Amy Bell is our host today. We begin with a new development in a lengthy battle, as the City of Surrey says it's filing a petition in the B.C. Supreme Court, challenging the province's order to transition away from the RCMP to a municipal police force. Also today, Grade 4 and 7 students across B.C. are being asked to take the Foundational Skills Assessment test. The Government says it can give them info on which schools need more support, but teachers associations are pushing back. Finally today, Brian Minter joins us to take all your gardening questions.

Israel-Hamas latest; calls to halt standardized tests; fall gardening questions

BC Today is where British Columbians connect on issues facing their lives and their community. Every week day at noon PT and 1pm MT, BC Today host Michelle Eliot delves into the top story for the province.

News

Canadian border workers could begin job action at 1 p.m. PT today if a deal isn't reached. We bring you the latest on the mediation talks. WestJet has announced a new "UltraBasic" fare that excludes carry-ons, seat choices and points. Our guest John Gradek, McGill University aviation lecturer and our callers weigh in on what this means for airline travel in Canada. Then, gardening columnist Brian Minter is back to answer your questions, and shares advice on how to make the best of the warmer, drier weather forecast in the week ahead.

CBSA strike deadline looms | WestJet UltraBasic fare | Brian Minter on gardening

We remember the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and cover the commemorations taking place in B.C. and around the world. Our callers bring us their connections to D-Day, and we speak with Retired Corporal Guy Black, a Canadian Service Veteran from Coquitlam who marked the anniversary with an 80-kilometre memorial walk; and David Zimmerman, University of Victoria history professor, about D-Day's context in modern history. 

80th anniversary of D-Day landings

Rescue crews are awaiting a break in the weather to resume their search for three climbers who have been missing for five days in Garibaldi Park near Squamish. CBC's Jon Hernandez brings us the latest. The Bank of Canada has cut its key interest rate to 4.75 per cent, marking the first rate cut in more than four years. Guests Murray Baker, Family Services of Greater Vancouver; Manager of Financial empowerment, and Steve Ng, mortgage specialist at TD join to discuss the impacts.

Search for missing climbers | Bank of Canada cuts interest rate

B.C. Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko has said the province's sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) program in schools must be reconsidered. We discuss with Annie Ohana, the Indigenous Department Head at L.A. Matheson Secondary School in Surrey. And with the arrival of crow nesting season, some people are sharing stories about getting divebombed by the birds. We talk about their behaviour with Kathy Martin, an Ornithologist and Professor in the Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences at UBC, and John Marzluff a professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington.

The future of SOGI in schools | encounters with crows

Elenore Sturko is defecting to the B.C. Conservatives — the second B.C. United MLA to do so within a week. We discuss the political implications with Rob Shaw, CHEK leglislative reporter, about Sturko's decision, what this means for her, and for Kevin Falcon as his B.C. United party loses another MLA. As summer approaches, we discuss the rising rate of skin cancer in Canada. We hear from Brian “Red” Hamilton, Vancouver Canucks assistant equipment manager, about how a stranger's observation, helped him to get treatment. Our other guest Dr Philippe Lefrancois, Director of Research in the Division of Dermatology at McGill University, joins us to tell us more about the signs.

Israel-Hamas latest; calls to halt standardized tests; fall gardening questions

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