Premiers Sign Agreements

Wednesday, October 01, 2008 04:01 PM

Members of the B.C. and Alberta Cabinets look on as Premier Gordon Campbell and Ed Stelmach sign Memorandum of Understanding on a variety of matters ( photo Opinion250 staff)

Prince George, B.C.- The joint Cabinet meeting between B.C. and Alberta has resulted in an agreement to tackle gang activity. Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says he and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell have agreed to do “whatever is necessary to make it very uncomfortable for gangs to develop or operate in our respective provinces.”

They also agreed to establish a joint missing person’s data base and develop a pilot proect to at on warrants of serious offenders who are returned to the issuing jurisdiction.

The two governments also agreed to an open skies agreement to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Port of Prince Rupert, the extension of the Prince George Airport’s runway and the inland container port.

Stelmach says they will press to have some of what he calls “archaic” regulations about cargo loading removed.

The two Premiers also say they will work on the twinning of Highway 16 from Hinton to Jasper, and then through to Prince Rupert. Premier Campbell said the twinning of the highway has several challenges within B.C including the rail and hydro rights of way and First Nations consultation.

Premier Stelmach also talked about the proposed Site “C” dam saying there are some water management concerns which would impact Alberta and those issues would be discussed.

Premiers signed agreements to address the shortage of workers including helping foreign workers get into the country to put their skills to work.

This was the 6^th joint cabinet meeting for the two provinces.

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Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2008 04:01 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: REALIST on October 1 2008 5:43 PM

How ironic that a man (Gordo) who has done everything in his power to create an atmosphere where gangs can flourish (increased poverty through the rich getting richer while the poor get poorer) should go for such a weak publicity stunt as trying to coma across anti-gang. What is worse, many will see this and believe he is actually trying to do something to fight gangs. I'm sure a bunch of guys who have running gun battles and use swords to reinforce their power are just quaking in their boots. Gordo has been the best partner the drug trade has ever seen for increasing their strength and power so nice try guys but as predicted over five years ago by those in the know, the world is ripe for gangs and only through social policy which allows for reduced poverty and proper parenting can these issues be solved.

Posted by: BC Mary on October 1 2008 5:51 PM

No comments yet? I imagine most people are still gasping with shock at this display of hypocrisy.

So these Campbell and Stelmach are going to do "whatever is necessary to make it very uncomfortable for gangs develop or operate ..."

So these two goomers think people are so stupid, they don't realize that there are already 139 gangs operating full tilt in our province? We think the kid next door is doing the drug running, the drive-by shootings, the street-corner selling.

Ask Campbell about the drug traffic allegedly operating out of his own Ministries of Finance and Transportation. Ask him why he won't let go of the documents which could bring the accused men to trial after almost FIVE years.

But we know he'd say: "I cannot speak about a matter which is before the courts."

.

Posted by: BC Mary on October 1 2008 5:56 PM

No comments yet? I imagine most people are still gasping with shock at this display of hypocrisy.

So Campbell and Stelmach are going to do "whatever is necessary to make it very uncomfortable for gangs develop or operate ..."

So these two goomers think people are so stupid, that we don't realize that there are already 139 gangs operating full tilt in our province? That B.C. has become one of the world's major crime centres. Campbull and Stelmach want us to think the kid next door is doing the drug running, the drive-by shootings, the B&Es, the street-corner selling, and the political manipulation.

Ask Campbell about the drug traffic which was allegedly operating out of his own Ministries of Finance and Transportation. Ask him why he won't let go of the documents which could bring the accused men to trial after almost FIVE years.

But we know he'd say: "I cannot speak about a matter which is before the courts."

Criminal hypocrisy.

.

Posted by: BC Mary on October 1 2008 5:57 PM

Posted by: BC Mary on October 1 2008 5:59 PM

YooHoo, Moderator??

Could you please delete my first TWO postings above?

Sorry I got carried away with outrage but jeez ... !

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on October 1 2008 6:54 PM

Hey there BC Mary, we are having Deja Moo, we've heard your bull before. Heehee!

Sorry, it's just sometimes people are so silly. I mean how can anyone be against anything, no matter how small, that gives the cops another tool to track down the gangs money?

Posted by: Don Wilkins on October 1 2008 10:08 PM

It always upsets me when they talk about bringing in foreign workers. What about putting some money out to help train our own kids. We should be providing far more apprentice training.

Any move to make it easier for foreign workers is an admission that this government has not been educating our youth. Shame on you!

Posted by: NMG on October 1 2008 10:43 PM

"Any move to make it easier for foreign workers is an admission that this government has not been educating our youth"

Two things:

1) We are not producing enough children in Canada these days to fill all the jobs that will be open. We'll desperately need immigrants or foreign workers to help.

2) Any kid or young adult that has any initiative and the willingness to do so, can take advantage of the educational opportunities that are out there. It's not cheap and it's not easy, but it can be done and loads of people do. It's not the governments responsibility to manage someone's future. At some point in time, people have to do it themselves.

Posted by: diplomat on October 2 2008 9:40 AM

"Any move to make it easier for foreign workers is an admission that this government has not been educating our youth. Shame on you!"

What is meant by "this" government?

As if any other government before "this" government has had a better success rate in "educating" our youth!

NMG, right on! You can lead the horse (the youth) to the water, but you can not make it drink!

Posted by: govsux on October 2 2008 3:10 PM

The current government gutted the apprenticeship program, ITAC, without much thought. Ask any qualified trades instructor.
Prior to the big labour crunch. During the last worker shortage, governments required an apprentice for every 2 or 3 journeyman on the site.
NMG, if a young person wants to become a tradesman, he needs an employer to sponsor him, he can't just go to electrician 101. Why spend money on an apprentice when you can hire a foreign tradesman?
Governments of all stripes are responsible for sitting on their hands, along with industry. This shortage was known to be coming for at least 30 years. Now the governments are helping by bringing in migrant workers, instead of demanding opportunities for our youth.