Monday February 23, 2026 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted at 5:39 pm | Updated 6:25 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
- Second reading did not get unanimous approval in the afternoon session of the house on February 23, 2026. A vote was called for 6 pm. [The vote passed, 78 to 7]
- Also see: MLA Dana Lajeunesse says bill to amend Motor Vehicle Act would save lives, prevent injuries (December 19, 2025)
The family of Xavier Rasul-Jankovics was welcomed in the BC Legislature today by Juan de Fuca-Malahat MLA Dana Lajeunesse.
He welcomed Xavier’s parents Zhara and Josh, his sister Kira and older brother Qais, and Xavier’s former classmates.
Lajeunesse has been ushering his private member’s Bill 226 – the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act (No. 2), 2025, last speaking to it in the BC Legislature last fall.
“As we continue second reading on my private members bill – Xavier’s Law, this morning, I’m heartened to know they will be here with us,” said Lajeunesse about the Rasul-Jankovics family.
“In addition to Xavier’s immediate family, it is my pleaseure to welcome 37 incredible students and their teachers from Shawnigan Lake School’s Law 12 AP Comparative Government classes, including Xavier’s sister Kira,” said Lajeunesse.
“I’m encouraged by not only in their interest in my Bill — that has become known as Xavier’s Law — but by their desire to be here today to help us remember and honour Xavier’s memory.”
“Welcome to your provincial legislature and thank you all for being here,” said Lajeunesse, adding further dignity to the moment.
Vote called for 6 pm:
Second reading did not get unanimous approval in the afternoon session of the house. A vote was called for 6 pm.
- 6:20 pm update – The vote to support Bill 226 going to committee passed, 78 for (including NDP, BC Greens, and some BC Conservatives) and 7 against.
- The bill now goes to the Select Standing Committee on Private Bills and Private Members’ Bills, the speaker declared at the conclusion of the vote.
Lajeunesse today:
Lajeuenesse thanked all those who had input in crafting the bill, and other members of the legislative assembly who provided input in discussion today.
He thanked Xavier’s family for their effort to “prevent such senseless tragedies from happening to other families in the future”. He said that he and other MLAs have received letters in support of the bill.
“The intent of this bill is to identify reckless behaviour on public roadways and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to lawfully and immediately remove reckless drivers from our streets,” said Lajeunesse in the legislative session this afternoon.
“This immediate penalty will serve as a deterrent to reckless driving behaviours before innocent victims needlessly suffer injury or death through the instantaneous temporary removal of driving privileges.”
“Law enforcement officers will be required under this law to report all incidents of reckless driving behaviours to the superintendent of motor vehicles, who an then make evidence-based decisions whether to enforce further prohibitions when they are deemed necessary,” the MLA said.
“This bill does not take away any constitutional rights,” said Lajeunesse. “Driving is a privilege, and with that privilege comes responsibility.”
“This bill does not punish people for accidents, making mistakes or other extenuating circumstances such as changing weather conditions that are beyond their control,” said Lajeunesse.
“This bill is just part of the work to ensure tragedies like that which Xavier’s family and others have experienced, are made a thing of the past,” said Lajeunesse.
He looks forward to further discussion and ideas as the bill progresses to the committee stage, including meaningful and respectful contributions.
Second reading discussion:
From the Official Opposition, MLA Steve Kooner (Richmond Queesborugh) said the incident in which Xavier was killed was a case of dangerous behaviour behind the wheel, noting that “road safety is not an abstract policy discussion it is about lives, families, communities forever changed”. He spoke in favour of strengthening “accountability for reckless driving and to deter dangerous conduct on our roads”.
But he is concerned that Bill M226 — in creating an expanded statutory definition of reckless driving and introducing an immediate 30-day licence suspension — means surrendering a licence with no mechanism of appeal.
Does the Bill meaningfully strengthen the law or does it risk dislocating provisions that already exist under the Motor Vehicle Act, he questioned. According to MLA Kooner, Section 144 of the MVA prohibits driving without due care and attention and Section 148 already addresses excessive speeding and carries penalties. He want to know if creating a new category of reckless driving would enhance clarity and enforcement and that procedural fairness is afforded,
BC Green House Leader Jeremy Valeriote (West Vancouver-Sea to Sky) focussed on “whether some of these events are preventable”. He points out that the nomenclature has changed — “from calling them accidents, to what they are — they’re crashes and they’re not accidents when they’re entirely predictable and preventable”.
Sometimes ‘accidents’ are not just from recklessness but when drivers lack experience or skill, Valeriote added.
“There is work to be done on this Bill. The intent is there, and well-supported on second reading. But a 30-day driving suspension that doesn’t follow due process or is perceived to be unfair or unconstitutional can be crippling to livelihoods. And that’s where the Charter of Rights comes in. Nothing in this Bill can be discretionary. But it is clear that we need more solutions for reckless driving whether they come from the federal or provincial attorney general,” said Valeriote.
“Driving is a privilege and not a right,” he said. Sometimes a 30-day time out is appropriate, he added, but that the process needs to be sorted out. Duplication can be solved in committee (the next step after a bill passes second reading), an infringement of rights can be addressed. If those challenges can’t be resolved then perhaps the bill won’t go forward, Valeriote said.
“But the spirit and intent is ‘on the money’ given the state of our roads and the state of public safety,” said Valeriote about Bill M226.
“These are preventable, a predictable result of a system that is coming up short in terms of training the drivers or enforcing good driving behaviour,” said the BC Green MLA.
“Going forward, the process will include hearing from experts and hearing opinions on how to strike the right balance. I’m optimistic it can be done,” said Valeriote about the committee process, saying the Greens will support the bill at second reading.
Surrey City-Centre NDP MLA Amna Shah acknowledged Xavier’s family in the House today. “What’s important at this point is the principle, the spirit and the intention of the bill. There’s been some questions about due process, fairness.” She supports further discussion about wording and definitions, and hearing from experts in committee. She urged support of the bill.
===== RELATED:
MLA Dana Lajeunesse says bill to amend Motor Vehicle Act would save lives, prevent injuries (December 19, 2025)
NEWS SECTIONS: 43rd PARLAIMENT of BC