The Hook: Political news, freshly caught
Lack of officer caused BC Ferry cancellation
BC Ferries' ongoing shortage of qualified officers led to the cancellation of some sailings last week. Read more…
Should There Be More Regulations on Big Tech?
- Yes.
- No.
- I don’t know.
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Are you watching the winter Olympics this year? Read the results of that poll here.
Wild migrating salmon likely infected their farmed cousins in B.C., say experts
VANCOUVER - Observers of the decades-long argument over fish farming in B.C. can now add one more shade of grey to the debate. Read more…
Federal gov't cuts off marketing funds for indie publishers
After a dozen years of support, the federal government has decided to pull funding from a marketing co-op for independent Canadian publishers, leaving many members uncertain who'll sell their books next fall. Read more…
'Free My Grapes' bill moves on after MPs vote to revise outdated wine law
A unanimous vote by MPs has moved the country closer to wiping out a prohibition-era law that makes it illegal to carry a bottle of Canadian wine across a provincial boundary. Read more…
Residents worry oil and gas industry is making them sick, finds BC report
People in northeastern British Columbia are concerned development of the oil and gas industry is making them sick, says a report the provincial government commissioned. Read more…
BC Premier Clark backtracks on promise to consult on CETA
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark has nixed a promise to consult with the public on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union. Read more…
Oil sands sparked 'uniquely Canadian strain' of Dutch Disease: report
A new report by the Pembina Institute argues that Alberta's oil sands boom has given other parts of the country a dramatic case of the Dutch Disease or what it calls "oil sands fever." Read more…
Studies cite business benefits of safeguarding workers: labour groups
Workplace illness and injuries take their toll on Canadian workers every year, representing an impressive cost to Canadian businesses, and investors -- especially the pension funds that oversee large market portfolios -- should assess the occupational health and safety policies of companies before investing, according to two recently released studies from labour-linked bodies. Read more…
Koch Industries-supported think tank praises Harper budget
The Stephen Harper government's highly contentious budget plan to streamline environmental assessments is a model the U.S. should follow, argues the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
This same American think tank once received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Koch Industries, a corporate heavyweight in the spotlight for its financial support of libertarian causes, including the Tea Party movement. Read more…
Legal challenge to Quebec protest law delayed to Friday
A legal challenge against Quebec's controversial Bill 78 requiring protests and rallies of more than 50 people to give police eight hours notice of expected attendance and route, will be heard in Quebec Superior Court on Friday. Read more…
'The people on the ships run the business,' says new ferry union president
Members of the union representing workers at BC Ferries wanted a change, said president-elect Chris Abbott. Read more…
Incumbent president defeated in BC Ferries union election
The union representing workers at BC Ferries has elected Chris Abbott to replace incumbent provincial president Richard Goode. Read more…
Western premiers meeting on energy and labour issues
B.C.'s Christy Clark won't be on hand today when other western premiers get down to business at a hotel in Edmonton to discuss energy, labour and other issues of mutual interest. Read more…
Could Fort Mac become an eco-tourist hotspot?
Fort McMurray, the boomtown at the centre of Canada's oil sands, may not exactly be known for its pristine natural surroundings. But one Alberta research consultant thinks it could someday become a haven for environmentally conscious tourists. Read more…
Harper gov't funded study arguing Canada suffers from 'Dutch Disease'
OTTAWA - The Harper government has funded research that argues Canada's economy suffers from so-called Dutch Disease, an economic theory the prime minister and other senior officials ridiculed when raised recently by NDP Leader Tom Mulcair. Read more…
Union cites safety risk as marine centres slated for closure, including BC
VANCOUVER - Several marine communication centres across Canada, including three in British Columbia and two in Quebec, are being closed by the federal government. Read more…
Coroners' jury calls for mandatory safety training at mushroom farm inquest
BURNABY, B.C. - All British Columbia agricultural workers and their employers should undergo mandatory two-day training sessions on occupational health and safety, a coroner's jury has recommended at the inquest into the accidental deaths of three men at a Langley, B.C. mushroom farm. Read more…
EI reform will drive down wages for everyone: CLC chief Georgetti
The president of the Canadian Labour Congress says Canada's job market remains fragile and this is no time for the federal government to make it more difficult for unemployed Canadians to receive Employment Insurance benefits. Read more…
Reporters will remain free to report on animal disease outbreaks: minister
The British Columbia government has no intention of restricting journalists from reporting on disease outbreaks on farms, said Agriculture Minister Don McRae. Read more…
BC Supreme Court upholds BC Ferries union exclusions
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge this week dismissed a B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers' Union application for a judicial review of a Labour Relations Board decision. Read more…
