GOOD CROWD ATTENDS MEETING
More than 100 people attended the health care "revelations" meeting held at the Legion Hall in Princeton on March 31. Although the meeting was non-partisan, it was clearly a meeting to urge seniors to go out and vote. Harry Lali, the New Democrat candidate for this riding, and his assistant, Millie Mitchell, arrived toward the end of the meeting, but Lali was not introduced or invited to speak.Robert Tarswell, head of Princeton Teachers' Union, organized the meeting, explaining it was supported by all local unions, and a number of union people were represented in the audience, which was made up primarily of seniors.
Councillor Ray Jarvis read a message from Mayor Keith Olsen which said the issues are concerns of every citizen of B.C. It was a good letter and received a good round of applause.
There were two speakers, Debra McPherson, President of the B.C. nurses' union, and Rudy Lawrence, President of the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of B.C., which represents 65,000 seniors.
McPherson spoke first, reviewing ³overwhelming² cuts in health care since 2001. She cited hospital bed closures, lay-off of 1,000 nurses in a shortage of nurses, the closure of 4,000 longterm care beds when the number of seniors is increasing. She cited severe reductions of home support, and noted the impact has been hardest on rural communities.
"The 'heartland' has been treated in a heartless fashion," McPherson said.
She gave Princeton as an example. The former physiotherapist is now manager of Ridgewood Lodge, and when hip replacement patients are returned to Princeton, they need physiotherapy, which is not available now. This means these seniors may not mend well.
McPherson talked about "racking and stacking" patients in one area, while empty beds are in a locked area of the same hospital, and nurses are overworked. She spoke of the contracting out of food services, and the poor nutritional quality of the food. She said hospitals are dirtier due to contracting out of cleaning services, and hospitals are not being kept in good repair due to lack of money.
Then she announced Interior Health has a $50 million surplus!
McPherson said 95 percent of new money coming into B.C.ıs health care budget comes from the federal government.
She talked about NAFTA, and shifting health care to foreign companies, and said, we never gave any politicians license to sell Medicare to private corporations. The danger of privatization is the lack of accountability of private corporations.
They can hire unqualified people and do not have to reveal any specific financial transactions.
Telehealth, the phone-in service, is now up for bids, and three American companies are the bidders. She warned the next plan is to turn auto insurance over to private corporations.
High cost of drugs
Both McPherson and Lawrence talked about the high cost of drugs. The federal government regulates pharmaceuticals, and gave a 20-year patent protection to drug companies. McPherson said drug costs and technology are driving up the cost of health care.No ear for seniors
Rudy Lawrence talked about not only the high cost of medications, but the loss of massage and physiotherapy coverage, and the severe reduction of home support. He said his organization has a problem gaining access to government since the Seniors Advisory Council was cancelled and the Seniors Office was closed in Victoria. Seniors' organizations can submit written briefs, and will receive a polite letter, but there is no longer any real consultation from government."Government hasnıt paid attention to seniors' issues,' Lawrence said.
He read from the BC Liberal Partyıs 2001 campaign promises pamphlet which said good health care was a priority.
He noted the attack on seniors was done because of the deficit and the need to cut costs, but the big tax breaks were the cause, not the high cost of health care.
"They created the deficit," Lawrence said, referring to the Liberals in government.
Lawrence, a former accountant, pointed out the sale of B.C.ıs assets to private corporations has had the effect of reducing government revenues, thereby shifting more of the costs to individuals or to taxation.
He urged everyone to review the list of what has happened to seniors since 2001, and urged every senior to go out and vote on May 17.
PLANNING SOCIETY HOSTS PUBLIC MEETING
A total of fifteen interested residents attended a public meeting of the Similkameen Valley Planning Society in Princetonıs Skills Centre last Tuesday night.The society, which contains representation from seven governing bodies from the Keremeos and Princeton areas, used the meeting to review what they have been doing over the past few months.
First to speak was George Hanson, Regional Director for Area "B" Cawston.
"My area of the valley is quite agricultural so Iıve been working in the agricultural section."
Hanson says the SVPS is trying to trade market the area as the Organic Capital of Canada by creating a Similkameen Valley brand for food products.
The establishment of an Organic Farming Institute based in Cawston will also aid in achieving that goal.
"We want to bring people to a clean and healthy environment."
Roger Mayer, Regional Director for Area "G" Keremeos Rural, says the biggest achievement of the SVPS in his area was the introduction of broadband wireless internet to the Lower Similkameen.
"Everyone from West of Hedley to the US Border now has access to high speed wireless internet as a result."
Mayer says the service has been a real benefit to the region and will aid in economic development.
"It's been in the past couple of years weıve been trying to bring forward the profile of the Similkameen Valley."
Gerri Logan, Regional Director for Area ³H² Princeton Rural, says growth is taking place in her district.
"I've got the second highest number of Building Permits in the Okanagan."
Land use issues are starting to pop up, but Logan is confident they will be resolved.
Other projects going on in her district include work on the 2010 Trail program.
"I would like to see more businesses in and around the Trail."
Logan shared her optimism with a reminder, "There are an awful lot of things coming down the pike and we better be ready."
Ron Mitchell, Manager of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, shared a First Nations perspective on the concept of the SVPS.
"We're here to work together for economic development for all of us."
Mitchell added, "First Nations bring opportunities to the table that may not have been available without First Nations involvement."
Mitchell also reviewed projects including eco-tourism opportunities with European visitors who are seeking a First Nations experience, a 300-acre vineyard business and continued support of value-added products.
Keremeos Mayor Walter Despot described the Similkameen Valley as a single unit concept in understandable terms.
"Tourism and economic development is a Valley project. You really canıt look at it any other way."
Despot says there are between 11 and 12-thousand people living in the Similkameen.
The seven jurisdictions that make up the SVPS first met in January 2003.
Despot says it's been a valuable experience right from the beginning.
"We all get along and work together. We help each other and weıre going to get ahead."
Projects in the Keremeos area include an outdoor historic mural program and a focus on the Similkameen River.
"We do not utilize or promote the Similkameen River enough."
Princeton Mayor Keith Olsen, who chaired the meeting, said the SVPS has taught him some interesting things.
"You have a very broad look at the Valley and the main thing the society wants to keep is our quality of life. We donıt want to lose it to something for short term gain."
Olsen went on to explain the main reason why the group formed was to raise the profile of the Similkameen.
"What we want to see is the next time you say you are from here that people say its their destination rather than a place they are going through to get somewhere else."
The SVPS hired the services of Economic Development Officer Michael McLaughlin, who has been involved in each of the groupıs projects.
McLaughlin says he is working on an area marketing strategy.
"Itıs not just for tourism, but also to attract new residents. The marketing strategy for the Valley could very well be new residents/business."
McLaughlin later told the News Leader how the marketing strategy would work.
"The most effective way of raising the profile of the Valley is to create a brand image - which we have done - and market the Valley to specific regions and specific types of tourists."
McLaughlin went on.
"This is the standard practice, but anything that creates publicity brings attention to the Similkameen Valley."
He points to two examples of where the Valley will benefit with current projects.
"We got huge amounts of free publicity when we held the Agri-Economics Workshop in Cawston. I was asked to speak at the Pacific Agriculture Show in February and spoke to 150 people about agri-tourism and the Organic Farming Institute of BC. Those people will never forget where our Valley is."
Princeton's focus is in a slightly different direction to attract a different type of visitor.
"Development of the Princeton KVR trailhead will bring attention from across the Province because we are part of a provincial trails system. That kind of publicity makes a better and stronger impression than a brochure and its free."
DECISION DISAPPOINTS RETIRED EMPLOYEES
The Provincial Government has made a new Statement of Defence to the lawsuit brought to win back the retirement benefits of its retired employees.These were the retirement benefits which pensioners received for decades and which the Provincial Government took away in 2002.
Bill Solberg, BC Government Retired Employees Association Okanagan/Similkameen Branch 900 Chairperson, said last week in Princeton his group is not happy with recent developments.
"What does the Province say now? It says that all the retirement benefits which pensioners thought were theirs, were just given at the whim of the Government."
Solberg says the benefits are discretionary.
"The government did not have to give any retirement benefits to any of the people who worked their lives for them. For the last number of decades, the Government just felt like it but now, times have changed and there is no money to cover retirement benefits despite our being told there is a billion dollar surplus."
Solberg told the News Leader, "Members of our association are insulted by the Government's response and this shows a total lack of respect for former employees of the Provincial Government."
As for decades of statements and documents given to people retiring saying they would receive benefits Solberg says.
"Well, the Provincial Government now says these statements were made without authority and, really never should have been believed."
Solberg points fingers at what he sees as wrongdoing.
"Who made these statements without authority? Outfits like the Superannuation Commission and the staff paid by the Government to give advice to its employees about their retirement."
Solberg invites anyone interested in comparing the Campbell Government Amended Statement of Defence with what was in the claim to contact him at his home in Penticton at (250) 493-0561.
The BC Government Retired Employees Association has about 20 members in the Princeton area.
