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From YouTube: OCTOBER 20 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
C
Boosters
have
been
offered
to
all
eligible
seniors
in
ontario,
but
on
monday
we
learned
that
very
few
long-term
care
facilities
in
bc
have
received
this
critical
protection
bc
will
not
catch
up
to
ontario
until
mid-december,
and
that
was
according
to
a
document
from
fraser
health.
This
tragically
slow
rollout
is
putting
people's
lives
at
risk.
C
D
Of
health
honorable
speaker,
I
was
clear
on
monday,
I'm
clear
now
the
timeline
is
get
it
done
as
soon
as
possible.
To
date,
as
of
yesterday,
107
care
homes
had
received
the
third
booster
dose
of
a
covet
19
vaccine.
D
C
Thank
you
very
much,
and
you
know
the
we
should
start
from
the
premise
that
bc
is
behind
in
the
first
place,
and
the
minister
may
want
to
try
to
explain
that,
but
he
also
avoided
the
specific
answer
to
the
question.
It
was
fraser
health
that
issued
a
document
that
caused
anxiety
and
concern
and
told
residents
and
their
families
straightforwardly
that
they
might
have
to
wait
until
the
middle
of
december.
C
My
question
was
clear
and
we'll
ask
the
minister
to
clarify
whether
or
not
he
said
to
fraser
health.
This
is
not
good
enough.
We
need
the
timeline
to
be
expedited
and
in
addition
to
that,
we
know
that
there
are
frail
seniors
who
live
in
community.
In
fact,
the
vast
majority
of
seniors
choose
to
live
in
community.
C
This
week,
bc's
senior
advocate
isabel
mckenzie
said,
and
I
quote,
we're
clearly
seeing
the
impact
of
the
waning
protection.
To
date,
we
don't
have
data
on
how
many
seniors
have
been
vaccinated
with
the
booster
shot
and
what
the
plan
is
for
seniors
in
the
community,
many
of
whom
are
as
vulnerable
as
people
in
long-term
care.
End
quote:
so:
we
have
fraser
health
authority
sending
out
a
bulletin.
You
might
have
to
wait
until
mid-november.
C
We
have
no
plan
for
seniors
in
community,
that's
been
announced,
despite
it
being
promised,
and
we
also
have
zero
data
zero
transparency.
It
should
be
a
straightforward
answer
from
the
minister
did
fraser
health
be.
Did
he
inform
fraser
health
that
they
must
expedite
their
timeline
and
when
can
frail
seniors
who
live
in
community?
Expect
a
plan
from
this
minister
and
this
government.
D
Honourable
speaker
to
the
member,
I
can
tell
you
that
there
may
be
people
who
care
as
much
about
long-term
care
as
I
do.
I
don't
think
there
are
very
many
who
care
more
about
it.
D
Having
dealt
with
this
pandemic,
I
know
the
member,
because
we've
talked
about
long-term
care
homes
that
have
had
outbreaks
in
her
community
in
the
impacted
jubilee
lodge
on
families.
We
know
this
so
from
the
moment
the
decision
was
made
to
give
booster
shots.
The
message
was
go
and
we
are
going.
We
have
a
respected
healthcare
leader,
dr
penny
balum,
leading
our
immunization
campaign,
and
I
think
she
has
led
it
with
integrity
and
speed,
and
most
british
columbians
overwhelmingly,
I
believe,
have
have
respected
the
experience
they've
had
in
getting
vaccinated.
We
are
proceeding
with
third
doses.
D
D
As
I
know,
just
a
moment
ago,
117
107
care
facilities
have
been
vaccinated
now
their
residents
have
been
vaccinated
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
proceed
to
pace.
So
it's
based
on
vulnerability
and,
of
course,
when
the
second
dose
occurred.
Remember
we'll
also
know
that
dr
henry
was
a
leader
on
the
question
of
the
this.
The
gap
between
first
and
second
doses
and
her
position
as
the
evidence
has
come
forward,
has
been
supported
by
the
facts.
Right.
It
was
supported
by
the
facts.
D
Many
people,
many
people,
called
for
a
21-day
gap,
as
some
jurisdictions
had
initially
between
first
and
second
doses
and
and
dr
henry
dr
henry
followed
the
evidence
and
follow
the
facts,
and
we've
fully
discussed
this,
and
I
think
that
the
leader
of
the
opposition
supported
this
at
that
time.
So
what
we're
doing
is
the
same
thing,
laying
out
a
plan
to
protect
people
based
on
their
vulnerability
and
the
need
for
a
third
dose
based
on
the
science
and
based
on
the
evidence,
and
that's
what
we'll
continue
to
do.
B
E
This
will
most
certainly
discourage
many
diverse
communities
and
people
returning
to
bc
from
seeking
medical
treatment,
sanctuary
health
member
omar
chu
says.
In
a
quote,
I
can't
believe
that
the
province
would
make
a
decision
that
would
be
so
harmful
to
our
society
as
a
whole
in
bc.
It
makes
people
even
more
afraid
than
they
already
are
to
seek
medical
care
for
covet
19..
E
D
Thank
you
very
much,
honourable
speaker.
The
member
will
know
that
in
march
2020
the
decision
was
made
by
me
and
the
government
to
to
provide
covenanting
costs
for
individuals
in
bc
who
are
not
eligible
for
msp.
It
was
extended
on
july
31st,
2020
to
april
30th
2021..
E
Wait
wait
as
of
5
pm
yesterday,
the
ministry
of
health
was
doubling
down
that
on
november
1st,
those
individuals
would
have
to
pay
for
their
treatment,
so
the
minister
has
obviously
had
a
change
of
heart,
but
my
question
is
this:
is
why
does
it
take
this
long
to
get
to
the
right
answer?
Why
does
this
minister?
This
premier
continue
continue
to
make
sure
that
people
don't
have
the
information
and,
at
the
last
second.
D
Thank
you
thanks.
The
member
for
his
question
is
concern.
This
is
an
important
issue.
As
I
say,
the
the
extension
has
been
uninterrupted.
The
support
and
the
coverage
has
continued
consistently
since
march.
20,
2020
and
it'll
continue
right
now
through
to
april
20,
20,
22
and
obviously
it'll
be
reviewed
again
in
advance
of
that.
So
the
member
asked
a
question.
He
got
the
answer
he
wanted
and
that's
good
it's
the
answer
I
want
too,
and
I
think
the
reason
for
it.
F
G
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
because
the
tragic
increased
toxicity
of
illicit
street
drugs
has
taken
so
many
lives
in
british
columbia
over
the
five
years
of
the
public
health
emergency
and
despite
the
number
of
lives
lost,
dropping
in
2019
for
the
first
time
and
for
the
first
two
months
of
2020,
the
pandemic
has
shot
drug
toxicity
so
high.
As
the
coroner
has
noted,
this
is
directly
responsible
for
the
terrible,
increased
loss
of
life
and
so
two
weeks
into
the
pandemic.
G
My
friend
and
predecessor,
judy
darcy,
along
with
the
support
of
dr
bonnie
henry
brought
in
a
project
that
they'd
already
been
working
on.
It
needed
to
be
brought
in
immediately
to
allow
prescribers
to
connect
people
who
are
at
risk
of
overdose
with
a
prescribed,
safe
supply.
We've
talked
about
this
many
times
in
the
house.
We
had
feedback
from
both
people
who
use
drugs
and
from
medical
practitioners
that
people
needed
more
options.
That
was
the
basis
for
the
expansion
of
the
prescribed,
safer
supply
that
dr
henry
and
I
announced
in
july
of
this
year.
Thank
you.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
didn't
ask
the
minister
of
mental
health
and
addictions
her
opinion
on
the
matter.
I
asked
the
minister
of
health
and-
and
I
understand
that
the
the
government
can
stand
up
whatever
minister,
they
want
to
answer.
Whatever
question
is
asked.
However,
it's
a
specific
question
to
a
specific
minister,
so
I
ask
again
through
you,
mr
speaker,
to
the
minister
of
health:
does
the
minister
of
health
support
a
regulated,
demedicalized,
safe
supply
of
the
illicit
substances
that
are
poisoning
nearly
six
british
colombians
a
day.
G
G
British
columbia
was
the
first
province
in
canada
to
establish
a
ministry
and
administer
with
a
single
focus.
I'm
grateful
to
the
health
authorities
that
deliver
both
substance,
use,
addictions,
treatment
and
mental
health
supports,
and
with
the
minister
of
health,
we
we
are
asking
a
lot
as
a
province
of
our
health
authorities.
Right
now
they
are
fighting
two
public
health
emergencies.
G
They
rolled
out
an
unprecedented
vaccination
campaign
in
our
province's
history,
and
we
are
asking
health
authorities
to
report
to
two
ministers,
both
myself
on
mental
health
and
addictions,
and
to
the
rest
of
the
health
care
file
to
the
minister
of
health.
We
work
well
together
and
again
I'll
say
we're
the
only
province
in
canada
to
offer
people
at
risk
of
toxic
drug
overdose
prescribed
safe
supply.
It
is
saving
lives.
I
wish
it
was
saving
more
we're
working
hard
with
the
health
authorities
to
expand
it
every
day.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Workers
at
life
lab
have
issued
a
72-hour
strike
notice.
This
is
an
essential
testing
laboratory
that
not
only
provides
critical
health
services,
but
does
covet
tests
across
this
province.
The
idea
that
access
could
be
restricted
during
a
pandemic
is
adding
stress
to
those
who
desperately
need
results
through
you,
mr
speaker,
to
the
premier.
What
is
the
premier's
plan
to
ensure
that
people
won't
lose
access
to
tests.
D
Thank
you
very
much,
honourable
speaker,
and
obviously
we
are
always
concerned
about
these
matters.
As
the
member
would
understand.
I'm
aware
that
the
bc
government
employees,
union
and
life
labs
are
in
negotiations
and
that
strike
notice
has
been
been
put
in
place.
We
obviously
support
the
collective
bargaining
process
and
want
it
to
arrive
as
successful
result.
As
I
know,
the
member
would
as
well
as
all
of
us
would,
because
that
is
the
way
and
the
best
way
to
resolve
these
issues
in
our
province.
D
D
Most
life
lab
patient
services,
centers
will
remain
open
and
services
centers
in
particularly
in
remote
and
rural
locations,
will
be
at
100
capacity,
and
so
there
is
a
plans
being
put
in
place,
of
course,
to
deal
should
the
situation,
the
labor
situation
result
in
job
action,
but
I
want
to
say
that
action
has
been
taken
and
a
plan
being
put
into
place
to
ensure
that
our
continuing
efforts,
together
as
a
province
to
deal
with
the
covet
19
pandemic,
which
both
life
labs
and
I
know
the
bcgu
all
support-
will
be
continued
to
be
there.
A
A
We
know
we
have
challenges
right
now
with
getting
results
on
important
tests.
This
strike
will
result
potentially
in
close
close
office
closures
that
are
conducting
vital
tests,
not
just
for
covet,
mr
speaker,
but
for
other
tests
as
well
to
the
premier.
We
want
assurances
that
what
has
happened
in
northern
british
columbia,
with
delays
and
test
results,
what
we've
seen
people
impacted
parents
impacted
by
delays
and
testing.
We
want
those
assurances
patients
want
the
assurances
that
there
will
be
no
interruption
to
vital
tests.
D
Very
much
honourable
speaker,
the
member,
will
know,
because
we
share
this
information
and
we'll
be
sharing
it
again
this
week
with
the
opposition
in
terms
of
our
testing
volumes
in
northern
health.
D
That
she'll
know
that
those
volumes
are
the
highest
they've,
been
at
any
time
in
the
pandemic,
because,
of
course,
the
amount
of
copin
19
in
this
case
in
the
north
is
higher
than
at
any
point
in
the
pandemic,
more
people
are
getting
tested
and
have
got
tested,
and
yesterday
I
believe
it
was
about
720
tests
across
northern
health
they're
a
crucial
project
product
involved
in
the
testing,
a
reagent
was
in
short
supply.
We
didn't
get
our
supply
our
national
supply
a
week
or
so
ago,
and
that
affected
testing
for
a
short
period
of
time.
D
That
platform
is
back
at
full
capacity
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
to
make
sure
people
get
the
tests
we
need
and
to
encourage,
of
course,
with
respect
to
the
issue
between
life
labs
and
the
ecgu,
their
collective
bargaining
effort
that
that
be
successful,
and
so
that
they
have
absolutely
no
effect
on
health
care
in
bc.
Should
it
have
an
effect
we
are
preparing,
obviously,
for
that
situation
to
ensure
that
patient
services
and
this
the
health
of
patients
is
not
affected.
H
Thanks
honorable
speaker
and
to
follow
up
to
the
the
minister
here
here
is
the
anxiety
that
I
think
he
is
confronted
by
in
the
house
today,
and
he
and
the
government
will
be
confronted
by
in
the
hours
and
and
days
ahead.
A
key
part
of
the
strategy
through
these
these
months
for
the
province
for
public
health
officials
has
been
the
capacity
to
test,
and
he
reinforced
that
here
again
notwithstanding
his
his
report
here
today.
H
Now
the
union
representing
the
workers
that
have
done
that
vital
work
have
indicated
that
they
are
prepared
to
withdraw
services,
order,
withdrawal
of
services
that
is
going
to
have
an
impact
and
the
quest
it.
It
has
to
have
an
impact
and
what
people
are
asking
the
minister
and
the
government
today.
Armed
with
that
information
is
what
plans
are
in
place.
What
will
that
impact
be?
First
of
all
it
most,
certainly
even
with
essential
service
levels
will
result
in
less
tests
being
performed.
H
D
Well,
obviously,
honourable
speaker,
we're
we're
preparing,
should
that
be
an
eventuality,
we're
preparing
a
plan
for
that.
But
what
I'm
saying
is
the
cova
19
testing
will
continue
at
certainly
at
its
current
levels
and
beyond
that.
As
you
know,
we
have
about
the
capacity
to
process
22
000
tests
a
day
in
british
columbia.
We've
had
a
record
number
of
tests
in
september.
We've
never
reached
that
level
since
the
beginning
of
the
pandemic,
and
we
intend
to
continue
our
aggressive
testing
strategy
to
support
people
and
their
families.
D
There
are
challenges
the
farther
you
get
from
the
from
the
bccdc
or
the
farther
you
get
from
northern
health
central
locations.
There
are
some
timing
challenges,
so
it
is
longer
the
turnaround.
Time
is
longer,
for
example,
in
northern
health
than
in
other
health
authorities,
where
that
distance
is
shorter.
But
staff
is
working
very
hard
to
address
those
issues
that
face
us
now
and
preparing
for
this
instance.
Our
priority
is
the
health
of
british
columbians
and
we're
going
to
ensure
that
that
health
and
that
that
testing
system
is
supported
throughout
this
period.
I
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Parents,
teachers,
staff
and
trustees
want
the
premier
to
show
some
leadership
instead
of
hiding
from
the
tough
decisions.
Terry
mooring
of
the
bctf-
and
I
quote,
says
any
vaccine
mandate
would
need
to
be
provincially,
implemented
and
done
equitably.
We
can't
have
an
unequal
treatment
of
workers
in
the
public
education
system.
End
quote
the
premier's
abdication
of
leadership
on
school
safety
is
risky,
and
it's
wrong.
J
I
think
we
all
know
that
safety
of
staff
and
students
has
been
our
top
priority
throughout
the
pandemic,
and
I
want
to
take
a
moment
to
just
thank
all
of
our
education
partners,
trustees
all
of
our
staff,
employee
groups,
all
of
the
district
and
provincial
leadership
for
the
cohesive
and
and
message
around
the
importance
of
vaccinations
that
all
of
those
provincial
organizations
are
delivering
across
our
sector
and
to
their
respective
memberships,
and
I
am
very
proud
of
the
work
that
those
representative
groups
are
doing
right
now,
at
my
request,
to
come
together
and
to
develop
a
set
of
provincial
standards
and
guidelines
that
can
assist
boards
in
their
decision
making
as
employers
as
the
member
knows.
J
I
I
J
Thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and,
and
again
thank
you
to
the
member.
I
I
know
that
we
share
a
concern
about
what
happens
in
schools,
for
kids
and
for
the
staff
who
who
work
in
our
in
our
school
system
as
well,
and
I
I
have
had
a
chance
to
spend
quite
a
bit
of
time
with
with
school
board
leadership
from
across
the
province
and
superintendents.
J
Very
recently,
as
we
discussed
these
very
issues,
and
I
can
appreciate
that
boards
of
education,
who
have
been
incredible
leaders
throughout
the
pandemic,
are
hearing
from
their
communities
a
diversity
of
opinions
about
many
matters
related
to
related
to
the
to
the
pandemic.
And
I
know
that
they
are
that
they
are
committed
to
working
collaboratively
with
their
partners
with
their
staff,
with
the
ministry,
on
the
steps
that
we
are
taking
to
move
forward.
With
respect
to
the
question
of
vaccinations
for
school
staff,.
K
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Mr
speaker,
commercial
drivers
registered
for
road
tests
before
the
october
18th
melt
deadline
should
have
been
grandfathered,
plain
and
simple,
but
now
they
are
facing
thousands
of
dollars
in
extra
costs
and
some
of
them
may
even
lose
their
jobs.
This
is
all
because
of
icbc
testing
delays.
K
Now,
two
weeks
ago
I
stood
in
this
very
same
spot
and
I
asked
the
minister
a
pretty
simple
question:
what
he
was
what
he
was
prepared
to
do
about
this,
and
his
quote
was
this
quote.
We
are
aware
of
the
issue
with
icbc
and
the
road
test,
and
we
are
working
to
ensure
ensure
that
people
who
need
to
get
the
test
are
able
to
get
those
tests.
K
K
L
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
and
when
he
raised
the
question
I
said
yeah.
We
are
aware
that
there
are
issues
and
that
I
would
we
would
see
what
we
could
do
and
the
member.
L
Please-
and
I
also
told
the
member-
and
I
told
the
member
across
the
way,
that
if
they
have
names
to
to
drop
them
off
to
my
office,
they
did
they
dropped
off
nine
names,
and
I
can
tell
you
each
one
of
those
cases
was
investigated.
L
I
can
also
tell
the
member
this
that
we
have
been
working
with
the
trucking
association
icbc
had
since
the
beginning
of
the
year
to
let
drivers
know
that
they
needed
to
have
a
test
icbc
put
on
icbc,
put
on
extra
capacity
to
ensure
that
they
were
able
to
do
that.
They
worked
with
the
industry
to
notify
people.
L
You,
honourable
speaker,
the
work
icbc
worked
with
the
industry
put
on
extra
capacity.
The
overwhelming
majority
of
drivers
in
this
province
have
managed
to
comply.
There
are
some
that
did
not.
We
looked
into
the
cases
that
the
the
member
put
forward
each
and
every
one
of
them
and,
as
I
said,
I
can
tell
you
that
one
of
them
was
able
to
others
were
not
able
to,
and
I
can
also
tell
you
this
that
in
one
of
the
cases
the
individual
had
already
failed
twice.
L
M
M
The
minister
may
want
to
actually
listen
to
his
own
words
from
two
weeks
ago
in
this
house.
It
wasn't
that
he
would
look
into
it
and
see
what
he
could
do
it
was.
We
are
aware
of
the
issue
with
icbc
and
the
road
test,
and
we
are
working
to
ensure
that
people
who
need
to
get
the
tests
are
able
to
get
those
tests.
Mr
speaker,
that
was
the
complete
answer
for
once
it
was
actually
a
short
answer.
M
M
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Since
march
this
is
from
the
minister's
office
since
march.
Both
the
ministry
of
transportation,
infrastructure
and
icbc
have
communicated
how
the
transition
will
be
managed,
including
that
icbc
would
not
be
increasing
in
icbc,
would
not
be
increasing
the
number
of
class
one
road
test
appointments.
M
Now,
no
one
is
disputing
that
melt
is
needed.
No
one
is
disputing
that
higher
safety
standards
should
not
happen,
but
people
that
were
unable
to
book
road
tests
under
the
old
regime
are
now
faced
are
now
faced
with
10
to
fifteen
thousand
dollars
extra
in
costs,
because
this
minister
and
this
premier
were
unable
to
provide
the
tests
in
a
timely
way.
M
Kovit
always
was
the
excuse.
It's
always
someone
else's
fault.
With
this
minister
in
this
government,
it's
never
their
responsibility.
It's
always
a
point
to
finger
so
again
to
the
minister.
We
canvassed.
We
came
up
with
a
long
list
of
names.
Why
will
the
minister
not
stay
good
with
his
word
and
make
sure
these
people
are
able
to
have
their
tests
provided
by
icbc
in
a
timely
fashion,
and
then
we
can
get
on
with
the
milk
program
as
it
should
be.
B
L
L
L
And
that's
exactly
what's
been
delivered,
it
was
worked
with
the
motiv
with
the
transportation
industry.
At
the
beginning
of
march,
the
trucking
industry
was
notified
repeatedly
about
the
need
to
get
tests.
Icbc
did
have
the
overwhelming
number
of
drivers
in
this
province
got
the
tests,
the
cases
that
the
cases
that
were
brought
forward.
As
I
pointed
out,
every
single
one
of
those
was
looked
at.
What
this
is
it's
about
safety
remember.
I
wish
the
opposition
would
realize
that.