Busy Last Session day for Skeena's Ellis Ross with questions for the Premier on crime in Terrace, Pipeline court order enforcement injunction process

An at times rancorous spring session of the Legislature came to an end on Thursday, and as it has been for much of the last few weeks, the Opposition Liberals were bringing a range of concerns to the Chamber, with Thursday a day for questioning for Premier John Horgan and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth.

Among those from the Opposition side of the House with some questions was Skeena MLA Ellis Ross, who had a number of themes to explore with the Premier on Thursday, one of them about the ongoing concerns over crime in the Terrace area and the nature of the government's handling of the Prolific Offender situation.

More often than not, the RCMP are political fodder nowadays in terms of what's happening in our communities as well as out on project sites, and they're stuck. They're stuck in the middle. They get blamed for everything, and a lot of it is really out of their control. 

So in terms of what I've been listening to not only here in estimates, in terms of law and order and crime…. I've also been listening to the questions in question period regarding crime in our communities and our streets. 

And for the most part, all I've really heard is statistics and nothing really acknowledging some of the complaints that are coming from citizens, whether they be business owners or citizens of Terrace, who are actually the ones that are really suffering the impacts of, say, prolific crime, or property damage or even just threats that may or may not lead to physical harm. 

And for the most part, from what we can understand, there is a four-month study being done by a panel, that will not come to visit Terrace, by the way, to talk to the people of Terrace who actually brought this issue to the provincial spotlight. 

So to the Premier, after this four-month study is completed, how soon will concrete action be taken against prolific offenders here in B.C.?

Towards a reply Premier Horgan noted of the need for collaboration with Mayor Carol Leclerc, and observed of the support the province's approach has gained from the Chamber of Commerce in the city.

I thank the member for his question. I know his community very, very well. I've visited it many, many times, speaking with current elected representatives as well as citizens from the community. I do appreciate very much the sentiments. 

We canvassed this just before lunch with the Leader of the Official Opposition. The sentiment in communities is that it's getting worse, but the data does not back that up. That doesn't mean that those sentiments aren't heartfelt and genuine. 

That's why we appointed Doug LePard and Dr. Amanda Butler to give us, in 120 days, recommendations on how we can square this circle about how police reports to Crown counsel have been going down, but sentiment in the community is that crime is going up ... 

So these are circles that we're trying to square or squares that we're trying to circle, and we're going to be needing collaboration with Mayor Leclerc and her team. I note that the Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce welcomed these initial first steps, and I'm appreciative of that. 

Most importantly, we need to have collaboration from the community, from elected representatives at the regional and municipal level as well as working with the federal government on those issues that involve the federal government.

Following up on another topic, the Skeena MLA brought up the cost of enforcing court injunctions related to the Coastal GasLink project and some of what he views as areas where the government has played both sides of the fence.

When we're talking about crime, it's not just in our communities. It's on projects, lawfully approved projects, here in B.C. 

From 2004 to 2017, we actually steered the LNG proposals in B.C. — 18 of them, at a minimum — and one got through: LNG Canada. 

So far, in one section just outside of Houston, all we've seen is basically law and disorder. 

And some of those incidents didn't even get reported as much as we'd like to see. But we did see some of it being reported in the media. 

So Just recently, the Crown did commit to pressing forward with charges on 15 offenders who will be charged with criminal contempt of court following protests last fall over the CGL. 

Can I ask the Premier…? 

I do know that the last time this injunction was broken, the B.C. government spent at least $7 million in enforcing an injunction the second time the RCMP had to go in there. 

To date, how much has the B.C. government spent, not only on injunction, but on the protests of the CGL pipeline?

Mr. Ross also looked to the past over the ongoing dispute in the area and noted how he views the government's position as one that played both sides of the fence.

In terms of what's happening up there, I'm really concerned for the pipeline workers. I'm really concerned for the people in the neighbouring communities. I'm really concerned for the Aboriginals, not only in the communities, but on the pipeline site itself. 

So on December 3, 2021, one of your members, the MLA for Stikine, who is now the Minister of Municipal Affairs, wrote a letter to Commissioner Brenda Lucki criticizing the RCMP actions on that pipeline route. 

Not once did this member mention that there are provincial processes for oversight, that there are independent bodies to review this type of activity, so I don't understand the letter in the first place other than political points. 

So in this case here, not only are communities…. 

What is the Premier willing to do to provide law and order and safety for communities, not only for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginals, but also safety for our workers on the pipeline such as CGL at the location of the protest outside of Houston?

For both of those themes, Premier Horgan observed that in the case of enforcing an injunction for the courts the RCMP can ask for government assistance, while the nature of Mr. Cullen's letter at the time was related to his constituency work.

I don't believe there's a lot of value in re-litigating those discussions, but I will say that when the RCMP is asked to enforce an injunction by the courts — not by the government, but by the courts — if there is a need for further resources, the RCMP can and will often ask the government for assistance, and that is always provided. 

But directing the RCMP, directing interventions, is not the role and function of the Solicitor General, but instead is to ensure that if there are requests for further resources, those resources are made available. And that has been the case not just for this government, but for previous governments as well. 

With respect to the MLA for Stikine's correspondence, that was written not as a minister, but on his MLA letterhead. And I believe there is a distinction, and it's important that we draw this out. 

There are members on that side of the House that have had the dual responsibility of being members of the executive council, cabinet ministers, as well as ensuring that they're representing their constituents to the best of their ability, even if they disagree with them. 

And the member will know that. I know members on that side understand that there are, oftentimes, petitions that are tabled here that are absolutely diametrically opposed to the individual who's putting it on the table, but that's the not the point. 

The point is to represent and reflect the views of your constituents. 

With the MLA for Stikine, at that time, he wrote the letter at the behest of his constituents insisting upon him doing so. He advised them of other complaint opportunities they had available to them. They insisted that he take that action. 

They were blockading his office. They were withholding services from other citizens in the community. So he wrote the letter, advising those that were blocking access to his office that he had done so, but again repeating to them that there were other courses they could follow. 

I believe that's an appropriate course of action for a private member to take — not as a member of executive council, but as a private member.

The full back and forth of the Thursday afternoon Session can be reviewed here as well as through the BC Legislature Video feed for Thursday afternoon, Mr. Ross makes his entry to the discussion shortly after the session starts.

However, if the NDP government thought that the BC Liberals had a lot to say, they may still be reeling from the full on reproach to their governance that came from Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau who levelled some scathing remarks at the government side in the Thursday morning session.

We sure hear a lot from this government  committed to something in the future, committed to things: "We did these inputs." But we don't hear a lot about the outcomes. 

This government has made gaslighting its organizing principle for communications. 

What people need from this government is to recognize the reality that they are experiencing, whether it's people who can't get back to their town because its burnt down and hasn't been rebuilt, farmers who can't grow crops because their fields got flooded, people who can't afford basic necessities like food and rent, or people who can't get their cancer test results, because they don't have a family doctor. 

The Premier uses this government's communication machine to pat themselves on the backs and take jabs at their opponents. Meanwhile, they ignore looming crises. 

They're out of touch with the reality that British Columbians are experiencing. 

With a few notable exceptions — Minister of Agriculture, Minister of Transport, Minister of Child Care and the Attorney General — what we have gotten over the course of budget estimates and question periods in this session is message boxes that don't acknowledge the reality of what British Columbians are telling us. 

They feel fear. They feel anxiety about the future. They feel financial pressures, and they are experiencing mental health and health impacts.  And there is a broken trust with this government. 

The Premier thinks that to recognize reality is to succumb to despair. But the truth is that being honest is essential to providing hope for a more secure future. 

My question is to the Premier. Can he be honest about the state of affairs in this province?

Such was the impact on the NDP government from the Green leaders remarks, that Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth referred to it as a rambling statement; and at the end of his reply appeared to use some rather unparliamentary language, a response for which he later would apologize for.

Before I move the motion, I note that the Leader of the Third Party rose on a point of order and said that I used unparliamentary language earlier in the day. If I did, I would unreservedly apologize.

And with that, the final moments of governance were conducted and the session came to a close, with the MLA's destined for their constituencies and a summer mix of work and down time.

If indeed absence makes the heart grow fonder, after as cantankerous session as the Spring of 2022, it would seem that the MLA's are going to need all of these upcoming four months away from each other to get to a more collegial spirit come the start of the fall session in October.

More notes on the work of the MLA's of the Northwest can be explored through our archive page here.

A wider overview of the political scene in Victoria is available from the Victoria Viewpoints feature.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.