Government Caucus - Capital Report~July 11, 2008.

Capital Report~July 11, 2008.

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Premier Gordon Campbell is joined by kids, athletes, officials and mascots to celebrate completion of the first indoor venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and announce a new program that will see Aboriginal artwork showcased in the 15 Olympic and Paralympic venues.

Province Launches LivesmartBC.ca

The BC government has created a new website and information campaign to help British Columbians make better energy choices and explain how the province of B.C. plans to handle climate change issues.

The new LiveSmartBC website is a comprehensive source of information on the science of global warming and the actions government is taking to fight climate change.
The LiveSmart initiative is supported by an informational campaign which includes newspaper ads, will now include advertising on radio and television.
The site will focus on transportation, fuel-efficient vehicles and home-energy savings, including the promotion of incentive programs available to consumers who want to make smart choices to save money.

Click for more information.

New Tax Cuts for British Columbians Beginning This Month

British Columbians will pay less income tax thanks to reductions made possible by the revenue-neutral carbon tax.

Over the next three years, the government will reduce personal and corporate income taxes by more than $1.8 billion.
In addition to the income tax cuts, the new Low Income Climate Action Tax Credit will provide lower-income individuals and families with an annual payment of $100 per adult and $30 per child.

Click for more information.

Expanded Screening to Improve Health of B.C. Babies

Newborn babies in British Columbia will now be screened for more than three times as many disorders at birth that can be treated to avoid lifelong health issues.

The expansion will be phased in over the next 12 months with full implementation expected by 2010.
The expanded program will include screening for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease.
B.C. will be one of the first jurisdictions in Canada to implement a suite of second tier screening tests aimed at minimizing false positive rates.

Click for more information.

There are currently no interviews scheduled.

Quotes This Week

“Today’s announcement is wonderful news. On behalf of the thousands of Canadian families affected by cystic fibrosis, the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation commends and congratulates the Province of British Columbia for adding screening for CF to its newborn screening program. We hope this announcement encourages other provinces to adopt this important strategy.”
Julie Cookson, Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation News Release, July 3, 2008.

"Together with measures such as a cap-and-trade program, a carbon tax can use money from industries that are not energy-efficient to create economic benefits and incentives for those that are wiser in their energy use."
David Suzuki, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton), July 4, 2008.

"These are very, very effective incentive grants. There is no hold backs now. The savings they incur will substantially reduce the pay back period. When you do a full suite of these things, it pays yearly dividends (in utility savings)."
Ken Parker, certified energy advisor. Prince George Free Press, June 24, 2008.

Did You Know?

Premier Gordon Campbell and Minister of Healthy Living and Sport Mary Polak congratulated the 43 B.C. Paralympic athletes named to represent Canada in the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing. B.C. athletes represent 43 of the 143 athletes in 17 sports who make up the Canadian Paralympic team, or just over 30 per cent. B.C. athletes are considered those who are born or reside in British Columbia.

The Province has provided $350,000 in grants to launch an international cybercrime research centre that will investigate online crime trends and help to develop new tools to counter them. The International Cybercrime Research Centre will conduct research into a wide variety of cybercrime concerns; it will also analyze international trends and serve as an educational centre for industry professionals.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee and the University of British Columbia, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia, announced that UBC Thunderbird Arena is the first indoor competition venue to complete construction. The venue will host the men’s and women’s ice hockey, as well as the men’s ice sledge hockey competitions during the 2010 Winter Games.