►
From YouTube: MARCH 10 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
1st Session
42nd Parliament
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
On
february
18th
the
premier
said,
and
I
quote:
we've
got
good
people
in
place.
We're
ready
to
go,
I'm
confident
when
vaccines
arrive,
that
we'll
be
able
to
meet
those
expectations.
End
quote
well.
Those
words
have
certainly
come
back
to
haunt
the
premier
on
the
very
first
test
of
this
government's
ability
to
roll
out
a
systematic
vaccination
program
for
british
columbians.
The
premier
and
his
government
failed
miserably.
A
A
C
On
the
speaker-
and
I
thank
very
much
the
leader
of
the
opposition
for
her
question-
and
I
I
acknowledged
as
the
minister
of
health
did,
as
did
the
ceo
of
telus
on
monday-
in
vancouver
coastal
head
health,
we
had
a
bad
day.
People
have
bad
days
all
the
time.
Honorable
speaker,
I'm
fairly
confident
that
wayne
gretzky
didn't
score
in
every
game
he
played
in,
but
he
kept
getting
on
the
ice
and
doing
the
best.
C
He
could
that's
exactly
what
we
did
in
vancouver
coastal
health,
and
we
yesterday
made
4
000
appointments
now,
keeping
in
mind
that
we're
dealing
with
90
year
old,
plus
individuals
we
had
1.7
million
calls
on
monday.
I'm
confident
the
members
across
understand
that
there
are
not
1.7
million
90
year
olds
in
british
columbia.
There
was
a
failure.
In
one
coast,
one
health
authority
we've
taken
steps
to
correct
it,
we're
on
track
to
vaccinate
british
columbians,
300,
000
already
and
more
to
come.
A
A
The
premier
acknowledged
it
was
a
bad
day.
It
was
a
bad
day,
but
what
makes
the
day
even
worse
is
this
premier's
reluctance
and
his
unwillingness
to
release
a
contract
that
actually
this
premier
was
out
of
the
gate
as
quickly
as
he
could,
along
with
his
minister,
throwing
the
service
provider
under
the
bus.
So
if
the
premier
has
nothing
to
be
concerned
about
with
the
contract
and
the
details
that
should
be
included,
including
how
many
service
providers
are
actually
accounted
for
in
that
contract,
what
are
the
costs?
Are
there
penalties
associated
with
that
contract?
A
We've
heard
that
the
second
largest
health
authority
in
our
province,
which
serves
a
quarter
of
our
population,
contracted
for
33
agents
and
yet
telus
says
they
have
provided
and
promised
156
agents
and
exceeded
that
number
so,
which
is
it
straightforward
way
to
clear
up
the
confusion?
What
does
the
contract
say?
What
services
did
this
government
request?
Are
there
penalties
for
lack
of
delivering
on
that
contract
so
to
the
premier?
He
avoided
that
part
of
the
question
straightforward
question.
C
Premiere,
thank
you
ronald
speaker,
and
this
is
the
beauty
of
being
in
opposition.
I
suppose
I
looked
at
the
front
page
of
the
vancouver
sun
today
and
I
saw
a
banner
headline
above
the
fold.
Two
elderly
british
columbians
ecstatic
that
they
had
been
able
to
get
an
appointment,
they're
going
to
be
vaccinated
next
week.
The
nanaimo
bulletin,
the
nanaimo
bulletin,
reports
that
a
102
year
old,
veteran
born
born
during
the
last
pandemic
is
ecstatic
that
he
is
going
to
get
his
vaccination
next
week.
C
I
know
that
the
leader
of
the
opposition,
I
know
all
the
members
on
the
other
side
will
spend
the
next
half
an
hour
asking
these
questions
and
that
is
absolutely
appropriate.
I
want
to
take
this
opportunity
when
I
can
take
my
feet
to
say
to
british
columbians
to
assure
british
columbians
who
are
tired,
exhausted
fed
up
with
covet
19.
That
help
is
on
the
way
we've
seen
time
and
time
again
how,
if
we
focus
together,
our
resilience
will
come
through
people
of
british
columbia
understand
the
largest
immunization
program
in
bc.
D
D
Yesterday
the
premiere
started
to
accept
responsibility
for
the
botched
vaccine,
rollout
plan,
but
then
he
blamed
others,
and
I
quote
the
terms
of
each
health
authority
putting
in
place
their
infrastructure
is
entirely
up
to
them.
End
quote,
but
then
he
admitted
quote:
we
oversee
that
and
manage
it
in
the
best
interests
of
british
columbians.
D
C
Premier,
thank
you
ronald
speaker,
and
I
fully
appreciate
that
accountability
ends
with
me.
I
said
that
yesterday
I
stand
in
my
place
again
today
and
take
full
responsibility
for
the
entire
effort
of
the
government
of
british
columbia
to
deliver
for
british
columbians
if
that
doesn't
meet.
D
Well,
I'm
sorry
that
the
premier
believes
that
I
am
calling
him
names,
but
I
do
love
that
I'm
minted.
We
have
penny
balum,
saying
telus
needed
to
supply
33
operators.
The
company
is
suggesting
that
they
have
provided
hundreds.
So
the
only
thing
that
confirmed
is
that
this
premier
botched
this
vaccine
rollout.
D
E
Thank
you
very
much,
honorable
speaker.
First
of
all,
I
want
to
encourage
all
those
over
90
who
have
not
received
an
appointment
all
indigenous
people
over
65
who
have
not
received
an
appointment
to
to
call
us
today,
their
the
response
times
are
very
short
today
and
everyone
can
get
their
appointment
booked.
I
want
to
encourage
everyone
to
do
that.
E
As
of
one
o'clock
today,
2
500
new
appointments
were
booked
in
vancouver
coastal
health
today,
bringing
the
number
close
to
7
000
over
the
three
days
on
monday,
vancouver
coastal
health,
our
appointment,
booking
and
telus
had
a
bad
day,
but
they
have
responded,
and
there
are
agents
standing
by
to
take
appointments,
and
I
think
that's
the
important
thing
over
21
000
seniors
over
90
have
received
their
immunizations
already
we've
booked
now
over
34
000
appointments
and
that
work
is
going
to
continue
what
telus
did
and
what
vancouver
costa
halt
did
was
respond
to
a
very
bad
day
by
adding
resources,
and
you
can
see
the
difference.
E
360
odd
appointments
on
monday,
more
than
4
000
yesterday,
2500
already
today
by
one
o'clock.
In
other
words,
people
responded,
and
I
want
to
appreciate
and
thank
everyone
for
their
patience.
We,
of
course,
sorry
that
people
were
delayed
on
monday,
but
progress
is
being
made
and
I
encourage
every
single
person,
even
those
watching
question
period
now,
to
maybe
put
the
television
on
mute
and
call
and
get
your
appointment.
F
Let's
do
a
recap
of
what
my
colleague
and
I
have
asked
in
question
period.
This
week
we
asked
about
safe
supply
and
the
government
said
it's
in
the
hands
of
the
medical
community.
We
asked
about
decriminalization
and
the
government
said
it's
in
the
hands
of
the
feds.
We've
had
sincere
condolences,
but
we're
missing
the
urgent
provincial
action.
The
mental
health
crisis
requires
where
this
government
is
falling
short
british
columbians
are
stepping
up
desperately
trying
to
help
each
other.
For
example,
two
of
my
constituents
ella
and
emma
recently
started
a
facebook
group
called
p-e-s.
F
In
just
a
couple
of
weeks,
the
group
has
grown
to
nearly
400
members,
and
the
stories
people
are
sharing
are
deeply
deeply
concerning,
instead
of
care
and
compassion,
many
who
sought
help
felt
further
traumatized
by
the
stigma,
discrimination
and
judgment
they
encountered
in
our
health
care
system.
My
question,
through
you,
honorable
speakers,
to
the
minister
of
mental
health
and
addictions.
G
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
We
are
working
overtime
to
build
up
that
system
of
care
that
was
not
in
place
when
our
government
first
took
government
in
2017.,
as
dr
henry
said.
At
that
time,
it's
hard
to
fight
a
public
health
emergency
and
now
a
particularly
accentuated
mental
health
crisis
when
there
was
no
system
of
care
in
place,
so
we've
been
both
fighting
these
public
health
crisis
while
building
up
that
continuum
of
care,
and
so
with
the
powers
that
we
have.
G
This
is
canada's
first
ministry
of
mental
health
and
addictions
to
be
singularly
focused
on
building
up
that
system
of
care,
expanding
low
and
no
cost
counseling.
In
the
face
of
the
pandemic,
we
have
opened
up
eight
new
foundries
mental
health
support,
centers
run.
You
know
focused
designed
by
youth
and
focused
on
youth
and
young
adults,
increasing
suicide,
support
for
workplace
mental
health
training,
new
mental
health
workers
opening
bc's.
G
There
is
much
much
more
to
do,
but
we
are
using
the
authority
and
the
confidence
given
to
us
by
voters
in
british
columbia
to
build
out
a
system
of
care
where
there
was
none
anybody
in
crisis.
Now,
please
reach
out
our
our
virtual
and
online
and
text-based
supports,
which
you
can
see
at
gov.bc.ca
copit19
mental
health
supports
are
available
for
you
now.
F
I
asked
for
specific
actions
that
are
being
taken
to
address
that
I've
heard
many
stories
of
how
our
system
treats
people
when
they
are
suffering
in
a
mental
health
crisis.
Some
may
be
offered
medication
and
told
they're
seeking
attention
their
friends
and
family
are
told.
Their
loved
ones
are
just
attention
seekers
and
not
a
threat
to
take
their
lives
own
lives,
but
all
too
often
that's
not
the
case.
Mr
speaker,
I
can
personally
name
more
people
than
I
wish
to
count.
F
G
Mr
speaker,
through
you,
I
apologize
to
the
member.
I
did
not
hear
the
racial
bias
part
of
his
question.
I
did
not
mean
to
not
address
the
serious
matter
head
on,
as
was
discouragingly
confirmed
in
the
report
that
we
commissioned
from
mary
ellen
terpel
lafond
now
titled.
In
plain
sight,
there
is
systemic
racism
in
british
columbia's
health
care
system.
G
It
is,
it
is
acting
as
a
barrier
to
people
getting
access
to
that
health
treatment
that
they
need,
and
this
is
particularly
pointed
in
the
addictions
and
mental
health
fields
that
was
her
finding
and
for
that.
Our
government
has
unequivocally
apologized
and
indicated
that
this
is
now
built
into
every
mandate
letter
every
instruction
that
the
premier
has
given
us
to
root
out
systemic
racism
and
and
and
to
remove
it
as
a
barrier
to
people
accessing
the
services
that
they
need
and
deserve.
G
I
share
the
members,
aim
that
heart
and
mind,
and
every
form
of
physical
and
mental
health
is
treated
on
a
on
an
equal
basis
that
there
should
not
be
barriers
in
place.
This
is
exactly
the
system
of
care
that
we
are
working
hard
to
build
up.
We
have
got
much
more
work
to
do
and
any
barrier
to
access
to
mental
health
treatment
on
a
racial
basis
or
any
other
basis.
I
agree,
is
unacceptable.
H
H
The
questions
today
are
not
about
what
the
call
center
volumes
are
handling.
Today.
The
questions
today
are
about
the
decision-making
process.
This
government
used
in
a
contract
with
telus
that
they
thought
was
an
adequate
contract
to
provide
proper
resources
to
people
on
the
rollout
of
this
plan,
starting
on
monday,
a
plan
that,
back
in
february
the
premier
assured
everyone
they
were
on
top
of,
and
it
was
handled
so
again
to
the
premier,
whose
signature
is
on
this
thoroughly
botched
contract.
E
Well,
thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker,
and
it
does
matter,
of
course,
to
the
35
500
people
who
have
had
their
appointments
booked
in
the
last
three
days.
E
Telus
responded
first
by
taking
responsibility
and
apologizing
for
not
delivering
as
expected
on
monday
and
they've
responded
in
specific
and
practical
ways,
adding
resources
and
addressing
technical
issues,
and
if
we're
going
to
be
critical
of
them
on
for
monday,
we
have
to
acknowledge
the
work
they've
done
since
then,
for
example,
yesterday,
throughout
the
day,
adding
68
new
agents,
yesterday
telus
had
over
225
agents,
concurrently
booking
appointments
across
the
five
health
authorities,
a
56
increase
from
monday
they've
trained
an
additional
420
agents
that
will
be
brought
online
today
and
the
commitment
is
to
have
600
agents
fully
operationalized
and
productive
today,
and
this
is
reflected
in
the
numbers
of
appointment
books
360
on
monday,
in
vancouver
coastal
health,
more
than
4
000
on
tuesday
and
more
than
and
significantly
more
than
that
today.
E
The
important
thing
and
a
message
for
everyone
is
that,
if
you've
not
received
your
appointment
and
you're
over
90
born
in
1931
or
before,
if
you
are
an
indigenous
person
over
65,
please
call
us
today
at
the
numbers
that
are
publicly
available
in
all
of
the
health
authorities
and
make
an
appointment.
This
immunization
process
has
done
well
in
british
columbia.
From
the
beginning,
we've
received
vaccine
and
delivered
it
to
long-term
care
and
assisted
living
to
acute
care
to
people
who
are
most
vulnerable
to
covet
19.,
I'm
very
proud
of
the
staff.
E
H
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
the
premier
also
stated
yesterday-
and
I
quote
I'm
happy
to
accept
responsibility
and
blame
if
for
this,
if
that's
what
british
columbians
are
seeking,
end
quote
what
british
colombians
are
actually
seeking
from
the
premier
is
an
answer,
an
answer
around
the
decision
making
and
the
sign
off
on
a
contract
that
they
thought
was
adequate
to
handle
the
call
volumes
which
most
certainly
it
was
not,
and
the
fact
that
the
government
won't
even
acknowledge
who
authorized
that
contract
and
thought
that
contract
was
appropriate.
H
H
So
again
what
british
colombians
are
seeking
are
basic
details
about
the
cost
and
scope
of
the
contract
that
this
government
felt
would
have
been
an
appropriate
level
of
service
to
handle
call
volumes.
So
again,
what
is
the
premier
hiding?
Why
will
the
premier
not
release
the
contract
and
the
terms
and
tell
us
who
actually
signed
off
on
this
botched
plan.
E
Well,
honorable
speaker,
the
member
may
wish
to
criticize
dr
balam,
who
I
think
is
an
extraordinary
british
colombian
and
who
has
taken
on
this
task
of
leading
our
immunization
effort,
and
I
am
proud
and
supportive
of
her
work.
I
think
it
is
exceptional,
has
been
exceptional
and
will
be
exceptional,
and
this
is
an
enormous
project
ensuring
that
4.3
million
people
are
immunized
twice
and
I'm
proud
of
the
work
that
she's
done
taking
on
this
task
and
providing
the
leadership
she
has
provided.
E
With
respect
to
the
last
number
of
days,
we've
told
the
members
that
on
monday,
there
were
significant
difficulties,
particularly
in
vancouver
coastal
health.
There's
no
question
about
that,
but
over
the
last
couple
of
days
people
have
responded.
I
think
what
british
columbians
wanted
I
wanted
to
hear
was
how
we
were
going
to
make
it
better
how
we
were
going
to
respond,
how
we
were
going
to
improve
things,
because
people
need
to
book
their
appointment
and
people
need
to
be
immunized,
those
over
90
indigenous
people
over
65
right
now.
E
So
I
would
encourage
them
to
call
in
and
to
get
an
appointment,
because
I
think
this
immunization
campaign,
the
most
important
and
it
will
be
the
most
scrutinized
in
history
as
it
should
be,
is
an
important
moment
for
every
individual
every
time
someone's
immunized.
It
makes
all
of
the
rest
of
us
safer,
and
I
want
to
thank
all
of
the
people
involved
in
this
effort.
I
I
I
How
did
the
government
retain
telus
in
the
first
place?
Did
it
consider
other
bids
from
other
service
providers?
When
did
it
sign
this
contract?
Did
it
scope
it
out?
How
is
it
that
33
call
agents
were
expected
to
receive
calls
from
over
50
000
plus
another
35
000
indigenous
people
and
their
families?
I
I
The
ministry
of
health
and
this
government
had
months
to
figure
that
out
and
they've
completely
failed
the
province,
so
british
climates
deserve
to
know
exactly
what
services
government
asked
for
and
when
the
contract
was
signed.
So
to
the
premier
through
you,
mr
speaker,
when
was
the
contract
with
telus
signed
and
will
the
premier
make
it
public
today.
E
Oh,
thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
I
I
just
simply
and
respectfully
beg
to
disagree
with
the
honorable
member.
I
think
the
performance
of
british
columbia's
health
authorities,
their
efforts
to
support
people
who
have
tested
positive
for
covit
19,
has
been
recognized
much
across
north
america
as
an
outstanding
response.
It's
something
we've
done
together,
including
members
on
the
opposition
side,
including
members
of
the
green
party,
including
public
servants
and
health
professionals
and
health
care
workers
across
our
province.
I
think,
to
say
the
least.
E
Tomorrow
is
the
first
anniversary
of
the
international
declaration,
the
pandemic,
probably
14
months,
since
we
put
out
our
own
emergency
response
to
coven
19,
and
I
think
the
effort
everyone
has
made
has
been
outstanding.
There
have
been
moments
when
we
have
not
done
everything
right
and,
of
course,
as
minister
of
health,
I'm
responsible
for
the
ministry
of
health
and
for
that
budget
allocation,
and
I
take
that
responsibility
very
seriously.
E
E
Each
health
authority,
of
course,
has
an
arrangement
but
signed
an
agreement
with
telus
under
our
master
agreement
with
telus,
which
was
of
course
signed
by
the
previous
government
and
those
those
agreements
were
put
in
place
to
ensure
that
we
had
call
center
capacity
during
this
period
and
it's
natural
that
we
would
turn
to
an
outstanding
provider
such
as
tell
us
to
do
this.
The
reason
is
that
health
authorities
are
in
the
health
business,
not
in
the
call
center
business,
and
we
needed
this
for
a
distinct
period
of
time.
E
We
weren't
setting
up
permanent
call
center
technology,
so
that
is
why
we
went
down
this
road
and
I
think
the
response
of
telus
and
I
want
to
acknowledge
the
response
of
telus
president
darren
henswissel,
who
has
personally
driven
this
effort
over
the
last
two
days
to
make
things
better.
I
want
to
acknowledge
that.
Well,
we
had
a
tough
day
on
the
first
day
that
they've
responded
very
well,
and
I
hope
continue
to
do
that
and
I
encourage
again
encourage
people
over
90
indigenous
people
over
65
to
call
in
and
book
an
appointment.
E
My
apologies,
honourable
speaker,
always
good
to
mute.
Arnold
speaker,
I
am
the
original
agreement,
of
course,
there's
an
agreement
with
telus,
a
government-wide
agreement
that
was
signed
under
the
previous
government
as
the
member
will
agree
and
then,
as
part
of
that
agreement,
further
agreements
were
put
together
by
health
authorities
and
I
think,
we've
seen
in
the
last
couple
of
days
the
response
of
this
outstanding
bc,
headquartered
company,
which
acknowledged
its
responsibilities
and
that
it
let
us
down
on
monday
and
has
responded
with
an
extraordinary.
E
I
think
efforts
meet
the
terms
of
its
agreement
over
the
last
couple
of
days
and
I
think
what
everybody
wants
us
to
do
when
things
don't
turn
out
well,
when
we
have
a
bad
day
is
to
turn
around
and
make
improvements.
That's
what
I
said
we
would
do
yesterday
and
that's
what
we
did
do
and
I
want
to
acknowledge
everyone
involved.
All
the
staff
involved.
Who've
worked
very
hard
to
see
that
this
be
better.
We've
got
a
appointment,
booking
process
an
immunization
process
that
will
take
months.
E
Well,
honorable
speaker,
I
think
what
we
have
done
is
consistently
disclosed
in
terms
of
appointments
booked
from
day
one.
When
we
had
a
bad
day.
We
disclosed
those
numbers
when
there
was
a
better
day
yesterday,
the
numbers
were
disclosed
today
the
numbers
will
be
disclosed
and
the
fact
of
the
matter
is
that
it
took
all
of
the
steps
I
detailed
to
improve
the
situation
for
them.
E
Health
authorities
took
all
of
the
steps
they
did,
that
they
took
to
improve
the
circumstances
and
the
circumstances
have
improved,
and
so
I
think
that
well,
we
were
very
critical
and
I
was
very
critical
yesterday
of
the
performance
of
our
contractor,
that
that
performance
has
improved,
and
you
can
see
that
and
people
can
see
that
if
they
call
our
lines
today
and
book
an
appointment-
and
I
encourage
everyone
over
90-
all
indigenous
people
over
65-
to
take
advantage
of
that
opportunity
and
book
right
now.
E
Honorable
speaker,
I
appreciate
that
the
members
want
to
continue
a
focus
on
monday,
and
I
appreciate
that
many
people
in
bc
and
I've
spoken
to
a
significant
number
of
them
were
frustrated
by
having
to
wait
as
they
did
on
monday
or
not
being
able
to
complete
an
appointment.
After
with
all
of
the
anxiety
around
immunization,
we've
talked
about
that.
We've
acknowledged
that
taken
responsibility
for
that
telus
has
the
premier
have.
I
have
and
our
task,
I
think
now.
E
Our
task,
I
think
now
is
to
make
the
improvements
necessary
so
that
people
can
book
and
get
appointments
and,
in
fact
that's
what
happened.
That's
that
is,
in
fact,
I'd
say
to
all
members
of
the
house
what
is
happening
now.
There
is
an
opportunity
today
for
all
those
over
90
for
all
indigenous
people
over
65
to
book
appointments
this
afternoon
right
here
and
right
now.
E
We
responded
to
deficiency
on
monday
by
adding
the
resources
and
even
more
than
the
resources
necessary
to
address
wait
times,
and
I
I
think
I
want
to
acknowledge,
just
as
I
was
critical
yesterday,
all
of
the
hard
work
done
by
people
at
telus
people
in
the
health
authorities
and
people
involved
in
this
immunization
campaign
to
assure
that
everyone
involved
gets
the
appointment
they
need
leading
to
the
immunization.
They
need
against
covet
19.