COLUMN: From the Hill -- Site C and Treaty 8
On February 18th of this year a group of First Nations activists came to Ottawa to speak to the government about the Site C dam project on the Peace River. They met with myself and other MPs in the BC NDP caucus to discuss their attempts to delay construction of the dam until the concerns of their people were heard in federal...
LETTER: Local postal workers union frustrated over flawed negotiations
Dear Editor On behalf of the women and men who process and deliver your mail and serve you at the Castlegar Post Office, I want to thank the public for your participation in the postal review and especially for your ongoing support during our difficult negotiations with Canada Post. You may remember that on July 2nd, Canada...
B.C. Human Rights Code to include explicit protection for gender identity, expression
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton introduced legislation Monday to make B.C.'s Human Rights Code more explicit in the protections it affords transgender persons in British Columbia. Bill 27, Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2016, was passed to include "gender identity or expression" among the protected ...
June overdose death numbers show increase
Updated statistics from the BC Coroners Service show the number of illicit drug overdose deaths among B.C. residents has increased. The total number of overdose deaths for June 2016 was 56, an increase from 43 in May 2016. A total of 371 overdose deaths have been reported from January to June 2016. The most recent fentanyl-related...
Panhandling bylaw avoids adoption as status quo in city’s downtown set to continue
A rare 11th hour decision by city council has derailed the controversial proposed panhandling bylaw from becoming legislation. A concern about the intent of the proposed bylaw — and a call for more time to measure the effectiveness of a potential street outreach worker — was enough to have the passing of a proposed panhandling...
Potential postal strike/lockout delayed with new offer
Strike action from Canada Post workers has been delayed, at least until July 6, after the Canadian Union of Poster Workers presented the corporation with a new proposed deal on July 1. A detailed description of the off is available on the union's website at http://www.cupw.ca/en/cupw-presents-global-offer Union officials...
COURT CHALLENGE FILED AGAINST BILL C-14
A legal challenge to the constitutional validity of Bill C-14 has been filed. In a unanimous decision last year, Canada's highest court declared that the Criminal Code provisions against physician-assisted dying "are of no force or effect to the extent that they prohibit physician-assisted death for a competent adult...
LETTER: Speak up during government review of Canada Post
Dear Editor: Canada Post management has given every indication that they will lock out their clerks and letter carriers and rural drivers any time after July 2. Negotiations have been ongoing for six months and in the spring, management applied for conciliation and requested that process be speeded up so they could lock us ...
Imagine Kootenay Wins Top Honours in BC Economic Development Awards
Imagine Kootenay (IK) was awarded the top honour for marketing and innovation in the province last week by the BC Economic Development Association. The IK partnership and imaginekootenay.com website was recognized for their website and program branding work at the BC Economic Development Association Summit in Vancouver on...
Trail gets almost $1.2 mill to expand airport
The Government of British Columbia is providing $1.18 million in B.C. Air Access Program funding to support infrastructure improvements at Trail Regional Airport, announced Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone. "Throughout B.C., airports serve as a vital transportation link and a lifeline for the many...
