The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
Lobbyists registry lacks record for BC Liberal Party vice president
The Nov. 7 Globe and Mail quotes the vice-president of the British Columbia Liberal Party, former MLA Bill Belsey, saying he is a lobbyist registered with the province, but that claim appears to be untrue. Read more…
Do You Agree with BC’s Decriminalization Rollback?
- Yes
- No
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Do you have a special story to share from your own backyard? Read the results of that poll here.
Kinder Morgan launches BC consultations on controversial pipeline expansion
Energy giant Kinder Morgan is holding public consultations across the Lower Mainland over the next several weeks, bringing its proposed TransMountain pipeline expansion under public scrutiny. Read more…
BCGEU ratifies agreement, calls government deceitful
Members of the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union voted 64 percent in favour of ratifying an agreement with the provincial government. Read more…
Two unions seek federal court muscle to oust foreign workers from BC mine
VANCOUVER - Two labour unions are asking a federal court to overturn temporary work permits issued to Chinese workers at a coal mine in northern British Columbia, arguing that there are unemployed Canadians who could fill the jobs. Read more…
BCGEU alleges province bargained in bad faith
The ratification of the tentative agreement for the 25,000-member British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union's has broken down with the union alleging the government bargained in bad faith. Read more…
BC government has fun with figures despite job losses
British Columbia lost nearly 11,000 jobs between September and October, bad news for Christy Clark who has made labour force statistics central to her premiership. Read more…
Vancouver conference questions corporate donations for schools
What's the difference between corporate advertising and thanking a corporation for donating to a school? That issue is just one problem with charity in public education that will be discussed at the Justice, Not Charity conference happening in Vancouver tomorrow. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
BC's public auto insurer cuts 250 jobs after scathing government review
VANCOUVER - B.C.'s public auto insurer is slashing 250 jobs, most of them in management. Read more…
Salmon inquiry makes 75 suggestions to protect salmon, finds no 'smoking gun'
VANCOUVER - A public inquiry into the collapse of the Fraser River sockeye run recommends sweeping changes, but didn't come up with a single "smoking gun" that explains the salmon's disappearance. Read more…
Size of BC Ferries subsidy of interest to former drop trailer competitor
A senior executive with a company that used to compete with BC Ferries to ship drop trailers said he was surprised to see how large a government subsidy the publicly owned company has on the Duke Point-Tsawassen route. Read more…
Ottawa investigating foreign worker permits for Chinese miners in BC
VANCOUVER - The federal government is investigating foreign worker permits that will bring Chinese miners to British Columbia to determine whether the applications meet federal requirements. Read more…
Health ministry keeps drug contracts secret
The B.C. Ministry of Health is refusing to release a list of drug research contracts awarded since Jan. 1, 2011, for fear disclosure would harm law enforcement. Read more…
BC government asking public where to cut ferry service
The British Columbia government has launched a $700,000 consultation process as it decides where to trim ferry service. Read more…
Salmon inquiry final report will be made public Wednesday
VANCOUVER - A report into the 2009 collapse of the Fraser River sockeye run will be made public this week after a public inquiry took two years to study what happened. Read more…
Ocean experiment off BC coast shows need for regulations, Canada tells UN
A controversial ocean fertilization experiment off the British Columbia coast highlights the urgent need for a worldwide regulatory regime to consider such experiments on a case-by-case basis, Canada told delegates Monday at a meeting of countries that have signed onto a moratorium. Read more…
BC Liberals vote to support keeping carbon tax
Delegates to the British Columbia Liberal Party convention in Whistler voted down a motion calling for elimination of the carbon tax. Read more…
BC Liberals consider ditching carbon tax
The political party that introduced the carbon tax to British Columbia is considering calling for its elimination. Read more…
Students upset about class with over 50 kids
Gladstone Secondary School students are upset about a leadership class with over 50 students. But the Vancouver School district says the size is manageable. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
BC health ministry fires sixth person in data investigation
A sixth person has been fired in the ministry of health's investigation that minister Margaret MacDiarmid has said is related to potential conflicts of interest, contracting and responsible data management. Read more…
Council to reform BC justice system, but no promises of new funding or judges
VANCOUVER -- Changes are coming to British Columbia's justice system with a new council to oversee reform and end a backlog at the courts, but it may not mean new funding for judges. Read more…
