Paramedic Acadamy Liability

[*Lifeguard*]

I have been studying at the Paramedic Acadamy from April 2008-January 2009. However, I could not complete my program, as a result of an appeal process. I won my first appeal to take an exam again. Errors were made by the Justice Institute.

However, this appeal process extended to December 2009 as a result of the labour problems with the BCAS. This delay has adversely affected my ability to complete my training. The Paramedic Acadamy is closed indefinately.

I am seeking to recover my fees and associated costs so that I can take my Paramedic training at a private college.

Can I recover these costs through Small Claims?

[Dustdevil]

Sue the union. They're the ones who screwed you. And I doubt they'll find any sympathy in the courts.

[tniuqs]

Yes the Evil Union was the cause for all this

Then came Bill 21, forced OT, and the Stellar Comrade Campbell + VANOC (and his cronies) breaking every rule in legal bargaining possible ignoring basic human rights and to top it off using H1N1 as an excuse and not prioritizing first responders to have access for vaccination to protect there families ...<end rant>

Then additional punishment close the Educational facility ... good thinking again the exact same strategic plan used during the last "non-strike" and that worked so well so many years ago.

To answer the Question the small claims courts have limits, and I have no idea what they are. I think you would be barking up the wrong tree seeing as the Judge highly likely would be sticking his/ her head out for ladder climbing in BC. In any case you need assistance with real legal advice or you dont stand a hope in hell of winning in small claims.

If I were you .... well besides going to media like a trouble shooter type to expose the government, I would go to CUPE as well they have Lawyers as I highly suspect your piggy bank is quite empty ?

More stupidity from BC Government, shut the school so that no one can be trained in an understaffed system EPIC FAIL for health care in beautiful communist British Columbia.

cheers

Edited December 18, 2009 by tniuqs

[WolfmanHarris]

Squint, wasn't the program suspended because medics were refusing to precept students as that non-essential duty was one of the few they could withdraw?

As for the OP, legal battles are costly and a gamble, that given the ambysmal wages a PCP makes in BCAS will put you in a hole that if you don't win could take years to dig out. Not to mention the stress and time on your part.

Placing blame will be difficult. The union was in their rights to strike when they did and were not contractually obligated to precept, in fact if it's like most services I've dealt with, (save TEMS) they are not renumerated in time or pay for these responsibilities. (Sure as professionals we should have a committment to training the next generation, but let's leave that aside for the time being) BCAS can argue that they were more than willing to take students but due to a shortage (lack) of willing preceptors, they couldn't. JIBC can then say that they were willing to keep running programs, but there was no where to send students and they couldn't possibly continue. And the circle of blame goes on and on.

The battle in BC is messy and ongoing and while I have my doubts that a court case would be a better use of your time than studying. I'm not a lawyer and am as qualified as you are to speak to this. Perhaps calling an attorney would be a better consult than an EMS forum?

[tniuqs]

Squint, wasn't the program suspended because medics were refusing to precept students as that non-essential duty was one of the few they could withdraw?

Frankly, I don't know the gory details but last go around the Justice Institute closed the doors, thus setting BC back big time when another non-strike occurred. The BC EMS stopped putting billing info of PCRs as a strategy of hitting the government pocket book. If the denial of students by any HCW, well yes this is a very retro move publicly that said agreeing to take a student is a lot of work when your burned out and grumpy maybe not the best of learning experience(s) ?

I am hoping rock_shoes or Ambulance AL is going to add their 2 cents.

As for the OP, legal battles are costly and a gamble, that given the ambysmal wages a PCP makes in BCAS will put you in a hole that if you don't win could take years to dig out. Not to mention the stress and time on your part.

Yes agreed, but then again if an institute has "legally agreed" to educate and provide a field practicum their are other alternatives, putting all the eggs in one basket is folly and lacks foresight, besides is it not the mandate of the Paramedic Academy to educate ? Yet with no contingency plans in place in the event of a non-strike exposes further issues.

For example in AB their are CMA approved schools that arrange practicums in the US where call volume is higher and exposure to other systems is an awesome idea. Then factor in with the reciprocity and AIT agreement's as their are other provinces as well. It falls to the institute to do the liaison work footwork, not knowing the signed terms of engagement YUP it may be less stress to take programs in other places and sometimes the pasture is greener on the other side of the fence and more cost effective.

Placing blame will be difficult. The union was in their rights to strike when they did and were not contractually obligated to precept, in fact if it's like most services I've dealt with, (save TEMS) they are not renumerated in time or pay for these responsibilities. (Sure as professionals we should have a committment to training the next generation, but let's leave that aside for the time being) BCAS can argue that they were more than willing to take students but due to a shortage (lack) of willing preceptors, they couldn't. JIBC can then say that they were willing to keep running programs, but there was no where to send students and they couldn't possibly continue. And the circle of blame goes on and on.

Firstly there should be some form of renumeration even if its CON ED credits. Question is to resolve this cluster and the legal fallout ie essential services declaration could affect ALL of Canadian EMS the buck has to stop somewhere. IMHO it should be with Comrade Campbell <insert spanking noises> for NOT negotiating in good faith ! The Olympics should have had NO influence on the Pre Hospital Health Care for short or long term for the voters in the long run for the entire province, Campbells mandate is to the people of BC PERIOD.

The battle in BC is messy and ongoing and while I have my doubts that a court case would be a better use of your time than studying. I'm not a lawyer and am as qualified as you are to speak to this. Perhaps calling an attorney would be a better consult than an EMS forum?

Yes but Venting does't hurt, I can just imagine the frustration. My qualifications are in empathy and writing letter's asking the hard questions because that is the responsibility of every Canadian, to hold the elected officials accountable and term transparency comes to mind too. I like the term Democracy myself but I am surly not seeing that in AB or BC as of late.

This restructure of AHS EMS in AB is huge folly and costly too AND during a resetion ... WTF ? On an related topic its becoming rather apparent that in AB Comrade Stelmach may be going back to his farm in Vegetable Ville and get his ass kicked by Danielle Smith.

http://www.wernerpatels.com/2009/06/danielle-smith-to-run-for-wildrose-alliance-leadership.html

<edit for Grammar Nazis LS>

Edited December 19, 2009 by tniuqs