Capital Report ~ April 20, 2007
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Premier Gordon Campbell joined representatives of the Blueberry River First Nations and Government MLAs for a ceremony at the legislature celebrating four new resource agreements that will ensure the BRFN are engaged in resource development in B.C.'s northeast. April 17, 2007.

Resource Agreements Build Certainty in the Northeast

The Province and Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) announced that they have achieved four long-term agreements that establish ways to work together and support economic certainty for the resource industry in B.C.’s northeast region.

The agreement includes:
  • A 13-year strategic land-use planning agreement that establishes how the Province and the BRFN will work together on land-use planning within the BRFN consultation area;
  • A 13-year oil and gas agreement that provides a clear consultation process for the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on tenure decisions, and a structured, measurable and predictable consultation process for the Oil and Gas Commission on operational decisions;
  • A 13-year mining and minerals protocol agreement that defines a consultation process with the BRFN for new coal tenures and for operational decisions under the Mines Act; and
  • A 5-year forestry agreement which provides access to 100,000 cubic metres of timber.

Click for more information.

Province to Protect Payday Loan Consumers

Legislation introduced by the B.C. Government this week will protect consumers by prohibiting abusive lending practices and limiting fees and interest rates charged by payday lenders, Solicitor General John Les announced.

B.C.’s Business Practices and Consumer Protection (Payday Loans) Amendment Act will prohibit lenders from:

  • Practices that increase the borrower’s debt load, including rollovers that require borrowers to pay significant extra fees for extending the time to pay a loan;
  • Requesting an assignment of wages, and requiring the borrower to sign documents transferring ownership of property, such as a vehicle, to the lender;
  • Charging more than the regulated fee for cashing government cheques. These cheques pose little risk to the lender once the identification of the consumer and authenticity of the cheque have been established; and
  • Lending more than a regulated percentage of a borrower’s take-home pay.

Click for more information.

Ad Campaign, Handbooks Mark Child Abuse Prevention Day

In recognition of April 19 being proclaimed Child Abuse Prevention Day in British Columbia, the provincial government unveiled an advertising campaign aimed at raising awareness of the Province’s toll-free Helpline for Children – 310-1234 from anywhere in British Columbia – and urged people to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

The Province has also revised its BC Handbook for Action on Child Abuse and Neglect. The comprehensive handbook features information about: 

  • Identifying and reporting suspected child abuse and neglect;
  • Relevant law and government policies; and
  • The roles, shared responsibilities and accountability of service providers in responding to suspected child abuse and neglect.

Click for more information.

 

Saturday, April 21, 2007
Gordon Hogg, MLA for Surrey-White Rock and Minister of State for ActNow BC will be featured on Constituency Report on Shaw Cable 4 from 8:00-8:30am and 5:00-5:30pm.

Sunday, April 22, 2007
Iain Black, MLA for Port Moody-Westwood will be featured on Constituency Report on Shaw Cable 4 from 8:00-8:30am and 5:00-5:30pm.

Quotes This Week

“The workload of my office continues to grow and these amendments will help us meet these pressing demands for service.”
Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis expressing his support for amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act introduced this week. News release from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia, April 19, 2007.

“We train (students) to go out and work right away and our students are getting snapped up."
Carly Handel, program and marketing assistant, B.C. Institute of Technology's biotechnology department, commenting on the high demand for bio-tech workers in the province. The Kamloops Daily News, April 16, 2007. 

“Nearly six-in-ten British Columbians say they approve of the overall performance of the BC Liberal Government."
Findings of a recent Ipsos-Reid poll on B.C. politics. News release from Ipsos-Reid, April 17, 2007.


Did You Know?
  • The Province's Industry Training Authority has exceeded its participation performance targets for the third year in a row, increasing the number of active apprentices and trainees by 132 per cent since 2004.

  • Between 2003 and 2006, the number of doctors practising in rural areas of British Columbia has increased by 118 doctors, a 6.7 per cent increase. 

  • An estimated 1,600 calls are received each month by the Province’s toll-free Helpline for Children – 310-1234 from anywhere in British Columbia - with almost 20,000 calls from children, parents, caregivers, concerned citizens and others over the past year.
    • © 2007 Government Caucus of British Columbia. All Rights Reserved.