Archives for October 16, 2019

The picture is becoming clearer as to the likely outcome of the election.  That is with.. a bit of muddy water.  A week or two ago I pointed out in a multi-party system the Conservatives could have more or less seats but would not likely form a government in the current political climate.

So where are we?  The latest breakdown shows a couple of things.  One the undecided vote has shrunk dramatically to less than ten percent. The undecided vote is not trending in any one direction.  As of Monday:

 

 

Conservatives up 4.6%
Liberal             up 4.8%
NDP                 up 3,9%
Greens             up 1.7%
The Bloc          up 0.9%
PPC                   up 1.1%

For now the bleeding has stopped for the Liberals in Quebec and the Conservatives have failed to break out into a serious lead.

The national poll tracker has the two parties neck and neck with the Conservatives slightly ahead. As of Monday:

Conservatives 32%
Liberals           31%
NDP                 16%
Green               10%
Bloc                    6%
PPC                    3%

Here is where it gets interesting.  Percentages are one thing the real number is where the seats are.  The Conservatives are all but shut out of Quebec, and the vote rich section of Ontario.

The Liberals are fighting for seats in Quebec with the Bloc. The Bloc will only support what Quebec wants and what they don’t want is a pipeline.  Very unlikely to support the Conservatives.

The NDP I think could move on a pipeline for a Pharma care and Dental Program and support for students.  Liberal alliance likely.  The Greens like the Bloc not likely to go for a pipeline.

In the west we should not get upset about coalitions in BC we have two.  The BC Liberal party is a coalition of Liberals and Conservatives, their forerunner was Social Credit.  The other coalition is the NDP Greens.

The latest seat projection based on polling as of Monday:

Liberals                 135
Conservatives       131
NDP                        34
Bloc                        33
Greens                     4
PPC

If the numbers hold by Saturday we will have a better insight. We will have a race to the wire that is too close to call.

Fred Steele

Publisher: A few facts

338 seats in House of Commons – 1 is the speaker
170 seats required for a majority government

Ontario has 121
Quebec has 78

BC has 42
Alberta has 34

Sask and Manitoba both have 14
Maritimes have 32
North west territories 3

A bit of shocker here:
present H of C allotment

Liberal 177
Conservative 95
NDP 39
Bloc 10
Independent 8
Vacant 5
Green 2
PPC 1
CCF 1

Three generations of the Thomas family (from left) Lloyd Thomas, his nephew Brian Thomas, and Brian’s nephew Hayden Zahrawi get together on the Thomas Ranch in Okanagan Falls. Lloyd has made a major donation to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation to honour his family’s pioneer roots.

The Medical foundations says  “Officially, we’re down to just $75,000 to go in our $20m campaign – we’re now directing funds to medical equipment for the Emergency Dept. upgrade.”

Lloyd Thomas has made a major donation to Penticton Regional Hospital in honour of his entire family dating back to the late 1800s. .

Lloyd’s father, John M. Thomas moved to the Okanagan in 1898 to work on the ranch of Penticton pioneer Tom Ellis.

“His first job was to look after the horses in winter-time up on the Naramata Bench,” Lloyd said. “There was hardly anything there at the time. It was all bunchgrass.”

A few years later, John Thomas bought a ranch off McLean Creek Road in Okanagan Falls. He sold it after the First World War to buy a ranch south of OK Falls so his children would be closer to the school.

“We had a big house there – it was like a hotel,” Lloyd recalled.  “It was the only house that had running water and indoor plumbing.”

Lloyd’s mother was Ethel Hawthorne, daughter of George Hawthorne after whom Hawthorne Mountain near OK Falls was named.

In 1958, Lloyd and his three brothers (Morrie, George and Ray) incorporated their own company and bought back the original homestead. “My uncle’s ranch was next door and we later added that onto it,” he said.

Other nearby ranches were also acquired over the ensuing years. At its peak, the Thomas ranch covered almost 2,000 acres.

Lloyd was a welder and worked for years at major construction projects around the province – including the Kelowna floating bridge, Seymour River dam near Vancouver, pulp mills in Prince George and highway avalanche sheds through the Rogers Pass.

Lloyd moved back to OK Falls in the early 1970s, when he helped install the boiler system for Penticton Regional Hospital’s new South Pavilion.

Eventually Lloyd returned to his family roots, helping brother Morrie run the ranch. The family sold most of their ranch to The Nature Trust in 2000, however, Morrie’s son Brian now operates it under a lease agreement.

Lloyd, who was born in the former Penticton hospital on Haven Hill, said donating to PRH seemed like the right thing to do. His three brothers and three sisters have all passed away.

“Everybody in our family has used it over the years,” he said. “It’s time we contributed something back.”

 

 

Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw 1386 – Council reduced the permissive tax exemption to Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Society from 100 to 50 percent and amended the bylaw from a four to one-year term. First three readings were given to the amended Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw.

Adoption is scheduled for the October 28, 2019 meeting.

On a compromise motion, Councillor Larry Schwartzenberger suggested the idea of a 50% exemption for one year that would allow staff more time to research council concerns about setting a precedent on tax subsidies for all affordable housing. It passed.

Mayor Martin Johansen had argued at the opening of debate that he was quite concerned about the “ask” from Desert Sun. Johnansen said this request had opened up a situation where a community with a small tax base was starting to subsidize a whole category of development in the Town.

The property involved: Sandalwood Court – 5823 Main Street.

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Wet start to Autumn – September Water Report – Council received the September 2019 Water Report noting that Oliver had a total of 80.9 mm recorded precipitation in the month. The normal precipitation is 18.7 mm; this year Oliver saw 18.2 mm on September 10th.

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Oliver Tourism Agreement – Council received a request from the Oliver Tourism Association to extend the service agreement and increase the level of financial support from the funding partners; i.e. Town and RDOS Area C. Councillor Veintimilla and Area C Director will meet for further discussion.

The tourism association presently receives $56,000 annual from the two partners with the greater majority coming from the Town of Oliver. The Association is asking for a general increase in addition to a one time $15,000 grant to hire a staff person to work on a tax scheme (accommodation fee) that could raise many thousands of dollars each year to fund the organization.

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2019-2020 Goose Hunting Season – Council will continue with the established Goose Management Program and issue six permits to experienced hunters to control the number of urban geese (non-migratory) in and around Oliver; in particular Tuc-el-Nuit Lake and Oliver Airport. Oliver Council also contributes the Addling Program managed by the City of Kelowna (in 2018 1,167 eggs were addled in the valley which prevented geese from entering the current population).

Statistics on “number of kills” at the airport and Tuc-el-nuit Lake per year by permitted hunters and submitted to the ‘Environmental Stewardship Branch Canadian Wildlife Service are as
follows:

• 2018 – 2019 – 51 Geese
• 2017 – 2018 – 29 Geese
• 2016 – 2017 – 30 Geese

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Food Action Advisory Committee Resolution – Council endorsed the resolution to authorize the Food Action Advisory Committee to prepare and present a business case at the October 28th, 2019 meeting for continuing funding of the Food Secure Coordinator.

Non-Medical Cannabis Retail Licence (5859 Main Street) – Council supported the Non-Medical Cannabis Retail Stores at 5859 Main Street (The Higher Path) and directed staff to send a recommendation of support to BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.

Correspondence:

1. Forbes Family Plaque Request – the Jean Forbes has requested a plaque acknowledging Donald Forbes’ contribution to preserving a wetland trail in Oliver on Meadows Drive. Council referred this request to staff for additional information on the costs involved.

2. Oliver Parks & Recreation Society Letter of Support – Council endorsed the letter of support drafted for the Building Communities through Arts and Heritage grant application to support the Roots and Fruits Festival.

3. Cherry Grove Resident Association Letter of Support – Council endorsed the letter of support for the 2019 New Horizons for Seniors Grant Application for renovations and upgrades to the community clubhouse including an accessible wash room able to handle wheel chairs.

4. BC Youth Parliament – Council forwarded the opportunity to School District #53 and the Oliver Ambassador Coordinator for youth to participate in the 91st Parliamentary Session.

5. Oliver Senior Centre Society – Council directed staff to provide a letter of support for the Community Foundation South Okanagan grant application to renovate the dance floor. The 3000 sq ft dance floor is 31 years old and need to be refinished.