B.C. Premier John Horgan was greeted with cheers Saturday, kicking off the NDPB次元官网网址檚 annual convention with a spirited review of his two-year-old minority governmentB次元官网网址檚 accomplishments.
Among the loudest ovations was for HorganB次元官网网址檚 references to increasing social assistance and provincial disability payments, and increases in the minimum wage.
The minimum wage will pass the long-time B.C. Federation of Labour target of $15 an hour by 2021, the year of the next scheduled election, Horgan told party members at the Victoria conference centre. And he promised that a re-elected NDP government would keep raising it after that.
B次元官网网址淧eople are our super-power,B次元官网网址� tells convention
B次元官网网址� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
Horgan reminded supporters that his governmentB次元官网网址檚 move to eliminate B次元官网网址渃ontract flippingB次元官网网址� in senior homes, where a change of ownership led to union contracts being eliminated.
B次元官网网址淣ow workers donB次元官网网址檛 have to reapply for their jobs if the ownership changes,B次元官网网址� Horgan said, after the B次元官网网址渢he largest firing of women in North American history.B次元官网网址�
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After the speeches by Horgan and federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, the convention settles into policy discussions, some of which were targeted by protests outside the convention.
One of those groups, led by former NDP leadership candidate Dana Larsen, called on the B.C. and federal governments to provide legal, clean opioid drugs to addicts who are dying of overdoses from smuggled fentanyl and other uncontrolled products.
Protesters led by former leadership candidate call for legal access to
B次元官网网址� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Horgan said his government is trying everything it can.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e seen a decline in overdose deaths, but itB次元官网网址檚 still not acceptable, and weB次元官网网址檙e going to look at new therapies, new ideas, new suggestions all the time,B次元官网网址� Horgan said.
Tribute to Dave Barrett
B次元官网网址� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
The convention opened with a tribute to former premier Dave Barrett, who died of AlzheimerB次元官网网址檚 disease in February 2018, at age 87.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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