Vernon Needs Our Help

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Published on Thursday, 19 May 2022 08:00

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When a community tells a resource extraction corporation ‘No!’, it should mean No!

Yet, less than a year after the Vernon community reached out to CodeBlue to help stop Tolko from clear cutting 500 meters above Duteau Creek, Vernon’s drinking water intake for 50,000 residents, Tolko is at it again!

In response to an action we set up last year that resulted in nearly 500 letters from Vernon residents sent to the Minister of Forests and the Vernon MLA, Tolko altered their plans for the cutblock. However, last week residents reached out to us again, as Tolko is requesting to log that same cutblock, this time 800 meters from the Greater Vernon water intake.

The North Okanagan Regional District still opposes this cutblock, as do community members, all of whom lack the decision-making power to stop this logging from occurring.

This cutblock could be potentially "catastrophic" if a debris flow or landslide were to be triggered and could end up costing Vernon residents more than $300 million spent on impacts to the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Healthy British Columbians and clean water must Read more: Vernon Needs Our Help

Indigenous laws in action

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Published on Wednesday, 18 May 2022 17:25

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Read more: Indigenous laws in action

Unist'ot'en Work Camp May 23-June 11

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Published on Wednesday, 18 May 2022 10:18

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Read more: Unist'ot'en Work Camp May 23-June 11

State of BC Health - May 2022

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Published on Wednesday, 18 May 2022 08:00

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Your May 2022 monthly update from the
BC Health Coalition

UPDATES

Community Victory! BC provides health coverage for people with maintained status

After rallies, position papers, press releases and an open letter, people with maintained status can breath a sigh of relief. Effective May 1, 2022, the Ministry of Health has announced that the Medical Services Plan (MSP) policy will be updated so individuals with maintained status can access MSP until a decision is made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on their application for extension.

Click here to read the full update from Sanctuary Health.

BC Government funds more for-profit long-term care homes

Recently, the BC Government announced they will contract Kaigo Senior Living to build and operate 90 new for-profit long...

Read more: State of BC Health - May 2022

This is what local climate action looks like

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Published on Saturday, 14 May 2022 08:59

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Read more: This is what local climate action looks like

BC Government funds more for-profit Long-Term Care Homes

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Published on Friday, 13 May 2022 09:10

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Paov --

Recently, the BC Government announced they will contract Kaigo Senior Living to build and operate 90 new for-profit long term care beds in Vernon BC.

This is in complete contradiction to their campaign promise during the 2020 election:

“The BC Liberals doled out hundreds of millions to for-profit corporations to create new care homes – and it failed miserably, with four of those care homes put under public administration for failing to provide required levels of care.” - BC NDP platform

Out of the 495 publicly funded new long term care beds being built in BC, only 75 will be publicly operated, while the other 420 beds will be contracted out to for-profit and not-for-profit operators. As mentioned, the first 90 beds in Vernon have already been awarded to a for-profit company and the other contracts, Penticton (90 beds) and Kelowna (140 beds), are waiting to be announced.

We expect that more for-profit long term care beds will be announced this...

Read more: BC Government funds more for-profit Long-Term Care Homes

Help us shine some light on LNG greenwashing

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Published on Tuesday, 10 May 2022 16:59

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Read more: Help us shine some light on LNG greenwashing

[Sjsall] refugee support

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Published on Tuesday, 10 May 2022 10:12

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Dear Friends of SJS,

Please see the email below from Kara Shaw (Environmental Studies) asking for financial support for a refugee couple from Afghanistan.

Regards, Margo

Margo L. Matwychuk, PhD

Director, Social Justice Studies

University of Victoria

Territories of the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSANEC Peoples

PO Box 1700 STN CSC

Victoria BC V8W 2Y2

Office: Cornett B210

PH: (250) 721-6283

FAX: (250) 721-6215

We acknowledge and respect the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples on whose unceded territory the university stands and whose relationships with the land continue to this day.

You have received this email because you signed up for the UVic Social Justice Studies email list. To be removed, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with "REMOVE" in the subject line.

Hello Friends,

I have some news, and I could use your help. A few friends and I have formed a group to sponsor a refugee couple from Afghanistan.

Thirty-year-old “Fatima” (all identifying information in this letter has been changed to keep this couple safe)...

Read more: [Sjsall] refugee support

[evoz] Reps. Omar, Bush, & Bowman came to Guatemala with us - come to the reportback!

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Published on Tuesday, 10 May 2022 09:22

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Read more: [evoz] Reps. Omar, Bush, & Bowman came to Guatemala with us - come to the reportback!

Join trail trips to old-growth forests this summer!

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Published on Monday, 02 May 2022 16:59

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Read more: Join trail trips to old-growth forests this summer!

Stop the chainsaws at Argenta Face Forest

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Published on Thursday, 28 April 2022 16:14

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Read more: Stop the chainsaws at Argenta Face Forest

[evoz] CASC Cafe reninder

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Published on Sunday, 24 April 2022 15:35

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Reminder of Café coming soon!

Victoria Central America Support Committee

You are invited to Cafe Simpatico –

Live, in person and on location!

Friday April 29 –

doors open at 7 pm. Live music with “Dancing on a Pony Keg.” Presentation at 8 pm: Canadian Tourism in Cuba

by Robbie Clarke, local community and international solidarity activist.

Earth Day. There's still time for change.

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Published on Friday, 22 April 2022 09:27

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Read more: Earth Day. There's still time for change.

State of BC Health - April 2022

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Published on Thursday, 21 April 2022 08:01

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Your April 2022 monthly update from the
BC Health Coalition

UPDATE

B.C. spends at least $27M at private clinics to catch up on surgical backlog

The B.C. government recently released just how high the public bill has been for the use of private clinics to catch up on its surgical backlog, a figure that has been on steady climb even before the pandemic.

In 2015/2016, just $4.7 million went to private surgeries. The next year, the figure had more than tripled to $14.5 million. By 2019/20, it had reached $23 million. In 2020-21, B.C. spent $27 million.

According to BCHC research associate Andrew Longhurst, "It can become more difficult to reduce wait time in the medium- to long-term in the public system because you're actually moving those...

Read more: State of BC Health - April 2022