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Ten o’clock a.m.
Prayers and Reflections by Mr. Kyllo.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
Order called for “Private Members’ Statements.”
3 By leave, Mr. Routley moved —
Be it resolved that one year after the anti-vaccine protests in Ottawa and communities including Victoria, South Surrey, Kelowna, and Cranbrook, this House denounces the freedom convoy protests and affirms that public health orders, including vaccine requirements, have been an essential tool in B.C.’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A debate arose.
The debate continued.
On the motion of Mr. D’Eith, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.
And then the House adjourned at 12 noon.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
The Hon. A. Kang (Minister of Municipal Affairs) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Janet Austin
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 6) intituled Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (No. 5) and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
February 8, 2023.
Bill introduced and read a first time.
Bill Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
14 The Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That all reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia transmitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly be deemed referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts. For greater certainty, the following exceptions are provided:
a. the report referred to in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) shall be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services; and,
b. reports of the Auditor General respecting the Legislative Assembly prepared under the provisions of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 258) shall be referred to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee.
That the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be the Committee referred to in sections 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2).
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
A debate arose.
Mr. Stone moved the following amendment —
That Motion 14 be amended by inserting the underlined text:
That all reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia transmitted to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly be deemed referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts. For greater certainty, the following exceptions are provided:
a. the report referred to in section 22 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2) shall be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services; and,
b. reports of the Auditor General respecting the Legislative Assembly prepared under the provisions of the Legislative Assembly Management Committee Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 258) shall be referred to the Legislative Assembly Management Committee.
That the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be the Committee referred to in sections 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14 of the Auditor General Act (S.B.C. 2003, c. 2).
That the complete final report on the forensic audit of B.C. Housing be transmitted to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts within 10 days of its receipt by the Office of the Comptroller General.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
d. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
A debate arose.
The amendment was negatived, on division.
The debate resumed on the main motion.
Motion agreed to.
15 The Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to foster greater awareness and understanding among legislators and the public of the B.C. child welfare system, including the specific needs of Indigenous children, youth, families and communities, and in particular to:
1. Receive and review the annual service plan from the Representative for Children and Youth (the “Representative”) that includes a statement of goals and identifies specific objectives and performance measures that will be required to exercise the powers and perform the functions and duties of the Representative during the fiscal year;
2. Be the Committee to which the Representative reports, at least annually;
3. Refer to the Representative for investigation the critical injury or death of a child;
4. Receive and consider all reports and plans transmitted by the Representative to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; and,
5. Complete, pursuant to section 30 (1) of the Representative for Children and Youth Act (S.B.C. 2006, c. 29), a comprehensive review of the Act or portions of the Act to determine whether the functions of the Representative described in section 6 are still required to ensure that the needs of children and young adults as defined in that section are met, including consideration of any information or evidence received by the Committee during the Third Session of the Forty-second Parliament.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
Motion agreed to.
Ms. Merrifield reserved her right to raise a question of privilege regarding comments made earlier today during debate on Motion 3 by the Member for Parksville-Qualicum.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 2) intituled National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Act.
The debate continued.
The House divided.
Motion agreed to nemine contradicente on the following division:
| Yeas — 74 | |||
| Chandra Herbert Babchuk Coulter Lore Malcolmson Beare Kang Ma Heyman Osborne Dean Bailey Mercier Brar A. Singh Routledge Starchuk Rice D’Eith |
Leonard Chow R. Singh Whiteside Farnworth Kahlon Eby Conroy Dix Robinson Fleming Alexis Rankin Ralston Popham Simons Elmore Glumac Routley |
Yao Donnelly Dykeman Sims Greene Anderson Chant Russell Sandhu Chen Paddon Walker de Jong Doerkson Milobar Stone Bond Halford |
Ross Oakes Paton Davies Clovechok Morris Kyllo Sturko Kirkpatrick Merrifield Lee Wat Stewart Letnick Tegart Rustad Furstenau Olsen |
Bill (No. 2) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 4) intituled Finance Statutes Amendment Act, 2023, a debate arose.
Bill (No. 4) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
Pursuant to Order, the House resumed the adjourned debate on the Address in Reply to the Speech of Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the Session.
The debate continued.
On the motion of Mr. Doerkson, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.
And then the House adjourned at 6.21 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Tuesday, February 14
Mr. Sturdy to introduce a Bill intituled Crown Land Residential Lease Act, 2023.
Mr. Sturdy to introduce a Bill intituled British Columbia Transit Amendment Act, 2023.
Wednesday, February 15
Ms. Leonard to introduce a Bill intituled Provincial Symbols and Honours Amendment Act, 2023.
Wednesday, February 15
16 The Hon. R. Kahlon to move —
That the Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food be empowered to examine carbon sequestration and related technology in British Columbia’s agricultural sector and make recommendations with respect to:
1. Opportunities to increase carbon content in agricultural soils in British Columbia.
2. Supports for British Columbia’s agricultural technology sector as they relate to carbon sequestration.
3. Supports and incentives for encouraging the use of made-in-B.C. agricultural technology innovations to enhance carbon sequestration.
That, in addition to the powers previously conferred upon Select Standing Committees of the House, the Select Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fish and Food be empowered to:
a. appoint of its number one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee and to delegate to the subcommittees all or any of its powers except the power to report directly to the House;
b. sit during a period in which the House is adjourned, during the recess after prorogation until the next following Session and during any sitting of the House;
c. conduct consultations by any means the Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Committee.
That the Committee report to the House by February 29, 2024, and that during a period of adjournment, the Committee deposit its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, or in the next following Session, as the case may be, the Chair present all reports to the House.
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