Question Period

Will the BC NDP provide dignified housing for every person displaced by today’s encampment removal?

Earlier this week, Premier David Eby stood in front of a million-dollar townhouse to announce his new affordability plan, "Homes for People". Today, he is scattering the homeless population in Vancouver's downtown eastside (DTES). This is not leadership — this is policing poverty. Today marks the 7th encampment...

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$20,000 per month for addictions treatment? The BC NDP need to regulate private treatment centres.

The addictions treatment system in this province is failing to meet the needs of British Columbians. A lack of public treatment beds has forced hundreds of desperate families to turn to costly, unregulated private facilities to try to help their loved ones. This is unacceptable. Private facilities are the wild west of...

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Our children need help — when will the BC NDP hire enough counsellors to meet the needs of students?

Since the pandemic, mental health referrals and hospitalizations for youth have hugely increased, yet the BC NDP only provide our schools with 1 counsellor for every 693 students. At a time when we need to invest in our children's mental health, we're letting them down. Today in Question Period, I asked when the...

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Government is giving $36 million to a controversial RCMP unit while it is under investigation.

The Community Industry Response Group (C-IRG) is an RCMP unit that's been accused of unlawful use of force, arrests, detentions, & assaults. They are facing several lawsuits and an internal investigation for misconduct. And still the BC NDP is allocating them $36M. C-IRG was created in 2017 to support the...

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Is the BC NDP betting our future on carbon credits? Scientists say we can and must do more.

Today, I asked Premier Eby to provide British Columbians with his definition of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. He chose not to answer. Instead, Minister Heyman showcased a fundamental misunderstanding of what scientists have been saying for years. When Premier Eby took his oath he said “we cannot continue to...

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How do the BC NDP justify new LNG projects when experts say we must stop expanding fossil fuels?

Last week, the IPCC released a report delivering a final warning, stating rapid and drastic action are required to keep global warming below the threshold of irreversible damage. The week before, the BC NDP gave another LNG project the greenlight to move forward. This government approved Cedar LNG, claiming the...

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BC’s Solicitor General & Public Safety Minister visits Salt Spring Island to discuss community safety and infrastructure needs

On Friday March 3, 2023, Hon. Mike Farnworth, British Columbia Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister, visited Salt Spring Island with me. We met with the local RCMP detachment and Salt Spring Fire to learn more about the challenges they face maintaining public safety in the community. In addition, we attended...

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We are spending billions so when will British Columbia regulate the addictions treatment industry?

With billions of dollars being invested in addictions treatment and recovery, and the BC Liberals proposing the privatization of the industry, it is clear that at the very least the BC NDP should make sure we are collecting data so we understand the scale and scope of the problem and needed response. In addition, we...

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Does the BC NDP see the exciting economic engine of a re-capitalized Island Coastal Economic Trust?

I followed my question on Tuesday, with another on the topic of re-capitalizing the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICE-T). In her response to my initial question, Minister of Economic Development, Hon. Brenda Bailey pointed to the $33 million REDIP (Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program) as an...

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Clock Ticking for ICET: Will BC NDP Government Prioritize Support for Rural Communities on Vancouver Island and Coast?

The Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICE-T) has been an important economic initiative supporting communities on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast since it was formed in 2006. Originally capitalized with $50 million dollars (+ $10 million added in 2017) the trust was created as a "spend-down" model. This means that...

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BC NDP’s CleanBC Plan in Jeopardy as LNG Projects Clash with Emission Targets

The BC NDP have an LNG problem. They have committed to meet our 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions targets. They have continually promoted the CleanBC climate action plan, calling it "world-leading" and "award winning." They know that the first half of the LNG Canada project currently being built in Kitimat barely...

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Outrage Grows as Saanich Inlet Continues to be Threatened by Quarry Expansion Despite Expert Warnings

The Saanich Inlet continues to be threatened by the industrial expansion of a quarry at Bamberton. Despite Minister of Environment, George Heyman's suggestion the environmental assessment (EA) process is working as it should, the only reason and EA is even being considered is because the Saanich Inlet Protection...

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Why is the BC NDP allowing Coastal GasLink to drill under Wedzin Kwa while salmon are spawning?

The Coastal GasLink pipeline controversy continues as the BC NDP allow the company to drill and blast under the Wedzin Kwa (also known as the Morice River) while it is full of spawning salmon. The company faces a host of compliance issues with environmental regulations, meanwhile the Minister of Environment and...

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Why is BC NDP government limiting the Gwa’sala-‘nakwaxda’xw historical information on child welfare?

The Gwa’sala-‘nakwaxda’xw Nation are in the process of taking back jurisdiction of child welfare as per federal legislation. They have been attempting to get access to historical information from the provincial Crown governments Ministry of Children and Family Development but have been consistently blocked by the BC...

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