►
From YouTube: NOV 24 2022 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
Mr
Speaker,
our
Health
Care
system,
staggers
from
crisis
to
crisis,
to
crisis,
and
during
this
new
premiers
four-month
tainted
leadership
race.
Not
once
did
we
hear
a
single
policy
with
respect
to
Health
Care,
not
once
Mr
Speaker,
our
Health
Care
system
in
British
Columbia
was
once
recognized
as
one
of
the
best
in
the
country.
C
Today
it
ranks
amongst
the
very
bottom
one
in
five
British
Colombians
who
cannot
access
a
family,
physician,
Cancer
Care
wait
times
among
the
very
worst
in
the
country,
our
hospitals,
our
emergency
departments,
are
in
total
chaos
with
wait
times.
Young
parents
worried
about
their
young
children
spending
up
to
15
hours
in
emergency
departments,
trying
to
get
urgently
needed
care
hospitals
in
Surrey
here
on
the
island
in
Vancouver
and
right
across
the
province
are
overrun
and
we've
got
six
sick
children
that
are
being
treated
and
resuscitated
in
hallways.
It
is
worse
than
hallway
medicine.
C
It's
literally
hallway
CPR.
Now,
Mr
Speaker
leadership
means
having
the
ability
to
make
tough
decisions
and,
once
again,
I
want
to
ask
the
new
premier.
He
now
has
an
opportunity.
We've
asked
the
health
Minister
repeatedly
to
do
the
right
thing
and
resign
so
that
we
can
get
someone
in
here.
That
knows
how
to
fix
problems.
Will
this
Premier
do
the
right
thing:
fire
his
health
Minister
and
make
sure
we
get
someone
in
there?
That
knows
how
to
fix
problems
and
improve
the
health
care.
System.
E
All
right,
the
members
right
that
our
Health
Care
system
is
under
incredible
stress.
Healthcare
workers
have
gone
through
the
pandemic.
They've
worked
extended
hours.
We
have
a
very
significant
flu
and
respiratory
virus
season
that
we're
seeing
having
impacts
across
Canada.
Actually,
it
was
just
this
morning.
I
was
on
a
call
with
premiers
across
Canada
leaders
of
the
territories
talking
about
the
challenges
that
they
face
in
their
provinces
and
territories
as
well
around
health
care
and
how
we're
all
going
to
work
together
with
the
federal
government
to
address
this
critically
important
issue
for
families.
E
I
I
can't
imagine
the
feeling,
as
a
parent
going
to
a
hospital
when
the
care
is
not
there
when
you
need
it
when
you
expect
it
for
your
own
kid.
This
is
a
priority
for
our
government.
E
Talk
about
housing,
talk
about
Public
Safety
talked
about
strong
economy,
but
Health
Care
is
foundational
for
British
Columbians,
and
we
have
taken
important
steps.
The
health
ministers
taking
important
steps.
You
saw
recently
the
agreement
with
family
doctors
to
get
increased
access
to
family
doctors
for
British
Columbians.
E
C
C
C
But
I
also
know
Mr
Speaker
that
it's
a
that
the
Health
Care
system
is
a
tough
portfolio
and
I
know
Mr
Speaker
that
while
I
was
Health
Minister
we
saw
challenges
too.
There
was
H1N1,
there
was
SARS,
there's
always
going
to
be
stresses
on
the
system,
but
never
have
we
seen
a
situation
where
even
the
current
premier's
predecessor
described
our
system
correctly
as
crumbling.
It
is
imploding
upon
itself
and
there
is
such
a
massive
gap
between
their
lack
of
understanding
that
announcements
are
not
outcomes.
Making
announcements
does
not
produce
a
better
outcome.
We.
C
Terrible
outcomes
in
virtually
every
measurement
in
the
Health
Care
System
Mr
premier
in
Cancer
Care.
We
hear
devastating
stories
of
wait
times
that
are
some
of
the
worst
in
the
country
they've
balloon
from
weeks
to
months,
and
it
has
real
life
impacts,
a
young
man
in
his
40s
diagnosed,
with
pancreatic
cancer
waiting
eight
weeks
for
his
first
consultation
and
dying.
C
Things
have
gotten
a
lot
worse
and
doctors
have
now
told
her.
She
will
likely
lose
her
ear,
part
of
her
Jawbone
facial
mobility
and
her
sense
of
smell
and
taste
delays
and
cancer.
Wait
lists
mean
the
pharah
now
faces
permanent
disfigurement
and
the
system
has
completely
failed
her
and
so
many
others.
Sadly,
in
many
cases
that
will
be
individuals
that
lose
their
lives.
C
Will
this
Premier
recognize
that
the
Health
Care
System
needs
leadership
leadership
that
can
focus
on
outcomes
that
is
paying
attention
to
the
right
things
that
we
have
to
focus
on,
measuring
those
outcomes
holding
people
accountable,
making
sure
that,
if
we're
not
getting
improved
results
that
people
are
being
removed,
changes
are
being
made
so
that
we
can
get
the
improved
outcomes
that
British
Columbians
deserve.
Will
the
premier
do
this.
E
Honorable
speaker,
if
someone
has
a
diagnosis
of
cancer,
they
shouldn't
have
to
wait
for
the
care
they
need
and
and
I
agree
with
the
member
of
this
bar.
It
is
unacceptable
to
have
people
waiting
for
Cancer
Care,
like
that.
We
are
investing
in
diagnostic
equipment
across
the
province,
we're
investing
10.1
million
dollars
to
hire
25
new
oncology
Physicians.
We
increase
BC
cancers-based
funding
by
41
million
dollars
to
expand
Services.
These
are
all
very
serious
issues.
F
F
Meanwhile,
the
crisis
has
gotten
worse
and
it's
so
bad
that
families
who
arrive
at
BC
Children's
hospital
with
a
sick,
child
and
I
do
know
the
premier
can
understand
what
that
might
feel
like.
They
need
Urgent
Care.
They
are
waiting
up
to
12
hours
for
that
care
not
acceptable.
Other
families
are
dealing
with
the
trauma
of
canceled
surgeries
like
the
parents
of
Nash.
F
Nash
is
six
months
old
and
the
optimal
time
to
have
his
surgery
is
right
now,
but
last
week
the
premier
may
be
interested
to
know
that
his
heart
surgery
was
canceled
in
British
Columbia.
Under
this
Minister's
watch,
his
father
said
and
I
quote.
Obviously
we
think
of
how
long
can
the
delay
can
we
delay
the
surgery
without
having
long
lasting
impacts
on
him
and
also
for
the
other
families
they're
in
exactly
the
same
situation?
F
G
G
G
In
fact,
honorable
speaker
in
the
last
two
weeks
in
October,
we
commit
cons,
did
more
surgeries
in
British
Columbia
in
some
of
the
most
challenging
circumstances
than
has
ever
been
done
before
now,
honorable
speaker,
when
you're
facing
a
pandemic
and
and
the
challenges
of
dealing
with
influenza
and
RSV
and
other
conditions,
especially
for
children
right
now,
you
do
have
to
adapt
in
the
Health
Care
system
to
respond
to
that
and
we're
doing
that.
That's
why
we
prepared
in
September
well
what
is
going
to
be
an
exceptionally
difficult
fall.
G
We've
made
preparations
as
we
did
in
2021,
as
we
did
in
2020,
and
yes,
honorable
speaker
in
2021.
For
example,
we
delayed
a
lot
of
surgeries
in
the
northern
health
authority
and
mobilized
to
to
bring
160
people
in
critical
care
down
to
to
the
southern
part
of
the
province.
Yes,
we
did
that
because
that's
preparation
and
that's
action
and
that's
what
we're
going
to
continue
to
do.
F
Well,
the
minister
can
can
talk
about
those
surgeries,
but
his
words
mean
very
little
to
Nash's
family.
They
have
a
six-year-old
child
whose
heart
surgery
has
been
delayed
and
that's
not
the
only
surgery
that's
been
delayed,
and
it's
not
the
only
situation
that
families
are
facing.
The
minister
knows
outcomes
matter
and
currently
for
British
Columbians
many
British
Columbians.
They
are
afraid
that
if
they
get
sick,
they
are
not
going
to
get
the
care
they
need
in
this
province,
and
that
is
unacceptable
in
the
province
of
British
Columbia.
F
I'll
just
share
one
other
story
of
the
many
many
many
that
I
know
the
minister
hears
about
too.
Let's
talk
to
about
Rachel
fexton's
story,
her
five-year-old
son
had
pneumonia
and
her
two-year-old
daughter,
Naya
had
been
sick
with
a
fever
for
nearly
a
week.
She
first
tried
to
go
to
BC
Children's
Hospital,
but
it
was
obvious
that
they
were
completely
overwhelmed.
So
what
did
she
do?
Desperate,
mother,
two
children?
F
She
turned
around
and
went
back
to
her
home
in
community
of
Burnaby
to
another,
completely
overwhelmed
emergency
waiting
room
and
at
4am,
her
sick
two-year-old,
just
begged
her
mom
to
go
home.
Here's
what
Rachel
had
to
say
to
the
minister
during
this
entire
time
we're
at
six
plus
hours.
There
was
no
communication.
No
one
came
in
talked
to
her
or
even
looked
at
her
or
take
took
her
temperature
end
quote
so
they
left
the
ER
and
went
home.
Those
are
the
stories
of
British
Columbians.
F
Those
are
the
outcomes
that
this
Minister
stands
up
and
chooses
to
ignore
every
single
day.
For
the
minister,
it's
time
for
him
to
do
the
right
thing.
It
is
time
for
him
to
resign
to
step
down
and
for
the
premier
to
stand
up
and
make
sure
that
someone's
in
charge
who
cares
about
outcomes
for
British
Columbians
in
this
province.
G
Of
Health,
honorable
speaker,
I,
would
say,
as
a
minister
of
Health
and
as
a
person
in
BC
I
care
about
every
single
case,
and
members
of
this
house
know
I
care
about
every
single
case.
When
cases
come
to
my
attention
and
they
do
every
day,
we
provide
the
support,
all
the
support
we
can.
We
have
gone
through
a
period
in
every
health
system
in
the
world
that
is
without
precedent
and
British
Columbia
as
a
province,
because
we
came
together,
including,
let
me
say,
members
of
the
opposition.
G
We
came
together
and
did
exceptional
things
together
on
surgeries
on
diagnostics,
on
response
to
covid-19,
on
one
region
of
the
province
supporting
other
regions
of
the
province
in
preparing
for
some
of
the
most
difficult
challenges.
We've
ever
faced,
the
staff
at
BC,
Children's
Hospitals
and
in
BC
pediatric
units
around
British
Columbia
are
doing
exceptional
work
right
now
and
we
are
taking
every
step.
We
can
every
step
we
can
to
support
them.
And,
honorable
speaker
and
I
say
this
to
everybody
in
the
house.
G
We
are
also
standing
up
the
largest
immunization
program
in
the
history
of
British
Columbia,
the
largest
in
the
history.
We
are
going
to
have
more
people
immunize
against
influenza
this
year
than
ever
before,
in
the
midst
of
a
health
care
crisis
and
honorable
speaker,
1.5
million
so
far,
immunized
with
a
bivalent
coping
19
vaccine,
but
I
say
to
everybody
it's
time
to
book
your
vaccination.
G
This
is
an
important
time,
honorable
speaker,
the
opposition
named
moan.
This
is
a
critical
thing
for
people
to
do.
The
influenza
is
preventable
right
now,
as
we
say,
largest
campaign
in
history
about
less
than
20
percent
of
children
are
immunized
against
influenza
book.
Our
appointments
today
and,
let's
all
get
immunized.
H
G
G
G
That's
why
we
work
together
with
our
province's
doctors,
to
change
the
way
we
paid
doctors
in
BC
working
together
to
ensure
that
that
payment
reflects
the
work
done.
It
reflects
the
need,
the
care
patients
need
why
we
have
continued
to
take
steps,
dozens
of
steps
to
ensure
a
stronger
Public,
Health
Care
system
and
to
work
against
honorable
speaker,
the
increasing
privatization
of
the
system,
which
is
not
good
news
for
anyone.
It's
why
we
purchase
private
MRI
machines.
It's
why
we
purchase
private
surgical
centers.
G
C
D
G
Honorable
speaker,
with
respect
to
the
Medicare
protection
act,
we
brought
in
regulations.
We
Proclaim
regulations
have
been
left
unproclaimed
for
15
years
to
strengthen
the
protection
of
Public
Health
Care
as
well,
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
do
it.
B
H
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
well,
regulations
to
this
government
whether
it's
regulations
in
Environmental,
Protection
or
regulations
in
health
care
protection
seem
to
amount
to
the
same
thing,
not
much
at
all.
We've
heard
over
and
over
again
from
the
minister,
but
my
question
was
to
the
premier,
because
under
this
government's
watch,
let's
look
at
what's
happening.
Two-Tier
Health
Care
has
been
on
the
rise,
while
family
doctors
burn
out
in
record
numbers,
some
are
choosing
to
charge
for
their
services.
H
Telus
health
is
charging
upwards
of
three
thousand
dollars
a
year
for
access
to
health
care,
including
access
to
a
family.
Doctor
we've
been
asking
this
Minister
about
this
since
February,
and
it's
always
the
reports
coming.
The
reports
coming
Shoal
Health
charges,
twenty
four
hundred
dollars
a
year,
beta
Therapeutics
charges
eleven,
a
hundred
and
ten
dollars
a
month.
More
and
more
for-profit
corporate
clinics
are
popping
up,
and
yet
nothing
has
been
done.
Universal
Health
Care
was
a
foundational
principle
of
the
NDP
in
Canada.
H
One
wonders
what
Tommy
Douglas
and
Dave
Barrett
would
have
to
say
about
the
conditions
under
an
NDP
government
in
BC.
Today.
My
question
is
to
the
premier
yeah:
will
he
stand
up
and
tell
British
Columbians
his
position
on
for-profit
two-tiered,
Health
Care
in
British
Columbia,
and
whether
that
is
the
future
that
he
sees
for
this
province.
D
G
Minister
of
Health,
honorable
speaker,
I'm,
a
opposed
to
extra
billing
for
medically
necessary
services
and
the
Medical
Services
Commission
has
been
taking
action
again
and
again
and
again
to
deal
with
it.
They
are
dealing
as
well
with
the
Telus
health
issue,
honorable
speaker,
which
I
honorable
speaker
referred
to
them
because
I
take
that
issue
so
seriously.
It's
why
we
are
we
are
in.
We
are
in
honorable
speaker
a
province
of
laws,
which
means
the
Medicare
protection
act
in
these
matters
is
enforced
by
the
Medical
Services
Commission
and
honorable
speaker.
G
No
one
would
want
it
any
other
way,
honorable
speaker,
but
what
we're
doing
honorable
speaker,
in
particular
in
the
important
ways,
is
to
honorable
speaking
to
improve
the
Public
Health
Care
system,
in
particular
honorable
speaker
in
services,
that
people
used
to
have
to
go
and
get
private
care
for
when
it
went
under
the
previous
government.
We
only
did
174
000
MRIs
in
2016-17
honorable
speaker
what
that
meant
for
people
if
they
had
to
go
and
get
private
care
pay
for
care
that
they
shouldn't
get
in
the
public
system.
I
In
my
riding
we
have
seen
similar
health
problems,
as
we've
heard
now
from
from
the
opposition
and
I
have
to
say,
it
was
back
under
Gordon
Campbell
when
he
said
that
the
issue
of
of
mental
health,
but
in
particular
the
issue
of
dementia
alone
would
sink
the
Health
Care
system
and
the
toughest
job
would
be
the
Minister
of
Finance
to
be
able
to
provide
enough
funding
for
the
system
and,
unfortunately,
through
this,
through
the
years,
we
haven't
seen
a
lot
of
changes
across
Canada
in
2020
2021,
more
than
26
000
people
died
on
the
waiting
list
for
Diagnostic
or
surgical
or
surgical
services
in
Fraser
Health.
I
That
number
was
about
321
people
that
died
waiting
for
those
services.
We
have
a
health
care
System.
Quite
frankly,
that
is
in
crisis.
We
have
a
system
that
is
not
meeting
the
needs
of
the
people
in
this
province,
whether
that's
in
rule
BC
or
whether
that's
in
urban
BC
and
the
challenge.
Quite
frankly,
I
see
when
this
came
to
court
just
this
summer
was
the
government
basically
argued
that
the
system
was
more
important
than
patient
outcomes,
and
that
was
with
a
case
against
Brian
day
and
his
Surgical
Center.
I
That
came
out
so
the
question
through
the
minister
through
you,
honorable
Minister
Army
honorable
chair,
is:
when
are
we
going
to
be
looking
at
a
system
that
works
in
other
jurisdictions
rather
than
focused
on
a
system
that,
quite
frankly,
is
falling
under
its
own
weight?
Minister.
G
Of
Health
well,
thanks
to
the
member
for
his
question,
I
just
note
that
Dr
Day
brought
a
case
against
the
government,
the
people
of
BC
not
the
other
way
around,
and
that
successive
governments
defended
the
province
of
BC
and
the
Public
Health
Care
System
against
that
and
I
was
very
happy
that
that
case
Was
Won.
It's
now
on
appeal.
G
That's
that's
with
respect
to
Dr
day's
case
the
the
important
fact
I
think
for
people
in
rural
BC
honestly,
because
because
you
do
not
see
humble
speaker
in
the
northern
health
authority,
the
same
development
or
for-profit,
for
example,
long-term
care,
anything
else
in
other
jurisdictions,
the
Public
Health
Care
system.
Does
it
and
we've
made
important
changes,
and
the
mentor
will
know
this
in
his
right
that
sometimes
it
requires
yes,
political
will
to
invest
and
that's
why
we're
building
a
new
hospital
in
his
riding
there
was
a
temporary
hospital.
G
G
I
The
current
hospital
is
on
diversion
almost
half
the
time
and
there's
only
three
doctors
remaining
in
Fort
St
James
at
the
moment.
In
addition,
the
new
hospital
will
need
about
eight
doctors
and
there
is
no
Staffing
plan,
but
regardless
of
that,
the
recent
report
showed
that
our
Health
Care
system
is
the
second
most
expensive
in
the
world
for
Universal
Health
Care.
I
We
need
to
be
looking
at
models
that
are
working
in
other
jurisdictions
in
the
world
and
the
the
previous
previous
Premier
and
health
Minister
has
gone
to
Ottawa
and
said
you
know
we
need
Ottawa
to
put
more
money
into
the
system.
Well,
there
is
only
one
taxpayer
whether
it
comes
through
Ottawa
and
then
gets
wasted.
You
know
before
it
gets
to
us
or
whether
it
comes
for
us.
There
is
only
one
taxpayer.
We
have
a
system
that
is
expensive
and.
I
G
Thank
the
member
for
his
his
thoughtful
question.
Honorable
speaker,
respectfully
BC
has,
in
terms
of
its
administrative
costs,
one
of
the
most
efficient
Health
Care
Systems
in
the
country.
G
We
had
gone
from
300
000
people
to
a
family
doctor
in
2003
to
908
000
people
at
a
family
doctor
in
2017,
and
that
Trend,
because
of
covid-19
largely
has
has
picked
up
again
now,
and
so
we
have
to
take
action
to
address
that,
to
transform
the
system
we
have
just
designed
and
worked
on
and
signed
with
the
doctors
of
BC,
a
transformational
agreement
that,
in
particular
will
help
people
in
the
members
constituency.
Honorable
speaker,
we
have
a
member
talks
about
dementia
in
long-term
care.
G
Honorable
speaker
gone
from
the
worst
record
in
Canada
honorable
speaker,
the
worst
record
in
Canada
under
previous
Ministers
of
Health
I,
won't
name
them.
Honorable,
speaker,
I,
won't
name
The,
Honorable
speaker
to
meeting
provincial
standards,
honorable
speaker
by
investing
in
more
staff
in
the
community,
honorable
speaker
and
since
the
2020
election.
When
we
promised
7
000
new
staff
in
long-term
care
for
infection
control
and
to
support
long-term
care
residents,
we
have
delivered
more
than
7
000
honorable
speakers.
A
You
Mr
Speaker
well.
This
last
week
has
been
full
of
Revelations
about
a
variety
of
topics
that
are
undoubtedly
shocking
to
British
Columbians
particular.
A
particular
theme
has
been
a
series
of
audits
and
reviews
related
to
the
mess
at
BC
housing
in
atira.
Some
of
these
audits
reviews
have
been
leaked
by
whistleblowers.
Some
have
been
buried
by
government
and
others
are
mysteriously
apparently
underway
as
important
as
it
is
to
look
to
the
Future.
It's
equally
important
to
examine
the
past
performance
of
government,
and
for
that,
for
that
we,
and
for
that.
D
A
And
for
that
we
have
to
thank
the
tireless
work
of
the
Public
Accounts
committee.
So
my
question
today
is
actually
to
the
chair
of
the
Public
Accounts
committee.
Can
the
chair
of
the
Public
Accounts
committee
tell
us
what
is
on
the
agenda
of
the
committee
and
if
it
relates
to
the
pressing
and
important
matters
facing
the
people
of
British
Columbia
today,.
B
J
Mr
Speaker,
the
the
Public
Accounts
committee,
actually
does
have
a
quite
lengthy
meeting
scheduled.
We
just
finished
finalizing
that
it
was
originally
supposed
to
be
a
three-hour
meeting
on
February
1st
to
go
over
the
auditor
General's
three-year
rolling
average
fiscal
plans
of
that.
He
plans
to
bring
forward
to
the
committee
to
review
and
investigate,
but
we
also
have
reached
out
to
the
office
of
the
Comptroller
general
for
that
meeting.
So
we've
extended
it
to
a
six
hour
meeting
as
well.
J
Because
both
the
auditor
general
and
the
Comptroller
General
provide
feedback,
valuable
feedback
on
on
the
scrutiny
of
what's
going
on
with
spending
within
British
Columbia.
So
we've
asked
for
updates
on
the
grizzly
bear
management
plan,
the
commercial
vehicle
safety
audit,
as
well
as
the
detection
and
response
of
cyber
security
threats
to
BC
hydro-industrial
control
systems,
but
Mr
Speaker
I
would
anticipate
on
that
agenda.