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GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES MISCELLANEOUS STATUTES
AMENDMENT |
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VICTORIA – Bill 33, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2008, was introduced today and affects the following provincial statutes:
Adult Guardianship and Planning Statutes Amendment Act – Minor amendments will ensure smooth implementation. The amendments clarify and provide flexibility around guardianship, powers of attorney and representation agreements.
Business Paper Reduction Act – The act will be repealed. Since the act was passed in 1998, newer legislation (Business Corporations Act, 2002) has made this act redundant.
Degree Authorization Act – Changes
will allow private degree-granting institutions operating in British Columbia
to grant honorary degrees as a means to publicly acknowledge people for their
contributions to society.
Financial Institutions Act – Amendments will end the mandatory appointments of the chair and vice-chair of the Financial Institutions Commission to the Financial Services Tribunal (FST). Instead, the FST chair and vice-chair will be separate appointments, following a merit-based process administered by the provincial Board Resourcing and Development Office.
Forest Act and Forest and Range Practices Act – Amendments will make the attempt to export timber or wood residue without permission an offence, just as their actual export is already illegal. Those found to have attempted the illegal export of such materials will be subject to penalties of up to $500,000 and/or two years in jail.
Forest and Range Practices Act – Changes will ensure that commitments made in range stewardship plans are enforceable and clarify planning and approval requirements for range tenure holders.
Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act –Amendments will outline a clear process for Charter matters to be referred to Provincial Court.
Motor Vehicle Act – Amendments
will provide additional authorities for effective traffic management during the
2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond. These amendments provide
authority to designate highways and lanes for specialized traffic management
purposes, regulate traffic using these roads and delegate authority to staff to
vary conditions governing the use of the roads.
Passenger Transportation Act –
Changes
will increase efficiency and reduce costs for licensees with general
authorization passenger transportation licences for commercial passenger
vehicles (charter buses, sightseeing vans). The amendments remove the
requirement for commercial passenger vehicles operating under these types of
licences to each have a unique identifying plate. Instead, the fleet owner will
be required to display the passenger transportation licence number on each
vehicle operating under a general authorization.
Pension Benefits Standards Act – The maximum pensionable age – the age at which an individual must begin to receive a pension – will increase to 71 from 69. The amendments also provide for phased retirement benefits, which will allow certain individuals to work and contribute to their pension plan while simultaneously collecting partial pension benefits.
Public Sector Employer’s Act – Changes will enable government to move compensation disclosure requirements for employees across B.C.’s public sector to best practice standards. In addition, boards of education will be responsible for setting the terms and conditions of employment, including compensation, for superintendents.
Scholarship Act – The act will be repealed to allow
more flexibility in providing funding to winners of the Queen Elizabeth II
British Columbia Centennial Scholarship, who will be able to receive their
funding in years one and two of their graduate studies, rather than in years
one and three, as the act requires. The scholarship program will now be
administered by policy, consistent with all other provincial government
scholarship programs.
Teaching Profession Act – The amendments to the Teaching Profession Act will help ensure student safety. The BC
College of Teachers requested the authority to act on matters of member
competence that may manifest outside of a member’s role as an employee of a
board of education or independent school authority, but would affect their
ability to carry out the job’s professional duties and responsibilities. In the
past, the college could only respond to on-the-job incidents. Now, for example,
if a college member shows evidence of an untreated drug addiction or mental
illness while on leave from work, the college will be able to suspend their
teaching certificate.
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MINISTRY CONTACT
LIST:
Adult Guardianship
Act, Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act:
Ministry of Attorney General
Dave Townsend
250 387-4962
Degree Authorization Act, Scholarship Act:
Ministry
of Advanced Education
Linda
O’Connor
250
952-6400
Teaching Profession Act:
Ministry
of Education
Barb
Wright
250
356-5963
Financial Institutions Act, Pension Benefits
Standards Act, Public Sector Employers:
Ministry
of Finance
Niki
Pandachuck
250
387-5013
Forest Act, Forest and Range Practices Act:
Ministry
of Forests and Range
Sophia
Proctor
250
387-4592
Business Paper Reduction Act:
Ministry
of Economic Development
Joanne
Whittier
250
356-9428
Motor Vehicle Act, Passenger Transportation Act:
Ministry
of Transportation
Lisanne
Bowness
250
387-6770
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