RCMP in Red Deer, Alta., are looking for a 17-year-old charged with first-degree murder, and they say he may be hiding out in B.C. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Adam William Lee Bird of Manitoba. This, after a 25-year-old man was found shot dead in a car in Red Deer on New Year’s Day. Bird has been charged with first-degree … [Read more...]
B.C. Metis leader hails court decision to grant his people Indian status
January 8, 2013 by
A federal court has ruled that Métis and other non-status Indians do indeed have status, and so fall under federal jurisdiction. That means about 600,000 people who live off-reserve in Canada now qualify for the same benefits from Ottawa as First Nations as the Inuit. The president of Métis Nation BC calls the ruling “an … [Read more...]
B.C. residents making more babies, living longer
December 30, 2012 by
An annual report from the British Columbia vital statistics agency shows more babies were born in 2011 than the previous year. The most common names for babies in 2011 were Liam and Emma. Health minister Margaret MacDiarmid says she's not surprised B.C.’s birth rate is on the rise as more and … [Read more...]
Finance committee recommends B.C. stay on track to balance budget
November 14, 2012 by
An all-party standing committee of the legislature is recommending the B.C. government stay the course in its budget-balancing plan, but it has a few new ideas to spend your tax dollars. The finance committee calls on the government to meet its target of a balanced budget in the next fiscal year – already a tough job with falling revenues to … [Read more...]
First Nations could help fill doctor shortages in rural B.C.: minister
November 12, 2012 by
B.C.’s health minister says First Nations could play a big role to help fill the shortage of health care workers. Margaret MacDiarmid says UBC’s aboriginal medical student program has graduated more than 30 students, with another 30 currently in the program. She says with First Nations in many areas of B.C., the students can play a role … [Read more...]
UVic prof says Obama win could indicate leftward momentum in B.C.
November 6, 2012 by
With Barack Obama's projected re-election, University of Victoria political science professor Janni Aragon says that leftward momentum could carry into B.C.'s provincial election in May. "The Obama campaign can be a harbinger for Canadian politics. Maybe the move to the right won't continue to be as severe, particularly to B.C. I mean, it's pretty … [Read more...]
B.C. breaking own rules on targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions: report
October 10, 2012 by
Plans to heavily increase natural gas production in B.C. are “far worse” than the impact of the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline. That’s according to Marc Lee, the author of a new study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "The government's argument that this is going to displace the use of coal in Asia … [Read more...]
Small business optimism up in B.C.
October 3, 2012 by
For the first time since March, B.C. small businesses report higher levels of optimism, according to the latest survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. For the first time in four months, the survey reports confidence levels increased in B.C. last month. The federation’s business barometer index rose from 56.4 in August to … [Read more...]
Advocate says labour movement going strong in B.C.
September 2, 2012 by
As workers get set to commemorate Labour Day, the president of the BC Federation of Labour says th movement here is going strong. "I think the labour movement today is up and fighting back as best we can on most days. In British Columbia today, we see in many cases workers getting collective agreements with 2.5-percent and 3-percent wage … [Read more...]
Rita Johnston comments on current political climate in B.C.
She was the province's first female Premier, and is now a member of the BC Conservatives. Rita Johnston has some advice for her party’s leader, John Cummins, and for Christy Clark. The 2012 political climate in B.C. may be rather familiar to Johnston. She took over as Social Credit premier after leader Bill Vander Zalm resigned in 1991 … [Read more...]