right to access.

Similarly, recently the commissioner pointed out that there was very little knowledge of the requirement in sec- tion 25 by public bodies.

Section 25 requires the release of information proactively when there's a threat to public health, safety or the environment. [1040] Not only did she point out that public bodies were essentially ignorant of their requirement to release this information, as demonstrated in the failure to release information about the Testalinden dam failure, but she thought that there was a history in B.C. of people simply not responding to the other part of

section 25 — which contemplates releasing information proactively if it's clearly in the public interest — because people are inter- preting this to mean that it must be of a temporary, ur- gent nature. She called that the act be strengthened so that the public interest disclosure provision should not require urgent circumstances, and she recommended that legis- lation be amended so that there's a mandatory obliga- tion for the release of information proactively that is in the public interest. As the head of the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre pointed out, the most shocking thing about the commissioner's report was that ministries don't even understand their current

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3437 legal requirements. Finally, the Privacy Commissioner just last month pointed out that there is a habit in British Columbia of releasing police information checks on request by em- ployers or volunteer groups.

She says that her investiga- tion shows that mental health and other non-conviction information — including completely unsubstantiated al- legations and charges that have not resulted in criminal charges — is routinely released and that we are on "the extreme end of the disclosure spectrum compared to other jurisdictions." She called for immediate action to cease the release of information on mental health records, on suicide at- tempts and unsubstantiated allegations.

With the excep- tion, she said — and I agree — of those understandable checks dealing with people who work with children or vulnerable adults, there is no evidence that the release of non-conviction information helps the hiring practice or that it increases public safety. People don't know what's in their job fi le. Th is is an inhibitor to job and volunteer applications. Th e com- missioner said that there is a history, with the people she interviewed, of signifi cant negative impact on their self- esteem, on their dignity and even on their willingness to volunteer for volunteer organizations.

"Record checks that prevent citizens," she says, "from obtaining work may actually result in a burden on society as a whole." Far from being the most transparent government in B.C.'s history, as this government claimed to want to be, its actions are shrouded in secrecy. It's disrespectful of British Columbians' right to privacy. Th is government needs to heed the recomm endations made by the in- dependent Privacy Commissioner and strengthen the act. J.

Martin: It gives me, indeed, great pleasure to rise on behalf of my constituents in Chilliwack to address this morning's private member's statement, "Public Interest." In that respect, we are committed to ensuring that this government is open and transparent for British Columbians. Our Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is widely recognized as having the broadest coverage in the country. B.C.'s freedom-of-information legisla- tion is a cornerstone of our democratic process, and it's crucial to providing accountable, accessible government.

Responses to general freedom-of-information requests are posted to B.C.'s Open Information website 72 hours aft er being released. While exercising sound fiscal management, the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services and other ministries have maintained resources dedicated to freedom-of-information requests. To follow through on our commitments, this government is keep- ing funding for freedom of information stable. Th is year a budget of $7.9 million will remain the same as the budget for '12-13. In fi scal 2013-14, government re- sponded to 9,832 freedom-of-information requests.

Th is represents a 3 percent increase over the previous year. It may interest members to know that government receives approximately six requests every single hour. In fact, in the past year government responded to 5,234 general re- quests, the most ever. It is interesting to note this was also the first year in which general requests have outpaced personal re- quests. It should be of interest to several members in this House to know that the number of political party requests government responded to increased by 52 per- cent this year.

At the same time, the number of media requests responded to was precisely the same number as the previous year. Th is is evidence that the freedom-of- information process is serving British Columbians well. [1045] It's important to recognize that complex freedom-of- information requests can result in many, many hours of search time. Th e current fee structure in place under the legislation ensures that taxpayers do not have to bear the full cost of extensive FOI requests. A member of the public can ask for records relating to their personal information at no charge at all.

Free estimates are provided and issued by professional pub- lic servants whose actions are guided by the legislation. Staff work with applicants to narrow the scope of their requests in order to help reduce fee estimates. In total, for freedom-of-information requests that re- sult in fees being charged to the applicant, the average fee was $440. Th e total value of fees collected in the fi scal year 2013-14 was $78,000. Despite criticisms from the oppos- ition that our government uses fees to discourage FOI requests, we have not raised the cost of fees since 1993.

Th at's because the government is committed and con- tinues to be committed to being open and transparent. In conclusion, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is designed to make public bodies more accountable to the public and to protect per- sonal privacy through a number of measures, including providing for an independent review of decisions made under this act. I would like to take a moment to thank the member opposite for this opportunity to demonstrate the com- mitment of this government to being open and transpar- ent. Th ank you so much for this opportunity. G.

Heyman: Th ank you to the member for Chilliwack for his comments. I appreciate that the member sincerely believes that this government is doing well, or at least bet- ter, but if that was the case, there simply wouldn't be con- stant commentary from the independent commissioner responsible for privacy and freedom of information, from the freedom-of-information and protection-of-privacy advocacy organization. It's one thing to say that British Columbia has the broadest possible coverage for freedom of information.

British Columbia Debates3438 Monday, May 5, 2014 Y et the commissioner has just recently pointed out that we're on the extreme end of releasing far too much in- formation that impinges seriously on the privacy rights of British Columbians with no good reason whatsoever, either from a hiring-practice perspective or from a pub- lic safety perspective. The member has said that British Columbia has a higher response.

Y et the commissioner has pointed out on more than one occasion that the rate of speed of re- sponse, frankly, has been terrible, and that there was a dramatic increase in the rate of "no responses," which has gotten marginally better this year but nowhere near the baseline of 2008 and nowhere near the benchmark that is expected. Th e reason for this is simple. We know about private e- mails being used for communication within government. We now know that there were directives explicitly from senior members of the bureaucracy to simply arbitrarily label information as transitory and to delete it.

Th at is why there is such a high record of "no records" responses — no response on record. If there's no response, there's nothing to post. If nothing is kept, there's no information for the public, the media and the opposition to peruse. Th e kinds of records that have not been available were critical briefi ng notes on B.C. Hydro rate increases and information passed on to the Premier prior to her meet- ing with the Premier of Alberta. Th ese are not transitory issues. Th ey go to the very heart of the policy decisions being made. The member talked about fees being kept at a low level.

Th e commissioner has called for the elimination of fees because they are an inhibitor to seeking informa- tion. She's also pointed out that the centralization of re- cordkeeping has resulted in records not being properly archived and kept, so when people ask for them, there's nothing that can be handed over because it has not been properly catalogued.

I could go on, and the litany goes on, but the answer to this issue is to strengthen the act on the recommen- dations of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, which she has made on numerous occasions, both to al- low greater access to information and to ensure docu- ments are kept. We on this side of the House would, in fact, do that. [1050] BEING LEADERS, NOT FOLLOWERS, ON SOCIAL MEDIA LITERACY J. Th ornthwaite: I rise in the House to talk about two critical subjects that play a large role in the work I do as an MLA: bullying and on-line safety.

Bullying is not a new phenomenon, but it's become more prevalent thanks to technology and the innovative tools it provides to bullies. Because of new technology, bullying is no longer restricted to the halls of a school or the hours of a school day. It happens 24-7 and oft en under the illusion of anonymity that the on-line world provides. Y outh are the biggest concern when it comes to cyber- bullying. One study estimates that more than half of teens and adolescents have been bullied on line and that one in three has been the target of a cyberthreat.

Most youth, whether they're a bully or a victim, be- lieve that bullying on line is easier to get away with than bullying in person. Th e problem has worsened because of the increased access that young people have to on-line gadgets, particularly to smartphones and various apps like Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter. A smartphone is now the number one tool for cyberbullying because it's portable, easy to use and always connected to the realm of social media — a world that, to a large extent, is rarely supervised or policed.

Th e best way to fi ght cyberbullying is to raise aware- ness and to get parents and educators involved. To that end, our government introduced the ERASE Bullying strategy in June 2012. ERASE Bullying is a ten-point, comprehensive prevention and intervention plan de- signed to promote positive mental health and to address student safety in schools. Th e strategy includes a fi ve-year, multilevel training program for 15,000 educators and community partners. To date more than 8,000 people have already been trained across the province.

Part of the training is specifi cally targeting cyberbully- ing by helping educators understand three key points: the importance of developing a response plan to cyberbully- ing, the importance of teaching students to use social media ethically and responsibly, and how to work with companies like Facebook and Twitter to remove harm- ful content. Th is last point is particularly important because many students have a misconception that on-line profi les are a safe place to share personal information.

A New Y ork school recently started a day of action called Delete Day, during which students are aided by trained peers to de- lete personal information, unknown friends and inappro- priate content on their social media profi les. Th e ERASE strategy is largely web-based to make use of the tools, the technology, that the kids are actually using. For example, the ERASE Bullying Twitter feed interacts directly with students on line and provides updates and tips on bullying prevention.

Th e ERASE Bullying website provides a wealth of information for students and parents on confl ict, bullying, early warn- ing signs, youth suicide and background on cyberbully- ing and Internet slang. ERASE also off ers supports on the website reportbully- ing.ca, which provides an anonymous, confi dential on- line reporting tool where students can report bullying and harmful behaviour. Th e website is available in French and English and is one more way for students to reach out and ask for help via computer or mobile device. We were told a couple of weeks ago that out of 350 bullying

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3439 reports, 319 have been resolved so far. Th e ERASE student advisory is a team comprised of 19 students from across B.C. Th ey had their fi rst meet- ing on April 7 and have been tasked with creating social media guidelines for the province and providing advice on student safety to the Minister of Education and the Premier.

Maya Treuheit, who is a school district trustee and is interested in working with her fellow students to help prevent bullying, said: "A person is a person, no matter how small." Th e strategy has now entered its third year, and great progress has been made. All 60 B.C. school districts have completed the fi rst phase of the fi ve-year, multi- level training program, and training continues to develop community partnerships and protocols to support threat assessment and violence prevention.

Th e ERASE website is getting thousands of visits each month and has provided substantial knowledge to stu- dents and their families about preventing bullying, the importance of a positive school climate and sharing in- formation on line. Moving forward, the recommendations of the ERASE student advisory and the provincial advisory committees will be incorporated into the strategy to ensure we can continue to provide our province's children with learn- ing environments that are safe, caring and accepting.

We will also be making all bullying prevention materials and training available to university education programs so that they can be used in teacher training curriculum. [1055] One of my key priorities as Parliamentary Secretary for Student Support and Parent Engagement is to pro- mote awareness of the ERASE Bullying strategy among students, parents and educators. I'm doing this through video, social media, school outreach and, of course, in person with the BCCPAC, DPACs and parent groups. How do we keep children safe on line? How do we have diffi cult conversations about inappropriate on-line be- haviour?

Th ese are just a few of the obstacles facing par- ents and teachers today. Th e ERASE strategy provides a way to educate them on how to recognize problems and develop action plans to stop harmful behaviour. It also shows students how to take accountability for their ac- tions at school and on line and how we can end cyber- bullying by becoming responsible, mindful on-line citizens. M. Karagianis: I'm happy to rise today in response to the member's private member's statement.

I would say that, fi rst of all, I'm in agreement that the issue around bullying and cyberbullying and issues around on-line safety are, I think, a concern to everybody in our com- munities. I'm a huge fan of social media, and I think that it's a fantastic communication tool, but certainly, we can see the pitfalls of that. It's laudable — the eff orts that the gov- ernment is making in trying to change some of the safety factors around this. I do want to talk about something that I think is a clear motivator behind some of this, and that is, actually, so- cial attitudes to bullying.

I think there is a move, a move socially, that is very disappointing. We're seeing more and more of an attitude that downplays and is slight- ly indiff erent to violence, to violence against women. I think that these attitudes have begun to penetrate the kinds of behaviours we see from young people on and in social media. If society treats violence against each other, violence against women as something that is not of signifi cant importance, if we objectify violence, if objectify violence against women, then in fact, what is the lesson that we're saying to young people?

How are we teaching them that, in fact, our social behaviours and our social attitudes will set the stage for their behaviour, whether it's in schools or whether it's on line or whether it's in their texting and chatting with one another? We've seen an increased number of violent incidents that have taken place, against young women in particu- lar.

I've got to say that a very vivid example of something that's going on right now today in real time is that inter- national governments are spending a fortune looking for a missing Malaysian plane, and as great and laudable as that is, there doesn't seem to be any kind of serious eff ort to look for over 250 missing young women in Nigeria.

I guess if we turned those kinds of resources on to looking aft er fi nding these young women — the same that we're looking at fi nding a missing plane — then per- haps we'd send a very clear message that we in fact value young people in our society, that we value young women in our society. If we're not prepared to expend all kinds of resources and concern in international eff orts to try to fi nd and rescue these young women who have gone miss- ing in Nigeria, then what does it say about us as a society? What does it say to young women in our society?

And what does it say to young men or those who are targeting each other and bullying on line? In fact, this attitude sets the stage for what we're teaching our young people. It's great to have educational programs in schools that talk about "cyberbullying is bad" and "these kinds of behav- iours are bad," but we've actually set the stage socially for these kinds of attitudes. Missing and murdered women — in the headlines all the time here in Canada. We have just recently discov- ered something like almost 1,200 missing and murdered women across this country — no interest in a national inquiry into that.

We're sending a message again. Th ere's a group of women, girls, primarily aboriginal, who have gone missing and been murdered. We're not prepared to inquire or show a deeper interest in that, so what are we saying about the value of our young women in our society? Well, we're actually clearly saying that we don't put as

British Columbia Debates3440 Monday, May 5, 2014 high a value on that as we should. As a consequence, we are by our own actions teaching attitudes towards young people that are beginning to play out in the way they treat each other. [1100] Th e prevalence and the sort of indiff erence and objecti- fi cation of violence generally. We see it in music videos. We see it in all kinds of on-line games. Th ose send a very clear message of kind of indiff erence. We are indiff erent to the message that we're sending to young people on a much deeper level.

So when you come along and say: "Well, now, we don't like your behaviour, the way you're texting. We don't like the behaviours that we're seeing in cyberbullying…." We've got to set a much bigger and better precedent in the way we treat each other in soci- ety, but certainly the way we treat violence against young women and the value we put on those young women, wherever they've gone missing, wherever they've been treated violently. I think that we need a shift in our thinking here.

Y ou can't just narrow it down and say: "Well, cyberbullying is bad, and we've just got to narrow that down and stop it." It's about treating each other better. It's about valu- ing each other better and certainly sending a clear mes- sage to young people that we value them. We value young women, no matter where they live, no matter what the conditions and no matter what their background. J. Thornthwaite: Thank you to the member for Esquimalt–Royal Roads for your support in our govern- ment's eff orts on this in the schools.

I've been working on a video series about cyberbully- ing that features social media safety and awareness expert Jesse Miller, as well as Th eresa Campbell, president of Safer Schools Together. Th ese videos will support parents by addressing topics such as how to keep children safe on line, how to recognize dangers and how to approach diffi cult conversations with youth. It will be provided to all parents, all school districts and, actually, all interested stakeholders in British Columbia.

Th e videos will showcase the dangers of sharing per- sonal information on line and how on-line posts can be viewed by anyone who knows how. Snapchat photos do not disappear in seven seconds. Treat people with respect, just like they were right in front of you. Internet safety and media literacy are inseparable. I talked to a student at Windsor Secondary School the other day — Chris Bolton. He's a grade 11 student at Windsor, and he is the national youth ambassador for HootSuite's young entrepreneur program, Th e Next Big Th ing.

He is using this technology for good, to help his fellow students sort out their class rotations with an app. He is also mentoring young students to learn how the technology works. He says: "Th e more we teach kids how this technology works, how the code is being processed, the more they will understand about how their information is being used and stored on a database." Education is the key to protect our children and teach them to be good digital citizens. My work and the ERASE Bullying strategy are doing just that, to guide students on the path from victimization to empowerment through technology. [R.

Chouhan in the chair.] Hon. M. Polak: I call private member's Motion 17. Deputy Speaker: Hon. Members, we need unanimous consent of the House to move Motion 17. Leave granted. Private Members' Motions MOTION 17 — RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF CANADIAN AND TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS IN B.C. M. Elmore: I'm very pleased to move the motion: [Be it resolved that this House urge the Government to protect and promote the rights and welfare of Canadian workers and tempor- ary foreign workers in B.C.] We have heard recent stories of temporary foreign workers speaking out, Canadian workers speaking out.

Th e issue of the temporary foreign worker program is in the news in British Columbia. It's a conversation across Canada. We have seen rapid expansion of the program, over 500,000 temporary foreign workers in B.C., really eclips- ing our traditional pattern of bringing in workers to im- migrate as permanent residents. It has given rise to a huge number of challenges. I'm very pleased to welcome here members of the com- munity and also temporary workers here today for this motion.

Th ey brought forward to me their concerns, the problems that need to be addressed and the actions that the government needs to take to ensure that all workers are protected. [1105] I have heard stories about the problems of workers coming in illegally and being charged high recruitment fees, which are illegal, but there is no monitoring, en- forcement or repercussions for recruitment agencies who charge these fees. As well, there's a diffi culty of limited labour mobility because work permits are employer-specifi c. Workers coming in are not advised of labour rights.

Th ey have limited services and are threatened with deportation if complaints arise — and today, this morning, even death, in the case of a temporary foreign worker from Israel who reported, here in British Columbia, that that was

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3441 his experience. Th is is unacceptable. We have no oversight of this pro- gram in British Columbia, and there is a need to address these problems. Part of the vulnerability is that these workers are in a very precarious situation — vulner- able workers because they do not enjoy the same legal status. We're seeing a two-tiered system where workers are scared to speak out. Th ey don't enjoy the same pro- tections as workers with permanent residency, and they are at a higher risk. Th is is unacceptable.

We have, basically, no monitoring of the overall pro- gram here in British Columbia. We are seeing workers being exploited and not being able to assert their rights. When they come forward and speak of their rights they oft en face a lot of diffi culty and threats from employers. I want to really applaud those workers who have the cour- age to step forward and let those concerns be known here. Th ere are steps that we can take in British Columbia.

In Alberta there was an audit that the government con- ducted that found in 2010 that in three-quarters, 74 percent, of workplaces that were audited there were vio- lations against temporary foreign workers. We also know that there is a better…. We should also look at: what is our experience here in British Columbia? We do not have that information coming forward.

As well, we have the example of Manitoba, which has the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act that has brought forward protection for the fi rst time in Canada to ensure that foreign workers are protected from un- scrupulous recruiters and employers, that employment agencies should be licensed and that there are repercus- sions if there are violations. It also ensures that workers under the low-skilled category have an opportunity to apply for permanent residency under the Manitoba prov- incial nominee program. We need oversight. We need to ensure that employers are monitored.

We need to ensure that there's a process in place to ensure that labour market opinions are, in fact, valid and also to ensure that rights are upheld. Th ere is, I would say, a crisis here in British Columbia. People are being left in limbo, and there are steps that we need to take, that should be taken, to ensure that all British Columbians and all workers here are protected. Th e fundamental issue, certainly, is the precarious na- ture and a need to return to the values that built Canada — an immigration system that was driven by citizenship and not a guest worker program.

Th at's the fundamen- tal value that we need to uphold. Ensure that employers are monitored; that employment recruiters are not able to exploit people, basically, at will; and that a whole host of other diffi culties and violations do not occur which are going on throughout all communities across British Columbia. We need action. We need action from this govern- ment now. M. Bernier: I just want to thank the member as well for her comments and her concern with this. Th e issue of the temporary foreign worker program has been a point of discussion now for Canadians from coast to coast lately.

Th at being said, there's been a lot of rhetoric and a lot of commentary that's clouding the entire debate of this program. While the program is managed by the federal gov- ernment, we're working closely with our counterparts to ensure that whenever possible, we know that British Columbians are always fi rst in line for the job openings. Also, we want to say that if a case arises with employers and their disregard for the process of utilizing the pro- gram in their businesses, we do admit and say that there have to be consequences.

Our government is saying that we're not going to be just bystanders on this issue. [1110] Fundamentally, the temporary foreign workers cannot and should never be abused by the system or by employ- ers here in British Columbia. It's not fair. Th ey deserve more, and they deserve the same rights and dignity as any other worker in Canada, as stated in the Employment Standards Act.

Our federal counterparts are looking at creating a black list and the means to impose serious sanctions, including losing the ability to use this program or fi nes and jail time for em- ployers who exclude eff orts to use Canadians for jobs. Bringing it closer to home, in the South Peace it's in- credibly diffi cult to fi ll every single job opening that we have in my riding and in my communities. With a very fast growing economy and single-digit unemployment, there's a genuine need in the South Peace to use tempor- ary foreign workers to help fi ll our job vacancies in our region.

Particularly right now in the food services and hospitality establishments, it's diffi cult to fi ll these roles. Frankly, right now there are just many more options for residents in my riding to choose from. From an entrepreneurial standpoint, if they cannot fi nd employees to work in the food outlets or the other service-oriented positions, they will have no choice but to close down. Th ey'll be losing the opportunities to run successful businesses, and that will hinder the growth of our communities. Th is should not happen, and that is exactly why this program is available to employers.

Frankly, I say it's working quite well in my riding. Many businesses in rural British Columbia look to the temporary foreign worker program as a real solution to be able to stay in business and to fi ll critical job vacancies. Going forward, our economy is going to create and continue to grow a lot of jobs. We will be needing to fi ll job vacancies in my riding as LNG projects continue to become a reality. Th e temporary foreign worker program will be playing a role in the Premier's Liquefi ed Natural Gas Working Group in that fi nal report.

With all recom- mendations accepted, our government is committed to making sure that every single British Columbian has the

British Columbia Debates3442 Monday, May 5, 2014 skilled labour force it needs to seize the opportunities of this liquefi ed natural gas program. One of the working group's recommendations ex- plicitly recognizes the important role temporary foreign workers are going to play and has harnessed the oppor- tunity British Columbians have to develop the natural gas industry.

To summarize this recommendation in the report, the temporary foreign worker program will be utilized in the context of the overall strategy that identi- fi es the workforce needs of the LNG opportunities and immediately will be beginning the skills-training plan to develop as many British Columbians as possible work- ing in this sector. I do come from a region of the province where tem- porary foreign workers are much needed and, I would say, much respected. I will mention that many workers, who have come from all over the world, are really active in my community.

Th ey're volunteering in cultural and service clubs. Th ey're helping build a diverse and better com- munity in the South Peace. Th ey are proud to be working in Canada, and as Canadians and British Columbians, we welcome them, respect them and recognize their contri- bution to growing our economy. I know many of them personally, and I would like to end by thanking them for being part of my community. On that, I look forward to the rest of the debate. H. Bains: It is, actually, a privilege to stand up and speak on an issue that is very, very close to my heart. I know, Mr.

Speaker, it's close to your heart — and many members in this House. Th e issue we have before us, the temporary foreign worker program — let's go back to the origin of it. What was the real reason when the temporary foreign worker program was started? It was started to have the foreign workers come in when there are no Canadian workers available or they don't have skills to do the job. Th at was the whole purpose behind this. It started along those lines, but now take a look at what is happening. We have gone way away from the original intent of this program.

Now the main reason why this government and their cousins in Ottawa support this program is to suppress the local wages. Th ere's no doubt about that fact. Th at's exactly what's happening. [1115] How do they do that? Canadian workers are being squeezed out of the jobs. We have evidence of that. When they apply for the job they are willing and able to do and are ready to go to, their applications and resumés are thrown into the trash bin. We have evidence of that. Th at's not the purpose of the temporary foreign work- er program. Th at wasn't the program.

If it is to be used to suppress wages in Canada and to help pad the bottom line of multinationals, then we are on the wrong track. Th at's not what the government should be all about. Canadian workers should be fi rst in the lineup for jobs they are willing to do, able to do and have the skills to do. Th at's not happening. We have evidence at HD Mining. We have evidence at Canada Line. When South Americans were brought in, they were used and they were charged fees when they were not supposed to be charged, under the law. Th ey were not given the rights they were entitled under the law.

It took unions to take those companies and the gov- ernment to court, to go through the system. Th ey were able to secure about $15 million to $20 million in lost wages for those workers. Th ey took the money, at their own expense, over to their home country and hand- delivered the cheques. Th at's what Canada is: our pas- sion for each other. But the government is lacking that — on both levels of governments. Th e employers are not brought to the table to make sure that they follow the law that is behind the temporary foreign worker program.

Th e program today pits worker against worker, and that's not what Canada is all about. It's not the fault of the temporary foreign workers. Th ey are here to make their lives better for themselves. It's not their fault, and I welcome them. Th ey should be allowed to do that. It's not the fault of the local workers. Th ey are also raising some concerns. Th ose are legitimate. Th e fault lies squarely at the feet of this government and the federal government — the federal government for not monitoring it properly and local government for not enforcing the laws that they should be.

We squeeze local workers out of jobs, and we allow the system to exploit temporary foreign workers. We have evidence of that. Y ou know, just recently we had cases where we were asking…. Th e previous governments' wrongdoings…. We ask them to apologize. We're asking the current gov- ernment to apologize for the wrongs of past, which is the right thing to do. We are creating a similar situation now, and that's not what Canada is all about. Th e temporary foreign worker….

If you say that in the Lower Mainland we cannot fi nd workers to go to McDonald's, to work at Tim Hortons, I think there's something wrong here with that system. We have our students. Th e only way that they can pay for their fees — the escalating fees, which are otherwise totally unaff ord- able for local students today…. Th ey get the opportunity on the weekends and on their time off during the sum- mertime to take these jobs and pay for some of their education. Th ey are denied that right now. Th at's not the purpose of temporary foreign workers. I say, right now, that it needs to be revamped.

I think we need to have a real, independent investigation into this to see who is not following the rules. L. Larson: In responding to the motion, it's import- ant to acknowledge that the temporary foreign worker

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3443 program is managed by the federal government and that British Columbia has been a leader in working directly with the federal government to ensure that our residents come fi rst. If employers disregard the rules or do not fol- low the process to hire temporary foreign workers, there should be consequences. While it is clear this is a federally regulated program, that does not mean our government is a bystander. All workers in British Columbia — citizens, residents and temporary foreign workers — have equal rights and protections under the Employment Standards Act.

Temporary foreign workers who fi nd themselves in a vul- nerable position have the same rights and are eligible for support and services like any other worker in B.C. [1120] Locally, even in my community, there are services to help untangle the complexities of legal human rights and language issues that can happen, however infrequent- ly, between employers and temporary foreign workers.

When workers in our province are in a vulnerable situa- tion, we are committed to providing them with neces- sary information and support to help them understand their rights and responsibilities under the Employment Standards Act here in the province. Workers' rights do need to be protected in British Columbia. Whether you're a temporary foreign worker or not, if you make a complaint, this government follows up and makes sure that the case is investigated carefully.

Th e province has recently allocated $2.6 million to service providers across the province so that temporary foreign workers can access one-on-one consultation services, group workshops and support groups. Th e employment standards branch conducts education and outreach programs to inform workers and employ- ers about employment standards, including education, seminars, presentations to schools and presentations to groups of workers and to employer associations. Th ere is also networking through community groups and ap- pearances on ethnic media. There are fact sheets and ideas available on line.

Many of those are translated into multiple languages. Fact sheets are available in English, French, Chinese, Punjabi, Hindi, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Spanish. Videos are also available in Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Punjabi and Filipino. Closer to home, my riding has had a long and very positive experience with temporary foreign workers. Agriculture in my area has been dependent on the in- fl ux of these workers for many years.

It is these tempor- ary foreign workers who came to help local farmers that have created the multicultural mosaic of people who cur- rently make the South Okanagan their permanent home. Beginning in the '60s with people from Portugal, then India and now Mexico, our communities are populated with people who came to work the land and eventually became the landowners and the farmers of today. Th ose who were temporary soon became permanent citizens and have added many layers of culture and made great contributions as Canadians.

Locally we have the South Okanagan Community Services, which works with all new people to Canada, temporary or permanent, to help them learn about Canada and transition smoothly to citizenship. Our gov- ernment also invests in Welcome B.C., a comprehensive suite of digital services and information off ered in mul- tiple languages to support all newcomers to B.C. It is these kinds of help from the provincial govern- ment and through federal programs that have enabled temporary foreign workers, particularly in agriculture, to become farmers in many areas of our province and keep farming a traditional way of life.

Th e federal govern- ment's message is clear: no abuse of temporary foreign workers will be tolerated. And our government supports this. Many of these workers will become Canadian cit- izens. It is extremely important that abuses do not occur. Th e federal government is exploring serious crimin- al sanctions, including fi nes and jail time, if employers lie about their eff orts to hire Canadians fi rst. If employ- ers have broken the rules, they will face serious conse- quences.

We join the federal government in encouraging all people with concerns or information on abuses of this program to call the employment and social development tip line. Putting B.C. residents fi rst is a priority of this govern- ment. But we also need to attract workers to B.C., and we are competing with countries all over the world. We should continue to be a welcoming place for all. D. Eby: I wanted to thank, with my colleagues, all of the workers who have come here today to hear and wit- ness this debate. I think it's incredibly important that those folks are here.

Th ey have lived the experience in British Columbia, and they know the realities versus what the government is saying in their speeches today. Let me tell you about a very important project that illus- trates the diff erence between this government's words and their actions. My colleague mentioned the Canada Line. Now, on the Canada Line, which was a provincial government program to build a rapid transit line to the airport, this government's project had two groups of workers.

Th ey had workers from Europe who were paid at a certain level, and they had workers from South America who were paid at a diff erent level. Th ey were doing the same work, side by side, building that train to the airport. [1125] Th e workers from South America were paid at a lower wage. Th ey were discriminated against based on where they were from. And that was a government of B.C. pro- ject. If on the government's own projects, there is racism and there is discrimination against foreign workers, then,

British Columbia Debates3444 Monday, May 5, 2014 how can they stand in this House and say: "Oh, well, cer- tainly, it is unacceptable to discriminate against work- ers"? On their very own projects, their very own Human Rights Tribunal said: "Y ou are discriminating against workers." Th is was racist conduct and unacceptable, and those awards were made to those workers against this government's project. I think it's important to talk about that story.

If you listen to the speeches today, you would never know that this was the same government that was acting that way in the tunnels underneath Vancouver and yet standing in this House and saying they're standing up for workers. Again, let me point out that the only reason that that discrimination was captured and enforced and that those workers received awards was not enforcement by this government, not oversight by this government. It was as a result of litigation brought against this government, fought against this government in the courts to enforce those workers' rights.

Th at's what this whole program is all about. Th ese workers are incredibly vulnerable. Th ey are here at the whim of a single employer. Th at's where these abuses come from. Th ey can't go to another employer. I heard a member say: "Oh, this is part of the mo- saic of our community." Well, that is not true. These workers are not equal. They are not equal members of your community. They are treated as a disposable sub– working class. If they speak out against an employer, they are shipped home. Th ese workers need not the same protection as every- one else in your community.

Th ey need more protection than everybody else in the community. I think it's really important to note that the temporary foreign worker program has two key elements to it. We have been focused very much on the abuses and the neg- lect and the racism that come from the elements of the program where very vulnerable workers are brought in to work at the whim of a particular employer. Th e fees, the living conditions that they are put into, the working con- ditions that they have to endure — we talked about those.

But there is another element to this program, and it is also directly linked to this government's neglect. Th at is the higher-skilled temporary foreign worker program. We currently have employers leaving Prince George to go to Ireland to hire skilled employees and bring them back to Prince George, in an area where there is very high un- employment, especially among First Nations.

We have employers who, on a federal shipbuilding contract — aft er asking this government to please, please ramp up shipbuilding training — are going to Sheffi eld, England, to hire shipbuilding workers to come back here to work on a government project. It is the failure of this government to train up British Columbians to have the skills necessary for these employers, for their projects here in British Columbia. I hear over and over again that British Columbia resi- dents are fi rst in line.

It's very clear that they're not even in the lineup at all, because they can't get the training they need to take these jobs and to be working these jobs in British Columbia. Th at's why B.C. has double the nation- al average — not just a little bit more than the national average but double the national average — of temporary foreign workers in new jobs in this province. It's because British Columbians can't get the skills that they need to take these jobs. Let me tell you about the haul truck operator program.

If you want to drive a truck in a mine in British Columbia, if you want to get those skills, you need to come up with $7,500 to pay for the program. Deputy Speaker: Th ank you, Member. D. Eby: Th ank you. I'm just getting started, Mr. Chair. [Laughter.] Th ank you very much. S. Hamilton: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the subject of foreign workers. Let's be clear. Our govern- ment has been very clear that British Columbians come fi rst. Th at's the best outcome. British Columbian busi- nesses employ British Columbians with everyone bene- fi ting.

But we can't, obviously, be Pollyannas — not when we have to govern and when there are real world issues at stake here. One of those issues that is very real is that there just aren't enough workers in British Columbia to fi ll our labour shortages. [1130] Contrary to what the member for Vancouver–Point Grey said a moment ago, I quite clearly remember the Minister of Jobs, Skills Training and for Labour distinctly say that at one time, say, some 15 or 20 years ago, the un- employment rate in Prince George was hovering around the 14, 15 percent level. Now it is about the 4 percent level.

So I don't know where this rampant unemployment is coming from, in terms of his fi gures. Anyhow, employment forecasts tell us that even if we train every single high school graduate in B.C., we won't be able to fi ll the number of jobs that we've created over the next decade. Th e same is true for workers across the country, who are second choice to fi ll available jobs in British Columbia. When we do look to workers from outside Canada — and let me once again point out that temporary foreign workers are part of a federal pro- gram, managed by the federal government — it's because there's a recognized need.

Let's take the words of the president of the B.C. Federation of Labour. Jim Sinclair was talking about the Rio Tinto smelter last month when he said: "We're build- ing a new smelter in Kitimat — a huge job. Th ere's 7 per- cent or 8 percent temporary foreign workers on that job, from the United States. 'Let's come through the union, and let's go up there and work.' Th ey want to go up there and work and then go back home when the job is done.

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3445 Th at's not new. We've been doing it for a long time." Organized labour recognizes that this program is not new. It's been around for a long time. Th is program is needed in order for us to have these types of businesses that we all want. Let's be clear. Th e moment that a tem- porary foreign worker steps foot on our soil they are pro- tected under the rules of the B.C. Employment Standards Act. Th ey have the same rights and privileges as any other worker in this province.

In my community there's a critical shortage of work- ers willing to do the kinds of jobs needed in agricultural operations. British Columbia farmers have been clear that the federal government's temporary foreign worker program off ers an option they need. Working on a farm is hard work. At one time in British Columbia and in Canada working on a farm was a common experience, but times change. Our economy has grown and diversi- fi ed, and British Columbians have many more choices for how they want to make a living. It's been this way for a long time.

I don't know how many members of this House have had much experience working in fi elds, but I've spent time with many farmers in Delta, and I've seen how they've struggled to fi nd labour during some of the most critical times of the year. Th e DeBoers, the Newells and the Houwelings would not be in business today if it were not for the temporary foreign workers program. It works. Here's a quote from Rhonda Driediger, the former chair of the labour committee of B.C. She said: "I'm not sure I want to think about that — about not being able to hire temporary foreign workers.

We would just go back to struggling like we did before." Temporary foreign workers have played an import- ant role in making sure crops are harvested in British Columbia's farming regions, including Delta and else- where in the Fraser Valley as well as the Okanagan. Of course, our government would prefer that local people — British Columbians — who live in an agricultural com- munity be the ones to fi ll available jobs. We believe in the value of working, and we're always focused on increas- ing employment opportunity for the people of B.C. But we can't go back in time, nor would British Columbians want to.

The temporary foreign worker program helps our province have a viable agrifood industry. Let's not forget: this is an industry valued at $11.7 billion. More import- antly, this is an industry that ensures British Columbians have fresh and local foods in our supermarkets and on our tables. Let me turn once more to the former chair of the labour committee for the B.C. Agriculture Council. She summed it up when she said: "Th e temporary foreign worker program provides a lot of stability. We know that these people are going to be showing up for work every day.

We know that these people that we've trained are going to be here for us every day until the end of that contract." British Columbians value our province's agriculture industry, and we need to continue to help our farmers thrive by ensuring that there are workers to bring in the harvest. K. Conroy: I'm pleased to take my place in this de- bate, responding to my colleague from Vancouver- Kensington's motion. Even though the temporary foreign workers program has been around since 1973, it has only really become an issue, a program with much more negative connotations than positive ones, in the last re- cent years.

Our country and our province were built with immi- grants. My parents came to Canada as immigrants from Denmark in the early '50s, knowing that they wanted to live and work here, and they had the opportunity to do just that. Even though he had a trade, Dad took odd jobs until he could get a position in a mine on Texada Island and be earning enough money for mom to join him. Both eventually became Canadian citizens and raised their family here. [1135] During the '50s so many people came to Canada just in that way.

In the '70s the government recognized that em- ployers in Canada needed skilled workers like scientists and engineers on a temporary basis and introduced the temporary foreign workers policy. But in 2002 the scope changed, making it easier for businesses to access tem- porary foreign workers on a much more temporary basis. What's the diff erence between then and now? Th e pro- gram has grown from a temporary solution to worker shortages to, in many cases, an all-out abuse of people's rights.

We have the stories that are being told from the workers at the Tim Hortons in Fernie, the McDonald's in Victoria and the young man from Israel living in Nanaimo who actually had the courage to come forward and tell his story of how he and his colleagues worked hundreds of hours for no pay while forced to live under constant threat of deportation. He was told to come to Canada. He would have a job. He had to pay his own airfare, even though under the law, employers are supposed to cover the airfare. Th en he had to work 12 hours a day but with no pay.

He lived with four other workers in a home under constant monitoring of a supervisor. If they complained, they would be deported, even though they had come to Canada with the dream of earning a decent living here. Several government agencies had known about this B.C. company's practices for months. Despite that, Employment Minister Jason Kenney's department didn't revoke the B.C. company's foreign worker permits when the latest allegations surfaced, and the company con- tinued advertising for workers overseas.

Th is young man had death threats against him aft er he blew the whistle and can't understand why the gov-

British Columbia Debates3446 Monday, May 5, 2014 ernment didn't take it seriously and take action against this employer. Th e company had a written labour mar- ket opinion which allowed it to hire foreign workers and said that they must be paid $13 an hour, and $21 an hour for any overtime. He was never paid even close to that. In fact, the payroll records show that he and other employees earned zero dollars — zero dollars for a sal- ary. During a two-week period this employee put in 116 hours and received no pay. Th ey were told they were working on a commission, that if they didn't like it, they'd get deported.

Th e super- visor would cancel their work permit. Th ey were told they'd get 25 percent from each sale. Th e shock came on pay days, when they received next to nothing. Th e em- ployer deducted money every two weeks for rent plus other fi nes for little infractions that they didn't even know they were going to be getting.

To quote this young man: "If you look at it, it's modern slavery, because some people were not actually paid at all." He said: "I got 50 bucks or 100 bucks in the three months I worked, and that's bad exploitation, but some people were actually slaves and ended up owing him money." Th e question here is: why are people being treated like this, and how many more are there? Th e other question: are there really no Canadians who would like to take those jobs? It's obvious that the employers are abusing the situa- tion by having the threat of deportation hanging over the employees' heads.

For Canadians, there is no such threat, as no young Canadian would work for two weeks for nothing except minimal room and board, and they also have the ability to leave and fi nd other employment. The case in point is the workers in the Victoria McDonald's and the courage of the whistle-blower who came forward there, a young British Columbian who couldn't understand why local people weren't getting jobs, how the employer was bringing in foreign work- ers when he knew locals were looking for the jobs.

Since the story broke, McDonald's Canada has brought in new management, and there is a moratorium on the use of the program for the entire Canadian restaurant industry. For those companies who are treating their employ- ees well, this is a problem, and there are employers in this province who are treating the employees well. But for many, there is not. Even though the federal government is responsible for immigration and regulates the entry and stay of workers under this program, there are steps the provincial gov- ernment could be taking to ensure workers are properly treated and protected.

Th ere is no reason the province of B.C. couldn't be implementing better standards and policy for these workers. Both Quebec and Manitoba have brought in legislation to do just that. Manitoba passed the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, which protects foreign workers from un- scrupulous recruiters and employers. Manitoba exercises control over which jobs can be fi lled by temporary for- eign workers, has improved the rights and enforcement and has given low-skilled workers a path to permanent residency by allowing them to become provincial nom- inee program….

Th at's something that the provincial government here in B.C. should also be doing. J. Thornthwaite: One of my responsibilities as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education is to educate parents and students about the valuable high- paying, family-supporting jobs lying ahead for our youth in the very near future. [1140] By 2020 there will be one million job openings in British Columbia, and our government has made it clear that we expect British Columbians to be fi rst in line, fol- lowed by Canadians, and then, as a last resort, we look for skills abroad.

More than 78 percent of those jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 43 percent of these jobs will be in the trades or technical operations. But even if we were to train up every single high school graduate in B.C., we still wouldn't have enough people for the number of jobs we expect. Our plan, mentioned earlier by the parliamentary secretary for jobs, B.C.

Skills for Jobs Blueprint: Re- engineering Education and Training , charts a seamless path for young people from elementary to high school to post-secondary education and right into the workforce, to ensure they're fi rst in line for the jobs of tomorrow. It lays out a major shift to a data-driven system where train- ing dollars and programs are targeted to jobs in demand. Th is system will also be outcome focused. We will meas- ure our success and adjust funding and programs as the economy evolves. Government currently invests more than $7.5 billion each year in education and training.

Re-engineering our system doesn't mean spending more. It means targeting more of the substantial resources already available to meet labour market priorities. Th at's why, starting this year, we're targeting over $160 million to do just that. In four years it'll be $400 million annually. Over the span of the ten-year plan this represents about $3 billion re- directed towards training for high-demand occupations. Our focus is on changing the culture and the attitudes toward the trades. Th at includes getting more young people involved and excited about trades and technical training.

In fact, I attended an event a couple of months ago at the North Vancouver school district called Ticket to Y our Future. Y ou think in North Vancouver that most people think their kids are going to university to be doc- tors and lawyers, but 600 parents and students showed up that evening to learn about all of the exciting oppor- tunities in the trades. Th is Th ursday I'm involved in a very exciting project in the North Vancouver school district called Innovative

British Columbia DebatesMonday, May 5, 2014 3447 Career Pathways for Y oung Women, an interactive even- ing for parents and students, grades nine and 12. For kids in the K-to-12 system, we want them to have a head start to hands-on learning so they're better prepared for the workforce or for more advanced training when they graduate. We're going to double the number of ACE IT spaces to 5,000 over the next two years. ACE IT is the accelerated credit for enrolment in industry training pro- gram.

It lets high school students take their fi rst level of technical training in certain trades, which could qualify them for apprenticeships or industry training programs. And we'll be expanding the dual-credit programs, re- forming the grades ten-to-12 graduation requirement, qualifying more teachers and totally revamping the ITA. We will encourage school districts and industry to part- ner to create new programs. We recognize that in some cases the temporary for- eign worker system is abused, and we are working with our federal counterparts to shut this down.

In the mean- time, we are getting our students, our aboriginal people and those with disabilities the fi rst chance to fi nd their fi t in the jobs market. B. Ralston: Well, we've heard from members oppos- ite about the jurisdictional diff erence between the feder- al role in this program and the provincial role. Certainly, immigration is a split jurisdiction. It's one of the two in the BNA Act, the other one being agriculture, but there is a real role for the province in enforcing employment standards.

I heard the member for Peace River South say that there should be fi nes and jail time for employers who violate the conditions of the temporary foreign worker permissions that they're given. Y et there is a provincial role, under employment standards. It's interesting to note what the federal minister responsible for the federal side of the program said about British Columbia's response to violations of the Employment Standards Act. In December 2012, Minister Kenney said: "'Th e sanction appears to be quite modest in British Columbia.

I would encourage them to consider in the future increasing the fi ne to send a strong message' to anyone who might be considering exploiting people seeking to come to Canada." In January 2013 the then minister responsible — and no longer here in the Legislature — Minister Bell, indi- cated he would consider increasing fi nes, but there had been no changes announced. He said: "As a fi rst off ence, $500 seems...modest. If we need to step that up, I'm fi ne with that." [1145] Nothing's happened, of course. That's the rhetoric that we hear from the other side: "Y es, there should be fi nes and jail time.

Y es, there should be important…." I think the talking point is, "We're working with our fed- eral counterparts," but nothing has happened. Th e real legislative powers that this Legislature has over employ- ment standards to protect and investigate the work con- ditions of temporary foreign workers who are being exploited — not every case, but in many cases — have not been taken up. In fact, the gutting of the employment standards legis- lation and the requirement at the fi rst stage for the ag- grieved worker to self-negotiate with their employer….

Can anyone think of more of an imbalance of power than a temporary foreign worker who is beholden to the company that they work for, because their work permit is employer-specifi c, saying: "I, under the employment standards, have a grievance, and I'm going to negotiate with you." What do you think would happen, and what is hap- pening? What was the example in Nanaimo? Th e person was threatened with being deported, and in this particu- lar case there's an allegation that he was threatened with being killed. So the idea….

All the rhetoric on that side is fi ne — typical rhetoric — but the real powers of enforce- ment that could be used are not being used despite what we've heard here from members opposite in the debate. In fact, there is a role for the provincial government. In other jurisdictions in Canada — in Manitoba, for ex- ample — they have a special investigations unit that re- sponds to complaints as well as conducting proactive investigations. It's not simply complaint-driven or refer- rals from the media.

It seems to be that most of the investigations, given the absolute dearth of any investigations on the part of the province or any enforcement on the part of the province, are initiated by the media — CBC in Victoria and the McDonald's, and CBC and the issue in Nanaimo. Th ey are bringing these cases forward to the public.

Th ey're doing the job that one would think a government that rhetorically is committed to worker protection would be undertaking themselves — not just responding to com- plaints and the unsatisfactory complaint process that's in the Employment Standards Act but actually conducting proactive investigations. Manitoba requires employers to register, so there is a list. It's known what employers have temporary foreign workers and, therefore, who might be subject to random spot checks in order to enforce the rights that those work- ers have.

Th e members opposite claim that they support their right to exercise those rights. It's very diffi cult here to know where to turn in terms of the rhetoric that's been put forward. Th e other thing that I would note as well is that the temporary foreign worker is not something that…. It looks like I'm out of time. Sorry. M. Morris: I did have some prepared notes here, but I'd probably like to respond more to some of the com- ments that members opposite have made during this debate.

British Columbia Debates3448 Monday, May 5, 2014 British Columbia has a rigorous employment stan- dards program, looking aft er the rights of every single worker. We d

Document details

Collection	British Columbia — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	20140505am-Hansard-v11n8
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	20140505am Hansard v11n8
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	PROVINCIAL
Identifier	fc5d539fb23c74e46a9a1e3f12bc6e2993d5ccbf

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