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 Susie Chant.
On the motion of Tara Armstrong, Bill (No. M 249) intituled Pharmaceutical Risk Management and Accountability 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 Hon. Jennifer Whiteside (Minister of Labour) tabled the WorkSafe BC Annual Report, 2025, and Service Plan, 2026–2028.
Scott McInnis presented a petition regarding the Incomappleux Forest Service Road.
The Hon. Nina Krieger (Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General) tabled the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch Annual Report, 2024/2025.
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 noon.
One o’clock p.m.
The Hon. Niki Sharma (Attorney General and Deputy Premier) tabled the following documents:
Forest Appeals Commission Annual Report, 2025; and,
Labour Relations Board Annual Report, 2025.
The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 20) intituled K’ómoks Treaty Act, the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 53 | |||
| Lore Blatherwick Dhir Routledge Chant Toporowski B. Anderson Neill Osborne Brar Krieger Davidson Parmar Sunner |
Beare Greene Wickens Kang Begg Arora Higginson Sandhu Lajeunesse Choi Rotchford Elmore Phillip |
Popham Dix Sharma Farnworth Eby Bailey Kahlon Chandra Herbert Whiteside Boyle Ma Yung Malcolmson |
Gibson Glumac Shah G. Anderson Chow Morissette Warbus Rustad Paton Day Mok Valeriote Botterell |
| Nays — 39 | |||
| Loewen Kindy Milobar Halford Rattée Wat Kooner Banman Hartwell L. Neufeld |
Van Popta Dew Clare K. Neufeld Wilson McInnis Bhangu Toor Hepner Giddens |
Dhaliwal McCall Maahs Block Stamer Gasper Davis Williams Chapman Bird |
Doerkson Luck Tepper Chan Boultbee Sturko Brodie Armstrong Kealy |
Bill (No. 20) read a third time and passed.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 9) intituled Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026, the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 46 | |||
| Lore Blatherwick Dhir Routledge Chant Toporowski B. Anderson Neill Osborne Brar Krieger Davidson |
Parmar Sunner Beare Greene Wickens Kang Begg Arora Higginson Sandhu Lajeunesse Choi |
Rotchford Elmore Phillip Popham Dix Sharma Farnworth Eby Bailey Kahlon Chandra Herbert |
Whiteside Boyle Ma Yung Malcolmson Gibson Glumac Shah G. Anderson Chow Morissette |
| Nays — 46 | |||
| Loewen Kindy Milobar Warbus Halford Rattée Wat Kooner Banman Hartwell L. Neufeld Van Popta |
Dew Clare K. Neufeld Rustad Wilson McInnis Paton Day Bhangu Toor Hepner Giddens |
Dhaliwal McCall Maahs Block Stamer Gasper Mok Davis Williams Chapman Bird |
Doerkson Luck Tepper Valeriote Botterell Chan Boultbee Sturko Brodie Armstrong Kealy |
The Speaker announced that the votes being equal, and in accordance with established practice that the confidence of the House should not be decided by the sole vote of the Chair, he cast his vote in favour of the motion.
Bill (No. 9) read a third time and passed.
The Hon. Mike Farnworth rose on a point of order regarding the application of Standing Order 8 with respect to remote participation in proceedings.
Á’a:líya Warbus made representations.
The Speaker stated that he would take the matter under advisement.
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 $15,334,000 be granted to His Majesty to defray the expenses of Office of the Premier, Office of the Premier, to 31st March, 2027.
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 February 26, March 3, 4, 9, 12, 30, 31, April 14, 15, 21, 27, 30, May 4, 5, 6, 19, 26 and 28 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 84 billion, 357 million, 487 thousand dollars towards defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of the Province for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 1 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2026.
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, 451 million, 413 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, 2027. This sum includes the sum that was authorized to be paid under section 2 of the Supply Act (No. 1), 2026.
Motion agreed to.
The Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance) presented to the Speaker a Message from Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:
Wendy Cocchia
Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 22) intituled Supply Act, 2026–2027, and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.
Government House,
April 24, 2026.
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. 22) read a second time.
On the motion of the Hon. Brenda Bailey (Minister of Finance), Bill (No. 22) was committed to a Committee of the Whole House to be considered forthwith.
Bill (No. 22) was committed.
Clauses 1 through 3, the schedules, the preamble and the title of Bill (No. 22) passed.
Bill (No. 22) reported complete without amendment.
On the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 22) the House divided.
Motion agreed to on the following division:
| Yeas — 46 | |||
| Lore Blatherwick Dhir Routledge Chant Toporowski B. Anderson Neill Osborne Brar Krieger Davidson |
Parmar Sunner Beare Greene Wickens Kang Begg Arora Higginson Sandhu Lajeunesse Choi |
Rotchford Elmore Phillip Popham Dix Sharma Farnworth Eby Bailey Kahlon Chandra Herbert |
Whiteside Boyle Ma Yung Malcolmson Gibson Glumac Shah G. Anderson Chow Morissette |
| Nays — 45 | |||
| Loewen Kindy Milobar Warbus Halford Rattée Wat Kooner Banman Hartwell L. Neufeld Van Popta |
Dew Clare K. Neufeld Rustad Wilson McInnis Paton Day Bhangu Toor Hepner |
Giddens Dhaliwal McCall Maahs Block Stamer Gasper Mok Davis Williams Chapman |
Bird Doerkson Luck Tepper Valeriote Botterell Chan Boultbee Sturko Armstrong Kealy |
Bill (No. 22) 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. 9) Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026.
Bill (No. 20) K’ómoks Treaty Act.
Bill (No. M 217) Dashboard Cameras in Commercial Vehicles 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. 22) Supply Act, 2026–2027.
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.
The Speaker delivered his reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
On Wednesday, May 27, the Government House Leader raised a point of order regarding comments made by the Third Party House Leader in Committee of the Whole on Bill (No. 9) intituled Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026. The Third Party House Leader made submissions to the Chair later in the sitting day. The Chair has reviewed the submissions of the Government House Leader and the Third Party House Leader and is prepared to rule on the point of order.
The Chair will note the longstanding practice and expectation that points of order arising in committee must be settled in committee, but the Chair appreciates the explanation of the Government House Leader that he became aware of the comments after committee proceedings on Bill (No. 9) concluded and that the Government House Leader was raising the matter at the first opportunity thereafter. To balance these two considerations, the Chair will take a light touch on the matter at hand.
In our House, the Chair found no precedent of the application of Standing Order 40 (1) being extended to reflections on statutory officers of the Legislature. The same applies for other parliaments that adhere to the Westminster parliamentary system, as far as the Chair can tell from review of relevant authorities. That being said, Members should always exercise care when making statements about persons outside the House who are unable to respond within the context of parliamentary proceedings. The Chair also notes that the Third Party House Leader did not offer personal reflections on the individual officeholder but rather spoke to perceived deficiencies in the work of a statutory office. Accordingly, it is the ruling of the Chair that there is no breach of order in the matter at hand.
With respect to the direction sought by the Government House Leader and the Third Party House Leader, the Chair will affirm that statutory officers are accountable to this House through the Speaker, and that Ministers play no part in that accountability mechanism. The independence that these officers enjoy is designed to ensure that their work can be undertaken without political direction, pressure, or retaliation. The Chair can appreciate the symbiotic relationship that certain officers may need to maintain with certain Ministers, but these officers do not take direction from Ministers, as their accountability is to this House.
Most directly, the oversight function of statutory officers is exercised by the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, as reflected in its terms of reference provided by this House. While the Committee does not involve itself in reviewing statutory decision-making by individual officers, questions or concerns regarding systems or processes of the respective offices are within its purview.
If a Member has substantive concerns that they would like to raise otherwise, the Chair suggests that those concerns should be brought to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. It would then be in the hands of that Committee to determine what steps, if any, it wishes to take to address the matter and then report to the House thereon.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
The Speaker delivered his reserved decision as follows:
Honourable Members:
Earlier today, the Government House Leader raised a point of order regarding the remote participation of the Member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine in the division on the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 20) intituled K’ómoks Treaty Act. The Government House Leader stated that the Member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine appeared to have moved from her first location to another location between divisions this afternoon and questioned whether the Member was in a public space during the vote in question on Bill (No. 20).
Standing Order 8 (3) (b) requires the establishment of rules, expectations, and requirements for remote connectivity and participation by Members. The Guidance for Members Participating in Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly Remotely provides for these rules, expectations, and requirements. The guidance provides that it is expected that Members will connect from a suitable indoor, private location. It further clarifies that connecting from a public area or from a vehicle is not appropriate.
As the Chair noted in a ruling on May 29, 2025, 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 instances in which 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.
At the time the vote on the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 20) was taken, the Member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine was visible and audible, and the Chair had no basis to believe that the Member was participating from an inappropriate location. No objection was raised at that time.
The Member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine has since advised the Chair that she was, in both instances, participating from an indoor, private location. The Chair accepts that assurance. The Member further explained that she briefly moved to situate herself prior to the first vote and kept her camera on while doing so. She further advised that she left the camera on while she moved to notify an individual that she would be required for the second vote. She then returned to the original location from which she cast the first vote. While such movement with a camera on is not advisable and may give rise to uncertainty, it does not constitute a breach of the Standing Orders or the guidance.
In these circumstances, the Chair is satisfied that the requirements of Standing Order 8 (2) were met and that there is no basis to exercise the exceptional authority to disallow the Member’s vote. Accordingly, the vote of the Member for Bulkley Valley-Stikine was properly counted in the division on the motion for third reading of Bill (No. 20).
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
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 Second 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.
By notice from the Members to the Table, Stephanie Higginson and Amshen / Joan Phillip exchanged places on the List of Precedence for Private Members’ Business.
By notice from the Members to the Table, John Rustad and Teresa Wat exchanged places on the List of Precedence for Private Members’ Business.
And then the House adjourned at 5.54 p.m.
HON. RAJ CHOUHAN, Speaker
Monday, October 5
M 215 Amna Shah to move —
That this House urges the B.C. Government to protect British Columbians from higher prices by strengthening consumer protection measures against algorithmic personalized pricing on online and retail goods, enhancing price transparency requirements and reviewing restrictive grocery store property covenants that may limit competition.
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