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From YouTube: FEB 9 2023 Question Period
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
4th Session
42nd Parliament
D
Mr
Speaker,
this
NDP
government's
sole
focus
on
publicly
surprise,
supplied,
addictive
drugs
and
decriminalizing
hard
drugs
is
not
going
to
end
well.
There
are
specific
obligations
from
last
year's
letter
of
requirements
from
the
federal
government
that
have
not
been
met.
No
definable,
metrics
no
plan
for
Public
Safety,
no
timely
access
to
treatment.
D
This
is
what
the
letter
says
and
I
quote.
As
noted
in
the
request,
the
province
will
ensure
that
individuals
who
desire
treatment
or
other
supports
can
access
them
when
needed.
End
quote
to
the
premier:
why
is
he
proceeding
with
the
decriminalization
of
dangerous
drugs
like
crystal
meth,
heroin,
cocaine
and
Fentanyl
without
first
ensuring
timely
access
to
treatment
and
Recovery,
as
was
promised.
E
F
For
the
question
on
issue
of
mental
health
addiction,
the
toxic
drug
crisis
that
we're
facing
I
know
it's
front
of
mind
for
members
across
this
chamber.
I
know
that,
because
we
work
very
closely
together
on
a
cross-party
parliamentary
committee
on
this
very
issue
and
the
member
raises
issues
of
decriminalization
and
safe
Supply
and
the
whole
goal
of
those
initiatives.
F
F
That's
what
we're
building
we're
building
and
we're
following
the
recommendations
from
the
old
Party
Committee
on
that
360,
adult
and
youth
treatment
beds
more
in
development
and
focusing
on
youth
in
particular,
because
if
you
can
intervene
early
when
someone's
struggling
with
addiction,
you
can
save
them
from
a
lifetime
of
pain
and
and
I'm,
really.
First
of
all,
encouraged
by
the
fact
that
the
opposition
is
Raising
this
as
an
issue
that
they
are
embracing.
F
D
G
F
Premier
well,
thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
chair,
the
member
knows
the
reason
why
every
member
of
this
place
came
together
through
the
all
Party
Committee
and
supported
initiatives
around
safe,
Supply
and
decriminalization
is
to
give
a
chance
to
get
that
health
care
worker.
You
know
when,
when
a
mom's
got
a
kid
struggling
with
addiction
to
get
a
health
care
worker
between
that
kid
and
a
predatory
drug
dealer
to
give
that
kid,
the
opportunity
to
remove
that
stigma
to
have
that
conversation
with
a
parent
look
I'm
struggling
with
addiction.
F
That's
the
reason
why
there
are
support
across
the
chamber
why
there
is
support,
at
least
as
far
as
I,
understand
across
the
chamber,
for
these
kinds
of
interventions
to
keep
people
alive
to
have
the
conversations
about
treatment
now.
I
know
the
member
knows
our
government's
investment
in
The
Foundry
system,
which
you
know
was
something
that
I
believe
started
under
the
opposition's
government.
We
believe
in
that
kind
of
intervention
we
I
think
we
are
on
the
verge
of
opening
up
to
24
of
those
now
and
and
doubling
the
number
of
beds
for
youth
treatment.
F
And
you
know
the
the
critical
piece
here
is
around
making
sure
that
that
treatment
is
available
for
people
who
are
working
with
Saint
Paul's
Hospital
Providence
Health
Care,
for
people
who
show
up
in
an
emergency
room
after
overdosing
that
they
can
go
direct
into
detox
direct
from
detox
into
treatment
all
on
the
same
site.
So
there's
not
even
an
opportunity
to
lose
that
person
in
a
cab
on
the
way
to
a
treatment
facility.
F
These
are
the
kinds
of
innovative
initiatives
that
we
are
exploring
and
working
on
and
delivering
across
the
province,
outpatient,
withdrawal
management,
multiple
new
locations
in
the
interior,
new
treatment
and
stabilization
beds
in
Kamloops,
Kelowna
and
lillouette
new
sobering
and
Assessment
Services
in
Prince,
George
and
Nanaimo
I
accept
the
members
critique.
We
got
more
to
do,
but
I
think
it's
vital
that
we
all
recognize
the
work.
E
You
Mr
Speaker
today
is
that
these
explored
and
they're
being
worked
on
in
the
federal
ladder
of
requirements.
There
is
an
obligation
to
have
these
recovery
beds
and
treatments
available
at
the
same
time
as
decriminalization
has
come
in,
and
I
am
hearing
that
that
is
actually
not
what
is
happening.
There
is
also
an
obligation
to
have
done
a
comprehensive
public
education
plan,
particularly
for
youth,
but
instead
Mr
Speaker
of
an
awareness
campaign
that
illicit
drugs
are
harmful
and
addictive.
E
The
NDP
are
letting
their
allies
do
that
public
education,
so
the
former
employer
of
the
Premier
Mr
Speaker
pivot,
legal
and
the
Vancouver
area
network
of
drug
users
are
even
actively
working
to
discourage
people
to
discourage
people
from
seeking
treatment.
The
former,
so
a
quote
from
vandu
quote
police
should
not
be
handing
out
health
information
cards.
They
only
role
police
should
play
and
decrypt
is
to
stand
down
unquote.
E
So
this
question
is
to
the
premier:
why
is
it
that
the
only
information
about
decriminalization
and
its
harm
or
not
harm
in
the
case
of
vandu
and
pivot
legal?
Why
is
that
information
and
communication
only
coming
from
vandu
and
pivot
legal?
Instead
of
Public
Safety
information
coming
from
this
NDP
government.
H
Thank
you
very
much
to
the
member
for
the
question.
However,
the
supposition
of
the
question
is
just
simply
wrong
with
respect
to
the
the
requirements
that
Health
Canada
set
down
in
the
application
that
we
made
for
exemption,
an
application
that
we
made
in
in
collaboration
that
was
developed
in
collaboration
with
Frontline
law
enforcement
with
people
with
lived
experience
with
public
health
with
Frontline
care
providers.
H
We
who
all
stood
together
with
us
as
we
made
the
announcement
two
weeks
ago,
issues
with
respect
to
how
we
communicate
the
intention
of
this
have
been
very
broadly
discussed
across
all
of
those
all
of
those
all
of
those
partner
groups,
and
we
are
working
with
school
dress
districts
with
youth
or
with
the
youth
focused
organizations
which,
for
through
our
youth,
mental
health
support
organizations
such
as
such
as
boundaries
such
as
icy
teams,
to
ensure
that
those
important
Frontline
folks
who
work
directly
with
kids
understand
what
the
intent
is.
E
Here
well
frankly,
that
answer
is
just
not
good
enough.
The
province
has
committed
and
I'm
reading
directly
from
the
from
the
letter
of
requirements
has
committed
to
ensure
that
individuals
who
desire
treatment
or
other
supports
can
access
them
when
needed.
So
the
words
I'm
hearing
are
it's
in
process,
we're
doing
it
we're
exploring
it.
That
is
not
doing
it
when
needed
at
the
same
time
that
decriminalization
is
happening
one
year
after
the
federal
requirements
were
issued.
These
things
should
have
should
be
up
and
and
running.
E
The
letter
of
requirements
also
calls
for
a
comprehensive
consultation
with
communities,
but
instead
communities
are
being
forced
to
act
on
their
own.
When
it
comes
to
Public
Safety
Campbell
River
has
passed
a
bylaw
to
give
enforcement
tools
to
address
the
use
of
open
hard
drugs
like
heroin,
meth
fence,
milk
and
cocaine
in
public
areas.
Counselor
Ben
Lanyon,
says
quote:
the
need
for
this
is
in
direct
response
to
the
unknowns
that
we're
facing
unquote
so
to
the
premier.
H
Thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker.
The
core
planning
table
that
had
met
for
years
leading
up
to
the
to
the
application
for
for
the
exemption
included.
The
BC
Union
of
municipalities
and
we've
been
working
very
closely
with
our
partners
in
municipalities,
with
respect
to
the
impacts
in
communities.
I
understand
that
there
are
some
municipalities
who
have
a
who
have
taken
particular,
you
know
what
what
they
view
as
preventative
measures,
not
that
there
are
particular
issues
they're
dealing
with
that
they're
faced
with
right
now,
but
Pro.
H
What
they
view
as
preventative
measures
to
to
you
know
to
to
to
look
at
what
they
think
may
be
problems
down
down
the
road.
But
I
would
say
that
our
conversations
with
municipalities
have
been
very
much
about
again
how
we
need
to
pull
together
as
communities
to
support
individuals
who
are
in
crisis
to
support
individuals
who
need
access
to
care
and
support,
and
that
is
why
we've
been
working
with
9
000
front
line
police
officers
to
ensure
that
they
have
training
and
education
and
skills
development.
With
respect
to
what
decriminalization
means.
H
What
its
intended
purpose
is
the
role
of
reducing
stigma
and
fear,
which
we
heard
so
eloquently
from
people
with
lived
experience
from
people
who
have
lost
loved
ones
to
the
toxic
poisoning
drug
crisis,
who
want
who,
who
again,
would
much
prefer
that
their
loved
one
were
alive
to
be
able
to
access
care
and
support.
That
is
the
purpose
of
decriminalization.
H
That
is
the
purpose
of
the
work
we're
doing
with
all
of
our
partners,
including
municipalities,
and
we're
going
to
be
able
to
be
there
to
work
with
you,
municipalities,
through
whatever
issues
sort
of
arise
on
the
ground
for
them.
But
this
again
is
something
that
we
are
working
together
with
all
of
our
partners
to
work
through
and
that's
the
work
we'll
continue
to
do.
B
C
Of
environment,
thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
speaker,
the
member
has
asked
a
a
very
general
question.
So
it's
hard
to
know
exactly
where
the
member
wants
to
focus
the
answer,
but
what
I
would
say
is
there
are
a
number
of
agencies
who
have
distinct
and
outlined
responsibilities
for
enforcement
of
regulations,
conditions
on
permits?
There
are
administrative
procedures
and
administrative
fairness
in
each
regime.
There's
an
escalating
pattern
of
of
warnings
of
of
penalties
of
orders
that
precede
penalties
and
they
are
applied
in
a
escalating
manner.
A
A
B
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
the
construction
of
the
cgl
pipeline
continues
to
cause
damage,
Mr
Speaker
to
sensitive
habitat
and
cultural
sites
in
Northern
British
Columbia
last
month.
A
dam
at
the
core,
River
ruptured,
damaging
critical
salmon
and
steelhead
habitats
was
part
of
the
reason
why
I
asked
the
question
to
the
ministry
of
energy
mines
and
low
carbon
Innovation.
It's
my
understanding.
It's
actually
the
BC
oil
and
gas
commission
that
is
responsible
for
the
regulation
of
water
Crossings.
The
Thai
reported
quote.
B
The
oil
and
gas
commission
initially
cleared
the
pipeline
builder
of
any
wrongdoing,
but
added
that
it
had
not
inspected
the
site
in
person.
End
quote:
the
breach
of
the
claw
river
is
not
an
isolated
incident.
To
date,
the
cgl
pipeline
has
been
fined
three
times.
It's
had
37
warnings.
It's
had
17
orders
for
non-compliance
related
to
erosion
and
sediment
control.
There
doesn't
appear
to
be
any
amount
of
damage
that
can
happen
in
this
government
will
hold
the
company
accountable.
This
NDP
government
is
appearing
more
and
more
to
be
captured
by
industry.
B
In
fact,
the
department
of
fisheries
and
oceans,
the
federal
and
enforce,
or
the
federal
body
is
not
enforcing
there
because
they
basically
are
saying
that
they're
relying
on
the
province
so
effectively.
Neither
senior
government
is
holding
this
company
accountable.
It's
a
14.5
billion
dollar
Pipeline
and
this
government
has
fined
them
a
total
grand
total
grand
grand
total
of
456
thousand
and
two
hundred
dollars.
Today,
that's
less
than
a
rounding
error
way
less
than
a
rounding
error.
B
This
government
is
failing
to
properly
penalize
cgl
and
it's
a
terrible
message
to
send,
especially
considering
that
there
are
several
other
pipelines
and
gas
liquefaction
plants
poised
to
go
ahead
under
a
premier
who
promised
no
new
fossil
fuel
infrastructure.
This
government
says
it
rewards
those
who
play
by
the
rules.
However,
it
is
clear,
Mr
Speaker.
They
also
reward
those
who
break
the
rules
through
you,
honorable
speaker,
to
the
ministry
of
energy
minds
and
low
carbon
Innovation.
B
C
Of
environment,
thank
you
very
much.
Honorable
speaker
I
reject
the
premise
of
of
the
members
question.
It's
simply
inaccurate.
We
take
enforcement
of
regulations
and
permits
and
conditions
seriously
the
environmental
assessment
office,
along
with,
in
some
cases,
inspectors
from
the
oil
and
gas
Commission.
In
some
cases,
inspectors
from
other
divisions
in
the
ministry
of
environment
regularly
inspect
behavior
on
the
cgl
pipeline,
as
well
as
many
other
projects.
There
have
been
numerous
inspections
by
eao
officers
of
cgl.
There
have
been
borders,
there
have
been
meetings,
there
have
been
an
escalating
series
of
penalties.
C
There
are
as
consideration
being
given
every
time
an
infraction
is
found.
We
entered
into
a
compliance
agreement
with
cgl
to
raise
the
level
of
attention
and
focus
on
continued
breaches
of
their
permits.
There
was,
in
fact,
a
stop
work
at
one
point
until
Corrections
until
Corrections
were
made.
It
is
not
true
that
oil
and
gas
commission
inspectors
did
not
attend
chlora
River.
C
They
did
in
fact
attend
so
did
DFO
I
have
asked
to
be
regularly
briefed
on
findings
of
all
of
the
agencies
that
inspect
the
eao
officers
are
in
regular
contact
with
the
oil
and
gas
commission.
Inspectors
who
do
have
the
responsibility
for
inspecting
the
erosion,
and
we
are
all
awaiting
for
the
analysis
by
DFO
of
their
findings
from
their
inspection
of
the
Clore
River.
I
Thank
you,
Mr,
Speaker
day
after
day,
we
raise
devastating
stories
of
delays
in
the
Health
Care
System,
only
to
be
dismissed
by
this
minister
last
October,
the
leader
of
the
opposition
raised
the
house,
raised
the
issue
of
pharaoh
Krueger,
a
nurse
from
White
Rock,
who
was
diagnosed
with
skin
cancer
and
faced
one
grueling
delay
after
delay,
because
her
surgery
was
delayed
in
December.
The
procedure
was
done
with
outdated
scan
results
and
it
missed
a
cancer
node.
It
was
discovered
two
weeks
later
now.
I
I
I
J
Minister
of
Health,
thank
you
very
much
honorable
speaker
and,
of
course,
anyone
who's
struggling
with
cancer
needs
care,
deserves
care
and
gets
care
in
BC
and
honorable
speaker
in
this
case
and
in
others,
and
the
member
will
know
because
I
work
on
issues
with
him
and
all
members
of
the
house,
all
the
time,
How
Deeply
everybody
in
the
system
cares,
including
the
doctors
and
nurses
and
health
care
workers
responsible
for
care
in
this
case.
J
So
the
member
will
know,
because
he
knows
it
personally-
that
when
cases
are
brought
to
my
attention,
I
work
with
members
all
over
the
house
and
I
will
of
course,
work
in
this
case
and
I
to
the
family
and
everyone
involved
in
dealing
with
very
difficult
Health
Care
issues
for
themselves.
They
have
our
compassion
and
they
have
our
support,
and
a
member
will
know
that
all
of
the
people
involved
in
these
processes,
all
of
the
health
care
workers
involved
behave
with
that
in
mind.
G
G
It
is
symptomatic
of
a
Health
Care
system
in
crisis
in
British
Columbia,
because
in
fact,
in
this
province,
people
are
dying
on
wait
lists
and
it's
not
just
patients
that
are
suffering,
and
the
minister
knows
that
there
is
burnout
and
there
are
reports
of
toxic
workplaces
where
doctors
and
nurses
face
retaliation
for
speaking
out.
It
is
leading
Health
Care
Professionals
to
abandon
their
jobs
and
resign
across
the
province.
G
Staffing
levels
are
at
critical
levels,
and
yet
the
minister
has
today
on
his
desk
a
proposal
from
the
Canadian
Association
of
physician
assistants
to
get
some
desperately
needed,
help
for
the
people
of
Port,
Hardy
and
elsewhere.
I
raised
that
issue
with
the
minister
months
ago.
In
fact,
almost
a
year
ago,
The
Proposal
is
supported
by
the
doctors
of
BC,
the
First
Nations
health
authority,
the
BC
World
Health
Network,
and
even
the
MLA
for
North
Island.
G
All
of
them
begging
the
minister
in
this
government
to
agree
to
the
proposal
and
recognize
the
role
that
physician
assistants
can
play
in
the
health
care
team.
Physician
assistants
are
permitted
in
other
provinces
and
once
again,
they
can't
work
here
in
British
Columbia
and
they
could
start
to
work
almost
immediately.
J
Minister
of
Health,
thank
you
honorable
speaker,
and
over
the
past
number
of
years
our
government
has
taken
I
think
unprecedented
action
to
build
up
the
health,
our
care
team,
minister
of
Health.
We
are
lasting
Canada
last
and
nurse
practitioners
we've
more
than
doubled.
The
number
of
nurse
practitioners
practicing
in
BC
honorable
speaker,
we've
built
out
the
healthcare
teams
in
primary
care
with
Allied
Health
workers
and
mental
health
and
addiction
specialists
and
nurses,
and
nurse
practitioners
supporting
doctors
in
community.
J
The
member
I
think
understands.
The
reason
that
physician
assistants
have
not
been
approved
in
the
past
in
BC
is
that
the
previous
government
reviewed
the
issue
and
repeatedly
rejected
that
they
did.
That
is
a
fact
that
we
don't
train.
We
don't
train
Physicians
assistance
in
BC
and
therefore
it's
a
constrained
number.
This
is
an
issue
in
terms
of
their
licensing
and
so
on.
A
Thank
you,
Mr
Speaker,
well,
on
the
question
of
physician
assistance
practicing
in
British
Columbia,
the
member
from
Prince
George
Belmont,
raised
this
with
the
minister
about
a
year
ago,
and
the
minister
said
that
he
would
look
at
it
and
and
I
think
what
British
Columbians
are
expecting
and
what
medical
professionals
are
expecting
is
that
the
minister
is
going
to
to
work
on
this
expeditiously.
A
We
need
these,
these
physician
assistants
to
be
added
to
the
Health
Care
system,
to
add
the
capacity
that
that's
needed,
but
Mr
Speaker
I'll
move
to
a
different,
a
different
matter.
Doctors
should
be
practicing
medicine
in
this
province.
They,
as
opposed
to
being
muzzled
by
the
NDP.
The
people
of
Port
Hardy
will
soon
be
down
to
their
last
doctor
in
their
emergency
room
of
their
Hospital
Dr
Alex
notaros,
but
instead
of
giving
Port
Hardy's
last
doctor,
the
physician
assistant
that
he
has
been
asking
for,
he
has
been
suspended
now.
What
did
this
doctor
do
recently?
A
Well,
he
he
called
for
this
NDP
government
to
be
held
accountable
for
the
collapse
of
BC's
Health
Care
system.
Now
this
is
the
most
high
profile,
muzzling
of
healthcare,
a
professional
in
the
in
the
province.
But
let's
remember
that
hundreds
of
nurses
and
doctors
have
also
been
silenced
from
speaking
out
about
the
the
the
quality
of
care
in
this
in
in
the
province
and
the
collapse
of
BC's
Health
Care
system.
J
Minister
of
Health,
well
The,
Island,
Health,
Authority,
honorable
speaker
has
a
director
of
Medicine
who's,
an
outstanding
Doctor
Who
people
in
all
communities
on
Vancouver
Island
will
know.
Dr,
Ben,
Williams
and
Dr
Ben
Williams
in
that
position
has
a
legal
obligation
when
he
becomes
aware
of
patient
cases.
That
must
be
investigated
to
take
that
action,
the
name
of
patient
safety
and
that's
what
he
does
honorable
speaker
and
that's
what
occurred
in
this
place.
I
refer
The
Honorable,
member
that
the
detailed
response
that
Dr
Williams
has
put
in
place.
J
What
happened
in
this
case
has
nothing
to
do
honorable
speaker,
nothing
to
do
with
the
public
comments
made
by
anybody
about
the
Public
Health
Care
System.
It
has
nothing
to
do
with
it
and
to
suggest
that
it
does.
Honorable
speaker
is
just
false
and
I
go
further,
audible
speaker.
What
has
happened
since
2017
is
the
implementation
of
all
of
the
recommendations
of
the
review
by
the
ahmad's
person
of
Health
firings
in
BC.
J
The
change
in
the
law
brought
in
by
the
then
attorney
general
now
Premier
on
the
public
interest
disclosure
act,
an
insurance
that
people
can
speak
out
in
this
province.
That
is
something
that
we
passed
in
this
house
that
the
opposition
I
believe
supported.
Notwithstanding
their
conduct
in
government
in
the
health
firings
matter.
Honorable
speaker,
we
take
it
very
seriously.
J
Everyone
has
the
right
to
speak
out.
Everyone
should
have
that
right
to
speak
out.
They're
speaking
out
makes
the
Public
Health
Care
system
better,
but
when
senior
doctors
do
their
job
honorable
speaker
to
protect
patients
and
the
member
doesn't
know
what
it's
about,
he
doesn't
have
the
slightest
clue
and
he
makes
allegations
about
Dr
Williams
and
his
actions.
Honorable
speaker,
that
is
Honorable
speaker,
not
something
I
agree
with.
K
K
Mr,
Speaker,
Mr
Speaker
to
the
premier.
Why
did
the
Ministry
of
Health?
Why
does
the
Ministry
of
Health
continue
to
foster
a
toxic
Health
Care
workplace
by
muzzling
and
suspending
front-line
doctors,
nurses
and
Health
Care
Professionals,
while
protecting
employment
of
administration
accused
and
then
convicted
of
something
as
egregious
as
sexual
assault
of
children?.
J
Dr
devillier
has
been
convicted.
He
no
longer
works
for
Interior
Health
as
appropriate.
Honorable
speaker
and
the
members
ask
questions
about
the
case
of
another
doctor
and
have
I
think
put
into
question
the
ethics
of
a
senior
doctor
whose
responsibility
it
is
to
protect
patients
that
is
Olas
what
our
senior
doctors
do
in
British,
Columbia
and
I
think
to
I
I
think
to
attempt
to
juxtapose
those
issues
is
is
disgraceful.
J
We
have
taken
steps,
honorable
speaking,
repeated
steps.
You
know
honorable
speaker,
they
they
think
honorable
speaker.
They
think
that
asking
these
questions
of
this
seriousness
requires
heckling.
Honorable
speaker,
it
does
not.
It
does
not
honorable
speaker,
it
requires
here
they
here
they
go
again.
Honorable
speaker,
Dr
devillier's,
rightfully
is
gone
honorable
speaker
as
he
should
be,
with
respect
to
Withers.
J
Honorable
speaker,
honorable
speaker,
as
noted
honorable
speaker,
people
do
have
the
rights
do
have
the
rights
honorable
speaker.
J
People,
of
course,
do
have.
The
right
will
always
have
the
right
to
speak
out
in
our
democracy,
and
that
right
has
been
assured
by
legislative
action
of
this
chamber,
and
they
will
continue
to
do
so
in
our
Province,
as
they
should
honorable
speaker
in
our
Public
Health
Care
System,
although
the
member
is
just
wrong,
he's
just
wrong
as
to
the
facts
and
and
to
make
such
serious
allegations
when
you're
wrong
speaks
of
the
opposition
and
not
the
government.
Honorable
speaker,
we
have.
J
J
J
Honorable
speaker,
we
expect
our
Public
Health
officials
to
act
with
the
highest
standards
and
they
do
honorable
speaker
and
we
will
continue
to
support
people
who
need
care
in
British
Columbia
with
unprecedented
measures
to
do
so,
but
we'll
also
support
when
people
are
doing
their
jobs
like
Dr,
Ben
Williams.
We
will
support
them
in
their
efforts
to
protect
Public
Safety
and
will
continue
to
do
so.