BC Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid wants health care workers to either get a flu shot, or be wearing a mask, as of December first. "Steps will have to be taken if people won't cooperate with that, because we're talking about patient safety and that is our top priority; it has to be our top priority, it has to be our top priority,it has to be … [Read more...]
BC’s Justice Minister draws a line in the sand over RCMP HQ costs
October 30, 2012 by
BC's Justice Minister says the province is sending a message to Ottawa we will only pay our fair share and nothing more when it comes to the new RCMP headquarters. Shirley Bond says she isn't worried about rushing negotiations and is focused on taking the time needed to get the right deal. "The bottom line in the discussions remains the same the … [Read more...]
Transportation minister not surprised with transit fare evasion numbers
October 22, 2012 by
The Transportation Minister says she is, and isn't surprised, that fare evasion on Coast Mountain buses is so rampant. Mary Polak says the estimated number of fare evasions was lower than the actual number of 2.1-million last year. However Polak says she always thought it was much higher compared with the estimated number. "My own view for … [Read more...]
B.C.’s agriculture minister talks local meat slaughter
October 8, 2012 by
B.C.'s minister of agriculture says he'll consider calls for meat producers to carry out more slaughter at the local level. This, in the wake of a still-expanding beef recall originating at a federally licenced facility owned by XL Foods in Alberta. "That's what I've asked staff to do, to go back and look at the way we have these slaughter … [Read more...]
Health Minister defends new deal
October 3, 2012 by
BC's Health Minister is defending last week's deal giving BC nurses pay raises amounting to more than seven per cent over two years. Margaret MacDiarmid says the agreement, which must still be ratified by 32-thousand members of the BC Nurses Union, falls within the government's 'net zero' mandate, but she's reluctant to explain how taxpayers … [Read more...]
Education Minister to decide soon on replacing fired school board
October 1, 2012 by
BC's new Education minister will soon determine if a fired board of education will be replaced using by-elections or not. The now former trustees of the Cowichan Valley school board want early elections so a new board of education can be put in place. Don McRae was asked if he supports holding by-elections. "Well I have meeting actually set up Mike … [Read more...]
Vancouver city council demands meeting with the Prime Minister over Coast Guard cuts
September 18, 2012 by
Vancouver city council has passed a motion, calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss the pending closure of the Kitsilano Coast Guard base. Mayor Gregor Robertson says there's a good chance lives will be lost if operations are re-located to the base in Richmond. "As elected officials, we must continue to … [Read more...]
New transportation minister stays put for now on Port Mann tolls
September 9, 2012 by
B.C.'s new transportation minister is making no promises when it comes to tolls on the new Port Mann Bridge. Mary Polak says we'll have to wait and see if the government goes ahead with its initial plan for one-way tolls of $ 3, or finds some way to lower the cost. "We have to work that out between ourselves and the ministry of finance. … [Read more...]
Minister says: fare evader loophole now closed
September 7, 2012 by
You may have heard this before: the free ride on Translink is over. That's what newly appointed Transportation Minister Mary Polak is saying after moving to fill a loophole in legislation brought in last spring to enable Translink security staff to fine fare evaders. "Well clearly the free ride for fare evaders is over, I was briefed yesterday on … [Read more...]
New Finance Minister warns of “troubling” numbers
September 6, 2012 by
BC's new Finance Minister is dangling the possibility of tax cuts, even as he warns of a worsening financial picture. He's only been on the job for one full day, but Mike de Jong is already worried about falling revenues to government. "I have already seen some numbers that are troubling." "Like what?" "Natural gas." And yet de Jong is … [Read more...]
