Amendments to the Medicare Protection Act were introduced today in the B.C. legislature to support the introduction of a more secure card, designed to improve patient safety and reduce fraud.

Bill 13, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), 2011, was introduced in the legislature today by Attorney General Barry Penner. If passed, the amendments will affect a number of provincial statutes.

The B.C. Public Service Agency and the Union of Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia (UPNBC) and the British Columbia Nurses' Union (BCNU) have now ratified a new agreement under the government's 2010 mandate, announced Finance Minister Kevin Falcon.

Navigating the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence can be a difficult journey for any child or youth. Add to that the challenge of living with a mental health problem or illness -and the negative stereotypes, stigma and isolation that too often come with it - and that journey can quickly become overwhelming.