Archive - 2005

The changes to the makeup at the council chambers and at school board are slight yet significant. It will be especially interesting to see how a couple of individuals perform in their fulcrum roles at both school board and council.

On the Provincial front the fulcrum collapsed and a deal went south. The recent salary thing with Bill 17 is a beauty. The conversation on this is not over, not by a long shot. I can hardly wait to watch it come up again when the BCGEU contracts come up for renewal in 2006. Do you think that the Carol James flip flop is going to do any good for the average health care worker or liquor store employee when its their time to bargain for a raise let alone a contract? I don't think so.

And, I don't think it fair to whine about 15% pay increases if it brings our community representatives up to a wage that they may benefit from in the private sector. Our MLA's don't have normal jobs. Anybody that tries to make a comparison to life in the real world is deluding themselves.

Goofy Tsawwassen families loaded up on junk food pose at Hastings Park, PNE 2005. Good fun!

I already have the angst. I've been camping twice already this year and both times I have come home with a "mental' list of things I need to repair, upgrade or otherwise BUY! Now, a full ten days or so before I shall camp again, I am overrun with the sensation that I should buy more tarps or tuperware. Problem is, I don't want to take all the camping shit out of the shed to check which plastics I need.

I'll wing it again. Just to make sure, like every good camper, I will slide by Canadian Tire a couple of days prior and blow a quick 3HUN on stuff I already have 75% of. When you do the math I guess 75 bucks or so is a small price to pay for the peice of mind that camping affords (after day one and the last day of course).

There should be a resource where I can find that last tent pole, that extra bocci ball, that pair of plyers. Let's chat people.....Coleman! Can you hear me?

A proud fisherperson displays family dinner on the 4th of July

I heard recently that a local under 12 boys soccer team has been denied their request to be a Rep team for Tsawwassen. Apparently a program was being started by keen individuals to raise the level of play locally so that Tsawwassen boys (and girls) are able to play at a high level in their own home town. There is a great level of excitement about this plan that includes a three tiered strategy where all players can be presented with an environment that is challenging and creates growth. Unfortunately the governing bodies (not clear who these are) have decided that T-town does not warrant rep teams at both the Gold and the Silver levels. It means that the Silver team is destined to play at a House level rather than at a level that will be challenging and growth promoting. The process for going GOLD, as they call it, seems to be very unclear and appears again from the outside to have a large subjective component.

What a blast! Lots of big kids and little kids having way too much fun camping on Canada Day at beautiful Lighthouse Park in Point Roberts. Many thanks to Ben and Lynne VanBuskirk for their hospitality! Hands across the border baby!

The Tsawwassen Mite All-Stars having a little pre-game fun at Squint Park in Burnaby on Canada Day. Go Eagles go!

I just came from a Canada Day BBQ at a close friend of mine who is celebrating his first year as a Canadian citizen. He is proud to be a Canadian as we all are. We are unique, proud, considerate, and somewhat shy at blowing our horns. Coming back from a trip to Washington DC some time ago I couldn't help but be amazed at how proud Americans are and how amazing it is to see their monuments to Presidents - Jefferson, Lincoln, the Washington Monument and more. Perhaps it is time that we start blowing our own horns and truly show that we are proud. Maybe even brag a bit at who we are. I AM CANADIAN!!