Government Works | The Proprietor Review

Category: Government Works

BCAMTA

October 4, 2013

Its good that it is friday….

The local British Columbia Aboriginal Training Association has a posted goal in their office at NVIT the local first nations run community college. The goal is 650 employed by March 2015.

They also post stats that claim 1998 intakes and 613 employed to date since 2010

SPF (funding partnership including federal government And mining companies such as Teck and First Nations) since 2012: 1054 intakes and 253 employed.

The British Columbia Mining Industry employed 30, 000 people in BC in the heydays of the 1979s ,about the size of the civil service with more than 30 operating mines. It has enjoyed a comeback in recent years after a hiatus to global operations.

Today in history: October 4 , 1883

The first trip of the train Orient Express.

Comment: Aboriginal workers could solve labour shortage (timescolonist.com)
B.C. first nation asks UN envoy to look into Northern Gateway complaint (vancouversun.com)
The Great Railway Bazaar (heelsonthetrip.wordpress.com)

Comment

ESL conversation group

Filed under: Government Works, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

September 25, 2013

There is a drop in ESL group at the public library Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 am.

No registration is required .

Today in History: September 25th 303

On a mission to preach the gospel St Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens France

Business English and Accent Reduction Publisher Language Success Press Releases New Version of Its ESL App for Everyday English (prweb.com)
The Best Three Sites On The Web For ESL/EFL/ELL/ELT Teachers (larryferlazzo.edublogs.org)
Watch the ESL finals this weekend! (scrolls.com)
Dave’s ESL Cafe (holliemarielink.wordpress.com)
Sympathy for ESL learners (matadornetwork.com)
Visible Thinking Routines in an ESL classroom (creativelanguageteaching.org)
Scrolls ESL Cup sign-ups open, Mojang donates top prizes (vg247.com)
Where should I teach ESL? A breakdown of the Pros and Cons of teaching in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Mainland China (eslasia.wordpress.com)
When Should an ESL Teacher Come to CR? (costaricantimes.com)

Comment

Community gardens open today

Filed under: Government Works, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 30, 2013

Today, July 30th 2013 there is a Grand opening of a community gardens. The event is from 5-7 pm at the Nicola Valley Health Center / hospital, access off Reid avenue.
The project is funded in part by the federal government , New Horizons for seniors program.

Today in history: July 30.1692

Ten thousand people die in an earthquake in Naples Italy.

Windsor-Essex community gardens get cash boost (blogs.windsorstar.com)
Costa defends the role of community garden (blogs.abc.net.au)
Parkland community garden celebrates success (whas11.com)
Butterfly festival at Southside Community Garden July 20 (vindy.com)
Community Garden in the Docklands (livemadlyon.wordpress.com)

Tags: Community Garden, Garden, Health, July, New Horizons, Raised bed gardening, Technology, United States

Comment

Engagement

Filed under: Politics and Politicians, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 25, 2013

Harry Lali the unsuccessful incumbant in the May provincial election still has his sign up at his constituency office on Granite Avenue and Garcia street here in Merritt. He moved out of his office some weeks ago however his name and MLA Fraser Nicola still remain on the outside of the building.

Harry spent many years in the legislature representing our riding, he was a cabinet minister in Glen Clarks NDP government. His time and tenure was part of an era here in Merritt that saw great things and many close connections to Canadian governments and world dynamics.

It is to early to say if the era is ended here for us however we see the world as being different and closer. People growing up in the engagement era that Harry had some dealings with are different then the people in the news in the 20th century a very violent and chaotic time.

At some point some one will have to take the sins down. We are confident that the change in the personality of the world through engagement will remain.

Today in history: July 25, 1917

Sir Robert Borden introduces an income tax in Canada lowest rate 4 percent highest rate is 25 percent. It is to be a temporary measure.

‘It’s a whole new world’: Could Turks and Caicos be like a tiny Nunavut or Canada’s 11th province? (news.nationalpost.com)

Tags: Canada, Fraser Nicola, Harry, Harry Lali, Harry Potter, Income taxes in Canada, Politics, Robert Borden

Comment

Safety meeting: IBEW

Filed under: Environment, Government Works, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 24, 2013

The meeting room of the local Coldwater Hotel was occupied by members of the IBEW yesterday morning. A member of the group outside for a break said that they were having a safety meeting. When asked ” high visibility concerns ” he didn’t disagree”.

The member said they were involved in the 500 KV line to the lower-mainland. When asked if a tower that had fallen some months ago in the Lundbom lake area was still on the ground he said ” I think that’s been cleaned up now. A separate source at a different time had said that it collapsed when it went to be plumbed. He also said that the towers are heavier gauge steel then in the past. Another source had shown us pictures of the tower on the ground in recent weeks.

The 3rd 500 kv line to the lower mainland is substantially following the existing line to lessen environmental impact.

The pads for the towers are being put in by the company Flatiron represented by the Christian labourers union the towers by Hydro its self with its bargaining unit IBEW.

Today in history: July 24, 1487

The people of Leeuwarden Netherlands strike a ban on foreign beer.

Ibew (kevingriffiths.wordpress.com)
Safety concerns over three railway bridges in the Lower Mainland (globalnews.ca)
IBEW Turns to Comics to Teach About Unions (graphicpolicy.com)

Tags: Business, Christian, Equipment, IBEW, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Lower Mainland, Telecommunications, Tower

Comment

TGIF- new kitchen

Filed under: Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 19, 2013

Its good that it is friday….

There is an every job counts Canada action plan program going on at the Merritt Civic center. The kitchen is being upgrades with new stuff including convection ovens and a walk in freezer. Ste 1 is complete including stainless steel preparation tables and the next stage will include organized serving carts.

The civic center is available for functions and a food safe certificate is required for public but not private functions.

Today in history: July 19,64

The Great fire of Rome.

Tags: Business, Canada, Convection oven, Materials, Metals, Stainless steel, Steel, tgif

Comment

Development

Filed under: Enterprize, Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 16, 2013

On the west edge of the BC Hydro construction of their new substation and on the crest of a 40 meter hill is an extension of Spring Bank road going south toward town.Full water and sewer lines are being added. The view is of the River Ranch across the Nicola River with its green fields and meandering willow stands. The area was serviced with storm sewers decades ago.

A forestry forest fire training facility that features a simulator is being completed at the local airstrip about one mile away. The facility is scheduled for substantial completion on July 26th and for minister opening on the 1 st of August.

There are 3 twenty man training rooms, a laundry lots of offices and a large reception area, two helipads and a stones throw to the airstrip. There is also 4 residential lots that belong to the forest service. The facility is autonomous to the Regional Forestry Office on the other side of the airstrip and an open field away.The training center does not have living quarters.

The airstrip has a live in security person and houses the search and rescue command van.

Today in history: July 16,1212

Pope innocent the third calls European Knights to a crusade.

B.C. Hydro rates set to rise, says minister (globalnews.ca)

Tags: BC Hydro, British Columbia, Business, Energy minister, Nicola River, Smart meter, Spring Bank

Comment

Premier with a seat.

Filed under: Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

July 15, 2013

Today we have a sitting premier in the 85 seat government of British Columbia.Christie Clark won a seat in west Kelowna in a by-election,she carried 63 percent of the vote about the same as the Liberal member that steped aside so that the Premier could be available to the opposition in Question Period during the sitting of the legislature.

A by-election is on for the seat vacated, in the Village of Ashcroft by our Fraser Nicola member Jackie Taggart.

Today in history: July 15, 1916

Pacific Aero Products, later to be called Boeing is established.

Christy Clark decisively wins Westside-Kelowna byelection (theprovince.com)
Premier Christy Clark cruises to victory in Westside-Kelowna byelection (vancouversun.com)
Candidates in West-Kelowna by-election on July 10 (globalnews.ca)
B.C. Premier Christy Clark to run in Kelowna byelection (cbc.ca)
Today’s byelection to decide if B.C. premier wins seat in legislature (ctvnews.ca)

Tags: Ben Stewart, Boeing, British Columbia, Christy Clark, Kelowna, Liberal, Vancouver-Point Grey, Westside-Kelowna

Comment

CF100

Filed under: Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

June 13, 2013

There is an airplane at the Princeton Airstrip about 100 kilometers from us in Merritt. It is a CF100 starfighter from the 1950s it saw service in the Korean conflict. The plane had the nickname ” the lead sled “. It is up on a pedestal and bears the number 420.

The United States made a number of these aircraft available to Canada after it canceled it s own Avro Arrow program.

A local was noted for flying his over his home town of Merritt and braking the sound barrier as a hello to his fellows.

Diagrams and paintings of the Avro Arrow craft show up at antique outlets from time to time here. The company A.V. roe was organized in Canada in 1945. Its links to the UK and successes such as the Lancaster bomber the B25 Mitchell made for a considerable fondness for the old world and its way of doing things.

Princeton BC Canada is a colorful resource town on the Similkameen River and a historic haunt of the Train Robber Bill Miner at the beginning of the 20th century.

It hosts Racing Days ( 45 years of horse racing this year) at the end of July and is in close to the Cascade Mountain range.

http://www.princeton.ca/

Today in History: June 13,1898

The Yukon Territory is established with Dawson as its Capital.

Tags: Aviation, Avro Arrow, Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, Canada, Dawson, June, Pounds per square inch, Pressure, Tire, United States, Yukon, Yukon Territory

Comment

Graduation

Filed under: Academics by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

June 10, 2013

Scides the distant education center, and the Kengard learning center at the Kengard School at the end of Merritt Avenue graduated 42 young people here in Merritt.

The program had a quote on the last page from Diaraku Ikeda ” While it is important to win, it’s even more important to remain undefeated no matter what happens.”

To those that are undefeated and and grads Kudos:

N. Anders-Valdiva, W. Brown, B Christainson, D Clarke,

L Cresswell, A Dennis, B Fletcher, A Granberg, D Green,

D Hagel, L Harland, J Harpe, P Johnson, N Jylha, P Johnson,

N Morton, J Nemeth, J Smith, M Smith,M Smith, L Turner, J Veronneau.

D Allen, M Brynojolfson, D Collier, M Dasilva, A Dawson, J Fell, A Greenaway,

J Harder, S Hefer, K Hopkins, E Karlson, B Manke, J Miller, B Mizen, A Patterson,

C Steele, C Sitryd, R Tancsa, W Thompson, A Welch.

Congrats from the Proprietor Review.

Today in history: June 10th 2013

Tax Freedom day in Canada, the day that people are working for themselves: Source: The Fraser Institute. (EN: finished paying for their government services).

Your Financial Life After Graduation (njtoday.net)
Today is Tax Freedom Day 2013 (clickysaver.wordpress.com)
Jobs race may force us abroad, say graduates (independent.ie)

Tags: Australia, Canada, Collier, Fraser Institute, Graduation, Merritt, Tax Freedom Day, United States

Comment

Penny for your thoughts

Filed under: Enterprize, Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — 3 Comments

April 29, 2013

The penny is out of production here , and the last few months a rounding of formula is in effect; to the nearest nickel. When we offered to pay the 3 cents of the dollar 98 for a large coffee at McDonald’s Sunday we were pleasantly given a nickel back. Pennies are not about as they were . And the approximately 2 that would have been made for every Canadian this year is obvious by their absence. However outlets still honour them and an unconfirmed source said that they were able to put a one cent debit transaction through at a local big box that had an add a penny take a penny counter dish at one time.

A counter person agreed that the demise of the penny needs to overcome a lot of poetry and folklore to be complete:

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Put a penny in your shoe for luck

Don’t give a wallet or purse without a cent in it as a gift.

And of course in all respect to the British homeland, Margret Thatcher’s pennies don’t come from heaven they have to be earned here.

Today in History: April 29,2011

The Royal Wedding of William and Kate.