News & Updates

Local and regional issues are on the agenda for a New Westminster and District Labour Council meeting March 26th as part of the labour council's 2008 Municipal Election Program. The Think Community Forum will open with guest panelists who will share their experiences and innovative approaches to bring lasting, positive change to our communities and schools. Discussion group topics are...

The BC Health Coalition presents "Choices that Matter - True Stories from Behind the Curtain of Private Health Care" featuring: Dr. Allyson Pollock, University of Edinburgh with true stories of damage done by P3s in the UK. Dr. Wayne Hildahl, CEO of the Pan-Am Clinic in Winnipeg with his story of taking a private clinic public. Dr. Michael Klein, Founding...

Rights, Not Wrongs, a conference focussing on emerging human rights issues, featuring leading BC human rights specialists in Aboriginal, peace, antipoverty, women's rights, antiracism, international issues and more, is being organized by the BC Teachers' Federation Committee for Action on Social Justice and the BC Federation of Labour. The conference will be held April 3 to 5 at the Fairmont...

Vancouver Sun Dear Editor: Putting such a human face on the personal as well as institutional challenges in health care is not an easy task. Reporter Pamela Fayerman successfully raises important issues about how rehabilitation and the patients who need it can be better served in our system -- so much better than reports full of statistics could ever do...

NUPGE among supporters of new websiteOttawa (11 March 2008) - StraightGoods.ca is pleased to announce the addition of a new member to its family of websites: www.PublicValues.ca . The site is an online magazine presenting news about privatization and the fight to preserve public services, resources, spaces and enterprise. It will be updated frequently. Readers are encouraged to submit ideas...

A campaign to raise awareness of important community-based social services is getting support from municipal councils across BC. Social services workers and in some cases, community agencies and allies, have presented resolutions to city councils asking that March be designated as Community Social Services Awareness month. To date, 17 city councils have supported the awareness month. Community Social Services include...

On March 8, International Women's Day, the Canadian Labour Congress is launching a women's economic equality campaign ... -Equality! Once and For All!" An exciting year-long campaign, the CLC will use every opportunity to raise awareness about the lack of attention paid by politicians, employers and the media to the growing economic inequality of women, through the use of creative...

Whether its politicians, corporate leaders, or health experts, its getting increasingly difficult to know who to believe these days. Even journalists cant always be trusted! Well known TV journalist Wendy Mesley takes you behind the scenes for an insiders look at how media, marketing and politics influence how we are informed. Full of anecdotes from her years as a political...

Three quarters of adults will fill a prescription this year, at a cost of nearly $25 billion. The use and cost of medicines may increase significantly if manufacturers are allowed to advertise prescription drugs directly to consumers as they do in the United States. Canadian laws that prohibit direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) are being challenged on grounds of freedom of expression...

The Province Editor, The Province: Columnist Brian Lewis misses the point in his effusive review of the new Abbotsford hospital. I have no doubt that the facilities are impressive, the technology is top-notch and the equipment is shiny. But without the highly trained and skilled health-science professionals needed to perform the vital diagnostic tests on that equipment all that shiny...