Reminder -Tribute to Jack Layton's life!

Okanagan Shuswap NDP Aug 23, 2011

For immediate release

The news of Jack Layton's death on Monday morning brought into sharp focus his extraordinary accomplishments during a life time of public service. NDP members and supporters knew how important he was to Canada, and now others are discovering it—perhaps for the first time.

Those who wish to pay tribute to Jack Layton's life can gather at Vernon's Schubert Centre at 3505 30th Avenue between 10.30am and 3pm Saturday August 27. There will be a book of condolences, and cards and letters will be forwarded to the Layton family.

Refreshments will be provided.

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NDP nomination meeting set

Election Readiness

NDP nomination meeting set

Kate Bouey

8/26/2011

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Vernon Monashee New Democrats are getting ready for a provincial election.

She ran in the federal election in May, now the NDP's Nikki Inouye is hoping to have a shot at provincial politics. Inouye is one of two nominees hoping to become the NDP's Vernon-Monashee candidate for the next provincial election.

The other is Mark Olsen, who ran in the last BC poll, winning almost 32 percent of the vote. He says the Liberals appear to be getting ready for an election that could come at any time.

Olsen says an NDP nomination meeting will be held at the Schubert Centre on September 11th.

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StreamKeepers Course information.

For more information please visit Rivers Day 2011 Celebration.

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Hospital support rally - Labour Day noon!

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LakeKeepers Course information

Hi SPrKLers!

SPrKL has been invited by the BC Lake Stewardship Society to register any interested members, or non-members, to a LakeKeepers course to take place in Kelowna on September 10th- 11th, 2011, the registration deadline is Sept. 6th. The workshop and refreshments are free! The details are below, please feel free to register - registration form and more info attached above.

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Scotch Thistle Harvest at Kal Park this Friday - Please spread the word!

Please join Park Rangers and other volunteers from the Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park for a Scotch Thistle harvest!

This Friday, August 26, at 9:00 a.m., we will meet at the Red Gate for an hour or two of work. We will cut off the seed heads of as many thistles as we can during that time. The plants only grow for two seasons so if we can eliminate the seed heads (before they go to seed) on the plants for a few seasons we might be able to reverse the infestation.

Wear long pants, thick gloves and bring hand clippers.

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Selected articles -- Morning Star - August 21 & 24

August 24, 2011

August 21, 2011

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GREEN PARTY LEADER Elizabeth May at UBC-O

- Press Notice -

Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada, will be hosting an evening of "Politics & Jazz" at UBCO, Monday, September 5th!!

In addition to being Canada's most remarkable politician, Elizabeth May is a prominent Lawyer, an Author, an Officer of the Order of Canada, and the recipient of three Honourary Doctorates. She's also a grandmother.

GREEN PARTY LEADER Elizabeth May at UBC-O

Monday, September 5, 2011

100 Mile Buffet at 8:00 PM

Elizabeth May address 8:30

Two sets of live Jazz & mingling from 9:00 to 11:00 PM

Arts Building Atrium - room 186

3333 University Way - parking in lot G or S

Tickets: $35.00 a person ($20 for students)

Cash bar will serve a selection of Okanagan wines

Tickets are limited so act now!

Reserve tickets by replying to Guy: 250 503 3191 (Vernon)

guy@morazain.com

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Readers write - Local Jack Layton Funerall Service!

Dear Gyula,

The news of Jack Layton's death on Monday morning has brought into sharp focus his extraordinary accomplishments during a life time of public service. We members and supporters knew how important he was to Canada, and now it seems that the rest others are discovering him—perhaps for the first time.

Please consider joining us for our local Jack Layton service. We will have a book of condolences and will forward any cards and letters that people would like to drop off.

(No fund raising, no membership drive). Refreshments provided.

Who: Canadians who wish to join us in paying our respects to Jack Layton.

What: Televised broadcast of Jack Layton's funeral

When: 10.30am - 3pm Saturday, August 27th

Where: Schubert Centre, 3505 30 Ave, Vernon, BC Map

Why: To give honour and respect to a great Canadian

Thanks,

Nick

http://okanaganshuswapndp.ca  

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Water turn off advisory - Coldstream West.

NOTICE TO COLDSTREAM RESIDENTS

The District of Coldstream will be shutting off the water in the vicinity of Okanagan College and the Kalview area in order to perform an emergency repair to a ruptured water main.

PROPERTIES AFFECTED:

(1) Clerke Road

(2) Lakeview Drive

(3) Kalview Drive

(4) Whitestone Drive

(5) Nash Drive

(6) Watson Drive

(7) Stoneridge Drive

(8) Graystone Drive

(9) Kickwillie Loop Road

(10) Varsity Drive

(11) College Drive

(12) Fitzmaurice Drive & Fitzmaurice Lane

(13) Pope Drive

WHEN: Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 8:00 a.m. until the repair is completed

The District apologizes for the inconvenience and will have the water service restored as quickly as possible.

We will issue a further notice as soon as water service is restored.

For further information please contact the District of Coldstream at 250-550-1505.

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Columbia River Basin Long-Term Water Supply and Demand Forecast

The Project

In November 2011, the Office of Columbia River (OCR) will publish its five year update of the Water Supply and Demand Forecast (Forecast). A draft report will be released in September, with workshops held in the Tri-cities, Wenatchee, and Spokane, Sept. 7-9.

OCR contracted with Washington State University to study the out-of-stream piece of the Forecast and with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to do the instream component. It will be the most comprehensive study of future demand ever produced in the state of Washington. It employs state-of-the-art technology and scientific research to identify where additional water supply is needed, now and in the future. The results will guide OCR in developing a water management plan to meet eastern Washington’s environmental and economic needs.

Scope

The Forecast evaluates supply and forecasts demand on three tiers: basin-wide (which includes seven states and British Columbia,) at the watershed (water resource inventory area or WRIA) level, and within a one-mile corridor along the Columbia River. The Forecast examines:

• Water demand for four sectors: agricultural, municipal, hydroelectric, and instream flows.
• Water supplies.
• Climate change impacts.
• Instream flows for eight critical fish basins in eastern Washington.

Forecast

Water supply modeling conducted for the Forecast predicts warmer, wetter winters, when water demand is low, and hotter, dryer summers, when demand peaks. By 2030, the model predicts an increase in average annual flow in the basin of 2%, but the timing of flows could change dramatically depending on location within the basin. For example, flows on the Columbia River at Bonneville Dam are expected to increase by up to 35% from November to May, but decrease by up to 9% from June to October.

The Forecast includes an “instream atlas,” created by WDFW for eight fish critical watersheds in Eastern Washington: The atlas incorporates maps and information on streamflow restoration priorities and stream-level information on fish life history stages. The atlas shows that recovery opportunities exist in all eight WRIAs to improve fisheries, and that adopted instream flows for many of these WRIAs are routinely not met. OCR will use these tools to ensure that new water supply projects it funds will benefit instream flow and protect fish habitats

Agriculture is the largest single user of water in eastern Washington. The combined influences of climate change, economic trends and population growth will result in an increase in the amount of water needed for agricultural irrigation.

The Forecast predicts that by 2030, diversions for cities and communities in Eastern Washington will increase by approximately 24 percent or an additional 109,000 acre-feet per year, based on expected population growths.

Hydropower use in Eastern Washington is expected to remain fairly stable (no significant growth) over the next 20 years, with increases in demand being met through conservation and power from other sources.

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Duteau Creek Water quality advisory rescinded!

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OBITUARY: Jack Layton's legacy as a fighter

Jack Layton known as a fighter

By Meagan Fitzpatrick, CBC News Posted:Aug 22, 2011 8:56 AM ET

When Jack Layton told Canadians on July 25 that he was facing a new battle with cancer, he made sure to inject notes of hope and optimism into his sombre news. He said he had always tried to bring those qualities to his work in politics and he would apply them to the personal battle he was undertaking, following a new cancer diagnosis he received a week earlier. The 61-year-old leader of the Official Opposition announced he was stepping away from the job, a role he coveted and had won only two months earlier, to concentrate on his cancer treatment so he could come back to Parliament in the fall, ready to fight for Canadian families. Layton died early Monday at home surrounded by his family and loved ones.

"We deeply regret to inform you that the Honourable Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada, passed away at 4:45 am today, Monday August 22. He passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and loved ones. Details of Mr. Layton’s funeral arrangements will be forthcoming," said a statement from Layton's wife, Olivia Chow, a fellow NDP MP, and Layton's children Michael and Sarah. (more)

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Readers write - For the record!

I noticed some photos on your blog.

Coldstream Park Gang, come and join us.

This is CREEKSIDE PARK ( Dog Park), and not

COLDSTREAM PARK ( near the Elementary School ).

I know that you know the difference, but others don't

obviously.

thanks

Angie

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Readers write - Join us!

The Coldstream Park 'Gang',

We meet every afternoon from 1.00 pm to approx 3.30 pm to go for a walk, chat and to let our dogs have fun.

Come and join us!

Enjoy, Lilly

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Stinky situation in Vernon - CHBC News

An unwelcome stench has made a return to the North Okanagan, and residents aren't happy about it.

The smell is coming from a bio-solids composting facility run by the City of Kelowna, but despite the millions of dollars they've spent trying to address the problem, it doesn't appear to be going away.

Residents along Kalamalka Lake View Drive in Vernon said it has smelled like a sewage tank in the area all summer long.

The regional compost facility a milometer away is to blame for the stench.

The facility, which composts human waste and turns it into soil conditioner, has been fielding complaints since in opened in 2006.

Residents complain they can’t sit outside or keep their windows open at night, some have even said their eyes burn and skin gets irritated when it gets really bad.

Last year, Kelowna spent seven and a half million dollars upgrading the facility to address the smell.

Neighbors said it has cut down on the total number of days the smell is present, but nothing has been done about the severity.

Japanese Quake Survivors Have Returned $78 Million in Lost Cash

It's now time for a story that restores your faith in mankind, even if it means going all the way to Japan to find it: In the five months since that country's devastating quake and tsunami, almost $78 million in cash has been found amongst the wreckage and turned in.

The money was recovered from countless abandoned wallets and purses, as well as from 5,700 safes that have washed up along the coastline. One safe alone was said to contain $1 million. But what were these coastal villagers doing sitting on so much cash in the first place? (More)

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One British Columbian who is enjoying the benefit of the HST.

The Canadian Press

Date: Monday Aug. 15, 2011 5:26 PM ET

OTTAWA — Former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell is off to his new job in London, England.

The Harper government formally announced his appointment as the new high commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland today.

The Canadian Press first reported Campbell's new job in June.

Campbell announced his resignation as premier last November after massive public fallout over his controversial introduction of the 12 per cent harmonized sales tax.

While a Liberal, he was responsible for reinvigorating the relationship between B.C. and the Conservative government. (more)

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The job comes with a wage of nearly $200,000, residence, and a bunch of other perks. In a year and a half Gordon Campbell will be eligible for his $100,000 pension from BC. Not bad!

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Selected articles -- Morning Star

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Decoding Buffett's tax plan

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Warren Buffett is once again begging Congress to tax him more.

"My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It's time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice," the founder of holding company Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA, Fortune 500) wrote in a New York Times opinion piece on Monday.

Unlike President Obama, who wants to raise the top two tax rates on individuals making more than $200,000, Buffett wants income and investment tax rates raised only on those making more than $1 million in taxable income. In 2009, they represented just 0.2% of tax returns -- as opposed to the 2% to 3% who would be affected by Obama's proposal.

In Buffett's view, the very rich don't pay enough in taxes. And he doesn't think asking them to pay more will discourage investment or job creation. Some people will disagree with him on one or both those points. But here's a breakout on what he is talking about.

Why Buffett only pays 17.4% of his income in federal taxes: "Last year my federal tax bill ... was $6,938,744. That sounds like a lot of money. But what I paid was only 17.4 percent of my taxable income -- and that's actually a lower percentage than was paid by any of the other 20 people in our office. Their tax burdens ranged from 33 percent to 41 percent and averaged 36 percent."

Millionaires who pay no income tax

Unlike most Americans, Buffett and the country's wealthiest taxpayers make much of their income from investments. The capital gains and dividends those investments generate are taxed at a much lower rate than wages. Long-term capital gains and dividends are currently taxed at 15% -- well below the 35% top income tax rate.

Managers of hedge funds and other investment partnerships, meanwhile, enjoy that same rate on the portion of their pay known as carried interest.

In addition, the wealthiest only pay a very small percentage of total payroll taxes, which support Medicare and Social Security. That's primarily because the payroll tax only applies to wage income, not investment income. Come 2013, however, a Medicare tax will be added to a portion of the wealthiest Americans' investment income to help pay for health reform.

How much money could be raised by hiking taxes on the super rich? Without specifics, it's hard to say. But it's possible to get a ballpark idea if one assumes nothing else changes about the current tax structure.

If lawmakers added a new 50% tax rate to taxable income over $1 million, that could raise an additional $34 billion, according to the Tax Policy Center. So adding that new top rate might raise at least an additional $340 billion over 10 years.

And if lawmakers opt to tax carried interest as ordinary income, the change could raise an additional $21 billion over 10 years, according to Joint Committee on Taxation estimates.

What about tax rates on capital gains and dividends? If they were raised to 20% for individuals making more than $200,000 (and couples making more than $250,000) that could raise roughly $107 billion over a decade, the Treasury Department estimated last year. The rate increase would raise less if it were limited to just those making more than $1 million.

All told, if one combines the three changes -- setting aside the economic effects if they were all implemented -- it's possible that Treasury could pull in more than $450 billion over a decade.

In the context of deficit reduction, $450 billion is less than 5% of the new debt the country is on track to accrue over the next decade. But it's a lot of money in terms of potentially valuable government programs that might otherwise need to be slashed absent additional revenue.

Higher rates won't discourage investment: "I have worked with investors for 60 years and I have yet to see anyone -- not even when capital gains rates were 39.9 percent in 1976-77 -- shy away from a sensible investment because of the tax rate on the potential gain."

It is unlikely that the wealthiest investors will pack up their marbles and go home if Congress raises the capital gains rate.

But an investor's calculus for what makes a "sensible" investment may change a little since the expected profit from an investment would go down once taxes are factored in.

Higher rates won't hurt job creation: "To those who argue that higher rates hurt job creation, I would note that a net of nearly 40 million jobs were added between 1980 and 2000. You know what's happened since then: lower tax rates and far lower job creation."

There may well be a correlation between tax rates at the top of the income scale and job creation, but it's hard to nail it down.

Conservatives often contend that hiking taxes on high-income taxpayers will hurt small business job creation. Liberals say that's nonsense.

The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. "Tax policy is one of many, many things that affect it. Job growth, for example, depends on a host of demographic factors," said Donald Marron, a former acting director of the Congressional Budget Office.

What's more, there's no uniform definition for what constitutes a business on the federal tax return. So some of the business income reported by the wealthiest taxpayers may come from owning rental property or belonging to an investment partnership, neither of which are big job-creating businesses.

And nowhere on the 1040 does a tax filer indicate how many jobs his business has created in a given year.

What might help job creation, though, which Buffett's opinion piece doesn't address, is an overhaul of the tax code. Such reform would reduce income tax rates and pare down many of the very expensive tax breaks.

When Congress has that debate, the issue of how much the rich should pay will be front and center.

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NDP: Tony Clement Created G8 Slush Fund

OTTAWA - New Democrats say the Conservative government set up a slush fund for last year's G8 meetings in a way designed to avoid scrutiny by the auditor general.

They say documents obtained under Ontario's provincial freedom of information laws show Minister Tony Clement personally monitored the G8 legacy fund through his local constituency office to hide it from oversight.

The NDP also allege that federal civil servants sat in on meetings regarding how the $50 million was to be spent, then told the auditor general they knew nothing about the fund.

The auditor released a report earlier this year finding there was no paper trail to explain how and why the 32 projects granted funding were selected.

The auditor also found the $50 million fund was approved by parliament for border security, not local beautification projects hundreds of kilometres from the border.

The NDP says the documents show the projects were hand-picked by Clement after consultation with area mayors, who submitted applications using a form designed by his constituency office.

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Targeted shooting in Kelowna kills alleged gangster Jonathan Bacon: report

The Canadian Press

KELOWNA, B.C. - A brazen, gangland-style shooting with a machine gun in a bustling tourist area on Sunday afternoon has apparently killed a member of one of British Columbia's most notorious families.

Jonathan Bacon, the eldest of three brothers at the centre of a bloody and long-standing gang war, died of injuries suffered when at least one masked gunman sprayed a car with bullets in downtown Kelowna, according to Vancouver radio station News 1130 and other media outlets.

Five other people in the SUV at the time were rushed to hospital after the drive-by outside the luxury hotel at about 2:45 p.m. PT, according to the B.C. Ambulance Service.

RCMP say the chaos began just after a group of people, including women, were seen leaving the Delta Grand hotel and getting into a white Porsche SUV.

As the vehicle prepared to leave, a silvery-green SUV drove up and stopped behind. At least one person emerged and opened fire.

Police spokesman Const. Steve Holmes told reporters this kind of incident is rare in Kelowna.

"However, when it does happen it is shocking and traumatic to those affected by it and is of concern to the people living in this community," he said in a news conference late Sunday. (Read more)

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Selected articles -- Morning Star

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Some comments about fairness.

The following Anonymous comment was received in response to some of my comments (see Selected Articles, scan 1) which requires clarifications. Below is the comment and my response.

"You say most people strive for fairness? How fair is it that a small group of people who live near the lake and do not have to drive there to enjoy it can make the decision that others must pay to enjoy the lake. This is a bad idea which will cost the taxpayers of Coldstream even more money than the failed boat launch study which this same group initiated then rejected when it did not turn out their way. It is time for the politicians of this area to act for ALL that voted them in and not just a small special interest group. Do the math (failed boat study $40,000, parking meters who knows how much more) try spending our money on a crosswalk to help people get from the beach parking lot to the beach without being run over. The Kalavista Committee has not addressed this issue at all even though they claim to be making decisions in this area for us all. They care more about a few turtles that our kids and would rather see a safe turtle crossing built before a safe pedestrian crossing is put in. I and others are tired of our council pandering to one small section of our community. I voted for you now do the right thing and represent me..don't make me pay to park near the lake."

Thank you for your comments and for your vote. Be assured that I do represent you as much as I represent all of the taxpayers of Coldstream and I want everyone treated fairly. However, fairness means different things to different people.

The small group of people do not make the decisions about paying for enjoying the lake. Politicians make that decision based on evidence presented to them. As one member of Council I wish to explain my thought processes in making my decision on this issue.

The issue: We have a conflict between the residents living in the neighbourhood of the boat launch and boat owners wishing to launch their boat at said boat launch. Boat owners are competing for spaces at the parking lot and an opportunity to launch their boats. Residents wish to live in peace and quiet and want to access their properties in peace and without harassment. Is there a fair resolution?

Considerations: The first consideration is that the residents are stationary: they cannot pack up and move their homes. The boat owners move their boats to the launch so it is easier for them to move to another launching site located at Kekuli Bay. Parking there is free and there are no residents to inconvenience. The better alternative is obvious.

Another issue is the congestion at the north end of Kalamalka Lake. All sorts of water related activities are concentrated in this relatively small area, including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, etc. These activities are not very compatible with large power boats. Kekuli Bay is much better suited for these large crafts.

Parking meter issues. According to the boat launch study there are over 20,000 boat owners in the greater Vernon area. Total number of parking spaces is about 30. Obviously, there is huge competition for those parking spaces. Installation of a parking meter would allow Greater Vernon residents to obtain preferential rates and provide an incentive for boat owners to drive to Kekuli Bay where the parking is free. The revenue would help offsetting the cost of hiring the Commissioners who maintain order at the boat launch. Parking fees are a fact of life.

Boat owners also have a vested interest just like the residents. They also have a responsibility to investigate accessibility to the lake and availability of parking their trailers prior to purchasing their boats. Kalamalka Lake has an issue of easy access due to prior residential developments which would be difficult to reverse. We have to make the best with what we have. As a Director of the Regional District in the past I supported the development of the Kekuli Bay camp grounds and boat launch area in order to provide alternate access to the lake. I also supported the expansion of that boat launch last year as a Director of GVAC. If there are other viable and fair options available I am willing to listen.

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Selected articles -- Morning Star

August 10, 2011

August 12, 2011

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Photo Gallery - Fun in the sun! - Courtesy: Debbie Gibson.

Silver Star Mountain's Two Wheel Festival event, Saturday, August 13, 2011.

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