One aspect that I enjoy most as a Member of Parliament is the great diversity of citizens and commentary that I hear throughout Okanagan-Coquihalla on an ongoing basis. One year ago I reflected on concerns I heard over the loss of both the Kamloops News and Merritt News; these concerns were not just local but in many cases national. As much as we live in an age of information citizens greatly value local media and the relationships they form with our communities.  

Although we may not always agree with local editorial opinion it is important that we always respect free speech and the diversity of different points of view. As my weekly reports are often communicated to citizens in Okanagan-Coquihalla through our local media I would like to take a moment to pass on my appreciation and thanks to those who work in community news publications be it in print, online or on air. Informed commentary from professional news organizations is a service that I believe we should not take for granted.

When looking back on this past year I would be remiss if I did not also mention that amount of new Mayors, councillors and regional district directors elected back in November. I have been in the process of working with local government to organize a number of elected officials forums so that members of the public can meet new representatives and also so that newly elected officials from different levels of government can meet each other. Although spats and disagreements between levels of government can make for great headlines it is also important that governments have the ability to work together in partnership to ensure infrastructure projects, services and other programs are carried out in an effective manner that is respectful to taxpayers. In Okanagan-Coquihalla we have a long standing history of successful partnership between the local, provincial and federal governments and based on the newly elected and re-elected officials I have met to date I believe this positive trend will continue.

This past year has also not been without tragedy. The disturbing deaths of two Canadian forces soldiers who were brutally executed combined with the shooting on Parliament Hill are all events that will forever be in the memory of Canadians. However in the days and weeks after these horrific events we also witnessed not just a united Parliament, but more importantly, a united Canada. Although our freedoms were attacked Canadians, responded with compassion, kindness and a resolve to continue to stand against tyranny for our values. While changes have been made around the House of Commons and Parliament Hill, the principle of accessibility has not been compromised. Each day Canadians come from far and wide to experience Parliament first hand through tours and walking through the precinct. It was once pointed out to me that our Canadian Parliament was one of the very few in the world that is openly accessible to Canadians and is not fenced off where it can only be viewed but never experienced. These things are all part of what makes us Canadian and why on this Christmas I hope that every citizen gives thanks for family, friends, neighbours and our fellow citizens who collectively are the fabric of our great country. As the Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Coquihalla I would like to sincerely wish all citizens a Merry Christmas and enjoyable holiday season. As always I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or toll free at 1-800-665-8711.

Late last week I had the pleasure of sending out a news release – for those of you who may have missed it here is the opening few paragraphs:

“Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Dan Albas welcomes new regulations to better protect BC freshwater lakes from invasive species.

Today Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea announced new proposed Invasive Species Regulations that create new regulatory tools that will help to prevent the spread of invasive species such as freshwater zebra and quagga mussels. The new regulations will create importation prohibitions at the border including other provisions relating to control and eradication.”

As I pointed out in the news release these new regulations are an important first step to better protect BC freshwater lakes from invasive species. We know here in southern BC that lakes such as Osoyoos, Okanagan and the Shuswap are very popular with destination boaters. We also know that there are now several lakes south of the border that are infested with invasive species such as freshwater mussels. Having regulations in place at the border is a critical first step towards prevention. In the event a major lake has been infested the potential to spread to other nearby lakes is significantly increased; with so many pristine freshwater lakes in British Columbia this is a matter that could have a serious impact on British Columbia. Although this announcement is encouraging other measures will also be required and this will be an issue I will continue to work on.

Another recent announcement is from Government is the recent introduction of the Price Transparency Act. This Act proposes new regulatory powers for the Commissioner of Competition to investigate situations where retail practices result in pricing being significantly higher for an the same item sold in Canada compared to a lower price in the United States. Unequal pricing, often referred to as geographic price discrimination, can result in Canadian consumers facing significantly higher prices for similar goods then what can be purchased from across the border. There are other factors that can influence price that can include tariffs, transportation costs, variable exchange rate, market size and insufficient competition. The Price Transparency Act will allow the Commissioner of Competition an expanded mandate to investigate all of these factors to determine why a differential in pricing exists and what remedies may be available. It is estimated that Canadians frequently pay prices that are between 10% to 25% higher for goods in Canada compared to the United States. The intent of the Price Transparency Act is to help lower these price differentials and extend the purchasing power for Canadian consumers. For further information on this or any Bill before the House of Commons please do not hesitate to contact me at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or via phone at 1-800-665-8711.

Before I close I would like to extend an invitation to West Kelowna and area residents to attend an elected officials meet and greet with the newly elected Mayor & Council of West Kelowna this Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the OK Regional Library Westbank branch located at #31 – 2484 Main Street in West Kelowna from 10:30 AM- 12:30 PM.

Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Coquihalla and writes this weekly report for his constituents. His website is www.danalbas.com and has an archive of previous reports.

This week is another busy one in Ottawa with large a number of Bills up for debate or votes as well as a motion from the NDP. Thalidomide was a drug briefly approved by Health Canada in 1961 that was intended to provide relief from nausea and other morning sickness related symptoms among pregnant women. Unfortunately this drug turned out to have very catastrophic consequences– even death. For those surviving babies some commonly occurring birth defects include deafness, blindness, disfigurement, cleft palate, and many other internal disabilities. Today there are fewer than 100 survivors in Canada.

The NDP motions on Thalidomide read as follows:

“That, in the opinion of the House: (a) full support should be offered to survivors of Thalidomide; (b) the urgent need to defend the rights and dignity of those affected by Thalidomide should be recognized; and (c) the government should provide support to survivors, as requested by the Thalidomide Survivors Taskforce.”

This was a motion that I supported and in fact was supported by all Members of Parliament that will ensure survivors of Thalidomide are provided much needed supports for the challenges they face on a daily basis.

Also occurring this week is continued debate on Bill C-43 The Economic Action Plan budget bill for 2014 and a number of private members bills including Bill C-628— An Act to amend the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the National Energy Board Act (oil transportation and pipeline certificate) Bill and Bill C-524 — An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (election advertising) there will also be a private bill from the Senate Bill S-213— An Act respecting Lincoln Alexander Day.

On a local note I would like to thank the citizens who came out for our Penticton Elected officials forum. This was a worthwhile venue and I appreciated the opportunity to hear concerns and also to meet some of our newly elected members of council. I am currently in the process of organizing more of these events in other parts of Okanagan-Coquihalla. As next week will be the final week in Ottawa before the house breaks for the holidays I will soon be back in the riding and available for meetings. To arrange an appointment or to pass on other comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or toll free at 1-800-665-8711.