- Coming soon to a TV near you: a dramatic series about B.C.'s mining industry, using your tax dollars.
The government and mining industry have put a call out for someone to create and produce an eightpart "informational" TV series about the 120 different careers in the province's mineral exploration industry. The target audience is 16 to 32-yearolds. If it comes together, it could start airing in the fall of 2012.
The B.C. Mineral Exploration and Mining Industry Labour Shortage Task Force - which uses federal funds administered by the province - is kicking in $100,000 in seed money.
The winning filmmaker has to fundraise additional cash, purchase TV air time, create, shoot, produce and premi猫re the show all by themselves. If it goes overbudget, the winning bidder is on the hook as well. The final product remains the property of the mining task force. Nobody said showbusiness was fair.
CASH FOR KIDS - One of the weirdest items this week was a bill that proposes to let minors apply for student loans without guarantors (read: parents).
So, kids can borrow government cash without adult supervision?
Sort of, says the finance ministry. The province currently only gives student loans to people older than 19 because the Infants Act prohibits it from using enforcement powers to recover the money if the teenager doesn't pay it back.
But the province is set to harmonize its student loan process with Ottawa, and the feds are allowed to crack down on under-age scofflaws. If B.C.'s bill passes, 18-year-olds here will be able to apply and receive student loans without parental permission. But they're also fair game for repayment penalties. Welcome to the grown-up world.
BONUS - With government on a seek and destroy mission against bonus packages for senior executives, it's a bad time for anyone to raise the issue of raises.
But Consumer Protection B.C., the non-profit agency with government powers to enforce consumer laws, is floating the idea of boosting manager salary and incentive bonus packages, according to an request for proposals it put out last week asking for consulting companies to review the issue.
Manager compensation hasn't been reviewed since 2006, and the agency has taken on new responsibilities since then, such as regulating payday loan, home inspection and film classification industries, said CEO Scott McBride.
Senior managers earn between $86,253 and $200,000 a year, with maximum bonuses ranging from $4,312 to $12,291 - although McBride points out the maximums have never been hit and no bonuses were paid during the last 14 months.
The corporation's almost $5-million annual budget is funded through licence fees, not taxpayer dollars.
The Opposition NDP has called for a widespread end to government bonus packages, and executives at B.C. Hydro, B.C. Ferries and Community Living B.C. have been vilified by the public for their rich bonus deals.
Consumer Protection B.C. may have a good case for the pay hike. But the timing couldn't be worse.
NPS OK BY MLAS - There was a big groundswell of support in the legislature for nurse practitioners, a medical title created a few years ago that includes expanded responsibilities for highly trained nurses.
The government is expanding the legal job description and the Opposition is strongly in favour, to the point where one of them fretted briefly about the degree of unanimity. It moved Health Minister Mike de Jong to note: "Let us not lament the fact that the symphonic legislature sounds as one. The beautiful music won't last, but today it has."
When the bill is proclaimed, NPs will be able to do a dozen more functions, such as certify births, offer opinions to judges considering psychiatric remands and certify that sick students are ready to go back to school.
WARM FUZZIES - The lovefest on nurse practitioners is a trend this session.
The NDP has also lined up to support at least four other bills, including changes to the teachers college, a fuel tax increase to fund the Evergreen Line and other Lower Mainland projects, a crackdown on metal thieves and a boost to mental health coverage for workers compensation.
It's one great big group hug here at the legislature these days.
FEE CUT - Education Minister George Abbott is sweetening the pot, to make the new-look B.C. College of Teachers more attractive.
The $120-a-year mandatory membership fee is being cut by about a third.
Although the Opposition New Democrats support the changes to the college, the B.C. Federation of Teachers has been critical of the legislation, which lessen its control over disciplinary matters. To bring the members on side, Abbott is hoping to bring the fee down to the $80 range.
YOU'VE GOT JURY DUTY - Check your email junk mail filters, because some time in the future, amid the daily stream of Nigerian bank scams and penile enlargement solicitations, the B.C. government may be electronically calling you for jury duty.
Legislation introduced this week will let sheriffs summon people to jury duty by email.
Currently, they can only serve a jury summons in person or by mail.
Exactly how the sheriffs will get your email address, and how they will ensure you see it, remains unknown. The Solicitor General's ministry said this paves the way for government to figure out the details in the future.
