►
From YouTube: APRIL 27 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Over
the
coming
weeks,
bc's
supply
of
vaccine
is
expected
to
increase,
and
that
is
a
good
thing.
It
will
increase
to
nearly
275
000,
pfizer
doses
and
more
coming
from
johnson
and
johnson
and
moderna
alberta,
saskatchewan
nova,
scotia,
new
brunswick,
ontario
and
quebec
are
all
finding
ways
to
include
pharmacies
in
their
vaccination
plans,
including
administering
pfizer
and
moderna,
but
in
bc.
D
Well,
thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
her
question
to
date.
In
bc,
we've
delivered,
as
the
member
will
know
well
over
1.6
million
doses
of
covert
19
vaccine.
You
know
we've
focused
first
on
our
long-term
care
and
assisted
living
homes
and
did
a
hundred
percent
of
those.
In
january,
more
than
80
percent
of
all
those
over
70
have
been
immunized
21
local
health
areas,
principally
rural
ones,
have
been
immunized
at
more
than
50
percent.
D
More
than
60
percent
of
those
over
60
have
been
immunized
and
180
000
clinically
vulnerable
people
have
also
been
immunized.
We
have
used,
as
of
today,
more
than
98
percent
of
the
pfizer
vaccines
we've
received
and
more
than
90
percent
of
the
modernity
vaccine
we've
received.
This
is
an
extraordinary
achievement
and
pharmacies
have
played
a
role
as
well
as
the
member
will
know,
distributed
more
than
188
000
doses
to
pharmacies
across
bc.
D
A
number
of
weeks
ago
of
astrazeneca
and
they've
been
doing
an
excellent
job
in
distributing
this
vaccine
to
british
columbians
across
the
province.
So
such
that
we
have
only
about
40
000
of
those
188
000
doses
left
to
be
distributed,
so
it
is
a
team
bc
effort.
I
think
the
the
performance
has
been
simply
exceptional.
D
The
only
thing
limiting
our
vaccine
supply
is
the
amount
of
vaccine
we
are
receiving
and
we're
going
to
be
receiving
more
in
the
coming
weeks.
Pharmacy
is
planning
a
key
role
in
our
effort
and
I
think
everyone
you
should
be
proud
of
what
we've
done
to
vaccinate
british
colombians
against
copenhagen.
C
Well,
thank
you
very
much
and
I
appreciate
the
minister's
answer.
He
avoided
answering
the
specific
question.
We
have
been
told
repeatedly
that
the
most
important
thing
that
we
can
do
in
british
columbia
is
to
get
people
vaccinated
as
quickly
as
possible.
This
should
be
an
all-hands-on-deck
situation,
particularly
with
increased
vaccine
arriving
in
our
province.
The
last
time
and
the
minister
referenced
it
the
last
time
the
government
called
on
pharmacies
to
administer
vaccines.
C
So,
despite
that
confusion
and
the
mayhem
of
multiple
waitlists
british
columbians
were
enthusiastic
about
reason
receiving
their
astrazeneca
vaccine
at
a
pharmacy,
and
that
too,
is
a
very
good
thing.
British
colombians
trust
their
pharmacists
and
they
want
to
get
their
vaccination
in
a
familiar
place.
C
D
I
I
I
think,
the
honorable
speaker
and
I
say
with
great
respect
to
the
honorable
member,
because
we've
spoken
about
these
issues
and
I
know
of
her
of
her
support
for
our
efforts
to
vaccinate
british
columbians
when
you've
used
98
of
the
pfizer
when
you've
used
it
in
a
precise
way,
targeting
those
that
are
most
vulnerable.
Those
clinically
vulnerable
are
elders
indigenous
communities,
rural
communities
who
are
most
vulnerable
from
kova
19.
I
think
this
is
the
opposite
of
how
the
member
characterized
these
vaccination
efforts.
D
It
has
been
exceptional,
exceptional
in
service
on
the
ground
and
the
and
the
support
and
the
generosity
of
volunteers
and
and
staff
and
medical
staff
in
the
actual
experience
of
immunization.
I
think
it's
been
exceptional.
I
I'm
not
sure
how
you
can
do
better
than
delivering
98
of
vaccines
and
being
ready
and
having
virtually
none
in
the
fridge.
D
From
the
federal
government,
I
think
our
performance
has
been
excellent.
Pharmacists
have
played
a
critical
role
in
it.
188
000
doses
that
distributed
to
pharmacies
is
not
a
limited
role,
it's
an
important
role
and
we
are
going
to
continue
to
learn
and
improve
our
vaccine
performance
in
the
coming
weeks.
After
these
slower
weeks
at
the
end
of
april,
we
are
going
to
receive
276
000
doses
of
fisa,
less
clear,
and
I
think
our
teams
are
going
to
do
an
exceptional
job
of
delivering
it
as
soon
as
they
can
to
british
colombians.
E
Thank
you.
What
we're
talking
about
is
the
4
364
628
that
we
have
arriving
in
the
next
two
months
and
the
bc
pharmacists
have
been
left
on
the
sidelines.
We
have
a
record
hospitalizations
and
staff
burnout,
but
instead
of
using
pharmacists
to
shoulder
the
load,
doctors
and
nurses
are
also
administering
shots
at
vaccination.
Clinics.
E
D
D
I
note
that
our
strategy
in
bc-
and
this
is
why
we
were
first
to
complete
long-term
care
homes-
is
to
focus
on
the
most
vulnerable
to
ensure
that
rural
and
remote
communities
were
supported
that
all
205
first
nations
communities
had
full
clinics
that
we
we
could
deliver
180
000
doses
to
the
clinically
vulnerable.
I
think
the
strategy
has
been
exceptionally
delivered
and
I
want
to
be
clear.
It
hasn't
been
delivered
by
me.
It's
been
delivered
by
doctors
and
nurses
and
pharmacists
and
volunteers
in
every
community
in
bc.
I
am
so
proud
of
this
effort.
D
You
cannot,
I
don't
think,
do
significantly
better
than
we've
done
in
delivering
the
vaccine
we've
had
you
can't
do
much
better
than
98.
We
have,
and
we
would
finish
and
go
to
a
100
percent
today
if
we
didn't
receive
more
pfizer
vaccine,
so
the
performance
has
been
exceptional.
Pharmacists
are
playing
a
key
role.
D
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
again
with
all
due
respect
to
the
minister.
This
is
not
about
expiring
astrazeneca.
This
is
about
the
united
states
and
most
other
provinces
that
have
been
using
pharmacies
for
pfizer
and
moderna
vaccinations
bc.
Pharmacies
should
be
fully
activated,
but
under
this
government
they're
not.
This
is
what
pharmacist
jason
cridge
has
to
say,
and
I
quote,
the
vaccine
distribution
so
far
has
been
very
patchy
and
very
uneven.
There's
no
real
rhyme
or
reason
as
to
why
that's
happened.
End
quote
to
the
premier.
E
D
D
We
focus
with
our
partners
in
the
first
nations
health
authority
and
we
deliver
and
when
I
say
we
I
mean
all
of
us,
deliver
in
an
extraordinary
way
and
with
respect
to
astrazeneca
when
it
arrived
and
it
arrived
as
the
member
will
know
at
the
end
of
march
and
about
188
000
doses
that
came
in
that
case
from
the
united
states.
We
employed
our
pharmacy
network
to
help
deliver
that
and
I
am
proud
of
their
work
and
congratulate
them
for
our
work.
The
only
thing
that
is
this
next
team
delivered.
B
A
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker.
We
often
compare
our
pandemic
responses
to
other
countries
and
other
provinces.
Indeed,
it
seems
there's
a
lot
to
learn
both
from
the
failures
and
successes
of
other
provinces
and
countries.
Here
in
canada,
we
have
the
maritime
provinces,
which
have
been
very
aggressive
in
their
response
to
covid19
with
a
recent
uptick
in
cases.
A
A
A
D
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
thanks
to
the
member
for
her
question.
Our
goal
first
of
all,
is
to
reduce
transmission
as
much
as
we
can
and
protect
the
most
vulnerable
and
that's
been
exhibited
in
our
strategy
around
vaccination
and
our
strategy
since
the
beginning
of
the
pandemic,
one
that
I
think
is
broadly
supported
across
british
columbia.
Our
goal
is
to
ensure
that
our
health
care
facilities
are
not
overwhelmed
by
the
real
challenges
faced
with
current
case
counts
of
coven
19.
D
Our
goal
is
to
ensure
that
people
in
communities
people
with
other
health
care
issues,
because
I
remind
the
member
and
everyone
else
there
are
approximately
7
900
people
in
hospital,
with
other
conditions
in
covet
19,
to
ensure
that
people
with
health
and
mental
health
issues
get
the
supports
they
need.
Our
goal
is
to
ensure
that
the
impact
of
the
pandemic
on
those
most
vulnerable
is
restrained,
and
our
goal
is
to
make
sure
that
other
social
conditions,
such
as
keeping
schools
open,
are
maintained.
D
We
had
a
discussion
with
the
member's
colleague
yesterday
with
respect
to
rapid
testing.
Our
goal
is
that
on
decisions
on
rapid,
such
as
rapid
testing
that
we
are
focusing
right
now
on
the
2.5
million
pcr
tests,
we've
done
in
british
columbia.
Our
goal
is
to
support
public
health
experts
like
dr
henry
as
they
do
their
job
and
not
not
give
them
instructions
that
would
divert
resources
from
the
where
they're
most
needed.
A
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
the
minister
says
that
at
the
top
the
goal
is
to
reduce
transmission.
My
question
really
is
around
the
role
that
he
sees
testing
playing
in
reducing
transmission.
Let's
compare
nova
scotia's
response
to
our
own.
For
eight
monday
april
26
british
columbia
had
a
total
active
case
count
of
8199.
A
We
pro
processed
8236
pcr
tests
and
we
reported
763
positive
cases.
We
have
more
than
five
times
the
population
of
nova,
scotia
and
20
times
the
number
of
active
cases,
and
yet
we
processed
3000
fewer
case
tests
over
the
equivalent
period
bc
has
2.7
million
rapid
tests
available,
but
currently
only
for
approved
work
sites.
A
We
have
used
less
than
one
percent
of
those
tests
and
yesterday,
when
the
minister
gave
no
clarity
for
when
and
how
those
tests
will
be
used,
we
are
coming
back
and
asking
again
jurisdictions
that
have
pursued
elimination
strategies
compared
to
balanced
mitigation,
have
experienced
less
economic
decline,
supported
higher
rates
of
mobility
and
experience
less
uncertainty
and
enjoyed
far
more
flexibility
in
dealing
with
the
pandemic
over
time.
My
question
honorable
speaker
is
to
the
minister
of
health.
D
Thank
you.
The
member
will
know-
and
I
know
she
knows
this-
this
fact
that
the
home-based
rapid
testing
has
not
been
approved
in
canada,
yet
that
has
been
used
in
the
united
kingdom
and
there's
a
significant
debate
about
the
effectiveness
of
that.
In
addition,
other
jurisdictions
where
politicians
have
intervened
to
force
more
asymptomatic
testing,
the
results
have
not
been
positive
for
those
jurisdictions
in
terms
of
the
application
of
resources.
D
Our
priority
is
to
support
british
columbians
through
this
very
difficult
people
process
to
work
with
them,
to
reduce
transmission
in
community,
to
use
immunization
on
our
most
vulnerable
groups,
to
ensure
it
to
ensure
and
to
reduce
the
worst
effects
of
coven
19
and
to
work
in
our
hospital
system
to
ensure
not
just
those
with
kova,
but
everyone
receives
the
care
they
need
and
deserve.
I
think
this
approach
is
broadly
supported
in
british
columbia.
It's
led
and
the
advice
is
given
on
questions
that
are
important
questions
of
transmission,
such
as
testing
by
public
health
leaders.
D
I
don't
think
we
want
to
be
in
a
jurisdiction
where
politicians
overturn
that
order,
instruct
and
tell
public
health
experts
in
issues
such
as
transmission.
How
and
when
they
should
use
tests
the
member
knows
we
laid
out
our
strategy
for
rapid
testing
in
detail
to
her
and
everyone
else
in
bc.
On
march,
the
4th
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
follow
that
strategy
which
uses
rapid,
testes
yes
but
uses
the
gold
standard
pcr
test.
First.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
The
premier's
budget
broke
a
lot
of
his
promises,
but
perhaps
one
of
the
most
significant
broken
promises
was
the
one
relating
to
providing
a
provincially
funded
sick
pay
program
during
the
pandemic
last
year
the
premier
said-
and
I
quote,
we're
prepared
to
go
it
alone.
If
need
be,
we
do
have
alternative
plans
in
place.
End
quote,
mr
speaker.
One
year
later,
nobody
has
seen
any
plan
from
the
premier
to
fund
sick
pay
and
it
wasn't
in
the
budget.
F
G
You
very
much,
mr
speaker,
and
I
want
to
thank
the
member
for
his
question.
We
certainly
have
taken
a
position
about
how
important
it
is
to
for
people
to
stay
at
home
when,
when
they're
sick
and
that
for
some
here
in
british
columbia,
it
is
difficult
to
do
without
without
a
standard
stick
pay
and
the
premier
has
engaged-
and
I
have
engaged
as
well
with
with
my
counterpart
federally,
to
talk
about
how
important
it
is
to
have
a
national
program.
G
This
is
this
is
a
national
issue
and
a
national
program
is
the
right
way
to
deliver
this
program,
and,
mr
speaker,
as
part
of
those
conversations,
the
the
federal
government
was
interested
in
that
in
that
program
they
delivered
their
budget.
The
day
before
we
delivered
ours
fully,
expecting
that
there
would
be
an
element
of
sick
pay
in
their
budget
and
just
like
the
members
opposite,
I
was
disappointed
that
that
wasn't
the
case
and
so
right
now.
G
F
Well,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
that
would
be
fine,
except
that
the
premier
said
that
he
had
a
plan
to
go.
He
said
he
had
a
plan
b.
He
had
an
alternative
plan
that
was
was
ready
to
go
if
the
federal
government
didn't
step
up
and
implement
a
national
program.
It's
been
a
year
since
the
premier
made
that
commitment.
Here's
what
his
labor
minister
had
to
say-
and
I
quote,
as
the
premier
has
said:
if
the
feds
fail
to
work
with
us,
I
think
we
as
british
columbia
will
find
our
own
ways.
F
The
premier
made
it
very
clear.
We
don't
feel
that
the
businesses
should
be
burdened
with
the
extra
cost
and
quote
that's
the
labor
minister.
It's
one
year
later
and
there's
no
plan
from
the
premier
to
fund
sick
pay.
He
couldn't
even
be
bothered
to
put
it
in
his
budget
so
again
to
the
premier.
Is
that
still
the
plan,
or
is
the
premier
content
to
break
his
promise
to
deliver
sick
pay
during
the
pandemic?
G
G
We've
certainly
expressed
disappointment
with
the
federal
government
and
and
as
a
result
of
of
that,
we
are
working
together
on
this
side
of
the
house
as
a
cabinet
and
as
a
government
to
address
what
I
think
frankly
has
been
a
missed,
missed
opportunity
for
canadians
by
the
federal
government
and
we're
prepared
to
continue
to
do
the
work
so
that
we
can.
We
can
continue
to
take
care
of
british
columbians.
H
You,
mr
speaker,
the
premier,
isn't
just
banking
on
the
federal
government
to
bail
out
sick
pay
promises.
It
was
also
part
of
his
failed
plan
for
universal
10
a
day
daycare.
The
premier
promised
250
million
dollar
increase
in
child
care
spending
this
year,
but
only
delivered
53
million
in
this
budget.
H
G
G
Our
budget
more
than
doubles
the
number
of
10
day
prototypes,
not
not
something
that
the
people
on
the
other
side
ever
even
considered.
That
was
not
not
even
in
the
realm
of
possibility.
Well,
mr
speaker,
we're
doubling
what
currently
exists
here
in
british
columbia,
and
that
means
that
4
000
more
affordable
spaces
for
families
right
across
british
columbia,
and
I
know
that
the
member
probably
has
another
question,
and
I
will
save
the
rest
of
this
fabulous
answer
for
all
the
things
that
we're
doing
to
make
child
care
accessible
for
families
here
in
british
columbia.
H
H
This
government
has
created
4
000
new
child
care
spaces
since
2017,
which
is
true
according
to
to
what
we've
we've
looked
at,
which
is
about
16
000,
less
than
was
promised,
but
these
broken
promises
they
matter
to
the
families
that
are
struggling
through
this
pandemic,
paul
kershaw
of
generation,
squeeze
quote
thousands
and
thousands
of
families
during
this
pandemic
are
going
to
be
struggling
with
child
care
costs
that
are
equivalent
to
another
rent
or
mortgage
size
payment
on
top
of
already
higher
housing
costs.
H
G
G
I
I
The
premier
has
told
my
richmond
constituents
twice
not
once
since
2017
that
the
ndp
would
build
a
new
acute
tower
at
the
richmond
hospital,
and
yet
this
budget
shows
the
project
is
still
not
approved
and
there's
no
money
or
timetable
to
advance
it.
The
mla
for
richmond
steveston
promised
I
quote,
shuffles
in
the
ground
in
2021.
D
I
I
The
premier
promised
in
july
to
be
back
in
the
fall
to
advance
the
project,
but
he
decided
on
an
election.
Instead,
the
project
is
over
six
months
behind,
it's
still
not
approved,
there's
no
money
and
our
community
is
concerned,
and
the
ndp
mla's
in
richmond
have
been
sitting
silently
on
the
sidelines,
refusing
to
stand
up
for
patients.
D
Honorable
speaker,
it
will
be
more
than
a
hospital
tower.
It's
a
significant
project.
It's
a
high
priority
in
vancouver
coastal
health's
capital
plan.
It's
been
approved
at
concept
plan
stage,
and
the
ministers
of
former
member
of
the
executive
council
ought
to
know
that.
That
means
there
is
money
attached
to
the
project
and
a
lot
of
it
and
a
lot
more
than
was
originally
in
place.
D
D
There
were
years
of
delay
and
that's
why
the
richmond
mlas,
who
are
pro
advocates
for
this
project,
including
the
member,
are
going
to
be
delighted
as
we
move
forward
in
this
project
in
the
coming
years,
because
it
is
needed
enrichment,
just
as
the
new
urgent
and
primary
care
center
is
needed
in
richmond,
which
we've
just
opened
just
like
increasing
the
support
for
seniors
in
richmond
was
needed,
and
we
delivered
on
that
too.
We're
going
to
compete
with
the
health
care
interests
of
the
people
of
wisconsin.
H
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
The
premier
seems
to
have
his
bungling
act
down.
Pat
roll
into
town,
make
a
big
promise,
make
it
again
and
then
just
forget
about
it
latest
example:
no
new
funding
for
a
new
burke
mountain
school
and
that
threatens
the
project's
future
trustees
wrote.
I
quote
an
aspect
of
the
urgency
in
securing
funding.
Is
that
a
promised
school
opening
date
of
september
2023
is
now
unattainable?
H
G
Suddenly,
suddenly,
suddenly
they're
they're
suddenly
interested
in
building
schools?
Mr
speaker,
suddenly
they
think
it's,
and
so
I
have
to
say
the
member
wants
to
talk
about
portables.
Well,
I'm
happy
to
talk
about
portables,
because
in
surrey
this
is
the
first
year
the
first
year,
mr
speaker,
where
they
don't
need
to
buy
a
portable.
You
know
why.
G
You
know
why
surrey
doesn't
have
to
buy
a
purple
because
we've
been
building
schools
in
surrey.
We
are
making
up
for
lost
time
because
the
members
opposite
continued
to
ignore
the
needs
of
our
children.
They
continue
to
ignore
the
fact
that
they
needed
schools,
and
so
we've
been
working
trying
to
make
up
for
lost
time
and
we're
going
to
keep
doing
just
that.
Mr
speaker,.
J
Opposition
house
leader,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
It's
unfortunate.
The
finance
minister
decided
to
ignore
a
question
about
burke
mountain,
which
is
last.
I
checked,
I
believe
in
her
writing.
But,
mr
speaker,
it's
not
just
these
education
promises
that
we've
seen
the
premier
walk
back
on
and
break
his
promise
on
in
kamloops.
J
The
premier
made
it
very
clear
during
the
election
came
to
town
a
day
after
the
member
for
council
thompson
and
myself
announced
enhanced
cancer
care
for
kamloops
and
said
that
would
happen
in
kamloops
as
well,
then
he
came
back
a
week
later
and
doubled
down
on
that
promise
and
actually
said
it
would
happen
in
four
years
now,
mr
speaker,
the
last
time
the
ndp
were
in
kamloops
promising
cancer
care
was
1991.
I
believe-
and
I
believe
it
was
then
premier
harcourt
next
thing-
you
know,
elections
over
cancer
centers
in
kelowna,
not
kamloops.
J
The
premier
knows
this:
the
premier
committed
to
four
years
yet
the
health
minister,
as
recently
as
this
week's,
been
on
radio
1l
saying
10
years
so
to
the
premier,
is
the
premier
going
to
fulfill
his
commitment
made
in
the
election
very
clearly
on
a
very
specified
trip
strictly
to
talk
about
a
four-year
cancer
plan
to
kamloops
and
deliver
a
proper
cancer
center
in
kamloops
in
four
years,
or
is
it
going
to
be
10
years
or
probably
even
longer?
If
the
ndp
track
record
is
any
indication
minister
of
health,
honorable.
D
Speaker,
we
believe
that
cancer
care
is
an
important
priority
everywhere
in
bc
and
that's
why
we've
expanded
access
to
care
to
treatment,
to
testing
in
all
regions
of
british
columbia.
I
think
a
real
achievement
of
this
government,
but
I
I
say,
importantly
of
everyone
involved
in
cancer
care
in
our
province.
In
the
election
campaign,
we
presented
a
10-year
cancer
plan
to
address.
What's
clearly
going
to
be
a
growing
problem,
we
have
improved
outcomes,
which
is
tremendous.
D
We've
continued,
of
course,
to
focus
on
delivering
these
projects,
takes
hot
on
the
royal
inland
hospital
project
in
kamloops
and
we're
delivering
on
our
10-year
cancer
plan,
as
the
budget
shows,
and
as
we
intend
to
do,
because
we
believe
that
care
closer
to
home
in
communities
such
as
campus,
but
also
other
communities
such
as
nanaimo,
didn't
provide
the
care
necessary
for
british
columbians
cancer
care
is
fundamental.
You
need
an
organized
plan
to
address
the
situation.
That's
in
front
of
us,
we
made
challenge
and
kamloops
is
an
important
part
of
that.