The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
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…
Do You Agree with BC’s Decriminalization Rollback?
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Do you have a special story to share from your own backyard? Read the results of that poll here.
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…
Teck submits remediation plan for groundwater tainted by Trail smelter
Teck Resources has submitted a remediation plan to Environment Canada to deal with toxins that seeped into the groundwater decades ago from its smelter in Trail, B.C. Read more…
Labour activists deliver 'Bad Boss' award to east Vancouver restaurant owner
The Employee Rights Action Network (EARN), a grassroots group sponsored by the BC Federation of Labour, took to the rainy streets of east side Vancouver on Oct. 30 to publicly deliver a "Bad Boss" award to Bon Wong, the owner of Bon's off Broadway restaurant. 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 Agriculture Council to launch complaints hotline for farm workers
The B.C. Agriculture Council (BCAC) is in the process of setting up a complaints hotline for seasonal agricultural workers who travel from countries like Mexico and Jamaica to work on farms in the province.
The hotline is part of a larger initiative to improve B.C.'s seasonal agricultural workers program and be proactive about addressing complaints, according to BCAC communications person Cheryl Davie. 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…
Actor Woody Harrelson says Canadian wheat-based paper can start forest industry revolution
Actor Woody Harrelson said he wants to get in on the movement that will see North America's first non-wood pulp-and-paper mill set up in Manitoba. Read more…
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…
Drug companies dominate BC health ministry stakeholders list
The invitation from deputy health minister Graham Whitmarsh to a November stakeholder session went to a long list dominated by drug companies. Read more…
Thousands pledged to 'bold action' in demo against pipeline and tankers Monday in Victoria
Declaring "B.C.'s coastline is not for sale," thousands of demonstrators pledged to take what the online statement they have signed calls "bold action" are expected to gather at the legislature building in Victoria on Monday, according to organizers at Defend Our Coast. Read more…
Three of four Canadians against ceding control of resources to foreign governments: poll
More than three out of four Canadians believe that foreign governments should not be able to control resources on Canadian soil, and most Canadians want the Harper government to block the purchase of the Calgary-based Nexen oil and gas firm by a Chinese state-owned corporation. Read more…
BC to withhold BCNU contract details until other unions reach deals
The British Columbia government won't say how it is funding wage hikes for the B.C. Nurses' Union until all health labour contracts are completed, Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid said today. Read more…
BC university presidents seek funding for spaces and financial aid
The presidents of British Columbia's major universities are asking the province for money to create new post-secondary spaces and increase financial aid for students. Read more…
UVic trimming departmental budgets to pay for wage increases
Money for raises at the University of Victoria will be found through an ongoing process of cutting budgets throughout the institution, spokesperson Bruce Kilpatrick said. Read more…
Full text of Canada-China FIPA and Explanatory Memorandum
An analysis by Andrew Nikiforuk of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent dealings with China has drawn intense interest, garnering within several days nearly 7,000 Facebook recommends and tweeted over 400 times. Read more…
