National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
B.C. tourism operators being crushed by COVID-19 are hopeful but confused about how the critical summer season will unfold after the province unveiled its plan to reopen the economy on Wednesday.
Continue reading Tourism Operators Wrestling With BC’s Reopening PlanThere were climate marches across the province. According to the Vancouver City Police, 100,000 marched through the province’s largest city. Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver estimates 250,000. Someone standing on the Cambie Street Bridge noted it took the demonstrators 74 minutes to cross. SaltSpring Live sent a video of the march in Victoria (embedded below), where 20,000 assembled at the provincial legislature. Some Campbell River demonstrators were among the 3,000 who marched through downtown Courtenay; only two dozen remained behind to protest at Campbell River’s City Hall (story below). A thousand gathered in Kelowna, 400 in Tofino, 400 in Whistler, a hundred in Port Alberni and several dozen in Powell River. I have yet to hear numbers for the events in Kamloops, Chilliwack, Langley, Penticton, Burns Lake, Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Ucluelet, North Pender, Mayne, Gabriola and Denman Islands. British Columbia’s largest Climate March ever took place yesterday.
Continue reading BC’s Largest Climate March EverThe West Moberly First Nation just released an important update about the failure of their negotiations with the BC Government. The Site C Megatrial will begin in March 2020.
August 27, 2019 – Moberly Lake BC, Treaty 8 Territory. Discussions between West Moberly First Nations and the Government of British Columbia to avoid litigation over the Site C dam have ended. The megadam must now face a 120-day trial to determine whether Treaty 8 rights have been infringed.
Continue reading Impending Site C MegatrialBy Roy L Hales
The BC Liberal government’s 14-year-long war with the BC Teacher’s Federation (BCTF) left the province’s education system in shambles. At least 267 schools closed down. Many were old and in need of repair; others had declining enrolment numbers. The equivalent of 3,500 full time teaching and support jobs were lost. One of the government’s fiercest critics was the current Minister of Education, NDP MLA Rob Fleming. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the BCTF’s favour in November 2016 and the task of cleaning up the BC Liberal’s education mess was left to the new NDP government.
Continue reading Cleaning Up The BC Liberal’s education MessBy Roy L Hales
Premier John Horgan blamed the former Liberal Government last month, “They got to the point of no return … It wasn’t about public policy, it wasn’t about energy policy, it wasn’t about the best interests of British Columbians, it was about getting a project past the point of no return.” He approved the Site C Dam project anyway. In so doing, he joined the Canadian Government in sidestepping what may turn out to be the most crucial point in this debate. Should the BC & Canadian governments honour treaties?
Continue reading Should the BC & Canadian Governments Honour Treaties?
