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From YouTube: NOVEMBER 21 2019 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
41st Parliament
NOVEMBER 21 2019 Question Period
A
A
Their
sports
from
the
premier
and
his
do-nothing
forest
Minister
has
been
to
raid
one
communities,
rural
dividend
fund,
to
create
a
funded
next
community,
which
is
essentially
an
accessible
I
heard
in
quenelle
last
week
that
a
an
unemployed
logging
truck
driver
went
to
the
transition
process
and
was
told
he
could
be
trained
to
be
a
logging
truck
driver.
He
found
this
not
only
demeaning
and
assaulting,
but
really
quite
degrading
and
depressing
the
impact
is
spreading.
A
We
now
hear
the
CN
Rail
is
laid
off
sixteen
hundred
people
across
the
country,
largely
driven
in
this
part
of
the
world,
by
an
eleven
percent
drop
in
shipments
of
forest
products.
So
the
obvious
question
is:
when
will
the
premier
come
to
his
senses,
pay
attention
to
Royal,
British
Columbia
and
replace
his
forest
Minister.
C
These
are
significant
challenges
for
Rovers
Columbia,
there's
significant
challenges
for
forest
workers
and
forest
dependant
communities,
but
we've
been
trying
our
level
best
to
bring
people
to
the
table.
We've
established
what
we're
calling
timber
supply
tables
in
every
corner
of
the
province
that
brings
together
communities,
indigenous
people,
working
people
and
CEOs
at
the
highest
level.
We
want
to
make
sure
we're
finding
solutions
for
the
long
term.
This
is
not
a
blame
game
thing
and
I
appreciate
the
candor
and
the
focus
that
the
Minister
remember
of
rather
is
put
on
his
question.
A
Have
seen
from
this
government
of
great
enthusiasm
for
spending
programs
and
a
complete
indifference
to
where
the
money
is
going
to
come
from,
the
Prima
needs
to
start
paying
attention
to
the
corrosion
of
the
British
Columbia
economy,
which
the
Finance
Minister
is
abundantly
aware
of
by
putting
a
stop
to
discretionary
spending
two
months
ago,
forcing
exports
down
20
percent
year-over-year
1600
jobs
lost
at
sea
and
rail.
As
I
said
earlier,
tech
Resources
is
cutting
500
jobs
because
metallurgical
coal
exports
are
down.
A
That
would
mean
a
knock-on
effect
throughout
the
economy
and
engineering
services
and
all
of
the
things
that
those
people
used
to
buy
with
their
strong
paychecks
from
the
resource
economy.
Economic
growth
projections
have
dropped
by
30%
from
two
point:
four
percent
to
one
point:
seven
percent
and
the
Finance
Minister's
tension
must
be
spreading
to
the
premiers
office.
By
now,
small
business
confidence
in
British
Columbia
is
now
at
the
lowest
level
since
the
financial
crisis
in
2008.
A
This
is
an
economy
that
is
like
a
falling
leaf,
and
this
government
seems
to
have
no
interest
whatsoever
in
providing
stimulus
to
the
small
business
sector
that
drives
our
economy.
So
the
obvious
question
comes
up:
when
is
this
premier
going
to
recognize
that
someone
has
to
pay
the
bills?
Someone
has
to
generate
the
income
to
pay
for
his
aggressive
spending
agenda.
Premier.
B
C
Think
you're
on
the
speaker
and
again
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member.
We
have
the
fastest
growing
economy
in
the
country,
but
it
has
significantly
slowed
over
the
past
number
of
months.
This
is
acknowledged
by
leading
in
financial
institutions
as
well
as
economists
I
spoke
yesterday
to
the
BC
Business
Council
luncheon
and
the
headline
on
their
their
presentation
was
anxiety
in
the
economy,
and
this
is
this
is
evident
to
everyone.
This
again
is
not
a
partisan
question.
Commodity
prices
are
low,
particularly
on
on
the
metallurgical
coal
side.
That's
the
challenge
for
tech
Cominco.
C
We
have
a
continued
trade
dispute
with
our
largest
trading
partner
when
it
comes
to
softwood
lumber.
The
minister
of
forests
was
on
a
trade
mission
with
leading
executives
from
the
forest
industry
just
last
week
to
China
and
Japan
to
try
and
grow
those
markets
so
that
we
can
get
our
products
to
to
appropriate
markets
and
increase
the
value
of
our
export
industries.
But
again
I
don't
see
the
value
in
in
the
member
opposite
and
the
members
opposite
criticizing
the
work
that
we're
doing
on
this
side
of
the
house.
C
Starting
a
second
downtown
at
SRI,
the
Surry
City
Center
will
lead
to
more
economic
development
of
prosperity
out.
The
valley
there's
a
lot
of
positive
indicators,
but
there
are
some
challenges
on
the
horizon
and
I
appreciate
members
on
the
other
side
being
responsible
about
this
and
talking
in
a
dialogue
that
makes
sense
to
British
Columbians
we're
all
in
this
together
when
markets
start
to
fall,
we
all
are
concerned
about
that
not
one
side
or
the
other
side,
but
all
British
Columbians.
C
D
Thank
you.
Well.
The
premier
talks
about
the
fact
that
there
is
challenges
out
there,
but
the
bottom
line
is
there
is
no
help.
That's
been
coming
to
the
workers
that
have
been
impacted,
and
it's
not
just
the
closures
and
in
curtailments
that
are
impacting
the
forestry
workers.
United
steelworkers.
A
Western
forest
products
strike
is
impacting
thousands
of
hard-working
families
across
the
island
at
144
days.
The
strike
and
Bank
of
Ryan
is
likely
now
at
the
longest
strike
the
coastal
forest
industry
has
ever
seen.
D
Communities
are
holding
fundraisers
to
help
families
buy
food
homes
are
being
listed
because
workers
can't
make
payments
tow
trucks
are
hauling
away,
repossessed
vehicles,
hydros
being
disconnected
and
contractors
are
on
the
verge
of
going
bankrupt.
When
will
this
Minister
do
something
to
provide
some
help
for
these
workers
on
the
island.
E
Now,
in
the
meantime,
we
have
taken
on
the
situation
that
was
faced
by
the
forest
industry
on
Vancouver
Island
in
in
in
the
coast,
forest
sector,
revitalization
initiative
and
primarily
what
that
initiative
has
undertaken
after
extensive
consultation
with
communities
and
with
workers
and
with
the
industry,
is
to
drive
more
logs
towards
domestic
production,
on
Vancouver
Island
on
the
coast
and
to
have
more
fiber
recovered
in
the
forest
to
bring
out
to
use
in
value-added
products.
So,
honourable
speaker,
we
know
that
reinvestment
has
to
take
place
in
these
communities.
D
Well,
from
coastal
force,
revitalization
we've
seen
Pele
Joe
slow
down
we've
seen,
inter
for
a
shutdown,
Mills
cattail.
We've
now
seen
that
mosaic
is
going
to
curtail
West
and
Forest.
Products
is
it's,
of
course
close
behind
straight
and
families
and
communities
are
being
devastated.
How
can
this
Minister
be
so
obtuse?
These
families
are
really
hurting.
They
need
help
they
just
they.
There
needs
to
be
a
solution
spot
for
it.
D
Something
has
to
happen,
and
this
government
has
been
completely
silent
on
this,
and
there
are
times,
of
course,
when
negotiations
can't
be
achieved
when
there's
issues
that
just
make
it
impossible.
Will
the
Minister
do
the
right
thing
and
initiate
an
industrial
and
Industrial
Inquiry
Commission
to
help
resolve
this
this
strike
and
get
people
back
to
work
before
Christmas.
G
Mr.
speaker,
mr.
speakers,
I
I've
been
on
strike
for
for
four
and
a
half
months
myself.
It
is
difficult
on
families,
it
is
difficult
on
workers.
No
worker
wants
to
go
on
strike
right
now
in
this
dispute.
Wince
ready
is
involved
one
of
the
best
mediator.
As
you
know,
we
all
know,
and
he
has
brought
parties
together
last
week.
H
You,
honourable
speaker,
honourable
speaker,
earlier
this
year
at
the
intergovernmental
science
policy
platform
on
biodiversity
in
the
ecosystem,
services
released
the
most
comprehensive
assessment
to
date
on
the
state
of
biodiversity
and
ecosystems
worldwide.
It
warned
honourable
speaker
of
unprecedented
and
accelerating
extinction
rates
with
millions
of
species
at
risk
of
disappearing
forever,
many
within
decades
more
than
even
before
and
than
ever
before
in
human
history.
The
chair
of
the
report,
honorable
speaker,
said
this.
The
the
health
of
ecosystems
on
which
we
and
all
other
species
depend
is
deteriorating
more
rapidly
than
ever.
H
We
are
eroded
the
very
foundations
of
our
economies,
livelihoods,
food
security
and
health
and
quality
of
life
worldwide,
British
Columbia
honorable
speaker
has
more
species
at
risk
than
any
other
province
or
territory
in
Canada.
But
despite
this
fact,
and
despite
the
warnings
of
the
Intergovernmental
Panel,
we
still
have
no
dedicated
law
to
protect
endangered
species.
My
question
through
you,
honorable
speaker,
is
to
the
Minister
of
Environment
and
climate
change
strategy.
Why
is
BC
still
one
of
the
last
jurisdictions
in
Canada
without
a
law
to
protect
endangered
species.
I
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
leader
of
the
third
party
for
the
question
that
he
is.
He
is
absolutely
correct
that
BC
is
Canada's
most
ecologically
diverse
province,
and
we
also
have
the
by
far
the
greatest
number
of
species
at
risk
of
any
province
in
Canada.
We
know
that
we
have
a
responsibility
to
take
action
to
protect
species
environment,
to
protect
ecological
diversity,
to
protect
species
at
risk,
and
we
know
that
we
need
to
do
it
in
a
way.
I
That's
designed
in
British
Columbia,
because
there
is
a
law
in
Canada
and
it
is
in
fact
a
uni
dimensional
law
that
doesn't
address
all
of
the
potential
factors
that
can
contribute
to
healthy
ecosystems.
So
we
have
spent
2018
and
2019
consulting
extensively
among
the
examples
of
stakeholders
with
whom
we've
spoken
are
the
Nature
Conservancy
of
Canada,
the
BC
Wildlife
Federation,
the
Association
for
mineral
exploration,
the
Council
of
forest
industries,
the
SFU
Faculty
of
Science
and
the
union
of
BC
municipalities.
I
It
is
in
my
mandate
and
has
been
since
day,
one
to
develop
BC
species
at
risk
legislation.
We
are
working
on
that,
while
we've
been
working
on
it,
we've
also
been
addressing
a
number
of
areas
in
British
Columbia,
where
species
need
to
be
protected
and
the
interim,
but
we
are
taking
the
time
to
consult
we're
taking
the
time
to
listen
to
indigenous
people,
we're
taking
the
time
to
listen
to
communities
we're
taking
the
time
to
get
it
right.
H
Thank
You
honourable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
Minister
for
the
anouncer
On
February,
the
27th
2017
I
introduced
a
private
member's
bill
to
enact
endanger
species
legislation
the
following
day,
honourable
speaker,
and
while
in
opposition
the
now
Minister
of
Environment
also
tabled
legislation
to
protect
endangered
species
in
our
province.
Yet
now
in
government,
we
have
seen
no
action.
H
Honourable
speaker,
as
the
minister
noted
in
his
mandate,
letter
from
premièred
states
that
the
minister
will
and
I
quote,
enact
an
endangered
species
law
and
harmonize
other
laws
to
ensure
they
are
all
working
towards
the
goal
of
protecting
our
beautiful
province.
End
quote
honourable
Speaker:
I
reiterate
we're
two
years
into
this
government,
and
yet
BC
remains
one
of
the
only
provinces
without
legislation
dedicated
to
protecting
and
recovering
species
at
risk.
My
question
wants
more
honorable
speaker
through
you
to
the
Minister
of
Environment.
I
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
as
I've
outlined.
We
are
consulting,
we
are
working
on
it.
We
have
talked
to
indigenous
people.
We
have
taken
action
in
a
number
of
areas
as
I've
outlined
yesterday
and,
in
fact,
in
other
areas
to
protect
species
at
risk
and
to
deal
with
endangered
ecosystems.
In
the
time
since
we've
taken
office,
we've
introduced
professional
governance
act,
a
revamped
environmental
assessment
act,
a
climate
plan,
climate
change,
accountability,
act,
we're
working
on
a
climate
adaptation
strategy
that
will
be
critical
to
protecting
species
at
risk.
I
We
are
doing
far
from
nothing,
but
we
want
to
make
sure
that
we
get
it
right.
We
want
to
learn
from
the
actions
that
we've
taken
to
protect
caribou,
that
we
need
to
work
with
indigenous
people
with
local
communities,
with
stakeholders
and
with
environmental
scientists
to
ensure
that
we
have
an
act
in
BC
that
protects
species
at
risk
that
protects
Biological
Diversity
that
protects
the
economic
well-being
of
communities
as
well
as
community
cultural
and
social
values.
We
will
bring
in
the
act
that
we're
working
on
in
this
mandate.
J
Well,
it's
not
just
transit
users
or
forestry
workers,
but
it's
also
students
who
are
being
impacted
by
labor
disputes
in
this
province.
I
have
heard
from
students,
family
members,
faculty
and
community
members
about
the
impact
of
the
strike
at
UNBC
now
entering
its
third
week,
and
I
am
positive
that
the
government
has
heard
to
thousands
of
students
are
at
risk
of
losing
a
semester.
If
this
strike
goes
any
longer
than
and
their
entire
year
may
be
in
jeopardy.
The
reputation
of
this
university
is
also
critical.
J
Frustration
is
growing,
concern
is
mounting
and
the
consequences
of
an
extended
strike
will
be
significant
for
everyone
involved,
and
the
government
and
the
minister
are
m.I.a
so
to
the
minister
of
advanced
education.
What
exactly
has
she
done
to
ensure
that
students
won't
lose
a
semester
of
their
education.
G
Thank
you.
Thank
you
on
respeaker.
Obviously
we're
all
concerned
about
the
challenges
that
all
transit
riders
face
if
there
is
a
strike,
including
students.
Mr.
speaker,
there
are
people
who
rely
heavily
on
on
public
transportation
in
in
Lower
Mainland.
They
go
to
work,
they
go
to
school
and
they
also
do
many
of
the
other
members
all
their
responsibilities
that
they
need
to
do
and
they
use
transit.
So
it
is
a
very
concerning
it
is
concerning
to
all
of
us
and
I
appreciate
the
the
concern
that
is
shown
by
the
opposition,
but
Mr
Speaker.
G
The
negotiation
has
to
happen
at
the
bargaining
table
and
we
are
encouraging
both
parties
get
to
the
bargaining
table
and,
mr.
speaker,
the
agreement.
That
is
the
best
agreement.
It
will
be
at
the
bargaining
table
and
that's
why
we
encouraging
all
of
them
to
get
back
to
the
bargaining
table
before
there's
a
full
ceasefire.
J
Turn
the
page
on
his
briefing
book
and
the
minister
of
advanced
education
needs
to
get
over
to
his
office
and
explain
what's
going
on
at
the
university
of
northern
British
Columbia,
so
let
let's
be
clear,
transit
the
forest
industry
now
UNBC
these
ministers,
this
government
are
completely
absent.
It
is
time
to
show
some
leadership.
Let's
hear
what
a
student
had
to
say
and
for
the
Minister
of
Labour
we're
talking
about
a
strike
at
UNBC,
not
buses
in
the
Lower
Mainland.
J
Here
are
the
words
for
from
one
student
from
Williams
Lake,
who
chose
to
go
to
UNBC
because
it
was
close
to
home.
This
student
is
in
her
fourth
year
of
biochemistry
at
UNBC
and
I
quote:
I
think
everyone
is
frustrated
right
now,
I'm
hoping
to
graduate,
but
we
don't
know
if
that
will
be
possible.
Now
that
is
the
magnitude
of
the
issue
at
the
university
of
northern
British
Columbia.
It's
time
this
Minister
had
a
conversation
with
the
minister
of
advanced
education
and
showed
up.
G
G
Speaker
again
again,
mr.
speaker,
the
the
bargaining
takes
takes
plane
at
the
bargaining
table.
That's
what
those
both
parties
has
to
do
and
the
both
parties
are
the
courage
to
get
back
to
the
bargaining
table
and,
mr.
speaker,
the
member
opposite
fake,
that
the
labor
dispute
are
only
happening
now.
It
is
a
part
of
us
members.
Mr.
G
B
K
K
But
the
opposition
role
will
the
opposition
will
soldier
on
mr.
speaker
for
three
days
next
week,
Metro
Vancouver
commuters
will
face
a
complete
system,
wide
shutdown,
a
bus
and
sea
bus
services.
The
thousands
of
commuters
who
count
on
the
transit
system
to
get
to
and
from
work
to
school
and
medical
appointments
will
be
left
high
and
dry.
The
Minister
of
Labour,
the
parliamentary
secretary
on
TransLink,
had
been
missing
in
action
on
this
file.
Yesterday,
the
very
idea
of
appointing
a
mediator
was
characterized
as
stupid
by
the
Labor
Minister.
So
let's
try
this
again
today.
G
Speaker
as
I
said,
we
lost
yesterday,
the
bargaining
must
take
place
at
the
bargaining
table,
not
in
this
chamber,
not
in
the
media,
so
Mr
Speaker.
We
are
encouraging
both
parties
to
get
back
to
the
bargaining
table,
because
that's
where
the
negotiation
will
take
place.
That's
where
the
complex
solution
and
fair
deal
will
be
worked
out
and
we
are
encouraging
both
sides
before
there's
a
strike
that
they
are
at
the
bargaining
table
and
hammer
out
a
deal
so
that
no
one
will
be
facing
the
the
situation
that
the
memory
is
describing.
K
Thank
You
mr.
speaker
now
the
minister
knows
he
doesn't
need
to
wait
for
a
request
from
either
side
to
appoint
a
mediator.
I
remind
this
house
that
each
day,
350,000
people
in
the
Lower
Mainland
use
the
bus
system.
If
that
was
a
municipality,
it
would
be
the
third
largest
municipality
in
British
Columbia,
it's
an
integral
part
of
people's
lives.
The
fact
that
this
Minister
continues
to
dismiss
the
mediator
option
shows
he
has
zero
interest
in
helping
commuters
get
on
with
their
lives.
When
will
the
Minister
cut
the
excuses
and
appoint
a
mediator?
G
Labour,
thank
you
on
the
speaker
and
I
have
used
transit
to
go
to
Vancouver
from
Surrey,
and
it
is
heavily
utilized.
Buses
are
Paul.
Sky
train
is
full,
so
that
just
clearly
shows
how
heavily
rely
the
the
people
of
the
Lord
Mayor
transportation.
So
we
are
concerned
that
it
is.
It
is
a
very
difficult
news
for
the
students
for
those
who
need
the
public
transit
to
go
to
work
and
do
their
chores.
Mr.
speaker,
but
let
me
let
me
say
one
thing
here.
G
L
This
transit
strike
is
also
having
a
disproportionate
effect
on
seniors.
The
bc
care
providers
estimate
that
40%
of
care
providers
use
transit
to
travel
to
their
appointments
with
seniors.
Should
this
strike
escalate
on
a
full-scale
shut
down,
vulnerable
seniors,
who
depend
on
care
providers
for
essential
services
like
meals
and
dressing,
will
be
left
helpless.
G
This
issue
quite
extensively
yesterday
and
we
are
at
it
again
today
and
my
my
expectation
is
that
the
both
parties
understand
those
concerns.
We
understand
those
concerns.
I
know
you
understand
those
concerns
and
they
know
what
the
needs
of
their
customers
are
both
company
and
the
Union,
and
that's
why
I
think
it's
important
for
them
to
take
this
very
very
seriously
and
get
back
to
the
bargaining
table
and
hammer
out
a
deal
so
that
no
one
will
be
inconvenienced.
As
it's
being
said
here,.
L
You,
mr.
speaker,
this
is
just
tone-deaf.
The
fact
is,
is
it
is
it's?
This
transit
strike
is
going
to
affect
everyone,
and
it's
not
just
seniors
or
the
folks
that
have
been
affected
that
have
been
talking
to
us
that,
on
our
on
our
side
of
the
house,
students
are
also
going
to
be
affected,
not
just
the
UNBC
ones,
but
UVC
students.
So
maybe
we'll
get
an
answer
about
this
base
with
a
full-scale
shutdown.
Ubc
students
are
discussing
the
best
place
that
they're
gonna
camp
out
stay
overnight.
Soren
have
yet
another
tent
city
now
at
UBC.
L
G
M
J
M
Ministers
in
denial,
the
minister
is
refusing
to
make
use
of
the
very
tools
that
are
at
his
disposal
to
encourage
settlement
of
those
disputes
that
are
impacting
hundreds
of
thousands
of
British
Columbians
he's
refusing
to
make
use
of
those
tools.
He
says
in
response
to
questions
asking
very
reasonably
for
the
appointment
of
a
mediator.
He
says
no,
no,
the
parties
understand
we
have
to
let
them
continue
the
work
that
has
so
far
been
a
failure.
Well,
the
Minister
stand,
and
apparently
he
has
been
meeting
with
the
parties.
M
Well,
he
advised
the
house
he's
not
taking
any
other
steps
that
are
apparent.
Has
he
been
meeting
with
the
parties?
If
he
has,
will
he
advise
the
house
when
where
and
will
he
advise
the
house
of
the
outcome
of
those
meetings
here
today
before
those
hundreds
of
thousands
of
commuters
are
left
high
and
dry
in
Vancouver.
G
G
Mr.
speaker,
mr.
speaker,
again,
I
think
one
thing
has
to
be
understood:
collective
bargaining,
why
we
got
a
free,
collective
bargaining
is
exactly
for
those
reasons.
That's
why
those
parties
have
to
get
back
to
the
table.
They
know
the
tools
available
in
the
labor
relations
board.
They
know
that
we
can
help,
but
they
have
to
be
a
willing
party,
mr.
speaker,
and
when
they
request
any
assistance,
that
assistance
is
available.
M
Negotiators
for
the
unions
involved
in
these
disputes
are
charged
with
the
responsibility
of
attending
to
the
best
interest
of
the
union.
Members
were
negotiators
acting
on
behalf
of
the
employer
are
charged
with
our
responsible
for
the
best
interest
of
the
employer.
This
Minister
is
responsible
for
attending
to
the
interest.