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From YouTube: FEBRUARY 18 2020 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
5th Session
41st Parliament
C
Mr.
speaker,
today,
there
are
hardworking
families,
forestry
families
here
in
mass
on
the
legislature,
they're
not
here
to
stop
government
from
doing
its
business.
What
they
actually
want
is
for
government
to
do
its
job
and
stop
sitting
on
the
sidelines
as
entire
communities
fall
apart.
What
they
want
is
to
hear
from
this
government.
They
want
to
know
exactly
what
the
government's
plan
is,
so
that
they
can
continue
to
feed
their
families.
So
will
the
forest
ministry
go
out
and
speak
to
the
the
forestry
workers
today.
D
Thank
You,
honorable
speaker
and
I
want
to
thank
those
who
have
organized
the
rally
today
to
bring
attention
to
how
important
forestry
is
to
this
province
to
the
rural
communities
and
I
think
unknown
to
many
people
to
the
urban
centers
as
well.
So
thank
you
for
organizing
that
and
yes,
I
made
a
commitment
when
I
was
visiting
communities
in
the
North
Island
that
when
the
people
came
down
to
visit,
I
would
meet
with
them.
So
that's
clear
and
I
look
forward
to
doing
that.
D
Honorable
speaker,
because
we
need
to
hear,
as
I
said,
I
visited
North
Island
numerous
times.
We
need
to
hear
directly
from
the
people
and
we're
taking
action
in
order
to
support
those
communities
and
the
most
recent
example
of
that
is
the
great
work
done
by
the
Minister
of
Labour
to
help
resolve
the
labor
dispute
and
put
people
back
to
work
in
forestry
on
track.
C
It's
nice
to
think
that
the
minister
seems
to
think
he's
taking
action
after
several
months
months
and
months
of
Forestry
workers
out
of
work
not
able
to
pay
their
bills
losing
their
homes
losing
their
cars,
and
now
he
says,
he's
acting
exports
in
the
forestry
industry
have
declined
20
percent
last
year.
This
crisis
is
not
over.
Closures
are
continuing
to
be
announced
in
2020.
Just
on
Friday,
we
heard
that
paper
excellence
is
in
Crofton
announced
that
it
will
be
curtailing
its
operations
as
well.
C
D
D
So,
honorable
speaker,
they
sat
on
their
hands
well
community,
who
suffered
across
the
coast
across
Vancouver
Island
across
the
north.
We
upon
becoming
government
immediately
enacted
and
took
engagement
on
the
coast
for
sector
revitalization
program.
Honourable
speaker,
it's
driving.
It's
meant
to
drive
more
fibre
to
domestic
production,
bring
more
fiber
out
of
the
forest,
and
that's
because,
honourable
speaker,
everything
we're
doing
is
to
ensure
that
the
forests
surrounding
the
communities
are
first
and
foremost
to
the
benefit
of
workers
and
those
members
of
the
communities.
E
Thank
You,
mr.
speaker,
it
seems
the
forest
ministers
main
job
is
teaching
the
parliamentary
secretary.
How
to
ignore
the
crisis
in
the
forest
industry.
10,000
jobs
have
been
impacted
and
it's
happened
all
across
the
province.
And
what
did
the
parliamentary
secretary
have
to
say
quote?
There's
too
many
mills
and
quote
to
the
Minister.
Is
the
closure
of
10
Mills
enough
for
this
NDP
government.
D
D
We
know
from
documents
created,
we
know
from
documents
created
that
when
that
side
of
the
legislature
was
in
government
2015,
they
knew
that
up
to
13
mils
could
be
closed
and
you
know
what
they
did
nothing.
Honorable
speaker,
they
did
nothing
about
that.
We've
taken
this
on
as
a
government
through
the
coast
for
sector
revitalization
initiative
to
the
interior
forest
sector
initiative
to
make
sure
that
we
reverse
the
trends.
The
negative
trends
that
ended
up
under
this
previous
government
turn
them
around
for
the
forest
workers
for
communities
and
for
rural
areas
in
this
province.
E
You,
mr.
speaker,
last
month
the
parliamentary
secretary
said
and
I
quote:
I
act
like
a
cabinet
minister
I
just
go
and
do
the
work
I
want
to
do
and
quote
which
begs
the
question:
what
does
the
forest
minister
do?
Mr.
speaker,
what
all
this
means
is?
The
NDP
is
quite
content,
closing
Mills,
because
no
one
on
that
side
wants
to
step
up
and
help
these
communities
and
this
industry
in
crisis.
They've
done
nothing
for
workers
in
teal,
Jones
in
Surrey,
and
nothing
for
either
for
Hammond
in
Maple
Ridge.
So
once
again,
well,
someone
over
there.
D
D
Between
investment
across
the
province,
the
investment
in
a
mill
and
the
Kootenays
investment
in
pellet
plants
or
at
the
interior
honourable
speaker,
we're
doing
what
we
can
we're
doing
responsibly.
Policy
work,
we're
doing
it
for
the
workers
and
for
the
communities
across
this
province,
because
we
know
how
much
they
are
depend
upon
the
forest
sector
and
we're
taking
action.
Unlike
the
previous
government,.
F
You,
honourable
speaker,
honourable
speaker,
under
the
NDP
government
in
the
1990s
BC
Hydro
actively
courted
small-scale
power
producers
to
join
their
grid.
One
company
silversmith
hydro,
received
an
offer
to
provide
power
to
the
new
Denver
area
in
exchange
for
the
opportunity
to
sell
electricity
to
green
markets
informally.
Accepting
the
offer
silversmith
bore
the
upfront
costs
associated
with
connecting
to
the
BC
Hydro
grid.
F
Honourable
speaker,
despite
silversmiths
sunk
costs,
BC
Hydro
later
backed
out
of
their
agreement,
compensating
silversmiths
that
jumped
power
rates
which
were
less
than
the
cost
of
generation
and
after
silversmiths
raised
the
issue
with
the
BC
Liberal
government.
Bc
Hydro
offered
silversmith
a
fair
market
price
for
their
electricity,
but
they
only
purchased
a
quarter
of
their
capacity
and
during
this
same
time
period.
Honourable
speaker,
BC,
Hydro
continued
in
to
enter
into
opaque
contracts
with
many
large
IPPs.
F
Honourable
speaker,
the
situation
with
silversmiths
is
representative
of
how
BC
Hydro
has
dealt
with
numerous
other
small-scale
power
producers,
even
though
many
of
these
companies
are
considered
to
be
the
greenest
hydro
producers
in
the
province.
My
question
through
you,
honorable
speaker,
is
to
the
Minister
of
Energy
Mines
and
petroleum
resources.
When
is
the
government
planning
to
rectify
this
situation
and
begin
to
deal
more
fairly
with
small
scale?
Hydro
producers
in
this
province.
G
Let
me
say
that
the
BC
Liberals
chose
to
sign
a
series
of
sweetheart
deals
with
their
friends
and
independent
power
sector,
which
cost
BC
and
every
BC
Hydro
customer
an
extra
two
hundred
dollars
a
year
in
total.
Given
the
the
length
of
these
contracts,
people
will
pay
in
British
Columbia
a
staggering
sixteen
billion
dollars
on
unnecessary
cost
all
because
the
old
government
put
their
friends
first.
They
made
a
huge
mess
at
BC,
Hydro
and
left
people
to
pay
for
it,
and
some
of
the
fallout
is
what
is
referred
to
in
them.
In
the
members
question.
G
G
G
Approved
BC
Hydro
rates
bills
for
consumers
in
British
Columbia
for
our
citizens
will
be
55%
lower
than
what
the
old
government
wanted
to
charge.
We've
also
launched
phase
2
of
our
review
to
make
sure
it's
working
for
British,
Columbians
I'm,
not
sure
whether
you'll
get
a
second
question.
So
I
want
to
make
sure
I
get
a
give
a
full
answer
in
in
our
review.
We'll
look
at
clean,
B,
C's,
electrification
targets,
Thank,
You,
Minister,.
B
F
You,
honourable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
Minister
for
his
answer.
Unfortunately,
the
to
the
minister's
answer
under
his
government,
the
standing
offer
program
under
BC
Hydro
has
been
cancelled
as
a
direct
consequence
of
that,
honourable
speaker
are
myriad
small
companies
who
have
invested
millions
upon
millions
have
now
got
lost
capital
and
they
are
seeking
indemnity
and
they
are
seeking
that
money
to
be
refunded
through
the
court
system.
This
has
sent
a
very
strong
signal
to
the
independent
power
producers.
F
The
small
scale
producers
in
this
province
that
British
Columbia
is
not
a
friendly
place
for
British
for
small-scale
hydro
to
the
Minister.
What
is
he
going
to
do
to
ensure
that
BC
Hydro
actually
steps
up
and
starts
to
rebuy
those
contracts
and
stops
trying
to
squash
each
and
every
one
of
these
small-scale
producers,
which
exists
in
British
Columbia
already
with
some
capital.
G
Thank
you
just,
let
me
repeat
a
recapitulate.
What
I
said
well
I
think
it
bears
repetition
for
sure.
Bc
Hydro
is
taking
a
prudent,
case-by-case
approach
to
deciding
whether
to
renew
existing
purchase
power
agreement,
purchase
power
agreements
with
independent
producers,
ensuring
prices
that
are
cost-effective
for
taxpayers
and
as
part
of
the
phase
2
review
of
the
report
is
not
yet
in
I'm
awaiting
it.
We
will
be
looking
at
making
sure
that
we
meet
clean
B,
C's,
electrification,
targets,
new
technologies,
new
rules
for
indigenous
Nations
and
looking
at
new
opportunities
for
BC
Hydro
that
refine
Alresford.
H
You
honorable
speaker,
one
of
the
greatest
concerns
we've
had
in
Sean
again
about
the
contaminated
soil.
That's
sitting
on
the
property
on
Stebbings
Road
is
a
potential
for
contaminants
to
leach
into
groundwater
that
sits
beneath
where
the
soil
is
sitting.
The
soil
that
was
imported
to
this
site
in
the
winter
of
2015-2016
had
high
levels
of
chloride.
Since
then,
chloride
levels
in
the
monitoring
well
have
increased
more
than
fivefold.
H
Shallow
monitoring
wells
were
part
of
the
conditions
for
the
final
closure
plan
that
this
Minister
ordered
and
were
installed
in
October.
However,
the
ministry
did
not
require
tests
of
those
wells
until
after
the
first
heavy
rains
in
December
tests
were
done
december,
19th
and
20th.
It
is
February
18th
honorable
speaker,
two
months
since
those
water
samples
were
tested.
My
question
is
to
the
Minister
of
Environment
and
climate
change
strategies.
Why
have
the
water
sampling
results
from
the
shallow
monitoring
wells
not
been
made
available
to
the
public.
I
H
Now
one
of
the
original
signers
of
the
profit
sharing
deal
is
the
person
today
who
signs
off
on
the
water
sampling
to
the
Ministry
of
Environment.
My
question,
honourable
speakers
to
the
premier.
When
he
was
leader
of
the
Opposition,
he
came
to
the
Shawnigan
community
and
said
he
stood
for
protecting
drinking
water
and
protecting
our
community.
What
does
he
say
today
to
Shawnigan
community
community
members
who
still
do
not
trust
that
the
public
interest
is
being
served.
I
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and,
as
I
pointed
out
in
my
answer
to
the
first
question,
we
have
taken
a
number
of
steps
in
the
closure
plan
to
increase
transparency
and
to
be
able
to
respond
to
any
information
that
comes
to
us.
To
the
specific
points
raised
by
the
member.
As
the
member
knows,
we
introduced
and
passed
a
professional
governance
act
to
deal
with
the
very
issue
that
she
raised
about
lack
of
transparency,
about
interests
and
conflict
of
interest.
I
And,
as
the
members
knows,
this
Friday
my
ministry
staff
have
scheduled
a
briefing
on
results
to
date
and
and
what
we're
doing,
with
both
her
as
the
MLA,
the
couch
and
Valley
Regional
District
and
the
malahat
nation.
We're
committed
to
transparency
were
committed
to
sharing
information,
we're
committed
to
protecting
drinking
water
in
the
couch
and
valley
and
Shawnigan
Lake.
J
Thank
You
mr.
speaker,
mr.
speaker,
turning
hiding
ducking
away
from
issues
seems
to
be
how
this
government
wants
to
operate
in
Clearwater.
We
have
a
10-year
transfer
that
has
been
waiting
since
May,
so
for
the
community
to
know
what
is
happening.
Nine
months,
the
community
has
been
waiting.
I
know
what
the
next
step
will
be.
In
that
nine
months
we've
had
172
job
losses
in
a
mill
closure,
a
mill
that
the
premier
went
in
opposition.
Another
quote
from
the
premier
back
then,
would
never
happen.
Under
his
watch.
J
We've
had
ten
mills
closed,
one
of
them
invading
beat
in
addition
to
those
172
jobs.
There's
countless
contractors
waiting
to
find
out
what
will
happen
with
the
can
for
enter
for
tenure,
transfer.
So
simple
question:
when
will
the
minister
approve
or
reject
a
tenure
transfer
that
had
been
waiting
over
nine
months?
To
this
point?
Minister.
D
You,
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
for
the
question,
it's
obviously
it's
an
important
question
for
the
people
in
the
area
around
their
future
in
forestry
and
the
future
of
the
forest
sector
in
Clearwater
and
and
in
the
area
surrounding
Clearwater
I've,
not
received
a
proposal
from
enter
for
or
can't
floor
on.
My
desk
at
this
point,
I
have
met
with
local
government.
I
have
met
with
First,
Nations
and
I
have
met
with
labor.
D
My
deputies
are
in
constant
touch
with
industry,
and
the
company
is
indicated
to
the
ministry
that
it's
interested
in
working
with
local
First
Nations
on
stewardship
and
partnership.
Opportunities
in
the
meantime
were
attuned
to
the
situation.
We're
redirecting,
for
instance,
contract
work
so
that
local
contractors
in
the
area
and
in
the
interior
in
general
can
have
a
chance
at
bidding
on
work
that
will
help
them
in
the
meanwhile.
J
You,
mr.
speaker,
that's
beyond
a
disappointing
answer
or
lack
of
having
somebody
deliver
a
bit
of
firewood
for
a
weekend
is
not
a
replacement
job
for
people
in
the
forestry
sector.
The
chief
of
the
simp
is
mad
they're.
Not
getting
any
answers
out
of
this
government
inter
for
is
not
getting
answers.
Cow
for
is
not
getting
answers.
The
contractors
aren't
getting
answers
clear
waters,
not
getting
answers
barriers,
not
getting
answers.
The
mill
and
barriers,
not
getting
any
answers,
and
this
Minister
all
he
can
do
is
stand
up
and
say:
I
haven't
seen
the
paperwork
yet.
J
The
people
in
the
valley,
the
North
Thompson,
need
more
than
a
text
message
from
a
parliamentary
secretary
once
every
few
weeks
and
they
need
more
than
a
the
occasional
press
statement
from
the
minister.
When
will
the
tenure
be
solved
so
people
in
the
north,
Thompson,
Valley
and
all
the
way
over
to
chase
and
the
dong
Tarr
will
know
what's
going
on
with
their
chips,
apply
for
a
pulp
mill
know
what's
going
on?
When
will
this
minister
actually
take
some
action.
D
D
D
With
local
government
I
met
with
First
Nations,
you
know
what,
because
we've
introduced
and
passed
bill,
22
interests
legislature,
it's
the
first
time
ever
that
government
will
be
able
to
have
a
say
around
the
public
interest
with
tenure.
Transfers
are
proposed,
and
that
didn't
happen
that,
in
the
previous
government.
L
To
show
the
priority
this
government
has
on
the
forest
sector,
the
premier
ditched
going
to
Washington
with
other
premiers
across
this
country,
to
defend
our
forests
interests
the
Minister
likes
to
get
up
and
talk
about
history.
Here's
some
history
between
2009
and
2017.
There
are
more
the
9000
job
gains
in
the
forest
sector
in
this
province
and
we
saw
a
healthy
growing
sector
and
since
the
NDP
be
in
power,
all
of
that
is
gone
that
has
been
completely
lost.
L
We've
seen
mill
closures,
we've
seen
layoffs,
we've
seen
the
the
curtailment
member
and
what
is
the
response?
Be
stealing
25
million
dollars
from
the
rule
dividend
fund
to
the
minister
of
force.
When
will
he
start
to
recognise
that
his
policies
are
damaging
and
hurting
this
forest
sector
and
actually
start
taking
some
action
to
support
our
forest
workers
in
this
province?
Premier.
K
K
Softwood
I
spoke
with
deputy
premier
Deputy
Prime
Minister
Freeland,
about
that
she
understands
full
well,
the
importance
of
softwood
lumber
and
an
agreement
between
the
United,
States
and
Canada
to
the
people
of
British
Columbia
and
to
the
sector
and
I
know
the
member
understands
that
so
I
want
to
correct
the
record.
With
respect
to
when
I
went
to
Washington.
He
might
not
remember.
I
went
to
Washington
that
first
week,
I
was
bringing
him.
K
Washington
DC
in
a
long
long
time,
I
recall
being
criticized
at
that
time
for
going
now,
I'm
being
criticized
for
not
going
on
a
speaker.
We
care
deeply
about
every
corner
of
this
province
and
if
only
if
only
the
former
government
had
spent
half
as
much
time
working
on
forestry
as
they've
done
today
complaining
about
it.
We've
been
there.
L
The
premier
promised
that
softwood
lumber
would
be
the
top
priority,
goes
to
Washington
to
get
a
check
from
the
steel
workers,
and
it's
been
absolutely
crickets
on
the
file
ever
since.
That
is
unacceptable.
Premier
and
I
can
tell
you,
there's
a
beamer
notice.
The
impact
of
this
forced
the
crisis
that
we
have
is
is
impacting
every
corner
of
this
province.
A
little
later
today,
forest
workers
from
across
the
island
and
others
from
our
own
province
loggers
truckers
mill.
L
Workers
will
be
gathered
at
legislature
asking
the
ministry
to
do
something
anything
to
be
able
to
help
improve
this
sector.
They're
asking
for
the
forests
to
be
protected
for
the
working
forests
to
be
available
for
them
and
for
their
children.
They're,
asking
that
costs
be
brought
down
instead
of
being
driven
up,
policies
need
to
be
reversed.
Will
the
minister
commit
today
to
meeting
these
simple
and
straightforward
asked
by
the
hard-working
people
on
this
violent
premier.
K
Thank
You
honorable
speaker
and
again,
I
I,
understand
the
members
passion
I've
been
into
his
territory's
community
many
many
times
since
I've
became
premier
and
one
of
the
fundamental
ships
we've
seen
is
the
establishment
of
timber
supplied
tables
not
just
in
the
Kootenays,
but
also
right
next
door
in
Mackenzie.
The
member
will
know
full
well
that
a
way
forward
after
the
beetle
kill
a
way
forward
with
soft
markets.
The
way
forward,
when
your
largest
trading
partner
puts
unfair
tariffs
in
place.
K
The
way
forward
is
to
work
together
to
hang
together
as
a
community,
and
that's
exactly
what's
happening.
Industry
leaders,
labor
leaders,
indigenous
leaders,
community
leaders
are
coming
together
in
every
corner
of
the
province
to
try
and
build
a
stronger
forest
industry
going
forward.
I
believe
that's
what
british
columbia's
want
to
see
when
it
comes
to
the
coast.
Honorable
speaker,
private
sector
labor
dispute
put
at
risk
many
many
people's
families,
and
where
is
it
concerned
about
that?
As
everyone
else
says,
that's
why
we've
dropped
stumpage
rates.
K
A
M
Thank
You
mr.
speaker,
while
the
rising
cost
of
insurance
is
an
issue
that
strata
corporations
are
facing
right
across
Canada
and
around
the
world.
Honourable
speaker,
it's
not
just
unique
to
British,
Columbia
and
I
want
to
assure
the
member
and
all
the
members
opposite
and
British
Columbians
at
the
Minister
of
Finance
is
monitoring.
The
situation
carefully
and
staff
from
both
of
our
ministries
are
talking
to
those
who
have
knowledge
of
the
market,
along
with
the
condominium
owners,
homeowners,
association
and
the
insurance
sector.
To
better
understand
the
situation.
A
You,
mr.
speaker,
according
to
the
Abbotsford
news,
On
January,
7th
and
I
quote
a
spokesperson
for
the
BC
Ministry
of
Municipal,
Affairs
and
housing
said
the
province
is
working
to
ensure
affordable
coverage
is
available.
Unquote.
Since
then,
hundreds
of
stratus
have
reported
facing
massive
increases
and
xi
can't
even
get
insurance
at
all.
Will
the
Minister
tell
us
exactly
what
her
plan
is?
Minister.
M
Thank
You,
mr.
speaker
and
again,
we
are
concerned
about
these
impacts
and
about
the
decisions
that
are
being
made
by
private
insurance
companies.
These
decisions
are
putting
significant
pressure
and
creating
significant
concern
to
homeowners,
condominium
owners
that
are
in
a
strata
situation
and
in
some
cases
unrendered,
because
they
too
are
living
in
these
homes.
We
know
that
climate
change
and
the
increase
of
weather-related
incidents
is
having
a
direct
impact
on
the
cost
of
these
insurance
products.
We
are
engaging
with
the
private
insurance
industry
determine
help.
N
M
You
very
much
honorable
speaker.
It
would
seem
that
the
preference
of
the
Opposition
is
just
to
jump
in
and
hope
that
you
can
figure
this
out,
and
that's
really
I
would
say
irresponsible,
and
the
more
appropriate
thing
to
do
is
to
make
sure
that
you
gather
all
the
information
which
is
exactly
what
we're
doing.
Honorable
speaker,
we
are
the
Minister
of
Finance
and
my
staff
are
working
together
to
identify
the
best
way
forward.
We
know
that
people
are
really
concerned.
Honourable
speaker,
this
is
an
issue
that
came
up
out
of
the
private
insurance
industry.
M
It's
work
that
we're
doing
in
consultation.
Maybe
they
don't
understand
what
that
word
means.
It
means
consulting
with
the
the
industry
and
consulting
with
the
home,
the
condominium
owner
Association,
as
well
as
the
two
ministries,
in
order
to
better
understand
how
to
best
proceed.
Honourable
speaker,
we
are
hearing
the
same
thing
that
those
members
are
hearing.
We
know
that
it's
creating
anxiety
and
stress
for
condominium
owners
and
for
those
who
are
in
strata
and
that's
why
working
together
with
the
industry,
with
the
insurance
industry,
to
make
sure
that
we
have
a
path
forward.