Northern Beat Weekly 7
Immigration fallout, frozen pay, xnay to sick notes, and a former attorney general gets her just(ice) deserts
Why, hello there!
A grab-bag of topics this week, as B.C. politics has to compete with the ongoing federal election and drama south of the border. The province picked a fight with Ottawa this week over slashed immigration targets, blaming federal cuts for forcing a revamp of the provincial nominee program that will now prioritize healthcare and childcare workers. At the same time, Victoria moved to outlaw sick notes for short-term illnesses — but hasn’t said which illnesses or how short is too short.
Also in the mix: new rules to make it tougher to get a motorcycle license, and MLAs froze their $120K salaries over economic uncertainty — though not without debating whether they’re actually underpaid.
Check out our in-depth podcast interview with Terrace Mayor Sean Bujtas for a great weekend Easter long weekend listen.
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- Rob Shaw
Northern Beat Roundup
PODCAST: In Conversation with Sean Bujtas
Rural mayors often travel down to Victoria to advocate for their communities, but few do it better than Terrace Mayor Sean Bujtas. He helped his fellow northwest mayors ink the five-year, $250 million, Resource Benefits Alliance for the northwest region. Bujtas was prowling the halls of the legislature this week. He met with ministers and sat down with Premier David Eby. Northern Beat’s Fran Yanor chats with Bujtas about his priorities, what it’s like to be a northern hub city in a region hopping with resource development and why he still needs help from the provincial government.
Have a listen here
The Legislature
Federal immigration cuts force provincial changes
The B.C. government lashed out at Ottawa this week for lowering immigration levels, saying it had to overhaul its provincial nominee program (PNP) to address a federal cut to immigrants this year from 11,000 to 4,000. The new PNP rules will prioritize hiring in the healthcare and childcare sectors to address chronic labour shortages. Rules also included strict caps and cutbacks in other areas, such as post-secondary institutions, which Premier David Eby said will force some colleges and universities to cut their workforce and “restructure.”
Eby said unchecked immigration could not continue due to pressure on provincial services, but that Ottawa has gone too far in its cuts to immigration levels.
A prescription to eliminate sick notes
It will soon be against the law for employers to ask workers to get sick notes for short-term illnesses. Provincial legislation this week will change the Employment Standards Act to ban sick notes. The business community pushed back, saying it was not consulted, and expressed concern employers would be unable to check employees for abuse. Meanwhile, the actual details of the changes are unknown, because government won’t lay out the details for actual types of illnesses and number of days until this fall.
New motorcycle graduated licensing
Lost amidst the shuffle of new rules to change B.C.’s graduated licensing program for new drivers this week was an entirely new system for motorcyclists. New legislation would create “a longer learning and restriction period” than the current 30-day process to write a knowledge test and take a road test to get a Class 6 motorcycle license. It would also expand a 30-day learner timeline for new motorcyclists who don’t have a drivers license to nine months. The government says in crashes where motorcycle drivers were at fault, 46 per cent of the time the person involved had less than five years of experience.
MLAs freeze and debate their pay
BC MLAs froze their base pay at almost $120,000 this week, citing the economic threat of U.S. tariffs. The politicians passed on a scheduled 2.6 per cent cost-of-living increase, worth around $3,000. However, that did not settle the matter. Conservative leader John Rustad argued for an independent committee to review increasing MLA pay to help better compensate younger politicians in their 30s, 40s or 50s, who sacrifice their peak earning years to serve in politics. The NDP mocked the idea.
For comparison, here’s what an MLA/MPP/MNA gets paid in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Nunavut.
Rural Reads from Around the Web
Shirley Bond set to receive honorary degree
The University of Northern BC will award former Prince George MLA Shirley Bond an honorary doctorate of law degree at its convocation ceremony in May. [Prince George Citizen]
Tumbler Ridge ER closes for 50 hours, Northern Health fails to notify community
Northern Health was left scrambling to explain why it failed to notify the public when Tumbler Ridge’s ER was closed for more than 50 hours between April 14 and April 16. The health authority cited staffing shortages, and said because the ER is not open 24 hours a day it did not have to notify the public. [EnergeticCity]
Tumbler Ridge councillor wins by single vote after recount
Talk about a nail-biter. Keith Bertrand has won a byelection for the District of Tumbler Ridge by a single vote, after a close-fought race with rival Don McPherson. The two had been tied at 108 votes, then Bertrand pulled ahead by a single vote after a recount. [EnergeticCity.ca]
Circus comes to town
People sometimes refer to what goes on at the legislature as a circus, but for the next week, a genuine circus with trapeze artists, flying pole performers, freestyle motocross, and an acrobat in something fun called the “wheel of death” will be under a big tent in Nanaimo. If anyone checks this out, tell us how it went!
Bonus
Quote of the Week:
“Every now and again the connection between my brain and my mouth just isn’t in gear — just ask my wife,” Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman, after standing to introduce former MLA Jane Thornthwaite to the legislature and then forgetting her name mid-sentence.
Closing
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