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 Korky Neufeld.
The Speaker made the following statement:
Honourable Members:
On Wednesday, May 28, the Member for Prince George-North Cariboo and the Member for Kamloops Centre raised points of order regarding the application of Standing Order 8 (2) with respect to a Member participating remotely in the division on the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 14). The Chair ruled that Members participating in that division did not contravene Standing Order 8 or the Guidance for Members Participating in Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly Remotely issued by the Chair under Standing Order 8 (3) (b). The Chair deems the matter concluded. However, the Chair wishes to offer some reflections for the benefit of the House.
Voting is one of the most consequential responsibilities of a Member of this House. Disallowing a Member to vote is not a decision that the Chair takes lightly, but it is an authority granted to the Chair under Standing Order 8 (4) (b). Since Standing Order 8 was amended in March 2024 to enable remote participation by Members on a permanent basis, the Chair has disallowed a Member from voting in two instances — in both, the Members joining remotely were in a vehicle, which is not an acceptable venue from which to participate in parliamentary business. The Chair has never disallowed a Member from voting in other instances.
As it pertains to the use of virtual backgrounds, based on the submissions made to the Chair yesterday, there appears to be a difference of interpretation of what that entails. Throughout this sessional period, the Chair has observed Members participating remotely using a blurred background on several occasions, without objection raised and without the Chair intervening. In the view of the Chair, a blurred background does not constitute a contravention of the Guidance for Members Participating in Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly Remotely. This is because a blurred background has never given doubt in the Chair’s mind on the whereabouts of a Member. In contrast, if a Member was using a virtual background, artificially setting the Member in the tropics or in nature, it would indeed cast doubt in the Chair’s mind on the Member’s whereabouts and would render the Member ineligible to participate in proceedings of the House.
Standing Order 8 (3) (b) requires the Chair to consult with the House Leaders or the Whips when establishing the rules, expectations, and requirements for remote connectivity and participation by Members. Given that the current guidance appears to have left room for doubt on the expectations of Members, the Chair will engage with House Leaders prior to the fall sessional period and issue updated guidance if required so that all Members are clear on the expectations for remote participation in parliamentary business.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN,Speaker
Order called for “Members’ Statements.”
Order called for “Oral Questions by Members.”
The Speaker stated that the Member for Columbia River-Revelstoke has withdrawn the point of order raised on Thursday, May 15, regarding comments made by the Member for Burnaby East during Statements by Members, and the matter is considered resolved.
The Hon. Raj Chouhan (Speaker) tabled the Registrar of Lobbyists, Determination Decision 25-05, Intuitive Surgical Canada, Inc., Designated Filer: Eric Dastmalchian, April 10, 2025.
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 12.01 p.m.
One o’clock p.m.
On the motion of Mandeep Dhaliwal, Bill (No. M 215) intituled Parental Transparency and Age-Appropriate Education Act, 2025, 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.
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 $18,450,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Office of the Premier, Office of the Premier, to 31st March, 2026.
Section B of Committee of Supply reported the Resolution and completion of the estimates of the Office of the Premier.
Report to be considered forthwith.
Committee to sit again at the next sitting.
Order called for consideration of reports of Resolutions from Committee of Supply.
The Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance) moved —
That the reports of resolutions from the Committee of Supply on March 31, April 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 29, 30, May 1, 5, 6, 8, 13, 27, 28 and 29 be now received, taken as read and agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance) moved —
That there be granted to His Majesty, from and out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the sum of 82 billion, 146 million, 902 thousand dollars towards defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of the Province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 1 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2025.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance) moved —
That there be granted to His Majesty, from and out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the sum of 1 billion, 560 million, 352 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, 2026. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 2 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2025.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Administrator, which read as follows:
Leonard Marchand
Administrator
The Administrator transmits herewith Bill (No. 16) intituled Supply Act, 2025–2026, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Vancouver Law Courts,
May 26, 2025.
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. 16) read a second time.
On the motion of the Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance), Bill (No. 16) was committed to a Committee of the Whole House to be considered forthwith.
Bill (No. 16) was committed.
Clauses 1 through 3, the schedules, the preamble and the title of Bill (No. 16) passed.
Bill (No. 16) reported complete without amendment.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 16) 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 — 44 | |||
| 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 Kealy Armstrong Brodie |
Bill (No. 16) read a third time and passed.
The Speaker declared a short recess.
His Honour the Administrator 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) Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2025.
Bill (No. 7) Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act.
Bill (No. 11) Employment Standards Amendment Act, 2025.
Bill (No. 13) Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2025.
Bill (No. 14) Renewable Energy Projects (Streamlined Permitting) Act.
Bill (No. 15) Infrastructure Projects Act.
Bill (No. M 202) Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act.
Bill (No. M 204) Perinatal and Postnatal Mental Health Strategy Act.
His 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, His Honour the Administrator doth assent to these Acts.”
Kate Ryan-Lloyd, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, read the title to the following Act:
Bill (No. 16) Supply Act, 2025–2026.
His 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, His Honour the Administrator doth thank His Majesty’s loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and assents to this Act.”
His Honour the Administrator was then pleased to retire.
39 The Hon. Mike Farnworth moved —
That in addition to the terms of reference provided to the Special Committee to Appoint Statutory Officers by the Legislative Assembly on February 24, 2025, the Special Committee be further empowered to recommend to the Legislative Assembly the appointment of:
a. An individual to hold office as Merit Commissioner, pursuant to section 5.01 of the Public Service Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 385); and,
b. An individual to hold office as Ombudsperson, pursuant to section 2 of the Ombudsperson Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 340).
That the Special Committee report to the House on its recommendations 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.
Motion agreed to.
43 The Hon. Mike Farnworth moved —
That in addition to the terms of reference provided to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services by the Legislative Assembly on February 24, 2025, the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in section 28.2 of the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act.
The Hon. Mike Farnworth moved the following amendment —
That Motion 43 be amended by striking the indicated text and adding the underlined text, as follows:
That in addition to the terms of reference provided to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services by the Legislative Assembly on February 24, 2025, the Committee be designated as the Committee referred to in section 28.221 of the Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act.
Amendment agreed to.
The debate resumed on the main motion, as amended.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. Mike Farnworth 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 First Session of the Forty-third 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 their 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 their 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 their stead for the purpose of this order.
Motion agreed to.
And then the House adjourned at 5.22 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
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