B.C. Today – Daily Report January 25, 2019

Quotation of the day

“The public trust in this institution is critical to what we do in this province … and when it is in doubt like it is today, we need to completely clean house.”

B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson calls for an end to “political sniping” as British ​ ​ Columbians await action on the revelations in Speaker Darryl Plecas’ report. ​ ​

Today in B.C.

On the schedule

Programming note: BC Today is off next week for staff holidays. We’ll be back Monday, ​ ​ February 4 at 6 a.m.

The House is adjourned for the winter break. MLAs are scheduled to return to the legislature on February 12 for the delivery of the government’s throne speech.

Premier and opposition leader spar over “partisan sniping” post #PlecasReport

“In order to clear the air, we need to clean house in this institution,” B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew ​ Wilkinson told reporters yesterday morning after releasing an open letter to Premier John ​ ​ Horgan. ​

The letter called for an end to “political posturing” in the wake of Speaker Darryl Plecas’ report ​ ​ and outlined a trio of actions the premier should take to restore public trust in the B.C. Legislature.

These include rolling out an immediate requirement that Legislative Assembly expenses be posted online — already required for MLAs — and a ban on international travel for legislative staff unless it is approved by the Legislative Assembly Management Committee (LAMC) “at least six weeks in advance.”

The letter also called for Auditor General Carol Bellringer’s office to conduct “a thorough review ​ ​ of accounting procedures.”

“It’s time for the political sniping to stop from all parties,” Wilkinson said. “If all of us continue to squirm around in the pit mud wrestling, we are going to look like a pack of idiots,” he continued. “The public needs to have confidence in this institution.”

Wilkinson distances himself from Liberals close to spending scandal

Wilkinson would not go so far as to support Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver’s call for ​ ​ Liberal MLA Linda Reid to step down from her role as assistant deputy speaker following ​ ​ reports that implicate her in improper travel spending.

“That needs to be sorted out promptly, preferably by the Attorney General of B.C.,” Wilkinson said of the allegations against Reid, adding that any expense claims deemed “inappropriate or duplicate” should be paid back.

The Speaker’s report shows legislative clerk Craig James claimed travel expenses for multiple ​ ​ trips to meet with former Liberal MLAs, including former speaker Bill Barisoff, former attorney ​ ​ general Geoff Plant and former premier Christy Clark. ​ ​ ​

“I am not persuaded that there has been any partisan activity by the people involved,” he told reporters.

On Wednesday Premier Horgan accused the Liberals of making a partisan appointment when they hired James in 2011. Wilkinson was frustrated by the accusation, pointing out that he was elected in 2013, two years after James became chief clerk.

The opposition leader said he entered political office to serve the public and “observe the highest possible standards of public service.”

“I am going to do everything I can to make sure that continues to be the case,” he said. “If that means that certain people go about their business and do other things, then so be it because the public are entitled to have very high standards.”

Premier not interested in uniting with Liberal leader Just minutes after Wilkinson spoke to reporters, Premier Horgan held a press conference where he rejected the opposition leader’s invitation to stand united in the wake of the Speaker’s report.

The premier pointed to comments Wilkinson made in the wake of the James and sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz suspension, where he called Plecas “out of control.” ​ ​

“I will not allow the leader of the opposition to pretend that this just happened,” Horgan told reporters. “For the leader of the opposition to say, stand with me and defend the indefensible, is not something I am prepared to do.”

Had Wilkinson reached out earlier, Horgan said he would have “some confidence” that the opposition leader was genuine in his call for non-partisan unity.

“What I see [today] is more partisanship, more entitlement and an attempt by he and his colleagues to try and somehow spread the blame around to everybody,” Horgan said.

The premier is placing his trust in the non-partisan LAMC and the Auditor General to figure out the best way for the province to proceed.

During his 14 years as a member of the legislative assembly, Horgan said he frequently heard “chatter in the hallways … that something is amok, something doesn’t smell right about expenditures, about the authority of the clerk’s office.”

Given the extensive history of legislature spending scandals in B.C., Horgan said he would ​ ​ support extending freedom of information laws to the whole of the legislature, provided that exceptions are made to protect whistleblowers.

Today’s events

January 25 at 9:30 a.m. – White Rock, Langley ​ ​ ​

Health Minister Adrian Dix will make a pair of announcements about health-care services, first ​ ​ at Peace Arch Hospital and then, at 11:30 a.m., at Langley Memorial Hospital.

January 25 at 10 a.m. – Vancouver ​

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry will release her report on the health of British ​ ​ Columbians at the B.C. Children’s Hospital Research Institute.

January 25 at 10 a.m. – Chilliwack ​

Liberal MP Jati Sidhu (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon) will announce funding for a new ​ ​ ​ housing project at 45786 Webb Avenue.

January 25 at 11 a.m. – Kelowna ​

NDP MLA Nicholas Simons (Powell River—Sunshine Coast) will attend the official opening of ​ ​ The Commons building at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. Liberal MP Stephen Fuhr (Kelowna—Lake Country) will also attend, alongside university president and ​ vice-chancellor Santa Ono and Okanagan campus principal Deborah Buszard. ​ ​ ​ ​

January 24 at 1 p.m. – Vancouver ​

Premier John Horgan will join B.C. NDP by-election candidate Sheila Malcolmson for a ​ ​ ​ ​ community roundtable on housing affordability.

January 24 at 1 p.m. – Vancouver ​

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare will be joined by a special musical guest for an ​ ​ announcement in support of B.C.'s music sector at Little Mountain Sound Studios.

January 25 at 6 p.m. – Richmond ​

The Richmond South Centre Riding Association will hold a Robbie Burns Day dinner fundraiser at the Mayfair Golf and Country Club.

Weekend events

January 26 at 10 a.m. – Nanaimo ​

The B.C. NDP will hold a “canvass blitz” in Nanaimo in support of the party’s byelection candidate, Sheila Malcolmson. Another blitz will take place at the same time on Sunday. ​ ​

January 27 at 6 p.m. – Richmond ​

Liberal MLA Teresa Wat (Richmond—North Centre) will host the Richmond North Centre Riding ​ ​ ​ Association’s Spring Celebration at Continental Seafood.

Topics of conversation

● More than 40 per cent of British Columbians say B.C. doesn’t have “any especially close relationships” with other provinces, according to a poll from Angus Reid. B.C. is ​ ​ “relatively isolated,” according to the study, with Alberta considered the closest provincial connection by 30 per cent of B.C. respondents. ○ B.C. is an outlier in Western Canada: only 20 per cent of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents see a close connection with B.C. Nearly 60 per cent of Albertans and over a quarter of Saskatchewan respondents see B.C. as unfriendly. ○ In terms of which provinces contribute more than their fair share to the federation, Alberta was the top choice at 32 per cent. Just 10 per cent of Canadians think B.C. gives more than it gets.

● The Speaker’s report could have implications for the upcoming federal byelection in Burnaby South. Liberal Party candidate Richard Lee is a former B.C. Liberal MLA who ​ ​ served as deputy speaker to former Speaker Linda Reid. Lee spent two years in the ​ ​ role.

● After two days of advanced voting, more than 3,100 people have cast a ballot in the Nanaimo byelection, according to Elections B.C. That’s about 230 more ballots cast in the riding compared to the second day of advance polls in the 2017 provincial election. ○ Nanaimo residents can cast an early ballot until January 27. ○ Voting day is January 30.

Funding announcements

● The former Howard Johnson Travel Lodge on Highway 97 in Kelowna has been ​ redeveloped into 40 supportive housing units and renamed Heath House. The Ministry ​ ​ ​ of Municipal Affairs and Housing provided $7.35 million to purchase and renovate the ​ building, which will be operated by Canadian Mental Health Services Kelowna. ○ A count conducted in March 2018 found 286 people in the city were experiencing homelessness. Eighty-six supportive housing units have opened in the city since October, according to the ministry, and another 100 are in development.

New lobbyist registrations New lobbyist registrations from January 18 – January 24, 2018

Client — Pender Harbour & District Chamber of Commerce ​ Consultant — Cynthia Shore ​ Firm — Cynthia Shore Enterprise Inc. dba The Progressive Group ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Advocating on issues and outcomes related to the implementation of First Nations reconciliation agreements.

Organization — AbbVie Corporation ​ Consultant — Kevin Harrington ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Gain and maintain reimbursement of AbbVie products as per provincial and national HTA reviews and defined criteria by Pharmacare, BC Cancer Agency and Regional Health Authorities. o Discuss health policy and the role and outcomes of pharmaceuticals in providing BC healthcare funding sustainability and improved patient outcomes. o On behalf of Innovative Medicines Canada provide demonstrate the value of medicines to patients and the BC health care system. o Creating an environment for enhanced BC life sciences eco-system as it relates to investment and research. o Job creation and growth of BC's knowledge-based economy. Facilitating "value demonstrating initiatives" partnerships in BC.

Organization — Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters BC ​ Consultant — Andrew Wynn-Williams ​ ​ ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Meet with Ministry and Deputy Ministers officials from the Climate Action Branch on the development of programs to provide carbon tax based incentive programs to industry. o Meet with Minister and staff on discuss any proposed changes to labour legislation including the BC Labour Code and the Employment Standards Act.

o Promote a series of taxation measures that will make manufacturing more competitive. These include amending the PST, acceleration of capital cost allowance, reduction of corporate tax.

Client — Pacific Salmon Foundation ​ Consultant — Michael Cunningham ​ Firm — Graphite Public Affairs ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o To raise awareness of the priorities and ongoing work of the Pacific Salmon Foundation and follow-up on recommendations of the Wild Salmon Advisory Council report.

Organization — Automotive Retailers Association ​ Consultant — Ken McCormack and Ron Tremblay ​ ​ ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Discuss improvements to the college apprenticeship system for automotive technical trades, support for post-apprenticeship training; and strategies to attract/retain employees in the automotive sector o Discuss automotive small business sector employment needs, development and labour attraction and retention o Seek support for programs to support electric vehicle sales and used vehicle recycling o Seek assistance with respect to ICBC rates paid to automotive service providers o Seek Premier support for advancement and sustainability of the automotive industry (particularly in terms of compensation paid by ICBC to automotive suppliers) o Communicate issues and concerns over relations with ICBC with a view to rectifying issues as they arise. o Discuss potential changes to the Motor Dealer Act and policies and practices within government that impact the automotive sector o Discuss automotive industry labour attraction and retention issues. ways to be competitive and seek support for labour needs o Discuss towing and recovery operator safety and the potential to permit blue flashing lights on tow trucks o Discuss and seek support for a MotorcycleBC website and funding

Organization — Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia ​ Consultant — Jamie Midgley and Kerri Wilcox ​ ​ ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o CPABC is currently meeting with officials in the Ministry regarding potential legislative amendments to the Chartered Professional Accountants Act.

Organization — General Fusion Inc ​ Consultant — Jean-Francois Beland, Michael Delage and Christopher Mowry ​ ​ ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Meeting to demonstrate the corporation fusion technology and how BC is positioned in the development of our corporation growth.

o Introduce the Department of Energy officials to General Fusion technology, business strategy and growth plan in BC

Organization — BC SCRAP-IT Program Society ​ Consultant — Dennis Rogoza ​ ​ ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Discussions regarding program to support EVs and EV charging programs in BC

Organization — Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC ​ Consultant — Various In-house Lobbyists ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Discussing comprehensive reforms to the post-secondary system. o Advocate for legislative amendments, such as ensuring union activists can serve on boards of governors and the need to repeal Bill 28 (brought in 2002), the Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act, and calling for increased faculty participation on governance structures. o Discuss the need for adequate resources to decolonize and work towards reconciliation on our campuses. o Communicate policy positions taken by members. o Advocating for improved rights and benefits for all members, including equal pay for non-regular faculty.

Client — Stewart World Port Services Ltd. ​ Consultant — John Frederick Moonen ​ Firm — John Moonen & Associates Ltd. ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o To secure provincial support for client's applications to federal government for financial support.

Client — Notumis ​ Consultant — Nicole Johnson and Katie Shaw ​ Firm — Global Public Affairs ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o Notumis is providing a solution to cyber security and digitally falsified information. The organization would like to engage with education, post secondary education, citizen services and technology departments in government to educate the government on the technology and the opportunity to collaborate and partner.

Organization — British Columbia Radiological Society ​ Consultant — Various In-house Lobbyists ​ Name or Description of Policy, Program or Decision: o A provincial approach to managing diagnostic imaging. o To influence policy decisions, governance models, funding models, etc. to ensure a balanced and equitable approach that maximizes patient benefit, creates efficiencies in the system and aligns to the profession of radiology/radiologists.