►
From YouTube: FEB 28 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
today
is
the
second
provincial
budget,
since
disastrous
flooding
hit
farmers
and
ranchers
from
the
Fraser
Valley
to
the
Nicola
Valley.
Unfortunately,
for
many,
the
physical
mental
and
financial
toll
continues
as
Shadow
Minister.
My
phone
and
email
has
lit
up
for
over
a
year
from
distraught
farmers
in
Abbotsford
and
Merit,
despite
the
promise
of
228
million
dollars
in
federal
provincial
funding,
many
farmers
who
suffered
severe
losses
feel
frustrated,
forgotten
and
abandoned
by
their
government.
D
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
and
thank
you,
member
for
the
question.
It's
my
very
first
time
to
rise
today
and
I
want
to
acknowledge
that
of
the
good
work
that
has
been
done
previously
with
the
member
from
tourism,
arts
and
culture
now.
So
thank
you
for
the
opportunity.
These
last
few
years
have
absolutely
been
incredibly
difficult
for
farmers
and
food
producers
affected
by
flooding
and
landslides.
The
2021
flooding
was
BC's
biggest
ever
agricultural
disaster
and
resulted
in
our
biggest
ever
response.
D
C
Thank
you
Mr
Speaker.
Well,
this
is
cold
comfort
to
the
hundreds
and
hundreds
of
phone
calls
that
my
caucus
is
getting
still
today
from
Farmers
all
over
Merit
Nicola
Valley
Abbotsford
Princeton
farmers
are
fed
up
with
slow,
inadequate
government
assistance.
Mr
Speaker
ranchers
on
Highway
8
between
Merit
and
Spence's
Bridge,
are
still
dealing
with
devastating
mudslides,
with
zero
compensation
in
sight.
Farmers
like
Rolf
and
jaswant
on
Sumas
Prairie
need
costly
home
repairs,
but
face
bureaucratic
red
tape
and
inadequate
support.
C
Jaswant
received
only
70
percent
compensation
for
two
years
of
lost
blueberry
production,
leaving
a
four-year
income
gap
before
new
plants
start
to
even
produce
Farmers,
feel
incredibly
frustrated
and
abandoned.
When
will
the
premier
take
responsibility
and
provide
the
much
needed
support
that
these
Farmers
deserve?.
D
You
Mr
Speaker.
We
have
worked
with
farmers
and
farming
organizations
at
each
step
of
the
development
of
this
response
to
make
sure
it
works
for
them.
In
my
travels
around
the
Fraser
Valley
in
British,
Columbia
I've
heard
so
much
positive
feedback
about
the
program
and
the
speed
of
its
delivery.
For
example,
Rhonda
McDonald,
the
owner
of
bar
FX
Ranch
in
Merit,
said
the
government
did
come
out
with
an
Agri
recovery
program
for
the
flooding.
D
Actually,
it's
quite
an
extensive
program
and
it's
very
helpful
I
really
have
to
give
them
props,
because
it's
a
decent
program
that
helps
out
those
of
us
that
were
affected
by
the
flooding.
Finally,
if
there
is
someone
that
you
know
that
hasn't
already
been
in
touch
with
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and
food,
please
reach
out
and
connect
we're
only
too
happy
to
assist.
Thank
you.
E
Thank
you
very
much
Mr
speaker
and
it
may
be
working
for
one
farmer,
but
blueberry
farmers
and
the
sumass
flats
have
some
major
concerns.
Rising
costs
for
replacement
plants,
sawdust
fertilizer,
a
maze
of
red
tape
and
dense
paperwork
and
the
NDP
are
missing
in
action.
Farmers
like
Mr
Saga,
have
been
set
back
a
decade
and
there
is
no
compensation
from
the
NDP
for
income
replacement.
They
feel
the
system
is
designed
to
make
them
just
give
up.
When
will
the
premium
provide
the
support?
These
Farmers
desperately
need.
D
Speaker,
we
understand
that
many
people
in
British
Columbia
are
impacted
by
Rising
costs,
and
we
recognize
that
the
global
inflationary,
Trends
and
uncertain
economic
conditions
continue
to
impact
farmers
and
farm
producers.
The
provincial
government
will
continue
to
look
for
additional
ways
to
support
Farmers
as
we
navigate
these
challenging
economic
conditions
together.
Thank
you.
E
Thank
you
very
much
and
to
the
minister,
this
government
needs
to
look
harder.
Let
me
give
you
another
example:
Diljit,
a
retired
farmer
and
Widow
with
limited
funds
lost
six
acres
of
blackberries
in
the
floods.
She
was
denied
financial
assistance
for
rebuilding
a
Farm
building
submerged
in
over
six
feet
of
water
that
was
used
to
farm
work.
To
use
the
house
Farm
Farm
Workers
daljit
feels
like
the
NDP
is
simply
looking
for
excuses
not
to
help
leaving
her
drowning
in
red
tape.
E
D
F
F
Did
that
was
before
the
Declaration
Act,
and
that
was
also
before
section
three
and
the
interim
approach.
Minister
knows,
and
the
minister
knows
that
I
know
that
first
nations
are
not
the
reason
that
this
government
is
not
protecting
species
at
risk
or
biodiversity.
It
was
terrible
and
infuriating
to
sit
in
this
place.
Yesterday,
Mr
Speaker
and
here
first
Nations
be
the
scapegoat
for
this
government's
inactions.
F
F
Now
the
province
is
proposing
to
defer
logging
on
2.6
million
hectares
and
once
again,
the
agreements
that
they
have
in
place
with
First
Nations
under
the
old
policy
is
being
blamed
for
the
inability
to
defer
the
death
of
these
critical
forests.
Mr
Speaker
through
you
to
the
premier,
are
these
forests
doomed
to
the
death
economics
and
scapegoating
of
this
colonial
Institution,
or
will
he
provide
immediate
funding
for
First
Nations
to
defer
old
growth
logging
in
their
territories.
G
G
Indeed,
following
the
Merkel
as
McSorley
report,
the
future
of
forests
in
British
Columbia,
we
have
embarked
as
a
government
upon
a
process
of
deferral
of
old
growth.
That
process
is
a
very
inclusive.
One
includes
every
First
Nation.
The
responses
from
various
First
Nations
have
been
different,
but
nonetheless
they
are
all
included
in
that
process.
G
So
far,
2.1
million
hectares
has
been
deferred.
We've
made
a
commitment
recently
to
establish
what
are
called
Forest
landscape
tables,
where,
in
the
past,
the
the
the
companies
would
provide
a
logging
plan.
This
process
will
include
First,
Nations
communities,
companies
unions
and
develop
an
enduring
plan
that
will
have
community
support
and
provide
A
New
Path
forward
for
forestry
and
British
Columbia
foreign.
F
I'm
glad
the
minister
states
that
his
government
is
working
with
all
First
Nations.
This
should
be
a
fairly
easy
question
for
the
premier
to
answer.
Yesterday,
I
sat
in
the
Mungo
Martin
big
house,
with
my
main
say.
We
suit
hereditary
Chiefs,
Wallace
namuguis
David
amongo
knocks
the
head
chief
of
the
cute
and
mum
tequila
Chief
makwala,
Randy
cook,
Tom,
child
and
others
around
the
fire.
Mr
Speaker
those
Chiefs
carry
the
powerful
names
of
their
ancestors
the
names
that
they
were
looked
after
and
honored
in
a
good
way.
These
are
the
leaders.
F
This
government
has
always
overlooked
and
ignored
Mr
Speaker
and
that
continues.
The
provincial
and
federal
governments
are
willfully,
undermining
and
eroding
the
governing
structures
that
have
existed
on
this
landscape
since
time
immemorial
and
elevating
people
who
will
frankly
Mr
Speaker
sign
their
agreements.
F
This
government
promises
to
protect
old
growth,
but
they
are
clear:
cutting
the
territory,
the
chiefs
of
the
kwakuto
and
the
mump
tequila
must
protect.
The
Chiefs
have
sent
multiple
letters
to
the
former
Premier,
the
former
Ministers
of
forests,
and
now
the
new
premier
seeking
to
meet
in
a
good
way
out
the
fire
to
discuss
the
sacred
responsibility
that
their
ancestors
left
for
them.
Mr
Speaker.
My
question
is
through
you
to
the
premier:
will
he
sit
with
the
Chiefs
as
they
have
requested.
H
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
for
the
question.
Our
government
has
concluded
that
we
must
work
with
First
Nations
and
whether
that
leadership
is
hereditary,
elected
or
fused.
We
will
work
on
the
ground
with
them
to
meet
their
needs,
both
in
forestry
and
other
areas.
Mr
Speaker,
since
the
Declaration
Act,
was
enacted
that
indigenous
governing
body
we
take
from
the
Nations
themselves
and
work
in
consultation
and
cooperation
with
those
Nations
on
issues
such
as
the
one
that
my
colleague
has
has
raised.
I
Three
years
ago,
those
same
protesters
caused
chaos,
shut
down
critical
infrastructure
all
across
BC,
including
Rail
lines
and
ports.
They
even
successfully
blockaded
this
legislature
that
was
three
years
ago,
and
it's
only
gotten
worse
with
increasing
violence.
Today,
a
little
over
a
year
ago,
Mass
thugs
armed
with
axes
stormed
a
construction
site
on
the
Maurice
River
destroyed
equipment
and
terrorized
workers.
I
There
have
been
no
consequences
for
these
acts
of
terrorism.
Nothing
and
this
government's
complete
silence
and
lack
of
information
has
left
everyone
in
the
dark.
My
questions
through
Premier,
not
to
the
ministers
to
the
premier.
When
will
this
Premier?
Finally
take
action
to
restore
the
rule
of
law
and
end
the
violence
and
terrorism.
J
Yes
and
to
suggest
otherwise,
honorable
member
is
just
plain
wrong,
but
I
also
want
to
let
the
member
know
this.
Please
take
this
very
careful
very
seriously
and
are
doing
thorough,
independent
investigations
to
ensure
that
those
who
are
responsible
for
these
kinds
of
actions
are
in
fact
brought
to
justice.
That
means
working
to
ensure
they've
got
the
strongest
possible
case
that
they
can
build
it's
often
working
in
in
with
very
different,
difficult
circumstances.
What
they
need
is
information.
What
they
need
is
people
who
know
things
to
come
forward
to
assist
them
in
their
investigations.
J
I
want
to
assure
you
that
the
police
are
doing
everything
they
can.
They
brief
me
on
a
regular
basis
in
terms
of
what
what
what's
taking
place
and
what's
happening
and
I
can
assure
you
when
charges
are
laid
and
at
some
point
they
will
be.
We
expect
them
to
be
prosecuted
to
the
fullest
extent
of
the
law.
B
I
I
I
I
J
Make
a
a
couple
of
points:
first,
off
I'm
sure
the
member
did
not
intend
to
recall
members
of
the
government,
terrorists
I'm
I'm
sure
he
did
not,
and
if
he
did,
he
would
withdraw
those
remarks
when
he
has
the
opportunity
to
do
that.
I
also
want
to
take
exception.
With
his
comments
about
supposed
investigations.
J
J
So,
to
suggest
that
the
police
are
doing
supposed
investigations,
that's
insulting
and
I
will.
B
J
The
police,
the
police,
are
doing
their
job
in
terms
of
thorough
investigations
if
they
need
resources,
they
get
them
from
us.
We
have
an
independent
judicial
system
and
I
can
tell
you,
as
I
said
a
moment
ago.
I
expect
at
some
point
when
they've
concluded
their
investigations
and
it
too
often
difficult
and
complex
situations
and
they're
determined
to
get
to
the
bottom
of
it.
J
B
K
Thanks
honorable
speaker,
every
day
we
hear
stories
of
the
crisis
in
our
health
care
System.
Every
day
we
hear
stories
of
the
shortage
of
healthcare
workers,
but
at
a
time
when
we
need
all
hands
on
deck,
thousands
of
doctors
and
nurses
who
want
to
work
are
sitting
on
the
sidelines
since
June
of
last
year.
The
official
opposition
has
repeatedly
urged
the
government
to
provide
a
pathway
for
all
British
Columbians
to
return
to
work,
just
like
the
federal
government
and
nearly
every
other
jurisdiction
in
Canada.
K
There
is
no
reason
why
we
cannot
follow
their
lead,
especially
with
safety
protocols
in
place,
so
on
behalf
of
the
tens
of
thousands
of
British
Columbians
waiting
without
basic
health
care.
When
is
this
Premier
going
to
allow
these
doctors
and
nurses
back
to
their
jobs
so
that
they
can
provide
the
care
that
people
desperately
need.
L
Honorable
speaker,
the
actions
that
have
been
taken
in
British
Columbia
against
the
covid-19
pandemic
in
support
of
people
who
are
most
vulnerable,
I,
think
have
led
Canada
and
have
been
leaders
in
the
world
and
the
reason
they've,
LED,
Canada
and
leaders
of
the
world
is
that
provincial
Health
orders
have
been
directed
by
the
provincial
Health
officer
with
the
support
of
myself
and
the
government.
L
We
have
honorable
speaker
in
British
Columbia
vaccine
mandates
in
place
because
people
who
are
in
acute
care
and
people
who
are
in
long-term
care
and
other
circumstances
are
the
most
vulnerable
to
covet
19.,
and
so
we
have
and
we
continue
to
take
actions
to
protect
them
and
we
are
and
going
to
continue
to
do
so.
I
understand
it's
the
position
of
the
honorable
member,
and
this
is
a
public
debate
and
I
say
it
with
the
greatest
of
respect,
because
I've
never
criticized
anybody
for
taking
a
contrary,
opinion
to
ourselves
or
Dr
Henry
or
anybody
else.
L
But
what
he's
suggesting
is
that
we
overrule
the
provincial
Health
officer
on
a
matter
of
public
health
in
a
pandemic.
I,
don't
agree
with
that
and
honorable
speaker
not
take
due
care
for
people
who
are
the
most
vulnerable
to
covid-19
those
who
are
in
acute
care
hospitals
as
we
speak
and
are
in
long-term
care.
I.
Disagree
with
that.
So
we
have
a
members.
A
A
M
Thank
you.
Thank
you
very
much.
Mr
Speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
she
and
I
have
had
an
opportunity
to
to
speak
on
many
occasions
over
many
freshette
and
recent
calendar
years,
where
Rhodes
in
the
Caribou
have
sustained
significant
damage.
Where
slide
activity
has
emerged
where
it
was
previously
not
a
factor.
M
This
is
due
to
the
impact
of
wildfires,
as
the
member
correctly
noted,
but
I
think
the
member
also
knows
that
in
every
instance,
where
we
have
literally
restored
connectivity
for
hundreds
of
roads,
this
government
has
spared
no
expense
to
get
people
to
and
from
work
to
and
from
school
to
use
the
construction
seasons
in
the
spring
and
summer
to
work
as
quickly
as
we
can
to
restore
the
Caribou
communities
that
have
lost
Road
access,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that.
I
know
we
have
a
budget
pending
this
afternoon.
M
The
member
will
have
an
opportunity
to
see
what
the
investment
plan
looks
like
in
her
region,
as
indeed
all
mlas
will
look
in
their
own
region.
But
we
have
worked
with
the
federal
government
on
disaster
financial
assistance.
We
have
spent
hundreds
of
millions
of
dollars
on
the
West
Fraser
Road,
for
example,
to
in
fact
reallocate
corridors
to
areas
that
are
away
from
climate
risk
to
to
to
further
damage
in
the
future
to
build
resiliency.
And
we
will
continue
to
do
that.
M
N
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
The
disaster
financial
assistance
program
is
just
that
a
complete
disaster
as
it
fails
to
provide
proper
and
necessary
supports
to
people
who
have
lost
everything
in
devastating
wildfires
in
August
of
2001.
Over
80
of
my
constituents,
including
Neil
Morgan,
lost
everything
his
home,
his
sawmill
in
the
devastating
White
Rock
Lake
Fire
wildfire
that
struck
communities
all
over
the
region.
The
official
opposition
is
called
for
a
grant
program
to
offer
high-risk
Wildfire
area
homeowners.
My
colleague
from
kamloop
South
has
introduced
a
bill
to
improve
the
DFA
claim
process
dramatically.
O
Thank
you
so
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
that
very
important
question.
What
we
have
seen
in
recent
years
as
a
result
of
climate
change
is
an
increased
frequency,
duration,
scope
of
extreme
weather
events.
It
there
can
be
no
doubt
the
climate
crisis
is
here,
and
it
is
here
now.
The
impacts
are
very,
very
real.
We
only
have
to
point
to
well,
actually
you
can
point
to
a
lot
of
different
extreme
weather
events,
but
certainly
the
atmospheric
River
events
of
2021
is
a
perfect
example
of
that.
O
We
also
recognize
very
quickly
that
the
volume
of
applications
that
we
were
receiving
was
not
a
volume
that
embc
at
the
time
was
equipped
for
so
many
more
people
were
staffed
up
to
to
support
that
process,
but
even
after
all
of
these
learnings,
even
at
this
point,
at
which
point
we
have
and
and
to
the
member,
we
have
now
successfully
processed
99
of
the
DFA
applications
from
that
event.
But
even
today
we
recognize
that
there
is
a
lot
more
that
needs
to
be
done
and
I
apologize
you're.
O
The
member
is
talking
about
wildfires
as
well,
there's
extraordinary
work
and
damage
that
has
happened
about
wildfires
I
apologize
for
focusing
on
the
atmospheric
River
events
that
the
reason
why
I
focus
there
is
because
a
lot
of
what
we
learned
about
the
DFA
program
and
its
inability
to
support
to
fully
support
people
through
extraordinary
events
was
learned.
From
that
event,
we
know
that
the
DFA
program
must
be
modernized.
We
know
that
the
program
must
be
evolved,
and
that
is
work
that
we're
going
to
be
doing
this
year.
O
B
P
The
strike
is
already
causing
frustration
and
anger
for
those
who
rely
to
get
to
school
to
work,
to
their
medical
appointments,
and
last
year
the
NDP
failed
to
help
people
during
the
Ceta
Sky
Transit
strike
the
longest
strike
in
BC's
history.
It's
unacceptable
that
this
government
sits
idly
by
while
people
are
stranded
in
the
freezer
Valley.
My
question
is
to
the
premier
and
it's
a
direct
one.
P
Q
Thank
you
making
sure
that
people
in
the
Fraser
Valley
are
able
to
get
to
work
and
get
home
spend
time
with
their
families.
Get
there
officially
has
been
front
of
mind
for
this
government,
since
we
were
sworn
in
you've
seen
the
Surrey
Langley
Sky,
Train
expansion,
you've
seen
the
expansion
and
the
extension
of
our
expansion
work
around
Highway
One.
These
are
front
of
mind.
The
member
importantly
raises
an
issue
affecting
people
right
now.
Q
The
strike
and
I
have
every
confidence
that
both
the
employer
and
the
workers
are
going
to
get
to
work
and
get
a
deal
that
works
for
people
in
the
community.
But
we
are
not
going
to
leave
those
commuters
stranded.
We
are
focused
on
making
sure
we
are
focused
on
making
sure
that
they
get
to
get
to
school,
get
to
work.
That's
a.
J
Q
Q
They're
concerned
about
Public
Safety
they're
concerned
about
disaster
and
flood
recovery,
around
essential
infrastructure,
for
people
up
the
valley
and
across
the
entire
Province.
Well,
so,
are
we
honorable
speaker?
That's
why
we're
putting
the
Surplus
to
work
for
people
investing
in
these
very
areas
that
they're
talking
about?
That's
why
the
budget
today
that
will
be
delivered
by
the
Finance
Minister
is
going
to
invest
in
exactly
these
areas.
Q
But
but
can
you
believe
it
honorable
speaker
that
this
morning,
on
global
news,
the
leader
of
the
opposition
didn't
get
the
memo
from
all
his
colleagues
because
he
said
if
he
was
in
charge
right
now,
he'd
be
using
that
Surplus
not
for
people
he'd
be
using
it
to
pay
down
the
debt.
Honorable
speaker
so
there's
a
difference.
There's
a
difference.
Q
We're
doing
that
work
we
agree
with
that.
We
need
to
do
that
work.
The
Finance
Minister
is
going
to
do
that
in
the
budget
today,
I'm
so
proud
of
her
and
the
work
she
and
her
team
has
done,
and
every
single
member
of
this
house
fighting
for
people
in
British
Columbia.
That's
how
we're
doing
things
differently.