►
From YouTube: OCTOBER 21 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
B
D
Premiere
well.
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
leader
of
the
official
opposition
and
I
I
will
just
say
that
I
do
agree
with
her
that
the
elements
in
bill
22
were
particularly
important
to
me
and
to
her
and
to
other
members
of
this
house,
but
it
was
unable
to
pass
in
the
last
parliament
to
that
end.
I've
appointed
a
new
minister
responsible
and
she
is
conducting
a
consultation
to
meet
the
gaps
that
some
members
felt
existed
in
the
legislation.
D
In
addition,
we've
invested
132
million
dollars
in
care
in
terms
of
treatment,
beds,
recovery
opportunities
for
young
people
and
invested
500
million
dollars
in
mental
health
and
addictions
this
year
and
going
forward
we'll
continue
to
make
those
investments.
Involuntary
treatment
is
already
available
under
the
act,
and
I
expect
health
care
professionals
will
make
their
best
judgments
based
on
the
legislation
as
it
currently
exists,
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
members
on
both
sides
of
the
house
to
bring
forward
that
bill
again.
B
C
D
Thank
you
again,
speaker
through
you
to
the
leader
of
the
official
opposition,
and
I
I
well
understand
the
the
feelings
and
sentiments
of
all
members
of
this
house.
When
we
we
learn
of
the
tragic
death
of
a
child
in
care.
We,
those
children,
are
in
the
care
of
us.
We
are
the
states,
we
are
the
legislative
assembly
and
the
government
of
british
columbia.
D
We
are
the
parents
in
this
instance,
and
we
have
a
higher
calling
as
a
result
of
going
through,
not
one
but
two
public
health
emergencies
concurrently
here
in
british
columbia,
but
I
do
know-
and
there
are
members
on
the
other
side
who
sat
in
the
office
of
the
minister
of
children
and
family
development
who
well
understand
the
challenges
of
personal
privacy,
the
challenges
of
making
sure
that
we
can
do
everything
we
can
to
be
fully
transparent
about
the
causes
about
the
circumstances
of
deaths
in
care.
We
have
an
independent
advocate.
D
We
have
a
standing
committee
of
this
legislature
where
we
can
have
those
discussions
to
make
the
best
public
policy
we
can,
and
I
appreciate
there
is
no
malice
in
the
question
from
the
member
today,
and
I
know
that
she
will
work
with
me
and
my
colleagues
through
those
those
channels
that
we
have
available
to
us.
The
independent
youth
advocate
the
committee
that
is
constituted
and
part
and
parcel
of
the
work
that
we
do
here
so
that
we
can
make
sure
that
we're
making
the
best
possible
choices
for
children
today
and
in
the
future.
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
The
purpose
of
the
briefing
note
mr
speaker
was-
and
I
quote,
to
provide
information
on
statistics
of
children
who
died
that
will
be
posted
on
the
ministry's
website.
End
quote
for
the
six-month
period
covered
by
this
briefing
note,
the
only
information
that
was
made
public
is
that
three
children
in
care
died
accidental
deaths,
but
that's
not
what
happened.
Mr
speaker,
the
internal
briefing
note
says
two
of
those
children
in
care
actually
died
from
an
opioid
overdose,
we're
in
an
opioid
crisis.
This
information
needs
to
be
given
to
the
public.
D
We
can
and
we've
also
brought
forward
a
number
of
initiatives
in
the
past
four
years
to
deal
with
children
as
they
come
out
of
care
as
they
age
out,
because,
as
we
all
know,
those
of
us
who
have
children
when
our
children
rejec
reach
age,
18,
they're,
still
our
children
and
when
they're
24
25
26,
they
still
face
challenges
in
their
personal
lives
and
in
the
community.
That
is
exactly
the
same.
In
fact,
it's
exacerbated
if
you
are
a
children
in
care,
a
child
in
care
coming
into
the
broader
population.
D
So
we've
made
it
our
business
on
this
side
of
the
house
to
ensure
they're,
putting
in
place
the
building
blocks
of
stability
coming
out
of
care
and
we'll
also
continue
to
work
with
the
coroner.
We'll
continue
to
work
with
the
independent
advocate
and
others
in
this
house
to
ensure
that
as
much
information
that
can
be
released
is
released.
D
D
I
will
continue
to
advocate
as
well
as
the
minister
to
ensure
that
all
the
information
possible
does
get
out
to
the
public,
but
again
because
this
has
been
such
a
powerful
day
with
statements
by
members
with
the
sentiments
at
the
beginning
of
the
house.
I
want
to
just
add
that
this
is
a
golden
opportunity
for
all
of
us
to
redouble
our
efforts
to
collectively
focus
on
how
we
can
be
more
transparent.
A
Yet
blocking
foi
requests
seems
to
be
a
higher
priority
to
this
government
than
reintroducing
an
improved
bill
22
on
youth
stabilization
care.
So
this
is
a
premier
who
called
a
snap
election
during
a
pandemic
to
talk
about
protecting
children.
Yet
a
year
later,
there's
been
zero
legislation
still
brought
to
this
house
despite
that
promise.
So
why
is
the
premier
focused
on
hiding
information
instead
of
protecting
children.
C
D
Thank
you,
arnold
speaker
and
again,
I'm
encouraged
by
the
enthusiasm
from
the
official
opposition
and
when
the
bill
does
come
forward,
is
being
developed
by
the
minister
at
this
time
and
I'm
sure
that
there's
going
to
be
dialogue
with
the
critic
to
make
sure
that
we're
getting
all
of
the
points
that
she's
raised
here
today.
But
the
coroner
in
in
her
work
records
deaths
as
natural,
accidental
homicide,
suicide
undetermined.
D
D
70
of
the
act
protects
the
privacy
rights
of
children
well,
while
they're
in
care-
and
I
spoke
just
just
the
other
day
two
weeks
ago-
in
chilliwack
to
a
parent,
a
father
whose
child
died
in
care
back
in
2015-2016
and
the
issue
that
he
had
was
that
his
child
could
not
be
named.
He
knew
who
his
child
was,
of
course,
but
his
child
could
not
be
named
in
the
interest
of
protecting
privacy,
even
though
he
had
already
passed
away.
These
are
challenging
issues
that
make
no
sense
to
people
when
they're
grieving.
D
It
makes
no
sense
to
people
who
are
just
perhaps
dialing
in
today
to
hear
the
discussion
that
we're
having,
but
we
have
to
work
through
those
issues.
We
have
to
make
sure
that
we're
protecting
those
important
elements
that
we
all
know
are
are
critical,
but
we
also
have
to
make
sure
we
can
break
down
these
barriers
to
full
and
open
transparency,
and
I'm
glad
that
the
member
and
the
leader
of
the
official
opposition
is
going
to
be
with
us
as
we
move
forward.
E
E
We
hear
a
call
from
scientists
and
health
experts
for
stronger,
proactive
measures,
and
we
see
little
action
taken
before
it's
too
late.
We're
not
out
of
this
fourth
wave
and
our
hospitals
are
beyond
capacity.
Our
ambulances
are
backlogged
in
emergency
room,
waiting,
bays
and
healthcare
workers
are
crying
for
help
to
mitigate
the
number
of
coveted
patients
ending
up
in
their
wards.
E
Vaccines
alone
are
not
getting
us
out
of
this
89.7
of
bc's
eligible
population
with
a
dose
of
a
vaccine
is
phenomenal
and
it
has
protected
millions
of
people
in
our
province,
and
yet
our
health
care
system
is
still
overwhelmed.
Surgeries
are
being
canceled
and
burnout
is
a
growing
reality
for
so
many
health
care
workers.
E
We
have
been
able
to
see
a
decline
in
cases
in
the
past
due
to
strong
public
health
measures,
measures
that
we're
moving
away
from
now
with
full
capacity
indoors,
larger
social
gatherings
and
limited
guidance
on
or
investment
in
air.
Filtration
and
well-fitting
masks.
My
question,
honourable
speaker
is
to
the
minister
of
health:
are
we
going
to
see
a
more
proactive
response
from
this
government,
as
we
once
again
see
surges
in
cases
in
other
jurisdictions
around
the
world.
F
Mr
felt,
thank
you,
the
member
for
question
and
british
columbia's
response
to
the
covet
19
pandemic
will
continue
to
be
guided
by
the
science
and
by
public
health
leadership
on
health
on
medical
issues.
Honorable
speaker,
all
members
of
the
house
will
know
that
on
july
1st
the
province
moved
to
step
three
of
our
restart
plan.
F
F
We've
been
able
to
change
our
approach
tactically
to
deal
regionally
with
outbreaks
as
they
occur
in
the
circumstances
as
they
occur,
such
in
the
at
the
end
of
july
and
the
beginning
of
august.
We
took
action
in
the
central
okanagan
local
health
area
and
in
the
interior
health
authority
in
the
middle
of
august.
F
I'm
happy
to
say
that
test
positivity
in
interior
health,
for
example,
has
gone
from
14.4
percent
the
middle
of
august
to
under
6
today,
and
this
allows
us-
and
members
have
been
asking
about
this-
to
consider
measures
that
are
currently
in
place
in
interior
health
as
well.
We've
taken
action
in
the
eastern
fraser
valley
as
well.
We
have
added
a
mass
mandate
in
indoor
public
spaces
in
the
last
month.
We
are
moving
forward
with
third
doses
today
about
199,
long-term
care
and
assisted
living
homes
have
received
their
doses.
F
E
E
E
I
don't
think
it's
enough
to
assume
that
what
we
are
doing
will
keep
cases
low.
It's
not
enough
to
react
too
late.
Everyone
who
works
in
healthcare
has
felt
the
impact
of
delayed
reactions
this
last
wave
and
those
preceding
it.
The
provincial
health
officer,
the
minister
health
and
the
bccdc
have
led
british
columbus
through
an
unparalleled
pandemic
for
the
better
part
of
two
years.
E
F
Thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
speaker.
I
thank
the
member
for
her
question
her
comments
and
I
agree
that
we
seek
perfection,
but
we
don't
arrive
there
and
all
the
time,
and
this
has
been
an
extraordinarily
challenging
period
and
I
think
one
of
the
things
that
makes
dr
bonnie
henry
a
special
leader
that
makes
dr
penny
ballon
a
special
leader
is
their
willingness
to
work
with
everybody
to
reach
out
beyond
beyond
to
work
with
people,
and
we
do
that
at
every
level.
F
You
should
see,
honourable
speaker
how
many
people
from
different
walks
of
life,
dr
bonnie
henry,
meets
with
regularly
to
get
their
advice
and
to
engage
with
them,
not
one-way
communication,
but
two-way
communication.
So
I
agree
with
the
member
that
we
have
to
continue
to
reach
out.
We
do
that
every
every
week
with
with
scientists
and
researchers
across
bc,
we
provide,
I
think,
the
widest
range
of
health
information.
F
That's
been
provided
on
any
subject
in
the
history
of
british
columbia
and
we
have
to
keep
working
together
to
do
that,
because
the
pandemic
is,
of
course
not
over,
and
we
have
to
do
things
therefore,
and
and
work
to
work
together
to
do
things
that
we
never
consider.
I
would
say
this,
finally,
that
we
had
yesterday,
I
think
137
people
in
critical
care
in
bc.
F
So
what
I
would
say
to
people
is,
unfortunately,
this
wave
has
been
a
pandemic
of
the
unvaccinated
and
I
have
nothing
but
compassion
for
people
and
they
are
getting
the
best
health
care
in
the
world,
but
we
need
people
to
get
vaccinated.
We
need
them
to
get
vaccinated
now
and
and
with
the
level
of
transmission,
we're
seeing
amongst
the
number
of
people
who
are
unvaccinated.
We
need
to
continue
to
raise
those
levels.
F
I
know
people
are
advocating
and
working
together,
including
all
members
of
this
house,
to
see
that
happen,
but
we
have
to
see
it
happen
because
it
is
wrong
when
it's
preventable
for
people
to
be
lying
in
critical
care
from
dawson
creek
in
a
hospital
in
victoria.
It
is
wrong
and
we
have
to
work
together
to
see
that
that
changes.
G
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Today
british
columbians
were
disappointed
to
learn
that
bc
was
the
last
province
or
the
largest
province.
I
should
say
to
not
meet
the
standard
for
an
international
vaccine
passport.
The
premier
promised
to
quote
make
sure
that
we
are
synchronizing
this
activity
to
the
best
of
our
ability.
End
quote:
clearly:
we
have
not
hit
the
mark.
G
D
Being
here
well,
thank
you
ronald
speaker
and
I
thank
the
member
for
his
question.
He
will
know
that
3.7
million
british
columbians
have
downloaded
the
bc
immunization
card,
so
they
can
interact
in
their
community.
They
can
go
to
public
events.
They
can
know
with
comfort
that
the
people
around
them
have
taken
the
same
choices
made
the
same
choices
to
protect
themselves,
their
families
and
their
communities.
D
So
we
are
not
going
to
amend
the
vaccination
card.
We
have
today
without
more
consultation
with
the
federal
government.
If
you
want
to
travel,
you
need
federal
documents
to
leave
the
country.
If
you
want
to
travel
now
on
federally
regulated
transportation
modes,
you're
going
to
need
a
federal
transportation
card
and
we're
going
to
work
with
british
columbians
to
make
sure
they
get
that,
but
at
the
end
of
the
day
these
are
federal
responsibilities,
and
that
has
been
a
long
time
coming.
H
H
Five
months
ago,
the
commissioner
penned
a
letter
to
this
government
and
said,
and
I
quote,
because
nbc
will
be
making
decisions
about
the
allocation
of
significant
public
monies
and
discharging
important
public
functions.
It
should
be
subject
to
transparency
and
accountability
under
fipa
end
quote:
the
premier
had
an
opportunity.
He
has
an
opportunity
to
be
transparent
about
an
agency
in
charge
of
500
million
dollars
of
taxpayers
funds.
So
my
question
to
the
premier
is:
is
this?
I
Greg
dabion
members
in
this
house
may
know
who's.
The
president
of
the
bc
business
council
said
I'm
pleased
to
see
the
province
launch
a
strategic
investment
fund,
higher
productivity
and
growth
while
retaining
exciting
new
and
growing
business,
ip
and
talent
in
british
columbia,
and
he
stresses
the
point
to
us
in
a
letter
that
it's
critically
important
that
we
protect
the
private
information
in
order
for
the
fund
to
be
effective,
to
see
good
investments
come
to
hear
british
columbia.
I
So
honorable
speaker,
we've
made
our
position
clear
to
the
the
independent
office
we've
shared
with
them:
the
feedback
that
we've
gone
from
the
business
community,
about
the
sensitivity
of
the
documents
that
are
being
handed
to
government
and
what
that
information
will
mean
if
it
gets
shared
publicly
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
the
independent
office.
As
we
move
forward.
H
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
well,
frankly,
that
that's
patently
ridiculous.
The
the
the
bc
immigrant
investment
fund,
which
which
the
the
minister
continuously
references
in
saying
this
is
simply
a
continuation
nbc,
is
a
continuation
of
it.
What
he
fails
to
to
acknowledge
is
that
the
bc
immigrant
investment
fund
involved
private
dollars,
private
funds,
not
half
a
billion
dollars
of
taxpayers,
money.
H
This
this
premier
has
promised
transparency
over
and
over
and
over
again,
and
then
they
set
up
nbc
with
no
public
access
to
nbc's
business
plan,
no
public
access
to
investment,
scorecards
of
the
actual
investments
and
did
decide
not
to
to
to
make
nbc
subject
to
foi.
The
premier
said
this
and
I
quote,
I
think
all
british
columbians
should
be
concerned
when
their
government
hides
things
from
them.
The
whole
point
of
having
access
to
information
is
so
we
can
all
make
reasonable
judgments
about
the
effectiveness
or
ineffectiveness
of
our
political
leadership.
H
End
quote:
that's
the
premier,
mr
speaker,
but
it
seems
like
the
premier
is
determined
to
continue
to
ignore
the
advice
of
the
information
and
privacy.
Commissioner,
in
his
may
19th
letter,
the
commissioner
wrote-
and
I
quote,
the
public's
trust
of
nbc
will
depend
upon
its
ongoing
transparency
and
accountability.
The
public's
right
of
access
to
information
under
fipa
tempered
by
exceptions
that
are
that
can
appropriately
protect
nbc's
and
third-party
interests
is
vitally
important
to
achieving
and
keeping
that
trust.
I
I
Honorable
speaker
in
bc,
honorable
speaker
nbc,
will
issue
an
annual
report
on
his
performance
of
his
investments.
It
will
be
tabled
here
at
the
legislature
and
made
available
to
the
public
honorable
speaker
every
five
years.
They
will
go
to
an
external
third
party
for
an
audit.
Honorable
speaker,
I
remind
the
members
that
this
is
a
continuation
of
their
fund.
I
In
fact,
I've
got
a
letter
here
that
was
written
at
the
time
when
questions
were
being
asked
of
them
about
this
fund
and
there's
questions
being
asked
about
whether
they
would
include
it
under
foipa
and
the
minister
ian
black
at
the
time,
wrote
the
letter
and
said
that
the
accountability
measures
that
the
investment
fund
has
is
sufficient
to
meet
the
needs
from
the
speaker.
I
Members
honorable
speaker
order,
please
nbc
is
an
exciting
venture.
Honourable
speaker,
this
is
the
first
of
its
fine
kind
in
north
america,
the
the
danish
government,
the
irish
government,
the
scottish
government
is
looking
to
bc
honorable
speaker
we're
going
to
invest
in
bc,
companies
we're
going
to
help
them
scale
up
we're
in
a
great
good
paying
jobs
here
in
british
columbia.
We're
proud
of
it
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
move
forward.
J
South,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
You
know
it
was
interesting
to
hear
the
premier
used
the
word
transparency
and
pledged
towards
that.
But
actions
speak
louder
than
words.
Mr
speaker,
we've
been
battling
for
years
whether
the
premier
could
take
a
simple
screenshot
of
his
computer
through
an
foi
process.
First,
the
premier
was
incapable.
J
Then
he
took
the
arb
to
opposition
to
arbitration
and
he
lost.
Then
he
said
it
would
cost
thousands
of
dollars
to
create
a
program
to
take
a
screenshot
which
we
paid.
The
premier
is
now
claiming
it
will
cost
even
more
money.
The
privacy
commissioner
did
not
agree
with
him.
He's
disagreed
and
ignored
the
privacy
commissioner
many
times
so
our
question
to
the
premier
is:
why
are
you
taking
so
long
to
hide
and
take
provide
screenshots
of
your
personal
computer,
and
why
are
you
so
determined
to
ignore.
D
Thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
again
I
am
perplexed
at
the
interest
of
the
member
of
the
opposite
side
about
what's
on,
my
computer
he's
welcome
to
come
over
today
and
he
can
take
a
look
at
it
if
he
wants
to
the
issue.
Honorable
speaker.
C
As
members
will
know,
I
mean
like
get
real,
who
cares
like
who
cares?
What's
on
my
screen
of
my
computer
in
my
office,
not
many
people,
what
british
columbia's
want
to
know
is:
how
are
we
making
decisions?
What
is
the
duty
to
document
by
government
and
honourable
speaker
if
the
member
for
kamloops
south
was
in
cabinet
with
the
bill?
That's
currently
bordering.
K
K
L
Solicitor
general
thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
and
thank
the
the
member
for
that
question,
because
I
know
how
trying
the
situation
is
for
the
residents
of
litton,
and
I
know
how
much
she
cares
and
is
working
to
ensure
that
we
can
get
the
community
of
lit
and
rebuild.
I
can.
L
I
can
confirm
for
her
that
the
report
of
the
fraser
basin
council,
which
has
come
to
my
ministry
and
is
is
undergoing
a
final
review,
is
expected
to
be
presented
to
the
village
of
litton
next
week.
I've
also
committed
to
her
that
when
I
get
it
that
she
will
also
be
able
to
review
it
and
see
it
at
that
time.
L
What
I
also
want
to
to
assure
the
the
the
member
is
that
not
only
the
supports
that
we
have
talked
about
have
been
extended
to
the
30th
of
november,
but
I
know
one
of
the
issues
that
she
has
raised
with
me
and
is
particularly
concerned
about,
and
residents
are
concerned
about,
is
that
ability
to
get
back
into
the
community
and
one
of
the
issues
has
been
the
the
sifting
has
been
taking
place
for
personal
valuables.
That
has
now
finished.
I
can
also
let
her
know
that
again.
L
One
of
the
challenges,
of
course,
has
been
the
the
debris
and
the
toxicity
around
the
debris
and
that
houses
that
have
insurance
the
insurance
company
takes
that
and
if
you're
uninsured,
that's
a
real
problem.
We
are
coordinating
with
the
insurance
companies
with
the
community
so
that
the
province
will
make
sure
that
that
debris
for
those
for
those
for
those
those
residents
is
going
to
be
cleared.
They
do
not
have
to
worry
about
that.
The
province
is
going
to
ensure
that
that
is
done.
L
There's
significant
work
underway
with
the
the
the
the
interim
ceo
who
came
from
kamloops
and
who
has
considerable
experience
in
dealing
with
wildfires,
and
I
will
continue
to
work
with
the
mla
and
keep
updated
on
the
progress,
because
there
is
significant
work
underway.
But
I
wanted
her
to
know
that
in
this
house
that
that's
those
are
some
of
the
steps
that
are
they're
taking
place.