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From YouTube: MAY 2 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
A
The
premier's
spectacular
failure
to
deliver
for
Surrey
parents
has
left
10
000
students
to
languish
in
Portables.
In
fact,
families
in
Syria
are
now
getting
the
opposite
of
what
the
NDP
promised.
There
isn't
even
room
for
more
Portables
on
school
grounds.
The
NDP
promised
portable
free
schools
by
2020,
but
instead
they've
given
Surrey
the
Absurd
absurdity
of
double
decker,
Portables,
Mr
Speaker.
So
a
simple
question
for
the
premier:
will
the
MVP
ever
keep
their
promise
to
eliminate
Surrey
Portables?
And,
if
so,
when.
C
Thank
you
so
much
honorable
speaker
and
really
appreciate
the
Newfound
interest
from
the
opposition
on
education
funding
and
investments
in
schools.
Honorable
speaker
I
really
appreciate
it.
It
certainly
wasn't
the
case.
It
wasn't
certainly
wasn't
the
case
on
our
speaker
when
they
were
on
this
side
of
the
house.
Honorable
speaker,
it
was
not
the
case,
but
that
time
in
opposition.
C
I
appreciate
the
time
and
opposition
has
has
changed
their
views
on
investments,
in
education
and
and
in
schools.
On
our
speaker
now
the
member
asked
the
question
and
the
member
wasn't
here,
but
many
of
her
colleagues
were
she'll
know
that
when
the
leader
of
the
opposition,
the
leader
of
the
opposition,
was
the
Minister
of
Finance,
he
gave
zeros
for
four
years
as
Minister
of
Finance
for
budgets,
for
capital,
for
schools
and
sorry,
zero.
C
C
C
You
I
think
it's
important
to
note
that
we
had
a
Supreme
Court
decision
that
came
down
because
of
the
the
rights
that
they
Stripped
Away
from
teachers
that
came
in,
which
meant
we
needed
more
additional
seats
above
and
beyond
what
we
had
already
projected
that
we
needed
the
shortfall.
We
also
have
seen.
250
000
people
come
to
British
Columbia
and
many
of
those
people
are
coming
to
Surrey.
So
we
acknowledge
that
the
demand
is
there
and
it's
growing
and
we
welcome
people
all
across
British
Columbia.
C
But
honorable
speaker,
ten
thousand
seats
is
what
we're
delivering
as
a
government,
ten
thousand
seats
in
the
city
of
Surrey,
not
in
the
province
City
of
Surrey,
honorable
speaker
and
in
fact
I.
Don't
think
of
the
member
asked
questions,
and
she
knows
that.
There's
a
brand
new
elementary
school
that
we've
announced
that's
coming
in
her
community
as
well.
It's
honorable
speaker,
significant
Investments,
are
being
made
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
make
more
Investments.
A
B
A
Don't
they
don't
like
the
fact
honorable
speaker,
but
but
this
is
a
quote.
This
is
a
direct
quote
honorable
speaker,
a
total
removal
of
these
Portables
over
the
course
of
the
next
four
years.
End
quote
and
I'm.
A
Sorry,
if
that
hurts
your
feelings,
that
it
was
a
clear
promise
and
timeline
yet,
as
with
other
issues,
a
huge
Chasm,
huge
Chasm
between
the
premier's
rhetoric
and
their
terrible
results,
results
that
include
a
17.5
million
dollars
that
the
school
district
has
now
been
forced
to
pay
for
Portables
that
were
supposed
to
be
eliminated
and
now
double
decker.
Portables
I'll
ask
again,
because
the
question
really
wasn't
answered:
has
the
premier
utterly
abandoned
his
promise
to
eliminate
Portables
and
Surrey?
And
if
not,
what
are
the
revised
timelines.
C
A
B
C
You
so
much
I
appear
to
have
hit
a
soft
spot
there.
Honorable
speaker,
I,
will
say
that
a
member
mentioned
a
couple.
Things
I
think
it's
important
for
the
member
to
know.
Perhaps
you
can
talk
to
the
colleagues
around.
They
actually
cut
adult
basic
education
when
they
were
in
government.
They
actually
made
cuts
to
it
and
I
appreciate
the
member
wasn't
here
for
that,
but
her
colleagues
around
her
can
tell
her
honor
speaker.
Not
only
are
we
investing
in
schools,
honorable
speaker,
members.
B
C
Honorable
speaker,
not
only
are
we
already
investing
10
000
new
seats,
so
above
the
8
000
also
for
growth.
We
know
there
needs
to
be
more,
but
honorable
speaker,
it's
not
just
the
the
the
structures
that
we
need.
We
also
need
to
invest
in
in
the
classrooms
in
our
Educators
24
increase
in
funding
per
student.
Since
we
formed
government
24
increase.
C
E
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker.
Well,
although
the
minister
sister
likes
to
avoid
the
actual
question,
I
will
bring
it
back
to
the
completely
failed
Promise
by
the
NDP
to
deliver
or
to
eliminate
Portables.
Now
you
would
expect
the
premier
and
his
governance
to
display
at
least
some
embarrassment
for
so
brazenly
betraying
their
promises
to
families.
E
It's
not
just
Surrey
Mr
Speaker,
getting
the
ndp's
double
decker,
Portables.
Here's!
What
souk
School
Board
chair,
Ravi,
parmar,
says
quote.
One
of
the
things
that
we
have
to
do
in
the
absence
of
new
school
builds
is
to
add
Portables.
The
province
is
not
able
to
fund
at
the
pace
of
growth
that
we're
seeing
in
the
souk
school
district.
End
quote.
Apparently,
this
NDP
candidate
hasn't
received
the
message
guide
yet,
which
is
strange
as
this
political
staffer
works
just
down
the
hallway.
So
why
Mr
Speaker?
B
C
C
He's
a
high
school
student
who
just
didn't
accept
the
cuts
that
were
being
made.
He
found
it
was
unacceptable
and
coming
out
of
high
school,
he
decided
he
was
going
to
run
to
be
on
the
school
board
to
make
a
difference
in
his
community
home
speaker
brand
new
investments
in
that
community.
In
fact,
I
had
a
chance
to
visit
some
of
the
schools
that
are
brand
new
at
opening
up
in
those
communities
seeing
the
teachers
that
were
being
hired
honorable
speaker
now.
C
Additional
brand
new
1500
seats,
McGill
Elementary,
605
seats,
Sullivan,
Elementary,
honestly
I'm,
not
even
halfway
through
the
list
and
that's
what's
already
open
and
honorable
speaker.
We
have
brand
new
Investments
that
are
happening
to
open
additional
seats,
but
not
only
investments
in
the
classrooms,
but
investments
in
the
teachers
and
the
resources
and
classrooms.
E
E
Speaker
so
results
are
what
matter
and
from
Surrey
to
Langford.
This
Premier
is
failing
miserably
to
provide
the
schools.
Students
desperately
need
the
crowding
and
proliferation
of
Portables
is
forcing
schools
to
stack
students
in
double
decker,
Portables.
Here's.
F
E
C
I
appreciate
all
speaker,
the
the
the
opposition
now
not
being
in
favor
of
Portables.
They
will
remember
that
there
was
a
minister
of
Education
that
sat
on
there
sat
within
them,
Minister
Fassbender,
who,
on
record
multiple
times,
said,
there's
nothing
wrong
with
Portables
several
occasions
on
the
speaker
now.
C
C
Honorable
speaker,
I
can
share
with
the
members
that
we
have
not
only
the
10
000
that
I've
already
committed
to
I've
already
said
we're
also
opening
to
tatalu
elementary
school
in
the
members.
Writing
that
asked
the
question.
Semiyamu
Trail
Elementary
is
getting
expansion.
Quantum
Park
Secondary
is
getting
an
expansion.
Kb
Woodward
Elementary
is
getting
expansion
cenokomish
elementary
brand
new
elementary
school
coming,
Tammy
secondaries,
getting
expansion,
Guilford
Park,
Secondary
expansion,
Fleetwood
Park,
Secondary
expansion,
Clayton's
height
secondary,
is
getting
expansion.
Forsyth
Road
Elementary
is
getting
expansion.
C
Let
me
catch
my
breath
because
there's
more
sites
secured
for
darts
Hill
Elementary
so
because
you
know
we
have
to
buy
land
because
the
opposition
sold
the
land
to
private
Developers.
F
F
The
reality
is
that
government
creates
the
conditions
to
that
lead
to
so
many
children
becoming
lost,
going
missing
or
disappearing
from
care
after
the
tragic
death
of
Trayvon
de
janelecu,
the
minister
and
her
Ministry
said
that
they
were
making
changes
to
improve
in
care
services,
calling
the
changes
quote
transformational,
but
we've
heard
this.
For
decades.
Honorable
speaker,
there
have
been
reports
on
the
failures
of
BC
child's
welfare
system
for
decades.
The
reports
have
been
saying
the
same
things
for
decades.
F
G
You
very
much
honorable
speak
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question.
Nothing
is
more
important
than
the
safety
and
well-being
of
the
children.
Youth
who
are
in
our
care
when
a
child
or
youth
is
missing.
Immediate
steps
to
take
an
honorable
speaker.
We
want
to
make
sure
that
they
receive
the
same
response
as
any
caring,
parent
and
I
can
tell
you
that
our
Frontline
staff
immediately
take
steps
to
locate
those
children
and
youth
and
to
make
sure
that
they
are
kept
in
a
safe
home
as
well.
G
Honorable
speaker,
we
have
been
making
changes
to
the
in-care
system.
We
know,
and
the
representative
has
reminded
us
that
there
is
a
lack
of
a
sense
of
belonging
for
Children
and
Youth
who
are
in
the
care
system.
So
we've
taken
steps
to
make
sure
that
children
and
youth
are
connected
to
their
family,
to
their
community
and
to
their
culture.
G
We're
taking
steps
to
change
the
system
to
make
sure
that,
when
children,
youth,
if
they
do,
have
to
come
into
care
that
that
needs
the
met
and
that
their
placement,
their
home
and
their
carers,
are
there
to
meet
their
needs.
Honorable
speaker,
the
other
thing
that
we
have
done
is
we
have
passed
legislation.
F
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
the
minister
started
with
the
statement
that
exactly
the
same
statement
that
was
sent
to
Katie
Hislop
in
the
Thai.
Nothing
is
more
important
than
the
safety
and
well-being
of
Children
and
Youth
who
are
in
our
care
and
yet
the
data
the
evidence,
the
reality
for
so
many
of
these
children
demonstrates
that
that
is
not
the
outcome
that
is
happening
over
nine
months.
In
2022,
an
average
of
432
children
went
missing
each
month.
Four
children
died.
F
The
report
from
the
representative,
children,
youth,
States,
quote,
a
lack
of
action
by
authorities,
has
resulted
in
the
child
welfare
system
continuing
to
function
as
a
pipeline
to
child
exploitation,
sex
trafficking
and
murdered
and
missing
indigenous
women
and
girls.
It's
time
for
us
to
stop
with
the
talking
points
to
stop
with
the
endless
efforts
to
protect
this
system.
The
system
is
failing.
It's
built
on
a
system
that
was
designed
to
remove
indigenous
children
from
their
families.
That
is
the
foundation
of
this
system.
It
continues
to
work
in
this
way.
There
is
a
multi-level
failure.
F
An
honorable
speaker,
I
think
it
would
be
really
important
for
every
member
of
this
house
and
for
the
public
to
know
that
for
each
child
in
care,
this
government
budgets
135
thousand
dollars
per
year
per
child.
If
we
want
to
keep
children
with
their
families,
let's
take
a
significant
portion
of
that
and
provide
it
to
the
families
so
that
they
can
meet
the
needs
of
their
children,
135
thousand
dollars
per
child
per
year.
A
lot
of
that
going
to
for-profit
group
homes,
where
nobody
can
tell
you
where
those
are.
B
G
You
very
much
honorable
speaker
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
when
any
child
or
youth
is
injured
or
or
there's
a
death.
It's
a
terrible
tragedy.
Honorable
speaker
and
my
heart
goes
out
to
anybody
connected
with
those
children
and
youth
when
a
child
or
youth
from
care
is
missing.
Every
step
is
taken
to
locate
that
child
or
Youth
and
to
make
sure
that
they
are
in
a
safe
home
and
that
they
have
the
supports
and
services
that
they
need.
G
Honorable
speaker
I
appreciate
the
report
from
the
representative,
we're
taking
the
recommendations
very
seriously
and
we
will
be
responding
to
them
very
quickly
with
and
in
collaboration
with
our
staff
with
partner
agencies
with
indigenous
service
providers
as
well.
Honorable
speaker,
we
have
made
some
progress
here
in
Chambers.
G
Just
last
November
honorable
speaker,
we
passed
really
significant
legislation
to
support
indigenous
indigenous
jurisdiction
because
we
know
that
indigenous
children,
youth
have
been
overrepresented
in
the
system
for
far
too
long,
and
we've
absolutely
committed
to
changing
that
and
to
working
with
indigenous
Nations
and
communities
so
that
children
and
youth
are
able
to
stay
connected
to
their
family,
to
their
community
and
to
their
culture.
We
have
a
lot
more
work
to
do
honorable,
speaker
and
I'm
absolutely
committed
to
doing
it.
H
Well,
thank
you.
Mr
Speaker
I'm
glad
we're
talking
about
the
safety
of
children
today,
because
every
day
in
British
Columbia
parents
fear
their
children
will
encounter
needles
in
parks
and
playgrounds
due
to
the
premier's
Reckless
decision
to
permit
the
open
and
use
open
use
of
dangerous
drugs
like
crystal
meth,
crack,
cocaine
and
Fentanyl.
H
What
the
public
doesn't
understand
is
why
why
having
a
beer
in
a
public
park
is
strictly
regulated,
there
are
no
restrictions
or
ban
on
using
drugs
like
crystal
meth
crack,
cocaine
and
Fentanyl
I
mean
frankly,
it's
absurd
that
we're
even
having
this
debate.
Will
the
premier
Implement
a
provincial
ban
on
the
public
use
of
drugs
like
crystal
meth,
crack,
cocaine
and
Fentanyl?
Yes
or
no.
I
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
member
for
the
question
which
relates
to
the
pilot
project
of
decriminalization
of
of
drugs,
which,
of
course,
is
in
the
context
in
our
province
of
an
unrelenting
toxic
drug
crisis,
which
is
the
leading
cause
of
unnatural
death
in
our
province.
I
And
that
is
why
we
have
taken
these
steps
and
answered
a
call
from
police
from
Frontline
care
providers,
from
public
health,
from
municipalities
to
remove
the
fear
and
stigma
for
people
who
are
dealing
with
problematic
substance
use
and
to
decriminalize
small
amounts
of
illicit
drugs,
so
that
we
are
better
positioned
to
connect
those
individuals
to
care
and
support.
Municipalities
through
the
ubcm
have
been
a
part
of
our
core
planning
table
working
with
with
all
of
our
partners
on
developing
the
the
application
for
exemption.
I
They
continue
to
be
very
much
part
of
monitoring
and
and
and
overseeing
the
implementation
of
this,
and
they
will
work
very
closely
as
they
have
been
doing
with
their
Public
Health
officers
to
to
assess
the
impact
of
this
on
the
ground
round
and
to
and
to,
and
we
will
continue
to
work
with
them
to
respond
to
any
concerns
that
may
arise
as
we
have
been
doing
throughout
and
I'm
very
grateful
for
the
collaboration
of
municipalities
on
the
serious
Public
Health
matter.
H
Well,
Mr
Speaker,
the
minister
suggested
removing
fear
you've
created
in
our
communities,
and
that
answer
is
not
good
enough
for
the
parents
that
are
very
fearful.
Let's
take
Campbell
River
as
an
example
of
what
this
Premier
through
his
total
absence
of
lead
leadership
is
forcing
municipalities
to
do
municipalities
that
are
simply
trying
to
keep
their
children
safe.
H
Back.
In
January,
they
passed
a
bylaw
to
provide
a
law
enforcement
with
the
tools
to
address
open
drug
use
in
public
areas.
However,
confronted
with
provincial
opposition
and
a
lawsuit
from
the
premier's
pivot
legal
Society,
they
had
to
repeal
it.
They've
tried
again
only
to
face
another
setback
this
week
to
have
delay
again
due
to
the
intervention
from
this
minister
Mr
Speaker.
No
one
should
have
to
worry
about
their
children
being
exposed
to
drugs
in
parks
and
playgrounds
and
other
public
spaces.
H
I
You,
honorable
speaker
and
I,
just
I,
mean
the
the
member
with
all
due
respect.
Member
has
some
facts
quite
quite
wrong
with
respect
to
with
respect
to
yeah
in
in
indeed
and
I'll.
I'll,
explain,
first
of
all
by
saying
that
this
project
is
one
tool
that
was
identified
by
the
select
sounding
committee
to
which
all
parties
in
this
house,
with
the
exception
member.
I
Unprecedented
understanding,
non-partisan
understanding
of
the
crisis
impacting
impacting
our
province
with
respect
to
the
toxic
drug
crisis
and
so
I'm
grateful
that
that
we're
at
a
place
where
we're
we're
all
working
together
to
try
to
turn
the
dial
on
this
unrelenting
crisis.
I
But,
let
me
just
say
about
about
Campbell
River,
because
I've
been
to
Campbell
River
I've
toured
Campbell
River
I
have
met
with
service
providers,
I've
met
with
homeless
people,
I've
met
with
doctors,
with
Physicians,
with
nurses
who
work
day
in
and
day
out
to
provide
care
for
people
who
are
homeless
for
people
who
have
addictions
for
people
who
are
struggling
and
that
work.
I
That
is
profound
work,
that
is,
that
is
unfolding
in
a
community
on
the
island
that
has
the
just
about
the
highest
mortality
rate
from
this
crisis
of
any
other
community
on
Vancouver,
Island
and
I
know
that
that
Municipal
council
is
concerned
about
that.
I
know
that
that
Municipal
council
is
working
with
their
medical
health
officer.
I
I
am
looking
forward
to
meeting
in
person
with
with
representatives
from
Campbell
River
to
talk
about
how
we
work
together
to
to
to
engage,
not
just
the
municipality
but
the
First
Nations
implicated
in
this
crisis
in
Campbell
River
as
well,
to
try
to
better
support
the
situation
on
the
ground,
but
that
Council
knows
full
well
that
they
are
working
with
their
medical
health
officer
under
the
law
under
the
public
health
act,
which
requires
municipalities
to
work
with
their
medical
health
officers
on
matters
of
Public
Health.
That's
what
they're
doing
we're
working.
B
D
Mr
Speaker
I
think
it's
very
important.
The
minister
wants
accuracy.
Let's
get
some
actual
accuracy
going
on
this
on
page
48
of
the
all
committee
report.
It
says
very
clearly
they,
as
in
all
of
the
committee,
they
agreed
that
there
must
not
May,
must
be
consideration
of
local
needs
and
circumstances
during
the
implementation
of
decriminalization.
In
this
regard,
members
supported
continuing
consultation
and
support
for
municipalities.
The
simple
fact
is
that
support
doesn't
exist.
The
consultation
hasn't
existed
to
the
level.
Municipalities
want
we're
getting
continued
mixed
messages
from
this
government.
This
Minister
says
it's
health
related.
D
It
has
to
have
approval
through
Health
boards,
the
minister
of
Municipal
Affairs,
says,
and
I
quote:
local
governments
are
elected
by
their
constituents
in
their
Community.
They
know
what
is
best
for
their
communities
and
quote.
We
can't
get
a
straight
answer
out
of
this
government
and
they
keep
talking
about
everything
other
than
open
drug
use
in
parks
and
playgrounds
on
things
like
craft
and
Fentanyl
and
heroin.
D
What
the
public
wants,
what
Mayors
in
Kelowna,
New
Westminster
other
Mayors
and
Council
around
this
province,
is
a
simple
province-wide
ban
around
parks
and
playgrounds,
and
this
government
is
refusing
to
allow
that
to
happen.
Parents
simply
want
their
eight-year-old
to
go
play
on
a
slide
without
needing
the
eight-year-old
to
be
the
drug
intervention
prevention
officer.
Someone
oding
with
open
drug
use
around
that
slide.
D
That's
what
they
want.
They
understand
that
crab
Park
will
not
be
enforced,
that
the
tenting
cabinet
there
will
still
see
drug
use
in
that
Park,
but
they
want
the
tool
to
be
able
to
try
to
enforce
and
move
people
along
help
them
get
treatment
when
they
are
causing
a
problem.
Around
slides
around
swings
around
water
parks.
I
Thank
you.
Thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
the
to
the
member
for
the
question.
I
I
would
suggest,
though,
that
the
confusion
perhaps
is
on
that
side
of
the
house.
The
confusion
is
not
the
municity,
not
with
municipalities.
Municipalities,
understand
full
well
what
their
obligations
are
under
the
public
health
act
and
they
are,
they
routinely
engage
with
with
health
authorities
and
public
health
officials
on
with
respect
to
Public
Health
matters.
I
This
is
no
different
and
there
is
nothing
in
decriminalization
that
restricts
the
tools
that
that
municipalities
have
and
in
fact
we
are
having
ongoing
discussions
with
municipalities.
In
that
regard,
you
know
the
member
raised
the
the
issue
with
respect
to
the
to
the
to
the
health
Canada
requirements
for
the
decriminalization
pilot
project
and
I
will
just
I
will
just
note
that
Health
Canada
approved
the
exemption
based
on
the
submission
that
was
made
and
and
approve
this.
I
This
pilot
project
having
having
reviewed
all
of
the
actions
that
have
been
taken
under
all
of
the
the
points
all
of
the
requirements
that
they
place,
that
they
placed
so
in
regard
to
Alternative
measures
and
being
able
to
direct
individuals
to
to
to
to
to
other
to
to
to
Health
and
Social
Services
supports.
We
have
those
supports
in
place.
We
have
staff
in
place
in
order
to
direct
and
support
individuals,
access
members.
B
I
We
have
an
unprecedented
one
billion
dollar
investment
in
this
budget,
which
follows
on
unprecedented
investments
in
mental
health
and
substance
use
in
previous
Bud
budgets
to
build
out
our
system
of
treatment
and
care
and
I
could
go
on
and
on
and
on,
and
would
be
happy
to
review
that
that
that
list
with
members,
but
more
importantly,
honorable
speaker,
I
I,
I,
think
this
is
a
time
when
we
have
an
unrelenting
crisis
that
impacts
our
communities
in
so
many
different
and
complicated
ways
that
we
need
to
work
together.