2008: News Archive

The Report: December 2008 vol.29 num.5 by BEV PAUSCHE lison -Ali" Gaul, a child life specialist and mother of two young children, ran for council in Esquimalt November 15, winning a spot on council to represent her community. On two of Novembers wettest days, Gaul was out door knocking in Esquimalt, surprising many residents with her determination and energy. -Lots...

The Report: December 2008 vol.29 num.5 by YUKIE KURAHASHI hen the phone rings in the night, it might be the police. Or a social worker. Or the hospital where an abused woman has been admitted for treatment. -And a lot of times the women call themselves ... often just to talk," says Julie McKee, a night-time counsellor at Victoria Womens...

The Report: December 2008 vol.29 num.5 by REID JOHNSON rganizing to Win. That was the theme of this years BC Federation of Labour convention held in Vancouver at the end of November. Much of the convention focused on the ways our labour movement is working to bring issues important to working people into our everyday interactions and discussions with our...

The Report: December 2007 / January 2008 vol.28 num.6 by REID JOHNSON s the finishing touches were being put on the 1500-page report fromthe BC governments yearlong Conversation on Health, Health MinisterGeorge Abbott continued to pussy-foot around the issue of increasedprivatization of our health care system. Following a meeting with former UK Health Minister Frank Dobson who warned Abbott about...

The Report: December 2007 / January 2008 vol.28 num.6by LAURA BUSHEIKIN ean Lee was an HSA member for 18 years without giving much thought towhat she could do for the union, or what it could do for her. -I had no clue," says Lee ruefully. This changed radically last February when Lee reluctantly accepted the position of General Steward for...

The Report: December 2007 / January 2008 vol.28 num.6 by YUKIE KURAHASHI hen she answers the door to her suburban Victoria home, her facelights up. She seems just as shes always been: lively, with thatmischievous light in her eyes. But former HSA board member JennyRobertson is facing new challenges. An occupational therapist is just heading out the door, saying her...

HSA is holding a non-partisan election campaign school for members who are interested in working on election campaigns or running for political office. The school will focus on the provincial election scheduled for May 12, 2009. If you want to help elect representatives who will support public health care and community social services, or are considering running for elected office...

Penticton Western NewsI want to take this moment to say a huge thanks to everyone who voted for me and my bid to be a Penticton School Trustee. My campaign was financed by a very small budget. Without the support of my union, Health Sciences Association, the Canadian Labour Congress, the South Okanagan Boundary Labour Council and the Penticton International...

Through the union's Committee for Equality and Social Action, HSA is supporting the "We Can" campaign to end violence against women. The campaign kicks off in Vancouver with a dinner November 25 featuring guest speakers Mona Mehta of Oxfam Great Britain, Sandra Moran, of Guatemala's Women's Sector of the Civil Society, and Robert Fox, executive director of Oxfam Canada. HSA...

Ottawa (19 Nov. 2008) ... Health professionals are calling todays speech from the throne a -huge disappointment" because it failed to address important issues facing Canadas health-care system. "Its clear from this throne speech that the Harper government doesnt view health care as a top priority and in fact seems to suggest the job is pretty much done," says Elisabeth...