Coldstream Committee of the Whole Meeting - June 18, 2012.

Water issues will be discussed in case you are interested in the progress of the new MWP.

Agenda Package.

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Readers write - REMINDER – LAST ONE - I PROMISE!!!

Just a reminder that the SPrKL wetland clean-up, next to the RDNO office (map attached), takes place this Friday and Saturday.

If you missed out on the Adopt-a-Stream clean-up and want to be involved in a community event come out and join us for as long as you like. We will be providing healthy snacks to all volunteers including apple juice (home-made), fruit bars and even pizza (at the end of each day).

Friday, weeding starts at 1:00 pm and goes until early evening. Saturday, planting starts at 10:30 am and goes until late afternoon. If possible, bring gloves and clippers for weeding and bring shovels, shears and buckets for planting. Extra supplies will be on-site.

Big thanks go to Paul and Carrie for helping out with this project. Paul generously provided background information, Section 9 Review and met with regulators on-site. Carrie was invaluable in providing directions on plant type, placement and product sourcing.

The event is being filmed as part of a documentary that will eventually be put on the spkl website. For more info on the project go to spkl.ca and check out ‘upcoming projects’.

It would be great to see you there!
 

Trina

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German officials still seeking identity of 'Forest Boy'

By Leigh Goessl
Jun 14, 2012 - 2 hours ago in World

Berlin - German officials are actively seeking the identity of a boy that showed up in Berlin after he'd wandered out of a forest.

While the teenager, dubbed "Forest Boy" in the media, actually emerged from a German forest last September, authorities did not publicly release a photo until just this week.

For many months police have been trying to unravel this unusual case. No one knows if the (estimated) 17-year-old boy has been telling the truth about his upbringing and/or if he has any family members still alive.

When he came out of the forest, the boy told police his name was Ray and that he had been living with his father, Ryan, in the forest for about five years. He said his father had recently passed away. He arrived in Berlin following his father's last instructions to "walk north" and "find civilization" in the event something happened to him. more

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Justin Trudeau 'listening' to leadership pressure after Bob Rae bows out

 By Lee Berthiaume, Postmedia June 13, 2012 1:43 PM

Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae answered the question that has been dogging him for months: Does he want the "interim" tag taken off his title and become full time leader of the party? His answer today: No.

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau has admitted he is "actively listening" to suggestions he throw his hat in the ring following Bob Rae's surprise announcement he will not seek to become permanent leader of the federal Liberals.

Many eyes already had been on the son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, arguably the most recognizable Liberal after Rae, and the admission he is considering a run after months of denying any interest in the position will stoke expectations further.  Read more:

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Reminder - SPrKL News - Volunteers needed!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

SPrKL News - Volunteers needed!

Hi Everyone!

 

Please come out on June 15th and/or 16th to help us clean up the wetland next to the RDNO Office.

We'll be weeding on the 15th and planting on the 16th – see the attached poster for more details.

 

There will be free refreshments including PIZZA for all volunteers.

 

Any time and effort you can afford to donate to SPrKL during these two days would be greatly appreciated!

 

Hope to see you there! Please pass this email on!

 

~Trina~

on behalf of SPrKL Directors

 

 

 

 

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We need 13 Conservative MPs to "Be a Hero and Stop the Budget Bill."

We are having a rally at Colin Mayes office on Wednesday. I know you've heard about PM Harper's so called "Budget"  Bill C-38 that intends to kill environmental regulations that protect wild fish and fish habitat. This Federal Budget Bill makes changes to over 70 laws. It has drawn criticism across the political spectrum, including former Conservative cabinet ministers and members of PM Harper's own caucus.

The NDP held town hall meetings across Canada on Bill 38 which intends sweeping changes that were never mentioned in the Conservative's election platform. These changes will gut environmental protections, hollow out our economy and damage society. We need 13 Conservative MPs to "Be a Hero and Stop the Budget Bill."

This Wednesday, June 13th @ 5:30PM our time (while MPs gather in Ottawa for a decisive showdown in Parliament) Canadians will be holding rallys across Canada calling for 13 "hero" Conservative MPs to work together and stop the Bill, split it, and start over.

Check out this leadnow.ca link:  http://heroes.leadnow.ca/events/colin-mayes-okanagan-shuswap-bc/

Dianne Perrier (who is a member of the Federal Liberal Riding executive) is organizing this and one of our members is helping.

What: Local event to protest the federal government's proposed Omnibus Budget Bill, Bill C-38 as part of a National Day of Action

Who: Canadians from all walks of life, and all parties

Where: Colin Mayes Office (old railway station)
3105 29 Street,    
Vernon, BC V1T 5A8

Tel: 250-260-5020
Fax: 250-260-5025
Toll Free: 1-800-665-5040

When: Wednesday, June 13th, at 5:30PM

For more information about Leadnow.ca, please visit http://heroes.leadnow.ca

To see details from the last day of action, visit:
http://heroes.leadnow.ca/media/
Thanks, Nick

--  http://okanaganshuswapndp.ca

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Photo gallery - More birthday gifts - (did not fit on the previous page) - Debbie

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Photo gallery - My birthday present! - Debbie.

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Coldstream Council Meeting - June 11, 2012.

Agenda Package

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Readers Write - Cougar in Kal Lake Park

OMG-- I had to share this photo with you.  This was taken by a nursing colleague by accident in Kal Park.  She was at the juncture where you can go left to the Pet Beach or right to the trail west and her young kids were jumping around and she said stop I want to take you picture with that background.  She got her camera ready and out of the corner of her eye, she was this movement and thought it was a bird.  She turned with her camera and snapped a picture of this cougar.  It was in a tree practically above them.  She gathered her children without taking her eye off the cat and slowly backed away.  The cat did not move.  She thinks it had been sleeping and awoke with the noise of the children.  She alerted the conservation authority--she is not sure what happened after that.  She warned other people who were walking down the path but most were so in awe and upset they did not have a camera--she said no one was worried that this was a WILD Animal. 

 

Great photo--it is not even blurry!  I would be shaking with fear.

 

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Water Sources Switched

Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM  Friday, 08 June 2012 16:46

Greater Vernon Water has switched water sources for some customers. Customers usually served by the Mission Hill Treatment Plant are now being supplied by the Duteau Creek Plant. Water quality manager Renee Clark says it's due to increased turbidity at the Kalamalka Lake intake caused by the heavy rainfall. "Staff will be continually monitoring turbidity at the Kalamalka Lake intake and the Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant will be put back on line when the turbidity returns to acceptable conditions." In the meantime, customers are asked to limit outdoor water use where possible.

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Readers write - Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park

Hello Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. Below are two topics that have come to us in recent days, which might interest some of you.

Local Wetlands

As a result of the recent rains (and snow at higher elevations) wetlands are about as full now as they ever will be.

The Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations and BC Parks have pointed out that it could be useful to have a photographic record of wetlands at this stage.

 

These records could help document long term climate change, provide base line info in case a wetland was ever destroyed or altered, or provide biological monitoring such as for potential amphibian sites.

 

If anyone happens by one of the wetlands in Kal, Enderby Cliffs or Mara Meadows, BC Parks would welcome pictures. Likewise, the Ministry biologist would welcome photographs and site coordinates of any wetlands in the North Okanagan.

Yours truly would be happy to relay any photographs to either of the above.

Trail Building Workshop

The Shuswap Trail Alliance is hosting a trail building workshop for Enderby Cliffs on July 7, called "Tweaking Tread". "We will show how making small changes to the tread can increase the durability of the trail. We will fix some small erosion problems which have shown up on the new (and old) sections of trail, anchor some of the traffic flow with natural features, and tiddle along the edges to preserve alignment of the trail."

 

The Friends of Kal have been offered a place for one person in the workshop. If you would like to represent Kal Park and bring back knowledge that we can apply here, please contact me for further details.

Thanks!

Harold Sellers

Friends of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park

 

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RDNO Committee of the Whole and Regular Meeting June 6, 2012.

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Canada Bracing for Massive Influx of Wisconsin Boat People

		June 5, 2012 Coast Guard on Alert OTTAWA (The Borowitz Report) – The Canadian coast guard was on alert today, preparing for what it fears could be a massive invasion of  boat people from Wisconsin. Conor McGlindon, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Coast Guard (RCMCG), said that satellite photos had revealed a “substantial flotilla” in the making, as Wisconsinites prepared to flee their state for their neighbor to the North. “Word has gotten around that we have policemen, firemen, and basic school lunches up here,” Mr. McGlindon said.  “You can’t blame these boat people for seeking a better life.  But we are under orders to intercept them.” In Canada, officials fear that refugees from Wisconsin will brave the treacherous journey across Lake Superior in the hopes of giving birth to so-called “anchor babies” on Canadian soil. Mr. McGlindon offered reporters a look at satellite photos showing the boat people larding their vessels with wheels of premium cheddar cheese, possibly in the hopes of bribing Canadian officials on Superior’s northern shore. “We are telling all of our men that under no circumstances should they accept offerings of cheese,” he said.  "These boat people are desperate and they will try anything." Reports of the looming refugee crisis coincided with the release of a new poll showing that Gov. Scott Walker is now the most hated man in Wisconsin, narrowly edging Brett Favre. Speaking at the state capitol, Gov. Walker seemed philosophical about his legacy: "I'm not worried how history will remember me, because if I have my way there won't be any history teachers.”  Get a free subscription to the Borowitz Report here. *******************************************************

NORD meeting, June 06, 2012.

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Coldstream COW Meeting, June 4, 2012.

Agenda package.

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Celebrate Intergenerational Day!

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Romney ready to lead ‘Amercia'.

From: AFP
May 31, 2012 3:55AM


US PRESIDENT Barack Obama has congratulated Mitt Romney on being chosen as the Republican to challenge him as the leader of America.


Or is that ‘Amercia’?


With a win in the Texas primary, Mr Romney secured his place as the Republican nominee but his celebrations were somewhat dimmed by a spelling mistake on the "With Mitt" iPhone application rolled out by his campaign.


The app allows users to express support for the recently anointed Republican flagbearer by personalising a photo with an overlaid Romney slogan. Trouble is, one of the slogans has a howler of a spelling mistake: "A Better Amercia".


Members of the proofreading public recently made the discovery and it went viral on microblogging site Twitter, with people mockingly tweeting photos showing the "Amercia" message.


"Some poor app designer is getting strapped in a cage on the top of a car and driven across country tonight. #amercia," one user tweeted, in a reference to Mr Romney's hard-to-live-down decision years ago to strap the family dog in its carrier on the roof of the car during a vacation... more

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NORD Press Release - Water use restrictions!

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Vernon willing to split up control of parks

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star

 Updated: May 28, 2012 10:59 AM

 

Vernon won't stand in the way of dividing up control of parks.

Council voted unanimously Monday to pursue a change in the service model for Greater Vernon parks.

"It seems to address all of the issues that have been raised," said Coun. Juliette Cunningham.

Under this model, while some parks would remain part of the collective, most would become the individual responsibility of Vernon, Coldstream and the regional district to operate and maintain.

The other proposed model has been keeping all parks within the collective with Coldstream and Vernon having contracts to provide maintenance.

Cunningham is convinced a change in the service model could benefit Vernon, especially since there are public concerns about the condition of beaches on Lakeshore Road.

"We as a council could best decide what resources to put towards it," she said.

Discussions between the Greater Vernon jurisdictions will resume next week.

"There's a real philosophy of wanting an agreement and wanting to get it done," said Mayor Rob Sawatzky.

Firm details for the two models must still be worked out.

"There aren't very large differences in costs," said Sawatzky.

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Richmond City Council Finalizes GE Free Zone

Press Release

Richmond City Council Finalizes GE Free Zone

May 29, 2012. Ottawa. - Last night, Richmond City Council (British Columbia) unanimously confirmed a decision to make the city a GE Free Zone.

Following the initial unanimous decision by the General Purposes Committee on May 24, 250 Richmond residents turned out last night to support final approval at City Council. The biotechnology industry lobby group CropLife presented in a failed effort to dissuade councilors from approving the resolution.

“Teachers, parents, farmers, high school students, and other ordinary citizens packed City Hall and spent almost 3 hours making presentations to Council,” said local agrologist Arzeena Hamir with the Richmond Food Security Society. “We’re really proud of our City Council for taking this bold decision on our behalf. We hope that other communities can take similar action to stop these unwanted and unnecessary crops.”

Richmond is a municipality of almost 200,000 people to the south of Vancouver in British Columbia and has about 200 farms.

The City of Richmond agreed to oppose the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically modified or GM) plants and trees in the City, making an exception for the 3 dairy farms that already grow GM corn. The resolution states, “no further GM crops, trees or plants should be grown in the City of Richmond. This also includes GM fruit trees, all GM plants and shrubbery, GM vegetables, GM commodity crops and any and all field tests for medical and experimental GM crops.” The City also agreed to send letters to all levels of government “requesting strengthened management of genetically modified plants, and including the introduction of mandatory labelling requirements, more transparent assessment procedures and enhanced communication with the public.”

“There’s no room in our communities for crops like the proposed GM apple. We need to invest in organic farming rather than risk its future from GM contamination,” said Tony Beck of the Society for a GE Free BC.

“Last night, the industry tried to dismiss people's concerns about the safety of GM foods and crops but the public is right not to trust corporate tests that are kept secret from them and independent scientists.” said Dag Falck who presented at the meeting on behalf of Nature’s Path Foods which is headquartered in Richmond.

“Local communities are stepping up to protect BC’s environment and economy,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network. “The markets for iconic and economically important BC products could soon be destroyed if genetically modified organisms like GM apples and GM salmon are introduced.”

The Richmond Food Security Society and the Society for a Genetically Free (GE) BC introduced the resolution in 2010. Richmond joins other GE free zones in British Columbia such as Powell River, Kaslo, Nelson, New Denver, and Rossland.

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For more information: Arzeena Hamir, cell 604 727 9728; Dag Falck, cell 250 307 4992, Lucy Sharratt, 613 241 2267 x 25.

Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN)
Collaborative Campaigning for Food Sovereignty and Environmental Justice
Suite 206, 180 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2P 1P5
Phone: 613 241 2267 ext. 25
Fax: 613 241 2506
coordinator@cban.ca
www.cban.ca

Stop the GM Apple: http://www.cban.ca/apple

Donate today! http://www.cban.ca/donate

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NORD Kalamalka Lake Ad Hoc Committee meeting

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Words and expressions that could make you suspect!

Revealed: 

Hundreds of words to avoid using online if you don't want the government spying on you (and they include 'pork', 'cloud' and 'Mexico')
 
Department of Homeland Security forced to release list following freedom of information request
Agency insists it only looks for evidence of genuine threats to the U.S. and not for signs of general dissent....more

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Coldstream Council meeting -- May 28, 2012.

 Agenda package.

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