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The printed version remains the official version.
Ten o’clock a.m.
Prayers and Reflections by Gavin Dew.
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
The Speaker delivered his reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
On Monday, May 12, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs raised a question of privilege in the House respecting comments that the Member for Langley-Abbotsford made in the Committee of Supply on Thursday, May 8. The Member for Langley-Abbotsford made his representations to the Chair on Wednesday, May 14. The Chair thanks the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs and the Member for Langley-Abbotsford for their submissions. The Chair is now prepared to rule on the matter.
As noted in a decision of Speaker Barnes of June 14, 1995, “…the Speaker quite properly has no knowledge of what transpires in a Committee of the House, nor are matters which occurred in the Committee of the House properly within the domain of the Speaker…” Parliamentary Practice in British Columbia, 5th edition, at page 406, provides that questions of privilege regarding matters arising in committee must be raised in committee — which includes a Committee of the Whole House, the Committee of Supply, and a parliamentary committee.
Accordingly, there is no role for the Chair to play in adjudicating whether a prima facie breach of privilege occurred with respect to the matter raised by the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. However, the Chair notes that the Member for Langley-Abbotsford issued an unqualified withdrawal of his comments yesterday. The Chair therefore views the matter as concluded.
The Chair will take this opportunity to remind Members that freedom of speech is one of the most important privileges that Members of this House possess to undertake their parliamentary duties. This privilege needs to be exercised with caution — Members cannot take advantage of the shield of free speech to insult or impugn the character of someone outside of the House, who has no recourse given the protections attached to this House.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN,Speaker
Scott McInnis rose on a point of order regarding comments made by Rohini Arora during Statements by Members.
The Speaker stated that he would take the matter under advisement.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
31 The Hon. Mike Farnworth moved —
That, pursuant to Standing Order 86, the order for third reading of Bill (No. M 202) intituled Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act be discharged and that the bill be recommitted to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills;
That the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills reconsider clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Bill (No. M 202) intituled Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act for the purpose of considering amendments to those clauses;
That the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills report Bill (No. M 202) intituled Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act to the House by Monday, May 26, 2025;
And that, notwithstanding Standing Orders 27 (1), 27 (4), and 28, Bill (No. M 202) intituled Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act take precedence on the Order Paper once it is reported from the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills.
A debate arose.
The House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 48 | |||
| Lore G. Anderson Blatherwick Elmore Sunner Toporowski B. Anderson Neill Osborne Brar Davidson Kahlon |
Parmar Gibson Beare Chandra Herbert Wickens Kang Morissette Sandhu Krieger Chant Lajeunesse Choi |
Rotchford Higginson Routledge Popham Dix Sharma Farnworth Eby Bailey Begg Greene Whiteside |
Boyle Ma Yung Malcolmson Chow Glumac Arora Shah Phillip Dhir Valeriote Botterell |
| Nays — 42 | |||
| Sturko Kindy Milobar Warbus Rustad Banman Wat Kooner Halford Hartwell L. Neufeld |
Dew Gasper Day Block Bhangu Paton Boultbee Chan Toor Hepner Giddens |
Rattée Davis McInnis Bird Luck Stamer Maahs Tepper Mok Clare |
Wilson Williams Loewen Dhaliwal Doerkson Chapman McCall Kealy Armstrong Brodie |
And then the House adjourned at 11.36 a.m.
One o’clock p.m.
The Hon. Ravi Kahlon (Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs) withdrew comments made during Oral Question Period on May 13, 2025.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
Pursuant to Sessional Order, order called for Section A of Committee of the Whole.
The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 14) intituled Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act.
The debate continued.
The House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 46 | |||
| Lore G. Anderson Blatherwick Elmore Sunner Toporowski B. Anderson Neill Osborne Brar Davidson Kahlon |
Parmar Gibson Beare Chandra Herbert Wickens Kang Morissette Sandhu Krieger Chant Lajeunesse Choi |
Rotchford Higginson Routledge Popham Dix Sharma Farnworth Eby Bailey Begg Greene |
Whiteside Boyle Ma Yung Malcolmson Chow Glumac Arora Shah Phillip Dhir |
| Nays — 43 | |||
| Sturko Kindy Milobar Warbus Rustad Banman Wat Kooner Halford Hartwell L. Neufeld |
Van Popta Dew Gasper K. Neufeld Day Block Bhangu Paton Boultbee Chan Toor |
Hepner Giddens Rattée Davis McInnis Bird Luck Stamer Maahs Tepper Mok |
Clare Wilson Williams Loewen Dhaliwal Doerkson Chapman McCall Valeriote Botterell |
Bill (No. 14) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.
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 Ministry of Finance.
Report to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
(In Committee — Section A)
Bill (No. 15) intituled Infrastructure Projects Act was again committed.
Kiel Giddens moved a proposed amendment to clause 2 of Bill (No. 15) which was defeated on the following division:
| Nays — 6 | |||
| Toporowski Kang |
Lajeunesse Choi |
Routledge |
Ma |
| Yeas — 6 | |||
| Kooner Dew |
Boultbee Mok |
Williams |
Valeriote |
The Chair announced that the votes being equal, and in accordance with established practice to maintain the bill in existing form, she cast her vote in opposition to the amendment.
Clause 2 of Bill (No. 15) passed, on division.
On clause 3 of Bill (No. 15).
Section A of Committee of the Whole reported progress on Bill (No. 15) intituled Infrastructure Projects Act and asked leave to sit again.
Bill to be considered at the next sitting.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
And then the House adjourned at 5.20 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Monday, May 26
32 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That a Special Committee to Review Provisions of the Human Rights Code be appointed to review sections 47.01 to 47.24 of the Human Rights Code (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 210), pursuant to section 50.1 of the Act.
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 within one year of its appointment, 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: Jennifer Blatherwick (Convener), Rohini Arora, Dana Lajeunesse, Scott McInnis and Teresa Wat.
33 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That Nina Krieger replace Dana Lajeunesse as a member of the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills.
34 The Hon. Mike Farnworth to move —
That Susie Chant replace Paul Choi as a member of the Special Committee to Review the Lobbyists Transparency Act.
35 The Hon. Josie Osborne (Minister of Health) to move —
That this House supports this Government’s work to train, recruit and retain more health care professionals to relieve the pressures on British Columbia’s health care system and increase access to health care services.
36 The Hon. Josie Osborne (Minister of Health) to move —
That given the rising cases of measles in some jurisdictions, this House affirms that vaccines are safe and effective, condemns the spread of all anti-vaccine misinformation including by the United States Health Secretary and urges parents to vaccinate their children consistent with the advice of B.C.’s Provincial Health Officer.
37 The Hon. Spencer Chandra Herbert (Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport) to move —
That this House recognizes the importance of arts and the creative industries in our province and celebrates their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and sustainability.
38 Rohini Arora to move —
That this House condemns the intolerant views of the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), including its harmful discrimination against transgender people, its belief that homosexuality is “immoral” and its explicit policy goal of restricting abortion access in British Columbia.
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