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From YouTube: JUNE 3 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
C
C
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
opposite.
Clearly
we're
in
active
discussions
with
the
federal
government
about
the
borders.
I
mean
why
vr
wants
to
open
up.
We
all
want
to
know
when
the
borders
are
going
to
be
opened,
but
right
now
the
laser
focus
is
on
vaccination.
The
member
knows
that
all
british
colombians
want
to
see
that
more
vaccinations
are
out
there.
So
we
can
move
the
dial,
as
we
have,
with
our
restart
plan,
to
open.
D
Full
well
the
jurisdiction
of
the
federal
government.
Of
course
the
premier
is
having
active
conversations
along
with
our
colleagues,
because
it's
not
just
our
border,
it's
the
entire
country's
border.
So,
yes,
we're
advocating,
but
we're
going
to
be
led
by
science
and
the
data
and
protecting
the
safety
of
british
columbians
canada
and
canadians.
So.
C
Thank
you
very
much,
and
the
minister
should
finally
move
off
the
vaccination
answer.
She
provides,
of
course,
this
side
of
the
house
supports
vaccination
and
have
been
actively
doing
that.
That
is
not
the
question
she
was
asked
and
in
fact,
the
last
time
she
tried
to
answer
a
question
about
this.
She
talked
about,
and
I
quote
her
word's,
not
mine,
arrogant
confidence.
So
here's
a
straight
up
straight
up
question
for
this
minister.
C
She
who
continues
by
the
way
to
completely
mess
up
this
file.
We
know
that
talks
are
underway
to
reopen
the
land
border,
but
the
federal
cruise
ship
ban
is
in
place.
It
is
separate
and
it
extends
well
into
2022..
Cruise
ships
provide
2.7
billion
of
economic
activity
and
20
000
jobs
in
british
columbia.
C
So
to
the
premier
to
the
minister
to
somebody
on
that
side
of
the
house
when
the
land
border
opens,
will
the
premier
now
advocate
that
at
exactly
the
same
time,
the
marine
border
opens
that
the
moratorium
on
cruise
ships,
traveling
up
and
down
our
coast
be
lifted?
What
has
the
premier
specifically
done
to
make
that
argument.
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speakers.
So,
first
of
all
I
want
to
emphasize
that
we
are
a
destination
of
choice,
we're
a
magnet
for
international
visitors.
We
are
going
to
be
a
magnet
when
the
doors
open.
I
know
that
the
member
opposite
wants
to
continually
ask
questions
in
these
chambers
about
decisions
that
are
made
at
the.
D
I
know
honorable
speaker,
the
member's
office
said:
don't
want
to
hear
the
answer.
They
keep
asking
questions
about
federal
jurisdiction,
of
course,
we're
advocating
for
the
borders
and
airports
to
be
open.
It
is
not
our
call.
Does
the
premier
work
with
our
colleagues?
Yes,
of
course
we
are
doing
that
advocacy,
but
I
I
don't
know
why
the
members
opposite
keep
coming
into
these
chambers
and
asking
for
answers
that
they
know
are
in
the
jurisdiction
of
the
federal
government.
D
We
are
going
to
be
a
destination
for
choice
as
soon
as
the
borders
are
open.
We
are
going
to
have,
but
again
I'm
going
to
reiterate,
because
when
the
member's
office
talk
about
vaccination,
you
know
the
public
wants
to
know
that
that
we
are
safe.
That
is
the
objective.
We
want
to
know
that
when
we
open
up
the
borders
that
people
are
safe
and
that
call
is
going
to
be
made
by
medical
officials.
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,.
E
Thanks
honorable
speaker,
well,
what
we
are
seeking
to
do
the
leader
of
the
opposition
has
sought
to
do
is
determine
to
what
extent
this
premier
and
this
minister
are
advocating
on
behalf
of
the
tens
of
thousands
of
workers
in
british
columbia,
who
are
impacted
by
these
decisions
and
if
she
doesn't
understand
her
role
and
her
government's
role
to
advocate
on
behalf
of
those
people
with
respect
to
the
federal
government,
then
she's
in
the
wrong
line
of
work.
Mr
speaker
and
that's
her
problem.
E
Look
that
the
proposition
here
is
not
a
complicated
one,
having
stumbled
and
bumbled
their
way
through
this
issue
in
a
way
that,
quite
frankly,
has
put
thousands
of
workers
tourism
jobs
at
risk.
Will
the
premier
will
the
minister
now
agree?
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
The
answer
is
around
a
science-based
approach.
We
know
that
there
are
active
discussions
today
in
our
country
in
the
united
states,
other
parts
of
the
world
around
things
like
vaccine
passports,
getting
up
to
normal.
We
know
that
americans
are
traveling
far
more
extensively
than
canadians
right
now.
Their
vaccine
rates,
their
second
dose
rates,
are
higher.
F
They
have
a
different
approach,
one
that
I
don't
think
canadians
would
for
a
minute
change
to
the
to
the
approach
that
we
took,
which
was
science-based.
So
look.
There
are
discussions
that
are
happening
about
when
the
borders
will
be
reopened.
It
will
be
based
on
metrics
of
covet
safety
and
science,
like
the
decisions
that
have
guided
our
government
throughout
this
difficult
pandemic
year
for
everyone
in
this
province.
F
This
government
supports
the
cruz
industry.
We
support
americans
wanting
to
travel
to
alaska
through
our
waters.
We
support
the
idea
of
technical
stops,
which
was
introduced
by
the
two
u.s
senators,
who
sponsored
the
original.
F
E
Thanks,
mr
speaker
well
different
minister
same
non-answer
and
and
quite
frankly,
the
same
attempt
at
revisionist
history.
Look
if
this
government
had
been
advocating
on
behalf
of
technical
stops
as
we
suggested
and
urged
them
to
do
so-
that
piece
of
legislation
in
washington
that
the
premier
said
would
never
pass,
wouldn't
have
passed
unanimously.
Mr
speaker,
so
let's
not
try
to
engage
in
more
revisionist
history,
as
the
minister
has
has
just
tried
to
do
all
over
the
world.
E
All
over
the
world
cruise
ships
are
resuming
cruise
ship
are
resuming
operations,
including
by
the
way
on
the
alaska
coast,
on
the
on
the
trip
up
to
alaska,
where
vaccination
requirements
are
being
put
in
place
by
the
operators.
The
people
in
bc
who
depend
on
tourism
dollars
that
arrive
with
visiting
cruise
ship
passengers
want
to
know
this.
E
They
need
to
know
this.
They
need
to
plan.
I
thought
that's
what
the
point
of
the
restart
program
was
was
to
allow
people
to
plan.
They
want
to
know
that
when
people
are
permitted
to
enter
bc
at
the
land
border,
when
they
are
permitted
to
enter
bc
by
bus
when
they
are
permitted
to
enter
bc
by
train,
they
want
to
know
whether
it
is
this
government's
position
that,
when
that
happens,
when
it
can
be
determined
to
occur
safely,
that
people
will
be
permitted
to
enter
bc
through
marine
ports
of
entry.
E
F
You
know
it's
it's
interesting,
mr
speaker.
It's
almost
like
the
the
member
for
abbotsford
west
forgets
that
at
the
very
beginning
of
the
pandemic,
what
were
the
images
that
the
entire
world
saw
people
trapped
unable
to
disembark
on
cruise
ships,
major
outbreaks
centers
of
transmission
of
a
virus
that
then
entered
into
a
number
of
countries?
F
That
is
what
the
pandemic
looked
like,
and
that
is
why
the
cruise
ship
industry,
working
with
the
cdc
and
working
with
others,
has
to
have
a
safe,
conditional
sailing
program
which
is
not
finalized
at
this
point
in
time.
They're
working
on
that
so
he's
incorrect
that
the
cruise
ship
industry
is
up
and
running
around
the
world.
Medical
scientists
are
going
to
be
extra
careful
with
the
cruise
ship
industry.
F
This
is
what
we
call
a
congregate
setting
it's
a
different
type
of
a
tourism
product
than
just
opening
up
the
borders
and
staying
at
a
hotel.
It
is,
and
if
the
member
wants
to
diminish
the
complexity
of
this,
if
he
wants
to
ascribe
bc
of
having
a
role
in
deciding
policy
on
our
coast,
which
is
absolutely
incorrect,
then
that's
that's
his
prerogative.
He
could
he
control
in
those
in
those
falsehoods
if
he
wishes.
F
We
are
waiting
for
the
prime
minister
and
the
government
of
canada
to
provide
additional
direction
on
or
about
june
21st.
That
is
known.
They
will
be
doing
that.
That
is
based
on
high-level
engagements
with
the
americans
right
now,
but
what
we
look
forward
to
is
international
cruise
ship
industries
coming
back
like
two
reports
when
it
is
safe
to
do
so,
and
they
will
do
so.
We've
heard
that
loud
and
clear
from
the
industry.
This
is
a
huge
economic
generator
for
them.
F
This
is
a
hugely
important
tourism
product
for
us
as
british
columbians,
and
we
will
welcome
welcome
them
back
on
a
science-based
opening
date
that
will
be
determined
in
the
very
new
near
future.
B
G
G
Unfortunately,
unlike
the
most
of
the
rest
of
canada,
counselors
and
therapists
are
unregulated
in
this
province
immediately.
Regulating
counseling
therapists
is
a
step
to
meeting
the
demand
for
mental
health
services
in
bc,
when
the
federation
of
associations
for
counseling
therapists
in
bc
applied
to
be
regulated.
This
february,
the
minister
of
health,
said
no.
G
G
Regulation
of
counselors
would
protect
the
public,
it
would
make
sure
people
are
receiving
qualified
and
competent
care,
and
it
would
open
the
door
for
more
mental
health
care
professionals
to
be
covered
under
health
insurance
and
msp,
ultimately,
removing
the
financial
barrier
that
exists
for
far
too
many
people
in
bc.
Right
now,
my
question,
honourable
speaker,
through
you,
is
to
the
minister
of
health.
Why
was
this
application
by
the
federation
of
associations
for
counseling
therapists
in
bc,
rejected.
H
Well,
thank
you
very
much,
honorable
speaker
and
there's
a
a
number
of
things
that
the
member
left
out.
The
member
will
recall
that
she
and
myself
and
the
member
for
kelowna
lake
country
have
been
have
provided
a
report
and
a
recommendation
for
changes
to
the
way
we
regulate
health
professions
in
british
columbia.
H
The
means
to
allow
new
professions
to
become
regulated,
and
it's
not
just
a
counselor.
She
will
know
because
she
saw
the
same
thousands
of
briefs
that
I
did
and
took
part
in
the
same
unanimous
report
that
we
put
together
that
that
other
professions
are
looking
to
be
regulated
as
well.
We
have
we
have
presented
and
and
will
be
putting
in
place
the
most
expensive,
extensive
reform
of
health
regulation,
health,
professional
regulation
in
the
country,
one
that
will
improve
health
regulation
across
jurisdictions
to
to
make
significant
changes
based
on
the
current
process.
H
When
all
of
us,
including
the
member,
have
proposed
significant
changes,
I
think,
is
not
the
right
approach.
We
are.
We
are
making
changes
recommended
by
the
member
by
the
official
opposition
and
by
myself,
changes
that
will
make
it
easier
for
new
professions
to
become
regulated
and
will
increase
standards,
increase
public
transparency,
increase
response,
public
accountability
of
health
professional
organizations
and
make
all
the
whole
process
more
efficient
and
better
for
the
public
interest.
That's
what
we're
doing
that's
what
we're
putting
in
place.
H
The
member
of
course
knows
this
because
she
was
part
of
it
and
she
played
a
very
important
role
in
that
she
advocated
in
that
period,
for
example,
on
issues
around
social
workers
that
were
reflected
in
her
bill
that
she
introduced
yesterday
as
well.
So
this
is
an
area
the
government's
taking
action
on,
but
we're
not
doing
it
in
the
old
way,
we're
doing
it
by
working
with
the
member
and
with
the
official
opposition
to
bring
fundamental
change
that
will
improve
health
regulation
in
bc.
G
Unfortunately,
what
the
minister
is
speaking
of
and-
and
I
agree
that
the
modernization
of
health
regulation
around
health
professionals,
as
recommended
by
the
the
collaborative
efforts
of
the
the
three
parties,
needs
to
go
forward,
but
at
the
same
time
we
are
in
a
global
pandemic
that
has
behind
it
and
already
unfolding
now
another
pandemic,
and
that
is
a
mental
health
pandemic.
G
And
for
that
healthcare
to
be
trustworthy,
to
have
accountability
and
to
ensure
that
public
safety
is
incorporated
into
that
and
so
the
most
effective
and
direct
route
to
do
that
isn't
to
ensure
that
we
have
regulation
of
counselors
and
counseling
therapists
in
british
columbia,
which
currently
we
do
not,
which
means
that
anybody
can
call
themselves
a
counselor
and
there's
no
regulatory
body
that
the
public
can
check
in
with
and
say.
Is
this
accurate?
B
H
Health,
well,
I
think
you
see
that
urgency
in
the
actions
of
my
colleague,
the
mental
minister
for
mental
health
and
addictions
every
day,
the
efforts
of
the
government
to
expand
mental
health
and
addiction
services
every
day,
efforts
that
I
think
we
all
support
this
house
and
we're
all
working
together
in
this
house.
The
reason
honorable
speaker
that
we
undertook
a
fundamental
review
of
health
professional
regulations.
H
One
of
the
reasons
was
the
challenge
that
many
professions,
not
just
councils,
but
many
professions
were
having
in
being
regulated
and
the
proliferation
of
health,
professional
bodies
that
were
not
sufficiently
effective.
So
we
we
came
together
to
put
in
place
a
fundamental
change
and
it's
one
we're
proceeding
on
and
we're
implementing
the
the
member,
I
think
understands
very
well,
because
again
she
saw
the
same
thousands
of
briefs
and
we've
we
spent
hours
together
working
on
these
issues
and
coming
up
with
unanimous
recommendations
on
the
very
issues
she's
asking
questions
about.
H
I
think
the
the
pathway
forward
here
is
to
implement
those
regular
rep
those
changes
which
will
allow
much
more
quick
recognition
of
new
professional,
new
professional
bodies
within
the
six
recommended
health,
professional
bodies.
We've
recommended
in
that
document
that's
the
way
forward.
The
creation
of
health
professional
bodies
is
not
a
matter
of
ministerial
fiat,
but
one
that
what
that
requires
us
to
go
step
by
step
in
the
creation
of
self-regulating
bodies
that
make
sense.
H
This
is
particularly
true
in
the
area
of
counselors,
which
is
the
member
will
know
again,
because
we
saw
the
same.
Many
briefs
represents
a
whole
bunch
of
different
professions
with
the
people
with
different
qualifications
who
call
themselves
counselors,
making
it
much
more
challenging
than
say
the
college
of
physicians.
H
I
D
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
I
feel
like
it's
deja
vu
from
the
opposition.
I
guess
the
first
thing
I
want
to
say
is
that
50
million
dollars
was
a
significant
announcement
and
I'm
proud
of
that
announcement.
It
was
a
call
to
action
from
the
sector.
They
said
they
needed
relief
for
some
of
those
major
attractions,
not
just
in
vancouver
not
just
in
the
lower
mainland
but
in
other
communities
across
bc,
the
rural
and
urban
and
the
tour
operators.
D
We
got
advice
and
counsel
to
industry
experts.
They
gave
us
the
advice
on
what
to
do
to
provide
relief
to
a
sector
that
we
know
have
been
deeply
hit.
It's
targeted
funding,
it's
a
call
to
action,
it's
a
good
announcement.
The
deadline
is
on
june
7th
and
we
encourage
people
across
the
province
to
apply
so
far.
We've
had
17
completed
applications.
200
operators
have
asked
us
for
applications
to
me
that
success
member.
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
I
The
minister
can
be
proud
and
be
arrogant,
responding
to
question,
but
this
government
is
not
going
to
go
and
pick
and
choose
which
one
to
be
qualified
historic
sites
are
not
the
only
one
being
impacted
by
the
previous
bungling.
We
are
also
hearing
from
disappointed
affairs
and
community
events.
They
have
been
blocked
from
applying
the
anchor
attraction
program.
I
They
are
being
told
that
they
need
to
be
open
for
60
days
in
order
to
qualify
for
funding.
Well,
the
png
fair
only
runs
for
two
weeks,
but
the
premier
claims
is
still
getting
funding
with
the
premier.
Instead
of
the
minister,
explain
why
some
fans
are
eligible
for
the
anc
attraction
grant,
but
not
others.
D
Thank
you
honorable
speaker,
so
I
I'm
going
to
go
down
the
path
of
history
to
the
tourism
task.
Force
gave
us
recommendations.
The
first
thing
we
did
was
respond
to
their
call
to
action,
which
was
providing
small
and
medium
tourism
operators
grants
not
loans.
That
was
a
call
to
action.
3
600
operators
across
this
province
have
received
over
100
million
dollars
in
relief.
D
The
50
million
dollars
for
the
anchor
attractions
was
also
another
call
to
action.
We
also
responded
to
the
safety
certificate.
Honorable,
honourable
speaker,
the
member
opposite
is
coming
in
here
asking
what
are
we
doing
when
she
talks
about
arrogant,
I'm
advocating
I'm
advocating
advocating
on
behalf
of
a
sector
that
we
know
have
been
deeply
hit,
and
last
week
we
had
a
restart
plan.
We
announced
that
we're
opening
things
up
things
are
getting
brighter
with
more
people
vaccinated.
D
J
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
would
like
to
walk
you
down
the
path
of
history
as
well.
When
we
asked
about
anchor
attractions
in
our
communities
qualifying
for
funding,
the
minister
of
tourism
said,
and
I
quote,
please
encourage
your
organizations
to
apply.
End
quote
well.
Mr
speaker,
organizations
like
the
williams
lake
stampede,
the
ipe
billy
barker
days
and
the
north
thompson
fall.
Fair,
did
reach
out
to
this
office
and
here's
the
response
that
they
received
quote
as
noted
in
the
program
guidelines,
festivals
and
events
are
ineligible.
End
quote,
mr
speaker.
This
is
another
bungled
program.
D
D
There
has
been
money
that
has
gone
out
from
our
government
to
help
with
events
and
festivals
and
venues
that
have
been
impacted
by
the
kobit
19
pandemic.
We
everyone's
been
impacted
one
way
or
another
because
of
the
pandemic.
Gaming
funding
has
gone
out.
Agriculture
funding
has
gone
up,
bc,
arts
and
counts.
The
bc
arts
council
has
provided
funding.
The
creative
bc
sector
has
provided
funding,
amplify
bc
has
provided
funding.
400
million
dollars
is
on
the
table
from
the
federal
government.
D
I'm
going
to
advocate
to
make
sure
that
bc
gets
its
fair
share
of
money
for
events
and
festivals,
we're
going
to
continue
working
with
the
sector.
I
have
a
tourism
advisory
table,
providing
government
advice
and
we're
going
to
continue
doing
what
we've
done
from
day
one
and
that's
to
be
responsive.
Thank
you.
Honorable
speaker.
K
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
it
took
too
long
far
too
many
questions
needed
to
be
asked
from
the
opposition,
but
the
government
finally
showed
our
veterans
the
respect
they
deserve,
but
only
as
the
premier
can.
He
stumbled
and
bungled
it
again
in
announcing
that
the
legions
which
the
government
had
blocked
from
receiving
the
circuit
breaker
funding
would
finally
receive
support.
K
We
scoured
the
resources,
so
did
the
anna
vets
there's
zero
mention
of
the
anna
vets
in
the
announcement
these
there
was
two,
mr
speaker,
two,
the
legions
and
the
annabeths.
These
veterans
deserve
the
same
treatment
and
respect.
We
asked
specifically
about
the
legions
and
the
anna
vets
funding
in
this
chamber
several
times.
K
A
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
thanks
to
the
member
for
the
question.
As
the
member
will
know
about
a
month
ago,
we
got
a
letter
from
the
legions
about
concerns
that
they
had
regarding
the
circuit
breaker
and
given
that
they
serve
alcohols
their
food
and
with
the
newer
restrictions,
we're
not
able
to
do
that
and
support
their
members.
The
premier
had
direct
us
at
that
time
to
find
solutions.
A
We
worked
closely
with
the
federal
government,
of
course,
the
branch
for
veteran
affairs,
the
ministry
responsible
for
veteran
affairs.
They
notified
us
that
they
have
provided
millions
of
dollars,
close
to
believe
20
million
dollars
to
support
all
the
organizations
we
felt
it
was
important
to
support
more
organizations
here
within
bc.
The
federal
government
provided
nine
thousand
dollars
for
every
legion
branch
and
we
provided
an
additional
ten
thousand
dollars
for
every
legion
branch.
A
K
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well
it's
great
for
the
minister
to
say
that,
but
on
may
21st
he
got
a
letter
from
the
matsui
unit
315
of
the
anna
vets,
and
the
message
was
clear
to
the
premier
quote:
we
are
very
disappointed
to
be
advised
that
our
unit
would
not
qualify
for
this
relief.
Furthermore,
mr
speaker,
I
have
a
letter
from
the
army
and
navy
air
force
veterans
in
canada
command
that
I
will
table
after
question
period.
That
says
they
are
disheartened
that
they
were
not
included.
K
They
note
that
the
premier
was
so
so
what
does
the
premier
do
with
all
this?
He
disrespects
the
men
and
women
of
anna
vets
and
only
providing
funding
to
one
of
the
two
groups.
One
of
the
two
groups,
mr
speaker,
so
will
the
premier
do
the
right
thing?
Will
this
minister
do
the
right
thing
and
show
these
veterans
the
respect
they
deserve
and
provide
the
anavets
with
equal
funding
as
the
legion.
A
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
I
think
it's
an
important
opportunity
for
us
to
remind
the
member
and
everyone
in
the
chamber
that
we
have
provided
the
highest
per
capita
support
for
businesses
and
people
in
bc.
That
is
well
positioned
us
for
a
strong
economic.
A
If
they
don't
want
to
hear
the
answer,
honourable
speaker,
they
can
continue
to
make
noise,
but
the
facts
are
the
facts
and
we
received
a
letter
from
the
legion
and
the
premier
had
asked
us
to
find
ways
to
support
them.
We
continue
to
work
with
veterans
affairs,
canada,
who
is
responsible
for
providing
supports
for
the
veterans
organizations
across
british
columbia.