►
From YouTube: DECEMBER 10 2020 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
1st Session
42nd Parliament
B
B
C
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker,
and
I
I
agree
with
the
leader
of
the
the
opposition.
It's
been
a
very
difficult
year
for
british
columbians.
It's
been
very
difficult
year
for
canadians
and
for
everyone
around
the
world
as
a
result
of
this
pandemic,
and
we
know
that
people
have
been
hit
hard.
It
is
honorable
speaker
why
we
brought
forward
a
worker's
benefit
back
in
the
spring.
C
It
is
why
we
put
together
a
stronger
bc
plan
in
september,
and
it
is
why
we
brought
forward
this
recovery
benefit
to
help
3.7
million
british
columbians.
These
are
the
ones
that
have
been
hardest
hit.
These
are
the
ones
that
we
are
committed
to
continue
to
support,
and
I
know
that
the
members
opposite
as
well
feel
committed
to
support
those
folks,
and
this
benefit
is
going
to
help
3.7
million
british
columbians.
B
Well,
thank
you
very
much
and
to
the
finance
minister.
British
columbians
woke
up
on
wednesday
after
the
announcement.
Many
of
them
realizing
that
the
very
direct
support
that
was
promised
by
this
premier
during
an
election
campaign
that
they
may
not
be
eligible
because
it
is
based
on
pre-pandemic
circumstances.
B
B
B
Many
of
them
don't
know
how
they're
going
to
make
their
rent
payment
or
how
they're
going
to
feed
their
families,
and
this
minister
references
a
five
dollar
latte,
hardly
on
the
minds
of
many
british
colombians
so
again
to
the
premier.
What
does
the
premier
have
to
say
about
the
people
who
were
counting
on
the
money
that
he
promised
them
during
an
election
campaign?.
C
You
very
much,
mr
speaker,
well,
it's
so
interesting
to
hear
the
the
member
opposite
cherry
pick,
because
what
I
said
was
it's
an
opportunity
for
people
to
pay
their
bills
to
help
buy
clothes
for
their
kids,
help
pay
for
groceries,
buy
christmas
presents
and
perhaps
even
yes
treat
themselves
to
a
latte
if
they
haven't
been
able
to
do
that.
C
So
I
think
it's
really
important
to
honorable
speaker
to
speak
to
the
whole
context,
and
I
know
that
the
members
opposite
are
hearing
from
british
columbians
about
how
hard
it's
been,
because
we're
hearing
that
too
and
we're
responding
with
a
recovery
benefit
that
90
of
adults
in
british
columbia
we
know
are
eligible
for
and
of
that.
Honourable
speaker,
85
percent
of
those
90
are
eligible
for
the
full
benefit
and
that's
going
to
make
a
significant
difference
for
right.
Now.
People
need
help
now,
not
necessarily
in
the
future.
C
We
have
a
vaccine
on
the
horizon,
which
I
know
certainly
helped
helped
me
sort
of
get
through
the
day.
Yesterday,
it's
been
really
hard
on
british
columbians
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
be
there
for
british
columbia
and
for
everybody
here
in
this
province,
not
just
those
at
the
top
honorable
speaker
but
for
every
british
columbian,
because
this
has
been
a
very,
very,
very
difficult
time
for
so
many
we're
going
to
keep
doing
what
we
need
to
do
to
help
british
columbians
get
through
this.
D
Well,
thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
Let's
be
clear,
that's
fine!
Let's
be
clear
and
and
to
the
minister
what
happened
to
100.
The
premier
made
a
promise,
a
thousand
dollars
in
everyone's
account
by
christmas.
It
looks
like
he's
going
to
break
that
promise.
Many
british
columbia
families
are
expecting
this
money
they're
expecting
help
from
this
government
and
the
support
before
this
holiday
season,
and
why?
D
Because
the
premier
made
a
promise
up
on
the
fly,
and
I
think
that's
why
this
is
not
going
to
happen,
he's
just
making
it
up
as
he
goes,
a
lot
of
families
are
going
to
notice,
though
a
lot
of
families
are
struggling,
a
lot
of
families
are
hurting
and
a
lot
of
families
are
looking
for
help
from
this
government
to
fulfill
a
promise
they
made.
So
can
the
premier
tell
british
columbians
who
are
counting
on
this
money?
Will
everyone
still
be
getting
the
thousand
dollars
that
he
promised.
C
C
We
knew
that
those
that
the
people
needed
help,
and
so
we
created
programs
throughout
these
nine
months
to
make
sure
that
people
could
pay
for
groceries
to
make
sure
that
they
could
pay
their
rent
to
make
sure
that
they
could
buy
their
children
new
running
shoes
that
they
outgrew
and
we're
going
to
keep
doing
that
for
the
people
who
need
it
most
in
this
province.
Honourable
speaker,.
D
Well,
the
promise
keeps
changing
day
by
day.
It
seems
the
premier
said
everybody
would
have
a
thousand
dollars
in
their
account.
Direct
deposit,
I
believe,
was
his
exact
quote
by
christmas.
It's
clear:
this
government
does
not
actually
understand
what's
happening
on
the
ground,
when
the
minister
seems
to
highlight
a
five
dollar
latte
as
being
something
that
people
are
excited
about
getting
if
they
get
this
money.
If
they
get
this
money,
look
some
people
are
just
trying
to
survive.
D
In
my
riding,
I
know
many
people
that
were
lucky
enough
to
be
working
in
2019
who
lost
their
job
this
year
because
of
covid
and
now
under
these
new
rules
are
going
to
get
zero.
How
is
that
fair?
How
is
that
actually
helping
people
right
now
that
are
in
need
they're,
trying
to
decide
whether
they
can
afford
to
pay
their
bills
or
buy
a
christmas
present
for
their
child
this
year?
D
D
A
C
You
very
much
honorable
speaker,
well,
I'm
very
proud
that
applications
will
open
on
december
18th,
honourable
speaker,
and
I
think
we
all
need
to
express
a
little
bit
of
gratitude
and
appreciation
to
the
public
service
that
have
been
working
diligently
to
to
develop
this
application
process
so
that
it
is
quick
that
it
is
efficient
and
that
people
can
start
getting
the
the
supports
that
they
need
into
their
bank
accounts.
Asap.
Honourable
speaker,
we're
going
to
start
seeing
that
roll
out
december
18th
within
a
couple
of
days.
C
People
will
see
money
in
their
bank
accounts
and
that's
going
to
make
a
difference
right
now
for
people
not
six
months
from
now,
like
the
members
opposite
would
perhaps
suggest.
But
right
now,
people
are
going
to
start
to
get
the
relief
that
they
need,
because
we've
been
responsive
and
we're
delivering.
E
You,
mr
speaker,
the
southern
gulf
islands,
salt
spring
island
and
juan
de
fuca
communities
are
rural,
but
because
they
are
electoral
areas
within
the
capital.
Regional
district
they're
deemed
urban.
The
urban
designation
limits
these
communities
from
applying
for
important
grants
for
rural
communities
outside
the
crd.
E
For
years,
electoral
area,
directors,
dave,
howe,
gary
holman
and
mike
hicks
have
advocated
for
change.
They
could
only
be
deemed
rural,
though
they
were
told
if
they
were
included
within
the
island,
coastal
economic
trust
or
ice
tea.
There
has
been
an
enormous
amount
of
advocacy
for
change
that
should
have
been
done
long
ago.
E
E
F
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
minister,
and
I
want
to
thank
the
member
for
the
question
my
first
question
in
the
legislature.
I
appreciate
him
asking
and
I
also
appreciate
his
letter,
that
came
to
me.
I
think
30
minutes
after
I
was
sworn
in
as
as
the
minister
for
this
file,
and
so
what
I
can
commit
to
the
to
the
member
is
that
I'm
happy
to
continue
this
conversation
with
him
after
this
chamber
rises
today.
F
It's
certainly
something
that
we're
reviewing
right
now
vast
staff
to
get
me
a
full
briefing
on
that
and
it's
scheduled
for
next
week.
Thank
you.
E
So
this
is
I,
I
appreciate
the
invitation
to
have
another
conversation.
The
reality
is
for
the
southern
gulf
island
communities
and
for
salt
spring
island
that
they
have
been
conversing
about
this.
With
this
government,
I've
been
conversing
with
this
government
with
successive
ministers
in
that
ministry.
For
the
last
three
and
a
half
years,
the
advocacy
has
been
going
on
mr
speaker
for
more
than
seven
years.
E
The
reality
is
here
is
that
without
this
designation
change,
these
communities
do
not
get
access
to
grants
that
they
rightly
deserve,
for
example,
for
coveted
recovery.
These
communities
are
tourism-based
communities
that
have
been
hit
so
hard
with
by
covid.
They
are
in
and
having
an
existential
crisis
right
now
this
moment.
E
So
we
can
continue
to
converse
about
this,
or
we
can
just
do
the
order
that
needs
to
be
done.
That
was
done
easily.
In
fact,
what's
in,
what's
really
crazy
about
this,
mr
speaker
is
that
there
was
an
act.
There
were
words
on
paper.
All
they
did
was
exclude
the
communities
from
my
riding.
This
is
excluding
them
from
being
able
to
apply
for
broadband
access,
which
is
going
to
help
diversify
their
economy.
E
This
is
likely
going
to
exclude
them
from
applying
for
money
that
this
government
announced
earlier
this
week
for
mental
health
and
addictions
treatment.
We're
done
having
a
conversation
in
the
southern
gulf
islands.
Mr
speaker,
we
need
action.
My
preference
is
is
that
the
minister
put
through
the
order
to
complement
the
the
premier's
advantage
that
his
community's
got?
My
question
is
to
the
minister:
when
is
he
going
to
do
it.
F
Thank
you
again,
mr
speaker,
and
again
thank
you
to
the
member
and,
as
I
said,
I'm
happy
to
have
our
first
conversation,
not
a
continued
conversation
and
and
what
I
would
say
to
the
member
and
I
and
he
raises
concerns
around
tourism,
and
I
know
that
many
people
in
the
tourism
industry
have
been
greatly
impacted
by
the
challenges
of
the
pandemic,
and
you
know
we
have
made
19.4
million
dollars
available
for
tourism
dependent
communities.
F
I'm
sure
we
can
talk
to
the
member
also
about
some
of
these
communities,
how
they
can
have
access
to
that
funding,
but
again
to
the
issue
that
he
raises.
As
I
committed
to
him
in
the
previous
question,
I'm
I'm
certainly
happy
to
meet
with
him.
I
look
forward
to
my
my
briefing
with
my
new
deputy
minister
as
well
and
we'll
get
back
to
him
shortly.
G
The
government
then
wasted
six
months
of
time
before
announcing
300
million
dollars
in
funding
for
the
small
and
medium-sized
business
recovery
grant
a
week
before
the
recent
snap
election
and
disappointingly.
This
government's
only
grant
program
for
small
businesses
is
a
red
tape
disaster
among
18
eligibility
requirements.
Businesses
must
be
currently
operating
have
been
in
operation
for
at
least
three
years
at
a
revenue
loss
of
70
during
march
and
april
of
2020
and
revenue
losses
of
at
least
50
percent
every
month.
G
Since
so
my
question
to
to
the
premier
is
this:
how
many
small
business
applications
have
actually
been
approved
and
how
many
small
businesses
have
actually
received
funding
from
this
program?
To
date,.
F
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
and
no
doubt
small
businesses
are
hurting
throughout
the
province.
Some
are
doing
well,
but
many
are
not,
and
and
I've
had
the
opportunity
to
talk
to
many
small
business
owners
over
the
last
two
weeks,
in
fact,
even
before
that
in
my
community,
and
so
one
of
the
things
that
I
think
particularly
proud
of,
is
we
have
one
of
the
most
comprehensive
plans
in
all
of
canada
when
it
comes
to
supporting
small
businesses
throughout
this
province.
F
The
member
will
know
that
we
brought
in
tax
credits
for
small
businesses
that
were
wanting
to
hire
either
new
employees
or
also
bring
back
employees.
The
member
will
also
know
that
we
brought
in
25
property
tax
cuts,
and
so,
when
it
comes
to
this,
we've
got
1400
businesses
that
are
currently
that
are
in
the
process.
But
it's
important
for
the
member
to
know
this.
F
First,
it
was
to
insure
and
we
provided
dollars
to
small
businesses
so
that
they
can
get
a
proper
consultant
to
come
in
and
give
them
advice
on
how
they
can
become
viable
after
covet
is
passed
also
for
them
to
provide
them
up
to
thirty
thousand
dollars
and
up
to
forty
five
forty
thousand
dollars,
if
they're
a
tourism
operator,
and
so
it
is
my
hope
that
we
will
see
many
many
more
small
businesses
apply
recently
had
a
call
with
tourism
operators.
F
Folks,
from
able
bc
restaurant
association,
they
wrote
a
letter
to
my
office.
We
discussed
how
we
can
make
this
program
more
accessible
to
small
businesses
throughout
this
province.
It
was
a
very
fruitful
conversation.
I
appreciate
the
minister
of
tourism
and
arts
and
culture
for
being
at
that
meeting
and
and
being
a
strong
advocate,
and
I
look
forward
to
that
dialogue
that
continues.
Thank
you.
G
Member
well,
thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Again
one
and
a
half
billion
dollars
of
funding
approved
on
march
23rd
of
of
this
year.
The
government
sits
on
its
duff
until
six
months
later
before
they
finally
announce
a
300
million
dollar
small
and
medium
size.
Recovery
grant
program
specifically
focused
on
small
businesses.
One
week
before
an
election
campaign.
G
We
then
get
into
a
snap
election
campaign
and
another
two
months
of
time
has
wasted
and
now
we're
sitting
here
just
before
christmas,
and
he
has
the
audacity
to
stand
up
and
suggest
that
1400
businesses
which
have
applied
for
funding
that
that's
good
enough.
These
are
businesses
in
every
community
around
this
province
that
are
barely
getting
by
they're,
not
sure
that
they're
going
to
make
it
to
the
other.
G
The
other
side
of
christmas
to
the
minister
honorable
speaker,
one
thing
that
the
minister
could
do
is
he
could
call
the
bill
that
we
tabled
in
in
the
house
here
today,
which
has
been
called
by
restaurants
across
the
province
as
a
critical
lifeline
to
cap
delivery
charges.
G
The
the
minute
we
we've
suggested
a
recovery
grant
with
a
really
simplified
application
process.
We've
suggested
that
they
return
the
government
return,
excess
work,
safe,
pc
funding
to
small
businesses.
We've
suggested
that
the
government
help
with
ppe
costs.
In
fact,
we've
suggested
dozens
of
actions
over
the
last
eight
months
and
this
government
has
failed
to
act.
G
Mr
speaker,
not
only
has
the
government
not
taken
any
of
our
ideas,
the
government
has
also
has
had
taken
all
this
time
to
and
has
failed
to
figure
out
how
to
push
these
dollars
out
the
door
for
small
businesses
in
this
particular
grant
granting
questions.
So
my
my
follow-up
question
to
the
to
the
premier
is
this:
small
businesses
across
bc
are
hanging
by
a
thread
they're
unsure
of
whether
they're
going
to
be
in
business.
G
Only
months
from
now
we're
talking
about
tens
of
thousands
of
mom
and
pop
shops,
little
boutiques,
restaurants
and
other
shops
in
communities
all
over
the
province.
Will
the
premier
throw
small
businesses
a
lifeline?
Will
he
finally
step
up
and
provide
funding
supports
that
are
so
desperately
needed
to
ensure
that
these
small
businesses
are
still
here
in
our
communities?
Only
months
from
now.
F
You
arnold
speaker
and
clearly
somebody
who's
running
for
leadership
over
there.
Thank
you
for
that
speech.
We
understand
on
this
side
of
the
house
how
how
businesses
are
impacted.
My
family
ran
a
small
restaurant
here
in
victoria
for
over
close
to
a
decade,
and
it
was
a
difficult
time
then,
and
imagine
that
the
challenge
that
the
businesses
are
facing
right
now
and
I
appreciate
the
member
now
claims
to
want
to
run
and
lead
the
free
enterprise
coalition
and
they
propose
bills
that
that
affect
the
marketplace
we
have
agreed.
F
F
It
didn't
take
long
minister,
it
didn't
take
long.
F
I
guess
I
hit
a
soft
spot
there,
mr
speaker,
it
didn't
take
long
for
them
to
return
to
the
ways
that
they
that
they
normally
are
in
this
house,
but
I
will
say
this
on
oswego
we
know.
Small
businesses
are
greatly
impacted.
F
F
H
H
I
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I'd
like
to
thank
the
member
from
richmond
north
center
for
the
question.
There
is
no
doubt
that
the
tourism
sector
has
been
hit
hard
by
kovid
and
that
all
of
our
constituencies
to
remind
everyone
in
this
chamber,
because
we
started
just
a
few
days
ago
through
the
throne
speech,
all
87
of
our
ridings
are
being
crushed
by
covet.
I
Everyone
is
going
day
by
day
to
get
through
the
the
good
news
that
we
heard
from
dr
bonnie
henry
about
the
vaccine
coming
to
our
neighborhoods
and
close
to
home.
So
when
the
member
asks
the
question
have
they
been
hit?
Yes,
they've
been
hit
with
an
accusation
that
the
report
that
it's
just
another
report
I
received
the
report.
Yesterday,
the
members
referring
to
the
future
of
travel
positioning
bc
to
accelerate
recovery
and
growth.
It's
all
it's
a
task
force
that
the
government
put
together.
They've
met
11
times
they
they
met
in
september,
the
member
opposite.
I
I
I
got
the
report
yesterday
and,
as
minister
I'm
gonna,
get
to
work
to
take
action
on
the
recommendations
they
want
dedicated
funding
for
tourism,
we're
going
to
move
quickly,
but
they're,
not
decisions
that
I
make
alone
they're
decisions
that
I
make
with
finance
they're
decisions
that
I
make
with
minister
for
jobs,
economic
development
and
recovery,
their
decisions
that
we
make
with
the
minister
for
indigenous
relations
there's
a
call
to
action
for
funding
dedicated
to
indigenous
tourism.
So
I
hope
the
members
aren't
laughing
about
that.
I
Take
this
issue
seriously
we're
going
to
move
to
work
on
an
action
plan,
and
if
that
means,
as
the
member
opposite
from
kamloops
was
talking
about.
If
we
need
to
make
amendments
to
this
small
and
medium
businesses,
recovery
grant
to
make
it
more
accessible,
we'll
do
so
fully
committed
to
taking
action
on
moving
forward
so
that
all
of
our
communities
have
the
support
that
they
need.
But
I
just
want
to
close
by
saying
this:
isn't
the
time
the
member's
opposite
talk
about
partisanship.
H
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
just
for
the
information
of
the
newly
appointed
tourism
minister
that
the
tourism
industry
actually
started.
Talking
to
this
government
way
back
in
summer
in
july
is
because
of
the
slap
election
that
the
premier
call
for
his
self-serving
agenda
that
that's,
why
that
being
requests
have
been
put
on
hold.
H
So
I
hope
that
the
minister
will
study
the
file
and
get
up
to
speed
the
tourism
sector
is
being
decimated
and
the
premier
passed
himself
on
the
back.
It
took
more
than
10
months
to
get
this
report.
The
second
wave
is
ripping
the
industry
we
and
we
have
a
government
that
wants
to
take
another
four
months
off
of
the
job.
H
I
You,
honorable
speaker
and
again
I'd
like
to
thank
the
member
for
her
advocacy.
It
is
her
job
as
the
official
opposition
to
advocate
and
we
will
work
together.
This
is
not
a
report.
That's
going
to
sit
on
its
shelf.
The
deadline
was
december
31st.
I
received
it
on
december
9th,
which
was
yesterday,
and
I
am
committed
to
moving
forward
on
the
actions
to
to
make
it
political
about
whether
I
care
as
an
mla
as
well,
about
my
small
business
operators
and
the
tourist
operators.
I
I
know
that
I'm
a
member
of
cabinet,
but
we're
all
mlas
who
have
constituencies
with
tourism
small
business
operators
that
are
very
deeply
worried
about
keeping
the
lights
on
and
they're
worried
about
keeping
their
employees
on
the
payroll
and
to
suggest
that
I
don't
care
about.
That
is
just
it.
It's
so
irresponsible!
It's
10
months
that
we've
been
in
the
middle
of
a
global
pandemic.
The
member
opposite
threw
out
a
whole
bunch
of
numbers.
Four
months
here,
10
months
there
it's
been
10
months
that
the
public
service
has
been
working
around
the
clock.
I
A
J
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
One
of
the
unintended
consequences
of
the
pandemic
regulations
has
been
the
capacity
reduction
of
local
shelters
across
across
british
columbia
in
williams
lake.
That
leaves
10
people
with
no
place
to
lay
their
heads
at
night.
I
think
of
amber
who
has
no
choice
but
to
live
outside
in
temperatures
that
are
pledging
to
minus
20
and
lower
winter,
isn't
coming
to
the
caribou
or
the
kootenai
trust
me,
mr
speaker.
It's
here
already
as
a
community
we're
looking
for
support
from
the
province
so
that
these
people
know
that
they're
not
alone.
K
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
about
such
a
vitally
important
issue,
namely
that
people,
the
men,
the
women
who
are
living
outside
in
our
province.
It's
an
inexcusable
situation
and
it's
unfortunately,
due
to
a
long
time
under
investment
in
affordable
and
supportive
housing
our
province.
K
Fortunately,
we
are
turning
that
corner
we're
investing
literally
billions
of
dollars
in
housing,
we're
housing,
thousands
of
people
with
modular
housing
that
can
be
built
very
quickly,
and
one
of
the
things
that
I
can
commit
to
the
member
is,
if
he's
interested,
is
a
briefing
directly
from
bc.
Housing
not
spin
directly
from
bc
housing
for
him
about
the
work
that
bc
housing
is
doing
in
his
community
and
for
people
like
his
constituent
that
he
told
us
about.
K
It's
meant
that
bc
housing
has
had
to
work
extra
hard
to
identify
cold,
wet
weather,
shelter
beds
in
many
different
communities,
and
one
of
the
areas
where
they
need
support
or
government
would
welcome.
Support
is
in
working
with
local
government
to
identify
spaces,
and
this
is
an
area
where
all
mlas
can
provide
support
if
they're
interested
and
able
to
do
so
in
working
with
local
governments.
So
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
very
much.
This
is
a
very
serious
human
rights
issue
on
human
rights
day
and
I'm
grateful
to
him
for
raising
it.
L
L
Instead
they
will
qualify
for
950
dollars.
That's
a
450
cut
any
way
you
slice
it
for
people
with
disabilities
from
this
premier
and
today,
nothing
but
platitudes
about
people
in
shelter.
Spaces
that
are
over
capacity
should
have
been
well
known,
leading
into
the
colder
seasons
that
this
was
going
to
happen
with
no
plan
in
place,
no
plan
in
place
for
tourism,
yet
no
plans
period,
and
yet
we
stand
here
today
being
called
back
to
this
legislature.
L
Mr
speaker,
with
the
only
piece
of
legislation
this
government
wants
to
talk
about,
is
how
to
delay
doing
the
work
of
the
budget
for
two
extra
months
until
may,
which
means
no
more
supports
for
people
until
may
of
this
coming
year
so
again
to
the
premier.
What
is
his
plan
to
restore
all
of
these
cuts
to
our
most
vulnerable
populations
in
british
columbia
immediately
to
make
sure
people
have
the
supports
across
the
board
that
have
been
taken
away
over
this
last
week
and
a
half
by
this
government.
M
Thank
you,
honorable
honourable
speaker,
and
it's
my
pleasure
to
rise
and
respond
and
answer
a
question
about
a
government
that
is
more
committed
to
ensuring
that
people
get
the
resources
and
the
supports
that
they
need
that
ever
occurred
during
the
16.
M
To
ensure
the
largest,
affordable
housing
program
in
the
history
of
this
province
was
undertake
an
honorable
speaker
to
ensure
right
across
this
community
that
people
are
getting
the
housing
and
the
supports
that
they
need
that's
what's
been
taking
place.
That's
why
this
government
is
is
taking
action
and
a
thousand
dollars
honorable
speaker
and
500
for
single
people,
and
the
public
knows
under
honorable
speaker
that
that
money
will
be
coming.
The
premier
has
indicated
it.
It
is
the
case
that
is
being
followed
through
by
this
government.