►
From YouTube: FEBRUARY 22 2022 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
A
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I'd
like
to
thank
the
member
opposite
for
the
question.
Clearly,
this
is
a
difficult
time
for
all
of
us
in
british
columbia.
Workers
deserve
to
be
safe
at
their
place
of
employment.
C
They
wielded
axes
swinging
them
at
vehicles
and
through
a
truck's
window
and
fired
flare
guns
at
workers.
Mr
speaker,
workers
deserve
to
be
safe
at
work.
The
attack
is
absolutely
reprehensible.
It's
a
serious
and
violent
criminal
act,
and
our
government
has
emphatically
condemned
it.
As
have
members
from
all
sides
of
this
house,
the
member
knows
that
the
rcmb
rcmp
is
conducting
a
thorough
investigation
to
identify
and
apprehend
those
responsible.
A
A
A
A
This
is
about
ensuring
the
rule
of
law
and,
more
importantly,
ensuring
that
the
rule
of
law
is
followed,
something
that
this
government
has
completely
failed
to
do
so.
My
question
to
the
premier:
will
the
premier
finally
support
the
first
nations
along
the
route
and
ensure
that
this
lng
export
project
proceeds
smoothly?
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
We
make
absolutely
no
assumptions
as
to
who
was
involved
in
this
event.
It's
a
reprehensible
criminal
act
that
the
rcmp
are
investigating,
as
everyone
would
expect
that
they
would.
We
have
no
idea
at
this
stage
who
was
involved
in
this
reprehensible
act.
I
have
spoken
with
chief
lugi
of
the
witsoweton
first
nation.
I
note
that
she
made
a
statement.
C
A
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
you
know
what
the
the
issue
is
actually
not
the
violent
attack
in
itself.
We
know
the
rcmp
have
a
job
to
do.
A
A
A
A
A
C
Mr
speaker,
through
you
to
the
honorable
member,
we
do
not
jump
to
conclusions
and
I
would
urge
all
members
not
to
do
so
as
well.
We
do
not
know
what
happened
we
are,
that
is
in
the
hands
of
the
rcmp.
This
is
a
serious,
heinous
criminal
act
that
has
been
committed.
We
accept
that.
We
also
understand
to
the
members
point
the
that
the
cgl
project
has
the
relevant
permits.
We
are
doing
what
we
can
in
this
regard.
We
have
been
negotiating
with
the
proper
rights
and
title
holder.
C
D
D
On
february
the
10th
2019,
here's
what
the
minister
of
state
said-
and
I
quote:
if
cgl
proceeds
before
the
issues
of
rights
and
title
of
the
wet
sultan,
have
been
sorted,
we
will
be
throwing
their
rights
away.
End
quote.
He
was
then
paid
250
dollars
an
hour
to
do
that,
but
failed
to
accomplish
anything.
D
Yet
when
things
get
messy
between
those
who
oppose
the
pipeline
and
elected
leaders
who
support
it,
he
sided
with
the
protesters
so
much
for
the
words
of
the
minister.
Previously
he
sided
with
the
protesters,
as
he
did
in
december.
When
what
did
he
do?
He
wrote
a
letter
criticizing
the
rcmp,
so
does
the
minister
of
state
take
any
responsibility
at
all
for
his
failure
to
accomplish
anything
other
than
collecting
over
a
hundred
thousand
dollars
of
taxpayer
money.
C
Honorable
speaker
and
I'd
like
to
thank
the
the
member
opposite
for
this,
this
question.
I
think
we
all
agree
that
this
is
an
extremely
complex
issue,
we're
trying
to
balance
provincial
law
with
with
soweton
law.
We
are
trying
to
do
so
in
the
context
of
an
approved
project
through
their
traditional
territory,
we're
trying
to
address
the
implications
of
colonialism,
the
dick
the
issue
of
the
delgamook
decision,
which,
for
so
long,
has
been
ignored
by
governments.
C
We
are
trying
to
put
meat
on
the
bones
of
that
decision
to
do
what
we
should
have
done
25
years
ago,
and
it's
hard,
mr
speaker,
it's
very
difficult.
We
acknowledge
that
and
there
have
been
incidents
in
the
territory,
but
that
doesn't
mean
we
should
stop
this
historic
work.
It
means
we
should
accelerate
it.
We
should
get
on
with
this
work.
We
are
urging
our
partners
to
do
so
as
well.
We
have
met
with
the
elected
chiefs.
We
have
met
with
the
hereditary
chiefs.
C
D
C
Mister
thanks
very
much,
mr
speaker,
the
former
government
decided
to
negotiate
solely
with
the
elected
chiefs.
Our
government
decided
to
work
with
the
the
proper
rights
and
title
holder
as
determined
by
the
supreme
court
of
canada,
but
we
are
still
also
trying
to
engage
with
the
elected
chiefs.
I
have
spoken
with
every
single
one
of
them,
I
believe,
or
at
least
attempted
to
I'm
speaking
with
marine
chief
lugi,
I
think,
later
today,
or
certainly
this
week.
I
continue
to
reach
out
to
chief
nicole
of
whitsett.
C
I
continue
to
try
to
work
with
them,
just
as
I'm
trying
to
achieve
unity,
but
ultimately
that's
for
the
with
soweton
people
to
do
that.
Nation
has
to
figure
it
out.
We've
provided
resources
to
help
them
on
that
journey.
We
are
going
to
work
with
the
federal
government
to
implement
the
mou
that
was
signed.
Perhaps
the
members
have
forgotten
that
there
was
a
few
problems
over
the
last
year.
That
might
have
been
one
of
the
reasons
for
the
delay
that
I
agree
has
occurred.
C
Yes,
the
timelines
have
been
missed,
but
covid
had
something
to
do
with
that.
The
ability
to
negotiate
on
zoom
is
not
exactly
easy
or
effective
members.
This
work,
as
the
member
has
acknowledged,
is
complex.
We
don't
deny
it,
but
it's
necessary
it's
necessary.
If
we
are
going
to
come
to
final
reconciliation
with
indigenous
peoples
across
this
province,
we
are
doing
the
hard
work
the
federal
government
has
joined
with
us.
We
intend
to
continue
that
work,
because
british
columbians
demand
that
we
do
so.
E
E
This
classification
is
in
essence
an
amber
alert,
a
signal
that
human
activity
is
seriously
threatening
the
survival
of
the
species.
We
don't
have
our
own
species
at
risk.
Legislation
in
british
columbia,
but
in
2017
our
province
signed
a
management
plan
allowing
the
federal
government
to
take
steps
to
ensure
the
survival
of
speckle
belly
lichen
on
bc's
west
coast.
E
This
plan
commits
to
maintaining
quote
all
known
extant
populations
of
this
species.
That
means
taking
biodiversity
into
account
in
our
forest
management
decisions.
Last
fall.
I
asked
the
minister
of
forest
lands
and
natural
resources
how
she
will
protect
biodiversity
in
forestry
when
it's
not
included
as
an
objective
in
the
new
forestry
legislation.
Through
your
honorable
speaker
to
the
minister
in
the
fall,
the
minister
told
me
that
believes
biodiversity
will
be
protected,
despite
not
being
in
the
legislation.
Now
that
the
law
has
passed,
how
can
we
count
on
it
to
protect
valuable?
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
thank
the
member
for
the
question
and
I
recognize
his
passion
about
the
issue
with
the
speckle
belly,
and
I
know
we,
my
staff
are
working
with
him
and
and
his
folks
on
that
issue,
because
we
know
how
important
it
is,
and
we
know
how
important
it
is
to
the
people
of
the
province.
We
know
how
important
the
biodiversity
is,
the
people
of
the
province
and
the
ecosystem
in
the
forest,
and-
and
that
is
why
we
are
committed
to
it-
that's
why
we
have
committed
to
it.
E
You,
mr
speaker,
and,
of
course
the
speckled
belly
lichen
is
just
one
of
many
species
in
our
province
that
are
endangered
or
have
a
threat
of
being
extirpated.
E
The
minister,
committed
in
in
the
debate
last
fall
at
committee
stage
that
the
amended
forestry
legislation
would
indeed
protect
biodiversity,
even
though
biodiversity
is
not
mentioned
in
the
legislation.
We're
hearing
from
first
nations
and
scientists
that
endangered
species
in
our
province
do
not
have
the
level
of
protections
that's
needed.
The
first
nations
leadership
council
recently
passed
a
resolution
calling
on
the
provincial
government
to
enact
a
new
law
for
biodiversity
and
ecosystem
health
they've
advocated
directly
to
the
minister
and
her
colleague,
the
minister
of
environment
and
climate
change
on
this.
E
At
the
same
time
as
that
advocacy
was
ongoing,
logging
in
tfl
46,
where
one
of
the
few
remaining
extant
populations
of
old
growth,
speckle
belly-lichen,
was
being
extirpated,
was
ongoing
there
through
the
honourable
speaker
to
the
minister
of
environment
and
climate
change
strategy.
Despite
his
colleagues
commitments
last
fall,
we
continue
to
see
this
government
management
practices
threaten
endangered
species.
Will
the
minister
finally
listen
to
first
nations
and
scientists
and
advocates
and
table
our
own
species
at
risk
legislation
or
biodiversity
legislation.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
just
want
the
member
to
know.
One
of
the
issues
that
we
are
dealing
with
with
first
nations
is
is
working
together
with
them
on
issues
of
biodiversity
and
ecosystem
health.
We
are
working
with
them
when
it
comes
to
the
old
growth
deferrals.
By
saying
to
them,
you
know
what
issues
are
in
your
traditional
territories,
because
that's
what's
really
important,
working
with
the
rights
and
title
holders
in
their
traditional
territory
to
ensure
that
we
are
looking
at
the
biodiversity.
G
G
G
G
F
Oh,
thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
I
thank
the
member
for
the
question
and
and
I
don't
think
I
need
to
remind
her
that
under
her
government's
watch,
30
000
people
lost
their
jobs
and
you
say
here
we
go.
F
F
We
are
not
abandoning
workers,
we
are
ensuring
that
impacted
workers
and
communities
are
provided,
the
supports
that
they
need
and
we
are,
bringing
together
coordinated
and
comprehensive
supports
for
workers
for
communities.
First
nations.
We
we've
put
out
an
initial
19
million
dollars
for
this
fiscal
year
this
fiscal
year
and
the
member
laps
19
million
dollars
is
significant
for
those
workers
who
could
potentially
be
losing
their
jobs.
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker.
We
are
providing
those
supports.
We
are
providing
supports
till
the
end
of
this
fiscal
year
and
we
will
provide
supports
after
and
it's
interesting
that
they
talk
about
the
the
investments
because
there's
been
considerable
investments
in
this
province,
which
they
seem
to
forget
about
because
they
didn't
have
much
investments
in
the
province
when
they
were
government.
F
G
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
speaker.
Well
perhaps
the
minister
would
like
to
talk
to
some
of
the
workers
and
small
businesses
that
are
here
in
the
gallery
today.
I
wonder
if
they
have
been
able
to
access
any
of
these
investments
that
the
minister
talks
about.
I
wonder
if
the
minister's
actually
gone
out
and
talked
to
communities
and
found
out
how
workers
are
actually
accessing
these
funds
that
the
minister
likes
to
talk
about
all
talk,
no
action.
G
And
this
minister
just
seems
to
be
warming
up.
She
stands
up,
she
says
I'll,
be
there
for
workers
and
meantime.
I've
talked
to
the
workers,
and
I
can
share
with
the
minister
that
they're
deeply
troubled
by
what
this
government
is
doing
and
the
impact
it
is
having
in
the
gallery.
Today
we
have
bill
dumont,
rona,
doucette
and
bob
brash
and
they're
hoping
for
answers.
Mr
speaker,
they're,
hoping
for
some
assistance,
not
just
talking
points.
G
Instead,
they
have-
and
I
quote,
set
in
motion
an
unprecedented
level
of
uncertainty
and
concern
that
is
already
having
a
significant
impact
on
those
whose
livelihoods
are
at
stake
without
information
about
what
is
next
end
quote?
Will
the
minister
match
her
words
with
actions,
pause,
her
scheme
and
actually
work
with
groups
to
create
a
future
for
forestry
in
british
columbia?
Instead
of
sending
those
jobs
south
to
louisiana.
F
F
And
we
have
been
talking
to
workers,
we
have
been
talking
to
industry,
we
have
been
talking
to
unions,
we've
been
talking
to
people
and
I've.
I've
spent
some
time
talking
to
bob
brash
as
well,
and
the
people
in
his
organization,
and
we
are
working
with
them
and
that
because
of
that
input
we
have
received
from
them.
We
are
putting
the
supports
in
place
in
case
they
lose
their
jobs
in
case
they
want
to
remanufacture
their
their
equipment.
In
case
they
want
to
look
at
new
opportunities.
We
are
providing
them
those
opportunities.
F
You
know,
and
I
will
remind
the
member.
This
is
not
my
scheme.
This
is
done
because
of
the
old
growth
strategic
review,
which
I'm
pretty
sure
members
opposite
support
it.
If
I
forget,
I
mean
if
they
didn't
support
it,
we
need
to
know.
Do
they
not
support
all
14
recommendations
of
the
old
growth
strategic
review,
which
is
what
we
are
doing
right
now,
which
is
what
we
are
working
towards.
F
H
Well,
thank
you,
mr
speaker.
By
the
minister's
own
account,
she
has
admitted
that
there
will
be
thousands
of
jobs
lost
under
these
plans.
Working
people
like
tamara
megat
and
henry
mackelson
right
up
above
you
in
the
gallery,
are
representing
people
working
in
mills
or
in
the
bush
and
they're
worried
about
the
lack
of
direction
from
the
ndp
employers
are
expressing
their
concern
with
the
high
costs
and
instability
created
by
the
ndp
by
moving
investments
to
other
jurisdictions.
H
First,
nations
are
also
confused
as
to
what
the
plan
is
chief
bill.
Williams
of
the
bc.
First
nations
forestry
council
says,
and
I
quote
mr
speaker,
this
seems
like
a
box
ticking
exercise
by
the
government
bc
rammed
through
significant
changes
to
the
forestry
legislation
through
bills,
23
and
28,
without
any
meaningful.
First
nation
participation,
mr
speaker,
damning
words
from
first
nations
leadership
in
this
province.
H
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and
you
know
we
have
been
talking
to
people
since
2017,
and
I
appreciate
that
there's
members
in
the
gallery
here
today
and
I
also
want
to
acknowledge
that
they
they
had.
They
were
going
to
have
a
big
rally
here
in
front
of
the
legislature
and
and
they
let
me
know
that
they
decided
not
to
do
it
out
of
respect
for
the
people
of
victoria,
because
they
said
they
thought
they'd
had
enough
with
honking
horns
and
and
people
protesting.
F
So
I
want
to
thank
them
for
that
consideration
because
I
know,
but
I
know
how
important
this
is
to
them.
I
know
the
passion
they
feel
about
this
because
I
too
went
through.
I
live
in
a
forestry
town
and
I
too
went
through
seeing
the
loss
of
jobs
under
the
previous
government
and
saw
absolutely
no
support
for
the
people
that
worked
in
the
forest
industry.
You
know
I
saw
people
who
lost
their
jobs.
I
saw
people
who
had
to
move.
F
F
So
we
know
that
we
have
19
million
dollars
for
this
year
that
members
that
people
that
feel
that
they
are
being
that
have
issues
with
anything
to
do
with
their
employment.
Under
issues
that
are
affected
by
the
old
growth
strategic
review,
that
they
will
be
able
to
retrain
for
jobs,
they
will
be
able
to
look
at
jobs.
We
are
looking
at.
You
know.
One
of
the
programs
that
we
introduced
under
former
minister
doug
donaldson
was
the
bridging
to
retirement.
F
It
was
over
subscribed
over
subscribed,
mr
speaker,
so
we
are
also
doing
that
and
there
are
people
who
are
already
coming
forward
and
the
reason
you
know
what's
interesting,
they're
coming
forward
because
they
want
to
bridge
to
retirement,
so
younger
people
can
continue
to
work,
which
is
what
is
happening,
and
I
want
to
give
kudos
to
those
people
who
said
we're
ready
to
retire.
We
need
some
help
to
bridge
we're
going
to
do
that,
and
I
want
to
thank
the
minister
of
labor
for
the
work
they're
doing
on
this.
H
H
The
minister
seems
to
be
completely
ignoring
one
simple
fact,
mr
speaker,
and
that
is
no
one
thinks
her
plan
is
a
good
one,
telling
workers
like
the
ones
in
the
gallery
today
to
just
trust
us
doesn't
work
anymore.
Mr
speaker,
employers
want
certainty
and
stability
and
are
going
elsewhere
to
find
it.
First
nations
want
real
consultation
and
partnerships,
not
box
ticking
by
the
ndp.
Will
the
minister
admit
that
making
it
up
as
she
goes
along,
simply
isn't
working
anymore.
B
F
Thank
you,
mr
speaker,
and,
and
I
just
I
want
to
maybe
the
members
didn't
hear.
We
just
recently
announced
a
agreement
between
the
nanowalkalists,
which
is
four
nations
and
western
forest
products
where
they
agreed
to
defer
critical
biological,
equal
old-growth
forests
within
their
area
on
vancouver
island
working
together
working
together,
they
were
able
to
mitigate
any
job
losses,
any
job.
F
They
also
said,
mr
speaker:
they
are
really
looking
forward
to
working
with
their
neighbors
and
the
communities
they're
in
working
with
the
existing
people
that
are
working
in
the
forest
industry,
working
with
loggers
working
with
truck
loggers
from
bob
brash's
organization
working
with
people
like
tamara
and
her
family,
so
that
they
can
work
together,
work
together.
So
you
so
indigenous
nations
get
a
fair
share
of
our
forest
industry,
so
workers
communities,
people
in
this
province
get
a
fair
share
of
our
of
our
forest.