Public Affairs Update Header
Issue 33October 1, 2012
In This Issue
Municipal and Regional Leaders Convene at UBCM
Premiers Clark and Redford to Discuss Northern Gateway
Potential Agreement Reached With BC Nurses
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The Public Affairs Update is your weekly insight, perspective and analysis on politics in British Columbia and Canada.  This newsletter is brought to you by the largest, and most broadly-based business organization in the province, the BC Chamber of Commerce - the Voice of Business in BC.

 

Municipal and Regional Leaders Convene at UBCM

Over 1,600 municipal and regional public office holders convened in Victoria for the annual Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention last week.

Mayors and councilors debated hundreds of resolutions put forward by UBCM members. Most significantly, resolutions members supported include: decriminalizing marijuana; opposing oil tanker traffic in BC's coastal waters; ending MSP premiums for seniors; ending spending cuts for adults with developmental disabilities; a ban on smoking in parks, playgrounds, beaches, restaurant and bar patios and other public outdoor locations; and calling on the federal government to revise recent changes to the Fisheries Act.

BC NDP leader Adrian Dix addressed delegates Thursday morning, promising that if the NDP were to form government, they would return decision-making autonomy to municipalities with respect to public-private partnerships and resort development. He also committed to municipal appointments to the Translink Board of Directors and re-instating Tourism BC.

Premier Christy Clark made major announcements when she addressed the delegates, including:
  • A tentative agreement with the BC Government Employees Union: a two-year labour agreement that includes modest wage increases and the cancellation of the proposed privatization of the liquor distribution branch; and
  • $509 million over the next ten years in infrastructure funding for the ongoing federal-provincial project to four lane the Trans-Canada Highway from Kamloops to the Alberta Border, as well as $207 million in new road, school and health projects throughout the province. The Premier also indicated that the province will also replace the George Massey Tunnel in Metro Vancouver.

 
Premiers Clark and Redford to Discuss Northern Gateway

 

BC Premier Christy Clark and Alberta Premier Alison Redford will meet this week to discuss the proposed Northern Gateway Project.

 

Premier Clark intends to re-iterate the high value British Columbians place on the environment in the context of new project development.

 

Premier Clark says the focus in Alberta has been BC's demand for a fair share of the benefits from the Northern Gateway pipeline, but she says that is just one of the five conditions BC has placed on the project.

 

Potential Agreement Reached With BC Nurses

 

Minister of Health Hon. Margaret MacDiarmid has announced that a tentative agreement was reached between the provincial government and BC nurses. This two year agreement includes a moderate wage increase, that is undisclosed at this point, and the addition of new nurses to the system.

 

Minister MacDiarmid stated that the agreement offers solutions that benefit BC's health system, future sustainability and current patients.

 

The agreement was reached under the government's co-operative gains mandate, and has yet to be ratified to date. Details of the agreement will be released after the union presents it to a province-wide group of representatives this week.

 



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This weekly report produced for the BC Chamber of Commerce by Fleishman-Hillard.  While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication as of the date of issue, events and government policies are subject to frequent change.  Therefore, the BC Chamber of Commerce and Fleishman-Hillard cannot assume any responsibility for actions taken solely or principally on the basis on the information contained herein.