I don't live in Victoria, but I try to stay on top of what's happening in the legislature by reading Hansard. It's the written record of what's said in the chamber. And sometimes, I read a comment that stops me in my tracks.

On March 18, NDP MLA John Horgan managed to do this in a debate over the Ministry of Citizens' Service possibly cutting a $26,000  rent subsidy to a Royal Canadian Legion branch close to the legislature.

The B.C.  government told the legion that the government's fiscal situation required it to protect front-line services.

"Hon. Speaker, liberating Holland is a front-line service," Horgan declared in the legislature.  "Being a prisoner of war in Hong Kong is a front-line service. Will the minister do the right thing, stand in his place today and restore the rent subsidy for Legion 127 here in Victoria?"

The full debate appears below:

J. Horgan: For 76 years the members of the Royal Canadian Legion, branch 127, have called the building at 521 Superior Street here in Victoria their home. Three weeks ago the minister's office for the Minister of Citizens' Services contacted the 115 veterans, with the average age of 87 years old, and advised them that they had to raise $26,000 for rent or find another place to be.

Conversations went back and forth. A final e-mail was received Tuesday from the deputy minister, and it reads as follows: "I regret that the ministry's budget can no longer sustain a rent subsidy for the legion. The current fiscal situation has led to some difficult choices in order to maintain and protect front-line services."

Hon. Speaker, liberating Holland is a front-line service. Being a prisoner of war in Hong Kong is a front-line service. Will the minister do the right thing, stand in his place today and restore the rent subsidy for Legion 127 here in Victoria?

Hon. B. Stewart: First of all, I want to make certain that the members of branch 127 of the Royal Canadian Legion know that they will still call Superior Street home, and no one is moving. This government has a proud history of, you know, being proud of its veterans, celebrating their successes, and if there's any confusion on this, I apologize for the fact that this e-mail transaction took place without the proper meetings to make certain that the veterans knew exactly that they were going to be able to stay in that location.

Mr. Speaker: The member has a supplemental.

J. Horgan: Let's talk about that proud B.C. Liberal record. This is the second time in a decade that that government has tried to evict the members of Legion branch 127—twice in a decade. Every Premier since Duff Pattullo has supported this initiative until the recent denizen of the chair across the way.

Again to the minister. You've known this for three weeks. It just fell on your desk. You've had two scrums today. It's a movable feast of incompetence. Stand today and say: "The subsidy will be restored." No bafflegab. "The subsidy will be restored." Say it now.

Hon. B. Stewart: Again I want to make it clear that no one at branch 127 is moving. The arrangements that they've enjoyed over the last 76 years will continue as they have. I personally am proud of the veterans and what they've done for this country. You know, we used to sit around the kitchen table talking about my father's service in the Second World War.

I can tell you how much we value their contribution, and I repeat again that no one is moving, and the arrangement will continue as it has for the past 76 years.

Mr. Speaker: The member has a further supplemental.

J. Horgan: There are members on both sides of this House whose parents fought and died in the Second World War. My challenge for the minister is a simple one. This government has a habit of hanging out public servants. We have the deputy minister to his minister two days ago saying: "Tough luck, so sad. Get out of the building. We're no longer continuing the subsidy."

It's very simple. Get to the point, Minister. Will you ensure that the subsidy remains in place, or are we going to have to have bake sales for 87-year-old veterans?

Hon. B. Stewart: I want to repeat to the member opposite that no one is moving and that the arrangement that stood for the last 76 years still stands. If you want to talk about”¦.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

Continue, Minister.

Hon. B. Stewart: I was made aware yesterday that there was a breakdown in communication. I was told originally that there had been an arrangement made and that we were in agreement, the Legion and ourselves. But I apologize for that confusion, and no one is moving.

D. Routley: That e-mail and this government often talk about tough choices —tough times and tough choices. Tough times were 1934. In a letter to then Premier Pattullo, we hear from the Legion: "We feel that particularly during these discouraging times, the government's policy of recognition of its employees' need for such facilities is an important factor in maintaining their morale and efficiency."

Those were tough times. The decision made by that e-mail was not tough; it was cowardly. This government and that minister should stand up and apologize. Why was that e-mail sent? Why? He should apologize to those members. Why was that e-mail sent? And why, for the second time in ten years, has this government come knocking on their door?

Hon. B. Stewart: To the member opposite, I want to make it clear that I don't see why they're stuck to the script. The bottom line is that we've answered the question. There is no one moving.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Just take your seat for a second, Member.

Member has a supplemental.

D. Routley: This is the second time in ten years this government has demanded that those veterans move or pay. Only once it became public does the minister back-pedal. Only once it became public. If it hadn't become public, you can be quite sure that a different outcome would have come out of this.

Duff Pattullo in 1934 wrote back two days after that letter: "I find myself in sympathy with your representations, and I have made inquiry and find that there is no intention of depriving you of your quarters." That from Duff Pattullo.

Interjections.

Mr. Speaker: Members.

D. Routley: Every Premier and every government since 1934 has seen the value except this one, which has twice come knocking on their door and threatened them with eviction.

It's not good enough for the minister to simply back-pedal. He needs to guarantee those veterans—guarantee them—that this will never happen again. Will the minister stand in this House and guarantee those veterans that that is their premises?

Hon. B. Stewart: I want to make it clear, absolutely crystal-clear. No one is moving from Superior Street. I also want to make it clear that the fact is that the arrangements that have been in place for the last 76 years will continue. I apologize for the misunderstanding to the veterans that are distressed by this, but I want to make it clear that I've made arrangements to have a meeting personally with the president to discuss this further.

S. Simpson: On Tuesday 115 elderly veterans get told by this minister's deputy that they're out on the street. On Tuesday they get told they're out on the street. Then in this e-mail that they get told this, they also got told the minister is fully aware of this decision.

What happened between today and Tuesday, other than the embarrassment of the incompetence of this decision, and what is the minister doing? Is the $26,000 off the table completely? Is it back to exactly the same situation? Why on earth did this minister and the B.C. Liberal brain trust that's behind this create that kind of anxiety for our elderly veterans?

Hon. B. Stewart: I don't know where the members are going with this. They seem to be stuck with that same script. The reality is we've told you that no one is moving and that the fact is the arrangement that's been in place since Premier Duff Pattullo wrote to the Legion will stay in place.

Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.