Minister of Labour says he will ensure the hospitality industry re-hires laid off workers

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Hotel Workers seek recall rights

The Minister of Labour says he will ensure the hospitality industry re-hires laid off workers if it wants to receive government assistance. Harry Bains says he is encouraging cabinet colleagues to do the same with any government economic recovery program. The Minister says will also be advocating that access to jobs in the public sector is provided to workers affected by tourism closures if their skills are transferrable. Bains made the promises in response to a report he commissioned about the impact of COVID-19 on hotel workers lay off and recall rights.

Hotel workers have been holding demonstrations including hunger strikes on the lawns of the legislature and at the minister's office because their recall rights are about to expire. Unite Here local 40 wants the Minister to legislate a two year right of recall. Bains has not agreed to that. Meanwhile, the union has not responded to requests for comment. It remains unclear if it plans to end its protests.

Support from Province for expansion of harm reduction services

The Minister of Mental Health and Addictions says she supports an expansion of harm reduction services, including the types of alternative drugs being offered and who can prescribe them. Judy Darcy says street drugs became more toxic with the pandemic because historical supply chains were disrupted. The federal government responded by allowing doctors and nurse practitioners to prescribe safe alternative drugs like suboxone and hydromorphone. Darcy says registered nurses will soon be added to the prescribers list.

"We did within a couple of weeks of the pandemic being declared start expanding access to a safe supply of subscription medication alternatives to the poison drug supply and critically, critically important because we need people to stop using the drugs on the street so that means for many people they need to have access to safe prescription alternatives"—Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Darcy says her ministry is also exploring adding more types of alternative drugs that can be prescribed. Harm reduction advocates say the safe drug supply list should include injectable hydromorphone, pharmaceutical fentanyl and heroin.