CRA scam still around
The Canada Revenue Agency scam has resurfaced in the area, with one Cache Creek resident contacting The Journal last week to say that she received three calls purporting to come from the CRA in two days (within 30 minutes of speaking with the resident, The Journal also received a call supposedly from the CRA).
The messages vary, but the recipient of the call is often told that they are being investigated for fraudulent tax returns, and the calls can be threatening in nature. Be aware that the CRA will almost never contact you by phone; will not threaten you with prison or deportation; and does not ask for payment via gift cards.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up, then call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at 1-800-495-8501, or visit their website at www.antifraudcentre.ca.
Games Night at UniTea
The popular games night event is returning to UniTea on Railway Avenue in Ashcroft. Drop in between 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 18 for a variety of games, including charades, Pictionary, Mexican Train, and more.
Cars on Ice
The Western Canadian Ice Racing Association of B.C. is pleased to announce that ice conditions at Barnes Lake near Ashcroft are cooperating, with the minimum ice requirement for ice racing having been met. The first Cars on Ice event of the season is scheduled (ice permitting) to take place starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 20, and will continue until 4 p.m. on the 21st.
Thirty-nine vehicles have already registered, but there are six spots still open for the event, which will be IceX, an autocross event that features a single-car timed event completing one lap at a time. IceX allows beginners to learn car control techniques and gives an experienced driver a chance to hone and perfect the skills he or she already has. Previous experience is not required. To register, go to http://carsonice.ca/register.
Collective Learning
UniTea Tea Room will be hosting “Collective Learning: Our Changing Times” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 20. Join like-minded community members for an ongoing series of discussions about our changing times and opportunities to share and grow together.
Participants are encouraged to exchange ideas and create a collective learning process. Among the topics that could be up for discussion are cryptocurrencies, disclosure, conspiracy theories, and spirituality.
Song circle
Feel free to drop in for a song circle at UniTea Tea Room on Thursday, January 25 from 7 to 10 p.m. Share a song, lead a song, or listen as participants go around the circle. Song circle is free, and open to all who wish to participate.
Mama Soul in Ashcroft
Shake the winter blues away with a concert at UniTea in Ashcroft featuring Kamloops group Mama Soul and their combination of funk, soul, and blues music. The concert is from 7:30 to 10:30 on Saturday, January 27, and tickets are only $10 each. Call (250) 457-1145 to reserve tickets, or drop by UniTea.
Holiday Train success
The 19th year of the CP Holiday Train is in the books, with CP announcing that the 2017 runs raised more than $1.5 million and 300,000 pounds of food for food banks in the six Canadian provinces and 11 American states where the company operates. It’s estimated that more than 425,000 people attended one of the 150 CP Holiday Train events held in 2017.
Since 1999, the Holiday Train has helped raise more than $14.5 million and 4.3 million pounds of food for local food banks. During its stop in Ashcroft on December 16, a CP representative gave a cheque for $5,500 to the South Cariboo Elizabeth Fry Society food bank, and another $2,203.90 and 1,250 pounds of food were donated by attendees.
B.C. Poverty Reduction Strategy community meeting
A community meeting for British Columbia’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy will take place in Kamloops on Thursday, January 18. Residents are invited to come and talk about how to reduce poverty in the province. Ideas shared at this in-person community meeting will help inform the Poverty Reduction Strategy that is scheduled to be released in fall 2018. Everyone is welcome.
The meeting will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services, 707 Tranquille Road. Doors open at 5 p.m., and refreshments will be served. The location is accessible, and transportation, child care, and health supports are available for this event. Anyone who needs support to participate can email LTBoulos@sparc.bc.ca.
Public meetings are being held in communities throughout the province. If someone is unable to attend a meeting, they can also give feedback online (https://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcpovertyreduction/), via email (BCPovertyReduction@gov.bc.ca), by leaving a voice mail message at 1-778-698-7746, or by calling Enquiry BC and asking for BC Poverty Reduction (1-800-663-7867). Calls can be made Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Information on the poverty reduction strategy engagement can be found online at https://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcpovertyreduction/.
Health Canada warning
Health Canada is advising Canadians that one bottle of children’s “Flintstones Plus Iron” multivitamins (NPN 02247995) was returned to a pharmacy containing unidentified capsules instead of the proper chewable tablets, which are multi-coloured tablets shaped like Flintstones characters. The opened bottle with the safety seal removed was returned to a Pharmaprix in Longueuil, QC, in December 2017.
At this time, Health Canada and the company, Bayer Inc., are aware of only one incident involving this product.
Anyone who has purchased this product should inspect the bottle to be sure the bottle contains the proper chewable tablets before giving one to a child. In general, check any health product before consuming it to make sure it appears as expected. If in doubt, check with a pharmacist.
Check the product packaging before buying to make sure they have not been opened, torn, damaged, or tampered with. Consult your health care professional if your child has consumed unidentified capsules and has health concerns.
Contact Bayer Inc. with any concerns about this product by calling toll-free at 1-800-714-4449.
Canada Summer Jobs funding
Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) is an initiative of the Summer Work Experience program, which provides wage subsidies to employers to create employment for secondary and post-secondary students. Again this year, Canada Summer Jobs welcomes applications from small businesses, not-for-profit employers, and public sector and faith-based organizations that provide quality summer jobs for students.
CSJ provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create summer job opportunities for young people aged 15 to 30 years who are full-time students intending to return to their studies in the next school year.
The application deadline is February 2, and the earliest job start date is April 23. The latest job start date is July 22, and the latest job end date is September 1. To apply, go to http://bit.ly/2D23p9W.