Welcome to Your Kamloops!

Workshops at Citizen Science Conference Quite Relevant to Recent Debates on Kamloops Air Quality...

I stumbled on this really interesting conference while reading through my RSS feeds last week. It's called Science Online 2010 and it's goal is to highlight science communication. Really interesting stuff for Kamloopsians, especially with the Domtar and ACC air quality permit approvals in the past few months. I would love to find out more about the following sessions specifically:

D. How does a journalist figure out “which scientists to trust”? – Christine Ottery and Connie St Louis

Description: We will talk about how science journalists can know which scientists to trust based on a blogpost by Christine Ottery that made a splash in the world of science communication. As a relative newcomer to science journalism and blogging (Christine) and an award-winning broadcaster, journalist, writer and scientist (Connie), we will be bringing two very different viewpoints to the discussion. We will be touching on peer review, journals, reputation and maverick scientists. We will also examine how journalists and scientists can foster good working relationships with each other, find out what is best practice when it comes to sources for science journalists, and turn the premise of the talk on its head and ask “Which journalists can you trust?” of the scientists. Discuss here.

C. Trust and Critical Thinking – Stephanie Zvan, PZ Myers, Desiree Schell, Greg Laden, Kirsten Sanford

Description: Lay audiences often lack the resources (access to studies, background knowledge of fields and methods) to evaluate the trustworthiness of scientific information as another scientist or a journalist might. Are there ways to usefully promote critical thinking about sources and presentation as we provide information? Can we teach them to navigate competing claims? And can we do it without promoting a distrust of science itself? Discuss: here.

C. Online Civility and Its (Muppethugging) Discontents – Janet Stemwedel, Sheril Kirshenbaum and Dr.Isis

Description: Janet, Sheril, and Isis regularly write about the role of civility in dialog with the public and other scientists. In this session, we will discuss the definition of civility, its importance in the communication of science, and how the call to civility can be used to derail discourse. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of finding the appropriate balance of civility and tolerance for what gets labeled as incivility in reaching and engaging each other. We reserve the right to use the words “balls,” “muppethugger,” and “wackaloon,” to FWDAOTI liberally, and cannot guarantee that at least one of the moderators will not lose her junk. Discuss here.

Kamloops resolution passes - asking the province to pass BC wide cosmetic pesticide ban

Vote was not really even close, as far as I could tell. That's pretty exciting and a real win not only for human health, but it also helps businesses work together to transition to non pesticide alternatives.

Just to be clear, there is no plans now for the province to enact a ban on sale and use of pesticides. There is a lot of negotiation and discussion to do yet.

Resolutions Session at UBCM : Delegates Take Control

The UBCM resolutions session yesterday certainly did not go according to the little pocket agenda they provided us.

12 different communities submitted resolutions about the carbon tax. The UBCM resolutions committee decided to try to capture all those resolutions with one "special resolution". I understand the motivations here  - efficiency and trying to get to all the many resolutions scheduled for debate and approval. Still, in this case, the special resolution seemed to make most delegates unhappy. A resolution was finally passed asking the provincial government to look at mitigating impacts of the carbon tax. An hour later, the Premier decided to offer a grant to municipalities who commit to become carbon neutral. The grant would cover the costs it would take to become carbon neutral.

Even before this brouhaha, a lone delegate approached the mike and moved a motion that would see all leaders of BC political parties with at least 5% popular support be offered the opportunity to speak to the convention. I call this the "allow Green Party in" resolution.  It was framed up that way last year at UBCM and it failed. This year, this resolution passed very narrowly.

There was also rumbling about how the UBCM executive chose to handlle the negotiations on last  year's hot topic- TILMA - the BC Alberta Trade Investment and Labour Mobility agreeement. A lot of concern was expressed last year that TILMA would diminish local government powers signifcantly. The UBCM negotiated some favourable changes last year, but the executive decided not to bring the negotiated agreement back to this year's convention for ratification. A resolution for them to go back and negotiate some more and then bring back the negotiated agreement to next year's convention was defeated.

Videos from UBCM - experimental stuff

I'm trying to host videos, and sometimes stream live, from UBCM. Would be interested in any feedback:

www.qik.com/arjunsingh

UBCM lobbying update...

We had the opportunity to meet with Solicitor General John Van Dongen about potential funding for dykes along Schubert Drive.

We spoke with Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman  about supportive housing and homelessness issues. The Minister seemed to agree that there is a solid return on financial investment in housing the homeless, and supporting them to get back on their feet.

We had our second UBCM meeting with transportation ministry officials to support the community's application for funding assistance for the Valleyview / downtown pedestrian and bicycle path. I have a good feeling about this, but will wait for a definite decision before getting too excited. The Mayor has worked hard on this file.

BC wide, marijuana grow ops down, meth labs up

UBCM day 2.

RCMP Pacific Region Head, Gary Bass, spoke today of the displacement of marijuana grow op activity to regions outside the province. But, we have a much bigger problem now, the growth of crystal meth production in BC. Overall, though, the police are doing much better and generally crime rate are decreasing.

Used carefully, the province's controversial civil forfeiture provisions offer a powerful tool for police and local governments to battle criminal activity.

BC Municipalities Generally Well Placed to Weather Wall Street Woes...

UBCM day 2, morning session: the Large Urban Forum. Kamloops fits into the category of a large urban community in the BC context.

The executive director of the Municipal Finance Authority and a Trent University expert on municipal financing gave reassuring presentations in the midst of the current global finance turmoil. Times are uncertain but this model of BC cities and regions working together to pool financial risk and reward, in a regulated and transparent way, allows the very best credit ratings and one of the best positions for weathering current and future trouble in the financial system. Only 2 other provinces have similar strategies. Many US municipalities are in much worse shape.

Saving the Planet, Ending Homelessness at the UBCM

I learned a lot today at the UBCM "pre conference". I attended 2 half day study sessions - the first on climate change action and the second on affordable housing and homelessness.

Interesting takeaways from the climate action session with BC Minister of Environment Barry Penner and his deputy minister Graham Whitmarsh:

- auto purchasers can get up to 6000 dollars in federal and provincial rebates for buying a fuel efficient car.

- according to the UK government's Stern Report, the costs to address climate change will be 1 percent of global GDP, the costs of not addressing 20 percent of global GDP.

- the BC government is very focused on gaining an early mover economic advantage in a possible new green economy. The Minister seemed pretty focused in casting environmental issues in economic terms.

Interesting takeaways from the affordable housing and homelessness session:

- studies show government annual average expenditure on a homeless person is 55000 dollars. Annual average expenditure for housing and support for the same person is 37000.

- BC housing looking at helping facilitate affordable home ownership programs.

- don't always need a full, explicit affordable housing plan. Can often work with current development and community activity.

- importance of partnering (eg. With faith community)

Have a look at the UBCM pocket guide...

Here is the pdf version of the 2008 UBCM convention pocket guide:

Download ubcm_2008_pocket_program.pdf

If anybody has any things they would like me to try to find out about or focus on, leave a comment or send me an email.

At the UBCM convention this week...

The annual Union of BC Municipalities convention is being held in Penticton this year. As always, the next 5 days offers an opportunity to learn, to lobby Provincial Ministers and staff on Kamloops issues (often with funding requests attached), and to exchange ideas with elected folks from across BC. 

We are staying at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. Tomorrow, I will be attending study sessions on climate change action (half day) and on affordable housing and homelessness (half day). I will also be attending the provincial cabinet panel on economic development.

I'll be writing updates here from the conference all week. I will be leaving for home  on  Friday morning to get back for the start of the local homeless count at noon.