Session hosted by the Dignity Network on Labour and LGBTIQ Movements Working Together for Human Rights
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Session hosted by the Dignity Network on Labour and LGBTIQ Movements Working Together for Human Rights
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International Women’s Day 2021: She-Cession – The Economic Impact of the Pandemic on Women and Families
The Vancouver District Labour Council Women’s Committee invites you to our annual International Women’s Day event on Monday March 8th, starting at 6:00 pm. This year’s virtual event is free to attend and focuses on the “She-cession “. At least one in four women have had to work part-time or leave the workforce because of the challenges created by the pandemic. Even leaving the workforce for a short time can impact women’s careers in the long-term, and women with the flexibility to work from home are overwhelmed. Women of colour are the hardest impacted by the pandemic because accessibility to flexible working hours and childcare can be limited.
Iglika Ivanova, Senior Economist and Public Interest Researcher at Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, will join us to present on the economic impact on women and families from the pandemic and what needs to be done for a she-covery, followed by Q&A.
Donations to the VDLC Women’s Committee from affiliates are greatly appreciated to help cover the cost to host this free event and to ensure we can host our annual International Women’s Day event in the future. Donations can be made out to “Vancouver and District Labour Council” and sent to 170-111 Victoria Dr., Vancouver, BC, V5L 4C4. Please include a note indicating that the donation is for IWD.
Improved healthcare and safer communities for a #BetterBC
Earlier this week, Premier John Horgan reminded us there is a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. He encouraged all British Columbians to show compassion, and to remember that we’re all in this together.
Thankfully, on the vaccine front, there’s some good news! The province received doses of Pfizer vaccine after a delay due to cold weather. And, pre-registration for vaccines opens in March, although the exact date isn’t available yet. British Columbians will be able to pre-register two to four weeks before their eligibility phase. BC is currently in Phase 1 of the vaccination rollout. Pre-registration will be available online or by phone, and once you are registered you will get contacted with appointment reservation information. In the meantime, health authorities are going to be reaching out to seniors aged 80 and older, Indigenous seniors aged 65 and older, and Indigenous Elders about pre-registration for vaccines. Together, we can continue to protect our loved ones and communities by staying local, staying apart, and taking precautions like wearing a mask and washing our hands. In 1972, BC elected its first and only Black British Columbians to the legislature: New Democrats Rosemary Brown and Emery Barnes.
Rosemary was the first Black woman elected to any Canadian legislature, and Emery went on to become the first Black person to become speaker of the house in any Canadian legislature. They were both long-serving and talented politicians – Rosemary even ran for the leadership of the federal NDP in 1975. Even while we celebrate the accomplishments of Black British Columbians, we cannot forget that there is significant work remaining to fight racism in our province – which is why our government is developing an anti-racism act, in consultation with communities. Read more about the women and men, like Rosemary and Emery, who made positive changes in their communities on our website. Our BC NDP government remains committed to improving safety and security in our province.
That’s why, earlier this week, the government announced a new centralized firearms intelligence hub called the BC Provincial Forensic Firearms Laboratory (PFFL). It will be used to analyze illegal firearms that were seized by police, or firearms used in criminal activity. The lab is a key element of the province-wide Gang Suppression Action Plan, and the evidence the lab uncovers will be used to support criminal investigations. “This lab is another step on our government’s effort to address gang activity and gun violence in communities across BC,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. ![]() Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See you again soon! New Democratic Party of British Columbia |
Eviction Defense Workshop
— Re-circulated on behalf of the Chinese Tenants and Workers Organization (CTWO) — How can tenants organize to defend against evictions?
Chinese Tenants and Workers Organization (CTWO) is hosting an evictions defense workshop in English, Mandarin and Cantonese on Saturday, February 27th from 10 am to 12 pm. There will be presentations by the Tenant Advocacy Resource Centre (TRAC) and the Vancouver Tenants Union (VTU).
Registration through Facebook page or by text to 778-508-3550.
Facebook page link:https://fb.me/e/xbprUoYi
All members welcome to attend on their own time and Please feel free to share between colleagues, family and friends.
ICBC has reported fewer collisions and lower claim costs during the pandemic. It allowed the corporation to save more money than expected – and those savings are now being passed onto drivers!
“Our work to make life more affordable for British Columbians includes fulfilling our commitment to take earnings at ICBC that are related to the pandemic and give that money back to people,” says Premier John Horgan. Most customers who had insurance between April 1 and September 30, 2020 will be eligible for a rebate, and cheques are being mailed out starting mid-March. This rebate is separate from the Enhanced Care refunds customers will start getting in May. Our province has been shaped by the experiences and contributions of Black Canadians like Mifflin Wistar Gibbs (pictured), BC’s first Black elected official – in 1866, he was elected as a Victoria city councillor.
Then there’s Leonard Lane, who fought workplace, education, and housing discrimination. And Barbara Howard, the first Black woman athlete to represent Canada in an international competition, and the first person of colour ever hired as a teacher by the Vancouver School Board. We’ll be sharing stories like these on our social media accounts in the coming weeks. But we must also do better, together, to address systemic and institutional racism in our province. That’s why Resilience BC, a new anti-racism network was launched, and why our government is developing BC’s first anti-racism act together with impacted communities. Read a statement on Black History Month from the Premier and Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers. We’re once again heading into a time of year filled with celebrations: Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Family Day are coming up fast. But as Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds us, “This year we do need to celebrate safely.”
Even though new COVID-19 cases in BC have dropped in recent days thanks to everyone’s hard work, we can’t stop protecting our family, friends, and communities. Celebrate with your immediate household only, and look forward to the future when once again we can gather in larger groups. If sports are more your thing, Premier John Horgan has a reminder too: “The guidance is that you shouldn’t be having Super Bowl celebrations this weekend,” he said, during a press conference. “The public health orders are pretty clear on that.” Read more about activities you can do with your household, and ways to celebrate safely Connecting with British Columbians at any time is important to John, but especially while we’re all apart during this pandemic. So, he appreciated hearing from the more than 1,200 people who sent him questions late last year.
There were so many thoughtful, important questions: questions about COVID-19, vaccines, economic recovery, childcare, healthcare, and more. Questions about issues that matter came in from every corner of the province. Now, you can read John’s answers to the most asked questions he received! ![]() Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See you again soon! New Democratic Party of British Columbia |
RUN-OFF ELECTION RESULT