Horgan commits to real climate action after Clark rejected Climate Leadership Team’s recommendations

1 May 2017

NDP Leader John Horgan said on Monday that he will restore BC as a climate action leader with a plan that focuses on reducing climate changing emissions, not letting them increase like Premier Christy Clark has.
“We can’t afford four more years of climate inaction from Christy Clark and the BC Liberals. The stakes are too high in this election,” said Horgan. “We have to come together to make sure we have a government that will take real action on climate change.”
Horgan held a town hall meeting in Vancouver with several members of the Climate Leadership Team who Clark tasked with renewing BC’s climate action. Clark chose to reject the team’s recommendations despite their careful consideration of the impacts on people, the economy, industry and the environment, the NDP said.
After Clark got her photo-op at the Paris climate summit, she ignored the Climate Leadership Team’s report for months, and then announced a plan that ignored their recommendations and will see emissions rise for the next decade, the NDP said.
“I am disappointed that Christy Clark broke her promise and chose to ignore the recommendations we put forward,” said panel member and prominent BC environmentalist Tzeporah Berman. “I’m encouraged that John Horgan and the BC NDP have committed to move forward with a strong plan that will reduce emissions. They’ve got my vote, and I look forward to working with them to restore BC’s climate action leadership.”
“Christy Clark has taken BC backwards on climate action, and backwards on protection our air, land and water,” said Horgan. “Climate changing emissions have been rising under Christy Clark’s watch, not falling. It’s time to come together to elect an NDP government that will change that.”
The NDP’s Clean Growth, Climate Action plan will reconvene a Climate Leadership Team within the first 100 days of forming a new government and work to implement their recommendations under a framework that follows five key principles:

Principle #1 – Take measures to reduce carbon pollution, rather than let it continue to go up.
Principle #2 – Bring in the federally mandated carbon price gradually and predictably.
Principle #3 – Make it more affordable for families.
Principle #4 – Invest in creating jobs, growing the economy and climate solutions.
Principle #5 – Take a sector by sector approach to regulating carbon pollution reduction.

The full BC NDP plan Clean Growth, Climate Action is available at:

https://www.bcndp.ca/files/Clean-Growth-Climate-Action.pdf

Shiromani Akali Dal dismisses Congress government claim of putting an end to drug issue

1 May 2017

Chandigarh (PTI): The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday dismissed the claim of the Punjab government on putting an end to the drug menace in the state, terming it as “a brazen lie and a cover-up for failure”.

The party dared the Amarinder Singh government to release data of the number of addicts weaned away from drugs in the past six weeks.

SAD general secretary and MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said, “Before the elections, the Congress had claimed that 70 per cent of Punjabis were addicted to drugs. That comes to a whopping figure of about two crore ten lakh [21 million] Punjabis out of a population of roughly three crores [30 million]”.

Will the Congress tell us how many of these drug addicts have been brought back to a normal and respectable life and where are these two crore ten lakh Punjabis reformed by the government, he asked.

The fact is that no one in the government or the Congress party even uttered a single word about the drug problem in the first six weeks of their rule, he said.

Now, facing criticism from the SAD, they have cooked up up this lie, he added.

Chandumajra said the claim of Amarinder government is just a loud boast and an attempt to sidetrack criticism on its failures and inaction through misleading statements.

The SAD leader said that before the elections, both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders defamed Punjab with daily hue and cry about the Punjabi youth falling prey to drugs.

“But once the elections were over, they forgot all about it,” he said.

The Akali leader said that the fact was that the Congress had in the first place vastly exaggerated the magnitude of the drug problem in the state during the SAD-BJP government.

Now, it is finding it hard to reconcile those allegations with ground reality, he said.

Thus, all they have done is to come up with a sweeping and totally unfounded claims about breaking the back of the drug problem, he said.

“Why are they not releasing data of the drug recoveries? They should share the details of these recoveries and compare these with the recoveries made during the SAD-BJP regime. Why are they not even giving figures of the number of youths freed from drug addiction?” said Chandumajra.

Harjit Sajjan had made the ‘architect of Operation Medusa’ false claim in 2015 also (updated)

1 May 2017

MAINSTREAM media on the weekend reported that Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan had actually made the ‘architect of Operation Medusa’ claim once before.

Last week Sajjan was forced to apologize after mainstream media exposed his false claim in his keynote address “Conflict Prevention and Peacekeeping in a Changing World” on April 18 to ‎Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi during his recent official visit to India: “On my first deployment to Kandahar in 2006, I was the architect of Operation MEDUSA where we removed 1,500 Taliban fighters off the battlefield…and I was proudly on the main assault.” He had added: “I was recognized for my efforts.”

Sajjan apologized for what was called a “bald-faced lie” last week on Thursday. He clarified: “What I should have said was that our military successes are the result of the leadership, service and sacrifice of the many dedicated women and men in the Canadian Forces. I regret that I didn’t say this then, but I want to do so now.”

But Sajjan had also made that same claim almost two years ago.

In July 2015, he told the B.C. program Conversations That Matter that General Jonathan Vance, the current chief of defence staff who was previously a commander in Afghanistan, saw him as a key figure in the 2006 offensive, The Toronto Star reported.

Sajjan said: “If I could quote him, he said I was the architect of Operation Medusa, one of the biggest operations since the Korean War that Canada has led. We took the fight hard to the Taliban.”

This was just months before he was elected as the South Vancouver MP after being parachuted into that riding by federal Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau.

Conservative Defence Critic James Bezan told the media that he thinks ”that this is a disturbing pattern of embellishing stories and misrepresenting the facts and making up alternative facts, and that this pattern is something that all of us need to critique even more.”

Incidentally, many are now wondering if all those who were investigated by Sajjan when he was in Vancouver Police Department will now appeal their convictions by attacking his credibility.

PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday expressed full confidence in Sajjan in the House of Commons and said that he had “acknowledged his responsibility and apologized for it; that’s what Canadians expect when one makes a mistake.”

Sajjan said repeatedly: “I’m not here to make any excuses for my mistake.”

The Conservatives heckled Sajjan, shouting, “Shame,” “You’re a bald-faced liar,” and “You’re a disgrace.”

Conservative interim Leader Rona Ambrose said: “How much more does the prime minister need to hear before he understands why our men and women in uniform have lost confidence in the minister?”

She added: “People in the military have a name for what he did: it’s called ’stolen valour,’ when someone takes credit for the brave actions of another.”

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said: “A whopper is not something you apologize for, it’s something you step down for.”

THE irony of all this is that retired Canadian soldier Bruce Moncur who was seriously injured – he was shot three times and had five per cent of his brain removed – in Operation Medusa, told the CBC that he was baffled why Sajjan would want to take credit for the mission. He told the CBC that it was an ill-conceived military strategy.

“The architect reduced the aerial bombings from three days to one, and then sent two platoons of soldiers in an extended line in a World War One-style frontal assault where we then were enveloped on three sides, similar to a 2,000-year-old battle tactic,” Moncur told the CBC.

“For five hours, we fought for our lives. The architect — whoever that person was — deviated from the battle plan and it cost a lot of Canadians their lives.”

Moncur told the CBC that 35 members of his 40-strong platoon were injured or killed during two days of fighting.

Liberals: NDP promise on Surrey Hospital is desperate, not in platform

30 April 2017

FOR the second consecutive day, the BC NDP have made a commitment that isn’t in their platform — underlining desperation as polls show their support sliding in the Lower Mainland, said the Liberals on Sunday.

They said that on Saturday, it was an un-costed, phantom promise related to the Cowichan Hospital. Now, it’s a promise to fund something called a “strategic analysis” on the need for a new Surrey hospital – and neither is reflected in the BC NDP platform. And just last week, John Horgan refused to commit to a new hospital in Surrey, when speaking with Harjinder Thind on Radio Red FM.

“Aside from having a wildly unaffordable and un-costed platform, now they are piling on new promises out of thin air,” said Puneet Sandhar, the BC Liberal candidate in Surrey-Panorama. “It is laughable to have the NDP standing here talking about a new hospital in Surrey when they didn’t put it in their plan. This promise is from the same NDP that didn’t build a single hospital the last time they were in government and actually cut the number of nursing spaces in BC.”

Liberals said that they have made huge investments in health care in Surrey. From the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Clinic, to the recently announced expansion of the Peace Arch Hospital Emergency Department, to Surrey Memorial’s new Children’s Mental Health Unit, BC Liberals have delivered new investments in health care for Surrey residents.

“Once again we see that the NDP is simply making it up as they go along,” Sandhar added. “Only Today’s BC Liberals have a real plan to provide high quality health care for Surrey residents, and we need more BC Liberal MLAs from Surrey elected on May 9 to keep building a health care system that Surrey residents can count on.”

Peel Regional Police set to host a spring gun amnesty program

30 April 2017

MEMBERS of the Street Crime Gang Unit of Peel Regional Police are coordinating a Spring Gun Amnesty Program throughout the Region of Peel. The program is scheduled to run from May 1 – May 31.

In an attempt to further enhance public safety, the Spring Gun Amnesty Program provides members of the community a controlled and safe opportunity to surrender unwanted firearms and ammunition for destruction. The amnesty will extend to all firearms, including handguns, long arms and non-restricted, restricted or prohibited weapons. Citizens are also being encouraged to turn in any unwanted weapons, ammunition, replica firearms or pellet guns that could be used in the commission of a criminal offence.

Members of the public who wish to participate in this program are directed to contact the Amnesty Hotline, starting May 1, at 905-460-4122 to make arrangements for a safe pick up of their firearms and / or ammunition by a member of the amnesty team. Citizens are NOT to bring these items to a police facility.

Often times, hunting rifles, shotguns and antique firearms are inherited by family members who are looking for a safe method of disposal. The Gun Amnesty Program will assist persons wishing to clear such firearms, weaponry and ammunition from their residence in a safe and timely fashion.

Anyone with information related to illegal firearms can contact the Street Crime Gang Unit at (905) 453-2121, ext. 7704. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca, or by sending a text message to CRIMES (274637) with the word “PEEL” and then your tip.

BC NDP commits to invest in hospital and public health care for Surrey

30 April 2017

SURREY and North Delta BC NDP candidates are speaking out against Christy Clark’s private health care agenda and committing to invest in public health care for people, including plans for a new regional hospital in Surrey.

“Christy Clark is quietly moving forward with a plan to create private hospitals that only the rich can afford. Her plan for private care means longer waits for patients and even fewer resources for public health care,” said BC NDP Leader John Horgan on Sunday.

“Patients can’t afford another four years of Christy Clark’s cuts and neglect. We must reject the BC Liberal plan for two-tiered private health care and invest in public health care for people.”

The BC NDP will start the process of building a new hospital for Surrey with a strategic analysis, which will cost approximately $3 million and is the first stage leading to construction of a new hospital for Surrey.

“Christy Clark and the BC Liberals have neglected our health care system, which has led to long waits in emergency rooms and hallway medicine at hospitals like Surrey Memorial,” said Jagrup Brar, NDP candidate in Surrey-Fleetwood.

“We know that with a growing population, health care needs grow as well. The BC Liberals have failed to move forward with a plan for health care that accounts for this growth. Instead, they are planning more private health care where the rich can pay to move to the front of the line,” said Garry Begg, NDP candidate in Surrey-Guildford.

“Surrey residents just don’t believe the BC Liberal empty promises to fix health care. They’ve been promised a new hospital for more than 10 years, yet Christy Clark’s government sold off the lands where it would have been built,” said Jinny Sims, NDP candidate in Surrey-Panorama. “A BC NDP government will move forward with the hospital.”

“By investing in family care centres, and getting started on planning for a second hospital, we can start to reverse the BC Liberal failures and relieve the pressure on Surrey Memorial for Delta residents who depend on it,” said Ravi Kahlon, NDP candidate in North Delta.

Expanded early intervention support for Surrey youth

29 April 2017

THE City of Surrey on Saturday announced an increase in funding and expansion of the Yo Bro | Yo Girl Youth Initiative in Surrey elementary and secondary schools.
“The City of Surrey understands how programs like Yo Bro | Yo Girl can be the catalyst for kids to find a whole new path and that is central to our new approach under the Public Safety Strategy,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “Early intervention and strong partnerships with the School District and support providers are cornerstones of our Strategy, that’s why we are committed to enhancing this worthwhile initiative.”

Acting Mayor Mike Starchuck announces funding for youth initiative.

The value of early intervention programs was made clear by a former member of the Yo Bro | Yo Girl program. As a teenager in the 10th grade, Ary Azez saw many of his friends going down the path of drugs and gangs, which he knew he didn’t want any part of. Ary went from being a participant in the program to becoming its current Program Facilitator. He is now in his second year of university studying engineering.
“When I got in involved in Yo Bro | Yo Girl it really struck a chord with me, and I saw how I could channel my energy into something more positive” said Ary. “I finally found out how I could surround myself with good influences and to move positively forward”
Partnerships are a big part of the Public Safety Strategy and under the expanded Yo Bro | Yo Girl program Ary will be leading the expansion into Surrey elementary schools as the Program Facilitator. Currently working out of the Newton Recreation Centre, Ary will be responsible for taking the program into a new era, reaching even more kids at an even earlier stage.
“Providing a positive outlet for kids is vital, no matter what their challenges might be,” said Laurae McNally, Surrey School District Trustee. “We are delighted to support the Yo Bro | Yo Girl program under the City’s Public Safety Strategy as we see first-hand the need for these kinds of programs to help kids like Ary”.
This announcement was held at the Public Safety Town Centre event at the South Surrey Recreation and Arts Centre. Upcoming events will be held in Cloverdale and Newton. For a full list of event locations and more details, residents can visit www.surrey.ca

Montreal Impact 1 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2: Jacobson, Techera lead ‘Caps to first road win of 2017

29 April 2017

MONTREAL: Play to win.

That’s how Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3W-4L-1D) said they were going to approach matches away from home this season – and that’s exactly what they did on Saturday afternoon in a 2-1 comeback victory over Canadian rival Montreal Impact (1W-3L-4D) at Stade Saputo.

Andrew Jacobson led the way with a goal and an assist and Cristian Techera scored the game-winner in the 79th minute as the ‘Caps claimed their first road win of 2017

For the first time this year, Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson fielded the same starting XI as in a previous match on Saturday – in back-to-back outings, no less.

Prior to that, he had used 11 different lineups in 11 matches to start 2017.

But after going toe-to-toe with the Timbers a week ago in Portland, Robinson once again with a 4-1-4-1 setup featuring a midfield trio of Matias Laba behind Jacobson and Tony Tchani.

And it had the desired effect for most of the first half – despite conceding early.

Montreal opened the scoring in the ninth minute through Marco Donadel, who found the bottom left corner with a bouncer from distance. Substitute Anthony Jackson-Hamel, who replaced an injured Matteo Mancosu just minutes prior, attempted to deflect the strike in the box and that appeared to delay the reaction of Whitecaps FC goalkeeper David Ousted just enough.At any rate, it was 1-0 Impact.

From there, however, it was all Vancouver. The ‘Caps looked in complete control for the remainder of the half, finding all sorts of joy through Techera and Sheanon Williams down the right flank. And they eventually levelled the score in the 29th minute.

After a Christian Bolaños free kick was headed away, the ball fell to Jacobson at the top of the box and the midfielder made no mistake, placing a perfectly-hit volley into the top right corner.

The Impact manufactured a little bit of a pushback in the second half, coming close on a pair of crosses to teenager Ballou Tabla at the back post. But Ousted saved the first and Tabla missed the target on the second – and the ‘Caps made them pay.

In the 79th minute, Jacobson released Techera into the box with a left-footed throughball. “The Bug” then cut into the middle past a sliding Laurent Ciman before calmly finishing with his left foot to give Vancouver their first lead of the game.

Montreal put on the pressure in the dying stages but Ousted and the ‘Caps held firm to come away with the victory – a much-deserved one, at that.

Saturday’s match was Vancouver’s second of four straight away from home. Next up is a tilt with Tim Howard’s Colorado Rapids on Friday, May 5 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (7 p.m. PT on TSN and TSN 1040 radio).

MATCH DETAILS
Budweiser Man of the Match: Andrew Jacobson
Referee: Drew Fischer
Attendance: 19,597

Scoring Summary
9′ – MTL – Marco Donadel
29′ – VAN – Andrew Jacobson
79′ – VAN – Cristian Techera (Andrew Jacobson)

Statistics
Possession: Montreal 51.5% – Vancouver 48.5%
Shots: Montreal 18 – Vancouver 10
Shots on Goal: Montreal 4 – Vancouver 3
Saves: Montreal 1 – Vancouver 3
Fouls: Montreal 18 – Vancouver 16
Offsides: Montreal 2 – Vancouver 2
Corners: Montreal 9 – Vancouver 0

Cautions
28′ – MTL – Kyle Fisher
41′ – MTL – Hernan Bernardello
59′ – MTL – Marco Donadel
65′ – VAN – Matias Laba
90′ + 4′ – MTL – Dominic Oduro

Montreal Impact
1.Evan Bush; 18.Chris Duvall, 26.Kyle Fisher, 23.Laurent Ciman, 2.Ambroise Oyongo; 33.Marco Donadel, 30.Hernan Bernardello (7.Dominic Oduro 65′); 13.Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, 8.Patrice Bernier, 10.Ignacio Piatti; 21.Matteo Mancosu (24.Anthony Jackson-Hamel 5′, 3.Daniel Lovitz 73′)

Substitutes not used
40.Maxime Crepeau, 14.Adrian Arregui, 16.Calum Mallace, 25.Louis Beland-Goyette

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.David Ousted; 25.Sheanon Williams, 4.Kendall Waston, 26.Tim Parker, 2.Jordan Harvey; 15.Matías Laba; 13.Cristian Techera (31.Russell Teibert 90′), 8.Andrew Jacobson, 16.Tony Tchani (67.Alphonso Davies 68′), 7.Christian Bolaños (11.Nicolás Mezquida 81′); 12.Fredy Montero

Substitutes not used
70.Paolo Tornaghi, 28.Jake Nerwinski, 30.Ben McKendry, 77.Mauro Rosales

Christy Clark making stuff up about new seats in Surrey schools: NDP

29 April 2017

WHEN Christy Clark gets in trouble, she makes stuff up. And we know that with 7,000 Surrey students in portables, she’s in a lot of trouble with Surrey parents, said the NDP on Saturday.
Trying to dig herself out of the hole she has created after ignoring Surrey students for six years, the NDP said Clark claimed this morning she is “investing in almost 10,000 new seats in schools for children in Surrey.” (video)
There’s a problem with that. Actually, there are at least 4,800 problems with that.
Because the previously promised number in Budget 2017 is “up to 5,200 new seats” over three years. There is no mention of any additional seats in Clark’s platform, noted the NDP.
After years of completely ignoring the need for new schools in Surrey, Clark owes parents some straight answers, the NDP said.

Which number do you stand by?
How can parents trust you to deliver a single new seat when you keep making up new numbers?

The NDP said their party leader John Horgan will invest an additional $10 billion over five years in schools, hospitals and other job-creating infrastructure across BC.

City of Vancouver says it is not banning use of natural gas

29 April 2017

THE City of Vancouver said on Saturday that it is not banning the use of natural gas in Vancouver.

The City was reacting to BC Liberal candidate Andrew Wilkinson’s announcement that, if elected, his government would bring in an amendment to stop the City from banning natural gas.
Vancouver’s rezoning changes align with the provincial government’s introduction of the BC Energy Step Code, as an amendment to the BC Building Code, announced on the morning of April 11. The government’s changes brought in new energy efficiency codes for buildings in BC, bringing them in line with Vancouver’s codes, which other municipalities can now adopt.

The BC Building Code and Vancouver’s building code rezoning policies have the same outcome – they were both designed to encourage the construction of buildings that are more energy efficient and less polluting.

The City’s new rezoning policy (the Green Building Rezoning Policy which comes into effect May 1, 2017), sets energy efficiency and emissions targets for new buildings only, and only if a developer seeks a rezoning. How a developer meets those targets is up to them; it can involve a mix of better insulation, thicker windows, and better design, as well as opting for renewable energy. Developers can choose to build new buildings with natural gas, provided they can meet the energy efficiency and emissions targets (50 per cent decrease in GHGs).

Vancouver’s policy was adopted by City Council six months ago (November 29, 2016), and was based on industry and provincial staff consultations that began a year before that as part of the City’s Green Building Policy Update.

A copy of the letter of support from the Urban Development Institute (UDI) received by Vancouver City Council when the policy was passed and a copy of the email from the BC government announcing the BC Energy Step Code were sent to the media.

Making buildings more efficient is part of Vancouver’s work to reduce GHGs, support a world-leading green building sector, and make energy costs more affordable.

The province states that the Vancouver region will need to invest over $10 billion in preparing and adapting to climate change to due to sea level rise and increased storms and droughts. Only by reducing GHGs today can we ensure this number does not increase.