Poisoned drugs are now the fifth-leading cause of deaths in B.C. just behind cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes, and above COVID-19, according to modelling presented earlier this month.
And the rate of deaths this year is at its greatest since data recording began with 38 people dying per 100,000 in the population. In 2020, the rate was 33.5 people per 100,000.
Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions continue to see the highest total deaths with 137 and 171 so far this year respectively.
But northern B.C. is bearing the highest per-capita toll at 56.7 deaths per 100,000 and
41 deaths this year.
On the five-year anniversary of the province’s first and longest public health emergency earlier this month, Malcolmson announced B.C. would formally seek permission from Ottawa to decriminalize drugs for personal use.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall will argue against a legal bid from the Barngarla Aboriginal Determination Corporation to stop drilling on sacred land in the state’s far-north.
Mr Marshall, who is also the Aboriginal Affairs Minister, will argue that the Barngarla people should not be allowed to proceed with their legal challenge, after he approved mineral exploration at Lake Torrens.
In January this year, the Barngarla people launched a Supreme Court judicial review in an attempt to stop exploration company Kelaray, a subsidiary of Argonaut Resources, from drilling on a sacred site.
The site is listed as an Aboriginal heritage place but is not protected under native title law.
The province will also finish phasing out the lower wage for liquor servers, which critics have called sexist since it is mainly paid to women. Under the policy, critiqued in The Tyee’s Slaves to Tips series, servers could legally be paid $1.25 less an hour than other workers.
Both of those moves follow through on commitments the government made three years ago in response to recommendations from the government-appointed Fair Wages Commission.
At that time, Bains also announced an initial increase to the piece rate amounts paid to farm workers but said the government would need another six months for further study before mandating any more increases. On that timeline, the work would have been completed in the fall of 2018.
His criticisms included that the amount offered is less than the minimum wage in B.C. for someone working full-time hours, and that there’s too long a lag between when a worker stays home from work and when they can expect to be paid through the program.
In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford’s government had offered to contribute to the federal program so that benefits to workers in his province could be doubled, but the federal government rejected the offer, saying its program is intended as a stopgap while provinces move to mandate their own paid sick leave.
Horgan said in B.C. his government’s focus has been on establishing a national paid sick leave program and he still believes that would be the best solution, but it’s become clear the federal government doesn’t intend to improve the CRSB.
The New Brunswick legislature in Fredericton. (Image: Brad Perry)
The provincial government announced the role on March 24th as part of an effort to develop an understanding of the nature and impact of systemic racism.
According to a release essential qualifications include a demonstrated understanding of the demographic, social, economic, cultural and linguistic context in New Brunswick.
“We are eager to begin this work, which will examine the nature and impact of systemic racism in our province and result in recommendations to address related concerns,” said Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn.
The commissioner is required to produce a report with recommendations on a provincial strategy and action plan to address concerns of barriers opportunity and equitable access to programs and services.