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From YouTube: FEB 8 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
B
B
B
One
out
of
five
British
Columbians
cannot
access
a
family
doctor
Cancer
Care
wait
times
amongst
the
worst
in
the
country,
one
million
British
Columbians
that
are
on
a
wait
list
trying
to
see
a
specialist
hundreds
of
thousands
that
are
waiting
to
get
basic,
Medical
Imaging
and
the
latest
report
just
came
out
shows
that
wait
times
at
walk-in.
Clinics
have
more
than
doubled.
B
B
So
my
question
is
this:
at
a
time
when
we're
seeing
the
worst
wait
times
in
the
country,
when
will
this
Premier
and
Minister
and
government
understand
that
government
is
about
more
than
making
announcements
and
issuing
press
releases?
It's
about
doing
the
hard
work
of
rolling
up
your
sleeves
and
getting
improved
results
for
British
Columbia.
D
Respect
to
Primary
Care
honorable
speaker,
Last
Summer,
the
leader
of
the
opposition,
opposed
this
we've
put
in
place
new
new
to
practice,
contracts
for
longitudinal,
family
practice
for
family
care,
for
family
doctors
in
the
community
for
new
doctors.
Typically,
we
get
20
to
30
such
contracts.
So
far
we
have
a
hundred
and
nine
in
communities.
D
D
And
the
leader
of
the
opposition
may
not
have
joined,
but
in
the
one
week
it's
been
in
place.
1726
family
doctors
in
BC
have
joined
honorable
speaker.
We
are
adding
128
new
spaces
to
the
UBC
Medical
School
we're
establishing
a
new
SFU
Medical
School.
Honorable
speaker.
We
are
making
changes
honorable
speaker
to
make
lives
and
access
to
Primary
Care
there
for
British
Columbia's,
we've
added
30,
urgent
and
Primary
Care
Centers
and
yes,
honorable
speaker
they've
served
1.6
million
BC
patients,
that's
action!
That's
the
action!
B
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker
I
can't
wait
to
share
with
the
member.
You
know
headlines
like
BC
number
one
in
healthcare
when
we
were
in
government.
I
am
certainly
happy
to
share
that.
B
See
the
member
the
member
and
the
minister
who
likes
to
stand
up
and
spout
off
statistics.
He
only
this
group
over
here
actually
think
anything
is
getting
better
in
the
Health
Care
System.
Nobody
else
in
the
province
thinks
it's
actually
getting
better,
but
Mr
Speaker.
The
fact
of
the
matter
is
one
out
of
five
British
Columbians
can't
get
access
to
a
doctor,
so
those
patients
that
have
no
attachment
to
a
doctor
are
are
required,
forced
indeed
to
go
to
a
walk-in
clinic,
and
the
problem
is
when.
B
B
With
earlier
this
summer
and
Blaine
has
had
three
Strokes,
he
has
no
family
doctor
and
he
desperately
needs
to
get
paperwork
signed
by
a
doctor
because
he's
trying
to
apply
for
his
long-term
benefits,
he's
he's
entitled
to,
and
so
what
does
he
do?
He
goes
to
the
local
walk-in
clinic
in
Cornell.
There's
a
sign
in.
B
E
B
C
C
D
C
D
Thank
you.
Thank
you
very
much.
Arnold
speaker,
you
know
an
honorable
speaker,
I,
think
some
people
believe
some
people
that
you
keep
repeating
the
same
thing.
That's
not
true.
Over
and
over
again.
D
Minister,
honorable
speaker,
they
keep
repeating
the
64
vice
presidents
over
four
hundred
thousand
dollars.
It's
false.
It
was
false
when
they
first
said
it
was
false.
Last
year
it's
still
false
and
the
fact
is,
and
an
honorable
speaker,
it's
not
like
they
don't
have
access
to
the
information
they
have.
The
information
here
are
the
facts.
If
they're
interested
in
the
facts,
I
suppose
it's
that
we
had
when
I
became
minister
of
Health
64
vice
presidents,
we
have
64
vice
presidents.
D
Now
we
have
added
it's
true:
six
vice
presidents
for
indigenous
Health,
an
action
that
was
supported
by
the
official
opposition.
That's
those
are
the
facts.
What
are
the
facts
that
the
increase
in
salary
for
for
vice
presidents
and
the
health
authorities
is
less
than
Collective
agreements?
Those
are
the
facts,
and
so
people
can
keep
repeating
stuff
all
they
like
and
a
number
of
members.
The
opposition
of
repeated
this
fact
it's
just
not
true
and
I,
think
that
and
I
think
honorable
speaker,
honorable
speaker,
I,
know
that
they
don't
want
to
hear
the
answer.
D
The
answer,
the
answer
is
that
the
way
that
you
change
primary
care
is
to
fundamentally
work
with
doctors
and
nurse
practitioners
and
nurses
to
change
the
system.
And
that's
precisely
what
we're
doing
you
know.
We
can
listen
to
the
leadership
of
the
opposition
or
we
can
listen
to
the
1726.
Doctors
have
signed
up
for
the
new
payment
marks.
We
can
listen
to
the
leader
of
the
opposition
or
we
can
listen
to
the
98.5
percent
of
resident
doctors
who
supported
the
agreement
that
we
negotiated
with
them
to
improve
primary
care
for
all
British
Columbia.
D
Honorable
speaker,
our
Health
Care
Professionals
and
our
health
care
workers,
often
treated
with
utter
contempt,
in
particular
by
the
leader
of
the
opposition
over
the
years
they
were
in
office
protected
with
utter
contemplified.
Honorable
speaker
deserve
our
thanks
and
appreciation
for
their
extraordinary
work
during
this
three
years
of
pandemic.
Honorable
speaker,
they
deserve
better
than
this
honorable
speaker.
They
deserve
our
support,
our
commitment,
our
investment
and
change,
and
that
is
what
they
are
getting.
C
H
F
H
Today,
as
we
speak,
there
are
literally
hundreds
of
thousands
of
British
Columbians
that
are
waiting
without
timely
access
to
absolutely
essential,
Diagnostic
Imaging
yesterday.
In
fact,
I
heard
from
someone
a
woman
who
is
absolutely
in
agony
waiting
for
Imaging.
Maybe
the
minister
would
like
to
speak
to
her
think
about
it.
She's
been
in
constant
pain
for
seven
months,
even
though
the
Benchmark,
the
maximum
is
60
days
for
the
procedure,
and
now
she's
been
told
that
the
Jim
Patterson,
outpatient
and
Surgical
Center
in
Surrey
will
not
book
or
perform
CT's
scans
for
any
patient.
H
That
is
considered
level
three
or
four.
So
to
be
perfectly
clear
to
the
minister.
This
isn't
about
the
staff
there
or
anywhere
in
the
system.
They
are
doing
their
utmost
to
meet
the
needs
of
British
Columbians.
Is
the
minister
aware
of
that
situation
at
Jim
Patterson
and
if
he
is,
what
is
he
going
to
do
about
it?.
D
D
There
are
four
honorable
speaker
operating
19
hours
a
day,
seven
days
a
week
before
you
can,
minister
of
Health
they're
now
19.
in
2017,
we
completed
174
000
MRIs.
Those
are
people
in
BC.
Those
aren't
numbers
the
worst
record
in
the
country.
We've
reduced
the
90th
percentile
wait
time,
which
was
a
major
measure
by
more
than
a
hundred
days
since
they
were
in
government.
Honorable
speaker,
we've
gone
from
174
000
MRIs
to
300
000
in
a
pandemic
in
four
years.
D
We
did
it
by
training
people
and
by
providing
better
service
and
using
our
Public
Health
Resources
more
and
yes
in
Surrey,
in
particular,
adding
three
MRI
machines.
Three
MRI
machines
we've
also
increased
CT
scans
by
220
000
people
every
one
of
them,
an
individual
every
one
of
them
needing
that
care.
Every
one
of
them
referred
by
a
doctor
honorable
speaker,
so
honorable
speaker
on
individual
issues.
The
member
will
know
this.
I
will
always
talk
to
people
always
engage
with
people
always
take
cases
from
members
of
the
opposition
from
everywhere
else
to
address
issues
of
individuals.
D
But
the
record
is
clear
and
the
worst
place
in
BC
get
an
MRI
before
I
became
minister
of
Health.
It
was
in
the
northern
health
authority
22
per
thousand
against
an
average
in
Ontario
66.
That
was
the
record
after
16
years
in
government,
honorable
speaker
and
we've
more
than
doubled
that
honorable
speaker
in
five
years.
We
did
it
honorable
speaker
because
it
is
critical
for
people
to
get
diagnostic
care
when
they
need
it,
I'm
happy
to
look
into
the
case
brought
forward
by
The
Honorable
member.
D
H
I
could
assure
you
that
that
is
exactly.
That.
Answer
is
exactly
why
British
Columbians
are
frustrated.
The
minister
ignores
the
fact
that
there
are
thousands
hundreds
of
thousands
of
British
Columbians
in
pain,
waiting
for
services.
In
fact
the
the
woman
that
I
spoke
to
yesterday.
Here's
what
she
said
about
this
Minister's
record
and
I
quote:
we've
got
to
the
point
where
we
can't
get
sick
end
quote
so
again
to
the
minister.
When
is
he
going
to
stop
dismissing
the
pain
and
Agony
that
thousands
of
British
Columbians
are
experiencing
and
the
minister
can
roll
his
eyes?
H
C
D
D
D
D
Oh
there.
Oh
there,
it's
honorable
speaker
clearly
they're
in
on
some
sort
of
conspiracy
over
there
at
Kai
High.
Another
speaker,
honorable
speaker,
174
000,
to
300
000
in
four
years
is
an
extraordinary
achievement,
not
by
me
but
by
technicians,
honorable
speaker,
by
Radiologists,
by
people
in
the
system.
It's
their
success.
D
The
reduction
in
wait
times
is
their
success
and
we
have
to
continue
to
do
more,
but
that
is
an
exceptional
change,
honorable
speaker,
adding
machines
so
that
people
don't
have
to
go
and
get
private
care
with
their
own
money
and
then
come
back
into
public
health
care,
creating
two
care:
that's
the
leader
of
the
opposition's
response,
but
delivering
care
in
the
public
health
care,
System
full
on
all
the
time
and
that's
what
we
do
in
diagnostic
care.
I
am
happy
to
look
at
any
case
brought
forward
by
anybody.
Honorable
speaker.
G
G
D
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker.
Thank
the
member
for
her
question.
The
couch
and
Hospital
project
honorable
speaker
is
a
critical
project
for
Health
Care
on
Vancouver
Island,
I'm,
very
proud
of
the
project,
we're
adding
a
52
new,
acute
care
beds.
D
You
know
honorable
speaker,
leader,
leaders,
set
examples
and
that
leader
keeps
it
in
an
example,
honorable
speaker,
but
I'm
going
to
answer
the
question.
Honorable
speaker
when
you
a
hospital
project
that
ought
to
have
been
built,
probably
15
years
ago,
is
being
built
in
couch.
Now
it's
going
to
significantly
improve
acute
care
services,
significantly
improve
Mental,
Health
Services.
Allow
us
to
address
surgery
needs
in
a
community
that
is
now
underserved
for
acute
care
because
of
its
growing
size
and
and
the
community.
So
that's
what
we've
done
in
on
the
project.
D
Honorable
speaker
is
clearly
important
to
the
member
we've
had
meetings
that
she
organized
that
I've
been
at
in
her
community
on
this
project.
I
understand
it's
important
to
her,
it's
important
to
the
member
for
Nanaimo
college
and
as
well
and
for
all
of
their
constituents.
So
on
the
question
that
she's
raised,
we've
had
ongoing
conversations
with
the
couch
and
tribes
and
we've
worked
to
bring
all
parties
together
to
involve
to
share
information
and
talk
through
challenges
and
that's
how
you
solve
issues.
As
a
result.
G
We
have
John
Coleman
in
the
gallery
right
now
of
John
Koh
Contracting,
who
has
not
been
allowed
to
work
on
this
site,
a
member
of
couch
and
tribes,
a
man
who
has
for
30
years
mentored
indigenous
people
in
the
trade
and
who
in
October,
had
the
job
at
the
site
of
clearing
the
land
and
then
was
told
he
would
not
be
given
any
further
permits
to
work
at
the
site
and
that
he
and
coats
and
Development
Corporation
are
not
part
of
the
specified
unions
identified
in
the
somewhat
ironically
named
Community
benefits.
Agreement.
G
What's
interesting,
honorable
speaker
is
that
this
change
appears
to
have
happened
on
November,
8th
when
BC
infrastructures
benefit
and
Allied
infrastructure
and
related
construction
Council.
The
two
organizations
who
are
empowered
by
this
government
to
oversee
the
community
benefits
agreement.
They
signed
a
letter
of
understanding,
removing
the
ability
of
coats
and
Development
Corporation,
John,
Coleman
and
local
contractors
to
be
able
to
work
at
the
site,
a
change
that
left
John
and
his
colleagues
out
of
work.
G
G
C
D
Honorable
speaker,
I
answered
the
question
they're
now
eligible
and
they'll
now
be
working
on
the
project,
but
I
I
think
that
what
I
would
say
about
this
important
project
is
I
agree.
This
is
a
project
that
people
in
couch
and
have
fought
hard
for
believe
in
our
mlas
does
I
know
the
MLA.
Does
the
community?
Does
the
site
has
been
developed
with
local
communities
and
local
First
Nations,
and
the
and
we've
worked
together
to
bring
everybody
together
to
succeed
in
that?
D
The
result
of
that
is
that
all
of
the
community
benefits
agreements
that
the
member
referred
to
in
the
way
that
she
did
all
of
them
are
living
within
100
kilometers
of
the
site.
25
are
indigenous.
The
average
on
such
a
site
would
normally
be
six
percent.
Those
are
real
successes
out
of
a
process
that
was
designed
to
promote
local
hire
and
Community
involvement,
but,
as
I
said,
an
answer
to
the
first
question
because
I
think
it's
what
you
wanted
to
know.
The
answer
was
when
the
answer
is
now
they're
now
eligible.
A
You
Mr
Speaker
well,
first
listening
to
the
to
the
previous
interaction
there.
I
want
to
I
want
to
start
off
by
saying
how
refreshing
it
is
to
hear
that
the
greens
have
finally
come
around
and
no
longer
support
these
Community
rip-off
agreements.
A
After
after
supporting
them
for
all
those
years,
propping
up
the
NDP
government,
but
but
my
question
today
relates
to
the
the
ndp's
decriminalization
of
or
the
decriminalization
policy,
the
overwhelming
focus
of
this
government
on
the
decriminalization
of
hard
drugs
like
crystal
meth
fentanyl
heroin
and
cocaine
with
limited
access
to
treatment
and
Recovery
Mr
Speaker.
This
is
Dooms
to
fail
badly.
Almost
a
year
ago,
there
were
very
specific
requirements
outlined
in
the
letter
of
requirements
from
the
federal
government
to
this
NDP
government
with
respect
to
decriminalization.
A
But
since
then,
this
government
has
not
done
the
work,
but
they've
pressed
forward
with
decriminalization
no
definable
metrics
no
plan
for
Public
Safety,
complete
failure
to
provide
services
in
rural
communities
and
a
very
limited
access
to
the
treatment
that
people
need
when
they
need
it
in
order
to
get
better.
Now,
the
government
house
leader
prevented
the
minister
from
answering
this
question
yesterday,
so
I'm
going
to
ask
it
again
today
it.
A
Why
is
the
government
allowing
decriminalization
without
ensuring
that
people
can
access
the
treatment
that
they
need
when
they
that
they
need
in
order
to
get
better?
And
can
the
minister
explain
what
are
the
specific
Baseline,
metrics
and
measurements
for
evaluating
the
success
or
the
failure
of
this
NDP
experiment
here.
E
Thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
thank
you
to
to
the
member
for
the
question
I.
You
know
I
think
that
in
the
face
of
a
poisoned
drug
Supply
crisis
that
is
killing
more
than
six
British
Columbians
a
day,
we
are
compelled
to
use
every
single
tool
in
our
toolbox
to
save
lives
and
decriminalization
is
one
of
those
tools
amongst
a
number
of
other
a
whole
Continuum
of
tools
that
we
are
using,
including
massive
investments
in
treatment
in
counseling,
in
recovery
opportunities
and
safe
supply.
E
E
People
with
lived
experience
who
have
been
through
what
it
means
to
lose
family
and
loved
ones
to
toxic
drug
poisoning,
stood
with
us
as
we
move
forward
to
initiate
this
this
this
pilot
project
to
use
one
tool
in
our
toolbox
to
try
and
protect
British
Columbians.
E
We
are
taking
action
to
expand
treatment,
to
engage
with
our
stakeholders
to
to
scale
up
indigenous-led
solutions
to
conduct
public
education
and
Outreach
to
reduce
the
stigma
and
fear
associated
with
drug
use,
so
that
we
can
try
to
ensure
that
the
British
Columbians
can
connect
to
the
care
and
support
that
we
that
they
need-
and
we
will
continue
to
do
that,
work.
Honorable
speaker.
F
This
government
wouldn't
even
acknowledge
it
in
their
Throne
speech,
in
fact,
as
Government
won't
acknowledge
that
there
that
it
hasn't
even
met
the
very
specific
criteria
in
the
federal
exemption
letter
allowing
this
experiment
to
happen.
A
letter
this
government
agreed
to
one
year
ago,
they
were
supposed
to
be
ensuring
that
individuals
who
desire
treatment
or
other
supports
can
access
them
when
needed.
F
It
hasn't
happened.
One
year
ago
they
agreed
to
be
putting
in
place
a
substance,
use
system
of
care
and
meeting
the
unique
needs
of
specific
regions
and
communities
such
as
those
in
Rural
and
remote
communities.
That
hasn't
happened
one
year
ago
they
agreed
they
needed
to
be
educating
the
public
as
part
of
a
comprehensive
public
education
plan
and
engaging
with
communities
that
hasn't
happened.
Mr
Speaker.
These
are
directly
out
of
the
letters
of
requirement
from
the
federal
government
and
one
year
ago
it
says
right
here.
F
F
We
couldn't
even
get
an
answer
out
of
the
ministry
yesterday,
because
the
house
leader
decided
to
stand
up
and
avoid
the
question.
So
again,
why
hasn't?
The
minister
met
the
very
specific
criteria
set
out
in
the
federal
exemption
letter.
When
will
the
minister
release
the
Baseline
data
that
was
supposed
to
be
being
collected
over
this
last
year?.
E
Thank
you
thank
you,
honorable,
speaker
and
and
I
have
to
say
that
I
think
that
British
Columbians
were
looked
at
the
process
that
we
were
all
collectively
engaged
in
last
year
last
last
year
through
the
health
standing
committee
and
the
support.
The
the
support
for
all
of
the
recommendations
in
that
in
that
report
by
all
parties,
including
decriminalization
I,
think
that
folks
can
take
some
hope
that
we're
all
collectively
working
together
to
support
British
Columbians
through
what
is
an
absolutely
unrelenting,
Public,
Health
crisis
and,
as
we
were,
should.
C
F
E
Work
and
to
make
the
Investments,
which
include
new
outpatient
withdrawal,
Management
Services
in
multiple
locations
in
the
interior,
new
treatment
and
stabilization
beds
and
Kamloops
Kelowna
lillouette
and
Prince
George,
adding
105
treatment,
beds,
expanding
detox
beds
in
the
North
Island.
All
of
that
work.
We
are
very
grateful
to
have
the
collaboration
and
cooperation
from
our
partners
and
health
authorities
from
Frontline
providers
and
again
we
will
continue
to
do
the
work
to
take
action
to
ramp
up
services
and
make
the
Investments
that
are
necessary.