In the Constituency

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In the Constituency

B.C. Liberal government says it will not downgrade St. Paul’s Hospital

Charlie Smith, The Georgia Straight, June 3, 2010

The B.C. Liberal government says it will not downgrade St. Paul’s Hospital. In a June 1 phone interview with the Georgia Straight, Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon acknowledged that there has been a great deal of speculation that services at St. Paul’s would be transferred to a new hospital that would be built on a Station Street site at False Creek Flats. When asked specifically if he has ruled out downgrading the West End hospital, Falcon said, “Yes. In a nutshell, yes.”

Stephen Thomson, The Georgia Straight, June 2, 2010

A New Democrat MLA wants Pacific salmon to receive special recognition for their role in B.C.

Spencer Chandra Herbert has put forward a motion to proclaim chinook, coho, chum, pink, and sockeye salmon as the provincial fish.

Dear Friends of BC Arts and Culture,

This week we learned that the BC Liberal government has dealt another blow to the arts and culture community. It was brought to light that the limited gaming funds announced in the March 2010 Budget in fact exclude a large number of the arts and culture festivals and programs for children previously believed to be supported by the gaming branch.

Stephen Thompson, The Georgia Straight, May 27, 2010

Arts groups are raising questions about who exactly is eligible for community gaming grants in the province now that announced changes are ready to start.

New Democrat MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert, the Opposition critic for arts and culture and MLA for Vancouver–West End said he was recently told by a bureaucrat with the B.C. Ministry of Housing and Social Development, which is responsible for gaming grants, that writing, dance, film, fringe, and other festivals would not be eligible for that funding this year.