Chinese Firm Approved to Takeover Long Term Care Homes in BC


Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau keen on trade; but quiet on risks. Photo by Adam Scotti, PMO.

The following quote is taken from a February 27 article in The Tyee by Scott Sinclair and Stuart Trew:

“In the eagerness to portray Canada as open for business and to lock in binding foreign investor rights, we must ask who is looking after the interests of vulnerable groups such as seniors, employees in the private health care sector, or indeed the Canadian taxpayer? A publicly financed, not-for-profit solution to the rising demand for long-term care is by far the better option. It would create high-quality care, decent-paying jobs and benefit from greater accountability.”

To read the full article, click the following link:

Tyee article on Anbang Deal

Federal Framework on Lyme Disease

Recently the federal government released the Draft Federal Framework on Lyme Disease. The Framework was written by the Public Health Agency and is based on information gathered from the 2015 online consultation process and the conference of Spring 2016. They are asking for public comment to be submitted by March 8, 2017 (see below).

The following is from a letter from Elizabeth May, MP Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Federal Green Party of Canada:

“The framework is required to meet the guidelines set out in my Private Member’s Bill, which include the following:

  • the establishment of a national medical surveillance program to use data collected by the Agency to properly track incidence rates and the associated economic costs of Lyme disease;
  • the establishment of guidelines regarding the prevention, identification, treatment and management of Lyme disease, and the sharing of best practices throughout Canada; and,
  • the creation and distribution of standardized educational materials related to Lyme disease, for use by any public health care provider within Canada, designed to increase national awareness about the disease and enhance its prevention, identification, treatment and management.

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SOHC Annual General Meeting 2017

SOHC Executive 2017

2017 Executive (left to right): Bill Day, Frank Turner, Lynn Wells, Edward Staples, Nienke Klaver, Keith Olsen

About fifteen Princeton and Area residents gathered at Riverside Community Centre on January 19 for the fifth SOHC Annual General Meeting. Following approval of the agenda, Nienke Klaver read the minutes from the previous AGM and Keith Olsen presented the society’s year end financial statement.

Edward Staples thanked the membership for their support over the past year and presented a summary of the Year in Review and the Year Ahead (see below).

The following were elected to the Executive Board for the 2017 term:

  • President – Edward Staples
  • Vice President – Bill Day
  • Secretary – Nienke Klaver
  • Treasurer – Keith Olsen
  • Directors – Lynn Wells and Frank Turner

Chris Goodfellow, President of the Old Age Pensioners Organization, presented SOHC with a donation in support of the work being done by SOHC. President Staples thanked the OAPO for their generosity.

Year in Review 2015-16 – Summary

SOHC Goals and Activities for 2017

SOHC AGM Financial 2017 copy-2