Watching a young person struggle with mental health or addictions challenges is a parent’s worst nightmare. We all want to see our children thrive. And yet when they need help, families in crisis have had to struggle to navigate a fragmented system that doesn’t get their kids the care they need. There are waitlists to navigate, expensive bills to pay and doors that seemingly lead nowhere.

Tomorrow is the first day of Gender Equality Week in Canada — a week driven by a vision where people of all genders and gender expressions are treated fairly and have equal access to opportunities. 

Over the last week, we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthen local economies, make communities safer, invest in people, and make life more affordable for B.C. families.

The people of B.C. work hard, and they expect a government that works hard for them. As we begin a new session of the Legislature – the first for our new government – our focus is on getting results for people.

Too many people in B.C. have struggled to make ends meet and find a home they can afford. The holiday season often adds the financial strain of travel and entertaining, and combined with the high costs of rent, child care and other expenses, it can be overwhelming.

Housing affordability is the biggest challenge facing people in B.C. every day. For years, the crisis was ignored while prices surged beyond incomes, and hurt people, businesses and communities.

Many British Columbians were shocked when they heard the findings of the Expert Panel on Money Laundering in Real Estate. More than $7 billion in dirty money was laundered in B.C. last year alone. About $5 billion of that went through B.C.’s real estate market, driving housing prices up and hurting families, seniors and students.

Our government welcomed 2019 by announcing that 240,000 lower-income families will get the help they need with prescription medication costs. It’s part of our work to make life more affordable, and make health care more accessible for people in B.C.

The people of B.C. work hard, and they expect a government that works hard for them. As we begin a new session of the Legislature, the first for our new government, our focus is getting results for people.

When I think about what child care means for families in B.C., I think of all the patchwork calendars stuck to fridges across the province telling the child care story of each household. The mother-in-law, the uncle and the best friend are on deck this week, and dad will have to leave work early next week. It’s a puzzle of names, dates and times that only the family can understand.