Premier Christy Clark was pleased to announce that the Literacy Alliance of the Shuswap Society (LASS) is the recipient of the 2012 Council of Federation Literacy Award for its success fostering a high level of community collaboration in support of literacy.

I would like to congratulate the British Columbia Public School Employers' Association and the British Columbia Teachers' Federation on reaching a tentative Memorandum of Settlement.

A new $3.1-million skills-training pilot program will target micro-business owners who do not have any formal training beyond a high-school diploma and could benefit from tuition-free training to boost their business productivity, create jobs and help them excel in B.C.'s economy, announced Premier Christy Clark.

Premier Christy Clark and British Columbia Achievement chair Keith Mitchell are pleased to announce that Charlotte Gill is the winner of the 2012 British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction for "Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe".

Premier Christy Clark issued the following statement on the passing of Milton Wong: "British Columbia has lost a great community and business leader with the passing of Milton Wong. His dedication to cultural harmony and education was inspiring, and his guidance and philanthropy will be sorely missed. "

Premier Christy Clark and Solicitor General and Attorney General Shirley Bond today released the following statement on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women:

More than 20 partnerships or agreements have been signed between B.C. and Chinese post-secondary institutions and organizations over this past week, as both look to increase learning opportunities for post-secondary students on both sides of the Pacific. It is estimated more than 2,500 students will come to B.C. communities over five years as a result of these agreements.