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Despite concern over Delta Hospital's ER closures, rural BC continues to get hammered by healthcare diversions, closures, shortages + outages. Conservatives spent the week, and a highly-effective QP, focused on rural health. My latest in Northern Beat: northernbeat.ca/opinion/rura...

submitted 8 hours ago • 0 comments

NEW - BC's Energy Min is making changes to BC's Low Carbon Fuels Act to save Tidewater Renewables biodiesel plant in Prince George, which had threatened to shut down due to US companies "double dipping" on Cdn and US credits to flood market. Conservative critic Kiel Giddens had been pushing issue.

submitted 9 hours ago • 1 comment

That was a HIGHLY effective question period, with MLAs from across BC listing off almost 20 examples of ER closures in their communities, in some cases spanning as long as two years. And the health minister, while expressing sympathy, had little defence.

submitted 10 hours ago • 3 comments

BC Conservative MLAs spend entire #bcleg QP with rural MLAs listing the many days of ER closures in their hospitals due to staffing shortages + the hours it takes residents to drive to another hospital. Minister Josie Osborne says progress being made, but challenges remain.

submitted 10 hours ago • 1 comment

The latest Raeside cartoon in the @timescolonist.bsky.social nails the larger public sentiment around BC Conservative infighting: www.timescolonist.com/opinion/adri...

submitted 14 hours ago • 0 comments

Deep in deficit, wrestling with a stalled economy and under the threat of American tariffs, B.C.’s eco-focused New Democratic government has turned to an unlikely economic ally: the mining sector. My latest in @nationalpost.com.web.brid.gy nationalpost.com/opinion/rob-...

submitted 14 hours ago • 2 comments

Nothing wrong w/ BC Conservatives having free votes. But if MLAs don't speak first about why they're voting a certain way on a contentious issue, then appear defensive afterwards — well, that's not a recipe for success. My latest The Orca/Glacier Media: www.theorca.ca/commentary/r...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

In interviews today, most of the 5 MLAs said they disagree with Trump's tariffs and could have voted for motion if it had stopped there, but the NDP added on support for their liquor and retaliatory moves and they oppose those for various reasons.

submitted 2 days ago • 7 comments

The United States is using BC ports as a launching pad to export dirty thermal coal — but the @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social have twice refused to target this as leverage to push back against American tariffs. My latest in Orca/Glacier: www.theorca.ca/commentary/r...

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

NEW - 5 BC Conservative MLAs have voted against a @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social motion in #bcleg to condemn US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. Tara Armstrong, Heather Maahs, Brent Chapman, Dallas Brodie and Jordan Kealy NDP will now launch a social media campaign saying BC Cons support Trump.

submitted 3 days ago • 25 comments

Fear in Delta, Ladner + Tsawwassen after weekend closures of hospital ER. And anger at BCgov for not addressing the issue, plus forcing new housing density on a community where services can't handle existing residents. My latest Orca/Glacier Media: www.theorca.ca/commentary/r...

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

NEW - Delta Hospital's ER closed for a second evening due to a doctor shortage, according to Fraser Health. 930pm Sunday to 630am Monday. Similar closure Sat-Sun. ER-trained nurses on site for basic first aid. Mayor and MLA say residents very angry and scared by this weekend.

submitted 4 days ago • 3 comments

Vatican says Pope Francis is in critical condition. apnews.com/article/pope...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

🚨NEW POLITICAL CAPITAL: The NDP rolls back safe supply, a wartime throne speech, and (in audio pod extra) a look at 1st week of legislative session. Brought to you by Uber Canada: Apple: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/p... Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7JbI... YouTube: youtu.be/qT9126pe3pg?...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

On safe supply, the @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social government would like you to know it is "taking action" —— to fix a problem it created, won't admit was a mistake, and wishes a leaked document that told the truth had never come out. My latest in The Orca and Glacier Media:

submitted 6 days ago • 3 comments

I chat with new BC Conservative Skeena MLA Claire Rattee about why her critic portfolio in mental health and addictions is so important and personal for her. In Northern Beat: northernbeat.ca/legislature/...

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

A beleaguered BC NDP government evokes the spectre of WWII, Nazis, and more in its throne speech, as it talks tough against a belligerent US president. My latest in The Line: www.readtheline.ca/p/rob-shaw-o...

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

The BC NDP continues the slow-motion, highly-reluctant reversal of its drug policies — as a new health minister and a frustrated premier rolls back the safe supply program just minutes before they would have had to defend it publicly in the legislature. My latest in Northern Beat:

submitted 7 days ago • 2 comments

BC Cons critic Elenore Sturko becomes emotional at news unwitnessed safe supply is ending, says she started raising concerns 2 yrs ago and has talked to families whose kids have become addicted due to safe supply. Bad actors here aren’t pharmacies, she says, it’s the NDP gov and policies.

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Team De Jong, the B.C. Men’s Curling Champions, at the B.C. Legislature today. Cam, Alex, Corey, Brayden and Paul will be heading to the Brier in Kelowna starting February 28. #bcpoli

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

In first QP since elxn, Cons leader John Rustad asks for a public inquiry into diversion of safe supply drugs. 60m earlier, in anticipation of this, gov scrambled to curtail program. Premier David Eby stands to repeat he’s just acted on issue and concerns.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

In 10 months, @bcndp has rolled back its decrim program and now curtail its safe supply program. I asked health minister if that's an admission NDP's drug policies have been mistakes, and made things worse. Osborne said BC will continue to monitor, learn and adapt its response.

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

NEW - BC is moving to a witnessed-only model of safe supply drugs. Happens 60 minutes before the first #bcleg question period since Oct elxn, in which diversion of safe supply to organized crime is expected to feature heavily.

submitted 8 days ago • 4 comments

In the 'what are they up to now' file: - Former BC Liberal cabinet minister George Abbott has just been appointed commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission - Former Auditor General Carol Bellringer has been appointed deputy commissioner of the BC Ferry Commission

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

NEW - BC has followed through with a one-time $10m payment for tree fruit farmers, who suffered crop losses due to last year's cold weather. Was promised in August. Farmers weren't sure gov would follow through. I wrote about the struggle last month: northernbeat.ca/opinion/emer...

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

BC throne speech was the latest in a long line of empty, useless, political nonsense. More than 2 decades, parties of all stripes have turned the throne speech into a total waste of time. But we can fix it. Here's how. My latest The Orca and Glacier Media: www.theorca.ca/commentary/r...

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

BC Conservative leader John Rustad says it’s amusing to see @davidebybc.bsky.social “come out of hibernation” since Oct election, but throne speech makes no mention of fentanyl or border improvements. Says Eby blaming US for his own problems.

submitted 9 days ago • 6 comments

Premier David Eby says post-throne speech that US tariff threats “is going to be the issue of the session” and “the issue of primary concern” for BCers. “That’s our focus.”

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

This throne speech is basically a mash-up of lines the @bcndpcaucus.bsky.social used in its elxn campaign about "progress" made in areas like healthcare and crime, but w/ more to do, combined w/ WWII imagery and wartime rhetoric about never surrendering and difficult times ahead from US tariffs.

submitted 9 days ago • 4 comments

NEW - BC has opened 1st session of #bcleg since October's elxn, w/ a new throne speech. There nothing about gov's agenda it hasn't already said publicly. Instead, it's an extended metaphor about how US tariffs have made it "the most consequential time for our province since the Second World War."

submitted 9 days ago • 3 comments

.@rajchouhan, after being re-elected Speaker, asked all MLAs from all parties to stand together and sing O Canada -- which they did. Doesn't happen very often in the Chamber. 🇨🇦

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

Throne speech day at BC Legislature! - 1st time #bcleg has sat since May 2024 - Bunch of new MLAs since Oct. election - Starts at 10am with @rajchouhan elected Speaker - New LG arrives at 1pm for ceremony w/ canons (always fun) - Throne speech 1:30pm - @davidebybc.bsky.social speaks after

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

The first BC legislative session since the squeaker of an provincial election in October will be light on bills, heavy on Trump. My lookahead in Northern Beat: northernbeat.ca/opinion/legi...

submitted 10 days ago • 4 comments

Apologies this is the right YouTube link: youtu.be/GYvMdc53hr8?...

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

🚨NEW POLITICAL CAPITAL - Eby to the White House, grocery rebate to the scrap bin. Plus audio pod extras on upcoming spring session + interview with Chrystia Freeland. Apple: podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/p... Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5Nth... YouTube: youtu.be/ss8S8UQ4aaw?...

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments