The Conservative Party of BC lose their Courtenay-Comox candidate over offensive social media comments (see Jas Johal thread for more) just two days before a town hall in the area with leader John Rustad

BC Conservatives candidate in Courtenay-Comox stepping down. #bcpoli

BREAKING: George Harvie has caved to pressure and won’t go to Amsterdam.

“I have come to the difficult decision to forego this learning opportunity,” said Harvie in a statement.
Global BC

New data from the BC Coroner Service shows 126 children and youth have died from toxic drugs between 2019 and 2023 including 28 youth last year. Unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of unnatural death for people under 19, the coroner says. #bcpoli

After months of attacks by Opposition on diversion & recent evidence its controversial safe supply program is profiting organized crime, the BC Govt finally bows to critics... as quietly as possible.
My latest in @beatnorthern.

#bcpoli #Cdnpoli

northernbeat.ca/opinion/critic…

I found George Chow!
#WhereIsGeorge #bcpoli #cyber #security #NDP #tech
thebreaker.news/business/chow-…

Found! @BCNDP cybersecurity minister George Chow breaks silence on cyberattacks during photo op at PNE Fair / Playland. #bcpoli #tech #cyber #security #bcgov
thebreaker.news/business/chow-…

Interesting and expansive piece by Marcus Gee on Marshall Smith and the recovery-oriented system of mental health and addictions care he is helping Alberta build.

On Global BC News at 11: Angela Jung 鄭穎君 catches up with deposed Metro chair George Harvie, under fire for his travel.
He's billed Metro Vancouver taxpayers $38,000+ in *airfare* for two international conferences since October.
And plans to go to Amsterdam next month.
#bcpoli

“We will ensure taxpayers are protected,' David Eby says when I ask him if the BCgov has put the previous $250m 'final offer' back on the table for Surrey in the wake of the court dismissal of the city's case on policing.
How, he says, will depend on negotiations with the mayor.

I’ve had a warm welcome from the CBC News team on my first day.

Thanks for the first-day-of-school photo Joe Perkins

Surrey police board asks B.C. to impose a policing budget on city hall vancouversun.com/news/surrey-po… via The Vancouver Sun Lower Mainland RCMP RCMP VaughnPalmer Surrey RCMP Surrey Police Union Surrey Police Service City of Surrey KEEP THE RCMP IN SURREY, BC Brenda Locke #bcpoli

Rob Shaw: B.C. set to regulate thousands of therapists, counsellors dlvr.it/T7ScCh #bcpoli

The $1.5 billion Cowichan District hospital is now scheduled to open in 2027.
Rewind to April Fool’s Day in 2021, when Adrian Dix said it would open in 2026 for $887 million. #bcpoli #health

London Drugs and FNHA both downplayed the seriousness of the personal files lost to hackers, with vague statements, legalese and wordplay. It makes you wonder what those same statements mean for the BC government hack. My latest The Orca Glacier Media Inc.:
dlvr.it/T7M2wH

A bad offer by BC United gets rightly rejected by Conservative Party of BC - though, the real winner is the BC NDP.
My latest in The Orca Glacier Media Inc.:
theorca.ca/commentary/rob…

Rob Shaw: London Drugs, B.C. officials lean on irksome wordplay amid cyberattacks dlvr.it/T7M2wH #bcpoli

Comment: What climate change means for Canada’s wine industry vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/…

B.C. Ferries eyes infrastructure-bank loan to pay for billion-dollar-plus vessel replacement dlvr.it/T7NLM4

Broadway subway, Pattullo Bridge replacement both delayed again. Still waiting for answers from govt on what this means for budgets. vancouversun.com/news/local-new… via The Vancouver Sun