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From YouTube: Speech from the Throne - DEC 7 2020
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
1st Session
42nd Parliament
A
Good
afternoon
friends,
it's
quite
charles.
We
begin
by
acknowledging
the
la
cuangan
peoples,
the
songs
and
esquimalt
first
nations,
upon
whose
traditional
lands
we
are
gathered.
Today
we
open
the
42nd
parliament
at
a
difficult
moment
when
the
successes
we
have
collectively
achieved
in
flattening
the
covid19
infections
curve
in
the
spring
stand,
in
contrast
with
the
toll
exacted
by
the
wave
we
now
confront.
A
A
We
pause
to
mourn
those
who
have
passed
all
of
them
taken
from
us
by
a
virus
that
was
unknown
just
one
year
ago.
We
acknowledge
the
grief.
The
pandemic
has
caused
all
british
colombians,
especially
those
who
have
lost
someone,
they
love
and
we
recognize
the
compounding
effect
of
the
pandemic
on
the
parallel
health
emergency.
That
is
the
opioid
crisis.
A
A
A
A
Now
it
falls
to
us
to
do
the
same.
This
moment
calls
on
all
of
us
to
show
resiliency
to
look
out
for
each
other.
As
those
who
came
before
us
did,
we
did
not
choose
the
challenge
of
covet
19,
but
we
are
meeting
it.
Health
care
providers
have
worked
themselves
to
exhaustion
and
put
themselves
at
risk
to
care
for
others.
A
Most
of
all,
ordinary
british
columbians
have
made
extraordinary
efforts
and
sacrifices
to
keep
their
communities
safe.
Overwhelmingly
british
colombians
have
united
behind
front
line
caregivers
and
workers
and
continue
to
reject
those
who
would
divide
us
already.
We
can
see
the
signs
of
better
days
ahead
as
science
and
research
lead
the
way
with
new
treatments
and
vaccines,
as
we
gather
here
today.
A
A
Postponed
non-urgent
surgeries
to
prepare
for
the
initial
surge
of
hospitalizations
secured
the
large
amounts
of
personal
protective
equipment.
Our
front-line
workers
need
to
keep
our
health
system
safe
and
worked
with
public
health
officials
to
implement
a
strategic
testing
and
contact
tracing
strategy
to
limit
outbreaks
as
they
emerged
in
the
early
fall.
A
A
Preparations
are
underway,
for
when
a
vaccine
is
available,
the
focus
will
be
on
distributing
it
to
british
columbians
quickly
and
safely
beginning
with
those
most
at
risk.
A
new
hospital
at
home
initiative
is
ramping
up
across
the
province
that
allows
patients
to
receive
medical
services.
In
their
own
homes,
helping
to
reduce
congestion
in
hospitals,
your
government
will
also
move
ahead
with
a
health
care
plan
based
on
three
main
goals:
faster
care.
A
A
Your
government
acted
quickly
to
support
people
during
the
pandemic.
More
than
six
hundred
thousand
workers
received
help
from
a
one
thousand
dollar
emergency
benefit.
More
than
eighty
six
thousand
renters
got
the
peace
of
mind
that
came
with
temporary
rent
relief
and
protection
from
the
threat
of
eviction.
A
A
During
this
first
phase,
your
government's
interventions
were
focused
on
helping
people
observe
health
restrictions
without
fear
of
losing
their
incomes
or
homes.
Businesses
received
help
through
property,
tax
cuts,
deferred
tax
payments
and
bc,
hydro
rate
relief.
These
measures
have
helped
protect
jobs
and
businesses
among
the
large
provinces
in
canada.
Bc
has
the
highest
job
recovery
rate
of
pre-pandemic
employment
levels,
but,
as
with
fighting
the
virus
itself,
now
is
the
time
to
redouble
our
efforts.
A
A
Protecting
incomes
and
businesses
will
help
us
realize
a
strong
economic
recovery.
Other
actions
will
too
your
government
will
ramp
up
investments
in
transportation
and
infrastructure,
which
will
stimulate
growth
during
the
recovery
period
and
benefit
british
columbians
through
shorter
commute
times
and
greener
transportation.