The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
BC MLAs unlikely to return to sit in legislature this fall
The British Columbia legislature is unlikely to sit this fall, government house leader Mike de Jong said today. Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
- Yes.
- No.
- I don’t know.
- Tell us more…
Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
BC looking for ways to cut budget as natural gas revenue falls
Falling natural gas revenues have blown a hole in British Columbia's budget, a problem the NDP's finance critic says should have been foreseen. Read more…
Sierra Club says BC under reporting pollution; minister says politics at work
VICTORIA - The Sierra Club says B.C. is vastly under reporting is greenhouse gas emissions by not counting pollution from forest and fossil fuel exports, but the province's environment minister says it doesn't need to report emissions it can't control and the club is playing politics with the issue. Read more…
Enviros plan mass sit-in at BC legislature over Gateway pipeline
VANCOUVER -- Environmentalists are organizing what they're calling the "largest act of peaceful civil disobedience" in Canada to protest the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast. Read more…
Lack of drug data is blocking important research
Researchers with the Therapeutics Initiative need to have their access to data restored as soon as possible, says Jim Wright, the managing director of the University of B.C. pharmaceutical research group. Read more…
Fired health ministry employee 'mystified' by dismissal
Ron Mattson, one of the four people fired by the health ministry last week, today released a statement saying he's "mystified" by his dismissal. Read more…
Tuition fees rising faster than incomes and inflation, report warns
OTTAWA - A new report suggests tuition fees are becoming less affordable for many Canadians, forcing an increasing number of students to take on heavy debt loads. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
BC unleashes independent police watchdog on RCMP and civilian police forces
VANCOUVER - Starting Monday, police incidents in British Columbia that end in fatalities or serious injury will be investigated by an outside agency. Read more…
Clark's 'A team' veers off topic at Northern Gateway hearing
The province's lawyer was cut off by panel chair moments into her cross-examination of Northern Gateway president John Carruthers when she asked about insurance for oil spill disasters. Read more…
BCTF hopeful about former teacher as Education Minister
British Columbia's fifth Minister of Education under the Liberal government was a public school teacher for 14 years before he became a politician in 2009. That gives BC Teachers' Federation President Susan Lambert some hope for an improved relationship with the Ministry. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
Cabinet shuffle may spur changes to local elections
Changes to how local governments are elected in British Columbia may be back on the provincial government's agenda now that Bill Bennett has been reappointed as the minister for community, sport and cultural development. Read more…
BC cabinet 'renewal' returns several ministers
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark today appointed a cabinet that she says balances the desire for renewal with the need for stability. Read more…
Four more BC Liberals announce 2013 election decisions
Following is a summary of who's leaving, who's staying and who's yet to say for the upcoming 2013 election. Read more…
Abbott, McNeil, and Les make mass exodus from Liberals
Liberal Ministers George Abbott, Mary McNeil, and John Les joined former Finance Minister Kevin Falcon in announcing their retirement from the governing Liberal party and political life today. Read more…
BC political leaders say farewell to Kevin Falcon
B.C. political leaders were quick to praise outgoing Finance Minister Gary Falcon, who today announced his resignation from cabinet. Read more…
BCGEU, other unions to take strike action September 5
On September 5, two days after Labour Day, B.C. unions that represent directly employed civil servants across the province will mount a day-long work stoppage. The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU), Professional Employees Association (PEA) and Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union (COPE) Local 378 will join forces to take approximately 27,000 public service workers out on strike at 1,785 government work sites in 153 communities. For one of the involved unions, this will be the first strike in its 38-year history. Read more…
George Abbott's future undecided
Education Minister George Abbott isn't ready to announce whether he will retire from politics before the next provincial election. But he has plenty to say about the future of education in the province, including repeating his recommendations that teachers' and the government learn to work together. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
Education ministry releases back-to-school statistics
The B.C. ministry of education today released a "snapshot" of the education system on the eve of the new school year, claiming small classes and better funding than ever before. Read more…
- Education and
- BC Politics
BC Transit prepares to make money in Whistler
More than $200,000 could be made at the BC Transit facility if commercial opportunities are allowed to flourish there. Read more…
'Kitimat Clean' promises new refinery to serve Northern Gateway
Kitimat Clean, a company founded by newspaper publisher David Black, is promoting a "world scale" new refinery to process all the bitumen delivered to the B.C. coast by the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. Read more…
