On Dec. 6, 1989, 14 women were murdered in a disturbing act of misogynist violence at École Polytechnique. Murdered by a man who claimed the act was “fighting feminism,” these women were targeted because they were pursuing engineering degrees, and the attacker believed these jobs should be performed only by men.

HSA welcomes today’s news that BC Minister of Health Adrian Dix has introduced legislation repealing 16-year-old legislation that targeted health care and community social services workers British Columbians count on to care for them during their most vulnerable times.

“This legislation introduced today brings an end to almost two decades of attacks on health care and community social service workers,” said HSA President Val Avery.

Are you or do you know a young woman who is an emerging leader?

Equal Voice Canada wants you.

Equal Voice invites young women, ages 18 to 23, from across the country to apply to be one of 338 dynamic and diverse emerging leaders who will be in session in Canada’s Parliament April 2019 with Daughters of the Vote. One participant from every federal riding in Canada will be chosen to represent her community and vision for Canada. 

On Saturday, October 20, 2018 British Columbians head to the polls to elect mayors, municipal councillors, school trustees, and regional district representatives.
 
These local representatives play a critical role in creating liveable communities and as advocates for our communities with higher levels of government.
 
Overall, fewer than 25 per cent of eligible voters actually cast a ballot in BC’s local government elections. HSA urges members to help reverse this trend by learning more about the candidates in your community and exercising your vote.
 

HSA President Val Avery presented to the provincial legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services this week, and urged government to invest wisely in the people who deliver the health care and social services British Columbians rely on.

“The provincial government’s promising and ambitious new health care directions will require health human resources planning for health science professionals, and should not be limited to one or two professions, such as nursing and medicine where the greatest focus remains,” Avery told the committee.

The Young Workers’ Committee (YWC) is a standing committee of the BC Federation of Labour (BC Fed) dedicated to encouraging union participation among young people and to address inequity that young workers face as a result of discriminatory beliefs, policies, and legislation.
 

Strengthening health services for Indigenous peoples 
An interview with Charlene Hellson, Aboriginal Wellness Program Coordinator, Vancouver Coastal Health
The Report, September 2018

Proportional representation: a more democratic way to do politics
The Report, September 2018

If a party gets 40 per cent of the votes, it should receive 40 per cent of the seats. This is the central feature of a proportional representation (PR) electoral system. While there are different models of PR that achieve this, all variations of PR seek to create a more direct link between who voters vote for and who gets elected.

From June 20 to Sept. 28, a federal advisory council hosted public consultations to inform recommendations on the establishment of a national Pharmacare plan.  As momentum builds for a national program, HSA members face an historic opportunity to advocate for a plan rooted in principles of fairness, accessibility, and universality. As the advisory council prepares its recommendations, our members of parliament must continue to hear from Canadians regarding the importance of a universal Pharmacare program.