►
From YouTube: MARCH 23 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
1st Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
the
mayor
of
penticton
feels
that
his
community
is
being
bullied
by
this
government.
Here's
what
he
had
to
say,
and
I
quote
my
community
went
berserk
the
attorney
general
instigating
people
to
break
the
law.
That's
not
right!
That's
unethical!
We
are
losing
trust
in
our
ministers.
C
I'd
like
to
beg
the
premier
to
please
talk
to
the
minister
and
cool
him
down.
End
quote
and
that's
not
all,
and
now
it's
the
pathways
addictions
resource
center,
that
is
being
defunded
by
this
government.
Here's
what
don
swanson
had
to
say-
and
I
quote
pathways-
has
kept
my
body
and
my
soul
together
for
many
years.
C
I
thought
I
would
lose
my
daughter
and
I
didn't
know
how
to
cope,
and
I
lost
my
son
this
july
in
calgary
to
fentanyl
my
husband,
my
daughter
myself.
They
have
kept
us
together
and
I
just
can't
have
them
go
away.
End
quote
the
minister
refuses
to
take
responsibility,
so
perhaps
the
premier
can
stand
up
today
and
take
some
action.
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
that
frontline
organizations
nonprofit
sector
held
together
british
columbia's,
a
tenuous
system
of
care
for
both
mental
health
and
addictions
for
such
a
long
time
is
a
testament
to
their
service.
Their
dedication
to
looking
after
people
in
their
deepest
time
of
need
pathways,
has
been
a
valued
member
of
the
penticton
communities
and
and
we're
grateful
for
their
service.
D
They're
contracted
service
to
interior
health,
as
I've
said
last
week,
and
I
believe
the
week
before
interior
health
is
confident
that
no
one
is
going
to
be
left
behind
by
the
action
of
bringing
the
services
that
pathways
brought,
it
used
to
provide
bringing
them
in-house,
making
them
available
along
a
much
wider
continuum
of
care
and
making
them
available
to
people
throughout
the
south
okanagan
region.
There
will
be
no
disruption
while
the
service
is
transferred
in-house
and
I'll
remind
the
members
of
opposite.
This
is
the
call
we
hear
from
people.
D
C
Well,
it's
interesting.
The
minister
stands
in
this
house
and
speaks
in
glowing
terms
about
an
organization
that
has
been
a
lifeline
for
people
in
penticton
and
beyond,
and
instead
of
standing
up
and
making
a
decision
to
preserve
those
resources,
she
explains
that
interior
health
may
be
confident.
Well,
the
residents
of
penticton
are
not,
and
it
is
this
member's
responsibility
to
stand
up
and
do
something.
C
C
There
are
good
services
and
I
know
the
people,
and
I
trust
them
end
quote
so
what
gord
would
say
to
the
minister
today
is
it's
time
for
her
to
stand
up
and
ensure
the
services
that
have
made
a
difference
in
his
life,
and
so
many
others
are
preserved,
not
stand
and
make
a
case
on
behalf
of
interior
health.
It's
her
job
to
stand
up
and
take
responsibility
for
services
provided
to
the
people
of
penticton
pathways
has
been
serving
people
for
nearly
fifty
years.
C
D
D
We
are,
as
a
government,
doing
the
work
to
build
up
a
system
of
care
where
one
did
not
exist
before
where
people
can
enter
the
system
and
receive
and
receive
all
of
their
primary
care
and
mental
health
and
addictions
services
in
one
place.
This
is
going
to
benefit
the
south
okanagan
region
and
and
because
the
population
of
the
south
okanagan
has
grown,
because
we
need
to
be
able
to
expand
services
and
reach
people
in
a
new
way.
D
D
A
A
A
C
D
Mr
speaker,
the
opposition's
continued
mischaracterization
of
the
accessibility
of
mental
health
and
addiction
service
does
a
disservice
to
the
people
that
are
seeking
care
in
a
greater
way
than
they
ever
have.
The
pandemic
has
pushed
more
people
into
overdose
crisis.
It
has
pushed
more
people
into
mental
health
crisis.
Those
people
are
reaching
out
for
help
and
we
are
building
and
expanding
services
every
year
of
our
four-year
mandate
and
every
year
of
our
four-year
mandate
ahead,
both
behind
and
ahead
for.
D
Mr
speaker,
I'll
implore
through
you
members
to
be
very
careful
in
a
mental
health
and
addictions
crisis
to
mischaracterize
the
the
inaccessibility
of
services,
it's
dangerous
to
suggest
to
people
that
help
is
not
there
for
them
when
they
need
it.
A
A
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
In
fact,
as
part
of
the
work
that
is
ongoing
to
build
a
system
of
care
for
mental
health
and
treatment.
Support
here
are
the
new
services
that
interior
health
is
offering
that
have
been
some
of
them
just
opened
this
month,
a
10
government-funded
youth
treatment
beds
came
online
in
the
interior,
they're
helping
people
right
now.
D
Five
new,
innovative
integrated
treatment
teams
throughout
the
interior,
kamloops
cram
route.
West
kelowna
enderby
salmon
arm
areas
all
out
moving
out
into
the
community
to
meet
people
where
they
are
at
people
that
haven't
been
able
to
access
treatment
because
of
shift
work
or
lack
of
transportation
or
daycare.
Complications,
for
example,
and-
and
there
are
200
government
funded
adult
treatment
beds
in
interior
health
and
the
work
continues.
Is
there
enough?
No,
there
is
not.
Are
we
adding
more
services
every
month?
Yes,
we
are.
E
E
Just
last
week,
the
supreme
court
of
canada
heard
the
city's
arguments
that
the
province
infringed
on
the
charter
rights
when
they
did
that
the
province
of
british
columbia
is
the
only
province
or
territory
in
this
country
that
intervened.
In
the
case,
we
are
the
only
province
or
territory
that
intervened.
In
that
case,
mr
speaker,
martha
jackman,
professor
of
constitutional
law
at
the
university
of
ottawa,
says,
and
I
quote,
the
bc
government's
position
relies
on
a
extremely
regressive
reading
of
the
constitution
of
canada.
E
She
goes
on
to
say,
quote:
I'm
disappointed
to
see
a
social
democratic
government
proposing
the
same,
very
regressive,
conservative
and
narrow
reading
of
the
charter
rights.
That
ontario
argued.
My
question,
honourable
speaker,
is
to
the
attorney
general.
The
attorney
general
stated,
and
I
quote,
the
relationship
between
provinces
and
municipalities
is
an
ongoing
dialogue
between
the
province
and
our
cities.
E
F
Thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
chair,
I
read
the
same
thai
article
as
the
member
did.
The
member
will
know
that
it's
a
difficult
thing
for
an
attorney
general
to
comment
on
a
case.
That's
in
front
of
the
court,
which
the
member
acknowledges
is
the
case,
so
I
will
certainly
say
that
I
agree
with
the
quote
for
me
with
the
member
members
that
we
are
better
off
working
with
municipalities
about
how
we
work
together
rather
than
having
the
court
decide
that
for
us,
it's
an
important
issue.
F
That's
in
that
case,
I
look
forward
to
the
court's
decision
and
I'll
just
note
that
we're
the
only
province
intervening
in
favor
of
the
federal
carbon
tax
as
well.
You
know
simply
because
we're
the
only
province
is
not
an
indication
of
the
province's
position
or
the
progressiveness
of
that
position.
E
You,
mr
speaker,
and
I
remember
the
time
that
I
was
at
the
local
government
table
in
fact
I'm
a
member
of
this
assembly
because
of
the
frustration
that
I
felt
of
the
top-down
relationship
between
municipalities
and
the
province.
E
Some
will
say
that
municipalities
are
creatures
of
the
province
and
that,
as
such,
you
know
gives
us
the
ability
to
kind
of
do
whatever
we
want
from
this
tower
that
we
sit
in
here.
Municipalities
are
not
our
junior
partner,
mr
speaker,
nor
is
local
government,
the
training
ground
for
provincial
or
federal
politicians.
They
are
our
partners
in
delivering
democratic
governance.
E
Brian
frankel,
president
of
the
union
of
british
columbia
municipalities,
has
stated
that
bc's
argument
is
in
conflict
with
the
quote:
intent
of
the
community
charter
in
the
local
government
act,
which
recognizes
bc's
local
governments
collectively
as
an
independent,
autonomous
and
accountable
border
of
government
within
their
jurisdiction.
End
quote:
this
government
has
touted
that
it
wants
to
build
a
better
relationship
with
local
governments
and,
frankly,
mr
speaker,
this
is
a
remarkable
way
to
do
that.
E
So
if
the
attorney
general
is
of
the
mind
to
sidestep
my
general
question
about
relationships
with
the
municipalities-
and
perhaps
it's
best
for
me
to
simply
ask
my
former
colleague
from
local
government
tables
the
minister
of
municipal
affairs,
what
does
this
government's
intervention
mean
to
the
relationships
with
local
governments
and
should
local
governments
be
expecting
an
even
more
top-down
approach
from
this
province?
Going
forward.
E
F
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
chair.
You
know
the
member
does
raise
important
questions
about
that
case
and
about
the
province's
involvement,
and
I
look
forward
to
having
that
discussion
with
the
member
once
the
court
has
issued
its
decision.
I'll
note
that
the
evidence
for
our
province's
approach
to
municipalities
was
best
demonstrated
this
week
in
the
city
of
victoria,
where
we
entered
into
an
mou
around
our
respective
areas
of
jurisdiction,
and
this
cooperative
approach
with
the
city
is
not
unique.
We're
in
similar
discussions
with
vancouver
grand
forks
hope
and
we
were
in
penticton.
F
It
doesn't
always
go
well,
but
our
spirit
of
cooperation
is
there
and
for
those
cities
that
want
to
work
with
us
on
the
difficult
issues
of
the
day.
We
are
there,
and
I
know
my
colleague,
the
minister
of
municipal
affairs,
is
there
as
well.
I
look
forward
to
keeping
working
with
our
partners
and
municipal
governments
wherever
we
can
do
it
thanks.
G
Thanks,
mr
speaker,
in
the
u.s
congress,
legislation
has
been
introduced
that
could
have
a
devastating
impact
on
bc's
cruise
ship
related
tourism
sector.
Even
after
borders
reopen
as
they
most
surely
eventually
will.
The
alaska
tourism
recovery
act
would
allow
cruise
ships
from
seattle
to
completely
bypass
bc,
ports
like
victoria
vancouver,
prince
rupert,
which
would
cost
tourism
operators
hundreds
of
millions
of
dollars.
G
As
a
result,
tourism
operators
are
hanging
on
by
their
fingernails
already,
mr
speaker,
and
desperately
looking
forward
to
better
days
ahead.
Those
better
days
are
now
facing
an
entirely
new
challenge.
What
assurance
has
the
premier
received
from
alaska
senator
lisa
murkowski
who's,
sponsoring
the
legislation
in
congress
that
rule
changes
allowing
cruise
ships
to
entirely
bypass
bc?
Ports
will
not
become
permanent.
H
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
opposite.
The
member
is
fully
aware
that
the
federal
government
is
in
charge
of
our
our
borders
and
we
are
working
with
the
federal
government
to
advocate
for
a
robust
return,
two
cruise
ships
and
other
industries
when
it's
safe
to
do
so.
But
right
now
our
focus
is
on
the
rollout
of
our
vaccinations.
H
The
safety
of
british
colombians
our
borders
here
in
bc
and
when
it's
safe,
we're
going
to
open
up
international
borders.
But
that's
not
up
to
me
and
the
member
knows
that
the
member
knows
that
it's
up
to
the
federal
government,
it's
their
mandate
and
jurisdiction
to
manage
border
control.
But
the
advocacy-
and
I
don't
know
why
the
members
are
heckling
about
border
control
and
jurisdiction.
We
we're
in
a
federal
state
and
it's
because
we
are
not
allowed.
It
is
not
up
to
me,
as
the
provincial
minister
to
open
up
the
borders,
but
the
advocacy.
H
G
G
My
question
to
the
premier:
has
he
spoken
to
senator
murkowski?
Has
he
written
to
senator
murkowski?
Has
he
written
to
the
alaskan
congressional
delegation?
Has
he
engaged
with
them
and
if
not,
why
not?
The
stakes
for
bc's
tourism
sector
are
incredibly
high
and
require
engagement
by
this
premier
in
this
government.
H
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
opposite.
We
will
do
that
advocacy
with
the
federal
government
on
borders,
reopening
and
international
travel.
The
member
opposite
knows
full
well
that
they
have
made
the
decision
about
the
cruise
ships.
The
member
opposite
wants
to
remind.
H
H
H
I
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
well,
for
the
benefit
ministers
benefit.
What
we're
talking
about
here
today
is
called
the
jones
act,
the
jones
act
she
might
want
to
go
and
look
it
up
and
and
maybe
read
it
or
have
her
advisors,
advi
tell
her
what
it's
all
about.
I
This
is
a
significant
threat
to
the
tourism
sector
in
british
columbia
and
the
crew
sector
in
particular,
and
the
nature
of
the
questions
here
today
are
not
about
working
with
the
federal
government
to
reopen
the
borders
or
not.
The
questions
are:
does
the
bc
government
have
a
plan
for
when
the
borders
do
reopen,
so
that
there's
still
a
cruise
industry
here
in
british
columbia?
I
That's
that's
what
we're
trying
to
get
at
here
today,
minister,
the
issue
is
is
is
very
clear.
Alaska
is
sending
some
very
strong
signals.
Well,
not
even
signals
they're
being
very,
very
upfront
about
it.
They
they
want
to
protect
their
cruise
industry.
They
were
mystified
at
the
at
the
lack
of
engagement
on
the
part
of
of
the
bc
and
the
canadian
governments
when
the
borders
were
closed
and
they're
now
saying
that
they're
prepared
to
move
forward
without
us.
H
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
What
what
are
governments
going
to
do
right
now
in
the
middle
of
a
global
pandemic,
is
focus
on
the
vaccination
rollout,
we're
going
to
focus
on
people
being
safe
and
being
healthy,
and
then,
when
we're
able
to
open
up
the
borders
and
have
people
come
to
the
best
destination
in
bc,
we
need.
H
H
Of
course
we
care
about
cruise
ships
and
destination
bc
and
being
a
destination
for
international
travelers
to
come
here
to
british
columbia,
but
right
now
we're
in
the
middle
of
a
global
health
crisis,
and
the
focus
of
the
provincial
health
officer
is
to
get
the
vaccination
rolled
out
so
that
we're
all
safe
to
do
so
to
travel
across
bc
across
all
the
regions
in
all
the
area
codes,
and
we
will
do
the
advocacy
with
our
federal
partners
and
our
border
partners.
Of
course
we're
going
to
do
that.
I
Mr
speaker,
I
think,
there's
a
a
reason,
a
pretty
good
reason
here
to
be
skeptical
about
the
effectiveness
of
this
government,
and
this
minister
in
particular,
when
it
comes
to
looking
out
for
the
tourism
sector.
The
tourism
sector
asked
for
680
million
dollars
in
support.
Almost
a
year
ago,
they
got
50
million
bucks.
Tourism
sector
asked
for
actions,
tangible
actions
to
help
them
survive,
and
they
got
a
task
force
report
which,
which
has
a
bunch
of
recommendations
that
haven't
even
been
implemented.
Yet
they've
asked
for
a
relief
on
fixed
costs
and
they
haven't.
I
They
haven't
received
that,
and
now
the
cruise
industry
is
saying
we
are
significantly
concerned
that
we
may
not
exist
as
an
industry
if
the
united
states
of
alaska
in
particular
goes
ahead
in
bypassing
a
bc's
port,
specifically
vancouver
victoria
and
prince
rupert.
Now,
every
cruise
ship
that
pulls
into
vancouver
is
worth
three
million
dollars
in
economic
activity
and
I'll
remind
the
minister
that
this
industry
employs
20
000
british
columbians.
I
So
again,
the
question
to
to
the
premier
is:
does
he
have
assurances?
Does
he
have
guarantees
does?
Has
he
had
any
recent
conversations
with
with
his
u.s
counterparts
in
in
alaska?
That
is
that
that
would
provide
some
comforts
to
the
cruise
industry
in
british
columbia
to
the
thousands
of
people
that
work
in
the
sector
that
we
will
not
be
bypassed
in.
If,
if,
if
the
the
alaskans
move
forward
with
the
with
the
plans
that
they
have
indicated,
they're
going
to
do.
H
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker.
The
member
opposite
talks
about
the
task
force.
We
our
government
called
together
a
task
force.
I
hope
that
the
member
opposite
is
not
mocking
their
expertise
and
their
advice
to
government.
They
gave
advice.
They
gave
seven
recommendations.
We
received
the
report
on
december
9th
on
december
23rd
we
rolled
out
the
member
opposite
is
not
quite
accurate.
With
his
math,
he
says,
50
million
100
million
dollars
was
devoted
to
the
tourism
industry.
H
We
value
the
tourism
industry,
we
listen
we're
moving
on
the
recommendations,
the
industry's
asking
for
certification,
safety,
certification,
they're,
asking
for
dedicated
funds
to
the
indigenous
tourism
sector,
which
was
thriving
before
the
pandemic,
and
that
work
is
underway
and
the
member
opposite
kim
moss
all
they
want
about
responding
to
advocacy
and
implementing
recommendations
from
a
task
force.
We're
going
to
continue
doing
the
work,
we're
going
to
continue
valuing
the
tourism
sector
and
make
sure
that
they're
better
than
ever
after
this
pandemic
is
over.
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,.
J
J
Two
weeks
ago
we
asked
the
premier
why
travel
agencies
who
have
been
shut
down
are
still
being
forced
to
pay
government
licensing
fees.
Is
there
providing
an
answer
to
the
hundreds
of
travel
agencies
who
are
asking
about
this
feast?
The
minister
chose
to
quote
michelle
obama
and
told
us
that
implementing
all
the
tourism
transfer
recommendation
was
in
quote
impossible.
J
H
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
the
member
opposite.
If
we
go
back
to
the
transcripts,
we'll
hear
that
you
can't
do
everything
at
the
same
time
the
priorities
of
the
seven
recommendations
removed
on
the
first
three,
I
I
can
spell
out
the
math
one,
two
three,
the
first
three
recommendations
have
been
implemented.
We
are
working
through
the
recommendations,
honorable
speaker,
because
we
value
the
task
force.
We
value
their
advice.
The
industry
has
had
a
direct
seat
at
the
table
with
our
great
dr
bonnie
henry
she's,
heard
directly
from
the
sector
about
their
needs.
H
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker.
The
the
member
opposite
is
not
accurately
reflecting
the
actions
that
our
government
has
taken
to
implement
the
task
force
recommendations.
The
experts
asked
our
government
to
dedicate
a
hundred
million
dollars.
Money
has
gone
out
the
door
honorable
speaker,
40
million
dollars
has
gone
out
to
some
of
those
tourism
small
business
operators
throughout
this
province.
It
is
not
accurate
for
the
member
opposite,
the
members
of
the
opposition
to
reflect
that
action
be
isn't
being
taken
because
we
are
working
with
the
sector
we're
at
the
table.
H
J
J
H
H
We
are
doing
the
advocacy
to
get
the
money
out
the
door
through
treasury.
There
is
a
process
to
advocate
for
those
resources,
but
we're
working
closely
with
the
industry.
Honourable
speaker,
we
value
the
tourism
sector.
There
are
grants
available
to
the
tourism
industry
up
to
forty
five
thousand
dollars,
which
was
a
call
to
action,
grants
not
loans
and
we're
going
to
continue
doing
the
work.
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.