►
From YouTube: JUNE 7 2021 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
2nd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
A
few
weeks
ago,
alan
may's
wife
was
in
severe
need
of
an
ambulance
due
to
an
attack
of
pancreatitis
this.
Unfortunately,
it
happened
before
the
doctor's
advice
before
before,
and
the
doctor's
advice
was
to
get
to
emergency
quickly.
The
call
for
an
ambulance
was
made
assurances
were
given
and
after
a
35
minute
wait.
A
second
call
was
made
calls
were
being
assessed
according
to
priority.
C
The
surrey
senior
was
told
it
took
more
than
nine
and
a
half
hours
for
the
ambulance
to
finally
arrive,
and
the
sad
part
is
that
it's
not
an
uncommon
occurrence
so
to
the
premier.
Can
he
tell
us
what
immediate
steps
he
is
taking
to
fix
this
problem
so
that
people
are
not
waiting
for
an
ambulance
for
nine
and
a
half
hours.
D
D
Hundreds
of
new
positions
have
been
created,
273
new
positions
filled
in
the
la
since
the
fall
of
2020
overall
wait
times
for
what
are
called
purple
and
red
calls.
The
most
serious
calls
have
come
down
in
that
period
and
that
effort
has
been
part
of
a
provincial
effort
to
improve
the
performance
of
the
ambulance
system.
It
is
true
from
time
to
time
there
are
significant
delays
and
calls
in
the
ambulance
system,
and
those
are
ones
that
we
consistently
investigate.
C
Thank
you
very
much
to
the
health
minister
for
that
response,
but,
let's
be
clear,
this
is
becoming
a
much
more
frequent
occurrence.
C
C
Troy
clifford
is
the
president
of
the
union
that
represents
paramedics,
and
he
lays
the
blame
squarely
on
management
by
this
province.
Here's
his
quote:
it's
tragic!
When
you
see
something
like
that
anytime,
anybody
has
to
wait
when
they're
in
an
emergency
situation,
whether
it's
critical
or
not,
it's
a
horrible
experience.
It
really
is
becoming
sadly
a
norm.
End
quote
so
once
again
to
the
premier.
What
specific
steps
is
he
taking
now
to
fix
this
mess.
D
Honorable
speaker,
I
think
I
answered
the
question
in
my
first
answer
since
the
fall
of
last
year,
283
new
permanent
paramedic
positions
in
this
year,
this
calendar
year
so
far
73
all
over
the
province
increasing
services
to
british
columbians.
It
is
true
that
in
the
last
week
in
particular,
we've
had
enormous
numbers
of
calls.
D
We
respond
and
investigate
every
complaint
and
concern
about
individual
calls,
but
we
do
keep
every
day
and
I'm
happy
to
share
these
with
the
honorable
member
detailed
information
about
responses
to
to
calls
across
the
province
on
balance
because
of
the
massive
investment
over
the
last
number
of
years,
25
increase
in
the
budget
of
the
ambulance
service.
Since
I
became
minister
of
health,
we
have
added
resources
everywhere
in
the
province.
Is
it
perfect
every
day?
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
I
do
agree
with
the
minister
that
we
do
have
two
pandemics,
but
we
still
need
more
paramedics.
Last
week
came
another
case
this
time.
An
accident
victim
in
surrey,
waiting,
two
hours
for
an
ambulance,
raj
and
maria,
was
in
a
crash.
Firefighters
used
the
jaws
of
life
to
gain
access,
but
didn't
want
to
move
her
over
concern
of
creating
a
spinal
cord
injury.
E
D
D
But
response
times
for
purple
line
red
calls,
which
are
our
most
serious
calls
have
come
down,
and
we
continue
to
work
with
our
union
with
the
with
the
whole
of
the
bc
emergency
health
services.
To
make
things
better.
The
member
asks
what
we're
doing
we're
hiring
more
people,
we're
delivering
more
ambulances,
we're
improving
services
in
rural
communities
and
we're
adding
dramatically
to
the
budget
compared
to
where
it
was.
When
I
became
minister
of
health
in
july
of
2017.
E
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
I'm
glad
that
the
minister
brought
up
what
the
previous
government
before
the
ndp
actually
did,
because
the
ndp
25
percent
well,
we
actually
added
a
hundred
and
seventy
percent,
and
we
didn't
just
add
hundreds
of
paramedics
in
four
years.
We
added
a
thousand
those
words
that
were
just
heard
by
the
minister
are
called
comfort
to
the
people
and
families
who
sit
helplessly
waiting
for
an
ambulance.
E
Frontline
workers
have
been
raising
the
issue
with
the
ndp
government
for
months
and
it's
getting
worse,
not
better,
as
one
paramedic
put
it,
and
I
quote,
the
ndp
minister
of
health
and
bcehs
need
to
be
held
accountable
for
their
lack
of
management
and
improper
care
in
their
duty
to
help
bc.
Citizens
who
has
to
die
for
a
change
to
happen.
End
quote:
when
will
the
premier
take
this
seriously
and
provided
the
needed
resources
to
fix
this
mess
before
someone
does
die?.
D
Normal
speaker,
we
take
the
concerns
of
people
who
deal
with
health
services
in
bc
very
seriously,
as
we
do
in
the
cases
that
have
been
raised
in
the
media
that
are
being
quoted
by
the
official
opposition
today,
but
honorable
speaker,
the
if
the
opposition
really
wants
to
have
a
comparison
of
the
investment
in
the
ambulance
service
over
the
last
four
years.
Compared
to
previous,
I
would
be
happy
to
have
that
discussion.
In
fact,
I'm
sure
we
will
in
our
upcoming
estimates.
D
Honourable
speaker,
the
fact
of
the
matter
is
that
in
the
period
prior
to
us
becoming
office,
the
ambulance,
paramedics
and
their
union
were
so
disrespected
that
they
weren't
even
negotiated
with
as
a
union
that
has
changed
under
our
government.
The
25
increase
6.9
on
average
for
four
years
in
resources
to
the
bc,
ambulance
service
and
the
283
positions
I
referred
to
are
since
the
fall
of
2020.
D
normal
speaker.
I
think
it's
fair
to
say
that
the
challenge
facing
the
ambulance
service
is,
unlike
any,
that
we've
seen
before.
Our
communities
are
more
difficult
than
they
are
as
always
to
get
around
they.
They
are
difficult
to
get
around
and
we're
seeing
and
we've
seen
in
the
last
week
very
significant
and
increased
levels
of
calls,
but
in
in
consideration
of
that,
it
should
be
noted
that
the
substance
says
that
the
time
we've
taken
for
purple
and
red
calls
has
gone
down
and
the
investment
in
the
ambulance
service
is
extraordinary.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
This
morning
there
was
some
good
news
in
ferry
creek.
The
cheetah
did
it
at
hue.
It
requested
a
two
year:
deferral
for
logging
in
the
fairy
creek
watershed,
as
well
as
in
the
central
wall
brand.
F
F
What
we've
seen
in
ferry,
creek
in
recent
weeks
and
months,
simply
cannot
be
the
pathway
to
protecting
these
sacred
places
through
you,
mr
speaker,
to
the
minister
of
forests.
Will
the
minister
commit
to
extensive
deferrals
across
british
columbia
in
line
with
the
government's
own
panel's
criteria
and
the
mapping
done
by
independent
scientists
to
prevent
what
we've
seen
in
fairy
creek
from
happening
again?
G
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
and
and
the
member
knows
that
we
all
care
about
all
growth.
We
all
care
about
it.
All
of
us
in
the
house,
those
across
the
province
and
and
the
member
also
knows
that
our
government
is
working
hard
to
ensure
that
we
are
protecting
all
growth.
G
We
are
fulfilling
the
recommendations
on
the
old
growth
report,
but
I
have
to
remind
the
member
that
the
number
one
recommendation-
the
number
one
recommendation
was
that
was
those
critically
important
government-to-government
discussions
with
indigenous
nations
and
that's
exactly
what's
happened.
The
government
has
been
having
those
confidential
government-to-government
discussions
with
the
nations
and
we
are.
G
The
member
has
spoken
of
the
results
and
we
are
now.
We've
received
the
request
from
the
chiefs
of
the
pachidat,
the
dida
dot
and
the
hawaii
at
first
nations,
and
we
honor
their
declaration
and
are
pleased
to
continue
those
respectful
discussions
with
the
nations
as
because
we
are
committed.
F
The
member
this
member
knows
that
that
government
wants
to
cut
the
old
growth.
That's
that's
what
they've
demonstrated
over
the
last
number
of
months
and
years.
We've
been
asking
this
question.
This
member
knows
that
this
government's
also
been
using
the
undrip
as
a
shield
putting
indigenous
nations
out
in
front
in
between
the
protests
and
failed
forestry
policy.
F
These
at-risk
forests
in
our
province,
I
hear
there
are
cut
blocks
available
going
up
in
the
non-end
for
auction
qualcudel
hereditary
chief
david
knox,
and
the
minister
is
in
her
in
her
message
box
talking
about
hereditary
and
and
doing
the
work
hereditary,
chief
and
kwakudo
hereditary
chief
david
knox,
saying
that
they've
been
wanting
this
premier
to
meet
with
him
silence
hereditary
chiefs
in
the
gitzen
are
trying
to
restrict
access
to
their
territory.
F
This
government,
like
the
provincial
governments
of
the
past,
are
using
indigenous
people
as
a
scapegoat,
and
I
can
say
it
because
I
know
how
it
feels
I
know
how
it
smells.
I
know
how
it
tastes.
This
is
the
life
that
I've
lived.
Mr
speaker,
through
you
to
the
to
the
minister
of
forests,
her
own,
the
co-chair
of
her
own
strategic
review
panel
said.
If
this
continues,
we
are
going
to
see
fairy
creeks
happen
all
the
time.
F
G
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
the
I
understand
the
members
passion,
but
we
are
working
and
we
are
doing
the
work
to
ensure
that
we
are
protecting
ancient
forests.
Our
government
has
received
several
requests
from
first
nations
to
implement
further
deferrals.
We
have
responded
to
all
of
the
incoming
requests
and
we
are
committed
to
working
with
the
nations
and
some
of
those
conversations
are
already
underway.
G
Engaging
with
first
nations
on
old
growth
was
the
number
one
recommendation,
and
we
will
continue
to
ensure
that
that
happens,
because
that's
what
we're
doing
we
are
having
those
discussions
with
the
rights
and
title
holders,
and
I
will
remind
the
member
that
there's
something
else
that
the
co-author
of
the
report
also
said.
He
said,
I
know
that
the
government
is
working
on
all
of
the
priority
recommendations.
G
It
won't
happen
overnight
and
he
goes
on
to
say.
I've
said
this
before
we've
lived
in
this
paradigm
for
almost
200
years
in
this
province
now
and
our
whole
culture
is
centered
around
this.
It's
going
to
change
it's
just
a
matter
how
fast
we
can
make
the
change
and
how
we
can
manage
the
transition.
And,
mr
speaker,
we
are
doing
just
that.
We
are
ensuring
we
do
this
properly.
We
are
ensure
the
worst
thing
we
could
do
is
rush
this
cr.
H
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Well,
mr
speaker,
it
would
seem.
The
premier
has
a
problem
admitting
when
he's
made
a
mistake
for
weeks
for
weeks,
he
refused
to
provide
veteran
groups
like
the
legions,
the
army,
navy,
navy
and
air
force
clubs
access
to
the
circuit
breaker
funding,
even
though
those
veteran
groups
were
experiencing
all
the
same
problems
as
the
other
hospitality
groups.
H
I
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and,
as
we've
canvassed
this
topic
already
I'll
share
the
answer
with
the
member,
the
royal
canadian
legion
wrote
to
the
government
expressing
concern
that
they
they
also
need
financial
support.
We
reached
out
to
the
federal
minister
ministry
of
veterans
affairs
discussed
with
them
about
the
need
for
financial
supports
to
be
provided
by
them.
They
notified
us
that
they
have
given
nine
thousand
dollars
to
every
single
association
here
in
british
columbia
to
support
them.
I
We
also
included
an
additional
10
000
dollars
for
the
145
branches
of
the
royal
canadian
legion,
who
wrote
to
us,
of
course,
asking
for
the
supports.
Since
then,
I've
written
I've
spoken
to
the
ministry
of
federal
ministry
of
veterans
affairs
about
them
to
need
need
to
match
our
dollars
to
ensure
that
more
organizations
can
get
the
dollars.
Those
conversations
are
ongoing.
H
So
here's
a
question
from
the
provincial
command
of
the
annabeths,
and
I
quote:
could
you
please
explain
why
the
oldest
veterans
organization
in
canada
was
excluded
from
this?
I
find
it
not
only
unfair,
but
so
disrespectful
to
our
organization
and
all
of
our
members
end
quote
now.
The
minister
can
come
up
with
all
the
answers
that
he
wants,
but
I
noticed
in
that
he
did
not
call
reaching
out
to
the
animals.
How
would
he
or
the
premier
respond
to
the
anavets?
I
I
They
have
notified
us
that
they've
provided
nine
thousand
dollars
for
every
association
in
the
province
we've.
Let
them
know
that
we
put
additional
1.5
million
dollars
and
we
expect
them
to
come
to
the
table
for
additional
dollars.
There's
a
lot
of
organizations
honorable
speaker
in
this
province
that
need
supports
we're
proud
of
the
support
we've
been
able
to
put
in
place
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
that.
Good
work
to
support
as
many
organizations
members.
B
B
J
J
The
ministry
fully
disclose
the
eligibility
criteria
on
the
website.
There
have
been
so
far
84
completed
applications
within
the
hands
of
the
ministry
and
they're
going
to
review
the
applications.
That
is
transparency.
This
is
a
call
to
action
from
the
tourism
task
force
from
the
industry
saying
that
we
need
this
relief.
It's
50
million
dollars
in
a
grant,
not
alone,
and
the
ministry
is
going
to
decide
based
on
the
criteria
that
was
fully
transparent
to
the
public.
J
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
the
premier
wants
to
spend
a
half
a
billion
dollars
of
taxpayers
money
through
his
mbc
high
risk
venture
capital
scheme.
Taxpayers
have
a
right
to
transparency.
They
have
a
right
to
know
how
their
half
billion
dollars
is
being
spent
and
what
the
risks
involved
are.
But
the
premier
doesn't
want
british
columbians
to
know
he
doesn't
want
taxpayers
to
have
access
to
nbc's
business
plan
or
investment
impacts,
court
cards
and
he's
refusing
to
make
nbc
subject
to
freedom
of
information.
A
I
You,
honorable
speaker
again,
we've
cancer
canvassed
this
question
many
times
in
the
house,
so
let
me
share
with
the
member
again
when
the
the
opposition.
Now
when
they
were
in
government,
they
created
the
immigrant
investment
fund.
At
that
time,
no
business
plan
was
released.
In
fact,
they
precluded
them
from
foi.
I
In
fact,
the
member
from
kelowna,
who
then
was
the
minister
wrote
that
in
fact,
public
transparency
is
achieved
through
operational
reporting
under
the
bcif
annual
report.
That
was
his
response
to
why
they
left
foi
out.
They
were
told
at
that
time
that
it
would
potentially
have
a
chilling
effect
for
investments.
They
chose
to
do
to
leave
it
out.
For
that
reason,
and
they
clear
clearly
articulated
that
the
annual
report
was
sufficient.
So
not
only
did
they
not
have
the
fois,
they
didn't
release
a
business
plan
at
all.
I
They
didn't
release
a
business
plan
for
the
tech
fund,
either
honorable
speaker,
and
so
the
honourable
member
can
can
continue
to
ask
these
questions
but
we're
doing
the
due
diligence
to
connect.
I
The
business
community,
the
capital,
the
venture
capital
community
about
the
fund
and
hear
their
concerns
and
we'll
make
decisions
accordingly,.
A
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Well,
there's
there's
less
transparency
with
the
premier's
high
risk
venture
capital
scheme
than
there
was
with
bernie
madoff's
ponzi
scheme,
that's
that's
the
reality
and
and
for
and
for
the
for
the
minister
and
for
the
minister
to
to
stand
up
and
continuously
compare
nbc
to
the
bc.
Immigrant
investment
fund
is
frankly
ridiculous,
and
he
should
know
it.
Nbc
is
the
premier's
high-risk
venture
capital
scheme
that
involves
half
a
billion
dollars
of
taxpayer
funds.
A
The
bc
immigrant
investment
fund
involved
wait
for
it
private
funds,
but
don't
take
my
word
for
it.
It
was
actually
last
week
that
the
minister
for
citizen
services
said-
and
I
quote,
the
source
of
the
bc.
Immigrant
investment
fund
is
not
taxpayer
funds,
but
rather
sourced
from
immigrant
investors
through
a
federal
program.
A
I
The
member
from
opposite
calls
that
the
fact
that
this
one
has
triple
bottom
line.
He
calls
it
strings
attached.
Imagine
that
imagine
having
an
investment
fund
that
supports
bc
companies,
not
companies
in
other
jurisdictions,
bc,
companies
that
are
helping
people
plan
and
profit
that
is
not
strings
attached
on
our
speaker.
That's
helping
drive
the
growth
that
we
want
to
see
here
in
this
province
is
tilting
the
field
to
ensure
that
we
get
green,
clean
economic
growth
for
this
province.
I
A
Mr
speaker,
while
the
the
mem,
the
minister,
is
applying
for
the
the
lead
role
in
the
sequel
to
to
the
big
short
he
he
he
might
want,
he
might
want
to
know
he
might
want
to
know
that
the
information
and
privacy
commissioner,
or
be
reminded
of
the
fact
that
the
information
and
privacy
commission,
commissioner,
has
sounded
the
alarm
on
nbc,
making
it
clear
that
none
of
the
government's
excuses
for
refusing
to
subject
nbc
to
foi
are
valid.
A
None
of
them
are
valid,
and
the
minister
can
stand
here
and
he
can
talk
about
how
how
proud
he
is
well
only.
He
would
be
proud
of
of
not
providing
the
business
plan
for
a
500
million
dollar,
a
high
risk
venture
capital
scheme
providing
access
to
that
business
plan
to
british
columbians
only
he
would
be
proud
of
that
only
only
he
would
be
proud
of
saying
to
british
clemens.
A
A
It's
it's
it's
unfair
to
to
the
people
of
british
columbia
who
deserve
transparency
again
on
a
half
billion
dollar
in
high
risk
investment
fund
so
again
to
the
premier.
Will
he
fix
his
transparency
problem
when
it
comes
to
nbc?
Will
he
subject
nbc
to
freedom
of
information
legislation
and
therefore,
will
he
he
allow
british
columbians
to
have
the
access
that
they
deserve
to
the
information
pertaining
to
a
half
billion
dollars
of
their
money,
public
money
that
will
be
used
in
this
high-risk
scheme?.
I
I
They
are
recommending
their
recommendation
is
that
government
refrain
from
adding
nbc
as
a
public
body
under
freedom
of
information
and
privacy
act.
Subjecting
nbc
to
fippa
raises
potential
of
creating
chilling
effect
for
nbc
in
regard
to
securing
such
investments
and
hinder
nbc
from
attracting
investment
partners,
both
domestic
and
international,
which
in
turn
undermine
the
fundamental
objectives
behind
public
investment.
I
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
This
is
the
canadian
venture
private
equity
association.
There's
more
letters
coming
to
me.
We
continue
to
engage
with
all
the
partners
around
this
honorable
speaker
and
again
I'll
highlight
to
all
the
members.
This
is
a
historic
half,
a
billion
dollar
investment
which
will
help
drive
economic
growth
here
in
this
province.
We're
very
proud
of
it.
It's
going
to
do
big
things.
Thank
you.
Honor
speaker.