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  • B.C. LIBERALS JUSTIFY INTERFERENCE IN ART GRANTS WITH SPIN
    26 Aug, 2010

    Aug. 26, 2010

     

    B.C. LIBERALS JUSTIFY INTERFERENCE IN ART GRANTS WITH SPIN

     

    Embarrassed by the fallout from the resignation of the former chair of the B.C. Arts Council, the B.C. Liberal arts minister went on the radio to spread misinformation about why she resigned.

     

    The minister told the CBC Early Edition that Jane Danzo resigned because of pressure from people in the arts community, even though the former chair has repeatedly stated that she resigned because of government interference with the B.C. Arts Council.


    What Kevin Krueger said about Danzo’s resignation:

     

    “I know that there are some people in the arts and culture community that are actually quite vicious, and they have been grinding on her really hard and on me and on the government and on their MLAs. …She finally reached the point where she is saying if what the arts community really expects from me is full-on advocacy, she'd never attack people like that group did, but she had had enough of that, so she stepped aside to say what she said.” (CBC Early Edition, Aug. 26, 2010)

     

  • B.C. MUST JOIN CONVERSATION ON LIBERATION THERAPY, SAYS NDP
    24 Aug, 2010

    For Immediate Release

    Aug. 24, 2010

     

    B.C. MUST JOIN CONVERSATION ON LIBERATION THERAPY, SAYS NDP

     

    VICTORIA – With the majority of Canadian provinces already on board with advancing clinical trials of “liberation therapy” for multiple sclerosis patients, it’s time for British Columbia to stand up and be counted, say the New Democrats.

     

    “B.C.’s voice needs to be heard in this discussion. It’s time to join other provinces in calling on the federal government to begin a truly national effort,” said Adrian Dix, New Democrat health critic. “The B.C. Liberal health minister needs to add his voice to the conversation and show that British Columbia is on board.”

     

    Today, New Brunswick added its voice to the debate, saying the province “would be interested in participating in any process on this issue led by the federal government and Health Canada.” Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec have also responded to Manitoba’s call for a federally run clinical trial. Saskatchewan has committed to fund its own trials provincially, and Yukon has voiced support as well.

     

  • OPPOSITION LABOUR CRITIC CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION INTO TREEPLANTER’S DEATH
    17 Aug, 2010

    For Immediate Release

    Aug. 17, 2010

     

    OPPOSITION LABOUR CRITIC CALLS FOR FULL INVESTIGATION INTO TREEPLANTER’S DEATH

     

    BURNABY — Opposition labour critic Raj Chouhan is calling for a fuller investigation into how the squalid conditions of a discredited silviculture company’s camp factored into the death of a 46-year-old treeplanter earlier this summer.

     

    Chouhan, the New Democrat MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds, said the revelations of the substandard conditions in the camp are justification for a coroner’s inquest into the death of Santokh Kooner, who died while at a camp operated by Khaira Enterprises.

     

    “The chief coroner may reopen an investigation into a death if new information comes to light,” said Chouhan. “The atrocious working conditions – which were not widely known when Mr. Kooner’s death was originally investigated – certainly constitute new information.

     

  • Province must take lead on homeless crisis
    12 Aug, 2010

    Province must take lead on homeless crisis

     

    Despite fiscal restraints, we have a responsibility to end homelessness

     

    By Rob Fleming, Special to Times Colonist

     

    As a Victoria resident, local MLA, and former city councillor, like so many others I find the situation at the 900 block of Pandora to be completely unacceptable. It’s intolerable that in a decent and wealthy society people are forced to live in these conditions, and that some residents and businesses in the surrounding community are left feeling unsafe.

     

    If we’re going to address the situation at the 900-block of Pandora, though, we need to recognise that two of the key reasons are provincial cuts to mental health services and the sporadic trickle of housing funds by senior levels of government.

     

    For several years, the City of Victoria has led a coalition to address the homeless crisis and better coordinate service providers, police, church and business groups. There have been some laudable results. Many more people have been placed in housing because City Hall didn’t wait around for the province to accept its responsibility for mental health and addictions, social services and housing supports.

     

  • B.C. LIBERALS ALLOW WORKER ABUSE TO HAPPEN UNDER THEIR WATCH
    12 Aug, 2010

    For Immediate Release

    Aug. 12, 2010

     

    B.C. LIBERALS ALLOW WORKER ABUSE TO HAPPEN UNDER THEIR WATCH

    New Democrats Calling for Full Investigation

     

    VANCOUVER – The B.C. Liberals should conduct a full investigation into the alleged worker abuse in Golden to ensure that other workers do not face exploitation, say New Democrats.

     

    Immigrant workers employed by Khaira Enterprises Ltd., were found to be working in squalid conditions, with no access to clean water or bathrooms. The workers were paid meagre wages, and in some cases, paycheques bounced.

     

    “The type of exploitation that these immigrant workers faced is deplorable,” said Chouhan. “The government needs to ensure that they are not allowing any of this treatment to happen on a contract paid for by taxpayer dollars.”

     

  • SIMPSON CALLS ON PREMIER TO ADDRESS APPARENT CONFLICT IN GAMING MINISTRY
    30 Jul, 2010

    July 30, 2010

     

    SIMPSON CALLS ON PREMIER TO ADDRESS APPARENT CONFLICT IN GAMING MINISTRY

     

    VICTORIA – Shane Simpson, New Democrat critic for housing and social development, has sent a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell calling on him to remove the Gaming Policy Enforcement Branch from the Ministry of Housing and Social Development and place it in the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

     

    “Removing gaming enforcement from the Ministry responsible for promoting gambling would remove any apparent conflict of interest. It’s clear that the current situation is not working,” said Simpson.

     

  • NDP CALLS FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM
    27 Jul, 2010

    For immediate release

    July 27, 2010

     

    NDP CALLS FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM

    B.C. Liberal delays put B.C. four years behind other provinces

     

    VANCOUVER – New Democrats are calling for a province-wide colorectal cancer screening program to protect people in British Columbia, where colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death.

     

    “Experts have been calling for a screening program for years, and it is time for the government to take a serious look at this. An effective screening program will not only save lives, it will also reduce overall healthcare costs, making it a viable solution to combat this deadly disease,” said Adrian Dix, the New Democrat health critic.

     

  • NEW DEMOCRATS CALL FOR ACTION TO ADDRESS HOMOPHOBIA
    26 Jul, 2010

    NEW DEMOCRATS CALL FOR ACTION TO ADDRESS HOMOPHOBIA

    For Immediate Release

    July 26, 2010

     

    VANCOUVER – As Vancouver residents prepare for a weekend of Pride festivities, community members joined New Democrat MLAs to call on the B.C. Liberal government to take action to combat homophobia.

     

    “Residents of Vancouver are accepting and open-minded, and the community is rightfully ashamed that the city has been labelled the ‘hate-crime capital’ of Canada. We have a wonderfully diverse community, and it’s time that the provincial government took concrete steps to reflect the pride we feel in our neighbourhoods,” said Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, who put forward five action items.

     

  • DEMISE OF LONG-FORM CENSUS COULD UNDERMINE B.C. BUDGET PROCESS, SAYS NDP
    22 Jul, 2010

    For Immediate Release

    July 22, 2010

     

    DEMISE OF LONG-FORM CENSUS COULD UNDERMINE B.C. BUDGET PROCESS, SAYS NDP

    B.C. Liberals too caught up in their own scandals to pay attention to vital issues

     

    VICTORIA – The federal government’s decision to do away with the long-form census is causing a firestorm of controversy across Canada, but the B.C. Liberal government is too caught up in scandal to provide leadership on the issue and advocate for British Columbia, say New Democrats.

     

    “Other provinces immediately recognized that this decision will have a dramatic impact on their budgeting process and could put vital social programs in jeopardy, but the B.C. finance minister is too busy trying to spin angry British Columbians on the HST to provide leadership,” said New Democrat finance critic Bruce Ralston.

     

  • B.C. LIBERALS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH AS LOTTERY CORP EMBROILED IN CHAOS
    21 Jul, 2010

    B.C. LIBERALS ASLEEP AT THE SWITCH AS LOTTERY CORP EMBROILED IN CHAOS

     

    VICTORIA – With ongoing chaos at the B.C. Lottery Corporation, the B.C. Liberal government has failed to address systemic problems that are now undermining the public interest, the New Democrats say.

     

    “This is more evidence of chaos from a government that is fraught with scandal and is increasingly unable to protect the public interest. It’s up the minister now to step up and address the crisis of confidence plaguing B.C. Lotteries,” said New Democrat housing and social development critic Shane Simpson.

     

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