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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

HALFORD: BRITISH COLUMBIANS WERE SILENCED AS NDP SHUT DOWN DEBATE ON BILL 9

"We are t ired of a government that keeps concentrating more power in its own hands while making it harder for the public to hold them accountable" ~~ Trevor Halford, Interim leader of the Conservative Party of BC   Debate on Bill 9 continued through the night and into the early morning hours, with the House sitting until approximately 4:00 a.m. after the Official Opposition introduced a hoist motion to delay the bill for six months to allow for greater public consultation on legislation Conservatives view as an assault on British Columbians’ right to freedom of information, transparency, and government accountability.  The motion was voted down by the NDP government before further debate was shut down and the House adjourned by the government to silence further discussion on the bill. Trevor Halford, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition, released the following statement: “We are not tired because we stayed up until 4:00 in the morning debating Bill 9. We are tired of ...
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Canadian government to pay $8.7M to settle data breach class-action involving CRA accounts

The federal government will pay $8.7 million to settle a class-action lawsuit involving tens of thousands of Canadians whose sensitive information was compromised or stolen when hackers got into their accounts on government websites, including the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) portal. Hackers targeted government accounts over several months in 2020 largely for the purpose of applying for financial aid in the victims' names during the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Canadian Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB) or the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB).  More than 47,000 people had their personal and financial information compromised that summer alone, from social insurance numbers and home addresses to details of their bank accounts ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

Carney government planning changes to speed approvals for pipelines, resource projects

The Carney government is planning to propose changes to make it easier for natural resource projects — including pipelines — to be approved and built faster. Two federal sources say an announcement is planned for later this week that could shift the regulatory framework for all natural resource and federally regulated major projects, with a big focus on energy and natural resources. CBC News is not naming the sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly about internal conversations. The full details of the plan were not shared with CBC News, and sources warned elements of it are subject to change ... CLICK HERE for the full story 

BC’s New Chief Treaty Commissioner on the Path Forward

As First Nations battle over two new agreements, George Abbott sees progress. New chief treaty commissioner George Abbott says the battle over two First Nations treaties being debated in British Columbia’s legislature shows the need to address shared territories and overlapping claims. “It’s not a new issue,” said Abbott, a former BC Liberal cabinet minister and author of the book Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why It Matters Now ... CLICK HERE for the full story

How the BC Conservative leadership could play out — and why it matters

By the end of the month, the BC Conservative Party will have a new leader and the province, just maybe, will have a new premier-in-waiting. While it’s clear that the Conservatives appear to have some momentum against David Eby’s BC NDP government, figuring out who will actually win the leadership race isn’t very straightforward ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

Elementary school track meet changes spark backlash in Richmond

Some elementary school students in Richmond are pushing back against changes to their annual school track meet, including the elimination of ribbons and awards and a move to gender neutral competition. Grade 7 student Sam Dinter says he looks forward to track and field every year, competing in events like the softball throw, discus, shot put and relay races. Over the years, he’s collected a box full of ribbons and medals. This year, there won’t be any. “It’s not as fun anymore because there’s no prize that you get" ... CLICK HERE for the full story  

Carney to 'take into account' advice on Senate appointments from Trudeau-era committee

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday he will "take into account" the advice of an independent advisory body to fill a number of vacancies in the Senate — though he didn't say explicitly how that will impact his decisions on appointments. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau upended 150 years of Canadian parliamentary tradition when he dumped Liberal senators, named Independents to the upper chamber and generally stripped the place of its partisan elements ...   CLICK HERE for the full story 

Don’t ask why the health-care system relies so heavily on agency nurses — ask why experienced nurses are choosing agency work.

British Columbia’s growing reliance on private nursing agencies is often framed as a failure of post-pandemic workforce planning. Recent reporting showing health authorities have spent more than half a billion dollars on agency nurses over the past two years has understandably fueled public concern. But this narrative, while compelling, misses the most important question. The issue is not why the health-care system relies so heavily on agency nurses. The issue is why experienced BC nurses are choosing agency work instead of returning to regular positions under the collective agreement ... CLICK HERE for the full commentary 

Electoral District Projections — British Columbia

For those interested, this LINK takes you to a list of all 93 BC riding's.  It lists the current MLA, and the Party they represent, and which party currently would win (based on polling results) if an election were held today

Advocate Warns BC Lobbying Law Changes Would Increase Corruption Risk

A committee of MLAs that reviewed British Columbia’s lobbying rules has recommended removing limits on wining and dining public office holders and allowing it to be kept secret when they are promised gifts. The NDP, Conservative and Independent MLAs on the special committee that reviewed the Lobbyists Transparency Act recommended 24 changes they say are “intended to reduce administrative workload while maintaining transparency and simplifying reporting requirements to encourage democratic participation.” But Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher says the committee missed an opportunity to strengthen the province’s anti-corruption law and its recommendations would increase the risk of corruption ... CLICK HERE for the full story

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