The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
Ten o’clock a.m.
Prayers and Reflections by Bradley Dick, Songhees Nation.
On the motion of Mr. Halford, Bill (No. M 225) intituled Fraser Valley Transit Services Act, 2023, was introduced, read a first time, and 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.”
The Hon. N. Sharma (Attorney General) tabled the Judicial Compensation Commission Final Report, 2022, April 28, 2023.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
Section B of Committee of Supply reported progress of the estimates of the Office of the Premier.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 12 noon.
One o’clock p.m.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
Order called for Committee of Supply.
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section B of Committee of Supply.
(In Committee — Section B)
11. Resolved, That a sum not exceeding $16,045,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Office of the Premier, Office of the Premier, to 31st March, 2024.
Section B of Committee of Supply reported the Resolution and completion of the estimates of the Office of the Premier.
Report to be considered later today.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
By leave, the Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That a Special Committee to Review Provisions of the Public Service Act be appointed, pursuant to section 25.1 of the Public Service Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 385) to review that Act in relation to dismissal process reviews by the Merit Commissioner.
That the Special Committee have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition 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 Special 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 Special Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House by May 10, 2024, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special 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.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: George Chow (Convener), Michael de Jong, Mike Morris, Roly Russell, Harwinder Sandhu and Nicholas Simons.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That a Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles be appointed pursuant to section 42.1 of the Passenger Transportation Act (S.B.C. 2004, c. 39) to review passenger directed vehicle services and transportation network companies administered under the Act. This includes, but is not limited to, a review of the following:
a. whether the provision of licences under the Act that include passenger directed vehicle authorizations or transportation network services authorizations promotes an adequate supply of passenger directed vehicles, including accessible passenger directed vehicles, and passenger and driver safety;
b. the effectiveness of the test set out in section 28 (1) in promoting adequate supply and passenger and driver safety;
c. whether the Act promotes employment in the passenger directed vehicle services and transportation network services industries;
d. impacts on public transportation, traffic congestion and the environment attributable to the administration under this Act of passenger directed vehicle services and transportation network services; and,
e. whether the Act promotes passenger directed vehicle services, including transportation network services, in small, rural or remote communities.
That the Special Committee have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition 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 Special 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 Special Committee considers appropriate;
d. adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and,
e. retain personnel as required to assist the Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House by May 10, 2024, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special 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.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Mable Elmore (Convener), Shirley Bond, Kelly Greene, Janet Routledge, Doug Routley and Jordan Sturdy.
Motion agreed to.
By leave, the Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That a Special Committee to Appoint a Police Complaint Commissioner be appointed to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an individual as Police Complaint Commissioner for the province of British Columbia, pursuant to section 47 of the Police Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 367).
That the Special Committee have all the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition 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 Special 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 Special Committee.
That the Special Committee report to the House as soon as possible, and that during a period of adjournment, the Special 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.
That the Special Committee be composed of the following Members: Garry Begg (Convener), Trevor Halford, Renee Merrifield, Adam Olsen, Kelli Paddon and Aman Singh.
Motion agreed to.
Order called for consideration of reports of Resolutions from Committee of Supply.
The Hon. K. Conroy (Minister of Finance) moved —
That the reports of resolutions from the Committee of Supply on March 9, 27, 28, 29, April 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, May 1, 3, 4, 10 and 11 be now received, taken as read and agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. K. Conroy (Minister of Finance) moved —
That there be granted to His Majesty, from and out of the consolidated revenue fund, the sum of 68 billion, 449 million, 172 thousand dollars towards defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 1 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2023.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. K. Conroy (Minister of Finance) moved —
That there be granted to His Majesty, from and out of the consolidated revenue fund, the sum of 1 billion, 351 million, 564 thousand dollars towards defraying the disbursements for capital expenditures, loans, investments and other financing requirements of the province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 2 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2023.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. K. Conroy (Minister of Finance) 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. 30) intituled Supply Act, 2023–2024, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
May 8, 2023.
Bill introduced and read a first time.
The Speaker declared a short recess for distribution of the Bill.
Bill permitted to be advanced all stages this day.
Bill (No. 30) was read a second time.
On the motion of the Hon. K. Conroy (Minister of Finance), Bill (No. 30) was committed to a Committee of the Whole House to be considered forthwith.
Bill (No. 30) was committed.
Clauses 1 through 3, the preamble, the schedules and the title of Bill (No. 30) passed.
Bill (No. 30) reported complete without amendment.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 30) the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 47 | |||
| Sims Coulter Lore Malcolmson Beare Kang Heyman Osborne Cullen Dean Bailey Mercier |
Brar A. Singh Routledge Starchuk D’Eith Leonard Chow R. Singh Whiteside Farnworth Kahlon Eby |
Conroy Sharma Dix Robinson Fleming Alexis Rankin Ralston Popham Simons Elmore Glumac |
Routley Donnelly Anderson Chant Sandhu Chen Begg Paddon Walker Furstenau Olsen |
| Nays — 21 | |||
| Doerkson Milobar Stone Falcon Halford Ross |
Oakes Bernier Paton Davies Sturdy |
Clovechok Morris Kyllo Sturko Kirkpatrick |
Merrifield Wat Stewart Shypitka Letnick |
Bill (No. 30) read a third time and passed.
The Speaker declared a short recess.
Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor having entered the House, and being seated in the Chair —
Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, read the titles to the following Acts:
Bill (No. 5) Public Service Labour Relations Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 10) Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 11) Election Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 13) Pay Transparency Act.
Bill (No. 17) Family Law Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 18) Haida Nation Recognition Act.
Bill (No. 19) Money Services Businesses Act.
Bill (No. 20) Business Corporations Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 21) Civil Forfeiture Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 22) Strata Property Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 23) Motor Vehicle Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. 24) Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2023.
Bill (No. 25) Electoral Districts Act.
Bill (No. 26) Municipalities Enabling and Validating (No. 5) Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. Pr 401) Vancouver Foundation Amendment Act, 2023.
Bill (No. Pr 402) St. Mark’s College Amendment Act, 2023.
Her Honour was pleased in His Majesty’s name to give assent to the said Acts.
The said assent was announced by Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, in the following words:
“In His Majesty’s name, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor doth assent to these Acts.”
Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, read the title to the following Act:
Bill (No. 30) Supply Act, 2023–2024.
Her Honour was pleased in His Majesty’s name to give assent to the said Act.
The said assent was announced by Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, in the following words:
“In His Majesty’s name, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor doth thank His Majesty’s loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and assents to this Act.”
Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor was then pleased to retire.
By leave, the Hon. R. Kahlon tabled the revised 2023 Parliamentary Calendar.
The Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
1. That the House, at its rising, do stand adjourned until it appears to the satisfaction of the Speaker, after consultation with the government, that the public interest requires that the House shall meet, or until the Speaker may be advised by the government that it is desired to prorogue the Fourth Session of the Forty-second Parliament of the Province of British Columbia. The Speaker shall give notice to all Members that he is so satisfied or has been so advised, and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice, and, as the case may be, may transact its business as if it has been duly adjourned to that time and date.
2. That, by agreement of the Speaker and the House Leaders of each recognized caucus, the location of sittings and means of conducting sittings of this House may be altered if required due to an emergency situation or public health measures, and that such agreement constitute the authorization of the House to proceed in the manner agreed to. The Speaker shall give notice to all Members of the agreement and shall table it for it to be printed in the Votes and Proceedings of the House at the next sitting.
3. That, in the event of the Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Speaker shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order; in the event that the Deputy Speaker being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole shall act in his stead for the purpose of this order; and in the event that the Deputy Chair of the Committee of the Whole being unable to act owing to illness or other cause, another Member designated collectively by the House Leaders of each recognized caucus shall act in her stead for the purpose of this order.
Motion agreed to.
And then the House adjourned at 5.40 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
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