2006 Legislative Session: 2nd Session, 38th Parliament

The following electronic version is for informational purposes only.
The printed version remains the official version.

[ Progress of Bills . . . ]

Nos. 5 and 6

VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Monday, February 20, 2006

Ten o'clock a.m.

Prayers by Ms. Karagianis.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

Order called for "Private Members' Statements."

 

36  By leave, Mr. Hayer moved--

Be it resolved that this House supports the comprehensive, wide-ranging $3 billion Gateway Transportation Program to open up British Columbia's transportation network which will reduce congestion, meet the needs of our growing economy, increase Asia-Pacific trade, and a growing population.

A debate arose.

On the motion of Mr. Rustad, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

And then the House adjourned at 11.56 a.m.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Two o'clock p.m.

Order called for "Members' Statements."

Order called for "Oral Questions by Members."

The Hon. B. Barisoff (Speaker) tabled the Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the 38th Provincial General Election and the Referendum on Electoral Reform held on May 17, 2005.

Mr. Lekstrom presented the Second Report of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the First Session of the Thirty-eighth Parliament.

The Report was taken as read and received.

By leave of the House, Mr. Lekstrom moved that the Report be adopted.

A debate arose.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services be empowered:

 

1. To examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to the pre-budget consultation report prepared by the Minister of Finance in accordance with section 2 of the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act and, in particular, to:

 

(a) Conduct public consultations across British Columbia on proposals and recommendations regarding the provincial budget and fiscal policy for the coming fiscal year by any means the committee considers appropriate, including but not limited to public meetings, telephone and electronic means;

 

(b) Prepare a report no later than November 15, 2006 on the results of those consultations; and

 

2. (a) To consider and make recommendations on the annual reports, rolling three-year service plans and budgets of the following statutory officers:

 

• Auditor General;

 

• Chief Electoral Officer;

 

• Conflict of Interest Commissioner;

 

• Information and Privacy Commissioner;

 

• Ombudsman;

 

• Police Complaint Commissioner; and,

 

(b) To examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to other matters brought to the Committee's attention by any of the Officers listed in 2(a) above.

 

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, the committee shall be empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number one or more subcommittees and refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the committee;

 

(b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned and during any sitting of the House;

 

(c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain personnel as required to assist the committee,

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment or at the next following session, as the case may be, to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

1. That the reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia deposited with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly during the Second Session of the Thirty-eighth parliament be deemed referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, with the exception of the report referred to in section 22 of the Auditor General Act, which is referred to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. And, in addition, that the following reports of the Auditor General of British Columbia be referred to the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts:

 

a. Government of BC and Office of the Auditor General Report An Assurance Program for BC: A Progress Report on the February 2002 Recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee of BC Related to Building Better Reports (September 2004).

 

b. Auditor General Report No. 6, 2004/2005 Leading the Way: Adopting Best Practices in Government Financial Reporting -- 2003/2004 (November 2004).

 

c. Auditor General Report No. 8, 2004/2005 Follow-up of 2002/2003 Report 5: Managing Contaminated Sites on Provincial Lands (November 2004).

 

d. Auditor General Report No. 9, 2004/2005 Follow-up of Two Health Risk Reports (December 2004).

 

e. Auditor General Report No. 12, 2004/2005, Third Follow-up Report of Management Consulting Engagements in Government (March 2005).

 

f. Auditor General Report No. 13, 2004/2005, Building Momentum for Results-based Management: A Study about Managing for Results in British Columbia (March 2005).

 

g. Auditor General Report No. 1, 2005/2006, Follow-up of the Recommendations of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts contained in its Fourth Report of the 3rd Session of the 36th Parliament: Earthquake Preparedness; Performance Audit (May 2005).

 

h. Auditor General Report No. 2, 2005/06, Joint Follow-up of 2001/2002: Report 1 Managing Interface Fire Risks and Firestorm 2003 Provincial Review (May 2005).

 

i. Auditor General Report No. 3, 2005/2006, Audit of the Government's Corporate Accounting System: Part 1 (June 2005).

 

2. That the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts be the committee referred to in sections 2, 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14 of the Auditor General Act.

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the Committee be empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to 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) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain personnel as required to assist the Committee,

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations be appointed to review the annual reports and service plans of British Columbia Crown Corporations.

 

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations, the Committee be empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned and during any sitting of the House;

 

(c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain personnel as required to assist the Committee,

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That the Select Standing Committee on Education be empowered to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to finding effective strategies to address the specific challenge of adult literacy and, in particular, to conduct consultations to consider:

 

1. Successful strategies from other jurisdictions on the promotion of adult literacy.

 

2. Specific strategies to improve literacy rates among aboriginal people, English-as-a-Second-Language adults, and seniors.

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committee on Education, the Committee shall be empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned and during any sitting of the House;

 

(c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee,

 

and shall report to the House no later than November 30, 2006, to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That the Select Standing Committee on Health be empowered to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to finding effective strategies to change behaviour and encourage children and youth to adopt lifelong health habits that will improve their health and curb the growing rate of obesity to achieve the great goal of leading the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness.

 

The Committee is also empowered to conduct consultations and to:

 

1. Report on recommendations from the Select Standing Committee on Health Report from 2004 titled The Path to Health and Wellness: Making British Columbians Healthier by 2010.

 

2. Conduct research into other successful childhood health and wellness promotion campaigns in other jurisdictions to analyze their potential effectiveness in BC.

 

3. Undertake discussions on how to promote childhood health and wellness including the appropriate use of incentives and disincentives to help influence behaviour, particularly as it relates to healthy nutrition and physical activity.

 

4. Undertake discussions with experts and if necessary undertake research into the factors contributing to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity in youth of today.

 

In addition to the powers previously conferred upon the Select Standing Committee on Health, the Committee shall be empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned and during any sitting of the House;

 

(c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee,

 

and shall report to the House no later than November 30, 2006, to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That a Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture be appointed to examine, inquire into and make recommendations with respect to Sustainable Aquaculture in British Columbia and in particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing to consider:

 

1. The economic and environmental impacts of the aquaculture industry in B.C.

 

2. The economic impact of aquaculture on B.C.'s coastal and isolated communities.

 

3. Sustainable options for aquaculture in B.C. that balance economic goals with environmental imperatives, focusing on the interaction between aquaculture, wild fish and the marine environment.

 

4. B.C.'s regulatory regime as it compares to other jurisdictions.

 

5. Solicit and consider written and oral submissions from any interested person or organization by any means the Committee considers appropriate;

 

The Special Committee so appointed shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and is also empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to sit during a period in which the House is adjourned and during any sitting of the House;

 

(c) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient;

 

(d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee;

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible but no later than May 31, 2007 or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That a Special Committee be appointed to select and unanimously recommend to the Legislative Assembly, pursuant to section 5.01 of the Public Service Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 385, the appointment of an individual to hold office as the Merit Commissioner for the Province of British Columbia, and that the Special Committee so appointed shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee, and is also empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to sit during any 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) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee;

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment of the House, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon the resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

By leave, the Hon. M. de Jong moved--

 

That a Special Committee be appointed to select and unanimously recommend the appointment of an Ombudsman, pursuant to Section 2 (2) of the Ombudsman Act (RSBC 1996 c. 340), and that the said Committee shall have the powers of a Select Standing Committee and in addition is empowered:

 

(a) to appoint of their number, one or more subcommittees and to refer to such subcommittees any of the matters referred to the Committee;

 

(b) to 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) to adjourn from place to place as may be convenient; and

 

(d) to retain such personnel as required to assist the Committee;

 

and shall report to the House as soon as possible, or following any adjournment, or at the next following Session, as the case may be; to deposit the original of its reports with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly during a period of adjournment and upon resumption of the sittings of the House, the Chair shall present all reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Motion agreed to.

The House proceeded to "Orders of the Day."

Pursuant to Order, the House resumed the adjourned debate on the Address in Reply to the Speech of Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor at the opening of the Session.

The debate continued.

On the motion of Mr. Jarvis, the debate was adjourned to the next sitting of the House.

And then the House adjourned at 5.55 p.m.

BILL BARISOFF, Speaker

NOTICE OF MOTIONS

Tuesday, February 21

 

50  Mr. Horgan to move--

Be it resolved that this House support locally elected school boards, and that this House support local decision making in school districts across BC.

 

51  Mr. Fleming to move--

Be it resolved that this House call on the BC government to follow the lead of the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and take action to regulate the payday lending industry.

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