The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.
One-thirty o’clock p.m.
Prayers and Reflections by Ms. Merrifield.
On the motion of Mr. Yao, Bill (No. M 227) intituled Lunar New Year Act 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 Speaker delivered his reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
The Chair is prepared to rule on the question of privilege raised by the Member for Kelowna-Mission yesterday, which was taken under advisement. The Chair thanks the Member for Kelowna-Mission and the Government House Leader, on behalf of the Premier, for their submissions.
In outlining the grievance of her question of privilege, the Member for Kelowna-Mission took objection to remarks made by the Premier during Oral Question Period on November 20, 2023.
The submission of the Member for Kelowna-Mission essentially disputes the characterization of remarks made outside the House — in a forum of which the Chair has no knowledge without it having been laid before the House.
Further, the matter at hand appears to be one of disagreement or debate between two Members and is therefore not a matter for the Chair to weigh into or adjudicate.
As such, it is the ruling of the Chair that a prima facie breach of privilege has not occurred.
Members are reminded that the essential elements of raising a question of privilege are outlined on pages 399–400 of Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia, 5th edition.
Upon reviewing these requirements, Members will note that the process of placing a question of privilege before the Chair, or providing a response to a question before the Chair, is an opportunity to briefly state facts that are essential to assist the Chair in determining whether the question should have priority over all other House business.
As noted earlier, the Chair is not tasked with resolving a dispute between Members. Rather, the question before the Chair is whether a prima facie breach of the individual privileges of a Member, or the collective privileges of the House, has occurred.
I also remind all Members to be guided by the established parliamentary practices of this House, and to be prudent and measured in their language.
Freedom of speech is an essential privilege that Members of this House possess.
The Chair reminds Members that this freedom is not absolute, and that respect for one another — even at times of heated disagreement — must underpin all interactions between Members in the House.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Mr. Bernier rose on a point of order regarding comments made by the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure during Oral Question Period.
The Speaker stated that he would take the matter under advisement.
Ms. Paddon presented a petition regarding expansion of the criteria for the issuance of an Amber Alert.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
61 The Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That a Special Committee to Appoint a Human Rights Commissioner be appointed to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of an individual as Human Rights Commissioner for the province of British Columbia, pursuant to section 47.01 of the Human Rights Code (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 210).
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: Ravi Parmar (Convener), Brittny Anderson, Norm Letnick, Joan Phillip and Teresa Wat.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. R. Kahlon moved —
That, pursuant to Standing Order 81.1 (2):
1. All remaining stages of consideration of Bill (No. 44) intituled Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023, be disposed of by 3.30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
a. If at 3.25 p.m., the bill is still being considered at committee stage, the Chair shall forthwith put any remaining question to complete the consideration of the bill, without further amendment or debate, which shall be deemed passed and which shall not be subject to a formal division call, but which may be taken in accordance with Practice Recommendation No. 1.
b. Once the title of the bill has passed, the committee shall rise and report the bill complete with or without amendment, as the case may be, to the House.
c. Immediately thereafter, notwithstanding Standing Order 80, Standing Order 81, or any Standing Order or Sessional Order relating to the times and days of the sittings of the House, the question on all remaining stages of consideration of the bill shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate.
d. If a division is called on the motion for third reading of the bill, the division shall proceed forthwith in accordance with Standing Order 16 (2), as amended by Sessional Order on February 6, 2023.
2. All remaining stages of consideration of Bill (No. 46) intituled Housing Statutes (Development Financing) Amendment Act, 2023, be disposed of by 9.45 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.
a. If at 9.40 p.m., the bill is still being considered at committee stage, the Chair shall forthwith put any remaining question to complete the consideration of the bill, without further amendment or debate, which shall be deemed passed and which shall not be subject to a formal division call, but which may be taken in accordance with Practice Recommendation No. 1.
b. Once the title of the bill has passed, the committee shall rise and report the bill complete with or without amendment, as the case may be, to the House.
c. Immediately thereafter, notwithstanding Standing Order 80, Standing Order 81, or any Standing Order or Sessional Order relating to the times and days of the sittings of the House, the question on all remaining stages of consideration of the bill shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate.
d. If a division is called on the motion for third reading of the bill, the division shall proceed forthwith in accordance with Standing Order 16 (2), as amended by Sessional Order on February 6, 2023.
3. All remaining stages of consideration of Bill (No. 45) intituled Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 4), 2023, be disposed of by 4.30 p.m. on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
a. If at 4.25 p.m., the bill is still being considered at committee stage, the Chair shall forthwith put any remaining question to complete the consideration of the bill, without further amendment or debate, which shall be deemed passed and which shall not be subject to a formal division call, but which may be taken in accordance with Practice Recommendation No. 1.
b. Once the title of the bill has passed, the committee shall rise and report the bill complete with or without amendment, as the case may be, to the House.
c. Immediately thereafter, notwithstanding Standing Order 80, Standing Order 81, or any Standing Order or Sessional Order relating to the times and days of the sittings of the House, the question on all remaining stages of consideration of the bill shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate.
d. If a division is called on the motion for third reading of the bill, the division shall proceed forthwith in accordance with Standing Order 16 (2), as amended by Sessional Order on February 6, 2023.
4. All remaining stages of consideration of Bill (No. 47) intituled Housing Statutes (Transit-Oriented Areas) Amendment Act, 2023, be disposed of by 4.45 p.m. on Thursday, November 30, 2023.
a. If at 4.40 p.m., the bill is still being considered at committee stage, the Chair shall forthwith put any remaining question to complete the consideration of the bill, without further amendment or debate, which shall be deemed passed and which shall not be subject to a formal division call, but which may be taken in accordance with Practice Recommendation No. 1.
b. Once the title of the bill has passed, the committee shall rise and report the bill complete with or without amendment, as the case may be, to the House.
c. Immediately thereafter, notwithstanding Standing Order 80, Standing Order 81, or any Standing Order or Sessional Order relating to the times and days of the sittings of the House, the question on all remaining stages of consideration of the bill shall be put forthwith without amendment or debate.
d. If a division is called on the motion for third reading of the bill, the division shall proceed forthwith in accordance with Standing Order 16 (2), as amended by Sessional Order on February 6, 2023.
And further, that, for greater certainty, a committee considering a bill in Section B may rise and report progress for the purpose of receiving a report from Section A or Section C in accordance with this order.
Mr. de Jong rose on a point of order regarding Standing Order 81.1 (2).
Mr. Walker rose on a point of order regarding Standing Order 81.1 (2).
Mr. Olsen rose on a point of order regarding Standing Order 81.1 (2).
Mr. Stone rose on a point of order regarding Standing Order 81.1 (2).
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 49 | |||
| Chandra Herbert Parmar Sims Coulter Lore Malcolmson Beare Kang Heyman Cullen Bains Dean Bailey |
Mercier Brar Russell Routledge Rice Phillip Leonard Chow R. Singh Whiteside Farnworth Kahlon |
Eby Conroy Sharma Dix Robinson Fleming Alexis Rankin Ralston Simons Elmore Glumac |
Routley Yao Donnelly Greene Anderson Chant Sandhu Dykeman Paddon Begg Chen A. Singh |
| Nays — 29 | |||
| de Jong Doerkson Milobar Stone Bond Halford Ross Oakes |
Bernier Paton Davies Clovechok Morris Kyllo Sturko |
Merrifield Lee Wat Stewart Shypitka Ashton Sturdy |
Letnick Tegart Furstenau Olsen Rustad Banman Walker |
Mr. Olsen reserved his right to raise a question of privilege regarding remarks made by the Hon. R. Kahlon with respect to the time allocation motion moved earlier today pursuant to Standing Order 81.1 (2).
Mr. Stone reserved his right to raise a question of privilege regarding remarks made by the Hon. R. Kahlon with respect to the time allocation motion moved earlier today pursuant to Standing Order 81.1 (2).
The Speaker stated that he would take the matter under advisement.
Bill (No. 44) intituled Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023, was again committed.
Pursuant to the time allocation motion adopted earlier today, all necessary questions for the disposal of all remaining stages of Bill (No. 44) were put and deemed to have passed.
Clause 26 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 27 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 28 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 29 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 30 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 31 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 32 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 33 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 34 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 35 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 36 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 37 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 38 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 39 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 40 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 41 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 42 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 43 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 44 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 45 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 46 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 47 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
Clause 48 of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
The title of Bill (No. 44) passed, on division.
The motion that the Committee rise and report Bill (No. 44) complete without amendment passed, on division.
Bill (No. 44) reported complete without amendment.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 44) the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 45 | |||
| Chandra Herbert Parmar Sims Coulter Lore Malcolmson Beare Kang Heyman Cullen Bains Dean |
Bailey Mercier Brar Russell Routledge Rice Phillip Leonard R. Singh Whiteside Farnworth |
Kahlon Eby Conroy Sharma Robinson Fleming Alexis Rankin Ralston Simons Elmore |
Glumac Routley Yao Donnelly Greene Anderson Chant Sandhu Paddon Begg A. Singh |
| Nays — 29 | |||
| de Jong Doerkson Milobar Stone Bond Halford Ross Oakes |
Bernier Paton Davies Clovechok Morris Kyllo Sturko |
Merrifield Lee Wat Stewart Shypitka Ashton Sturdy |
Letnick Tegart Furstenau Olsen Rustad Banman Walker |
Bill (No. 44) read a third time and passed.
Mr. Stone reserved his right to raise a question of privilege.
Mr. Olsen reserved his right to raise a question of privilege.
Bill (No. 46) intituled Housing Statutes (Development Financing) Amendment Act, 2023, was committed.
Mr. Olsen reserved his right to raise a question of privilege in Committee.
Mr. Milobar reserved his right to raise a question of privilege in Committee.
The Hon. R. Kahlon made a personal statement.
The Committee recessed until 7 p.m.
Pursuant to the time allocation motion adopted earlier today, all necessary questions for the disposal of all remaining stages of Bill (No. 46) were put and deemed to have passed.
Clause 1 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 2 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 3 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 4 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 5 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 6 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 7 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 8 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 9 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 10 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 11 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 12 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 13 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 14 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 15 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 16 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 17 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
Clause 18 of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
The title of Bill (No. 46) passed, on division.
The motion that the Committee rise and report Bill (No. 46) complete without amendment passed, on division.
Bill (No. 46) reported complete without amendment.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 46) the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 44 | |||
| Chandra Herbert Sims Coulter Lore Malcolmson Beare Kang Cullen Bains Dean Bailey |
Mercier Brar Russell Routledge Rice Leonard Chow R. Singh Whiteside Farnworth Kahlon |
Sharma Dix Robinson Fleming Alexis Rankin Ralston Simons Elmore Glumac Routley |
Yao Donnelly Anderson Chant Sandhu Dykeman Paddon Begg Chen A. Singh Walker |
| Nays — 28 | |||
| Doerkson Milobar Stone Falcon Bond Halford Ross |
Oakes Bernier Paton Davies Clovechok Morris Kyllo |
Sturko Merrifield Lee Wat Stewart Shypitka Ashton |
Sturdy Letnick Tegart Furstenau Olsen Rustad Banman |
Bill (No. 46) read a third time and passed.
The Speaker delivered his reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
Earlier today, the Member for Peace River South raised a point of order stating that the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure used unparliamentary language during Question Period.
I took that matter under advisement.
Pursuant to practice, Speakers have ruled that if the Chair did not hear the offensive language or phrase, or if the offensive language was not recorded in the debates, the Chair cannot be expected to rule in the absence of a reliable record.
In this instance, I did not hear any such remarks. Also, a careful review of the Hansard Blues and broadcast video has been undertaken, but no unparliamentary remarks are captured in either Hansard record.
Therefore, I advise the House that I cannot take any further action on this matter.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
By notice from Mr. Sturdy to the Table, notice to introduce a Bill intituled Safe Care Act, 2023, was withdrawn from the Order Paper.
And then the House adjourned at 10.02 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Thursday, November 30
62 The Hon. R. Kahlon to move —
That the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia be amended
1. at Standing Order 2 (1) to provide for the Thursday afternoon sitting to be from 1 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. instead of 1.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and,
2. at Standing Order 3 by striking the words “6:00 p.m. on Thursday” and replacing them with “5:30 p.m. on Thursday”.
Monday, December 4
63 Mr. Milobar to move —
Be it resolved that this House endorses the economic analysis of the Business Council of British Columbia of the Government’s own data which finds that the CleanBC plan is a CostBC scheme that would shrink the economy by $28 billion, at a cost of $11,000 per household and over 200,000 jobs.
64 Ms. Bond to move —
Be it resolved that this House agrees that cancer patients in B.C. should not be forced to travel to the United States just to receive adequate and timely treatment.
65 Mr. Halford to move —
Be it resolved that this House believes concrete results, not words, are needed to address the skyrocketing cost of living in British Columbia.
66 Mr. Shypitka to move —
Be it resolved that this House believes that all crimes, including property crimes, deserve fair prosecution and punishment.
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