►
From YouTube: APRIL 6 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
C
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
Mr
Speaker,
the
premier
made
headlines
when
he
claimed
that
he
would
take
over
management
of
the
downtown
east
side
last
year
and
late
last
year.
We'll
all
remember,
he
even
made
an
announcement
standing
on
an
empty
lot
on
Main
Street,
promising
housing
units
by
March
to
end
the
encampments,
but
as
usual,
NDP
announcements
do
not
equal
results,
they
never
equal
results
and
both
the
promised
housing
and
the
premier
are
nowhere
to
be
seen
and
missing
in
action.
C
In
fact,
it's
the
mayor
of
Vancouver
and
the
council
that
have
showed
the
leadership
in
dismantling
those
tent
cities
and
getting
rid
of
the
challenges
that
were
being
faced
in
the
downtown
core
of
Vancouver,
but
because
the
premiers
failed
to
do
his
part.
That
means
that
yesterday,
Vancouver
quote
couldn't
commit
to
housing,
evicted
residents,
end
of
quote
the
violence
and
the
chaos
on
communities
throughout
this
province
has
never
been
worse
than
it
is
today
and
without
housing
available.
Those
tent
encampments
will
simply
move
to
another
park
or
neighborhood.
C
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
thank
the
member
across
the
way
for
the
the
question.
No
doubt
the
situation
in
particular
around
the
Hastings
and
cabinet
is
a
challenging
one,
and
yesterday
was
a
challenging
challenging
day.
I
can
say
to
the
member
that,
yes,
we
did
step
up
to
say
we
are
going
to
be
taking
an
important
role,
not
only
in
the
downtown
east
side,
but
addressing
housing
issues.
Across
The
Province
on
all
speaker,
the
challenges
on
that
we're
seeing
around
the
encampment
that
this
is
not
a
one-year
two-year
three-year
problem.
D
This
is
a
problem.
That's
been
building
on
decades.
Okay,
this
is
a
challenge
that
we
have
as
a
province.
I
think
not
seen
enough
leadership
to
address
honorable
speaker
and
so
I
can
share
with
the
member
that
yesterday,
the
city
took
some
actions
on
the
downtown
east
side,
part
of
that
our
staff
on
the
ground
worked
around
the
clock
to
find
enough
housing
for
everyone
that
said
that
they
needed
housing.
In
fact,
I
can
share
with
the
members
today
that
we
have
now
enough
housing
enough
shelter
spaces
available
for
those
that
are
in
the
encampments.
D
We
we
have
connected
with
the
city
of
Vancouver
staff.
They
will
be
talking
to
every
individual
asking
them
if
they
need
access
to
shelter
and
we
have
shelter
space
available.
So
that's
positive
news.
I
can
also
share
with
a
member
that
we
were
slated
to
have
about
100
units
98
units
opening
this
month.
We
got
occupancy
permit
for
that
and
we'll
be
moving
people
from
shelters
into
the
new
98
units
over
the
coming
days
as
well.
C
E
F
C
You
Mr
Speaker
they've,
had
six
years
Mr
Speaker
to
deal
with
this
and
the
premier
says,
and
I
quote
it's
a
sad
day
and
the
current
housing
Minister
admitted
yesterday
in
question
period
that
he
only
learned
about
the
leadership
by
the
mayor
and
council.
At
the
same
time
that
the
media
was
being
notified.
That's
not
leadership,
in
fact
that's
called
leading
behind
and
right
now
we
need.
C
They
talk
about
these
housing
units,
they
never
appear
and
never
materialize
and
the
reality
is
those
tense
cities
just
move
from
one
location
to
another.
In
fact,
that's
actually
Now
official
NDP
government
policy,
the
ndp's
well
wait
for
it.
The
ndp's
downtown
east
side,
provincial
partnership
plan
working
document
actually
says
it
right.
There
quote
some
people
may
not
transition
to
indoor
options
as
such.
C
So
my
question
is
to
the
Minister
of
Housing,
who
apparently
is
going
to
take
these
questions,
since
they
failed
to
ensure
that
the
housing
is
there
when
it's
needed
for
those
in
the
downtown
east
side?
Where
is
the
next
neighborhood
or
park
going
to
be
that
the
tent
cities
are
going
to
be
moving
to.
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
we
have
been
working
with
the
city
of
Vancouver
for
months
now.
The
mayor
has
said
it
several
times
that
he
appreciates
the
support
the
work
we're
doing
to
build
the
housing
we
work
with
them
to
identify
additional
sites.
We've
got
98
units
coming
because
of
the
collaboration
we
were
able
to
work
with
them
to
increase
density
on
some
of
the
projects
that
we've
already
got
when
it
comes
to
Supportive
Housing.
D
Honorable
speaker,
that's
the
type
of
collaboration
we
wanted
to
see
with
them,
and
and
we've
got
that
honorable
speaker
I,
think
it's
important
to
note
that
that,
first,
that
the
challenge
around
encampments
is
not
only
a
challenge
only
in
BC.
This
is
a
challenge
being
felt
across
the
country.
Ministers
from
across
the
country
are
talking
about
the
the
shift
they've
seen
coming
out
of
the
pandemic,
the
additional
pressures
they've
seen
and
what
that
means
for
their
communities
and
it's
an
issue,
that's
being
dealt
with,
that's
being
challenged
communities
across
the
U.S.
D
Every
single
Community
is
dealing
with
other
issues.
Honorable
speaker,
our
view
is,
we
need
to
get
people
in
the
shelters.
We
need
to
get
people
on
the
housing
on
Old
speaker
and
we're
doing
that.
I
shared
an
update
with
the
member.
We
have
enough
shelter
spaces.
It's
our
belief
that
the
shelter
spaces
are
safer
than
the
encampments.
We've
always
said
from
the
beginning
that
encampments
are
not
safe.
We
didn't.
D
We've
always
said
that
from
the
beginning,
but
we
need
to
get
people
in
the
shelters
and
then
do
the
assessments
and
then
give
people
other
opportunities,
but
honor
speaker
for
the
member
to
suggest
that
this
is
a
problem
that
just
arrived
and
that
we
haven't
taken
enough
honorable
speaker.
They
were
in
government
for
16
years
on
Old
speaker.
No,
oh,
he
says
there
was
nobody
that
was
homeless.
He
says
there
was
no
one
that
was
homeless.
The
leader
opposition
says
nobody
was
homeless
at
the
time
when
he
was
in
government.
That
is.
D
Honor
speaker,
but
there's
a
reason
why
they
didn't
take
action
when
they
were
a
government
Hall
speaker,
there's
a
reason
why
they
didn't
take
action.
Thank
you
and
the
answer.
Oh
they're
saying
thank
you
you're
not
you
can.
Thank
me
after
I
tell
you
what
your?
What
the?
What
the
president,
the
BC
Liberal
Party,
okay
or
whatever
they're
going
to
call
themselves
said
he
said
we
should
focus
on
the
60
and
essentially
not
bother
on
some
demographics
that
will
not
like
you
or
absolutely
never
will
support
us.
D
G
This
Premier
is
warehousing
people
with
severe
mental
health
and
putting
them
in
hotels
that
aren't
safe
without
proper
supports.
The
24-hour
supports
that
he
claims
exist
are
just
someone
Staffing
the
front
lobby,
no
nurses,
no
medical
professionals
and
no
help
in
2020
the
premier
paid
half
a
million
dollars
per
room
to
Warehouse
people
in
the
old
Howard
Johnson
Hotel,
on
Granville
Street
and
since
then,
police
have
been
called
to
the
site
2
494
times,
including
751,
calls
last
year
according
to
the
Vancouver
Police
Department.
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker.
As
I've
stated
in
this
house
before
during
the
pandemic,
there
was
a
lot
of
people
that
need
had
needs
a
lot
of
challenges
that
came
out.
We
took
action
to
ensure
that
every
single
unit
we
could
get
access
to
that
we
made
available
to
provide
housing
for
people
and
provide
the
supports
that
those
people
needed
honorable
speaker.
We
will
never
apologize
for
that
and,
in
fact,
I
think
that
the
opposition
tell
us
what
they
would
done
differently.
Would
they
have
not?
Would
they
not
have
bought
housing
units
that
are
available?
D
Would
they
not
have
found
everything
that
they
could
to
get
people
housing?
Honorable,
speaker,
Arnold,
schweeker,
it's
it's
vitally
important
that
we
get
people
the
housing
and
get
them
the
supports.
They
need
honest,
weaker
I've
had
the
opportunity
to
meet
with
many
people
that
have
found
success
in
the
supports
we've
provided.
I
was
just
recently
in
Vernon
all
the
speaker
where
I
met
a
woman
who
was
in
an
encampment
thanks
to
the
supports
that
we
provided
was
able
to
get
into
a
shelter,
was
able.
D
D
Seeker
as
I've
highlighted,
these
are
challenges
being
dealt
with
communities
around
North
America.
We
are
taking
action
here
to
provide
housing
for
people
again
highlighted
some
of
the
successes
we
were
able
to
find
housing
for
90
people
on
the
Hastings
encampment.
We
were
able
to
provide
yesterday
shelters
for
everybody
that
needed
it.
We
have
98
units
now
that
have
occupancy
permit
we're
going
to
be
able
to
get
additional
people
in
those
units
we
have
up
to
330
units
coming
by
the
end
of
June.
We
have
even
more
units
coming.
G
The
premier's
quote
that
he
gave
today
again
and
actually
expand
it
with
the
detail
that
it
really
included.
We
have,
in
the
past,
moved
people
directly
from
encampments
into
housing
without
knowing
who
they
were,
what
their
backgrounds
were,
and
it
didn't
end
well.
He
said
we
actually
had
to
close
a
hotel
in
Victoria
that
we,
at
least
because
of
that
approach,
yep
and
yet
what
he
said
is
continuing
to
happen,
and
this
minister
is
standing
up
and
defending
warehousing
people.
G
The
premier's
plan
to
Warehouse
people
with
severe
mental
health
and
addictions
issues
leaves
them
vulnerable
to
crime
and
violence.
The
chief
of
the
Victoria
Police
Del
manic
said
that
drug
dealers
and
criminals
are
Now,
setting
up
operations
right
under
BC,
housing's
nose
and
I
quote.
Most
of
these
locations
have
criminals
that
are
embedded
Within,
These
locations
that
are
exploiting
people.
G
D
Thank
you
honorable
speaker.
The
alternative
to
providing
housing
and
mental
health
supports
is
having
people
living
in
cabinets.
Honorable,
speaker,
that's
why
we're
providing
the
housing
for
people?
That's.
Why
providing
the
mental
health
supports?
Yes,
I
would
agree
with
the
member
on
one
thing:
there
are
people
who
prey
on
the
most
vulnerable.
Yes,
that
exists
that
happens
in
every
Community
across
the
province
across
the
country
across
North,
America
and
parts
of
the
world.
Honorable
speaker
we're
all
in
in
agreement
that
that
kind
of
behavior
is
awful.
D
D
These
are
complex
situations.
Honorable
speaker,
this
is
very,
very
complex
situations.
Everyone
has
different
needs.
That's
why
we're
building
out
the
supports
on
those
speakers
that
people
need
again
I
know
right
now.
The
encampment
on
Hasting
streets
is
top
of
mind
for
everyone
here
and
again.
I
can
share
with
members
that
we
are
able
to
get
people
shelter.
We
are
able
to
get
people
into
new
renovated
sites
that
we
are
bringing
on.
We
have
more
units
coming
on
board,
Arnold
speaker.
D
Yes,
we
have
stepped
up
and
said
we're
going
to
take
leadership
because
for
decades
nobody
did
honorable
speaker,
nobody
said
Tech
leadership.
Nobody
said
you
know
what
these
people
deserve
to
have
the
supports
that
everybody
else
does
we
believe
that
our
own
speaker
and
that's?
Why
we're
doing
this
work.
H
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
I'm.
Listening
to
the
dialogue
between
the
government
and
official
opposition,
I'm
hearing
encampments,
I'm,
hearing
warehousing
I'm,
hearing,
shelters,
I'm,
hearing
units
I've
not
yet
heard
the
word
homes
yesterday,
The
Vancouver
Police
swept
through
the
downtown
east
side
and
cleared
people
off
the
street.
This
province
has
had
an
issue
of
homelessness
for
years
and
over
and
over
again,
the
response
has
been
to
clear
the
streets
and
it's
gotten
us
nowhere.
There's
already
reports
today
that
the
police
are
back
removing
tents
that
went
up
overnight.
H
This
government
seems
to
have
no
real
plan
for
homes
for
housing
people
in
a
way
that
is
sustainable,
rehabilitative
and
forward-looking,
but
others
do
The.
Village
project
in
Duncan
provides
short-term
housing
with
wraparound
support
for
the
most
vulnerable
people.
People
get
their
own
space
to
call
home
a
door
that
locks
they
get
mental,
physical
and
spiritual
support.
They
get
food,
they
get
other
assistance
and
they
get
a
supportive
community
of
peers.
It
has
been
successful
where
this
government
has
failed
to
address
homelessness.
H
Communities
have
found
their
own
solutions,
they
brought
ideas
to
the
table
and
are
asking
this
Premier
and
this
Minister
for
their
support.
My
question
honorable
speakers
to
the
premier:
will
he
commit
on
the
record
to
come
to
the
table
and
fund
the
communities
that
are
creating
solutions
by
building
tiny
home
projects
like
the
village
in
Duncan.
D
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
thank
to
the
member
for
the
question.
4.3
billion
dollars.
We
have
part
of
our
next
three
years
to
build
housing
for
people,
that's
4.3
billion
dollars.
This
is
a
serious
commitment
to
build
the
housing
that
people
need.
We've
been
having
this
discussion
all
week.
We
need
housing
for
people
that
want
to
buy
from
everything
to
people
that
that
are
encampments
that
need
that
stability
in
their
lives.
The
member
will
know
that
we
funded
projects
in
Port
Alberni
around
tiny
homes.
D
We
are
looking
for
all
innovative
solutions
that
work
for
communities.
We
continue
to
do
that.
Work,
I,
have
meetings
with
Mayors
and
from
communities
around
the
province.
All
of
them
have
different
ideas
of
how
they
think
that
they
can
address
the
challenges
in
their
communities
and,
of
course,
I
commit
to
working
with
all
Mayors
to
find
solutions
that
work
in
every
community.
H
These
tiny
home
projects
have
demonstrated
that
what's
needed
is
not
just
units
or
shelter
or
spaces
or
encampments
people
need
homes,
they
need
Community,
they
need
supports
and
the
communities
that
are
doing
this
are
demonstrating
that
this
does
not
have
to
be
a
forever
emergency.
We
can
solve
homelessness.
That
has
to
be
the
goal.
H
My
question
to
you,
honorable
speaker
again
to
the
premier,
the
Minister
of
Housing,
mentions
4.3
billion
dollars,
but
the
the
Tiny
Village
project
in
Duncan
had
to
go
right
to
the
wire
to
find
out
whether
or
not
the
funding
would
be
renewed
again.
They
need
consistent
and
sustainable
support.
As
do
the
projects
around
the
province
that
are
providing
the
solutions,
will
the
premier
give
a
clear
signal
that
he
is
serious
about
working
with
the
communities
that
he
will
fund
these
transitional
housing
projects.
D
Honorable
speaker,
thank
you
again
to
the
member
for
the
question.
I'm,
absolutely
serious,
of
working
with
local
governments
to
find
Housing
Solutions,
the
member
mentions
Duncan
281
units,
not
units
281
homes
for
people,
honorable
speaker,
66,
have
opened
up
and
215
are
under
construction.
These
are
homes
for
people
in
the
members
community
and
that's
what
we're
doing
in
every
Community
all
speaker
and,
of
course,
I
have
local
Mayors
coming
to
me
all
the
time
saying,
I've
got
an
Innovative
solution.
I
think
this
would
work
in
our
community.
D
Of
course,
we're
going
to
work
with
everyone
to
find
something
that
works
within
those
communities.
We're
funding
housing,
honorable
speaker,
not
only
in
municipalities,
we're
also
funding
housing
on
and
off
reserve
for
indigenous
populations.
The
only
province
in
this
country
that
have
stepped
up
and
said
you
know
what
we
can't
wait
for
the
federal
government
anymore.
We
must
build
this
housing
and
we're
investing
in
housing
on
reserve
on
the
speaker.
Housing
that
meets
everyone's
needs
is
our
goal
and
we're
going
to
continue
to
work
with
all
our
partners
to
help
address
that
challenge.
A
This
week,
I
received
a
letter
from
the
Cornell
Downtown
Association
and
I
quote:
criminals
are
no
longer
hiding
in
the
shadows.
They
operate
in
plain
sight,
as
there
is
little
or
no
consequences
for
their
actions,
and
the
letter
goes
on.
The
added
costs
of
theft,
vandalism,
security
and
loss
of
production
is
both
crippling
our
ability
and
will
to
survive.
End
quote
to
the
premier:
when
is
the
Premier
going
to
give
these
businesses
financial
support
to
offset
their
losses
from
his
soft
on
crime
policies?.
I
To
honorable
speaker
and
I,
thank
the
member
for
the
question
and
I
just
want
to
first
off
reject
the
premise
of
soft
on
crime.
I
Please
do
and
keep
our
communities
safer.
Honorable
speaker,
we
will
continue
to
do
that
work
because
we
know
that
that
is
what
is
going
to
succeed.
Couple
out
with
the
programs
that
that
on
mental
health
and
Addictions
on
housing
is
a
multi-pronged
approach
to
deal
with
the
situation
that
communities
such
as
yours
are
facing.
Honorable
speaker,
we've
been
doing
a
lot
of
work.
There's
a
lot
more
to
do,
but
we're
committed
to
doing
it.
F
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
the
consequences
of
the
premier's
catch
and
release
system
and
his
decision
to
Warehouse
people
with
severe
mental
health
and
addiction
issues
without
supports
are
painfully
evident
in
Kelowna
BC
housing,
literally
Warehouse
people
with
severe
mental
health
and
addictions
and
a
former
fruit
packing
Warehouse.
The
results
of
the
premier's
decisions
are
business.
Break-Ins
in
Kelowna
are
sky,
have
skyrocketed,
26
percent
shoplifting
incidents
are
up
17
percent,
just
in
2022
alone.
This
is
the
Experience
One
retail
worker
and
I
quote.
F
We
are
not
just
threatened
again
yesterday
and
it's
not
safe
for
anyone
not
to
mention
all
the
customers.
We've
lost
I
have
never
seen
or
been
so
scared.
This
is
just
not
right.
End
quote:
staff
and
business
owners
say
the
total
disorder
crime
and
violence
have
grown
exponentially
and
continue
to
get
worse.
I
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker
and
again
I
thank
the
member
for
the
question
and
again
I'll
point
out
the
work.
That's
been
underway,
working
with
communities
such
as
Kelowna,
where
I
recently
met
with
with
the
mayor
of
of
the
members
Community
to
deal
with
some
of
the
challenges
that
they're
facing
and
we've
got
a
good
working
relationship.
I
That's
why,
honorable
speaker,
when
these
issues
were
being
identified
by
local
governments,
the
premier,
myself
and
other
ministers
met
with
with
the
the
public
with
the
the
mayors
of
the
large
communities
dealing
with
these
with
these
Challengers
facing
and
came
up
with
a
strategy
that
involved
first
off
the
Lepard
Butler
report
and
then
moving
on
from
there
to
implement
those
recommendations.
I
At
the
same
time
working
with
police,
as
I've
outlined
on
a
number
of
occasions
in
this
house,
recognizing
that
there's
changes
that
needed
to
be
put
in
place
around
the
criminal
code
going
to
Ottawa
BC.
Taking
that
leadership
role
to
do
just
that
and
a
commitment
from
the
federal
government
to
put
in
place
changes
that
make
it
easier
to
keep
repeat
offenders
off
the
streets
where
they
belong.
I
At
the
same
time,
provincial
initiatives
that
are
seeing
teams
and
hubs
in
more
than
12
different
communities
around
this
province
to
deal
with
many
of
the
challenging
offenders.
The
members
talking
about
Kelowna
being
one
of
those
communities
along
with
Prince
George,
along
with
Nanaimo,
along
with
Vancouver,
along
with
Terrace,
as
well
as
working
with
police,
to
ensure
that
they've
got
the
human
resources
that
they
need.
The
largest
single
investment
in
policing
in
the
history
of
this
country,
announced
by
the
premier
money
in
the
budget.
To
do
just
that.
E
Some
Financial
relief
staff
at
a
local
Dollar
Store
are
scared
to
come
to
work
as
they
deal
with
theft,
threats
and
fear
of
attacks
with
weapons,
local
business
owner
Paul
Esposito
says
the
level
of
violence
is
getting
worse
and
worse
and
businesses
in
the
area
are
having
to
deal
with
the
cost
of
constant
theft,
smashed
Windows
fires,
daily
cleaning
of
human
feces,
urine
and
needles.
He
said
just
this
past
weekend
alone,
the
police
were
called
five
times,
and
fire
in
paramedics
arrive
on
almost
a
daily
basis.
I
You
honorable
speaker,
once
again,
I
am
just
going
to
take
issue
with
that
statement
of
soft
on
crime
policies,
because
nothing
could
be
further
from.
B
I
Please
continue.
Thank
you.
Honorable
speaker,
our
justice
system
is
not
a
policy
honorable
speaker.
The
criminal
code
of
Canada
is
just
that.
It
is
laws
put
in
place.
Honorable
speaker,
they
are
not.
Policies
decided
on
the
whim
of
a
premier.
Honorable
speaker,
this
government
has
taken
action
since
the
day
it
was
first
sworn
in
in
2017,
honorable
speaker,
as
I
have
outlined
to
this
house
on
a
number
of
occasions.
We
started
in
terms
of
dealing
with
the
guns
and
gangs
challenge
that
we've
faced
in
this
province,
putting
in
place
a
witness
protection
program.
I
That's
resulted
in
a
significant
increase
in
in
in
the
conviction
of
those
who
have
committed
murder,
honorable
speaker,
and
they
are
now
behind
bars
where
they
belong.
Honorable
speaker,
we've
put
in
place
a
Firearms
lab
honorable
speaker,
forensic
analysis
of
firearms
weapons
that
were
used
to
commit
crimes
in
this
province.
I
Honorable
speaker,
the
first
of
its
kind,
so
we
weren't
having
to
send
them
back
East
to
Ottawa
and
all
the
time
that
that
took
honorable
speaker,
we've
ensured
that
we've
got
Crown
prosecutors
that
are
working
with
police
to
build
as
strong
a
case
as
possible
when
dealing
with
violent
Defenders.
As
I
said
again
and
again
and
again,
it
is
this
province
that
showed
leadership
in
in
getting
Ottawa
to
make
commitments
to
change
the
criminal
code
so
that
we
do
are
able
to
deal
with
the
consequences
of
the
changes
of
Bill
c-75.
I
That
was
federal
law
that
impacted
the
issue
of
bail
honorable
speaker
and
putting
that
reverse
onus
on
those
who
would
use
knives
on
those
who
use
use
weapons
on
those
who've
had
a
history
of
violence
in
the
past.
Honorable
speaker,
that
is
action.
Honorable
speaker
and
this
government
is
proud
of
every
step
of
the
way
we've
done
it,
and
we
will
continue
to
do
a
lot
more.
J
Well,
thank
you
very
much.
Well,
the
solicitor
general
might
want
to
attempt
to
reject
the
concept
of
soft
on
crime,
but
maybe
he
should
look
a
victim
in
the
eye
and
say
that
every
single
day
in
this
province
we
hear
stories
of
violent
attacks,
random
violence,
theft,
an
explosion
and
the
Minister
of
Housing
should
feel
ashamed
of
himself.
He
stands
up
in
this
house
failing
to
look
at
the
fear,
the
anxiety,
the
chaos
and
the
violence
that
exists
every
single
day
in
this
province,
and
what
does
he
talk
about
success
and
how
proud?
He
is.
J
And
this
government
and
Premier
can
continue
to
stand
up
and
make
comments
like
that
all
day,
but
they
need
to
understand
the
reality
that
small
business
owners
are
facing,
that
victims
are
facing
in
British
Columbia,
and
we
should
be
perfectly
clear.
It
is
absolutely
this
Premier
soft
on
crime
policies
and
his
decision
to
Warehouse
some
of
the
most
vulnerable
British
Columbians,
without
the
supports
they
need.
That
has
led
to
an
explosion
of
social
disorder,
theft
and
violence,
and
that
is
squarely
on
the
shoulders
of
this
government.
J
J
Maybe
this
solicitor
general
would
like
to
speak
to
this
person.
Last
week
we
learned
of
a
man
who
walked
into
downtown
Vancouver
to
a
clothing
store.
He
threatened
to
kill
the
staff
with
a
knife,
and
then
he
robbed
the
store.
The
prolific
offender
was
arrested
four
times
during
a
three-week
period,
charged
with
theft,
assault
with
a
weapon
and
two
court
accounts
of
failure
to
comply
and
guess
what
he
was
released
every
single
time
in
his
back
on
the
street
today
that
describes
soft
on
crime
in
just
about
everybody's
books.
I
I
Thank
you,
honorable
speaker,
and
that
is
exactly
why,
for
those
kinds
of
situations
which
we
have
seen
in
this
province
and
right
across
this
country,
honorable
speaker,
that
this
province
led
the
way
to
get
changes
done
by
the
criminal
codes.
B
I
Is
why
we
sought
the
commitment
from
the
federal
government
to
make
the
changes
so
that
those
kinds
of
individuals
are
not
released?
Honorable
speaker
they're
kept
off
the
streets,
which
was
to
see
an
expansion
on
the
reverse
onus,
so
that
so
that
it
doesn't
just
cover
Firearms
honorable
speaker
that
it
covers
knives
that
it
covers
weapons
that
it
covers.
Those
with
a
history.
Who've
engaged
that
kind
of
behavior
before
honorable
speaker.