The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
Cost stops one in 10 Canadians from taking prescribed medicines: study
British Columbians are more likely than other Canadians to cite cost as the reason they've failed to take a medicine they've been prescribed, says a report by UBC researchers. Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
- Yes.
- No.
- I don’t know.
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Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
Paying for nicotine replacement is poor use of public funds, says study
Governments like British Columbia's that pay for nicotine replacement therapies may be wasting their money, says a study released today. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
Right group given wrong oil and gas question, says BC MLA
The Fraser Basin Council is a good choice to investigate health risks from oil and gas development, but the government has assigned the group the wrong question, says independent Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson. Read more…
'Stop the violence and play hockey': Canadian Medical Association Journal
In an editorial published today, the interim editor of the Canadian Medical Association Journal called on "all doctors to support a ban on all forms of intentional head trauma and endorse deterrent penalties in hockey." Read more…
Moms protest end of nurse home visits
A group of mothers say eradicating B.C.'s nurse practitioner visits to new moms could put mothers and children at risk of post-partum depression, jaundice, and other serious health issues. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
HSA president predicts tough bargaining in 2012
HSA members are angry and want to see gains in their next contract that will help B.C. regain a "competitive edge" in hiring health professionals, the union's president said Wednesday. Read more…
Health authority cancels untendered contract to VP linked to Premier Clark
The Vancouver Island Health Authority has rescinded a contract it directly awarded to the husband of an adviser to Premier Christy Clark. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
'Healthy immigrant effect' declines the longer a person lives in Canada, report shows
Recent immigrants tend to be healthier and die less frequently than their Canada-born counterparts. But a new report from Statistics Canada shows that this "healthy immigrant effect" frequently diminishes the longer a person has lived inside the country. Read more…
BC reviewing oil and gas industry health risks
The British Columbia ministry of health is seeking a contractor to begin looking at public health risks related to the oil and gas sector. Read more…
BC Nurses Union insurgents don antique capes to protest raid on HEU
Members of the BC Nurses' Union (BCNU) who oppose their union’s current attempts to raid the Hospital Employees Union (HEU) brought their opposition to the front doors of New Westminister’s Royal Columbian Hospital on November 8. Wearing antique style nurse’s capes they made themselves, the small group of rank and file union members distributed a pamphlet denouncing their own union’s efforts to win over Licensed Practical Nurses from their current union, the HEU. Read more…
Vancouver doctor ordered to stop use of psychotropic plant brew in addictions treatment
Health Canada has ordered a Vancouver doctor to stop treating addicts with a psychotropic substance that he claims "saves lives." Read more…
Asian trip's aims include medical tourism and shared research
There are no immediate plans to move patients between British Columbia and other jurisdictions, but there may be opportunities to work with people in India on medical research, the province's Health Minister Michael de Jong said. Read more…
Health authority failed to protect workers from violence
WorkSafe BC has provided more details on a $97,500 fine against the Vancouver Island Health Authority for failing to protect its workers following three violent incidents within eight months. Read more…
Agreement reached on new B.C. First Nations health plan
First Nations living in British Columbia will soon have much of their healthcare delivered to them by a separate health authority, following an agreement struck today between the B.C. First Nations Health Council and provincial and federal health ministries. Read more…
Hospital Employees Union Survey is 'push polling': BCNU President
The president of the embattled BC Nurses Union said a survey recently released by the Hospital Employees’ Union reflected “untrustworthy push polling.” Debra McPherson also told the Tyee that her union had left the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions this August to protect other nursing unions from “the wrath of the Canadian Labour Congress.” Read more…
Pesticide testing is rigorous, Health Canada tells BC committee
The federal government already has a rigorous process for assessing pesticides, a Health Canada representative told a British Columbia committee today. Read more…
Premier Clark defends appointing Bennett to pesticide committee
Premier Christy Clark defended appointing East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett to chair a committee looking at cosmetic pesticide use in British Columbia.
"I think the naysayers and the doomsday advocates are going to have to wait and see," said Clark. Read more…
- Health ,
- BC Politics and
- Environment
Pesticide committee appointment worries environmental campaigner
The appointment of East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett to head a committee considering a cosmetic pesticide law is worrisome, says an environmental campaigner.
"I don't take it as a good sign," said Ben West, healthy communities campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. Read more…
Foe of 'eco-fascists' to chair cosmetic pesticide committee
The next chair of the British Columbia government committee considering a ban on cosmetic pesticide use is an MLA who last year took aim at "eco-fascists." Read more…
UBCM rejects for-profit health moratorium
The Union of BC Municipalities has said no to backing a provincial moratorium on for-profit healthcare, but advocates aren't giving up on the idea. Read more…
