Xz B.C. Today – Daily Report July 8, 2019 “There Are
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xz B.C. Today – Daily Report July 8, 2019 Quotation of the day “There are going to be those that are going to want to draw lines in the sand.” Premier John Horgan hopes this week’s meeting of Canada’s premiers doesn’t get bogged down in pre-election drama. Today in B.C. The House is adjourned for the summer recess. Committees this week The Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth meets Tuesday and Wednesday this week. It will deliberate on input received during public consultations, held from April to June, about assessment and eligibility processes for minors with neuro-diverse special needs. The committee’s discussions will be in camera. The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services has two full days of in camera meetings on Thursday and Friday to discuss feedback received during the Budget 2020 consultation. The committee released its interim report on the statutory offices on July 5. B.C. government lauds low unemployment as Liberals criticize lack of action on forestry For the 23rd consecutive month, B.C. has reported the lowest unemployment rate in Canada. At 4.5 per cent, the province’s unemployment sits a full point below the national average — two points below neighbouring Alberta — and is barely more than one-third of Newfoundland and Labrador’s 13.3 per cent unemployment rate. The numbers, released as part of Statistics Canada’s June Labour Force Survey, aren’t all positive. Unemployment in the province rose 0.2 per cent last month, compared to a 0.1 rise nationally. Year over year, the number of jobs in B.C. has increased by 109,000 or 4.4 per cent. “While the latest statistics show that B.C. maintains a strong economic position in the country, we know some in our province are facing difficult times,” Jobs, Trade and Technology Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement. He acknowledged recent mill closures and curtailments that will lead to significant layoffs and furlough in the province’s forestry sector. Ralston promised the provincial government will “continue to support” affected workers and their families. While unemployment in northeast B.C. is slightly lower than last year, at 6.6 per cent, that figure does not reflect the forthcoming indefinite closure of the Peace Valley OSB mill in Fort St. John. Liberal forests critic John Rustad (Nechako Lakes) blamed the NDP government’s “uncompetitive policies” for driving jobs and investment to business-friendly Alberta — the province dropped its corporate tax rate to 11 per cent on Canada Day and plans to reduce it to eight per cent by 2022. Tolko recently announced plans to invest in a pellet plant in High Level, Alberta after announcing temporary shutdowns and shift cuts at three B.C. mills and the permanent closure of a third. “To see the same company expand its operations in Alberta at a time when the B.C. forestry sector is in free fall speaks to the complete lack of support John Horgan and the NDP have shown the industry,” Rustad said in a news release. Rustad — along with fellow Liberal MLAs Mike Bernier (Peace River South) and Dan Davies (Peace River North) and Conservative MP Bob Zimmer (Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies) — met with forestry industry representatives in Fort St. John on July 4. “As an industry, B.C. needs to compete globally, but we have a structure in place today where we’re quite a bit behind most jurisdictions,” Rustad told the Alaska Highway News. The Liberals have called on the NDP government to take action to cut costs for the struggling forestry industry, including slashing stumpage rates and exempting forestry operations from the provincial carbon tax. Tolko’s High Level pellet plan is “exactly the type of investment we should be seeing here in our B.C. forestry-dependent communities,” according to Liberal Small Business critic Coralee Oakes (Cariboo North). “With B.C. job losses mounting daily, it’s our workers, self-employed contractors and their families who are forced to bear the brunt of the crisis that’s been made worse by the complete lack of action from this government,” she said. The Liberals estimate that mill curtailments so far this year amount to a loss of over one billion board feet and at least 96 weeks of operational downtime. Today’s events July 8 at 9:15 a.m. – Sooke Premier John Horgan will speak at the Scouts Canada Pacific Jamboree at Camp Barnard. July 8 at 9:30 a.m. – Maple Ridge Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare (Maple Ridge—Pitt Meadows) and NDP MLA Bob D'Eith (Maple Ridge—Mission) will join students at Kanaka Creek Elementary School for an announcement about a new initiative to improve access to child and youth wellness supports in B.C. schools. July 8 at 1 p.m. – Burnaby, Vancouver Federal Seniors Minister Filomena Tassi will visit seniors’ organizations — including Nikkei Place and the Renfrew Park Community Association — in Greater Vancouver. Upcoming events July 9-11 – Saskatoon Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe will host the 2019 Summer Meeting of Canada’s Premiers from July 9 to 11 at the Delta Bessborough Hotel. July 9-20 The Green Party is conducting a series of community meetings this month “to promote the caucus’ accomplishments, and to gather input to inform the MLAs’ work in the upcoming Fall legislative sitting.” Green Party House Leader Sonia Furstenau will visit the Kootenay communities of Creston, Kaslo and Nelson this week, while Party Leader Andrew Weaver will be in Nanaimo on July 17 and Parksville on July 20. Topics of conversation ● A number of Canada’s conservative premiers are meeting at the Calgary Stampede today ahead of Tuesday’s summer Council of the Federation meeting. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will sit down with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Northwest Territories Premier Bob McLeod. Kenney’s office says the leaders will meet to form “common ground” on resource development, job creation, oil and gas exports, and interprovincial trade barriers ahead of the all-premiers’ conference. ○ Meanwhile, Premier John Horgan hopes the Council of the Federation is productive rather than divisive. “We have a range of perspectives at the table," Horgan told CBC’s The House. ”It's critical to our federation that the federal government recognizes responsibilities and roles for the provinces, and also that the provinces recognize the role and function of the federal government.” ● Few stakeholders are happy with the way the NDP government is handling plans to save the province’s remaining caribou herds, the Canadian Press reports — not First Nations leaders, Liberal MLAs, local government officials, environmental organizations or industry representatives. ● After the seizure of more than 20 pugs and French bulldogs from a Vancouver Island puppy mill last week, Liberal MLA Jane Thornthwaite (North Vancouver—Seymour) accused the NDP government of failing to fund a regulatory agency to enforce animal welfare standards in the province. “The problem is consultations have actually stalled with the B.C. SPCA and the responsible breeders in addition to the creation of a regulatory enforcement team being put on hold because of a lack of funding,” Thornthwaite said. “Puppy mills and unscrupulous breeders continue to operate with impunity because the legislation is not being enforced.” ○ Agriculture Minister Lana Popham told CTV News the government will “get it done” and take action on the issue by the end of this year. ● New Westminster’s statue of the “Hanging Judge” is no more. The statue of Judge Matthew Begbie, the province’s first chief justice, was removed over the weekend after city councillors approved a motion to do so in May. News briefs - Non-governmental Ministry of Finance ● Members of the University of Victoria (UVic) and the UVic Faculty Association have reached a tentative employment agreement, covering approximately 900 people working at the university, including research and teaching faculty, librarians and archivists. ○ Further details will be available once the ratification processes are complete. Appointments and employments National Gallery of Canada ● Brian McBay was appointed a part-time trustee of the National Gallery, effective July 5, 2019. ○ McBay is the co-founder and current executive director of 221A, a Vacnouver-based non-profit organization that focuses on research and the development of social, cultural and ecological infrastructure. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ● Claire Anderson was appointed CRTC commissioner for British Columbia and the Yukon. Anderson, a citizen of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, is the first Indigenous woman appointed to the commission. ○ Anderson is an associate lawyer at Lackowicz & Hoffman in Whitehorse, Yukon, and a founding member of an Indigenous women's collective, ReMatriate. She earned a Juris Doctor degree as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of British Columbia. Ministry of Finance Three appointments were made to the ministry’s Government Communications and Public engagement team, effective July 2, 2019. ● Joleen Badger was appointed director, executive council events; and ● Timothy Chu and Jean-Marc Prevost were appointed communications directors. Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction ● Brenda Lee Tombs appointment as a ministerial assistant in the minister’s office — made in September 2017 and scheduled to end in August — has been extended without an end date, effective July 2, 2019. Organized Crime Agency of B.C. Two members of the agency were re-appointed and a new member was appointed, effective June 28, 2019. ● Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan — of the RCMP’s Specialized Policing Services — was appointed for a one-year term and designated chair; ● Assistant Commissioner Kevin Hackett — of the RCMP’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit — and Wayne Rideout were reappointed to two-year terms.