Advocacy Canada reached out to all candidates in the 2024 BC election, inviting them to share their positions on key issues affecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This blog series highlights the responses received by the deadline of October 6, 2024, offering insights into where candidates stand on matters of equality, inclusion, and rights for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This content is provided for educational purposes and this is not a candidate endorsement from Advocacy Canada.
Name
Tina Lee
Select your political party
BC NDP
Select your electoral district
Penticton-Summerland
Website / URL
Will you advocate to strengthen anti-discrimination laws protecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in British Columbia?
Strongly Agree
Please provide details on any specific policies or initiatives you would propose.
BC is stronger when everyone is truly free to be who they are. Building a more welcoming, inclusive province is a priority for myself, David Eby and the BC NDP – we believe BC is for all of us — whoever we are, and whoever we love. That’s why we’ve taken big steps to make BC more welcoming to 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, including: bringing back the Human Rights Commission, boosting resources to the Human Rights Tribunal to ensure those who discriminate are held to account, updating ID cards to include an ‘x’ gender option and eliminating unnecessary gendered language in BC regulations.
At the same time, we know there are growing movements fueling hate and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, making them feel unsafe in their communities. While this is happening around the world and across Canada, it is disturbing that here in BC, John Rustad has fanned the flames, targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ students for his perceived political gain, promising to allow issues of human rights to go to free votes and introducing legislation to exclude transgender athletes from provincially-funded sports.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to stand with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and will take action to stand against hate. Our new Action Plan for You commits to new action to protect people – including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community – with new, tough hate crime legislation.
At the same time, we know there are growing movements fueling hate and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, making them feel unsafe in their communities. While this is happening around the world and across Canada, it is disturbing that here in BC, John Rustad has fanned the flames, targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ students for his perceived political gain, promising to allow issues of human rights to go to free votes and introducing legislation to exclude transgender athletes from provincially-funded sports.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to stand with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and will take action to stand against hate. Our new Action Plan for You commits to new action to protect people – including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community – with new, tough hate crime legislation.
Do you plan to improve access to healthcare services specifically tailored for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, including mental health support and gender-affirming care?
Strongly Agree
Please describe any specific actions or reforms you would implement.
Everyone in BC deserves to be able to safely access the health care they need when they need it. David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to improve healthcare services and remove barriers for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Since 2017, that’s included expanding gender affirming care, making Pre-exposure prophylaxis, known as PrEP, available for no cost to all British Columbians at high risk of HIV infection, and covering one cycle of in-vitro fertilization – saving families an average of $15,000 to $20,000 on their path to parenthood. We will keep improving healthcare services for the 2SLGBTQIA community.
David Eby and the BC NDP are also taking action to provide hope and help for people experiencing the pain of mental illness. We are expanding mental health counseling care across BC through a new $50 million Community Mental Health Resilience Fund. To help support vulnerable youth, we are fast-tracking Foundry youth health centres which are welcoming, stigma-free centers offering free and confidential supports for diverse young people in need of physical and mental care. Moving forward with Foundry centers in ten more communities will quadruple the number since 2017. We have also made a platform commitment to provide BC students the help they need by making sure every public school has a mental health counselor. We know all of these actions are critical to 2SLGBTQIA+ young people thriving in our province.
John Rustad puts all this progress at risk. Rustad has called homosexuality a “lifestyle” and criticized gender-affirming care, claiming falsely that gender-affirming surgeries are using too many health-care resources. And he would make cuts to the healthcare services people need. In fact, Rustad’s healthcare plan includes a $4.1 billion cut.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP team will continue improving healthcare and mental health services for all British Columbians and we will work to make our province safer and more inclusive for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We have more work to do, and we can’t afford to go backwards.
David Eby and the BC NDP are also taking action to provide hope and help for people experiencing the pain of mental illness. We are expanding mental health counseling care across BC through a new $50 million Community Mental Health Resilience Fund. To help support vulnerable youth, we are fast-tracking Foundry youth health centres which are welcoming, stigma-free centers offering free and confidential supports for diverse young people in need of physical and mental care. Moving forward with Foundry centers in ten more communities will quadruple the number since 2017. We have also made a platform commitment to provide BC students the help they need by making sure every public school has a mental health counselor. We know all of these actions are critical to 2SLGBTQIA+ young people thriving in our province.
John Rustad puts all this progress at risk. Rustad has called homosexuality a “lifestyle” and criticized gender-affirming care, claiming falsely that gender-affirming surgeries are using too many health-care resources. And he would make cuts to the healthcare services people need. In fact, Rustad’s healthcare plan includes a $4.1 billion cut.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP team will continue improving healthcare and mental health services for all British Columbians and we will work to make our province safer and more inclusive for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We have more work to do, and we can’t afford to go backwards.
Will you take steps to ensure that schools in British Columbia provide an inclusive and safe environment for 2SLGBTQIA+ students?
Strongly Agree
Detail any programs or policies you would support to promote inclusivity in education.
School must be a place where every student feels secure and respected so they can focus on learning. Myself along with David Eby and the BC NDP believe all students deserve to be welcomed, included, and respected in a safe learning environment while being fully and completely themselves.
Through our Safe Access to Schools Act – opposed by John Rustad’s BC Conservatives – we’ve taken action to ensure schools remain inclusive, safe, and accessible places for learning, by activating protected zones on and around school grounds to prevent any disruptive behaviour, such as aggressive protests against SOGI 123, from occurring within 20 metres of schools.
SOGI hasn’t changed since John Rustad’s BC Liberals brought it in, now he is willing to cancel these important anti-bullying resources. John Rustad’s BC Conservatives are also promising to establish a school textbook censorship committee if elected. This represents a huge risk to the progress we’ve made in ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for every student in BC’s public-school system. Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to support education that promotes safe, caring and inclusive schools and to ensure young people learn to value diversity and to treat everyone with respect and dignity, so that every student feels like they belong.
Through our Safe Access to Schools Act – opposed by John Rustad’s BC Conservatives – we’ve taken action to ensure schools remain inclusive, safe, and accessible places for learning, by activating protected zones on and around school grounds to prevent any disruptive behaviour, such as aggressive protests against SOGI 123, from occurring within 20 metres of schools.
SOGI hasn’t changed since John Rustad’s BC Liberals brought it in, now he is willing to cancel these important anti-bullying resources. John Rustad’s BC Conservatives are also promising to establish a school textbook censorship committee if elected. This represents a huge risk to the progress we’ve made in ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for every student in BC’s public-school system. Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to support education that promotes safe, caring and inclusive schools and to ensure young people learn to value diversity and to treat everyone with respect and dignity, so that every student feels like they belong.
SOGI 123 is an essential element in creating safe and inclusive classrooms for all students regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs.
Strongly Agree
Explain your rating of the question on SOGI 123.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP believe that schools need to be inclusive, safe, and welcoming places for learning, where all students can be respected while being fully and completely themselves. This is the purpose of SOGI – it is a set of materials like handouts and activities that are designed to teach kids that it’s not ok to bully people and promotes safety for 2SLGBTQIA+ kids and anti-discrimination for all students.
SOGI was brought in by the BC Liberals in 2016 when John Rustad was in Cabinet and has not changed. John Rustad supported it for years, and nothing about SOGI has changed since then. John Rustad now sees political advantage in attacking 2SLGBTQIA+ students as well as teachers and schools who are just trying to do their best for these kids – some of the most vulnerable in our province, including being at risk of suicide. He even made a reprehensible comparison of SOGI policy to the abuse of Indigenous children in residential schools – something former BC Liberal MLA and now BC Conservative candidate Eleanor Sturko called both “incredibly insulting to Indigenous people & to members of the LGBT community.”
While we are trying to create inclusive safe spaces for our children, where every child belongs, John Rustad has promoted extremist views and wants to create division at the expense of our children and youth. Rustad is a risk we can’t afford.
SOGI was brought in by the BC Liberals in 2016 when John Rustad was in Cabinet and has not changed. John Rustad supported it for years, and nothing about SOGI has changed since then. John Rustad now sees political advantage in attacking 2SLGBTQIA+ students as well as teachers and schools who are just trying to do their best for these kids – some of the most vulnerable in our province, including being at risk of suicide. He even made a reprehensible comparison of SOGI policy to the abuse of Indigenous children in residential schools – something former BC Liberal MLA and now BC Conservative candidate Eleanor Sturko called both “incredibly insulting to Indigenous people & to members of the LGBT community.”
While we are trying to create inclusive safe spaces for our children, where every child belongs, John Rustad has promoted extremist views and wants to create division at the expense of our children and youth. Rustad is a risk we can’t afford.
Will you address the housing and homelessness issues disproportionately affecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?
Strongly Agree
Outline any specific strategies or housing programs you would endorse.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP are determined to keep taking action to address struggles people, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, are having with housing and homelessness – unlike John Rustad who has pledged to cancel our entire housing program.
Our Homes for People plan is delivering many different types of housing, relying on collaboration with nonprofit and for-profit housing providers. We’re supporting all different kinds of housing, because we’re in a housing crisis! We support quick construction of nonprofit, private, co-op, social, and affordable housing across BC.
Housing affordability has also been a priority for our government since day one. We’ve made “renovictions” and “demovictions” – that used to be routine – illegal. We’ve eliminated evictions for “landlord use” in purpose built rental housing. We’ve ended the “fixed term lease” scam used to raise rents on tenants beyond rent control levels.
Our rent control is tied to the tenant, and is limited to a maximum of the level of inflation that year. This protects the tenants while not interfering with the supply of new rental housing that our province desperately needs as our population growth sets new records. For example, we’re building 4 times more rental housing than Ontario is right now.
And, to help make rents more affordable for seniors with low and moderate incomes, we’ve increased the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) housing supplement by 66%. And, for those who do face homelessness, we’ve launched the HEART and HEARTH programs, which meet people where they’re at through a cross-functional team of service providers and increased housing options – temporary and permanent.
We know that solving BC’s housing crisis is an all hands-on-deck situation. David Eby is building the partnerships needed across British Columbia to get the job done. In the coming years, he and the BC NDP team will:
* Fast-track BC’s factory home construction to quickly deliver lower cost middle-class homes. This is the next logical step after cutting red tape to allow for the construction of more single homes, duplexes, triplexes and townhomes. Factory-built home construction will play a critical role in solving the housing crisis – delivering immediate results. BC’s emerging factory
* Prioritize housing for public land. We’ll never sell public land that is suitable for attainable housing to be built on. Instead, we’ll partner with the non-profit and private sector to build attainable middle income housing.
*Drive the construction of more market rental housing by waiving provincial property taxes for new purpose built rental projects.
* Encourage municipal partnerships to build more housing through a new local infrastructure investment fund that’s tied to housing starts, while offering more flexibility to cities exceeding those targets.
John Rustad wants to cancel our progress on housing and end our protections for tenants, including eliminating our rent control entirely. And in sixteen years, he built fewer than 140 student housing units…in the entire province. We’ve built 8,000 and our new target for 2027 is 12,000. Building student housing takes pressure off our neighbourhoods and frees up more housing for everyone.
We can’t afford to let Rustad cancel housing action for our province. Let’s keep taking action on housing and build a future where everyone can afford to live here.
Our Homes for People plan is delivering many different types of housing, relying on collaboration with nonprofit and for-profit housing providers. We’re supporting all different kinds of housing, because we’re in a housing crisis! We support quick construction of nonprofit, private, co-op, social, and affordable housing across BC.
Housing affordability has also been a priority for our government since day one. We’ve made “renovictions” and “demovictions” – that used to be routine – illegal. We’ve eliminated evictions for “landlord use” in purpose built rental housing. We’ve ended the “fixed term lease” scam used to raise rents on tenants beyond rent control levels.
Our rent control is tied to the tenant, and is limited to a maximum of the level of inflation that year. This protects the tenants while not interfering with the supply of new rental housing that our province desperately needs as our population growth sets new records. For example, we’re building 4 times more rental housing than Ontario is right now.
And, to help make rents more affordable for seniors with low and moderate incomes, we’ve increased the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) housing supplement by 66%. And, for those who do face homelessness, we’ve launched the HEART and HEARTH programs, which meet people where they’re at through a cross-functional team of service providers and increased housing options – temporary and permanent.
We know that solving BC’s housing crisis is an all hands-on-deck situation. David Eby is building the partnerships needed across British Columbia to get the job done. In the coming years, he and the BC NDP team will:
* Fast-track BC’s factory home construction to quickly deliver lower cost middle-class homes. This is the next logical step after cutting red tape to allow for the construction of more single homes, duplexes, triplexes and townhomes. Factory-built home construction will play a critical role in solving the housing crisis – delivering immediate results. BC’s emerging factory
* Prioritize housing for public land. We’ll never sell public land that is suitable for attainable housing to be built on. Instead, we’ll partner with the non-profit and private sector to build attainable middle income housing.
*Drive the construction of more market rental housing by waiving provincial property taxes for new purpose built rental projects.
* Encourage municipal partnerships to build more housing through a new local infrastructure investment fund that’s tied to housing starts, while offering more flexibility to cities exceeding those targets.
John Rustad wants to cancel our progress on housing and end our protections for tenants, including eliminating our rent control entirely. And in sixteen years, he built fewer than 140 student housing units…in the entire province. We’ve built 8,000 and our new target for 2027 is 12,000. Building student housing takes pressure off our neighbourhoods and frees up more housing for everyone.
We can’t afford to let Rustad cancel housing action for our province. Let’s keep taking action on housing and build a future where everyone can afford to live here.
Will you work to combat hate crimes and violence against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?
Strongly Agree
Provide details on your approach to reducing hate crimes and ensuring justice for victims.
No one should ever be the target of violence because of who they are or who they love. Although data specific to B.C. is limited, evidence suggests that transgender and gender diverse individuals are 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to experience multiple forms of sexual, physical and generalized violence compared to cisgender people. Indigenous and other racialized community members are especially impacted. BC must be a safe and welcoming place where everyone is free to be themselves.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to fight hate crimes and ensure justice for victims of hate crimes. One of the first actions we took as government was to bring back the Human Rights Commission and we are boosting resources to the Human Rights Tribunal to ensure those who discriminate are held to account. Through Safe and Supported: British Columbia’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, we are fighting gender-based violence. We are also strengthening services to support victims of crime and survivors like bringing back stable funding for sexual assault centres and expanding funding to historic levels for legal aid to victims of crime. We are also making available 24/7 support in 150 languages for all victims of crime, including sexual violence and human trafficking from VictimLinkBC.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP team will continue taking action, strengthening implementation of the Safe and Supported: BC’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan by working with service providers, Indigenous partners and families on initiatives, like the Path Forward Community Fund, to make BC safer and more inclusive for women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Our new Action Plan for You commits to new action to protect people – including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community – with new, tough hate crime legislation.
Disturbingly, instead of being a leader in combating hate crime and violence in our communities, John Rustad has refused to denounce candidates who are openly stoking hatred against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He has made false claims accusing trans British Columbians of using too many health care resources. He and his party tried to bring in legislation that excluded trans athletes from participating in provincially funded sports. For political advantage he attacked SOGI in our schools, making 2SLGBTQIA+ students less safe in our schools. Rustad and his Conservatives are a risk we can’t afford.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action to fight hate crimes and ensure justice for victims of hate crimes. One of the first actions we took as government was to bring back the Human Rights Commission and we are boosting resources to the Human Rights Tribunal to ensure those who discriminate are held to account. Through Safe and Supported: British Columbia’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, we are fighting gender-based violence. We are also strengthening services to support victims of crime and survivors like bringing back stable funding for sexual assault centres and expanding funding to historic levels for legal aid to victims of crime. We are also making available 24/7 support in 150 languages for all victims of crime, including sexual violence and human trafficking from VictimLinkBC.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP team will continue taking action, strengthening implementation of the Safe and Supported: BC’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan by working with service providers, Indigenous partners and families on initiatives, like the Path Forward Community Fund, to make BC safer and more inclusive for women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Our new Action Plan for You commits to new action to protect people – including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community – with new, tough hate crime legislation.
Disturbingly, instead of being a leader in combating hate crime and violence in our communities, John Rustad has refused to denounce candidates who are openly stoking hatred against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He has made false claims accusing trans British Columbians of using too many health care resources. He and his party tried to bring in legislation that excluded trans athletes from participating in provincially funded sports. For political advantage he attacked SOGI in our schools, making 2SLGBTQIA+ students less safe in our schools. Rustad and his Conservatives are a risk we can’t afford.
Will you support increased funding for 2SLGBTQIA+ community organizations and services?
Agree
Please elaborate on your funding priorities for these organizations.
Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP believe that British Columbia is stronger because of our diversity. Since we became government in 2017 we have been working in partnership with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community organizations and we’re committed to continuing to strengthen partnerships.
We are taking action to support community organizations throughout the province, including a specific anti-hate community support fund for organizations impacted by acts of hate. The anti-hate community support fund is provided to organizations and at-risk groups, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, for security equipment, graffiti removal and repairs to damaged property as part of community efforts to respond to hate-motivated crimes.
Women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people who are Indigenous are at higher risk of human trafficking, as are survivors of gender-based violence. B.C. is collaborating with other governments and police to address and prevent human trafficking. At the community level, we also support prevention and awareness initiatives and organizations that support survivors.
We are taking action to support community organizations throughout the province, including a specific anti-hate community support fund for organizations impacted by acts of hate. The anti-hate community support fund is provided to organizations and at-risk groups, including the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, for security equipment, graffiti removal and repairs to damaged property as part of community efforts to respond to hate-motivated crimes.
Women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people who are Indigenous are at higher risk of human trafficking, as are survivors of gender-based violence. B.C. is collaborating with other governments and police to address and prevent human trafficking. At the community level, we also support prevention and awareness initiatives and organizations that support survivors.
Will you promote public awareness and education to foster acceptance and understanding of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?
Strongly Agree
Detail any campaigns or educational initiatives you would support or propose.
We want BC to be a safe and welcoming place where everyone is free to be themselves. Yet too many 2SLGBTQIA+ people face prejudice and discrimination and disturbingly there are growing movements fueling hate and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, making them feel unsafe in their communities.
And that is why Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to raise awareness, support 2SLGBTQIA+ people’s rights and improve supports for transgender, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people. We will keep taking actions alongside 2SLGBTQIA+ communities that are supported by evidence-based research and people’s lived experiences.
B.C. is the first province in Canada to amend provincial laws to remove outdated gendered and binary language. We have taken action to ensure people can access options in the gender field of their government ID. And through SOGI and the Safe Access to Schools Act – opposed by John Rustad – we will continue to make our schools safe and welcoming places for all students.
To raise awareness for the rights of trans people, every year our government has celebrated the achievements and contributions of transgender, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people in B.C. on the International Transgender Day of Visibility. In 2019 we raised the Trans flag for the first time at B.C. legislature on Transgender Day of Remembrance.
John Rustad puts the progress the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has made at risk. Rustad called homosexuality a “lifestyle”, made 2SLGBTQIA+ kids less safe with his disparaging statements of SOGI – just for perceived political advantage – and criticized gender-affirming care, claiming falsely that gender-affirming surgeries require too many health-care resources. We can’t afford to go backwards.
And that is why Myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to raise awareness, support 2SLGBTQIA+ people’s rights and improve supports for transgender, Two Spirit and gender-diverse people. We will keep taking actions alongside 2SLGBTQIA+ communities that are supported by evidence-based research and people’s lived experiences.
B.C. is the first province in Canada to amend provincial laws to remove outdated gendered and binary language. We have taken action to ensure people can access options in the gender field of their government ID. And through SOGI and the Safe Access to Schools Act – opposed by John Rustad – we will continue to make our schools safe and welcoming places for all students.
To raise awareness for the rights of trans people, every year our government has celebrated the achievements and contributions of transgender, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people in B.C. on the International Transgender Day of Visibility. In 2019 we raised the Trans flag for the first time at B.C. legislature on Transgender Day of Remembrance.
John Rustad puts the progress the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has made at risk. Rustad called homosexuality a “lifestyle”, made 2SLGBTQIA+ kids less safe with his disparaging statements of SOGI – just for perceived political advantage – and criticized gender-affirming care, claiming falsely that gender-affirming surgeries require too many health-care resources. We can’t afford to go backwards.
Will you ensure that your policies and initiatives address the diverse needs within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, including those intersecting with other marginalized identities (e.g., race, disability, socioeconomic status)?
Strongly Agree
Describe your approach to creating inclusive and intersectional policies.
Too many people are deeply affected by barriers because of their gender, race, socio-economic status, sexual orientation or ability and people often experience multiple, intersecting barriers such as poverty, racism, ableism, homophobia, and, or transphobia.
David Eby and the BC NDP have taken action to create inclusive and intersectional policies, including:
To-date, some of the actions we’ve taken include:
* We recently worked in partnership with QMUNITY and the Law Foundation of British Columbia to establish B.C.’s first pro-bono 2SLGBTQIA+ legal clinic
* We launched the Anti-Hate Community Support Fund to support organizations at risk of hate-motivated crimes
* Took action to ensure the spectrum of gender identity is included on BC government ID. Now, British Columbians can choose ‘X’ as a third option in the gender field on their government-issued ID
* Became the first province in Canada to systemically amend provincial laws to remove outdated gendered and binary language. These changes were made to ensure that all British Columbians have equal access to government services, no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity, race or cultural beliefs
* Made it easier for people to change their gender designation on government-issued identification: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0017-000294
We also passed BC’s historic Anti-Racism Data Act so that moving forward the BC government can collect intersectional demographic data to help identify barriers to government programs and services. Once these barriers are identified and backed by data, they can be addressed so more people can equally benefit from government supports.
There is more work to do and myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to advance and protect the diverse needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We can’t afford to let John Rustad take us backwards.
David Eby and the BC NDP have taken action to create inclusive and intersectional policies, including:
To-date, some of the actions we’ve taken include:
* We recently worked in partnership with QMUNITY and the Law Foundation of British Columbia to establish B.C.’s first pro-bono 2SLGBTQIA+ legal clinic
* We launched the Anti-Hate Community Support Fund to support organizations at risk of hate-motivated crimes
* Took action to ensure the spectrum of gender identity is included on BC government ID. Now, British Columbians can choose ‘X’ as a third option in the gender field on their government-issued ID
* Became the first province in Canada to systemically amend provincial laws to remove outdated gendered and binary language. These changes were made to ensure that all British Columbians have equal access to government services, no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity, race or cultural beliefs
* Made it easier for people to change their gender designation on government-issued identification: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0017-000294
We also passed BC’s historic Anti-Racism Data Act so that moving forward the BC government can collect intersectional demographic data to help identify barriers to government programs and services. Once these barriers are identified and backed by data, they can be addressed so more people can equally benefit from government supports.
There is more work to do and myself, David Eby and the BC NDP will continue to advance and protect the diverse needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We can’t afford to let John Rustad take us backwards.
The BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner’s report “From Hate to Hope” includes several recommendations to address hate and discrimination. Will you work to implement these recommendations, particularly those affecting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?
Agree
Please specify which recommendations from the Commissioner’s report you will prioritize and how you plan to implement them.
During the pandemic there was a spike in hate incidents, especially against Asian British Columbians, and since then we have seen a worrying increase in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ rhetoric here in BC that directly correlates to the targeting of gay and trans communities in the United States. There are very real impacts for 2SLGBTQIA+ people here who feel that they are not welcome for being who they are. We are grateful to the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner for their work on this report, From Hate to Hope: Inquiry into Hate in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
John Rustad’s government eliminated the Human Rights Commission making BC the only province in Canada without one. The BC NDP re-established the independent office to support human rights through education, research and investigations. We are also boosting resources to the BC Human Rights Tribunal, which supports the work of the Commission, to ensure those who discriminate are held to account.
The Commission’s report identifies ten recommendations addressed to various ministries, including Attorney General, Public Safety and Solicitor General, Education and Child Care, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, as well as the BC Public Service. David Eby and the BC NDP are committed to an all-of-government response to the report and using the findings from this report to inform the Province’s approach to combating hate, including hate aimed at the 2LGBTQIA+ community.
John Rustad’s government eliminated the Human Rights Commission making BC the only province in Canada without one. The BC NDP re-established the independent office to support human rights through education, research and investigations. We are also boosting resources to the BC Human Rights Tribunal, which supports the work of the Commission, to ensure those who discriminate are held to account.
The Commission’s report identifies ten recommendations addressed to various ministries, including Attorney General, Public Safety and Solicitor General, Education and Child Care, Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, as well as the BC Public Service. David Eby and the BC NDP are committed to an all-of-government response to the report and using the findings from this report to inform the Province’s approach to combating hate, including hate aimed at the 2LGBTQIA+ community.
2SLGBTQIA+ seniors face unique needs as they age, particularly in the areas of specialized healthcare, assisted living where they are free to live authentically, and affordable housing. Will you work to implement specific policies and programs to address these unique needs?
Strongly Agree
Please specify how you will address the unique needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors.
Seniors need care they can count on and 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors need care specific to their needs. The increased costs from global inflation and high interest rates are especially hard on those seniors who are on fixed or restricted incomes. We need to ensure that seniors are getting the specialized care they need and are not making a choice between paying for medication and rent or food. We want to build a province where every senior has the support and resources to live a comfortable life
There is a record level of health-care construction under the BC NDP, including 29 new and expanded hospitals, and building cancer centres and long-term care homes closer to home. David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, so that they feel safe, welcomed, included, and be able to live authentically. This includes long-term care, assisted living and health care they receive at the hospital or with a family doctor or a nurse practitioner.
We’re also committed to ensuring that seniors can thrive in their homes and communities for as long as possible, instead of moving into care. That’s why we’re taking action to hire more home care workers, so seniors have more frequent visits, and we’re providing seniors with more home support services such as grocery shopping, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments, and friendly visiting through our Better At Home program. We are adding 900 new health-care providers over three years to support seniors to live at home longer – 400 additional staff for community-based professional services and 500 home-support workers.
With more nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and home-support workers, home health clients will have more access to comprehensive and responsive care. Seniors will see improved overnight response, more regular contact with their care manager and improved response to care needs that arise unexpectedly.
Seniors will also be supported to stay in their homes longer with a new virtual service, Long-term Care at Home, that provides some of the essential support of a long-term care facility in their own home. This program is now being piloted with a goal of supporting more than 2,700 seniors and their caregivers over the next four years.
Housing affordability has also been a priority for our government since day one. We’ve made “renovictions” and “demovictions” – that used to be routine – illegal. We’ve eliminated evictions for “landlord use” in purpose built rental housing. We’ve ended the “fixed term lease” scam used to raise rents on tenants beyond rent control levels.
Our rent control is tied to the tenant, and is limited to a maximum of the level of inflation that year. This protects the tenants while not interfering with the supply of new rental housing that our province desperately needs as our population growth sets new records.
And, to help make rents more affordable for seniors with low and moderate incomes, we’ve increased the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) housing supplement by 66%. And, for those who do face homelessness, we’ve launched the HEART and HEARTH programs, which meet people where they’re at through a cross-functional team of service providers and increased housing options – temporary and permanent.
We will always keep working to build a more inclusive province for everyone – no matter who you are, or who you love.
Unfortunately, all this progress is now at risk with John Rustad’s BC Conservatives, who are planning tax breaks for those at the top and will make seniors pay for it with over $4 billion in cuts to healthcare and the supports seniors rely on. When John Rustad was last in power, his government doubled MSP fees, froze the SAFER housing supplement, and passed laws that devastated long-term care and led to the layoff of 10,000 workers, leaving seniors without the quality of care they need in dangerously understaffed homes. On top of that, his team of candidates have made deeply homophobic remarks and spread mistruths about 2SLGBTQIA people. We can’t afford to let John Rustad slash healthcare, especially for our 2SLGBQTQIA seniors, like he did before – we need to keep moving forward so that seniors can get the inclusive care and support they need.
There is a record level of health-care construction under the BC NDP, including 29 new and expanded hospitals, and building cancer centres and long-term care homes closer to home. David Eby and the BC NDP are taking action for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, so that they feel safe, welcomed, included, and be able to live authentically. This includes long-term care, assisted living and health care they receive at the hospital or with a family doctor or a nurse practitioner.
We’re also committed to ensuring that seniors can thrive in their homes and communities for as long as possible, instead of moving into care. That’s why we’re taking action to hire more home care workers, so seniors have more frequent visits, and we’re providing seniors with more home support services such as grocery shopping, light housekeeping, transportation to appointments, and friendly visiting through our Better At Home program. We are adding 900 new health-care providers over three years to support seniors to live at home longer – 400 additional staff for community-based professional services and 500 home-support workers.
With more nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and home-support workers, home health clients will have more access to comprehensive and responsive care. Seniors will see improved overnight response, more regular contact with their care manager and improved response to care needs that arise unexpectedly.
Seniors will also be supported to stay in their homes longer with a new virtual service, Long-term Care at Home, that provides some of the essential support of a long-term care facility in their own home. This program is now being piloted with a goal of supporting more than 2,700 seniors and their caregivers over the next four years.
Housing affordability has also been a priority for our government since day one. We’ve made “renovictions” and “demovictions” – that used to be routine – illegal. We’ve eliminated evictions for “landlord use” in purpose built rental housing. We’ve ended the “fixed term lease” scam used to raise rents on tenants beyond rent control levels.
Our rent control is tied to the tenant, and is limited to a maximum of the level of inflation that year. This protects the tenants while not interfering with the supply of new rental housing that our province desperately needs as our population growth sets new records.
And, to help make rents more affordable for seniors with low and moderate incomes, we’ve increased the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) housing supplement by 66%. And, for those who do face homelessness, we’ve launched the HEART and HEARTH programs, which meet people where they’re at through a cross-functional team of service providers and increased housing options – temporary and permanent.
We will always keep working to build a more inclusive province for everyone – no matter who you are, or who you love.
Unfortunately, all this progress is now at risk with John Rustad’s BC Conservatives, who are planning tax breaks for those at the top and will make seniors pay for it with over $4 billion in cuts to healthcare and the supports seniors rely on. When John Rustad was last in power, his government doubled MSP fees, froze the SAFER housing supplement, and passed laws that devastated long-term care and led to the layoff of 10,000 workers, leaving seniors without the quality of care they need in dangerously understaffed homes. On top of that, his team of candidates have made deeply homophobic remarks and spread mistruths about 2SLGBTQIA people. We can’t afford to let John Rustad slash healthcare, especially for our 2SLGBQTQIA seniors, like he did before – we need to keep moving forward so that seniors can get the inclusive care and support they need.
