MLA Rice explores adoption issues during Committee session

North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice
addressed adoption issues this week
at the Legislature

The work of committees at the British Columbia Legislature doesn't quite get the same amount of attention as the Question Period sound bytes provide for, yet there is some important and at times quite interesting work taking place outside of the Legislature Chamber on a day to day basis.

For North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice, work involving the Ministry of Children and Family Development accounts for a fair bit of her work in Victoria and this week the MLA was engaged in a lively question and answer session with Minister Stephanie Cadieux, who is responsible for the Ministry.

The Wednesday afternoon session of this week saw the Minister and her team outlining plans for the Ministry for the year ahead and answering questions of MLA's related to those plans.

For her part, Ms. Rice addressed a range of issues related to the adoption process in British Columbia, asking a number of questions on the theme of the Minister as part of the exchange.

Among the concerns for the North Coast MLA, the allocation of the 200 newly hired social workers and whether they will be working on adoption issues.

She also inquired on the need for continuity  of funding for adoptions and the targets that the province have for adoptions for 2015.

Minister Stephanie Cadieux
received a range of questions on the
theme of adoption in committee this week

Ms. Rice also sought some clarification on the issue of the 2 million dollars that the province has invested in the process, seeking a breakdown from the Minister as to where that money had been allocated.

Just so I understand, with the $2 million that was invested, if $800,000 has yet to be spent, where did that $800,000 come from? -- North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice with a question on funding allocations related to adoptions in BC.

Ms Rice also had a number of questions related to staffing and the various job requirements that Ministry employees are required to perform and how that may impact on oversight of adoption issues, particularly in northern regions where the need is one that should be addressed.

It's a concern for the adoptions process that it's not going to get the attention it needs, but it's also an issue that you are well aware of in the fact that there is a crisis with staff in the rural communities. ... It's particularly important to me in the north, particularly in North Coast, my constituency, where 50 percent of my constituents are aboriginal, and you said at the start of estimates today that 53 percent of the kids in care are aboriginal. It's a huge issue for us in the north, and I certainly gladly welcome extra resources and energy and focus and study and analysis being done in the rural parts, in the northern parts, considering the number of aboriginal kids in care. -- MLA Rice exploring staffing concerns, particularly for northern communities in the Province

The full overview of the Wednesday session provides a fairly comprehensive look when it comes to the work of the Ministry and the challenges that workers face in their day to day work to provide those services to the province.

You can review the full exchange between Ms. Rice and the Minister from the Minutes of Wednesday's session here, they start at the 1615 mark  and end around the 1720 mark

The video archive for the Wednesday session can be found here , Ms. Rice begins her inquiries at the 90 minute mark on the counter. 

For more items related to events at the British Columbia Legislature see our archive page here

Lax Kw'alaams members will have six days to consider billion dollar proposal

It has been a week that may very well herald a another major shift in the debate over LNG on the North Coast, as members of Lax Kw'alaams First Nation weigh the option that have provided to them by their Mayor and Council related to proposed LNG development in the region

This weekend, members of Lax Kw'alaams will be reviewing some of the material provided to them by their Council, all in preparation for six days of voting on a proposal from Pacific Northwest LNG, Prince Rupert Gas Transmission and the Province of British Columbia.

 The proposed arrangement, which is seeking to secure support for the LNG project proposed for Lelu Island, could provide the Band with 1 billion dollars in investment and opportunities spread out over 40 years should they vote to accept the wide range of benefits related to the proposal.

In an Open letter to Band Members from April 23rd, the Lax Kw'alaams Mayor and Council outlined the process ahead for Band members, seeking their guidance when it comes to support for the two LNG related developments.

The first the Pacific NorthWest LNG facility planned for Lelu Island, the second the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline project, with extensive benefits packages from both outlined for members of the Band.

Voting will take place at six information meetings between Monday May 4th and May 11th, with sessions scheduled as follows:

Lax Kw'alaams May 3 and 5 at the School Gymnasium
Prince Rupert May 6 and 7 at the North Coast Convention Centre at Chances
Vancouver May 11 and 12 at the Chateau Granville

In each instance a presentation will precede the show of hands vote, with each meeting scheduled to run from 7 PM to 10:30.

Below are some of the major aspects under consideration as part of a Benefits package outlined by Pacific NorthWest LNG, Prince Rupert Gas Transmission and the Province of British Columbia.

Initial one time payments of the 27,849,00 with the majority of those payments to come upon approval and the signing of preliminary agreements.

Annual payments on a sliding scale over a forty year period

A lands package at a value of $108,000.000

Targeted Funds for Tuck Road paving, fisheries compensation and monitoring, scholarships and training programs

Employment opportunities for Tsimshian people 

Lax Kw'alaams has been making good use of their community information portal in recent days, using it to seek out more information and to explore potential questions to be raised at the membership meetings over the next two weeks.

Band Members have been reading over the range of bulletins provided by their government through the week, making use of links which have been provided through the Band's Open Facebook account.

Bulletin 3
Bulletin 2
Bulletin 1

Media reviews of the Lax Kw'alaams proposal have highlighted the financial and land use opportunities that will be up for discussion, with a few suggesting that the approach makes for a game shifting moment for the LNG industry and it's approach towards development, not only with First Nations but in the province.

Two of the most thorough of the reviews comes from the trio of Globe and Mail reporters of Brent Jang, Jeff Lewis and Justine Hunter.  The Globe reporters have provided a fair amount of background into the proposal and the impact that it might have on the still to be developed LNG industry.

Game changer': Gas company offers $1- billion to First Nations band in B. C.
B.C. First Nations group to vote on $1-billion Pacific NorthWest LNG deal

Their reviews however do make note that the development process for Petronas is still in motion, as they await CEAA approval for their proposed Terminal project before making any Final Investment Decision on the project.

Of interest for Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen might be this article from the UK based Financial Times.

It highlights the impression that the Petronas move provides recognition of the need for a "Social Licence" for development, the Social Licence concept is one that Mr. Cullen has been a champion of over the last few years.

The proposed arrangement for Lax Kw'alaams is just the latest move to secure support in the region by the Malaysian energy giant.

In late 2014, Pacific NorthWest and Port Edward announced a 25 year agreement on Property Taxes, agreements were also reached in December with Metlakatla and Kitselas.

And while the North coast still awaits that Final Investment Decision, Pacific NorthWest and its parent company Petronas are clearly far ahead of the rest of the LNG proponents in the region when it comes to engagement with major stakeholders.

More importantly, they are clearly setting a pretty high bar for accommodation and engagement for other would be proponents to consider when it comes to their own plans.

The scope of the Lax Kw'alaams proposal and the nature of the change in the business dynamic that it heralds, is a major theme that has been outlined in a range of other background pieces.

You can review those articles below:

Global BC -- Prince Rupert based First Nations band offered over $1 billion to support LNG
CTV BC -- B. C. First Nation offered $1 billion LNG deal
CTV BC-- Billion Dollar LNG deal pitched to B. C. First nation for project support
Alberta Oil -- Shock and Awe
Vancouver Sun -- Billion-dollar LNG deal pitched to B. C. First nation for project support
Calgary Herald -- Petronas offers B. C. First Nation $1.15 billion in incentives to allow LNG export terminal
BNN -- LNG venture offers $1B for aboriginal consent
CKNW -- Prince Rupert Native Band offered $ 1B to support LNG project
CFTK TV -- Potential Billion Dollar Deal Between the Lax Kw'alaams First Nation and Pacific Northwest LNG
News 1130 -- Billion Dollar LNG deal pitched to B. C. First Nation for project support
CFNR -- Lax Kw'alaams Band offered over $1 Billion for LNG development
BC Business -- LNG venture offers First Nation a game-changing $1 billion
Business in Vancouver -- Lax Kw'alaams offered $1 billion to support Petronas LNG
Malay Mail online -- Petronas offers Canadian native group $IB to back LNG project
Georgia Straight -- Bulletin shows First Nation offered $1.15 billion in benefits to support LNG project
CBC British Columbia -- B. C. LNG deal worth $1 billion pitched to Lax Kw'alaams First Nation
Globe and Mail -- B. C. First Nation mulling billion-dollar LNG deal has history of savvy moves

BC Transit changes now in effect for Prince Rupert and Port Edward

New Fares and route changes took
effect on May 1st for Prince Rupert
and Port Edward Transit

Today marked the new fare structure and route changes for BC Transit, as the region's transportation service introduced a two zone fare structure, reducing the number of zones to travel by one.

As of today, it costs an adult 2 dollars to travel one zone, while travelling to a second zone requires 2 dollars and 75 cents.

There were also some slight changes to tickets and passes, you can review those new fares here.

Children of ages four and under can ride the bus for free.

As well as the alignment of zones between Prince Rupert and Port Edward,  improved coverage for the North Coast Transition Society and Prince Rupert's Middle and Secondary school was introduced to the Transit service today.

Handy Dart riders also see improvements to the service in both communities, with an extra half hour of service added to the schedule. As of today handDART service will start at 8 AM and end at 4 PM Monday through Friday.

Prince Rupert residents can access the Route Schedules  and Transit maps here

Port Edward's maps and Route Schedules can be reviewed here.

For more on transportation developments across the Northwest see our archive page here.

Carnival set for three day stay in Prince Rupert

The Prince Rupert Civic Centre was a beehive of activity on Thursday evening, with one event the National Aboriginal Opportunities Conference coming to an end and the set up for the annual visit of West Coast Amusements getting underway.

As Friday arrived, Carnival workers were putting the final touches on the range of rides, games and attractions of the midway, heading towards the countdown to the Three PM Friday opening.

The Midway is open for the weekend
at the Civic Centre as West Coast
Amusements arrives in the city

As we outlined on the blog in late April, the WCA tour has been taking place over the last seven days, with stops in Terrace and Kitimat before the trek down highway 16 of mid week.

The midway opened at 3 PM today,  It opens at Noon on Saturday and Sunday as well, however the
Sunday hours will be shorter than the remainder of the weekend as the Carnival puts a wrap to its visit around the supper hour.

Carnival wristbands for All Day rides on Friday and Saturday cost 40 dollars, while the All Day Ride wristband for Sunday is thirty five dollars.

Discount coupons can also be found in the weekly newspaper.

Those attending the Carnival appear in luck weather wise as well, while there may be the odd shower through Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday offer up the prospect of sunny skies for those taking to the midway.

You can get a sneak preview of some of the attractions and more information on the carnival here

John Farrell takes a seat on the Port's Board of Directors

John Farrell took his place on the
Prince Rupert Port Authority Board
this morning.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority formally welcomed John Farrell to the Port's Board of Director's today, heralding his business experience and community leadership as a key addition to the work of the Board.

"On behalf of the Board and our staff, I extend a warm welcome to John ...  John demonstrates dedication to the health and growth of Prince Rupert community, both through his entrepreneurial ventures and the many volunteer roles he’s filled in the community. His contribution will be valuable as we guide the Port of Prince Rupert through unprecedented expansion and diversification." -- Prince Rupert Port Authority Chairman Bud Smith marking the changeover of the Board's make up.

Mr. Farrell was appointed by the City of Prince Rupert and District of Port Edward in May, with Mayor Lee Brain making the announcement of the selection by way of his Facebook page back on March 25th.

As part of today's announcement, Mr. Farrell, who has had a long relationship with the North Coast, outlined some of the excitement he feels about the future of the community and the potential of the Prince Rupert gateway for future growth.

“This is an exciting time for Prince Rupert, and I am honoured and excited to play a role in the growth of this important Canadian trade gateway,” said Mr. Farrell. “I support the growth and believe in the potential of BC’s North Coast, and have aligned my career choices, leadership initiatives and volunteer commitments to realizing that vision.” -- John Farrell, speaking as part of today's Port ceremony installing him with the Port of Prince Rupert Board of Directors.

Mr Farrell, replaces Ms. Maureen Macarenko, joining Bud Smith, Jennifer Clarke, Elmer Derrick, Bruce Hallsor and Kenneth Clatyon on the Port Board.

As part of today's announcement, Ms. Macrarenko's work on behalf of the Board was recognized by the Chairman, who acknowledged her commitment and service to the community.

You can learn more the Board of Directors and qualifications for positions here.

A full review of today's announcement, including comments from area politicians is available here.

For further items related to Port of Prince Rupert developments see our archive page here.

North Pacific Cannery Historical Site opens season with Heritage Fair today

One of the North Coast's most popular attractions opens its gates today for another spring and summer of exploration.

The North Pacific Cannery Museum opened up for the season at 10 AM, with today's debut for the season one that finds the historical site hosting the 2015 Northwest Regional Heritage Fair.

The Fair is a project of the BC Heritage Fairs Society and encourages school children from grades 4 to 10 to learn more about and understand their history, culture and identity.

You can discover more about the BC Heritage Fairs experience here.

Today's event will feature presentations from local school students who have made submissions to the Fair, with judging to take place later in the day. Highlighted by an afternoon awards and recognition event.

You can learn more about the Fair here.

The schedule for the rest of the Cannery season finds the Port Edward site open from Tuesday to Sunday in May and June, expanding to 7 days a week through July and August.  They return to the five day a week schedule in September, before the historical site closes for the season.

Local residents and visitors to the North Coast can learn more about the many historical items and attractions from North Pacific from their website here.

Further updates on events and items of note from North Pacific can be found on their twitter feed and Facebook page.

For more items related to Tourism on the North Coast see our archive pages here.

Health Issues on the mind of MLA Rice this week at Legislature

A pair of issues related to health services in the province were raised this week at the BC Legislature by North Coast MLA Jennifer Rice, with transportation options and access to specialized services key among her discussion points for this weeks sessions.

Monday, Ms. Rice was focusing on the theme of travel issues for residents of the riding, highlighting the unworkable logistics of travel that many in the region face. 

I'll share with you a phone call I received from a physician in Prince Rupert. He pleaded with me because his patients that live in Haida Gwaii were neglecting their medical appointments in Prince Rupert due to the cuts to the ferry schedule that meant they would now have to take a whole week off work, spend a whole week in a hotel and find the money for a week of meals and local transportation costs and child care. 

So many of them were no longer going to their physician in Prince Rupert because it was a huge financial burden to make that appointment. Now, the ferry fare was covered, but none of the other expenses were covered. Because the schedule is so reduced, it's not feasible for them to actually go to a medical appointment where normally they could return in a day or two. -- Jennifer Rice on Health travel issues on the North Coast.

At the end of her exchange with Liberal MLA Mike Bernier, the North Coast MLA offered up the request that the Provincial government re-evaluate it's travel assistance policy.

You can review the full range of her discussion points on travel from Monday's archive starting at the 10:50 mark.

On Tuesday morning, Ms. Rice followed up on some of the debate related to access to specialists and lengthy wait times for British Columbians. Providing some background to the situation facing one resident of the province in the southern interior, part of what the MLA called a pattern in the health care system.

Fred's story doesn't just expose a troubling pattern of British Columbians going to the media to get the help that they need. His story also exposes a big gap in our health care system — access to specialists for people from small-town British Columbia. Before Fred was waiting for a call from the Cancer Agency, he was waiting for an appointment with a dermatologist. He waited for six months. Does the Health Minister think this is good enough?

The full debate related to access of specialists can be reviewed from the Tuesday archive starting at the 1020 mark.



You can review more of the North Coast MLA's work in Victoria from our archive page here.