Gary Coons

Bursaries for students pursuing health careers among programs getting axed

PRINCE RUPERT— The fact that the Campbell government has slashed the budget for student aid by $12 million will hurt northern students says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.

“It costs more to go to university when you are from a northern or remote community,” said Coons. “It costs more to travel to and from university and there are fewer opportunities for students to reduce their monthly rent costs by living with family.” Read more »

Summer 2009 MLA Report

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Prince Rupert Daily News

The provincial health minister told CEOs this week that they will not have enough money to deliver planned services and that cuts, or spending priorities, will have to be made. Read more »

North Coast MLA Gary Coons and Skeena MLA Robin Austin say that child-protection workers in the northwest are the latest victims of Gordon Campbell’s pre-election budget deception.  Read more »

Shadow cabinet list – in alphabetical order of MLA name.

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NORTH COAST- A newly proposed strategic alliance between Canada and China’s state-controlled energy mega-company, the China National Petroleum Corporation, has North Coast MLA Gary Coons concerned about the potential impacts on his constituents. Gordon Campbell’s push for a mega “energy corridor” seems to have inspired the Chinese to act quickly to petition assistance to feed their fossil fuel dependence. Read more »

Coons Signing the Parliamentary roll

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The British Columbia government knew the public might not like its plans to restructure B.C. Ferries, but it had a plan that relied on working with “trusted reporters” and friends of the B.C. Liberals to sell the idea.

“Communications regarding the restructuring will be a significant challenge,” observed the 33-page communications plan, every page of which is marked “confidential” in large letters. Read more »

With eight weeks before the next provincial election, I believe many British Columbians are concerned about their jobs and the services they need to get through tough times.

But just as we saw in both 2001 and 2005, the premier recently presented a litany of empty promises that do nothing to help BC families, seniors and students through difficult times. The question we all have to ask ourselves, after eight years of longer waitlists, overcrowded emergency rooms, larger class sizes and skyrocketing tuition fees ….should we believe him this time? Read more »