ETA Canada Travel Pass News

Three people are dead, and one person is missing in southern British Columbia after storms caused by an “atmospheric river” caused storms. On October 19, Sonia McIntyre died in Coquitlam, Metro Vancouver, when her house was hit by a landslide.

McIntyre had been a teacher at Aspen wood Elementary School for over 10 years. Coquitlam was an area that received particularly heavy rainfall, with 256 mm of rainfall between the 18th and the night of the 20th. Also on Vancouver Island, two vehicles were swept away by the Sarita River on the west coast on October 20.

The body of one of the victims, Ken Duncan, was found near the vehicles on the 21st. A second vehicle was found the same day but could not be recovered due to high water levels and fast currents.

Police announced on the 22nd that the driver, Bob Vaden, was found dead inside the vehicle. Meanwhile, in Coquitlam, the search continues for Robert Belding, who is believed to have been swept away by the Coquitlam River on the 20th. Coquitlam Rescue and Search Teams believe Belding was trying to rescue his dog, which had fallen into the river.

The dog was later rescued after washing up on the riverbank, but Belding’s whereabouts remain unknown.

On October 15th, BC Conservative Party Leader John Rustad announced his election platform for the British Columbia (BC) provincial election. This was more than a week later than the BC Green Party and the BC New Democratic Party (BCNDP) and came just four days before the election day on the 19th.

To ease the burden on businesses and households, the bill includes tax cuts such as the “Rustad Rebate,” which allows up to $1,500 per month in housing costs to be deducted from income tax, the elimination of state taxes on used cars, the repeal of the carbon tax, and tax cuts for small businesses.

In addition, he has set out large-scale projects, such as public works in Metro Vancouver, such as the construction of a new children’s hospital in Surrey and the SkyTrain between Surrey and Newton, and bridge and highway repair work in the province’s interior. However, he has not included a clear timeline or cost.

The party projects spending would increase by about $2.3 billion a year over two years, with debt estimated at about $11 billion by 2027 — the highest of the three parties. But Rustad has pledged to move to a balanced budget in his second term. He says spending and debt increases can be paid for by increasing revenues by $10.4 billion a year through 2030.

This is based on a projected annual growth rate of 5.4 percent, higher than the BCNDP’s 3.1 percent. Both parties’ projections are significantly higher than the roughly 2.0 percent for financial institutions and other sectors.

In addition to financial measures, he also promised to implement social safety measures, such as cracking down on serious and violent criminals, providing compulsory treatment for addicts who are unable to make decisions for their own survival, and removing tent cities run by homeless people. In addition, it will review “ineffective projects” by the NDP government, and in education-related areas it includes measures such as reinstating the provincial exam for grades 10 to 12 and abolishing SOGI123.

The British Columbia (BC) provincial election is drawing near on the 19th. It is a one-on-one race between the BC New Democratic Party (BCNDP), which is seeking a third consecutive term in power, and the BC Conservative Party, which is seeking its first term in power.

Recently, British Columbia has seen a shift in government with the BCNDP and the BC Liberal Party as the two largest parties, with the BC Green Party making inroads as a third party, though it is a small minority. However, the Liberal Party was renamed BC United by its leader Kevin Falcon and disappeared. Furthermore, this summer, Falcon announced that he would support the Conservative Party and would not run a candidate in this election, and BC United was effectively gone.

As a result, the Conservative Party suddenly emerged as a place for conservatives and a place to vote for voters who wanted a change of government from the NDP. The Conservative Party received only 2% of the vote in the last election. However, according to the current approval ratings released by polling company Ipsos on October 18, the NDP has 44%, the Conservative Party has 42%, and the Green Party has 11%.

In terms of party leader approval ratings, Leader Eby has 34%, Leader Rustad has 29%, and Leader Sonia Firstenaut (BC Green Party) has 13%. Even with the day before the election, it is impossible to predict who the voters will vote for, and the outcome will depend on independent voters on the 19th.

The likely scenario is an NDP minority government or a Conservative minority government, with either the Greens or independents holding a minority of seats to control Parliament. It is unlikely that either party will win a majority. Unfortunately, heavy rain is forecast for Metro Vancouver, the most populous region in British Columbia, and the Victoria area, and attention is being paid to how the weather will affect the vote. The number of early votes that have already been cast is said to be the highest in history.

The deadline for voting is 8 p.m. The results will be broadcast live by all media outlets on the 19th.

On October 3rd, about two weeks before the British Columbia (BC) provincial election, the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) announced its election platform. The 64-page pamphlet includes many initiatives, including housing issues, household finances, health care, and public safety.

The main points, including those already announced, are as follows: The campaign promises a tax cut of about $1,000 for middle-income earners, called a “grocery rebate.”

– Minimum wage adjusted to inflation rate

– Strengthening speculation tax on housing

– Free use of public transport during off-peak hours for seniors

-Double power generation by 2050 Doubling the BC Build program and speeding up prefabricated construction

– Efforts to provide a family doctor to all state residents who want one

– Crackdown on investors in the housing market will provide 300,000 homes for the middle-class

-A significant increase in the health care workforce.

Establishment of the state’s second medical school to train the next generation of doctors. Affordable before- and after-school care for children up to age 12

Extending the West Coast Express to Chilliwack Opening involuntary care facilities for people with multiple addictions, mental illnesses and brain injuries Eby also said he would aim to achieve a balanced budget after the current and next fiscal years have seen deficits, but did not give a specific time frame for when this would be achieved.

In British Columbia (BC), ahead of the provincial election, a televised debate between the leaders of the three major political parties was held on October 8th. David Eby, leader of the BC New Democratic Party (NDP), said at the start of the speech that what the people of the province need now is support, not cuts to services, and cited tax cuts for middle-income earners, affordable childcare, and reduced car insurance. He also criticized John Rustad, leader of the BC Conservative Party, for being an opponent of vaccines and climate change and for making unrealistic promises.

In response, Leader Rustad attacked the NDP’s seven-year government for causing problems such as homeless tent cities, rising crime, housing and health care issues, and leaving people in a situation where they can no longer even use plastic straws.

BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau said both parties lacked a long-term vision and that only the Greens were showing people hope. On the key issue of housing, Eby highlighted past policies such as investment and vacant property taxes and restrictions on short-term rentals, which he said have led to an increase in more affordable rental housing.

In response, Rustad pointed out that the NDP government is simply pushing the blame onto foreigners and investors, and that the problem lies with the government itself. He said he would cut through the lengthy process of building homes. Firstenauer said neither party has focused enough on policies such as rent control and increasing non-profit rental housing.

On October 2nd, the Kelowna RCMP (federal police) announced the arrest of five youths in connection with the assault of a 13-year-old girl in Kelowna, British Columbia (BC). The incident occurred at around 8:30 pm on September 27th at Boyce-Giro Beach Park when several youths pushed the victim to the ground, punched him, and assaulted him by throwing sand at him. The victim was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. About 30 youths were at the scene watching and filming the assault, one of whom called the police and the other tried to stop it, and police have expressed their gratitude to the two.

All five suspects arrested are under the age of 18 and have currently been released under strict conditions. A video of the assault is said to be circulating online, and police are urging people to stop spreading the video and are also appealing for anyone with information about the incident. Police say there were 41 youth assault incidents in Kelowna in 2023, a significant increase from 16 in 2022.

Of the incidents in 2023, more than 30 per cent involved the use of a weapon, including bear spray.

With the British Columbia (BC) provincial election approaching, BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau announced her election platform on October 1st, ahead of other parties. The party had already unveiled several promises, including establishing a network linking the state’s 93 community health centres, making mental health care covered under the MSP up to six times a year, and continuing the carbon tax and increasing rebates for residents.

The pledges announced this time include making vaccinations completely free, establishing a special investigation unit for missing and murdered indigenous women, supporting the controversial SOGI123 (a resource recommended by the state Department of Education to support LGBTQ students), establishing public drug use facilities in all public hospitals, and raising taxes on homes valued at over $3 million.

On the environmental front, he pledged to increase carbon taxes on companies that pollute the environment, to not approve any new developments in fracking (a method of natural gas extraction) or pipelines or liquefied natural gas development due to concerns about the environmental impact, and to gradually reduce natural gas production.

Danone Canada has announced a recall of its flagship yogurt brand, Kirkland Signature Probiotic Yogurt. The affected products are 24 packages of 100 grams each that were sold at Costco from September 3 to 19, 2024, with a Costco ID number of 1264134.

The products contain a type of yeast that could make people ill, the statement said but added that “this yeast is known not to grow at refrigeration temperatures and therefore poses a low food safety risk.”

The expiration dates for the affected products are October 18th, October 20th, and October 22nd, 2024. If you have purchased any of the affected products, you are advised not to eat them. Costco is offering refunds on affected products.

The Grain Workers Union Local 333 and the employer, the Vancouver Terminal Elevators Association (VTEA), have been in labour negotiations since November 2023. However, after the contract expired in December, negotiations reached an impasse, and the union issued a strike notice on September 21 of this year.

The issues at stake are wages, pensions, benefits and schedules. The strikes are taking place at six terminals in Vancouver and North Vancouver, where more than 50 percent of Canada’s grain was produced last year, and the impact on the economy and supply chain is huge, with each day the strikes cost the country $35 million in lost exports, according to producers’ organization Grain Growers of Canada (GGC).

With unions and employers exchanging accusations, producers are concerned about the harvest season and the GGC is calling for the federal government to step in. Labour Minister Stephen McKinnon posted on Twitter that he met with both sides on the 23rd and that the two have agreed to resume negotiations under government mediation.

CTV News Online quoted Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University who specializes in food policy, as saying that “it could have an impact on food security,” and that if the strike continues for more than a week, consumers could face shortages and higher prices.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) spent four days freeing the humpback whale, which had become tangled in fishing gear, ropes and buoys, in what DFO marine mammal coordinator Paul Cottrell said was “one of the longest rescues we’ve ever done.” The rescue took place between Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii on the north coast of British Columbia. The whale had apparently been entangled in fishing gear for months, and ropes had wrapped around its head, blocking its mouth. “We didn’t know where to start,” Cottrell said. The rescue team cut 50 ropes and other items from the whale’s body to remove them.

The whale had not eaten anything for a long time and was in such a bad condition that it had difficulty surfacing to breathe, but after being rescued, it seemed to have regained its strength. However, because it had many injuries on its body, DFO said it would continue to monitor its condition.

Cottrell said there has been an increase in whales getting entangled in fishing gear off the coast of British Columbia, which he believes may be linked to the influx of whales into the area. Whale conservation groups have called on DFO to provide training and equipment so that outside groups can carry out rescue operations.