►
From YouTube: MAY 9 2022 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
I
think
we
can
all
agree
that
bc's
health
care
system
is
in
crisis
and
we
recognize
national
nursing
week
this
week
and
as
we
do
so,
we
also
acknowledge
that
burnout
of
healthcare
professionals
and
in
particular,
nurses,
has
reached
a
level
never
seen
before
in
the
gallery
today.
C
Demanding
action
from
the
government
include
bc:
nurses,
union
president
aman
greywall
and
ahman
recently
said,
and
I
quote,
on
a
daily
basis:
nurses
are
facing
an
unmanageable
number
of
patients
who
need
care
and,
despite
all
of
their
very
best
efforts,
they're
watching
their
patients
suffer
nurses
are
burnt
out.
It's
reached
a
point
where
many
are
telling
us
they
just
can't
do
it
anymore.
C
End
quote
so
my
question
to
the
premier
is
this:
will
the
premier
tell
the
nurses
in
the
gallery
here
today
what
he
is
going
to
do
to
take
action
to
address
the
concerns
of
of
these
nurses
and
the
dire
situation
which
is
unfolding
in
bc's
hospitals.
D
Thank
you,
honourable
speaker,
and
I
I
agree
with
the
honorable
member
that
nurses
have
done
extraordinary
work,
not
just
in
the
last
two
years,
but
every
day
in
our
province
supporting
patients,
often
at
their
most
difficult
moments,
and
that
these
have
been
exceptional
and
difficult
moments
for
our
health
care
system.
The
public
health
emergency,
that
is
the
covet
19
pandemic
public
health
emergency.
D
D
I
think
exceptional
steps
to
address
the
need
to
have
more
nurses
in
our
province
as
you
as
the
members
on
the
other
side
and
all
members
will
know.
Bc
historically
has
had
some
of
the
lowest
rates
of
nursing
in
canada
per
per
population
and
we've
changed.
We've
made
some
moves
to
change
that
significantly.
In
the
last
number
of
years,
we've
led
canada
in
the
recruitment
of
new
lpns
we're
third
in
canada,
the
ten
provinces
in
recruitment
per
capita,
the
new
of
new
registered
nurses.
D
We
just
added
602
nursing
spaces,
which
is
significant:
we've
added
299
net,
new
surgical,
nursing
positions
since
the
beginning
of
the
surgical
renewal,
commitment
and,
of
course,
we've
taken
action
to
make
it
easier
for
internationally
educated
nurses
to
join
our
outstanding
team
of
nurses
in
bc.
These
are
all
steps
we're
taking
now
to
support
nurses
both
in
the
future
and
get
the
nurses
we
need
for
the
net
for
the
coming
generations
of
people
in
bc.
C
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
there's
no
equivalent
from
the
official
opposition,
and
I
think
british
columbia
is
generally
when
the
minister
says
that
nurses
have
done
extraordinary
work.
They
really
have
in
every
hospital
in
every
healthcare
setting
across
this
province,
and
we
are
all
extremely
grateful
for
the
efforts
of
nurses,
but
nurses
don't
deserve
what's
happening
to
them.
Today.
C
Nurses
deserve
action
on
burnout
and
and
workloads
and
there's
safety.
Concerns
and
nurses
deserve
action
from
this
government
on
the
dire
situation
which
is
unfolding
in
our
hospitals.
Frankly,
the
efforts
that
the
minister
just
mentioned
is
simply
not
good
enough.
This
is
a
two-term
government
and
the
results
don't
match
the
rhetoric,
especially
with
respect
to
our
hospitals.
Our
system
is
in
crisis
tomorrow
there
will
be
250
nurses
on
the
lawns
of
the
legislature,
demanding
action
from
this
minister
in
this
government.
C
One
nurse
recently
described-
and
I
quote:
feelings
of
moral
distress,
panic,
sobbing,
making
errors
and
knowing
it's
not
only
me
how
many
will
leave
because
of
burnout,
will
it
take
a
death
or
serious
effect
on
a
patient
before
things
change,
we
need
nurses
and
instead
we're
losing
them
every
single
day.
End
quote
so
again:
will
the
premier
stand
up
and
tell
the
nurses
in
the
gallery
today
when
the
ndp
rhetoric
on
health
care
in
our
hospitals
will
be
matched
by
action
and
results?
D
D
We
were
below
standard
in
terms
of
registered
nurses,
and
this
has
an
impact.
So,
yes,
significant
steps
have
been
increased
that
have
been
in
place
for
now,
some
time
to
increase
the
number
of
nurses
and
clearly
we
need
to
do
more
and
that's
why
the
government
has
taken
the
steps
that
I
described
in
the
last
number
of
weeks
alone
to
significantly
increase
the
number
of
nursing
spaces
in
our
province.
Nurses
contribute
at
every
level
in
primary
care.
D
We've,
as
the
members
will
know,
doubled
the
number
of
nurse
practitioners
in
bc
in
primary,
principally
in
primary
care
and
all
over
the
health
care
system.
We
were
last
in
the
country
in
2017,
we've
doubled
those
numbers,
we've
increased
the
role
of
nurses
and
primary
care
networks
between
nurses
and
nurse
practitioners,
450
new
nurses,
in
primary
care.
We
were
below
standard
in
terms
of
nursing
and
care
in
85
of
our
care
homes
in
2017.
D
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
apparently,
what
the
minister
is
describing
is
just
simply
not
working.
Nurses
are
speaking
out
against
this
christ
about
this
crisis
happening
under
this
ndp
government.
Adrian
gear
of
the
bc
nurses
union
is
here
in
the
gallery
today.
She
says
quote
one
thing
that
we
want.
The
premier
to
know
is
that
nurses
are
exhausted,
we
are
burnt
out.
We
need
you
to
step
up
and
do
something
we
are
done
asking.
A
D
Well,
honorable
speaker,
we
did
and
have
described
and
by
the
way
when
we
announced
604
new
nursing
spaces
in
bc.
We
were
there
with
the
bc
nurses
union.
When
we
announced
changes
for
internationally
educated
nurses.
We
were
there
with
the
bc
nurses
union,
we're
working
with
bc
nurses
union
every
day
and
they
do
an
exceptional
exceptional
work,
representing
nurses
in
our
province.
So
of
course
I'll
be
meeting
today
with
representative
representatives
of
the
bc
nurses
union,
as
we
continue
to
work
together
to
address
what
has
been
an
extraordinary
period
in
health
care
in
bc.
D
I
think
british
columbians
can
be
proud
of
our
public
health
care
system,
proud
of
how
it's
responded
to
covet
19.,
proud
of
the
work
of
health
professionals
and
health
care
workers
dealing
with
our
the
other
public
health
emergency.
The
overdose
crisis
proud
that
we're
no
longer
substandard
in
85
percent
of
care,
homes
and
clearance
of
staffing,
proud
that
we
no
longer
lay
off
women
workers,
but
we
give
them
rights
in
the
workplace,
proud
that
we've
added
600
600
workers
in
that
sector
through
hcapp
and
other
programs,
but
we
obviously
we
clearly
need
to
do
more.
D
I
meet
with
nurses
on
a
regular
basis.
I
hear
from
them.
I
hear
their
concerns
about
the
quality
of
work,
about
the
pressures
of
violence
in
the
workplace,
about
the
challenges
they
face
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
them
to
address
those
issues
so
that
we
not
just
don't
just
recruit
more
new
nurses,
but
we
of
course,
every
day
support
the
ones
that
are
working
in
bc.
A
You,
mr
speaker,
the
minister's
pride
is
not
enough
to
make
change.
This
crisis
is
hurting
nurses
and
it's
hurting
patients.
82
percent
of
nurses,
say
their
mental
health
is
suffering
74
report
that
patient
care
has
been
compromised.
A
This
is
what
one
nurse
says,
and
I
quote
I
haven't
worked
days
or
evenings
for
over
two
months
without
being
short
staffed.
This
is
a
crisis
we
are
all
getting
burnt
out
and
corners
are
being
cut.
It's
unsafe
end
quote.
So
will
the
premier
get
up
and
tell
nurses
here
today
what
he
is
going
to
do
to
take
action
to
fix
this
crisis.
D
Well,
honorable
speaker
at
every
level
we're
investing
in
our
health
care
system.
I
describe
specific
act
actions
that
were
taken
in
consultation
with
the
bc
nurses
union,
and
I
know
that
one
tends
to
ask
the
question,
regardless
of
what
the
answer
is.
But
really
those
were
those
are
specific
responses
now
and
in
the
future
to
support
nurses,
and
we
have
to
continue
to
do
so.
That
means
getting
nurses
the
best
facilities.
That's
why
there's
16
major
health
capital
projects?
D
It
means
in
long-term
care
ensuring
that
people
that
residents
and
nurses
have
the
support
they
need
to
deliver
the
care
that
must
be
given
in
long-term
care.
That
means
increasing
community
nursing,
which
changed
dramatically
as
a
result
of
the
pandemic,
but
also
increased
in
terms
of
visits
dramatically
in
2018
and
2019
and
20
and,
of
course,
in
acute
care,
where
we
feel
the
problems
and
nurses
feel
the
problems
that
the
member
describes
so
passionately.
E
Nurses
union
president
aman
grainwall
has
said
that
nurses
are
quote
not
allowed
to
share
this
reality
openly,
and
the
minister
will
deny
that
there's
a
gag
order,
but
the
reality
is
clear:
nurses
are
afraid
of
being
reprimanded
for
speaking
out
about
the
state
of
healthcare
and
their
working
conditions.
My
questions
for
you,
honourable
speakers,
to
the
minister
of
health.
What
is
he
doing
to
address
the
culture
of
fear
within
healthcare.
D
Honor,
speaker
all
health
authorities.
All
health
authorities
have
whistleblower
protection
rules
as
they
should
all
professionals
in
those
health
authorities
have
a
duty
to
bring
forward
issues.
They
have
a
duty
to
a
professional
duty
too
one
that
they
they
and
we
take
very
seriously,
there's
simply
nothing
in
place
that
stops
people
from
speaking
out
and
that's
as
it
should
be
in
a
democratic
society.
D
D
Bc
can
be
very
proud
of
its
nurses
and
very
proud
of
the
bc
nurses
union
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
continue
to
work.
This
is
fundamental
and
important
to
me
something
I
worked
on
for
many
years
to
support
people
working
in
health
care
and
their
right
to
speak
out.
It's
important
to
me.
The
people
have
the
right
to
do
so.
It's
also
very
important
to
me
that
the
right
that
we
recognize
the
value
of
the
public
health
care
system,
the
exceptional
work
done
by
that
system
by
any
standard,
national
or
international.
D
Well,
speaker,
I
think
what
nurses,
who
are
never,
in
my
experience,
a
shy
at
expressing
their
views
to
me
directly
about
their
concerns
with
the
public
health
care
system,
and
I
continue
to
do
this
both
when
I
visit
facilities
and
when
I
meet
with
their
representatives-
and
I
would
expect
that
to
continue-
we've
just
been
through
and
are
living
through
a
pandemic
that
continues
where
they're
between
as
of
last
thursday,
about
550
people
in
hospital
with
covid19,
where
we
have
a
public
health
emergency.
That
is
the
overdose
crisis.
D
I
think
the
member
would
understand
that,
typically
and
prior
to
certainly
prior
to
2017,
we
had
lower
than
the
canadian
average
per
capita
number
of
nurses
in
bc.
We
were
last
in
lpns
and
that
that
has
a
significant
impact.
Now,
when
the
pressure
is
on
and
we
need
supports,
I
think
the
reality
has
been
extremely
difficult
for
our
health
sciences
professionals,
our
healthcare
workers,
our
nurses,
our
doctors,
everyone
in
healthcare.
I
think
the
reality
has
been
extremely
difficult.
D
I
think
they
have
responded
exceptionally
well
and
we
are
going
to
continue
to
support
them,
both
with
more
resources,
recruiting
more
nurses,
making
it
easier
for
people
to
become
nurses,
creating
more
nursing
spaces
allowing
for
people
within
the
profession
to
promote
to
to
seek
new
forms
of
education,
including
becoming
new
practitioners
and
nurse
practitioners.
I
think
those
are
extraordinary
successes
that
nurses
themselves
have
achieved,
and
we
have
to
continue
to
do
that
work
every
day.
B
B
We
cannot
hold
the
hand
of
a
lonely
patient
who
has
just
been
told
they
have
terminal
cancer.
When
nurses
cannot
do
their
jobs,
it
doesn't
just
hurt
the
nurses,
it
hurts
the
patients.
End
quote,
mr
speaker.
This
is
a
heartbreaking
quote
from
another
nurse
in
this
province.
That
is
afraid
to
be
named.
B
D
D
Nurses
who
are
working
in
our
system
have
done
an
exceptional
job,
we've
added
and
we're
leading
the
country
in
the
recruitment
of
new
lpns
leading
the
country
in
in
the
recruitment
of
health
care
assistance
in
many
places
in
health
care.
We
are
operating
below
standard
and
we've
raised
those
standards,
in
particular
in
long-term
care,
and
the
members
talks
about
not
doing
things,
602
new
nursing
spaces
changing
and
taking
down
the
barriers,
stopping
internationally
educated
nurses
to
come
and
be
members
of
the
bcnu
and
join
nurses
in
bc
in
providing
great
care
in
bc.
D
That
includes
more
in
the
workplace
to
ensure
that
they
aren't
subject
to
violence
more
in
the
workplace,
to
support
nurses
and
that's
what
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
the
bcnu
and
other
people
in
nursing.
To
do.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
Well,
the
the
minister
seems
to
to
want
to
point
a
finger
everywhere,
but
in
the
mirror
the
reality
is
under
the
ndp
health
care
spending
has
dropped
to
just
7.3
percent
of
gdp
compared
to
8.1
not
that
long
ago,
and
it's
important,
mr
speaker,
because
the
system
is
failing
and
we're
hearing
that
time
and
again
today,
over
the
weekend,
the
emergency
department
in
clearwater
was
closed
yet
again
further
impacting
the
emergency
department
in
kamloops.
F
And
so
it's
no
surprise.
The
stories
of
crisis
continue
to
be
told
at
royal
inland
hospital
in
kamloops.
Here's
what
an
emergency
room
physician
had
to
say
about
this
weekend,
and
I
quote
yesterday
evening
when
the
night
shift
came
on,
there
were
three
er
nurses.
Only
three,
mr
speaker,
coming
on
to
the
shift.
F
Another
40
patients
were
in
the
waiting
room,
it's
so
far
from
safe
that
it's
hard
to
even
remember
what
safe
looks
like
end
quote,
mr
speaker,
three
er
nurses
for
40
people
needing
critical
help
with
40
more
waiting,
and
the
minister
keeps
saying
how
proud
he
is
of
the
health
care
system
right
now
that
he's
in
charge
of
we're
proud
of
the
workers.
We're
not
proud
of
this
minister's
outcome.
F
D
Health,
honorable
speaker,
the
actions,
the
exceptional
actions
that
have
taken
place
throughout
our
healthcare
system
over
the
last
two
years
have
resulted
in
some
of
the
best
outcomes
in
the
world
with
respect
to
the
kova
19
pandemic,
and
that's
the
work
of
nurses
and
the
member
is
right
to
say
they
deserve
credit.
D
But
honorable
speaker,
I
have
to
say
this
that
when
you
look
at
what's
happened
with
nursing
in
bc
and
the
member's
opposite
talk
about
numbers
of
nurses,
lpns
up
11.9
registered
nurses,
not
my
numbers
to
college
registered
nurses,
up
15.1
percent
from
2017
to
2020.
registered
psychiatric
nurses
up
16
nurse
practitioners
up
more
than
100.
D
Those
are
the
numbers
and
that's
what's
happened,
and
is
that
sufficient?
I
don't
think
so
and
that's
why
we're
adding
more
nursing
spaces?
That's
why
we're
making
it
easier
for
internationally
educated
nurses
to
come,
but
the
members
need
to
do
need
to
reflect.
It
seems
to
me
on
the
situation
that
we
had
in
2017
why
that
was
the
case.
If
the
member
is
actually
suggesting
that
the
previous
government
invested
adequately
in
healthcare,
he
is,
he
is
sadly
mistaken.
D
D
G
Thank
you
so
much
honorable
speaker.
Well,
we
increased
health
spending
every
single
year
of
government
and
we
had
doubled
it
from
10
billion
to
20
billion
by
2017,
and
I
find
it
disappointing
that
the
minister
responds
to
the
stories
that
we're
bringing
from
the
nurses
with
empty
statistics
or
with
rhetoric,
because
nurses
are
facing
severe
staffing
shortages
and
stress
without
help
from
this
government.
G
D
Honourable
speaker,
when
you
add
significant
number
of
nurses
every
year,
so
specific
actions
taken
and
because
this
is
an
extraordinary
profession,
when
you
do
that,
that's
not
empty,
that's
real!
Those
are
people
and
they
matter.
If
you
are
looking
for
care,
they
matter.
If
you're
looking
for
care-
and
I
I
would
say
to
the
honorable
member
that
I
would
say
to
the
honorable
member
that
on
the
very
issue
of
lpns
or
you
know,
last
in
canada,
we've
made
significant
process
progress.
We
have
to
make.
D
We
have
to
make
more,
we
simply
have
to
make
more,
because
the
demands
on
nursing
and
acute
care
in
long-term
care
in
the
community
continue
to
grow.
Our
need
and
support
for
nurses
with
an
aging
population
will
continue
to
be
there
and
that's
why
we've
taken
specific
action,
specific
action,
supported
by
the
way
by
the
bcnu
to
increase
nursing
spaces.
D
We
took
specific
action
to
train
surgical
nurses
when
we
engage
in
the
surgical
renewal
plan,
a
net
increase
of
299
surgical
nurses,
which
may
not
may
seem
like
a
statistic,
but
it
means
a
lot
when
you
need
surgery.
It
means
a
lot
when
you
need
surgery.
We
took
specific
action
now
with
the
additional
nurse
practitioner
positions
at
thomson,
rivers
university,
we're
going
to
more
than
double
the
number
of
nurse
practitioner
positions
and
we've
more
than
doubled
the
number
of
nurse
practitioners.
D
H
For
courtney,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
While
the
minister
is
failing-
and
he
knows
it
today-
the
head
of
the
emergency
department
at
east
county
regional
hospital,
dr
fraser
bowden,
is
speaking
out
about
the
crisis
he
says
quote.
I
feel
it
is
my
duty
to
inform
you
of
the
incredibly
dangerous,
unsafe
and
unacceptable
conditions
that
currently
exist
in
our
hospital.
H
D
Of
health,
well,
honorable
speaker,
it's
been
two
years
of
taking
extraordinary
action
and
I
think
it'll
be
two
years
continuing
to
take
more
extraordinary
action
to
support
our
nurses
in
the
system.
These
are,
I
think,
I
think
everyone
would
acknowledge
this
extraordinary
times
and
the
response
of
the
system
and
providing
care
to
people
has
been
exceptional
and
there
are
real
challenges
facing
the
system,
particularly
on
occasion
in
some
regional
hospitals
in
the
minister.
The
member
refers
to
scrutiny
in
this
question.
D
I
think
our
staff
teams,
under
the
circumstances,
are
doing
exceptional
work
and
that
we
have
to
continue
to
support
them,
and
how
do
we
do
that
by
recruiting
more
nurses
by
adding
adding
resources
in
emergency
rooms,
as
we
have
as
we
have
in
campus?
We
had
in
many
communities.
We
just
got
to
continue
to
do
that.
Work
we
were,
and
all
members
of
the
house
will
acknowledge
this.
D
I
Well,
thank
you
very
much
and
while
the
minister
stands
up
day
after
day
after
day
in
this
house,
nurses
are
finding
the
courage
to
stand
up
and
tell
british
colombians
the
frustration,
the
anger
and
the
fear
that
they
feel
here's.
The
fact
nurses
are
being
asked
to
do
more
with
less
every
single
day.
They
have
said
to
this
minister
repeatedly
that
their
physical
and
mental
well-being
is
at
risk.
I
The
one
thing
I
will
agree
with
with
that
the
minister
said
today
is
that
clearly
he
and
this
premier
need
to
do
more
and
he's
had
every
opportunity
to
do
it.
He
can
continue
to
look
in
the
rear
view
mirror,
but
this
situation
is
on
his
watch
and,
let's
be
clear,
nurses
are
frustrated,
angry
and
fearful
and
when
they
have
the
courage
to
speak
up,
what
they
want
to
know
is
that
this
minister
acknowledges
the
state
of
the
system
that
they
are
forced
to
work
in
and
sees
see
ongoing
action
by
this
minister.
I
I
End
quote:
this
is
a
two-term
government
and
they've
made
a
lot
of
promises
about
health
care
and
they
have
failed
to
deliver
on
one
of
even
the
most
basic
promises.
I'll
be
really
interested
to
hear
the
minister's
answer
to
this
he
promised
and
the
premier
promised
that
there
would
be
a
comprehensive
health,
human
resources
strategy
and
the
last
time
we
heard
about
that
it
was
going
to
be
tabled
in
the
fall.
I
The
minister
should
look
at
the
calendar,
it's
may
2022,
there
is
no
plan,
so
he
can
stand
in
this
chamber
and
talk
about
adding
nurses.
What
we
want
to
know,
nurses
want
to
know
british
columbians
want
to
know,
is
where's
the
plan.
What
specific
action
will
he
take
to
continue
to
add
nurses,
to
a
system
where
people
feel
afraid,
angry
and
desperate.
D
Well,
thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I've
taken
the
member
through
the
fact
of
the
matter,
which
is
that
we
were
at
the
bottom
of
the
list
for
nursing
in
2017
that
we've
significantly
added
not
just
new
nurses,
net
new
nurses
in
that
time:
net
new
nurses
in
that
time
that
we
continue
to
take
steps
specific
steps
with
a
human
resource
plan,
adding
seats
in
post-secondary
602
of
them.
That's
a
plan
doubling
the
number
of
nurse
practitioner
spaces.
That's
the
plan,
doubling
the
number
of
nurse
practitioner.
D
Speaker,
these
are
specific
actions
taken
honorable
speaker
to
address
the
health
human
resources
and
they
have
had
an
impact,
a
real
impact
on
the
ground
and
still
because
of
the
circumstances
we've
all
been
going
through
together.
Honorable
speaker,
there
has
been,
and
the
there
has
been
obviously
enormous
challenges
facing
the
health
care
system.
So
we've
got
to
continue
to
take
action.
When
the
members
come
up
question
after
question
and
say
what
are
you
doing,
we're
adding
nursing
spaces?
What
are
you
doing,
making
it
easier
for
internationally
educated
nurses?
What
are
you
doing?