The B.C. government likes to boast that the province's personal income tax rates are among the lowest in the land, if not the lowest. Expect to hear it repeated a lot in TV ads over the coming weeks, when the legislature reconvenes in February and when the 2013 provincial budget is tabled.   On one level they're right. On...

Computer users in the Okanagan region are getting attacked by a virus impersonating law enforcement and then pressuring people to pay money to fix. The malware virus displays pop-up messages telling users that the RCMP or other government agencies are investigating the user for illegal activity on their computer. To fix the problem, the user […]

The Better Business Bureau announced its top 10 scams for 2012, and it’s obvious from the list scammers are getting a little daring in attempting to steal the trust of the public. “We are seeing trends towards spoofing well-known brands and ‘scams of the moment’ which capture people’s attention because the topic is in the […]

The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations’ Wildfire Management Branch is recruiting physically fit, motivated and team-orientated individuals to fill fire crew positions for the 2013 fire season. Interested candidates can apply until Jan. 24 online through the Wildfire Management Branch website: www.bcwildfire.ca/employment The job requirements are listed on the website, including details […]

If the term 'fiscal cliff' became part of the daily lexicon over the holidays, perhaps a new term should come into vogue in B.C. before the May election. Call it the 'fiscal tsunami' and it could hit B.C.'s shores sooner than most think.   It's the hangover that comes from creative accounting, financial wizardry and a little...

When Josh Fox received a letter offering him nearly $100,000 for the natural gas extraction rights on his Pennsylvania property, his first reaction was: nice chunk of change. Then he started wondering what was involved in the hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) process proposed.  Looking for the answer took him on a road trip...

Starting Feb. 15, 2013, and over the next five years, eligible British Columbians between the ages of 19 and 74 will be required to replace their CareCard with the new BC Services Card by renewing their enrolment in the Medical Services Plan. The current CareCard was introduced in 1989 and has not been significantly updated...

As the new year begins, so do thoughts of resolutions. While most resolutions involve vows to exercise more and adopt healthy eating habits, BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) has three suggestions for resolutions that can make the world a safer place for you, your family and your community. Learn CPR. BCAS attends 2,400 to 2,800 ...

Calls to cut taxes should not come as a surprise. Individuals, business establishments, and corporations have been singing this tune for years. Resistance to taxes goes hand in hand with government at all levels. “No Tax Payments!”screamed a headline in Germany’s Neue Rheinische Zeitungon November 16, 1848. The article’s...

The Government of BC has been on a borrowing and spending spree for about eight years. A lot of this is being done using the “Public-Private Partnership” model (P3) of which the former Premier Campbell was exceedingly fond. In fact, he was such a leading proponent in Canada that the commercial interests behind the...