Discussing Ideas That Matter

Given the current economic and environmental dilemmas we are facing, it is time for all of us to pay attention to issues, to listen carefully to all sorts of ideas and to get involved locally. 

Keeping Up-To-Date with Aim High Salmon Arm

In the new year, Aim High will become more like a typical blog in terms of how and when posts go online. In the Year of the Tiger, articles will get posted as soon as they are ready-to-go rather than on a two week cycle. To keep current with the blog, you will need to check it out regularly.

Right now, the blog is in a bit of a hybrid phase where most posts will continue to be published in the regular two week cycle but there will also be articles posted online in-between editions, especially  if they are more time-sensitive.

So, how does a reader keep up-to-date with Aim High Salmon Arm?

Here are six options ranging from email to Twitter and Facebook:

(1) Check the blog regularly … as you have it bookmarked (Favourites) right? Perhaps a yellow sticky on the monitor will be enough of a non-technological reminder.  

(2) If you are on the email list that I send out, you will get a regular reminder. Note: This type of manual emailing will be phased out in a few months (with lots of notice).

(3) Sign up to be automatically notified by the blog whenever new posts are published. See the post “New Feature! Get Blog Updates by Email” for further information about email subscription to Aim High. You can do this by signing up near the top of the right-hand column.

(4) Use an RSS feed. Basically, you click the RSS button that looks like this         on the ribbon of your browser (or on the web page if one is displayed there) and follow through with subscribing to the web page feed. You can watch a good but somewhat dated video of the concept behind RSS here. You don’t have to use Google Reader as the video suggests. Your browser can likely do this on its own. There are a number of ways to incorporate a RSS feed and they all vary according to the browser, news reader and software used. Most current version browsers have RSS capabilities. Google Reader and IGoogle are two popular and efficient ways of collating RSS feeds. It is pretty straightforward but the rest is up to you to figure out. Searching for RSS in Help in your browser (or on Google) will likely get you enough information to get started.

 (5)    The blog now has an Aim High Salmon Arm Facebook page. Go to the page and sign up as a fan  if you are already on Facebook. Then you will automatically get update notifications from Aim High’s Facebook page sent to your own Facebook page. If you are not on Facebook, you need to sign up for your own account before you can sign up with Aim High’s fan page. 

(6)       Follow Aim High on Twitter. – I know – I know      Go to AIMHIGHSA  and set yourself up to follow Aim High’s tweeted notifications.  You’ll need a Twitter account to receive those updates.

If I was me, and I am, I’d be following Aim High using approach #1 and #3.

If you are really technologically comfortable and connected, it would be some combo. of #1, #3, #4, #5 and #6.

“Responsible or representative” by Ian Wickett

The failed proposal for a municipal plebiscite on the SmartCentre development issue has raised for many of us the nature of our democracy. In a comment, “Al” referred to a Wikipedia article on the continuum of democracy ranging from direct democracy through a semi-direct democracy to a representative democracy.

We seem to have forgotten that our system arose from a tradition of responsible democracy. In the past 50 years we have virtually thrown away this tradition of 500 years as we have aped aspects of the United States system while ignoring that the US system is a carefully constructed system with checks and balances that are not in place under our system. During the same period the United States has seen their system being eroded through populist measures such as ballot initiatives which have unbalanced the carefully constructed constitution of the country.

So, there are two issues: the nature of our representative system; and the degree of responsibility built into the system. In other posts and comments I have referred to the representative system. The representative system has us select representatives, MPs, MLAs, and councillors, to whom we give the power to make laws, set policies, and raise and spend money on our behalf. We expect them to study issues in depth and then to debate among themselves the merits of various facets of what is before them, finally making a decision based on their study and on the informed opinion of other representatives. If we have selected representatives who are diligent and wise, who share our worldview, there is no place in this system for plebiscite or opinion polls. Debate should occur among the representatives, not between the representatives and the represented.

The represented have the job of choosing the representatives and it is at this point that investigation and questioning need to take place. To cast a ballot is not a responsibility to be undertaken lightly.

Unlike the United States, we have a system of responsible government. Our Prime Minister and Premiers are responsible to their supporters in the House or Legislative Assemblies and must retain their confidence. The government itself is responsible to the Parliament or Legislative Assemby and must retain its confidence.

We need to be entirely clear.

In This November 23rd Edition 2009

This edition features new postings as well as articles posted last week after the November 9th edition.

• Some key information as to how to keep up-to-date with Aim High Salmon Arm.
• the contributed articles “An Education in China” by Leah Shaw, a review  of Jeff Rubin’s book “Why Your World Is About To Get A Lot Smaller” by Don Derby and “Won’t Be Fooled Again” by Don Sawyer
• the article Let’s Focus on the “How” for a Moment, a couple of great videos, Posted Elsewhere tidbits plus updates to the usual categories.
• Good Question features 2 queries: one for birders on pelicans and one about legal ramifications for the city if/when it rejects the Smartcentre zoning variance application.

Aim High Salmon Arm continues to sprout!

• There have been 21,600 plus page hits since launching in early June.
• The largest readership and the most comments ever in the last two weeks…. for the second time in a row.
• The number of comments is now greater than the number of posts. Readers are getting involved in discussions. Keep it going by posting your thoughts. We all benefit by them.
• It is easy to leave a comment on an article. Remember: Your first ever comment will not show up right away … but it will appear pretty quickly.
• For more information on Comment moderation, publishing and policy, please see Commenting . The key thing is to discuss ideas using respectful language.

If you like what you see, please pass on the link for Aim High Salmon Arm to one more friend, neighbour or family member. The response to the launch of the blog has been great but the more readers, the better.

If you have a story or photo to share, contact me using the contact form found in the tabs above.

Next Edition is December 7th but there will be articles posted in between then. Check for them!

Salmon River Delta Walk & Potluck Picnic

Saturday, November 28 at 10 a.m.

Everyone is invited to join the Switzmalph Cultural Society and WA:TER for a Salmon River Delta talk, walk and community potluck picnic. The walk begins at the Switzmalph Cultural Society pit houses* at 10  a.m., and includes presentations on the First Nations significance and ecology of the Salmon River Delta.

Bring your enthusiasm for learning more about this very special area, and if you have time for a picnic, don’t forget your mug and utensils, and your favourite offering. This is a natural area.  Be prepared for rain, snow and/or mud.  And if bringing your dog, please keep her on a leash.

For more information please contact:

Bonnie Thomas, Switzmalph Cultural Society
250-803-4113
Kari Dukeshire, WA:TER
250-832-8897

*  To get to Switzmalph Cultural Centre, turn right on 1st Nation’s Road opposite Fischer’s Funeral Home and then stay right on 1st Ave. SW.  Park at the Centre.  Pit houses are a five minute walk across a field.  Signs will be posted.  For those with mobility issues, a shuttle will be available for transport to the pit houses.

*submitted by WA:TER

Shuswap Community Foundation Grand Opening a Success!

What’s New

November 12, 2009

Grand Opening Celebration

In just a short 15 years, Shuswap Community Foundation has grown its capital fund to almost $4 million, and it was clear it was time to move out of the directors’ home offices and into an office offering a presence in the community, accessible to everyone. A space was found, furniture and equipment appeared, and at 1pm on Tuesday, November 10 the official ribbon cutting ceremony was held.

Present to wield scissors were Salmon Arm Mayor Marty Bootsma, Columbia Shuswap Regional District representative Rhona Martin, Tom Brighouse, who first suggested the idea of a community foundation, Fred Busch, standing in for Sicamous Mayor McLeod, and Cindy Derkaz, foundation president. They were supported by an enthusiastic crowd of well wishers. Ms. Derkaz said a few words, thanking the community for the tremendous support given to this achievement, and the ribbon, created by recycling out of date foundation brochures, parted.

Following the ceremony, everyone admired the premises while enjoying home made treats provided by the foundation directors, and coffee donated by Tim Horton’s. The open house continued all afternoon, until 5pm.

* submitted by the Shuswap Community Foundation

“An Education in China” by Leah Shaw

Many thought it was a bold decision to take my 12-year-old daughter out of public school for four weeks to accompany me to China, especially during a world flu pandemic. I was going to Shandong Normal University in Jinan to continue my studies in intercultural communication. My husband and I both thought it would be a good experience for Madeleine to accompany me. We had not expected how much personal growth potential there was for her in this environment. In fact, selfishly, I was thinking more about my studies than her cultural education. Practically, my main concern for her was that she would be safe while I was in class.

As parents, we are faced with decisions about which activities, friends, and opportunities we want to give our children. For instance, I know some parents who felt it best to keep their child in an English stream when French was an option in Salmon Arm. I left this decision up to Madeleine when she had the option to enter late French immersion in grade six, but she knew my bias; perhaps she chose French because of me. Just as eagerly, she embraced the chance to travel to China, but missing several weeks of school might have been her main motivation.

Immediately upon arriving in China and touring famous sites, besides the endless crowds of people, we found ourselves immersed in Confucius ideology, history, and icons. It surprised me to discover that I held the same notion (although less eloquently thought) as Confucius did about education. He wrote that a [person] is wiser by travelling 10,000 miles than by reading 10,000 books. This was good news for my daughter, except her teachers did insist she pack various reading and math assignments to supplement her cultural education. I had planned for this too. I hired two very capable university students – who spoke excellent English – as her tutors during the mornings while I attended my classes. Again, my main goals for this were for her safety and entertainment; I did not want to hear, “I’m bored”.

China is a different world in many ways beyond the obvious. While my travelling companions, about 30 of us from the Royal Roads University cohort, were always safe, scheduled, and comfortably housed, we learned many how-to-get-around-China lessons on our own. For Madeleine, her introduction to this city of 9 million came a little faster than mine,

A “Good Read” Review by Don Derby

A review of Jeff Rubin’s book “Why Your World Is About To Get A lot Smaller“

Jeff Rubin was the Chief Economist and Managing Director of CIBC World Markets for 20 years and left his position on March 31, 2009.

Rubin is best known for his prediction that oil would reach $100 per barrel by 2007, contrary to conventional wisdom at that time He has now written the above book which also has the sub-heading “Oil and The End of Globalization”. In the book, Rubin discusses “Peak Oil” and his belief that the world is running out of oil that we can afford and that it is being replaced with more expensive alternatives.

Rubin points to the depleting oil wells in the Middle East and North America as well as off-shore sources. He asserts that the world’s demand for oil has increased every year and that it appears that the demand will out strip the readily available supplies. We have a temporary respite with the world recession but it seems that the recession will end within the next 2 years and the demand will once again increase.

As an economist, he is able to review all of the implications of the end of cheap oil and what this means

from the Why Didn’t I Think of That? File

Take a good splitting axe and a … bungee cord!

Wow, can this guy chop.

“Won’t Be Fooled Again” by Don Sawyer

The story of power and powerlessness is a central human narrative.  Whether economic, religious, social or political (or, as has most often been the case, some combination), elites have forever sought to protect their privilege by using mechanisms as subtle as myth, lies and manipulation, and as blunt as a club.  But the misuse of power has always been met by resistance and rebellion.  This struggle is at the very heart of our collective history.

Sometimes the battle is writ large: women’s struggle for the vote, the civil rights movement in the US, the bloody fight waged by unions for safe working conditions and decent pay, the triumph of the poor and disenfranchised in liberation struggles in Africa and South America. 

But more often they are smaller, personal struggles.  Incidents in our workplace or family, or in our communities, where power is being unfairly used to exploit, abuse or diminish us.  The everyday incidents that challenge our sense of ourselves as competent, capable people.

But whether on the grand scale or the in miniature, one truth remains: Passivity is the objective of tyrants

Let’s Focus on the “How” for a Moment

As the SmartCentres’ variance proposal proceeds, the answers to “when” and “where” will unfold in due time… and let’s put the “why” aside … at least for this edition.

Here are some humble suggestions as to “how” the variance hearings could take place.

For more on The Hearings Themselves, Accepting Information and Opinions and Your Voice in all of this click

From Axes to Saws

Andrew Blackburn plays Ave Maria on a musical saw

Posted Elsewhere November 2009

Richard Colvin, a senior Canadian diplomat, gives explosive testimony about most, if not all, Afghan detainees being tortured after being turned over by Canadian forces to Afghan internal security, having informed Harper’s staff and the military about this and being told by David Mulroney, Harper’s foreign affairs advisor (now ambassador to China) to not put anything in writing.

When you can’t really argue the substance of things, you go after the messenger and that is what the Conservatives are doing. Discredit the claims and the messenger and hopefully people will forget the central question of truth as to who knew what and when. Colvin should be regarded as a hero for exposing what is a stain on Canada’s international credibility.

The Chinese understand this fully even if we don’t want to admit it. The following articles, from a range of mainstream journalists, jump into the issue. The comments associated with each article are good reads as well.

Paul Wells, of Macleans, in his blog article “On the similarities between torturees’ testimony and torturers’ testimony”, discusses how Harper’s Tories are using  a “bucket defence” ( a scattershot approach to sow confusion and contradiction) with the aim to discourage Canadians from paying attention. He notes:

… in response to Richard Colvin’s testimony on allegations of torture routinely inflicted on prisoners handed over by Canadian Forces to Afghan authorities, Conservative MPs are arguing that these prisoners were, after all, trained to tell tall tales about horrible treatment to attract sympathy. This is a standard argument made by torture apologists. It is probably true sometimes.

But there is a previous, exhaustively documented set of cases, not directly related to the case of Canadian-captured prisoners in Kandahar, where outrageous claims from prisoners were closely corroborated with official reports of outrageous behaviour from their captors.

Chantal Hebert, of the Toronto Star, poses the question and gives the answer in “MPs out of the loop on Afghan torture? Unlikely”.

From the Prime Minister on down, the Conservative government has always claimed it was unaware of detainee torture at the hands of the Afghan authorities, at least until a case surfaced in 2007, prompting a belated review of the detainee transfer protocol.

But Colvin’s narrative makes it clear the government could not have been in the dark about the potential prevalence of torture unless the country’s top civil servants conspired to keep their political masters out of the loop, and that is highly unlikely

Geoffrey Simpson, of the Globe and Mail, in his article And the Conservative machine spins on, places the assault on Colvin’s credibility within the context of the Conservative propaganda machine that attacks anyone who differs from the Harper line.

These are the classic responses of politicians whose government, and the military it supposedly directed, are engaged now in a massive campaign against someone who reported what he saw, tried to alert his superiors to danger, but found that plausible deniability and professions of ignorance were the preferred elements of the endless spin campaign that characterizes everything this government does.

Norman Spector, former chief of staff to Brian Mulroney, argues that Harper should call a inquiry into the allegations. In Advice for the PM,  Spector says:

Legitimate questions can be asked as to why Mr. Colvin did not blow the whistle earlier, which would have saved anywhere from 220 to 600 Afghans from allegedly being tortured. However, to attack his credibility, as Conservative ministers have been doing, is both pathetic and reprehensible. And to demand first-hand evidence, as they’ve also been doing, is precisely the same dodge that bureaucrats used to cover their asses in the Maher Arar affair.

Don Martin, in his National Post article Conservatives shoot the messenger over torture allegations , notes:

In an organized smackdown rarely seen in Ottawa, the government turned inward on Thursday to attack a new enemy in its Afghanistan conflict — senior Washington embassy intelligence officer Richard Colvin.

After 15 years of steadily rising through the foreign service ranks, Mr. Colvin now stands accused of being a Taliban stooge, someone so easily duped by torture complaints that he shredded his diplomatic reputation by passing along their accusations

For more links to articles on Canadian Climate Policy (or lack of), the call for a Sockeye inquiry and how shifting household behaviours can cut GHG emissions, click

Photos November 2009

Photos in/of the Shuswap area or by Shuswap residents in their travels

If you have a great photo shot and would like to share it, use the Contact Form to notify Aim High Salmon Arm. We can then make arrangements to transfer, attribute and post your work of art.

Jackdshutter

by ssprengel

 

Grating by Trialsmaster2

McGuire Lake by Yogi   (carried over from the last edition)

For more excellent photos, click

Quote de Jour November 2009

Nature abhors a vacuum, but not as much as cats do.

Lee Entrekin

From a comment from “june” contributed to the Plebiscite on Council’s Agenda This Monday Afternoon post.  This completely tickled my funny bone.

“I feel like i live in who-ville”

Call for Contributions

Article Contributions: Here is where the rubber has to hit the road for Aim High Salmon Arm to truly be a community forum. The blog needs article contributions from you … yes you!        

Good Question: November 2009

This category is for readers to submit questions that they have been wondering about and to have other readers provide answers.

You can put your questions and/or answers in the comment spot below.

From PK: Can SmartCentres sue the city if they turn down the zoning application?

From moi: This year, I have heard about the pelicans in the Salmon Arm bay. Is this a recent happening? How unusual is this? Are they just in the Salmon Arm bay or are they elsewhere in the region?  Thanks in advance.

Have your own question?  Now’s the time to get some answers to that long-standing pondering!

Use the comment link if you have a question of your own or an answer.

Having Your say November 2009

Here is where you can submit your ideas on issues that are not linked to a specific topic already posted online. Sort of an “Open Mike” crossed with a ”Letters to the Editor” section where you can raise your own ideas and questions for others to see  and comment on …. right here … right now! 

Note: This is just for new ideas by you. If you are responding to something already posted here, use the Comment section of that article to contribute your related ideas.

Go ahead. We are all ears

Brief but Beautiful Slice of the Blue Marble

Earth’s weather between August 17th to 29th 2009 from NASA

“Comments” Spotlight for November

People are now feeling much more comfortable about commenting and that is great. It does mean though that individual comments move off of the “Recent Comments” list a lot faster. This new section is a potpourri of the recent comments – no longer on the “list” – that caught my eye.

 Ian Wickett on Civil Debate Anyone?

Steve raises the question of limits to growth, as did a letter-writer in last week’s Observer. I agree completely with the over-arching importance of this question. That said, I am certain that Salmon Arm will face growth pressures in the next ten years for many reasons such as immigration, ease of communication, increasing transportation costs within large centres, and retirements.
It is vitally important for us as a community to ensure that this growth takes place in a manner which minimizes the impact on the land and minimizes the consumption of energy.

 Steve Mennie on Civil Debate Anyone?

Dave says:

“…. Meanwhile, the process and possibility of consensus is neglected. The much-praised public hearing last year was a classic example – at no time was there any dialogue to challenge underlying assumptions and conclusions, leaving those defending their points of view free to bad-mouth any contrarians…”

Must say I agree with Dave…the debate about the viability of Smart Centres development on the flood at times seems to be taking place inside a giant echo chamber far removed from what seems to me to be the heart of the matter. As each side attempts to bury the other in a blizzard of stastistics, claims and counter-claims we willfully ignore our abiding faith in the God of eternal growth..a faith that puts the lie to all of our best intentions.

We seem to have dismissed the idea of limits. But our dismissal of them does not make them go away..there are always limits and our vaunted technology – while it may move the posts or effect the specific manner in which we interact with those limits – it too operates within those limits.

And if we are unable or inwilling to limit ourselves as a species then Mother Nature (as the saying goes) will. In order to place limits on our behaviour vis a vis the planet, we need to know what we value as a people.

This is, for me, the missing element in the present debate.

 schare on SmartCentres Back with New Development Proposal 

All of a sudden everyone is concerned with the wetlands. I’ll admit, it wouldn’t be my first choice for this development. What I’m having trouble understanding is, why is no one concerned with the railroad in that very area? If there were a derailment in that area, how much damage would be caused by the large trucks and equipment that would be necessary to remove the railroad cars and fix the tracks? What about ongoing maintenance that must have to be done to the tracks, particularly in a marshy area. How does that happen without frequently disturbing the wetlands?

I’d actually much prefer the development to be at the top of the hill on the east side of Salmon Arm. But as the developers seem to have had trouble finding a suitably-sized plot of land along the highway it begs the question, why is there not more land available for development?

 Thomas Sr. on Having Your Say

My first time doing this ever. I hope this works.

“Safety Off the Highway” by Lorne Reimer of the Friday A.M.

* Reprinted in full, by permission, from Lorne Reimer’s “Molehills” column in the wonderful Friday A.M   (November 13th edition).

Last week’s fatality involving a father being thrown off his bicycle while riding with his son was another of the those horrendous freak accidents that occur from time to time. But it also underscores that not all fatalities in this town happen on the highway.

Four years ago, October – only a few blocks down this same south frontage road, a youth was killed in a pedestrian accident.

Today the underpass is scheduled to open to traffic for the first time. While the highway above is state-of-the-art safe with long acceleration/ deceleration lanes on each of its four on/off ramps, it is the network of frontage roads and 20th/21st Streets that require caution.

Council was wise to agree on a four-way stop on the northside of the underpass by the RCMP. There was also future consideration given for a lighted pedestrian crossing at Turner Creek trail to help slow down traffic on the south side.

Enjoy this new addition to our road network, but drive with care.

Ecosystems at Risk as SmartCentres Ignores the Bigger Environmental Picture

Martha Wickett’s article Cottonwoods classified ‘at risk’  (Observer: Nov. 12th 2009) features those who contend that SmartCentres has not even looked at let alone addressed key environmental issues on the floodplain that they want to fill in and pave.

The Ministry of Environment has approved a qualified environmental report (QEP) addressing the provincial Riparian Area Regulation for the proposed SmartCentres development. Doesn’t that mean the environment will be protected?

No, no and no, say at least three men –

Downtown Salmon Arm Smart Growth Final Report

The Salmon Arm Smart Growth report has been available for a little while now and starts out:

Over the course of two and half years the community of Salmon Arm has been engaged in a process to plan and develop differently in their community. The intention was to improve engagement with the community to ensure that new development reflected the values of a wide variety of community members. At the same time, protect those aspects of the community that the residents valued highly and to ensure that development would meet the current and future needs of the community.

You may have seen the charrette design boards at city hall, in the mall or around town. If you haven’t had the chance to look at them yet, do so because they reflect the wonderful ideas, hard work and input from a wide range of residents.

The following images

Off Road Vehicles + No Regulations = Destruction

Jim Cooperman, in the article “BC’s Shameful Backcountry Wreckreation” (The Tyee Nov.11 2009), goes after the motorized “yahoos” tearing up the backcountry and notes the late-in-coming controls introduced by the provincial government.

Cooperman opens with:

As the Olympic spotlight begins to shine on British Columbia, citizens need to learn more about the shameful exponential increase of habitat destruction caused by off-road vehicle ‘wreckreation.’ Not only is the backcountry environment getting trashed, but

New Feature! Get Blog Updates by Email

Aim High readers can now sign up and automatically receive email notification whenever new blog articles and comments are posted on Aim High Salmon Arm.

By subscribing, you get email updates on new articles and you can select how often this email is sent (the delivery frequency – immediate, daily, or weekly), as well as when this email is sent (the delivery window – a specific day and hour).

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Don’t Sally Forth

Sally Scales in a  September Lakeshore News “Sidewalk Superintendent” column reports that Calgary said no to a shopping mall development that was subsequently built just outside the city limits. She notes the economic loss as well as the analogy to the Salmon Arm situation.

CALGARY SAID NO TO SHOPPING CENTRE
Developers wanted to put a large shopping centre in Calgary, much like SmartCentre wants to put a large shopping centre within Salmon Arm’s city limits west of town. Calgary’s city council, especially the mayor, did not want another such centre according to my developer friends who live in that city. They couldn’t be bothered. So the shopping centre, which is larger than West Edmonton Mall, was built just outside the city limits, in Balzac. Calgary loses millions in property tax every year. Imagine!

Imagine indeed!

Photo 1: An aerial photo of that mall development. Imagine the reality of something like this …

 

… imposed on a wetland location like this.  I won’t even try a photoshopped merge of the two images!

  

The core issue is not the developer, the partner tenants, the economy or the “new shopping experience”.