In a mid afternoon announcement on Friday, the Premier announced that he was redirecting the MLA's energy towards health care, naming her as Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Health
“Rural, remote and First Nations communities face urgent and unique challenges, particularly when it comes to attracting and retaining health professionals.
That’s why I have appointed Jennifer Rice as our Parliamentary for Rural Health. Jennifer has done extraordinary work on emergency preparedness at a time when our province has faced unprecedented climate disasters. I
know she’ll work just as diligently with the minister of health to deliver results for rural and remote British Columbians." -- Premier David Eby
Ms. Rice has been fielding community concerns on the state of Health Care in the riding for years, first in Opposition and from the Government side of the Legislature since the NDP assumed office.
Last summer the MLA hosted a Community Forum that sought to provide some clarity on many issues related to Health Care in the Prince Rupert area.
She'll now be expanding on that focus province wide, an area of discussion that will prove challenging, what with the many concerns that are being voiced by communities across BC when it comes to declines in health care and access to physicians.
Also gaining a new post on Friday was MLA Fin Donnelly who now has been tasked with duties as the First Parliamentary Secretary for Watershed Restoration.
You can review the full announcement from Friday here.
More notes from the Legislature can be explored here.
A look at some of the issues and areas of interest from Health care in the Northwest can be reviewed here.
Our MLA has been fielding rural health concerns from Prince Rupert for years. Here are some of her extraordinary results.
ReplyDeleteOverdoses - 58% increase in the last four years in Prince Rupert
First Responder call outs - 29% increase in the last four years in Prince Rupert
Homelessness - 68% increase in the last four years in Prince Rupert
Emergency Room usage - Accessed by 72% of the local homeless population in Prince Rupert
Sources -
http://www.bcehs.ca/health-info-site/Documents/Overdose%20Response%20in%20BC%20Communities%20PDF.pdf
http://www.bcehs.ca/about-site/Documents/DATA_MPDS%20Volumes%20by%20Community%20PDF.pdf
https://www.cftktv.com/prince-rupert-homeless-count-finds-66-increase-in-homelessness-in-three-years-1.5585709#:~:text=Advertisement-,Prince%20Rupert%20homeless%20count%20finds%2066,in%20homelessness%20in%20three%20years.&text=The%20North%20Coast%20Transition%20Society's,experiencing%20homelessness%20in%20Prince%20Rupert.
https://www.bchousing.org/publications/Homeless-Count-Prince-Rupert-2021.pdf
That's great info!
DeleteThe numbers don't lie.
This government has been spoon-feeding the public promises to make the lives of British Columbians better. How has life improved over the past 6 years? The numbers above highlight one area that it's not any better. Affordability is another.
Who remembers the promises to make life more affordable?
From 2018: "Government’s first and most urgent priority is to make life more affordable."
https://www.bcndp.ca/latest/making-life-bc-better-and-more-affordable-read-speech-throne-0
From 2023:
BC is the most expensive Canadian province to live in. Ranked 10/10
"..it is one of the most expensive provinces to live in Canada.."
https://www.movingwaldo.com/daily-living/the-cheapest-provinces-to-live-in-canada/
Rupertites need to ask themselves why they keep voting for the NDP. Time to change.
There are 16 000 registered voters in this riding.
Delete40% of voters turn up to vote.
70% of those who turn up to vote, vote NDP.
Until the opposition actually nominate a candidate that will get people out to the ballot box. The NDP will always put this riding in the win column.
Partially true.
DeleteThere's a large segment of the population in this riding that votes NDP just because it's what they, their parents and grandparents have always done. Jen Rice isn't a compelling figure, a strong leader, isn't overly inspiring, nor has she been highly successful as an MLA yet she's won three straight elections by a large margin.
What it's going to take is people having an honest conversation around the dinner table with their families and ask themselves either why they keep voting the way they do or why don't they vote at all.
Every vote does count. The 2017 election that put the BCNDP into power was decided on less than 200 votes with a recount in Courtney-Comox making the difference. When you have 8000-10,000 voters in North Coast not participating there is most certainly the potential for change if people get out and vote.
"The final count had NDP candidate Ronna-Rae Leonard beating Liberal candidate Jim Benninger by 189 votes.
The result leaves the Liberals with 43 seats, the NDP 41 and the Greens three."
https://globalnews.ca/news/3476540/b-c-election-2017-ndp-retains-lead-in-critical-courtenay-comox-riding/