►
From YouTube: APRIL 25 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
C
Mr
Speaker
in
communities
across
British
Columbia,
the
epidemic
of
violent
crime,
continues
to
get
worse.
Innocent
people
are
being
stabbed,
beaten
and
brutally
assaulted.
At
a
rate
we've
never
seen
before,
and
the
one
expectation
that
every
reasonable
person
would
have
is
that
when
a
repeat
offender
who
has
committed
a
violent
crime
who
has
breached
conditions
of
their
release?
C
C
D
I
would
just
want
to
thank
the
member
for
the
question
on
this
very
important
issue.
Public
Safety
is
something
that
this
government
takes
very
seriously.
In
fact,
we've
been
leading
the
charge
to
ask
for
bail
reform
from
the
federal
government.
We
issued
a
directive
to
the
BC
prosecution
service
that
resulted
in
the
strictest
bail
policy
in
all
of
Canada,
and
the
preliminary
results
are
showing
that
a
majority
of
those
cases
detentions
are
are
being
denied.
That's
why
Mr
Speaker?
D
We
as
a
government
have
been
seeking
Federal
reform
to
the
criminal
code,
which
is
the
law
of
the
land.
We've
joined
ministers
from
across
this
country
and
received
a
commitment
from
the
federal
government
that,
as
early
as
this
spring,
they
would
amend
the
criminal
code
and
we,
as
the
government,
will
continue
to
keep
that
pressure
on.
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
C
Thanks
Mr
Speaker
well
to
the
attorney
the
government
can
ask
for
all
the
reforms
it
wants.
I
can
guarantee
you
this.
If
the
government
doesn't
ask
to
have
a
violent
repeat,
offender
detained,
they
won't
be,
and
in
half
of
the
cases
that
came
before
the
courts.
According
to
this
data,
the
government
didn't
even
bother
to
ask.
C
C
With
the
rate
of
violent
crime,
the
list
of
innocent
victims
piling
up.
Why
on
Earth?
Is
the
government
refusing
to
at
least
ask
the
courts
in
half
of
the
cases
of
repeat
violent
offenders
who
are
wanted
on
a
warrant
who
have
already
breached
a
condition
of
release?
Is
the
government
not
even
asking
them
the
name
of
Public
Safety
to
have
those
violent
offenders
detained.
D
You
Mr
Speaker,
Public
Safety
is
something
we
take
very
seriously
and
that's
why
we
have
the
strictest
bail
policy
in
all
of
Canada.
In
fact,
Saskatchewan
has
adopted
our
bail
policy,
as
the
member
knows
as
an
affirmi,
a
former
Attorney
General,
the
Crown
Council
is,
is
tasked
with
like
an
independent
charge
assessments,
but
what
we
know
is
that
when
they
do
seek
detention,
they've
determined
that
there's
a
public
safety
risk
or
there's
public
confidence
at
risk
of
the
just
system.
That's
when
they're
seeking
detention
and
in
those
cases
in
a
majority
of
time,
that's
denied.
D
What
we
have
said
is
a
government
repeatedly
and
what
we'll
continue
to
say
is
the
federal
government
needs
to
make
bail
reform
a
priority.
The
premier
met
with
premiers
across
the
country
last
Friday
I
ishered
a
letter
to
Minister
lametti
asking
for
those
changes
and
will
continue
to
advocate
for
them.
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,.
B
A
You
Mr
Speaker
and
once
again,
instead
of
addressing
the
premier's
fail,
Catch
and
Release
justice
system,
the
NDP
has
opted
to
manipulate
the
numbers.
The
premier
only
told
half
of
the
story
when
he
tried
to
shift
the
blame
for
not
doing
his
job
on
delivering
on
the
promises
that
he
made.
The
reality
is
is
that,
under
this
soft
on
crime,
Premier
The
Province
only
seeks
Detention
of
violent
offenders
who
breach
their
bail
conditions
in
50
percent
of
the
cases
so
for
prolific
offender
commits
a
violent
crime
while
out,
while
out
on
bail.
Why,
on
Earth?
D
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
as
the
member
would
know,
as
somebody
who's
participated
in
the
criminal
justice
system
before
Crown
Council
has
the
independent
charge
assessment
process,
but
what
we
do
know
with
the
stats
that
were
held
and
released
by
the
BC
prosecution
service
is
that
when
Crown
has
made
an
assessment
that
Public
Safety
is
at
issue
or
the
public
confidence
and
the
just
system
is
at
issue
and
they're
seeking
detention
that,
in
in
a
majority
of
time,
that's
denied.
That's
why
we're
calling
on
bail
reform?
D
A
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker
and
our
attorney
general
is
correct.
I
do
have
experience
working
with
our
criminal
justice
system,
so
I
do
know
for
a
fact
that
it
is
this
attorney
general
who
sets
the
framework
for
charge
Assessments
in
British
Columbia.
It's
this
attorney
general
that
would
be
setting
the
guidelines
for
what's
considered
in
the
public
interest,
and
I
can
tell
you
that
we've
been
asking
them
to
consider
it
in
the
public
interest
to
put
people's
safety
above
the
rights
of
criminals
in
this
province.
A
Meanwhile,
four
people
a
day
are
randomly
attacked
in
Vancouver
every
single
day,
Mr
Speaker.
So
instead
of
deflecting
blame
onto
judges
or
the
federal
government,
will
the
Attorney
General
take
responsibility
and
mandate
that,
in
every
case,
involving
a
prolific
offender
committing
a
violent
crime
out
on
bail
that
they're
going
to
seek
detention.
D
You
Mr
Speaker,
we
have
the
strictest
fail
policy
in
all
of
Canada.
In
fact,
the
Saskatchewan
has
adopted
largely
our
bail
policy.
We
have
asked
our
Crown
Council
as
I
mentioned
before,
to
use
everything
that
they
can
within
the
current
federal
law
to
address
repeat
violent
offenders.
They
make
independent
charge
assessments
as
I
mentioned
before
and
when
they
make
those
assessments,
and
they
determine
that
Public
Safety
and
the
public
confidence
in
the
just
system
is
at
risk.
They
seek
detention.
D
E
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
more
than
11
000
British
Columbians
have
died
from
toxic
illicit
drugs
since
2016..
It's
the
leading
cause
of
unnatural
deaths
in
our
Province,
and
these
deaths.
Mr
Speaker
are
preventable
of
all
the
people
who
use
drugs
in
this
province.
Less
than
one
percent
can
access
safe
Supply.
According
to
this
government's
own
numbers,
hundreds
of
thousands
of
British
Columbians
use
drugs
and
a
hundred
thousand
of
those
people
have
an
opioid
dependence.
E
This
government
says
that
saving
lives
is
their
first
priority
and
yet
99
the
people
who
use
drugs,
whether
daily
on
the
weekends
or
just
once
in
a
while
or
just
once,
only
have
access
to
a
toxic
Supply.
That's
killing
thousands
of
British
Columbians.
This
government
could
expand
safe,
Supply
and
save
thousands
of
lives,
but
they're
concerned
about
their
own
political
viability
as
moms.
Stop
the
harm
rights,
it's
the
result
of
stigma
and
lack
of
Will
on
the
part
of
policy
makers.
End
quote
so
my
question
honorable
speakers
to
the
minister
of
mental
health
and
addictions.
F
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
I
thank
the
member
for
raising
a
very
important
question
with
respect
to
work
that
we
have
done
in
this
province.
F
That
is,
that
is
ahead
of
where
many
other
jurisdictions
are
at
with
respect
to
supporting
individuals
who
use
drugs
working
to
have
create
measures
to
try
and
separate
individuals
from
the
toxic
drug
Supply,
we
stood
up
our
prescribed
safer
Supply
program
in
the
midst
of
the
early
days
of
covid,
through
our
risk
mitigation
guidelines
on
the
advice
of
Public
Health
officials,
in
order
to
try
to
support
individuals
in
the
in
the
midst
of
the
pandemic.
F
In
the
in
the
midst
of
profound
just
the
profound
disruption
that
the
pandemic
brought,
we
were
working
very
hard
with
with
providers
with
our
health
authorities,
with
Physicians
with
regulatory
bodies
to
expand
the
the
availability
of
prescribed,
safer
Supply.
We
are
adding
a
more
and
more
Physicians
and
nurse
practitioners
are
stepping
up
every
every
month
to
provide
those
Services.
We
know
the
regulatory
bodies
are
working.
Health
authorities
are
working
will
continue
to
do
that
work.
We
understand
the
importance
of
measures
to
separate
people
from
the
toxic
drug
Supply.
E
I
think
Mr
Speaker.
This
government
should
be
acknowledged
for
taking
the
first
step,
but
the
steps
are
not
far
going
far
enough.
Data
released
found
that
First
Nations
people
are
five
times
more
likely
to
die
from
toxic
drug
poisoning
than
the
rest
of
the
population.
Indigenous
women
died
at
11
times
the
rate
of
other
women
in
British
Columbia.
The
First
Nations
health
authority
said
that
First
Nations
people
have
even
worse
access
to
substance
use
treatment,
including
safe
Supply
than
the
rest
of
the
population.
E
This
math
debt
Mass
death
is
the
result
of
policy
failures
and
policies
that
do
not
go
far
enough
and
it's
disproportionately
harming
First
Nations
people.
Bcndp
government
is
no
ignoring
the
advice
of
its
own
experts.
The
chief
coroner
acknowledged
the
longest
Public
Health
Emergency
in
the
province's
history,
calling
it
in
a
crisis
of
incomprehensible
scale.
E
The
chief
Coroner's
death
review
panel
asked
this
government
to
go
further
on
safe
Supply
through
medical
prescription
and
compassion
club
models,
expanded
safe,
Supply
and
compassion
clubs.
Access
is
nowhere
to
be
seen
in
British
Columbia.
My
question
Mr
speakers
to
the
premier.
Why
has
he
not
supported
the
expansion
of
safe
Supply
to
stop
the
mass
casualties
that
we're
seeing
month
after
month
after
month,
and
in
fact,
year
after
year
after
year,
Mr
Speaker.
F
You
thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and,
and
I
and
I.
F
Do
I
do
want
to
just
acknowledge
the
and
thank
the
thank
the
member
for
raising
the
disproportionate
impact
of
this
crisis
on
on
indigenous
people,
and
I
am
grateful
to
the
work
that
is
done
through
our
first
Nations
health
authority
working
very
closely
with
First
Nations,
Health,
Council
and
First
Nations
on
our
regional
health
authorities
to
identify
those
gaps
in
care
and
supports
for
indigenous
people
that
are
so
critical
for
us
to
to
work
on
to
to
turn
the
to
turn
the
tide.
F
On
this
on
on
the
toxic
drug
crisis,
since
March
2020,
nearly
12
000
people
have
been
connected
with
prescribed,
safer
Supply
and
in
February
2023
over
4
800
people
received
a
prescribed,
safer,
Supply
and
330
of
these
were
people
who
we
connected
to
a
prescription
for
the
first
time,
and
those
are
very
that's
a
very
that's-
a
very
important
approach.
F
Progress
in
terms
of
having
those
individuals
in
a
system
connected
with
with
care
so
that
we
can
continue
to
support
and
continue
to
to
support
that
individual
on
their
Wellness
journey
and
I
know
that
the
coroner
has
done
important
work
with
respect
to
to
looking
at
how
safe
Supply
is
is
working
and
as
confirmed
that
that
that
safe
Supply
is
a
helpful
and
important
tool,
as
our
Public
Health
officials
have
have
have.
Also
advised.
F
Work
is
underway
to
evaluate
how
prescribed
safer
Supply
is,
is,
is
being
offered,
and
we
are
working
with
all
of
our
partners
to
to
scale
up
that
program
so
that
we
can
separate
more
people
from
the
toxic
drug
Supply.
G
Well,
thank
you.
Mr
Speaker
and
I
can
appreciate
the
Attorney
General.
It
must
be
frustrating
to
have
to
clean
up
the
mess
from
the
previous
attorney
general,
because
the
premier
was
the
attorney
general
for
five
years
did
create
a
soft
on
crime,
catch
and
release
system
that
we're
seeing
the
ramifications
of
today
and
what
the
data
has
shown
is
that
the
changes
to
the
direction
of
directives
by
this
government
haven't
worked.
G
50
percent
of
the
people
are
not
moving
forward
and
being
held,
they're
being
released
under
the
soft
on
crime,
dreamers,
Catch
and
Release
justice
system,
there's
still
four
unprovoked.
Stranger
assaults
every
single
day
in
Vancouver
Mr
Speaker.
Despite
all
of
the
hollow
rhetoric
coming
from
this
government,
the
empty
announcements,
violent
prolific
offenders,
continue
to
cause
chaos.
Yesterday
we
learned
that
the
attacker
in
the
high
profile,
Surrey
skytrain
random,
stabbing,
was
apprehended
and
then
promptly
released
back
into
the
community.
G
This
unprovoked
stranger
attack
left
the
victim
with
serious
establuence
to
their
stomach
Mr
Speaker.
What
British
Columbians
want
to
know
is
how
can
someone
stab
a
person
on
the
sky
Train
one
day
and
be
promptly
released
back
on
the
street,
and
why
are
half
a
violent
repeat:
offenders
being
let
off
the
hook
by
this
soft
on
crime,
premiere.
D
You
Mr
Speaker,
as
I
mentioned
before
this
government
takes
Public
Safety
very
seriously,
I
mentioned
earlier
about
having
the
strictest
bail
policy
in
all
of
Canada
and
the
efforts
that
we're
taking
to
step
up
and
haul
on
the
federal
government
to
make
that
change
to
the
criminal
code.
The
judges
are
tasked
with
implementing
independently
the
laws
of
the
land
and
this
in
this
case
it
falls
within
the
federal
government
to
amend
the
criminal
code,
but
we're
not
we're
not
stopping
there.
Mr
Speaker.
D
We
take
Public
Safety
so
seriously
that
I'm
working
with
my
colleagues
across
this
side
to
stand
up
programming
across
this
across
this
province
to
address
repeat
violent
offenders
in
May
1st
we'll
have
the
repeat:
violent
offender
intervention
initiative,
which
will
be
a
collaboration
between
Crown
Council
police
officers,
probation
officers
to
circle
around
these,
these
prolific
violent
offenders
and
to
help
use
every
tool
in
our
justice
system
to
address
their
violence.
My
colleague
from
Public
Safety
is
is
invested.
D
The
largest
investment
in
this
province's
history
in
the
RCMP
officers
and
my
colleague
from
mental
health
and
addictions
has
invested
1
billion
in
mental
health
and
addiction
supports
we're
working
together
as
a
government
to
address
Public
Safety
in
this
province
and
we'll
continue
to
do
so.
Thank
you.
Mr
Speaker
foreign.
G
G
But,
despite
the
overwhelming
evidence,
Mr
Speaker,
all
three
were
released
back
into
community.
That's
the
50
that
don't
even
get
detention
stock
by
this
government.
When
will
the
premier
stop
prioritizing
criminals,
rights
to
reoffend
and
start
putting
the
safety
of
communities
like
Nanaimo
and
everywhere
else
in
this
province?
First.
B
D
You
Mr
Speaker,
as
I
mentioned,
we're
a
government
that
takes
Public
Safety
very
seriously,
in
fact,
some
of
the
communities
that
were
mentioned
by
the
previous
member
Nanaimo
Cranbrook
they're.
What
the
sites
of
these
hubs
for
repeat,
violent
offender
initiatives
this
this
was
built
on
a
program
that
existed
in
2012
that
was
cut
by
that
government.
What
we
saw
in
that
program
was
a
40
reduction
in
repeat
violent,
offending
and
we've
stood
up
that
team
very
quickly.
D
The
BC
prosecution
service,
along
with
police
and
probation
officers,
have
have
done
amazing
work
in
terms
of
standing
up
those
hubs
across
we've
announced
12
across
this
province
and
as
of
May
1st
they'll
be
operational.
It's
Astound!
It's!
It's
amazing
work,
Mr
Speaker
to
have
that
stood
up
it's
because
we
care
about
Public
Safety.
We
care
about
investing
in
the
things
that
are
going
to
make
this
situation
better
for
people
across
this
province
and
will
continue
to
do
so.
Thank
you.
H
D
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
We
have
the
the
strictest
bail
policy
in
all
of
Canada
Mr
Speaker.
We've
asked
our
Crown
Council
through
a
directive
to
seek
detention
and
in
in
situations
where
repeat
filing
and
funding
is
at
issue.
They
make
their
independent
assessments
and
they
do
so
Mr,
Speaker
and
as
I
mentioned
earlier.
This
is
why
we
we
see
and
have
been
advocating
every
time,
I
get
asked.
This
question
in
this
house,
including
my
predecessors,
have
been
saying.
Federal
reform
is
needed
to
the
criminal
code
in
order
to
make
those
changes
we
have
seen.
D
Unfortunately,
this
issue
of
violence
be
in
many
cities
across
this
country.
We
have
joined
premiers
and
ministers
from
across
this
country
to
talk
about
public
safety
issues
and
to
call
upon
the
federal
government
to
make
the
changes
of
the
criminal
code,
but
also
help
us
with
resources.
In
terms
of
responding,
we
haven't
stopped
in
terms
of
standing
up
the
programs
and
using
every
tool
in
our
toolkit
to
address
this
issue
and
we'll
continue
to
do
so.
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
H
H
The
results
could
have
been
immediate.
Instead
of
this
year-long
process
of
spin
Cycles
prolific
offenders
in
communities
like
Vancouver
and
naimo.
Terrorists
continue
to
be
put
back
in
the
community
to
attack
people
and
businesses.
The
George
little
house
in
Terrace
has
experienced
multiple
break-ins
with
the
most
recent
just
occurring
last
month
during
three
of
these
break-ins.
H
These
brazily
stole
artwork
from
local
artists
and
badly
damaged
this
beautiful
Heritage
building,
and
this
was
all
captured
on
video
Debbie
latoski
from
George
Little
House,
says
quote:
these
incidents
have
caused
considerable
financial
hardship
and
loss,
as
well
as
taking
an
emotional
and
physical
toll
on
my
health
and
well-being.
End
quote:
this
is
what
British
Columbians
are
feeling
boarded
up.
Storefronts
violence
and
sleepless
nights
are
not
what
the
residents
of
BC
deserve.
H
B
D
D
Mr
Speaker,
my
role
as
a
just
system
is
to
make
sure
that
we
have
the
tools
needed
to
address
this
issue,
whether
it's
the
repeat,
offender
initiative
that
we're
standing
up
in
12
hubs
across
this
province
or
the
bail
reform
policy
that
we're
calling
and
taking
a
leadership
role
on
for
the
federal
government
or
it's
the
directive
that
we
issued
we're
also
investing
in
things
that
are
needed.
We
have
a
32
percent
increase
in
the
Crown
Council
budget
and
that's
after
the
opposition,
starved
it.
D
D
I
Well,
thank
you
Mr
Speaker.
The
attorney
is
right
in
suggesting
that
the
residents
of
our
Province
do
deserve
to
feel
safe.
What
the
people
of
British
Columbia
don't
understand
is
how
is
it
possible
to
stab
a
resident
one
day
of
this
province
and
be
released?
The
next
the
premier
has
an
obligation,
Mr
Speaker,
to
keep
the
residents
of
this
province
safe.
I
I
D
You
Mr
Speaker.
We
have
the
strictest
strictest
bail
policy,
as
I
mentioned
in
all
of
Canada,
and
that
bail
policy
sets
out
under
the
federal
law.
The
tools
that
are
needed
for
Crown
Crown
Council,
to
make
their
independent
assessments
and
decide,
is
Public
Safety
at
issue
here.
Is
there
something
that
undermines
the
public
confidence
of
our
just
system
and
when
they
seek
that
attention
or
that
detention,
the
majority
of
the
time
it's
denied?
D
Clearly
it
doesn't
matter
it
doesn't
matter
how
many
times
they
seek
what's
needed
is
changes
to
the
criminal
code,
which
is
what
I've
been
saying
and
and
what
we're
taking
action
on
and
advocating
to
the
federal
government.
Thank
you.
Mr
Speaker.
J
What
you're
true
is
that
you
can't
keep
doing
the
same
thing
over
and
over
again
and
expect
different
results
instead
of
defending
the
current
situation.
What
the
Attorney
General
needs
to
do
is
revisit
the
directive
that
her
government
finally
got
around
to
issuing
to
ensure
that
every
single
time
crown
seeks
Detention
of
a
prolific
offender
who
has
committed
a
violent
act
while
on
bail,
that's
exactly
what
this
attorney
general
could
and
should
do,
and
she
knows
it.
J
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
that
British
Columbians
are
worried
about
the
explosion
of
violent
crime
and
prolific
offenders,
and
you
can
imagine
their
surprise
when
they
found
out,
according
to
the
government's
own
data,
that
this
government
doesn't
even
ask
for
detention
in
half
of
the
cases
where
prolific
offenders
are
involved.
So
it
may
be
difficult
for
the
premier
to
accept,
but
blaming
everyone
else
is
inappropriate
when
the
province
fails
to
take
action
in
half
half
of
all
the
cases
involving
repeat
prolific
offenders
and
they
are
committing
crimes.
J
While
they
are
on
bail,
the
Attorney
General
knows
she
could
do
something
about
that.
In
fact,
we
gave
her
a
road
map
over
a
year
ago
about
a
directive
that
would
have
made
a
specific
difference
related
to
prolific
offenders.
Instead,
they
chose
to
do
something
else.
People
are
fed
up
with
the
never-ending
violence
in
this
province
and
this
soft
on
crime
primer.
So
today
will
the
Attorney
General
do
the
right
thing.
D
D
We
we
have,
if
issued
a
directive
that
has
resulted
in
the
strictest
bail
policy
in
all
of
Canada
Mr
Speaker,
the
the
Crown
Council
as
as
I
think
two
former
attorney
generals
have
spoken
and
asked
me
questions.
They
understand
that
the
Crown
Council
makes
independent
charge
assessments
when
it
comes
to
it,
but
what
we
do
know
is
when
they
are
seeking
detention,
there's
an
issue
of
Public,
Safety
and
public
administrative
adjust
system
when
they
seek
that
detention
and
majority
of
the
times
it's
denied.
So
whether
we
our
directive
is
a
solid
one.