The BC Health Coalition is urging the provincial government to immediately implement recommendations regarding rights for seniors in residential care made by Kim Carter, the provincial Ombudsperson.

-Recent government announcements regarding changes to seniors care have not been encouraging.  In fact, they move seniors care in the opposite direction with regressive user fee increases and no indication of any actual improvements to care," said Alice Edge, Co-Chair of the BC Health Coalition.

The Health Sciences Association of BC (HSA) welcomes this weeks call by the Dietitians of Canada for British Columbia to adopt a comprehensive poverty reduction plan that includes an increase to the minimum wage.

-As the Dietitians of Canada report The Cost of Eating in BC 2009 notes, too many British Columbians are living in poverty. Poverty is a key factor in poor nutrition and poor health outcomes," said HSA President Reid Johnson.

On December 1, World AIDS Day, the BC government cut funding for HIV / AIDS outreach and service organizations.

If you disagree with the BC governments decision to cripple AIDS Vancouver and other community-based health organizations by cutting their funding, join with HSA members at the protest organized by cancelthecuts.org:

Saturday, December 12th ... Queen Charlotte
What:  Petition signing and food bank drive
Time:  11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where:  City Centre Stores, 121 3rd Avenue, Queen Charlotte
"Find out how can help fight for amublance services in rural BC, and donate to the community food bank.

Week of December 14th, 2009

December 6, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the Montréal massacre of 14 young women at the École Polytechnique. HSA encourages members to take part in vigils and ceremonies to reaffirm our commitment to ending violence against women.

If you know of an event in your community that is not listed below, please contact Yukie Kurahashi at ykurahashi@hsabc.org. Check HSAs website at www.hsabc.org for updates to this schedule of events.

Today, as local and national governments around the world reaffirm their commitment to continue the fight against HIV and AIDS, BCs government is doing the opposite.

Effective December 1 ... World AIDS Day ... BCs Ministry of Health is imposing funding cuts to community-based HIV and AIDS service organizations, including AIDS Vancouver.

A recent global survey found that fifty per cent of educated youths admit they dont know enough about HIV and AIDS, according to AIESEC International, the worlds largest student organization.

However, in the eight years since the United Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed in 2001, HIV infections have been reduced by 17 per cent, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization.

In early November, the Fraser Health Authority announced a series of cuts impacting HSA members including social workers, registered psychiatric nurses and youth care counsellors. HSA has responded by presenting a variety of options to Fraser Health intended to minimize the effect of displacements on HSA members.  To date HSA and Fraser Health have been unable to reach an agreement to create a labour adjustment plan.

HSA invites its Fraser Health Authority members affected by the cuts and their stewards to attend special meetings to discuss the cut backs to social workers, registered psychiatric nurses and youth care counsellors. These meetings are an opportunity to get accurate information on your collective agreement rights from the union's labour relations specialists.

HSA also encourages members to access the Fraser Health intranet, and ensure that your seniority information is accurate.

SPECIAL MEETING FOR HSA SOCIAL WORKERS IN FRASER HEALTH AUTHORITY

(Vancouver) Today, Madame Justice Smith announced her ruling to allow the BC Health Coalition and their pro-medicare partners to participate as intervenors in the pivotal B.C. Supreme Court case launched by Dr. Brian Day and a consortium of private for-profit clinics against the B.C. Medical Services Commission and the provincial government.