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The Public Affairs Update is your weekly insight, perspective and analysis on politics in British Columbia and Canada. This newsletter is brought to you by the largest, and most broadly-based business organization in the province, the BC Chamber of Commerce – the Voice of Business in BC.
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| 63% of BC Businesses Unprepared for PST Transition |
| A recent survey by the BC Chamber of Commerce has revealed that 63% of businesses do not feel prepared for the transition back to the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on April 1, 2013.”There are many PST resources now available that BC businesses need to avail themselves of and be made aware of,” said John Winter, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce. “There is a tremendous opportunity for Chambers of Commerce to work cooperatively with the Provincial Government to make sure this knowledge gap is filled. Together we can ensure that the coming transition is a smooth one.”
In total 970 businesses across British Columbia took part in the PST business survey. Of those, 62% were not aware of the changes that will be made to the PST, and 73% did not feel they had received adequate information. Through the depth and breadth of the Chamber of Commerce Network in BC, the BC Chamber was able to reach businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions of the province.
For more information on the transition back to the PST, businesses are encouraged to contact their local Chamber of Commerce, visit the BC Chamber website or access the wealth of information provided by the Provincial Government: PST in BC and webinars. |
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Healthcare Professionals’ Job Action
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 The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) has been in negotiations with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) since Tuesday to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. The HSPBA is seeking a four percent wage increase over two years with no concessions, stating that many professions in BC are compensated poorly by comparison to their counterparts in other provinces.Service provided by hospital pharmacists, public health inspectors, dietitians, physiotherapists and medical imaging technologists was significantly reduced last week, following job action by thousands of health science professionals in all six of the province’s health jurisdictions. Many non-urgent medical imaging procedures, including non-emergency X-rays, mammograms, sonograms, MRIs, CT scans and other diagnostic imaging procedures, will need to be rescheduled. Essential services, such as emergency care, continue to run without disruption.
The HEABC has already reached three of five collective agreements in the health sector with bargaining associations representing nurses, Resident physicians and other health services employees. |
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New Poll Indicates BC Liberals Making Gains in Public Opinion
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| A new Ipsos Reid poll shows that the BC Liberals have made gains in popular opinion, due in part to a decline in support for the BC Conservative Party.Nearly half of decided voters (48 per cent) say they support the NDP, while the BC Liberals now have the support of 35 per cent of decided voters. The BC Conservatives have 9 per cent of British Columbians’ support, while they Green Party has 7 per cent.
Premier Clark’s approval rating remains unchanged since September at 34 per cent. Adrian Dix, leader of the BC NDP, has an approval rating of 53 per cent, while John Cummins, leader of the BC Conservative Party, sits at 13 per cent. |
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Staff Changes in Premier Clark’s Office
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| Premier Christy Clark has hired Ben Chin as her Director of Communications. Mr. Chin, a former journalist, was also previously Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s head of media relations.Ken Dawson, former Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Education, joins the Premier’s office as a policy director. Maclean Kay, formerly in caucus communications, has also been brought on. |
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This weekly report produced for the BC Chamber of Commerce by Fleishman-Hillard. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication as of the date of issue, events and government policies are subject to frequent change. Therefore, the BC Chamber of Commerce and Fleishman-Hillard cannot assume any responsibility for actions taken solely or principally on the basis on the information contained herein.
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