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 B.C.
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Province seeks support from private sector, feds for skills training
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Last week, Premier Christy Clark met with Federal Minister of Industry James Moore to discuss solutions for the pending skilled labour shortage. Premier Clark indicated that the provincial government will be looking to both the private sector and the federal government to support skills training in B.C., where an estimated one million job openings are anticipated by 2020. She touted the important role for the private sector and its unions to play in addressing this shortage.
B.C.'s provincial budget, released February 18, contained no new spending for skills training. It did, however, outline $2.3 billion in capital spending for facilities that offer skills training.
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Feds to double spending on ship pollution surveillance
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Federal Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt has announced a funding increase for marine pollution surveillance. Funding for the aerial surveillance program will rise from $5 million to approximately $10 million per year over the next five years. This will allow aircrafts to increase the number of flights to spot oil spills off the coasts. Currently, the fleet spends 2,080 hours per year in the air; funding will facilitate 3,750 flight hours.
The funding would be used to bolster surveillance around prince Rupert and Kitimat, areas that will experience increased tanker traffic if the proposed Northern Gateway Project moves forward.
Vivian Luk of the Canadian Press has argued that this funding announcement was made in an attempt to decrease opposition to oil export plans by assuaging fears about tanker safety and marine protection in B.C. Along the same vein, throughout the past year, Federal Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Joe Oliver has made a number of announcements in B.C., including:
- greater administrative penalties for polluters;
- mandatory marine response plans for oil terminal operators; and
- increased annual inspections for all tankers.
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Province tables bill to amend Pension Benefits Standards Act
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Last week, Minister of Finance Mike de Jong announced a number of changes to pension options for British Columbians.
He tabled amendments for the new Pension Benefits Standard Act, clarifying elements of the original act.
Changes addressed:
- a new provision clarifying pension transferability;
- enabling the spouse of a deceased plan member to designate a beneficiary;
- court compliance; and
- member consent.
De Jong also announced the re-introduction of Bill 9 regarding Pooled Registered Pensions Plans. If successful, the legislation would enable employees of small and medium-sized businesses, and self-employed individuals to join pension plans administered by regulated financial institutions.
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