►
From YouTube: JUNE 15 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
Well,
yesterday,
once
again,
as
we
have
been
for
months,
we
raised
serious
concerns
about
the
risk
of
cruise
ships
permanently
bypassing
our
ports.
The
premier
was,
as
he
has
been
from
the
very
start.
He
was
dismissive
about
the
issue.
Let's
be
clear,
the
consequences
will
be
devastating
for
british
columbia.
C
We
know
that
it
will
threaten
thousands
of
jobs
and
impact
billions
of
dollars
to
our
economy,
but
here
was
the
premier's
response,
and
I
quote:
the
governor
from
utah
may
have
trouble
with
a
hundred-year-old
bill
in
his
jurisdiction,
fair
enough
change
it
that's
what
you
should
do.
End
quote
that
quote,
and
the
premier's
continued
responses
show
how
completely
out
of
touch
he
is
on
this
file.
C
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
leader
of
the
opposition
for
the
question.
D
Well,
yesterday
was
a
very
important
day
for
all
british
colombians
and
a
welcome
day
when
dr
bonnie
henry
the
premier,
the
minister
of
health,
the
minister
of
tourism
and
jobs
and
economic
recovery,
announced
stage
two
announced
a
further
reopening
of
our
economy,
a
reduction
of
health
restrictions
in
terms
of
our
social
and
economic
activities,
the
ability
to
have
outdoor
gatherings
of
up
to
50
people,
more
in-person
services
being
possible,
some
spectator
events
and
activities
being
resumed,
and
what
dr
henry
outlined
yesterday
was
that
we're
on
track
over
the
next
incubation
period
to
announce
a
further
reduction
in
health
restrictions
when
we
reach
stage
three
on
july
1st.
D
This
is
fantastic
news.
This
is
a
tribute
to
everybody
who
has
worked
so
hard
to
keep
british
columbians
safe.
It's
a
tribute
to
the
job
that
public
health
has
done,
leading
this
province
to
a
place
of
covet
safety
and
the
restoration
of
economic
activity
and
as
much
normalcy
as
possible
under
the
pandemic
circumstances.
D
We
will
also
proceed
to
stage
four
based
on
how
we
perform
this
summer
for
further
reduction
still,
so
what
the
announcement
today
did
for
british
columbians
was
aligned
perfectly
with
what
the
premier
has
called
for
publicly.
He
has
called
for
the
prime
minister
to
take
the
opportunity
on
june
21st
when
the
united
states
and
the
prime
minister's
office
representing
canada
announce
what
our
approach
will
be
on
opening
the
border.
Thank
you.
D
C
It
is
absolutely
unbelievable
that
this
minister
completely
ignores
the
essence
of
this
question.
His
premier
called
the
situation
with
cruise
ships,
potentially
bypassing
british
columbia.
A
blip
and
the
minister
might
want
to
reflect
back
three
weeks
ago.
Well,
if
this
premier
had
been
doing
his
job
from
months
ago,
we
would
not
be
in
the
position
we're
in
today.
It
is
time
for
him
to
stand
up
and
admit
that
he
has
made
a
complete
mess
of
this
file.
C
He
was
wrong
then,
and
he
is
wrong
now,
let's
look
at
the
words,
the
now
famous
words
of
the
tourism
minister,
and
I
would
quote
her
words
and
they
will
be
quoted
for
a
long
time.
I
am
positive.
This
government
is-
and
I
quote,
arrogant
in
their
confidence
and
yesterday
that
was
just
on
display
in
this
house.
C
Over
and
over,
we
have
heard
the
statistics
and
the
members
opposite
know
exactly
what
they
are.
Thousands
of
jobs
are
at
risk,
billions
of
dollars
are
at
risk,
and
what
did
the
premier
call
it
a
blip?
And
yesterday?
What
did
we
hear?
The
leader
of
british
columbia
say
here's
what
he
said,
and
I
quote
fair
enough
change
it.
That's
what
you
should
do
end
quote.
Well.
Not
only
has
the
premier
completely
botched
this
file
now
we
need
to
ask
an
even
more
basic
question
on
whose
side
is
he?
C
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
again
to
the
minister
to
the
leader
of
the
official
opposition.
What
the
premier
has
done
is
speak
to
his
counterparts.
The
governor
of
washington,
representing
the
port
of
seattle,
has
talked
to
legislators
in
alaska.
Most
importantly
has
talked
to
his
fellow
premiers
in
this
country,
right
across
all
provinces
and
territories,
about
the
federally
decided
position
on
the
border
closure
we're
now
just
being
able
to
glimpse
what
normalcy
might
look
like.
D
We
are
just
now
able
to
talk
in
a
tangible,
realistic
way
about
how
canadians
might
safely
visit
their
loved
ones
and
relations
in
the
united
states
and
vice
versa,
for
americans
to
come
to
canada.
That's
the
light
at
the
end
of
the
tunnel
today,
after
a
15-month
long
struggle,
one
that
was
very
difficult
on
the
cruise
ship
industry
in
particular,
must
be
said.
D
We
know
how
they
in
particular,
struggled
at
the
beginning
of
this
pandemic,
tied
up
in
ports
around
the
world
active
sites
of
some
of
the
worst
copic
transmission
outbreaks
that
the
world
knew,
and
now
we
have
just
on
may
6th
a
set
of
guidelines
that
have
been
developed
by
the
u.s
center.
For
disease
control,
they're
conducting
trial
cruises
the
prime
minister,
when
he
announced
earlier
this
year
in
february,
the
ports
would
be
closed
for
an
additional
year
was
an
entirely
different
time
and
we
forget,
because
time
seems
very
compressed
during
this
pandemic.
D
What
things
were
like
just
a
few
short
moments
ago,
but
at
that
time
many
provinces
were
losing
the
battle
against
copenhagen.
It
was
infecting
more
and
more
canadians
mortality
in
seniors
homes,
a
disruption
of
businesses
of
schools.
D
British
columbia
did
better
than
most
and
we're
proud
of
that,
but
the
discussion
in
february
of
2021
was
not
about
opening
up
the
border
willy-nilly
in
kent
in
canada
between
the
united
states.
That's
a
real
discussion
today.
B
D
Today,
the
case
counts
are
down.
Today,
the
prime
minister
is
meeting
with
his
g7
counterparts,
including
president
biden,
about
reopening
the
border.
I
expect
that
the
prime
minister
will
revisit
the
port
closure
order
that
he
brought
in
four
months
ago.
I
expect
that
will
happen,
and
certainly
british
columbia,
and
this
premier
has
had
opportunities
and
okay.
E
Thanks,
mr
speaker,
we
first
became
aware
of
this
issue
back
in
the
end
of
october
of
last
year,
in
february
the
the
americans,
the
state
delegation
from
alaska,
wrote
to
the
canadian
government
wrote
to
the
british
columbia
government.
We
raised
the
issue
directly
in
this
house.
In
march,
the
government
was
dismissive.
The
premier
was
dismissive.
The
minister
of
tourism
was
dismissive.
E
By
april,
we
were
in
regular
correspondence
with
the
government,
alerting
them
to
the
risk
that
the
cruise
industry
was
articulating.
Yesterday,
we
found
out
in
response
to
questions
from
the
member
for
vancouver
langara,
that
the
minister
of
tourism
didn't
actually
get
around
to
writing
to
federal
officials
on
the
whole
question
of
technical
stops.
That
could
have
provided
a
solution
and
eliminated
the
need
for
legislative
amendments
in
the
u.s
he'd,
apparently
didn't
get
around
to
writing
until
to
his
federal
counterparts.
E
Until
the
end
of
may,
mr
speaker,
how
on
earth
are
british
colombians
who
are
desperate
to
see
a
return
of
international
tourists
whose
livelihood
depends
on
the
return
of
tourism?
How
are
they
supposed
to
have
any
confidence
in
this
premier
and
this
government
when
it
takes
four
months?
Mr
speaker,
to
write
a
letter
exploring
a
solution
that
could
have
precluded
the
need
for
amendments
to
american
legislation.
E
D
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
to
the
member
we've
taken
a
whole
of
government
approach.
Since
day
one
igrs
has
been
in
communication
with
the
prime
minister's
office.
The
minister
of
tourism
has
met
with
stakeholders
and
her
counterparts.
I've
met
with
my
counterpart
in
ottawa,
both
the
current
minister
of
transportation
and
his
predecessor
about
border
issues,
about
ports
about
the
cruise
industry
for
many
months,
and
I
know
the
opposition
likes
to
mischaracterize
the
industry
and,
I
think
that's
very
dangerous.
D
They
should
not
be
talking
down
the
industry
or
coveted
safety
or
criticizing
a
science-led
approach
to
what
has
led
us
to
a
successful
position
today,
where
we're
having
an
active
border,
reopening
discussion
led
by
the
prime
minister,
because
it
is
his
jurisdiction
with
the
united
states,
a
comprehensive
order,
reopening
announcements
that
we
expect
on
june
21st,
but
listen.
D
The
the
the
ceo
of
the
victoria
port
authority,
has
written
the
prime
minister
on
june
11th
and
reminded
him
that
his
port
and
the
industry
originally
supported
the
extension
in
february
of
2021
the
closure
of
our
ports
to
february
2022,
but
suggests
to
the
prime
minister
in
light
of
vaccine
rates.
In
light
of
covid
safety
increasing
in
light
of
the
uscdc
developing
safe
scaling
protocols
in
may
of
this
year
last
month,
that
the
government
should
reconsider
other
ports
need
to
be
closed
to
february
of
2022.
D
That
is
exactly
the
position
that
I
have
expressed
to
my
federal
counterparts.
That's
the
position
of
the
province
of
british
columbia.
There
is
opportunity,
thanks
to
the
herculean
efforts
of
british
columbians,
to
stay
safe,
to
have
an
all-canada
approach
that
rio
reopens
our
ports,
our
land
borders
and
our
airports
in
accordance
with
strict
scientific
policies
that
will
keep
people
safe.
Thank
you.
E
E
They
belittled
the
very
people
who
were
in
the
u.s
who
were
in
a
position
to
change
laws
that
will
have
a
profoundly
permanent
impact
on
tourism,
british
colombia
and
the
belittling
and
the
dismissing
and
the
insulting
continues
from
the
premier
british
columbia.
We
saw
evidence
of
it
again
yesterday,
mr
speaker,.
E
E
Carnival,
holland,
america
princess
celebrity
royal,
caribbean
norwegian,
carnival
miracle,
majestic
princess,
majestic,
prince
new
amsterdam,
serenade
of
the
sea
ovation
of
the
sea,
celebrity
summit,
norwegian
bliss.
What
do
all
those
names
have
in
common,
mr
speaker,
they're,
all
ships
that
next
month
are
going
to
begin
sailing
to
alaska
right
past
british
columbia,
ports
like
victoria
vancouver
campbell
river
prince
rupert,
and
they
won't
be
stopping
there
and,
what's
worse
because
of
this
minister's
inaction,
this
premier's
inaction,
this
government's
inaction
there's
a
chance,
a
very
good
chance
that
in
the
future
they
won't
be
stopping
either.
E
Mr
speaker-
and
I
can't
believe
that,
even
today,
after
everything
that
has
taken
place,
there
are
still
people
on
that
side
of
the
house.
Dismissing
that
is
not
a
possibility.
Will
the
minister,
on
behalf
of
the
government,
explain
in
the
face
of
a
challenge
that
has
materialized?
That
is
real,
that
the
americans
intend
to
pursue,
why
it
took
him
four
months
to
write
a
letter
to
the
federal
authorities
articulating
and
advocating
on
behalf
of
british
columbia,
for
a
solution
that
could
have
made
all
of
this
go
away.
D
A
very
interesting
bit
of
historical
revisionism
from
the
member
opposite
in
february
of
2021,
only
2.3
percent
of
canadians
were
vaccinated.
0.1
percent
of
canadians
were
fully
vaccinated.
We
were
in
dangerous
winter
conditions
that
enhanced
the
spread
of
covet
people
indoors
harsh
restrictions,
some
provinces,
not
ours,
but
some
provinces
in
full
and
complete
lockdown.
D
What
was
preoccupying
the
minds
of
the
country
and
canadians
in
general
was
not
a
hypothetical
cruise
ship
reopening
in
july.
It
was
about
how
we
were
going
to
get
towards
a
safer
future
in
our
country,
how
we
were
going
to
get
more
vaccine
into
this
country.
How
are
we
going
to
keep
one
another
safe,
how
we're
going
to
support
each
other,
how
we
were
going
to
roll
out
programs
to
keep
businesses,
communities
and
workers
whole?
D
So
for
the
opposition
to
say
that
was
their
preoccupation,
but
it
gets
worse.
Mr
speaker,
in
terms
of
how
erratic
this
opposition
has
been,
has
been
in
the
middle
of
the
circuit
breaker,
a
measure
that
was
absolutely
necessary
in
march
of
this
year.
Just
a
couple
of
months
ago,
when
case
counts,
were
about
1150
on
a
rolling
seven-day
average
and
projected
by
our
provincial
health
officials
to
go
as
high
as
3000.
D
D
They
weren't
talking
about
reopening
of
orders
with
the
united
states.
Mr
speaker,
they
were
talking
about
taking
steps
that
no
province
even
has
the
constitutional
authority
to
do
instead.
Thank
you.
Mister.
We
brought
in
a
ban
on
non-essential
travel.
We
brought
restrictions
that
kept
people
safe
members
and
we
started
to
see
the
kids
come
to
order.
Please
thank
you,
and
we
came
out
of
that
circuit,
breaker
lockdown
in
in
two
weeks
ago.
Mr
speaker,
that's
what
letting
scientists
lead
on
covet
policy
making
decisions?
Look
like
that's
what
kept.
B
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Last
thursday,
squamish
nation
clearly
gave
notice
to
the
province
that
they
want
old
growth,
logging
in
their
territory,
deferred,
squamish,
nation,
spokesperson,
hull,
salem,
said
quote:
the
government
is
infringing
on
our
rights
by
allowing
these
sites
to
be
logged,
without
our
permission
and
without
our
consent,
and
quote
in
his
response.
Last
week
to
the
hawaii,
diddat
and
pachidat
request
for
referrals,
the
premier
said
quote
the
first
step
in
protecting
old
growth
must
be
respecting
indigenous
people's
land
management
rights
in
their
territories.
End
quote,
the
minister
of
force
was
also
eager.
A
A
This
is
a
step
in
the
right
direction,
but
we
know
there's
more
work
to
do
end
quote
if
the
premier
and
this
minister
are
sincere
in
their
promises
to
respect
land
management
rights
of
indigenous
peoples
in
their
territories,
we
will
see
an
immediate
positive
response
to
squamish
nations
assertion
of
their
rights.
Mr
speaker,
simple
question
to
the
minister
of
forests:
has
she
accepted
squamish
nation's
request
for
deferrals
on
old
growth
harvesting
in
their
territory?
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
thank
the
member
for
the
question
and
our
government
has
received
several
requests
from
first
nations
to
implement
deferrals
and
we've
responded
to
all
incoming
requests
and
and
are
committed
to
working
with
them,
and
we
have
been
working
with
the
squamish
nation
since
last
fall
and
have
deferred
some
areas
in
their
territory
as
we
speak.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
think
squamish
nation
is
being
clear
and
I'll
be
clear.
They
don't
want
talks
about
protecting
bits
and
pieces,
small
areas
here
and
there
the
nation
is
calling
for
an
immediate
two-year
deferral
in
its
entire
territory.
They've
identified
at
least
20
cut
blocks
with
old
growth
logging
plan
for
the
next
five
years.
A
point
the
minister
does
not
want
to
talk
about.
A
A
F
Want
me
to
start
over,
mr
speaker:
yes,
please,
okay,
thank
you,
and
I
thank
the
member
and
and
our
government
is
committed
to
reconciliation
and
and
environmental
protection,
which
we
believe
must
go
together.
The
days
of
making
unilateral
decisions
without
indigenous
peoples
are
over.
F
The
member
is
quite
accurate
and
we've
been
clear
that
the
first
step
to
protecting
old
growth
is
putting
indigenous
people
at
the
center
of
land
management
in
their
territories,
and
that's
exactly
why
our
government
is
working
with
the
apache
dot,
the
diddy
dat
and
hawaii
at
first
nations
to
defer
old
growth
logging
in
their
territories,
discussions
that
have
been
ongoing
for
a
while
and
and
as
you
know,
the
member
has
said
that
you
know
we
we
are
reaching
out
to
nations.
We
have
responded
to
nations
that
have
asked
for
deferrals.
F
We
are
having
those
important
confidential
government-to-government
discussions
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that
with
nations
across
the
province
who
are
looking
to
have
more
access
to
the
land
management
and
their
traditional
territory
to
be
able
to
have
a
say
in
how
their
land
is
managed.
It's
critically
important
to
this
government.
We
are
moving
forward.
We
will
have
more
deferrals
to
announce
this
summer.
G
G
It's
happening
far
too
often,
troy
clifford,
the
head
of
the
paramedics
union
in
bc
says
the
delays
and
weights
are
becoming
the
norm
and
I
quote:
we
need
to
modernize
the
service
delivery
model.
Recognize
this
profession
is
vital
to
public
safety
and
healthcare
and
recognize
the
professionals
doing
the
work
and
treat
them
similar
to
other
healthcare
professionals.
End
quote:
seniors:
shouldn't
have
to
wait
hours
in
their
own
waste
accident
victims
shouldn't
have
to
drive
themselves
to
the
hospital
after
waiting
five
hours,
and
no
one
wants
to
hear
that
the
premier
wants
to
deflect
blame.
H
Well,
thank
you
very
much
and
what
we've
done
since
2017
to
address
the
situation
amongst
ambulance
paramedics,
I
think,
should
be
well
known
to
the
member
we've
more
than
more
than
doubled.
The
increases
the
ambulance
service
gets
every
year
compared
to
the
four
years
prior
to
my
becoming
minister
of
health
and
the
premier
becoming
premier,
we've
added
since
last
fall,
263
positions
and
as
of
july,
2nd
434
additional
positions
will
be
posted
based
on
a
plan
that
we
worked
together
with
the
union
with
qp
local
873,
the
ambulance,
paramedics
of
bc
on
our
contract.
H
We
negotiated
together,
of
course,
every
time
someone
calls
911.
We
need
them
to
get
the
service
they
deserve
and
every
time
there's
a
problem
with
that.
It's
the
subject
of
concern
for
every
ambulance
paramedic
and
for
the
bc
emergency
health
services,
and
that's
why
we
put
together
an
unprecedented
investment.
We've
had
an
unprecedented
number
of
ambulance
paramedics
and,
yes,
we've
treated
ambulance
paramedics
with
respect,
rather
than
taking
away
their
right
at
the
bargaining
table,
we've
added
to
those
rights
since
2017,
treating
them
as
other
health
care
workers
are
treated
with
respect
and
with
dignity.
G
That's
not
happening
right
now.
It
hasn't
been
happening
for
a
while
end
quote
in
my
area
of
the
province,
the
problem
of
vacant
cars.
It's
posing
a
serious
challenge,
and
this
includes
no
advanced
life
support
for
the
okanagan
two
nights
a
week
for
a
few
months
now
in
other
regions,
stations
like
kimberly
and
pemberton
are
being
downgraded
to
part-time
and
on-call,
despite
increases
in
population
and
calls,
this
is
putting
people's
lives
at
risk
so
again
to
the
premier.
When
will
he
move
to
fix
this
crisis
before
someone
pays
a
heavy
price
with
their
life.
H
Well
speaker,
since
the
pandemic
began
since
the
pandemic
began,
we've
added
55
ambulances
across
bc,
particularly
in
rural
and
remote
communities,
who
were
particularly
underserved
before
since
the
pagnemic
began.
We've
added
five
new
air
resources
to
our
ambulance
system
to
improve
services
again
in
rural
and
remote
communities
since
last
fall,
we've
added
260,
plus
ambulance,
paramedics
positions,
and
we
are
posting
more
than
400
on
july.
H
The
2nd
we've
done
this
because
of
the
priority
we
give
to
the
ambulance
service
everywhere
in
bc,
moving
to
more
full-time
paramedics,
hundreds
of
new
positions
and
and
all
of
the
efforts
we're
making
are
necessary
because
we
do
have
to
modernize
the
ambulance
service
into
the
21st
century.
Some
of
that
work,
it
should
be
said,
occurred
under
the
previous
government,
particularly
the
actions
of
george
abbott,
when
he
was
minister
of
health
and
adding
community
paramedicine,
which
stabilized
the
ambulance
services
in
rural
and
remote
communities,
and
we
have
built
on
that
work.
H
I
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker
is
one
of
five
rural
remote
stations
that
is
being
deeply
am
impacted
by
this
transition.
That
happened
in
april,
under
this
new
model
that
this
minister
has
been
talking
about,
which
is
now
leaving
us
with
a
single
ambulance.
I
Quinnell
receives
1300
calls
per
year,
and
the
reality
is
that
the
second
car
is
no
longer
staffed,
and
that
means
the
local
station
is
serving
a
population
of
35
000
people
with
one
car.
Further.
This
station
covers
a
very
large
geographic
area.
It
can
take
hours
to
get
to
one
call
in
nasco
and
what
happens
if
there's
an
accident
on
highway,
97
near
mclees
lake,
many
many
many
hours
away
or
what
happens
if
someone
is
under
cardiac
arrest
in
cornell,
where
the
timing
is
the
difference
between
life
and
death?
I
Mr
speaker,
people
are
worried
now
they're
worried
about
what
happens
when
they
call
for
an
ambulance,
and
there
just
simply
isn't
one,
because
we
don't
have
the
staffing
again
in
quinnell.
They
could
get
12
calls
in
six
hour
period
and
they
cannot
possibly
meet
all
the
requests
and
what
happens
when
staffing
becomes
even
more
challenging
in
july
and
august.
So
please,
please,
will
the
premier
step
up
do
the
right
thing
and
fix
this
crisis,
so
the
people
in
cornell
have
proper
ambulance
care.
B
Minister
of
health,
thank
you
very.
H
Much
honourable
chair,
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
her
question
as
the
member
will
know:
55
new
ambulances
in
rural
and
remote
communities,
significant
addition
in
full-time
paramedics
in
the
caribou
since
2017
additions
to
community
paramedicine
that
focus
the
focus
on
improving
service
in
rural
bc,
as
we
do
transition
to
a
model
of
more
full-time
people,
which
is
exactly
what
rural
bc
deserves.
H
Honorable
speaker,
that
the
old
model,
the
old
model
of
ambulance
service,
didn't
work
adequately
for
the
people
of
rural
bc
in
the
modern
reality
of
rural
bc,
and
that's
why
these
very
significant
investments,
the
most
significant
investments
ever
made
in
paramedic
services
in
rural
bc,
have
been
made
in
the
last
three
years.
It's
what
I
think
mlas
across
rural
bc
were
had
been
calling
for
for
a
long
time,
and
it
is
what
we
intend
to
continue
to
deliver.
H
These
were
added
to
when
the
premier
announced
on
april
20th,
2020
additional
resources
and
services
for
rural
and
remote
communities
at
the
time
of
colbit.
This
priority
is
real
and
we
continue
to
add
spaces
and
add
services,
including
in
the
caribou
honourable
speaker,
in
order
to
ensure
that
we
give
people
the
service
they
deserve.
It
is
a
challenge
in
a
very
big
province
to
provide
such
services,
but
bc.