►
From YouTube: MARCH 29 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
A
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
The,
Surge
of
violence
that
began
under
the
premier's
watch
as
a
soft
on
crime
attorney
general
continues
to
devastate
communities
like
Nanaimo
on
Monday
in
broad
daylight,
a
27
year
old
woman
was
heading
back
to
work
when
she
was
the
victim
of
a
violent
random
assault.
This
was
a
prolific
offender
who
appeared
out
of
nowhere
grabbing
her
by
the
throat
and
sexually
assaulting
her.
When
she
broke
free
and
ran,
he
chased
her
screaming
that
he
was
going
to
kill
her
I,
can't
even
imagine
how
terrifying
that
would
be.
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I.
Thank
the
the
member
for
the
question
and
the
event
that
she
describes
is
a
horrific
event
which
all
of
us
absolutely
just
a
the
individual,
has
been
arrested
and
we'll
face
the
consequences
of
the
justice
system
and
is
my
expectation
that,
if
they
are
found
when
they
are
found
guilty
that
they
are
sentenced
to
a
very
long
time,
Behind
Bars.
C
But
what
I
can
also
tell
a
member
is
that
we
are
doing
everything
we
can
to
ensure
that
laws
are
strengthened
around
issues
of
bail
and
bail
reform,
which
is
why
we
worked
with
other
provinces
in
the
federal
government,
and
this
province
has
taken
a
leadership
role
in
that
regard.
To
deal
with
the
issue
of
reverse
onus
and
so
that
those
who
pose
a
danger
are
not
released
and
I
can
assure
the
member
that
we
will
continue
that
work
and
other
initiatives.
A
This
random
sexual
assault,
people
in
Nanaimo
need
more
than
just
talk,
they
need
results
and
they
need
to
be
able
to
feel
safe
in
their
own
Community
with
28
separate
Criminal
Court
files.
Brett
Ranger
is
a
dangerous,
violent,
prolific
offender.
The
fact
that
he
is
today
being
remanded
until
April
4th
is
again
cold
comfort
to
his
victims.
He
has
a
lengthy
criminal
record,
yet
was
left
free
to
terrorize,
more
victims
under
this
premier's
catch
and
release
system.
A
The
violence
on
our
streets,
as
we
have
seen
day
after
day
and
and
the
last
few
days
has
just
been
more
than
we
can
even
imagine.
The
violence
on
our
street
has
made
people
feel
more
vulnerable
and
unsafe
than
ever.
Mr
Speaker
the
question
to
the
premier.
Is
he
going
to
put
the
rights
of
victims
of
repeat
violent
offenders
ahead
of
the
rights
of
those
to
those
violent
offenders
to
be
released
back
in
into
communities
like
Nanaimo.
C
That's
why
we
restored
funding
increased
it
by
more
than
70
percent
for
victims
of
crime
when,
during
the
time
that
your
party
was
on
this
side
of
the
house,
increases
did
not
happen
in
terms
of
results.
Honorable
speaker,
that's
why
we
went
to
Ottawa
to
get
bail
reform.
We
made
it
a
priority.
This
province
made
it
a
priority.
Other
provinces
worked
with
us
to
get
the
federal
government
to
make
the
changes
that
we
need
to
see
happen.
C
Those
are
initiatives
that
this
government
has
taken
and
will
continue
to
take
honorable
speaker
because
everybody
deserves
to
feel
safe
wherever
they
live
in
this
province.
We
want
to
also
make
sure
that
those
who
are
found
guilty
through
our
independent
judicial
system
they
serve
a
long
time
behind
bars
where
they
should
be
honorable
speaker,
but
make
no
mistake.
D
D
What
is
this
government
doing
to
step
up
and
prevent
people
from
becoming
victims?
It's
all
fine
and
dandy,
to
bring
things
into
effect
that
will
help
people
after
they
become
victims.
But
why
must
we
wait
for
action
until
people
are
suffering,
they've
become
victims
of
crime,
they've
been
sexually
assaulted
or
even
worse,
that
they've
lost
their
life
to
Violent
criminals?
D
Even
the
premier's
own
hand-picked
expert
Doug
lapard
acknowledges
that
BC
stands
alone,
with
a
40
percent
decrease
in
the
number
of
people
in
jail
now
out
on
the
streets.
Thanks
to
this
government,
soft
on
crime
policies
and
in
the
premiers
five
years,
as
attorney
general
violent
crime
has
more
than
doubled
in
Nanaimo
from
1
200
reports
to
over
2
600.
D
Colin
Middleton
of
the
Nanaimo
Area
Public
Safety
Association,
says,
quote:
they're
literally
playing
Russian
roulette
right
now
with
the
lives
of
people
in
Nanaimo.
We're
sick
of
it
we're
done
end
quote:
innocent
lives
are
put
at
risk
by
The,
premier's,
Catch
and
Release
policies,
while
prolific
offenders
like
Brett
Ranger,
continue
to
be
released
and
wreak
havoc
in
our
communities.
D
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
I
thank
the
member
for
the
question.
I
want
to
make
it
clear
right
from
the
point
when
this
government
was
sworn
in
this
government,
the
Attorney
General
now
Premier,
the
former
Premier,
have
made
public
safety
a
priority,
putting
in
place
initiatives
that
could
have
been
put
in
place
in
this
government.
Many
years
before,
but
weren't.
Honorable
speaker,
we
worked
with
police
to
identify
their
priorities.
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
police
said
putting
in
place
a
witness
protection
program
to
build
strong
cases
against
organized
crime
and
gangster's.
Honorable
speaker
was
a
priority
for
them.
We
put
that
in
place
honorable
speaker,
that
has
resulted
in
a
significant
increase
in
convictions
for
murders
and
solvings
of
murders
that
that
were
in
essence,
cold
cases.
Honorable
speaker,
police
identified
the
need
for
a
forensic
Firearms
lab
honorable
speaker
so
that
we
weren't
sending
weapons
to
to
Ottawa
for
analysis
being
able
to
do
better
forensics
here
in
this
province.
We
put
that
in
place.
C
Honorable
speaker,
we
identified
the
issues
around
listening
to
local
government
in
terms
of
what
the
challenges
they
were
facing
in
their
communities
that
led
to
the
Lepard
Butler
report
and
the
red
to
initiatives
which
were
being
implemented.
Honorable
speaker
already
and
new
ones
being
put
in
place.
It's
not
a
question
of
waiting.
C
C
Continue,
thank
you
honorable
speaker.
Let's
be
clear,
we've
been
taking
initiatives
since
we
formed
government
day
one
initiatives
at
the
federal,
provincial
and
local
government
level,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that.
We
will
continue
to
work
with
the
professionals
on
the
ground
who
know
what
needs
to
be
done
in
terms
of
policing
in
terms
on
the
social
side
of
things,
to
ensure
that
people
in
this
province
are
safe,
foreign.
D
Children
were
among
30
people
at
the
Guilford
Landmark
Cinema,
who
were
randomly
attacked
by
a
man
wielding
pepper
spray.
This
weekend,
families
can't
even
visit
a
coffee
shop
or
go
to
the
movies
without
having
to
worry
about
a
random
attack
in
British
Columbia,
and
this
Premiere
is
the
architect
of
Catch
and
Release,
and
this
Premiere
has
consistently
put
the
rights
of
criminals
above
the
rights
of
communities
throughout
his
entire
career
in
and
out
of
politics
and
while
housing
Minister.
This
Premier
remember.
B
B
E
D
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
it
was
well
was
housing
Minister
that
he
warehoused
people
without
proper
mental
health,
supports
creating
chaos
in
neighborhoods
across
the
province.
When
will
the
brutal
random
attacks
which
have
become
the
norm
under
this
Premier
under
his
catch
and
release
system?
When
will
they
finally
end.
C
Minister,
thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
I'm
glad
the
member
raised
the
the
questions
about
her
community
from
Suri,
because
the
issue
of
bear
spray
is
one
that
we
were
well
aware
of.
That's
why,
when
we
went
to
Ottawa,
we
worked
with
Manitoba
to
get
that
changed
so
that
people
who
engage
in
those
kinds
of
crimes
with
with
bear
spray
are
now
included
on
the
reverse
bonus
as
to
why
they
should
not
be
getting
bail.
Honorable
speaker,
that
was
that
was
action
taken
all
and
November
now
wants
to
talk
about
victims.
C
C
C
The
reason
we
put
in
place
honorable
speaker,
the
victims,
Protection
Program,
which
police
wanted
to
deal
in
part
with
the
significant
challenges
that
were
faced
in
Surrey.
This
government
put
that
in
place
honorable
speaker,
not
them
when
they
sat
on
this
side
of
the
house
and
what
I
want
to
tell
is
house
honorable
speaker
that
the
success
of
that
program
has
resulted
in
more
than
270
convictions,
419
charges,
134
murder
charges
and
74
77
Firearms
charges
results
members
every
single
one
of
them.
C
F
Mr
Speaker
we've
heard
the
minister
of
Public
Safety
say
that
he
takes
the
rights
of
victims
seriously.
How
about
the
rights
of
the
victims
of
colonialism
Mr
Speaker
in
November,
the
bcndp
government
announced
that
it
would
provide
230
million
dollars
to
both
bolster
Staffing
in
rural
police
departments.
F
C
Minister
of
Public
Safety,
thank
you
honorable,
speaker
and
I
appreciate
the
the
question
from
the
member,
and
what
I
want
to
tell
him
is
that
36
million
dollars
is
over
three
years.
It
is
based
on
an
average
that
we
have
spent
in
this
province
over
the
last
number
of
years
in
terms
of
dealing
with
the
enforcement
of
court
ordered
injunctions.
We
have
in
this
province
an
independent
Judiciary
courts
who
make
court
orders,
and
it
is
the
responsibility
of
the
police
to
enforce
those
court
orders
that
comes
with
costs.
C
So
it's
part
of
the
budget
process.
We
have
to
ensure
that
there
is
money
in
place
to
do
just
that
we
put
in
place
an
average
of
What
has
been
spent
over
the
last
number
of
years,
and
that
is
a
three-year
sum
that
the
figure
that
the
member
is
talking
about
and
it
works
out
to
about
I.
Think
last
year
was
around
11
million
dollars.
F
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker
and,
of
course,
those
injunctions
are
protecting
the
rights
of
Corporations,
not
the
rights
of
indigenous
people
that
have
existed
and
belong
to
the
lands
that
these
resource
projects
aren't
being
undertaken
on.
The
community
industry,
Response,
Group
or
Kirk,
as
it's
known,
was
created
in
2017
to
support
the
construction
of
the
coastal
gaslink
pipeline
and
the
Trans
Mountain
pipeline
expansion
projects
in
the
face
of
broad
public
opposition
and
Indigenous
assertions
of
jurisdiction.
F
The
kurg
has
been
accused
of
unlawful
use
of
force,
arrests,
detentions
and
assaults
against
indigenous
and
non-indigenous
land,
Defenders
Mr
Speaker,
many
of
whom
are
my
constituents,
many
of
whom
I
would
consider
Elders
from
my
riding
Mr
Speaker
right
now.
This
crew
is
rolling,
and
the
minister
knows
this
rolling
on
indigenous
people
in
their
own
territories.
As
we
speak,
the
RCMP
unit
now
faces
several
lawsuits
and
investigations
for
misconduct.
F
The
RCMP
civilian
review
and
complaints
commission
announced
two
weeks
ago
that
they're
conducting
a
quote
systemic
investigation
end
quote
of
Kirk
a
National
Coalition
is
calling
for
the
suspension
of
Kirk.
While
the
crcc
investigates
these
hundreds
of
complaints
against
the
unit,
the
crcc
reviews
can
take
up
years
to
complete
the
extent
of
the
human
rights
abuses
and
violations
of
indigenous
peoples
on
their
own
lands
by
this
unit
has
not
yet
fully
come
to
light.
C
Thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
and
I
would
like
to
make
a
couple
of
points.
First
off
we
have
an
independent
Judiciary
in
this
country
that
makes
laws,
or
that
makes
rulings
and
issues
and
an
injunction.
It's
the
responsibility
of
the
police
to
to
enforce
that,
and
you
cannot.
You
cannot,
on
one
hand,
say
hey.
C
We
like
this
ruling
so
great
that
we've
got
an
independent
Judiciary
and,
on
the
other
hand,
say
oh
well,
we
disagree
with
this
link,
so
the
the
whole
process
is
nothing
just
to
protect
a
special
interest
group.
Honorable
speakers,
you
know
please
thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
No,
that's
not
a
false
argument.
It's
the
fact.
We
have
an
independent
Judiciary
in
this
country,
which
is
a
Cornerstone
of
our
democracy,
and
it's
one
I
think
that
does
a
very
effective
job.
C
What
members?
What
I
would
also
say,
honorable
speaker,
it's
not
giving
money.
The
police
have
a
job
to
do,
which
is
to
enforce
a
court
ordered
injunction
that
it
costs
money
to
do
that.
We
have
to
pay
for
the
costs
of
the
the
policing
that
takes
place
in
the
course
of
the
enforcement
of
these.
These
injunctions
we
budget
for
it
based
on
the
amount
of
money
that
has
been
spent
on
an
annual
basis
over
the
last
number
of
years,
and
that
is
our
best
estimate.
In
some
cases
it
may
cost
more.
C
In
some
cases
it
may
cost
less
and
if
it
costs
less,
that
money
can
go
somewhere
else,
honorable
speaker,
but
it
is
not
a
case
of
just
giving
money
and
saying
do
with
it.
What
you
will
it's
because
the
courts
have
said
we
want
the
injunction
enforced
and
they
have
the
responsibility
to
do
that.
Honorable,
member
and
I
understand
that
you
don't
like
it,
but
that's
the
fact.
E
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
Well,
let's
be
clear:
the
rampant
random
attacks,
the
vandalism,
the
social
disorder,
that's
getting
worse
by
the
day,
lies
at
the
feet
of
this
premium.
Who
also
happened
to
be
the
attorney
general
for
five
and
a
half
years.
It
was
this
Premier
who
was
responsible
for
buying
motels
in
communities
across
BC
and
warehousing
the
mentally
ill
and
addicted
some
of
our
most
vulnerable
citizens
with
no
supports
except
publicly
provided
addictive
drugs.
E
It
was
this
Premier
who,
through
every
policy
Choice
he
made
as
attorney
general,
put
the
rights
of
repeat
violent
offenders
above
the
right
of
British
Columbians
to
be
safe
and
feel
safe
in
their
communities
and
Mr
Speaker.
The
premier
has
been
consistent
with
this
bias,
his
entire
private
and
public
career.
Now,
as
people
suffer
brutal
violence
and
random
attacks
in
downtown
Vancouver
local
small
businesses
are
caught
in
the
crossfire
one.
In
ten
storefronts
in
Vancouver
now
stands
vacant
under
this
government
in
the
area
of
Hastings
Crossing
vacancies
at
a
staggering
28
percent.
E
Desperate
businesses
are
begging
for
support
and
through
the
business
Improvement
areas.
Association
of
British
Columbia
have
proposed
that
this
government
create
a
fund
to
mitigate
the
devastating
impacts
of
vandalism
and
property
crime
on
small
business,
broken
windows,
theft
and
vandalism
are
costing
shop
owners
thousands
upon
thousands
of
dollars,
but
there's
no
support
for
them
in
the
ndp's
budget.
My
question
to
the
premier
is
this:
will
the
premier
reverse
course
and
say
yes
to
this
proposal,
to
create
a
fund
to
combat
The,
Soaring
costs
of
random
violence
and
vandalism?
G
Speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
opposite
for
the
question.
These
are
very
challenging
times
for
small
businesses,
Mr
Speaker
and
I
myself
have
been
a
small
business
person
and
I
think
often
about
the
challenges
that
these
businesses
are
faced
with
it's
one
thing
after
another.
It
seems
very
much
for
small
businesses
in
regards
to
the
effects
of
the
pandemic
and
the
supply
chain
challenges.
The
increase
in
the
increase.
B
B
G
G
And
while
this
is
very
helpful
to
small
businesses,
I
am
listening
to
small
businesses,
Mr
Speaker.
They
are
facing
challenges,
and
this
is
important
to
us.
We
know
that
small
businesses
make
up
98
of
the
businesses
in
our
communities.
Mr
Speaker,
they're,
incredibly
important
to
us
and
I
look
forward
to
continuing
to
do
the
work
with
them
to
ensure
their
success.
E
This
this
Premiere,
as
I,
said
in
my
previous
question,
every
single
opportunity
that
he
has
had
whether
it
was
as
attorney
general
as
Minister
of
Housing
or
now,
as
the
premier
British
Columbia.
He
has
consistently
through
his
policy
choices.
He
has
put
the
rights
of
violent
offenders
to
reoffend
over
the
rights
of
British
Columbians
to
be
safe
in
their
communities
and
in
addition
to
the
public
safety
issue.
E
This
has
meant
small
businesses
are
caught
in
the
middle
thefts,
Windows
broken
vandalism
on
and
on
and
on
the
list
goes
and
the
members
opposite
are
getting
the
same.
Emails
that
we're
all
getting
in
in
the
opposition
from
these
small
businesses,
not
a
single
penny
in
the
ndp's
budget
to
help
small
businesses
with
this
social
disorder,
which
is
caused
by
the
government's
policies.
E
But
but
you
know
where
the
small
business
is
important
to
us,
give
me
a
break
just
today.
Just
today,
Vancouver
police
stated
that
they
have
arrested
217
people
over
the
course
of
a
three
week
period
for
violent
retail
thefts
in
one
incident,
a
man
with
37
criminal
convictions
entered
a
dollar
store
near
Granville,
Street
and
threatened
staff
with
a
knife,
sir,
a
staff
sergeant
Mario
mastropieri
of
the
VPD
says
and
I
quote
in
Vancouver.
We
continue
to
see
an
alarming
trend
of
repeat
offenders
and
people
using
violence
to
commit
their
crimes.
E
Business
owners
are
frustrated
by
the
financial
losses
and
by
the
danger
employees
face
for
merely
coming
to
work,
to
earn
a
livery
end
quote:
Mr
Speaker,
the
soft
on
Prime,
premier's,
Catch
and
Release
justice
system
is
causing
Havoc
for
local
businesses
and
threatening
the
safety
of
their
employees
and
their
customers
alike.
When
will
the
premier
step
up
and
take
the
necessary
actions
which
will
actually
deliver
positive
results
and
end
the
random
violence
and
vandalism,
which
is
plaguing
small
businesses
all
over
British
Columbia.
C
Thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
I
appreciate
the
question
from
the
member
across
the
way
and
I'd
like
to
point
out,
because
he
seemed
to
forget
something
in
his
in
his
little
thing
when
he
quoted
the
VPD
retail
crime
is
growing
in
major
cities
throughout
North
America
and
in
Vancouver.
This
isn't
just
a
Vancouver
problem.
This
is
a
problem
North
America
wide
and
that.
C
Honorable
speaker
that
take
these
individuals
off
the
streets,
it's
working
with
the
federal
government
so
that
we
can
get
changes
to
bill
c-75
in
terms
of
reverse
onus,
so
that
the
unintended
consequences
from
that
piece
of
legislation
are
in
fact
corrected
and
I
know
they
don't
like
to
hear
it,
but
this
province.
This
Premier
took
a
leadership
role
on
that
issue,
honorable
speaker,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that.
C
That's
why
we've
increased
funding
to
deal
with
the
mental
health
issues
in
terms
of
the
peer
assisted
care
teams
that
communities
have
been
asking
for
to
expand
the
car
program.
That
communities
have
been
asking
for
honorable
speaker
that
police
have
been
asking
for.
Those
are
initiatives
that
this
government
has
con,
has
taken
and
will
continue
to
take
it's
why,
in
small
communities,
when
they're
facing
these
kinds
of
similar
problems,
that
we
are
funding
the
addition
of
277
police
officers
that
will
be
able
to
assist
communities?
C
H
You
Mr
Speaker,
well,
this
Premier,
be
it
as
attorney
general,
be
it
as
Premier,
be
it
as
life
before
a
politician
has
done
nothing
but
defend
the
rights
of
law
Breakers
over
the
rights
of
victims
and
the
solicitor
general
convention
victims.
Today,
it's
too
bad.
This
government
did
not
use
the
word
victim
once
with
any
dollars,
especially
attached
to
it
in
their
most
recent
budget.
The
word
victim
doesn't
show
if
not
budget
one
time.
H
The
facts
are
very
simple:
Mr
Speaker,
the
premier's
hand-picked
expert
Doug
lapard,
pointed
out
BC
stands
alone,
based
on
this
Premier
soft
on
crime
policies
of
a
40
decrease
in
the
number
of
people
in
jail
in
British
Columbia,
compared
to
the
rest
of
the
pro
of
the
country
that
the
solicitor
general
likes
to
try
to
deflect
away.
I
have
news
for
the
solicitor
general.
The
people
of
BC
expect
this
government
to
deal
with
issues
within
BC
and
actually
create
Safe
Streets.
H
So,
let's
look
at
the
crime,
stats,
BC's,
violent
crime,
severity
index,
they've
increased
30
percent
under
this
soft
on
crime,
premier's
watch,
75
increase
in
the
rate
of
No
Charge
assessment.
Under
this
premier's
watch,
Vancouver
is
averaging
four
unprovoked
stranger
assaults
per
day,
which
are
getting
more
and
more
violent.
Every
single
day.
Under
this
soft
on
crime,
premier's
watch
serious
assaults
involving
weapons
or
bodily
harm
in
Vancouver
they're
up
over
30
percent
compared
to
2017..
H
Under
this
soft
on
crime
watch
and
in
2022,
over
91
000
or
a
49
of
non-emergency,
calls
want
to
be
an
abandoned
by
Ecom.
Under
this
soft
on
crime
attorney
general's
watch,
Mr
Speaker
the
system
is
broken.
This
government
is
a
failing
on
every
measure
when
can
Community.
When
can
communities
meaningfully
see
some
results
that
will
actually
make
them
safer
on
their
streets
instead
of
the
continual
passing
of
the
buck
that
we
see
from
the
solicitor
general
and,
whichever
attorney
general
might
happen
to
be
filling
the
role
there
today.
C
F
B
C
Will
continue?
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
when
gang
violence
ran
rampants
in
the
Lower
Mainland,
when
they
sat
on
this
side
of
the
house,
did
they
increase
service
for
victims?
Honorable
speaker?
No,
they
didn't.
They
cut
it
in
20,
in
2009,
honorable
speaker
in
2009
honorable
speaker
in
the
budget.
Then
they
spent
42
million
dollars
in
2017
honorable
speaker
in
their
in
their
budget
that
they
tabled.
C
C
Thank
you
speakers,
thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
and
and
for
the
leader
for
the
leaders.
That's
opposition.
This
side
of
the
house,
honorable
speaker,
will
continue
to
make
investments
in
policing
in
communities
right
across
this
province.
We
will
continue
to
expand
the
car
program.
Honorable
speaker,
which
we
are
doing,
we
will
continue
to
put
in
place
peer,
assisted
care
team's
honorable
speaker,
which
communities
have
been
asking
for.
C
We
will
continue
to
work
with
law
enforcement,
social
service
agencies
with
communities
and
I
know
they
don't
seem
to
understand
it
honorable
speaker,
but
we
will
also
continue
to
work
with
the
federal
government
who
has
responsibility
for
the
criminal
code
of
this
country,
which
the
vast
number
of
people
in
this
province
understand
to
get
changes
put
in
place
that
will
protect
people
and
make
communities
safer.
It's
unfortunate
that
they
don't
get
that.