Art Show & Open House: March 28, 2013

Dear Saanich South,

I hope to see you there!

Lana

Practical response to concerns over Smart Meters

Keri Sculland, Alberni Valley Times

Thank you John Horgan!

John Horgan is the MLA for Juan de Fuca and the Official Opposition Energy Critic. His response to Smart Meter concerns is an example of how practical approaches can be taken to address complex problems.

John Horgan and the Opposition have called on the BC Utilities Commission to review Smart Meters. One piece of the puzzle will be to consider options to empower people to opt-out of smart meters altogether. In Quebec, residents can pay a modest amount to offset the cost of a hardwired meter - that seems like a practical idea. It would certainly be preferable than the current situation for many people.

Opposition to GM apple on the rise

Okanagan Specialty Fruits/New York Times

Dear Saanich South,

It is a very busy time at the Legislature - we are trying to get as much business done as possible during the last of our all-too-few sittings for this term. One of an MLAs roles is to present petitions to the Legislative Assembly. Today I will be presenting one that concerns an issue that I know is important to many Saanich South residents.

This petition, signed by more than 5500 BC residents, calls on the BC Legislature to “take urgent action to halt the commercial introduction of a genetically modified apple”.

A small BC company, Okanagan Specialty Fruits has licensed technology it claims produces a “non-browning” apple. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is currently considering an application to allow this apple to be produced commercially.

Today I again ask the BC Ministry of Agriculture to stop avoiding this issue and listen to the thousands of consumers, farmers and stakeholders who are demanding their government actively oppose growing genetically modified apples in BC.

The effect of this genetic modification is that it will make it harder to see bruises and discolouration - but those are important visual cues people use before deciding to take a bite. It is irresponsible for this government to stand idly by while a single commercial interest risks the excellent reputation of the entire BC fruit industry.

Dear Saanich South,

Many of you know that I was a full-time farmer before entering politics, so I really enjoy reconnecting with farmers and value their ideas for improving agriculture in BC. As the Agriculture Critic, I am very excited to be participating in the Farmer2Farmer conference this Thursday.

This event, allowing farmers to network extensively, was organized by the CR-FAIR (Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable) and features a full day of farmer-focused learning. Some of the items on the agenda include workshops on selecting crops and preserving excess products; discussions exploring farm planning and institutional selling; and expert panels sharing information about organic certification and direct marketing.

I am honoured to be a part of the welcome wagon, along with other officials. From 11:30 – noon, I will host a Q&A session, “Grill Your Agriculture Critic”, before I head back to the Legislative Assembly.

To register, or for more information, check out their website http://farmer2farmer.ca/. Only one more day to register!

Information about CR-FAIR and their programs and projects can be found on their website at www.communitycouncil.ca/initiatives/crfair/index.html 

Lana

'Tis the season to be seeding....

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to send out a quick reminder that it is time to plan and get seeds for your 2013 growing season. 

We are fortunate on southern Vancouver Island to have great growing conditions and several Seedy Saturday (and one Seedy Sunday) options.

These dates are advertised on the website called “Seeds of Diversity” (www.seeds.ca ). If you know of any more southern Vancouver Island Seedy Saturdays, not listed here, please let me know and I will update this page.

Student Employment Opportunity - Summer 2013

Post-secondary students are invited to apply as Summer Tour Guides or as Parliamentary Players.

These positions run from April 29 to September 2, 2013 with the average work week about 30 hours long.

Full job descriptions and application forms can be found at http://www.leg.bc.ca/postings/.

Saanich South Diamond Jubilee Recipients

RCMP Cpl, MLA Lana Popham, Det. Paul Spencelayh, Katy Madsen, Rebecca Jehn & Haji Charania

Dear Saanich South,

This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne of England. In commemoration, the Governor General is awarding sixty thousand Diamond Jubilee Medals. A range of institutions and offices are helping to select recipients all year long. Each Member of the Legislative Assembly of BC was given the privilege to select four individuals in his or her constituency to receive the medal.

I asked all the Community Associations in Saanich South to appoint one person to participate in committee to select the recipients. In this way, there would be no appearance of partisanship and those actively volunteering at the local level would themselves decide who should receive this honour. This committee took their work seriously: they carefully considered over thirty nominations and used a formal process to determine the recipients.

Earlier this week, all the south Island MLAs came together to present the medals at a ceremony at the Legislature. It was a very special afternoon, with family proudly watching. The picture above includes the four Saanich South recipients. What a great bunch! Here is a little information about them:

Haji Charania gained distinction for his 26 years of service with the BC Buildings Corporation, first as a Project Manager and then as a Director. Since retiring in 2003, he has volunteered countless hours to improve the quality of life in Saanich. Contributions include serving on the Saanich Police Board, the Saanich Board of Variance, the Victoria Airport Authority Board, the Saanich Volunteer Services Society and the North Quadra Land Use Protection Association.

Rebecca Jehn is a founder and driving force of the organic and local food-first community on the south Island. She helped start the Moss Street Market in 1991 and co-founded “Saanich Organics” in 1994. She has educated hundreds in small-scale food production and in food preservation methods. She continues to farm organically and inspire the next generation of farmers on the Saanich Peninsula.

Katy Madsen is 91 year old artist, teacher, environmentalist, and activist. Her oil paintings have hung in galleries across North America and she has taught art from Walnut Creek California to Summerland BC. She was a founding director of the Sierra Club of BC and founded the Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society. She played pivotal roles in the creation of several important parks in BC and led the opposition to uranium mining in Summerland in the 1970s.

Paul Allan Spencelayh has worked as a police officer since 1997, including 10 years on the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team/Tactical Unit. He currently serves as a detective in the Major Crime Unit. He has been recognized for risking his life to help others, including the rescue of a violent suicidal male from drowning and helping to save a disabled couple from a house fire. He has also donated many hours to volunteer work, such as coaching youth sport teams and supporting the BC Special Olympics Torch Run and the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock.

Best, Lana

Give the gift of blood!

Dear Saanich South,

During the holiday season there is an increased need for blood donations.

Canadian Blood Services has a donation center at 3449 Saanich Road (map).

The center is open today and tomorrow from 10:30am - 6:00pm, and also on Saturday December 29th, from 9:30am-4:00pm

Regular hours are Tuesday to Thursday, from 10:30am - 6:00pm and every other Saturday, from 9:30am - 4:00pm. 

Appointments are preferred, but they can accommodate walk-ins. To book an appointment call 250 382 2213.

More information is available at www.blood.ca

A few good reasons to give blood:

• Blood transfusions save lives. 
• There’s no substitute for human blood. 
• Every three seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion. 
• About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood. 
• A pint of blood, separated in to components, can help up to three people. 
• Do something that truly helps the community. 
• You’ll learn your blood type.  (Adapted from Blood Centers of the Pacific)

Best, Lana

Recent media about Gordon Head Farmland

Saanich hands decision on Gordon Head farmland to Agricultural Land Commission

Gordon Alberg stands on the property at 1516 Mount Douglas 
Cross Rd. that he owns with his siblings. Saanich council sent 
an application to the Agricultural Land Commission on Monday, 
which will give the provincial body the power to determine 
whether the land should continue to be protected or whether it 
could be developed. Kyle Slavin/News Staff

By Kyle Slavin - Saanich News
Published: December 11, 2012 1:00 PM

The fate of an unused parcel of agricultural land in suburban Gordon Head is now in the hands of the Agricultural Land Commission.

The four-acre property at 1516 Mount Douglas Cross Rd. was recently slated to become a 12,000-hen poultry operation or, failing that, a cattle farm with 100 cows.

But neighbours, outraged that Saanich council painted the landowners into a corner where farming was the only remaining option, rallied against the aggressive farm plans and asked council Monday night for reconsideration of a residential subdivision instead.

Instead, council voted 8-1 to send the owner’s application to remove it from the agricultural land reserve to the ALC, without comment from council, putting the decision squarely in the hands of the provincial agency.

Geese, deer cut deep into Galey Farms

Geese, deer cut deep into Galey Farms

Rob Galey of Galey Farms in front of a wet lot on the family farm

where hundreds of geese congregate every day. The farm is
reducing its crop production in the wake of continual damage from deer and geese.
Arnold Lim/News staff

By Arnold Lim - Saanich News
Published: December 06, 2012 8:00 AM

Ray Galey fires a cap gun into the air above hundreds of geese loitering on his farm.

A dozen or so honk and scatter into the air, before flying a loop and returning to the farmland once more. Most of the Canadian geese barely flinch, they aren't scared of the sounds anymore.

Galey's son Rob, runs his fingers through what is left of his raspberry bushes. Normally seven or eight feet high, the tender branches have been nibbled away to the nubs, along with what he said would have been his profits. Farming isn't as fun for the Galey's anymore.

"We are the last commercial farming family in Saanich," Rob said. "There were hundreds of families farming 50 years ago, we are down now to three. We don't want to downsize."

With reluctance, the Galeys are letting leases expire on two farming parcels. Next season Galey Farms will drop 25 acres from production on Hastings and Interurban roads, as they can no longer protect the land from geese and deer, which eat through crops on a daily basis. The farm now plays home to deer that live on his property year-round and geese that no longer migrate.

"We took a loss again this year. We had a choice of dropping those properties and cutting those losses or the family was going to lose the farm," Rob said. "We are utilizing all the resources we have to protect the property in Blenkinsop."

When Ray and Rob chase geese away, they fly from one of his properties to another. Scaring them off the family's Blenkinsop properties only pushes them over to one of his other farms and back again. Rob's daily routine includes scaring deer and geese of his land while his children wait in the car on their way to school.

"I went to scare a buck out of my strawberry field and he put his horns down and ran me," Rob said. "It was the first time - it made me think twice. What if it wasn't me, what if it is one of my kids?"

He was able to raise his hands in the air, make himself as big as possible and eventually scare it off, but he fears safety will increasingly become an issue as the deer population is growing rapidly.

"Five point bucks shouldn't be walking around in Saanich. If mother nature sends a cougar to Saanich to kill the buck, people come to kill the cougar and leave the buck behind," he said. "They have removed all the predators of the geese and deer and no longer replacing the job mother nature did. If you want to play God, you better realize how big of a job he has before you do it."

His family has spent more that $100,000 in fencing their properties, an ongoing project, but he says that don't help. The deer find ways through, and fences trap them in more than keep them out. Deer are learning to dig underneath fencing and teaching their young to do the same, Rob says.

He has been forced to get his staff to stop working, come out into the field to form a human chain to walk them back out the way they came. It is a cost of time and resources he can scarcely afford.

Galey Farms has worked with the the Capital Regional District deer committee for two years – "a waste of time" Rob says. He looks at farming colleagues in Central Saanich who can apply for permits to cull deer and geese and wonders why a solution can't be found to help him or smaller farming operations like nearby Dan's Farm.

"People have to see it for themselves, what kind of damage can be caused. (Deer and geese) can wipe out large fields in a matter of days," said Danny Ponchet of Dan's Farm in Saanich and Central Saanich. "(Crops) don't grow back the same way. They just don't respond in the same way growing back."

The farmer of 30 years says he has it easier than the Galey's due to his much smaller operation - but he spends more and more money to protect his crops each year, and wonders if the cycle will ever end.

Saanich South MLA Lana Popham, a former farmer, says she understands the plight of the agricultural community and hopes a balance can be found.

"I would hold a public meeting on it and have a panel with both sides so we hear from the community," Popham said. "It would include farmers consumers and animal welfare representatives. I am a farmer in my past life and I have had many instances when the deer have gotten into my field and destroyed my whole crop. The frustration is real."

The former commissioner of the Peninsula Agricultural Commission has even volunteered to help mediate the public meeting.

"The economic devastation is huge. If we support a local food movement and want farmers to stay in business we have to co-operate together with the agricultural community," Popham continued. "I know in other agricultural communities there are licenses given out to hunt deer and geese that are a problem in agricultural areas. I would support that."

British Columbia Wildlife Federation director of strategic planning Al Martin said there is no "silver bullet" and hopes the proper balance can found.

"In Saanich and Saanich Peninsula, we have to ask ourselves what level of goose population is sustainable, considering agricultural lands and public safety concerns. It is all about balance. If they continue you will end up with subdivision or more urban land," he said.

"This should be an area approach. You would put (the farmer) out of business if he needs to solve it himself. Is it in the public interest to have that agricultural area in the Blenkinsop valley? I would strongly say it is, but we are saying 'this is your problem you solve it.'"

reporter@saanichnews.com

The full article can be found by clicking here.

Lyme Disease in BC

Alex Lippert, 2012

The four young people featured in this blog post all live in our community and suffer from chronic Lyme disease. They all continue to struggle to get the health care they need.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is spread by ticks, some no bigger than a speck of pepper. They travel from animal to animal, feeding off blood. The bites can be painless and leave only a tiny mark that may not last very long.

Ticks on Vancouver Island may infect people with Lyme disease and the consequences can be very serious. [VIHA] The first sign of infection is usually (but not always) a circular rash. Stage 1 common symptoms include: fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain and swollen lymph nodes. If untreated, the second stage of the disease can last up to several months and include: central and peripheral nervous system disorders, multiple skin rashes, arthritis and arthritic symptoms, heart palpitations, extreme fatigue and general weakness. Stage 3 - Chronic Lyme - can begin days or weeks after infection and if untreated or improperly treated, can persist for years or indefinitely.

JL, 2012

Click here to read about what you can do to reduce your chances of contracting Lyme disease.

The Issue

I have serious concerns about how Lyme is diagnosed and treated in B.C. We currently follow the IDSA guidelines on Lyme disease. The provincial health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall has stated on the record that he believes a chronic form of Lyme disease does not exist. As CanLyme Board Member and former MLA David Cubberley argues, the available scientific studies do not support such a categorical statement.

This perspective contributes to the perpetuation of flawed policies in BC that prevent chronic Lyme sufferers from accessing treatment that could help them.

A confidential report by Dr. Brian Schmidt of BC’s Provincial Health Services Authority, that released through a Freedom of Information request in 2010 states that there is “growing evidence that LD is a persistent infectious disease….” Lyme disease can persist after the IDSA treatment period and therefore longer courses of antibiotics may benefit those with persistent symptoms.

Nicole Bottles, 2012

The Impacts are real

Nicole Bottles

18 year old Nicole Bottles was diagnosed with Lyme several years ago. Her symptoms were subtle at first and then progressed to headaches, nausea, and  joint pain. The symptoms worsened to include dizziness, memory loss and muscle pain. She was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, asthma, pneumonia/bronchitis and tested for Lupus, arthritis, eating disorder and more. Despite the fact that she had over two-thirds of the classic symptoms of Lyme disease, Nicole and her family could not get medical doctors to seriously consider this as a possibility. 

Here is a statement from Nicole:

Even as I became sicker and sicker, not able to walk or remember things, and in excruciating pain, I was still being denied care in Canada. The doctors here had all but given up, and I was supposed to get on with my life and ‘start living with my disability’. My family physician actually threw up his hands in frustrating and said, “Well, all the tests come back negative and I’m not sure there’s anything else I can do…”. In a last-ditch effort, I was taken to see doctors, who would end up turning my life around, in Seattle, San Francisco, and finally Connecticut, where we lived for 10 months. There are very few Lyme-literate doctors (LLD’s) in North America, but I was very lucky to end up seeing several of them. I have no doubt in saying they saved my life, and have started to put me back on the path to health; I am ever grateful for their care and support. 

 You can read more about this remarkable young women on her blog, Bite Me.

Jean-Luc Giroux
Another young person suffering from Lyme disease is 26 year old Jean-Luc Giroux. He has suffered with Lyme disease for five years. His slideshow explains his journey and where he is at now.  

Alex Lippert 
23-year-old Alex Lippert isn't sure exactly when she was infected, but it was most likely when she was seven or eight. She lived in Southern Ontario at the time and spent her summers in Saanich. She loved riding horses and playing in the woods. Alex had many health challenges growing up, including painful and weak joints, and constant headaches. She also struggled with severe ADHD and chronic depression.

Alex graduated high school and began studying Aerospace Engineering at University in Florida in 2007. However, her health further deteriorated and she had to drop out after completing her first year and return home to Saanich.

At the end of 2009, she finally received some testing for Lyme disease and got positive results from a Elisa test. However, the BC medical system doesn’t recognize chronic Lyme and it does not allow doctors to prescribe comprehensive antibiotic treatment. This has forced many families into great financial hardship as they try to cover the costs themselves.

Alex’s family instead pursued and paid for treatment in the US, first in Washington and then in California. There have been some physical improvements, but Alex remains in constant pain and lives in a mental fog.

She and her family continues to fight for the care she desperately needs.

Helping others

Dear Friends,

As 2012 comes to a close, I reflect on this year as MLA for Saanich South. I recall successes and challenges attendant with life as an elected official trying to affect change in my community.

Another thought that arises during my reflections is that I am so grateful for all that I have in my life: loving family, rewarding work, and an ability to make a difference. None of which would be possible without the basic human needs: shelter, safety and food.

Every year, hundreds of families spend their winter months trying to meet these basic needs. We've all heard of the decision between food and heat, or between food and medicine – but few of us really understand what that decision feels like.

The solutions to poverty are complex and seemingly very distant. We can do better, we all know that and we must all continue our individual efforts to eliminate poverty.

In the meantime, we can – each of us – make poverty easier to survive in many ways. Part of my effort is to host a food bank drive, at my community office, throughout December.  I invite each of you to stop by my office; 4085 Quadra St (corner of Nicholson) with a donation for those less fortunate than ourselves.

This year, we will be collecting for two different organizations: the Mustard Seed Food Bank and Anawim House.  All non-perishable food items will be donated to the Mustard Seed. The Anawim House is always in need of some very basic items: such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and warm socks.

All donations collected at my office will be delivered on December 20, 2012.

If you cannot make a donation, please consider volunteering at food banks, meal programs, or for one of the many organizations that are combating poverty.

"You will discover that you have two hands. 

One is for helping yourself, the other is for helping others."

~Audrey Hepburn

Enjoy this song by Ben Harper, with Jack Johnson

Thank you!

Lana

Alzheimer's disease & Dementia

Last Sunday, I joined two long-time Saanich South residents - Lorraine and Wayne Brewster - on CFAX radio. Wayne has dementia and my community office recently helped him gain access to an appropriate care-home.

Journalist Stephen Andrews spoke to us about Alzheimer's disease, dementia and the challenges of getting good care, especially when you are relatively young like Wayne.

It was a real act of courage for Wayne and his wife to speak about their experiences on air. I know they did it because they want to see improvements in the system for other people.

Link to audio of CFAX interview

This is a very personal issue for me as my grandmother has dementia and Alzheimer's ...and it was a great struggle to get her the help she needs. I know what families with loved ones in this situation go through.


There are simply not enough complex care beds on the Island for those who need them. In fact, there are approximately 200 people waiting right now just in the VIHA region. This is an issue I will continue to work on with my colleagues in the Legislature.

Click here and you can listen to the audio clip.

Best, Lana

Art Show & Open House: Fri. Nov 23

Dear Saanich South,

2012 was an amazing year of Saanich South art on display at my constituency office. Each time a new talent is showcased, I host an evening open house so that all of my constituents can appreciate their creations.

And now, to close out this year, my office is proud to present the works of award-winning print maker, Jenn Whitford-Robins.

Jenn’s works have been shown in galleries and fine art shows since 1992 - and her prints can be found in collections around the world.

The art on exhibition in my office includes many pieces from Jenn’s Arctic Series. They demonstrate Jenn’s mastery of many techniques including monotype, photo etching, embossing, collograph and watercolours. There are also several pieces using a technique developed by Jenn, that she calls ‘metal monotype’.

There are also pieces from her West Wind, West Coast and Fragility collections.

These pieces ranges from muted shades of white and grey depicting frozen expanses to textures and shapes that shift with the light to rich shimmering patterns that ‘whisper’ when you pass them.

To offer my constituents the opportunity to browse these amazing works of art and to thank Jenn for sharing her art with Saanich South, I am hosting an Art Show and Year-End Open House at my office.

Friday, November 23, 2012

5:00pm – 8:00pm

4085 Quadra Street (corner of Nicholson, north of McKenzie)

I hope you will join us for light refreshments and good company.

Also, starting on November 23 and running until my office breaks for the holidays, I will be hosting a food drive for the Mustard Seed Food Bank. Feel free to drop-off non-perishable food items Monday – Thursday, 9:30am – 5:00pm.

For more information on Jenn Whitford-Robins, please see her website at http://www.jennrobins.com/ or, better yet, come to the show and meet the artist in person!

See you then.

Lana

Victorian Lt. Andrew Nuttall's ultimate sacrifice was in aid of the greater good for Afghans

Soldier felt democracy for Afghans was a goal that was worth the risks

BY LANA POPHAM, TIMES COLONISTNOVEMBER 11, 2012

On Dec. 23, 2009, Lt. Andrew Nuttall was on a joint foot patrol with members of the Afghan National Army in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan.

Just after 4 p.m., the soldiers stopped for a quick water break and then turned back to head home, back to base.

A few hundred metres away, members of the Taliban were lying in wait. They activated a trip wire, arming a buried improvised explosive device.

Nuttall was the leader of 12 Platoon, 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. 

He was at the front of the patrol. The explosion ended his life. He was just 30 years old.

Nuttall had been a resident of Saanich South, and his parents continue to live here. Although I didn't know him or his family, I went to the funeral to offer my condolences as the MLA of their constituency.

But it was a very private affair and so I stood at a distance. More and more friends and family kept arriving and the cemetery seemed to fill with terrible sadness. Daylight faded away and a cold rain poured down.

That day changed Remembrance Day for me. I attend Remembrance Day ceremonies every year; I was taught what it represented, and I appreciated the meaning.

But not until I met the Nuttall family did I feel Remembrance Day inside my heart. A strong mother and father weeping openly for their son who would never return, a man born in the same generation as myself giving his life.

Remembrance Day has a face for me now, and that is the face of Andrew Nuttall.

I've gotten to know Nuttall's parents, Rick and Jane Nuttall, a little over the last few years. His father told me that his son was willing to fight and risk his life as a soldier because he wanted to protect vulnerable people. He wanted to make a positive change in our global village. And because he believed that giving human rights and democracy a chance to take hold in Afghanistan was a noble goal.

Nov. 11 is a day to remember remarkable people like Nuttall and feel gratitude for how much they have given to make Canada and the world a safer place.

Nuttall kept a blog during his time in Afghanistan. (It is still on the web - www.nuttman.info - and recent entries by family detail ongoing tributes to him.) A few weeks before his death, he posted his last entry. Here is a paragraph from it:

On one side, the people are frightened, impoverished, and seek nothing but safety and prosperity for their families. On the other side is a very small subset of a combination of extreme Salafist muslims (a.k.a. seeking to impose an extremist version of Islam on the entire world), anti-western mercenaries and misguided brainwashed (generally) youths that utilize cowardice hit-and-run and IED tactics in order to sway the civilian population of Afghanistan and North America to pull their troops out. Then there is us in the middle, an array of nations trying to combine our traditionally conventional forces and conduct combined operations with the young but capable ANA (and young but immature Afghan National Police, ANP), in a barren country with many more needs than just militaristic. Complicated, yes; confusing, only a bit; frustrating, unfortunately too much.

Last December, Lt. Nut-tall was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. This is a significant and fitting honour for someone with such a big heart who gave everything he had in the service of his country.

Lana Popham is the MLA for Saanich South.

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist. Original article here.

Community Event: Locavore Dinner & 10% Shift Talk

Over the last few months I’ve met with a lot of Saanich Business owners and one of the things I kept hearing is that they think consumers don’t realize how huge the benefit is to the local economy if they shift even a little of their spending to local/independent businesses.

To explore this idea and engage with people, my constituency office organized a public event which included a ‘locavore’ dinner (a delicious meal featuring locally grown/raised food, prepared by 'Food for Thought') and a talk by CUPE-BC President Barry O’Neill. People might be surprised that a union leader has emerged as a leader on this issue but Barry has developed a great presentation (tenpercentshift.ca) and even teamed up with people like Shachi Kurl of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to push the idea. (They co-wrote an op-ed recently in the Vancouver Sun).

One example from Barry's talk that really struck me is this: spend a $100 at amazon.com and the benefit to the local economy is $0.00. Buy at Chapter's and the benefit is $13. And at Munro's or Bolen's? $45!

Over 100 people attended. It was a great evening - thanks Saanich South! Click on the image below to see some photos.

Lana

My report to Saanich South

Dear Saanich South, 

Here is a report on my work as your MLA, snail mailed to everyone in the constituency. It should show up in your mailbox today or tomorrow (unless you've opted out of unaddressed admail). 

It takes a lot of paper to do something like this so I decided years ago to do it sparingly: this will be the second and final report of my first four year term. Here it is online: 

In the Community - Video

Dear Saanich South,

One of the questions I am asked most often is: what do you outside of the Legislature? This video is my answer. A brief overview of my work in the community.

Locavore Dinner & 10% Shift Presentation - Oct 23

You are invited!

Join me on Tuesday October 23rd for a delicious 'locavore' dinner and a presentation by CUPE-BC President Barry O'Neill on the 10% Shift campaign to support local economies. 

Shifting more of our consumer purchases to local businesses and producers has a very positive impact on the local economy. We can use this consumer power to get more money circulating our community and improve our quality of life. O'Neill has received a great response to the 10% Shift concept from Chambers of Commerce, City Councils, Business Associations and Community Organizations across BC.

Tickets are $10 per person. Get yours early to avoid disappointment! They are available at my community office: 4085 Quadra St. Mon-Thur 9:30-5:00pm

Free childcare for children age 5-12 years, by reservation only.

Add caption

Facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/178785458925373/

Dick Bocking, RIP

Dear Saanich South,

Update: there will be a Memorial Service for Dick on Saturday October 13th, at 2pm at the Unitarian Church, 5575 West Saanich Road. All are welcome

Sad news: Richard “Dick” Bocking is gone. He died peacefully of old age on Sept 28, 2012. Many of us admired this long-time Saanich resident. He was kind and generous, creative and passionate – and a great fighter for the environment.

To my mind one of his greatest achievements was “Sustainable BC”. He was the key architect of this non-partisan policy document – adopted by the BC New Democrats in 2007- which aimed to create a ecologically-focused paradigm shift in how we approach governmental decision-making.

Rest in Peace Bob Gillespie

Bob Gillespie, November 2011

Dear Friends,

It is with great sadness that I share the news that Bob Gillespie is gone.

He died earlier this month of natural causes, with loved ones at his side. Bob was admired by many in the community and this is a great loss for Saanich.

Bob worked as an electrician for 28 years. In 1988 he began his journey into civic politics. He attended many council meetings and decided to run in 1990. After 3 recounts, he was elected by 28 votes.

Bob served 18 years as a Saanich Councilor. During all of this time he served on the water board and spearheaded major changes. Bob was pivotal in raising the Sooke dam. He went on to serve as Deputy Chair of what became CRD Water.

One of his accomplishments was getting a reduced water rate for agriculture. This is a great help to farmers to this day and he will be remembered as a champion of local agriculture.

Accountability was a big issue for Bob. He fought successfully for the direct election of Saanich’s CRD Directors and thus contributed to the strengthening of democracy in our region. Saanich became the first municipality under the Charter to give citizens a direct choice of regional district directors. Victoria and other municipalities now follow the Saanich model.

Even after he retired from council, he stayed active in politics. Affordable housing and rethinking the sewer system were at the top on his list.

Bob made an enduring contribution to Saanich and he will be deeply missed. His family has requested privacy at this time.

Lana

POSTSCRIPT:

There will be a memorial service for Bob Gillespie at 2pm on Friday, Oct 12 at the Nazarene Church, 4277 Quadra.

I Welcome Fall and All It Offers

Over the past few weeks I have been traveling quite a bit as BC's Agriculture Critic.  It's a hard time to be away from home because my garden is producing so much to eat and I am not around to harvest and preserve.  Food is an extremely large part of my life.  It inspires me to do my job and it brings me incredible pleasure.
I feel grateful that I can combine my love for food with what I do for a living.
As I travel the province and leave my garden behind, I have the great pleasure of visiting farmers markets.  Just being around the growers feeds my soul and as a bonus I am able to sample the incredible products our BC growers are producing.
The photo above was taken at the Salt Spring Farmers Market.  I have been fortunate to buy garlic from many parts of BC but on Saturday I purchased some garlic braids from Bright Farm.  Charlie Eagle and his daughter Bree are exquisite growers and their garlic lasts for months and months.  It's really delicious!

The photo above is myself and Michael Abelman of Foxglove Farms.  Michael has been an inspiration for organic farmers for years and it was a pleasure to catch him at the market.
You can find almost anything you want at our farmers markets at this time of year.  For fresh eating or for the root cellar, it's all here!
Here is a link to find any market in BC:  http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/findamarket.asp
Cheers,
Lana

Connecting DOTS

Dear Constituents,

An important event is happening this Saturday, September 8th on the lawn of the Legislative Assembly.

Last September, Jean Oliver came into my office looking for support and that relationship grew into my office helping to organize this rally. Based on a model from New Brunswick, Jean inspired hundreds of people to stand hand-in-hand between the Psychiatric Emergency Services and the Legislative Assembly.

This year, the Society for the Development Of Treatment Services for Mental Health (DOTS) is doing it again!

Starting at 10am on the lawn of the Legislative Assembly, DOTS hope that enough people will attend to be able to form a human chain between the decision makers and the services needed by so many people.

Diamond Jubilee Medals for Saanich South!

Dear Saanich South,

This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne of England.

In commemoration, the Governor General is awarding sixty thousand Diamond Jubilee Medals.

A range of institutions and offices are helping to select recipients all year long.

Each Member of the Legislative Assembly of BC has been given the privilege to select four individuals in his or her constituency to receive the award.

For my part, I've decided to invite all the Community Associations in Saanich South to select one person to participate in a committee that will decide who receives the medal. In this way, it will be those actively volunteering at the local level that will decide who is to receive this honour.

To be eligible for the Diamond Jubilee Medal, a person must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident. He or she must "have made a significant contribution to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada".

More on local food...

Nearly golden enough to pick....won't be long now.

While admiring the sunflowers, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs growing in our Saanich South Community Garden, I noticed the plum tree across the fence is getting close to ready to pick.

Each year, unpicked fruit lands on yards, lots and sidewalks throughout our communities.

I know of at least two local projects looking to collect that fruit and share it with those in need.

The Victoria and Sooke Region Fruit Tree Projects are both up and running now - and seeking volunteers to help pick (and help eat, of course). I've included links to their websites, below.

These fruit tree projects are designed so that the fruit is divided into shares for the tree owners, the volunteers and the community. The Victoria Fruit Tree Project has even partnered with local businesses to value-add the fruit into apple cider vinegar, cider and chutney to help pay for the project. Go to their website, below, for details of where to buy their fine products.

For more information about how and where these projects work, contact them directly with your inquiries.

This is a fantastic ways to recover otherwise wasted food. Whether you are looking to jar fruit for the winter, make fruit leather or just want to eat fresh fruit ripened on the tree in your own home town - these projects are for you.

If you know of other projects for recovering food, please let me know and I will add them to my list.

LifeCycles Project Society - Victoria Fruit Tree Project

Sooke Region Food CHI - Sooke Region Fruit Tree Project

Happy harvesting!

Lana

Art Show & Open House this Friday!

Dear Saanich South,

Please drop by my community office this Friday between 5-8pm for my summer open house! We are featuring the artwork of the very talented Marti Mussell. There will be snacks and treats in the community garden. I look forward to seeing you and hearing your perspective on current affairs! Lana.

Let's get this done!

The government must stop delaying and get on with the needed work at the intersection of Pat Bay Highway and Sayward Road! 


As we approach the BC Day long weekend – one of the most dangerous weekends of the year for traveling on BC highways – we are still waiting for work to get started to improve safety at this intersection.

Research shows this work is a priority, the funds are allocated - but the plan is stuck on the Minister’s desk. What’s the hold-up?

According to ICBC statistics, the intersection at Pat Bay Highway and Sayward Road is the most dangerous highway crossing on Vancouver Island. The government has been studying and planning to address this serious issue for many years. The most recent report – the 2010 Opus Hamilton study – again identified this intersection as a priority for upgrades. 

Our Newest Saanich Star: Jenny Joh!

Every few months my office features an impressive resident of Saanich South. The goal is to shine a light on the remarkable people of this constituency. Take a moment to read about Jenny Joh - you'll be inspired! Best, Lana

Another reason to stop by....

Saanich South Summer

Dear Saanich South,

It is that time of year, again, for me to invite you all down to the Saanich South Community Garden. As the sign says, when the gate is open, the garden is open.

Our first sunflower is gazing at the sun...

Our first tomato is hiding from the birds....

And one of our many strawberries is about to get eaten.

Our office is at 4085 Quadra Street and is open from 9:30am - 5:00pm Mondays to Thursdays.

Hope to see you there!

Lana

Summer Music

Dear Saanich South,

Perfect for summer relaxation

A summer day, a blanket on the grass, a flower scented breeze.........  and music. Ah - summer has arrived.

I hope each of you gets a chance to take in some outdoor music or social events this summer! Remember your sunscreen, your hat and your water.

Victoria Folk Music Society - July listings

Saanich Summer Fun Fest - Summer events

These are only two of the many sources of information about summer fun - please email me information you have and I will post it here!

Have fun Saanich!

Lana

Popham Scholarship for Environmental Leadership

I have always been an activist – long before I entered politics I was advocating for changes towards a world where people live sustainably with each other and the environment. Because the environment has always been a major motivating factor in my life choices, I decided to put my money where my values are.

There are three secondary schools in the Saanich South riding, and I, personally, offered each school a $500 scholarship for students demonstrating leadership in environmental issues; global or local. The three schools, South Island Distance Education (SIDES), Claremont Secondary and Spectrum Community School each chose their own recipient. Here is what I learned about our Saanich South high school students.

L to R: Lana , Kristine Chen, Kaia Bryce, Sierra Kemp

Kaia Bryce, of SIDES, really understands the importance of environmental sustainability. She has been very actively involved in campaigns against the Northern Gateway Pipeline proposal and environmentally damaging federal legislation. This Gulf Island youth will be going on to study Environmental Studies and Political Science at the University of Victoria in the autumn.

Sierra Kemp, of Claremont Secondary School, has one year of high school left where she will participate in the Institute for Global Solutions (IGS) program – setting even more ambitious goals for herself. During her year in grade 11, this Saanich South youth organized and created opportunities for fundraising towards a new bike compound at the school.

Finally, Kristine Chen, of Spectrum Community School would like to share the following tips for “Going Green”.

• Eat less meat 
• Recycle everything possible, reuse everything possible and return anything possible 
• Buy fair trade; locally 
• Stop 75% of junk mail by signing up on the “Mail Preference Service” on the Direct Marketing Association website (for a fee of $1.00) 
• Stop receiving unwanted catalogs by visiting “catalogChoice.org”
• Take shorter showers 
• Use cold water for laundry 
• Hang clothing to dry instead of using clothes dryer
• Carpool, bike, walk or jog to destination
• Pay bills online
• Give up plastic and paper bags
• Trade paper towels with reusable microfiber towels 
• Only start a fully loaded dishwasher
• Lower the temperature in fridge
• No dry cleaning
• Increase gas mileage by checking tire pressure 
• No bottled water 

To all three scholarship recipients, I offer my congratulations and best wishes. You are wonderful young women and you remind me to hold onto hope for our future.

Thank you.

Lana

Lowering barriers in Saanich.

Dear Saanich,

At The Cridge Centre for the Family, they say that “Love is the Bottom Line”. Last summer I witnessed that attitude in action with the Brain Injury program and staff. This week, I saw that same compassion and commitment on a tour of the Cridge Transition House for Women.

Abusive relationships often create a dynamic that so utterly disempowers the abused that they cannot see any way out. Many abused women face a fear of repercussions from the abuser, a fear of losing rights or access to children, or a fear of entering (or re-entering) the workforce. These fears, combined with the other dynamics of big life changes can be debilitating. Transition Houses offer connections to community services, on-site counselling and - most importantly - safety for women (and their children) taking that huge step towards a better life.

Left to Right: Shannon Whissell (Fund Development), Lana,
Erika (Lana's staff), Candace Stretch (Assist. Mgr) and
Marlene Goley (Manager Women's Services)

On Monday, the managers of Women’s & Family Services and of Communication & Fund Development took time from their very busy schedules to educate me about the program’s successes and challenges. Housed in a big, 100 year old farm house, this team manages to pull together a very comprehensive home environment on what can only be called a shoe-string budget. They receive minimal funding from public sources, and their fund raising team is always hard at work seeking donations from private sources.

While the transition house movement has come a long way in lowering barriers to services for abused women and children, the goal of eliminating domestic violence has a long way yet to go. 

In the meantime, we are privileged to have such dedicated people, willing to provide a safe place and to advocate for improved services towards healthier lives.

To access Cridge Transition House services or information, call 250-479-3963 any time, day or night. To learn more about, or to volunteer with, Cridge Transition House and other Cridge Centre services go to their website: www.cridge.org. Online donations can be made any time via The Cridge Centre's page at www.CanadaHelps.org. If you prefer, during business hours, call Shannon at (250) 995-6419 to arrange a donation, or email swhissell@cridge.org.

All the best.

Lana