I recieved an email from ______. Can't reveal too much, but:


Minister of Health George Abbott and Minister of Advanced Education Murray Coell will be making an important education announcement this Saturday

Location:

BC Institute of Technology (BCIT)


(actually the details aren't too clear either :nuts:)

dont get your hopes up... expect rhetoric and more rhetoric.... elections are around the corner my friends and the gordo and company must act like they are doing something....

dont get your hopes up... expect rhetoric and more rhetoric.... elections are around the corner my friends and the gordo and company must act like they are doing something....

I'm not expecting much either.

From gov.bc.ca

B.C. TO FUND THREE-YEAR NURSING DEGREE PROGRAM AT BCIT


BURNABY – The Province announced today that it will provide $1.4 million in one-time funding to kickstart the first three-year accelerated nursing degree program in the province at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

“Nurses play a critical role in our health system. An accelerated three-year nursing degree is an innovative approach to get nurses into the workforce sooner,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “One of the things we heard in the Conversation on Health and committed to in the throne speech was a three-year bachelor of science in nursing program.”

Last month’s throne speech recognized the importance of health professionals in providing quality health care and committed to substantially expand access to qualified health professionals. The throne speech included a commitment by the Province to establish a three-year bachelor of science in nursing program to permit nurses to gain their degree a year sooner with significant on-the-job training.

In addition to this year’s one-time funding – $1 million from the Ministry of Health and $395,000 from the Ministry of Advanced Education – BCIT will receive ongoing capital and operational funds from the Ministry of Advanced Education. The Ministry of Health finalized its plans to provide BCIT with $1 million to support the three-year nursing program during discussions with the Nurses Bargaining Association to resolve the Bill 29 issue.

“BCIT has an excellent bachelor of science nursing program, and this new degree option will build on its many strengths, while allowing students to complete their degree sooner with more hands-on training,” said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. “This accelerated degree program will graduate nurses who are well-qualified to meet the complex health needs of British Columbians and demonstrates our commitment to providing a variety of post-secondary options for B.C. students.”

BCIT will accelerate its bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree to enable students to complete the program in three years, with the first intake of students in August 2008. Courses will have the same quality expectations for outcomes and competencies by using the full calendar year.

“Creating a three-year nursing degree program is an exciting move for BCIT and we are proud that this will be the first of its kind in British Columbia,” said BCIT dean of health sciences Kathy Kinloch. “Through the innovative use of technology, the talent of our faculty, and partnerships with health authorities, our program will provide students who are interested in pursuing an opportunity to be in the workforce faster, meeting the needs and expectations of all the communities we serve."

Other B.C. post-secondary institutions are considering offering accelerated nursing degree programs, and similar programs are expected to be created in other regions.

“We are pleased to be moving ahead with the introduction of the three-year nursing program,” said BC Nurses’ Union president Debra McPherson. “The three-year nursing degree program is a good step towards reducing the nursing shortages in this province.”

Since 2001, government has invested $174 million – including $28 million in 2007 – to help educate, retain and recruit the best qualified nurses. B.C. has added over 3,300 nursing education spaces throughout British Columbia in this time period – an increase of 82 per cent.

OMG OMG.... THE LIBERALS HAVE MY VOTE... uh not.... i smell an election in about 1 year from now..... $1.4 million after years of inaction.....

actually ravman, gordo was elected in 2001. this nursing problem was created in the 1990's when the NDP started closing hospitals and the nurses started taking early retirement.

since 2001, the liberals have dumpped about $90 million in nursing "strategies". it probably is still not enough.... but its something

well yes blame todays problem to the 1990s... that is what the liberals always say to a problem which btw was back when i couldnt even walk... somehow you say that gordo et al has made no mistakes in his term here.... i dont think so... everyproblem that is occuring you blame the 1990s like the cost-over run on the convention centre or the cancellation of the pmc line....

Yeah, I agree... It's almost 2010, it's almost irrelevent to blame the 90s for our problems now.

Honestly the nurse problem and todays Vancouver's poorest postal code has a lot to do with the NDP. And cost-over runs of the convention center would be completely justified because of the huge inflation (though I have to say the accountants weren't doing their job properly). So far, there is a half a billion dollar increase of the convention centre but it's still being built on-time. The fast ferry fiasco basically doubled in costs and was three years behind schedule. Furthermore, the NDP themselves sold the fast ferries themselves! Who can be blamed for that mistake?

We have to keep a clear line here. The Campbell government made many mistakes, I agree. But I would say the Liberals mistakes are much more in balance than the NDP. Thank god the NDP is ran by a new leader, but Carole James isn't the best choice out of the party. They would win more support if they had a better leader.

So far, there is a half a billion dollar increase of the convention centre but it's still being built on-time. The fast ferry fiasco basically doubled in costs and was three years behind schedule. Furthermore, the NDP themselves sold the fast ferries themselves! Who can be blamed for that mistake?

Well actually, the convention centre cost increase is $300 million excluding the $80 million for additional art work and interior finishings. And construction is actually six months behind schedule. It was originally suppose to open by the end of this year, then they shifted it to early-2009. Now, it's late-summer or early-fall 2009.

Doesn't matter though, at the end of the day what we'll have is a workable facility....can't say this enough: it won't be wrapped in plastic.




The fast ferry fiasco basically doubled in costs and was three years behind schedule. Furthermore, the NDP themselves sold the fast ferries themselves! Who can be blamed for that mistake?

Personally, I thought it was a poor decision by the NDP to insist on those boats being built here in the province. The insistence to "foster a B.C. ship building industry" has tarnished the entire industry itself. I mean, at the end of the day I thought it was the transportation component that was the most important aspect of building those damn boats. BC Shipyards had absolutely no experience with building fast ferries.

And actually, it was the Liberal government that sold the ferries at an auction....for just $19-million. Before the auction, the Washington Marine Group had reportedly gone forward to the government with a $250-million figure...and the Liberal government had rejected it, thinking they would get more from the auction.

IMO, it was a huge mistake by the Liberal government to sell those boats. We could've easily recouped that money by turning them into floating casino cruises or even spend $80-million to fix those boats so they can be put into conventional ferry use (afterall, don't we need more ferries?).


God knows how many more years those ferries will be sitting at dock in North Van...they're just rusting away. It's only a matter of time before they'll be part of the new Maritime Museum's exhibit...
http://k53.pbase.com/u26/kstapleton/upload/43636470.Pacificat2.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ferries_bc/profiles/retired/bcf_pdiscovery2.jpg

Umm it would be hard for the fast ferries to rust away as they are made of aluminum. Anyways back to the topic.

Actually, it was under the leadership of Ujjal Dosanjh (back when he was premier) who advised to sell the ferries themselves. Gordon Campbell then followed this and sold the ferries on March 24, 2003 for a very low price, one of his mistakes. Should the NDP continued leadership, they would've done the same in order to stabilize the financial situation. Having said that did you know that Washington Marine Group actually offered about $60 million to the BC Government for the ferries? HUGE difference from the $19.4 million. There's a mistake there...

I didn't think it was a mistake selling the ferries. The ferries are poorly designed (but that was because it was supposed to make things faster [did I tell you that they aren't THAT much faster than regular ferries]) such as one end for loading, poor air circulation, etc.

Years ago on the news, some have speculated that the BC Government will use it during the olympics but I wouldn't think so.

~~~~~~

The Convention Center expansion is much better than the Fast Ferries. Like Mr. X said (quote from Minister of Finance Carole Taylor) "at least they won't be wrapped in plastic"

Actually, it was under the leadership of Ujjal Dosanjh (back when he was premier) who advised to sell the ferries themselves. Gordon Campbell then followed this and sold the ferries on March 24, 2003 for a very low price, one of his mistakes. Should the NDP continued leadership, they would've done the same in order to stabilize the financial situation. Having said that did you know that Washington Marine Group actually offered about $60 million to the BC Government for the ferries? HUGE difference from the $19.4 million. There's a mistake there...

Dosanjh may have suggested it, but you're forgetting who became the new Premier of the province and who had the authority to re-think the fast ferries plan. Just because Dosanjh jumped off a bridge doesn't mean Campbell had to follow as well.

Before that $60-million offer, there was another offer close to $250 million.


I didn't think it was a mistake selling the ferries. The ferries are poorly designed (but that was because it was supposed to make things faster [did I tell you that they aren't THAT much faster than regular ferries]) such as one end for loading, poor air circulation, etc.

Given the shortage of vessels on B.C. Ferries, we could've spent $80-million to fix the problems on the fast ferries....we could've had 3 conventional and properly working ferries added to the fleet.

The fast ferries were capable of much much higher speeds, but they were unable to as their movement caused huge waves that would often damage nearby wharfs and marinas. And really, the fast ferry routes weren't that long....not really suitable for fast ferries, as they were not unable to achieve their speeds. Not to mention that loading/unloading the ferries took forever.