According to emails released through British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, conservation officers with the Ministry of Environment want and need body cameras when they are in the field.
The hope is that cameras would keep officers safe and protect their reputations among the public.
Why it’s important:
An incident occurred last year near Dawson Creek, BC, where Conservation Officer Micah Kneller was called to deal with a sickly black bear cub. A young couple had rescued the cub and were taking care of it. According to the official statement, when Kneller arrived he determined that the cub had to be euthanized as per wildlife regulations. The couple protested, but Kneller took the bear away to be put down.
In response, the couple took pictures and recordings of the officer and posted them to social media, where they claimed the officer killed the bear in front of them. This resulted in severe public backlash for Kneller and for the Ministry of Environment.
After the incident, Kneller and a superior officer said in an email conversation that they would like to have shoulder cameras to wear on-duty. Kneller’s superior stressed that he already uses his phone in his breast pocket as a camera in sensitive situations.
David Karn from the BC Ministry of Environment’s Media Relations department denied all requests for comment from Kneller and his superior officer regarding their email conversation.
What others say:
Conservation officers regularly work with rehabilitation facilities—and some of them support officers having body cameras.
“I think it’s a very good idea to protect the officer because the way (the incident) was described by the couple was very cruel, and I’ve never seen an officer act like this when I’ve worked with them,” Angelika Langen said.
Langen, one of the founders of the Northern Lights Wildlife Society, had been willing to take the cub in question. She said it’s almost impossible to know the details of what really happened without having been there. She also noted that BC government policies put the officer in that situation to begin with, and changing those policies would help as much as cameras.
Officially regulated use of body cameras for conservation officers may not be a reality in British Columbia or any other Canadian province, but it is in some places south of the border.
The state of Pennsylvania passed legislation in 2014 to allow their conservation officers to wear attachable body cameras while on the job. It provides an exception for conservation officers that allows them to have body cameras as long as they have gone through the same training required by police officers.
Dan Moul, the Pennsylvania State Representative that sponsored the legislation, said that having body cameras is a matter of safety for officers—but they can also help keep them out of the courts
“When they have somebody on film, doing something that they shouldn’t be doing, it pretty much seals the case,” Moul said. “They kind of pay for themselves and bring about more professionalism in the industry.”
What’s next:
Although the emails from Kneller to his superior officer seem to imply that the officers have already discussed using body cameras, there has not been legislation passed that allows them to do so.
But as shown by Moul’s legislation in Pennsylvania, the concept seems to be effective in protecting officers and the public—and deserves consideration in Canada.
“Beyond any shadow of any doubt, they should do this,” Moul said. “You can’t give me a list of anything bad about having body cams, but I can give you a dozen reasons why you should do it.”
The topic: Newfoundland and Labrador’s long term care system.
Senior citizens in Newfoundland and Labrador face large wait lists in order to receive long term care. Photo: Creative Commons.
What’s new: The wait list for individuals who are in need of long term care in Newfoundland and Labrador has reached nearly 300 people, as the senior citizen community is expected to expand by over 75 percent in the next 12 years.
Why it’s important: The waiting list for long term care (LTC) facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador are at the highest they have been in nearly two years according to a provincial government briefing note.
The number of people waiting in August of 2016 reached 295, all looking for a place in a care facility.
These individuals either suffer from debilitating disabilities, or are senior citizens who are no longer able to survive without aid.
The provincial government said in the briefing note that this has becoming a growing concern due to the aging baby boomer population.
This documentation was obtained through a previously released access to information request file through the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial government.
Files from a 2014 briefing note regarding Newfoundland and Labrador’s long term care bed planning project. Retrieved through an access to information request.
The briefing notes from 2014, which focus on the province’s bed planning project, stated that the 75 plus community is projected to increase by 77 percent over the next 12 years.
The government has put in place “initiatives to decrease demand for LTC beds by enhancing community support” said the document.
According to the department of health and community service’s website community support refers to home care and special assistance. These programs allow individuals to receive government funding for treatment and care without having to leave their home.
Despite the bed planning initiative the document shows that a high volume of people sill remain on waiting lists.
The nearly three-year-old documents said that there were under 3000 beds in 41 facilities across all of Newfoundland and Labrador.
What the government says: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Health, Dr. John Haggie said that long term care is a major concern for the provincial government.
“We have the fastest aging demographic in Canada and we also currently have the largest proportion of seniors,” said Haggie.
He said that the province’s plan to reduce the demand for long term care has been effective in eliminating nearly half of people from the waiting lists.
Haggie added that 2017 has been a fiscally challenging year for the province. But he does not anticipate any cuts to long term care funding.
What others say: Grant Maddigan, a recent university graduate, said that his grandmother has been waiting to be accepted into a long term care facility since the beginning of August.
Maddigan admitted his frustration about the situation over email. And said that eight months is too long to wait for care.
He added that his grandmother, who wished to remain unnamed, visits a care facility in St. John’s daily, where her husband has been receiving care since July. He said she hopes that she can be admitted to the same facility soon.
What’s next: Premier Dwight Ball announced during a press conference that a new long term care building will begin construction in Corner Brook in the fall of 2017.
He said the new facility will have enough beds to accommodate 120 individuals who are seeking care.
According to last year’s budget speech, the majority of the province’s funds go directly to health care.
The 2017 provincial budget is due to be released in the coming weeks.
Correspondance with the Federal Government in response to my Access to Information Request.Correspondance regarding previously requested access to information request.Correspondance with the Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in regards to my access to information request.Information regarding my previously requested access to information request.Municipal access to information request from the city of St. John’s, NL.
Caribou from the Quintette herd of B.C. Photo from the CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, by photographer Libby Ehlers.
What’s new?
In an email exchange from May 2016, obtained by using provincial access to information laws, ecosystem biologists Kyle Rezansoff and Kerry Harvey have expressed their professional concern that a potential coal mine in B.C. will threaten a nearby caribou herd.
Why it’s important?
The proposed Sukunka coal mine would be expected to last for 20 years and to be dug near the Peace River Valley in the north-eastern corner of the province by multinational mining company Glencore. Because the coal mining project falls into the habitat of the endangered Quintette herd, it would place it in even greater peril.
The Sukunka project area is also near Tumbler Ridge, where a coal mining project was refused in a March 2010 ruling in West Moberly First Nations v. British Columbia. http://www.wcel.org/1st-moot/moot-case
The Government of British Columbia says that the Quintette’s endangered status is a “result of habitat loss, fragmentation and alteration, and an increased predation associated with various forms of industrial activity”. Information on Central Mountain Caribou
The biologists expressed concern that the Sukunka project will threaten the caribou if it is to be built within less than three kilometres of the caribou habitat on the high elevation winter range. Glencore proposed it be built within 500 metres. The distance between the caribou’s habitat and human activity is what the biologists called a “buffer zone”.
On May 5th 2016, Rezansoff wrote to Harvey about Eco-Logic’s 500- metres buffer zone. “I don’t know how well we can rely on that distance being suitable”, he said. “We have science stating that the caribou are negatively affected up to four kilometres away from industrial activity”, before adding, “a conservative three-kilometre buffer zone from the Sukunka project seems to be reasonable”.
On the same day, Harvey wrote: “I’ve just been sitting here reflecting on about the Sukunka caribou call we participated and have some concerns looking forward to tomorrow’s conversation”.
Harvey then added that it seems obvious a precautionary approach be taken when dealing with the Quintette, given their endangered nature and that the three-kilometre buffer zone should be suggested during the conversation with their superiors.
What the government says?
It is unknown whether the experts’ advice was followed or not. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations did not reply to multiple attempts to contact them about the buffer zone’s width.
The government of British Columbia does not say when the Sukunka project’s review will be finished.
According to Chris Johnson, an Ecosystem Science and Management Program Professor of the University of Northern British Columbia, coal mines can leave a huge footprint on the caribou and can result in the loss of a large area of caribou habitat. Johnson spent 11 years collecting data about caribou range in BC.
He said that “the consensus among most people is that the high elevation range shouldn’t be disturbed.” These open mines often are dug on top of mountains says the professor, and this landscape is preferred by the caribou.
Johnson says that open mines like Glencore plans to dig are often dug on top of mountains and they do two things: drive caribou away to lower regions where wolves live and also open up trails for wolves to travel up to high elevation range that caribou may still inhabit. Wolves are the caribou’s main predator.
What’s next?
Johnson says it seems counter-intuitive that the B.C. Government would announce a $27M investment into caribou protection last month and potentially approve a multinational’s project that would place one of the biggest herds of the region in peril.
“500 metres is not very far- four kilometres is a lot farther, but it’s not very far either”, says Johnson.
The caribou ranges in north-east B.C. The triangles show the area where the Quintette herd currently inhabits. Created by Chris Johnson and his team over 11 years.
Glencore’s response to inquiries about buffer zones was: “Part of our [environmental assessment] discussion is aimed at getting consensus on the appropriate distances between any future mining activity and this habitat”.
What’s new: Documents obtained through the Access to Information Act show that Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) proposed an initiative to the Canada 150 fund in April 2015 titled: “Canada 150: Mentoring the Disability Leaders of Tomorrow Today.”
It was one of seven initiatives put forth by the department. However, all were ultimately rejected except for the 2017 Canada Summer Jobs Program.
The initiative planned to reach out to a national disability organization and have them identify 150 “disability leaders” across Canada. Those leaders would then be paired up with 150 Canadians living with disabilities for a mentorship opportunity. The ultimate goal was for leaders to pass on “knowledge, tools, and best practices with the next generation of leaders within disability community.”
Why it’s important: Canada’s 150th birthday is a major milestone, and the federal government has paid it special attention.
Programs and events related to the anniversary have been heavily advertised by all levels of government, and at the helm of this is the Canada 150 fund. According to the department of Canadian Heritage, the fund has received over 3,000 applications so far, and has a 200 million-dollar budget to give out.
A snapshot of the Canada 150 section on the Government of Canada’s website.
But to date, only 430 of those applications have been approved for funding. Canadian Heritage says 38 of these are large-scale “signature projects”, and 392 are smaller “community projects”.
What’s unclear is if there’s a specific allocation for initiatives targeted to help disadvantaged groups, like people living with disabilities.
An initiative “screening tool” provided by the Canada 150 fund to ESDC asks how a proposed initiative will contribute to themes like “Canada’s cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and geographic diversity” and “Leaving a legacy for future generations.”
But despite these socially-minded guidelines, many of the approved initiatives are centered on celebratory events. Examples range from a citywide game of snakes and ladders in Calgary, to the “Red Couch Tour”, where a couch will move from coast to coast to bring Canadians together to share stories.
What the government says: When asked why the disability initiative was rejected, the ESDC said in an e-mail statement only that: “ESDC’s contribution to Canada 150 has evolved since the briefing note was prepared.”
Tim Warmington, a spokesperson for Canadian Heritage, says the department cannot discuss or provide information about why certain applications have been rejected.
What others say: Dr. Mary McColl, academic lead at the Canadian Disability Policy Alliance, finds it hard to understand why the ESDC’s disability initiative wouldn’t be attractive to the Canada 150 fund.
She says she understands that Canada 150 is about celebrating and having fun, but feels there should be a certain amount of money set aside for projects “that are actually making a difference in Canadian society.”
This is particularly important, she says, for Canadians living with disabilities. “People with disabilities make up about 15 per cent of the Canadian population, and so arguably 15 per cent of the money should’ve gone to disability topics.”
Overall, she believes the rejection of this initiative speaks to a larger problem: the federal government’s lack of proper attention to disability issues.
What’s next: Canadian Heritage is expected to continue announcing approved projects in the coming weeks, right up until the exact 150th anniversary on July 1st.
Of the large-scale “signature” projects approved thus far, one is related to disability issues. Titled “Access4All”, it provides funds to the Rick Hansen foundation, an organization that helps communities create more accessible environments for those living with disabilities.
A media relations representative for ESDC says the department is unsure whether it will try to continue to move forward with their own disability initiative.
Pages relevant to the final story: *The following four pages are all from Employment and Social Development Canada
First page: This gives a brief outline of the disability initiative, and indicates which branch put it forth (Office for Disability Issues). This information was helpful because it details what the project would entail, and also how much it would cost ($2.5 million).
Second page: This page shows how the ESDC filled out an “initiative screening tool” provided to them by the Canada 150 fund. The tool was supposed to help evaluate the efficacy of a proposed initiative It’s helpful because it shows what exactly the Canada 150 fund was looking for in this regard, and how well the disability initiative fit in to that.
Third page: This is another filled out initiative screening tool, but for the Canada Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP). This was the only initiative of the seven from ESDC to receive money from the Canada 150 fund, so it’s helpful in that it provides an opportunity to compare and contrast how each initiative fit in to the requirements for the fund.
The topic: The rising costs of the criminal justice system (CJS).
What’s new: According to documents obtained through the Access to Information Act, overall CJS costs increased by 36 percent from 2002-2012. The 2016 document, prepared for the Deputy Minister of Justice on trends in the CJS, revealed that policing, court systems, and corrections costs were among the highest noted. Statistics since 2012 were not presented in the package.
Why it’s important: The nation’s criminal justice system is an expensive machine comprised of several moving parts. Over a ten year span, policing costs have grown by 43 percent, court system costs by 21 percent, and correction costs by 32 percent.
In terms of policing expenses, Jeffrey Monaghan, a professor of criminology at Carleton University, explains that if one police union requests a pay increase, a neighbouring union will demand the same. This “horse race” is one of the largest contributors to the upsurge in policing costs, says Monaghan, adding that the mandate for officers has changed as well. Police are now expected to make community outreach a priority, thus doing the work of a volunteer on an officer’s salary.
Despite there being many expenses weighing on the court system, Ian Carter, the vice president of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), says that nothing has had a greater impact on the system than court delays. A decision that came out of the Supreme Court last year assigning time frames in which cases at the provincial and superior levels need to be heard, tried, and closed; 18 and 30 months, respectively. If cases are not closed before the prescribed time, the Crown pays a fee. Carter says that arbitrarily selecting time limits was an ill-thought-out decision Canadians are now paying for.
Another expense taxpayers’ dollars are covering is a corrections system impeding rehabilitation, says Monaghan. With approximately 5000 people entering prisons every year, a bottleneck is being created, breeding violence and accelerating the wear-and-tear on aging structures. Monaghan says funds are allocated towards accommodating growth, rather than improving parole programs and as a result, resources are spent adapting to the problem rather than solving it.
What the government says: Ian McLeod, a media relations representative for the Department of Justice, wrote in an email that “the federal government is committed to ensuring our criminal justice system works efficiently and effectively,” but failed to provide concrete examples of how the government is tackling the rising costs of the CJS.
What others say: It’s a complex problem with a complex solution, says Monaghan, calling the CJS “a whole system of broken stages.”
Carter agrees, adding that current strategies being employed are “expensive way(s) to deal with the problem,” and equates them to expanding a highway to accommodate volume rather than working to lessen traffic; it is neither cost-effective nor does it directly address the issue.
What’s next: A government task force has been established to privatize police, meaning that tasks including court duty, investigations, and crime scene analysis, would be carried out by civilians with the same schooling as police officers, with the exception of weapons training. These pseudo-police will work for 40 percent less than a salaried officer, says Monaghan.
The CBA compiled a list of ten solutions to solve the court delay issue, which includes eliminating preliminary inquiries, thus limiting the number of cases being tried, says Carter. Fewer offenders going to trial means fewer hours logged by judges, resulting in a lower risk of court delays and therefore fewer fees incurred by the Crown.
As there is no current plan to address the lack of resources for prisoners hoping to reintegrate into society, Monaghan says it’s likely the rate of repeat offenders will rise, reinforcing the system that overpays its over-worked police force and strains court resources.
This is a document prepared for the Deputy Minister of Justice on current trends in the criminal justice system and it was prepared by the Research and Statistics Division of the Department of Justice. It was very helpful and well-organized. The ample amount of charts and thorough bullet points made it easy to understand the information and isolate key facts that would make a good story.
The topic: The detention of undocumented refugees when they cross into Canada.
What’s new: National and location specific orientation information booklets given to detainees have been released under a recent Access to Information Request.
Why it’s important: These documents paint a picture of what life is like for refugees inside Canadian detention centres.
“You were detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,” the documents begin.
The documents show that detainees are searched and handcuffed when they are brought to the centre, and any time they leave and return afterwards.
Upon arrival, detainees are given these orientation booklets, offered in 16 different languages to accommodate people coming from as many countries as possible. There is one national booklet that every single detainee receives, and each centre can also have a location-specific booklet to outline its own additional information.
The booklets outline what a refugee can expect day-to-day at the detention centre. This includes meals, phone privileges, and visiting hours.
Wake-up calls start at 5:40 a.m. Since bedtime isn’t until 11:30 p.m., this means the refugees have had only six hours of sleep at best.
Detainees are served breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks. According to Patrizia Giolti of the Canada Border Services Agency, the meals follow the Canada Food Guide and include fish and meat alternatives.
Giolti also says it provides detainees with “access to fresh air” and exercise, but did not elaborate on what that could include. Photos obtained under the Access to Information Act indicate that detainees may have access to a gym area.
Most importantly, the documents outline the detainees’ legal rights, including their right to be represented by counsel at their own expense or through legal aid. According to the booklet, detainees “will be given the necessary information about legal the legal aid services available to [them].” In photos, the phone number for legal aid is written in English and French on a sticker posted on the centre’s bulletin board.
What the government says: Giolti says the agency strives to treat detained persons with respect and dignity.
On whether or not the detainees get adequate time to sleep, she says, “We can tell you the CBSA works to ensure that it is exercising responsibility for detentions to the highest possible standards, with the physical and mental health and well-being of detainees as well as the safety and security of Canadians as the primary considerations.”
What others say: Audrey Macklin, the Chair in Human Rights Law at the University of Toronto, wrote about the people she met in detention centres in a report released in February.
In the report, she says she met a toddler named Alpha, who was born in Canada in 2015 after his mother Glory Anawa came here when she was pregnant to make a refugee claim. She was placed in the Toronto detention centre.
“Born on Canadian soil, Alpha was a Canadian citizen,” Macklin writes. “Sadly, however, he had never seen the outside of the detention centre. Put bluntly, he was a child born and raised in captivity. It was as dehumanizing as it sounds.”
She writes that she hopes the report, published by the International Human Rights Program, would highlight the failures of the Canadian detention system.
Several Montreal-based immigration lawyers did not respond to requests for comment, but Macklin writes in the report that many lawyers don’t speak publicly about the detention centres because they fear it will affect their cases.
What’s next: With the recent influx of refugees entering into Canada, the detention system will be put to the test, and likely pushed to its limits.
What’s new: When emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered in Canada in 2002, the government was concerned that the beetle would eventually spread to other trees. In 2015, it did.
Why it’s important: The emerald ash borer causes up to 100 per cent loss in ash tree stands. The insect has already killed over 100 million ash trees in North America. It attacks all 22 species of the tree in North America.
A recent study by the International Society of Arboriculture estimated the economic damages of timber loss from the pest to be close to $2 billion per year in Canada.
The borer is originally from China, where it causes little damage because of natural predators. However, the insect has few predators in North America.
Ash trees are marked to be removed this summer in Gow Park, Kanata | Photo – Liam Harrap
“There is concern that as ash trees die, EAB will seek alternate hosts as reported in Asia, ” says an internal government document.
The August 13, 2002, risk assessment documents were obtained under the Access to Information Act.
The documents say the “potential for alternative hosts needs to be addressed”.
The borer not only attacks ash trees in China but a species similar to pecans, known as wingnuts.
The document suggests that pecan groves in Southern Ontario could be at risk. Although that industry is small, the borer could have disastrous effects on small nut farms.
The document says elms and walnuts could also be suitable hosts as could other leafy trees. Over 30 per cent of Ontarian forests are deciduous and are potentially threatened.
In 2015, the U.S discovered that the borer had infested white fringe trees. Although ash and white fringe are in the olive family, they are a very separate species. Lilacs and jasmine are in the same family.
The white fringe tree isn’t native to Canada but it’s a popular ornamental.
Other documents obtained under the same act say the Canadian government in 2015 was awaiting the results from further testing by the U.S on what other trees could be at risk.
Since 2013, the Canadian government has been releasing parasitoid wasps through a biocontrol program with the hope that they would eradicate the borer. The wasps eat the beetle’s larva and eggs.
As of 2015, over 85,000 wasps have been released in Ontario and Quebec.
What the government says:Krista Ryalls, lead wasp scientist at Natural Resources Canada says the government “still isn’t sure” if other tree species are threatened by the borer.
While the wasps are harmless to humans, Ryalls says whether they will be effective at eradicating the borer is yet to be seen.
It could be decades before the wasps have any effect, or if at all.
“We will probably lose all the ash,” said Robert Lavallèe, an entomologist with Natural Resources Canada. Even if the wasps work, it could be too late as all the ash trees could already be dead.
What others say: “Nothing will only attack one species,” said Peter Mason, a biocontrol specialist. Most species eat more than one type of food.
The wasps also parasitize birch bronze borer, a native beetle to Canada.
What’s next: Ryall says the Canadian government will continue to “watch the situation closely”, but wouldn’t comment further.
The U.S Department of Agriculture says it’s still testing if there are other food sources for the borer, but wouldn’t comment on the results to-date.
Ryall says it’s likely the wasp program will expand over the next few years as more wasps are released.
However, Mason says that if the borer does find alternative hosts the wasps will be useless.
The wasps find the borer by following chemicals secreted by ash trees. If the borers are elsewhere, like on a white fringe tree, the wasps won’t be able to locate them.
Ryall’s says the government doesn’t know what the wasps will do if they run out of food.
Over $10 million has been spent on the biocontrol program since 2013.
*This piece is based on information gathered from documents obtained under the Access of Information Act. The documents had previously already been released by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The documents were helpful because they said there was concern that EAB may change to a new host. I’ve been working on an in-depth piece concerning EAB and all the sources I had already talked to, said that EAB was ash-specific. However, these documents suggest the potential for an alternative host exists and that EAB has been found infesting white fringe trees. I was able to go back to my sources and ask why they didn’t mention this before, I think it’s something they don’t want to talk about. Especially because if EAB does switch hosts, the parasitoid wasps may not be effective, meaning millions of dollars and years of research may have been for nothing.
Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.Documents obtained under the Access to Information Act. These were already released documents by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.A copy of the letter for my request of documents already released under the Access to Information Act from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.A copy of the letter from the City of Ottawa acknowledging my request for information.A copy of my letter from Parks Canada acknowledging my request for information.
The following is a response from requesting information from the BC government:
Dear Liam Harrap:
Re: Request for Access to Records – Fee Estimate Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA)
I am writing further to your request received by the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Your request is for:
Any records concerning the Northwest Transmission Line, including but not limited to briefs; Exclude emails or cabinet material. (Date Range for Record Search: From 01/01/2009 To 01/01/2011)
Section 75(1) of FOIPPA provides that we may charge a fee for certain limited costs of processing your request. However, the first three hours to search for records and any time spent reviewing and/or severing information from the records is not charged to you. A complete copy of FOIPPA is available online at: http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/96165_00
Due to the size and scope of your request, we are assessing a fee. You may wish to consider options to reduce or possibly eliminate the fee estimate, such as: · Reducing the time period for which you have requested records, or
· Requesting records from specific staff members or program areas in the Ministry, or
· Requesting specific types of records (e.g. final versus draft, correspondence, briefing notes, reports), or
· Requesting electronic copies of the records.
If you choose to narrow your request, a revised fee estimate may be provided. I will work with you to try to find an efficient and cost effective method in which to provide records. The fee of $ 660.00 has been calculated as per the attached Fee Summary.
Due to the amount of the estimate, we will require a deposit in the amount of $330.00. Please send a cheque or money order made payable to the Minister of Finance, quote your file number and mail it to:
Attn: John Wilson Information Access Operations Ministry of Finance PO Box 9569 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9K1
*I’m currently writing an in-depth piece concerning the emerald ash borer. So for this article, I had contacts already and bit and pieces from previous interviews. I originally interviewed Kysta Ryalls (in February) about the effectiveness of the parasitic wasp program. I interviewed Robert Lavallèe (in February) about a program in Montreal using fungus to control the borer. I met Peter Mason (a couple weeks ago) in Ottawa, he does research on biocontrol and we talked about biocontrol legislation in Canada. I also interviewed Paul Chaloux (during reading week) with the U.S Department of Agriculture in regards to how they are fighting emerald ash borer in the U.S.
*When I got my ATIP information a week ago, I contacted Ryalls, Mason, and Chaloux (last week via the phone) again to ask a few follow-up questions concerning the worry of the borer attacking other trees. I also emailed Jason Pollard, a forester with the City of Ottawa, on whether the city plants white fringe (and the city does not).
ORIENTATION PILOT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEES REINFORCES COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
What’s new:
WorkSafeBC developed a Syrian worker orientation pilot program along with the SUCCESS multicultural organization and promoted it during a Refugee Response Team meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia in May 2016, according to documents obtained through the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour of British Columbia.
Why it’s important:
The meeting agenda shows that WorkSafeBC encouraged local immigrant organizations who attended the meeting to adopt and deliver the meeting. This is important and helpful because it shows the value of partnerships between a health and safety regulator like WorksafeBC and local community organizations.
Scott McCloy, Director of Government, Community and Media Relations with WorkSafeBC, emphasizes their role a regulatory body independent of the provincial government. McCloy also highlights that community organizations have local expertise with regards to individual client requirements and are able to connect and communicate directly to their clients in Arabic to inform them about the workshop. In these preliminary stages, the aim of the pilot program is to make work-ready Arabic speaking immigrants, including the large influx from Syria, “aware of their rights as employees and employers”, according to McCloy.
What the government says:
The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training was contacted eight times by email and telephone when asked about their role in orientation programs for new Syrian refugees. In an email from Sheldon Johnson, Communications Manager, the Ministry referred back to WorkSafeBC, as “WorkSafeBC is entirely independent and industry funded. Therefore they really are the best people to talk to about their program.” When asked again regarding this Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training’s specific role with regards to orientation programs for new immigrants in terms of workshop conception, development, monitoring and evaluation, including programs for Syrian refugees, they did not reply.
What others say:
The Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia did publish a poster online advertising the workshop. However, Jennifer York, Senior Manager of Settlement Services, emphasized that facilitators contacted their clients directly to advertised the program. She also mentioned that each facilitator tailored the workshop to their clients’ needs, and that two workshops were delivered in English with a translator and one facilitator delivered the workshop in Arabic, which had the most attendance. The workshops, while geared for Syrian refugees, were also attended by participants from other parts of the Arabic speaking world, such as Iraq, and included cultural sensitivities: the facilitators outlined differences in working culture between the participants’ home countries and British Columbia.
York also highlighted the benefits of delivering the workshop in Arabic as well as with an English interpreter. Delivering in both languages at different times allows them to reach more people. Also, providing the program in Arabic creates a more comfortable environment where attendees tended to ask more questions and engage more. On the other hand, delivering the workshop in English served as another teaching method, as participants were able to learn specific terms about their safety and rights as employees in their mother tongue, as well as their language of work.
What’s next:
WorkSafeBC will evaluate the pilot program in June 2017 based on the survey data they will receive from the community organizations that delivered the workshop. This data will dictate future steps and how to improve the program, according to McCloy, and shape the program’s scope and content in the future.
York says that this particular program is ideally tailored for Syrian refugees, but was also attended by other Arabic speaking participants from other parts of the world, including Iraq. York emphasizes that in the future, it would be useful to be provided with programs that would benefit all the groups they service, not only Syrian refugees.
