Podunk Below the Masthead (Thursday, March 11, 2010)

The Provincial government reverses its thoughts on student funding for Parent Action Groups, BC Hydro looks for more money and the Northern View reviews Wednesday's 100th birthday party, some of the items of note from the Thursday news files.

Daily News, Front page, headline story
FROM PARROTS TO PAC - GOVERNMENT FUNNELS GRANTS TO PARENTS GROUPS -- The provincial governments about face on funding for pupils is getting tentative acceptance by parent's groups and advisory councils, as the province frees up some cash for students by taking it away from such community groups as animal rescue shelters and environmental groups.

BC Hydro is tapping the consumer once again, with a three year incremental tax increase that will see taxes on hydro increase by 9.11 per cent this year, 12.92 The average cost of the increase is expetced to be in the seven dollar a month range.

Three enviornmental groups are accusing the provincial government of dragging its feet on implementation of a long term sustainable logging plan for the Great Bear Rainforest. Their report titled Slipping through the Cracks?, suggests that by their inaction there is a risk of extinction for a number of species within the 6.4 million hectare rainforest.

The Sports section featured a number of items on the All Native Junior Basketball tournament currently taking place in the city.

(Archive for Daily News Articles for March 11, 2010 )

From parrots to PAC - government funnels grants to parents groups
BC Hydro is taking a hike
Business owners share concerns with City Council
Slipping through the cracks - report

The Northern View
City celebrates Prince Rupert's 100th birthday in style -- A look at the celebrations surrounding the city's 100th birthday on Wednesday (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
Feasibility Study Nearly Complete -- The study into an employee led purchase of the Eurocan pulp mill is almost complete, however the former employees are working against the clock, the CEP which represents the former workforce at the now closed mill says that West Fraser can begin shipping equipment off site as soon as April 1st ( see article here)

CBC News British Columbia, Daybreak North
No new items were posted to the Daybreak website for March 11

Daily News, front page, headline story
From parrots to PAC - government funnels grants to parents groups
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Thursday, March 11, 2010

The province’s decision to return full per pupil funding to local Parent Advisory Councils from Casino and Gaming revenues is being taken as a goodwill sign that the province is re-committing to a parents role in public education.

Prince Rupert DPAC is pleased to hear of the reinstatement of the Gaming Grants to the previous amount of $20 per pupil student for the district PACs,” said PRDPAC Secretary Treasurer Ida Middleton.

Provincial funding had been a valuable resource to the PAC as it helped fund travel for extracurricular events, Grad ceremonies, bursaries, uniforms, playgrounds and many other things, according to Middleton.

Housing Minister Rich Coleman told Canadian Press that he would rather give government grant money to food banks or girls’ hockey teams than animal rescue societies or environmental groups.

Youth and people with disabilities are in when it comes to receiving government grants, but adult groups and environmental organizations are being cut off, Coleman said Monday as he introduced the government’s community grant policy.

“Parrots aren’t an indigenous bird to British Columbia, and yet they were getting $100,000 for a parrot recovery society,” said Coleman. “I believe the priority has to be around children and youth.”

PAC fit within that mold because they have to do with children’s education.

Coleman said the government will receive more than $1 billion this year in gaming revenues, but gaming grant money to B.C. organizations has been dropping in recent years.

“If you look at it historically by percentage, it’s probably down,” he said.

In the 2008/09 budget year, the government provided $156 million in gaming grants. In the 2010/11 budget year, the amount has dropped to $120 million, Coleman said.

“There’s only one set of books and only so much money to go around,” Coleman said. “I’m satisfied with what we did. I think this is an exercise that needed to be done, whether you were shrinking the envelope or not.”

Middleton added the decrease in funding to $10 last year caused the local PACs to shoulder a burden and were hoping that another grant would be forwarded in 2010.

“We have yet to hear how the PACs that have an Affiliation Grant will be affected, which most of our school PACs in the district possess, as last fall those schools that held affiliation certificates were not eligible to receive the $10 per pupil funding. Also, the funding to DPACs returned to the previous amount of $2500, will allow the DPAC to bring more opportunities to encourage parent involvement in the education system,” said Middleton.

With files from Canadian Press

It's the economy (Wednesday, February 24, 2010)

BC's salmon farming industry finds opportunity from Chilean misery, an American view of Vancouver's Olympic financials, Greece brings out the rhetoric over its financial troubles, some of the items for Wednesday.

Globe and Mail-- Tories to sell two-sided budget with two-sided tale
Globe and Mail-- Greece reels amid debt crisis
Globe and Mail-- Salmon virus tilts scales in favour of British Columbia
National Post-- Big banks' credit provisions may offer clues on economy
National Post-- GM to axe Hummer after China deal falls through
National Post-- Bernanke's bittersweet rate pledge
New York Times-- Banks Bet Greece Defaults on Debt They Helped Hide
New York Times-- As India Sells Assets, Political Tensions Rise
New York Times-- A $1 Billion Hangover From an Olympic Party
USA Today-- Work-share program that cuts hours vs. jobs could grow
USA Today-- New-home sales drop to record low in January
Guardian UK online-- Global trade slumped 12% last year
Guardian UK online-- Power firms accused of profiteering from cold winter
Guardian UK online-- Iceland on track for joining EU
Times online-- World trade suffers biggest drop since 1945
Times online-- Tory government would quickly outline cuts to tackle debt
Telegraph UK online-- Pound faces a 'savage' reaction if deficit cut too aggressively, UBS warns
Telegraph UK online-- Greek rescue in danger as deputy prime minister attacks 'Nazi' Germany
Telegraph UK online-- Europe at risk of double-dip recession
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Wage moderation helps economy
Melbourne Herald Sun-- Skilled to rebuild from profit drop
Sydney Daily Telegraph-- More jobs to be axed at Pacific Brands
Sydney Daily Telegraph-- Australian salary growth lowest in decade
People's Daily-- Jiangsu city charts hi-tech future
People's Daily-- HK economy to grow by 4-5% in 2011: financial chief
China Daily-- Manufacturers facing labor shortage
China Daily-- China's currency policy not to blame for trade surplus
Times of India-- Consumer goods prices rising
Times of India-- 'Stimulus rollback after assessment'