Protecting Canadian manufacturers
May 11, 2013 / 5:00 am
Ensuring Canadian Manufacturers Are Not Put At A Disadvantage In the early 1970s, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recommended that developed economies grant autonomous and non-reciprocal tariff preferences to developing countries in...
Renewal of the Building Canada Fund
Apr 21, 2013 / 5:00 am
From a jobs and economic perspective, if I had to choose one federal government initiative that has had a significant impact on our riding, it would be local investments made in infrastructure through the Building Canada fund. Before being elected in 2006, I was a city...
Winemakers contributing to economy
Mar 16, 2013 / 5:00 am
Take a few grapes, crush them, bottle the elixir and voila, you have a recipe for some great economic success. The British Columbia Wine Institute, which is chaired by the passionate Josie Tyabji and hardworking Executive Director Miles Prodan, recently forwarded me the...
Gov't helping Canadians with disabilities
Mar 2, 2013 / 5:00 am
On March 8th, I will be participating in the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)’s Kelowna Strategies to Employment Forum on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. Youth Awareness...
A National Code for wireless services
Feb 8, 2013 / 5:00 am
When it comes to cell phone bills and wireless contracts we’ve all felt at one time or another like pulling our hair out. And what about the horror stories: someone takes an overseas vacation only to come home to a cell phone bill in the thousands due to roaming charges they...
Canada Summer Jobs 2013
Feb 2, 2013 / 5:00 am
I don’t know about you but as a student growing up in Edmonton, looking for a summer job, I would head over to the Summer Hire-A-Student office. I was very grateful for the employers that hired students like me because it helped us raise money to pay for our post-secondary...
Plenty to be thankful for
Dec 22, 2012 / 5:00 am
There is a story by Zona Gale called Christmas, first published in 1912, which tells the tale of a town hit by hard times as the season of giving approaches. The factory that employs most of the town is closed and not likely to re-open, and town merchants fear that people will try to shop for...
Navigating Canadian Waters
Dec 8, 2012 / 5:00 am
I wish to share information with constituents regarding the changes proposed to the Navigable Waters Protection Act in Bill C-45. As a Kelowna city councillor for nine years, I can tell you that these changes have been a long time coming and are being welcomed by...
Petitions and benefits
Nov 24, 2012 / 5:00 am
Petitions are Fundamental to the Democratic Participation of Constituents A petition is an instrument of the democratic process, available to all Canadians, which enables them to exercise their fundamental right of freedom of expression. When I am sent a...
Our vow to Veterans
Nov 10, 2012 / 5:00 am
Each year the faces of our Veterans change. Those who fought in the wars of the last century grow fewer replaced by younger men and women who have served in more recent arenas of conflict like Afghanistan. What doesn’t change is our duty to remember. That is...
Celebrating science and technology
Oct 13, 2012 / 5:00 am
I recently had the opportunity to meet Ryan Holmes who is an Okanagan success story in innovation and technology. Ryan attended Okanagan College (OC) and is now the founder and CEO of the social media management system HootSuite which has over 5 million subscribers and a projected market...
Our richest resource
Sep 29, 2012 / 5:00 am
Recently, I received a note from Shelagh Turner, the dedicated and hard-working Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Kelowna & District Branch. She wrote, “I wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you for the role you play in...
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
Sep 15, 2012 / 5:00 am
We often hear that Canada’s prosperity as a nation is increasingly based on investments in education and training, basic and applied research, and highly skilled and creative individuals. Since 2006, our federal government has invested nearly $8 billion in funding for initiatives...
WD supports infrastructure
Sep 1, 2012 / 5:00 am
One of the departments working diligently on behalf of western Canadians is the department of Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD). Established in 1987, WD works to improve the long-term economic competitiveness of the West and the quality of life of its citizens by supporting a wide...
Positive economic news
Aug 4, 2012 / 5:00 am
It is a positive reflection of our economic stability and business sector confidence that Canada has been able to recover more than 765,000 net new jobs (90% full-time and nearly 80% private sector) since July 2009. According to the most recent statistics from Statistics Canada, as of May...
Building great economic partnerships
Jul 21, 2012 / 5:00 am
The possibilities of growth in the Okanagan’s business sector, especially tourism, have increased tenfold now that United Airlines has announced it will fly direct between Kelowna International Airport and Los Angeles. Visitors from the US will be able to enjoy...
Increasing RCMP accountability
Jul 7, 2012 / 5:00 am
Just before the House of Commons rose for the summer recess, the government tabled Bill C-42, the proposed Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act. Constituents will be pleased to know that the legislation will create a new Civilian Review and...
Canadians at work
Jun 23, 2012 / 5:00 am
The latest census results from Statistics Canada confirm our population is growing older. Canada is quickly becoming a nation faced with a declining labour force just as Canadian seniors require more from health care, pensions, and our income support systems. It...
Ambitious trade missions
Jun 9, 2012 / 5:00 am
Economic Action Plan 2012 emphasized our Government's commitment to creating jobs, economic growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadian workers and their families. As a member of the International Trade Committee since 2006, I have witnessed our Government pursue an aggressive trade...
This week in Parliament
Jun 2, 2012 / 5:00 am
As I write this column, it is 1:00 AM or so on Wednesday morning and my colleagues and I are gathering in the House of Commons preparing to vote on C-39, the back to work legislation that will get CP rail moving again. It’s been quite the week with some big...

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