The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
UBCM to vote on for-profit healthcare moratorium
The BC Health Coalition hopes the third time's the charm when they introduce a resolution at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention tomorrow calling for the government to stop the growth of for-profit healthcare in the province. Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
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Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
Health Minister wrong on excessive health spending, "personal responsibility," says expert
The Minister of Health's claim that British Columbia cannot afford to spend more on healthcare has been met with skepticism from one health economist. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
De Jong emphasizes personal responsibility for health
Health spending can't continue to go up, says Health Minister De Jong, so British Columbians need to take responsibility for their own health through diet, exercise and quitting smoking. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
BC to reopen negotiations on generic drug prices says minister
British Columbia is reopening negotiations on the price of generic drugs in hopes of saving more money, Health Minister Mike de Jong said today. Read more…
- Health and
- BC Politics
Routine HIV testing to be introduced at Vancouver hospitals
Hospitals across Vancouver will begin routine HIV testing of all patients beginning next month. Read more…
Canadian income gap widening faster than in US: Conference Board
Income inequality in Canada has been rising since the mid-1990s, the Conference Board of Canada says. And the gap is growing faster here than in the US. Read more…
Growth in health-care costs affecting Canadians' well-being: study
Canadians are better off than they were 30 years ago, but rising health care costs are slowing them down, a new study suggests. Read more…
Assisted suicide challenge struck down by BC Supreme Court
The right to die movement was dealt a setback yesterday when a B.C. Supreme Court justice ruled that a case brought forward by a prominent assisted suicide advocacy group will not go to trial. Read more…
Quebec grants funding extension to asbestos mine
The government of Quebec has extended a funding deadline for a company that wants to re-open one of the province's controversial asbestos mines. Read more…
American docs outspend Canadian counterparts almost 4-to-1 on insurance costs, says study
American doctors spend nearly four times more in their dealings with insurance providers than their professional counterparts to the north -- the result of a more complex and fragmented American health insurance system, says a new study. Read more…
Burnaby medical marijuana shop raided by RCMP
A medical marijuana dispensary was raided by the RCMP in Burnaby yesterday, the latest in a string of crackdowns against B.C. pot distributors this summer. Read more…
Female workplace injuries on the rise: WorkSafeBC report
Workplace injuries among females are increasing, and according to a new WorkSafeBC report, rates are highest among health care and social services workers. Read more…
Safe injection sites needed across Canada to fight hepatitis: group
Canada needs safe-injection sites in every region to curb the spread of hepatitis B and C, says a health-care coalition that is calling for a more aggressive approach to combat the diseases. Read more…
Doctors, nurses offer premiers health-reform principles for Vancouver meeting
OTTAWA - Canada's doctors and nurses want the premiers to put together a national reform package for the health-care system focused on patients, quality of care, health promotion and illness prevention. Read more…
New medical pot dispensary opens in Yaletown
Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown neighborhood saw its first dispensary for medical marijuana opened on July 14, as medical cannabis advocates claim that Health Canada is implementing “drastic plans” to restrict access across Canada. The new facility, Yaletown Medical, located at #153-1020 Mainland Street, invited media and the general public in for tours on July 14. Read more…
Clock ticking for private investment in Quebec asbestos mine
Quebec's controversial promise to make an investment in re-opening the province's Jeffrey asbestos mine may be rescinded if private investors don't step up to the plate by mid-August, the Montreal Gazette reported on July 7. Read more…
Mine expansion camp passes inspection, says Health Canada
A camp for people working on a mine expansion in northern British Columbia is in good shape and not likely the cause of any illness outbreak, says Health Canada. Read more…
BC will take smoking drug warning into consideration, says premier
Recent warnings about a quit smoking drug will be taken into consideration before making a final decision on whether to pay for it publicly, said British Columbia Premier Christy Clark. Read more…
Scientists condemn Canada's stand on asbestos exports
More than a thousand of the world's top epidemiologists, gathered in Montreal today, have condemned the role the Canadian government has played in preventing a United Nations body, the Rotterdam Convention, from listing the chrysotile asbestos mined in Quebec as a toxic substance.
Canada was the sole country responsible for blocking its inclusion on the list, after countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Vietnam reversed their positions. Read more…
Health organizations renew call to tax sugary drinks
An alliance of health organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society and Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, is calling on provincial governments to tax pop and other sugary drinks, citing strong evidence of harm to human health. Read more…
