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NEWS ROUND UP |
WARNING ABOUT UNDERGROUND PARKING LOTS
Abbotsford Police are urging the public to be vigilant after more than 40 underground parking lots have been targeted by thieves since the beginning of the year. If you park in an underground lot you need to be aware and take steps to protect your property.
The majority of the break-ins have been occurring overnight in both commercial and residential underground lots; some have been targeted multiple times. In most cases police believe thieves have been accessing the "secure" lots when the gate is up for tenants entering over leaving.
Once inside they target anything of value, often smashing windows to gain entry. Purses, wallets, compact discs, MP3 players and cellular phones have all been stolen after being left inside vehicles. In some cases there has been thousands of dollars in damage to the vehicles for only a few dollars in loose change.
By exercising some simple steps you can significantly reduce the risk of being victimized:
- always watch the automatic gate close when entering or leaving
- do not let unknown persons into your building
- remove anything of value from your vehicle (including loose change)
- invest in a good anti-theft device
- participate in the crime-free multi housing program
- contact police immediately if you see any suspicious activity around the parking lot or a vehicle.
Police believe the thefts are likely the work of several different people.
Anyone with information is asked to call Abbotsford Police at 604-859-5225 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST DEBIT CARD AND ATM FRAUD
As a result of recent inquiries about fraudulent use of debit cards, the Delta Police are advising the general public that if they believe that their ATM card has been compromised and fraudulent access has been made to their account, they should contact their financial institution. The financial institution will then provide them further information and direction on their next steps.
Police also remind business operators to verify legitimacy of anyone requesting access to the ATM equipment for upgrade or repair. It is a good practice to confirm with the financial group or company contracted to conduct such services that the person is a lawful representative by either direct contact with the company and/or ensuring the person has appropriate and authorized identification. With advancement of technology we cannot afford to dismiss the reality that the criminal element will use these advancements to their advantage and seize any opportunity to ply their trade.
Safety measures you may consider:
* Swipe your own card or keep an eye on your card during the transaction at the point of sale.
* Check your transaction records against your financial statements regularly.
* Review your daily access limit, and if possible, reduce it to meet your normal spending habits.
QUEBEC: LIBERALS REDUCED TO A MINORITY
The Liberals in Quebec were reduced to a minority in this week's provincial election, winning just 48 seats as compared to the 72 they won in the previous election. The upstart Action Démocratique du Québec, that had held just five seats in Quebec's National Assembly, won 41 seats while the Party Quebecois (PQ) came third with only 36 - the second-lowest result in its history.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper called Quebec Premier Jean Charest to congratulate him on his electoral victory. He also called Opposition Leader Mario Dumont to offer him congratulations on his strong showing.
Harper said: "We will work to continue delivering real results for all Quebecers, in a spirit of collaboration with the Quebec Government and the National Assembly.
"While the election was fought on Quebec provincial issues, I note that Quebeckers responded positively to federalism of openness and that two-thirds of Quebeckers voted against having another referendum."
Leader of the federal Official Opposition and the Liberal Party of Canada Stéphane Dion also congratulated Charest on his victory. He also took the opportunity to recognize the contribution made by Dumont, PQ's Andre Boisclair and candidates from all parties through their participation in this democratic exercise.
Dion has already offered Charest's new government his continued full support in improving the quality of life of all Quebeckers.
"Quebeckers have given Premier Charest a mandate to work with other Canadians for a greener, more just and more prosperous Quebec within a united Canada," said Dion.
"By electing a minority Liberal government, with Dumont as Leader of the Opposition, Quebeckers also clearly indicated they want their elected leaders to dedicate their efforts to improving their health and that of the environment, and to furthering social justice, notably for families and seniors. They also want their governments, both in Quebec and in Ottawa, to work towards sustainable economic prosperity for their children and future generations."
Dion also said the results of this election, with the Parti Québécois and its referendum platform coming in third, confirm that Quebeckers don't want another referendum. This is good news for advocates of clarity, and for the future of a united Canada.
Dion said he looked forward to working together with Charest, focusing collective efforts so that Quebeckers and all Canadians, now more than ever, can succeed together in a global economy that is becoming more and more competitive.
Dion also denounced the intrusion of Harper into the campaign. The way he linked additional limitations on federal spending powers to the results of the election was denounced by all parties as blackmail. This intervention tightened the race and distanced the Liberal Party from majority support.
Dion challenged Harper to stop these ambiguous and manipulative tactics.
"The Prime Minister must explain clearly, to all Canadians, the means and the rationale for his desire to limit federal spending powers beyond the limits already in place. He must explain which powers, which responsibilities he wants to withdraw from the federal government. And, he must justify his proposal in terms of the best interests of Canadians, and not in terms of blackmail and electoral manipulations," said Dion.
Dion committed to continuing to be an excellent partner to the Government of Quebec and all provincial and territorial governments, and to undertake this role without ambiguity and manipulation, but with clarity and in the best interests of Canadians.
SURREY HOSPITAL'S EMERGENCY CENTRE CAMPAIGN EXECUTIVE
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation this week announced its Emergency Centre Campaign Executive. These 18 individuals offer top level volunteer leadership as the Foundation works towards its goal of $15-million for a new Emergency Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital:
Herb Dhaliwal, Honourary Chair, Businessman
Chris Midmore, Chair, Commercial Realtor, MacDonald Commercial Real Estate Services Ltd.
Bruce McAuliffe, Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation Chair, Publisher, Surrey Leader
Daniel M. Igali, Community Liaison, Olympic Gold medallist
Jerry Basran, Investment Advisor, Basran Wealth Management Group
Ralph Berezan, Businessman
Mike Bose, Farmer
Jaswinder Cheema, Manager, Diversity Services, Surrey Memorial Hospital
George Garrett, Communications Consultant
Sherrold Haddad, President, Flag Chevrolet
Dr. Urbain Ip, Medical Director, Surrey Memorial Hospital
Nancy Kalid, Lawyer
Chuck Keeling, Vice-President, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
Tony Martin, Consultant
Jatinder Rai, General Manager, Response Advertising Inc.
Bill Reid, Owner, Solutions Consultants
Loretta Solomon, Executive Director, Acute Care, Surrey Memorial Hospital
Norman Stowe, Managing Partner, Pace Group
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation officially launches its $15-million Emergency Centre Campaign on April 19. The B.C. government has committed to funding the essentials of a replacement to Surrey Memorial Hospital's current E.R. The Foundation's $15-million campaign will ensure the new Emergency Centre is state-of-the-art.
VANCOUVER: IDLE-FREE BYLAW ENFORCED
After a six-month education and awareness campaign, Vancouver's Idle-free Bylaw is now being enforced by the City. Parking enforcement staff are issuing tickets for any parked vehicles found idling for more than three minutes. Violators will incur fines of $50 (basic violation) or $100 (heavy trucks and unattended vehicles).
Vancouver City Council enacted the Idle-free Bylaw on July 18, 2006. It was accompanied by community engagement initiatives (at businesses and schools), and an educational/awareness campaign involving radio, print, and outdoor advertising. An idle-free hotline was also established (604-257-2404), and citizens were encouraged to call this number to report repeat offenders and problem locations.
* protect air quality
* reduce greenhouse gas emissions
* reduce urban noise
* reduce vehicle theft
* save money on fuel.
The enforcement campaign will continue to include an educational component in the form of flyers, signs and posters. Also, in 2007, the city is looking to partner with the local construction industry to ensure full awareness of the Idle-free Bylaw.
The city is launching other low-carbon driving initiatives such as: tire-inflation awareness; encouraging fuel efficient maintenance habits, promoting best practices for fleet operators, and supporting market uptake for new engine technologies and fuel solutions. These efforts are in support of a Council mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent from 1990 levels by 2012 approved in March 2005.
CONSERVATIVES CAN'T MANAGE THEIR PERSONNEL FILES!
The Opposition federal Liberals this week handed over boxes of documents belonging to the Conservative Party to illustrate that this self-proclaimed "accountable" government needs to be accountable for the privacy of all Canadians.
"Today we're returning five years worth of personal performance appraisals of Conservative staffers that this government negligently left behind," said MP Mark Holland.
"These are confidential documents on their own staff. Such gross ineptitude makes me very nervous about how this government handles other issues of a private nature," he added.
Liberal Justice Critic Marlene Jennings agreed.
"This is a government that purports to carry the torch on accountability, and yet has shown a cavalier disregard for the privacy of its own employees," she said. "One has to seriously wonder just how safe the privacy of other Canadians is under this government's watch."
Liberals voluntarily decided to return these documents that were left behind in the offices of the Official Opposition after determining they were of no public interest. They are contained in boxes that also held faxes that appear to show Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and former candidate Jim Hart made a financial deal to get Hart to resign his seat.
Holland said the Liberal caucus is retaining possession of some of the documents to determine whether or not they contain other issues that are in the public interest.
DHALLA SLAMS GOVERNMENT FOR FAILING FAMILIES
A new report showing Canada ranking "dead last" among developed nations in its spending on early childhood education is a clear signal the Conservative government has again failed Canadian families, Liberal Social Development Critic Ruby Dhalla said.
"When the Liberals were in government, we had signed agreements with all provinces and territories to create up to 250,000 quality, affordable, accessible child care spaces for Canadian families - a plan that, to the disbelief of Canadian parents and child-care advocates, was scrapped by this government," said Dhalla.
"The Conservatives' failure on child-care is hurting Canada's families. This government owes it to Canadian parents and children to support a real child care program that will provide quality spaces for all."
The report by Dr. Fraser Mustard - a companion of the Order of Canada and an internationally recognized expert in the field of early childhood development - ranks Canada last among the 20 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which includes most of Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Mexico.
According to the report, Canada spends just 0.25 per cent of its GDP on early childhood programs, whereas other developed countries spend up to 2 per cent.
Dr. Mustard, who helped establish the non-profit Council for Early Child Development, describes the programs and child care assistance that exist in Canada as a "chaotic mess"
"Under Stephen Harper, Canada has fallen behind on child care - and our children are paying the price," said Dhalla.
"We hope Dr. Mustard's very important study will move this government to finally act. They promised the creation of more child care spaces and have reneged on this promise. The success of Canadians families depends on having access to affordable, quality child care," she said.
PENNY ATTACKS CONSERVATIVES FOR RISING DRUG COSTS
On March 26 Penny Priddy, MP for Surrey North, stood in the House of Commons and made the following statement:
Mr. Speaker, the budget does nothing to lower prescription drug costs for ordinary Canadians. In 2005, over $20 billion was spent on prescription drugs and yet 3.5 million Canadians have no drug coverage whatsoever. We spend more on drugs than we do on doctors. Expenditures are rising eight to ten times faster than the rate of inflation. This is shameful and it is shameful that the health minister did not do anything about it.
Will the Conservatives commit to lowering drug costs or will they leave Canadians to swallow the bills with the pills?
Mr. Speaker, skyrocketing drug costs hurt families, businesses and governments. Regular Canadians spend almost $4 billion a year out of their own pockets on prescription drugs, businesses spend about $7 billion and governments spend $9 billion. When drug costs go up, everybody feels the pinch. A whopping 70% to 80% of businesses' overall health costs are on medication.
When will the government introduce a comprehensive plan to reduce drug costs and save Canadians money?
TAXPAYERS FEDERATION ON MLA COMPENSATION
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has submitted its recommendations on MLA compensation to an appointed three-member independent commission.
"The CTF stands behind the work of the 1996 Citizens' Panel on MLA Remuneration. The bulk of their recommendations are in place now and as a result, the compensation package for elected members is fair, transparent and competitive," said Sara MacIntyre, BC director for the CTF.
The government appointed the three-member Independent Commission on MLA Compensation at the end of January to review base pay, allowances, constituency budgets and pension benefits. The Commission will report its recommendations at the end of April and shortly thereafter, MLAs will vote on them.
"MLAs work long hours, spend most of their time away from their families and receive little or no recognition for their efforts. Members should be compensated for their work and earn retirement savings while in office. But, being elected to office should neither be profitable nor charitable; it should be fair for the member and the taxpayer. The existing compensation package strikes a good balance and the CTF recommends it remain in place."
MLAs currently enjoy a base salary of $76,100 plus a generous RRSP contribution that can net $55,000 in retirement savings in just four years, travel allowances and numerous other benefits, such as paid MSP premiums.
"If, the legislature accepts any changes to the current compensation package, the CTF recommends those changes not be enacted until after the next election. This would provide an opportunity for the legislators to defend and justify any increases to those who will be paying for it, the taxpayers," said MacIntyre.
"British Columbia became a leader in transparency and accountability when the sensible reforms recommended by the 1996 Citizens' Panel on MLA Remuneration were implemented. Gold-plated pension schemes that cost taxpayers five dollars for every dollar a member contributed were eliminated, as were the myriad of taxable and non-taxable allowances and perks such as unlimited passenger and car ferry travel. A simple, easy to understand package with an annual indexed, fully taxable base pay together with a straight forward group-style RRSP was put in place by the Harcourt government. The CTF continues to supports these reforms and will aggressively oppose any attempt to reinstate gold-plated pensions that made two-term MLAs millionaires."
SURREY: SECOND BUILDING SELLS OUT IN 67 MINUTES
The popularity of Surrey's largest-ever residential and commercial development continues with a record 67 minute sell-out of the 116 homes in second building of the new Quattro community. Real estate sales for the morning totaled $30-million.
Building One in the development sold out in less than four hours exactly one month ago. With over 7,500 people still on the registration list for the second offering of suites and starting prices lowered to $114,400, the sales team was not surprised the apartment homes sold fast.
"It was bedlam today," says Bill Morrison, partner of Pilot House Real Estate Inc. "The suites sold as quickly as we could offer them." Morrison says buyers lined up hours in advance of the sale to purchase one of the available suites.
Located at the intersection of 108th Ave. and King George Highway, Quattro promises to revitalize North Whalley creating a new, vibrant community. The development spans approximately 10 acres and will add over 1,100 homes and thousands of square feet of commercial space upon completion. Building Two comprises 116 suites, introduces 10 new floor plans and has the most inexpensive real estate in the Lower Mainland.
Former Canuck star goaltender Kirk McLean was on hand at the sale to award five lucky people the first chance to buy into Quattro. McLean chose the future homeowners from a draw of approximately 100 people who wanted to buy in Building One but couldn't because of the quick sell-out. Each of the five received a Quattro hockey jersey with their number on the back and were given a five minute 'shopping spree' to select their new homes. After the five buyers had made their selections, the remaining prospective purchasers were let in.
"I did not even know for sure if I'd be able to buy a place, so it was a thrill of a lifetime to suddenly have my name called as the first pick," says Ms Raj Pahal, who currently resides in Surrey. "With first selection, I got exactly the one bedroom home I wanted - for the price I was looking for."
Developer, Charan Sethi, president and CEO of Tien Sher Group of Companies, says he wants to contribute to the changing face of Whalley. "The city has put in a tremendous amount of leg work," explains Sethi. "Quattro will enhance Whalley, build on the city's efforts, and introduce a new standard of living to the community."
Since announcing the development in mid-February more than 50 people have registered to buy each day. Morrison says even though Quattro One and Two are sold out, there is much more to come.
"This is a massive development. There are 1,100 homes to sell," says Morrison. "My advice to people who want in is to be patient. We've got more where this came from."
Quattro consists of four, four-storey buildings with a mix of studios, one bedroom, one bedroom plus den, two bedroom, two bedroom plus den and loft suites. Sizes in Building Two range from 416 to approximately 1,000 square feet. Features include granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and energy efficient double glazed windows.
The site of the new community is two blocks from the Gateway SkyTrain station and a 45 minute commute to downtown Vancouver. Construction of the first two buildings is set to begin this June with completion in fall 2008.
LEGISLATION MAKES SCHOOL CODES OF CONDUCT MANDATORY
The province introduced legislation this week requiring all B.C. school boards to have codes of conduct that meet provincial standards in order to help make classrooms safer for students and staff.
"A recent survey of B.C. school districts showed that one-third of schools don't have codes of conduct that meet provincial standards," said Education Minister Shirley Bond. "This legislation will ensure school boards establish standards for appropriate behaviour in every school in B.C. Students learn better when they feel safe at school."
The survey last fall also indicated that while all 60 school districts reported having safe school policies in place, only 20 districts said all of their schools have codes of conduct that meet provincial standards. Under Bill 22, the Education Statutes Amendment Act, school boards must establish codes of conduct for students in their districts to help prevent bullying and harassment. The codes of conduct must meet the provincial standards set out in the Safe Schools Strategy introduced in March 2004.
The amendment also fulfils election platform and throne speech commitments to give government the ability to communicate directly with teachers. This builds on the first annual teachers' congress held in November 2006, where teachers were able to share their classroom insights and experiences directly with the province.
"I've met with hundreds of teachers during my visits to school districts around the Province, and have been so impressed with the hard work, professionalism and dedication they show towards our children," said Bond. "We value their expertise and look forward to the opportunity to communicate with them."
The province also introduced legislation today improving the way school district business companies operate. The new legislation is the result of government's announcement in October 2006 that school district business companies would be required to comply with tough new rules that would improve accountability and transparency.
The legislative amendments to the School Act regarding school district business companies require:
* The majority of directors to be at arm's length from the school board.
* June 30 to be prescribed as fiscal year end.
* School district business companies to appoint auditors and prepare financial statements.
* School district business companies to include a schedule of transactions between the business company and the school board in audited financial.
* School district business companies to issue annual reports.
* School district business companies to hold annual general meetings that are open to the public.
"Parents and school boards had concerns about school district business companies and we listened to those concerns," said Bond. "The new legislation will help make school district business companies more accountable and transparent, and that will better serve the public interest."
Government made changes to the School Act in 2002 to enable school boards to create business entities that could generate extra funds for their districts. There are currently 12 school districts with business companies.
The province also made a number of amendments to the School Act to:
* Allow additional uses of personal education numbers.
* More accurately describe the role of the board of examiners.
* Prevent a conflict that may arise when the school funding announcement date specified in the School Act precedes the provincial budget announcement.
* Partially reimburse students for expenses incurred in earning an external credential or post-secondary credit.
* Reflect the titles currently being used by the francophone education authority, Conseil scolaire francophone.
The legislation will also:
* Amend the Teaching Profession Act to permit the college to hold annual general meetings in the fall, which will make full financial reporting possible.
* Amend the School Act and Independent School Act to clarify that only the Ministry of Education can issue the Dogwood graduation certificate.
SURREY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION'S NEW PREZ
Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation announced the appointment of its new President/CEO Jane Adams who is well known within British Columbia's health care fundraising circles, most recently serving as Executive Director of the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation in Vancouver.
Prior to that, Adams launched and operated the B.C. Women's Foundation. She has also provided consulting services to both the Greater Victoria Hospitals and Vancouver General Hospital.
Adams brings some valuable experience directing major campaigns, including a $15-million effort for hospitals in Kingston, Ontario and a $25-million expansion campaign at the University of Victoria.
Adams arrives at Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation just prior to the April 19th public launch of its $15-million Emergency Centre Campaign. "$15-million is an ambitious goal," acknowledges Adams. "But the Emergency Centre is vital for Surrey, and we want to give the community an opportunity to ensure the new facility will be state-of-the-art."
Adams becomes Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation's 3rd President/CEO since the Foundation was established in 1992. "Surrey Memorial Hospital is important to the health of our region," notes Adams. "The Foundation hears that consistently from the community, which has given more than $45-million to the hospital since 1992."
Most recently, contributions are helping Surrey Memorial Hospital become the first in B.C. to perform hip replacement surgeries with the use of a computer navigation system.
FEDERAL BUDGET: TAX RELIEF MEASURES
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty this week tabled a Notice of Ways and Means Motion in the House of Commons to implement certain tax relief measures proposed last week in Budget 2007 and in the months before the budget.
Flaherty said: "Canadians pay too much tax. Budget 2007 builds on the significant tax relief in our first budget to help Canadian families and businesses get ahead and stay ahead. We are reducing taxes by more than $40 billion over this and the next two fiscal years and we will continue to look at new ways to ease the tax burden of hard-working Canadians."
Key measures in the notice include:
* Introducing a $2,000 child tax credit that will provide up to $310 per child of tax relief to more than 3 million Canadian families, effective January 1, 2007.
* Increasing the spousal and other amounts, which will provide up to $209 of tax relief for a supporting spouse or single taxpayer who is supporting a child or relative, effective January 1, 2007.
* Enacting the Tax Fairness Plan, which delivers over $1 billion in additional tax savings for Canadian pensioners and seniors including:
Increasing the age credit amount by $1,000 to $5,066, effective January 1, 2006.
Introducing pension income splitting, effective January 1, 2007.
Reducing the general corporate income tax rate by one-half percentage point, effective January 1, 2011.
Introducing a distribution tax on distributions from certain publicly-traded income trusts and limited partnerships, generally effective beginning in 2011 for previously existing trusts and partnerships and in 2007 for new trusts and partnerships.
* Doubling the value of goods that may be imported duty- and tax-free by returning Canadian *
* Making registered education savings plans more responsive to the needs of students by eliminating the $4,000 limit on annual contributions, increasing the lifetime contribution limit to $50,000 from $42,000, and increasing the maximum Canada Education Savings Grant annual amount to $500 from $400, effective January 1, 2007.
* Increasing the age limit from 69 to 71 for converting a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) to strengthen incentives for older Canadians to work and save, effective January 1, 2007.
* Amending the list of qualified investments that can be held by RRSPs and other registered plans to include most investment-grade debt and publicly-listed securities, effective March 19, 2007.
* Establishing a federal Foreign Convention and Tour Incentive Program to attract foreign conventions and tour groups through a goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax rebate, effective April 1, 2007.
* Introducing a Green Levy on fuel-inefficient vehicles in Canada, effective March 20, 2007.
BUDGET: PRIORITY OR CON JOB?
(By NAVDEEP BAINS, M.P., Official Opposition Critic for International Trade)
When Stephen Harper formed the government in 2006, he did so with only five stated priorities. Then Mr. Harper saw the polls and discovered the environment as a priority and shortly after that he went to Toronto and realized transit was a priority.
Based on Mr. Harper's behaviour it appears that he sets priorities in response to poll results. As the prospect of an election looms, the number of priorities that the conservative government has continues to grow. Recently, the government has stated that trade with India is yet another "top priority."
It has taken fourteen months after forming the government for a member of the federal government to finally visit India to promote trade and investment. There was virtually no mention of strengthening trade with any of our trading partners (except for the United States) or seeking out new agreements with emerging markets in this week's budget.
Apparently, the Prime Minister and the Minister of International Trade are content with the provincial governments taking the lead on trade missions. Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia have all sent delegations to India. It has taken fourteen months after forming the government for a member of the federal government to finally visit India to promote trade and investment.
Neglecting to promote trade with key emerging markets will not only affect Canada's presence and reputation in the global market but will also have significant consequences on our economic growth and prosperity. A recent report introduced by The Conference Board of Canada states that Canada is slipping in overall economic performance. For example, Canada's income per capita - a commonly used measure of a country's standard of living - ranked in fifth place in 1990, behind Luxembourg, Switzerland, the U.S. and Iceland. The most recent data puts Canada in 10th place.
Like every prudent investor knows, Canada needs to diversify. Canada must avoid placing all its eggs in one basket - NAFTA. Emerging markets such as India offer the potential for exponential growth. Canada must not be left behind.
Now faced with an election and criticism over doing very little over the past fourteen months on the international trade file, the government has finally realized that there is an urgency to re-establish talks with one of the largest emerging markets in the world.
However, in their most recent budget, the Harper government failed to position Canada for the 21st century global market-place. In 2005, the Liberal government put forward the CANTrade strategy, which would have provided $485 million over 5 years to help Canadian businesses succeed in emerging markets. CANTrade was designed on showcasing Canada to the world, securing international markets and winning in the global market place. The Conservatives scrapped this initiative, and have now replaced it with a global commerce strategy of $60 million over the next two years.
As a member of the opposition and the critic for international trade, I hope what this government is now showing is a true change of heart in promoting trade and not simply a reactionary response to polls disguised as a priority.
BUDGET LEAVES NEW CANADIANS BEHIND
(By OMAR ALGHABRA, M.P., Official Opposition Critic for Citizenship and Immigration)
Immigration is one of the most important challenges and opportunities facing our country. According to Statistics Canada, our labour and population growth will soon depend exclusively on new Canadians. This is why the successful recruitment and integration of immigrants into our society is so critical and should be a priority for this government.
Unfortunately, the release of the Conservatives' second budget last week proved once again that Mr. Harper's government is more concerned with electioneering than with the future of Canada.
The second Conservative budget, just like the first one, contains no vision for ensuring the successful integration of immigrants and places no emphasis on the needs of new Canadians. It offers nothing that would provide relief for new Canadian families dealing with the growing backlog in immigration applications, including family reunification, slow citizenship processing times and long wait times for refugee claimants to obtain scheduled hearings.
Recognizing this as a priority, the previous Liberal government announced a five-year $700-million plan to reduce the processing backlog and to create the In-Canada Economic Stream that would allow applicants with experience in Canada's labour market or educational institutions to stay in Canada. Instead of developing this plan, the Conservatives simply re-announced the initiative under a new name and cut the funding to a mere $34 million over two years, with no funding allocated to reduce the backlog.
In terms of foreign credentials, this Conservative government has simply broken yet another election promise. In their last campaign and in their 2006 budget, the Conservatives promised to create an agency to assess and recognize credentials at the federal level. The Conservatives made a clear, unambiguous promise that would fix this quandary. Instead, the 2007 budget states that a new foreign-credential office will only "provide immigrants with pathfinding and referral services to identify and connect with the appropriate assessment bodies." Doesn't this government realize that simply telling prospective immigrants about the challenges they may face with credentials before they come is not enough? Canadians don't want another office that is going to point the finger at another office. They want solutions to obstacles they can't control.
Mr. Harper's government must understand that the provincial government and regulatory agencies depend on resources to help them implement the programs necessary to integrate the credentials and training of new Canadians.
The Conservatives' approach to the immigration file reveals that at best, they have no plan or vision to deal with immigration issues and at worst, they do not care about voters who consider this file to be crucial for the future success of Canada.
While the Conservatives' actions to date are disheartening and disappointing, they shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, it was Stephen Harper who said "You have to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from Eastern Canada; people who live in ghettos and are not integrated into Western Canadian society." Mr. Harper's attempts to re-invent himself and his party have been a dismal failure. His past will always haunt him and his actions speak much louder than his rhetoric.
NEXT GENERATION OF B.C. DOCTORS HIT THE WARDS
Government funding of more than $40 million has expanded UBC Clinical Academic Campuses (CACs) at key teaching hospitals throughout British Columbia, providing teaching and training facilities to educate the next generation of physicians, Health Minister George Abbott said this week.
"Expanding academic space at hospitals across the province is enabling the expansion of the UBC's Faculty of Medicine to produce more B.C.-trained doctors for local communities," said Abbott speaking at one of the new classrooms at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria which is now linked by video-conferencing technology to other hospitals spanning all six health authorities. "Expanding the clinical academic campuses is part of the government's commitment to double the number of doctors in training by 2008."
The province will double its number of undergraduate first-year medical student spaces at UBC from 128 in 2003 to 256 by September 2007 through collaborations at the University of Victoria and the University of Northern British Columbia. This together with expanded postgraduate training positions for Canadian medical graduates from 128 in 2003 to 224 in 2007 will improve the availability of - and access to - GPs and specialists for B.C. residents.
"The Clinical Academic Campuses will help provide communities across B.C. with access to a major medical centre committed to training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals," said Gavin Stuart, dean of the UBC Faculty of Medicine, who also attended the official launch of the facilities. "These local learning opportunities will allow medical students and residents to receive an outstanding education with the enthusiasm of clinician-teachers across the province and make a major difference to the health of British Columbians."
Technology is a key component in the delivery of distributed medical education. Each CAC is equipped with videoconferencing technology, which utilizes TELUS IP technology to link all key teaching hospitals for classes.
The three university medical training facilities at UBC, UNBC and UVic, built with a $134-million investment from the Province, are equipped with high-tech video-conferencing and e-learning systems. The Ministry of Health provided $27.6 million for new or renovated teaching space in clinical academic campuses and related facilities, and a further $14.9 million for an audiovisual information technology (AVIT) infrastructure. This allows faculty members to conduct classes with medical students and residents from any of these locations across the province and links virtual learning with the classroom setting.
"Our groundbreaking success in using advanced video-conferencing to connect medical students at three university campuses has paved the way for a similar approach in teaching hospitals," said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. "We're using the latest technology to open up opportunities for medical students throughout their training, and creating a model of medical education for other provinces and countries to follow."
Using TELUS and other technical partners' technology and a secure information network, students, health professionals and education institutions will benefit from the use of telehealth technology for ongoing training, education and delivery of health care services.
TEACHER DISCIPLINE REGISTRY TO PROTECT B.C. STUDENTS
Government introduced legislation this week to protect B.C. students and provide the public with information about educators who have been disciplined by the B.C. College of Teachers, said Education Minister Shirley Bond.
"Parents and school trustees asked for better access to information about educators who have been disciplined for misconduct, and this government committed to take action," said Bond. "Our students need to be safe in order to learn, and parents need to feel good about sending their children to school."
Under Bill 21, the Teaching Profession (Teacher Registration) Amendment Act, the online registry of the College must include:
* the name of the person who has been disciplined, and the status of the person's certificate.
* a record of any suspensions or cancellations of the person's certificate of qualification or letter of permission to teach
* a record of disciplinary action taken by the B.C. College of Teachers when the discipline relates to physical, sexual or emotional harm to a student, or conduct or competence in breach of College standards.
The reasons for the disciplinary action must also be reported, unless doing so would cause significant hardship to the person who was harmed, abused or exploited. The legislation fulfils election platform and throne speech commitments to establish a teacher discipline registry that the public can access.
"The new discipline registry makes British Columbia a national leader in the protection of students," said Bond. "However, the public still won't know if a teacher has been disciplined in another province. That's why I want to discuss establishing a national discipline registry with my counterparts in the rest of Canada."
The legislation also requires the B.C. College of Teachers to create an employment registry, which will be made available to any school board, authority or band that is considering employing a college member. School boards will be required to provide the college with the names of any college members employed by a board during the previous 12 months.
Bill 21 amends Section 16 of the School Act, which requires a school board to report to the B.C. College of Teachers any time it dismisses or suspends a college member, or if it disciplines a college member for misconduct that involves physical harm, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or significant emotional harm to a student. The legislation also sets out that the duty to report discipline is imposed on the superintendent of schools.
"These legislative changes follow through on advice government received from parents, educators, administrators and trustees on how to protect our children and enhance accountability in our education system," said Bond. "We are working to make B.C. the best-educated, most literate place in North America, and we can only do that if our students feel safe."
The Inspector of Independent Schools will also be required to have parallel discipline and teacher employment registries in place. Independent school principals will have a duty to report misconduct of teachers who are certified by the Inspector of Independent Schools.
The B.C. College of Teachers is the professional, self-regulatory body for more than 64,000 licensed educators in British Columbia. Members include teachers, principals and superintendents in the public, independent and First Nations school systems. An educator must hold a certificate of qualification issued by the College to teach in a B.C. public school.
For independent schools, the Inspector of Independent Schools may certify teachers upon recommendation of the Independent School Teacher Certification Committee.
NEW LEGISLATION ALLOWS SCHOOL FEES FOR SOME COURSES
Government introduced legislation today to allow school districts to charge fees for some courses and materials, said Education Minister Shirley Bond.
"This government committed to act on behalf of parents, students, teachers and school boards who expressed concern that programs might be cancelled because of a recent court ruling that limited school fees - and this bill meets that commitment," said Bond. "This legislation will protect core education programs that students require to graduate, while allowing districts the flexibility to charge fees for specialty academies, trades training and music equipment."
Under the new legislation, school districts may charge fees:
* To defray non-instructional costs to operate specialty academies, or costs that are in addition to the costs of providing a regular education program;
* For the purchase or rental of musical instruments for a student's personal;
* For the purchase or rental of tools, materials or equipment for a student's personal use in trades training or apprenticeship programs.
Bill 20 amends the School Act, which requires school boards to provide an education free of charge to every resident student of school age living in B.C. and enrolled in a school operated by a board. It also prevents boards from charging for educational resource materials necessary to participate in an educational program.
Under Bill 20, boards may offer specialty academies with the approval of the school planning council. Before approving an academy, school planning councils must consult with parents. Boards and school planning councils must also annually approve fees for specialty academies.
"We want students in B.C. to have every opportunity to succeed in school, and that means ensuring they have a wide selection of educational choices," said Bond. "At the same time, free public education is one of the principles on which the School Act is based. These legislative changes uphold that principle and help our students to achieve their best."
School boards will also be required to have a policy in place to enable participation by students for whom the fees may be a financial hardship.
The legislation helps fulfill a throne speech commitment to give boards the tools they need to offer students access to programs that might otherwise have been cancelled as a result of the court ruling.
School boards continue to be able to charge fees for the purchase of paper, writing tools, student planners, exercise books, computer diskettes and other school supplies and equipment for a student's personal use.
Since 2000-01, the province has increased funding to B.C. public schools by over $1 billion: $667 million in operating grants and $407 million in one-time grants. During the same period, enrolment has declined by over 50,000 students.
RICHMOND SELLS OVAL RIVERFRONT LANDS
The City of Richmond announced this week that it has reached an agreement to sell and lease the 18.6-acre Oval Riverfront Lands to ASPAC Developments Ltd. for a total of $141 million.
The Oval Riverfront lands will become the site of a world class urban waterfront development surrounding the Richmond Oval, home of long track speed skating for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The Oval development will include 12 to 14 mid-rise residential towers. It will be the largest master planned neighbourhood in Richmond and will include commercial residential, recreational and open park space along the banks of the Fraser River's Middle Arm.
"This is a momentous day for the City of Richmond," said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. "This agreement will provide untold benefits for countless generations of Richmond residents as it will allow us to reinvest in our community's future. We look forward to working with ASPAC to create a highly livable new neighbourhood. It will be a showcase for outstanding and sustainable design and become a destination of choice for visitors from around the world."
Established in 1993, ASPAC is best known as the developer of Coal Harbour, transforming a former industrial site into an internationally-recognized waterfront neighbourhood popular with both residents and visitors.
"Working with Richmond, we will create a world class legacy that is worthy of this unique riverfront site," said Raymond Li, Senior Vice President of ASPAC. "The Oval Riverfront Lands will be a high-quality, sustainable, residential neighbourhood, with diverse commercial amenities, extensive open space, and enhanced public access to the area's most prominent assets, the Fraser River and the recreational facilities created by the Richmond Oval."
The City required $43 million from the Oval lands agreement proceeds to support the completion of the Richmond Oval project. This agreement exceeds that requirement and fulfils Council's commitment that no borrowing or property tax increase would be used to fund the construction of the Oval.
Council is considering options for the investment of the remaining proceeds from the agreement. It is considering a proposal that the bulk of the funds be invested in a series of Community Legacy Funds, which will preserve the principal and use investment proceeds to fund a variety of initiatives.
"The Oval Riverfront Lands are the last remaining portion of the Brighouse Estates, which was purchased by the City more than 40 years ago," noted Mayor Brodie. "That wise investment provided for many of the civic amenities we enjoy today and helped guide the development of our City Centre. The legacy of the Brighouse Estates gave us the opportunity we have today and we need to make a new investment in our community that will also pay dividends for future generations."
ASPAC will purchase five of seven parcels contained within the 18.6 acres and sign a 60-year lease on the remaining two parcels. Four of the parcels at the west end of the site are designated for high density residential, while the remaining three, adjoining the Richmond Oval, are designated for commercial or mixed use development.
ASPAC was selected through a Request For Proposal process initiated in the spring of 2006. In addition to its financial commitment, ASPAC's proposal met or exceeded the RFP requirements by:
* ensuring no net loss of public open space and extending the waterfront through "green fingers" from the dyke to the new River Road;
* increasing the publicly accessible open space within the privately-owned development area;
* improving and maximizing river views within and through the site;
* creating additional pedestrian friendly commercial activities along the entire west side of the Oval Lands; and
* committing to achieve LEED Silver standard for environmentally sustainable building design.
ASPAC will begin work immediately on detailed site planning. ASPAC's design team will be led by acclaimed architect James Cheng. An initial parcel at the northeast corner is expected to be developed by 2009. While marketing and some construction is expected to be launched over the next two years, most site development will occur after 2010.
The City has retained a half acre site adjoining the Oval Riverfront Lands, which has been designated for a future affordable housing development.
AGREEMENT WITH CHINESE CANADIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The City of Vancouver Archives and the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia have signed an agreement to cooperate on the identification and appraisal of archival records that document the history of Vancouver's Chinese community.
This partnership should help the Archives preserve and make available more of the community's history to the public.
The City Archives already houses a number of collections documenting Vancouver's Chinese community's past. Significant records include those of the Yip family, including Wing Sang Co. and Yip Sang Ltd.; the Sam Kee Company; and the Kuo Kong Silk Company. Holdings date from 1888 to 1989. The collections comprise photographs, financial records, correspondence, catalogues, and from the Kuo Kong Silk Company, silk samples.
The Archives also has 1,700 photos, 22 videos and Committee records for Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden Society.
The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia will be encouraging members of Vancouver's Chinese community to donate their archival records to the City's Archives.
GOVERNMENT MUST APOLOGIZE TO RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL VICTIMS
The Minister of Indian Affairs must honour the federal government's pledge to Canada's First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples and issue a formal apology to residential schools survivors, Liberal Opposition MPs said this week.
"The Conservative government simply refuses to acknowledge the significance of an apology to complete the healing process," said Churchill MP Tina Keeper. "This apology is every bit as important as any other component of the residential school compensation package, as committed to the survivors by the previous Liberal government. The Conservative government must act honourably and issue a formal apology."
This week Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice and the Conservative government confirmed that the settlement for survivors of Indian residential schools would not include an apology.
"The Minister's refusal to issue a simple human apology to residential school survivors is another broken promise and betrayal of Aboriginal Canadians," said Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Gary Merasty.
A financial settlement was reached earlier this year, but former students say they need an apology as part of their healing process.
The minister's comments contradict a written pledge made by the Assembly of First Nations and former Liberal government and signed by then-Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan.
"It is amazing that the Harper government doesn't have the decency or compassion to live up to the promise to issue an apology," said Labrador MP Todd Russell.
"An apology would cost nothing, but it would go a long way towards ending this terrible chapter in Canadian history. It is shameful that the Government will not take this simple but important step to close the residential schools legacy," said Liberal Indian Affairs Critic Anita Neville.
APRIL IS ORAL HEALTH MONTH
BC's sandwich generation will likely be helping to care for their aging parents' oral health in addition to that of their own children, says the BC Dental Association. April is Oral Health Month and the BC Dental Association's annual campaign is focusing on seniors' oral care.
Due to healthier lifestyles and preventive dental care, older adults are keeping their natural teeth later in life. A 2001 survey of more than 11,500 dental patients in BC indicate that tooth loss has dropped by 40 percent in just five years. The average number of teeth in adults aged 56-65 between 1986 and 2001 increased from 19 to 23.
Oral health is likely not top of mind when considering health issues related to growing older. But age-related problems such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease can make brushing and flossing difficult. As such, daily oral care may be neglected and over time this can lead to painful teeth and difficulty eating, increasing the risk for malnutrition and weight loss.
Poor oral health can also put frail seniors at greater risk of developing, or making worse, serious health problems. Bacteria allowed to flourish in the mouth due to poor oral hygiene can travel to the lungs, exacerbating existing lung problems or increasing the risk for pneumonia.
According to Dr. Chris Wyatt, Director of UBC's Geriatric Dentistry Program, elderly parents may keep silent about their oral health problems. "They don't want to burden their children and may be embarrassed to admit they can no longer look after themselves," said Wyatt. Here are some tips to help aging parents maintain good oral health:
* Encourage daily brushing and flossing of teeth.
* Dentures should be cleaned daily to prevent plaque and tartar buildup.
* If brushing or flossing is difficult, ask your dentist about oral care aids.
* Avoid cavity-causing candies and treats. Try switching to sugar free options.
* Visit the dentist regularly, even if dentures are worn.
For more information about looking after aging teeth and gums, talk to your dentist.
LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
The province introduced legislation this week that will help improve student achievement by making school boards more accountable for student results, providing students and parents with more choice, and increasing support to school districts.
"This legislation provides students and parents with more choice and makes school boards more accountable so that more B.C. students graduate," said Education Minister Shirley Bond. "While B.C. schools are among the best in the world, results have levelled off and in some cases have even declined, and we want to do better."
Under Bill 20, the Province will replace district accountability contracts with achievement contracts in which school boards will be required to set specific goals for student achievement. Boards will also be responsible in their achievement contracts for achieving specific results for Aboriginal students.
To help boards reach their performance goals, the province will create new superintendents of achievement, who will support districts to improve student achievement and develop leadership at the district level. Four superintendents of achievement will report and make recommendations on improving student achievement, early learning and literacy programs in school districts. If boards do not reach their achievement goals, the minister may provide direction on how to achieve the goals.
The legislation also builds on the province's new literacy plan, ReadNow BC, by broadening the mandate of school boards to include early learning and by requiring boards to develop district literacy plans to improve reading skills. School boards will be renamed "boards of education" to reflect their broader mandate.
"This legislation will help address the fact that nearly one out of four B.C. kindergarten students is not developmentally ready to start school," said Bond. "I'm encouraged that many school boards are already taking an active role in improving pre-reading levels for preschool children through the StrongStart early learning centres. This legislation builds on that work."
The province will also provide increased support for parents who are dissatisfied with a board ruling, such as the suspension of a student. Parents will be able to appeal the ruling to the superintendents of achievement. If the superintendents decide the appeal should proceed, a mediator or adjudicator will be appointed to rule on the appeal.
In addition, the legislation will broaden the minister's capacity to consider creating provincial demonstration schools. The schools will provide students and parents with more choice and help B.C. develop the best educational practices that can then be shared with other schools throughout the province. Legislation will also expand the role of the district superintendent of schools to include responsibility for student achievement in the district.
The legislation fulfils a throne speech commitment introduce reforms that focus on improving quality, choice and accountability. The legislation supports the Province's Pacific Leadership Agenda by helping to improve results for Aboriginal students and by improving B.C.'s competitiveness and productivity through education. It also helps the province reach its goal of making B.C. the most educated, literate jurisdiction in North America by 2010.
RICHMOND RECEIVES TRUE SPORT COMMUNITY AWARD
The City of Richmond is the recipient of the Bell Canada True Sport Community Award, which was handed out at the prestigious Canadian Sport Awards on March 23 at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. The Bell True Sport Community Award honours communities that are living examples of fair and ethical sport initiatives.
Richmond's True Sport Community Award submission highlighted five examples of how the City, Richmond Sport Council and community sport groups worked together to provide opportunities for Richmond residents to experience the many benefits that come with participating in community sport activities. The program submissions included:
* The Hugh Boyd Artificial Turf Complex project, which involved the City and an alliance of 13 community soccer groups working together to develop four new artificial turf playing fields in the community.
* The City of Richmond's "Everyone Can Play" Field Sport Strategy and Playbook for Action, which involved City staff and 29 Richmond field sport groups. Working together, a vision and five year action plan was developed to improve field sport program delivery and facility upgrades in the community.
* The "Everyone Can Play" Soccer Program, which was a joint effort between the Richmond Youth Soccer Association, the City of Richmond and the Richmond Food Bank. Soccer equipment and registration in community soccer was offered to children of Richmond families who attended the Richmond Food Bank.
* The Richmond Arenas Community Association, which worked closely with City staff to provide ice sport activities and events and development of arena facilities.
* The City and School District No. 38's agreement, which provided Richmond community youth groups free access to school gyms in return for the City cutting the schools' grass. Richmond public school students also got free access to the City's outdoor sports fields.
Other Canadian Sport Award winners include: Female Athlete of the Year - Cindy Klassen, five time Olympic medallist in long track speed skating; Spirit of Sport Story of the Year - Clara Hughes, Olympic medallist in long track speed skating; and Coach of the Year - Neal Marshall, coach of Canada's Olympic long track speed skating team. The world will get to see these winners compete at the Richmond Oval during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Richmond resident Darcy Marquart, a World Champion in W2 pairs rowing, along with her team-mate Jane Rumball, were runners up in the Partners of the Year category.
City staff representative Eric Stepura, Manager of Sports and Community Events, attended the event, presented a slide show profiling Richmond as a Venue City for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and accepted the True Sport Community Award on behalf of the City and the many community sport administrators, coaches, officials and volunteers who provide sport opportunities that enrich the quality of life in Richmond.
ANNUAL RETAIL SALES TAKE OFF
Consumers shelled out more money at gas pumps and home furnishings stores in 2005, pushing annual retail sales to their fastest growth rate since 2002.
The nation's retailers reported operating revenues of $403.6 billion in 2005, up 5.4% from the previous year. The gain was well above the average annual growth rate of 4.7% between 2000 and 2005.
Brick-and-mortar stores, selling to walk-in customers at physical locations, experienced revenue growth of 5.3%. On the other hand, non-store retailers such as those selling exclusively through e-commerce, mail order or catalogues posted growth of 7.5%.
Brick-and-mortar stores accounted for the vast majority of operating revenues, some 97% in 2005. Non-store retailing represented only 3% of total retailing activity.
Traditional brick-and-mortar stores can be divided into two categories - retail chain stores and independents. In 2005, independents continued to have the largest share of the retail industry, but they have been slowly losing ground to chains.
In 1999, independents commanded 61% of total retail activity. By 2005, this share had declined to 56%.
Conversely, chain stores accounted for only 39% in 1999. Six years later, their share had jumped to 44%.
Back-to-back hurricanes that hammered the US Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida put intense pressure on global oil and gas prices in 2005. As a consequence, rising costs were widespread among Canadian gasoline station retailers and fuel dealers.
Higher retail margins and profits:
Most retail trade groups reported higher gross margins and operating profits in 2005. Overall, gross margins among store retailers rose 5.5% over the previous year.
The largest growth in margins was reported at furniture stores (+13.3%), home furnishing stores (+10.4%) and gasoline stations (+10.4%). Margins also rose for fuel dealers (+7.5%) and electronic shopping and mail-order houses (+3.3%).
However, computer and software stores continued to struggle, with margins falling 5.2% in 2005. This was the fifth consecutive annual drop since the Y2K peak when their gross margins grew 37% between 1999 and 2000.
Part of this deterioration in the bottom line can be attributed to the erosion of store sales by online sales of computers and software.
According to the Canadian Internet Use Survey, 32% of Canadians went online to download or purchase computer software in 2005. Revenue generated from the sale of computer software from electronic shopping and mail-order retailing establishments rose a staggering 121.1% in 2005.
Overall, operating profits for store retailers rose 6.2%, while for non-store retailers, the gain was 10.1%.
Alberta retailers:
Store retailers in Western Canada reported the strongest growth in their gross margins. Margins were up 9.2% in Alberta, 8.4% in Saskatchewan, 7.0% in Manitoba, and 5.9% in British Columbia.
Alberta retailers reported the largest increases in associated costs despite growth in their gross margins. The cost of goods sold was up 9.1% over 2004, compared to 6.3% in neighbouring Saskatchewan and 5.2% in Quebec.
Alberta retailers also reported the biggest increase in operating expenses over the previous year (+8.8%). Labour costs rose 7.4% - the biggest rise amongst all the provinces.
As a result, operating profits as a percentage of revenue earned for Alberta retailers was one of the lowest among the provinces (4.0%). This was in contrast to retailers in Ontario (6.1%) and British Columbia (5.8%).
Gasoline stations, fuel dealers:
Gasoline station retailers and fuel dealers experienced strong sales in 2005. Gasoline prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, increased 12.8% in 2005 over 2004. This was due in part to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita along the Gulf Coast of the United States.
Most Canadian gasoline stations recorded double-digit increases in their cost of goods sold. This was especially true among gasoline station chains.
The cost of goods sold, this would include the cost of all merchandise sold in a typical chain gasoline station, not just gasoline, rose 18.8%. Labour and other operating expenses were up 5.7%.
As a result, despite the strong sales, operating profits as a percentage of revenues for chain gasoline stations rose only slightly from 9.6% in 2004 to 10.0% in 2005.
Fuel dealers, those retailing heating oil, liquefied petroleum and other fuels to end consumers, reported a 7.5% increase in margins and an 8.2% increase in operating profits over 2004.
Advertising the big expense:
Overall, store retailers continued to control expenses relative to revenue in 2005. Despite operating expenses among store retailers that rose 5.3% to $81.0 billion in 2005, operating expenses represented 20.7% of operating revenues, virtually unchanged from 20.8% the year before.
Labour costs rose at the slowest rate of major expense components, up 3.2% from 2004. As a proportion of total operating expenses, labour remuneration remained virtually unchanged at 51%.
Advertising represented the biggest expense, especially for retail chain stores, where this cost rose 12.3%.
Increased aggressiveness in advertising to stimulate sales may have contributed to this rise. In addition, amongst all their advertising options, online advertising spending continues to grow as more retailers start to see the internet as a necessary component of brand advertising.
Advertising costs more than doubled for retail chains of computer and software stores, as well as other miscellaneous store retailers. Clothing stores, gasoline stations, and new car dealers also reported large increases.
Inventories down slightly:
Store retailers saw their inventory-to-sales ratio drop from 1.69 in 2004 to 1.62 in 2005, which translates to a two day drop in their inventory levels. Lower ratios mean lower storage costs and less risk of having to liquidate merchandise if demand changes.
Shoe, clothing accessories and jewellery stores maintained the largest amount of stock, just shy of four months worth. This was followed by sporting goods, hobby, music, and book stores with just over a three-month supply.
Miscellaneous store retailers, as well as clothing stores, made the greatest adjustment in their inventory levels in 2005. Miscellaneous store retailers shaved off almost 10 days worth of inventory, while clothing stores saw inventory retention drop by almost five days.
THE GAP IN GDP PER CAPITA BETWEEN CANADA & U.S.
Canada's economic output per person is lower than it is in the United States, but the gap has narrowed since the turn of the millennium, according to a new study.
Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita stood at 84.3% of GDP per capita in the United States in 2005, an improvement from the low of 81.0% in 1998. This was also slightly above the average of 83.2% for the 12-year period between 1994 and 2005.
The gap in GDP per capita between Canada and the United States is driven by two factors. These are the differences in labour productivity, which are measured as GDP per hour worked, and the differences in the number of hours worked per capita between the two countries.
The relative importance of these factors has been changing over time. Prior to 2000, both components were relatively constant. However, since 2000, relative productivity in Canada has declined, while relative hours worked per capita variable has gone up dramatically.
The study found that in the 1990s, over two-thirds of the gap in GDP per capita between the two countries was due to differences in hours worked per capita and about one-third due to differences in labour productivity. By 2005, on the contrary, differences in labour productivity between the two countries accounted for two-thirds of this gap.
This study is the third in a series on the project initiated in the fall of 2003 by the Canadian Productivity Accounts at Statistics Canada to compare the level of productivity between Canada and the United States.
In this study, the output gap between the two countries is measured using relative nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, which is expressed in a common currency, using purchasing power parity indices.
Relative GDP per capita may be broken down into three components: relative labour productivity, that is, GDP per hour worked; effort (relative hours worked per job) and the relative employment rate per capita (ratio of number of jobs to total population). This study describes the methods used to estimate each of these factors.
Since 2000, hours worked per capita in Canada have improved because the Canadian economy has been generating new jobs at a much faster rate than the American economy. This has led to the recent improvements in Canada's relative GDP per capita.
Starting in 2001, Canada has experienced large gains in hours worked per capita relative to the United States. From the mid- to late-1990s, the number of hours worked per capita in Canada represented only about 88% of the level in the United States.
However, since 2000, this proportion has increased sharply. By 2005, the number of hours worked per capita in Canada reached 94.7% of the US level.
These recent increases in the relative number of hours worked per capita in Canada have been driven by stronger job growth in Canada than in the United States. These strong gains have narrowed the gap between Canada and the United States in terms of the ratio of jobs to the working age population.
In 1999, the ratio of jobs to the population aged 15 years and over in Canada was 90.6% of that in the United States. Since 2003, this ratio has stabilized around 97%.
Recent gains in the relative number of hours worked per capita in Canada have been partially offset by reductions in Canada's relative labour productivity.
Labour productivity is measured as the nominal GDP per hour worked for the overall economy.
In 2000, productivity in Canada was 94.1% of that in the United States. By 2005, this proportion had declined to 89.0%. In recent years, the Canadian economy has experienced several shocks, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis, the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the power blackout in Ontario, and the sharp appreciation of the Canadian dollar.
From 1994 to 2005, Canada's annual labour productivity was, on average, 92.2% of labour productivity in the United States.
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