april 2010 thompson edition - north of 50

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LOCAL LATITUDE, GLOBAL ATTITUDE

Thompson / Nicola / South CaribooFree PublicationApril 2010 Vol. 3, Issue 4, Publications Mail Agreement 41188516, ISSN # 1710-4750

EARTHSHIP HOMEKamloops Couple Believes in Rational Environmentalism

North of 50

NORTH of 50 April 20102 Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

NORTH of 50 April 2010 3Thompson/Nicola/South Cariboo

KEY THE WORDS SUSTAINABILITY, carbon footprint, climate change, Kyoto, or Copenhagen into your computer and watch as Google generates 100 million hits. Environmental doomism greets us every time we tune into the TV or flip through the newspaper. In the face of enormous global problems – polar ice caps crumbling into the sea at an unprecedented rate, consumption pushing our planet beyond its ability to sustain life – it is easy to feel overwhelmed and left standing asking the question, “Where do I begin?”“By starting with the small stuff,” says Sandra Burkholder, who with husband Chris Newton, is constructing an Earthship in the small North Thompson community of Darfield. “If you can do the small stuff then I feel the big stuff will start to take care of itself. If you get too caught up in the big, big stuff, you are going to get really, really depressed.” Sandra, Chris, along with children Katie, Stephen and Helen, are travelling the road to sustainability, one cast-off tire and aluminium can at a time. Fatigued from operating a log home building business, the couple sat down two years ago and gave some serious contemplation to where they wanted to see themselves in the future. The consensus was in an environmentally sustainable home, with no mortgage, having more time to spend with their children. An engineer schooled at the University of Toronto, Chris has long held an interest in sustainability. After working with an architect and drawing up a set of plans for a green home, Chris found himself in a place of disconnect when the plans did not jive with what he felt represented truly sustainable architecture. At the same time, by happenstance he says, Chris stumbled upon Mike Reynold’s movie Garbage Warrior and the Earthship concept. The Earthship, as it exists today, began to take shape in the 1970s when U.S. architect Mike Reynolds created a sustainable home using indigenous and recycled materials. Reynolds wife coined the name Earthship because the housing structure was self-sustaining, requiring no outside source of water or electricity. “What really attracted me to Earthships was the whole idea of standing back of the construction process and saying, ‘We have a problem with how we build, maintain and pay for houses,’ says Chris, a Quebec native who moved from San Francisco to Darfield with Sandra 11 years ago. “Earthships address those issues.” Construction of the couple’s 2,000 sq. ft. home (being built to code and chronicled at http://earthship.darfield.com) began a year ago, though collection of 900 ‘steel-belted bricks’ (discarded rubber tires) began six months prior. The tires have since, by family, friends and neighbours, been rammed with earth and stacked nine high to serve as walls. This spring 10,000 (7,000 still to be collected) pop and beer cans will be pressed into a form of cement for

interior walls and covered with an adobe-like mud. The total cost of the Earthship, which will incorporate south-facing windows to capture seasonal sun, a grey water collection system, composting toilets and a greenhouse, is estimated at $60,000. While the family will hook up to the power grid at the onset, they do not anticipate their energy usage registering more than a blip. And here lies the rub. Despite building the most extreme of green homes, the Darfield couple refute the label of environmentalists living outside the mainstream. They instead see themselves as frugalists simply building upon thrifty principles. “When you talk about frugality it is kind of like a dirty word,” says Sandra, a Barriere native, while speaking via Skype from the 600 sq. ft. home she has shared with husband and children for the past two years. “When people think frugal they think cheap and they really are two different things… When you don’t spend as much, when you don’t have to service debt, you have more money to spend on things that mean something to you.” “We all kind of picture ourselves as saving the world – going off on some mad environmental crusade,” says Chris. “But by not doing things, by being frugal, we are not using up resources. By not doing things we are actually accomplishing our goals.” Lindsay Coulter, the David Suzuki Foundation’s ‘Queen of Green,’ says it is people like Sandra and Chris that inspire and illustrate the power of the individual. “They show that you can begin with what you are passionate about and go from there.” “People inspire other people,” says Lindsay during a telephone interview. “Sometimes we might think ‘I could never do that. It’s too much sacrifice.’ But if we take a moment to think about it, we realize we can take smaller steps in our daily life. “If you are a cycling athlete, you can cycle to work. If you are into fashion you can check out the local consignment store down the street. You can take that angle with no matter what it is.” Each year Sandra and Chris integrate one new green principle into their daily lives and while many of the decisions made in their home are made in the context of fiscal sustainability, their mindful use of resources does trickle into the global state of affairs. Gisela Ruckert, vice-chair of the British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association’s Kamloops chapter says cultural shifts do start with a few individuals committed to change. As awareness increases the behaviours eventually become the norm. “Thirty years ago, it was unusual to wear seat belts in vehicles – now just about everyone ‘buckles up’ without even thinking,” Gisela says. “The same process will happen with sustainability – our habits will eventually change to reflect our greater

awareness of the environment.”Ruckert, who with other BCSEA volunteers works to bring the Energy Fair to Kamloops each June, points out that although individual actions may seem small, they can, and do, make a significant difference. “Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth takes no effort at all, but can save up to four gallons per minute. That’s almost 3,000 gallons of water per year that won’t have to be taken from the river, treated, pumped into residences and possibly heated before being washed down the drain, and treated again. That’s a huge payoff for a small individual action.” Significant in the light that Statistics Canada cites per capita Canadian water usage as being the second highest in the world (behind the U.S.) “Although individual action is rooted in what we do on our own, it has ripple effects,” says Lindsay. “So we can vote with our dollar for example. When we buy fair trade, organic and bird-friendly coffee that purchase makes a difference in the countries where coffee is grown. “Your morning cup of java impacts the lives of people in other countries and even the migrant song birds we’ll see return to North America come spring. This is why it’s so important – because we do not live in individual bubbles.”

EARTHSHIP HOMEKamloops Couple Believes in Rational EnvironmentalismPHOTOS AND STORY BY SHERRY BENNETT

The major structural building component of the Earthship is recycled tires filled with compacted earth to form a rammed earth brick encased in steel belted rubber. The bearing walls the tires form are virtually indestructible.

Approximately 17 similar Earthships have been built in Canada. Sandra and Chris believe their Earthship is the first to be built under permits.


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APRIL 16-25 IS EARTH WEEK so we thought it appropriate to bring you some “earthy” stories this month.

If you’re reading this magazine in page order, you’ve already read about the Darfield family who are building an earthship house, constructed with discarded rubber tires and recycled pop and beer cans. And just a few pages over you’ll read about an Oliver couple who have built a home with walls made out of rammed earth, a building method which is, apparently, as old as dirt, but I hadn’t heard of before.

I admire people who are so committed to a project and a lifestyle that instead of just thinking about it, they actually do it. Let’s face it; it’s not easy being green.

Environmentalists tell us: walk, cycle, use public transit, carpool. Good advice, but impractical for most who live in the interior. To access public transit, rural residents would have to drive their vehicle to the bus stop. Farmers cannot haul livestock, produce or hay in a bicycle basket. They need their truck. Who can find someone who lives near and works at the same place at the same time? Ever tried cycling in the snow? Walking is fine if you live downtown, but what if you’re out in the suburbs?

And what about the 100 Mile Diet, where we consume only what is grown or produced within 100 miles of home in order to reduce emissions from long distance transport. The Thompson/ Nicola/ South Cariboo may be famous for its food producers, ranchers and farmers, but sticking to the 100 Mile Diet still is no easy task. Coffee is out for a start. And rice. You weren’t expecting to enjoy olives or olive oil, were you? Or tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples. Sugar? Nope. Strict adherence

to the 100 Mile Diet requires more than a little willpower.

Conflicting information makes it even harder to be green. It seems everyone doesn’t agree that the 100 Mile Diet truly reduces your carbon footprint. Detractors argue that there is no real energy efficiency gained with the 100 Mile Diet because semi trucks, ships and airplanes are more efficient per kilo of food than a small truck or van a farmer might use, and that the commercial transport is likely making its return trip loaded with another cargo, while the farmer will make the return trip empty.

Making good decisions about green issues is a complex and often contradictory drill. What is a consumer to do?

Perhaps all consumers cannot follow the same green path, but every consumer can follow a green path that suits their individual situation. True, we cannot all invest in expensive alternative energy sources, however, there there’s a lot we can do to reduce our energy consumption. Turn off the lights and your computer. Unplug appliances when not in use. Consider drought tolerant plants for the yard. Turn down the hot water heater and the thermostat. Buy locally. Recycle.

Preserving the planet for future generations is not just a noble cause; it’s an absolute necessity. Our excesses of the past 100 or so years have contaminated the water we drink, the air we breathe, the ground we walk on, and impacted our personal health. It isn’t always easy to be green; but really, what’s the alternative?

North of 50


Does anyone have the right to tell the story of someone else’s death? The right to put it out for public perusal as though it was just another item of interest? I have no answer. In this land on the other side of the world, both are a frequent condition. Death and no answers. Once a week we do doctors’ rounds to all the rooms in TB 2 hospital. TB 2 is 19 kilometres out of town. A bare, two story structure surrounded by some dry garden

and then the desert. There are 80 patients here. They all have either multi-drug resistant tuberculosis or extreme drug resistant tuberculosis. Their treatment lasts two years if they can stick it out. They stay in TB 2 until their test results turn negative which will indicate they are no longer infectious. This could take only a month on the heavy cocktail of drugs or as long as 8 months or more. There is no way to tell. Once they turn negative they can go home but must stay on the same drug regimen for the full two years. Sounds simple, except the drugs cause terrible side effects - most commonly nausea, but almost always conbinations of other ailments - joint pain, headache, rashes, fever, depression, hearing loss, diarrhea, kidney and liver problems, dizziness, and on and on. Every morning, the patients awake feeling dread about later having to swallow the mass of pills. They know too well how it will affect them. But if they don’t stay on this medication they will die. And before they die they will become infectious again. I tell them they are warriors, that they fight an invasion just as surely as every patriot throughout history, that they fight for their people, their community, their family, and their future selves. I tell them it matters. Two weeks ago, on doctors’ rounds there were 5 doctors, a nurse, two translators and me going room to room, standing over patients and talking about them. In dull monotones, the condition of each patient was briefly outlined. As usual, we each wore a yellow face mask in the shape of a duck bill. This is the dance of the zoo. We walk about staring at the specimens quiet on their beds. They stare at us, tolerate us who are not entirely human. And there she was in a middle bed of a room with six other women. Only she was completely prone. Frail. Oxygen mask tight around her mouth, lips pulled back and teeth in a steady grimace. Death grimace. We talked far above her, so small and limp on the bed, breathing in short, puffing breaths.

I confess. I watched a whole lot of the Olympics. Sure, I’m not happy how the VANOC circus soaked up money from dozens of critical programs ranging from school lunches and fall fairs to support for adult literacy and arts initiatives, but I figured we’d paid for them (and would continue to do so for many years), so why not enjoy them? And I did. For a while. Certainly the athletic prowess on display was always impressive and at times nothing short of super-human. (What’s with the half pipe and aerials? They’ve turned winter sports into aerobatics.) But as the days went on, I found myself

getting worn down by the relentless hype, hysterical commentary, unrelenting commercial promotion and frantic nationalism. Initially I found comments such as “This race gives (insert athletes’ name) a chance to redeem herself,” and “This is a bitter defeat for Canada” puzzling and mildly offensive, but as they went on and the hyperbole increased, the comments – and attitudes behind them – became downright disturbing. After one young woman finished a few milliseconds behind a handful of other young women who had jumped on upscale Flexible Flyers and slid down an icy course on their backs, a callous reporter pushed the athlete, already in tears, to “tell us how you’re feeling right now.” The poor woman could hardly speak. “I’ve let down my team. I’ve let down Canada,” she tearfully confessed. “No! No!” I found myself yelling at the screen. “Get this into perspective. I don’t feel let down. You rode a sled a little slower than some other girls! That’s it!” Then I turned my attention to the reporter, who continued shoving the mike in her face while the cameraman recorded each tear welling out of her eyes. “Give her a break, you creep!” I shouted. As TVs are one-way communication devices, neither heard me. The only result was that my dog looked at me in alarm. The whole “Canada is coming to an end because we didn’t own the podium after all” reached a low point for me when I turned on CTV around Day 6 or so to hear a commentator intone gloomily, “And now here is more heartbreaking news for Canada.” And what was this shattering news, Canada? (Hope you’re sitting down.) It seems that one Canadian young man, who makes his living going down snowy

Olympic Heartbreak

Bending to Beauty

Calvin White

Don Sawyer

FAIR COMMENT

slopes very fast and jumping over big bumps, had fallen toward the end of a race, “denying Canada a bronze medal.” Oh my god. As I pondered this scenario, I thought about some of the headlines I’d seen over that week of the games. Canada, if you want some real heartbreaking news, try a few of these:

• “Almost half of all the world’s primates face imminent extinction”• “27 Afghan civilians killed in Nato air strike”• “Cocaine byproduct turning Argentina’s slum children into the living dead”• “Acidifying oceans foretell grim future for coral reefs”• “Haiti’s suffering is a result of calculated impoverishment”

I realize, of course, that there is so much real heartbreak in the world we need to occasionally take shelter in diversions, whether they are computer games or Olympic games. But when the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” apply only to ski cross or Auto Theft 3, there is something seriously wrong. We are living in, as Chris Hedges puts it, an “empire of illusion,” where spectacle has triumphed not only over literacy, but also rationality, global consciousness, compassion, engagement and caring. As the days wore on, I wondered at the energy and emotion expended not only by the athletes, but by the thousands of onlookers that choked Vancouver’s streets and clanged and clammered support for their favourite athletes at the various venues. I also wondered how it is that games somehow take on such importance, such centrality in our lives when the real contests, the life and death struggles such as averting environmental disaster and dealing with global poverty, seem to evoke so little of that same passion. T’was always thus, I hear you say. And indeed, it was in 100 AD that Roman poet Juvenal lamented Roman citizens’ forfeiture of civil engagement and responsibility for “bread and games.” But that is hardly reassuring. While the Romans spent their last years whooping it up at the Collosseum and eventually pulled that culture down around their heads, this time it won’t be restricted to Italy. This time the collapse will be worldwide. So I’ve got a great idea for some real global games. How about a competition, with the same level of funding and commercial support, as well as the screaming crowds, that has nations matching wits in solving global problems. Can’t you hear it? “And winning gold for Canada in the Poverty Alleviation Long Course event…” Now that’s a victory I’d sing O’Canada for any day.

Positive again. Only two weeks before, negative and then this serious relapse. Walking about, smiling, legs pushing forward beneath the deep wine coloured woolen overcoat she surely wore in this cold desert. Two weeks ago, breathing the same air as the duck gods above her staring down at her. The visiting Ukrainian doctor walked over and knelt beside her. He took her pulse, lifted her blanket, lifted her sweater, prodded her abdomen. The front. The side. Tapped it. She winced. He didn’t look at her. He never said a word. Then the Kenyan doctor stooped. He did the same. Gentler. She didn’t wince. He never looked at her nor said a word. This small woman. Only flesh, breathing. They all left the room. I stayed behind and went over to her, placed my hand on her forehead, looked into her eyes. She was alarmed. Her eyes darted about. I could see she was thinking, “Why is he doing this? Why? Why?” I was scared that I was frightening her, confusing her. Another duck god acting upon her. I didn’t know what to do or say. But I knew I had to try. So I left my hand on her forehead, rubbed at her shoulder with the other and stayed silent. Minutes passed, and I said to my translator, “Tell her that when she gets better, I will come back to dance with her.” She uttered back, “Why is he saying this to me and not the other girls?” I told my translator to say, “Because you’re beautiful.” “Thank you,” she whispered. And now, these two weeks have passed and so has she. Her frail wisp of self becoming only the flesh those doctors saw. We forget so easily how to be human, how to be with another human, how easy it is to notice beauty. Bend to it. I said something else to the frail woman as I left her room. I said, “thank you.” Calvin White is a retired high school counsellor who lives in the North Okanagan. He has over 70 essays published in various Canadian daily newspapers, including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun and Province. If you have any comments on this column, you can write to Calvin White at [email protected] or to Calvin White c/o North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

Calvin White is currently working with Doctors Without Borders in Uzbekistan, a landlocked former part of the Soviet Union. He will be there for about a year, working with victims of drug resistant tuberculosis and training counsellors to do the same. He continues to submit his columns to North of 50 from there.


Coming EventsApril 1 - April 10, WESTERN CANADA THEATRE PRESENTS SKYDIVE BY KEVIN KERR, Sagebrush Theatre Tickets at Kamloops LIVE! Box Office, phone 250-3745483 or visit 1025 Lorne Street Monday & Tuesday - 7:30pm, Wednesday to Saturday - 8:00pm, No Show Sunday.

April 7-10, THE SOUND OF MUSIC - Musical, sponsored by 100 Mile Performing Arts Society; eve performances at 7 pm, April 10th matinee 1 pm & eve 7 pm. Martin Exeter Hall, 100 Mile House. Contact: Jan Richmond 250-791-5477.

April 9 and 10, RV & OUTDOOR SHOW, South Cariboo Rec Centre, 100 Mile House. SC Rec Centre, Kersti Foote 250-395-1353, [email protected]. For more info check out www.icesports.com.

April 10, 100 MILE DIET, HEALTH & WELLNESS FAIR 2010 The aim of this event is to promote eating locally within a 100 mile radius of where you live. There will be a number of exhibits in food, health, environmental displays and much more. The tradeshow runs from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. The workshops also run during the same time as the tradeshow, with Key note Speaker Dr. Art Hister from Global News. The tradeshow and workshops are admission by donation with proceeds going to the Aboriginal Agricultural Education Society of BC. In the evening a dinner will be held from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Tickets for the dinner at $25 each or 2 for $45. All the events take place at Norkam Secondary School. A silent auction, door prizes and much more! For more info. call 250-314-6804.

April 14, PERFORMING ARTS WESTSYDE PRESENTS STEEL MAGNOLIAS Tickets $10, available at Westsyde Secondary or at the door. 250-579-9271

April 16, DAVID LANGEVIN AND THE BLUES JUMPERS at the Ukrainian Hall Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. FMI or tickets call Cathie Peters at 250.828.0190 or [email protected]

April 17, KAMLOOPS SYMPHONY PRESENTS BIG SCREEN, Silent films by Charlie Chaplin shown on a big screen are fabulous and the live music written by Carl Davis is a perfect fit. Experience some hilarious moments from the history of cinema. Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm at the Sagebrush Theatre. Call 250-372-5000 for tickets or more information.

April 17, NEVER 2 LATE at the Barnhartvale Coffee House. The final Coffee House for this season will be held at the Barnhartvale Hall on Saturday April 17th. The Feature Act will be Never 2 Late, a 4 piece local cover band. They will play an eclectic mix of pop and light rock, "oldies but goodies ". 7pm; Music 7:30pm; Admission still only $4; children and "Open Mic" performing musicians are free. To volunteer and for info please call Cherryl at 250-573-5719

April 17, BENEFIT DANCE & AUCTION, Music by The Hoodlums from Hope; doors open at 6:30 pm; all proceeds go to the 100 Mile & District Women's Centre. 108 Community Hall. Edna Burns at 250-791-5764 or Leslie Reid at 250-791-5486.

April 17,10:00 am to 4:00 pm THE BARRIERE & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE invites you to attend their trade show for the North Thompson Valley. Admission is free. The trade show will be held in the Barriere Curling Rink Lots of door prizes and food service is available all day. For more information contact Barb Gordon 250-672-2111 or [email protected]. April 21, CRAIG KIELBURGER Investors Group presents The World Needs Your Kid: How to raise children who care and contribute Four time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Craig Kielburger will speak and inspire the crowd at the Sagebrush Theatre. Tickets are just a $15 donation or a $55 donation for a family of 4 and are available by calling Investors Group at 372-2955. 50% of the proceeds will go to Free The Children's efforts in Haiti; 50% will go to our local international development organization, Developing World Connections for their efforts to rebuild Haiti. Contact Shalen Curle at (250) 372-2955 or [email protected]

April 24, 7 pm to 1 am HEFFLEY STOMP, Music by Carl the One Man Band, 50/50 Draw, Concession, $15 advance purchase, $20 at the door. Call Anita at (250) 578-8694 or ron at (250) 214-0557 for more information. No Minors.

April 23, The Ashcroft Art club will be hosting its 43rd ANNUAL ART SHOW AND SALE OPENING NIGHT for adults only 6 pm - 9 pm. Everyone welcome as the show continues on: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday April 24th, 25th, 26th, 27, 2010, 12 noon - 5 pm at St. Alban's Anglican Church Hall, 503 Brink Street, Ashcroft BC. 33 artists will be exhibiting work in various 2 D and 3 D media including pencil, watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastel. Artists meet every Wednesday at the Anglican Church Hall from October to April. Our membership includes residents from Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Savona, Clinton, Logan Lake. Lois Sowden 250-453-9595,Sharon Rennie 250-457-6334.

April, 24, CLINTON & DISTRICT OUTDOOR SPORTSMEN ASSOC. Sportsmen's Banquet, Social Hour 4:30 pm. Dinner 6 pm, Live Auction, Door Prizes, Dance to Live Music of Creeshu. Clinton Community Hall, Clinton, BC.Tickets $25, call 250-459-2181, 459-2487, 459-7013, 459-2362, 459-2625.

April 24, OPERA-LICIOUS by BC Living Arts at Kamloops Convention Centre. A delicious offering of dinner and opera courtesy of BC Living Arts, featuring Alan Corbishley, Peter Collins and Lambroula Pappas. Tickets are $75 for non-members or $70 for members available in advance until April 21 at the Kamloops Live! Box Office 250.374.LIVE

May 1, OLD TIME FIDDLE COMPETITION, B.C. Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Kamloops Branch #12 present the 26th Annual Old Time Fiddle Contest at St. John Vianney Church Hall, 2826 Bank Road (Westsyde) in Kamloops all day Saturday May 1, 2010. Preliminaries beginning at 11:00 am., $ 5.00. Evening finals (beginning approximately 6:00 pm) and dance following presentation of awards, $ 10.00. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are free. Advance tickets can be purchased at Coopers Foods - Lansdowne Village location only or at the Seniors Information Centre in Northills Shopping Centre on the North Shore. For further information call (250) 374-1838 or (250) 376-2330.

Dementia Education Workshops

April 6, 6-8:30pm,GETTING TO KNOW DEMENTIA Basic information about Alzheimer’s and related dementia and the progression helps deal with the disease at all stages. Where: Alzheimer Society of B.C. Central Interior Resource Centre 543 Battle Street, Kamloops

April 20, 2010, 6 - 8:30 pm,STAYING WELL WHILE CARING, Caring for ones self is a challenge for caregivers. The workshop is about sustaining oneself as the demands of caring grow. Where: Alzheimer Society of B.C. Central Interior Resource Centre543 Battle Street, Kamloops

Generously supported byProvince of British Columbia, Manulife Financial, Pfizer Canada Inc., RBC Foundation, Janssen-Ortho Incorporated, Novartis Pharma Canada Incorporated, F.K. Morrow Foundation, BC Hydro Employees’ Community Services.*** You Must pre-register as space is limited. ***Call 250-377-8200 or email [email protected] fee for these workshops, Donations welcome

Kamloops Support Groups

April 8,10 am -12 noon,CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND INFORMATION GROUP,Alzheimer Society of B.C. Central Interior Resource Centre543 Battle Street, Kamloops,Call 250-377-8200 for more information and to register

April 22, 7 - 9 pm. CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND INFORMATION GROUP,Alzheimer Society of B.C. Central Interior Resource Centre, 543 Battle Street, Kamloops,Call 250-377-8200 for more information and to register.

April 27, 7 - 9 pm, CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND INFORMATION GROUP,Alzheimer Society of B.C., Central Interior Resource Centre,543 Battle Street, Kamloops,Call 250-377-8200 for more information and to register.


7:00 pm. Jeanette Moslin (250) 372-9669.

The Wells Gray Country Seniors Society meet the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Resource Centre; Third Sunday Seniors Social at 1p.m. in the Munroe Room at Wells Gray Inn; Seniors Book Club meet on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Clearwater library. Contact Lois Geiger, [email protected].

The Kamloops Raging Grannies is a non-partisan group of women who use humor to actively raise the consciousness of citizens through peaceful means to promote positive change within our communities. More info 372-3105.

Tuesday afternoon cribbage at the McArthur park lawn Bowling Clubhouse (beside NorBroc Stadium) at 1:30 p.m. Everyone welcome. No partners needed. Crib, coffee and good company. Call 250-579-0028.

Are you a breast cancer survivor looking for fun, fitness and friendship? The Spirit Warrior dragon boat team is a great group of women who meet Tuesdays & Thursdays at 6pm at Pioneer Park in Kamloops. We are looking for more members, no experience required! Call Liama at 377-8514 or Dell at 320-1765 or e-mail [email protected].

Bridge at Desert Gardens Community Centre, every Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. 540 Seymour Street. For info call (250) 372-5110.

The Kamloops Family History Society meets every fourth Thursday throughout the year Sept - May. We meet at the Heritage House from 7:00 - 9:00 pm.

To all bridge players: We welcome new players to our 12:30p.m. Tuesday gatherings at Desert Gardens Community Centre on Seymour Street. If you know the fundaments of the game, you can learn as you go. Call Dave, 250-374-4963, or Peg, 250-376-0250

The Alzheimer Society of BC, Central Interior, 543 Battle St. Kamloops, offers programs and services for people whose lives are

100 Mile House100 Mile Legion All-Veterans get-togethers are held Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the legion. Meat draws at 3 p.m. For more information call 395-2511.

Creekside Seniors Centre offers activities for seniors such as pool, darts, bridge, whist, cribbage and carpet bowling. For more information call (250)395-3919.

108 Newcomers Group. First and third Thursday of every month at 10:30 am in the Community Centre upstairs room. Meet other newcomers over a cup of coffee in an informal setting. Drop-in fee: $2. Caroline 791-9250.

Spinners and Weavers meetings in the event calen meet every first Friday at the Parkside Art Gallery, at 385 Dogwood Crescent from 10 am to 2pm interest-ed people can contact our president Unni at: http://www.trollheimenweaving.com/

BarriereBarriere Survivors meet 2nd Monday of the Month 10:30 am to 12:30 @ Volunteer Centre. Anyone who has suffered a Brain Injury Ph. Kamloops Brain Injury Assoc (250) 372-1799 ask for John

Alzheimers/Dementia Support Group 1st Thursday of each month from 10:00a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Volunteer Centre on Barriere Town Rd. Phone 250-377-8200 or 1-800-886-6946.

CHaseChase Village Friday Evening Market 4-7 pm. Local produce, baked goods, and arts & crafts.

KaMloopsBIG Little Science CentrePUBLIC HOURS 2009 - 2010 Discover & Explore Fun Science. Enjoy TWO FULL Rooms with over 130 Hands-on Stations. Thursdays and Fridays 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Saturdays 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. With a Special Activity or Show at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Closed Sundays and Holidays. For more information contact: Gord Stewart at: 250-554-

2572 or 250-319-0689 E-mail: [email protected]

The newly formed Kamloops Garden Railway Club is looking for donations of large-scale track, buildings & rolling stock for a permanent "G" scale layout at The Kamloops Wildlife Park. Tax receipts will be issued. To donate or for more information on our organization ~ call Hans @ 250-828-1418.

Breast cancer support group meet the second Saturday of the month at Lansdown Village, lower level, 111-450 Lansdowne St., from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 250-374-9188.

Wonder CafeSoup Kitchen at Mt. Paul United Church, 140 Laburnum Ave. (Kamloops North Shore), serves hot lunch every Thursday from 11a.m. to 1p.m.

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month at Medichair, boardroom. 210-450 Landsdowne Street, contact for info: Ken at 250-819-0315 or Evelyn at 250-828-6647.

Pottery classes for the Fab 55+. Discover or rediscover the great feeling of creating in clay- Hand building, sculpture, coils or slabs. Held every Tuesday from 1-3:30PM at Heritage House pottery studio in Riverside Park. $5 for non members $3 for members. Free clay is available for small projects and fee covers firing, glazing and use of tools. For more information contact Diane Britt at 573-2604 or 377-8793.

The local chapter of Green Drinks International (greendrinks.org) will meet on the first Monday of each month. November 2nd, 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Green Drinks is a non-profit social group. Topics discussed in the past include gardening, green home building, air pollution, home canning, straw bale houses!Mary Ellen Grant [email protected] or250.371.7172

Kamloops Garden Club Meets every 4th Wed. of the month in Heritage House at

affected by Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Programs and services include education workshops and information and support groups for family caregivers and for people diagnosed with early dementia. Call 250-377-8200 or 1-800-866-6946.

Interior Authors Group, a group that brings people together who are interested in the art of writing, meets the second Wednesday of the month at the Kamloops Art Gallery, 465 Victoria St., at 7p.m. Call Ted Joslin, 250-374-8910.

Dance to the music of the Kamloops Old Time Fiddlers every 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month from now until the end of April, 7:30 to 10:30 pm at Heritage House, 100 Lorne Street. Members $ 6.00 ea., non-members $ 7.00. Everyone is welcome. FMI 250-376-2330."

Join a fun men’s and women’s a cappella chorus, The Hub City Singers, in rehersals every Tuesday, 7 to 9p.m., at the Old Yacht Club, 1140 River St. Members don’t have to be able to read music. Call 250-578-7503.

Seniors Dance with the Golden Serenadors every second Friday of the month at the North Shore Community Centre, 730 Cottonwood Ave. Admission $4 Call 250-376-4777

PATCHS, a grassroots community-based group working to achieve positive changes in the health care system, meets the first Monday of each month at Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul St., at 6:30p.m. Call Rick, 250-579-8541 or email [email protected].

Kamloops Ostomy Support Group meets at 7 pm on first Thursday of month. Contact: Ketina at 250-571-1456.

THE KAMLOOPS FAM-ILY HISTORY SOCIETY meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Heritage House, 100 Lorne St., Riv-erside Park, 7-9 p.m. (Sept to May). Dr. Tom Dickin-son from TRU will speak on DNA in Genealogy. Guests and new members are welcome. For infor call 250-579-2078.

laC la HaCHe

OAPO #176 Pioneer Centre offer several activities, such as pool, bridge, Canasta, square dancing, contra, rounds, pilates, and general exercise. For more information call Ron 250.396.7298, Agnes 250.396.7231 or Hazel 250.396.7698

lillooetRoyal Canadian Legion Branch 66 737 Main Street Lillooet BC 250-256-7332Meat draws every Friday 5:30-8:30PM Members and Guests always welcome

Carpet Bowling for Seniors, Mondays & Thursdays from 10:30 - 11:30 am at the Gymnasium or Mezzanine at the Lillooet & District REC Centre, 930 Main Street. Drop In Fee.

50+ Fitness at the REC Centre. aerobic style fitness class, Nov. 10-3, 9-10 am, $56 PHone (250) 256-7527

Adult Drop-in Hockey, September through March noon to 1 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays at the REC Centre. Drop in Rates Appy

logan laKeLogan Lake Seniors holds Bingo Fridays 1-3, 80 - 150 Opal, Village Centre Mall. Call (250) 523-2759.

MerrittBingo Tuesdays at 1 p.m. at the Merritt Senior Centre. Rummoli and Pool Fridays at 7 p.m. 2202

Jackson Avenue.

Join the Toastmasters to gain confidence! They meet every Tuesday at 5:00 pm at the Merritt Library.

savonaJoin us for exercise Wednesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 a.m. OAPO Branch 129, 6605 Buie Road/Savona Access Road. Call Jennier Coburn for more info at (250) 373-0081.

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Back to the EarthBY ANDREA DUJARDIN-FLEXHAUG

IT SITS NESTLED BESIDE a rock bluff along a windy, quiet street in the small town of Oliver. This two-storey earth-toned house is different from all the neighbouhood abodes. In fact, the home is the first of its kind in mainland BC. With walls made out of rammed earth, homeowners Kathy Molloy and Stanley Zappa, have made use of a method of house-building that has been around for thousands of years. In these days of attention to conservation and “green” issues, rammed earth construction is edging more into the public interest. What better material to build with than the soil of the earth, which is sustainable and inexpensive, not to mention non-toxic and readily available. The concoction of ingredients is simple, and consists of soil, sand and limestone tailings, which are then mixed with cement and water. Although tamped by hand in olden days, now it is pneumatically tamped layer by layer. When it dries, it is rock solid. Molloy and Zappa hold fast to the philosophy that the best way to preserve nature is to leave it be, and adapt to the land, rather than the other way around. The rammed earth style of building fits that way of thinking and is also well-suited to the South Okanagan semi-desert climate and landscape. Molloy has taken education in rammed earth construction and was the designer and general contractor for their home. Zappa had practical experience working on the much heralded rammed earth feature wall at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos. By doing the bulk of the work themselves, with interested helpers along the way, Molloy estimates they saved about $100 per square foot, in comparison to a conventional stick frame home. Any home-building endeavour entails a lot of hard work, but the paybacks of a rammed earth house are worth the effort. The house is made to last much longer than a standard house, does not need painting and requires little maintenance. The home’s 18-inch thick outer rammed earth walls, with four inches of insulation, make for a high thermal mass. They serve as an excellent barrier against the hot Okanagan summers, with no air conditioner required. Zappa and Malloy use ceiling fans only on the hottest days. “I think the biggest savings will be in the reduced energy costs,” observes Molloy, “Our heating costs this wonderful winter were $30 a month.” The couple’s only source of heat at the moment is a woodstove, although they have heating loops in the floor and will install the boiler when funds allow. A major benefit of this house is that it is fireproof, a definitie plus in an area prone to summer wildfires. The house is also insect and bug proof. Inside, salvage materials are the name of the game. There isn’t a single new door installed and by reusing new materials that other homeowners have decided against, the couple not only adhered to green principles, but saved money as well. The kitchen sink backsplash, for example, is a beautiful piece of salvaged marble. The stove was purchased from the local Elks Lodge and the granit kitchen countertop had been rejected by Whistler homeowners, who felt the granite “wasn’t fashionable enough.” It would’ve cost a small fortune for the homeowners to dispose of, so Molloy and Zappa jumped at the chance to take it away for free. Sunlight filters through salvaged, but good quality, sliding doors lining a hallway flush with greenery. Every window in this house is either from salvage in Kelowna, or from the “boneyard” in Penticton. Molloy explains that the boneyard is a Penticton millwork’s background “for things that didn’t work out.” Across the hall is the cozy master bedroom, with its convenient on-demand power switch, minimizing phantom loads for electricity savings. In the nearby bathroom, the fixtures, amenities and countertops are all from salvage, as is the curved clawfoot tub, which was being discarded from a house in Osoyoos. A low window alongside the tub allows for pleasant wildlife viewing, as quail and deer are frequent passers-by. A sense of tranquility and easy-on-the-eye artistry is evident throughout this rammed earth home and the owners have added their own individual creative touches to the walls. Artistic by nature, Molloy has added pleasing layers of blue shades to the more neutral sandy tones in the walls. Iron oxides can be included in the earth mixture to create a wide array of colours and to make each wall unique in appearance. An avid rockhound, Molloy has embedded pretty pink rocks, calcite and rose quartz, peach and green

coloured feldspar and crystals in the walls. The concrete floors also feature rich earthy tones. The second floor boasts a preponderance of arts and crafts supplies (Molloy’s) and musical equipment (Zappa’s ). The circular staircase leading upstairs has its own unique origins, creatively re-fabricated from a salvaged Honda ATV steel pallet, courtesy the creativity and handiwork of their neighbour, Jim. Above the staircase, light filters in through salvaged glass block windows onto the expanse of wall above. As well as being aesthetically pleasing and compatible with the green philosophy, the thick walls of this rammed earth home offers an added benefit - soundproofing. “The house is very quiet, and our guests remark on how calm and well-rested they feel when they visit,” says Molloy. Molloy hopes that people reading this article will “understand how simple and universal earth construction is, and may be inspired to explore more on their own.” With this in mind, Molloy has two blogs and a pamphlet about rammed earth and will serve as a consultant to anyone who wants to pursue this ancient craft. For more information, write to Kathy Molloy at [email protected].

The blogs can be found at:www.rammedearth.blogspot.comwww.sonoramarammedearth.blogspot.com

With walls made out of rammed earth, homeowners Kathy Molloy and Stanley Zappa, have made use of a method of house-building that has been around for thousands of years, and been in use in countries from China to the U.S.

Oliver couple builds a home that is the first of its kind in the region

Kathy Molloy outside her one-of-a-kind home.


Do you have a personal experience story you would like to share with North of 50 readers?

North of 50 invites you to submit your story for publication. A personal experience story can be about anything. It might be inspiring, funny, scary or weird. It might be about a wonderful holiday or a travel nightmare. It might be about pursuning a lifelong passion, how you coped with a health crisi or a personal loss. It could be a love story, a ghost story or an embarassing tale. It's your story, whatever that is.

Guidelines:Stories should be between 600 and 800 words and be on any topic, but it must be your own personal experience.You must include your telephone number and address. These will not be published and are for verification purposes only.

Please submit your story to: Email: [email protected]: 250-546-8914 (Attn. Editor)Mail: Personal Experience Editor, North of 50, Box 100, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0

ONE OF THE FIRST TO settle in the grasslands straddling Kamloops and Cache Creek, stock raiser François Saveneux saw the opportunity that lay with miners swarming into the country, and with such, set up a cable ferry on the western tip of Kamloops Lake in 1859. Named after its founder François (whose surname was so difficult to pronounce he became known by the name of his native city of Savona), Savona’s Ferry represented the western terminus of the Spallumcheen, Peerless and Lady Dufferin steamships that provided regular transportation to those needing to travel up the lake to Kamloops and beyond. Upon the completion of an 18-foot-wide road connecting the settlement to Cache Creek, Savona’s Ferry represented the end of the road for the B.C. Express Stagecoach from 1865 to 1885. Settlers of the tiny village watched anxiously as a bridge was flung across the Thompson River in 1883, connecting their community to the lake’s southern shore and rendering the ferry obsolete. But when the bridge’s wooden planks were swept away by the high water of 1894, the ferry for which the community was named was pressed back into service until 1909, when a replacement bridge was constructed.

Photo courtesy of Kamloops Museum & Archives

SAVONA'S FERRYBY SHERRY BENNETT

The 200-acre piece of land housing Savona’s present town site was owned by one man – William Dodd. Local lore has it that when representatives of the Canadian Pacific Railway appeared at Dodd’s cabin door in 1880, he emphatically told them, while standing behind the front sight of a double barrelled shotgun, that “no railroad goes through here till I see your buckskins.” Dodd apparently received his buckskins because the railway originating in Port Moody emerged through the clay cut at the west end of town in 1884. The southern shore town site was christened Port Van Horne, in honour of CPR Superintendent William Cornelius Van Horne. For a year-and-a-half, due to delays precipitated by a difficult 40 km stretch of rocky bluffs that forced engineers to conduct much of their work while strung from ropes and trees, Savona represented the end of Canada’s transcontinental railway. With the wind of railroad change blew in prosperity for the region. The once sleepy village exploded into a thriving community almost overnight, luring hotel keepers, butchers, bakers, brewers and merchandisers, all anxious to house, feed and entertain the throngs of engineers and

construction workers stalled by the dangerous Cherry Creek bluffs. The streets and hotels of Savona’s Ferry spilled over with people in the fall of 1884, with everybody in good humour – especially those businessmen whose quick fortune left them ‘rubbing their hands in glee.’ Several months after the completion of the CPR line to Kamloops, in the winter of 1885, citizens pushed, pulled and dragged their community buildings – including Mr. Leighton’s post office, the Savona Brewery and John Jane’s popular General Store – across the frozen lake to Van Horne to accompany the newly constructed Keefer Store, O’Hara and Simpson’s Drug Store and CPR distribution office. The Van Horne name did not stick and quickly reverted back to Savona’s Ferry, until 1910 when it was abbreviated to Savona.

Information in this article extracted from the Inland Sentinel and an essay written by J.E. Vittlers that appeared in the Kamloops Daily Sentinel on January 18, 1962.

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HomeHOLLYHOCKCortes Island

NESTLED BETWEEN THE FOREST AND OCEAN on the south-eastern tip of Cortes Island, British Columbia, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Vancouver, lies Hollyhock, one of Canada’s leading educational retreats. One of several islands on the north end of the Strait of Georgia, Cortes is set between the glaciers of Vancouver Island and the Coast mountain range of the mainland. This setting provides a beautiful backdrop to the retreat that states its mission statement as “existing to inspire, nourish and support people who are making the world better.” Ocean-side private rooms with private bathrooms, dorm rooms, hand-built West Coast style, and outstanding tent sites make many options for rustic luxury. From meditation to kayaking; health to leadership training, exceptional learning opportunities abound with Hollyhock’s international reputation as an intimate gathering place of people intent on making a better world. Their 2010 program calendar offers many meaningful ways to live more fully and more lightly on the planet. It’s in Hollyhock’s kitchen where their best practices come together with delectable organic vegetarian cuisine in their weekly local seafood feasts. Their on-site chefs want to share this knowledge with cooks of all skill levels this spring. With the cherry blossoms bursting, daffodils sprouting, and the bees buzzing, the time to try something new could not be better. Spring is the time to start thinking about the delicious and lovely foods you want to produce this year to create healthy, local, vibrant meals for yourself, family and friends. Chefs Rebeka Carpenter and Heidi Lescanec will help to explore how to bring passion and creativity back into the kitchen with the Passionate Cook program at Hollyhock, May 6 - 10, August 27 – September 1 and October 6-10, 2010. Using the organically-inspired Hollyhock kitchen as the palate, participants will explore and prepare West Coast and internationally inspired meals. In these busy times, we have turned away from understanding the journey of our food, from the field to our kitchens, and have turned to quick, processed alternatives. It is time to reconnect with the life force behind our food by learning how to prepare meals from local gardens, orchards and seas. “Cooking delicious and inspired meals can be an incredible creative outlet that is both nourishing and nurturing,” says Rebeka Carpenter, Lead Team Chef at Hollyhock. “Your daily diet can impact your energy, mood, and overall health.”Carpenter,

a resident of Cortes Island, leads the kitchen team at Hollyhock. She has a passion for baking, as well as preparing locally-grown fresh food and seafood, particularly shellfish from Manson’s Lagoon on Cortes Island. Hollyhock has an organic garden that is not just beautiful, but also functional. The French-Intensive style garden supplies vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers to the Hollyhock kitchen, gracing guests’ tables with food that is nourished with care every step of the way. “The fresher the produce the better the dish. The more local the ingredients the better they’ll be,” Heidi Lescanec says. “At Hollyhock you can walk in the garden and see the lettuce you are going to be eating that night for dinner.” Lescanec, a resident of Vancouver, is a naturopathic doctor and talented cook and teacher who brings her diverse culinary experience and knowledge of food as medicine to the kitchen with zest. Heidi is passionate about good food, nutrition and the art of creating nourishing and beautiful meals. She has cooked at backcountry lodges, retreat centres, the movie industry and at Hollyhock on Cortes. The not-for-profit Hollyhock, exists to inspire, nourish and support people who are making the world better. Topics include: leadership, health and wellness, professional development, social change, arts and culture, and other areas of interest. Hollyhock is also committed to ecological practices that maintain and restore the health of natural ecosystems, local economies and the well-being of their staff and guests. They make efforts to step evermore lightly on the earth and to increase the ecological sustainability of our operations. They are committed to reducing the burdens people place on living systems and are making continual progress towards ecological sustainability (a “closed loop system” of cyclical material flow) and are committed to achieve this goal within a generation. Using our power as consumers to buy ecologically responsible products, we hope to support other progressive businesses and help create markets for alternative, green products. We hope that by embodying the principles of sustainability we can encourage creative dialogue on how to reduce human impact on the natural environment as well as develop and demonstrate model systems. We also endeavour to expand the community of people who understand the functioning of natural systems and our impact on them by being a living example and through educational programming.

A staycation is a bit like being a tourist in your own town. Instead of travelling afar for a vacation, you stay home and relax, taking day trips close to home. Living in the Thompson Okanagan is a bonus for staycationers, considering all there is to do here.

You might be sleeping in your own bed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find new experiences close to home. Plan your staycation just like you would a regular vacation. Set a time and date for your ‘departure’.

Buy a local guidebook. o on a winery tour. Spend a day at the beach. Have dinner out. Visit a museum or art gallery. Tee off one of the more than 50 golf courses in the Thompson Okanagan. Experience live theatre. Attend a musical festival or sports event. Find a new hiking trail.

The trick to enjoying a staycation is to make sure you do what you would do if you were on vacation: relax and explore!

stay•ca•tion [Button] Pronunciation: stā-kā-shenFunction: noun

Etymology: blend of stay and vacationDate: 2005

: a vacation spent at home or nearbySource: Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary

Hollyhock is committed to ensuring the well being of our staff and guests as well as teaching and promoting holistic living and personal well being as key elements of sustainability. For more information and workshop registration, please go to www.hollyhock.ca or phone 800-933-6339 or 250-935-6576.


and Away

WITH ITS THREE FAMOUS LAKES and great mountain ranges, Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland has been the inspiration of poets and painters for centuries. The Killarney National Park is internationally renowned both for its scenic beauty and scientific interest. Killarney National Park was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1981 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), part of a world network of natural areas which have conservation, research, education and training as major objectives. Added to the beauty of the three main lakes are many other lakes in the folds of the mountains, numerous picturesque cascades and, rising to the west of the valley, the peaks of MacGillicuddy’s Reeks, Ireland’s tallest mountains. Killarney is also home to Ireland’s oldest golf course, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, which will be hosting the Irish Open, July 29th to August 1st, 2010. Killarney proved to be an irresistible choice for Irish Open organizers when deciding where to hold the 2010 event, which is expected to draw some 75,000 people to the area. With its world famous scenery,

lively town centre and plentiful accommodation, Killarney has all the ingredients to be the perfect venue. The Irish Open is a major highlight on the sporting calendar in Ireland and it is sure to attract some of the world’s best golfers. It is hosted just weeks before the Ryder Cup when many of the golfers will hope to impress and be selected on the European team to play the USA. For non-golfers, there’s plenty of activities to enjoy, too. Walks and trails abound near Killarney ranging in distance from a two hour tourist trail around the town itself to the 215km (135 miles) long distance walking route (“The Kerry Way”) from Killarney around the Ring of Kerry. Visitors can enjoy various day trips. The Gap of Dunloe Tour is highly recommended and discovers Killarney at its mystical best. Torc Waterfall is one of the finest waterfalls in Ireland and Ladies View offers some of the most spectacular views of the Killarney valley. Visitors without their own transport can travel in the traditional jaunting-cars, water buses or in modern coaches around the area.

Travel to the Emerald IsleINTERESTED IN VISITING THE EMERALD ISLE? KILLARNEY IN COUNTRY KERRY HAS BEEN A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION FOR 250 YEARS. HERE’S WHY.

There are many places of interest and of historical importance to visit in Killarney. The colourful town itself is always buzzing especially during the summer months, with delightful shops, boutiques, traditional pubs, disco bars, nightclubs and restaurants. There’s also a wide range of accommodation from hotels and B&Bs to guesthouses, self catering and hostels. For the sporting enthusiast there is angling and water sports, riding, orienteering and canoeing and,of course, golf. Evenings you can enjoy activities at singing pubs, banqueting, cabarets, dancing and drama. A particularly popular tourist attraction is Ross Castle which overlooks the Lower Lake in Killarney and also looks out on the 7th century monastery and a 12th century oratory on Innisfallen Island. Boats can be hired here and guided tours of the castle are offered every hour. Whether you are drawn to Killarney for the scenery, the history or the golf, you will no doubt find more than you came for.

Photo: Ross Castle, built in the 15th century overlooks Lough Sheelin, one of Irelands preeminent midland lakes and is said to be haunted. The noises of the evening winds howling from the lake into the ancient trees and the knocking on windows add to the spine chilling ambience.


IN DEFENSE OF DANDELIONSBy Trudy Frisk

THEY’RE EVERY MOTHER’S FIRST BOUQUET. To a toddler nothing could be more beautiful than those fuzzy, golden flowers. Unfortunately, most people don’t greet dandelions with the joyous glee of a small child. Spring’s arrival is announced by a rising cacophonous chorus from members of the species ‘Lawnus Harrummphus’ emerging from their winter dens to discover dandelions blooming everywhere. Immediately, the anti-dandelion factions muster every physical and chemical method available to eradicate them. Dandelions are North America’s irrefutable example of the power of peer pressure. The general populous has held more contempt for this colourful spring flower than it has for corrupt politicians, accounting-challenged CEOs and criminal biker gangs. Any free-spirited individual who tolerates dandelions receives swift condemnation from all levels of society and will soon be forced to conform. This attitude would have puzzled our ancestors. Tenth century Arabian physicians recorded dandelion cures. Medieval gardeners cultivated dandelions. They were relished as vegetables, served as salads and recommended as medicines. Healers of the Middle Ages couldn’t isolate the

minerals and vitamins in dandelions, so they worked from observation. When ancient monks and village wise women treated their patients with dandelions, they noticed beneficial results. The dandelion, we now know, holds greater amounts of vitamins C and A than almost any other vegetable or fruit. Thus, the dandelion supplied important nutrients to medieval people who were at risk of contracting scurvy after long winters with no fresh fruits or prepackaged vitamins. Dandelion greens are rich in vitamins B1, B2, iron, calcium and copper. Ancient herbals offered numerous recipes for dandelion teas, tinctures and beers. North American homesteaders, demonstrating some of the same folk wisdom, along with an understandable desire to forget the dreary winter, made dandelion wine. Many a country Saturday night was enlivened by a jug of this brew which had the added advantage of providing necessary nutrients. Humans aren’t the only ones to benefit from the dandelion in all its stages. Wild and domestic bees sip from these earliest of flowers. Pheasants and Canada geese forage on the greens and seed-eating song birds feast on the seed heads. Why is such a useful plant so detested? To be fair, dandelions do exude an ethylene gas which discourages the growth of neighbouring plants. But, their long tap roots bring up iron, copper and other minerals from deep in the soil. When dandelions are mowed and the clippings left on the ground to decompose, those minerals are made available to shallow rooted plants which otherwise couldn’t have reached them. No, the dislike of dandelions isn’t based on science. It’s a reflection of our desire to impose strict control on nature. A lawn dotted with yellow blooms, buzzing with bees which will soon pollinate other plants, a yard where a casual pheasant may wander

in hopes of a tasty meal of dandelion leaves, have become symbols of someone who’s either too lazy or too rebellious to keep up the standard. It’s a sign that someone is not maintaining control of their allotted portion of this chaotic world. Humans, say scientists, evolved in a savannah-like region dotted with copses, ponds, rocky outcroppings, shrubs and grasses. In fact, suburban yards have been described as an attempt to recreate that primitive landscape. Did we take the wrong path on the way back to our roots? That savannah was anything but simple and uniform; it was complex and diverse. Our ancestors thrived there. Despite the anti-dandelion folks, there are encouraging signs. Gently trimmed ‘natural’ yards are becoming popular. Some schools and cities just mow dandelions on playing fields and parks instead of spraying them. In Kamloops, beginning on March 15,2010, a new by-law requires all homeowners wanting to spray for cosmetic purposes to be accredited with Plant Health B.C., hold a valid applicator’s licence and post twenty-four hours advance notice so neighbours will be aware. Homeowners are encouraged to achieve healthy lawns by non-pestcide means; aerating, watering, and mowing. The City itself aims to reduce the quantity of pesticides used while maintaining high quality parks and playing fields. There are different levels of service depending on how the fields are used. A field for kid’s soccer, for example, will receive less intensity of care than professional playing fields. The City’s goal is to use pesticides only as a last resort. We may soon think of the dandelions’ cheerful blooms as signs of health in our yards and communities.

EVERYBODY LIKES TO TALK about the weather so I’ll share some of my winter weather stories. The winter of 1948-49 was my first in Clinton B.C. There had been a lot of snow in November with temperatures as low as 20 degrees below 0. December was even colder with more snow before Christmas. I

went home to Lillooet for the holiday. Several friends came in to visit Boxing Day, and so when someone mentioned that they wished there was a dance in town I said, “Well, there is one in Williams Lake”. Away we went to drive the 180 miles to the dance. The roads were snowy and as we drove by Lac la Hache my cousin George, who was sitting in the back seat, complained that his feet were cold so I stopped so that he could change seats. We found that the snow has been blowing in through a small opening at the base of the rear door and had covered

his feet. After enjoying the dance, driving back to Lillooet, someone suggested that I invite a couple of my Clinton girl friends to come along to keep me company as I drove back to Clinton that evening. It was snowing hard and while the girls and I were having dinner at my parents’ home in Lillooet the snow plow driver came in to advise me to hurry if I plan to return to Clinton that evening as the snow was drifting on the road which could soon be closed. We followed the snowplow about five miles before we had to return to Lillooet. The following day we followed the plow for about fourteen miles before turning back to Lillooet where we were snowed in for eight days. The girls were able to borrow clothes from my sister so we were able to enjoy the New Year’s Eve dance. I was a pretty popular fellow that week! The girls were good sports about the whole adventure and we remain good friends. We finally arrived back in Clinton on a cold 40 below day and after supper at the girls’ home I went back to my room at the New Bob Inn. When I finally warmed up enough to stretch out in my bed my feet hit something that made me jump right out again.

Although my room was right over the kitchen a hot water bottle left in the bed was frozen solid! Seems that Goldilocks had been sleeping in my bed while I was away. While I was at the dance in Williams Lake I made a date with a friend who planned to be in Lillooet on July 1 so we made a date for the dance there. There was no communication during the intervening six months so I (foolishly) took my Clinton girlfriend to Lillooet. When we got to the dance my Williams Lake gal was waiting for me so I quickly found two friends to help me out. Thirty-five years later while attending a family reunion at Lac le Hache, a voice came over the loud speaker asking me to please stand up, then “Ladies and Gentlemen, Earl stood me up at a dance in Lillooet thirty-five years ago but if he will have this dance with me, I might forgive him”. The temperature stayed between – 40 degrees daytime and – 60 degrees at night for the first six weeks of 1949. I was in the taxi business and since block heaters were not yet available I would get up in the night and start our cars, and warm up a few others around town. Winter tires and 4x4s weren’t around yet but we could always chain up and get going. We also delivered mail and freight by truck to Gang Ranch via Jesmond, Big Bar Creek and Canoe Creek. This was a two day trip leaving Clinton Thursday. Several times that winter I had to follow the snowplow, a D6 bulldozer, as it cleared snow drifts, sometimes as high as six feet, along the Fraser River. Everyone really welcomed spring that year.

An Old Timer RemembersBy Earl Cahill

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE STORY


Health MattersCanadian Researcher Studies Microbial “Communities” in Our BodiesWE TEND TO THINK of ourselves as single entities – one body, made up of human cells. In reality, our bodies are home to many other living things. We are walking, talking ecosystems that can change depending on our state of health.

Dr. Josh Neufeld, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Waterloo, and his colleagues are exploring these ecosystems, trying to determine what the bacterial populations in different parts of the body look like in healthy people.

“Our bodies are just another type of environment,” explains Dr. Neufeld. “It’s important for us to understand how the organisms living in that environment influence our health.”

Researchers have understood for a long time that bacteria play an important role in maintaining – and sometimes threatening – our health. But the tools they used limited their ability to identify what species were present in the body and what role they played in preventing or causing disease.

The mapping of the human genome created fast and powerful tools that researchers like Dr. Neufeld could adapt to get a nearly complete picture of the bacterial communities that live in locations throughout the digestive system.

Studying bacteria.

Dr. Neufeld and his team are actively developing and applying new technologies that will allow researchers to describe bacterial populations by sequencing genetic material found within the bacteria’s ribosomes (protein-making structures inside the cell).

“For this project, we decided to take advantage of a technique we’d developed, which profiles communities to great depth – even the rare organisms are sampled with this approach,” says Dr. Neufeld.

With the help of funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the researchers will collect and identify bacteria from mouth, stomach, small and large intestines, and feces, creating a snapshot of the bacterial communities living in healthy men and women. According to Dr. Neufeld, the number of sequences they will generate will be unprecedented.

“Once we’ve demonstrated that this is an affordable, comprehensive way of studying bacterial communities, and described the bacteria that inhabit our bodies under normal, healthy circumstances, then we will look at how these communities shift in various disease states,” says Neufeld.

Health Canada is warning Canadians that an unauthorized health product, “Herbal Diet Natural” has been found on the Canadian market and contains an undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient similar to the prescription drug sibutramine. Sibutramine may pose serious health risks, particularly to people with heart problems. Consumers who have purchased “Herbal Diet Natural” are advised to consult with a medical professional if they have used the product or have concerns about their health.

For more information, please visit:h t tp: / /www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2010/2010_48-eng.php

WARNING

Keep Kids Healthy As Winter Gives Way to Spring WHEN DAYS GET longer and the weather begins to warm up, it’s a sure sign that spring is around the corner. After months of cold temperatures and gray skies, just about everyone looks forward to spending time outdoors taking in the sights, sounds and scents of the season. But with temperatures rising and flowers, trees and grasses beginning to bloom, it’s also time to protect kids from seasonal allergies and sun exposure. Here are some tips for keeping kids healthy all spring long.

* Look out for signs of seasonal allergies. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common problem in both infants and children. Common symptoms include repeated sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose with clear drainage or congestion, itchy eyes and nose, throat clearing, sore throat, and/or a cough that tends to worsen at night and in the morning. Kids with seasonal allergies also tend to breathe through their mouth a lot and may have dark circles under their eyes.

* Limit kids’ exposure to common allergens. While it’s impossible to keeps kids clear of all outdoor allergens, there are some common-sense steps that can help minimize their impact, such as keeping kids indoors and closing windows in the early morning when the spring tree pollen count is highest, not hanging clothes outside to dry and bathing kids at bedtime to help minimize nighttime allergies.

* Protect skin from the damaging effects of spring sun. After being indoors for much of the winter, kids are eager to spend as much time outdoors as possible. To protect their skin during the spring months, break out the sunscreen and their favorite hats. When

Worldwide, the research community has already identified some conditions, such as ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and obesity, in which the bacterial populations at certain sites of the body change in dramatic and distinctive ways. But little is understood about why these changes take place, or what role these changes play in the disease process.

“There may be some benefit to having a high diversity of organisms in our bodies, offering some form of stability to communities. These are some of the questions we are hoping to address,” says Dr. Neufeld. (newscanada.com)

choosing a sunscreen for a baby, toddler or young child, look for a product that offers broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection with a minimum SPF of between 15 and 30. Also consider a product that is water resistant and one that is hypoallergenic and free of fragrance.

* Don’t forget about eye protection. The lenses of children’s eyes are extremely sensitive. Just as taking care of kids’ skin can help prevent skin cancer in adulthood, eye protection can protect kids’ eyes from developing certain conditions, like cataracts and macular degeneration, later in life. Everyone, including kids, should wear sunglasses year-round, but especially during spring and summer. Make sure to choose sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection. Hats with brims large enough to shade the eyes, while not as effective as sunglasses, also offer moderate protection from the sun.

The return of spring marks the return of allergy season. Parents can keep kids healthy by looking out for signs of seasonal allergies.


BOOK REVIEW by Bob Harrington

STORMS OF MY GRANDCHILDRENThe Truth about the Coming Climate Catastrophe and our Last Chance to Save HumanityBy James HansenPublished by Bloomsbury, New York USA, 2009 Hardcover 303pp

Dr. James Hansen brought global warming to the world’s attention in the 1980s and stands out as one of the world’s leading climatologist. He shows clearly that governments, industry and status quo addicts have endeavored to shush him for years, while putting the finger on the many banalities of technological domination. Storms of My Grandchildren reveals facts we would perhaps rather not hear, because they are unpalatable. I feel it necessary to recommend that Dr. Hansen’s book should be widely read because it does not evade the truth that the path of life we are following is suicidal. At present the “elite” (politicians and entrepreneurs) are destroying the integrity of Planet Earth to fulfill their questionable ambitions. Hansen reminds us that scientists know more about paleoclimate and the waxing and waning of ice sheets than is ordinarily publicized. A mere 20,000 years ago most of Canada was under an ice sheet as much as three kilometers thick. Not stopped by the US border, the ice covered Seattle, Minneapolis, and New York. At the site of the Empire State Building it was thick enough to crush the present city to powder. Substances that increase global warming are called “forcings”. Carbon dioxide is the main forcing and following it the two largest forcings are methane and black carbon (black soot). Additionally, volcanic eruptions frequently inject sulfur dioxide gas into earth lower stratosphere (altitude ten to twenty miles). Weathering of rocks is also a source and a sink (storage medium) for carbon dioxide. Sedimentation of organic materials, a prelude to the formation of methyl hydrate, has long been known to occur in oceans, lakes, and bogs. At this time methane increase causes about half as

much forcing as carbon dioxide. Methane warming also affects tropospheric ozone and stratospheric water vapor by increasing these forcings through chemical reactions. Notably some methane is captured at coal mines and water management facilities and when burned loses 97 percent of its warming effect. Dr. Hansen reveals that much methane is stored as methyl hydrates in ocean coastal zones where a steady rain of degraded organic materials occurs. A warming ocean can expand each liter of methyl hydrate into 160 litres of methane gas. It is hypothesized that a prior major extinction of species was caused by melting of ocean-stored methyl hydrate. Geologic history reveals that there have been “five mass extinctions during the past five hundred million years – geologic periods in which about half or more of the species on Earth disappeared forever…these mass extinctions were associated with large and relatively rapid changes of atmospheric composition and climates.” The most recent extinction, the end-Permian extinction, 25l million years ago eliminated “nearly all life on Earth - more than 90 percent of terrestrial and marine species.” Hansen states that unfortunately, not only is the methane gun now fully loaded, but has a charge larger than that which existed prior to the PETM. He further states that “enough is now known to provide an invaluable perspective for what is already being called the sixth mass extinction, the human-caused destruction of species.” Although atmospheric carbon dioxide levels now stand at 387 ppm, Hansen contends they should be reduced to a maximum of 350 ppm, preferably lower. He states that, “The current extinction rate is at least one hundred times greater than the average natural rate.” This makes it easier to understand the idea that we are initiating the sixth mass extinction. He extrapolates, “I will argue that if we continue on a business- as- usual path with a global warming of several degrees Celsius, then we will drive a large fraction of species, conceivably all species, to extinction. On the other hand, just as in the case of ice sheet stability, if we bring atmospheric composition under control in the near future, it is still possible to keep human-caused extinctions to a moderate level.” Regarding industrial expectations he contends “it obviously would be exceedingly foolish and dangerous to allow carbon dioxide to approach 450 ppm.” It is his conviction that it makes sense to phase out the use of coal. “Coal is exceedingly dirty stuff. Its mercury, arsenic, sulfates and other constituents are a major source of global air and water pollution, leading to increased birth defects, impaired intelligence, asthma and other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Coal’s effect on air and water pollution is global – nobody escapes its reach…. Unconventional fossil fuels such as tar sands and shale oils …are as dirty and polluting as coal, must be left in the ground if we wish future generations to have a livable planet.” That he speaks of fourth generation nuclear energy as being part of the solution bears pondering. Hansen states that, “We have all the ingredients we need to meet this challenge – except leadership

willing to buck the special financial interests benefiting from business at usual.” He checked in 2008 and learned that there were 2,340 registered energy lobbyists in Washington D.C. One lobbyist he names, a former House Democrat leader, received $120,000 per quarter year, from Peabody Energy in 2008. That Storms of My Grandchildren should be widely read is climactically emphasized in Dr. Hansen’s revelation that as the result of political and industrial irresponsibility the continued existence of Planet Earth as a life support system is now in question. He heavily stresses the need to educate young people about the need to prevent the plight that our leaders are creating for them. He comments that “a planet in peril” has become a popular phrase although people using in do not “understand the full implications” of this statement. He is seriously concerned that the ineptness of leadership, and the refusal to let people know how serious problems are, could well lead us to “The Venus Syndrome.” As he reminds us, Venus “has so much carbon dioxide in its atmosphere that it has a greenhouse warming of several hundred degrees, with the surface, at 450 degrees Celsius (about 850 degrees Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt lead.” Obviously much can be learned from reading the book. The chapter on The Venus Syndrome is particularly of interest to Canadians as the last paragraph of that chapter states: “After the ice is gone, would Earth proceed to the Venus syndrome, a runaway greenhouse effect that would destroy all life on the planet, perhaps permanently? While that is difficult to say based on present information, I’ve come to the conclusion that if we burn all reserves of oil, gas, and coal, there is a substantial chance that we will initiate the runaway greenhouse. If we also burn the tar sands and tar shale, I believe the Venus syndrome is a dead certainty.” It is an old idea that, “Whom the gods wish to destroy, they first render insane!” Certainly we have become a species that has been carried away by its frenzied worship of power and wealth. We are closely approaching the fatal moment when efforts made will be “too little and too late.”

Bob Harrington lives at Galena Bay, B.C. His latest books are Testimony for Earth and a new edition of The Soul Solu-tion with a foreword by Dr. David Suzuki. See reviews at www.hancockhouse.com or telephone 250 369-2281 for autographed copies.

If you would like to submit your book

review to North of 50, please email editor@

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instruction.


SUDOKUEach Sudoku puzzle is a 9 by 9 grid of horizontal and vertical rows evenly separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces each. Each puzzles solution is determined by the pattern of the numbers already filled in. You solve the puzzle by filling in the missing digits so that, when completed, each row and each square will have all numbers from1 to 9: each number will appear in exactly nine spaces within each puzzle.Sudoku solution on page 18

Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters spell out a hidden message. Words can go left or right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. Answers to puzzle is on page 18.

Word Search &Crosswords

ACIDAIRBINBLUEBURNCARSCLEANEARTHEARTHDAYECOFRIENDLYECOLOGYENERGYENVIRONMENTFARFUELGASGLASSGREENHABITATHELPHYBRIDIMPACTLEDLIVELOCALMILENEWSPAPER

ORGANICPAPERPLANETPLANTPLASTICPOLLUTIONPRESERVEPULPRAINRECYCLEREDUCERESOURCEREUSERIVERSAFESAVESPECIESSTOPSUNTREETREKTRIPUSEWALKWASTEWATERWAY

ACROSS1 Ode5 Pro8 Former USSR’s secret police11 Cars13 Regret14 Wrath15 Goddess16 Possessive pronoun17 Limb18 Official canine registry (abbr.)20 Furs22 Below genus26 Bridge27 Horse game

28 Terminal30 High naval rank (abbr.)31 Plastic wrap32 American Football Conference (abbr.)35 Take off the paint36 Costa __37 Not well cooked39 Type of government41 Letter decorating43 Free of44 Drag45 High-school club47 Nobleman

51 North American nation52 Conger53 Orange yellow54 Hair stuff55 Shifty56 Jewish scribe

DOWN1 Tablet2 French “yes”3 Estimated time of arrival4 European country5 Day of the week (abbr.)6 Not ins7 Leans (2 wds.)8 “To __ Mockingbird” (2 wds.)9 Untrained10 Prays12 Rice wine19 Chest wood21 Choose22 Resort hotel23 Pea holder24 Tree25 Stems of letters29 Book material31 Dry grassy lands32 Atmosphere33 Farm credit administration (abbr.)34 California (abbr.)35 __ Lanka36 Shrink37 Utilize38 Wild sheep40 Prank41 Counterfeit coin42 End of a loaf46 Wooden sheet48 Kilohertz49 Be incorrect50 Body of water


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Beautiful new Sunny ground level suite. Private entrance, gas fireplace. Quiet near beach and riverwalk. En-derby, no smoking, no pets $650.00 a month includes utilities Ph-250-838-7496.

Guitar Guild model JF 30 with hard shell case. All like new $1200.00 Firm Maple back PH 250-838-7496

1997 Travel mate Camper. Stove, fridge N/S Bed, toilet. 8ft long, clean and bright $4500.00 Ph 250-838-7496Looking for rental cabin or place to park 27ft travel trail-er. Noelle Savoy 250-838-6774

1988 GMC, Good 6 cylinder motor needs minor repairs $200.00. 1972 Interna-tional good motor $100.00. 1992 Pontiac runs $150.001984 Dodge truck for parts $ 50.00. For parts - sedan 2 door + 1984 Toyota Van for parts $ 25.00 each. Saw mill motor 4 cylinder motor $100.00. Older Ski-Doo $ 50.00. Dodge Van runs but needs battery and key $100.00. Camper old-er needs work. $200.00. Chrysler 1982 good re-built motor $1200.00 OBO.

Holiday Trailer good shape $1000.00. All kinds of tires ,various sizes 250-838-0473.

Musical Instruments for Sale - Accoustic Guitar ask-ing $125.00. Strad Copy Violin asking 375.00. Alto Saxophone asking $350.00. Selmer B Flat Clarinet asking $135.00. Ph 250-503-5249.

Pride Mobility Scooter, Sharp turning, excellent shape, new battery. Capacity 350 lbs. Adjustable seat, basket and built in charge unit. 10 inch wheels asking $800.00 ph 250-765-7521 Dave.

Vacation at Lake Okanagan Resort. Lakeside unit from Sept 19-26. 1 Bedroom unit Regular price $1400.00 yours for $600.00. Phone 250-832-4019.

Cedar Chest, on casters- New condition L-42” W-19” D-18” $125.00. Mens Leather Jacket waist (L) $125.00. Mens ¾ length Leather jack-et c/w liner size 44 $100.00. Ph 250-768-8331.

Accommodation available April 22-April 26 in Beautiful nakusp area, in exchange for looking after 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 14 chickens, on 25 acre

property. 30 km south of Na-kusp B.C. Ph 250-265-4379.

Tool Chest, red, two units. !0 drawers at top 18x26x20” high. Bottom 12 drawers 18x26x42” high. Solid, Excel-lent condition $500.00. Ph 250-549-1798.

Gas & Electric lawnmowers, rototillers,weed eaters. Bar-gain prices. Wanted- riding lawn mowers in need of re-pair. Ph 250-492-8501 any-time.

Soloflex Home Gym. Used once. Includes Butterfly and Leg attachments. Plus two weight strap sets. $999.99. Revelstoke 250-837-3741.

Telex Noise cancelling Avia-tion Headset. Brand new nev-er used. $300.00. Ph Revel-stoke 403-836-9908.

Solid Oak Dining Room Set: Oval table, three extensions, four chairs, china cabinet, good condition. Asking $449.00 o.b.o. (250) 862-5096.

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one printer-scanner-copier. Best offer. (250) 862-5096.

Kenmore floor model Humidifi-er, good working order $25.00Invacare Lift Chair full reclin-ing positions, excellent condi-tion $400.00. Kenmore dryer free to handyman, needs minor repairs. Ph 250-493-1524.

Photo Copier - Black & White Mita DC 3060 Automatic document feeder with a duplexer and sorter. 8.5 x 11 and 8.5 x 14 paper trays. Regularly serviced under a maintenance agreement. Great working condition. Priced to sell at $900.00 Armstrong, BC 250.546.8910

Did you know that being a tradesperson may make you eligible for certain deduc-tions? Some of these are:• Deduction for tools: If you were a tradesperson in 2009, you may be able to claim a deduction for the cost of eligible tools (to a maximum of $500).• Goods and services tax / harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) rebate: If you had ex-penses that included GST/HST in the course of your employment duties, and you deducted these expenses from your employment in-come, you may be able to claim a rebate of part or all of the GST/HST you paid on these expenses.• Employment expenses: You can claim certain ex-penses you paid to earn employment income as a deduction, but only if your employment contract re-quired you to pay the ex-penses, and either you did not receive an allowance for them, or the allowance you received is included in your income.Keep all receipts and docu-mentation to support the claims made on your return.The deadline for filing your individual income tax and benefit return is midnight on April 30, 2010. Howev-er, if you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business in 2009, you have until June 15, 2010, to file your return. You must pay any balance owing for 2009 on or before April 30, 2010, regardless of your fil-ing due date.In addition to these, other credits, deductions, and benefits may be available to you. For more information, go to www.cra.gc.ca/trades.

TAX TIP


There Is No Such Thing As Free Health Care When B.C. Health Minister Kevin Falcon recently suggested that B.C.’s health care system open its doors to foreigners with cash, the predictable and narrow-minded chorus of opposition followed. On the surface, this health tourism seems to benefit foreigners, but in reality the big winners would be British Columbians. Importing health tourists would bring in much needed cash, help retain Canadi-an-trained doctors and reduce wait times for all. Some seem to think the reason people suffer and sometimes die waiting for health care in Canada is because the system is overused. That's only part of the story. People languish and die on wait lists because government rations – or limits – the amount of health care it supplies. The government rations heath care supply because health care costs money – the less it provides, the less tax it has to collect to spend on it. When govern-ment is the monopoly provider, and single payer, of what people believe is a 'free' service, government must find the balance between providing enough health care to barely satisfy the majority, while avoiding having to raise taxes. One way to bring more money into the system without raising taxes is to open it up to foreign citizens willing to pay cash. According to a 2009 report by Deloitte, in 2007, an estimated 750,000 U.S. patients traveled overseas for health care services. Deloitte estimates that num-ber will grow by 35 per cent each year and reach 1.6 million by 2012. In the U.S., employers and insurers are pushing health tourism as a cost savings measure and U.S. states are looking to pass legislation to create incentives for insurers to offer health tourism options in their plans. Those are a lot of dollars that could be flow-ing into Canada rather than to other countries. But wait, don't we have a doctor shortage? Won’t this mean the limited number of surgeons in B.C. will leave the public system, start doing more private surgeries and leave British Columbians on longer wait lists? Not at all. In fact, more demand could mean the opposite – more surgeons performing more surgeries. Supply is rationed by government in a number of ways. For ex-ample, operating room time is restricted – the government isn't allowing surgeons to work. According to Dr. Brian Day, former president of the Canadian Medical Association: “Fifty per cent of our newly trained orthopedic surgeons and 50 per cent of newly trained neurosurgeons are leaving within five years of graduating because there isn’t enough work here.” It's not that doctors couldn't provide the service, it's that government doesn't let them. Minister Falcon has a problem. If he were to openly explain that health care rationing is the reason for long wait lists, he would expose what is wrong with B.C.'s health care scheme. But, if he allows foreigners to purchase health care in B.C., British Columbians will soon demand the same right. When they do, the existing capacity will be used and increase the supply of health care services. If operating room time opens up to paying patients, some will leave the public wait lists and shorten the wait for others. As long as people languish and sometimes die on wait lists, allowing access for foreigners remains politically unacceptable. This is a shortsighted miss of a great opportunity. The current dysfunctional economic model of health care funding and delivery must be revised not only to allow the emergence of an international health care industry, but to increase access for all British Columbians. Access to a wait list is not access to health care.

april 2010 thompson edition - north of 50

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