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From YouTube: DECEMBER 15 2020 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
1st Session
42nd Parliament
C
C
D
Premiere,
thank
you
honorable
speaker
and
I
thank
the
leader
of
the
opposition
for
her
newfound
concern
for
vulnerable
populations
in
british
columbia.
I
I
went
back
to
my
office.
Arnold
speaker
yesterday,
just
to
confirm
some
data
that
I
shared
with
the
public
yesterday
and
I
just
want
to
reiterate
some
of
the
points
I
made
for
the
interest
of
those
new
members
to
the
liberal
caucus
you'll
be
interested
to
know
that
between
2001
and
2016,
the
bc
liberals
increased
contributions
monthly
to
people
with
disabilities
by
200.
D
C
C
D
Premier,
thank
you
honorable
speaker,
certainly
charlotte
will
be
able
to
access.
The
child
opportunity
benefit
a
thousand
dollars
per
child,
another
eight
hundred
dollars
for
every
subsequent
child,
a
new
program
introduced
by
this
government,
not
to
the
age
of
six,
but
to
the
age
of
18..
That
helps
some
of
the
liberals
on
the
other
side
weren't
here
when
the
heartless
group
that
ran
this
province
up
to
2016
eliminated
the
transportation
subsidy
for
vulnerable
populations,
forcing
them
to
stay
at
home,
rather
than
go
out
and
interact
in
the
community,
we
reinstated
that
transportation.
D
Increased
climate
action,
tax
credit,
we
did
a
host
of
other
initiatives
over
the
past
two
and
a
half
years
and
we're
just
getting
started
honorable
members,
because
british
columbia
now
has
a
poverty
reduction
strategy
and
it
makes
sense
to
normal
people
that
if
you
want
to
dig
yourself
out
of
a
hole,
the
first
thing
you
do
is
stop
digging.
The
liberals
never
got
that,
and
the
second
thing
you
do
is
you
build
a
plan,
a
comprehensive
plan
not
a
month
by
month,
plan
not
a
politically
motivated
plan,
but
one
that
will
help
people.
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
Let's
talk
about
a
month
by
month
plan,
let's
talk
about
families
who
are
worried,
they're
going
to
have
to
make
a
second
trip
to
the
food
bank
or
won't
be
able
to
afford
a
jacket
for
their
child.
That's
not
about
16
years
ago
or
five
years
ago,
it's
about
last
week
it's
about
one
of
the
first
actions
that
this
newly
elected
premier
took
and
he
can
stand
up
and
bluster
and
spin
and
do
whatever
he
wants,
because
we
know
that
when
he
does
that
he
knows
he
is
wrong.
C
C
C
D
D
When
given
the
opportunity
to
help
vulnerable
people,
not
just
for
one
month,
not
just
for
one
year
but
for
16
years,
16
years,
increased
disability
pensions
by
200.,
the
people
you're
talking
about
right
now,
honorable
member
will
have
the
same
amount
of
money.
In
fact,
they'll
have
50
bucks
more
in
their
pocket
as
a
result
of
the
covenant
benefit
and
the
covet
benefit
supplement
that
we
put
in
place
twenty
two
hundred
and
fifty
dollars
since
the
pandemic
hit
is
going
into
the
pocket
of
all
the
populations.
D
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well
it's
quite
clear
that
this
is
making
the
premier
very
uncomfortable
to
answer
these
questions.
All
he's
been
doing
is
reflecting
everything
that
we've
asked
and
he's
not
dealing
with
the
issue.
It
is
this
premier.
It
is
this
government
that
has
done
this
claw
back,
and
this
is
what
kier
gray
has
to
say,
and
I
quote
slashing
the
covet
benefit
in
half
when
the
pandemic
is
far
from
over
will
force
disabled
and
impoverished
people
to
make
impossible
choices
between
sanitizat
sanitizers
and
masks,
medications
or
groceries
to
the
premier.
E
People
should
know
that
when
the
workers
benefit
was
established
in
march
for
a
three-month
period,
people
on
income
assistance
and
people
on
disability
assistance
and
people
on
receiving
the
senior
supplement
were
not
eligible
for
that
workers
benefit,
so
the
province
instituted
a
300
a
month
supplement
that
supplement
was
renewed
not
once
but
twice
and
brings
us
to
this
month,
where
everyone
I
just
mentioned
will
be
getting
300
supplement.
E
In
addition,
the
province
instituted
a
recovery
benefit
which
is
eligible
people
on
income
assistance,
disability
assistance
and
the
senior
supplement
will
are
eligible
for
that,
and
so
I
urge
people
to
ensure
that
they
make
their
application,
because
it
will
result
in
them
receiving
actually
more
money
by
the
end
of
march
than
they
otherwise
would
have.
A
I'm
baffled
by
the
responses
that
we're
getting
from
this
government,
and
so
are
british
colombians
vivica
ellis,
is
the
director
of
the
bc
poverty
reduction
coalition.
This
is
what
vivica
has
to
say,
and
I
quote:
we're
dropping
the
poorest
and
most
at-risk
individual
individuals
further
below
the
poverty
line
in
january
in
the
middle
of
a
pandemic.
A
E
In
fact,
what
the
members
should
be
telling
constituents,
as
I
have
been
that
in
fact
they
are
eligible
for
more
money
than
they
would
have
been
under
the
current
system,
and
in
fact
you
know,
I
sat
in
the
opposition
ventures,
for
I
think,
12
years,
when
we
repeatedly
asked
the
government
to
pay
a
little
bit
of
attention
to
people
living
in
poverty,
maybe
make
a
plan
to
try
to
address
the
issues
that
we
saw
all
around
us
for
all
those
12
years
in
opposition,
but
I
sat
there
and
it
started
before
that.
E
We,
as
soon
as
we
became
government,
we
increased
the
disability
rates,
we
instituted
a
poverty
reduction
strategy
and
we've
continued
to
follow
with
that
goal
to
reduce
poverty.
So
as
a
reminder
to
the
member
for
peace,
river
north
and
to
his
colleagues
there,
our
constituents
are
eligible
to
apply
and
are
eligible
to
receive
in
fact,
more
money
by
the
end
of
march
than
they
otherwise
would
have
and,
for
example,
individuals
will
receive
fifty
dollars.
More
single
parents
will
receive
considerable
amount
more
five
hundred
dollars
more.
E
F
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
The
arrival
of
the
vaccine
yesterday
brought
a
glimmer
of
hope,
but
health
officials
have
been
clear.
The
vaccine
isn't
getting
into
long-term
care
homes
anytime
soon.
That's
why
the
call
for
widespread
use
of
rapid
testing
in
long-term
care
facilities
is
growing
louder.
F
F
A
study
done
by
dr
roetvge
of
ubc
showed
that,
and
I
quote,
every
extra
layer
of
protection
can
save
lives
and
rapid
testing
is
an
additional
step.
End
quote
to
the
premier,
given
that
rapid
tests
are
an
additional
level
of
protection,
will
he
now
act
to
protect
our
vulnerable,
seniors
and
mandate?
Rapid
testing
in
all
long-term
care
homes.
G
Well,
thank
you
very
much,
honorable
speaker,
first
of
all,
with
respect
to
that
team,
so
the
member
suggests
the
vaccines
will
not
be
used
to
address
the
situation
long-term.
That's
not
your
action.
The
first
doses
of
action
would
be
going
to
workers
in
long-term.
G
G
Two
because
rapid
test
is
insufficiently
accurate
with
respect
to
asymptomatic
basis,
as
the
members
knows
and
as
dr
henry
has
repeatedly
explained,
we
are
using
rapid
testing
in
british
columbia
to
help
assist
in
dealing
with
the
covenant,
19,
christ
and
pandemic.
But
I
think
I
I
try
to
say
that
this
is
not
an
ideological
question
on
expression
of
one
political
policy
against
another.
G
It's
a
medical
and
healthcare
question
and
I
have
taken
the
advice
of
people
who
are
responsible
who
do
this
for
in
their
lives
in
terms
of
the
advice
of
the
effective
testing
and
their
advice
is
to
use
rapid
testing
in
the
way
that
we're
using
it
in
british
columbia,
and
so
I
I
think
I'd
say
that
it's
important
to
have
and
continue
to
have
this
thing.
But
the
suggestion
in
any
way
the
situation
in
long-term,
fair,
is
not
my
first
and
foremost
priority.
G
B
Unfortunately,
the
audio
was
not
very
clear,
so,
let's
see
next
time,
it
probably
would
be
working
all
right.
Member
for
colonial
mission
on
supplemental.
F
F
The
reality
is
the
bc
government
is
already
using
rapid
tests,
it's
using
them
in
first
nations
and
in
rural
bc.
Populations
we're
also
seeing
them
used
for
asymptomatic
subjects
at
airports
or
on
film
sets.
So
the
question
is:
why
aren't
we
doing
the
same
for
our
most
vulnerable
populations,
like
seniors
students,
their
families,
caregivers
teachers,
time
magazine's
headline?
How
can
we
stop
the
spread
of
coven
19
by
christmas,
written
by
harvard
epidemiologist
michael
mina,
says
the
number
one
way
to
stop
the
spread
is
routine
widespread,
rapid
testing?
G
The
priority
given
to
long-term
care
is
reflected
in
our
use
of
the
vaccine,
the
fiber
vaccine,
which
will
be
going
to
protect
workers
in
long-term
care.
I
think
that
that's
an
important
consideration.
It
doesn't
resolve
the
question
right
away,
but
we
are
working
to
provide
a
recess.
Defense
rely
on
long-term
care
to
protect
residents,
to
protect
staff,
to
protect
everybody.
As
I
noted,
rapid
testing
has
its
uses
and
we
are
using
it
in
responding
to
children
19
in
british
columbia.
G
G
You
make
decisions
in
this
pandemic
to
protect
people
when
you
make
them
the
best
decisions
based
on
the
scientific
evidence
and
that's
what's
happening
in
the
uc.
The
the
member
refers
to
michael
mina,
who
is
an
advocate
for
home
temps.
Well,
there
are
no
home
tests
advocate
licensed
currently
in
canada
at
all,
so
the
approach
we're
taking
to
rapid
testing
is
to
use
it
where
it
is
helpful
to
preventing
the
spread
of
covenanting.
H
Thanks,
mr
speaker,
I
want
to
tell
the
the
premier
and
the
the
minister
of
health
about
peter
peter's,
91
years
old.
He
lives
in
a
care
facility.
In
langley
last
month
an
employee
tested,
positive
and
his
home
went
on
lockdown,
and
I
think
the
premier
and
the
minister
know
when
that
happens.
The
senior
residents
of
of
that
home
are
isolated
in
their
rooms
for
virtually
all
day,
all
night
jack
lives
in
a
care
facility.
H
G
Oh
honorable
future,
I
first
of
all
want
to
express
my
solidarity
with
the
member
for
abbotsford
west.
It
affects
his
family,
it
affects
my
family.
It
affects
people
across
these
streets
who
are
often
whose
family,
members
and
residents
who
are
dealing
with
lockdowns
and
long-term
care
as
a
result
of
our
outbreak
response,
it's
a
very
serious
situation,
and
so
he
will
understand
that
if
the
decision
was
made
that
rapid
testing
would
assist
in
that,
we
would
make
that
decision.
That
is
not
the
evidence
before
us
in
dc.
G
Let's
be
clear
about
that.
It's
a
question
that
dr
henry
and
that
others
have
repeatedly
answered
in
this
mistake.
You
only
do
things
and
you
only
make
an
issue
if
they
make
things
better,
the
evidence
is,
and
you
will
know
that
rapid
testing
is
not
licensed
in
canada
in
asymptomatic
cases.
It's
important
to
note
that
it's
important
to
note
that
there
are
issues,
especially
in
respect
to
asymptomatic
cases,
not
symptomatic,
but
ancient
math
cases
with
the
accuracy
of
rapid
testing
and
inaccuracy
in
this
area
is
is
a
major
problem
with
respect
to
outbreaks.
G
We
are
using
rapid
testing
and
we
are
looking
at
ways
to
use
them
to
enforce
our
layers
and
enhance
our
layers
of
protection
and
long-term
care.
But
this
is
not
an
ideological
question
where
the
opposition
argues.
One
thing
and
someone
else
argues
another
we
have.
We
are
making
decisions
based
on
the
best
possible
advice
of
our
experts
in
the
area
and
our
experts
in
the
area.
H
G
G
As
you
know,
rapid
testing
in
a
system
actually
is
not
likely
for
that
and
there's
a
reason
for
that
and
that
you
only
add,
add
and
implement
things
if
it
makes
things
better
and
in
the
judgment
of
all
of
our
medical
experts,
that's
not
the
case.
We
are
in
fact
using
it
rapid
in
a
selective
way,
in
a
very
similar
way
to
other
jurisdictions
in
canada.
We
are
going
to
continue
to
take
absolutely
every
step
we
can
to
protect
long-term
care.
This
is
the
most
important
priority
right
now.
G
It's
the
reason
why
we
need
everybody
in
the
community
to
engage
in
physical
distancing
and
to
not
engage
in
gatherings
over
this
holiday
season.
It's
the
reason
why
our
long-term
care
workers
are
working
so
hard
and
we're
taking
all
the
steps
we've
taken
to
protect
long-term
care,
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that
and
take
every
step
possible,
including
where
it's,
where
it's
helpful,
where
it
makes
things
better.
G
I
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Mr
speaker,
british
columbians
have
trusted
public
health
to
share
information.
This
has
been
a
critical
element
in
our
covered
response.
So
far,
yet
for
months,
parents,
teachers
and
staff
across
the
province
have
dealt
with
rising
anxiety
and
concern
related
to
covid
in
our
school
system,
but
the
government
has
ignored
these
concerns.
I
J
J
I
want
to
say
that
I
know
what
an
exceptionally
challenging
time
this
is
for
all
of
us
in
our
communities
and
particularly
for
those
who
are
on
the
front
lines
of
dealing
with
the
covid19
pandemic,
particularly
folks
in
our
in
our
education
sector,
and
I
want
to
thank
very
much
express
our
incredible
gratitude
for
the
work
exceptional
work
that
is
being
done
by
teachers
by
support
staff
by
administrators,
of
course,
our
rights
holders
and
parents
and
kids
to
keep
our
schools
safe.
J
We
we
know
that
keeping
kids
safe
in
school
is
one
of
the
most
important
things
we
can
do
throughout
this
pandemic.
It's
important
for
children
to
stay,
have
access
to
in-class
learning
and
we've
been
working
very
hard
with
our
partners
over
the
course
of
the
pandemic,
to
ensure
that
there
are
robust
safety
plans
in
place
and
that
we
have
robust
lines
of
communication
so
that
we're
communicating
to
to
the
best
of
our
ability,
the
the
circumstances
that
are
that
are
occurring
in
schools.
J
We
are
working
on
a
regular
basis
daily,
in
fact,
with
our
with
our
partners
to
ensure
that
those
communication
lines
those
notification
systems
are
in
place
and
we've
recently
seen
in
fact
in
the
fraser
health
authority,
changes
to
to
try
and
respond
to
what
is
absolutely
I
I
can
understand
terrific
anxiety,
particularly
around
with
parents
or
in
those
areas
where
we're
we're
seeing
increased
community
transmission
and
we'll
continue
to
work
very
hard
with
our
with
our
partners.
In
that
regard,
thank
you.
I
I
This
government
says
it
does
not
even
know,
and
it
is
unable
to
provide
a
daily
total
number
of
in-school
exposures
again
to
the
premier.
We
have
anxious
parents,
students
and
staff.
Will
you
ensure
that
every
parent
in
the
province
has
access
to
the
information
they
need
to
know
that
their
child
is
safe
in
school.
J
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
I
I
do
want
to
thank
the
member
for
a
concern
that
we
all
share,
with
respect
to
taking
all
steps
that
we
possibly
can
to
do
our
best
to
alleviate
anxiety
to
the
greatest
extent
possible
during
this
unprecedented
period
that
were
that
that
we're
all
living
through
I
I
know
that
we
have
seen
increased
case
counts,
increased
transmission
in
communities,
particularly
in
the
fraser
health
region,
and
that
has
given
rise
to
increased
anxiety,
absolutely
and
we've
seen
the
provincial
health
officer
direct
her
staff
to
form
a
rapid
response
team
to
better
support
health
authorities
in
schools
to
work
through
responding
to
the
the
the
need
for
information
when
it
when
we
we
are
seeing
notifications
and
we've
seen
developments
in
in
fraser
this
week.
J
The
introduction
of
a
new
early
notification
system
that
we
are
monitoring
very
closely
and
that
by
by
by
all
reports,
so
far
is,
is
helping
to
provide
more
information
more
quickly.
Our
approach
to
contact
tracing,
which
has
been
such
an
important
part
of
the
covet
strategy,
is,
is
aiding.
In
that
regard
greatly,
we
have
committed
to
hiring
1200
new
contact.
Tracers
1100
of
those
are
already
in
place
and
are
working
around
the
clock
to
support
our
our
ability
to
contact
trace
and
to
get
information
out
to
parents.