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#1. VASSANJI IN VANCOUVER
Internationally renowned author Moyez G. Vassanji was in town this week autographing copies of his latest novel - The Assassin's Song - at downtown Vancouver's Chapters. Vassanji was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1950 and raised in Tanzania. He studied nuclear physics in the U.S. before immigrating to Canada where he worked at an atomic power station. After his first novel was published in 1989, he quit his job and began writing full time.
#2. TOP SPEAKERS AT CANADA-INDIA BUSINESS COUNCIL EVENT
The Canada-India Business Council organized a very invigorating discussion last Friday (September 21) at a Vancouver downtown hotel on the subject "India's Financial Sector: Canada's New Frontier."
The speakers included Roy McLaren, former Minister of International Trade and Chairman, C-IBC, Hari Pandey, President and CEO, ICICI Bank Canada, Rahul Petkar, President and CEO, Polaris Software Lab, Peter Sutherland, Vice Chairman, C-IBC, Bill Maclagan and Francis Chang of Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP, and Juan Ubeda of Scotia Bank. The keynote speaker was Eric Siegel, President and CEO of the Export Development Bank.
MacLaren spoke about "India: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." He said that the Indo-Canadian community has grown to be an economic and politically influential group. He highlighted the need for removing the trade barriers that exist between India and Canada.
Panday pointed out that the demographics in India are shifting and that there in an untapped rural potential. He added that the domestic market in India is growing at 9%, while, as a comparison, Southern California is growing
at only 4%. He noted that ICICI is the world's largest issuer of Visa cards and just to give it some perspective, ICICI issued 1.5 million cards last
month alone in India. Panday noted that there are huge opportunities in retail credit in India. Currently there are 600 million people in India earning the equivalent of $600 or less a month. If that dollar figure goes to $1,200, it would mean an additional 3.4 trillion dollars running through the Indian economy.
Professor D.J. Sandhu, Executive of the C-IBC and the BC Regional Innovation Chair on Canada-India Business and Economic Development, noted that in July alone, there were 7 million new subscribers for cell phones in India.
Petkar described how huge financial institutions could alter the architecture of their electronic systems to make them more flexible in meeting the multifaceted requirements of an enormous Indian population.
Peter Sutherland, former Canadian High Commissioner in New Delhi, said that in the past there was minimal interest in India with the focus in Asia being primarily on China. There were only 2.5 million visitors to India in 2003 compared to Singapore's 16 million visitors.
So why has the economic growth been so good in India?
He pointed out the following factors: 1) Politics - India, unlike China, is a democratic nation. China has been referred to the tiger that can move in many directions. India is the elephant. Once it starts moving as is the case now, it is hard to go off-course. 2) Demographics - India has a 1.1 billion population and a huge 25 and under population which is a key needed to sustain the economic development in the future. 3) Emphasis on education - in 2003, India graduated over 200,000 students with electrical engineering degrees. India has a reputation for producing ambitious hard working young people. The domestic market by 2025 will comprise 580 million middle class people.
Siegel spoke on "Maximizing capital to make the most of Indo-Canadian trade." He said: "India in the next decade will spend $350 million on infrastructure and spent $20 billion last year in mergers and acquisitions." He said Canadian Financial Institutions should be definitely taking a harder look at setting up in India. He pointed out that Canadian business was too slow to recognize the potential India had to offer.
The event was organized by Doug Nazareth, C-IBC President, and Ritu D'Souza, C-IBC Vice President.
#3. SITARA THOBANI ENTHRALS ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AUDIENCE
By INDIRA PRAHST, Instructor of Race and Ethnic Relations, Department of Sociology, Langara College, Vancouver
Last Sunday, the performance "Sthayi" was presented in Vancouver with an ethnically diverse audience that packed the auditorium. The performance program clearly explained that Sthayi means foundation and continuity: "In a quest to challenge notions of Indian classical dance as static and belonging to the distant past, Sthayi presents recent choreographies alongside older dances, thus symbolizing the dynamic and innovative forum of the dance today." This explanation made watching the performance all the more meaningful, especially for those new to this form of dance.
Sitara Thobani's talents clearly manifested themselves that evening. Some in attendance that I spoke with said they had known Sitara as a young dancer and noted how she really blossomed that evening leaving many in awe. Sitara really captivated the audience with her performance of Yahi Madhava, an Orissi repertoire, in which you could feel the "deception of humanity by the divine." Indeed her dances were not only performed on a cerebral level, you could feel the passion in every move and facial expression. The performance ended with kali moksa, the Orissi repertoire with "the dance of liberation," which was followed by a well-deserved standing ovation.
Senator Mobina Jaffer was called upon the stage among other delegates to present Sitara with a plaque. Sitara thanked her supporters and especially acknowledged Kamal Sharma for his support and encouragement and her mother, well know UBC professor Sunera Thobani. Sitara's message was to continue to support and explore the diverse dance from India: "because it is who we are and necessary to express and preserve for future generations."
Sitara is continuing to blend her academics with dance to foster greater understanding of this art form and to sustain its depth on both "intellectual" and "affect" levels. Sitara has made the community very proud and is to be commended for preserving and sharing of these beautiful dances through "Sthayi."
#4. HERAR BROTHERS AND GURDIP GREWAL KEEP ON GOING
Brothers Mo and Bob Herar and Gurdip Grewal keep on going like the Energizer Bunny! This year again they won medals in tennis and badminton at the B.C. Seniors Games in Nanaimo September 12-15. More than 3,000 athletes over the age of 55 participated in various sports.
Mo Herar and Gurdip Grewal, representing the Fraser Valley zone, won the gold medal in the men's doubles in tennis in the age group 65-69 years. They beat the top ranking team of Howard Low and Bunny Kent.
Bob Herar, representing Vancouver zone in badminton, won three medals in the age group 65-69 years. He won the gold medal with Joseph Wong in the men's doubles, and bronze in the men's singles and in the mixed doubles with Freda Jenkins.
Next year, the games will be held in Prince George.
#5. MP NINA GREWAL LAUNCHES REBUILDING AFGHANISTAN PHOTO EXHIBIT
Nina Grewal, MP for Fleetwood-Port Kells, on behalf of Minister of International Cooperation Beverley Oda, launched the Rebuilding Afghanistan Photo Exhibit at the Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby on Thursday. The exhibit, which will be on display from September 19-26, tells a compelling story of Canada's efforts to help improve the lives of Afghan people.
"As Canadians, we are fortunate enough to enjoy freedom and democracy, values essential to our quality of life. This is not the case for many Afghans striving to rise above a legacy of poverty and oppression," said Grewal. "This exhibit presents a series of photographs that capture the spirit and resilience of the Afghan people. Canada is active in rebuilding Afghanistan and in improving the lives of Afghans. I encourage the public to stop by the Lougheed Town Centre to take a close look at these photos which provide a glimpse into the important work our country is doing to help the people of Afghanistan."
The exhibit is being shown across Canada over the coming months and can also be viewed online at www.acdi-cida.gc.ca
Last year, the federal government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), spent more than $139 million on aid and development in Afghanistan, making it the single largest recipient of Canadian foreign aid. In February, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced an additional $200 million, for both this year and next, to go towards governance and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan.
Canada addresses the basic human needs of Afghans and supports projects that:
* strengthen democratic development and effective governance from the grass roots up to the national level, and build public institutions worthy of the trust and confidence of all Afghan citizens;
* enhance the role of women and girls by ensuring that they have a greater voice in society as well as improved access to services and opportunities; and
* help rural Afghans develop sustainable agriculture-based livelihoods to increase income levels and food self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on poppy cultivation.
For more information on Canada's programs in Afghanistan, refer to the CIDA website at www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca
#6. RADIO RIM JHIM CELEBRATES 20 YEARS WITH A BALLET
One of the greatest modern performances of a Sanskrit Ramlila epic is being brought to Vancouver by Radio Rim Jhim and i.t. Productions Ltd., in partnership with Kamal's Video Palace.
Lord Rama - Live Ballet will be performed on the Remembrance Day, November 11, at the newly-renovated Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The musical dance ballet, produced by Shriram Bhartiya Kala Kendra of New Delhi, has been performed over 2,500 times in a dozen countries for 51 years and is now making its debut tour in North America.
"We are so fortunate that the performance will be here during Diwali - it's a wonderful story at any time, but to actually see an enactment of events on stage that gave birth to Diwali will be especially significant and magical for the audience," said Shushma Datt, CEO of i.t. Productions.
South Asian culture produces many mythological tales of courage and valor infused with religious and moral teachings. The Ramayana, written over 2,000 years ago, is one of the most revered and best known of these.
The tale has stood the test of time, with events and a plot crammed with adventure and excitement in the form of battles, abduction, deceit, love and faith. Ramayana has been told and enacted throughout history since it was authored sometime between 200 and 400 BC. A tale of good triumphing over evil, it has been performed in myriad ways and settings.
What sets Lord Rama - Live Ballet apart from other Ramlila performances is an outstanding script that is continuously updated to remain relevant to modern-day audiences. The sheer spectacle provided by a highly-trained troupe of more than 40 performers moving through dynamic and intricate dance sequences amid magnificent costumes and backdrops have enthralled audiences for half a century.
The timing of the performance coincides with the 20th Anniversary of Radio Rim Jhim's first broadcast. In 1987, Rim Jhim became the world's first 24-hour station dedicated to South Asians outside of India. In announcing the presentation of Lord Rama, Datt said she was delighted that this performance would be a first for Vancouver audiences. "Rim Jhim has introduced a lot of 'firsts' over the years - our 10th Anniversary was marked by another cultural milestone when we brought in Usha Uthup and her orchestra." The legendary pop artist from Calcutta performed before a capacity crowd for her first North American appearance and expectations are that Lord Rama - Live Ballet will prove to be just as popular.
#7. KAVI RAZ'S NEXT MOVIE - MAPLE HEART - IN VANCOUVER
"Maple Heart" is the latest movie by award-winning writer-producer-director Kavi Raz who is all set to roll cameras on Vancouver locales this fall. Maple Heart is a complete turnaround for Kavi from his previous film "The Gold Bracelet" as a director. While "The Gold Bracelet" is a family drama with doses of humor, "Maple Heart" is a gritty, contemporary, hard-hitting film set in the Punjabi community of Vancouver. Kavi is not saying much about the actual subject matter of the film at this point. However, he does concede that the movie will "shock, awaken and stir many a soul."
Singers Jaspinder Narula, Jagjit Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder and Sonu Kakkar recently recorded for the sound track that will feature a variety of sounds ranging from hard hitting hip-hop to a beautiful ghazal-style rendition of Rukh written by Shiv Kumar Batalavy.
Veteran casting director Dorothy Szimanska has been retained to handle the extensive and arduous job of finding the right talent for the film. The story follows the lives of a myriad of characters. Pretty much everything entailed in the film is based on true events. Kavi studied his subject matter for over a year before he actually sat down to write the script. Casting for the film is being conducted in Los Angeles and Vancouver. However, talent is being sought from all over the world. "Maple Heart" features an extensive cast. There are over one hundred speaking roles in the film, featuring an ensemble of over 15 major characters.
This film is being produced on a grand scale according to those close to the production and will be shot mostly in Canada, with portions to be filmed in the U.S. and India. Kavi's critically acclaimed and award winning film "The Gold Bracelet" will be released later this year in theaters in the U.S., Canada and Europe and then in India, Pakistan and Africa.
More information about casting can be found at www.krfilmshollywood.com.
Artistes should submit their information to casting@krfilmshollywood.com or kavirazstudios@gmail.com.
#8. DEEPAK OBHRAI AT ACHIEVER AWARDS CEREMONY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Deepak Obhrai, MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, was a guest of honour at the CineMaya Media Group Indian and American Achiever Awards held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. on September 13.
The achiever awards, given on the occasion of India's 60th anniversary of Independence, recognized individuals and companies who have excelled in four different categories: Innovation, Science and Technology; Arts, Entertainment and Media; Multinational Company; and the Gandhi Lifetime Achievement Award.
"These achievement awards are symbolic of the strength of the Indian Diaspora all over the world. It shows that people of Indian origin are leaving their mark on the world stage, no matter where they are," Obhrai said.
About 1,000 people attended the black-tie event held in the U.S. capital. Indian Ambassador to the United States Ronen Sen, and Indian Chef de Cabinet, United Nations, Vijay Nambiar also attended the event.
#9. GURDWARA SAHIB SUKH SAGAR'S SUMMER SPORTS THRILL ALL
(Contributed)
On Saturday, September 15, the Khalsa Diwan Society New Westminster held its first annual Kabaddi Tournament at the Queensborough Community Center. Over 600 people attended this one-day event, which was dedicated to Indo-Canadian pioneers who settled in Canada over 100 years ago.
The day's festivities began with a marchpast of all the teams and opening remarks by Arjan Singh Bhullar, Canadian national wrestling champion, who is an inspiration to many youth. The tournament began with youth kabaddi where players aged 16 and under battled it out on the kabaddi field. The 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament began simultaneously inside the Queensborough Community Centre where over 20 teams participated in the 3 on 3 basketball tournament which included groups of boys, girls and adults. Five local clubs participated in the kabaddi event in addition to local wrestling and tug-o-war clubs. The Sukh Sagar Gatka Team also performed the Sikh martial arts in the afternoon and wowed the crowd with their skills.
In the afternoon, there was a special appearance by Fauja Singh, the Sikh marathon runner who is 96 years old and a world-record holder in his age bracket. He also has a famous brand of running shoes named after him. Fauja Singh gave an inspirational speech to the youth and adults alike, emphasizing the importance of sports and staying active. In addition to Fauja Singh, the tournament guests of honor were principal Sarwan Singh of Toronto and Tarsem Singh Dhaliwal, both have been involved in kabaddi for a long time.
The highlight of the tournament was the thrilling atmosphere, which was enjoyed by all the spectators, especially the families and some of the local Queensborough residents who came to watch the tournament at the invitation of the Gurdwara Sahib and watched the kabaddi tournament for the very first time.
The recognition ceremony for the tournament was held on Sunday morning at the Gurdwara Sahib Sukh Sagar and trophies and plaques were awarded. In addition to this, Gurumustuk Singh Khalsa of New Mexico, who helps manage the popular Sikh website Sikhnet.com, talked to the Sunday class children about his experiences.
#10. OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER WORK BY SURBI SERU RECOGNIZED
A young Port Coquitlam woman has won a very impressive award for her volunteer work. Surbhi Seru is a 19-year-old intern at KPMG and a part time student at SFU. Surbhi is of South Asian decent and learnt the importance of volunteerism from her parents who volunteer at the temple and also help the elderly in their area.
KPMG recently announced their 2007 CEO Community Excellence Award winners and Surbhi was named for the GVA.
Surbhi works with AIESEC which is the largest student run organization in the world. They work to develop youth leaders who are globally minded and they set up international work exchanges. In the past she has also volunteered for such organizations as Mission Possible, the Canadian Cancer Society and various summer camps.
The CEO Community Excellence Awards honours KPMG people who have shown outstanding commitment to volunteer work. This award includes a monetary donation to a charitable organization in the recipient's name.
KPMG Canada is the Canadian member firm of KPMG, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax, and advisory services.
KPMG has a raft of programs to support employees giving back to their communities and have earned a place on Canada's Top 100 Employers list this past year.
#11. DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE DOCTOR GETS THAKORE AWARD
Dr. James Chi Ming Pau, whose dedication to providing health and support services to those living in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside for more than three decades is well known, is the 2007 recipient of the Thakore Visiting Scholar award.
The award is administered by SFU's Institute of Humanities on behalf of the Thakore Family Charitable Foundation and the India Club of Vancouver. It is given to worthy recipients who "while honoring tradition have not let themselves be bound by traditionalism in their seeking of well-being for the human race and the planet."
The award will be presented to Pau at a ceremony on October 2 (the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi) at SFU Burnaby's Images theaatre at 7:30 p.m.
Pau trained as a nurse in western medicine and a doctor in traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong. He immigrated to Canada in 1975 and moved to Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, where he focused on improving the health and well-being of residents.
A registered doctor of traditional Chinese medicine in the areas of herbs and acupuncture, Pau worked to have traditional Chinese medicine regulated under the Health Profession Act of B.C. He began a free treatment program for patients seeking alternative therapy in the 1980s.
Pau uses traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, substance abuse and related problems, which he provides without cost or by donation.
Pau has worked with seniors as well as youths, volunteering as an English tutor for immigrant youths. He was one of the founders of the Downtown Eastside HIV/AIDS Consumers' Board to help spread education and clean needles.
Pau has been involved with several city organizations, including the St. Paul's Hospital Acute Care of Elders, The Vancouver Health Board and the city's advisory committee on seniors.
He has received numerous awards, including a volunteer award from the Government of Canada during the International Year of Volunteers (2001) and Volunteer Vancouvers' Community Service award.
#12. MLA POLAK TO NDP LEADER JAMES: COME CLEAN ON GATEWAY PROJECT
Constituents deserve to know whether Carole James and her MLAs in the Lower Mainland stand behind their party's opposition to the Gateway Program or whether they'll speak up for residents who are fed up with sitting in traffic, says B.C. Liberal MLA Mary Polak.
The NDP party's provincial council recently endorsed a resolution to oppose the Gateway Program, but Carole James and her caucus still refuse to come clean on whether they agree with their party's call to scrap Gateway and the twinning of the Port Mann.
"South Fraser residents are tired of wasting hours waiting in traffic, away from their homes and families. The projects included in the Gateway Program, including twinning the Port Mann Bridge, are vital to reducing that congestion, and keeping people moving," said Polak, MLA for Langley. "Carole James needs to be honest with B.C. taxpayers. Her party has clearly said they oppose Gateway. Does she feel the same way and do her MLAs representing people living in Surrey feel the same way?"
The Gateway Program would improve the movement of both people and goods through the Lower Mainland, improving travel times across the Fraser River during peak periods and better connecting key economic gateways such as airports, ports, railways and border crossings.
The Pitt River Bridge and North Fraser Perimeter Road component will eliminate bottlenecks that have seen vehicle volume grow from 27,0000 to 88,000 between 1985 and 2007. The South Fraser Perimeter Road component will remove trucks from Highway 17, and the Port Mann/Highway 1 component will add HOV and transit lanes, provide for future rapid transit and include cycling improvements.
"I challenge Carole James and the NDP MLAs in Surrey to finally speak up for their constituents, refute their party's position and announce their full support for the Gateway Program," said Polak. "There's no reason people should be punished for living south of the Fraser River. The Gateway Program is a balanced plan that will get traffic moving and also improve mass transit by seeing buses cross the Port Mann Bridge for the first time in 20 years. Carole James and NDP MLAs have had well over a year-and-a-half since the Gateway Program was officially announced to make up their minds. It's time to get off the fence and support better transportation for residents here."
#13. NEW DEMOCRATS CALL FOR IMMEDIATE EXPANSION OF TRANSIT
New Democrat MLAs are saying that Gordon Campbell's Gateway project fails to address the top priority for reducing traffic congestion: the critical need for an immediate expansion of transit.
"This is like the Surrey Hospital all over again. The Campbell Liberals have done nothing to address traffic congestion for seven years. And now they expect communities like Surrey to wait another eight years before anything is done," said Bruce Ralston, the MLA for Surrey-Whalley.
"We need action now to expand transit and reduce congestion for working families and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Ralston.
"The people of Surrey deserve better. They deserve solutions that will actually help people get to work and go about their day-to-day lives. And they deserve these solutions now, not years and years from now," said Ralston.
"The Campbell government has the wrong priorities," said Maurine Karagianis, the New Democrat Transportation Critic.
"If the Campbell government was serious about addressing traffic congestion, they would be making a substantial investment in transit so that communities who have waited so long for transportation options don't need to continue waiting," said Karagianis. "While we are not opposed to twinning the bridge, what we need right now are immediate solutions for traffic congestion."
#14. TOM GILL PUSHES FOR MULTI-PURPOSE SPORTS COMPLEX IN SURREY
Recently the City of Surrey's Council passed a motion brought forward by Councillor Tom Gill directing staff to pursue with Metro Vancouver Regional Parks staff the development, in partnership with others, of a regional multi-field sports facility at Tynehead Regional Park.
The demand for sports fields in Surrey continues to outpace the availability, both for regular league play and provincial and national tournaments. The nature of the city's growth is oriented towards young families with the largest number of children of any municipality in the province.
Gill said: "This highlights the need for the city to establish more recreational facilities because we want our kids to be active and healthy with lots of opportunity to participate in affordable accessible sports and field sports like soccer, field hockey and rugby fit the bill for boys and girls as well as different ages and skill levels right through to established elite team play. Most importantly, these field sports may be the sports of choice for those families that live on modest incomes."
For many years, Metro Vancouver Regional Parks has been exploring how to develop Tynehead Regional Park as an activity area for residents. Council agreed with Gill that there appears to be merit in pursuing developing some or all of the eastern section of the park as a "Metro Multi-Purpose" type sport complex with multiple soccer fields including both outdoor fields and potentially, some indoor training facilities, appropriate bleachers, a field house and adequate parking to accommodate both league soccer play as well as larger regional, provincial and national tournaments. Such a facility could be constructed in phases.
Gill said: "There is no such facility in the Lower Mainland at this time and it would attract significant regional, provincial and national events. The use of Tynehead Park's eastern area for sport fields would definitely go hand-in-hand with an extensive environmental study and plan to deal with sensitive ecological issues. It would be a significant and vital piece of this proposal."
#15. MLA BAINS LOOKS FORWARD TO FALL SESSION
Surrey-Newton NDP MLA Harry Bains plans to spend the next few weeks before the Legislature resumes on October 15 consulting his constituents about the issues important to them and their families.
"The current government has too often lost sight of what's really important to British Columbians," said Bains. "My job over the next few months, along with the other members of the Official Opposition, is to help ordinary folks shine light on the problems the current government would rather ignore."
Bains pointed to the delays in the opening of the new outpatient hospital in Surrey, lack of action to protect owners of manufactured homes, the massive cost overruns for the convention centre expansion, and the continued lack of transparency in the 2010 Olympic planning as some of the concerns he has heard consistently from Surrey-Newton residents.
Bains is encouraging his constituents to bring their concerns and suggestions to his office.
"The Legislature provides all British Columbians with an opportunity to have their MLA bring local issues and concerns forward," said Bains. "I'm looking forward to demanding accountability and transparency from the Campbell government."
#16. NDP SLAMS PREMIER FOR INTERFERING WITH BOUNDARIES COMMISSION WORK
The Electoral Boundaries Commission has cancelled its fall public hearings - a move that confirms that Gordon Campbell's political interference with the commission will waste millions of dollars, says New Democrat Finance Critic Bruce Ralston.
"More than half way through the commission's work, Premier Campbell decided to change all the rules to force the commission to put eight more seats in Liberal strongholds," said Ralston. "Now all the work done by the Commission so far is thrown out the window."
Ralston said the commission has a budget of about $7 million. He said: "All of their work so far was guided by a maximum increase of six seats. In August the Commission recommended an increase of two seats. Now Premier Campbell wants to give the commission a whole new set of instructions designed to give a better map for the B.C. Liberals."
Ralston said that Campbell's abrupt change in direction for the commission also throws into question the timing of the next election. "Because they have cancelled the fall hearings, it will be very difficult for the commission to get its work done in time for the next election," he added.
#17. RFP ISSUED FOR SURREY OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL
The Surrey Outpatient Hospital project reached another key milestone this week with the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) to design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) the new facility in Surrey.
"Today, we are one step closer in our commitment to meet the needs of Surrey residents through the construction of an outpatient hospital," said Health Minister George Abbott. "This facility will provide leading edge diagnostics for Surrey residents as well provide the community hub for primary care services which is so critical to addressing our chronic disease challenges we face today and in the future."
Five proponent teams responded to the Request for Qualifications that closed on April 19. The following three teams were short-listed in May and have been invited to respond to the RFP:
* BC Healthcare Solutions;
* Infusion Health;
* Plenary Health.
Once submissions to the RFP are received and evaluated, a preferred proponent will be selected and offered the opportunity to finalize an agreement to deliver the outpatient hospital in Surrey.
"The Request for Proposals represents an exciting milestone in our commitment to the residents of Surrey," said Surrey-Tynehead MLA Dave Hayer. "A new outpatient hospital is an important component in our strategy to meet the health care needs in Surrey and decrease congestion at Surrey Memorial Hospital."
"The increasing trend is towards medical procedures being conducted on an outpatient basis," said Dr. Nigel Murray, President and CEO of Fraser Health. "Coupled with the state-of-the-art design and leading practices to be offered in this new facility will make it a strong link in the network of services we're building to meet the needs of our rapidly-growing communities."
The Surrey Outpatient Hospital will provide a full range of scheduled outpatient services, including day surgery, diagnostic imaging and medical clinics. The outpatient hospital will also include a primary health care clinic to deliver enhanced family practice services.
Clinics for patients with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure, asthma, diabetes, and other debilitating illnesses will also be co-located with the new outpatient hospital. Surrey Memorial Hospital currently handles almost 134,000 outpatient clinic visits and performs 94,300 outpatient diagnostic procedures per year. These numbers are expected to grow by nearly 60 per cent by 2020.
Construction is expected to begin in 2008, after the competitive selection process has been completed and costs have been finalized, with completion targeted for 2010.
All health services will be funded by the province of B.C. through Fraser Health in keeping with the principles of the Canada Health Act.
The new outpatient hospital is part of the Surrey Health Services Capacity Initiative with a value of more than $200 million to address Surrey's future health needs and ease congestion at Surrey Memorial Hospital. The initiative includes plans for a new state-of-the-art emergency and urgent care facility at Surrey Memorial Hospital to triple existing floor space; a new perinatal care facility above the new emergency facility; and, renovations at Surrey Memorial Hospital and new construction to create more renal stations and additional acute care beds.
#18. DELAY IN SURREY HOSPITAL OPENING UNACCEPTABLE
NDP MLA Jagrup Brar and Health Critic Adrian Dix criticized the B.C. Liberals for yet another delay in the construction of a new hospital in Surrey.
"We have learned that the hospital will now open in 2010 instead of 2009. As one of the fastest growing cities in B.C., Surrey needs help now, not in 2010. This is yet another example of the B.C. Liberals playing fast and loose with a key Surrey priority," said Brar, the MLA for Surrey-Panorama Ridge.
"Emergency room line-ups and treatment delays are reaching hazardous levels in the South Fraser region - and all we get from this government is more delay and broken promises," Brar noted.
NDP Health Critic Adrian Dix pointed to a recent report by the Fraser Health Authority, which shows that the region needs a dramatic increase in bed capacity.
"Since taking office in 2001, the B.C. Liberals have done little to expand the health care capacity to accommodate the needs of the fast-growing Fraser region. Instead of improving the region's ability to manage its multiplying health needs, the Campbell Liberals did the opposite and closed St. Mary's Hospital," said Dix, the MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway.
#19. GIRLS STUDY HARDER THAN BOYS
Young men are far less likely to attend university than young women, and this gap is largely associated with differences in academic performance and study habits at the age of 15, as well as parental expectations, according to a new study.
In 2003, about one-quarter (26%) of 19-year-old men had attended university. In contrast, almost two in five (39%) 19-year-old women had done so, says Statistics Canada.
College attendance rates were about the same for young men and women.
The study found that the gap in university attendance is largely associated with differences in academic performance and study habits at the age of 15, parental expectations, and other characteristics of men and women.
In fact, more than three-quarters (77%) of the gap was related to differences in the characteristics of young men and women that were available in the study.
Weaker academic performance among men accounted for almost one-half (45%) of the gap. Specifically, young men had lower overall school marks at age 15, and had poorer performance on a standardized reading test.
An additional 11% of the gap was related to the fact that boys spend less time on their homework than girls. About 9% was associated with the lower educational expectations placed upon boys by their parents. Other student characteristics played moderate roles, accounting for a further 12% of the gap collectively.
The study found that men and women have very different characteristics at age 15. For example, only about one-third (32%) of young men reported overall marks of 80% or higher at this age. In contrast, almost one-half (46%) of young girls fell in the same category.
Young men also fared more poorly on a standardized reading test, as only 20% of them scored in the top 25% on the test. In contrast, 30% of young women did so.
Young men and women are also quite different in terms of the amount of time they spend on homework. Only 30% of boys spent at least four hours per week on homework, compared with 41% of girls.
The study also found that young men had lower expectations placed upon them. Although as many as 60% had parents who expected them to complete a university degree, this was well behind the 70% of young women in the same situation.
All of these factors-overall school marks, performance on the standardized reading test, time spent doing homework, and parental expectations-were strongly associated with university attendance.
Other factors, such as motivation and preferences, were not taken into account in the study since they are difficult to measure.
#20. BIRTHS GO UP IN CANADA
Canada recorded its highest number of births - and its highest total fertility rate - in seven years in 2005, thanks mostly to women in their 30s. However, the total fertility rate is still far below the replacement level fertility, according to Statistics Canada.
Canada's total fertility rate in 2005 was 1.54 children per woman, an increase from 1.53 in the previous year and the highest rate since 1998. This is still well below what is known as the replacement level fertility (2.1 children per woman).
In total, 342,176 babies were born in 2005, up 1.5% from the previous year. This growth rate was more than double the 0.6% increase in 2004.
In 2005, the number of births was the highest since 1998, when 342,418 babies were born in Canada. The number of births dropped to a 55-year low in 2000. Since then, the number of births has gone up every year except 2002.
As of 2001, most babies were born to parents belonging to the echo generation (the children of baby boomers), who were already in their prime childbearing years.
In 1947, the nation's total fertility rate was 3.6 children per woman, the highest level since 1921. At the height of the baby boom in 1959, the number of annual births exceeded 479,000, the highest level since comparable Canada-wide vital statistics were first compiled in 1921.
The annual number of births remained high for a few more years, then dropped sharply starting in 1964. This period of relatively low births, known as the baby bust, lasted about 10 years until the mid-1970s.
The first echo of the baby boom generation was expected in the mid-1970s, approximately 25 years after the beginning of the baby boom, when the mean age of a mother would have been 25 years old.
There were larger increases in the number of births during 1974 and 1975, but in the following years the rises were relatively modest.
It was not until the late 1980s, from 1988 to 1990, that there was a substantial increase in the number of births, followed by decreases until the year 2000.
Over the last 15 years, and particularly the last 5 years, there has been a shift in the age groups with the highest fertility rates.
In 1995 and 2000, age-specific fertility rates peaked among women aged 25 to 29. However, in 2005, women aged 25 to 29 and those aged 30 to 34 shared the highest rates, each around 97 per 1,000 women.
In fact, women aged 30 to 34 had the highest proportion of births in 2005, accounting for 107,524, or 31.4% of total births.
The 105,566 babies born to women aged 25 to 29 in 2005 represented 30.9% of all births, while those born to women aged 35 to 39 accounted for 14.5% of all births.
The average age of women giving birth has risen steadily in the last 25 years. In both 2004 and 2005, the average age was 29.2 years, compared with 25.9 years in 1980.
Fertility rates have been declining among teenage girls almost steadily since 1991. In 2005, the fertility rate for girls aged 15 to 19 was 13.4 children per 1,000 women, compared with 13.7 in 2004.
Teen fertility rates declined in all provinces except Alberta, where the rate rose slightly from 18.8 per 1,000 women in 2004 to 18.9 in 2005.
The number of births fell in four provinces and two territories in 2005. The four provinces were Saskatchewan, and three in the Atlantic region: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
The number of births in the fourth Atlantic province, Newfoundland and Labrador, remained virtually unchanged from 2004.
Yukon recorded the biggest decline in the nation (-12.3%), while Prince Edward Island had the biggest decline among the provinces (-3.6%).
Alberta and Quebec led with increases of 3.3% and 3.1%, respectively. These two provinces alone accounted for almost three-quarters (71%) of the net increase in births in 2005.
The 0.9% increase in Ontario was well below the national average of 1.5%.
The rising number of births in Canada parallels trends in several other low-birth-rate countries, which have also experienced an upturn in fertility in recent years.
This upward trend began before 2003 in some countries: the Czech Republic (2000), Sweden (2000), Spain (1999), and France (1998).
#21. DION: HARPER'S FOREIGN POLICY IS SIMPLISTIC AND INCOMPETENT
The Liberal Party's vision for a strong, multilateral foreign policy can reverse the damage done by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's simplistic and incompetent foreign policy by restoring Canada's proud and positive voice in the world, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said this week.
"Our greatest foreign policy initiatives, such as the international ban on landmines or the promotion of the International Criminal Court, have one thing in common: they committed Canada to a common undertaking with numerous allies. And they were inspired by principles that speak to deeply held Canadian values," said Dion in a speech to the Conseil des relations internationales de Montréal (CORIM).
The coordinated application of all these principles - preserving peace through non-violent conflict resolution; supporting a well trained, well equipped and well led Canadian Forces to enforce international law; defending human rights and economic prosperity through free trade and cooperation between states and people; and partaking in effective multilateralism - isn't properly understood by Harper.
"Mr. Harper does not understand the requirements of multilateralism. By refusing to inform our allies about the end of the combat mission in Kandahar in February 2009, the government will make it even more difficult to replace our troops and to prepare a new Canadian mission that is focused on development and training," said Dion.
"With regard to Kyoto, just like President Bush, Mr. Harper has long denied the very existence of climate change. Just like him, he opposes the Kyoto Protocol. But global warming is a worldwide issue, and it cannot be resolved without close and prolonged international cooperation."
"How do such rigid and narrow-minded decisions help Canadian interests?" asked Mr. Dion. "Canadians deserve better, and we must remain true to our principles in order to better serve our own interests in facing this century's challenges."
In that spirit, Stéphane Dion suggested that under his leadership, Canada could:
* Help mitigate potential conflict over access to fresh drinking water by leveraging Canada's unique insight into fresh water management to become the leading exporters of sustainable fresh water management techniques in the world;
* Promote the sovereignty and interests of the Arctic not only through military or marine infrastructure, but also through environmental protection, surveillance, search and rescue, and by encouraging the sustainable use of the Arctic's natural resources by our Arctic peoples; and
* Improve the fight against terrorism by enhancing international police cooperation in pursuit of world's terrorist networks.
"Canada will be better served by a government that fully understands the world in which we live and the role that our country is called upon to play. That of a good citizen of the world whose words and deeds help to further the cause of peace, the cause of security and the cause of justice by working together with all of its allies. That is the foreign policy we need to serve our interests, the foreign policy we should be offering the world," said Dion.
#22. CONSERVATIVES REFUSE FUNDING FOR WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION
Another respected women's group was forced to close its doors after being refused funding by Stephen Harper's minority Conservative government, Liberal Status of Women Critic Maria Minna said after meeting with the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) this week.
"Women's groups that promote equality in Canada and around the world are fighting for the right to exist under the Harper government," said Minna. "NAWL is just the latest victim of the Conservatives' narrow-minded, right-wing ideological policies."
NAWL has been in existence since 1974 and promotes women's equality through action, legal research and education. It lobbies for change to federal and provincial laws and regulations to further advance women's equality. The organization is now being forced to close its doors because the Conservative government has refused funding to any women's organization that does research and advocacy work, or promotes equality.
"NAWL has been instrumental in many areas of women's advancement including Sections 15 and 28 in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; amendments to sexual assault laws; positive changes to family law and to the Divorce Act; rape shield legislation; and criminal harassment legislation," said Minna. "I would like to know why Mr. Harper is against an organization that protects women's rights."
Minna noted that many other women's groups that rely almost entirely on federal funding are unsure of what the future holds for them. The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), a promoter and clearinghouse for research and action to advance social justice and equality for women, had to lay off most of its already small staff earlier this year.
"Canadians must understand that the organizations that have fought for their rights in the past are under attack by this Conservative government. Mr. Harper's right-wing ideology is setting the women's movement back decades. If this is how the Conservative government feels about women, every group that has fought for equality rights or done research and advocacy work should feel threatened," said Minna.
#23. DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS FROM SOUTH ASIA AREN'T TOO BADLY OFF?
A study on employment of foreign-trained doctors and engineers by Monica Boyd, a professor in the Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, and Grant Schellenberg, a senior analyst in Business and Labour Market Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, makes for an interesting read.
The two in a report entitled, "Re-accreditation and the occupations of immigrant doctors and engineers," based on data from the 2001 Census, that was published this week in Canadian Social Trends, found that the chances of foreign-trained doctors and engineers finding work in their field in Canada depend largely on where they are from and when they arrived.
They found that underemployment is most common among foreign-trained doctors born in East Asia, South East Asia, West Asia and Eastern Europe.
Foreign-trained doctors born in Western European and SOUTH ASIAN countries are most likely to practice medicine once in Canada.
Among foreign-trained engineers, those trained in a country that has accredited engineering programs recognized by Canada had the same chance of being employed as an engineer as someone born and trained in Canada.
The chances were almost as high for engineers born in SOUTH ASIA, the Caribbean or Latin America, but were very low for those born in South East Asia.
Here are some interesting facts from their study:
Doctors:
* According to 2001 census data, there are about 5,400 individuals living in Canada who studied medicine in a foreign institution, arrived at age 28 or older, and are between the ages of 32 and 54. They account for 16% of the potential physicians available that year, that is, the pool of persons who meet the minimal educational requirements to practice medicine in Canada.
* Internationally educated individuals with medical fields of study are about 2.5 years older than the Canadian born; their average age is 45.8 years. They are relatively recent immigrants, having been in Canada about 10.8 years. They are more likely to live in the magnet cities: about half live in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, compared with just over one-third of doctors born in Canada. Half are members of visible minority groups, fifteen times the rate for Canadian born doctors. Over one-third were born in Asia and another one-fifth in Africa.
* The foreign trained who studied medicine have fewer years of university schooling; they averaged 8.3 years of university education in contrast to 9.1 years reported by the Canadian born.
* Fully 90% of the Canadian born who studied medicine are working as physicians. In contrast only 55% of the internationally educated work as doctors; furthermore, 33% are employed in occupations that are completely unrelated to either medicine or health care in general.
* A physician born in Canada, and assumed to have trained in a Canadian institution, would have a 92% predicted probability of working as a doctor. Taking all other variables into account, their internationally educated counterparts born in Africa or SOUTH ASIA would also have very good chances, estimated at 85% and 87% respectively. In contrast, a foreign trained physician born in other regions of Asia or in Eastern Europe had the lowest hypothetical chances (less than 66 out of 100) of being employed in their chosen profession.
* The chances that a foreign trained doctor who arrived before 1980 would work as a physician were very similar to those of a Canadian born person who studied medicine, at 95% and 92%, respectively, when other factors are controlled for. However, the predicted probabilities of finding employment in their preferred profession decline for more recent arrivals. A foreign-trained physician who arrived in the early 1980s would have an 86% predicted probability of working as a doctor, but only a 70% probability if he or she had come in the early 1990s. In general, immigrants arriving in the 1990s and later have experienced greater labour market difficulties than those arriving in previous decades.
Engineers:
* Canada's emphasis on admitting high skilled workers can be seen in the number of foreign trained engineers who have been welcomed to this country. Approximately 34,100 engineers in the study population had immigrated as adults, and they accounted for over one-quarter of trained engineers aged 32 to 54 in Canada.
* Internationally educated engineers are a little more mature than other engineers; with an average age of 44.5, they are almost 3 years older than their Canadian born counterparts. Almost one in five are women, twice the rate for the Canadian born, and over two-thirds of them live in Toronto, Vancouver or Montréal. Almost half are from Asian countries, and over one-quarter were born in Eastern Europe.
* More than half are members of a visible minority group; in contrast, less than 3% of Canadian born engineers are visible minorities.
* Many foreign trained engineers arrived in Canada during the 1990s; on average, they have been in the country for about 9 years. Unlike foreign trained physicians, engineers who studied abroad tend to be slightly more educated than the Canadian born, spending an average 5.4 years obtaining their credentials compared to 4.9 years.
* Although internationally educated engineers are only marginally less likely to have been employed at the time of the 2001 Census, the occupations in which they worked are substantially different from those of the Canadian born. Only 26% of foreign-trained engineers hold jobs in engineering occupations, compared with 41% of Canadian-born engineers. And a far smaller proportion work in managerial occupations, at 17% and 28% respectively.
* The predicted probability that an internationally educated engineer born in North America, Europe or Oceania would be employed as an engineer is effectively the same as that of a Canadian born engineer - 39% compared to 40%. The chances are almost as high, all other factors being accounted for, for engineers born in SOUTH ASIA or in the Caribbean or Latin America. On the other hand, the predicted probability is very low, at only 15%, for those born in South East Asia.
* Similarly, the hypothetical chances of being employed as an engineer are lower for those who arrived in Canada more recently, once other factors are controlled for. An internationally educated engineer who arrived before the 1980s would have a substantially higher probability of working in his chosen field than one who arrived in the early 1980s (47% versus 35%); another ten years later, in the early 1990s, the predicted probability would have been only 31%.
#24. NDP: ANOTHER CN DERAILMENT HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR PUBLIC INQUIRY
NDP Transportation Critic Maurine Karagianis is demanding a full public inquiry into CN Rail safety practices following reports of another derailment near Terrace on Monday, the third CN derailment over a six-week period.
Karagianis, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin, said: "When the B.C. Liberals broke their promise and sold BC Rail to CN, they failed to include the required safety provisions in the negotiations - and completely disregarded B.C.'s unique topography and the kind of safety needs arising from it. Since then, safety practices have declined significantly. A full public inquiry is required to get to the bottom of the dozens of CN derailments and the apparent decline in safety inspections and reduced training for workers.
"It's time for Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon to stop making excuses for CN and take decisive action to improve safety."
Karagianis noted that a full public inquiry into the safety practices of CN Rail in B.C. is one of the actions that the NDP proposed in its five-point-plan to improve CN safety in August of this year.
Karagianis said it was ironic the latest derailment took place on a day senior CN officials were scheduled to make a presentation to the Prince George Mayor and Council about their plans to improve CN's safety record. The community has been looking for reassurance that its rail routes will able to safely handle increased transportation demands arising from the opening of the Fairview Terminal in Prince Rupert.
"This latest train derailment once again underlines the need for the government to think through the rural infrastructure and safety needs - and ensure that they are improved hand in hand with regional development initiatives, such as the Fairview Terminal development in Prince Rupert," Karagianis said.
"Under the B.C. Liberals, rail safety has taken a backseat for far too long. A full public inquiry is critical in order to restore public confidence in CN's safety practices."
#25. 'GOVERNMENT MUST APOLOGIZE TO RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS' SURVIVORS'
Federal Liberal Opposition Critic Anita Neville has called on the Conservative government to issue a formal apology for the painful legacy of native residential schools.
"The former students of native residential schools can apply for compensation beginning (this week) now that the Indian Residential Schools agreement brought forward by the previous Liberal government has been finalized, but they are still waiting for a formal apology from the government," Neville.
Last May, the House of Commons passed a Liberal motion calling for a formal apology to surviving students of Canada's Indian residential schools. Though the Conservatives supported the motion, the then Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice said an apology may not be warranted and he wants to wait until the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission before determining whether an apology is necessary.
Neville said it was clearly understood that an apology would follow the completion of the residential schools settlement and that the refusal of the government to issue a formal apology is a betrayal.
"Aboriginal peoples have been patient and determined in their quest for justice and fairness for what is one of the darkest chapters in Canadian history. An apology is not only an important part of the healing process for survivors, but it is also necessary for the country to move forward," said Neville.
More than 150,000 children attended residential schools. There are about 80,000 living survivors who are eligible for compensation.
#26. PROVINCE TO MATCH FUNDING FOR RAISE-A-READER CAMPAIGN
For the fourth straight year, the provincial government will match donations raised by Can-West's Raise-a-Reader Day in B.C. on October 3, Premier Gordon Campbell announced this week.
"Literacy is the gateway to lifelong learning, opening the way for meaningful employment, a stronger sense of connection with friends and community, and the ability to rise to our full potential," said Campbell. "Thanks to Raise-a-Reader, B.C. is well on its way to achieving the goal of being the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent."
The matching funding for the Raise-a-Reader campaign will go to support many family literacy groups, such as the Canucks Family Education Centre, Literacy BC, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., CNIB, Aboriginal HIPPY Canada (Home Instruction for Parents of Pre-school Youngsters) and Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland.
"More than one million adult British Columbians do not have the skills needed to read a newspaper or to fill out a job application," said Education Minister Shirley Bond. "Raise-a-Reader has raised over $3.4 million and we're proud to continue supporting this initiative to improve literacy throughout the province."
"Premier Campbell and the B.C. government's support towards the Raise-a-Reader program is greatly valued," said Kevin Bent, president and publisher of the Vancouver Sun. "The program is entering its 11th year and continues to increase awareness of literacy and raise money to fund children's literacy programs in B.C."
Since its inception in Vancouver in 1997, the Raise-a-Reader campaign and its sponsors have made significant contributions to help improve literacy for children and families across the province. The matching funding this year will help to support more than 180 beneficiary organizations and help British Columbia continue to lead the country in Raise-a-Reader fundraising. The B.C. government has been matching funds raised through the campaign since 2004, and to date has contributed over $1 million to The Vancouver Sun and Victoria Times Colonist campaigns.
Since 2001, the province has announced over $123.5 million in new literacy programs including ReadNow BC in support of its goal of making British Columbia the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction in North America. ReadNow BC is the province's comprehensive literacy action plan to help provide adults, Aboriginal people, K-12 students and preschoolers with the skills they need to succeed. ReadNow BC was introduced in January of this year and has been supported with nearly $44.5 million in provincial funding, including the launch of the ReadNow BC website at www.readnowbc.ca.
#27. NDP: FAMILY DESERVES ANSWERS IN CHILD'S DEATH
MLA Nicholas Simons, NDP Critic for Children and Families, has called on the government to provide a grieving Nanaimo family with some answers after their four-month-old daughter was found dead in foster care.
Four-month-old Caroline Touchie, daughter of Rose Touchie and Ray Denell of Nanaimo, died on the morning of September 11 while in foster care. Their other daughter, two-year-old Cecillia, remains in foster care.
"The family hasn't been provided with a formal explanation on why the girls were taken away, and they haven't been told how the four-month-old died in foster care," said Simons, the MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast. "Additionally, no social worker has visited the home since they removed the children."
Simons is calling on the government to provide assistance to the family with the cost of Caroline's burial, and to examine the wider issue of inadequate support for families and children.
"This family has been calling legal aid for a lawyer since the child was removed - and to this day, they haven't received a call back," said Simons. "This example is indicative of the serious level of neglect that B.C.'s children and families are suffering from under the current government."
"It's frustrating as well as tragic to note that we have one in four children living in poverty in B.C. at the time of a record budget surplus. And it's unacceptable that any family in B.C. should have to go through what this Nanaimo family is undergoing," Simons said.
Simons, a former child protection social worker, said that the trend since 2001 has been on crisis management at the expense of family support services and it must change.
#28. IMPACT COPS GIVE CAR THIEVES A HARD TIME
Tuesday was a bad day for car thieves in the Lower Mainland. The Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT) enforcement unit started the day by arresting a 26-year-old man of no fixed address in a vehicle that was stolen from the Scott Road SkyTrain station in Surrey. The suspect was also wanted on two outstanding warrants and is currently facing other more serious charges for possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of a restricted weapon (a handgun). He was also found in possession of two car stereos believed to be stolen from the SkyTrain parking lot and another Surrey location.
No sooner had the IMPACT undercover officers lodged the first suspect in jail when they located another stolen vehicle in Surrey. This vehicle was followed for an extended period of time into Vancouver where two suspects committed a residential break-in on the east side of Vancouver and another one in North Burnaby. A 31-year-old male and a 29-year-old female were arrested without incident and were both in possession of laptop computers and jewelry from the break-ins. Both suspects are well-known chronic offenders in the Lower Mainland and numerous charges are pending, said Sgt. Gord Elias This sends a clear message to car thieves in the Lower Mainland: auto theft police are everywhere. Steal a car, go to jail.
#29. PARENTS MUST PLAY ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR TEENAGER'S DRIVING EDUCATION
Your teen has been thinking about getting behind the wheel of a car for years, and according to the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation when he or she does they will be more likely to be seriously injured or even killed in a crash than from all other causes combined. Research indicates that car crashes involving young drivers can be reduced by up to one-third when parents take an active role in their teenager's driving education.
Many parents are unaware of the actual risks facing their teenagers, and while almost all parents believe in the importance of demonstrating positive driving attitudes and behaviours, most admit to engaging in risky driving behaviours themselves and don't realize that they can have a negative impact on their teenagers driving development.
The BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is helping parents help their teenagers become safer drivers and is launching their Teen Driving Workshop for Parents this week. At the workshops parents are given tools to help them steer their teen in the right direction.
The workshops, held at BCAA offices around the province, are designed to help parents understand the facts and risks facing teen drivers and their passengers, and to provide parents with the knowledge, tools and resources to manage their teenagers driving education.
Last spring the foundation released the results of their Young Drivers Study, which indicated that parental role modeling has a powerful influence on the development of the driving behaviours of their children. Those surveyed cited their parents, and primarily their fathers as the most significant influence on their driving behaviours.
When parents were presented with the knowledge that their driving attitude and behaviour significantly influenced their children's driving, they agreed that they needed to be more aware of their own driving practices and wanted tools to help their children develop safe driving practices.
Being the parent of a teenage driver can be stressful, and when one considers that car crashes are the number one cause of death among teenagers in BC, a parent's concerns are justified.
Sixteen- to 20-year-olds represent 6.5% of all licensed drivers in B.C., but they account for 13.4% of all drivers involved in a crash, and one in four crashes involving Graduated Licensing Program (GLP) drivers results in an injury or fatality. Taking an active role and setting boundaries in your teenager's driving education could save their life.
The first Teen Driving Workshop for Parents will take place:
September 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Burnaby South Secondary School, 5455 Rumble Street.
To register, call 1-877-297-2254.
More information about the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation and the Teen Driving Workshops for Parents is available at www.TeenDrivers.ca or by calling toll free 1-877-297-2254.
#30. SURREY BLOOD DONOR CLINIC SAYS 'THANKS'
Gary Dhillon, Community Development Coordinator at the Surrey Blood Donor Clinic of the Canadian Blood Services this week thanked everyone who shared their time and donated blood at the Surrey Blood Donor Clinic during the past few weeks.
He said: "We have had a tremendous response from donors. During the past few weeks, the Surrey Blood Donor Clinic has collected 618 units of blood. Each unit of blood can save or improve up to three lives, so that means 1,854 people will be helped by the generous donations by Surrey residents. In fact, the Surrey Blood Donor Clinic has met 102 percent of its target goal.
"This support couldn't have come at a more important time. Donations during the summer were slow across the country, and our national inventory levels reached one of their lowest periods in recent history.
"In the past three weeks, thousands of British Columbians answered our call to action. Thanks to the generous donations by British Columbians - and specifically residents of the Surrey community - more than 1, 854 patient's lives have been improved or saved.
"Our recovery plans continue, however it will take several weeks of higher-than-usual donations to rebuild our blood supply to fully meet hospital demand. From now until Halloween, we need about 13,200 British Columbians to make blood donations to meet hospital demand. If you have ever thought about donating blood, or if you are a donor who hasn't given this year, we need you more than ever."
You can book an appointment at clinics in Surrey on September 21, and 28, and October 4, 5 and 6. Appointments can be made at any time by calling 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
#31. TITANIC ARTIFACT EXHIBITION AT ROYAL B.C. MUSEUM HITS A MILESTONE
On Wednesday, the Royal B.C. Museum welcomed its 375,000th visitor to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, establishing the exhibition as one of RBCM's most popular presentations ever.
Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, was on hand to congratulate the Royal B.C. Museum and its milestone visitor, Scott Funk, from Chilliwack, who attended the exhibition with his wife, Cheryl.
"Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Funk and to the Royal BC Museum," said Hagen. "This exhibit has captured the attention of the local community and visiting guest alike. Not only is the Titanic an incredible exhibit, the museum has done a fantastic job of highlighting our provincial connection to one of the most intriguing, astonishing historical events of the 20th century."
The Funks, who were feted with balloons, free passes and a Titanic gift package, were thrilled with the unexpected treat. "I'm not used to all this attention," said Scott. "This is the first time we've won anything. When they said there's someone in the line-up who would win, we thought, 'Oh, it can't be us.' "
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is now the third most popular touring exhibition hosted by the RBCM in the past decade, having surpassed the 360,000 visitors drawn to Dragon Bones: When Dinosaurs Ruled China (2003). With almost a month to go in its six-month run, Titanic is also closing in on the visitor numbers posted by Leonardo da Vinci: Inventor, Scientist, Artist (1998-99). Eternal Egypt: Masterworks of Ancient Art (2004) still reigns with RBCM's highest-ever monthly attendance.
"Since it opened in April, Titanic has been a huge hit with our visitors," said RBCM CEO Pauline Rafferty. "We conservatively estimated 250,000 visitors would attend the exhibition, and we've now reached one-and-a-half times that number. It's safe to say, the public has decided Titanic is a blockbuster."
While the impact of Titanic-driven tourism on Greater Victoria's economy has yet to be determined, Royal B.C. Museum exit surveys show 29 per cent of out-of-town visitors' decisions to visit Victoria were influenced by the exhibition.
To avoid line-ups during the last four weeks of the exhibition, visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online at www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca; take advantage of the museum's late-night hours on Friday and Saturday evenings (until 10 p.m.); or buy tickets in person at 9 a.m. - when the museum opens - Monday to Friday.
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is at the Royal BC Museum until October 14.
#32. BC HYDRO DRAFTS TEAM POWER SMART
BC Hydro this week announced the draft of more than 20 prominent British Columbians to lead Team Power Smart - a province wide initiative to encourage B.C. residents to conserve electricity.
Team Power Smart will promote energy conservation throughout British Columbia by having each leader demonstrate tips to conserve electricity and show how simple lifestyle changes can make a difference.
"Team Power Smart will lead British Columbia by example by taking a few small actions in our everyday behaviours that will make a huge difference in meeting the future energy needs of our growing province," said Premier and general manager of Team Power Smart Gordon Campbell.
Campbell and BC Hydro president and CEO as well as Team Power Smart head coach Bob Elton drafted 20 well-known British Columbians to lead the province in energy conservation. Steve Nash, two-time MVP of the Phoenix Suns was named team captain of Team Power Smart.
"Conservation is our first and best choice to fill B.C.'s electricity gap," said Elton. "Since 2001, BC Hydro has been importing electricity to meet the growing demand in the province. Saving electricity is something each British Columbian can do. We've asked these dynamic leaders to show how easy it is to make a difference."
"By being more aware and taking personal action, each of us can make a difference in conserving more and reducing our impact on the environment," said Nash.
For instance, if every household in B.C. changed their five most-used incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent lights would save enough electricity to light 235,000 households for a year.
Everyone in British Columbia can join Team Power Smart at www.bchydro.com/teampowersmart. Team members who sign up on the website will be able to start their own individual conservation game plan, access tips and information from a personal energy coach and win prizes.
"As conservation ambassadors, team leader's personal stories of individual action will inspire British Columbians to build on our leadership in conservation," Elton said. "And it's not about being perfect. It's about doing the little things that make sense for each person."
Team Power Smart is key to achieving two goals of the B.C. Energy Plan - making B.C. electricity self-sufficient by 2016 and meeting half of our province's future electricity needs through conservation by 2020.
BC Hydro's long-range plans show the province's electricity use will increase as much as 45 per cent over the next 20 years. To meet the conservation target each home in British Columbia will have to curb the trend of growing demand for electricity and consume 10 per cent less electricity than they do today.
#33. FAMILY FOCUSED JUSTICE SERVICES CENTRE OPENS
A pilot project that will focus on solving legal problems in a less adversarial way was officially opened this week in Nanaimo by Attorney General Wally Oppal and Mayland McKimm, QC, vice chair of the board of directors of the Legal Services Society.
The Nanaimo Family Justice Services Centre is one of the first initiatives to demonstrate a new approach to providing family justice services. Created in response to recommendations by the B.C. justice review task force in June 2005, it builds on extensive efforts over the last several years to move the family justice system away from an adversarial process. The goal is to better focus the justice process on values of family autonomy, co-operation and the best interests of the child.
"This centre really is an excellent example of making the justice system more responsive to the needs of the public," said Oppal. "It offers families the opportunity to obtain information and assistance to help resolve their justice issues, if possible, without taking an adversarial approach and without going to court."
"The Legal Services Society is pleased to be working with the ministry to meet the legal needs of people in Nanaimo," said LSS board of directors chair Geoff Cowper, QC. "By offering families a front door to the justice system, and a groundbreaking assessment and referral service, this centre is at the forefront of justice reform initiatives. What's especially exciting about this project is our commitment to considering clients' overall needs -- to seeing clients as whole people, whose legal problems exist in a larger context and are often linked to other issues."
The Ministry of Attorney General, along with other justice, health and social service ministries, has embarked on a three-year plan to ensure the justice system meets the needs of individuals, families, businesses and communities in a more effective, timely and meaningful way. Reforms are built around the concept of early solutions and faster justice. Information on justice reform is available at: www.ag.gov.bc.ca/justice-reform-initiatives/index.htm.
The Nanaimo Family Justice Services Centre offers a range of services to families undergoing separation and divorce. Resources include information, education, assessment, referral, legal services, dispute resolution and self-help services. Through an integrated team approach, the centre helps families solve problems and look at alternatives to court. In cases where court is the best option, the centre helps people to prepare to participate effectively in negotiation, mediation or adjudication.
The centre has served about 800 individuals since opening in April. With a staff of seven and a roster of advice lawyers and duty counsel, the centre is located at 302-65 Front Street. The centre's website (www.nanaimo.familyjustice.bc.ca/index.htm) has information on its services.
#34. FIRST-YEAR MED STUDENTS DOUBLED, NURSING SPACES UP 82%
Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell presented this year's class of 256 first-year student doctors with white lab coats this week to celebrate the fulfilment of government's promise to double the number of spaces for first-year medical students in British Columbia.
"In four short years, our aggressive medical education expansion has resulted in twice the number of first-year spaces available to the talented, dedicated students who will become B.C.'s doctors of tomorrow," Coell said. "I congratulate our partners, whose vision, determination and sheer hard work has turned government's investment into one of the biggest and very best medical schools in all of North America."
As of this year, the Province is funding 256 first-year spaces in the University of British Columbia's faculty of medicine. The program is delivered in collaboration with the University of Victoria, the University of Northern B.C., and all the province's health authorities.
"Just like our population, our physicians and surgeons are aging, and many are nearing retirement," said Health Minister George Abbott. "In reaching this milestone of doubling first-year medical school training spaces, we will be able to better meet the demographic challenges and ensure that we have young women and men graduating and providing critical health-care services to British Columbians all across the province."
Medical students begin their education at UBC for their first semester. In January, 32 students move to the northern medical program based at UNBC, and 32 go to the Island medical program based at UVic. A fourth program in the southern Interior is in the planning stages.
"I would like to thank the government for supporting this innovative model of medical education," said Stephen Toope, UBC president and vice-chancellor. "This ambitious program has allowed us, along with our partners, to attract more medical students to our university and to give them a rich educational experience across the province."
Students in all the medical programs share interactive, simultaneous classes, linked by some of the most advanced audio-visual technology in the world. This distributed learning model is designed to train doctors in a wider range of communities, where many are likely to practice after they graduate.
The Province has also increased the number of student spaces in other health programs this year. Nursing programs have been allocated 326 new spaces, bringing the total increase since 2001 to 3,347, or 82 per cent. Included this year are 244 more spaces for registered nurses, 60 for graduate nursing and 22 for licensed practical nurses programs.
A range of other health programs - such as radiography technician and medical laboratory technologist - will receive a total of 89 more student spaces this year. Eight spaces each are being added to physiotherapy and occupational therapy programs at UBC. As well, 213 new seats are being added for residential care attendants and home support workers.
#35. FUTURE PUBLIC SERVANTS RECEIVE GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
Graduate fellowships have been awarded to 15 top master's and PhD students who will spend up to two years researching key issues affecting the province, and then join the BC Public Service after they earn their degrees, Premier Gordon Campbell announced this week.
"Our investment in Pacific Leaders Graduate Student Fellowships will bring a steady flow of talented B.C. academics into the public service in areas where they will be most needed as experienced employees approach retirement," Campbell said. "We will also have access to cutting-edge research these graduate students are conducting, which will give us a sound scientific basis to advance government priorities."
The fellowships are part of the Pacific Leaders program announced by the Premier this spring to give the BC Public Service a competitive edge in recruiting and retaining top employees. This year, graduate students from B.C.'s four research-intensive universities - Simon Fraser University, the University of B.C., the University of Northern B.C. and the University of Victoria - were eligible for the fellowships, worth $20,000 a year. Next year, the program is expected to include all public B.C. universities and university-colleges.
Fellowship winners include specialists in resource and environmental management, gerontology, public health, biology, hydrology, geography, medical anthropology and forestry. Research being funded through the fellowships includes the effect of climate change on B.C.'s Interior forests and mountain communities, genetic changes in salmon exposed to sewage, obesity in baby boomers as they age, the ability of local emergency management organizations to respond to an earthquake, and the effectiveness of new models of land-use planning.
"We're building opportunities for graduate students with these fellowships, as well as our new master's and doctoral-level spaces, internships and scholarships," said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. "We're investing in developing researchers who will enhance our post-secondary system's reputation for excellence, and who will produce new knowledge and ideas to strengthen British Columbia for decades to come."
To be eligible for a Pacific Leaders Graduate Student Fellowship, students must have at least an A- average over the past two years of full-time study and show potential to become excellent researchers. They must be enrolled in a program consisting of at least 75 per cent research that will help government address public service or public policy issues in areas where the government is experiencing skill shortages. They must also agree to work for the BC Public Service once they graduate.
Other components of Pacific Leaders include a program to forgive all B.C. student loans for employees who work in the public service for three years, scholarships of up to $7,500 for employees who are pursuing further education, and up to 60 scholarships each year of $2,500 for children of public service members.
The BC Public Service is the largest employer in the province, with over 30,000 employees in more than 280 B.C. communities. They provide such services as public health, management of the province's natural resources, policing and correction, licensing, transportation infrastructure and vital statistics.
#36. VANCOUVER BUSINESSES NOT EXACTLY HAPPY WITH TAX REPORT
The Property Tax Policy Review Commission's report on property tax reform, presented to Vancouver City Council this week, has received a mixed response from the business community.
"The tax commission has taken a step in the right direction, but more work needs to be done here," said Ed Des Roches, co-chair of the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition. "They have confirmed the unfair inequity between business and residential tax rates and the importance of having a more competitive tax rate for business."
The tax commission recommended an annual shift of property taxes of one per cent per year, from commercial to residential properties, until a 48 to 52 per cent allocation is reached.
"We are not sure how the commission arrived at a recommendation of allocating 48 per cent of the tax base to business and 52 per cent to residential," said Bob Laurie, co-chair of the Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition. "Frankly, we had advocated for a commercial and residential split that more closely reflected the actual consumption level of services. Businesses clearly pay more in property taxes for the tax-supported services they consume."
"Past tax reports and commissions have recommended shifting taxes, but the shift has been inconsistent and sporadic," continued Laurie. "Vancouver needs a permanent, sustainable tax policy."
"We believe this report and its recommendations are a vital starting point in building a more sustainable city," added Des Roches. "Vancouverites have told the commission that the present tax regime is unfair and that they value local businesses. We will still be advocating for a fairer solution to end the taxation imbalance," he said.
Some issues like "hot spots" are complicated and will continue to be challenging. Laurie added that for many small business people, the "phased-in" solution proposed by the commission will be too little too late. The Fair Tax Coalition has advocated for a solution that would bring quicker relief for businesses that lease or rent in "hot spot" areas.
Over the next few weeks, the coalition's technical committee will be reviewing the report and its findings and will issue a formal analysis with recommendations.
The Vancouver Fair Tax Coalition represents 43,000 local businesses concerned about the high municipal property taxes they pay. For more information visit www.fairtaxcoalition.com.
#37. 30 COMMUNITIES SHARE $580K TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY
2010 Legacies Now has awarded $580,000 from its Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund to help 30 communities throughout the province improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
"Each community submitted a plan for improvements to accessibility that could really make a difference to people living with a disability," said Carla Qualtrough, Director of Inclusion Initiatives for 2010 Legacies Now. "This funding and these projects are an important step toward enabling people with disabilities to participate and fully contribute in their communities."
These grants will enable the communities to complete the Measuring Up process, a grassroots assessment and planning tool which guides communities in identifying priorities for improving accessibility.
"As a blind resident of Kimberley and a member of our Accessibility Committee, I can say that the Measuring Up process has been a real eye opener for us," said John Houston. "Accessibility and inclusion are not just about wheelchairs and ramps, but about full participation in all aspects of community life by all. We have a long way to go, but Measuring Up and the Measuring Up Fund will help us to continue to identify needs and implement solutions."
The funding ranges from $15,000 to 25,000 per community, based on the community's population size and their action plan for implementing Measuring Up. These grants will assist communities in completing a variety of accessibility-related projects including establishing committees, conducting public awareness campaigns, creating wheelchair ramps, and completing assessments.
The Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund was made possible by a grant from the province of British Columbia earlier this year.
"People with disabilities have the ability and desire to contribute as employees and active community members," said Employment and Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond. "We have made removing barriers a priority, and this fund is helping accomplish that. Our goal is to increase the number of people with a disability in the workplace by 10% by 2010 - we call it the 10 x 10 Challenge."
This announcement marks the first round of grants awarded under the Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund. Intake is ongoing; the next round of funding will be awarded in February 2008. Application form and guidelines are available at www.2010legaciesnow.com/measuring_up/.
#38. STATCAN: KIDS TAKING LONGER TO GROW UP
Young adults were taking longer to make key life transitions to adulthood in 2001 than their counterparts were three decades earlier, according to a new study.
The study, published this week in Canadian Social Trends, used census data from 1971 and 2001 to show how transitions have changed for individuals aged 18 to 34. (The study includes people in their early 30s in order to allow sufficient time to complete the transition to adulthood.)
It found that overall, the transition to adulthood in 2001 was delayed and elongated compared with that in 1971. It took young adults longer to achieve their independence. They were leaving school later, staying longer in their parents' home, entering the labour market later, and postponing conjugal unions and childbearing.
Young women in 2001 were generally making life transitions earlier than young men, as was the situation in 1971. However, women in 2001 were often making different transitions at different times than young women did 30 years earlier.
The study examined five transitions that many young people make on their way to adulthood: leaving school, leaving their parents' home, having full-year, full-time work, entering into conjugal relationships, and having children.
In each generation, women were in general more likely than men to leave home, marry and have children at a younger age. Men in both generations generally left school earlier and had full-year, full-time employment at a younger age than women.
On average, a 25-year-old in 2001 had gone through the same number of transitions as a 22-year-old in 1971. A 30-year-old in the later generation averaged the same number of transitions as a 25-year-old in the earlier generation.
In recent years, both young men and women have delayed many transitions. For example, in 2001, half of all 22-year-olds were still in school. Only 1 in 5 was in a conjugal union (usually common law), and 1 in 11 had children.
In contrast, in 1971, three-quarters of young adults at the age of 22 had left school. Nearly half were married and 1 in 4 had children.
As well, for the 2001 cohort, the time between transitions had increased, stretching the process from the late teens to the early 30s. The 1971 cohort, by comparison, packed more life transitions into the years from their late teens to mid-20s and fewer transitions into their early 30s.
By the time they were 34, men in 2001 had not made as many transitions as their counterparts 30 years earlier. However, women who were 34 in 2001 had made as many transitions as 34-year-old women in 1971. But those transitions for women were more likely to include full-year, full-time work and less likely to include marriage and childbearing.
In 1971, 9% of 18- to 34-year-old mothers of pre-school children worked full-year full-time, compared with 27% in 2001. Mothers in 2001 with older children also experienced increases in full-year, full-time employment.
Perhaps the most pronounced difference between the generations, particularly for women, was the change in educational attainment. The percentage of young women aged 30 to 34 who were university-educated increased fourfold, from 7% in 1971 to 29% in 2001.
The proportion for young men who were university-educated doubled over the same period, from 13% in 1971 to 25% in 2001. The 2001 generation was also much more likely to go on to master's and doctoral programs.
This shift in priorities helps to explain the delay in conjugal unions and parenthood for the 2001 generation, although even those who had not gone beyond high school graduation had delayed childrearing.
Young adults in 2001, and men in particular, were taking longer to leave their parents' home. In 2001, 60% of men and 73% of women aged 25 were no longer living with their parents, compared with 78% of men and 89% of women aged 25 in 1971.
Once they had moved out, the young adults in the later generation were also more likely to live alone. This was especially true for young men: the rate peaked at 13% at age 28 and remained fairly close to that peak until age 34.
In contrast, the rate for young women living alone peaked at 9% at age 27 and then decreased. This suggests that, compared with the past, more young men had developed a single lifestyle that lasted well into their 30s.
#39. NEW PROCESS TO ENSURE BEST USE OF SURPLUS SCHOOLS
A new process to ensure empty schools are used for maximum public good will benefit communities and residents throughout British Columbia, Education Minister Shirley Bond and Labour and Citizens' Services Minister Olga Ilich announced this week.
"Boards of education have generally been very good at making sure that surplus schools and lands they dispose of are being invested back into education projects," said Bond. "But we have to look more broadly than that and make sure these valuable assets are put to the public's best use."
As a result of declining enrolment, many school districts currently own buildings that are sitting empty. There are an estimated 50,000 fewer students this year than in 2000/01, and enrolment is expected to decrease over the next five years by another 25,000 students. While districts maintain schools they expect to once again be used by students, many other properties have been sold off to private interests. The new process will ensure those surplus lands will first be considered for other public uses.
"Schools make up $8 billion of taxpayer assets, so we want to make sure that those buildings are being used in the best way possible for communities and taxpayers," said Ilich. "This new process will help determine whether a surplus school can be used by the Province or some other level of government."
The new process will be led by the Accommodation and Real Estate Services (ARES) division of the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services. Properties identified as surplus by the school district will be matched against capital requirements from the provincial government, including Crown corporations or other agencies such as colleges or health authorities. Should there be no required use for the property at the provincial level, then the school district will consult with the local government where the property resides, to see if there is a community use for the property. All negotiations with the school district will be based on fair market value for the property.
If the property is not identified for any of the above uses, the board of education may sell the property to other interested purchasers.
The new process supports a 2007 throne speech commitment to ensure that schools or school lands are used for their highest and best use for maximum public benefit. In addition, a cornerstone of the Province's Pacific Leadership Agenda is vibrant, connected communities that are socially responsive and are environmentally sustainable.
ARES is a division of the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services and provides accommodation and real estate services to government ministries and the broader public sector. ARES manages, on behalf of the Province, a diverse real estate portfolio of leased and government-owned properties throughout the province. The portfolio includes approximately 1.6 million square metres of space in over 1500 owned and leased buildings.
More information about ARES is available at http://www.bcbc.bc.ca/About_ARES/
#40. NDP: COSTLY MEAT INDUSTRY REGULATION WILL RUIN SMALL BUSINESSES
New Democrat MLA Charlie Wyse is very concerned that the B.C. Liberal-imposed Meat Industry Regulation (MIR) will devastate the livelihoods of small business processors, some of whom have been practicing safe business for over 40 years.
"Advancing food safety in B.C. is paramount to consumer confidence, however, the Campbell government has implemented the MIR without adequate consultation or assistance to smaller players in the meat industry," said Wyse, MLA for Cariboo South.
September 30 is the confirmed deadline for the full implementation of the MIR, a regulation which will govern the slaughter of animals for food sales in B.C. Under the MIR, meat processing facilities are expected to invest thousands in equipment upgrades in order to meet the new provincial standard.
Wyse said: "The Campbell government has failed to deliver a clear, equitable regulation which encompasses safe practices without imposing unmanageable capital improvements, and in the process has threatened the future of high quality, locally raised meat at affordable prices."
"My main concern around the MIR is that it will concentrate food production to the point that producing local and buying local will get much harder. It is a clumsy attempt to advance food safety and will result in larger players gaining more market share.
"The fact that the primary meat processing facility in 100 Mile will be closing down when the MIR deadline comes into effect shows the calibre of thinking on the part of the Campbell government."
Wyse said organic vegetable producers across B.C. will also be hit by the MIR. He said: "The B.C. Liberals decision to concentrate food processing and warehousing squeezes out smaller certified organic livestock operations, upon which local organic growers rely for supplies.
"Minister of Agriculture Pat Bell must meet with local meat processors immediately and assist existing facilities so they are not left behind on September 30."
#41. 2007 PROVINCIAL CAMPAIGN FOR NON-PROFIT AGENCIES
Public service volunteers are ramping up efforts to raise a record amount of money to donate to non-profit agencies across the province through the Provincial Employees Community Services Fund (PECSF).
"Public service employees have been giving back to their communities through this fund for 42 years," said honorary chair and deputy minister of Agriculture and Lands Larry Pedersen. "This year's theme, 'caring for our community,' really describes the nature of B.C.'s public service. Provincial employees have strong community values and they literally put their money where their mouths are."
Since 1965, the fund has raised over $28 million for B.C.'s non-profit agencies. This year's goal is to exceed last year's record breaking $1.7 million.
"Provincial employees should take pride in the significant role they have played in helping us reduce the death rate from heart disease and stroke by 70 per cent over the past 50 years," said Bobbe Wood, president and CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon. "With your ongoing support we will continue to strive towards our vision of generations free of heart disease and stroke."
From September to November, over 1,000 provincial employees volunteer to lead the campaign. In 2006, nearly 9,000 public servants donated to the fund. Funds raised go to over 700 non-profit agencies across the province.
"Fundraising activities are organized and carried out by employee volunteers," said Wes Shoemaker Honorary vice-chair and assistant deputy minister of Emergency Management B.C. "Every single dollar raised and donated goes directly to programs in B.C. communities."
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