►
From YouTube: APRIL 19 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well
despite
us
asking
the
premier
repeatedly
last
week,
we've
had
we've
heard
absolutely
nothing
about
a
guarantee
that
the
circuit
breaker
grant
that
was
announced
would
be
extended
if
current
health
restrictions
are
after
more
than
60
years.
The
owner
of
the
famous
roundup,
cafe
in
surrey,
is
calling
it
quits.
C
The
owner
dennis
says,
and
I
quote
it
wasn't
on
our
terms
to
go
out.
Current
restrictions
made
it
tough
to
even
break
even
and
try
to
get
ahead.
End
quote:
there
are
hundreds
of
restaurants,
just
like
the
roundup
cafe.
That
may
also
close,
because
this
premier
refuses
to
take
additional
action.
So
let's
try
it
again
today.
D
I
don't
I'm
not
quite
sure
the
members
question
about
extending
the
program.
The
program
is
available
till
june
for
businesses
to
apply
money
is
available
right
now
for
them
to
apply
if
they,
if
they
need
so
and
we've
been
encouraging
businesses
to
apply.
Even
today
when
we
had
a
meeting
with
folks
that
represent
restaurants
and
breweries
and
pubs
across
the
province,
we
made
the
case
for
them
to
continue
to
push
and
remind
their
members
that
the
dollars
are
available.
But
that
being
said,
we're
going
to
continue
to
engage
with
them.
D
C
Well,
thank
you
very
much.
Listening
is
one
thing
taking
action
that
actually
meets
the
needs
of
restaurants
across
british
columbia
is
apparently
completely
foreign
to
this
minister,
every
single
day
in
british
columbia,
more
and
more
and
more
businesses
are
at
risk
of
permanently
closing
their
doors,
and
that's
the
best
answer
that
the
minister
can
come
up
with
left
out
of
this
equation.
C
Completely
left
out
are
the
young
front
line
workers
who
were
given
no
hope
and
no
funding
by
this
premier,
the
more
the
delays,
the
more
and
more
bills
become
due
at
the
end
of
the
month.
Take
the
words
of
long-time
server,
tasha
hodl,
who
says-
and
I
quote
it
really
shows
you
that
there
isn't
much
support.
C
End
quote
so
yet
again
to
this
premier.
Yet
another
program
botched
bungled
and
out
of
touch
with
the
needs
of
young
frontline
workers
in
british
columbia.
So
will
the
minister
get
up
today
fix
the
gaps
in
this
program
and
provide
desperately
needed
money
for
restaurant
workers
in
tomorrow's
budget.
D
Thank
you,
obama,
speaker,
and
you
know,
the
circuit
break
air
program
has
been
very
positively
received.
I
mentioned
many
quotes
to
the
leader
of
the
opposition.
Last
week,
the
chamber
president
told
us
said
to
the
media.
We
applaud
the
bc
government
for
their
quick
action
to
provide
the
financial
supports.
Businesses
need
able
bc
said
this
announcement
is
a
lifeline.
D
I've
got
pages
for
the
member
for
kamloops
who
jumped
in
of
quotes
from
business
stakeholders
who
think
this
program
is
actually
hitting
the
mark,
and
you
know
why
they
think
that
arnold
speaker
is
because
they
worked
with
us
on
it.
We
listened
to
them,
we
engaged
with
them.
We
worked
on
the
details
of
the
program
with
them,
so
they
know
it
hits
the
mark.
We
know
it
hits
the
mark
and
we
encourage
businesses
to
apply
for
that
program.
It's
available
member
talked
about
extending
it.
There's
no
need
to
extend
it.
D
The
program
is
available
for
businesses.
We
strongly
encourage
them
to
to
do
so
and
as
far
as
the
budget
goes
honorable
speaker,
you
know
the
budget
will
be
tabled
together.
I
know
that
the
opposition
is
excited
to
see
it.
Certainly
us
in
government
are
excited
to
see
it.
We
think
that
it's
going
to
continue
to
meet
the
needs
of
british
columbians,
just
like
the
last
budget
did
and
just
like
the
budget
before
that
as
well.
E
Well,
thank
you.
Look.
Workers
in
my
riding
and
around
the
province
are
actually
just
getting
sick
and
tired
of
the
arrogance
and
disdain
being
shown
by
this
minister
in
this
government.
Imagine
this
after
90
years
of
operation,
most
of
us
in
this
house
will
remember
going
out
as
a
kid
or
taking
your
kids
out
for
a
pirate
pack,
there's
not
too
many
things
in
this
province
that
symbolize
bc
more
than
white
spots.
E
But
thanks
to
this
premier,
this
government
and
their
decisions,
my
local
white
spot,
is
being
shut
down
permanently
in
dawson
creek,
which
means
people
are
out
of
work
permanently
from
this
place.
Thanks
to
the
health
orders,
too
many
taxes
and
too
much
uncertainty
by
this
government.
I
know
jason
jason
works.
There
he's
worked
there
since
high
school
he's
worked
there
for
30
years
and
he
contacted
me
to
say
what
do
I
do
now?
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
again.
I
think
everyone
understands
that
we're
in
the
middle
global
pandemic.
It's
gonna
be
a
challenging
time
until
we
can
start
seeing
these
businesses
that
have
been
relying
on
operating
at
full
capacity
until
they're
able
to
do
so.
It's
gonna
be
a
challenging
time
again.
I
know
the
members
don't
like
hearing
this,
because
it's
but
it's
a
fact.
We
have
the
highest
per
capita
support
for
people
and
businesses
in
this
country.
We're
proud
of
that.
D
It's
reflected
in
the
job
numbers
that
have
been
coming
through,
even
in
a
pandemic,
we're
still
as
a
province
doing
well
compared
to
other
jurisdictions,
and
I
feel
for
the
young
person
who
has
lost
that
job
and
that's
why.
Just
even
a
couple
weeks
ago,
the
minister
of
advanced
education
announced
millions
in
new
scaling
and
reskilling
programs
at
our
various
university
partnering
with
bc
tech,
association,
partnering
with
a
whole
host
of
different
organizations.
We
announced
a
youth
employment
program,
42
million
dollars.
D
Honorable
speaker,
that
helps
put
people
to
work
in
parks,
helps
clean
our
oceans
get
some
their
first
tech
jobs.
So
honorable
speaker
we're
putting
the
supports
in
for
people
just
like
that.
Who've
been
displaced
from
work
and
we
want
to
create
more
opportunities
for
them.
So
they
can
get
good
paying
jobs
and
be
able
to
stay
here
in
british.
E
Thank
you
that
answer
just
highlights
the
disconnect
from
this
minister
and
this
government
of
what's
happening
on
the
ground.
People
are
losing
their
jobs.
Now
they
have
bills
to
pay
now
they're
looking
for
help
and
support
from
this
government.
Now
not
later
now
in
a
small
community
like
dawson
creek,
losing
an
employer
like
white
spot
is
huge
not
only
for
the
jobs
loss
but
for
the
community
itself
and
jason,
and
so
many
like
him
are
just
feeling
left
behind
by
this
premium.
E
This
government
jason
says-
and
I
quote
thanks
to
these
lockdowns,
I'm
now
out
of
a
job.
If
this
was
indeed
a
state
of
emergency,
this
premier
would
be
helping
out
businesses
and
employers
and
workers
now
and
quote
so
again,
will
the
premier
help
jason
and
many
other
workers
like
him,
with
financial
relief?
Now
not
later
now,.
D
Thank
you,
speaker,
and
I
do
think
from
the
question.
I'm
sure.
I
hope
that
the
member
does
support
needs
for
restrictions
to
keep
coven
covert
numbers
down.
I
didn't
it
wasn't
entirely
clear
from
the
question
the
way
he
phrased
it,
whether
he
supports
measures
that
have
been
advanced
by
a
provincial
health
officer,
it's
critically
important
honorable
speaker,
I
saw
the
presentation
from
the
provincial
health
officer
and-
and
I
appreciate
the
businesses
struggling
in
dawson
creek.
D
We
saw
the
numbers
we
know
they're
considerably
high
in
dawson
creek,
so
the
measures
we're
putting
in
place
are
to
ensure
that
we
can
keep
communities
and
people
safe
and
normal
speaker
again
historic
investments
to
support
businesses
and
people
in
this
province.
We're
proud
of
the
supports
we've
put
in
place,
of
course,
there's
more
to
do
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that.
I'm
looking
forward
to
seeing
the
budget
tomorrow,
so
we
can
show
the
public
there's
going
to
be
more
investments
in
people
and
businesses
across
this
province.
F
Thank
you
honorable
speaker,
given
what's
unfolding
in
other
parts
of
canada
right
now,
british
columbians
are
looking
to
their
government
for
how
we
are
going
to
avoid
the
same
outcomes
in
bc.
Last
week
the
premier
said
vis-a-vis
we
will
use
the
tools
that
are
available
to
us
if
we
believe
they
are
effective.
F
F
Non-Invasive
tests
like
the
gargle
test,
could
be
done
twice
a
week
with
government
acting
on
the
positives
and
confirming
those
with
pcr
tests,
as
is
happening
in
the
uk
right
now,
where
every
single
citizen
has
access
to
free
rapid
testing
in
that
country.
This
could
be
a
significant
element
of
a
plan
going
forward.
F
We
can
restrict
interprovincial
travel,
as
is
seen
in
other
provinces,
to
limit
the
spread
of
variance
and
focus
our
attention
on
british
columbians,
and
we
could
be
pressuring
the
federal
government
to
get
serious
about
restricting
international
travel.
My
questions
for
you,
honourable
speakers
to
the
premier
cases,
have
risen
dramatically.
Hospitalizations
are
breaking
records.
What
is
the
line
at
which
government
will
use
the
tools
that
are
available
to
them?.
G
F
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
one
of
the
one
of
the
advantages
we
have
with
covet
19
and
the
rate
at
which
it's
transmitting
around
the
world
is.
We
can
look
to
jurisdictions
that
have
actually
managed
to
get
variants
under
control.
Like
the
uk,
one
of
the
tools
they've
used
has
been
rapid
testing.
F
I
think
we
can
look
outside
of
our
own
borders
to
look
for
solutions
throughout
this
pandemic.
Honorable
speaker,
we've
heard
from
the
premier
and
the
minister
of
health
that
public
health
measures
are
up
to
the
provincial
health
officer
and
those
who
advise
her.
Last
week,
however,
the
premier
commented
that
travel
restrictions
were
a
decision.
He
and
his
cabinet
were
discussing
the
globe
and
mail
wrote
quote
premier.
John
horgan
will
meet
with
his
cabinet
to
debate
further
restrictions
as
the
latest
and
as
the
latest
measures
imposed
march,
29th
have
so
far
failed
to
slow.
F
The
third
wave
end
of
quote.
I
think
british
columbians
should
have
some
clarity
about
exactly
how
decisions
are
being
made
when
it
comes
to
responding
to
this
pandemic.
My
questions
for
you,
honourable
speaker,
is
to
the
premier.
Can
the
premier,
or
somebody
from
cabinet,
clarify
for
this
house
and
for
the
public
who
is
making
decisions
about
public
health
measures
and
what
is
the
process
for
that
decision-making.
H
Later,
thank
you
honorable
speaker.
Well,
obviously,
as
the
member
stated,
the
provincial
health
officer
has
been
making
orders
and
recommendations
which
have
been
put
in
place
for
british
columbians
to
follow.
At
the
same
time,
we
also
take
advice
in
terms
of
the
member
mentions,
travel
restrictions
and,
as
has
been
indicated,
cabinet
is
looking
at
various
options
and
various
methods
in
which
those
those
could
be
put
in
place
and
how
you
could
be
put
in
place
and
how
they
could
be
enforced.
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
For
many
years
there
have
been
victims
of
crime
in
care
and
custody
of
government
who
did
not
receive
benefits.
They
were
entitled
to
receive
government.
Let
down
vulnerable
children
by
failing
to
apply
for
victim
supports
such
as
counseling
to
the
minister
of
children
and
family
development.
I
A
Thank
you.
The
premier's
mandate
letter
for
the
minister
of
children
and
family
development
calls
for
her
to
quote
ensure
support
reaches
all
youth.
Unquote.
We
know
that
supports
for
victims
of
crime
did
not
reach
many
former
children
in
care.
Will
the
premier
direct
the
ministry
of
children
and
family
development
to
identify
the
number
of
formal
children
in
care
whose
victims
benefits
were
not
pursued.
I
That
is
a
wonderful
program
that
so
many
young
people
have
told
me
has
been
liberating
for
them
to
access,
and
so
I
am
mandated
to
work
with
many
of
my
colleagues
across
government
to
make
sure
that
we
do
build
that
trend,
that
successful
transition
and
I'm
absolutely
committed
to
making
sure
that
we
do
that
successfully.
Thank
you.
J
I
Thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
Our
government
is
absolutely
committed
to
making
sure
that
we
provide
supports
for
children,
young
people
who
have
been
in
government
care
and
I'm
working
diligently
with
other
colleagues
and
ministers
in
government
to
make
sure
that
we're
able
to
build
that
system,
not
just
for
children
you
through
in
care
now,
but
to
make
sure
that
we're
able
to
create
that
pathway
for
now
and
into
the
future
for
children,
young
people
to
fulfill
their
potential.
Thank
you.
J
Well
again,
mr
speaker,
I'm
having
great
difficulty
reconciling
what
the
minister
has
just
said
with
what
is
taking
place
this
week
with
her
ministry
in
court
actively
opposing
the
application
being
brought
by
this
group
of
victims
to
have
their
claim
heard.
As
a
group
of
victims,
it's
the
minister's
job.
J
J
I
I
K
L
Thank
you
very
much,
honorable
speaker.
I
know
that
the
member
has
heard
the
minister
of
finance
say
that
she
is
aware
of
this
issue
and
will
be
putting
in
place
a
solution
for
it
in
relation
to
the
speculation
tax.
I
know
the
member
was
also
here
because
I
was
here
too,
when
the
member
was
on
the
government
side
of
the
house.
In
the
issue
of
split
assessments
generally
was
raised.
L
K
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
this
government
has
been
in
power
now
for
a
full
term,
they're
actually
into
their
second
term.
We
have
proposed
a
solution
three
years
in
a
row
to
address
this,
this
challenge
of
rising
property
taxes
in
a
meaningful
way,
and
it
is
clear
that
the
minister
has
completely
botched
the
file.
K
They
all
support
the
solution
that
we
have
brought
to
life
in
this
chamber
and
by
in
bringing
it
forward
three
times
that
solution
being
a
new
property,
a
commercial
property
subclass
via
split
assessment
classification.
Now,
last
week
the
premier
said-
and
I
quote-
I
don't
believe
it's
fair
to
tax
people
for
space
that
doesn't
exist
and
quote
so
again.
If
the
premier
is
serious
about
giving
small
businesses
a
fighting
chance
to
survive,
will
he
tell
his
minister
to
scrap
her
failed
interim
tinkering
and
axe
the
tax
now.
L
Attorney
general
well,
thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
chair.
I
there
are
a
lot
of
members
in
this
house
that
could
fairly
stand
up
and
talk
about
trying
not
to
botch
a
file,
but
with
all
due
respect
to
the
member,
I
don't
think
he's
one
of
them,
and
I
say
that
from
experience
we
will
address
the
issue.
M
M
N
Well,
thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
I
know
that
we
all
across
this
house
value
education,
although
I
will
say
that
over
the
course
of
our
governments
tenure,
we
have
made
significant
significant
investments
in
education,
both
on
the
operating
and
the
capital
side.
Now
we're
a
bit.
We
have
some
sequencing
going
on
here,
because
school
districts,
of
course,
are
are
required
by
march
15th.
We
we
tell
them
what
their
operating
grants
will
be
and
they
they
they.
N
They
commence
start
their
planning
for
september,
as
they're
required
to
do,
but
we're
going
to
see
a
budget
tomorrow
delivered
by
our
finance
minister,
and
I
am
very
much
looking
forward
to
the
commitments
that
this
government
has
historically
made
with
record
record
increases
in,
and
investments
in
education
and
we'll
we'll
see
what
that
looks
like
tomorrow.
But
there's
no
question
over
the
last
three
years
we
have
seen
significant
increases
in
education,
both
in
operating
and
capital,
and
I'm
very
much
looking
forward
to
tomorrow.
M
M
In
particular,
the
needs
for
mental
health
supports
and
meal
programs
have
seen
an
uptick
as
families
struggle
to
the
premier.
Will
he
commit
today
to
increasing
support
for
mental
health
and
meal
programs
so
that
students
and
families
who
are
relying
on
them
don't
have
to
worry
about
them
being
cut.
N
N
Our
government
has
made
record
investments
to
correct
many
years
of
underfunding
of
our
education
system,
and
we
are
going
to
continue
to
do
that.
We
are
going
to
continue
to
make
sure
that
kids
have
access
to
the
quality
education
that
they
need
into
the
supports
that
go
along
with
that.
Thank
you
very
much,
honorable
speaker.
O
House
leader,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
mr
speaker,
back
in
december,
when
the
only
bill
that
we
had
to
debate
was
delaying
the
budget.
For
two
months
we
raised
several
times
that
delaying
the
budget
would
have
an
impact
on
on
groups
and
agencies
and
governmental
bodies
like
school
districts,
and
we
were
told
no,
it
won't
have
any
impact.
We
just
heard
the
minister
say:
school
districts
had
to
start
getting
their
budgets
in
by
march
15th,
which
is
usually
a
month
after
the
budget's
already
been
introduced
this
year,
it's
a
month
before
the
budget's
introduced.
O
So
there's
a
lot
of
worry
for
school
districts,
the
membership
camp,
south,
the
kamloops
south
thompson
and
myself
met
with
our
district
last
week.
They
have
a
budget
shortfall.
They
don't
have
insurances,
that
the
extra
funding
for
covet
supports
will
still
be
in
place
in
september.
So
can
the
minister
confirm
today
that
all
of
these
extra
supports
for
ppe
for
extra
staff
extra
custodial
work,
all
of
the
covet
supports
that
school
districts
currently
have
in
place
will
still
be
funded
in
september,
for
them,
minister
of
education.
N
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and,
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
Our
government
has
worked
very
closely
with
our
all
of
our
education
partners,
rights
holder
groups
throughout
the
course
of
the
pandemic,
to
ensure
that
schools
have
the
resources
that
they
needed
in
order
to
address
the
the
ensuring
that
the
safety
plans
in
our
schools
are
are
fully
implemented.
And
again
I
will
say
that
our
government
has
made
record
investments
in
every
single
aspect
of
education.
N
We
have
built
new
schools,
we
have
seismically
upgraded
schools,
we
are
building
new
playgrounds,
we
are
investing
in
mental
health.
We
have
mental
health,
integrated
teams
rolling
out
in
in
school
districts.
We
are
making
the
investments
that
kids
and
families
need
in
order
to
ensure
that
they
get
the
education.
They
need
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that,
and
I'm
very
much
looking
forward
to
tomorrow.
O
O
It's
simply
broken
right
now
and
all
the
people
are
looking
for
at
the
school
district
tables
are
assurances
from
this
government.
That
cuts
will
not
have
to
happen.
Unfortunately,
we
can't
get
that
today.
It
sounds
like
so
I'll.
Ask
one
last
question
to
the
minister:
what
there's
been
talk
about
the
consultation
being
done
across
the
spectrum?
H
Government
house
leader,
thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
I
must
say
I
do
find
it
interesting.
The
questions
that
have
been
asked
in
the
house
today
a
lot
of
them
budgetary
budgetary
questions,
and
I
can
anticipate
the
the
excitement
of
the
opposition,
honourable
speaker,
after
realizing
that
a
government
that
we
have
had
in
power
now
since
2017,
that
has
made
record
investments
not
only
in
education
and
in
health
care
and
in
transportation
and
in
transportation.
H
Infrastructure
right
across
this
province
has
fought
a
pandemic,
ensuring
that
all
british
colombians
that
we
get
through
this
and
come
out
of
this
pandemic
stronger,
want
to
know.
What's
in
that
budget
tomorrow,
honorable
speaker.
Well,
I
can
tell
them
honorable
speaker
tomorrow
afternoon,
the
finance
minister
members
stand
in
this
house
and
deliver
a
budget
that
they
will
in
fact
be
proud
to
support.
All
of
us.