Homelessness Must be a Priority
Homelessness is a province wide issue. It exists in communities large and small throughout the province. It exists here in Prince Rupert.
Shelter spaces are urgently needed, but they are just the barest of essentials needed to provide for those in need. Ultimately we must aim towards increasing our supported affordable housing. Read the rest of this entry →
Recent numbers which show that B.C. has fallen to last place when it comes to supporting post-secondary students in financial need under the Campbell government mean that students from outside of the province’s urban core have to struggle to get a post secondary education says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
“Even low income students raised in urban areas have the advantage of being able to live at home or with relatives while they complete their education,” said Coons. “However, for students from regions like the North Coast, the combination of sky high tuition fees and out of reach rental rates has forced many students to abandon schooling or take on ever increasing debt loads to finance their education.”
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Once again Gordon Campbell has put political rhetoric ahead of real relief for ferry dependent communities, New Democrat Ferries Critic Gary Coons said today.
“Slightly reduced fares and restoration of service for a mere two months is an embarrassing response to the long-term damage caused by the Campbell government,” said Coons. “Ever since the B.C. Liberals privatised our ferry system, it has been nothing but broken promises, skyrocketing fares and service reductions. The announcement yesterday does nothing to repair the damage already done.”
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Premier Campbell’s cancellation of the fall session shows his government is arrogant and out of touch with the concerns of ordinary British Columbians says North Coast MLA Gary Coons. Since the Spring session ended on May 29, it will be 9 months that Gordon Campbell has not had his cabinet in the legislature if we return next February as scheduled.
“The forest sector is in crisis, high energy prices are hitting B.C. families hard, the slowing economy must be addressed and there are continuing problems with seniors care and yet this Premier stumbles along saying there’s no work for the legislature to do. Is he that arrogant that he can’t see that people on Haida Gwaii, on the Central Coast and in the Prince Rupert region are struggling?”
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While students in B.C. carry some of the heftiest debt loads in the country, abrupt changes to post-secondary funding have forced colleges and universities throughout the province to cut staff and programs or use contingency funds to cover the resulting deficits.
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The fact that Campbell is willing to give his top advisors a massive pay hike while refusing to raise the minimum wage is proof that the premier is arrogant and out of touch with the needs of ordinary citizens, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
Campbell ‘s Deputy Minister could potentially get a $105,000 raise out of the changes, which became effective August 1st. Other Deputy Ministers could see increases of $79,000 per year. Coons is joining NDP Leader, Carole James, in calling for the massive increases to be rolled back.
NDP ferries critic Gary Coons says it is appalling that the Campbell government is imposing another whopping fare increase on B.C. ferries the same week the government’s own ferry advisory committees strongly recommended against such a move.
“On Monday, the 12 ferry advisory committees sent a report to the Campbell government warning about the dire consequences of this government’s record-breaking increases to ferry fares,” said Coons. “Yesterday the Campbell government went ahead with ferry fuel surcharges as high as 17.6 per cent on some runs.
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Lately, I’ve been thinking about the kind of world I’d like to see, and what it would take to make that world a reality. I think, having recently discovered the First Nations Ten Commandments (in the Elders Gathering program) that they just might be the key to the kind of world I would wish for. Read the rest of this entry →
The fact that hundreds of people from throughout the northwest traveled to the Gitanmaax Hall in Old Hazelton on a sunny Saturday afternoon proves that there is a critical groundswell of opposition to coalbed methane development in the Sacred Headwaters say North Coast MLA Gary Coons and Skeena MLA Robin Austin.
“People came to this meeting from every community and every First Nations group in the northwest,” said Coons. “The entire watershed is opposed to Shell’s plans to drill for coalbed methane and the headwaters of the Skeena. There is a real awareness that what happens at the headwaters affects everyone downstream, and no one downstream has been consulted about this development. It’s a real problem.
The Coast Sustainability Trust fund needs to come out of limbo and be used as compensation for job loss, pension bridging, early retirement and retraining, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
“There are people on the islands that need access to that funding right now, not years into the future,” said Coons. “The truth is, most of those jobs are already gone, so people need help now.”
