2002 Legislative Session: 3rd Session, 37th Parliament

HANSARD

The following electronic version is for informational purposes

only.

The printed version remains the official version.

Official Report of

DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

(Hansard)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2002

Afternoon Sitting

Volume 3, Number 6

CONTENTS

Routine

Proceedings

Page

Tributes

Hon. G. Plant

Introductions by Members

Statements (Standing Order 25b)

Maple Ridge arts and cultural centre

K. Stewart

Vancouver Island Technology Park

S. Brice

New jobs in B.C.

B. Penner

Oral Questions

Physicians arbitration agreement

J. MacPhail

Hon. C. Hansen

Hon. G. Collins

Hon. G. Campbell

Cost of Health Planning ministry

severance packages

J. Kwan

Hon. C. Hansen

Access to legal aid services

M. Hunter

Hon. G. Plant

Audio book program

V. Anderson

Hon. G. Abbott

J. MacPhail

Tax reductions and Medical Services Plan premiums

J. MacPhail

Forests ministry office closings

D. MacKay

Hon. M. de Jong

Reports from Committees

Petitions

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

M. Hunter

B. Bennett

R. Masi

K. Johnston

B. Kerr

R. Lee

K. Manhas

Hon. R. Neufeld

Hon. M. Coell

Hon. G. Hogg

Hon. G. Cheema

Tributes

Hon. G. Cheema

Throne Speech Debate (continued)

Hon. G. Cheema

Hon. L. Reid

[ Page 1145 ]

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2002

The House

met at 2:02 p.m.

Tributes

DENNIS CARSON

Hon. G.

Plant: Mr. Speaker, I have some sad news today. It is with deep regret and

great sadness that I advise you and members of the House that Dennis Carson, who

was the senior solicitor of the finance, commercial and real property group of

the legal services branch of the Ministry of Attorney General, passed away

suddenly on Sunday, February 17.

Dennis was

48 years old. He leaves to mourn his loss his wife, Jerri, and their three

children: Elizabeth, Denny and Jacquelyn; his parents Frank and Mary Carson;

and brothers, sisters, in-laws and many nieces and nephews. Dennis was a devoted

husband, father and son. He was an avid sportsman and was well known in both the

legal and the rugby communities in British Columbia. He was an institution in

the Ministry of Attorney General's legal services branch, having joined the

branch in 1979.

Dennis

worked with the most senior levels of government on a wide variety of complex

commercial and real property issues. Virtually every single significant

transaction to which the provincial government was a party for the past many

years has benefited from Dennis's advice and involvement, as the senior

commercial lawyer to government.

His

clients, his staff and his colleagues will miss Dennis's dedication to service,

his sound down-to-earth approach to matters and his ready wit and good humour.

He was an excellent lawyer, a tremendously valuable public servant and, most of

all, a good friend to many.

The members

of Dennis's practice group from the legal services branch are here today in the

gallery. I know that they will miss Dennis. On behalf of the House, if I may, we

extend to them and his family our sincere condolences.

[1405]

Introductions by Members

H. Long:

Today in the House I have two guests. They are from the riding of the Minister

of Health Planning. I would like to introduce them: Jennifer Chalmers, who is in

the gallery today, and Larry Chalmers as well, an ex-MLA from a previous

government who, at the time, was a Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. Would

you please make them welcome.

MacPhail: Continuing along the theme of former members visiting, I note in

the gallery that Ian Waddell is present, who was a minister in a former

government as well. Let's make him welcome.

Suffredine: Today in the gallery I have a longtime friend, Peter Tireman,

and his future son-in-law Brendon Bailey. Peter Tireman and I actually went all

through public and high school together, and he's still my friend. Some may find

that surprising. They've come to see what we do in British Columbia. They've

come almost as far as the member from Peace River does every time he comes to

visit us.

Hayer: I'm pleased to make two introductions today. I have my friends Henry

Zhao and Polly Zhang, and Zhou Jing, who is visiting here from China, with us

today. As well, I have Rich Commerford, president of MacNaughton and Ward

insurance company, and his wife, Linda Commerford, president of Charlton

Insurance, who are with the Insurance Brokers Association, visiting today in

Victoria. May the House make them very welcome, please.

Chong: Mr. Speaker, I have two sets of introductions today as well. Firstly,

visiting from Beijing, China, are two very good friends: Ms. Nancy Lin, who was

a former constituent of mine in the Gordon Head area, as well as her husband,

Dr. Vincent Lin, who is a consulting IT architect with IBM China Co. Ltd. Would

the House please make them welcome.

My second

set of introductions is regarding a school visit to the B.C. Legislature from

Cedar Hill Junior Secondary, my former high school. I see that the students are

now in the gallery — 35 students with two adults, their teacher Ms. Langston

and their principal extraordinaire, Mr. Keith McCallion. I would ask the House

to please make them very welcome.

Nijjar: It brings me great pleasure to introduce a good friend of mine, Mr.

Garth Evans, who is a lawyer from Vancouver of Evans Goldstein and Co. He is

here with his friends visiting Victoria. Would the House please make him

welcome.

J. Bray:

It's a great pleasure today to introduce a transplanted Victorian who's

moved up to Prince George, Sonia Manhas, and her friend Lisa Cheppell. Sonia was

a former B.C. Young Liberal who worked extremely hard on my campaign and had the

unenviable job of keeping me in line and keeping me scheduled. She was

invaluable to the campaign, and she was invaluable to the community. I'd also

like to congratulate her on her recent marriage to John Duncan, who on Wednesday

will be called to the bar in Prince George. Would the House please make them

welcome.

P. Bell:

Visiting with us today from the beautiful riding of Prince George North is a

good friend of mine, Erle Martz, who also parts his hair in a similar fashion as

I do. Would the House please make him feel very welcome.

Statements

(Standing Order 25b)

MAPLE RIDGE ARTS AND CULTURAL CENTRE

Stewart: Mr. Speaker, it's my privilege today to bring some good news about

my community of Maple Ridge. I'd like to make an announcement of a new arts

[ Page 1146 ]

centre for Maple Ridge. Construction has recently begun for a new arts and

entertainment centre for the downtown core of Maple Ridge. This new

43,000-square-foot centre will house a 500-seat theatre, a 150-seat practice

stage, three visual arts studios, an art gallery and a gift shop.

[1410]

This new

centre is the final public piece of a downtown core restructuring, which has

provided a new heart for our community while also servicing the adjoining

community of Pitt Meadows. Many components of this redevelopment are managed by

the joint leisure and recreational agreement between the partners of Maple Ridge

and Pitt Meadows.

Other major

components of this private-public partnership redevelopment already complete

include a 37,000-foot library, expansion of the city hall, expansion of the

leisure centre, and the new Greg Moore Youth Centre, which the Premier had the

privilege to open last fall. Also included in the project is an office tower

with a number of commercial and government offices, which include the government

agent's office and the local health unit, and on the street level of this

complex is the local MLA's office.

All the

buildings are surrounding an extended memorial park. The final commercial

component is to be completed with a new hotel complex, and the final public

building is a new arts and cultural centre.

Up to 900

full-time jobs have been created in this downtown core development. The arts

centre funding campaign is being led by a committee of Maple Ridge residents,

and already several dozen people are involved. Generous funding has also been

received from both the federal and the provincial governments. Again, the

kickoff for this fundraising campaign is April 13, and I'm sure this new centre

will make our community very proud.

VANCOUVER ISLAND TECHNOLOGY PARK

Brice: I rise today to acknowledge an achievement of the Vancouver Island

Technology Park, which is located in my riding of Saanich South. The park is

typical of many such tech parks. It offers young high-tech companies an ideal

place to grow, promotes synergistic opportunities with post-secondary

institutions and bridges research initiatives with local technology.

However, it

differs in one remarkable way, in that every decision in its development has

allowed for choosing the best solutions in design and planning that meet the

dual requirements of being cost-efficient and environmentally sensitive. The

Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise can attest — as he has visited

the site — that every consideration has been made for economically and

environmentally sound solutions.

A few

examples: parking surfaces are live turf, all systems are energy- and

water-efficient, and landscaping is indigenous to avoid any need for irrigation.

Now the

really good news. It has been announced that the Vancouver Island Technology

Park is the first project in Canada to achieve gold certification under the U.S.

Green Building Council's rating system. The gold rating reflects the steadfast

commitment of the Vancouver Island Technology Park to sustainable development

and distinguishes this project as a leader in the field of green building

design.

It is

impressive when such leadership is shown, and it's inspiring that such

leadership is acknowledged with this gold certification. Mr. Speaker, I am proud

to rise in this House to pay tribute to the creativity and professionalism of

the management team at the Vancouver Island Technology Park.

NEW JOBS IN B.C.

Penner: Like the previous two speakers, I rise to share some good news with

members of this Legislative Assembly. While the ongoing and unfair softwood

lumber dispute has cost B.C. thousands of jobs, there is some employment growth

occurring. StatsCan reported 27,000 new jobs in B.C. last month, and last week

the member for Surrey-Whalley spoke of 1,000 jobs coming to her community,

thanks to the establishment of a large customer service centre by RMH

Teleservices.

Chilliwack we have already recently experienced hundreds of new jobs. Last May

British Columbians elected a new government, and last May a U.S.-based business

called Stream International chose Chilliwack for a new customer interaction

centre. In my view, those two events are not unrelated.

Without the

promise of a more investment-friendly government and competitive taxes, I'm sure

this good news would not have come to our community. To be candid, I was

somewhat skeptical when told last year that 600 jobs would be created, with an

eventual potential for up to 900 jobs. But after Stream went into operation in

September and quickly expanded to occupy almost all 100,000 square feet of a

massive state-of-the-art facility next to Highway 1 in Chilliwack, I'm forced to

admit that my skepticism was misplaced.

As of today

1,057 people are working full-time at Stream in Chilliwack. A further 104 people

are working part-time. This makes Stream the largest private sector employer in

our area. I've toured the facility, and I was instantly struck by the number of

youthful employees working with leading voice and Internet technologies.

[1415]

Strangely,

I haven't seen any mention of these new jobs in the major media, although I

suspect that if 1,200 people were thrown out of jobs in one town by a single

employer, we would have heard about it.

A recent

KPMG study examining costs in 115 communities in Europe, North America and Japan

found that B.C.'s costs are 15 percent lower, on average, than those in 43 U.S.

cities. The same report shows that in key sectors like software, electrical

systems, research and development, Chilliwack comes out ahead of Portland,

Seattle, San Jose, and — yes, Mr. Speaker, I've been waiting years to say this

— it comes out ahead of Calgary, Alberta. That's why I'm confi-

[ Page 1147 ]

dent that even more jobs will be coming soon to our area. Stay tuned.

Oral Questions

PHYSICIANS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT

MacPhail: To the Minister of Health Services. We had reports over the

weekend and today that the minister was in secret meetings with the B.C. Medical

Association to find a way to renege on the binding arbitration agreement between

the government and the doctors. Can the minister please stand and reveal the

details of that secret meeting and what conclusion he came to in order to find a

way to scuttle the binding arbitration?

Hon. C.

Hansen: I was quite surprised to arrive home from Montreal to find out that

I was, in fact, not in Montreal on Friday giving a speech, but I was actually

supposed to be at some secret meeting. I was not at a secret meeting on Friday

with the B.C. Medical Association.

MacPhail: I feel badly that there are so many things that the Minister of

Health Services is out of the loop on. I don't think that's good news for

British Columbians.

We know

that this government has reneged on its promise to not increase MSP premiums. We

know that the access to supplementary benefits has been eliminated. We know that

Pharmacare benefits have been cut. We know that the government's own back bench

is recommending user fees and extra billing in order to fund health care. In

this report we also know that Dr. Marshall Dahl of the BCMA does not believe,

also, that all services should be funded. The quote is here in the report

exactly.

It also was

reported in the media that the Finance minister was involved in secret

negotiations with the BCMA over the last few days. Can the Finance minister

stand up and tell the House what services he as, really, the de facto Health

minister is prepared to delist as the BCMA past president suggests should happen

— as he's prepared to delist as part of the quid pro quo with the doctors?

Hon. G.

Collins: As the member opposite would know, this government actually

increased the health care budget this year. And as the member opposite should

also know, if she monitors the media at all, I wasn't at a Friday meeting

either.

Mr.

Speaker: The Leader of the Opposition with a further question.

MacPhail: Every single increase in health care spending in this province

will come directly out of the pockets of British Columbians. To the Premier….

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please. Order, please, hon. members.

MacPhail: Unfortunately, British Columbians were told that they wouldn't

have to pay out of their own pockets for health care spending in this province,

so to the Premier….

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please, hon. members.

MacPhail: It was reported that the Premier met secretly with the BCMA. Can

the Premier please tell us, given what the doctors say about wanting to delist

services and given that there are new taxes on the horizon, what new taxes —

either in the form of direct billing by physicians, which is recommended here,

or increased health care fees in increased MSP premiums or user fees…? What

extra money will British Columbians be paying that he promised in order to get

around the binding arbitration with the doctors?

[1420]

Hon. G.

Campbell: Hon. Speaker, I did meet with representatives of the BCMA on

Friday, as did a number of our officials. We thought it was important for us to

discuss with them the arbitration award that has been put forward on an interim

basis. We will continue to discuss that with them as we look to make sure that

patients are at the centre of everyone's attention in B.C.'s health care system.

COST OF HEALTH PLANNING MINISTRY

SEVERANCE PACKAGES

J. Kwan:

Yesterday it was revealed that the former CEO of the South Fraser health region

received a severance package worth $700,000. That's $700,000 that should go to

direct patient care. To the Minister of Health Planning: how much more money has

been paid out in severance? And how much more does she expect will be paid out

to health regions with CEOs?

Hon. C.

Hansen: I have to agree with the member for Vancouver–Mount Pleasant. It

is a lot of money, and it's unacceptable. I think, when she wants to find out

the history of that, she might want to look to the member beside her, the member

for Vancouver-Hastings, who was in fact the Minister of Health in this province

when that contract was signed.

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please. Order, please, hon. members. The member for

Vancouver–Mount Pleasant has the floor.

J. Kwan:

The Minister of Health Planning earlier had said that health dollars should go

into direct health care services, that education dollars should go into

[ Page 1148 ]

education services and that severance packages that were high were

disgusting. Those were her own words. The Minister of Health Planning said all

of this before she became the Minister of Health Planning. Of course, this

happened before she so helpfully presented at an open cabinet meeting on how to

restructure health care in British Columbia.

So far, we

know the tab is $700,000 for one person in her ministry. That's in addition to

the $300,000 that…. This government themselves hired and fired their own

deputy — $300,000 for five months' work. That's a total of $1 million. So my

question to the Minister of Health Planning, who's becoming, quite frankly, a

fast drain on health care services for British Columbians, is: how many more

health care dollars are being directed away from patient care for severance

packages?

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please. Order, please. Order, please, hon. members.

Hon. C.

Hansen: I want to remind the member that what we had in British Columbia was

ten years of building up an administrative structure in British Columbia that

was draining dollars away from patient care. What we said, when we announced

restructuring, was that we were going to refocus those administrative dollars on

direct patient care. We made it quite clear…

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please.

Hon. C.

Hansen: …in December, when we announced the restructuring, that there

would be severance costs as a result of reducing the amount of administrative

superstructure that was there. There is still, at the end of the day, going to

be a net saving of $20 million as a result of the reduction in administrative

costs at the health authority level.

ACCESS TO LEGAL AID SERVICES

Hunter: My question is to the Attorney General. The Attorney General

recently announced funding cuts affecting legal aid services in the province.

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please. Order, hon. members. The member for Nanaimo has the

floor.

Hunter: The Attorney General recently announced reduced funding for legal

aid services. Some of my constituents are alleging that this decision will

prevent the most vulnerable from accessing basic legal resources. Will the

Attorney General please tell us why he made this decision to reduce funding of

legal services?

[1425]

Hon. G.

Plant: Unfortunately, difficult times mean difficult decisions have to be

made across government. Most of the ministries of government have had to reduce

their expenditures over three years, and the Ministry of Attorney General was

not an exception to that. We have, in British Columbia today, a legal aid

program that receives more funding per capita than any provincial legal aid

program anywhere in Canada. Today we can't afford the richest legal aid program

in Canada when we have the one of the worst-performing economies in Canada.

Over three

years we are going to be reducing the grant to the Legal Services Society. At

the end of three years British Columbia's grant-per-capita in legal aid will

still be the third-highest in Canada. We will maintain legal aid services…

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please.

Hon. G.

Plant: …to those people in British Columbia who need them the most.

Mr.

Speaker: The member for Nanaimo with a supplementary question.

Hunter: I want to say that the community law office in my constituency has

begun turning away individuals who are seeking legal aid. Will the Attorney

General please explain what steps are being taken to make sure that this turning

away of clients does not occur?

Hon. G.

Plant: In fact, there's been no cut to legal aid, effective today. It's a

complete mystery to me the basis upon which any community law office in British

Columbia should today be turning people away.

Yes, we

will be making changes. We'll be making changes in a way that ensures that

people accused of criminal offences have access to legal aid, that people

involved in domestic violence disputes have access to legal aid, that people who

need representation in mental health proceedings have access to legal aid, that

people involved in custody proceedings have access to legal aid, that people who

have civil and administrative law difficulties with government will have access

to the information and education they need to ensure that their rights can be

protected.

There is

more we can do. There is more we will do. We must seize this moment and turn

this challenge into an opportunity. I'm committed to doing that.

AUDIO BOOK PROGRAM

Anderson: My question is to the Minister of Community, Aboriginal and

Women's Services. I've recently had a constituent phone me about the recent

government announcement concerning the elimination of the audio book program.

Many of my constituents

[ Page 1149 ]

are concerned with this decision, since this program produced a large audio

library to help educate the blind. Can the Minister of Community, Aboriginal and

Women's Services tell us why this program has been eliminated?

Hon. G.

Abbott: I thank the member for his question. There have been some changes,

certainly, since the government got in the business of producing audio books

back in 1974. Back then there was no one else in the business. Government became

the sole producer of that particular product. A lot has changed since then.

There are now many private sector producers of audio books. In fact, across

North America, including some Canadian companies, it's now a $2 billion-a-year

business. There certainly are many, many titles available from the private

sector.

From my

perspective, it's far more important that government's role be to continue to

provide access for the blind and others to these very important materials. I met

recently with the B.C. Library Association. They assure me that with the

continued provincial grant we will be giving them, they will be able to continue

to assure access. I believe that is the right thing to do.

Mr.

Speaker: The member for Vancouver-Langara with a supplementary question.

Anderson: Over the years the audio book program built up an audio library

with a collection of over 7,000 titles. Can the Minister of Community,

Aboriginal and Women's Services tell us what will be done with this existing

collection and whether they will still be available for the blind?

MacPhail: Are you going to sell it to pay for your tax cut?

Hon. G.

Abbott: That might have been a suggestion that the opposition would have

made. Certainly, it would be typical of them to attempt to do that.

That's not

the case, Mr. Speaker. There are 7,000 titles. There are over 100,000 copies of

those titles. My ministry is in discussions with InterLink to assure the

recipients of these, the blind and others, that in fact those titles will remain

available far into the future.

[1430]

TAX REDUCTIONS AND

MEDICAL SERVICES PLAN PREMIUMS

MacPhail: To the Premier. I have what one might call a riddle. What's the

difference between a Liberal tax cut and a Liberal increase in medical services

premiums?

Mr.

Speaker: Would the member care to rephrase the question. It's not in order

the way it is.

The member

for Bulkley Valley–Stikine.

Interjection.

Mr.

Speaker: The member for Bulkley Valley–Stikine has the floor.

Interjections.

Mr.

Speaker: Order, please.

FORESTS MINISTRY OFFICE CLOSINGS

MacKay: I would start off by saying that I was not at any private meeting

over the weekend.

I would

like to address my question to the Minister of Forests. A number of provincial

Forestry offices will close as a result of the government's restructuring plans.

These offices play an important role in forestry-dependent communities like

mine, by enforcing regulations, collecting information on local data and

providing technical advice. Can the Minister of Forests tell my constituents and

other forestry-dependent communities across B.C. how these services will

continue to be provided when these offices are being closed?

Hon. M.

de Jong: In fact, a number of offices are in the process of being closed

down, and there is a human cost associated with that on the part of a great many

civil servants who have dedicated themselves professionally to serving this

province well.

There are

two issues, two considerations that drive the decision. One is a budgetary

structural deficit estimated in the neighbourhood of $4 billion that is a

reality. The other is a realization on the part of this government that this

ministry, and in fact all of government, can do things differently and can do

them better. When we move from a prescription, regulatory-based Forest Practices

Code to a results-based code, we're going to be able to do things better.

I want to

assure the member of this: as always, the paramount concern will be to ensure

that the highest environmental standards of stewardship are maintained. We're

going to be counting on those professionals that are remaining in those offices.

It's not going to be without its challenges, but I think it's a challenge we can

meet very well here in British Columbia.

[End

of question period.]

Reports from Committees

Roddick: Hon. Speaker, I have the honour to present the report of the Select

Standing Committee on Health for the second session of the thirty-seventh

parliament, entitled Patients First: Renewal and Reform of British Columbia's

Health Care System .

I move that

the report be taken as read and received.

Motion

approved.

Roddick: Hon. Speaker, I ask leave of the House to suspend the rules to

permit moving of a motion to adopt the report.

[ Page 1150 ]

Leave

granted.

Roddick: I move that the report be adopted, Patients First: Renewal and

Reform of British Columbia's Health Care System.

It was an

honour and a privilege to work with the dedicated members of the Select Standing

Committee on Health and to serve as their Chair.

This

committee has not sat since 1993-94. The province responded in spades. In fact,

the committee received more presentations than any other committee before it. It

is a tribute to the people of British Columbia who took the time to attend and

present as well as sending in hundreds of written submissions.

[1435]

All members

of the Health committee who actually participated in this report worked long and

hard to produce what we consider to be a real work of health. Its finding are

echoed in other major studies, including the recent preliminary report by the

Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. In virtually every case the

need for fundamental structural changes is inescapable to save and renew our

health care system.

The Select

Standing Committee on Health would like to thank everyone in the Clerk of

Committees office, as well as Anne Mullens, Wynne MacAlpine and Pamela Grant,

for their excellent support. Patients First should be read by everyone.

Our health is our life.

Motion

approved.

Petitions

Lekstrom:

I rise, Mr. Speaker, to present a petition signed by over 1,500 of

the residents of my constituency. This reflects some of the anxieties my

constituents have regarding the reorganization of health care provisions and the

inclusion of the northern health authority.

Mr.

Speaker: Hon. members, it is with great regret that I inform the House that

the Deputy Speaker of the House, the member for Kelowna–Lake Country, is ill.

He is in Kelowna General Hospital and will be absent from the House for some

time. I'm sure he would love to hear from all of the members.

Orders of the Day

Hon. G.

Collins:

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

Throne Speech Debate

(continued)

Mr.

Speaker: Address in Reply continues with the member for Nanaimo. We'll just

wait a minute while those who take their leave do so quickly and quietly.

Hunter: When Father Time interrupted me on the last business day of the

House, I was talking about my concern about how the public finances of this

province have become a political football. Today it's with pride and with

confidence in the future of this province that I see a government that puts

honesty before convenience and knows it is sometimes necessary to say no — a

government that applies high ethical standards in its daily work and conducts

the business of the public in public.

Nevertheless,

there are individuals and families in my constituency who I know are genuinely

concerned about the extent and the pace of the changes this government is

introducing and the potential impacts on them, their families or their friends.

To them I say that my commitment, and the commitment of this government, is to

ensure that those in our community who need help the most will continue to

receive it.

The changes

we are making are ones that are necessary because the piper is now ready to call

the tune, after a decade of mismanagement. The changes foreseen in the Speech

from the Throne are the changes that will make sure we regain control of our own

destiny within this province and within Canada. To those who say we are moving

too fast, I respond that we have no time to lose. The world passed us by for ten

long years, and we need to run hard to catch up.

Nobody

should feel guilty about concerns they have about either the depth or the speed

of change, because concern over change is a natural human reaction. But ask most

British Columbians how they feel about our status as a have-not province, and

most will tell you they are disgraced and ashamed by our new-found reliance on

Ontario and Alberta. They know we have to change the way we do business here.

[1440]

I regret to

say, however, that there are also those who are expressing concern whose purpose

is less about the public interest and more about their own. They represent

organizations that are no longer in control of the government. Their opposition

is based on their desire to protect their private interests, even at the expense

of the public interest. Let me say to them that I am steadfast in my

determination to act on behalf of the public interest, and as long as I sit in

this place, the public interest will always win my support and will supersede

any private interest.

I have no

tolerance for those who use threat and intimidation as a means of advancing

their private interests or agendas. Public life, as I'm finding out, is

difficult enough and a strain on personal lives and relationships. The utterance

of threats does not bode well for encouraging others to seek to take a seat

here. Nor does such action bode well for democracy, a civil society or the

institution of parliament.

I know that

times are tough. Believe me, Nanaimo has its share of laid-off forestry workers.

The decisions we must make are difficult indeed. The only way to get through

this is to work together to meet our commitments that patients, students and

those in need come first. The Speech from the Throne confirms this agenda that

we set out with pride, confidence and conviction last spring. It confirms that

the proverbial glass in Brit-

[ Page 1151 ]

ish Columbia is half full, not half empty, as some of my colleagues indicated

earlier this afternoon. The sun on our provincial flag is not a setting sun but

a rising one. Let me tell this House why this is so by drawing upon the

situation in my own constituency.

It's a fact

that the Nanaimo region suffers serious social problems. Social indicators are,

in many cases, either the worst in the province or in the top quartile — or

the bottom quartile, depending on how you look at it. For example, teenage

pregnancy rates and rates of access to welfare support by youths under 19 are

the highest in the province. Yet the community also enjoys one of the highest

rates of volunteer commitment in the province. People spend their time and their

expertise to add to the taxpayers' resources that can be allocated to solve some

of these problems.

Are these

volunteers throwing up their arms and saying that reductions in

taxpayer-provided assistance mean the end of the world? Quite the contrary.

Volunteer groups are looking to redouble their efforts. They are looking for new

partnerships and innovative ways to continue providing services to those in

need. They understand that the public purse is not without a bottom and that the

bottom is in sight, and we had better start doing things differently.

There are

other solutions to the area's problems that are deriving directly from the

actions this government has taken to date. Our personal and corporate tax

reductions are building confidence. New investment is beginning to offer the

promise of sustainable private sector employment that will more than replace the

positions that will disappear from the public service between now and March of

2005. Within six months we expect the re-inauguration of high-speed passenger

ferry service linking Nanaimo harbour with Vancouver harbour.

I want my

colleague, the hon. Minister of State for Women's Equality and the MLA for

Langley, to hear this. A commuter trip to downtown Vancouver will be 15 minutes

less from Nanaimo than it is from Langley, and someone else is going to be doing

the driving. Within 18 months Nanaimo will boast a new, state-of-the-art,

harbourside conference centre and hotel. New investment to accommodate new

visitors to our city will follow. Industrial investment plans in Nanaimo are

starting to add up, and I have every confidence that the forest sector will be

revived as a result of the forestry approaches set out in the Speech from the

Throne.

Let there

be no mistake about it: my constituency will continue to rely on the forest

sector for a big part of its prosperity for years to come. We have a plan for

the forest industry. It's a plan that offers real hope for renewal. It's a plan

that stands in stark contrast to the last government's approach. That government

knew that the softwood lumber agreement was going to expire in 2001. It knew

that forestry investment was declining, especially on the coast. Yet all it

could do was impose the much ballyhooed and much discredited jobs and timber

accord.

The people

who are out of work in my community in the forest industry know about the

efforts that the Minister of Forests is making. They know my real concern, and

they know we're working hard to resolve that problem with our major customer.

[1445]

There are

new activities that are helping to build my community as well as the ones I've

referred to. The aquaculture industry already provides considerable work and

income in Nanaimo. That will only increase as the industry expands under the

most rigorous environmental standards. I know the decision to allow the

expansion of aquaculture is controversial, but independent science is on our

side, and the risks can and will be managed.

I don't

want us to be fooled by all the prophets of doom and gloom who say that the

traditional recreational and commercial fishing industries have seen their day.

They, too, continue to contribute to my community. The commercial fishing

industry is certainly a different one than the one that supported my family for

a quarter of a century, but it remains, in many respects, a vibrant and

successful part of coastal British Columbia.

I'm also

confident that development of the coalbed methane extraction industry and the

prospect of new offshore oil and gas exploration will benefit people and

businesses in my constituency. We have in Nanaimo the critical mass of service

and supply businesses that the new investment will need and that the new

industries will draw upon.

Our tourism

industry is poised for growth despite the impact of September 11. Our tourism

industry in Nanaimo is driven in part by our location as the top cool-water

diving site in the world and a major recreational boating centre.

We are also

home to a growing, active and successful high-technology sector. That sector is

being boosted by this government's commitment to the sector and by the new tax

regime which makes living and working in B.C. affordable again. I was pleased to

have had the opportunity to speak at a meeting of the Premier's Technology

Council in Nanaimo on Friday, where that council was seeking advice from local

high-tech representatives.

Our

university college, Malaspina, is already a leader in the province in the

post-secondary education field. Its innovative programs and the energy of its

management, faculty and students are assets that this government's commitment to

education will reinforce and foster.

All of this

is positive news. The agenda laid out in the Speech from the Throne serves to

reinforce the confidence of those who are investing in my community's future

and, along with it, the future of this province.

I listened

with interest to the response from the Leader of the Opposition. She was

critical of the fact that this government listens to business. I, for one, look

forward to seeing more businesses established in B.C., creating sustainable jobs

for our people. This province, I argue, would not be badly off if there were 50,

100 or more people with the business vision and skill that a

[ Page 1152 ]

man like Jimmy Pattison has shown, if we are to resume our economic prowess.

I am also

proud to be part of a government that is committed to resolving the thorny issue

of aboriginal land claims. It may well be that Nanaimo will be the location of

this province's first urban treaty, although there are significant and difficult

issues yet to be addressed. Our aboriginal coastal citizens have expressed a

desire to be part of the broader community, and I intend to continue to

encourage them to do just that: to look at investment opportunities in the new

Nanaimo — opportunities that, if taken, can be instrumental in resolving the

generations-old problems faced by some of our aboriginal people.

I did not

expect that the job that I was elected to do would be an easy one. In fact, I

knew that it would be difficult. I knew that I would be called upon to use my

intellect and judgment to choose amongst tough alternatives. It's obvious that

many of the choices we are called upon to make are difficult, especially when

they involve changing old ways and challenging the status quo.

At the end

of the day, I will be accountable to my electorate. When the time comes, I will

have no difficulty in saying that the agenda for British Columbia set out in

this throne speech is the right agenda for the right reasons. It is the agenda

that will lead us to a prosperous future, to a society that can sustain the

programs its citizens desire, and that will lead us back to our proper place as

a contributor to Canadian society.

Bennett: I rise today to provide my support to the very positive messages in

the government's throne speech. When I reviewed the throne speech, I found it

hard to imagine how anyone could be against the direction that was set out in

that speech. I think of the three objectives that were set out there. No. 1 was

to revitalize the economy in B.C. No. 2 was to restore sound fiscal management,

and No. 3 was to put patients, students and people first.

Cheerleaders

for the status quo are trying to characterize these objectives as being

negative. That's very puzzling to me, because I can't understand what's negative

about creating new jobs. I can't understand what's negative about restoring

investor confidence in B.C. or about stopping the brain drain to Alberta,

Ontario and the U.S. I must conclude that those folks don't understand that when

our economy suffers, it's the people who pay the price.

[1450]

Now, what

exactly is negative about restoring responsible management of our finances in

B.C.? I wonder if those who oppose our direction would prefer that we simply

continue spending more than the taxpayers of B.C. can sustain. What exactly is

negative about putting patients, students and people first? The former regime

spawned a culture of entitlement and special interest politics. This government,

based on the throne speech that we just heard a few days ago, is returning this

province to all the people of B.C.

I want to

get specific. What does revitalizing the economy mean to the folks in the East

Kootenay, the area that I represent very proudly? Well, a good start is the fact

that the Premier will be meeting with small business owners, operators and

entrepreneurs. What a novel idea — a Premier that actually goes out and talks

to the grass-roots people who create most of the new jobs in B.C.

I know one

thing the Premier will hear from East Kootenay job creators: tourism businesses

are discouraged from investing and creating jobs by an inflexible, unfair

Employment Standards Act that forces inefficiency on them and on their

employees. Guest ranch operators in my area are tied up in inflexible rules that

force them into working conditions that don't make any sense for them. They

don't make any sense for employees, and they don't make any sense for the

customers.

I'll tell

you something else that I'm hearing loud and clear in the East Kootenay: my

constituents support the comments in the throne speech about developing the

coalbed methane gas that is found in abundance in the East Kootenay. The U.S.A.

produces about 6 percent of its natural gas from coalbed methane. The

development of coalbed methane has great potential for the East Kootenay and for

all of British Columbia.

constituents also support the construction of the long overdue coal-fired power

plant at Fording River in the Elk Valley. The province of Alberta generates 80

percent of its electricity with coal and exports most of its oil and gas. B.C.

generates no electricity with coal, even though just in the East Kootenay alone

we have over 100 years of high-quality, low-sulphur coal waiting to be used. The

proposed coal-fired power plant at Elkford would cost $250 million to build. It

would generate 160 construction jobs for three years and 50 to 60 full-time

jobs.

I am

committed, as MLA for this area, to make this project happen. The Elk Valley has

been waiting long enough. It is time, in my opinion, that all British Columbians

start to benefit from all of the natural resources we are blessed with in this

province — not just those that have the current politically correct cachet.

On a

positive note, there are signs that B.C.'s economy is waking from its ten-year

slumber. I take these from the throne speech. Last year B.C. posted Canada's

largest increase in housing sales. We also had the highest percentage increase

in residential construction in Canada. Retail sales are increasing at a faster

rate than the national average, and automobile sales have been strong throughout

most of B.C. Many of these positive signs are evident in the East Kootenay

despite a generally slow world economy and some of the challenges that we have

coming from our softwood problems with the U.S.A.

In terms of

the second objective set out in the speech, restoring sound fiscal management to

B.C., we're going from ten years of fast-ferry economics and fiscal terrorism to

a new era of responsibility. It's challenging; it's tough. You can ask the

public servants in the East Kootenay who must look for new jobs. They'll

[ Page 1153 ]

tell you it's tough, but you can also ask the thousands of laid-off forest

workers in this province. It's tough as well.

I was

taught a long time ago that nothing of value comes easy. We could give in, as a

government, and go back to undisciplined spending. The Premier has said it very

well: "It is easier to say yes than it is to say no." But this

government will not refuse to do its duty.

On the

other hand, during this process I think we have to be diligent to protect those

in our society who genuinely struggle to make ends meet and who often do not

have the material or the personal advantages that those of us in this chamber

are blessed with. To this end, our government has managed to protect funding for

transition houses for women and children leaving abusive relationships. We've

cut personal income taxes so that the lowest two income brackets in B.C. now pay

the least income tax in Canada. Even in increasing MSP premiums by 50 percent,

our government did manage to reduce those premiums for 230,000 low-income

British Columbians.

[1455]

At the end

of the day, applying restraint to our fiscal affairs is the right thing to do,

and in the long term everyone in B.C. will receive the rewards of a healthy

economy that can support our social programs.

You could

say that in this province, we have developed a dependence on government

largesse. We've become dependent, in B.C., on the succour of the public trough.

That trough is almost dry, and it's been almost dry for years. That's why our

provincial debt has gone from $17.3 billion in 1991 to $35.5 billion on

September 30, 2001.

B.C.

taxpayers are currently spending $830 million a year just to pay the interest on

our provincial debt. If we had that $830 million to spend on patients, students

and children of B.C., I would suggest that would be a much more positive way to

spend that money.

British

Columbians don't want their government to spend more than their ability to pay.

That kind of fiscal mismanagement is no different from the family that everyone

knows lives beyond its means but refuses to stop spending. That's why we have

committed to balance our budget by 2004-05 and why this important commitment was

reiterated in the throne speech.

Putting

patients, students and people first is also the right thing to do. Let's review

a few of the commitments on health care. This government has not reduced the

budget for health care in B.C. When I hear people talking about cuts to health

care, I know most do not understand this. This government actually added $200

million to the health care budget right after the 2001 election. But lobbing

gobs of money at health care is clearly not the answer either. Service to

patients has not improved over the past ten years, even though we're now

spending 40 percent of our provincial budget on health care.

The throne

speech speaks of saving and renewing health care. How can we do this without a

gob of that new money? What's wrong with taking some of that existing $9.5

billion and redirecting those dollars away from non-clinical services to patient

care? That's really the only thing to do, though difficult for those good people

delivering those non-clinical services.

Let me say,

Mr. Speaker, that it's unfair and unnecessary to demonize those workers who are

impacted by this redirection of health care dollars. I don't think anyone can

blame them for accepting some very generous deals from the former government. I

think public indignation ought to be focused on those past governments that made

those irresponsible deals.

What about

education? What's wrong with finding dollars in the education budget that are

being spent on things that do not directly benefit students and redirecting

those dollars to students? I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that I personally

wrestled with the decision to bring in Bills 28 and 29. I share the teachers'

commitment to class size. I know it will take innovation and leadership on the

part of elected school board trustees to make this work for students. With the

flexibility our government is now providing to boards, I believe that the

trustees can manage their challenges.

At the end

of the day, there really is no money tree outside these hallowed halls. I

haven't noticed any printing presses in the basement.

I can tell

you that I've actually been broke in my life. I remember that back in 1982 in

the recession, not long after I started my tourism business in northern

Manitoba, the U.S. economy had slowed pretty much to a stop. That's where most

of my clients came from. I was out of money at the end of the season and

couldn't afford to pay my suppliers. I remember going around the town of

Thompson, Manitoba, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, cap in hand, meeting with each of my

suppliers and asking them to be patient and to work with me while I built my

enterprise into a success, which my wife and I did. At the time it was a

horrible, helpless feeling not being able to pay what I clearly knew was owing.

B.C. is at

the same kind of crossroads today. We can go to our bankers and borrow even more

money, we can risk bankruptcy and become even more of a have-not province, or we

can exercise some self-discipline and ask British Columbians to work with us, as

I asked my suppliers 20 years ago, and rebuild the affordable services that

patients, students and all British Columbians deserve.

In closing,

let me state again my support for the direction set out in our government's

throne speech. These last few months have been challenging for everyone. The

next months will be no easier. Very few people enjoy the prospect of change. In

fact, it's often the prospect of change, the anxiety about change and the

unknowns about what the change really is that people have the most difficulty

with, rather than the actual change itself.

[1500]

I respect

the anxiety that I hear expressed every day in my riding, but I say to the

people in my riding of East Kootenay who are worried about their future: your

government is headed in the right direction. Talk to me. I'll listen to you.

Learn the facts. Work with us.

[ Page 1154 ]

Help revitalize our economy. Help restore responsible fiscal management to

B.C. Help your government to think and work creatively. Help us to ensure that

in all of our desire to affect positive change in British Columbia, we remember

the patients, the students and all those British Columbians who we must not

allow to bear too heavy a portion of the challenge of rebuilding this province.

The

challenge of rebuilding British Columbia, of revitalizing our economy and

controlling our fiscal practices while protecting those who need our help, is

immense. But it is now underway, and that is the most positive news that this

throne speech could deliver.

R. Masi:

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to rise today to participate in this historic and

important debate on the throne speech delivered last week by the

Lieutenant-Governor, the Hon. Iona Campagnolo. Let me also say at this time that

I extend my congratulations and best wishes to our new Lieutenant-Governor as

she embarks on her latest

chapter of dedicated and impassioned public service on

behalf of British Columbia.

My thanks

and best wishes, as well, to her predecessor, the Hon. Garde Gardom, who served

this province with dignity, good humour and a deep, abiding love for British

Columbia and its people in a career of service that spanned decades.

Mr.

Speaker, we the members of this Legislature have an important responsibility to

the people of British Columbia, who have elected us to represent their interests

at the seat of government. In our pluralistic society we have, by necessity,

many competing interests vying for scarce financial resources and attention. Our

job as legislators is to balance those competing interests such that the greater

common good benefits.

That

requires us to be good listeners — at times actively soliciting input from

segments of society which traditionally have remained silent. We need to

actively solicit input from individuals and organizations which have developed

specialized expertise that could be drawn upon to help shape and refine

government decisions. We need to be prepared to make those decisions in a

responsible and responsive manner and move forward.

That is the

very essence of government and clearly underscores what we are here to do on

behalf of the people of British Columbia. It is clearly what this Speech from

the Throne sets out to do. This government has identified and laid out essential

priorities to help guide British Columbia into a new era of prosperity and hope.

With this Speech from the Throne, the government is clearly signalling to all

British Columbians and people around the world that we are getting our house in

order. We are committed to revitalizing the economy, to restoring sound fiscal

management, while ensuring that the needs of patients, students and all the

citizens of British Columbia are put first.

That our

economy was in shambles when we assumed office last June comes as no surprise to

the many thousands of unemployed forestry and mining workers, and I'm not just

referring to the softwood lumber dispute and its very serious impact but rather

the onerous restrictions and regulations imposed by the former NDP government

— things such as the Forest Practices Code.

It comes as

no surprise to the struggling small business owner, drowning in a sea of red

tape and a crushing tax regime, or to the families who could barely make ends

meet while watching the previous government splurge $463 million on fast ferries

to nowhere, $1 billion on business subsidies, and on and on and on.

To add

insult to injury, we just found out earlier this month that for the first time

ever our province qualified for equalization payments in 1999 from Ottawa

because of our poor economic performance. Frankly, that's

incomprehensible. That we teeter on the brink of being a have-not province is a

stunning indictment of the previous government and their relentless squandering

of our precious resources.

[1505]

The people

of British Columbia knew that change was absolutely necessary if we were to

rebuild our great province into a beacon of economic hope and prosperity for

all. They knew that B.C. needed a government committed to mapping out a vision

for the future that delivered on its promises, a government dedicated to

restructuring, revamping and restoring economic confidence and freedom, a

government which put the interests of all its citizens first, not the interests

of single or special interest groups.

Mr.

Speaker, that was the mandate we received from the citizens of British Columbia,

and that is the mandate we are delivering on with this Speech from the Throne.

If we are to harness the great potential of our economy, we need to start by

revitalizing it and doing so as quickly as possible. We are committed to make

our economy more competitive, diversified and attractive to investors. It is our

central goal and mission as a government.

By way of

example, I'll mention four of the initiatives that our government is committed

to undertaking to help revitalize our economy. The Legislature will be asked to

debate and pass changes to the Employment Standards Act, the Workers

Compensation Act and the Labour Relations Code so as to provide increased

flexibility, fairness and equality to both employers and employees. Legislation

will be introduced to amend the Company Act in order to cut red tape, improve

efficiency and stimulate economic growth.

The days of

government being all things to all people are long over, and that's why this

government will be moving forward to explore public-private partnerships. We

need to leverage scarce and precious public finances with those of the private

sector in areas such as transportation and highways, information technology,

housing, land and resource development, health support services and facilities,

and our educational infrastructure.

Let me say

this: unlike the opposition, I am not timid about public-private partnerships. I

believe that innovative and effective solutions to large capital-

[ Page 1155 ]

intensive projects can and will be found with these partnerships —

solutions which will benefit everyone in society.

My last

point on upcoming government initiatives to revitalize the economy is this: for

decades a cloud of uncertainty has hung over our entire province. I am speaking

of treaty negotiations. Unfortunately, this uncertainty has hampered our

abilities as a province to entice investment here. We need to bring the era of

uncertainty to a close. We need to ensure that the voice of the people is

clearly and succinctly reflected in treaty negotiations, thus providing the

means by which we can move forward with confidence. Therefore, British

Columbians will be asked by way of a mail-in ballot to provide answers to

questions and to help guide the government in negotiating treaties. At the same

time, we on this side of the Legislature believe that this will generate a

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

treaty process among all citizens.

With these

initiatives and the others outlined in last week's Speech from the Throne,

combined with other initiatives we have undertaken as a government since

assuming office in June of last year, I believe that we are well on the road to

recovery and prosperity. But we face an equally challenging problem, and that is

the challenge to restore sound fiscal management to our operations as a

government.

The

previous government seemed to feel that tax dollars grew on trees. They spent

and spent and spent like there was no tomorrow. Well, for that government,

tomorrow came with a resounding crash last May.

We took

office and spent months combing the catacombs of government, trying to nail down

just how much the taxpayers of B.C. were really on the hook. The verdict's in,

and it isn't pretty. We could be looking at a deficit of $4.4 billion or more

this year, and the next year won't be that much better. This must stop. We

simply cannot continue to mortgage our children's futures to the hilt, and we

won't.

It's why

one of the first acts we took as a government was to pass binding legislation

that requires the government to balance our budget by the year 2004-05. To

achieve that goal all government ministries, except health and education, will

have their operating budgets reduced by an average of 25 percent over the next

three years. This is not easy, Mr. Speaker. Identifying programs and services

that people have come to rely on is not easy. It's tough to do, but it has to be

done. Frankly, these decisions should have been taken a long time ago, but they

weren't, so they are felt much more severely today.

[1510]

At the same

time, we need to ensure that those most vulnerable in our society are sheltered.

That's why, when the government announced the MSP premium increases two weeks

ago to help offset higher wage costs for workers and higher fees for doctors, we

made the decision to lower or eliminate premium costs for some 230,000

low-income British Columbians. That's why the Premier announced last week that

we would reverse the move to eliminate seniors' bus passes to ensure that

seniors will continue to have access to the public transit system on an

affordable basis. Putting British Columbians first is the final element of our

three-part strategy to guide our government's decisions.

That our

health care system is under tremendous pressure comes as no surprise to anyone

here in British Columbia. Costs have ballooned such that our health care

expenditures have tripled in just over 16 years from $3 billion in 1985 to $9.6

billion this year. In fact, the health care budget last year alone increased by

13 percent, and that doesn't include the increased wage costs for nurses' and

doctors' fees.

Tough

decisions are being made to deal with those pressures. We are implementing a

dramatic restructuring of regional health authorities and reducing the

administrative costs of the health ministry. Bill 29, passed in this Legislature

a few weeks ago, will give the regional health authorities increased flexibility

to reorganize health care services by transferring functions or staff to meet

patients' needs. Any and all savings realized as a result of these initiatives

are being reinvested in patient care.

The effects

of these changes are being felt right across the province, including my own

constituency of Delta North, where proposed budgetary cuts to Delta Hospital

have sparked a groundswell of concern among Deltans. In fact, over 30,000 people

have signed a petition calling on the South Fraser Valley health authority to

moderate their proposed funding cuts, particularly in the area of emergency room

funding.

Delta

Hospital's strategic location relative to the Canadian-U.S. border, the ferry

terminal at Tsawwassen and the industrial park at Tilbury Island — among many

other factors — underscores the importance of maintaining its emergency room

availability on a 24-hour basis. My colleague from Delta South and I have been

working very hard with these concerned citizens to help ensure that our

emergency room will continue to operate on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week.

Regrettably,

we face similar challenges with funding our education system. Most members know

that I continue to have a real interest in this area. It disturbs me when I see

our children's education held hostage by the teachers' union, as we witnessed in

the recent labour dispute which upset our education system.

Critical

issues such as class size should not be the mandate or purview of a collective

agreement. In my opinion, the previous government grievously failed in their

responsibility to students and parents in agreeing to put class-size limits in

the collective agreement. Our government made the right decision, the correct

decision, to place the critical management issue of class size in legislation

and make school districts responsible for determining class size within the

context and parameters of the legislative requirements and district needs.

That's responsible government, and that's putting the interests of students

first — not special interest groups.

Nobody

would deny that our teachers have an important role to play in our society, and

they should be

[ Page 1156 ]

paid accordingly. The 7.5 percent salary increase over the next three years

makes our teachers the second highest–paid in the country. It's a salary

increase that balances the need to pay our teachers more while delivering sound

fiscal management.

At the

university and colleges level, this government decided last week to return the

decision of fees to the institutions — and rightly so. The artificial tuition

fees imposed by the previous government had a disastrous effect on the ability

of our post-secondary institutions to provide the courses and services that our

students required. Why? Because the previous government, the NDP government,

failed to make up the revenue shortfall caused by the tuition freeze.

[1515]

Time after

time, I heard from students in my constituency that they couldn't get into the

classes they needed to finish their degree program requirements, so they ended

up having to take an additional year. In reality, that tuition freeze was a

false economy designed to curry favour for political gain rather than making

responsible choices. By lifting the freeze and thereby increasing revenues for

our post-secondary institutions, they will be able to offer new courses,

programs and classroom spaces, and replace aging and outdated equipment that had

hampered the ability of our students to get a quality education. That's

responsible government, and that is putting the interests of students first.

The recent

announcement that Tech B.C. will become a part of Simon Fraser University is

also a reflection of this government's commitment to delivering a top-quality

education for our young people while prudently managing our fiscal resources.

Simon Fraser University enjoys a worldwide reputation of excellence, and there

is no question in my mind that the students of Tech B.C. and all the South

Fraser region will benefit greatly from this new relationship.

Once again,

we saw the long arm of the meddlesome NDP and their habit of signing sweetheart

deals spell the end of Tech B.C. long before the last election. The reality is

that the business plan and in particular the lease arrangements with ICBC were

unsustainable and would have required a massive cash infusion from the

government to keep Tech B.C. afloat. After a careful review of business plans

from a variety of post-secondary institutions, the government decided that the

proposal by Simon Fraser best met the needs of the students of Tech B.C. and,

equally important, the taxpayers of British Columbia. That's responsible

government and a clear reflection of this government's determination to make

decisions in the broader public interest.

I would

like to speak on two other issues which are very important to the people of my

constituency, Delta North, which, when resolved, can and will have an impact on

all the people of British Columbia. First is the proposed South Fraser

perimeter road project, which has been discussed and bandied about for more than

a decade. That Delta North, the lower mainland and indeed all of British

Columbia will benefit once this project is completed is an understatement.

A dedicated

transportation corridor for trucks to move goods and services between the rail

terminus in Surrey, Delta Port and Roberts Bank, Vancouver International Airport

and the Canada-U.S. border is long overdue. Expediting the movement of cargo

is important to a healthy economy. But at this time, truck traffic between these

points is forced to use old River Road — up to 2,000 trucks a day. River Road

was never designed to handle this kind of traffic, and as such, it has become a

major disruption to the residential areas along the route and an ineffective

transportation corridor.

The

potential cost is some $400 million, well outside the scope of the corporation

of Delta or the province to fund alone. Indeed, to make this proposal a reality

requires the financial assistance of both the private sector and the federal

government. Regardless, we need to move forward on this, secure the necessary

funding and make the South Fraser perimeter road a reality.

Finally, I

want to speak on one other issue that touches the heart of North Deltans. The

preservation of Burns Bog is an issue that transcends the interests of North

Deltans and captures the imagination of people throughout the lower mainland and

indeed around the world. I have spoken on this issue many times before, so I

won't go into all of the details of what makes Burns Bog a unique and valued

asset to our community.

We know

that we now have a funding envelope available to us with which to negotiate. As

well, I know that these negotiations have been well underway ever since we took

office in June. I'm confident that we will see a resolution to these

negotiations and that we will finally be in a position to preserve and protect

Burns Bog for all the citizens of this province.

[1520]

I have been

very pleased to participate in today's debates on the Speech from the Throne.

The government's Speech from the Throne has succinctly laid out the top three

priorities that will guide its decisions and our deliberations in the months

ahead. I know, in talking with my constituents in North Delta, that the majority

of them share our vision of hope through a revitalized economy, prudent fiscal

management and placing the interests of patients, students and all British

Columbians first. It's an agenda of action, it's an agenda of hope, and it's an

agenda of prosperity. That, Mr. Speaker, is what we were elected to do last May,

and that is what we on the government side are working to deliver to the people

of British Columbia.

Johnston: It's a great pleasure for me to rise today and respond to the

Speech from the Throne. As I'm growing accustomed to the ways and procedures of

this assembly, I reflect on the thoughtful debate that I've heard over the past

days. I was especially moved by the comments from the member for

Vancouver-Langara, who reminded us of the role of government in caring for the

most vulnerable in our society. His his-

[ Page 1157 ]

torical perspective on the importance of the Vancouver Food Bank and what it

means to people really made me reflect on our role as government.

[H.

Long in the chair.]

It also

made me reflect on many great, great community organizations and volunteers —

organizations such as one in the riding I represent, Vancouver-Fraserview: the

South Vancouver Neighbourhood House. This is a place where people come together

to look after each other. I think it's the role of government to facilitate

that.

Mr.

Speaker, the Speech from the Throne is one of the more important documents we as

members of the Legislature address in this House. It highlights our government's

plans for this session of the Legislature and sets out a plan to revitalize the

economy, restore sound fiscal management and put patients, students and people

first. The throne speech sets the vision. Government has to ensure that economic

stability is returned to the province of British Columbia.

The Webster

dictionary defines vision as a mode of seeing or conceiving. The

throne speech, as delivered by Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, sets that

vision by conceiving a plan for the future. I am proud that our government has a

plan, a vision for the future. Every ministry has a three-year service plan that

will ensure that we meet our goals. We are planning beyond year to year. What a

novel idea for government — to actually plan in a manner that will secure our

future. Our government's vision is the people's vision — a government which is

committed to act in the best interests of all British Columbians, not just

special interest groups. For the people of British Columbia this is good news.

Let me talk

about the priorities of the people of Vancouver-Fraserview and the people of

British Columbia as a whole. British Columbians want a first-rate health care

system and a first-rate education system. They want patients and students put

first. But to do this, we must get the province on a sound fiscal footing so we

can provide these services at the highest level. We need to get the economy of

British Columbia moving and moving quickly.

I'll just

give a quote from Henry Ford right now. Henry Ford said: "Don't find fault;

find a remedy." The vision laid out before you in the throne speech is a

remedy for what ails all British Columbians. This is what differentiates this

government from the last. We will find a remedy; we will find solutions.

I know this

House is a place to express one's views and opinions, and I truly respect that

in this institution. I know it's the job of the opposition to hold the

government accountable, but I find the objections to the new vision expressed by

the opposition absolutely mind-boggling after ten years of mismanagement and

sweetheart deals. After only eight months in office there are suggestions that

we should change course, that we should flip-flop to the status quo, where the

answer to everything is just to add more debt. The last government added more

debt in one decade than had been built up in the previous 125 years of British

Columbia history. The status quo failed miserably in the past. We cannot go back

there.

[1525]

inherited a province in a financial mess, and the pain is being felt by all

British Columbians. These are extremely tough times for many families in this

province.

These are

extremely tough times for many families in this province. Harry Truman said:

"It's a recession when your neighbour loses his job; it's a depression when

you lose your own." Many people in this province feel that we're in a

depression. They have lost jobs.

After

nearly a decade of ruin, where thousands of jobs were lost in industries across

the province due to the prior government's ineptitude, the vision I lay before

you today is the turning point towards a new future. I think all British

Columbians were embarrassed a few weeks ago to hear that our province has become

a have-not province. Who among us would have ever thought that could happen? I

reflect, going back to high school and elementary school, that we always talked

about the have-not provinces. Our teachers always taught us about the have-not

provinces, and they were over on the eastern side of Canada somewhere. They

weren't anywhere near British Columbia.

The

revelation that we became a have-not province could have been a stunning blow to

our pride as British Columbians, except that we realized why we became a

have-not province after a decade of incompetence and actually inheriting a

structural deficit of close to $4 billion. I'd like to remind everybody that

that fact was verified by an independent review panel.

Teddy

Roosevelt said: "I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of

heart, and that is softness of head." We must use our heads, even if the

decisions are tough and pull at the heart. Clearly, nobody gets any pleasure out

of making the really tough decisions, but I believe we are doing the right

things now to secure our future. Clearly, if we do not get our house in order,

we cannot create jobs, create wealth and pay for social services. I often remind

myself that there's no such thing as the government's money. It's the money

belonging to each and every British Columbian.

The throne

speech renews our commitment to the hard-working taxpayers of our province. We

will make the decisions we feel are right for British Columbians, even if those

decisions are painful to some. We were elected to restore sound fiscal

management and to revitalize economic prosperity and to protect public services.

It's the right thing to do, it's the only sensible thing to do, and it's what

British Columbians elected us to do. You know, difficult decisions are never

easy. It's not a pleasant experience to know that you are directly affecting, in

some cases, friends, relatives and others, but I know these measures are

essential to build a strong future.

I'd like to

throw in my last quote here, because I learn from people that have gone before.

I think it's important to reflect on people that have said very im-

[ Page 1158 ]

portant things. Gandhi put it succinctly: "A 'no' uttered from the

deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to please or, worse, to

avoid trouble." It isn't a pleasant experience saying no to constituents,

saying no to worthwhile programs, but the reality is that at this point in time

we are unable to pay for many of those initiatives.

The

feedback I've received from many people in the constituency is to stay the

course. Just recently the city of Vancouver completed a visioning process for

what is called the Victoria-Fraserview-Killarney area of the city —

effectively Vancouver-Fraserview provincially. It describes the kind of

community that people who live and work in Vancouver-Fraserview want, what they

would like to see over the next ten to 20 years. It was done through a survey

process with over 3,000 people responding.

Some of the

things the vision calls for are a safer community, usable schools and improved

environment. The reason I bring this city visioning process into the debate is

that the provincial government and the economy of the province have a huge

impact on the ability of this vision to be reached at the local level. As an

example, improved business climate is developed through taxation and labour

taxpayer to pay. Without our economy booming, we cannot reach the vision.

Vancouver-Fraserview we have three main shopping areas: Victoria Drive, 49th and

Champlain Mall. I would venture that small and medium business comprises about

90 percent of all business in that riding. In 1998 the small business sector

created more than two-thirds of new jobs in British Columbia. In 1999, 392,000

people worked as self-employed.

I ask the

question: are these some of the working people that are often referred to by the

NDP? In fact, I've never understood that expression: the working people. I would

think that just about everybody in British Columbia that is able and capable —

maybe 90 percent of adults — are the working people.

[1530]

Working

people are not some politically affiliated group with the NDP. They are union

people, non-union people, big business, small business — people of all kinds.

In fact, working people includes everybody. It includes my father, who came to

this country and spent his whole working life working around the mills of

British Columbia and travelling; my mother, who worked two jobs to look after

her family; and their eldest son, who spent his whole life running a business,

meeting payrolls, facing down banks and government regulations and caring about

the people he worked with. Working people are everybody. We're here for

everybody.

In fact,

the Canadian Federation of Independent Business outlook survey 2002 found

interesting statistics. It found that family incomes of employers and

self-employed are generally lower than family incomes of paid employees. Also,

small business owners work longer hours. Over 80 percent of small business

owners reported never working less than 50 hours a week, compared to only 14

percent of paid employees.

This is not

to belittle the contribution of employees in any way. Employees are the greatest

asset of any business. It's only to point out the sacrifices that most small

business operators make. The reality is that employees or small business people

have been betrayed in the past.

The survey

from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business also found that the top

necessary conditions for B.C. business to hire more employees above their 2001

plans are a boost in customer demand and a reduction of federal, provincial and

local taxes. Reasonable tax levels and a general business-friendly government

topped the list of positive attributes. The total tax burden continues to be the

top concern for four out of five British Columbians. I like to remind everybody

that on our first day in office, we gave every worker in B.C. a dramatic income

tax cut averaging 25 percent. That was a good thing.

Other major

concerns are government debt and deficit, government regulations and paper

burden, and provincial labour laws. Our priority is to wrestle these issues.

The throne

speech refers to the fact that the Premier will lead a series of round tables on

small business. This is a very important initiative for small business, which is

often called the engine room of the economy. The throne speech states that the

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

possible, to provide a sustainable framework to maximize growth and job

creation.

I look

forward to changes to the Employment Standards Act, the Workers Compensation Act

and the Labour Relations Code that will provide greater flexibility and fairness

for employers and employees alike. It is time that all parties were treated

fairly and equally under the employment standards rules.

Modernization

of the Workers Compensation Board will be a welcome initiative. Workers and

employers alike will be better served. I think we have to get by some of the

regulations of the WCB and some other organizations. I'll just quickly tell you

one of my favourite stories.

The WCB

inspector visits a civic public library and orders that a young woman who puts

the books on the shelves wear steel-toed boots while doing that job. This is

just a small example of the kind of red tape and regulation that people face.

That was dealing with a civic organization. Imagine what it's like when they

deal with a small business. Hopefully, we can overcome this sort of

misinterpretation of regulations.

I am

excited that public-private partnerships will be explored to spur more private

sector investment and infrastructure. With our debt now equalling more than

$9,000 for every person currently living in British Columbia, we must find

alternative ways to fund capital projects.

In my prior

role as a city councillor, I had the opportunity to be part of a public-private

initiative, and I can tell you that it was an overwhelming success from

[ Page 1159 ]

both the public and the private investor perspective. If done right, it

works. There are organizations in the riding I represent who are excited about

the possibilities of even exploring this public-private partnership. Our

commitment to add 5,000 new intermediate and long-term care beds by 2006 seems

like a candidate for a potential P3.

Another

important initiative will be measures to boost investment and job creation in

both the energy and the mining sectors. Our new energy policy will encourage

billions in private sector investment.

[1535]

The

softwood lumber dispute has had a profound effect on the workers and communities

that depend on forestry. In fact, even our urban riding, Vancouver-Fraserview,

has seen its only mill, White Pine, scheduled to close, with over 600 jobs

affected. I know a resolution will be found to this dispute, and the industry

will become more competitive and stable.

I am

hopeful that some signs of economic recovery are showing already. As previously

referred to today, in January 2002 the B.C. economy gained 27,000 jobs, and the

unemployment rate fell. Last year British Columbia posted Canada's largest

increase in housing sales.

One of our

greatest focuses in this throne speech is health care and the delivery of health

care — putting patients first. I had, and have, the opportunity to serve on

the Select Standing Committee on Health, and today the report was tabled by the

Chairperson. The committee travelled across this great province, hearing from

more than 700 people.

I must say

I was disappointed that the member for Vancouver-Hastings did not feel it worth

her time to attend those meetings. I would have thought the opinions of British

Columbians on health care would have been of interest to her. I know the

committee would have been delighted to hear her suggestions on dealing with the

spiralling costs and getting the patients recognized as the top priority.

I realized

fairly quickly, after being on the committee, that the health care system needs

to be changed to ensure delivery of the best health care to all British

Columbians. One I remember in the committee was the doctor from Kelowna who

stood up and held, from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet, a

telephone bill for 351 cell phones that the Kelowna hospital had for all their

staff. Then he turned around and said: "They can't use these phones because

they affect the equipment in the hospital."

We're

looking at that and saying: "What is the health care system about? Is it

about 351 cell phones, or is it about actually getting the funds to the

patients?" I think at that point everyone had realized the system was

somewhat dysfunctional.

Another

profound quote from that committee was from the CEO of the greater Trail

community health council, who said: "Over the past decade the health sector

has concentrated more on the rights, benefits and entitlements of workers and

less on the needs of patients, residents and clients." I think that's what

we are trying to address. As I said, resources for health care must be spent on

patient care, not cell phones and sweetheart severance deals.

The throne

speech views education as the cornerstone of our society. Vancouver-Fraserview

has two major secondary schools, David Thompson and Killarney. I actually

graduated from Killarney more years ago than I'd like to remember. In fact, I

believe Killarney is the largest secondary school in Vancouver. With the current

addition that's going on, there'll be 2,200 students attending there next year.

For the

students attending those schools, I am glad the throne speech talks about

initiatives like changing the School Act to improve student achievement through

a better system of accountability and flexibility, providing a new school

funding formula to give school districts a better chance to plan through

three-year funding allocations and creating more choice for post-secondary

students. We are actually putting the needs of students first.

I'd also

like to say how important it is, in my mind, that the government pursue the 2010

Olympics, as we are. The throne speech refers to it. I think these games could

generate such a tremendous economic benefit. The estimate has been 220,000 jobs.

More

importantly, I reflect back to Expo 86 and how important that was for the people

of British Columbia in terms of more than economics. It was a glue that held

British Columbia together. Everybody had a common cause, a common goal.

Everybody was extremely positive, and I think that moved everything ahead in

British Columbia. By pursuing the 2010 Olympics, I'm hoping that spirit can be

rekindled, just like Expo 86. I'm extremely happy that we are looking at moving

ahead on that.

Let me

close by observing that Canada's Finance minister, the Hon. Paul Martin,

achieved a certain degree of respect — from those who supported him, I guess

— from Canadians when he said this: "Come hell or high water, the

national government would face down the deficit and create a balanced

budget." Canadians knew the task would be hard, the challenges great, the

critics noisy, but they also knew that it had to be done.

[1540]

Well, I

think it's exactly the same story for British Columbia today. We need to give

tough medicine for tough times, but I believe it is the prescription that will

give us a healthy future, a future that will enable us to ensure that the most

vulnerable in our society are protected.

B. Kerr:

Thank you for this opportunity to address this assembly in response to the

Speech from the Throne. Our new Lieutenant-Governor stated most eloquently the

government's priorities of revitalizing the economy, restoring sound fiscal

management and putting patients, students and all British Columbians first. I'll

have more to say about these priorities in a few moments, Mr. Speaker, but for

now I'd like to commend the Lieutenant-Governor for a job well done.

[ Page 1160 ]

I recall

clearly today when I made my personal decision to seek the nomination as the

B.C. Liberal candidate for Malahat–Juan de Fuca. My wife, Elaine, and I had

worked hard to build a secure life, but it was becoming frighteningly apparent

that the economic legacy of the former government would mean insecurity and no

options for our wonderful children and grandchildren. In fact, in my speech to

the nominating committee I noted that at the rate the former government was

going, my grandchildren would inherit a staggering $160 billion provincial debt

— well over four and a half times what it is today. I should note that

Argentina hit the wall of a full-blown crisis at $140 billion.

Now, you

don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that you cannot continually spend

more than you bring in. We know that with our household budgets, and government

is no different. I was literally driven into politics because I viewed that kind

of economic waste and mismanagement as fiscally imprudent and politically

irresponsible. More important, as a father and grandfather, I was infuriated by

the immorality of a government that would deliberately cripple future

generations of British Columbians with such a legacy.

During the

last eight months I've managed to survive a very steep learning curve and have

some observations and progress to share with you and other hon. members. One

thing I've determined is that serving as an MLA is an honour and, at the same

time, a tremendous responsibility. This is particularly true in the

circumstances in which we all find ourselves: namely, rebuilding our great

province after a decade of mismanagement.

We were

elected, Mr. Speaker, because people in communities across British Columbia were

despairing and disheartened, and we as B.C. Liberals were seen as the light at

the end of a very long and very dark tunnel. To quote the throne speech, we were

not elected to follow the broken rut of the status quo.

Since

forming government, we have worked hard to meet expectations, and I believe that

we have made significant progress. We have implemented our election platform,

carried out a comprehensive review and assessment of government programs and

initiatives, and are making the kinds of decisions necessary to move us forward.

Mr. Speaker, virtually all of us who are serving our first terms as members of

this House are here for the same reason. We were absolutely compelled to seek

office to stop the ruination of our great province by the previous government.

We may have come to the challenge as rookies in the legislative arena, but there

can be no mistaking the depth of our commitment to building a strong and

prosperous British Columbia.

I'm pleased

to say that the throne speech outlines how we as a government intend to do just

that. As a fellow in the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a businessman, I

know it is vitally important to get business back to work. Make no mistake: it's

the private sector, not the government, which will create wealth in this

province. And how will we do that? We'll do that by reducing regulation and

cutting red tape that stifles growth. A major example of this kind of burden is

the Forest Practices Code, which resulted in millions and cost the forest

industry sector thousands of jobs.

We will do

that by eliminating disincentives in our taxation system. These business taxes,

such as the B.C. capital tax and sales tax on manufacturing equipment, penalize

the very companies we are asking to invest in this province. We will stimulate

the economy by leaving more money in the pockets of the workers in this

province. This money will be spent on goods and services in B.C. and will leave

the choice with the taxpayer as to how the money is spent

That's not

all. We will eliminate subsidies to business. Business subsidies

reward inefficient companies by allowing them to compete directly with the very

companies whose taxes are paying for their subsidies. That doesn't make sense.

[1545]

We will

also encourage business by improving the Employment Standards Act. These changes

will make the act more fair for both the employer and the employee.

Finally, we

will improve the Workers Compensation Act and restructure the corporation so

that it will improve services for both employers and workers of B.C. On that

note, Mr. Speaker, I'd just like to make a comment about WCB and my constituency

and, I'm sure, all the constituencies throughout British Columbia. We spend a

considerable amount of time helping people through this WCB maze. Clearly, if so

many people are to resort to their MLAs for this kind of help, there is every

indication of a problem that must be corrected.

I've spoken

about economic stimulants. I'd now like to address the other side of the

equation. We saw the writing on the wall, and the message was clear. The

previous government's borrow-and-spend policies coupled with sheer incompetence

have reached the point of threatening the well-being of British Columbians for

generations to come. I'm pleased to say that the throne speech recognizes this

problem and addresses that very issue when it states that government must live

within its means. It's more difficult to say no than to say yes, but our

government is doing just that. You may call it tough love, but that is what is

needed if we're going to get our fiscal house in order.

I feel very

fortunate, because the Premier has selected tasks for me which draw upon my

professional experience. I was appointed to the Premier's core review and

deregulation task force which, as you know, was charged with reviewing all

government services to ensure that they are efficient and truly serving the

public interest. As well, my expertise as a chartered accountant was drawn upon

through my appointment as vice-Chair of the Select Standing Committee on Public

Accounts and as a member of the Committee on Finance and Government Services and

the Government Caucus Committee on Economy. In the course of my work on these

committees, my worst fears about the

[ Page 1161 ]

state of our economy and the prospects for our future were confirmed.

The core

review task force is looking across the full range of government programs and

services, seeking the answers to five critical questions. Does the mandate,

program, activity or business unit continue to serve a compelling public

purpose? Is the package of programs, activities or business units affordable

within the fiscal environment? Is there a legitimate and essential role for the

provincial government in this program? Are their current organizational service

delivery models the most efficient way to manage and deliver the program,

activity or business unit? Finally, are the current measures and reporting

mechanisms the most effective way to account for program, activity or business

unit measurement?

We are

going to measure our performance, and we'll be accountable for our performance.

It is by no means an exaggeration to say that the legacy left by the former

government did not stand up to this kind of scrutiny. In the course of the

reviews undertaken by these committees, it became apparent that under the former

government, spending for delivery of programs and services — many of them

inefficient, irrelevant or inappropriate — had reached the point where it was

completely unsustainable, far outstripping the province's rate of economic

growth.

That's not

all. The former government also left British Columbians on the hook for well

over $400 million in unfounded liability resulting from agreements reached with

public sector unions outside the collective bargaining process — deals made on

the side and then rolled into existing collective agreements just before the

election.

Mr.

Speaker, I know all government members would agree that given the situation,

there were some very difficult decisions to make — difficult decisions

concerning program cuts, difficult decisions with respect to departmental and

ministry budget cuts, and difficult decisions about which initiatives and

services are both legitimate and necessary.

The result

of taking these difficult decisions, as the House knows, is an average reduction

in ministry budgets, apart from health care and education, of 25 percent over

the next three years. In dollar terms, the total government spending will

decline by $1.9 billion, an 8 percent drop, over three years. Now, in terms of

human resources, the changes will mean a reduction in the public service of

about 11,000 full-time-equivalent positions, to be mitigated by voluntary

departures, early retirement, attrition and reduction of auxiliaries.

[1550]

For me

personally, the most difficult decision of all was choosing a course of action

to deal with public sector union contracts that were, at least in part,

negotiated behind closed doors without the benefit of collective bargaining or

public scrutiny. As a professional accountant, it's my basic nature, reinforced

by training and practice, to honour contracts. Because of this, it took a

tremendous amount of soul-searching on my part and a lot of thought. But I

support the legislation that opened these contracts, for one very good reason.

The reason is simply that the contracts signed were not sustainable. It was the

same thing as paying for services with an NSF cheque bank account.

During the

last election campaign I and all B.C. Liberals contracted with the people of

British Columbia to put their interests first. We contracted with the people of

British Columbia to put the needs of patients and students first, and that kind

of contract carries a lot of weight with me. As far as I'm concerned, I made an

ironclad contract for the 32,000 British Columbians of Malahat–Juan de Fuca

when I was voted into office last May.

I'd like to

take a moment here to thank the Premier for allowing a free vote on Bills 27, 28

and 29 — the legislative package associated with this issue. I, for one —

and I'm sure my colleagues agree — appreciate the sensitivity for individual

members and respect for this House he was showing by taking this position. Thank

you, Mr. Premier.

We have

made tough decisions, but we must stay the course we are on. It's the only

course that will lead us to prosperity and economic vitality. It is the only

course that will lead us to relevant, efficient and affordable government

programs and services. It is the only course that will lead us away from

process-driven to results-driven government. It boils down to this: British

Columbians want a strong economy, health care and education they can count on,

and safe and secure communities.

Last May

they put their trust in B.C. Liberals to do the job. It's been a little over

eight months since the last election, and much has been accomplished to earn

their trust. In the first three months alone personal income taxes were cut,

education was deemed an essential service under the provincial Labour Code,

truth-in-budgeting legislation passed, photo radar was scrapped, and a fixed

election date was set for every four years. The critical work done by

legislative and government caucus committees has provided the basis for this

session's throne speech and the budget, as well as for service delivery plans to

guide all government ministries and agencies through the next three years.

They say

wherever you travel, there's no place like home, and that's exactly how I feel

about my riding of Malahat–Juan de Fuca. From the Malahat eastern boundary to

Port Renfrew in the west, there is an astounding natural beauty and an

environmental heritage second to no other place on Earth. The communities and

economies in the riding are truly diverse. They include small farmers in north

Malahat and Cowichan, dynamic entrepreneurs in Langford, fishers and forest

workers in Sooke, and a tourism and ecotourism sector that is springing to life

everywhere but especially on the rugged west coast from French Beach, China

Beach and Jordan River through to Port Renfrew.

The

concerns of my constituents are always my top priority, and my door is always

open to them. In fact, it's more accurate to say that my doors are always open.

Malahat–Juan de Fuca covers a huge area, so I have three constituency offices.

My main office is in

[ Page 1162 ]

Langford and satellite offices in Sooke and Mill Bay, which are open on an

as-needed basis.

Within my

constituency I've been working to resolve issues and concerns ranging from the

WCB — as mentioned earlier — health care, human resources, social services,

highways, the GSX pipeline and the future potential of the E&N railway. As

well, I've responded to many inquiries concerning B and B assessments,

privatization of B.C. Hydro and ICBC, and I meet with local council members,

CVRD and CRD directors, first nations and other concerned citizens at any time I

am requested.

I've worked

to secure desperately needed road improvements and safety barriers for the

Trans-Canada Highway at Goldstream Park, and I'm working with the area

municipalities and capital regional district to give unincorporated communities

a stronger voice in local government. I'm seeking continued funding for the

women's transition house in Sooke.

A key

priority for me at the present time is the promotion of tourism on the rugged

west coast of Malahat–Juan de Fuca and the development of a tourist circle

route connecting Port Renfrew with Lake Cowichan. This area, less than a

two-hour drive from Victoria, is absolutely spectacular with unbelievable,

beautiful scenery and abundant sea life and wildlife. It's truly a special place

with tourism potential on a world-class level. The circle route I envision

would, without question, attract visitors from all over the world and

substantially improve the region's economy.

[1555]

There is

considerable support for this in communities throughout the area, as well as a

tremendous amount of positive media interest. To attract interest, I joined

Mayor Macgregor from Sooke, Jack Peake from Lake Cowichan, the Victoria media

and several interested people to do a circle route cavalcade which we hope to

make an annual event.

We are

working with TimberWest to see if we can use their Port Renfrew–Cowichan

logging road as a basis for this route, and for my

part I'll be making

appropriate representations to government and to the private sector to move this

forward as quickly as possible.

It's an

honour to be a member of the B.C. Legislature, but for me, serving the people of

Malahat–Juan de Fuca is the greatest honour of all. When it comes to spirit,

goodness of heart and dedication to community well-being, the people of

Malahat–Juan de Fuca are second to none. That's why I'd like to take a few

moments to pay special tribute to them and the contributions they have so

willingly and selflessly made.

Take

Langord fire chief Bob Beckett and his firefighters. After the horror of

September 11, Bob and his colleagues made the trip to Ground Zero in New York to

offer help and moral support. Here at home Bob campaigned long and hard and

ultimately successfully for an upgrade of the Trans-Canada Highway in Goldstream

Park, a

section of road that has claimed dozens of lives over the years. Bob's

pleas fell on deaf ears with respect to the previous government, Mr. Speaker,

but I'm pleased to say that this was one of my key priorities as a new B.C. MLA

and that, as previously mentioned, safety barriers and improvements are now in

place and the problem has been mitigated. I'd like to thank the Minister of

Transportation for her assistance in that.

The Malahat

and Langford fire departments have just received the Governor General's

certificate of commendation for the actions taken to prevent a propane tanker

accident on the Malahat from turning into a major tragedy. All through that

terrible night in July 2000 and most of the next 24 hours, these brave

volunteers put their lives at risk to eliminate a significant threat to public

safety from thousands of litres of highly explosive propane leaking from the

twisted wreckage.

In Sooke,

Judy Jamieson and the directors and the staff of the women's transition house

tirelessly provide support and assistance to the vulnerable and those at serious

risk from abusive relationships. The Sooke Transition House is a true safe

harbour for many women who have nowhere else to turn in trying to cope with what

are so often unimaginable and potentially tragic circumstances.

In Cowichan

Bay, George Robbins, Richard Parker and others in the Cowichan Bay Improvement

Association believe tourism is the key to the future economic vitality of the

area. They have undertaken many initiatives in support of this important

objective including the plans for development of a new breakwater, which I fully

support. This breakwater would enable boats to come into the bay and overnight

at local B and Bs on the way to Desolation Sound or, for that matter, to enjoy

Cowichan Bay as a destination in and of itself.

Langford

Mayor Stew Young and Sooke Mayor Ed Macgregor can be proud of all the work

they've done for their communities. On Stew's watch, Langford has become a

shining example of how to do it right when it comes to redevelopment and

building a dynamic community spirit. Stew shrewdly welcomed the box stores that

nobody else wanted, put them into a designated area in Langford and used a

substantial increase in the tax base to pay for parks, trails, roads, sidewalk

improvements and a brand-new fire hall. All the new economic activity in

Langford has led to jobs, new investment in small business and a vast

improvement in the quality of new residential housing.

In Sooke,

Ed Macgregor's superb administrative and executive skills have provided southern

Vancouver Island's newest municipality with a strong infrastructure to meet the

challenge of future growth. It's not quite enough, Mr. Speaker, because we're

continuing to work to get a sewer system in Sooke. That's something else that's

going to be going on my agenda.

Thanks also

are in order for Mayor Macgregor and CRD director Brian Henson, who together

were instrumental in working with the CRD and the Ministry of Community,

Aboriginal and Women's Services to give more power to smaller communities in the

riding in dealing effectively with important local government issues.

[ Page 1163 ]

All of

these people I've just mentioned deserve very special merit, and I would ask the

House to acknowledge their outstanding contribution to Malahat–Juan de Fuca

and indeed to our entire province.

As we in

the B.C. Liberal government proceed further into our mandate, I'll continue

working as hard as I can to successfully represent the voters of Malahat–Juan

de Fuca, and I will continue to bring their concerns forward for action. I will

continue working with my colleagues in government to help ensure a prosperous

and secure future for all communities in this great province.

[1600]

At the

beginning of my remarks I spoke of serving as an MLA as both an honour and a

tremendous responsibility. The honour

part is the easy part, Mr. Speaker; the

responsibility is by far the greater challenge. I hope I've been successful

today in demonstrating the extent of my commitment to that challenge — that is

to say, the extent of my commitment to this House and to the people of

Malahat–Juan de Fuca. Thank you very much.

R. Lee: It

is indeed a privilege for me to address this assembly to respond to the Speech

from the Throne. The throne speech was delivered on February 12, on the opening

of a new session of the parliament. February 12 of this year is also the lunar

new year, the beginning of the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. I wish

that the Year of the Horse will bring prosperity and hope to all British

Columbians through our hard work, determination and perseverance. The horse is

also a symbol of health. As the Chinese saying goes, long ma jing shen . I

wish all British Columbians to be as active and as good-spirited as the dragons

and the horses.

In the

throne speech the hon. Lieutenant-Governor paid tribute to the many British

Columbians who have left their mark on our province and have recently passed

away. A few distinguished British Columbians also came to my mind. I will only

mention one here.

On January

4 of this year the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament, Mr. Douglas

Jung, passed away. Mr. Jung was a veteran, a lawyer, a politician, a diplomat

and a well-respected community leader. He was a native of Victoria and was named

after Douglas Street, just outside the parliament buildings. After the Second

World War the contributions of Chinese Canadians were recognized, and the right

to participate in the political process, including the right to vote and the

right to seek public office, was finally equal to their fellow Canadians. Mr.

Jung played an important role to inspire Chinese Canadians to run for public

office.

It has been

a privilege for me to serve the people of Burnaby North for the past eight

months. I value this opportunity very much.

constituency office organizes a monthly community forum in Burnaby North. Many

of my constituents have attended these community forums. It's my belief that the

monthly community forum is a good channel for the public to tell me what their

concerns are and how the government can effectively deliver its services. So far

we have had six forums and two open houses. I'm committed to continue these

channels of communication, in addition to meeting with the individual

constituents and gathering information and suggestions from the public by

letters and e-mails. Participation is the keystone of democracy, making sure

that good ideas are given the chance to be implemented as government policy.

Last spring

British Columbians indeed gave a strong mandate to this government to change the

system so that government can be run more effectively and efficiently. This

government has since fulfilled its 90-day commitments. The most significant of

these commitments was to introduce a cut in personal income taxes. Now British

Columbia has the lowest personal income tax in Canada for people in the lowest

two tax brackets and the second-lowest personal income tax for those in the

higher tax brackets. This reform is necessary to give B.C. a competitive edge in

retaining skilled workers and professionals to work in this beautiful province.

[1605]

Over the

past few months British Columbians have been faced with many challenges: the

softwood lumber dispute with the U.S., the aftermath of September 11, the

contract negotiation with health care employees, the bus drivers' strike, the

job action of teachers. Many challenges are still to come. Many of these

challenges will reduce revenues and will increase expenditures to the

government.

As you are

aware, Mr. Speaker, the provincial debt has doubled over the past ten years, and

spending pressures are tremendous, especially in health care and education. The

government entrusted by the taxpayers must get its financial house in order,

following the vision of the election platform, following the blueprint outlined

in the throne speech and following the detailed programs being released

tomorrow. This government is going to make changes which will fundamentally

reduce the size and scope of government. It will cultivate an environment where

the private sector can take the lead to invest in the future of this province.

I strongly

agree that this government's priorities are to revitalize the economy as quickly

as possible, to restore sound fiscal management, and to put patients, students

and those most in need first. When the government stops doing what it should not

be doing and releases the power of creativity and motivation of British

Columbians, our economy will become more competitive, diversified and attractive

to investment. This province, with its vast natural and human capital, will be

well positioned to become the leader of economic growth in the world.

I am glad

that this government is taking steps to generate public-private partnerships in

transportation and highways, information technology, housing, land and resource

management, health support services and facilities, and also education

infrastructure.

In the last

ten years B.C. has been in last place in Canada in terms of private sector

investment, due to

[ Page 1164 ]

high taxes and regulatory burdens. In fact, many large companies moved their

headquarters from B.C. to other provinces. As well, many small businesses

relocated to the U.S. or other provinces. We must change this situation so that

we have a net gain of business instead of a net loss.

It's always

a challenge to facilitate communication in such a large province as British

Columbia. It's interesting to know that the area of British Columbia is 947,800

square kilometres, which is larger than the combined areas of the United

Kingdom, Germany and Italy. Our transportation and highway systems, as well as

the information highway, need expansions and upgrades in order to serve our

population better. Cooperation with other levels of government and the private

sector must be explored in order to minimize the capital requirements of the

provincial treasury.

I am

pleased to hear that this government is moving forward to increase 5,000

intermediate and long-term care beds in the next five years. As more and more of

our population goes into retirement, the need of housing for seniors will

definitely increase. By making available more long-term beds with public-private

partnerships, we can alleviate pressures in the health care sector.

[1610]

B.C. is

well positioned to explore the energy industries. We have rich resources of oil

and gas, hydro power and coalbed methane, not to mention the leading-edge fuel

cell and bio-oil technologies being developed in B.C.

Futurist

Arthur Clarke once predicted that in 2050 the world may have only one currency,

which will be in the energy unit of kilowatts. The success of a nation would depend

very much on how much energy it could produce. Building an infrastructure of an

environmentally friendly energy production and distribution system can lead to

long-term, sustainable economic growth in B.C.

As we are

all aware, the health care expenditures in 2001-02 have increased by $1.1

billion over the fiscal year of 2000-01 — an annual increase of 13 percent,

which is clearly not sustainable. Studies of the effects of public-private

partnerships in health care, support services and facilities must be conducted

in order to fund the most effective and efficient delivery model. The government

must look for ways to reduce waiting lists for critical operations by proper

resource allocations so that the patients can get the necessary treatment.

Education

plays an important role in the new era of British Columbia. In this century the

success of a nation depends on how well the people are adapting to the world of

changes. Government must facilitate more choices and flexibility to provide

learning opportunities to learners of all ages. As a member of the legislative

committee on education, I am honoured to be part of the team that is going to

submit its recommendations to the Legislature on how to better serve our

learners of this province. I'm delighted to hear that Simon Fraser University

will assume responsibility for Tech B.C. students and assets, allowing students

to graduate with a degree from SFU.

I feel

relieved that the government will bring in new legislation to strengthen

drinking water and groundwater protection. It will be allocating more resources

to the monitoring of drinking water quality. Clean air and water go a long way

to protect the health of British Columbians.

Our Premier

and the cabinet are committed to restoring sound fiscal management in

government, and I have confidence in them. In the throne speech the government

reiterates that it will not break its trust with the people. Spending will be

reduced in areas other than health care and education. The budget will be

balanced in 2004-05, as our economy recovers. I believe that the economy will

start to recover soon, as interest rates are low and the housing market has seen

a substantial increase in activities over the past eight months. And 27,000 jobs

were created last month in British Columbia.

In reducing

expenditures, I believe that effort has been made to mitigate the impact on

women, seniors, children and the most vulnerable. As a member of the Government

Caucus Committee on Government Operations, as well as sitting in the meetings of

some of those other GCCs, I'm aware of some of the tough decisions. The throne

speech confirms that funding will be protected for vital services such as

transition houses for women. It has been announced that funding for community

schools and hot lunch programs will be kept.

[1615]

Fees are

exempted for eye examinations for seniors and children. The senior bus pass

program was reinstated, and seniors under Pharmacare premium assistance will

have their prescription spending capped at $200 per year.

Medical

Services Plan premiums for low-income earners are protected. In fact,

approximately 230,000 lower-income British Columbians will actually see their

premiums decrease.

When

government is going ahead with its reforms, there will be short-term pains. There

will be some mistakes made along the way, along the decision process or in the

implementation stages. However, if we can work together towards the overall

goal, I am confident that B.C. will soon be entering a new era of long-term

prosperity.

British

Columbia became a have-not province for the fiscal year 1999-2000. The

government must put its financial house in order and revitalize the economy.

Only when we eliminate the structural deficit and lead in economic growth again

will British Columbians be able to stand proud of this resourceful and beautiful

land among their fellow Canadians. I'm hopeful that by April 2005 we'll have

achieved this goal.

Manhas: It is an honour to rise today in support of our government's second

Speech from the Throne, and it is an honour to speak on behalf of the people of

Port Coquitlam and Burke Mountain.

[ Page 1165 ]

I entered

politics because I sincerely wanted to make a difference and because I knew that

the future of this province held great promise, with possibilities of great

achievements. At the same time, it is important to recognize that great

achievements are often the result of hard work, sacrifice and tough decisions.

British

Columbians have given this government an unprecedented mandate to bring about

change. Change is difficult and oftentimes intimidating. Yet to tackle the

difficult challenges that our province now faces, change is critical. As a

government we will continue to make decisions that perhaps may be unpopular in

the short term but in the long term will deliver prosperity.

As a

province we have spent the last decade spending and living beyond our means.

Even more troubling, it has been even longer since British Columbians have had a

government with the courage to address deeper structural challenges in our

economy and in our democratic institutions. I am very proud to belong to a

government that has shown the courage to address both our fiscal challenges and

the challenge of repositioning B.C.'s economy and public institutions for the

twenty-first century.

As the

Premier has said, we are at a crossroads. We can shoot for success and move to a

position of prosperity where British Columbia becomes a leader in Canada and the

world, or we can continue with the policy of mediocrity that, after a decade of

NDP bungling, moved B.C. from a national leader to a have-not province.

This

province started as a land of opportunity for all people who came to it to make

it their home — from the earliest of settlers, our aboriginal nations who

crossed the Bering and prospered in B