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From YouTube: OCTOBER 28 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
C
Documents
obtained
under
foi
show
that
ecom911
was
desperately
trying
to
warn
the
premier
and
his
government
that
public
safety
was
at
risk
for
a
year
call
volumes
and
delays
were
increasing
at
an
alarming
rate
and
by
early
june.
Well,
before
the
heat
wave,
the
delays
were
overwhelming
and
the
system
compromised
public
safety
when
the
heat
wave
hit.
Hundreds
of
british
columbians
died,
many
of
them
waiting
on
hold
for
help
that
never
arrived.
D
Minister
of
health.
Thank
you
very
much,
honourable
speaker.
Thanks
to
the
member
for
her
question,
the
member
will
know
that,
since
I
became
minister
of
health,
we've
added
every
year
substantially
investment
in
the
ambulance
service.
This
means
more
paramedics.
This
means
more
full-time
paramedics.
This
means
better
coverage
in
rural
and
remote
communities.
This
means
more
dispatchers.
D
That's
why,
on
july,
2nd,
for
example,
we
added
hundreds
hundreds
of
new
new
positions
effectively
we
put
out
and
posted
hundreds
of
new
positions,
so
we
have
been
responding
consistently,
doubling
the
increases
that
the
ambulance
service
received,
adding
paramedics,
dispatchers
and
others
to
support
the
system
and
will
continue
to
do
so.
C
C
He
ignored
warnings
from
his
own
2019
climate
risk
assessment,
which
said
this
would
happen.
He
ignored
ambulance,
call
delays
that
increased
for
a
year
before
the
heat
wave
and
he
ignored
the
conclusion
of
9-1-1
dispatch
desperate
to
get
this
government's
attention,
even
calling
the
government
out,
knowing
that
public
safety
was
being
compromised.
C
D
Honorable
speaker,
that
is
precisely
what
the
independent
office
of
the
coroner
does
and
they
review
every
single
case,
because
every
single
case
matters
the
member
talked
about
people
who
passed
away.
I
know
some
of
those
people,
so
I'm
aware
of
that.
You
bet
I'm
aware
of
that.
The
member
will
know
how
important
ambulance
service
is
in
every
part
of
the
province.
D
It's
why
this
is
largely
because
opposition
members
represent
large
parts
of
the
interior.
We've
increased
ambulance
services
in
community
after
community,
not
just
since
the
summer,
but
since
2017,
while
we're
adding
and
reforming
the
ambulance
service
to
improve
services
across
british
columbia,
the
coroner
is
conducting
a
comprehensive
review
that
treats
not
just
all
of
the
cases
together,
but
every
single
case
is
important
and
we
will
of
course
be
following
closely
that
review
and
taking
action
in
the
meantime,
as
we
have
to
make
british
columbia
more
resilient.
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
The
premier
made
up
his
mind
long
ago
about
a
detailed,
independent
review.
He
said,
and
I
quote:
it's
not
a
failure
of
the
government.
There's
no
fault
to
be
apportioned.
End
quote
almost
600
vulnerable
people
died,
mr
speaker,
and
his
response
was
nothing
to
see
here.
It's
just
a
fact
of
life.
The
revelations
under
foi
this
week
show
the
premier
was
wrong
and
his
government
did
fail
our
vulnerable
seniors.
So,
as
the
minister
knows,
this
is
not
simply
a
coroner's
review.
D
Minister
felt
honourable
speaker,
the
ambulance
service,
because
that's
at
the
core
of
the
questions
bc,
emergency
health
services
has
been
responding
to
the
circumstances
across
bc
over
the
last
number
of
years,
honorable
speaker,
by
adding
resources
by
substantially
increasing,
in
fact
other
than
mental
health
and
addictions.
The
largest
increase
of
any
part
of
the
healthcare
system
has
gone
to
ambulance
paramedics
because
of
two
reasons,
one.
What
we
are
seeing
is
increase
in
demand
and
more
important
than
that.
D
D
That's
why,
from
day
one
we've
been
adding
ambulance,
paramedics
and
dispatchers,
and
ambulance
and
air
ambulance
capacity.
Why?
In
the
at
the
beginning
of
the
pandemic
in
rural
and
remote
areas
of
bc,
we
added
even
more
capacity
to
that
system
and
why,
honorable
speaker,
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that.
It's
to
respond
in
substance
to
the
challenges
that
the
ambulance
service
faces
across
bc.
There
is
a
comprehensive
review
going
on
right
now
by
the
coroner
who
is
highly
respected,
has
the
powers
to
conduct
the
review
and
is
treating
every
single
case
as
important?
D
That's
what
I
believe
needs
to
be
done,
but
what
I
also
need
to
be
believe
needs
to
be
done.
Is
this
event
that
was
defined
by
dr
sarah
henderson
as
a
one
in
thousand
year
event
that
has
now
happened.
We
need
to
respond
collectively,
not
just
in
the
healthcare
system,
but
collectively
to
become
more
resilient
to
the
challenges
of
climate
change.
E
You,
mr
speaker,
we
know
that
this
one
time
in
a
thousand
year
event
was
anticipated.
This
was
not
a
surprise.
Government
had
been
warned
about
this
for
a
year
prior
to
that
569
people
died
and
we
need
a
full
and
independent
review
of
the
premier's
failure
to
act.
This
minister
says:
there's
more
and
more
resources
being
deployed.
We
need
more
resources,
that's
wonderful,
but
are
these
the
right
resources
because
they
don't
have
the
right
outcome?
As
human
rights
watch
has
said,
he
failed
to
act.
E
The
premier
has
failed
to
act
on
his
own
2019
climate
risk
assessment.
He
failed
to
do
anything
about
call,
wait
times
and
steadily
increa,
which
were
steadily
increasing
for
the
12
months
prior
to
this
heat
wave,
and
he
failed
to
listen
to
911
that
had
concluded
a
month
before
this
heat
wave
that
the
delays
compromised
public
safety,
the
premier
callously
told
grieving
families
that
they
had
a
level
of
personal
responsibility.
D
Honourable
speaker,
the
full
and
independent
review
that's
taking
place,
and
everyone
acknowledges
it's
comprehensive
every
case.
No
every
case.
D
Every
case
and
the
circumstances
of
those
cases
will
be
reviewed
every
case
and
that's
a
full
review
and
the
corner
is,
of
course,
independent
and
one
of
the
most
important
independent
reviews
that
we
can
take
place
that
can
take
place,
but
in
addition,
it
seems
to
me
that
in
this
time
of
climate
change,
it
calls
on
us
to
take
the
action
that
we're
taking
in
this
government
and-
and
I
hope
around
this
world-
to
address
the
issues
of
climate
change.
D
D
Honorable
speaker,
140
deaths
is
important
and
more
than
500
deaths
is
important
as
well.
Every
one
of
them
are,
and
so
what
we
are
doing,
I
think
honorable
speaker
is
doing
what
needs
to
be
done.
Taking
every
case
is
important.
A
Yeah,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
One
of
the
bc
ndp
platform
planks
from
the
election
from
last
year
was
making
contraception
free
in
their
platform.
The
bc
ndp
stated
quote:
cost
should
not
prevent
individuals,
particularly
young
people,
from
their
right
to
make
choices
about
their
reproductive
health,
while
condoms
can
be
easily
found
for
little
or
no
cost
and
vasectomies
are
covered
by
msp
prescription.
Contraception
is
not
covered.
It's
time
to
make
contraception
free
for
all
end
quote.
My
question
honorable
speaker,
is
to
the
premier.
A
D
Thank
you
very
much.
Honourable
speaker.
The
commitment
of
the
premier
was
was
personal.
It
was
also
in
our
election
platform.
It's
under
of
course
review
in
terms
of
implementation,
but
it's
something
that,
of
course,
we
support
and
intend
to
implement
during
this
government.
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
during
this
government
I'm
assuming
that
the
the
government's
giving
itself
a
three-year
longer
runway
to
to
review
this.
Certainly,
this
has
been
an
issue
that
access
bc
has
been
advocating
with
me
as
an
mla
for
the
last
three
or
four
years.
It's
an
issue
that
access
bc
has
been
advocating
for
this
government
for
three
or
four
years.
It
was
far
more
than
just
a
personal
promise
made
by
the
premier.
A
It
was
as
the
as
the
minister
of
health
noted
a
commitment
in
their
election
platform.
My
question
again
is
to
the
premier:
when
is
his
government
going
to
do
as
access
bc
put
it?
People
in
bc
have
been
looking
waiting
for
this
for
too
long.
When
will
british
columbians
have
free
contraception?
D
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
we
are
continuing
to
work
and
it's
our
absolute
intention
to
implement
the
commitments
made
by
the
premier,
the
government
and
the
new
democratic
party
in
this
respect.
D
As
we
have
said,
and
as
we've
shown
as
we've
shown
since
the
beginning
of
our
mandate,
we
have
taken,
I
think,
extraordinary
efforts
to
make
all
prescription
drugs
available,
especially
to
those
who
are
the
most
vulnerable
in
our
society.
A
hundred
and
five
thousand
british
columbians
benefited
from
our
changes
to
pharmacare
deductible.
D
We
continue
to
take
steps
to
both
save
money
and
pharmacare
and
then
apply
that
money
to
support
people
and
give
them
more
access
to
the
prescription
drugs.
They
need
and
will
continue
to
do
so
and
as
as,
as
noted
to
the
honourable
member,
we
fully
intend
to
follow
through
on
that
commitment.
F
Thanks
honorable
speaker,
businesses
across
the
north
have
been
brought
to
their
knees.
Recently
again,
a
week
ago,
the
premier
said,
businesses
and
northern
health
impacted
by
the
new
circuit.
Breaker
could,
and
I
quote,
still
have
opportunities
to
access
programs
that
have
been
put
in
place
by
the
provincial
government.
End
quote:
can
the
premier
tell
us
exactly
what
provincial
programs
are
open
and
available
today
to
desperate
northern
businesses.
G
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and,
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member.
Certainly
it's
a
hard
time
for
many
businesses
across
british
columbia.
The
pandemic
is
not
over.
We
are
seeing
strong
job
recovery
rates,
but
we
know
there's
still
pressures
being
faced.
I've
had
a
chance
to
talk
to
many
of
the
chambers
that
represent
businesses
in
the
north,
we've
discussed
what
the
pandemic
and
the
impact
it's
having
now
is
meant
to
their
businesses.
B
F
Well,
yeah:
the
question
was
what
is
open
right
now
for
supports
to
businesses
and
unfortunately,
I
think
maybe
the
premier's
premium
has
been
paying
a
little
too
much
scrabble
on
his
telephone
to
actually
understand
what
is
going
on
in
the
north,
but
I'll
enlighten
the
premier
as
well
as
the
minister,
the
circuit
breaker
grant
closed
june.
4Th
the
small
business
recovery
grant
closed
july,
2nd
the
launch
online
grant
ended
september
30th.
F
F
B
G
Minister
will
continue.
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
We
have
provided
the
highest
per
capita
support
for
people
and
businesses
in
all
over
the
country.
That's
why
bc
is
positioned
in
the
strongest
position
for
a
strong
economic
recovery.
We're
very
proud
of
the
supports.
There
is
a
digital
boot
camp
available
still
for
businesses,
because
we
know
lots
of
businesses.
B
G
Speaker,
the
member
mentions
connectivity
in
government
for
16
years
no
time
in
history.
G
G
G
H
You
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
the
member
for
peace,
river
north
asked
a
serious
question
and
his
constituents
expect
a
serious
answer.
Businesses
across
northern
british
columbia
are
hanging
by
a
thread
not
sure
if
they
can
meet
payroll,
not
sure
if
they
can
keep
their
lights
on
in
large
part
because
of
the
latest
circuit
breaker
health
measures
which
apply
in
northern
health.
H
Mr
speaker,
when
asked
about
supports
for
businesses
in
bc's
north,
the
premier
said
last
week
that
his
minister
would
quote
observe
activities
in
the
region
and
quote
well,
mr
speaker,
if
the
jobs
minister
was
actually
doing
his
job,
he
would
be
hearing
the
same
stories
that
we
are,
and
I
will
quote
one
of
those
stories.
It
will
only
be
a
matter
of
time
before
a
business
like
ours
closes
his
doors
due
to
bankruptcy
or
business
ownership.
Exhaustion,
and
quote,
mr
speaker,
that's
a
local
small
business
in
fort
st
john.
H
It's
a
business
owner
that
has
never
previously
had
to
lay
off
a
single
person,
but
is
now
faced
with
having
to
do
exactly
that
for
the
third
time
during
the
pandemic.
So
the
question
to
the
premier
is
this:
when
will
the
premier
step
up
and
provide
the
supports?
The
circuit
breaker
supports
that
businesses
across
british
columbia's
north
so
desperately
need
today.
G
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
The
premier
has
made
clear
from
the
beginning
of
this
pandemic
that
a
healthy
bc
and
a
healthy
economy
go
hand
in
hand.
We
know
the
best
thing
we
can
do
for
communities
throughout
this
province
is
to
ensure
that
we
increase
the
vaccination
rates
so
that
we
can
control
the
pandemic.
So
we
can
have
our
businesses
continue
to
operate
in
a
safe
way.
On
our
speaker,
we
have
provided
the
highest
per
capita
supports
for
people
and
businesses
in
all
of
canada.
G
We
have
waived
pst
for
new
equipment
and
machinery,
so
businesses
have
that
support.
We've
reduced
liquor
pricing
by
20,
which
is
something
the
industry
has
been
calling
for
for
well
over
16
years,
and
we
made
that
change
and
we
know
that's
making
a
major
difference
for
businesses
the
four
million
dollars,
just
in
that
community
alone,
that
we've
injected
has
made
a
massive
difference
to
businesses.
G
We
know
because
we've
been
hearing
from
them
as
well
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
our
partners
to
support
businesses
that
are
being
challenged,
but
right
now
businesses
can
remain
open.
They
can
continue
to
operate.
There's
some
limits
on
when
liquor
can
be
served,
but
that's
the
only
limit
we
have
in
place.
We
hope
that
the
vaccination
rates
increase
so
that
we
can
see
businesses
open
up
again.
H
Speaker,
businesses
across
bc's
north
are
hanging
by
a
thread
they're
not
sure
that
they're
going
to
make
it.
This
is
not
a
time
for
this
minister
and
this
government
to
do
another
victory
lap.
They,
the
businesses
in
the
north,
need
support
and
they
need
it
now.
Two-Thirds,
two-thirds
of
the
supports
that
the
minister
brags
about
were
in
the
form
of
of
debt
and
deferred
taxes
that
these
businesses
have
already
had
to
pay
back.
Mr
speaker,
the
minister's
own
data
shows
that
bc
has
provided
the
least
amount
of
direct
supports.
H
The
least
amount
of
direct
supports
direct
cash
in
pocket
for
businesses
of
any
major
province
in
this
country
and
all
of
those
grant
programs.
As
the
member
from
peace
river
north
mentioned
earlier,
all
of
them
have
ended.
None
of
them
are
open.
None
of
them
are
accepting
applications
for
for
additional
supports
that
are
needed.
Another
piece
region,
business
owner,
said
this,
and
I
quote:
business-wise
we
are
getting
killed
right
now
in
every
area
possible,
it's
daily
to
watch.
The
bank
accounts
depleting
it's
going
to
get
tighter
too.
H
With
these
new
restrictions
in
the
north
end
quote,
mr
speaker,
like
premier,
like
wannabe
premier,
it's
all
talk
and
no
action.
The
question
the
question
for
the
premier,
the
question
for
the
premier
is
this:
will
the
premier
actually
keep
his
promise?
Will
he
keep
the
promise
that
he
made
to
northerners
last
week
and
direct
this
minister
to
flow
supports
to
those
businesses
who
desperately
need
the
help.
G
G
We
know
that
that
is
the
number
one
thing
we
can
do,
and
so
we
continue
to
urge
people
to
get
vaccinated
right
now.
There's
some
restrictions
on
what
time
liquor
must
be
stopped
to
be
served.
We
know
that
adds
some
pressure
to
communities,
but
most
businesses
can
continue
to
operate
in
in
a
safe
way.
Honorable
speaker,
the
member
is
incorrect
when
he
states
the
facts
that
he
is
using,
because
we
have
provided
the
highest
per
capita
support
for
people
and
businesses.
Speaker.
G
The
original
budget,
the
original
budget
for
direct,
supports
direct
support
for
businesses
with
300
million
dollars.
Honorable
speaker,
we
spent
529
million
dollars
going
directly
in
the
pockets
of
businesses.
We
hear
from
them
every
day
if
the
member
has
a
couple
of
businesses
that
he
wants
to
highlight,
he
can
share
them
with
me
because
he
has
in
the
past,
and
we've
done
our
best
to
support
them.
I
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Over
the
course
of
a
year,
we
asked
for
the
records
of
text
messages
by
political
staff,
but
all
we
got
back
were
no
records
found
here's
some
of
his
staff's
excuses,
and
I
quote,
all
messages
sent
by
the
minister's
senior
ministerial
assistant
were
transitory
in
nature
and
deleted.
I
The
senior
mysterial
assistant
does
not
keep
or
use
notebooks
all
records
if
they
existed
were
deleted
as
transitory
no
records
were
located.
In
response
to
your
request,
the
minister,
the
ministry
did
not
locate
records
because
the
ministerial
assistant
did
not
use
any
messaging
applications.
End
quote.
I
J
B
J
And-
and
I
I
very
much
appreciate
the
member
from
abbotsford
thespian
ways
in
his
master
class
in
in
in
question
period
and
in
committee
and
second
readings
so
I'll
be
looking
forward
to
that
that
continued
action,
but
honorable
speaker,
we
do
follow
the
advice
of
public
servants
when
it
comes
to
record
keeping
all
our
political
staff
have
gone
through
foi
training.
We
know
that
non-transitory
records
are
not
to
be
kept,
they
just
non-trans
are
transitory
records.
J
I
apologize
speaker
that
transitory
records
are
not
to
be
kept
and
non-transitory
records
being
kept
are
recorded
in
the
appropriate
systems.
I
can
let
you
know.
Honorable
speaker,
I
don't
make
decisions
by
a
text.
I
make
sure
that
it's
done
over
email,
which
is
the
appropriate
way
to
record
decisions
in
this
case.
J
So
in
many
cases
it
may
not
be
a
text
account.
It
may
be
an
email
account.
It
may
be
a
document,
a
signed
document
by
the
minister
that
works
out
to
about
five
billion
pages
a
year
which
actually
this
is
a
great
fact
for
all
members.
If
you
lined
it
up
would
be
three
times
the
distance
to
the
moon,
and
so
we
need
to
make
sure
that
we're
keeping
our
records
in
the
appropriate
manner.
Thank
you.
K
K
We
know
that
through
foi
and
in
the
months
leading
up
to
the
snap
election,
the
premier's
office
conducted
taxpayer-funded
daily
tracking,
daily
polling
paid
for
by
the
taxpayers,
as
this
government
was
figuring
out
what
their
election
platform
was
going
to
be.
When
asked
about
the
polling
on
june
16th.
K
During
estimates
debate,
the
premier
said-
and
I
quote-
we're
happy
to
release
the
information
where
it
was
garnered
and
what
the
content
of
the
questions
was
end
quote
again:
the
premier's
words
the
premier's
commitments,
but
four
and
a
half
late
months
later
still
hasn't
kept
his
promise.
We
still
can't
get
that
information.
K
The
premier
certainly
doesn't
want
to
answer
any
questions
about
it.
These
were
taxpayer-funded
opinion
polls,
developing
a
platform
for
the
government
and
again
the
premier
said:
I'm
not
aware
of
any
restrictions
in
releasing
that
information.
I'm
happy
to
get
back
to
the
member
with
the
release
of
that
information.
End
quote
so
again:
the
opposition
sent
a
letter
on
june
22nd.
We
have
not
had
a
response
to
the
premier.
When
is
the
premier
going
to
stand
up
in
this
house?
L
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
I
appreciate
the
the
question
from
the
from
the
member
opposite.
As
members
will
know,
the
premier
is
the
head
of
the
executive
council
and
the
executive
council
consists
of
cabinet
ministers
who
have
responsibilities
for
their
distinct
and
different
portfolios
assigned
to
them
by
the
by
the
premier.
L
And
and
the
premier
will
answer
questions,
as
will
every
responsible
cabinet
minister.
Thank
you
speaker.