Crown Attorneys: Collective Bargaining Process - Respect - Question Period

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. First yesterday, and again today, the Premier spent a great deal of time criticizing our caucus for decisions made over a decade ago, but the topic is a Crown attorneys' strike which is happening right now.

Can the Premier tell this House who was in government in 2016 when the 30-year framework agreement was signed which gave Crown prosecutors the right to binding arbitration in the event that negotiations break down?

THE PREMIER « » : I wish I could wave a magic wand to eliminate the ramifications of the decisions the New Democratic Party made when they were in government. The fact of the reality is we still have to pay that bill. The honourable member, the 7.5 per cent pay raise, which was $700 million in the advance on the way out the door, embedded into an economy that was growing by 500. The math doesn't add up.

That why it's important (Interruption)

THE SPEAKER « » : Order, please. The honourable member for Dartmouth South will come to order.

The honourable Premier has the floor.

THE PREMIER « » : That's why it's important to be able to ensure that we have an agreement that's fair to our workers and fair to all taxpayers, so we can grow an economy; we can create an environment where young people want to live, where our population will grow, where we see opportunity, and where the federation is looking at this province in a positive way.

Unfortunately, I have to do it in the framework that I was handed. I want to go back to the conversation - she's very right. When Crowns came to the table with a 17 per cent ask in day two looking for arbitration, that's not fair to collective bargaining; that is using the process to get to an arbitrator.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : I know that this is Question Period and not answer period, but I will answer my own question: it was the Premier himself who gave the Crowns binding arbitration. (Applause) This government imposed a wage package on thousands of social workers, nurses, and other front-line service providers and legislated a contract on teachers.

Bill Nos. 148 and 75 are both currently being challenged in court. When the B.C. Teachers Federation challenged the constitutionality of legislation which stripped their teachers of the right to bargain class size and composition, the Supreme Court ruled in their favour. It was estimated that this ruling would result in an additional $250 million to $300 million in costs for that province.

Mr. Speaker, will the Premier concede that his failure to respect the collective bargaining process doesn't save money, it just kicks the costs down the road, leaving the bill for the next premier?

THE PREMIER « » : No, not at all. If I did that, I'd be a New Democrat. The capped classes she's referring to in British Columbia, we actually instituted that in this province. At the same time, we replaced the $65 million they took off the backs of children to sign a collective agreement with teachers. At the same time, we've provided a fair collective agreement for teachers.

You need a balance. You need to be able to ensure that not only are you treating the workers of this province who work for the government fairly, but you're treating all taxpayers fairly. Unlike the Opposition, I have a responsibility for every taxpayer.