Archives for January 26, 2019

Whether you like him or don’t, Dan Ashton is the elected -Member of the Legislature – for Penticton. He also did considerable work as both mayor, and later MLA, to help secure funding for the long-overdue expansion of Penticton Regional Hospital.

Now, for not the first, but second time, Ashton ( shown at right) appears to be snubbed by the “communications” department with Interior Health.

You may have noticed a neat photo-op on Page 1 of Monday’s Penticton Herald where dignitaries gathered to mark the 100-day countdown to the opening of the new patient care tower.

Among the VIPs in the photo were Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki and hospital chair Petra Veintimilla, an Oliver Town councillor.

But, why no MLA when hospitals are provincially funded? I asked Interior Health this question on Tuesday morning and it took 72 hours for them to come up with an answer.

Finally, Friday at 11:57 a.m. I received this reply on my email:

“Interior Health appreciates all the work that Mr. Dan Ashton, MLA continues to do for the Penticton region as well as his ongoing support for the David E. Kampe tower. It has been a pleasure to have Mr. Ashton join us for a number of events, including the significant beam signing and topping off event marking the halfway completion mark of this tower. We look forward to the many other events we will have to recognize the substantial impact this tower will have for the Penticton community and look forward to having Mr. Ashton celebrate with us at these events as the opportunities arise…. Interior Health.”

A non-answer from a communications department that doesn’t answer a question.

That’s beyond pathetic!

Please don’t use the excuse that the NDP is now in power and Ashton is in Opposition. I expect to see member of Parliament Richard Cannings on stage Canada Day at Gyro Park even though his NDP party has been relegated to third place federally.

Ashton’s office was never sent an invitation. The first snub came Dec. 19 when the “keys” to the expanded hospital were announced.

Media wasn’t invited to that event — a press release was sent with a picture of IH senior staffers. Ashton attended … as an invited guest of major donor David Kampe. As he rolled Mr. Kampe in a wheelchair, the Liberal MLA was told politicians were not allowed in the photo. (By the way, Veintimilla, who was in the photo, is an elected official.)

Snubs and oversights of this nature should never happen because Interior Health hires professional “communications” staff. These are not volunteers. Many in communications earn six-figure salaries to go along with huge expense accounts and great benefits.

This comes at the expense of patient care.

I also reached out to Veintimilla, who agrees Ashton should have been included.

Last week’s photo-op was organized by Kevin Parnell, former sports scribe with The Capital News, a freebie paper in Kelowna, who at the same time worked for the Kelowna Rockets.

As IH never directly answered my question, I can assume one of three things:

1. Staff incompetence.

2. Somebody higher up doesn’t like Ashton.

3. A power game involving the governing NDP/Greens and BC Liberals.

Personally, I’ve never been a fan of public relations departments. This recent escapade gives me even less faith in them.

As a citizen in the community and a solid supporter of the Penticton hospital expansion since Day 1, I’m offended.

Somebody needs to be apologizing to Mr. Ashton … and his supporters.

Posted with permission of Penticton Herald editor Joe Fries

James Miller is valley editor for Okanagan Newspaper Group.  To contact the writer: james.miller@ok.bc.ca

Joys and woes of the Personal Computer ( PC)

 

This is definitely the age of the computer, I know of just one friend who does not own one, and she celebrated her one hundredth birthday this year.

The PC is as much a part of our daily life as a cup of coffee.  It has more or less replaced the morning newspaper, which is a shame, but the pc (and ODN) gives us all the up to date news we need.  What is more we can search the net without getting newsprint on our fingers!

The problem with the pc is the idiot that uses mine.  I manage to screw up the simplest thing without seeming to touch a single key.  Items I have been working on magically disappear without trace.  It is very annoying is to have a letter that I am writing suddenly send itself to the recipient, in mid sentence.  I am sure that many of my correspondents think I am nuts when they get half a letter.  Too bad, they think, she is starting to lose it.  I sometimes have to agree with them.

The internet and email is a marvelous thing when you have your wits about you but can be a minefield of scams and devious ways to relieve you of your hard earned money.  So many of these so called businesses that want me “to update your information with us” and hint at loss of service if the request is not answered, are a scam.  A couple of days ago I got one from Telus.  It looked genuine, the logo was right and the format looked genuine but why would Telus need me to update my information?  I ignored it and thought I would call customer service to enquire about it.

Of course, I forgot but yesterday I had lunch with a friend who mentioned she had just had upgrade work done by Telus and had received the request for an update of her information. She had assumed that the request was connected to the previous days work, so had completed the questionnaire, including SIN and drivers licence.

I told her that she may have been scammed, which turned out to be correct.

She spent the rest of the day cancelling accounts and running around town talking to all the businesses that she had to notify.  She is now in the no-mans land between credit cards being cancelled and new ones being issued, whilst waiting to see if any fraud has been committed with her identity.

Of course she is really annoyed to have fallen for the scam but, seeing that she had work done the previous day, it seemed logical.  It seems that there is someone ready to jump at any opportunity to make money by fraud, we are automatically a trusting nation and find the idea that people are ready to prey on us repulsive.  However this is not the era of all people working for an honest living.

Of course there has always been people ready to cheat and rob others but in the days of old, when a bandit tried to rob the stagecoach, you knew he was a bandit and he wanted your money.  Nowadays the bandit does not carry a gun, he knocks politely on the door and offers you coffee and a blanket whilst gently picking your pocket, so much more civilized but the result is the same…

…you have been well and truly screwed!

 

Editor’s note – Me thinks she protests to much – Pat knows her cooking and her writing. She is a force to be reckoned with.

This is an overview of some items for deliberation Tuesday and Wednesday in Council Chambers

This report involves capital items and the operational increases requested.

Two major capital projects on the burner – but council can make other choices based on priorities.

Recommendations – Discussions, Decisions

Entire Budget Document for those that like to see into the other side

2019 General Budget Proposals

But I Meant Well!

Have you ever said something that conveyed a second meaning very different from what you intended? Was it embarrassing? Were you able to ‘rescue’ yourself?

A business man found it necessary to travel to other cities several times a year because of the nature of his business. On one short trip he decided to drive home rather than stay another night in the motel as had been planned. During the last hour before arriving at home a thunderstorm broke out. The driving rain, the flashes of lightning and the peals of thunder made it more difficult but he arrived home safely after midnight. Since the family was not expecting him yet, he decided to tiptoe softly to the bedroom. Just as he reached the slightly ajar bedroom door, a flash of lightening allowed him to see that his two young daughters were in the bed with his wife. Not willing to awaken them he retreated to the living room and settled down on the couch.

In the morning the surprised family was delighted to see him but sad that he had missed out on a good sleep. He told the girls that he understood why they went to where mommy was. It was a scary night. But he expressed the hope that they would soon become brave enough to cope on their own.

The next trip was by airplane, and the family was waiting for him in the airport for his arrival home. As soon as the 7 year old daughter saw him she ran to him and shouted, “Daddy, daddy! I have good news.” Even the crowd paused to listen to this girl’s exciting news. “What is it, dear,” asked the dad. The girl declared, “No one slept with mommy while you were away.”

Some laughed, others tried to stifle a chuckle. The mother turned red with embarrassment and the father was stunned to silence. Having no clue as to why people were reacting like that the girl was on the verge of tears. A wise man stepped up to her and said, “Little girl, do you mean that you were brave enough to stay in your own bed even if you were scared of the dark? You are a very special girl.” The girl did not need correction, just affirmation of her good intentions.

The crowd applauded and cheered. His presence of mind rescued the girl. It takes a special insight to know what to say to a person who meant well, but didn’t realize what the other implications were.

Look for the sunny side,

Henry Wiebe