Saturday, June 24, 2017

Just rolling along on the North Shore. Independent school's new garden fence.

 Update: 2017-09-10
3 piece gate

Since April we've been prepping the school garden area.  All that was needed was a new fence to replace the old one which was born eighteen years ago.



We've looked around on the internet but only found the same curve being used repetitively, or flipping and flopping the curve alternatively.

We wanted a fence that is unique.

A fence to run a hand along.

Not steeple topped pickets.

Not flat topped boards.

A fence that would not restrict the view of a person, young or old, ... too short to see over.


Eight panels: Two days per panel to build.

Sun Dial time















~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Vancouver Waldorf School


Doing:




2 X 6 X 8 cedar board; ripped into 1/4" strips (16pcs); glued back together in groups of eight to make one 4" wide top rail.



Shake well before gluing




**************************************************


Finishing:  Valhalla Wood Preservatives


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Thursday, June 22, 2017

British Colmbia's Clerk of the House says the Speaker must remain non-partisan. Is fund raising for one party over two others ... non-partisan?

The former Speaker of the House was MLA Linda Reid

The Speaker is entitled to be addressed as the  Honourable

The Speaker is a non-partisan MLA

So pray tell why the Honourable Speaker Linda Reid was fund raising, for a partisan event and just what did the Speaker say .... to the donors?

https://www.bcliberals.com/events/dinner-with-the-hon-linda-reid-speaker-of-the-legislative-assembly/

Today's BC Liberals

Thursday, Sept 25 - 6pm - 9pm

Dinner With the Hon. Linda Reid

Please join the Hon. Linda Reid and the Richmond East Riding Association for a multi-course Chinese dinner at the Continental Seafood Restaurant (a donor too).

PROCEEDS to benefit the Richmond East Riding Association for the 2017 Provincial Campaign.



The member who is elected Speaker does not become a non-party member of the Legislative Assembly.  However, the Speaker does not play a politically partisan role and exercises restraint in any comments they make outside the House. The Speaker must be prepared to assert independence from the government to ensure that the rights of all sides of the House are protected in the course of the parliamentary process. This is reinforced by the Speaker not attending caucus meetings nor party conventions.

 Where was that same Clerk of the House when the Speaker was out fund raising for the BC Liberals?

Google Search Criteria:  dinner with the Linda Reid, BC liberal events

British Columbia Hansard Services: BC Liberals live to govern another day with Speaker S. Thomson in the Chair




Today at Hansard Services

  • Thursday, June 22, 2017, Afternoon - House Live
  • Thursday, June 22, 2017, Morning - House Blues (Updated Thursday, June 22, 2017 12:20 PM)

 

 Election of Speaker

Clerk of the House: Good morning, Members. Much has been said about the speakership in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia since May 9. A lot of what is being talked about is wrong. A lot of what has been examined by way of confidence motions, casting vote and the way this place functions is and has been wrong. This place has 87 members — 87 members who are equipped and skilled to run their own Legislature the way they see fit.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice has just advised the House that pursuant to section 37 of the B.C. Constitution Act, the Legislative Assembly's first order of business, prior to the opening of a new parliament, is the election of a Speaker.

The Speaker is the highest office to which a member may be elected in this House. The person so elected represents and embodies the House in its relations with the Crown. This is the reason for the title "Speaker" — very early on, the need for the amorphous mass of commoners who formed the parliament to have one person who could report their opinions to the King.

The message read the by hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice has been in use, with little variation, since 1713, during the reign of Queen Anne. Before that time, the Sovereign usually came down on the first day of a new parliament, and on one occasion, Queen Anne came down three times — to open the parliament, to approve the Speaker and to declare the causes of summons in a Speech from the Throne.

The position of Speaker is at the heart of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. It is an essential element in our parliamentary system.

The Speaker of the House of Commons at Westminster was originally so called because their function was to speak for the Commons in all external proceedings, such as communication with the monarch.
[1010]
For over seven centuries, parliamentarians have recognized the need for a Speaker to impartially administer the rules of the House and to serve as the guardian of the rights and privileges of the

House and all of its members.

The first known Speaker in the Commons at Westminster to whom the title was expressly given was Sir T. Hungerford, during the reign of Edward III.

The member who is elected Speaker does not become a non-party member of the Legislative Assembly. However, the Speaker does not play a politically partisan role and exercises restraint in any comments they make outside the House. The Speaker must be prepared to assert independence from the government to ensure that the rights of all sides of the House are protected in the course of the parliamentary process. This is reinforced by the Speaker not attending caucus meetings nor party conventions.

The Speaker also has a number of statutory duties to perform, including but not limited to vacancies in the membership, granting of exemptions to members from attending court proceedings relating to parliamentary proceedings and certificates regarding the stay of proceedings communicated under the authority of the House. The courts are enjoined to take judicial notice of the Speaker's signature.

The Speaker is also the conduit between the independent legislative offices and this House. Today in British Columbia, the Speaker presides over the sittings of the House and, as a presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, acts with both authority and impartiality. The Speaker's authority needs to be respected, and rulings and decisions cannot be challenged.

Section 40 of the Constitution Act states: "The Speaker must preside at all meetings of the Legislative Assembly, unless, under the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly, the Deputy Speaker or another member presides."

Section 43 of the act states that "all questions must be determined by a majority of votes of the members present other than the Speaker," which further separates the speakership from the general membership of the House.

The role of the Speaker is always evolving to meet the requirements of each new parliament. In serving each parliament, the fundamental responsibility of the Speaker is to administer the business of the House with fairness and responsibility and respect for all members.

The Speaker's role has also evolved to meet the growing administrative requirements of a modern legislature. The Speaker chairs the parliamentary management board, the all-party Legislative Assembly Management Committee, which approves financial and administrative policies and budgets for members, caucus services and assembly departments.

Members of the Legislative Assembly, today you will be electing British Columbia's 38th Speaker since our province joined Confederation.

Now I would like to provide historical context on the speakership in this place. British Columbia has had 37 Speakers since the first, James Trimble of Victoria City, was elected in 1872. B.C. was the first Commonwealth parliament to elect a woman Speaker — Nancy Hodges, Victoria City — in 1950. And in 1994, B.C. elected the first black person to serve as Speaker: Emery Barnes, representing Vancouver-Burrard. The longest-serving Speaker was Norman William Whittaker of Saanich, who held the office from 1937 to 1947.

A Speaker often serves for a parliament until he or she resigns or, heaven forbid, they die in office. Even in death, the Speaker cannot escape the clutches of this place. Members are fond of referring to Speaker Higgins' photograph in the Speaker's corridor, where it was thought that despite his death, he was dressed, propped up and a photograph taken of him. I'm here to tell you that he was not dead then, although he looked like it, but he is now, having served as Speaker from 1890 to 1898.

Members of the Legislative Assembly, pursuant to Standing Order 11, it is my duty to inform you that only one candidate has declared his intention to stand for the election of the Speaker. Therefore, I wish to announce that Steve Thomson, the member for Kelowna-Mission, is declared elected Speaker for the duration of this parliament or up until a new Speaker is elected. [Applause.]

[1015]

I will also advise the House that the member for Kelowna-Mission provided my office with a copy of a letter dated June 21, 2017, in which he resigned as a member of the executive council, effective immediately.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Table, I would like to congratulate you on your new office. We look forward to supporting you with your new responsibilities.

Hon. S. Thomson took his place in the chair.

Mr. Speaker: Hon. Members, I'd like to humbly thank all the members of this assembly for the great honour that you've bestowed upon me today by asking me to be your Speaker. In keeping with the tradition of high office, I will endeavour at all times to carry out my duties with fairness and integrity in all aspects of the work.

I now ask for your patience while I declare a short recess in order to assume the appropriate attire.

The House recessed from 10:17 a.m. to 10:21 a.m.

[Mr. Speaker in the chair.]

Mr. Speaker: Thank you, everybody. I'd like to recognize the Premier of British Columbia.

Hon. C. Clark: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Watch out for the button for the ejector seat there.
I have the honour of being the first person in this House to be able to congratulate you on your election and elevation to the role of Speaker. I know from having worked with you for six years now that you bring unique experience to this role. You've represented your constituents well and conscientiously in this House, and you have represented our entire country on the rugby field. You bring integrity. You bring compassion. You are a man that stands on principle, but a man who also finds a way to bring people together. As I often say, politics needs more rugby players.

I think all members will agree that even when this debate becomes contentious, and the pressure has been on in question period and in other moments in the House, you have sometimes stood alone amongst us as someone who brought calm, who brought fairness of thought, who brought a level of decorum to this House that, sadly, has become a little unfamiliar over the years, and you've been an example to everybody here.

As the eyes of our province and our entire country are on this House like never before, I can't think of a better choice to set the tone or a bigger man to enforce the rules. I am very proud, Mr. Speaker, to call you a colleague and a friend. While it may take some time to get used to calling you "Mister," I know that you will bring all credit to this new role that you're taking on today. My very best to you, and congratulations on behalf of everyone in this House today. [Applause.]

Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition.

J. Horgan: Well, thank you very much, hon. Speaker. It is the most important decision we can make today, and, of course, it is the most anticipated decision that British Columbians have been waiting for, for the past six weeks.

It has been a rocky time. In my 12 years as a member of this place, I've only known two Speakers. Tremendous respect for both of them, Bill Barisoff and the member for Richmond centre or north centre — the one over there. I've only known two Speakers, and I've had the highest regard for them and the challenges they face keeping this raucous place in order. I share the view of the Premier that, among us all, I could not think of a more respected and better person to take on this very important challenge in the days and weeks and months and years ahead.

Now, I have to say, on behalf of my colleague from Oak Bay–Gordon Head, to have a rugby guy in the chair is absolutely appropriate for the raucous time ahead in the days and months and weeks and years.

[1025]

It is something that you and I have talked about in our four years as colleagues here. I've found you always to be respectful, as the Clerk suggested, and fair with all members during question period. Outside of this House, when there were issues in your files that needed to be discussed privately, you were always there. I greatly respected that, and I know all members of the House feel the same way.
There are 24 new members in this place, and they will see, through your leadership and your guidance and your deference and respect for all of us, the type of leadership we will need in the days and weeks and months and years ahead.

With that, I want to say that it's not just the cool hat you get to wear now — which is, I think, coveted by all members — but it's also our gratitude for taking on this challenge and our respect for the decisions you'll be making in the days ahead. Thank you so much for taking on the job.

Hon. M. de Jong: I move that the House do now adjourn until two o'clock, when the Her Honour the Lieutenant-Governor will deliver the throne speech.

Hon. M. de Jong moved adjournment of the House.

Motion approved.

Mr. Speaker: This House stands adjourned until two o'clock this afternoon.
The House adjourned at 10:26 a.m.

41st Parliament, 1st Session

  • Thursday, June 22, 2017, Afternoon - House Live
    Chamber Video
  • Thursday, June 22, 2017, Morning - House Blues (Updated Thursday, June 22, 2017 12:20 PM)
    Chamber Video

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Christy Clark's positions on issues before and after 2017 election no different than 2011/2013: Karma Sutra and Flip Flop

Now that the campaign is over, however, it is Premier Christy Clark who appears to be pivoting in a new direction on the future of oil pipelines across B.C. - Justine Hunter 

Globe and Mail


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Bill Tielemann: Cast, rats, prevaricators & The Kama Sutra
B.C. Liberal Party leadership candidate George Abbott accuses opponent Christy Clark of doing the “Kama Sutra” with her various positions on how she would handle the Harmonized Sales Tax.
 Snip
"Thank goodness she moved away from that position because I think a five-minute discussion with almost anyone in this province would have told her that was an ill-informed position to be taking,"

Falcon said. "I think there is a little bit of a 'ready, fire, aim' approach that's sort of taking place," Falcon added in also criticizing Clark’s suggestions that she would hold a snap election after becoming premier and add a new public holiday in February.

"You can't be making these kinds of public commitments without discussing it with anyone," he said.


***********************

Christy Clark got one week into a byelection campaign when she realized she had a problem - that monstrous pay hikes she earlier approved for political staffers in Victoria.

Clark suddenly backed down Wednesday on the raises - which saw maximum salaries for some staff positions jump by as much as 60 per cent - as a byelection backlash grew in her new political stomping grounds of Kelowna.

"I'm the premier and I'm fixing it," Clark said, announcing most of the raises would be rescinded.


Monday, June 19, 2017

BC Hydro Site C 'negotiations': "Indian Reserves and Indian Treaty Problems"

BC Hydro Report

James Bruce Melville  



Indian Reserves and Indian Treaty Problems in North Eastern BC

Horizon
Page 11 of 201

Page 13 of 201
British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority is presently studying the feasibility of hydro-electric generation projects on three rives in Northern B.C.

These are the Liard, Iskut and Stikine.

At an early stage in planning, it became apparent that there would be many land related problems associated with all of these projects.  While initially it would appear that most of the those lands are unoccupied, in fact they all lie within areas traditionally used and occupied by native Indians, which use continues today.


Page 111 of 201

Expropriation of lands under the War Measures Act would presumably take place only where there is some war-related purpose or a purpose related to national security.  Should this happen, then the project would be taken out of provincial jurisdiction altogether and become a federal matter.

Page 111 of 201

D.  THE ONE-TWENTIETH RESUMPTIVE RIGHT

Another means that has proven successful, in cases were a small part only is required of a reserve within B.C., is to use the resumptive right retained by the province when the reserve lands were conveyed to the Dominion in 1938.  By the provisions of a pair of reciprocal orders in council, both made under statutory authority, the title to lands set aside by the Province of B.C. for use by Indians was transferred to the federal government.  The terms of this conveyance included several reservation back to the province.  The right to resume up to one-twentieth of a reserve "for making roads, canals, bridges, towing paths, or other works of public utility or convenience" was one such reservation.

Page 112 of 201

In addition to the assumptive right retained by the province, there was a right to reconveyance of any reserve belonging to a band if it should become extinct (this right has since been abandoned by B.C. O/C 1555; May 13th, 1969), a right to enjoy certain water privileges where needed for nearby mining or agricultural undertakings, a right to take gravel, stone, timber, etc. for public work purposes, and to exemption from the grant of all travelled roads when presently existing over the reserves.  However, none of these appear to be useful in allowing the taking of entire reserves for public purposes.




Page 182 of 201


Page 198 of 201

Kinder Morgan's pipeline expropriation is starting to look Goooooooooooooood

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

British Columbia 114 years earlier, and later .. the life of a Parliament, the position of Government and Opposition was often reversed

http://elections.bc.ca/resources/statistics/

http://elections.bc.ca/resources/electoral-history-of-bc/

Electoral History of B.C.

Parties and Party Affiliation   1871 - 1903

The first provincial election along federal party lines, i.e. Conservative and Liberal, in British Columbia was the general election of 1903.  Before 1903 lines were drawn between Government supporters, grouped around the Premier, and the Opposition, grouped around ONE or MORE Opposition leaders.  Candidates declared themselves as one or the other, or as Independents.  There was no formal selection process for the most part so it was not uncommon for Government (or Opposition) candidates to be running against another Government (or Opposition) candidate.  As well, a candidate's position was not always clear and consistent.  The PRESS, which was highly partisan, added to the confusion by giving its own interpretation of a candidate's platform, particularly if declared Independent and perceived to be otherwise.  After an election, and not infrequently during the life of a Parliament, the position of Government and Opposition was often reversed.  From 1871 to 1903 there were eight Parliaments and fifteen Governments; the seventh and eighth Parliaments accounted for six of these Governments.  Allegiances shifted frequently depending on the ISSUE, there was little or no discipline.  IN 1886 separate Labour candidates first appeared and in 1900 a Socialist candidate was nominated.  The 1900 general election is also significant in that although the traditional division of Government and Opposition was still present, party groupings were beginning to play  a role and it foreshadowed the election of 1903 along full party lines.

Political affiliation has been provided for general and by-elections from 1875 to 1903.  The 1871 general election obviously had no Government, and hence no clearly formed Opposition either, and in subsequent by-elections a clear affiliation was difficult to determine.  It has been necessary to rely largely upon newspapers of the period.  An explanation is given in the notes for each election and separate sources are cited if clarification is needed.  These affiliations are to be used only as a general guide to the political interests of candidates and to the outcome of the election.

1903 - 1986

Although elections from 1903 onward were fought along party lines it was not until 1921 that there was any requirements to state party affiliation on the nomination papers or ballots - and then only for the Vancouver and Victoria City Electoral Districts.  In 1939 the requirement was extended to the remaining Districts.  Party affiliation appears in various official sources beginning in 1924.  A "List of Candidates" contains affiliations for all Vancouver and Victoria candidates for general elections from 1924 to 1937  and for all candidates from 1941 to 1986.  The Statement of votes for 1928 .....

Sunday, June 11, 2017

In 2002 the BC Liberals claimed that BC Hydro had $7 Billion in debt and roughly 25 per cent of its income went towards servicing the debt, however ...

Have the BC Liberals held the line on the 25%?

Have the BC Liberals increased BC Hydro's debt from $7 Billion?



Source:
  BC Liberal Caucus Capital Reports which ceased upon Christy Clark's swearing in as Premier


Google Search Criteria:  BC Hydro Debt

Google Search Criteria:  BC Hydro Debt billions



 Rafe Mair:  BC Hydro's real debt has grown 1337% under Liberals





BC Legislative Library  BC Hydro Revenue Requirement




Friday, June 9, 2017

Premier Christy Clark says pink slips will be handed out if Site C stops. What about the 7,500 pink slips for the mythical LNG workers?

The BC Liberals are brandishing fear mongering to workers on the job losses if Site C is put on hold for a month, or three while the BCUC does their job of reviewing the economics of the dam, .... pales in comparison to the majority of jobs that never materialized with the 2013 election promise of a NEW   .... LNG industry.

News Release
 Backgrounder: labour requirements for Site C and LNG

To establish a new LNG industry, B.C. needs to be competitive, including when it comes to the availability of labour.  BC Hydro has worked closely with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training, training institutions and industry associations to identify Site C labour requirement in relation to the development of the LNG industry to ensure they do not conflict.

The conclusion of this work is that the labour requirements for Site C and LNG are largely different.  While the workforce for Site C will be weighted towards heavy equipment operators to move large volumes of materials, like a mining operation, the LNG industry has a greater reliance on skilled trades.  As a result, the labour requirement for Site C are not expected to interfere with the LNG industry.

The BC Liberals never generated the promised 7,500??? jobs for the LNG industry.

Is that why the push was put on to getting Site C pass the point of no return, no  BCUC review?



 LNG:
   Trades   57%;  Helpers and Labourers  12%; Truck Drivers 8%;  Heavy Duty Operators 27%

Site C:
  Trades  24%;  Helpers and Labourers  25%;  Truck Drivers 2%; Heavy Duty Operators 3%





The only thing that the BC Liberal achieved in the past four years is the hiring of a mythical work force which didn't need to be handed pink slips by Premier Christy Clark on the eve of the 2017 provincial election.

 *******************

 Site C to provide more than 100 years of affordable, reliable clean power
 News release

   
Backgrounder: Growing demand    
Backgrounder: Site C capital cost estimate    
Backgrounder: comparing the options:    
Backgrounder: about site C:    
Backgrounder: labour requirements for Site C and LNG:

Thursday, June 8, 2017

1983 BCUC dissenter had his reasons for Site C rejection then, which is still valid today


Page 70 of 340  'cost as great as its total social cost''


1983 BCUC report on the benefits, or lack thereof, building Site C (originally based on sales to California) is available at your local library

Source:
BCUC Site C report 1983

Site C report : in the matter of the Utilities Commission Act, S.B.C. 1980, C. 60 as amended and in the matter of the application of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority for an energy project certificate for the Peace River Site C Project.

by British Columbia Utilities Commission, B.C. Hydro


British Columbia Utilities Commission, 1983.



BCUC Commissioner D.B. Kilpatrick

Page 333

Page 334
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BC Hydro Policies56045

25 pages of Policies
 which equates to 442 policies PLUS  the A, B, and C's within the 442 

**************************
Site C Schedule 1980

Page 30 of 71  1982 - 1987
Site C Schedule 2016 Page 57



So why, with all the heavier earth moving equipment in 2016, is it taking longer to build Site C?

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

What would Ken Davidson say about Air Christy? Vaughn Palmer June 22, 1994 column: Private companies could be cheaper, eh

Vaughn Palmer:

Within a 200 page report prepared by Ken Davidson, director of program evaluation in the finance ministry, his team of analysts spent the better part of a year reviewing the government air operation and the services it provides, mainly air ambulance and a shuttle for cabinet ministers and bureaucrats.  He concluded that private companies could deliver the service more cheaply, while the government could reap additional benefits by selling the assets.

The Davidson report led directly to the decision to get rid of the air service, but unfortunately for the NDP.  Premier Mike Harcourt and Finance Minister Elizabeth Cull made the call without consulting other members of cabinet, which has some ministers picking holes in a report that they weren't permitted to examine beforehand.

BC Legislative Library Source


More to the point, how has Air Christy track record stacked up against the Davidson Report.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Miss Barbara Savadkin and Miss Barbara Lane - Cowichan Knitting - Mountain Goat Hair for blankets


British Columbia Provincial Museum
Anthropology in British Columbia 

No. 1, 1950

 
 Page 8 of  48

1. Report by Miss Barbara Savadkin

I am sending you a statement of my field work thus far with the Cowichan Indians around Koksilah, Vancouver Island.  To date I have spent three months in the field collecting ethnographic data and information on the Cowichan knitting industry.

The ethnographic data are still in unworked field notes.  I have written a report of about thirty pages on the knitting industry and submitted it to the competition sponsored by the Seattle Anthropological Society.

The knitting industry is of anthropological interest for several reasons.  It is of interest to students of material culture because it involves a combination of aboriginal and European techniques and the invention of new techniques stimulated by this fusion.  The patterns knitted in the older sweaters are aboriginal basketry designs, while the actual knitting technique is European.  The machines on which the wool is now spun seem to be local inventions based on the aboriginal spindle used in the preparation of mountain goat hair for blankets and on the European sewing machine.

Cowichan knitting further deserve the attention of those who are interested in the practical problems of economic and social adjustments on the party of native peoples living under foreign administration.  The knitting industry represents a fairly wide-spread and intensive effort on the part of Coast Salish peoples to make an economic adjustment to the contact situation both in Canada and the United States.

The efforts of this attempt at economic adjustment on the social organization of the Indians, especially as regards the status of women, marriage patterns, and family life, have yet to be thoroughly investigated.


No. 2, 1951

 Report by Miss Barbara Lane



 
No. 3, 1952





No. 4, 1953-54

No. 5, 1956



Anthropology in British Columbia