Labour Board rules remedial summer school essential
B.C. Labour Relations Board ruled during the weekend that remedial summer school courses are essential. However, the LBR said in its ruling this decision is reserved for students in Grade 10, 11 and 12 who failed one of the classes and cannot make it up in the next school year. No word how that affects summer school classes...
No axe for Selkirk Aviation Program - yet
The future of Selkirk College’s renowned Aviation Program is precarious as best, but rumours it was closed altogether at a recent college board meeting are inaccurate, according to Selkirk president Angus Graeme. “I know the rumours swirl, and we’ve had to have some very difficult conversations with our faculty around the...
B.C. preserves local governments' tax revenues from medical marijuana growers
The Government of British Columbia is excluding federally-licensed medical marijuana production from the list of agricultural uses that qualify for farm classification for assessment and property tax purposes. The decision will ensure local governments do not lose potential property tax revenues from the Health Canada...
COMMENT: Pensions are not only a seniors’ problem – Part 2
In part one I wrote about the unjust decision to increase the eligibility age for Old Age Security (OAS) to 67 and a variety of options to save for retirement. There are also all sorts of self-help manuals and financial advisors who can give you a good advice on how to plan for your financial needs when you retire. (So far ...
Conflict escalates as teachers union says 'no' to Grade 10 and 11 report cards
Protests and rallies are being held throughout the Kootenays today, including in Castlegar, as the conflict between the BC Teachers Federation and the provincial government continues to escalate. Kootenay Columbia Teachers Union president Andy Davidoff issued a release today indicating teachers will not be issuing report cards...
COMMENT: 'Class Composition' is more than an abstract bargaining term in the current BC teachers' strike
Our Canadian school system is based on many principles, but one central theme is the concept of 'inclusion'. If you don't like the idea of Inclusion, of your child going to school with someone with autism, anxiety, downs, dyslexia, or other learning needs, then one of the private schools with rigorous screening-out processes...
Canada’s failure to uphold the human rights of Indigenous peoples in its approval of Northern Gateway
BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit, Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Amnesty International Canada, Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers), Chiefs of Ontario, Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee), Indigenous Rights Centre, Indigenous World Association, and KAIROS:...
The teacher's strike is more about the BC government's contempt for the Constitution than pay or working conditions
On the eve of the teachers’ full-out strike, the government proposed that “if either party is unhappy with the outcome of the government’s appeal of the court case the entire collective agreement can be terminated and a new round of bargaining begins.” To appreciate this proposal I examined the 2014 and 2011 decision of the...
Broadband the key to economic development in the Koots
One thing everyone seemed to agree on at the Community Futures Economic Development Forum held in late May was that the economy is shifting towards broadband dependent industries. And that local communities need to adapt and keep up. Community Futures Central Kootenay hosted and organized the conference at the Prestige Lakeside...
SD 20 superintendent says classes over as of Monday
The British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF), the union representing teachers, has informed the school district that they will be engaged in a full day study session on Monday, June 16th, followed by full scale withdrawal of teaching services starting Tuesday, June 17, 2014. This means that, unless a settlement is reached...
