HALIFAX - Nova Scotia and P.E.I. both set their legal age for marijuana at 19 on Thursday, but the two East Coast provinces are taking different paths on how weed will be sold. P.E.I. said it will sell marijuana at standalone outlets run separately by its liquor commission, while Nova Scotia said pot will be sold alongside alcohol in its provincial liquor stores. Read more...
It is with tremendous sadness to learn of the passing of Tsleil-Waututh leader, Leonard George.
Leonard, served as Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh nation, was an iconic leader and teacher to thousands of people across British Columbia. In his special way, he was able to build bridges between communities and encouraged everyone to work together as one. His knowledge and wisdom drew many to his side ...
Today, December 7, is the final day to provide submissions to B.C.'s Fair Wages Commission. The BCGEU would like to mark this date by calling for the immediate implementation of a $15 per hour minimum wage for all workers in our province.
The BCGEU is a tireless advocate for fair wages for all workers. Daily, BCGEU members providing health and social services confront the consequences of low wa...
British Columbia will introduce a system of public and private retailers to sell recreational cannabis and set a minimum age of 19 to buy and use the drug when it is legal next year. Solicitor-General Mike Farnworth released the NDP government's preliminary vision for legal cannabis on Tuesday after a consultation process that received nearly 50,000 submissions and sought input from First Natio...
Recreational pot sold in British Columbia will be sold at both public and privately run stores, the provincial government says. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth made several announcements Tuesday morning about what the future of recreational pot would be in B.C. ahead of the federal government's anticipated legalization of the drug in July 2018. Read more...
British Columbians will have to be at least 19 years of age to buy and use marijuana once the federal government legalizes recreational pot in the summer. B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth announced the minimum age limit Tuesday in releasing a series of policy decisions on the regulation of non-medicinal marijuana. Read more...
The provincial government unveiled Tuesday how recreational marijuana will be sold once it's legalized and how old British Columbians will have to be to buy it.
The province is, essentially, going to implement a similar system as it operates for alcohol. It's likely that there will be a separate system, apart from liquor stores, where people will go to buy pot.
Read more...
While the BC Government Employees Union welcomes the first provincial rules governing legal pot they admit as far as timing they are behind the eight ball. President Stephanie Smith says it is a good say with the province announcing legal marijuana will be distributed exclusively through the BC Liquor Distribution Branch. Read more...
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The BC government has released its plan for recreational marijuana following a public consultation process with more than 48,000 responses. It will set the legal smoking age at 19 to coincide with the minimum age for alcohol and tobacco, as well as the age of majority in BC. Pot will be sold in both private businesses and in government run stores. Read more...
Union activists from across the province gathered in Surrey BC this week to discuss important issues for Component 1 members.We reviewed grievance arbitration, short term illness and injury plan (STIIP) and long term disability (LTD) issues, gangs and threats, pensions and more. We also were updated on the progress of sheriff retention and recruitment efforts. Attorney General David Eby sent a ...
Union activists from across the province gathered in Surrey BC this week to discuss important issues for Component 1 members.We reviewed grievance arbitration, short term illness and injury plan (STIIP) and long term disability (LTD) issues, gangs and threats, pensions and more. Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth sent a video message of support to the conference, ...
I am saddened today to inform BCGEU members and staff that long-time former employee Maureen Headley passed away on Monday December 4 after a long fight with cancer.
Maureen worked at the BCGEU for over 12 years. She served BCGEU members as an organizer, as the assistant director of Membership Records, and as both assistant director and later as director of the Collective Bargaining & Arbit...
December 5, 2017 BC's Liquor Distribution Branch the right choice to manage cannabis The B.C. government's decision to make the Liquor Distribution Branch responsible for the distribution of non-medical cannabis is the right choice for British Columbia, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union said today. "We applaud the BC government's decision to warehouse and distribute cannabis...
December 6:
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
December 6th is a dark day in our country’s history. It marks the anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal, in which 14 women were singled out for their gender and killed.
The 14 women slain in this horrific act of misogyny and gender-based violence were Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, N...
BCGEU welcomes wildfire review The BC Government and Service Employees' Union welcomes the BC government's announcement of an independent review of wildfire and flood response today. "Our members, who provide on-the-ground emergency fire and flood response across the province, are happy to hear that the government has initiated a review of the catastrophic natural events of the past year,"...
Victoria – Today the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions announced an escalation of their emergency response to the overdose crisis. To deal with the deepening crisis across the province, the government is setting up a centralized Overdose Emergency Response Centre to coordinate a response to the overdose crisis that spans the province.
“Seeing the government move forward with creating new...
The federal government's plan to legalize marijuana by next summer is a step closer. Bill C-45 received final approval Monday in the House of Commons, passing by a vote of 200-82. Read more...
National Aboriginal Peoples CircleBCGEUVancouver Island Human Rights CommitteePSACBC
Presents a
SACRED WATER CEREMONY
According to Vice News Canada, as of July 31 2017, there were a total of 121 First Nations under 172 drinking water advisories across Canada.
ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT
Join Todd Smith, PSAC A/Regional Executive Vice-President, and Sussanne Skidmore, ...
Following the launch of a campaign on housing affordability earlier this month, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) has released a report detailing recommendations on how the province can solve the housing affordability crisis. The Building an Affordable B.C. report provides recommendations aimed at tackling the root of the housing crisis: speculation on the part of financi...
On November 1, 2017 the commissioners for the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls released their interim report, Our Women and Girls are Sacred. As an organization with standing in the Inquiry, the BCGEU has carefully reviewed the 118-page report which clearly demonstrates the enormous scope of the Inquiry. The report includes some very startling statistics – I...
The Daily Courier (Kelowna)
Tue Nov 21 2017
It’s late afternoon and you receive a text message: ‘Friends coming for dinner. Pleasepick up wine.‘You pull into the neighbourhood liquor store, pick up a bottle of yourfavourite wine and head home. A familiar scene taking place across the province everyday.
When you go into your local liquor store, you have confidence knowing that you’re buyinga qua...
B.C.'s fastest growing union launches housing affordability plan
Following the launch of a campaign on housing affordability earlier this month, the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) has released a report detailing recommendations on how the province can solve the housing affordability crisis.
The Building an Affordable B.C. report provides recommendations aimed at ta...
As you may be aware, the province has been undertaking steps to reinstate the BC Human Rights Commission. The BCGEU is pleased to hear that the provincial government is taking this step and that the province has called on all British Columbians to engage in the process by sharing their thoughts and opinions on what the commission should look like.
The BCGEU has developed a submission that bring...
VICTORIA - While the New Democrats prepare to do their share on marijuana legalization, they are also lobbying Ottawa to preserve the province's position as one of the leading producers of what has been called B.C.'s largest cash crop. "The reality is this," said Solicitor General Mike Farnworth, lead minister on the file for B.C. "We have had in this province an industry that's been in place f...
There is a runaway freight train barrelling down the track at all provincial governments, and the young B.C. NDP government is no exception to its impact. I'm referring to the looming legalization of recreational marijuana, which will create a hornet's nest of problems at the provincial government level. Read more...
BCGEU Headquarters is on the unceded and shared traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam),
Skxwú7mesh (Squamish) & Səlí̓ lwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
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