Nos. 21 and 22 VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Monday, October 31, 2011

Ten o’clock a.m.

Prayers by Mr. Slater.

The House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”

Order called for “Private Members’ Statements.”

Mr. Foster rose on a point of order regarding Motion 16 as it would require the expenditure of public funds, and is therefore out of order.

Mr. Ralston made representations.

The Hon. R. Coleman made representations.

The Speaker ruled that Motion 16 would require an expenditure of public funds contrary to Standing Order 66 and section 47 of the Constitution Act, and is therefore out of order in the hands of a private member.

5  The House resumed the adjourned debate on Motion 5 with respect to halting the closure of group homes in British Columbia.

The debate continued.

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

And then the House adjourned at 11.55 a.m.

Monday, October 31, 2011

One-Thirty o’clock p.m.

The Hon. M. de Jong (Minister of Health) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, which read as follows:

Steven L. Point

Lieutenant Governor

The Lieutenant Governor transmits herewith Bill (No. 10) intituled Nurse Practitioners Statutes Amendment Act, 2011 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Government House,

October 14, 2011.


Bill introduced and read a first time.

Bill Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading at the next sitting after today.

The Hon. S. Bond (Attorney General and Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General) presented to the Speaker a Message from His Honour the Administrator, which read as follows:

Lance Finch

Administrator

The Administrator transmits herewith Bill (No. 15) intituled Attorney General and Public Safety and Solicitor General Statutes Amendment Act, 2011 and recommends the same to the Legislative Assembly.

Vancouver Law Courts,

October 31, 2011.


Bill introduced and read a first time.

Bill 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 House proceeded to “Orders of the Day.”

The House resumed the adjourned debate on the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 12) intituled Teachers Act.

The debate continued.

The House divided.

Motion agreed to nemine contradicente on the following division:

Yeas — 74
Rustad
McIntyre
Thomson
Lekstrom
Bloy
Yamamoto
Chong
Lake
MacDiarmid
McRae
Yap
Coell
Hawes
Krueger
Letnick
Sultan
Barnett
Lee
Dalton
Cadieux
Polak
Bell
Coleman
Bond
de Jong
Abbott
Hansen
Penner
Les
Stilwell
Hayer
Bennett
Pimm
Hogg
Howard
James
S. Simpson
Corrigan
Horgan
Dix
Farnworth
Ralston
Kwan
Fleming
Lali
Austin
Conroy
Donaldson
Huntington
Stewart
Foster
van Dongen
Hammell
Trevena
Bains
Mungall
Karagianis
Chandra Herbert
Krog
Simons
Chouhan
Popham
Fraser
B. Routley
Macdonald
Coons
B. Simpson
Horne
Thornthwaite
Slater
D. Black
Thorne
Gentner
Sather

Bill (No. 12) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.

On the motion for second reading of Bill (No. 4) intituled Offence Amendment Act, 2011, a debate arose.

Bill (No. 4) read a second time and Ordered to be placed on the Orders of the Day for committal at the next sitting after today.

Bill (No. 6) intituled Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Statutes Amendment Act, 2011 was committed.

The Committee rose, reported progress and asked leave to sit again.

Bill to be considered at the next sitting after today.

And then the House adjourned at 6.27 p.m.

HON. BILL BARISOFF, Speaker

NOTICE OF BILLS

Wednesday, November 2

Mr. Farnworth to introduce a Bill intituled Seniors Advocate Act.

NOTICE OF QUESTIONS

Wednesday, November 2

3  Mr. Coons to ask the Hon. Minister of Environment the following questions:—

1. In 2006, the Minister of Environment committed to ensuring that the territory around the Queen of the North wreck would return to its pristine condition by promising long-term environmental monitoring of the upwelling around the wreck and the testing of harvestable shellfish and seaweed.
Why has this government not fulfilled that promise? What are the government’s plans to fulfil this promise?

2. Ever since the sinking of the Queen of the North, just minutes away from Hartley Bay, there have been concerns with the upwelling of fuel, asbestos, lead, mercury and other toxins in Gitga’at territory. What is the government doing to address local concerns about safe harvestable foods?

3. BC Ferries promised to help restore the territory around the Queen of the North wreck and was paying a yearly contribution to assist with monitoring and testing of marine life in the area surrounding the Queen of the North wreckage site until it chose to no longer honour that agreement in March 2011. What does the Minister know about BC Ferries’ decision to not honour that agreement? What does the government plan to do to ensure that BC Ferries does not renege on their financial and moral obligations?

4. Since BC Ferries and the government decided not to honour their promise to monitor the area around the Queen of the North wreckage site and return the area to its pristine condition, the Gitga’at Nation have undertaken the cost of monitoring the waters around the Queen of the North wreckage site. What is the government’s plan to compensate the Gitga’at Nation for these costs?

5. Has the government done any assessment or monitoring of the environmental impact of the Queen of the North wreckage site in the last year?
If so, what were the results of that assessment?

6. What is the status of the government’s clean-up of the area around the Queen of the North wreckage site?

7. What is the government’s plan to manage any upwelling of diesel around the Queen of the North wreckage site and the impact it will have on the Gitga’at Nation’s harvesting grounds?